Blush Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Chanel Le Mat de Chanel Fall Beauty Picks

August 20, 2018

Chanel fall beauty is all about mattes with their Le Mat de Chanel Collection for fall-winter 2018. I ordered a few items and am thrilled with all except one of my haul picks. In general I’m usually not a fan of matte finish makeup as it ends up looking dry or flat on my skin. These mattes are soft with a diffused finish and look like skin but with a velvety soft blur. The colors at first glance looked a little boring to me online but after playing with them I’m thrilled to report they are excellent classics you can wear everyday. The colors wear really well – I wish there were more options color-wise because the formulas are beautiful! You can see the entire fall Le Mat de Chanel lineup on their site here. It might be hard to see in the photos but everything is packaged in a soft matte packaging which is just beautiful. Still the same classic sleek Chanel design but instead of a glossy black finish everything from compacts to lipstick casing and caps is matte.

My beauty haul picks:

Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Quintessence
Les 4 Ombres in Clair-Obscur
Stylo Ombre et Contour in Contour Clair
Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Mat in Discretion and Impulsion
Rouge Allure Ink in Serenity

The Joues Contraste Powder Blush this season Quintessence is a soft pink rose. It’s sheer to medium in color but buildable. The color has a matte finish and is very natural. I think it gives the skin a perfect soft wash of pink. I’m medium-tan right now so it’s not quite as noticeable as it will be if you have fair skin.

Swatch comparisons below to Chanel Powder Blush in Angelique (discontinued), Chanel Powder Blush in Foschia Rosa (on the face here), By Terry Compact-Expert Dual Powder in Sun Desire (review here), Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Iridescent Flash (review here), Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Luminous Flush (review here), Tom Ford Sheer Cheek Duo Lavender Lure (blush side, review + on face here), MAC Mineralize Blush in Sweet Enough (review here)

The eye makeup items are my favorite for this collection. I ordered one of the Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quads in Clair-Obscur which has four beige-brown mattes and the Stylo Ombre in Contour Clair a tan brown.

For the Les 4 Ombres quad Clair-Obscur you get ultra smooth shadows for a perfect natural contour eye look. Colors are neutral with a slightly cool undertone. Pigment is perfect and smooth. I found them easy to blend and layer with each other. They almost have a creamy feel. I’ve never loved a fully matte eyeshadow palette like this! The Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked2 Basics are my current favorites and the colors in Clair-Obscur are very similar so if you don’t want dupes you may want to shop your stash. I don’t mind that there are similarities. Both are excellent in quality and finish. Swatches side by side shows that the Chanel quad has a very subtle luminosity to it vs the Urban Decay which is 100% matte.

Swatch comparisons:

The Stylo Ombre formula has launched in more shades for fall. My previous picks in my New Chanel Eye Makeup Post here. Contour Clair is the perfect medium tan brown that I can use as a base. This one is one I don’t mind that the tip will wear down because I’m just going to use it as a cream shadow base blended. I swatched a bunch of other shades to try and compare but couldn’t find anything like it. Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color Mattes are close but none of the colors are close. I suspect that the MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork is similar but lighter. I no longer own it so I can’t compare.

For the lips I have two hits and one miss. I bought two of the Le Rouge Crayon de Couleurs and one Rouge Allure Ink.

The Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur pencils are beautiful formulas. They’re matte lip crayons that are ultra creamy and opaque. They glide on smoothly and easily. Lasting power is pretty good – not as good as if you were to line your lips with a regular lip pencil, but better than a traditional lipstick. Discretion is a nude but on my lips it turns peachy. Impulsion looks like a brick red but on my lips it pulls brighter. The Rouge Allure Ink in Serenity is a miss for me formula-wise. I don’t know why I keep buying this formula. I think it’s in part due to the fact that SO many people love these I keep trying to love it. The colors for this formula have been beautiful (Lost reviewed here and Eterea swatched here). I just really don’t like the formula – I think I’ve bought around 5 colors now from past launches and every one has been a formula fail for me. I find them to be sheer, often patchy, and they all disappear from my lips within 30 minutes. The color is a perfect soft rose. If I layer it over a pencil it works, but to me I would rather just have the formula be better. I think the YSL Tatouage Couture Matte Stains are a better buy formula-wise. Swatch comparisons if you scroll down.

Swatch comparisons: Chanel Au Naturel and Warm Rosewood reviewed here, Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist in 19 swatched here, YSL Tatouage Couture Matte Stains reviewed here

A beauty look using the Chanel Le Mat de Chanel picks:

Primer: Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Mattifier
Foundation: Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation in Warm Natural 4.5 (swatches of all shades here)
Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose + Chanel Les Beiges No. 20
Brows: Diorshow Browstyler in Universal Brown
Eyeshadow: Chanel Les 4 Ombres Clair-Obscur 308
Mascara: Chanel Le Volume Waterproof
Blush: Chanel Powder Blush in Quintessence 440
Lips: Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Serenity 168
Tank: Madewell

One last look:

Bottom line I love practically everything I hauled. Color-selection wise I do think there could have been a bit more variety with more options, but I think there are some beautiful pieces and I absolutely love the eye makeup. It’s rare that I pass on the nail polishes, I used to be a die hard Chanel Le Vernis collector! However I’ve tried the Velvet Nail Color formula before many holidays ago and I felt like I was putting rubber on my nails so I decided to pass. If the Rouge Allure Ink in Serenity had a better formula it would be perfect as I think the color is gorgeous!

You can find the Le Mat de Chanel Collection out now at all Chanel counters. I ordered my picks from Nordstrom and Chanel. Have you seen the items in person yet? What did you think?

127 Comments

Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Pretty Youth Glow Filters, Cheek Hug Brush + Collagen Lip Bath

June 20, 2018

Charlotte Tilbury launched Part 2 of her Beauty Filters collection focused on lips and cheeks. I picked up all three of the items including the Pretty Youth Glow Filter Kit in Pretty Fresh and Seduce Beauty ($60 each for blush duo + brush) along with the new Collagen Lip Bath ($35). I reviewed Part 1 last month on her Bigger Brighter Eyes Collection. Part 2 for lips + cheeks do not disappoint color and quality-wise.

Charlotte Tilbury Pretty Youth Glow Filters

The Charlotte Tilbury Pretty Youth Glow Filters are duo cream cheek palettes and the kits come with the Cheek Hug Brush at Nordstrom. It is only because of this brush that I think these palettes are worth the high price tag of $60. (The blush is available individually at Charlotte Tilbury’s website though.) In terms of quality and pigment both colors are really good but to me it seems as though there is very little product. These each contain a highlighter and blush – the brush is perfectly shaped and very well made to pick up both colors and apply them in a perfect blush/highlight motion. I simply swipe across the palette and apply in a swipe up method on the cheeks, then blend/buff with either my fingers or a separate blush brush. Texture is a silky cream finish. It’s truly a cream to powder like the description states. Color on me is medium to sheer.

Seduce Blush is the more neutral/muted option with a soft champagne and pinky-nude. There is a slight hint of shimmer in the pan but on the cheeks it’s very diffused and satiny.

Wearing Sunday Riley The Influencer Foundation 190, Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Shadows in Star Gold and Rose Gold mixed together, Collagen Lip Bath.

Pretty Fresh is a brighter option with a paler rose shimmer and brighter pink. This one is my favorite of the two. It can be built up for more color but blends out to a very nice flush.

Closer look at the Cheek Hug Brush:

Overall these had medium lasting power on me. I’m still experimenting with primers and bases to find what will last through the humidity. I felt like I had it all figured out last summer. Then we had about six months of truly mild weather here and I feel like I’ve forgotten what worked in humidity! I think these blushes are both excellent. I still really love her Filmstar Bronze and Blush Glow for texture and finish and think if she had made these Pretty Youth Glow Filters colors in powder form I’d snap them up in a heart beat and that others would too. I’d say in terms of finish/texture the lasting power and pigment, the Pretty Youth Glow Filters is similar to that of the Sisley Phyto-Twist Blush sticks.

Some swatch comparisons:

Collagen Lip Bath

Then there is the Collagen Lip Bath which all of my friends were texting me about asking if I had tried it and if I thought it was worth the price. I love all of Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Lustres and Lipsticks so had high hopes for this even though it looked like it was basically a clear gloss. As soon as I opened my heart both sank and then rose back up.

When I removed the wand I was completely shocked at how little product there actually was in the tube. The wand takes up 1/2 the space! Then the actual wand itself is shaped like the top of a heart which is the cutest applicator I’ve ever seen. After getting over the shock of how little product there was I swiped it and fell in love. It makes my lips look lush and plump without any tingle or sting. They truly look super healthy and plump in the best way I’ve ever seen. It’s supposed to have peppermint extract to cool, but for some reason I did not feel any cooling sensation. It’s basically clear even though it’s a soft rose tint in the tube. Below is what my lips look like with clearish gloss, they almost always turn rose pink.

So in terms of performance and what it does, I 100% love it. I’m still peeved at how little product there is and I feel like I’m one who rarely gets upset about product weight. I still really like it and will use it up entirely in no time at all.

Overall beautiful. In my mind Charlotte Tilbury can do no wrong with the quality and color choice of her products. I think the Pretty Youth Glow Filters and Collagen Lip Products are beautiful additions to her line. I’d recommend them for anyone who wants a soft pretty and natural feminine glow. I do think the price points are a little steep, especially for the amount of product you get. I do feel the Cheek Hug Brush is really well made and makes the duos worth the splurge. For creams they aren’t too emollient but if you have super oily skin you might want to try before you buy if you can. As for the Collagen Lip Bath, I love it, but I don’t love the price. I wish it came in a squeeze tube like the MAC clear lipglass. The brush tip is nice and the design quite innovative but not a game changer to make it worth the steep price.

For other recent Charlotte Tilbury reviews:

Hollywood Flawless Filters Review + Swatches
Star Gold, Rose Gold, Duchess, American Sweetheart and English Beauty
Bigger Brighter Eyes Collection Review

You can find the Pretty Youth Glow Filters and Collagen Lip Bath out now at Charlotte Tilbury counters. I bought mine from Nordstrom. Also available at Charlotte Tilbury and Beautylish.

P.S. You can buy just the blush duo individually without the brush at Charlotte Tilbury for $40.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

17 Comments

NARS

NARS Orgasm Collection 2018 Review + Swatches

June 11, 2018

For summer 2018 NARS has four new color items to expand their Orgasm Collection. Three launched last month and one was just released last week so I’ve waited until I had all the items to swatch and review. Last year’s collection brought us four new Liquid Blush Colors. This year we have two new lip colors and two complexion products. There’s something so perfect to me about peachy pink gold colors. I think every single item in this launch is perfect for a fresh glowing summer look. Items include:

Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm ($28 for 3 g)
Orgasm Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer ($26 for 5.5 ml)
Orgasm Illuminating Loose Powder ($28 for 2.5 g)
Orgasm Oversized Blush ($39 for 8 g)

(Also shown above include the Staud Mini Shirley Bag and Kate Spade Johanna 53 mm gradient sunglasses.)

Up first are the lip products. I really liked the Orgasm Lipstick from last year (which you can still find). On my lips it gives me the perfect wash of peachy pink with a soft golden sheen. The Afterglow Lip Balm this season has a more emollient finish since it’s a balm. It’s smooth, soft and has a very moisturizing feel. I cannot detect any scent. Swatched on the arm or hand it’s almost transparent. On the lips it’s a sheer glowing pink for me. There is shimmer in it but it’s not really apparent on the lips. Color is just my lips but glowing. Lasting power is average for a tinted balm – the texture itself is like a regular lip balm, it won’t last all day but I don’t mind reapplying. The Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer is a high shine high frost peachy gold. It’s quite metallic and opaque but can be smoothed out with blending or if you layer it on top of the balm. To me it has a very subtle vanilla scent. It’s very glossy but isn’t sticky. I prefer the balm or lipstick version for a more natural look but the full vinyl lip lacquer is still very nice. I’m eager to see the other colors in this formula. Lasting power was pretty good with this one. It stayed put until I had a snack or drink. Otherwise it adhered well to the lips without sliding off or budging, but still was light enough to let the lips breathe.

Swatched on bare lips:

For the two complexion products there is a new Illuminating Loose Powder and an Oversized Orgasm Powder Blush. The Illuminating Loose Powder comes in a small jar and the product is a very pigmented metallic shimmering peachy gold. If you apply with a dense brush or dip a lot of product it’s quite intense with an almost foiled look. If you use a loose brush or apply just a soft wash it gives the skin a more subtle luminous glow. A little goes a long way so I’d recommend playing with a little bit and layering more on if you want more color. There is a supersized Orgasm Blush this year. If you followed me on Instagram stories you may remember that I mentioned it looked slightly different than the original version. This was off the top of my head and a side by side swatch proved my thoughts correct. This year’s oversized version has slightly more pink with less gold shimmer. The difference is noticeable on my face with my skin tone. Your mileage may vary depending on how light or deep yours is.

Swatches:

Close up:

Two beauty looks, Look #1 wearing:

Laura Mercier Flawless Ultra Longwear Foundation in Buff
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Powder in #2
NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette
Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm
Oversized Orgasm Blush 2018
Tank from Madewell
Nail color is OPI Tiramisu for Two

Look #2 below wearing same makeup as above with different lip and cheek. On the cheeks is the Orgasm Illuminating Loose Powder heavy vs blended. Orgasm Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer on the lips.

One last set of swatches:

Bottom line stunning. My favorite is the new Afterglow Lip Balm. I also love this year’s large Orgasm blush. It’s the perfect soft pink with a tiny bit of gold shimmer for me.

You can find the new NARS Orgasm Collection pieces out now. Online at Sephora and NARS Cosmetics.

Balm, powder + blush provided as press samples. Lip Vinyl purchased by me.

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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Blush Glow Set

July 21, 2017

Charlotte Tilbury has a special Nordstrom beauty exclusive called the Filmstar Bronze and Glow Blush Set ($75). This is a limited-edition set that’s part of the 2017 Nordstrom Anniversary Sale which opens up to everyone today! Out of all the makeup items I purchased this one is by far my favorite. My local Nordstrom didn’t have this so I ordered it online and think it’s the best cheek duo she’s launched to date. I’ve been a long time fan of her original Filmstar Bronze and Glow because it’s an effortless contour and highlight palette I find really versatile. She’s released a few other variations but this is the first that has a blush color. The set comes with a mini Artistry Blush brush which didn’t look like it would be the best quality from the cut but I was pleasantly surprised by how soft it felt and also how well it performed.

The bronze shade in this duo is the lightest out of all the Filmstar duo palettes but still has enough color to add warmth to my medium tan skin. If you’re super fair or light and want a natural looking bronzer I think this is an excellent option. The blush shade is a soft shimmering soft coral pink with a soft peach/gold sheen. To me it’s like a pink less frosted version of NARS Orgasm Blush. On me it looks medium but on lighter skins it will be more pigmented/brighter.

Texture of both sides is soft and luminous without any frost. This is perfect for summer to add a soft sheen. I found it perfectly soft – I was able to layer for more pigment by putting a tiny bit of cream blush or highlighter underneath to pick up more color. I feel like if I could only buy one makeup item from the sale, this would be it.

Close ups of each side and swatches, bronze side:

Blush side:

Swatches:

Look wearing:

Diorskin Forever Perfect Makeup in 21 + 31 mixed
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish Powder #2
Diorshow Browstyler Universal Brown
Charlotte Tilbury Look in a Palette Beauty Glow Eyeshadows
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Blush Glow (Nordstrom Exclusive)
Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick in I Woke Up
Top from Madewell

A few sets of comparisons, first a look at the Powder and Sculpt brush in the full size compared to the mini in this set. As you can see the mini seems to have a different cut on the brush – something I thought would be scratchy or harsh. It’s actually surprisingly smooth and easy to use.

Next a look at the three Filmstar Bronze and Glow Duos, the Light-Medium, Medium-Dark and Bronze and Blush Glow. As you can see the Nordstrom exclusive has the lightest/softest looking bronzer.

For a blush comparison, long-time readers know I’m a huge fan of her Cheek to Chic blushes for their soft luminous glow. They each have two colors to swirl and pop for depth but I really just swirl a brush in the pan and mix before applying to the face. The Filmstar Bronze and Blush Glow shade resembles Love is the Drug the most, but it still has a slight hint of warmth to it while the blush is clearly pink.

Bottom line a solid winner and for me I call it a definite must-have. It’s naturally pretty, soft, luminous and easy to wear. I found it easy to control pigment by blending for a soft wash or layering for a more visible glow with color. I do think if you have dry skin this might not show up well on a bare face – it is powdery and with the soft texture it can feel a tad bit powdery. Make sure you have a well prepped face with some kind of tinted moisturizer or base. I found the duo performed well over a liquid base + powder, but it can look a bit powdery on bare or dry skin. Sometimes this can be fixed by spritzing a tiny bit of face mist like MAC Fix+ before applying powders or simply add a bit of a cream blush, luminizer or bronzer underneath to help the color adhere better.

For me it’s pure love and I think it’s 100% worth the splurge. I love these so much I’m going to giveaway 5 Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Palettes. Five distinct winners will be selected at random to pick their choice of 1 palette: Filmstar Bronze and Glow Light-Medium, Medium-Dark or Bronze and Blush Glow via the widget below. Simply enter by following one of the steps in the Rafflecopter widget. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. Giveaway runs through July 29th 11:45 EST. I’ll select and email the winners within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. Prizes will be mailed within 1 week after I receive a response. Please refer to terms and conditions in the widget for all the details.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Blush Glow set exclusively at Nordstrom for the Anniversary Sale. There’s a GWP going on online as well – check their Gift With Purchase Page as it gets updated regularly. All the other Beauty Exclusives here.

Are you shopping the sale today? What’s on your list?

146 Comments

Bronzer + Blush NARS

NARS Liquid Blush and Orgasm Collection Review

June 1, 2017

NARS has some new launches for the summer including a new cheek product called Liquid Blush ($30 for 0.5 fl 0z/15 ml) and a three-piece Orgasm Collection which features the new liquid blush formula, a special edition packaging Orgasm Powder Blush ($30 for 0.16 oz/4.8 g) and an Orgasm Lipstick ($28 for 0.12 oz/3.4 g). The Orgasm powder blush was one of my first high-end purchases many years ago and I used that blush with the Laguna Bronzer religiously (before my blogging days). Any extension of either colors always gets me excited. Something about a peachy pink gold shimmer just gets me. Up first is the NARS Orgasm Collection features three items: two cheek items and one lipstick.

For some reason I thought the Orgasm Lipstick already existed but perhaps I got this confused with the lip gloss version. The lipstick is a pretty peachy pink gold shimmer with a sheer finish. It gives the lips a pink peach gold tinge for a gorgeous summery look. It’s shimmery but not overly frosted and I like the look of it. It has a moisturizing feel without having too much slip. The Powder Blush has a special-edition packaging on the exterior with pink lettering and on the mirror there’s a little hashtag phrase embossed onto the surface adding a fun touch. The Orgasm Liquid Blush is a new formula of super pigmented but blendable liquid. It has a thin texture and this one appears more pink than the powder version. There is shimmer in the product but on my face I don’t see any – it just gives the skin a very soft pink glow in the most natural way I’ve ever seen.

I don’t have the lip gloss version of Orgasm, but I do have the Illuminator. Here they are swatched side by side. For the most part the Orgasm Powder blush has looked like a blush on me. Now that I’m a few shades darker it feels more like a highlighter on my medium tan skin. For more of a blush version right now I prefer Luster or Torrid for that peachy look.

The Liquid Blush comes in four shades: Orgasm is the lightest, a soft pink with gold shimmer, Luster is a soft peach apricot with gold shimmer, Torrid is a warmer/deeper coral peach, Dolce Vita is a matte rose. The finish of these is somewhere in between glowy and satiny. They have a very fluid pigmented texture and look almost scary pigmented straight out of the pump but they blend out easily. The bottles are on the small/tiny side but a little goes a long way so I really only need 1 pump for the face. Application-wise I used my fingers to dab and blend. You can use a brush or a sponge. I like that they blend but don’t disappear on the skin once you swipe to blend. The pigment is truly easy to control depending on how much color you want. There’s no detectable scent. Lasting power is very good for a non-powder formula – they don’t slide off and color-wise they don’t darken or oxidize (yay!). My favorite is Torrid.

It has moisturizing ingredients to give the skin a healthy looking natural glow without being too dewy. At the same time these have a satiny finish. The swatches look scary but I promise they can be blended out to a natural finish. Left to right below is Orgasm, Luster, Torrid and Dolce Vita. These come in a frosted small glass bottle with a pump.

Below I swatched them with a heavy hand but they will blend out for a sheerer finish. You can also layer powder blush on top for more intensity without the color looking too heavy. Definitely check out Karen’s post on Makeup and Beauty Blog to see how these compare to their powder versions (her post is super helpful!).

Swatches below, top left is Orgasm, top right is Luster (Orgasm Lipstick on both sides)

Bottom left is Torrid (Orgasm Lipstick), bottom right is Dolce Vita (with Dolce Vita Lip Gloss)

Foundation worn is Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Sable

One last look:

Bottom line the liquid blush is a win. I find that both Luster and Torrid are great colors for me right now. Blended out they look similar on my skintone, but one is clearly lighter than the other. Dolce Vita has always been a tricky one for me as dusty rose colors tend to look dark against my olive skintone. The liquid version looks more rosy than brown which is workable, I just prefer peachy shades or bronzey colors. Orgasm Liquid blush is more pink than a peachy-pink-gold but I actually like it better than the powder blush version.

For the Orgasm Collection I was pleasantly surprised by the lipstick. It’s a nice peachy-pink-gold shimmer that I want to wear all summer long. It is on the sheer side though so if you want more color than shine you may have to add a liner underneath and blend it out. The blush is a nice addition with the added details on the packaging but if you already own it, no need to get another one. A number of you have asked if I’ll be reviewing the NARSissist Loaded Eyeshadow Palette and I’m still undecided. I don’t need another eyeshadow palette and have this one from Kat Von D Beauty and this one from Tom Ford on my radar so I’m trying to hold out. The reviews on the NARS one are overwhelmingly positive though so perhaps I need to take a trip to Sephora this weekend to look at it again. If you have any thoughts on it let me know.

You can find the Liquid Blush and Orgasm Collection online and in stores at Sephora and NARS Cosmetics. The Liquid Blush launches today! Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

Items in this post provided courtesy of NARS for review consideration.

38 Comments

Becca Bronzer + Blush Highlighters

Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette Review + Swatches

May 19, 2017

Becca launched a new palette with Chrissy Teigen called the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette ($46 for 15 g/0.53 oz) and it’s absolutely stunning. It has four colors for the face including two highlighters, a bronzer and a blush – I have loved them on both the face and eyes. For a palette I think the price point is fairly reasonable – it comes in a pretty girly rose gold compact with a glossy pink exterior.

A closer look at the palette and descriptions of the colors. All the shades have excellent pigment, smooth finish and blend beautifully on the skin. The color is easy to control for either a sheerer wash or pigmented color. All the shades look like they will be universally flattering. The shimmer is visible but not over the top.

Rose Gold Highlighter is peachy rose with gold shimmer
Hibiscus Bloom Blush is a soft warm pink with a hint of gold glow
Malibu Soleil Bronzer is a medium warm bronze
Beach Nectar is a pretty champagne peach

I did a quick look a few posts back with the Tatcha Cherry Blossom lips, I’ll repost here so you can see it:

A closer look, the shimmer is just so pretty!

If you think this palette looks similar to a lot of other highlighters or palettes you’re right. There are similarities so if you already own a lot of Becca products and don’t want duplicates you may want to shop your stash. That being said I do think this one is quite stunning.

Three sets of comparison swatches for you! Set 1 includes the Becca x Chrissy Teigen vs Becca x Jaclyn Hill (from last year):

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Set 2:

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop (individual, review here)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Rose Gold (individual) – the Rose Gold in the palette seems a tiny bit darker than the individual one you can buy separately
Tom Ford Reflects Gilt (review here)

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Set 3:

NARS Banc de Sable Highlighter Palette (also reviewed here)
Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Bronzed Bondi (review here)
Becca Luminous Blush in Snapdragon (review here)

Bottom line, dupeable but still gorgeous. I see a lot of similarities between last year’s Becca collaboration with Jaclyn Hill and also with individual colors from the line. You can definitely get a similar look with other products but the convenience of having these in a single palette will be very handy for upcoming spring to summer travels. I ordered mine and have no regrets even though I have a few other Becca items. The quality and pigment is on point – it really is very very good. Also I think the price point makes this a reasonable buy.

The colors are perfect to brighten the face with a lovely flush of color and glow without being overdone or too frosty. I love that the shimmers aren’t harsh and that there is no yellow gold in them (they tend to look super harsh on my olive skin). I highly recommend this.

You can find the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette now online and in stores at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, QVC and Becca Cosmetics. Have you checked this one out? What did you think?

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Bronzer + Blush Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush and Bronzer – New Shade Extensions

April 19, 2017

Hourglass fans rejoice because they’ve added new products to their Ambient Lighting Collection with their Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush ($38 each for .15 oz/4.2 g) and two new shades of Ambient Lighting Bronzer ($50 each for .39 oz/11 g). As a long-time fan of the Hourglass highlighters I’m thrilled to be able to review the new shades and swatch them for you.

Up first, a look at the blushes. For those new to the Ambient Strobe Lighting Blushes these are the most glowy blushes in the Hourglass line. I find that on my medium toned skin the colors appear borderline more like highlighters than blush. The shimmer is finely milled but on the glowy side. While I don’t see any frost in them, I will note that if you don’t like shimmer, you may want to opt for the Ambient Lighting Blushes instead. They have more color and less glow.

What I love about these is that they are glowy without being too frosty. They apply smoothly on the face and don’t emphasize pores. I do find they warm up a little bit about 30 seconds after application, however they don’t oxidize in color.

Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush comes in 4 colors:
- Incandescent Electra is described as a cool peach blended with Incandescent Strobe Light
- Brilliant Nude is described as a deep amber blush with Brilliant Strobe Light
- Euphoric Fusion is described as a lilac blush blended with Euphoric Strobe Light
- Iridescent Flash is described as a vivid magenta with Iridescent Strobe Light
- Note that three of the four Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders were in the limited-edition holiday palette and Incandescent Electra has been released as an individual color for quite some time
- For reference you can see the review/swatches of the Strobe Lighting Powders here

Face swatches of all four on medium-olive skin. On the face I’m wearing the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick in Nude. Lip colors worn with each blush listed below:

Hourglass Incandescent Electra with YSL Volupte Tint in Balm #7 (swatched here)
Hourglass Brilliant Nude with GIRL Lip Stylo in Believer (review here) + YSL Volupte Tint in Balm #7
Hourglass Euphoric Fusion with GIRL Lip Stylo in Activist (review here)
Hourglass Iridescent Flash with GIRL Lip Stylo in Creator + Achiever mixed (review here)

Up next are the bronzers. The original two bronzers Luminous Bronze Light and Radiant Bronze Light looked almost identical on me. The variation for me was slight but I do suspect colors will vary depending on how much highlighter versus bronzer you have mixed into yours. The powders are hand made which means each one is unique and different. I really loved Luminous Light and I still do. On me for some reason Diffused Light pulls warm even though it looks cool-toned in the pan. I love Nude Bronze Light because it appears slightly more matte than the other two. That being said they all look similar on me. The difference is in the undertone. These bronzers also warm up a little after application but they don’t darken or oxidize. A little goes a long way and they are super easy to apply/blend.

Ambient Lighting Bronzers are now available in 4 shades:
- Luminous Bronze Light is a medium toned bronzer with Luminous Light highlighter mixed in (reviewed here)
- Radiant Bronze Light is slightly deeper and warmer with Radiant Light highlighter mixed with a beige base (reviewed here)
- Nude Bronze Light is a new shade with a neutral nude bronze and a soft matte nude powder
- Diffused Bronze Light has a mix of cool brown bronze and a pale yellow powder

These were swatched with a heavy hand on the face to try and show the difference in undertone. On the lips is GIRL Lip Stylo in Idealist for all the face swatches below. To me they all look very similar. Nude Bronze Light seems to be the darkest on my complexion. Brush shown below is the Hourglass Brush #2. I have a couple of their brushes and need to explore more of them. They are synthetic and PETA friendly. They’re among the softest smoothest brushes I’ve tried. I think they’re under-rated.

If you missed out on the holiday palette you can find the shades individually now. I swatched my palette next to the individual ones and the colors, pigment and texture are the same. I still stand by original review and feel like the Ambient Strobe Lighting Blushes have more of a highlighter feel on me, but I still love them. For the bronzers variations will most likely be more apparent on you if you have lighter or deeper skintone. I’m right in the middle where all four have a very similar effect. My favorite is Luminous Bronze Light.

Bottom line beautiful powders, gorgeous packaging, seamless application. I love a good glow and these have a perfect mix of shimmer and color to look natural but still noticeably glowy.

You can find the Hourglass the blush and bronzer additions now at Sephora, Nordstrom and Hourglass Cosmetics.

Have you tried these yet? Or did you buy the palette over the holiday? What did you think?

Many thanks to Hourglass for sending the Ambient Lighting Bronzer and Strobe Lighting Blushes for review.

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