Browsing Tag

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty

Uncategorized

On My Radar / New In Beauty

September 5, 2014

Happy Friday everyone! September is a big month for beauty lovers, there are a number of new product launches and gift with purchase events. Space NK and Barneys New York have phenomenal beauty gift bags coming up next week, I’ll have more details posted shortly, but I recommend you start making your lists. The price points for the minimum buy is on the higher end, but the gifts they have are best I’ve seen in the industry.

Some items on my beauty radar:
Diptyque has a number of beautiful new items for fall. There is a beautiful La Redoute Candle (1) with a marble ceramic jar. Ambre (2) now comes in larger amber tinted hand-blown glass jar. There is also a new Vanille Candle (3). I smelled it at the South Coast Plaza boutique months ago (they had a preview) and it’s a lovely smokey vanilla, perfect for fall.

Dior has released a new lip item called Rouge Dior Baume (4). Saks has an early exclusive this month. These are supposed to be lip balms with rich pigment. There are 15 shades Dior describes as “easy to wear” ranging from soft nudes, feminine pinks, and luminous fuchsias.

Hourglass Cosmetics fans will be thrilled to know they open their first boutique at the end of this month (5). Also on my radar is their newly repackaged Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint (6). I played briefly with the colors at Sephora last week but was in a rush so I didn’t get to look at the colors in detail.

Tom Ford Fall Beauty collections have been incredibly difficult to locate for some. Items have sold out at a record pace online. If you found that you missed out, don’t fret, items keep restocking online so don’t give up. Both of the Contouring Cheek Color Duos in Softcore and Stroked (7) are now online at Nordstrom and have been restocked at Neiman Marcus (see this post for my swatches).

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty has been on everyone’s beauty radar. I have been really impressed with the Lip Lustre Lip Lacquers (8) and K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipsticks (9). She has some outstanding neutrals.

Bobbi Brown has a new Limited-Edition set called the Mixed Metals Collection (10). It’s exclusive to Neiman Marcus and Bobbibrowncosmetics.com. I hope to have the swatches completed this weekend to post early next week (keeping fingers crossed I’ll have the time).

The 30 shades of Christian Louboutin Nail Polish have launched in The Pops, The Nudes and The Noirs (11) (featured above). I don’t have a store near me that carries them yet, so I’ll be relying on online reviews and swatches. I did order a few of the colors from Nordstrom sight unseen. My fingers are working as fast as they can to swatch the colors I picked out.
What’s on your beauty radar?
Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Instant Soft Focus Beauty Flash

September 3, 2014

 

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow ($52 for 40 ml/1.4 fl oz, made in Switzerland) is a luminous liquid highlighter. It’s designed to have multiple uses. You can wear it under, over, mixed in with foundation or just by itself. It’s a golden beige illuminator with very fine micro-pearl reflecting particles that give the skin a spotlight glow. I am a huge fan of glowy face products, but rarely find illuminators I feel comfortable wearing all over the face under foundation (I won’t wear Armani Fluid Sheers or NARS Illuminators all over the face). With Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow, I find it adds a really nice brightening effect to give my skin that glow from within look in a subtle way. I have olive medium skin and find it hard to find liquid highlighter that have a true beige, gold or yellow undertone. Most of them have some kind of champagne or pinkish pearl tint, which I like, but sometimes I need variation. Some sites describe this as a primer, I prefer to use it as an all over illuminating base to add a glow, but not necessarily prime the skin.

 

 

Wonderglow is a liquid highlighter with a medium texture. It’s easy to blend but not completely fluid which is nice because it’s very easy to control. You can apply without having to worry that it will run off the back of your hand, brush or face. I like to squeeze a little onto my hand and then apply all over with a foundation brush. Close up to try and show the multi-dimensional pearly quality.

 

 

Swatched straight from the tube and then blended:

 

Swatch comparisons to some other illuminating products:

  • Tom Ford Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust
  • Armani Fluid Sheer 10
  • Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Sunkissed
  • By Terry Cellularose Brightening CC Lumi Serum in Apricot Glow
  • Koh Gen Do Beige Illuminator IL01 (review)
  • NARS Illuminator in Hot Sand (review)

 

Applied straight from the tube:

 

Blended:

 

I am really happy with the Wonderglow from what I’ve tested. I suspect it works well for me because I’m right at the medium skin tone where this is a really good match for me (I use Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 04 and am a Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet in Beige 30.
I’ve used this both as a base under foundation (applied over moisturizer) and as a highlight to add a dewy glow on top of foundation as well. Both work really well for a subtle effect that is still noticeable. I like to use it under blushes too. I like that it has a texture that stays dewy for a little bit so you can work it into the skin and blend. Some highlighters are either too dewy or dry too fast. This one dries nicely after a few minutes and doesn’t budge on my normal skin. There is a slight floral rose scent but it’s very subtle and fades after a few minutes.
I do think Wonderglow is pretty pricey a $52 but it’s a really nice product and I’m pleased. I haven’t tried her Magic Cream yet so I can’t compare this to it, although I am interested to find out how they both compare (or differ).
You can find Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow in the US at Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Charlottetilbury.com.
Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty – Preview of The Beauty Look Book Picks

September 3, 2014

Beauty fans will be thrilled to know that Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty line has finally launched in the US. The range has launched online first at CharlotteTilbury.com, Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter and BeautyLish starting September 2nd. Later this fall, the line will launch in select stores starting October 7th at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC and October 10th at Nordstrom at The Grove in Los Angeles. Launch events will also be hosted with Nordstrom in other cities including Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Orange County, Washington D.C. and Las Vegas through Spring 2015.

I fell head over heels in love with the Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Set which was available at Nordstrom during the Anniversary Sale. I couldn’t wait for the line to launch in the US so I decided order a few of her look sets from the UK site along with some other items. I’ll have detailed reviews on all the items, but many of you have asked for a preview post wanting to know what I ordered and whether I thought the sets were worth it (versus buying items individually).

I did quite a bit of research when trying to decide what to buy. Some of the lipsticks and lip glosses looked extremely brown in stock photos so I relied heavily on blog swatches to help me pick out colors. I went with two of the sets simply because I found it easier to purchase an entire look rather than mix and match items. There are definitely duplicates in some of the sets with items such as mascara, makeup bag and some liners. (I gifted my extra makeup bag and mascara to another beauty friend.)

I ordered my items from the UK site and Paypal converted Pounds to Dollars. I think the prices I paid were slightly higher in the UK versus US prices, current US retail prices listed below. (Note all items are available individually as well).
_____________________________

The Rock Chick Set ($225) includes:

_____________________________

The Uptown Girl Set ($225) includes:

_____________________________

Wonderglow Instant Soft-Focus Beauty Flash ($52)
Beach Sticks Bronze and Blush in Ibiza and Moonbeach (not yet available in the US)

There is a lot to digest with her line – it all looks so overwhelmingly good. I’ll have reviews posted in the next week by category: face, eyes and lips with thoughts and swatches. I’m still happy I ordered the sets although you don’t really save all that much buying a set versus individual items. I normally like to pick out items individually rather than stick to one preset look, but the color combinations are really good and easy to use for ideas. Even though I look nothing like the model used for each look, I found the looks helpful to see how soft or dramatic items would look on another face.

I’ve had really good experiences so far. I’m relieved since I spent a small fortune and bought everything sight unseen. More thoughts soon.

You can find Charlotte Tilbury in the US online at CharlotteTilbury.comNordstromBergdorf GoodmanNet-A-Porter and BeautyLish.

Uncategorized

Monthly Beauty Favorites

August 31, 2014

I discovered quite a few new favorites in August it was difficult to narrow down my list to under 20 items. My Sony NEX-6L/B
just broke right after photographed my monthly favorites along with some new items from Tom Ford Fall and Edward Bess. It will take 2-3 weeks for me to get it back after it goes to the repair center. As a blogger and photographer, I really should have more than one camera for times just like this. I called up my brother to ask for a camera recommendation. I wanted something that was super easy to use, easy to hold, affordable and compact. He said hands down buy something from the Canon G Series – after doing a few hours of research and watching several videos, I ordered a Canon PowerShot G16 as my second camera. I took my first photos with it for the Tom Ford Black Cherry post and am so impressed with the image quality and functions. Many of you have asked me for more info on my cameras, as soon as the Sony gets back from repair, I’ll do a post on both to compare. If you have any camera favorites I’d love to hear what you love. I hope to upgrade to an SLR by the end of the year.

Onto my favorites for the month of August:

  1. Truffle Privacy Clutch in Blush has become a favorite for a classic, sleek and compact clutch. It’s super sturdy and extremely well made. Use code LABORDAY for free US shipping through Monday. (Review and more photos here.)
  2. Clare Vivier Wallet Clutch is another new favorite, it’s the compact version (measures 8″ x 5″) of their regular Flat Clutch (measures 11.5″ x 7″) making it perfect as a change purse that will also hold a lipstick, business cards, and keys. 
  3. West Elm Acrylic Trays are a new discovery for me. I’ve been a huge fan of their Lacquer Trays (we have them all over the house). I’m thrilled West Elm made one that is high quality at an affordable price. Huge thumbs up (they come in the square and rectangle options).
  4. YSL Volupté Sheer Candy has been a go-to this summer, I almost always have one in my bag or purse with me. (Review on new shades here.)
  5. Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black is a favorite darker scent. It will be perfect as we transition to fall and suitable to wear through winter. (Full review here.)
  6. YSL Gris Deco has been the most commented-on polish I’ve worn all month. It was amazing how many people asked me “what nail polish are you wearing?” It has this unique mix of blue in it to make you wonder if it’s blue, grey or white. I love it for a super polished look that’s not too pale. (Swatches and review here.)
  7. Diptyque Figuier is one of my favorite Diptyque scents. I never tire of it no matter what the season is. I’m particularly fond of it in fall/winter. It’s a warming soothing scent that completely lifts one’s mood. It’s super relaxing and lush. (Cleaning and recycle tutorial here, find the 411 on size options here.)
  8. Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad in Nude Dip sold out online within a few hours, I still haven’t seen it pop up on Nordstrom or Bloomingdales yet, there is a possibility some other retailers might re-stock. You will have to do a bit of calling around to locate one but it’s definitely worth the extra effort. I’d recommend calling Neiman Marcus Fashion Island or Beverly Hills to see if they have any left. (Review soon.)
  9. Guerlain Cils D’Enfer Waterproof Mascara is something I’ve been obsessed with for a few months now. I discovered this one thanks to The RaeViewer’s channel (if she loves it, I usually end up loving it too). It really stays put, doesn’t smudge, has a deep lush black finish and doesn’t make the lashes look crunchy. (My review here.)
  10. Garance Doré x Rifle Paper is one of the cutest collections I’ve seen for stationary. I love the chic designs, they have cards that are really fun. They make great gifts, I know my friends have loved the notepads and birthday cards. 
  11. L’Occitane Hand Cream Pouch has been selling out very quickly (it’s a steal!), I managed to buy three sets when they restocked a couple weeks ago, it looks like it just sold out again, but I recommend you keep checking, I expect they will restock again.
  12. Clé de Peau Beauté Almond Concealer is an exact match for me. I’m thrilled they expanded their color options. I hope they do the same for foundations as well, I just tested a couple and fell head over heels with two of the formulas (my wallet is crying now). (Swatches here.)
  13. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow has been a staple duo this month. The line will launch in a few days in the US. (I’m so excited!) I am still photographing the two sets I ordered from the UK. Reviews will be posted as soon as possible.
  14. Edward Bess Illuminating Eyeshadow Base is one of my holy grail eye bases. (My thoughts here and here.)
  15. Kat Von D Ink Liner has seriously made my life easier when it comes to liquid liner. (Review here.) You can’t beat the ease of use, color, pigment, and quality at an affordable price.
  16. NARS Audacious Lipstick in Raquel is my new favorite nude pink. It’s literally everything I have ever wanted for that perfect nude pink lip color. I can’t always pull off nudes on the lips because they often look so pale. This one is absolutely perfect. It’s a good nude pink that doesn’t wash out the complexion. (Swatches here.)

What have been your favorites this past month?
Uncategorized

Liquid Eye Liners | Chanel, Kat Von D, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury and Tom Ford

August 26, 2014

I’ve never been a fan of liquid eyeliners on me. The traditional kind with a tiny brush at the end has always felt flimsy to me which has never let me control the line on the eyes. I don’t have the steadiest hands and prefer to line with a detail brush and a darker powder shadow or a pencil that I can blend easily. I’ve tested a few felt tip liquid liners in stores (on the hand) and found they either looked grey when they dried, had felt tips that looked mushed after use, or bled into crevices easily. I dismissed them for many years until I discovered Tom Ford’s Defining Eye Pen last year and it completely changed my outlook on liners. Since then I’ve been braver with the liquid liner application and have been able to test a few more. I don’t have a good tutorial on application but find it’s best when applied in short strokes (even if it’s messy) along the upper lash line and then built up for thickness and precision. I absolutely loved this Easy Winged Liner Technique video by MakeupbyTiffanyD which helped me tremendously as a liquid liner beginner.

Five liquid liners I’ve tried that I wanted to share (with a Sharpie and Post Card for size reference):

  • Chanel Écriture de Chanel Stylo Eye-Liner in Noir ($35) was the second liquid liner I purchased. The artists at the Chanel counter raved about it when it came out with the fall collection. Noir is a true black but when you compare it to the other five I have, it’s not the deepest and looks slightly greyish. It has a felt tip and the cap has a slight spring inside when you close it, the packaging seals it completely so it doesn’t dry out. My initial thoughts on this were that it was a good liquid liner, but after comparing it to others, it’s just not as good. It takes a long time to dry, the tip isn’t quite as precise and just looks grayish once it does dry.
  • Kat Von D Ink Liner in Trooper ($18) has made it into my top three picks. The Ink Liner comes with a felt tip while the Tattoo Liner comes with a brush tip. This one has a stiffer tip that is still slightly flexible. For me it creates a super precise line and is very easy to control. When testing which one would remove easily off my arm with a dual-phase eye makeup remover, this was the second longest lasting (next to Tom Ford). This one also has a spring insert in the cap which seals it completely once closed. I like that it’s very fluid and there’s no bleeding when you apply it.
  • Marc Jacobs Magic Marc’er Precision Pen in Blacquer ($30) is one I had high hopes for based on the rave reviews. When I first tried it I did not like it. The felt tip was too soft for a precise line. After experimenting with it some more, I found it best when applied sideways or horizontally and then gliding it across the lids in short feathery strokes. It dries nicely to a true rich and glossy black but doesn’t smudge. It is a liner I find takes more time. When I’m in a rush, this one isn’t the best for me. 
  • Charlotte Tilbury The Feline Flick Quick Fine Line Shodõ Pen is something I purchased from the from the Rock Chic set on Charlotte Tilbury UK. Now available in the US at Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Beautylish. This one is quite amazing with a super precise line and glossy rich black finish. It stays put and sets quickly. I love that it is super easy to glide on for precise application. The stiffer tip makes it easier for me to apply versus one that bends easily. Huge thumbs up for this one.
  • Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen in Deeper 01 ($55) is hands down the best liquid eye liner I’ve tried. It comes with two tips, one is a thicker brush, the other is a smaller felt tip. This one is super easy to apply. It gives a super dark black line and is the easiest for me to use (which is important since I’m not the best at applying liquid liners). It’s lasted almost a year for me without drying out and the tips have remained sharp.

Comparisons to pencil liners: Houglass 1.5 Mechanical Pencil, Chanel Stylo Yeux in Gris and Edward Bess Defining Eyeliner in Deep Brown

To summarize my thoughts:

Top three picks
Tom Ford, Charlotte Tilbury and Kat Von D
Deepest black: Charlotte Tilbury
Longest lasting: Kat Von D, Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford
Most precise: Tom Ford and Kat Von D
Easiest to control: Tom Ford

If I were pressed to pick just one, it would hands down be the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen even though $55 for an eyeliner is quite ridiculous. It’s super easy to control for a lighter or deeper line. It also has two tip sizes for a fine or thick line. It glides on and doesn’t smudge and retains its lush dark glossy black color even when dried.

Are you a liquid liner fan? What are your favorites?

The Marc Jacobs and Kat Von D eyeliners were provided courtesy of Sephora for review consideration. The others were purchased by me. More information in my Disclosures.
Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty / Net-A-Porter Preview Sets

August 20, 2014

Beauty alert for those who have been eagerly waiting for Charlotte Tilbury Beauty to launch in the US: Net-A-Porter has launched three exclusive preview beauty sets online starting today. The full line and individual items are scheduled to launch in the US this September at select retailers.

The three sets currently available via Net-A-Porter:

http://rstyle.me/n/j6b5kubf6

Golden Goddess Set ($225) includes:

  • Luxury Palette – The Golden Goddess (Eyeshadow)
  • The Classic- Sophia (Eye Liner)
  • Full Fat Lashes – Glossy Black (Mascara)
  • Cheek to Chic – Ecstasy (Blusher)
  • Lip Cheat – Pillowtalk (Lip Liner)
  • K.I.S.S.I.N.G – Stoned Rose (Lipstick)
  • Lip Lustre – Ibiza Nights (Lip Gloss)
  • Makeup Bag
_________________

http://rstyle.me/n/ny4adubf6

Face & Body Sculpt and Highlight Set ($255) includes:

  • Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream mini (Moisturizer)
  • Wonderglow (Primer)
  • Supermodel Body
  • Lip Lustre – Blondie (Lip Gloss)
  • Filmstar Bronze and Glow (Bronze + Highlight)
    Powder & Sculpt Brush
  • Makeup Bag
_________________

http://rstyle.me/n/nywp2ubf6

Bigger, Brighter Eyes Set ($195) includes:

  • Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream mini (Moisturizer)
  • Luxury Palette – The Sophisticate (Eyeshadow)
  • Double Cube Pencil Sharpener
  • Rock ‘N’ Kohl Eye liner in Eye Cheat (Eyeliner)
  • Rock ‘N’ Kohl Eye liner in Marlene Midnight (Eyeliner)
  • Life-Changing Lashes Eyelash Curler
  • Full Fat Lashes – Glossy Black (Mascara)
  • Take It All Off Eye Makeup Remover
  • Makeup Bag
_________________
After falling in love with the Filmstar Bronze and Glow Set from the Nordstrom Anniversary sale, I placed a sizeable order via Charlotte Tilbury online a few weeks ago and the package finally arrived at my house. I’ll have reviews and swatches in the upcoming weeks as I work my way through testing. First impressions are that this line is very good and the colors are amazing.

Have you tried anything from Charlotte Tilbury Beauty yet? I would love to hear your recommendations. I’m seriously considering the Golden Goddess set but am torn between waiting for individual items versus getting the set now.

Uncategorized

On My Radar / New In Beauty

August 7, 2014

Some items on my beauty radar this week, I hope everyone is having a great week so far. It’s almost Friday 🙂

These come in 6 shades and the darker shades Bloom Berry 4, Fig Fiction 5 and Toffee Cream 6 and look absolutely stunning, I think a trip to Barneys is in order soon (see Mandarina Pulp and the lighter/brighter colors swatched here)
Many of you have asked for recommendations on clear makeup bags, these Small Clarity Clutches by One Truffle look chic, sleek and absolutely adorable (they’ve been added to my wish list)

3. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty
The line is launching in the US in September, I have my eye on so many things from her line since I’ve fallen in love with the Filmstar Bronze & Glow, I placed an order from Charlottetilbury.com because I couldn’t wait to try some items, I’m loving the look of her Beach Sticks.
This Christian Louboutin nail polish has been on my radar for a while, I couldn’t justify the $50 price tag on a nail polish, but so many lovely readers from Europe and the US have been emailing me with raves and also requests to review, I caved and ordered, will report when it arrives.
5. Lash Growth Serums
I’ve had my eye on several lash serums on the market and I personally know several girls who have use Latisse and Neulash and they have lashes that are seriously to die for, I’m going to try one soon.
This sounds intriguing with it’s multi-purpose benefits, have you tried this before? It’s supposed to be a makeup remover and lash moisturizer that helps them grow.
This looks like an exquisite classic palette, I’ve splurged on quite a few eyeshadow palettes already this fall, I’ll have to investigate in person to see if it’s unique enough to buy, but the colors look perfect for an everyday polished look.

8. NARS Audacious Lipstick Collection
NARS will be releasing 40 shades lipstick to celebrate their 20th Anniversary in the Audacious Lipstick Collection, colors will include a full range of provocative hues from neutral nudes to striking reds and bold pinks, housed in a modern, matte-black metallic case with a magnetic closure, launching on Narscosmetics.com on September 1st (10 of the shades will be exclusive to Barneys).

9. J.Crew Ceramic Tray
J.Crew has a new Gold/Ivory Ceramic Jewelry Tray which looks gorgeous for storing small accessories and trinkets. I have these in previously released patterns and they make nice accents for the home.

As fall collections and new product releases trickle in, what’s on your radar? As beauty fans in the US wait for Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty line to arrive I’m living vicariously through UK girls and their swatches. If you’ve tried the line please tell me what your favorites are. For lashes, do you have any favorite lash treatments or serums?