Spring 2017 Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In a Palette Beauty Glow

May 12, 2017

Charlotte Tilbury’s latest in beauty is a new Instant Look In A Palette called Beauty Glow ($75, made in Italy). This is the darkest option of the three that have been released to date. Natural Beauty (reviewed here) was one that looked so pretty swatched on my arm but was too sheer to show up on my face. I ended up gifting it away. Seductive Beauty was launched last year with deeper options (review here) but I have not reached for it very often as I’ve found I still prefer her individual products, palette-wise I’ve found myself using the By Terry Sun Designer Palette #2 or Tom Ford Winter Soleil Palettes instead. The latest one in Beauty Glow is the best one yet. At first glance I suspected it would be too warm with the warm browns and rose gold shades but it’s actually just perfect. Quality wise everything is excellent, however I have mixed feelings about the face products. The pigment isn’t bad – just by comparison her individual Filmstar Bronze and Glows and her Cheek to Chic Blushes are so much better in terms of pigment and texture leaving me wanting a bit more for the palette. In general I feel the face products in her palettes are on the sheer side with a slightly powdery feel.

A closer look at the palette and color descriptions. These palettes are truly for the person on-the-go. It’s designed for a quick and easy look or for touch ups. It’s goof proof, simple in concept and super easy to use. If you’re into a super natural look, want as few steps as possible, but still want to look like you have some makeup on these palettes are definitely worth a look.

There are 3 eyeshadows with labeled numbers so you know what order to apply. The colors can be applied as a wash or gradient as they go from light to dark. Cheek options include bronzer/contour, two blush shades and a highlighter.

1 Eyeshadow is to brighten, it’s a shimmery peachy champagne color, I love this one!
2 Eyeshadow is a stunning shimmering copper shade, I want this in a larger pan, it has the right amount of warmth to be coppery-rose but doesn’t give me a red pink-eye look
3 Eyeshadow is a matte warm brown, pigment is excellent
4 Face is a bronze shade, it has a slight hint of shimmer but applies more like a matte
5 Cheek is a brown terracotta like blush, it looks scary in the pan but applies with a semi sheer finish and is easy to blend out
6 Cheek is a sheer coral pink with a hint of shimmer
7 Highlight is a pale off-white shimmer on my skin

Swatches with a medium hand:

Swatches with a heavier hand:

Quick five-minute face (if you exclude foundation and base application because that usually takes me a while):

Foundation is Diorskin Forever Perfect Foundation in 30 Medium Beige (I’m experimenting with both 30 and 31 as I’m changing color by the day, even 5 minutes of sun here is pretty intense but if I stay out of the sun for a couple days then I lose color just as fast as I darken)
Powder is Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish #2 Medium
Cheeks and Eyes is the Palette in Beauty Glow
Brows have the Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown + Charlotte Tilbury Legendary Brows in Super Model to keep them in place
Lip color combo is Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude and KISSING Lipstick in Hepburn Honey
Top by Caslon (for sizing reference I went with a PXS)

A quick look at Seductive Beauty vs Beauty Glow. For some reason this round I couldn’t fit all the swatches on one arm. I’ve done it before so I don’t know why I had so much trouble this round. You can see Seductive Beauty review in this post here.

One last look:

Overall thoughts are this is a good palette. I think that it is the best one she has launched to date. I love the shadows in this palette and wish I could buy them all separately. I’m going to have to hunt for a good dupe on the Eye #2 color because it’s just perfect. The cheek colors are smooth and have sheer to medium color payoff. Again I don’t think they are bad, it’s just that her individual face products are far superior in quality and texture (at least in my opinion) so by comparison they’re just ok. I think the entire set is worth the $75 price point for a combination of factors: color selection, pigment, convenience, ease of use and quality. That being said if there are only a handful of shades you like then I’d say pass and buy something you think you’ll use more of.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette in Beauty Glow online at Charlotte Tilbury. Have you tried this yet? What did you think? If you have any rose-gold shadow favorites let me know! So far I still have and love the Urban Decay Naked3 which has some amazing rose shades but doesn’t have warm options. Always on the hunt for wearable rose-gold copper ones – they are hard to come by for me!

Beauty Glow Palette and Legendary Brows featured were press samples.

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What's In My Bag

Spring Makeup Bag Update

March 27, 2017

Now that spring is officially here, everything in my wardrobe including my makeup and skincare have been going through a bit of an update. As always I find one of my favorite ways to update my look is to focus on new colors for lips and cheeks. There are a new launches I’ve been mixing into my weekly beauty routine and I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom to share some colors I think will be great for the spring transition.

Up first are some cheek products – I’ve really been obsessed with all things from Tom Ford Beauty. As part of the Summer Soleil collection, they launched a Sheer Illuminating Cheek Duo in Reflects Gilt. Even though I own so many other highlighters I find this one unique in the formula and color. It gives the skin a luminous sheen and it can also be used on the eyes. Tom Ford also revamped all their Powder Blushes. I have not yet had a chance to investigate the new formula in all the colors in detail but a quick look at the counter did prove the shades have changed a little. I have two new shades I bought include Inhibition (a perfect peachy nude) and Gratuitous (a mauve plum). They have a very subtle sheen in the pan but the shimmer does not really show up on the skin. Both have smooth medium buildable pigment and apply beautifully on the face. I like that they’re neutrals, but not nude. Also they have color that shows up on the skin but they don’t darken or oxidize on me.

Gratuitous (plum) on the left and Inhibition (peach) on the right. I’m wearing Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque.

Next is my favorite category: new lip colors. I love a good glossy lip because the formulas are usually more hydrating, smooth and soft. They’re also more forgiving when it comes to fading as the day progresses. If you splurge on one item, I would again say go with anything from Tom Ford. I really love the Lips and Boys lipsticks, Bradley is the perfect nude (shown in the photo above with Inhibition Blush). For summer they launched Clutch-Sized Lip Balms in bright sheers. They feel really good on the lips and the colors add a nice healthy flush of color that is super natural but fun.

Makeup bag from Tory Burch.

If you’re a gloss kind of person, Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses are new. They come in a wide range of colors and finishes. If I could pick only one color, Tendresse is my favorite purchase because it’s rosy and gives the face a brightened effect.

YSL launched their Volupte Tint-In-Balms which have been nearly impossible to find because they keep selling out. I managed to order three shades in 1 Dream Me Nude, 2 Tease Me Pink and 3 Call Me Rose. These resemble the Volupte Sheer Candy, but the new Volupte Tint-In-Balms are supposed to be a lipstick balm hybrid with a bit more color. They have that amazing passionfruit scent and go on smooth but sheer. I was surprised to see color but if you don’t like sheer colors you may want to opt for the brighter ones (I bought mine sight unseen). I personally love these and definitely want a couple more of the brighter ones.

For something different I also picked a few of the new Bobbi Brown Art Stick Liquid Lip colors. The packaging is super cute – they look like a chubby stick but it’s a squeeze tube for a super opaque creamy liquid lipstick. The finish is semi-matte but gives you full coverage. As one who really doesn’t like semi-matte finishes I’m undecided about these. They are comfortable on the lips but a little goes a long way, so the first few times I applied, I really overdid it. Pigment is incredible and they don’t dry down like traditional liquid lipsticks. Colors are on the bold side.

Last but not least, I bought the YSL Lip Perfector a couple months ago. It’s supposed to be a multipurpose product that nourishes, soothes and enhances your natural lip color. For me it’s a basic lip balm that feels nice and does a good job of hydrating the lips. It doesn’t do anything for my natural lip color (it applies clear and stays clear), but I have no regrets purchasing and it does work nicely under lipstick if you feel your lips are dry. That being said I still prefer the Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade.

For the eyes, I picked up the YSL The Shock Mascara and many of you wanted to know my thoughts. I really like it! On me it doesn’t clump, it defines well, it holds the curl and it doesn’t smudge. So based on this it’s a thumbs up for me because so many mascaras either don’t hold the curl or smudge. I do wish it did a better job at volumizing because I have wimpy lashes, but I can get more volume by layering. I’ve featured the new MAC In the Flesh Eyeshadow palette a few times already but felt it was worth re-mentioning because I find it really versatile and wearable for everyday. I love the color combinations and find it easy to wear. It’s one of those palettes I feel is an effortless kind of palette to wear. Another item I’ve had on repeat is the Burberry Eye Color Contour in Pale Copper. It’s a shimmering bronze shade that is one I can wear on it’s own and feel like I’ve added depth, color and dimension to the eyes. I’ve been on the hunt for this color in powder form, but for now the cream version works for me.

Right now Lancome has a gift with purchase at Nordstrom so I restocked on a couple items and picked up one thing new. Cleansing water in general is something I really love and use on a regular basis. I use it to double cleanse because it helps remove all traces of makeup. I’ve tried a number but the Lancome Micellar Cleansing Water remains one of my favorites because it’s gentle, effective and doesn’t leave a film on the skin. I have lost count of how many times I’ve repurchased! For a lash base/primer, many of you recommended I try the Cils Booster XL Vitamin-Infused Mascara Primer as a base coat to help add volume and I loved it so much I bought a second tube. Also because I’m going to need a good primer now that I’ve moved to Florida, I decided to give the La Base Pro a try (it has an overwhelming number of positive reviews). Fingers crossed it doesn’t break me out. Quick note – with this GWP there are options to choose from so there’s a promo code you’ll need to enter at checkout. Minimum purchase is $39.50 but there’s also a step up.

Be sure to check their Beauty Gifts with Purchase page as well – they often have good promos there from other brands, sometimes there will be a good sampler bag with a larger purchase.

That wraps it up for my first spring makeup roundup! As I go finish up testing more skincare and sunscreens I’ll have more roundups in the upcoming weeks. I’ve already had quite a few items I’ve been testing for the past month since I moved and hope to share the hits and misses as I progress. Do you change your routine as spring rolls around? What do you have in your spring makeup bag right now?

Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. Press samples include the Tom Ford Reflects Gilt, Fathom and Bradley. All other items purchased by me.

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Chanel

Chanel Le Vernis Tulle, Washed Denim, Androgyne and Emblematique

March 22, 2017

There are four new Le Vernis Nail Colours ($28 each for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz, made in France) from Chanel that have launched with the new Rouge Coco Gloss collection. The new shades are all creams (non-shimmers) in Tulle, Washed Denim, Androgyne and Emblematique. All four performed well in terms of smooth application and rich opaque pigment. The color selection seems to be an odd mix to me as there is not really a theme but since they aren’t really part of a color collection it makes sense that they wouldn’t be coordinated or match. My favorite one is Tulle which surprised me. In the bottle I thought it looked like a boring peach but on the hands it’s actually just perfect for spring.

I purchased all four colors, descriptions as follows:

Tulle (is the only one listed as limited-edition) is a medium peach, it’s the perfect mix of peach with a slight hint of pink, there’s no yellowish tone which is perfect for my olive skintone. I don’t do back-ups of nail polish anymore but I’m tempted to do so with this one.
Androgyne is a dark purple, it has that secret shimmer you see in the bottle, but on the nails all you see is a cream color. Sometimes I wish Chanel made the shimmers visible on the nails – it has this pretty almost blue iridescent sheen to it. This one is almost identical to Vertigo (comparisons below).
Emblematique is a sheer blue-based red. It has a slight jelly finish but is still smooth and opaque. On me these kinds of reds apply true to the bottle but then darken as they dry down. Out of the four I would say this is the least unique and most easily dupeable.
Washed Denim is a surprisingly pretty soft blue. Whenever I wear blues on the fingers I often feel like it looks so unnatural. There are lots of lighter blues that I’ll still wear or grey blues but for me blue is hard to pull off. This one manages to be muted enough and has some grey tones that it’s very wearable for everyday but still different enough that it’s not a neutral. I really like this one.

Swatches and close ups of each color. I used 2 coats for application with each swatch, Tulle is first.

Tulle

Androgyne

Emblematique

Washed Denim

Nail wheel comparisons, note the following shades have been discontinued: Majesty, June, Orange Fizz, Paradoxal, Vertigo

Overall I love Tulle and Washed Denim because the colors are flattering and the most unique out of the four. Some may find peach polishes to be fairly standard but for me, if a peach polish has too much brown, beige or yellow it ends up making my olive skin look sallow. Tulle has enough pink in it to work for me. I find Emblematique can be duped by a lot of other sheer blue-based reds. Androgyne looks very similar to Vertigo, so if you already own that one you might want to skip it to avoid dupes. That being said the new Chanel polish formula has improved in pigment and lasting power. You can see previous reviews of the new polishes here, here and here.

I’ll have the new Rouge Coco Glosses reviewed and swatched soon. I’m working my way through quite a few of the shades, first impressions are that they do seem to be more lush and more hydrating than the original formula (which I loved). You can find all four of the Le Vernis nail polishes at all Chanel counters and stores now. I ordered all four from Chanel.com.

Have you checked these out yet? Did you pick up any of the colors? If not what have you been wearing on your nails lately?

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Bronzer + Blush Chanel Eye Makeup Highlighters

Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection – Spring 2017

March 14, 2017

Chanel lovers have probably had the new Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection on their radar for months and it has finally arrived in the US. The collection features a mix of colors Chanel calls “the harmony of opposites” – we have a mix of soft and subtle colors combined with some vibrant bright shades. The collection is exclusive to Chanel.com (like previous years Le Blanc collections). I have some pieces I’ve been playing with which include:

Plisse Lumiere de Chanel Illuminating Powder ($70 for 10 g/0.35 oz)
Les Tissages de Chanel Tweed Blush in Tweed Coralline and Tweed Cherry Blossom ($48 each for 5.5 g/0.19 oz)
Les 4 Ombres in Jardins Eclatants and Jardins de Lumieres ($61 each for 2 g/0.07 oz)
Rouge Coco Shine in Rose Ravissant ($37)
Rouge Allure Gloss in Energie ($37 for 6 ml/0.20 fl 0z)
Le Vernis in Resplendissant and Bleu Pastel ($28 for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz)

Every color above is listed as limited-edition according to the Chanel website with the exception of Energie and Bleu Pastel. There are additional colors and some other products repromoted in the collection as well – so be sure to check the Energies Et Puretes page to see the full list of what’s in the collection.

Up first is the Illuminating Powder in Plisse Lumiere de Chanel. This is absolutely stunning and has a soft finely milled texture. It is shimmery and comes in a soft champagne kind of color. It has a stunning embossed texture and has a metallic sheen that has a luminous effect on the skin. The Camelia de Chanel powder by comparison is a lot more sparkly with more visible sparkles. It’s also the slightest bit more rosy. I prefer the newest Plisse Lumiere de Chanel because it has a little less glitz making it easier to wear. The texture of this new one is smooth, easy to blend, well pigmented and you can layer it for a sheer wash or a more intense kind of sheen. The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001 is a bit warmer in color.

Swatch comparisons:

Next are the blushes which are the Les Tissages de Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect. These are ultra pigmented and on the bright side so a tiny bit really goes a long way. The intensity is almost too much to swipe your brush into the pan. I found it best to lightly tap the brush into the product and tap off the excess. Tweed Coralline is my favorite. For my complexion color right now (I’m usually around a Chanel 30) Tweed Cherry Blossom can easily give me a sunburned look because it’s so bright. One is a bright orange peach, the other is a deep pink.

Left is Tweed Cherry Blossom, right is Tweed Coralline:

The lip color options are also extremely bright. The Rouge Coco Shine in Rose Ravissant is a bright sheer hot pink. This one is pretty sheer but still has visible color. The Rouge Allure Gloss in Energie is a bright pigmented coral. It’s too bright for my comfort zone but coverage is smooth and flawless. I really love the formulas of the Rouge Allure Gloss because they stay put and apply beautifully.

The eyeshadow quads Les 4 Ombres come with excellent texture and pigment. Even though they are the round pans they are not the baked format (at least in the US). I love the look of Jardins Eclatants because it’s more wearable for me – although the colors can probably be duped with other brands. It has a soft pink shimmer, a cream shimmer, a golden sand shimmer and a bronzey color. Jardins de Lumieres has colors I really don’t know how to wear – I just layered all of them as I couldn’t really decide where to place each color or what order to apply them in. This has a soft green, a soft washed faded blue, a bright purple and a pale pink.

Two looks with the blushes, eyeshadow quads and lip products. Also both photos have the Plisse Lumiere de Chanel highlighter on the cheeks layered on top of the blushes.

Last but not least are two of the Le Vernis colors in Bleu Pastel and Resplendissant. Bleu Pastel is a semi sheer baby blue. The pigment on many pastel colors can be tricky to apply and that’s what I found with this one. It took three coats to get smooth coverage but it’s a really pretty baby blue on the fingers so I don’t mind. I think it will be fun on the toes as well for summer. Resplendissant is a bright coral pink. This one has flawless perfect coverage. I still prefer two coats but the pigment is good you can get by with one. Of course this has a similar effect to many other bright coral pinks but I still love it.

Comparisons below show that Riva is more aqua and warmer while Blue Pastel is more of a baby blue. Pigment-wise you I found there is more coverage with the Bleu Pastel even though I need 3 coats.

Overall a beautiful collection with some lovely additions to update your look for spring. If you’re one who finds Chanel blushes too light or too sheer I think you’ll really like the pigmented Tweed options this round. I suspect I’ll find them more suitable for my skintone when I get a tan. The winners for me in this collection are the nail polishes – both are really pretty. The Plisee Lumiere de Chanel is a beautiful highlighter. Given the large number of highlighters I own I wouldn’t call it a must-have as the color is similar in effect to others. Still it’s very pretty and I don’t mind having similar colors. Jardins Eclantes eyeshadow palette is another gorgeous option that you can easily wear for daily looks – it’s not the most unique but having a palette where I love all the colors is always a plus and it’s one that I think I’ll be traveling with a lot.

You can find the Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection online at Chanel.com. Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think?

Press samples include the Plisse Lumiere de Chanel highlighter, Tweed Cherry Blossom Blush, Bleu Pastel Le Vernis, Energie Rouge Allure Gloss, Rose Ravissant Rouge Coco Shine. Other items purchased by me.

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Highlighters Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Spring 2017 – Shade and Illuminate Lips + Cheeks

February 10, 2017

For spring Tom Ford Beauty brings us two new colors of the Shade and Illuminate Cheeks ($80 for .49 oz) and six new lip duos called Shade and Illuminate Lips ($60 each for .12 oz). The cheek duos are very sheer, glowy and dewy looking while the lip duos have medium to full coverage pigment and a unique modern velvet matte cream finish. Paired together they make for a fresh kind of look for spring with options for those who want neutrals and also those who like more color.

The Shade and Illuminate Cheeks has never really been something that appealed to me mainly because of the dewy factor. I approach solid creams compacts with caution because they often get really messy inside the pans and also because I have normal combo skin. Most dewy pots and compacts are simply too dewy and glowy for my skin alone although I have used them as a nice base for powder blush. They help the color adhere better versus applying on dry powdered cheeks. My holy grail cream highlighters are the Edward Bess All Over Seduction compacts (available in 3 shades). I’ve been using them for many many years and they remain my favorite.

The two new Shade and Illuminate Cheeks are gorgeous in the pans. Sublimate has a soft berry with a soft pale pink glow. Scintillate has a pretty light peach with a light champagne glow. On the cheeks they give a barely there hint of glow and color. I do like them as a base for powder blushes but by themselves on the cheeks they almost disappear onto my medium-toned skin. If you want a little bit of glow to dab on top of powder or use underneath these are worth a look. If you need color I would recommend opting for the Tom Ford Powder Blush instead – it appears they’ve all been reformulated with a new more refined pearl finish and there are three new shades in Disclosure, Gratuitous and Inhibition (I ordered 2 and they are gorgeous!).

Swatches compared to the SS16 Shade and Illuminate (review here) and Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand (review here). The new Spring 2017 duos were swatched heavily so you can see the color, but once you blend them they pretty much sheer out to almost invisible.

Beauty look below wearing:

Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque (review here)
Laura Mercier Candleglow Powder in #2 to set (review of 1, 2 and 3 here)
Tom Ford Warm Soleil Eye Cheek Palette eyeshadows, two lightest shades (review here)
Diorshow Brow Styler #2 on brows
Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Cheeks in Sublimate, both shades
Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Lips Impulse, both shades mixed
OPI Nail Polish in Be There in a Prosecco
Jcrew stripe top (old style)

The Shade and Illuminate Lip exceeded my expectations and every color is just amazing. These are duo compacts that have two shades and a little applicator brush. The applicators have a sponge tip and a brush tip – I tried both but really just prefer to use clean fingers to dab or a regular lip brush. Swatched on the arm and hand they almost melt to a high shine cream finish. On the lips they are more matte with a velvety cream texture. When I read these were contour duos I was really skeptical – it just seemed like a gimmicky way of being complicated and trying to make you feel like you need two colors instead of just one. After trying these I can really appreciate the versatility and design. You can wear each shade alone, but mixing them creates a better look in my opinion. I like to apply the darker shade first then dab the lighter one on top mixing the two for a creamy almost stained look.

Color descriptions as I see them, they’re all creams, no shimmer:

Automatic has a super pale nude pink and a tan beige (think Blush Nude and Sable Smoke)
Impulse has a perfect nude pink and rose pink
Possession has a bright baby pink and a bright medium pink
Saboteur has a violet cream and stained berry plum
Nikita has two variations of red
Tantalize has a soft peach coral and bright coral

I swatched all six individually and mixed so it was like swatching 18 lip products instead of 6. Due to time constraints I won’t be able to pull any comparisons for the next month. If you follow me on social you know I just had my wisdom teeth pulled (all 4). Swelling finally went down a little and I was able to get these up for those who shop online or who don’t test lip products at the counter (I’m with you there on avoiding germs). I have a few personal things going on right now so I’ll be restricted on time over the next month.

My long-time readers know I love neutral lips, but I can’t help but really like Possession and Tantalize! I find it hard to wear bright pinks because many times they’re too cool, too bubblegum or have way too much blue. Possession has enough warmth that I can wear it without it making my olive complexion look off. Tantalize mixed is such a pretty coral especially for warmer months. My absolute favorite is Impulse though – it may look a bit boring to some but if that’s the case then I love boring. The deeper rose shade is really special.

As a long-time Tom Ford Beauty fanatic I’m really happy with the lip duos. The Shade and Illuminate Cheeks are nice but not must-haves. If you like products like the RMS Living Luminizer or RMS Mix Master then you’ll most likely love these as well. For me they’re a bit too dewy and if you have oily skin I would definitely say pass. If you want something fresh and glowy for the cheeks I’d recommend you opt for the Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand, Cheek Color (any shade) or the Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal instead.

You can find the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Spring 2017 collection now online at Tom Ford, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Beautylish.

Have you checked these out yet? What did you think?

Spring 2017 Shade and Illuminate collection provided courtesy of Tom Ford Beauty for review.

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Dior Highlighters

Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powder – New Shades

February 6, 2017

The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powder in 001 ($56 each for 6 g/0.21 oz) was my favorite highlighter discovery last year for the beautiful lightweight sheen it gives the skin. This spring Dior has added three more shades to the formula in 002, 003 and 004 and I could not be more thrilled. The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powder is described as “light as a breeze” and it is indeed lightweight and melds into the skin perfectly for a really pretty natural luminous glow. The shade will look different on you depending on skin tone, the original 001 has a gorgeous medium champagne beige with a slight golden peachy undertone. It looks different in the pan depending on how the light reflects on the compact. The shimmer is complex with a mix of different colors but it’s not frosty on the skin. I love how the color adds just the right amount of glow to the skin.

001 is still the best color for me in my opinion, but 004 is also really stunning. For me these highlighters are life! Close ups and descriptions of each shade. Everything about these is beautiful – they come with an embossed surface. Since they are highly reflective if you google reviews and swatches they may look different in photos depending on what light is used to photograph these. However the color really only varies in the pan, on the face it’s more consistent – of course it will look different on different skin tones though.

001 is a classic champagne beige gold
002 is a pale light opal pink
003 is a yellow gold shimmer
004 is a tan shimmer

Each of the highlighters comes with a protective soft pouch and mini kabuki style brush for application. The brushes are well made and usable but they tend to be smaller than what I prefer to use for highlighting powder so I keep them for setting powder touch ups instead.

Swatches with different lighting to capture the shimmer:

Undertone shown more here:

Close up of 001:

Close up of 002:

Close up of 003, long-time readers know I’m usually anti yellow gold highlighter for my already yellow olive skin. The combination of yellow golds often just makes my skin look really sallow, this one from Dior is a lot more wearable for me compared to the Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Addiction (scroll down for comparisons):

Close up of 004, in my opinion the world needs more tan or darker highlighters, this one isn’t really all that dark, but it’s the darkest option and I think it’s just stunning:

All four swatched on the cheeks. I’m still learning how to do full face shots – the lighting, flash etc is tricky to get accurate. On the face I’m wearing the following items. Note that I only have the highlighters on the cheeks applied with a heavy hand so you can see the color differences. On normal days I would also add bronzer or blush and I would usually blend or sheer out the highlighter.

Foundation: NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland (review here)
Concealer: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard and Macadamia mixed
Powder: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus
Lips: Dior Lip Glow Pomade + Rouge Dior Lipstick in Rose Montaigne (reviewed here)
Brows: Diorshow Brow Styler 001

Left to right: 001, 002, 003 and 004

001 is my favorite because it looks the most natural. 003 is the most glowy/metallic on my skin – although I did apply with a rather heavy hand. If you apply and blend it with normal application it won’t look as frosty.

Comparison swatches:

Laura Mercier Face Illuminators in Indiscretion (peach), Devotion (pink), Addiction (yellow), Seduction (bronze) have a slightly more chunky sparkle by comparison even though I would not really call the shimmer chunky, they are a bit more sparkly in finish. Review of these powders here.

Natasha Denona All Over Face Glow Face and Body Shimmer in 02 is one of the prettiest tan shimmers I’ve ever seen but has a really strong frost shimmer, Diorskin Nude Air 004 is similar but slightly cooler in tone. Review of the Natasha Denona here.

I have more comparisons of the original in the Dior Skyline Fall 2016 post here.

Bottom line love. I own a lot of highlighters and have collected quite a few limited-edition shades over the years so I do own shades similar to 002 and 003 with a pink or gold undertone so I wouldn’t call them a must. That being said I do think the shimmer and finish is really pretty and the powders are versatile enough to use on cheeks and eyes or anywhere you want to highlight. I like that they don’t emphasize pores or look dry on my skin – many highlighters sometimes either emphasize pores or make my skin look kinda dry when they emphasize texture. The powder melds beautifully with the skin and I love how they wear. 001 is still my favorite and 004 is my new favorite because I find the color unique. At $56 each they are on the pricey side but I love how they look and wear. The compact is fairly sturdy as well. If I had one thing I would say I wasn’t a huge fan of is the fact that the mirrored compact gets dirty easily with fingerprints, however one gets over it quickly and they are easy to clean so no worries on that aspect.

If you have fair skin I suspect 001 will look more peachy or bronzey on your skin and therefore will find 002 to be more of a true highlighter on your skin. If you’re medium to tan I think all four would look good on your skin tone. Medium to darker skin beauty lovers I think will love 004.

I personally think 001 and 004 are both a must.

You can find the Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powders at Dior.com and Sephora.

Diorskin Nude Air Luminizers provided courtesy of Dior for review.

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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Revolution and Valentine KISSING Lipsticks

January 30, 2017

Charlotte Tilbury has launched two new lipsticks in Pillow Talk and Valentine for spring, both currently exclusive online to Charlotte Tilbury. True to her style of wanting to help women create an entire look, she also has launched corresponding look sets with existing permanent colors for eyes and lips to go with each lipstick color. Pillow Talk is a pinky nude and comes in the Matte Revolution formula and matches the Lip Cheat Lip Pencil in Pillow Talk exactly. The color is one of my favorites for liners and the idea of launching it in a lipstick is just pure genius. Valentine is in the K.I.S.S.I.N.G formula and is a baby pink. I think Charlotte Tilbury makes some of the best neutrals and light nudes for the lips and this one has a very girly soft romantic vibe. Both colors have medium coverage that is buildable to full coverage.

Pillow Talk is a pinky nude, depending on the light it can look more coral or warm, but for the most part it’s a neutral nude pink color. I find it similar to Very Victoria Matte Revolution but Pillow Talk is warmer and by comparison makes Very Victoria look like it has a slight grey undertone. This is the perfect everyday neutral – not too light, not too dark, not too pink and yet not too brown.

Lip swatches

Valentine K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick is a baby pink. I suspect it might not be the easiest for everyone to pull off. I think Bitch Perfect is easier to wear because it’s slightly deeper and also has just a tad bit more beige.

I received the Naturally Beautiful Date Look Makeup Kit with Pillow Talk for review but being the Charlotte Tilbury fan that I am, I actually already own all the items in the set from previous purchases. Love Glow Cheek to Chic blush is one of the prettiest soft glowy blushes I own. Since I don’t believe I reviewed the Golden Goddess or Love Glow items before I’ve swatched them here for reference. You can buy the items individually or in the set:

Love Glow in Cheek to Chic Blush has a mix of soft pink and peach to brighten the skin, it has a soft shimmer that glows but doesn’t look frosted
Feline Flick Eyeliner is a true black liquid liner
Full Fat Lashes is a thick black mascara
Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in Golden Goddess has a shimmering sand, olive brown tan shimmer, brown glitter (this is one of her least glittery shades therefore making it really wearable even for everyday), shimmering bronze
Pillow Talk Matte Revolution
Pillow Talk Lip Cheat Lip Pencil

For those who like the comparisons, two sets below in case you want to shop your stash for similar colors. I’ll say right now I think Pillow Talk Matte Revolution is a must-have. It’s one I know I’ll be reaching for frequently. It’s a great neutral that won’t wash out the complexion and isn’t too light.

Set 1:

MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare and Soar
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude (also reviewed here)
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk
Charlotte Tilbury KISSING Lipstick in Valentine
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Between the Sheets (d/c, review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Very Victoria (review here and here)
Charlotte Tilbury KISSING Lipstick in Bitch Perfect (on lips here)

Comparison Set 2:

Hourglass GIRL Lip Stylo in Futurist (review here)
MAC Liptensity in Toast & Butter, Doe, Medium Rare (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Liv It Up (on lips here)
Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur in Beige Rose (review here)

I’m beyond obsessed with the Pillow Talk in lipstick form. I hope it’s permanent and here to stay because the color is just perfect. I like Valentine but I think it’s one of those shades that might be higher maintenance for some just because it’s lighter. Valentine is definitely wearable even with my pigmented lips but I prefer Pillow Talk all the way.

You can find both shades now exclusively online at Charlotte Tilbury. Pillow Talk Matte Revolution and Valentine KISSING Lipstick are $32 each. Look sets range in price depending on what is in each kit (products vary per look). The Secret to Seduction Look is $165. The Naturally Beautiful Date Look is $190.

Are these on your radar or wishlist?

The Naturally Beautiful Date Look set provided for review. Valentine purchased by me.

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Older Posts

Spring 2017

Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look In a Palette Beauty Glow

Spring Makeup Bag Update

Chanel Le Vernis Tulle, Washed Denim, Androgyne and Emblematique

Tulle

Androgyne

Emblematique

Washed Denim

Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection – Spring 2017

Tom Ford Beauty Spring 2017 – Shade and Illuminate Lips + Cheeks

Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powder – New Shades

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Revolution and Valentine KISSING Lipsticks

Lip swatches

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