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Highlighters

Luxury Highlighter Edit: Westman Atelier, La Mer + Tom Ford

October 29, 2019

I have a mini luxury highlighter edit today with some new to me formulas from Westman Atelier, La Mer and Tom Ford Beauty. I have swatches and makeup looks for all five colors in today’s roundup. At this point I have enough highlighters to last me multiple lifetimes! There are quite a few new launches out from many brands. I narrowed down my picks to the colors and formulas that interested me the most. For a quick roundup of my favorite existing ones to date, scroll down to the end and I’ll summarize my top picks compared to the new ones I tested.

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Westman Atelier Super Loaded Tint Highlight

For months SO MANY of you have been begging me to review products from Westman Atelier. The packaging and rave reviews had me intrigued along with the small edited range. I held off for so long because I was hoping to see everything in person but decided to order the Super Loaded Tints ($75 each for 4 g/0.14 oz) in Peau de Peche and Peau de Soleil sight unseen because curiosity got the best of me and I could not be happier. I bought mine from Barney’s.

As everyone has mentioned about the line the packaging is exquisite. These come in a hefty mirrored compact that feels luxurious and special when you hold it. The highlighters are a lovely cream to powder finish that have the most lovely shimmer and glow with an easy to blend finish. They are both deeper than traditional champagne colored highlighters which I love. Peau de Peche is a multi-dimensional soft rosy bronze pearl on my skin and if you’re fair it will look more rosy/bronze. I love this on the cheek bones or eyes. It’s absolutely stunning and I cannot rave enough about it.

Above left wearing just the highlighter on the cheeks, on the right added MAC Peaches, full breakdown:

Foundation Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5
Powder Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light to set
Highlighter Westman Atelier Peau de Peche
Blush MAC Peaches (just added on the right)
Eyeshadow Natasha Denona Mini Nude Eye Palette
Lips Pat McGrath Lip Pencil Done Undone + Fenty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow
Sweater from Nordstrom
Nail Polish Chanel Vamp

Peau de Soleil is a newer color that launched in the summer. I’m a sucker for anything bronze and this one has a golden bronze shimmer with visible yellow gold flecks. On my olive skin it pulls a little yellow with the sheen so I can’t wear it alone on my cheeks. I have to pair it with something pink or peach as a blush, but I ADORE this one on the eyes.

Lasting power is excellent. Finish is shimmery but make the skin look radiant. For application I’ve been using either my fingers, the MAC 133S brush or Laura Mercier Creme Cheek Brush. I’m seriously tempted to buy one of her brushes but I would rather save for another one of her makeup products like the foundation or bronzer.

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La Mer The Glow Highlighter

I’m 100% thrilled with the La Mer The Glow Highlighter ($105 for 5 g/0.17 oz). It took my breath away the second I spotted in store but with the $105 price tag I didn’t know if I’d have buyers remorse after. After playing with it I still don’t know that I think it’s worth the price but it is beautiful, I love it to bits and I have no regrets buying. It has a sheer smooth shimmery white cream on one side and a peachy pearlescent powder highlighter on the other. I love that it has a separator inside to protect the cream from powder debris. I could probably find something similar from MAC, Anastasia, Tarte etc. but I think the cream and powder formula is so good. The shimmer factor is perfect for me as well, it’s not too frosty and it’s not too sheer. If Tom Ford’s Shade and Illuminate products were the same as this La Mer cream I would 100% love it (for me the TF is too dewy).

I swatched it next to the Tom Ford Skin Illuminator in Moodlight which is probably my favorite. The colors are similar but not the same. Also the Tom Ford has a much higher sharper shimmer finish.

On the face, cream is just on the left photo, on the right I layered the powder on top:

Foundation Armani Luminous Silk 6.5
Powder Hourglass Dim Light
Eyeshadow Tom Ford Nude Dip
Cheeks La Mer Glow Highlighter
Lipstick is Tom Ford Lip Color in Bad Lieutenant
Brush is Wayne Goss #14

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Tom Ford Glow Drops

I already reviewed the Tom Ford Soleil Neige Collection a few days ago but wanted to give you a closer look at the product on the face. The Glow Drops in Reflects Gilt and Glacial Rose are sheer once blended so it’s hard for me to capture the true finish on camera. I applied both over Tom Ford Bronzer in Terra to hopefully give you an idea on the difference in sheen. If you want a natural highlight that isn’t glaring or too sharp these are really beautiful.

Above wearing:

Foundation Armani Luminous Silk 6.5
Powder Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light
Eyeshadow Tom Ford Cream Powder Duo in Reflection
Bronzer Tom Ford Soleil Glow Bronzer Terra
Left Highlight / Gloss:
- Glow Drops in Reflects Gilt
- Pat McGrath Lip Pencil in Bare Rose
- Gloss Luxe in Wicked
Right Highlight / Gloss:
- Glow Drops in Glacial Rose
- Tom Ford Lip Sculptor in Slash
- Gloss Luxe in Frantic

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Overall thoughts are that I have 5 out of 5 that are winners. I purchased them all myself and I think the Westman Atelier Peau de Peche is the best one out of the colors I tried. I really love the La Mer Glow Highlighter but I don’t think the colors are really unique. I’m still really loving both of the Tom Ford Glow Drops. To date I would say my top 5 highlighters that have been previously released include the Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duo in Moodlight, Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Indiscretion, Hourglass Vanish Flash Stick in any color, Fenty Killawatt Highlighter in Afternoon Snack/Mo Honey and MAC Mineralize Finish in Global Glow.

Have you tried any of the highlighter I reviewed today? What did you think? Do you have a favorite you keep reaching for right now? Are there any other holiday highlighters you want me to review? The new Chanel holiday review is coming soon and I’ll be in including that one for sure. Let me know in the comments!

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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Neige Collection

October 23, 2019

I hauled practically everything from the Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Neige collection for the season and have swatches for you today. In today’s post is a look at each piece with swatches and three makeup looks at the end of the post. There’s quite a bit to cover just with swatches and comparisons alone!

In testing everything I have mostly hits. Formula-wise everything performed as I expected. I did have some misses color-wise which I’ll note below. In addition I see quite a lot of repeats/similarities to previous and existing colors so if you already own a lot of Tom Ford beauty products you might want to shop your stash. In today’s post:

Soleil Eye Color Quad in Soleil Neige and Soleil D’Hiver ($88 each)
Cream and Powder Eye Color Duos in Fleur Neige and Reflection ($65 each)
Glow Drops in Reflects Gilt and Glacial Rose ($50 each)
Soleil Glow Sticks in Soleil Neige, Megeve and Courchevel ($55 each)
Clutch-Size Soleil Lip Balm in Apres Soleil, Paradiso and Baie D’Hiver ($36 each)

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Soleil Neige Eyeshadow Quads

I bought two of the three Soleil Eye Color Quads in Soleil Neige (silvery smokey tones) and Soleil D’Hiver (neutral peachy shimmers). The formula for these quads is the same as Nude Dip/Honeymoon/Body Heat where it’s pressed metallic pigments with a smooth texture and rich shine.

Soleil Neige has the traditional pale ivory/grey/gunmetal shades you’d find in a smokey eye quad. While the color combination isn’t the most unique, I do think the pigment and shimmer is quite phenomenal and striking for a good smokey eye. It’s really beautiful, but if you own other smokey quads I don’t think it’s a must-have. It has a pale white frost, a shimmery warm silver, a deep blue with silver flecks and a deep smokey metallic grey-black with flecks of sparkle. Application is smooth, easy to layer and very shimmery.

Soleil D’Hiver made my heart sing the second I saw it! It has all my kinds of colors with the prettiest mix of neutrals and shimmers. In the pan it looks significantly more peachy than it swatches on my skin. On my medium-tan complexion the colors pull more pink and neutral-cool than warm peach (as I had hoped). Still I have no complaints at all though as it’s one of the most beautiful neutrals I’ve ever swatched. It is very metallic and pigment is ultra rich with a dense brush or over a cream base. You can get a more sheer effect if you apply with a loose fluffy brush. Colors include a sparkling pinkish white, a shimmery metallic peachy pink, a metallic rose mauve and a shimmery cool brown.

Swatch comparisons below to a few other Tom Ford quads including Double Indemnity, Titanium Smoke, Nude Dip and Suspicion. (Double Indemnity and Suspicion reviewed here.)

For a smokey eye quad I prefer Double Indemnity because it applies warmer on my skin. For the neutrals I thought Soleil D’Hiver would be like Suspicion but it pulls more like Nude Dip, just warmer.

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Cream and Powder Duos

There are also two new Cream and Powder Duos which are both brand new colors and I love both. Fleur Neige has a sparkling platinum white top coat and a shimmery grey brown cream. Both shades perform like the other Cream + Powder Duos from Tom Ford. I ended up loving this a lot more than I anticipated, it gives the perfect fall cool-toned silvery taupe eye with some sparkle but it’s not too cool-toned or blue-based like some greys can be.

Reflection on the other hand is different from most of the other Cream/Powder Duos. Most of the ones I’ve tried have a creamy medium-pigmented base and an almost clear top coat that just has colored glitter flecks. The base usually doesn’t have a lot of color, and they’re more toppers. Reflection’s cream base is a beautiful sheer golden color that almost matches my skin tone. It applies on the sheer side and acts more like a creamy base for the bronze powder. The top is a deep bronze powder with gold flecks and to me it’s more of a traditional eyeshadow rather than a true glitter top coat.

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Soleil Neige Complexion/Face

I was so excited for the Glow Drops this season (I missed out last year!). These are fluid gel liquid highlighters with a subtle sheen. Reflects Gilt which is a pale shimmering champagne gold and Glacial Rose a bronzey shimmery rose. The texture is fluid-like with a dropper similar to the NARS Orgasm Liquid Highlighter, but the Tom Ford ones aren’t quite as watery – they’re a little thicker with more density/substance so they don’t drip down the hand like water.

The Glow Drops have an ultra fine smooth shimmer. The pigment when blended out is sheer and gives the skin a very natural glow. They dry down to an almost powder-like texture and stay put all day long. On my skin they pull very sheer but the glow is visible in real life (not so much in photos). I like that they actually do dry down so they don’t get too dewy looking or greasy by mid-day.

Swatches below of Reflects Gilt and Glacial Rose with comparisons to a few other liquid highlighters from Tom Ford. Everything blends out to a very sheer glowy finish. Pigment isn’t rich or intense so if you need a more noticeable glow I’d recommend you try something else like the Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duos, NARS Highlighting Powders or Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Sticks. (Note that the Shimmer Shots are discontinued.)

For cheeks are three new Glow Sticks this year. These are creamy twist up sticks with one shimmer side and one non-shimmer side. These are very emollient and dewy – you can layer for more color but on my skin once they’re blended I find the color sheer and subtle. While I don’t find them super greasy they don’t dry down at all on my skin and for Florida weather I think they would be a no-go most of the year. It’s finally started to cool down a little but we’ve had some tropical storms which makes everything humid. The weather changes daily here so some days it feels like fall, other days it feels like a wet sauna outside.

If you have super oily skin or can’t do creams these will most likely be too emollient for you. I do think every color option is very easy to wear for a natural look. The shimmer is very fine without any texture (it’s very smooth!).

Soleil Neige has a pale gold shimmer and peach cream, Megeve has a medium pink cream and medium coppery pink shimmer, Couchervel has a deep plum brown with a slight hint of shimmer and a shimmery lighter rosy copper brown. I found that if I applied the Glow Drops first and let it dry/set, it made the Glow Sticks last longer if I then applied them on top.

Lasting power is very good as long as you don’t touch your face! I swatched these with a heavy hand so you can see the color. Also included the original Glow Stick in Sunstruck (I think it’s now discontinued though). You can see below at the bottom of this post how natural they look once blended out on the face. Of course if you have lighter/fairer skin than me these will show up with more color. I’m still fairly tan! For skintone reference I’m a match to Tom Ford Sable, MAC NC35, Armani Luminous Silk in 6.5 or 7, Pat McGrath Foundation in 14 or 15.

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Lip Balms

I decided to try 3 of the 4 Clutch-Sized Lip Balms this season. I have mixed feelings about these. I love the formula – texture is smooth, easy to apply and they feel hydrating without being thick. I don’t love the colors.

Apres Soleil is a nude beige which pulls too pale on my complexion – worn alone it doesn’t give me the best look (almost deathly), but if I apply a pinkish liner first then top with the balm, it looks great!

Paradiso is a gorgeous bright semi-sheer coral pink-peach. This one is the best color for me but as much as I adore this one I can’t help but feel like it’s a little boring because they repeat Paradiso in different variations pretty much every year.

Baie D’Hiver is a plum brown which has pretty good coverage and pigment for a balm. It’s a straight purple plum without any pink or red tones. Purple lips aren’t really my thing – my olive complexion doesn’t go so well with purples. Formula-wise they feel great. Lasting power is average for a balm, you will need to reapply more than a lipstick, but it’s comfortable so I don’t mind.

Three looks wearing the following:

Foundation is Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 7
Powder is MAC Mineralize Natural in Medium Golden
Brows are Anastasia Brow Wiz in Taupe
Three looks as follows:
- Top look: Tom Ford Soleil D’Hiver Quad, Megeve Glow Stick (both sides) blended, Apres Soleil Balm
- Middle look: Tom Ford Cream Powder Eye Duo in Reflection, Soleil Neige Glow Stick (both sides mixed), Paradiso Balm
- Bottom look: Tom Ford Soleil Neige Quad, Courchevel Glow Stick (both sides), Baie D’Hiver Balm

My top favorites are both the Fleur Neige and Reflection Cream Powder Duos, Soleil D’Hiver eyeshadow quad and both of the Glow Drops. The cream blush sticks are beautiful but I prefer powder products for better lasting power.

If I could do this spendy haul all over again I would have skipped all of the lip balms and glow sticks. They’re nice but not must-haves for me, especially since I usually find cream cheek products too creamy for Florida weather. As beautiful as the smokey quad is I don’t think it’s a must-have for me, although I was really curious about it and think performance and color-wise it’s really pretty!

A few notes on the other items in the collection that I did not haul: there is another eyeshadow quad Soleil Et Lune which looked so pretty in store, but it had only 1 shade I was interested in (the peachy one) and therefore wasn’t worth it for me to try out. I passed on the sparkling white balm as it didn’t really interest me. As a huge fan of the Soleil Blanc perfume I was eager to try the new Soleil Neige perfume and sprayed it on my wrists in store. It wasn’t really my cup of tea as I found it really powdery and it didn’t mesh well with my body chemistry. I might try it again next time I’m in store just to see .

You can find the Tom Ford Soleil Neige collection out now. Some pieces have sold out already at certain stores so you might have to shop around. I bought everything from Sephora and Nordstrom. Also available at Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and all other Tom Ford Beauty counters.

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

23 Comments

Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Gloss Luxe Review

September 25, 2019

Tom Ford Beauty revamped all of the lip glosses into a new formula called Gloss Luxe ($55 each for 5.5 ml/0.19 fl oz). These have new packaging and a completely different formula from the original lip glosses. The Gloss Luxe has a sheer finish, ultra glossy shine and a moisturizing feel. It’s not sticky but does have a slight tacky feeling to it since it is a gloss but it feels smooth and lush.

There are 20 available right now, I bought 6 and have a review + swatches today. I’ve been such a long-time fan of Tom Ford lip products but with these I have mixed feelings. They are high-shine and hydrating, they have a nice luxurious feel. However I found some of them settled into my lip lines and started to separate after a few minutes. With the lighter neutral colors I didn’t find them to be color-saturated as they described. The colors can be intensified if you layer more on the lips but with each progressive layer the formula starts to get a little too thick and goopy with the feeling like they will slide off.

They are scented with a soft vanilla cake like scent that I find really pleasant. Lasting power is average for a hydrating gloss. They won’t last all day but at the same time they don’t disappear quickly.

For the tubes you have a sponge tip applicator similar to the Lip Lacquer Luxe where the sponge is a little bigger than the opening. There is a little bit of tugging when you take it out of the tube but the gap isn’t as tight as it is with the Lip Lacquer Luxe.

Colors I picked:

Aura is a pale light nude pink, this one settled into my fine lip lines within a minute, not a good look!
Impulse is a sheer pale pearly pink, also settled into my lip lines within a few minutes but it isn’t as bad as Aura
Frantic is a sheer shimmery medium light pink with gold pearl
Ravish is a shimmery medium peach
Wicked is a sheer cool pink without shimmer
L’Amour is a bright sheer pink

I think the brighter and deeper colors are the best options. Overall pigment didn’t translate from my arm swatches to my lips. They’re sheer so it gives the lips a hint of color. Close ups and lip swatches below with three I have full face makeup looks for you. I do think if you have lighter lips versus my pigmented lips the colors will show up better on you.

Aura

Impulse

Frantic

Ravish

Also wearing Natasha Denona Foundation X+ in 42WY, Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Powder in Medium, Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel, Tom Ford Acqua Metal Shadow in Violet Argente and Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Palette in The Dolce Vita, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light

Wicked

Wearing same makeup breakdown as above, only difference is blush is Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Euphoric Fusion.

L’Amour

All of them side by side:

I really wanted to love them but I can’t help but feel there are better options out there. For me I felt the sheerness of the colors didn’t make them all worth the price tag. I do think there are some great colors to choose from and they have a hydrating luxurious feel. They’re not bad, but I prefer the Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses, Pat McGrath LUST Gloss, By Terry Lip Experts and the new Cle de Peau Radiant Liquid Rouge Shines are amazing (I’ll review my picks soon). My favorites of the ones I tried were Ravish and L’Amour which I think are worth the splurge. I wish the other ones had better color payoff because they’re just so pretty in the tube and swatched on my hand!

You can find the Tom Ford Gloss Luxe out at all counters now. I bought mine from Nordstrom. Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

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Nordstrom Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford x Nordstrom Eye and Mini Lip Set 2019

July 15, 2019

This year I picked up one of the Tom Ford x Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives in the Eye & Mini Lip Set ($88 on sale, $126 value) which has the White Suede Eye Color Quad and two miniature Lip Colors in Paper Doll and Autoerotique. There is also variation with the same quad but with two full size eye products + mini lip called the Eye and Lip Set ($155 on sale). I opted for the less expensive version with the neutral/lighter lips.

The Eye & Mini Lip Set comes in a silver box, there’s a separator/insert inside to keep everything in place:

Eye Color Quad White Suede

The Tom Ford White Suede Eye Color Quad from Nordstrom is slightly different from the one launched last year from Neiman Marcus, but both have a very similar vibe and effect. I don’t think you need both. I swatched them side by side here. The Nordstrom White Suede has a glittery pale pink, a sandy beige shimmer, a warm bronze satin shimmer and a blue-dove-grey silvery color. Layered together I get a soft smokey eye. I really like the look and effect. It’s neutral cool which is a nice alternative to the super warm eye trend that’s been going on for a while.

Lasting power is excellent and true to Tom Ford style. Colors pull with medium pigment on me, I’ve found in the Tom Ford line that other quads have stronger more intense pigment (like these three reviewed here). White Suede colors do layer nicely though.

Reposting my swatches of the White Suede Neimans (white compact) vs White Suede Nordstrom (brown compact):

Mini Lip Colors

For the lip colors you will get two minis in Paper Doll (baby pink) and Autoerotique (pink-nude peach). Both are creams with full creamy coverage and a soft shine finish. They’re ultra small and bound to be used up at 0.03 oz/1 g each. I found both to have a nice high quality texture: smooth, creamy, non-drying and long lasting.

Full look wearing:

Foundation – Tom Ford Soleil Glow Foundation in Natural
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder in Shade 2
Concealer – NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger
Brows – Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz in Caramel
Eyeshadow – Tom Ford White Suede Eye Quad
Cheek – Tom Ford Soleil Glow Bronzer in Terra + Lissome Cheek Duo (review here)
Lip – Tom Ford Minis in Paper Doll (left) / Autoerotique (right)
Knit Top – Reformation Lilac Ribbed Top

Overall love. I’ve bought the Tom Ford x Nordstrom Anniversary sets for the past three years and think they’re all phenomenal. If you already own White Suede from last year in the white compact I don’t think you need this one unless you’re a die-hard fan. I do think though if you’re lighter in skin tone compared to me I think you’ll see a more noticeable difference on your eyes. There are a few other Tom Ford sets available for the sale this year. I’ve linked them below in case you’re interested. Everything is limited-edition for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, while they last.

I’m really happy with my purchase and I highly recommend.

More swatches and review of my haul picks coming tomorrow!

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Highlighters Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duos: Moodlight, Flicker + Incandescent

June 27, 2019

Tom Ford launched two new Skin Illuminating Duos ($85 each for .42 oz/12 g) this year in Flicker and Incandescent. The original one Moodlight is probably one of the prettiest candlelight champagne glow highlighters I’ve ever tried and to this day remains a staple. Flicker is the deeper version and easier to find. Incandescent is a little harder to find right now (it sold out on a number of sites quickly) but you can still find it at Sephora and Bloomingdale’s. The two new colors have the same textured pattern, shimmery finish and powder formula to the original for a multi-dimensional glow.

From top clockwise: Moodlight, Flicker and Incandescent

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Moodlight

For my medium golden skin I find Moodlight is still the best as a skin illuminating duo. It’s the most flattering, isn’t too warm or cool, has the perfect amount of shimmer and glow. It’s smooth, lasts all day, doesn’t emphasize pores and looks good on a wide range of skin tones. I’ve hit pan on this before. I bought a fresh one to shoot for this post.

Swatch comparisons can be found in previous posts here and here.

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Flicker

Flicker has a yellow gold shimmer and deep dark bronze tone with olive undertones. For me this is better for the eyes. On my complexion the colors do not work well on the face, even with soft layering or mixing. The deeper color pulls a little green on my skin and is too deep to wear even as a soft contour. Because it contrasts so sharply with my skin I found the darker color didn’t really apply smoothly with regular highlighting strokes. It required a lot of extra blending to smooth out. On the eyes it applied just fine though.

Swatch comparisons to Maybelline Master Chrome in Molten Gold (one of the best gold highlighters I’ve tried this year), Chanel Duo Bronze Et Lumiere in Medium (review here), Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow in Medium-Dark.

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Incandescent

Incandescent did not disappoint and was worth the extra effort to track down. It looks darker in the pan than I anticipated from online stock photos but swatches light and glowy. There’s a champagne shimmer that’s almost identical to the top shade in Moodlight on my skin (they don’t look the same in the pan though). Incandescent’s top shade pulls a little warmer and more golden. If you’re lighter than me in skin tone the difference will be more noticeable. The bottom shade is a frosty rose, similar to NARS Maldives.

Swatch comparisons to Charlotte Tilbury Sex on Fire, NARS Highlighting Powder in Maldives (review here), Tom Ford Contouring Cheek Duo in Softcore (discontinued).

More swatches of the three Skin Illuminating Duos side by side:

Swatches on the face, also wearing:

Foundation – Tom Ford Soleil Glow Foundation in Shade 6
Concealer – Smashbox Studio Skin Concealer in Light Medium Warm
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Powder in Shade 2
Brows – Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown
Mascara – L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara
Eyeliner – L’Oreal Infallible Waterproof Eye Pencil in Brown
Lips – Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath in Rosy Glow
Tee – Reformation Alex Slim Tee

Overall I still like Moodlight the best but I think Incandescent is really lovely too. Flicker isn’t a win for me but it’s mainly because the colors don’t work so well for my complexion, it’s a little too deep for me to wear even with blending. The gold is a little too yellow for my liking. For a contour gold/bronze palette I prefer the Natasha Denona Tan Bronze and Glow Palette or the Chanel Duo Bronze Et Lumiere Compact I reviewed earlier – both are easier for me to wear and more flattering for my medium skin tone.

You can find the Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duos out now at all Tom Ford counters. Online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York and Beautylish.

I’m hoping Incandescent will restock everywhere, I bought mine at Nordstrom but it keeps selling out online, for now it’s available at Sephora and Bloomingdale’s.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

16 Comments

Chanel Fragrance Tom Ford Beauty

Favorite Perfumes for Summer

June 12, 2019

Summer is almost here and today I’m rounding up my favorite perfumes perfect for the upcoming season. We are lucky to have warm weather most of the year but perfume is definitely seasonal with different months. I love this time of year when we’re transitioning from spring to full on summer. The heat is rising and there are so many scents that I love for warm weather. For me there are everyday summer perfumes and then there are summer perfumes that make you feel like you’re on vacation. I’m focusing more on the everyday ones for this round up but will list a few vacation vibe scents at the bottom of the post too. As always I’d love to hear about what you’re wearing right now!

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Tom Ford

Above: Daily Edited Large Cosmetic Case / Diptyque Large Outdoor Candle recycled

I would say that my most-worn perfumes recently are the ones from Tom Ford. I think he’s best known for the deeper rich and spicy ones, but my personal favorites are the lighter options. Soleil Blanc and Eau de Soleil Blanc have been must-haves for me for years now. Both are white florals that perfect fresh summery vibe. I also really love White Suede layered with either of the Soleil Blanc perfumes for a softer vibe. All the Tom Ford perfumes are available in multiple sizes, I’ve listed the ones I have below. I love that more of these are now coming in individual travel size sprays so I can carry them in my purse!

Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum ($148 for 50 ml, also available in a .33 oz travel spray) is the perfect white floral! I carry the travel spray with me almost everywhere I go.
- Notes include bergamot, cardamom oil Orpur, pistachio accord, ylang-ylang Comores Islands, benzoin extract Orpur, coco de mer accord
Eau de Soleil Blanc ($125 for 50 ml, 10 ml travel size here) is a brighter more citrus version that has a little more warmth with more noticeable amber and it’s not quite as strong on the floral notes as the original, both smell really similar
- Notes include Vert de bergamot, orange bitter Orpur, petitgrain bigrade Orpur, ylang-ylang, pistachio accord, coco de mer accord
White Suede* ($235 for 50 ml) is one of the few soft musk perfumes I can wear that don’t turn on my skin, I love the way this mixes with the white florals. It’s a soft clean and warm kind of scent. The clear bottle is exclusive to Neiman Marcus but you can find it in the traditional brown at all other counters.
- Notes include saffron, thyme, mate, suede, olibanum, musk
Runner ups from past: Sole di Positano, Fleur de Portofino, Neroli Portofino Acqua

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Byredo

Above: Tray West Elm /On the nails Essie Topless and Barefoot

Byredo has some of the longest lasting perfumes I’ve tried. Sometimes I notice my nose gets used the scent quickly and they seem to fade, but anytime I wear these, I get compliments and questions even hours after I’ve first applied. Andrew also notices them late in the day. I know purchasing a fragrance in person isn’t always possible (even if it’s the best way to buy them). In the event you don’t have a Byredo counter near you to smell, they have a La Selection Set with six minis which are a nice way to sample the scents. There are a number of trios available as well.

Blanche ($175 for 1.7 oz, shown is the .4 oz available in this trio) is a floral that has a mix of aldehyde and violet, it has floral notes with noticeable white rose and a hint of musk. It almost has a clean linen feel.
- Notes include aldehyde, pink pepper, white rose, neroli, peony, violet, blonde woods, musk and sandalwood
Mojave Ghost ($175 for 1.7 oz) is the most unique fragrance I’ve ever smelled. It’s a soft fruity floral with violet and magnolia. There is a mix of musk, sandalwood and amber to give it a little warmth.
- Notes include ambrette, Jamaican nesberry, violet, sandalwood, magnolia, chantilly musk, crisp amber, cedarwood
La Tulipe ($175 for 1.7 oz) is one of the scents I get the most compliments on! This is clean floral with noticeable freesia.
- Notes include:<rhubarb, cyclamen, freesia, tulip, blonde woods and vetiver/li>
Rose Rinse Free Hand Wash ($35 for 1 fl oz) makes for a super fancy hand sanitizer, it has a beautiful soft rose scent with pink pepper and raspberry notes mixed in
- Notes includepink pepper, raspberry, rose petals, magnolia, exotic patchouli, white musks

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Jo Malone

Above: Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Lychee Baby / bracelet Celine

Jo Malone was one of the first perfume lines I started using when I got into perfume. I think they make so many beautiful florals! Unfortunately most of my favorites have been discontinued or were limited-editions. I was so sad when they pulled French Lime Blossom and RIP Vanilla Anise. They used to have a pretty one called Sweet Milk which was such a unique one. I feel like perfume should never be limited-edition or discontinued, it’s so sad to find one you really love and then not be able to buy it when it’s used up! The same thing goes for foundation – all my HOLY grail foundations are now no longer made. The one I love right now for summer is Basil and Neroli, it doesn’t smell like basil at all!

Basil and Neroli ($68 for 1 oz) is the perfect neroli scent, it’s a fresh and fun lively kind of perfume. Andrew likes this one on me.
- Notes include basil grand vert, neroli and white musk

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Chanel

Above: Simplehuman Mirror / Tray / CC Cream swatches / Perle de Corail Le Vernis swatches

Chanel has so many classic perfumes but the Les Eaux de Chanel line stole my heart when they launched last year. These are Eau de Toilettes and are lightweight in feel. They give more of a splash of scent rather than a super long-lasting potent perfume. Living in humidity and heat makes the lightweight feel perfect for me. They launched three Eau de Toilettes last year first Paris-Biarritz, Paris-Venise and Paris-Deauville ($130 each for 4.2 fl oz). Shower gels and body lotions followed for each. I have not yet tried the body products, I’m worried I’ll fall in love and my wallet will hate me for it.

I’m thrilled to let you know that the three originals are now available in a 1.7 fl oz travel size individually for $80 each or as a trio in Le Voyage Set ($240 this one comes with a cute pouch). I ordered the mini of my favorite Paris-Biarritz the second it launched online. Right now the minis are available only at Chanel.com. The minis have a spritzer spray too! I feel like I had seen images of the minis for the European and Asian websites – I’m so happy they’re now available in the US.

Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Biarritz ($80 to $130) is my favorite of the three original ones. It’s perfect for the citrus scent lover. It has notes of Sicilian Mandarin and Lily of the Valley. It has a very soft almost garden like feel to it. It’s refreshing and bright!

This past week they just launched a fourth scent Paris-Riviera* which is lovely for those who love citrus scents. This one has vacation spa resort like vibes. It’s sweeter and a little more juicy the Paris-Biarritz.

Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Riviera* ($130 for 4.2 oz) comes in one size right now. I asked if there were plans to add more body products or a travel size and they don’t have any information right now. It takes me away to a place where I feel like I’m away at a spa.

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That wraps up my favorites right now. I rotate frequently! Top three favorites right now are the new Chanel Paris-Riviera, Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc and Byredo La Tulipe. Runner ups for perfumes that smell like a summer vacation include Replica Beach Walk, Creed Virgin Island Water and Bobbi Brown Beach. But for now I’ve had the ones in this roundup in my spring to summer rotation.

What are you favorite summertime perfumes? Do you change things by season or do you have something you wear year round?

Press samples include Tom Ford White Suede, Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel in Paris-Biarritz (full size) and Paris-Riviera (full size). Others purchased by me.

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Eye Makeup Tom Ford Beauty

New Tom Ford Eye Color Quads Body Heat, Double Indemnity, Suspicion + Emotionproof Picks

May 21, 2019

Tom Ford Beauty launched new eye makeup with three new Eye Color Quads and a long-wear collection called Emotionproof. I have a look at the three new quads, two of the cream shadows and the new mascara.

Eye Color Quads ($88 each for .21 oz/6 g) in Body Heat*, Double Indemnity and Suspicion
Emotionproof Mascara ($46 for 8 ml)
Emotionproof Eye Color ($46 for .24 oz/7 g) in Brut Rose and Casino

New Eye Color Quads

Tom Ford launched three new Eye Color Quads in Body Heat*, Double Indemnity and Suspicion. I was surprised three new ones popped up since he launched seven late last year. In case you missed it you can see the seven here. For those not familiar to Tom Ford Beauty, there are several different formulas of his shadows. The three new ones have that metallic stiff texture similar to Nude Dip, Honeymoon, Virgin Orchid and Daydream. They’re still powders but have an almost foiled sheen to them.

The three new palettes are a lot more wearable for my medium-tan warm olive complexion. I’m really loving both Body Heat and Suspicion for something a little more fun than your standard everyday neutral.

Body Heat

Body Heat has a shimmering pale rose, shimmering soft reddish rose, medium shimmery coffee brown, shimmery deeper brown. The two browns are very close to my eye, the deepest one does work to intensify the look and is slightly cooler toned. I think this palette goes well with a soft rose or pink lip. Application is smooth, pigment blends and layers beautifully, lasting power is excellent.

Double Indemnity

Double Indemnity is one of the best smokey eye palettes I’ve seen. Most traditional smokey palettes are too cool-toned with silvers and greys. This has a unique mix which makes it more wearable for my olive skin. It has a pale shimmering icy white, a shimmering silver with a hint of sage, shimmery smokey cool brown and a black with silver flecks.

Suspicion

Suspicion has the golden tones that I pretty much live for. It does pull a little yellow and the orangey-gold is pretty vivid. When you layer all the colors together it neutralizes the yellow a little for a more neutral warm gold sheen. This one is the most metallic of the three. If you can’t wear ultra metallic shades you might want to pass on this one and I’d recommend you opt for either Chanel Lueurs Ambrees (so pretty) or the Pat McGrath Sublime Bronze Ambition (for more variety in colors at a better price point)

Comparison swatches to other Tom Ford quads:

Tom Ford Nude Dip, Body Heat, Honeymoon
Titanium Smoke, Double Indemnity, Supernouveau
Golden Mink, Suspicion, Leopard Sun

Looks with each of the three palettes, for skintone reference I wear the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Natural (usually around MAC NC35):

Look 1: Tom Ford Body Heat, wearing Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk with Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Fussy
Look 2: Double Indemnity, wearing Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb in Fenty Glow
Look 3: Suspicion, wearing Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Sexy Sienna with Lip Lustre in Blondie on top

Three Beauty Looks

Emotionproof Mascara

There’s a new Emotionproof Mascara which seems to have replaced my holy grail Waterproof Extreme. To me they perform the same – it adds volume, holds the curl, does not smudge. The only difference is Emotionproof tends to clump on the brush very quickly after a couple uses. I’m used to some level of clumping with mascara on the brush as it picks up product. I wish the interior had some kind of design to wipe off product a little better. Still anything that won’t smudge and that holds the curl is a winner in my book. I can just clean off the wand every 4 uses or so.

Emotionproof Eye Colors

Last I bought two of the Emotionproof Eye Colors in Brut Rose and Casino. I’ll start with the pros: both shades I bought are really pretty and easy to wear. They set pretty quickly and once they do set they don’t budge. Cons: everyone seems to say these are like overpriced MAC Paint Pots and I pretty much agree. I think they’re nice if you want a long lasting budge-proof cream shadow. However since they dry so fast you have to blend and apply quickly – once they set, layering more cream on tends to make it look streaky and dry. I don’t think they’re horrible like some reviews have said, but I definitely don’t think they’re anything special or splurge-worthy unless you absolutely love the colors. I think Brut Rose is really pretty but it seems pretty dupeable.

Swatch comparisons to Laura Mercier Caviar Chrome Eye Stick in Magnetic Pink, By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Frozen Quartz, Laura Mericer Caviar Eye Stick in Burnished Bronze and Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Mona Lisa

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Overall loving the new quads the most. Based on what I’ve seen from other Tom Ford quads you can find some similar options among different palettes. I really like the look of Body Heat the best. If you want more variety and color range within a single palette but still like shimmer finishes I think you’ll find more of a diverse options within a compact by trying out the Pat McGrath palettes. I think the new Emotionproof Mascara is good, but part of me thinks it’s just Waterproof Extreme with a slightly different tube (because of the clumping issue) and different name.

You can find the new Tom Ford Eye Products out now. I bought mine from Sephora and Nordstrom. Also available at Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Beautylish and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Body Heat sent as a press sample. Other items purchased by me.

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New Tom Ford Eye Color Quads Body Heat, Double Indemnity, Suspicion + Emotionproof Picks

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