Yearly Archives

2011

Uncategorized

Le Métier de Beauté Atlantis Sunset & Nadine (Neiman Marcus Northpark Exclusives)

November 3, 2011

Le Métier de Beauté has partnered with several artists to design exclusive products to various counters. It’s almost been like a mini treasure hunt trying to track down what’s been released where. I love the @metierbeaute tweets to help keep me updated but sometimes Twitter can be hard to follow consistently (I still love it though). Many thanks to Karla Sugar who gives us all the details & updates about the Neiman Marcus Northpark exclusives. She has swatched all the Sheer Brilliance Lip Glosses and Lip Crèmes (how awesome is she!?) and I’ve been drooling over these since this summer. As soon as the newest shade Nadine came out, I e-mailed her for the details as no pics or descriptions were to be found online. She told me it was pretty and understated and that she thought I’d love it. I was sold even though I had no idea what to expect. You can see her lovely swatches in her Le Métier de Beauté Fall Lips post. I ordered Atlantis Sunset (top peachy shade) and Nadine (coral pink sparkle) and here they are ($36 each from Neimans).

Atlantis Sunset is a Sheer Brilliance Lipgloss and is a sheer sparkly light iridescent peach with a pink & gold glowy sparkles. Le Métier de Beauté makes some of the most beautiful lipglosses I’ve ever seen in the tubes. The formula though is very sheer on some of the colors. Atlantis Sunset has the same sheerness as colors like Ibiza, Captiva and Cannes. Other shades like Bondi Beach, Summerland and Dubai have better color payoff for me. Initially I was disappointed with the color payoff of some shades (so pretty in the tube but go on clear on the lips) but soon learned these are best used to layer over lipsticks or even to use mixed with lip cremes. I loved the mixing tutorial by Messy Wands. Here is Atlantis Sunset on me over a bare lip. It’s practically clear but I still can’t resist a soft iridescent peach no matter how sheer it is.

Nadine is packaged and labeled as a Lip Crème but acts more like a Sheer Brilliance Gloss for me due to the sheerness. It’s a warm coral pink loaded with sparkles, but as Karla Sugar noted, very subdued. The lip swatch couldn’t capture the sparkle well, but here it is on me, also on a bare lip. I really adore it. It’s breathtakingly gorgeous in the tube.

How do they compare to other Le Métier shades? They’re quite different from the current lineup. Here are Atlantis Sunset & Nadine compared to Summerland, Ibiza and Bondi Beach in different lighting so you can see the sparkles. All gorgeous when swatched, none are overly frosty, these enhance the lip and work wonders when layered over Chanel Rouge Cocos.

Bottom line: I adore Nadine but I’m still undecided about Atlantis Sunset (although it’s a stunner in the tube). Have you tried Le Métier de Beauté Lip Glosses? What were your thoughts? Did you check out Nadine or any of the other Neiman Marcus Northpark Exclusives? (By the time I called, they were sold out of Emily’s Kisses and Sweet Abigail or else I would have ordered those too.)
11 Comments
Uncategorized

Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Skincare: Revitalizing Anti-Aging Day Crème, Revive Eye Concentrate & Daily Renew Cleanser

November 1, 2011
I’ve been carefully testing a few new skincare items from Le Métier de Beauté, Koh Gen Do and Clé de Peau over the past few months. I’m not one who is adventurous when it comes to trying new things for my skin due to sensitivity. I think it’s a miracle that I’ve finally found some items that have dramatically improved my skin. I’ve been particularly impressed by Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Skincare, a surprise to me since my skin did not mesh well with their Peau Vierge Anti-Aging Complexe Tinted Treatment (even though it’s worked like magic on most everyone else).
A bit of background on my skin: My skin is overall normal but sensitive, slightly oily in T-zone, small pores. I just turned 30 this year and I haven’t noticed any significant changes in my skin as I transitioned out of my 20’s except that my usual Clinique Foaming Cleanser/La Mer Toner daily ritual just wasn’t cutting it to keep my skin clear. I decided to try new things and this year I discovered Cleansing Waters from Lancome and Koh Gen Do and fell in love with the Koh Gen Do Macro Vintage Face Mask. Le Métier’s Peau Vierge items have been incorporated into my daily routine now and has revitalized my skin. When it comes to skincare ingredients I’m at a complete loss. Anyone can give me a detailed lecture on various patented formulas, different ingredients and their benefits etc. but I get that glazed look after 4 words (literally). I highly recommend you read the review and commentary posted on Best Things in Beauty, her review is highly detailed and very informative. My attention is limited to three things: 1) is it safe? 2) does it really work? and 3) is this under $100. I don’t like to spend a lot on skincare items that work the same as something much cheaper. I have had some experience with expensive brands like Revive, La Prairie and La Mer, but unfortunately, most of the pricey creams don’t make a noticeable difference to justify the high price tag. Since I’m not well versed in ingredients, I’ll refer you to Neiman Marcus’s website for product information (linked below) and focus more on my experience and what these did for my skin. Now, for my experience with Le Métier Peau Vierge.

I was introduced to Le Métier de Beauté Revive Eye Concentrate ($175 for 0.5 oz/15 ml) by Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills back in August and was told it was “the best on the market” in terms of eye creams. I’ve never been a regular user of eye cream even though everyone (grandmother, aunts, mother, friends etc.) tell me it’s an essential. I don’t use eye creams because I cannot see a visible difference when I use them. Still I decided to try it with an open mind. The Revive Eye Concentrate comes in a pale pink cream formula that is smooth and creamy but not too thick. It feels noticeably moisturizing and once it sets it feels weightless. I did not notice any fragrance. The Eye Concentrate works well to smooth the eye area and does improve the overall texture under the eye. I don’t have any wrinkles yet, except when I smile, under the eye shows some creasing. This cream has helped with dryness under the eye area to help the elasticity of the under eye area. At this time I can’t say this is a life-changer, but then most eye creams haven’t demonstrated a noticeable difference for me. This does help minimize the look of fine lines though.

During Beauty Week Le Métier counters handed out sample packets of the Revitalizing Anti-Aging Day Crème. I decided to give it a try and found the sample packets useful to take with me while traveling (one packet lasted me an entire week with some still left over). I loved it so much I purchased the full size ($285 for 1.0 oz/30 ml) during beauty week. This is a lightweight cream that goes on a moisturizing lotion. There is a slight scent that is hard to describe, but it’s very faint and smells clean. A little goes a long way. The first few days of use resulted in a visible skin purge. Break outs surfaced and there was redness and I had peeling as it was working its way under the layers of skin to purge. Still there was no stinging or irritation, I decided to give it a few days since I was told this would renew the skin. After the first few days of ugliness, my skin was then transformed in an amazing way to be noticeably clearer and smoother and felt like it was glowing. Those tiny bumps on the cheeks from buildup are gone and the overall appearance is a 100x better. I don’t use this everyday because I think everyday use would be too strong for me but this cream has worked like nothing else I’ve tried. (It’s amazing!) I currently alternate with Koh Gen Do’s Royal Massage Milk (review to come soon) for daytime only (I don’t use anything at night). It’s worked wonders for my skin. If you can get a sample packet I highly recommend you try it out. (Update: Just to clarify, the surfacing breakouts was a good thing for me with this cream because it renewed my skin by drawing out all the buildup and then my skin started to peel a little bit for a short time period of 1-2 days as it almost rejuvenated my skin, this didn’t cause breakouts per se, but rather helped renew/revitalize/clarify my skin condition, hope I didn’t confuse anyone!)

My local counter kindly made me a small sample cup of the Daily Renew Cleanser (which lasted 3 uses) and I was hooked. It comes in a squeeze bottle ($50 for 4.0 oz). It’s a yellow-orange gel with orange and white beads. Gentle and effective, it’s almost a scrub-cleanser hybrid. I do not use this everyday but alternate with Cle de Peau’s Gentle Foaming cleanser but it works well to smooth the skin and exfoliate gently. It has a soft citrus-orange scent and lathers well to deep clean the skin. I find that it does renew radiance after use. I like this better than traditional scrubs which I find too harsh for my skin.
Overall, I really love what the Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge has done for my skin from using the day cream and cleanser. The eye cream feels pleasant but I haven’t noticed a visible difference from use yet. I did try the toner during a recent makeover but passed because it made my skin tingle (not in a good way). My local Le Metier artists did not recommend the night cream for me (said it would be too strong). The day cream has reached life-changing status for me but the hefty price tag has me wondering what I will do once I’ve used up one tub.
Have you tried the Peau Vierge line yet? What’s your skintype and what were your thoughts?
The Revive Eye Concentrate was provided courtesy of Neiman Marcus/Le Métier de Beauté free of charge for review. All other items were purchased by me.
18 Comments
Uncategorized

Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks Lip Swatched: Darling, Sensation, Iridescent, Desireable & Rose

October 30, 2011

Here are the Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks lip swatched. More details, descriptions and thoughts per shade:
  • Darling – gorgeous pale peachy pink that isn’t too pale and makes the lips glow
  • Sensation – my least favorite because the shimmer is too chunky-looking and base color too sheer, still feels smooth on the lips, but you can feel a slight texture from the shimmer when applying
  • Iridescent – surprisingly warm and pigmented, thought this would be more pinkish, but goes on a coral-pink on the lips, on the hand it’s more of a pinkish color (your mileage may vary with this one on the coral or pink scale)
  • Desireable – sheer, glossy, nude-tan-rose, on the sheer side, but lovely
  • Rose – went on my lips a bit purply because of the cool-tone pink, shimmer does show through, very pigmented

I’m wearing the Perfect Finish Creamy Foundation in 120 Natural Beige with Cle de Peau’s Beige Concealer and 100 Warm Powder to finish. On the nails is a tiny sneak peek of the Dolce & Gabbana Grey Pearl Nail Polish from the holiday collection.

I really love these new lipsticks. My favorite shade? Darling 🙂

19 Comments
Uncategorized

Dolce & Gabbana Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks

October 30, 2011

Dolce & Gabbana has released a new lipstick formula called Passion Duo Gloss Fusion Lipsticks ($34 each). These are a unique duo formula lipstick with a rich cream color on the outer rim with a and gloss in the middle. The texture is smooth, rich, creamy and luxurious and these lipsticks make the lip glow from within. There are currently 20 different shades encased in a long slender tube all with the signature rose Dolce & Gabbana lipstick scent. The shades have varying degrees of shimmer on the outside and different textures of gloss in the middle. Formula-wise I would say these are a hybrid of Chanel’s Rouge Coco Shines (Chanel being more emollient and sheer) and Dior Addicts (having a harder texture with more pigment). I ordered mine all sight unseen based on over the phone descriptions. I’m quite pleased with the finish and pigment. I find these to be a great swipe-and-go type of lipstick with better pigment than Chanel. No liner or gloss needed, although I suspect a natural liner will help make the gloss last longer. Here is what arrived:

  • Darling – a sheer flesh tone peachy-pink with a glowing pale pink center
  • Sensation – a highly iridescent frosted peachy pink with a healthy pink gloss interior (fuller in color and more shimmer than Darling)
  • Iridescent – oddly named, but a warm coral-rose pink exterior, sheer transparent glittery gloss inside
  • Desireable – a sheer glazed shimmer rose-brown (similar to Naked Lipstick)
  • Rose – a cool golden rose pink with a clear gloss center that has mauvey pieces of glitter


* Darling & Sensation look identical in the swatch, I prefer Darling because it glows more, but on the lip it’s paler. Sensation is significantly more sparkly/frosted although it doesn’t show in the swatch photo above.

All in all, I love all of these (except Sensation which I find to be a bit too glittery/frosted). Glitter-phobes need not worry though. Even with the glitter in the gloss, the texture is very smooth and non-gritty. The texture feels moisturizing and soft, but not too soft that it feels greasy. The formula adheres to the lip quite well for a glossy lipstick (some sheer-glossy-finish lipsticks have that feeling like they will fall off the lip, not with the Dolce & Gabbana).  Are these better than Dior’s or Chanel’s new lipsticks from earlier this year? I’m inclined to say similar in concept but different enough to justify buying one or two. The promo photos from Dolce & Gabbana were just phenomenal, unfortunately not having in person access makes it difficult to assess the color options. Ladies without a Saks or Dolce & Gabbana counter near you, I feel your pain. For those who asked for Foundation shade recommendations the other day, I apologize, I don’t feel knowledgeable enough to comfortably match or recommend something like foundation colors. If you are olive, go with 120 like me, if you’re more neutral, go with 100. Ultimately, I recommend you call your local Dolce & Gabbana counter for a better match recommendation.

I am attempting lip swatches right now and will get them up as soon as possible.

For those new to Dolce & Gabbana, the cosmetic line is available in the US for sale at Saks.com and select Saks Locations. I purchase mine from Saks Houston.
8 Comments
Uncategorized

NARS Mandchourie Duo Eyeshadow

October 30, 2011
NARS Mandchourie Duo Eyeshadow ($33) is the new holiday duo from NARS this season. It’s an intensely smoky palette of olive-golden-indigo shimmer and a deep dark matte indigo blue. The colors are deep and dark and not for the faint of heart. Playing around with this resulted in a super smokey dramatic eye. I recommend having a paler neutral shimmer on hand to help tone down the intensity or to help blend harsh edges out. My favorite way to apply so far is to use Laura Mercier’s Platinum Metallic Creme Eyeshadow as a base and then apply the dark golden-olive shade on lids with a soft fluffy brush like MAC 217 then apply the darker matte navy with a pencil brush and smudge over the lash line upwards. The pigment in this duo is quite good, the matte shade can be a bit chalky on first swipe but layers well.

Compared to other NARS duos, Mandchourie is quite different and unique. Here are comparisons to Brumes, Dogon and Underworld. I also swatched Stila’s Diamond Lil to show how intense the NARS Mandchourie is by comparison.

Overall NARS Mandchourie is beautiful, unique, dramatic and intense. It’s lovely but a bit too dramatic for my taste – for everyday. For smokey eyes I will be reaching for NARS Brumes or Cordura more often since I feel those duos are easier to pull off although Mandchourie does go well with a softly bronzed cheek and pink lips. I’m one who prefers a natural smokey eye and while Mandchourie can easily be layered lightly for a less smokey look I still think it’s very intense (in a good way though!). It’s neutral enough in color so it won’t look too harsh on any skintone (at least in my mind). Some pure greys/blacks can look harsh and even some navy blues can look too contrasted on the skin. Mandchourie has an excellent blend of other colors in the undertone to make this intense/smokey/dramatic without being too harsh on the skin.

(For inquiring minds, the only other holiday items I picked from NARS were the multiple and highlighter but those are on presale for Nordstrom’s Trend Show, so they most likely will not be making an appearance on the blog for quite some time.) 

What do you think of NARS Mandchourie?
8 Comments
Base Makeup

Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Finish Creamy Foundation

October 29, 2011

Dolce & Gabbana has released a new cream foundation called the Perfect Finish Creamy Foundation ($66 for 30 ml/1.0 fl oz, made in Italy). I was hesitant to try this since I was convinced that there could be nothing better than their Powder Foundation (my holy grail). Plus I’ve never had good luck with cream foundations in the past (creams in a tub tend to be too rich or to cakey for my taste). Nikki from Saks Houston kindly sent me a few sample pots telling me she knew I would fall in love with it … and I did.

Dolce & Gabbana boasts that the Perfect Finish Creamy Foundation gives the perfect airbrushed finish that gives the skin a radiant glow that gives flawless full coverage with a lightweight texture. I couldn’t agree more. Here are my thoughts …

Texture: This is described as a lightweight foundation and it does feel light on the skin, but not entirely lightweight. Compared to most creamy full coverage foundations it is indeed very lightweight. When you dip your brush or fingers into the product it feels semi-heavy but blends out nicely and very smoothly on the skin.

Finish: I find the finish to be more on the full coverage side but there is a slight transparency to it so your skin shows through. It’s difficult to explain, but I find it gives full natural coverage without looking fake. I also found that I did not need to set with any powder (although most of the time I do). The finish is natural, slightly satiny-matte, but not a full matte.

Application: I received the new Dolce & Gabbana Foundation Brush as a gift with purchase from one of Saks Houston’s gwp events (not sure which event it was, perhaps beauty week or EGC?, they do have awesome GWPs in store, I recommend you get on the call list). I find the brush to be great at applying the cream foundation with minimal streaking. It’s very soft with a tapered head. I find it a bit skinner in width than most other foundation brushes but thicker in depth. I’ve also been applying with a sponge but prefer the brush since it soaks up less product. I’m not a fan of using the fingers to apply. I find it gets messy. I highly recommend you visit Swide to see Pat McGrath’s application video.

Color selection: I played with 4 different shades for a week before deciding on 120 Natural Beige (very olive) although 100 Natural Glow was almost an exact match but just the slightest bit too light. For colors I found that what you see in the tub is a bit darker than what applies on the skin. When I looked at all the samples I was sent I thought they would all be too dark for me. Also let the foundation sit for a minute after application. It doesn’t oxidize/darken but rather letting it sit allows the product to adjust to the warmth of your skin which makes the color change or set slightly. I definitely recommend you see if your local Saks carries the brand and try at least 3 shades on your jawbone to see which one matches best. RaeViewer has a beautiful tutorial on this foundation.

Here is Natural Beige 120

Here are the samples I received and swatches plus a scan and photo of the card swatches (sorry they are off b/c of the glare on the card):

How does it compare to other foundations I’ve tried? It’s really quite different. I rank foundations by three main categories:
  1. first based on formula (liquid, tinted moisturizer, cream, compact, powder)
  2. then by coverage (sheer, medium, full)
  3. then by finish (dewy, satiny, matte)
The Dolce & Gabbana is a cream, full, satin finish foundation – probably the only that I’ve tried that fit these 3 criteria. Other cream foundations I’ve tried felt too greasy or darkened significantly on the skin. The Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Finish Creamy Foundation is creamy and full coverage but natural feeling and non-greasy. It lasts all day with or without a setting powder. Is this a must-have? I would say it depends on your skintype, but for me (normal, slightly oily T-zone and sensitive) I would say yes for now, in the summer months this may become too heavy but it’s perfect for fall/winter right now and I adore this. Do note that when it comes to foundations I like variety in textures and finishes and alternate frequently each week.
Overall: I really love this foundation. Finding a good color match might be a bit trickier than most since the what you see in the glass bottle is a bit deceiving compared to what goes on and blends out. I find the packaging slightly bulky and not the most user friendly. I definitely would not take it traveling with me anywhere. Still it is functional. Bottom line is that I highly recommend.
19 Comments
Uncategorized

Edward Bess Quad Royale in Summer in Capri

October 28, 2011
Edward Bess has several new exciting products that are being released for fall and holiday. His new face quad called Summer in Capri ($45 for .25oz/7g) has recently been released in-store at Bergdorf Goodman and online on his website. It’s a beautiful highlighter with four shades of tan and peach all of which contain a lovely subtle pearl glow. The powder is encased in a rectangular black mirrored compact complete with a face brush for application. The texture is soft and the powder is finely milled and applies beautifully on the skin to give you that subtle glow from within.

On my face it adds a lovely beautiful soft light peachy glow. The luminosity resembles Chanel Poudre Douce with a slightly more contoured finish since the Edward Bess Summer in Capri has two shades of beige/tan. I really love the little brush that comes in the compact. The handle is beveled to a point which makes it easy to hold and the brush head is wide enough to cover the whole cheek with two sweeps. On the face I’ve worn this over his Daydream Bronzer to add a subtle glow and I love the way it makes the skin look. Each shade individually also works on the eyes (I love it layered over his Sunlight cream highlighter) as a lovely all-over lid color. My favorites for the eyes are the bottom two shades layered together for a very subtle contour.
Best Things in Beauty has a lovely review and managed to get all four shades to show up in her swatches (something I was not able to do). Here is my swatch on the arm (which was very difficult to photograph).

Blended all together on the arm (blurry, but the best I could get):

Out of all the new holiday highlighter options out there this season, I say hands down this is the highlighter of choice for me. Do note that this season seems to be the season of highlighters that offer a very subtle subdued glow. If you’re looking for something more visibly shimmer or glowy you may want to shop your stash as most of what I’ve seen this season from Chanel to Guerlain and even MAC seems to be more on the subtle side. Edward Bess Quad Royale in Summer in Capri shows up on my skin and is easily layerable. Adding a few more swipes on the cheeks over a cream blush makes it show up even better. Due to the subtle glowy finish and lightness of the colors I’m not sure how it would work with darker skintones. I personally adore it and highly recommend. It is a face powder that will work year round for any occasion.
Have you tried Edward Bess Summer in Capri?
P.S. I know I’ve been a bit slow in blogging this week. I hope to catch up this weekend!
16 Comments