Tom Ford Lip Glosses: Naked, Crushed Rose, Sahara Pink, Peach Absolut & Sugar Pink
February 5, 2012
Tom Ford Beauty is still relatively new in the US. The entire cosmetic line was launched first at select Neiman Marcus stores and Bergdorf Goodman and now appears to be trickling into other retailers. Ever since the launch I’ve searched for reviews, swatches and photos online but to date have not found much on the Lip Glosses by Tom Ford. Perhaps it’s the exclusivity and high price tag of $45 a tube (for .24 fl oz)? Having been impressed by the lipsticks I decided to give the glosses a chance. I ordered 3 glosses online sight unseen in Naked, Rose Crush, and Sahara Pink. Then a few weekends ago I saw the entire line in person at the Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills and came home with 2 more in Peach Absolut and Sugar Pink.
The gloss: These glosses have a similar vanilla scent as the lipsticks in Tom Ford’s line. The texture is thick and opaque with a slightly sticky texture similar to that of Bobbi Brown’s but not quite as sticky. These come in a clear square shaped tube that appears to be plastic (it could be acrylic but I’m not entirely sure). The applicator is a long brush which I find is the right length and thickness to apply the gloss evenly on the lips.
The finish: The finish is a high shine. I find the thickness makes these last quite a long time on the lips.
The pigment: Pigment overall is rich and medium-full coverage. Sugar Pink and Peach Absolut are slightly sheerer with almost a jelly-like finish, but are still rich in finish.
The colors: my descriptions for each shade as they apply on my lips (I find they apply true to what you see in the tube)
Naked – a nude flesh beige with a slight pinkish tinge and gold shimmer
Rose Crush – a neutral nude pink with brownish/tawny tones and slight shimmer flecks
Sahara Pink – a neutral rose pink cream
Peach Absolut – sheer soft peach
Sugar Pink – bright but sheer pink
Swatches (note that the swatches aren’t in the same order as the product photos above):
I’m limited on time so I decided to do comparisons rather than lip swatches.
Overall thoughts: I really wanted to hate these. $45 a tube is insanity (yet I still caved, gift cards are often used on frivolous things when I should really be saving them up for a bigger better purchase). The packaging is functional and sturdy but a bit cheap feeling. (It’s growing on me though.) I was so excited to see the Tom Ford Counter at Neiman Marcus but the service was a bit lacking (granted I was there on a Saturday afternoon when stores are at their busiest) and the lighting at the displays was horrendous. If you google Tom Ford Beauty at Neiman Marcus you will see beautiful displays. The setup is modern chic and in my opinion really stunning and gorgeous. However, the displays are lit with a neon light that prevents you from being able to see any of the colors as they are in reality. I had to hold the tester tubes several feet away out of the light to be able to see the true color.
Even with all these issues (they might just be me) I have to admit that the quality and finish of these are excellent. The glosses are made in Italy and the colors I picked just work – no tweaking required. They are perfect alone, with a liner or over any lipstick. I personally prefer them over a neutral lipliner to help even out the edges. The colors might not be all that original but in my stash I could not find any exact dupes. I wish I could recall the other shades but the lighting wasn’t the best and I didn’t swatch them all on my hand. The big question of whether or not they are worth the $45 depends on the individual person. I am inclined to say no, even with the excellent quality, finish and color selection, $45 is still extremely steep and I think you can get a similar effect with other brands that are more wallet-friendly.
More ramblings on my thoughts for Tom Ford Beauty products: At the counter I only tested the glosses, eyeshadow quads and blushes. I eyed Cognac Sable but decided to pass, most of the quads have at least 1 extremely shimmery/glittery shade which I’m not used to wearing on an everyday basis. I was particularly impressed by the blushes (I have 3 so far, but have not reviewed them, see Karla Sugar for swatches), they have a beautiful rich finish and soft blendable textures with gorgeous finely milled shimmer (why couldn’t all the quads be like the blushes?). My friend eyed the clear sparkly gloss which I also thought was interesting but did not try personally. Having a number of lipsticks already I didn’t check out the other shades. I passed on trying the nail polishes at the counter too. I have 2 that I purchased online and was less than impressed with the finish and the cap leaks nail polish around the top even when closed. At the counter, I the colors looked extremely ordinary.
That’s it. I didn’t make the most of my counter visit, but given the high price tag I was a bit scared to check everything else out, so perhaps it was for the best that nobody was available/willing to help me at the counter. That combined with the horrible lighting … I lost interest quickly. Maybe I’ll have better luck next time.
Overall I’m pleased with the glosses and I think if it’s in your budget you should definitely splurge on 1. I still prefer the lipsticks over the glosses though. (To see Tom Ford Lipsticks I’ve reviewed, click on the Tom Ford tag at the bottom of this post.)
Have you tried anything from Tom Ford Beauty? Been to a counter in person? I’d love to hear about what you’ve tried, liked, disliked, splurged on or passed.
