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July 2014

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MAC Look in a Box All About Coral | Nordstrom Anniversary 2014

July 19, 2014

MAC has several limited-edition boxed sets and palettes available for this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I bought the Look in a Box – All About Coral ($39.50) which includes 2 lip items and 2 eye products:

  • Passion Charge Lustre Lipstick is a glossy medium-bright coral peachy shade
  • Stoke the Flame Lipglass is a frosted peach with visible sparkles
  • Collective Chic Veluxe Pearlfusion Eyeshadow has a glitzy champagne, olive shimmer and plum-brown frost shade
  • Brownborder Technakohl Liner is a warm brown eyeliner, it’s the only item you can purchase separately

I bought this mainly because I fell in love with the lip items. The Passion Charge lipstick and Stoke the Flame lipglass combination creates a pretty peachy coral lip that’s perfect for summer. The lipstick is a lustre formula but has impressive pigment for a glossy lipstick. The lip glass looks good layered over lipsticks but has enough color to wear alone.

If you’re like me and only like the lip colors, here are some swatches that I did in attempts to dupe Stoke the Flame Lipglass. I couldn’t find anything identical but here are some swatches:

MAC Mimmy (Hello Kitty collection, discontinued)
MAC Eurobeat Dazzleglass (discontinued)
MAC Meteoric Cremesheen Glass (discontinued)

Some more dupe attempts with other corals and peaches. I was really surprised how close it is to Tom Ford Sweet Spot:

Tom Ford Sweet Spot (discontinued)
Edward Bess Forbidden Flower (discontinued)
MAC Fresh & Frisky Huggable (discontinued)

I swatched the eye palette in store and was really impressed with the pigment. On the eyes it proved to be a bit tricky to apply. The champagne color is quite glittery and when I applied with a brush I experienced a lot of fall out. I found it best either applied with fingers by patting all over the lids with a creamy base or on top of the other two shades to set. Once on the eyes it didn’t budge, but the initial application had some fall out over the face. The khaki olive and brown plum applied smoothly with a brush and layered nicely for a smokey eye. I tested this in warm hot weather outdoors at an event that lasted from 1 pm to 7 pm. I spritzed the Urban Decay All Nighter Spray (also featured here) over the eyes and face and it made the look last all afternoon and kept it looking fresh – nothing budged.
The eyeliner is pretty basic. I like the smooth creamy texture and find it lasts long, but if you have a lot of brown eyeliners it’s not a must-have. I did some comparisons for the eyeliner.

The MAC Look in a Box sets are limited-edition. It appears the All About Coral Set has sold out online along with a few other sets but I’ve linked it so you can find the Product/Item Number. I suspect it’s still available in stores and you may want to have Nordstrom Customer service locate one for you if you’re interested. They might restock online. I found the set to be a good deal for the price. If you only like a few items in the set I hope the comparison swatches above help find something similar.
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In Rotation | Beauty Look Book Mascara and Lash Primer Picks

July 18, 2014

I typically limit myself to a couple of mascaras I use at any given time since I keep them for 3 months max before tossing but I’ve been testing new ones and I’ve discovered some new favorites. I have half a dozen I’m using right now and I’ve picked out my favorites to share.
When it comes to my lashes, I’m really picky with mascaras or lash primers. I have really straight ones that often don’t hold the curl with most mascaras even with a lash curler (my essentials here). I also find a lot of black mascaras turn grayish looking after they dry on my lashes, smudge or end up feeling crunchy and flake during the day. When it comes to mascara I look for something that will last all day without clumping, flaking, smudging and something that stays a true lush black color and holds the curl.

I’m hesitant to try lash primers and lash serums because I don’t like having an extra layer of product on my sensitive eyes. I’m a novice in this area so if you have any recommendations I am all ears.
The mascara and lash products I have in rotation right now:

  • Shu Uemura Lash Builder ($33) is a lash builder serum to help create a longer lusher lash look, I’ve been testing this for a few weeks and am still undecided on what I think but it’s been in my lash rotation, it darkens and defines the lashes when you apply it but I haven’t seen a visible difference after I apply colored mascara, reviews seem to indicate you will see results over time
  • Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum ($28.50) is something I’ve used for several years, I don’t use it everyday but it’s a favorite base that helps mascara adhere better to the lashes and makes it catch the lashes resulting in a fuller look, I like that it doesn’t impact the curl after using a lash curler
  • Guerlain Maxi Lash Waterproof ($30) is something I discovered thanks to RaeView, it’s the first waterproof mascara I’ve tried that doesn’t make my lashes feel crunchy, this one needs 2-3 uses to break it in, it gives lush rich black lashes, volumizes, doesn’t clump/flake/smudge and defines the lashes nicely, I haven’t tested it at the beach or pool but it seems to be sweat proof and lasts all day
  • Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Stretch ($32) is a staple in my beauty arsenal, I’ve repurchased this numerous times (probably a dozen tubes by now), it’s my favorite mascara of all time because it does everything I want – lengthens, defines, thickens, darkens the color and stays put, it’s easy to apply and gets the little corners easily because of the tapered brush tip, the bristles are well designed to grab on to the lashes and glides on easily
  • Chanel Le Volume de Chanel ($30) is the only Chanel mascara I like, it’s a lightweight mascara that glides on easily and doesn’t clump, it stays put and doesn’t dry to a grayish finish like other Chanel mascaras do (at least for me), I like the Black and Bleu (navy) for fun, but mostly use the black
  • NARS Larger than Life Volumizing Mascara ($25) is another favorite that I’ve repurchased numerous times, it is one of my favorite volumizing mascaras that doesn’t flake or smudge, this one has a big fluffy brush so it can be prone to clumping after a while due to buildup, I wipe down the brush with a small piece of paper wrapped around the tip (tissue or paper towels will get caught in the bristles, so paper actually is best to clean the brush) and then it’s back to perfection
If I were pressed to pick just one mascara to live with the rest of my life, it would be the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Stretch. If you’re looking for something more wallet-friendly, a few other  less expensive favorites I’ve tested and purchased numerous times include Clinique High Impact Mascara ($16), Topshop 3d Curve Mascara ($20, or in this Eyeliner/Mascara Set for $24) and MAC Plushlash Mascara ($16) has been a long-time favorite. I’ve tried dozens of drugstore mascaras (literally) and for some reason they’ve all turned grayish in color on my lashes and I’ve never found one that holds the curl.

What are your holy grail lash primers, serums and mascaras? I’ve been researching lash serums and would love your thoughts on any you’ve tried.
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Nordstrom Anniversary Beauty Exclusives | My Picks

July 18, 2014

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale has officially started for everyone. It will run through the August 3rd. After browsing through the items during the Early Access and carefully reviewing each option I narrowed by beauty picks down to 5 items. My top five picks include:
  1. Chanel Dentelle Précieuse Illuminating Powder ($80) is a definite must-have for me, it’s a stunning luminous beige highlighter with rose, bronze and peach tones (review here)
  2. Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Cheekbones Set ($110) is on it’s way to me, (I just ordered it)
  3. MAC Look in a Box – All About Coral ($39.50) is such a great deal for the price, I put the items to the test yesterday in warm summer weather, detailed review up soon
  4. NARS Dolce Vita Lip & Nail Set ($52) I have this one on hold for me at the store to pick up soon, I thought about this one for several days before caving
  5. Diptyque Baies + Figuier Set ($120) I ordered this as a gift for a loved one, I have several candle wick trimmers and can’t rave enough about them, it’s really much better than using regular scissors because of the angle and design, plus you don’t have to worry about getting your regular ones dirty from burnt wicks

Will you be shopping the sale soon? What are your top picks? If you are a Nordstrom Cardholder, did you get anything during Early Access?

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Fresh Sugar Tulip Lip Treatment Giveaway

July 17, 2014

I’m hosting a special giveaway for one Fresh Sugar Tulip Lip Treatment. There are four ways to enter via Rafflecopter, this is an international giveaway but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. Entries will be collected through the Rafflecopter widget below, please refer to the Terms and Conditions, entries will be collected until July 25th. (Actual tulip flowers not included.) For reference you can see my review and swatches here. 

There are several ways to enter, each option gives you one more entry point:

1) Tell me what’s your current favorite lip treatment?
2) Like The Beauty Look Book on Facebook
3) Follow @beautylookbook on Twitter
4) Follow me on Pinterest

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Lips of the Day: Tom Ford and Edward Bess

July 16, 2014

Lips of the day are pink which includes Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in Quiver (the perfect cool-toned pink infused with gold and pink shimmers) and Edward Bess Deep Shine Lip Gloss in First Kiss. I’m already half way thru the Tom Fordlip shine – I use it weekly for a quick swipe and go pink glossy lip. Adding the Edward Bess on top intensifies the color and adds more pink.

What are you wearing on your lips today?
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On My Radar

July 16, 2014

Here are a few things on my radar this week. Fall collections are starting to arrive and I’m excited about the upcoming releases. From the top left, clockwise:
  • NARS Fall 2014 launches this week online at narscosmetics.com, I have my eye on Dolomites Eyeshadow Duo, Unlawful Blush and the two new Satin Lip Pencils in Bansar and Mandore
  • Marc Jacobs Beauty has launched some new Lust for Lacquer lip glosses, there are three new Lip Vinyl Sheers in Shiny, Magic and Superstar and two new Lip Vinyl Full shades in Shooting Stars and Satisfaction
  • I’ve been on the hunt for new sunglasses and after hours of searching, I think I’m finally narrowed it down to either these Marc by Marc Jacobs aviators or some Kate Spade classic shades that are on sale
  • Chanel Les 4 Ombres have hit counters, I’m in love with Poésie and Tissé Rivoli but have my eye on Tissé Vénitien (greens), Tissé Grabrielle (smokey) and Tissé Vendome because the formula is just so amazing with rich smooth pigment
  • For the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, I picked up the MAC Coral Look in a Box, the eyeshadow trio has really pretty pigmented colors and the lips options are stunning peachy corals, I’ll review this soon but I give this a huge thumbs up
  • In the past few months I’ve been testing out some cleansing oils from Chanel, Tatcha and Shu Uemura, I’ll have a report soon on the ones I’ve tested but in the meantime I’d love to hear what your favorites are

What’s on your radar this week? Were you able to pick up anything from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale yet? With fall beauty collections starting to trickle in stores, what do you have your eye on?

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow | Poésie #234 and Tissé Rivoli #226

July 15, 2014

Chanel just released nine new Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadows in the US ($61 each for 2g/0.07 oz). I’ve been eagerly waiting for these quads to arrive in the US and am so happy they are finally here. I purchased two of the shades in Poésie #234 (limited-edition) and Tissé Rivoli #226. These come in the round pan format but the formula is different from most non-US quads that come with the round shapes. The texture is slightly creamy with amazing pigment and shimmer. They blend well on the lids without any base needed. The pigment is truly incredible and very easy to control. I’ve been a huge fan of the regular Les 4 Ombres (US versions) – I think the new ones are even better.

Poésie #234 is a limited-edition shade. It showed up online at Chanel.com and Macy’s for a limited time but currently isn’t listed. I contacted Nordstrom once the quads launched to see if Poésie would be listed and was told it is an in-store exclusive. I’m not sure if it will show up online again or not but you may need to track it down in stores like I did. It’s a stunning quad with a warm tan beige shimmer, an ivory shimmer, a dark blackened smokey brown-plum and a soft lilac shimmer. This is great for an everyday eye but the black shade is amazing for a smokey eye look.

Tissé Rivoli #226 is a neutral palette with warm neutral shades. It has a similar effect on me when I compare it to Poesie, but the Tisse Rivoli is slightly warmer and some of the shades are a tiny bit more sparkly. I don’t think you need both, but they are both really stunning.

Here they are swatched side by side, note that the shimmers are highly reflective so they look more shimmery in the photos than they are in real life. These were swatched with the sponge applicator:

I pulled a few other palettes to compare:

Fitting all the quads on one arm proved to be impossible so I have two sets of swatches. Comparisons show that Raffinement is very similar to Poesie and Tisse Rivoli:
Chanel Kaska Beige (discontinued)

Chanel Rives (discontinued)

Overall a huge thumbs up for both the new Les 4 Ombres in Poésie #234 and Tissé Rivoli #226. For those who like easy to use palettes with colors that are easy to combine these are perfect. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with larger palettes (although I do love them), having four coordinates shades makes life easier to create polished looks. I find both similar, Poesie gives me more of a smokey eye while Tisse Rivoli is more neutral but slightly more glitzy. I can’t choose between them.

Eight of the Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow are available now online at Nordstrom and Chanel.com. These should be arriving at your counters soon, I spotted these near me at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

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