Monthly Archives

August 2014

Base Makeup Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation Bisque 4 Review

August 6, 2014

I’ve been playing with Tom Ford’s new Traceless Perfecting Foundation ($80 for 1 fl oz/30 ml) in Bisque 4. I’ve been testing about a week now and I’m in love. I shared my initial thoughts (and swatches of all 15 shades) last Friday. I’m happy with my selection of Bisque 4 as it matches my skin perfectly right now. After playing with it some more, here are my thoughts:

Color Choice: I was torn between Bisque 4 and Natural 5. Based on the counter recommendation after applying them both (one on each side of the face), I bought Bisque 4 and took home a small sample of Natural 5. I’ve been testing them both and really could get away with using either shade. Natural 5 is a bit darker and a tad more olive while Bisque is more neutral.

Formula, Coverage, Texture: The new Traceless Perfecting Foundation is a bit thicker in texture than most foundations I use and it gives perfect medium to full coverage. It blends very easily and covers well. Even though it’s thick, it doesn’t feel heavy on my skin and the finish and feel is very natural. I’ve tried all of Tom Ford’s foundations but have only purchased the Traceless Sticks. My thoughts comparing the three:
  • The regular Traceless Foundation (liquid in a square bottle with pump) is absolutely gorgeous on the skin but always looked a bit too dewy and glowy on my skin. It’s sheerer in coverage and has a sheen finish while the Traceless Perfecting Foundation is more velvety (but not matte).
  • The Traceless Stick Foundation is best used layered over other foundations for more coverage. It’s the perfect alternative to concealer for larger areas of the face that need more but isn’t quite as dry or pigmented as concealer so it blends easier on the skin.
  • The newest Traceless Perfecting Foundation is something I find really does have that perfecting effect. It doesn’t give me 100% perfect skin but it evens out skin tone and texture really nicely. It gives medium to full coverage without caking. It stays put and doesn’t sliding off. It also looks completely natural.
Application: The first few days I tested this we had a bit of a heat wave in Southern California. It was humid and we also had some rain. Those first few days I found the foundation felt a bit heavy although it stayed put the entire day from morning to evening. It didn’t slide off, get greasy or oily as the day wore on but it felt heavy. After playing with this a bit more I’ve found my perfect combination of product. You do need to use a lightweight moisturizer and good primer to prep the skin (it makes a world of difference). My go-to is to use:

Who can wear it? This is a thicker foundation compared to the thin fluid texture of Armani Maestro or even Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet. I would say it’s comparable in texture to Chanel Perfection Lumiere but a tad more airy and thicker in texture. I think it could suit a wide range of skin types but if you’re on the oily side it may not be the best option for you. For normal combination or dry skins I think this will be perfect.

Packaging: The foundation comes with an interesting twist up pump similar to the packaging of the Illuminating Primer. It dispenses product easily without any issues. I use 2 to 3 pumps to cover the entire face.

Packaging comparisons (review on primer here):

Here it is swatched on my arm:

Many of you have asked for comparisons to other foundations. I pulled out ones I use and a few lighter options I have leftovers of from winter/spring and I also had some samples in my drawers that I pulled out. I tan easily and my skin has gotten darker since spring. I’ll put a * next to the shades I currently use:

Set 1 includes:

Set 2 includes:

Overall thumbs up. It’s something I keep reaching for these days since I purchased it. For reference you can see all 15 shades swatched here. I hope this helps as a guide to help you select a color. If you need a shade match or recommendation, I highly recommend you call a Tom Ford counter. I’ve found the reps at Neiman Marcus Fashion Island, Beverly Hills and San Francisco to be extremely helpful.

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Eye Makeup

Clé de Peau Beauté Eye Color Quad Satin Moon 305

August 6, 2014

Clé de Peau Beauté has released eight new Eye Color Quads ($55 for the refill, $25 for the case). The eight shades released for fall include Marmalade Sky 301, Stardust 302, Baby Universe 303, Champagne Supernova 304, Satin Moon 305, Silver Eclipse 306, Stellar Gaze 307, Cosmic Aura 308.

For reference Beauty Professor has all the quads swatched and reviewed. Best Things in Beauty also has a number of quads reviewed.

I’ve played with a few single shadows many years ago but never looked into the quads or palettes due to the hefty price tag. Several readers keep raving about Clé de Peau Beauté via e-mails so I’ve finally decided to look more into the line. I picked out one quad to try out and purchased Satin Moon 305 (along with the case) which has a soft tan gold, a bronze with a hint of plum, a mauve taupe and a smokey brown grey. All the colors have a super soft texture that are really easy to blend. The shimmer in each shade is extremely beautiful with multi-colored shimmers pressed together. On the eyes the shades layer very well together but are on the subtle side for me. In terms of comparisons for pigment, I would say it’s similar to Burberry singles and Chanel Quads (the square pans), less pigmented than Urban Decay and Le Metier de Beaute.

Satin Moon is quite stunning. On me it’s more on the subtle side but can be layered for more intensity. I shot the compact from the side and front to get a better view of the compact. I like that it’s sleek and sturdy. It was really easy to insert the refill into the case without damaging the eye shadows.

Here’s a subtle smokey eye. The flash keeps washing out all the makeup worn, but I hope this gives an idea of how you can wear this with subtle blending (layering light to dark).

I think you can find similar colors in other brands, quads, palettes and singles but the texture and shimmer is really quite extraordinary. It’s really impossible to capture how complex the shimmers are in swatches but I had one that was a bit blurry that ended up showing the different pearl particles well. On the eyes it’s not glittery even though there are tiny sparkle particles.

Close ups:

I couldn’t find any dupes but here are some comparisons:

Urban Decay Half Baked from Naked2

After testing my first Clé de Peau Beauté quad I am really happy with it. I tend to like colors with more pigment and impact (and then I blend it down a bit for more of a natural gradient) but this one is quite lovely. The quality is excellent and for those who don’t do shimmer on the eyes do note this quad is one of the most subtle with the shimmer factor that I’ve tried. I give this one a huge thumbs up, my I’m still a Chanel, NARS and Urban Decay girl at heart when it comes to eye shadows.
I like that you can refill these but I’m not sure I how feel about having to spend $80 on one complete compact.

The Clé de Peau Beauté Fall Eye Color quads have arrived at counters. You can find them (also the compact sold separately) online at Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

Are you a Clé de Peau Beauté fan? What are your favorite items?
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Base Makeup

Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer in Almond / Amande

August 5, 2014

Clé de Peau Beauté has two new additions to their shade lineup for the Concealer ($70 for 5 g/.17 oz, made in Japan) in Almond (Amande) and Mocha (Moka). The Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer in Beige has been a long-time staple for me (original review here). It’s the only concealer I use, it blends out perfectly and covers imperfections like no other, evens out dark areas under the eyes and doesn’t cake on my skin. Beige can pull bit too light for me when I have a tan but it still works. The next shade up in Ochre has tempted me for a long time but I’ve found it pulls a bit ashy on my skin because it has so much olive. I was thrilled that Almond has been released because it is the perfect match for me. It’s almost as dark as Ochre but is warmer with a slight honey tone.

For those new to Clé de Peau Beauté concealers, they come in a navy twist up tube. It’s quite small but a little bit goes a long way. My Beige concealer lasted a little over two years before I had to replace it with a new tube after using it up. The tube is very sturdy.

On the nails, Chanel Secret

Here is Almond vs Beige:

Swatched side by side:

Here is the full concealer line up of current shades from Clé de Peau Beauté, taken during a shopping trip with the Beauty Professor. These were taken with an iPhone and it was really warm and cloudy outside making everything look yellowish.
Ivory, Beige, Almond, Ochre, Mocha and Honey

Indoor counter lighting:

Outdoor lighting:

For better comparisons I pulled a few foundations I’ve been matched to and swatched them side by side. I’m usually a Chanel 30 Beige, but depending on how light or tan I am I have been matched to both 20 and 40 Beige (I tan really easily). Left to right:

The Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer is one of my holy grail concealers and even though it has a super steep price tag I do think it’s worth every penny because it works. I’ve tried a number of other brands at makeovers and from gift with purchase mini samples and for me nothing compares to the Clé de Peau. Finding a good concealer that doesn’t cake or slide has always been a challenge for me. Even those that have a good color match end up disappearing after I blend it out. (I’ve tried MAC, Chanel, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown and old NARS ones.) For this one I prefer to either apply straight from the tube and pat blend or apply from the tube to my fingers to warm it up and then dab it on the face.

You can find the new shades of Clé de Peau Beauté concealer now at counters. Clé de Peau Beauté is available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Bergdorf Goodman.

Do you have a holy grail concealer?
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Monthly Favorites | Skincare, Haircare, Body and Fragrance

August 5, 2014

Several have requested a monthly favorites round up – welcome to The Beauty Look Book’s first monthly favorites feature! I wanted to feature some midsummer beauty favorites for the skin, body and hair. Many of these items are things I’ve been using all summer long.
  • Caudalie Make-up Removing Cleansing Water is a gentle lightweight cleansing water that refreshes the skin. It won’t remove waterproof eye makeup or mascara all the way, but I like this for the face. I have this in the full size as well but like to keep the small travel sizes.
  • Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse has been a favorite this summer for dry body oils. (Three I tested here.) I alternate between this and the Caudalie Divine Oil, but lately I’ve been reaching more for the Nuxe, the fresh floral beach-like scent is perfect for summer. It layers nicely with most perfumes as it’s very gentle and not overpowering. I love that the skin absorbs it quickly.
  • Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is an alternative to dry shampoo. I’ve tried several and don’t like the powdery crunchy look they give to the hair. The Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray is the only one I’ve tried that doesn’t leave any residue. It’s more of a texturizing spray that I like to use on days where my hair looks a bit flat. I love all things Oribe that I’ve tried it’s a brand I keep exploring and looking into. The signature Oribe scent is incredible.
  • St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse is a new discovery this year and it is hands down my favorite self tan product. I purchased the mini size to compare it to the Gradual an Everyday Body Lotion from Sephora. I tested each one simultaneously with the mousse on one leg and the lotion on the other. The mousse gives a better tan without being orange. The lotion has a more gradual darkening effect. The tint to the mousse also helps you see where you applied product and helps as a guide for even application. It didn’t stain or transfer to white sheets and after letting it set for 10 minutes I found it didn’t transfer to a white denim skirt. I applied it for two consecutive days and my tan will last about 5 days. I have super sensitive skin and I’ve gotten allergic reactions to spray tans and other self tan products (like Clarins).
  • First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Deep Cleanser was sent for review and it is an amazing cleanser. It has red clay which is suppose to draw out toxins, remove oil and unclog pores. It’s designed for combination or oily skin. My skin is slightly combination, dry on the cheeks area and slightly oily in the T zone. I found this to be amazing at unclogging pores. It comes with a slightly gel-like texture that is a reddish pink with a pearly shimmer. It works well with the hands, a washcloth and my Clarisonic Aria. It’s gentle enough for my sensitive skin but very effective. I’m on my second tube.
  • Tom Ford Mandarino di Amalfi is one of Tom Ford’s latest, it’s one of two new scents that are an extension of the Neroli Portofino line. I can’t wear a lot of orange citrus scents but Tom Ford is the only one I can pull off. It’s the perfect summertime scent with citrus, florals and musk.
  • Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream is something I bought from the Flower Power Kit (has the Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream in 1 oz, Rose Face Mask in 1 oz, Sugar Tulip and Rose Floral Toner 0.5 oz). I love this lightweight face cream for hydration. It’s too heavy for me right now for daily use but I like to use it 2x per week during the day and alternate this as a night cream. It has a refreshing cucumber scent and feels amazing on the skin. It makes the skin look refreshed and improves the overall skin tone by smoothing over time and is great for calming the skin.
  • MAC Cleanse Off Oil has been my favorite go-to for removing makeup at the end of the day. I did a roundup of several oils I tested and the MAC is one I keep reaching for because it has the best emulsifying quality and gets everything off without leaving a residue or drying out the skin.
  • Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask is something I tried with the mini pods first. I liked it so much I bought the full size. It’s a mask that really works and clears pores. It has a slight tingly effect the first few minutes but it goes away. The charcoal and white clay both work to draw out pore-cloggers. I’ve used it up to 3x per week when my skin was messed up. I don’t recommend using it if you have broken skin or areas with irritation, but it is a gentle enough mask that won’t sting your skin. 
  • Malin+Goetz Lip Moisturizer is my summer favorite for a relative inexpensive lip balm with a nice lightweight gel formula. It’s super effective without being too rich or heavy for summer.
  • L’Occitane Extra Gentle Lotion for Hands and Body has been a staple for me for years. It’s the only body lotion I’ve repurchased. It has a super lightweight feel that absorbs into the skin. It’s part of the Shea Butter line and is moisturizing and soothing.
  • Bumble and Bumble Invisible Oil Primer was a Sephora freebie. It’s a pre-styler product that I apply to the hair before blow drying and it helps smooth the hair, decreases frizz and protects it from heat styling. It smells absolutely amazing like coconut and vanilla. It adds softness and shine without weighing down the hair.
  • L’Occitane Frisson de Verveine Hand Cream Gel is a great alternative to regular hand creams for the summer. It’s a unique hand moisturizer that absorbs into the skin really quickly. It has an interesting dry down that’s smooth and soothing with a slight velvety feel. It comes in the new Frisson Verbena scent which is a lightweight summery lime. One tube was sent for review and I’ve already purchased a second one.
  • Tatcha Aburatorigami Beauty Papers are the perfect blotting papers for me. They are compact and easy to carry in the purse. I love how they are super absorbent without having any powdery residue. I use about one sheet with every use and it’s so much better than touching up with powder mid-day or late afternoon. Sometimes with the summer heat and humidity I’ve found adding powder to oily skin can get cakey (at least on me).
  • Chanel UV Essential Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is the only face sunscreen I like to use. It’s lightweight and absorbs into the skin quickly. I like to layer serum with moisturizer under my foundation but I don’t like anything that feels heavy. This sunscreen is light enough to wear with both a serum and moisturizer and foundation. It’s suitable for my sensitive skin. It also comes with an SPF 20 and SPF 30 versions as well.

What have been your summer favorites this past month?

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Sephora Summer Surge Beauty Insider VIB Rouge Event

August 4, 2014

On Sunday I attended my first Sephora event for VIB Rouge members. Receptions were hosted across the US at select Sephora locations for 4x points on purchases, gifts, samples and access to brand experts and specialists. I brought a friend with me to the reception at South Coast Plaza we showed up bright and early at 9 AM.

We spent nearly the full two hours of the event browsing all the aisles. I was really happy Sephora had brand experts from different vendors on site. There were reps from a number of brands, we chatted with some super friendly reps from Hourglass, SK-II, Glam Glow and Nude. My friend works in the beauty industry and we’ve both been long time beauty addicts (she’s my go-to for recs on hair care and skincare and perfume, so pretty much everything). I really liked that there was no pressure from anyone to buy anything which made our shopping experience very enjoyable. Some shots of the Sephora store, some are a bit blurry, but we were really excited so in the rush, I didn’t get the best photos.

The South Coast Plaza store we went to had a Lip Bar, Brow Bar and Foundation Bar where you could get tips on application or color suggestions. We had too much distracting us to sit at any of the beauty booth areas.

There was a small gift bag with samples offered with any $35 purchase. VIB Rouge Members also received a red tote. Our bag included minis of Laura Mercier Foundation Primer, Dr. Jart Beauty Balm, Benefit Watt’s Up, Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5 in 1 Cream, Buxom Mascara, Algenist Eye Renewal Balm, Escada Born in Paradise Perfume.

As we walked around the store several reps handed out a few extra samples if we purchased an item or two from their line. Here’s the loot by the end of our shopping trip for me. We both had so many things on our wish list and literally had to say to each other “we need to go now” before we did more damage to our wallets.

  1. VIB Rouge Gift Bag with $35 Purchase (contents shown in above detail photo)
  2. Amore Pacific Natural Protector SPF 30 – sample 1 ml packet
  3. Sephora Age Defy Moisture Cream SPF15 – sample 2 ml packet
  4. Glam Glow Thirstymud Hydrating Treatment – sample 3 g packet
  5. Glam Glow Brightmud Eye Treatment – sample 1 g packet, we were told this is supposed to be the best for reducing puffy eyes and brightening the under eye area with 6 different caffeines
  6. Glam Glow Powermud Dual Cleanse Treatment  – sample 3 g packet – I tried this last night and it stung for 1 minute, afterwards the stinging went away and it seemed to by gentle yet effective, will report more on these after testing more
  7. Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer – 5 ml sample
  8. Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment – deluxe 10 g tube
  9. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day 5-in-1 Styling Cream – 10 ml sample packets
  10. Make Up For Ever HD Powder – Beauty Insider 100 point perk
  11. Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliner in Ro(coco) – Beauty Insider 100 point perk
  12. The Original Beautyblender (purchase)
  13. YSL Volupte Sheer Candy 15 and Gloss Volupte 10 (purchase)
  14. Glam Glow Supermud Clearing Treatment (purchase)
  15. SK-II Facial Treatment Cleanser (purchase)
  16. Living Proof No Frizz Smoothing & Frizz Fighting Travel Kit (purchase)
SK-II also had a few minis available, I gave them to my friend since she had never tried the line before. This was my first Sephora event so I did not really know what to expect. I found it to be a fun and relaxing/laid back shopping experience. I liked that they let us bring a guest that didn’t necessarily have to be a Sephora Beauty Insider. The staff was really patient and friendly. The reps were so helpful in answering questions. The store was very busy but not over-packed so there was plenty of room to wander without having others bump into you or try to knock you over. The only things I would have liked to have would have been to include a map where the brand reps were and their special stations, the Sephora at South Coast Plaza is the largest I’ve ever seen and it was easy to get lost. I also think it would have been great if there were step up gifts available although everyone was very generous with samples and the 4x points is (in my mind) huge.
If you missed out, Sephora is still offering the tiered points on purchases through August 10 online and in stores.
Have you ever been to a Sephora event? Did you go to the VIB Rouge Event on Sunday at your local Sephora stores? What did you end up splurging on? Did you learn anything new?
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By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur Mandarina Pulp #2

August 4, 2014
By Terry’s famous rose balm now comes in six different tinted versions of the Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur ($56 for 7 g/0.24 oz, made in France). Right now the availability of colors is a bit limited, but they should all be at By Terry counters soon. Three of the shades in Rosy Babe 1 (a baby pink), Mandarina Pulp 2 (fresh mandarin coral) and Cherry Bomb 3 (a lush cherry red pink) are available now exclusively at Space NK. The other three Bloom Berry 4, Fig Fiction 5 and Toffee Cream 6 are currently available at Barneys.

I checked the first three shades out last week at Space NK with the Beauty Professor. We’re both fans of the regular Baume de Rose (my thoughts here and here). Below are the three shades we saw in store at Space NK in Bloomingdales (taken with an iPhone in store with bad lighting):

For the tinted colors, I picked out Mandarina Pulp 2. It’s a lush orangey shade that gives a rich but soft tint of coral. There’s no shimmer in it but it has a slightly transparent quality and a shine that gives the lips a luscious glow. 

Here it is swatched on me:

The tinted Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleurs are $56 and smaller in size at 7g compared to the regular Baume de Rose priced at $60 for 10g. The circumference of each tube is the same but the tinted ones are a bit shorter. In case you haven’t seen my previous review on the original Baume de Rose, it’s one of my favorite lip balms. It took me several years of thinking about it before I decided to splurge on a $60 lip balm. My lips are normal but sensitive and prone to drying out with certain lipsticks (like MAC). It usually takes a couple days for my lips to restore to the normal state (for some reason I still can’t resist MAC lipsticks). With the By Terry Baume de Rose, if I use this at night my lips don’t peel the next day. It’s rich, lush and I find it amazing for my lips although it’s definitely not a must-have. There are other lip balms that work well without the high price tag, but I have no regrets and love it. The tub is quite large and it will last a long time. My other favorite lip balm picks reviewed here and here.

The By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur vs regular Baume de Rose:

Some other coral lip shades to compare:

A definite splurge but the Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleurs give a luscious color with a super hydrating feel. You can find three of By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleurs now at Space NK. Some are on pre-order at Barneys.
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Links I Love / Weekend Reads

August 2, 2014
http://instagram.com/beautylookbook
On the toes from a few weekends ago, NARS Paros

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! I’m spending the day editing and swatching. I have quite a few new things to share with you this upcoming days including some new discoveries from By Terry, Cle de Peau, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Bite and Chanel.

In case you missed some of this past week’s posts, here are a few highlights:

Some posts I’m loving this weekend:

Have a lovely Saturday afternoon!
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