Monthly Archives

September 2014

GWP

Space NK Autumn Beauty Edit | September 10th Gift With Purchase

September 6, 2014
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Preview of Space NK’s 2014 September Beauty Gift Bag (contents spilled)

On Wednesday, September 10th, Space NK will host the “Autumn Beauty Edit” event across all of their 23 U.S. locations.

During this special, one-day-only shopping event, customers will be perfectly prepped for the new season as we present the latest in autumn beauty. Guests can meet with experts from some of Space NK’s finest brands for personalized classes, makeovers, advice and tips. Event times, featured experts and services will vary by location – call your local store for more details.

Exclusively for the event, and while supplies last, shoppers who spend $250 or more will receive a gift featuring a selection of must-haves from 33 of our featured brands (deluxe, travel and full-size items).

This is Space NK’s most popular event of the year so if you’re interested, I highly recommend you call one of the US stores (full listing here) and do a pre-sale to reserve your gift bags (call soon). They sell out every year. It will also be available to online shoppers at http://us.spacenk.com/ on September 10th (US only).

Valued at well over $400, the gift bag includes:

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  • Space NK Limited Edition Cosmetics Bag
  • African Botanics Pure Marula Cleansing Oil (17ml) 
  • Algenist Overnight Restorative Cream (15ml) 
  • By Terry Cellularose Baume d’Eau (4ml) 
  • Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads (5 pads) 
  • Darphin Stimulskin Plus Reshaping Divine Serum (3ml) 
  • Diptyque L’ombre Dans L’eau EDP (12ml)
    Evologie Stay Clear Cleanser (22ml) 
  • Goldfaden MD Doctor’s Scrub Advanced (.35ml) 
  • Hourglass Femme Rouge Lipstick in Grace (.03oz) 
  • James Read Sleep Mask Tan (25ml) 
  • Kat Burki Rose Hip Revitalizing Serum (7ml) 
  • Kiesque Liquid Palisade (4.4ml)
    Lancer Nourish (7.5ml) 
  • Lipstick Queen Chinatown Glossy Pencil in Chase (3g) 
  • Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face Cleanser (1oz) 
  • Mio Boob Tube+ Multi-Action Bust Firmer (30ml) 
  • Molliderm Cream (7ml)
    Natura Bissé Oxygen Cream (10ml) 
  • Nia24 Rapid Exfoliating Serum (15ml) 
  • Nia24 Sun Damage Prevention 100% Mineral Sunscreen (1oz) 
  • Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Cream (15ml) 
  • Philip B Oud Royal Forever Shine Shampoo (15ml) 
  • Radical Skincare Multi Brightening Serum (8ml) 
  • Rahua Hair Wax (full-size 89ml) 
  • Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial (15ml) 
  • Rodial Dragon’s Blood Sculpting Gel (15ml) 
  • Roloxin Lift Revitalizing Facial Treatment (2g) 
  • Sai-Sei Mineral Refresh Bath & Shower Gel (9ml) 
  • Sunday Riley Artemis Hydro-Active Cellular Face Oil (3ml) 
  • Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask (7.5ml) 
  • This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray (5ml) 
  • Veneffect Anti-Aging Eye Treatment (4ml) 
  • Verso Day Cream (15ml)
Many thanks to Space NK for sending me an early preview of the gift bag to share with you. This is a phenomenal gift with purchase and I’m completely obsessed with the enormous cosmetic bag (approximately 12 inches by 10 inches). For size reference it’s slightly larger than a Porter or Harper’s Bazaar Magazine. For full product listing and details of items inside the gift, visit the Space NK US Autumn Beauty Edit page.

Will you be shopping for the September 10th Space NK beauty event? (PS, Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus will also be having their events starting on the 10th but I don’t have details yet.)
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Uncategorized

Edward Bess Black Sea Cream Wave Lip Tints

September 5, 2014

Edward Bess has released a new lip product called the Black Sea Cream Wave Lip Tint ($31 each for .13 oz/3.8 g, made in USA). These are exclusive to QVC through September of 2015. Edward Bess will be featuring these on QVC tonight (Friday September 5th at 9 pm EST) and I cannot wait to see the full demonstration. 

The Black Sea Cream Wave Lip Tints are creamy lip products. They have the cushy and smooth feel of a lip balm but have a high pigment color more like a lipstick. I found them to be extremely smooth and emollient on the lips. On me they applied with more pigment than I expected. These come in three colors: Sunset Allure is a bright coral, Mystic Passion is a red plum, Blushed Dune is a neutral nude with pink/mauve tones. All are cream finishes (no shimmer).

These come in a unique black tube. You open them by pressing the bottom of the tube to pop open the lipstick. The lipstick pops out so you can pull out the lip tint and then twist up the tube. I found it really fun to play with.

Each color gives medium to full coverage. They adhere much better to the lips versus the arms for swatching. I have swatches both ways and close ups. The Cream Wave Lip Tints do have a slight scent to them. I found them to be a bit sweeter than his traditional fig scent he has in his regular lipsticks. The scent does fade after a few minutes and I didn’t notice it after a while. I like the darker ones blotted because they give the lips a natural looking stain. Lasting power applied as a regular lipstick is medium for several hours without fading. They are emollient so if you find glossy finish lipsticks don’t last long on you, these perform like glossy lipsticks. I do find they last slightly longer than Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, YSL Rouge Volupte Shines and Armani Sheers.

In sunlight without flash:

Swatched with flash:

Close ups of each shade:

Another winner from Edward Bess in my book, but I do have a soft spot for everything he comes out with. The Cream Wave Lip Tints are extremely natural looking while still managing to offer enough color to give the lips a polished look. My favorite is the neutral one in Blushed Dune. It’s an easy no-fuss kind of color that you can wear anywhere. I was really surprised by Mystic Passion. It’s a gorgeous wearable plum that has color but isn’t loud. Do note that my lips tend to pull a lot of red in most plums, so this one will most likely look closer to the tube on most beauty lovers. I really like Mystic Passion blotted because it leaves the perfect plum stain on the lips. Sunset Allure is a flawless coral that brightens the face. Even if you can’t wear orangey shades, I think this one is one of the easier orange/corals to wear.
These are designed to be hydrating. I didn’t really feel like they added moisture although they did feel very cream and smooth. A huge plus for me was that they didn’t dry out my lips.
Edward’s show goes live on QVC soon. I can’t wait to hear what you think if you end up trying these out. If you’re unsure about these, I highly recommend you visit each product page on QVC, so many others leave really helpful reviews. Full ingredient listing is also available online.
The Black Sea Cream Wave Lip Tints are currently exclusive to QVC through September 2015.
Many thanks to Edward Bess for providing me an early preview.

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Uncategorized

Dior Vernis Massaï 853

September 5, 2014

Dior Vernis Massaï 853 ($25 for 10 ml/0.33 fl oz) is a classic deep red cream. It was released in the new Gel Shine Long Wear Formula (swatches of multiple shades here) and is also a repromote with Dior’s Fall 2014 collection. Massaï applies flawlessly with two thin coats. You get full coverage and a nice glossy lush finish. It does need a top coat to extend the wear (I like the Dior Gel Top Coat) and I’ve gotten a full week of wear without any tip wear or chipping (more on my nail tips and essentials here). Check my other Dior Gel Shine review on Tra-La-La for close ups of the brush. It’s been redesigned in a curved shape which makes it super easy to apply on the fingers.

A few comparisons to:
Chanel Accessoire (swatched here)
Tom Ford Shameless (d/c, review here)
Louboutin Rouge (review soon)

It’s pure love. I probably sound like a broken record by now, but I really do think Dior’s nail polish formula keeps getting better and better. It’s always been phenomenal as far as I can remember, but they’ve really improved the lasting power and shine. If you’re looking for a classic deep red that is super easy to apply, this is it. 

Massaï currently retails for $25 at all Dior retailers. Mine was gifted to me by Nordstrom which I was thrilled about since I’ve had my eye on it since April. Even though it’s part of the fall collection, I don’t think it is a limited-edition shade so it should be relatively easy to track down.
What’s your go-to classic deep red?
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Uncategorized

On My Radar / New In Beauty

September 5, 2014

Happy Friday everyone! September is a big month for beauty lovers, there are a number of new product launches and gift with purchase events. Space NK and Barneys New York have phenomenal beauty gift bags coming up next week, I’ll have more details posted shortly, but I recommend you start making your lists. The price points for the minimum buy is on the higher end, but the gifts they have are best I’ve seen in the industry.

Some items on my beauty radar:
Diptyque has a number of beautiful new items for fall. There is a beautiful La Redoute Candle (1) with a marble ceramic jar. Ambre (2) now comes in larger amber tinted hand-blown glass jar. There is also a new Vanille Candle (3). I smelled it at the South Coast Plaza boutique months ago (they had a preview) and it’s a lovely smokey vanilla, perfect for fall.

Dior has released a new lip item called Rouge Dior Baume (4). Saks has an early exclusive this month. These are supposed to be lip balms with rich pigment. There are 15 shades Dior describes as “easy to wear” ranging from soft nudes, feminine pinks, and luminous fuchsias.

Hourglass Cosmetics fans will be thrilled to know they open their first boutique at the end of this month (5). Also on my radar is their newly repackaged Illusion Hyaluronic Skin Tint (6). I played briefly with the colors at Sephora last week but was in a rush so I didn’t get to look at the colors in detail.

Tom Ford Fall Beauty collections have been incredibly difficult to locate for some. Items have sold out at a record pace online. If you found that you missed out, don’t fret, items keep restocking online so don’t give up. Both of the Contouring Cheek Color Duos in Softcore and Stroked (7) are now online at Nordstrom and have been restocked at Neiman Marcus (see this post for my swatches).

Charlotte Tilbury Beauty has been on everyone’s beauty radar. I have been really impressed with the Lip Lustre Lip Lacquers (8) and K.I.S.S.I.N.G. Lipsticks (9). She has some outstanding neutrals.

Bobbi Brown has a new Limited-Edition set called the Mixed Metals Collection (10). It’s exclusive to Neiman Marcus and Bobbibrowncosmetics.com. I hope to have the swatches completed this weekend to post early next week (keeping fingers crossed I’ll have the time).

The 30 shades of Christian Louboutin Nail Polish have launched in The Pops, The Nudes and The Noirs (11) (featured above). I don’t have a store near me that carries them yet, so I’ll be relying on online reviews and swatches. I did order a few of the colors from Nordstrom sight unseen. My fingers are working as fast as they can to swatch the colors I picked out.
What’s on your beauty radar?
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Haircare

Edward Bess Black Sea Hair Hero

September 4, 2014

Edward Bess’s hair has been a topic of discussion among many women for quite some time. I have often wondered what products he uses on his gorgeous hair (also a bit envious of his luscious locks). He has released a styling cream called Hair Hero ($38 for 6.7 fl oz/200 ml, made in USA, exclusive to QVC through March 2015). It’s described as a miracle styling cream that “magically boosts volume to new heights, sculpts and defines by adding
texture, and even smoothes and tames hair without weighing it down.” Edward’s Hair Hero comes in sleek black bottle with a pump dispenser. The cap twists to lock the pump when not in use. The bottle is quite large which I’m happy about because it will last a long time.

The texture of the styling cream is semi-thick, it’s a soft white cream that is very easy to work through damp or dry hair. Even though it’s thick, once applied on the hair it feels very lightweight making dry hair feel smooth while giving it a slight textured look. It smells absolutely amazing. The scent is difficult to describe but it’s a wonderful beachy scent, like a mix of tiare, coconut, fresh sea. I can’t wait to see how this is used on Edward’s QVC segment on September 5th. It’s free of parabens and sodium chloride so it’s supposed to be safe for keratin and color-treated hair.

I’ve used this a couple different ways. I have thick unruly hair that has a slight wave. I have to use product everyday to prevent my hair from frizzing up. I don’t color or highlight my hair, but I do blow dry and straighten my hair on a regular basis. I’ve used the Hair Hero on damp hair before using a blow dryer (I’ve always been a Solano fan, but my husband just bought me the Drybar Buttercup Blowdryer because he liked the color, lol). It helped smooth out my hair for the perfect blowout with two pumps. I like to add one more small pump to add to the ends to smooth the hair and keep it in place. My husband noticed the difference immediately and commented my hair looked smoother and more lightweight in a good way.

After application, it does leave a slight residue on the hands (you will need to wash your hands even though it smells incredible). It doesn’t make the hair sticky at all though but rather makes it very smooth. I’ve also used on damp hair and let it air dry. The result is a soft natural wave that isn’t frizzy (which usually happens if I air dry without any product).

Some more shots to show the texture. The Hair Hero gives the hair a smooth finish but still gives it some texture so it’s not flat.

It’s bottom line complete and total love, I can’t get over how amazing it smells, I wish it came in body products. You can find Edward Bess’s Hair Hero exclusively through QVC (through spring 2015). He will be having his first 1 hour segment on QVC this Friday September 5th 9 pm EST. I can’t wait to see how they use it on the show. To stay up to date with Edward Bess and his latest products, be sure to check out his website www.edwardbess.com for news and store listing. You can also follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (his social media handle is @edwardbess).

Many thanks to Edward Bess for gifting me a sample of his new Hair Hero and for enabling me to have smoother hair that smells amazing.

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Base Makeup

Edward Bess Black Sea Extreme Cover Cream

September 4, 2014

I have quite a few things to share with you from Edward Bess. Mark your calendars for this Friday evening because he will have his first 1 hour show on QVC September 5th at 9 PM EST. There will quite a few new items he will be featuring during his show and I’m thrilled to be able to share some of them with you as a preview.

First up is his Black Sea Extreme Cover Cream with Expert Retouch Brush. This was initially launched earlier at the beginning of the year on QVC (video segment still available online). It’s one of those things I dove into immediately and fell in love with, I should have reviewed it months ago, it’s been on my to-do list for quite some time. The Extreme Cover Cream is a full coverage creamy concealer with intense but blendable pigment. They are packaged in small pots with a twist off cap that locks into place to seal the product completely. There is also a brush included. These cover up areas on the face flawlessly and completely. The texture is on the medium-to-thick side so blending is key, but it is very easy to blend. You only need a little bit to get full coverage. No packing on needed.


Rouge Louboutin on the nails
Below is the Light shade shown with the brush, you can see the pots are quite small with a medium-sized brush that has a wide head and flat tip:

The Extreme Cover Cream comes in four shades: Light, Medium, Tan and Deep. I was worried I wouldn’t find a good match due to the limited shade selection, but Medium is a perfect match for me.

Swatched with a small concealer brush, one swipe each shade shows how rich the pigment is:

Here are the ingredients:

Close up of the Medium shade I use to show the texture:

I like the way the brush works to blend the product but since the pots are on the small side and pigment is really intense, I prefer to apply with a smaller concealer brush (like Chanel #10) and then blend out with a Beauty Blender. I know many of my readers are experts on different concealers and know a lot more than I do. I am super picky with concealers, the ones I’ve tried during makeovers or received mini GWPs of often disappoint. They either disappear completely on my skin once blended or look cakey. Until this year I have never really had a need for extensive concealer use. For several years, I have exclusively used two: Clé de Peau Beauté and By Terry Touche Veloutée. This year is the year my skin has acted up and had all sorts of flare ups and issues. So I’ve started using the concealers more. I’ve been using Edward Bess’s Extreme Cover Cream since around March for times I really need full coverage.

It’s ultra creamy and pigmented so I only need a little. It has an emollient texture that makes it blend flawlessly. I always set with a powder and find it stays put all day without budging, but the key is to not use too much. It covers imperfections completely and is also good under the eye (it doesn’t cake but you need to make sure you set it with powder).

For reference, swatches of Light and Medium next to a few other foundations and concealers I own:

It’s bottom line love. It blends out perfectly on my medium olive skin and gives full coverage to areas when I need it. It does have a smooth finish (which is a must for me) although if you have skin texture issues, your skin’s texture will still show through underneath. I only use this on spots that need extra coverage and it layers very nicely over foundation. Since it’s extremely intense I won’t use a lot under the eyes, just an extra tiny dab on days I need evening out is all I need. The shade selection is limited, so you may not fall under the four color options. I hope Edward will expand the shade offerings eventually. The brush is nicely made and also works well to blend out cream products, but it’s a bit large for me for this particular cream. For concealer I prefer using a smaller detail brush.
You can find the Edward Bess Black Sea Extreme Cover Cream now on QVC. There is a video from February’s QVC segment to show it’s applied. I hope it makes another appearance on Friday’s show too!

The Extreme Cover Cream was provided by Edward Bess for review consideration. 

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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow Instant Soft Focus Beauty Flash

September 3, 2014

 

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow ($52 for 40 ml/1.4 fl oz, made in Switzerland) is a luminous liquid highlighter. It’s designed to have multiple uses. You can wear it under, over, mixed in with foundation or just by itself. It’s a golden beige illuminator with very fine micro-pearl reflecting particles that give the skin a spotlight glow. I am a huge fan of glowy face products, but rarely find illuminators I feel comfortable wearing all over the face under foundation (I won’t wear Armani Fluid Sheers or NARS Illuminators all over the face). With Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow, I find it adds a really nice brightening effect to give my skin that glow from within look in a subtle way. I have olive medium skin and find it hard to find liquid highlighter that have a true beige, gold or yellow undertone. Most of them have some kind of champagne or pinkish pearl tint, which I like, but sometimes I need variation. Some sites describe this as a primer, I prefer to use it as an all over illuminating base to add a glow, but not necessarily prime the skin.

 

 

Wonderglow is a liquid highlighter with a medium texture. It’s easy to blend but not completely fluid which is nice because it’s very easy to control. You can apply without having to worry that it will run off the back of your hand, brush or face. I like to squeeze a little onto my hand and then apply all over with a foundation brush. Close up to try and show the multi-dimensional pearly quality.

 

 

Swatched straight from the tube and then blended:

 

Swatch comparisons to some other illuminating products:

  • Tom Ford Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust
  • Armani Fluid Sheer 10
  • Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Sunkissed
  • By Terry Cellularose Brightening CC Lumi Serum in Apricot Glow
  • Koh Gen Do Beige Illuminator IL01 (review)
  • NARS Illuminator in Hot Sand (review)

 

Applied straight from the tube:

 

Blended:

 

I am really happy with the Wonderglow from what I’ve tested. I suspect it works well for me because I’m right at the medium skin tone where this is a really good match for me (I use Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 04 and am a Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet in Beige 30.
I’ve used this both as a base under foundation (applied over moisturizer) and as a highlight to add a dewy glow on top of foundation as well. Both work really well for a subtle effect that is still noticeable. I like to use it under blushes too. I like that it has a texture that stays dewy for a little bit so you can work it into the skin and blend. Some highlighters are either too dewy or dry too fast. This one dries nicely after a few minutes and doesn’t budge on my normal skin. There is a slight floral rose scent but it’s very subtle and fades after a few minutes.
I do think Wonderglow is pretty pricey a $52 but it’s a really nice product and I’m pleased. I haven’t tried her Magic Cream yet so I can’t compare this to it, although I am interested to find out how they both compare (or differ).
You can find Charlotte Tilbury’s Wonderglow in the US at Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Charlottetilbury.com.
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