Yearly Archives

2014

Base Makeup NARS

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation

September 29, 2014

The latest from NARS is the All Day Luminous Powder Foundation ($48 for 0.42 oz/12 g). It’s a super lightweight powder foundation that comes in 15 different shades. I was sent the shade Punjab (Medium 1) for review which is a good match for my medium with olive/golden tones. NARS also sent a press sample of the new Powder Foundation Sponge puff ($6.00) which can be used to roll or pat the product onto the face. For reference, I use the Radiant Cream Compact Foundation in Punjab (swatches here) and the Tinted Moisturizer in Groenland (swatched here). The Powder Foundation in Punjab seems to be slightly lighter than the Cream Compact version but it warms up on the skin to adjust nicely without oxidizing or darkening as the day goes on. The description from NARS:

NARS Cosmetics introduces All Day Luminous Powder Foundation. Silky and ultrafine to the touch, this medium buildable foundation offers versatile coverage and shine control with broad spectrum SPF 24 that lasts up to 12-hours. NARS exclusive Light Reflecting Complex™ optimizes light reflection to enhance skin’s translucency while Luminosity Enhancing Technology – a blend of 17 amino acids, Vitamin C derivative and Marine Fennel – promotes cell renewal and helps reduce the look of hyper-pigmentation and wrinkles.

The NARS powder foundation comes in a square mirrored compact. It has a compartment at the bottom for a square sponge. The sponge itself is interesting because it has two different textures, one is more fluffy and velvety like a puff, the other side is a spongey texture. I prefer the spongey side because it picks up more product and applies smoothly on the face. I tested the separate round puff as well and found it gave more coverage with a buffed-looking finish to the face.

I am extremely picky when it comes to powder foundation. Many end up looking heavy or cakey, emphasize pores or dry patches or even end up breaking me out. I have tested quite a few and my current top two picks include Dolce & Gabbana Powder Foundation in Warm 100 and Chanel Double Perfection Lumiere Powder Foundation in 20 or 30 Beige depending on how dark/tan I am. Although powder foundations are often designed to be worn alone instead of a liquid/cream foundation, I almost always use my powder foundations over liquids or tinted moisturizer as a setting powder. Both the Dolce & Gabbana and Chanel have this beautiful soft velvety finish that blends very nicely on the skin. They both cover imperfections, stay put, look natural and don’t darken. The NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation by comparison is quite a bit lighter in texture while still offering medium buildable coverage. I like that you can control the coverage easily.

A quick look at the packaging:

On the nails, Louboutin Miss Loubi

I tested the NARS several ways, alone and then also on top of different foundations. I also tested it with the sponge and also with a brush.

When used alone I found it performed really well with just moisturizer and primer. Right now, my current skin prep routine includes a layer of SK-II Cellumination Cream Illuminating Moisturizer or By Terry Cellularose Nutri Baume as moisturizer followed by a primer like the NARS Light Optimizing Primer. As a standalone foundation, I found it covered the skin nicely and evened out the complexion. There was no caking or seeping into pores. It is incredibly lightweight so you don’t feel like you have anything on your face. I found it amazing at how it gave my skin a luminous glow even though there is no hint of shimmer in the powder itself. I found it did last all day from around 7:30 am through 7:00 pm without any touchups required. I found it applied best with the square sponge that comes in the compact or with the round puff you can purchase separately.

Over foundation it looked equally nice. I tested it over the NARS Radiant Cream Compact, Tinted Moisturizer and also over Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide. It applied smoothly with a fluffy brush over other foundations. With the sponge I found it was a bit too heavy-looking with the powder foundation + foundation combination. I do think your skin needs to be well-prepped and moisturized for smooth application, although I find this to be the case with any powder foundation in general.

Close up of the powder surface, it has a very soft silky texture:

Swatches:

Swatch comparisons:

After testing this for a few weeks I give this a huge thumbs up. There’s no detectable scent and it’s huge for me that I didn’t get any breakouts or irritation or clogged pores from using this (many powder foundations don’t work for my sensitive skin). Right now Punjab is the perfect match, it looks a bit peachy in the compact but it applies good on my olive skin. I like that it has enough yellow undertone so it doesn’t turn pinkish on me. If you have olive or golden skin tones you know the pain of finding awesome formulas that don’t match the skin color because they are too pink or warm. Bottom line it does last all day and it has a lovely soft luminous silky looking finish.

The NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation is currently available at NARS Boutiques, narscosmetics.com, Nordstrom and Sephora. The Powder Foundation retails for $48 and the round Powder Foundation Sponge retails separately for $6.

The powder foundation and puff was provided courtesy of NARS for review consideration. 
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Uncategorized

Truffle Clarity Clutch Giveaway

September 29, 2014

I recently discovered Truffle Clarity Clutches and have been completely obsessed ever since. They are perfect for keeping everything organized and compact especially for those who are constantly on-the-go. I use them as makeup bags and also for storage of small accessories. The clear pouch allows you to see exactly what you have in your bag (no fishing around) and the flat design makes them compact enough to fit into a tote easily. See them in action here and here. I’ve found mine to be indispensable.

I have exciting news to share today: Truffle is hosting a giveaway with The Beauty Look Book for 3 of their Small Clarity Clutches (US only). 3 separate winners will be randomly selected via the Rafflecopter widget, each selected winner will be able to pick out 1 Small Clarity Clutch in their color choice to be shipped from Truffle.

Make sure you enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. There are multiple ways to enter, each type will get you more entry points. Note this is for the US only and you must also be 18 years or older to qualify to enter. Please be sure to enter through the widget, any comments below will not be considered an entry for this particular giveaway. Refer to terms and conditions in widget for more information. Entries will be gathered through 10/5/2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Thank you Truffle for hosting this awesome giveaway!
Be sure to visit their website to peek inside one 🙂
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Uncategorized

On My Radar / New in Beauty

September 28, 2014

I hope everyone has been enjoying the weekend. We’re still experiencing really warm weather in Southern California but it’s finally started to cool down a little bit. Fall and holiday items are trickling in stores but it doesn’t feel like fall yet. A few new items I’ve spotted that are on my current beauty radar:

Chanel has re-released some cult classics in the new Collection Les Rouges Culte (1). There are three Le Vernis shades in Rouge Flamboyant, Laque Rouge, and Rouge No. 19 along with three featured shades of Rouge Coco Shine in Boheme, Dialogue and Suspense. In my mind Chanel can do no wrong when it comes to reds so I ordered the nail polishes and will swatch them as soon as they arrive.

I’m always on the hunt for cool stationery. I find hand-written notes can be fun and they add that personal touch which I feel is slowly disappearing in this digital age of e-mails and texts. Connor has this cute Emoji Stationery Set (2) which I have on my wish list. I have their desk calendar and love their exquisite designs and the card stock they use is very good quality.

Marc Jacobs Beauty has some new items for fall and holiday. There are 9 new shades of Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer (3) for fall (hover over the shades on Sephora to see which colors are labeled as “new”). I have my eyes on Blanche (white cream), Cobra (black grape) and Louise (ballet pink beige). There are some new items for holiday which includes a new Collector’s Edition Midnight in Paris shade that comes in a keepsake box.

Also for fall, there are several new palettes of the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No.7 – Plush Shadow (4). I just ordered Enigma which has a mix of black, grey, taupe and pink. I’ll be swatching in the next couple weeks and report back.

L’Occitane recently released the Bonne Mère Collection (5). There are a number of shower gels and soaps in this line that is very gentle. Each comforting formula is hypoallergenic and PH neutral, made without parabens or phenoxyethanol. I’ve been testing a couple of the shower gels in Rosemary and Olive over the past couple of months and they are amazing. Rosemary is such a unique one with a refreshing one that has a beautiful scent (it’s not like actual rosemary like I expected).

Laura Mercier Peach Hope Lip Glacé (6) is a shimmering coral peach with gold flecks. 100% of the profits go to the Laura Mercier Ovarian Cancer Fund.

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (7) will launch next month (you can add your e-mail to the wait list at Sephora). It’s a definite must-have on my list, I hope to have swatches of this beauty this week as well. First impressions are that it took my breath away as soon as I opened it.

Diptyque Benjoin (8) is an online exclusive that is described as somewhere in between vanilla and caramel. It sounds like it could be either incredibly amazing or overly sweet. I have this on the way to my house and will report back as soon as I am able to burn it. This one is available for a limited time.

What’s on your beauty radar this week?

P.S. Thank you to everyone who entered last week’s giveaway! The winner has been announced on the widget, congrats to Denise P at e-mail deniseg*******[email protected], check your inbox, i just sent you a message 🙂

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Uncategorized

Formula X Translucents in Remarkable and Wonderous

September 26, 2014

Above: Leather pink clutch by Truffle, leopard clutch by Clare V, iPhone case by Gray Malin, Marc Jacobs Lipgloss in Pink Diamond, notepad by Garance Dore x Rifle Paper Co.

I stopped by Sephora a few weeks ago and picked up two of the Formula X Translucent nail polishes in Remarkable and Wonderous ($10.50 each for 12 ml/0.4 fl oz). I’ve been putting them to the test and they’ve held up extremely well. Both lasted 5 days before any tip wear started to show when used in conjunction with Formula X Base and Top Coats from The System set.

Remarkable is a sheer beige pink that applies more like a pale ivory on my nails. It’s extremely sheer like the name implies but applies very smoothly on the nails. With two coats the whites of my nails show through. I applied it with three coats on my own to get more coverage. With two coats I had some uneven spots but overall it was still pretty smooth.

Wonderous is a sheer transparent pink. The color is also very sheer but it applies smoothly with two coats. I had an easier time getting this one on the nails with a flawless smooth finish. It gives the nails a very sheer polished and natural look. 

Overall huge thumbs up. I’ve been really impressed with all the colors I’ve tried so far from Sephora’s Formula X line and the Translucent shades I just tested prove to be just as good in terms of lasting power (see more of my reviews, swatches and details on brush by clicking on the Formula X tag).

For more inspiration and swatch photos of more colors, I recommend you check out FormulaX.com which has a collage of swatches and photos of nail art. You can buy Formula X polishes online and instores at Sephora.

Do you have any favorites? I’d love to hear what shades you’ve tried!
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Travel

Tatcha Travel Kit

September 24, 2014

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Tatcha skincare. It all started with the discovery of their Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm earlier this year and since then I’ve been hooked. I’ve ordered many items from Tatcha over the past few months and have been incredibly impressed with their service. If you’ve ordered from Tatcha’s website you know first hand how much they value their customers. They pay extra attention to all the little details which makes opening your package a truly beautiful experience. All Tatcha products are packaged in exquisite boxes and the packages that come in the mail themselves are packed with extra care along with beautiful personalized hand-written notes. If you’re new to Tatcha and unsure of where to start their Travel Kit ($125) is a perfect introduction to the line. In addition they have a number of individual Travel/Trial Sized items for purchase which are budget-friendly but have enough product to give their skincare a serious test-drive before committing to any of the full-sized versions.

The Travel Kit comes in a TSA friendly zip pouch with a clear front. It’s big enough to hold travel essentials (the pouch itself measures about 8.7 x 9.4 in). Inside the kit:

  • LUMINOUS Deep Hydration Lifting Mask – 20ml | 0.68oz (mini review)
  • LUMINOUS Dewy Skin Mist – 40ml | 1.35oz
  • LUMINOUS Deep Hydration Revitalizing Eye Mask – 5ml | .16 fl. oz.
  • INDIGO Soothing Silk Hand Cream Travel Size – 10ml | .34 fl. oz. (review, also here)
  • PETAL FRESH Original Aburatorigami – 30 sheets (review)
  • GOLD Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm – 8ml | .28 fl. oz. (review)

I’ve tested all the items in the kit before although I haven’t reviewed the Dewy Skin Mist or Deep Hydration Eye Mask. Both are very good for dry skin or if your face needs an extra boost of moisture. With the past month of hot and humid weather, I’ve skipped both from my weekly routine and opted for using just the Deep Hydration Lifting Mask once a week for my facial moisture boost needs. I have used the Deep Hydration Eye Mask during dry/cooler weather, it really helps to soothe the eye area when I get irritation and puffiness from weather changes.

A peek at my travel bag contents from a few weeks ago:
Highlighter: Edward Bess Sunlight
Tumi Villa Tote (old style/color, similar white version here)

All the items are available for purchase individually, but the set does give you a slight price break. Purchasing all the items individually would cost around $151 (not including the pouch). I love that the pouch helps keep everything flat and compact. There is enough room to add a few more items in addition to what comes in the kit which is nice. Definitely a huge thumbs up from me. You can find the Travel Kit for $125 on Tatcha.com (all items available for individual purchase as well).

Do you have any favorites from Tatcha?
Many thanks to Tatcha for sending the Travel Kit for review consideration.

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Charlotte Tilbury

A First Look at Charlotte Tilbury Beauty | Eyeshadow Palettes, Colour Chameleon Pencils, Mascara and Eyelash Curler

September 23, 2014

I’ve been playing with Charlotte Tilbury Beauty over the past month and have some items to share with you today. Included in today’s feature is a review on two of her eyeshadow quads, two shadow pencils, mascara and eyelash curler.

What I ordered with swatches of the shadows:

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Colour Chameleon Color Morphing Eyeshadow Pencils in Champagne Diamonds and Amber Haze

I purchased two of the Eyeshadow Pencils in Amber Haze and Champagne Diamonds. These are creamy shadow pencils that set very quickly. I ordered mine sight unseen based on swatches I had seen on other blogs. They looked stunning online but I really should have read the reviews more closely. Amber Haze is a gorgeous warm shimmery copper brown. It applies very nicely on the eyes with super rich pigment. You do need to work with this one quickly because it sets (dries) very fast. When you apply these I recommend having all your brushes ready to blend right after you apply to smooth out harsh edges. Champagne Diamonds glitters like diamonds. This one didn’t work well for me, I found it too glittery and sparkly which made it extremely chunky/gritty feeling on my eyes. The base is pigmented if you pack the pencil on, but once blended it’s pretty sheer on me and all I saw was glitter.

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Eyeshadow Quads in The Rock Chick and Uptown Girl

I ordered my quads from pre-made look sets. The Rock Chick is a smokey eye palette with a soft shimmery pale grey, a satiny medium grey, a deep matte charcoal and a glittery silvery shade. When I first saw these online I thought the glitter might be problematic for me and for all of those who prefer more conservative shadows. I was really surprised to find the glittery shade in The Rock Chick subtle enough to wear layered over the darkest shade for a pop of sparkle. The pigment of all the shadows is incredible, I was able to apply on the eyes and blend easily without any eye base required. The darkest matte charcoal color has a really good texture and allows you to get a good smokey eye. I did get some fall out when I applied the glitter on the face, but after it was applied to the eyes it stayed put.

For reference, the Rock Chick swatched next to Tom Ford’s discontinued She Wolf:

Uptown Girl is a cool-toned palette with a soft champagne shimmer, a lavender blue shimmer, a medium plum and a sparkling glittery pale pink. When I saw this one I suspected it might be too lavender/purple for me, but still wanted to give it a try. It’s a lovely palette but way out of my comfort zone with the purple tones. I definitely recommend you research swatches online on other blogs, purples tend to pull really purple on my skin while on others it might not look quite as blueish. The glitter in this one was a bit too much for me to wear comfortably but I suspect it was just the overall undertone of this palette I found too cool in general.

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Full Fat Lashes Mascara and her Life Changing Lashes Eyelash Curler

Charlotte Tilbury’s Mascara currently comes in one shade. It’s called Full Fat Lashes Mascara. On my super straight short lashes this one defined nicely but unfortunately didn’t give much volume or hold curl. If you have thick lashes that only need a little bit of definition I think this will be a good one, but if you’re like me and need serious help with lashes, you might find this one too subtle. (My favorite mascaras here.)

Her eyelash curler comes in a rose gold color. I found it took a few uses to loosen the hinges (the first few times it seemed to stick when I pressed it together). It fits the curve of my eyes nicely so it doesn’t pinch the sides or edges. Her eyelash curler does indeed curl the lashes very nicely. I’m not sure I would call it life changing for me, I prefer Chanel’s and Le Metier de Beaute’s eyelash curlers for my eye shape and for better curling (see my reviews here). Still this is a very good lash curler. I took it with me on a recent weekend getaway and was really pleased with the way it worked.

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Overall thoughts: I’m overall pleased with what I’ve tested from Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty line. I ordered all of my items sight unseen which many of you know can be hit or miss. Her quads are definitely worth a look even if you’re not a fan of glitter shadows. Had I been able to look at her line in person I probably would have skipped Uptown Girl and opted for one of the matte quads or something with warm tones. I really like The Rock Chick for a classic smokey eyeshadow palette. You can layer the colors for more intensity or blend them for something more subtle.

For her shadow pencils, Amber Haze is absolutely gorgeous although you do need to work very quickly with it. Once it sets it stays put like nothing else I’ve tried. Champagne Diamonds was a complete miss for me, but this is because I’m super picky when it comes to glitter in eyeshadows.

I can’t call her mascara a must-have for me – it came in two of the sets I bought otherwise I wouldn’t have purchased it (I gifted my second one to someone else to try).

Her eyelash curler is a nice to have but not must-have for me. I do believe finding the right lash curler depends on the shape of your eye and how deep-set they are. This one has a nice curve and is wide enough so it doesn’t pinch the corners of your eyes. For me, I do have others that I prefer but the Charlotte Tilbury version is still good.

Have you checked out Charlotte Tilbury’s line? What are your favorites? Or any other thoughts on anything you’ve tried and tested? I don’t have easy access to see the items in person so I’m living vicariously through those who have tested and swatched it.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury beauty line in the US online at Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Beautylish.

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Uncategorized

Trending Now: Plum Lips

September 22, 2014

Plum lips are always something I look forward to when we transition into fall each year. I find plum shades to be classic colors and look forward to each year’s new take on the shade. There are so many beautiful variations of plum ranging from soft neutrals to reddish plums to deep dramatic vamps. I’m a neutral lip lover so I feel like I can’t pull off dramatic colors easily. Also since I have a lot of pigment in my lips, plum colored lipsticks and lip glosses can often pull really red or extremely blue. Nordstrom Beauty has curated a selection of 30 shades on their Trending Now Section featuring dramatic colors for a Velvet Berry Lip. I’ve partnered with Nordstrom to share my favorite plum lip picks for neutral lip lovers (like myself).

When it comes to plums or dark dramatic lip colors in general I prefer sheerer lipsticks or lipgloss formulas. They are more forgiving on the lips when it comes to fading. The contrast between your natural lip and the lipstick can become obvious when the color starts to wear off. You can extend the wear with a lipliner blended over the lip to help the fading look less obvious. My favorites for plums include Chanel Nude (which isn’t really a true nude) and MAC Beurre Creamstick Liner.

My top picks for lip glosses include:

  • MAC Lovechild Lipglass is the prettiest mix of purple, gold and rose, on me it goes on purple, on others I’ve seen it pull more pink, it’s universally flattering in my mind and has been a long-time staple in my lip wardrobe
  • NARS Sixties Fan Lipgloss is a dark wine in the tube but goes on a sheer reddish plum, if you’re a no-shimmer kind of lip person this is a good option for you, it layers well over lipliners and matte lipsticks
  • Chantecaille Mulberry Luminous Lipgloss is new for fall, it is a deep wine infused with gold and red and plum shimmers, the coverage is medium to full, you can layer it for more pigment
  • Tom Ford Love Bruise Ultra Shine Lipgloss is a soft blue-toned plum, it has a semi-transparent finish but still shows a decent amount of color, there is shimmer in this but it’s subtle
  • Chanel Pagoda Glossimer has been a long time favorite, I’m so happy they didn’t discontinue this shade (many of my favorites have been discontinued), if want my recommendation on just one high-end plum lipgloss, this is my favorite
  • MAC Viva Glam VI Lipglass is another classic plum, this one has quite a bit of sparkle in the tube, it has a mix of rose and silver sparkles, but on the lips it’s not too sparkly, I’ve seen this on a number of different skin tones and it looks good on everyone

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My top picks for lipsticks include:
  • Burberry Blueberry Lip Mist is about as dark as I will go for lips, it’s a blue-based plum, but on my lips it pulls more red, your mileage may vary on the color, but I love how it looks so different on everyone I’ve seen it on, the Lip Mists have this unique lipstick/gel texture that glides on the lips and hugs them so the color really adheres well
  • Chantecaille Lotus Lipstick was featured in the fall collection and sold out in all the stores near me, I had to have the store locate it online to ship to me, if you can find it, I highly recommend it, the color has a glossy finish that looks very natural and has quite a bit of color
  • MAC Plumful Lustre Lipstick is a sheer blue-toned plum, it’s almost identical to Chantecaille Lotus on my lips in terms of color and coverage
  • Chanel Confident Rouge Coco Shine is a soft lighter plum, it’s one of the few light plums I’ve been able to find in a lipstick form, if you have darker skin tones or lips you might find this pulls more pinkish rather than plum
  • Guerlain Fabulous Rose is new from the Kiss Kiss Shaping Cream formula, there are a number of stunning plums and wines, this one has a lot of shimmer but it melds into the lips naturally so it doesn’t look frosty, for a plum I was torn between Fabulous Rose, Cherry Pink and Air Kiss and the artist recommended Fabulous Rose for a warmer plum that would still be natural

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For coordinating the rest of your beauty look, I recommend keeping the cheeks and eyes understated. Too much color can be overwhelming if you have a darker plum lip. My absolute favorite go-to blush is NARS Madly. It’s a soft beige peach pink color that adds warmth and color to the face that coordinates well with almost any lip color (not just plum, but also nudes, pinks and peaches). For the eyes to keep it simple I like NARS All About Eve and Kalahari Eyeshadow Duos which go well with plum lips and add subtle definition to the eyes. I like that you can layer the shades of Kalahari over the Himalia Dual Intensity Eye Shadows for more intensity. If I need more color I like adding a deep plum or brown along the upper lash lines for definition. I’m still on the hunt for a good plum eyeliner (one that has some shimmer and is really dark) but for now I like darker plum shadows applied with a small smudge brush like MAC Beauty Marked or NARS Subra.

If you’re one who prefers neutral lips but want to try something plum with more color, I hope my picks and swatches help give you some ideas on how to wear a more subdued plum. If you’re all about color, I highly recommend you check out Nordstrom’s Velvet Berry Lip selections.

Do you have a favorite berry or plum-colored lipstick or lipgloss?
I would love to hear what your beauty go-to’s are!

Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post.
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