Yearly Archives

2015

Uncategorized

5 Brands to Check Out at Space NK

October 23, 2015

There are two more days left of the Space NK Explore Promotion where you can save $25 off any online order of $100 or more with promo code EXPLORE15 at checkout (ends Sunday Oct 25th at midnight, terms and conditions here). If you’re looking for something new to treat yourself but want something that’s going to be a classic staple, I have a roundup of products from five brands I’ve been loving. The bonus is that that you can find these at Space NK and save a little with their promo.

Nudestix is a fun line filled with wearable neutrals with products in pencil form. My favorite item from the line is the Magnetic Eye Color Pencils ($24 each). These are creamy pencils that double as shadow sticks. They blend beautifully on the eyes and layer nicely together. Once they dry, they stay put all day long (pretty much budge-proof on me). I received 3 colors as press samples and I loved them so much I bought the rest of the colors (and accidentally bought one twice). Here are the colors. Left to right: Moon, Lilith, Gilt, Twilight, Angel, Spirit, Immortal and Night.

Eve Lom is a skincare line that I absolutely adore. The price points of the items are on the high side so I’ve rationed samples and minis, but I’ve been really happy with everything I’ve tried. The Hand Cream is one of the most gentle fragrance-free hand creams I’ve bought that still hydrate the skin well. The Brightening Cream ($110, c/o) is my favorite gentle moisturizer, I’m almost out of mine and it does brighten the skin and hydrates gently without feeling too heavy. I have high hopes for the Eye Lift Eye Cream ($75, c/o) which has really high ratings. I just started using it and am really eager to see how it works. Be sure to check out the gift set options for Eve Lom, there is a price break if you buy the sets versus individual items.

By Terry products are always a luxurious treat to have. These are extremely pricey but I’ve never been disappointed with anything I’ve tried. It’s hard for me to take the jump and splurge on her items but I end up loving the items I buy. The Baume de Rose ($60) is the most luxurious rose scented lip treatment. There are a lot of other cheaper alternatives, but none have the same lush texture as the By Terry. She also introduced tinted versions of her lip balm called Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur ($56). Lip balm is really just lip balm, but the ones I have from By Terry are really quite lovely. I can’t call them a must-have due to the high price point, but they are a luxurious splurge. (Lip swatches here and here.)
For lips, her Velvet Rouge ($46.50) in #1 Lady Bare is one of the prettiest velvet lip colors I’ve tried. It’s the perfect peachy nude. It feels like it has a slightly whipped texture. If you have dry lips this might not be the best option for you, but I adore the color.
For eyes the Ombre Blackstar ($43.50) is also on the pricey side. The colors are mostly metallic or shimmery but aren’t over the top glittery. I like them layered together or as a base for powder eyeshadow. Swatches of Bronze Moon here. Misty Rock, Frozen Quartz and Ombre Mercure swatched here. The best part of these sticks is that the formula is creamy but sets. So many shadow sticks end up drying out in the container before I can use it up. These haven’t dried up for me.

R+Co is a relatively new hair care line to me. I’m obsessed with the Moon Shine Shampoo ($24) and Conditioner ($25). Both have an amazing scent and make my hair super glossy and healthy looking. I wouldn’t recommend it as a daily shampoo but I use it 2-3x per week. Two other items I’ve been living are the Death Valley Dry Shampoo ($17 to $29) because it doesn’t leave any white residue on the hair and doesn’t make it look matte and dusty like many other dry shampoos do. I wash my hair daily on a regular basis. On the rare occasion that I am rushed and don’t have time to wash my hair, I like to use this to refresh the roots. The Rockaway Salt Spray ($25, c/o) gives textured beachy waves. The key to using this is to use it very sparingly. I hold it about 2 feet away from my hair, give it two very loose spritzes then run my fingers through the hair quickly distribute. It gives texture and smells incredible. I think it would be easier to use if the mister/dispenser sprayed out a finer mist though.

Last but not least, Smith & Cult is a fun cosmetic line to check out. The line was created by Hard Candy founder Dineh Mohajer. Her Nailed Lacquers ($18) are 5-free without Dibutyl, Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor.

Swatches below of Nail Polishes in three colors. So far the shades have a mix of pigment. Some are sheer but they are smooth jelly sheers (like Ghost Edit). Pillow Pie was easy to layer for full coverage. Dark Like Me is a jelly color, I was able to get full coverage with two coats but some of the nail still shows through. I tested two of the lighter shades on separate occasions. Both lasted around 4 days before I saw any tip wear. No chipping occured.
Ghost Edit (sheer peach nude, two coats)
Pillow Pie (pastel pink, three coats applied)
Dark Like Me (c/o, vampy plum, two coats)

The Shining Lip Lacquers ($22 each) have a lush glossy shine to them. They are pretty smooth on the lips. I bought several colors sight unseen. The formula is pretty sheer on the ones I ended up with.

  • Life in Photographs is a clear sheer pink
  • Flesh Riot is a sheer golden pink shimmer, also sheer (c/o)
  • One Word Chorus is a newer color with better pigment and coverage, it’s a medium rose with silver shimmer
  • Fade the Sun is an iridescent peach
  • Her Name is Bubbles is a sheer medium pinky peach cream

Have you ordered anything yet from Space NK for their Explore Promotion? I’m getting ready to place an order tonight to restock on some shampoo and conditioner from R+Co. I’m debating whether to re-order the Shine items or try something new. If you ordered anything let me know! I’m always looking for ideas of what to check out at Space NK.

Be sure to enter promo code EXPLORE15 online at checkout Space NK Explore Promotion to save $25 off any online order of $100 or more (ends Sunday Oct 25th at midnight, terms and conditions here, note this is for US only).
 Select items featured are press samples that were sent for review consideration. Items marked with the note c/o beside them. All others purchased by me.
11 Comments
Uncategorized

Chanel Rouge Allure Collection Picks: Troublante, Singulière, Rose Exhubérant, Expressive and Bright Rose

October 22, 2015

There are two new collections out for Chanel right now. The Rouge Allure Collection features five Rouge Allure Lipsticks (some regular, some velvet), three Le Vernis Nail Polishes, three Rouge Allure Glosses, three Rouge Double Intensités, and several lip liners. All the colors featured listed here on one page from Chanel.com. The second set of releases is for holiday from the Vamp Attitude Collection. This has already arrived at retailers such as Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. Today I have a feature on my picks from the Rouge Allure Collection. I hope to check out the Vamp Attitude items this weekend.

Here’s a quick look at the Rouge Allure Collection display from Saks Fifth Avenue South Coast Plaza. For quick reference I’ll list all the colors featured in this collection. Note that some items are repromotes:

Rouge Allure Lipstick Éblouissante 165
Rouge Allure Lipstick Inspirée 164
Rouge Allure Lipstick Pensive 162 (swatched here)
Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick L’Indomptable 54
Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick La Mystérieuse 53
Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick La Fascinante 38
Rouge Allure Gloss Idéale 22
Rouge Allure Gloss Suprême 17
Rouge Allure Gloss Expressive 24
Rouge Double Intensité Shocking Pink 59
Rouge Double Intensité Plum Desire 68
Rouge Double Intensité Bright Rose 41
Aqua Crayon Pink Melody 22
Aqua Crayon Cinnamon 24
Le Crayon Lèvres Fuschia 55
Le Crayon Lèvres Natural 34
Le Vernis Nail Color Troublante 675
Le Vernis Nail Color Singulière 673
Le Vernis Nail Color Rose Exhubérant 519

The collection has several repromoted shades mixed in with new color releases. I picked out four items since I was primarily waiting for the holiday collection to launch (the counter didn’t have holiday yet when I stopped by a week and a half ago). Rose Exhubérant is repromoted but I thought I’d show it again alongside the two new nail colors.

Below, left to right: Rose Exhubérant, Singulière, Troublante, Expressive and Bright Rose

The two new nail polishes are absolutely gorgeous. Singulière is similar to a lot of other plum wine creams but this one has a slightly deeper red color while still showing a lot of bright undertone. It applied smoothly with two coats. Troublante is the most impressive Chanel Nail Polish I’ve seen in a while. It’s a complex shimmer that’s almost duo-chrome. It’s so hard to describe, it’s like a bronze, red, gold with flashes of olive. I couldn’t think of anything similar to compare it to. It’s metallic but the brush strokes aren’t too streaky. Rose Exhuberant is a classic bright rose pink cream. It never fails to cheer me up.

I did a few swatch comparisons on the fingers. My nail wheels have gone missing. I just did a reorganization of my beauty areas and of course now I can’t remember where I put them. I’ll do more swatches once I get more.

 Rose Exhubérant with two coats, no top coat. You can see more swatch comparisons here.

Compared next to Dior Wonderland (reviewed here)

 Singulière swatched with two coats, no top coat:

Compared below to:
Chanel April (review here) 
Chanel Fantastic (discontinued)

Chanel Troublante with two coats, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the beautiful complex shimmers in this one:

If you have any comparison requests, I’ll do them in the next round once I get more nail wheels:
Chanel Peridot (discontinued)
Burberry Antique Gold (c/o, reviewed here)
Chanel Terrana (swatches here)

For the lips I picked out one Rouge Allure Gloss which is among my favorite lip gloss formulas along with one Rouge Double Intensité which is a long-wear liquid lipstick with a clear gloss finisher. 

Bright Rose isn’t really a bright color to me. It’s more of a neutral bronzey pink rose. It’s quite metallic but the clear gloss helps soften the color. These are long wear lip colors and by long wear, they really mean it. They stay put on the lips all day. In my experience the colors are intense in pigment so you only need a little bit dabbed and blended on the lips. Let it set for a little bit then top with the clear gloss.

Expressive is a pretty soft plum. It has a hint of mauve and red to it so it’s not too dark. As usual with darker plums, they pull more reddish on me. This one swatched on my hand appeared more mauve in tone. 

Some swatch comparisons to other shades:

Marc Jacobs Hi-Shine Enamored Lip Gloss in Boom (c/o reviewed here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in So Vain (swatches here)
Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Troublant (discontinued)
Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Distinction (review here)
NARS Lip Gloss in Babydoll (c/o, review + swatches here)
Surratt Lip Lustre in Soigne (reviewed here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer Rose Soleil (review here)
Dior Addict Lip Gloss Cygne Noir (new for holiday, review soon)

Overall I’m really pleased with the color options in the Chanel Rouge Allure Collection. I skipped a lot of the colors but I’m happy with the ones I came home with. Troublante Nail Color is to die for and I’m smitten with the Expressive Rouge Allure Gloss – it’s a softer plum mauve that’s easy to wear for those who like color but don’t want something too dramatic.

Have you checked out the Rouge Allure Collection yet? You can find it in stores now and online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers.
19 Comments
What's In My Bag

Inside My Bag

October 21, 2015

I have a peek at what’s inside my bag this week. My well-loved Prada Saffiano Tote has held up remarkably well over the past couple of years, I’m really impressed with how sturdy the leather is. I had read mixed reviews about the quality, stitching and durability. I do take good care of my bags, but overtime it’s a given that the edges will become worn, some stitching comes loose and scratches are almost always inevitable. With this one, all the stitching has remained in tact. The edges haven’t shown any wear or scuffs. There are little studs/feet at the base which I think is a huge plus in protecting it if you set it on the ground or on a chair. Perhaps the biggest plus for me is that it has kept it’s shape.

Onto what’s inside my bag this week:
Truffle Privacy Clutch (small size) in Cabernet (c/o)
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk (swatched on lips here, also here)
MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil Cultured (swatched here)
Elizabeth & James Hand Cream in Nirvana White
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre in Blondie (swatched here)
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Bitch Perfect (swatched here)
Glossier Coconut Balmdotcom (c/o, currently sold out)
Molton Brown Hand Cream Gingerlily (c/o)
YSL Pop Water Glossy Stain 203 (currently 10% off at Nordstrom, swatched here)

Truffle launched a new color for fall called Cabernet which is a deep plum wine color. The color comes in a wide selection of options: Small Clarity Clutch, Large Clarity Clutch, Document Case, Privacy Clutch and a new style called the Privacy Wristlet. All the items are in the textured leather that has a coating making it super durable. I teamed up with Truffle to shoot some of their new products for their website. Also note their Nude Privacy Clutches are back in stock with an updated look. It now has the white contrast trim. Here are a few shots below that didn’t make the cut, hope this helps for size reference.

Large Privacy Clutch measures 9” H X 12” W
Small Privacy Clutch measures 7 1/2” H X 9 3/4” W
Zip Wristlet measures 5″ H x 8″ W

What’s inside your bag this week?

Items sent courtesy of brands indicated with c/o beside them. All others purchased by me.

12 Comments
Uncategorized

On My Radar / New In Beauty

October 20, 2015

Here’s a beauty roundup of new launches I have on my radar this week. From top left, clockwise:

The holiday collection from Chanel called Vamp Attitude just launched. I am still working on swatches for the Rouge Allure releases, but I know I will need the Le Vernis in Rose Fusion and the Le Top Coat Lamé Rouge Noir ($27 each).

Wander Beauty is a new brand that’s popped up on my radar. They sent a couple of the Exquisite Liquid Shadows ($26 each) for me to try (they are stunning, review soon). I’ve been browsing their site and the Paris Collection features four items for lips, cheeks, eyes and highlight that look like they could create the perfect polished look. Have you tried this line yet?

Eve Lom has launched a number of gift sets for the holiday. The Icons Gift Set ($260) contains their Cleanser, Intense Firming Serum, Daily Protection SPF 50, Eye Lift and a Muslin Cloth. There is a price break for this set (individually the items total a little over $300). Other options such as The Perfectors Set and The Classics which have different items and are at lower price points. If you’ve been eyeing any of these, don’t forget Space NK US has their Explore promotion that’s going on online through Sunday. Use code EXPLORE15 at checkout for $25 off any orders $100 or more.

Net-A-Porter has this amazing Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer Set ($150). It has eight lip lacquers packaged in a pretty black box. You can find the colors individually in case you’re one who prefer to pick out your own colors.

Bite Beauty always launches cute sets over the holidays. I ordered the Discovery Set ($55) a few weeks ago, I hope to review it soon. The Best Bite Rewind has four mini matte creme lip crayons. This one has more color for those who like something brighter with more variety. This one has been calling my name too.

Holiday season is the season of palettes. I stopped buying holiday or seasonal palettes years ago because I found if I didn’t like all the colors the palettes didn’t end up getting much use. The NARS x Stephen Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette ($69) looks soooo pretty though. It has the Contour Blush in Paloma, Bronzing Powder in Laguna, four blushes in Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita. If you’ve seen or tried this let me know what you think!

MAC Magic of the Night Collection launches in stores this week. There are already some items that popped up online and as usual many pieces have already sold out within minutes of launching online. I was able to order Please Me Lipstick ($18) and Shaft of Gold In Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($33). I’m hoping nothing in my order gets cancelled.

What’s on your beauty radar this week?

16 Comments
Uncategorized

Korean Beauty + Sephora

October 19, 2015

Korean Skincare is something that I’ve been interested in for a long time but found very complex and somewhat challenging for me to understand with the numerous steps and options. My friends have been raving about skincare items such as essences, pore packs, watery creams, overnight masks and sheer coverage balms and creams for a long time. Right now, Korean Skincare is trending now at Sephora and thanks to articles and shopping guides, they’ve now made the 10-step Korean Beauty routine easier to understand. As a beauty blogger I find it easy to navigate through cosmetic options, but for skincare, understanding the uses and benefits of creams, solid oils and masks are foreign to me. Sephora has an easy-to-follow Korean Beauty Guide with recommendations that I’ve found incredibly helpful. It’s helped me figure out when and how to incorporate new items into my skincare routine. I’ve teamed up with them to share my thoughts on 10 Korean skincare items I’ve been testing.

I’ve split the items I’ve tested into category type. As always I would love to hear about your recommendations and loves. I purchased the Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Oil Free Essentials Set based on your recs and have been really loving it so far (review to follow once I’ve used it up).

Double Cleansing is a something standard in Korean beauty rituals. I usually double cleanse with a wide variety of cleansing oils, makeup removers or cleansing waters as the first step before using a traditional gel, liquid or cream cleanser because it is really the best way to remove all traces of makeup from my skin. I tried the Erborian Solid Cleansing Oil ($39) which is a solid balm cleanser that transforms into a oil when it comes in contact with your face. It comes with a small spatula to remove product. You massage it all over the face and then rinse with water and it turns into a milky lotion. It has a fresh almost green tea spa scent but isn’t too strong. It does a pretty good job at removing makeup but I still think a follow up with regular cleanser is necessary. This leaves the skin feeling moisturized and clean. There’s no film residue.

Another cleanser I tested was the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser ($20). This is a whipped egg white mousse cleaner with egg yolk extract. It’s a super gentle cleaner and the way it foams up makes it super fun to clean the face. The egg yolk combines milk proteins and amino acids to cleanse skin. It’s supposed to dissolve oil while leaving the skin smooth and moisturized. I found it to be a really good gentle cleaner suitable for my sensitive skin. I like using it in the morning – it leaves the skin clean without stripping the skin and it also makes the face glow without looking greasy. I’ve found the way it cleanses my skin is really nice – skin feels more balanced throughout the day.

Next up is the May Coop Raw Sauce ($14-$43) which is an essence. This is similar in concept to the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. You use this on the skin applied with fingers or a cotton pad after cleansing and toning. I always feel this is an unnecessary step in the skincare routine but I am really impressed every time I am disciplined enough to use an essence. It adds moisture and glow to the skin and is supposed to prep the face better for skincare serum and moisturizer absorption. This is made of maple tree sap and cruelty-free. After testing this for a few weeks I have to say I am impressed. This far exceeded my expectations in terms of how it has transformed my skin. I don’t use it everyday but it’s made the skin feel more hydrated. Dry patches have disappeared. Skin does indeed absorb moisturizer better. A little goes a long way. I think it will be a staple for winter.

Another line I just started testing is belif. The True Cream Aqua Bomb ($22 – $38)is a lightweight gel cream moisturizer that is oil-free. It has a bounce to it. In general I really do not like gel moisturizers (I have made a few exceptions) because I feel they end up feeling sticky and too dewy. The belif True Cream Aqua Bomb has made it into the exception category. It’s supposed to be designed for all skin types. For my normal, sensitive combo skin, this is a really nice lightweight moisturizer. I like that it really feels weightless. Skin feels smooth and there is no stinging sensation (I get that with a lot of gels).

Masks are a big deal with Korean Skincare. I tested three. First is the Dr. Jart+  Water-Max Sleeping Mask ($48). I prefer night creams to night masks because I usually don’t like the feel of product on my face when I sleep. The Dr. Jart+ however is a super lightweight mask. It is a gel formula but doesn’t feel sticky or leave any residue. It feels more like a lightweight lotion. I tested this on 1/2 of my face for a week to see if I could notice a difference between use and non-use. I can. You apply it at night and leave it on then rinse in the morning. The side I used it on looks more refreshed, smoother, plumper and more glowing.
The Erborian Waterlock Mask ($43) is another hydrating mask treatment. This also is a gel formula that feels like a thick jelly. There are a few ways you can use this. I used it as a 10-minute mask then rinsed off. This is one of the most gentle feeling face masks I’ve used that gives instant hydration. The moisturized feeling lasts after it washes off but there is no residue. It has bamboo sap and fibers designed to lock in hydration. There is a slight cooling feel that is very relaxing and soothing. It’s a refreshing moisture mask that I have fallen head over heels in love with.
The third mask I tried was the belif First Aid Transforming Peel Off Mask ($34). This is the first peel off mask I’ve tried that peels off with water. I really like peel off masks but often time they are messy and don’t peel off completely so I end up having to scrub residue off. This one you leave on for 15 minutes. When you rinse with warm water the dry mask turns into a peel off gel that easily peels off. It has lemon balm and white willow bark, which is a natural salicylic acid, which helps to clarify and soothe skin. After using this my pores disappear, skin feels ultra firm and smooth. I’m obsessed.

Pore Packs are new to me but I think if you try one new thing out of this roundup, pore packs should be one of them. Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm ($18) comes in an egg-shaped container. The bottom portion of the egg is filled with product. It’s a self-heating balm designed to target blackheads by opening pores with the heat and then remove dirt and oil. I think it’s a really good gentle treatment that makes a huge difference in cleaning out pores around the nose and mouth. It’s not a dramatic kind of facial treatment. I like to use this sometimes in conjunction with a clarifying mask or regular cleanser after this. The Egg Pore Balm helps open up pores. When I follow with a mask it draws out impurities even more. The heating element is noticeable but super gentle.

The Caolion Pore Pack ($30) is a stronger treatment. If you have sensitive skin you might want to try it on spots first. I used it all over the face and while it was perfectly fine and left my skin looking so much better, it does feel extra tingly. Some might find the tingle too strong. The top half is a dark mask that is the hot portion called Premium Blackhead Steam Pore Pack. This is a stronger version of the Tony Moly and cleans out pores and exfoliates dead skin. It made my nose pores disappear almost 100%. Pores along the cheeks and sides of the nose were noticeably smaller.

Step two is the cool portion which is the Premium Pore Original Pack. It has a menthol element that tightens pores even further and soothes the skin. I have extremely sensitive eyes and the first time I used it, I applied the menthol too close to my eyes which made them tear. It didn’t sting but the menthol is pretty strong. You can really feel it working on your skin and I was worried my face would be red and blotchy after I washed it off, but it left the face looking super smooth with all redness gone. If you have extra sensitive skin I would recommend using this more as a spot treatment on troubled areas.

Last but not least are two items called lightweight finishers. I’ve reviewed the AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact ($60) before and still love it. It has SPF 50 and protects against UVA and UVB. This is a very natural glowy product that melds into the skin unlike any other foundation I’ve tried. A huge bonus is that each pack comes with a refill so the price point to me is really reasonable. It’s a your-skin-but-better kind of product. I do think you need to set with a powder.
I also tried the Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm ($39) which comes in two colors, 01 Medium Light and 02 Medium Deep. This is a one-step beauty balm that gives natural coverage and evens out the skin. It’s more pigmented than a lot of other beauty balms I’ve tried. I am a match to 02 Medium Deep which is on the greyish side but adjusts to my skintone right now. I think the downside to this product is the two colors make it hard to find a color match. If you can find a match, it’s a nice smoothing product. It makes my face and skin look more youthful without being overly dewy.

I hope you found this roundup helpful! There’s a lot I’ve tested and covered so I hope the categories helped break down the options by product type. My top three favorite items I tested in this round include the Dr. Jart+ Water-Max Sleeping Mask, Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steamer Balm and Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask although I did discover a lot of new things to love.

The Sephora Korean Beauty Guide and Posts on their blog The Glossy have helped me understand all the options better. Once I started to look at each product individually and incorporate them one at a time into my skincare routine it’s all started to make more sense. The process of using Korean skincare still contains a number of steps, some of which are more complex than my basic routine right now, but I can see a difference in clarity, texture and overall glow.

Sephora has been kind enough to give me extras of some items to giveaway. You can enter via the widget below. Due to liquid restrictions, this is open to US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. Items in the giveaway to 1 lucky winner will include the following:

Eborian Solid Cleansing Oil, Eborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask, Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask, Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm, Amore Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact Broad Spectrum SPF 50+, May Coop Raw Sauce, Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Cleanser, Tony Moly Egg Pore, Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb, Caolion Premium Hot & Cool Pore Pack Duo, Shiseido Facial Cotton (selected winner will be able to select the colors for the foundation and bb beauty balm)

Enter via the widget below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find a wide selection of Korean beauty products online and in stores at Sephora. I’m really thrilled with the selection and hope they continue to expand the brand offerings. Right now for a limited time you can get 1 of 4 K-Beauty Minis at checkout with code KBEAUTY with orders of $25 or more. In case you’re hesitant to splurge on the full size, there are a number of value sets available with trial sizes you might want to look into.

If you have any Korean Beauty favorites, please let me know!

Many thanks to Sephora for teaming up to sponsor this post. As always, all opinions my own.
121 Comments
Uncategorized

Le Métier de Beauté x Neiman Marcus Breast Cancer Awareness Stephanie Kaleidoscope

October 18, 2015

 

This month Neiman Marcus and Le Métier de Beauté launched a special Limited-Edition Stephanie Kaleidoscope ($95) to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness. It is inspired and designed by Stephanie Seban, a former Neiman Marcus employee, to help spread awareness about breast cancer. Proceeds from this kit are being donated to breast cancer research and awareness centers all over the nation, Le Métier de Beauté is give back 30% of total sales in support of the cause. You can read more about Stephanie’s touching story on her website Stephanie Seban. The launch coincides with the Neiman Marcus Incircle Event and there is a gift with purchase available online and in stores that ends today 10/18. (More on this below.)

 

 

 

The Stephanie Kaleidoscope contains four eyeshadows named Light, Heart, Hope and Live. Per Neiman Marcus, the inspiration behind each color is as follows:
  • Light – A brightening neutral
  • Heart – The heart of the Kaleidoscope, soft pink
  • Hope – A golden ray of hope
  • Live – A lively cool taupe
True to Le Métier de Beauté style, each color is very soft with a finely milled texture. The colors have medium but buildable pigment. They layer together beautifully for a stunning unique look. They always come up with color combinations I would never think of, sometimes there are shades I look at and think I would never wear. However when I try them, I’m always impressed with how beautiful they are.

 

From top to bottom, the colors are breathtakingly beautiful. Light is a bright neutral cream champagne, on my skin it pulls neutral-cool. The shimmer is very finely milled and it’s not frosty. The next shade Heart is a cool matte pink. I’m normally not one to wear pinks on the eyes like this one but I gave it a try and it looks quite pretty when layered with the other colors. It can also double as a very subtle blush. Hope is one of the warmest copper shimmers I’ve ever tried. It’s a surprisingly pretty color when mixed with the pink and taupe, I think this kit would be more wearable if this were more of a neutral golden shimmer rather than a warm coppery shade, but I find it unique and really pretty. The last shade is Live which is a shimmering taupe with slight khaki and grey tones. There’s a bit of silver shimmer mixed in which makes it a soft smokey shade.

 

 

 

 Close ups of each color:

 

 

 

 

 

There is a special gift with purchase for Neiman Marcus Incircle which is their bonus point event for Neiman Marcus cardholders. You don’t need a card to qualify for any of the gift with purchase promotions. The October Incircle Gift is with any $300 Le Métier de Beauté purchase which is fairly steep. I’ve had some kaleidoscopes on my wishlist for a long time and decided this gift was worth splurging for. There are two options of lip creme lip gloss, I picked the darker one Overcome which is a warm pink that’s slightly red. The other one in store looked like a non-shimmery cream that is a pale pink. They didn’t have testers so I didn’t swatch it. Also in the gift is a Baked Blush called Victoria and a Liquid Luminizer called Lambent. At this time all three are exclusive to this gift with purchase. (If you shop online the gift will be added automatically at checkout.)

 

 

One last shot of the Le Métier de Beauté x Neiman Marcus Breast Cancer Awareness Stephanie Kaleidoscope:

 

 

I tried to take photos of an eye look I did a few days ago but the lighting conditions weren’t the best and photos didn’t turn out so well. I do think the matte pink and copper are outside of my comfort zone in terms of wearable shadows for everyday but when they are layered with the other two the result is really quite pretty and not over the top. If you’re new to Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes, they have four swivel pans. Some are all eyeshadows, others have a mix of powder, blush, bronzer or gloss. The top flips up to reveal a mirror. They are beautifully designed and the quality of the shadows are phenomenal. (You can click the Le Métier de Beauté tag at the bottom to see previous reviews of other kits.)

 

Bottom line the Stephanie Kaleidoscope is a beautiful luxurious treat. If you can stop by the counter to see it in person I recommend doing so. It’s a delight to hear that a sizeable portion of the sales are going towards a good cause. I’m happy I purchased it. The pink packaging is really cute.

 

The Le Métier de Beauté Stephanie Kaleidoscope retails for $95. It’s limited-edition and exclusive to Neiman Marcus (online and in stores).

 

Have you checked out this kaleidoscope kit yet? What did you think?
3 Comments
Beauty Tools Wayne Goss

The Wayne Goss Anniversary Brush Set (Limited-Edition)

October 16, 2015

Wayne Goss and Beautylish have teamed up to launch a collection of brushes called The Anniversary Set ($225 for 8 brushes). This special launch is timed to celebrate the second anniversary of Wayne Goss’s best-selling brush set- this one includes an updated release of the popular Brush 01 (limited edition) and introduces the new Brush 05 which will become a permanent addition to The Collection.

According to Beautylish, each brush has been meticulously handcrafted by traditional artisans in Kumano, Japan with jewel tone name and number lasering on the handles unique to the Anniversary Set. They are all made with cruelty-free natural bristles that have been selected for luxurious softness and then bundled uncut into a durable brass ferrule. I was able to preview the brush set last weekend in Santa Monica. I just received the brush set two days ago courtesy of Beautylish so I haven’t had much time to experiment in great detail but since it’s limited-edition I have a first impressions review on each the set today.
This is my first Wayne Goss Brush Set. I’ve accumulated a few individual brushes and they are well-loved in my collection. These brushes come with black lacquered handles that are medium-sized in length. They fit in my small hands nicely and are lightweight which makes them easy to use. There are eight brushes in this set for eyes and face. My quick take is that I think these brushes are very well made and the design and quality is excellent. They are extremely soft and the bristles are evenly distributed for flawless application. If you’re looking for a nice set of brushes to start a collection I think this is a very good place to start.

The eight brushes in the set include:

  • Brush 01 – The much-loved Brush 01, now three times larger for fast, flawless application of your favorite foundation. This elegant duo-fiber Brush makes blending creams, liquids, and powders to a poreless finish quick and easy. This one is limited-edition and exclusive to the set.
  • Brush 02 – A soft-as-silk Brush that seamlessly buffs powder products—blush, bronzer, highlighter, or setting powder—onto skin. Its tapered shape makes maneuvering around the contours of the cheeks a breeze.
  • Brush 03 – Fluffy, slightly pointed bristles make this Brush ideal for sweeping pigment all over the eyelid. It can also be used to highlight the nose and brow bone or to buff powder into the T-zone.
  • Brush 04 – Perfect for blending and distributing color into the crease of any eye shape. With its softly tapered silhouette, this Brush is also an excellent choice for concealing and setting the delicate undereye area.
  • Brush 05 – Completely redesigned with detail work in mind. The fine-point tip and supple bristles allow for the utmost precision when applying pigment to the eyes and lips.
  • Brush 06 – Topped with dense, dome-shaped hairs, Brush 06 effortlessly blends and softens eyeshadow in a single stroke. Use it to apply concealer to imperfections for a natural, even finish.
  • Brush 07 – Designed for lipstick or eyeliner, this small, flat Brush has just the right amount of stiffness for ultimate control. Apply precise amounts of color to the lips and eyes, or highlight specific parts of the brow bone and cupid’s bow.
  • Brush 08 – A tiny Brush with a short, flat tuft, ideal for tightlining the eyes with ease. Its unique shape makes working pigment directly into the root of lashes or brow hairs easier than ever before.

I have put these to the test for two days so far. Here’s what I tested each brush with and thoughts. First up is the Brush 01. I tried it with two liquid foundations. I thought the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation would be a good one to try it with to see how smooth the finish would be. This is an ultra pigmented foundation and for the most part it’s flawless with fingers or a beautyblender sponge, but with most brushes streaks are visible. With the Wayne Goss Brush 01 it was pretty much streak-free with a few swipes. Brush strokes were still visible but required minimal blending and buffing to get completely smooth. I also tried it with the La Mer Reparative Skin Tint and it blended out product flawlessly. (Also shown below, recycled Diptyque Baies and RMS Luminizer Nail Polish.)

For Brush 02 and 04, I tested them with highlighter and concealer. Brush 02 (left) is a small tapered brush. It’s super soft and plush making it extra gentle on the skin. The tip is slightly domed and rounded which gives a very soft blended look. I tried it with detail highlighting using the Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson Dreamy Glow Highlighter (swatched here). The brush picks up quite a lot of product which is nice. Some brushes don’t catch enough powder for some reason, but this one does.

Brush 04 (right) is a small detail brush. It’s similar in shape to Brush 03 but the 04 is smaller. It’s designed for crease but I don’t have folds in the eye area so I decided to try it with concealer since it was suggested in the product description. I would never have thought to try a non-synthetic tapered brush with a cream concealer but it really works. I took a dab of the Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in 07 and it gives a super natural blended application on spots and under the eye. I’m really impressed! (On the nails below is Chanel Rouge No. 19).

For the eye brushes I’m surprised I don’t own any of these yet. From left to right is 03, 06, 05, 07 and 08. I know tapered brushes are huge with many and are considered a staple. I prefer fluffier brushes but the Wayne Goss 03 is really quite lovely. It’s dense enough that it’s not flimsy and it picks up just the right amount of product to give a sheer all over wash to the lids.

Brush 06 is a flatter but rounded brush, it’s described as a one-sweep brush and it really is that. It’s perfectly sized to give my lids color with one swipe.

Brush 05 is a detail brush that’s been redesigned. I don’t think I own the original one so I can’t compare but it’s an amazing smokey detail brush that picks up pigment really well and applies it in the inner corners or under the lash line. For the bottom lash line I like soft blended colors so it doesn’t look harsh and this one is perfect. I think I will need to purchase another once it’s launched individually.

Brush 07 and 08 are also detail brush perfection. I own tons of smudge brushes and Brush 07 is definitely one of the better ones I’ve tried. It’s super dense but soft. The material picks up color really well and applies it onto the skin beautifully. I feel like I’ve been waiting for Brush 08 my whole life. I know there are tons of skinny angled brushes that people use and love for getting into the lashline. I’m super uncoordinated with those and can never really get the color into the lash line easily, there’s almost always a gap so I have to blend and layer a lot. This one makes detail application super easy. It’s super dense and non-flimsy and non-floppy at the tip. If Wayne ever made a slightly larger one that is also angled for eyes I think I would fall head over heels in love with it. (He has one for brows in his brow trio which is utterly perfect but I think it’s too stiff for my delicate sensitive lids.) I tested the eye brushes with different textures of eyeshadow from the Urban Decay Naked3 Palette (swatched here). I thought it would be a good one since it has a mix of matte, satin, shimmer, chunky sparkle and metallic. All brushes worked really well with multiple textures making them really versatile.

 

One last shot of the brushes lined up:

I’m overall impressed. I knew that this set would be very well made and each brush would be perfectly crafted but I wasn’t sure if any would be that different from the dozens of tools I already own. Sometimes brushes are just brushes and if you have a collection of tools that work, it can seem redundant to own multiple tools from different lines. The brushes in the Anniversary Set all are phenomenal tools I know I will reach for and use on a daily basis. The Brush 02 is one of the softest brushes I’ve ever touched (just as soft as the Tom Ford ones). If there were one that I would say I could skip, I would say Brush 03 and 04 are very similar, but I really like 03 for the lids and now that I’ve tried 04 with concealer I’m converted. I think the detail Brush 08 is absolutely genius – if you’re unsure about getting the full set, I would say hands down the 07 and 08 are must-haves for perfect smokey eye detailing.

You can find The Wayne Goss Anniversary Brush Set exclusively online at Beautylish for $225. It is limited-edition.

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending a set for review consideration.

4 Comments