Yearly Archives

2015

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Bold Lips with Buxom

September 24, 2015

This fall Buxom launched a new lipstick formula called Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick ($22 each for 2.8 g / 0.09 oz, exclusive to Sephora). These are described as vividly bold moisturizing lip colors that come in a unique gel-like formula. The texture is lightweight like a gel, but super creamy and they are so pigmented they cover the entire lip with one swipe. There are 30 shades total and they come in two finishes: satin and matte. I’m excited to share that I’ve teamed up with Buxom to share a couple of looks and swatches of all the colors.

The lipsticks come cased in an ultra modern black magnetic tube with the Buxom name embossed on the side. The Satin Formula comes in a glossy black lacquered tube while the Matte Formula comes in a black brushed matte finish tube. Color below is my favorite out of the entire collection called Coral Confession. The lipstick bullets fill up the tube entirely to the sides, I find the packaging sturdy and they look really sleek. Caps are magnetic.

The color selection is quite impressive. There are a lot of colors to
choose from in both textures ranging from light pinks, neutral roses,
soft beiges, bright reds, deep plums and corals. Both formulas are really good in terms of pigment. The Satin Finish colors have a creamier feel with a slight sheen that gives the lips a glossy lush look. The Matte Finish colors have a lightweight texture that glides on the lips. They are mattes with dimension though and are pretty moisturizing for a matte finish lipstick. The gel lipsticks do have a medium to strong vanilla scent, but it’s not overly sweet. Lasting power of both is quite good. I find the mattes last really long on me, about 4 hours without fading (transfer does happen when I drink coffee or tea). The satins last pretty long as well for a lipstick with a glossy sheen, about 3 hours without fading (more transfer happens to cups or bottles.)

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Satin Row 1: Nude Exposure, Rebel Rose, Sultry Mauve, Guilty Angel, Poison Nectar
Satin Row 2: Shameless Magenta, Graphic Grape, Pink Coquette, Coral Confession, Rogue Red
Satin Row 3: Extreme Heat, Fuchsia Fetish, Wicked Pink, Forbidden Berry, Burning Desire
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Matte Row 1: Uncensored Candy, Naturally Daring, Defiant Bloom, Sinful Cinnamon
Matte Row 2: Classified Crimson, Vampy Plum, Voodoo Spice, Pink Decoy, Ultraviolet
Matte Row 3: Evocative Petal, Wildfire, Ruby Temptress, Red Inferno, Toxic Cherry
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Here are two looks with Coral Confession (bright peachy coral satin) and Red Inferno (blue-based matte). I’m wearing the same base of makeup in both photos. I was really impressed with how the look was transformed entirely with just the lip color.

Same colors are featured in both looks above except the lip color, left photo features Coral Confession, right photo features Red Inferno:
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For swatches, to keep things simple, I split all 30 shades by color family. I had several favorites in each formula – there are lots of options to suit everyone’s personal taste. There are 15 matte colors and 15 satin shades. Up first are the pinks:

Wicked Pink (satin) is a cool toned glossy pink
Uncensored Candy (matte) is a baby pink matte
Defiant Bloom (matte) is a blue-based cool tone deep pink
Pink Coquette (satin) is the perfect glossy baby pink
Pink Decoy (matte) is a matte hot warm pink
Fuchsia Fetish (satin) is fuchsia perfection
Forbidden Berry (satin) is a deep berry red

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Next are the bold reds. Many reds turn fuchsia or bright pink on me. The ones from Buxom are true reds that don’t turn color. They are extremely saturated in color and have slightly different undertones. There’s bound to be one that will suit your preferences.

Extreme Heat (satin) is a glossy red
Wildfire (matte) is a deep orange red
Rogue Red (satin) is a glossy bright orange
Toxic Cherry (matte) is a blue-based red
Classified Crimson (matte) is the deepest red option in the lineup
Burning Desire (satin) is a true red
Red Inferno (matte) is a pink-toned red

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My favorite lipstick category, the neutrals. I love a good neutral lip and there are tons to pick from in this lineup. My lips are ultra pigmented so some of the lighter colors contrast with my natural lip tone. A lot of these are deep enough and wearable for my pigmented lips. With some of these, I found the True Nude Lip Foundation in Naked (clear) to be a lifesaver in helping smooth out my natural lip and prep it for even application.

Naturally Daring (matte) is a matte light pink beige
Guilty Angel (satin) is a light neutral-warm pink beige
Racy Reveal (matte) is a warm medium toned peachy pink
Rebel Rose (satin) is a perfect mauve rose pink
Sinful Cinnamon (matte) is a brown-nude rose
Evocative Petal (matte) is a brighter warm pink rose neutral
Nude Exposure (satin) is a light beige cream
Poison Nectar (satin) is a pink nude cream
Coral Confession (satin) is a coral peach

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Last but not least, the darker and dramatic colors. These are super bold colors that fall into the purple and plum lip color category. There’s a good mix of satin and matte finishes.

Sultry Mauve (satin) is the perfect neutral mauve
Voodoo Spice (matte) is a deep plum with reddish tones
Ruby Temptress (matte) is a bright but deep dramatic red
Ultra Violet (matte) is an electric violet lilac purple
Shameless Magenta (satin) is a super bright magenta
Graphic Grape (satin) is a bold purple
Vampy Plum (matte) is a dark vamp

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In summary, lots to love with the Buxom Big & Sexy Bold Gel Lipstick formula. I’m really impressed especially with the price tag which makes these affordable. My top five favorites: Rebel Rose, Pink Coquette, Forbidden Berry, Coral Confession, Red Inferno.

Have you tried the lip gels from Buxom yet? If so what colors? I’m so impressed with the texture of the shadows and am completely obsessed with the Customizable Eyeshadow Palette Bar. They have pre-made palettes, but I love how you can build your own. I highly recommend looking into it when you get a chance. I plan on making another one with more shades very soon.

You can find the Buxom Big and Sexy Bold Gel Lipsticks for $22 each, exclusively in store and online at Sephora.

Created in partnership with Buxom. Many thanks to Buxom for sponsoring this post.

39 Comments
Beauty Tools Wayne Goss

The Brow Set by Wayne Goss

September 23, 2015

I have a small but well-loved collection of Wayne Goss brushes. His latest release is The Brow Set ($55) which has three brow tools, all designed by Wayne and hand crafted in Japan. I’ve only been testing these for a few days but have fallen in love already. My brows are the most-neglected beauty-related area for me. I groom them with a recycled mascara wand and although I have a few brow products that I really like (the Dior Brow Styler, NARS Brow Perfector and By Terry Eyebrow Mascara) I have been in need of a good set of brow tools and the Wayne Goss set does not disappoint. (On the nails above, Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer in Daisy.)

There are three brushes in The Brow Set. They come cased in a cute black cylinder, wrapped to perfection in black tissue paper and a black bow which shows love and care. The presentation as usual, is beautiful.

The brushes have medium length handles, they aren’t too long but not too short. Each brush has a black lacquered handle. According to the information on Beautylish, these are cruelty-free and hand crafted. From top to bottom is: Brush 22 (double ended), Brush 23 (spoolie) and Brush 21 (angled flat tip).

Brush 21 is designed for use with all types of brow products (powder, cream, wax). I really like this one because it has a wider flatter tip compared to most angled brow tools. It has a stiff dense tip that makes application super easy.

Brush 22 is a double-ended brush that has water badger bristles on one side
and a fine-toothed comb to groom and define brows and lashes alike. These both comb and brush brows to perfection. I like that the comb teeth are short.

Brush 23 is described as “an upscale take on the classic spoolie.” I am usually not a fan of spoolie brushes because they are never sturdy enough to last long (hence the reason why I recycle my mascara wands). You have to see it to believe it, but it is indeed another level of spoolie. It’s extremely sturdy and well made – it feels like it will last a long time. It has a cone-shaped brush and is densely packed but the bristles are soft enough so it doesn’t poke the skin.

Bottom line a winning set. The brow tools are extremely well designed, sturdy and made with extremely good craftsmanship. At $55 if you break down the price per tool it’s an affordable $18+ per brush. I’m ordering another set for one of my friends right now.

You can find the The Brow Set by Wayne Goss exclusively at Beautylish. Do you have any favorite Wayne Goss brushes? Which ones? I am hoping he will release more white-haired brushes this holiday or in the next year!

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending the set for review.

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Uncategorized

Le Métier de Beauté Ken Downing Paris and Full Stream Kaleidoscopes

September 22, 2015

It’s been over a year since I’ve featured anything from Le Métier de Beauté. Long-time readers know that I used to be a huge fan of the line. Their kaleidoscope kits feature some of the most beautiful colors for eyes and cheeks – over the past 5+ years I accumulated quite a few and loved them (I still do). However I found that many kits contained repeat colors and at $95+ each, I found them too pricey to end up with duplicate colors (as seen in one of my last posts on the line from 2014). Fast forward to this month and I decided to splurge on two for the Neiman Marcus Beauty Event (which ends tomorrow 9/23) – both of which seemed unique enough to justify. One is the Ken Downing Paris Eye Kaleidoscope $125 (which isn’t new, but still available for purchase) and the other is a new one called Full Stream Kaleidoscope $95.

The Le Métier de Beauté Ken Downing Paris Eye Kaleidoscope has four eyeshadows. This one is more expensive than most, priced at $125 for 0.49 oz/ 14 g. I was also really drawn to the Ken Downing London Kit, but 2 of the 4 shades seemed very warm. In my experience, Le Métier de Beauté always surprises me with how wearable the reddish/orangey shades are on the eyes, especially when layered with cooler tones, but I decided to opt for the cool version.

The four shades include a soft satiny cool pink shimmer, a warm copper metallic, a cool pale silver dove grey shimmer and a warm brown shimmer. The mix of warm and cool is pure genius, especially when the colors are layered together (although I’ve shown them swatched separately). Pigment is easy to build. The two lighter shades are sheerer in finish with a soft satiny texture while the darker ones are more metallic, more buttery in texture and more pigmented.

Close ups of each shade:

There are four new Kaleidoscopes exclusive to Neiman Marcus. The four are called Full Stream, Lift Off, Bon Voyage and All Aboard (not available online yet). Each kit has a translucent pressed powder and variations of blush, bronzer, highlighter and eyeshadow. I originally pre-ordered two, but since all have a pressed powder, I remembered my hesitation in getting duplicates and picked Full Stream.

All four photographed in store from Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills:

Full Stream has a translucent powder, one cool pink shimmery blush, a warm tan bronzer and a soft peachy shimmer eyeshadow (also works as a highlighter). The kit is very simple and basic – but it’s perfect for on-the-go and touchups. I was worried the powder would look really white on my face because swatching it showed it was really pigmented. On the face, even on my tan skin, it disappears and leaves a matte-looking finish.

Close ups of each color:

I’m happy with both of my purchases. They did make a serious dent in my wallet and although Full Stream is easily dupeable with other colors, sometimes it’s nice to have something basic that doesn’t require much effort or thought to apply. It brightens the face in a natural polished way and adds color without looking overdone. I can see this going really well with bold lips. Even though these are expensive at $95 and $125 each, if you break it down per pan, it’s about $23 to $31 per color which isn’t too bad given the product amount. Comparing it to other brands at the per gram or per ounce price, it’s reasonable. Still, if you’re like me, you probably budget beauty splurges at the bottom line total, so yes, these are still pricey. The only gripe I have about these two is the sticker at the top. I like the fun designs and they are really pretty – however the kits have a slightly rounded top and the stickers are flat so the result is a bubbled sticker that looks uneven. I had one in my purse in my makeup bag (I don’t recommend doing this) and the tops are not scratch proof. One of mine wasn’t applied on the kit evenly so the edges started to come up. It bothered me enough that I pulled the sticker off which is a shame because the designs are really cute.

In summary, I think the new kits are definitely worth looking into. You can find both the Ken Downing Paris and Full Stream Kaleidoscope exclusively in store and online at Neiman Marcus.
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Base Makeup Beauty Tools

Next Level Foundation Makeup Brushes

September 21, 2015

My friends and I often chat about beauty and since I’m a beauty blogger that tests quite a few things, I’m often asked “what do you think is the best _________?” Foundation brushes were the topic of discussion last month. My top three favorite tools are the Beautyblender Sponges (the pink one, the white and black ones are not as good even though they’re supposed to be the same), Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush and the Tom Ford Foundation Brush. As soon as I said “Tom Ford” ooohs and aaahhs followed by the question, “ok, but how much do they cost?” At $72 each, neither of my friends were willing to splurge. They asked what made the brushes so good and I told them they were the only brushes I’ve tried that applies foundation streak-free and it requires no extra work to blend into the skin. Even though I had tried quite a few, I was tasked with a project to find a cheaper alternative that performed just as well. Suggested brands included Marc Jacobs Beauty, Urban Decay, Chanel and MAC. I have already tried and tested the Chanel #6 and MAC #190, both of which are good, but still give me streaks, luckily both brands have new ones out so I was able to test those. Given the fact that I am super picky about brushes that leave any kind of streaks, I was skeptical I would find anything as good as Tom Ford.

The seven brushes I tested include:

For quick reference, here are the brush tips/tops shown for size reference and shape, same order as what’s shown above:
Foundations I tested the foundation brushes with: Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick (review), NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation (review here), Marc Jacobs Genius Gel (review), Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation (review + swatches), Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation (review)

I went into my local Sephora store to look at the Marc Jacobs Beauty brushes. I have had a really good experience using the Shape and Contour Brush for pressed powders, contouring powders and also foundation. It’s super dense though so it’s better suited for contouring. One of the makeup artists at Sephora recommended the Sephora Pro Full Coverage Airbrush #53 for flawless coverage. She said it’s the best brush she’s ever used – the shape allows you to get in the corners of the nose and blend easily and the wide flat shape allows for full coverage with just a few strokes. There’s also the Mini Size #53.5 and Large Size #53XL for the body/decollete. I liked the look and price of the mini, but the regular size comes with a flip open cap that comes in super handy for storage/travel. It keeps the bristles in tact without coming in contact with other tools so it won’t get kinked or smashed.
In the interest of wanting to see which one was better, I bought both. The artist was right. The regular size #53 is indeed better. It’s larger and fluffier and allows for easier application with a few strokes on the face. The mini is still good but the size requires more brushing back and forth to cover the entire face. I was worried the regular size would be too large or that it would soak up a lot of product, but it actually is the perfect size and doesn’t absorb too much foundation. These are made with Naturon fibers that are made from a synthetic PBT, it feature waves and pointed tips to emulate natural fibers.

I’m truly impressed with how good my foundation looked with these. These give flawless coverage that is completely streak free. I liked these best with liquid foundation (versus stick/creams). Huge huge thumbs up.

Side views of the Mini #53.5 versus Regular #53:

The Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush is something I’ve actually had sitting in my drawer for a while. It was gifted to me earlier this year. I’ve tried some other Urban Decay brushes before including the ones that come in the Naked Palettes. I’m usually not a huge fan of synthetic brushes although I’m slowly trying more and finding some really good ones these days. I put this one to the test. It has an ultra soft feel with a rounded tip. Urban Decay describes this as a vegan brush. The description of this one: “The brush’s handle is made of recycled aluminum, and its synthetic, cruelty-free brush hairs are more hygienic than real hair (but never get that stinky wet-hair smell).” I found it ultra soft and also does an amazing job at blending foundation flawlessly. For the price it’s a really good option, but I can’t call it a favorite for two reasons. The first is there was a bit of shedding before I washed it. The first washing resulted in a tiny bit more shedding but after that it was done. The second hesitation I have in giving this a glowing review is the brush head is a bit small. It’s not bad – it’s still easy to use, but after testing other brushes, I find others easier and better to get full coverage with less strokes and less blending. Still – if you’re looking for something relatively inexpensive and that will blend liquids without any streaks, this is a good option. It blends foundation sticks on the face really nicely too and is super gentle on the skin.

Two of the Marc Jacobs Beauty foundation brushes have been on my wishlist for a long time, but since I was already 100% happy with the Tom Ford Brushes, I decided to pass, but in the end caved to test them. If you’re like me you probably wonder if glowing reviews are often due to hype. In the case of Marc Jacobs Beauty brushes – the hype is real.

The newest brush The Face III Buffing Foundation Brush is on the expensive side but it’s worth every penny. It’s an ultra plush brush with a super dense head and rounded domed tip. It’s dense but still very soft so it allows for easy blending and buffing in a circular motion. It works well with sheer and full coverage foundation. The material helps the foundation meld into the skin in the most amazing way – you get flawless coverage and is 100% streak free and it applies foundation evenly on the skin.

The Face II Sculpting Foundation brush isn’t a new one but it’s new for me. It has a beveled/angled tip that is perfect for sculpting the face. It’s good for all over foundation – the angled tip glides along the sides of your face, temples and cheeks smoothly. Since the tip is slightly angled, it’s skinny along the top and allows for perfect blending along the sides and corners of the nose. It’s perfect for cream bronzer.

Between the two, I can’t pick a favorite – they are both really phenomenal. They both blend liquids and creams flawlessly. I tried them both with liquid and cream foundations. The Buffing Brush is better to blend out stick/solid cream foundations on the face. The Sculpting is also versatile for liquid products and blending out cream bronzers or contouring products.

Side views at different angles to show the tapered shape of the Sculpting Brush:

Last but not least include two of the newest slanted flat top brushes from MAC and Chanel. The MAC Slanted Flat Top Brush #196 was really hard for me to locate – it was sold out almost everywhere I looked but I did find one counter that had one left. I was told that it’s not limited-edition and will be permanent in stores but I’m not 100% sure. This was my ideal pick because it has a large brush head which I prefer for foundation – it allows for less blending. Unfortunately it did leave some streaks – it was easy to blend out but didn’t give a streak-free finish like the others I tested. That being said this brush was designed for the MAC Studio Waterweight Foundation which reminds me of the Armani Maestro Fusion Foundation – both of which are very fluid and thin in texture. I prefer thicker more traditional foundations that are still liquid but not super thin. Perhaps it works better on thin texture foundations.

Chanel just launched a 2-in-1 Fluid and Powder Foundation Brush #8. I’ve tested this for about a week now and think it’s amazing. It’s still on the pricey side but relative to Tom Ford, it’s pretty reasonable. This one glides on the skin perfectly and gives streak-free application. It has a smaller tip compared to the other brushes which means I had to dab and blend 3x as much to cover my entire face. It does seem to soak up a tiny bit more product compared to the other tools but I’m willing to deal with it since the application is so good. I haven’t tested it with powders but for liquids I’m impressed.

Below you can see the MAC has shorter bristles while the Chanel has longer ones:

Side view, you can see the difference in size. I prefer the size of the MAC, but the performance of the Chanel is better.

I’m really impressed with a number of these brushes I tested. I wonder what took me so long to try out the Sephora Pro Full Coverage Airbrush #53 brush (it’s better than the mini version). It’s amazing and at $38 the price is right. Marc Jacobs Beauty of course never ceases to impress me. Both the Face II Sculpting and Face III Buffing Brushes are more expensive and quite a splurge – but they are really well made with sturdy handles and they have a well constructed design. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with either and I don’t think owning both is redundant.

I personally wasn’t a huge fan of the Urban Decay Good Karma Optical Blurring Brush or MAC Slanted Flat Top Brush #196. Both are good brushes for the price. The Urban Decay is a bit too small for my taste although it’s super soft and blends liquids beautifully. The MAC leaves visible streaks and although they are minimal and easy to blend out, I’d rather have something that gives me a flawless finish to save time. The short tip also makes it a bit hard to wash out – the liquids get up into the middle and it took extra work to get completely clean.

The new Chanel #8 Foundation Brush gives a flawless finish and I would say it’s definitely superior to the original #6 Foundation Brush. I don’t gravitate towards small angled brushes because I think they are better suited for detail application. For foundation I want something that will apply product in larger sweeping motions. The #8 is very good though – if you’re in the market for an angled brush this is a good one to look at that won’t break the bank.

In summary, I have found brushes that perform just as well as my beloved Tom Ford brushes at a cheaper price. My top two picks include the Sephora Pro Full Coverage Airbrush #53 (found exclusively at Sephora) and the Marc Jacobs Face III Buffing Brush (found at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty).

I hope you found this roundup helpful! Do you have a favorite foundation brush?

22 Comments
Uncategorized

On My Radar / New in Beauty

September 20, 2015

Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you’ve had a great weekend. A few things on my beauty radar right now (from top left, clockwise):

  • Chanel has a new mini launch with some new products. There are two new Joues Contraste Powder Blushes in Golden Sun and Vibration along with a new highlighter called Infiniment Chanel Illuminating Powder. I bought one blush and the highlighter – they are almost too pretty to touch. I hope to start testing soon.
  • For holiday Hourglass has launched their Ambient Lighting Edit palette. It comes with three Ambient Lighting Powders, two Ambient Lighting Blushes and one Ambient Light Bronzer. It looks phenomenal – however since I already own five of the six colors individually and in other palettes, I think this will probably be redundant to own. I use the powders I have regularly and have yet to hit pan in any of them (they last forever!).
  • I’ve been on a foundation brush kick – I’ve been testing a number of different ones in search for a cheaper alternative to my holy grail Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush. I’ll have a roundup very soon, two of the latest I’ve tested include the MAC #196 Slanted Foundation Brush and the new Chanel #8 Two in One Fluid and Powder Brush.
  • Tatcha has a new Soothing Indigo Mini Set. It has travel sizes of the Rice Enzyme Powder, Recovery Cream, Silk Hand Cream and Body Butter. The Indigo line is really good for sensitive skin that is prone to irritation. Anytime my skin is dry, itchy or irritated, this line works wonders to soothe the skin and calms down redness. (There’s a promo code CLEAN20 to receive a complimentary travel-size Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil on any order over $20. Offer expires 9/30/2015)
  • Truffle has some new products for fall. They’ve launched a new Privacy Wristlet in black and cabernet. The cabernet color also comes in their document cases, clarity clutches and privacy clutch (it’s gorgeous!).
  • Lipstick Queen has a new full pigment lipgloss called Seven Deadly Sins. There are six colors available online from Space NK. In a season filled with new lip products, formulas and colors, I do not need another lipstick or lipgloss – but somehow I’m still intrigued by these. Lust looks like the perfect berry red based on online swatches.
  • Drybar products just launched at Nordstrom.com! Both my husband and I swear by The Chaser Shine Cream. Other favorites of mine include the Mai Tai Spritzer and Hold Me Hair Clips. I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from the line.
  • YSL has launched four new Matte La Lacque Couture Nail Lacquers. I’m not a fan of the matte nail look, but  I might make an exception for the YSL formula (the glossy ones are really really good).
What’s on your beauty radar this week?

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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern-Matte Lipsticks

September 18, 2015

 

Charlotte Tilbury finally launched her Matte Revolution Luminous Modern-Matte Lipsticks ($32 each) in the US. If you’re a Charlotte Tilbury fan like me, you’ve probably been waiting for these for what seems like forever. There are 10 shades of matte lipstick – these are truly phenomenal in terms of the formula and pigment. If you’re a regular reader of The Beauty Look Book, you know I’m not a fan of matte lipsticks in general. I find them drying and thick in texture. They often darken on my skin/lips and also emphasize lip lines in the worst way. There are a few exceptions and Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution is one of them.

 

There are 10 luminous modern-matte hues inspired by various famous women. I have swatches of all 10 shades and a review of 5 in more detail. The colors and inspiration according to Charlotte Tilbury:
  • Amazing Grace is inspired by Grace Kelly, a vintage tea rose for pretty, polished perfection a la Nicole Kidman and Miranda Kerr
  • Love Liberty is inspired by Liberty Ross, a wild rose-flush for wildly glamorous nights a la Jerry Hall and Uma Thurman
  • Bond Girl is a chic natural berry for sultry and alluring beauties from Halle Berry and Barbara Bach to Olga Kurylenko
  • Lost Cherry is a pop of pastel fuchsia for a fresh and effortlessly gorgeous look, perfect for Kate Bosworth, Felicity Jones or Cara Delevingne
  • Glastonberry is a sheer blackcurrant hue is for sex kittens and rock n’ rollers like Rihanna, Grace Jones and Rita Ora
  • Walk of Shame is a beautiful, berry tinted rose for antique chic, perfect for Christina Hendricks and Margot Robbie
  • Very Victoria is inspired by Victoria Beckham, a suede, taupe nude for those who buck the trend like Brigitte Bardot
  • Birkin Brown is inspired by the icon, a timelessly elegant soft chocolate cream for Naomi Campbell and Jane Birkin
  • Red Carpet Red is a true ruby red to bestow Hollywood style wow-factor – think Scarlett Johansson, Marilyn Monroe and Michelle Williams
  • Sexy Sienna is inspired by Sienna Miller, a golden coral to partner with sun-kissed skin, think Gisele and Veruschka

 

For quick reference, there are also two additional colors in the Matte Revolution formula that were part of the Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson collection: Miss Kensington and 1975 Red are reviewed and swatched here. The five colors I have to share from the Matte Revolution collection launch include Very Victoria, Walk of Shame, Bond Girl, Sexy Sienna and Love Liberty.

 

 

 

 

Thoughts and lip swatches below. For all the colors I find they transform into different colors on the lips compared to what you see in the tube. This usually happens with all matte lipsticks on me in general – there’s something about the rich pigment in the lipstick and my pigmented lips that causes a color shift.
Very Victoria is a brown tan nude in the tube, on my lips and skin it pulls more pinkish/nude. There is a very slight hint of shimmer in the color but it’s more cream-looking on the lips.

 

Walk of Shame is a brick red berry color, it pulls warm on me, almost reddish. It looks brighter on my lips compared to what I see in the tube.

 

 

Bond Girl is my favorite. It’s a muted mauve pink brown color. It has a lot of color and is darker than what I’m used to (there is a lot of brown undertone) but it will be perfect for fall as a color that’s deeper than neutrals, but not as dark as vamps.

 

Sexy Sienna is the color I was most excited about. It’s a stunning coral that’s bright but natural. On my lips it was a bit of a let-down. It clashes with my skin and looks a bit harsh. I think I can make it work better for me by toning it down with a lighter gloss.

 

Love Liberty is a stunning berry. It’s a plum color in the tube but on my lips it’s more reddish in color.

 

All the lipsticks have a nourishing formula. The combination of matte and luminous seems impossible to have in one lipstick, but Charlotte Tilbury has managed to make a luminous matte. These have a smooth texture that’s easy to layer for pigment. With one swipe these are fairly pigmented and easy to blend. They don’t emphasize lip lines and don’t dry out my lips. When I do lip swatches I usually have to spread out the swatching over a couple of days because the rubbing and makeup removing is pretty harsh on my lips. These are so nourishing I was able to swatch them all in one day and when I was finished, my lips were still in very good shape.

 

 

Lasting power is really really good. I found by hour 5 of wear the color was still in tact without any fading. There is color transfer to cups if you drink coffee, tea, water, juice etc. but the color still stays on the lips really well. The lipsticks do have a vanilla scent but it’s not too sweet and disappears after a few minutes.

 

Overall I give these a huge thumbs up. The colors options in general are on the dark side – much darker than I’m used to wearing for everyday. If you’re a fan of neutral lips you will probably find all of these too dark or pigmented. I’d recommend you check out the new Buxom Big and Sexy Bold Gel Lip Colors, there are lots of neutrals in the matte formula (I’ll have a post next week on these). If you’re one who likes color and are looking for a long-wearing matte that’s nourishing, these are among the best mattes I’ve tried. Other favorites for formula include the Tom Ford Lip Mattes although the colors are limited (my favorite color is First Time) and the Rouge Louboutin in Velvet Matte.
If you like lighter colors, you will also find more options in the regular K.I.S.S.I.N.G lip color formula. The two formulas are very different in terms of texture, finish and color selection. (Swatches of Penelope Pink, Bitch Perfect, Confession, Stoned Rose, Nude Kate and Hepburn Honey here.) The K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks are creamier in texture with a thicker feel. The Matte Revolution by comparison glides on the lips easier and feels weightless. Lasting power of both formulas is very good. I have a slight preference for the feel of the matte, but like the finished look of the regular formula.
You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks at counters now priced at $32 each. Online at Beautylish (they have lip swatches on fair and deep skins), Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Charlotte Tilbury. If you want to go all out, you can splurge on 10 of the shades in the Luxury Lipstick Wardrobe for $305.
Have you tried these lipsticks yet? If so, what colors?
The 5 Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks featured in this post were provided as samples for review consideration.
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Giveaway

Molton Brown Ylang Ylang Collection + Giveaway

September 17, 2015

I’ve been a huge fan of Molton Brown for many years going back to the days of their Coco de Mer (now reformulated into their Coco and Sandalwood). Their shower gels have been a long-time luxurious splurge for me – a few years back they changed some of the items in their line. They renamed and revamped a number of their scents. A regular go-to is the Gingerlily Body Wash for a super brightening uplifting scent. The Molton Brown recently sent me samples of the Ylang Ylang Collection to try featuring the one of the new Body Polishers, Body Lotion and Body Wash.

The items featured from the Ylang Ylang Collection:

Body Polisher $50 for 9.7 oz
Body Wash $30 for 10 fl oz
Body Lotion $42 for 10 fl oz

This is the first time I’ve tried their body scrubs. There are four options inspired by world destinations. Ylang Ylang is inspired by Madgascar with Magadascan black vanilla grains inside. It’s like a super relaxing spa in a tub the texture is emollient in a thick gel base with micro-fine grains suspended inside. It’s a hard scent for me to describe – it has notes of ylang-ylang and cedarwood with a tiny bit of vanilla.

Here’s a close up of the scrub below, it’s the best scrub I’ve tried. It exfoliates really well and is super hydrating. It makes your legs glow and look well nourished and smooth. I hope they expand the line to other scents in their lineup – it’s truly incredible.

The shower gel and body lotion are really nice layering products. The scent is very strong – not as strong as perfume but lingers on the skin for quite a while which is nice. I love the shower gels because they lather up really nicely and double as a good bubble bath. The skin is left feeling ultra clean but not dried out. The lotions have a thin texture which makes it feel weightless on the skin. It absorbs quickly. The body products in the Ylang Ylang line are very floral – but I don’t find it overly so. The items have a calming relaxing effect – it really does make me feel like I’ve been to a spa after I use the scrub and shower gel.

The Molton Brown team sent an extra set for me to giveaway to one lucky winner. There are several ways to enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. See Terms and Conditions for details. The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada who are 18 years or older. You must enter via the widget to qualify for the drawing.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Do you have any Molton Brown favorites? I love that the look of their hand creams – the packaging looks ultra sleek and pretty with the different colors. If you have any recommendations I’m all ears. It’s been a while since I’ve visited a boutique but I think a trip is in order very soon.

You can find Molton Brown at a number of retailers. Online at Molton Brown, Nordstrom, Birchbox and Neiman Marcus.

Many thanks to Molton Brown for sending a set for review and a set for a giveaway.

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