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2015

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Bioderma Sensibio H2O and Sébium H2O from Beautylish

April 29, 2015

I purchased my first Bioderma product back in February when Beautylish launched the Sensibio H2O online. Bioderma is a brand that’s been on my radar for quite some time but I did not know where to purchase it in the US. Koh Gen Do’s Cleansing Spa Water has been a long time favorite of mine out of all the cleansing waters I have tried so I didn’t think to try very hard to look for the Bioderma (I’ve since found out that select Marukai Japanese markets and Amazon carries it too). I ordered the 250 ml size and fell in love immediately as it’s a super gentle no-rinse micellar cleansing water/makeup remover that doesn’t sting. In March, I was able to see the Sébium at The Makeup Show LA. I’ve been testing both formulas for several weeks and finally have a review ready to share with you today.

First, on prices and sizing. There are multiple size options for Bioderma. Beautylish currently carries three size options with different pairing options. If you shop elsewhere via Amazon or local markets, prices will have a wide range depending on size. I like shopping via Beautylish because their customer service is excellent, shipping is fast, tracking is easy and prices are consistent:
  • 250 ml retails for $13.95
  • 500 ml + travel size bonus retails for $19.95
  • Pro Pack with 500 ml x2 + 250 ml x1 bonus retails for $39.90
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The Sensibio H2O is a gentle makeup remover micellar cleansing solution that is designed for sensitive skin. It’s fragrance-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free and hypoallergenic. This is good for extremely sensitive skin. I like that it doesn’t leave any residue on the skin. In terms of how well it removes makeup, in general cleansing waters are best to use for face makeup. The gentle nature of cleansing waters makes it good for the face, but not so great for eye makeup. No matter what kind of face cleanser I’m using, I always use dual-phase eye makeup removers to remove eye makeup first (my favorite is from Chanel Gentle Bi-Phase Eye Makeup Remover). I like using cleansing waters in conjunction with a traditional gel, cream or soap cleanser to make sure all makeup is removed. I’ll use the cleansing water first, followed by a regular face cleanser to make sure there is no trace of makeup left on my face. Cleansing waters are also good for quick touch ups in the event you have a bit of shadow fall out on the cheeks or under eyes.
Ingredients: Water (Aqua), PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Mannitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Fructooligosaccharides, Propylene Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Cetrimonium Bromide.

The Bioderma Sébium H2O is a purifying cleansing micellar water designed for oily skin. I don’t have super oily skin (it’s more on the combination side) but I actually prefer this one to the sensitive skin version. This one is slightly scented with a fresh almost cucumber-like scent but it’s very gentle. Since this one is designed for oily skin I was worried it would be drying but it didn’t strip the skin. You can really feel it clean the pores and it contains ingredients to help clear the skin. I personally found this removed face my face makeup better than the Sensibio version, but both perform really well. This one is also paraben-free, alcohol-free, soap-free and hypoallergenic.

Ingredients:Aqua/Water/Eau. PEG-6 Caprylic/Capric Glycerides, Sodium Citrate, Zinc Gluconate, Copper Sulfate, Gingko Biloba Leaf Extract, Manitol, Xylitol, Rhamnose, Fructooligosaccharides, Propylene Glycol, Citric Acid, Disodium EDTA, Cetrimonium Bromide, Fragrance (Parfum).

Here’s a quick comparison of the size options to two sizes of the Koh Gen Do Cleansing Waters. I believe there is an extra large size of the Koh Gen Do as well, but I have not seen it in person.

In terms of cleansing waters I’ve tested a lot. I have used up the NARS Makeup Removing Water, Dior Instant Cleansing Water, Lancome Eau Fraiche Douceur, Koh Gen Go Cleansing Spa Water, Clarins Water Purify One-Step Cleanser, and the Caudalie Cleansing Water. My most repurchased ones include the Koh Gen Do (I like this formula the best), Lancome (I think this has the best packaging because it comes with a pump) and Caudalie (I love the Caudalie fragrance in this but I know some do not like it). The two I’ve tested from Bioderma are by far significantly more gentle on the skin, which is noticeable during super sensitive skin days. I am still a die-hard fan of the Koh Gen Do because it’s the most effective at removing makeup while still being very gentle, but sometimes it’s nice to switch things up. Bottom line I give Bioderma a thumbs up. I’ve stocked up on multiple sizes and think it’s definitely something I will be using up entirely.

Bottom line: good for quick touchups to remove makeup in detail areas, or as a makeup remover for face makeup. For mascara, eyeshadow, or eyeliners, I still recommend using a bi-phase makeup remover. My top two favorites and most repurchased removers for eye makeup are the Chanel Gentle Bi-Phase Eye Makeup Remover and Neutrogena Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover.

Shelves filled with Bioderma at The Makeup Show LA:

Have you tried the Bioderma Makeup Removers? If so which ones? What did you think? If not, do you have a current cleansing water favorite? You can find the Bioderma Sensibio H2O and Sébium H2O online now at Beautylish. They’ve sold out a few times but have just restocked.
The Beautylish team was kind enough to gift one of the 500 ml Sensibio and one of the 500 ml Sébium cleansing waters, but I purchased a second set online in order to get the travel sized minis. All other items purchased by me.

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Eye Makeup Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Summer 2015 Cream & Powder Eye Color Swatch Comparisons

April 28, 2015

As promised I pulled some other cream shadows to compare to the Tom Ford Beauty Summer shadow duos. Many thanks to my savvy readers who already knew some of the creams were duplicates (or repeats) of prior limited-edition shades. There are a couple colors that keep selling out online but are available for back order. If you want all shades, you may have to shop around. My local counter had all of their Naked Bronze and Golden Peach reserved via pre-sales. I’ve compiled a list to help save you time from clicking around (note this is subject to change as items sell out):

Above shown Top Row, left to right:
Bottom Row, left to right:
Swatches:
My conclusion is that the new summer duos do indeed include repeats of previously released cream shadows from Tom Ford. If you already own Spice, Pink Haze and the Golden Mink Quad (I don’t own this but I swatched in store to compare), you can skip Golden Peach and Naked Bronze if you want to avoid dupes. The Spring 2015 Cream Shadow is really close to Midnight Sea but not an exact dupe when you look at it in person. The summer duo is slightly lighter in color while the spring shade is a bit deeper. I really like the concept of the new summer Cream & Powder pots because of the packaging and having two shades in one compact for convenience (plus the mirror to apply if you’re on the go or need to touch up before going out).

Hope this helps! Did you buy or test out any of the Tom Ford summer duos yet? If yes, which ones and what are your thoughts so far?

The Tom Ford Summer Duos were provided as press samples for review consideration. All other items purchased by me.

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Bronzer + Blush Highlighters Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Cream Cheek Color Pink Sand for Summer 2015

April 27, 2015

Tom Ford Beauty has released a Cream Cheek Color for summer called Pink Sand ($65 for 0.17 0z/5 g, made in Canada). It’s a luminous soft pink gold blush that gives my medium/olive skin a soft glow that comes cased in a small white and gold mirrored compact. There is enough color that you can see the pink color but on my complexion I find it performs more like a highlighter shade rather than a traditional blush. The effect is similar to the glow NARS Orgasm gives minus the frost and minus the peachy tone. Pink Sand is multi-dimensional so depending on how the light hits it sometimes you will see more of the pink base, other times you will see more of the gold shimmer. I love how it gives a natural glow to the skin.

It has a soft creamy feel with a dewy glow finish. On the cheeks it stays dewy but as the day progresses remains dewy but not greasy. I’ve been experimenting with this for two weeks now and like this either alone for low-key makeup days, as a base for powder blush or bronzer to give cheeks dimension and help color adhere to the face, or topped on top of cheek bones over blush/bronzer for a highlight. It’s really versatile. I’ve also tried this on the lips. It looks pretty topped with a clear gloss or dabbed in the center to add a bit of shimmer. As far as I can tell there is no detectable scent or taste.

A few more close ups and swatches:

Swatched with a heavy hand, once blended it sheers out:

A few comparison swatches to other cream and liquid highlighter/blushes. Most of these were either limited-edition or were discontinued (previous features and reviews will linked below):

Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand

Pink Sand offers a radiant no-fuss easy to use glow to my medium skin (I use Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 4, swatches to other foundations in rotation here). On lighter skin tones the pink will show up more and probably make this look more like a pink blush. If you’re medium to dark this will probably perform more like a highlighter on your skin tone. Lasting power on my normal combination skin was very good, from morning to afternoon without fading. If you have super oily skin you may find the dewy factor increase into the afternoon. Being a huge fan of Tom Ford Beauty I really love this one. It’s quite a splurge at $65 so if you’re unable to test in person I hope you find the swatches and comparisons in this post helpful.

The Tom Ford Soleil Collection for summer is starting to trickle in stores and online. You can find Pink Sand now online at Nordstrom and Saks. Available for pre-order at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Tom Ford (while supplies last as it is a limited-edition item).

The Tom Ford Pink Sand was provided courtesy of the PR team for review consideration.

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Eye Makeup Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Cream and Powder Eye Colors Summer 2015

April 25, 2015

Summer collections are starting to surface and the color offerings this year seem like the perfect mix of natural + fresh color. I was thrilled to get an early sneak peek at some of Tom Ford’s summer collection. First up I have the Cream and Powder Eye Colors ($60 each for 0.24 oz. base/ 0.07 oz for top).

The Cream and Powder Eye Colors come packaged in a double-tiered pot shadow with a flip top lid that has a small mirror. You simply twist the bottom to get to the cream, while the powder glitter is on top. Being a glitter-phobe, I was really worried how these would perform but I’ve had really good experiences with some of the quads like Seductive Rose and the limited-edition Ombre Eye Color Trios from a couple years ago so I had high hopes for these new summer duos.

Each color is really quite stunning and perfect to wear alone. The cream shadows are creamy and emollient but don’t slide, budge or fade after application. I’ve been playing around with each duo, I like to apply the cream shade first on the lids, blended into a soft gradient. Then I take my finger and dip it into the glitter powder and dab onto the lids on top of the cream shadow. For a glitter product I was really impressed to find there was no fallout and that they lasted a long time (from morning until afternoon). If you use a brush for the powder there might be a tiny bit of debris that will fall onto the cheeks or under the eyes, I was able to get no fall out a couple times, but then some others there was a tiny bit. For this reason I prefer using the fingers to pat them on.

There are four colors which are some of the prettiest duos I’ve seen. The glittery powders are semi-sheer in terms of color but there is still a lot of pigment. When layered over the cream shadows they enhance the color of the creams and add dimension.
  • Naked Bronze has a deep warm bronzey cream and a sheer gold shimmer/glitter for the powder
  • Golden Peach has a warm pinky peachy metallic with a sheer warm peachy glitter powder
  • Black Oyster has a deep complex charcoal cream shimmer with a silvery grey glitter powder
  • Midnight Sea has a complex khaki/bronze/brown shimmer cream with an aqua teal glitter/powder

The cream in Naked Bronze reminds me of Spice, the peach in Golden Peach reminds me of Pink Haze and the cream in Midnight Sea reminds me of Spring 2015 Cream. I’m currently traveling so I don’t have my makeup stash with me to compare the creams, but once I return home I will update this post with comparison swatches of the creams.

Close ups of each color plus swatches of the shades individually, then layered:

I’ve played with each of the colors and am so impressed. Midnight Sea had me a little worried since I rarely wear blues or aquas but layering the teal on top of the deep brown shimmer creates a really interesting look. My favorites of course are Naked Bronze and Golden Peach – they add enough color to the lids to give your complexion a summery glow but aren’t over the top. As a neutral and conservative makeup lover, to say that I am afraid of glitter would be an understatement (I am almost anti-glitter). So for me to say that I really like these is huge. I think they are wearable for everyday although if you work in a conservative office environment you may want to go very light on the application of the powder shadows because the glittery is glitzy but not over the top (at least in my opinion).

Both Golden Peach and Black Oyster have held up really well in the Dallas humidity this week and I’m very impressed. If you’re a Tom Ford fan these are definitely must-haves even with the high price point. If you like color and want something new and different, these are worth looking into. 

You can find the Cream and Powder Eye Colors for $60 each. Online at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom (pre-order), Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue (pre-order) and Tom Ford (pre-order).

The Cream and Powder shadows were provided courtesy of Tom Ford for review consideration. Book featured from my own personal collection and was purchased by me. 

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Rescue Beauty Lounge Je t’aime, Je’ t’aime! Part 2

April 24, 2015

Today I have Part 2 of the Rescue Beauty Lounge Je t’aime, Je’ t’aime! Collection to share. Part 1 was swatched and reviewed here with four shades. Two additional colors have arrived and I’ve been dying to share them with you for a few weeks but had to wait patiently to reveal them until today.

Combien? is a metallic gold-beige with flecks of champagne and silver shimmers. It dries to a semi-matte finish but still has some sheen to it once applied. There is a good mix of warm and cool making it a very wearable gold shimmer. There is a slight rosy hue to it which gives it warmth and prevents it from being too yellow. At the same time the silvery champagne colored shimmers add a complex twist and cool undertone to make it more neutral and refined.

Ji describes this as “Elegant and neutral, this beige-gold with a slight rose cast is not too shy to ask how much. This color is jammed-packed with sugary shimmer, but dries down to a matte for a tasteful bling-ness. Add a swipe of topcoat to amp up the bling factor.”

Swatched in direct sunlight below. Two coats will give you full opaque coverage. Application is very smooth and almost 100% streak free. There is some texture that is visible. This is applied without any top coat. Even though it has a more matte finish, I like that it’s not 100% matte.

In natural light the texture is more visible:

Trois Oignons Rouges is a jelly fuchsia purple that also has a matte finish which is really unique. Two coats will let the nail show through a little underneath but application is still very smooth and even. If you’re a fan of jelly cremes this will be right up your alley. It has a brightness to it which reminds me of summer, but it’s not screaming bright.
Ji describes this as “This was the first French phrase I strung together. Like the inside of red onions, this color is a cross between magenta and a toned-down fuchsia that dries to a chic matte. This application is so easy that you might want to try all of our other crème jellies. For ultra shine, use our legendary topcoat.”

Here’s a quick collage of the entire Je t’aime, Je’ t’aime! Collection (Part 1 Swatched here).

The colors will be available for pre-sale/early access today if you are signed up for the newsletter you should receive an early access link to buy. Colors will be available for everyone to purchase on Tuesday the 28th online via Rescue Beauty Lounge. Each polish retails for $20.
Did you order any of the colors from Part 1? Do any of the two remaining colors catch your eye?

The polishes were provided courtesy of Rescue Beauty Lounge for review.

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On Instagram

April 23, 2015
https://instagram.com/beautylookbook/

Today I’m bound for Dallas for the rewardStyle conference. I’m flying out this morning for the remainder of the week but have some planned posts on new spring releases. I can’t wait to share some new beauty items from Tom Ford and NARS. The colors are to die for! If you’re going to be attending the conference send me a quick note here, via Instagram or Twitter. I would love to meet you! In the meantime here’s a quick overview of what I’ve been up to via Instagram @beautylookbook.

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New Face and Cheek Brush Acquisitions: Chikuhodo, Hakuhodo and Hourglass

April 22, 2015
I have a handful of new-to-me cheek and face brushes that I’ve been playing with for the past few weeks. When it comes to trying or purchasing new beauty products I’m usually pretty open to buying things sight unseen except for makeup brushes. There have been a few exceptions, but for the most part I primarily buy the mainstream brands that I can see or test in person. Roundup of my staples here and here. After testing just a few brushes from Chikuhodo, Hakuhodo and Hourglass, I can say that these are truly incredible tools worthy of their higher price tags. The materials used and the way they are cut are phenomenal making a huge difference in makeup application and feel on the skin.
I have five brushes I’m reviewing today, left to right: Chikuhodo MK-2, Hakuhodo J501, Hakuhodo J505, Hakhuhodo Fan Brush White and Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Brush.
The Chikuhodo MK-2 Brush ($178) is one of three new brushes in the Makie Series. These are brushes that come with a beautiful print on the handles. These are made of grey squirrel hair and are incredibly soft and plush – it’s the softest brush I have ever felt. It’s semi-loose/semi-dense making it really good for all over powder or a soft wash of bronzer. It has a round shape but is semi-flattened which I like in a powder brush. This is the first Chikuhodo brush I’ve tried since they’ve been hard to find. Beautylish now carries the brushes and I’ve been thrilled with their quick shipping and awesome customer service so I’ve been doing some research to plot a sizable purchase. If you have any recommendations I would love them. The MK-2 along with all of the Chikuhodo brushes are a luxurious splurge but they are incredibly well made and soft. 

Front view versus side view:

Hakuhodo has been on my radar for ages. I saw the line for the first time at The Makeup Show LA this year. The website is a bit overwhelming with all the options for those new to the line. I should have done more research ahead of time, but picked out a few to buy based on density and shape. I picked out white brushes because they felt ultra soft. The three face brushes I picked out include the Fan Brush White ($45), J 501 ($100) and J 505 ($72). 

The Fan Brush White is made of 100% goat hair. it’s a wide and fluffy but dense kind of brush. This one is ideal for powder and finishing. It’s ultra soft but still medium-to-full in density so it will provide medium coverage if you layer on powders. I’ve used this to dust powder all over the face and also to blend powders along the sides of my face whether it’s a soft bronzer or to blend in blush. The compact shape and size is designed for it to be purse-friendly, but you do need a case for it to keep the bristles in tact. There is a small black case you can buy from Hakuhodo for it that retails for $10. It’s something I should have picked up but did not.

Next up are two synthetic fiber / goat hair blended brushes in J 501 ($100) and J 505 ($72). Both are ultra soft and plush. They remind me of the Tom Ford Brushes but are more tapered at the ends. They do fluff up a bit after washing but for the most part still keep their shape. J 501 is larger option, it was recommended to me for pressed powder because it’s a dense brush. J 505 is smaller and ideal for blushes. To me they feel identical in density and softness compared to the Tom Ford. The only difference is the shape.

Front vs side view:

Below the 2 Hakuhodo brushes compared to the Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush ($72) for size and the Cheek Brush ($78). I have a slight preference for the more tapered shape of the Hakuhodo just for looks, but they perform the same and I’ve been such a huge fan of my Tom Ford Brushes I don’t know that I can pick one over the other.

Last but not least is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder Brush ($35). This has been on my radar for forever but it’s something that has always escaped my shopping cart. It’s a densely packed brush made of high-grade Taklon bristles (synthetic fibers) and comes with its own pouch to store. This one is designed to be used with the Ambient Lighting Powders to dust all over the face or the angled portion to apply contour/highlighting products but it’s quite versatile. I also like to use it with the Ambient Lighting Bronzers because you can control the intensity of product easily with this brush.
Quick peek at more Hourglass brushes from the Abbot Kinney Boutique in Venice Beach:

Do you have any favorites from any of these lines? I have enough brushes to last multiple lifetimes but if I could start my brush collection all over again I would certainly choose to invest in ones from niche brands. They come at a steep price but the design, quality and way they apply product is truly phenomenal.

The Hourglass and Chikuhodo brushes were provided courtesy without charge for review consideration. All other items purchased by me.

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