Happy Wednesday everyone! Many of you seem to get excited about giveaways and they are my little way of giving back and saying thank you. This week I’m giving away 5 $100 eGift Cards to Nordstrom. All you have to do to enter is use the widget below.
Details:
Runs today through 10/3/2016 11:45 PM PST
Open internationally
Must be 18 years or older
Full terms and conditions in widget below
Winners will be selected at random within 72 hours after giveaway ends and contacted by me via email, note the email you use to enter is the only one I will be emailing the eGift cards to if you are the selected winner
5 distinct winners will be selected to receive a $100 eGift Card to Nordstrom (you can use online or instore)
Good luck! Quick disclaimer that this isn’t affiliated or sponsored.
Every once in a while I’ll try a product and wonder what took me so long to try it. Kevyn Aucoin eyeshadows fall into that category (along with some of the blushes reviewed here). For the longest time I’ve avoided many items from the Kevyn Aucoin beauty line simply because of the price points. So many of his products have been widely raved about, and rightly so due to their good quality and solid performance. Kevyn Aucoin recently launched a set exclusive to Space NK called The Making Eyes Kit ($125, a $160 value if you purchase items separately). This kit includes:
The Essential Eye Shadow Set Palette #2 (0.04 oz)
The Precision Brow Pencil Brunette (0.03 oz)
The Expert Mascara Black (0.4 oz)
The Eyelash Curler
The Eye Pencil Primatif Basic Black (0.04 oz)
Space NK kindly sent the set for me to try and part of me was really excited to try things I’ve always been curious about. The other part of me wondered if this would live up to the hype as the items look incredibly basic. I love beauty basics and classics but sometimes there are products that just simply seem a bit too basic to justify the splurge when less expensive options will work just as well. I was really impressed with the Eye Shadow Palette, Brow Pencil and Eye Pencil. More thoughts on each item below.
Quick look at the box. The set comes cased in a large black box with a mirror. I like that everything has it’s own individually molded compartment so if you have this shipped to you, items stay in place. I’m not sure what I’ll do with the box at the moment. I suppose I could use it for travel by taking out the insert. The larger mirror is nice to have when you’re on the go. However the box is made of cardboard so I don’t know how well it will hold up traveling.
First a look at the items swatched:
For me the winner of this set is The Essential Eye Shadow Set Palette #2 which has a mix of cool tones. The set comes with a little instruction card on how to apply the colors but I took one look and decided to apply them my own way. I have no crease in the lids so most of the time I need to apply shadows differently from most other women anyways in a gradient. Since I have no fold or crease I don’t usually do the outer corner or v-shape blending.
Colors in this palette include a shimmering soft but pigmented black, lavender purple shimmer, beige satin, white frost, bone satin. All of the colors have some degree of shimmer but it is very soft on the skin. If you’re a no-shimmer kind of person for eyeshadows I think this will still work for you as the finish is VERY very soft.
The pigment is medium but buildable. Texture is very soft and looks natural on the eyes. As one who does not really like cool tones (especially white frosts) because they often look sharp or contrast with my olive skin I was surprised to find this one worked really well with my skintone for a cool-toned smoky eye with a hint of purple. The black looks like it could be chalky if you swatch it on the hand or arm. With a brush it’s intense and very pigmented but not too sharp. It’s a very good one to apply along the lash line and easy to blend and smoke out. Below shows all the items in the kit applied including the mascara, liner and brow pencil.
Next are The Precision Brow Pencil Brunette and The Eye Pencil Primatif Basic Black. The Precision Brow Pencil is very easy to use and Brunette is a good neutral to cool toned brown that works for my dark hair. For me I like that there is no red undertone which I find some brow pencils have, yet there’s not too much grey which can sometimes cause my brows to look ashy. I like that if you twist product up you can also twist it back down.
The Eye Pencil in Basic Black is one of the deepest black pencils I’ve tried. It has a smooth and super creamy texture. In terms of lasting power it stayed put on my eyes all day without any smudging or budging. I used it along upper lashes and waterline. That being said, I will usually also see how it holds up on the arm. When I test liners, let it sit for about 30 minutes on the arm, then take my finger and swipe it across the arm swatch to see how much it smudges. On the arm it smudged while some other liners set and don’t budge. That being said I tried this on a few different days and on my eyes it lasted all day without any budging so for me it’s a winner.
Last but not least are The Expert Mascara Black and The Eyelash Curler. Both of these have been raved about by many people. To date I have only tried the mascara in mini forms that usually come with the Space NK gwps and had not really been that impressed. The full size does perform better but my heart still belongs to the Stila Huge Extreme Lash Mascara and Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascaras for volume, curl-holding and lasting power. The one from Kevyn Aucoin is a deep black, doesn’t clump or smudge. It does a good job at coating each lash but for me it simply does not hold the curl and doesn’t give me the volume the other two do. Do note that I have incredibly skimpy straight lashes so I need a miracle mascara to make it look like I have any.
The eyelash curler works well too. I was relieved to find there was no pinching (for me the Shiseido one everyone raves about just doesn’t work for me at all). It has a very lightweight feel which makes it easy to use but I prefer something with a bit more weight to it. That being said it performs well and I am happy to own it.
Bottom line a solid set of good eye basics. I am already plotting another eyeshadow palette purchase because this one is just so good. If you have any recommendations for the palettes or duos let me know! You can find all the items in this set individually if you prefer to pick and choose items on your own. However the Kevyn Aucoin The Making Eyes Kit as a set is a Space NK exclusive.
Have you tried any of these yet? What did you think?
The Making Eyes Kit was provided courtesy of Space NK for review.
Hope you all had a great weekend! Just when I started to get in the fall state of mind the weather decided to take a turn after a week of clouds and rain. We had a bit of a heat wave over the weekend and this week’s forecast looks like it’s going to be hot all week. Even though it’s going to feel like summer this week, fall is in full swing with pumpkin-flavored drinks and treats everywhere I look. Holiday collections and sets are starting to trickle in and it’s not even October yet but it’s fun to see what’s coming out in the next few weeks.
First, Bobbi Brown has some lovely sets and gifts for holiday. This faux-patent leather Beauty Case (1) just popped up and it appears to be the same size as the black leather one I’ve had for years. Many of you asked me to let you know if I ever saw something similar from her line pop up. It appears this season there is! Bobbi Brown also has some beautiful cases that house multiple products. The Golden Eye Shadow and Mascara Palette (2) looks like it could be clutch-sized. As does this Glow to Go Duo (3).
I’ve been looking for a new leather jacket. Many of you were kind to recommend some for petite frames on Instagram. I’ve checked out some from All Saints, Joie and Club Monaco which are all gorgeous but I’m still trying to find the one. I have my eye on this Motorcycle Jacket (4) from Madewell which also comes recommended from a number of you. The search continues and I’ll let you know which one ends up working out 🙂
Chanel launched an online preview of their Collection Libre 2016. It’s scheduled to launch in stores late October. I’m not sure if this is their holiday collection or if a separate launch will follow. The only items that are calling my name are the nail polishes. There are two Le Vernis shades in Liquid Mirror and Hyperrose Glass (5) and one Velvet Nail Color in Pink Rubber (6).
Armani launched a travel size of their Crema Nuda Tinted Cream (7) in a smaller version with a pump. Thanks to the recommendation from another beauty lover, I decided to check it out and I’m glad I did. My local counter gave me a small sample to try at home and I have never been so impressed or blown away by a foundation before. I’m Shade #3 for reference.
Armani also launched a new lip treatment product called Him and Her Lip Care (8). There is one clear shade and four tinted options. I picked up three to test out and will let you know the verdict. It’s been a while since I ventured to the Armani counter and these caught my eye. If you’ve tried them already let me know what you think. The colors are very sheer.
Kevyn Aucoin and Space NK have an exclusive set called The Making Eyes Set (9). They kindly sent one for me to try and I’ll be reviewing it tomorrow. This is the first time I’ve tried Kevyn Aucoin powder shadows even though they have been widely raved about for like forever. Apparently I’ve been missing out for many years because the quality is excellent.
Jo Malone launched their Basil and Neroli Cologne (10). It’s a stunning green, basil, pepper mixed with floral and a bit of musk. I adore the Candle which I purchased and have been burning this past weekend. The perfume smells fresh, modern and very pretty. It’s on my wishlist.
Oribe finally launched a dry shampoo called the Gold Lust Dry Shampoo (11). I ordered the small travel size and it’s good. If you’re a dry shampoo lover I think you should try it. There is no white film or cast, it smells amazing and absorbs excess oil for a quick touch up.
Last but not least this year’s holiday Guerlain Météorites Perles de Légende Light-Revealing Pearls of Powder (12) looks stunning. I cannot resist. It was in my online shopping cart and I’m about to hit submit. They usually sell out every year fast so if you have this on your wishlist I suggest you act soon.
P.S. There are some individual GWPs up at Nordstrom (I think it was for Triple Points) and also at Saks Fifth Avenue (for beauty week) right now. I took advantage of a few including the Armani one from Saks and Jo Malone one from Nordstrom. Be sure to check for codes listed on each GWP option, sometimes there are codes you need to enter.
Hope you have a great start to the week! Stay tuned for the Kevyn Aucoin review tomorrow and some more fragrance reviews in the following days.
MAC’s latest is the Liptensity Lipstick ($21 each for 3.6 g/0.12 oz) which is an intensely pigmented lipstick with a satin finish. The pigment in these lipsticks is so good they are what I’d consider one-swipe wonders. If you’re like me and love the rich pigment and saturated color of matte lipsticks or liquid lipsticks but hate that dried out matte look, the Liptensity lip colors will give you that full coverage without looking fake or dry. There are 24 shades total, all with a satin finish and no shimmer. The range is quite impressive and they seem to have covered a large number of colors from neutrals, corals, plums, reds, pinks and some bold edgy colors. I lip swatched the ones I could see myself wearing and every single color performs well.Texture is smooth and creamy. They have a full coverage without feeling thick although they aren’t necessarily weightless. There’s no hydrating feel but they did not dry out my lips and feel comfortable once on. Lasting power is among the best I’ve tried and they stay put for a long time without fading as long as you don’t touch your lips.
I split the colors by color group for swatches. All except the last category have also been lip swatched (I just couldn’t bring myself to put on blue lipstick lol). In the photos I’m wearing the Prolongwear Foundation in NC35. (Still testing the formula to see if my skin can handle it.)
Neutrals include:
Driftwood which is a pale mauve nude pink
Doe is a light medium neutral beige brown
Toast & Butter is a medium brown
Medium Rare is a soft creamy pink
Smoked Almond is a medium peachy rose
By request I’ve brought back larger lip swatches but will also have side by sides at the bottom. Not sure that I will keep doing the individual lip swatch photos as they take up the entire page! I also feel self conscious that enlarging the photos allows you to see every imperfection on my skin 🙁
Next up are the reds and oranges. They’re similar with slight variations in undertone:
Lobster is an orange red
Habanero is an orange
Fireworks is a bright red
Life’s Blood is a blue-based red
Mulling Spices is a a deeper red
Next up are the browns and plums. These surprised me the most because they go on the lips different from what you see in the tube. These have a vamp feel.
Dionysus is a plum red
Cordovan is a reddish plum
Double Fudge is an intense brown
Burnt Violet is a deep vamp plum
Up next are the pinks and mauves. Even though I’m a neutral lip lover at heart I really have a soft spot for Claretcast and Marsala.
Gumball is a bubblegum pink
Eros is a cool-toned bright pink
Post Modern is a warm bright pink
Claretcast is a fuchsia mauve
Marsala is a mauve plum
Last but not least are the bold edgy colors. These are shades I could never feel comfortable wearing but arm swatched for reference.
Ambrosial is a vibrant fuchsia plum pink
Galaxy Grey is a grey lilac
Hellebore is a purple
Blue Beat is a navy
Stallion is a deep black
One last roundup and lip swatches side by side:
An impressive lipstick launch. The formula performs well and I love the sleek colorful packaging. The caps match the lipstick color and the lip product is one that fills the entire tube. I love that the tips are beveled which makes application easier than the flat top ones you see from some other brands. Most MAC lipsticks make my lips peel by the next day as they are a bit drying. I lip swatched all the colors in a single day and by the next day my lips were fully in tact without any peeling or dry patches. So while they aren’t necessarily moisturizing I do think they have a non-drying formula. If you have dry lips with patches you might want to consider using the MAC Prep + Prime Lip or Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade as a base first. Both will smooth out the lip without making them too emollient where the lipstick will slide off.
Out of the ones I lip swatched I’m really hard pressed to pick a favorite because they are all good. If I had to narrow down my picks to 5 it would be: Doe, Postmodern, Claretcast, Smoked Almond and Burnt Violet.
Bottom line definitely worth checking out. You can find them now online at MAC and Nordstrom. (I spotted them yesterday at my local Nordstrom counter.) At this time I do believe they are limited-edition.
Have you checked these out yet? What colors did you end up getting if you bought these?
Many thanks to MAC for sending me all the shades to play with!
It’s hard to believe it’s already been two years since Christian Louboutin first launched Rouge Louboutin Nail Polish! Where has all the time gone? Since the first beauty launch from the luxury line there have been quite a few new additions for nails, lips and now perfume. For this fall season there are two new polishes that have been added to The Noirs Nail Colour ($50 each) in Mizzigoo and Miss Mars. As I still do not have any Louboutin beauty items at counters near me I ordered them immediately. They are simply lovely. Mizziggoo is a dark chocolate vamp brown cream and Miss Mars is a perfect steel grey metallic. Performance is perfect. My wallet is not happy but my fingers are. I know that a $50 nail color is very spendy. Many of you have asked me if it’s worth the price. I don’t think I could ever say that a $50 price tag for a nail polish is “worth it” but it doesn’t mean I won’t buy them. I’ve bought quite a few Louboutin Nail Polishes and I haven’t been disappointed yet.
They both have similar vibes to previously launched colors from other lines so you may want to shop your stash for dupes. I pulled a few other shades to compare (scroll down to the bottom). The verdict is that I’m still happy I bought both. The pigment is perfect, coverage flawless, lasting power phenomenal (up to 7 days without tip wear with a good top coat).
I’ve featured a closer look at the bottles and brushes in a few posts before but some of you have asked for another look. The brushes are thin and medium in length – longer than many other brands I own but still easy to use for precise application. The coverage is very good with the Noirs but I always use two coats. I’ve been testing the Nail Care Kit which is also very steep in price but very very good. Review on this soon.
Swatches below. Up first is Mizigoo which I think is just perfect!
Miss Mars is such a pretty steel grey. The brush strokes are minimal and shimmer/texture is very smooth:
Shown under indoor light where it looks more muted. Depending on the light sometimes Miss Mars appears less grey and more blue.
Miss Mars:
Miziggoo:
Swatch comparisons below. Note many of the shades shown below have been discontinued:
Chanel Black Pearl (discontinued) is more green in undertone
Dior Metal Montaigne has a more metallic finish while the Louboutin shimmer is more evenly distributed, the Louboutin has slightly cooler undertones
Chanel Western Light (discontinued) has a similar effect but the base is a lot cooler in undertone by comparison
One last look:
Bottom line flawless and I love them both. You can definitely find similar colors but I love the rich depth Miziggoo has. Miss Mars has a perfectly smooth shimmer and if you’re really picky with metallics and visible brush strokes this one is flawless with the smooth shimmer.
I’ve been playing with something very exciting which is the new Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette in Surreal Light ($80 for 9.6 g). It’s a limited-edition for this season a part of their holiday launch. Right now you can find it at Sephora, Nordstrom and Hourglass but it will be available at all other counters soon. The colors have good pigment and enough color to show up on medium to tan skin. I’d consider myself to be medium bordering on light-medium now and the colors show up very well on me.
I’ve been a long-time fan of Hourglass Cosmetics especially when it comes to their entire Ambient Lighting Powder line. The Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light (originally reviewed here) is one of my top picks for powder highlighters for my skintone. It gives that glow from within kind of effect, melds beautifully with the skin, looks glowy but natural, doesn’t emphasize pores and lasts forever! (Well almost … mine has lasted years!) Since the initial launch back in 2013 I’ve looked forward to each new year’s launch. They’ve added something special to the line with new products and variations. Last year’s palette was the first launch I skipped because of the repeated shades. This year’s palette is cased in marble pattern packaging (gorgeous!) and has shades that are different from existing colors.
You have five shades of powder. All are finely milled with a soft touch. There will be some powdery kick up if you dip your brush in the palette but there isn’t any fallout once it’s on your face. The colors and product sizes:
Colors:
Finishing Powder in Surreal Light (4 g / 0.14 oz) is a sheer nude warm shimmer, I thought this would be too shimmery to use as an all over setting powder but it actually works well without making me look like a statue, it has a yellow undertone
Bronzer in Surreal Bronze Light (1.4 g / 0.04 oz) is a neutral bronzer shade, it’s lighter than the two existing Hourglass bronzers by a little bit making it more natural looking
Blush in Surreal Glow (1.4 g / 0.04 oz) is a what Hourglass calls a “pale peony blush pink” it’s a nude pink on my skin and it shows up
Blush in Surreal Effect (1.4 g / 0.04 oz) is a cooler-toned rose pink compared to the other shades in the palette, there is a soft warm peachy shimmer mixed throughout which makes the color itself more on the neutral warm side
Strobe Powder in Surreal Strobe Light (1.4 g / 0.04 oz) is a golden peach yellow shimmer highlight
Below are close ups of the palette in different lighting. I did order two (by accident) and as you can see the swirl patterns are unique in every palette similar to that of the Ambient Lighting Blushes and Ambient Lighting Bronzers. If you’re new to the Ambient Lighting collection the powders brighten and highlight the skin. Their powders have what Hourglass calls “… Photoluminescent Technology to capture, diffuse and soften surrounding light to refine the appearance of skin.” These powders do indeed smooth the skin.I’ve been able to use all five colors on the face at once. I’ll use the Finishing Powder to set my foundation all over the face (it’s not too glowy for me). I’ll mix both shades of blush and apply them on the cheeks, although you can definitely just use one. Bronzer is added to warm up the face. The strobe powder is used to highlight temples, cheekbones or eyes. You can use it however you feel comfortable using it though – no need to use all the colors at once.
Close ups:
Swatched with numbers labeled according to the chart on the back of the box and what’s on the Hourglass website:
Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure (review here) is cooler-toned and more mauve than either of the Surreal Blushes
Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush (review here) is brighter, deeper and warmer than Surreal Effect
Ambient Lighting Bronzers in Luminous Bronze Light and Radiant Bronze Light (review here) are both more golden and bronzey compared to the palette
I didn’t swatch compare the Surreal Strobe Light because it’s one of the darker more yellow/gold highlighters in the Hourglass line and I could not find anything similar
The powders perform really well and I like that it has enough color to show up even though the overall feel is neutral. Sometimes those neutral palettes can be a bit too neutral but this one has visible color. The pans are small – I remember from last year’s reviews many had done comparisons on the pan sizes in the palette to individual full sized products. I think the biggest complaint about this one is the price for the size and product amounts but this year’s palette does contain more product in grams and ounces compared to last year’s. I do think the $80 price tag is extremely steep but I don’t feel as though it’s outrageous. Here’s a comparison break down in price per grams:
Palette $80 for 9.6 g is $8.33/g
Powders are $46 for 10 g which is $4.60/g
Blushes are $38 for 4.2 g which is $9.05/g
Bronzers are $50 for 11 g which is $4.55/g
Strobe Powders are $38 for 4.6 g which is $8.26/g
I personally feel this was worth the splurge. I love all things glowy and this is one of the most natural highlighter palettes I’ve tested. There are a number of highlighter palettes I’ve seen pop up online (in particular at Sephora) so you may want to do some browsing or swatching in stores if you can before deciding which one to buy. I’ve taken a quick peek online and this is the only one I’ve bought so far and I’m very happy with that decision. The packaging is so pretty, colors work really well for my medium olive toned skin. Many of you keep asking what MAC shade I am for reference and I’ve been severely allergic to MAC Studio Fix for many years so I stopped using it. I’ve always been in between NC30 and NC35 but it’s been a long time since I last tested any of their foundations so out of curiosity I went and got shade matched. For MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation I can go with either NC35 or NC37 (for some reason NC37 is a bit lighter than NC35) and for Matchmaster I’m a 3.0 (but it runs slightly less yellow than I like). In the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation I’m in between Warm Ivory and
Nude. In NARS I’m in between Groenland and St. Moritz for the Velvet Matte Skin Tint.
One quick note on brush testing. There is an Ambient Lighting Edit Brush ($46) which is a double-sided brush designed and sized for this palette. In my experience Hourglass brushes are very well made and perform well. They’re synthetic and PETA-approved. I did not buy it but have been using my Wayne Goss Brush #2 for the smaller pans and MAC #187 Duo Fibre brush for the finishing powder.
Bottom line spendy but worth it for me. It exceeded my expectations. I knew I would like it but didn’t know if I could “love” it at the $80 price. After testing it I can say that I do love it. It will be a great one for travel and it’s a palette I can see myself using every single shade. It’s an exquisite well-executed palette. I’m not sure if the shades will show up on deeper skintones but if you’re about 3-4 shades darker than me I do think it will still show up. Now that you know what MAC shade I am if you have tested it any have any thoughts let me know in the comments.
You can find the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette in Surreal Light at Sephora, Nordstrom and Hourglass but it should launch at all other counters very soon. The palette is limited-edition.
As we transition to the fall season I feel a shift in my mood for makeup to cooler tones and my fragrance preference has changed for deeper more complex kinds of scents. I always look forward to new launches and beauty trends for fall and this season has brought quite a few smaller mini collections rather than color-themed launches (with a few exceptions). There doesn’t appear to be any “it” color this season and if right now you’re unsure of what to wear for the upcoming fall season I say go for anything! I really don’t think you can go wrong with any color this season whether it’s shopping your own stash or adding a new lip or nail color. Mauves and plums will always be a classic go-to for the fall and will be wearable all the way through winter. I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom to round up some of my favorite timeless and classic colors. If you can’t wear purplish plums on the lips or cheeks, you may want to opt for light to neutral mauves or reddish plums which I feel are easier to pull off.
Since everyone has different interests and preferences for what they like in beauty, I’ve split the beauty recommendations by category for lips, cheeks, nails, eyes and fragrance. Many of you have asked for a full dedicated feature on fall fragrance for perfumes and one for home fragrance – I promise to have one on each very soon! I’m testing a few more items and will hope to have reviews over the next two weeks.
Up first are the lip recommendations, my personal favorite. Quite a few of you have asked for neutral light pink-mauve lip recommendations for colors that won’t turn too blue or fuchsia on the lips. I have a wide range from light to deep that I like.
MAC Lipstick in Modesty has been a classic light pink mauve lip color. It’s similar to Syrup which is another very pretty color. Modesty has a bit more warmth with more pink. The coverage is more opaque as well. They’re very close – some of my friends have told me they can’t wear Syrup because it’s a bit too cool toned, in that case opt for Modesty!
Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector #07 is a sheer tinted balm. It’s also a light mauve color and the formula is a really good one to add a hint of color + hydration.
Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Colors are relatively new to me. I discovered them this year and Bobbi is one of the newest shades that is a grege-beige color that doesn’t wash me out. It’s creamy and gives the lips full coverage with one swipe.
Diptyque repackaged their Nourishing Lip Balm in tube format this season. It has a nicely hydrating formula that’s thick and coats the lips with a veil of moisture. In terms of clear squeeze tube balms I think the AmorePacific Moisture Bound Lip Treatment is still my favorite for sensitive lips that can’t tolerate scent. Both are very good though.
Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfector #08 is a pretty warm deep plum red. Finish is sheer to medium. The color is deeper and brighter than the rest of the shades in the formula so this shows up better on the lips.
Bobbi Brown Nourishing Lip Color in Desert Rose is a super creamy rose berry kind of shade. It’s a lush full coverage formula and very comforting on the lips.
Chanel Rouge Allure Ink just launched in eight shades. Most are very bright and vibrant – I bought the only neutral which isn’t plum or mauve. Amoureux is a pinky peach color. The verdict is still out on this one. I’ll have a more detailed review soon but for now below is a sneak preview swatch.
Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo in Recit is one of the prettiest plum reds I’ve tried before. This formula is excellent and I highly recommend it. All the shades are phenomenal in that range.
Bobbi Brown Luxe Lip Color in Neutral Rose is one of the most classic kinds of warm pink rose colors I can think of.
Next are cheeks. I’m sure by now many of you are already well stocked on plums or mauves for lips. For me finding a coordinating cheek color has been tricky. I used to always gravitate towards peaches, corals or bronze for the cheeks for the summer and finding a good versatile cheek color to go with any variation of plum/mauve was tricky but I have managed to find three.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Mood Exposure is one I find goes well with the lighter mauve lips or darker lips. For something a bit more neutral with brown and pink mixed in is Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in Sex on Fire. It has the prettiest soft glow to it (not overly shimmery) so it wears very naturally on the skin while adding color and depth. MAC Blush in Plum Foolery is a classic shimmery plum. The gold shimmer adds an interesting warmth to the skin which I find naturally flattering. In the event you don’t do shimmer on the cheeks, you may want to check out MAC Breath of Plum for a matte version.
For a good natural highlight and contour, I don’t think it gets more classic than the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow. It goes with everything for me and I love the packaging. The texture is really soft and blendable so it won’t give you a harsh contoured look or sharp frost.
For eyes I love a good neutral shimmer whether it’s tan, taupe, pink or bronze. Two favorites have been the NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadows in Himalia (tan) and Telesto (bronze). For fall NARS launched a shimmery warm pink Rigel. These work well as an easy all over wash to brighten the eyes. Mascara wise I’ve raved about the Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara. I just bought a second tube for my on-the-go makeup bag. It thickens, volumizes, holds the curl and doesn’t smudge. It has a big fluffy brush which grabs my skimpy lashes and coats them evenly. I’m so glad I discovered it! Lash curling is always a must and I still find that the MAC Full Lash Curler has been performing really well for my eye shape.
Three shades shown above swatched below alongside a few other colors:
For nails I have yet to see an “it” polish color for fall. I think the two classics you can never go wrong with are a good vamp in which case Chanel Vamp is a classic or a classic nude pink. For me the two best neutral nude pinks are Chanel Organdi or Tom Ford Sugar Dune (paler on me). A new dark almost-black shade called Gris Obscur launched with the Lip Inks. I spotted it in store at counters so it should be available online very soon.
Last but not least are a few fragrances. As mentioned above I’ll have a full fall fragrance line up but these are three I’ll be transitioning from season to season. First is the Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb which I still think is the perfect date night fragrance and the one my husband loves the most on me. It’s one I consider very mainstream but one I think is just so so good in a spicy floral kind of way. I love that the Travel Spray version is indeed a spritzer versus the roller-ball format. Replica Lipstick On is one of the prettiest feminine fragrances that smells like vintage makeup. It’s hard to describe in words except that it makes me feel girly without having that overly sweet smell. Le Labo Santal is one I recognize instantly on anyone who wears it whether they are male or female. I actually prefer it in candle form for the home but I love all things with any kind of sandalwood in them.
What colors and scents are you wearing right now as we transition to fall? Are you embracing any on trend makeup shades or wearing classics? There are lots of great new fall beauty launches and each one has been unique in it’s own way.
Would love to hear what you’re keeping in your fall transition makeup bag or routine right now! For more recommendations Nordstrom has their Fall Beauty Trend Event section with Ultra Pretty Neutrals and Bold Shades of what is trending now at their stores.
Many thanks to Nordstrom for teaming up to sponsor this post. Press samples featured include the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfectors, Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo, Chanel Vamp and Organdi and Replica Lipstick On.
