As most of you now know, Chanel reformulated their Le Vernis Nail Colour ($28 each) earlier this year into a new and improved formula with longer wear. Most of the shades have been discontinued and pulled from counters and most places online (at the time of this post old colors are still showing up online at Saks.com). The new formula has been launched in 15 shades, 5 of which are re-promoted shades of classic colors (just in the new formula). After reviewing three shades Camélia 506, Gitane 510 and Roubachka 514 (review, swatches, old vs. new bottle and brush shots all posted here) I received an overwhelming amount of requests to review additional shades and the Chanel team kindly sent some of the most requested shades for me to review and swatch for you.
There are six that I’ve swatched and tested. Formulas of all shades offer smooth streak-free coverage and were easy to apply. Pigment in general of the new formula does seem to be on the more opaque side (think along the lines of the old Dragon formula) with a few exceptions of colors that have a sheer or jelly finish. As far as I can tell from a quick peek most of the shades are non shimmers with the exception of Vamp and Chaine Or (the gold seems to be only available at Saks). Some readers asked if I had any bubbling issues with the new formula. I personally did not see any bubbles. In terms of lasting power – I tested Ballerina (on the fingers) and Vamp (on the toes) for a full week each and both lasted 7 days without any signs of tip wear or chipping with the Le Top Coat.
Shown above from left to right:
Ballerina is a super sheer baby pink, the original version was almost impossible to see on the nail with two coats, the new version is an improved version in terms of pigment but I still find it extremely sheer and it was the only one that I needed 3 coats (and it’s still sheer)
Monochrome is a cool light grey, formula covers the nail entirely with two coats
Garçonne is a medium grey shade, it has a bit of warmth to it, coverage is rich and opaque
Organdi is a nude pink that falls in the neutral-cool category, it’s a full coverage color
Vamp is a deep wine color with a bit of red and purple shimmer mixed in, I’ve found the color is identical to the original, but the formula has improved with better pigment and shine
Rouge Noir appears to be exclusive to Chanel.com and the color is identical to what I have in the old formula, this is a jelly finish color but still covers the nail entirely with two coats, it’s a deep blackened red shade
Swatches, all have 2 coats with the exception of Ballerina which has 3 coats shown, also all swatches have the Le Top Coat applied on top:
Some swatch comparisons to some shades in the old formula, I thought I had the old Ballerina, but in searching my collection I found that I no longer have it:
Out of all the shades I’ve tested, I’m personally drawn to the brighter shades Camelia and Gitane that I reviewed back in February. I’ve used both on several pedicures since the initial post and find the colors are bright and cheerful. This second review batch has a mix of light and dark shades. I like Organdi as an everyday conservative neutral – the formula and coverage is excellent and I think on deeper more tan skintones it will look like a stunning lighter nude pink while on me it almost matches my skin undertone. I’m happy that Vamp and Rouge Noir have joined the new formula color family, if I had to pick between the two I would say Vamp has a special touch because of the subtle shimmer it has in it. For the grey shades I prefer Monochrome over Garçonne – both perform really well in terms of smooth streak-free coverage with very good pigment. On my skintone darker greys can make the skin look a little lack-luster.
Overall I give the formula a thumbs up. The polish perform well and there is a wide range of colors to choose from in the non-shimmer finish that offer a nicely polished classic look. All shades are listed as permanent, available for $28 each at Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers. As of right now it appears that Rouge Noir is the only shade exclusive to Chanel.com (at least in the US) but if you’ve spotted it in stores please share in the comments.
Have you tried any of the new shades/formula yet? What did you think?
Polishes provided courtesy of Chanel for review consideration.
I’ve been a long-time fan of MAC lipsticks – I still remember the first ones I bought when I was in high school. I had saved up for what seemed like forever to buy a few including Pink Glaze, Wuss and “O” (two of which I think are discontinued now). Many of the formulas are drying for my lips but the colors are so good I just can’t ever resist them. MAC just launched a new program called MAC Select which is exclusive to maccosmetics.com and MAC owned/operated stores. It’s a loyalty program where you receive a unique member ID number that allows you access to certain exclusives, early access and more options for tracking your Back to MAC items. All the details on the program tiers here and FAQs answered here – you can register online (that’s how I signed up) or in MAC stores. To celebrate this launch MAC released a new matte lipstick called So Select ($17 for 3g) which is described as a dirty rose. You have to be a member to be able to purchase it. I have a love/hate relationship with some of the MAC neutrals. Some look so so good swatched on the hand but then on my lips the color looks like death (ie Twig, Spirit, Whirl). Still there are tons of neutral options in almost every imaginable undertone so you’re bound to find one that works.
So Select is indeed a dirty rose color. It’s a neutral that has a slightly deep undertone. It’s exactly what I hoped Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Lolita would look like on me (which is a bit too dark for my personal taste). I’ve pulled a few other shades to compare it to for reference since with MAC neutrals on a computer screen and also in person, sometimes they can all look the same in the tubes. I’ve found myself really loving So Select – it’s got some brown undertones but not too much that it looks like death, there’s enough rose and pink that gives it a bit of life. A few more shots of the color in different lighting.
Swatch comparisons to a few other MAC Lipsticks (l to r) Mehr, So Select, Velvet Teddy, Cosmo and Brave, also Kat Von D Lolita shown next to it for reference:
I didn’t reswatch KVD Lolita but you can see it lip swatched in this post here, the other MAC lipsticks shown above lip-swatched below:
I’m thrilled So Select is a neutral rose-pink-brown that works for my complexion. It’s dark enough on my skin that it’s not quite neutral, but it’s still light enough in color that it doesn’t look too vampy on my lips. As with other MAC Mattes, it has full coverage. If my lips are on the dry side, I do like to prep the lips with the MAC Prep + Prime first.
The MAC Select Program applies online and also in MAC stores but I haven’t checked to see if they carry this one (I usually buy MAC products online directly from their website or shop in store at Nordstrom) – if you’ve spotted this in store let me know in the comments.
Bottom line thumbs up! Have you tried this shade yet? What did you think?
Last week I stopped by Sephora at South Coast Plaza for a Correct and Conceal Mini Makeover to learn more about the color correcting trend happening right now. I was curious to see if there was anything that could cover dark spots and redness better than a full coverage concealer or foundation. I had a session with artist Dre who was one of the most knowledgeable artists I’ve ever worked with. She was very thorough in explaining color correcting, going through all the options and application techniques, gave me awesome skin prep recommendations and I could not have had a more fun experience. If you’re like me you and consider yourself a novice or beginner when it comes to color correction you might be intimidated by the whole concept. I’ll share my makeover experience, what was used, what I bought and some thoughts on the product testing process. I hope this will help give you some tips and ideas of what to try on yourself. If you have a Sephora near you I highly recommend you call them to schedule a mini-makeover. They can be as quick as 15 minutes and I think you will be impressed with how much you learn – I learned a lot. Scheduling one in advance is probably best to make sure they have someone on site to sit down with you although they can accommodate walk ins sometimes and they are free of charge!
First a quick run through of the mini-makeover I had at Sephora. She started by assessing my skin type and skin concerns. I mentioned I had super sensitive skin and told her about a few products I had allergic reactions to. Personal concerns for my skin were to improve texture, cover dark spots from scars that were healing, under-eye darkness and redness in general. I also mentioned that I liked a streamlined easy approach to applying base face makeup so she picked out her four favorite color correcting products for my skin type that would be easy to use and incorporate along with some skincare items for me to try for calming and radiance.
For a bit of background on Color Correcting it’s not a new trend but it has been very popular right now. The concept of color correcting is that you can use certain colors to counter or diffuse others. Green will correct red, peach will help with dark spots and undereye circles, pink and purple will counter dullness and brighten the skintone. I initially thought using a full coverage concealer or foundation would be sufficient but I often find it leaves the face looking a bit flat and sometimes those dark spots still show through. This is where color correcting can help. Here’s a look at the Sephora Beauty Studio in store – it varies per store but most have a station with mirrors, makeup remover and tools for artists to apply product on your face.
A run through of all the products she used on me from start to finish:
Step 1: Prep the skin
She started by having me remove my makeup with the Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths which are super gentle and non-irritating for my sensitive skin. This one cleans, balances and hydrates in one step which is convenient for on-the-go makeup removal. Next she used the First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads to help with surface texture. She followed with the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum and Ole Henriksen Nurture Me since I mentioned my face was prone to irritation and flare ups. Skin felt smooth, nicely hydrated and calmed down.
Step 2: Base
Dre’s theory of using color correcting was to use apply in steps and use it with your current foundation routine. She started by applying the Algenist Reveal Concentrated Color Correcting Drops in Blue to help brighten the overall skintone as a base which did indeed brighten the skin without looking scary blue. Blue helps to neutralize sallow skin. She followed with the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick in 128 mentioning one’s foundation will do a lot of the color correcting as a starting point to neutralize uneven skintone or dark spots.
Step 3: Color Correct
At this point even with a fuller coverage foundation on my skin you can still see dark circles under the eyes and dark spots from acne scars that are healing still show through. Rather than layer on the foundation color correcting helps add coverage without caking on product. I was skeptical but was really impressed with how literally all the dark spots disappeared with a green color corrector and undereye circles disappeared with a peach/melon corrector. She applied the Sephora Collection Bright Futures Color Correctors in Green and Melon. The key here was to apply and let set so that colors don’t get muddied when you blend them wet. For the green she dotted on spots and then blended with a detailed concealer brush in a cross hatch method to help blend and cover naturally. For the melon she applied directly under my eyes in a downward swiping motion and blended with the sponge tip applicator.
Step 4: Conceal, Set and Finish
Once the color correctors have properly set (takes maybe 3 minutes at most, as long as you don’t pile on the creams) finish by taking concealer or foundation and pat it on top. She used the Sephora Collection Pro Foundation Brush #47 which is a more affordable similar version of the Marc Jacobs Beauty Sculpting Foundation Brush to roll and dab on the foundation over the corrected spots gently and then blend everything out gently with a beautyblender. You don’t want to take a sponge or brush and press too hard on the face or else it will drag and mix colors to make it look muddy. The final step she used was to set with a loose powder. She showed me the difference between the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder and also the Besame Brightening Face Powder in Violet (both applied with a puff). She said the Laura Mercier is her favorite (it’s one of mine too) but if I wanted to try something new she recommended the Violet to brighten the skin, for fairer skins she recommended the Pink (which I already own).
Step 5: Add color and makeup
She added a bit of blush and bronzer on my skin so my face wouldn’t look flat from all the base makeup, but I asked her to keep it minimal so I could see how the correctors and foundations performed through the afternoon. We skipped everything else and I was impressed that my makeup lasted well into the late evening without any touchups needed. Her skincare recommendations and application made it so nothing budged or creased or faded. Once I use up some of my moisturizers I will need to buy some of the items she used on me.
I have never been so impressed with a makeup session as I have been with my visit to Sephora. Dre taught me so many things – I really appreciated her taking the time to go through application tips and recommending products specific to my needs. My brother tagged along to help me take photos and afterwards I asked him if he thought my face looked ok. He said yes, it looked natural and he couldn’t tell that there were any weird colors. So it passed the brother test 🙂 In discussing the different color corrector options, I asked her why she recommended the Sephora Collection Color Correctors over the ones from Urban Decay Correcting Fluids or YSL Touche Eclat Neutralizers or even the ones that come in cream compacts. She said it was a matter of preference – the cream palettes can definitely multi-task with all the options for color correction and concealer, but to keep things simple she said the Sephora Collection correctors were her favorite for consistency, texture and coverage. (I bought one each of the Urban Decay and YSL to test against the Sephora Collection and I’ll say right now she was right.)
Next up is a run through review of everything I bought and tried along with a mini tutorial of how I’ve been recreating the color correcting look to diffuse dark spots and dark circles. Here are the items she used on me during the makeover. I bought all the items she tried with the exception of the Violet powder because I already own the Pink although I’m seriously considering going back to the store to pick it up this weekend.
Left to right are:
Micro Mini Correct Four by beautyblender – there are some new beautyblender options, for the color correcting trend they launched a set of four in different colors, I really like these for blending under the eyes or in the creases of the nose, it’s nice to have different colors on hand to match the correctors so you don’t have to worry about mixing colors together
Algenist Reveal Concentrated Color Correcting Drops in Blue – you can use these alone or mixed in with foundation to help color correct the skin. I’ve been using this as a base, almost like a primer to help counter my sallow undertones with my olive yellow skin. It brightens the skin without looking too blue. You can even mix it in with moisturizer to blend all over to make it a bit more sheer. I really like the way this performs.
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation in 128 (looks dark but blends out to a slightly lighter finish, that being said I am getting lighter right now so I will probably have to purchase a different shade soon to mix) is one of the most amazing foundation sticks I have ever tried (it rivals Tom Ford’s) – I’ll have a separate review in the upcoming weeks once I’ve given it a thorough test drive but it offers medium to full buildable coverage that looks amazing
Sephora Collection Bright Future Color Correctors in Green and Melon – After testing this compared to YSL and Urban Decay, I have to say that my favorites for texture and consistency on my face are the Sephora Collection ones, they don’t crease or emphasize fine lines and they have enough coverage and pigment to truly neutralize my face issues, the Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid in Peach has a similar coverage to the Sephora ones and looks great on the skin but if I don’t have enough primer under my eyes it emphasizes all the fine lines that I don’t want to show up, the YSL by comparison is a lot more sheer in finish and I need more coverage
A quick side note, during my make over I mentioned my favorite under eye concealer of the moment was the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer and that I liked the ones with peachy tones (mainly R32) to warm up and brighten under eyes, Dre did mention that this was also one of her favorites to use, but she showed me the Sephora Collection in Melon for me to try something new
Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Flawless Wear Concealer in Warm Light Medium – she used this to highlight my face and I was so impressed with the coverage and texture I had to try it out – it offers smooth flawless coverage and really does stay in place without caking or creasing through out the day
Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder – I already own this and have repurchased numerous times, it’s one of my favorite loose setting powders, if you haven’t tried it I will say you need to
A simple step by step mini tutorial showing before and after. I took the tips learned at my appointment to recreate a flawless base at home. I hoped to take an after show last week but the store lighting wasn’t ideal. In the first shot I did prep my skin with a thin layer of foundation, but as you can see dark spots and dark circles are still highly visible:
Below are the tools I recommend using, but you can shop your stash and find what works:
A look at packaging and different applicators for each kind of color corrector that I’ve been testing out ranging from droppers, sponge tips, squeeze tubes and click brush applicators:
Side by side swatches of the color correctors and some concealers:
I hope you enjoyed this overview on color correcting! If you’re a novice like me I hope the rundown of my makeover, all the options I tried and swatches help make the color correcting concept seem less confusing or intimidating. I went into my appointment thinking that there wasn’t going to be much that could be done for my dark spots but I went in with an open mind and learned so much. Sometimes makeovers can be a daunting process especially if you get a pushy artist or one who just doesn’t listen to your needs or who doesn’t care preferences. I really recommend trying to book an appointment at your local Sephora – I am already planning on going back for a second appointment hopefully in the next couple of months because my experience was that good. If you’re in the area of South Coast Plaza try to book one with Dre – she’s awesome. If you can’t make it into the store, there is an online survey on the Sephora Color Correcting Makeup page to guide you and help narrow down the picks according your specific concerns and skin type.
Have you tried color correcting recently or is it something you’ve always done for your base makeup routine? Please let me know what you’ve tried and your thoughts. I always learn new tips and tricks from you and would love to hear about what you have been testing or if you have any favorites.
This post was created in partnership with Sephora. As always all opinions my own. Most products picked out and purchased by me, press samples include the Besame Powder and Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealers.
Anastasia Beverly Hills recently extended their product line at Sephora and I picked up three shades of Lip Gloss ($16 each) that had been on my radar for quite some time. I’ve long avoided buying the glosses because of their opacity – I thought they would most likely look flat or plastic-like on my lips but having seen so many amazing swatches on social I decided to give them a go. My first three shades include Undressed (pale milky nude beige), Vintage (medium rose pink) and Metallic Rose (shimmering cool mauve rose). The formula is indeed very opaque and gives the lips full coverage. The creams (non-shimmers) go on smoothly and I was really impressed that they don’t settle into lip lines like so many cream glosses do. The shimmers are non-gritty and also very smooth on the lips. These have a strong vanilla scent when you first apply them, but it disappears after 2-3 minutes. After it sets I really can’t smell anything from the gloss. Lasting power and pigment is incredible – they have almost a liquid lipstick kind of finish with the way they are so opaque but have that shiny lip gloss formula. Texture isn’t weightless but at the same time it’s not super heavy.
I put on Metallic Rose first and I was blown away by how incredibly smooth, richly pigmented and gorgeous the color was. It’s truly the prettiest most amazing rose shimmer I have ever tried. I really can’t get over how stunning it is. I tried Vintage next and it’s a perfect medium pink nude. Undressed is one of the shades I see featured the most on other blogs and on Instagram. I knew there was a good chance this would be a high-maintenance nude and as expected it is. For me, my perfect pale beigey nude in a lipstick is MAC Pure Zen or Japanese Maple. Others tend to look like concealer on me. I was able to get Anastasia Beverly Hills Undressed to work with a bit of tweaking – I applied MAC Subculture lipliner and filled in the lips then put the gloss on top and blended everything with a brush to make it work. I think if I use a darker liner like MAC Boldly Bare or Stripdown it will probably work better for me.
These come with a flat sponge tip applicator which are really easy to use. The way the tip is shaped makes it easy to apply around the edges of the lip precisely.
Swatches below:
Undressed is swatched over MAC Subculture Lip Liner, Vintage and Metallic Rose swatched over bare lips:
I’m really impressed with these and don’t know what took me so long to try these. Now that more of the Anastasia Beverly Hills line is available at Sephora I will definitely be checking out more items. If you have any long-time favorites please let me know. I still have the review on the Glow Kits that I picked up from IMATS on my review to-do list. I hope to have swatches edited and final thoughts sometime next week so stay tuned.
In the meantime – let me know if you’ve tried the Lip Gloss formula and what your favorite shades are! You can find the Anastasia Beverly Hills Lip Gloss at Sephora, Macy’s and Anastasia Beverly Hills.
Becca launched a new foundation earlier this year called the Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation ($38 for 1 oz) which offers smooth, buildable natural coverage that has a soft glow. I’ve been testing this for two months now combined with the Backlight Priming Filter ($38 for 1 oz) which I actually bought and have used with other formulas since last fall but never reviewed. Today I have a review on both with swatches of all the colors of the Aqua Luminous formula.
For foundation I prefer something that is semi-matte and semi-dewy, basically something that’s in between both ends of the finish range and something that looks natural but also offers at least medium coverage. I don’t have perfect skin so visible coverage is essential for me. I used to use the Becca Sheer Luminous Foundation (original version) and the Foundation Stick many years ago (back in the early 2000s when I was in college and the line was still at Nordstrom). My match back then was Macadamia and I was a die-hard fan of the line until it disappeared from stores for a while. It’s since made a comeback at Sephora and Ulta but I never looked into the foundation reformulations until this year.
Glowy luminous foundations can be hit or miss for me. Many look incredible on my skin for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then turn into an unmanageable oil slick after that which is a shame for me because often times the coverage and color options are perfect. I have normal skin with some areas that are slightly oily and the Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation is amazing. It offers everything as described: smooth lightweight coverage, buildable pigment, blurs imperfections and gives the skin an ultra soft glow. It has enough coverage suitable to even out the skin nicely and I didn’t have to pack it on to get the coverage I wanted. Beige turned out to be my perfect match (as in truly perfect, no tweaking required). I still do need concealer or correctors for dark spots or red areas, but that’s the case with most foundations I use anyways.
The only thing I do not like about this foundation is the packaging. It comes with a dropper – you twist the cap to pop up the push-down dispenser at the tip and press to push out product. I find it awkward and difficult to use although it’s not impossible and I can overlook it because the formula is that good. In terms of lasting power it holds up well with or without primer. When I went to Sephora to get matched the artist used the Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer and a beautyblender sponge to apply and it lasted from the time she applied it all over well into the late evening without getting greasy or oily looking. For wear on my own – I’ve tested it by itself, with a number of Make Up For Ever Primers (hydrating and nourishing are what I have) and the Becca Backlight Priming Filter. I think the Aqua Luminous foundation performs well with a number of formulas, a primer definitely isn’t needed for it to look its best. Powder is absolutely needed to set though – otherwise it gets too glowy looking by late afternoon. Some pressed and loose powders that I highly recommend in this post here.
Swatches of all the shades – they are swatched heavily so you can see the color. It blends out to a smooth flawless finish when I use either the Sephora Collection Pro Full Coverage Airbrush #53 brush or a beautyblender (the pink one is the best one, full review here, however I am testing the new nude). The color range is wide but there are definitely some big jumps in between shades. I’m thrilled that Beige is my perfect match.
A few comparison swatches:
Next is the Backlight Priming Filter which is a pearly liquid primer designed to create a base for makeup. It has a very soft luminous finish with a lightweight almost whipped almost liquid texture. I love the packaging pump as it’s easy to use and no fuss. I found it lightweight, non-clogging, non-irritating and luminous. It did create a nice glow and I like using this primer with other foundations but as a person who doesn’t really like primers in general, I didn’t find this essential to creating a flawless base. When the weather was warmer and we had a few heat waves I found this to be too moisturizing for my skin and it left my face looking a bit too dewy. With normal or cooler weather here in Southern California it performs better. In terms of primers though – this is one of the better ones I’ve tried in terms of smoothing the skin and creating a nice canvas for foundation, concealer and powder.
A quick look at Beige and the Primer swatched side by side:
Bottom line both are extremely good in terms of performance. I will be repurchasing the foundation once I’ve used it up. For the primer I’m not sure I find I love it enough to repurchase – I’m still searching for the one that changes everything for me. Still I have no regrets buying it and will use it to the end.
The Makeup Show Los Angeles 2016 is happening this weekend March 19th – 20th at the California Market Center and I’m thrilled to be able to share a sneak preview of some items that will be available at the show! For those new to The Makeup Show is a pro-beauty event open only to those in the beauty and fashion industry including makeup artists, hairstylists, estheticians, cosmetologists, agents, models, stylists, photographers, industry insiders and anyone that works or studies in under the umbrella of beauty and fashion. It typically happens once a year in Los Angeles – they travel nationwide to other cities like New York City, Dallas, Chicago and Orlando.
Tickets are available for purchase online or at the door (they are cheaper if you buy ahead of time online). There are 1 day or 2 day passes available. Since this is an event for professionals you will need to show some credentials at check in (full listing of qualified credentials on the ticket page).
There will be approximately 60 different booths including individual beauty brands, beauty retailers and educators attending such as Make Up For Ever, MustaeV, Hakuhodo, OCC, RCMA, Beautylish, Urban Decay, Sephora Pro (full list of exhibitors here). To see last year’s feature check out this post here on The Makeup Show 2015.
For the preview items sent by The Makeup Show team, full listing is as follows:
A closer look at the color items below starting with the face products. I first tried the Bésame Brightening Face Powders last week in store at Sephora. I tried Violet which is a color corrector for light-medium skintones designed to correct yellow and red (it’s brightening). I was thoroughly impressed by the finish – it’s truly transparent yet brightening and left no white or purple cast on the skin. (I did decide to wait on purchasing it though.) I received Vanilla Rose from The Makeup Show which or light-medium tones, color corrects green and blue tones in the skin. It has a transparent finish as well with a subtle finish. Overall I prefer the effect of the Violet on my face for all over but Vanilla Rose is good for setting the undereye area for me.
Next up is the Scott Barnes Multi Media Liquid Makeup. This is a bi-phase liquid that separates once it settles much like the Armani Glow Foundation. I received the shade Cafe Au Lait which is too dark and too peach for my skintone so it was hard for me to tell how it really performed with such a mis-match. I hope to check out the other colors in person at the show. If I find a match I will be sure to let you know.
From MustaeV is the Lustrous Cream Base which is subtle shimmering opal cream product. It has a similar concept to MAC’s Strobe Cream but the MustaeV has a more emollient moisturizing formula. The finish is also a bit more transparent in finish so the glow cast is more subtle on the skin. You can use the MustaeV as a base under foundation, mix it in with foundation for a glow effect or use on top to highlight any area you want a glow. If you’re interested in a full review let me know.
Swatches on bare skin, note the items are swatched heavily to show the color. When applied on the face with blending the Cream Base and Powder both disappear into a translucent finish.
For lips The Makeup Show as quite a few bold and super edgy colors. From OCC are two grey lip color items. The Cosmetic Colour Pencil in Sebastian is a grey taupe. It’s for both lips and eyes, I can see myself wearing it on the eyes. On the lips – I just don’t pull off grey well. There’s a new Lip Tar in Indrid which is an opalescent violet pink shimmer. The pigment and finish is excellent. The color is not something I would ever wear. For both of these shades I didn’t swatch the entire lip – part of the center isn’t touched up so you can see a bit of my natural lip color underneath.
From Make Up For Ever there are three items in the Lip Fever Passion Pink Collection including Artist Lip Balm #920 Flushed Cherry, Artist Lip Blush #921 Exalted Rosewood and Artist Acrylip #922 Electric Fuchsia. You can find all three at Sephora now. I received the Acrylip #922 which is a high pigment liquid lipstick. It’s a lightweight formula that covers the lips entirely and has a glossy finish. At this time I do not know if more colors in these formulas are coming out – I hope they do because as far as a liquid lipstick goes, I am really liking the shiny finish (most liquid lipsticks are either too opaque or matte which makes them look so flat).
The last color for preview is the Bésame Sweetheart Glaze in Caramel which is a glossy nude. It’s described as a luminous lip protectant with moisturizing ingredients. It has a medium to strong vanilla scent and offers medium smooth coverage which I find really good. Often times cream nudes can settle into lip lines but this one does not. It does have a moisturizing finish – if a gloss formula does not have any moisture-added properties my lips are dried out by the next day – with this one, no peeling or dried out lips so I give this one a thumbs up.
Kat Von D Beauty always launches new items at The Makeup Show. Last year this time the Shade + Light Eye Contour Palette made it’s debut (I still don’t own it but I think I need it in my life). For those who like the concept but want something non-neutral there are four Shade + Light Eye Contour Quads launching. I have a preview of plum which features all matte shades. The colors are in the plum and pink color family which make for a softly contoured eye look. The texture is very powdery with a lot of kick-up but finish is really good. It’s like skin but better with no powdery finish on the eyes – it’s like the product melts into the skin. I played with this a few ways and found that the synthetic brushes were the best tools for application. The Shade + Light Double Ended Contour Brush is excellent in quality and super soft. It applies matte shades very well and blends colors to create a nice gradient.
Also new is from Kat Von D Beauty is the Lock-It Color Correcting Eyeshadow Primer. I was sent Fair but I suspect the next shade up in Light would be more ideal for my skintone. There are a lot of mixed reviews on this one. I’m in the batch that likes it – I smudge it on the lids direct from the tube and blend with a finger. It evens out the lid nicely without looking cakey or flat and truly did make the matte eyeshadows from the Shade + Light Eye Quad last all day long without fading or budging. I have yet to try it with other eyeshadow formulas but first impressions are overwhelmingly positive.
A quick eye look I took a few days ago. This is shown around 5-6 hours after initial application. Colors looked pretty much the same as when I first applied – do note I did a very subtle wash of all four colors layered together.
Last but not least is the Pur Cosmetics Eye Polish in Caviar. This is described as an all-in-one primer and shadow product. It comes with a silicone applicator which I wasn’t able to master. I did try applying this with other detail brushes and found it to be an extremely glitzy highly metallic black gold. I think it will take some practice to figure out the layering and blending – but I will say that the lasting power is quite impressive. I do like a good shimmer eyeshadow but I found this one to be more glitzy than the Armani Eyes to Kill Intense Shadows so for me would be better suited for going out versus everyday.
To recap, the event in Los Angeles is happening this weekend March 19-20th at the California Market Center. All the event details, location, hours, exhibitors, special speaker events are on their website www.themakeupshow.com/la. You can purchase tickets ahead of time online here or also at the door (they are cheaper if you purchase online). Follow them on Instagram @themakeupshow to get more sneak peeks of what’s launching at the event.
I hope you enjoyed this preview! Full recap of the event to follow after
this weekend. If you’re planning to attend please let me know in the
comments! Or if you’ve attended one – would love to hear about your
experience and thoughts too.
Items provided courtesy of The Makeup Show team as a preview for the LA 2016 Event.
Happy Sunday everyone! I hope you’ve been enjoying the weekend – we had rainstorms come through here in Southern California but it was brief and the sun is back out today. I’ve been absolutely obsessed with the Urban Decay UD Gwen Stefani Blush Palette which I promise to review soon. I’ve been waiting for a couple blush palettes that I ordered to arrive in the mail so I can do a battle of the blush palettes post as there have been a few new ones that launched this year. For face I’m still working my way through foundation testing. So far the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint is my most reached-for formula so far this year. I’ll have some thoughts on the Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation and Kat Von D Lock-It Foundation soon.
Last week I stopped by Sephora South Coast Plaza for my first beauty appointment in a Sephora store to learn about color correcting. I half dread in-store makeup appointments because of you never know what kind of artist you will be working with. So many have a hard sell approach or load up on colors that really aren’t flattering. This visit was hands down the best appointment I’ve ever had – I worked with Dre and if you’re in the area I highly recommend trying to book a sit down with her. I’ll have a write up soon on my whole experience. I went in not knowing anything about color correcting and personally thought that using a full coverage foundation could accomplish the same thing in fewer steps. I was so impressed with her knowledge of all the skincare and beauty brands. She was patient in answering all my questions. The results of her application were amazing.
I haven’t done a link love post in a while – but here are a few reads and links I’ve been loving:
For the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint shades, Café Makeup has all the colors swatched
The Louboutin Lipsticks still have not yet launched on the West Coast, I’ve found myself revisiting Rae’s amazing Louboutin Lip Color + Live Swatch video to help me narrow down some picks for an online order soon
Kellie Gonzo is making me want all the OPI New Orleans shades, they are gorgeous on her!
P.S. I’m still obsessed with the Maison Martin Martiela Lipstick On fragrance for a soft girly feminine scent. I just got a mini sample of the new Diptyque Eau Des Sens which is the best orange blossom I’ve ever tried and I am seriously tempted.
Enjoy the last bits of your weekend! Would love to hear about what you’re loving right now. I’m behind on responding to comments but will be following up on your questions soon!
