April 2017

Bronzer + Blush Fragrance Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Paradiso Eye and Cheek, Sole di Positano, Soleil Blanc and Fleur de Portofino

April 12, 2017

I have some more Tom Ford Beauty newness to review in makeup and fragrance. I had already featured a large portion of the Summer Soleil collection last month and am still enjoying everything very much. After a bit of browsing online I noticed a few other products pop up called Paradiso in the Cream and Powder Eye Duo, Cream Cheek Color, Moisturecore Lip Color and Lip Color Sheer. Some other new launches includes a new perfume called Sole di Positano (already shown in this roundup here), Private Blend All Over Body Spray extensions to include Fleur de Portofino and an Dry Oil Spray in Soleil Blanc.

Up first are the scent and body extensions. I’m a huge fan of Tom Ford perfumes even though are on the expensive side. The Private Blends are my favorite and the best one I’ve bought include the Soleil Blanc and Fleur de Portofino. The latest is Sole di Positano which I’m obsessed with for spring. It’s fresh, green, bright different from anything I’ve tried before. Of course when I saw the body sprays and a dry oil spray I was intrigued. They are priced significantly lower so I had to investigate. I bought the Fleur de Portofino All Over Body Spray and the Soleil Blanc Dry Oil Spray and I have to say that the perfumes are the better buy for lasting power and strength. The Body Spray lasts a long time on me if I’m indoors but fades quickly on me if I go outside. Something with the Florida air, heat and my body chemistry doesn’t seem to want to hold the scent. The Dry Oil Spray has a very faint Soleil Blanc scent with a raw oil kind of scent if that makes sense. This one was a disappointment to me in terms of smell – I had expected it to be all kinds of amazing as I love the perfume, but I can barely smell it on me. That being said I had it on all over and my husband walked by me and said “wow you smell really good” which surprised me as I feel like the perfume version is more noticeable.

For color there’s a new Paradiso Cream and Powder Eye Duo. The cream side is lighter and more pink compared to Golden Peach while the glitter side is darker than Golden Peach. I love the cream from Paradiso and the powder from Golden Peach (go figure). I do think they’re different enough to justify both but you might disagree. I swatched them side by side so you can decide for yourself in the event you don’t have a counter near you.

Swatched below Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rose Gold + Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes in Opale (also reviewed here) as a reference for what I consider more champagne/neutrals next to Paradiso and Golden Peach.

For the cheeks there’s also a new Paradiso Cream Cheek Color which at first glance I thought was Pink Sand. If you put them side by side you’ll see the difference. Paradiso has the same gorgeous luminous glowy quality that Pink Sand does. Right now that I’ve gotten more color Pink Sand is almost highlighter material for me while Paradiso is more like a blush. I love this. I’ve only had a chance to test it for one day as it’s something I had to put on immediately – lasting power is quite good for a cream blush. I can’t say how it will perform in super hot humid weather yet but will keep testing it in the upcoming months as the season shifts.

Swatch comparisons to MAC Quiktrick Stick in Miss Cupcake/Tomato, Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand, Paradiso and Pieno Sole, Tom Ford Sheer Cheek Duo in Paradise Lust. The cheek duo has more pigment and is less dewy than the cream cheek color.

A quick look with Tom Ford Cream and Eye Powder Duo in Paradiso, Waterproof Extreme Mascara, MAC Next to Nothing Foundation in Medium Plus (review soon), MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus, Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Paradiso, Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Carriacou (also reviewed here), top by Rag and Bone.

For those curious, I did not buy the Paradiso Lip Color Sheer (I already own it, review here) or the Paradiso Moisturecore Lip Color – they are pretty much identical. I get a quick swatch of them at the counter.

Bottom line, I love the Paradiso eye and cheek items. I do think they’re worth owning even if you have Pink Sand or Golden Peach. For the body and fragrance, I wanted to love the body spray and oil spray – I just think the perfumes are the better buy, although I do like the body spray. I would entirely skip the oil. It added a nice sheen to the skin but I didn’t notice a lot of added hydration my skin other than a light oil. Brands like Caudalie, Moroccanoil or Nuxe have better body oils in my opinion. If you try one new fragrance this spring, I think it should be Soleil Blanc, Fleur de Portofino or Sole di Positano.

You can find all the items at counters now. Available online at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Beautylish and Tom Ford Beauty.

Sole di Positano Provided for review consideration.

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Beauty Favorites Fragrance Home / Interiors Lifestyle

Loving Right Now: Spring Scents

April 10, 2017

Right now I’m obsessed with all kinds of scents that smell like spring. Since moving to Florida I’ve more into scents than I’ve ever been, but there’s something about warm sunny weather that makes me crave something that smells like a tropical vacation. I have a mix of home scents and perfumes I’ve been loving. Some are new launches others have been around for years. I did my spring transition scent post last month and loved hearing about your favorites. Over the years I’ve found a lot of scents I love for spring so this is by no means comprehensive of the best ones out there, but here’s a small selection of what I’ve been loving right now.

For the home I discovered Antica Farmacista last year thanks to the recommendation of Edward Bess. He knew I loved Diptyque and said that Antica Farmacista was a beautiful line with gorgeous diffusers and candles. I fell in love at first sniff and even though I had seen the line for years at Nordstrom I never really paid much attention. I stocked up on a lot of diffusers during the Nordstrom anniversary sale and over the holiday bought a lot of sets as gifts. The line is truly exquisite! Since diffusers do last a lot longer than a candle I’m slowly working my way through trying new scents.

The latest from their line is Lush Palm which is a green floral with Tahitian Gardenia, banana leaf and palm. Notes include Herbaceous Green Accord, Crisp Apple, Pear, Aloe, Grapefruit, Bergamot, White Pepper, Pine, Tahitian Gardenia, Sambac Jasmine, Lily of the Valley, Crisp Water Notes, Cedarwood, Mexican Vanilla, Labdanum, and Sweet Amber. It has a lush green floral feel that has an uplifting cooling and relaxing feel. We’ve been using the large diffuser at home and it fills our living room. The candle has pretty good throw. In their catalog they have scent combinations and one of them is the Bergamot and Ocean Aria. I’ve already burned through two of the candles for that one and adore it. They sent the room spray for me to try and as a bergamot lover it’s really lovely. If you’re looking for a nice mother’s day gift they have a Spring Diffuser Trio with minis of Acqua, Lush Palm and Bergamot Ocean Aria – it’s really perfect. Pair it with a nice bouquet of flowers and I think it would look super cute.

For more in the home scent arena, one of my favorite spring time scents (also good for summer) is the Diptyque Tomas Maier Palm Beach (originally reviewed here). It was a limited-edition scent years ago but they keep restocking and you can find it exclusively at Diptyque stores or online at Diptyque. It has jasmine, iris, lemon, lime, salt and grass. It’s got a lovely lush tropical vibe that isn’t overly sweet. I’ve been exploring more in Cire Trudon. One of the cute stores near us is called the Oxford Exchange and they have a mix of things like a cute restaurant, coffee area, tea bar, Aesop Skincare and a shop with Cire Trudon. I spotted a mini duo called the Giambattista Valli and Cire Trudon Duet which has Positano and Rose Poivree ($105). So far I have not spotted the duo anywhere else online except on Cire Trudon’s website and online at Barneys New York. I’m a sucker for minis and even though this was extremely expensive I could not resist the beautiful design and cute box. Positano is a strong bright white floral with gardenia, orange blossom, jasmine, magnolia, tuberose and lily. Rose Poivree is a strong rose with pepper notes. You can also buy the individual full size at places like Net-A-Porter, Barneys New York or Lucky Scent. Cire Trudon candles are quite the splurge but in my experience the throw and intensity surpasses all other brands.

In perfume long-time readers know I like to switch things up. I finally splurged on a full bottle of the Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt after using up a few minis I had from sets and GWPs. It’s funny because when it first launched I did not like it – but I gave it another chance before I moved and fell in love. I love layering it with the Mimosa and Cardamom and Wild Bluebell both thanks to the rec from one of my favorite Jo Malone reps in San Diego).

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc remains one of my favorites for warm weather but the latest launch Sole Di Positano is just absolutely amazing, especially for bergamot lovers. It an extension of the Neroli Portofino line which gets better with each new launch. This one has Italian bergamot, petitgrain bigrate, lemon and mandarin and shiso leaf. Sole Di Positano is not as citrus or sweet as the Neroli Portofino (one that I find smells great on others but not for me). It’s happiness in a bottle. The All Over Body Sprays have been around for quite some time but I never looked into them. I saw them in person for the first time (I finally discovered a counter near me) and was really surprised by how big the bottles were. They’re aerosol sprays and I decided to try Fleur de Portofino. I have the perfume version which I love for a more floral version of the Neroli Portofino line. I have mixed feelings about the sprays. When I’m indoors the scent lasts a long time on me with good staying power. However if I spray it on me and am outdoors for an extended period of time I find it fades after a few hours. I absolutely love the scent and am going to try layering the spray with the perfume. More thoughts to come soon – but Fleur de Portofino is another spring time favorite.

Last but not least Creed Virgin Island Water is pure love. It’s more of a summer scent but since it feels like summer where I am this is perfect. I don’t know that I’ve fallen in love with a scent as much as I have this one. I’m trying to ease up on use because I bought the smallest one and an worried I’m going to use it up too fast. I know it’s a silly thing to worry about since perfume is meant to be used – the small bottle was just so expensive!

That rounds up my loving right now spring home and perfume roundup. What are you loving right now? Do you have anything you’ve been obsessed with for the home? This time of year I feel like it’s the best time to makeover one’s home whether it’s updating bedding, home accents or new scents. Since we just moved, we are still in the process of furnishing our home. Going from a small loft to a full size house with a backyard and more bedrooms has been so exciting for us, but our furniture is pretty much swallowed up by the space. The last time we moved it took us about 6 months to fully furnish our loft because we started from scratch. This round I suspect it will also take time to fully furnish the home.

Press samples include Tom Ford Sole di Positano, Antica Farmacista Lush Balm and Bergamot Ocean Aria.

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What's In My Bag

What’s In My Bag

April 9, 2017

It’s been a little over a month since we moved to Florida and I cannot believe how fast time flies! I’ve been sharing snippets of our weekly explorations of Tampa on Instagram Stories and I’m touched by those who’ve sent kind words of support and even restaurant recommendations. This move has been such a huge change for me as I’ve lived in California most of my life. Living in the south is such a new and different experience but change can be good and my husband and I are loving it so far. Yesterday I shared a quick what’s in my bag video on Instagram – I received so much positive feedback I thought I’d do a post on it in case you missed it. One thing that has surprised us about Tampa is that the city seems a lot bigger and more spread out than we expected. On days (primarily weekends) where we are out and about it feels like we are out for extended periods of time and because of this I’ve found it necessary to pack an extra set of clothes in the trunk since temperatures can change a lot. I’ve also had to pack some extra things in my bag since making a quick trip home isn’t always an efficient option time-wise.

I do switch up my bag contents frequently and I don’t always carry this much with me but let’s call this my weekend out and about edition of what’s inside my bag. A look at what was inside my Neverful MM bag yesterday:

So up first are some tech things. By popular request I’ll be doing an updated camera post on what I use to shoot my blog photos. I did one a few years ago but have since acquired a couple more cameras. My long-time favorite was the Sony NEX-6 but it was discontinued. It has held up for a long time and I love it but unfortunately dropped it and broke the lens. It is an easy replacement but since newer models have come out, I decided to try the Sony Alpha 5100 because it has a flip screen and a slightly smaller body. Review on this soon, but first impressions are that I like the design and features of the NEX-6 a lot better because of the viewfinder, dial and option for external flash. (The current version is the Alpha 6000.) Another camera I’ve used for a long time is the Canon G16, another model that has been discontinued. The more popular version which is the closest equivalent is the G7x Mark II which has the flip screen option for vlogging or selfies.

So inside my bag yesterday I carried two cameras to test outdoors. For my Sony I have an older leather camera case, similar options here and here. For my Canon I never bought a proper case. It usually stays in good condition if I put it inside my purse alone, but since I’ve been carrying more sunscreen and mini perfumes (to reduce swelling for bug bites if I get them), I try to protect it a bit more. I’ve found the Glossier bubble pouches are a cheap quick fix for now. Also inside my bag is a Gucci Card Case, iPhone case is from Gray Malin, sunglasses are by Marc Jacobs (currently 25% off at Nordstrom).

For body, skincare and makeup, I find that clear Truffle Pouches are essential to keeping everything organized. I tend to prefer open totes and have found that things can get cluttered and messy without dividers. I should invest in a separate purse insert/divider but for years I’ve loved the clear pouches for almost anything and everything.

I have an older style of the Truffle Small Clarity Clutch (older ones had the red trim, current version has a white trim) to carry hand creams, skincare and sunscreen. In this weekend’s bag I had the Molton Brown Hand Cream in Pink Pepperpod, Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve (mini from this set), Fresh Sugar Sport Sunscreen (for my husband) and the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Spray with SPF50. I’ve still been putting a number of sunscreens to the test. I’ve found Shiseido comes highly recommended by a lot of my readers but I’ve never found a sunscreen I could convince myself to buy because the creams have a white cast. The spray version is clear and today it did a pretty good job at protecting me and by the end of the day I had no reaction or bumps like I get with most brands of sunscreen.

I also like to use the Truffle Mini Pouches because they’re more compact. Other items include the Commodity Travel Spray in Bergamot (thanks to some readers who recommended I try this brand!), Tatcha Blotting Papers, Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation (I’m still shade #4), Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade, YSL Tint-in-Balm (swatched here), Tom Ford Lip Balm (review here) and Tatcha Dewy Skin Mist (travel size).

I hope you enjoyed this peek into my bag! So many of you were so sweet on my Instastories I wanted to share it in a blog post. If there’s anything else you want to see on Instagram let me know. I’m new to taking video clips but I’m having lots of fun with it. Some quick notes on what’s coming up soon on the blog: an updated skincare routine (since my skin has become a lot drier since moving to Florida), sunscreen roundup (might be another week though), some more Tom Ford goodness (new fragrance, a look at the Paradiso Eye Duo and thoughts on one of the body sprays), thoughts on the new MAC Next to Nothing foundation and some loves in body care/home. Basically a little bit of everything!

Since moving to Tampa from San Diego, both my husband and I have experienced dryness in skin and hair. We’re not really sure what the cause is as we expected to be more oily with the heat and humidity. We’ve both been drinking plenty of water, we’ve made an effort to have as little sun exposure as possible, but this is kinda impossible in Florida, we’ve been eating healthy – if you have any insight on what could be the cause let me know in the comments. I suspect it could be the difference in water, but we’re both baffled!

Press samples featured include the Tom Ford Lip Balm, Truffle Clarity Clutch (small, older style) and Molton Brown hand cream.

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YSL Beauty

YSL Volupte Tint-In-Balm

April 7, 2017

Earlier this year YSL launched a new lipstick called the Volupte Tint-In-Balm ($34 each for 0.12 oz/3.5 g, made in France). There have been numerous teasers on social but have been nearly impossible to find for quite some time. Shades kept selling out and going on back-order and as a makeup junkie I’ve been trying to track them down for weeks. They’ve finally arrived at most retailers. I ordered three from Nordstrom as seen/swatched in my Spring Makeup Bag post. I stopped by Sephora recently and picked up a few more shades and have 8 of the 12 to review for you today. The Volupte Tint-In-Balms appear to have replaced the Volupte Sheer Candy formula. They have a very similar feel in terms of having a glossy texture, sheer pigment, moisturizing feel and grapefruit scent (although YSL calls it pomegranate). These have the cutest little lip-shaped centers which runs from the top to bottom throughout the core – these have moisturizing ingredients like apricot butter and jojoba oil.

I really love these balms. They have a nourishing emollient feel and are super easy to apply. If you like products like the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines or even the YSL Volupte Shine Oil in Stick I suspect you will like these YSL Volupte Tint-In-Balms. I would say by comparison the YSL runs a bit more sheer with a jelly-like slightly transparent finish. Your natural lip color will show through. The YSL also has a more emollient balmy feel by comparison to the Chanel.

Many of you might wonder how these compare to the Tom Ford Clutch-Sized Lip Balms from the Summer Soleil collection (reviewed here). I would say the YSL has a softer more glossy texture. It has a more emollient feel while the Tom Ford balms are a bit harder. The Tom Ford balms feel like they adhere a bit more to my lips while the YSL has more slip. I can’t say one is better than the other, but for months where the weather is hot and humid I think I’m going to prefer the Tom Ford.

A quick note on Fresh Sugar tinted lip balms since I know many of you have asked me to compare. I had quite a few before but they kept breaking on me so I stopped buying them. I don’t know if they’ve changed the formula or packaging but mine always broke on me. Texture/pigment I find the Fresh balms to be a lot thicker but with slightly more pigment.

Due to the sheerness of pigment these will look different on you depending on your natural lip tone. The Sephora website has them swatched on two skintones, fair and deep. I am somewhere in the middle so none of the swatches on the chart resemble what the colors look like on me, but it does give you a good idea on the difference in undertone.

The shades I purchased:

1 Dream My Nude is a nude pink with mauve tones
2 Tease Me Pink is a soft pink
3 Call Me Rose is a pale baby pink
4 Desire Me Pink is a bright watermelon color
7 Flirt Me Coral is a medium peach
9 Tempt Me Pink is a hot bright pink
10 Seduce Me Pink is a pink berry
12 Try Me Berry is a bright pink with plum tones

I love every single shade, although on me brighter pinks tend to look the same on my lips. I don’t test testers on myself at the store (I only hand swatch them), so it was impossible for me to tell that some of them would look nearly identical on me. If I were able to do it over, I would have opted for #5 Dare Me Plum instead of #12 Try Me Berry. I would have also picked #4 Desire Me Pink, #9 Tempt Me Pink or #10 Seduce Me Pink (not all three).

Here’s what they look on me below. They were swatched over a few different days, but I’m wearing the same foundation in all the photos which is the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque (although in the past week I’ve gotten a bit more color and probably should be wearing Natural or Sable instead).

Swatches as always are on bare lips, no liner or foundation or concealer as a base:

One last look, top row is: 1, 2, 3, 4 and the bottom row is 7, 9, 10, 12

As a neutral lip lover, my favorites are 1 Dream Me Nude, 2 Tease Me Pink, 3 Call Me Rose and 7 Flirt Me Coral. I love that the brighter ones give a healthy wash of color without feeling overdone. As a lipstick and lip balm junkie I think these are great. They’re nice to throw in the purse for a bit of color that will go with any look or occasion. Lasting power of course isn’t going to be as long as a lipstick or liquid lipstick. I am able to get a decent amount of wear without fading but these days I’m trying to better about drinking more liquids to stay hydrated so the constant sipping has impacted the lasting power of lip products. For some reason since my husband and I have moved to Florida our skin has felt significantly more dry even though we thought the opposite would happen with the warm humid weather. We’re switching up our skincare and body care so stay tuned for a spring skincare update soon.

Bottom line, I love these. I think everyone should check out at least one color. That being said if you don’t like sheer and want visible color, check out the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Oil-in-Stick instead (I still swear by #47 Beige Blouse).

You can find the YSL Volupte Tint-in-Balm at all counters now. Some stores may be sold out of shades as I’ve found they keep selling out. You can also find them online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and YSL Beauty.

Have you checked these out yet? What did you think?

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Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin Les Yeux Noirs

April 5, 2017

This spring Christian Louboutin has expanded his beauty line to include eye makeup in his Les Yeux Noirs collection. True to Louboutin style these are luxurious pieces with elaborate packaging that are like works of art. I have two pieces to review for you today but the entire collection includes:

Les Yeux Noirs Amplifying Mascara available in 2 shades: Khol (Blackest Black) and Sevillana (A Rich Burgundy) $70 each
Oeil Vinyle Luminous Ink Liner available in 3 shades: Khol (Blackest Black), Lady Twist (Khol Blue) and Rouge $75 each
Oeil Velours Velvet Eye Definer available in 5 shades: Khol (Blackest Black), Zoulou (Rich Warm Brown), Fierce (Iridescent Plum), Deep Teal (Peacock Blue), Hot Chick (Chartreuse Yellow) $40 each
Brow Definer available in 4 shades: Blonde, Brunette, Auburn and Taupe $40 each

I was kindly gifted the Les Yeux Noirs Amplifying Mascara in Khol and the Oeil Vinyle Luminous Ink Liner in Khol. I’ve reviewed quite a few Louboutin products before, both purchased items and press samples and have been really impressed with their nail polishes and lip products. Based on this I had extremely high expectations for both the mascara and liner. After testing I have one product I feel is a total hit and one item I have luke-warm feelings towards.

First – the packaging on both the liner and mascara is just out of this world gorgeous. They are so unique and the packaging makes quite the statement. Design-wise they are functional and very easy to hold and use. Travel-wise they aren’t really travel-friendly. I tried both items in the black shade Khol and both are true rich black colors. Even though pigments have improved these days there are still some brands where the black shades actually look grey once they dry down.

Up first is the Les Yeux Noirs Amplifying Mascara in Khol. This is a true black mascara that comes with a rubberized applicator in a heavy weight tube. When it comes to mascara I feel like I’m usually disappointed. I have straight lashes that doesn’t hold a curl very well. Also since they are straight I find many are prone to smudging. In testing mascara I know that there are some formulas that take a couple uses to get it going – I’m not sure why but sometimes the first application just doesn’t work. That was the case with the Louboutin mascara. The first use did not do much of anything for my lashes except darken and define slightly. I gave it two more tries before it started to work properly am glad I did because it performs well.

It is described as having a formula that gives dramatic volume, enhances definition, length lift and curl of the lashes. I found that it did all that it claims with the exception of one area. For me it was a bit lacking in volume. As I’ve mentioned with other mascara reviews though – if a mascara can hold the curl, doesn’t clump and doesn’t smudge then to me I’ll give it a thumbs up. I can build up volume with a few coats but it does take some work and patience on the upper lashes. I rarely wear mascara on my lower lashes because mascara tends to just clump and smudge. I gave this a try on my lower lashes and it’s amazing there. Even with mildly humid warm weather here in Florida I had no smudging from morning until late evening. I will say it’s not waterproof but it doesn’t claim to be. The packaging is heavy weight and design makes it easy to hold and apply. Luke warm feelings are mainly due to price and the fact that it doesn’t knock my socks off for volume. The most I’ve spent on mascara before was with the Chantecaille Faux Cils Longest Lash Mascara which is $72 and I was not happy about spending that much even though I’ve spent more on palettes and lipstick before.

On the nails is Edgypopi reviewed and swatched here

Next is the Oeil Vinyle Luminous Ink Liner in Khol which I think is just incredible. I’m not much of a liquid liner person although I’ve tried a number of formulas that are good. I just prefer pencils or dark shadows as liner because it’s easier for me and I find them more forgiving with the precision aspect. Also many tend to bleed or just don’t have enough pigment and end up looking ashy or grey on my eyes. The Louboutin liquid liner has a felt tip that is soft and easy to use. It also has a rich glossy black ink finish – the pigment and finish are what make this an amazing liquid liner. It lasts all day without smudging and there’s no bleeding when I apply it. For me it set pretty quickly which is nice – sometimes if a liner doesn’t set right away it can be prone to smudges when I blink. I give this one a solid thumbs up. Pigment is rich, texture is smooth, application is flawless and easy to build for a perfect cat eye. Finish is glossy but dries and sets 100% without smudging. It lasts all day. It literally covers everything I could want in a liquid liner.

A closer look at the packaging and detail of the applicators:

Applicators:

Closer shot:

Swatches of the mascara and liner with different pressure applied to show how you can control the thickness of the lines:

Swatch comparisons with a flash:

Bottom line both are solid performers. I absolutely love the liner and think it’s 100% worth the splurge. With mascara I think it’s just ok but mascara is hard for me in general to love because I have such high expectations. My lashes are so straight and sparse that few mascaras can really do everything that I want it to. Many times my expectations are just too high. For the price I think the lip products are a better splurge. I’m still obsessed with the lip lacquers (my picks reviewed and swatched here and here) and I think the lipsticks are excellent (red ones also reviewed here).

You can find the Louboutin Les Yeux collection online and at Louboutin Beaute counters now. I have yet to see the full beauty line in person but hope to make a trip in the next month to see it live. Available online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue and Christian Louboutin.

Have you checked these out yet? What’s the most you’ve spent on mascara or eyeliner?

Many thanks to Louboutin for gifting me the Les Yeux Noirs.

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Giveaway On My Radar

On My Radar

April 3, 2017

I have a roundup of some items on my radar along with a giveaway I’m hosting to celebrate the start of spring! First a quick note that I’ve updated the look of my site with a new design. There will be little tweaks here and there in the next week – but all the loading and mobile issues should be fixed now! If you still have any trouble viewing anything please shoot me an e-mail. For today’s post I have a few things on my radar right now:

Madewell Leila Sandals (1) look like the perfect casual spring shoes that will be good for warm weather that have the comfort of flip flops but are a bit more dressy
Chanel Cruise Collection for beauty is already live on Chanel.com! I have a few things sitting in my online cart including the Les Beiges Powder (2) in Medium Light, Le Vernis (3) shades in Coralium, Coquillage, Sargasso and Sea Whip, Rouge Coco Stylo (4) in Panorama, will be finalizing my picks later today
I’m a sucker for rosy pink sunglasses and these Kate Spade Aviators (5) look so pretty, I’m hoping the frames aren’t too large!
Edward Bess has some new things launched on QVC and as a huge fan of his cream highlighters I now have his Harmonious Hues Light Stick Trio (6) on my wishlist, they look perfect for spring to summer
Bite Beauty has a cute pink tin set called the Love, Bite Lip Set (7) which looks tempting!
Antica Farmacista just launched their Lush Palm Collection and it’s divine! I’m in love with the Lush Palm Diffuser which they sent over and I’ll review it soon (8) but now have the Room Spray (9) on my wishlist
RMS Beauty has a new Magic Luminizer (10) which is described as a moonlit champagne, I rediscovered the Solar Eye Polish and fell back in love with it so now of course I’m intrigued by other items from their line
MAC Lipglass (11) packaging got a makeover and they added more shades, I’ve accumulated a stockpile of empties for B2M and plan on checking them out later this week
NARS has a new Sun Wash Diffusing Bronzer (12) in four shades, I’m curious to see how this compares to their current bronzer, I’ll be waiting to see and test in person before splurging, if you’ve tried this let me know your thoughts!

I’m running a giveaway this week for five $100 eGift Cards to Nordstrom. It’s open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify and must use the widget below to enter. All the details are in the Terms and Conditions in the widget but here’s the rundown:

Giveaway runs through 4/7/2017 11:45 PM EST
Open internationally
Must be 18 years or older to qualify
Enter in the widget below – there are multiple ways to enter!
Five separate winners will be selected at random through the widget within 48 hours after giveaway ends
Selected winners will be contacted via e-mail from me and also listed on the widget in this post
If selected you must respond and confirm within 72 hours otherwise another winner will be selected
Selected winners will receive an eGift card within 24 hours of responding to my e-mail
This giveaway is not sponsored or affiliated with anyone other than me

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

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Bronzer + Blush By Terry Highlighters

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love

April 1, 2017

Happy Saturday! I have a weekend post for you today because I don’t want you to miss out on a new launch from By Terry. Today Beautylish is launching two new Sun Designer Palettes ($82 for 15 g/0.53 oz, made in Italy) from the By Terry Tropical Break collection and they have a 2-week early exclusive. If you signed up for their early access page the palettes will be available at 9:00 AM PST and 11:00 AM for the public. I have one of the new ones to feature today, Savannah Love #4 and it’s stunning. A quick look at their early access page shows that Savannah Love is the lighter option of the two new ones and I’m grateful that Beautylish sent one for me to preview.

I previously featured the first two Sun Designer Palettes #1 Tan and Flash Cruise and #2 Light and Tan Vibes last year (how time flies!). You can see swatches and a review in my original post. The new palettes this year have the same size packaging and pans but the embossed texture has a more summery vibe to resemble a palm print. Also the dividers in this season’s launch are gold-colored versus the black dividers. If you’re looking for a really pretty summer glow Savannah Love #4 will give you a natural flush of color. It has a mix of textures and shades to be versatile for eyes and cheeks.

Colors:

Shimmering soft pink
Shimmering warm gold
Berry satin (shimmer is very subtle)
Satiny-matte light nude cool pink (love this color)
Satiny-matte nude warm pink
Soft shimmering cool bronze

Pigment is medium-rich but soft and buildable. Textures are similar to that of the first two in the sense they are extremely soft and smooth powders that feel of high quality. Since they are powders there will be some powder kick up but there’s very minimal fall out once you apply to the face. They meld with the skin nicely, blend smoothly, don’t emphasize pores and last all day without fading.

Close ups and swatches:

Because I know so many of you will ask, I swatched the three I have side by side. There are six colors per palette so I had a hard time getting them to all fit on the arm in larger swatches. I do think that Savannah Love #4 is different enough for both sides to justify buying even if you already own #1 and #2. I will say that the Light and Tan Vibes is my favorite out of the three. Also a quick note that I’ve been out in the sun so my body is already at least 1 maybe 2 shades darker as I’ve been experimenting with different sunscreens while outside. My face is still the same color as I’ve been using SPF50. I didn’t have time to photograph a beauty look this round – it was a toss up between swatching and photographing comparisons + brushes or a look. I felt that comparisons would be more helpful this round.

My favorite is #2 and I think it will suit a wide range of skin tones. If you have medium-tan to deep I think you’ll find that #1, #4 or even #3 (not featured) will be more up your alley for a pretty summery look!

Another note since many of you have asked about pan size. Yes it’s inevitable that you’ll mix colors with a face brush. You can still dip a smaller brush into an individual color without mixing if you’re careful. The beauty of these palettes is that even if you mix the result is still pretty. I personally like to swirl my brush in either the right half or left half and then apply on the face. If you’re in search for some smaller detail brushes I hope this helps.

Shown above includes: Chanel Blush Brush, Wayne Goss Brush 02, MAC Duo Fiber 188, Wayne Goss Holiday 2016 (discontinued), Wayne Goss #14 (part of his new Face Set, sold out but they will restock), Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush.

A few more thoughts on Savannah Love. Out of the three I have, the new Savannah Love does feel like it has more variety in color and texture. You can swirl 2 or more the colors together. If I take a smaller brush I can separate the colors for individual application. I like that the lighter shades help to blend or soften harsh edges while still adding color. The darkest bronze shade is a little bit dark to wear on the face alone for me but if I swirl it with other shades it works for the cheeks. I find it really subtle on the eyes as eyeshadow. If you like color but don’t want something super bright go with #4 Savannah Love. If you want more pop and color go with #1 Tan and Flash Cruise. If you want something more natural go with #2 Light and Tan Vibes (love love love this one!). There’s no detectable scent.

Bottom line another solid launch from By Terry. I haven’t explored much of recent launches since I’m still working my way through a lot of her products, in particular the tinted Baume de Rose (I love Coral Stellar and Fig Fiction). The prices are very high but worth the splurge.

You can find the new By Terry Sun Designer Palettes on Beautylish (launching today!). If you’ve tried these what did you think? If not what are you wearing for a summery cheek look right now? Or are you waiting for summer launches?

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending Savannah Love for review.

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