2018

Instagram Roundup, Some FAQs and the Apps I Use

February 1, 2018

Happy Thursday! I have three things for you today: an Instagram roundup with some FAQ, a list of the 3 Instagram apps I use and a spring cleaning closet blog sale! I get a lot of questions about my Instagram posts @beautylookbook. Often times the images are snippets from the blog to alert readers a new post is up, other times it’s more of what’s inspiring me. I don’t have a consistent plan or schedule for content – I’d like to be more active and organized and hope to do more this year. First some FAQs:

What cameras do you use to take your photos?
- I have used a few cameras over the years, these days I alternate between my iPhone 6S and Sony a7R II with a FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM Lens. I have an iPhone X which I’m trying to set up as well but I have a long list of things to do and haven’t gotten around to it, but I’m excited to try it! So many of you ask about all the cameras I’ve tried – I did a roundup a few years ago, I’ll try to put together an updated one in the next month or so. For now I’ve started to put together an Amazon Shop Page and I’ll be adding more of the equipment and tools I use that you can refer to. My equipment is usually bought from Amazon or B&H Photo.
What apps do you use for Instagram?
- Scroll to the bottom for more details the three I use. I mainly use Afterlight, Snapseed and Planoly.
Can you tell me about (insert product name) in this photo?
- I get lots of questions about certain products in my photos, I’ll round up my recent ones and go through them below 🙂

Instagram Roundup

We’ve been in our new place for a couple weeks now and yes I’m thrilled we don’t have to move for a while! I’ve been slowly unpacking things and it’s like Christmas as I rediscover things. We’re in the process of ordering furniture, I always forget that delivery can sometimes take a while. For this photo, a lot of you ask about the mirror I have. It’s the Gleaming Primose Mirror in the smallest size. I also recently bought the Byredo Tree House Candle which is a beautiful smoky scent. I smelled this in the Byredo store in Soho last spring and have been dreaming about it ever since. Some of you have noticed the larger sizes of Louis Vuitton perfumes! The Louis Vuitton team sent over an amazing surprise package with a full size of the Apogee and a travel atomizer set of Dans La Peau *. Both are beautiful for spring. I can definitely update you on these. For now you can read my review on all 7 scents in the Les Parfums Miniature Set review. There’s also a new one launching in the spring and I’m dying to smell it!

Everyone has been asking about that pink nail polish, it’s Chanel Nuvola Rosa from the Spring-Summer 2018 Collection. And yes, it’s lovely! The pale pink makeup bag is the Louis Vuitton Cosmetic Case in the Epi material in Dune. It’s held up remarkably well over the years. Some other more affordable options can be found from The Daily Edited.

Bag spill shot on my iPhone with a little editing using the Snapseed and Afterlight apps. On the nails is Dior Love for spring. I’m going to try and find you a dupe as it’s sold out and only available online at Dior.com. Handbag favorites are the Chanel La Creme Main * because it has a lovely light scent and an amazing velvety drydown, Sisley Lip Treatment because it has no scent and is lighter in finish than the By Terry Baume de Rose, Tom Ford Lipstick in Lara, Tom Ford Soleil Blanc (in the travel atomizer), and Glossier Lip Gloss (this referral link will get you 10% off your first Glossier order). The Louis Vuitton Tote I have is the Neverfull MM size. It has quite a bit of patina on the leather as it’s been through quite a few rain storms. I find the darker leather or bags like the ones from Goyard hold up better in terms of color in wet rainy areas.

For the flatlays so may of you ask where I get the sheepskin rug. I’ve had a few from Pottery Barn. They’re on the expensive side but so soft and fluffy! One got ruined from our pets chewing their dog treats on it. I try to keep them in places where the dogs don’t go. It’s pretty much the only way to keep them clean. Flats are my favorite flats of all time which are the Chloe Scalloped Flats. I’ve had a black pair for a few years now and they’re the most comfortable ones I’ve bought. Also shown is the NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette * (still obsessed), Tom Ford Cheek Duo in Lavender Lure * (so pretty), NARS Lip Cover in Summer Fire *, NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz, MAC Dazzleglass in Sugarrimmed, L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara in Blackest Black, Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist #2 and Louis Vuitton Perfume in Apogee *.

I have received so many questions about my shelfie! The only place in our house that is put together because right now I’m going through tons of boxes trying to find clothes, shoes, skincare etc. If you have more questions let me know. I’ll do a makeup storage post once our house is more put together and I figure out how to organize everything. Details row by row below:

Top Row 1

Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow (originally reviewed here, I’ve used up 2 of these since then!) and the new Brightening Youth Glow (review to come soon)
Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Lip Glosses in #1, 2, 3 and 4 (review on all the colors here)
Bobbi Brown Extra Glow * (review + swatches here)
Diptyque Chene Candle recycled, how I clean out my candles in this post here also tips on how to burn properly here (I think it’s time for me to do an update?)
Louboutin Loubilaque (among the best in lipgloss for me, swatches here)

Middle Row 2

MAC Fix+ Mini Scented, now available in full sizes in Coconut, Lavender and Rose!
Sisley miniature toners from their Beauty Subscription Program reviewed in depth here (definitely worth the price because you’re basically just paying for shipping!)
Sisley Radiant Glow Express Mask, one of my favorites for a soothing glow
NARS Natural Radiant Foundation in Vanuatu * (all the colors swatched here)
Estee Lauder Double Wear Nude and Double Wear Foundation, both in 3W1 Tawny (review soon)
Dior Addict Lip Glow swatches here and new shades here (OBSESSED!)
Chanel No 5 L’Eau (this is my second bottle)
Louis Vuitton Apogee * (review in this post here)

Bottom Row 3

Sisley Confort Extreme Levres Lip Balm
Byredo Mojave Ghost Eau de Parfum
L’Artisan Mure et Musc, probably one of the prettiest feminine perfumes I’ve ever tried
Chanel Nuvola Rosa swatched here, Organdi swatched here and here
111SKIN Space Aqua Booster *
Bobbi Brown Lip Tints * (new shades for spring reviewed here)

Where do you get your trays? I shop around for different ones – they keep me organized! This one above is the Fishs Eddy Gilded Cafe Mirror Tray. I also like the Acrylic ones and White Lacquered squares from West Elm. CB2 also has some cute options. My rectangular marble tray was from Restoration Hardware.

Photo Editing Apps for Instagram

Most everything on the blog is edited in Photoshop. For the phone, the three Instagram Apps I use include Afterlight, Snapseed and Planoly. In my recent survey most of you said you were not interested in blogging tips but some mentioned questions about photography, Instagram and editing. If you want a more detailed post on this let me know in the comments. You can download all of these on the App Store on your phone.

Afterlight and Snapseed are my main go-to’s for image editing. I like the functions on Afterlight to change tone, brightness, sharpness and contrast. Snapseed has a lot of tools to edit the perspective if an image has any distortion. It also has a healing function to fill in gaps along the side. The selective tool is amazing for brightening a specific part of the photo you tap, such as a corner or brighten a shadow – this allows you to brighten one part without changing the entire image.

Afterlight

Snapseed

Before and After

Here are a few before and afters, this is just editing for my iPhone photos, blog photos go through a different editing process:

Planoly

Planoly is an Instagram planning tool. It allows me to see how things are going to look from a feed perspective and also helps me plan content. It lets you move unplanned content around so your feed looks a bit more cohesive. If you purchase the paid version you can also see a history of your posts with the times you published them and engagement. The calendar helps give you a bigger picture of how often you’ve posted, what times and historical engagement.

Spring Cleaning Blog Sale

Last but not least, I’m doing some spring cleaning for my closet. I’m selling a bunch of bags, wallets and other leather goods to make way for new items. You can check out my Blog Sale Page here (US only).

I hope you enjoyed this Instagram Roundup! Let me know in the comments if you want to see anything else!

Featured products that were press samples have a * next to them.

26 Comments

Chanel

Chanel Beauty Spring-Summer 2018 Collection Picks

January 30, 2018

I finally have a roundup of my picks from the Chanel Spring-Summer 2018 Collection! I ordered a few items sight unseen from the Chanel website and overall the colors have a summery vibe with lots of brights. I skipped quite a few items as I can’t really pull off greens or yellows very well and some of the lip options seem very bold and red.

What I ordered:

Joues Contraste in Foschia Rosa ($45)
Rouge Allure Ink in Eterea ($37)
Rouge Coco Gloss in 786 Sibylla, 788 Parthenope, 792 Aphrodite and 794 Poppea ($30 each)
Le Vernis in Nuvola Rosa, Verde Pastello and Arancio Vibrante

Up first is my favorite item of the collection which is the Joues Contraste blush in Foschia Rosa. It’s a medium bright coral that brightens the face with a very nice flush. It’s not too dark and not too bright for my skin tone but I do apply with a light hand. It has a soft smooth texture in the US blush formula (non-US countries usually have a baked version for the Chanel blushes). There’s a tiny sheen but it’s pretty much a satiny matte.

Swatch comparisons below to a few other coral/reds:

Chanel Les Beiges Duo No 2 (discontinued)
Chanel Foschia Rosa (spring-summer 2018)
Chanel Rouge Profond (review here)
Natasha Denona Diamond and Blush Palette in Citrus cream and powder blushes (full palette swatched here)
Tom Ford Cheek Duo in Paradise Lust (review here)

Next are the lip products. I’m already a fan of the Rouge Coco Gloss formula (other shades reviewed here). They’re cushiony high shine glosses with a sponge applicator. There’s no detectable scent and the shades are so so pretty! I love all the new spring shades although the blue one is pretty much clear. Colors are sheer with a subtle tint of color. Scroll down a little and you will see some swatch comparisons. There are similar options in the existing Rouge Coco Gloss lineup. You might want to shop your stash if you already own some of these.

786 Sibylla soft peach coral
788 Parthenope honey beige shimmer
792 Aphrodite sheer blue
794 Poppea bright coral pink

There are also new shades of Rouge Allure Ink and even though I’ve never had much luck with this formula I still ordered one in Eterea which is a light but bright pink if that makes sense. I’m obsessed with the color although it is very streaky when I apply it. It needs some layering and drying to make it smooth but the color is so good I’m determined to make it work!

Rouge Coco Gloss comparisons swatches, other colors reviewed in this post:

Rouge Allure Ink comparison swatches, Cle de Peau Radiant Rouge reviewed here, NARS Lip Cover in Summer Fire swatched here, Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist #2 Baby reviewed here

Last but not least are the Le Vernis nail products. There are four colors total and I bought three. Nuvola Rosa is hands down a must! It’s one of the prettiest baby pinks I’ve ever tried and it has full smooth coverage with 2 coats. Verde Pastello is a fun aqua color I think will be nice for toes but to me this is definitely more of a summer color rather than spring. Arancio Vibrante is a very bright deep orange color and the formula on this is amazing – it’s a one coat wonder, but I still usually always apply 2.

Two coats in each swatch photo. For reference you can see my How I Maintain Hands for Healthy Looking Nails post for my DIY tips and tricks. I don’t wear a lot of nail polish like I used to but I probably get salon manicures once every other month now. The rest of the time I trim and cut myself and paint them on my own.

Beauty look below wearing:

Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation in 3W1 Tawny
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger
Anastasia Beverly Hills Eyeshadow in Amber and Brownie (review here)
L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof in Blackest Black
Hourglass Arch Brow Pencil in Soft Brunette (review soon)
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Pressed Powder Shade #2
Chanel Joues Contraste in Foschia Rosa
Chanel Rouge Allure Lip Ink in Eterea
Chanel Le Vernis in Arancio Vibrante on the nails

Quick tip – my favorite brush to apply super pigmented blushes is the Wayne Goss #11 because it’s fluffy enough to pick up color but give a sheer application.

My favorites below, pretty much everything I bought minus the blue and aqua items:

My ABSOLUTE fav items are the Joues Contraste Foscia Rosa and Nuvola Rosa nail polish. I highly recommend both! Most of the collection is limited-edition. You can always see the indicators on the Chanel website if you’re unsure but these days I usually assume most everything is limited-edition.

You can find the Chanel Spring-Summer 2018 collection at counters now. Online at Chanel, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and all other Chanel retailers.

Have you checked out this collection yet? What did you think?

There’s also a Denieres Neiges de Chanel collection out which I’ll review soon!

30 Comments

Cle de Peau Beaute Lips

Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Lip Gloss Review

January 29, 2018

Cle de Peau Beaute just launched several items for spring and the new Radiant Lip Glosses ($36 each for 8 ml/.25 oz, made in Japan) caught my eye immediately. There are eight shades of gloss all with a radiant and glowing theme that reflect light with subtle shimmers. It’s been a while since I’ve bought any makeup from Cle de Peau although I regularly restock on their Facial Cotton and love their Loose Powder Puff. The last thing I bought lip-wise was the Radiant Rouge Liquid which I thoroughly enjoyed and based on that fact decided to splurge on all of the new Radiant Lip Glosses that launched for spring.

The new Radiant Lip Glosses are cushiony glosses that have a very smooth non-sticky finish. There is a very slight hint of a soft floral scent but it’s a barely there kind of scent so those who prefer scent-free lip products will still be able to wear them. Based on the arm swatches online I expected medium coverage. On me these are sheer to medium, but definitely pull more on the sheer side. Each shade has some degree of reflective shimmer – some are more sparkly than others but every one has a very natural looking sheen.

The eight shades include gem-inspired names:

1 Rose Quartz – pale pink with light gold and light pink flecks, basically clear
2 Warm Crystal – medium iridescent warm beige with silver sparkles
3 Charm – soft rose with a very natural pearl quality
4 Pink Aura – light warm peachy pink with pink and silver sparkles
5 Dream Stone – coral pink cream
6 Rose Pearl – cool toned pink pearl
7 Star Dust – brighter pink with pink shimmers
8 Fire Ruby – sheer red

They come with a sponge tip applicator that has a twist. The wand itself is semi flexible so it molds to the curve of the lips. I love the formula in the sense that it feels comfortable and hydrating. No irritation or peeling the next day after use. I do wish the pigment was kicked up a notch as the colors are gorgeous! But since I have pigmented lips 1 through 4 pretty much look the same on me. The closest thing I can think of in terms of formula is the Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses but the Cle de Peau ones are sheerer, more cushiony and not quite as thick.

As far as lasting power goes they stay put pretty well but as with any sheer formula it’s not going to last for hours and you’ll need to reapply. I just finally tried one of the Lipsticks and the formula is AMAZING! If you’re looking to splurge and love Cle de Peau Beaute, I’d say maybe buy one or two of the glosses but save your pennies for the Lipstick or Radiant Liquid Rouge.

Radiant Lip Gloss + swatches:

All swatched side by side, all on bare lips. On my face I’m wearing the UV Protective Cream Tinted Broad Spectrum SPF 50 in Ochre + Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in #4:

I’m happy with my haul. I think the price point is reasonable, especially since these glosses are from Cle de Peau Beaute. As a gloss I don’t think these are must-haves simply because they the pigment level in real life doesn’t quite match the online swatches. Formula-wise though I think these are amazing. They are nourishing without that heavy feel. Lips feel very smooth and the finish is cushiony without any tacky feel. I think these are really nice glosses, if there was more color payoff they’d be 100% perfect to me, but I like the colors in the lineup.

I do think I’ll be reaching for these frequently in the upcoming months. However my heart still belongs to the Radiant Liquid Rouge and I’m hoping more shades will be launched in that formula.

For now with the new Radiant Lip Gloss, my top picks: Warm Crystal, Star Dust and Dream Stone.

You can find the Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Lip Gloss at counters now. I bought mine from Neiman Marcus. Also available at Nordstrom, Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Cle de Peau Beaute.

Are any of these on your radar? What’s your current favorite lip gloss formula?

21 Comments

Highlighters Natasha Denona

Natasha Denona Spring 2018

January 26, 2018

Natasha Denona Spring 2018 has two new stunning palettes called Diamond and Blush ($89 each for 6 x 7 g/0.25 oz) and three new shadows called Duo Chrome Top Coat ($28 each for 0.2 oz/ 6 g). The collection is all about the glow with multi-dimensional finishes and textures. I think highlighters and glow are here to stay for quite some time!

Duo Chrome Top Coats

Up first are the Duo Chrome Top Coats which are similar in packaging to the Crystal Top Coats from holiday. The new ones for spring have a more finely milled shimmer with a clear duochrome finish while the Crystal ones were more sparkly. Finish and texture is cream to powder and for me these are best applied with the fingers dabbed onto the lids. Pigment is sheer to medium but buildable. For me the Spring Duo Chrome Top Coats are too trendy for me to pull off. There are three shades:

Brown Mauve/Purple is a mauve pink with purple shimmer
Burnt Terracotta/Green is a yellow terracotta that flashes green
Lavender/Gold and Silver is a pale lilac lavender with gold and silver shimmers

The only shade that had fallout on me was the lavender one. The others went on the lids smoothly and blend well together. Even though the Crystal Top Coats are a lot more sparkly, I feel like I can wear those because the bases are more neutral.

Diamond and Blush Palettes

The Diamond and Blush Palettes are absolutely gorgeous! After seeing them in action on Natasha Denona’s Instagram @natashadenona I was a bit worried these would be way too intense on the shimmer and color. You can definitely apply them and build intensity for a stunning glow, but if you’re like me and prefer a more conservative look the good news is you can blend and sheer out the products for a more natural looking finish. First I need to take a moment to say how pretty the packaging is. The pink is the prettiest shade of pink! The tops of both palettes are identical but they are almost holographic in the labels – you can see below just different angles with the light hitting shows different variations!

Each palette has three different finishes Diamond, Blush and Glow and each finish comes in a Cream and Powder form (6 colors total per palette). Darya is the pink option and I’m completely obsessed with the colors. Everything blends out beautifully on the skin and you can control intensity or sheerness easily by layering and blending. Top pink is Darya. Bottom peach is Citrus.

Darya – Pink Tones

Darya colors and descriptions:

Diamond Glow Cream Base is a smooth champagne shimmer
Diamond Powder is a glittery sparkling champagne with silver flecks (best for me worn on eyes)
Cream Blush is a soft coral pink with a very subtle sheen
Powder Blush is a coral pink
Duo Glow is a pink gold duo chrome cream to powder feeling highlighter
Glow Extreme is a shimmering sparkly champagne

Swatches:

Look below featuring:

Base/foundation is Cle de Peau UV Protective Cream SPF 50 in Ochre
Powder is Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation #4
Concealer is Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium
Cheeks has layers of Darya Diamond and Blush Palette Diamond Cream Base + Cream Blush + Powder Blush + Duo Glow
Eyeshadows are the Glow Cream Base + Diamond Powder
Brows are Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in Soft Brunette
Mascara is L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof in Blackest Black
Lips is the Cle de Peau Radiant Lip Gloss in 6 Rose Pearl (review coming soon)

Citrus Palette – Coral and Peach

Citrus descriptions:

Diamond Glow Cream Base is a bronzey tan shimmer
Diamond Powder is a sparkling gold
Cream Blush is a coral cream
Powder Blush peachy gold shimmer
Duo Glow iridescent yellow
Glow Extreme shimmering tan/bronze sparkle

Swatches:

Look below featuring:

Base/foundation is Cle de Peau UV Protective Cream SPF 50 in Ochre
Powder is Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation #4
Concealer is Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium
Cheeks has layers of Citrus Palette with Diamond Cream Base + Powder Blush
Eyeshadow is the Glow Cream Base + Diamond Powder layered
Brows are Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in Soft Brunette
Mascara is L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof in Blackest Black
Lips is the Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in 744 Subtil (also reviewed here)

Based on the product descriptions I thought the Palette Duo Glows would be similar to the individual Duo Glows she launched last year. I found them completely different in finish/texture so instead I’ve compared the individual Duo Glows to the Powder Blush in the palettes (hope that’s not too confusing). I also pulled a couple of her individual Glow Powders to compare below.

Bottom line: very much on trend but not too trendy for me (yay!). I 100% recommend the Diamond and Blush Palettes. The glittery diamond powder is a bit much for my face but I can wear it easily on the eyes as an accent or shadow. Since there are lots of sparkles and shimmer flecks with the Diamond Powder and Glow Extreme there will be some fall out if you apply with a brush. It’s easy to clean up though and once everything is on the face it pretty much stays put. I love that the palettes are glowy but the creams aren’t too emollient so they don’t get oily (at least not on me).

For me the Duo Chrome Top Coats are a pass simply because I don’t wear those kinds of colors. Yes I’m a bit boring when it comes to eyeshadow, but what can I say, neutral is how I like it.

You can find the Natasha Denona Spring 2018 collection at Sephora and Beautylish. Definitely check out the tutorials and swatches on @NatashaDenona Instagram because it will give you a better idea of how much pigment you can build.

Natasha Denona spring collection provided courtesy of the team for review.

81 Comments

Lips Marc Jacobs Beauty

New Marc Jacobs Beauty: Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon and Cream and Sugar Trio

January 24, 2018

There are some new Marc Jacobs Beauty launches out now for the lips and I have a few swatches of some of the shades! A new lipstick formula is out called the Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayon ($26 each for 0.07 oz/ 2 g). Also new is a super cute set of minis called Cream and Sugar Nude Lip Trio ($25) with a new color of liner, gloss and lipstick called Cream and Sugar.

The Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayons are ultra pigmented smooth chubby sticks. Marc Jacobs Beauty calls this “liquid lip in a stick.” These are one-swipe wonders with a rich creamy texture that feels like it melts into the skin. They have something they also call “ghost pearl” which is a very subtle sheen you can see on the lips to add dimension. Formula-wise these are incredible. Probably the most cushiony chubby pencils I’ve ever tried. They’re super comfortable on the lips and last like a long-wear lipstick. I love that they have a little shine/sheen and don’t look dry like a lot of the current lip trends did last year. The only downside for me and pretty much a deal breaker for most of the colors is that the colors are very dark and bold. As a neutral lip lover there is only one shade I feel I can pull off which is Night Mauves.

I have four colors:

Send Nudes is a deep brown nude, this makes me look dead
Night Mauves is a pearly soft pink, doesn’t really pull mauve on me but I love this shade!
Pink Straight is a super bold bright pink
Plum N Get It is a bold plum

I would have liked some more natural shades or medium-brights like the colors from the Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim line or Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur formula. But the formula is top notch! Another look + swatches below. Packaging is in a twist-up format and the lids have a special locking feature when you press down so they don’t pop off easily in your purse. I love little details like this!

I added an arm swatch of Le Marc Liquid Lip in Slow Burn which to me is the best neutral medium rose color ever made:

Next is the Cream and Sugar Nude Lip Trio which has a new shade Cream and Sugar. It comes with minis of the Le Marc Lip Creme (peachy nude), (P)Outliner (peachy nude) and Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss (pearly gold champagne). I’m completely obsessed with all the colors and hope this means we can expect new shades in the full sizes soon. The lipstick is full coverage and opaque with a creamy feel (review on the formula when it originally launched here). The lipliner is really opaque and matte so it does tug a little on bare lips. The gloss is super pretty with a sheer finish.

Lipstick and liner have no detectable scent or taste. Gloss has a slight minty scent like all the other glosses. They have a nice cushiony feel and even though this gloss has sparkle it’s still smooth without any gritty feel.

This swatch shows the gold pearl of the gloss better, there are multi-colored sparkles which makes it hard to photograph all aspects of the gloss:

Swatch comparisons to some other nudes for reference:

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Honeycomb review here
Marc Jacobs Screen Test swatched here
Marc Jacobs Anais swatched here
Marc Jacobs No Angel here
Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Bradley here
Marc Jacobs Sugar Sugar review here

I’m completely in love with Cream and Sugar Lip Trio. I’ve bought some of the other mini sets they had which are usually limited-edition. For the Lip Crayons I love Night Mauves. Since I know not everyone is a neutral lip lover like me I do think a lot of women who like bold lips will find something to love. The formula is soooooo good, I do hope they expand the line.

You can find both available now at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty. The trio is limited-edition.

Marc Jacobs Pink Straight and Plum N Get It provided courtesy for review.

73 Comments

NARS

NARS Spring 2018 Collection

January 23, 2018

Spring beauty launches are among my favorite for the fresh glowy vibe you usually see. NARS Spring 2018 has a pretty mix of soft and bold for a feminine look. It’s available online at NARS Cosmetics until February 2nd. At all other retailers after that date (just around the corner!), a few pieces currently also available at Barneys New York. So many of you have been excited about the new Lip Covers as you loved the formula when it was launched last year. I’m happy to see more shades launch although I wish they would make them permanent!

A look at the entire Spring It On collection from NARS, everything is limited-edition:

Lip Cover ($28 each) in Embrasse Moi, Under Arrest, Summer Fire and Hell Gate
Velvet Shadow Stick ($29 each) in Frioul and Galice
Highlighting Blush ($30) in Free Soul
Liquid Blush ($30) in Hot Tin Roof

The best items to me are the Lip Covers. Some have a little bit of shimmer this round and are full-coverage without any detectable scent. These are what I feel liquid lipsticks should be like – full coverage, smooth with a creamy feel and little bit of shine. Embrasse Moi is a pale shimmering champagne that can be tricky to pull off alone, it looks a tad bit streaky when you apply but it is easily smoothed out. Under Arrest is a warm yellowed beige tan cream. Summer Fire is the best shade in my opinion, it’s a shimmering neutral-cool rose pink that isn’t too blue so I can wear it without it pulling to barbie on me. Hell Gate is a gorgeous brick red, on my lips it’s a bit brighter than what I see in the tube but still very pretty. These have a decent amount of lasting power – but they aren’t transfer proof. As long as your lips don’t touch cups or food then they’ll stay put.

All swatched on bare lips:

The only two items in this collection I’m not crazy about are the Velvet Shadow Sticks in Frioul (pretty gunmetal) and Galice (pale green), mainly because I can’t wear the colors. They’re gorgeous and smooth with lovely shimmer but my olive complexion can’t pull them off. I do have this formula in other colors, I adore Nepal and Corfu to name a couple. The ones for spring are very pretty but I put them on my eyes and it didn’t look good with my complexion.

Swatches alongside a few other shades I can wear. NARS Velvet Shadow Stick vs By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Blond Opal and Ombre Mercure for some reason have a similar vibe but the undertone and shimmer make them easier for me to wear. Right now the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Grey Pearl is the only grey colored shadow stick I own. Sugar Frost is more neutral but has a similar level of lightness.

For the cheeks there’s a new shade of Liquid Blush called Hot Tin Roof which is a brick color. It’s ultra pigmented and a little goes a very long way. I applied it with just a dab and it was still very intense. Right now I think the color is too deep for me but I’m at my lightest without much of a tan. In a few weeks once the sun and heat returns I will probably get more color quickly and find this easier to wear. The Highlighting Blush in Free Soul is a pale pink with the prettiest soft smooth pearl shimmer. It’s glowy but in a soft way and I’m COMPLETELY obsessed with it.

Swatches below, I also added the Liquid Blush in Dolce Vita next to it (review here):

Two looks, left wearing:

Foundation – NARS Natural Radiant Foundation in Vanuatu
Concealer – Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium
Powder – La Mer Loose Powder
Eyes – NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette
Brows – Hourglass Arch Brow Gel in Soft Brunette
Cheeks – NARS Liquid Blush in Hot Tin Roof (it’s soooo pigmented!)
Lips – Lip Cover in Hell Gate

Right side wearing:

Same as above except for lips/cheeks
Cheeks – NARS Highlighting Blush in Free Soul
Lips – Lip Cover in Summer Fire
Black Tee – Splendid

I think the lip and cheek items are gorgeous but my top two picks are Free Soul and Summer Fire. You can find the NARS Spring 2018 Collection at NARS Cosmetics and Barneys New York right now. Available at other retailers such as Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Net-A-Porter starting February.

Have you tried anything from the Spring Collection yet? If not what’s on your wishlist?

NARS Spring 2018 collection provided courtesy of NARS.

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Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Sticks

January 19, 2018

Hourglass is on a roll with new launches this spring and they have a new product called the Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick ($42 each for 0.21 oz/ 6.1 g). Their Ambient Lighting Powders are among my favorite for a luminous glow and now they’ve launched a Cream Stick version with five shades of their Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick. These are smooth easy to apply highlighters that come in a similar package to the Vanish Seamless Foundation. The formula is lightweight but creamy. According to Hourglass you can use these for the underglow as a base underneath foundation or for an overglow on top of foundation on high points like cheekbones, brow bone, nose or cupid’s bow. I’ve tried both and like them on the cheeks and eyes. The formula has enough creaminess to allow it to blend but it’s not so dewy that it will pull your foundation/powder. They have a soft dry down but it’s still creamy in finish. We are having Florida’s version of winter right now so I don’t know how these will hold up in hot weather or humidity, but for now it has stayed put all day without sliding off the face or eyes.

The shimmer is medium – it’s definitely glowy. Straight from the tube it’s metallic but if you blend it out it smooths nicely to a radiant finish without a harsh frost. If you liked the concept and colors of the Ambient Lighting Strobe Powders but found those glittery (I personally loved them here but I know lots of you complained about the sparkle) you might want to give the Vanish Flash Sticks a try instead because there’s no sparkle fallout.

Vanish Flash colors include:

Champagne Flash – a champagne pearl shimmer
Pink Flash – light pink shimmer
Gold Flash – pale yellow gold shimmer
Bronze Flash – warm bronze gold
Rose Gold Flash – looks more pink mauve oyster on me

Champagne Flash

Above wearing the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz, Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium, La Mer Pressed Powder in Light, Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss 722, Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic Eyeshadow Palette in Glambition, Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown, L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara in Blackest Black.

Pink Flash

Gold Flash

Rose Gold Flash

Bronze Flash

Overall a solid winner. My favorites are Champagne Flash and Pink Flash. In the face beauty looks above I only applied the highlighter for the three shades I did looks for to show what they look like alone. I typically don’t just wear highlighter – I’ll usually add a blush or bronzer as well. I really like these on the eyes as well. For application Hourglass recommends you blend with one of their brushes. I’ve found they work well straight from the tube and then I blend with my fingers. Or I’ll take my fingertips and rub them on the stick then apply onto the cheeks. They’re really quite versatile. If you’re in the market for a cream highlighter I’d recommend checking out one of these.

You can find the Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Sticks out at counters now. Five shade options total. Available in stores and also online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter and Hourglass Cosmetics.

Do you have a favorite Hourglass highlighter? Have you checked these out yet? What did you think? If not – what’s your current favorite highlighter?

Vanish Flash provided courtesy of Hourglass for review.

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