Hourglass added four new shades of their Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm ($38 each) and they are incredibly beautiful. Three of them are shimmers and one is a new red. Out of all the Hourglass lip formulas this is probably my favorite, especially since I love a glossy lip.
Above left to right:
Secret is a rose with gold shimmer (think MAC Sophisto vibes, but not as frosty)
Invite is a medium tan brown with gold shimmer
Wander is a light peachy pink with golden shimmer
Red 0 is the most perfect wearable red for those who don’t like to wear red
Every single color of the new Phantom Glossy Balm is wearable and even though Wander is on the lighter side it still shows up on my lips – the pigment is perfect. The regular non shimmer shades are very soft and almost melty feeling once they’re on the lips. The shimmer version is smooth without texture but they have a slightly stiffer feel which I actually like better.
Since these are glossy balms lasting power isn’t going to be long, but they don’t slide off easily and I really like that the finish is forgiving so it fades nicely. They are nicely hydrating and smooth without feeling thick.
The Hourglass team sent a beautiful press box with the new shades and also included three from the permanent lineup. I’ve reviewed them here, here and here but thought I’d add them here too including Desire (rose mauve), Lure (plum) and Sense (the best nude pink).
Overall love. Every single color is one I think could be universally flattering. I’ve finally found my new holy grail red. I was hoping the peach orange shade Mystic in the Holiday 2024 Duo would be out individually but it looks like it’s only available in the set (still in stock). I might end up buying the set before it sells out since I love peachy coral shades.
There are quite a few beautiful blush launches this season. I’ll be reviewing a few of the new formulas, starting with the new YSL Make Me Blush 24H Buildable Powder Blush ($45 each). I’ll say right up front I’m giving these a solid 10/10 rating. They actually exceeded my expectations.
There are two finishes matte and satin and I love them both. These blushes have a similar soft texture to the Gucci Luminous Matte Beauty Blushes (swatches here and here) in the sense they are soft, easy to blend and layer beautifully, but I find the pigment in the YSL formula to be better – they are really easy to build and layer.
A number of you mentioned you swatched these in store but didn’t find the colors exciting and I’ll agree with you there. Even in the pan the colors don’t look special but they apply much prettier and better on the face. I like the powder version much better than the liquid blush YSL launched (swatched here). As pretty as the liquids are they oxidize/darken on my skin while the powders stay true to color and do not darken on me.
42 Babydoll Pink is a pale pink satin with a white base (this works best as a layering shade for me, on it’s own it is very pale), below wearing it with Prada Monochrome Soft Matte Lipstick 158 Meranti + Huda Faux Filler Gloss in UUU Baby
Lasting power is great. Shimmers are smooth and don’t emphasize my texture on cheeks. I love that these aren’t fragranced. I hope we will see some of the other colors in the US eventually (there seem to be more options in other countries).
I have a Sephora haul with a look at some new launches along with some repurchases I made recently. I shared a mini haul on Instagram Stories a week ago and a number of you asked for a blog review with swatches so I have them rounded up today! You can watch the quick haul and try-on here if you still want to see the items in action!
New Spring Lip Launches
I hauled quite a few of the new lip launches and there are so many I haven’t had a chance to try all of them yet. If you want a more detailed review on any of these let me know in the comments!
Makeup by Mario launched a new Hydrating SuperShine Lip Gloss ($26 each). These are sheer glosses with a thick texture. I have mixed feelings about these. I think the tones he created are stunning but the pigment is very sheer and texture is on the thick side with a sticky feel. I don’t mind the formula, but the colors pull so sheer on me and I would have really loved to see more color payoff. I picked up Sunlit, Watermelon, Rose Crush, Rosewater, Perfect Pink with the brightest one Watermelon being my favorite color. They have a strong vanilla scent I find pleasant.
Dior reformulated their Addict Lip Glow Balm ($40) yet again and while I find all the reformulations a little confusing, I have to say the newest version is really good. A few past options have been a little waxy feeling but this 2025 version applies smoother and is noticeably more hydrating on me. I picked up a few shades in Candy, Mahogany, Soft Nude and Rosewood. So far I’ve only had a chance to play with Candy which is a shimmery pink and has a subtle color shifting effect for a warm pink on my lips. These have the same minty feeling with a slight cooling sensation.
below left to right: Candy, Rosewood, Soft Nude and Mahogany
Huda launched a mini collection of lilac pink items and I picked up two of them. I love the idea of lilac pink makeup but find I can rarely wear the colors. This collection has changed that for me! The Faux Filler Lip Gloss ($21) in UUU Baby is one of the best sheer pinks I’ve ever tried and I am in love with the Huda Blush Filter ($23) in Ube Cream.
I tried the liquid blush in store over the summer and thought they would be too dewy but I have to say I’m really loving the pink one and might check out more. It blends out so nicely and easily. It does look dewy on the skin but so far it’s been staying put very well. You can see them in action here. I added swatch comparisons to her other pink glosses which I really love (they’re smooth and truly non-sticky).
Complexion / Face
I never really knew how to make the Saie Glowy Super Gel Illuminators ($16 to $28) work for me until a few of you told me you mix it in with your foundation and I’m in love with the result. This dry season I’ve been wanting my bases to be a little more glowy and a little more sheered out and these gels from Saie do just the trick.
They launched a new shade in Warmglow which is a champagne gold. I restocked the mini in Roseglow which is a lovely pink shimmer. I wish they made a medium in-between size because I find the regular size too large while the minis get used up too fast.
If your foundation has been looking or feeling a little dry but you don’t want to switch up your skincare, I recommend adding 1-2 pumps of this into your liquid foundation.
New Hair Pick + Some Repurchases
I picked up the mini of the K18 AirWash Dry Shampoo ($24 for the mini) at the checkout area as an impulse buy and I really like it. It’s different from most dry shampoos I’ve tried. The formula seems more liquid/fluid when you spray it on the hair (ie it’s not really an aerosol). I love that it’s clear and doesn’t have any white cast on my hair. Does a great job at absorbing excess oil on Day 2 hair. It kept my hair looking refreshed throughout the day. I don’t know how long it lasts past 24 hours because I’m still the type of person who has to wash her hair almost daily (I’ll go 2 days max without washing my hair). Overall really love this.
Blushes seem to have taken over the spring launches right now. I picked up a few of the YSL Make Me Blush Powder Blushes ($45 each) and shared a demo here. These have two finishes right now: matte and shimmer. I prefer the shimmer ones but they’re all very good. The formula is soft and pigmented but they are really easy to blend and build. Pigment is easy to control so if you just want a hint of blush you can get a more diffused look.
Natasha Denona also launched her Hy-Blush Cloudy Cream Cheek Duo ($42 each) which has a highlighter and cream blush in one compact. I’ll review and swatch them all soon.
Patrick Ta added four new shades of the Major Headlines Double-Take Duo ($38 each) but I’m probably going to pass on these (I still think his shade Not Too Much reviewed here is the best neutral).
Urban Decay launched their Face Bond Luminizer Waterproof Glow Drops ($34 each) and I’ve been loving the Space Cowboy shade for the perfect champagne glow highlight and PCH is a really pretty one too. These are multi-taskers you can use a number of ways. I am still experimenting with these but thought I’d share quick swatches here.
Neutral Eyeshadow Palette
I’ve been wearing the Anastasia Beverly Hills Mini Spice Palette ($29) in a few looks and a number of you asked for swatches. I actually picked this up last year but realized I never swatched it on the blog. I really like the tones and the mix of mattes and shimmers. There a few true mattes in this palette and then some that have a tiny bit of sparkle embedded in them. The pure mattes are smooth and buttery with excellent pigment and color payoff. The mattes that have a tiny bit of sparkle pull sheerer but you can still build them for full pigment.
I do think the shimmer and glitters are prone to fall out if you don’t pat them on the lids or pack them on. You’ll have to do some clean up from the fall out but for me the good news is that once they are on the eyes they don’t migrate.
As much as I like it, I do think there are better options out there for quality. If you’re looking for a good everyday neutral with mattes and shimmers I still think the Natasha Denona I Need a Nude or I Need a Warm and the Too Faced Born This Way Natural Nudes are better buys. I know the Too Faced palettes have been around forever but out of all the launches over the years, it’s still a solid staple of mine.
That wraps up my Sephora haul roundup! Let me know if you want a detailed review on any of these. I will have a full blog post on the YSL and Natasha Denona blushes soon!
What have you hauled this January? Any good finds, new loves or misses?
Chanel launched a limited-edition lipstick in their Rouge Allure line called the Rouge Allure Velvet Les Perles ($52 each). I checked out the colors while I was in Miami and picked up a few shades along with the ones in the limited-edition Duo Set ($120) in store. The set is currently sold out online and I did see it restock once. I am hoping it restocks again or that some boutiques may still have it.
The Rouge Allure Velvet Les Perles formula is a smooth luminous matte lipstick. They have an ultra fine pearl quality to them which gives them a glow while still looking like a matte on the lips. These are so soft and smooth on the lips. They glide on beautifully and you can control the pigment to be more of a blotted blurred effect or layer for more opacity.
I find them very comfortable. They do have a soft matte look but don’t look or feel dry at all. I think they’re very under-rated and they look much prettier on the lips than what you see in the tube.
Every color I tried is 10/10 wearable. I did have my eye on multiple shades although I splurged on the Rouge Coco Baume Shines which launched around the same time, so I tried to limit my picks with this launch.
All the shades are available individually. I purchased:
Chanel also reformulated their Joues Contraste Powder Blushes recently. A number of you asked for a review. According to the SAs in store they have been reformulated to change the ingredients and to improve the pigment. I still own a lot of Chanel powder blushes which I still use and love. They kept a lot of the same colors so I decided to just try one Malice which is a soft coral pink with a tiny bit of shimmer.
I really like it. The powder is easy to blend with very good pigment level. I love the color – peachy coral tones are usually my favorite. I can’t really tell the difference in pigment or formula between new vs original. I would love to compare the original shade to new but I can’t find my original one. Off the top of my head this new one looks more pink-coral to me (I remember this being more peach), but without seeing them side by side I can’t confirm.
I shared a look at the lipsticks in action here if you want to see how they apply on the lips with a sheerer application.
Overall love the lipsticks and I’m really loving the formula. The blush is a beautiful classic coral shade. I don’t know that I’d call it a must-have.
You can find these now at Chanel.com and Chanel Beauty Boutiques.
You can find the items now at Westman Atelier and Sephora. She also has a bundle set with a value price here.
She did launch a Petal highlighter and balm a few holidays ago in a limited-edition 2022 holiday set (reviewed here) but in my testing over the years I’ve found there are sometimes color differences between the permanent line and sets. A number of you asked for comparisons so I’ve added them (they’ll be at the bottom of the post).
Petal Baby Cheeks Blush Stick + Lit Up Highlight Stick
I love the Petal Baby Cheeks Blush Stick shade for the cheeks. The blush is subtle but buildable. It’s a neutral pink on my skin tone and blends out nicely. For my foundation match, I wear her Vital Skin Foundation Stick in V, VI and VII depending on how tan I am. Right now I’m at my lightest and wear the Shade V.
The new Lit Up Highlight Stick is a pretty sheer warm pink. It has that glowy quality without any harsh shimmer. It’s sheer but I really love the color payoff and sheen it gives. I don’t know that I’ll be able to wear it in the warmer months but my skin is dry and the weather is cold and dry now so it’s perfect for me.
Petal Lip Suede Matte Lipstick
The Petal Lip Suede Matte Lipstick is a muted nude pink on me. Since I have pigmented lips a lot of nude and neutrals tend to look washed out on me but this shade works as a nude lip. If your lips aren’t dark in tone I do think this will pull more pink on you. A lot of you asked me to compare to Fluffy from her holiday 2024 set. Petal is more nude and muted while Fluffy is brighter and has more warmth. Pigment of the lipstick is very opaque and offers full coverage with just one swipe. Even though it’s matte it’s still very creamy and doesn’t look or feel dry.
Petal Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm
A lot of you mentioned you already own the Petal Squeaky Clean Liquid Lip Balm from her set and also from her website. I think it was exclusive to Westman Atelier individually for a while but is now at Sephora too. The current one has a lot more pigment than the one I have from the set but the colors seem very similar. The new one is more rosy and has a more noticeable blush tone while the original was very sheer.
Comparisons and swatches:
Overall love. The colors are easy to wear and effortless to apply for a polished but natural look. I’m happy with everything I splurged on and love everything. Available now at Westman Atelier and Sephora.
FYI the Holiday Lip Trio is still in stock right now and on sale here and also here!
We took a road trip from St. Petersburg over the holiday and spent two weeks in Miami Beach for Christmas and New Years. So many of you love the beauty packing and travel makeup posts I thought it would a good time to share some thoughts about the Clear Medium Travel Case I picked up from Calpak over the holidays. (Shade I bought in all the cases is Caramel, but they have lots of options!)
I’ve purchased several cases from them over the years including the Small Clear Cosmetics Case and Clear Train Case and am completely obsessed. They have gone with me on many trips! Many of you asked for a comparison between the small and medium and also want to know which one I’d recommend. I finally bought the Medium one to try this last trip and can now compare the sizes. The Medium one was perfect to hold almost everything I needed for skincare and makeup.
I shared a look at everything that fit into the Medium Travel Case in this video here. Since we took a road trip and drove to our destination, I didn’t have to worry about any liquid limits but a lot of the skincare I brought were smaller/travel sizes.
Since it was winter time I didn’t really need dry shampoo or a lot of styling products for my hair. I did have some times I wish I had some hair spray or texturizer spray.
I packed brushes in a separate small makeup bag from Stephanie Johnson (mine is an older print/style but it’s the same size as this one). Also since we were going on an extended trip I bought full-sizes of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and sunscreen while in Miami since there are plenty of Sephora and Nordstrom stores around the city and also since Andrew and I share them.
I really like the size of the Medium Travel Case. It’s roomy enough to fit a TON of things inside although since it’s on the bigger side it will take up a lot of room in your suitcase or travel bag.
I did a poll on Instagram asking how you pack your makeup and skincare for travel and most of you end up putting things in multiple pouches to keep things organized. I ended up using everything I packed although I wish I had packed a loose powder with me for more options.
If you’re going on a shorter trip or want something smaller I still think both the Small Clear Cosmetics Case or Train Case are excellent picks. I’ve used the Small Case for about two years and it holds a lot! The Train Case is a newer style from last year and while it looks small I really love the height since it’s a bit taller and zippered compartment at the top to is very useful to hold smaller things.
Happy New Year! I’ve been away in Miami Beach for the past couple of weeks on vacation for Christmas and New Year’s. We packed up both fur babies and took a road trip to the other side of Florida. We had a great time reconnecting after a very long and challenging year. I hope you had a wonderful holiday and were able to take some time off to either reset or spend with loved ones.
Starting off the new year with a look at Chanel Spring 2025. I picked up almost all the items from the spring launch while I was traveling and had the palette and new balms on repeat pretty much every day after I bought them. I swatched the whole collection in store in this Reel here in case you want a look at everything.
Jeux de Lumieres
The star of the collection is the oversized highlighter palette called Jeux de Lumieres – Multi-Use Eyeshadow and Highlighter Palette ($88). I am completely in love with all the shades and it pulls neutral-warm on me with the perfect spring tones. A number of you have messaged me over the last week asking if it’s orange on me. As a Chanel B40/BD41 I can report that none of the shades pull orange but I have seen a lot of other reviews and swatches that do look very warm. If you have fair skin in the B10/20 range I do think this will pull significantly warmer on your skin tone.
At first glance I thought the shades looked identical to other Chanel highlighters but after pulling a few I really do think the shades look different enough to justify this one. I love the peach tone as a blush.
Rouge Coco Baume Shine
Chanel added a new variation of their Rouge Coco Baume in a Shine Formula ($45 each). The original Rouge Coco Baume now as the description “Satin” in the product name online. The spring ones are definitely more glossy in finish and the added shine/slip gives them a more hydrating smooth feel.
The pigment is 10/10 perfect and has impressive buildability. With 3 swipes you will see added coverage without it feeling or looking too heavy. Extended lasting power isn’t going to be there but they last longer than the YSL Loveshines on my lips.
I really love all the shades but I love the Tender Peach the most. Raspberry Kiss is one of the best raspberry shades I’ve ever tried. I also love the Cherry Burst for a wearable red.
I rarely wear purple tones on the eyes but Mauve Sucre has the prettiest sparkles in it. I love layering it on top of the peachy coral shades Peche Glacee which is the perfect peachy pink for an all over lid shades.
I also fell in love with Latte Frappe. It looks very ordinary in the pan but for my skin tone it’s a few shades darker and on the neutral-warm side making it the perfect contour shade for my lids.
Pigment is great, texture is smooth, colors are easy to blend. 10/10 WIN!
Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner
LEFT Brun Poupre, RIGHT swatches top to bottom: Brun Poupre, Mauve Intense, Rouge Fauve and Vert Lagon
There are four new Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliners ($35). I picked up the warm brown matte shade Brun Pourpre but it seems a bit on the dry side when it’s brand new. If I warm it up on the hand with a few swipes it applies better. I also picked up another shade in store from the permanent line Brun Agape which is a bronzey brown that I think I will get more wear out of.
Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color
Last we have a look at two new Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colors ($32). You girls know I’ve been a die-hard fan of Chanel nail polishes. Both the shades in the spring collection scream “spring.” Poete is a pastel peach and Artiste is a mint green has an almost milky base, almost like mint-chocolate chip ice cream. We are experiencing some of the coldest temperatures in Florida with it hitting the 40s this week so at the moment I’m not feeling the spring vibe for the tips and toes. I do really like both colors and can see myself wearing them come March or April. I think they’re fun and they have good coverage with 2 coats.
Overall I think the collection is a hit. The highlighter palette, rouge coco baumes and eyeshadows were 100% worth the splurge for me.
You can find the collection out now at Chanel.com and all Chanel counters.
I did also pick up some of the new Rouge Allure Velvets but haven’t tried them on my lips yet. Stay tuned for a review soon!