Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Bronzer + Blush Highlighters Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powders

August 23, 2018

Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powders are among my favorites for a soft, smooth and diffused look. This formula has been around for years but I wanted to give it some love with a post as many of you have asked for recommendations on natural looking bronzing powders and I this is what I often recommend. There are four Bronze powder options and one Highlight color. I’ve used the Matte Radiance Baked Powder Bronze 02 the most. Sometimes when I’m tan it almost matches my skintone and I can use it as a cheek finishing product to add warmth. Right now I still use Bronze 02. Compared to this time last year when we were in Florida (as seen here and here) I’m lighter in skintone although I still have a tan. This year I’ve actively spent less time in the sun, pool and ocean so I haven’t tanned quite as much. If you’re looking for a natural bronzer or something to help extend your summer glow in a natural way, the Baked Powders from Laura Mercier are a great powder to look into.

Top Row: Highlight 01, Bronze 01, Bronze 02

Bottom Row: Compact, Bronze 03, Bronze 04

The Matte Radiance Baked Powders are described as an ultra smooth baked powder with a soft matte radiance. This describes it perfectly. The texture is baked and comes in a dome shape. Powders are on the powdery side in the pan but they apply perfectly on the face for a very soft glow. Concept is similar in texture to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders, but the Laura Mercier Matte Radiance powders come in matte flesh-like soft tan shades while the Hourglass matte options are really pale in color.

There are four Bronze shades 01, 02, 03 and 04. I feel 01 and 02 are nearly identical with 02 being a little more cool-toned. You can use any brush to apply. I’ve used anything from a fan brush, bronzer brush, powder brush to sweep across the face. The Bronze colors are matte with a tiny bit of glow, but no shimmer. Then there is one Highlight 01 shade which is described as a “golden nude” but to me on my olive complexion it’s more of a pale champagne ivory. You can find this in a mini in a lot of the Sephora Favorites sets. Right now it’s available in the Sephora Favorites Sunkissed Glow. The minis actually last quite a long time. I’ve used mine for years now and just decided to buy the full size. Highlight 01 is definitely shimmery but it melts into the skin for a less-frosty shimmer compared to other highlighters like the Face Illuminators or Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors.

Lasting power is excellent. I think it’s ideal for any climate, in particular with the Florida heat + humidity I’m really impressed how they stay put and stay looking matte for hours.

Bronze 01

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Bronze 02

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Bronze 03

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Bronze 04

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Highlight 01

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Swatches, comparisons and a look at Bronze 02 on the face.

Swatch comparisons of the lighter bronzers 01 and 02 to Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Bali Sands and Capri Coast (both reviewed here). Also a swatch next to Benefit Hoola Lite.

Highlight swatch comparisons to NARS Fort de France (review here), Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight, Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Indiscretion and Devotion, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors in Opal, Moonstone and Pearl (reviewed here).

Beauty look with Highlight 01, also wearing:

Foundation: Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation* in Buff
Powder: Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Pressed Powder 02
Cheeks: Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Highlight 01
Eyeshadow: Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rosegold + NARS Eyeshadow Quad Mojave* (review here)
Eyeliner: MAC Technakohl Eyeliner in Graphblack
Mascara: Hourglass Caution Extreme Mascara* (review here)
Brows: NARS Brow Perfector in Komo* (swatches of all shades here)
Lips: Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Lip Color in Lychee Parfait + Lip Glace in Bare Baby
Brush shown: Laura Mercier Bronzer Brush*

Beauty look with Bronze 02, everything same as above, just no highlighter, just Bronze 02:

Bottom line I think they’re perfect. I can wear either Bronze 01 and 02 to add a soft glow to the face. They’re really impossible to overdo. I did try out Bronze 03 and 04, they’re both too dark for my complexion right now, but since summer usually lasts until November in Florida there’s a chance I will get more of a tan and need to go up in a color.

You can find the Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powders at all counters now. Available online at Laura Mercier, Nordstrom, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s and Neiman Marcus.

If you’re interested in sets you can find the Highlight 01 Mini in the Sephora Favorites Sunkissed Glow Set. These sets usually change seasonally. There is also a gorgeous Rose Glow Radiance Collection with a full size of Highlight 01 with a few other beauty items. Have you tried these yet? What’s your favorite natural looking bronzer?

Matte Radiance Bronze 01, 03 and 04 provided courtesy of Laura Mercier for review. Bronze 02 and Highlight 01 purchased by me. Other press samples featured indicated with a *.

119 Comments

NARS

NARS Fall 2018 Color Collection Review + Swatches

August 22, 2018

NARS Fall 2018 features two new eyeshadow quads, a gorgeous lip palette and new brow pencils. The collection launched last month and I’m a little late to review them, but I’ve been working my way through testing the pieces. The products do not disappoint and I think every piece is stunning. The palettes for eyes and lips are limited-edition, in this launch we have:

Quad Eyeshadow Palette in Mojave ($52, made in Canada)
Quad Eyeshadow Palette in Singapore ($52, made in Canada)
7 Deadly Sins Audacious Lipstick Palette ($52, made in USA)
Brow Perfector ($25, eight shades available, made in Korea)

The Quad Eyeshadows in Mojave and Singapore seem to have a new formula in them. Each quad has a mix of textures from matte, satin and a new pressed sparkle shimmer. The shimmer is this pressed formula that reminds me of the ones you find in Asian brands like Lunasol or even some of the sparkles you find from Surratt Beauty. Both quads this launch are just so pretty.

Mojave has perfect neutrals that aren’t too warm or too cool. With most palettes like this I find some of the browns run a little too cool-toned, but this has the perfect mix of warm and cool. If you found the Chanel Clair-Obscur Matte Quad too matte and wanted a little shimmer, NARS Mojave is the way to go. It has a shimmering silvery taupe sparkle, matte brown, soft tan shimmer and a semi-sheer pale champagne.

Singapore is one of the best warm palettes I’ve tried. It has a similar vibe to that of the NARSisisst Wanted Eyeshadow Palette because of the texture and the red, but Singapore has some warmer options I think are so pretty. It’s very rare that I can wear all the shades in a warm-ish palette like this but the shades layered together are perfect!

The 7 Deadly Sins Audacious Lipstick Palette has a mix of classic nudes, pinks, reds and a deep plum. All the colors are creams and are supposed to be the Audacious Lipstick formula. I find them to be a little more glossy and sheer compared to the individual Audacious Lipsticks you find in the full-size tubes, but the palette colors are really good. With all the different finishes, textures and new things we have in the beauty market these days, sometimes it’s nice to find a classic lipstick. This palette has all classics with smooth even medium coverage.

All but one color worked flawlessly on my lips. There is no scent and they have a smooth creamy finish. It does come with a lip brush which is nice. Colors include:

Pride – beige nude cream
Disobedience – pink neutral
Idolatry – medium pink
Foolishness – bright warm red
Greed – muted brick red
Wrath – deep cool red with blue tones
Sloth – plum, this went on patchy for me, but if I apply a liner first and then top it with this it works just fine

Last but not least are the Brow Perfectors. I’ve been a long-time die hard loyal user of the Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown. I feel like I have odd-shaped brows and for me a stiff and semi-sheer pencil I can use to feather in small strokes works best so I don’t overdo it. The NARS Brow Perfector has more pigment and is a little softer so you can create a bolder brow easily. It still has a really fine tip so you can feather in color and build it. Also even though I have nearly black hair, I naturally have a lot of red hair which you can only see in sunlight. Finding a color that isn’t too deep, red or grey is hard for me although I do think brands are doing a better job at launching more options these days. I tried a few of these and felt I could wear either any of the Auburn and Medium Brown colors.

Shown below:

NARS Goma – Blonde Cool
Calimyrna – Blonde Warm
Makassar – Auburn Cool
Moanda – Auburn Warm
Naia – Medium Brown Cool
Komo – Medium Brown Warm
Atacma – Dark Brown Cool
Lava – Dark Brown Warm
Diorshow Brow Styler – Universal Brown
Anastasia Brow Wiz – Medium Brown
By Terry Brow Mascara – #4 Dark Brown

Beauty look below wearing:

Foundation: NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Vanuatu (review + swatches here)
Concealer: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger
Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose
Blush: By Terry Compact-Expert in Sun Desire (swatches here)
Eyeshadow: NARS Eyeshadow Quad in Singapore
Eyeliner: MAC Technakohl Liner in Graphblack
Brow: NARS Brow Perfector in Komo
Mascara: Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme Mascara
Lipstick: NARS 7 Deadly Sins Palette in Disobedience

Bottom line perfect. I didn’t expect to love the eyeshadow quads as much as I do. Sparkle can be hit or miss for me and even though some of the colors are ultra sparkly they work beautifully on the lids. I feel like both are must-haves. The Lip Palette is nearly perfect (one patchy color). I think every single color is wearable and they pretty much give you all the colors you’d need in a single palette for a classic day to night lip look. I’m hoping that Disobedience is a close dupe for an existing shade. I’m going to try and find a similar one because it’s the perfect pink. I’ve been a long-time fan of the Dior brow pencils, but this new NARS Brow Perfector is really easy to use and gives me more color to play with because it’s creamier. I think they are winners.

You can find the NARS Fall 2018 Color Collection out now. Available at NARS Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York. The eyeshadows and lip palette are limited-edition.

Have you checked out the launches yet? What did you think?

NARS Fall provided courtesy of NARS for review.

12 Comments

Chanel

Chanel Le Mat de Chanel Fall Beauty Picks

August 20, 2018

Chanel fall beauty is all about mattes with their Le Mat de Chanel Collection for fall-winter 2018. I ordered a few items and am thrilled with all except one of my haul picks. In general I’m usually not a fan of matte finish makeup as it ends up looking dry or flat on my skin. These mattes are soft with a diffused finish and look like skin but with a velvety soft blur. The colors at first glance looked a little boring to me online but after playing with them I’m thrilled to report they are excellent classics you can wear everyday. The colors wear really well – I wish there were more options color-wise because the formulas are beautiful! You can see the entire fall Le Mat de Chanel lineup on their site here. It might be hard to see in the photos but everything is packaged in a soft matte packaging which is just beautiful. Still the same classic sleek Chanel design but instead of a glossy black finish everything from compacts to lipstick casing and caps is matte.

My beauty haul picks:

Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Quintessence
Les 4 Ombres in Clair-Obscur
Stylo Ombre et Contour in Contour Clair
Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Mat in Discretion and Impulsion
Rouge Allure Ink in Serenity

The Joues Contraste Powder Blush this season Quintessence is a soft pink rose. It’s sheer to medium in color but buildable. The color has a matte finish and is very natural. I think it gives the skin a perfect soft wash of pink. I’m medium-tan right now so it’s not quite as noticeable as it will be if you have fair skin.

Swatch comparisons below to Chanel Powder Blush in Angelique (discontinued), Chanel Powder Blush in Foschia Rosa (on the face here), By Terry Compact-Expert Dual Powder in Sun Desire (review here), Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Iridescent Flash (review here), Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Luminous Flush (review here), Tom Ford Sheer Cheek Duo Lavender Lure (blush side, review + on face here), MAC Mineralize Blush in Sweet Enough (review here)

The eye makeup items are my favorite for this collection. I ordered one of the Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Quads in Clair-Obscur which has four beige-brown mattes and the Stylo Ombre in Contour Clair a tan brown.

For the Les 4 Ombres quad Clair-Obscur you get ultra smooth shadows for a perfect natural contour eye look. Colors are neutral with a slightly cool undertone. Pigment is perfect and smooth. I found them easy to blend and layer with each other. They almost have a creamy feel. I’ve never loved a fully matte eyeshadow palette like this! The Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked2 Basics are my current favorites and the colors in Clair-Obscur are very similar so if you don’t want dupes you may want to shop your stash. I don’t mind that there are similarities. Both are excellent in quality and finish. Swatches side by side shows that the Chanel quad has a very subtle luminosity to it vs the Urban Decay which is 100% matte.

Swatch comparisons:

The Stylo Ombre formula has launched in more shades for fall. My previous picks in my New Chanel Eye Makeup Post here. Contour Clair is the perfect medium tan brown that I can use as a base. This one is one I don’t mind that the tip will wear down because I’m just going to use it as a cream shadow base blended. I swatched a bunch of other shades to try and compare but couldn’t find anything like it. Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color Mattes are close but none of the colors are close. I suspect that the MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork is similar but lighter. I no longer own it so I can’t compare.

For the lips I have two hits and one miss. I bought two of the Le Rouge Crayon de Couleurs and one Rouge Allure Ink.

The Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur pencils are beautiful formulas. They’re matte lip crayons that are ultra creamy and opaque. They glide on smoothly and easily. Lasting power is pretty good – not as good as if you were to line your lips with a regular lip pencil, but better than a traditional lipstick. Discretion is a nude but on my lips it turns peachy. Impulsion looks like a brick red but on my lips it pulls brighter. The Rouge Allure Ink in Serenity is a miss for me formula-wise. I don’t know why I keep buying this formula. I think it’s in part due to the fact that SO many people love these I keep trying to love it. The colors for this formula have been beautiful (Lost reviewed here and Eterea swatched here). I just really don’t like the formula – I think I’ve bought around 5 colors now from past launches and every one has been a formula fail for me. I find them to be sheer, often patchy, and they all disappear from my lips within 30 minutes. The color is a perfect soft rose. If I layer it over a pencil it works, but to me I would rather just have the formula be better. I think the YSL Tatouage Couture Matte Stains are a better buy formula-wise. Swatch comparisons if you scroll down.

Swatch comparisons: Chanel Au Naturel and Warm Rosewood reviewed here, Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist in 19 swatched here, YSL Tatouage Couture Matte Stains reviewed here

A beauty look using the Chanel Le Mat de Chanel picks:

Primer: Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Mattifier
Foundation: Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation in Warm Natural 4.5 (swatches of all shades here)
Powder: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose + Chanel Les Beiges No. 20
Brows: Diorshow Browstyler in Universal Brown
Eyeshadow: Chanel Les 4 Ombres Clair-Obscur 308
Mascara: Chanel Le Volume Waterproof
Blush: Chanel Powder Blush in Quintessence 440
Lips: Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Serenity 168
Tank: Madewell

One last look:

Bottom line I love practically everything I hauled. Color-selection wise I do think there could have been a bit more variety with more options, but I think there are some beautiful pieces and I absolutely love the eye makeup. It’s rare that I pass on the nail polishes, I used to be a die hard Chanel Le Vernis collector! However I’ve tried the Velvet Nail Color formula before many holidays ago and I felt like I was putting rubber on my nails so I decided to pass. If the Rouge Allure Ink in Serenity had a better formula it would be perfect as I think the color is gorgeous!

You can find the Le Mat de Chanel Collection out now at all Chanel counters. I ordered my picks from Nordstrom and Chanel. Have you seen the items in person yet? What did you think?

127 Comments

Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance New Fall Shades

August 17, 2018

Pat McGrath Labs has launched ten new shades of MatteTrance Lipstick ($38 each for 4 g/0.14 oz, made in Italy) and every single color is pure perfection. These are full coverage, creamy, smooth opaque lipsticks with a velvety matte finish. The are soft mattes with a perfect finish that don’t look dry. I cannot detect any scent to these. Lasting power is pretty good and they don’t slide off or around. Color transfer will happen if you snack or drink but otherwise they stay put.

The ten new fall colors in this launch include:

Christy – soft pink with a very slight hint of peach
Beautiful Stranger – neutral rose cream
Flesh 5 – muted brown red
Guinevere – brick red
Executive Realness – bright raspberry
Fever Dream – muted coral
Forbidden Love – deep bold bright red
Elson 2 – bright electric orange
Deep Orchid – bold purple cream
Extravaganza – vibrant orchid pink

Swatches below:

A closer look:

Two sets of swatch comparisons to other Pat McGrath MatteTrance, LuxeTrance (lip swatches here and here) and Liquid Lipstick shades (review here) and also a set with some Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Swatches (reviewed here). To me Femmebot and Christy almost look identical, but Christy has a little bit more warmth and is a little bit lighter in color. Attitude and Flesh5 look close, but Attitude is the LuxeTrance formula and a little more brown while Flesh5 is matte and has more red tones.

So many of you have asked for a comparison of formula between the Pat McGrath MatteTrance vs Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks. Both are among my favorites for matte lipsticks. The Pat McGrath is creamier, more opaque, smoother with richer coverage. The Charlotte Tilbury by comparison is still pigmented but not as creamy. Since it’s less creamy you can create a more slightly more natural look. I don’t think one is better than the other, they’re just different.

Previous reviews and swatches of her lipsticks here and here.

Bottom line lots to love. Pat McGrath launched some beautiful shades this round and even though I’m usually a neutral lip lover I think the color range has wearable colors for a classic look. I think Deep Orchid is a stunning purple that I’ll wear for nights out. You can find the new Pat McGrath Labs MatteTrance colors out now. Available online at Pat McGrath Labs and Sephora.

Have you tried any Pat McGrath lipsticks or glosses yet? What did you think?

Pat McGrath fall shades provided courtesy of Pat McGrath Labs for review.

13 Comments

Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lip Sculptor and Lip Lock Priming Balm Review

August 15, 2018

Tom Ford has some new lip products launching this fall and I picked up a few items as soon as I saw them pop up online. Right now the latest includes 20 shades of Lip Sculptor ($46), a Lip Lock Priming Balm ($46) and a Lip Exfoliator ($46). I bought four of the lip sculptor twist-up pencils and the priming balm to try. I also swatched all the shades of the pencils for reference in case you can’t get to a counter.

The Tom Ford Lip Lock Priming Balm is almost identical to the MAC Prep+Prime Lip. I do feel the Tom Ford has a slightly more emollient feel and it also has the signature vanilla Tom Ford lipstick scent. The MAC has been a long-time staple. Anytime someone asks for a lip primer recommendation for something to help smooth the lip without the slip of a lip balm, I recommend the MAC. The Tom Ford Lip Lock Priming Balm is similar in the sense it’s a creamy lip product you apply to bare lips before lipstick to help prevent feathering. I don’t use a primer all the time, but I find it particularly nice with opaque cream lipsticks or mattes. It helps prevent color from sinking into fine lines and also helps smooth the surface. I find with mattes I need a smooth surface without any dry patches or flakes. This balm helps smooth the surface. According to the description, this is paraben-free; sulfate-free; phthalate-free; silicone-free; glycerin-free; sulfite-free; talc-free; PEG-free; peroxide-free; mineral oil-free; BHA-free; BHT-free; alcohol-free; propylene glycol-free; petrolatum-free; formaldehyde-free; ethanolamine-free.

I think the Tom Ford priming balm is excellent and I’m glad I bought it. I think it was worth the splurge but once I use it up I think I’ll stick with my MAC.

The Tom Ford Lip Sculptors are essentially a fancy lip pencil with a brush on one end and a twist up portion on the other. They are packaged with a beveled tip so you can sculpt the lips. Pigment is medium and texture is creamy, smooth, doesn’t tug and has a velvety soft finish. The colors are so good I really wish they were just lipsticks instead of pencils. There is a new Satin Matte Lip Color Lipstick launching later this fall (available for pre-order) which I’m intrigued about. I’m assuming the Lip Sculptors are designed to be coordinated with the new mattes. For now I can wear the Lip Sculptors alone or like a lip liner. I like that when I apply all over the lip it’s almost like a soft matte lipstick.

I picked four colors and they are pretty similar. I must admit I was overwhelmed at the counter. There are 20 shades! I don’t think there’s a single bad color, every option looked beautiful. The reds to me look nearly identical but most reds with any brand of lipstick, pencil or gloss do. The difference is in the undertone. I would have picked up one of the plums, but the price point is steep and I wanted to wait for later launches. Bottom line these are excellent formula and color-wise. I still think they are really overpriced, but I’m happy with my picks.

Colors I bought:

03 Deviate is a perfect nude
05 Slash is a pale pink nude
06 Bait is a warm pink, can be patchy if you have dry spots
14 Crave is a mauve

I like that Slash is pale but not too pale like Spiced Honey Lip Color was on me.

Swatched on bare lips, coverage is buildable to full with layering. Finish has a velvety look, but it’s not dry:

Swatches of all the colors. There is also a clear version which I did not swatch, colors are: 01 Divulge, 02 Invite, 03 Deviate, 04 Extort, 05 Slash, 06 Bait, 07 Conspire, 08 Elicit, 09 Crush, 10 Ensnare, 11 Charge, 12 Exploit, 13 Dominate, 14 Crave, 15 Devour, 16 Succumb, 17 Subvert, 18 Instigate, 19 Manipulate, 20 Electrify

Labeled with names instead of the numbers:

On the nails is Chanel Resplendissant

Swatch comparisons below to a few other neutrals including Laura Mercier Velour Extreme in Vibe, Pat McGrath Permagel Ultra Lip in Bare Rose, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude, Bobbi Brown Lip Pencil in Beige, Pat McGrath Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Buff, Burberry Lip Contour in Medium, MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl and MAC Boldly Bare

At $46 each these are really expensive loves. I’m happy with my picks. I wish the lip pencils were lipsticks and then I could justify buying more of the colors. Color-wise I know red and bold pinks are popular classics but I would have liked to see a few more plum options. Maybe a couple chestnut colors or one peach. Still I think the color lineup is beautiful and I do believe there is something for everyone.

You can find the Tom Ford Lip Sculptor and Lip Lock Priming Balm out now. I bought mine from Nordstrom. Tom Ford Beauty is also available at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora and Beautylish.

32 Comments

Base Makeup By Terry

By Terry Nude-Expert Duo Stick Foundation Review + Swatches

August 13, 2018

The latest from By Terry is her new Nude-Expert Duo Stick Foundation ($48 for 8.5 g/0.3 oz, made in Korea). I’ve been a really big fan of the By Terry foundation bases including her Cover-Expert and CC Cream. It’s been a while since I’ve played with stick foundations and I think this new formula is quite nice. The Nude-Expert Duo Stick currently comes in 10 shades with a twist up stick on one end and a small sponge applicator on the other. These are split formula creams, half is a semi-sheer highlighter and half is a foundation. They are on the compact side but there is actually a lot more than I expected based on the packaging. I’ve played around with these for a little over a week now. I’m happy to report that it holds up remarkably well in humid weather. More thoughts and review below. I’m thrilled to be able to share swatches of the entire lineup as well.

The formula is creamy, smooth and glides on the skin nicely. It is heavily scented with a scent I find hard to put my finger on. It’s not quite floral, but it almost smells like a sweet almond cake. The scent isn’t too strong though and it did not irritate my skin. Texture is semi-emollient in the sense it’s creamy but has a nice dry down so it’s not greasy. They are packaged in a similar size/format to the Glow-Expert Highlighters (my picks reviewed here).

The Nude-Expert Duo Stick is described as having a matte finish, but with the highlighter portion there is a satiny glow. There are two shades of highlighter in the entire lineup. The first five shades have a champagne pearl color, the second five shades have a sheer golden champagne color. Pigment/coverage wise I find it very natural for a stick. There is enough coverage to smooth out and even the skin but it still looks like skin. I’d rate it medium in coverage. I still need concealer for under the eyes and spots but for an everyday natural effortless base this is excellent. It smooths out my skin tone, blends evenly without any streaking, looks natural with a radiant matte finish. I think it would be suitable for a wide range of skin types.

Lasting power was really good on my skin. It truly does have a semi-matte finish. In terms of stick foundations, the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick has more opaque coverage. The Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Stick Foundation also is more opaque and thicker with a heavier feel. I haven’t replaced either in a while, right now I don’t have a good match in the Hourglass lineup (I’m a lot more tan than I was in San Diego!) and the Make Up For Ever one is one I feel like I should definitely replace but I haven’t had a chance to swatch and rematch myself.

Swatches of all the colors below. I think they’ve done an excellent job at formulating colors for light to fair skin tones, however there are definitely gaps for those with medium-tan, olive to deep skin tones. My best matches are either 7 Vanilla Beige and 9 Honey Beige right now. The MAC equivalent is NC35 or NC37 (which is what I wear in the Studio Fix Fluid Foundation Formula). I truly hope they will consider expanding the color lineup because I think it’s an excellent formula but limited on colors.

Current shade lineup:

1 Fair Beige
2 Neutral Beige
2.5 Nude Light
3 Cream Beige
4 Rosy Beige
5 Peach Beige
7 Vanilla Beige
9 Honey Beige
10 Golden Sand
15 Golden Brown

Swatches of each portion mixed together then applied on the arm. The shimmer side is sheer enough that it gives the foundation a hint of glow on the skin:

Just the highlighter side swatched, you can apply it by itself on the skin, but with any duo-split formula I usually find it’s best just to mix them:

Below wearing:

Foundation is Nude-Expert Duo Stick in 9 Honey Beige
No powder worn
Blush is By Terry Compact Expert Amber Light 5 (reviewed here)
Lips are Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Bare + Lip Gloss in Sandy Beige (review here)
Eyeshadow is Urban Decay Naked Palette
Brows are the Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
Top from Madewell

Some more swatches and comparisons, first set is with the lightest colors compared to the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Concealers in 1N, 1C, 2N, 2C and 2W. I think the color lineup for fair skins is pretty good. I know a number of my fair skin readers struggle to find something light enough in color, I hope you find a match here!

Second set is lined up next to the three Stylo-Expert Click Sticks I bought last year in 4.5, 5 and 8:

One last look at all the colors:

Bottom line, excellent formula and I’m happy to have a few colors that match my skin tone. The mix of glow and matte is really nice and easy to wear. It gives me enough coverage to even out the skin and texture feels lightweight enough to not feel heavy even in humid weather. I really hope they expand the color range – what they have now is limited! You can find the By Terry Nude-Expert Stick Duos out now. Available at Beautylish, Barneys New York, Bluemercury, Space NK and Revolve. Do you have a favorite stick foundation?

Foundation sticks provided courtesy of By Terry team for review.

18 Comments

Lips NARS

NARS NARSissist Wanted Velvet Lip Glide Set

August 9, 2018

NARS x Ulta launched another exclusive mini lip set called the NARSissist Wanted Velvet Lip Glide Set ($45 for 3.4 ml / 0.12 oz x 6). As a lover of minis I couldn’t resist picking this up while browsing through Ulta a few weeks ago. This has six small Velvet Lip Glides, two of which were launched earlier this year individually in Swing and Roseland swatched here. The other four shades are exclusive to the set for now.

Inside you have six colors that I think are perfect for everyday wear:

District is a medium peachy pink
Swing is a perfect neutral nude beige
Lure is a warm soft orange
Roseland is a pretty pink rose
Spike is a perfect mauve plum
Vault medium neutral-warm brown

I think every single color is perfect in this set. Loving everything in a set is rare for me but this one equals pure love. I’ve reviewed the Velvet Lip Glide formula before but in case you haven’t tried it, these are medium coverage liquid lip products that have a liquid lipstick feel but lighter in weight and without the matte dry down. There is a soft slight sheen to the finish but it has a more velvety feel. Lip swatches on bare lips below. Lasting power is like a regular lip gloss – you’ll have to reapply every few hours or if you snack.

There have been a number of request for swatch comparisons for Cozumel from the NARS Undressed Liquid Lip Set (reviewed here). I pulled the ones I thought might be similar to that along with ones from this set in attempts to dupe it. From left to right below:

NARS Wanted Velvet Lip Glide Set (Ulta Exclusive)
- District
- Swing (available individually)
- Lure
- Roseland (available individually)
- Spike
- Vault
Velvet Lip Glide Unlaced (reviewed here)
Velvet Lip Glide Suck (was a Nordstrom exclusive reviewed here, now available at NARS)
Full Vinyl Lip Lacuqer in Santo Domingo (reviewed here)
2017’s NARS x Ulta Lip Glide Set with Night Together, Rapture and Californication
Velvet Lip Glide Xenon (reviewed here)
Velvet Lip Glide Bound (swatched here)

One last look:

Bottom line, I think the set is an easy win. The colors are perfect for summer to fall. There is a good range of warm and neutral for me. I love that Spike isn’t too blue in undertone which makes it easy to wear. I don’t mind that there are repeats of Swing and Roseland as those are my favorite colors anyways. Lure does pull a little orangey/warm on me but I think it’s summer appropriate. It’s also a good one I can mix in with pale colors to balance out for my lip/skin tone. For previous NARSissist Wanted reviews:

NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette reviewed here
NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palettes and Power Pack Lip Duos here

You can find the NARS NARSissist Wanted Velvet Lip Glide Set available at Ulta Beauty and at NARS Cosmetics. I do believe it’s limited-edition. I highly recommend it.

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