YSL Beauty launched another tinted balm called the Candy Glow Tinted Butter Balm $40 and out of the three balm formulas they have out now this one is my favorite for pigment and formula.
There are 6 shades right now. I ordered all of them from Sephora they sold out almost instantly but finally restocked. You can also find these at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Selfridges.
3B Rosewood Blush below
The Candy Glow Tinted Butter Balm is a soft buttery balm in a twist up format. Candy Glow is more pigmented and more buttery feeling than the Loveshine which has more slip to it. The new Candy Glow isn’t as thick in texture as the Candy Glaze. For softness level they’re soft but not as soft as the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Balms, but with the hot summer months coming I do wonder how they’ll hold up in my bag if I’m out and about with the summer heat.
Candy Glow Balms have the same sweet signature YSL lip balm scent like the Candy Glaze and original Rouge Volupte Shines (sweet and fruity). Pigment is sheer medium but noticeable on my pigmented lips. I really love these! You can see them all in action here.
1B Pink Sunrise is a color shifting shade which will transform into a pink flush
44B Nude Lavalliere is a nude pink and it’s the best variation of all the 44B colors because it has more warmth to it making it more wearable on my complexion (see the others here)
3B Rosewood Blush is a warm rose pink (I think this is my favorite)
Overall love. I do like these Candy Glow Balms a lot better than the Loveshine because the lasting power is better. Since there isn’t quite as much slip they grip the lip much better and don’t feel like they’re sliding off. I still really like the Candy Glaze formula and colors but they can feel a little thick, especially in the hot summer months. This newer one is more comfortable on the lips.
A few of you asked how these compare to the Dior Addict Lip Glow and I would say the Dior formula is similar for color/pigment but the texture feels a little more waxy on the lips.
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Quick update: Special shoutout for the Eric Javits Hamptons Hats as I get a lot of questions about them. They are on the expensive side but are very sturdy. They’ve lasted so well even with pool and salt water (I just make sure I rinse them with fresh water if they ever get wet). The weave is thick enough that it does protect your face from the sun. I also love that they’re floppy but not so floppy they end up covering your eyes (if that makes sense). They have a lot of different styles and brim sizes too. Their visors are nice but I prefer the full coverage hats. For those who want to know about the different colors I’ll repost a photo I shared a few years ago. (Andrew actually picked out the hats for me!)
I have one tote from them the Squishee Isla Straw Bag and I really love it (I also think this colorway is pretty). I think I may get another style.
Pat McGrath added four new shades of the Divine Cream Blush Legendary Glow Color Balm ($29). The team sent 2 of the new ones alongside 2 previously launched shades for me to try. I have swatches to share today. New shades are currently available at Pat McGrath and Selfridges.
These are dewy balms for lips and cheeks. These have the same level of glow as the Chanel Baume Essentiels. They have a dewy finish that stays dewy (they have no dry down) and a glossy look. I know a lot of you are all about the dewy look and love these. For me they are really too dewy for the cheeks. I do really love the texture on the lips though! Pigment is on the sheer side, especially once you blend it out on the cheeks.
The four shades swatched in this post:
Alluring Nude (new) is a soft neutral nude beige
Divine Rose Glow (new) is a medium rose
Peach Lotus is a soft peach
Sunkissed Seduction is a terracotta brown
More swatches from last year in this post here. The original Divine Rose is a bit lighter in color compared to the new Divine Rose Glow. Both are very pretty soft rose colors, I like the newer one better because it’s slightly darker and shows up better on my skin.
Overall really beautiful colors. I do think they wear well on the lips. For the cheeks they’re great if you like a dewy look for the blush, for me they are too dewy to wear comfortably on the face. If you want to see them in action I’ve linked the video below!
Bobbi Brown Extra Plump Lip Serums ($38) have arrived in tinted colors and the formula is exceptionally good. They initially launched a clear version Bare Pink which is a milky pink in the tube but goes on clear. There are now tinted options which are very sheer and offer a barely there wash of color.
The Extra Plump Lip Serums are smooth non-sticky balms in a wand form. They have a pointy sponge tip applicator and once applied you feel almost instant hydration and relief from any dryness.
They’re described as plumping but there is no tingle or sting. I don’t really find them that plumping, but more enhancing. I would compare the performance to the Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Baths for the plumping effect (the Bobbi Brown ones are a lot sheerer in color and thinner/smoother).
I already splurged on 3 shades last month when they launched in Bare Blossom, Bare Rose and Bare Peach. The Bobbi Brown team sent a fun PR package with all the shades so I’ve swatched them today.
Bare Blossom is a sheer milky pink
Bare Rose is a medium soft pink (one of my favorites)
Bare Peach is a sheer peach
Bare Lilac is a milky pale purple
Bare Cocoa is a sheer soft caramel brown
Bare Raspberry is a sheer red
Bare Plum is a sheer plum red
Bare Pink is a milky pink that is clear
I swatched all of these on the lips on my Reels. I’ve swatched my favorites on the lips in photos below.
I would say Bare Rose is my number one pick, followed by Bare Peach and then Bare Raspberry. They’re all incredibly sheer and I wish the pigment level was at least 50% higher but I think the formula is really good and they’re going to be nice for touch ups throughout the day when you need a boost of moisture for the lips.
Overall love, but I don’t think you need more than one color since they’re so sheer. I actually prefer the pigment level in the Crushed Oil-Infused Lip Gloss better and wish they had expanded the shade line instead of launching tinted versions of the Extra Plump Lip Balms, but both are very good.
Dior Beauty added three new color themes to their Rosy Glow Blush, Lip Maximizer, Lip Glow Oil and Lip Glow lineup in Pink Lilac, Poppy Coral and Bronzed Glow. I love these matching sets for makeup and I picked up two of the colors. Today I have a look at Pink Lilac which I think is so beautiful.
The Rosy Glow Blush in Pink Lilac is a sheer soft lilac color with a subtle hint of pink. It’s a sheer color but I love the subtle tint it adds to the skin. On me I do have to pack it on for it to show up. It brightens slightly on my skin within a minute or so. It has a similar vibe to the Pink color in swatches, but Pink Lilac is noticeably cooler-toned.
Addict Lip Maximizer + Lip Glow
I really love both the new Pink Lilac Addict Lip Maximizer + Lip Glow Balm. I actually like them more than I expected. With the milky finish of the gloss I thought there might be a chance it would look streaky or be too pale but it has just the right amount of pastel to it. The Lip Glow Balm is another surprise. The color reviving quality is there so it brightens on my lips but it doesn’t turn fuchsia. Both have a minty scent to them.
It’s been a while since I tried the Addict Lip Glow Oil because I found it too thick for my taste and all the colors look pretty much the same. This has a pretty flushed pink glow although if you own any of the others I don’t think this is a must. For an oil I still find the formula to be a little too thick for me and I prefer the Guerlain Lip Oils but the Dior one is still very good.
Addict Lipstick in Dior Lilac + New Cases
The Dior Addict Lipstick in Dior Lilac is a sheer lilac pink. There is some shimmer to it but it’s not frosty. I think the color is pretty but it’s very pale on my lips so it’s borderline a little too pale, it works right now but if I get a tan I suspect it will be too light in color. There’s almost no lasting power so it’s one you need to reapply frequently. I am happy to own it as I think it’s a fun fresh color for spring. I do wish the lasting power was a little longer and that the pigment wasn’t as sheer. Still I think it’s beautiful.
One last thing I wanted to is the new launch in the Dior Le Baume. They added two new ones since the initial launch. One is packaged in a Pink Houndstooth pattern, this is the same formula as the original, just in pink packaging. Another is Scented in the J’Adore scent which is a beautiful fresh, bright floral (just like the perfume, but soft).
I still have yet to try the unscented version on the lips but I really like both for the hands. It’s a very lightweight non-sticky formula that lightly hydrates and smooths the hands.
I think the J’adore scent is such a beautiful one.
SHOP THE POST
That wraps up my Dior Lilac haul review. You can find the collection now at Dior Beauty and Sephora. I’ll be sharing thoughts on Poppy Coral soon!
The Luminous Silk Creamy Bronzing Powder is currently available in 4 shades and comes in a large mirrored compact. I love the large size of these and the formula is really nice. It’s described as “ultra creamy” but to me it feels more like a silky soft smooth powder with any creamy feel to it.
These have a luminous glow to them with noticeable shimmer particles. On the skin they don’t appear shimmery though, it’s more of a subtle glow on the skin.
I picked Shade 100 and 110 since I wear their Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5 (recommendation for Medium to Tan skin 5.5 to 8). I like Shade 100 best on me right now. 110 is a little too dark and pulls a little reddish on me. Overall I really like the texture, undertone, finish and how they blend. I give these a solid A+.
Armani also launched a new gloss formula called the Prisma Glass High Shine Lip Gloss. There are 6 shades plus a clear option. They’re a smooth non-sticky kind of gloss with a super high shine and sheer pigment. You can layer it for the color to show up without it being too thick but overall pigment level is pretty sheer. You also have to do some serious wand pumping to get product onto the applicator. I would have loved it if the colors showed up better, but I really love the color and finish.
They do have a subtle plumping effect on my lips. It’s not a full tingle or numbing effect but it does feel like your lips become fuller after a few minutes.
Overall, very pretty and I get tons of compliments with this gloss, but it’s a bit high maintenance in the application, pretty spendy for the amount you get and the applicator doesn’t pick up enough product on its own.
There is a soft pearlescent quality to some of the shades I tried but on the lips it’s really not noticeable.
03 Honey Gleam is a pretty nude honey orange
02 Candy Halo is a warm fresh pink
05 Berry Beam is a cooler-toned rose pink (almost lilac)
04 Cherry Glaze is a bright but very sheer cherry red
Overall some really nice fresh makeup launches I think are very wearable and pretty for a polished but still natural look. For a smooth gloss I still think the Pat McGrath LUST Gloss and Dior Addict Lip Maximizers are better for formula + pigment, but I am still really enjoying the new glosses from Armani.
It’s time for another monthly favorites roundup! Weather is warming up and I have been on a kick to find some new fragrances for the spring to summer season. Here’s what I loved the most this month.
Top 3 Perfumes
I’ve been exploring more perfume brands that have caught my eye with several perfume influencers I started following on YouTube. I feel like I am a total perfume novice watching so many new videos with their detailed descriptions and comprehensive reviews. I ordered a few discovery sets from Kilian, Parfums de Marly, Mizensir, Giardini di Toscana and Ex Nihilo to name a few (some are still in transit on their way to me).
I’m new to Parfums de Marly and ordered the Feminine Discovery Set. I ended up loving nearly all the scents. My top 3 from the set were Delina La Rosee, Meliora and Valaya. They’ll send you an eGift Card code where the price of the set can go towards a full-size purchase. I ended up buying Meliora which is so different for me because it’s fruity and floral. I’m not usually into fruity scents but this is so bright and summery I fell in love. You can also find them at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.
Meliora Top Notes Red Berries, Raspberry, Lemon essence
Heart Notes Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Jasmine Tea
Base Notes Vanilla, Musk, Cedarwood
I bought the Kilian Discovery Set from Sephora last month. I liked 3 but it wasn’t quite love yet. They have some beautiful options but I am more into lighter and brighter scents. I ended up really loving their new Sunkissed Goddess which so many have described as very different from what Kilian usually launches. If you love Tom Ford Soleil Blanc of Eau de Soleil Blanc I think you will really like the Kilian one. It’s a bit more floral compared to the Tom Ford ones. I actually like layering Sunkissed Goddess and Eau de Soleil Blanc together.
Sunkissed Goddess Notes: Ylang-ylang, Tiare Flower and Coconut.
I pulled out Dioriviera and forgot how much I loved it. It is one of the few fig scents I can wear. I love a good fig candle for the home but wearing it on my skin has never worked well for me. This is a beautiful fresh fig with rose. It smells expensive, lush and like a fancy vacation in a bottle.
Dioriviera Notes: Fig + rose
April Makeup Favorites
For the complexion I’ve rediscovered my Armani Luminous Silk Foundation + Concealer combination. Everytime I start using it again I forget why I stopped using them. The foundation is a timeless classic for medium coverage, natural glow and beautiful finish. The concealer has been hit or miss for me in the past, but my skin loves it right now. I wear Shade 6.5 in both formulas.
For bases I tried the new Ilia Skin Rewind Complexion Stick and it’s one of the best foundation sticks I’ve ever tried. It’s like a skin tint in foundation stick form. No other stick glides onto skin as seamlessly as this one. It blends really well and great for a wide range of skin types. I think it’s best for normal to dry skin. It wears well (I have to set with a powder). My match is 18W and it’s a perfect match. It will be coming with me on an upcoming trip. Coverage is pretty good but still looks like skin but better. The Complexion Brush is also very good. Small but surprisingly good.
I partnered with them to share a demo here and they’ve given me a promo code to save 20% off orders from Iliabeauty.com with code THEBEAUTYLOOKBOOK20 (valid thru 5/10).
A few other complexion loves are two bronzers and a highlighter. I have a love/hate relationship with most cream bronzers because so many pull foundation right off your face, look too greasy or don’t have flattering colors. I finally tried the Makeup By Mario SoftSculpt Transforming Skin Enhancer (Medium) and it’s a really good one. I love the color, texture, finish and way it looks on the skin. It’s much better than the Saie or Anastasia Beverly Hills ones – the Makeup By Mario is easier to work with, blends well and isn’t too heavy.
I picked up two of the new Armani Luminous Silk Bronzing Powders. They’re HUGE compacts and the formula is so beautiful. It has a soft silky texture, subtle shimmer and beautiful natural looking finish. I bought 100 and 110. Right now I like 100 better but I can still wear 110 without it looking too dark. I will have a review + swatches soon but you can see them in action here.
I picked up the new Dior Forever Glow Maximizer in Nude (they added this shade after the initial launch) and I love the color. It’s a champagne that isn’t too pale and the undertone is so pretty on the skin. I would say out of all the shades for a highlight I like Nude and Peachy the best. I updated my review + swatches in my original review here if you want to see all the colors swatched.
For the lips there were lots of new launches this month. So many good formulas to choose from these days! My two most-used lip colors though were previous purchases. I loved the Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in 051 Nude Bloom and NARS Afterglow Sensual Shine in Breathless the most (also love Orgasm and Voyeur, review + swatches here and here).
That wraps up my April favorites! What did you love this past month?
