I really love these. Colors for every single shade I tried is absolutely stunning. Formula is creamy and easy to apply with a matte finish. They glide onto the lips without any tugging and the coverage is smooth and opaque. Once they set on the lips they have impressive lasting power and these are among the few lip products that don’t transfer to my teeth at all. They’re not 100% transfer-proof but the transfer to a cup or napkin is minimal once it sets on the lips. I also like that they feel relatively weightless on the lips which is a huge plus especially in hot summer months.
I do wish they were in a twist up formula or came with a sharpener, but for a matte lip formula I really do like these. They can look a little dry if you have dry lips, but this can be fixed with a lip balm or primer. If you haven’t tried the MAC Prep + Prime Lip Primer I think you need to. It is the best lip primer that helps smooth the lip surface, adds a light veil of moisture and really helps lipsticks go on smoother without feathering.
Shades are all on point – I think I can see myself wearing every single color (except the red though, since I rarely wear reds). Some of the neutrals look similar swatched on the arm but on my lips there’s a clear difference in undertone. The darker shades will stain the lips but the lip primer is really good in preventing the staining.
Nude Venus is a light cool nude pink
Coralust is a neutral peachy pink
Divine Rose is a warm mauve rose
Naked Seduction is a warm dusty rose
Nude Oasis is a warm brown rose
Flesh3 is a mahogany rose brown
Garnet Glow is a deeper wine shade
Belle Amour is a cool-toned berry with some fuchsia vibes (this color looks like it’s only available at Pat McGrath online, I like the Lip Fetish Balm color version of Belle Amour a lot more)
OBSESSED! is an electric bold orange red
I lip swatched most of the shades below, also wearing:
Overall love. I’m usually not a fan of matte lips but I like the colors and lasting power of these shades. I would say my top 3 are Coralust, Nude Seduction and Divine Rose.
Natasha Denona launched two beautiful palettes and a gloss in her Golden Collection for summer. I shared quick swatches on Instagram earlier this week and after playing with everything I have more thoughts + a few beauty looks today.
Golden Eyeshadow Palette
The Golden Eyeshadow Palette ($69) is definitely the star of the collection. She created an updated version of her original Gold Palette and I love it. The new Golden Palette is more neutral making it easier to wear for everyday. Her mattes in this palette are UNREAL in the texture! Colors vary in finish from mattes, metallics, sparking wet effect shades, and shimmers. Pigment is excellent across the board. She has the best descriptions for each shade so I’m going to reference her exact descriptions below:
I love this updated version although on my medium skin a few of the gold shimmers look very similar on my eyes. I would have loved it if she added a few more darker mattes or a deeper intense bronze for more contrast although I understand the theme is “gold” so I can appreciate all the different undertones in each gold shade. Aura is the one that surprised me the most because it looks almost white in the pan but transforms into a stunning white gold.
There’s a new highlighter palette called the Golden Highlighter Trio ($55). It has a super soft texture with super smooth finish. The shades pull very metallic for that intense foiled glazed look but the pigment and finish is very easy to control depending on how you apply to the face. You can apply lightly for a softer look, but it can also pull very metallic with a dense brush.
I’m not sure this will be for everyone. I know many of you are not fans of intense shimmers as they tend to emphasize texture or pores. This one pulls very smooth on the skin but I had to use a very light hand. I love the shades on the eyes.
Overall stunning and beautiful for that signature Natasha Denona Glow. Not a must-have for me as I already own so many other golden highlighters that look similar but it’s very beautiful.
Golden Glimmer Gloss Shimmering Lip-Plumper
The Golden Glimmer Gloss Shimmering Lip-Plumper ($29) is a smooth clear gloss with golden shimmer suspended throughout. On me it’s pretty much clear and it has a subtle tingle to it. The tingle is pretty minimal on my sensitive lips and it’s not numbing or stinging. The plumping effect is definitely noticeable. On my lips it almost looks pink, it’s not color shifting at all (it remains clear) but for some reason the day I swatched this my lips were really pink in undertone. Formula is smooth and not sticky. I think it would be a nice topper to add shine, but the shimmer is so subtle, it’s pretty much just like a clear gloss on my lips.
Overall I really love what Natasha has been creating since day one. Even though I can’t pull off the tones in all of her palettes or lip colors, I think the quality has always been exceptional and I truly appreciate all the thought she puts into each launch and she is truly an artist. I feel like this level of creativity and dedication to quality and innovation has been lost among most of the beauty brands today which makes me appreciate her brand even more.
I also really love her tutorials on herself and other models on her social pages. She really gives us so much inspiration on how to apply the products in action and on different skin tones.
I did a Sephora recently and picked up some of the new popular launches. I shared the shopping haul on reels and today I have everything swatched! I have some hits and some misses.
Skincare + Fragrance
I just ran out of the Instant Foaming Cleanser ($30) which is a nice gentle formula, but instead of restocking this one (it was a little too gentle for me) I decided to pick up the new Vinoperfect Brightening Daily AHA Micropeel ($38). It’s like a foaming cleanser but you apply on dry skin, massage in for 30 seconds and rinse. It’s one of the most gentle peels I’ve used and it really does work. I like it better than other acid treatments or powder exfoliating cleansers because it doesn’t burn and there’s no harsh texture. The description says it’s gentle enough to use daily but since it’s summer and I’m exposed to more sun I use it 1 to 2x per week.
You girls know I’m a huge fan of cleansing balms. I love the ones from Farmacy Beauty and they launched a limited-edition Honey Vanilla Cleansing Balm ($36) and it smells incredible. The fragrance in their limited-edition balms do not irritate my skin, if you need something that has no fragrance I recommend the Elemis Pro-Collagen NAKED Cleansing Balm.
I restocked the Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protector SPF 60 ($50) as it’s my favorite body sunscreen. It’s the best longest lasting that will hold up the best in water or with sweat. I reapply when I’m outdoors and it’s easy to reapply without it pilling. I also really like the Ultimate Sun Protector BodySpray with SPF 40 ($38), but find myself reaching for the lotion more.
I’ve seen a lot of raves about the Valentino fragrances so I picked up the Donna Born in Roma Travel Set ($90). All three are very strong and potent if you’re looking for a good date night scent that will last. I like the Born in Roma the best which is a sparkling floral with blackcurrant, jasmin and bourbon vanilla. I don’t know that I love any of them enough to buy the full size, but it’s a fun one to try.
Lip Haul
I hauled quite a few lip products and I have some hits and some misses. I’ll start with the hits. I love the Armani Prisma Glass ($38) shades in Amber Shine 06 (brown) and Nude Glow 07 (nude). I still think they could have given us more product and a better applicator for the price but I love the color and shine.
The Gisou Honey Infused Lip Oils ($28) are hits for me, but do note the scents are very strong. I bought two of the shimmers. Watermelon Sugar is a pink shimmer but it’s pretty much clear on the lips. Coconut Frost is a sweet coconut scented color with pearly white shimmer. The Coconut one shows up better on my lips and give them a clearish pearly shimmer. They feel nicely hydrating without being too thick.
Misses for me include the Gucci Liquid Lipstick ($47) and Kosas Hotliners ($22). I love the colors of the Gucci Liquid Lipstick but I’m giving it a solid miss because it’s definitely not transfer proof as the name says and it does not last super long. They are more like a whipped velvet liquid lipstick but they go on a little patchy and require a lot of blending.
I bought 3 of the Kosas Hotliners ($22) with high hopes they improved the formula and removed the crayon smell from them. I picked up a few from Sephora, but FYI Kosas is having 20% off sitewide for their summer sale (no code needed). They no longer smell like rancid crayons, but the colors aren’t as good as I hoped. But do note I have pigmented lips and a lot of neutrals simply don’t show up on me.
Formula is not a smooth gliding formula which isn’t a deal breaker, but they tug a little. The upside of this is it makes it long wearing but it ends up looking a little dry on my lips and I’m just not really impressed. I like the concept and the neutrals look SO pretty. They’re just not for me.
I’m undecided about the Ilia Lip Sketch Lip Liner Crayons ($26). The colors are beautiful. Formula is long wearing with a soft matte finish but they look dry on my lips. They’re described as “hydrating, moisturizing and plumping” and I didn’t see any of these with the wear. I don’t think they’re necessarily drying but they look dry with the matte finish and I definitely did not feel any hydration. I like the look when topped these with a clear gloss and balm, but formula is not something I’m in love with. I also think they could have included a sharpener since these are chubby sticks that aren’t going to fit into a standard sized pencil sharpener.
Bronzer Picks
I hauled three in this shopping trip and I regret buying two of them. The Gucci Beauty Bronzer in Shade 3 is a hit. I repurchased this and love the color and soft texture.
I picked up the Kosas Sun Show Bronzer in Beachy which is the second lightest shade in the lineup. It appears they reformulated or repackaged these from the original launch. On the hand and arm these swatch BEAUTIFULLY! The glow is finely milled and super soft which makes me want to wear it all over my body. On the face the shade is a little too dark, a little too warm and oxidizes/darkens. I think the glow is a little too harsh. I could fix this simply by using less but even a light brush tap picks up a lot of product.
Saie is a brand that gets so much love, but it’s one I just can’t really get into. I think they have a few good staples, but the ones that go viral aren’t for me. I picked up the Dew Bronze ($25) in Swim which is not neutral or light-medium on me at all. It’s very warm and orangey looking. Finish is very dewy and just sits on top of the skin. Packaging does not look or feel good. I swatched it next to the Sun Melt Bronzers which are also highly rated. I cannot get consistent results with these. Sometimes it looks amazing on the skin, but most of the time it pulls off all my foundation/powder once applied and blended.
NARS reformulated their blush into a Talc-Free Powder Blush formula and to me they perform just as well as the original. I don’t still own all the blush shades in the original, but they did change the colors with the new formula.
The new Talc-Free Orgasm shade no longer has that beautiful peachy pink base undertone and it’s now just a straight peach gold shimmer. I consider the shade now ruined, although at this point I think pretty much everyone must have owned in a palette or individual form there’s a chance you still have the older formula/color. I swatched 2 different Orgasm blushes from different years just to make sure. Thrill is now deeper and brighter although on my face they end up look really similar. If you like the idea of a peachy pink blush but don’t want shimmer, Orgasm Edge is a matte version which is really nice.
Kosas Blush is Life
I’ve saved the best for last which is the Kosas Blush Is Life Baked Talc-Free-Dimensional Brightening Blush ($29 each) and these surprised me. TikTok influenced me to buy these and based on the fact that I’ve found Kosas products to be a strong hit or a strong miss, I didn’t know what to expect. The first shade I tried Butterflies was a little disappointing for me mainly because the color payoff wasn’t anywhere near what I expected from what I saw in the pan. It’s a sheer baby pink with a brightening effect, more like a highlighter than a blush. I think this shade would be better as a topper for me, but if you have fair or light skin I think you’ll probably love this color.
I almost didn’t try the others and was going to give them away but I’m glad I gave the other shades a chance because they are PURE LOVE. Dreamland is a lighter color on me, almost like a highlighter glow. I love the peachy tones in Blissed and Thrill. Hype is also a really pretty pink coral.
A number of people have said they’re just like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes but I disagree. There are similarities in the marbled swirling and glow factor, but the Hourglass has a much better texture and better quality when you compare them and touch them side by side. That being said I think the Kosas blushes are really good. They’re glowy but not as glowy as the Rare Beauty Powder Blushes.
That wraps up my Sephora haul! I hope you found this helpful! If you’ve tried any of the things I hauled, would love to hear your thoughts. Especially if my misses worked for you, let me know how you’re using them.
I stopped by my local Chanel Beauty boutique over the weekend to restock some of my favorites. A lot of you asked to see a more detailed look the haul and I also received a few things in PR that I wanted to share a look at.
If you have a free-standing Chanel Beauty boutique in your area I highly recommend visiting one! They stock many items you can’t find easily at other retailers. Beauty boutiques have the entire fragrance lineup from the Les Eaux de Chanel, Les Exclusifs, body oils and they also have a very good selection of Eyewear. Occasionally they have stock small leather goods and pouches but they sell out very quickly.
I love shopping at these boutiques since the staff has always been very friendly and very knowledgeable about the entire line. There are a few beauty boutiques in Miami that I always love visiting and one recently opened up in Tampa near me.
I really love the Chanel cleansing line and I am obsessed with the L’Huile Anti-Pollution Cleansing Oil ($55). No matter what else I try, I keep going back to this one. The texture is silky smooth, it emulsifies really well with warm water and doesn’t strip the skin once rinsed.
I also love their Gel-to-Oil cleansers. They are similar to a cleansing oil or balm, but in gel form so it’s not as messy/runny when you apply. Once you massage it turns into an oil and dissolves your face makeup. They keep discontinuing my favorites from the Le Blanc line but still make it in the Sublimage formula called the L’Huile-en-Gel De Demaquillage Ultimate Comfort and Radiance-Revealing Gel-to-Oil Cleanser. This is also phenomenal.
Makeup Restocks – Rouge Coco Baume
I restocked a few lip balms. You girls know I love the Rouge Coco Baume formula ($45) – I restocked two shades in Chilling Pink (review and on the lips here) and My Rose (on the lips here). I think every single shade in this particular formula is beautiful.
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation
I restocked my favorite foundation in two shades: Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation ($65) in BD41 and BD51. These have a golden undertone which is best for me although the new BO olive range works well too. Formula-wise this is my favorite foundation from Chanel. It has medium coverage, lightly hydrating but not too much, color range is extensive and they have multiple undertone options. I swatched the shades I have below in B40, BD41, B50 (the No 1 de Chanel formula), BD51 and BO53.
Chanel launched new single eyeshadows in the Ombre Essentielle Long-wearing Eyeshadow ($40) and also in a Multi-Use Top Coat ($40). I’m usually more of a fan of palettes than singles but I swatched them in store and was REALLY impressed with the pigment and textures. The shimmers are almost creamy to the touch with how velvety smooth they are and the pigment is stunning! Mattes are exceptionally smooth but some have a very tiny bit of shimmer for a little depth.
I bought one in the Top Coat Blanc Perle which is an opalescent kind of smooth shimmer. It’s like a pink opal color with a soft almost creamy feel. It transforms other shadows to make them look more dimensional.
Yesterday a PR package arrived with a few more shades that I have swatched below and lucky me they are actually the ones I had my eye on from my swatch session in store. Rose Charnel is a matte soft warm coral rose, Brun Fauve is a matte warm brown, Quartz Fume is a shimmery bronze almost khaki taupe. I swatched the mattes with the top coat on top too.
The Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Biarritz ($113 for the travel size) is one of my all time favorites. It’s been a favorite for years as I’m a lover of anything with a fresh citrus vibe. It has a beautiful mix of Sicilian mandarin and lily of the valley. To me the citrus notes are dominant and the floral notes are really subtle but strong enough to round out the mandarin and soften the overall feel. I love that it comes in a travel size so I can bring it with me in my tote on-the-go or for travel. I also love Paris-Riviera which is another citrus, but a little brighter and sharper.
I smelled all four of the new Exclusifs Body Oils and they are pure luxury in a bottle. I think Beige is the best followed by Gardenia, 1957 and then Coromandel. I tried the 1957 oil in store and the scent lasted for hours on my skin well into the evening. The formula of these oils is very good. It has the perfect texture and they aren’t thick or sticky feeling. If I didn’t already have Gardenia I would have purchased Beige but these bottles are so big it will take me forever to use one up.
I have a preview of the No 5 L’Eau Eau de Toilette Drop ($155) which officially launches on the 13th. The PR team sent over their latest fragrance launch which is their classic No 5 L’Eau packaged in a special limited-edition round case similar to the hand creams, but in a clear bottle. It’s a crisp clean scent I think is well suited for the summertime heat. It’s a fresh crisp clean scent that is a floral citrus + aldehydes. It has a beautiful blend of lemon, mandarin, orange, rose, jasmin, ylang-ylang, vetiver, cedar, musk. I think it is beautiful! (on the nails above is Bois des Iles which I think might be discontinued, but Rouge Noir is similar).
Last but not least is a look at the new Exclusifs in Comete ($325 – $500). This is a beautiful soft powdery floral with cherry blossom, iris and heliotrope. It has a powdery feel but the cherry blossom adds sweetness to it. It’s airy and light. On me the lasting power is very long and strong. It’s very different from what I usually gravitate towards but it’s fresh and soft with a feminine vibe.
For those asking, here is the beauty breakdown of what I am wearing in my Chanel Beauty haul reel:
For this year’s Summer Les Beiges collection Chanel Beauty launched new oversized bronzer palettes called the Healthy Glow Sun-Kissed Powders ($95 each, 5 shades). They also added a few shade extensions in their Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation ($65, 42 shades available) and the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powders ($60 each, refillable). I’m late to the party with these but I have a closer look at 4 of the bronzers and one of the new foundation shades.
I’ve also included a peek at a few launches from Spring-Summer for lips and nails since there weren’t any new colors for the Les Beiges launch.
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sun-Kissed Powder
I’ve been collecting the Chanel bronzers every year for as long as I can remember. This year they brought 5 shades and I love how soft and naturally glowy they look on the skin. Each compact has 3 shades you can use individually or swirl together. The compacts are oversized like the ones from 2022. Each color has enough product you can definitely dip your brush into each shade without overlapping colors if you prefer.
Light Coral is a mix of light gold, medium bronze and soft peach
Medium Coral is very similar to Light Coral, each shade is just more intense and more saturated
Medium Rose Gold has a soft tan shimmer, medium warm bronze and luminous rose gold pink shimmer
Deep Rose Gold has a warm gold shimmer, deep brown tan and a deep rose pink
I can see myself wearing every single palette this summer although my favorites are Medium Coral and Medium Rose Gold. I like that Light Coral is lighter but still shows up my skin. If you have ultra fair skin tone I think Light Coral will be the best option for you. Deep Rose Gold is so beautiful but pulls very dark on my skin. Even with a light hand it’s too dark but that means this will most likely show up on deeper skin tones.
They didn’t launch a new brush to go with the bronzers but I really love the Chanel Brush 106. It’s the perfect size, shape and density for any kind of powder product.
Each shade of Les Beiges bronzer below, also wearing:
The Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation has been one of my favorite foundations Chanel has ever launched. I think it rivals Armani Luminous Silk Foundation but the Chanel has a tiny bit more coverage, a little better lasting power and more hydration without being too hydrating. It wears well in the summer months for me, even in hot humid weather.
I usually wear the Shades B40, BD41, B50 or BD51. The BD range has typically been the best for me as it has a golden undertone. They added BO which is for olive skin tones. I usually cannot wear a lot of foundation with olive undertones even though I do think I have them in my skin because most olive shades pull very green. The Chanel BO53 is a perfect match for me, I literally could not believe my eyes that I’ve found a match this exact! They also have BO33 and BO73. Other shade extensions now include B00, BO33, BO53, BO73, B90,B130, B160.
Spring-Summer Lip Colors
I didn’t end up reviewing the Spring-Summer launch but I did pick up a few things which I really love. Chanel added two new shades of Rouge Coco Baume ($45) in Anemone 932 (muted peach brown) and Coralline 934 (a coral). I’m a huge fan of these tinted balms and I think they’re under-rated. They swatch very sheer on the arm or hand, but for most of these (except the Dreamy White) pull more pigmented on the lips than a hand swatch. They’re still very natural looking for that effortless polished wash of color.
I wear Flirty Coral and My Rose the most. I swatched all the shades I have except for Dreamy White because it doesn’t show up in an arm swatch. I am missing one of the red colors. But all the other shades are swatched below.
Le Vernis – Sun Drop 177
Last but not least is a look at the Le Vernis in Sun Drop. It’s such a unique dusty muted peach with a hint of brown undertone. I have to admit it didn’t look really exciting in the bottle but on the fingers I love it. It adds a nice pop of color without being too bright.
That wraps up my Chanel Les Beiges review! I think the shades are beautiful.
Happy June! I can’t believe yet another month has flown by. Today I’m rounding up the things I tested in May.
Base Products
There were a few new base launches that I really loved this month. I’ve been a huge fan of the Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer and she launched a new Hy-Glam Powder Foundation which has an incredible formula. The packaging is beautifully designed with a compartment for a puff. I wear her concealer in Shades N5 through N9 depending on how much brightening I want vs spot concealing. In her Hy-Glam Powder Foundation I can pull off a few of the shades, right now I like NP7 or Y5-7. It’s a really nice blurring powder that looks like skin but has really good coverage. Even though it’s a powder foundation I prefer to use this as a setting powder.
Fenty added new complexion products. I really like the Soft’Lit Luminous Foundation in Shade 260 (see it in action here). It has nice medium to full coverage and the Foundation Brush 145 is a must-have for smooth streak-free application (although you can use any brush or sponge). If you want something more like a skin tint the Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint is a really nice one especially for summer. It’s lighter weight but still has pretty good coverage. I wear Shade 9 or 10 in the Skin Tint.
Makeup By Mario launched a new SoftSculpt Bronzing Shaping Serum and it took me a few tries to figure out how best to use it. As a liquid bronzer on top of foundation I found it a little too sheer but it does give the skin a very natural looking sunkissed glow. I like mixing it in with foundation to add warmth or using it as a base to warm up/tan the skin – kind of like a self tanner drop for the face. It is on the emollient side so I don’t know how those with oily skin will like it (I think it will be too dewy). There’s a new Double-Ended brush launched for this product and it’s a nice one to work with the liquid.
I really like the look of the new Bronzing Serum, but I’m not sure I’m quite hooked. I love the packaging style. It has a pump to dispense product but if you twist off the lid there’s also a sponge tip applicator to use. It has a similar effect to the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Drops but the Makeup By Mario has a slightly thicker more emollient finish. I’ve added swatches to compare the undertone.
Bottom line, it’s not really a hit or miss for me. I’m still a bit undecided.
New SPF Formulas
I’ve put a few new sunscreens to the test. I really love the Origins Ginzing SPF 30 Daily Moisturizer Sunscreen for the texture and consistency. It’s white but does not leave a white cast and I love the moisturizing feel. It’s hydrating without being too thick or greasy feeling and it does not pill.
Peter Thomas Roth launched a tinted SPF called the Water Drench Hyaluronic Cloud Sheer Tint Moisturizer with SPF45. I really love this as a moisturizer with SPF. The tint is a beige but it’s really sheer so once blended it pretty much looks clear on my skin, but I like that they have a tinted option as so many white sunscreens end up having some kind of white cast even if they blend well. I like this under foundation. The coverage/pigment isn’t rich enough to wear as a tinted moisturizer.
Caudalie launched a sunscreen in the US called the Vinosun Protect Brightening Daily Mineral Sunscreen SPF50 and this is one of the first mineral sunscreens I truly love. It’s tinted but it’s pale so it does leave a very slight white cast. I love that it blends nicely without pilling on my skin and it has a semi-matte finish that adheres well to the skin.
Kosas DreamBeam is a formula I keep wanting to love and I keep trying. It has SPF 40 and the new color in Sunlit is a deeper tone than the original DreamBeam. Color-wise I think I would be somewhere in between the two shades, but even if they had more color options, I just don’t like the formula. It’s thick, doesn’t blend well and after putting it on, I really can’t wait to wash it all off. If you want a luminous glowy sunscreen the Supergoop! Glowscreen is a million times better.
Eye Makeup
I keep looking for a new eyeshadow palette to love these days but I keep going back to my staples like the Too Faced Born This Way, Patrick Ta Major Dimension, Natasha Denona everything. Something new that I did love were the new shades from Bobbi Brown. They added new shades of the Long-Wear Cream Shadows and I’ve been really loving Bronze for an iridescent bronze shade. Swatches below of the shades I love for summer. Bronze and Golden Light are new.
Coral Crush Lips + Cheeks
I love coral and peach tones and could not be more thrilled about all the colors that have come out this season! The Dior Poppy Coral tones are such great summer orange/corals. I shared a demo of the Rosy Glow Blush, Addict Lip Maximizer, Addict Lip Glow and Lip Glow Oil in action here and I’ll have swatches + review soon.
The Armani Luminous Silk Cheek Tints have been a hit with me. For peach tones they have two in 50.5 Rosy Peach and 31 Vivid Coral. I think they’re so pretty on the skin and easy to blend. Demo of Rosy Peach here.
NARS reformulated their blushes into a Talc-Free formula. I think Orgasm and Orgasm X have been such long-time cult classics, but I really love Orgasm Edge which is the same peachy undertone but without shimmer. You can see it in action here.
Coral Crush Nails
I love a good peachy coral bright polish for summer. OPI Infinite Shine in On a Mission is the perfect softer peach while Megawatt Hot is a brighter deeper coral. Both are opaque with a glossy finish.
Hermes does the best orange tones for summer. I have really loved Orange Poppy for a super bright electric orange red. They launched Orange Tonique earlier in the spring and it’s similar but pulls more orange.
For a more budget-friendly option I am obsessed with Olive and June, in particular the Quick Dry formulas in Cape and Picante.
I love Chanel skincare and lip care so I was really excited to try the new Hydra Beauty Micro Lip Serum. It’s packaged in a rubber squeeze tube similar to the L’Huile Camelia Nail Oil (love this). The Hydra Beauty Micro Lip Serum has tiny micro droplets just like the serums in the Hydra Beauty Line. I had high hopes unfortunately have to call this a miss. The formula is so thin it feels like water. It does absorb nicely for an ultra thin layer of moisture but for me it’s not enough to hydrate the lips and it feels like there is no added hydration after application.
Perfumes
I will have a perfume roundup soon, but there are three I really loved this month. I splurged on another Parfums de Marly in Valaya which is the perfect floral musk for hot summer months. I couldn’t stop thinking about it from the sampler set I bought and decided this was the one for me. I think this is my signature scent this year. Notes include: Bergamot, mandarin, white peach, orange flower, nymphea, vetiver, akigalawood, ambrofix musk.
Ouai St. Barts is one of the best tropical scents and I love it in the body wash and scrub. They launched a Hair and Body Mist which is a really nice lightweight fruity tropical kind of scent that isn’t too sweet or too strong.
Last but not least Chanel launched new body oils in a few of their Les Exclusifs perfume scents. These are quite the splurge priced higher than all of the other body oils in the Chanel lineup for $350 each. I shared a peek on stories and was overwhelmed by the response and questions! I had no idea so many of you were loyal fans of the Les Exclusifs line. I’ve owned and love Beige. I’ve always had my eye on Gardenia and 1957 but never splurged as my signature Chanel scents have been from the Les Eaux de Chanel lineup.
The Chanel beauty team generously gifted me the Les Exclusifs de Chanel Body Oil in Gardenia and it is heavenly. I layered it with the Beige perfume and the combination is the most luxurious combo I’ve ever tried. Scent lingers all day for me but it’s not as potent or as strong as the perfume.
I think if you have a special signature scent that you love from the Les Exclusifs line you will most likely find the body oil worth the splurge. Right now the oils is available in 1957, Beige, Gardenia and Coromandel.
That wraps up my May hits and misses! What did you love and try this past month?
There’s a new foundation called the Soft’Lit Naturally Luminous Foundation ($40). I tried three shades and right now 260 or 265 are my best matches. Demo of 260 on the skin shown here. It’s a much better formula than the Pro Filt’r Foundation as it’s easier to blend, doesn’t feel as thick and has a soft luminous satin finish.
Coverage is medium to full. The Foundation Brush 145 ($36) is a game changer for foundation brushes. It has a similar design to my favorite Laura Mercier foundation brush but the Fenty is a bit smaller and more dense. Both brushes offer streak-free smooth coverage with an ultra soft feel to them.
I’m new to Fenty Skin. The Hydra Vizor Moisturizer SPF 30 ($36-$40) is a really nice moisturizer that preps the skin while protecting with SPF 30. They just launched Tinted Versions which I will probably try to track it down in store to test. It’s smooth in texture and blends easily. There’s no white cast with this and no pilling. Active ingredients are Avobenzone 3%, Homosalate 9%, Octisalate 4.5%. I like it but I don’t know that I would call it a must-have.
New Blushes
I really love what Fenty has been launching for cheeks lately. The textures are ultra smooth and I love that the shimmers aren’t too shimmery or frosty. There are three new Hot Cheeks Velour Blushlighter ($26). These are shimmery blushes with an ultra silky smooth soft texture and beautiful glow.
The colors do remind me of the NARS Orgasm lineup but better. The shimmer is more refined in the Fenty blushes and the texture is a lot softer/silkier.
Fresh Peach is a golden shimmer with a pink base, this shows up more golden on my skin, more like a highlighter
Juicy Peach is a soft luminous golden peach with a pink orange pearly shimmer
Bak’d Peach is deeper orange peach shimmer, but isn’t too orangey
Out of the three Fresh Peach is the most shimmery. The other two are more luminous on the skin. These Hot Cheeks Velour Blushlighters have a similar silky feel to the Demi’Glow Light-Diffusing Highlighters which I’ve been eyeing but have not tried yet. I keep swatching them every time I’m in store and need to pick one up.
Fenty launched a new lip formula called the new Gloss Bomb Lip Oils ($26) and as the ultimate Gloss Bomb addict I am thrilled. They have a similar feel to the Gloss Bomb (almost identical) but the Lip Oils are a little smoother, a little more sheer and have a vanilla cake like scent to them. They have a cute Coral Gloss Bomb Oil Keychain Case this season to hold your gloss on-the-go.
The shimmer is superfine in $uperfine Suga (white gold) and Fro$ted Bunz (iridescent copper gold) and both of these have sheer pigment. Coppa Cookie (metallic copper) on the other hand has more opaque pigment and a metallic finish making it stand out the most out of the three.
It’s hard to pick a favorite but I like Fro$ted Bunz the most. I would wear this color head to toe if I could.
The one miss for me is the Glitty Lid Shimmer Liquid Liner ($24). The colors are just so stunning I wish they made these in an eye shadow form instead of liner. The miss for me is the liner just never really dries or sets. On me it stays kinda creamy. I tried blending it as an all over eyeshadow too but it doesn’t really blend well with fingers. Granted it does not move on the eyes as a liner. I think I’m just not used to liquid liners that have a glossy finish.
Overall some beautiful launches. Color theme screams summer. I love the new lip oils and blushes. I think they’re 100% worth adding to your summer beauty routine. Available now at Sephora and Fenty Beauty.
