Chanel launched a new blush formula called the Joues Contraste Intense Cream-To-Powder Blush ($52, available at Chanel.com). It’s available in five shades and the formula is phenomenal. I picked these up my local beauty boutique and fell in love with the soft cushiony texture. These are soft creams that have a nice dry down in powder form. In a world of dewy blush trends it’s challenging to find a cream formula with a good dry down and satiny finish and the new ones from Chanel are exactly what I’ve been looking for. They almost have a subtle blurring effect on me and I love the classic shades.
The name has the word “intense” in it but these really aren’t that intense. They are buildable on color but 3 are more natural and 2 are intense with the bold bright shades, but they are very easy to blend out.
Lasting power is pretty good, but I don’t think I’d be able to get the full 12-hour wear time and for me that is 100% ok. The lightest beige shade did seem to fade the fastest on me but it’s close to my skin tone. I haven’t given each shade a full day wear test, but the other two I did test for an extended period of time held up well for around 4-5 hours for that fresh look.
These are more on the soft matte side, but they do have a luminous glow quality to them without the shimmer.
Beige Eclatant is a soft beige on me, it’s barely visible in photos but in real life it gives a really pretty soft glow
Rose Radiant is a soft warm rose
Rose Ardent is a cooler toned pink rose
Rouge Franc is a bold hot warm red
Grenat Profond is a berry
Below wearing each shade with a different lip color, also wearing:
I tried these with Chanel brushes and I normally don’t have a preference for which brush I use as they’re usually really versatile and multi-tasking. I did really like the small domed one though the Precision Powder Brush N 107 best for these. The size and shape is perfect. They all work well, I just love the shape for this formula.
Natasha Denona has done it again. Just when I think she’s created the most beautiful palette, she creates yet another stunning launch even better than the last. Although I do think each palette is beautifully unique and different in their own way.
Natasha’s latest is the I Need a Warm Eyeshadow Palette ($69) and it has the most beautiful mix of neutral and neutral-warm tones. It’s absolutely stunning and perfect in every way. On my medium tan skin this pulls more neutral-warm but if you are fair this will probably pull more warm. Available now at Sephora and Ulta Beauty.
This palette has a beautiful mix of mattes and shimmers. She has a new formula for her mattes she calls “slip cream matte” and you have to touch the shadows in real life to understand how they’re powders but still creamy at the same time. Shimmers have a good range with smooth shimmers and then some more sparkly metallics.
There’s enough variation in this palette for me to create a full eye look from a soft base, soft crease shades, deeper shades for a soft liner and then a multitude of shimmers for different toppers or layering looks.
Swatches below:
I couldn’t get a good detail shot of the eye look but she has some great videos on her Instagram feed that really capture the details and variations of the shades in action. Here’s a look I did wearing: Mellow, Vim, Flashover, Fervor and Push. Also wearing:
By popular request I did side by side swatches next to her I Need a Nude Palette (reviewed here) and her Golden Palette (also reviewed here). I think they’re all very different in beautiful ways. Each palette will look different on you depending on your skin tone and also undertone. Her I Need a Nude pulls more neutral-cool on me while her Golden pulls more like a neutral. This I Need a Warm is warmer, but more neutral-warm on my skin tone.
I Need a Warm versus I Need a Nude
I Need a Warm versus Golden
Bottom line 10/10. Textures and pigments are stunning, easy to blend, rich in pigment and long lasting. I think this is the best one she’s launched yet and I can’t wait to see her next creation.
Sharing a roundup of what I tested this month from Sephora! I shared a demo featuring some of the new items on Reels here and several asked for more detailed thoughts + swatches. I’ve rounded up 20+ new launches I tested from Sephora in August. Some included are press samples, some are things I picked up.
New Base Products
The Dior Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick ($52) is pure love. Formula glides on seamlessly to the skin and has a nice lightweight finish that isn’t too dewy or drying. Coverage is medium but does a great job at evening out the complexion in a beautiful way. I am normally a 2.5N or 3N in their liquids (which tend to oxidize and darken). I tried both in the Foundation Stick form and like 3N the best. For me this is better than their liquid foundations and in terms of a foundation stick one of my favorite formulas. Lasting power is very good when set with a powder. I love how it looks on the skin. Swatched below next to the Forever Skin Glow and Forever Matte.
Dior also launched the Forever 24H Skin Contour Stick Sculpting Stick ($47) which has a beautiful formula. It’s a satiny semi matte finish, smooth, easy to blend and soft. I love the formula but undecided on the shades. 02 Tan is very dark and warm while 03 Medium is very dark and so cool-toned it looks very ashy and grey. For my skin tone I prefer the shades from Westman Atelier, Charlotte Tilbury or Rare Beauty for a soft contour. I also still swear by the Chanel cream bronzers as a soft contour even though they’re more of a bronzer. Out of the two I prefer the warmer one, but on me it’s VERY warm.
Rare Beauty True to Myself Pressed Powder ($30) is a beautiful soft finishing powder. I tried two shades in Ivory and Natural and felt Ivory was the better match. It’s sheer and very lightweight – you definitely get more coverage and lasting power if you apply and press with a puff vs a brush. I really like this but I still prefer my Charlotte Tilbury or NARS Light Reflecting Powder.
Tower 28 launched their GetSet Blur Powder* ($28) in four shades. I was able to try the Translucent Trestles and Palisades Pink. 10/10 impressed with the translucent shade. The pink one looks a little chalky on me (color-wise). Formula has a very nice blurring effect and has a pretty good amount of lasting power when applied with a puff.
NARS added a new Light Reflecting Hydrating Primer* ($42) and Light Reflecting Hydrating Makeup Setting Mist* ($36). I LOVE the primer – it’s nicely hydrating and really makes a difference in priming the skin for better looking application of foundation and concealer. The color is slightly pearly but in a soft luminescent way that isn’t too shimmery. The Light Reflecting Mist has a very fine mist dispenser for a soft finish. It’s a nice one but not groundbreaking.
Ilia’s new cream bronzer the Sunshift Cream Bronzer ($38) is pretty good. I picked up two colors in Rise and Ray and love the way they look on the skin. These are soft luminous shimmery creams that add a pretty glow to the complexion. To me they’re more like highlighting bronzers rather than a traditional bronzer, but I love how it looks. If you don’t like shimmer though, I wouldn’t recommend this as it’s very glowy.
Ilia also launched a Sculpting Brush ($36) with this bronzer. It’s an angled brush that’s super soft and plush. 10/10 recommend checking it out.
The NARS Talc-Free Blushes aren’t new but I tried another shade in August that I really like. Deep Throat is a pretty soft peach. Unfortunately I don’t have the original version to compare, but it’s one I think the new one seems more satiny without the shimmer. I swatched it next to a few other peach tones from NARS and Armani.
Phlur launched three new Hair and Body Mists*. Two are available at Sephora in Coconut Skin and Caramel Skin. Both are really beautiful and if you love gourmand sweet scents I recommend checking them out. I was really surprised that I preferred the Caramel Skin over Coconut Skin since I am more of a coconut lover. Phlur also has a third new one that is actually a Phlur Exclusive called Heavy Cream. It’s a delicious creamy sweet scent that is hard for me to describe but it’s like soft whipped cream. Unfortunately that one is already sold out.
All that said though, for a gourmand I still think their Vanilla Skin is the best one for a gourmand scent. It’s actually one of the best vanilla scents I’ve tried.
New Lip Testing
There are lots of new lip launches these days, but not all of them are hits for me. I’ll start with the misses. I love the Lawless Forget the Filler Lip Plumpers ($26) especially Cherry Vanilla. Always excited to see new shades but the new ones in Daisette and Candy Sky were a miss for me. Daisette is a nice one if layered over other lipsticks or liners as a transparent shimmer lavender pink, but on it’s own it is very pale. Candy Sky is a pale frosty nightmare that is very thick and unflattering. In the tubes these are both so sooo pretty. I was sad I could not really wear either shade.
A number of you asked me to compare the Glossier Lip Line Lip Pencils ($18) to other recent launches. I haven’t had the best luck with recent lip liner launches from Kosas, Hourglass or Too Faced to name a few but the Glossier Lip Liners are 10/10 thumbs up. I like both the formula the colors – they have a little tugging on the lips, but it’s not too bad and the formula is long wearing.
Make Up For Ever launched a new formula of lipliner called the Artist Color Extreme Waterproof ($26). I’m not sure if this is replacing their regular lip liner but I picked up Wherever Walnut since it seems to be their most popular shade in the original formula. I was pleasantly surprised to find I like this new formula better. The new formula doesn’t smell as pencil-y (if that makes sense). It’s creamier and it glides on smoother and easier. Color is slightly different but pretty close.
I still haven’t reviewed the Prada Beauty lip products yet on the blog but I’ve been really impressed by what I’ve tested so far. The Moisturizing Lip Balm ($50, refills $40) has an incredible formula that glides on like a dream. It feels very comfortable and is beautifully hydrating. These are incredibly expensive, but I really love the U001 Astral Pink pH Reactive shade. The color will most likely look different on everyone but I love the subtle blue pink it gives me. You can see it in action here.
Eye Makeup Testing
I have a love/hate relationship with the YSL Couture Clutch Eyeshadow Palettes ($68). I think the colors, formulas and textures are incredible, but I think they are incredibly over-priced for the amount of product you get (review + swatches of other shades here). I picked up one of the newer ones in 710 Over Brun as I love neutral tones and this one is beautiful. It looks warm in the compact and in photos but on my skin it pulls more neutral. The texture is incredibly soft and smooth. I love the pigment and colors. I still think it’s very overpriced and the colors are probably dupeable with shades from the Natasha Denona Glam Palette (which I think is a much better buy) – but the formula and performance is a solid A+.
I’ve been on the hunt for new brow products and the Glossier Boy Brow Arch 2-in-1 Longwear Pomade Eyebrow Pencil ($24) is a solid win. I tried both Warm Brown and Cool Brown in store and could not decide which one was best so bought both. After testing them at home I think Warm Brown looks best. It has a really good consistency to fill in like a pencil but has a clay complex to hold pigment in place. I love the way it’s designed with both a fine and flat tip. This might just be the best brow pencil I’ve ever tried.
Hair Care
I have several new loves for hair care this month. I’m forever trying different pomades and sticks to tame my flyaways. I mentioned earlier this year that I started to get a lot of hair growth after starting a topical Minoxidil. The hair is still growing back which is incredible but the flyaways are a menace especially if you have thick hair! When the Briogeo Style + Treat Hair Styling Sleek Stick ($23) popped up at Sephora I knew I had to try it. It really does work to tame flyaways and helps give you that ultra sleek hair look but it’s very easy to overdo and in the summer heat, I 100% have to wash my hair daily when using it. I personally prefer the R+Co Dart Stick as it’s not as shiny looking but you still have to wash your hair daily after use.
Kerastase Elixir Ultime has been repackaged into a newer updated package. The full size is now refillable. I personally cannot tell any difference between the original and new formula. To me they perform the same. I do like the look of the newer bottle packaging (especially the travel size), but several of you pointed out that the new version is more expensive with less product ($62 for 75 ml now vs $51 for 100 ml before).
I really love the Kerastase Premiere line and finished up everything except the Huile Gloss since I go through the wash/mask products very quickly. I love this hair oil, it’s a nice one especially for ends if you feel like they are a little dry or dull. It’s a repairing oil and I think it’s done an excellent job for making the ends look better without weighing down the strands. For me this is a little richer in formula compared to the Elixir Ultime.
dae Cactus Fruit 3-in-1 Styling Cream Taming Wand ($18) is a nice product to have. It’s the same styling cream but with a wand applicator. It’s great to tame flyaways and smooth the hair. For me it doesn’t hold the thick and short flyaways (they’re so thick they stick straight up unless it’s a waxy pomade), but it does tame the other longer strands just like the cream, but in a wand form you can brush through the hair.
I’ve started curling my hair again with the BaByliss Nano Titanium Pro Curling Wand in the 1 ¼ inch size* ($74.99). This is also my hair stylist’s favorite brand for curling tools. I love the wand size and length and there are multiple heat settings to suit a wide range of hair types. I set mine to 395 and it’s the perfect temperature to get long lasting curls on my thick hair.
I’ve tried both the Curling Iron (with the clamp) and Curling Wand. Both are very easy to use and I love that they have longer barrels for my long hair. 10/10 recommend – see it in action here. I think I want to try the rollers next!
That wraps up my August Sephora beauty testing. There’s still quite a lot I didn’t get to this month. I’ll be swatching and reviewing more things as quickly as I can including new NARS, Laura Mercier, YSL, Makeup by Mario and Natasha Denona.
What did you try and love this month? Doesn’t necessarily have to be from Sephora! Let me know what beauty loves you found this month!
There are three Lip Veils in this collection and they are absolute perfection. These are hydrating luminous lipsticks with a lightweight feel but intense moisture. The shades are polished neutrals that are easy to wear for any occasion.
Wild Sienna is a peachy brown beige
Desert Lily is a soft pink
Acacia is a perfect rosewood
I don’t own a lot of Chantecaille lip colors but I know they do repeat shades. I still have the Acacia from 2020 so I swatched it next this year’s Cheetah Acacia and the batches are very close but not identical. The 2020 Acacia is slightly more translucent (sheerer in finish) and has a bit more blue undertone.
Pigment is medium but buildable. Formula is ultra creamy and hydrating with a glossy finish but they don’t feel heavy on the lips. These come at a steep price but I think they are well worth checking out. For me the tones are perfect.
Chantecaille also launched an Eye Trio which has three beautiful neutrals. The palette arrived shattered but I was able to salvage enough product for swatches. The texture and pigment is exceptionally beautiful with both the mattes and shimmer, but the shades are easily dupeable. I found shades that are nearly identical from Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Palette and her Glam Palette also has similar tones (and I love her pigment and textures too). I feel like her My Mini Dream Palette is also similar.
Overall a beautiful collection of neutrals to elevate your everyday look. I love the lip colors.
These Gloss Bomb Stix are scented just like the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer. They are one swipe wonders. Texture feels a little thick almost like a gloss so they’re definitely not weightless. They almost have a creamy balm feel.
I picked up the neutrals and love all of them except the lightest shade. I’ve found that most pale nude pink beige shades look very pasty on my lips, while warmer beige nudes seem to work better.
I think this formula is the best lip launch of the year so far. We finally have a new glossy lip formula with amazing pigment and color payoff!
Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner
The Fenty Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liners do not disappoint. Formula is very long-wearing. Once they are on my lips they do not budge. I love that they glide on easily with minimal tugging. Pigment is full coverage and smooth. My most-worn lip pencils are from Huda or Charlotte Tilbury these days so I swatched what I thought might be similar. I think the pigment and finish is similar to the Huda Beauty ones with the Fenty being just a little bit more thicker in feel.
I didn’t lip swatch the liners here but you can see Satin Panty in action here for a pretty lip combo. Overall solid A+ for formula, color and pigment.
Hourglass launched a new liquid blush in dropper format called the Unreal Liquid Blush ($36 each). They also added a new No 15 Blush Brush ($46) which is angled to go along with the new launch. The Hourglass team sent all the shades for review and I have swatches and a closer look today.
These Unreal Liquid Blushes are in a small bottle with a dropper at the top. To dispense there is a soft button at the base you press to dispense one drop. They recommend applying to the back of your hand and picking up product with the brush and applying in a stippling method.
Product is very pigmented but with some fluidity, so it is easy to blend and build. There are seven shades and I think the color range is very good. Tones are very flattering although most of them are on the warm side with 3 being peach/coral so if you prefer cooler tones these might be too warm.
Scene is a nude pink, this pulls very natural on my skin but still shows up
Whim is a bright pink, this one is my favorite
Vision is a warm rose
Moment is an orange
Future is a coral with a hint of pink
Imagine is a burnt orange
Craft is a berry
Formula is very easy to dispense without it overflowing. I also like how easy they are apply and blend. Another plus is these didn’t pull off my foundation or powder off when I blended it on top of my base. The Craft shade took a little more effort to blend smoothly since it has the most contrast with my skin tone. They remain dewy on the cheeks after blending but not as dewy as the Pat McGrath Divine Cream Blush.
The Unreal Liquid Blushes are described as being able to last up to 12 hours but this was not the case for me. While the color does stay on the cheeks for a while, after 3-4 hours or color faded on my cheeks and they looked more dewy than when I first applied it. I do think they will hold up better in cooler weather, but even in cooler weather I don’t see them holding up for a full 12 hours.
Looks wearing each blush shade with a coordinating lip color. For skintone reference I’m wearing the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5.
Scene Unreal Liquid Blush + Tide Unlocked Satin Lipstick + Sense Phantom Glossy Balm
Overall I love the colors even if there is one too many peach/orange tones (just my opinion though). I like that the pigment level is easy to control. Lasting power could be improved but that would mean they would have to alter the formula and finish to something less dewy.
The brush is very well constructed and works beautifully for blending. I really love the Hourglass brushes, I own quite a few in my collection and use them all the time. I do think you can use any one in your collection though.
If you’ve been curious about these I hope you found this review helpful!
Chanel launched two limited-edition makeup sets called the Chanel Makeup Takeaways. These sets have been put together by two different makeup artists Cécile Paravina and Valentina Li in collaboration with the Chanel Makeup Creation Studio. They’re fun and edgy each packaged in a collector’s box and both come with a pouch.
I picked up The Nature Getaway ($195) which features pink and coral tones. There is also another set called The City Break ($190). I have a look at the peachy set today.
The Nature Getaway includes:
Rouge Coco Flash in Bisous
Le Liner de Chanel in Heart Beat
Ombre Essentielle in Rose in Hand
Baume Essentiel in Morning Dew
Coral Pouch
My favorite item in the set is the Rouge Coco Flash in Bisous. It’s a sheer but bright coral with a bit of pink to it. I love the color and finish. The pigment is pretty good for this formula which tends to be on the sheer side. I wish they made this one part of the permanent line. It’s fresh and bright but not too bright.
There are two eye products in the set. I am not one who wears colorful eye liners so I didn’t really expect to like the Le Liner de Chanelin Heart Beat. I did try it alone and immediately felt the need to add my usual brown/black shadow liner on top. I’ve added a swatch but am not wearing it in the photos below. It’s fun and different, just not something I can pull off. I would have LOVED this shade in a gloss format or nail color.
Ombre Essentiellein Rose in Hand is a peachy coral base with multi-colored sparkle glitter flecks. If you apply with a fluffy brush you’ll get a softer peach. I applied with a dense brush over a primer and the primers pick up a lot more pigment for a darker peachy orange finish. You can see the glitter once on the lids but it’s not glaring. I think this would also make a pretty blush shade.
There’s a new Baume Essentiel in the set called Morning Dew. It looks coral peachy pink in the tube but on my skin it’s nearly clear with a light pink sheen. Not a must-have in my opinion since it’s so sheer and has a similar effect to the other baume essentiel sticks, but still very pretty on the lips.
