Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powder – New Shades

February 6, 2017

The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powder in 001 ($56 each for 6 g/0.21 oz) was my favorite highlighter discovery last year for the beautiful lightweight sheen it gives the skin. This spring Dior has added three more shades to the formula in 002, 003 and 004 and I could not be more thrilled. The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powder is described as “light as a breeze” and it is indeed lightweight and melds into the skin perfectly for a really pretty natural luminous glow. The shade will look different on you depending on skin tone, the original 001 has a gorgeous medium champagne beige with a slight golden peachy undertone. It looks different in the pan depending on how the light reflects on the compact. The shimmer is complex with a mix of different colors but it’s not frosty on the skin. I love how the color adds just the right amount of glow to the skin.

001 is still the best color for me in my opinion, but 004 is also really stunning. For me these highlighters are life! Close ups and descriptions of each shade. Everything about these is beautiful – they come with an embossed surface. Since they are highly reflective if you google reviews and swatches they may look different in photos depending on what light is used to photograph these. However the color really only varies in the pan, on the face it’s more consistent – of course it will look different on different skin tones though.

001 is a classic champagne beige gold
002 is a pale light opal pink
003 is a yellow gold shimmer
004 is a tan shimmer

Each of the highlighters comes with a protective soft pouch and mini kabuki style brush for application. The brushes are well made and usable but they tend to be smaller than what I prefer to use for highlighting powder so I keep them for setting powder touch ups instead.

Swatches with different lighting to capture the shimmer:

Undertone shown more here:

Close up of 001:

Close up of 002:

Close up of 003, long-time readers know I’m usually anti yellow gold highlighter for my already yellow olive skin. The combination of yellow golds often just makes my skin look really sallow, this one from Dior is a lot more wearable for me compared to the Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Addiction (scroll down for comparisons):

Close up of 004, in my opinion the world needs more tan or darker highlighters, this one isn’t really all that dark, but it’s the darkest option and I think it’s just stunning:

All four swatched on the cheeks. I’m still learning how to do full face shots – the lighting, flash etc is tricky to get accurate. On the face I’m wearing the following items. Note that I only have the highlighters on the cheeks applied with a heavy hand so you can see the color differences. On normal days I would also add bronzer or blush and I would usually blend or sheer out the highlighter.

Foundation: NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland (review here)
Concealer: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard and Macadamia mixed
Powder: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus
Lips: Dior Lip Glow Pomade + Rouge Dior Lipstick in Rose Montaigne (reviewed here)
Brows: Diorshow Brow Styler 001

Left to right: 001, 002, 003 and 004

001 is my favorite because it looks the most natural. 003 is the most glowy/metallic on my skin – although I did apply with a rather heavy hand. If you apply and blend it with normal application it won’t look as frosty.

Comparison swatches:

Laura Mercier Face Illuminators in Indiscretion (peach), Devotion (pink), Addiction (yellow), Seduction (bronze) have a slightly more chunky sparkle by comparison even though I would not really call the shimmer chunky, they are a bit more sparkly in finish. Review of these powders here.

Natasha Denona All Over Face Glow Face and Body Shimmer in 02 is one of the prettiest tan shimmers I’ve ever seen but has a really strong frost shimmer, Diorskin Nude Air 004 is similar but slightly cooler in tone. Review of the Natasha Denona here.

I have more comparisons of the original in the Dior Skyline Fall 2016 post here.

Bottom line love. I own a lot of highlighters and have collected quite a few limited-edition shades over the years so I do own shades similar to 002 and 003 with a pink or gold undertone so I wouldn’t call them a must. That being said I do think the shimmer and finish is really pretty and the powders are versatile enough to use on cheeks and eyes or anywhere you want to highlight. I like that they don’t emphasize pores or look dry on my skin – many highlighters sometimes either emphasize pores or make my skin look kinda dry when they emphasize texture. The powder melds beautifully with the skin and I love how they wear. 001 is still my favorite and 004 is my new favorite because I find the color unique. At $56 each they are on the pricey side but I love how they look and wear. The compact is fairly sturdy as well. If I had one thing I would say I wasn’t a huge fan of is the fact that the mirrored compact gets dirty easily with fingerprints, however one gets over it quickly and they are easy to clean so no worries on that aspect.

If you have fair skin I suspect 001 will look more peachy or bronzey on your skin and therefore will find 002 to be more of a true highlighter on your skin. If you’re medium to tan I think all four would look good on your skin tone. Medium to darker skin beauty lovers I think will love 004.

I personally think 001 and 004 are both a must.

You can find the Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Powders at Dior.com and Sephora.

Diorskin Nude Air Luminizers provided courtesy of Dior for review.

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Lips MAC

MAC Viva Glam x Taraji P Henson Lipstick and Lipglass

February 3, 2017

The latest MAC Viva Glam launch is a collaboration with Taraji P. Henson with coordinating shades of Lipstick and Lipglass ($17 each). I always get excited when I see a new MAC Viva Glam launch. Sometimes the colors aren’t really my cup of tea but I look forward to their new creations and it’s fun to see who they collaborate with to promote their Viva Glam campaigns. For those who love a good classy fuchsia, bright colors or something fun this launch is definitely for you. I gravitate towards more subtle neutrals but the Viva Glam Taraji P. Henson shades include stunning fuchsia raspberry in a lipstick that has a matte shimmer pearl and a matching lipglass that has the prettiest shimmer. Both have really good coverage and pigment. Layering one of the other just intensifies the color. Can we also take a moment to oooh and ahh at the pretty packaging? I think the special-edition colors MAC has launched with colorful shades is so fun. The Shadescents lipsticks included.

Bottom line gorgeous. These aren’t my everyday kind of colors but I still find them really beautiful. If you watch the film online at MAC’s site you’ll see how it looks on darker skin tones – it appears more plum and cool-toned on Taraji (love the mini film!) but it looks absolutely gorgeous on her. You can find the MAC Viva Glam Taraji P Henson shades at all MAC stores and counters now. Online at MAC Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Have you checked these out yet? If not what are your go-to raspberry fuchsia lip shades?

Lipstick and lipglass provided courtesy of MAC for review.

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Base Makeup

Giorgio Armani Power Fabric Foundation

February 2, 2017

Giorgio Armani Beauty launched a new full coverage foundation this month called Power Fabric ($64 for 30 ml/1.0 fl oz). It comes in 20 shades, contains SPF25 and is designed to offer full matte coverage with a velvety texture. Some of you may remember my experience with Maestro Glow so with the new Power Fabric I was a bit nervous to put this on my face. I have extremely sensitive skin that is prone to irritation with certain ingredients, in particular scented face products. I have had good experiences with other Armani formulas over the years including Lasting Silk, Maestro, Crema Nuda and a few other formulas. Luminous Silk always looked amazing on my skin but I often found it too rich for my normal/combo skin type but it didn’t irritate me. Given the fact that most of the Armani formulas I’ve tried worked well with my skin, I decided to try the new Power Fabric with an open mind and am glad to report that after a full week of testing I have no break outs, no irritation and no signs of tiny little bumps occured. For any foundation that I am allergic to, bump and redness surface pretty quickly, usually within 1 day.

I received samples of the Power Fabric which was a nice unexpected surprise, but all four colors were too light. Shade 4 was 90% close but just a tad too light. I went to my local counter to investigate and left with Shade 5 and 6. They had no testers so I took a guess based on what the bottles looked like even though the packaging has frosted glass. My perfect color is a mix of Shade 4 and 6, Shade 5 isn’t really in between as you might expect but rather a more pink version of Shade 4.

Application is really easy. I can apply smoothly with fingers, a sponge or a brush. I’ve been using the Hourglass Vanish Foundation Brush to buff it into the skin and it blends to a streak-free finish with hardly any effort. Coverage is full and matte without looking flat or powdery. Something many of you may not know is that I have quite a lot of freckles. I’ve found it amusing to see faux freckle tutorials and videos surface these days because I’ve always tried to cover up my freckles. I did a lot of swimming and outdoor sports in my high school days and even though it was many many years ago, I was exposed to a lot of sun. Even with sunscreen I got a lot of freckles and sun spots. The foundation covers up any uneven areas and does a pretty good job at covering darker spots. I don’t need concealer with this foundation although if you have dark under eye circles you will probably still need a dab underneath the eyes.

I love the packaging style – I think all foundations that aren’t in squeeze tubes should come with pumps. Swatches of the shades I have. 2, 3, 3.5 and 4 were sent for review. 5 and 6 purchased by me.

Before and after application. For reference all photos are taken in natural light indoors. I do use a flash on the camera sometimes. Below on the left is my bare skin. Foundation colors shown worn include the Armani Power Fabric Shades 4 and 6 mixed together – I pump out 1 pump of each color on the back of my hand, mix with a brush and apply to the face. A little goes a long way – but you can build coverage easily without it looking cakey. Foundation brush shown is the Hourglass Vanish Foundation Brush. Last photo on the right is just with foundation applied – no concealer or powder was used to set or finish.

Comparison swatches:

Becca Aqua Luminous Foundation in Light and Beige – I used to be Beige but am lighter now so use the Light shade (Beige reviewed in this post here), this formula is a lot sheerer with a natural dewy finish
MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundations in NC25, NC30, NC35 and NC37 – so many of you asked me what my MAC shade was I tried to find a match, since I tan easily my skin tone can be all over the place, NC25 is just the slightest bit too light but is the closest color for me right now, NC30 is really olive on my skin, NC35 is too dark right now and NC37 is best for me when I’m just the slightest bit darker, coverage with this formula is more opaque and thicker in feel/finish compared to the Armani

Comparison swatches set 2:

Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer in Bisque, Natural and Sable, coverage is similar in terms of how much coverage you get, the Armani has a more matte/velvet finish with an almost powdery feel by comparison, the Tom Ford shades swatched and reviewed here
NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland and St. Moritz are both my most reached for bases because they offer natural medium coverage with a soft matte finish, these are sheerer than the Armani Power Fabric, review here

Based on comments from some readers – many of you suspected that I had an allergic reaction to the Maestro Glow because of the high alcohol content. I took a look at the ingredients of the Power Fabric which also contains alcohol but it’s a bit lower on the list so perhaps the lower dose is why I can wear this one without any irritation.

Ingredients of the Armani Power Fabric Foundation:

I’m in between shades and would have preferred to find an exact match with 1 color, but I really like the way it performed. A note on the shades – when you apply it does look a bit lighter than what you see because of the SPF. Let it sit for a minute and it will adjust but not so much that it oxidizes. Finding a shade can be tricky though. It’s been years since I’ve used Armani foundations so I don’t know what shade I am in others like Luminous Silk etc. I’m in between colors but right now I’m unfortunately in between colors for most brands of foundations. I’ve been out of the sun for a while now and have completely lost my tan – no tan lines anywhere now so I’m probably at the lightest I will get. The relatively cold weather (cold for Southern California) and rain has forced me to spend more time indoors compared to what I am used to. I suspect that will change once the weather warms up though.

If you have sensitive skin like me and are more savvy at understanding ingredients – I hope the box helps. If you have tried this would love to hear your thoughts. I really like it and love how much coverage it gives the skin without looking cakey. It truly lasts all day with minimal touch ups needed – I usually need a little dab of powder on the nose mid-day. Formula-wise I give it a solid thumbs up.

You can find the Armani Power Fabric Foundation at counters now. Available online at Giorgio Armani, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Sephora and all other Armani retailers.

Power Fabric shades 2, 3, 3.5 and 4 provided as press samples. Shades 5 and 6 purchased by me.

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Monthly Favorites

Monthly Beauty and Skincare Hits and Misses

January 31, 2017

I cannot believe the first month of 2017 has come and gone – I feel like the last few weeks have been a blur! I hope each of you have had a great start to the new year. In the beauty world I feel like things have been all about lips and highlighters. It appears the liquid lipstick trend is here to stay for quite some time. I still have my battle of the liquid lipstick post coming soon – with new launches almost weekly it seems like there’s more to test and try out. I’ve put a cut-off for testing though – I have two more detailed reviews to post before the official roundup. Today I have a roundup of the best and worst in beauty testing for January even though many of these have been put to the test for more than a month. Sometimes with products you know by the second or third use that a particular item just won’t work. Other items take a bit more testing to decide. By popular request here is my first Hits and Misses post of the year. We’ll start off with the hits.

January Favorites – Makeup

This month’s favorite items and discoveries include:

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus is something I finally tried and can’t believe it took me so long, it gives the skin a nice soft diffused look, it removes shine without looking heavy or overly matte and the best thing about this one is the color selection which I think is pretty good (shown on the skin here and also worn here)
Diorskin Nude Air Glow Powder in 002 Freshlight (shown on the face here) has been my go-to soft bronzer shade for the past few months, it has the perfect amount of warmth and has a sheer but buildable finish that works for my winter skintone color right now
Chanel Joues Contraste in Elegance (review here) is my perfect everyday beige blush, it goes with everything and adds life to the face without looking too dark or orange
Chantecaille Faux Cils Longest Lash Mascara is one that took me years to try because I tried a mini and thought it literally was the worst thing ever. Based on raves of a few friends who swore it was THE best thing in mascara I decided to order one and was blown away. They assured me the full size was better than the minis and they were right. I don’t know that I’ll repurchase this because even I have limits when it comes to expensive items. At a whopping $72 I don’t know that I can say it’s worth it but this mascara is really good. It lengthens, volumizes, holds curl, doesn’t smudge and doesn’t look crunchy. It’s supposed to have lash-growth ingredients but I haven’t used it long enough to see results.
Hourglass GIRL Lip Stylo (c/o, swatches here) are great in terms of formula, color payoff and color selection
Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur (c/o, all shades swatched here) are my favorite lip launch of the year so far, I love a good glossy lip and these have a feel and look like the Rouge Coco Shines but with a lot more pigment
Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme in Truth or Bare (c/o, all shades reviewed here) is my favorite rose pink liquid lipstick
Dior Addict Lip Glow is something that is almost always in my purse these days (review of all shades here), my most-worn shade is either Lilac or Coral, the new Berry color (c/o) is a really pretty one too
Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Douglas (c/o, review here) is my go-to these days for a soft cool-toned pink shimmer

January Favorites – Skincare

Skincare favorites include a mix of old and new:

I’ve found myself reaching a lot for the Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate and the Midnight Recovery Concentrate for evenings, both feel just so amazing on the skin giving it just the right amount of hydration, it’s brightened the skin and makes it feel healthier and smoother, if you don’t want to splurge on the full sizes you may want to consider the Day to Night Set which has miniatures of six items at a value price, alternatively if you visit you local Kiehl’s store they usually have samples so ask if they have these available (making a purchase will usually make it easier to get a couple samples)
Bioderma Sensibio was mentioned in my 2016 favorites, I use this as a toner and it’s just perfect for my sensitive skin, it leaves the skin feeling refreshed and clean, it has helped calm and comfort the skin, especially since I’m prone to flare ups or sensitivity, I have both the 250 and 100 ml versions (one I took with me on travel), can’t rave about this enough
Chanel La Solution 10 de Chanel (c/o) is another good gentle moisturizer for sensitive skin, I’ve been reaching for this a lot, it hydrates without feeling greasy and gives relief for dry skin without being heavy, I will definitely repurchase once this is used up
Tatcha The Essence (c/o) is something I got a mini of with an order (I had a promo code) and fell in love with it immediately, I discussed essence a few posts back and many of you gave me some really good feedback on what to try! I’m currently testing three, this one from Tatcha and the SK-II Genoptics Aura Essence and Genoptics Spot Essence (c/o). It’s going to take me several weeks to see which one is truly the best, but I noticed results immediately from the Tatcha Essence. It softens the skin without feeling heavy or leaving a film on the skin like some other essence or serums do. It’s watery but not too runny so it’s easy to apply. It does make my moisturizer absorb into the skin better. As one who doesn’t like things that feel heavy on the skin I absolutely love this one.
Kate Somerville EradiKate Daily Cleanser is something I ordered the day it launched online at Sephora. By the time this post is going live I’ve already used up one full tube 85% of the way and the one shown is a backup. I don’t have acne but I do experience breakouts and earlier this month I started breaking out around the chin and cheeks from a combination of getting really sick and experiencing a high level of stress. Using this helped clear up the skin without drying it out. It has sulfur which targets acne and blemishes. Based on the formula I don’t think it’s going to be for everyone, but I’ve tried every single one of Kate Somerville’s cleansers and her line is the one I keep replenishing for cleansers. I can use this daily without it drying out my skin and love it. That being said I still love her Gentle Daily Wash for times when I don’t have skin issues.

January Misses

Four items that did not work for me include:

Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet (review here) did not work for me because the color selection just wasn’t flattering for my olive skin tone, even the neutrals did not work. Shades were either too light or too dark, colors lacked life and washed out my complexion. Formula-wise they were ok, but none of the colors worked for me leading me to call these a miss.
Make Up For Ever Water Blend Foundation is something I bought months ago back in early fall. I had high hopes as it looked amazing on a few of my fellow blogger friends. I mixed two shades in Y315 and Y405 to get a good match although the product is so sheer an exact color match isn’t really necessary. This was a miss for me because it caused my skin to become irritated which I suspect is from the fragrance. Tiny bumps surfaced all over my cheeks and since I test a lot of skincare and foundations, this took months of testing to make sure this was the culprit and not something else. Formula also felt sticky because of the gel-like texture. Coverage was not enough for me. This was a huge let-down since I consider the Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick and Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation to be in my top picks for foundation.
Glamglow PLUMPRAGEOUS Nudes got me based on their social media marketing. As a nude lip lover I just couldn’t resist and ordered 4 online sight unseen. The colors looked SO perfect! These come with a plastic spatula applicator which I found did not apply product evenly or easily. Second these are THE most painful lip plumping products I’ve ever tested – they burned my lips and if a tiny bit touched my tongue, a spicy tingle sensation went shooting to the back of my mouth. I tested two on separate occasions and the most I could tolerate was 45 minutes on the lips before I had to wipe it off and give the lips a thorough cleanse. I returned 3 of the 4. The one shown is going to a friend who is curious about this and doesn’t mind a tingle.
Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Mascara was an impulse buy. The packaging has written on it a few statements like 1,944% more volume, 97% saw intense volume and length, 94% said this mascara stays put all day. There is an asterisk that says based on consumer study results. I did not research how many people tested this or were part of it, but at $23 it seemed worth a try. I know some mascaras take a few pumps or uses to get going so I gave this one 6 tries on 6 separate occasions. It does add volume and length and the color is a rich deep black. However the clumps were seriously horrible with this one. Layering was an absolute no for me. It made my lashes look super spidery and when I tried to separate or comb them out the mascara just looked even more clumpy and made the lashes stick together. It’s also extremely difficult to remove.

That’s wraps it up for January’s beauty hits and misses! I’d love to hear about yours as well – so please feel free to share them in the comments. If you have any feedback about the items I tried let me know.

P.S. A number of you have sent me e-mails saying you weren’t getting the email newsletters anymore. I’ve re-added the subscribe feature on the sidebar at the top of the page (if you’re on a desktop computer). Let me know if you have any issues – if you enter your email address you’ll be sent a verification link and should be good to go!

Press samples indicated with c/o.

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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Matte Revolution and Valentine KISSING Lipsticks

January 30, 2017

Charlotte Tilbury has launched two new lipsticks in Pillow Talk and Valentine for spring, both currently exclusive online to Charlotte Tilbury. True to her style of wanting to help women create an entire look, she also has launched corresponding look sets with existing permanent colors for eyes and lips to go with each lipstick color. Pillow Talk is a pinky nude and comes in the Matte Revolution formula and matches the Lip Cheat Lip Pencil in Pillow Talk exactly. The color is one of my favorites for liners and the idea of launching it in a lipstick is just pure genius. Valentine is in the K.I.S.S.I.N.G formula and is a baby pink. I think Charlotte Tilbury makes some of the best neutrals and light nudes for the lips and this one has a very girly soft romantic vibe. Both colors have medium coverage that is buildable to full coverage.

Pillow Talk is a pinky nude, depending on the light it can look more coral or warm, but for the most part it’s a neutral nude pink color. I find it similar to Very Victoria Matte Revolution but Pillow Talk is warmer and by comparison makes Very Victoria look like it has a slight grey undertone. This is the perfect everyday neutral – not too light, not too dark, not too pink and yet not too brown.

Lip swatches

Valentine K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipstick is a baby pink. I suspect it might not be the easiest for everyone to pull off. I think Bitch Perfect is easier to wear because it’s slightly deeper and also has just a tad bit more beige.

I received the Naturally Beautiful Date Look Makeup Kit with Pillow Talk for review but being the Charlotte Tilbury fan that I am, I actually already own all the items in the set from previous purchases. Love Glow Cheek to Chic blush is one of the prettiest soft glowy blushes I own. Since I don’t believe I reviewed the Golden Goddess or Love Glow items before I’ve swatched them here for reference. You can buy the items individually or in the set:

Love Glow in Cheek to Chic Blush has a mix of soft pink and peach to brighten the skin, it has a soft shimmer that glows but doesn’t look frosted
Feline Flick Eyeliner is a true black liquid liner
Full Fat Lashes is a thick black mascara
Luxury Eyeshadow Palette in Golden Goddess has a shimmering sand, olive brown tan shimmer, brown glitter (this is one of her least glittery shades therefore making it really wearable even for everyday), shimmering bronze
Pillow Talk Matte Revolution
Pillow Talk Lip Cheat Lip Pencil

For those who like the comparisons, two sets below in case you want to shop your stash for similar colors. I’ll say right now I think Pillow Talk Matte Revolution is a must-have. It’s one I know I’ll be reaching for frequently. It’s a great neutral that won’t wash out the complexion and isn’t too light.

Set 1:

MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare and Soar
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude (also reviewed here)
Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Pillow Talk
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Pillow Talk
Charlotte Tilbury KISSING Lipstick in Valentine
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Between the Sheets (d/c, review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Very Victoria (review here and here)
Charlotte Tilbury KISSING Lipstick in Bitch Perfect (on lips here)

Comparison Set 2:

Hourglass GIRL Lip Stylo in Futurist (review here)
MAC Liptensity in Toast & Butter, Doe, Medium Rare (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Liv It Up (on lips here)
Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur in Beige Rose (review here)

I’m beyond obsessed with the Pillow Talk in lipstick form. I hope it’s permanent and here to stay because the color is just perfect. I like Valentine but I think it’s one of those shades that might be higher maintenance for some just because it’s lighter. Valentine is definitely wearable even with my pigmented lips but I prefer Pillow Talk all the way.

You can find both shades now exclusively online at Charlotte Tilbury. Pillow Talk Matte Revolution and Valentine KISSING Lipstick are $32 each. Look sets range in price depending on what is in each kit (products vary per look). The Secret to Seduction Look is $165. The Naturally Beautiful Date Look is $190.

Are these on your radar or wishlist?

The Naturally Beautiful Date Look set provided for review. Valentine purchased by me.

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Christian Louboutin Nail Polish

Christian Louboutin Loubichrome Mini Nail Colours

January 27, 2017

Earlier this month Christian Louboutin launched mini nail polishes called Loubichrome Nail Colours ($30 each, 6 ml/0.2 fl oz). There are three colors in this launch with new limited-edition packaging where the tops have rainbow chrome-like tints. The colors are all shimmery with light-reflecting particles described as having a chrome finish. When it comes to metallics or chromes for the nails I’m super hesitant to try many brands mainly because of the streaking you can see with noticeable brush strokes. With the Loubichromes there is no streaking whatsoever – the shimmer is smooth and colors are easy to apply. Pigment is excellent with two coats. Right now the Loubichromes are the most exciting thing in nail polish for me with colors that are fun, unique and cheerful.

This is the first time Louboutin has launched the minis individually. (Minis versus full-size shown in this post here.) These run at a lower $30 price point which is easier to justify compared to the $50 price tag of the original/regular sizes. Still at $30 each these are very expensive – but quality-wise these are excellent. Packaging is a work of art. With Louboutin nail polishes I find they wear extremely well and last around 5-7 days without any signs of tip wear or chipping. I use several different top coats, a few favorites include the CND Super Shiney, Louboutin Loubi Nail Gloss (c/o), or the Nails Inc. 45 Second Top Coat.

The colors in the Loubichrome launch include:

Loubichrome I is described as an energetic yellow infused with lime green
Loubichrome II is described as a fiery rosy red
Loubichrome III is described as a glistening violet

Loubichrome I is the most edgy color, I rarely ever wear yellows or greens on the nails. This one is very much outside my comfort zone but I think it could be a fun shade for the summertime. Performance is perfect in terms of application and pigment. Swatched with two coats.

Loubichrome II is my favorite. It’s a metallic warm red rose color. I don’t own many shimmery soft reds, I have quite a few metallic pinks and fuchsia colors. This one has a pretty warmth to it and it’s a color I think I could wear year round. Swatched with two coats.

Loubichrome III is a really pretty iridescent violet. It flashes purple, pink, violet and has the most amazing metallic sheen to it. It’s definitely not a conservative color but it’s still very wearable. Swatched with two coats.

Bottom line: well made, beautiful but spendy. My favorite is the red one Loubichrome II, but all three shades are fun with a summery vibe. Loubichrome I is the most trendy color and I’ve tried yellow polishes in the past but don’t think I’m the type that can pull it off. I can definitely see myself getting regular use out of the purple one in the summer. I’m wearing it right now on the fingers and think it’s really pretty. It’s a nice change from the nudes and light pinks I’ve been wearing lately. I’ve been asked numerous times if these are worth the high price tag. My answer and thoughts discussed in this post here. Personal thoughts and feelings are still the same.

The Louboutin Loubichromes retail for $30 each, all limited-edition. You can find them at Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Net-A-Porter and Christian Louboutin. Have you tried these? What did you think? If not, what are you loving for the nails right now?

Loubichromes sent courtesy of Christian Louboutin for review.

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Chanel Highlighters

Chanel Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder

January 25, 2017

Chanel launched a new highlighter called Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder ($70 for 6 g/0.21 oz, made in Italy). It’s currently available online at Chanel.com and comes in a solid mirrored compact, limited-edition red lacquered case, half-moon brush in a stunning embossed camelia pattern. This highlighter compact literally took my breath away as soon as I opened it – the pattern, texture, shimmer and color are just out of this world beautiful. It truly is one of the prettiest compacts I think I’ve seen. On the skin my feelings are mixed. This is a beautiful highlighter that I think has an exquisite type of prism-like shimmer but I need to apply with a very light hand on the cheeks or only use this on the eyes – otherwise it’s simply too shimmery for my skin tone.

Chanel describes this to be “a sheer highlighting powder” that “captures and reflects light for a delicate, luminous glow.” For my medium-olive skintone I don’t find it sheer or delicate. It’s a champagne highlighter with an intense sparkle with tiny micro sparkle particles. They aren’t glittery chunks but the glow particles are definitely bigger than finely milled shimmer. I know many of my readers are split into those who are anti-shimmer anything and those who love all the glow they can get. I am one who loves as much glow as I can get as long as I don’t end up looking like a frosted or gilded statue. In all the years I’ve collected Chanel highlighters I would say this one is definitely the most glitzy and sparkly of them all. Chanel highlighters have been all over the place from so sheer that you can use as an all over setting powder to a more noticeable glow to a more traditional highlight. If you remember the sparkly loose powders like MAC Silver Dusk or Laura Mercier Candlelight (both discontinued) – this Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder has a similar sparkly quality but in pressed form and also in a more beige-champagne color versus the light silvery pink tint the loose powders had.

There’s a slight texture that is noticeable if you swipe the powder with a finger but swatching it on the hand or arm it feels extremely smooth and silky. The pigment is quite intense but can be easily blended out for a more diffused look. I love this on the eyes for a good champagne sparkle highlight. On my cheeks it gives my face an almost wet-look effect with the way the light hits the shimmer – but I will note that some champagne highlighters don’t look good on my specific skin tone because of the way it either matches or is one shade too light. For example Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight looks good on everyone I’ve seen it on but on my skin tone it looks chalky and just plain horrible. By comparison the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits are some of the most glowy almost frosty looking highlighters I’ve tried – but because the colors contrast more with my skintone I find them more wearable especially if I blend them out with a brush.

A closer look

Swatch on bare skin:

I know this one is super blurry but it shows how the light reflects on some of the particles:

A quick look on the face, photo taken without flash because with one my entire face looked like a glowy shiny mess. I have mixed feelings about this one on my face because I feel like it looks a bit too glowy and also emphasizes texture on my skin. It doesn’t emphasize pores like some highlighters do, but right now I’m working on some exfoliating and peels for my skin so texture is showing a bit on the cheek areas.

Look

On the face:

Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation in Warm Ivory and Nude mixed
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Medium Plus
Chanel La Palette Sourcils de Chanel Brow Powder Duo in Brun
Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Rose Initial
Camelia de Chanel Highlighter on eyes and cheeks
Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Tisse Rivoli on eyes
Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur in Beige Rose on the lips

Two sets of swatch comparisons for you, Set 1:

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Powders in Euphoric and Incandescent (review here)
Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne (discontinued)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Powder in Champagne Pop (review here)
Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Sunlight (review here)

Set 2:

Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duo in Moodlight (review here)
Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001 (review here and here)
Laura Mercier Face Illuminators in Indiscretion and Devotion (review here)
Tom Ford Shimmer Shot Spin Spin Sugar (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle (available here)

Quick note and some thoughts on comparisons. The Camelia de Chanel has a similar sparkling quality to MAC Soft and Gentle on my skin, but the Chanel is slightly more sparkly. My personal favorite is still the Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001 because it melds nicely with my skin and the color is just perfect for me. This spring they’ve added 3 more shades (review soon). The comparison swatch shows the Dior and Chanel to look really similar but on camera it’s difficult to capture ever single nuance with the shimmer, color and sparkles. If you want to avoid all kinds of harsh shimmer and want just a soft natural glow the Edward Bess All Over Seduction is my holy grail cream highlighter although the Tom Ford Shimmer Shots are quite pretty and easy to wear too.

Final thoughts: I think the Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder is an exquisite highlighter. I was sent one for review and would have purchased one even if they didn’t send one to me. I think it’s definitely a unique piece compared to previous Chanel highlighter launches and even unique compared to other brands. It has a sparkle that almost feels like it could be fairy dust captured and pressed into a compact. Opening it is a breathtaking experience and they really did an excellent job at creating a one of a kind piece for beauty collectors and fanatics like myself. Quality is top notch – it has a smooth even texture without any patchy issues. As with any powder there will be some fallout in the application but once on the skin I found it stayed put all day long. I love it on the eyes. On my cheeks it’s a bit much for me – even though as you can tell from the comparison swatches above I’m a bit of a highlighter junkie and love a good glow. This one is just not doable for the cheeks for everyday but I will say that right at this moment I’m in that weird skintone transition phase where I’m getting lighter and finding a lot of colors aren’t working for me. I know this will pass as I tan easily and sunshine is in the weather forecast in the upcoming days so I’ll probably get some color soon.

If you bought this I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you can chime in on your skintone to help those who are debating whether or not to order sight unseen that would be amazing too.

The Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder retails for $70, currently available online at Chanel.com.

Illuminating powder provided courtesy of Chanel for review.

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