Natasha Denona launched three new cranberry-themed launches in her new Berry Pop Collection just in time for Valentine’s Day. We usually see nudes or pink tones from Natasha Denona (which I love) and I rarely wear red but the colors in the Berry Pop collection are really pretty! The items are available at Ulta Beauty and Natasha Denona.
Berry Pop Cheek Trio
The Berry Pop Cheek Trio ($48) has two rosy shades and a highlighter. The Tinted Glow Cream Base (middle shade) is a softer creamy soft rose pink shimmer. It’s creamy and emollient but has a pretty good dry down once you blend it. You can wear it on the eyes or cheeks.
The Cream Blush has more of a powdery feel to it. It’s very pigmented so a little goes a long way. It’s an intimidating to my neutral-makeup-loving self but very easy to blend for a tint of color.
The Highlighter is a beautiful champagne shimmer with a very smooth silky feel to it. Shimmer is pretty shimmery but it’s finely milled for a really stunning glow.
Overall a solid A+ for performance, blendability and texture. I don’t know that it will be for everyone as I know a lot of you prefer a neutral toned blush, but the reds in this collection have more of a cranberry vibe so it’s not straight up red.
Berry Pop Lipstick + Lip Liner
I love a coordinating lipstick + liner duo and the Berry Pop Lipstick ($27) and Berry Pop Lip Crayon ($24) have Natasha Denona’s signature creamy full coverage formula. Both are matching shades of cranberry. The Lipstick is opaque, smooth, creamy with a satin finish. The Lip Crayon liner is also smooth, very long wearing and really does help to extend the wear of your lipstick (it took waterproof remover to take off). Both have a cool undertone to them.
For my neutral-lip lovers I’ve added a quick look at her I Need a Rose Lipsticks which are the first neutrals lip colors in her line that don’t wash me out. We all know neutral lipsticks can be tricky. Something that is “neutral” to me can be straight up orange on someone else or can also look concealer-like depending on lip tone, skin tone, under tone etc.
Her I Need a Rose Lipsticks are beautiful lighter shades that have just the right amount of warmth for me. Most of her other nude lipsticks are too cool-toned on me, but for those looking for truly cool-toned lipsticks or liners, I can’t rave enough about her formulas.
Peony is a pale milky pink cream, Daphne is a medium rosy brown nude, Calla is stunning beige cream. She has matching Lip Liners and Lip Glosses to go with these. I actually have the lip liners but they are missing in action in my stash (I couldn’t find them). I do have the Lip Glosses swatched on the arm, but the formula unfortunately settles into my lip lines and I’m really not a fan of them.
MAKE Beauty is a beauty line I’ve been loving but haven’t written about on the blog yet and it’s a line I think is definitely worth checking out. The products MAKE has been creating remind me of the good old days of when there were innovative beauty launches. They have also launched some really beautiful staples, but with a unique twist whether it’s the packaging or formula.
Multi-Chromatic Metal-Reflecting Eyeshadows
Their latest launch is the Multi-Chromatic Metal-Reflecting Eyeshadow ($24 each). These are beautiful reflective shimmer eyeshadows that have a creamy feel but blend like a powder. They’re very metallic but the shimmer is unique in the sense that you will get a different shimmer effect depending on how much you apply. With a soft fluffy brush you get a soft luminous glow. If you apply with fingers or a dense brush you’ll see a more foiled metallic sheen.
Once on the lids there’s no fall-out (true to their description!). When I apply with a brush there is a little bit of fall out onto the cheeks but most of the product adheres to the lids. Lasting power is impressive – the texture is creamy which makes it adhere to the eyes for very long wear.
There are 12 shades available. The team sent 6 as press samples and I was so impressed with the formula I ordered a few more (and they shipped pretty quickly). These shadows look speckled with different pearly colors mixed in for a stunning finish.
Glaze* is a beautiful warm champagne pearly shimmer
Gleam is a beautiful pink mauve metallic shimmer
Quartz* is a cool-toned taupe shimmer, almost pulls purply on my skin
Dream Dust is a beautiful golden brassy shade
Blaze* is a warm coral shimmer
Stardust* is a stunning deep emerald
Purple Haze* is a luminous orchid plum
Onyx* is a gunmetal metallic
On me they pull more metallic than sparkly. Shimmer is more on the fine side vs chunky, so while they have very strong shimmer they aren’t like glitter toppers.
I did two looks below wearing three shades. You can wear them alone as one-and-done kind of shadows or mix/layer multiples.
Wearing the same items above, but with Glaze and Blaze layered together.
New Eyeshadow Brushes
They launched two brushes with the eyeshadow and I think they’re very well made. The All Over Eyeshadow Brush ($24) is a very soft medium-sized brush. The Precision Eye Smudger ($24) is a small domed brush, also very soft and dense. The handles feel a weighted which gives it a luxurious feel. So far I only have one other brush the Powder Brush ($30) and I use it all the time. I really hope they expand the brush line and consider making a travel brush set because they are well designed, well made and really nice to use.
Overall lots to love. I think the eyeshadows are beautiful and the formula is very unique. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but my top 3 are Glaze, Gleam and Dream Dust.
I have a pretty substantial brush collection and think the new eyeshadow brushes they launched are worth splurging on.
The Unlocked Soft Matte Lipstick is a soft blurred matte lipstick with full coverage. They’re very opaque with full coverage and according to Hourglass they’re infused with a primer for smooth application. I found they did indeed apply smoothly but there was some tugging and looked dry on my lips. Granted a matte finish can look dry, but these felt like they sucked all the moisture from my lips making them feel a little tight.
Most of the colors I tried pulled very warm on me. The matte finish made these look a little muted/faded on me, but it could just be the colors I picked out. They swatch beautifully on the hand. On my darker pigmented lips I did not really like any of these shades. Poppy is pretty and right along the lines of a shade I would wear, but in real life it emphasizes my lip lines and looks very dry.
I do think they are long-wearing but they felt so dry & uncomfortable on my lips I couldn’t leave them on long enough to see how long they would last.
Magnolia is a pale warm nude pink
Tulip is a cool-toned pink
Tigerlily is a burnt orange
Peony is a warm brown beige
Foxglove is a very warm berry
Poppy is a muted coral (not shown above because I dropped it and the entire tube was smashed)
There are seven new Shape and Sculpt Lip Liners. As a neutral lip lover I picked up the four lightest colors. Formula is very long-wearing. Application is relatively smooth. Shades pull very warm and I’m not sure the colors aren’t unique enough to justify if you already own a lot of neutrals.
Shade 1 Expose does not show up on my lips, but these days I feel like most of the new lighter neutral pencils do not
Shade 2 Flaunt is a warm pink rose beige
Shade 3 Tempt is a deeper brown pink
Shade 4 Undercover is a darker terracotta brown rose
Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm
Last we have a look at the new shades of Phantom Volumizing Glossy Balm. I love this formula although in the hot summer months they can get a little melty in the tube. They’re soft, glossy, hydrating and have a slight cooling sensation. Hourglass added the 2 shades from their Holiday 2024 Duo Set and I’m thrilled they’re permanent! These are very balmy so the lasting power isn’t super long, but this is a formula I don’t mind reapplying. Just an FYI price for what you get is pretty high. A number of you have told me to me these were not worth it for you because you used them up in a matter of a few weeks with daily use and re-application. I kinda agree, but I like these enough to splurge on. New Shades include:
Crave – warm pink
Rouse – plum brown
Reveal – bluer-toned pink (cooler version of Crave)
Wish a pretty coral color
I swatched these next to some of the other Phantom Glossy Balms I own:
Overall the matte lipsticks are a miss for me. I think there are better matte lip formulas out there like from brands like Pat McGrath, Lisa Eldridge, Charlotte Tilbury and Armani to name a few. That being said I usually do not like or wear matte lips and I have seen a lot of positive reviews on these – I might be the only one who does not love these.
Lip liners aren’t bad. The colors don’t really jump out to me, but formula is long-wearing and I think they could be neutral staples if you don’t have a lot of lip pencils.
I love the new shades of Phantom Glossy Balm. I think they’re fresh, flattering and perfect for year round – they have me looking forward to warm weather months.
This year Chanel has surprised us with a new collection launched called the Les Beiges Winter Glow Collection. As a huge fan of their Les Beiges collections, I was thrilled to see this with a wintery twist. The collection launched in early January online at Chanel.com and after playing with everything for a few weeks I have a review today including:
There are three shades of the Les Beiges Healthy Winter Glow Blush. These are limited-edition powder blushes in the Les Beiges beige compact with a snowflake embossed on the surface of the powder. They have an almost creamy texture, like a cream to powder, but perform more like a powder. Each shade has impressive buildable pigment that is easy to layer. They have a subtle glow and each shade has some shimmer in them.
Rose Polaire
Rose Polaire is my favorite. It’s a baby rose pink that has a really stunning glow to it. I was worried it would be too pale to show up on my medium Chanel B40 skin tone but it shows up beautifully for a pretty baby pink flush.
Corail Givre is a stunning coral with gold shimmer. This has a similar look to some of the other Chanel peachy blushes but has a brightness that brings the skin to life. The gold shimmer adds a pretty glow – the shimmer and sparkles are more visible on the skin in this one.
Below Corail Givre Blush with Les Beiges Eyeshadow Palette in Warm (from a previous launch) and Rouge Coco Baume in Cocoon
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Mauve Glace
Mauve Glace is a beautiful neutral-warm mauve. It looks cool-toned in the pan but on my skin it pulls a bit reddish leaning more towards a warmer mauve. I think this is a really pretty shade that will be great for spring.
Chanel launched a new Healthy Glow Eyeshadow Palette called Cool. As someone who rarely wears purple shadows I have to say this far exceeded my expectations. It has a soft seashell pink satin, a medium warm pink satin, shimmering warm purple burgundy, a darker plum with gold flecks and a sparkling lilac glittery sparkle topper. The sparkle shade almost has a duo chrome quality and flashes blue, violet and pink.
Texture is very soft and powdery so there is fallout when you apply but they do stay put on the eyes without migrating. I think the light sparkle shade makes this palette special. The eye look comes alive with the pop of violet/pink shimmers. Pigment is medium but buildable. I really love this palette! See it in action here.
Rouge Coco Baume
There are three new Rouge Coco Baumes. These are sheer tinted balms in a twist up tube format. If you’re new to these these have a comfortable feel, no scent and sheer-medium color payoff.
Chilling Pink is a very sheer pale milky pink. It’s not visible on the arm or hand swatch but on my lips I see a very pretty sheer milky pink.
Keep Cool has a pretty 90s vibe. On my lips it’s very pale, almost like a taupe shade. I think it’s better when paired with a deeper or warmer liner on my lips. It pulls very cool toned.
Cocoon is a sheer berry color. It has a slight hint of shimmer to it but pulls more like a cream. It’s almost like a reddish bitten stain on my lips. It’s very pretty – on me it pulls warm in undertone.
Le Vernis
The two Le Vernis shades are sheers, but they are very smooth sheers. Glaciale is a sheer milky white and Skieuse is a sheer baby pink. I applied both with 3 coats in the swatches below. I already bought backups of both shades. I think they’re really pretty.
Healthy Winter Glow Primers
Last I have some quick thoughts about the new Healthy Winter Glow Primers (available in 3 shades). These are very sheer glowy primers that almost have a gel-like feel. On my skin when layered over moisturizer they had a sticky feel. The colors are really pretty, but they are very sheer and don’t really give the skin much of a tint or glow. These are scented with fragrance. I didn’t notice much of a difference in my foundation with these. I think the No 1 de Chanel Skin Enhancers are better for my skin type. Swatches below of the Chanel highlighting fluids and La Base Illuminatrice. I didn’t swatch on the arm as they pretty much disappear once blended.
We’re seeing so many many lip launches this year and I am loving it! Today I have a look at the new Hollywood Beauty Icon colors and a few other recent launches from Charlotte Tilbury including the:
I have five new KISSING Lipstick shades which pull neutral pink or rose on me. How the undertone looks on you will vary depending on your skin tone, skin undertone and lip tone. She also launched red shades but since I rarely wear reds I passed.
The new shades are cooler-toned than a lot of her other neutrals, but to me they’re still in the neutral category. The only one that pulls truly cool-toned on my lips is Red Carpet Pink.
All of the KISSING Lipsticks have a satin finish with a soft shine. They’re creamy, medium to full coverage and comfortable to wear. Lasting power is standard for her lipsticks, they stay put pretty well but aren’t transfer-proof. I love that these have a metallic pink color for the exterior packaging. Makes it fun!
Icon Baby is a neutral light pink with a little bit of shimmer. The shimmer isn’t really noticeable on my lips although it does add a bit of dimension. This one has a little bit of texture in the tube which I suspect is from the shimmer, but once on the lips I don’t feel it.
Candy Chic is a candy neutral-warm pink. It’s almost a Barbie-like shade but with a bit more warmth.
Red Carpet Pink is a pretty cool-toned pale pink cream. On me it pulls almost mod-like, I’m really surprised how bright and warm it is in the stock photos and on their models although they have completely different coloring than me so I can see how it can look entirely different.
90’s Pink is a neutral mauve rose pink shade. It almost has a berry vibe to it. I think out of all the ones this is one of my favorites.
Rose to Fame is another mauve pink rose, it’s similar to 90’s Pink, I would say that Rose to Fame pulls a little more vibrant on me.
Rocket Girl is one of two limited-edition shades Charlotte Tilbury launched inspired by Elton John. This is a muted dusty pink. She describes it as a “cool nudey-pink” but on my lips it’s more of a neutral warm shade, almost pulls a little peachy on my complexion.
Swatch comparisons below to many of her other neutrals. These are the most neutral neutrals I could find in my stash. In swatch testing I was really surprised to find so many of her other shades are more neutral-warm by comparison.
I did not pick up any of the red colors although they look quite stunning. I rarely wear red and I feel like I already have a good selection from recent Bobbi Brown, Makeup By Mario and Chanel 31 Le Rouge launches.
Lip Cheat – new shades
She launched 5 new shades of lip liners. I picked up the two lightest options. Icon Baby is described as a “warm nude-rose” but to me it’s more of a peachy nude pink. It does pull warm on me and on my lip tone you can barely see it. Iconic Nude and Pillow Talk show up a lot better on me.
90’s Pink is a deep rose. I was hoping it would be identical to the lipstick version, but it pulls a few shades darker and more reddish. Still very pretty and pairs beautifully with the lipstick.
I feel like it’s been so long since we’ve seen a new eyeshadow palette from Charlotte Tilbury. Queen of Luck has a pale cool cream shimmer, duochrome golden pink shimmer, warm gold glitter topper and soft warm tan brown matte. I think it’s beautiful. I swatched it next to Celestial Lights which was limited-edition. I think they’re definitely similar in the effect so I don’t think you need both if you already own Celestial Lights.
You can see Queen of Luck in actionin this reel here. I really like it but don’t think it’s an absolute must unless you missed out on Celestial Lights.
Overall lots to love from these launches. I think there’s a shade for everyone. If you tried any of the reds I’m curious to know your thoughts!
The Afterglow Irresistible Eyeshadow Palette has 12 shades with a rosy theme. It has a good mix of mattes, soft shimmers and sparkles. Texture and pigment of shades is consistently good among all shades. Mattes are soft, easy to blend, smooth. Shimmers have a subtle sheen. Sparkles are really finely milled glitter toppers with a pretty finish that isn’t too sparkly or chunky.
The color theme has a similar vibe to many previous palettes so I don’t know that I’d call it a must-have based on the colors, but it performs well. It pulls very warm – there are a lot of rose or brown tones.
Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipsticks
The standouts in the collection are the Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipsticks. I love this formula for the pigment, texture and feel. I already own most of the shades from the initial launch (review + swatches here) and still use them on a regular basis. The new spring shades are STUNNING! I think they have the perfect pop of color and are wearable even for neutral lip lovers. I am all about a natural lip, but I’m loving the tones of these spring shades. Three of the shades are similar in the brownish/reddish family but have differences in the undertone.
Voyeur is a peachy brown
High Gear is a coral red brown
Aragon is a brown red chestnut
Wild Ride is burgundy red with slight berry tones
No Inhibitions is a beautiful bright raspberry pink
All In Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick + Secret Lover Afterglow Liquid Blush
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Afterglow Liquid Blush
There are three new shades of Afterglow Liquid Blush. The formula is a lightweight almost gel-like liquid. These blend out to a sheer medium finish. The deeper shades like the new spring colors have more color payoff than the lighter colors but blend out to a more natural finish. (Swatches of other shades here.)
Aragon is a chestnut brown, Orgasm Rush is a brown with a subtle gold shimmer, Secret Lover is a watermelon pink. I love the pink one, I think it’s the perfect shade for spring.
Lasting power is very good, once they set they stay put and look fresh for hours without sliding off the face. I really like these for a liquid blush, but in general powder blush is still my formula of choice for cheek makeup.
That wraps up the NARS Spring Collection review. Have you checked out anything yet? What did you think?
It’s been a dry winter this year in Florida and colder than usual although I suspect it’s usually very cold and dry for most of you in the winter. I’ve had a few things in rotation I’ve been loving that I wanted to share to combat dry skin focusing on body care. I have picks at multiple price points.
Body Lotion and Creams
There are so many great body creams and lotions on the market but scent is something I am so picky about that I feel like I am missing out on a lot of great formulas. I usually prefer something unscented or very lightly scented when it comes to body moisturizers. I also need something to feel smooth and not sticky so anything “balmy” is usually a no-go for me.
My favorite body cream right now is the Herbivore Botanicals Cloud Milk Firming Body Cream ($40, at Herbivore, Sephora and Nordstrom). It’s what I wanted the Kopari Ultra Restore Body Butter ($36) to be which felt a little too thick and smelled too sweet for my taste. The one from Herbivore Botanicals has a soft cushiony velvety creamy texture hat melts into the skin. It’s scented with coconut and vanilla but isn’t too strong. Has a very hydrating feel that absorbs well and doesn’t pill.
Naturium Bio-Lipid Restoring Body Lotion ($14.99) is a great budget-friendly option that is fragrance free, semi-thick but doesn’t feel greasy. It does take a little work to massage into the skin fully but I really like it. I brought the travel size with me on a trip.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Body Cream ($30 – $65, also in this Duo Bundle Set) is one of the more expensive options I’ve tried. If you like the Magic Cream for the face I think you’ll like this one. I love both. It has a super luxurious feel and texture. There is a subtle scent like face version but it’s light and fresh. It has shea butter and is very soothing. Also has a smoothing effect. I do think it’s incredibly overpriced but I think the formula is really good.
Prequel Barrier Therapy Skin Protectant Cream ($18) is a soothing body cream with 1% colloidal oatmeal. It’s what I wanted the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream to be in body lotion form, although in looking at their website I just found out they actually do have an Ultra Repair Body Lotion ($38) that seems to be exclusive to their website. The Prequel Barrier Cream worked to help calm down some dry skin flare ups I’ve had this winter season. Some areas of my hands and arms became so dry they started to crack and turn red and burn to the point I couldn’t sleep. A mix of Vaseline and the Prequel cream helped calm everything down and restore moisture. On normal days I love this on the body just by itself.
A number of you recommended Osea, in particular the Anti-Aging Body Balm and Body Butter. I had a mini sample of the Anti-Aging Body Balm to try and the formula is incredible! It is on the balmy side with some slip in the finish so it doesn’t really have much of a dry down. I am trying to decide if I can wear this even with the balmy texture because it feels incredible but I don’t like sticking to my clothes. I think I may order their Glow to Go Starter ($32) set to try a few other things.
Body Oils
I love a good body oil but this is another category where I am really particular with scents and texture. Thick ones will most likely help hydrate the best but I prefer ones that are not thick or sticky.
Celine Huile Celeste ($195) was quite the splurge but I love it mainly for the scent. It’s one of three new additions to the Celine perfume lineup in the Cologne Celeste scent. It’s a beautiful fresh citrus, notes include ANGELICA, SWEET LEMON ESSENCE, PETITGRAIN, NEROLI ACCORD, AMBRETTE BUTTER AND ORRIS BUTTER. This is a pour out style kind of bottle and I wish it had a stopper or spray. I managed to get an extra spritzer cap for the top in store although I don’t know how long it will work as it’s designed for the cologne. Texture is dreamy and beautiful. Just like you’d expect of a massage oil. I bought this for the scent which is very light compared to the cologne, but I really love it and will use every last drop. I don’t think I will repurchase due to the price but it was a beautiful splurge.
Chanel L’Huile Vanille ($230) is another splurge that I think was 100% worth it. The Chanel Body Massage Oils come in four scents for now and I would love to own them all but Vanille is my favorite. It smells just like the Sublimage Skincare line which is very unique. It has the most beautiful texture with a soft scent. I love the way it feels and absorbs into the skin. The only downside is the large glass packaging. It’s so beautiful and very substantial but a bit difficult to hold because of the size. Also the top has no stopper so it’s a pour style so you have to be careful not to pour too much out. Formula is 10/10 though.
Shower Care
For the bath and shower there are three I’ve been loving lately. Saltair has a great lineup of affordable body and hair care items. I really loved their Golden Hour Oil-Infused Nourishing Body Wash ($15). It has a pineapple + coconut scent that is sweet but isn’t too sweet. It has a gel like texture for a body wash. Moisturizing level is medium, not as hydrating as an oil, but more than a regular shower gel. I really liked the texture and formula.
Bioderma Atoderm Body Cleansing Oil ($29.99) is great for soft hydrated skin. Works wonders on dry skin and leaves the skin feeling silky smooth. I do wish the packaging was a bit more aesthetically pleasing but the formula is great. They also have it in a small 3.4 fl oz travel size which is nice to try before you buy the full size.
Sol de Janeiro Brazilian 4 Play Moisturizing Shower Cream-Gel ($26 to $56) is probably my most repurchased shower cream. It is very strong in the scent but I love it. It’s a cream shower product that really does hydrate the skin well without leaving any film or residue. After going through this so much we decided to start buying the Value Size 33.1 oz which comes with a pump. They also make this in a large refill pack now.
I love a good body scrub but I haven’t found anything I really love right now. Most are either a little too gritty or the oil-based scrubs leave the skin feeling too oily if that makes sense. For now I’ve been just using a good wash cloth to exfoliate.
Hand and Cuticle Care
I used up a bunch of hand creams and cuticle oils over the past few months and right now have been sticking to my tried and true. I love the Chanel La Crème Main ($55) or Le Lift La Crème Main ($70) because they have the best dry down and are not sticky. For me they have the perfect amount of moisture.
For ultra dry hands/skin I think L’Occitane is the best. I just placed an order to restock the Shea Butter Hand Cream ($13, new packaging looks great!) and the Cuticle Oil ($22).
For the cuticles I finished up the OPI ProSpa Cuticle Oil which I really loved. I will probably repurchase. Right now I am working my way through my second bottle of the Hermes Nail Oil which I really love but is almost always out of stock. Chanel’s L’Huile Camelia ($32) is another luxury option which is quite the splurge but incredibly nourishing and works. I bought the Dior Huile Abricot ($30) which has been repackaged. I used to really love it, I still like it but not as much as the OPI or Chanel because I don’t find it as hydrating.
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That wraps up my body care loves for winter! Would love to hear about your favorites or hits and misses!
