TGIF everyone! I have a roundup of some items on my radar – some are new, others are just simply new to me. Several of you have kept asking for a foundation roundup – I hope to have it go up next week as I just finished testing a few more formulas. I ordered a few shades of MAC foundation even though my skin can’t handle it to swatch for you as a reference point so stay tuned!
Laura Mercier launched new additions to her Candleglow Collection with the Candleglow Concealer and Highlighter (1) and Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder (2). Both look promising and I will be testing them out next week. I have yet to see the colors in person but I am hoping I will have a good match. Will keep you posted!
Le Metier de Beaute just launched a new Breast Cancer Kaleidoscope 2016 Edition (3) for the eyes. I have high hopes for this one as well as I just ordered sight unseen. I will review it as soon as I receive it.
It’s been a while since I’ve shopped at Coach for myself but I stopped by the store to pick up a little anniversary present for my husband (this wallet). We decided on no presents this year but I still wanted to pick him up something small and practical. The Coach 1941 Collection Clutches (4) immediately caught my eye with the simple classic sleek look and soft leather. I’m the biggest sucker for flat pouches and these are calling my name. I haven’t bought one yet as some of the crossbody bags look like a great no-fuss option for weekends. If you’re a Coach fan let me know if you’ve had experiences with either!
Shopbop is having a mega sale that ends tonight (October 14th, 11:59 PM PST). Use code MAINEVENT16 at checkout for 25% off orders up to $500 and 30% off orders over $500. I need a pair of leather camel ankle boots and the ones from Madewell (8) look perfect. I’m still trying to pick out a pair. If you have any favorite camel/tan colored ankle booties or styles to recommend let me know.
A couple weeks ago I went to a Shu Uemura Art of Hair Event where they showed us a few new launches. The Urban Moisture Collection is new and designed specifically for dry hair. I was able to test in the salon and it wasn’t heavy at all. My favorite item is the Urban Moisture Hydro Nourishing Double Serum (9) which is a bi-phase spray. It helps add moisture to ends and prepare for heat styling. The stylist also used it in conjunction with the Wonder Worker and Ample Angora (both of which I love). My hair was surprisingly volumized, hydrated and soft all at the same time. There were no tangles and when it was being styled no tugging happened when the stylist worked the round brush through my hair (which rarely happens in salons for me).
In my last hair care styling roundup a number of you recommended the Oribe Signature Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray (10) so even though I have blow out products to last me months I bought it to try it. It is indeed amazing. Also new from Oribe is the Cote d’Azure Replenishing Body Wash (not shown) which is one of the most comforting and hydrating body washes I have ever tried. I still need to do more testing but it’s really really good. I’m really not happy about the price though.
By Terry has some gorgeous items for holiday that has my wallet crying a flood of tears. The Impearlious Baume De Rose Deluxe (11) comes with roses!
My love for Anastasia Beverly Hills continues with two new launches in the Master Palette by Mario ($45 for .7g/0.2 oz x 12 shadows) and Stick Foundation in Warm Natural and Golden ($25 for 9 g/0.32 oz). I bought all three from Sephora – the palette is something I ordered sight unseen. For the foundation I spent some time in store swatching colors but they did not have all the testers or colors for sale. Luckily they had the colors that matched my skintone range so I was able to find something that matched. For a line that I feel is very much on the trendy side I’ve been fortunate to find some really great products that are still suitable for my conservative makeup taste. Pigment and formulas are versatile, rich in pigmented and shimmer, but still easy to blend out for a less sharp look. As much as I love new makeup trends I will not bake my face, strobe heavily, use the heavy contour method or have my highlighter “on fleek” as the young ones say these days. So for my fellow conservative makeup lovers – I think you might be able to find some really good products that are easy to wear even if you feel like you’re not the trendy type.
Up first is the Master Palette by Mario. This is the first eyeshadow palette I’ve bought from Anastasia Beverly Hills. After a few years of accumulating several palettes in my early days of makeup exploration I found many sat unused in my makeup drawers if I did not love all the colors. So I made myself a self-imposed rule that if there were 2-3 shades I did not like I told myself “don’t buy it.” I did try to stick with it and for quite a few years I was able to resist a lot of palettes. In recent years palettes have been more tempting and my resolve weakened. In this case there were 2 shades I didn’t really like which included the olive and navy teal – but seeing swatches online made me decide to cave and I’m glad I did.
This is one of the more trendy palettes I own. The shimmer is noticeable and on the scale of shimmer intensity I would say it’s pretty high but I can still wear all the colors. The pigment is medium but buildable to full coverage. There are a few matte shades which also have excellent coverage. The shades are easy to blend and layer. Texture is soft so there is some fallout when applying on the eyes but I have yet to find a powder shadow that doesn’t have some level of fall out. Once on the eyes the colors stay put – no smudging, fading or creeping. I like that they apply well with or without a base (at least for me).
Colors include:
Hollywood is a pale shimmery gold
NYC is a warm coppery bronze shimmer
Kim is a warm tan shimmer with orange tones
Muse is a reddish pink shimmer
Marina is a shimmering champagne mauve
Claudia is a deep greyed navy shimmer
Lula is a matte cool brown
Isabel is a matte burnt orange
Violeta is a warm deep brown
5th Ave is a shimmering pale frosted gold
Bronx is a shimmering olive
Paris is a shimmering bronze
In terms of how to wear this palette I often get overwhelmed with this many options – but I really like this one. I’ve tried every single color in combinations of 3-4 shades and every time the look is just really pretty. Unfortunately I don’t have any eye looks for you as I’m still trying to figure out how to photograph warm shades on the eyes.The brush is easy to use and the shape is good for blending and lid application – quality isn’t the best as I feel it’s not as soft as I’m used to, but it’s functional and works.
A few more close ups:
Next up are the Stick Foundations. These offer medium-full to full coverage. Picking a color was a bit tricky in store as there is a wide range and they aren’t displayed in sequential order. There are handy face photos with models to help narrow down your shade. My exact match is Warm Natural but with full coverage foundations often times an exact match can make the face look a bit flat. I picked up Golden as well which matches my tanned body so I use two shades and blend.
I would say the finish pulls more on the matte side and for me – I don’t like matte finish foundations because I find they emphasize fine lines and crevices. Especially around the mouth where lines form when you smile – full coverage mattes tend to creep into those lines and age my face. The one from Anastasia Beverly Hills does not emphasize lines but if you have dry skin or skin that tends to pull dry you will probably find it too drying for all over the face. I think it still can be used for extra coverage if you like to layer foundations. To date my favorite foundation stick is still the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation (review soon but you can see it in action on my face in this post here).
Shown above:
Lancome Teint Idole Ultrawear Makeup Stick (c/o) in 330 and 340 – this gets lots of rave reviews but I found the formula did not work for my skin type, emphasized my dry patches, made my skin look aged and the colors pull very pink
To find your match if you’re looking online or want to know where to start I recommend visiting their Stick Foundation Pinterest Page where they have lots of swatches, face charts and more. Here are a few that helped me. Based on these my best guess was Natural, Warm Natural and Golden and I think it was pretty accurate:
One last look:
Bottom line winners in my book and even though some of you have pointed out the line is overpriced as items are made in China, I still find quality and performance to be quite good. I’ve found them priced reasonably although many of you may be correct in your assessment that they are priced higher than they should be considering where the product is made. I still find what I’ve tried to be solid performers. Update: I took a closer look at the eyeshadow palette, shadows are made in USA and brush is made in PRC. Foundation sticks say made in PRC.
For other reviews you can always click the tag/label at the bottom of each post to find other features. I’ll link the ones I’ve done below for reference.
I’ve recently started incorporating the Colgate Optic White line into my daily teeth care routine in particular the Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Whitening Pen. They reached out and asked me to try it and today I have some thoughts on my experience to share with you. When it comes to teeth whitening I’ve tried a number of strips and various toothpaste brands but haven’t been crazy about any as I have very sensitive teeth.
The Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Whitening Pen is a two-in-one product. The box states you can get “5 shades white teeth” by using this pen for three weeks, and the pen starts to work in one day. It comes with an easy to use twist-up whitening pen that dispenses a white gel. Simply brush with your regular toothpaste, remove cap from the pen (first use only), apply the gel and store the pen inside the toothbrush. The gel has a very soft and gentle mint scent. I found the gel adheres well to the teeth. No extra rinsing or washing required. Just apply and go.
I’ve been using this for four weeks now morning and night. I drink coffee and tea frequently so my teeth were not in the best state to start.
The toothbrush comes with a soft bristle which works well on my sensitive teeth and gums. I really like that it’s truly easy to use, takes little to no time at all to apply the gel and has an easy storage solution so I don’t misplace the pen from the toothbrush. It’s gentle and effective. The box instructs you to replace the Toothbrush + Whitening Pen every 3 months so I suspect it will last a while before I will need to replace. The pen recommends 2 clicks for the top teeth and 2 clicks for the bottom and so far I find that is a good amount for me.
This week I’ve just started incorporating the Colgate Optic White High Impact White Mouthwash as well into my routine and it helps freshen the mouth without any stinging. It’s supposed to help remove surface stains as well and prevent future ones. I wanted to see how the pen performed alone with my regular toothpaste first and so far I’m impressed and it’s something I will continue to use. You simply use the pen after the mouthwash.
You can find the Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Whitening Pen online and in stores now at Target. I stopped by the store to pick up another one for my husband to try. Have you tried the Colgate Optic White line before? What did you think? If not, what teeth whitening products have you found work for you?
This post was sponsored by Colgate. As always all opinions my own.
Many of you have asked for a review on this year’s edition of the Bobbi Brown Beauty Case ($160, limited-edition) and today I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom to share what I can fit inside it. This is a new travel case for the holiday season with two zippered tiers and compartments to house anything from makeup, skincare, beauty tools and travel-sized minis.
There have been various launches of the Bobbi Brown train case over the years in different materials, colors and set options. The first one I received was the classic black leather one back in the 2002 time frame and it has special meaning to me. My boyfriend bought it for me when we first started dating (now my husband). He picked it up while in London at the airport and was so excited when he came back to the US that he had found something he knew I would get a lot of use out of. He said “it can hold all your makeup!” It was just so thoughtful and since we had only been dating for under a year I was so surprised he would know to even look for something like that as a gift for me. I was even more touched that he carried it on the plane all the way from London. It’s held up remarkably well and I’ve carried it on the plane (without liquids of course) and also on other occasions packed in my suit case.
This year’s version comes in a rich burgundy faux patent leather material. As with most patent materials it will be on the more delicate side so you will need to be careful about it touching materials that could have color transfer. Fingerprints will show so I’d recommend using clean hands to handle it, but I would recommend that for any type of leather good whether it’s patent or not. It is well made though and very sturdy so I do believe it will hold up well. The color is simply gorgeous.
It’s the exact same in size as the previous cases on the exterior measuring approximately 9 inches wide, 5.75 inches tall and 5.75 inches deep. The configuration inside is a bit different in this year’s version as the top portion has a horizontal separator to help keep items in place and the base has no pockets. The top of the lid does have a pocket to store items. It has another elastic pocket inside which can hold your brushes in place.
If you’ve followed me for a while you will know that I pack a lot with me on travel and even in my daily or weekly bag I tend to accumulate a lot with me. Many of you are amazed that I’m able to pack so much in limited spaces – it does take careful placement and maneuvering like Tetris to make things fit in a way that as little space is wasted, but you can fit a lot inside a suitcase or travel case if you arrange things in a certain way. I’ve included a wide variety of items, brands and products I would actually travel with to see what I could fit in the Beauty Case. As usual I’ve found that this little case can house a lot of items from face and base makeup, blush, highlighters, skincare, brushes, lip color, eyeshadow, powders, mascara, gloss, eyeliner and an eyelash curler. As I’ve used my black travel case on numerous occasions and weekend getaway trips I really find it to be perfect.
If you’ve been eyeing the Bobbi Brown Beauty Case for holiday I hope this gives you an idea of what kinds of things you can fit inside. I think it’s great for travel or mini getaways – especially if you’ll have some trips coming up for the holiday season for family get-togethers you can store a little bit of everything inside. I’ve used mine on mini trips ranging from 3 days to a full week. It’s worked for me on road trips as well. I’m glad she re-launched the case in a new version this year. I would still love for it to be a permanent addition to the line. It is on the pricey side but I’ve gotten a lot of use out of my black leather one (going on 15 years now!) and it’s held up really well.
You can find the Bobbi Brown Beauty Case right now at Nordstrom. Don’t forget to check out the Gift with Purchase page as they do update their special offers section frequently.
This post was sponsored by Nordstrom. Press samples featured include the Armani Prima, Kate Somerville Dilo Oil, Kate Somerville Eye Serum, MAC Liptensity, Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick. As always all opinions my own.
This year’s first look at holiday beauty highlights the Dior Splendor Color Collection and everything is simply stunning. I received pieces to play with a few weeks ago and have been dying to share the review with you. All items far exceeded my expectations although for me the best items are the two 5 Couleurs Splendor Eyeshadow palettes. They come with the most beautiful embossed sequins-like texture on the surface and every single color works for me in both palette (which is rare). I still have yet to see photos of all the holiday launches coming out this year, but out of the ones I have seen, this is the one I’m the most excited about.
Up first are the eye shadows. The two 5 Couleurs Splendor Eyehadow Palettes which have beautiful shimmer shades. Smoky Sequins is the cooler toned version with greys and whites for a more traditional smokey eye and Precious Embroidery is more on the warmer plum side but still pulls neutral on my skin. The colors have a soft texture that melds in with the skin. They are easy to blend, easy to layer and stay put with medium pigment. If you use a damp brush it will intensify the pigment and shimmer.
I did a quick look with Smokey Sequins. It’s cool-toned but still easy to wear on my olive skin:
Diorshow Fusion Mono Eyeshadow in Infinity is a gold/bronze/taupe lovers dream come true. It has the perfect mix of gold, taupe, silver, bronze all in one for the all over shade you can wear alone on simple days to add a bit of color to the eyes.
Next up are the Diorific Matte Velvet Color Lip and Cheek Fluids. I have not tried these on the cheeks as the texture and consistency seem best suited for the lips (at least on me). Pleasure 001 is a warm pink, Marvel 002 is a fuschia pink, Treasure 003 is a mauve lilac and Luxury 004 is a classic bright red. These have a unique formula which is best worn when layered. One swipe will give you a stain. I recommend applying in a couple layers and you’ll see full coverage on the lips. They dry to a matte finish but do not look or feel dry which I really liked. Once on the lips the staying power is excellent. They do have a soft scent like a makeup kind of scent but it’s not overpowering. They come in a stunning ornament-like bottle with a sponge applicator.
There are five Diorific lipsticks launching in the US for holiday. If you see press releases online you may see other shades, but I believe they are the colors Europe and Asia received. I have one of the Diorific Lipsticks in Golden and four of the Diorific Mat Lipsticks to share (the one I’m missing is the red matte). Formula is full coverage, smooth and flawless. The mattes have a soft weightless texture that’s almost airy like on the lips. They are scented with the regular Dior lipstick scent. The holiday ones come in special edition gold packaging. The mattes do have a soft very subtle luminous sheen. Note the flash on my camera makes them look a bit more glowy than they do in real life.
Golden is a shimmering metallic gold. Ravissement is a medium bright pink. Charm is a peachy coral. Fascination is a classic plum.
The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer is repromoted for the US so if you bought it for fall you can shop your stash for the cheeks. I still think this is one of the prettiest most natural highlighters I’ve tried. Even though I have enough highlighters to last probably 100 lifetimes I think it’s a must. I’ve re-posted the photos from the Fall Collection review.
Last but not least are the Diorific Vernis nail polishes. Dior makes some of the best polishes formula-wise. They have the best brush out of all the ones I own and the formula is glossy with rich smooth coverage. By now I’ve bought almost all the colors because they always work really well. For holiday they’ve brought back the little bauble style packaging. I believe some may be similar (or even repromotes) from previous years. My favorite is the red Splendor and the glitter Nova. I rarely find that I like glitters because they look chunky or are simply to glitzy for everyday wear. Nova is one I think is subtle enough to wear. It looks pretty layered over other shades too. Swatches below with two coats.
Nova is a like a party in a bottle with white crystal looking sparkles. Golden is a neutral warm metallic gold. Splendor is a perfect holiday red. Cosmic is a deep vamp purple with tiny gold flecks.
Dior is also bringing another GWP option for Beauty Look Book readers for a complimentary Rouge Dior Matte deluxe mini and J’adore Eau Lumiere deluxe mini with a $100 purchase at Dior.com. Valid 10/10-10/21 while supplies last with code BLBHoliday at checkout. Note that all $100 orders already receive a deluxe sized sample plus two minis so the code will get you extra goodies.
Bottom line I love everything. Favorites for me are the eye products (palettes and single) and the repromoted
highlighter. I’m not a huge matte lip fan but the lip and cheek fluids
are really unique and the packaging is just so pretty I can’t help but
also fall in love with those. If you’re one who likes color for the lips there are lots of shades to choose from that are what I’d call modern classics. They’re wearable for right now and for the upcoming holiday season whether you like the traditional festive red or other brighter shades.
You can find everything now at Dior counters and online at Dior.com. If you’ve picked up anything from the collection already let me know what you thought!
Holiday collection provided courtesy of Dior for review.
Cover FX has brought us yet more ways to glow with The Perfect Light Highlighting Powders ($34 each for 8 g /0.28 oz, made in Canada). There are three shades available in Moonlight, Sunlight and Candlelight with are talc-free highlighters that come in a mirrored compact. The colors do have the same undertone and effect as the Custom Enhancer Drops by the same name but the powder version is a lot softer in overall effect when worn alone. Currently available at Sephora and Cover FX.
On my medium olive skintone:
Moonlight is the lightest and offers the most highlight/shimmer because it contrasts with my olive medium skintone color
Sunlight
looks really close in the compact to Moonlight, but on my skin it’s a
medium champagne with a hint of gold and for me looks the most natural
Candlelight is a soft bronze copper glow on my skin and for me this one is the most shimmery
To show the depth and pigment of the shimmer, I pulled the corresponding Custom Enhancer Drops (all previously reviewed here). To quote Cover FX, in order to “take your glow to the max” they recommend starting with the Illuminating Primer to give your skin that soft lit-from-within glow to create a smooth canvas for your foundation. Follow with the Custom Enhancer Drops to create a buildable highlight for a strobe effect or blended out glow. Add depth by layering the Perfect Light Highlighting Powder on top.
For those conservative with the shimmer you may find layering a bit too intense. I tried with all the colors on the face and eyes. I can layer Sunlight or Candlelight together and not feel like a golden statue. Moonlight is a bit too pale for my skintone which causes a more sharp highlight/shimmer.
Moonlight:
Sunlight:
Candlelight:
Note this one was applied with a heavy hand but you can sheer and blend it out for a softer look:
A quick beauty look below with all three shades worn. If you follow @coverfx on social or look at the tags other beauty lovers use for looks you will be able to see some seriously intense glow and glam strobe effects. I wanted to create a softer look that I would feel comfortable wearing everyday and also to show you that these powder can be blended for a more conservative look. If you like more shimmer you can definitely layer more or apply over a cream highlighter to pull more pigment.
Texture wise these are smooth and soft. The pigment is excellent and easy to blend without emphasizing pores or skin imperfections – however with most highlighters, the color and finish will depend on your skintype. I really like all three and find them easy to wear on cheeks or eyes. As one who owns dozens of other highlighter powders I will say that I think you can probably find similar colors if you want to shop your stash. That being said these powders from Cover FX perform well. I like that there’s no irritation on my sensitive skin, they don’t emphasize pores and the shimmer is truly easy to control whether you want a soft highlight or more pigmented strobe effect. I find Candlelight to be a very wearable warm bronze which is hard for me since many bronzey shades can pull orange on my skin and the one from Cover FX does not.
The Cover FX team has been kind enough to offer Beauty Look Book readers a chance for a giveaway! Three winners will be selected to win:
1 Full Size Illuminating Primer
1 Full Size Bottle of Custom Infusion Drops – Radiance
Have you tried the Cover FX highlighters yet? I’m still really loving the liquid drops and can’t believe how quickly they keep selling out but I hope they will restock again soon.
You can find the Perfect Light Highlighting Powders now at at Sephora and Cover FX.
Cover FX powders and giveaway items provided courtesy of the Cover FX team.
I’ve been testing out some items from Armani Beauty in skincare and just purchased a newly packaged foundation from the line. After a few misses over the spring I’ve been very nervous to test anything even though I’ve used many items from their line for over a decade. I used their Crema Nera cream in the original version for quite some time and absolutely loved it (I believe it’s since been reformulated or repackaged). I have three items from the Armani Prima Skincare line that I’ve been testing for a few months now, the new travel-size Crema Nuda Supreme Glow Reviving Tinted Cream and additional thoughts on the Him/Her Lip Care.
Up first are three items from the Armani Prima Skincare line. This line was designed to keep the glow in your morning makeup look fresh and stay put all day long and the three items that first launched really do work. They smooth the skin, give it a very natural glow without the greasy feel and work well with my makeup (all brands including NARS, MAC, Make Up For Ever, Hourglass).
I’m one who finds that my face makeup does indeed disappear or absorb into the skin and requires a little touch up mid-day. Foundation and powder usually stay put pretty well but I hate layers of product on my face so while I’ve tried and liked a lot of primers, I don’t think I’ve ever found one I absolutely love. Something is always wrong with primers I test, either it just doesn’t do anything for the foundation I wear, isn’t compatible with my skincare, causes an allergic reaction or it works but has that silicone feel that I really don’t like.
The Armani team sent three items over the summer and after a few bad skin reactions to their Maestro Glow Foundation and UV Primer I was terrified of trying these. I waited several weeks before being brave enough to test them and reminded myself that I had used a number of serums and creams from the line before and had great success with them. (I stopped repurchasing because of the high price points.) I’m glad I did. Thoughts on each.
Glow-On Moisturizing Balm is a moisturizer that is designed to give skin a natural glow, plump and smooth the skin. It does all the things it claims and has a very unique texture. It’s hydrating but has a very lightweight texture, almost airy and dries to a semi-matte finish. There is a very slight scent to it but it’s pleasant and disappears within a few minutes. For me it has enough hydration to use in place of moisturizer. I have normal combination skin and find it is odd that it gives skin a glow yet has a matte looking effect. Kinda like how Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks are luminous mattes. For me this is what I had hoped the Natasha Denona Face Glow Primer Hydrating Underbase to be (which turned out to be a bit too rich for my skintype).
If you’re more on the oily side or normal for that matter and find foundation disappears within hours the Armani Prima Day-Long Skin Perfector is the best makeup primer I have ever tried. It smooths out the skin and really does make foundation look fresh longer. I have not tested it in hot humid weather but I wish I had this a year ago during our summer trip to Europe to try. Last year there were days in Paris and Rome where I just gave up on wearing any makeup because the heat and humidity caused everything to slide off within minutes. In warm California weather the Day-Long Skin Perfector really does smooth the skin and prime it well for your base makeup. It has a lightweight texture that glides onto the skin. I use it over my moisturizers (La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream, La Mer Moisturizing Soft Lotion, Kate Somerville Nourish Moisturizer etc.) and it’s compatible with all of them. I have small but noticeable-to-me sized pores and this works well to smooth them out. It’s supposed to help absorb excess oil and it does help to keep the shine at bay for me.
The Lip and Eye Contour was featured earlier this week and works to smooth out lips and give them a slightly plumped effect. I have not tried it on the eyes yet. It does indeed smooth out the lip and help prime them for lip color. It does come at a very steep price tag. It’s a nice one that I like but given the price I do not know if it’s something I will repurchase once used up. It does smooth out lip lines and I suspect it will do the same for eyes. With the eye area and skincare I’ve tried a number of items (still testing quite a few). I feel like eye creams are hard to test because they take so much time to see results. If you’ve tried this on the eye area let me know what you thought.
Up next are the Him/Her Lip Care tinted shades in 2, 3 and 5. These were also featured in this week’s lip basics roundup so I won’t recap the full review. A few of you asked for lip swatches even though I felt they all looked pretty much the same and sheer on my lips. I have pigmented lips but they do seem to be darker on some days compared to others. I managed to get lip swatches on a day where my lips were on the lighter side. I swatched them heavily so you could see the color but I normally would not wear them this thick on the lips. They have a nice moisturizing balmy feel. They aren’t lightweight and you can feel them once on the lip area. If you need something weightless these will be too heavy for you. I also swatched all the colors at the counter for reference.
Shades I bought, 2 is peachy, 3 is a lilac, 5 is a plum:
Last but not least is the Crema Nuda Supreme Glow Reviving Tinted Cream which now comes in a travel sized version with a pump. When the original version came out in the large tub with a $200 price tag my jaw literally dropped and I told myself “I can’t check it out, I just can’t do it.” The most I’ve spent on a foundation before was for Cle de Peau and I did love it but never repurchased. When I saw a travel size of the Crema Nuda for $120 pop up online I was also debating the new Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Cream Foundation which is $125. It turned out to be too pink for me (I tried O30 too pink and O40 was too dark) and at the price tag I needed an exact or pretty exact match so I passed.
Before trying the Crema Nuda I did reach out to a few beauty friends asking if they tried it. One confirmed it was good but the original price was too much. I went to investigate and a quick hand swatch had me worried because I thought I’d be in between shades. #3 looked very pink and peach when blended on my hand and #4 was clearly too dark. A kind associate gave me samples to try and said to give it whirl on my skin because they blended out differently on the face because of the unique texture.
I had a serious OMG moment when I tried #3. It did indeed look a bit peachy-pink at first swipe but a beauty blender smoothed it out and after a minute it adjusted to a perfect match. I’ve never tried anything that made my skin look so blurred and smooth as the Crema Nuda. I do wish that it came in the same shades as the Luminous Silk because the colors in that line are perfect for my skin undertone but formula is too rich. At any rate, the Crema Nuda works for my normal combination skin even though I thought it would be too moisturizing and heavy. It looks very natural with medium coverage. I do still need to layer on a bit of concealer on spots and under eyes but it’s pretty near perfect.
I thought I had mini samples of all the shades but turns out I’m missing the darkest one #6. But for reference here are the colors I did get samples of at the counter. There is a new one #4.5 which once it sets looks darker than #4 even though they look pretty close with a fresh swatch.
A few comparison swatches for reference. As I’ve mentioned in a few recent posts I went to investigate what my MAC shade was because so many of you have asked. In the past years I’ve been anywhere from NC30, NC35, NC40, C3 and C4 depending on how tan I was. I stopped using the MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation because I found I was severely allergic – this was in my college days that I stopped which was over 10 years ago. I was also allergic to their Face and Body and a number of other formulas. Since then many years have gone by and I don’t know if the foundations have been reformulated but I did give the Studio Fluid Fix Foundation a try.
The girls at the store said I was an NC35 but I felt NC37 was a better match (in this formula it’s a bit lighter and less olive). I bought both so I could test and swatch them for you. As my skin gets lighter though I suspect I might be able to pull off NC30 – but I’ll have to investigate further. I still promise to have my base foundation and concealer roundup as soon as possible.
For now here are some swatch comparisons for reference, Set #1:
MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation NC35 and NC37 (I’m wearing NC37 on the face in the lip swatches above so you can see how it blends into the skin seamlessly for a good match even though it looks very olive/yellow below)
At the $120 price tag it’s still very expensive but easier for me to justify compared to $200. Plus I really like that it comes in a pump and wears well on my skin. Color options in the Crema Nuda line are limited but since it’s not a full covearage foundation I do think the shades are more forgiving. If you try it I do suggest letting the color sit on the skin as it won’t oxidize but it will adjust.
Bottom line, lots to love from the line. I’m slowly rediscovering bits – I used to be a die hard fan until they started reformulating everything and I’m still upset they discontinued some of the most amazing blush colors and the original formula. I know some will say the new one is better but I stocked up on some of the originals because in my mind those were the best on the market for a long long time.
For the skincare items, I like the Day-Long Skin Perfector the best. Even though it’s the best primer I’ve used I still don’t use it everyday simply because it’s an extra step I just am too lazy for on most days. When I do use it though it does not let me down. I highly recommend it.
Have you tried any of the Armani Prima skincare line? Or the Crema Nuda? I just saw they added more to the Prima skincare line but have yet to investigate. If you have any skincare favorites from the line let me know – it’s been years since I used their serums and creams. I suspect what I used to use no longer exists as new products have most likely taken their place.
Prima items provided courtesy of Armani for review. Other items purchased by me from Nordstrom.
