Happy Wednesday everyone! I hope your week is going well so far. I took the day off yesterday for some me-time. Sometimes the weekends aren’t just enough to unwind. I drove to LA early in the morning for a much-needed facial at the Kate Somerville Clinic on Melrose, you can find recap and review on my previous experience here. Since my first visit, I’ve gone back and booked 3 more appointments and my favorite treatments are the Dermal Quench Oxygen Treatment and Signature Facial. The treatments are worth every penny and for me also worth the 2+ hour drive. Plus it’s always fun to explore the area with Violet Grey next door (peek here), a beautiful Chloe boutique nearby, cute coffee shops and much more. Of course LA trips always leave me with a huge wish list! But it’s nice to dream right? Sometimes distractions are good.
On the beauty front, I’ve pretty much spent my beauty budget on the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Beauty Exclusives (my mega haul here). My favorite item of the sale is the Moroccanoil Set. Quite a few of the palettes have sold out already but you can still find all the NARS sets. I have my eye on the Nordstrom’s Best Cheek Palette because it looks perfect for travel and contains all the colors one could possibly need.
On the fashion front, many of you asked if I ended up getting the Trouve Jacket I tried on – I waited too long and it sold out 🙁 The Paige Transcend Jeans from the sale that sold out are now back online available on sale as a backorder. I think they are a really good deal and if you can wait for them to ship, I highly recommend them. An alternative is the Hudson Nico Ankle Super Skinny Jeans which are a similar fit and same length as the Paige. I would recommend picking the same size across both brands.
In terms of summer staples, the Madewell Whisper Cotton Tank is what I’ve been wearing a lot. I have it in multiple colors (I size down to XXS because they run a bit loose). The Whisper Cotton Pocket Tee is on sale for all the colors if you’re a tees versus tank kind of girl. (I also size down for this style.)
For shoes, the J.Crew Cece is hands down the best I’ve tried for simple classic flats. They have a cushioned sole so they are comfortable to wear. The elastic won’t dig into your heel but it’s snug enough to keep them on the feet so they won’t fall off. They are really well made and I think well worth the splurge. The regular leather had been sold out for a few months but just popped back in stock so I’ll be ordering another pair soon. Also on my wishlist are these Ankle Lace Up Sandals which look like the perfect heel height. If you have any recs for good comfy lace up heels let me know.
Last but not least, I’m dreaming about the Chloe Small Drew. The Chloe store is so beautiful, you can’t help but go inside and just wish your entire closet was made of Chloe. I’m debating between a few colors – the black is the most classic and versatile option but the caramel option is also gorgeous. I’m saving my pennies for one soon.
I hope your week is going well so far! What’s on your radar or wishlist this week? Any new fall beauty sightings/thoughts yet?
The Pore Vanishing Stick is described as a “dual-action formula” that “has an outer core of oil-absorbing powders and an inner core with a sheer pigment” designed to fit all skintones. On the skin it looks invisible and per the description can be used under or over makeup to either work as a primer or refresh makeup. With this one I have mixed feelings – on bare skin or over moisturizer, I swiped it on areas I notice pores are larger and my skin became instantly blurred and smoothed right in front of my eyes. The center is pretty much clear but it makes the skin look more evened out and matte. Once I add my foundation – whether applied with fingers, brush or sponge, the process of adding a liquid or cream on top seemed to wipe away any smoothing the stick accomplished. Over makeup (foundation or powder) as a touch up just didn’t work for me. If you read the reviews at Sephora – there are a lot of positive experiences though so it may work for many of you.
One of the items that I was most interested in trying was the Beam Team Hydrate and Glow. When it initially launched there was only one shade but for summer they launched a Beam Team Bronze Hydrate and Glow version. These are hydrating glow lotions – much like liquid or cream highlighters but with moisturizing elements. If you’ve liked the concept of glowy creams like MAC Strobe Cream or Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow but wanted something for deeper to tan skins, these are it! For years I’ve loved the concept of luminous creams you can apply as a base or mix in with foundation – however options in the warm gold or bronze category were pretty much non-existent. Most are either that classic opal color or if they came in other shades they are too shimmery to put on all over the face.
Each color has a portion that’s a cream in a squeeze tube with a
shimmering gold or bronze shade and inside the cap, there is a solid
highlighter that is more dewy and shimmery.
I tried both a few different ways. Like most luminous liquids or creams they are very versatile. These look shimmery when swatched but when you blend they disappear into a very soft luminous glow. I swatched them heavily below to show the color but they blend out to a much sheerer finish.
Test Method 1: Apply all over the face over moisturizer and under foundation – the liquid creates an all over very luminous dewy effect. With foundation on top you get that glow from within kind of look that was almost too dewy for my taste but if you set with powder it turns out to be perfect. These are hydrating so if you have oily skin they may be a bit too much for you, especially in hot summer weather. I found it lasted until mid-day before I got very very dewy looking all over and had to touch up on the T zone. The regular Beam Team all over works best for me while the Bronze Beam Team is too dark for all over.
Test Method 2: Mix in liquid with foundation. This is pretty self explanatory – and I think this method will work for most skin types. It adds a nice glow without shifting the foundation color or making you look like a disco ball.
Test Method 3: Over foundation on cheeks to highlight. The liquid pretty much disappears into a hint of glow, but the solid in the cap as a highlighter on cheek bones is more visible as a natural dewy highlight.
Swatched heavy without flash:
With flash:
For fair skin beauty lovers I suspect these will be more like a bronzer for your skintone versus a glow product. For those medium to deep you will rejoice that there is finally an all over luminous liquid and cream better suited for your skintone versus the pale opal shades that are currently out there and these are non-orangey! As a medium light person I find the regular shade work best for me. I do love a good liquid bronze – but for deeper color I prefer the Flash Illuminators (they have a light option which is perfect for super fair skin tones too, review soon).
Bottom line I have mixed feelings about the Pore Vanishing Stick. I’ve tried it several ways and unless I go bare faced, it didn’t work for me. Right now my skin isn’t clear enough to go bare faced so I always need some kind of base on top.
The Beam Teams are both great but since they are hydrating, if you are super oily they may be too hydrating for your skin type. They aren’t weightless but at the same time aren’t super heavy. They leave the face feeling well hydrated and soothed but you can feel it almost like a moisturizer.
Estée Lauder launched a new line earlier this year called The Estée Edit. It’s a line of makeup and some skincare items that are exclusive to Sephora online and in stores designed for a younger edgier kind of look compared to the more traditional classic Estée Lauder line. I’ve been testing out a few items from the line and up first is a review of the Cocobalm ($22 each for 0.34 oz) which comes in five colors and are packaged in some seriously cute round squeeze pods.
These are hydrating balms with coconut oil and actually smell like coconut too. They’re described as a lightweight liquid online but in my testing experience it’s on the medium-thick side and definitely balm-like versus liquid – which isn’t a bad thing, just a bit different than what the online description says. By comparison to other squeeze tube balms, these Estée Edit Cocobalms have a bit more pigment compared to the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors but not quite as much as the MAC Tendertalk Balms. In terms of texture for a liquid balm, the most liquid kind of lip treatments I’ve tried include the Clarins Instant Light Lip Oils and Fresh Tinted Sugar Shine Lip Treatments.
The packaging of the Cocobalms is one of the most unique I’ve seen. I did worry about functionality when I first popped open the top but they are easy to apply on the lips with a beveled dispenser. Since they are on the slightly thick side I prefer to apply with a brush so I don’t get my fingers messy. They cover the lip nicely with a cushion of moisture. It’s not lightweight or weightless by any means but at the same time they’re not overly thick or tacky. You do have to blend with a finger or brush to smooth out the color.
There are five colors total, pigment is similar across all shades which is sheer to medium. They do give a noticeable tint to my super pigmented lips but the effect is natural like most balms are:
Coco White is a sheer smooth milky white (it does look white on the lips, it’s not clear)
Coco Peach is a soft light peach color
Coco Blush is the perfect medium pink shade
Coco Berry is a pretty soft mauve purple plum (my fav!)
Coco Currant is a deep brown but transforms into a true plum on my lips
For a sheer wash of color and hydration I like these a lot more than I expected. When I first saw them I thought there might be a chance I would like the packaging more than the product but was pleasantly surprised. My top two picks are the Coco Blush and Coco Berry shades. They offer long lasting hydration (I tested on bare lips) and stayed put for hours. As with almost every lip product there will be color or product transfer if you touch anything to your lips but they stayed put relatively well even in humid heat without melting or feeling like they were sliding off my face.
If you need lots pigment and color you probably will find these too sheer in which case I’d recommend you opt for the Chanel Rouge Coco Stylos if you haven’t tried them yet. Those are the best in terms of pigment and hydration that I’ve tried to date. If you don’t like any feeling of product on your lips but want hydration and a soft hint of color opt for the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors instead. The Estee Edit Cocobalms aren’t heavy but aren’t weightless if that makes sense.
There will be another post this afternoon so stay tuned to see what’s next!
More details to follow on each item I’ve tested from the Estée Edit. So far the Cocobalms are my favorite item out of the line especially since I’m a lip balm junkie and adore the packaging. The coconut scent is to die for and I do think they’re worth a try. You can find the Estée Edit Cocobalms for $22 each, exclusively at Sephora.
Have you tested anything from the Estée Edit yet? What did you think?
Estée Edit items provided courtesy of the team for review consideration.
I’m the type of person who lives for bubble baths. Many beauty lovers say that on a bad day there’s always lipstick (which I agree with) but for me there’s nothing that helps me relax and unwind like a good bubble bath to melt away stress. Philosophy makes some of my favorite shower gels – many of them are multi-tasking products that you can use for the hair, body wash and bubble bath (and they actually work for both hair and body). My go-to for years has been the Amazing Grace Shower Gel and I’ve lost count of how many bottles I’ve used up. QVC has a lot of value sets and I’m excited to team up with them to share Today’s Special Value in the Classic Collection which has four super-sized 32 fl oz shower gels in Lemon Custard, Orange Pineapple Smoothie, Fresh Cream and Cinnamon Buns. The set is offered at a value price of $79.96 for today only and QVC is also giving away one set via The Beauty Look Book.
When I first opened the box – I intended on splitting this up into gifts as each bottle is huge! On a few previous philosophy posts, several readers have mentioned that they buy the large sets and split them up as party favors for girl friends or just give them as gifts with a special note. I think that’s such a sweet thing to do. After testing a couple of these though and don’t know that I will be able to bring myself to give them away because they are really really good. At first sniff these smell incredibly rich and sweet. In the shower or bath they do soften up quite a bit – Cinnamon Buns smells just like Cinnamon Buns which seems like it might be an odd scent bathe in, but it’s amazing. Fresh Cream is a sweet mix of vanilla and cream which is also another one I’ve fallen in love with. I mixed two pumps of Fresh Cream with a cap of Amazing Grace and the mix was quite interesting. I think I need to experiment more with mixing the scents in the tub because it gives you an entirely different kind of experience. The other two fruity options I’ve taken a quick smell at – still deciding whether to keep or gift away, but they smell like fruit smoothies.
If you’re the type who prefers something fragrance or scent free, philosophy makes their Purity Made Simple Body Cleanser which is one of the best fragrance free gentle body washes I’ve tried. It also comes in the super size version which lasted me well over six months. Most of the scents are available for purchase separately as well. You can find Cinnamon Buns, Lemon Custard and Fresh Cream in the large versions (they all come with handy pumps) and also in a number of other set options. Based on what I’ve tried – all the body cleansers leave the body feeling squeaky clean and softly scented. For stronger fragrance it’s best to layer with a lotion or body cream, but I prefer my shower gels to leave the skin with a soft hint of scent.
A few snapshots of the ingredients listed on the back of each bottle (you can click for larger viewing):
The 4 Piece Classic Collection Set is offered at a value price for today only (there’s a handy countdown clock on their product page). The Classic Collection has Lemon Custard, Sweet Cream, Cinnamon Buns and Orange Pineapple Smoothie. There’s also a Summer Collection Option which contains Vanilla Coconut, Beach Party, Senorita Margarita and Cabana Girl.
QVC is giving away 1 Classic Collection as shown in the post to 1 lucky winer. You can enter for a chance to win through the widget:
Giveaway is US only
Open to readers 18 years or older
Enter via the widget below
Entries will be collected through Wednesday the 27th
1 winner will be selected randomly via widget and contacted via e-mail within 48 hours
Happy Friday everyone! It’s been one of those weeks I thought would never end and I am relieved that it’s almost the weekend. Thank you to everyone who shared what you wanted to see on The Beauty Look Book blog in my last giveaway post. It’s always great to hear feedback on what you’ve liked and also what you would like to read more about. There were a lot of requests for features on a wide range of topics and I am beyond flattered so many of you want to know what I think about well basically anything! Most popular requests were for higher end skincare (I did not realize you guys liked the skincare posts!), budget-friendly cosmetics, full skincare routine, current hair care routine, more hauls, favorites roundups, inside my purse posts, shoe features, tutorials, makeup storage, more travel (so happy many of you loved this), time management, exclusive promo events and videos!
Since reading your requests, I’ve started to pull items for a full summer skincare routine and hair care routine post. I do tend to test a lot of products on myself to review for you so my routine changes frequently – but I will pull my favorites and include items I’ve used up. A few notes:
Nordstrom Anniversary Sale hauls posted on the blog, makeup picks here and fashion and skincare items hauled here
Exclusive promo savings for readers via Space NK US here – my apologies for those who were not able to use the code on Oribe, after several e-mails to the team, they’ve fixed the code and it works on all Oribe items (full size and travel sizes)
Antica Farmacista is doing a special online promo code, enter code ANTICABLB at checkout for a mini body butter with any online order!
Summer bronzer edit posted here (many of you have been asking for this for weeks!)
On videos I am hoping to do some in the future!
Loving right now/favorites in this post here today!
Right now for skincare, hair care and the home, I’m loving the following:
Chanel Fresh Body Cream is a summer go-to for body lotions. It smells lightweight and fresh and even though a tub is pricey. I use it sparingly but it has lasted a long time. It hydrates without feeling sticky and won’t interfere with perfume. My wallet is crying at the thought of having to buy again but I think it is 100% worth the splurge.
Antica Farmacista is a line I just discovered and I really don’t know how this has passed my radar for so long, I received a few samples and the line is exquisite! My favorite item is the Cucumber and Lotus Flower Candle which is the perfect cooling relaxing scent for the home, I am going to need this one in all formats, detailed review next week – if you have any favorites from the line let me know! If you order online they’re offering a free mini body butter with any order, use code ANTICABLB
Shu Uemura Art of Hair Ample Angora Volumizing Mousse is something new to me, I will say up front I typically hate mousse products because they’re usually sticky and make my hair hard to comb/brush, this one is really good though. I have naturally thick hair and find most volumizing products don’t really add that much volume to my already thick hair (I have tried dozens of sprays, creams, lotions, shampoos etc.) This one combined with heat styling of the T3 PROi Dryer (best dryer ever, thanks RaeView for recommending to me!!) gives serious volume all the way through from roots to ends.
La Mer The Tonic is a toner I alternate with the SK-II Clear Treatment Lotion, I like both but reach for the La Mer more these days to help remove impurities after cleansing and rebalance the skin. The formula has been a go-to for years and often times I try others in attempts to find a more affordable option, but this one never fails me.
Kate Somerville Gentle Daily Wash is a favorite for every day multiple times a day. It’s one of the few I can use frequently without it stripping my skin. I’ve tried and repurchased all her cleansers and this is the only one that won’t irritate my skin on tender skin days. My brother has acne-prone skin that is even more sensitive than mine. I bought him this one to try and it’s one of the few he says is gentle enough for his skin (he’s in his early 20s). Also available in a larger 16 oz size with a pump and her Clinic Solutions Kit (I bought this for travel).
For makeup and fragrance:
Hourglass Ambient Luminous Light Palette is nothing but pure love, it’s a Nordstrom Beauty Exclusive for this year’s Anniversary Sale and I think it is perfect. If you already own the palette from last holiday or the individual colors you can skip this one. Also there’s a new marble palette that’s coming out for holiday that you might want to wait for as previewed on @gossmakeupartist’s Instagram (it looks dreamy but I think the colors are different!). My review + swatches in this post here.
Chanel Aqua Glossimers for summer are sheered out glossimers new for summer. Review on all the shades in this post here. These are nice for an effortless wash of shine and a hint of color.
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche in Sugarcane is a perfect baby pink that covers the lip entirely, I also like Honeycomb which is a perfect nude, swatches + review of the neutrals in this formula can be found in this post here
MAC Sunblessed Cremesheen (in the Nordstrom Sunblessed Kit) is a great pinky nude on me even though it looks more peachy in the tube. Swatched on my lips here.
Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips are almost too hot to handle. I adore her Matte Revolution formula and was thrilled to see more neutrals and brights launched in her Hot Lips Collection. All the shades purchased by me and swatched in this post.
NARS Long Hot Summer Eyeshadow Palette (review soon) is an exclusive to NARS online and boutiques. This has great neutrals deep enough for medium to tan skintones. I’ll review and swatch this soon.
YSL Glossy Stain 07 is a ripe juicy peach that has enough color to be more than a neutral but isn’t too bright so it will suit neutral makeup lovers (also in the Nordstrom Rebel Nudes Set)
I’m hosting one more Nordstrom eGift Card Giveaway! I’m giving away 3 $100 USD eGift Cards to Nordstrom. Details as follows:
Open internationally
You must be 18 years old or older
Enter through widget
Entries will be collected through Sunday 7/24/2016 11:30 AM PST
Winners will be selected at random via the widget, emailed Sunday evening
By request, I’ve rounded up my skincare and clothing haul picks from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Today is the last day for early access and the public sale starts tomorrow July 22nd. Although I did shop the sale early, many items sold out in stores near me so I ordered a few items online. My husband did not want to go in store (like most men I think) and since he knows his sizes, he gave me a list of things to order online for him. He tends to stick with classic staples.
First up are my picks. For clothes I had a lot on my list to check out but ended up getting only a few items including:
Cole Haan Hayes Block Heel Booties in Brown Suede were one of two pain-free bootie styles I tried, so comfortable I feel like I could run in these, I also ordered the Vince Camuto Felina Booties (but in black) because my store was sold out of my size
I tried on a few more items in store including the Trouve Drape Front Leather Jacket in Black and Brown Saddle. I found the XS fit perfectly across the shoulders and the arm length was good (rare for me with leather jackets, they’re always so long!). It’s definitely one of the more affordable jackets with super soft leather. It’s still on my wishlist but I haven’t pulled the trigger yet. I fell in love with the Whiskey color of the Marc New York by Andrew Marc Felix Stand Collar Leather Jacket but they didn’t have my size in store to try and the collar was on the large size for my preference. In terms of leather jackets, Vince makes my favorite ones but they are quite the splurge and since I don’t think I could keep anything suede nice for long I will save for a regular leather one.
For skincare I picked up the Foreo Luna Play which comes in one color at Nordstrom. I thought it was an Anniversary Sale Exclusive but appears that it’s not (you can also get it at Sephora and other retailers in different colors). It’s a mini sized device that has 100 uses and is non-rechargeable but at the price I think it’s worth it. I have yet to test it out, but it was too cute to pass up. I’ve shown it next to my Clarisonic Mia Fit (c/o) which I received a few weeks ago but is currently on sale at Nordstrom marked down on mega sale. The Pink Mia Fit is currently on backorder online but Nordstrom.com will still let you put it in your cart at the sale price. White Mia Fit and Blue Mia Fit are both still in stock online.
La Mer has a Gift With $350 Purchase so I bought the new Cleansing Micellar Water to try out along with the Revitalizing Collection set. I did not realize the Nordstrom set had the regular Creme de La Mer instead of the Moisturizing Soft Cream that I typically use. I haven’t used the set yet so I’m debating whether to give the regular cream a go or exchange it for my Moisturizing Soft Cream. If you have normal/combo skin let me know if you’ve tried the regular cream and what you thought.
I look forward to the Moroccan Oil offerings each year. Last year they had supersized shampoos and conditioners and I stocked up on a few. This year’s Moroccan Oil Hair Care Set has the dry oil, moisture shampoo and conditioner and moroccan oil. These are among my favorite shampoo and conditioner products out of all the ones I’ve tried. My husband likes the smell so much he decided to use it to wash our dogs and I almost died when I found out.
Other items we are waiting for in the mail, he stocked up on jeans from AG (he likes the Protege fit), Joe’s (classic fit) and 7 for All Mankind (Austyn fit). Image is interactive so you can click directly on the icons to shop them on Nordstrom.
For those curious about my skincare and fashion picks, I hope you enjoyed this roundup in a his and hers edition. If you have any input in the La Mer I’m all ears! It looks like there’s a new Moisturizing Soft Lotion that just launched at Nordstrom too. I’m torn between keeping or exchanging the set because it’s such a good deal, but I suspect the regular creme might just be too heavy for my skintype.
Did you haul any skincare or fashion goodies during early access or are you shopping the sale tomorrow? Let me know what you found!
Hourglass just launched a new foundation called the Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick ($46 for .25 oz/7.2 g) which is a new product described as having the full coverage of a concealer, fluid texture like that of a liquid, and weightless feel like a powder. It’s a concentrated formula that combines foundation and concealer in one that you can build for full coverage but looks natural on the skin. Also launched with 26 shades of foundation include the Vanish Foundation Brush ($46) designed to buff and blend the new foundation formula to flawless smooth perfection. Both have launched at Sephora, Nordstrom, Hourglass Cosmetics and is currently on pre-order at Barney’s New York.
I received two shades in Ivory and Warm Ivory to test out based on the note that I currently use NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tints in Groenland and St. Moritz mixed together. When I first saw both shades and swatched them I suspected they would both be on the light side for my skintone, but Warm Ivory warms up to give an exact match for me right now. The chart above breaks down the color options and ranges. I would say the sequence of names is accurate from light to dark, but the color swatches are not. For me Warm Ivory is definitely darker than Ivory but the card makes it look like the opposite.
First a look at the foundation. These come in compact triangle-shaped twist up sticks designed for precise application. I tested both shades out and found both work well for a good match which surprised me because they looked really light compared to other foundations I use. I tried it three different ways. Here’s the before and after with Warm Ivory swiped and then buffed. In these photos I put around 3-4 swipes per side of the face and then buffed it out with the brush.
Method 1: Apply all over the face with 4 swipes per side over Creme de La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream and set with NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation in Punjab. The result was an oily mess within a couple of hours although I was outdoors for lunch in 85 degree weather on a hot day with mild humidity. This usually happens with all foundation sticks on my skin though if I use them all over the face.
Method 2: Apply on top of AmorePacific Moisture Bound Refreshing Hydra Gel + Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer, then set with NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation in Punjab. I have not really used the Hourglass Primer a lot because I feel it’s best suited for more oily/combo skintypes compared to mine. I have accumulated quite a few minis and a friend recommended I try it for summer. She was right, it extends the wear of foundation especially in warmer weather. This combination lasted all day, even through being outdoors in the afternoon for a few hours. By evening, makeup was a tiny bit dewy on the nose, but it stayed put without any creasing, melting or budging.
Method 3: Apply a light base such as any of my regular foundations all over, I tried it with my NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tints. Moisturizers used on separate days included the Creme de La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream and Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream (primers skipped on these days). Use the Hourglass Vanish Foundation stick like I use most of my foundation sticks along the T zone and areas I need more coverage and buff in. Then set with powder. This method also worked well in terms of lasting power.
A look at the product itself with swatches, Ivory next to Warm Ivory. In the tubes they look yellow/olive toned pre-swatching. Once you swatch they appear a bit more neutral.
Comparisons to two other foundation sticks:
Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation is currently my favorite stick foundation of choice. I had planned a summer base roundup and then samples of two foundation formulas arrived so I wanted to put those to the test before doing my roundup. This so far is the best full coverage foundation I’ve tried that covers dark spots but still looks natural. My shade match is 123. Initially I was matched to 128 (as seen in this story here) but I can change skin color quickly if I’m outdoors for an extended time (or lose it as well) so I alternate between the two.
The MUFE stick offers more coverage but has a more emollient texture (not greasy though). Product is also larger at 12.5 g.
Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick for many years was my go-to for foundation sticks (original review here). I’ve gone between two shades, 4 Bisque and 5 Natural. To this day I still think this is an exceptional product – but I cannot wear this all over the face. The best way for me to use this is on top of regular foundation on areas I need coverage. For my skintype which is normal combination, the all over the face method results in a very dewy mess within a couple of hours – with or without any primer. Coverage is smooth and easy to build for a flawless finish. A little goes a long way – it has a foundation makeup scent that is hard to describe almost like cardboard or paper that I’ve found in some foundations and for some reason I find really soothing. A single stick has lasted me well over a year and the product did not go bad.
For the TF vs Hourglass, the Tom Ford is probably better suited for normal to dry skin types, it is more dewy in finish, feels slightly thicker but not too thick, it also has more product at 15 g.
Sticks swatched side by side, note my arm is not the same shade as my face. Right now the MUFE 123 matches perfectly. Hourglass Vanish in Warm Ivory blends out to a more matte finish compared to the others.
A closer look at the twist design of the stick:
One more shade of swatches with NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz (darker option) and Groenland (lighter option):
A quick note on the brush. I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it was to use. It reminds me of my Marc Jacobs The Face II Brush (full review on foundation brushes I love here) in the sense that it’s angled to match the contour of the face. The Hourglass Vanish Foundation Brush is more compact, has a smaller head, but just as soft and a bit easier to move along the face because it’s slightly less dense. It’s super soft and fits in my hand perfectly. I haven’t tested it with liquid foundations but I have with the other foundation sticks – it’s amazing. I highly recommend it.
Overall thoughts:
The Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick does indeed offer a seamless smooth finish. It’s easy to blend and does not look cakey, nor does it emphasize pores.
Coverage is medium to full depending how much you layer. It does a good job at smoothing out dark spots or under eye circles, but I still prefer spot touch ups on blemishes and under eye with other concealers. (My favorites rounded up here.)
Lasting power will depend on your skin type and what products you use underneath. If you can normally wear foundation sticks all over the face without any issues this will probably work the same for you. I have never been able to wear a foundation stick all over the face with the exception of the MUFE Ultra HD Foundation Stick.
Best ways for me to wear the Hourglass Vanish Foundation stick was over the Mineral Veil Primer or over areas after applying regular foundation.
On color matching, I suspect based on the online stock swatches and chart that Sand might be a better match for me on my more tan days now that it’s summer, but Warm Ivory works for a very good match – no tweaking required. Even though this is a full coverage product and I do recommend finding a match as close as possible, there is a natural quality to the finish that makes it forgiving even if it’s not a 100% match. Warm Ivory swiped on my skin looks about 1-2 shades too light but as with most foundations you need to blend it out to see if it works. It matches my face to my neck well. I will check out the shades in store later this week though – if Sand is a better match I will let you know.
That wraps up my review of the latest from Hourglass. You can find both the Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick and Foundation Brush at Sephora, Nordstrom, and Hourglass Cosmetics right now. For the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale there is an Hourglass GWP going on (featured in this post).
Have you tried the Hourglass Vanish Foundation Stick yet? It launched online last week – so if any of you have ordered or tested let me know! If not, have you tried other Hourglass Foundations? Which ones?
Both the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick and Foundation Brush provided for review consideration.
