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Sabrina

Eye Makeup Sephora

Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes in Neutral Matte and Sultry Muse

April 12, 2016
I’ve been curious about Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes ($80 each for 24 g/0.84 oz, made in France) for quite some time (probably for a few years now) and finally splurged on my first in Sultry Muse and Neutral Matte two last month at The Makeup Show from the Muse Beauty Pro booth (haul + recap of the 2016 show in this post here). I purchased mine at a discount (most booths offer some kind of discount at these shows) and have been thrilled with both. Each palette has 12 eyeshadows which are extremely pigmented and smooth in finish. For quick reference you can find these palettes at a number of retailers online, the main ones I’ve shopped from include Beautylish, Sephora and Muse Beauty.Pro.

It took me a long time to splurge on these because of a few factors. I didn’t have in person access to these and although there are a number of excellent reviews online I wanted to test in person before splurging. I played with them for the first time at IMATS earlier this year but decided to wait and think about them. To date my favorite eyeshadow palettes are the Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes for color, pigment and convenience – they have my favorite easy to wear neutrals and I feel they are priced reasonably. The Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes by comparison are a lot more expensive and the color palettes seem to be more for professional use for the pro makeup artist rather than for an everyday consumer like myself. The colors are beautiful but there are a few of the warmer tones I was hesitant about wearing. I decided to give these a chance and have no regrets. They are really quite amazing.


Up first is Viseart Neutral Matte. This has all matte neutrals with the exception of one burnt orange shade. I’m not one to wear anything orange makeup-wise but this particular color does amazing things when layered. I’ve learned from using a few of the Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes that the colors I consider odd look really amazing when layered over other shades. The shadows in the Netural Matte palette have a slightly harder texture than most other shadows I use but the pigment is excellent and they apply smoothly on the skin and blend flawlessly. By comparison the Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked2 Basics are a lot softer in texture and are more on the neutral-cool side while the Viseart Neutral Matte. A look at the palette in two different light settings:

In direct sun, no flash:

Indoor natural light:

Descriptions by row, Top Row:

Medium caramel beige
Medium vanilla cream
Light beige with a slight pink tone
Pale white

Middle Row:

Cool bark brown
Burnt sienna orange
Medium warm brown
Neutral cool brown

Bottom Row:

Matte cool toned black
Dove blue grey
Cool grey
Cool-toned taupe

Swatches:

Texture and blendability are excellent – there are a lot of colors to choose from. I’ve been playing with this using 4-5 shades max at any given time. Long time readers know I’m not a fan of matte eyeshadows in general but these perform really well. I’ve found they work well over the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks (I love Rose Gold) or Edward Bess Illuminating Eyeshadow Base. They aren’t the kind I can use on a bare eye – there has to be some kind of prep or dewy primer to help the colors adhere but that is usually the case with any matte eyeshadow for me. Lasting power is excellent – they stay put from morning to late evening without fading or fall out.

Next up is Sultry Muse. This one has all shimmer eyeshadows – some are a tiny bit glittery while others are more of a frost. There were a few plum and warm pink tones I didn’t think I could pull off but when they are are layered with the other cooler tones the result is really quite pretty. Layering can create a wide range of looks. A look at the palette + descriptions and a quick eye look.

In direct sun + flash you can see the sparkle and glow:

Indoor natural light, no flash you can see the base and undertone better:

Top Row:
Shimmering white pearl
Shimmering medium tan beige
Pale champagne beige with tiny silver glitters
Sandy gold champagne with gold flecks
Middle Row:
Warm pink shimmer
Bronze shimmer
Shimmering orange
Warm plum rose shimmer
Bottom Row:
Sparkling cool silver
Shimmering soft rose
Gunmetal black shimmer
Shimmering soft yellow gold

Since some of these these have complex shimmers – colors can look different depending on how the light reflects. This palette looks different in so many different review posts – I think this shows how incredibly versatile it is because it works with a wide range of skintones to create truly unique looks. I have swatches with flash and without to show the complexity.

With flash:

No flash, natural light:

Quick eye look, no flash, in natural light. Shades used include the four shades in the middle row and the two middle shades from the top row to blend:

I give both of these a thumbs up and even though they have that professional makeup artist feel they are still wearable for everyday. That being said if you find 12 colors in a palette overwhelming or find any of the combinations have a few colors you might not wear at all, you might want to consider trying out the new Viseart Theory Palettes ($45 each) instead (online now at Muse Beauty.Pro, coming soon to Sephora). They have 6-pans each with 3 mattes and 3 shimmers, they come in a slightly different packaging, and the color themes make them more wearable for everyday. I just received mine that I pre-ordered at The Makeup Show and will have a review in the next week or so, but the texture is phenomenal, colors are on point, and they perform really well – but if you want to know right now if I prefer the 6 pan or the 12 pans, I will say right now that I prefer the packaging style of the 12 pans, but for the color selection if I had to pick, I prefer the 6 pans. I still think Sultry Muse is excellent though.
For application I tested a number of brushes and found natural hair brushes work the best, at least for me. Synthetics work on the shimmers if you dip the brush and pat on the lids, but if you apply in sweeping motions the natural hair brushes pick up pigment the best. Ones I really like include the MAC 239, Wayne Goss 18, Wayne Goss 6 and Wayne Goss 30.
Both the Sultry Muse and Neutral Matte offer a good mix of colors to create a wide variety of wearable looks for day or night. If you’re looking for a palette of eyeshadows that aren’t too neutral but at the same time aren’t too bold, these offer a good in-between option. Each offers a good mix of warm and cool shades which I think makes these extremely versatile to wear with a number of lip and cheek combinations. If I had to pick one I would say since I prefer shimmer eyeshadows Sultry Muse wins as my favorite.
You can find the Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes for $80 each at a number of retailers online, including Beautylish, Sephora and Muse Beauty.Pro. Have you tried Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes before? If so which ones have you tried and what did you think?

24 Comments
Highlighters Urban Decay

Urban Decay UD x Gwen Blush Palette, Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighters and Beached Bronzers

April 11, 2016

Today I have a roundup of several cheek products from Urban Decay including the UD x Gwen Blush Palette ($45), Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighters ($26 each) and Beached Bronzers ($28). All the items are very pretty and give the complexion some life and color in a natural way. The UD x Gwen Blush Palette in my opinion is one of the best blush palettes I’ve ever tried. It has a good mix of cool and warm and also matte and shimmer finishes to give you a lot of options. The colors layer nicely and application is smooth. I do find some similarities between the colors in the palette and the new highlighters/bronzers. You may want to shop your stash too as some of these will probably be duplicates or similar to what you own but more thoughts on each one below.

First a quick look at the cheek, highlighter and bronze items from Urban Decay side by side. I’m trying out a new interactive tool so you can shop the images by clicking on the icons. Let me know what you think!


Swatches on bare skin:

Up first is the UD x Gwen Blush Palette. This comes in a medium-sized mirrored compact similar in style to the UD x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette. The packaging is very sturdy and well made. The colors have medium but buildable pigment and the texture is very soft and smooth. There is quite a bit of powder kick-up when I dip my brush into the powders but it’s easy to clean up and once the product is on the face there isn’t any fall out. Cherry is a soft cool matte pink, Easy is a medium rose with gold shimmer, Angel is a soft champagne gold, Lo-Fi is a medium tan, Hush is a shimmering peachy champagne, OC is an iridescent soft peach that flashes pink.

As you can see from the swatches above near the top of the post, Angel has a similar effect to the Afterglow Highlighter in Sin, Lo-Fi is a more yellow toned version of the bronzers, OC has a similar pinky sheen to the Afterglow Highlighter in Fireball. I would say by comparison the Blush Palette has a softer more natural look on the skin compared to the others. I love this palette because it’s so versatile and goes well with a wide range of looks. That being said the colors are fairly standard and I suspect you can find similar shades from MAC, NARS or other brands. I do really like that Easy Blush is a rose gold that is medium in undertone but doesn’t darken on my skin. So many rose blushes end up darkening and look muddy on my skin while Easy stays true to color. Angel has that pretty warm golden champagne undertone which makes it look soft and diffused on my olive skin. Hush is borderline a highlighter so I mix it with Lo-Fi to add more color on my skin.

Next up are the Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighters. These are designed to be long-lasting and the claim is they last 8 hours. On my normal combination skin I found they did not last on my cheeks for the full 8 hours. I would say color stayed true from morning around 8 am until 2 pm (so for around 6 hours). After that the color faded a bit. It was still visible but there was noticeable fading, at least on me. The colors are very pigmented and intense but are easy to blend and buff out. I’ve swatched them heavy and blended to try and show the difference. The heavier you swatch these the more intense the shimmer and with a heavy hand the colors are lighter in color.

Sin is a pale champagne gold, on my skin it looks very pale, almost like a pale cream. Fireball is an iridescent peach that flashes pink. Aura is a pale pink that flashes slight pink and blue tones.

Shimmer-frost wise I think these are definitely on the more shimmery side but they blend out smoothly on the skin. Sin is the most frosted on me since it has a sharper contrast to my olive skintone. I expected Aura to look really frosty but on the face it gives the skin a pretty glimmer. Fireball has a smooth shimmer that isn’t overly frosted. I didn’t have time to reswatch comparisons, but Fireball is similar to the Anastasia Hard Candy Highlighter reviewed here and Aura compared to the Laura Mercier Highlighters in this post here. Sin is one of the more unique shades I own for highlighters but it has a similar effect to that of MAC Nylon Eyeshadow.

A quick look from the weekend with Lo-Fi and Fireball Highlighter on one side vs just Lo-Fi on the other so you can see how the highlighter adds a bit of a glow and more dimension:

Last up are the two Beached Bronzers. These are matte bronzers that come in round mirrored compacts. I love the packaging – the palm trees add a fun twist with the summer theme. Sun-Kissed is the lighter and warmer option of the two, it has a pinkish undertone which makes it more wearable and natural on my skin. Bronzed is the deeper option and gives my skin a more bronzed brown look. For my medium skin I prefer Sun-Kissed right now – it just looks more natural while Bronzed borderline makes my skin look a bit weathered as it’s more brownish and deep. I love a good bronze but these days try to go a bit easy on it since I’m not as tan as I am in the summer time. They are different enough to justify owning both – I think fairer skins will prefer Sun-Kissed. Deeper skins will probably find Bronzed better for their skin tones. Neither turns orangey and I was relieved to find they did not darken on the skin. The texture is very smooth and the blend nicely on the skin without any streaks. If you’re super fair I’d recommend you opt for either Gold Dust or Terra from Tom Ford instead as those will look more natural on the skin.

In terms of performance all the cheek products work very well. The quality is excellent and I really didn’t know what to expect before hand since the Naked Flushed palettes did not work for my skin type at all (they look super chalky and emphasize pores on me). I think the UD x Gwen Blush palette is the winner and if you’re trying to narrow down your picks, I’d say opt for the palette since it will give you the most options packaged in a single convenient compact. If you like more visible pigment or color for the cheeks you may find the Blush Palette too sheer or natural looking. In that case I’d recommend you opt for the NARSissist Cheek Studio Palette which has more pigment and more color but will also give you a wide range of options.

The highlighters are really pretty but I can’t say any of them are absolute musts. If I were to pick one favorite it would be Fireball – the mix of peach and pink is really pretty although it’s nearly identical to one of the shades in the Anastasia Gleam Glow Kit, the UD one performs exceptionally well.

The Bronzers are nice to have but not musts. That being said I find it rare to find good matte bronzers that are smooth in finish and application that don’t darken. The ones from Urban Decay perform really well – I like Sun-Kissed the best and the packaging is fun for the upcoming warmer weather months. Even though I can probably find similar shades in my collection to all the cheek items featured, I don’t have any regrets purchasing them – the formula works really well to add color or highlight without emphasizing pores.

You can find the Urban Decay cheek palette, bronzer and highlighters at all Urban Decay counters now. Online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Ulta Beauty and Urban Decay.
Have you checked out any of the items yet? What did you think?
12 Comments
Highlighters

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator Powders – Devotion, Indiscretion, Addiction and Seduction

April 8, 2016

Laura Mercier just launched three new shades of the Face Illuminator Powder ($44 each, 9 g/0.3 oz). They are currently exclusive to Sephora and come in the same formula and design as the previously launched Indiscretion Face Illuminator. Each highlighter is cased in a square mirrored compact and while they are described as powders the texture is very unique. They almost have a creamy look and feel but definitely are not creams. Laura Mercier calls this a “non-dusting texture” which I think is fairly accurate. They are powders without the traditional powdery feel. Each color is very shimmery and sparkly but the texture is smooth and they are not overly frosted. On the face they adhere nicely to the skin which makes them long lasting on me. The texture is soft and blendable so they are easy to layer. Pigment is medium and natural looking but you can build pigment for a more visible sheen. In terms of emphasizing skin texture or pores, only one emphasized my pores slightly which is the gold one mainly because of the way the color looks against my olive skin.

  • Devotion is a shimmering pale pink. It has a similar effect to some of the colors in the Anastasia Gleam Glow Kit, Urban Decay Afterglow Highlighter in Aura and Chanel Perles et Fantaisies (swatch comparisons below). This one swatched on the arms and hands extremely frosted but on the face it blends out to a really pretty natural sheen.
  • Indiscretion is a classic medium champagne color with a peachy tinge. This is my favorite out of the four, I already had the old original version (had a different name) and this is the same color. It adds a lovely glow to the skin. If you are fairer I suspect this will be more bronzey on your complexion compared to mine.
  • Addiction is a shimmering yellow gold. Gold highlighters with yellow tones often times emphasize my pores. This one is really pretty but not my favorite on my olive skin because I already have some yellow undertones. Shimmer is on the sparkly side but it’s not over the top and blends nicely.
  • Seduction is my next favorite out of the bunch. It’s a medium bronze shimmer that has some reddish undertones. I suspect those with darker skin tones will find this matches their skin tone more for a glowy highlighter while on me it’s definitely bronzey.
The shimmer in each highlighter is really pretty. The colors in direct sunlight:

Close ups with comparison swatches:

Anastasia Glow Kit in Gleam (Crushed Pearl and Hard Candy review)

Anastasia Glow Kit in That Glow – Bubbly and Dripping in Gold (review)
MAC Cream Color Base in Hush from Contour Kit (review on kit)
Tom Ford Illuminator Duo in Moodlight (1/2 swatched, review)
NARS Dual Intensity Blush in Jubilation (peach side)

NARS Dual Intensity Blush in Jubilation (peach side)
MAC MSF in New Vegas (discontinued)
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow (highlighter side, review)
Anastasia Glow Kit in That Glow – Sunburst (review)

I had some challenges photographing the bronze shades with the flash and cloudy weather, so I have two sets, first is without flash, next is with flash:

MAC MSF Metal Rocks (discontinued)
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Medium-Dark (review)

All four perform extremely well and give the skin a natural candlelit glow. The shimmer is noticeable on the complexion but not over the top. That being said, for my medium skin, the lighter shades Devotion and Addiction do have a more visible sheen on my skin because of the color contrast to my natural skintone. Devotion is all kinds of gorgeous for a soft light opal pink sheen without looking too pale. Addiction is pretty just not for my skintone. Seduction acts like a bronzer. Indiscretion is hands down my favorite.

With so many highlighters available to choose from picking one or narrowing down picks to a few might seem overwhelming. I certainly find that it is. If  you can try in person I recommend you do – finding the right one for you will be kinda like finding the right foundation for you. It depends on your skin type, skin texture, coverage, degree of shimmer and application preferences. I think the Face Illuminators from Laura Mercier have the a very unique texture compared to others. The non-powdery finish makes them feel almost like a cream so they adhere well to the skin. Shimmer is definitely noticeable to give the skin a glowy highlight so it’s apparent on the skin but it’s not over the top. I love that for the most part they don’t emphasize my skin imperfections or pores too much. Your mileage may vary depending on what your skin texture is like. All this being said if you’re going more for color effect rather than formula or texture you will be able to find a lot of other products that will give you a similar look (as shown by the handful of comparison swatches).

For me my top two picks are Indiscretion and Seduction for color and finish. I already own a lot of light pink highlighters but if you’re like me (medium or even darker) you might find many light pinks have a sharp almost white look on the skin so they require a light hand or lots of blending. If I didn’t already own so many I would hands down say Devotion is a must – it performs the best out of all the pale pinks I own because of the way it melds with the skin and just glows. The formula and texture is superior to other pale pink highlighters that I have.
I still have one more set of newer highlighters to review (the ones from Urban Decay) but out of all the ones that have recently launched, the Laura Mercier ones definitely have the best texture for my skintype, Hourglass Strobe Powders have a more subtle strobe effect, Anastasia Glow Kits are the most glowy and have the best value for price, I’m still undecided on the Urban Decay highlighters but will let you know my thoughts once I post the review.

Bottom line, the Laura Mercier Face Illuminator Powders are solid performers for quality, pigment, texture and lasting power. You can find them now at Sephora.

Devotion and Seduction sent as press samples. The other two shades purchased by me.

31 Comments
Sales

Sephora 15% Off Love Note Shopping Event – April 7 to 13, 2016

April 7, 2016

The Sephora 15% Off Love Note Shopping Event starts today for VIB Rouge members and runs through April 13th. By now you should have received either an e-mail or card in the mail for the event. You can shop the sale in stores with the e-mail you received or shop online with code ROUGENOTE at checkout. Start dates and discounts for beauty insider vary according to the tier you are in, dates are as follows:
  • VIB Rouge Members – April 7 to 13, 2016 receive 15% off with code ROUGENOTE
  • VIB Members – April 8 to 13, 2016 receive 15% off with code VIBNOTE
  • BI Members – April 9 to 12, 2016 receive 10% off with code BINOTE
I have a roundup of recommendations in case you’re wondering what I think is worth the splurge. Many brands rarely go on sale except for holiday sales or friends and family events so I like to use these times to stock up on skincare. I’m still working on editing down my own personal shopping list – if you have any recs let me know in the comments!

Shown above:
1  /  2  /  3  /  4  /  5  /  6  /  7  /  8  /  9  /  10  /
11  /  12  /  13  /  14  /  15  /  16  /  17  /  18  /  19

I have a mix of recommended items for skincare, makeup, haircare and tools. Highlighters and glowing blushes are extremely popular right now – I’ll be working on a few more reviews as fast as I can hopefully before the sale ends:
  • Maison Martin Margiela Replica perfumes are new discoveries for me and Lipstick On and Beach Walk are my favorites so far. If you’re new to the line there are a few travel sets that serve as a nice introduction to the line. The REPLICA Discovery Set for Her ($65) includes Beach Walk, Lazy Sunday Morning and Tea Escape.
  • NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint ($44, reviewed here) is my favorite new base formula launched this year for medium-but-natural looking coverage.
  • Marc Jacobs Beauty The Bronze Bronzer Brush No. 12 ($78) is a splurge but it’s the best large fluffy bronzer brush I own. It’s soft and dense and feels extremely smooth. Applies just the right amount of bronzing powder to the face for a soft diffused look.
  • Marc Jacobs Beauty The Shape Contour and Blush Brush No. 15 ($38) is a contour brush but also doubles as a foundation brush for liquids or creams. It applies liquids to the face without any streaks and blends creams to a flawless finish.
  • beautyblender® nude ($20) is one of the newest beauty blender tools, in my initial review I rated the original pink on the best one, the nude version is just as good in providing streak-free smooth coverage. For color correcting, the micro.mini correct.four set ($30) is nice to have to use with different color creams so you don’t have to worry about mixing product colors (color correcting review in this post here).
  • T3 PROi Professional Hair Dryer ($350, review here) is hands down the best hair dryer I’ve ever tried. I discovered this thanks to my beauty friend RaeViewer – it worked wonders on her hair and it gives the hair a salon quality blow out.
  • Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick ($26 each) is Bite Beauty’s newest lipstick launch. All 34 colors have been swatched and reviewed on the blog. Roundup review and links to all of the swatches here. My top three shade picks are Honeycomb, Sake and Pepper.
  • Viseart Eyeshadow Palette Sultry Muse ($80) is something I just discovered from The Makeup Show recently. I’ll have a review soon but will say right now it’s everything that everyone has raved about and more. You need this in your life.
  • Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Aqua ($150) is Tom Ford’s lightest perfume to date. Each new addition to the Neroli Portofino line gets better every year and the aqua one is the best one yet. It has a citrus feel but it’s light and the scent also has an aquatic vibe to it. Full review soon.
  • Tom Ford Soleil Blanc ($220, reviewed here) is summer in a bottle. Out of all the possible scents for summer I think this is probably going to be my favorite, although the Neroli Portofino Aqua is also very good.
  • Tom Ford Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust ($72, review here) is a staple in my makeup wardrobe, if you haven’t bought one from previous seasons I highly recommend it since the Tom Ford Beauty line is now available online at Sephora.
  • Sephora Collection Pro Full Coverage Airbrush #53 ($38, review here) hands down one of the best foundation brush discoveries I made last year. I liked it so much I bought a second one.
  • Urban Decay UD x Gwen Blush Palette ($45) I have yet to review this on the blog, but both of the UD x Gwen palettes are really phenomenal. If I had to pick one I would say the blush one wins – I hope to have swatches edited and the review posted soon, but this one is a must.
  • Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer ($27, reviewed here and here) is a miracle worker for brightening the under eye. A little goes a long way so you only need a tiny dab – but once you apply it, under eye circles and darkness are gone. When I attended the Makeup Show – we were told that they were planning to expand the color range.
  • Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation ($43, worn in tutorial here) review forthcoming, but this is the best foundation stick I’ve tried that is tied with the one from Tom Ford. The main difference is the one from MUFE isn’t quite as thick in texture so I can wear it all over the face. I prefer layering this on top of my regular liquid foundation in places I need extra coverage but it’s a winner.
  • Kate Somerville Eradikate To Go! ($22) I’ve already gone through 2 packs of these. They work wonders on pimples like nothing else I’ve tried. My husband likes them too. They are gentle enough to use on sensitive skin so I bought a set for my brother. The color is tinted pink so they are best used on days you don’t need to go outside in public or at night when you sleep.
  • Kate Somerville Exfolikate Cleanser ($38, review here) favorite cleanser of the moment. I already used up a tube and am on my second. I will probably be stocking up on this during the sale because it’s that good.
  • Laura Mercier Face Illuminator ($44) in Indiscretion has made a comeback and now there are three new colors in the same formula. I’ve been playing with all of them and will have a review soon but if you liked the super glowy radiant finish of the original one but wanted a different color I think you will be really happy there are more options now.
  • Too Faced Melted Chocolate Liquified Lipsticks ($21 each, reviewed here) are some of my favorite liquid lipsticks and they smell (and taste) delicious, Chocolate Honey and Metallic Frozen Hot Chocolate are my favorite colors
For the sale I plan on stocking up on some basics. I’ll report back with a haul once I’ve placed an order but in the meantime I hope you found this roundup of recommendations helpful! I think I could have gone on with a list 2-3 times long but I tried to narrow down my top picks for right now. In terms of highlighters I think the Anastasia Glow Kits that I just reviewed are my favorite so far. I’ll have a review of the Laura Mercier and Urban Decay up as soon as I can to compare.
To recap on dates and codes:
  • VIB Rouge Members – April 7 to 13, 2016 receive 15% off with code ROUGENOTE
  • VIB Members – April 8 to 13, 2016 receive 15% off with code VIBNOTE
  • BI Members – April 9 to 12, 2016 receive 10% off with code BINOTE
What’s on your shopping list? Are you going to order online or stop by your local store? Or both?
Press samples featured include the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint, Marc Jacobs Beauty Brushes, T3 PROi, Tom Ford Fire Lust, Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche, Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer, Kate Somerville Exfolikate Cleanser.
11 Comments
Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighters Sephora

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits in That Glow and Gleam

April 6, 2016

I picked up the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits ($40 each) earlier this year and have been completely obsessed with these for months. After playing with both kits for some time I will say that they are on the high shimmer side and give the cheeks or eyes a luminous glow. The colors are very smooth and easy to blend. Shimmer is on the more dramatic side similar to that of MAC Mineralize Skin Finishes but are very wearable for everyday as long as you blend these well or use a loose fluffy brush. For shimmer/frost reference the most frosted highlighters I think I’ve ever tried are the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits are not as frosted as the Bobbi Brown ones in my opinion, but are definitely more shimmery than say the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. The Glow Kits are designed to be face highlighters but I also like to use them on the eyes as eyeshadows.

There are two kit options: That Glow has warmer golden tones and Gleam has cooler pink tones. On my medium olive skin I think the warmer gold option is more naturally flattering while the cooler pink one is more dramatic but still very wearable. Both kits come in a magnetized cardboard box and the pans in each kit are removeable. I’m not the biggest fan of the packaging but it is very sturdy so for me it’s not a deal breaker. I bought mine at IMATS Los Angeles earlier this year where they had a slight discount (they basically did not charge sales tax) but you can find them now at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Macy’s.

A look at both kits without flash, in indirect natural light, you can see the colors still glow:

Swatched on my medium-olive skin most of the shades are clearly highlighters. If you have lighter skin these will show more color as you can see in The Non-Blonde and A Little Bit Etc. If you have deeper or darker skin these will most likely look lighter and more contrasted on your skin. Anastasia Beverly Hills has both kits swatched on 3 skintones here and here.

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That Glow has warm gold tones with the following shades:
Sunburst is a pale yellow gold shimmer
Golden Bronze is a warm coppery golden bronze shimmer
Bubbly is a shimmering soft champagne
Dripping in Gold is a shimmering champagne gold

Each shade shown below with photographed close ups:

Note these are swatched with a heavy hand to show the pigment and color. You can blend easily for a more subtle and less frosted look.

Some swatch comparisons below to:
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne (discontinued)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Brilliant Strobe Light (review here)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in So Ceylon (discontinued)

____________________

Gleam has cool and neutral shimmers:
Hard Candy looks like a peachy coral in the pan, but it goes on an almost duo-chrome cool pink pearl
Mimosa is a shimmering light peach
Starburst is a shimmering pale frosted pink
Crushed Pearl is a shimmering pale champagne that almost looks white on my skin

Swatch comparisons to:
Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand (review here)
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Starlight (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Stereo Rose (discontinued)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Euphoric Strobe Light (review here)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Iridescent Strobe Light (review here)

I’m one who loves to have glowing skin and these are both pure love for me. I found these went on the face smoothly and did not emphasize pores or fine lines. The pigment is medium but blendable. Because these are so pigmented I do think these can be easy to overdo so for me the key to application is to apply with a light hand. Any regular blush brush works to apply or a skunk brush too. I’ve been using the Chanel Blush Brush or MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush to apply these. Lasting power is excellent – they stay put and do not budge from morning to night.

For me these get a thumbs up. If I had to pick just one it would be a tough call for me. Gleam has colors I find more unique compared to other highlighters I own, but That Glow is more natural on my skintone and I prefer the warmer tones for my complexion.
You can find the Anastasia Glow Kits for $40 each at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Macy’s.
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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Soleil Collection – Soleil Contouring Compact in The Afternooner, Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal + Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust

April 5, 2016

Today’s post is the last feature on the Tom Ford Soleil color collection for this summer. There are three products for the face including the Soleil Contouring Compact in The Afternooner ($108), Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal ($78) and Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust ($65). Two of the items are new which include the Contouring Cheek Trio and Sheer Blush Duo and one is a repromote which is the Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust. All three will provide a summery look with glow from within kind of feel. Each product has some shimmer in it without being too frosty or overly shimmery.

Soleil Contouring Compact in The Afternooner ($108) has three colors of highlighter, blush and bronzer in one large mirrored compact. The texture of the items is similar to that of the Moodlight Skin Illuminating Duo. It has a powder finish but an almost creamy feel to it. The surface is embossed with a cross-hatch pattern. Application for this is smooth and easy to build. It does not emphasize pores which is a plus. Pigment is medium but easy to sheer out or layer for more color. The colors include a warm golden ivory shimmer, a peachy coral pink satin and a warm bronze matte. Overall this pulled very warm on my skin. It’s not too warm that it turns orange but it is warmer than I expected. Lasting power is very good – I found it stayed put on the cheeks from early morning into late afternoon without fading or darkening.
Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal ($78) is my favorite item in the entire Soleil Collection. This has a similar finish and texture to The Afternooner, but Bicoastal has a bit more shimmer and sheen compared to the trio, but it’s not as frosty as the NARS Dual Intensity Blushes. The colors pull neutral to cool on my skin but brighten the complexion with a soft rosy pink glow. Right now this one is a bit hard to find as it has not yet arrived at most counters yet (at least at the time of this post), but I highly recommend you put this on your list.
Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust ($65) is a repromote. If you missed out on it in previous seasons I recommend you give it a try. It is on the pricey side but one bottle will last you a long time as a little goes a long way. This is a sheer peachy illuminator that I like to use mixed in with foundation or as a subtle highlight on top of powders. It does sheer out a lot so it won’t give the skin a lot of color but it has the prettiest sheen that I find flattering on the skin. On warmer days and in the summer I find my skin gets a bit on the oily side and this is one of the few liquid illuminators I can wear that won’t get too shiny by mid-day.

Close ups of each and lots of comparisons, Soleil Contouring Compact in The Afternooner:

Comparison Set 1 shows how finely milled the shimmer in The Afternooner Trio is. By swatch comparing it to other highlighters, blushes and bronzers hopefully you can see it has a satiny sheen that isn’t overly frosty or overly matte.
Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson Highlighter (reviewed here)
MAC Ellie Goulding Blush Bronzer Duo I’ll Hold My Breath (reviewed here)
MAC Powder Blush in Fleur Powder
Tom Ford Blush in Flush
Tom Ford Bronzer in Gold Dust (swatched here)

Comparison Set 2:
Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duo in Moodlight (reviewed here)
Tom Ford Contouring Cheek Duo in Stroked (reviewed here, discontinued)
Urban Decay Naked Flushed Trio in Streak (reviewed here)

Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal

Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Las Salinas (reviewed here)
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Liquid in Starlight (reviewed here)
NARS Dual Intensity Blushes in Adoration and Fervor
Tom Ford Blush in Wicked

Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust has a lot of dupes from other lines and brands that will give you a similar effect. The best thing I find about the Tom Ford is the texture – it’s smooth and non-greasy and has the best feel overall but in terms of color there are a lot of less expensive alternatives.

Swatches straight from the tube and then blended (same colors in each set):

Armani Fluid Sheer #5 (reviewed here)
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Skin Liquid Candlelight and Starlight  (reviewed here)
NARS Illuminator in Orgasm
MAC Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel and Barbados Girl

One last look:

Overall all three perform really well in terms of pigment and how smooth they look on the skin. If you’re looking for a less expensive alternative of The Afternooner you may want to look into the Urban Decay Naked Flushed face trios. In my previous review I’ve mentioned the colors are really good but they emphasize my pores and look chalky on my skin – however I am in the minority with my opinion. The trios work well for most people. I do believe that while the texture and finish of The Afternooner is superior to other face/cheek compacts, the colors can be easily duped so you may want to shop your stash before buying. Having all three in a single compact does make it more convenient and I like that it’s large in size so you don’t have to worry about mixing colors with a brush if you want to layer separately.

The Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal isn’t really sheer like the name implies but the texture is soft and easy to blend which makes it easy to sheer out. I really love the look and finish of this one – the colors are similar to the NARS Dual Intensity Blush in Adoration but the shimmer in the Tom Ford duo is softer and less harsh. Texture of Bicoastal is softer which makes it easier to blend.

Fire Lust is a must in my makeup collection but it is on the sheer side so your mileage may vary on this depending on what kind of pigment or color you are looking for.

In summary I give these a thumbs up – they are easy to use and applying them is pretty much goof-proof. The colors are versatile and will go with a wide variety of looks and can take your beauty look from day to night for that summery natural healthy glow. My opinion is that Bicoastal is the most unique and the highlight of the collection. Had I been able to play with The Afternooner in person before purchasing I would have skipped because I already own a lot of colors similar to the items in the palette. However that being said – if you love Tom Ford beauty products I will say the colors don’t really replicate items individual items in the current Tom Ford line.

You can find the Tom Ford Soleil Collection at all Tom Ford Beauty counters now. Online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Tom Ford.

Have you checked out any of these yet? What did you think?
Fire Lust and Bicoastal provided courtesy of Tom Ford for review. The Afternooner purchased by me.
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Bronzer + Blush Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Soleil Collection – Terra and Bronze Age Bronzing Powders and Pieno Sole Cream Cheek Color

April 4, 2016

For the bronzers in this year’s Tom Ford Soleil Collection, there are a couple repromotes and a few new shades for cheeks. This summer they’ve relaunched the Small Bronzing Powder ($68 each) version along with the Large Bronzing Powder ($98 each) in three shades: Gold Dust, Terra and Bronze Age. This year’s version has the letters TF embossed in the bronzer which adds a nice luxurious touch to the overall look. For the Cream Cheek Color ($68 each) they’ve brought back Pink Sand (reviewed here) and introduced a new color called Pieno Sole.

In case you’re new to the Tom Ford Bronzers in general, I’ve swatched all three shades of the powder bronzer in Gold Dust, Terra and Bronze Age alongside the new Pieno Sole for reference. I did not rephotograph the Gold Dust Bronzer or the small versus large compacts but you can see a quick shot of the small and large Gold Dust in this post here.

Descriptions and thoughts on all the shades:

  • Gold Dust Bronzing Powder is a classic medium bronze with a hint of golden shimmer, it gives the skin a luminous glow without being too shimmery or frosty, for a comparison reference, the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzers are a lot more luminous compared to Tom Ford Gold Dust. Gold Dust is warm but not orangey on the skin.
  • Terra is a semi-sheer cool-toned matte bronzer. When I tried this one last year the artists actually recommended I skip this because they said it would too sheer on my medium skintone. I bought it anyways in the large size (not shown) and found this to be more like a soft contouring powder. If you’re looking for a cooler-toned bronzer this one is a good one to check out. Do note that it’s not as pigmented as other bronzers so your mileage may vary if you are tan to deep in skintone. On me it does show up but it gives a very natural look.
  • Bronze Age is a new shade this season, it’s deeper and more golden than the other bronzers. This one is matte and has medium pigment. It applies smoothly and is easy to build. On my skin this looks very golden but not orangey. If you are super fair this will probably look more dramatic and warm on your skin. I think this one will be better suited for medium to deeper skintones unless you don’t mind a dramatic bronze.
  • Pieno Sole is a Cream Cheek Color but I’ve grouped it with the bronzers since it’s a golden shimmer color. I had very high hopes for this as a cream blush since I’m beyond in love with Pink Sand. I’m at the exact skintone where this one almost matches by skin color and looks like my skin but with shimmer. Since it matches my skin, as a cream cheek color it’s almost invisible. For me it works better as a highlighter which I think is very pretty but more subtle than I expected. Not necessarily a bad thing as it goes on the skin smoothly and doesn’t emphasize pores. 
First a quick look at Terra, Bronze Age and Pieno Sole in direct sunlight (lip color is Le Mepris):

Swatches of Powder Bronzers in Gold Dust, Terra and Bronze Age alongside the new Pieno Sole Cream Cheek Color:

Powder Bronzers in Gold Dust, Terra and Bronze Age applied on the face – they all look very similar when applied with a light hand, I hope you can tell that Bronze Age is the darkest/deepest color and Terra is the sheerest/most natural. Gold Dust is somewhere in between. I tried to photograph a cheek swatch of Pieno Sole but it just looked invisible so I didn’t publish it.

On the lips Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Carriacou:

Some comparison swatch sets:

Set 1:
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light

Set 2:
Edward Bess Bronzer in Daydream

Set 3:
MAC Powder Blush in Trace Gold
MAC Cream Color Base in Desert Roadtrip (d/c)
MAC Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Magnetic Appeal (d/c, review here)
Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Afterglow (review here)

I own more bronzer than I know what to do with (probably multiple lifetimes worth) but out of all the powder bronzers I’ve tried I can say that the Gold Dust is one I reach for frequently. It’s a no-fuss kind of bronzer that adds warmth and glow to the face without looking too orangey or overdone. Terra is one of the sheerest bronzers I’ve tried and probably one of the few I’ve tested that have a cool undertone without looking too cool. Both are on the steep side for price but they go on smoothly and flawlessly every time and do not emphasize pores (huge plus for me) or look chalky. Another plus is the colors do not darken or oxidize on the skin even on oily skin days so I don’t have to worry about looking like an Oompa Loompa with these (even though I do like a good bronze tan look). I personally like the look of Bronze Age – I don’t own anything as golden in color. Bottom line is I think these are well worth the high price tag (I’ve purchased them in previous seasons and have no regrets). If these aren’t in your budget you might want to check out the MAC Powder Bronzers as a less expensive alternative – they are also very good in quality and come in a wide range of options/finishes. I would say the main difference is I find the MAC less pigmented and more sheer in finish but they are easy to layer.

I have mixed feelings about Pieno Sole – my first impressions left me wanting more color or more pigment, but the more I play with it, the more I like it. On me it’s still more like a highlighter than a cream blush but the golden color is really pretty. The finish is similar to that of Armani Fluid Sheers on my skin but Tom Ford Pieno Sole does have more pigment/coverage by comparison. I like using this as a base for bronzer to enhance the color or as a subtle cream highlight on the cheeks. If you’re on the hunt for something similar in color but in powder form, I recommend checking out MAC Trace Gold Powder Blush which is a pretty golden color. 

You can find the bronzers and cream cheek colors from the Tom Ford Soleil Collection at Tom Ford counters and stores now. Online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Tom Ford.

Have you checked these out yet? Or do you already own some shades from previous seasons? What’s your current favorite bronzer?
Terra and Bronze Age were provided as press samples for review consideration. Pieno Sole purchased by me.

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