Here’s a beauty roundup of new launches I have on my radar this week. From top left, clockwise:
The holiday collection from Chanel called Vamp Attitude just launched. I am still working on swatches for the Rouge Allure releases, but I know I will need the Le Vernis in Rose Fusion and the Le Top Coat Lamé Rouge Noir ($27 each).
Wander Beauty is a new brand that’s popped up on my radar. They sent a couple of the Exquisite Liquid Shadows ($26 each) for me to try (they are stunning, review soon). I’ve been browsing their site and the Paris Collection features four items for lips, cheeks, eyes and highlight that look like they could create the perfect polished look. Have you tried this line yet?
Eve Lom has launched a number of gift sets for the holiday. The Icons Gift Set ($260) contains their Cleanser, Intense Firming Serum, Daily Protection SPF 50, Eye Lift and a Muslin Cloth. There is a price break for this set (individually the items total a little over $300). Other options such as The Perfectors Set and The Classics which have different items and are at lower price points. If you’ve been eyeing any of these, don’t forget Space NK US has their Explore promotion that’s going on online through Sunday. Use code EXPLORE15 at checkout for $25 off any orders $100 or more.
Net-A-Porter has this amazing Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer Set ($150). It has eight lip lacquers packaged in a pretty black box. You can find the colors individually in case you’re one who prefer to pick out your own colors.
Bite Beauty always launches cute sets over the holidays. I ordered the Discovery Set ($55) a few weeks ago, I hope to review it soon. The Best Bite Rewind has four mini matte creme lip crayons. This one has more color for those who like something brighter with more variety. This one has been calling my name too.
Holiday season is the season of palettes. I stopped buying holiday or seasonal palettes years ago because I found if I didn’t like all the colors the palettes didn’t end up getting much use. The NARS x Stephen Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette ($69) looks soooo pretty though. It has the Contour Blush in Paloma, Bronzing Powder in Laguna, four blushes in Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita. If you’ve seen or tried this let me know what you think!
MAC Magic of the Night Collection launches in stores this week. There are already some items that popped up online and as usual many pieces have already sold out within minutes of launching online. I was able to order Please Me Lipstick ($18) and Shaft of Gold In Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($33). I’m hoping nothing in my order gets cancelled.
Korean Skincare is something that I’ve been interested in for a long time but found very complex and somewhat challenging for me to understand with the numerous steps and options. My friends have been raving about skincare items such as essences, pore packs, watery creams, overnight masks and sheer coverage balms and creams for a long time. Right now, Korean Skincare is trending now at Sephora and thanks to articles and shopping guides, they’ve now made the 10-step Korean Beauty routine easier to understand. As a beauty blogger I find it easy to navigate through cosmetic options, but for skincare, understanding the uses and benefits of creams, solid oils and masks are foreign to me. Sephora has an easy-to-follow Korean Beauty Guide with recommendations that I’ve found incredibly helpful. It’s helped me figure out when and how to incorporate new items into my skincare routine. I’ve teamed up with them to share my thoughts on 10 Korean skincare items I’ve been testing.
I’ve split the items I’ve tested into category type. As always I would love to hear about your recommendations and loves. I purchased the Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Oil Free Essentials Set based on your recs and have been really loving it so far (review to follow once I’ve used it up).
Double Cleansing is a something standard in Korean beauty rituals. I usually double cleanse with a wide variety of cleansing oils, makeup removers or cleansing waters as the first step before using a traditional gel, liquid or cream cleanser because it is really the best way to remove all traces of makeup from my skin. I tried the Erborian Solid Cleansing Oil ($39) which is a solid balm cleanser that transforms into a oil when it comes in contact with your face. It comes with a small spatula to remove product. You massage it all over the face and then rinse with water and it turns into a milky lotion. It has a fresh almost green tea spa scent but isn’t too strong. It does a pretty good job at removing makeup but I still think a follow up with regular cleanser is necessary. This leaves the skin feeling moisturized and clean. There’s no film residue.
Another cleanser I tested was the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser ($20). This is a whipped egg white mousse cleaner with egg yolk extract. It’s a super gentle cleaner and the way it foams up makes it super fun to clean the face. The egg yolk combines milk proteins and amino acids to cleanse skin. It’s supposed to dissolve oil while leaving the skin smooth and moisturized. I found it to be a really good gentle cleaner suitable for my sensitive skin. I like using it in the morning – it leaves the skin clean without stripping the skin and it also makes the face glow without looking greasy. I’ve found the way it cleanses my skin is really nice – skin feels more balanced throughout the day.
Next up is the May Coop Raw Sauce ($14-$43) which is an essence. This is similar in concept to the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. You use this on the skin applied with fingers or a cotton pad after cleansing and toning. I always feel this is an unnecessary step in the skincare routine but I am really impressed every time I am disciplined enough to use an essence. It adds moisture and glow to the skin and is supposed to prep the face better for skincare serum and moisturizer absorption. This is made of maple tree sap and cruelty-free. After testing this for a few weeks I have to say I am impressed. This far exceeded my expectations in terms of how it has transformed my skin. I don’t use it everyday but it’s made the skin feel more hydrated. Dry patches have disappeared. Skin does indeed absorb moisturizer better. A little goes a long way. I think it will be a staple for winter.
Another line I just started testing is belif. The True Cream Aqua Bomb ($22 – $38)is a lightweight gel cream moisturizer that is oil-free. It has a bounce to it. In general I really do not like gel moisturizers (I have made a few exceptions) because I feel they end up feeling sticky and too dewy. The belif True Cream Aqua Bomb has made it into the exception category. It’s supposed to be designed for all skin types. For my normal, sensitive combo skin, this is a really nice lightweight moisturizer. I like that it really feels weightless. Skin feels smooth and there is no stinging sensation (I get that with a lot of gels).
Masks are a big deal with Korean Skincare. I tested three. First is the Dr. Jart+ Water-Max Sleeping Mask ($48). I prefer night creams to night masks because I usually don’t like the feel of product on my face when I sleep. The Dr. Jart+ however is a super lightweight mask. It is a gel formula but doesn’t feel sticky or leave any residue. It feels more like a lightweight lotion. I tested this on 1/2 of my face for a week to see if I could notice a difference between use and non-use. I can. You apply it at night and leave it on then rinse in the morning. The side I used it on looks more refreshed, smoother, plumper and more glowing.
The Erborian Waterlock Mask ($43) is another hydrating mask treatment. This also is a gel formula that feels like a thick jelly. There are a few ways you can use this. I used it as a 10-minute mask then rinsed off. This is one of the most gentle feeling face masks I’ve used that gives instant hydration. The moisturized feeling lasts after it washes off but there is no residue. It has bamboo sap and fibers designed to lock in hydration. There is a slight cooling feel that is very relaxing and soothing. It’s a refreshing moisture mask that I have fallen head over heels in love with.
The third mask I tried was the belif First Aid Transforming Peel Off Mask ($34). This is the first peel off mask I’ve tried that peels off with water. I really like peel off masks but often time they are messy and don’t peel off completely so I end up having to scrub residue off. This one you leave on for 15 minutes. When you rinse with warm water the dry mask turns into a peel off gel that easily peels off. It has lemon balm and white willow bark, which is a natural salicylic acid, which helps to clarify and soothe skin. After using this my pores disappear, skin feels ultra firm and smooth. I’m obsessed.
Pore Packs are new to me but I think if you try one new thing out of this roundup, pore packs should be one of them. Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm ($18) comes in an egg-shaped container. The bottom portion of the egg is filled with product. It’s a self-heating balm designed to target blackheads by opening pores with the heat and then remove dirt and oil. I think it’s a really good gentle treatment that makes a huge difference in cleaning out pores around the nose and mouth. It’s not a dramatic kind of facial treatment. I like to use this sometimes in conjunction with a clarifying mask or regular cleanser after this. The Egg Pore Balm helps open up pores. When I follow with a mask it draws out impurities even more. The heating element is noticeable but super gentle.
The Caolion Pore Pack ($30) is a stronger treatment. If you have sensitive skin you might want to try it on spots first. I used it all over the face and while it was perfectly fine and left my skin looking so much better, it does feel extra tingly. Some might find the tingle too strong. The top half is a dark mask that is the hot portion called Premium Blackhead Steam Pore Pack. This is a stronger version of the Tony Moly and cleans out pores and exfoliates dead skin. It made my nose pores disappear almost 100%. Pores along the cheeks and sides of the nose were noticeably smaller.
Step two is the cool portion which is the Premium Pore Original Pack. It has a menthol element that tightens pores even further and soothes the skin. I have extremely sensitive eyes and the first time I used it, I applied the menthol too close to my eyes which made them tear. It didn’t sting but the menthol is pretty strong. You can really feel it working on your skin and I was worried my face would be red and blotchy after I washed it off, but it left the face looking super smooth with all redness gone. If you have extra sensitive skin I would recommend using this more as a spot treatment on troubled areas.
Last but not least are two items called lightweight finishers. I’ve reviewed the AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact ($60) before and still love it. It has SPF 50 and protects against UVA and UVB. This is a very natural glowy product that melds into the skin unlike any other foundation I’ve tried. A huge bonus is that each pack comes with a refill so the price point to me is really reasonable. It’s a your-skin-but-better kind of product. I do think you need to set with a powder.
I also tried the Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm ($39) which comes in two colors, 01 Medium Light and 02 Medium Deep. This is a one-step beauty balm that gives natural coverage and evens out the skin. It’s more pigmented than a lot of other beauty balms I’ve tried. I am a match to 02 Medium Deep which is on the greyish side but adjusts to my skintone right now. I think the downside to this product is the two colors make it hard to find a color match. If you can find a match, it’s a nice smoothing product. It makes my face and skin look more youthful without being overly dewy.
I hope you found this roundup helpful! There’s a lot I’ve tested and covered so I hope the categories helped break down the options by product type. My top three favorite items I tested in this round include the Dr. Jart+ Water-Max Sleeping Mask, Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steamer Balm and Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask although I did discover a lot of new things to love.
The Sephora Korean Beauty Guide and Posts on their blog The Glossy have helped me understand all the options better. Once I started to look at each product individually and incorporate them one at a time into my skincare routine it’s all started to make more sense. The process of using Korean skincare still contains a number of steps, some of which are more complex than my basic routine right now, but I can see a difference in clarity, texture and overall glow.
Sephora has been kind enough to give me extras of some items to giveaway. You can enter via the widget below. Due to liquid restrictions, this is open to US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. Items in the giveaway to 1 lucky winner will include the following:
Eborian Solid Cleansing Oil, Eborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask, Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask, Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm, Amore Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact Broad Spectrum SPF 50+, May Coop Raw Sauce, Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Cleanser, Tony Moly Egg Pore, Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb, Caolion Premium Hot & Cool Pore Pack Duo, Shiseido Facial Cotton (selected winner will be able to select the colors for the foundation and bb beauty balm)
You can find a wide selection of Korean beauty products online and in stores at Sephora. I’m really thrilled with the selection and hope they continue to expand the brand offerings. Right now for a limited time you can get 1 of 4 K-Beauty Minis at checkout with code KBEAUTY with orders of $25 or more. In case you’re hesitant to splurge on the full size, there are a number of value sets available with trial sizes you might want to look into.
If you have any Korean Beauty favorites, please let me know!
Many thanks to Sephora for teaming up to sponsor this post. As always, all opinions my own.
This month Neiman Marcus and Le Métier de Beauté launched a special Limited-Edition Stephanie Kaleidoscope ($95) to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness. It is inspired and designed by Stephanie Seban, a former Neiman Marcus employee, to help spread awareness about breast cancer. Proceeds from this kit are being donated to breast cancer research and awareness centers all over the nation, Le Métier de Beauté is give back 30% of total sales in support of the cause. You can read more about Stephanie’s touching story on her website Stephanie Seban. The launch coincides with the Neiman Marcus Incircle Event and there is a gift with purchase available online and in stores that ends today 10/18. (More on this below.)
The Stephanie Kaleidoscope contains four eyeshadows named Light, Heart, Hope and Live. Per Neiman Marcus, the inspiration behind each color is as follows:
Light – A brightening neutral
Heart – The heart of the Kaleidoscope, soft pink
Hope – A golden ray of hope
Live – A lively cool taupe
True to Le Métier de Beauté style, each color is very soft with a finely milled texture. The colors have medium but buildable pigment. They layer together beautifully for a stunning unique look. They always come up with color combinations I would never think of, sometimes there are shades I look at and think I would never wear. However when I try them, I’m always impressed with how beautiful they are.
From top to bottom, the colors are breathtakingly beautiful. Light is a bright neutral cream champagne, on my skin it pulls neutral-cool. The shimmer is very finely milled and it’s not frosty. The next shade Heart is a cool matte pink. I’m normally not one to wear pinks on the eyes like this one but I gave it a try and it looks quite pretty when layered with the other colors. It can also double as a very subtle blush. Hope is one of the warmest copper shimmers I’ve ever tried. It’s a surprisingly pretty color when mixed with the pink and taupe, I think this kit would be more wearable if this were more of a neutral golden shimmer rather than a warm coppery shade, but I find it unique and really pretty. The last shade is Live which is a shimmering taupe with slight khaki and grey tones. There’s a bit of silver shimmer mixed in which makes it a soft smokey shade.
Close ups of each color:
There is a special gift with purchase for Neiman Marcus Incircle which is their bonus point event for Neiman Marcus cardholders. You don’t need a card to qualify for any of the gift with purchase promotions. The October Incircle Gift is with any $300 Le Métier de Beauté purchase which is fairly steep. I’ve had some kaleidoscopes on my wishlist for a long time and decided this gift was worth splurging for. There are two options of lip creme lip gloss, I picked the darker one Overcome which is a warm pink that’s slightly red. The other one in store looked like a non-shimmery cream that is a pale pink. They didn’t have testers so I didn’t swatch it. Also in the gift is a Baked Blush called Victoria and a Liquid Luminizer called Lambent. At this time all three are exclusive to this gift with purchase. (If you shop online the gift will be added automatically at checkout.)
One last shot of the Le Métier de Beauté x Neiman Marcus Breast Cancer Awareness Stephanie Kaleidoscope:
I tried to take photos of an eye look I did a few days ago but the lighting conditions weren’t the best and photos didn’t turn out so well. I do think the matte pink and copper are outside of my comfort zone in terms of wearable shadows for everyday but when they are layered with the other two the result is really quite pretty and not over the top. If you’re new to Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes, they have four swivel pans. Some are all eyeshadows, others have a mix of powder, blush, bronzer or gloss. The top flips up to reveal a mirror. They are beautifully designed and the quality of the shadows are phenomenal. (You can click the Le Métier de Beauté tag at the bottom to see previous reviews of other kits.)
Bottom line the Stephanie Kaleidoscope is a beautiful luxurious treat. If you can stop by the counter to see it in person I recommend doing so. It’s a delight to hear that a sizeable portion of the sales are going towards a good cause. I’m happy I purchased it. The pink packaging is really cute.
Wayne Goss and Beautylish have teamed up to launch a collection of brushes called The Anniversary Set ($225 for 8 brushes). This special launch is timed to celebrate the second anniversary of Wayne Goss’s best-selling brush set- this one includes an updated release of the popular Brush 01 (limited edition) and introduces the new Brush 05 which will become a permanent addition to The Collection.
According to Beautylish, each brush has been meticulously handcrafted by traditional artisans in Kumano, Japan with jewel tone name and number lasering on the handles unique to the Anniversary Set. They are all made with cruelty-free natural bristles that have been selected for luxurious softness and then bundled uncut into a durable brass ferrule. I was able to preview the brush set last weekend in Santa Monica. I just received the brush set two days ago courtesy of Beautylish so I haven’t had much time to experiment in great detail but since it’s limited-edition I have a first impressions review on each the set today.
This is my first Wayne Goss Brush Set. I’ve accumulated a few individual brushes and they are well-loved in my collection. These brushes come with black lacquered handles that are medium-sized in length. They fit in my small hands nicely and are lightweight which makes them easy to use. There are eight brushes in this set for eyes and face. My quick take is that I think these brushes are very well made and the design and quality is excellent. They are extremely soft and the bristles are evenly distributed for flawless application. If you’re looking for a nice set of brushes to start a collection I think this is a very good place to start.
The eight brushes in the set include:
Brush 01 – The much-loved Brush 01, now three times larger for fast, flawless application of your favorite foundation. This elegant duo-fiber Brush makes blending creams, liquids, and powders to a poreless finish quick and easy. This one is limited-edition and exclusive to the set.
Brush 02 – A soft-as-silk Brush that seamlessly buffs powder products—blush, bronzer, highlighter, or setting powder—onto skin. Its tapered shape makes maneuvering around the contours of the cheeks a breeze.
Brush 03 – Fluffy, slightly pointed bristles make this Brush ideal for sweeping pigment all over the eyelid. It can also be used to highlight the nose and brow bone or to buff powder into the T-zone.
Brush 04 – Perfect for blending and distributing color into the crease of any eye shape. With its softly tapered silhouette, this Brush is also an excellent choice for concealing and setting the delicate undereye area.
Brush 05 – Completely redesigned with detail work in mind. The fine-point tip and supple bristles allow for the utmost precision when applying pigment to the eyes and lips.
Brush 06 – Topped with dense, dome-shaped hairs, Brush 06 effortlessly blends and softens eyeshadow in a single stroke. Use it to apply concealer to imperfections for a natural, even finish.
Brush 07 – Designed for lipstick or eyeliner, this small, flat Brush has just the right amount of stiffness for ultimate control. Apply precise amounts of color to the lips and eyes, or highlight specific parts of the brow bone and cupid’s bow.
Brush 08 – A tiny Brush with a short, flat tuft, ideal for tightlining the eyes with ease. Its unique shape makes working pigment directly into the root of lashes or brow hairs easier than ever before.
I have put these to the test for two days so far. Here’s what I tested each brush with and thoughts. First up is the Brush 01. I tried it with two liquid foundations. I thought the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation would be a good one to try it with to see how smooth the finish would be. This is an ultra pigmented foundation and for the most part it’s flawless with fingers or a beautyblender sponge, but with most brushes streaks are visible. With the Wayne Goss Brush 01 it was pretty much streak-free with a few swipes. Brush strokes were still visible but required minimal blending and buffing to get completely smooth. I also tried it with the La Mer Reparative Skin Tint and it blended out product flawlessly. (Also shown below, recycled Diptyque Baies and RMS Luminizer Nail Polish.)
For Brush 02 and 04, I tested them with highlighter and concealer. Brush 02 (left) is a small tapered brush. It’s super soft and plush making it extra gentle on the skin. The tip is slightly domed and rounded which gives a very soft blended look. I tried it with detail highlighting using the Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson Dreamy Glow Highlighter (swatched here). The brush picks up quite a lot of product which is nice. Some brushes don’t catch enough powder for some reason, but this one does.
Brush 04 (right) is a small detail brush. It’s similar in shape to Brush 03 but the 04 is smaller. It’s designed for crease but I don’t have folds in the eye area so I decided to try it with concealer since it was suggested in the product description. I would never have thought to try a non-synthetic tapered brush with a cream concealer but it really works. I took a dab of the Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer in 07 and it gives a super natural blended application on spots and under the eye. I’m really impressed! (On the nails below is Chanel Rouge No. 19).
For the eye brushes I’m surprised I don’t own any of these yet. From left to right is 03, 06, 05, 07 and 08. I know tapered brushes are huge with many and are considered a staple. I prefer fluffier brushes but the Wayne Goss 03 is really quite lovely. It’s dense enough that it’s not flimsy and it picks up just the right amount of product to give a sheer all over wash to the lids.
Brush 06 is a flatter but rounded brush, it’s described as a one-sweep brush and it really is that. It’s perfectly sized to give my lids color with one swipe.
Brush 05 is a detail brush that’s been redesigned. I don’t think I own the original one so I can’t compare but it’s an amazing smokey detail brush that picks up pigment really well and applies it in the inner corners or under the lash line. For the bottom lash line I like soft blended colors so it doesn’t look harsh and this one is perfect. I think I will need to purchase another once it’s launched individually.
Brush 07 and 08 are also detail brush perfection. I own tons of smudge brushes and Brush 07 is definitely one of the better ones I’ve tried. It’s super dense but soft. The material picks up color really well and applies it onto the skin beautifully. I feel like I’ve been waiting for Brush 08 my whole life. I know there are tons of skinny angled brushes that people use and love for getting into the lashline. I’m super uncoordinated with those and can never really get the color into the lash line easily, there’s almost always a gap so I have to blend and layer a lot. This one makes detail application super easy. It’s super dense and non-flimsy and non-floppy at the tip. If Wayne ever made a slightly larger one that is also angled for eyes I think I would fall head over heels in love with it. (He has one for brows in his brow trio which is utterly perfect but I think it’s too stiff for my delicate sensitive lids.) I tested the eye brushes with different textures of eyeshadow from the Urban Decay Naked3 Palette (swatched here). I thought it would be a good one since it has a mix of matte, satin, shimmer, chunky sparkle and metallic. All brushes worked really well with multiple textures making them really versatile.
One last shot of the brushes lined up:
I’m overall impressed. I knew that this set would be very well made and each brush would be perfectly crafted but I wasn’t sure if any would be that different from the dozens of tools I already own. Sometimes brushes are just brushes and if you have a collection of tools that work, it can seem redundant to own multiple tools from different lines. The brushes in the Anniversary Set all are phenomenal tools I know I will reach for and use on a daily basis. The Brush 02 is one of the softest brushes I’ve ever touched (just as soft as the Tom Ford ones). If there were one that I would say I could skip, I would say Brush 03 and 04 are very similar, but I really like 03 for the lids and now that I’ve tried 04 with concealer I’m converted. I think the detail Brush 08 is absolutely genius – if you’re unsure about getting the full set, I would say hands down the 07 and 08 are must-haves for perfect smokey eye detailing.
You can find The Wayne Goss Anniversary Brush Set exclusively online at Beautylish for $225. It is limited-edition.
Many thanks to Beautylish for sending a set for review consideration.
It’s time for a foundation update now that we are transitioning to fall weather. I’ve been testing some new base formulas over the past few months. I have an assortment of foundations to share today by coverage type which I’ve found suitable for my normal combination skin. These days my skin is slightly oily in the T-zone with a few dry patches around the chin area as I’m working to clear up my skin. I still have super sensitive skin that reacts to a lot of foundations so if you’re like me, I this roundup helps you find something new to try.
In case you have completely different skin type and foundation preferences, I highly recommend you give Nordstrom’s online foundation search tool to help you find the right foundation for you. There is a quick and easy form for you to fill out where you select skin type, coverage and finish preference. This filters brands and formulas for you to check out. I highly recommend you give it a try.
I’ve split my fall foundation edit into three categories: Natural Coverage, Medium-to-Full Coverage and Powder Foundations. My personal foundation preference is for something that is natural looking and lightweight but also has decent coverage to even out the skin and create a flawless base. Many have asked me if it’s necessary for add-ons like primers and powder. I don’t think all foundations need a primer, but I’m a firm believer in setting with powder. Many times I set with a powder foundation by dusting the face with a brush. Some think it’s too much to layer powder foundation on top of liquid foundation but if you layer it right, it’s not too much. (More on primers and powders in a separate post.)
Up first are three new powder foundations I’ve been testing. If you’ve read The Beauty Look Book for a long time you will know that my holy grail powder foundation is the Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Matte Powder Foundation. My color is usually Warm 100 and has worked for me even though I’ve gotten darker over the summer. I decided to try a few new formulas.
Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation is indeed a high-def kind of product. It’s a super pigmented and super velvety kind of powder foundation that has medium to full coverage. You can use this one wet or dry, I prefer dry with a sponge or dusted with a brush. For me trying powder foundation is tricky – as the skin warms up, powders often darken or oxidize in color. The Urban Decay Naked Skin Powder Foundation does warm up to the skin but doesn’t darken. It holds up really well with minor touch ups needed on the nose for me. I use Medium Light Warm. There are a number of shade options with different undertones.
The Tom Ford Flawless Powder Foundation launched a few months ago. This is extremely pricey at $80 but the formula is amazing. With a simple base of moisturizer the sponge applies this on the skin and makes all your pores disappear. Skin appears smooth and truly flawless. It’s easy to build – the texture in the compact looks and feels powdery but there is no fall out on the face and it doesn’t cake. The downside (aside from the steep price tag) is the limited color selection. I’m in between Fawn and Sable. It was suggested I opt for Fawn as the closest match. I’m about 1.5 shades darker now compared to what I am most of the year. For right now I can get by with Fawn but it’s a tad bit too pale. It will be perfect for winter. That being said I do hope they expand the color selection to match the liquids because this formula is incredible.
Giorgio Armani also launched a new foundation called the Luminous Silk Compact. Color selection jumps around in this one as well. I am normally anywhere from a 6, 6.5 to 7 in the Luminous Silk and Lasting Silk. The powders I saw seemed to run on the dark side. I was matched to 4 and I was super skeptical about the counter rep’s matching skills because I expected to be 5.5 or 6.5. She was right. It warms up on the skin. I would say this is one of the sheerer powder foundations I’ve tried. If you like a super natural look this is a good one. It is very smooth and finely milled. I prefer more coverage but it’s great as a setting powder or layered over a sheer foundation.
Next up are some natural medium coverage foundations. Some of these are more on the sheer side but each of these will offer enough coverage to even the skin and cover minor imperfections. I have a few tried and true mixed in with a new to me formula.
Amore Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact was featured a few weeks ago. This is the first cushion compact I’ve tried and my color match is Tan Gold 204. Several of you mentioned you hoped shade 102 would launch in the US and the good news is that I just noticed that it’s now online at Nordstrom! The Amore Pacific Cushion Compact is the most natural looking foundation I’ve tried that still gives medium coverage. It melts into your face to look like skin but as you press it into your face you will see it transform into what I call your skin but better. Color selection is limited so I’m thrilled that Tan Gold is my perfect match (it warms up and adjusts within the first 2-5 minutes but doesn’t darken further after it sets).
The NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer is one of my holy grail base products because it’s really not like a traditional tinted moisturizer. When my friends ask me for a recommendation on a foundation that’s natural this is the one I recommend first. It’s usually followed by a response along the lines of, “oh but I don’t like tinted moisturizers, they’re too sheer and greasy.” I agree that most are, but this one is very different. It’s more like a natural foundation with a super lightweight texture that makes the skin glow naturally. I’m usually Groenland year round but after getting a tan I’ve found the next shade up St. Moritz to be a better match. If you haven’t tried this formula I highly recommend you do. It has the perfect natural coverage and glows without feeling too glowy and doesn’t get greasy or too emollient throughout the day.
La Mer Reparative Skin Tint is something I featured over the summer. This is one of the few skincare + foundation in one kind of products that I actually like. The formula melds into the skin beautifully and offers natural medium coverage. Over time it improves the texture of the skin adding moisture without feeling heavy. The only downside is the color selection is limited and it’s also very expensive but if you can find a color match it’s well worth the splurge. It helps rebalance the skin and lasts all day long. If you have normal to dry skin this one is really good.
The Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream was a pleasant surprise for me. I received a few press sample recently and gave it a try. I have to say it far exceeded my expectations – the concept of a gel cream didn’t sound appealing to me since most gel-like foundations feel sticky and often look too dewy on my skin. This formula has thoroughly impressed me, I like it just as much as the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer and the added bonus is the color selection seems better than most lines. This is a BB Cream, CC Cream and Tinted Moisturizer in one. I’m usually not a fan of BB or CC creams because I don’t like the way they feel on my face. The Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue feels weightless and blends into the skin beautifully.
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The final category for my fall foundation roundup is medium to full coverage formulas. This is my formula of choice since I prefer bases that cover my skin more to create an even base. All of these have been featured before on the blog, they are my tried and true.
Tom Ford makes excellent foundation. The Traceless Foundation Stick is hands down the best foundation stick I’ve ever tried. It’s super creamy and easy to blend on the skin. It covers imperfections without looking cakey. Since it’s super pigmented I recommend layering this on areas you need extra coverage instead of applying it all over the face. I love the formula but the pigment is too rich for the entire face everyday (at least for me). The Traceless Perfecting Foundation is something I use regularly. I am normally a match to Bisque 4 but right now Natural 5 is my perfect summer match.
The NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation is another holy grail for full coverage foundations. This one gets mixed reviews – some love it, others hate it. It’s super concentrated and a little goes a long way. It lasts all day on my normal combination skin and covers the face really really well. If I were to compare this to a lipstick, I would say this is similar to Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution. Both are more matte in finish but have this luminous quality that makes it look natural and not flat. I do think you need to prep the skin properly with a good moisturizer and primer if you have any dryness or uneven texture on the skin (I like the Dolce & Gabbana Primer or any of the ones from NARS). My shades are Santa Fe and Punjab, both of which are too light for me now. Since a little goes a long way I still have a lot of both shades and didn’t want to purchase a third since I’ll be losing my tan soon.
Last but not least, Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet is a classic staple for me. I’ve repurchased it several times. I alternate between Beige 30 and Beige 40 depending on my skintone. It offers medium buildable coverage and feels lightweight. Even though the name “velvet” implies a matte finish, I find it’s a natural luminous matte. It doesn’t look or feel heavy. In terms of foundation recommendations this one usually is #2 on my list. Many often ask, “but what about the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua? it sounds better and lighter.” Both are good formulas, the Perfection Lumiere Velvet is my favorite because it covers better and has a slightly matte finish. It also lasts all day and feels weightless. The Vitalumiere Aqua is also natural looking and I know many love it. On me it feels a bit too dewy, I would say it’s better suited for you if you like glowy makeup or have normal to dry skin.
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If you’re looking for a new foundation to try, I hope you found this roundup helpful. Finding the right foundation can take time. There are so many factors to consider from color matching, formula, finish and lasting power. As usual, I’d love to hear about your foundation favorites or new discoveries. Do you have anything that’s a go-to for fall?
Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. As always all opinions my own. Press samples include the items from Bare Minerals and Amore Pacific. All others purchased by me.
Happy Tuesday everyone! I feel as though holiday beauty releases, gift sets and collections are starting to flood my e-mail inbox with daily notifications. I’m really excited about this year’s gift sets – they look better than ever and there seem to some that are well-priced. I will have to make my lists and sort through them carefully before making purchases. A few things on my beauty radar this week.
First, three sales/gift with purchase events you might want to take note of. Space NK is having their explore event, details one post down, but use code EXPLORE15 for $25 off purchases of $100 or more (online only, valid through 10/25). Shopbop is having 25% Off Friends and Family Sale with code INTHEFAM25 (good for 3 days, ends 10/15). Neiman Marcus is having their Incircle Event so many lines have gift with purchase options.
From the top left clockwise:
Le Metier de Beaute and Neiman Marcus have created a limited-edition Breast Cancer Awareness Stephanie Kaleidoscope. I will be picking mine up later this week since they have their Incircle Event. There is a gift with purchase available with any $300 purchase (in store and online). More details once I pick mine up.
Chanel has some gorgeous releases for late fall into holiday. First there is a new Rouge Allure Collection featuring some new Rouge Allure Lipsticks (Inspiree and Eblouissante), Rouge Allure Velvet Lipsticks, new Rouge Double Colors (I picked up Bright Rose), Rouge Allure Gloss (in Ideale and Expressive), two new Le Vernis Nail Polishes in Singuliere and Troublant. Review on my picks soon.
Diptyque Holiday looks absolutely amazing. There will be three limited-edition holiday candles that launch November. You can pre-order some from Neiman Marcus now. Also the Diptyque South Coast Plaza store will have an exclusive early preview event at their store October 15th. You can call them (714) 850-9995 for details. They will have a gift with purchase and small bites available.
RMS Beauty has launched nine Nail Polishes. There are several different finishes in creams and metallics. I’m particularly intrigued with how the Luminizer shade will look on the hands.
The Sephora Beauty Insider 250 Point Perk for October Bite Beauty’s Kir Royale has launched online!! Swatches of the lipstick and lipgloss in this post here. If you’ve been stalking Sephora for this bonus to arrive online, I just spotted it today.
Last but not least, some of Tom Ford Holiday has launched online for pre-order at Neiman Marcus. It’s all very smokey and dark. I have my eye on the Waterproof Mascara in Noir and Nail Lacquer in Black Out (it looks like it could be a dupe for Chanel Steel).
What’s on your beauty radar this week? Do you have anything on your wishlist or are you waiting to see more holiday launches before splurging?
Space NK US has a promo going on right now. It’s the”Explore” promotion where they are offering $25 off any $100 purchase online with code EXPLORE15 at checkout. This is a great time to check out new products from Space NK or treat yourself to a little
luxurious beauty!
I’m thinking about replenishing my Eve Lom Brightening Cream because I think it will run out in the next month or so. Also on my radar is the Eve Lom Eye Lift cream (have you tried this?). Space NK now has the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette for holiday online. I saw it at the Hourglass Store on Abbott Kinney over the weekend and am seriously tempted but already have 5 of the 6 colors.
If you want recommendations on fall beauty, I’m completely head over heels in love with the Diptyque Fall Collection. The 34 La Proveresse Candle is so beautiful (review soon). Benjoin Candle is launched this year at all Diptyque retailers (it was an online exclusive last year). Also new for fall is the Oud Candle which is a lovely woody kind of scent.
Use code: EXPLORE15 $25 off $100+ purchase online, valid October 13-October 25, online at Space NK US.
