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Sabrina

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NARS 413 BLKR Blush and Illuminator

April 29, 2014

NARS has extended their 413 BLKR Collection with two new items in a Blush ($30) and Illuminator ($30). Items are currently exclusive to NARS Boutiques and Narscosmetics.com. (If you missed it, you can check out my feature on the Melrose Boutique.) Both are lovely classic shades suitable for everyday wear.

413 BLKR Blush is a satiny rosebud pink color. It’s a neutral pink rose leaning slightly cool on the skin. It has a soft sheen but isn’t shimmery. The pigment is quite rich with this color but it is easy to blend. I’ve been applying with a super fluffy brush since it packs in a lot of color with a few swipes. It’s a soft rosy color compared to other NARS rose colored blushes which tend to have a darker undertone.

413 BLKR Illuminator is a champagne colored highlighter. The color is exquisite on the skin without being too frosty or pale. I have and use Copacabana on occasion but find it has a sharp contrast with my olive skin. This new 413 BLKR Illuminator has a bit of yellow/gold in it to make it a bit warmer on the skin.

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Some more photos, swatches and comparisons. 413 BLKR Blush and Illuminator:

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413 BLKR Blush

Blush comparisons, left to right:
NARS 413 BLKR, Angelika, Oasis, Outlaw, Tom Ford Wicked, Chanel Emotion (review here)

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Illuminator

Illuminator comparisons: Koh Gen Do Beige (review here), Estee Lauder Tom Pecheux (discontinued), Giorgio Armani Belladonna (discontinued, review here), NARS 413 BLKR, NARS Copacabana, Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #2 and Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #13 (discontinued, review here)

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Overall lovely classic pieces that are luminous but glitter/frost-free you can easily wear everyday. The 413 BLKR blush swatches warm on my arm but applies cooler and more neutral on the face. It’s a good medium rose pink without being too cool toned or dark. It stays put all day and I like that there is no brown in the color – it doesn’t darken or turn muddy like some rosy colors do on me.
The 413 BLKR illuminator will probably give you a very similar effect to other highlighters, but I like that this one has a very fluid texture that dries to a non-dewy/moist finish (perfect for warmer weather). This prevents it from sliding around. I’ve been using the illuminator a number of ways – on the eyes, under blush, over blush, dabbed over bronzer, and as a regular highlighting product. I own a lot of highlighters already and could probably have skipped this one but I really like it for a liquid.
These are a bit harder to find and test in person if you’re not near a NARS boutique (I ordered mine online) but these two are versatile and neutral enough that I think most skin tones will find these flattering in a good way. They are classic colors with a bit of a kick.
Both are part of the 413 BLKR Collection. The Blush and Illuminator are both in NARS Boutiques now and online at Narscosmetics.com.

Have you tried anything from the 413 BLKR collection? I have the eyeshadow single and love it but haven’t looked into anything else.

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Packing Travel What's In My Bag

Travel Beauty | April in Dallas

April 28, 2014

I was so excited to be invited to the rewardStyle conference this year in Dallas, Texas. They hosted an incredible event and I felt so lucky to meet so many talented individuals. Personal highlights (and fan-girl moments for me) included meeting the lovely ladies from Beauty Professor, Liana Beauty, Essie Button, Fleur de Force – all of whom I’ve followed and admired for years. I didn’t get as many pictures as I had hoped during all the excitement but if you search for #rsthecon on Instagram you can see snapshots of the past weekend’s events from those who attended.

Many have asked for me to share what I brought with me on my trip. For me packing is somewhat of an ordeal and I’m in awe of those who travel frequently. I usually bring what will fit into my Bobbi Brown travel case which helps me limit what I bring and keeps everything organized. This case was one of the first gifts my husband gave to me when were dating in our early 20’s. (Black version is not currently available, but there is a gold Bobbi Brown Old Hollywood Train case version available.) All liquids are usually stored in a clear quart sized bag. If you have any travel beauty tips I would love to hear what they are. It always pains me that I can’t bring what I love for hair and skincare. My skin often turns into a nightmare-ish wreck by the end of my trip (no matter how short).

For this 4 day trip I was totally unorganized with my beauty. I packed in a rush, didn’t plan in advance and ended up with duplicate brushes, tools, way too many eyeliners and highlighting products. How this fit in one case is a mystery to me, but it did. Be warned this is a lot. I’ll be sure to tell you which items I actually used.

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  1. Giorgio Armani Regenessence Lotion – I keep a mini sized container from one of the many gift with purchase events, I use it to refill with the full-sized version of toner when I travel
  2. Caudalie Lip Conditioner – easy to apply without having to use fingers (review here)
  3. Caudalie Cleansing Water – part of the favorites set (review here)
  4. Moroccan Oil – a must-have for me, although it didn’t quite help with the Texas humidity (review here)
  5. Chanel Makeup Remover decanted into a mini size container
  6. Ole Henriksen Truth Serum – part of The Works Set, I’ve been testing this for several months now and have added it to my daily skincare routine, I apply under moisturizer and found the serum helps extend the wear of my foundation and keeps moisture in better
  7. Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation – also part of The Works Set, love these travel/trial sized sets (review on the full set to come soon, more value deal and trial sized beauty options here)
  8. Caudalie Divine Oil – mini version (review here)
  9. Lancome Visionnaire Blur (press sample tube) – helped blend out my skin freak outs from travel a bit smoother (see review here)
  10. SK-II Facial Treatment Cleanser squeezed into a small container
  11. Chanel minis of Le Weekend and Sublimage Texture Fine

  1. Edward Bess Bronzer in Daydream (original version)
  2. MAC Skinfinish in Fairly Precious – the perfect pink glowy highlighter, so surprised that it is still online at Nordstrom! (review here) 
  3. Tom Ford Flush Blush – bright but natural coral peach with a hint of shimmer
  4. Chanel Les Beiges 20 – review here
  5. Edward Bess Mousse Foundation in Light scooped into a small recycled container (now available at Neiman Marcus)
  6. Dolce and Gabbana Powder Foundation in Warm 100 – my holy grail of all powder foundations (review here)
  7. By Terry Cellularose Blush Glace in Frozen Petal 3 – the perfect natural glowy peachy color in a gel blush formula with long wear (these sell out on a weekly basis both online and in store, it took me several months to track down all three shades)
  8. Cle de Peau Concealer in Beige – the only concealer I’ve ever repurchased
  9. Tom Ford Foundation Stick in Bisque 04 – check out my review and swatches here
  10. Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation in 30 – detailed swatches and review here
  11. NARS Matte Multiple in Vientiane – swatches on contouring discoveries here
  12. Edward Bess Afterglow Illuminator Compact – my all time favorite glow product, I’ve hit pan multiple times with this one
  13. NARS 413Blkr Illuminator in a mini Chanel sample container 
  14. Tom Ford Fire Lust in a mini Chanel sample container (another one I didn’t use, but review from last year’s version here)

  1. NARS Narsissist Eye Palette – the only eyeshadow I brought with me, this palette did it all for me, I didn’t use all the colors, only 7 of the shades were used during this trip, but I found it served me well as a one palette to do-it-all kind of thing, many have asked if I found issues with pigment or application, I found them to be very good in quality, the matte shades were a bit difficult to get a large brush in but I swished it around (let me know if you want a full detailed review in the comments)
  2. NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliner in Via Appia – part of my eye essentials post here
  3. Chanel Le Stylo Yeux in Ambre Dore (new for spring, review soon)
  4. Chanel Le Stylo Yeux in Santal – swatched here
  5. Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara Stretch – part of my eye essentials post here
  6. Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base in Suede – reviews here and here
  7. RMS Cream Shadow in Solar – review here and here
  8. Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in New Moon – new for summer, review soon
  9. Chanel Illusion d’Ombre in Initiation – review here (note it’s being discontinued)
  10. Chanel Tutti Frutti Le Vernis for Summer – review soon

  1. YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in Pink in Confidence – swatches here
  2. Tom Ford Pink Lust Lip Lacquer – limited from last year, swatches here
  3. Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Frisson – recent review/swatches here
  4. Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Tiny Pink – recent review/swatches here
  5. Dior Addict Gloss Bed of Roses – recent swatches here
A few more snapshots of my makeup mess scattered throughout the week, let me know if you want the breakdown of the tools I brought, I kinda just threw a bunch of random clean tools into my makeup box before I left.

Recap of what I used: Aside from the staples (mascara, foundation, powder, skincare) I found I got plenty of use of the NARS Eye Palette, Chanel Illusion d’Ombres, MAC Fairly Precious, Edward Bess Daydream and Tom Ford Flush blush.
What I could have skipped: I could have skipped all but one eyeliner, most of my tools were redundant, I probably only needed 5 brushes at most. I had highlighter overload as well and grabbed a bunch of minis that I had made over the past few weeks.
What I wish I brought: More skincare, more hair care products. Next time I need to do better planning with finding or collecting small sample containers that I can use for travel. Also I rarely use mattifying products – the warm humid weather wasn’t something I was used to in Dallas and definitely needed something to help keep the face more matte.
Do you travel a lot for work or fun? What are your beauty travel packing tips? Do you have a checklist to help plan or a travel pouch that helps organize and limit what you bring with you? Or are you the kind of person that checks bags so contents/limits don’t matter?
I’m all ears for your tips, tricks and experiences. I haven’t had to travel frequently in the past but it’s on my list to do this year (for fun of course). If you want to see what I brought on past trips, click on the TRAVEL tag below the post.

Quick update for those who asked about my Bobbi Brown train case, there is a luxury Gold Old Hollywood version available now (quite pricey), the one I have is from over 10 years ago, keep an eye out for similar versions around holiday or seasonal releases. For now a few other suggestions below.

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On My Radar/New in Beauty

April 24, 2014

I hope everyone is having a great week. I’m in Dallas right now for the rewardStyle conference, I will try to get in a couple reviews before the end of the week (fingers crossed). Right now, some new items on my radar right now:

  • Chanel Summer has hit stores with an amazing collection this year, I splurged on almost the entire collection (sneak peek above of the glossimers), highlights for me: 4 new shades of Le Vernis in Pink Tonic, Sweet Lilac, Mirabella, Tutti Frutti and 1 repromoted color Eastern Light, 4 new shades of Glossimers in Hello, Sexy, Happy, Sunny and 1 repromoted color in Glaze, 3 new to die for Illusion D’Ombres, in Mirage, New Moon, Utopia
  • Tatcha has a gorgeous Okasan Mother’s Day Set this year, they are running a campaign on their Tatcha Facebook Page where fans share advice from their mom to enter for a chance to win the Mother’s Day Kit, (also online you can get a free deluxe sample Revitalizing Eye Cream with orders over $50. Code: AGELESS).
  • Hourglass has made their Ambient Lighting Palette permanent, it’s now back online at Sephora (review from a few months ago here)
  • Bobbi Brown summer is a Raw Sugar theme with nudes and bronzes, the Eye Shimmer Brick looks amazing, I can’t wait to check it out!
  • Guerlain has released a Terracotta Perfume among some other summer shades of Nail Lacquer and Lip Gloss (have you seen them yet?)
  • YSL seems to have quite a few new releases with blue Summer Nail Lacquers, Rouge Volupte Gloss and the Baby Doll Kiss and Blush stains, I haven’t seen these yet but so many have been raving about them, tell me what you think
  • Tory Burch has the cutest cosmetic bags right now with a gorgeous spring floral print
What’s on your radar right now?
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Lipstick Queen Jungle Queen Lipstick and Open Secret Oxymoron

April 23, 2014

Lipstick Queen has released two new lip products this month for spring/summer. Jungle Queen Lipstick ($22 at SpaceNK) is a vibrant coral designed to coordinate with bold animal prints. Open Secret ($24 now at Lipstick Queen, launching soon at SpaceNK) is the latest color in the Oxymoron lip/cheek formula, it’s a soft baby peony pink with a pop of color. Lipstick Queen sent these brighter shades for review – they aren’t colors normally what I gravitate towards but they are easy to wear brights. While I’m a huge fan of neutral lips, I get numerous requests to review items that are bolder in color. Here are two that are definitely bold.

Jungle Queen Lipstick is Poppy King’s modern twist on a classic red. Jungle Queen is a bold coral cream. It has a moisturizing feel but semi-matte finish. It’s rich in coverage and pigment which requires precise application (mine photographed below is a bit messy). I found the formula to stay put for several hours without any bleeding, but if you’re like me and don’t always apply lipstick precisely (one reason I like sheers), you may want to add a liner first. This is one of those universally flattering shades I suspect is like Viva Glam Rihanna (if you like bold lips). It’s rich enough to cover the most pigmented lips. I have it shown applied straight from the tube and then blotted to show it will fade.

Open Secret Oxymoron is a lip/cheek stain in a mirrored compact. This is my first time trying their stains. I found it to be fully matte with full coverage. I do think you need to moisturize the lips first. It’s not drying but the texture is matte so it will highlight/emphasize and flakes or creases. Open Secret is a pale pink with a pop. It’s not too pale so it washes me out and has a bit of coral undertone to prevent it from looking blue. I tried this on the cheeks and found it difficult to blend with my fingers – I’m open to suggestions on how to apply if you’ve tried these. It photographs well on the lips. On the cheeks it shows up as well but doesn’t photograph well (at least on me). Lasting power is quite impressive on the lips but the matte finish made it feel a bit dry (it didn’t dry out my lips though, it just felt dry).

Comparisons to show how vibrant these new colors from Lipstick Queen are: NARS Torres del Paine (swatch here), Tom Ford Sweet Spot (swatches here), NARS Lodhi, NARS Anguila Matte Multiple, NARS Laos Matte Multiple, Chanel Magnolia Rouge Coco and Chanel Jersey Rose Rouge Coco (discontinued).

Both are rich full coverage colors. I like both colors but don’t know that I am brave enough to wear Jungle Queen everyday. Open Secret works well for the color but I tend to prefer shades with a bit of a sheen. This can be fixed by adding a bit of gloss on top. I wouldn’t have picked out either shade on my own but it’s nice to explore shades and textures out of my comfort zone and discover new items.
Both Jungle Queen ($22) and Open Secret ($24) launch this month. Jungle Queen is available exclusively at SpaceNK and Lipstick Queen. Open Secret is available at Lipstick Queen now and should launch at SpaceNK soon. (PS Don’t forget, The Beauty Look Book readers still have access to a SpaceNK online promotion through the 25th with code LOOKBOOK20, details here.)
Do you have any Lipstick Queen favorites? I know there are many die-hard fans of her line. I haven’t explored it recently but would love to hear about what you’ve tried.

This post contains press samples sent for review. All opinions my own. For more information please see my disclosures.
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Dior Addict Fluid Sticks Swatched | 219 Whisper Beige, 239 Frisson, 269 Tiny Pink, 373 Rieuse and 389 Kiss Me

April 22, 2014

Here are lip swatches of the new Dior Addict Fluid Sticks ($35 each) I have in 219 Whisper Beige, 239 Frisson, 269 Tiny Pink, 373 Rieuse and 389 Kiss Me. There are 17 shades total but not all stores and counters will receive all the colors – you may have to do a bit of hunting to find the colors. 269 Tiny Pink is exclusive to Dior.com and I was told it will be available at Sephora (but I don’t see it online yet).

I have a couple application photos to show you how pigmented these are. They look quite intense when you swatch them but they blend out really nicely on the lips. The lighter shades need a bit of extra blending otherwise some of my lip creases show through. You can apply with a brush or the sponge tip – the result/effect will ultimately be the same. If you use a liner you may want to apply/blend with a separate lip brush so your lipliner color doesn’t mix in with the gloss color.

I like how they finally added the product name on the labels, it’s in really tiny print under the numbers but at least they are now on the tubes:

Close up of the sponge tip:

Swatches without any flash, you can see how these have a glossy finish:

Lip swatches show these are full coverage no-shimmer lip colors. Whisper Beige and Frisson are pretty close on the lips, Frisson is a bit brighter and more peach but they look really close on my lips.

Several of you have asked how the Addict Fluid Sticks compare to the Addict Glosses. My thoughts below:
  • Addict Fluid Sticks have more pigment, more coverage, are more opaque and none of the colors have any shimmer. These are $35 for for 5.5 ml/0.18 fl oz. These come with a sponge tip applicator.
  • Addict Glosses have a wider range of finishes (some non-shimmer, some glittery, some shimmery) but in general they have a more glossy finish with a transparent quality. These are $29.50 for 6.5 ml/0.21 fl oz. These come with a brush tip.

Dior Addict Gloss swatch 576 Bed of Roses:

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One last pic of the Addict Fluid Sticks:

Overall very impressed with these. The colors are rich and give lips full coverage color with a nice shine. Lasting power is in between that of a lipstick and gloss. There is a natural sheen to these but the fluid texture has a bit of a dry down after application. It’s slightly sticky/tacky/thick but stays put for several hours without budging. They feel extremely lush on the lips and make them look full. I am dying to try a few of the plum colors but want to wait until they arrive in stores.
I give these a thumbs up. The lighter colors aren’t too pale and will suit those who love neutrals. There is a good mix of medium-brights that aren’t too bright as well for those who want color but don’t want something too loud. Then there are quite a few brighter more dramatic colors for those who live for colorful lips. All classic shades with a modern look.
If I had tested these in person first, I would have skipped Whisper Beige since Frisson is very similar on my lips. I prefer the peachy color but if you want a beige that won’t make you look like a corpse Whisper Beige is very nice. I was worried Kiss Me might be too cool-toned but it has enough color which prevents it from looking too mod/white on my olive skin.

Dior Addict Fluid Sticks retail for $35 each. In stores now at Macy’s (they have an exclusive until the end of the month). Online now at Sephora (select colors), Nordstrom, Macy’s and Dior.com.

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