Dior Addict Fluid Sticks ($35 for 5.5 ml/0.18 fl oz) are the latest in lip innovations. They are a hybrid gloss, lipstick and stain all in one. They have a fluid texture that is extremely pigmented but blends out perfectly to a sheerer but full coverage finish. The Fluid Sticks come with a sponge tip applicator that has a unique design – I found it shaped perfectly to get a precise application to the lips. The formula is a high-impact type of lip color. They cover the lip entirely but aren’t completely full-coverage. There is a soft fragrance to it but it fades quickly. I found these to have a slightly plumping feel – but it did not irritate my lips or and I didn’t feel any reaction (many lip-plumping products cause a numbing reaction for me).
These are currently only available in stores at Macy’s and the Dior Las Vegas Palazzo Boutique. Other stores should have these in the US starting May. Online now at Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Dior.com.
I ordered a few from the Dior Boutique and online, left to right: 219 Whisper Beige, 239 Frisson, 269 Tiny Pink (only on Dior.com and reported to be a Sephora exclusive), 373 Rieuse and 389 Kiss Me.
Swatches on the arm for now, I’ll post lip swatches in a separate post shortly.
219 Whisper Beige is a nude beige but not too nude
239 Frisson is a limited-edition color according to the Dior boutique, it’s a soft peach
269 Tiny Pink is exclusive to Dior.com and will also be a Sephora exclusive, it’s a warm pink
373 Rieuse is a healthy warm pink
389 Kiss Me is a cool-toned pink
The sponge tips are not your typical sponge tip for lip glosses. It has a beveled tip which makes application easier. They blend the color out on the lips really well. No lip liner or tweaking needed.
The packaging is similar to that of the Addict Lip Glosses. The difference is in the finish and brush tips. Addict Fluid Sticks pack in more punch and pigment while Addict Glosses have a higher shine and sheerer finish.
Swatches below to show the difference in pigment and shine:
Dior has hit it big with these new lipstick/gloss Addict Fluid Sticks. At $35 each they are a bit pricey but you won’t be disappointed with the formula. They blend out on the lips in an amazing way with a soft healthy shine. There is a wide range of color options – enough to suit everyone’s tastes. I ordered sight unseen and gravitated towards the lighter shades. Bubbly Michelle has swatches of all the colors which I found very helpful.
Giorgio Armani re-packaged and launched new colors of their blush and bronzer with 8 shades of Cheek Fabric Blush ($46 each for 4g/0.14 oz) and 4 shades of Sun Fabric Bronzer ($54 for 10.5g/0.37 oz). Since virtually all items from the line have gone through packaging and formula changes over the past few years, I knew the blushes and bronzers would be changed eventually. The change is bitter-sweet. I had fallen in love with classic shades of their Sheer Blush #2, 5 and 10. They have been discontinued but I haven’t been able to take a close look to see if any of the new colors have replaced any of the older numbers. The good news is these new blushes have an extended color range and the bronzers come in a more silky soft texture. I picked up a few of the new colors at the counter – however one of the blushes gave me was the wrong number. The naming conventions are a bit confusing, I wish they had stuck to single digits or labeled the testers with the actual names. (If you love the older colors you may want to stock up while you can, I see them still at Saks here and here.)
The colors I have to show you are Cheek Fabrics in Daybreak 503 (a soft pink beige), Blush 506 (soft rose pink), Sun Fabric 400 (warm bronze) and Dolci 305 (soft peach). All the colors I picked out have a soft luminous shimmer that doesn’t really show up on the skin. These really are like second-skin and blend in very naturally with the cheeks. They have similar pigment to the original Armani Sheer Blush and Bronzers.
Swatched with a soft fluffy brush (but layered):
Close ups of the colors (click to see the sheen), the new Cheek Fabric Blushes are smaller in size compared to the older blushes and come in a single tier mirrored compact. Sun Fabric Bronzers are larger in size and come in a double-deck mirrored compact with a small brush.
Size comparison from the old to new:
Swatch comparisons in three sets, first peach comparisons, pink comparisons then bronzer comparisons. Below you can see how luminous the Cheek Fabrics are – they are sheer but buildable in color. Those who liked the older blush formula know they have a similar natural look but these have a bit more color which I really like.
I really like the look of the new color options for blush and bronzer, but I tend to have a bit of heart break when favorites are discontinued or changed (especially when the original formula/colors are so great). Given the fast-paced nature of how beauty and fashion change, I suppose it’s expected items won’t stick around forever. There are a wide number of options to choose from, for me it would have been easier to shop online to avoid color number mix-ups, if you shop in store, I recommend you double check that they give you the right color and number before you leave.
I took a quick snapshot at the counter a few weeks ago, the numbers are nearly impossible to read but this will give you an idea of the color range.
Armani Cheek and Sun Fabrics should be available at all Armani counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Saks and Neiman Marcus. If you’re a fan of the older colors, act fast before they are pulled or sell out. You can still find them online now at Saks here and here and also Neiman Marcus here and here.
Have you checked out the new blushes and bronzers? What did you think?
I hope everyone is having a lovely Easter Sunday, I’ve been having a relaxing weekend and took some time to swatch and photograph items for the upcoming week. Right now a few things I’m loving include Tom Ford Pink Dune, NARS Torres del Paine, Lumira Tahitian Coconut Travel Candle (many thanks to Lumira! review to come soon), Chanel Glossimers (any color), and Dior Gel Shine Nail Lacquers (reviews posted for Tra-La-La, Front Row, more shades swatched here). I’ve been enjoying the summer issue of Porter Magazine and their online issues called The Edit as well.
A few other things to note:
In case you missed it, be sure to check out my Face and Cheek Brush Essentials (many of you have requested this, it’s finally up!)
SpaceNK has a special offer for The Beauty Look Book readers, details here
Quick reminder that Nordstrom is still offering a promotion of 10% off a number of beauty products through tomorrow (also available in stores too for select beauty items)
I discovered the Caudalie Favorites Set ($32 for five items in a travel bag) when I attended the Venice Boutique Opening last month. One thing I love about Caudalie is they carry smaller sized items that are perfect for travel or those who want to try something out before committing to a full size product. The travel-sized beauty items are all decently priced, this 2014 Favorites Set is a $57 value, but priced at $32. This year’s favorites set comes with the following:
Lip Conditioner – 4.5 ml
Hand and Nail Cream – 30 ml
Vinosource Sorbet – 10 ml
Cleansing Water – 50 ml
Beauty Elixir – 30 ml
I have already been using the Cleansing Water for quite some time now but never tried the other items. I’ve been testing for about a month now and have been pleasantly surprised and impressed with Caudalie’s skincare line. My thoughts on each item below (you can refer to Caudalie website for the ingredient list).
Cleansing Water is a gentle but effective cleansing water. It’s good for removing face makeup but isn’t strong enough for long-wear eye makeup like mascara or eyeliner. My cleansing process usually involves multiple steps. To make sure I remove all my makeup at the end of the day, I usually remove makeup with cotton pad (I like Shiseido and Chanel) soaked with a cleansing water. Caudalie is among my favorites because it’s soothing, calming and refreshing. It is lightly fragranced with orange and lemon blossom, watermelon, and mint leaves – but it’s not overpowering. What I like about this one is it hydrates the skin while cleaning it, but it doesn’t leave a film on the skin after application. (Ingredients here.)
Beauty Elixir is one of those products that has reached cult-status. It’s a mix of toner/serum mist with essential oils and plant active ingredients. I spritz this on the face when I want added hydration or a refresher. It’s a bit dewy for me but in a good way. I do think those sensitive to fragrance or those with oily skin will want to pass on this one. It’s not overpowering but the scent is on the stronger side with mint and herbal scents. I recommend testing in store if you’re unsure about face sprays in general. (I’m testing a few other face sprays right now and will do another post on them in a few weeks.) I personally like this one for a quick pick-me-up and even though I’m sensitive to fragranced skincare items this one is subtle enough for me to use without irritation or breakouts. (Ingredients here.)
Hand and Nail Cream has had mixed reviews. Many have commented that it has been reformulated recently (check the reviews on Sephora). It’s described as a concentrated hand cream with antioxidant grape
polyphenols and reparative organic fair trade shea butter, this Hand
and Nail Cream leaves skin soft and nourished. I never tried the older version so I can’t compare the two, but this version absorbs quickly into the hands. I tend to prefer hand creams that dry down so they don’t leave everything feeling too moisturized/greasy. While I was a the Venice boutique one of the reps mixed in their Divine Oil with the hand and nail cream to add more moisture. I know many of you have been asking me for a post on my hand and nail care, I’ve been working on a post and hope to have it published soon. I’ve added the Caudalie Hand and Nail cream to my favorites list. It smells like grapes and gives the hands a smoother look. If you have super dry hands you might find this not moisturizing enough. (Ingredients here.)
Vinosource Moisturizing Sorbet is yet another cult-status product. I’m always really hesitant to try new skincare items because I have sensitive skin. Many have described this is as a light airy fluffy cream which I find to be the best description. It’s a very lightweight moisturizer that helped calm down my skin. It’s designed for sensitive skin and after testing this for a month I’m almost finished with the small trial size. I can’t say it has improved my skin, but then it hasn’t made it worse and I have had no reactions to this. I’m undecided whether or not to purchase the full size. I like that it’s lightweight and fragrance is light (for me). (Ingredients here.)
Lip Conditioner has a similar feel and scent to that of Fresh Sugar Lip balms but the Caudalie feels better on my lips and it’s not quite as heavily fragranced. Reviews have also indicated this has been reformulated but this is my first time trying it so I can’t compare. I’m not a huge fan of the plastic packaging but it’s proven to be more sturdy than it looks. The formula is very nice. It moisturizes my sensitive lips and fixes any peeling problems that I get with some lipsticks (ie MAC). It has a smooth emollient feel that isn’t quite as thick as my other favorites (Jo Malone, Hourglass, By Terry). Huge thumbs up for this one. (Ingredients here.)
I purchased my Favorites Set from the Venice Boutique. It’s also available online at Sephora and online at Caudalie (free shipping on their site with $50+ orders, also a gift with code C15gift through April 21st or while supplies last). Most items are also available in travel sizes individually.
Have you tried Caudalie’s Favorites Set? Or anything else from the line? Please share what your
experiences have been. One of my goals this year is to learn more about skincare items. Have you noticed any changes with the formulas?
It’s been years that many of my readers have been e-mailing me about Topshop Makeup with raves about their blushes and lipsticks and numerous requests to try the brand and review it. Topshop is one of those brands I don’t have easy access to, but it’s been on my list to try for quite some time. Topshop recently reached out to me to try a few items from their makeup line and I was thrilled to get my first look. There are so many gorgeous posts about their lipsticks from many UK bloggers. The items they sent for review included their 3D Curve Mascara, Brighten in Moonlight, Kohl Pencil in Coal and Saint Lipstick.
3D Curve Mascara ($20 for 9.5 ml/0.30 fl oz, made in China) comes in Black with a large brush. I found it did give a multi-dimensional look for my super thin and straight lashes. The color is a pure black and stayed black after it dried (some mascaras tend to look grayish on my lashes once dried). I found it lasted quite well without any smudging but I did get a bit of flaking by the end of the day. If it didn’t flake I would give it an A+ rating. My first attempt at taking before/after photos of my lashes below (along top lashes only):
Brighten in Moonlight ($14 for 1.5 ml/0.05 fl oz, made in Italy) is a one-shade fits all under-eye concealer. It comes in a twist up tube with a brush applicator. I was worried this would be too pale or pink for my skin, when swatched it looks very light and very pink against my olive skin. However it has a sheer slightly luminous (but without any shimmer) quality to it that blends well with my medium/tan skin. I was really surprised how this brightened the under-eye area. I tend to avoid concealers under the eyes in general since they end up looking too heavy or cakey. This one has enough sheerness to it to even the skin without looking heavy. To apply this, I’ve been dabbing it under the eye over foundation and set it with powder. It lasts well all day. I’m not sure if this would work on anything darker than a Chanel B40 or MAC NC40 – if you’ve tried this I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Kohl Eye Pencil in Coal ($8, made in Czech Republic) is a dark black pencil. I found it to be a pure rich black with a smooth texture that doesn’t tug. The lasting power is quite good and I didn’t get any smudging or pulling with the pencil. (Also available in Sable/Dark Brown). Finding a good true black for me is difficult. Most black pencils end up looking too harsh, too grey or just not really dark enough. Coal is a good true black that applies very smoothly and stays put. I couldn’t ask for a better pencil for the price.
Saint Lipstick ($16 for 3.5g/0.12 oz, made in Italy) is a pale peach pink cream. This one is difficult for me to evaluate simply because the color is so light I think it will be hard for anyone to pull off this color. Since it’s drastically paler than my natural lip it tends to enhance any crease or imperfection even with smooth lips. Given the raves and beautiful reviews I’ve seen of Topshop lipsticks on other blogs I suspect it’s only the color that makes this one not work. For me to be able to wear this one I had to cover the entire lip with a darker nude lipliner, apply a light layer of Saint Lipstick and blend like crazy. If you’ve tried any of the lipsticks I’d love to hear about the colors and formulas you’ve tried.
I like the look of the Topshop makeup line although it’s completely different from what I normally go for in beauty brands. I have their shop in Los Angeles on my list to check out – I’m hoping all the stores carry the full makeup line. Have you tried Topshop Makeup? I’d love to hear your recommendations. I already have a list going from readers to check out their blushes – but I’d love to hear your thoughts. (This Glow Highlighter looks seriously amazing, tell me do I need to check this one out?)
This post contains press samples sent for review and affiliate links. All opinions are my own. For more information refer to my disclosures.
Space NK
is offering The Beauty Look Book readers an exclusive online promotion
for their US site! They have extended their $20 off $75+ order deal
starting today effective through April 25th at 11:59 PM EST with Promotion Code LOOKBOOK20. Terms and Conditions apply. See below for details.
Some new and classic items on my radar – if you have any recommendations I would really love to hear what you picked out for the promotion:
Diptyque Geranium Odorata and Eau de Lavande Roll-Ons ($48 each) are two of Diptyque’s latest fragrances, I can’t wait to smell these in person and I like the convenient compact size of the roll-ons
Malin + Goetz Absolute Rose Candle ($52) is a soft classic rose, I just bought this one recently and can’t wait to burn it, pre-burn it smells like a soft soothing rose
Rococo Nail Apparel has a diverse range of colors, I’m loving the pinks and peaches
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse ($45) is a classic dry body oil that absorbs quickly into the skin and smells amazing, I’ve been reaching for this one more over Caudalie recently but both are really amazing (and SpaceNK carries both)
If you’ve already shopped their site for the promotion I’d love to hear what you picked out. Space NK always has so many incredible brands and things I want to try, I usually rely on my friends to tell me what’s good. If you have any staples or loves, please share! Tell me what I need to try out.
Lookbook20 is good for $20 off $75+ purchases, online only. Please refer to the terms below. Happy shopping!
SpaceNK Terms and Conditions
The Discover offer is $20 to spend on any product on the website as we would like you to try some of our other carefully selected products. Your order must total $75 or more on full price/non-sale products before delivery has been added and the promotional code LOOKBOOK20 must also be entered in the promo code box on the shopping bag page, before checkout. One use per customer. The $20 discount will be applied at checkout where the order total equals $75 or more. This offer can be used in conjunction with our free shipping over $50. This offer applies online only on the us.spacenk.com site, not the UK site and is not available in-store. This offer is only available online between Thursday April 17, 2014 and 11:59 PM EST, Friday April 25, 2014 and we reserve the right to end it early or extend it without notice. Please note that all items from the sale and all gift card purchases are excluded from this promotion. The offer is not refundable and there is no cash value/alternative. The offer cannot be exchanged in stores or online for another product.
By popular request, I’ve gone through all my face and cheek brushes and picked out my favorites. I’ve been testing a number of brushes over many years (over a decade from my college days) and built my collection slowly over time. My experience with face brushes has been similar to that of my eye brushes. I started with a small handful of tools from Stila, Trish McEvoy and MAC. For many years I only had 4 face brushes and to this day I still think most can accomplish most of what you need for face makeup with a powder, blush, foundation and bronzing brush.
I’ve learned through makeovers, artist tips and a number of other blogs that there are a number of brushes with different materials, shapes, lengths and densities to help you apply your makeup better. I see face brushes like art tools – you probably need a few, but there are so many different kinds out there, they are fun to play with and experiment with.
The brushes I’ve picked are from more mainstream brands that are easily accessible.
There are a number of makeup artist brushes that look and sound amazing
from other blogs but I haven’t ventured into the artist brands. I’ve broken down my favorites into three categories. Face powder, blush and contour, and creams.
For all over face powders, whether it’s loose, pressed or powder foundation, I look for dense but soft brushes that will pick up product well and apply it evenly over the face. A more fluffy brush will give a sheerer application. I like larger ones that will cover your entire face with a few brush strokes.
MAC #134 ($53) is a brush that is currently only available at MAC stores/online but it has been released and re-released at other MAC counters numerous times, this is my favorite large flat powder brush, it’s dense, soft and perfectly rounded tip for easy powder application.
MAC #129 ($35) is the ultimate multi-taskers, it can be used for powder, blush or contour, for those who prefer a smaller brush for more precise control or someone who wants one brush that can do multiple things, this is your best option.
Chanel Powder Brush #1 ($65) is a well-designed brush with a domed tip, the bristles are slightly stiffer than MAC but the Chanel is still very soft and picks up powder well, I like this also with pressed powders such as Les Beiges and Dolce & Gabbana’s powder foundation because it applies powder evenly on the face.
Tom Ford Bronzer 05 ($115) is one that will break the bank but Tom Ford brushes are extremely well made, designed and deliver flawless makeup application. I purchased this as part of a brush set a couple holidays ago when they had a gift card event. This is the largest densest bronzer brush I’ve ever seen it feels like a soft kitten. If you look up reviews on this brush you will see it is well loved by many others (ie Café Makeup, RaeViewer, Temptalia)
Burberry Beauty Brush ($52) is my favorite short kabuki brush although a number of other brands are very similar in shape, size, material and feel. I purchased mine from Nordstrom although they don’t stock it online at the moment. You can still find it at Burberry. I like this for powder or bronzer. The reason I prefer this one is the handle is square while most other brands are round. This fits perfectly in my hand and I find it easier to hold. (MAC and Chanel are very similar in how they perform.)
Many cheek brushes are multi-purpose and can be used for both cream or powder. I don’t tend to use these for creams but I’ve had artists use these on me before for cream. I’m listing a number of brushes here that I love.
Tom Ford Cheek Brush 06 ($78) is a luxuriously soft blush brush, it picks up just the right amount of powder to apply color to the cheeks. As The Non-Blonde noted, this one is as plush as it gets. I find it perfect for Tom Ford blushes but works well with other brands. I personally don’t like it with super pigmented matte blushes because it will pick up too much color (like some NARS or MAC mattes/brights). For most everything else this one is perfect.
Chanel Blush Brush #4 ($54) is one my smallest blush brushes. It’s shaped and tapered in a way to layer blush easily. It’s a softer less dense brush so it works for a lighter application. If you’re one who likes to go easy on the blush but still wants to be able to control how much color goes on the face this is the best option.
MAC Duo Fibre Brush #187 ($42) is a classic must-have for highlighters. It’s the perfect brush for those Mineralized Skinfinishes to swipe a light blend of shimmer over the cheeks. I’ve had artists use this with foundation and cream products as well. It’s versatile and works well with any kind of highlighter whether it’s pressed, loose, or cream.
MAC Brush #168 ($35) is a classic contouring brush. It’s a good sturdy white hair brush with an angled tip. I find it medium-sized which makes it good for being able to control where you place the powder. It’s also a good brush for blending around the face.
NARS Contour Brush #21 ($42) is a new brush from NARS, you can read my detailedreview here, I usually don’t like angled brushes because I am more comfortable with more traditional brushes, this one makes contouring easy especially for those who aren’t pros at contouring (like myself).
MAC Brush Tapered Face Brush #138 ($53) is another harder-to-find brush, it’s made a re-appearance on limited-edition collections at counters, you can still find directly from MAC. For me this is the ultimate contouring brush because it’s shaped to place product right along the sides of the face where you want contour. It’s specially designed to streamline and enhance the makeup technique of
sculpting and shaping. Per MAC, “use the chiselled side for contour shaping of facial
planes; the pointed tip for applying and blending powder blush,
highlighter or face powder.” It’s another multi-functional brush that works well as a powder brush.
Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush 06 ($72) is the ultimate blending brush for creams. If you ever try this at the Tom Ford counter they will demonstrate how it works with their foundation stick and blends the product on the face to perfection. With most brushes you will see some kind of streaks and still need blending with fingers or a sponge, the Tom Ford applies cream product (foundation or highlighter) streak-free.
Tom Ford Foundation Brush 01 ($72) is another cream brush designed to apply makeup streak-free. In my mind you don’t need both 01 and 06 (although the Tom Ford counter convinced me otherwise). They both perform the same for either liquid or cream foundations. If you’re trying to decide between one or the other, I would recommend 06 because it’s more unique in shape. If you want a standard foundation brush you can find many cheaper options. I find it a staple in my weekly makeup routine. It cleans easily – I use Bobbi Brown’s Brush spray cleaner after each use to lightly wipe it down but do a thorough washing after 2-3 uses.
Chanel Foundation Brush #6 ($45) is a classic foundation brush that is soft and applies foundation quite well. In my mind most foundation brushes are almost identical (i.e. MAC, Chanel, Prescriptives etc) in the bristles. The main difference is in the handle size. I like Chanel because it’s shorter and easier to travel with. I still get streaks no matter what brush I use (with the exception of Tom Ford) but this one works very well.
MAC Duo Fibre Brush #187 ($42) is repeated from above, I like this for cream highlighters because it will cover a large area with fewer swipes. It also works well for blending harsh lines or edges.
For face brush storage, I love Muji Acrylic Holders but they aren’t easy accessible for me and are often sold out online. I’ve used recycled candles from Jo Malone, Diptyque and Henri Bendel as alternatives. I also found clear jars from Crate and Barrel to be good for shorter brushes, tools or pencils. Stila and NARS Paint cans are also good for storing brushes if you are able to find them. Click on the Diptyque tag below for more storage ideas.
I usually use Neutrogena Body Wash to clean my brushes as the most economical method. I buy the large size at Costco which I use as a regular body wash anyways. I know many recommend baby shampoo but I always find it leaves a film on my brushes from the conditioning properties (might just be me). For those brushes that need extra work, I have three go-to’s for cleaning brushes which include MAC Brush Cleanser, Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray and Brush Cleanser (review here). These tend to be on the pricey side so frequent usage of these cleansers isn’t an option for me.
I realize this is a rather large and extensive list of brushes. You definitely do not need as many as I have collected over the years. I’ve been testing brushes for over a decade now (not to date/age myself) and have acquired them over time. Brush sets can be your most economical way to buy many at one time at a good price but those deal sets tend to be of lesser quality than individual brushes.
If I had to narrow my list down to my top picks these are what I’d narrow down my absolute essentials to: Chanel Blush #4, MAC Duo Fibre #187, MAC #134 or MAC #129, Tom Ford Cream Foundation 06, NARS Contour Powder #21.
I hope you found this brush guide helpful. The options can be overwhelming with all the shapes, sizes, materials and brands. To simplify your choices try thinking about what makeup products you gravitate towards in categories and whether it’s a powder, cream or liquid. Pick one for each main category to start.
While tools can be used for multiple areas, having more than one brush helps keep your makeup application cleaner and easier. For example while a powder brush can also double as a bronzer brush, having one brush for each product will prevent you from mixing products and accidentally brushing bronzer all over the face from left over product if you dip it into powder and bronzer (I’ve done it before and my entire face was several shades darker than the rest of my body).
What are your must-have face brushes? I would really love to hear what your tried and true are, new discoveries or staples. Also if you want to share how you store your face brushes I’m all ears. Do you store them upright in containers or put them in a brush roll?
