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Sabrina

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Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Intense in 21 Obsidian Grey and 20 Obsidian Black

May 19, 2012

This summer Giorgio Armani has released four Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows in #20, 21, 22 and 23. There have been numerous amazing reviews from bloggers of all different skintones on all four shades. Some of my favorites include features from Rouge Deluxe, Temptalia, Messy Wands, Perilously Pale, Beauty Ops (just to name a few). The colors that stood out to me were 21 Obsidian Grey and 20 Obsidian Black ($32 each, limited edition).

Obsidian Grey #21 is a highly metallic medium grey in the pot. On the skin it has a silvery sheen, particularly on olive skin. As with most other Eyes to Kill Eyeshadows, the texture Obsidian Grey allows you to layer for a sheer wash or more pigmented intense application. I use a cream shadow brush or a small domed shape brush to apply and blend. Swiping on the back of my hand I expected a lot of fall out since the metallic particles seemed larger than most shimmery cream shadows. However this applied smoothly without any fallout problems for me.

Obsidian Black #20 is a blackened teal shimmer. This color was the one shade I just had to have. It’s stunning in the pot and swatched on the hand. On the eyes, at least for my olive medium skin, I found it didn’t work so well. My experience was similar to that of Temptalia. On my eyes, this lost a bit of lustre and intensity. In addition it made me look tired and a bit sallow. The teal in NARS Dogon has a very similar effect but for some reason works so much better for my olive skin.

Swatched, two views:

Comparisons to other Eyes to Kill Eyeshadows Pulp Fiction #4 and Black #13:

Overall I love Obsidian Grey #21, but personally prefer Pulp Fiction #4 more since it has a bit more taupe and less silver. Obsidian Black #20 is gorgeous as well but requires more work and layering with other shades for my skintone, I prefer #13 in Black from the initial release to Obsidian Black. The lasting power is excellent for me and last all day and well into the evening without smudging. Do note that many of the Eyes to Kill Intense Eyeshadows are indeed intense. Some are highly metallic which might be outside of your comfort zone. (For reference I found the holiday shades way too shimmery for my taste.) I find some to be more wearable than others for everyday. If you have some of the older shades I don’t think these two are must-haves.
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Edward Bess Illuminating Eyeshadow Base

May 15, 2012

I’ve been eagerly waiting for the official release of Edward Bess’s Illuminating Eyeshadow Base for over a year now. I was able to test a prototype at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills and was particularly impressed how it helped my eyeshadow last. As reviewed and mentioned by The Non-Blonde, the formula has probably changed, as well as the packaging, but the final product is just as amazing. Cafe Makeup showed us a preview of his eye base in action at Liz’s makeover at Bergdorf Goodman. Best Things in Beauty also featured a review for Cashmere. 
Edward Bess’s Illuminating Eyeshadow Base ($30 for .12 fl oz/3.5 ml) comes in three shades. I purchased the darker two in Dune, a cream medium flesh beige and Suede, a darker tan with a luminous sheen. These come in a twist tube with a built in brush applicator. Both shades work well with my medium olive toned skin (Chanel B30).

Dune has more of a matte/satin coverage while Suede is a perfect contour with shimmer. Both work equally well for me just think of Suede as a few shades deeper and more contrasted for my skintone. What these give is perfect natural coverage to the eye. While Dune seems more matte, there is an illuminating quality about it that gives my lids a flawless even glow. I’ve tried a number of other eye bases and have never found my perfect base. I have normal lids (neither dry or oily). I feel like most other eye primers I’ve tried are focused on oil control and the ones I’ve tried end up drying up my lids creating creases and lines even though I have no visible crease. Note I distinguish Eye Bases/Primers from Cream Eyeshadows. Primers/Eye Bases I’ve tried and did not love include ones from Trish McEvoy, Laura Mercier, Chanel’s Concealers (which are almost always used as a base in makeovers), NARS, Urban Decay’s Original Primer Potion (I do love the ones with shimmer/color for my skintype), Too Faced and probably several others that either irritated my skin or dried it out.
Back to the Edward Bess. This applies smoothly and evenly and dries at a slower rate than others which means I have more time to blend and smooth on the eye. I’m personally not a fan of twist-up brush-tipped applicators. I find they get dirty easily and I’d much rather apply with a full sized flat cream brush or my fingers. Still, the actual product is still amazing enough and the brush is fully functional for application so I can’t complain. Both shades indeed are brightening/illuminating. I agree with Best Things in Beauty that these offer amazing coverage and last all day into the night without creasing or creeping. This somehow helps the eyeshadow stay fresh-looking like you just applied it hours later. Both of the ones I purchased are winners and absolute must-haves
Below, more product shots and swatches applied with different intensities:

Available now at Neiman Marcus.
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Loving Right Now

May 12, 2012

Right now I’m loving all sorts of new cream shadows and bases from Bobbi Brown, Edward Bess and Giorgio Armani (reviews to come soon).

Currently loving these reads:

  • Paris in Four Months – new blog discovery (thanks to the interview featured on Feather Factor)
  • The Non-Blonde – Tom Ford Love Lust Cheek Color (his blushes truly are amazing, they’re at the top of my favorites list from his beauty line)
  • The Ultimate Makeup – Trend Spring Report from the Neiman Marcus
  • Cafe Makeup – Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil (I think I need this now)
  • Joey’space – Features three Burberry Beauty look breakdowns
  • Best Things in Beauty – Giorgio Armani’s Summer Highlighter Duo looks so glowy
  • The Honeybee – MAC Spice Lipstick looks gorgeous on Andee Layne
  • Extra Petite – Love her florals and fuschia combination
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Burberry Iconic Nudes Summer 2012: Sheer Summer Glow & New Lip Mists

May 8, 2012

This summer Burberry Beauty has released a small collection featuring a new highlighter quad Sheer Summer Glow ($50) and four new shades of their sheer lipstick in the lip mist formula, 210 Pink Heather, 211 Nude Honey, 212 Nude Peach, and 213 Field Rose ($30 each). The theme for the entire look is subtle nudes. Everything is extremely natural.

Based on preview promotional photos, I envisioned the Sheer Summer Glow to be subtle and natural, but I didn’t expect it to be that natural. The quad is designed for the face as a highlight or contour. There are two shades of tan, a soft mink pink and a warm pearly ivory color – all shades have a luminous sheen. Some have discussed using this as an eyeshadow as well. I personally think it is too sheer to pull off on the eyes for my coloring, although it does create a soft wash of color (high emphasis on soft). Note that the wash is extremely subtle and sheer. On the face, to have this show up better on my skin, I applied over a cream bronzer like Chanel’s Tan Soleil (their cream bronzer in the round tub which I’m not sure if it’s still available) or NARS St Barts Multiple. The finish is a luminous sheen without the frost.

Lip Mists are a sheer creamy gelled type of lipstick formula. They are the sheerer option in the Burberry line. This season has four shades, don’t let the swatches below fool you. They are indeed sheer but apply with much more coverage on the lip with excellent lasting power. The impact on the lips surprised me with Pink Heather and Nude Peach. I have not yet tried Nude Honey but it looks extremely nude.
  • 210 Pink Heather is a soft cool pink
  • 211 Nude Honey is a sheer flesh beige
  • 212 Nude Peach is a nude light peach
  • 213 Field Rose is a soft rose pink (warmer than Pink Heather)

As many others have noted the entire Burberry Beauty line has been extremely well designed in all aspects from packaging, to quality, product finish and color selection. I’m currently obsessed with Pink Heather Lip Mist – it’s the perfect natural cool pink. The highlighter I could have passed on mainly because I like a more defined contour rather than something so subtle. Swatches of the entire collection (note I swirled and swiped the highlighter palette with a heavy hand, be sure to check other blogs for individual swatches and different application methods):

See other reviews and swatches on other skin tones:

Swatched comparisons below, two views of each set in different lighting.

You will notice with the lip shades that most swatched comparisons have more pigment because they are the Lip Cover Formula (Burberry’s regular lipstick). Yes, there are very similar colors in the existing lineup, there are subtle differences between each shade in the undertone or base color. Do note that the colors will apply differently on your lip based on your skintone and natural lip color. For more detailed descriptions on the differences, I highly recommend you call your local Burberry counter for extra assistance. In my experience they’ve been extremely helpful in describing the differences between all the nudes, pinks and roses in the line.



I found the entire line at Nordstrom. It’s currently available online at Nordstrom.com as well.
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Le Métier de Beauté Haute House Hues (Neimans Exclusive)

May 5, 2012

Thanks to Best Things in Beauty for keeping us up-to-date on the latest releases from Le Métier de Beauté. Among all the store exclusives, my favorite collection includes the latest design by Ken Downing: the Haute House Hues Collection which includes a Lip Crème Lip Gloss Duo ($65) in Mum’s the Word and Two Lips and the new Snappy Dragon Nail Lacquer ($18).

The Lip Crème Lip Glosses are perfect for spring. Mum’s the Word is a bright pink with cool undertones. When I saw it featured on twitter I was a bit scared. My counter did not have testers of the items when they arrived but I am glad I purchased. The Lip Crèmes are a highly pigmented liquid creme gloss. They aren’t high shine but aren’t fully matte or satiny either. More of a hybrid lipstick/gloss. Mum’s the Word can be applied heavily or sheer for a soft tint. I was surprised at how wearable it is. If it’s too bright for you, you can always mix it with other glosses to sheer out the color.

Two Lips is a slightly shimmery nude pale peach. The texture applies a bit dry and emphasizes the lines in the lips, but let it sit for a minute and it warms up nicely to apply more evenly. The pigment is quite opaque and covers the entire lip. It gives me a nude-peach lip look which I think will go nicely with a smokey eye.

Here are comparisons to a few other shades:


Snappy Dragon Nail Polish is a shocking bright pink. It’s VERY bright, almost fuschia. There is a neon quality to this shade so it was a bit difficult to photograph. The finish is a satiny semi-matte. Two coats and you get full rich coverage. I’m still partial to the high-gloss finish nail polishes, but this one you can easily just add a clear top coat to achieve the shine.

Compared to the ShoKen Pink from spring/resort, Snappy Dragon is more fuschia/rose with blue tones. ShoKen Pink almost looks orange next to it because it has so much neon in it.

 
Overall perfect for spring to summer.  The colors are fresh and naturally flattering. The lip cremes go perfectly with a simple bronzer or the latest Blush Kaleidoscope kit. To date I believe the collection is limited edition and exclusive to Neiman Marcus.
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Le Métier de Beauté Blush Kaleidoscope

May 3, 2012

Those who missed out on Le Métier de Beauté’s Blush Kaleidoscope ($95) last year will be thrilled to learn that the kit has been released to all Le Métier counters and is now a permanent item in their line (yes, it’s the same one as the first issue from Troy, Michigan). I was one of those who waited and missed, but as soon as I heard it was arriving to all stores, I immediately put myself on the waiting list. Thank you Le Métier de Beauté for reissuing this!

Le Métier de Beauté describes this as a wardrobe for the cheeks and I couldn’t describe it better. Their blush theory is similar to what I’ve experienced with many other lines, according to Le Métier de Beauté’s Director of Color Mikey Castillo:

“When we blush it’s not one shade; it’s a prismatic multitude of color. To express how you feel or the feeling you want to evoke, you need to layer color for that perfect flush. In order to create dimension, there must be at least two pigments that are contrasting in tone or texture. For instance, matte with sheen, satin with matte, pink with coral, or mauve with bronze. Layering multiple shades eliminates flatness while bring vitality to the skin- this is true of color whether it is on the eyes, lips, or cheeks.”

While the concept of layering blushes isn’t new, I think the combination of these particular blush shades in one kit is fresh and unique. I love that this kit offers so many options allowing you to be the artist and create your own custom blend of color to suit a diverse range of looks. The shades from top to bottom include a matte peach with a satiny finish, a matte rose pink with a hint of brown, a shimmering golden honey, a frosted pale cool pink. They are naturally flattering but not boring neutrals. The texture of the blushes are a finely milled powder that allows you to control the intensity of pigment depending on how much you layer or how dense a blush brush you use.

Here are more close ups of the blushes swatched on my skin, also compared to two other blushes from Le Métier de Beauté, Fresh and Whisper. Those afraid of shimmer need not fear this one. I found the frosted shades applied more heavily on my arm and that the flash emphasized the shimmer. On the skin they blend nicely and softly without being too shimmery.

I believe this kit is a must-have for all Le Métier de Beauté lovers. The colors are different enough from the current line of singles to justify owning. I asked Le Métier de Beauté if they planned on offering the shades individually but at this time it appears they do not. I think the kit is more than worth it. Those who are new to the line will find this Blush Kaleidoscope Kit a beautiful introduction to the brand. It’s perfectly fresh for spring and summer. Suitable for everyday and great for night as well. As someone who always layers 2-3 colors on the cheeks (sometimes bronzer as the first layer, plus blush and then a soft swipe of highlighter), I love love love this kit. It’s pure genius.
When this arrived at my local Neimans it sold out as soon as it arrived due to the wait list. Don’t fret – while your counter might be sold out of the first shipment, I’ve been told that they expect to receive more soon. It should be arriving at other Le Métier de Beauté counters this month as well. I am hoping to snag one more for Mother’s Day.
I’m sure everyone has seen the lovely swatches on other blogs, but if you haven’t be sure to check out the swatches on Café Makeup (ingredients are listed here too!), Best Things in Beauty and Beauty Info Zone to name a few. Also check out the Le Métier de Beauté Facebook page for updates and news.
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Latest from Le Métier de Beauté: Blush Kaleidoscope & Haute House Hues Collection by Ken Downing

May 2, 2012

A quick look at the latest from Le Métier de Beauté: re-release of their limited Blush Kaleidoscope (swoon!) and Limited-Edition Haute House Hues Lip Crème Lip Gloss Duo in Mum’s the Word and Two Lips and the new Snappy Dragon Nail Lacquer. More detailed thoughts, photos and swatches to come this evening, but I can tell you – call your Neimans counter ASAP if you’re interested. The Blush Kit arrived in very limited supply.

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