Brand Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Dior

Dior Beauty Summer Collection 2026

April 23, 2026

Dior Beauty has my heart these days and the summer collection literally took my breath away. It seems that most of the pieces are limited-edition and by now the daisy compacts have sold out many places (I recommend checking your local counters or boutiques if you’re still searching for them).

Here are the details on everything I hauled with hits and misses.

Forever Nude Bronze Glow

The Forever Nude Bronze Glow Bronzing Powders ($60 each, Dior, Sephora and Selfridges) come in the most beautiful compact I think I have ever seen. The detailing on these is well worth the splurge in my opinion.

Both shades this season are very similar and also appear to be repeats with the names (and numbers). I don’t have Coral Bronze from previous seasons but I do have Pink Bronze and it looks identical on my skin.

Coral Bronze is just the slightest bit warmer on my skin while Pink Bronze is more neutral. Both have a luminous finish on me. There is an overspray on the surface but underneath is still a little bit glowy. I swatched them next to some existing Dior Forever Nude Bronze shades (review here).

I really love these and have no regrets with the splurge, but if you already own Dior bronzers from past seasons I think you can skip if you want to avoid duplicates/dupes.

Forever Glow Luminizer + Glow Maximizers

There are two highlighters in this launch. The Forever Glow Luminizer in Sun-Kissed is a luminescent champagne gold with micro sparkles ($60, Dior and Sephora). I think it’s beautiful even if I find the color and finish similar to other Dior highlighters.

Sun-Kissed pulls less sharp in the frost compared to Nude Halo (champagne) and also because Sun-Kissed is more peachy/golden it’s softer on my tan skin tone.

The Forever Glow Maximizer in Sunburst ($47, Dior, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s) is another stunning champagne gold. This one pulls sheerer in the frost/shimmer compared to others in this formula. I pulled the neutrals to swatch side by side. Sunburst is warmer and the sheererst. It has tiny glittery specks on the skin but it’s subtle.

Eyeshadow Palettes

There are two eyeshadow palettes in this collection. I picked up the neutral one 670 Sunset Bronze ($75, Dior, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s)and it is absolute perfection. You can see swatches of the blue one in my highlights here. 670 Sunset Bronze has all shimmers. They’re smooth in the finish, easy to blend and and the colors truly look like a sunset.

Diorshow Flash Stick

The product you have all been the most curious about is the new Diorshow Flash Eyeshadow Stick ($42 each, Dior, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Ulta Beauty). I have mixed feelings but I want to say first that I have very high standards for eyeshadow sticks and how they compare to Laura Mercier or Bobbi Brown, especially shimmers.

For some reason a lot of the cream shadows from other brands simply do not show up well on my lids. Once I blend, they almost always seem to disappear. This is the case with these new Dior Shadow Sticks for my eyes. They swatch SO beautifully on the hands but once on my eyes, they sheer out. They do show up on my eyes, they just don’t have the same impact once blended out.

I do really love the Beige Tulle which is a shimmery champagne (very sparkly). I prefer more impact or color. I do think these are worth checking out though, just because they didn’t wow me doesn’t mean they’re bad. I just usually can’t wear a lot of cream shadow sticks.

Addict Lip Maximizer

There are five new Addict Lip Maximizers ($42 each, Dior). Some of the shades appear to be exclusive to Dior.com but you can find some colors at other retailers like Nordstrom and Macy’s.

I think they’re all beautiful but I would say 053 Golden Hour and 072 Cerulean are a pass for me. Golden Hour is incredibly frosty and pale in an unflattering way and Cerulean is fun and trendy but also not the best look for my lips.

Nail Polish

Last we have a look at two new Dior Vernis Nail Colors ($34 each, Dior, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom) for summer.

Sunset is a shimmery champagne gold. It pulls more gold than champagne and matches my skin tone closely. I think it’s a pretty shade!

Azur is a fun pool blue with a tiny bit of shimmer in the bottle, but it applies more like a cream.

Overall a beautiful collection. I really love that after all these years Dior still continues to launch full seasonal beauty collections along with their mini launches.

Did you pick up anything from this launch? What did you think?

0 Comments

Westman Atelier

New Westman Atelier Launches

April 13, 2026

Westman Atelier launched several new things recently and I have a roundup today of what I’ve been testing!

Baby Cheeks New Shade – Fizz

Westman Atelier occasionally creates products exclusive to her website and the latest launch is the Baby Cheeks Cream Blush Stick in Fizz ($48). I shared a quick demo last week and by now it has already sold out but I hope she brings it back eventually. Fizz is a bright warm pink. Fizz is similar in brightness to Poppet but the new Fizz shade is warmer and a little brighter making it easier to wear for my golden/olive complexion.

It blends out to a more natural flush. Color-wise I find it similar to Saie’s Dew Blush in Flirty and Rhode Pocket Blush in Juice Box (review here). Also swatched next to the Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush in Whim (review here), Prada Touch Blush in Tulip (demo here, review soon), Dior Rosy Glow Blush Stick in Ultra Pink (review here), Saie Dew Blush in Flirty, and Merit Blush Balm in Le Bonbon (in action here).

Performance is the same as all of Westman Atelier’s Baby Cheeks. Super long wear time won’t be there if you live in humid climates or have oily skin, but it does stay put better if you layer some kind of powder on top. I think this is a great formula for dry skin girls.

HydroBalm Sheer Tinted Lipstick

I love any lip balm launch so I was incredibly excited to try her HydroBalm Sheer Tinted Lipsticks ($50 each). I found these a little too sheer for my personal taste but I also think I picked some of the wrong shades for my skin/lip tone. I ordered them sight unseen and while I do think the formula is a beautiful one, a few shades that were too cool-toned and too light for me.

I shared swatches on Instagram and a mini review here. I was really surprised that SO MANY of you love this kind of barely-there tint in your lip color! I gave these a pass in my review and I cannot believe how many DMs I received from you telling me you love these.

I do like Pop and Juice. The pinks I picked out are true neutrals but these kinds of neutrals tend to pull very greyish or blue on my complexion. So if you’re fair or light skinned and find it challenging to find colors that work for you, I think you’re in luck with Westman Atelier’s HydroBalm line!

Nectar is a sheer shimmery pale peach gold

Juice is a sheer peach

Ballerine is a cool mauve pink

Pop is a sheer red

English Rose is a mauve

Lip Shape Defining Lip Liner

I also have some swatches of the Lip Shape Defining Lip Liners ($34). I really like this formula because it’s a traditional pencil but not super stiff but at the same time not creamy or gel-like. Sometimes I feel like I just want a classic pencil to line the lips. These glide on smooth to the lips and the lasting power is very good.

Petal is my favorite of the shades I tried followed by Je Reve. In my experience though the shades pull more neutral or cool on me compared to the online stock photos. I didn’t do lip swatches of these but you can see Petal here.

Overall some beautiful launches from Westman Atelier. The formulas are incredibly good and performance is 10/10. For the lip balms, I just wish they had more pigment and also wish they had some warmer toned pinks.

P.S. I just picked up the Sun Tone Bronzing Crème in Soleil Parfait 2 from the Sephora sale. I’ll be swatching soon!

0 Comments

Armani Bronzer + Blush

Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Cheek Tint Liquid Blush – New Shades

March 13, 2026

Armani added three new shades of liquid blush to the Luminous Silk Cheek Tint Liquid Blush lineup ($40 each, Sephora). To date this formula is hands down my favorite formula for lasting power in the natural finish. It is one of the few that stays put well on my skin without needing a powder blush on top.

There are two finishes in this formula: natural and shine, I prefer the natural one. It’s matte but doesn’t look flat on the skin. (More details, review + swatches here.) The new shades are all in the natural finish. The finish is very natural looking once blended but you can easily layer for more color without it looking cakey or too heavy.

Below wearing each shade on the cheeks. Also wearing:

Foundation – Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5 (review new formula here, demo here)
Powder – Laura Mercier Ultra Blur Loose Powder Tone Up in Rose
Brow Pencil – Victoria Beckham Beauty Baby Blade Brow Pencil in Medium Brown
Eyeshadow – Prada Dimensions Eyeshadow Palette 08 Pansy (swatches here)
Eyeliner – Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal in Cocoa
Lipstick – YSL Beauty Candy Glaze Shade 15 (also reviewed here)

12 Rosy Nude is a pale beige nude and on my Luminous Silk Foundation 6.5 skintone, it’s truly a barely there color. Pigment is pretty good but since it matches my skin so closely you can’t really tell there is anything on my skin. I wish they made this in a few more slightly deeper shades as I love a good neutral blush.

63 Rosewood Pink is a neutral rose pink. Swatches show it’s pretty close to 62 Delicate Mauve. The new Rosewood Pink is warmer and I prefer this one because of that.

13 Brick Brown was a pleasant surprise as brown tones can be a bit tricky for me to pull off. Many are either too warm or too cool. This one is just right.

For brushes I really like the Hourglass No 15 Blush Brush or Ambient Soft Glow Foundation Brush to apply these. New shades also in action here so you can see how they blend on the skin with each brush.

Adding a few swatch comparisons below to the Saie Dew Blush, Dior Forever Blush Soft Filter (review here) and Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks in Mimi.

Three new shades available now at Sephora. In case you’re curious about other liquid blush formulas, I did a roundup here with lots of swatches. Let me know if you have any favorite formulas! Or if you prefer a cream or powder.

Chanel

Chanel Denim Makeup Collection

February 19, 2026

Chanel Beauty launched their limited edition Denim Makeup Collection and if you have your eye on anything I recommend checking your local stores or counters ASAP as things are selling out fast. Some pieces can still be found at Chanel.com and Nordstrom right now.

I was lucky to get a press package from Chanel beauty on most of these pieces. I tracked down a couple of the lipsticks so I could swatch them all for you.

Chanel Hand Cream

I think the La Crème Main + Denim Pouch ($85, Chanel and Nordstrom) is beyond cute! I love the denim + pink colors, it’s so fun, I hope Chanel makes more fun accessories like this!

Coco Denim Illuminating Powder Highlighter

The Coco Denim Illuminating Powder Highlighter ($82, Chanel and Nordstrom) is the stand out in the collection for me. It’s a pearlescent blue pink shimmer with a subtle duochrome shift. I would never think to wear blue on the cheeks but it has a very pretty interesting glow if you apply with a light hand. I really love this one on the eyes.

Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Palettes

The two Denim Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Palettes ($90 each) seem to be the items most of you have been most excited about. I’ll be very frank with you, I am not a blue eyeshadow wearer, I don’t think I can pull it off, but the lighter one seems to be wearable for me! These are inspired by different denim washes.

Denim Dream (Chanel and Nordstrom) has an iridescent white gold shimmer, a satiny pink, a silvery baby blue and darker navy with silver flecks. Coco Jean has a denim blue with silver sparkles, a medium silver shimmer, a peach shimmer and satiny brown. I think they’re super fun and for the denim lover or blue eyeshadow lover, they’re perfect.

Noir Allure Mascara

The Noir Allure Mascara ($43) in Indigo was a pleasant surprise for me! I think the mascara in this format is hit or miss, but this one was a huge hit for me. Lengthened and thickened the lashes in a beautiful way. The indigo is a dark blue but adds a fun twist to the lashes.

Rouge Coco Flash

I’m the biggest fan of the Chanel Rouge Coco Flash ($53 at Chanel and Nordstrom) and they have four new shades. I feel like I can only really pull off one of them (washed beige). The others are beautiful, I just don’t think they complement my skintone.

Baby Blue is a pearlescent blue shimmer
Washed Beige is a soft tan beige caramel
Faded Orange is a burnt orange peach
Raw Brown is a cool toned brown

Le Vernis Nail Polish in Legende

Chanel launched a new shade of Le Vernis in Legende ($34). It’s a metallic blue but a smooth one. I can get full coverage with just one coat, but two gives the nails a more intense look.

Online Chanel suggested a layering combo to give a more subdued denim look by layering one coat of Ballerina on top. I think it’s a fun twist.

That wraps up my Chanel Denim Makeup Collection haul! I hope you are able to find the pieces you have your eyes on!

Dior

Dior Beauty Spring 2026 Haul Picks

February 11, 2026

Dior Beauty’s Spring collection has arrived with some fresh and luminous glowing pieces, all perfect for a makeup refresh this year. I picked up a number of pieces including the newly reformulated Addict Lip Glow Oils, Forever Skin Bronze Sticks, several cheek products and Dior’s newest fragrance launch. After spending some time to test everything extensively, I finally have my review today!

New Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil

Dior reformulated the Addict Lip Glow Oil ($42 each, Dior, Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty) and they now come in slightly different texture with three finishes.

Juicy has a glass like shine with a transparent kind of finish + tint
Glaze has more pigment with a soft color payoff
Sparkly has a glittery finish with tiny micro sparkles

These are designed to be pH reactive but most of them stayed true to the tube color on my lips. Sparkly and Juicy colors pull sheer on me while the Glaze formula is more pigmented with medium coverage.

The new formula feels slightly thinner making them easier and more comfortable to wear on my lips. They still have that cushiony oil feel with intense shine. I also find them more hydrating than the original version.

My favorites are Latte, Black Cherry, Cherry, Minty and Fizzy Pink (this one is exclusive to Dior.com).

Dior Addict Eau de Parfum

The new Dior Addict Eau de Parfums ($98 to $120) are bright, fun and youthful. They scents are more like a body splash rather than a super potent perfume, but they still have really good lasting power on my skin. Rosy Glow is hands down my personal favorite (I’ve already used up an entire bottle).

Rosy Glow has rose and lychee. It’s fruity fresh and creamy
Peachy Glow is sweet one like peaches and cream with sweet vanilla notes and jasmine
Purple Glow is a fruity raspberry kind of scent.

Backstage Rosy Glow Blush

I picked up four of the cheek products in the collection, all of these appear to be Dior.com exclusives in the US.

I’ve been really loving the Backstage Rosy Glow Blushes ($42 each, Dior.com). The new shades in Ultra Pink and Orange Fizz are both stunning! Ultra Pink is very bright and seems to be more pigmented than the rest of the colors in this formula. This requires a bit more blending for me. Orange Fizz is the softer option. It’s an orange peach but it blends out to a more natural peachy look.

Spring Cheek Colors

Dior Forever Glow Luminizer in Sugar Cane ($55, Dior.com) is one of the most unique highlighters I have ever tried. It’s so unique with a champagne base that flashes pink and blue in an almost duochrome kind of way. I thought it might be a little too trendy for me but I really love the way that shimmer shifts on the skin.

The new shade of Rouge Blush in Candyfloss ($51, Dior.com) is also a winner for me. This has an embossed powder overlay with the Dior logo lettering, but underneath is a soft peach color. The application on my cheeks shows a little bit more glow due to the overspray but the actual powder underneath still has some micro glitter flecks throughout. On my cheeks it looks more satiny/matte than shimmery but the shimmer is noticeable in a very subtle way. I am really glad this shows up on my skin!

Forever Skin Bronze

The Dior Forever Skin Bronze Bronzing Balm Sticks ($52 each, Dior, Sephora, Nordstrom, Ulta) are probably the best bronzing sticks I’ve tried. I feel like the warmth in these make them more wearable on my skin tone. I usually wear Shade 03 Light Medium but I am more in my winter skin tone right now. Shade 04 shows up better for a more bronzed look.

The Forever Skin Bronzer is are sheerer than the Dior Contour Sticks so they are easier to blend out for a natural look. I also think the colors are much easier to wear compared to the contour sticks. The packaging is fun with the texturized tube.

Below wearing the Bronze Stick in Shade 4 and Sugar Crush Lips

Sugar Crush Lips

There are two lip colors in a pale shimmery champagne called Sugar Crush in the Dior Addict formula ($48, Dior.com) and Addict Lip Maximizer ($42, Dior.com). I love a good shimmer, but I would say these are a pass due to the sheer finish. The shimmer is noticeable but a little too subtle for my taste.

That wraps up my Dior spring haul! I think this is the best spring launch so far this year. P.S. For those who follow me on Instagram, I’m doing a giveaway that runs now through Saturday evening in this post here!

Armani Base Makeup

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation – New Formula

January 30, 2026

Armani recently reformulated their cult classic Luminous Silk Foundation ($69, Nordstrom and Sephora). As a longtime fan of the original I have to admit I was in a panic over the news and purchased a few backups just in case the new one ended up being completely different. After nearly a month of testing I am happy to report the new version is just as good as the original and my shade match 6.5 is still the same.

Armani added more shades in the lineup and changed the formula to include niacinamide. The two formulas are almost identical on my skin. You can see a demo of the new formula in action here with the Hourglass Vanish Foundation Brush. In my experience there is a slight difference in the coverage with the new one being just the slightest bit thinner and a bit sheerer, but the differences are barely detectable. A few of you noticed from my video though that the new one seems to have a little less pigment.

Coverage is still the same medium naturally glowy finish. I love that it glows but isn’t too emollient/dewy. It evens out the skin nicely in a natural looking way. Coverage is still natural so your skin does show through and I have a few dark spots (healing acne scars) that still show through underneath on my chin area. This can be fixed with concealer (I like Natasha Denona’s Hy-Glam Concealer for the best coverage with a creamy formula). I always set with a powder and lately I’ve been loving the Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre Loose Powder Shade 30 or Laura Mercier Translucent Loose (love this in multiple shades, the Rose Talc-Free Ultra Blur Version is also good too).

Most of the shades seem to be the same but there are a handful that have changed. They have a helpful shade chart to show which shades are different and the new recommended match (Shades 1.5, 4.25, 4.75, 7.5, 7.75 and 8 are different now).

Overall really love. It is really similar to the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation (I wear BD41), but the Armani has a lighter feel in texture and finish. I think it’s also a little less emollient than the Victoria Beckham Beauty Foundation Drops (I have Shades 7 and 8).

You can find this out now at Nordstrom, Sephora, Bloomingdale’s and all Armani Beauty counters.

Chanel

Chanel Beauty Rouge Noir Collection – Spring 2026

January 19, 2026

Chanel Beauty Spring 2026 has arrived and seems to be selling out fast! I ordered everything sight unseen as soon as it launched online. I shared swatches here and after testing these for the past week I finally have my review. The collection is out now at Chanel.com and Nordstrom.

If you’re still looking for anything that’s sold out online at Chanel each product page has a “Find in Boutiques” option link. I clicked and it brings up a list of the Chanel beauty boutiques that have things in stock. Nordstrom also has the store locator per product page, so I recommend using the tool to check your local counters.

As a long time Chanel beauty lover I expected to love everything in this collection but I feel there are some big misses.

Rouge Noir Confidence Eyeshadow and Blush Palette

I had the highest hopes for the Rouge Noir Confidence Eyeshadow and Blush Palette ($95, Chanel and Nordstrom) but have mixed feelings based on application. The two lighter colors apply well with a smooth pretty finish, but they disappeared from my skin almost the second I applied them. The two darker shades go on the skin very patchy and unevenly. Even with a lot of blending they did not blend well. I tried this multiple ways since my skin is on the dry side now and I could not get this to work for my skin type even with extra moisturizer and a hydrating foundation underneath.

I haven’t read other reviews yet but a number of you messaged me about this. Half of you love it, the other half also said you also had some application challenges.

Swatched next to Tendresse:

The colors are for sure beautiful and perfect for a pretty Valentine’s Day theme. For me this is a pass. If the application is not perfectly smooth or easy to blend, I’m going to say this is a miss.

Ombre Essentielle

There are two new Ombre Essentielle Eyeshadow Singles ($42 each, Chanel and Nordstrom) and for me these are the stand outs. I expected to love Brun Rose (a coppery rose shimmer) more but Gris Rose (a lavender, grey, pink almost multi-chrome shimmer) surprised me with the way it flashes pink! I swatched these next to a few other shades. They do have a similar vibe to last year’s collection but they are still different enough to justify. I think these are worth tracking down!

Rouge Noir Mascara and Eyeliner

I love a monochromatic color theme and I think the Rouge Noir packaging is beautiful! The Noir Allure Rouge Noir Mascara ($45 at Chanel) is a nice one but I think the Volume de Chanel Mascara is the superior formula in terms of Chanel mascaras. The burgundy tint of the Rouge Noir shade doesn’t really show up on my lashes, it pretty much looks black.

The Stylo Yeux in Rouge Noir ($36 at Chanel) I received in my order might be a dud, but this one also is on the dry side, applies patchy on the arm and tugs the eyes to the point that it’s painful to apply.

Les Pinceux Rouge Noir Brush Set

I was the most excited for the Les Pinceux Rouge Noir Brush Set ($153 at Chanel) as I love the accessories Chanel beauty launches. This is a beautiful set with brushes that are well made. They do look more machine cut than the full sizes but they’re very smooth and I really love them. There are two eyeshadow brushes which I actually already own in the full sizes. The cheek brush looks like a new one and it is very VERY small. I do think it is useable but a bigger fluffier brush is much easier to use for blush.

Spring Lip Colors

The lip colors in this launch are very bold and dramatic. They are all outside of my comfort zone but I wanted to try something new. Formulas are 10/10 for the Rouge Allure Velvet ($53 at Chanel and Nordstrom). I picked up a mauve shade Irreverente and a bold fuschia berry Effrontee. Unfortunately I feel both are too cool toned for my skin tone but the formulas are a solid A+ as these are some of the best velvet lipsticks I’ve tried.

The Rouge Allure Laque in Rouge Noir ($53 at Chanel) is a very dark color and requires some layering for a smooth finish. Since it’s very contrasted with my natural lip tone, one coat results in a very patchy uneven finish. Two coats will even it out to a smooth application. This shade is also not my shade, but given the cult status of the Rouge Noir Le Vernis I wanted to try it.

Baume Essentiel

There’s a new Baume Essentiel in Cute ($50 at Chanel and Nordstrom). It’s a beautiful lavender pink color but pulls very sheer. I swatched it next to Lilas from a few years ago. Cute is clearly a lot more pink, but since it’s so sheer it doesn’t really give much color payoff on the skin. I wish they would have made this into a lip gloss because the color is so beautiful! Similar to all the other previous Baume Essentiels, this is balmy, dewy and does not dry down.

New Le Vernis Shades

Last we have a look at the three new Le Vernis ($34 at Nordstrom) shades. Performer is a bright raspberry pink, Moderniste is a deep cool grey and Rouge Noir is a dark burgundy. I swatched these all with two coats. They’re beautiful creams but don’t really feel like a spring color story and with the exception of Rouge Noir, I don’t really see myself wearing these colors.

That wraps up my Chanel Spring Beauty haul. Overall mostly misses for me. Primarily due to the fact the color story isn’t really me since I tend to wear warmer and brighter shades. The two eyeshadow singles were the only items I was truly impressed with formula and color-wise, but I do know many of you were excited about this launch so if you love it, please don’t let my review ruin it for you!

Online now at Chanel.com and Nordstrom. If you tried anything from this launch I’m curious to hear your thoughts!

Older Posts

Brand