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NARS

NARS Hot Escape Summer 2025

April 23, 2025

NARS launched their Hot Escape Collection for summer and it’s a beautiful one! I’ve been testing everything over the past month and finally have a review of some of the pieces.

Hot Escape Cheek Palettes

I think the Hot Escape Cheek Palettes ($49 each) are a huge hit this year. It’s always a toss up whether I’ll end up liking all the shades in a palette but this year NARS created all winners. I love that they have different intensities and variations for different skin tones.

The textures in this year’s palettes are UNREAL. They are ultra smooth, very easy to blend, beautifully pigmented and have really pretty combinations. I think the formula is one of the best ones I’ve tried from NARS in a long time and one of the best on the market right now. Whatever formula they used in these palettes is what I want in all future NARS cheek products.

Hot Escape Cheek Palette I is the lightest option with pink tones. There is a blush repeat but it’s a good one! Shades include Thrill (light matte pink), Bad Behaviour (shimmery soft pink), Ophelia (the prettiest champagne) and Laguna 01 (a true neutral brown bronze).

above Hot Escape Cheek Palette I + Afterglow Lip Oil in High Life

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Hot Escape Cheek Palette II is a medium option. Shades include Dominant (hot pink matte), Topless (shimmery peach with gold), Electra (shimmery yellow gold highlight), and Laguna 03 (medium tan matte brown).

above Hot Escape Cheek Palette II + Afterglow Lip Oil in Orgasm

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Hot Escape Cheek Palette III is the deepest one that is a little too dark for me right now but with a light hand or blending (or a summer tan) I think I can make it work. I applied it with a light hand in this makeup look here. Colors include Obsession (matte coral blush), Night Swim (shimmery deep coral pink), Skinny Dip (warm gold highlight) and Laguna 06 (dark matte bronze).

above Hot Escape Cheek Palette III + Afterglow Lip Oil in Laguna

Swatches of all three palettes below:

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Total Seduction Eyeshadow Stick

The shades of the Total Seduction Cream Eyeshadow Stick ($32 each) this season are so beautiful. I think they apply beautifully to the lids and I really love the tones. Once they are applied they do not budge so blend quickly once you put these on the lids. Ablaze is a beautiful champagne sparkle, Hustle is the prettiest copper gold shimmer and Sparked is a warm auburn shimmer.

As beautiful as they are I think they are very similar to shades from Laura Mercier or Bobbi Brown so I don’t think they are must-haves. I am thrilled that they decided to keep the Laguna Eyeshadow Quad (reviewed and swatched here) which is one of the best neutrals I’ve tried. It looks like it’s now permanent. I think it’s a must-have.

Hot Escape Afterglow Lip Oil

Last a quick look at the Hot Escape Afterglow Lip Oils ($28 each). These are very thin in texture but smooth without any sticky feel. They are also very sheer for a barely there look. Formula wise I give them a 10/10 rating. I would have definitely loved to see more pigment as the colors are really pretty but are so sheer they barely show up on the lips. Laguna has the best pigment while the others are almost transparent.

High Life is a sheer pink
Orgasm is a shimmery pink gold
Laguna is a shimmery bronze
Wonderous is a sheer purple berry

They do layer beautifully over a liner or lipstick! And I know a lot of you want just a subtle hint of color for spring or summer vacations. I love the High Life Lip Oil layered on top of the Hermes Shine Lipstick in Rose Himalaya (also in action here).

I do think for a more pigmented lip oil option the Hermes Hermesistible Lip Oils are the best even though they are incredibly expensive. Formula and colors reviewed here and they’re all summer perfection.

Overall lots to love. The Cheek Palettes are the stand outs to me. I love that they have everything you need for a complete cheek look and I like using the bronzer and highlighter shades on the eyes too.

You can find the collection out now. Available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Bloomingdale’s and NARS Cosmetics along with all other NARS retailers.

Hot Escape Palette III, Lip Oil in Orgasm and Laguna and the Total Seduction Eyeshadows gifted. All others purchased by me.

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Bronzer + Blush Dior

Dior Forever Nude Bronze Review

April 13, 2025

Dior Beauty launched new bronzers in two different formats called the Forever Nude Bronzer ($52, available in 8 shades) that come in a soft glow and matte option along with a Forever Nude Bronze Jumbo ($64, available in 4 shades) in an oversized compact.

Both come in a stunning quilted stitched mirrored compact that has an ultra luxurious feel. These are soft bronzers with a floral gardenia/jasmine like scent (I can’t quite pinpoint the exact notes, but it’s a nice floral).

The bronzers launched online first and while they both have recommended shades based on your Dior foundation color, I was still unsure of which color to get. I ordered a few to try based on their charts. The names and numbers in the regular option aren’t the same as the jumbo which is a little confusing. The regular size has shades in the 01, 02 through 08 numerical order while the jumbos are listed at shades 10, 20, 30 and 40.

I wear either a 2.5N or 3N in Dior foundations depending on the formulas. I have a medium tan golden undertone that shifts depending on how tan I am. My winter shade pulls more olive and neutral while my summer shade pulls more golden. The Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick has the best matches for me. I’m getting a little bit more sun so 3N is my best match now.

If you’re thoroughly confused on which one to get, you’re not alone. Here’s what I bought and my thoughts on each shade. Beauty breakdown for what I’m wearing below too:

Foundation – Dior Forever Skin Perfect Foundation Stick in 3N
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in Medium
Eyeshadow – Makeup by Mario Master Mattes + Patrick Ta Eye Illusion Duo Do You Know Who I Am?
Mascara – Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Brows – Glossier Boy Brow Arch Pencil in Warm Brown
Lip Gloss – Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in 090 Sparkly Sienna
Nails – Dior Vernis in 330 Coral Pop

Dior Forever Nude Bronze (regular sizes)

Dior Forever Nude Bronze in the regular size is what I like the most because of the shades. I love that they have a soft glow version and a matte, although on my skin the glow one looks matte and I can’t really tell the difference in finish.

03 Soft is almost like my skin, definitely noticeable but subtle
04 Warm is my favorite of the ones I tried, this is my perfect soft bronze shade, the name is misleading because it’s really not “warm,” it’s just what they named it
04 Warm Matte is a little darker and cooler than 04 Warm, similar on my skin, but the matte version pulls darker on me

Dior Forever Nude Bronze Jumbo

The Forever Nude Bronze Jumbo bronzers are so beautiful and if you’re going to be using a lot of bronzer I love that they have an oversized version.

Shade 20 Medium Matte is the better option for me out of the two jumbos I tried because it’s warmer in undertone.
Shade 30 Tan Matte is significantly more cool in undertone and while it’s a good bronze color, cool tones end up looking grey and ashy on my skin.

Overall a solid A+ for formula and performance. I love that they’re really soft and natural looking. I like the range of undertones and I think finding the right shade is a little tricky since I know we all have different preferences for how warm or cool something looks. Right now I think 04 Warm is my favorite and for the Jumbo one I’m partial to 20 Medium Matte.

You can find the Regular Sized version at Dior, Nordstrom, Saks, Macy’s.
The Jumbo Size is available at Dior, Sephora and Ulta Beauty.

There’s still one more day to shop the Sephora Sale with code SAVEMORE! It ends 4/14. I will be posting my haul tomorrow but I don’t know if I will have time to give a full review to the other bronzers I hauled but I did swatch them in this video here.

For those who asked here are some quick thoughts. I did try the new Haus Labs Powder Sculpt Powder Bronzer in Terra Sol Light Medium (third shade) and I am still undecided. I swatched multiple options in store and the sales associate thought the one I picked would be too light, but it’s definitely dark on my skin. It has a beautiful texture with a soft glow to it. The product is just a little hard to get right in terms of application and they seem to just sit on my skin. They look so beautiful swatched on the hand but don’t translate well on my face. Same goes for the blushes in the line. I love how they look on other skin tones but on me they just look very muddy.

A lot of you have been really curious about the Westman Atelier Suntone Hydrating Matte Bronzing Drops. I picked Shade Soleil Parfait 2 in store. As a liquid bronzer it’s so sheer once you blend it, it disappears. I do really like it mixed in with a liquid foundation all over. It definitely gives you a more bronzed look but in a subtle way. I think it’s similar to the Drunk Elephant D-Bronzi Drops, but the Westman Atelier option has more pigment with a matte finish. So my thoughts are if you want a traditional bronzer, this is not the product for you (it’s just too sheer). But if you’re looking for something to mix in with moisturizer or foundation for an all over bronzed tint then I think you’ll like these.

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Lips YSL Beauty

New YSL Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil, Loveshine + Candy Glaze Shades

March 19, 2025

YSL Beauty has some new lip launches for spring! As a huge fan of YSL lip colors I was excited to try the new Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss ($40 each). They’ve also added some new shades of the Loveshine Lip Oil Stick ($45 each) and Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick ($42). After putting to these to the test I have some hits and misses.

Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss

I received four of the new YSL Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Gloss as press samples. The gloss is smooth and non-sticky with stunning colors. These have beautiful packaging with a plush applicator. Pigment is 10/10 on point with perfect coverage and a nice glossy finish. These have Spicy Ginger and Pepper Oils and they have a noticeable spicy gingery scent. Plumping effect is very strong and noticeable within minutes. On me there’s a medium level for a plumping sting but the tingle is INTENSE on my lips with a slight numbing heated sensation.

They’re not as painful as the Fenty Gloss Bomb Heat, Charlotte Tilbury Plumpgasm Gloss or Maybelline Lifter Plump Gloss, but the tingle is still very strong and I found them too strong for my sensitive lips. On a tingle scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being the most painful) I’d rate the YSL tingle level 8.5.

02 Lucky Moonstone is a sheer glossy light pink

44 Nude Lavalliere is a pretty neutral pink

1 Thunder Stealer is a stunning lilac with gold shimmer

8 Purple Dream is a pretty reddish plum

If your lips can handle the tingle, I do think the colors and finish are exceptionally beautiful. For me I have tried these on a few different days and I’ve decided these unfortunately are too strong for me. These launch at Sephora on 3/28 (on the app) and 3/29 online.

New Shades Loveshine Lip Oil Stick + Candy Glaze

I’m always excited for new shades of the YSL tinted balms. There are two new shades of the Candy Glaze which is my favorite formula from YSL. It’s on the thicker side but in a good way so the colors adhere well to the lips and they stay put longer than other tinted balms. They added 44 Nude Lavalliere to the lineup which is a pretty cool toned pink and 16 Watermelon High which is a warm rose. I love the colors and finish.

YSL also added new shades of the Loveshine Lip Oil Stick in 213 Pink Trip and 214 Wet Guava. Both are beautiful soft pink neutrals but since they are sheer they both look very similar on my pigmented lips. I pulled a few other pinkish neutrals I have in the same formula. While they look different swatched on the arm, on my lips they look so similar. I think I have a slight preference for Wet Guava if I had to pick just one. Both formulas/shades are all out now at Sephora.

Overall love the new Candy Glaze shades. I think the new Loveshines are pretty and will probably show up better on most of you. My natural lips are on the darker side so sheer shades don’t always show up on my lips. As much as I love the colors and finish, I think the new Loveshine Plumping Lip Oil Glosses are a pass for me mainly because I can’t handle the tingle.

Available at Sephora.

Press samples sent for the oils and the others were purchased by me.

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Chanel

Chanel Camelia Futura Collection – Spring 2025

March 13, 2025

Chanel’s Camelia Futura collection is one of the prettiest spring launches I have ever seen! I ordered the items online as soon as it launched as I tried to track it down in boutiques and it sold out very quickly. Most of the pieces are still available online but if you have your eye on anything I recommend acting fast. I shared live swatches in action here so you can see the dimension and shimmer better. Today I have a review.

Camelia Futura Powder Blush Trio

The Camelia Futura Powder Blush Trio ($75, Chanel and Nordstrom) is a warm pink with a soft matte finish and it’s stunning! The blush has three colors in a striped pattern with a light warm pink, medium warm pink and soft tan.

The blush trio pulls on the sheer side but you can build it for more color. I do recommend having a well primed face or apply a cream blush underneath if you have super dry skin. The first time I applied it I had a lightly powdered faced and it applied perfectly. On another occasion my base was a more matte and application wasn’t quite as smooth or easy to blend. A few of you told me you had read the blush was less than stellar, but I think if you have a well primed face or normal skin it will work just fine. I really love it.

Les 4 Ombres – Utopia

The new Les 4 Ombres in Utopia ($76, still available at Nordstrom and Saks) is a stunning one! Pigment is medium in coverage for a softer look but you can build it. I recommend applying over a well primed lid or cream shadow so the colors adhere better to the eyes. I really love the duo chrome in the bottom shade, it pulls violet in the flash but also has a mix of taupe, silver and grey.

I think the colors are so beautiful. I wish they would make this one permanent.

Fluid Enlumineur Iridescent Illuminating Fluid – Halo

The Camelia Futura collection has a liquid highlighter in the Fluid Enlumineur Iridescent Illuminating Fluid formula with a new shade Halo ($56). It has a very similar feel to the Les Beiges Highlighting Fluid in Pearly Glow but Halo is slightly more pigmented and also has a unique color shift to it. It is a really pretty one but if you already own a lot of other Chanel liquid highlighters, I think you can skip this one, but it is very pretty and I am glad I splurged. Also compared next to the Le Blanc Rosy Light Drops below.

Rouge Allure Laque Ultrawear Shine Liquid Lip Colour and Rouge Coco Flash

The lip launches are always a highlight for me – I love seeing what Chanel creates!

There are two new Rouge Allure Laques in 97 Irreelle which is a warm pink with subtle orange tones and 96 Avant-Gardiste which is a shimmering pink. I love the pigment and finish of Irreelle. It’s smooth, opaque and full coverage. Avant-Gardiste is a really beautiful color but it pulls on the sheer side for me so it takes some layering. Lasting power is not super long with these but I do love how they wear on the lips.

The Rouge Coco Flash is one of my favorite lip formulas from Chanel and they launched two very unique colors that sold out almost instantly. Shade 270 Peachy is a pale peach gold with green shimmer. I think it’s so unique. On me it’s not the most flattering shade on it’s own, but I do think it makes for a really pretty topper on top of other lip colors to add a bit of shine.

272 Rosa is one of the most beautiful pink lilac shades with blue shimmer. It’s one I think they should make permanent! Since it sold out quickly so many of you have kept asking if I know who stocks it in store and unfortunately I don’t know. Three stores I called sold out before it even launched online, but I have pulled a few alternatives and swatches for you.

Comparisons to the Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix in Icy Amethy$t (reviewed here), Chanel Rouge Coco Baume Shine in Charming Lilac (review here), Dior Addict Lip Maximizer Gloss in Pink Lilac (swatched here) and Holographic Lavender (review here) and the Lisa Eldridge Gloss in Delilah (discontinued).

I actually think the Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix in Icy Amethy$t (reviewed here) is a prettier variation and for a non-shimmer option I do think the Rouge Coco Baume in Charming Lilac from spring is an easier option to wear for everyday.

Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour

Last is a look at the two new spring nail polishes. 361 Pionniere is a pretty warm pink shimmer. This one pulls sheer so three coats are required for full coverage. 363 Utopiste is a shimmering dark black with multi-colored sparkles mixed in, but on my nails the shimmer is subtle and it looks more like a black-grey sparkle on the nails.

Overall love. I think the eyeshadow quad and blush are the stand outs for me. I do love the lip launches in this collection, but my heart still belongs to the Rouge Coco Baume Shine shades in the spring-summer launch.

Available now at Chanel.com and all Chanel counters.

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Chanel Lips

Chanel Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue – New Shades

March 6, 2025

Chanel launched five new shades of the liquid lipstick Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue ($50 each). I’m not usually a fan of liquid lipstick formulas as they tend to look very dry on me but this one has a good glossy clear top coat on one end to seal the color and add a beautiful shine.

I picked up three of the five shades and think all three are really pretty.

186 Pink Nude is a soft neutral pink

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188 Caramel Beige is a beige brown neutral

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192 Coral Pink is a coral pink, this one applies brighter on my lips with the drydown compared to what I see in the tube

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With these I recommend applying a thin even coat first and letting them dry. If you apply too much on the lips, once it dries the product will look a bit cracked/dry. I let it set for a minute and then add the top coat. For me the top coat is essential otherwise the liquid lipstick underneath feels a bit sticky/tacky feeling. The gloss adds a nice smooth shine to the look.

I swatched a few comparisons below, many of my favorites have been discontinued. I included the numbers on them since it appears they launched a shade Intense Nude 194 in this new launch but it’s different from the Intense Nude 152 from a few years ago. These look dry in the swatches but I can assure you the top coat makes all the difference!

Pink neutrals can be tricky for me to pull of with any cool undertone but this one is perfect. Overall love for a longwear liquid lip. I still prefer a traditional lipstick or gloss format, but in terms of liquid lip formulas these are my favorite.

Available now at Chanel.com. I purchased mine from a boutique.

The new Camelia Futura Collection is live online now too and I will have a review as soon as I can post it!

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Fenty Beauty Lips

Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix High-Shimmer Gloss Sticks

March 4, 2025

Fenty launched a shimmer version of my favorite lipstick formula called the Gloss Bomb Stix High-Shimmer Gloss Sticks ($25 each). As a huge fan of the regular Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix (non-shimmer version) I ordered these immediately. They are stunning for sure but they are a little outside of my comfort zone.

Formula is thick and creamy with full opaque coverage. They have a glossy finish and the sparkle is intense. They perform just the same as the non-shimmer version, but the shimmers do have a slightly transparent quality so your natural lip (or lip liner) will show through.

The shimmer is indeed “high” and they’re more like glitter on the lips. I saw a few reviews describe this as a glitter explosion and I think that is a perfect description. The formula is still surprisingly smooth without any texture even though the sparkle is very intense. It has been a while since I’ve tried a lipstick with THIS much sparkle and as much as I love a good shimmer, my first impression was that the shimmer is too much but I put all the shades to the test and some are more wearable than others for my lip tone.

I think they actually photograph better than they look in real life and I think these would be super cute for special or going out occasions where you want a fun look.

I do really love Fu$$y and Fenty Glow the best. I love the undertone of C U in Maui but this one is a glitter explosion on my lips. Icy Amethy$t is fun for a more trendy lavender shift kind of shade, I think it’s really fun.

Wearing each shade below, also wearing:

Foundation – Dior Forever Perfect Foundation Stick 2.5N + Saie Super Glowy Gel Warmglow
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder in Medium
Bronzer – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer Luminous Bronze Light (reviewed here back in 2017, time flies!)
Eyeshadow – Natasha Denona I Need a Warm Nude Palette (review + swatches here)
Brows – Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil Shade 2.5
Mascara – Tarte Lights, Camera Lashes Mascara

Overall fun, I’m not sure I can pull them off, but I still think they’re really pretty. I personally prefer the original Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix (reviewed here) but the NEW High-Shimmer colors in the Fu$$y and Fenty Glow are beautiful.

Available now at Ulta Beauty, Sephora, Kohl’s x Sephora and Fenty Beauty.

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Bronzer + Blush Natasha Denona

Natasha Denona Hy-Blush Cloudy Cream Cheek Duo

February 12, 2025

Natasha Denona launched a new cheek duo called the Hy-Blush Cloudy Cream Cheek Duo ($42 each, available at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Natasha Denona). These have an ultra creamy blush with a cream highlighter combined in one compact. The shades are very easy to blend and build depending on how much color you want. I love that they have a nice fresh glow.

The new Hy-Blush Duos are very lightweight on the skin and I love how easy they are to blend with fingers or a brush. Every single color Natasha created is 10/10 beautiful. I love how each highlighter has a different undertone, some are pink, others are gold while some have a peach base.

The creams are all non-shimmer shades and I have to say I was really surprised they all showed up on my skin tone since some lighter shades don’t really show up on me. The highlighters have a smooth shimmer so they’re not ultra frosty and they don’t emphasize texture on my skin.

Lasting power has been pretty good for me but I will say that the weather is warm but not humid yet. It lasted all day through two 30 minute walks without budging or fading. By late afternoon it did look a little dewy.