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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Sneak Peek: Marc Jacobs Beauty Spring 2015 New Nudes, (P)Outliner and #Instamarc

February 24, 2015

Here’s a quick sneak peek at some new items from Marc Jacobs Beauty to which I have two words: nude perfection. In addition to the 20 shades of the Le Marc Lip Cremes released earlier this month, Marc Jacobs also has released a collection of items for lips and cheeks with a nude theme. The new spring items this season:

(P)Outliner Longwear Lip Pencil ($24 each)

  • Nude(ist) 300 – cafe au lait
  • Prim(rose) 304 – cocoa spice
  • Honey(bun) 302 – rosy nude

#Instamarc Light Filtering Contour Powder ($49 each)

  • Dream Filter 20 – soft pink/ medium bronze
  • Mirage Filter 40 – light gold/ light bronze
  • Hi Fi Filter 60 – warm peach/ deep bronze

New Nudes Sheer Lip Gel ($30 each)

  • Strange Magic 102 – warm nude pink
  • Have We Met? 108 – shimmering warm pink
  • Understudy 114 – terracotta pink
  • Eat Cake 150 – rosy nude
  • Role Play 110 – dusty rose
  • Anais 146 – spiced ginger
  • Moody Margot 106 – brownish nude

The Shape Contour and Blush Brush No. 15 ($38)

I will say right now that when they call the lip liners “longwearing” it’s no joke. They last a ridiculously long time and are ultra creamy with super rich pigment. Some of the New Nudes Sheer Lip Gels appear to be repromotes/repackaged shades of the original Lip Gels. I’ll do a swatch comparison of the original vs new of the shades I have to see how close (or how different) they are. Also shown above is the Style Eye-Con 3 in The Ingenue 102 which isn’t new but fit the nude theme so I’ve featured it above.

All available now online and in stores at Marc Jacobs Beauty and Sephora
Items above sent courtesy of Marc Jacobs for review consideration.
Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème

February 9, 2015

Marc Jacobs Beauty has released a new formula of lipstick called Le Marc Lip Crème ($30 each for 3.6 g / 0.12 oz). This is a one-swipe richly pigmented lipstick with a long lasting formula. The lipsticks come in 20 different shades named after iconic women that have been an inspiration to Marc Jacobs. I’m excited to share all twenty shades of Le Marc with you. In addition, I’ve teamed up with Marc Jacobs Beauty to take over their Instagram today – be sure to check out their page @marcbeauty and also my page @beautylookbook as I share more about these incredibly pigmented lip colors.

The Le Marc Lip Crème lipsticks are a full coverage lipstick designed with a semi-matte finish for a bold look. They come in the classic black lacquered tube with a magnetic clasp. Although these have a semi-matte and semi-velvety finish to them, I found the Lip Crèmes have a very slight bit sheen to them which prevents them from looking flat like most traditional mattes. All the colors are creams without shimmer yet still manage to give the lips depth. I was able to get full coverage with just one swipe although with rich colors, blending is key around the edges since the color will have a sharp contrast to your natural lip color. The texture is smooth and creamy – if your lips are on the dry side, I do recommend prepping with a balm first. The color will hug your lip which means it will adhere well and last quite a long time, but can also emphasize dry patches so be sure to have a clean and smooth lip first for the best wear.

For the color range, the Le Marc Lip Crèmes come in a variety of color options ranging from neutral pinks, to medium browns, to rich plums, hot pinks, dramatic reds and vibrant oranges. If you’re a fan of the bold lip this is a formula you are definitely going to love. Red lip fans are going to love the options of reds. There are a lot of different reds each with a slightly different undertone.

Here are all twenty shades of Le Marc all lined up. Note they are all pure crème formulas without any shimmer:

Close ups, swatches, descriptions and the inspiration behind each color (removed by request):
  • Georgie Girl is a pale cool-toned powder pink
  • Infamous is a neutral medium rose pink with a hint of mauve
  • Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a deep vibrant rose, but still leans neutral, it’s a deeper and brighter version of Infamous
  • Boy Gorgeous is a rich plum magenta
  • Jolly Molly is a bright cool-toned pink cream

______________________________
  • Clara is a vibrant hot pink with a blue base
  • Je T’aime is a semi-muted medium coral red peach
  • Mahogany is a medium neutral brown
  • Core Cora is a vibrant hot coral that leans peach
  • So Sofia is a vibrant hot pink coral that leans a bit pink/red
  • ______________________________
    • Goddess is a deep but semi-bright brick red
    • Oh Miley! is a vibrant rich red
    • Dashing is a pigmented rich red with slight brown/brick tones 
    • Miss Scarlet is a brick red cream
    • Rei of Light is a medium red with brown tones, slightly lighter than Miss Scarlet

    Note that reds tend to pull very similar on my skin no matter what the difference in undertone is. These will probably look different on you compared to how they translate on me.

    ______________________________

    • Amazing is a deep but subdued red 
    • J’Adore is a warm medium brown
    • Magenta is a plum with a high shine
    • Blow is a medium vamp brown plum, this one has a medium slightly glossy finish making it slightly more like a stain
    • Scandal is a deep plum purple with a glossy finish, this one has a semi-transparent finish and applied more like a glossy stain on my lips

    ______________________________

    I tested these for several days and found that in a given day these did last a remarkably long time. The formula adheres well to the lips and hugs them so even after the initial color fades a little, your lips are still left with a significant amount of color. Mine lasted from early morning through several bottles of water and cups of coffee. At lunch the lip color came off mainly because I usually wipe my lips before eating but there was still a lot of color left on the lips. Without touching these they do stay put until you remove it. In terms of scent there is a very very slight hint of vanilla but it’s barely detectable so those with sensitive noses will really like that these are virtually fragrance free.

    Bottom line, 20 shades of Le Marc means there is a lot to explore. Marc Jacobs Beauty did a great job at creating a diverse color range and I think there’s at least one color to suit everyone’s likes and tastes. My personal favorites are Infamous (perfectly polished pink), Magenta (lush plum pink red), and Je T’aime (unique medium coral peach red mix).

    Close up of me applying Infamous (wearing and holding the O!Mega Bronzer)

    Below, Infamous (left) and Georgie Girl (right):

    One last shot wearing Infamous in late afternoon, still on the lips after 5 hours of wear:

    You can find all 20 shades of the Le Marc Lip Crèmes ($30 each) now online at Marc Jacobs Beauty.

    Have you checked out the Le Marc Lip Crèmes yet? Which shades are speaking to you?

    Many thanks to Marc Jacobs Beauty for sponsoring this post. For more information please refer to my disclosures.

    Marc Jacobs Beauty

    Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer – Wine Not

    January 28, 2015

    Marc Jacobs Beauty recently released two new limited-edition Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquers in Wine Not and Milk ($18 each for 13 ml/0.43 oz). Today I have swatches to share of Wine Not which unfortunately looks like it’s sold out online right now. I am hoping it will be restocked soon because it’s drop dead gorgeous. (For reference, Milk is swatched here.)

    Wine Not is a rich metallic berry that gives full opaque coverage with two coats. It has a mix of plum and red in it so depending on the angle the light hits it, this shade might look warm or cool. In natural light it’s a smooth metallic plum. In sunlight it glows.

    With two coats you get full opaque coverage. The first coat is a bit sheer and looks dark but add a second coat and it transforms into a lovely berry with minimal visible brush strokes. I was really pleased with how smooth it went on the nail. For some reason this particular polish did seem to soak up the first layer of top coat I used (I used Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme), I recommend you add two layers of top coat to make it shiny.

    Swatch comparisons below show that Wine Not has a more metallic finish with a good mix of red and plum making it the perfect wine. You can definitely find similar colors but as shown below many others lack that red glow Wine Not has when you see it in sunlight.

    Chanel Cosmic Violine (discontinued)
    Chanel Tulipe Noire (discontinued)
    Chanel Vamp (review here)
    Dior Galaxie (discontinued, review)
    Chanel Malice (discontinued, review)
    Tom Ford Minx (discontinued)

    In full sunlight it flashes more red/wine:

    Marc Jacobs Beauty is gorgeous. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will come back in stock online or eventually show up at Sephora. I’ve reached out to see if this will be restocked soon – I’ll update this post as soon as I have more information. In the meantime I hope the comparison swatches help in case you want something similar and have any of the other shades, you can shop your stash for now. Marc Jacobs Wine Not is currently exclusive online at Marc Jacobs Beauty. now available at Sephora.com.

    What’s your favorite metallic plum/wine nail polish?

    Marc Jacobs Beauty

    Marc Jacobs Beauty Midnight in Paris

    December 14, 2014

    Marc Jacobs Beauty has a new limited-edition Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer this holiday called Midnight In Paris ($24 for 13 ml/0.43 fl oz). It’s a deep indigo teal cream polish that was first featured in Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2014 runway show. This holiday’s polish comes with a silver reflective cap and the bottle is cased in a black velvet stand with a keepsake box. The presentation and design is beautifully executed making this a lovely gift for those who love nail polishes.

    Midnight in Paris is a richly pigmented indigo cream. The pigment is insanely good and I was able to get full even coverage with just one coat. It is very dark in color making this almost like a midnight black, but there is enough blue in it that it still looks blue on the nails. The formula on the Marc Jacobs nail lacquers vary depending on finish. Some are jelly sheers, others are high metallics while some have a more refined shimmer. Midnight in Paris is a pigmented cream (similar formula to the Runway Nudes swatched here).

    Here it is swatched with two thin coats. I used the Formula X Base Coat and Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme on top (my hand and nail care essentials here).

    A few comparisons to some other deep inky blue polishes:

    Burberry Teal Blue (swatched here)
    Burberry Ink Blue (swatched here)
    JINsoon Rhapsody (swatched here)
    Dolce & Gabbana Peacock
    Louboutin Lady Twist (swatched here)

    If you already own a lot of deep indigo nail polishes, you might want to shop your stash and skip this one. The formula is really amazing with this one though. One coat is enough to cover the entire nail and in my experience Marc Jacobs nail polish last remarkably well without any chipping or tip wear for up to 5 days.

    Midnight in Paris is a limited-edition shade. You can find it at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty while supplies last. Did you check out anything from the Marc Jacobs holiday collection or order any of the Black Friday sets? I’d love to hear what you think is good.

    P.S. The Sky-Liner Set (reviewed here) is back in stock online at Sephora!

    Midnight in Paris was provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs for review consideration.

    Marc Jacobs Beauty

    Marc Jacobs Beauty The Sky-Liner Petites Highliner Collection

    December 2, 2014

    Marc Jacobs Beauty released some beautiful sets for the holiday season. The Sky-Liner Petites Highliner Collection ($45 for 7 eyeliner minis, each 0.37 g / 0.01 oz) has been on my list for quite some time and after a few days of testing I can say that I think it’s a must if you like eyeliner and want some options that are beyond the basic black and brown.

    This set has seven different minis of the Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliners (full sized options are $25 each). These are twist-up gel pencils that are waterproof. The pigment of these is quite intense but the formula is smooth and glides on the eyes nicely without any tugging. I was really pleased to find how easy it was to layer nicely and get a precise line. Given the smooth texture when you apply these, I was worried these might be one of those types of pencils that didn’t stay put. But after you let these sit for a minute, they truly are budge-proof. Compared to other long-wear pencils, I would say these last a lot longer than Urban Decay 24/7 pencils and even more than Chanel Stylo Yeuxs. Lasting power is as good as Burberry Effortless Kohls (reviewed here).

    I had tested a mini that was a Sephora Beauty Insider 100 Point perk back in August and loved it. The other shades in this set are just as good and had it not been for the minis I probably wouldn’t have tried some of the other fun colors and totally missed out. It comes cased in a sleek black tin.

    All the shades are shimmery except Blacquer. The shimmer isn’t overly frosty on the eyes though, for me it’s really perfect. I’m in my early 30’s and for those who want to know if anyone over 25 years of age can wear these, I would say absolutely yes.

    The colors in the Sky-Liner Highliner set include:

    • O(Vert) is a shimmery sage green
    • Brown(Out) is a metallic deep chocolate brown
    • Sunset is an interesting warm coppery gold
    • Midnight in Paris is a deep teal shimmer
    • Th(ink) is a violet navy blue metallic
    • (Plum) age is a bright orchid purple shimmer
    • Blacquer is a lush glossy deep black
    For size reference next to my hand, you can see these are really cute mini-sized liners:

    If you’re like me and won’t buy sets unless you like all the colors know that all the shades are available for individual purchase. Wearing colors like Sunset and Plumage are a bit of a stretch for me based on my natural instinct. I gravitate towards neutrals but every once in a while I have a makeover at a counter (like with NARS and Chanel) where they use some more wild colors as an accent on the eyes. I’m always surprised that it actually looks nice although I’ve never been able to bring myself to splurge on a full sized pencil I know I will only use occasionally. For me, this is the benefit of mini sets. This year has brought a lot of sets that have items I know I will actually be able to use up while still giving me mini bite-sized options that I can test out before seeing if I want to splurge on the full-sized versions.

    I still haven’t quite figured out how to wear Sunset (any recs would be appreciated) but I’ve tested each of the other six shades and really like them.

    The Marc Jacobs Beauty Sky-Liner set retails for $45 and is limited-edition. As of right now, the set is still available online at Marc Jacobs Beauty. It was available at Sephora but looks like it’s currently sold out online, if you are brave enough to go to the mall these days, you might want to check in store. Update 12/13 back in stock online at Sephora! After testing the colors, I can say I highly recommend it. They last all day long and didn’t budge at all from morning until late evening.

    Did you buy any of the Marc Jacobs Beauty sets? Or the Black Friday sets? What did you think?

    The Sky-Liner Petites set was provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs Beauty for review consideration.

    Marc Jacobs Beauty

    Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No. 7 | The Enigma #216

    November 6, 2014

    Marc Jacobs Beauty has released several new eyeshadow palette colors in their Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow format for fall/holiday. I ordered The Enigma #216 ($59 for 0.24 oz) back in late September but never managed to post a review. I have photos and swatches for you today. I’ve eyed several of the Marc Jacobs Beauty palettes ever since the line launched in August 2013, but with eyeshadow palettes that have more than 5 shades, it’s hard for me to justify a purchase if I don’t love all the colors. The Enigma is the first one I decided to splurge on and it’s a lovely palette with a mix of deep and pale colors.

    There are seven colors included in this one:

    Matte black
    Shimmering sterling grey
    Soft shimmering grey-sage
    Shimmery cool-pink
    Satin-matte soft pink
    Sparkling warm taupe brown
    Frosty champagne

    Overall the palette pulls more cool-toned on me, but it’s still neutral. I like that the pink shimmers have a visible soft rose-colored base but don’t give me a pink-eye look. All the shades are well pigmented. The shimmers have a softer more pigmented texture but the satiny-mattes also go on the lids nicely. I’ve played with this a number of ways using 3-4 shades with any given eye look.

    Here is one with the frosted pink, frosted taupe, shimmering champagne, gunmetal and matte black. All the colors are blended for a gradient finish. The photo below shows the color a bit washed out, but the color in real life really shows up well on the skin.

    Close ups of each shade in The Enigma Palette below and swatches:

    The Enigma Palette is a winner in my book. I like that this palette has distinct shades. It has a good mix of colors making it a classic but edgy neutral. I found lasting power to be quite good with an eye base (I like Edward Bess’s, other favorites here). The shadow lasted all day from early morning until late evening without moving or smudging.

    You can find the Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palettes online at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty. Most of the palettes are also available in stores, but the last time I was at a Sephora store (a couple weeks ago) I did not yet see this one on the tester unit. If you’ve seen it please share in the comments.

    Have you tried any of the Marc Jacobs Beauty eyeshadows? What are your favorites?

    Marc Jacobs Beauty

    Marc Jacobs Beauty | Cabaret Lovemarc Lip Gel, Satisfaction and Shooting Stars Lip Vinyl (Full)

    July 22, 2014

    Marc Jacobs has released some new lip products in a number of different formulas. If you didn’t have 1000 Sephora Beauty Insider Points for their Marc Jacobs Point Perk, don’t fret because you can now buy the colors individually. The new colors out now:
    I purchased the Cabaret Lip Gel, Satisfaction Lip Vinyl and Shooting Stars Lip Vinyl. They are richly pigmented lip colors that have a fall vibe.

    Cabaret Lip Gel is a muted plum in the tube but applies as a bright plum that pulls a bit fuchsia. The pigment on this one is extremely rich and blends easily with a few dabs. I’ve been a huge fan of the Lovemarc Lip Gel Formula (see Role Play and Serevine). The formula is unique with a slightly jelly-like texture but in a lipstick form. The pigment is really phenomenal and wears quite long. I find the ones I’ve tested to be full coverage but still natural looking (they aren’t too heavy). Testers at Sephora can look less than appealing as they are usually well-tested (I didn’t test them on my lips) but they are definitely worth looking into.

    Satisfaction Lip Vinyl is described as a pinkish mauve with a copper sheen. On me this one is a bit more caramel colored with brown tones, but you can definitely see some pink in there. The pink prevents this one from looking too brown on the skin. There is a bit of a shimmer in the tube but on the lips it’s very finely milled. This is my first time testing the Lip Vinyl Full formula. They are similar in size and scent compared to the Lip Vinyl Sheer (see Kissability, Overprotected and Heart Shaped). They have that same minty feel but with a vanilla scent. They do have a slightly tingly sensation. The difference is that the Lip Vinyl Full glosses have full coverage with an easy to blend creamy texture. The tips are also stiffer with a pointy tip making them easier to apply.

    Shooting Stars Lip Vinyl looks like a sparkling mauve in the tube but it goes on a brown berry with minimal shimmer. It’s very dark on me and most of the time it pulls more brownish but in certain light looks more red.

    Here they are swatched side by side:

    Comparisons:
    Nudestix Soul Lip & Cheek Pencil (swatched)
    Hourglass Canvas Extreme Sheen (review)
    Tom Ford Black Orchid Lipstick (discontinued)
    MAC Ruby Patent Polish (reviewed)
    NARS Clubmix Velvet Gloss (swatched)

    Overall I give these a huge thumbs up. The pigment and texture are excellent. They are a bit dramatic for summer (right now) but are still classic shades that you can wear any season.
    Cabaret Lovemarc Lip Gel is available in a 1000 Point Perk at Sephora or for purchase as a Sephora VIB Online Exclusive ($30). Satisfaction and Shooting Stars Lip Vinyl – Full ($28 each) are available now at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty.