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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Luxe Color-Lasting Lip Lacquer // Blondie, Sweet Stiletto, Seduction, High Society and Ibiza Nights

November 12, 2014

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Luxe Color-Lasting Lip Lacquers ($22 each) are high shine lip glosses that have a nice smooth finish with medium-pigment. I reviewed Blondie and Sweet Stiletto back in September and they’ve been regular go-to’s for natural color and shine. I’ve since picked up more colors. I went to the Charlotte Tilbury x Nordstrom Launch at The Grove in Los Angeles where I was able to play with the whole line in person.

The Lip Lustres I have accumulated include:

  • Blondie which is a shimmering champagne pink
  • Sweet Stiletto which is a warm medium pink
  • Seduction is a perfect nude beige cream
  • High Society is a pink rose with a hint of mauve
  • Ibiza Nights is a sparkling gold beige with tiny flecks of glitter
They are all really lovely colors. The ones I opted for were of course the natural shades. I find they have enough pigment to show up on the lips alone, but I really like these layered over her lip liner or lipsticks. Blondie is my personal favorite, followed by Ibiza Nights which has the prettiest sparkle. It has a tiny bit of glitter but it’s not in-your-face glitzy and has a really smooth texture. Seduction is nude perfection and Sweet Stiletto is a nice warmer pink. High Society is sheerer than I had hoped it would be, but it is layerable. It’s a nice warmer mauve but I prefer this one over a lipliner.

Lip swatches of the three newer shades I have (see Blondie and Sweet Stiletto here):

I’m overall really pleased with the glosses. I think the neutrals are well executed and have enough pigment to show up on the lips. The texture is nice and slightly sticky to adhere well to the lips, but they aren’t tacky and feel smooth. In terms of fragrance, there is a very subtle hint of vanilla but it fades after a few minutes.

Huge thumbs up and I highly recommend checking out Blondie. Do note that these seem to have been extremely popular, I’ve seen websites list some shades on back order multiple times, you may have to shop around if you want more than one color.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustres online at Nordstrom (in store at The Grove), Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and online at Charlotte Tilbury.

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Diptyque Fragrance

Diptyque Winter Landscapes // Hiver, Épice and Résine

November 11, 2014
Diptyque’s Winter Landscapes Collection for this holiday include three new limited-edition candles in Hiver (Winter), Épice (Spice) and Résine (Pine). The scents this year come in three options: the full 6.5 oz ($68), the mini 2.4 oz ($34) and a trio of 2.4 oz minis ($98). I purchased the full size of each candle. The packaging design is absolutely beautiful this year and all three scents are phenomenal. My favorite is Résine which reminds me of last year’s Pine Bark.


The boxes have an exquisite design, I find them just as beautiful as the actual candle jars:

Up first is Hiver (Winter) which comes cased in a teal blue glass jar, it’s described as a “balsamy world of contrasts, where the biting wind gusts beside the nourishing wood fire.” It’s a unique light and fresh winter scent. This one is the most difficult for me to describe but it smells just like winter. It has a very soft uplifting and soothing feel to it.

Next is Épice (spice) described as “a voluptuous, warm-scented candle filled with vibrant cinnamon rounded with enchanting plum.” This one has a warm spicy cinnamon feel. The plum in it helps smooth and round out the scent with a bit of sweetness. If you don’t like sharper cinnamon spice scents because you find them too strong, this one will be perfect for you. If you want something stronger, I’d recommend you opt for the Le Redoute candle. Epice has a good throw, but it’s not as strong as some of the other Diptyque scents I’ve tried.

Last but not least, my favorite is Résine (Pine) which is described as a “wintery scented candle with notes of generous pine, comfortingly whole amidst bark, crushed needles and resin.” It’s a beautiful scent that I absolutely adore. I stocked up on last year’s Pine Bark but burned through all of them. I was sad when I used up the last one but am thrilled Diptyque released a similar scent. This year’s version of Pine smells a bit softer and greener, more like actual pine. I will be ordering back ups of this one.

All three scents for this holiday are winners in my mind. I find them perfect for the fall and holiday season. The packaging design is absolutely divine this year. I love that they have a packaged trio of minis as a boxed set which will make a luxurious gift. I will be buying back ups and they are for sure on my gift list for close ones I know love Diptyque.

The full sized candles are priced at $68 each, minis are $34 each, trio of minis is $98. All are limited-edition. You can find them now at all Diptyque boutiques and counters. Online at Nordstrom, Space NK, Neiman Marcus and Diptyque Paris.

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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?

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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Matte Lip Colors for Holiday 2014 – Now On Nordstrom.com

October 29, 2014
http://rstyle.me/n/sf55rubf6

If you’ve been waiting for all the shades of the Tom Ford Matte Lipsticks ($50 each) to show up online, all eight colors of the new lipstick formula are now available on Nordstrom.com including First Time which seems to have been the first to sell out other places and also Black Dahlia which didn’t show up for a while.

The eight colors include:
Pink Tease
Flame
Plum Lush
First Time
Black Dahlia
Pussycat
Ruby Rush
Velvet Cherry

My review and swatches on the formula and picks First Time, Pink Tease, Velvet Cherry and Pussycat here. My two favorites are First Time and Velvet Cherry.
At this time I’ve heard that First Time and Black Dahlia are the only two shades that are limited-edition, but I reports are often mixed depending on who you ask. I do know First Time sold out quickly so if you’ve been searching for it, I recommend ordering sooner than later.
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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte | First Time, Pink Tease, Pussycat and Velvet Cherry

October 17, 2014

Tom Ford has released a new lipstick formula called Lip Color Matte ($50 each, made in Belgium). I spotted some shades at the Tom Ford Boutique on Rodeo Drive last week. The new Lip Color Mattes are currently available online at Tom Ford and Neiman Marcus, they should be released at all Tom Ford retailers later this season. I found some helpful swatches and photos on Instagram from @beautyprofessor, @reallyree and @tanyabuzzetta. I saw seven different shades in Pink Tease, First Time, Velvet Cherry, Pussycat, Flame, Plum Lush and Ruby Rush, although there are reports that an additional shade Black Dahlia might also be released.

The Lip Color Matte formula is a lipstick with a velvety semi-matte finish. They are designed to be matte lipsticks but they aren’t really a traditional full matte which is a huge plus for me. I rarely say I hate anything beauty related, but on me, I really hate matte lips. I find they emphasize lines, look heavy/thick and end up aging the face. Finding colors that work with the matte texture is also tricky for me. The Tom Ford Lip Color Mattes have a soft cushy velvety texture. They glide on smoothly onto the lips and don’t look dry. I do find that if you have any peeling or dry areas, prep the lips with a lip balm for a few minutes and then wipe it off before applying the lipstick. Another good alternative I like is MAC’s Prep + Prime Lip (it’s a good lip primer to keep lipstick in place, but not really a lip moisturizer).

These have the same vanilla scent as the regular lip colors do. Lasting power is quite good, they aren’t budge proof but they do stay put fairly long. I picked out four colors, three neutrals and one deep burgundy red. The others were very dark and bright – good if you want a dramatic lip, but too dramatic for my taste. The color I bought include:

L to R: First Time, Pink Tease, Pussycat, Velvet Cherry

  • First Time is a peach nude pink, this one applies nicely on the lips, you have to let it sit for a minute and warm up on the lip though, it doesn’t change color but the texture melds into the lip after a minute of sitting on the lips
  • Pink Tease is a very cool-toned medium pink, this looks like a neutral pink in the tube, but on my lips it went a bit fluorescent and pulled very cool on my skin, this one needs tweaking with a gloss or lipliner to warm it up, otherwise it makes my lips look really dry just because the color clashes with my skin
  • Pussycat is a cool mauve pink, this one surprised me, I thought it would go on too blue-toned based on how it swatched on my hand, it’s a surprisingly wearable mauve
  • Velvet Cherry is a deep red, this something I usually don’t go for, but it’s a classic deep dark red that isn’t too dark, this one needs careful application and lip prep, it has such a sharp contrast with my natural lip color, precise application is key, I applied it below straight from the tube (scroll down) although I should have fixed it with a lip brush

Close ups and swatches, you can see below the coverage and pigment is really good:

Comparisons, Set One has the following (I’ll link previous swatches and reviews):

Set Two has Aerin Wild Lilac, Tom Ford Black Orchid (discontinued), MAC Ruby Patent Polish, Burberry Blueberry Lip Mist

Lip swatches of the four lip mattes I picked out below:

I like First Time, Pussycat and Velvet Cherry. In real life they look very natural and smooth on the lips, a camera flash tends to emphasize any shadows or fine lines so they might look a bit dry in the photos above. The exception is with Pink Tease which I am not a fan of (at least on me). I can’t really pull off cool-toned bright pinks well, they end up looking too mod-like. The color just looks really aged and dry on my lips, but in all fairness, all colors similar in tone and brightness do the same.

I’m not a fan of matte-finish lipsticks so I can’t say I am absolutely in love with these, but I am very pleased with 3 of the 4 shades I bought. I personally prefer Tom Ford’s other lip formulas and color options, but the Lip Color Mattes still perform very well and I do think they are worth looking into, especially if you like rich deep colors.

The Lip Color Mattes can be found online and in stores at Tom Ford Boutiques and Neiman Marcus for $50 each. They should be widely available at all Tom Ford counters soon. (PS Neiman Marcus has their Incircle event now and an online mini lipstick gift with $100 purchase, while supplies last).

Are you a fan of matte lips or Tom Ford lipsticks? Have you picked up any of the colors?

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Bronzer + Blush Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette

October 3, 2014

The latest addition to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting line is the Ambient Lighting Blush Palette ($58 for 3 shades, each 0.116 oz/3.3g). It’s a limited-edition palette with three of the Ambient Lighting Blushes in Luminous Flush (champagne rose), Incandescent Electra (cool peach, exclusive to the palette) and Mood Exposure (soft plum). I’ve been a huge fan of the Ambient Lighting Powders (palette review and Luminous Light review here) and Blushes (review on individual colors here). The addition of a travel-friendly blush palette is just pure genius (for me at least).

If you’re new to the Ambient Lighing Blushes, they are multi-dimensional powders with swirls of pigmented color and highlighter. They are infused with what Hourglass calls “photoluminescent technology” which creates depth and dimension. Hourglass claims these give your face an “otherworldly glow” and I can’t find any words to better describe their Ambient Lighting products. All of the powders are handmade so no two look alike.

I’ve been testing the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush Palette for the past couple of weeks and am really pleased with it. Two of the shades can be purchases individually which I already own, so while this is mostly a duplicate of what I have, I do find the packaging design and size of the palettes to be very user-friendly and perfect for travel. I almost always bring the highlighter palette with me on all trips. The compact is sleek and long so it fits easily into my travel bags.

The powders in the blush palette are identical in size to those in the highlighter palette. They are smaller compared to the blushes that you purchase individually. I’ve photographed them side by side for comparison purposes.

I’ve found the colors in the palette to look slightly lighter than the ones I own individually but they apply the same on the skin. In my experience, the Ambient Lighting Blushes are all very pigmented on my skin and show up just like blush with a couple exceptions. Dim Infusion and Etheral Glow are both very light and give a very slight hint of color on my medium/tan skin. If you are medium to dark, you may find these don’t show up on you. In terms of application, all the other colors, including the shades in the Blush Palette show up very well on my skin. What I love about these is that they are soft but buildable. The blush color is very pigmented but the mix of the soft highlighter inside each shade gives the product a very beautiful glow. I do think these work best on skin that has a bit of moisture. If you have super dry skin or a very powdered face, you might find they don’t show up as well. For me over foundation with powder on top these apply just fine. If you don’t see any color you may want to add a bit of a sheer highlighter like Armani Fluid Sheers on the cheeks under these.

Comparisons of the individual blush shades in Luminous Light and Mood Exposure (they look different in the pans but swatch identical):

Swatches, on the face they are glowy and not frosty:

Close ups of each shade in the palette:

The Ambient Lighting Palette is bottom line love. After playing with this for a few weeks I’ve found it really versatile. The colors look good individually or with two of them layered (any combination works). All the colors look good with neutral pinks, nude, plum or peach lips. The blushes have enough color to bring life to the face, but are subtle enough to wear with a bold lip.

If you’ve been waiting and thinking about the blushes I think the palette is definitely something worth splurging on. Product size differences aside, the palette retails for $58 while three individual blushes at $35 each will cost you $100+. If you already own Luminous Flush and Mood Exposure, then I don’t think this is something that falls into the “need” category, however I do think it’s a must-have for me. The Ambient Lighting Blushes are compact in size already so they don’t take up a lot of room in your makeup bag. I do really like the convenience and packaging of the Hourglass palettes and Incandescent Electra is one of the prettiest light peaches I’ve ever seen.

The Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette is currently listed as limited-edition for this fall/holiday. You can find it now at Sephora and Hourglasscosmetics.com. It will also be available later this month at Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter, Space NK.

The blush palette was provided courtesy of Hourglass for review consideration.

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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

New from Diptyque | Vanille and Le Redouté

October 2, 2014

Above: tray by West Elm and Yves Saint Laurent
Book

Diptyque has released a number of new candles for fall. I picked up Vanille ($60 for 190g/6.5 oz) and Le Redouté ($85 for 220g/7.3 oz) early last month. I’ve been burning each for a few weeks now and have completely fallen in love with both.

Vanille is a smokey vanilla that has a slight wood-like feel. It has a smokey vibe similar to Feu De Bois but not quite as dark. The candle is described by Diptyque as a “vanilla orchid” that “gradually gives way to the intensity of the pod … spices take precedence, blending with sandalwood and elemi to reveal a balsamy Bourbon Vanilla with smooth and woody accents.” When I first opened Vanille, it was primarily smokey, just like firewood, but after letting it breathe for a while it turned into a smooth warm vanilla scent. I’m a huge fan of vanilla scents in general, but finding a good one is difficult. I don’t like the ones that are super sweet. To date, my favorite is Henri Bendel Vanilla Bean because it’s the best smelling warm vanilla. Diptyque’s Vanille is more complex with an obvious firewood mix that makes it very unique. The scent is one of the stronger ones from Diptyque, I find it has a super smooth burn that feels just like fall. I really like Vanille, I think it’s for the vanilla-lover who doesn’t like super sweet vanilla scents.

Le Redouté joins the 34 Collection in two forms. I purchased the marbled porcelain jar version for $85. All of these are hand-crafted using the “terre mêlée” (mixed clay) technique which makes every piece is unique. It also comes in a pillar format which retails for $75 + $150 for a photophore (these are exclusive to the boutiques). Le Redouté is a cinnamon potpourri mix. It’s described as having cinnamon, clove, orange roses, cedar and amber. This one is also quite strong and fills the entire room within seconds. In this one it is primarily cinnamon which I think has more of a holiday feel. In Southern California we usually have sunny weather year-round, right now it hardly feels like fall. I’ve really enjoyed Le Redouté but will probably be burning it later in the season.

A quick look at the new fall items from Diptyque at the South Coast Plaza boutique. The three pillars are exclusive to the stores and Diptyqueparis.com, there are three photophores to purchase in addition to the pillars but they didn’t have any on display at the time I went. There is also a larger version of Ambre in the colored glass jar.

Both Vanille and Le Redouté are beautiful home scents for fall. I’m particularly smitten with Vanille and will bring out Le Redouté later in the season. There is another vanilla candle called Benjoin which is an online exclusive, I expect to receive it soon and will make a comparison once it arrives. Do you have any favorite home scents for fall? Have you checked out any of the new offerings from Diptyque?

You can find Vanille online at Diptyque, Nordstrom, Space NK, Neiman Marcus.
Le Redouté is available at Diptyque, Space NK and Neiman Marcus.
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