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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Set | Nordstrom Anniversary Beauty Exclusive

July 28, 2014

I ordered the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Set ($110) last week online. It’s a duo that includes the Filmstar Bronze and Glow along with the Powder and Sculpt Brush. It’s currently a Nordstrom Beauty Exclusive in the US and has been released as an early preview for the Charlotte Tilbury Beauty line. According to a Nordstrom Beauty Livechat I had earlier this morning, the entire line will launch online at Nordstrom.com around August 10th. Update on August 4th, per Charlotte Tilbury PR, the line will be available in the US around September 3rd.

On the nails – Aventure

The Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow (16 g/0.56 oz, made in Italy) comes in a luxurious rose gold colored compact. It has a warm bronze with a soft satiny shimmer glow. On my skin it acts like the perfect contouring powder. When it comes to contouring the face, I am a super minimalist. I have a roundish face without high cheekbones so any kind of contouring is me brushing on product in areas to create a fake one. I do like a good bronzer to sculpt the face and add warmth in a 3 shape motion around the edges of my face, but that’s typically the most I’ll do for contouring.

I find traditional matte/taupe contouring looks good in photos but in real life can look fake and too sharp on me (this is when artists do it on me or when I attempt it). The Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow however makes contouring goof-proof and super easy. The Sculpt/Bronzer side has enough warmth and color that it doesn’t make the skin look ashy and also isn’t too warm that it turns orangey. It has a soft satiny sheen that gives depth.

The Highlight/Glow side is a yellowish/gold pale champagne highlighter. Based on what it looks like in the pan and how it swatches on the arm, I was worried it would be overly frosty and sharp on my skin. On the face it glows. There is visible shimmer but on me it doesn’t look frosted and it doesn’t emphasize pores. Huge plus! If you have dewy skin, you may need to apply with a light hand. It’s very pigmented and adheres well to the skin. I like to dip the brush into the highlighter and then tap it to dust off excess. On the skin it’s a light golden color but not too yellow for my olive skin.

The Powder and Sculpt Brush is the full size version made of goat hair. It’s a smaller brush than what I’m typically used to for the face but it’s tapered for perfect contouring on the face. It’s well-made and the bristles pick up the product and blend well, but I don’t think it’s a must-have since I have so many other brushes and find that a regular blush brush can do the same. I do like the way it’s shaped for easy application. It places the product right along the cheeks in the right shape for a perfect contour.

Swatches, don’t let the frost/shimmer deter you, they apply much softer on the face:

I pulled a few comparisons:
Edward Bess Daydream Bronzer (original version shown, newer version here)

Chanel Les Beiges Multi-Colour 02 (summer stripe version)

Overall a huge thumbs up. I had high expectations for this because of raves about Charlotte Tilbury’s line but was worried it might be just another standard bronzer/highlighter/contour duo. After playing with this for several days I can say that I have found my perfect contouring duo. On my medium/tan skin it’s not quite bronzer level, but I suspect on fair to medium skins it will be suitable as a contour or bronzer depending how you apply and how much you layer on.

I love the soft silky texture of the powder. Brushes pick up just the right amount of product so you don’t have to swirl the brush in the pan a lot. It’s powdery but not too powdery. It blends very smoothly on the face and layers nicely. It’s on par with Edward Bess Daydream Bronzer (my holy grail) in the sense that it’s impossible to mess up because it’s super easy to apply and it’s very flattering on the skin.
I am really pleased with the set even though it seemed a bit pricey. However you do get a full sized bronzer-highlighter duo and the brush is the full size version that is well made. It’s a very high quality set that makes the price tag worth it for me. If you have a lot of brushes you may want to wait for the entire line to launch in August and just get the Filmstar Bronze and Glow. That being said the brush does make contouring easy for those who aren’t good at contouring (like myself). Even though this is designed for the face, I’ve found it wears well on the eyes as well.
Many have asked whether I think the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Set or Chanel Dentelle Precieuse powder is the better buy. I can’t choose between them, they are both phenomenal products, my thoughts:

  • The Chanel powder is limited-edition and gives a more glowy finish with a pinkish, peach and bronze champagne glow on me. For my skintone it’s definitely a highlighter while fair skinned readers have commented it appears darker and more bronzey on their skins.
  • The items in the Charlotte Tilbury will both be available for purchase in the US at a later date when the line officially launches. It’s also more of a contouring duo rather than a highlighter. The bronze/sculpt powder is beautifully warm and satiny with a natural glow, but you can probably skip the brush if you already own a good detail brush.
If you can get both eventually but only want to purchase one now, I would
recommend getting the Chanel since it’s limited-edition and I’ve found there’s nothing really like it. If you don’t need a contouring brush then I’d say wait for the line to launch later this fall, skip the brush and just opt for the Bronzer/Highlighter duo.
The Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Set is currently a Nordstrom Anniversary Beauty Exclusive and retails for $110. Online it looks like it’s on backorder. I can’t wait until the entire Charlotte Tilbury line launches in the US later this fall.
Have you tried this Filmstar Killer Cheekbones set or anything else from Charlotte Tilbury? What were your thoughts?
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Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass 1.5 mm Mechanical Gel Liner – Obsidian

July 25, 2014

New this fall from Hourglass is their 1.5 mm Mechanical Gel Liner in Obsidian ($45 for pack of 3 or $16 each). It’s their thinnest and softest waterproof eyeliner that comes in a twist up pencil. The product description:
  • The precision 1.5mm tip ensures effortless control, and allows for lining in between lashes
  • The unique formula, poured into a slim mechanical component, has the malleability, intensity and staying power of a traditional gel; no pot, no brush, no clean-up required
  • The waterproof, transfer-proof and long-lasting formula delivers extended wear
  • The supple, moisturizing formula glides on smoothly and dries quickly
  • Two clicks is all you need to line the eye, each advanced mechanical pencil lasts for approximately 17 to 20 uses
  • Only dispense product as needed – mechanical pencil does not retract
  • Free of phthalates, sulfates, talc and gluten, no animal testing
  • Ophthalmologist tested
I’ve been testing the new eyeliner this week in warm humid weather in Southern California and have been impressed with the lasting power. It holds up quite well throughout the day. I tested it on a few nights out and it didn’t bleed, smudge or fade. The tip is super tiny for precise application – the 2 click claim is true. You only need 2 clicks to dispense enough liner for each eye. I’m rarely able to apply eyeliner in a single stroke. The same applies with this one. I prefer to feather it along the lash line. I like that it doesn’t tug or pull. The formula is soft but not too soft. Some eyeliners can tug on the eye irritating my sensitive eyes. This one from Hourglass is gentle and I had no irritation.
The 1.5 mm Mechanical Gel Liner comes in one color right now, Obsidian, which is an intense black. It’s not quite as intense a color as you can get with some liquid liners, but for a pencil and gel formula, it’s still a true black. Many black eyeliners turn greyish on my skin or look ashy so I typically opt for colors like plum, brown or bronze. Hourglass Obsidian is a true rich black without looking harsh.
I’m still working on taking face photos, it’s harder than it looks. I’ve found it pretty difficult to get eye photos. Here’s a close up I took of my eye although the flash washes out everything:
A few comparisons here to some other black eyeliners. You can see how the Hourglass 1.5 mm tip is small compared to other eyeliners so it offers a truly precise line:

Thumbs up. I’m often skeptical of black eyeliners because I’m picky with the color and pigment. I can’t always pull of the color because it often looks harsh or ashy on my skin. The Hourglass 1.5 mm in Obsidian is good in color and the formula is very good. I find it well priced for a higher-end liner. I’ll have a round up post next week of my favorite black eyeliners.

The packaging is really well designed. It twists up easily and I love that there is no sharpening required to keep that super fine precise tip. It glides on easily, stays put and doesn’t smudge. It’s all I could want in an eyeliner. I hope Hourglass will expand the shade selection.

Hourglass 1.5 mm Mechanical Gel Liner in Obsidian launched on Hourglasscosmetics.com* this week. It will be available for purchase at Sephora* next week starting July 29 and available at Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter.com, Space NK starting August 15.
Note that select retailers* will have this available as a single eyeliner for $16, all others will have it available in the trio at $45.
This post contains items that were sent courtesy of Hourglass for review consideration.
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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.
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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow | Poésie #234 and Tissé Rivoli #226

July 15, 2014

Chanel just released nine new Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadows in the US ($61 each for 2g/0.07 oz). I’ve been eagerly waiting for these quads to arrive in the US and am so happy they are finally here. I purchased two of the shades in Poésie #234 (limited-edition) and Tissé Rivoli #226. These come in the round pan format but the formula is different from most non-US quads that come with the round shapes. The texture is slightly creamy with amazing pigment and shimmer. They blend well on the lids without any base needed. The pigment is truly incredible and very easy to control. I’ve been a huge fan of the regular Les 4 Ombres (US versions) – I think the new ones are even better.

Poésie #234 is a limited-edition shade. It showed up online at Chanel.com and Macy’s for a limited time but currently isn’t listed. I contacted Nordstrom once the quads launched to see if Poésie would be listed and was told it is an in-store exclusive. I’m not sure if it will show up online again or not but you may need to track it down in stores like I did. It’s a stunning quad with a warm tan beige shimmer, an ivory shimmer, a dark blackened smokey brown-plum and a soft lilac shimmer. This is great for an everyday eye but the black shade is amazing for a smokey eye look.

Tissé Rivoli #226 is a neutral palette with warm neutral shades. It has a similar effect on me when I compare it to Poesie, but the Tisse Rivoli is slightly warmer and some of the shades are a tiny bit more sparkly. I don’t think you need both, but they are both really stunning.

Here they are swatched side by side, note that the shimmers are highly reflective so they look more shimmery in the photos than they are in real life. These were swatched with the sponge applicator:

I pulled a few other palettes to compare:

Fitting all the quads on one arm proved to be impossible so I have two sets of swatches. Comparisons show that Raffinement is very similar to Poesie and Tisse Rivoli:
Chanel Kaska Beige (discontinued)

Chanel Rives (discontinued)

Overall a huge thumbs up for both the new Les 4 Ombres in Poésie #234 and Tissé Rivoli #226. For those who like easy to use palettes with colors that are easy to combine these are perfect. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with larger palettes (although I do love them), having four coordinates shades makes life easier to create polished looks. I find both similar, Poesie gives me more of a smokey eye while Tisse Rivoli is more neutral but slightly more glitzy. I can’t choose between them.

Eight of the Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow are available now online at Nordstrom and Chanel.com. These should be arriving at your counters soon, I spotted these near me at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

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Eye Makeup NARS

NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows | Dione, Callisto, Himalia and Subra

July 11, 2014
I picked up four more NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows in Dione, Callisto, Himalia and Subra ($29 each). I’ve been using the more natural Europa and Andromeda on a regular basis for a natural glowy eye. The other shades in the line are more intense in color and sparkle. It was hard to narrow down my picks and I will probably pick up at least one more shade sometime in the future. All the colors are phenomenal in texture, pigment and lasting power. They have a sort of creamy finish but act like a powder. The texture makes these adheres well to to the skin and while I wouldn’t call them budge-proof, they last quite long without fading. 
  • Dione is a sparkly silvery taupe, it pulls very cool on my arm but on the lids it’s more neutral
  • Callisto is a very sparkly cool lilac champagne, it’s similar to Dione, but on me Callisto is more pinkish/lilac and paler in color
  • Himalia is a neutral warm and cool kind of gold, it has a warmish base but the shimmers are cool, on me it’s a neutral tan-nude golden color, it’s shimmery but not frosty
  • Subra is a dark purple, red, brown shimmer, it also has a subtle shimmer finish
Dione and Callisto are similar on my arm and in the pan but the difference is noticeable on the lids. Both have a high shimmer factor that borders on frost but aren’t too frosty. I was really happy to see that there was no fall out on the face during application or throughout the day. Himalia and Subra are shimmers as well but the shimmer is more subtle in finish.

Here they are swatched next to Europa and Andromeda. They are swatched dry with fingers.

Close ups of each shade show how they have a good base color and different colored shimmers. It gives these shadows a multi-dimensional look.

 
Some comparisons, two sets with:
MAC Coco Pigment (discontinued)
Tom Ford Platinum Cream Color (discontinued)

Chanel Magic Night Eyeshadow (discontinued)

Huge thumbs up. The Dual-Intensity shadows have a really smooth pigmented finish. They apply easily with fingers or a brush. I’ve found them extremely versatile – you can wear these alone with a liner, layered together, under or over powder shadows. The uses are really endless. Applying with a damp brush intensifies the color. Between Dione and Callisto, I prefer Dione because it has less contrast with my skin and therefore looks less frosty.
The Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows retail for $29 each. There are currently twelve color options and every color looks amazing. I bought mine from Nordstrom.
Have you purchased any yet? What are your favorite colors?
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Bronzer + Blush Urban Decay

Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palettes – Native and Streak

July 6, 2014

Earlier in the spring, Urban Decay released some new shades of their Naked Flushed Palettes ($30 each for 14g/0.49 oz). These are well-packaged face trio compacts with a bronzer, highlighter and blush. I’m a huge fan of their Naked Eyeshadow Palettes (#3 is my fav) and thought these had a lot of promise. I purchased Native (pink) and Streak (peach) in store at Sephora after reading an overwhelming number of rave reviews (4.5 stars out of 5 average rating with 600+ reviews).  
  • Native is a pink option with a medium-dark bronzer with a soft shimmer, a opal pinkish champagne highlighter and a matte pink blush
  • Streak is a warmer option with a lighter shimmery bronzer, a pale peachy shimmer highlighter and a stunning coral matte blush 
Swatching them in store on my hands revealed a soft well pigmented texture that seemed easy to blend. Testing at home with a variety of brushes has me less than pleased. I purchased these late May/early June and have been desperately trying to make these work for me.

The texture is finely milled and soft which is easy to pick up with brushes but the bronzer and blush are both very powdery resulting in a lot of debris/powder kick-up. They don’t show up well on lightly powdered skin. Right over foundation the color picks up more but the colors look muddy and look like they just sit on top of the skin. The highlighters are creamier in texture (although they are powders) and blends easily but the frost factor highlights imperfections and after softly applying on the cheeks, I suddenly have large visible pores. I’ve tried both with a large variety of brushes, cream highlighters, foundations, dewy cheek products as a base even. With the right amount of creamy base underneath I can get the bronzer and blush to apply ok sometimes (I like Tom Ford Fire Lust and Armani Fluid Sheer #3 or #10 the best), but I cannot wear the highlighter on the cheeks at all. That being said, the highlighters are pretty on the eyes. Half of the times I’ve applied these I ended up taking them off immediately after putting them on the face.

Photos and swatches:

Swatches side by side:

Closeups of each palette, up first is Native:

Streak

One last view, Streak (left) and Native (right):

I’m overall disappointed. I’ve tried numerous times to make these work, and with extra tweaking I can only make them work 1/2 the time. They look so beautiful in the compacts and when swatched on the hands or arms. On the face the pigment and texture don’t quite translate the same. Given the overwhelming number of rave reviews, I suspect I’m in the minority with my thoughts. I’ve mentioned in recent posts I’ve had skin issues and breakouts – my skin issues aren’t on the cheek area in case you’re wondering if it’s skin problems causing the issue in application. For additional reference, Temptalia has detailed thoughts on Native, Streak and Strip, my experiences are similar to hers.

Based on the price, packaging and convenience, if you’re at a Sephora or Urban Decay counter I think you should still give these a try. If there are clean brushes available, ask a makeup artist or sales associate to apply it on you.
If you’ve tried these, I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you have these which shade do you have and who do you apply them?
The Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palettes retail for $30 each. I found mine at Sephora. They come in four options, Naked, Native, Streak and Strip.
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Eye Makeup NARS

NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow | Andromeda and Europa

June 19, 2014
There’s been a lot of buzz about the new Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows ($29 each) from NARS. There will be twelve shades launching July 1st on narscosmetics.com (update, these launched this morning). These are a new dual-application formula where you can apply them dry for a sheer wash of color for a luminous glow or apply with a damp brush for more intense color. You can see all the shades listed at The Non-Blonde and swatched on Temptalia. There is a diverse range of options from natural barely-there colors to dramatic navy and black. I have half a dozen on my wishlist to check out when they officially launch. Today I have two of the neutral romantic shades to share with you, Andromeda and Europa.
Both of these shades are on the lighter neutral side. They have a lovely glowy sheen rather than an intense shimmer or sparkle. The texture is slightly creamy but they act more like a dry powder shadow. I found lasting power to be very good without any eye base. The dry finish helps these adhere well to the lids.

Andromeda is a pale ivory pink with golden shimmer. It has a lovely sheen in the shimmer which gives a really lovely all over wash to the lids. I suspect this one will go nicely with any of the darker shades. Pigment is easy to control, I was able to apply with my fingers and a brush for a nice soft wash of color. For my light-medium skin it gives a nice neutral wash of color giving the lids a nice highlighted glow. When you  hold this in the sunlight you can see how there is a slight multi-chrome finish to the shimmer which gives your lids some depth in the glow.

Europa is a medium neutral-warm peach pink with a pearl sheen. I’m at the right skintone where this one looks like a barely-there color. I can definitely see the color on the lids but it’s very natural making it a soft no-makeup kind of eyeshadow. It gives a hint of color to the lids and makes the eye glow. On either paler or deeper skintones this will be more visible. My skintone almost matches this one. Applying this with a damp brush intensified the color with more pink, but it’s still very natural looking. This one also has a good mix of cool and warm in it. I would say the base is a warmer pink-peach while the pearl has a cool-toned sheen. It’s not a pure duo-chrome but the combination of the base and shimmer gives it a very subtle duo-chrome effect.

Swatches applied with a damp brush and dry with my fingers:

I’ve been playing with these the past week. I like to layer them together, the pale Andromeda color first, then applying the darker Europa on top with a dense brush and packing it onto the lids. Add a simple black eyeliner and mascara and you have a super polished glowy lid to go with a dramatic bronzer or lip.

What I like about these is that they are not the typical high-frost pale shimmers. If you’re in want of dramatic color you might find yourself wanting more. The good news is that the Dual-Intensity line will have plenty of other dramatic shades to choose from. I personally love these for that no-makeup look for a no-fuss easy swipe and go application that gives the eyes a nice polished look.

A few comparisons to some other light pink neutral shimmers:
NARS Nepal Eyeshadow (one of my favorites)
Tom Ford Pink Haze Cream Color for Eyes (discontinued, swatched here)

One last photo, left is Andromeda, right is Europa:

First impressions are a thumbs up for this neutral makeup lover. I can’t wait until July 1st because there are so many other pretty dramatic shades that I can’t wait to check out. Update as of June 20th, the shadows are now available for purchase on narscosmetics.com, Lord & Taylor and Beauty.com. Have you been able to swatch or see the NARS Dual-Intensity Eye Shadows yet? Do you have any on your wishlist?

The Dual-Intensity Eye Shadows were provided courtesy of NARS for review consideration. For more information see my Disclosures.

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