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YSL Rouge Pur Couture + Bold High Pigment Lipstick Haul

November 6, 2023

Today’s the last day of the Sephora Savings Event! If you had anything on your wishlist today is the last day to save for Beauty Insiders! Use code TIMETOSAVE to take advantage of the 10% to 20% savings depending on your tier.

I hauled some of the new lipsticks from YSL Beauty and think the formulas are among the best they’ve launched. I picked out some of the new Rouge Pur Couture Caring Satin Lipstick ($45 each) and a few of The Bold High Pigment Lipsticks ($45 each, not new but there are new shades).

Rouge Pur Couture

above left to right: N1, N3, N5, N8 and N12

The YSL Rouge Pur Couture Caring Satin Lipstick is one of the best lipstick formulas I’ve tried. They are scented like the fruity lipsticks from YSL but it’s not quite as strong. I posted an Instagram Reel last week with a try-on haul of this formula and you girls seem to LOVE these tones! To me they are like a more pigmented less glossy version of the Rouge Volupte Shines. The new Rouge Pur Couture is creamy, smooth and opaque.

Based on the online swatches and stock photos, these look very different on me compared to what I see swatched online. N8 and N12 pull a lot warmer on me. Out of all of these I like N3 and N5 the best.

Also please keep in mind these may look very different on you if you’re cool or warm, lighter or darker. Neutrals are tricky with undertone and lip tone. I have a neutral golden undertone with pigmented lips.

N1 is a neutral beige nude
N3 is a pinky peach beige
N5 is a light cool pink
N8 is a warmer pink
N12 is a nude with slight mauve tones

Swatches on the lips, also wearing:

Foundation – Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 6.5 (review here)
Concealer – Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer Shade N6
Powder – Givenchy Prisme Libre Shade 3 (see it in action here)
Bronzer – Dior Forever Natural Bronzer Shade 5
Blushes – Armani Luminous Silk Glow Blushes 50 +51 mixed (swatches here)
Eyeshadow – Patrick Ta Major Dimension III Mattes (swatches here)
Brow – Benefit Precisely My Brow 2.5
Mascara – Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Nail Polish – Chanel Le Vernis in White Silk (holiday 2023 review here)

A lot of you wanted swatch comparisons to the Rouge Volupte Shine so I pulled what I still have to swatch for you below. Some of them have been discontinued and I don’t remember the shade names but I have listed the numbers. Also added a couple of the Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick.

Swatch comparisons:

The Bold High Pigment Lipsticks

I picked up a few of The Bold High Pigment Lipsticks and really love the formula. It’s a satin almost matte finish (not quite matte). Super opaque and full coverage. Shades are indeed bold and more on the dramatic side. 12 Nu Incongru looks like a soft pink online but it’s a bold cool pink and I kinda love it. 13 Nude Era is a neutral-cool tone beige nude and kinda makes me look like a corpse but if I added darker liner I think I could make it work. 1968 is described as a nude pink but it’s really more of a warm pink almost reddish.

I swatched 2 of them on the lips below.

Overall lots to love. If you like neutrals I think you’ll like some of the Rouge Pur Couture shades. They do have a slip to the texture and shiny finish so the lasting power isn’t going to be as long as The Bold High Pigment. Rouge Pur Couture does last longer than the Rouge Volupte Shines though.

I did a Sephora haul online and in store! I received most of the items (one package is still in transit) and while I won’t have time to test or review them before the sale is over, I’ll share them below. Some of the items have sold out or are only available in store but if you missed out not to worry – I think there will be plenty of great holiday sales coming up soon!

Haul Picks Linked

I’m pretty excited to try the new Huda beauty picks and the Urban Decay moondust shadows! Did you splurge on anything exciting during the Sephora sale? What did you pick out?

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I bought the lipsticks at Sephora. Also available at YSL Beauty, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

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Holiday Gift Guide Westman Atelier

Westman Atelier Holiday Sets 2023

October 31, 2023

I did a mini haul and picked up two items from the Westman Atelier Holiday launch. This year Westman Atelier has four limited-edition sets cased in a festive warm holiday red.

The four makeup sets include:

Clean Glow Trio I – Nectar, Biscuit, Petal ($75 each, minis)
Clean Glow Trio II – Brulee, Truffle, Dou Dou ($75 each, minis)
Les Étoiles Lip, Blush & Highlighter Edition Set ($160 for 3 full size new colors)
Petite Brush Collection ($350)

Clean Glow Trios

They brought back the Clean Glow Trio in two variations ($75 each) which I think is a great way to try three cream formulas. The minis are 2.5 g per stick while the full size options are 5 or 6 g each. I picked up the Clean Glow Trio II for the fun packaging even though I already own all the colors. Sets are SUPER mini in size but I think they give you enough product to really get a sense of how the product performs. They’re also great for travel.

I swatched the holiday set next to my existing stash to see if there were any variations in colors and there are. Colors are extremely close and variations are so slight you can’t really see them in photographs. Also since Westman Atelier products tend to run on the sheer natural side of pigment, once blended on the face I don’t think you can see any difference in the colors.

For those curious, my mini Dou Dou in this year’s holiday set pulls a little cooler toned than my other mini Dou Dou. I have 3 different Petal Blush Sticks and they all look just the slightest bit different in undertone. Also some of the Lit Up sticks in the minis look a bit lighter/sheerer in color compared to my full-sized options, but once blended color is so sheer you can’t really tell the difference.

Clean Glow Trio Set I has Nectar Lit Up Highlight Stick, Biscuit Face Trace Contour Stick and Petal Baby Cheeks Blush Stick.

Clean Glow Trio Set II has Brulee Lit Up Highlight Stick, Truffle Face Trace Contour Stick and Dou Dou Baby Cheeks Blush Stick. I’m wearing the Clean Glow II Set below with the Vital Skin Foundation Stick in VI, Patrick Ta Major Dimension III Matte Eyeshadow Palette and Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Ma Puce.

I really love these although I don’t think they will be for everyone. If you like minimal makeup pigment for a super natural look or love dewy emollient products these are for you! I know a lot of you are HUGE fans of the minimalist super dewy look.

However if have oily skin, these creams will most likely not last long on you unless you set with a powder on top. Also if you want bold color payoff and pigment, these will be too sheer.

Les Étoiles Lip, Blush & Highlighter Edition Set

I really loved last year’s Petal Edition Set and anytime there are new colors I’m instantly like YES PLEASE – SIGN ME UP. This year Westman Launched the Les Étoiles Lip, Blush & Highlighter Edition Set with all new limited-edition colors and a new blush formula. Swatches of the set next to other products/formulas with the same names.

The set has a new powder blush called the Baby Cheeks Powder Blush and she launched it in Petal. This pulls very similar to the cream version, but the powder pulls a little more muted and dusty in color. Pigment is beautiful! Right along the lines of Westman Atelier’s sheer style but it is buildable which I LOVE. I hope she launches every single product in a powder form eventually.

above Baby Cheeks Powder Blush in Petal

The set has a new Lit Up Highlight Stick in the shade Biscuit. I swatched it below next to her contour stick in Biscuit. Undertone is the same. The Lit Up Stick in Biscuit is a very sheer cool-toned flesh brown with a pretty sheen. It’s very sheer and gives the skin a natural glossy sheen.

above Biscuit Lit Up Stick on top of the Petal Powder Blush

We also have a new gloss shade in the Squeaky Clean Lip Balm formula called Nectar. This is almost identical to the Lit Up Stick in Nectar – sheer, luminous, soft and peachy. On my lips it’s very sheer but layered on top of a coordinating pencil and it’s perfection! I love it on top of Pat McGrath’s Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Nude Venus.

above just the Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Nectar

above Westman Atelier Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Nectar + Pat McGrath Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil Nude Venus

Overall vibe is natural looking, fresh, dewy and glowy. I love everything even though the items pull on the sheer side. I would really love if she increased the pigment by maybe 10-15% but I love what she’s created.

I’m really hoping she extends the colors in powder formula. I think it layers beautifully on top of the cream. I’m still waiting and wishing for her to launch lip pencils or lipsticks (or even a chubby stick).

I passed on her Mini Brush Set as I have a couple of her brushes and while they’re very well made, they’re just not my favorite. If you’re looking to splurge big on a brush set I think the Hourglass Travel Brush Set is a better buy. The brushes are full-size and I use them all the time (I bought it last year during the Sephora sale).

You can find these sets out now at all Westman Atelier retailers. Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Violet Grey and more. If you’re shopping the Sephora sale use code TIMETOSAVE to take advantage of the discount now through 11/6.

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Did you check out the new holiday sets? What did you think?

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Chanel

Chanel Holiday 2023 Collection

October 26, 2023

The Holiday 2023 Collection from Chanel has arrived and it is absolutely stunning. I’ve looked forward to Chanel’s holiday launch every year as they always go the extra mile to create something special and unique. The collection highlights a smokey eye with lots of bold reds for lips. They have a stunning highlighter compact, three new nail colors and a few neutral lip options too. Here is a look at what I’ve tested from this year’s holiday launch.

Duo Lumiere Illuminating Powder Duo

The Chanel highlighters never fail to impress, especially with their beautiful embossed patterns. This year they launched a Duo Lumiere Illuminating Powder Duo ($70). It’s a glimmering pink champagne and crystal white. The sparkle and shimmer is a bit chunkier than what we are used to seeing from Chanel but it’s beautiful and the sparkles look like what I think fairy dust would look like if it existed.

The colors seem similar to Tom Ford’s Moodlight but the texture and colors of the Chanel Duo are more modern and have more dimension while the Tom Ford offers more of a frosted glow by comparison.

Because it’s on the sparkly side there will be fallout from the brush when you apply, but once on the cheeks it stays put with pretty good pigment and coverage.

Look below wearing:

Foundation – Chanel Sublimage L’Essence de Teint in B40
Powder – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder B30
Blush – Chanel Joues Contraste Alezane
Highlighter – Chanel Duo Lumiere Holiday 2023
Eyeshadow – Chanel Lumiere Graphique
Lip Color – Chanel 31 Le Rouge in 1 Rouge Beige

Lumiere Graphique Eyeshadow Palette

For the eyes Chanel launched a 5-pan eyeshadow palette and I’m a huge fan of this style. I wish Chanel would launch more palettes like this! Lumiere Graphique Eyeshadow Palette ($88) has a beautiful sequins print on the surface. All the shades are shimmery and one is a sparkly glitter top coat shade. Texture is soft and pigment is easy to build and layer.

Overall tone pulls more on the smokey cool side. There is one peach shade which I suspect will show up more peach/gold on fair skin tones. On my medium tank skin (Chanel B40) it pulls more champagne. Shimmers are on the sparkly side so there is a lot of powder kick up with an eyeshadow brush. I didn’t experience any fallout on the cheeks when applying though except for a tiny bit with the glittery white topper.

Shades are stunning for a holiday smokey eye. I like the mix of the taupe, peach and olive gold to make it different from your standard grey/black/silver smokey eye palette. It does pull more cool-toned that I am used to wearing these days, but I think it’s beautiful.

Holiday Le Vernis

There are three Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colors ($32 each) this season. They fit the holiday smokey glam theme. 167 White Silk is a sheer creamy white (requires 3 coats for full coverage, but it’s worth the extra effort and dry time). 169 Tuxedo is a beautiful shimmering brassy gold. It’s very metallic and I love that the brush strokes are not visible, it applies very smoothly with 2 coats. 171 Sequins is a soft black with super fine silvery white sparkles suspended throughout. This one is also shown with 2 coats.

Holiday Lips

It seems like Chanel Beauty had a holiday party theme in mind when creating their lip colors this season. They repromoted a few shades of the Rouge Allure L’Extrait which I think is one of the best formulas out there. They’re slim and small but the formula is creamy, smooth, hydrating, and pigmented. 812 Beige Brut is my perfect everyday beige neutral (repromoted), 854 Rouge Puissant is an electric bold red (also repromoted), 857 Midnight Red is new with a metallic finish but it’s a flattering deeper red metallic.

Beige Brut

Midnight Red

They have two new Rouge Allure Laque shades this season. I have one in 90 Golden Beige ($45) which is a very metallic gold shimmer. On me this is best as a topper on a neutral lipstick. Alone it pulls a bit too frosty. I think the undertone of the color is beautiful – I would have loved to see this in a gloss, eyeshadow, highlighter or blush color.

That wraps up my Chanel Holiday 2023 review. I think everything is beautiful. The stand out to me is the Duo Lumiere Illuminating Powder Duo. I already own the Rouge Allure L’Extrait in 812 Beige Brut and I love it so much am already on my second tube (they are refillable). I rarely wear red lips but I think Midnight Red is beautiful.

For the nail colors I think White Silk is a really flattering shade of off-white. It does take a bit more work with the layering but I think the undertone is perfect. It’s creamy but not yellow. Tuxedo is beautiful. I think Sequins is a shade we’ve definitely seen before in a number of lines but I really like that the shimmer is visible on the nails in a subtle way that makes it glow.

You can find everything out now available at Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers. Have you checked out the holiday launch yet? What did you think?

Press samples provided for review from Chanel.

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Chantecaille

Chantecaille Holiday Precious Metal Collection 2023

October 23, 2023

Holiday beauty is here in full swing and today I have a look at the Chantecaille Precious Metal Collection for Holiday 2023. I picked up four of the items from the collection and have a review + swatches today. I believe everything is in limited-edition packaging although you can find the gloss shade in the regular standard packaging. I haven’t paid much attention to previous holiday collections so I’m not entirely sure if any of these are repromotes but they’re all new to me.

Precious Gold Illuminating Powder

Chantecaille launched a beautiful gold highlighter this season called the Precious Gold Illuminating Powder ($102). It has a super fine shimmer with a soft gold champagne glow. I think it’s just absolutely stunning – it blends beautifully on the skin for a flattering radiant look. Pigment is easy to layer and blend. The finish is very smooth and doesn’t emphasize pores. The color itself looks like it can be easily duped but I love the undertone and finish. I’m not in love with the price, even with the special limited-edition packaging. I do think it’s one I can see myself wearing a lot.

Above wearing:

Foundation – NARS Light Reflecting Foundation in Santa Fe
Powder – Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Setting Powder Shade 3
Bronzer – Chantecaille Bronzer in Sirena
Highlighter – Chantecaille Precious Gold Illuminating Powder
Eyeshadow – Chantecaille Radiant Gold Eye Shimmer in Gold Leaf
Eyeliner – Westman Atelier Eye Love You Eyeliner in Kohl Noir
Mascara – Westman Atelier Eye Love You Mascara
Lipstick – Chantecaille Lip Cristal in Rose Quartz

Radiant Gold Eye Shimmer in Gold Leaf

The one product that seems to have the most buzz is the Radiant Gold Eye Shimmer in Gold Leaf ($68). In the compact it has a stripe pattern with a pink and gold shimmer. The pink is an overspray and underneath you have a duo-chrome pink, gold, orange kind of shimmer. It has a stunning pink gold shimmer perfect for a party look.

I love a good sparkle topper shadow and have quite a few favorites that are even more glitzy than this one. For some reason I find this one a little too sparkly and glittery for my taste. It photographs beautifully and on camera it looks absolutely stunning. In real life it’s too glitzy for me, but I may be the only person who thinks this. Every review I’ve seen and read is glowing – so if you love a good sparkly pink gold eye look, definitely check it out at your local counter if you can.

Swatches below to some other Chantecaille Luminescent Eye Shades and also a couple similar options in cream format to the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eyeshadow in Incandescent and Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Sunlit Gold.

Lip Cristal in Rose Quartz

The Lip Cristal in Rose Quartz ($52) also has so much buzz it’s pretty much sold out everywhere. This one is a beautiful frosted mauve shimmer with a sparkling overspray on the exterior. It’s beautiful for sure and the color is pigmented and eye catching with the frost. I found this one too frosty for my taste and I’m can’t really pinpoint the exact reason why I’m not a fan of this on me. I think the metallic finish is a bit too sharp and harsh on my skin and lip tone. It reminds me of a cooler-toned version of MAC “O” Frost Lipstick. You can definitely soften the frost by adding a bit of gloss on top.

Brilliant Lip Gloss in Blithe

Last we have a look at the Brilliant Lip Gloss in Blithe ($40). This is available in the regular standard packaging for their gloss. It’s a very sheer milky pink with golden shimmer. It offers high shine with a smooth texture. Pigment is barely there but you can get a subtle milky pink glow with this.

Overall I think the collection offers a beautiful cohesive look for holiday. The stand out for me is the Precious Gold Illuminating Powder even if it’s not super unique and incredibly expensive. I think it’s very flattering in the undertone and shimmer.

The other items are beautiful, especially for any upcoming holiday parties or if you want to add some extra glam and sparkle to your life. For me the gloss pulls too sheer to justify the splurge. The lipstick is a pass for me. The eyeshadow is something I feel I can save for special dressy occasions but not a must for me.

Have you checked out the Chantecaille Holiday collection? What did you think? I’m curious to hear what you thought about the shimmers in this launch!

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I bought mine from Nordstrom. Also available at Chantecaille, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Soleil Neige 2023

October 17, 2023

For the holiday season Tom Ford launched their Soleil Neige 2023 collection featuring a new eyeshadow quad, two highlighters and three repromoted lip glosses. Everything is cased in their limited-edition holiday white and silver color packaging.

The theme feels like a winter wonderland theme with cooler tones and metallics. Today I have a look at the items for eyes and cheeks as it appears the lip glosses have not yet arrived in the US . The limited-edition packaging is available on pre-order at this time, although you can still find the colors in the standard gold/mahogany packaging.

Soleil Neige Eye Color Quad

The Soleil Neige Eye Color Quad in Lumiere D’Hiver ($90) is beautiful. It has a creamy almost velvety pigmented pale cream matte, a complex sparkling taupe topper, a neutral silvery shimmer and a deep cool black-brown matte. The quality and pigment of this quad is just outright stunning. The shimmers are very finely milled – the shimmer is almost glittery but there isn’t really that glitter texture as they feel more on the smooth side. The mattes perform so well, I wish every Tom Ford matte eyeshadow had this level of creamy opaque blendable pigment.

At first glance I was incredibly underwhelmed. In the pans these shadows looked like your standard grey, cream and brown. On the eyes and swatched on the arm the colors come to life, especially with the shimmers. The best way to wear them is to apply the matte cream all over and then the darker matte on the lids. Top with the shimmers and you’ve got the perfect smokey eye. Performance wise A+.

Swatched below next to Nude Dip for reference.

That being said I do think these colors are ones we’ve seen before in a number of brands. I think the Natasha Denona Glam or I Need a Nude Palette are better options for price and color variety but with similar quality.

Soleil Neige Glow Highlighter

There are two shades of Soleil Neige Glow Highlighter this season ($90 each). They’re multi-dimensional highlighters with an ultra-smooth glow that almost gives the skin a wet look effect with how glassy they shimmer is.

Photo swatches do not do these justice. Rose Irise is an iridescent icy pink that flashes an opal like shimmer depending on how the light hits. To my eye the color is very similar to the pink side in Peachlight Highlighter Duo. Also swatched next to Moodlight below.

Look below wearing:

Foundation – Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick in Natural 6.0
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder in Medium
Bronzer – Tom Ford Bronzer in Gold Dust
Blush – Dior Backstage Blush in Pink
Highlighter – Tom Ford Soleil Neige Rose Irise
Eyeshadow – Tom Ford Eye Color Quad Lumiere D’Hiver
Mascara – Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Brow Pencil – Benefit Precisely My Brow Shade 2.5
Lips – Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump in Rosebud
Nail Polish – Olive and June Quick Dry in Sandy

Gran Paradis is a soft pale gold champagne. Both are really beautiful – like take your breath away beautiful! I don’t know that I would call either must-haves though, especially at the steep price point. Also at this point I haven’t checked out any of the other holiday highlighters yet to compare.

Below with the gold Gran Paradis Highlighter just on top of the Tom Ford Gold Dust Bronzer (no blush added).

If you’re not a fan of the really metallic highlight these may be too glowy for you. I will say that I really like the smooth finish and texture (even if it is very glowy).

Overall beautiful and exceptional in quality. Must haves? I don’t think I can say they are. I am really happy with the splurges. They exceeded my expectations. Everything is very wearable which surprised me since I usually don’t wear cool tones.

If shimmers or cool tone greys aren’t your thing, Tom Ford also launched a few pieces in their Private Garden Collection with two eyeshadow quads, two pink satin matte lip colors, and a clear rose lip oil. I didn’t pick any of the pieces up but wanted to put them on your radar. They look really pretty!

You can find the Tom Ford Soleil Neige Collection out now. I bought mine from Nordstrom. Also available at Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and all Tom Ford Beauty retailers.

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Did you check out anything from Tom Ford’s recent launches? What did you think?

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Base Makeup Gucci Beauty

Gucci Beauty Multi-Use Long Wear Concealer

October 3, 2023

Gucci Beauty launched a new concealer called the Concentre de Beaute Multi-Use Longwear Concealer ($47 each). I really love the new formula it and did a demo on my Instagram in partnership with Sephora. A lot of you had questions about the formula and color selection so I wanted to review it in more detail and include an updated roundup of their base products.

Multi-Use Longwear Concealer

The new Gucci Multi-Use Longwear Concealer is a medium coverage concealer with a lightweight texture and natural finish. It has enough pigment to cover my freckles and even out the under-eye area but still looks like skin (just better). I really like the wear and how it sets If you watch my video here you’ll see how it blends in seamlessly to look like skin. I applied it with the Fenty Concealer Brush which I recently bought and love.

The new concealer comes in wide range of shades with different undertones. According to their shade breakdown:

C is for cool – skin rarely tans, with pink hues
N is for neutral – skin tans sometimes, with both pink and golden hues
W is for warm – skin tans easily, with yellow or golden hues

For a shade match I found Shade 34N to be my best match under the eyes. It’s neutral, medium and just the slightest bit lighter than my skin, but very close. I usually prefer concealers close to my skin tone rather than having something 2-3 shades lighter for under eyes.

I ended up ordering multiple colors, mainly because I wanted to try them and also swatch them for those who are my skin twins. I did try all six and my first pick 34N ended up being the best. I also really like 28C or 31W for brightening. 35W can also work as an exact match for spot concealing.

Some of the W shades pull more yellow/olive than others. 32W pulls very yellow while 31W and 35W both pull more golden/neutral. Out of the 2 C undertone shades they look consistently pink in undertone. I only tried one of the N neutrals so I’m not sure how the other neutral shades run, but 34N is indeed very neutral.

Wearing 34N below with their Glow Care Shine Lipstick in Sally Soft Honey.

Concealer is unscented and lasting power is pretty impressive. It did not crease or cake and I like that it sets on its own pretty well. The texture/pigment is similar to the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer with a slightly more matte dry down. If you need something more creamy and opaque this one may be too sheer for you in which case I’d recommend the Natasha Denona Hy-Glam, Givenchy or Tarte Shape Tape Radiant.

Swatches compared to:

Armani Luminous Silk Concealer in 6.5
Tarte Shape Tape Radiant Concealer in 35N
Dior Forever Concealer (the current formula) in 2.5N and 3N
Givenchy Prisme Libre Concealer in C305
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger
Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealers in N8 and N9

Luminous Matte Foundation

Gucci has launched several foundation formulas in recent years and the current formula available now is the Luminous Matte Finish Foundation ($69). My best match is 305N although it runs just a tiny bit light in color. I can make it work since it adjusts/oxidizes just slightly.

The next shade up is 310N and there is a pretty big gap (looks like at least 3 shades darker). This foundation has one of the best matte finishes I’ve tried. I typically do not like matte foundations because they often feel too thick and look flat. This one however has a really nice finish and great lasting power. I would wear this one more often if I had an exact shade match. I adjust this one with one by mixing in one of the Elf Halo Glow Filters (usually Shade 5 or 7).

It is floral scented which might be a deal breaker for those sensitive to fragrance in foundation. Luckily it did not irritate my skin. Before/afters below, also wearing the Gucci Satin Lipstick in The Painted Veil and Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Eyeshadow Palette.

Matte Beauty Powder

Gucci’s Matte Beauty Powder is cased in one of the prettiest compacts I’ve ever seen. There’s a compartment for a puff which I love. It’s described as “matte” but there are actually some shimmer particles in it but once applied on the face the shimmer isn’t really visible on the skin. I wear Shade 4 (seems to be discontinued now) or Shade 5.

It’s a nice powder but there are a few downsides. One is this is heavily fragranced. It’s not unpleasant but I find it on the strong side. The other is that it’s prone to hard-pan but this happens when there is oil on your powder brush whether it’s oil from touching your face or moisturizer residue or even your fingers.

I’ve managed to keep mine clean but I am really careful with what brushes I use. I’m a little OCD about having clean brushes and am constantly washing them so I almost always have a clean powder brush when I use this. Overall nice and performs well, but it’s not my favorite. I have used a few compacts up entirely and just bought a fresh one. I like it, but I think there are better formulas out there.

Brume de Beaute Mist

The Gucci Beauty Face Mist is another great product. It’s a multi-tasking product you can use to prep the skin or set your makeup. It’s a bi-phase formula with Black Rose Oil and hyaluronic acid. The top dispenses a super fine mist and feels super refreshing on the skin. I think it makes for a really nice luxurious splurge, but it does have a floral scent to it. If fragrance is a no-go for you I think the MAC Fix+ or Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Sprays are great options.

Multi-Use Illuminating Drops

Last but not least is another look at their Illuminateur de Beaute Multi-Use Drops. This is one of the prettiest liquid highlighters I’ve tried. It’s glowy with the perfect amount of pigment & glow for me. The color is a peachy champagne which I really love for medium/tan skin but I think it will work for any skin tone.

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That wraps up my Gucci Beauty Concealer review! If you’re around the same skin tone as me I hope you found the swatches helpful!

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Chanel Lips

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

September 27, 2023

Chanel launched a new lipstick called 31 Le Rouge ($195 each) inspired by their iconic address 31 Rue Cambon in Paris. There are 12 lipstick shades total packaged in a stunning re-fillable glass lipstick case that mirrors the Art Deco staircase in Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment. Each lipstick also comes with a quilted black case to protect the glass. This is one of the most luxurious lipsticks launched to date. Available now at Chanel.com.

Refills are available at $80 each but they cannot be used without the case (there is a lock/twist mechanism inside the base which needs the lipstick case to twist up).

So many of you have been asking me to review these. As a long-time die hard Chanel fan and collector I knew I had to purchase at least one. I ended up buying a few to try and today I’m sharing all of my thoughts after putting them to the test. First here is a look at all 12 shades.

1 Rouge Beige
2 Rouge Croisière
3 Rouge Roman
4 Rouge Flou
5 Rouge Premier
6 Rouge Imaginaire
7 Rouge Privé
8 Rouge Fétiche
9 Rouge Tailleur
10 Rouge Byzantin
11 Rouge Coromandel
12 Rouge 2.55

If you want a closer look at the display, case options and more I posted an Instagram Reel of the store displays and setup. We now have a Chanel Beauty boutique in Tampa so I stopped by to swatch all the colors since they are exclusive to Chanel.com and Chanel boutiques. In stores they have a boxed Coffret Set you can customize and pick a leather case (white, black or silver).

Here are my thoughts on the new lipstick:

Formula is truly exceptional. It’s the most exquisite formula I’ve ever tried. It’s the best classic satin lipstick formula I think that has ever been made. Texture is smooth and comfortable. They glide on the lips flawlessly. Pigment is opaque and rich. It adheres well to the lips. They’re softly scented with a floral scent but it’s modern and soft. They have Gardenia Oil and have pretty good lasting power.

Packaging is beautiful. The Chanel 31 Le Rouge cases are exactly what you’d expect from Chanel. Thick, weighted, sturdy, constructed like a work of art and with a magnetized cap. The glass resembles the super thick glass of tempered glass (like the duraclear glasses you find at Williams-Sonoma). I think the separate pouch is beautiful too.

The pigment is also really beautiful. They have a micronized pearl making them luminous on the lips, although only one has visible shimmer. The biggest downside in my opinion is the limited color selection – they have one lighter neutral and eleven bolds. While it makes sense that they focused primarily on classic reds, I wish they had launched more neutrals, soft pinks even some mauves. A handful of you told me the lightest shade was going to be too light for you and the second lightest option was straight up orange.

I ended up picking 5 shades to try and here are my thoughts on each of them.

1 Rouge Beige

1 Rouge Beige is the lightest shade and it’s a pearlescent beige. I love it although it’s pale and is a little bit on the sheer side (at least compared to all the other colors in the lineup). This shade reminds me of one of my favorite Tom Ford Lipsticks from my early days of blogging In the Buff and Pink Dune. It’s not as visible in photographs but in real life you can see it on the lips a lot better.

Makeup worn:

Foundation – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation B40
Powder – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder B30 (new formula)
Bronzer – Chanel Les Beiges Travel-Sized Healthy Glow Bronzer Shade 392
Blush – Chanel Joues Contraste in Jersey
Eyeshadow – Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Venitienne
Mascara – Chanel Le Volume de Chanel
Nail Polish – Chanel Le Vernis 165 Bois des Iles

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2 Rouge Croisière

2 Rouge Croisière looked promising as a healthy coral peach, but on my lips it’s really orange. It’s a vibrant coral that has a summery vibe. I do think you can tone down the color by lightly dabbing it versus swiping it on the lips.

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3 Rouge Roman

3 Rouge Roman is my second favorite shade. It’s nearly impossible for me to wear purples on the lips because I can never find the right undertone. Most are either too brown, too red, or too purple. I think this one has just the right mix to truly look like a plum/mauve on my lips.

_______

4 Rouge Flou

4 Rouge Flou is a bright warm red orange. Swatching it in store made me think it would be a warm coral but on my lips it definitely pulls more reddish. It’s so bright it is almost a electric neon kind of shade.

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10 Rouge Byzantin

10 Rouge Byzantin is a brown plum. There are 3 darker plum tones and they all looked really pretty in store. It was hard to narrow down my pick as the nuances between each of them are slight. I debated between Rouge Byzantin or Rouge 2.55 decided to opt for the one with more brown tones. It’s beautiful.

Are they worth the price? I really think this depends on your budget and personal preference. I had a chat with a few friends about the price recently – we talked about how some have no hesitation dropping $200 on a perfume, cashmere sweater, skincare etc, but not a lipstick or a makeup palette.

I don’t know that I will ever think a lipstick is worth a $200 price tag, but if you love Chanel or find a color you really love, I think the 31 Le Rouge Lipstick will make a beautiful collector piece. It will truly be a special splurge treat. The packaging is truly exquisite and formula is exceptional. Part of me wishes they had more neutrals or soft pinks, but I am happy to have at least 1 neutral.

Available at Chanel.com and Chanel Boutiques.

Did you check out the lipsticks? What did you think?

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