These Gloss Bomb Stix are scented just like the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer. They are one swipe wonders. Texture feels a little thick almost like a gloss so they’re definitely not weightless. They almost have a creamy balm feel.
I picked up the neutrals and love all of them except the lightest shade. I’ve found that most pale nude pink beige shades look very pasty on my lips, while warmer beige nudes seem to work better.
I think this formula is the best lip launch of the year so far. We finally have a new glossy lip formula with amazing pigment and color payoff!
Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner
The Fenty Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liners do not disappoint. Formula is very long-wearing. Once they are on my lips they do not budge. I love that they glide on easily with minimal tugging. Pigment is full coverage and smooth. My most-worn lip pencils are from Huda or Charlotte Tilbury these days so I swatched what I thought might be similar. I think the pigment and finish is similar to the Huda Beauty ones with the Fenty being just a little bit more thicker in feel.
I didn’t lip swatch the liners here but you can see Satin Panty in action here for a pretty lip combo. Overall solid A+ for formula, color and pigment.
Hourglass launched a new liquid blush in dropper format called the Unreal Liquid Blush ($36 each). They also added a new No 15 Blush Brush ($46) which is angled to go along with the new launch. The Hourglass team sent all the shades for review and I have swatches and a closer look today.
These Unreal Liquid Blushes are in a small bottle with a dropper at the top. To dispense there is a soft button at the base you press to dispense one drop. They recommend applying to the back of your hand and picking up product with the brush and applying in a stippling method.
Product is very pigmented but with some fluidity, so it is easy to blend and build. There are seven shades and I think the color range is very good. Tones are very flattering although most of them are on the warm side with 3 being peach/coral so if you prefer cooler tones these might be too warm.
Scene is a nude pink, this pulls very natural on my skin but still shows up
Whim is a bright pink, this one is my favorite
Vision is a warm rose
Moment is an orange
Future is a coral with a hint of pink
Imagine is a burnt orange
Craft is a berry
Formula is very easy to dispense without it overflowing. I also like how easy they are apply and blend. Another plus is these didn’t pull off my foundation or powder off when I blended it on top of my base. The Craft shade took a little more effort to blend smoothly since it has the most contrast with my skin tone. They remain dewy on the cheeks after blending but not as dewy as the Pat McGrath Divine Cream Blush.
The Unreal Liquid Blushes are described as being able to last up to 12 hours but this was not the case for me. While the color does stay on the cheeks for a while, after 3-4 hours or color faded on my cheeks and they looked more dewy than when I first applied it. I do think they will hold up better in cooler weather, but even in cooler weather I don’t see them holding up for a full 12 hours.
Looks wearing each blush shade with a coordinating lip color. For skintone reference I’m wearing the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5.
Scene Unreal Liquid Blush + Tide Unlocked Satin Lipstick + Sense Phantom Glossy Balm
Overall I love the colors even if there is one too many peach/orange tones (just my opinion though). I like that the pigment level is easy to control. Lasting power could be improved but that would mean they would have to alter the formula and finish to something less dewy.
The brush is very well constructed and works beautifully for blending. I really love the Hourglass brushes, I own quite a few in my collection and use them all the time. I do think you can use any one in your collection though.
If you’ve been curious about these I hope you found this review helpful!
Chanel launched two limited-edition makeup sets called the Chanel Makeup Takeaways. These sets have been put together by two different makeup artists Cécile Paravina and Valentina Li in collaboration with the Chanel Makeup Creation Studio. They’re fun and edgy each packaged in a collector’s box and both come with a pouch.
I picked up The Nature Getaway ($195) which features pink and coral tones. There is also another set called The City Break ($190). I have a look at the peachy set today.
The Nature Getaway includes:
Rouge Coco Flash in Bisous
Le Liner de Chanel in Heart Beat
Ombre Essentielle in Rose in Hand
Baume Essentiel in Morning Dew
Coral Pouch
My favorite item in the set is the Rouge Coco Flash in Bisous. It’s a sheer but bright coral with a bit of pink to it. I love the color and finish. The pigment is pretty good for this formula which tends to be on the sheer side. I wish they made this one part of the permanent line. It’s fresh and bright but not too bright.
There are two eye products in the set. I am not one who wears colorful eye liners so I didn’t really expect to like the Le Liner de Chanelin Heart Beat. I did try it alone and immediately felt the need to add my usual brown/black shadow liner on top. I’ve added a swatch but am not wearing it in the photos below. It’s fun and different, just not something I can pull off. I would have LOVED this shade in a gloss format or nail color.
Ombre Essentiellein Rose in Hand is a peachy coral base with multi-colored sparkle glitter flecks. If you apply with a fluffy brush you’ll get a softer peach. I applied with a dense brush over a primer and the primers pick up a lot more pigment for a darker peachy orange finish. You can see the glitter once on the lids but it’s not glaring. I think this would also make a pretty blush shade.
There’s a new Baume Essentiel in the set called Morning Dew. It looks coral peachy pink in the tube but on my skin it’s nearly clear with a light pink sheen. Not a must-have in my opinion since it’s so sheer and has a similar effect to the other baume essentiel sticks, but still very pretty on the lips.
Chanel Beauty added some new fun colorful items in their Summer 2024 Collection. I checked out everything at my local Chanel Beauty Boutique a couple weeks ago and had fun swatching everything. I picked up a few items and love every single thing.
The overall collection is very different from what we’ve seen lately from Chanel and I love it. They created some really beautiful multi-dimensional colors for the eyes and cheeks. I wish they had launched coordinating new lip colors but it looks like for this launch it’s newness for eyes, cheeks and nails.
Jardin Imaginaire Blush and Highlighter Duos
The stars of this launch are the Blush and Highlighter Duos ($75 each). They’re stunning and are SO much prettier on the skin compared to what you see in the compacts. These are have the same texture as the duo from 2021. There is a soft satiny matte side and a silky highlighter.
Light and Berry was another surprised. At first glance I thought they would 100% be shades I would never wear. The mauve fuschia blush swatches very bright with a dense brush but it’s sheer-medium in pigment and blends out much better on the face. The opal pink highlighter almost flashes lavender and adds the prettiest glow. I love this on the cheeks or the eyes. Below wearing Light and Berry on the cheeks, Stylo Ombre et Contour Celestial Pink, Victoria Beckham Beauty Satin Kajal Eyeliner in Black, Baume Essentiel Scintillement on the Lips.
Summer 2024 has Moonlight Kiss which is a soft champagne gold with a bit of peach and Solar Glow a bronzed copper shimmer. These perform true to the Chanel Baume Essentiel standards: glowy, balmy, lovely shine. I really can’t pull these off on the cheeks in Florida heat and humidity but I know lots of you are HUGE fans of the dewy glow. I do really like these in the cooler climates or on the lips.
Chanel added a new shade Scintillement which looks really similar to the Mermaid Glow from Spring 2024. I received tons of feedback from many of you that you heard Scintillement is really just Mermaid Glow renamed and in permanent form. In store the Sas swatched them side by side and I wish I captured a photo because I saw distinct differences in store but it could have been the lighting. I pulled both at home and I really cannot tell the difference when swatched. They have slight differences in the base but the sparkle and effect looks the same.
I think both are stunning. I am amazed that Chanel was able to create something sparkly without any texture or gritty feel. I kinda wish the sparkle was more visible on the skin, but I think it’s beautiful.
There are lots of new fun shades of the Stylo Ombre Et Contour ($38). I own quite a few of these and love the darker ones for liner or matte ones for an all over lid shade. I never ended up using many of the lighter colors since they pull on the sheer side. I picked up Celestial Pink which is a glittery pink that flashes violet and pink. On my bare lids it matches my skin tone so closely it doesn’t show up, but when layered with any powder shadow it transforms into a brighter iridescent glow. 100% love. I do wish it was in powder form though as I really love the new Chanel powder shadow singles.
I also loved Attaya and Ecorce in store but decided to think about them for a while.
Summer Le Vernis
There are three new Le Vernis ($32) shades. All three are absolutely stunning. I picked up two in Songe D’Ete (opal pink shimmer) and Faun (pretty cream brown). I passed on the green Reveuse since I’m not really into greens, but the SA swatched it in store and the shimmer is breathtaking. Wearing the shades I hauled, both with 2 coats.
Overall very different from what we usually see from Chanel but I love what they created. The Summer 2024 collection is fresh, unique and fun. I’m 100% happy with all my splurges even though I won’t be using the baumes on the cheeks (they’re lovely on the lips).
I really love these. Colors for every single shade I tried is absolutely stunning. Formula is creamy and easy to apply with a matte finish. They glide onto the lips without any tugging and the coverage is smooth and opaque. Once they set on the lips they have impressive lasting power and these are among the few lip products that don’t transfer to my teeth at all. They’re not 100% transfer-proof but the transfer to a cup or napkin is minimal once it sets on the lips. I also like that they feel relatively weightless on the lips which is a huge plus especially in hot summer months.
I do wish they were in a twist up formula or came with a sharpener, but for a matte lip formula I really do like these. They can look a little dry if you have dry lips, but this can be fixed with a lip balm or primer. If you haven’t tried the MAC Prep + Prime Lip Primer I think you need to. It is the best lip primer that helps smooth the lip surface, adds a light veil of moisture and really helps lipsticks go on smoother without feathering.
Shades are all on point – I think I can see myself wearing every single color (except the red though, since I rarely wear reds). Some of the neutrals look similar swatched on the arm but on my lips there’s a clear difference in undertone. The darker shades will stain the lips but the lip primer is really good in preventing the staining.
Nude Venus is a light cool nude pink
Coralust is a neutral peachy pink
Divine Rose is a warm mauve rose
Naked Seduction is a warm dusty rose
Nude Oasis is a warm brown rose
Flesh3 is a mahogany rose brown
Garnet Glow is a deeper wine shade
Belle Amour is a cool-toned berry with some fuchsia vibes (this color looks like it’s only available at Pat McGrath online, I like the Lip Fetish Balm color version of Belle Amour a lot more)
OBSESSED! is an electric bold orange red
I lip swatched most of the shades below, also wearing:
Overall love. I’m usually not a fan of matte lips but I like the colors and lasting power of these shades. I would say my top 3 are Coralust, Nude Seduction and Divine Rose.
Natasha Denona launched two beautiful palettes and a gloss in her Golden Collection for summer. I shared quick swatches on Instagram earlier this week and after playing with everything I have more thoughts + a few beauty looks today.
Golden Eyeshadow Palette
The Golden Eyeshadow Palette ($69) is definitely the star of the collection. She created an updated version of her original Gold Palette and I love it. The new Golden Palette is more neutral making it easier to wear for everyday. Her mattes in this palette are UNREAL in the texture! Colors vary in finish from mattes, metallics, sparking wet effect shades, and shimmers. Pigment is excellent across the board. She has the best descriptions for each shade so I’m going to reference her exact descriptions below:
I love this updated version although on my medium skin a few of the gold shimmers look very similar on my eyes. I would have loved it if she added a few more darker mattes or a deeper intense bronze for more contrast although I understand the theme is “gold” so I can appreciate all the different undertones in each gold shade. Aura is the one that surprised me the most because it looks almost white in the pan but transforms into a stunning white gold.
There’s a new highlighter palette called the Golden Highlighter Trio ($55). It has a super soft texture with super smooth finish. The shades pull very metallic for that intense foiled glazed look but the pigment and finish is very easy to control depending on how you apply to the face. You can apply lightly for a softer look, but it can also pull very metallic with a dense brush.
I’m not sure this will be for everyone. I know many of you are not fans of intense shimmers as they tend to emphasize texture or pores. This one pulls very smooth on the skin but I had to use a very light hand. I love the shades on the eyes.
Overall stunning and beautiful for that signature Natasha Denona Glow. Not a must-have for me as I already own so many other golden highlighters that look similar but it’s very beautiful.
Golden Glimmer Gloss Shimmering Lip-Plumper
The Golden Glimmer Gloss Shimmering Lip-Plumper ($29) is a smooth clear gloss with golden shimmer suspended throughout. On me it’s pretty much clear and it has a subtle tingle to it. The tingle is pretty minimal on my sensitive lips and it’s not numbing or stinging. The plumping effect is definitely noticeable. On my lips it almost looks pink, it’s not color shifting at all (it remains clear) but for some reason the day I swatched this my lips were really pink in undertone. Formula is smooth and not sticky. I think it would be a nice topper to add shine, but the shimmer is so subtle, it’s pretty much just like a clear gloss on my lips.
Overall I really love what Natasha has been creating since day one. Even though I can’t pull off the tones in all of her palettes or lip colors, I think the quality has always been exceptional and I truly appreciate all the thought she puts into each launch and she is truly an artist. I feel like this level of creativity and dedication to quality and innovation has been lost among most of the beauty brands today which makes me appreciate her brand even more.
I also really love her tutorials on herself and other models on her social pages. She really gives us so much inspiration on how to apply the products in action and on different skin tones.
I stopped by my local Chanel Beauty boutique over the weekend to restock some of my favorites. A lot of you asked to see a more detailed look the haul and I also received a few things in PR that I wanted to share a look at.
If you have a free-standing Chanel Beauty boutique in your area I highly recommend visiting one! They stock many items you can’t find easily at other retailers. Beauty boutiques have the entire fragrance lineup from the Les Eaux de Chanel, Les Exclusifs, body oils and they also have a very good selection of Eyewear. Occasionally they have stock small leather goods and pouches but they sell out very quickly.
I love shopping at these boutiques since the staff has always been very friendly and very knowledgeable about the entire line. There are a few beauty boutiques in Miami that I always love visiting and one recently opened up in Tampa near me.
I really love the Chanel cleansing line and I am obsessed with the L’Huile Anti-Pollution Cleansing Oil ($55). No matter what else I try, I keep going back to this one. The texture is silky smooth, it emulsifies really well with warm water and doesn’t strip the skin once rinsed.
I also love their Gel-to-Oil cleansers. They are similar to a cleansing oil or balm, but in gel form so it’s not as messy/runny when you apply. Once you massage it turns into an oil and dissolves your face makeup. They keep discontinuing my favorites from the Le Blanc line but still make it in the Sublimage formula called the L’Huile-en-Gel De Demaquillage Ultimate Comfort and Radiance-Revealing Gel-to-Oil Cleanser. This is also phenomenal.
Makeup Restocks – Rouge Coco Baume
I restocked a few lip balms. You girls know I love the Rouge Coco Baume formula ($45) – I restocked two shades in Chilling Pink (review and on the lips here) and My Rose (on the lips here). I think every single shade in this particular formula is beautiful.
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation
I restocked my favorite foundation in two shades: Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation ($65) in BD41 and BD51. These have a golden undertone which is best for me although the new BO olive range works well too. Formula-wise this is my favorite foundation from Chanel. It has medium coverage, lightly hydrating but not too much, color range is extensive and they have multiple undertone options. I swatched the shades I have below in B40, BD41, B50 (the No 1 de Chanel formula), BD51 and BO53.
Chanel launched new single eyeshadows in the Ombre Essentielle Long-wearing Eyeshadow ($40) and also in a Multi-Use Top Coat ($40). I’m usually more of a fan of palettes than singles but I swatched them in store and was REALLY impressed with the pigment and textures. The shimmers are almost creamy to the touch with how velvety smooth they are and the pigment is stunning! Mattes are exceptionally smooth but some have a very tiny bit of shimmer for a little depth.
I bought one in the Top Coat Blanc Perle which is an opalescent kind of smooth shimmer. It’s like a pink opal color with a soft almost creamy feel. It transforms other shadows to make them look more dimensional.
Yesterday a PR package arrived with a few more shades that I have swatched below and lucky me they are actually the ones I had my eye on from my swatch session in store. Rose Charnel is a matte soft warm coral rose, Brun Fauve is a matte warm brown, Quartz Fume is a shimmery bronze almost khaki taupe. I swatched the mattes with the top coat on top too.
The Les Eaux de Chanel Paris-Biarritz ($113 for the travel size) is one of my all time favorites. It’s been a favorite for years as I’m a lover of anything with a fresh citrus vibe. It has a beautiful mix of Sicilian mandarin and lily of the valley. To me the citrus notes are dominant and the floral notes are really subtle but strong enough to round out the mandarin and soften the overall feel. I love that it comes in a travel size so I can bring it with me in my tote on-the-go or for travel. I also love Paris-Riviera which is another citrus, but a little brighter and sharper.
I smelled all four of the new Exclusifs Body Oils and they are pure luxury in a bottle. I think Beige is the best followed by Gardenia, 1957 and then Coromandel. I tried the 1957 oil in store and the scent lasted for hours on my skin well into the evening. The formula of these oils is very good. It has the perfect texture and they aren’t thick or sticky feeling. If I didn’t already have Gardenia I would have purchased Beige but these bottles are so big it will take me forever to use one up.
I have a preview of the No 5 L’Eau Eau de Toilette Drop ($155) which officially launches on the 13th. The PR team sent over their latest fragrance launch which is their classic No 5 L’Eau packaged in a special limited-edition round case similar to the hand creams, but in a clear bottle. It’s a crisp clean scent I think is well suited for the summertime heat. It’s a fresh crisp clean scent that is a floral citrus + aldehydes. It has a beautiful blend of lemon, mandarin, orange, rose, jasmin, ylang-ylang, vetiver, cedar, musk. I think it is beautiful! (on the nails above is Bois des Iles which I think might be discontinued, but Rouge Noir is similar).
Last but not least is a look at the new Exclusifs in Comete ($325 – $500). This is a beautiful soft powdery floral with cherry blossom, iris and heliotrope. It has a powdery feel but the cherry blossom adds sweetness to it. It’s airy and light. On me the lasting power is very long and strong. It’s very different from what I usually gravitate towards but it’s fresh and soft with a feminine vibe.
For those asking, here is the beauty breakdown of what I am wearing in my Chanel Beauty haul reel:
