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By Terry

By Terry Summer Collection 2020

April 15, 2020

By Terry Summer 2020

I’m so excited to share a look at the By Terry Summer Collection today! I received a few pieces as press samples and immediately ordered the remaining items online to try everything. If you like glowing luminous makeup, I think you’ll love what she launched for summer. There are a few skincare items as well that are part of the new product lineup which I haven’t tried yet but am dying to. Today’s post focuses on the makeup launches.

Brightening CC Palette in Sunny Flash

By Terry Brightening CC Palette in Sunny Flash

The Brightening CC Palette is a truly stunning glow palette with 2 highlighters, one luminous blush and a bronzer shimmer. The colors in the palette have a soft blendable texture. Everything is luminous and glowy but in a smooth non-frosty way. I do think the shades are different than the previously launched Brightening CC Powders, although they have some similarities. Palette colors are not labeled on the compact but according to the website, the shades include:

  • No 1 Champagne Blush a soft beige yellow shimmer (this is a tad more yellow than the Brightening CC Powder in Apricot Flash
  • No 2 Pink Petal is a soft glistening pink with tiny super fine micro sparkles (this one one warmer and deeper than Brightening CC Powder Rose Elixir)
  • No 3 Vibrant rose is a perfect fresh rose pink shimmer
  • No 4 Desert Sparkle is a soft golden bronze shimmer (more shimmery and slightly more golden than Brightening CC Powder Sunny Flash)

I would describe this as a softer variation of my beloved Becca Chrissy Teigen Palette (now discontinued). The By Terry Brightening CC Palette is versatile in the sense you can wear it on its own if you want an all over glow. Or you can layer onto your regular blush/bronzer for just a subtle highlight.

By Terry Brightening CC Palette in Sunny Flash

By Terry Brightening CC Palette in Sunny Flash swatches

Beauty breakdown below wearing:

By Terry Brightening CC Palette in Sunny Flash Makeup look

 

By Terry Summer 2020 CC palette

Brightening CC Blush in Rosy Flash

By Terry Brightening CC Blush Rosy Flash

The Brightening CC Blush in Rosy Flash is a new formula in the By Terry lineup. It has a similar concept to the Brightening CC Serums in the sense that it has the same Optical Glow technology they use in their formulas. The Brightening CC Blush is essentially a sheer luminous liquid blush. It’s very natural on my medium skin. I can layer for more color, but blending it out gives a barely there glow. One pump is more than enough to apply to the cheeks. I find that if I could truly measure it, I’d probably say I only need 1/2 a pump to apply the product.

Living in humid Florida I don’t know how this will last once we are back in the outdoors on a regular basis. It doesn’t really have a powder dry down. It remains slightly dewy but not too dewy.

Straight out of the pump vs blended:

By Terry Brightening CC Blush Rosy Flash

Below same base/eye makeup as the above photo. Cheeks just have the Rosy Flash Brightening CC Blush. Lips are the Sisley Phyto Lip Twist in #2 Baby.

By Terry Brightening CC Blush Rosy Flash

 

Ombre Blackstar

By Terry Ombre Blackstar New Shades Immaculate Light, Rose Elixir and Sunny Flash

The Ombre Blackstars are among my favorite cream shadow sticks. There isn’t anything on the market quite like the ones from By Terry. They have the most beautiful pearl quality with high shine and gorgeous pigment. There are three new shades listed as limited-editions but I hope they consider adding them to the permanent lineup because I LIVE FOR these kinds of colors!

  • Immaculate Light is the perfect champagne shimmer with a tiny hint of peach
  • Rose Elixir is a light cool-toned pale rose shimmer
  • Sunny Flash is the perfect golden bronze

If you can wear shimmer on your eyes I think these are hands down must-haves. They have an emollient blendable texture long enough to blend or layer on the lids. Once they set they are pretty much budge-proof.

By Terry Ombre Blackstar Summer Shades 2020

Swatches to other colors:

By Terry Ombre Blackstar swatches

Tea to Tan Face and Body

By Terry Tea to Tan Set

Last but not least is By Terry’s cult classic Tea to Tan Face and Body Spray. It’s now available in a duo set and travel size. I don’t typically use self-tanners on the face because I have sensitive skin and feel I can only tolerate some on the body. Also many have a slightly thick feeling or leave a film on the skin which I don’t like. This is the first one I’ve tried that I really like.

There is a very fine gold shimmer in the bottle which mixes into the liquid when you shake it up. The full size comes with a spritzer while the travel size does not. For the full size I spritzed product on a brush and then applied to areas I want more color.

Once it’s on the skin I am pleased to report I didn’t experience any color transfer to the clothes. It stays put pretty well. It has a lovely summery scent I can’t put my finger on. It almost smells like gardenia and tiare maybe?

Overall I think the collection offers some really lovely products to brighten one’s look and certainly one’s mood these days. While you might find similar options in your current stash, I do think the CC Palette is really lovely and one I’ll be reaching for frequently this upcoming season. I can’t get enough of the new Ombre Blackstar colors, hoping they’ll be permanent because they’re truly lovely!

You can find the By Terry Summer 2020 Collection available now online at By Terry. I ordered a few things from their website and shipping was relatively fast. They also have some nice deluxe samples with purchase (there are different options depending on how much you spend). A few items have started to appear online at Beautylish and Space NK.

 

The By Terry Brightening CC Palette and Ombre Blackstar Eyeshadows were provided for review. Other items purchased by me.

 

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Chanel

Chanel Les Beiges Summer of Glow 2020

April 13, 2020

Chanel Les Beiges 2020

Chanel launched their 2020 Les Beiges Collection and I finally have swatches of everything I hauled today! A few of their classics have been reformulated and repackaged in this collection. The entire vibe of this year’s Les Beiges is true their classic line but with a slight summery twist. If you like a natural glow there are some nice options in this collection. I ordered everything except one of the polishes (which I skipped):

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Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream 390

The cult classic Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Cream has been discontinued and replaced with the new Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream. The question you all want answered is: are they the same or is it completely different? I’ve seen a few other reviews on the new version. Some say it’s performs the same, others say it does not. The ingredients are different but performance and color-wise I feel they are the same. On my skin there’s no detectable difference in color. Texture is the same – creamy, soft, easy to blend, has a semi-matte dry down. It is on the warm side. I really hope they add some other shades in the future like a cooler tone bronze or perhaps ones with shimmer! For those who did not know, Chanel started adding ingredients to their product pages. Simply scroll down to the area you see tabs like, Description, Ingredients, Reviews, Q&A etc. They have their current ingredient list there! This one right now has:

DIMETHICONE | HYDROGENATED COCONUT OIL | SILICA DIMETHYL SILYLATE | SILICA | POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE | PARAFFIN | PHENYL TRIMETHICONE | METHYLPROPANEDIOL | SYNTHETIC WAX | KALANCHOE PINNATA LEAF EXTRACT | HYDROGENATED MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX | CAPRYLYL GLYCOL | PARFUM (FRAGRANCE) | PHENYLPROPANOL | LECITHIN | TOCOPHEROL | ASCORBYL PALMITATE | GLYCERYL STEARATE | MALTODEXTRIN | GLYCERYL OLEATE | CITRIC ACID | BHT | [+ / – (MAY CONTAIN) | CI 77007 (ULTRAMARINES) | CI 77491, | CI 77492, | CI 77499 (IRON OXIDES) | CI 77891 (TITANIUM DIOXIDE) | MICA] | IL45B-I

Bottom line, if you have the original (which I still have and find it lasts a LONG time) I don’t think you need the new one. For cream bronzer application, you can use a number of different brushes in your collection. I alternate between the Chanel Angled Foundation Brush (older version, FYI it looks like all the brushes have been revamped slightly on their website), Fenty Brush 115, Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Complexion Brush or the Hourglass Vanish Foundation Brush. The best budget-friendly one I’ve tried is the Real Techniques Expert Face Brush 200 (reviewed here).

If you find the Chanel color too warm you might want to check out the Milk Makeup Matte Bronzer Stick in Baked (it’s cooler toned and slightly darker).

Original Soleil Tan de Chanel vs New Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream 390

Original Soleil Tan de Chanel vs New Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream 390

On the face, beauty breakdown:

Quick note this is meant to be a face swatch, with normal wear I would blend out the bronzer more like a traditional bronzer/contour product to warm up the face.

Chanel Les Beiges Soleil Tan Bronze Universel 390

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Sheer Healthy Glow Highlighting Fluid

Chanel Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Highlighting Fluid Review

There are two Les Beiges Sheer Healthy Glow Highlighting Fluids similar to the older Soleil Tan de Chanel Sheer Illuminating Fluid. The product has been repackaged with a pump + cap similar to that of the Le Blanc Rosy Light Drops. There are 2 shades in Pearly Glow and Sunkissed, both are sheer as the product name implies.

Pearly Glow is a new color that is a sheer champagne gold and Sunkissed is similar the original which is a sheer soft beige tan shimmer. Both have a very lightweight fluid texture that is thin and easy to blend/layer. On my skin they apply very sheer. Out of all the liquid highlighters I own these are among the most natural looking and on my medium tan skin from a distance they look very similar when on the face.

Below left wearing Pearly Glow over the Soleil Tan Bronze Universel Cream Bronzer. On the right wearing Sunkissed on top of the cream bronzer. Foundation shade right now is the Chanel Ultra Le Teint Velvet in B40 (I wear B50 in the summer). I pump 1-2 pumps of the highlighter on the back of my hand and dab in my fingers to apply or use a foundation brush. I used the Tom Ford Foundation brush here. You can definitely mix it in with foundation to add glow to your base.

Chanel Les Beiges Sheer Highlighting Fluid in Pearly Glow vs Sunkissed

I think these are nice if you want a subtle highlight on the cheekbone. Once they’re blended on the skin they sheer out quite a bit! If you want more shimmer or pigment, opt for any of the others I swatched below.

Liquid Highlighter Swatches from Chanel, Tom Ford, By Terry and Marc Jacobs

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Healthy Glow Illuminating Powder

Chanel Les Beiges 2020 Healthy Glow Illuminating Powder

Above Sand and Sunset

The new Les Beiges Healthy Glow Illuminating Powders are soft luminous powders that offer the skin a very subtle glow but with color. Sand is a highlighter on me. When applied with a loose brush I can apply all over kinda like a setting powder with glow. With a denser brush it adds a very subtle lit from within glow. Below worn on just one side so you can see the difference. Wearing Sand below:

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Illuminating Powder in Sand

Sunset is a warmer bronze color that looks like a soft warm bronzer with a hint of gold shimmer. This one is really nice to warm up the complexion.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Illuminating Powder in Sunset

Both have the same scent as all the other Les Beiges powders. They have a beautiful embossed rope pattern on the surface adding a lovely touch! Texture is soft and easy to blend. Long-time Chanel lovers will know that the 2019 Les Beiges powders from last year were stiff in texture (which I did not mind but many of you did not like). The 2020 versions have a softer texture making it easier to pick up product.

Chanel Les Beiges 2020 Swatches

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Healthy Glow Lip Balm

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Lip Balm in Warm

There is one new shade of Les Beiges Healthy Glow Lip Balm this season in Warm. It’s a sheer warm peachy coral shade. Looks bright in the tube, swatches sheer on the hand, applies somewhere in between on the lips. Warm is a nice healthy summer color. I was hoping for a softer cantaloupe peach to be launched, maybe next year!

Swatches next to the other existing colors. If you want the lip swatches, you can check out my posts from past years. Light/Med/Deep on the lips/face in the 2018 Les Beiges review. Intense worn in the 2019 Les Beiges review.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Lip Balm Swatches

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Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette

Chanel Les Beiges 2020 Eyeshadow Palette Warm

I have mixed feelings about the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette in Warm. This palette has a very soft texture. Powders are very finely milled and soft with a delicate finish. When layered together on an emollient base the colors show up nicely. I do have to apply the brown with a slightly damp brush for it to show up on my skin. Applying the colors on dry lids made them all look like a sheer wash of peach. I do realize the Les Beiges collection is supposed to give a barely there glow, but the palette runs a bit sheer.

It’s workable and I do think it is lovely, I think colors will show up better on lighter or deeper skin with the contrast. The first two times I applied this I felt a slightly itchy sensation from the powders. I feel that the powdery debris and kick up fell into my eyes and caused some irritation. Luckily I did not have an allergic reaction! Adding an emollient cream shadow base underneath helps keep them in place on the skin better (at least for me, I have dry lids).

Colors include a sheer satiny beige, soft blurred brown, shimmery coral peach, soft lighter peach shimmer and a sparkly champagne.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Eyeshadow Palette in Warm

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Le Vernis

Chanel Le Vernis in Cruise

Last is the Le Vernis in Cruise. There are two shades which seemed like your standard orange and red polishes. Pretty, not entirely unique, and in my mind not must-haves. I decided to pick up the orange one Cruise which is almost identical to the older discontinued Mirabella. The difference is slight and barely noticeable. Mirabella has a tiny bit more blue undertone. Cruise is a cream. It’s bright orange and I can get full coverage with 2 coats. I have a feeling Cruise is close to Orange Fizz but I searched all of my boxes and it appears I no longer have it to compare. To date I still think Chanel’s best orangey shades were Holiday, Sea Whip and Resplendissant.

Chanel Cruise vs Mirabella vs Holiday

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Chanel Les Beiges 2020 Collection Review

Overall a lovely collection adding some sunshine and beauty into my life right now! I think there are a lot of natural glow products that are easy to wear and perfect for the conservative makeup-lover. That being said I do think there is a lot of summer beauty newness on the horizon so you might want to wait and see what launches from other lines.

The best products to me are the Healthy Glow Illuminating Powders and Highlighting Fluids. I think they’re nice additions to my daily makeup routine. I do think the Highlighting Fluids might not be for everyone since they are very sheer. I do love the new Les Beiges Healthy Glow Bronzing Cream – to me it’s nearly identical to the original in color and performance. Since I already own the original and still have a lot left I don’t think it’s a must-have for me.

If I were to do my purchase over again I would have skipped the nail polish. Also while I love both of the highlighting fluids, I don’t think I needed both since they look similar on my medium skin. I would have picked just one although trying to figure out which one is better is difficult as they’re both lovely.

You can find the Chanel Les Beiges collection available now at Chanel.com. Have you checked it out yet or ordered anything? What did you think?

 

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Laura Mercier Roundup

Best of Laura Mercier

April 6, 2020

Best of Laura Mercier

Today I’m doing a best of roundup of one of my favorite makeup brands Laura Mercier. I have swatches of the new Caviar Stick Eye Colors and thought it might be a good time to do an updated round up of my favorite everyday makeup staples from the line. I get asked for my everyday makeup staples quite frequently and I’ve done several with a mix of brands. Some of you have asked for round ups by brand so I’ve decided to start with Laura Mercier. I’ve used them for years and even through numerous reformulations and revamps still find I use something from the brand almost daily.

If you like classic easy to wear looks and are in search of makeup staples I’m rounding up my favorites today.

Foundation Primers

Laura Mercier New Primers

I have a love/hate relationship with most primers. In my opinion there’s no one-primer-fits all formula. While I do find many will smooth and prep skin and also extend the wear I think finding a good primer depends on your skin type and also what foundation formulas you wear. As a good starting point, I’d recommend sticking with the same brand of primer and foundation as they usually make formulas that are compatible with their entire brand. For example I do think if you use an oil-free primer it might not be compatible with an oil-based foundation. If you find your foundation is separating on your skin I’d suggest looking at the ingredients and taking a look at what moisturizer or primer you are using underneath.

All that said, I put all of the new Pure Canvas Primers from Laura Mercier to the test. Since I use the Flawless Fusion or Flawess Lumiere Radiance formulas most frequently, I felt the new primers would all be compatible. Out of all the new ones my top three are the Protecting SPF 30, Illuminating (when I want more glow) and the Perfecting. All three will smooth the skin to give you better foundation application and help extend the wear. I don’t use them everyday as I think the foundations I have are quite good with lasting power and application, but I do think these are nice ones to try. They’re unscented and silicone-free for those looking for options suitable for sensitive skin.

Foundation and Concealer

Best Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and Foundation

I’ve written about the Laura Mercier Foundations countless times. Brands often reformulate and revamp and I have been really happy with all of the bases I’ve tried from the brand. My top 4 favorites:

Setting Powders

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder

I use the classic Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder on a regular basis with their Powder Puff or a Powder Brush. I also really like their Loose Glow Powders which I use more as a highlighter (lighter shade) or bronzer (for the deep color). The classic Translucent Loose doesn’t add any color and is compatible with all of the foundations I use regardless of brand/formula. Even though it’s white it doesn’t add any white cast to my skin. If you’re a long-time Laura Mercier fan you might remember she used to have tinted versions of the matte loose powder, I really wish they would bring those back!

Eyeshadows

For eyeshadows my absolute favorites are her Caviar Stick Eye Colors. I use Rosegold and Copper religiously for an all over wash or as a base for powder shadows. Rosegold is the best neutral shimmer – it looks good alone or with other shades. For her cream shadows I find they are creamy and easy to blend. Pigment ranges from sheer to full depending on how much you layer or blend (with fingers or a brush). Once they set they stay put on my eyes but they remain creamy long enough to work with.

She launched 12 new shades recently, I swatched and played with 10 of them (the ones I thought I would actually wear). They run warm and on the pink side. The fuchsia colors or pinks aren’t really my vibe but I swatched them anyways. I was able to wear Raspberry and Magenta when layered/mixed with other shades though. My favorite of the new ones are the pinks in Sunrise and Nude Rose.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color new shades

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color swatches

I swatched 10 of the 12 new colors (there are 2 blue shades I didn’t swatch), new ones include:

  • Pearl is a pale cool white shimmer
  • Sunbeam is a pale yellow shimmer
  • Golden is a yellow gold shimmer
  • Sunrise is a satiny soft warm light pink with a slight sheen
  • Nude Rose is a shimmery rose pink
  • Sienna is a shimmery orange
  • Raspberry is a shimmery mauve rose
  • Burgundy is a slightly deeper plum shimmer
  • Magenta is a hot pink shimmer
  • Violet is a shimmery violet

I wear Rosegold, Copper and Sandglow the most frequently. In pulling the products for my roundup it occurred to me that it has been a while since I swatched the colors I have. These are the shimmer colors. There are also matte options but I find they pull a little dry on me. Colors swatched: Beam, Sugar Frost, Rosegold, Magnetic Pink, Moonlight, Grey Pearl, Intense Moonlight, Metallic Taupe, Sandglow and Copper.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color swatches

Purples and deeper shades: Rush, Orchid, Intense Amethyst, Violet, Burgundy, Amethyst, Burnished Bronze, Plum, Cocoa and Smoke. I use the last 3 colors swatched as liner, I’ll apply them onto a detail brush and then smoke or smudge them along my lash line.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Color swatches

Highlighters

The world has gone highlighter crazy and the trend doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Even with all the new launches I think the Laura Mercier Face Illuminator remains a good everyday staple. Indiscretion is the best neutral champagne in my opinion. It has enough warmth to not look overly frosty or pale on my skin. I ordered the two newest ones with the floral pattern from Nordstrom and think they’re beautiful!

  • Affection (new) is a light pale champagne shimmer, it has a good amount of shimmer in it but is smooth
  • Sensation (new) is a shimmery copper, on me it pulls more like a shimmery blush/bronzer but isn’t too orange
  • Devotion is a pale pink shimmer
  • Addiction is a pale yellow gold shimmer
  • Indiscretion is the best neutral champagne highlighter
  • Inspiration is a lovely pink mauve frost (detailed review + look here)

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator Swatches

Color: Blush, Lipstick + Gloss

Classic Neutral Makeup Laura Mercier

For color all the Laura Mercier products have gone through a reformulation at some point. I like what I’ve seen so far! The Blush Color Infusion in Fresco is a perfect everyday neutral blush. It has a tiny bit of shimmer so it’s not flat. I like that it adds a bit of warmth and color without darkening or oxidizing like a lot of nude blushes can do. For the lips the Rouge Essential Silky Creme Lipsticks are the best no-fuss classic lip formula. They’re creamy with full coverage but feel weightless. There’s a bit of shine in the finish which gives them a more natural lush look. I love all the neutrals but find Brun Pale and Nu Prefere are my kind of everyday nudes. I’ve used the Lip Glace since my high school days long before the repackaging and reformulation. I actually really liked the original perfume scent these had back in the day. Right now they’re vanilla scented and have a slightly sticky feel but it’s not too thick. Opal is my favorite for layering on practically everything.

A couple close ups wearing:

 

Everyday Neutrals with Laura Mercier

Everyday Neutrals with Laura Mercier

Best Everyday Makeup from Laura Mercier

That wraps up my favorites from Laura Mercier! I hope you found the favorites helpful. If you want any other brands featured in a Top 10 or Best Of post let me know in the comments.

You can find Laura Mercier available online at Laura Mercier, Nordstrom, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and all other Laura Mercier retailers.

 

Most Laura Mercier products featured are press samples. Items purchased by me include the Face Illuminators in Indiscretion (repurchase), Affection, Sensation, Lip Glace in Opal, Tinted Moisturizer in Sand 3N1.

 

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Dior Lips

Dior Addict Stellar Gloss + Stellar Halo Shine Lipsticks

March 31, 2020

Dior Addict Stellar Gloss and Halo Shine Lipsticks

The latest from Dior Beauty is the new Dior Addict Stellar Gloss ($30 each) + Stellar Halo Shine Lipsticks ($38 each). I hauled several colors in the new formulas and have swatches for you today! Most of the colors are available at all retailers like Nordstrom, Sephora etc. There are a few shades I was only able to find on Dior.com. Color options may vary by country as well.

Dior Addict Stellar Gloss

Dior Addict Stellar Gloss Review

I bought eight of the Dior Addict Stellar Lip Glosses sight unseen. I’ve been buying the lip glosses from the line for as long as I can remember and by this point I’ve lost count of how many times they’ve reformulated them. This variation comes with a large sponge tip applicator. They also have a sweet vanilla scent this round which I don’t remember them having. The Dior Addict Stellar Gloss has a high shine finish with a balm-like feel. They are smooth and non-sticky but semi-thick because of the balmy feel. Lasting power is better than average. They stay put on the lips for several hours but aren’t going to be super long lasting.

Dior Addict Stellar Gloss Review via The Beauty Look Book

Finishes range from creams, shimmers to high shimmers to a few sparkles. I’d say pigment varies by color as well. The deeper brighter shades have better color payoff. A lot of the nudes I got look similar in the tubes. You can see the variation once you swatch them on the hand. However on my pigmented lips many of them look the same.

Dior Addict Stellar Gloss haul

Colors I hauled:

  • Diorsolight is a pale milky beige pink cream
  • D-Way is a milky beige with tiny silver and beige shimmers
  • J’Adior is a perfect beige peach nude cream
  • Mirrored is a shimmery reflective nude
  • D-Light is a smooth shimmer beige with pinkish/silver sheen
  • Diorama is a smooth soft muted plum with silver shimmers
  • Stellar is a clear base loaded with lilac glitter (still applies smooth and there’s no texture even with the sparkles)
  • Everdior is a gorgeous shimmery coral with gold shimmers

Dior Addict Stellar Gloss swatches

Dior Addict Stellar Gloss swatches

Dior Stellar Halo Shine Lipsticks

Dior Addict Stellar Halo Shine Lipstick review

I was really excited about the new Dior Stellar Halo Shine Lipsticks because of the shimmery stars in the center of each color! Some have a gold star, others have a pink star. The lipsticks themselves are more of a satin with a soft sheen but the star center adds either gold micro glitters or pink micro sparkles. On the lips they are shimmery but aren’t too frosty.

Pigment-wise the deeper colors have better color payoff. These have a lot of slip to them because of the shine. To me they have a similar feel to the YSL Rouge Volupte Shines or Chanel Rouge Coco Flash. The Dior Stellar Halo Shine Lipsticks also have a sweet vanilla cake kind of scent. Since there is a lot of shine and gloss to them, they almost feel like they’ll slide off the lips without a liner or primer. To me they feel more like tinted balms rather than a lipstick, but it’s pleasant and lovely to wear.

Dior Addict Stellar Halo Shine Lipstick review

Colors I hauled below. As always please note because I have a natural pigmented lip base, the nudes will most likely look different on you as my natural lip shows through:

  • Cherish Star is a nude pink in the tube, but on my lips it’s almost a pale sheer pink
  • Treasure Star looks like a taupe shimmer in the tube, on my lips it’s a nude pink shimmer
  • Peace Star is a coral peach shimmer, on my lips and complexion it pulls more pinkish
  • Pink Star is a lovely almost soft raspberry pink shimmer

Dior Addict Stellar Halo Shine Lipstick swatches

Dior Addict Stellar Halo Shine Lipstick swatches

Below right wearing Addict Stellar Halo Shine in Pink Star, left wearing Addict Stellar Gloss in J’Adior. Foundation shade is Armani Luminous Silk 6.5. Blush is Laura Mercier Fresco. Top from Everlane.

Dior Addict Stellar Halo Shine Pink Star Lipstick and J'Adior Gloss

Dior New Stellar Gloss and Halo Shine Lipstick

Overall I’m happy with most of my picks. Had I seen them all in person I probably would have picked different colors and skipped most of the nudes I bought – mainly because they look so similar on me. Since the formula pulls sheer-ish I think the brights and bolds would be a lot easier to wear than I anticipated. At this point I don’t think I’ll be hauling any more colors since summer launches are right around the corner and I’m interested in seeing other new things. I do like the look of some of the brighter glosses though which I think would be nice for summer.

Colors I hauled were from Nordstrom and Dior.

Have you tried any of these yet? What did you think?

 

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Eye Collection – New Stretch Mascara, Liquid Liner + Brow Duos

March 23, 2020

Chanel Eye Collection Review

Chanel launched new products for the eyes and today I have a Chanel Eye Collection review. There are three new products including:

La Palette Sourcils Brow Wax/Powder Duos

Chanel La Palette Sourcils Brow Wax Powder Duo

There are three La Palette Sourcils Brow Wax/Powder Duos in Light, Medium and Dark. These come with a tinted wax on one side and a powder on the other. The Brow Duos are cased in a compact with four mini tools including a tweezer, spoolie, angled brush and soft small sponge applicator. I tried Medium which is a neutral medium brown color. The wax is soft and easy to apply with the angled brush. It’s been a long time since I’ve tried a wax and this had enough color to wear alone. It filled in my brows and held them in place. The powder is interesting to me. It’s a stiff but pigmented powder. It’s more pigmented than the older brow duos. I haven’t tried a small detail applicator before – most of my brow brushes are angled. The small applicator made it easy to apply in soft strokes although since the handles are so small it took a bit of work to hold. The pros for the applicators are they are compact and easy to travel with. They are usable and well made although full size brushes and tools are easier to hold and use for me.

Lasting power is very good. I didn’t experience any fading or smudging. The brows stayed put all day long!

Chanel La Palette Sourcils Brow Wax Powder Duo swatches

Natural brows vs just the wax:

Chanel La Palette Sourcils Brow Wax Powder Duo Medium

Wax plus powder:

Chanel La Palette Sourcils Brow Wax Powder Duo

Le Liner de Chanel Liquid Liner

Chanel Le Liner de Chanel Review

Out of the three items in this launch I found the Le Liner de Chanel Liquid Liners to be the most exciting to me! They launched some of the most beautiful shimmers I’ve ever seen! These dry down to a semi-matte finish although the shimmers still have a slightly wet look because of the shimmer. The brush is well designed to apply in one stroke or a feathering motion. I found these took a few seconds to dry depending on how thick a line you draw on. Formula is thin but smooth and very pigmented. Once it sets it does not budge. As one who struggles with pencil liners during the summer months I was really excited to see a brown and plum matte – I think they’ll be excellent for the warm humid months.

Chanel Le Liner de Chanel Swatches

Le Volume Stretch de Chanel Mascara

Chanel Le Volume Stretch de Chanel Mascara

Last is a look at the Le Volume Stretch de Chanel Mascara. This comes in one color and has a rubber twisted brush. I think this is a decent formula to lengthen and define the lashes. The brush did take a bit of practice for me to get used to because of the angles but it’s not impossible to use. It miraculously did not smudge even though it didn’t really hold the curl. I like it a lot but it’s not my favorite. I still think the classic Le Volume de Chanel is the best for me (or the waterproof version). It was easy to remove since it’s not a waterproof formula. Since it did not smudge on me I give it a thumbs up.

Chanel Le Volume Stretch de Chanel Mascara

Stretch versus Le Volume:

Chanel Mascara Stretch vs Original Le Volume

Chanel Eye Collection Review

Full beauty breakdown:

Just for fun my little ragdoll buddy keeping me company. He doesn’t like to take photos lol! He’s 7 years old now and I cannot believe it.

Chanel Eye Makeup + Kitty

Chanel Eye Collection Review

Overall a solid line of eye makeup staples. I think the liquid liners are special because of the color selection. I really like the brow duo because of the wax and compact but don’t think it’s essential. The verdict is still out on the mascara because I think it’s really good but I think there are better options.

You can find the Chanel Eye Collection out now, available at Chanel.com and all Chanel retailers.

P.S. Some of the Les Beiges items already popped up on the website and I ordered the two Les Beiges Highlighting Fluids. Also as of today (Tuesday) the Le Blanc Rosy Light Drops just restocked online! (Rosy Light Drops review here in case you missed it).

Chanel Eye collection provided for review.

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Eye Makeup Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Mothership VII Divine Rose

March 19, 2020

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose Eyeshadow

The Pat McGrath Mothership VII Divine Rose Eyeshadow Palette ($125) has returned and I am so excited to share my review and swatches today. This originally launched last year in limited quantities. It’s made a few restock appearances and has always sold out online. I managed to order this during one of the previous restocks and could not be more thrilled. I really hope they will consider making this permanent! It’s available online at Pat McGrath. UPDATE: Also now available at Sephora as of April 17th!

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose Eyeshadow

The Mothership VII Divine Rose Palette has a mix of mattes, shimmers, iridescent shades and one glitter. The pigment is excellent on all the colors with an easy to blend formula. The looks are endless with this one and I think it has a great combination of neutrals, rose tones and more edgy shimmers.

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose Eyeshadow Palette

Colors include a mix of mainly new colors with three relaunch colors. Skinshow Nude is also in the Mothership Subliminal Palette, Rose Dusk is also in the Mothership Sublime, Astral Solstice is also in the Mothership Midnight Sun.

  • Skinshow Nude is a soft shimmery champagne
  • Velouria is a matte dusty mauve (pulls darker on the skin than what I see in the pan)
  • Sable Bronze is a shimmery bronze (love this one)
  • Refined Gold 002 is an iridescent gold
  • Iridescent Pink 003 is a duo-chrome white pink that flashes a bit of lavender and cooler tone pink
  • Xtreme Mahogany is a matte rich warm brown
  • Love Lace is a shimmery taupe with silver flecks
  • Rose Dusk is a shimmery soft muted rose plum
  • VR Rose Venus is a duo-chrome orange pink with gold shimmer, the mix makes it look more peachy on my skin rather than orange
  • Astral Solstice is a chunky ivory glitter that has a super wet look effect

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose swatches

Close ups:

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose Eyeshadow Palette

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose Eyeshadow Palette

Closer look:

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose Eyeshadow Palette

Beauty look below:

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose Eyeshadow Palette Makeup Look

Beauty breakdown:

Divine Rose Palette

Pat McGrath Mothership Divine Rose Eyeshadow Palette

Lasting power was excellent for me with the combinations I tried. There was some fallout with application as some of the shadows are super soft but it was easy to clean up afterwards. Once on the eyes they stayed put and lasted all day for me. The only color I wasn’t too crazy about is the Astral Solstice because it’s a glitter. Application is ok if applied in a patting motion on the eyes, with a brush the sparkles ended up all over my face.

Overall though I give this palette a solid A for colors, quality and texture. Definitely worth the splurge for me! I think the rose tones are very wearable and have enough of a muted/neutral undertone that it doesn’t give me a pink-eye look. I keep staring at the rose pink box though thinking how awesome it would be to have the colors on the box in gloss, lipstick or blush shades!

You can find the Pat McGrath Mothership VII Divine Rose palette online at Pat McGrath and at Sephora.

 

Have you tried this one yet? What did you think?

 

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Base Makeup Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer System

March 13, 2020

Pat Mcgrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer Review

Happy Friday everyone! I hope you are all well and safe. I chatted with some loved ones yesterday and my heart goes out to everyone during this time. Some have been impacted by having to work from home while others are still going into the office with everything continuing as usual. We are ok here in Florida so far and I truly hope everyone stays safe. We had planned some travel overseas in April, but as soon as news broke of the virus spreading we cancelled them.

So many of you have e-mailed me over the years telling me this blog has been a good distraction from things going on in their life. I hope during this time it will continue to be a helpful resource for all things beauty-related! I have a new product review to share today – Pat McGrath launched her Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer System and in today’s post I’m covering a review on three products:

Pat McGrath Labs Concealer

Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer

Pat Mcgrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer LM14

The Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer is one of the best concealers I’ve tried. It’s creamy, easy to blend, opaque, dries down perfectly without looking or feeling dry. As popular as the opaque matte concealers are among beauty lovers, I need something with a bit of creaminess so it doesn’t cake/dry/crack under my eye. This one from Pat McGrath is like the NARS Creamy Concealer in the sense that it’s very easy to blend and use for highlighting. The main difference is that the Pat McGrath has a lot more coverage and is slightly less dewy/creamy in finish.

I was sent a selection of colors in a press kit but ended up purchasing 4 additional shades to try out. I featured the concealer in LM13 in my February Favorites and also found LM12 to be excellent for under eye brightening.

My foundation match right now is Light Medium 14 as my winter/early spring color. Medium 15 is my most-of-the-year match when I have a tan. You can read the Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Foundation review with swatches here.

Since I am normally darker in skin tone with the sun I went to my local store to swatch and purchase LM14 and M15. LM14 in the concealer and foundation are exact matches. For under eye I prefer something slightly lighter so I still think LM12 and LM13 are best for my needs.

You can see LM13 in my previous post here, but in this post I’m featuring LM14 which is still a really good for under eye and spot concealing.

Pat Mcgrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer LM14

Pat Mcgrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer LM14 blended

Swatches:

Pat Mcgrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer swatches

Swatch comparisons to Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Concealers in 2N, 3N and 3W I wear along with the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer shades I rotate between Macadamia, Ginger and Praline:

Concealer Swatches Laura Mercier, NARS and Pat McGrath

Sublime Perfection Concealer Brush

Pat McGrath Labs Concealer Brush

There is a small blending brush called the Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer Brush. It has synthetic material and is angled to blend and blur product. Since it’s very dense and on the small side it’s best for precision blending like right under the eye line or in creases between the nose. I found using my fingers or a sponge easier to cover bigger areas on the face. I think it’s well made and performs well, but don’t find it essential.

Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder

Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder

I always set my foundation and concealer with a pressed or loose powder. I’ve tried a number of under eye setting powders and usually find them too powdery or dry for my under eye. The Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder from Pat McGrath has changed the game for me, it’s perfect! It’s a finely milled pressed domed powder with a very soft texture. I can use either the Light or Medium for setting and I think the three colors will cover a wide range of skin tones. It has an ultra sheer finish, so no color is added for me. It works to set and hold the concealer under the eye so it doesn’t move. Blurring effect is noticeable but moderate for me.

If you’re looking for a good setting powder for under the eye this is an excellent option. I am minimalist when it comes to my base though so I could probably skip and just use my regular setting powders.

Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder Medium

Pat McGrath Labs Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder Swatches

Pat McGrath Labs Concealer System

Full look wearing:

 

Pat McGrath Labs Concealer LM14, LUST Gloss Dare to Bare, BlitzTrance Skinsane

Overall an excellent concealer system complete with everything you need to conceal + set! I think it’s a great versatile formula for both under eye, highlighting and spot concealing. These are very opaque but formula is easy to blend with long lasting power. I give it a solid A+.

You can find the Pat McGrath Concealer System available now at Pat McGrath, Ulta Beauty and Sephora.

Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer System provided for review, however shades LM11, LM13, LM14 and M15 purchased by me.

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