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New Tom Ford Lip Color Lipstick + Lip Pencils

November 11, 2024

Tom Ford reformulated a few of their lip products for the Lip Color Lipstick ($62 each) + Lip Pencils ($46). It seems a number of items are going through a revamp as it appears the Foundation Stick has been pulled (or not restocked) along with a few other items. I hauled quite a few of the new shades and am 10/10 happy with everything I picked out.

It has been a while since I’ve repurchased a Tom Ford lipstick and have to say I am shocked at the prices these days. I don’t know that luxury makeup is “worth” the steep price tags that keep increasing, but I have been really pleased with the performance, quality and colors with this particular haul. If you missed out on the Sephora sale, keep an eye out for upcoming holiday sales. A lot of retailers offer a good discount (flash sale) or gift card events and with Cyber Week approaching I’m sure you will be able to find these at a lower price.

Lip Color Lipstick

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Colors have been reformulated and with nearly every single brand revamping or repackaging I suppose it was only a matter of time before Tom Ford followed. The new formula has a little more slip to it. It glides on the lips better, isn’t quite as opaque, has a tiny bit of shine but still has great color payoff. I think the new formula is a noticeable improvement for a more modern look. The original was a classic for sure but because some of the colors were so opaque (especially the pale ones) they ended up looking a little too heavy.

The new formula looks a little more natural on the lips while still being a true classic lipstick formula. These still have the same classic soft vanilla scent and mahogany + gold packaging (which I love). I am a bit sad they didn’t keep all the shades though.

Shades I hauled below:

Spanish Pink is a nude pink, it’s more wearable and a bit warmer than the original
Sable Smoke is still the same flattering beige nude I remember (unfortunately I don’t have the original anymore to compare)
West Coast is a 90s kind of brown cinnamon sepia shade
Slip is a blue-based baby pink
Runway Rose is a plum pink rose
Casablanca is a mauve pink, the new one seems to have less grey undertone and I can actually wear the new version (the original one made me look a little ashy)
Impassioned is a pretty reddish plum, it’s almost identical to the original, I could barely tell the difference between the two variations

I ordered mine sight unseen and was lucky every single color works for me! Lasting power is just like the original formula and stays put for hours but fades nicely/evenly. These are a solid win for me.

Lip Pencil

Tom Ford revamped their Lip Pencil and the formula is exceptionally good. It’s everything I want in a lip liner! Formula is smooth, creamy, opaque, doesn’t look too dry on the lips and stays on the lips really well. They’re not completely budge-proof but they adhere well to the lips. I do miss some of the shades in the older formula (ones with the brush) but the four I picked are stunning. The colors I bought are all variations of a neutral tone.

101 Close-Up is a nude pink
102 Re-See is a light beige
103 Irresistible is a tan brown
106 A-List is the perfect brown tone

Overall some solid wins even though I’m not too happy about the ridiculously steep prices. Quality is 10/10 and they launched some really beautiful classic colors that you can apply without any fuss or tweaking.

I picked mine up from Sephora and Nordstrom. Available at all Tom Ford Beauty counters now.

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Gucci Beauty

Gucci Beauty Holiday 2024

November 10, 2024

I have a Gucci Beauty haul to share for the holiday collection! If any of these items catch your eye I recommend buying them quickly because they are limited-edition and one of the blush shades has already sold out.

In today’s review:

Quad Eyeshadow Palette in Festive Glow ($69)
Blush de Beaute in Soft Peach and Intense Ruby ($49 each)
Hydrating Plumping Gloss in Mina Rosewood ($42 each) + two more permanent shades

Holiday Quad Eyeshadow Palette in Festive Glow

I spotted the Holiday Quad Eyeshadow Palette in Festive Glow (Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue) last month while traveling. I shared a quick snapshot asking what many of you thought about this palette. I initially passed because it was a glitter fallout mess when I swatched at the counter. An overwhelming amount of responses told me to give it a second try. Many of you said on the eyes it blends better and there was no fall out with a brush application. You were RIGHT! This is a beautiful quad with three shimmer sparkles and one soft matte.

Colors are beautiful but the formula is just ok in my opinion. It’s a solid B+/A- for me in terms of texture, the matte is on the sheer/soft side but I do think that was the intent with this creation. I do think the shades are dupeable across different palettes but they are extremely beautiful for a holiday eye look. I am happy I bought this although I would not call it a must-have.

Holiday Blush de Beaute

I love the Gucci Blush de Beaute formula and especially the new shades (peach is still available at Sephora, Saks and Bloomingdale’s). It’s a satiny luminous matte. The pigment is soft but easy to build. Soft Peach is a very soft brownish nude peach on my skin, it is very natural looking because of my skin tone but I love the look and finish. Intense Ruby surprised me because it looks a little intimidating in the pan. It’s a raspberry pink but is very easy to blend. Right now the ruby shade seems to be sold out but I do think it’s close to the True Plum shade. If you can find it definitely snag it as fast as you can!

Soft Peach

Intense Ruby

Hydrating Plumping Glosses

Another initial miss for me was the Hydrating Plumping Gloss (Sephora, Gucci Beauty, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s). I picked up the light pink shade Bertha Pink months ago and I was not impressed. There was no color payoff and the tingle was pretty intense. Not to mention the very strong cherry-like scent. I was again swayed by many of you to try again, but a different shade and thanks to you I did! The darker or bolder shades definitely show up on the lips and the plumping effect is the most intense I’ve seen on my lips. It volumizes the size of my lips dramatically and the tingle/scent only stays for a few minutes then fades. I am glad to report these do not numb my lips but your mileage may vary depending on your sensitivity.

Bertha Pink is a pretty pink in the tube but gives zero color. Suzane Brown is a soft brown shade. Mina Rosewood is the new shade for HOLIDAY which is a plum mauve (I love this color).

Holiday Collection swatches, there are also some red lipsticks I think are repromotes but I didn’t end up picking any up

Overall some beautiful launches. Quite the splurge so if you’re looking to save I recommend picking them up at Sephora while the sale is still here!

I picked mine up from Bloomingdale’s and Sephora.

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Westman Atelier

Westman Atelier Holiday Sets 2024

October 30, 2024

Westman Atelier has some beautiful holiday sets this year and I’ve been thoroughly enjoying them this past month! I ordered three sets the day they launched and they’ve been truly perfect for my recent travels. I used every single product throughout my weekend trip in NYC and also for the past couple weeks in Miami Beach.

These sets are quite the splurge but there are holiday sales and savings events coming up. If you haven’t picked one up yet or have your eye on one of these definitely add them to your shopping wish list for the Sephora Sale!

By now I’ve already swatched all three in action on Instagram Reels, but I promised many of you swatches and a review here. Here are the three sets I picked up, I really love that these include some new shades:

Lip Suede Matte Lipstick Trio ($150)
Petite Fete Edition ($60)
Baby Cheeks Blush Stick Petite Trio ($60)

Lip Suede Matte Lipstick Trio

I have to say Westman Atelier wins for the best holiday packaging this year. I love the different colors of the pink and green tones for her limited-editions this year. They’re so beautiful and fun! The Lip Suede Matte Lipstick Trio has 3 full-sized lipsticks. I reviewed the formula when she launched the lipsticks earlier this year and I think the formula is excellent although I still don’t know that I’d say they are worth the steep price tag but they are very good.

Shades in this set:

Dash is exclusive to the set, it’s a stunning red
Fluffy is also exclusive, it’s a nude rose pink
Je Reve is a mauve blush nude, on me it pulls a bit dark but I think it’s a very pretty shade

I rarely wear reds but I do love the one in this set. I love it dabbed on the cheeks very lightly for a soft flush. For a matte the formula is top notch. It’s smooth, super creamy and doesn’t apply patchy. It also doesn’t look or feel dry but they still have a velvety finish. For the price I do think that Prada Lipsticks have a better formula, but the Westman Atelier ones perform well. For skintone reference I wear her Vital Skin Foundation Stick in V or VI and Vital Skincare Concealer in M3.

Petite Fete Edition

The Petite Fete Edition is my favorite of the three sets. It has two new cheek shades in minis and a Eye Want You miniature mascara!

Bubble Baby Cheeks Blush Stick is a cool toned pink with gold shimmer, it pulls cooler toned but the pigment is VERY good. It’s more pigmented than her cream finish baby cheeks and I can also wear this on the lips.
Toast Lit Up Stick is her best one yet, it’s a taupe with a hint of rose pink tones in the sparkle, I love this on the eyes too.

The mascara isn’t the most practical due to the size, but the wand is decent sized and you can definitely coat the lashes, but in general mini mascaras aren’t really my favorite. I do like that you can pack it into a clutch or small pouch if you have limited makeup bag space.

I still think set this is worth the splurge. Below wearing Bubble + Toast on cheeks and Bubble on the lips.

Baby Cheeks Blush Stick Petite Trio

I ended up liking this year’s Baby Cheeks Blush Stick Petite Trio more than I anticipated. It has 3 existing shades but I really love the size of these and the variation was perfect for my trip. I used every single shade on different days.

Mimi is a soft beige nude, this is actually available in full-size format but it’s exclusive to Westman Atelier
Petal is a shade I think we’ve seen in nearly every set, I do think it’s a very flattering one that goes with almost everything though
Poppet surprised me because it’s a VERY intense bright pink, but it blends out really nicely and the pigment is easy to control for a fun holiday pink

Wearing the Baby Cheeks with the Lip Suedes, textured tank from Frame

Super Loaded Tinted Highlights

I also wanted to add a quick look at her Super Loaded Tinted Highlights in a couple new shades. These are very dewy cream highlighters. They’re not quite as glossy as her Lit Up Sticks, but they still have an emollient texture and finish. I know some of you are DIE HARD fans of the dewy glow. If you are you will love these. For me I have mixed feelings. I love some of the shades and right now in cooler temperatures I can wear these, but most of the time they are too emollient for me in hot humid climates.

Peau de Sante isn’t new but still exclusive to her website. This is a stunning pink gold with the prettiest sheen. I think it’s much better than her Peau de Rose since it has some warmth to the shimmer.

Peau de Peony is also exclusive to Westman Atelier’s site. A number of you expressed interest in this and I am sorry it took me forever to post a review. Peau de Peony is a really beautiful cool pink shimmer. The color itself is really stunning but on my olive medium tan complexion it pulls a little too frosted with the contrast and finish of the product. I would 100% wear this if it were in powder format. I have wondered if the Gucci Glow Powder Gel Highlighter in Frosted Lilac would be similar, but I think the Westman Atelier has more visible pink in it. (I have the Gucci one on my Sephora wishlist.)

Wearing Peau de Peony on top of Poppet Baby Cheeks with Dior Addict Lip Maximizer in Frosted Pink on the lips.

I think I can make it work with some layering of a powder on top to tone down the shine, but my overall impression is it’s a bit too cool-toned, a bit too shimmery, a little bit too contrasted for my skin tone right now, but I am going to keep playing with it.

Overall lots to love from Westman Atelier. I think she created some stunning sets this year. I thought her Miniature Brush Set was SO stunning with the new holiday colors but I haven’t really fallen in love with any of her full-sized brushes and decided to pass on the mini brushes: they looked a too small to be practical, the set didn’t come with a travel pouch or case to store the brushes (the box doesn’t look travel-friendly) and the price seemed too steep for me.

You can find the Westman Atelier sets out now. I know several of you have already ordered some, but if you’ve been on the fence I hope these swatches help!

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Available now at Sephora, Nordstrom, Credo Beauty and Westman Atelier.

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Chanel Gift Guide Holiday Gift Guide

Chanel Holiday 2024 Gift Sets: Maximum Brilliance

October 29, 2024

Long time no see here! What a month it has been! I have been meaning to write a little life update here to check in and say hello, but things have been chaotic these past few weeks. As most of you know, I am located in St. Pete (the Tampa Bay area) and we just went through two back to back hurricanes. I have been more active on social to share updates on life but haven’t had a chance to share much here on the blog. If you want to see what I’ve been up to everything has been saved to my Instagram @beautylookbook October Life and NYC Highlights!

I’m back with a quick Chanel Beauty review! They launched their Holiday 2024 Collection and Part 1 of their Holiday Gift Sets. There are 6 sets online now with the beautiful soft fluffy zippered bags and this year they have 2 sizes of bags, the standard one we’ve seen for years and then a larger one (so fun!).

I picked up one set Maximum Brilliance Lipgloss Trio ($128) as the others I have my eye on aren’t launching until November 4th (I will pick those up on launch day).

This year the boxes are gold and white and the bags have the cutest snowflake detailing on the zipper. I am not sure about the packaging for online orders but if you purchase in store they also have two options for gift wrapping charms, I opted for the snowflake which is super cute.

These gift sets have full-sized items and usually don’t have a price break for buying the set, but they are beautifully packaged and while you can buy the products individually I really love that you know you’re getting full-sized high quality items.

Maximum Brilliance has three Rouge Coco Glosses in Icing (sheer milky white pink), Bourgeioise (classic mauve with shimmer) and Melted Honey (sheer gold shimmer). All three are super glossy with a thicker texture. They’re hydrating and have a beautiful shine.

Below, also wearing:

Foundation – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow in BD41
Powder and Cheeks – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette Dragon (review + swatches here)
Eyeshadow – Urban Decay Moondust Palette 2024
Brows – Glossier Boy Brow Arch in Warm Brown
Nails – OPI Infinite Shine Bubblegum Glaze
Top – Staud Lori Top (wearing a Small)
Earrings – Mejuri Plush Small Hoops

Icing Rouge Coco Gloss

Melted Honey Rouge Coco Gloss

Bourgeoisie Rouge Coco Gloss

Here’s a quick look at what’s online now, there are lots of other fragrance sets and bundles but these are the sets that come with the beautiful gift bags:

Two other sets I know are coming out include one with the UV essential and another one comes with the baume essential in the set. If you have your eye on any I recommend ordering soon or calling your local boutique as they tend to sell out very quickly!

Available now at Chanel.com.

Life update: Lots of things have happened the last month! We had two back-to-back hurricanes. I also took a weekend trip to NYC right before Hurricane Milton and came back just in time to help prepare our home for the hurricane and pack as much as we could to evacuate. In our eight years of living in Florida this is the first time we had mandatory evacuation orders for our neighborhood. Andrew booked us an Airbnb to Miami for a couple weeks since he knew even if the hurricane didn’t end up hitting Tampa directly, the size and strength was going to be destructive enough that it meant power would most likely be off for a couple weeks if not an entire month. With the grounds being so saturated with storms, a lot of the counties would also most likely shut off the water for a few days.

We packed what we could in our car along with the fur babies and drove to Miami Beach. With all the traffic it took us 8 hours to drive from Tampa to South Beach (it normally takes us 4 max). We made the best of our two week evacuation, did lots of exploring, ate to our heart’s content all the way through all our favorite spots, tried some new places and also celebrated 23 years together (we dated 7 years and have been married for 16). We checked the news daily for updates on our neighborhood and home. Our neighbors had also evacuated so they weren’t home either to report on our house. With the power out we couldn’t check on our home cameras to see if our house survived.

We drove home as soon as we received notice the power and water was back. So grateful our home is 100% ok inside and that we didn’t have any flooding or damage to the actual house. So many trees had broken branches or were blown over completely from the roots. Lots of homes had damage on the outside and inside – we were very lucky! Our backyard and fence needs a lot of work and repair but any damage is minimal and all things are fixable.

I hope to resume regular posting this week! I’ve had lots in the works for reviews and swatches. Also have a couple Sephora sale guides and holiday gift guides coming your way. I’ve been working behind the scenes while I’ve been away! Just haven’t had a chance to edit and put everything together to share with you.

Hope you are all well and that you had an ok October. Ours was chaotic for sure but we survived it and I am happy to be back!

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Laura Mercier

New Laura Mercier Caviar Collection Launch

October 1, 2024

Laura Mercier revamped quite a bit of their makeup recently with the Caviar Collection. The lipsticks, lip liners, cream shadow sticks and mascara have been completely redone with new formulas, colors and packaging. I received the entire launch in PR and have been playing with the items over the past few weeks. Here are my thoughts on each new product with swatches of everything below.

Caviar Stick Eye Shadow (new formula)

I’ve been such a long-time fan of the Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eyeshadows ($33 each) with my top three most-used shades being Rosegold, Copper and Cocoa. They really did improve the formula with smoother application and better pigment. I love that they don’t dry too quickly – I do have enough time to blend before it sets, but once it sets, it does not budge.

A lot of the shades have noticeable improvement in the finish and color payoff. Some of the shades in the original formula like Strapless barely showed up on me. Other more shimmery shades like Sugarfrost or Metallic Taupe were a bit chunky feeling with the sparkle but they have a better smoother texture now.

There are a few of the darker shades that apply patchy like Smoky Quartz, Nuit and Celestial Noir but they can be layered for smoother application – they just take a bit more layering and blending.

I’m very sad they discontinued Copper but Bobbi Brown’s Golden Amber is similar.

Caviar Extravagant Mascara

The new Caviar Extravagant Mascara ($29) is a hit for me. I don’t know that I could call it a must-have or favorite for my super straight sparse lashes, but I think it’s a great formula. It defines and lengthens without any clumping. The brush does an exceptional job at coating all the lashes. I do wish it had more volume but it didn’t smudge or clump and did a pretty good job at holding the curl. I feel like I have the saddest lashes in the world (even my dog Ollie has better lashes than me and my husband has AMAZING lashes) so if it works for me, I think there’s a high chance it will be a good one for most of you.

Caviar Smoothing Matte Refillable Lipstick

I love a good lipstick launch especially one with beautiful packaging. Unfortunately the Caviar Smoothing Matte Refillable Lipsticks ($45) were a miss for me. The pros include beautiful luxe packaging, smooth swatching, opaque rich color payoff, lots of bold colors. Unfortunately these didn’t look so great on my lips. I did not try every single color but I did swipe on 6 of them and all were very dry looking on my lips. I think they could be better if you dabbed them on as a stain but alone they looked very dry. I did love the pigment – they are one swipe wonders. The neutral colors unfortunately do not work with my undertone. I feel like none of neutral shades worked for my olive medium tan complexion. They made me look like death which is too bad because I’ve seen them applied in other videos and they are STUNNING! The bold shades have a better undertone but they are SO bold I would never wear them.

These are also heavily scented with an almost soapy-like floral rose. Granted the scent does fade after a few minutes after applying but it’s a scent my nose does not like.

The Caviar Lipsticks are a miss for me, however if you like a matte finish and find it challenging to find shades that are cool-toned enough, check these out. I know a number of you have told me my personal favorites for neutral lips sometime look straight up orange on you if you have fair or cool-toned complexion. This range has a lot of cooler undertones.

Caviar Perfecting Lip Liner

Last we have a look at the Caviar Perfecting Lip Liner ($29). You girls know I am pretty brutal with lip liner reviews but I want to add a disclaimer that it’s mainly because my lips are on the pigmented side so most of those viral neutrals that look stunning on 99% of you just simply do not show up on me.

I think the new formula is a very nice classic kind of lip pencil. No fuss, nothing fancy, great tones, good pigment. They do feel a little dry on the lips but I really like how they adhere to the lips and they have a relatively smooth looking finish. Lasting power is very good. They aren’t the best but I do like the colors and if you’re looking to try something new I think they are worth checking out since they have a lot of great tones.

Overall, I am very happy that the reformulated Caviar Stick Eyeshadows are a solid A+ formula still. I plan on taking a few of these with me on an upcoming trip. The mascara is also a solid A formula. I do like the tones and formula of the lip pencils, but I think there are better formulas out there like the new Glossier ones, Chanel, Pat McGrath, Huda Beauty to name a few. Lipsticks are a miss for me because of colors and scent, also I tend to not like matte finishes in general so I may have been a bit biased anyways.

You can find the Caviar Collection out now. Available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Kohl’s, Laura Mercier and all other Laura Mercier retailers. Have you tried any of the new formulas? What did you think?

Caviar Collection provided for review.

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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Papier Collection

September 30, 2024

It’s been a while since I’ve added any new Diptyque launches to my home collection as I have been on a self-imposed candle ban trying to use up all the candles I currently have. The new L’Eau Papier Collection caught my eye and by the time it launched I felt like I had used up enough to justify two more splurges. I love the L’Eau Papier Eau de Toilette for a fresh clean mix of white musk, rice steam accord, mimosa and blonde wood accord. They added a Papier (Paper) Candle and Encre (Ink) Candle to the collection along with a few other scented Papier items. I’m 10/10 in love.

L’Eau Papier

The L’Eau Papier Eau de Toilette ($130 for 50 ml to $180 for 100 ml) is a unique clean minimalist kind of scent. It’s light, gentle with a hazy feel. It’s hard to imagine what a paper fragrance smells like but when you smell this scent it just makes sense. Diptyque added this in a few other formats. I decided to try one the L’Eau Papier Hair Mist ($72 for 30 ml) and I love it. It has pretty good lasting power although it is still very soft.

Candles

There are two limited-edition candles in this launch and I love them both. The Papier Candle smells just like the perfume. It’s a very soft and subtle scent but does fill the entire room within a few minutes. I love it. It has a crisp and clean vibe.

Diptyque also created an Encre Candle (ink) in this collection. It’s a mix of Indonesian patchouli and black liquorice and has a smokey vibe to it. It’s a softer creamier version of Feu de Bois. I wasn’t sure what to expect as I’m not really liquorice fan, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised! I think it’s a great summer to fall transition kind of scent.

I’ve been really happy with the purchases, however they don’t really fit the usual Diptyque vibe to me. Most Diptyque scents are more dynamic and a little more complex while this collection is more minimalist and subtle. I still love everything, but if you’re new to Diptyque and these are the first things you end up trying, just know it’s different from most other things Diptyque.

I still think Baies is their best candle.

Scented Matches and Accessories

As a Diptyque fan I also added a few other items to my home collection. I love their glass candle holders and photophores. They launched a Mini Ribbed Candle Holder ($84) for their minis. It’s so cute! When I decided to order it they were sold out online so I called one of the NY stores to have them ship it to my house. It has since popped up back in stock online a few times. You can set an alert if you want to order it online although I don’t know if it’s a permanent item.

Mini Candle Holder, Small Candle Holder and Standard Candle Holder.

I also tried two of the Scented Matches Sets ($30 each). These are longer matches in a paper box that were released with their refillable candle collection.

I asked the New York store which ones were their most popular ones and they told me the Moss and Orange Blossom. They are scented which makes them fun but there is really nothing super special about them to justify the splurge (in my opinion). I do think they’re beautiful and having longer matches is always a plus for me so they ended up being worth it just to have and try them. I don’t know that I’ll repurchase them or buy any of the other scents.

Overall love. Have you tried these yet? If not what kinds of scents are you loving for the home this time of year?

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You can find the Papier Collection out now. Available at Diptyque, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and all other Diptyque locations.

P.S. Thank you for everyone who has messaged me about the recent hurricane. We were very fortunate that only the edge of the hurricane hit Tampa Bay. Our area in St Petersburg still experienced massive storm surge (this was the biggest storm surge in over 100 years in our area).

Andrew and I were not located in an evacuation zone so we stayed put and the counties here have been very proactive about warnings, alerts and providing resources for help. So many of the beaches, waterfront areas and many neighborhoods had life changing flooding and damage. We lost power for 3 days but no flooding to our home. So many have been very working hard 24/7 to repair broken power lines, clean up fallen trees. The storm surge was so bad many cars and boats floated to very odd places.

My in-law’s place is by the water and they had a lot of flooding inside their home and there is a lot of damage there. Their place is in a mandatory evacuation zone so nobody was there when the hurricane hit, but the damage is devastating. Andrew and I spent a few days cleaning everything out for them. Still, we have been very fortunate and we are grateful. Thank you everyone for your kind wishes and for checking in on me over the past week.

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Bronzer + Blush Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes 2024

September 10, 2024

Hourglass dropped three limited-edition palettes and I literally cannot believe it’s already that time of year. There are three palette combinations in the Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette for this year ($90 each). This year they finally launched palettes with mostly new shades and I could not be more thrilled. You can find them now online at Hourglass Cosmetics for the early access. They will be launching globally at other retailers from 9/20.

The three palette options this year include:

Dragon Palette (lightest)
Evil Eye Palette (medium tone)
Lotus Flower Palette (deeper tones)

You can order a customized palette online at Hourglass, but I ordered these as the pre-made options. For skintone reference I am wearing the Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5. I wear the Hourglass Veil Skin Tint in Shade 9 (reviewed here).

Dragon Palette

The Dragon Palette has the lightest tones and variations but I think it’s a versatile one and can be worn on light/fair to tan skin tones. I love this one – it really surprised me because it looks very ordinary in the pan but the shimmers and diffused quality of the powders are really flattering. It’s warmer than last year’s Jellyfish palette.

Dream Light Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder – a soft light pearl with a soft opal sheen
Peach Fusion Ambient Lighting Blush – soft shimmery peach
Divine Light Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder – pale transcluent powder with a pink tone
Mauve Haze Ambient Lighting Blush – soft mauve pink
Soft Bronze Ambient Lighting Bronzer – mid-tone neutral warm bronze
Sunlit Strobe Light Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder – metallic champagne

Look below wearing the Dragon Palette on the cheeks, Dragon Bronze on the eyes topped with the Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow Stick in Phoenix and Urban Decay Moondust in Cosmic Craze + Phantom Glossy Balm in Crave

Evil Eye Palette

The Evil Eye Palette is the medium tone palette of the three. At first glance I thought it would be nearly identical to last year’s Leopard. Side by side swatches show the tones are indeed different with a cooler pink highlight, more neutral/pink tones vs warmer shades. They are similar but I think there are noticeable differences.

Soft Light Finishing Powder – sheer soft peach beige
Rose Gold Strobe Light Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder – metallic rose pink champagne
Pink Fusion Ambient Lighting Blush – soft cool pink glow
Oasis Glow Ambient Lighting Blush – shimmery light apricot/peach/tan
Vibrant Coral Ambient Lighting Blush – pink coral
Natural Bronze Ambient Lighting Bronzer – medium neutral bronze

Look below wearing the Evil Eye Palette on the cheeks, Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadow in Reflect, Phantom Gloss Balm in Lucid + Pat McGrath LUST Gloss in Peach Perversion.

Lotus Flower

The Lotus Flower Palette is the darkest variation this year. It’s more neutral in undertone compared to last year’s Snake palette. On my medium tan skin tone the new Lotus Flower pulls warmer than what I see in the pan, but it will probably be more neutral on darker skin tones. I love the colors in this palette, but not so much on my skin tone. The shades are stunning for sure, but since the tones are darker they do require an ultra light hand for my skin tone.

Gilded Strobe Light Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder – a stunning warm golden shimmer
Desert Flush Ambient Lighting Blush – burnt peach
Eternal Light Ambient Lighting Finishing Powder – warm amber tan
Radiant Rose Strobe Light Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder – metallic copper rose shimmer
Red 0 Ambient Lighting Blush – deep berry pink
Bronze Heat Ambient Lighting Bronzer – deep bronze

Look below wearing the Lotus Flower Palette on the eyes and cheeks + Phantom Glossy Balm in Slip

My two favorites are the Dragon and Evil Eye. These arrived at the perfect time as I’ll be traveling soon and will most likely bring one of these with me. Are they worth the price or the splurge? I think they are. I love every single color and each palette has enough shades for a full face look – I often use at least 1 or 2 of the shades on the eyes too.

By popular request, here are side by side swatches of the 2023 palettes vs this year’s 2024 launch:

In case you want a closer look at previous palette launches, here are the blog posts (there are lots more, but here are the more recent ones):

Holiday Palettes 2023: Jellyfish, Leopard and Snake

Holiday Palettes 2022: Butterfly, Elephant and Tiger

Holiday Palettes 2021: Face Universe, Face Universe Unlocked, Edit Vol III

Holiday Palettes 2020: Sculpture Palette, Sculpture Unlocked (quad)

I ordered these palettes the second they launched at the Hourglass website. Since then they’ve added a few more holiday items including a Holiday Brush ($52, 2 variations), new Glossy Balm Duo ($55, Trace and Mystic), Brush Set ($150), Full Face Set + Bag ($270) and a few other sets you can check out here.

Available now at Hourglass Cosmetics. Holiday Launches arriving on 9/20 to Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty and all other Hourglass retailers.

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