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NARS Orgasm Collection – Summer 2019 Review + Swatches

May 1, 2019

NARS launched another Orgasm Collection this year with new additions to the line. I have swatches of everything plus a few makeup looks to share today! The collection is available at Sephora and NARS Cosmetics:

Orgasm Blush ($40) in an oversized metallic rose compact
Orgasm Liquid Highlighter ($30) a sheer shimmery illuminator in liquid drops form
Oil-Infused Lip Tint ($26) a color adjusting lip oil that adds a lush pink glow
Endless Orgasm Palette ($49) six satiny creams that have varying degrees of shimmer for an ultra dewy look, can be used on eyes, lips and cheeks

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Orgasm Blush 2019

This year’s Orgasm Blush is similar to last year’s version in the sense that it has a slightly deeper rosy sheen than the regular compact. It also looks a little more glowy on the face but isn’t overly frosty. For me this kind of rose warm gold color is really easy to wear to add warmth and glow to the face. I’ve swatched 3 different powder Orgasm blushes and to me they’re all slightly different in color and shimmer. When viewed at arm’s length they may look pretty much the same. If you can’t do the NARS blush texture (some of you have told me you’re allergic) you might want to check out Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in Ecstasy which is similar but slightly warmer (also softer in texture and not as shimmery).

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Liquid Highlighter

There’s a new product called the Orgasm Liquid Highlighter. It’s a warm rose gold shimmer in the bottle but on my face applies more neutral – the sparkles show up more making it a little more neutral. The shape of the bottle is similar to the Orgasm Liquid Blush, but the highlighter comes with a dropper and is quite sheer. It has a thin texture that is very fluid. One drop applied with fingers will give you a very pretty shimmery soft glow. I really love this on the face for that barely there glow. Some of you will find it too sheer in which case I’d recommend you try a few other colors I’ve swatched below including the NARS Highlighting Powder, CoverFX Custom Drops or Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighter. Colors aren’t quite the same but I found the closest ones I could.

Extra glow with the Liquid Highlighter and Orgasm 2019 blush layered together. For a more wearable look with less intense glow all you need to do is take a clean powder brush and buff/blend out the color. Also wearing the:

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Powder in 2
Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel
Endless Orgasm Palette on eyes
Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero
Orgasm Oil-Infused Lip Tint
Top from J.Crew (actually a beach coverup)

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Oil-Infused Lip Tint

My favorite item in the collection is the Orgasm Oil-Infused Lip Tint. This applies clear on the lips but adjusts to a really pretty pink within 2-3 minutes. I have it shown on the arm after a few minutes and also applied on the lips. There’s no scent or taste. It has a very slight gold shimmer but isn’t frosty. It transforms into such a pretty flushed pink on my lips. I love that it is super hydrating without feeling like it’s going to slide off the lips.

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Endless Orgasm Palette

Finally I have a look at the Endless Orgasm Palette. There are six cream shimmers that are sheer and emollient giving a very dewy finish. To the touch these creams feel very slippery. I have such mixed feelings about this palette. It looks so so pretty on the skin if you apply it with the right touch. I tested it on both the face and eyes alone and then layered with powder products. Alone it feels so emollient I don’t think it would last on my skin more than an hour without getting super dewy and sweaty looking. The products give a wet skin effect with how creamy they are. As soon as I swatched it I knew I would have to add powder to set and tone down the glow. I can improve the look when layered with any kind of powder blush or eyeshadow. The powder helps set the product and makes it grab onto the skin better. Indoors the product with powder layering lasted for a good 4-5 hours without budging but this makes it higher maintenance than I prefer.

I think it’s workable and beautiful as a soft dewy finishing highlight for either the eyes or cheeks. But it’s going to be either a strong hit or very strong miss for most of you. If you’re one who adores dewy products like the RMS Living Luminizer or the Chanel Baume Essentiel Stick I think you’ll really enjoy this palette. As much as I love the colors I don’t think it will be an easy one to wear outdoors for me especially in the Florida heat.

Colors include a shimmering pearl, shimmery rose mauve, shimmery pink, frosted pale pink, frosted copper and rosy gold shimmer.

Wearing the entire 2019 collection on the face, eyes and cheeks. Same breakdown for base, liner etc. as listed in the above makeup look photo.

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Overall really pretty, but formulas aren’t going to be for everyone. The liquid highlighter and palette will especially tricky for those with oily skin. The liquid highlighter has a nice dry down but it does have a glowy finish which I think will emphasize oily skin’s glow. The palette is so creamy and if you can’t do that extra dewy look this will be too glowy for you.

I really like this year’s Orgasm Blush although if you have previous launches it’s not a must-have. The Lip Oil is my favorite item in the whole collection. It gives a more flushed look compared to the Afterglow Balm for me (which I still love).

You can find the NARS Orgasm 2019 collection out now. Available at Sephora and NARS Cosmetics. Quick note I took a look online and a lot of items are sold out on Sephora’s website but if I click the store locator option and type in my zip code there’s still a lot of stock in stores near me. I’m hoping they restock online soon for those who don’t have a store near them!

Have you checked this collection out yet? What did you think? By popular request I will be reviewing the Charlotte Tilbury collection to test and compare. I’m ordering the products as soon as they hit the Sephora website!

NARS collection provided for review.

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Chanel Gift Guide

Luxury Beauty Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day

April 29, 2019

Mother’s Day is coming up soon and the weeks are flying by so quickly this spring! I still cannot believe it’s the end of April. We have a little over a week before Mother’s Day is here on May 12th so if you’re shopping early I have a gift guide rounding up some luxurious splurges! Chanel Beauty has been one of my favorite go-to lines over the years and I’m so excited to share a selection of their Mother’s Day Gift Guide for every kind of beauty lover. I’ve personally gifted Chanel beauty products to a number of women in my life all different age ranges and it’s one line that never fails to impress. Their nail polishes or their lip glosses always spark a lot of joy!

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Makeup Gifts for Her

If you have a mom, mother-in-law, friend who’s a mom who has everything you can’t go wrong stocking her up on classic staples.

Chanel Rouge Coco Flash is still a relatively new lip formula and the classic go-to red is Amour. The formula is shiny and the deeper colors pack in quite a bit of pigment.
For nails it doesn’t get more classic than Chanel Le Vernis in Pirate. I’ve had this since the original formula many years ago. The newer one is just as good! To make the manicure last I really like the Le Gel Top Coat and it prevents chipping for around a week for me.
Everyone can use a restock of their favorite mascara, the Le Volume Revolution de Chanel is their newest one and makes a great one for ultimate volume or you can always opt for their classic Le Volume formula too.
For the mom who’s a minimalist with makeup and wants a very natural matte liquid lip, Rouge Lip Ink in Serenity is a very easy to wear muted rose neutral.

If you have a mom in your life who already has everything the Les Beiges collection for 2019 just launched! I will have a review for you very soon but am still waiting on a few items to review the full collection. The pieces I’ve tested so far are gorgeous and I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t absolutely love it.

Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Powder has been a staple for years as a lovely setting powder that looks natural.
Les Beiges Water-Fresh Tint is the latest all over sheer glow. I know many women don’t want any coverage and barely wear foundation. This is a great option for that all over glow with just a very slight tint of color.
For those who want to know what I think the best Chanel foundation is, splurge on the Sublimage Le Teint for yourself. I did and have no regrets splurging. It is better suited for normal to dry skin but I can wear it just fine with normal combination skin.
The Les Beiges Natural Eyeshadow Collection has literally every neutral shade you can think of for the perfect everyday natural eye.

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Luxury Fragrance & Skin Treats

There are so many beautiful fragrances from Chanel. I know it’s very personal so buying for someone could be a bit tricky. If the mom in your life has a go-to stock her up on her favorite!

I owned Les Exclusifs de Chanel in Beige many years ago before they reformulated it into parfum form. It’s been a while since I spritzed this but it’s every bit as beautiful as I remember. It’s one of my favorite perfumes for spring.
Les Eaux de Chanel offer three gorgeous lightweight fresh smelling perfumes. Paris-Venise is a sweet neroli with a little bit of vanilla and tonka and soft powdery notes.
If you feel fragrance is too tricky and risky to splurge on you can always opt for the classic La Creme Main in Texture Riche (I really adore this!) or the Hydra Beauty Nourishing Lip Care. I feel like the hand cream and lip balm combo is a no-fail super safe option for anyone, even the pickiest of women!

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Skincare to Splurge On

For skincare there are a lot of gorgeous options to pick from. Some of the most luxurious skincare I’ve tried is from Chanel!

L’Huile Anti-Pollution Cleansing Oil is a really nice silky smooth non-drying cleansing oil. It leaves the skin feeling clean without that stripped feeling. I have this from last year and still use it weekly. A little goes a long way and the bottle will last a long time.
The Sublimage line is hands down the most luxurious line I’ve ever tried. I splurged on a couple pieces for myself over the years and loved them so so much! For Mother’s Day they recommend Sublimage L’Essence Lumiere Concentrate to illuminate the skin combined with the L’Extrait de Creme to restore, regenerate and protect.
- If you’re unsure about splurging on these individual pieces you might want to consider the Sublimage Le Voyage Set which has minis.
The Hydra Beauty Line has one of my favorite Face Mists. They add pieces to the line every year and the latest is the Hydra Beauty Camelia Water Cream. I put this to the test this past week and think it’s really really lovely. It’s one of the best lightweight creams I’ve tried!
For those who want firming Le Lift is a great line to look into. I’ve had this Le Lift Creme put on my face during a number of beauty events and it’s a really nice cream. My mother-in-law has been recently talking about issues with sagging skin so I think this is going to be perfect for her to try.

Lots of beautiful ideas to pick from!

Wearing in this post: Chanel Sublimage Le Teint in 40, Les Beiges Powder 20 to set, Les Tissages Tweed Beige Blush, Rouge Coco Gloss in 172 Tendresse (my favorite color), Le Vernis in Pirate, Powder Brow Duo in Brun, Le Volume Revolution Mascara, Woven Lilac Ribbed Top from Reformation

I’m bringing a bag of all the makeup items over to my mother-in-law’s for Mother’s Day for her to try out. For skincare and fragrance I’m going to let her pick and choose which items she thinks will best suit her. I love that she’s so easy going she will literally like anything!

For those who are looking for luxury gift ideas for the moms in your life or if you want to treat yourself I hope this gives you some good ideas at multiple price points! Gifting doesn’t have to be complicated or over the top. I’ve found sometimes picking one or two small things and adding a pretty bouquet of flowers or box of baked goods is super easy and fun 🙂 More ideas and inspiration on their online gift guide.

Skincare Gifts for Her
Makeup Gifts for Her
Fragrance Gifts for Her

You can find the Chanel Mother’s Day Gift Guide selects available on Chanel.com now.

Chanel beauty products gifted by Chanel.

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NARS

NARS Heat of the Night Summer Edit Collection

April 24, 2019

NARS is killing it this season with yet more pretty palettes for summer. They just launched called Heat of the Night Summer Edit with two Face Palettes in Summer Lights and Hot Nights along with new colors of Satin Lip Pencil and Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. The palettes are truly phenomenal in terms of pigment, blendability and color selection. They’re pretty for summer to add warmth and glow. Lip pencils offer bold color deeper than I’m used to wearing but are still nice everyday kind of neutrals. The collection is limited-edition and is available now at Sephora and NARS.

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Summer Lights Face Palette

The Summer Lights Face Palette ($59 for 3.2 g x 4 eyeshadows, 7.1 g x 2 for cheeks) is the lighter option of the two palettes with four eyeshadows, a soft highlighter and matte bronzer. Everything is a powder formula with super soft textures that are easy to blend. If you already own the Skin Deep Eye Palette you might want to skip both of these as you’ll find similar color options. However these palettes do have a really nice lighter shimmer shade for eyes combined with the cheek colors they make for excellent travel companions. In the Summer Lights Face Palette:

Rainwater Eyeshadow is a shimmery taupe beige
Hibiscus Eyeshadow is a yellow bronze shimmer
Papeete Eyeshadow is a terracotta bronze
Hei Eyeshadow is a satiny cool brown shimmer
Paper Flower Highlighting Blush Powder is a warm champagne shimmer
Destination Unknown Bronzing Powder is a neutral soft matte brown

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Hot Nights Face Palette

The Hot Nights Face Palette is the deeper option of the two with bolder eye colors ($59 for 3.2 g x 4 eyeshadows, 7.1 g x 2 for cheeks). It’s not too dark for me to wear I still prefer the lighter option. I think this will definitely work better for deeper skin tones to show up more. Colors in the Hot Nights:

Pacific Eyeshadow is a pink champagne beige shimmer
Paradis Eyeshadow is a violet bronze shimmer
Maeva Eyeshadow is a reddish cranberry shimmer
Black Sand Eyeshadow is a deep purple shimmer
Tautira Highlighting Blush Powder is a shimmering rose gold tan
Manihi Bronzing Powder is a matte medium bronze

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Velvet Matte Lip Pencils

There are four shades of Velvet Matte Lip Pencils. These have medium coverage with a velvety matte finish. The pigment is buildable to cover the entire lip.

Good Times is a nude beige matte
Take Me Home is a terracotta color
Promiscuous is a hot bright deep pink
Dance Fever is a 90’s matte brown

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Satin Lip Pencils

I haven’t used a Satin Lip Pencil in so long I forgot how much I liked the creamy formula! They have a nice shine finish and very pretty smooth coverage. Colors run darker than I’d normally wear but they’re a nice bolder option for summer:

Balboa is a plum cream rose
Giusti is a medium rose
Golden Gate is a cool grey mauve pink
Exbury is a soft creamy warm rose

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Makeup look wearing the Armani Power Fabric Balm in 6.5 (review here), La Mer Loose Powder to set, NARS Summer Lights Palette on Eyes and Cheeks, Tom Ford Emotionproof Mascara, NARS Take Me Home Pencil. Top by Nation LTD.

Overall a solid collection of easy to wear bronzey shades for summer. I tend to like brighter lighter colors for lips so most of the lip colors were outside my comfort zone. They’re still neutral and easy to wear for a more dramatic but still neutral lip look. I really like the Summer Lights Palette – it’s enough to give me a complete beachy bronze look. I feel like I need a little more color so I’ve added blush in addition to the palette, but other than that these make for great summery looks. The compacts are sturdy and have large enough pans to dip a brush into. Yet they’re compact enough to travel with.

Quality and lasting power is really good, true to NARS powder shadows and lip pencils. For me the palettes lasted all day on the face for a good solid 7 hours without fading. Lips are always tricky to test as I’m constantly snacking, drinking or wiping my face to do swatch tests. They do stay put as long as your lips don’t touch things.

You can find the NARS Summer 2019 collection out now. Available at Sephora and NARS.

NARS Summer collection provided courtesy of NARS for review consideration.

108 Comments

Tom Ford Beauty

Sunkissed Perfection With Tom Ford Beauty Soleil 2019

April 22, 2019

Tom Ford Beauty Soleil 2019 has launched and I’ve been so excited to play with the collection over the past few weeks. As usual the pieces are limited-edition and come in the beautiful white and gold packaging. Overall I think the collection is really beautiful for that perfect sunkissed look. I purchased several products the minute they launched online and also received a few items as press samples. There are a number of other items in the collection I don’t have featured, but I’m really happy with the items I do have:

Lip Color Sheer ($55 each) in Mustique and Carriacou
Lip Blush ($55) in 01 Soleil*
Lip Gelee ($55 each) in Lustrous*, Maldives, Sunlit* and Scorching
Acqua Metal Shadow ($46 each) in Violet Argente and Venus Rising
Soleil Glow Bronzer ($70 each for the minis) in Terra and Gold Dust*
Soleil Sheer Cheek Duo ($80) in Lissome

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Soleil 2019 Lips

The lip colors this season are true to the Tom Ford Soleil theme with fresh and sheer color options. I ordered items sight unseen and was lucky that I ended up really loving every piece I bought. I opted for two of the Lip Color Sheers in Mustique (perfect cool toned baby pink) and Carriacou (perfect peach cream). Both are medium in coverage and have a soft glossy finish. I find myself really loving Carriacou for a natural peachy cream lip. Lasting power is pretty good for sheer lip color, although I don’t really consider these “sheer” like the name implies. They are sheer if you compare them to the regular formula lip colors and mattes. I think these have medium coverage.

The Lip Blush is a clear gold flecked color transforming balm that so many of you have been interested in! As soon as I put a sneak peek on stories I was flooded with comments – all of which were mixed. Based on my testing I really like it. It gives my lips the perfect pink flush but it will look different on everyone. I think it’s really flattering on my lips. It’s lightweight, unscented, gives my lips a nice pink glow/stain. Stays put. The only thing not to love is the high price tag. At the $55 price you can find something similar for a lot less like the Dior Addict Lip Glows or Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tints.

Lip Gelees seem to be having a bad moment on the internet. On the hands/arm they do not swatch well and look practically clear. As one who does not put counter testers on my lips I can understand why these have been dismissed as fails because I would have passed too had I counter swatched them. I ordered two and received the other two as press samples. I do not think they are as bad as the online reviews. The concept is really nice for a fresh gelee lip look with a slight stain and balm in one. I think the colors are perfect for a sunkissed summer pop of brightness. But the $55 price tag is really hard to justify for something that is sheer, has small packaging, seems to have little product and is more than 1/2 clear. Colors swatched straight from the tube vs. with a lip brush so you can see the actual color. Lustrous is a sheer red, Sunlit is a orange color, Scorching is a light peach, Maldives is a baby pink.

Swatches straight out of the tube versus with a lip brush:

Lip swatches of the items below (forgot to do a detail shot of the lip blush, but scroll down to the bottom to see it on a full face makeup look). All done on bare lips.

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Soleil 2019 Eyes

There are three Acqua Metal Shadows and I opted for two in Venus Rising a metallic pink and Violet Argente a metallic neutral bronzed mauve pink (so hard to describe this one!). I’ve worn Violet Argente on stories a few times and everyone was asking about it. These are metallic fluid shadows that come with a sponge tip applicator. The applicator is really flexible and a little hard to control for me so I take a separate shadow brush, brush it off the tip of the applicator and then apply to eyes. You can apply directly to the lids and blend with a finger too which works. I need more control so I’ve found using a separate brush to apply is the best. The color is quite intense with one swipe but sheers out to a lovely smooth sheen. Layering increases the intensity and shine. Once they set they stay put all day. It didn’t budge in warm weather for me and I think I’ll be reaching for these all summer long. That being said if these are out of your price range you might want to wait and check out the Bobbi Brown High Shine Liquid Eyeshadow or Armani Eye Tint Liquids coming out soon.

Swatches and comparisons side by side to a few others including the Armani Eyes to Kill Stellar in 5 Stellar, Hourglass Scattered Light in Aura, Tom Ford Eye Duo in Golden Peach and Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Rose Gold. This is for a color comparison/reference. I really can’t compare formulas because they are all so different. The Tom Ford is the most fluid and metallic.

Violet Argente on the eyes with a black liner. Also wearing Gold Dust Soleil Glow Bronzer and the Lip Blush.

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Soleil 2019 Cheeks

The bronzers Terra and Gold Dust have been reformulated this season in a Soleil Glow Bronzer. I have two in the miniature format. (Also available in the jumbo size.) The colors are really similar to the previous launches. This year the Soleil Glow Bronzer has a softer finish which is more powdery with an almost creamy touch. Because they’re so soft it’s almost made the pigment more intense. I recommend applying with a light hand. The 2019 Terra does seem to be slightly more cool-toned than previous Terras. I’ve used the Tom Ford bronzers for years and really do love them. If you’re looking for a new one though I’d recommend opting for one of the NARS summer palettes like Summer Lights (review coming soon). You’ll get more bang for your buck since it’s a full palette for eyes and cheeks. The Tom Ford bronzers are a really nice splurge. I’ve never regretted buying the previous season’s versions and the mini is nice for travel. Just though I’d suggest an alternative if you’re looking for something a little more unique/fun.

There’s also a new Sheer Cheek Duo in Lissome which I think is so so pretty. I’m calling this a must-have. It has a soft peach and soft pink with the prettiest satiny finish. It makes the skin glow without adding any frost or excess shimmer. Formula is the same as previous launches. It has a smooth almost cream to powder hybrid formula that isn’t really all that sheer. It’s super easy to blend, applies smoothly, doesn’t emphasize texture and stays fresh looking for hours.

Swatch comparisons to the original powder versions of the Tom Ford Bronzers and Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal side by side. I swatched everything with a heavy hand. On the face everything applies a lot more sheer especially with blending.

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Three looks with the cheeks:

Foundation is Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Foundation in 235
Powder is La Mer Pressed Powder
Eyeshadow is Tom Ford Acqua Metal in Violet Argente
Eyeliner is Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero
Mascara is Tom Ford Emotionproof
Top by Sanctuary (runs loose, wearing an XS)
Nail Polish is OPI Tiramisu for Two
Lips + cheeks labeled in each photo below

Overall a beautiful launch with easy to wear fresh natural color. Tom Ford Beauty can be quite the splurge and I’ve been really happy with most of everything I’ve tried from the line over many many years. Based on the numerous launches and repeats over the seasons, I don’t think I’d call the bronzers a must-have if you’ve bought previous year’s colors. For me the top stand outs are Lip Color Sheer in Carriacou, Acqua Metal Shadow in Violet Argent and the Sheer Cheek Duo in Lissome. The Lip Blush is a solid thumbs up for me as I really like the flush it gives my lips, but you can 100% find a cheaper alternative that’s just as good.

You can find the Tom Ford Beauty Soleil 2019 Collection out now. I bought my pieces from Nordstrom. Also available at Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora and all other Tom Ford Beauty retailers.

Have you checked out this collection yet? What did you think?

Press samples have a * next to them, all other items purchased by me.

109 Comments

NARS

NARS Fever Dream Collection Review

April 17, 2019

There’s a lot of newness from NARS this spring to summer. I’m working my way through all the launches, I feel like I just blinked and so many palettes just popped up! I have a look at the Fever Dream Collection which is a Nordstrom exclusive. There is a super cute mini nude Lip Tint Trio called Lusted which has three sheer glossy lip tints. I was sent the two limited-edition eye and cheek palettes and they far surpassed my expectations! For those who want that neutral look that isn’t too warm or red-pink like the colors that seem to have flooded the market in the last year this collection is worth checking out. In today’s post:

Fever Dream Lusted Lip Tint Trio ($30 for 0.12 oz/3.5 ml x 3)
Wild Thing Face Palette ($49 for 0.04 oz/1.2 g x 4 for the eyes, 0.13 oz/3.8 g x 2 for the cheeks)
Lost in Luster Face Palette ($49 for 0.04 oz/1.2 g x 4 for the eyes, 0.13 oz/3.8 g x 2 for the cheeks)

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Lip Tint Trio

The Fever Dream Lusted Lip Tint Trio offers three neutral nudes in a sheer glossy tint with a balmy feel. The same formula launched in the Lip Duos from Exposed Collection from Ulta (reviewed here). Colors in this trio include:

Stoked a neutral nude pink
Hot Memory a sheer warm nude peach
Escape Plan a sheer pale peach

Colors are very sheer and offer a soft wash of color. I think they’re perfect for an effortless nude but I think some of you may find them too sheer for your liking. For me they’re truly your lips but better kind of tints. If you need more pigment I’d recommend opting for some of the Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss neutrals like 714 Caresse or 716 Caramel (reviewed and swatched here) or NARS Velvet Lip Glides (some swatched here) which offer more coverage. Lasting power is not extensive. I can get a couple hours of wear but need to reapply which I actually don’t mind. The mini size means I’m going to use them up easily! There’s no scent or taste.

Swatch comparisons:

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Lost in Luster Face Palette

Lost in Luster Face Palette is something I had low expectations for because I swatched it in store and it had really poor color payoff. The pans must have been hardened though from testers being touched by so many fingers though because I tried mine at home and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a true neutral with four shadows, a soft highlight and the perfect soft pink glow for blush. The eyeshadows need a creamy base to show up on my lids but they apply really nicely as long as my eyes aren’t dry. I feel like the eye will need another deeper shadow or liner for a complete look. The perfect liner to add to this is the Marc Jacobs Highliner Gel Crayon in Ro(Cocoa) which is my favorite neutral taupe shimmer liner to wear for something that isn’t black or brown. Colors in the palette:

As You Please is a soft beige brown (applies more true to pan on the eyes, for some reason it darkened on my arm swatch)
Let Go is a medium taupe brown matte
Dazed is the perfect champagne shimmer
Free Fall is a neutral taupe shimmer
Free to Fly is a cool champagne pink shimmer highlighter
Crush is a soft warm pink shimmer blush

Below wearing the Lost in Luster Face palette on eyes and cheeks, Lips have Stoked and Hot Memory layered together. Foundation worn is the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Punjab and Vanuatu mixed. Concealer to cover redness is the Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger. Tank is an older style from Madewell. Nail polish is OPI Tiramisu for Two.

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Wild Thing Face Palette

Wild Thing Face Palette is the warmer option. Don’t let the orange blush scare you because it is easy to blend and adds nice warmth. Still I think if you’re fair you might find this a little too warm. If you’re medium or deep skin this is going to be a really lovely neutral warm bronze peach palette. I wish I had brought this with me to Miami because it has everything for a complete look.

Colors in this one include:

Alive is a warm brown matte
Psyched is a a deeper matte warm cocoa
Erratic is a shimmery neutral warm gold
Lala is a shimmering warm neutral brown
No Limit is a shimmering soft gold highlighter
Goddess Complex is a golden orange shimmer

Swatches:

Overall a solid easy to wear collection of colors perfect for spring to summer. Based on everything I’ve tested combined with a peek at what’s coming out for summer I can’t say that I’d call any of these absolute must-haves just based on the unique factor. Colors are standard ones that I think can be duped with previous launches and existing colors. Still performance, quality and pigment for the palettes are excellent. They’re easy to wear and each option has enough for a natural glowy look without being overdone or too frosty. Colors are perfect for the beginner makeup wearer and size is ideal for travel. There are new summer palettes out which I’ll be reviewing soon which have a similar concept (eyes and cheeks) for a more bronzed look. I haven’t tested them yet so keep an eye out for the review.

I really love the lip tints but they are sheer and so natural looking you might think they’re too sheer. If you’re into the no makeup makeup look they will be perfect for you. Otherwise I’d say pass.

I get tons of emails from new readers asking for recommendations on what to wear for something who is just getting into makeup and wants to know what to wear for a natural goof-proof look. I think this collection fits that bill. Even with all the dupes I find myself really loving how effortless Lost in Luster is!

You can find the NARS Fever Dream Collection out now at Nordstrom. Everything is limited-edition.

NARS face palettes provided for review. Lip trio purchased by me.

9 Comments

Florida Glossier

Glossier Miami Pop-Up Shop

April 3, 2019

I’m back from a mini vacation! We took a few days off to visit the other side of Florida and drove to Miami for some good food, more sunshine, more beaches and shopping. Several of my readers let me know about the Glossier Pop Up Store in Miami so we stopped by to check it out. It is one of the cutest pop up installations I’ve ever seen! It’s located in Wynwood on 222 NW 26th Street, open until April 28th. Hours are listed on the Glossier website. There are a lot of testers for you to play with, helpful staff and it’s basically an Instagram dream come true. Cute displays, mirrors for makeup application and selfies, postcards and the entire Glossier + Glossier Play line. Weekends can get pretty crowded and busy with a line but they move fairly quickly. We went to the pop up on two separate days because our first time there it was so crowded I didn’t want to wait to check out and purchase product.

Mini haul below including the Glossier Zit Stick, new Mango Balm Dot Com, Lash Slick, Glossier Play Niteshine in Pale Rose and Deep Copper, High Shine Lip Lacquers in Pony and Blow Up. I also tested their Milky Oil which seemed pretty impressive in taking off the eyeliners from the back of my hand. Unfortunately they were sold out so I ordered it online. I haven’t had a chance to test the makeup but the highlighters are tiny – they girls at the store explained they are dab and blend kind of highlighters and that does seem the best way to apply. A little goes a long way. I did try the new Mango Balm Dot Com and it has the most delicious sweet mango scent to it. I didn’t think I would like it because it’s really sweet, but I actually really love it.

Swatches of the makeup items I bought. I actually had a third highlighter on my list but they accidentally gave me two of the same shade. I’m giving away my extra (details in the widget at the end of the post).

We also saw the cute Mango Pop Up cart in the Miami Design District! You can check their Instagram to see where it’s going to show up next. On our second trip to the Pop Up we saw they had moved these to the actual store in the hallways but they might move again.

Definitely worth checking out! It’s super cute and fun to see all the items in person. If you’re not near a store you can always order online (that’s how I’ve always bought their products). If you want to use my referral link you can save 10% off your first order. I have some extras that I picked up so I’m giving away some goodies to 1 lucky reader. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to enter. Enter through the widget below. Giveaway entries are going to run through April 7th, 2019 11:59 PM EST. ONE winner will be selected within 72 hours after giveaway ends and emailed by me. Prizes ship within one week. Not sponsored or affiliated.

Giveaway items:

Glossier Mango Balm
Glossier Lash Slick Mascara
Glossier Play Niteshine in Pure Copper
Assorted Miami Pop Up Post Cards
Zip Pink Pouch
Stickers I got at the store

a Rafflecopter giveaway

To recap, the Glossier Miami Pop Up is going to be open in Miami through April 28th. Hours are on their website. Have you been to any of the Glossier Pop Ups before? If yes which ones?

More on our Miami trip, packing + outfits to follow! Lots of you have been asking about all the sandals I’ve been wearing and I’ve promised to share everything I wore with size info soon.

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Eye Makeup Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs EYEdols Eyeshadow Review + Swatches

March 29, 2019

Pat McGrath Labs launched eyeshadow singles called EYEdols Eye Shadow ($25 each for 1.1 g/ 0.04 oz, made in USA). There are 17 shades total, 11 are repromotes from previously launched palettes and 6 are brand new shades. For those who prefer to pick individual colors I think this is the perfect way to try a few before committing to a full size palette. In my experience all of her eyeshadow palettes are among the best out there. I tend to be more conservative with my eyeshadow but since playing with her bold options have found myself experimenting more with different textures and colors, and I love it!

I was lucky to get an early preview of the eye shadows and have been playing with them for days now. In the interest of time I wasn’t able to get any makeup looks photographed for you but can if you’re interested. I swatched all the colors but have only been able to fully test 10 of them on the eyes so far. Everything is excellent in quality, color payoff and pigment. There are varying textures/finishes: mattes, shimmers, sparkles and metallics. Lasting power is really good, there were only some fall out issues with a couple of the sparkles (application-wise) which I’ll note below.

The EYEdols come in a clear plastic case and the pans are not removable. Size-wise they look to be the same in circumference as the palettes but they have less product than the MTHRSHP Palettes which have 12 g/ 0.42 oz for 6 shades which breaks down to 2 g / 0.07 oz each. The 6-pan palettes run at $55 each which make for a better buy. But sometimes it’s nice to just pick the colors you want individually.

First a look at all the colors and as many swatches as I could fit on one arm, then a closer look at all the colors plus descriptions and thoughts.

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Up first are the neutral shades, for reference I’ve linked the previous palette reviews:

Celestial (from MTHRSHP Sublime Bronze Temptation) is a shimmering champagne
Telepathic Taupe (from MTHRSHP Platinum Bronze) is a medium shimmering neutral taupe
Statuesque (new) is a matte soft brown
Sextrovert (from MTHRSHP Platinum Bronze) is a shimmering warm brown

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Next are the warm golden colors:

Gold Standard (from MTHRSHP Subversive Metalmorphosis) is a bright yellow sparkle gold, this had some fall out with the chunky sparkles with application, once applied and on the skin fallout is minimal
Enraptured (from MTHRSHP Subliminal Dark Star) is a more neutral brassy gold shimmer
Corrupt Copper (new) is a warm metallic copper orange gold

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Next are the rosy warm tones:

Rose Venus (new) is one of the prettiest sparking rose pink shimmers with a metallic sheen
Pale Fire (from MTHRSHP La Vie En Rose) is a satiny shimmering soft baby warm pink
Burnished Honey (new)
Crimson Fire (new) is a shimmering warm red
Deep Velvet (from MTHRSHP Platinum Bronze) is a deep cool matte brown

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Last are the set of bolds and deep colors:

Synthetica (new) is a sparkling bright purple violet with chunky sparkles
Purple Reign (from MTHRSHP La Vie En Rose) is a satiny deep bright bold purple
Dark Matter (from MTHRSHP Subliminal Dark Star) is a black satin
Divine Mink (from Mothership IV Decadence) is a metallic silvery greyed brown
Lapis Luxury (from Mothership IV Decadence) is a metallic teal sparkle

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My favorites are actually the ones that are already in the previously launched palettes which include: Telepathic Taupe, Sextrovert, Deep Velvet, Dark Matter and Divine Mink. I also did really like the matte neutral in Statuesque for a soft brown crease color. Rose Venus which is new is also a really stunning warm pink color.

Overall excellent quality and color payoff. I like that the packaging is simple and no-fuss. The fact that it comes in a clear case makes it easy to see the color inside. For me I still prefer her palettes but singles are a nice way to try one or a few shades you really want rather than having to purchase colors you may never (or rarely use). Price-wise I do think these are on spendy but they seem to be similar to what other luxury beauty eyeshadows other singles are priced at. I feel like palettes are always going to be priced better for price per oz versus individual shades.

You can find the Pat McGrath Labs EYEdols on her website PatMcGrath.com. She also has a few kit bundle options that come with a price break.

Have you checked these out yet? Or any of her palettes? What did you think?

Pat McGrath EYEdols provided courtesy of the Pat McGrath Labs team for review.

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