This year Chanel’s Black Friday Exclusive is a special limited-edition Les 4 Ombres in Legerete et Experience ($61 for 2 g/0.07 oz) and I’m thrilled to share a sneak peek today. It officially launches on Black Friday but Chanel has offered my readers early access through this link. This is an all matte eyeshadow quad with four light-textured smooth shades with medium buildable pigment. There have been a few matte variations of the eyeshadow quads and they are among the smoothest mattes I’ve tried. The Black Friday Exclusive Creation in Legerete et Experience comes encased in a slightly different compact. Instead of the classic white CC the black compact has a deep classic red to match the vibe of the quad. Colors include soft warm tones with a medium peach, soft camel beige, matte deep reddish brown and a medium soft brown.
A look at the compact:
Layered together you get a soft peachy pink gradient look with a subtle smokey red-brown. It has the softest texture and feel, pigment is smooth and applied well although I do recommend applying over a base or creamy shadow stick. There’s no fallout, it stays put, doesn’t look dry even though it’s matte. If you gravitate towards warmer shades this one is lovely.
This new Legerete Et Experience might remind you of another matte eyeshadow quad called Candeur Et Experience. The overall theme and vibe is similar, especially with the two bottom shades but I feel they are different. I bought it as soon as I received the Black Friday quad because I knew a lot of you would want me to compare them for you. I do think they are different enough to justify owning both. The new Legerete Et Experience gives a softer peachy pink look while the Candeur Et Experience has a noticeably deeper brown tone for all the colors.
They are all mattes, but they are satiny mattes – the finish isn’t totally flat and there is a very subtle slight natural sheen to them. Swatches taken with a flash so there is a little bit of light reflecting below.
Overall a solid A+, the texture is smooth, finish is even, pigment is natural but medium with buildable coverage. It’s perfect for a soft gradient eye – just add liner or a cream shadow as a base and mascara and you have an easy polished eye look. I think it’s a versatile one even though it’s warm toned. I highly recommend giving it a look.
The Legerete Et Experience Les 4 Ombres is available exclusively at Chanel.com while supplies last.
Many thanks to the Chanel beauty team for providing an early sneak peek and my readers early access!
I’m getting in the holiday spirit more and more as the days go by! Burning warm and cozy home scents are one of the best ways to put me in the mood for the holiday season so I’m rounding up my favorites. Many are these are same tried and true year over year. I tend to stick to a few brands because I’ve ordered some sight unseen (they weren’t available near me) and while I’ve had mostly hits I had a few misses which made my wallet grouchy enough to shy away from trying too many new brands.
Diptyque always has the most beautiful offerings each Christmas season. I just bought the holiday Legende Du Nord Candle Set in the minis but will review in a separate post if you’re interested! Each year they make the best Pine scented candle called Sapin that is fresh and green, but not too green. This year they have the Sapin de Lumiere Candle with Room Spray in a set.
The carousels have been launched a few times past holidays, but this is the first time it seriously caught my eye. The full-size has restocked and sold out several times but the small one in the Carousel and Candle Set can still be easily found. I absolutely love it! It comes with the smaller size to fit the 2.4 oz candles and the set comes with Tubereuse and Baies. The heat from the flame makes the carousel twirl and I’ve been playing with it non-stop since I bought it.
Out of all the questions I receive, the ones I probably receive the most are, “what are your favorite Diptyque scents?” and “which one do I need to try first?” I haven’t come across one I didn’t like, but I have not tried them all. Someday I hope to. If you haven’t tried the brand before I 100% recommend you buy either the 5 Piece Mini Set or 10 Piece Mini Set. They come with miniatures in 35 g which give you just enough burn time to sample the scents.
My favorite picks change based on season. I always have back ups on hand as I burn through a lot. For fall to winter my most-burned through candles are Baies, Vanille, Ambre and Noisetier. I have several of the size options below to show scale and variation:
Baies is the classic rose and blackcurrant mix which is my favorite, I have it in the 3-wick below with 21 oz which is pretty spendy for a candle but I love recycling the jars afterwards, this also comes in the Standard Clear Glass Jar 6.5 oz, Small 3.2 oz, Room Spray, 10.2 oz Colored Candle Jar, and the extra large 51.2 oz outdoor version
Ambre is a nice well rounded woody scent with vetiver and patchouli, incense and Tonka bean, I splurged on the colored glass version which is larger priced at $95 for 10.2 oz size versus the standard 6.5 oz size which currently run at $65 each
Noisetier is the warmest creamy fruity hazelnut I’ve tried
Byredo is another brand I have so much love for. I asked Andrew for the Woods candle for Valentine’s Day and I’ve been rationing it to make it last longer, lol! Notes include raspberry, jasmine, Tuscan Leather, ambroxan and white cedarwood. I love the mix of the fruit, floral and cedar for an earthy mix. To me this is better than the traditional firewood or wood scents. For fall I absolutely love Tree House. I visited the Byredo store in Soho for the first time last year and this was burning in their store. Notes include bamboo, pimento, hay, labdanum and leather. It’s so hard for me to describe but it has a good leather + sandalwood mix.
New this season is Chai which is the perfect Masala Chai scent. I don’t think I’ve ever burned anything chai scented in my home and this one smells just like the perfect spicy chai tea latte. It does have a very seasonal feel to it, so if you want something more neutral I’d opt for Woods or Tree House.
For this season they’ve brought back the minis! You can buy a few of them individually or in a 3-box set with La Selection Violette Mini Candle Trio with Fleur Fantome, Bibliotheque and Burning Rose or La Selection Bois with Bohemia, Cotton Poplin and Tree House. With the minis I was gifted a set and am so excited to burn through them. I’ve bought and used up Bibliotheque and Fleur Fantome before. This was my first time trying Burning Rose.
Burning Rose is one I have not yet burned, it smells like a smoky leather with rose notes
Bibliotheque has peach, plum, violet, peony, patchouli, leather and vanilla, to me it smells similar to the Bal D’Afrique perfume
Fleur Fantome is a soft floral with rhubarb, lemon, violet, tulip, galbanum, heliotrope and suede
Lumira is another brand that I’ve had a long love affair with. The Tahitian Coconut is the best coconut and the Persian Rose is the best rose in my humble opinion. The line is based in Australia but their website does offer international shipping. This year they recently launched at Barneys New York in the US and Selfridges in the UK so if you have a store near you I’d recommend checking them out. It’s rare that I like all the scents in a brand but with Lumira, Almira the founder has created exquisite variations in every single candle.
For the holiday season she launched Nuit de Noel which smells like Christmas. Notes include black pepper, clove, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, aniseed, pear, cumin, rose, lavender, coriander, clary sage, oriental, amber, labdanum, sandalwood, tonka bean, cedarwood, patchouli. I really adore her accessories. She has the prettiest Glass Dome (shown below) along with the best Wick Trimmer I’ve tried (it has an angle which makes it easier to get into smaller jars without tilting the trimmer part) and a Candle Snuffer which I’ve never invested in before but am really happy to own one.
Many of you love classics from Jo Malone and Le Labo. I’ve burned through a few scents in each line but still keep going back to Diptyque and Byredo. From Jo Malone right now I’m burning Wood Sage and Sea Salt which is a nice option for fall if you don’t want your house to smell like cinnamon, pine or spice. From Le Labo the Santal Candle is my favorite for a strong sandalwood kind of scent, notes include amber, coco, vanilla, cedar, spices, musk and sandalwood. I bought the Violet Grey x Le Labo Santal candle and stocked up when it was in stock. It’s the same as the clear glass version just with black glass.
Cire Trudon is my most expensive splurge for candles. One of my readers messaged me on a weekly basis for months urging me to buy Ernesto. I finally did and there is no going back. It’s one of the best ones out there. I know scent is so personal but so many of you have told me you also love this. It has a masculine vibe with notes of leather and tobacco. Because it’s so expensive I’ve only burned through a small handful of these (and a few minis). Sometimes they’ll do this one in special packaging so I bought the Rose Gold Ernesto which is a little more pricey but really beautiful. Notes include rum, grapefruit, bergamot, clove, oak wood, patchouli, labdanum, tobacco, moss, leather and amber.
The entire line is available at a local store near me and I smell them all every time I visit. Nazareth is the most Christmas-like smelling candle I’ve ever smelled. I really want to buy their Six Candle as well but the steep price tag is pretty hard to justify.
Other brands that I love that are more affordable and have great gift options include Nest Fragrances and Henri Bendel. The Nest Fragrances Holiday candle is a classic that comes in a wide range of size options. I’ve tried several of the mini ones and the throw is pretty impressive! For the sizes the prices are very reasonable. Henri Bendel makes some really amazing options for the price and the scents are nice – not overly sweet or saturated. Their Vanilla Bean is one of the best not-too-sweet vanillas I’ve ever burned.
For those who cannot burn candles, diffusers and room sprays are nice alternatives. I haven’t tried many diffusers although I have loved the ones from Antica Farmacista. In terms of room sprays Molton Brown makes amazing ones. Andrew is obsessed with the Coco and Sandalwood one. Diptyque also makes some amazing ones, unfortunately if you’re in the US you don’t have easy access to all the scents, but I’m happy they have at least a few. I’ve been drooling over the Byredo ones for months now but haven’t taken the plunge to splurge. Putting it on my Christmas Wish List though!
For me, a key accessory for candle care is a wick trimmer. You can definitely use your regular scissors but having one just for candles is nice because the tip is beveled so you can cut the wick straight. It also prevents your scissors from getting burnt remnants on them and the tip catches the cut off end.
The Diptyque Wick Trimmer has been one of the best things I’ve ever bought but I think Lumira makes a better one. It’s sleeker and the angle of the wick trimmer makes it easier to trim wicks straight. Also the angle of the handle makes it easier to hold for me. I never felt the need to invest in a candle snuffer but Lumira sent over their Candle Snuffer and I think it’s really nice.
I hope you enjoyed this holiday candle roundup! With all the options out there I think mini sets are the best way to sample candles, especially if you can’t smell them all in person. It can be overwhelming with all the options out there. I think it’s nice to treat yourself to a small handful at a time. They set the mood for the home in such a nice way.
I’ve linked the accessories shown in the post in case you want to know the details of the trays, books and lights for your own home decor. What are your favorite holiday candles?
Press samples include Byredo Mini Trio and all Lumira products shown. Senreve Bag also gifted. All other items purchased by me.
Natasha Denona’s Holiday 2018 Collection is stunning! As usual she has launched some pretty phenomenal palettes I feel are really unique and different in today’s beauty world. The holiday options have quite the sparkle and glitz. If you can’t do glitter but still want something different and bold for the holiday season I’d recommend opting for the Pat McGrath Opulence Collection instead. I have a look at her new Gold Palette ($129 for 15 shades), Mini Star Palette ($25 for 5 mini shades) and two new Chroma Crystal Top Coats ($28 each) in Metal Bronze and Metal Black.
The Gold Palette ($129 for 15 colors 15 x 0.08 oz/ 2.5 g, made in Italy) is pricey but if you break it down the $8.60 per shade isn’t that bad in my opinion. As always, my recommendation with palettes are to buy if you think you’ll wear or like most of the shades. This has a mix of all kinds of finishes: matte, shimmer, glitter, sparkle.
The nice thing about large palettes like this is you can create a wide range of looks. The downside for me is that they can kind be overwhelming. Quality-wise the colors in this palette perform really well. Everything swatched with very good pigment and color payoff. There will be some fallout with the glitter when you’re applying so you will need to clean up some sparkle on your cheeks. However after applying I found they stayed put on the eyes without transfer. Some of the sparkle shades are better applied with fingers in a patting motion versus a brush.
Colors include:
Lime Chrome is a duochrome olive gold
Python is a satin teal navy
Sparks is a glittering champagne
Aria is a matte warm cafe color
Cava is a sparkling warm champagne gold
Aurora is a metallic teal with gold shimmer
Dijon is a mustard matte
Oro is a shimmery warm yellow amber gold
Log is a matte brown
Varis is a shimmering medium brown
Brass is a sparkling brass gold
Sand Stone is a matte tan brown
Alchemist is a shimmery amber gold
Teak is a matte brown with warm tones
Aurum is a shimmery gold
She has another palette in the mini size called the Mini Star Palette which is supposed to be a small version with select colors from her Star Palette. The formula isn’t quite the same as her full size. Some of the minis feel creamier and slightly sheerer in color payoff but the corresponding colors with same shade name are really close. I think the mini is one of her more wearable options for the season. There aren’t any strong glitter shades with this one.
Colors include:
Orion is a blue green brown shimmer
Atik is a matte warm pinkish tan
Bellatrix is a shimmering peach champagne
Earth is a deep matte brown
Cosmo is an antique brass sparkle
Then there are two Chroma Crystal Top Coats in Metal Bronze and Metal Black, both of which are similar to her previous launches but this round the colors have a lot more pigment in the base. Previous options had a more clear base with colored sparkles. The ones for Holiday 2018 are ultra pigmented with finger application. With a brush it’s more sheer but buildable. They do set on the fast side so I recommend applying and blending quickly. My past top coats have since hardened and dried out a bit but it has not impacted color payoff. I’m not sure how these will last with the color – they’re really pretty once you layer and blend them but they aren’t the easiest to apply. I feel if she had made these pressed pigments more along the lines of the Hourglass Scattered Light or Marc Jacobs See-Quins Shadows which are not really creamy but more like pressed powders it would be less prone to hardening. I like the way these look and the color payoff. Metal Bronze is a pretty brown with gold flecks while Metal Black is a deep black grey with silver flecks. I wish the formula was different.
You can see better looks on her Instagram Page @natashadenona which show the glitz and sparkle better.
Overall the collection has some beautiful pieces. I think the Gold Palette is the standout piece although it’s really expensive and has some shades that are very glitzy – glitzy out of my comfort zone. I do think the teals are easy to wear and layer with the golds which makes for a very unique look. For me the Mini Star and Chroma Crystal Top Coats for holiday are a pass simply because I already own the full size Star Palette and the for the Top Coats I’d rather just wear a cream shadow stick or layer a powder shadow.
To pick the best palette this holiday palettes this season is going to depend on your color preferences. I have not tried them all and I still have the new Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quads I’m eager to start testing. From the ones I have swatched and reviewed I think the easiest one to wear and most conservative is the Charlotte Tilbury Stars in Your Eyes. For those who like reds and pinks but don’t want something too pink, the Urban Decay Naked Cherry is a nice and very wearable option. The ones I feel are most unique are from the Pat McGrath Opulence Collection. The NARS Holiday Provocateur has the most unique palette mix for cooler smokey tones. The Natasha Denona Golds Eyeshadow Palette is unique for a gold and glitz palette with the widest range of options and finishes from you to choose from. It is very well made and the colors perform well.
You can find the Natasha Denona Holiday 2018 collection out now. Available at Sephora and Beautylish.
Natasha Denona holiday pieces provided for review.
I have a review of a some things from a few recent Becca collections today. The Becca x Chrissy Teigen Holiday Kits are perfect for the holiday season and after playing with both I’ve decided these are what I’m wearing on Thankgiving! They’re glowing, effortless and versatile! I also have a look at three of the Volcano Goddess Glow Glosses which are limited-edition but still available at Ulta Beauty.
I’ve been the biggest fan of the first Becca x Chrissy Teigen Glow Face Palette. It’s one of my most-worn palettes to date (review here). If you don’t own it I highly recommend checking it out. Even with all the other options I find it has the perfect tones for bronzer, blush and highlighters. It has gone with me on almost every trip. The Becca x Chrissy Holiday kits are truly some of the cutest set options for holiday. I think they’ve made sets suitable for any age and skin color. They would make super cute gift sets for teens, college age, even full on adults like myself. I can even see my mother-in-law wearing these kinds of colors and we have completely different coloring.
The BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Lip Icing Glow Gloss Kit has four mini lip glosses. The colors are so good I wish they came in full sizes but given the number of gloss I already have I don’t mind. I’ll for sure use these up and they’re tiny enough to fit in the smallest of holiday clutches or a small pocket. They’re all very smooth and have nice even coverage.
Colors have a soft vanilla scent to them:
Creme Brulee is a sheer shimmering soft pink with sparkles
Cinnamon Bun is a medium shimmering bronze
Sugar Plum is a soft plum gold, on me plums pull red, but if you have neutral lips this might pull more true to tube
Candy Cane is a bright warm bold red creme
The BECCA x Chrissy Teigen Glow Recipe Kit has three glow items, four if you count the duo as two items. I think they’re perfect to create an almost entire look. You just need your base, liner and mascara. Maybe a blush or bronzer if you want more color on the cheeks. These are sweet sugary smelling (except the eyeshadow).
Colors include:
Confectionary Glow Powder in Cinammon Sugar is a shimmering warm gold
Liquid Lip Matte Lip Souffle in Red Velvet is a neutral pink brown (pulls warm on me)
Glow Souffle Eyeshadow and Face Highlighter Duo in Cinnamon Churro has a perfect shimmering warm soft brown and a glossy glowy sheer gold cream highlighter that almost feels like a jelly (it’s pretty dewy but blends out smoothly)
I received the entire Volcano Goddess Limited-edition makeup collection for the fall season. These arrived a few weeks ago so they’re not new – you’ve probably already seen these pop up on your feed. There’s a pretty Volcano Goddess Eyeshadow Palette, Lava Gold Highlighter and 3 Glow Glosses. Given the vast number of launches this season, I decided to only keep the glosses and saved the other items for giveaways. The Glow Glosses are really pretty. The formula is one of my favorites (review of other Becca Glow Glosses here). The three in the Volcano Goddess Collection do not disappoint!
Colors:
Metamorphic Gold is PERFECTION on my lips! It’s a sheer pale gold that flashes pink and pearl sparkles, I love the transparent quality which gives my lips a pretty glow
Molton Mauve is a full coverage cool-neutral mauve pink brown color with some gold flecks
Ruby Fire is one of the prettiest sheer red plums with gold flecks, it is sheer so my natural lip shows through
All three swatched alongside Red Velvet from the Chrissy Glow Recipe Kit:
Gloss comparison swatches for reference to other Becca colors, lip swatches of the other Becca Glow Gloss shades here. I think the holiday ones are different enough from the current lineup to justify buying.
Beauty look with Volcano Goddess Glow Gloss in Metamorphic Gold on the lips and the Becca x Chrissy Glow Face Palette on the cheeks. Same base, eye shadow and mascara colors worn as listed in the photo above. Nail color is Chanel Organdi which is the perfect everyday neutral pink – and it doesn’t chip or get tip wear for around 5 days (sometimes 7) for me.
Bottom line solid wins! If I didn’t receive these as press samples I would 100% love to find this under my Christmas Tree or stocking. I think anyone would! They’re really easy to wear, don’t take any extra effort. Colors will work with a wide range of top colors: black, red, beige, pink, plum – really anything you can imagine wearing this holiday season.
These sets put me in the holiday spirit while I was swatching and photographing the items. I also have really enjoyed reading about some of your holiday traditions in my last post! We really haven’t had any specific traditions since our lives have changed over the past couple of years with our move. Andrew and I do always spend the holidays together no matter what we’re doing – this will be our 17th holiday season together!
You can find the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Holiday Collection at all Becca retailers now. Online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Beautylish, Becca Cosmetics. The Volcano Goddess collection looks like it’s still available even though it’s limited-edition but I could only find the Glow Gloss at Ulta Beauty and Becca Cosmetics.
Becca sets + gloss provided for review. As always opinions are my own.
Tatcha always has the prettiest Holiday Gift Sets and today I have a review of three lip sets. They have a number of skincare bundles which are always priced at a good value but the lip sets are the ones that caught my eye. Today 11/15 is the last day of their Friends and Family Event, you can get 20% off sitewide with code FRIENDS18 at checkout. I’m thrilled the lip sets have not yet sold out as every year they usually do. The three sets I hauled:
I’ve reviewed their lipsticks over the years including Kyoto Red, Sunrise: A Plum Blossom, and Twilight: A Cherry Blossom. The packaging, presentation and formula of every color is exquisite. The full size options are on the expensive side but they are truly special. Sometime last year they launched a purple berry color Beautyberry in a Trio Set with lipstick, liner and balm form which many of you asked me to review. I don’t typically wear blue-based colors and thought it would be too blue so I passed until now because it’s available in one of the mini sets!
There are two mini lipstick sets, they come in small bullets 1.3 g/0.04 oz each, made in Japan. The lipstick pigment and color appears to be the same as the full size options I tried and review, but to me the formula in the trios seem to be a tiny bit glossier in finish (except for the red). The difference is not too noticeable, could just be me. The Mini Silk Lipstick Trios come packaged in a beautiful box and there is a holder inside which I really appreciate. It holds them in place perfectly so when shipped there shouldn’t be any rolling around in the box. Both sets are beautiful. I can’t pick a favorite.
Japanese Blossoms Mini Silk Lipstick Trio has Sunrise: A Plum Blossom (medium rose pink), Twilight: A cherry blossom (pale soft pink) and Beautyberry (a cool plum berry). In the tube Beautyberry looks like it has the slightest hint of iridescent shimmer, on my lips I don’t see the shimmer as much. Given the fact that most blue-based lipsticks make me look sallow because of my skintone I was really pleasantly surprised to find Beautyberry wearable for my olive complexion. I don’t know that I love it enough to buy the full size options though.
Kyoto Kisses has Sunrise: A Plum Blossom (medium rose pink), a new shade Peony Blossom (sheer glossy pink coral), and Kyoto Red (bold bright matte red). I think the new Peony Blossom is their best shade yet, but I’m really partial to peachy pink coral shades. The peach and pink shades have sheer to medium coverage with one swipe, but you can layer for full coverage. Lip swatches below show they covered my entire lip well. Kyoto Red is one of the most intense bold reds I’ve ever tried. It’s a matte although in my swatches you might see a tiny bit of shine because of the flash I use.
Lip swatches on bare lips:
All swatched side by side:
I’ve saved my favorite for last which is the Blushing Lips Duo. It has a full size Kissu Lip Mask (9 g/ 0.32 oz, made in Japan) and a full size Peony Blossom Silk Lipstick (3.4 g/0.1 oz).
The Kissu Lip Mask was available individually but kept selling out and I never managed to check out in time to buy it. I’m really happy I got it in this set because it’s such a pretty smooth lip balm. I like it MUCH more than their regular Camellia Lip Balm and that is one I still consider to be very good. The Kissu Lip Mask has a soft cushiony feel, it’s hydrating and smooth. No sticky or tacky feel. It’s clear but the color has a slight pink tint in the pot. There’s a small gold applicator you can use to apply which is cute, but I wish the cap had a holder like the Water Cream or Silk Cream because I always lose applicators!
Peony Silk Blossom Lipstick is such a pretty natural coral pink. It’s medium in coverage but you can layer for more. It has a soft sheen like the other silk lipsticks. Lasting power is average for a glossy lipstick but these fade nicely since there is some shine to it. If this came in a lip liner or balm I would totally jump to buy it as well. Scroll up to see the swatch of this on the lips (it’s also in the mini in the Kyoto Kisses Set).
All the lips swatched side by side:
Because the sale event is happening and also because I haven’t written about Tatcha in a while, I wanted to highlight my top 5 picks of the moment. I’ve used them for many years since the brand’s early days (I just looked at my order history and it was back in 2013 when I first started using their skincare!). There hasn’t been a product I didn’t like. Their skincare is nice and I like that they have lots of options for either sensitive or dry skin. My top 5:
Kissu Lip Mask is now a favorite! I hope it’s permanent
Luminous Dewy Skin Mist is one of the nicest hydrating face mists, during the hot humid times of the year in Florida it’s a little too heavy for me, but right now we’re going into dry season and it’s perfect, when I lived in San Diego I used it a lot all year round
LOVE love love that they carry travel sizes you can buy. They are perfect for travel or on-the-go. If you’re new to the brand I highly recommend you try one of their starter sets because it’s the best way to try the minis. I also really loved their Rice Enzyme Powders for cleansers and soft gentle exfoliation. This year they reformulated them though and I’m still working my way through the older ones and have not tried the new ones yet.
I think all three sets I hauled are excellent. If I had to pick one it would be the Blushing Lips Duo because I like the lip mask. I use it as a regular lip balm, but I did leave it on overnight last night and it left lips feeling soft and smooth. I do think I prefer the Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask more but they’ve got a different texture and finish. Plus I can never have enough lip balms.
You can find these Tatcha holiday sets online at Tatcha. Their Friend and Family Sale Event ends today 11/15 with code FRIENDS18 at checkout for 20% off sitewide.
You can also find Tatcha products at other retailers like Sephora, Barney’s New York and QVC. Each retailer has their own gift set selection for the holidays as well in case you want to check out more options!
P.S. Side note – I’m going to be adding a few things to my blog sale page @stylednotes in case you’re interested in shopping my closet!
Continuing holiday beauty reviews with a look at the Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Lipsticks ($38 each for 3.9 g/0.13 oz, made in USA). Pat McGrath continues to launch innovative colors and formulas in a way that makes me want to go beyond my usual conservative makeup comfort zone and try new things. These BlitzTrance Lipsticks have intense sparkle and pigment. They’re described as an “iridescent lipstick that releases a full-coverage blast of explosive color with multidimensional, high-shine effects” and I could not describe it better. They’re opaque, ultra-reflective, explosive in color pigment and luminous.
These lipsticks are very sparkly but the sparkle and glitter varies per shade. I’ll describe them in more detail next to each shade description. There is a little bit of texture from the sparkle with a couple of these but it’s not a harsh texture and once on the lips I barely notice it. Lasting power is really good – the color base is emollient and has a hydrating feel so it helps the glitter adhere and it doesn’t migrate. Only Pat McGrath can make me want to wear sparkle this intense. I was prepared to tell you that they are way too sparkly and intense for me based on the online swatches I saw, but some of the colors are really wearable and I think the bolds are going to be particularly beautiful for holiday parties or dinners.
There are currently 7 shades available. I received 6 of these as press samples and then picked up the 7th color from my local Sephora. There is another 8th shade listed online as “coming soon.”
Nude Romantique is a refined peachy pink shimmer, it has lots of sparkle but this is one of the more subtle sparkles
Flesh Fatale is a medium bronze nude shimmer, also has softer shimmer
Fuchsia Perfect is an intense cool-toned bright blue based pink sparkle
Cyber Orchid is a bright cool-toned purple pink sparkle (it’s similar to Fuchsia Perfect, Cyber Orchid just has more blue tones)
Rebel Red is the most stunning metallic red I’ve ever seen, sparkle is chunkier in this one with a noticeable texture
Club Kiss is an intense plum-red shimmer, sparkle is also very metallic and bold
Blitz Gold is a yellow 24K gold metallic, it’s smoother in shimmer, but very foiled
Electra is listed as “coming soon”
I’d recommend looking at the @patmcgrathreal Instagram page for live swatch videos to get a better sense of the sparkle. The ones I have don’t capture the sparkle quality quite as intense as I see in real life. Although I do think the studio lights used on social emphasize the sparkle and glitz a little more intensely than they actually appear.
Close ups of each color below, Nude Romantique:
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Flesh Fatale:
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Fuchsia Perfect:
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Cyber Orchid:
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Rebel Red:
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Club Kiss:
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Blitz Gold:
For me the only two colors I did not like are Cyber Orchid (it’s really blue on me) and also Blitz Gold (I just don’t like really yellow golds) – but this is just a matter of color preference. If you don’t like sparkle or glitter in your lip color I think it’s going to be a safe pass for you. If you like bold colors and don’t mind some shimmer and glitz I think they’re really worth checking out. Out of all the shades Nude Romantique and Flesh Fatale are the most conservative in color and shimmer.
I think these have the perfect festive holiday feel. For me they’re a little too sparkly for everyday wear but I do think the neutrals Nude Romantique and Flesh Fatale are ones I can wear without feeling too sparkly. Rebel Red and Club Kiss are my favorites out of the entire collection. I always feel like bold reds and plums draw so much attention to my already full lips – but these two are so stunning and festive I think they’re going to be fun for holiday. No detectable scent or taste with these! Lasting power is really nice.
I picked up a few of the holiday items from Marc Jacobs Beauty this year and think all the pieces are beautiful! They describe this as being a high-glam collection with glittering jewel tones for eyes and gold glam highlights for lips and cheeks. Everything is listed as limited-edition but I hope they will keep the highlighter as a permanent item. What I bought:
The entire vibe of the collection is indeed shimmering and glam. I think the lip gloss and cheek highlighter are glowing but conservative enough for the natural makeup wearer while the eye shadows are full out glitz and glam. Swatches and thoughts on each piece starting with the O! Mega Glaze All-Over Foil Luminizer in Gilty which is a stunning gold.
This one is described as a warm peachy gold but I find it more complex than that. It’s not quite as sharp as a duo chrome shimmer but as I move my arm or hand in the light I can definitely see a shift in color depending on the angle. It has a warm gold shimmer and a soft peach base with a hint of rose-gold on my olive skin. I think this one is going to suit a wide range of skin tones, on me it’s definitely highlighter material but not a pale one. If you have fair skin this will look deeper perhaps a little bronzey gold on your skin. I think this will look amazing on deeper skin tones too. Shimmer is visible but it’s smooth and does not emphasize lines. It’s not a glaring frost with one swipe but you can layer for more intensity. A look at how the color glows depending on whether direct sunlight hits the pan below.
Swatches heavy vs light/blended:
The Enamored Hi-Shine Gloss Lip Lacquer in Shine A Light looks like a yellowed multi-chrome gold with pink and green flashes in the tube. On the lips it’s a lot prettier than what I see in the tube which I’d describe as a multi-shimmer deeper nude gold with pink flashes. I love a pretty gold shimmer for holiday, this one is pretty alone or layered! It’s true to Marc Jacobs gloss formula – smooth, no sticky tacky feel, cushiony and comes with a flexible sponge applicator. Even though it’s loaded with sparkle there’s no gritty feel or texture.
The See-Quins Glam Glitter Eyeshadows are full out glam party shadows. They’re pressed pigments and come with an insert to keep everything in place. The glitter and shimmer is quite intense but pretty for holiday. I’m not sure I could wear them for everyday looks, but I found the color Topaz Flash to be the most conservative for my skin tone. Gleam Girl is a glistening champagne beige sparkle, Topaz Flash is a complex bronze taupe smoke, Copperazzi is a warm orangey copper sparkle. I did not have an easy time using a brush to apply these, for me fingers were the best option for control, less fallout and better color payoff. If you use a brush I’d recommend a dense synthetic one like the MAC 242S or something similar. Once on the eyes if you don’t touch them there’s no fall out and they stayed put all day. If you touch your eyes there will be some sparkle transfer.
By comparison the Natasha Denona Chroma Crystal Top Coats have a sheerer base and more conservative sparkle (and those are still intense!). The Hourglass Scattered Light shadows are more refined in sparkle with less chunky glitter. If you want shine and shimmer but no glitter the new Armani Eyes to Kill Stellar are beautiful sheerer options without glitter. I swatched them at the counter and want them all but have not caved to buy yet.
I can’t say one is better than the other in this case. My recommendation would be based on how much you like or dislike glitter. I think Topaz Flash is my favorite. Since it’s a little deeper it makes for a pretty smokey eye on my complexion.
Below a look with three pieces from the collection, also wearing:
Overall pretty and glowing! In this world of highlighter overload Marc Jacobs has managed to launch one that I think is unique enough to justify owning even though I already have so many other options. Gold with any yellow tones can be hard for me to wear because I have yellow/olive undertones but Gilty has enough warmth with a shift in the shimmer to prevent it from being full on 24K yellow on my skin. I definitely wouldn’t call this a NEED simply because I have so many highlighters already, but I do really love it.
I really like the way Shine A Light looks on the lips. In the tube I was a little worries about the yellow-greenish flashes of shimmer but once on the lips I don’t see any green. It’s ultra smooth without any tacky feel. It does have a slight minty taste but no tingle (at least not on me). It has a transparent quality to it which allows your natural lip color to show through.
The See-Quins Glam Glitter Shadows are going to be hit or miss for many of you. They are very glitzy pressed pigments and they are intense. Definitely fun for the holiday season and I think the quality, color payoff and pigment are excellent. But if you’re more conservative makeup wearer I’d suggest trying in person before buying to be safe. I bought the most neutral options but there’s a really phenomenal purple color with some other shades you might want to check out. If you are conservative and want to go a little bolder with the eyes I still think the Pat McGrath Opulence Collection Palettes are the way to go. They have enough shimmer and glam to give you a bolder look but aren’t too crazy with the sparkle.
You can find the Marc Jacobs Beauty Holiday 2018 collection out now. Everything is limited-edition. I bought mine from Sephora and Neiman Marcus. Also available at Marc Jacobs Beauty.
Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think? If not – what’s your favorite gold colored highlighter?
