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Tom Ford Soleil Neige 2023

October 17, 2023

For the holiday season Tom Ford launched their Soleil Neige 2023 collection featuring a new eyeshadow quad, two highlighters and three repromoted lip glosses. Everything is cased in their limited-edition holiday white and silver color packaging.

The theme feels like a winter wonderland theme with cooler tones and metallics. Today I have a look at the items for eyes and cheeks as it appears the lip glosses have not yet arrived in the US . The limited-edition packaging is available on pre-order at this time, although you can still find the colors in the standard gold/mahogany packaging.

Soleil Neige Eye Color Quad

The Soleil Neige Eye Color Quad in Lumiere D’Hiver ($90) is beautiful. It has a creamy almost velvety pigmented pale cream matte, a complex sparkling taupe topper, a neutral silvery shimmer and a deep cool black-brown matte. The quality and pigment of this quad is just outright stunning. The shimmers are very finely milled – the shimmer is almost glittery but there isn’t really that glitter texture as they feel more on the smooth side. The mattes perform so well, I wish every Tom Ford matte eyeshadow had this level of creamy opaque blendable pigment.

At first glance I was incredibly underwhelmed. In the pans these shadows looked like your standard grey, cream and brown. On the eyes and swatched on the arm the colors come to life, especially with the shimmers. The best way to wear them is to apply the matte cream all over and then the darker matte on the lids. Top with the shimmers and you’ve got the perfect smokey eye. Performance wise A+.

Swatched below next to Nude Dip for reference.

That being said I do think these colors are ones we’ve seen before in a number of brands. I think the Natasha Denona Glam or I Need a Nude Palette are better options for price and color variety but with similar quality.

Soleil Neige Glow Highlighter

There are two shades of Soleil Neige Glow Highlighter this season ($90 each). They’re multi-dimensional highlighters with an ultra-smooth glow that almost gives the skin a wet look effect with how glassy they shimmer is.

Photo swatches do not do these justice. Rose Irise is an iridescent icy pink that flashes an opal like shimmer depending on how the light hits. To my eye the color is very similar to the pink side in Peachlight Highlighter Duo. Also swatched next to Moodlight below.

Look below wearing:

Foundation – Tom Ford Traceless Foundation Stick in Natural 6.0
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Powder in Medium
Bronzer – Tom Ford Bronzer in Gold Dust
Blush – Dior Backstage Blush in Pink
Highlighter – Tom Ford Soleil Neige Rose Irise
Eyeshadow – Tom Ford Eye Color Quad Lumiere D’Hiver
Mascara – Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Brow Pencil – Benefit Precisely My Brow Shade 2.5
Lips – Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump in Rosebud
Nail Polish – Olive and June Quick Dry in Sandy

Gran Paradis is a soft pale gold champagne. Both are really beautiful – like take your breath away beautiful! I don’t know that I would call either must-haves though, especially at the steep price point. Also at this point I haven’t checked out any of the other holiday highlighters yet to compare.

Below with the gold Gran Paradis Highlighter just on top of the Tom Ford Gold Dust Bronzer (no blush added).

If you’re not a fan of the really metallic highlight these may be too glowy for you. I will say that I really like the smooth finish and texture (even if it is very glowy).

Overall beautiful and exceptional in quality. Must haves? I don’t think I can say they are. I am really happy with the splurges. They exceeded my expectations. Everything is very wearable which surprised me since I usually don’t wear cool tones.

If shimmers or cool tone greys aren’t your thing, Tom Ford also launched a few pieces in their Private Garden Collection with two eyeshadow quads, two pink satin matte lip colors, and a clear rose lip oil. I didn’t pick any of the pieces up but wanted to put them on your radar. They look really pretty!

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

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Did you check out anything from Tom Ford’s recent launches? What did you think?

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Base Makeup Gucci Beauty

Gucci Beauty Multi-Use Long Wear Concealer

October 3, 2023

Gucci Beauty launched a new concealer called the Concentre de Beaute Multi-Use Longwear Concealer ($47 each). I really love the new formula it and did a demo on my Instagram in partnership with Sephora. A lot of you had questions about the formula and color selection so I wanted to review it in more detail and include an updated roundup of their base products.

Multi-Use Longwear Concealer

The new Gucci Multi-Use Longwear Concealer is a medium coverage concealer with a lightweight texture and natural finish. It has enough pigment to cover my freckles and even out the under-eye area but still looks like skin (just better). I really like the wear and how it sets If you watch my video here you’ll see how it blends in seamlessly to look like skin. I applied it with the Fenty Concealer Brush which I recently bought and love.

The new concealer comes in wide range of shades with different undertones. According to their shade breakdown:

C is for cool – skin rarely tans, with pink hues
N is for neutral – skin tans sometimes, with both pink and golden hues
W is for warm – skin tans easily, with yellow or golden hues

For a shade match I found Shade 34N to be my best match under the eyes. It’s neutral, medium and just the slightest bit lighter than my skin, but very close. I usually prefer concealers close to my skin tone rather than having something 2-3 shades lighter for under eyes.

I ended up ordering multiple colors, mainly because I wanted to try them and also swatch them for those who are my skin twins. I did try all six and my first pick 34N ended up being the best. I also really like 28C or 31W for brightening. 35W can also work as an exact match for spot concealing.

Some of the W shades pull more yellow/olive than others. 32W pulls very yellow while 31W and 35W both pull more golden/neutral. Out of the 2 C undertone shades they look consistently pink in undertone. I only tried one of the N neutrals so I’m not sure how the other neutral shades run, but 34N is indeed very neutral.

Wearing 34N below with their Glow Care Shine Lipstick in Sally Soft Honey.

Concealer is unscented and lasting power is pretty impressive. It did not crease or cake and I like that it sets on its own pretty well. The texture/pigment is similar to the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer with a slightly more matte dry down. If you need something more creamy and opaque this one may be too sheer for you in which case I’d recommend the Natasha Denona Hy-Glam, Givenchy or Tarte Shape Tape Radiant.

Swatches compared to:

Armani Luminous Silk Concealer in 6.5
Tarte Shape Tape Radiant Concealer in 35N
Dior Forever Concealer (the current formula) in 2.5N and 3N
Givenchy Prisme Libre Concealer in C305
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger
Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealers in N8 and N9

Luminous Matte Foundation

Gucci has launched several foundation formulas in recent years and the current formula available now is the Luminous Matte Finish Foundation ($69). My best match is 305N although it runs just a tiny bit light in color. I can make it work since it adjusts/oxidizes just slightly.

The next shade up is 310N and there is a pretty big gap (looks like at least 3 shades darker). This foundation has one of the best matte finishes I’ve tried. I typically do not like matte foundations because they often feel too thick and look flat. This one however has a really nice finish and great lasting power. I would wear this one more often if I had an exact shade match. I adjust this one with one by mixing in one of the Elf Halo Glow Filters (usually Shade 5 or 7).

It is floral scented which might be a deal breaker for those sensitive to fragrance in foundation. Luckily it did not irritate my skin. Before/afters below, also wearing the Gucci Satin Lipstick in The Painted Veil and Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Eyeshadow Palette.

Matte Beauty Powder

Gucci’s Matte Beauty Powder is cased in one of the prettiest compacts I’ve ever seen. There’s a compartment for a puff which I love. It’s described as “matte” but there are actually some shimmer particles in it but once applied on the face the shimmer isn’t really visible on the skin. I wear Shade 4 (seems to be discontinued now) or Shade 5.

It’s a nice powder but there are a few downsides. One is this is heavily fragranced. It’s not unpleasant but I find it on the strong side. The other is that it’s prone to hard-pan but this happens when there is oil on your powder brush whether it’s oil from touching your face or moisturizer residue or even your fingers.

I’ve managed to keep mine clean but I am really careful with what brushes I use. I’m a little OCD about having clean brushes and am constantly washing them so I almost always have a clean powder brush when I use this. Overall nice and performs well, but it’s not my favorite. I have used a few compacts up entirely and just bought a fresh one. I like it, but I think there are better formulas out there.

Brume de Beaute Mist

The Gucci Beauty Face Mist is another great product. It’s a multi-tasking product you can use to prep the skin or set your makeup. It’s a bi-phase formula with Black Rose Oil and hyaluronic acid. The top dispenses a super fine mist and feels super refreshing on the skin. I think it makes for a really nice luxurious splurge, but it does have a floral scent to it. If fragrance is a no-go for you I think the MAC Fix+ or Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Sprays are great options.

Multi-Use Illuminating Drops

Last but not least is another look at their Illuminateur de Beaute Multi-Use Drops. This is one of the prettiest liquid highlighters I’ve tried. It’s glowy with the perfect amount of pigment & glow for me. The color is a peachy champagne which I really love for medium/tan skin but I think it will work for any skin tone.

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That wraps up my Gucci Beauty Concealer review! If you’re around the same skin tone as me I hope you found the swatches helpful!

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Chanel Lips

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

September 27, 2023

Chanel launched a new lipstick called 31 Le Rouge ($195 each) inspired by their iconic address 31 Rue Cambon in Paris. There are 12 lipstick shades total packaged in a stunning re-fillable glass lipstick case that mirrors the Art Deco staircase in Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment. Each lipstick also comes with a quilted black case to protect the glass. This is one of the most luxurious lipsticks launched to date. Available now at Chanel.com.

Refills are available at $80 each but they cannot be used without the case (there is a lock/twist mechanism inside the base which needs the lipstick case to twist up).

So many of you have been asking me to review these. As a long-time die hard Chanel fan and collector I knew I had to purchase at least one. I ended up buying a few to try and today I’m sharing all of my thoughts after putting them to the test. First here is a look at all 12 shades.

1 Rouge Beige
2 Rouge Croisière
3 Rouge Roman
4 Rouge Flou
5 Rouge Premier
6 Rouge Imaginaire
7 Rouge Privé
8 Rouge Fétiche
9 Rouge Tailleur
10 Rouge Byzantin
11 Rouge Coromandel
12 Rouge 2.55

If you want a closer look at the display, case options and more I posted an Instagram Reel of the store displays and setup. We now have a Chanel Beauty boutique in Tampa so I stopped by to swatch all the colors since they are exclusive to Chanel.com and Chanel boutiques. In stores they have a boxed Coffret Set you can customize and pick a leather case (white, black or silver).

Here are my thoughts on the new lipstick:

Formula is truly exceptional. It’s the most exquisite formula I’ve ever tried. It’s the best classic satin lipstick formula I think that has ever been made. Texture is smooth and comfortable. They glide on the lips flawlessly. Pigment is opaque and rich. It adheres well to the lips. They’re softly scented with a floral scent but it’s modern and soft. They have Gardenia Oil and have pretty good lasting power.

Packaging is beautiful. The Chanel 31 Le Rouge cases are exactly what you’d expect from Chanel. Thick, weighted, sturdy, constructed like a work of art and with a magnetized cap. The glass resembles the super thick glass of tempered glass (like the duraclear glasses you find at Williams-Sonoma). I think the separate pouch is beautiful too.

The pigment is also really beautiful. They have a micronized pearl making them luminous on the lips, although only one has visible shimmer. The biggest downside in my opinion is the limited color selection – they have one lighter neutral and eleven bolds. While it makes sense that they focused primarily on classic reds, I wish they had launched more neutrals, soft pinks even some mauves. A handful of you told me the lightest shade was going to be too light for you and the second lightest option was straight up orange.

I ended up picking 5 shades to try and here are my thoughts on each of them.

1 Rouge Beige

1 Rouge Beige is the lightest shade and it’s a pearlescent beige. I love it although it’s pale and is a little bit on the sheer side (at least compared to all the other colors in the lineup). This shade reminds me of one of my favorite Tom Ford Lipsticks from my early days of blogging In the Buff and Pink Dune. It’s not as visible in photographs but in real life you can see it on the lips a lot better.

Makeup worn:

Foundation – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation B40
Powder – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Powder B30 (new formula)
Bronzer – Chanel Les Beiges Travel-Sized Healthy Glow Bronzer Shade 392
Blush – Chanel Joues Contraste in Jersey
Eyeshadow – Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Venitienne
Mascara – Chanel Le Volume de Chanel
Nail Polish – Chanel Le Vernis 165 Bois des Iles

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2 Rouge Croisière

2 Rouge Croisière looked promising as a healthy coral peach, but on my lips it’s really orange. It’s a vibrant coral that has a summery vibe. I do think you can tone down the color by lightly dabbing it versus swiping it on the lips.

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3 Rouge Roman

3 Rouge Roman is my second favorite shade. It’s nearly impossible for me to wear purples on the lips because I can never find the right undertone. Most are either too brown, too red, or too purple. I think this one has just the right mix to truly look like a plum/mauve on my lips.

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4 Rouge Flou

4 Rouge Flou is a bright warm red orange. Swatching it in store made me think it would be a warm coral but on my lips it definitely pulls more reddish. It’s so bright it is almost a electric neon kind of shade.

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10 Rouge Byzantin

10 Rouge Byzantin is a brown plum. There are 3 darker plum tones and they all looked really pretty in store. It was hard to narrow down my pick as the nuances between each of them are slight. I debated between Rouge Byzantin or Rouge 2.55 decided to opt for the one with more brown tones. It’s beautiful.

Are they worth the price? I really think this depends on your budget and personal preference. I had a chat with a few friends about the price recently – we talked about how some have no hesitation dropping $200 on a perfume, cashmere sweater, skincare etc, but not a lipstick or a makeup palette.

I don’t know that I will ever think a lipstick is worth a $200 price tag, but if you love Chanel or find a color you really love, I think the 31 Le Rouge Lipstick will make a beautiful collector piece. It will truly be a special splurge treat. The packaging is truly exquisite and formula is exceptional. Part of me wishes they had more neutrals or soft pinks, but I am happy to have at least 1 neutral.

Available at Chanel.com and Chanel Boutiques.

Did you check out the lipsticks? What did you think?

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance

September 17, 2023

Chanel Beauty launched 4 new eyeshadow palettes in the Les 4 Ombres Byzance Collection ($70 each). The palettes have a beautiful gold surface in the compact to mimic Gabrielle Chanel’s jewelry and it adds a really special touch to these.

All four performed very well – pigment is very good, finely milled, application is smooth and easy to layer. Each quad has 3 regular eyeshadows and 1 sparkly iridescent topper.

Out of the four palettes there are two lighter neutral variations that are wearable for everyday. The remaining two are more on the trendy side with reds and greens – both of these were too trendy for me to pull off.

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Cristal

Les 4 Ombres Byzance 328 Parure Cristal is really beautiful. It has two soft pink shimmers, a satiny cool brown and a sparkling pale blue topper. Overall it pulls very soft on the eyes but I love the softwash effect.

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Venitienne

The other lighter variation Les 4 Ombres Byzance 318 Parure Venitienne is also really beautiful (my favorite of the four). It has a warm shimmery gold, soft warm peach shimmer, warm brown and a ultra pale aqua shimmer topper. The colors show up a lot more in person, on camera it’s really hard to pick up the nuances and color on the eyes.

Look wearing:

Foundation – Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation in BD41
Powder – (new formula) Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in B30
Blush – Chanel Joues Contraste in 80 Jersey
Eyeshadow – Les 4 Ombres Byzance in 318 Parure Venitienne
Eyeliner – Stylo Yeux Waterproof in 20 Espresso
Lips – Chanel Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue in Light Rose + Rouge Coco Gloss in 728 Rose Pulpe on top

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Imperiale

The reddish quad 308 Parure Imperiale is very warm and pulls very pink on my skin tone. It has a yellow gold shimmer, warm coral red, deeper red and champagne silver glitter/shimmer. On my skin tone it was too red for my taste. I rarely wear reds on the eyes but can pull off the Les 4 Rouges Yeux et Joues in Tendresse or Les 4 Ombres in Candeur Et Experience. This new one however did not work for my complexion.

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Baroque

Les 4 Ombres Byzance in 338 Parure Baroque is the most trendy one of all with colors that have a decorated Christmas Tree vibe. Colors include a burnished brassy gold, red, shimmery smoky green and silver glitter. The mix of colors did not work for me but I did see some really pretty looks on the @welovecoco Instagram account with the green shade applied.

For some reason this color configuration seemed like an odd mix for Chanel as I didn’t think they usually launched anything with this particular shade of green. A quick search though proved me wrong and it appears they’ve actually had quite a few bright greens in singles and palettes in the past.

Overall beautiful pigment, texture and shimmers. I’m not sure they will be for everyone, although I really love the Parure Venitienne color scheme with Parure Cristal in close second. I can’t see myself wearing the other two, but I do think they will appeal to those who want something different and bold.

All four quads are limited-edition. Available at Chanel.com while supplies last.

Les 4 Ombres Byzance gifted by Chanel for review.

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Bronzer + Blush Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes 2023

September 13, 2023

This year Hourglass has three new limited-edition Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes ($90 each) and they are stunning. They’re currently available online at Hourglass Cosmetics and will be launching at Sephora starting 9/22.

You can also customize the palette combination of the compact + palette inside on the Hourglass website (they have an exclusive Owl design) although I ordered the palettes as they are named/pre-designed. There are repeats in each palette but Hourglass gave us quite a few new shades this year.

Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Jellyfish

The Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Jellyfish is probably my favorite although I’m not thrilled about the finishing powder repeats. They are nice to have and work well to set or blur, but I think the vast majority of us already own the setting powder and are craving all new shades.

Lunar Bronze swatches warm on my arm but it’s actually more neutral. The pink blushes are neutral and the new highlighter pulls cool-toned on me. I am currently in between MAC NC30 and NC35 (I’m wearing NC35 in the new MAC Studio Radiance Serum Foundation) and this one surprisingly shows up on me. At first glance I thought there could be a chance it would be too light but it works for me!

Diffused Light Finishing Powder (repeat, available individually)
Rose Fusion Blush (new)
Opal Strobe Light Strobe Powder (new)
Bronzer Lunar Bronze (new)
Diffused Heat Blush (repeat, available individually)
Ethereal Light Finishing Powder (repeat, available individually)

Look wearing:

Foundation – MAC Studio Radiance Serum Foundation in NC35
Powder – Hourglass Finishing Powder in Dim Light
Eyes – Hourglass Custom Palette (Bee, Yes and Act)
Mascara – Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Lips – Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balm in Mist + Sense mixed

Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Leopard

The Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Leopard Palette seems the most versatile to me but it has a lot of repeats in it. I do think if you’re new to Hourglass or makeup and want a good mix of shades that you can wear with almost any lip, this is it.

Dim Light Finishing Powder (repeat, available individually)
Celestial Strobe Light Strobe Powder (repeat from Holiday 2022 Butterfly Palette and 2023 Blush & Glow Palette)
Mood Exposure Blush (repeat, available individually)
Iridescent Rose Blush (repeat from Holiday 2019 Ghost)
Ethereal Flush (new)
Lustrous Bronze Light Bronzer (repeat from Holiday 2022 Elephant)

Look wearing the same as the above look, but with Scattered Light Eyeshadow in Ray and Phantom Glossy Balm in Slip

Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Snake

The Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Snake is the most unique as it has almost all new shades. It pulls very warm and reminds me of the Holiday 2022 Tiger Palette, but isn’t as orangey. This year’s Snake Palette has more pink tones but still pulls warm.

Radiant Light Finishing Powder (repeat, available individually)
Coral Haze Blush (new)
Infinite Strobe Light Strobe Powder (new)
Sun Beam Blush (new)
Mystic Flush Blush (new)
Solar Bronze Bronzer (new)

Look wearing the same as the above look, but with Scattered Light Eyeshadow in Foil and Phantom Glossy Balm in Lucid

I tried to get the same camera and lighting settings as last year to do side by side swatches. I think they’re close enough to give you an idea of how different/similar they are. Full review of Holiday 2022 here.

Holiday 2023 vs Holiday 2022 Palettes

Overall I think the Holiday 2023 palettes are really beautiful. For me they were worth the splurge even though they’re incredibly expensive. Are any of them must-haves? I think it depends on how many other Hourglass palettes you own, but I do think this year’s palettes are among the prettiest ones I’ve tried.

Based on the feedback from many of you, opinions seem mixed. A good portion of you are like me: love these and collect them every year, even if there are duplicates and similarities. Then there are quite a few who passed on the last year’s palettes and aren’t quite sure about this year’s because you own one or two from several years ago and either never used them or think there are too many similarities to justify another one.

With the holiday season approaching (sets come out earlier and earlier every year), I think there will definitely be some upcoming sales like Friends and Family discounts or gift card events etc. You might want to bookmark these or add these to your wishlists for those times.

Currently available at Hourglass Cosmetics. Customization options are exclusive to Hourglass. Pre-designed palettes will be launching at all retailers starting September 22.

What do you think about these palettes? Did you order any of these yet?

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Cle de Peau Beaute Eye Makeup

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quads – New Launch

September 8, 2023

Cle de Peau revamped their Eye Color Quads with twelve new shades ($110 each). They are refillable and the compacts are sold separately ($75 for the eye quad and $35 for the mirrored compacts). They sold out very quickly online at Cle de Peau but you can still find them at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. (Some shades appear to be exclusive to the Cle de Peau site.)

I ordered four of the shades and the Cle de Peau team kindly sent a few others for me to try. There are quite a few stunning neutrals and while a number of you have mentioned all the neutrals look the same from the compact. Side by side a lot of them look really similar, but I can assure you there are noticeable variations in the swatches.

These Eye Color Quads have a super smooth texture that feels like silk. They have an almost bouncy texture to them. Each quad has a primer shade in the bottom left corner that feels a little thicker/creamy.

Pigment varies by quad but overall I would say colors run on the softer side but are buildable. I wouldn’t call the softness “sheer” since the pigment is pretty good, but some of the shades do take some building. I swatched these with a pretty heavy hand on top of the Tatcha Liquid Silk Canvas Primer. On the eyes the shimmer isn’t as intense as in my arm swatches.

Beach Pebbles 2 is the most natural/neutral palette with a beautiful mix of tan, brown and pale ivory shimmer.

Starlight 7 is probably my favorite with the best mix of peachy pink champagne, tan brown, neutral cream primer and a soft but deep brown.

Warm Ocean Sunset 8 has the prettiest mix of softer pink/peach tones. The brown/plum is on the softer side when layered on top of the other powders, but it applies with more pigment on bare lids or with a damp brush.

Look wearing:

Foundation – Cle de Peau Radiant Fluid Foundation O40
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless in Medium
Blush – Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Powder Blush Shade 03
Eyeshadow – Cle de Peau Warm Ocean Sunset
Eyeliner – Natasha Denona My Dream Palette (matte black and brown shades)
Mascara – Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Lips – Chanel Rouge Coco Flash in Easy + Flushed

Caviar Pearls 6 is a purple lovers dream come true with that stunning lavender purple, taupe and deeper cool brown.

Ocean Sunrise 4 is a cool-toned mix of tan and brown.

Coral Reef 5 is the most natural on my skin as the tones match my skin tone the closest. The shades pull more satiny matte than the other quads.

If you want a staple eyeshadow palette you can wear easily without a lot of effort there are lots of great options with the new Cle De Peau eyeshadow launch. Quality is great, color range is stunning, lots to love here. However if you want colors with high impact and ultra-rich pigment, I will say that I think these might be too sheer for you.

Quick note if neutral eyeshadows aren’t your thing there are some fun combinations with green, lilac, purple, pink and blue too.

The biggest downside for me is the price. I don’t know that I can call these worth the splurge at $110+ each (even though I splurged on 4). For the price and similar pigment the Dior 5 Couleurs, NARS Palettes or Charlotte Tilbury are a better buy.

Overall love the quality and colors. There seems to be a growing trend for refillable makeup whether it’s eyeshadow, foundation, lipstick etc. Having the refillable option isn’t really a big selling point to me. If these quads (compact and eyeshadow) were priced at the refill price I would be more inclined to give them a more glowing positive review. The price almost makes me feel like the Natasha Denona or Pat McGrath Palettes are a steal.

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Palettes + refills have sold out a lot of places but quickly restocked so you may have to shop around to find the colors you want. Available at Cle de Peau, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.

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Natasha Denona

New Natasha Denona Launches

August 23, 2023

I’m always excited to see what Natasha Denona creates and this season she’s given us neutral makeup lovers some stunning palettes. I have a look at her two latest palettes I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette and Mini Starlet alongside swatches of her new I Need a Nude Lip Crayons.

Mini Starlette

I think her mini 5-pan palettes are some of my favorites on the market. I still adore her Mini Nude and Mini Biba Palette years after they launched. Her new Mini Starlette is beautiful. It has a very pretty mix of neutrals, both warm, neutral and cool. It has a soft matte cool brown, a sparkling champagne pink topper, a soft matte apricot pink and a cool brown plum matte.

Pigment is beautiful and easy to layer. The mattes don’t always swatch the best on the hands but I’ve always found they apply beautifully on the lids with smooth textures.

I Need a Nude Lip Crayon

Natasha Denona added new shades of her I Need a Nude Lip Crayon. These are super creamy and opaque and glide on like a dream. I think the colors are just SO beautiful, but my darker tone pigmented lips cannot pull off the neutrals. They swatch beautifully on the arm but on my complexion/lip tone/skin tone they look very cool and grey.

This round I’m finally able to wear some of her new shades, in particular the colors with the P in the color code work really well.

I Need a Nude Palette

I’ve saved the best for last. Her I Need a Nude Palette is a neutral-lover’s dream come true. I love her Biba and Glam Palette and this new one runs a bit warmer in tone which is perfect for me. I love a good neutral but there’s something about my olive/yellow complexion that can’t always pull off true neutrals and taupes. I feel best when I’m in warm-neutrals and while this palette isn’t exactly warm, it’s warmer than Biba (review here) or Glam (reviewed here).

I’m obsessed and 100% think it’s the best palette launched this year. It has a beautiful mix of mattes, shimmers and metallics. Some of the metallic eyeshadows have an almost wet foiled effect when applied with fingers (with a brush the shimmer isn’t as intense). I love that she added a warm matte pink and a warm dusty rose pink which helps warm up the eye looks in the best way possible.

I’ve only played around with this a few times – with the number of shades I think the combinations are endless but I’ve really like the look with Mesh, Vague, Wit, Ella and Sheen layered and then Silhouette as a liner.

Side by side swatches of I Need a Nude vs Glam Palette