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MAC

MAC x Aaliyah Collection Review + Swatches

June 21, 2018

The MAC x Aaliyah Collection launches in stores today with limited-edition pieces for eyes, lips and cheeks. I wanted to share some quick swatches and first impressions as I suspect some pieces will sell out quickly. The overall vibe is what MAC calls moody, deep and neutral. I’d say it’s just that. The color scheme has more of a fall vibe but I think there are some stand out pieces that I think you should not miss. The items in the collection include:

Lipsticks ($18.50 each) in four shades – Try Again (matte), More Than a Woman (amplified), Street Thing (frost), Hot Like (amplified)
Lipglass ($17.50 each) in four shades – Brooklyn Born, At Your Best You Are, Li Li’s Motor City, 1 in a Million
Lip Pencil ($18 each) in two shades – Nevermore and Follow Your Heart
Age Ain’t Nothing Eyeshadow x 9 ($32) – Age Ain’t Nothing (mix of finishes)
Bronzing Powder ($28) – Baby Girl (pearl finish)

Up first are the lip products. There are four Aaliyah Lipsticks, three of which are very creamy and smooth, one is semi sheer and a little patchy on my lips. From left to right we have Try Again (matte nude brown), Hot Like (perfect red cream), More Than a Woman (the perfect wine plum cream), Street Thing (shimmery sheer black). All of these have that signature soft vanilla MAC lipstick scent.

I think More Than A Woman is the most perfect wine color I’ve ever tried. Plum wines are hard to pull off for my complexion – so many are either too blue or turn fuchsia on my lips. Try Again almost looks almost deathly on my olive complexion. Street Thing was the worst for my lips – it swatched nicely on the arm and as I was swatching I thought to myself I wish this color was in eyeshadow form, powder or cream because it would make for a unique black shadow with shimmers.

There are four Aaliyah Lipglasses. They don’t necessarily match the Lipstick colors exactly but can be worn alone or layered on top of the lip colors. We have left to right: Brooklyn Born (soft champagne pearl), Li Li’s Motor City (orange cream), At Your Best You Are (sheer wine), and 1 In A Million (sheer/patchy deep plum brown). My favorite is Brooklyn Born which has the smoothest pearl and actually didn’t wash me out. At Your Best You Are is another perfect plum for me. Li Li’s Motor City is fun for summer but with my olive skin sometimes orange can be a hard color to pull off all the time. 1 in a Million is so pretty color-wise but pulled streaky as it contrasted with my natural lip tone quite a bit. If you have deeper lips the contrast won’t be as obvious. I think if I were to add a deep liner underneath and blend it would smooth out.

There are two Aaliyah Lip Pencils which I think were odd color choices given the range of lipstick and lipglass colors. Nevermore is a deep blackened purple which would go well with Street Thing or 1 in a Million but would contrast sharply with all the other shades. Follow Your Heart is a standard brick red which would go well with the reds, but not so much with any of the other shades. Still they are creamy and soft in formula.

Finally there is one item for eyes and one for the cheeks.

MAC launched an Aaliyah Bronzing Powder called Baby Girl which I have mixed feelings on. On my complexion it applies nicely but it has a very stiff texture and sheer finish. The color is going to be better suited for women who are light to medium in skin tone, I think it will be too light to show up on deeper skin tones. It works for me but I feel like it would have been better to have at least 1 more shade option. For this particular bronzer it looks nice – but I think there are much better options including the Becca Sunlit Bronzers or Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzers to name a few.

The Aaliyah Times Nine Eyeshadow Palette called Age Ain’t Nothing which is excellent in pigment and texture. Some of the other Nine Eyeshadow Palettes have great colors but aren’t the best in terms of texture. This one in the Aaliyah collection is smooth and well pigmented. The colors can create a variety of looks. I find myself gravitating towards the bottom two rows but every single color blends and layers well together. As usual my recommendation for palettes are to buy only if you think you’re going to use most of the colors. Texture and quality-wise it’s really good.

Overall some nice pieces, but I don’t feel like I really gravitate towards most of the colors. The three stand outs for me are the More Than A Woman Lipstick, Brooklyn Born Lipglass and At Your Best You Are Lipglass. These aren’t seasonal colors but I can appreciate a really nice wine-colored lip. And for Brooklyn Born I feel like the texture and shimmer are so smooth they add a really pretty shine. Whether or not you like these colors I hope this post along with all of mine helps as a reference guide especially if you don’t have in-person access or can’t get to a counter right away.

You can find the MAC Aaliyah Collection out now. Everything is limited-edition. Online at MAC, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dillard’s and Bloomingdale’s.

Many thanks to the MAC team for providing the MAC Aaliyah collection provided courtesy for review.

11 Comments

Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Pretty Youth Glow Filters, Cheek Hug Brush + Collagen Lip Bath

June 20, 2018

Charlotte Tilbury launched Part 2 of her Beauty Filters collection focused on lips and cheeks. I picked up all three of the items including the Pretty Youth Glow Filter Kit in Pretty Fresh and Seduce Beauty ($60 each for blush duo + brush) along with the new Collagen Lip Bath ($35). I reviewed Part 1 last month on her Bigger Brighter Eyes Collection. Part 2 for lips + cheeks do not disappoint color and quality-wise.

Charlotte Tilbury Pretty Youth Glow Filters

The Charlotte Tilbury Pretty Youth Glow Filters are duo cream cheek palettes and the kits come with the Cheek Hug Brush at Nordstrom. It is only because of this brush that I think these palettes are worth the high price tag of $60. (The blush is available individually at Charlotte Tilbury’s website though.) In terms of quality and pigment both colors are really good but to me it seems as though there is very little product. These each contain a highlighter and blush – the brush is perfectly shaped and very well made to pick up both colors and apply them in a perfect blush/highlight motion. I simply swipe across the palette and apply in a swipe up method on the cheeks, then blend/buff with either my fingers or a separate blush brush. Texture is a silky cream finish. It’s truly a cream to powder like the description states. Color on me is medium to sheer.

Seduce Blush is the more neutral/muted option with a soft champagne and pinky-nude. There is a slight hint of shimmer in the pan but on the cheeks it’s very diffused and satiny.

Wearing Sunday Riley The Influencer Foundation 190, Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Shadows in Star Gold and Rose Gold mixed together, Collagen Lip Bath.

Pretty Fresh is a brighter option with a paler rose shimmer and brighter pink. This one is my favorite of the two. It can be built up for more color but blends out to a very nice flush.

Closer look at the Cheek Hug Brush:

Overall these had medium lasting power on me. I’m still experimenting with primers and bases to find what will last through the humidity. I felt like I had it all figured out last summer. Then we had about six months of truly mild weather here and I feel like I’ve forgotten what worked in humidity! I think these blushes are both excellent. I still really love her Filmstar Bronze and Blush Glow for texture and finish and think if she had made these Pretty Youth Glow Filters colors in powder form I’d snap them up in a heart beat and that others would too. I’d say in terms of finish/texture the lasting power and pigment, the Pretty Youth Glow Filters is similar to that of the Sisley Phyto-Twist Blush sticks.

Some swatch comparisons:

Collagen Lip Bath

Then there is the Collagen Lip Bath which all of my friends were texting me about asking if I had tried it and if I thought it was worth the price. I love all of Charlotte Tilbury’s Lip Lustres and Lipsticks so had high hopes for this even though it looked like it was basically a clear gloss. As soon as I opened my heart both sank and then rose back up.

When I removed the wand I was completely shocked at how little product there actually was in the tube. The wand takes up 1/2 the space! Then the actual wand itself is shaped like the top of a heart which is the cutest applicator I’ve ever seen. After getting over the shock of how little product there was I swiped it and fell in love. It makes my lips look lush and plump without any tingle or sting. They truly look super healthy and plump in the best way I’ve ever seen. It’s supposed to have peppermint extract to cool, but for some reason I did not feel any cooling sensation. It’s basically clear even though it’s a soft rose tint in the tube. Below is what my lips look like with clearish gloss, they almost always turn rose pink.

So in terms of performance and what it does, I 100% love it. I’m still peeved at how little product there is and I feel like I’m one who rarely gets upset about product weight. I still really like it and will use it up entirely in no time at all.

Overall beautiful. In my mind Charlotte Tilbury can do no wrong with the quality and color choice of her products. I think the Pretty Youth Glow Filters and Collagen Lip Products are beautiful additions to her line. I’d recommend them for anyone who wants a soft pretty and natural feminine glow. I do think the price points are a little steep, especially for the amount of product you get. I do feel the Cheek Hug Brush is really well made and makes the duos worth the splurge. For creams they aren’t too emollient but if you have super oily skin you might want to try before you buy if you can. As for the Collagen Lip Bath, I love it, but I don’t love the price. I wish it came in a squeeze tube like the MAC clear lipglass. The brush tip is nice and the design quite innovative but not a game changer to make it worth the steep price.

For other recent Charlotte Tilbury reviews:

Hollywood Flawless Filters Review + Swatches
Star Gold, Rose Gold, Duchess, American Sweetheart and English Beauty
Bigger Brighter Eyes Collection Review

You can find the Pretty Youth Glow Filters and Collagen Lip Bath out now at Charlotte Tilbury counters. I bought mine from Nordstrom. Also available at Charlotte Tilbury and Beautylish.

P.S. You can buy just the blush duo individually without the brush at Charlotte Tilbury for $40.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

17 Comments

MAC

MAC Patrick Starrr Summer Starrr Full Face Kit + Hot and Heavy Face Powder

June 17, 2018

MAC has quite a few new launches this month and I’m working as quickly as I can to swatch them for you! Up first is the MAC Patrick Starrr summer collection with the Summer Starrr Full Face Kit ($49.50) and Hot and Heavy Face Powder ($34). The items are limited-edition and the whole vibe of this launch is warm.

The Summer Starrr Full Face Kit comes at an incredible value price. You get an Eyeshadow Quad called Heat Stroke, Bronzing Powder in Give Me Life and two Lipglasses in Cream Pie and Fashion Punch. Colors for the lips and cheeks are very wearable for any skintone, the quad is more trendy and VERY warm with reds and oranges. Heat Stroke has four very pigmented and smooth eyeshadows. I’m one who still cannot really pull off the full-on reddish eyeshadow trend although every single one of my friends embraces it. And also everyone else I see wear it looks AMAZING while I do not. The NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette is still one of the few pinkish-toned palettes I can actually wear. Below is a closer look at Heat Stroke Eyeshadow quad. I tried it a number of ways and colors are just not for me.

The Lipglasses are both light and neutral. They’re creams without shimmer. I feel like the Fashion Punch color has been launched before in the older original packaging. It’s a beige cream. Cream Pie is a neutral pink cream. I’ve swatched them below next to the Patrick Starrr Holiday 2017 lipglasses as well since he had two neutrals.

The two cheek products are warm and summery. The Give Me Life Bronzing Powder is part of the Full Face Kit. It’s a warm matte brown that has a soft semi-sheer finish. On my skin it’s warm but not orangey. It’s a lot more wearable than it looks from what I see in the pan. The best item in the entire collection to me is the Hot and Heavy Face Powder which is available separately. It’s a soft golden champagne shimmer which is perfect! Shimmer is fine and smooth without any heavy frost.

The quality is excellent for everything in this launch. Colors are all smooth and apply beautifully. I think the face kit is an excellent value. I also fully support and applaud brand and influencer collaborations like this. It makes me really happy to see these kinds of partnerships! The colors have a good mix of neutral and on trend aspects. That being said, with kits I feel the same way about kits as I do palettes – they can be tricky if you don’t 100% love all the colors. For the Full Face Kit I cannot wear the Heat Stroke Eyeshadow quad by itself. It takes a lot of mixing with cools or neutrals for me to be able to pull off the colors easily – I did test everything for several days and embraced the red eye look at home and while out and about. It was well outside of my comfort zone. The rest of the items are more my vibe although I do think the color are dupeable. If you are looking to add more to your collection at a value price these items are great. If you own a lot of MAC already you may want to shop your stash.

My favorite item is the Hot and Heavy highlighter. It’s the perfect mix of warm gold + champagne for my skintone! I also really like the Cream Pie Lipglass as a wearable pale milky pink. Have you tried anything from this launch yet? What did you think?

You can find the MAC Patrick Starrr Summer Starrr Face Kit and Highlighter out now. The Summer Starrr Full Face Kit runs at $49.50 and Hot and Heavy Face Powder retails for $34. Available now at MAC Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Ulta, Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Dillard’s.

MAC Patrick Starrr items provided courtesy of MAC for review.

4 Comments

Lips Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick

June 15, 2018

Marc Jacobs Beauty launched new lip glosses in stick form called the Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick ($28 each for 2.1 g/0.074 oz). I’ve been such a huge fan of the Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers I was eager to try the new formula. I ordered five sight unseen. I picked the neutrals which turned out to be a lot lighter in color than I anticipated but still lovely. My picks:

Sugar Sugar – sheer nude cream
P(r)each – sheer soft peach
One Mauve Time – perfect mauve
Sweet Escape – baby pink
Mocha Choco-Lata – perfect nude beige

These are emollient sheer smooth gloss sticks. They have a very shiny finish and moisturizing feel. Lasting power is medium – they won’t disappear quickly but they aren’t budge-proof. The gloss sticks have a melt-on texture. Packaging is slightly longer than the Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers but similar in style. The Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick has a removable pull off cap and the product comes in a twist-up tube that clicks with each twist. The only downside is you can only twist up, you can’t twist back down. The good thing is each click will only push a small amount of color up.

The two lightest shades Sugar Sugar and P(r)each were patchy with the first application, once you have it warmed up a little it smooths out. Close ups of each color below with lip swatches.

Mocha Choco-lata!

Sweet Escape

One Mauve Time

P(r)each

Sugar Sugar

All side by side:

For quick reference my MAC foundation shade right now is the Studio Fix Fluid in NC37. Lip swatches as always done on bare lips.

If you want something light and glossy these are great. I think the color selection is a lot more wearable for me compared to the Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayons. The glossy texture feels similar to me although the crayons are full coverage while these new gloss sticks are a lot sheerer. I’d say if you like the feel of the YSL Volupte Tint in Balms or Chanel Rouge Coco Shines you will most likely really like the Marc Jacobs Enamored Lip Gloss Sticks. In terms of glossy lips though my favorite product this season are still the Pat McGrath LUST Glosses although the formula is completely different and also in liquid form.

They are sheer so depending on how much color you want these might be too sheer if you prefer a lot of pigment. I give them a thumbs up – although I do wish the packaging would click up and down. The only shade I think is iffy is Sugar Sugar – this is mainly because I find pale colors challenging to wear in general. If you see the last photo of my natural lip you’ll see that there is going to be a contrast between pale colors and my lip. This is why you’ll often see a dark ring around the outer edge if the product is slightly sheer or transparent. It’s my natural lip color showing through. Since I have full lips if I cover it entirely with product it makes them look EXTRA huge.

Based on how light and sheer these colors are I was tempted to order the other three shades which are deeper/brighter. I have not seen them at stores near me yet but have decided to pass for now. My top two picks are Mocha Choco-lata! and One Mauve Time.

You can find the Marc Jacobs Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Sticks at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Net-a-Porter and Marc Jacobs Beauty. Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

19 Comments

Lips Sisley-Paris

Sisley-Paris Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder + Phyto-Lip Delight Review

June 13, 2018

I have a few different products to review from Sisley for you today. One is the Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder which I’ve had my eye on for a while and the other is a new product for lips called the Phyto-Lip Delight. To me both are perfect for the upcoming summer season.

The Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzing Gel Powder isn’t new but it is new to me. It’s been on my wishlist for months and I finally caved and bought it. It’s a unique formula that’s a bronzing gel powder, similar in concept to the NARS Dual Intensity Blushes where it’s a powder but not quite like a traditional powder. The one from Sisley is a warm bronze. It’s dense in formula and can be applied sheer for a soft wash of bronze. If you need more color you can use a dense brush for more color. It’s probably the most expensive bronzer I’ve ever splurged on. It was worth it for me but I still think the price point is very very steep.

Swatches, heavy vs. blended:

Swatch comparisons:

Becca Sunlit Bronzer in Bali Sands (swatches here)
Sisley Phyto-Touche Trio in Peche Dore
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Radiant Bronze Light and Nude Bronze Light (review here)
Chanel Les Beiges 2018 Multi Color in Deep (review here)

Quick note that if you need a truly natural looking bronzer I’d still recommend the Becca Sunlit Bronzers. The Sisley Phyto-Touche Trio is also very natural looking, especially on lighter skin tones. The Chanel Les Beiges multi-stripe bronzers this year are also very natural.

Up next are the new Phyto-Lip Delights which are tinted gel-balms that transform into oils upon contact with the lips. They are sheer tinted oils but have enough pigment that you can see the color if you layer them a little. There are three perfect everyday neutrals in #1 Cool which is a nude beige, #2 Pretty which is a perfect pink and #3 Sweet which is a peachy coral. There is no shimmer to them to me they aren’t scented although they do have a subtle makeup scent. The finish is transparent and light for a soft tint. They plump and nourish the lips. You can wear them alone, under a gloss for more moisture or on top of a lipstick for added shine. The Phyto-Lip Delights have a nice comfortable feel that isn’t heavy or sticky. Right now they are available online at Sisley-Paris, they should trickle out to counters later in the summer. Circle straw bag shown from J.Crew. Sandals shown also from J.Crew.

Swatches:

On bare lips with around two to three layers:

Swatch comparisons below to some other colors. They’re really quite unique compared to others I thought they’d look like off the top of my head. Turns out the Sisley Lip Oils aren’t quite the same color-wise:

Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Naked
MAC Lipglass in Fashion Punch
Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist in #11 Litchi
Cle de Peau Radiant Lip Gloss in Warm Crystal (review here)
Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist in #2 Baby (review here)
Cle de Peau Radiant Lip Gloss in Rose Pearl (review here)
YSL Volupte Color Balms 2, 4 and 3 (reviewed here)
Marc Jacobs Lip Gloss in Rah Rah! (swatched here)

All three applied below with different cheek combinations:

Foundation worn is the La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence in Foundation in Honey Beige
Powder is the Armani Luminous Silk Powder #4
Eyeshadow is Sisley Phyto-Eye Twist #1 Topaz (reviewed here)
Top left lip/cheek is the Phyto-Lip Delight in #1 Cool, Phyto-Blush Twist #4 Glow (reviewed here), soft wash of the Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzer on cheeks
Top right lip/cheek is Phyto-Lip Delight in #2 Pretty, Phyto-Blush Twist #1 Petal and 3 Fuschia mixed (review here)
Bottom lip/cheek is Phyto-Lip Delight in #3 Sweet + Phyto-Touche Sun Glow Bronzer on cheeks

Ingredients:

Bottom line my love for Sisley-Paris makeup continues. I’m a huge fan of the Phyto-Lip Twists (Baby is my favorite shade) and the new Phyto-Lip Delights are no exception. They are quite expensive but in my experience their products have been worth the splurge for me. I was fortunate to get an early sneak preview of the Lip Delights but have purchased a number of things from the brand. My top two tips are to 1) sign up for their Beauty Subscription Program to get a monthly sampling. I reviewed 6 months’s worth of boxes here and it is the only subscription program I’ve kept. 2) Make a list and save purchases for GWPs. The Sisley-Paris website often has promos running on a regular basis. I also like the Beauty GWPs you can find at Nordstrom.

The bronzer is a gorgeous addition for me but I do own a wide range of other bronzing powders so I cannot call it a must-have. I do think I will be getting regular wear out of it this summer though.

You can find the Phyto-Lip Delights available now at Sisley-Paris.com. The bronzer can be found at all Sisley counters. I bought mine from Nordstrom.

Phyto-Lip Delights provided courtesy of Sisley for review. Bronzer purchased by me.

22 Comments

NARS

NARS Orgasm Collection 2018 Review + Swatches

June 11, 2018

For summer 2018 NARS has four new color items to expand their Orgasm Collection. Three launched last month and one was just released last week so I’ve waited until I had all the items to swatch and review. Last year’s collection brought us four new Liquid Blush Colors. This year we have two new lip colors and two complexion products. There’s something so perfect to me about peachy pink gold colors. I think every single item in this launch is perfect for a fresh glowing summer look. Items include:

Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm ($28 for 3 g)
Orgasm Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer ($26 for 5.5 ml)
Orgasm Illuminating Loose Powder ($28 for 2.5 g)
Orgasm Oversized Blush ($39 for 8 g)

(Also shown above include the Staud Mini Shirley Bag and Kate Spade Johanna 53 mm gradient sunglasses.)

Up first are the lip products. I really liked the Orgasm Lipstick from last year (which you can still find). On my lips it gives me the perfect wash of peachy pink with a soft golden sheen. The Afterglow Lip Balm this season has a more emollient finish since it’s a balm. It’s smooth, soft and has a very moisturizing feel. I cannot detect any scent. Swatched on the arm or hand it’s almost transparent. On the lips it’s a sheer glowing pink for me. There is shimmer in it but it’s not really apparent on the lips. Color is just my lips but glowing. Lasting power is average for a tinted balm – the texture itself is like a regular lip balm, it won’t last all day but I don’t mind reapplying. The Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer is a high shine high frost peachy gold. It’s quite metallic and opaque but can be smoothed out with blending or if you layer it on top of the balm. To me it has a very subtle vanilla scent. It’s very glossy but isn’t sticky. I prefer the balm or lipstick version for a more natural look but the full vinyl lip lacquer is still very nice. I’m eager to see the other colors in this formula. Lasting power was pretty good with this one. It stayed put until I had a snack or drink. Otherwise it adhered well to the lips without sliding off or budging, but still was light enough to let the lips breathe.

Swatched on bare lips:

For the two complexion products there is a new Illuminating Loose Powder and an Oversized Orgasm Powder Blush. The Illuminating Loose Powder comes in a small jar and the product is a very pigmented metallic shimmering peachy gold. If you apply with a dense brush or dip a lot of product it’s quite intense with an almost foiled look. If you use a loose brush or apply just a soft wash it gives the skin a more subtle luminous glow. A little goes a long way so I’d recommend playing with a little bit and layering more on if you want more color. There is a supersized Orgasm Blush this year. If you followed me on Instagram stories you may remember that I mentioned it looked slightly different than the original version. This was off the top of my head and a side by side swatch proved my thoughts correct. This year’s oversized version has slightly more pink with less gold shimmer. The difference is noticeable on my face with my skin tone. Your mileage may vary depending on how light or deep yours is.

Swatches:

Close up:

Two beauty looks, Look #1 wearing:

Laura Mercier Flawless Ultra Longwear Foundation in Buff
Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Powder in #2
NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette
Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
Orgasm Afterglow Lip Balm
Oversized Orgasm Blush 2018
Tank from Madewell
Nail color is OPI Tiramisu for Two

Look #2 below wearing same makeup as above with different lip and cheek. On the cheeks is the Orgasm Illuminating Loose Powder heavy vs blended. Orgasm Full Vinyl Lip Lacquer on the lips.

One last set of swatches:

Bottom line stunning. My favorite is the new Afterglow Lip Balm. I also love this year’s large Orgasm blush. It’s the perfect soft pink with a tiny bit of gold shimmer for me.

You can find the new NARS Orgasm Collection pieces out now. Online at Sephora and NARS Cosmetics.

Balm, powder + blush provided as press samples. Lip Vinyl purchased by me.

23 Comments

Armani

Armani Neo Nude Collection Review

June 7, 2018

The Armani Neo Nude Collection launched earlier this spring exclusive to Nordstrom and Giorgio Armani Beauty. This collection hands down has been the most requested review in my entire blogging life! It’s taken me a while to compile this as pieces sold out so it took me a long time to track enough down for a review. At the time this post is going live everything has restocked at Nordstrom!

The entire collection is focused on creating that no makeup makeup look with a luminous sheer glow. To me the vibe is similar to that of the Chanel Les Beiges 2018 launch. Each has their own unique take on what they wanted to focus on. If you like natural makeup this Armani Neo Nude collection is going to be right up your alley.

What I have been playing with:

Neo Nude A-Blush in Shades 30 and 50
Neo Nude A-Highlighter in Shade 11
Ecstasy Balm in #1, 2 and 3
Neo Nude Compact Foundation / Fusion Powder in 4, 5.5 and 6.5

A-Line Highlighter + Blush

Up first are the cheek products. The products are called Neo Nude A-Line which Armani calls complexion enhancing watercolor makeup. These are water-based liquid colors that blend seamlessly into the skin for a glowing complexion. I tried the A-Blush and A-Highlighter.

I tried one A-Highlighter 11 which is a soft champagne for a very natural glow and two A-Blushes 30 is a peach and 50 is a pink. All blend out and sheer out quite a bit for a barely there tint. I’ve done face swatches where I had to layer quite a bit to get the color to show in a photograph with flash. In real life you can see the tint better with just a few dabs and blending. It won’t disrupt powder or foundation if you apply on top. They blend nicely but do not have the texture or finish like a cream blush so these lasted on my skin a lot longer!

The highlighter barely shows up on my skin but in person it gives a very natural glow. The blushes give a natural tint of color. Given how much they sheer out I think I would have had no problem ordering the darker ones sight unseen but wanted to play it safe. By comparison the Glossier Cloud Paints give a similar finish in terms of pigment. The NARS Liquid Blush will give a more opaque buildable cheek look. I skipped the contours as I’m not really into contours. Given how these blended I think I may give them another look, but for now I’m sticking with my Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel to contour.

Ecstasy Balm

Next are the Ecstasy Balms which are supposed to enhance your natural lip color. Shades are 1 a light pink, 2 a sheer coral, 3 a soft plum. Color-wise they are very very sheer. Formula wise they feel nicely hydrating without feeling thick or goopy.

On me they didn’t change or alter my lips like the Dior Addict Lip Glows. The Armani Ecstasy Balms are essentially sheer balms with a very tiny bit of tint to them. They feel extremely comfortable and hydrating. If you really want that no makeup makeup look you will like these. I think for summer it’s nice to have one. For more color you might want to opt for the Chanel Les Beiges Balms from this season or the YSL Tint-In-Balms or even the YSL Volupte Liquid Colour Balms.

Swatches below, on the lips they are done on bare lips:

Fusion Powder

Last but definitely not least are the Neo Nude Compact Foundations. Just as an FYI my compacts have these labeled as Neo Nude Fusion Powders so in case you see both names online know they are the same. I ordered shades sight unseen. My Luminous Silk Powder Foundation shade has been #4 for as long as I can remember. The shades in the powder line have gaps and many of them are pink-toned. Since powder and foundation or the combination can oxidize on my skin I often go slightly lighter if I cannot find an exact match because the blending always adjusts the color.

I can get away with all options I ordered in 4, 5.5 and 6.5 all over the face. However 5.5 is the best match even though it does have a slightly pinkish undertone in the compact. It is sheer enough and my tan has enough warmth that it works and blends in seamlessly, but if I could have my pick my best shade match would most likely be 6 which they do not make. The Armani Neo Nude powders are finely milled with a natural luminous sheen similar to that of the Laura Mercier Candleglow Powders (difference is the LM ones are baked and have different undertones). The Neo Nude Powders blur away fine lines and pores and makes my skin look glowing without shine. I have no idea if these are limited edition but they are so nice I’m ordering backups right now.

A closer look at the texture of #4 and then swatches of all the colors I have. These are 2 tiered like the powder foundation, there is a compartment underneath for a brush that you can use for touchups. I prefer to use a regular powder brush to apply all over. My favorites of the moment are the Laura Mercier Blending Brush and MAC 140S.

Beauty Looks

Two looks with each blush and two different lip combos, wearing:

Foundation is NARS Radiant Natural Longwear in Vanuatu
Powder to set is Armani Neo Nude Fusion Powder 5.5
Blush is Armani Neo Nude A-Blush 30
Lip is Armani Neo Nude Ecstasy Balm 1
Eyeshadow is Pat McGrath Bronze Ambition Palette
Brows are Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
Mascara is Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme
Top is from Madewell (same one worn here)
Nail Polish is OPI Tiramisu for Two

Look 2 below, same as above, only differences are:

Blush is Armani Neo Nude A-Blush 50
Lip is Armani Neo Nude Ecstasy Balm 2

Bottom line love. I really did not think I would love another natural makeup collection as much as I did Chanel Les Beiges but the Armani Neo Nude is really beautiful. Collections are similar but different as they have a different focus and different formulas.

I think every item I tried with the Armani Neo Nude is outstanding. I would say that the Ecstasy Balms are not the most exciting since they are so sheer it’s hard for me to justify the price. Yet I’m still happy with them and think they’re great for a truly effortless tint + shine. Plus they feel nice on the lips. If you already own a lot of tinted balms or want more color, skip these. The Neo Nude Powder is a must-have if you can find a good match. A quick look a the counter showed there were quite a few shade options. They are sheer enough that you don’t need an exact match. The Blushes and Highlighters are perfect although I do think they can be duplicated with other shades from NARS or Glossier. I like the Armani ones because of the finish – the humidity is rising here but I have high hopes since these aren’t creams that they will last through the heat.

You can find the Armani Neo Nude Collection at Nordstrom and Giorgio Armani Beauty. I highly recommend checking the collection out.

All items purchased by me except the A-Highlighter and A-Blushes which were press samples.

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