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Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Concealer

March 9, 2018

Laura Mercier launched a new concealer formula called the Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Concealer ($28 for 0.23 oz/ 7 mL). This a medium to full coverage concealer that is described as weightless, perfecting, hydrating and blurring with up to 12 hours of crease-resistant wear. I received all the shades to review (twelve total) and have been putting these to the test for a couple weeks now. My best matches are shade 2W and 3W depending on the effect I’m going for. Coverage is indeed medium to full and very easy to build. For me a little goes a long way so I only need a tiny bit and then buff everything out with a damp sponge.

I give this formula a thumbs up, although I usually prefer something a little less opaque. I do find that even once you blend it is weightless and melds well with the skin and does not look cakey. Skin does need to be well prepped with a hydrating or somewhat creamy base, but this is going to be the case with any super opaque base so it will blend into to the skin better. I swipe and blend with a damp sponge and set with a loose or pressed translucent powder. It stayed put on multiple occasions from early morning until night without budging. This claims to have 12 hour wear. I did not try this for a full 12 hours, but I did find it stayed put for around 8 hours without any sliding or budging. I did experience some creasing on a couple days when I didn’t have enough moisturizer on – but my skin under the eyes is usually very dry compared to the rest of my face. With this formula I really liked any of the Laura Mercier primers, right now I’ve been loving her Oil-Free version.

The Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Concealer comes with a flexible sponge tip applicator. I like the design as it’s sleek, functional and the cap is designed so product doesn’t seem like it will ooze out even if you pump the wand. Color range includes three different undertones: C for Cool Tones, N for Neutral and W for Warm. There are some gaps in the color range for super light shades and there’s a big jump from 3 to 4 in the medium tones. I feel like there’s a pretty big gap between 6N and 6W as well. At the moment not every shade number is offered in every undertone. I’m thankful to have a few shades that will work for me now. Hopefully more shades will be added in the future.

I can work with 2W, 3N and 3W for my skintone right now.

For this review I’ve added swatches under three different lighting scenarios. I do try my best for color accuracy but there are so many different variables. I hope the lighting gives you a better idea:

A few comparison swatches to other concealers I rotate between depending on how light or tan I am.

Shown left to right:

Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion 2C and 2W
Laura Mercier Candleglow Concealer 2 and 3
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion 3C and 3W
Estee Lauder Doublewear Concealer Light Medium Warm and Medium Warm
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Light Medium and Medium
Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Macadamia and Ginger
Urban Decay All Nighter Concealer in Medium

For me my favorite concealers are still the Estee Lauder Doublewear and NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. These are my favorite because I find them to be the creamiest. Matte finish concealers for some reason don’t meld well with my skin all the time. The Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion is slightly thicker and more opaque than the Estee Lauder and NARS but I’d say similar in the way it blends.

I have been testing the ones from Urban Decay and Tarte for a while and I’ll have a separate post on that. Both of those have more coverage.

Below I’m wearing the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Foundation in Buff with the Flawless Fusion Concealer in 3W. I previously reviewed the foundation in this Summer Base Edit post here wearing Dusk. Right now Buff is a little bit lighter and less olive which is a better match for me. On the brows is the Sisley Phyto-Sourcils Fiber Brow Gel in 2. Lip Gloss is the Lacquer Up Acrylick Lip Varnish in Free Spirit (blotted).

Concealer is blended under the eye area to brighten. It blends in pretty seamlessly and there’s no flashback. It’s shown without powder but I 100% recommend you set with a powder.

Overall a solid win for me. It is a little more opaque than I’m used to, but it’s not cakey and easy to smooth so it works for me. I is very easy to blend out with a sponge for a more natural look. I like that this one is easy to layer without it getting cakey looking. The lasting power is great as long as I set it with powder. I have high hopes come summer this will stay put on my face better than most. I like that it’s creamy and melds nicely with the skin. Ease of application and streamlined packaging is a plus. I do hope more shades will be added. I usually try to match concealers more closely to my skin tone. With this formula I like that there is little to no oxidizing in color on me. As you can see from the swatches there’s a big gap between 3 and 4. I feel like there I’m in the middle a lot. I’m in between Estee Lauder shades and also for NARS in the summer. I keep waiting for them to launch colors in between Ginger and Biscuit.

You can find the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Concealer out now. Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Laura Mercier and all Laura Mercier other counters.

Have you tried this one yet? What did you think? If not, what’s your current go-to concealer?

Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Concealers provided courtesy of Laura Mercier for review.

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Base Makeup Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Shameless Foundation Review + Swatches

March 7, 2018

The foundation I have been the most excited about this season is the new Marc Jacobs Shameless Youthful-Look 24 Hour Foundation ($46 for 1.08 fl oz/32 ml). I was thrilled and thankful to receive a few samples to test in R310, Y320 and Y360. It comes in a wide range of shades with 29 options and different undertones. After trying this I found the samples didn’t match me. Y320 was too light and Y360 too dark/yellow. Anything with an R would definitely be too pink. I ordered Y340 hoping it would be the perfect in-between. I also have their new The Seamless Brush ($38) to review. After testing this for quite some time now I have a luke-warm review on this formula. More thoughts below.

First some notes about the Marc Jacobs Shameless Foundation. It’s a medium natural looking foundation that comes in the cutest squeeze tube packaging. I find it gives enough coverage to make dark spots and freckles disappear in a natural way. There’s no detectable scent. The SPF in the product is 25 but there is no flashback in photographs with a flash (full application below). I like that on these bottles they list the expiration date because so many times I can’t keep track of how long I’ve had a foundation or skincare product. I know that often times the 12 month, 24 month or whatever time period expiration is based on when you open the product, but sometimes having a date is nice.

I had issues with application. I couldn’t get it consistently smooth without the patchy finish. I tried a number of moisturizers and primers and since I know some foundation formulas are not compatible with all kinds of primers, I decided to try this the most with the Marc Jacobs Under(cover) Perfecting Face Primer. As much as I’d love to have 1 universal primer, sometimes it’s just best to use the same brand of primer/foundation because they usually design them with their entire line in mind.

If you have any kind of dry skin, I’d say this is not a base for you. I have normal combination skin but due to the weather right now I’m slightly dry. I found the Shameless Foundation worked best over the Marc Jacobs Under(cover) Perfecting Face Primer and applied with a damp beautyblender. I do really like the new Seamless Brush for other cream products like cream highlighter or blush, but for me it made this foundation streak.

Color-wise the Ys are very very yellow. Most of the time I cannot find bases yellow enough. These are borderline too yellow for me. My best match is Y340, as you can see below Y360 is VERY yellow. I added the Estee Lauder Doublewear 3W1 (also my match) below so you can see that even though that shade is yellow it’s still a little bit more neutral.

The pros of this foundation are the natural looking coverage, lasting power and after it sets it does look nice. It photographs extremely well. The cons are the application – it just never set 100% well on my skin probably because I have some dry spots. All this being said since Florida is about to get hot and humid in a couple of months I’m going to set these aside and revisit in the spring.

The brush is something I really like, just not for foundation. It’s very smooth and soft and perfect for cream highlighters or blushes. For foundation I just really prefer sponges for a seamless blended finish. The size is really perfect – I find most cream brushes too small.

Wearing Marc Jacobs Shameless in Y340 all over the face below, The Seamless Brush held up for scale (although I prefer using a beautyblender to apply). No powder or concealer. Brows are Diorshow Browstyler in Universal Brown. Lipstick is Sonic Truth. Photo is taken with a flash, you can see without any setting powder the foundation has no flash back. I’d still 100% recommend a setting powder for this though. As you can see below I think it photographs pretty well. An up close and personal look in real life would show you this base just sat on my skin, it never really blended 100% to my preference.

Bottom line this formula doesn’t work for me right now. If you have dry skin I think it definitely is best you try something else. Given that my skin will change once Florida gets hot again I have high hopes this will work in the spring. There are things I like and things I dislike about this formula. For now I can’t say I love it. I do love the new brush though.

You can find the Marc Jacobs Shameless Foundation out now. Available at Marc Jacobs Beauty, Sephora, Neiman Marcus and Net-A-Porter.

Have you tried this? What kind of skin do you have and what were your thoughts?

Many thanks to Marc Jacobs Beauty for sending this to review. Y340 purchased by me.

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By Terry

By Terry Baume de Rose Le Stick + Hand Cream, Lash-Expert and Glow-Expert Review

March 6, 2018

I picked up a few new items from By Terry and after testing them for a few weeks have found some hits and misses. The latest launches include the Baume de Rose Le Stick, Lash-Expert Twist Brush Double Effect Mascara and new shades of Glow-Expert Duo Stick. It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed the classic Baume de Rose so I thought I’d do a comparison of all 3 formulas and add some thoughts on the Baume de Rose Hand Cream. To round things up, I also wanted to review swatch one of the older shades of Glow Expert that I’ve had sitting in my stash for a while.

Up first is the new Lash-Expert Twist Brush Mascara ($30 for 8.3 g). This has a unique rubber wand with a twist function on the cap so you can have the tip straight or twisted for different effects.

Straight gives a lengthening effect and twisted gives a volumized effect. For my ultra straight can’t-hold-the-curl wimpy lashes I found the best application was with the straight wand. The twisted wand gave my lashes a very clumpy look. Formula though is quite good with ultra rich black pigment, it’s definitely volumizing and lengthening. I was extremely impressed to find it had zero smudging. The only downside for me is that it simply did not hold the curl. But the fact that it still stayed on all day without smudging makes it a win for me. Some readers have told me they layer their mascaras. I used to do this but found it too high maintenance, I’d rather find one formula that does the trick. With this one, I did like the volume, color and length so I tried layering it over the Maybelline Total Temptation Waterproof and the curl stayed!

I have the worst natural lashes ever so I think this will work for most people and it’s worth looking into.

Next are the Glow-Expert Duo Sticks ($48 for 7.3 g) in Amber Light #1 and Beach Glow #5. I think these are both hit and miss. These each have two colors in one stick so you can highlight and contour. The formula is creamy with the most beautiful smooth pearl finish. Even though it feels slightly emollient it didn’t get oily or greasy on my skin all day. The miss parts for me are all about the design. There are two shades which are supposed to give you a two-in-one product, but the stick is so small I find it almost impossible to apply just 1 single color. As much as I loved her Sun Designer Palettes and Compact-Expert Powders, this is the one of small pans or closely positioned colors is what I find most challenging about application. The size brushes I use or the way I apply makeup makes it hard for me to get just one color. Not a deal breaker for me as I like to swirl and mix the shades. There is a small brush at the end of these Glow-Expert Sticks. Even after some breaking in I find them extremely stiff and hard. It’s designed to blend the product on your cheek but for me any sweeping on the skin pulls product off the face.

All this said, I think if you’re ok with swirled or mixed colors then I think these are a hit formula-wise. If you have oily or greasy skin you may find them too emollient in which case I’d recommend the NARS Easy Glowing Palettes (powder formula) or the Hourglass Vanish Flash Sticks (better suited for oily skin).

Swatches below, Amber Light is more neutral golden, Beach Glow is a pinky peachy blend.

Beauty look below with Amber Light Glow-Expert on the face and eyes below. Also wearing Marc Jacobs Shameless Foundation in Y340, La Mer Pressed Powder in Light, Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Cocoa Mirage, By Terry Lash-Expert Mascara, Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown, Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist in Shade #11, Tee from Madewell, Nail Color is Chanel Nuvola Rosa.

Last is a look at the Baume de Rose Le Stick ($34 for 2.3 g) and the Baume de Rose Hand Cream (mine is a mini from holiday which you can still find here, full size is $50 for 75 g).

I’ve been a long-time fan of the classic Baume de Rose ($60 for 10 g) in the large round pot. It’s thick, lush, hydrating and lasts a long time. I also love the Baume de Rose Crystalline ($53 for 7 ml) in the tube with the wand because it’s easier for application on-the-go and doesn’t require you get your fingers messy as it has a sponge tip applicator. This one has a lighter weight feel to it but still just as hydrating. Based on great results from trying the By Terry balms, I was super excited to try the Baume de Rose Le Stick version. Huge plus that it’s priced lower and comes in a twist up version! I am so sad to report that this was a miss for me. I was left extremely disappointed. Regular with the stick use only gives immediate hydration, moisture is not long-lasting. With the others formulas, my dry lips are left lush, soft and well hydrated within 1 day. With regular daily use of the stick, my lips are still dry with no improvement. All this said, we are in the driest months here in Tampa. I remember when we moved here a year ago everything (face, hands, skin, hair) felt very much dried out. I thought it was the water (it was a contributing factor) but many other Floridians informed me that this was the dry season. So right now I’m extra dry. I am going to keep this balm and revisit later because in 1 to 2 months the humidity and heat is going to pick back up and this might have enough moisture to work during hot humid months.

I’m ending this roundup with a hit. I love a good hand cream but the high price point of the full size Baume de Rose Hand Cream was too pricey for me to justify as I’m not the biggest fan of pure rose-scented body products. I usually need some kind of a blend in the scent. I bought the mini in a holiday set which you can still find at some places online like Dermstore and Barneys New York. The Baume de Rose Hand Cream is indeed very rosy smelling but the formula is incredibly hydrating. It also has some kind of ingredient that smooths the look of the hands and after application skin looks remarkably smoother with a youthful effect. I think it’s an excellent hand cream and would purchase the full size in a heart beat if I didn’t already have a lot of other ones on hand.

Overall, I think the Lash-Expert Mascara and Baume de Rose Hand Cream are the two items I’d definitely recommend checking out. The Glow-Expert Cheek Sticks are so close to being perfect, I would have rather it been double ended in product with one color on each side because the brush didn’t work for me. I do like the color and formula though so will be using them regularly as I love the effect. The Baume de Rose Le Stick is not working for me now but I’ll revisit in a couple months. For now if you’ve been interested in trying the lip balms I’d recommend you opt for the classic round pot version as it’s truly phenomenal.

You can find By Terry products at Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York, Dermstore, Space NK, Beautylish, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.

Do you have any By Terry favorites? If you tried anything I reviewed today let me know what you thought!

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NARS

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palettes Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil Review and Swatches

February 26, 2018

NARS has two new products for cheeks called the Easy Glowing Cheek Palettes ($49 each for (0.12 oz/3.5 g x 3) in two options Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil. Images surfaced on social a few weeks ago and I have been stalking them online for days! Right now they’re exclusive to Nordstrom but they’ll launch at other retailers later this spring. As a huge fan of Banc de Sable and Bord de Plage I knew these two new ones had to be mine.

Both Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil palettes have the same formula as the Banc de Sable/Bord de Plage palettes. Some of the colors have some similarities to previously launched palettes but to me I do think they are different enough to justify purchasing. The shimmer is really pretty with a smooth high sheen. You can wear the colors wet or dry. I prefer them dry so the shimmer becomes more diffused. Lasting power is the same as the previous launches. They’ll stay put on the face all day long without getting greasy looking. The deeper one also does not darken or oxidize on my skin which is a huge plus.

Reve Sale

Reve Sale has a pale soft light apricot shimmer, pale soft rose and peachy tan. The shimmer in this one looks a lot softer on my face than Banc de Sable. It doesn’t emphasize my pores. To me this is a highlighter palette, those with fair skin tones will probably find this more of a blush palette rather than highlight.

Coucher de Soleil

Coucher de Soleil is the deeper option with a medium tan gold, deeper peachy tan and a soft plum shimmer. It looks darker but doesn’t oxidize or look muddy on the skin for me. This one definitely has more color, on my skintone it has one highlight and two colors that can pass more for shimmery blush.

Both next to each other below:

Shown on the face left is Reve Sale, right is Coucher de Soleil.

In both photos I’m wearing the Marc Jacobs Beauty Shameless Foundation in Y320 and Y360 mixed together (I ordered Y340 to see it it will be my perfect match). On the lips is YSL Tint in Balm #7 (reviewed here). On the nails is OPI Lisbon Wants Moor OPI. Top from Revolve.

Comparison next to Banc de Sable. The new palettes are slightly bigger in size and weight:

I’m obsessed. Both are must-haves for me. If I had to pick one I could not, because they’re both different in their own unique way. I stopped buying backups years ago and even bought back-ups of these. I thought the Natasha Denona Diamond and Blush Palettes were going to be my must-have palettes this year. They still are amazing, but these NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palettes are just as gorgeous, just in a different way. The formula is among my favorite – they’re a unique powder that almost has a slight creamy texture so it melds into the skin. I can wear these on both the eyes and cheeks. You can use any cheek brush you have in your beauty stash, I really like the Chanel Precision Powder Brush because it’s the perfect size for the pans and also lets me give a wash of color and build.

Both of the NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palettes are available now at Nordstrom.

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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty SS18 Runway Color Collection

February 23, 2018

Tom Ford launched three minimalist beauty pieces for their SS18 runway collection. All three are limited-edition that come in special edition silver packaging, two repromoted products and one new:

Shade and Illuminate Intensity One SS18 is the classic shade and illuminate in a limited-edition silver packaging. Colors are a sheer glossy white pearl and cream tan.
Eye Gloss was launched last season with eyeshadow singles but has been repromoted with silver packaging.
Shadow Extreme SS18 is a new product of intense shimmer shadow in a silver case. Color is a metallic gunmetal silver loaded with tons of sparkle.

Everything has pretty mirrored-like packaging that looks modern and sleek. The only downside is fingerprints show up like crazy.

The Shade and Illuminate has been a longtime classic and I can’t believe that I have never tried it. Cream products for cheeks can be hit or miss and contour colors need to have some warmth for my complexion so I never looked into this. I’m glad I did because it lives up to the hype for a natural dewy contour and glow. I would pretty much die of happiness if Tom Ford launched this in a powder form, but for now these two give a very natural contoured effect. Cream finish does have a natural dewy glow but it’s not overly shiny and stays put pretty well throughout the day. I applied on top of my powdered/foundation face and had no issue with it disturbing the base.

A closer look:

The Eye Gloss has been relaunched in the special packaging. I reviewed it back in December when I reviewed the Tom Ford Private Shadow singles. I wasn’t a huge fan of it then and I’m still not. Eye gloss just isn’t my thing. I do like the packaging design though and think if this were to be used for regular cream shadows with a sponge tip applicator it would be perfect.

Last but not least is the Shadow Extreme SS18. This is a new eyeshadow formula Tom Ford describes as, “light-reflective, long-wearing shadow that mimics the look of melted metal in two distinct finishes—micronized glitter, which gives a lustrous, opulent finish, while a bolder, shinier look is achieved with a foil finish. Longwearing polymers ensure each shadow glides an ultra-thin, water-resistant gloss of color effortlessly onto lids.”

SS18 is a gunmetal silver with lots of sparkle. One swipe gives a medium wash but you can layer it for more intensity. This color is quite trendy for me. It’s hard to tell in the eye look I’ll show below, but I hope the arm swatch will show just how sparkly it is. I think it would be fun for a date night out if you did a smokey eye. I wore it alone to show the color, but normally I would layer and blend with a black liner. This is the first color in the Shadow Extreme formula, based on the snippets on social – more to come in March.

Swatches of everything in the collection:

Wearing the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate, Shadow Extreme SS18 and Bad Lieutenant Lipstick (reviewed here). Foundation shade worn is Estee Lauder Doublewear in Tawny 3W1.

Overall thoughts: I’ve been a long-time die hard Tom Ford fan ever since he launched the lipsticks. The quality is usually on point and texture, pigment, lasting power etc. is phenomenal. These three items were no exception and performed very well. That being said I can’t call any of the items in this collection must-haves.

The Shade and Illuminate is indeed a classic, but the color already exists and I suspect many of you already own it. As happy as I am to now own it, I would have been more excited about something new or different. If you haven’t tried this yet though, I highly recommend you check it out because it’s a product that I think will become a regular beauty staple in my routine.

The Shadow Extreme is very sparkly and I did experience fallout with the glitter falling off the brush, even a densely packed one. It’s best applied in a patting motion. Once on the eyes it stayed on all day. I did apply over a cream shadow base to help the glitter adhere. I’m lukewarm about this one because the particular color just isn’t for me. I do love a glitter shadow, I adore his Powder Cream Duos and the Natasha Denona Crystal Top Coats are amazing. SS18 is too trendy for me for everyday wear with the sparkle and glitter color-wise. I’m looking forward to the other shades because if this comes in a lighter champagne or bronze or nude than I will be all over it.

I am however super excited about the Spring-Summer launches which have already popped up online at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. I ordered the Soleil Contouring Compact in Nude Glow and one of the new Ultra-Shine Lip Colors. I plan on seeing if anything else is in stores this weekend.

Several of you have asked about the Eau de Soleil Blanc and Soleil D’Ambre Eye and Cheek Palette. I did check out both last week. The new fragrance smelled almost identical to the original Soleil Blanc but when I was in store I had smelled several other items so my nose may have been confused. I’ll have to smell it again. At this time I decided to pass on the Soleil D’Ambre Palette. It is really beautiful but I really preferred the previous launches from other seasons. I decided to see what summer would bring instead.

That wraps up my Tom Ford SS18 Colour Collection review. All three pieces are limited-edition. You can find the items now online and in stores at Neiman Marcus and Tom Ford. Did you check out anything from this launch? What did you think? Is Shade and Illuminate on your favorites list or is there another contour product you love?

Tom Ford SS18 item provided courtesy of Tom Ford Beauty for review.

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Chanel

Chanel Dernieres Neiges de Chanel Collection

February 22, 2018

There’s a new collection out for spring called Dernieres Neiges de Chanel. For the moment the entire collection appears to be a Chanel.com exclusive but you may be able to also find the pieces at Chanel boutiques. At this time I’m not sure if the items will trickle into retail stores and counters. I ordered a few pieces online and after testing these for several weeks now I’m about 50/50 on this collection. Everything is limited-edition.

At first glance all the colors look right up my alley with soft pinks. What I ended up with:

Premiere Fleurs Harmony of Powders ($70 for 13 g)
Les Tissages de Chanel in Evanescent ($45 for 5.5 g)
Rouge Coco Gloss in Magnolia ($30 for 5.5 g)
Rouge Coco Gloss in Camelia ($30 for 5.5 g)
Rouge Coco Shine in Dernier Givre ($37 for 3 g)
Rouge Coco Stylo in Poesie ($37)
Le Vernis in Aurore ($28 for 13 ml)

Premiere Fleurs Harmony of Powders and Les Tissages de Chanel in Evanescent

Premiere Fleurs Harmony of Powders ($70 for 13 g) is a highlighting powder with three colors of powdery white, light peach and pink. The white has an overspray of glitter and underneath is a sheer satiny powder. I had high hopes for this as I’m usually a huge fan of the limited-edition highlighter powders. This ended up being chalky, fairly pale and barely had any glow. I’m not sure how it would look on fair skin, but on medium tan or darker I’m pretty certain this would be almost non-existent. It swatched so well on the arm but on the face it pretty much disappeared into the skin.

Les Tissages de Chanel in Evanescent ($45 for 5.5 g) is a medium-deep pink. It has a lovely shimmer in the pan and if you swipe it on your fingers. Once applied either on the arm or face the shimmer almost disappears into a soft semi-matte looking blush. It seems a little darker than most pink Chanel blushes I’ve tried, many are often brighter or more blue based. This one is so pretty on the skin.

One look with the Premiere Fleurs Harmony Powder packed on heavily and the Rouge Coco Shine in Dernier Givre. Foundation worn is the Diorskin Forever Undercover in 21 + 31 mixed together set with MAC Next to Nothing Pressed Powder in Medium Plus.

Below wearing Chanel Tweed Evanescent and the Rouge Coco Gloss in Camelia. Same base as above.

Rouge Coco Gloss, Rouge Coco Shine and Rouge Coco Stylo

Rouge Coco Gloss in Magnolia ($30 for 5.5 g) is a very sheer light warm pink with lots of sparkles. The color is so sheer on my pigmented lips there is practically no color. If it had enough pigment to look more like what you see in the tube I’d give it a thumbs up. For me I’ll use it up as I think it is pretty, but it’s not unique enough to justify if you already own a lot of sheer shimmering glosses.

Rouge Coco Gloss in Camelia ($30 for 5.5 g) is a deeper pink, this one is also very sheer but the brightness gives this more color payoff than the lighter option. There is a lot of sparkle in this shade as well but it’s smooth and cushiony in the shine.

Rouge Coco Stylo in Poesie ($37) is a medium nude pink cream. Coverage is medium with this one and it has a semi-sheer shiny finish. Since it’s a glossy lipstick lasting power isn’t going to be long. It’s like the Rouge Coco Shines where you will have to reapply every few hours.

Rouge Coco Shine in Dernier Givre ($37 for 3 g) is a pale sheer pink opal shimmer. Color payoff is also very sheer but the iridescent quality makes it actually show up on the lips. It has a smooth hydrating feel and adds a pretty sheen.

Le Vernis Aurore

Le Vernis in Aurore ($28 for 13 ml) is a warm pink with a hint of blue undertone. It has a very subtle hint of pearl if you look closely in the bottle. On the nails it acts more like a cream. Coverage is full and opaque. Above applied with two coats.

Overall I love the Aurore Nail Polish, Tweed Evanescent Blush and Camelia Rouge Coco Gloss. The others I like but don’t think are must-haves due to the sheerness and fact that they seem very easy to dupe from previous Chanel launches. That being said I did find myself reaching for the sheer Rouge Coco Shine quite a bit in the past week.

Everything from the Dernieres Neiges de Chanel Collection is limited-edition. Available now at Chanel.com. If you’ve spotted it at counters or know if it will launch in stores at a later date let me know in the comments.

Have you tried anything from this launch? What did you think?

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MAC

MAC Roundup: Hyper Real Glow, Mineralize Skincare, Prep + Prime Fix+ and New Brushes

February 20, 2018

MAC has launched quite a few new things this year and I feel I blinked and almost two months have already passed by. New products roll out at lightening speed which I can barely keep up on so today I have a roundup of several launches.

Hyper Real Glow Palettes

Up first are two new highlighter palettes called Hyper Real Glow ($39.50 each). There is a warm gold option called Get it Glowin’ and a cool pink option Flash + Awe. They come in cardboard packaging with a magnetic closure and mirror inside. Both seem pretty sturdy in packaging. The shimmer is very smooth and doesn’t emphasize pores or imperfections on the skin. They can be built to a high shine frost but if you layer them over blush or bronzer the shimmer effect is smoother and not quite as intense. The colors in each palette aren’t the most unique – if you own a lot of highlighters these will probably be similar to other MAC shades. The formula is really good and I think these are a pretty good value for the price.

Get it Glowin has two golds that look really similar on my skintone, the variations are slight once on the skin. Then there is one warm bronzey shade. At the moment I’ve just started to get back a little of my tan after being in Miami over the weekend. Right now Get it Glowin adds a lot of warmth and glow to the skin. As I get darker I suspect it will be more of a highlighter.

Flash + Awe surprised me because I was almost certain this would look white on my olive skin. The shades are pale and definitely highlighter material but they aren’t as pale as I anticipated. The colors are similar on my skin but I really love the soft diffused pink glow these give. Lasting power is really good with these powders and there is very little powder fall out.

Both palettes applied the face on two separate occasions:

Left with Get it Glowin’:

Foundation – MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation in NC37
Powder – MAC Next to Nothing Pressed Powder Medium Plus
Cheeks – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Luminous Bronze Light
Highlighter – MAC Hyper Real Glow Palette in Get it Glowin’ all three shades
Lips – NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Playpen
Eyes – MAC Get it Glowin’ Palette first two shades
Brows – Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown

Right with Flash + Awe:

Foundation – Diorskin Forever Undercover Foundation in 21 + 31 mixed
Powder – MAC Next to Nothing Pressed Powder in Medium Plus
Cheeks – MAC Pink Swoon Powder Blush
Highlighter – MAC Hyper Real Glow Palette in Flash + Awe all three shades
Lips – MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour in Pearl Punk
Eyes – MAC Flash + Awe Palette first shade with Sisley Phyto-Khol in Sparkling Black
Brows – Anastasia Brow Wiz in Medium Brown

New Brush Launches

Next are the new brushes. MAC redesigned all their Makeup Brushes with synthetic materials. Some of the classics have remained but there are also new shapes and options. If you want a more detailed review of their brushes I can do a separate post on them. For now here’s a quick look at some of the new ones alongside a few others I had purchased before.

Some brushes like 125S, 128S and 127S are split fibers which gives two different effects. The one side you’ll see below is the brown fibers for powders and the other side is a different material more ideal for creams.

All the brushes are very well made with smooth and super soft tips. My MAC brushes have lasted a long time over the years, some I think I’ve had since 2003 and they’ve held up without any issue. So far the synthetic version seems to perform just as well as the originals.

My top 4 MAC brushes are the 239S, 219S, 140S and 217S.

In addition MAC has also started carrying beautyblenders in their stores and on their website. These are the best makeup sponges I’ve tried. Nothing really quite compares to them!

Mineralize Skincare Additions and Fix+ Scented

Last but not least are some new additions to skincare. There are two new products in the Mineralize Skincare Line. They launched two new charcoal infused products which are designed to detox the skin. The Mineralize Reset and Revive Charcoal Mask ($31 for 100ml) is a gentle purifying mask that removes excess oil without stripping the skin. On the face it feels really soothing. It will shrink a little as it dries but not so much that it feels overpowering. Skin is left feeling a lot more clean and less oily. They’ve launched a Mineralize Charged Water Charcoal ($26 for 100ml) spray with you can use before moisturizer or to set makeup. To me this has a similar feel to the MAC Fix+ on my skin. I do like to use it as a freshening product before I apply moisturizer, but to me the effect is almost identical to the MAC Fix+ just a tad bit more moisturizing.

Perhaps my favorite launch is the MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ Scented Mist ($26 each for 100ml) . These came in the mini sizes last year in Rose, Lavender and Coconut. I stocked up on TONS of these since the minis were limited-edition. I’m beyond thrilled that they launched these in the full size. I love these to set makeup, refresh the skin or even to prime before moisturizer and foundation. I find them really versatile and the scents are soft and not overpowering.

That wraps up my MAC roundup! Of course as I’m finishing this post more launches have already arrived. I’ll be reviewing more in the weeks to follow.

You can find the new MAC launches out now. Available online at MAC, Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty and Saks Fifth Avenue.

MAC launches provided courtesy of MAC for review.

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