Brand Archives - Page 60 of 109 - The Beauty Look Book

Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Sticks

January 19, 2018

Hourglass is on a roll with new launches this spring and they have a new product called the Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick ($42 each for 0.21 oz/ 6.1 g). Their Ambient Lighting Powders are among my favorite for a luminous glow and now they’ve launched a Cream Stick version with five shades of their Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick. These are smooth easy to apply highlighters that come in a similar package to the Vanish Seamless Foundation. The formula is lightweight but creamy. According to Hourglass you can use these for the underglow as a base underneath foundation or for an overglow on top of foundation on high points like cheekbones, brow bone, nose or cupid’s bow. I’ve tried both and like them on the cheeks and eyes. The formula has enough creaminess to allow it to blend but it’s not so dewy that it will pull your foundation/powder. They have a soft dry down but it’s still creamy in finish. We are having Florida’s version of winter right now so I don’t know how these will hold up in hot weather or humidity, but for now it has stayed put all day without sliding off the face or eyes.

The shimmer is medium – it’s definitely glowy. Straight from the tube it’s metallic but if you blend it out it smooths nicely to a radiant finish without a harsh frost. If you liked the concept and colors of the Ambient Lighting Strobe Powders but found those glittery (I personally loved them here but I know lots of you complained about the sparkle) you might want to give the Vanish Flash Sticks a try instead because there’s no sparkle fallout.

Vanish Flash colors include:

Champagne Flash – a champagne pearl shimmer
Pink Flash – light pink shimmer
Gold Flash – pale yellow gold shimmer
Bronze Flash – warm bronze gold
Rose Gold Flash – looks more pink mauve oyster on me

Champagne Flash

Above wearing the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz, Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium, La Mer Pressed Powder in Light, Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss 722, Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic Eyeshadow Palette in Glambition, Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown, L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara in Blackest Black.

Pink Flash

Gold Flash

Rose Gold Flash

Bronze Flash

Overall a solid winner. My favorites are Champagne Flash and Pink Flash. In the face beauty looks above I only applied the highlighter for the three shades I did looks for to show what they look like alone. I typically don’t just wear highlighter – I’ll usually add a blush or bronzer as well. I really like these on the eyes as well. For application Hourglass recommends you blend with one of their brushes. I’ve found they work well straight from the tube and then I blend with my fingers. Or I’ll take my fingertips and rub them on the stick then apply onto the cheeks. They’re really quite versatile. If you’re in the market for a cream highlighter I’d recommend checking out one of these.

You can find the Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Sticks out at counters now. Five shade options total. Available in stores and also online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter and Hourglass Cosmetics.

Do you have a favorite Hourglass highlighter? Have you checked these out yet? What did you think? If not – what’s your current favorite highlighter?

Vanish Flash provided courtesy of Hourglass for review.

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Dior Lips

Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balms New Shades

January 17, 2018

There are new shades of the Dior Addict Lip Glow Color Reviver Balms ($34 each) and they are amazing! If you’re like me you probably started jumping for joy as soon as you heard the news that more colors and formula finishes were going to be launching this spring. For those who are new to these, the Dior Addict Lip Glow is a color-changing balm that shifts in color depending on your lip chemistry. This year they’ve added two new finishes in a Matte and Holographic version along with two new shades of the Original Classic formula. Six new shades total.

For the six shades some are retailer specific so you’ll have to shop around to find all the new ones as some are store exclusives. I found Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus have 5 of the new shades, Sephora has 1 exclusive to their store and 2 other options of the new colors. My thoughts and description of the colors and finishes. Since these will adjust to a unique shade on your skin depending on your chemistry the overall look will most likely be different on you.

Pink 001, Coral 004, Lilac 005, Berry 006 are the older shades you can see swatched and reviewed here
Raspberry 007 and Ultra-Pink 008 are both glossy sheer flushed pinks
- Raspberry looks deeper in the tube than Ultra-Pink but for my lip chemistry Raspberry turned into a lighter pink on my lips
- Ultra-Pink looks lighter in the tube but it gave me a deeper more flushed berry pink look
Matte Pink 101 and Matte Raspberry 102 have a matte finish with a nice blurred lip look
- Matte Pink is a soft diffused pink, it doesn’t brighten or deepen like the original on me, it still goes on darker than what you see in the tube which is a soft powder pink, on my lips it’s a pretty soft blurred pink matte
- Matte Raspberry is a cool-toned raspberry pink with a matte finish
Holo Purple 009 and Holo Pink 010 are sparkling shimmers
- Holo Purple 009 gives an iridescent lilac pink that deepens on my lips (Sephora exclusive)
- Holo Pink 010 gives a flush like the original Pink 001 but with iridescent flecks of shimmer

There’s no detectable scent. They are moisturizing with a glossy finish for the regular and holographic shades. The matte ones have a distinct matte finish but aren’t drying. Sometimes the colors will adjust deeper on my lips and give them a pink stain. Other times they’ll give my lips a lighter flush.

A closer look and swatches, below top to bottom:

Matte Pink, Matte Raspberry, Ultra-Pink, Raspberry, Holo Purple and Holo Pink

Foundation worn on my face is NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Vanuatu (all shades of the formula swatched here) with Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation #4 to set. All lip products were swatched on bare lips.

A look at the Dior Addict Lip Glows new shades in direct sunlight:

There are a few other color-changing balms on the market including the new shades of the Bobbi Brown Extra Lip Tints (reviewed here) and MAC Tendertalk Balms have made a comeback (review on the original launch here). All have a similar balmy cushiony feel, moisturizing finish and glossy look. My favorites are the Dior although each formula has a similar finish and vibe. The Dior is the most hydrating on my lips and has the softest feel to me. I also like Dior’s colors the best but between the different brands I’ve tried they are pretty similar for formula.

Out of the new shades, my favorites are the Matte Pink, Raspberry and Holo Purple. Out of all the shades available I’d say my favorites are still probably the Coral and Lilac.

This week’s giveaway in the Rafflecopter widget below. One winner will receive the new Dior Holo Pink Highlighter, Holo Pink Addict Lip Glow and Ultra-Pink Addict Lip Glow. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to enter and qualify. I’ll pick one at random through the widget below. Not sponsored or affiliated. I will e-mail a winner within 72 hours after the giveaway ends. I usually ship prizes within a week.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you tried the new shades yet? Or the original ones? Do you have a favorite brand/formula of color-changing balms? You can find the new Dior Addict Lip Glows at all Dior counters now. Do keep in mind you may have to search a few stores for all the shades. I bought mine from Nordstrom and Sephora. Also available at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Dior.

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Bobbi Brown Highlighters

Bobbi Brown Extra Glow Collection

January 15, 2018

For spring getting that glowing beauty look is still very much on trend and Bobbi Brown has an Extra Glow Collection that they call “light reflecting and treatment infused.” I think most of the collection is limited-edition, a few pieces have already sold out at stores near me – you may have to shop around online for all the colors. From what I remember the first time Bobbi Brown launched her Extra Lip Tint it sold out extremely fast as well.

Up first is the Extra Glow Skincare Palette which I think is perfect for carrying around with you and throwing in your purse for on-the-go. I normally don’t think of having skincare in palettes but this is really quite genius. It has her Extra Face Oil, Skin Salve and Extra Soothing Balm which are great for lips and cuticles.

It’s been a while since I’ve tried any of her skincare items and I was pleasantly surprised by these. The Extra Face Oil is super hydrating and meant for dry skin. For me I like to put these little travel sizes on my cuticles and the balms on my lips. The Skin Salve and Extra Soothing Balms make for nice lightweight lip treatments.

Also for the face are three Extra Illuminating Moisture Balms that are pearl-infused. They are similar to MAC Strobe Creams but the Bobbi Brown ones are slightly less iridescent in finish once you blend. I received Golden Glow and Bare Glow as press samples but purchased Pink Glow because I wanted to see how different all three were. On my olive/medium skin I find all of them work to give the skin a subtle luminous glow. They disappear into a very subtle glow on the skin. I’m probably on the lighter side now that I’ve lost most of my tan. They have a nice hydrating feel but the hydration is very lightweight so I’d recommend using a moisturizer underneath.

Bare Glow is a pearly color, Pink Glow is a soft pink, Golden Glow is a soft warm skin-toned gold. Above you can see once they’re blended there’s no shimmer or frost, just glow. It’s something that is definitely more visible in person rather than a photograph. You can use these alone as a lotion, as a primer or over makeup for a dewy glow. These have a lightly moisturizing feel. There’s no greasy feel and they don’t make you look oily. I felt these were best on me over moisturizer and under a medium-sheer foundation or mixed in with foundation. If you use a full coverage foundation on top it will pretty much cancel out the glow effect.

There’s a new Highlighting Powder called Opal Glow. It’s highly reflective with a really pretty opal pink iridescent finish. It’s very shimmery and sparkly but you can definitely apply with a light hand for a sheer wash. It’s not quite duo-chrome but almost has that kind of quality. I thought for sure it would be too sparkly but I actually love it. There are noticeably larger shimmer particles but it’s not quite glittery.

Swatch comparisons below to Bobbi Brown Afternoon Glow (cooler-toned and less iridescent with a smoother finish), Tawny Glow (deeper and more mauve), Tom Ford Lavender Lure (highlighter portion), Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Devotion (cooler toned) and Dior Nude Air Luminizer in Holo Pink (a lot lighter).

For the lips there are new shades of her Extra Lip Tint. I have three of them in Bare Pink Sparkle, Bare Melon and Bare Popsicle. These have a little bit of color in them – I can’t tell for sure if these are ones that adjust to your natural lip color or simply have a nice tint. On my arms they look like they have a soft tint that seemed to adjust after a minute. On my lips they mimic what you see in the tube even though they’re sheer. Bare Pink Sparkle seems to have sold out many places (I only see it at Macy’s) and I’m not sure if it’s going to restock. Sometimes this turns a deeper pinkish color on my lips (as shown below), other times it’s just clear on my lips with a soft hint of shimmer. My favorite of the three is Bare Popsicle because it gives the lips a soft pink tint. There’s no detectable scent and they last like a regular lip balm. They are very moisturizing without feeling thick. I have a slight preference for the Dior Addict Lip Glows because I find them more moisturizing and the colors shift more on me.

I’m experimenting with finding different places to get good light in our new home! Quick look without flash, a light wash of the Opal Glow Highlighting Powder on the cheeks, Bare Melon on the lips, Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation in 3W1 Tawny mixed with the Illuminating Moisture Balm in Golden Glow, Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation #4 to set, Diorshow Browstyler in Universal Brown, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger.

Overall a lovely collection for that soft glow. I’m really liking the Illuminating Moisture Balms for a very natural radiant finish that isn’t greasy and doesn’t get oily as the day progresses. If I had to pick just one it would be a tough call between Golden Glow or Pink Glow. The Extra Lip Tints are really nice as well – I love the slim white packaging because it has a tiny bit of pearl. Opal Glow is also stunning – it does have more of an iridescent sparkly flash than the beauty look shows because I applied with a super light hand for a wash of shimmer. If you can’t do super sparkly I’d recommend you try before you buy if you can because it’s extra glowy.

Available now at Bobbi Brown counters, also online at Bobbi Brown, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Sephora, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Most of the collection appears to be limited-edition.

Have you tried the Bobbi Brown Lip Tints before? Or anything else from the spring line? What did you think?

Extra Glow Collection provided courtesy of Bobbi Brown for review. Pink Glow purchased by me.

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Dior Highlighters

Dior Spring 2018 Glow Addict Collection Picks

January 12, 2018

Dior Spring 2018 is here with a beautiful collection of feminine pinks called Glow Addict. A handful of items have made their way to counters at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue etc. but a number of things appear to be exclusive online to Dior.com. You may have to do a bit of shopping around to find all the pieces if you’re in the US. International countries often get slightly different variations. Today’s post is Part 1 of Dior Spring. I’ll have a separate post on the new Addict Lip Glows.

What I hauled from the Dior Spring 2018 Glow Addict Collection. Everything swatched in today’s post is limited-edition:

Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Holographic Sculpting Powder $56 each
- Holo Pink #001 and Holo Gold #002
5 Couleurs Glow Addict Eyeshadow Palette $63 each
- Flirt #667
Rouge Dior Matte $35 each (Dior.com exclusive)
- Idyllic Matte #641
Dior Vernis Scented Nail Lacquer $28 each (Dior.com exclusive)
- Love #557, Desire #674, Thrill #787 and Flirt #993
New Dior Addict Lip Glows $34 each (will be reviewed and swatched in a separate post)
- Raspberry 007, Ultra Pink 008
- Matte Pink 101, Matte Raspberry 102
- Holo Pink 010, Holo Purple 009 (purple is a Sephora exclusive)

Up first are the two new Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Glow Addict highlighters. I’m obsessed with the four other Nude Air Luminizers and the holiday Precious Rocks version is pretty as well. Nothing would have stopped me from getting both of the new ones. A few of you expressed a bit of concern about the “holographic” quality but I assure you these aren’t really like true holographic shimmers. They’re Dior’s version of the holographic trend and to me they’re very wearable and un-unicorn like compared to the trendy ones. Both Holo Pink and Holo Gold have highly reflective particles making them more sparkly than the regular ones (which are more metallic).

Holo Pink is a cool shimmering pink. Holo Gold is more glitzy with bigger chunks of sparkle and more iridescent with a pretty gold peach pink opal-like sheen. I prefer Holo Pink for everyday wear as it has a more finely milled shimmer. Holo Gold is a lot more sparkly with more visible chunks of shimmer, to me this is a bit much for everyday but that’s just my take.

Swatch comparisons to the Nude Air Luminizers, Holiday Precious Rocks, Bobbi Brown Sunrise Glow and Laura Mercier Indiscretion:

Next is the 5 Couleurs Glow Addict Eyeshadow Palette in Flirt. There are two options and I picked the one I thought would be less pink, but it’s still on the pink side. Pigment is medium but buildable and finish of the shadows have a natural sheen. Quality overall is very good and if you like these kinds of colors then it’s a great pick. I broke my palette buying rule as this one had 2 shades I didn’t think I’d wear but thought I could still make it work. For me it’s still too pink so it will probably be regifted to a friend. Lasting power is good over an eyeshadow base, finish is smooth and easy to blend.

I ordered one of the Rouge Dior Lipsticks in Idyllic Matte 641 which is a velvety medium but bright matte pink coral. This one I added on accident as I meant to order the nude one Poetic Matte 525. These appear to be Dior.com exclusives as I haven’t seen them anywhere else so there’s no place to test in person. As far as matte lipsticks go it’s very comfortable, non-drying and has a smooth velvety finish without making the lips look like prunes or raisins. Lasting power is like a regular lipstick, there will be transfer and it will fade after a few hours but with the Dior lipsticks I really don’t mind reapplying.

Quick look featuring:

Foundation is the Diorskin Forever Undercover 24 Hour Full-Coverage Water-Based Foundation in 21 + 31 mixed
Concealer used under eyes is the Diorskin Forever Undercover Concealer in 31
Powder to set is Armani Luminous Silk Powder in #4
Highlighter is Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer in Holo Pink by itself
Eyeshadow is the 5 Couleurs Glow Addict Eyeshadow Palette in Flirt
Lipstick is Rouge Dior Lipsticks in Idyllic Matte 641

Last but not least are the four Dior Vernis Scented Nail Lacquers which also appear to be exclusive to Dior.com. They’re supposed to be scented with a floral fragrance but to me they smell just like regular nail polish and once they’ve dried I can’t detect any smell. All four are opaque. You do need two coats with each shade but application is smooth and flawless and I think each one is perfect. Love is a bright warm pink, Desire is a cool-toned pink mauve, Thrill has a semi-sheer finish but still has full coverage with two coats, this one is a muted purple mauve, Flirt is a pretty deep shimmering purple (it’s deep but doesn’t look black on the nails, you can still tell it’s purple). The colors don’t appear to be the most unique that I’ve seen but they have the right mix of pink and purple to look really pretty and the formula is one of the best that I’ve tried in terms of application, shine and lasting power.

Overall after testing these for a few weeks now I 100% love Holo Pink and the four nail polishes. The other items are exceptional in terms of quality and pigment but not quite must-haves for my personal taste. Holo Gold is a bit too glitzy, Flirt is definitely too pink and the lipstick is pretty but I’ll probably feel more in the mood for brighter coral pinks once the sunshine returns and weather warms up. Addict Lip Glows to be posted soon!

You can find the entire Dior Spring 2018 Glow Addict Collection online at Dior.com. Select pieces also available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think?

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Diptyque Home / Interiors

Diptyque Rose Delight Candles and Scented Oval

January 11, 2018

There’s a new beautiful limited-edition rose collection from Diptyque called Rose Delight. I’ve been collecting their special edition releases for a few years now and each spring I look forward to their new creation. I missed out many years ago on Rose Duet and have regretted it ever since so now I don’t hesitate to buy them as soon as they launch. This year’s Diptyque Rose Delight comes in a few different forms: a Standard 6.5 oz size ($68), a Small 2.4 oz size ($35) and a Scented Oval ($50). It’s also available in a Scented Drawer Liner box that’s exclusive to their stores and websites but appears to have already sold out online. I’ll say up front that I think the full size candle is the best buy. If you like soft feminine kinds of scents you will love this year’s version.

Rose Delight is a sweet soft rose that smells like honey with a bit of a well rounded powdery vibe. It smells like candy to me, inspired by Turkish Delight and it does have that kind of feel to it. I’m always surprised how many variations of rose scents there are. This one is supposed to have a bit of honey with lemon zest and I can definitely detect the sweetness in the jar and when it is burning. The throw is really good with this one!

The mini ones have launched for the third time in row this year. I think they make for the cutest gifts for girlfriends or to treat yourself. The small sizes usually sell out the fastest so if it’s on your list I’d recommend you buy very soon. Below is the mini Rose Delight held for scale.

The Scented Ovals make nice gifts as well. They last longer than a candle but over time they do fade. They’re supposed to last for a minimum of 3 months. I wish I could report on how long they actually last but I’ve broken a few on accident by dropping or knocking them over on concrete floors. I did have them approximately 2 months each and the scent does linger and progressively fades over time. I love that this year’s Diptyque Rose Delight Scented Oval version has a pretty pink patterned loop at the end to hang it. The regular ones have the standard black ribbon.

To compare a few others, Roses is the classic more traditional kind of rose. Baies is more of a berry blackcurrant kind of scent mixed with some rose. For previous limited-edition releases Rosaviola is less sweet and a bit warmer with cedar and musk. Rosamundi has a more green vibe with Damask Rose and Centifolia combined with a bit of currant, bergamot, lychee and geranium.

I cannot pick a favorite, although the Rosaviola x Olympia Le Tan had the best packaging and Rosamundi is one I like anytime it’s re-released. Rose Delight has a sticker exterior design that feels quite substantial but it has a matte almost thick paper-like finish. It’s not like the glossy labels their standard candles have – the only thing I wish it did have because if I recycle them, I don’t have to worry about getting the label wet or ruining it when I clean out the wax. A quick look at the previous years’ limited-editions in the small sizes. I buy backups each year.

Below: Diptyque Rosaviola (discontinued), Rosamundi (discontinued) and Rose Delight

As a Diptyque lover I think Rose Delight is a must. I don’t like all variations of rose scents because some have a really strong powdery vibe. Diptyque always makes ones that are beautiful and this one is amazing. Quick apology that I’ve been MIA for a week now but we been moving! We moved out of our last vacation home on the 30th of December into a temporary Airbnb while we continued our search for a more permanent place to live. After literally months of searching we finally found a place and moved again, but are thrilled to finally be able to settle down for at least the next year! At the moment we are waiting on furniture deliveries (I had forgotten how long it takes!) but in the meantime there’s nothing like burning a good Diptyque candle to make a place feel more like home.

For those who love the Diptyque rose line, they’ve also re-launched their Eau de Rose in a few other products including an Eau de Toilette, Eau de Toilette-Roll On, Soap, Shower Foam, Hair Mist, Hand and Body Lotion and Hand Cream. I bought the hand cream many years ago and loved it. I’m not sure if I’ll buy this year’s version as I have a few other formulas I want to use up. For now I’m smitten with the candles.

You can find the Diptyque Rose Delight Collection now at Diptyque stores and online. Also available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Space NK, while supplies last and they usually sell out every year.

Have you smelled Rose Delight yet? What did you think?

Based on positive feedback I’m continuing weekly giveaways for at least the first quarter of 2018. You can check my Weekly Giveaway Page for the latest giveaway. They’ll be different each week! For example sometimes they will be on a specific blog post, other times on social or for newsletter subscribers. The first one of the year is going to be on this blog post!

I’m giving away 3 limited-edition Diptyque small candles from my backup stash in Rosaviola, Rosamundi and Rose Delight. One winner will be selected to receive all three. It’s open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to enter. Simply enter through the Rafflecopter widget below. I’ll pick a winner within 72 hours after the giveaway ends and contact them via e-mail. I typically ship prizes within a week. Not sponsored or affiliated.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Base Makeup NARS

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review + Swatches

December 26, 2017

I’ve been putting a few new foundation formulas to the test! The newest one is the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation ($49 for 1 fl oz/30 ml). I’m thrilled to have been able to swatch all 33 shades of the foundation. An artist from the NARS team matched/guessed three shades they thought would be my closest match and the team sent miniature samples of the entire collection for review. I wish they would sell the minis because it would be so much easier for us to find out perfect match! Unfortunately at this time samples aren’t for sale but I hope these swatches help you with your foundation matching if you’re buying or guessing online.

Shown above Punjab, Vanuatu and Barcelona

The NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation is a full coverage opaque liquid foundation. It’s probably the thickest formula of all the NARS foundations I’ve tried and takes a bit of experimentation to get a smooth application. Since it’s so opaque I’d recommend using only a little bit at a time. If you’re skin isn’t flawless or completely smooth using a primer is essential. I’ve tried around five different bases with this formula and find that the NARS primers work best with this one. My favorite is the Radiance Primer. I also recommend applying with a damp beautyblender or fingers to blend. Setting is also essential even if it’s just a lightweight powder. These come in a clear bottle which is always great so you can see exactly how much you have left. I also love that these come with a pump.

Color range is pretty impressive with different undertones. If you’re like me you probably find there aren’t enough yellow or olive based foundations on the market. NARS completely has you covered and shades like Punjab, Stromboli are very olive. Long time readers may remember I used to use the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in Punjab (formula is thinner than the new one). I’ve darkened quite a few shades and have since found the best matches to be Stromboli or Barcelona. With the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation my matches are Stromboli, Vanuatu or Barcelona. Living in Florida I’ve found my coloring changes on a weekly basis depending on how much sun I’ve been exposed to. There’s no escaping it here and even with sunscreen, hats and trying to stay in the shade I still tan easily.

Lasting power is pretty good even in Florida heat. The humidity levels in Tampa are low right now so I can’t report how it holds up in humid climates. Right now on me it lasts all day but it’s not transfer-proof if you touch your face (ie fingers or to sunglasses). It photographs well and goes on smoothly as long as you apply with light layers. I didn’t experience any oxidation. Finish is naturally radiant and glowy.

Below I have Vanuatu applied. I’ve also shown my bare skin below (eeps!). I have a lot of freckles which most people don’t realize until they see me without any makeup on. I think the photos below show how well the foundation covers without looking too thick or cakey. I didn’t need any concealer under the eyes or around the nose to reduce redness because the foundation covered it all.

Top left: completely bare makeup-free skin, I just have a little bit of moisturizer on
Top right: a thin layer of NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Vanuatu on the face all over applied with a beautyblender (no concealer)
Bottom photo:
- NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Vanuatu
- Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in Shade 4
- Tom Ford Large Ultimate Bronzing Powder in Gold Dust
- NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette (review here)
- Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
- Tom Ford Fiber Brow Gel in Espresso
- NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anna blotted
- NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Bound

Swatches of all the colors below in four sets. Set 1:

Oslo – Light 1
Mont Blanc – Light 2
Yukon Light 2.5
Gobi – Light 3
Salzburg – Light 3.5
Deauville – Light 4
Vienna – Light 4.5
Fiji – Light 5

_________________

Set 2:

Punjab – Medium 1
Patagonia – Medium 1.2
Vallauris – Medium 1.5
Santa Fe – Medium 2
Sahel – Medium 2.5
Stromboli – Medium 3
Vanuatu – Medium 3.5
Barcelona – Medium 4

_________________

Set 3:

Valencia – Medium 5
Aruba – Medium 6
Syracuse – Medium/Dark 1
Tahoe – Medium/Dark 2
Moorea – Medium/Dark 2.3
Huahine – Medium/Dark 2.6
Cadiz – Medium/Dark 3
Caracas – Medium/Dark 3.3
Belem – Medium/Dark 3.6

_________________

Set 4:

Macao – Medium/Dark 4
Marquises – Medium/Dark 5
Manaus – Dark 1
New Caledonia – Dark 2
Iguacu – Dark 3
Namibia – Dark 4
Zambie – Dark 5
Mali – Dark 6

A quick comparison between a few shades I use in the NARS range including the All Day Luminous Foundation in Stromboli and Barcelona and Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz. I’ve also included the Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger for reference. Two of the NARS primers shown for size comparison.

In summary I think the new NARS foundation performs really well for my skin type. It will give nearly full coverage and covered under eye dark circles and redness around the nose. It was a little tricky to get the coverage to look natural since it is so opaque. The first time I applied it I dabbed on way too much. A little goes a long way. As far as I can tell there is no detectable scent, no irritation on my skin, no white flashback with a camera flash. It will look dewy if you don’t set with powder. I wasn’t able to put it to the test for a full 16 hours, but I have worn this for around 12 hours on several occasions and it holds up pretty well both in doors and outdoors in the sun and at the beach. I do get a little dewy looking around the T-zone by the end of the day so I keep my Tatcha blotting papers with me to help absorb shine without messing up my makeup. My favorite formula from NARS is still the Velvet Matte Skin Tint because I like something that feels more weightless without any dewy look.

My other foundation shades I alternate between and use in my Summer Base Edit post (Tom Ford, Laura Mercier and MAC shades I use). I’m currently testing some formulas from Estee Lauder which I just bought. Review on those picks soon!

You can find the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation at online at Sephora, Ulta and NARS right now. Have you tried this yet?

NARS foundations sent courtesy of the NARS team for review.

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Eye Makeup Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Private Shadows and New Mascara Launches

December 22, 2017

By popular request I have a review with swatches of the new Eyes of Tom Ford Collection. This is Tom Ford’s first eyes-only launch with new Private Shadows ($36 each), three new mascaras in Spike Lash, Shutter Lash and Fullscreen Lash ($45 each) and an Eye Gloss ($36).

Up first is a look at the Private Shadows which are individual shades of eye shadow. These come in the cutest mirrored compact with a snap lock closure versus the magnetic style the Eye Color Quads. There are five different finishes:

Ultra Suede – intensely pigmented matte shades formulated without pearl
Suede – matte shades formulated with subtle touches of pearl
Sateen – high shine shades with a pearl luster finish
Vinyl – pearlized shades with a metallic chrome finish
Paillette – pearlized shades with a sequin glitter finish

I’ve tested all formulas and find they are rich and smooth in pigment. I personally find the finish between the Suede, Sateen and Vinyl to be similar in the colors I tested. They have a smooth pearl quality that feels extremely soft to the touch. They glide on the lids flawlessly. The Paillette shades are glittery, but true to Tom Ford glitters in the sense that I don’t experience fall out once they are on the lids and they are semi-sheer in the base with more pigment in the glitter flecks. I received 7 shades as press samples and purchased 5. Out of all 12 shades there are only 2 I’m not crazy about. Vertigo is a fairly basic grey-taupe (too basic for the price) and Videotape was fairly stiff and hard in texture (color payoff wasn’t as good as the other shades).

I’ve split the shades by color family rather than formula:

A closer look at each row with descriptions:

Top Row, left to right:

Hush (suede) is a soft champagne neutral with a sheen
Breathless (paillette) is a sparkling glitter pale silver
Vertigo (ultrasuede) is a matte soft grey
Burnt Suede (suede) is a soft taupe shimmer

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Middle Row, left to right:

Exposure (sateen) goes on lighter than what I see in the pan, it’s a light pink shimmer
Loveshade (suede) is a beautiful soft medium salmon pink shimmer
Body Double (vinyl) is my favorite, I live for shades like this! It’s the perfect all over lid color in a neutral shimmer beige
Warm Leatherette (vinyl) is another favorite, it’s a warm shimmering amber gold

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Bottom Row, left to right:

Fire Sign (paillette) is a warm copper sparkle
Smoked Opaline (sateen) is a soft olive shimmer
Tempte Bleu (paillette) is a glittery blue, it’s surprisingly wearable and the only blue shadow I’ve tried that I feel like I could wear
Videotape (suede) is a deep maroon

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Swatches:

Next are three new mascaras in Spike Lash, Shutter Lash and Fullscreen Lash and an Eye Gloss. I tried all three mascaras to see how they held up throughout several days. I could not bring myself to test the Eye Gloss on my eyes for more than five minutes. I swiped and swatched it on my hand, dabbed it on my eyes and immediately removed it. This is one product I don’t think I could ever bring myself to wear on the eyes. It has a smooth non-tacky texture but did not feel comfortable on my lids.

For the mascaras, my favorite is still the classic Waterproof Extreme. The new ones aren’t completely smudge-proof because my lashes simply don’t hold the curl well. My thoughts on each one:

Spike Lash is my favorite of the three for the most volume and least smudging. It has an almost wet look to it when you apply so make sure you give it a few seconds to dry before you blink. This has a rubbery looking applicator with tiny spikes. This gives volume in a dramatic way.
Shutter Lash has more dense applicator with bristles and it’s slightly flattened. This gets all the lashes from the base and gives a full coat to everything without clumping. Unfortunately this smudged on me.
Fullscreen Lash has a swirled applicator. It’s great at separating the lashes and lengthening. I didn’t have any smudges on this one.
My favorite is still the Waterproof Extreme in Florida heat it’s one of the few that won’t budge or smudge. All three new ones held the curl pretty well. Spike Lash did the best for intense looking lashes and Fullscreen Lash did the best in lengthening for me.
For reference, you can see a roundup of my Mascara Hits and Misses from this summer.

A closer look:

In summary I think the new eyeshadow singles are really good and worth the splurge. The quality, texture and pigment is excellent. I swatched some of the other matte shades in store and they’re quite smooth and soft. I was tempted to buy some but felt more compelled to go with the shades I felt had some shimmer because they looked more unique. I do wish they had made these like MAC Pro Palettes where you can make your own quad or palette because I find them more convenient than singles. I’m a huge fan of the Tom Ford Eye Color Quads (in particular Nude Dip, Honeymoon and Disco Dust) and almost always bring one with me when I travel because they’re so versatile. Still these don’t take up a lot of space and they’re compact enough to bring several along with you.

I’m really not sure what to do with the Eye Gloss as it’s just not my thing. If you wear eye gloss let me know how and when you wear it!

Mascaras are nice but I would have preferred to have waterproof options. I have lashes that usually don’t hold the curl with a lash curler unless the mascara is waterproof. Waterproof Extreme does everything I need in a mascara. That being said I really like the different applicators in the new formulas.

You can find the Eyes of Tom Ford Collection at all Tom Ford locations now. Online at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Beautylish, Sephora and Tom Ford Beauty.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

Press samples include Hush, Breathless, Vertigo, Warm Leatherette, Smoked Opaline, Tempete Bleu, Videotape, 3 New Mascaras and Eye Gloss.

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