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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

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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

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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

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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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Laura Mercier Lips

Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick

December 20, 2017

There’s a new lipstick formula from Laura Mercier called the Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick ($28 each for 1.4 g/0.035 oz, made in Germany). They launched 24 shades in a wide range of colors from pale beige to dark purple. They come in a slim twist up tube similar to the Caviar Sticks Eye Colors which I adore. I feel fortunate to be able to share swatches of all the colors with you today!

The Velour Extreme Matte Lipsticks are matte full coverage lipsticks. All have a cream finish without any shimmer. In general I hate matte lipsticks and matte lip products. I find they make my lips look dry, shriveled, colors darken and everything looks aged. The few exceptions have been the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution, Louboutin Matte Lipstick and Pat McGrath MatteTrance Lipsticks. The Laura Mercier Velour Extreme the formula is ultra matte. Formula is opaque and long lasting, but smoothness is hit or miss. Most of the colors have extremely good flawless coverage, but some have a patchy finish like Ruthless (pale pink), Extreme (deep plum) and Goals (light peach). They do have a very matte finish – I found applying a balm underneath helps smooth the finish but they still last long.

For reference on my skintone and foundation, I currently use the Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion in Buff, Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer in Natural + Tawny, NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz, MAC Studio Fix Fluid in NC35 and NC37. Swatches of what I rotate between in my Summer Foundation and Base Edit post. For the new NARS Radiant Longwear Foundation I’m still testing out the colors but I’m swatching Stromboli or Vanuatu or Barcelona.

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Respect, Ruthless, Vibe, Fresh, Fierce and Rock

Up first are the lightest shades and neutrals:

Respect is a light beige
Ruthless is a pale powdery pink
Vibe is the perfect neutral pink
Fresh is a neutral pink rose mauve
Fierce is a brown neutral
Rock is a deeper brown

All swatches are done on bare lips.

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Cool, Stylin, On Point, Fire, Control and Dominate

Next are the orange and reds. These are high impact shades all on the bold side. As with most reds there are similar options but each one has a different undertone. I like that these are true to what you see in the tube. Often times with reds they go on brighter or pinker than what I see.

Cool is a bright mod peach
Stylin is a bright coral peach
On Point is a vibrant orange
Fire is an orange red
Control is a deeper brick red
Dominate is a bright red

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Goals, Bring It, Clique, It Girl, Fab and Power

Up next are the bright pinks.

Goals is a powder pink
Bring It is a fuchsia pink
Clique is a bright red pink
It Girl is a bright deep peony pink
Fab is a hot cool pink
Power is a deeper pink red

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Queen, Fatale, Hot, Boss, Dare, Extreme

Last are the deeper pinks and purples. For some reason the deeper shades were pretty patchy on my lips. There is a sharp contrast between my natural lip color and many of these.

Queen is a bright cool pink
Fatale is a plum red
Hot is a bright deep red
Boss is a patchy violet
Dare is a muted mauve brown plum
Extreme is a deep streaky blackened purple

Lasting power is quite impressive. They do have a dry texture/feel in the tube so there is going to be slight tugging when you apply on the lips. If you have a balm underneath they’ll glide on better. Once on the lips they feel weightless and very comfortable. I love the packaging style and hope they launch this in cream or shimmer shades because I can see myself wearing those more than mattes. For a matte lipstick these are good. I still prefer other matte formulas like the ones from Pat McGrath, and in general like cream or gloss finishes for lipsticks.

The best thing about these is the lasting power. They stay put and don’t bleed at all. There is going to be transfer to cups or napkins if you drink but otherwise they stay on the lips for hours without budging. I liked that they worked well with balms too. No detectable scent on these either. Do you have a favorite matte lipstick formula?

My top five picks: Vibe, Fresh, Fierce, Fatale and Power.

You can find the Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipsticks available now at Sephora.

Lipsticks sent courtesy of Laura Mercier for review.

9 Comments

MAC

MAC Jade Jagger and MAC x Patrick Starrr Collections

December 14, 2017

There are two new MAC collections that launch today! I have both the MAC Jade Jagger and Patrick Starrr Collections reviewed with swatches and first impressions.Everything is limited-edition and I wanted to get these up as soon as I could before items sell out. Up first is the MAC Jade Jagger Collection which has a focus on MAC’s mineralize products in new shades. I’ve been a long time fan and collector of the Mineralize Skinfinish and Skinfinish Natural along with the blushes. I’ve found the eye and lip products can be hit or miss. Everything is beautiful in color and very wearable – but your preference for shimmer might make you pass on the shadows.

There are two Mineralize Eyeshadow Quads in Burning Nights (cool tones) and Golden Shine (warmer tones). Both quads are with the baked formula which makes the shadows harder and stiff. They are all on the shimmery/sparkly side true to what I’d envision someone like Jade Jagger to wear. I found they swatched poorly on the arms but applied better on the lids if I prime them. When I applied these they are prone to fallout – there’s quite a bit of sparkle so you will need to do some clean up on the cheeks. The good news for me is once I applied them they stayed put. There is also a gorgeous Mineralize Skinfinish with a shimmer and matte bronze called Satin Shimmer. This has medium-sheer pigment and looks natural on the skin. I adore this duo but found it similar to my favorite MSF in Global Glow (also swatched below).

MAC MSF Jade Jagger Satin Shimmer vs Global Glow

I have two of the three new Mineralize Rich Lipsticks in Sunset Pearl (nude pink) and Rolling Red (deep red). Both are super smooth in texture and feel hydrating on the lips. In other shades I’ve tried the Mineralize Rich Lipsticks are sometimes on the sheer side. These are good in pigment with a pretty soft shine to them.

Swatches below:

Up next is the MAC x Patrick Starrr Collection which I absolutely love everything in. The Eyeshadow Quads have a lot of repeat shades but for some reason the formula in these quads feels a lot better than most of MAC’s single shadows. They’re smooth, buttery and rich. I think they’re just beautiful. There are two in Patrick Starrr Glam AF with Brule, OMIGAUD, Saddle and Embark and the GoalGetter has Soft Brown, Amber Lights, Swiss Chocolate and I’m Into It.

The Set Powder is something I’ve never tried before and I’m thoroughly impressed with this one. It looks translucent but there’s a soft beige tint to the powder which works perfectly for my medium skin tone. I’m ordering a few back ups of this one – I’ll have to investigate the other shades from their regular line as well. It is a soft matte without any white cast on my skin and lasts an impressive amount of time.

Next are the lips which come in matching lipstick and lipglass shades. There are corresponding lipliners from the permanent lineup but they come in special-edition packaging. Lipsticks and Lipglasses come in the following shades: She Betta Werrrk is a pale but wearable pink, Mamastarrr is a perfect nude, Patrick Woo is a bright vibrant red. Lip Pencils come in Edge to Edge (pink), Mahogany (brown) and Brick (deep red). I really appreciate the fact that the pale pink shade is wearable even on my pigmented lips and olive skin tone.

Quick look with a little bit from both collections wearing:

Foundation – NARS Longwear Foundation in Barcelona (new, review coming soon!)
Powder – MAC Patrick’s Set Powder
Eyeshadow – MAC Jade Jagger Mineralize Eyeshadow x4 Golden Shine
Cheeks – MAC Jade Jagger Mineralize Skinfinish Satin Shimmer
Lips – MAC Patrick Starrr Lipstick in Patrick Woo

Overall thoughts: I really like everything in the MAC Patrick Starrr collection. The shades are wearable, the quads are excellent in formula and I’m 100% obsessed with the setting powder. I do think the lipliners are ones you can skip. The colors are good and classics but they’re permanent (except for the special edition packaging) so there’s no rush to get them if you’re on your list. The Jade Jagger collection is really pretty – I love the colors and the Mineralize Skinfinish, but I still haven’t been super wowed by the other products in the Mineralize line. Out of the two quads I do like Burning Nights a lot more – pigment is better and it’s easier to apply on the eyes for me.

You can find both collections online now at MAC Cosmetics. I believe the Jade Jagger collection will be available only at select MAC stores (I called a few near me and neither of them said they were going to receive it). The MAC x Patrick Starrr Collection is also available at Nordstrom. Everything is limited-edition.

MAC Jade Jagger and Patrick Starrr items provided courtesy of MAC for review.

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Chanel Highlighters

Chanel Highlighters Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion

December 3, 2017

There are new Chanel highlighters that come in two formulas. One is called Poudre Lumiere Highlighting Powder ($58 for 8.5 g/0.30 oz, made in Italy) and the other is called Le Signe du Lion Illuminating Powder ($70 for 9 g/0.31 oz, made in Italy). Both are listed as Chanel.com exclusives and limited-edition. At this point I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like the world does not need another highlighter. I still love these and think they are quite stunning. That being said if you already own a lot I don’t think any of these will be must-haves as I do think you can get a similar effect with other Chanel launches or even ones from Dior. I would have liked to do a handful of comparison swatches, however if you have followed along on @beautylookbook you know I’ve been traveling! We made a quick stop to Los Angeles for a wedding and up next is Miami for Art Basel. Due to the traveling I didn’t have time to search for dupes or swatch them. Notes and thoughts below. As a die-hard Chanel lover there would have been practically nothing to stop me from buying these four. First a look at all four Chanel Highlighters Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion and side by side swatches:

Poudre Lumiere

Up first is the Poudre Lumiere formula. This is one of Chanel’s more sparkly options. Chanel describes this as an illuminating face powder that captures and reflects light for a sheer radiant finish. I do think it’s light reflecting and radiant, but I didn’t find these sheer. You can definitely apply with a light hand or fluffy brush for a sheer finish, but I found these fairly pigmented. The texture is stiffer than a traditional powder. I find they have a similar feel in texture to the Dior Nude Air Luminizers but the Chanels have tiny flecks of sparkle. They are really pretty for holiday, I don’t mind the shimmer but if you want more of a glow, opt for the other two. Ivory Gold is a golden champagne and Rosy Gold is a deeper pink/peach version. Lasting power is really good. On me they don’t emphasize pores or texture. I actually think these are amazing as eyeshadows.

Wearing below: Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer in Natural + Tawny mixed, Urban Decay Naked2 Palette on the eyes, each corresponding highlighter on the cheeks, Chanel Le Rouge Crayon in Rose Violine.

Le Signe du Lion

The Le Signe du Lion Illuminating Powders have a more creamy smooth feel to them. I absolutely love these! They give the skin a lovely soft sheen. Pigment is medium and easy to blend or layer. On my tan complexion they look similar – Or Blanc is a white gold and Or Rose is a peachy pink. If you’re light to fair these will most likely look darker on you. Lasting power is also really good, even in humid weather. They stay put all day without getting dewy looking or greasy.

Wearing below: Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer in Natural + Tawny mixed, Urban Decay Naked2 Palette on the eyes, each corresponding highlighter on the cheeks, Hourglass Confession Lipsticks in If Only + I Woke Up.

Each powder comes with its own brush. They’re nice for touch ups, but as usual I prefer full sized brushes to apply makeup. The Le Signe du Lion ones come with a red compact and the other comes in a classic black one.

One last look:

Overall the four are excellent in quality, pigment, smoothness, lasting power and texture. I think that the Poudre Lumieres are more sparkly and inline with the current shimmery more intense highlighter trend. The Le Signe du Lion is smoother and has a softer glow. After testing these I don’t think it’s necessary to own all four but they are beautiful. My favorites are the Le Signe du Lion out of the bunch, I really like Or Rose. While they are quite the splurge I think they are worth the price. That being said if you already own a lot and are looking for something unique, you may find these too similar to what you already own.

You can find the Chanel Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion highlighters online now at Chanel.com, both are limited edition.

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