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Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Winter Collection 2017

November 20, 2017

This holiday Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Winter Collection 2017 brings us some new makeup in a palette, cheek color and lips. I have four items to review today. The pieces are more on the cool-toned side and have a very pretty mauvey undertone perfect to transition from fall to winter. There is a new Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette called Violet Argente, a new Sheer Cheek Duo called Lavender Lure and a new lip formula called Lip Slick in which I have two shades Hibiscus Kiss and Bitten Berry to swatch for you. There are a few other items in the collection not featured including the Radiant Moisture Souffle. I have last year’s version which I purchased and it’s lasted a long time. I don’t have this year’s to compare to see if it’s the same, but if it is, it’s a beautiful smooth moisturizer that is hydrating and radiant without looking greasy or too dewy. There are also two more shades of the Lip Slick in Spiked Cherry and Red Nectar but I haven’t had a chance to check those out yet.

Up first is the most stunning option the Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette in Violet Argente ($155). I received this one as a press sample but have purchased the other three in Warm and Cool Winter Soleil and the Solar Exposure Palette last year and love them. Violet Argente is the most interesting option with a soft pink mauve satin blush, soft pink highlighter, pale pink satiny shimmer shadow, warm rose with silver and gold shimmer, soft bronze and a bright but deep violet glittery shade. The combination isn’t neutral like the others but it makes for a beautiful look.

The pigment is smooth and soft with medium but buildable coverage. The texture makes it very easy to apply. I personally find I gravitate towards the colors in the Warm Palette but this one is really quite stunning. Lasting power is very good on these palettes and Violet Argente is no exception. There can be a tiny bit of fallout with the purple glitter shade when you apply but it won’t fall off the eyes after you have them on the lids.

The Violet Argente Palette vs Cool Palette swatched below:

Up next is the Sheer Cheek Duo in Lavender Lure. At first glance it looks identical like Bicoastal. They are actually very close but Lavender Lure is cooler and softer in undertone. I do think they are very similar but even if I didn’t receive a press sample I would have bought it anyways. It’s really pretty and I love these formulas because the blush is pigmented but very easy to blend so you don’t get clown-like cheeks. The highlighters are also pure love for me with the pretty finish and sheen. These look glowy without getting greasy or oily because they have a unique cream to almost powder like finish. The shimmer is fine and smooth so it’s not frosted. You can layer or mix the colors and they wear well over bronzer. I’ve swatched the Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal and Paradise Lust next to each other below as well.

Last there are the new Lip Slicks which are conditioning lip tints that come in a twist/click roller ball applicator. The formula is smooth, super hydrating with a pretty sheer tint. Hibiscus Kiss is a cool berry and Bitten Berry is a deeper berry. The finish is very sheer and glossy with a jelly like finish. The packaging was a bit awkward for me to apply but the formula feels so nice on the lips. Lasting power is just like any other balm – it’s not going to stay put long but this one doesn’t slide around, it stays put as long as you don’t have contact with food or drinks. I don’t mind reapplying because it feels so nice. I could not detect any scent.

Below wearing:

Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Foundation in Y345
La Mer The Sheer Pressed Powder in Light
Tom Ford Sheer Cheek Duo in Lavender Lure (both shades)
Tom Ford Soleil Eye Cheek Palette in Violet Argente (eyeshadows, all 4)
Tom Ford Lip Slick in Hibiscus Kiss

Overall a small but well edited collection. The Soleil Eye and Cheek Palettes come at a steep price of $155 each and it hit the wallet hard last year when I bought three. They are indeed very spendy and I 100% love them and have no regrets. The Warm one has come on many trips with me and I love the colors in it. I wouldn’t recommend if you don’t love all the colors though. I do think whatever palette you buy you should love most of the colors no matter what the price.

With this Soleil Winter 2017 launch I love every single piece that I tried. I do think Lavender Lure is going to be too close to Bicoastal for many. That being said I do notice a cooler and softer finish on the cheeks so if you’re one who really prefers cool tones then Lavender Lure is going to be THE one for you.

You can find the Soleil Winter 2017 Collection pieces now. Available online at Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Nordstrom, Tom Ford and all other Tom Ford Beauty counters.

Have you checked out the new launches yet? What did you think?

Soleil Winter collection provided courtesy of Tom Ford for review.

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Holiday Gift Guide MAC

MAC Snow Ball for Holiday 2017

November 16, 2017

I’m rounding up one of the prettiest holiday collections this year with the MAC Snow Ball Collection. Everything is limited-edition and some pieces are harder to find as there are a few retailer exclusives. By now some of the items have sold out online but you may want to check your local stores to see if you can find anything. The entire collection launched a few weeks ago but as this is a pretty hefty collection it’s taken me a while to swatch, test and review everything. I received a number of press samples but tracked down some items at my local Nordstrom and MAC store. There’s still a massive amount of sets and palettes not featured today so know if you’re into more bold shades, pinks, glitzy glitters etc. there are definitely some other options to pick from that you can still find easily. Featured today includes:

Snow Ball Lipsticks in Warm Ice, Holiday Crush, I’m Glistening and Elle Belle
Snow Ball Lip Bag in Nude
Snow Ball Mini Lip Gloss Kit in Nude
Face Powders in Happy Go Dazzling and Here Comes Joy
Snow Ball Face Bag in Peach with Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Show Gold + 140S mini
Snow Ball Eye Compact in Gold
Extra Dimension Eyeshadows in Frostwinked, Delicate Drift, It’s Snowing, Stylishly Merry and Starry Starry Night
Snow Ball Smoky Gold Eye Bag
Brush Set

MAC Snow Ball Lips

First are some lip picks. I love the MAC holiday lip sets because they often have minis and are color-themed. Being the nude lip lover that I am I knew I had to get the Snow Ball Nude Lip Bag because it has one of the prettiest nude lipsticks!

There are six individual Snow Ball Lipsticks in the collection. It seems they’re sold out everywhere except MAC online. I have four which I purchased including:

Warm Ice which is a metallic pale gold beige (similar to Gel)
Holiday Crush is a metallic soft pink rose
I’m Glistening is a metallic taupe grey mauve
Elle Belle is one of the prettiest deep red creams

The Nude Lip Bag is my absolute favorite even if it seems dupe-able:

Sending Love Cremesheen Lipstick is the one of the most perfect nude pink lipsticks I’ve ever seen
Doubletime Pro Longwear Lip Pencil is permanent, it’s a toffee pink brown
Iced Dream Lipglass is a sheer sparkly pink gloss

The Snow Ball Nude Mini Lip Gloss Kit has three mini glosses all exclusive to the set, I love all the colors and they wear very well:

Below Freezing is a Cremesheen Glass formula with clear base with loads of pale pink sparkles
Iced Over is a Metallic Vamplify formula in a metallic but very wearable beige shimmer
Winter Warmer is a Cremesheen Glass formula which is a warm pink brown with a tiny bit of sheen

MAC Snow Ball Highlighters

For the face there are lots of highlighter options. I don’t even want to admit how many MAC highlighters I own because it’s a ridiculous amount. I’m always surprised they manage to make new ones because it seems like all the colors have to have been done already. There are two individual Face Powders in an Opalescent Finish. They’re called Happy Go Dazzling which is a pale beige gold and Here Comes Joy which is a peachy shimmer. Both are noticeable on the skin but in comparison to other highlighters they have a slightly stiffer texture which makes them sheerer and less metallic. I love these because they don’t look garish on the skin but have a soft diffused look.

There are also some sets called the Snow Ball Face Bag which are a MAC and Nordstrom exclusive. Nordstrom has two options, a Peach Face Bag with Show Gold Extra Dimension Skinfinish (duochrome pink peach with loads of sparkle) and the Gold Face Bag which has Whisper of Gilt (metallic gold). These come with a sequins bag and small 140S brush in a metallic handle.

I added a swatch of Whisper of Gilt that I have from older launches:

MAC Snow Ball Eye Makeup

There are a few palette options, I received a press sample of the Snow Ball Eye Compact in Gold. Palettes can be tricky especially if you don’t 100% love all the shades. This one performs well for a smoky eye look but two of the colors are very glittery with a lot of fallout unless you pat it on the lids.

For eye makeup all the single Extra Dimension Eye Shadows pretty much sold out the day they launched. I tracked them all down in stores and am not really sure why they sold out in record time. They are indeed super beautiful but very metallic. The texture is smooth and easy to apply. On the lids they are perfect party-wear shadows. Only Starry Starry Night, Delicate Drift and It’s Snowing are ones I feel like I could wear for regular everyday wear. The swatch photos don’t capture the metallic quality as well as I’d like but I hope they give you a good reference. Colors include:

Frostwinked metallic white glitter frost
Delicate Drift metallic soft pink glitter
Stylishly Merry duochrome bronze pink glitter
It’s Snowing shimmering silvery mauve
Starry Starry Night shimmering deep charcoal with silver flecks

There’s an eye bag set called the Snow Ball Smoky Gold Eye Bag with a duo of Extra Dimension Shadows of Just Gleaming (champagne pink) and Snowdusk (shimmering taupe) with a Technakohl Eyeliner in Photogravure and In Extreme Lash Mascara in Black.

Last but not least is one of the brush sets which is the Snow Ball Brush Set Mini. It has three short-handled rose gold brushes in a brushed metallic handle finish including 421SE, 535SE and 560SE. I feel like I know my MAC brushes well but don’t remember seeing any of these numbers before. They perform really well for MAC brush sets – I often find the quality of the brush sets aren’t as good as the full size/individual brushes but these are really good for powders.

One last look below. Overall lots to explore and love in this holiday collection. I really think there is something for everyone. If you’re looking for something under the $50 price point for gifts I think any of the lip bags are great. I love the Snow Ball Nude Lip Bag for $39.50 and the Mini Lipstick Kits or Gloss Kits are $29.50 each. I would personally pass on the eyeshadow palettes as I don’t 100% love all the shades. The individual eyeshadows are stunning but are on the glitzy side which makes them a bit challenging for everyday wear if you need a conservative look.

You can find the MAC Snow Ball Collection online and in stores at MAC Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Ulta Beauty, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Everything is limited-edition and I’d definitely recommend you browse all the retailers as each store has something exclusive.

Press samples and purchased items featured. Press samples include the Face Powders, Mini Lip Gloss Kit, Eyeshadow Palette, Mini Brushes and Eye Bag Set.

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Holiday Gift Guide L'Occitane

L’Occitane Holiday Advent Calendars

November 14, 2017

This post is brought to you by CJ Affiliate’s VIP Content Service. Thank you L’Occitane for sponsoring this post. While this was a sponsored opportunity from L’Occitane, all content and opinions expressed here are my own.

The holiday season is quickly approaching and I’m thrilled to share a peek at two cute gift options from L’Occitane. This year there are two fun and unique L’Occitane Holiday Advent Calendars perfect for any kind of beauty lover regardless of style and age. Their body products and skincare have been long-time staples for me and as one who has picky females in my life I can say that L’Occitane has been a safe go-to for gifts that are well received. Both sets are beautifully packaged and contain 24 miniatures for the Christmas holiday countdown. The Signature Advent Calendar is priced at $69 ($104 value) while the Luxury Advent Calendar is $124 ($174.50 value).

Signature Advent Calendar

First a look at the Signature Advent Calendar. This style has been launched in previous years but they usually have a variation in contents. I love keeping these for travel and also think it’s a great way to sample new things. Inside the Signature Advent Calendar 2017 set you get a mix of body lotions, perfumes, hair care, shower gels and more. I’m beyond obsessed with the shower oils and hand cream. Their shea butter line is my favorite for soothing dry itchy skin and it has an amazing gentle scent that relaxes me:

Almond Shower Oil 1.18 fl. oz.
Almond Delicious Hand Cream 0.33 oz.
Almond Delicious Soap 1.7 oz.
Shea Light Comforting Cream 0.17 oz.
Almond Milk Concentrate 0.67 oz.
Arlésienne Eau de Toilette 0.25 fl.oz.
Arlésienne Perfumed Soap 1.76 oz.
Aromachologie Shampoo 1.18 fl.oz
Aromachologie Conditioner 1.18 fl.oz.
Aromachologie Relaxing Shower Gel 1.18 fl.oz.
Cherry Blossom Shower Gel 1.18 fl. oz.
Cherry Blossom Shimmering Lotion 1.18 fl. oz.
Citrus Verbena Shower Gel 1 fl.oz.
Aromachologie Revitalizing Sugar Cube 1.4 oz.
Peony Flora Hand Cream 0.33 oz.
Shea Butter Shower Cream 1 fl.oz.
Shea Butter Body Lotion 1 oz.
Shea Butter Hand Cream 0.33 oz.
Shea Butter Foot Cream 0.33 oz.
Shea Butter Lip Balm 0.1 oz.
Shea Butter Milk Soap 0.88 oz.
Verbena Leaf Soap 0.8 oz.
Verbena Body Lotion 1 oz.
Verbena Hand Cream 0.33 oz

Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar

Next is the Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar which I’m super excited about! This has quite a few products I’ve been dying to try. It has some really great skincare items including the Immortelle Divine Youth Oil and Cream which I highly recommend. If I were to pick one to recommend out of the two, I’d say hands down splurge on the Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar, especially as a gift to yourself. It has a little bit of everything for the lips, face, body, hands, hair and fragrance.

Inside the Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar set:

Almond Delicious Hand Cream 10ml
Almond Supple Skin Oil 15ml
Almond Milk Concentrate 20ml
Almond Delicious Hand Cream 10ml
Arlésienne Eau de Toilette 7ml
Aromachologie Relaxing Shower Gel 35ml
Aromachologie Conditioner 35ml
Aromachologie Shampoo 35ml
Cherry Blossom Shimmering Body Lotion 35ml
Cherry Blossom Hand Cream 10ml
Divine Cream 4ml – love this!
Divine Youth Oil 4ml – also love, this is one of my favorite oils!
Néroli & Orchidée Eau de Toilette 7ml
Immortelle Precious Cream 8ml
Immortelle Essential Water 30ml
Immortelle Oil Make Up Remover 30ml
Shea Butter Lip Balm 12ml
Shea Butter Hand Cream 30ml
Shea Light Comforting Cream 8ml
Shea Butter Cleansing Oil 30ml
Shea Butter Shower Cream 30ml
Roses et Reines Hand & Nail Cream 10ml
Terre de Lumière Eau de Parfum 5ml
Verbena Eau de Toilette 10ml

That wraps up a look at the two L’Occitane Advent Calendars for this holiday. There are a number of other holiday gift sets and stocking stuffers available as well, options at multiple price points all beautifully packaged. How cute are these holiday baubles and festive crackers? Finding a universally appealing gift can be a challenge because everyone has different tastes, preferences and personalities, but I think for the ladies in my life L’Occitane wins for me year over year. The products are always well received and with these minis they’re bound to get used up!

You can find both of the L’Occitane Holiday Advent Calendars online at L’Occitane and at all stores.

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Skincare Tatcha

Tatcha Holiday Gift Sets + A Few of My Favorite Things

November 13, 2017

Tatcha is having their holiday Friends and Family Sale online at Tatcha.com until November 16th! With code FF2017 you will receive 20% off your order. They have a few lovely holiday gift sets you can only find on their website. I have a few to review for you today along with a roundup of my favorites. I’ve found Tatcha skincare to be great for sensitive and normal to dry skin. They’ve recently added more items for normal to combination skin which I’ve really loved. A few years ago they launched their first makeup item the Kyoto Red Lipstick. They’ve also added Plum Blossom and Cherry Blossom all of which have sold out numerous times. I hope they will restock and bring them back to be added to their permanent lineup because they are really beautiful!

Up first is a look at some holiday launches. Their Holiday Gift Sets are always so beautifully packaged. Even their shipping boxes have a special touch with the packing and purple packing stickers on the outside. I’ve gifted Tatcha to a number of friends and the first thing they comment on is the beautiful packaging. Hearts are won even before they open the box!

If you’re looking for a good sampler set with minis the Joyful Discovery Set ($115) has six of their travel-sized favorites. If you’re new to Tatcha I think the best thing is that they have travel sizes they sell separately that have exceptional packaging. This one has:

One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil 25 ml
Classic Rice Enzyme Powder 10 g
The Essence 25 ml
Radiant Deep Brightening Serum 10 ml
The Silk Cream 10 ml
Ageless Revitalizing Eye Cream 3 ml

Another cute set is the Kissed With Gold Set Duo ($32) which has their Camellia Gold Spun Lip Balm and a beautiful Gold Leaf Travel Mirror. This would make for an adorable stocking stuffer for anyone that wants a special lip balm. It’s smooth and nourishing and the gold flecks make for a beautiful looking balm.

For lip color there are three offerings this holiday. Two sets including the Camellia Kisses Lip Balm Trio ($85) which has three full-size tinted lip balms and the Blossoming Joy Silk Lipstick Trio ($60) which has three miniature lipsticks of their Kyoto Red, Sunrise A Plum Blossom and Twilight A Cherry Blossom. Unfortunately the lipstick set has sold out but I’m hoping it will be restocked because this is the perfect mini lipstick set! I ordered these during their early access sale and am glad to have snagged them! The third item launches is the Kyoto Red Tinted Lip Oil ($30) which is a beautiful sheer moisturizing red. I rarely wear reds but sheer ones are perfect for neutral lip lovers like me. They look more natural but still have a lovely tint.

As a quick FYI in case you don’t want the balms as a set, you can find the Red Camellia, Gold Spun and Cherry Blossom available individually online.

Last but not least are my favorites from Tatcha. I test a lot of skincare and Tatcha is one that always manages to calm my skin down and helps immensely with dryness when it occurs. My two absolute favorites for normal combination skin are the items in the soft sea green packaging. I hope they expand the line!

My personal favorites:

The Water Cream is one of my favorite water burst moisturizers. It’s super lightweight and feels like water on the skin but does adhere well to give it moisture. I’m beyond obsessed with it – it’s worked extremely well in humid Florida weather. It hydrates without looking shiny or getting too moisturizing.
The Water Gel (sold out on Tatcha but available at Sephora) is practically the only face gel I like and use. It’s gone on many travels with me and has a bit more substance/thickness than the water cream but applies smoothly and works well under all my liquid foundations.
The Silk Cream is best suited for dry skin, I will use this at night sometimes because during the day it’s a bit too rich for hot humid climates. It works well to hydrate and smooth the skin.
The Essence is my favorite essence of the moment. I really didn’t think it was doing anything to my skin but once I used it regularly I noticed everything else that followed absorbed better into my face. Also I notice when I don’t use it my skin doesn’t feel as balanced.
Camellia Lip Balm (sold out on Tatcha but available at Sephora) is a classic lip balm that smooths, hydrates and plumps. The gold leaf adds a special touch to it!
Violet-C Radiance Mask is one of the softest most gentle brightening masks I’ve tried. It has ingredients that give the skin a brighter glowing look. I didn’t notice immediate visible results from a one-time use, but skin feels very soft after you rinse it off. Regular weekly use has improved brightness for me. If you need a stronger mask this may not be the one for you.
Classic Enzyme Rice Powder is a staple for soft gentle daily exfoliation. I use this in conjunction with my regular liquid cleansers from other brands because I like traditional cleansers better for clean skin. I use the Tatcha Rice Powders in place of a face scrub to exfoliate in the most gentle way possible.
Dewy Skin Mist is a must for travel as my skin gets dried out on airplanes. I do find it too dewy for mid-day touch ups here in Florida. I hope they consider launching a lighter weight spray mist for oily skin because that would be my dream come true!

Favorites not shown because I’m all out and plan on restocking:

Pore Perfecting Sunscreen is the best smoothing sunscreen for me that doubles as a primer that erases my pores.
Indigo Smoothing Black Sugar Body Gommage is one of my favorite soothing body scrubs.
Indigo Soothing Silk Hand Cream is indeed soothing and calming, the scent is soft and refreshing!
Japanese Beauty Papers are the best blotting papers I’ve tried, they absorb excess oil without leaving any white powder residue on the skin and at the same time they won’t disintegrate like some others.

Do you have any favorites from Tatcha? I know a lot of you are huge fans of the line – let me know what you’ve tried and what has worked for you! The 20% off sale runs online at Tatcha.com through November 16th with code FF2017.

Holiday gift sets gifted courtesy of Tatcha for review. All full-size items featured have also been press samples in past features but I’ve since repurchased all the items featured in this post on my own.

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Lips Pat McGrath Labs Sephora

Pat McGrath Labs LuxeTrance, MatteTrance, Permagel Eye and Lip Pencil Review

November 2, 2017

I recently did a massive Pat McGrath Labs beauty haul from Sephora. A large number of you have asked me for a review on the MatteTrance Lipsticks ($38 each for 0.14 oz/ 4 g) and since I’ve never really been big on matte lips I did not plan on looking into these. I don’t think I’ve ever received so many review requests on a single product so once I saw that she launched a creamy formula called LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38 each for 0.14 oz/ 4 g) I ordered a handful online sight unseen. I also added some of the MatteLuxe Lipsticks, Permagel Ultra Lip Pencils ($25 each for 1.2 g/ 0.042 oz) and one shade of the Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner ($25 each for 1.2 g/ 0.042 oz) to my cart to try out. A couple days ago I finally saw the line in person at my local store and everything is just stunning! Since I just received my order recently this is more of a first impressions rather than a detailed review.

A look at the stunning display in store:

First can we talk about the box packaging? I know super pretty boxes and packaging can be a waste, but the presentation is just so pretty. Opening any of the lipsticks or pencils is like opening a present. I don’t know if the gold embossed icons on the front have any meaning but everything is so artistic and creative.

The Permagel Ultra Lip Pencils and Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliners are super smooth and creamy. They glide onto the skin and are waterproof. They have about the same smoothness as the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On pencils (which last long but aren’t budge-proof on me). The Pat McGrath Labs pencils have VERY impressive lasting power. I swatched them on the hand and they would not come off easily. On the lips they stay put all day long. The liner on the eyes does not smudge all day. They have enough of an emollient smooth gel-like quality that you can apply and blend it out a little before it dries and sets. But once it sets it stays put. Pigment is ultra rich, there’s no tugging with application, it feels comfortable and performs well.

Colors I bought:

Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Buff is a medium neutral pink
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Done Undone is a lighter pink nude with a hint of pearl
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Bare Rose is a pretty soft rose with a slight sheen
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Suburbia is a deeper rose pink
Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner in Blitz Brown is a deep bronze with shimmer

At the store I also looked at Supernatural and Contour. Both were more brown without any pink tones, along the lines of MAC Lip Pencil in Stripdown. I didn’t buy any more as I had already hauled quite a few. I don’t typically wear brown lipliners with the exception of MAC Stripdown and Oak so I felt the pinks and neutrals were my best bet. I do think I’ll consider other shades of the Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner but for now I love the one I have. All the pencils come with a sharpener.

Comparison swatches below to NARS Man Ray Velvet Eye Pencil in Santiago, Marc Jacobs Matte Highliner in Earthquake, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude and Pillow Talk, MAC Lip Pencils in Boldly Bare, Whirl, Dervish, Spice and Soar.

Next are the lipsticks which are mind blowing good. It was pretty risky for me to order so many colors in a new-to-me formula sight unseen. The last time I did that with a brand I hadn’t tried before, it was total a fail. These Pat McGrath LuxeTrance and MatteTrance Lipsticks do not disappoint and they are easily among the best I’ve tried. I would say the matte formula tops all other matte formulas I’ve tried with the exception of the Louboutin Mattes. I’ve said that Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks (also swatched here) have been in my favorites list. That was before I tried Pat McGrath’s.

The lipsticks come in a sleek metal black and gold tube. Both formulas have the same packaging. They have a cute gold embossed/raised lip which I think could have been really tacky to be frank, but they managed to make it look sleek and luxe. There is a good weight to the tube so it feels solid. They are well designed in every way.

LuxeTrance of course is my formula of choice. It’s a creamy opaque lipstick with full coverage. All the shades are creams without shimmer. They’re one-swipe wonders and make the lips look full. They glide onto the lips, feel super smooth, have a comforting feel and have impressive lasting power. I would say you get similar coverage with the Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim Lipsticks. They are also just as opaque as the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche formula but more creamy with a bit more slip. The LuxeTrance isn’t super thick but it does have substance and when you wear it, it looks like you are definitely wearing lipstick. Colors I picked:

Donatella is a pale nude, it pulls pinkish on me
Sextrology is a light salmon pink
Realness is a perfect peachy nude
Valletta is a light peachy pink
She’s Heaven is a neutral brown-pink
Beautiful Creature is a stunning plum
Attitude is a neutral brown

For other nudes, I also saw La Beija in store. The online swatch made me think it might be too dark/brown so I did not order it. In real life it’s a lot lighter than the stock swatch. It’s a pretty light-medium peachy beige and I would have bought it but they were sold out.

The MatteTrance Lipstick formula has a unique almost whipped like feel. They glide onto the lips and have a nice sheen even though they are clearly matte. They don’t make the lips look dried out or flat. They didn’t dry out my lips and lasted a decent amount of time. The texture of the lipstick in the tube looks almost like they took a sponge to make an imprint on the exterior. There is no texture when you apply though – it’s 100% smooth.

1995 is a stunning light neutral pink nude
Omi is the perfect rose pink

As far as I can tell there’s no detectable scent with these.

Bottom line pure love and lots to explore. There are a lot of bold shades in all the formulas. I did take a look at the Eyeshadow Palettes which are quite impressive in size and color selection. Each one had quite a few glitzy shades or at least 2 shades in each palette I didn’t think I’d use so for now I’ve passed. I do hope they launch more palettes or singles so you’d be able to pick and choose. For now I’m more than happy with my lip picks and eyeliner.

You can find Pat McGrath Labs exclusively at Sephora and Pat McGrath Labs.

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Becca Highlighters

New from Becca: Apres Ski Palettes, Lilac Geode, Smoky Quartz and Bronzed Amber

November 1, 2017

I have a roundup of some new holiday palette launches from Becca alongside three Shimmering Skin Perfectors that have been on my wishlist for ages. The items are all shimmering and glowy and in this day I do not think any of us need any more highlighters but new ones continue to pop up everywhere.

For holiday there are two new palettes with the Apres Ski Glow Face Palette ($54 for 15.5 g/0.54 oz, made in USA) and the Eye Lights Palette ($45 for 9.8 g/ 0.35 oz). I think the Glow Face Palette is a hit, but not must-have and the Eye Lights Palette is ok, but also not a must-have.

Up first is a look at the Apres Ski Glow Face Palette which has three highlighters in Rose Quartz (soft iridescent pink), Icicle (pale white aqua), and Opal (classic shimmery champagne). All three highlighters are smooth and soft with sheer to medium pigment for a soft glow. There are also two blushes in Blushed Copper (metallic copper shimmer) and Winter Berry (sheer matte pink). Both are also smooth in texture. Blushed Copper is super pigmented while Winter Berry is sheer. There is also one bronzer in Bronzed Bondi which I find on the sheerer than the individual full-sized one I reviewed here. The overall look and composition of the palette is stunning, however if you have been a Becca fan you probably already own several of the shades. There is the convenience factor but I feel like there are too many repeats of previously launched shades which makes this less unique. Still I think this one is quite stunning.

The Eye Lights Palette has seven shimmering colors for eye highlights. I have mixed feelings about the pigment and texture. The overall feel is sheerer than what you normally see from Becca. Sheer shimmers can be good especially if you are looking for something with a super soft effect rather than a glaring sharp frost. In the palette you have lighter colors that I feel aren’t the most unique and while the medium to deeper colors are beautiful I would have liked to see more pigment in the deeper shades.

These are the shades swatched with a heavy hand below:

In addition there are three Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighters that have been a bit hard for me to track down. I am normally a Sephora or Beautylish shopper for Becca and some colors are retailer exclusives so I could not find them there. Two of these in Lilac Geode and Bronzed Amber are both exclusive to Ulta ($38 each for 7 g and 8 g respectively). Smoky Quartz is exclusive to the Becca website ($38 for 8 g). These three are absolutely beautiful, true to the individual Shimmering Skin Perfector texture, pigment and smooth finish. I 100% love them.

Close ups:

Lilac Geode is a unique duo chrome lilac pink gold shimmer. The gold is very soft which I like, sometimes with duo chromes the gold can be too yellow or too sharp. This one is perfect. Bronzed Amber is a soft luminous bronze. The shimmer in this one is on the softer side on my skintone which makes it look like a blush/bronzer a bit more than highlighter. I adore this color on the skin to warm up the complexion in a natural way. Smoky Quartz is just as pretty as it is on the Becca website. It’s a unique pink mauve tan taupe shimmer that has smooth pigmented shimmer. On me it’s a highlighter color, if you are fair this will probably show up more pink/tan.

Swatch comparisons next to the full-size individual Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal, Champagne Pop, Rose Gold and the two shades from the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Palette (review here)

Overall, palettes can be good, but every once in a while I’m reminded why I pass on them and opt for the individual colors. I really just like picking the shades I like and know I’ll use. The quality and colors of the Becca Apres Ski Palettes are good and whether or not I’d recommend them is going to be based on your color preference and if you already own individual shades. The three individual Shimmering Skin Perfectors are pure love for me. I definitely think they’re worth tracking down.

You can find the Becca Apres Ski Palettes at all counters and retailers now. Online at Sephora, Beautylish, Ulta Beauty and Becca Cosmetics. Smoky Quartz is a Becca Cosmetics website exclusive. Bronzed Amber and Lilac Geode are available exclusively at Ulta.

Have you tried any of these yet? If yes what did you think? If not what are some of your Becca favorites?

Apres Ski Palettes sent courtesy of Becca for review. Others purchased by me.

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Natasha Denona

Natasha Denona Holiday Collection 2017

October 29, 2017

Natasha Denona’s holiday collection this year focuses on eye makeup with two Eyeshadow Palette 5 shades ($48 each, 5 x 0.08 oz/ 2.26g, made in Italy) and a new eyeshadow formula called Chroma Crystal Top Coat ($28 each, 6 g/0.2 fl oz, made in Italy). Her eyeshadows have been among the bolder options on the market with beautiful textures, shimmers and intense pigment and I’ve been impressed with everything I’ve tried from her line. In general the overall look and feel of her eye makeup is bolder than I normally gravitate towards but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed a lot of her palettes, in particular the Palette 28 in Green Brown (swatched here with two eye looks) and her Star Palette (reviewed here). Her All Over Glow Face Shimmers are some of the prettiest I’ve tried as well (all three swatched here). Even for the conservative makeup wearer there is a lot to explore and have fun with.

Up first are the two Eyeshadow Palette 5 options in Joya and Aeris. Both are just so so pretty. I rarely wear red or wine colored shades on my eyes unless it’s in a palette and there for blending or adding depth the the shadows. I’ve been incorporating a lot of warmer coppery shades into my beauty routine here and there. I still can’t pull off a lot of the reds or oranges but with some blending I’m always surprised how pretty the effect is if you layer shadows. For those not familiar with her shadows the names have numbers and letters in them. The letters indicate the finish. This season she has a new Cream Powder formula CP which is intense and a hybrid of her signature shadow with a new creamy like finish. They’re ultra pigmented, super smooth and are very easy to blend, layer and mix. Natasha Denona shadows are among the very few powder formulas I find adhere and glide onto bare unprimed lids with 100% perfection.

Joya has:

135 DC peach-gold is a sparking peach rose gold shimmer
136 CP fuchsia is a sheer matte creamy pink
137 CP gold is a sparking metallic cream powder gold
138 M red grape is a metallic red
139 CP star bronze is a pigmented metallic bronze shimmer

Aeris has the following shades below, if you mix the blue with a matte red you get a pretty brown shimmer:

140 CP nude is a pigmented nude champagne with silver sparkles
141 K red bronze is a shimmering red bronze with gold shimmers
142 CM burnt terracotta is a sheer matte terracotta
143 CP ice blue is a sparkling cool blue with tons of sparkle
144 CP peach bronze is a sheer peachy bronze glitter

Up next are my favorites which are the Chroma Crystal Top Coats. I’m not a fan of glitter in general because of the chunky texture and fall out. Plus as a conservative makeup wearer I find it can be over the top for many occasions. There have been a couple exceptions. I’ve been a die-hard fan of the Tom Ford Cream Powder Eye Duos and these Natasha Denona Chroma Crystal Top Coats have joined the beauty look book glitter approved club. They have a unique creamy finish that has an almost wet feel. I like using the fingers to apply. They’re super soft to the touch and even though there’s visible sparkle chunks there is no chunky feel, very minimal fall out and they’re super easy to apply. I like dabbing them on the lids. You can wear them alone or over other powder shadows. They have impressive lasting power and as the day progressed with these I didn’t experience glitter falling on my cheeks. I cannot pick a favorite as I think they’re all phenomenal, but I do really love Peach.

Colors are:

Nude is a shimmering champagne with cool-silvery sparkles
Bronze is a medium soft peachy bronze
Grey-Brown is a neutral cool grey brown sparkle
Peach is a soft peachy shimmer

Swatches sometimes don’t show the glitter well so I have two sets:

Swatches next to Tom Ford Cream + Powder Eye Duos Golden Peach and Young Adonis. If you simply can’t bring yourself to wear glitter or feel that it’s not suitable for your makeup style or work environment, I’d recommend you check out the Chantecaille Mermaid Eye Colors. I held out on these for a long time because in general I find Chantecaille to be overpriced for what you get, and I’ve been underwhelmed by most of her makeup items. These however are really really good. I’m obsessed with Copper.

A quick eye look with Nude and Bronze, it’s actually a lot more sparkly in real life but this was the best I could do to photograph it on the eyes:

Bottom line lots to love, especially for the upcoming holiday season. I am completely in love with the Chroma Crystal Top Coats and highly recommend you check them out or put them on your wishlist. They’re supposed to be multi-use so you can also add them on top of lipstick as well, I have not tried that, but for now I really love these on the eyes.

You can find the Natasha Denona Holiday 2017 Collection available now at Sephora and Beautylish. Do you have any Natasha Denona favorites?

Holiday collection provided courtesy of Natasha Denona.

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