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Sisley-Paris Phyto-Blush Twist

March 16, 2017

I’ve been exploring more from Sisley-Paris and my latest discovery is the Phyto-Blush Twist ($68 each for .19 oz/5.5 g). This is the first I’ve tried from Sisley makeup-wise and it was love at first swatch. These Phyto-Blush Twists are twist up cream to powder sticks for the cheeks. They have a soft creamy feel but dry down to a powdery finish when you blend. As far as scent goes it has a very soft light makeup kind of scent but it’s not noticeable to me unless I actually try to smell it straight from the tube (huge plus for me). They are enriched with Camellia and Shea oils to keep the skin hydrated, yet they remain powdery feeling with a fresh look for an impressive amount of time. There are four colors, unfortunately one seems to be sold out everywhere. I received these as a press sample with one of the most fun boxes I’ve ever seen, it came with game board of tic tack toe.

1 Petal is a pale baby pink cream, it has no shimmer and even though it’s pale, it still shows up on my medium skin, I suspect if I get any darker though it will be best worn as a base for other powder blushes because alone it might be too light
2 Fushia is a bright pink, it’s very pigmented but can be sheered out for a more subtle look
3 Papaya is a coral peach, this one also can pull bright but it’s easy to blend
4 Glow (the one that’s sold out everywhere) is a sheer champagne shimmer, it’s sheer-looking on my skin because it almost seems to match my skintone (see it swatched on Beauty Professor where it looks a bit more visible with the contrast to tan skin, often times we are the same foundation shade, but right now she is darker than me)

At $68 each these are very expensive but readers have been telling me for over a year now to explore the line and have sung praises of their skincare. I’ve splurged on a couple skincare items and really loved them. For the makeup line I this is the first I’ve explored from the line. I did not expect these to last as long as they did. Right now in South Florida we have a cooler week but even back on the West Coast with cool or warm weather I found it rare that cream blushes last all day without getting dewy. I was particularly impressed with the fact that these do indeed last a long time. They look good from morning to afternoon without getting dewy. Below is how they look on my medium complexion, I’m wearing Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation in 125/Y315 with the Kat Von D Lock-It Setting Powder (I just discovered this and love it).

Lip colors with each blush swatch:

1 Petal is paired with Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Douglas (review here)
2 Fushia is paired with Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Tendresse (review soon)
3 Papaya is paired with Tom Ford Clutch-Sized Balm in Pure Shores (review tomorrow!)
4 Glow is paired with Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Bradley (review here)

I’m usually a lover of peaches and coral blushes, but with this formula I find myself drawn more to the pink ones when I’m lighter in skintone. I like mixing the light and deep pink together for an in-between shade, but really all the colors are good. Glow is a nice one for that super natural looking sheen – it matches my skintone right now so it appears to just give the skin a glow rather than a sharper highlight. If you need a visible highlight this may be too sheer for you. Since it’s sold out I did a quick swatch comparison at home to find a dupe.

NARS Sheer Pop Multiple in Navagio Beach is the most similar (review here)
Marc Jacobs Beauty Dew Drops Coconut Gel Highlighter is more golden (review soon, but I LOVE THIS)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid in Champagne Pop is a lot more golden (review here)
Tom Ford Shimmer Shot in Spin Spin Sugar is more glowy and paler (review here)
NARS Hot Sand Illuminator is paler but has an almost identical effect with more glow (one of my favorites, really one of the best natural looking highlighters that doesn’t look frosted but also isn’t invisible and great for normal/oily skin, review here)

Bottom line very pretty, well made, long lasting and classic. They have a very chic French kind of feel in the sense that they can be worn for a natural barely there look, yet at the same time they can definitely be layered for more color. I like that there are two colors bright or deep enough that will show up on medium to tan skin tones. The pigment is good!

You can find the Sisley-Paris Phyto-Blush Twists at all counters now. Available at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York, Bloomingdale’s and Sisley-Paris.

Have you tried these before? If not do you have any Sisley-Paris favorites?

Phyto-Blush Twists provided courtesy of Sisley for review.

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Bronzer + Blush MAC

MAC Work It Out, Eyes on MAC and Studio Quiktrik Sticks

March 15, 2017

MAC has some new collections that recently launched and I have a roundup of a few items from the Work It Out, Eyes on MAC and Quiktrik Stick launches. There are several items I’ve fallen head over heels in love with that are not to be missed – in particular the In the Flesh Eyeshadow Palette and Prep + Prime Fix+ Minis that are scented. I’ve split a few items by category with overlapping collections so here are a few notes on each launch:

Work It Out Collection has a fun mix of neutrals and bright colors for lips, eyes and cheeks. There is a new product for lips called Crystal Glaze Gloss which are sheer glossy lip products in a round pot. Also in the line are some really bright colored eyeliners and mascaras.
Eyes on MAC contains four new Eyeshadow x9 Palettes that come in a wide range of options. Also included is one of the prettiest palette of neutrals called In the Flesh which is the x15 pan format (I’m a huge fan of these for the value and color selection).
Quiktrik Sticks were launched months ago, a few shades were repromoted with the Work It Out Collection so I thought I’d swatch all the ones I have.

Up first are my favorite items the Prep + Prime Fix+ Minis that are scented. I’ve featured these on social and here recently, there are 3 scents in Coconut, Lavender and Rose. I bought backups of all of these as they’re limited-edition and I think these will be perfect for travel. They have a nice light but noticeable scent. I love to use these as setting sprays.

Next are the lip items from the Work It Out Collection. I tried out two of the Lustre Lipsticks (which is my favorite formula) in Muscu-linity which is a sheer pale beige and Testosterone which is a sheer coral. Both have a tiny bit of shimmer in them and they give the lips a glossy sheen. There is a new gloss called Crystal Glaze Gloss – these are on the sheer side. Nice Cheeks is a pretty beige but pretty much goes on clear on my pigmented lips. Ripped is a sheer red which gives the lips a healthy tint. These have that signature vanilla scent that MAC has in their lip products. Texture is on the medium thick side but not sticky. Given the vast number of glosses I have, had I been able to pick colors I would have probably skipped Nice Cheeks and opted for a deeper or brighter shade (these were press samples).

For the eyes, In the Flesh has a really pretty mix of satin, shimmer and mattes. There are 15 shades of neutrals – all of which are soft, easy to blend and well pigmented. The only color I have trouble with is Carbon which I usually do in all palettes. It’s prone to some fall out and requires a detail brush to apply otherwise it’s a chalky mess. I ordered it sight unseen and love it.

For the Eye Shadow x9 I bought Solar Glow sight unseen as well. I swatched the top two shades and found them to be extra sparkly and glittery and knew right away it was not for me so it’s going to be gifted to a friend so the rest of the palette isn’t going to be swatched on the blog.

For the Work It Out Collection there are a number of In Extreme Dimension Lash Mascaras launched in bright colors. I received a mix of the fun shades but as I only wear black, brown or plum the only one I tested was the brown one Squat It, Sugar. I think this is my first time testing this formula and it far exceeded my expectations. It defines, volumizes and holds the curl. The biggest plus for me is that it doesn’t smudge. I do wish it had a tiny bit more volume with one coat – but having to do multiple coats isn’t a deal breaker. As long as it holds the curl and doesn’t smudge – it’s a winner for me.

Last but not least are the MAC Studio Quiktrik Sticks. Some shades were repromoted with the Work It Out collection and I had a few from the original launch (I think they launched last year). These are double-ended cream blush sticks. On the hand and arm they swatch to a dewy glossy finish but on the face they aren’t as dewy. I really like these because they’re easy to blend and give a natural wash of color on the cheeks. Even though they are creams I’ve found they last a long time for a cream product. They give the skin a nice glow without settling into lines, they don’t look too frosted or shimmery and they won’t remove the base makeup if you apply on top of powder/foundation and blend. I prefer this formula to NARS Multiples and Armani Fluid Sheers for finish and also lasting power.

I like that they’re convenient in a twist up stick form, easy to blend and the colors can’t be beat. I need to check out some of the darker shades the next time I’m at the MAC store. At the moment I don’t have a favorite color – they’re all good although the Softly Does It / Tight and Tawny is probably the easiest to dupe.

That wraps it up for a little MAC roundup. I’m always amazed at how innovative MAC is – no matter how much makeup is out there, they always seem to be able to come up with something new and fun. Three things I think you should check out from these launches are the In the Flesh Palette, Mini Fix+ Sprays and at least one of the Quiktrik Sticks.

You can find these at all MAC stores counters now. I purchased most of my items in store or online at MAC and Nordstrom. Have you checked out these launches yet? What did you think?

Press samples include Muscu-linity, Squat It Sugar, Testosterone, Lavender, Nice Cheeks, Ripped and the Quiktrik Sticks. All other items purchased by me.

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Bronzer + Blush Chanel Eye Makeup Highlighters

Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection – Spring 2017

March 14, 2017

Chanel lovers have probably had the new Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection on their radar for months and it has finally arrived in the US. The collection features a mix of colors Chanel calls “the harmony of opposites” – we have a mix of soft and subtle colors combined with some vibrant bright shades. The collection is exclusive to Chanel.com (like previous years Le Blanc collections). I have some pieces I’ve been playing with which include:

Plisse Lumiere de Chanel Illuminating Powder ($70 for 10 g/0.35 oz)
Les Tissages de Chanel Tweed Blush in Tweed Coralline and Tweed Cherry Blossom ($48 each for 5.5 g/0.19 oz)
Les 4 Ombres in Jardins Eclatants and Jardins de Lumieres ($61 each for 2 g/0.07 oz)
Rouge Coco Shine in Rose Ravissant ($37)
Rouge Allure Gloss in Energie ($37 for 6 ml/0.20 fl 0z)
Le Vernis in Resplendissant and Bleu Pastel ($28 for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz)

Every color above is listed as limited-edition according to the Chanel website with the exception of Energie and Bleu Pastel. There are additional colors and some other products repromoted in the collection as well – so be sure to check the Energies Et Puretes page to see the full list of what’s in the collection.

Up first is the Illuminating Powder in Plisse Lumiere de Chanel. This is absolutely stunning and has a soft finely milled texture. It is shimmery and comes in a soft champagne kind of color. It has a stunning embossed texture and has a metallic sheen that has a luminous effect on the skin. The Camelia de Chanel powder by comparison is a lot more sparkly with more visible sparkles. It’s also the slightest bit more rosy. I prefer the newest Plisse Lumiere de Chanel because it has a little less glitz making it easier to wear. The texture of this new one is smooth, easy to blend, well pigmented and you can layer it for a sheer wash or a more intense kind of sheen. The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001 is a bit warmer in color.

Swatch comparisons:

Next are the blushes which are the Les Tissages de Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect. These are ultra pigmented and on the bright side so a tiny bit really goes a long way. The intensity is almost too much to swipe your brush into the pan. I found it best to lightly tap the brush into the product and tap off the excess. Tweed Coralline is my favorite. For my complexion color right now (I’m usually around a Chanel 30) Tweed Cherry Blossom can easily give me a sunburned look because it’s so bright. One is a bright orange peach, the other is a deep pink.

Left is Tweed Cherry Blossom, right is Tweed Coralline:

The lip color options are also extremely bright. The Rouge Coco Shine in Rose Ravissant is a bright sheer hot pink. This one is pretty sheer but still has visible color. The Rouge Allure Gloss in Energie is a bright pigmented coral. It’s too bright for my comfort zone but coverage is smooth and flawless. I really love the formulas of the Rouge Allure Gloss because they stay put and apply beautifully.

The eyeshadow quads Les 4 Ombres come with excellent texture and pigment. Even though they are the round pans they are not the baked format (at least in the US). I love the look of Jardins Eclatants because it’s more wearable for me – although the colors can probably be duped with other brands. It has a soft pink shimmer, a cream shimmer, a golden sand shimmer and a bronzey color. Jardins de Lumieres has colors I really don’t know how to wear – I just layered all of them as I couldn’t really decide where to place each color or what order to apply them in. This has a soft green, a soft washed faded blue, a bright purple and a pale pink.

Two looks with the blushes, eyeshadow quads and lip products. Also both photos have the Plisse Lumiere de Chanel highlighter on the cheeks layered on top of the blushes.

Last but not least are two of the Le Vernis colors in Bleu Pastel and Resplendissant. Bleu Pastel is a semi sheer baby blue. The pigment on many pastel colors can be tricky to apply and that’s what I found with this one. It took three coats to get smooth coverage but it’s a really pretty baby blue on the fingers so I don’t mind. I think it will be fun on the toes as well for summer. Resplendissant is a bright coral pink. This one has flawless perfect coverage. I still prefer two coats but the pigment is good you can get by with one. Of course this has a similar effect to many other bright coral pinks but I still love it.

Comparisons below show that Riva is more aqua and warmer while Blue Pastel is more of a baby blue. Pigment-wise you I found there is more coverage with the Bleu Pastel even though I need 3 coats.

Overall a beautiful collection with some lovely additions to update your look for spring. If you’re one who finds Chanel blushes too light or too sheer I think you’ll really like the pigmented Tweed options this round. I suspect I’ll find them more suitable for my skintone when I get a tan. The winners for me in this collection are the nail polishes – both are really pretty. The Plisee Lumiere de Chanel is a beautiful highlighter. Given the large number of highlighters I own I wouldn’t call it a must-have as the color is similar in effect to others. Still it’s very pretty and I don’t mind having similar colors. Jardins Eclantes eyeshadow palette is another gorgeous option that you can easily wear for daily looks – it’s not the most unique but having a palette where I love all the colors is always a plus and it’s one that I think I’ll be traveling with a lot.

You can find the Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection online at Chanel.com. Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think?

Press samples include the Plisse Lumiere de Chanel highlighter, Tweed Cherry Blossom Blush, Bleu Pastel Le Vernis, Energie Rouge Allure Gloss, Rose Ravissant Rouge Coco Shine. Other items purchased by me.

21 Comments

MAC

MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolour Review + Swatches

March 10, 2017

By popular request I’m continuing my series on liquid lipsticks and many of you have asked about my thoughts about the MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lipcolours ($21 each). This formula has been out for a while but I never tried it until MAC repromoted the formula with their recent Retro Matte Collection. I have a mix of colors I received as press samples along with a few colors I ordered myself. As a neutral lip lover I gravitated towards the more conservative shades versus the greys, teals or purples. My experience with liquid lip colors in general is that what I see in the tube or swatch on the hands often times looks different on my lips. The colors shift when they dry down and for some reason my complexion and lip color make the liquids pull differently.

Colors I have swatched for you include:

Lady Be Good is a peachy nude, I thought this would be more pink, but it turned out to be more peach
Cafe Au Chic is as grey/beige as I’ll go, it’s a neutral greyish nude beige
Sweet Thing is a limited-edition from the MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics collection from James Kaliardos, it’s the best neutral pink I’ve ever tried for a liquid lip – it’s sold out online but if you can find it in stores I recommend you do
Fallen Angel is also from the MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics collection and this is the only shade I did not like, I would go so far as to call it a fail, I may have gotten a dud, but this one was streaky, even when I tried layering it was a total mess
Burnt Spice is my favorite neutral, it’s similar to Lady Be Good, but Burnt Spice is a bit deeper
So Me is a greyed plum, it looks so good on the arm swatch, on my lips it pulls a bit dusty looking
Preferentially Yours is a MAC So Select color which means you can only buy it if you’re a So Select member (just sign up online at the MAC website and it will track purchases and give you points), I love love LOVE this one, it’s what I wanted Kat Von D Lolita to be on me
Topped With Brandy is a deeper dirty rose, I really like this one too, but prefer the Preferentially Yours color

Swatches:

Lip swatches on bare lips:

Formula-wise I was relieved to find they did not dry out my lips nor did they make my lips peel the next day. As with most liquid lipsticks they dry to a matte finish and can make the lips look a bit wrinkly. I swatched these on bare lips but for everyday wear I either prep with the MAC Prep and Prime Lip or any lip balm like the Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade. They add a bit of moisture underneath and make the lips look a bit less textured. They really do last all day – once they dry they stay put and don’t budge. I didn’t get any color transfer to cups once they fully dried. I think the formula is great for the colors I tried (with the exception of Fallen Angel). Still I’m more of a glossy lip person at heart, but for a liquid lip formula I give these a thumbs up. My top three favorite colors are Sweet Thing, Burnt Spice and Preferentially Yours.

You can find the MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lip Colors at all MAC counters now. I purchased some colors online at Nordstrom and MAC. Do note that the MAC So Select colors and MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics Collection colors are exclusive to MAC online and MAC stores.

Have you tried these? What did you think? Any favorite colors?

Preferentially Yours, Lady Be Good, Topped With Brandy purchased by me, all others sent as press samples for review.

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Bronzer + Blush NARS

NARS Pop Goes the Easel – Nordstrom Exclusive

March 9, 2017

Happy Thursday everyone! I’m back and have a review of the NARS Pop Goes the Easel collection today. This is currently a Nordstrom Exclusive collection with new shades for lips and cheeks consisting of:

Three new Powder Blushes ($30 each) in Misconduct, Peep Show and Threesome
Four new Velvet Lip Glides ($26 to $28 each) in Bait, Suck, Impossible Red and Disruptor (not sure why one shade is listed at a higher price online)
Three Sheer Pop Multiples ($39 each) in Motu Tane, Cote Basque and Navagio Beach

I ordered two of the lip products and all three multiples to test out. I’ll say up front I love the Sheer Pop Multiples, the Velvet Lip Glide colors are nice but not must-haves in my opinion.

Up first are the Velvet Lip Glides. I picked the lightest color options in Bait and Suck since I don’t really wear a lot of orange or reds unless they’re sheer. (By the way I’m obsessed with the new Tom Ford Lip Balms, the colors are perfect for spring to summer and I love the formula.) Bait is a bright cool-toned pink that has a bit of a streaky finish with one swipe but it can be smoothed out with a finger or brush. Suck is a medium peachy nude, it’s like if you mixed Playpen and Unlaced (both of which were reviewed here and I didn’t really like color-wise). I do like this color, but I can’t help but feel like it’s a bit on the boring side. If you want a good neutral nude, the Tom Ford Revolve Around Me, Lips and Boys Bradley or Edward Bess Pure Impulse are much better although they are lipsticks versus the velvet lip formula.

Next are the Sheer Pop Multiples which appear to be a new formula. These have a more weightless formula that isn’t quite as dewy as the regular version. These have a soft shimmer finish and considering how sheer they swatched on the hand and arms I was surprised that the color payoff on the face is really good. Navagio Beach is a sheer champagne gold, Motu Tane is a light pink with impressive pigment, Cote Basque is a coral with tiny gold flecks of shimmer. They dry to a powdery finish although they stay creamy long enough that you can easily blend on the cheeks and layer depending on how much color you want. I would say the finish can definitely be sheered out for a sheer wash of color, but you can still build to medium coverage. I like these better than the regular multiples. They layer well over foundation and powder without looking cakey or dragging your base off the face.

A quick comparison of the Navagio Beach Multiple to the Banc de Sable Highlighter Palette. The palette is to die for gorgeous and I’ll review it soon. If you’re one who want a sheerer glow of shimmer go with the multiple. If you want more pigment go with the palette. Are they different enough to justify both? I think the formulas are different enough to justify both but I’ll have to do a bit more testing with both on the face at the same time to tell you. I’ll be sure to address this when I review the palette. At the moment I’m more inclined to say I like the palette more – but that’s mainly because I like the darkest shade A LOT.

I’m trying something a bit different with face looks of the products. If you prefer the up close lip swatches let me know and I’ll resume that style in future posts. In both posts I’m wearing the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque with Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish Powder #2.

Look 1 has Sheer Pop Multiple in Motu Tane and Velvet Lip Glide in Bait.

Look 2 has Sheer Pop Multiple in Cote Basque and Navagio Beach mixed with Velvet Lip Glide in Suck.

Overall love the Multiples. I like the Velvet Lip Glide colors but don’t think they are must-haves. Bound is still my favorite out of the bunch, but if you found the nudes in the original launch off, I think many will find the color Suck more wearable.

You can find the NARS Pop Goes the Easel collection exclusively at Nordstrom. Have you checked out the colors yet? If you saw the powder blushes in person let me know what you thought!

P.S. My site has been migrated to a new host! If you have any issues with viewing the posts on your desktop or mobile device please shoot me an e-mail and let me know what device you use and also what browser you use (Chrome, Safari, Firefox etc.) – thanks!

25 Comments

Base Makeup NARS

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer vs Radiant Creamy Concealer

February 17, 2017

NARS launched a new concealer called the Soft Matte Complete Concealer ($30 for 0.21 oz) and being the fan that I am of their bases I knew I had to try it. To date the Radiant Creamy Concealer ($30 for 0.22 oz) has been one of my favorites for under the eye and around the nose to help with redness and create a more brighter more awake look. Since I tan easily and also because I use a different shade under the eyes versus spot concealing, I rotate between three shades. I used to mix Custard and Ginger together for my best match. Then NARS added another color in between which is Macadamia with slight peachy tones. This one is perfect for me as I actually prefer something with the tiniest bit of peach for under eyes. The warmth helps brighten the eye are for me. For the Soft Matte Complete Concealer, I ordered the same three shades. The colors are pretty close between formulas for the ones I bought, not identical but pretty close.

The Soft Matte Complete Concealer offers full-coverage finish with a soft matte look. It’s oil free, light weight yet ultra pigmented so a little goes a long way. It feels creamy and soft to the touch, almost like it has just the slightest bit of bounce. I tried it under the eyes and on a few spots using the finger to dab and blend. Under the eyes it was like an instant eye lift with a blurring effect. It didn’t cake or darken and lasted all day (I did set with powder). For spots it didn’t cover them 100%, but I would say that it still did a really good job at covering them to about 85% of the way. For the corners around the nose it works well to reduce redness.

Color-wise these look a bit dark in the pot. Also side by side I thought they all looked the same in the container. Even when swatched on the back of my hand and arm I thought they were all going to be too dark but they actually work better than I expected on the face. I love that it blends effortlessly on the skin and even though the coverage is near full it still manages to look natural on the skin. I will say that I have normal combo skin – since it’s matte and opaque I do think if you have dry under eyes it could emphasize dry patches. In this case I would just make sure you have a good primer to hydrate the eye area (I like the Marc Jacobs Coconut Primer for dry skin days).

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer

3 shades of the matte formula swatched on the face, under eye area and along jawline, on the lips is Kat Von D Beauty Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Ludwig:

Custard was too light for me, but I put Macadamia on one side and Ginger on the other, both look like they’re a good match, right now I have a slight preference for Macdamia:

The Radiant Creamy Concealer has been a long-time go-to for me. I tend to prefer something with a tiny bit of radiance because I find it blends better on my skin type and also looks more natural. Matte often looks too opaque, too matte and therefore a bit fake on the skin. For years the Radiant Creamy Concealer was one of the few I could use under the eyes no matter what condition my skin was in regardless of season and weather. I still love it.

If I had to pick one, I would say Radiant Creamy wins because of the packaging and also because I like something a bit more creamy. I’m not the biggest fan of pots because they tend to get messy. I also really don’t like matte finishes because I find they don’t work the best with my skin – they tend to emphasize pores, imperfections and look cakey. However for a matte formula the new Soft Matte Complete Concealer is seriously impressive and I do think it’s worth owning even if you have the other formulas. I found it easy to blend, but that being said if you need something with a bit more slip to blend easier, go with (or stick with) the Radiant Creamy Concealer formula.

I didn’t swatch the Radiant Creamy one on the face as it blends out slightly sheerer so it’s a bit more forgiving color-wise. When I use any of the shades, Custard, Macadamia or Ginger, it blends to match the skin really well – it looks so natural you can barely tell there’s anything on the face. I do have side by sides of the corresponding shades in both formulas. You can see the difference in finish. Colors are pretty close but I feel the Radiant Creamy formula has slightly more yellow undertones.

Bottom line a solid win. Macadamia is the best match for me, but if I need a bit of brightening I can mix in some of the Custard to lighten or brighten certain areas. Since I tan easily I suspect Ginger will be a match within the next few months and as I’m often in between shades I don’t mind owning multiple colors so I can mix them as I transition between colors. I don’t know how I feel about the pot style. I’ve avoided this type of packaging for years and a quick look at my concealer stash shows that they are literally all either wands or twist/click up pens. I also don’t like that NARS does that matte almost velvety finish packaging on their face products because it gets dirty so easily. If you get any bit of concealer or cream product on it, it’s pretty much stuck there forever (I’ve tried getting it off, but it’s near impossible). It’s not a deal breaker though and that’s just me being picky.

You can find both the Soft Matte Complete Concealer and Radiant Creamy Concealer at all counters now. I bought the new Soft Matte Complete Concealer from Sephora. It’s also available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York and all other NARS counters.

Have you tried this one yet? What did you think? If not, what are your current go-to concealers?

P.S. I’m also testing out concealer formulas from Too Faced, Tarte and will compare them to Kat Von D in the next couple of weeks.

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Highlighters Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Spring 2017 – Shade and Illuminate Lips + Cheeks

February 10, 2017

For spring Tom Ford Beauty brings us two new colors of the Shade and Illuminate Cheeks ($80 for .49 oz) and six new lip duos called Shade and Illuminate Lips ($60 each for .12 oz). The cheek duos are very sheer, glowy and dewy looking while the lip duos have medium to full coverage pigment and a unique modern velvet matte cream finish. Paired together they make for a fresh kind of look for spring with options for those who want neutrals and also those who like more color.

The Shade and Illuminate Cheeks has never really been something that appealed to me mainly because of the dewy factor. I approach solid creams compacts with caution because they often get really messy inside the pans and also because I have normal combo skin. Most dewy pots and compacts are simply too dewy and glowy for my skin alone although I have used them as a nice base for powder blush. They help the color adhere better versus applying on dry powdered cheeks. My holy grail cream highlighters are the Edward Bess All Over Seduction compacts (available in 3 shades). I’ve been using them for many many years and they remain my favorite.

The two new Shade and Illuminate Cheeks are gorgeous in the pans. Sublimate has a soft berry with a soft pale pink glow. Scintillate has a pretty light peach with a light champagne glow. On the cheeks they give a barely there hint of glow and color. I do like them as a base for powder blushes but by themselves on the cheeks they almost disappear onto my medium-toned skin. If you want a little bit of glow to dab on top of powder or use underneath these are worth a look. If you need color I would recommend opting for the Tom Ford Powder Blush instead – it appears they’ve all been reformulated with a new more refined pearl finish and there are three new shades in Disclosure, Gratuitous and Inhibition (I ordered 2 and they are gorgeous!).

Swatches compared to the SS16 Shade and Illuminate (review here) and Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand (review here). The new Spring 2017 duos were swatched heavily so you can see the color, but once you blend them they pretty much sheer out to almost invisible.

Beauty look below wearing:

Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque (review here)
Laura Mercier Candleglow Powder in #2 to set (review of 1, 2 and 3 here)
Tom Ford Warm Soleil Eye Cheek Palette eyeshadows, two lightest shades (review here)
Diorshow Brow Styler #2 on brows
Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Cheeks in Sublimate, both shades
Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Lips Impulse, both shades mixed
OPI Nail Polish in Be There in a Prosecco
Jcrew stripe top (old style)

The Shade and Illuminate Lip exceeded my expectations and every color is just amazing. These are duo compacts that have two shades and a little applicator brush. The applicators have a sponge tip and a brush tip – I tried both but really just prefer to use clean fingers to dab or a regular lip brush. Swatched on the arm and hand they almost melt to a high shine cream finish. On the lips they are more matte with a velvety cream texture. When I read these were contour duos I was really skeptical – it just seemed like a gimmicky way of being complicated and trying to make you feel like you need two colors instead of just one. After trying these I can really appreciate the versatility and design. You can wear each shade alone, but mixing them creates a better look in my opinion. I like to apply the darker shade first then dab the lighter one on top mixing the two for a creamy almost stained look.

Color descriptions as I see them, they’re all creams, no shimmer:

Automatic has a super pale nude pink and a tan beige (think Blush Nude and Sable Smoke)
Impulse has a perfect nude pink and rose pink
Possession has a bright baby pink and a bright medium pink
Saboteur has a violet cream and stained berry plum
Nikita has two variations of red
Tantalize has a soft peach coral and bright coral

I swatched all six individually and mixed so it was like swatching 18 lip products instead of 6. Due to time constraints I won’t be able to pull any comparisons for the next month. If you follow me on social you know I just had my wisdom teeth pulled (all 4). Swelling finally went down a little and I was able to get these up for those who shop online or who don’t test lip products at the counter (I’m with you there on avoiding germs). I have a few personal things going on right now so I’ll be restricted on time over the next month.

My long-time readers know I love neutral lips, but I can’t help but really like Possession and Tantalize! I find it hard to wear bright pinks because many times they’re too cool, too bubblegum or have way too much blue. Possession has enough warmth that I can wear it without it making my olive complexion look off. Tantalize mixed is such a pretty coral especially for warmer months. My absolute favorite is Impulse though – it may look a bit boring to some but if that’s the case then I love boring. The deeper rose shade is really special.

As a long-time Tom Ford Beauty fanatic I’m really happy with the lip duos. The Shade and Illuminate Cheeks are nice but not must-haves. If you like products like the RMS Living Luminizer or RMS Mix Master then you’ll most likely love these as well. For me they’re a bit too dewy and if you have oily skin I would definitely say pass. If you want something fresh and glowy for the cheeks I’d recommend you opt for the Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand, Cheek Color (any shade) or the Sheer Cheek Duo in Bicoastal instead.

You can find the Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate Spring 2017 collection now online at Tom Ford, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Beautylish.

Have you checked these out yet? What did you think?

Spring 2017 Shade and Illuminate collection provided courtesy of Tom Ford Beauty for review.

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