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Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme

December 23, 2016

Marc Jacobs Beauty just launched new liquid lipsticks called the Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme ($28 each for 0.19 oz/ 3.49 mL). There are six colors total all in the neutral category with full smooth coverage and no detectable scent. These are liquid lipsticks formulated with Brazilian Cupuacu Butter and Collagen to help give the lips a fuller look with a nourishing formula. My biggest rant with most liquid lipsticks or matte liquids is that they tend to emphasize my lip lines and give them a dried-out cracked look. I often have to add a bit of gloss or balm on top to soften the overall look. The Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Cremes have a satiny sheen and creamy finish so they don’t ever look dried or cracked on the lips. These come with a sponge-tip applicator. I like that there is a little clear window at the base so you can tell what colors they are without having to look at the labels or open them up.

The colors are all smooth and full coverage. They’re all creamy so no shimmers. Lasting power is impressive and they stay put really well for hours without budging or fading:

Yours to Try is a yellow nude which is not a flattering color on me but it’s has a flawless finish and no streaks, the formula is excellent and very smooth with opaque coverage, the color however has too much yellow for my already yellow/olive toned skin
Fawn Over Me is a peachy nude which is more wearable on my lips, with nudes I often worry how smooth they will look on my pigmented lips and this formula is flawless and streak-free in coverage
Truth or Bare is probably my favorite, it’s a medium dusty rose pink
Shush Blush is a described as a deep pink, on my complexion it almost pulls coral
Slow Burn is a neutral cool nude rose
Hot Cocoa is a brownish cinnamon shade

Several of you have asked for a roundup or comparison of liquid lipsticks and I’ve been working on one for the past few weeks – stay tuned! I’m still testing a few more formulas 🙂 Some quick thoughts on how these compare to a few other brands:

The Marc Jacobs Le Marc Lip Creme colors (with the exception of the lightest one) are all easy for me to wear and incorporate into everyday looks
Anastasia Liquid Lipsticks (Crush lip swatched here with a bit of clear gloss) have similar coverage and pigment intensity, but they dry to a cracked-looking finish (I need gloss on top) while the Marc Jacobs ones do not ever look dry
Armani Lip Magnets (reviewed here) are among the best liquid lipsticks for texture, coverage and lightweight feel but all the colors run dark or deep, the Armani has a more weightless feel compared to the Marc Jacobs and the Lip Magnets meld with the lip texture in a more natural way
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks (Lolita and Lolita II swatched here) all tend to darken on my lip after drying, they also pull a little dry in finish, the Marc Jacobs lip cremes have a creamy feel, don’t darken or shift in color and feel more nourishing on the lips
Christian Louboutin Loubilaques (three nudes swatched and reviewed here) are more of a lip lacquer but with a liquid lipstick feel, these are a lot more glossy and lush-looking in finish by comparison
Tarte Quick Dry Matte Lip Paints (Bestie swatched here) have a distinctly matte finish
NARS Lip Covers from summer (swatched here) have a similar concept in pigment and satiny finish but have a thicker creamier feel, the Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Cremes almost feel weightless when comparing the two formulas

If you like liquid lipsticks I think you’ll like these. Even though there are only six colors I think there’s a good variety to pick from. They’re neutrals that still have a pop of color so they’re bound to show up and look like you’re wearing lipstick. I haven’t been the biggest fan of liquid lipsticks just because they make my already-full lips look even bigger with the super opaque matte coverage but these have a nice satiny sheen that doesn’t make them look huge. My favorite is Truth or Bare. Have you tried these yet? So far they’re only available online but I suspect they will show up in stores in the spring. If you haven’t what are your favorite liquid lipsticks? Let me know if you have any review/comparison requests for formulas in the comments and I’ll do my best to include them in the upcoming roundup.

You can find these online now at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty. They retail for $28 each.

These were provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs Beauty for review.

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Bronzer + Blush NARS Sephora

NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes I and II

December 21, 2016

NARS has two new cheek palettes called the NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes I and II ($59 each for 0.12 oz / 3.5g x6). These launched early at Sephora for as a Cyber Monday sneak preview for spring launches and I ordered them sight unseen. Update: back in stock now at Sephora but you can enter your email for notification for when they are back in stock. Right now you can find both online at NARS Cosmetics. They launch officially at other counters starting February 1st.

I’ve been a long time NARS fan and I love blush and highlighters. Both of these palettes have good-sized pans, pigment and texture is very good across all colors, and the color options in each are excellent. That being said NARS has released quite a few cheek palettes this year so if you already own other palettes or individual shades I suspect you will have a lot of similar colors or dupes and may want to shop your stash. Each palette has a mix of matte and shimmers shades for blush along with a few lighter colors that can be used as highlighters. These have a colorful tinted cover and come in a very sturdy mirrored compact.

Unfiltered I has deeper and darker tones with a bold vibe. The top three shades in the palette are easy for me to wear for my medium-toned olive skin (for reference I mix NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tints in Groenland and St. Moritz). The bottom three colors are really dark and bold on my skin and I have to use with a super light hand or blend like crazy otherwise they are too dark for my complexion. Colors include:

Watch Me a shimmering light gold
Me First a shimmering soft peach
Takeover a gorgeous bronze nude shimmer (can they please make this in a single?!)
Out There is a matte deep reddish brown
Chic is a matte plum
Exhibit A is a bright vibrant red

Unfiltered II has lighter cooler tones. Pigment is good but if you are tan to deep these may not show up on you as the colors pull on the lighter side. For me this palette is easier to wear for everyday. Colors are:

Conquest a matte baby pink that darkens after it sets
Undefeated looks like a medium babydoll pink in the pan, on my skin it applies more like a highlighter
Power Play is a medium matte cool pink
Hot Sand is a champagne shimmer highlighter (also reviewed here)
Fame is a satiny peach
Candid is a raspberry shimmer

For size comparison, here is a full size blush pan shown below from the Pro Palette Format, the NARSissist Cheek Studio Palette from Spring 2016, a Chanel Blush Brush and Charlotte Tilbury Powder Sculpt Brush.

Two quick looks:

Foundation is NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland and St. Moritz mixed
Powder is Laura Mercier Candleglow #2
Concealer is Laura Mercier Candleglow #1 and #2 mixed
Brows are the Diorshow Browstyler
Right Look = Unfiltered I Palette with the top three shades mixed in Watch Me, Me First and Takeover with Exhibit A on top, lips are Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Pipa (reviewed here and here)
Left look is Unfiltered II with Conquest + Power Play on the cheeks, Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in Sensible on the Lips

One last look:

Bottom line both are solid performers. In previously released NARS palettes the texture can be hit or miss with some shades, but with both of the Unfiltered Cheek Palettes colors and highlighters have consistent quality, pigment and are easy to layer/blend. If you already splurged on other NARS palettes this year you may want to shop your stash. My personal favorite this year is still the NARSissist Dual Intensity Cheek Palette (you can still find it at Nordstrom reviewed and swatched in this post here). Still both of these new launches from NARS have a good mix of colors and finishes in a palette which make them convenient for travel.

Both are limited-edition. I ordered mine from Sephora but you can find them now at NARS Cosmetics. Launching everywhere else later this spring starting February.

Did you try these yet? What did you think?

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Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette

December 9, 2016

For holiday Hourglass Cosmetics launched a new limited-edition palette called the Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette ($62 for 3 x 0.09 oz/ 2.55 g). It launched as a Sephora VIB Rouge Exclusive on Cyber Monday and I ordered it as soon as it popped up online. This palette combines the illuminating particles from the Strobe Lighting Powders mixed with Blush Pigments for a radiant glow. Those familiar with Hourglass powders from the Ambient Lighting Line already know the powders are hand made with a special mixing technique which makes every powder different and unique. The colors in each palette will all similar to each other based on the formula but there will be slight variations in depth of color depending on how much highlighter your palette has versus blush pigment.

I’ve acquired almost all of the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palettes (all except for holiday 2015) and a number of individual colors. The latest Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette is the most glowy out of all the palettes and powders I’ve tested, even more so than the Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders (reviewed here).

Texture and pigment in this palette is ultra smooth and glowy without being frosty. There are three colors, Incandescent Electra is supposed to be the same as the one available individually, but the ones I have from the original 2014 blush palette and one I have in individual form are different from this season’s palette. The Incandescent Electra in my Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette is significantly more glowy but the color is the same if that makes sense. Descriptions per Hourglass’s website:

INCANDESCENT ELECTRA: A cool peach blush blended with Incandescent Strobe Light for a celestial glow.
BRILLIANT NUDE (NEW): A deep amber blush blended with Brilliant Strobe Light for a lustrous glow.
EUPHORIC FUSION (NEW): A soft lilac blush blended with Euphoric Strobe Light for a resplendent glow.

On my medium complexion, the colors in the palette I purchased are all more like highlighters on my skin versus blushes. Yours may vary depending on the swirl you have and also differ if you have different skintone. Close up and swatches:

Comparisons to the other two palettes I have:

Top – the Ambient Lighting Blush Palette (review from 2014)
Middle – the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale 2016 exclusive (review here)
Bottom – Holiday 2016 Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette

Comparison swatches:

Overall a lovely addition to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting line. Even though I already own Incandescent Electra the one in this palette has more glow and shimmer compared to previous versions that I own. It is on the glowy side so the colors are more highlighter than blush on my skin. I wasn’t able to swatch comparisons to the other holiday launch Ambient Lighting Edit Palette in Surreal Light (review here) before I left for my trip however I will say that between the two I prefer the larger one for the colors. Both palettes are different enough to justify both if you don’t mind having a lot of blush or highlighter.

Bottom line I love it and the glimmer in each of the powders is perfect for adding a bit of a nice holiday glow on the eyes or cheeks. They layer well with other blushes (both powders and creams), meld nicely with the skin and don’t emphasize my pores like some highlighters can do if they have lots of shimmer. Whether or not you’ll like this will most likely depend on your skintone. On fair to light skins the colors will most likely show up more. On my medium olive toned skin the color shows up o arm swatches but once on my face, Brilliant Nude and Euphoric Fusion are more highlighter-like and almost nude in the sense that they give a glow rather than a tint like blush. My MAC shade right now is about an NC30 in the MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation (swatched here with other foundation shades). Note that since I tan easily I fluctuate in color by a few shades on a regular basis depending on how much sun I’ve been exposed to. How this palette shows up your skin will also depend on how much pigment your palette has swirled in compared to strobe powders.

You can find the Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Blush Palette now online exclusively at Sephora. I ordered mine online. At this time I’m not sure if will launch at other retailers.

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Diptyque Fragrance Holiday Gift Guide Home / Interiors

Holiday Gift Guide: The Best Luxury Candles For the Home

December 1, 2016

I have a gift guide roundup including some of my favorite candles for the home this holiday. I love those warm and cozy feel good scents this time of year. Pine and spice scents are always fun to give the ultimate Christmas kind of vibe, but if you’re not into those kinds of scents there are still lots of other options that are great for holiday. If you don’t want your house to smell like a pine tree or pumpkin, but still want something for your home or for a gift, I’ve rounded up alternatives for you.

The cutest luxury set this year is the Jo Malone Christmas Miniature Candle Collection ($110 for 5 candles, 1.2 oz each). This is definitely quite the splurge but comes packaged in a beautiful box that looks like a small tent box. The throw on these is phenomenal even though they are small. It contains Sweet Almond and Macaroon, Green Tomato Leaf, Frosted Cherry and Clove, Pomegranate Noir, Peony and Blush Suede.

Byredo carries some of the most expensive candles on the luxury beauty market. I’ve splurged on a few here and there and love them, but the price is something that holds me back from trying them all (otherwise I would). If you’re shopping for someone who already has almost everything Byredo have some unique options that I think are great.

This year they’ve introduced three candles in a gorgeous color glass version at $85 each. Fleur Fantôme and Cotton Poplin are my favorites for their soft relaxing feel and I ordered those immediately to add some color and life to our home. Bibliothèque is also available in a green tinted version (this one smells like a sweeter version of Bal D’Afrique perfume). Another thing they’ve brought back this year are minis! (I reviewed three a year ago here.) The minis run at $35 each and right now they have them in Fleur Fantôme, Bohemia, Cotton Poplin, Tree House and Bibliothèque. For those new to the brand, you can find Byredo at Neiman Marcus, Barneys’s New York and Net-A-Porter.

The white frosted ones from last year are also still available, Figue Glacée ($95) is my favorite as I love fig scents and this one has red currant, whipped vanilla cream, violet, bamboo and sandalwood mixed in. The other two Prune Glacée and Cassis Glacée are both very sweet.

The most elegant holiday scent is Antica Farmacista Black Label Champagne Collection. I love this line so much I’ll have a dedicated post on my picks. I ordered the Full Size Candle and it’s such a beautiful sparkling sweet citrus. It has Satsuma citrus, floral notes of muguet to soften the citrus, passionfruit, sugared blackcurrant and apricot. The candle comes with a box of matches in the lid. Below is also shown the Travel Candle, Room Spray and one of the minis in the Diffuser Trio.

Lumira continues to be a favorite candle line. I’m beyond obsessed with their Tahitian Coconut candle. For holiday they still have the Holiday Trio Set which has their best sellers:

Tuscan Fig has notes of fig leaves, fig tree, blackcurrant, cedarwood, iris and musk
Cuban Tobacco is one my husband loves and has in his office, it has tangerine, cardamom, clove bud, mahogany, patchouli, musk, vanilla, tobacco and floral notes
Persian Rose is the best rose candle I’ve burned because it’s not powdery or dated, it has Top notes of sparkling mandarin, bergamot zest, sweet orange, Middle notes of budding Persian rose, geranium essence, Base notes of soft musk, patchouli, dark amber

Le Labo x Violet Grey have done a collaboration to launch a special exclusive of the Santal 26 Candle which comes in a beautiful black glass jar instead of the clear ones. The scent is still the same as the clear one, both are named Santal which has notes including amber, vanilla, cedar, musk and sandalwood. It has an earthy almost raw feel. Another great sandalwood home scent is the Molton Brown Coco and Sandalwood line. I own this scent in every option including the hand cream, shower gel, room spray and body lotion. The candle gives all kinds of cozy warm vibes. You can find the candle in a Single Wick ($49) version or Three Wick ($74) version.

Diptyque is always fun during the holiday. I think their pine scent is the best one that comes out each year. This year’s special edition candles come in a Holiday Candle Trio ($100) with minis that has Sparkling Incense, Delicious Spices and Festive Fir Tree. My favorite is the blue one Sparking Incense which has cloves, vanilla and incense. Quite a few of you asked for other recommendations as some mentioned you were disappointed in this year’s holiday options. Noisetier ($32 to $62) is hazelnut which is a warm and sweet scent but it’s not overly sweet. It has a mix of fruity and woody in it as well making it a delicious option. Vanille ($32 to $62) is another option, it’s a different kind of smoky vanilla. I didn’t really love it at first, it’s one that took me a while to get used to, but it’s a cozy option. To date the best vanilla scent is Henri Bendel’s Vanilla Bean – it’s not too sweet which is my biggest issue with most vanilla based candles.

One last roundup: Sheepskin Rug, Chenille Throw, Pillows found at Pottery Barn

Hope you enjoyed this roundup of some of my favorites! If I had to pick just three to burn the rest of the month, my top picks would be Antica Farmacista Champagne Black Label, Molton Brown Coco and Sandalwood and Diptyque Noisetier.

Do you have any favorite holiday scents for the home? Let me know in the comments!

Press samples included from Lumira, Molton Brown and Antica Farmacista.

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Base Makeup Dior

The Perfect Base with Diorskin Airflash Spray Foundation

November 30, 2016

I’ve been a long-time fan of the Diorskin Airflash Spray Foundation and am excited to team up with Dior Beauty to re-visit it this month. With the holiday season in full swing finding base makeup that covers the face entirely, photographs well with a flash, lasts a long time and still looks natural can be a challenge. I have normal to combination skin and even when I set my base with a good powder I usually find I need a quick touch up at least 2 times a day. I like a base that has visible coverage but sometimes fuller coverage foundations can feel thick or look flat. Formulas have improved across brands over the years with better lasting power, lighter textures and unique glowy finishes, but the Diorskin Airflash Spray Foundation is hands down among the best of bases that hits all the marks on what I want: long lasting, photographs well with flash, covers the face entirely but looks natural.

The Airflash comes in an aerosol spray can and dispenses an ultra fine even layer of foundation in a mist. It gives the skin an airbrushed finish. Simply shake it for a few seconds, hold about 6 inches from the face and spray from the top down in a zig-zag motion. There can be a bit of a learning curve to figure out exactly how far to hold it from your face when you spray it – I sometimes wear a band around my hairline to keep the hair back and out of the way. After spraying I’ve blend a bit with a sponge or a brush. You can also add more on areas by spraying the product directly on the brush and patting on the face. Any tool will work but I just discovered the Backstage Buffing Brush #18 and it has the perfect density and angled shape to blend out foundation to a flawless streak-free smooth finish. For color matching, in the past I’ve been a match to the shade 300 Medium Beige, but right now I’m a better match to 201 Linen.

Below is a closer look at the spray foundation with the Backstage Buffing Brush #18. It’s the perfect size for smoothing across the face. So many foundation buffing brushes are on the smaller side, this one has a larger head which makes it easier to swipe in larger motions.

Swatches below with the Airflash Spray Foundation in 201 (color I’m wearing in photos) and 300. Over the past few months I’ve also been using the Capture Totale Dreamskin Cushion and mix 020 and 030 – I initially thought it was a foundation but was told by a few reps that it’s actually part of their skincare line and can be used as a primer or just a regular tint. It’s swatched heavily below but the cushion is significantly lighter in coverage and very sheer. Let me know if you want a dedicated review on the cushions.

Below on the left is me wearing just the Airflash Foundation in 201 and a bit of the Dior Lip Glow in Lilac to prep the lips, photographed without flash. For me the Airflash has enough coverage to cover dark under eye circles most of the time. There are some days where I do need extra coverage so I’ll layer on something under the eyes or around the nose. Below you can see that with just the foundation everything looks like it’s covered. Everything as in my acne scars on the chin and freckles and sunspots on my cheeks aren’t visible.

On the right side is the base with some color added. This photograph is taken with a flash to show that the foundation doesn’t give a white glare or cast that you see with some other foundations. This makes it a great one to wear for holiday gatherings, dinners or parties. You won’t have to worry about getting holiday photos with your face looking garishly white in contrast to your neck or body.

Makeup worn is with a light hand and everything blended, products shown below as well. What I’m wearing:

Face: Diorskin Airflash in 201 Linen (no powder to set in photo, although the foundation works with a number of pressed or loose powders)
Eyes: Diorshow Mono in 658 Cosmopolite, Diorshow Khol in 789 Smoky Brown, Extase Mascara
Cheeks: Diorskin Nude Air Glow Powder 002 Fresh Light and Diorblush in 553 Cocktail Peach
Lips: Addict Ultra-Gloss in 659 Reflected

Right now Dior.com has a special online promo where you can get a mini kabuki brush with any Airflash foundation purchase. The packaging is always exquisite – if you’re looking for a place that will wrap and package everything perfectly, Dior has it all covered.

Bottom line I think the Diorskin Airflash is a classic. In the past few weeks I tried it without any setting powder – we’ve been having dry weather and air here (even with the rain) so my skin hasn’t been as oily as normal. I almost always set with a powder but the Airflash lasted an impressive amount of time without it. It’s one I’ll be wearing all holiday long because it performs well and truly holds up all day long. It gets extra points from me for covering my skin entirely while still looking natural.

Have you tried the Diorskin Airflash? What color do you use? If not what’s your go-to base for holiday photographs or gatherings? You can find the Diorskin Airflash Spray Foundation for $62 at Dior.com.

This post was sponsored by Dior. As always all opinions my own.

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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lips and Boys – 25 New Shades for 2016

November 29, 2016

Tom Ford just launched 25 new shades and 25 repromoted colors of their clutch-sized Lips and Boys Lipsticks ($36 each for 0.07 oz/ 2.07 mL). As the ultimate lipstick junkie I was beyond thrilled when a press box arrived at my door containing all 25 new shades in a drop-dead gorgeous black lacquer box. I’m so excited to be able to share swatches of the new colors with you today. This year Tom Ford Beauty added a new soft velvety matte finish formula for the Lips and Boys and they do not disappoint. For those new to Tom Ford lip colors this is a great way to start with the line as the full-sized lip colors are $50+ each. This is the third year that that they’ve launched the lips and boys minis and I think it’s one of the most fun launches during the holiday season. I’m still waiting for them to launch one named Andrew for my husband, but for now there are lots of other shades to play with.

I’ve been a huge fan of Tom Ford lip colors since the initial launch. My first one was Pink Dusk as it was the only wearable neutral in the original lineup for me and to this day it remains one of the best neutral pinks. The lipsticks are expensive but I find the textures to be excellent and usually find at least several colors I fall in love with from each seasonal launch regardless of formula (sheer, ultra rich, shine, foiled, etc.) The $50+ price tag is still not something I am happy about but I still buy colors with each launch and have been happy with most of my purchases. Formulas are always good, but when I buy sight unseen sometimes colors just don’t work for me as I hoped. Below I’ve swatched and photographed the new Lips and Boys in the order they came presented in the press box. For skintone reference I’m wearing the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation Concealer in Bisque with Laura Mercier Candleglow Setting Powder #2 on top. As always colors are all swatched on bare lips. If you think you see a darker line around the outer edges of some shades – it’s just my natural lip color showing through. I have pigmented lips. Row 1 includes:

Douglas (shimmer) is a medium baby pink shimmer
Bradley (satin) is a peachy flesh nude with a sheen
Alexander (satin) is a pale nude pink, note that Tom Ford launched another shade called Alexander in 2014, this year’s is different
Ashton (satin) is a medium mauve plum rose
Thomas (matte) is a cool-toned matte pink rose

Row two includes:

Christopher (matte) is a matte mauve brown
Ben (matte) is a matte deep brown red
Evan (matte) is a matte peach nude, but on my pigmented lips it pulls mauvey, if you have regular colored lips this will probably be more true to what you see in the tube
Dominic (matte) is a cool toned blue red matte
Travis (shimmer) is a brown shimmer, this one has a slightly sheer finish and slightly patchy on me

Row 3 has:

Graham (shimmer) is a semi-sheer golden shimmer, it has a transparent finish so my natural lip color shows through
Aaron (shimmer) is a warm coppery brown shimmer
Snowdon (shimmer) is a peachy pink rose gold shimmer
Dylan (matte) is a bright matte warm orange red
Jack (satin) is a deep plum, note there was a previous color called Jack from 2014 which was more purple, this year’s is more mauve plum

Row 4 colors include:

Anderson (matte) is a matte neutral pink, it pulls cool-toned on my complexion
Jared (matte) is a hot fuchsia pink
Logan (shimmer) is a shimmering iridescent fuchsia
Cristiano (matte) is a bright orange matte
Mitchell (satin) is a muted neutral plum

Row 5 colors are plums:

Nicholas (matte)
Ryan (shimmer)
Inigo (shimmer)
Jon (shimmer)
Elliot (shimmer)

All side by side:

It’s really hard to narrow down my favorites because there are so many amazing colors. Out of the entire collection there are only two that I’m not crazy about. Alexander 2016 is too pale for me but I have a hard time pulling off nudes. If you are like me in coloring but want a good Tom Ford nude that won’t wash you out, check out Revolve Around Me Ultra Lip Color. Travis also came off a bit patchy but it can be smoothed out if layered on the lips a bit more. Other than those two, all the others performed really well in terms of pigment and texture. The shimmers this year have a smooth finish in the shimmer, no chunky sparkles or frost. If I could only pick six of the new colors, I would say my favorites include Elliot, Snowdon, Mitchell, Evan, Douglas and Bradley.

To recap, new shades include: Alexander, Bradley, Jack, Ashton, Mitchell, Graham, Douglas, Snowdon, Aaron, Travis, Ryan, Inigo, Jon, Logan, Elliot, Anderson, Thomas, Jared, Cristiano, Dylan, Dominic, Evan, Nicolas, Ben and Christopher.

Repromoted colors include: Julian, Collin, Cary, Ian, Addison, Flynn, James, Richard, Patrick, Michael, Justin, Giacomo, Rafael, Luciano, Leonardo, Jake, Austin, Eric, Hiro, Roberto, Alejandro, Tony, Joaquin, Drake and Alex. I have my picks from the past two years swatched from 2014 here and 2015 here.

The Tom Ford Lips and Boys are available now at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Net-A-Porter and all other Tom Ford Beauty counters.

Many thanks to the Tom Ford Beauty team for making my lipstick dreams come true. Lips and Boys provided courtesy for review.

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Ombres Lamées de Chanel for Holiday 2016

November 23, 2016

For holiday Chanel is releasing a special limited-edition palette called Ombres Lamées de Chanel ($105 for 14 g/0.49 oz, made in Italy). It launches officially on Chanel.com November 28th but I’m thrilled to share that Beauty Look Book readers are getting an exclusive to shop it early starting today through this specific link. In addition they’ve offered a special overnight shipping code (details at bottom of post)! The Ombres Lamées de Chanel is, “Inspired by the meticulous craftsmanship and rich textures of iconic Chanel Ready-to-Wear creations, this exclusive palette reveals a harmony of exquisite shadows in three shades laced with gold. The soft, silky texture leaves an even, luminous finish.” The palette is exactly as described – soft, silky and luminous.

The Ombres Lamées de Chanel comes cased in a small black box which also contains a little black pouch and two brushes. The brushes are small for detail application and blending but extremely well made. The design of the palette is simply exquisite – like a work of art in a small compact. It’s almost too pretty to use with the gold overspray accents and gorgeous embossed surface patterns. There’s a chart online at Chanel which gives a how-to application guide, but I tried it by swirling all the colors together for a soft luminous golden eye look with slight smoky tones. First a closer look at the palette:

It’s truly a sight to behold:

The surface does have some gold overspray which is just beautiful. A look at the palette below once the overspray has been removed:

There are three colors in the palette: yellow warm gold shimmer, soft taupe shimmer, satiny brown-black. The texture is very soft and colors are sheer-to-medium but can be applied slightly damp for more color. The overall effect is soft and luminous.

Swatches:

Look below wearing with the Chanel Ombres Lamées de Chanel:

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation in 30 Beige
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in No. 20
Chanel Le Volume Mascara in Black
Hourglass Surreal Light Palette on cheeks
Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in Innocent (just ordered it and absolutely love it!)
Chanel Le Vernis in Rouge Noir 18
Sweater by Club Monaco

The colors are easy to layer but since the stripes of color are on the small side you will need to use a detail or smaller brush to pick up individual colors. The brushes that come with the palette are the perfect size for picking up shades individually, but most likely some swirling between colors will occur.

If you haven’t yet seen the palette I hope this review helps give you an idea of the texture and colors. I think the effect of the shades swirled together is really pretty and makes for a soft smoky gold and almost olive-tinged eye that is great for holiday. The palette launches officially online at Chanel.com November 28th. Beauty Look Book readers get early access by shopping through this Ombres Lamées de Chanel link. In addition you can receive overnight shipping with code GOLDEN at checkout, valid 11/23 at 12:01am – 11/28 at 5pm.

Many thanks to Chanel for sending me this palette and for offering my readers early access!

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