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Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil Eye and Cheek Palettes and Lip Foil Picks – Holiday 2016

November 12, 2016

Tom Ford Winter Soleil 2016 - The Beauty Look Book

The Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil collection has been on my radar for weeks now and I finally caved and splurged on the Soleil Eye and Cheek Palettes in Warm and Cool ($155 each for 0.45 oz / 12.8 g) and four of the Lip Foils ($53 each for 0.1 oz / 3 g). I’m getting this post up quickly for those who are Sephora VIBs in case you want swatches to help you decide on purchasing decisions for the sale so I haven’t been able to do extensive testing. This is going to be more of a first impressions post but having used Tom Ford beauty products for years I can pretty much tell how they will perform right away. Everything is cased in the white and gold packaging with a glowy shimmery feel for holiday.

Up first are the Lip Foils which are ultra shimmery lipsticks. They have ultra fine mica to give them a reflective look and feel making them almost like foil. If you don’t like frost I’d recommend you try to see if you can swatch before buying sight unseen as these are pricey. I find adding a clear gloss or balm on top helps soften the foiled look (I do it with a lot of MAC Frost Lipsticks). I swatched these at the counter and wanted all six of the colors but limited myself to four.

Private Life is stunning warm gold foil, Spanish Flame is a peachy metallic, Venus Rising is a cool pink frost, Seadragon is the most stunning metallic plum I’ve ever seen. Pigment is excellent and smooth with easy to build color. Texture is smooth but since these are very metallic they look frosty on the lips. They have a comforting smooth feel on the lips and while they aren’t hydrating they don’t dry out the lips. My heart belongs to Venus Rising and Seadragon but as I know shimmer might not be your thing these won’t be everyone.

Tom Ford Winter Soleil 2016 Lip Foils - The Beauty Look Book

All four shown on my bare lips, for foundation I’m wearing the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque reviewed and swatched in this post here.

Two sets of comparisons, note that the Lips and Boys I have were from previous years so some of the shades you might not be available anymore.

Set 1:

Dior Diorific Matte Lipstick in Golden (review here)

Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Rory (from 2014, review here)
Tom Ford Lip Foil in Private Life

Tom Ford Lip Color in Guilty Pleasure (review here)

Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer in Skinnydip (review here)

Tom Ford Lip Color in Spanish Pink

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in First Time (review here)

Set 2:

Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in Quiver (on lips here)
Tom Ford Lip Foil Venus Rising

Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Ansel, Jake, Jude, Drake, Daniel (from 2015, on lips here)

MAC Frost Lipstick in Plum Dandy

MAC Frost Lipstick in “O”

Up next are the Soleil Eye and Cheek Palettes which I completely love – 100%! It’s hard to pick a favorite as both are very good. The texture of the blush and highlighters are silky smooth and buttery soft. The blushes have a lovely natural looking glow on the complexion while I find the highlighters to be more shimmery. The pigment is soft but impressive. Eyeshadows have a mix of shimmer and glitters and are also incredibly soft and well pigmented. They apply on the lids effortlessly for a lovely glow. Both are on the glowy shimmery side.

Both are cased in white and gold rectangular compacts that have an almost clutch-like look to them. They are well made even though they are plastic and have a magnetic closure – for some reason I really like the way the compacts close.

The Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette in Cool has a cool pink blush, cool light pink highlighter, glitter light pink, glitter light lilac, shimmery violet grey, deep plum shimmer. If I were forced to pick just one I would pick this one which surprised me as I usually prefer warmer tones.

Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil 2016 Eye Cheek Palette Cool - The Beauty Look Book

The Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette in Warm is simply stunning. It only has 1 glitter eyeshadow color. Shades in this are a yellow gold, warm tan gold glitter, soft sandy champagne tan, satiny brown and a soft champagne highlighter.

Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil 2016 Eye Cheek Palette Warm - The Beauty Look Book

Palettes next to each other so you can see the undertone difference:

Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil 2016 Eye Cheek Palettes - The Beauty Look Book

As many of you might be wondering how the shadows in these holiday palettes might compare to existing Tom Ford Eye Color Quads I pulled three to compare including Orchid Haze, Seductive Rose and Nude Dip.

Tom Ford Orchid Haze, Soleil Eye/Cheek Cool, Seductive Rose, Soleil Warm, Nude Dip

All of these made a significant dent in my wallet but I’m thrilled with everything. If I had to narrow down my picks I would skip two of the lip foils in Private Life and Spanish Flame simply because I have similar shimmery colors in my current stash.

I think both palettes are must haves but I am a die hard Tom Ford Beauty fan and love all things glowy that come in pretty packages. These fulfill all of my makeup dreams in terms of palettes and while I do think they should be priced at lower price points, given the price tag of their quads I think it does make sense. I think my readers are split in how they feel about shimmer. I do think everything in this collection is more on the shimmery and glowy side, but I really love the palettes and the lip foils can be toned down easily with clear gloss.

There are a few more items in the Winter Soleil Collection including 2 more Lip Foils in Creme Conque (gorgeous light pink) and Aperture (stunning bronze), Soleil Blanc Dry Oil Spray, Face Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 50 and a Soleil Brush Kit. All are very spendy and as I already have the Soleil Blanc perfume I decided to stick with it (although I haven’t tried the spray, I forgot to check at the counter).

The Winter Soleil collection is limited-edition. You can find all items at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter, Sephora, Selfridges and other Tom Ford Beauty locations. If you’re a Sephora VIB don’t forget you can save 20% off your orders with code 20VIB through 11/14.

These have been out for a few weeks now, did you check out anything yet?

31 Comments

Clarins

Clarins Holiday Glow Getters Advent Calendar Gift Set – Holiday 2016

November 10, 2016

Clarins has a lot of great holiday sets this season and I’m beyond excited to share that they’ve launched their Holiday 2016 Advent Calendar in the US this year! Beauty Advent Calendars have been rare in the US and I’ve always been so jealous of my European friends who have them in their stores. This year quite a few brands have jumped on the bandwagon and as a beauty junkie I’m beyond thrilled. It’s always fun to sample lots of minis.

The Clarins Holiday 2016 Advent Calendar is limited-edition and currently available exclusively online at Clarins. It retails for $125 and has 20 mini-sample sized and some full-sized beauty products and 5 fun accessories like charms and gift tags. I really wanted to wait until December to open up each box per day but then I wouldn’t be able to share it with you.

Inside the box you get:

Booster Detox Full-Size, 0.5 Oz. Net Wt.
Beauty Flash Balm Full-Size, 1.7 Oz. Net Wt.
Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil 01 Honey Full-Size, 0.1 Oz Net Wt.
Hand and Nail Treatment Cream
Deluxe Travel-Size, 1.7 Oz Net Wt.
Eau Dynamisante Travel-Size, 0.5 Fl. Oz.
Toning Lotion with Camomile – Normal to Dry Skin Travel-Size, 1.7 Fl. Oz.
Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour 02 Soft Peach Miniature, 0.1 Oz. Net Wt.
Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Miniature, 0.13 Oz. Net Wt.
Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector 01 Rose Shimmer Miniature, 0.15 Oz. Net Wt.
Crayon Khôl Eye Pencil 01 Carbon Black Miniature, 0.013 Oz. Net Wt.
Wonder Perfect Mascara 01 Wonder Black Miniature, 0.1 Oz. Net Wt.
Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base 01 Rose Miniature, 0.3 Oz. Net Wt.
Instant Eye Make-Up Remover Sample-Size, 0.3 Fl. Oz.
Cleansing Milk With Alpine Herbs – Normal or Dry Skin Sample-Size, 0.3 Oz. Net Wt.
Gentle Refiner Exfoliating Cream with Microbeads Sample-Size, 0.1 Oz. Net Wt.
HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase Sample-Size, 0.1 Fl. Oz.
HydraQuench Cream – Normal to Dry Skin Sample-Size, 0.1 Oz. Net Wt.
HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Lip Balm Sample-Size, 0.1 Oz. Net Wt.
Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil Sample-Size, 0.17 Fl. Oz.
One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser Sample-Size, 0.1 Oz. Net Wt.
3 gift bag accessories
3 gift tags

A look at each day’s contents cased with a perforated door opening:

All the minis – there are so many skincare items I’ve wanted to try and cannot wait to dive in.

Right now there’s a GWP with any $80+ order running online at Clarins through 11/15 – there are four options to choose from, with a code for each option: DAILY16, MULTI16, FIRMING16 or SUPER16.

There are some other cute value gift sets which I’ll link below. For reference you can see some other reviews if you need swatches or more details:

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors

Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm

Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oils

I am a huge fan of the Clarins lip products but haven’t explored much of the skincare. I am excited that to try more with this holiday set. I have a few more advent calendar / beauty box sets that I’ll be reviewing soon so stay tuned! Ones to be featured shortly include the Laura Mercier Iconics (if you’re a Sephora VIB the 20% off sale for VIB tier members starts tomorrow 11/11) and Charlotte Tilbury World of Legendary Parties.Up next will be my Sephora haul 🙂 P.S. Tom Ford Winter Soleil Eye and Cheek Palettes and the Soleil Lip Foil just launched online just in time for tomorrow’s sale. I wasn’t able to get them in time to use the code but ordered the palettes anyways.

Have you checked out any of the beauty advent calendars this year? If yes which ones?

Advent calendar gifted by Clarins for review.

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Eye Makeup NARS

NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Picks: Give In Take, Indes Galantes, Impudique and Isadora

November 7, 2016

NARS partnered with French fashion photographer Sarah Moon to create his holiday 2016 collection. There are a lot of beautiful limited-edition palettes and sets. I bought four of the items:

Give In Take Dual-Intensity Eye and Cheek Palette ($69, Sephora exclusive)
Sarah Moon Duo Eyeshadow ($35) in Indes Galantes
Sarah Moon Blush ($30) in Impudique and Isadora

Up first are the Sarah Moon Collection items. There are individual colors for eyes, lips and cheeks. The lips are all in the Matte Lipstick Formula so I passed. Indes Galantes Eyeshadow Duo is a shimmering gunmetal and matte cranberry plum shade. Together they make for an interesting smoky eye but I can’t wear them alone. I need an additional color like a light neutral such as NARS Himalia or any of the lighter neutral duos to help blend and create a full eye look. Pigment and texture wise both shades are excellent.

For the Sarah Moon Blushes I bought them as an impulse buy at the counter. I have an extensive blush stash and probably did not need either of these but I was really impressed with the lovely soft rose almost mauve tone of Isadora. It’s rare for me to find pink mauve blushes with that kind of sheen/shimmer. It has some warmth in the shimmers so it doesn’t pull muddy on my complexion. Impudique is a brighter warm raspberry shimmer which I tried at the counter and fell in love with as well. Both are smooth and have a natural sheen and are not overly shimmery. Pigment is rich but easy to blend and apply on the skin.

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Picks

The Give In Take Dual-Intensity Eye and Cheek Palette is a Sephora exclusive. It has six Dual-Intensity Shadows and three Dual-Intensity Cheek products. All the colors are exclusive to the palette and are different from the existing full size color options. This is a beautiful soft and smoky kind of palette but it turned out to be completely different from what I expected. I ordered this sight unseen online (as of last week I still haven’t seen it at my Sephora stores). I expected full pigment rich colors and shimmers as I experience with most of the dual-intensity products. The colors in this palette are a lot softer with a more muted finish that isn’t really intense as the product name implies. The blushes are extremely sheer – I can build them for a soft natural glow but on my medium olive skin it’s very very soft.

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Give In Take

I had to swatch with a very heavy hand to get the colors to show up on my arm. I hope this shows how you can build and layer the colors. These were applied with a dry brush, to get more intense color apply with a dense damp brush.

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Give In Take swatches

For the eyes you have a soft grey ivory shimmer, a dove grey satin, a gunmetal shimmer, white opal, soft grey taupe satin, warm black satin.

For the cheeks you have a shimmery ivory, a super soft peach and a soft baby pink shimmer.

Here’s a look with the Dual Intensity Eyeshadows used from the top row, Indes Galantes Duo, all three Dual-Intensity palette blushes swirled and applied on cheeks. Lips are Louboutin Altareva (reviewed here). Foundation is NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland and concealer is NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Macadamia.

Shop the look below:

One last look:

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016

Overall some lovely items for holiday that are nice but not must-haves. If I were to narrow down my pick to 1 item it would most likely be just the Isadora Blush. All the colors are made extremely well with high quality and with good color payoff. The palette is a very good one – it was just different from what I expected. If you like soft looking glowy makeup and find most shimmers too shimmery you will absolutely love this one. I like the looks it can create – I just expected something more intense and dramatic for holiday.

You can find the Sarah Moon collection items now at all NARS counters. The items are limited-editino. Online at NARS Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Don’t forget today 11/7 is the last day for Sephora VIB Rouge Members to receive 20% off purchases with code 20ROUGE at checkout.

If you hauled anything let me know in the comments!

15 Comments

Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin Silky Satin, Sheer Voile and Loubilaque

November 2, 2016

Louboutin Lipstick and Loubilaque Review - The Beauty Look Book

Christian Louboutin makes the most expensive lip products on the beauty market to date. After featuring the signature Louboutin Rouge Lipsticks in all three formulas and the Rouge Loubilaque, an overwhelming number of you have asked me to test out some other shades, in particular some of the neutrals. I ordered six colors sight unseen, split into a few orders as it took me a long time to decide which ones to try (there’s no counter near me to swatch/see). One was gifted to me (You You). The Christian Louboutin Beaute line is all about luxury and the price points of the products are extremely high so I wanted to make sure I picked ones I would actually wear, and wear on a regular basis.

What I have to swatch and feature for you today:

Silky Satin Lip Colour in Belly Bloom ($90 for 3.8 g/0.13 oz) is a medium peachy cream
Silky Satin Lip Colour in Tres Decollete ($90 for 3.8 g/0.13 oz) is a natural pink peach nude
Sheer Voile Lip Colour in You You (gifted, $90 for 3.5 g/0.12 oz) is a sheer plum
Sheer Voile Lip Colour in Rose du Desert ($90 for 3.5 g/0.12 oz) is a natural rose pink
Loubilaque in Akenana ($85 for 4.7 ml/0.16 oz) is a beige pink with shimmer
Loubilaque in Bikini ($85 for 4.7 ml/0.16 oz) is a medium bright pink cream
Loubilaque in Altareva ($85 for 4.7 ml/0.16 oz) is a beige pink that’s slightly deeper in color

Louboutin Lipstick Belly Bloom, Tres Decollete, You You, Rose du Desert - The Beauty Look Book

Up first are the lip colors. The Silky Satin formula is a smooth medium to full coverage lipstick formula and it’s flawless in terms of application. It’s among the best formulas I’ve tried and has a beautiful natural sheen. The two colors I picked turned out to be similar, had I seen these in person I would have picked different shades, but I’m not disappointed with either one. Belly Bloom is a medium peach cream. Tres Decollete is pinky peach cream on me (looks peach in the tube but pulls a bit more pinkish on my lips).

For the Sheer Voile formula I really love the Rouge Louboutin option. It has a lush glossy finish and feels smooth and hydrating on the lips. I felt Rose du Desert would be a good safe color and it is. It’s a natural sheer pink rose that one can wear everyday. The color itself isn’t really unique and for something that looks so natural I think you can opt for one of the YSL Rouge Volupte Shines which seems affordable by comparison. I will say that I don’t have anything quite the same in color among my glossy sheer lipsticks. Had I been able to try this one I would have skipped it because it’s just so SO natural on me. You You on the other hand is a color I find really special as plums like this are hard to come by for me. Most turn fuchsia but this one has the perfect balance of plum and brown in it. I suspect I would have liked the brighter or deeper options in the sheer formula.

Up next are the Loubilaques and I picked the 3 lightest colors. Akenana is the most natural beige pink color on me. There is some shimmer in it but on the lips it’s a natural kind of shimmer. I love these kinds of colors so this one is a win for me. Bikini is a neutral-cool pink that has some brightness to it but is still natural. Altareva is similar to Akenana but it pulls a bit deeper and peachy in color with some brown tones in it.

The formula has been reviewed in the Rouge Louboutin Loubilaque post, but for a quick recap, these are scented with a lipstick/makeup kind of scent. The pigment is medium to full in coverage with a smooth finish. They come with a sponge tipped applicator. Texture is lush and while it’s not too heavy you can definitely feel it on the lips. They have a very cushiony kind of feel on the lips. If you’re not into any kind of scent or fragrance for lip products you will probably find the scent too strong for you. I don’t mind it and have had no issues.

Louboutin Beaute Loubilaque Akenana, Bikini, Altareva - The Beauty Look Book

For those curious about the Louboutin lip products I hope you found the swatches in this post helpful. So many of you have asked whether or not the price tag is worth it for these lip products. I really cannot say yes or no. The Louboutin Beaute line is all about luxury and and opulence. As anyone can tell from the price and packaging, it’s not really about being practical. These are packaged as decorative objects almost like ornaments. If you want my own personal take, there are tons of lipsticks at price points I don’t think are justified ie Tom Ford, Cle de Peau Beaute, By Terry, even Chantecaille. Yet I’ll still indulge in some. A $90 lipstick or $85 lipgloss isn’t for everyone. I would say it’s not really for me, heck even a $50 lipstick from Tom Ford is a huge ouch to the wallet. That being said I like what I splurged on.

For the Louboutin lipsticks I’m pleased with the ones I bought even if I did end up picking colors that are similar to each other. I like the quality, colors and finishes. I don’t have any regrets but if I were able to see everything in person I would probably have tried to pick shades that were a bit more distinct and different. I 100% love the Loubilaques – I’m more of a gloss person anyways so these fit my personal taste more than lipsticks, although the Silky Satin Lipstick formula is excellent.

You can find Christian Louboutin Beaute at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Net-A-Porter and Christian Louboutin.

Have you tried the lip products yet? Did you splurge on any? What were your thoughts? P.S. If you were interested in the perfumes they recently launched, for holiday they have a Perfume Trio Set with minis you might want to check out.

Belly Bloom, Tres Decollete, Rose du Desert, Akenana, Bikini and Altareva all purchased by me.
You You was gifted.

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Eye Makeup Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty About Last Night Style Eye Con No 20 Eyeshadow Palette

November 1, 2016

Marc Jacobs Beauty launched their About Last Night Style Eye Con No 20 Eyeshadow Palette ($99 for 20 x 0.03 oz/ 0.85 g) earlier this past fall. I ordered mine back in August and this review has been on my to-do list for ages. If you haven’t had a chance to try it out I recommend you do and that you put it on your wishlist or Sephora shopping list because it is amazing. It’s a huge palette that contains 20 eyeshadows, all with amazing textures, smooth finish, rich easy to layer pigment, no fall out even when you apply on the eyes, long lasting power and basically endless combinations. I was really blown away by the quality and colors. There is only 1 shade I’m not crazy about which is the yellow gold shimmer, but the rest of the colors are top notch and ones I can actually wear.

I ordered sight unseen and had no idea how large it would be even though Marc Jacobs Beauty launched a Style Eye Con No 20 last year. When I ordered it I also had no idea that it was $99. I’m usually pretty good at assessing prices when I shop, but it was one of those busy weeks. I added to my cart and purchased. I didn’t realize until it arrived and I looked at my receipt and my jaw dropped. There’s no question it is an expensive purchase but it’s 100% worth every penny (even that one yellow color I didn’t think I’d wear). A quick size comparison and look at how large the palette is:

The Style Eye Con No. 7 in The Lolita reviewed here

The #Instamarc Light Filtering Contour Duo reviewed here

A closer look at the palette and swatches. Each of the shades have names but they aren’t labeled on the palette so I’ve split it into the top half and bottom half. The shimmers are absolutely stunning and buttery soft. There are a few mattes with sparkle flecks – they perform really well with no fall out. The mattes are among the best mattes I’ve tried. Often times super pigmented mattes can either be chalky unless you apply with a detail brush. These mattes apply well with a loose fluffy brush or dense brush equally well and it’s a huge plus that I experienced no fall out.

Top half has:

Matte ivory

Satin warm tan brown

Matte cream

Matte baby pink

Shimmering ivory

Shimmering yellow gold

Shimmering peachy tan

White cool snow shimmer

Shimmering tan taupe

Matte pink mauve with sparkle flecks

Bottom half has:

Shimmering warm gold

Matte brown with gold flecks

Shimmery violet purple

Matte grey

Shimmering purple

Deep matte eggplant

Satiny cool brown

Satiny gunmetal black grey

Deep cool black with silver flecks

Matte brown with plum red tones

If you need something simpler and with a lower price point, I’d recommend either the Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye Con No. 7 in Social Butterfly or either of the Dior 5 Couleurs Splendor Eyeshadow Palettes for holiday. Both can give you a similar effect depending on your color preferences and are just as good in quality.

Bottom line is I don’t know how else to describe this except as “amazing.” As soon as I realized what the price point was, I thought to myself there was no way I could love it at that price. I was wrong. Every single color has an A+ texture, finish and pigment. However as always I’d only recommend you buy an eyeshadow palette if you think you’ll use most of the colors. My take is that it’s a great buy and well worth the splurge. If I could only have one new eyeshadow palette for the holiday this would be it. It’s one I think I could travel with and have everything I need for the eyes in a single palette – base, highlight, color, blending colors and liner shades.

If you’re a Sephora VIB Rouge Member, the 20% off sale starts online and in stores on Thursday the 4th. By now you should have received a card in the mail with a coupon that you can use. Online the code will be 20ROUGE from 11/4 to 11/7 so if you’ve reached that tier I recommend waiting for the sale if you have this on your list.

Have you checked out this palette yet? If not do you have any other Marc Jacobs Beauty eyeshadow palettes that you liked? I’ve reviewed several which I’ll link below.

Style Eye Con No. 7 The Social Butterfly

Style Eye Con No. 7 The Lover and The Lolita

Style Eye Con No. 7 The Enigma

Style Eye Con No. 7 The Dreamer

A few others from Marc Jacobs:

Air Blush Soft Glow Duos

Le Marc Lip Creme

Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers

(P)Outliner Lip Liners

Instamarc Contour Duos

You can find the Marc Jacobs Beauty About Last Night Style Eye Con No 20 Eyeshadow Palette exclusively at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty. It is limited-edition.

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Base Makeup Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder and Candleglow Concealer and Highlighter

October 31, 2016

Laura Mercier added two new items to her Candleglow Collection with a Sheer Perfecting Powder ($38 for 9 g / 0.3 oz) and Candleglow Concealer and Highlighter ($32 for 2.2 ml/ 0.07 fl oz). I received some press samples but also ordered one of the powders sight unseen online as I was unsure of what color I would be. The color options are on the small side with six powders and seven concealer shades but I will say up front the range is pretty wide – if you have medium to deep skin tone I think there’s a good chance there will be a match for you.

I reviewed her Candleglow Foundation earlier this year back in February and still find it to be a very good for giving medium natural-looking coverage with a dewy but not too dewy finish. I still am in between shades and have to mix colors (I mix Dusk and Golden, although there is a possibility there is a better match – I just haven’t had a chance to reinvestigate). The Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powders have a soft finish which makes the colors more forgiving if you don’t have a 100% exact match.

Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder - The Beauty Look Book

I can use either #1 or #2 to set my foundation and I am beyond obsessed with both. The color difference is noticeable on my face if I apply one on each side to set. Dusted and applied to the whole face both give the face a gorgeous flawless finish that is matte and radiant at the same time. There are shimmer particles to the powders which are apparent with a heavy swatch. On the face it gives a subtle glow much like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Dim Light or Diffused Light. Ithink the colors for the Laura Mercier Candleglow powders work better for my skintone compared to the Hourglass ones in terms of setting powders.

Lasting power is very good and it stays put well. After a few hours I don’t look like a greaseball. It has a forgiving finish like the Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour powders. #3 is too dark to set for all over the face but I can use it as a soft wearable contour to warm up the complexion.

Swatched with a heavy hand to show the color which makes the shimmer glow more apparent. On the face when dusted with any powder brush the shimmer is softer for a very natural glow:

Some comparisons for packaging and also color:

Laura Mercier Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder vs Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders - The Beauty Look Book

To date the Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish Powder in #2 is my holy grail setting pressed powder because it really does give the skin a flawless finish, doesn’t darken and doesn’t make the face look flat. Now that I’ve tried the Laura Mercier it is now tied as my second favorite pressed setting powder. Swatches next to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Dim Light and Diffused Light. I added the Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Powder in Bronze #2 to compare below.

Up next are the Candleglow Concealer and Highlighters. These come in a click-type of pen applicator with a puffy sponge tip. My best match is #2 which is an exact match for my under eye area. For this one, the coverage is medium in coverage under eyes and the applicator is very soft to the touch. It has a hydrating glowy feel but isn’t heavy. I have mixed feelings about this one – for my undereye area it just doesn’t offer enough coverage. Texture wise it’s good. There are few concealers I can wear under my eye area because most look super patchy or emphasize fine lines and end up making my skin look dry and aged. The Candleglow works well to covers dark circles and brightens and the fact that it has a dewy finish makes it so it feels nice and blends well and does not look dry. I just need more visible coverage so this one is not for me right now.

To use as a highlighter on the face works better for me, however given the packaging design I think layering it on the face, especially if you layer over foundation will get the applicator dirty fast. I suspect it might be easy to clean off with a bit of cleansing water and cotton pad.

If you’re one who finds you only need a little bit of extra coverage this is a nice one to check out. If you need more noticeable coverage, I’d say opt for the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealers or NARS Radiant Creamy Concealers instead.

Laura Mercier Candleglow Concealer Highlighter - The Beauty Look Book

Swatch comparisons below to MAC Prolongwear Concealer in NC35, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard, Macadamia, Ginger, Charlotte Tilbury The Retoucher #3 (which is too dark for me now) and Natasha Denona Eye Light #2.

Laura Mercier Candleglow Concealer Highlighter vs NARS MAC Natasha Denona - The Beauty Look Book

Overall I’m 100% in love with the new Candleglow Sheer Setting Powders. I love the finish, the subtle barely there glow, the lasting power and color selection. They have the perfect glowy finish that won’t give you that frosted look and I really like that they are sheer and natural but not invisible. The Concealers are ok – I think finding the right concealer depends on so many factors such as skin type, coverage preference and skin tone. For me they aren’t my favorite. I don’t think they are bad, I just prefer more coverage when it comes to concealers. (Ingredients are listed on each page on Sephora.)

You can find both the Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder and Candleglow Concealer and Highlighter at Laura Mercier counters now. Online at Laura Mercier, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.

Laura Mercier Candleglow Setting Powders and Candleglow Concealers provided for review consideration. Powder #3 purchased by me.

25 Comments

By Terry

By Terry Impearlious Baume de Rose and Ombre Blackstar Gift Collections for Holiday 2016

October 29, 2016

I ordered two of the holiday sets from By Terry from Space NK to take advantage of the current Explore Promotion going on. The promo runs through 10/30 where you can save $25 off orders $125 or more with code EXPLORE30 at checkout online at Space NK (US site only). There are quite a few holiday items to choose from and given the fact that there are lots of other tempting sets and holiday launches this year, I decided to narrow down my picks to two sets:

Impearlious Baume de Rose Gift Collection ($65) for 1 mini-sized Baume de Rose and 4 mini Pearlescent Baume de Rose colors, colors are available only in the mini size
Impearlious Ombre Blackstar Gift Collection ($155) for 5 full-sized Ombre Blackstar cream shadow sticks in existing shades

As a long-time By Terry fan I have mixed feelings about these two. I think almost everyone has bought items they like but don’t necessarily love. I had high hopes for this year’s Impearlious Baume de Rose Gift Collection as I really loved last year’s version and I love the Baume de Rose formula. There would have been nothing to stop me from ordering this year’s version as it contains four shimmery versions which you can’t find in the full-size, at least not right now. There’s also a single Impearlious Baume de Rose Tree Decoration version but I could not tell if it’s the same color as the pink one in the set. Some sites list it as “Fresco Rose” which is what is in the set, others list it as “Crystalline Rose” so I decided to pass. If you have bought the ornament – let me know where and what yours says on the bottom label.

The Holiday 2016 Impearlious Baume de Rose Gift Collection contains four shimmers and one signature clear Baume de Rose. What prevents me from giving this a 100% rave review is that the colors are just so incredibly sheer. I do know that balms in general are supposed to be sheer, but since I have pigmented lips these pretty much all look the same on me. If one is going just for the skincare hydration element, I think you can skip and find something that works just as well for a fraction of the price. Right now I’m completely obsessed with Lanolips which I just discovered. Net-A-Porter has an exclusive Peach and Strawberry duo which is amazing (review soon). It offers better hydration for my lips although the concept and formulas are completely different so I don’t know that I can really compare the two.

Onto the set. The Impearlious set contains 100 Frozen Queen which is a shimmering silvery pearl, 200 Fresco Rose a sheer pink with silver sparkle, 400 Freezy Berry which is a sheer lilac shimmer, 300 Frost Fire which is a coppery peach shimmer (my favorite). There’s also the regular Baume de Rose which is clear on the lips. The shimmer is noticeable on the lips but texture is smooth without any chunky feel like you might expect from the sparkle particles.

By Terry Impearlious Baume de Rose Gift Collection - The Beauty Look Book

Swatched on bare lips, they pretty much look the same, or at least very similar:

The Impearlious Ombre Blackstar Gift Collection is priced at a value price compared to buying each one individually. Separately, the Ombre Blackstars are $44 each. The set give you 5 for $155 making them $31 each. If you don’t own any I highly recommend you get the set because the formula is really good. They are on the sparkly side but still very wearable. Even though I already own 3 of the 5 colors the set was worth it to me as I need to replace them anyways. The only thing I was a bit disappointed about was that the stock images online show these to be cased in a silver packaging but they come in the regular gold. It’s not a deal breaker but in this day and age I think there should be some level of accuracy in online stock images.

The colors you get in the set are Black Pearl which is a shimmering gunmetal, Blonde Opal which is a shimmering soft gold, Bronze Moon (one of my favorites) a bronze taupe, Frozen Quarts a gorgeous shimmering soft pink, Ombre Mercure a sparkling antique silver with a greenish tinge.

What I like about these is they are super creamy, apply smoothly, are easy to blend and layer. Lasting power is pretty good on my lids and you can wear a single shade as a wash or layer them together or with powders for an easy effortless kind of look. To me they have the prettiest shimmer finishes I’ve seen in any cream shadow. A tube also lasts forever and unlike other cream shadow sticks they won’t dry out even if you have them for over a year. I know many believe you should throw out cosmetics after a certain period of time for sanitary purposes or because items have a certain shelf life. I have thrown out quite a few items before they’re 100% used up like mascara, foundations or lipsticks – especially if the scent turns or products separate. I’ve had some of my Ombre Blackstars for over 2 years and the formula has stayed in perfect condition.

By Terry Impearlious Ombre Blackstar Gift Collection - The Beauty Look Book

Swatches of the two more Ombre Blackstars I own for reference:

One last look:

By Terry Impearlious Baume de Rose and Ombre Blackstar Gift Collections

Overall beautiful sets and nice to own, but spendy and I can’t call them must-haves. I do think the Space NK promotion savings helped on savings for the sets. I love the Ombre Blackstar formula and it’s time I replace the ones I have so the set was worth the splurge. Had I been able to see and swatch everything in person first I would have passed on the Baume de Rose set. I’m all about natural lip products but for me these are too natural for me to love them and at $65 I would have rather bought a single item I really loved from any line, a skincare set (there are so many good ones out this year!) or stocked up on Oribe items from Space NK. Given the fact that I’ve had so many hits from ordering things sight unseen it’s bound to happen every now and then to have misses. I want to reiterate that I find the quality of both sets to be really good, and I know some will really love the lip balm set, there’s nothing wrong with sheer, for me it’s just too sheer.

You can find the By Terry Holiday 2016 collection now at Net-A-Porter, Barneys New York, Beautylish and Space NK. There are still a couple days left of the Space NK Explore Promotion. If you’re ordering anything online they have Kevyn Aucoin, By Terry, Oribe, Diptyque and much more. Save $25 off orders $125 or more with code EXPLORE30 at checkout online at Space NK through 10/30 (US site only).

Have you checked out the By Terry Holiday collection yet? What did you think?

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