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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Soleil Collection – Moisturecore Lip Colors

April 2, 2016

There are six shades of Moisturecore Lip Color ($55 each) from the Tom Ford Soleil Collection this summer. These come in luminous glowing fresh colors perfect for spring to summer – but really you can wear these year round. These are described as:

Two exclusive formulas in one innovative lip product. In the center, a liquid core infused with passion fruit oil provides luxurious moisture in a pink pop of color throughout every Moisturecore Lip Color shade. A luminous lip color encases the core, infused with an exotic blend of melon fruit extract, murumuru butter and plant derived esters that conditions lips. Sprinkled with subtle gold pearl to complement bronzed, summer skin. Shades, ranging from sandy nude to rosy mauve, provide a soft veil of lightweight, long-lasting color.

The center of each lip color is identical which is a sheer melon pink color that blends seamlessly with the outer colors of each tube. The packaging is the same size as the Lip Color Shines – they come in a slim twist up tube but with this season’s white and gold packaging. Since the formula has the word “moisture” in the name I expected an ultra hydrating lip color – they do have a moist slightly glossy finish with a cushiony lush feeling but I didn’t find them as moisturizing as a traditional lip treatment. I actually feel the Ultra-Rich Lip Colors are more hydrating on my lips.

Pigment is medium but buildable. They covered the lip entirely with the exception of Scandola and Otranto which I found a bit sheerer. You’ll see in the lip swatches below that the colors do show up but there is a slight transparent quality in the shimmer which makes my natural lip color show through a bit. There is a slight vanilla scent but it’s very subtle and disappears after a few  minutes.

Top row, left to right: Scandola, Carriacou, Mustique
Bottom row, left to right: Pipa, Cala di Volpe, Otranto
At first swipe some of these colors felt on the dry side. The colors do all get better after the initial top layer of the lipstick is worn down and after the first swipe I had no issues with any of them. They all had very good smooth application without any streaks or patches. Lasting power is medium with these. As with any lipstick that has a shine finish they usually don’t last as long as a matte or long-wear lipstick but the Moisturecore Lip Colors still last a relatively long time. They don’t disappear immediately like some other sheers do, by comparison I find they last longer than Rouge Dior Baumes but not quite as long as the Chanel Rouge Coco Stylos. By comparison to other Tom Ford formulas, the Moisturecore Lip Colors last longer than the Lip Color Shines but not quite as long as the regular Lip Colors.

The colors are all on point for neutral lip lovers who want something that isn’t a beige nude. The only color I feel slightly off about is Cala di Volpe – it’s such a pretty copper in the tube but on my lips it turns almost orangey. Color descriptions, close ups and swatches:
Scandola is a sheer golden nude shimmer
Carriacou is a soft peachy pink
Mustique is a cool baby pink that is surprisingly wearable
Pipa is a gorgeous medium bright pink melon
Cala di Volpe is a shimmering copper
Otranto is a shimmering plum

Scandola:

Carriacou:

Mustique:

Pipa:

Quick look with Golden Peach Eye Duo (reviewed here), Bi-Coastal Sheer Cheek Duo (both colors swirled and blended together, review soon) and Pipa Lip Color:

Cala di Volpe:

Otranto:

All the colors swatched side by side:

I give all of the colors a thumbs up – they are really pretty wearable colors. If I had to skip any, I would say Scandola and Carriacou are similar on my lips but do note I have pigmented lips so Scandola will most likely show up more close to the arm swatch on you. Cala di Volpe is not something I would wear a lot right now – in the lip swatch it may be hard to tell but it pulls orangey against my complexion right now. It will probably be better for me when I have more of a tan. The others are all winners.

Formula-wise I don’t know that I would say the moisture core has enough noticeable benefits to justify the higher price tag (they are priced slightly higher than the other Tom Ford lipsticks). Still for me the price is not a deal breaker as I think the quality is there and formula is very good. Colors are all up my alley and ones I can see myself wearing everyday for either day or night. If you’re wondering whether I prefer the Moisturecore or the Ultra-Rich formulas (both new for summer), I will say I like the Ultra-Rich formula better but the Moisturecore range has colors that are more of what I am comfortable wearing.

You can find the Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Colors for $55 each at Tom Ford counters and stores now. Also online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s and Tom Ford.

Have you checked out the summer collection yet? What did you think?
Press samples include four shades Carriacou, Mustique, Cala di Volpe and Pipa. The other two options Scandola and Otranto purchased by me.
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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Soleil Collection – Ultra-Rich Lip Color

April 1, 2016

 

One of the new lip color formulas this summer in the Tom Ford Soleil Collection is called the Ultra-Rich Lip Color ($52 each). These are packaged in the white and gold tubes with a similar lipstick shape to the Lip Color Sheers but the Ultra-Rich Lip Color formula this summer is more creamy with fuller coverage and more of a moisturizing feel.

 

These are described as, “A vivid and high-shine lip color that moisturizes lips instantly. Over time, lips appear smoother, softer and suppler. This luminous and vivid lip color collection lasts up to 6 hours.”

 

After playing with 4 of the 6 shades over the past week I have found they do indeed offer instant moisture to the lips. On my lips they feel like a hybrid between the regular Lip Color and Lip Color Sheers with a smooth and creamy feel. Coverage is very impressive – it’s basically flawless with medium to full coverage that is easy to build without looking or feeling heavy. Lasting power is very good – I didn’t test for up to 6 hours per the description but the colors lasted for 4 hours without fading or budging.

 

The four shades I have shown in the below photo from left to right:

 

 

  • Le Mepris (my press sample says Le Mepris but online it’s labeled Les Mepris) is a bright reddish coral color. I’m normally drawn to neutrals but this one stands out as a knock out summery coral red. It has the perfect mix of red in it so brightens the complexion without looking garish.
  • Revolve Around Me is one of the most perfect flawless nudes I’ve ever tried. As many of you know I love nudes but because I have pigmented lips so many look like concealer on my lips or look patchy. Revolve Around Me has amazing full coverage on my lips and covers the surface with a smooth veil of color. It’s clearly a beige nude on me but has enough color that it does not wash out my lips like Nude Vanille, Blush Nude or the SS16 Lip Shine.
  • Temptation Waits is a medium brown cafe shade. My press sample was labeled Sex Oyster. I confirmed with the Tom Ford team that they changed the name to Temptation Waits so if you see that around on other blogs or websites know they are the same shade, the actual name is Temptation Waits. This one has a semi-sheer to medium finish but you can swipe and build for full coverage. It has a tiny bit of rose in it so it’s not a pure brown.
  • Solar Affair is a peachy coral. I thought this one would be my favorite since I’m drawn to coral shades. The color has a bit too much warmth and orange so when combined with my olive skin it makes my skin look more yellow, almost sallow. It’s a lovely color – when I compared Solar Affair next to Le Mepris, the red one won me over.
Swatches:

 

 

More close ups and lip swatches, for reference I’m wearing the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 4 in these swatches. Up first is Les Mepris:

 

 

Revolve Around Me:

 

 

 

Temptation Waits:

 

 

 

Solar Affair:

 

 

Two sets of swatch comparisons below, Set 1 includes the neutrals:

 

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Honeycomb (lip swatch here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Nude Vanille
Tom Ford Lip Color Sable Smoke (lip swatch here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer Skinnydip (lip swatch here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Sweet Mystery (aka Lips and Boys Peter, lip swatch here)
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Chai + Molasses (lip swatch here)
Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Creme J’Adore (lip swatch here)

 

 

Set 2 for the corals:

 

Tom Ford Lip Color Naked Coral (lip swatch here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer Sweet Spot (lip swatch here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer Paradiso (lip swatch here)
Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Gingersnap, Persimmon + Gazpacho (lip swatch here)

 

 

 

The formula is a winner in my book. I didn’t think they could make a better lip color formula, but these new Ultra-Rich Lip Colors far surpass the regular Lip Color formula because it has a softer slightly more creamy feel which makes them glide easily on the lips. The Ultra-Rich Lip Colors do have a bit of shine to them which makes them look a bit less opaque than the regular Lip Colors. I think the formula is definitely worth checking out this summer.

 

You can find the Ultra-Rich Lip Colors at all Tom Ford Counters now for $52 each. My top 2 favorite shades include Le Mepris and Revolve Around Me. I haven’t checked out the other shades yet (there are 6 total), but right now I have plenty to play with.

 

Available in stores and online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sephora and Tom Ford.

 

Ultra-Rich Lip Colors provided courtesy of Tom Ford for review consideration.

 

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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Color Collection for Summer 2016 – Sneak Peek + Swatches

March 31, 2016

Tom Ford just launched their summer beauty items in the Soleil Color Collection and it’s absolutely breathtaking. Everything is cased in the white and gold packaging for this season with new formulas for lips and beautiful items for the skin and cheeks. I have a quick sneak peek and wanted to list all the items that are available for reference. I received some press samples and purchased additional items to review which made a serious dent in my bank account but I don’t mind one bit because everything is gorgeous. Personal first impressions are all very good. Some items that were limited-edition in previous seasons have been repromoted this season such as the Cream and Powder Eye Duos, Pink Sand Cream Blush and Firelust Skin Illuminator. Also on a great note is that Tom Ford Beauty has now launched online at Sephora (yay!). The items in this year’s Soleil Color Collection:
Also not part of the color collection, but the Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum and Shimmering Body Oil (previously reviewed here with other spring launches) have launched at all retailers (it was an early exclusive to Neiman Marcus for a while). Several of you have asked if this year’s oil is the same as last year’s – it unfortunately is not and I find this year’s version a bit sticky/tacky. I personally would recommend you skip the oil.

 
Quick swatches of what I have including some of the repromotes. Note I don’t have the entire summer collection swatched but here is what I have:

Fire Lust Skin Illuminator (press sample)
Pink Sand Cream Blush
Pieno Sole Cream Blush
Bicoastal Sheer Cheek Duo (press sample)

Gold Dust Bronzer
Terra Bronzer
Bronze Age (press sample)
Soleil Contouring Compact

Moisturecore Lip Color in Scandola
Moisturecore Lip Color in Carriacou (press sample)
Moisturecore Lip Color in Mustique (press sample)
Moisturecore Lip Color in  Pipa (press sample)
Moisturecore Lip Color in Cala Di Volpe (press sample)
Moisturecore Lip Color in Otranto
Ultra-Rich Lip in Les Mepris (press sample)
Ultra-Rich Lip in Temptation Waits (press sample)
Ultra-Rich Lip in Revolve Around Me (press sample)
Ultra-Rich Lip in Solar Affair (press sample)

Cream & Powder Duos in Golden Peach and Naked Bronze (original review here):

Most of the summer collection has launched in stores and online. The only item that is a bit hard to find right now is the Bicoastal Sheer Cheek Duo which is on backorder at many places. I bought some of my items (non-press samples) from Nordstrom. The collection is also available online at Sephora, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. 

Stay tuned for individual reviews! I hope to have the Ultra-Rich Lip Color review up later this afternoon!

Some items featured include press samples and others purchased by me. Press samples indicated above next to the swatches.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty Uncategorized

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquers in White Snow and Resurrection

March 27, 2016

There are a few new shades of the Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquers ($18 each for 13 ml/0.43 oz) for spring and I picked up two from Sephora in White Snow and Resurrection. White Snow is a sheer milky cloud white and Resurrection is an opaque powdery pink cream. For those curious about the other new colors, there are 6 total in pastels and creams. The other four shades include Sundays Cool (lavender), Good Friday (mint), My Peeps (cool pink) and Confession (grey).

I find pastels can be hit or miss for my medium olive skintone. I love the look of white polish on other girls but on me it often looks like white out. Marc Jacobs White Snow has a sheer finish which requires 3 coats for me, but the sheerness helps make it more wearable on my hands compared to a pure white polish. Opaque pastel pink creams are often streaky or look too powdery on my hands. Marc Jacobs Resurrection is a high-maintenance pink in the sense that the first coat is a streaky mess, but it evens out to a smooth finish with the second or third coat. Each coat dries faster than most other polishes so I don’t mind the extra work and the color has just the right mix of white and pink so it’s not too contrasted with my skintone.

I just bought these and applied them so I didn’t give them a week-long test run to see how long they lasted. However in my experience with other Marc Jacobs Nail Lacquers – lasting power is very good and I can get up to 7 days of wear without any tip wear or chipping. I usually combine the Marc Jacobs Nail Lacquers with the Formula X Base Coat and the Nails Inc. 45 Second Top Coat. A closer look at both shades.

White Snow:

Above: Sweater by Rag & Bone, Bag by Celine, Jeans by J.Brand

Resurrection:

Both are fairly standard classic colors so I suspect they can be easily duped however I’m always on the hunt for a classic sheer white that isn’t too sheer and that also isn’t too opaque. White Snow is pretty darn good if you don’t mind layering more than 2 coats. Resurrection is nice but not a must – especially if you already own a lot of pale pink cream colors.

You can find Marc Jacobs Beauty Nail Lacquers online and in store at Sephora. Also online at Marc Jacobs Beauty. Have you tried any of their nail polishes before? If so what are your favorites? A few of mine include Daisy, Wine-Not and Petra.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
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Diptyque Fragrance Home / Interiors

Diptyque Room Sprays Fleur D’Oranger and Gingembre

March 23, 2016

Diptyque launched two new room sprays for spring called Fleur D’Oranger and Gingembre ($65 each for 150 ml / 5 fl oz). Both are fresh and bright home scents with a citrus feel. I’ve been a fan of several others from Diptyque including Baies and Figuier because they are great room refreshers and also make for nice mood lifters for the home.





Fleur D’Oranger is a honey orange blossom scent with a citrus floral smell. I can clearly detect the orange notes but there is a strong floral feel to it. I asked my husband what he thought this one smelled like and all he could smell was “floral.” When I told him it was orange and honey he had to take a minute to recognize the citrus notes. Overall Fleur D’Oranger has a very strong feel to it – it only takes a few sprays to fill the entire room – but this of course will depend on the size of the room you are trying to refresh. As mentioned in previous reviews on the Diptyque room sprays, the scent lingers for several hours but will fade slowly. The scents won’t linger as long as the candles do, but the scent power of the sprays is more concentrated and stronger than the candles which I feel is what makes them last in a room for a while. Sometimes I like to spray it on our sofa cushions so I’m literally sitting in a beautiful bright-feeling fragrance.

Above: Love, Style Life book, Smythson Notebook, Gucci Sunglasses (discontinued, similar here and here), Truffle Clarity Clutch Mini in White (c/o), Surratt Prismatique Lips (swatched here)
The other scent Gingembre is a bright ginger scent with strong citrus notes. When I first spray it, Gingembre smells like a straight citrus orange scent, but after it sets for a little ginger notes become more visible for a very pure and fresh scent. It makes me feel alive and awake. Out of the two, I would say it would be very hard for me to pick a favorite – but I have a slight preference for the Gingembre.

A quick look at our little collection of Diptyque Room Sprays. They last quite a long time each. At this time we’ve used up one bottle each of the Baies and Figuier and repurchased both. My husband likes these because they refresh a room faster than waiting for a candle to burn and fill up the room with scent. I’ve been trying to ration the Feuille de Lavande because it’s one you can’t buy in the US (we bought ours in Paris last summer and I wish I had brought home more of the scents available in Europe) it’s the most amazing relaxing home fragrance I’ve tried.

Bottom line both are beautiful home scents for spring. I hope they consider making Gingembre into a candle form. As with most Diptyque products these come with a steep price tag. Taking the first step to splurge is the hardest (it was for me) but once I tried one I fell in love. I know many friends who have also felt the same way and we’ve never regretted any Diptyque purchases.

You can find the new Diptyque room sprays at Diptyque stores and online. They are also available at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York. These just launched so I suspect more retailers will stock these soon. Have you tried any Diptyque room sprays? Which ones are your favorites? If not do you have any favorite home fragrance room sprays?

Fleur D’Oranger and Gingembre provided as courtesy press samples for review. All others from my personal collection and purchased by me.
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Chanel

Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colours in Ballerina, Organdi, Monochrome, Garçonne, Vamp and Rouge Noir – New Formula

March 21, 2016

As most of you now know, Chanel reformulated their Le Vernis Nail Colour ($28 each) earlier this year into a new and improved formula with longer wear. Most of the shades have been discontinued and pulled from counters and most places online (at the time of this post old colors are still showing up online at Saks.com). The new formula has been launched in 15 shades, 5 of which are re-promoted shades of classic colors (just in the new formula). After reviewing three shades Camélia 506, Gitane 510 and Roubachka 514 (review, swatches, old vs. new bottle and brush shots all posted here) I received an overwhelming amount of requests to review additional shades and the Chanel team kindly sent some of the most requested shades for me to review and swatch for you.

There are six that I’ve swatched and tested. Formulas of all shades offer smooth streak-free coverage and were easy to apply. Pigment in general of the new formula does seem to be on the more opaque side (think along the lines of the old Dragon formula) with a few exceptions of colors that have a sheer or jelly finish. As far as I can tell from a quick peek most of the shades are non shimmers with the exception of Vamp and Chaine Or (the gold seems to be only available at Saks). Some readers asked if I had any bubbling issues with the new formula. I personally did not see any bubbles. In terms of lasting power – I tested Ballerina (on the fingers) and Vamp (on the toes) for a full week each and both lasted 7 days without any signs of tip wear or chipping with the Le Top Coat.

Shown above from left to right:

  • Ballerina is a super sheer baby pink, the original version was almost impossible to see on the nail with two coats, the new version is an improved version in terms of pigment but I still find it extremely sheer and it was the only one that I needed 3 coats (and it’s still sheer)
  • Monochrome is a cool light grey, formula covers the nail entirely with two coats
  • Garçonne is a medium grey shade, it has a bit of warmth to it, coverage is rich and opaque
  • Organdi is a nude pink that falls in the neutral-cool category, it’s a full coverage color
  • Vamp is a deep wine color with a bit of red and purple shimmer mixed in, I’ve found the color is identical to the original, but the formula has improved with better pigment and shine
  • Rouge Noir appears to be exclusive to Chanel.com and the color is identical to what I have in the old formula, this is a jelly finish color but still covers the nail entirely with two coats, it’s a deep blackened red shade
Swatches, all have 2 coats with the exception of Ballerina which has 3 coats shown, also all swatches have the Le Top Coat applied on top:

Some swatch comparisons to some shades in the old formula, I thought I had the old Ballerina, but in searching my collection I found that I no longer have it:

Out of all the shades I’ve tested, I’m personally drawn to the brighter shades Camelia and Gitane that I reviewed back in February. I’ve used both on several pedicures since the initial post and find the colors are bright and cheerful. This second review batch has a mix of light and dark shades. I like Organdi as an everyday conservative neutral – the formula and coverage is excellent and I think on deeper more tan skintones it will look like a stunning lighter nude pink while on me it almost matches my skin undertone. I’m happy that Vamp and Rouge Noir have joined the new formula color family, if I had to pick between the two I would say Vamp has a special touch because of the subtle shimmer it has in it. For the grey shades I prefer Monochrome over Garçonne – both perform really well in terms of smooth streak-free coverage with very good pigment. On my skintone darker greys can make the skin look a little lack-luster. 

Overall I give the formula a thumbs up. The polish perform well and there is a wide range of colors to choose from in the non-shimmer finish that offer a nicely polished classic look. All shades are listed as permanent, available for $28 each at Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers. As of right now it appears that Rouge Noir is the only shade exclusive to Chanel.com (at least in the US) but if you’ve spotted it in stores please share in the comments.
Have you tried any of the new shades/formula yet? What did you think?

Polishes provided courtesy of Chanel for review consideration.

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Base Makeup Becca

Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation + Backlight Priming Filter Review

March 15, 2016

Becca launched a new foundation earlier this year called the Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation ($38 for 1 oz) which offers smooth, buildable natural coverage that has a soft glow. I’ve been testing this for two months now combined with the Backlight Priming Filter ($38 for 1 oz) which I actually bought and have used with other formulas since last fall but never reviewed. Today I have a review on both with swatches of all the colors of the Aqua Luminous formula.

For foundation I prefer something that is semi-matte and semi-dewy, basically something that’s in between both ends of the finish range and something that looks natural but also offers at least medium coverage. I don’t have perfect skin so visible coverage is essential for me. I used to use the Becca Sheer Luminous Foundation (original version) and the Foundation Stick many years ago (back in the early 2000s when I was in college and the line was still at Nordstrom). My match back then was Macadamia and I was a die-hard fan of the line until it disappeared from stores for a while. It’s since made a comeback at Sephora and Ulta but I never looked into the foundation reformulations until this year.

Glowy luminous foundations can be hit or miss for me. Many look incredible on my skin for 30 minutes to 1 hour and then turn into an unmanageable oil slick after that which is a shame for me because often times the coverage and color options are perfect. I have normal skin with some areas that are slightly oily and the Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation is amazing. It offers everything as described: smooth lightweight coverage, buildable pigment, blurs imperfections and gives the skin an ultra soft glow. It has enough coverage suitable to even out the skin nicely and I didn’t have to pack it on to get the coverage I wanted. Beige turned out to be my perfect match (as in truly perfect, no tweaking required). I still do need concealer or correctors for dark spots or red areas, but that’s the case with most foundations I use anyways.

The only thing I do not like about this foundation is the packaging. It comes with a dropper – you twist the cap to pop up the push-down dispenser at the tip and press to push out product. I find it awkward and difficult to use although it’s not impossible and I can overlook it because the formula is that good. In terms of lasting power it holds up well with or without primer. When I went to Sephora to get matched the artist used the Make Up For Ever Smoothing Primer and a beautyblender sponge to apply and it lasted from the time she applied it all over well into the late evening without getting greasy or oily looking. For wear on my own – I’ve tested it by itself, with a number of Make Up For Ever Primers (hydrating and nourishing are what I have) and the Becca Backlight Priming Filter. I think the Aqua Luminous foundation performs well with a number of formulas, a primer definitely isn’t needed for it to look its best. Powder is absolutely needed to set though – otherwise it gets too glowy looking by late afternoon. Some pressed and loose powders that I highly recommend in this post here.

Swatches of all the shades – they are swatched heavily so you can see the color. It blends out to a smooth flawless finish when I use either the Sephora Collection Pro Full Coverage Airbrush #53 brush or a beautyblender (the pink one is the best one, full review here, however I am testing the new nude). The color range is wide but there are definitely some big jumps in between shades. I’m thrilled that Beige is my perfect match.

A few comparison swatches:

Next is the Backlight Priming Filter which is a pearly liquid primer designed to create a base for makeup. It has a very soft luminous finish with a lightweight almost whipped almost liquid texture. I love the packaging pump as it’s easy to use and no fuss. I found it lightweight, non-clogging, non-irritating and luminous. It did create a nice glow and I like using this primer with other foundations but as a person who doesn’t really like primers in general, I didn’t find this essential to creating a flawless base. When the weather was warmer and we had a few heat waves I found this to be too moisturizing for my skin and it left my face looking a bit too dewy. With normal or cooler weather here in Southern California it performs better. In terms of primers though – this is one of the better ones I’ve tried in terms of smoothing the skin and creating a nice canvas for foundation, concealer and powder.

A quick look at Beige and the Primer swatched side by side:

Bottom line both are extremely good in terms of performance. I will be repurchasing the foundation once I’ve used it up. For the primer I’m not sure I find I love it enough to repurchase – I’m still searching for the one that changes everything for me. Still I have no regrets buying it and will use it to the end.

Have you tried the Becca Aqua Luminous Perfecting Foundation or Backlight Priming Filter yet? What did you think? You can find both for $38 each at Sephora.
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