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NARS

NARS Afterglow Sweet Sensations Collection

January 18, 2024

NARS launched their Sweet Sensations Collection for spring with new shade extensions in their Afterglow Collection lineup. They have a new Afterglow Irresistible Eyeshadow Palette ($60), six new Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipsticks ($32 each), and three new shades of Afterglow Liquid Blush ($32). I have swatches of the entire collection. Everything has launched at Nordstrom, NARS, Ulta Beauty and Sephora.

Afterglow Irresistible Eyeshadow Palette

The Afterglow Irresistible Eyeshadow Palette has 12 shades with a rosy theme. It has a good mix of mattes, soft shimmers and sparkles. Texture and pigment of shades is consistently good among all shades. Mattes are soft, easy to blend, smooth. Shimmers have a subtle sheen. Sparkles are really finely milled glitter toppers with a pretty finish that isn’t too sparkly or chunky.

The color theme has a similar vibe to many previous palettes so I don’t know that I’d call it a must-have based on the colors, but it performs well. It pulls very warm – there are a lot of rose or brown tones.

Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipsticks

The standouts in the collection are the Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipsticks. I love this formula for the pigment, texture and feel. I already own most of the shades from the initial launch (review + swatches here) and still use them on a regular basis. The new spring shades are STUNNING! I think they have the perfect pop of color and are wearable even for neutral lip lovers. I am all about a natural lip, but I’m loving the tones of these spring shades. Three of the shades are similar in the brownish/reddish family but have differences in the undertone.

Voyeur is a peachy brown
High Gear is a coral red brown
Aragon is a brown red chestnut
Wild Ride is burgundy red with slight berry tones
No Inhibitions is a beautiful bright raspberry pink
All In is a pretty berry plum

Lip Swatches in action on Instagram Reels. Lip + Cheek combos below, also wearing:

Foundation NARS Light Reflecting Foundation Sahel + Vanuatu mixed
Powder Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Setting Powder Shade 3
Eyeshadow NARS Afterglow Irresistible Eyeshadow Palette
Mascara Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Brows Kosas Brow Pop Nano in Medium Brown
Sweatshirt AG Jeans Nova Crew
Nail Color Chanel Le Vernis Skieuse

Voyeur Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick + Orgasm Rush Liquid Blush

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High Gear Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick + Orgasm Rush Liquid Blush

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Aragon Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick + Aragon Afterglow Liquid Blush

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Wild Ride Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick + Aragon Afterglow Liquid Blush

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No Inhibitions Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick + Secret Lover Afterglow Liquid Blush

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All In Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipstick + Secret Lover Afterglow Liquid Blush

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Afterglow Liquid Blush

There are three new shades of Afterglow Liquid Blush. The formula is a lightweight almost gel-like liquid. These blend out to a sheer medium finish. The deeper shades like the new spring colors have more color payoff than the lighter colors but blend out to a more natural finish. (Swatches of other shades here.)

Aragon is a chestnut brown, Orgasm Rush is a brown with a subtle gold shimmer, Secret Lover is a watermelon pink. I love the pink one, I think it’s the perfect shade for spring.

Lasting power is very good, once they set they stay put and look fresh for hours without sliding off the face. I really like these for a liquid blush, but in general powder blush is still my formula of choice for cheek makeup.

That wraps up the NARS Spring Collection review. Have you checked out anything yet? What did you think?

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Available at Nordstrom, NARS, Ulta Beauty and Sephora.

NARS spring collection provided for review.

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Dior Lips

Dior Addict Lip Maximizers – New Fall/Holiday Shades

December 13, 2023

Dior added new shades of the Addict Lip Maximizer ($40) and as a huge fan of the formula I ordered them immediately in 065 Icy Blue, 066 Shimmer Candy and 067 Shimmer Rose Gold. You can see them in action here. Available at Dior and Sephora.

I also added swatches and lip swatches of the three that launched in the fall 049 Pure Copper, 050 Holo Silver and 051 Nude Bloom so I could do a comprehensive post (these are also swatched in action here).

Icy Blue

065 Icy Blue is a sheer milky pale blue. I thought it would be fun to try something a little more trendy. Based on the feedback on my swatch session here half of you love it, the other half do not. I think it’s really fun but it’s not really flattering on my lip/skin tone.

Look also wearing:

Foundation – Laura Mercier Real Flawless Foundation 3W0 Sandstone
Powder – Givenchy Prisme Libre Shade 3
Bronzer – Rare Beauty Warm Wishes Bronzer Always Sunny
Eyeshadow – Natasha Denona Mini Starlette Palette
Mascara – YSL Lash Clash

Shimmer Candy

066 Shimmer Candy was the shade I was most excited for but it’s a very frosty pale pink. Almost looks like a pale off white shimmer on my lips giving that 80s/90s vibe but not in a good way. It does work beautifully on top of a bright lip to add dimension.

Shimmer Rose Gold

067 Shimmer Rose Gold is probably my favorite of the three new holiday shades. It’s also very metallic, almost duo chrome but it doesn’t pull as frosty as the pink one.

The three that launched in September are much better and easier to wear I my opinion.

Pure Copper

049 Pure Copper is a stunning bronzey sparkle with different colored flecks. It is very similar to Shimmer Hazelnut so if you already own it you can probably skip this one.

Holo Silver

050 Holo Silver is a clear base loaded with silver and blue sparkles. I love the dimension in this, I think it’s beautiful alone or on top of another lip color. Photos in person do not do it justice!

Nude Bloom

051 Nude Bloom is my favorite. It has a peachy pink base with some ultra fine gold shimmer mixed in. It’s just SO beautiful. I bought a back up just in case it’s limited-edition. If you like Rosewood (more pink rose) I think you’ll love Nude Bloom which is a peachy shimmer version.

Overall love the fall shades Pure Copper, Holo Silver and Nude Bloom. Also really like the Shimmer Rose Gold. If I had been able to swatch or see the other two shades in person I would have passed.

If you had your eye on any of these, I hope you find these swatches helpful!

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Shades Available at Dior and Sephora.

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Victoria Beckham Beauty

Victoria Beckham Beauty Finishing Touch Collection

December 1, 2023

For holiday Victoria Beckham Beauty launched a limited-edition set called VB’s Finishing Touch Collection ($150) with 5 full sized items in a roll up tie-pouch. I’ve really loved a lot of what I’ve tried from her beauty line! This holiday set had products and colors I haven’t tried yet so I was really excited to order this.

Inside we have:

Posh Gloss in Martini (new, sheer glittering champagne)
Satin Kajal Liner in Olive
EyeWear Shadow Stick in Oyster
Reflect Highlighter in Pearl
Double-sided compact mirror

Right now you can find the Satin Kajal, EyeWear and Reflect Highlighter individually. The gloss and mirror are currently exclusive to the set.

The new Posh Gloss in Martini is very sheer. It’s described as glittering champagne and I love the smooth texture and glossy finish but on my lips it’s almost clear. If you want something that shows up better I’d recommend Fenty Champ Stamp Fantasy or Anastasia Beverly Hills Peachy.

I’ve really liked the Satin Kajal liner (I wear black all the time) and her EyeWear but hadn’t tried the Olive liner or Oyster shadow. Both are really beautiful shades I think would make great staples. I rarely ever wear green but the olive in the liner is very pretty and color is dark.

You girls know that highlighter sticks are usually a miss for me because I really can’t get that dewy cheek look to last on my skin. I find most too dewy, too sticky and too emollient but this Reflect Highlighter from Victoria Beckham Beauty is the best one I’ve tried. It is dewy and adds a glow but there is a slight dry down so it doesn’t feel too sticky on the skin. I’m ordering the other shade immediately.

I also recently tried her new Vast Lash Mascara. I ordered it from her website and think it’s a really nice tubing formula. I still prefer the Tarte Tartlette Tubing Mascara for holding the curl but this one from VBB is very good.

We are currently traveling in Miami and I brought quite a few VBB products with me! Wanted to share what I packed from her line (I brought much more from other brands, will try to do a packing roundup when we get back home). I love her Lid Lustre in Honey and Posh Gloss in Bungalow. Also love her Contour Stick.

Overall I really love the Final Touch Holiday Set. I don’t think the gloss is a must because it’s SO sheer, so for that reason I won’t call the set a must-have. That being said I do love the other items in it, I think I will get a lot of use out of everything.

Did you try this set or anything in it? Have you tried Victoria Beckham Beauty? What did you think?

Available online at Victoria Beckham Beauty.

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Chanel

Chanel Light the Way Set – Black Friday 2023

November 24, 2023

Today Chanel launches their Black Friday Limited-Edition Set called Light the Way ($111) with full-sizes of the LES BEIGES Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette in Warm and LES BEIGES Healthy Glow Lip Balm in Medium. Both are permanent items in their Les Beiges lineup and it’s packaged in their holiday makeup pouch. I’ve included swatches below from my review of the items when they launched in previous years. I think both are classic staples you can wear year round.

Below left to right: Light, Medium, Deep

Their holiday sets usually sell out very quickly. If you had your eye on one I hope you can get your hands on this!

Available at Chanel.com.

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Bobbi Brown Lips

Bobbi Brown Luxe Matte Lipstick Review

November 18, 2023

Bobbi Brown launched a new lipstick formula called the Luxe Matte Lipstick ($41 each). This formula replaced the original Luxe Matte Lipstick which I don’t think I tried before so I’m not sure how they compare, but the new one is as flawless as it gets for a matte lip.

To this day I’m still a glossy lip lover but the matte lip formulas keep getting better every year. My top favorite formulas are from Pat McGrath and Charlotte Tilbury and the new Bobbi Brown Luxe Matte formula is better (although I still really love the Pat McGrath ones).

Formula is ultra smooth and non-drying. The best part is they don’t look super dry either. I’d say they’re more of a velvety soft matte. Pigment is opaque and full coverage with a single swipe. The colors are all on point for the holiday season and they have a pretty good range of tones from neutrals, brown tones, bolds and reds.

As a neutral lip lover I would have loved if they made some of their best sellers like Bare, Blondie Pink and Buff in this formula, but I do see how that would be redundant and I can appreciate that they have new shades in this formula. (I think Pat McGrath has the best matte neutrals.)

Sunset Rose is a neutral-cool toned nude pink
Neutral Rose is a dusty rose
Boss Pink is a healthy warm pink
Parkside is a cool-toned brown
Afternoon Tea is a peachy almost orange shade
Big City Pink is a hot pink
Claret is a muted soft red
Ruby is a deep red
Power Play is an electric orange
Traffic Stopper is a bright warm red
Red Carpet is a true red
After Hours is a wine red

They’re not scented and lasting power is pretty good. They’re not transfer proof but I like the wear time and they feel very comfortable on the lips.

Swatches of some of the shades on the lips, also wearing:

Sweater – Jenni Kayne Cropped Cocoon (also available in regular length)
Foundation – Chanel No 1 de Chanel Foundation in B40
Powder – Givenchy Prisme Libre Loose Setting Powder Shade 3
Cheeks – Bobbi Brown Luxe Cheek and Highlight Palette in Rose Glow
Eyes – Bobbi Brown Luxe Eye Duo in Last Dance
Mascara – YSL Lash Clash
Nails – Olive and June Quick Dry in Penny

Bobbi Brown sent over a selection of their holiday sets and palettes. I am absolutely in love with the Luxe Eyeshadow Duo ($48) in Last Dance. I love the luxe eyeshadow shimmers and especially love the tones in this one! There are a few other shades but it looks like they may have already sold out as I cannot find them anywhere online.

This holiday they have a lot of their best-sellers packaged in bundles at a value price. They make for some great stocking stuffers like the Extra Lip Tint Duo ($35, $70 value), Confetti Crush Lip Trios ($30 for minis, $59 value) and All Eyes Aglow Long-Wear Cream Shadow Set with Moonstone, Taupe, Cinnamon, Mulberry and Soft Bronze + Mascara ($99, $197 value).

There are a few cheek palettes out this season. I tried the Luxe Cheek and Highlight Palette in Rose Glow ($62). At first glance I thought it would be too light for my medium skin tone but much to my surprise it shows up beautifully for a natural glow.

Overall love. I think there are some really beautiful pieces to wear for a fresh look this holiday but classic enough to be able to wear come spring.

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Available at Bobbi Brown, Saks, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and all Bobbi Brown retailers.

Holiday launches gifted by Bobbi Brown.

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Chanel Highlighters

Les Symboles de Chanel Highlighters for Holiday

November 15, 2023

This holiday Chanel launched stunning Oversize Illuminating Face Powders ($95 each) in their Les Symboles de Chanel collection. There are five stunning embossed patterns to choose from and each symbol has a special meaning for Chanel: The Lion (strength), The Comet (luck), The Camellia (harmony), The Chain (style) and The Pearls (radiance).

There are three colors to choose from each design: Pearly White, Warm Gold and Precious Coral.

Pearly White

Pearly White is a glittery sparkling white. It has more glitter than most Chanel highlighters. Fun for holiday parties but VERY glittery. To my eye looks nearly identical to the sparkling bottom half of the Duo Lumiere from the Holiday 2023 collection. If I had to pick one I would opt for the Duo Lumiere because the color in the top portion is SO stunning.

Pearly White in The Camellia and The Pearls

Wearing Les Symboles de Chanel in Pearly White on top of Joues Contraste in 72 Rose Initiale and paired with Rouge Coco Gloss in 172 Tendresse. Sweater from Sezane. Nail Polish Olive and June Sandy.

Warm Gold

Warm Gold is the perfect shade of warm gold. A little peachy, tiny bits of microsparkles (but not full on glitter) make this beautiful. There is another highlighter in the Poudre Lumiere formula called Warm Gold but the Warm Gold color in Les Symboles de Chanel is different. Noticeably different to justify owning both in my opinion. The holiday version is deeper, more golden and more sparkly/luminous.

Warm Gold in The Comet and The Lion

Wearing Les Symboles de Chanel in Warm Gold on top of Joues Contraste in 55 In Love with Lip Liner in 162 Nude Brun + Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue in 166 Timeless Beige. Sweater from Sezane. Nail Polish Olive and June Sandy.

Precious Coral

Precious Coral is my favorite. It’s a beautiful light coral with the most perfect soft sheen to it. I want this shade in literally everything – tops, bags, lipstick, gloss, eyeshadow etc. I think it’s the prettiest color I think I’ve ever seen.

Precious Coral in The Chain and The Camellia

Les Symboles de Chanel in Precious Coral on top of Joues Contraste in 55 In Love with Rouge Coco Gloss 166 Physical on the lips. Sweater from Sezane. Nail Polish Olive and June Sandy.

Overall beautiful and luminous. I collect Chanel highlighters so these were a must for me. I would have loved if the Pearly White were more of a smooth shimmer vs a glitter, but I still think it’s fun for holiday. My favorite is the Precious Coral although the Warm Gold is a very pretty flattering gold shade. It’s hard to pick a favorite pattern. I think they’re all beautiful but I think the Comet and Camellia are my favorites.

Available at Chanel.com and Chanel Beauty Boutiques. All limited-edition.

Press samples gifted from Chanel.

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Lips Sephora YSL Beauty

YSL Rouge Pur Couture + Bold High Pigment Lipstick Haul

November 6, 2023

Today’s the last day of the Sephora Savings Event! If you had anything on your wishlist today is the last day to save for Beauty Insiders! Use code TIMETOSAVE to take advantage of the 10% to 20% savings depending on your tier.

I hauled some of the new lipsticks from YSL Beauty and think the formulas are among the best they’ve launched. I picked out some of the new Rouge Pur Couture Caring Satin Lipstick ($45 each) and a few of The Bold High Pigment Lipsticks ($45 each, not new but there are new shades).

Rouge Pur Couture

above left to right: N1, N3, N5, N8 and N12

The YSL Rouge Pur Couture Caring Satin Lipstick is one of the best lipstick formulas I’ve tried. They are scented like the fruity lipsticks from YSL but it’s not quite as strong. I posted an Instagram Reel last week with a try-on haul of this formula and you girls seem to LOVE these tones! To me they are like a more pigmented less glossy version of the Rouge Volupte Shines. The new Rouge Pur Couture is creamy, smooth and opaque.

Based on the online swatches and stock photos, these look very different on me compared to what I see swatched online. N8 and N12 pull a lot warmer on me. Out of all of these I like N3 and N5 the best.

Also please keep in mind these may look very different on you if you’re cool or warm, lighter or darker. Neutrals are tricky with undertone and lip tone. I have a neutral golden undertone with pigmented lips.

N1 is a neutral beige nude
N3 is a pinky peach beige
N5 is a light cool pink
N8 is a warmer pink
N12 is a nude with slight mauve tones

Swatches on the lips, also wearing:

Foundation – Armani Luminous Silk Foundation 6.5 (review here)
Concealer – Natasha Denona Hy-Glam Concealer Shade N6
Powder – Givenchy Prisme Libre Shade 3 (see it in action here)
Bronzer – Dior Forever Natural Bronzer Shade 5
Blushes – Armani Luminous Silk Glow Blushes 50 +51 mixed (swatches here)
Eyeshadow – Patrick Ta Major Dimension III Mattes (swatches here)
Brow – Benefit Precisely My Brow 2.5
Mascara – Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Nail Polish – Chanel Le Vernis in White Silk (holiday 2023 review here)

A lot of you wanted swatch comparisons to the Rouge Volupte Shine so I pulled what I still have to swatch for you below. Some of them have been discontinued and I don’t remember the shade names but I have listed the numbers. Also added a couple of the Candy Glaze Lip Gloss Stick.

Swatch comparisons:

The Bold High Pigment Lipsticks

I picked up a few of The Bold High Pigment Lipsticks and really love the formula. It’s a satin almost matte finish (not quite matte). Super opaque and full coverage. Shades are indeed bold and more on the dramatic side. 12 Nu Incongru looks like a soft pink online but it’s a bold cool pink and I kinda love it. 13 Nude Era is a neutral-cool tone beige nude and kinda makes me look like a corpse but if I added darker liner I think I could make it work. 1968 is described as a nude pink but it’s really more of a warm pink almost reddish.

I swatched 2 of them on the lips below.

Overall lots to love. If you like neutrals I think you’ll like some of the Rouge Pur Couture shades. They do have a slip to the texture and shiny finish so the lasting power isn’t going to be as long as The Bold High Pigment. Rouge Pur Couture does last longer than the Rouge Volupte Shines though.

I did a Sephora haul online and in store! I received most of the items (one package is still in transit) and while I won’t have time to test or review them before the sale is over, I’ll share them below. Some of the items have sold out or are only available in store but if you missed out not to worry – I think there will be plenty of great holiday sales coming up soon!

Haul Picks Linked

I’m pretty excited to try the new Huda beauty picks and the Urban Decay moondust shadows! Did you splurge on anything exciting during the Sephora sale? What did you pick out?

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I bought the lipsticks at Sephora. Also available at YSL Beauty, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

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Older Posts

Newer Posts

Brand

NARS Afterglow Sweet Sensations Collection

Afterglow Irresistible Eyeshadow Palette

Afterglow Sensual Shine Lipsticks

Afterglow Liquid Blush

SHOP THE POST

Dior Addict Lip Maximizers – New Fall/Holiday Shades

Icy Blue

Shimmer Candy

Shimmer Rose Gold

Pure Copper

Holo Silver

Nude Bloom

Shop the Post

Victoria Beckham Beauty Finishing Touch Collection

Chanel Light the Way Set – Black Friday 2023

Bobbi Brown Luxe Matte Lipstick Review

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Les Symboles de Chanel Highlighters for Holiday

Pearly White

Warm Gold

Precious Coral

YSL Rouge Pur Couture + Bold High Pigment Lipstick Haul

Rouge Pur Couture

The Bold High Pigment Lipsticks

Haul Picks Linked

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