I have a quick post today revealing the contents of the 2015 Diptyque Advent Calendar for Days 8 through 18. I’ve been good on this one and have opened one each day although I’ve been tempted to cheat and open all the days at once (I already did it for one other beauty calendar, lol). In case you missed Part 1 of the series, the Diptyque Advent Calendar retailed for $390 and sold out at lightening speed. I was lucky to find one even though I was waitlisted. Full contents listed in Part 1.
I haven’t burned all the scents yet, there is one in this week’s reveal that I actually haven’t tried yet which is Cypres. I keep sticking to my favorites Baies, Cuir, Figuier, Noisetter but this sampler set provides a nice way for me to branch out and try other scents.
There are two mini body products this week and I think I have finally found one product from Diptyque that I’m not head over heels in love with. The Rich Body Butter is indeed very rich and moisturizing but I’m not a fan of the scent. It’s very floral with notes of Byzantine rose and Turkish delight. I am really picky with rose scents and I find there is a fine line between a good soft floral and floral overload. If you like rose scents you will probably like the Body Butter. For me it’s too strong.
The other body product is the Precious Oil for Bath and Body. I will need to test this one more, I haven’t tried it in the bath yet, but on dry skin it’s emollient without being greasy. It is scented but it’s a fresh citrus scent (thank goodness it’s not floral). I’m not sure that I would wear this one with perfume as I think it would interfere with other fragrances. If you’ve tried this let me know what you think.
There are three fragrance minis in 34, Do Son and Oud Palao. I’ve tried all three in minis before and I’m not a fan of the Oud – it’s too masculine and heavy in my opinion, but I have a few close friends who are fans of Oud so I’m regifting it to one of them. I really like Do Son and 34 – I’ve accumulated several minis from previous gift with purchases so I’ve never bought the full size even though the bottles are so gorgeous.
As promised with my last reveal, I’m doing another giveaway. This time it’s a $50 e-Gift Card to Nordstrom. It’s open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to qualify. Simply enter through the widget below. Deadline to enter is 12/21/2015 at 11:45 PM PST. Winner will be selected randomly via the Rafflecopter widget, announced on the widget and contacted by e-mail (from me) within 5 days after giveaway entry period ends. If you’re a selected winner and a non-US resident, you may opt to receive $50 USD via Paypal instead.
If I were stuck on a desert island and could only have one makeup palette with me, it would be any of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes. I’ve been such a huge fan of Urban Decay for years and out of all the makeup I’ve bought, tried and tested, the Naked2 and Naked3 Eyeshadow Palettes are hands down my favorites – ever. I’ve done quite a few reviews on each palette in the past but I don’t think I’ve ever rounded them all up in one post. Today I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom to share my favorites from the line along with swatches and thoughts on their latest launch the UD x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette.
The Naked, Naked2, Naked3 and Naked Smoky Palettes all have a mix of beautiful neutrals. Each palette offers a diverse range of colors and textures ranging from matte, shimmer, frost, glitter and satin. The texture of the shadows are amazingly smooth, rich and super easy to blend. They last all day on my lids – although some of the glitter shades will have some fallout. I would say Naked has the most diverse range of neutrals from light, medium to dark. It has a split mix of warm and cool shades. Naked2 is the most neutral option with colors that will make any taupe lover go crazy. It has 2 of my favorite colors in YDK and Suspect (also available individually). Naked3 is the rosy pink neutral option, as one who rarely wears pink eye shadow, it was a huge surprise to me at how wearable the colors in this one are. The colors are absolutely perfect. The latest Naked palette is the Naked Smoky which I adore but is hit or miss for many. It’s the darkest and most dramatic mix of neutrals – the texture of the shadows is slightly harder than the other palettes, but I find pigment to still be excellent and easy to blend.
The best matte eyeshadow palettes on the market are the Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked2 Basics. I passed on the Naked Basics one for the longest time because I thought the colors would be too light for my skintone. Thanks to the extra push from my readers, I bought it and have been really happy. I don’t usually like matte shadows because I find they are either too sheer or too intense. Sheer ones just don’t show up on my skin, intense ones are too powdery or creamy and make my lids look wrinkled. The ones from Urban Decay are the perfect texture to just melt into the skin but at the same time the pigment shows up really well. The colors are easy to blend with each other. I like using these alone or mixed with shimmer colors. If I had to pick one, I would say Naked2 Basics is my favorite for my medium olive-toned skin, but both are really good.
The 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner Pencils come in a wide range of colors. I of course prefer the neutrals (there are tons of options in this range), but there are lots of bold brights and shimmers that are really fun. I always have Bourbon on hand, I have a few actually. One is a mini from a holiday set, and I also have the full size. It’s a shimmering dark chocolate brown. Rockstar is a classic deep plum. I like that it’s deep but not so dark that it looks black. The Naked Double-Ended Pencils are nice to have for travel because you get 2 shades in one stick.
If you’ve used Urban Decay for a long time, you are probably aware of the lipstick changes over the years. The formulas have changed numerous times (they used to have their glosses in a squeeze tube, anyone remember Midnight Cowboy?). Right now three current lip formulas I like include the Ultra Nourishing Lipgloss, Revolution Hi-Color Lipgloss and Revolution Lipstick.
The Ultra Nourishing Lipglosses are cushiony shiny glosses. They are on the sheer side, so many of them end up looking very similar once on the lips with slight variations. My favorite is Naked because it has the prettiest sheen and shimmer that makes the lips look full but not too full.
The Revolution High-Color Lipgloss is a rich pigment gloss that is almost like a liquid lipstick. The two neutrals in the line are Kinky and Liar, I almost bought both but they are really similar. Liar is deeper and more pink, while Kinky is more beige and peachy.
For the lipsticks, I’ve only bought one formula. There are three formulas of lipstick. The Revolution Lipstick is the classic version which offers creamy pigmented coverage with a bit of a sheen. Lasting power is really good. There is also the Revolution Sheer Lipstick and Revolution Matte Lipstick as well which I haven’t tested on my lips, but when swatching them in store, the sheers are just that – sheer. The mattes are full coverage velvets.
For the face, the Naked Skin products have often received high ratings and raves. I have tried two items and really like them. The Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation is a smooth powder that gives natural medium to full coverage. I use the shade Medium Light Warm. I like to use it to set liquid foundation or for mid-day touch ups on the T-zone. As a foundation it lasts pretty long and looks very natural. I like that it doesn’t cake even if you use the sponge. The Naked Skin Weightless Complete Coverage Concealer is a great concealer for both under eye and spot coverage. It’s full coverage without looking cakey. My match is Medium Neutral and I like how it really covers but blends well into the skin so it looks like your skin.
Swatches of all the concealer shades:
Last but not least, the latest from Urban Decay is a celebrity collaboration. They just launched the UD x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette (limited-edition). Being a fan of both, I knew had to buy it even though at first glance there were 2 shades I thought might be questionable. Here’s a quick snapshot below to show you the size/scale of the packaging compared to the other palettes. It has 15 eyeshadows in a large mirrored compact (Naked palettes have 6 to 12 shades). I love the little detailing on the mirror.
The 15 shades are mostly neutral with 3 colors that offer a bit of pop. There is a good mix of matte, shimmer and satin with one glittery shade and two colors that are on the sparkly side. I’ve been playing with this for only a few days but initial thoughts are thumbs up.
Descriptions of the colors in the UD x Gwen Stefani Palette:
Blondie is a shimmering pale cool-toned cream
Bathwater is a frosted yellow champagne
Skimp is a satiny soft pale cream with pink tones
Steady is a shimmering beige pink
Punk is a matte warm brown
Baby is a shimmering neutral mauve pink taupe
Anaheim is a matte fawn beige
Stark is a matte warm beige
Zone is a matte tan
Serious is a satiny grey brown with shimmer, goes on more matte
Pop is a glitter champagne sparkle
Harajuku is a cool-toned blue based pink shimmer
Danger is a sparkling bright navy
1987 is a sparkling gold
Blackout is a matte black
Pigment on all the colors is really good. There is some fallout with a few of the shimmering sparkles like Harajuku, 1987 and Baby, but once on the lids they stay put. The only color I wasn’t thrilled with is Pop mainly because it has crazy fall out with the glittery chunks unless you pat on the lids with a finger (over cream shadow to help it stick). I thought Danger would be a mess but it actually stayed put and didn’t fall all over the face when I applied with a detail brush. I thought Harajuku would give me a pink-eye look but it’s actually a very wearable pink.
Quick eye look with six colors layered and blended. The camera flash washed out the colors but I included a snapshot of the colors lined up together I used to help show the mix:
That rounds up my favorites from Urban Decay. There are a lot of single shadows that fall in the shimmer neutral category that are staples in my weekly makeup routine but the palettes are so much more convenient to use. Many times I find palettes have a few shades that I don’t like but with the Naked ones, I like every color in every palette.
If you’re looking for a versatile palette, you can’t go wrong the Naked Palettes. My top 3 favorites are Naked2, Naked3 and Naked2 Basics – they are good for everyday, great for travel and have enough color to create a look for evening or special occasions. The colors are timeless and you can wear them any time of year.
Do you have any Urban Decay favorites? I’m curious about the Naked Skin Foundation, Loose Powder and Afterglow Blush – if you have any thoughts please let me know, I’d be interested to hear what you think.
Thanks to Nordstrom for teaming up to sponsor this post. As always, all opinions my own.
Beauty Advent Calendars have been around for years in Europe, the ones launched in the UK have been on my radar for many holidays and much to my dismay the good ones have never been available in the US. This year, Diptyque launched an Advent Calendar which sold out at lightening speed. By the time I called my local store they had sold through all the ones they received, but they put my name on a waitlist. I was thrilled to find they were able to find one for me and will be doing a reveal of the contents each week.
The Diptyque Advent Calendar this year is priced at a jaw-dropping $390, but the set is quite impressive. It contains a mix of 25 mini-sized Diptyque items including candles, fragrance and body products. A huge part of me cannot believe that I splurged so much on a single beauty set, but another part is giddy with excitement. The Advent Calendar comes in a beautiful large box and black bow. It’s taken a lot of self control for me to not open all the little doors at once time. They did list all the contents online, it contains:
15 (1.2 oz) mini candles in Ambre, Feu de Bois, Santal, Genevrier, Opoponax, Vanille, Cypres, Noiseter, 34, Oud, Geranium Rosa, Pomander, Figuier, Rose, Benjoin
1 (2.4 oz) small candle in Baies
6 (0.34 fl oz) perfumes in Oud, Florabellio, Do Son, Tam Dao, Philosykos, 34
1 (15 ml) mini Precious Oil
1 (15 ml) mini Rich Body Butter
Here’s a look at the box with two items for scale:
A look inside the box, each day has a little perforated door to open:
Contents of Days 1 through 7:
Breaking down the price of the set versus individual items is a bit of a challenge since the minis aren’t usually sold separately. At $390 this Advent Calendar is the ultimate splurge. This is for the person who is a Diptyque lover, or for someone who wants to try a little bit of everything in mini-sizes. For a few reference points:
The 5 Piece Set is $75 and 10 Piece Set is $130. Both contain the baby candles that are also in the Advent Calendar, so the price per candle is either $13 or $15
The Eau de Parfume Set is $115 for 5 mini fragrances, although the size of each is 0.25 oz while the ones in the Advent Calendar are 0.34 oz
The 2.4 oz Baies is priced individually at $32
If you find this confusing, don’t worry, I did too, but bottom line is there doesn’t appear to be any price break by purchasing the calendar. Since it’s sold out and probably very difficult to find at this point, I would recommend the 10 Piece Candle Set as the next best alternative for someone who wants to experience as much Diptyque as possible for the best price.
Even though this Advent Calendar cost an arm and a leg (and then some) I do think it’s extra special. It has minis of candles and scents that you can’t usually buy separately at such a small trial size. I’m anxious to try them all over the next few months. I think it’s fun that they included so many different fragrances to try as well.
For fun, I’m going to be doing a few giveaways in the next few weeks. I’ll have a new giveaway with each weekly reveal. Ideally I wanted to giveaway a gift card to Diptyque so the winner could pick their own items, but their website doesn’t appear to sell them, so the next best thing is one to Nordstrom. For this one, I’m giving away 1 $100 e-gift card to Nordstrom. It’s open internationally, but you must be 18 years or older to enter. If you’re a selected winner via the Rafflecopter widget and are located outside of the US, you can opt to receive $100 via Paypal. Entries will be collected through the widget – you can comment below in the blogger comments, but note valid entries are through the widget only.
Terms and conditions are listed in the widget below – selected winner will be chosen randomly via the Rafflecopter widget and announced below. I will e-mail the winner directly. Entries will be collected through 12/12/2015 11:59 PM PST.
This holiday Diptyque launched three limited-edition scented candles in Sapin, Liquidambar and Oliban. The packaging is breathtaking and the special designs this year are the best ones to date. Diptyque partnered with painter Julien Colombier who lives and works in Paris to create this year’s holiday candle designs. As with previous holiday launches, there are several options in sizes and sets for the holiday scents. The price of these are slightly higher than the standard clear glass jar candles, but this is usually the case with any special-edition release. The options this year:
All 3 individually in the Small Size 2.4 oz / 30 hour burn time – $35
All 3 individually in the Standard Size 6.5 oz / 60 hour burn time – $70
If you are near one of the Diptyque boutiques, I highly recommend you visit one this time of year. The visual displays during Christmas are my favorite – everything is so beautifully put together and very festive. I stopped by the one at South Coast Plaza a couple weeks ago and every time I visit, I never want to leave.
Out of the three, my favorites are tied with Sapin and Liquidambar. I’m a huge fan of all the Diptyque pine scents. I started collecting a few years ago – as you can see below the packaging gets better and better every year. Below shown is Pine Bark (2013 edition), Résine (2014 edition) and Sapin (2015 launch). For inquiring minds, yes I bought backups each year and miraculously still had one of each kept in the original box. Out of all the holiday scents out there, I think Diptyque makes the best pine ones each year. Comparing the three, I do find the notes similar between the seasons. Pine Bark is the perfect mix of pine needles and bark, it’s earthy. Last year’s Résine is more green and smells more like the pine. This year’s Sapin is sweeter with noticeable citrus – the description says it has mandarin in it and it gives this an interesting sweet twist. Throw is very good on this one.
Liquidambar is another really good one. The packaging is simply stunning. This one is described as “liquid amber is spiced with nutmeg and cinnamon, then cloaked in the scent of muscovado sugar.” Compared to the regular Ambre candle, the Liquidambar is sweeter, not as spicy and has less of an incense feel. The sugar and cinnamon of the holiday candle makes for a festive but warm feel. Throw is really good on this one as well.
Oliban is described as having ” sweet oriental vapors of incense and woody accents set against fresh notes and balmy tones.” It definitely has that balmy feel, almost like a misty ocean-like scent. There is wood and incense mixed in. It has a refreshing feel. This one has the weakest throw of the three. It does give the room a clean subtle lift, but compared to the other two, it’s more on the subtle side. Shown below next to the Oiseaux Photophore (boutique exclusive, also reviewed here).
One more look at the displays at the South Coast Plaza boutique:
Once again Diptyque has launched a beautiful collection for holiday that’s not to be missed. I’m always eager to see the special edition packaging with every launch and the designs get better and better every year.
Being the Diptyque fan that I am, I bought the Holiday Trio along with the full size options in each of the three scents. Before the season is over I will be backing up the Liquidambar and Sapin for our home. For holiday there are a number of other nice sets that have regular candles which include:
Advent Calendar $390 (sold out, but stay tuned for a post on this later today)
My husband asked me to buy him a few of the 5 Piece Mini Sets + several wick trimmers to give out as business gifts. I’ve posted comparisons before but in case you missed it, here’s a quick look at the size comparisons. The mini sets have the smallest candles that you can’t buy individually (at least note yet) and are usually the ones given in gift with purchases.
You can find Diptyque at a number of retailers now. I am really happy to see they’ve expanded over the past few years. My favorite place to shop for Diptyque is the South Coast Plaza store even though it’s a bit of a drive for me to get there. They have the best customer service and visiting the store is always a treat. The lovely people who work at the boutiques are also very knowledgeable about all the products in the line which is always nice if you have questions or need recommendations. Not to mention everything is always wrapped up beautifully if you have gifts to give. You can also find Diptyque online at Diptyque, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Space NK, Barneys New York and Net-A-Porter.
Have you checked out the holiday offerings at Diptyque this year?
Today for Cyber Monday, Chanel launches their Les Tissages de Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect Blush in Tweed Pink #10 ($48, 5.5 g/0.19 oz, limited-edition, Chanel.com exclusive). This is a blush inspired by the iconic Chanel tweed fabric. The blush has a sparking overspray of gold and silver sparkles and once removed, a mix of two colors of pink blush is revealed underneath. Today I’m thrilled to be able to share the Cyber Monday launch of Tweed Pink #10.
Long time Chanel fans like myself will remember these Tweed Effect blushes from many years ago. There were a number of shades and limited-edition colors and then much to my dismay they were discontinued. These were among my favorites because they give the cheeks the perfect natural glow. Tweed Pink #10 was a classic used on me on almost every Chanel makeover I had. As soon as I saw the news that it Tweed Pink would launch for Cyber Monday I was extremely curious to see if it was a new one or a repromote. They share the same name and same product number. I pulled out the one from my stash and after testing, I do think the newly launched Tweed Pink does seem to me almost identical to the original. Those who missed out might want to explore this one now that’s it’s back. I have a full review + swatches of the 2015 release and if you scroll down you will see comparisons from the original to the new version.
Tweed Pink #10 is a light soft pink mix of two shades. All the Les Tissages de Chanel had an overspray and this year’s version also has a light dusting of gold and silver sparkle. Underneath you see a mix of two colors intertwined in a tweed-like effect. Tweed Pink has a mix of a deeper pink and a pale pink, both on the neutral-cool side. The color is glowy with super fine shimmers mixed in. On me I’ve found these to be a blush-highlighter mix in one. The colors are very natural and impossible to overdo which is nice for those who want a natural-looking blush. On the skin Tweed Pink is a light silvery cool pink but after it sits and warms up on the skin it does darken very slightly to give a natural baby pink flush.
With overspray removed:
Swatches below, I removed the overspray first and swatched the true color underneath. This is on bare skin without any base:
At an angle with flash, the flash captures the sparkle/dimension, on the skin it’s more of a subtle shimmer, not frosty at all:
Now for a few shots featuring the original versus new. The effect is almost identical, the difference is in the light pink color. The original Tweed Pink has a warmer light pink color, almost beige while the newer one has more of a cool pink undertone. The effect on the face/cheeks is still almost the same. You will be able to see them swatched side by side below as well to judge for yourself how similar or different they are. I do believe the newer version is slightly cooler-toned with a more visible glow. Comparing the labels, the product weight/amount from original to new is the same.
Close ups of the pans:
Swatch comparisons to a few other baby pink blushes:
I’m really happy that Chanel had decided to bring this back. I hope this means that they will be launching more colors in this formula as I really like the natural glow these provide (although at this time I don’t have any more information). In my blush testing experience the Tweed Blushes are easy to use, impossible to overdo and effortless to apply. For those who like a classic natural blush look to compliment the rest of your beauty look, I think you will really like Tweed Pink.
If you’re a long-time Chanel fan, do you still own any of the tweed blushes? If not, what’s your current favorite baby pink blush? The Les Tissages de Chanel in Tweed Pink ($48) is available in limited quantities, currently exclusively at Chanel.com.
Many thanks to the Chanel team for sending Tweed Pink for review.
For Black Friday, Marc Jacobs Beauty has two sets that are one-day exclusives. Both are limited-edition value sets and I highly recommend you put this on your shopping list so you don’t miss out. The first is a three piece brush set called Contour and Glow Brush Collection $105. I already own several of the Marc Jacobs Beauty brushes and they exceeded my expectations. Two foundation brushes that I’ve tested give flawless streak-free foundation coverage.
The brushes priced individually total $151, so the Black Friday set does offer some savings. It includes:
The Shape Contour Brush is a flat-tipped super dense brush with a synthetic blend of white and black bristles. It’s incredibly soft and perfect for contouring powders or creams. It also doubles as a foundation brush for a flawless finish.
The Blush Angled Blush Brush is an angled brush that is soft, but not quite as soft as the duo-fiber brushes from Marc Jacobs. This is perfectly angled for precise blush application but soft enough to blend color nicely. It picks up color really well and applies blush smoothly.
The Bronze Bronzer Brush
Bronze is the bronzer brush of all bronzer brushes. It’s huge! Super soft and tapered to give a diffused look. I like that it’s dense so it’s not floppy but at the same time it’s plush and will lightly dust bronzer across the face.
The second set has three color items. It’s called the Paint it Blacquer Collection, retails for $50 and includes the following:
O!Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara is one of my most favorite mascaras ever. It volumizes, holds the curl and doesn’t smudge or flake. I like that it’s a true black.
Magic Marc’er Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner is another cult classic. I’ve gifted several to a few friends who are liquid liner fanatics and it’s passed their test of approval as one they like and are willing to repurchase. It offers a precise stay-put line and dries to a semi-glossy black.
Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer in Blacquer is a new color that’s a pure glossy black cream. I’m a fan of the polishes in general and this one, although super dark, does look rather pretty and edgy on the hands. The polishes offer full coverage with two coats, apply super smooth and last at least 5 days without tip wear.
Swatches of the Marc Jacobs Blacquer, two coats:
In case you’re new to Marc Jacobs beauty, I’ve linked a few other previous features for reference. I’ve been a fan since they launched at Sephora. I have liked everything I’ve tried so far which is huge.
You can find both #Blacquerfriday sets exclusively
online at Marc Jacobs Beauty starting tomorrow. The brush trio is a bit
of a splurge but I think it’s worth it as the brushes are very good in
quality and made extremely well.
Do you have any Marc Jacobs Beauty favorites?
Many thanks to Marc Jacobs Beauty for sending me an early preview of the Black Friday Sets.
The Nocturnal Eyeshadows are shimmering luminous eyeshadows that have a multi-dimensional effect. A brush or finger will pick up a lot of pigment, but they apply medium-sheer in pigment on first swipe. What’s nice about these is that they are easy to build for a smokey eye. Over a base or applied wet the color intensifies. Dry, you get a softer shimmering effect on the lids. The shadows come in a small mirrored compact that is pretty sturdy for the size. The mirror is so so tiny though, it’s hard to see anything with it.
The Huntress is a bronzey taupe with a slight khaki sheen on my skin, there’s a bit of silver and gold flecks mixed in so you can see it’s pretty complex
Amber Moon is a deep metallic bronze eyeliner, but the shimmer is very fine and the color is deep
On The Prowl looks similar to The Huntress in the compact, but if the light hits it at the right angle you can see more of a plum base, below you can see the shimmer particles are different in color
Supernova is a bright but deep sparkling plum, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite as pretty
Each duo comes with a mini Rock ‘n’ Kohl Eye Pencil, both of which have a subtle luminosity and have seriously impressive lasting power. I really like the formula and plan on checking out the other shades that come in full sizes. Right now the colors in the duos are only available in the duos. I hope that changes and that Charlotte Tilbury will add them to the permanent lineup.
The two colors I picked with close ups, swatches and comparisons:
On the Prowl + Supernova: an antique Byzantium aubergine flecked with pearl and partnered with a smoky plum liner.
Swatches of the shadow three ways, first is dry (no base), second is over Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base in Suede (this is my holy grail eye base), third is applied wet. Because there is so much shimmer in these it’s a bit hard to tell in photos, but the intensity does increase dramatically when applied over a base or with a damp brush. Supernova Eyeliner is just stunning. It’s bright but deep at the same time.
I’m thrilled with both. I love dark smokey shimmers that aren’t the traditional black or grey color for a smokey eye look. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say I have a very slight preference towards the plum colors which surprises me. The combination is just so so pretty. If you are the kind to try before you buy, definitely visit your closest Charlotte Tilbury counter soon. These are both perfect to add a bit of glow and dimension to your beauty look for the upcoming holiday events but still neutral enough to wear for everyday.
