This spring Diptyque has released a the new rose-themed collection called Rosafolia. It includes three new items including the Rosafolia Candle, Scented Oval and a new perfume called Eau Plurielle. I ordered the candle which comes in a beautiful limited-edition white jar with a lovely rose and ivy design. This year’s special rose scent has a new fresh twist on rose. The best way I can describe it is as a green rose.
Per Diptyque, Rosafolia is “a scented candle whose verdure, enhanced by a touch of galbanum, is gracefully diffused at the heart of Turkish rose absolute, the softness of petals sharpened by the understated vitality from a hint of geranium.” There is a green touch to it which rounds out the floral notes. Compared to last year’s Rosamundi, Rosafloria is clearly more green and with a fresher and slightly sweeter touch. Last year’s Diptyque special rose release was a bit more floral and almost powdery in scent.
Rosafolia is bottom line gorgeous. I highly recommend you check it out. I ordered mine from Diptyque South Coast Plaza. It’s also available now online at Nordstrom and Diptyque.
If you’re like me and are obsessed with neutral lipsticks and glosses, you might be very curious about the Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks and Lip Lustres. The line is currently available at select counters and stores right now so you may not have easy access to the line. Buying nudes lip colors sight unseen can be a bit risky – not all nudes are wearable and everyone has a different definition of what they consider nude or neutral. I ordered Bitch Perfect, Nude Kate, Blondie and Sweet Stiletto sight unseen last August. I was really pleased with these but wanted to wait to see the rest of the colors in person before ordering more. In October, I was thrilled to be able to attend the Charlotte Tilbury Nordstrom launch at The Grove last year and took that time to look at all the nudes in person. They all looked phenomenal and I made a wish list. Even after seeing them all in person it took me a few weeks to decide whether or not to jump and purchase more (after all I have enough nude lipsticks to last multiple lifetimes).
Today I have six of the K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks and five of the Lip Lustres to share with you. All of them swatched side by side to show you the differences and similarities with comparisons and photos of how they look on my lips.
First up are the neutral K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks ($32 each). Left to right is Nude Kate, Hepburn Honey, Penelope Pink, Bitch Perfect, Confession and Stoned Rose. All of these lean neutral or on the warm side which I think make them easier to wear and more naturally flattering on the skin. Some of them look remarkably similar in the tubes side by side. I’ll add my descriptions on the differences below. With the exception of Confession, all are permanent and have cream finishes (without shimmer). These are high in pigment and full coverage. Fragrance wise there is a very soft nice vanilla scent, it fades after a minute. They have a creamy finish with a slight sheen. Lasting power is quite good and the colors adhere really nicely to the lips. Due to the pigment, I do think you need to have a well-prepped lip before applying otherwise they will emphasize lip lines. While they aren’t really moisturizing, they do have a nice cushiony feel and I was happy to find that they did not dry out my lips. For recs on lip prep, check out this post Lip Primers and Lip Balms in Rotation.
Nude Kate is a flesh-toned beige nude cream, this for me is a true nude
Hepburn Honey is a honey-toned neutral nude beige
Penelope Pink is a pink-nude beige, leaning more pink than Nude Kate
Bitch Perfect is a pinky-peachy medium pink neutral
Confession is a medium rose-nude with golden shimmer
Stoned Rose is a warm almost terra-cotta nude rose cream
The Lip Lustres Lip Lacquers ($22 each) range from creams to sheers to shimmers to sparkles. Out of all the neutrals, I don’t own Bardot Beige or Portobello Girl, but here are the ones I do own. The coverage is sheer to medium on these. I find them pigmented enough to wear alone, but for the shimmers I think they work best layered over other lipsticks to add dimension and shine. They are a bit sticky but not tacky. I really love these glosses.
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds is a sparkling light beige nude pink
Seduction is a creamy beige nude cream
Ibiza Nights is a super sparkly sheer golden champagne
Blondie is a pink base with cool-toned champagne frost
Sweet Stiletto is medium warm neutral rose
High Society is a medium plummy color, it’s not a neutral/nude but I added it for comparison purposes below:
I hope you found this roundup and swatch lineup helpful, especially if you can’t see the Charlotte Tilbury beauty line in person before purchasing. For the lipsticks, I hate to say this, but I think every single one is perfection for a neutral lip. I think Nude Kate is the truest nude in the sense that it is a flesh-toned nude. I was worried it would be too pale but it has enough color to not wash out the complexion. That being said, I think Hepburn Honey and Penelope Pink will be easier to wear for a nude color since there is more pigment and depth. If you want more color but still want something natural Bitch Perfect and Stoned Rose are good to look into.
For the Lip Lustres, your mileage may vary depending on what kind of gloss you are looking for. If you want a full coverage high pigment gloss, you might not like these. They have medium pigment and a natural shine which I find really flattering on the lips.
Have you tried Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty items yet? What are your
favorites? I’m still working my way through testing out items from the
line but so far I’ve really liked most of what I’ve tested. Would love
to hear about your favorites!
Beauty Look Book readers know I’m a dedicated fan of Diptyque. So far I’ve loved every candle from the line that I’ve bought or received as a gift. There are some scents that are harder to find because they are either boutique or online exclusives. I have one of each to share with you, one hit and one miss.
Benjoin ($60 for 6.5 oz) is an online exclusive described as “somewhere between vanilla and caramel” with notes of patchouli and Indian cypriol. I had high hopes for this one expecting a well rounded sweet vanilla and caramel candle, something along the lines of Henri Bendel Vanilla Bean (my all time favorite vanilla candle).
When I opened the box I was a bit thrown by the smokey and woody notes that had a slight floral and powdery feel. The good thing about this candle is that it has a very good throw and fills up the room with the scent quickly. In the jar it does smell like a mix of caramel and vanilla, but in a synthetic way that has a plastic feel and the woody notes makes it turn a bit. Since this was an online exclusive, I ordered 2 and burned through an entire candle to test it and see if if would grow on me. My friends really like this one but for me this was a miss – mainly because I was expecting something sweeter and more rounded. I just started to burn my second one to see once again if I could grow to love it, for me all I smell is powder and smokey wood with a very slight hint of vanilla. I think it’s going to be re-gifted very soon.
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Another one I’ve been testing is Cuir ($60 for 6.5 oz) which is a Diptyque Boutique exclusive. It is occasionally listed online but it always seems to be sold out (I’ve bought mine in stores). The description from Diptyque is “this candle evokes the scent of tanned leather with birch bark,
characteristic note of Cuir de Russie.” They say it is “perfect for an
office.”
For me this one has been pure love since the first time I smelled it in store. It does have a leather and birch bark feel but with a very clean feel. It has a freshness that almost reminds me of soap, although the candle isn’t really soapy – it’s hard for me to describe, but if you can visit one of the Diptyque stores, I highly recommend smelling it. It’s very unique and different from most candles. I bought it for my husband’s office, but ended up borrowing it (permanently) from him and have repurchased it twice.
If you haven’t been to a Diptyque store, I highly recommend you put it on your list for the new year. They are beautifully designed with exclusives you can’t find at other retailers. (They have the full range of large and small photophores which are beautiful, one featured here). See my coverage on South Coast Plaza, Maiden Lane and Larchmont.
Have you tried or bought any of the Diptyque online or store exclusives? What are your favorites? If you bought Benjoin online, what did you think?
Charlotte Tilbury’s holiday collection consists of a mix of new and previously released products for The Supermodel Look. She has a couple pre-made sets where you can purchase all the items in one kit for the entire look but you can also buy the items individually. I decided to purchase most of the items separately and have swatches and thoughts to share with you today.
Charlotte Tilbury’s collection is my favorite out of all the holiday releases. The colors and combination is quite stunning with the mix of a bronze-smokey eye and nude pink lips. Here are the items I ordered:
Fallen Angel Luxury Palette ($65, limited-edition) is a really pretty eyeshadow quad with a soft champagne, cool silvery mauve taupe, warm shimmery bronze and a satiny black. I previously compared this to Chanel’s Rêve D’Orient. I have a slight preference for the Chanel, but the Charlotte Tilbury is just as stunning and more cool-toned. I’ve been wearing this a lot and I like how easy it is to use. The four colors combined are pure genius and I like that you can wear this everyday but dress it up for evening. The texture is soft with a slightly creamy texture. The colors adhere well to the lids, blend nicely, layer really well and last long. I give it a huge thumbs up. I think it is different enough from the Chanel to justify both.
Sex on Fire Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop Blush ($40, permanent) is a luminous blush with a mix of beige and rose and tan. It has a lighter beige-pink on the outer rim with a darker tan-rose in the middle. I’ve accumulated several of Charlotte Tilbury’s blushes and have been really impressed. The texture is super soft with really good pigment. It glides on the skin nicely and layers well if you want more color. The way you are supposed to apply these is to take a brush and swish the outside lighter color and apply to the cheeks. Then take the inner darker color and pop some more color for added depth and pigment. I can’t always get my brush to just get the outside or inside color, so I like to swirl my brush in the entire compact before applying.
Confession K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick ($32, limited-edition) is the perfect color to get Kylie Jenner lips. It’s a good medium-toned nude pink with color. There is a slight hint of shimmer which prevents it from looking flat, but on my lips it’s primarily a cream. The coverage is full and the texture is very creamy. It is medium-to-thick which makes it adhere really well to the lips and I found it lasted quite long without any lipliner. I hope she considers making this permanent.
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds Lip Lustre ($22, limited-edition) is a light neutral pink beige with silvery champagne shimmer. I really love this lip gloss. The color is the prettiest light pearly beige. It works well alone for me, although I think most people will prefer this one layered over a lipstick. It has a sheer to medium coverage that adds the prettiest shimmery nude sheen to the lips.
Pillowtalk Lip Cheat Lip Pencil ($22, permanent) is a rosy neutral lipliner that matches Confession lipstick. I’m not a lipliner wearer much these days but so many have raved about it I had to check it out. It’s a good long-lasting creamy shade that you can use to line and fill the lips for added volume.
More photos and swatches:
A few quick comparison swatches to some other Charlotte Tilbury nude lipsticks (a more detailed feature on all these shades to follow soon):
If you’re looking for one brand that will give you a complete look for the holiday or new year (or year round) the items in Charlotte Tilbury’s The Supermodel Look is a good one to check out. I researched reviews on a number of blogs before purchasing the items sight unseen and the shades look great on all different skin tones.
I like every single item in the collection and I think they are worth every penny. I could have skipped the lipliner since I rarely wear liners these days, but Pillowtalk is a good nude pink.
Do note the best items in the look are limited-edition. I would recommend ordering soon if you’re interested. The Confession Lipstick and Fallen Angel Quad have sold out numerous times on multiple sites but the good news is that many have restocked over the past week. You can find Charlotte Tilbury Beauty online at Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman, Beautylish, Selfridges and Charlotte Tilbury.
Did you buy any of the holiday items from Charlotte Tilbury?
What was your favorite holiday collection this year?
Tom Ford launched 50 shades of clutch-sized lipstick last month with the Lips and Boys collection as an online exclusive for a very short period of time. Ordering the colors I wanted was a bit tricky for me since many of the colors sold out on different sites almost instantly. They are making a comeback though, while supplies last, online now at Nordstrom, Saks and Bloomingdales. They are expected to launch again on December 26th at select Tom Ford counters and boutiques, also online at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman. I have my neutral picks to share with you along with swatches and thoughts.
The Tom Ford Lips & Boys are clutch-sized lipsticks priced at $32 each for 0.07 oz/2 g. They are in between the sizes of the full sized Lip Colors and baby gift with purchase Lip Colors. For size reference here are all three options lined up side by side.
Full Size is .1 oz / 3 g priced at $50 each
Lips & Boys are 0.07 oz / 2 g priced at $32 each
Baby Gift with Purchase is 0.03 oz / 1 g
After playing with the shades for several weeks I can say that my overall impressions are positive. I think the lip colors are the strong point of Tom Ford’s beauty line and have been impressed with pigment, coverage and feel ever since the first launch back in 2011. The Lips & Boys have two different finishes. There are shimmery shades and then there are cream shades. Some of the creams have a tiny bit of shimmer in the tube but on the lips they apply more like a true cream. Pigments range from sheer to medium to full depending on color. Closeups and arm swatches below:
Photographing 15 lipsticks on one arm was a bit tricky because of my arm curve and also because many of the colors have this natural glossy sheen. I have several shots to try and capture the colors and show you the difference between the nudes:
Close ups and lip swatches with descriptions of each shade:
Addison is a creamy full coverage medium neutral pink, the coverage is perfection, Addison is reported to be a repromote of Pink Dusk – I find Addison about a 1/2 shade darker than Pink Dusk
Alexander is a full coverage bright pink with cool tones, on my lips it pulls very blue, this one emphasizes dry patches and lip lines
Beau is a full coverage creamy nude, it’s almost flesh-tone on me, it’s reported to be a dupe of Blush Nude, in the tubes Beau is slightly more pinkish, Blush Nude is a tiny bit lighter and more beige
Cary is a full coverage deep mauve pink, it pulls brighter on my lips
Flynn is a baby pink with medium coverage
Henry is full coverage shimmering brown, on my lip/complexion it pulls very orange
Ian is a sheer shimmery light pink nude
Orlando is a sheer frosted mauve nude tan
Patrick is a bright medium coverage coral pink, texture was patchy on this one
Peter is a shimmering medium coverage neutral pink with pale champagne shimmers
Rory is sheer shimmering pale gold, it goes on patchy if your lips aren’t well prepped
William is a medium coverage shimmering warm nude peachy pink, this is reported to be a repromote of Pink Dune, I don’t find them similar, Pink Dune is more beige and glossy, William is a lot warmer almost peachy gold by comparison
Julian is a full coverage medium cool pink
Luca is a medium to full coverage coral with contrasted pale champagne frost mixed in
Olivier is a medium coverage cool pale pink
Swatching 15 lipsticks was extremely harsh on my lips with all the wiping and re-applying so some of the swatch photos may look a bit dry. I found that the shimmery shades have a high level of pale frost in them which ended up emphasizing lip lines with a camera flash or super dry lips. I think prepping the lips and making sure they are hydrated is key – but I do think extra moisture is needed right now with the dry winter weather. The creams performed the best for me with the exception of Patrick which I found applied patchy and uneven (it took extra work). Still with the creams you need a well hydrated or smooth lip because the pigment is rich and creamy with full coverage.
My favorite shades include William, Peter, Addison, Ian, Orlando and Luca. I personally don’t like Alexander, Julian & Olivier because cool-toned pinks just don’t work well with my skin although they are very pretty pinks. I had application issues with Rory and Patrick (at least straight from the tube). Henry for some reason turns very orange on me.
Overall my thoughts are thumbs up on most of the colors. The clutch size is just so adorable – I can never resist a mini. The price point is still a bit steep but I have an easier time justifying $32 vs $50 on a lipstick (even if the size is small).
If you’re not able to see these in person before purchasing, I highly recommend researching swatches and reviews online. I won’t have time to do comparison swatches but there are many resources that have helpful reviews you can find on other blogs. The Tom Ford Beauty discussion thread on Specktra.net is extremely helpful, many have chimed in on their thoughts, added swatches, photos and have additional shopping tips.
If any of these interest you at all I recommend you order sooner than later because I think it’s a good assumption that these will sell out very quickly. You can find the Tom Ford Lips & Boys online now at Nordstrom, Saks and Bloomingdales. Available for pre-order at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Expected to launch at Tom Ford counters, boutiques and online this week on December 26th.
I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. I will be taking a few days off from the blog to enjoy time with loved ones. Merry Christmas from me to you!
The latest addition to the Urban Decay Naked series is the travel palette called Naked On the Run ($54, limited-edition). I’m a huge fan of the Naked Eyeshadow Palettes so I jumped on the bandwagon and ordered the newest palette of neutrals which has products for eyes, lips and cheeks.
Naked on the Run has five neutral eyeshadows with a mix of shimmer and matte colors, a mini 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner, a Naked Gloss, Bronzer, Blush, Highlighter and a mini Perversion Mascara. The colors in this palette:
Dive Eyeshadow is a sparkly medium rose pink with a high frost and some gold sparkle
Fix Eyeshadow is a matte light-to-medium tan brown
Resist Eyeshadow is a shimmering warm taupe
Dare Eyeshadow is a matte medium-dark warm brown
Stun Eyeshadow is a sparkling chocolate with gold and brown chunky shimmer
Bronzer is a finely milled soft bronze color
Blush is a cool pink with a slightly satiny sheen
50/50 Highlighter is a satiny pale pink shimmer
Stag 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner is a deep brown with some plum tones, it has a lovely shimmer
Sesso Lip Gloss is a nude plum pink with an iridescent sheen
The Naked on the Run Palette is designed to be travel-friendly or to carry with you on the go. It does have everything you need for a complete look (minus brushes) and the colors are versatile, neutral, extremely pigmented and easy to wear. The compact however is huge. It’s about 5.4 inches by 5 inches and a little over 1 inch thick. For a travel palette I expected something more compact, but the palette is deep to accommodate compartments for the lipgloss and mascara. The mirror is one of the biggest that I’ve seen in a compact which makes it super useful to apply the product whether you’re at home or traveling or on the go.
For size reference next to a medium-sized tote and magazines. You can see that the Naked on the Run is fairly large. It won’t fit in any of my makeup bags, but it does fit into one of the larger compartments in my purse:
For the products, the eyeshadows are richly pigmented and velvety in texture, true to Urban Decay’s signature eyeshadow formula. There is a higher degree of frost with the shimmer shades but I found them very wearable. The colors do seem to be standard neutrals, but with most of Urban Decay’s neutrals, I find they always manage to add a special mix of shimmer or sheen to their neutrals that gives them a new twist making them unique.
The cheek products which include the bronzer, blush and highlighter are finely milled with a very soft texture. The pigment is sheer to medium but buildable. I reviewed two of the Naked Flushed Palettes before and think I might be the only one who cannot wear them on their own. There is something about the texture that makes my cheeks look very dry where pores are suddenly emphasized and skin looks chalky. I had the exact same experience with this palette, but based on reviews I’ve read, it appears I might be in the minority with my thoughts on the cheek products.
Sesso Lip Gloss is a gorgeous plum rose pink but it’s very sheer. You can see the natural lip through the lip gloss but it does leave a very natural rosy tint. It has a smooth texture with a slightly minty scent. I like the Naked Lip Glosses because they make the lips feel hydrated and smooth without that sticky tacky gloss feeling. Lasting power is medium for a few hours before it disappears. This is exclusive to the palette.
Stag Eyeliner is a really pretty dark brown plum shimmer. It leans more plum on me. I believe it’s currently exclusive to the palette, but I hope that Urban Decay adds it to the permanent line or releases a powder shadow version of it. It’s really quite pretty.
Last but not least, the palette includes a mini Perversion Mascara. This is the first time I’ve tried it although it’s been on my radar for months. The 200+ customer reviews on Sephora were mixed so I didn’t know what to expect. I found it lasted all day without smudging or flaking. The color is a rich deep true black and stayed the same rich color once it dried. For application I felt like I had to pack on 3 layers to make it adhere to the lashes. Application was overall easy and clump-free. It defined the lashes and added a bit of volume. The only thing I didn’t like about this one was that it didn’t hold the curl quite as well as other mascaras I’ve tried.
Swatches, eyeshadows swatched on the arm without a base:
Eyeshadow pigment is richer when swatched over a base (here is a mix of face primer and tinted moisturizer):
Other products with swatches on bare arm:
One last shot:
I’m a huge fan of the Naked series so this is overall a nice addition for me. The cheek products take extra work for me to make them work. I need to add a dewy base or highlighter underneath to make them look less chalky-looking but the colors are nice and naturally flattering. If you already own all the other Naked Eyeshadow Palettes and Naked Flushed Cheek Palettes you may find this has too many similarities to the others to justify owning. Even though this is designed to be a travel palette for on-the-go, I don’t know how I feel about lugging this around in my purse. The compact seems fairly sturdy and while I am usually gentle with purse handling, I’m not sure that I would want to leave this inside for an extended period of time. Also the palette is huge and takes up a lot of space in my purse. I did test it on-the-go with me for a few days and for me it’s just too big to carry around.
I’m happy with mine, but it’s not something I plan on repurchasing. For reference, Naked + Naked2 + Naked3 swatched here, Naked2 Basics swatched here, Naked Flushed featured here.
By Terry has released a limited-edition Baume de Rose Collection Set ($89 for 5 mini tinted rose balms, each 2.3 g/0.08 oz, made in France). This is a luxurious beauty set cased in a small pink box and ribbon. There are five mini lip balms in a tube format. One is of the items is the classic Baume de Rose which is clear with a slightly milky pink tint. The others include some Baume De Rose Nutri-Couleurs in wand format including Rosy Babe 1, Cherry Bomb 3, Fig Fiction 5 and Toffee Cream 6. Even though I already own the full size versions of three of the five items, I was intrigued by the compact packaging and wand format of the rose balms and ordered a set from Net-A-Porter.
The balms in this Baume de Rose Set come with angled and beveled sponge tip applicators. The little balms are miniature in size making them perfect to store in a small clutch or purse. These are tinted balms so it’s only natural to expect them to be on the sheer side. There is still quite a bit of pigment in them so they do show up on my lips. The texture is medium to thick. They feel like a balm on the lips and go on smoothly, but they don’t slide off like some lip balms do. The slightly thick texture helps them stay on the lips – however since these are balms, these won’t stay put on your lips all day long.
The colors in the Baume de Rose Set this year:
Baume de Rose is a sheer milky pink that goes on clear
Rosy Babe 1 is a baby pink cream
Cherry Bomb 3 is a luscious pink red
Fig Fiction 5 is a sheer purple plum
Toffee Cream 6 is a warm nude pink tan
With any flash or sunlight, the balms reflect their naturally glossy sheen. Once applied, they give the lips the most luscious natural sheen and they feel quite amazing on the lips.
Without flash:
I’ve reviewed the full sizes of the Baume de Rose, Mandarina Pulp, Boom Berry/Fig Fiction/Toffee Cream before on the blog. The colors in the Holiday Baume de Rose Set are identical in undertone to the full size in pots, however I found the colors in this set to be a bit sheerer in pigment and slightly thinner in texture. I suspect a part of the sheerness is due to the applicator. The sponge picks up less color compared to a lip brush that I dip into the pots. I’ll show swatches of the set vs individual pots below.
First, some packaging comparisons. The full size Baume de Rose Gloss ($53 for 7 ml/0.23 fl oz) versus the minis ($89 for the set divided by 5 equals $17.80 per balm for 2.3 g/ 0.08 oz):
The full size Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur ($56 for 7 g/0.24 oz) pots versus the minis ($89 for the set divided by 5 equals $17.80 per balm for 2.3 g/ 0.08 oz):
Comparison swatches:
Lip swatches:
I’ve been a huge fan of By Terry Baume de Rose (for the original, gloss and tinted pots). They are extremely pricey so I would call these a super luxurious treat versus a must-have. There are quite a few other lip balms I adore that are more affordable but none of them compare to the By Terry. If you’ve tried a Baume de Rose you know that these are luscious balms that have a beautiful rich but soothing rose scent. The formula is creamy and smooth making it feel like your lips are getting a spa treatment when you apply it.
The Baume de Rose Set is also a luxurious splurge. If you have been wanting to try the tinted Baume de Rose colors but don’t want to spend $56 on a full size pot, this is a much more affordable way to try multiple colors. My favorite color out of all the tinted options is still Fig Fiction (it’s the one of the prettiest plum lip colors I’ve tried).
I give this a thumbs up although I have a slight preference for the full size pots. It is a really good intro set to By Terry’s Baume de Rose, but will also make a really beautiful gift this holiday for someone special.
If you’re looking for this set, I recommend purchasing it soon – it has already sold out on Space NK and Barneys (although you might still be able to find them in stores). Online you can find this set at Net-A-Porter and Beauty.com, while supplies last (it is limited-edition).
