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Diptyque Benjoin and Cuir

January 6, 2015

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

Charlotte Tilbury The Supermodel Collection / Holiday 2014

December 30, 2014

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?
Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lips & Boys – Beauty Look Book Picks

December 24, 2014

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! 

Urban Decay

Urban Decay Naked On the Run Palette

December 17, 2014

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:

Scarf by Nordstrom, iPhone Case by Gray Malin, L’Occitane hand cream mini, Prada Saffiano tote, Fujifilm Instax Mini 25 (similar version here and here), Smythson Notebook, NARS Contour Brush

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.

You can find Naked on the Run at Urban Decay counters and stores now. Online at Sephora, Ulta, Urban Decay and Nordstrom.

Did you buy Naked on the Run or test it in store? What did you think?
By Terry

By Terry Baume de Rose Set (Limited-Edition)

December 15, 2014

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).

Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty Midnight in Paris

December 14, 2014

Marc Jacobs Beauty has a new limited-edition Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer this holiday called Midnight In Paris ($24 for 13 ml/0.43 fl oz). It’s a deep indigo teal cream polish that was first featured in Marc Jacobs’ Spring 2014 runway show. This holiday’s polish comes with a silver reflective cap and the bottle is cased in a black velvet stand with a keepsake box. The presentation and design is beautifully executed making this a lovely gift for those who love nail polishes.

Midnight in Paris is a richly pigmented indigo cream. The pigment is insanely good and I was able to get full even coverage with just one coat. It is very dark in color making this almost like a midnight black, but there is enough blue in it that it still looks blue on the nails. The formula on the Marc Jacobs nail lacquers vary depending on finish. Some are jelly sheers, others are high metallics while some have a more refined shimmer. Midnight in Paris is a pigmented cream (similar formula to the Runway Nudes swatched here).

Here it is swatched with two thin coats. I used the Formula X Base Coat and Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme on top (my hand and nail care essentials here).

A few comparisons to some other deep inky blue polishes:

Burberry Teal Blue (swatched here)
Burberry Ink Blue (swatched here)
JINsoon Rhapsody (swatched here)
Dolce & Gabbana Peacock
Louboutin Lady Twist (swatched here)

If you already own a lot of deep indigo nail polishes, you might want to shop your stash and skip this one. The formula is really amazing with this one though. One coat is enough to cover the entire nail and in my experience Marc Jacobs nail polish last remarkably well without any chipping or tip wear for up to 5 days.

Midnight in Paris is a limited-edition shade. You can find it at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty while supplies last. Did you check out anything from the Marc Jacobs holiday collection or order any of the Black Friday sets? I’d love to hear what you think is good.

P.S. The Sky-Liner Set (reviewed here) is back in stock online at Sephora!

Midnight in Paris was provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs for review consideration.

Christian Louboutin

Christian Louboutin Nail Color – The Nudes

December 8, 2014

Earlier this year Christian Louboutin released a classic red nail polish called Louboutin Rouge followed by thirty additional shades in three families called The Nudes (neutrals), The Pops (brights) and The Noirs (dramatic dark shades). The nail polishes are among the most expensive in the market, priced at $50 each but have been selling out repeatedly. I pre-ordered these from Nordstrom back in August before they were released. I received them the first week of September and have been putting each shade to the test for weeks. I’ve already reviewed and tested the classic Louboutin Rouge (more thoughts in this post). Today I have all ten nudes to share with you (yes, my fingers have been very busy swatching!).

The Louboutin Nudes have two different finishes. All are creams without any shimmer. There are shades with a sheer finish and then colors with more opaque coverage. The range of nudes is quite wide, but the soft pinks are very similar in effect with slight variations in undertone. First, the packaging is quite stunning. These have long heel spikes for handles. All the nude colors have a pearly beige finish on the handles with large glass jars to hold the polish. Each one contains 0.4 fl oz/13 ml of polish. All of mine say they are made in the USA.

Packaging these seems like it would be quite challenging to construct a large box. Instead of encasing the entire polish + handle in a box, these come with a cardboard container that goes around the glass portion. Mine were all wrapped individually in study stock when they were shipped. They all arrived in tact and without any scratches or issues:

The colors are labeled at the base:

Here are all the shades lined up side by side:

Colors and descriptions according to my testing below.

  • Tres Decollete is the darkest pink with a blue base, this one is sheer but has the most coverage out of all the soft pinks
  • Sweet Charity is a super sheer soft white cream, this was the only shade I did not like, mainly because it took four coats to get decent coverage, three coats gave the nails a soft glossy look, but one I think could be duplicated by cheaper brands
  • La Favorita is a medium warm pink, the pigment is sheer, but applied smoothly and evenly with two coats
  • Simple Nude is a warm camel nude that has medium-to-full coverage
  • Me Nude is a cool mauve nude with excellent pigment, it had smooth flawless coverage
  • Just Nothing is a beautiful nude that leans beige, but still has a bit of pink in it so it doesn’t look orangey on the hands
  • Alta Perla is a unique grey nude with a hint of sage, the formula is medium on this one, with two think coats you might still see the nail underneath some fingers, I applied a slightly thicker second coat to get full coverage
  • Tutulle is the perfect nude pink cream
  • Zoulou is a really lovely chocolate nude cream with excellent pigment
  • Madame Est Nue is a the lightest pink, it’s a nude pink that has super sheer coverage

One more view below, same order as above, but in direct sunlight:

Swatched side by side, lightest to darkest:

Individual photos and swatches, I’ll indicate how many coats I used for each one. I tested these with a number of different base and top coats. The cult favorite Seche Vite gave major shrinkage with these polishes on tips and cuticle areas causing these to get tip wear after 1 day. I don’t recommend it, although I know many people love that brand. I really liked mine with the Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat to help color adhere to the nail, and then topped with either the Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme or Dior Gel Top Coat. Louboutin has their own Nail Care Kit, but after splurging quite heavily on the colors themselves, I decided to try what I already had first. Using either the Dior or Chanel Top coats allowed for 7 days of wear without any chipping or tip wear which I found very impressive with this formula.

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Sweet Charity, shown with four coats

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Madame Est Nue with three coats

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La Favorita with two coats

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Tres Decollete with two coats

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Tutulle with two coats

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Just Nothing with two coats

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Me Nude with two coats

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Simple Nude with two coats

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Zoulou with two coats

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Alta Perla with two coats (pinky has three coats)

The wear on these is really amazing in my experience. I didn’t want to say that I would fall in love with $50 nail polishes but the colors that Louboutin has released are truly flawless and naturally flattering. A good flattering nude can be hard to find. There are many good ones out there, but so many are either too pale, too warm, too orange or just look pink on my hands. Louboutin hands down has created the perfect palette of nude polishes with a diverse range to suit any skin tone.

If you’re looking to splurge, I would say you definitely don’t need all ten of the nudes. My thoughts rounded up:
  • For a soft pink, I like Tres Decollete the best, although La Favorita comes in close second
  • For a medium nude, Tutulle is my favorite because it has a bit of pink, followed by Just Nothing which is another great nude
  • For unique colors, Zoulou and Alta Perla are the best picks, they do have a similar vibe to other brands, but these ones just work so well with the skin
  • Two to skip for me include Sweet Charity (just too sheer) and Simple Nude for my specific skin tone is too match so it blends in (if you’re lighter or darker in skin tone, I think this will look lovely on you)

One last shot, my personal take on the Louboutin Nudes cluster:

I hope you enjoyed this roundup. It’s taken me weeks to complete but I can say that I highly recommend these if you’re looking to treat yourself (or a friend). The $50 price tag on 10 shades has certainly been an ouch on my wallet, but I have no regrets. Available now at Nordstrom.


Special thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post.
For more information, refer to my Disclosures.