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Tom Ford Beauty Cream and Powder Eye Colors Summer 2015

April 25, 2015

Summer collections are starting to surface and the color offerings this year seem like the perfect mix of natural + fresh color. I was thrilled to get an early sneak peek at some of Tom Ford’s summer collection. First up I have the Cream and Powder Eye Colors ($60 each for 0.24 oz. base/ 0.07 oz for top).

The Cream and Powder Eye Colors come packaged in a double-tiered pot shadow with a flip top lid that has a small mirror. You simply twist the bottom to get to the cream, while the powder glitter is on top. Being a glitter-phobe, I was really worried how these would perform but I’ve had really good experiences with some of the quads like Seductive Rose and the limited-edition Ombre Eye Color Trios from a couple years ago so I had high hopes for these new summer duos.

Each color is really quite stunning and perfect to wear alone. The cream shadows are creamy and emollient but don’t slide, budge or fade after application. I’ve been playing around with each duo, I like to apply the cream shade first on the lids, blended into a soft gradient. Then I take my finger and dip it into the glitter powder and dab onto the lids on top of the cream shadow. For a glitter product I was really impressed to find there was no fallout and that they lasted a long time (from morning until afternoon). If you use a brush for the powder there might be a tiny bit of debris that will fall onto the cheeks or under the eyes, I was able to get no fall out a couple times, but then some others there was a tiny bit. For this reason I prefer using the fingers to pat them on.

There are four colors which are some of the prettiest duos I’ve seen. The glittery powders are semi-sheer in terms of color but there is still a lot of pigment. When layered over the cream shadows they enhance the color of the creams and add dimension.
  • Naked Bronze has a deep warm bronzey cream and a sheer gold shimmer/glitter for the powder
  • Golden Peach has a warm pinky peachy metallic with a sheer warm peachy glitter powder
  • Black Oyster has a deep complex charcoal cream shimmer with a silvery grey glitter powder
  • Midnight Sea has a complex khaki/bronze/brown shimmer cream with an aqua teal glitter/powder

The cream in Naked Bronze reminds me of Spice, the peach in Golden Peach reminds me of Pink Haze and the cream in Midnight Sea reminds me of Spring 2015 Cream. I’m currently traveling so I don’t have my makeup stash with me to compare the creams, but once I return home I will update this post with comparison swatches of the creams.

Close ups of each color plus swatches of the shades individually, then layered:

I’ve played with each of the colors and am so impressed. Midnight Sea had me a little worried since I rarely wear blues or aquas but layering the teal on top of the deep brown shimmer creates a really interesting look. My favorites of course are Naked Bronze and Golden Peach – they add enough color to the lids to give your complexion a summery glow but aren’t over the top. As a neutral and conservative makeup lover, to say that I am afraid of glitter would be an understatement (I am almost anti-glitter). So for me to say that I really like these is huge. I think they are wearable for everyday although if you work in a conservative office environment you may want to go very light on the application of the powder shadows because the glittery is glitzy but not over the top (at least in my opinion).

Both Golden Peach and Black Oyster have held up really well in the Dallas humidity this week and I’m very impressed. If you’re a Tom Ford fan these are definitely must-haves even with the high price point. If you like color and want something new and different, these are worth looking into. 

You can find the Cream and Powder Eye Colors for $60 each. Online at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom (pre-order), Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue (pre-order) and Tom Ford (pre-order).

The Cream and Powder shadows were provided courtesy of Tom Ford for review consideration. Book featured from my own personal collection and was purchased by me. 

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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Spring 2015 Nail Lacquers: Indigo Night + Black Jade

April 8, 2015

This season Tom Ford Beauty has two new nail polishes that are quite edgy and unique for spring. The two Nail Lacquers in the spring collection are Indigo Night and Black Jade ($32 each), both have opaque full coverage with two coats and apply very smoothly on the nail. It took me a while to cave on these because I normally don’t wear greens on the nails and I already own quite a few navy shimmer polishes, but after swatching these I am glad I did buy both.

Black Jade is a deep complex green color. There is quite a bit of color mixed into the bottle making it quite unique and dramatic on the fingers. This one is quite dark so it almost looks black on the nails with a hint of forest green and shimmer if your hands are in natural light. This particular color was sold out at the counters near me, I was glad to have found it online at Neimans before it sold out. Right now it’s still available at Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.

Indigo Night is actually my favorite of the two. Even though I think a navy blue shimmer is something that is quite standard in many beauty lines, this one is particularly stunning. It has a brightness to the blue with some iridescence to it so it’s not as deep as others. In natural light you can see that it’s definitely a blue color but at the same time very deep. With this one the first coat will appear a bit sheer and see-thru but it smooths out completely to a full flawless finish with the second coat.

Both colors are very different from what you usually see in the traditional spring color palette, but I like them both. The colors are sharp and edgy without being over the top making them very wearable for me. For reference, Color Me Loud has comparison swatches (my nail wheels are currently MIA). For other Tom Ford Beauty spring features, my review on the Eye Color Duos here and Spring Cream Shadow here. I give the nail polishes a thumbs up although I have to say previews of the Summer collection have my heart racing and it can’t arrive soon enough (I’ve been stalking it online).

The Tom Ford Spring 2015 Collection is available now, while supplies last. I’ve been told at the counters the nail polishes are limited-edition, but I’m not 100% sure. Black Jade is still available at Nordstrom and Bloomingdales. Indigo Night is still relatively easy to track down also at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Tom Ford.
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Eye Makeup Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Spring 2015 Eye Color Duos

March 30, 2015

For spring Tom Ford released a collection of edgy deep and dramatic colors different from the typical spring beauty palette. I featured the Spring 2015 Cream Color for eyes last month which is a unique and stunning smokey mix of khaki, gold, brown and grey. Today I have the three Eye Color Duos ($60 each for 0.13 oz) to share swatches and thought on in Raw Jade, Crushed Indigo and Ripe Plum.

These duos are packaged in a mirrored compact the same size as the Tom Ford Blushes. Each duo contains one light iridescent color and one deep color. The texture is really interesting like a soft creamy powder similar to that of the Burberry Wet & Dry Glow formula and NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadows. You can apply these with a finger or a brush. In addition there is versatility with application in terms of wet and dry methods. Either way you apply them, the formula adheres really well to the lids and glides on effortlessly. Color and pigment is buildable dry. When you apply these with a damp brush, the duo chrome quality in the lighter colors shows through and deepens the color of the darker shades.

The colors themselves are very different from anything I own. Ripe Plum contains a light opal pink and a deep brown plum shimmer. Raw Jade includes an iridescent pale ivory that flashes green and a khaki sage shimmer. Crushed Indigo has a white that flashes violet and blue and a brighter deep navy. I’ve been testing these for the past couple of weeks and Ripe Plum is my favorite. If you’re a fan of plums this is a really good one. The deep plum brown is absolute perfection. I rarely wear khaki or greens because they tend to make my olive skin look sallow but Raw Jade has a good mix of different color options to make it look good on the eyes (even my husband approves). Crushed Indigo is way outside of my comfort zone. I find it rare that I can wear bright navy or blue shadows. The colors themselves are really quite stunning but on my neutral-loving makeup self, it’s good when mixed with a darker color shadow to deepen the color. Alone it’s too bright for me, perhaps one day I’ll be braver to wear it.

Swatches show the brightening glow of the lighter shades. When you layer them over the darker colors it shifts the overall look and tone in a very unique glowy way.

Close ups and swatches wet vs dry. Plus a couple of eye swatches. For more color reference, I highly recommend you check out The RaeViewer for her review, swatches and application tutorials. She has really good swatches that show how much layering and different application techniques can really change the color of these duos.

Crushed Indigo:

Raw Jade:

Ripe Plum:

One last shot together:

My favorite of the three is Ripe Plum. The duo-chrome opal pink color brightens the plum shade and gives it a soft pink tint. Even my husband approves and says I should wear color like this on the eyes more often. Raw Jade surprised me with how wearable it is for a khaki green duo. Adding more of the light color makes the color look more like a bright green. If you use more of the khaki shade it stays more neutral and wearable. Crushed Indigo is still something I’m not brave enough to keep on my lids for more than 2 minutes. 

The formula is really good. I like that these glide on the eyes smoothly even over bare lids. They don’t require any primer to bring out the pigment or to make them stay put. They work well alone as is which is a huge plus for me. Lasting power is really good. Both Raw Jade and Ripe Plum managed to stay on the lids from morning until late evening when I removed all the color to wash my face. Even if you’re a neutral eyeshadow lover like me, I still think these are worth looking into. Especially Ripe Plum. You can always mix these into your current palette and these will give your eye look more depth and edge without looking overdone. At the same time if you like dramatic looks the wet/damp application method helps change the color into deeper tones if you want something edgier.

You can find the Eye Color Duos at Tom Ford counters now. Also online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Bloomingdales. (Stay tuned for a review of one of the mascaras and two nail colors, I ordered the nail polishes and I have one now, and another on it’s way to me now.)

Did you check out the Tom Ford Spring Collection? What did you think?

The Eye Color Duos were provided courtesy of Tom Ford for review consideration. All other items in the post purchased by me.

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Eye Makeup Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes Spring 2015

February 22, 2015

For spring Tom Ford has released a new Cream Color for Eyes called Spring 2015 ($42 for .21 oz/6 g, limited-edition). This is a smokey grey color with a hint of gold shimmer in it that gives it a bit of warmth and makes it look like it has some khaki tones. It’s a very creamy shadow that is emollient when you first apply it. The color is shimmery with a luminous quality, not frosted. For me this one proved to be a high-maintenance kind of color to create a smokey eye. It takes patience and layering to get this one right but the color is quite amazing.

The pigment is quite intense with this color so a little bit goes a long way. The emollient texture makes it very easy to blend and sheer out, but if you let it set without touching for a minute or two it will set and not budge (unless you rub your eyes). I played with this a couple different ways.

1) As a traditional cream shadow I found it worked best when layered. It doesn’t need a base but to create a natural gradient for a smokey eye I found this worked when I applied a neutral nude shimmer first like NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Himalia all over the lids. A neutral shimmer creates a base that gives the darker cream something to blend into to remove any signs of harsh lines. As a shadow, I needed two to three layers of this along with the nude shimmer. The good thing is the color is blendable and quite intense so this is a shadow you can use alone without any liner needed. Just let the color sit for 1 minute in between layers, apply the first layer as a sheer wash, then progressively intensify the pigment by applying more and blending upwards. You can use fingers or a brush like MAC 239 or I also like Chanel Brush #10 (it’s a concealer brush, but I prefer it for cream shadows).

2) This is also good if used as a smokey liner along the upper or lower lash line. The trick to keeping the pigment rich is to apply with a small smokey eye brush (I like MAC 219) along the upper lash line in a slightly messy smudged line. Let it sit for 30 seconds before you blend. Then repeat until you get the desired intensity.

Swatches heavy and blended:

The Spring 2015 Cream shadow alone on eyes layered over NARS Himalia:

Another swatch shot with different lighting shows how it looks khaki/brownish:

A few swatch comparisons below:

Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes in Platinum (discontinued)
Armani Eyes to Kill #25 (discontinued)

The Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes Spring 2015 is a stunning unique smokey cream shadow. The complex mix of gold, brown, bronze, khaki and black make this a warmer smokey shadow which is easier to wear compared to the traditional black or grey toned shadows on the market. There is a beautiful luminous quality to the colors that gives this dimension and depth making this a color you can use alone without any other colors needed. I found this to be well worth the splurge although it did take patience and a bit of extra work for me to apply just right. That being said, any smokey eye does tend to take extra work for me to get the blending down. The formula is super creamy and emollient making it blend nicely but those with oily lids need not worry. Once you let it sit it sets and I found it didn’t budge or fade. It lasted on me all day from morning to night.

Bottom line, definitely worth looking into. I bought my cream shadow from Neiman Marcus. So far I haven’t spotted it anywhere else. But if you’ve seen it please share in the comments. Note it’s limited-edition so if you’re interested in the color I suggest checking it out sooner than later.

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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! 

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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Matte Lip Colors for Holiday 2014 – Now On Nordstrom.com

October 29, 2014
http://rstyle.me/n/sf55rubf6

If you’ve been waiting for all the shades of the Tom Ford Matte Lipsticks ($50 each) to show up online, all eight colors of the new lipstick formula are now available on Nordstrom.com including First Time which seems to have been the first to sell out other places and also Black Dahlia which didn’t show up for a while.

The eight colors include:
Pink Tease
Flame
Plum Lush
First Time
Black Dahlia
Pussycat
Ruby Rush
Velvet Cherry

My review and swatches on the formula and picks First Time, Pink Tease, Velvet Cherry and Pussycat here. My two favorites are First Time and Velvet Cherry.
At this time I’ve heard that First Time and Black Dahlia are the only two shades that are limited-edition, but I reports are often mixed depending on who you ask. I do know First Time sold out quickly so if you’ve been searching for it, I recommend ordering sooner than later.
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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte | First Time, Pink Tease, Pussycat and Velvet Cherry

October 17, 2014

Tom Ford has released a new lipstick formula called Lip Color Matte ($50 each, made in Belgium). I spotted some shades at the Tom Ford Boutique on Rodeo Drive last week. The new Lip Color Mattes are currently available online at Tom Ford and Neiman Marcus, they should be released at all Tom Ford retailers later this season. I found some helpful swatches and photos on Instagram from @beautyprofessor, @reallyree and @tanyabuzzetta. I saw seven different shades in Pink Tease, First Time, Velvet Cherry, Pussycat, Flame, Plum Lush and Ruby Rush, although there are reports that an additional shade Black Dahlia might also be released.

The Lip Color Matte formula is a lipstick with a velvety semi-matte finish. They are designed to be matte lipsticks but they aren’t really a traditional full matte which is a huge plus for me. I rarely say I hate anything beauty related, but on me, I really hate matte lips. I find they emphasize lines, look heavy/thick and end up aging the face. Finding colors that work with the matte texture is also tricky for me. The Tom Ford Lip Color Mattes have a soft cushy velvety texture. They glide on smoothly onto the lips and don’t look dry. I do find that if you have any peeling or dry areas, prep the lips with a lip balm for a few minutes and then wipe it off before applying the lipstick. Another good alternative I like is MAC’s Prep + Prime Lip (it’s a good lip primer to keep lipstick in place, but not really a lip moisturizer).

These have the same vanilla scent as the regular lip colors do. Lasting power is quite good, they aren’t budge proof but they do stay put fairly long. I picked out four colors, three neutrals and one deep burgundy red. The others were very dark and bright – good if you want a dramatic lip, but too dramatic for my taste. The color I bought include:

L to R: First Time, Pink Tease, Pussycat, Velvet Cherry

  • First Time is a peach nude pink, this one applies nicely on the lips, you have to let it sit for a minute and warm up on the lip though, it doesn’t change color but the texture melds into the lip after a minute of sitting on the lips
  • Pink Tease is a very cool-toned medium pink, this looks like a neutral pink in the tube, but on my lips it went a bit fluorescent and pulled very cool on my skin, this one needs tweaking with a gloss or lipliner to warm it up, otherwise it makes my lips look really dry just because the color clashes with my skin
  • Pussycat is a cool mauve pink, this one surprised me, I thought it would go on too blue-toned based on how it swatched on my hand, it’s a surprisingly wearable mauve
  • Velvet Cherry is a deep red, this something I usually don’t go for, but it’s a classic deep dark red that isn’t too dark, this one needs careful application and lip prep, it has such a sharp contrast with my natural lip color, precise application is key, I applied it below straight from the tube (scroll down) although I should have fixed it with a lip brush

Close ups and swatches, you can see below the coverage and pigment is really good:

Comparisons, Set One has the following (I’ll link previous swatches and reviews):

Set Two has Aerin Wild Lilac, Tom Ford Black Orchid (discontinued), MAC Ruby Patent Polish, Burberry Blueberry Lip Mist

Lip swatches of the four lip mattes I picked out below:

I like First Time, Pussycat and Velvet Cherry. In real life they look very natural and smooth on the lips, a camera flash tends to emphasize any shadows or fine lines so they might look a bit dry in the photos above. The exception is with Pink Tease which I am not a fan of (at least on me). I can’t really pull off cool-toned bright pinks well, they end up looking too mod-like. The color just looks really aged and dry on my lips, but in all fairness, all colors similar in tone and brightness do the same.

I’m not a fan of matte-finish lipsticks so I can’t say I am absolutely in love with these, but I am very pleased with 3 of the 4 shades I bought. I personally prefer Tom Ford’s other lip formulas and color options, but the Lip Color Mattes still perform very well and I do think they are worth looking into, especially if you like rich deep colors.

The Lip Color Mattes can be found online and in stores at Tom Ford Boutiques and Neiman Marcus for $50 each. They should be widely available at all Tom Ford counters soon. (PS Neiman Marcus has their Incircle event now and an online mini lipstick gift with $100 purchase, while supplies last).

Are you a fan of matte lips or Tom Ford lipsticks? Have you picked up any of the colors?

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