Browsing Category

Eye Makeup

Armani Eye Makeup

Giorgio Armani Eye Tints – Onyx, Cold Copper, Senso, Rose Ashes and Gold Ashes

January 13, 2015

Giorgio Armani’s latest includes a new liquid/cream eyeshadow called Eye Tints ($38 each for 6.5 ml/0.22 fl oz, made in France). These eyeshadows are all shimmery and come in twelve different colors. I ordered several sight unseen and literally gasped when I opened the boxes. They are really beautiful.

The shades above, left to right (note the tubes themselves only have numbers as labels):

  • Onyx 5 is a super sparkly olive green with silver and green shimmers
  • Cold Copper 9 is a smooth shimmer neutral tan
  • Senso 10 is a unique plum brown bronze shimmer
  • Rose Ashes 11 is a warm peachy gold base that flashes pink and rose 
  • Gold Ashes 12 is a super sparkly cool-toned champagne shimmer
These Armani Eye Tints have a fluid texture but aren’t so fluid that they are like liquids. There is a bit of thickness to them which makes them slightly like a cream, but the texture is still on the fluid side. The color sheers out once you blend them but it is easy to build and blend. I’ve been playing with these all last week – my favorite way to apply is straight from the tube onto the lids and then blend on the eyes with a finger.

Onyx and Gold Ashes are extremely sparkly, but not quite as frosted or as pigmented as Armani Eyes to Kill shadows and not as glitzy as some of the Chanel Illusion D’Ombres. I’ve tried Gold Ashes all over the lids and it blends out really nicely for an even wash of sparkle. The other shades Cold Copper, Sense and Rose Ashes have a more finely milled shimmer. In terms of lasting power, I found these dried down to a satiny finish on the eyes after they set and lasted all day without budging. You can layer a powder shadow on top of these but if you do, I recommend working quickly with your shadows – these tend to set and dry quickly, although it’s not immediate which allows you to blend and layer, dry time is on the fast side (at least for me).

For reference, Café Makeup has all the shades swatched and Color Me Loud has a detailed review on Senso #10.

These come with a beveled sponge tip applicator:

Close up of all the shades:

Swiped straight from the tube:

Swiped on a larger area:

Comparison swatches:

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Epatant (review)
Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Mirage (review)
NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Himalia (review)
Nudestix Magnetic Eye Color in Twilight (review)
Chanel llusion D’Ombre in New Moon (d/c, review)
By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon (swatches)
Armani Eyes to Kill 9

I really like these, although I am partial to the Eyes to Kill Intense Shadows. I know many have found those too shimmery and too intense so if you’re looking for something softer I recommend you check out the Eye Tints. They have a smooth texture that offers light to medium buildable coverage. 

Armani Eye Tints retail for $38 each. Currently available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Giorgio Armani Beauty. Have you checked out these new shadows yet?
47 Comments
Eye Makeup Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Nude Dip Eye Color Quad | Fall 2014

September 2, 2014

 

Tom Ford Nude Dip Eye Color Quad ($79 for .21 oz/6 g, made in Italy) is a stunning palette of shimmery pearlized neutrals. The colors are suitable for everyday and also for evening. I find the color combination and texture pure genius. I think The Non-Blonde put it perfectly when she described the finish as “modern semi-metallics.” Café Makeup also has a really lovely review. The shadows are very smooth but they have a unique texture which gives each color dimension. The colors are shimmery but in a super wearable way. This is a quad that is a bit hard to track down. It sold out online within a few days so I ordered mine over the phone.

 

Some have asked me if I think this really is a must-have or if I thought it would just be a must-have for die hard Tom Ford fans. Based on my testing and counter visits, I haven’t loved all of the Tom Ford quads. Many of the palettes have this high shine glitter which I’m not super comfortable pulling off. I purchased a couple when the line initially launched and ended up selling them used because I couldn’t wear the glitter. More recent quad releases with Orchid Haze and Seductive Rose have given us more options with texture and more shimmer that I find easier to wear for the conservative makeup lover. Nude Dip falls into the category of love. It has a similar texture to the limited-edition Enchanted Quad from last fall (now discontinued). So yes, I do think Nude Dip is a must-have for the season.

 

 

The colors in Nude Dip are timeless neutrals. Each color layers beautifully over each other. In many softer light neutral quads, you end up getting at least 2-3 shades that look exactly the same once applied on the skin. With Nude Dip, each color has enough variation to give a good layered look. There is a soft champagne, a medium peach, a soft taupe grey and a satiny brown.

 

 

 

 

 

On my eyes it pulls more neutral and slightly cool. On fairer skins or those with pink undertones this will pull more neutral-warm. You can see it pulls warm on The Non-Blonde and more neutral on Café Makeup. Each color is multi-dimensional with different colored pearl pigments. In some light you will see more cool-tones due to the reflection. In others you’ll see more of the base which is warmer.

 

 

 

 

 

Close ups:

 

 

Some swatched comparisons: Chanel Tisse Mademoiselle is cooler and more subtle, Tom Ford Enchanted (discontinued) is significantly cooler and more pink, Dior Iridescent Leather (discontinued) has been added for another comparison.

 

 

 

Nude Dip is pure love. It’s easy to wear with a nice pearlized texture which adds dimension to the eyes without being too frosty. I purchased mine from a Saks store over the phone. It’s currently sold out online in the US, but keep checking Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman Marcus and Tom Ford – they might restock.  Update – thanks to my readers for letting me know as of 8:00 PM PST it’s up online at Nordstrom! Second update at 9:25 PM, sold out online. As of May 2015, it’s been re-introduced and added to the permanent lineup.

 

Did you pick up Nude Dip? What did you think? You can find it at select Tom Ford counters. Online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sephora.
41 Comments
Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadows | Tissé Mademoiselle, Tissé Vénitien, Tissé Vendôme, Tissé Gabrielle

August 28, 2014

I have four more shades of the Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadows to share with you today. After falling in love with Poésie and Tissé Rivoli I decided to look at the other colors in more detail. I picked up Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Tissé Mademoiselle 214, Tissé Vénitien 232, Tissé Vendôme 204, and Tissé Gabrielle 208 ($61 each for 2 g/0.07 oz, made in Italy).

I had my eye on the neutrals initially but one of my favorite Chanel artists recommended I try Gabrielle and Venitien as well for more color and something different. All the quads have some degree of shimmer in each color. I found each quad to be well pigmented, some are more subtle than others. After testing all six quads that I now own, I think Tisse Rivoli and Poesie are still my favorites. If you find these don’t adhere well to your eyes, I recommend using a slightly dewy base. Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base is my absolute favorite for evening the lids without making them look flat or dry. It sets after a few minutes but retails a slightly dewy texture for shadows to adhere well. It will help bring out the color without changing the shadow (some super matte eye bases end up looking very dry and change the colors of shadows by dulling them).

______________________
Tissé Mademoiselle is a neutral quad with a satiny tan, satin cream, shimmery light peach champagne and a dusty fawn brown, all the colors have some variation of shimmer, on my Chanel B30 skin, this is very nude almost matching my skin color. If you start applying the colors from lightest to darkest it will all kinda blend in and blur. My recommendation with this is to start with the medium shade first and pack it onto the lids (top left corner shade), then layer the soft champagne (bottom left corner) and use the darkest shade to smudge on top. Finish with the palest color to highlight or blend any edges.

Here it is compared to Dunes (discontinued):

______________________
Tissé Vénitien has a stunning mix of green, metallic silver, soft sheer pink and deep green. I’m normally not a fan of greens but this one is really lovely when layered together. The greens pop if you layer them over a black or brown liner with a dense smudge brush (I like Laura Mercier’s Smudge Brush or Corner Eye Brush for darker detail colors.)

Here it is compared to Murano (also discontinued):
______________________
Tissé Vendôme is a another neutral palette. It has a tan brown shimmer, soft peach, apricot shimmer and deeper satiny brown. For this one I also recommend starting with the medium/middle shade (top left brown) and applying it all over the lids. Add the coral on top to blend and the darkest brown (bottom right) to intensify/define the lids. Finish with the lightest color as a highlight. You can of course apply this from lightest to darkest or whichever way you like the most. Some have mentioned that the colors all blend together (except for the darkest color) and end up looking the same on the lids. I personally like layering lightest to darkest, but with some quads, I like to start with the medium shades first.

Compared next to Shimmering Dunes (also discontinued, please excuse photo typo):

______________________
Tissé Gabrielle is a smokey eye palette. It’s not the traditional grey/white/black smokey which makes this unique. I found the colors to be well pigmented but the colors went on lighter in color than what I expected.

I didn’t have anything similar, but here it is compared to Variation 37:

______________________
Bottom line: new and definitely improved. I’ve always been a fan of Chanel quads for their neutral fool-proof easy to use combinations. I know not everyone has liked them as much as I have due to the sheerness of the colors. The new Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadows have much better pigment and a super smooth texture. There is a diverse range of color options including blues, pinks and purples (which I didn’t gravitate towards but are still really stunning).

If I were to pick my top three, it would be Poesie, Tisse Rivoli and Tisse Venitien.

The Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadows retail for $61 each. You can find these quads now at all Chanel counters and boutiques. They are also available online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Bloomingdales and Chanel.com.

29 Comments
Eye Makeup

Clé de Peau Beauté Eye Color Quad Satin Moon 305

August 6, 2014

Clé de Peau Beauté has released eight new Eye Color Quads ($55 for the refill, $25 for the case). The eight shades released for fall include Marmalade Sky 301, Stardust 302, Baby Universe 303, Champagne Supernova 304, Satin Moon 305, Silver Eclipse 306, Stellar Gaze 307, Cosmic Aura 308.

For reference Beauty Professor has all the quads swatched and reviewed. Best Things in Beauty also has a number of quads reviewed.

I’ve played with a few single shadows many years ago but never looked into the quads or palettes due to the hefty price tag. Several readers keep raving about Clé de Peau Beauté via e-mails so I’ve finally decided to look more into the line. I picked out one quad to try out and purchased Satin Moon 305 (along with the case) which has a soft tan gold, a bronze with a hint of plum, a mauve taupe and a smokey brown grey. All the colors have a super soft texture that are really easy to blend. The shimmer in each shade is extremely beautiful with multi-colored shimmers pressed together. On the eyes the shades layer very well together but are on the subtle side for me. In terms of comparisons for pigment, I would say it’s similar to Burberry singles and Chanel Quads (the square pans), less pigmented than Urban Decay and Le Metier de Beaute.

Satin Moon is quite stunning. On me it’s more on the subtle side but can be layered for more intensity. I shot the compact from the side and front to get a better view of the compact. I like that it’s sleek and sturdy. It was really easy to insert the refill into the case without damaging the eye shadows.

Here’s a subtle smokey eye. The flash keeps washing out all the makeup worn, but I hope this gives an idea of how you can wear this with subtle blending (layering light to dark).

I think you can find similar colors in other brands, quads, palettes and singles but the texture and shimmer is really quite extraordinary. It’s really impossible to capture how complex the shimmers are in swatches but I had one that was a bit blurry that ended up showing the different pearl particles well. On the eyes it’s not glittery even though there are tiny sparkle particles.

Close ups:

I couldn’t find any dupes but here are some comparisons:

Urban Decay Half Baked from Naked2

After testing my first Clé de Peau Beauté quad I am really happy with it. I tend to like colors with more pigment and impact (and then I blend it down a bit for more of a natural gradient) but this one is quite lovely. The quality is excellent and for those who don’t do shimmer on the eyes do note this quad is one of the most subtle with the shimmer factor that I’ve tried. I give this one a huge thumbs up, my I’m still a Chanel, NARS and Urban Decay girl at heart when it comes to eye shadows.
I like that you can refill these but I’m not sure I how feel about having to spend $80 on one complete compact.

The Clé de Peau Beauté Fall Eye Color quads have arrived at counters. You can find them (also the compact sold separately) online at Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

Are you a Clé de Peau Beauté fan? What are your favorite items?
29 Comments
Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow | Poésie #234 and Tissé Rivoli #226

July 15, 2014

Chanel just released nine new Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadows in the US ($61 each for 2g/0.07 oz). I’ve been eagerly waiting for these quads to arrive in the US and am so happy they are finally here. I purchased two of the shades in Poésie #234 (limited-edition) and Tissé Rivoli #226. These come in the round pan format but the formula is different from most non-US quads that come with the round shapes. The texture is slightly creamy with amazing pigment and shimmer. They blend well on the lids without any base needed. The pigment is truly incredible and very easy to control. I’ve been a huge fan of the regular Les 4 Ombres (US versions) – I think the new ones are even better.

Poésie #234 is a limited-edition shade. It showed up online at Chanel.com and Macy’s for a limited time but currently isn’t listed. I contacted Nordstrom once the quads launched to see if Poésie would be listed and was told it is an in-store exclusive. I’m not sure if it will show up online again or not but you may need to track it down in stores like I did. It’s a stunning quad with a warm tan beige shimmer, an ivory shimmer, a dark blackened smokey brown-plum and a soft lilac shimmer. This is great for an everyday eye but the black shade is amazing for a smokey eye look.

Tissé Rivoli #226 is a neutral palette with warm neutral shades. It has a similar effect on me when I compare it to Poesie, but the Tisse Rivoli is slightly warmer and some of the shades are a tiny bit more sparkly. I don’t think you need both, but they are both really stunning.

Here they are swatched side by side, note that the shimmers are highly reflective so they look more shimmery in the photos than they are in real life. These were swatched with the sponge applicator:

I pulled a few other palettes to compare:

Fitting all the quads on one arm proved to be impossible so I have two sets of swatches. Comparisons show that Raffinement is very similar to Poesie and Tisse Rivoli:
Chanel Kaska Beige (discontinued)

Chanel Rives (discontinued)

Overall a huge thumbs up for both the new Les 4 Ombres in Poésie #234 and Tissé Rivoli #226. For those who like easy to use palettes with colors that are easy to combine these are perfect. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with larger palettes (although I do love them), having four coordinates shades makes life easier to create polished looks. I find both similar, Poesie gives me more of a smokey eye while Tisse Rivoli is more neutral but slightly more glitzy. I can’t choose between them.

Eight of the Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow are available now online at Nordstrom and Chanel.com. These should be arriving at your counters soon, I spotted these near me at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

24 Comments
Eye Makeup NARS

NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows | Dione, Callisto, Himalia and Subra

July 11, 2014
I picked up four more NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows in Dione, Callisto, Himalia and Subra ($29 each). I’ve been using the more natural Europa and Andromeda on a regular basis for a natural glowy eye. The other shades in the line are more intense in color and sparkle. It was hard to narrow down my picks and I will probably pick up at least one more shade sometime in the future. All the colors are phenomenal in texture, pigment and lasting power. They have a sort of creamy finish but act like a powder. The texture makes these adheres well to to the skin and while I wouldn’t call them budge-proof, they last quite long without fading. 
  • Dione is a sparkly silvery taupe, it pulls very cool on my arm but on the lids it’s more neutral
  • Callisto is a very sparkly cool lilac champagne, it’s similar to Dione, but on me Callisto is more pinkish/lilac and paler in color
  • Himalia is a neutral warm and cool kind of gold, it has a warmish base but the shimmers are cool, on me it’s a neutral tan-nude golden color, it’s shimmery but not frosty
  • Subra is a dark purple, red, brown shimmer, it also has a subtle shimmer finish
Dione and Callisto are similar on my arm and in the pan but the difference is noticeable on the lids. Both have a high shimmer factor that borders on frost but aren’t too frosty. I was really happy to see that there was no fall out on the face during application or throughout the day. Himalia and Subra are shimmers as well but the shimmer is more subtle in finish.

Here they are swatched next to Europa and Andromeda. They are swatched dry with fingers.

Close ups of each shade show how they have a good base color and different colored shimmers. It gives these shadows a multi-dimensional look.

 
Some comparisons, two sets with:
MAC Coco Pigment (discontinued)
Tom Ford Platinum Cream Color (discontinued)

Chanel Magic Night Eyeshadow (discontinued)

Huge thumbs up. The Dual-Intensity shadows have a really smooth pigmented finish. They apply easily with fingers or a brush. I’ve found them extremely versatile – you can wear these alone with a liner, layered together, under or over powder shadows. The uses are really endless. Applying with a damp brush intensifies the color. Between Dione and Callisto, I prefer Dione because it has less contrast with my skin and therefore looks less frosty.
The Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows retail for $29 each. There are currently twelve color options and every color looks amazing. I bought mine from Nordstrom.
Have you purchased any yet? What are your favorite colors?
27 Comments
Eye Makeup Roundup

Neutral Creamy Shimmer Wash Eye Shadows | NARS, By Terry, Laura Mercier, RMS and Chanel

June 25, 2014
Lately I’ve been a fan of these swipe and go shimmery wash eyeshadows. I like a creamy texture so there’s no extra base needed for good pigment and blending. I like neutrals but have discovered a few non-nude shadows I find good for color, dimension and glow. Just add a simple black or bronze liner and mascara and you’re good to go (for lazy makeup days). I also find them good for touch ups if you’re transitioning from day to night to add a bit of depth to the eyes. The creamy textures mean you apply straight from the tube if it’s a twist up stick or right from the compact with your fingers and smudge/blend easily. My current favorite neutrals:
  • NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Iraklion ($25) is a mauve rose quartz taupe fawn shimmer. It blends out to a sheer finish but nicely contours the lids. You can layer for more color and it also works well as a base for powder shadows but won’t change the color.
  • Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rose Gold ($26) is a shimmery gold with a slight hint of pink tones, on me it pulls more champagne gold but the pink prevents it from being a pure yellow gold. It’s on the creamy side so if you have oily lids you may need a matte base underneath.
  • By Terry Ombre Blackstar ($43 each) in Ombre Mercure (interesting oyster that flashes gold and a bit of green sparkle), Frozen Quartz (cool medium pink sparkle) and Misty Rock (plum pink) are all intense creamy shadows, I adore each of them alone on the lid with a simple liner. They are on the pricey side but the quality, texture and lasting power make these worth every penny.
  • RMS Cream Eyeshadow in Solar ($28) is something I use on a weekly basis, alone or as a base, there’s something so pretty about a rich gold shimmer for the eyes that warms up the complexion (review here)
  • Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Emerville ($36) is a classic champagne peach shimmer. I think it’s one neutral shimmer everyone should have in their beauty collection. It makes a lovely wash all over the lids.
  • NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows ($29 each) in Europa and Andromeda (reviews here) are nice when layered together for that simple polished glow look for the eyes. 

Swatched side by side you can see they look intense when swatched straight from the tube, the pigment is good and textures are super easy to blend and layer. They aren’t quite as frosty when you blend them out. My assessment for shimmer levels:
  • Most shimmery are the By Terry Ombre Blackstar sticks but if you’ve tried these you know they blend out really nicely but maintain the color. RMS Solar is on the shimmery side as well but the gold base blends well with my natural skintone almost like a contour.
  • Medium shimmers are Laura Mercier Rose Gold and Chanel Emerville.
  • Sheer shimmers are NARS Iraklion and Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows in Europa and Andromeda (most in this formula are intense, but I have the softest ones).

What are your favorite creamy shimmer shadows for an all over wash? Do you have any swipe and go kind of shadows you love? Or are you one who usually prefers to layer more color on the eyes?

26 Comments