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Eye Makeup

Fall Mascara + Base Roundup: Chanel, NARS, By Terry, L’Oreal + Glossier

October 11, 2018

I have a roundup of mascaras and primers I’ve tried over the past few months. A few I’ve already reviewed but thought a comprehensive lineup post might be more helpful. My top three tried-and-true have been Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme, L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof and Chanel Le Volume Waterproof. Since I have straight lashes waterproof works best to hold curl after using a lash curler and also helps prevent smudging in humid weather. I’m always looking to try new ones to volumize and define. Often times I find mascaras excel in one or two areas but rarely hit all the marks for volumizing, adding definition, holding the curl, no smudging, no flaking, and being easy to remove. So please keep in mind I’m super picky and have difficult lashes.

Mascara + Primer Roundup in today’s post includes:

Chanel La Base Mascara ($32 for 0.21 oz/6 g, made in France)
Chanel Le Volume Revolution de Chanel ($35 for 0.21 oz/6 g, made in Italy)
By Terry Lash-Expert ($30 for 0.28 oz/8.3 g, made in Italy)
NARS Climax Mascara ($24 for 0.21 oz/6.2 ml, made in Italy)
Glossier Lash Slick ($16 for 0.29 oz/8.5 g, made in France, save 10% off your first order)
L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Base ($9.99 for, made in USA)

Chanel La Base Mascara + Le Volume Revolution de Chanel

I think it’s hard to top the regular Le Volume Mascara or the Le Volume Waterproof for me. This formula was the first I tried from the brand that I liked for the true black color and the fact that the waterproof version didn’t look or feel crunchy on my lashes. I reviewed the new Chanel La Base Mascara over the summer and thought it was ok but didn’t really do much. When used in conjunction with their latest Le Volume Revolution de Chanel it makes for an excellent combination.

The new Le Volume Revolution de Chanel Mascara has a chubby brush that is 3D printed. It’s designed to give volume in a single stroke. I initially thought it would be identical to the Le Volume, but when I tried each one on each eye, side by side and the Le Volume Revolution does indeed give significantly more volume and intensity with one stroke. With the regular Le Volume I layer a couple times and brush it on to apply to get intensity. I do this with most mascaras. I think the new Le Volume Revolution de Chanel is excellent – I didn’t experience any smudging or racoon eyes, but of course your mileage may vary depending on how oily your skin is under the eyes. It was easy to remove with their Gentle Bi-Phase Makeup Remover. If this came out in a waterproof formula eventually I think I would love it even more. When in doubt, I really just prefer waterproof formulas in general. To sum up, the new mascara is great. It volumizes, doesn’t clump, stays put and is a true black.

By Terry Lash-Expert

This By Terry Lash-Expert Mascara is one of the most highly rated mascaras of the year. It has a wand you can twist to control how much volume/intensity you want applied. I reviewed this formula back in the spring and gave it an ok review since I preferred the L’Oreal and Tom Ford for holding the curl. Since then I’ve been experimenting with it more and find that for me this works best when layered over a waterproof formula. This is a trick many of you have shared with me to apply a waterproof version first, then layer with a more volumizing formula on top. This makes this version work for me 100%! I’ve tried it over the Maybelline Total Temptation and L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof.

NARS Climax Mascara

NARS Climax Mascara is the latest from NARS. I used to love their volume formula that was discontinued years ago. I stopped using their mascaras after they discontinued it. This one gives mega volume and doesn’t smudge on me although several of you have reported it does. I think your mileage may vary, but this one gives me good volume without any clumping. The bristles are well separated in this brush which makes it less prone to clumping for me. I do think the Chanel Le Volume Revolution de Chanel gives more volume with one stroke. However you can build it up with the NARS without caking it on.

Glossier Lash Slick

I could not resist the cute pink Glossier Lash Slick tube for this one. It has a rubber applicator with larger gaps in between the spikes. I think this is a decent formula. It defines, lengthens and darkens the lashes nicely. It doesn’t give as much volume as other formulas do, but for the price I was pleased. It did not smudge on me and it held the curl pretty well. (Case shown is by The Daily Edited.)

L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Base

I’ve been the biggest fan of the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Waterproof Mascara. I know so many of you love a good drugstore mascara but this is the only one I’ve tried that impressed me for EVERYTHING it claims. They recently launched the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Base and I reviewed it in my budget beauty roundup here. I think it’s one of the best mascara bases I’ve tried. It works best if you don’t let it dry completely before applying mascara. Given how good the mascara is I don’t think the primer is essential, but it does help nourish the lashes and help mascara adhere better.

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All the mascaras lined up so you can see the length of brushes:

In summary, my top three are still the top three. I think the Chanel Le Volume de Revolution is a winner for fall, but I’m really hoping it will come out in a waterproof version eventually. By Terry works when combined with another waterproof version. And for a mascara primer I still think this isn’t essential but I’m smitten with the L’Oreal Voluminous Lash Paradise Base formula.

For those who missed my previous roundups, my favorite removers and tools:

Almay Longwear & Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover Pads are the only removers that truly remove waterproof formulas for me
For non-waterproof versions I still love the Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover and Chanel Gentle Bi-Phase Eye Makeup Remover
For a lash curler my go to’s are the MAC Full Lash Curler or Surratt Relevee Lash Curler (I really loved the Chanel one but think it’s discontinued)

That wraps up my fall mascara rotation review. I’d love to hear your thoughts on any formulas you tried! Mascara can be so tricky, it’s truly hit or miss depending on your lash type and length. Mine don’t hold the curl and are naturally straight so what works for me might not work for you if you have fuller lush lashes!

Press samples include the NARS Climax and Chanel Le Volume Revolution de Chanel. I also purchased the Le Volume Revolution de Chanel on my own so I have two.

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Eye Makeup NARS

NARS Eyeshadow Singles and Duos Relaunch Review

October 3, 2018

NARS just redesigned their Eyeshadow Singles and Duos in a new formula and packaging. Some shades have been repromoted and new colors have been introduced. The formula is softer and smoother with a more buttery feel and now comes with magnetic removable pans. I still have yet to find a palette to put them into so I’m keeping them in the original compacts for now. Today I have a review of the following items:

Single Eyeshadows $19 each for 1.1 g/0.04 oz
Single Eyeshadow Mattes $19 each for 1.1 g/0.04 oz
Hardwired Single Eyeshadow $22 each for 1.1 g/0.04 oz
Duo Eyeshadows $35 each for 1.1 g/0.04 oz per pan
Tinted Smudge Proof Eye Base $26 each for 8 g/0.28 oz
Climax Mascara $24 for 6 g/0.21 oz

The new shadows are improved over the original but I really liked the original formula. Differences are in packaging design and texture. The revamped version is softer and velvety with a texture that seems to glide on the skin better. Pigment and color payoff is similar to me, I do think with the shimmers the softer velvety texture makes for a richer finish. All the colors layer and blend with each other beautifully.

First a look at the new vs old packaging. I like the concept of removable pans to make my own palette. I think all brands should have this option with singles! I’m still trying to find a good palette solution for these – they do have one they launched a while ago but it hasn’t held up the best for me.

The Single Eyeshadow comes in 42 shade options. There are a different finishes of matte, shimmer, satin. Some retailers split these into Soft Essentials for Mattes, Precious Metals for shimmers and Pops for bright colors. The ones I tested were all excellent in color payoff, texture and smoothness. I’m partial to the shimmers for their buttery soft texture that glides onto the lids perfectly. Color I have include a mix of press samples and ones I purchased on my own.

Top Row:

Cabo San Lucas* is a sheer mauve with a soft satin sheen
Noumea* is a warm matte red brown
Bengali* is a matte cool deep brown

Middle Row:

Virgin Gorda is a shimmering rose nude
Ashes to Ashes* is a soft satiny shimmer taupe grey
Fez is a warm bronze shimmer

Bottom Row:

Verona* is a cool purple silvery shimmer
Isla Bonita* is an ultra pale minty silver
Lahore* is a shimmering taupe grey

Swatches below, to me Ashes to Ashes and Lahore almost look identical on my skin. Lahore has more pigment and shimmer, but the colors look really close. If you have a pink undertone you will probably see the difference more. I’m tan olive.

The Hardwired Eyeshadow Singles are ultra shimmery and metallic. I had my eye on a few so I stopped by the store to see them. The ones I wanted looked ultra glittery while the ones I had were more of a refined metallic. I may go check them out again as my experience with the four I have blew me away. They’re so pigmented and non-gritty like you’d expect. The shimmer is ultra fine and adheres to the skin really well. Photos can’t capture how beautiful these are.

Earthshine is a pale lavender with green, blue and violet flecks
Stud is the perfect silver taupe shimmer
Lunar* is a high shine lavender
Eclipse* is a duo-chrome purple that flashes pink

The Duo Eyeshadow has been relaunched in a lot of repromoted shades. Based on a comparison of old vs new, the colors with the same names are very similar but I see slight differences. Pigment wise the newer ones adhere better to the skin and have a softer smooth texture. Color payoff is similar though, my experience is that the color is really good and lasts a long time.

Colors I bought include the following below. I did receive some press samples but they weren’t colors I felt like I’d use so I gifted them away and bought ones I knew I would:

Kalahari* is the perfect neutral medium tone plum and bronze
Alhambra has a shimmering pink and shimmering gold
Cordura has a shimmering bronze and deep chocolate with gold flecks
St Paul de Vence has a perfect soft pink and warm pink matte (I feel like since I missed out on the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk quad this could be a good alternative)

The Tinted Smudge Proof Eye Base now comes in tinted form. I ordered both Light and Medium as I wasn’t sure what color I’d be. Medium is my match and I’ve swatched it next to a few Radiant Creamy Concealers in Custard, Macadamia and Ginger for reference. I wasn’t a fan of the original clear base simply because it’s not meant for my skin type. I know many love matte bases for eyeshadows but I don’t have oily lids so most tend to dry out my skin. I prefer something creamy and emollient. These new Tinted Bases are ultra pigmented and a little goes a long way. They have a velvety matte dry down so while it will help the shadow stay put all day long I found them too dry for my skin type. It is an excellent product to even out the lids and help create a nice canvas for powder eye shadow and once it sets it is indeed smudge-proof.

Last but not least a quick mention of the Climax Mascara*. I’m going to do a roundup soon of mascaras I’ve been trying and this one is excellent. It volumizes, doesn’t clump, holds the curl and is almost smudge-proof. Indoors in air conditioning it does not smudge on me. But outdoors for extended periods of time here in Florida we are still having humid weather with temperatures in the high 90s sometimes exceeding 100. In those cases minor smudging occurs. But overall this is an excellent formula.

A quick look at some of the originals I still have versus new version. I think the colors are really close but there are slight differences. The original Alhambra is a tiny bit peachier. Original Kalahari is cooler-toned. Original Ashes to Ashes is the slightest bit warmer in undertone.

Overall thoughts are positive. I think there has been an improvement in the new formula although I never had issues with the original ones. I really like that the pans are removeable and hope they come out with a large empty palette like MAC does that I can use to put the shadows in for travel or to make my own palette. I’m going to give the Hardwired shades another look, especially Pattaya because the formula is really good. I personally don’t love the Eyeshadow Bases but they aren’t bad – they’re just not what I like to use because of the matte finish.

You can find the NARS Eyeshadow Singles and Duos out now. Some shades seem to have been selling out quickly so you may have to shop around to find the colors you want. Available at NARS Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora and all other NARS retailers.

Some items featured are press samples, others purchased by me. Press sample shades have a * next to them.

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Bobbi Brown Eye Makeup

Bobbi Brown Nude on Nude Eyeshadow Palettes

September 19, 2018

Bobbi Brown has two new limited-edition Bobbi Brown Nude on Nude Eyeshadow Palettes ($59 each, made in USA) and they’re exclusive to Nordstrom. I’ve been eyeing these for months as they launched first in Asia and I was almost convinced we would not receive them in the US but we did! There is a pink version called Rosy Nudes and a medium bronzey version called Bronzed Nudes. Both are beautiful for a neutral with a twist eye look. If you’re one who doesn’t wear a lot of eyeshadow, are just getting into makeup, or want something easy to wear every day both are great options. I particularly appreciate neutrals these days because the warm red copper orange trend for eyes is still going very strong. As pretty as they are on many complexions, I often find them difficult to pull off.

Pigment is good on these palettes. It’s soft and sheer to medium. Color is truly natural but buildable. If you want intense pigment these palettes are going to be too natural looking for you. I find using an emollient cream shadow as a base helps the color show up better. I really love the Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes as my base. I don’t have oily lids so I can use a creamy base as my shadow base all over the lids without it getting greasy looking by afternoon.

How cute are the compacts?

A look at both in direct sunlight so you can see the shimmers better:

Rosy Nudes has pink nude options. There are mattes, shimmers and sparkles in the palette. There are variations of soft pink nudes and shimmers mixed in with a set of deeper tones for crease and definition. Each palette has a small pamphlet inside with combination ideas with step by step application instructions – so if you’re confused on how to apply shadow, it’s a good starting point. I don’t have a go-to technique, sometimes I start light to dark, other times I start with a medium color and then build and blend from there.

Colors include:

White Smoke – pale matte powder pink
Watercolor Pink – shimmery soft peachy pink
Nudest – light matte pink
Sunrise Glow – shimmery champagne pink peach
Nude – nude pink matte
Dusk – shimmery rosy shimmer
Milk Chocolate – sheer matte cool brown
Tan – matte tan
Chocolate Smoke – sparkling light brown
Rich Caviar – deep plum brown

Bronzed Nudes is my favorite of the two. It has the perfect neutral bronze tan shades to create a natural everyday eye. I’ve been reaching for this one more frequently. It’s one I can see myself wearing year round.

Colors include:

Bone – matte sheer beige
Golden Glow – soft shimmering gold beige
Frappe – matte tan
Pink Copper – sparkling light copper
Burnt Amber – shimmering tan
Buff – warm beige matte
Copper Chocolate – shimmering warm bronze brown taupe
Chocolate Truffle – shimmering taupe
Milk Chocolate – sheer cool matte brown
Black Chocolate – matte blackened brown

Pigment is good on these palettes but it’s soft with natural-medium coverage. Color is truly natural but buildable. If you want intense pigment these palettes are going to be too natural looking for you. I find using an emollient cream shadow as a base helps the color show up better. They layer well together but if you have dry lids I recommend using something to moisten the skin a tiny bit.

Below wearing Bronzed Nudes along with the following:

Primer – Bobbi Brown Primer Plus Mattifier
Foundation – Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Foundation in 4.5* (swatches + review here)
Powder – Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder *
Eyes – Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes in Platinum as a base, Bronzed Nudes Palette * with Golden Glow, Frappe, Pink Copper, Copper Chocolate and Black Chocolate
Mascara – NARS Climax Mascara *
Lips – Bobbi Brown Crushed Lip Color in Bare with Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss* in 712 Melted Honey on top

Closer look:

Overall nice easy to wear colors. I still think the Urban Decay Naked2 Palette is probably one of the best everyday neutral palettes I’ve found, but using it everyday can get boring real fast for me. These Bobbi Brown ones offer a nice variety and I think they’re a great way to start if you’re just getting into shadows.

Given that there are so many options out there a few thoughts on some other palettes I’ve tried recently:

Natasha Denona’s Camel Palette is a lot more pigmented and runs more camel/tan. These Bobbi Brown palettes are softer in color with pink or bronzey options.
NARS Mojave Eyeshadow Quad is easier to use with only 4 shades, it pulls more neutral with more pigment. I’ll be reviewing the new NARS singles and duo formula in the next week!
If you need all mattes, Chanel Clair Obscur is the way to go.
If you want something more neutral-cool, Pat McGrath’s MTHRSHP in Subliminal Platinum Bronze is the best one I’ve tried.

Bottom line I really love the Bronzed Nudes. All the shades are colors I gravitate towards. I have a soft spot for Pink Copper which I wish was made in full size. Both palettes are nice basic staples that you can wear without having to think about how to wear them. All this said she has launched quite a few nude palettes in the past. I haven’t kept track of them in quite some time so you might want to shop your stash if you own any of her eyeshadows. I keep swatching the Nude Drama Palette every time I go into Sephora but haven’t caved on it yet.

You can find the Nude on Nude Eyeshadow Palettes in Bronzed Nudes and Rosy Nudes Palettes available now at Nordstrom. They just started Triple Points today for card members and refreshed their Gift With Purchase page. I have a whole cart full of things I’ve been wanting to try and have to narrow down/edit my picks.

Bobbi Brown Nude Palettes provided for review. Other Press Samples featured indicated with a *.

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Eye Makeup Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs Mothership V Bronze Seduction Review + Swatches

September 7, 2018

Pat McGrath Labs launches keep getting better and better and her latest is the Mothership V Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow Palette ($125 for 13.2 g/ 0.47 oz, made in Italy, available at Pat McGrath and Sephora). I’ve had my eye on many of her large 10-pan palettes but was a little intimidated by the glitter and bold colors. I am beyond thrilled to be able to test this one out and it does not disappoint. It’s quite glitzy so if you don’t do glitter shadows this will definitely not be for you and I’d recommend you check out her 6-pan MTHRSHP Eyeshadow Palettes instead. I am beyond obsessed with all three options and love very much. I consider myself to be a conservative shadow wearer but indulge in some glitters every now and then. Not all glitters are created equal and the ones from Pat McGrath are quite special.

The Mothership V Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow Palette has ten eyeshadows that have a variety of textures. The formulas are really good in terms of color payoff and ease of blending. Some apply better with fingers in a patting motion. Others work better with a brush. I do want to mention that I’ve only had this palette for a couple days so this is more of a first impressions post. I did two eye looks to test everything and have one of them shown later in the post.

The colors in the palette include:

Skinshow Divine Glow is a soft shimmery white gold champagne
Entrapment is a warm matte brown
Bronze Blaze is a sparkling bronze copper
Rose Gold 005 is an iridescent glitter pink copper
VR Fire Opal is a duochrome gold and flashes green
Xtreme Aubergine is a deep matte plum
Gilty Pleasure is a sparkling brass glitter
Disobedient is a warm red brown matte
Blitz Flame is a smooth metallic deep red
Astral Luna Gold is a chunky gold sparkle

My favorites are Skinshow, Bronze Blaze and Gilty Pleasure. For the two glitters I find patting them over the mattes with my fingers resulted in a super pretty bronzed eye look. The color Rose Gold 005 is a super sparkly rose pink that flashes copper sparkle – it’s also a nice top coat shadow. Blitz Flame surprised me as I’m not a red shadow wearer but when I layer it with any of the matte browns it transforms into a deeper almost plum bronze with a little bit of red.

With the glitters there is a little bit of fall out when you apply. This is why I feel patting with fingers is best. Once on the lids they stay put pretty well. By the late afternoon I only had a tiny bit of fall out under the eyes.

The mattes did not swatch well on my arm. I’m not sure why mattes do that sometimes but on the eyes with a brush they performed just fine. They blend just fine on the eyes as a lid or liner color.

I’ve never had so much trouble photographing swatches. These shadows are so multi-dimensional they flash different colors depending on the angle. I highly recommend you check out the swatch video on her Instagram @patmcgrathreal because it shows the dimension and color best.

Look wearing the following (press samples indicated with a *):

Foundation – NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Vanuatu* (review here)
Powder – Armani Luminous Silk Pressed Powder #4 (fav setting powders here)
Blush – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush
Eyes – Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Norma Jean as a base, Pat McGrath Mothership V Palette* with Skinshow Divine Glow, Bronze Blaze, Gilty Pleasure and Xtreme Aubergine
Mascara – NARS Climax Mascara*
Lips – Pat McGrath Lust Gloss* in Aprodisiac (review here) over LuxeTrance Lipstick in Sextrology (swatches here)

The Mothership V Palette is glitzy and full on glam but very pretty for special occasions or for when you want some extra sparkle. If you feel the sparkle is too much you may want to opt for the NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette (still available at Ulta right now) or the Singapore Eyeshadow Quad. They have a similar vibe color-wise but aren’t as glittery.

Overall jaw dropping gorgeous. Because it’s got a lot of sparkle I know it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea but I think it’s worth looking into. Have you tried any of the other Pat McGrath Labs Eyeshadow palettes? What did you think?

You can find the Mothership V Bronze Seduction Eyeshadow Palette out now online at Pat McGrath and Sephora.

For one day they’re having a 10% off discount with code on the palette with promo code SEDUCTION at checkout. Terms conditions: Offer ends at 11:59PM EDT on Friday, September 7, 2018. Enter code SEDUCTION during checkout at www.patmcgrath.com to receive 10% off MOTHERSHIP V: Bronze Seduction Eye Palette. Limit one use per customer. Offer applies to authorized purchases only; only authorized orders will be processed and shipped. We reserve the right to cancel any order due to unauthorized, altered or ineligible use of offer and to modify or cancel the promotion at any time. Other restrictions may apply.

Palette provided for review.

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Eye Makeup Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow Review + Swatches

August 26, 2018

Hourglass Cosmetics launched a new eyeshadow called Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow ($29 each for .12 oz/3.5 g, made in Korea). I bought all five shades while at Sephora for the Beauty Insider event and every color is amazing. These are pressed pigments with micro-glitter that give the eyes a beautiful glimmer. The word “glitter” had me a little worried which is why I didn’t order them online sight unseen. I love a good sparkle but sometimes glitter can be too much for what I’m comfortable wearing. These aren’t too glittery for me although they are sparkly. You can wear these alone, layered over shadow, layered together or if you apply with a damp brush it will give you a more foiled look. Lasting power is excellent. I’ve only given these a 2 day test since I just bought these but they stayed put for hours without fall out or budging. On Friday night I’m embarrassed to admit I fell asleep with my makeup on. It’s something I tell myself to never do, but it was one of those exhausting weeks. The eyeshadow was still in tact the next morning.

Shopping the shades at Sephora:

There are five shades, two are more glitzy than the others (Foil and Blaze). Shimmer-wise they are indeed shimmery but the glitter is super fine and not chunky. Even on the eyes they have a smooth finish. I like apply with the fingers. They’re easy to smooth and blend out.

Aura is a soft shimmering cool pink sparkle
Reflect is a champagne neutral sparkle (my favorite!)
Foil is a very sparkly yellow gold
Smoke is similar to champagne, but more taupe
Blaze is a sparkling warm copper, glitzy sparkle

On me Foil and Blaze are the most sparkly. I don’t think I can wear them alone everyday, although layered over a powder shadow tones down the sparkle a little. Also if I layer the gold on top of the copper it creates one of the prettiest multi-dimensional looks.

There is an insert inside to keep the shadows pressed and in tact:

A closer look at all the shades:

Beauty look with Reflect which is my favorite color out of the five, also wearing:

Foundation: beautyblender Bounce Liquid Whip Long Wear Foundation in 3.60 (just hauled! review coming soon)
Powder: La Mer The Loose Powder
Cheeks: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush + Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light
Eyeshadow: Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadow in Reflect
Eyeliner: Marc Jacobs Highliner in Blacquer
Mascara: Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme Mascara
Lips: Hourglass Confession Lipsticks in No One Knows and My Favorite mixed together (swatches of all colors here)
Top: Madewell

Close ups and more swatches:

Some swatch comparisons to Armani Eyes to Kill Eyeshadows (now discontinued) in 8, 9 and 5. Also swatched next to the Natasha Denona Crystal Top Coats. The Armani Eyes to Kill had a more metallic finish with less glitter. Natasha Denona’s have more glitter and a sheerer base color. MAC Dazzleshadow Liquid is more like a metallic finish (review soon on these).

Bottom line I love them all. 100% worth the splurge. If I had to narrow down my picks I would pick Reflect and Smoke. They are on the sparkly side but they wear beautifully in a variety of ways. I like that they are easy to apply and that they don’t have fall out on me. I think all the colors are standouts although Foil is a very yellow gold and I usually don’t like gold colors like this but it is pretty when layered with other shades.

You can find the Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadows out now. You may have to shop around as they have sold out on a few sites. Available at Sephora, Beautylish, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York, Space NK and Hourglass Cosmetics.

If you’re shopping at Sephora, don’t forget you can use the Beauty Insider Appreciate promo code once online and unlimited times in store. Valid in both US and Canada:

Rouge Members: 20% off with code YESROUGE, valid 8/24 through 9/3
VIB Members: 15% off with code YESVIB, valid 8/30 through 9/3
Beauty Insiders: 10% off with code YESINSIDER, valid 8/30 through 9/3

Did you try these yet? I think they’re phenomenal!

25 Comments

Chanel Eye Makeup

New Chanel Eye Makeup Review

July 10, 2018

Chanel has some new eyemakeup out right now as a mini-release. I ordered some things from Nordstrom and Chanel including some eyeshadows, a lash primer and new eyeshadow base. After testing I think there are some hits and misses. By now their Fall-Winter Collection has already launched online with the Le Mat de Chanel. What I hauled:

Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Shadow in High-Profile
Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow in Ultra Flesh
Stylo Ombre Et Contour Eyeshadow-Liner-Khol in Nude Eclat, Electric Brown and Rouge Noir
La Base Ombre Paupieres Longwear Eyeshadow Primer
La Base Mascara Nourishing Mascara Base

There were also two new Eyeshadow Quads which I passed on because I didn’t love all the colors in each palette and knew there was a good chance they would be neglected.

Up first are the two eyeshadows in the Ombre Premiere Powder High-Profile and Ombre Premiere Cream Ultra Flesh. I reviewed the Ombre Premiere formula nearly a year ago. The formulas are indeed long wearing, the creams are particularly good to last in hot humid weather. With this launch High-Profile is a soft satiny nude gold that looks like skin but just a tiny bit lighter. The shimmer is ultra soft, a lot softer than Flesh or Ray (both of which pull more pinkish). Ultra Flesh has a pink peach shimmer finish. I was worried it would be too pink but it actually is light enough in color that it works for my skintone to give a soft peachy wash. Color is shimmery as well but in a natural way. To me these are both hits although High-Profile matches my skin so closely it almost looks like nothing on my lids.

Next are the Eyeshadow-Liner-Khols which I think are both hits and misses. I expected these to be like their previously launched twist up shadow sticks. They’re still twist up but a lot skinnier than I expected. Also there’s no sharpener and as many of you have commented in the past, this kind of packaging isn’t ideal for long term use. Once you wear down the tip it’s going to be difficult to line with the same precision as you can with a pointy tip. It has a smooth creamy texture that glides on the eyes like a liner. The lighter shade Nude Eclat (shimmery champagne) is easier to blend over the lid, but the other two Electric Brown (soft shimmery brown) and Rouge Noir (deep reddish plum) are best used if smudged slightly along the lash line. You can apply more and blend but blend quickly as they set fast. The best thing is once they’ve set there’s no smudging. My solution for when the tip wears down is to use a detail brush and swipe it along the top then apply on the eyes with the brush. I appreciate the design intent to be an all-in-one kind of product but I think it’s not going work well as both a liner and shadow if you can’t sharpen the tip.

Next are two base products. The Longwear Eyeshadow Primer seems to be only available at Chanel.com right now. It’s a pink tinted cream but applies to a clear finish on the lids. It dries down to a smooth soft matte and is designed to improve wear of shadows. This is one product I could not tell if it worked to improve wear or not. My shadow stayed put the same. What it does do is smooth out the lid surface and makes it stay matte all day. For me I prefer cream shadows as a base or liner because of the emollient texture. Since this is matte it doesn’t really help shadow apply richly like other bases. But it did keep my lids matte all day so if you have oily lids this is worth a look. The La Base Mascara also launched. I am not 100% sure if this is a new formula or relaunch. It’s labeled on the bottom as Volume and Care which to those aspects it does both. It’ a white base you coat onto the lashes and it does indeed add volume but nourishes them as well. The only downside for me is that once applied it straightens my lashes immediately even if I curl them. For me almost all mascara bases have straightened my lashes.

Overall some nice additions. The most interesting things to me were the two bases but I think your mileage will truly vary depending on your lash type or eye primer preference. I have difficult straight lashes so most formulas are hard to work with for me. The eyeshadow base is something I’m going to continue to try – right now I’m not convinced it improves my shadow but at the same time I do like how it smooths the entire eye area without adding any color.

You can find the new Chanel Eye Makeup Collection out at all counter right now. I bought mine from Nordstrom and Chanel. Have you checked these out yet? What did you think?

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Eye Makeup

Favorite High-End Mascaras for the Nordstrom Buy 2 Get 1 Free Event

May 26, 2018

For one day only Nordstrom is having their Mascara Event where you can buy two mascaras and get the third one free. If you add any three mascaras to your cart they will deduct the cost of the lowest priced option at checkout, no promo code required. Some exclusions apply: excludes lash primers, serums, enhancers and mascara sets. I’ve done many mascara round ups before but thought I’d do another of my current top high-end mascara picks. (On the nails in the top photo is Smith and Cult Forever Fades Fast.)

From left to right below:

MAC Eyelash Curler ($22) not part of the promo, but my favorite lash curler of the moment
Chantecaille Faux Cils Longest Lash Mascara ($72) best for length and volume
Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme ($45) best for volume, holding the curl and no smudging even in humid weather
Sisley So Intense Fortifying Mascara ($67) favorite for defining and holding the curl, the tiny wand is one of the few that will actually get to the base of the lashes without touching the skin and also works on lower lashes for me
Chanel Le Volume Waterproof ($32) always a classic (waterproof version is a must for me)
Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara ($30) one of my favorite do-it-all mascaras, really does open the eyes!
Stila Huge Lash Mascara (mini shown because I’ve run out of the full size, regular size runs at $23) one of the more affordable higher end mascaras that really does make the lashes look huge without clumping

Since I need long-wear or waterproof formulas I find the biggest challenge is removing them at the end of the day. Most bi-phase makeup removers will work but for me it takes quite a bit of soaking and removing with lots of repeat steps required. I’ve gone through a wide range of formulas and had a lot of favorites in the past but I feel like mascara formulas have been developed to be even more long lasting so many no longer work well.

What I use now includes the Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover and Almay Eye Makeup Remover Pads Longwear and Waterproof Formula. Note, there are two options of pads, the green one with oil is the one I use thanks to reader recs! There is a liquid version which I have also tried and it’s not as good as the pads are (just my two cents). Also since these have an oily residue I will use a cleansing water after to wipe off eye makeup and mascara one more time to help make everything feel less greasy. I like the Bioderam Hydrabio H20 and Sephora Cotton Pads. Lancome’s Eau Fraîche Douceur Micellar Cleansing Water has also been a long-time favorite.

Mascara event runs for one day only May 26th at Nordstrom, both online and in store. If you’re shopping online also don’t forget to check their Beauty Gift With Purchase page!

I’m doing this week’s giveaway in this post. One person will be selected to win a selection of Travel Goodies shown in the widget below including the Away Mini Travel Case in Pink, mini of Glossier You, mini Chanel Gabrielle, mini Chanel Le Volume Mascara, Glossier Mascara Full Size, Glossier Lip Gloss Full Size, Sephora Favorites On the Fly Set, mini Ouai Wave Spray, mini Oribe Gold Lust packet duo. Simply enter through the widget below and follow the instructions. Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older. Winner will be selected within 72 hours after giveaway ends. Prizes ship within a week. Not sponsored or affiliated.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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