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Highlighters Urban Decay

Urban Decay UD x Gwen Blush Palette, Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighters and Beached Bronzers

April 11, 2016

Today I have a roundup of several cheek products from Urban Decay including the UD x Gwen Blush Palette ($45), Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighters ($26 each) and Beached Bronzers ($28). All the items are very pretty and give the complexion some life and color in a natural way. The UD x Gwen Blush Palette in my opinion is one of the best blush palettes I’ve ever tried. It has a good mix of cool and warm and also matte and shimmer finishes to give you a lot of options. The colors layer nicely and application is smooth. I do find some similarities between the colors in the palette and the new highlighters/bronzers. You may want to shop your stash too as some of these will probably be duplicates or similar to what you own but more thoughts on each one below.

First a quick look at the cheek, highlighter and bronze items from Urban Decay side by side. I’m trying out a new interactive tool so you can shop the images by clicking on the icons. Let me know what you think!


Swatches on bare skin:

Up first is the UD x Gwen Blush Palette. This comes in a medium-sized mirrored compact similar in style to the UD x Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette. The packaging is very sturdy and well made. The colors have medium but buildable pigment and the texture is very soft and smooth. There is quite a bit of powder kick-up when I dip my brush into the powders but it’s easy to clean up and once the product is on the face there isn’t any fall out. Cherry is a soft cool matte pink, Easy is a medium rose with gold shimmer, Angel is a soft champagne gold, Lo-Fi is a medium tan, Hush is a shimmering peachy champagne, OC is an iridescent soft peach that flashes pink.

As you can see from the swatches above near the top of the post, Angel has a similar effect to the Afterglow Highlighter in Sin, Lo-Fi is a more yellow toned version of the bronzers, OC has a similar pinky sheen to the Afterglow Highlighter in Fireball. I would say by comparison the Blush Palette has a softer more natural look on the skin compared to the others. I love this palette because it’s so versatile and goes well with a wide range of looks. That being said the colors are fairly standard and I suspect you can find similar shades from MAC, NARS or other brands. I do really like that Easy Blush is a rose gold that is medium in undertone but doesn’t darken on my skin. So many rose blushes end up darkening and look muddy on my skin while Easy stays true to color. Angel has that pretty warm golden champagne undertone which makes it look soft and diffused on my olive skin. Hush is borderline a highlighter so I mix it with Lo-Fi to add more color on my skin.

Next up are the Afterglow 8-Hour Powder Highlighters. These are designed to be long-lasting and the claim is they last 8 hours. On my normal combination skin I found they did not last on my cheeks for the full 8 hours. I would say color stayed true from morning around 8 am until 2 pm (so for around 6 hours). After that the color faded a bit. It was still visible but there was noticeable fading, at least on me. The colors are very pigmented and intense but are easy to blend and buff out. I’ve swatched them heavy and blended to try and show the difference. The heavier you swatch these the more intense the shimmer and with a heavy hand the colors are lighter in color.

Sin is a pale champagne gold, on my skin it looks very pale, almost like a pale cream. Fireball is an iridescent peach that flashes pink. Aura is a pale pink that flashes slight pink and blue tones.

Shimmer-frost wise I think these are definitely on the more shimmery side but they blend out smoothly on the skin. Sin is the most frosted on me since it has a sharper contrast to my olive skintone. I expected Aura to look really frosty but on the face it gives the skin a pretty glimmer. Fireball has a smooth shimmer that isn’t overly frosted. I didn’t have time to reswatch comparisons, but Fireball is similar to the Anastasia Hard Candy Highlighter reviewed here and Aura compared to the Laura Mercier Highlighters in this post here. Sin is one of the more unique shades I own for highlighters but it has a similar effect to that of MAC Nylon Eyeshadow.

A quick look from the weekend with Lo-Fi and Fireball Highlighter on one side vs just Lo-Fi on the other so you can see how the highlighter adds a bit of a glow and more dimension:

Last up are the two Beached Bronzers. These are matte bronzers that come in round mirrored compacts. I love the packaging – the palm trees add a fun twist with the summer theme. Sun-Kissed is the lighter and warmer option of the two, it has a pinkish undertone which makes it more wearable and natural on my skin. Bronzed is the deeper option and gives my skin a more bronzed brown look. For my medium skin I prefer Sun-Kissed right now – it just looks more natural while Bronzed borderline makes my skin look a bit weathered as it’s more brownish and deep. I love a good bronze but these days try to go a bit easy on it since I’m not as tan as I am in the summer time. They are different enough to justify owning both – I think fairer skins will prefer Sun-Kissed. Deeper skins will probably find Bronzed better for their skin tones. Neither turns orangey and I was relieved to find they did not darken on the skin. The texture is very smooth and the blend nicely on the skin without any streaks. If you’re super fair I’d recommend you opt for either Gold Dust or Terra from Tom Ford instead as those will look more natural on the skin.

In terms of performance all the cheek products work very well. The quality is excellent and I really didn’t know what to expect before hand since the Naked Flushed palettes did not work for my skin type at all (they look super chalky and emphasize pores on me). I think the UD x Gwen Blush palette is the winner and if you’re trying to narrow down your picks, I’d say opt for the palette since it will give you the most options packaged in a single convenient compact. If you like more visible pigment or color for the cheeks you may find the Blush Palette too sheer or natural looking. In that case I’d recommend you opt for the NARSissist Cheek Studio Palette which has more pigment and more color but will also give you a wide range of options.

The highlighters are really pretty but I can’t say any of them are absolute musts. If I were to pick one favorite it would be Fireball – the mix of peach and pink is really pretty although it’s nearly identical to one of the shades in the Anastasia Gleam Glow Kit, the UD one performs exceptionally well.

The Bronzers are nice to have but not musts. That being said I find it rare to find good matte bronzers that are smooth in finish and application that don’t darken. The ones from Urban Decay perform really well – I like Sun-Kissed the best and the packaging is fun for the upcoming warmer weather months. Even though I can probably find similar shades in my collection to all the cheek items featured, I don’t have any regrets purchasing them – the formula works really well to add color or highlight without emphasizing pores.

You can find the Urban Decay cheek palette, bronzer and highlighters at all Urban Decay counters now. Online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Macy’s, Ulta Beauty and Urban Decay.
Have you checked out any of the items yet? What did you think?
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Highlighters

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator Powders – Devotion, Indiscretion, Addiction and Seduction

April 8, 2016

Laura Mercier just launched three new shades of the Face Illuminator Powder ($44 each, 9 g/0.3 oz). They are currently exclusive to Sephora and come in the same formula and design as the previously launched Indiscretion Face Illuminator. Each highlighter is cased in a square mirrored compact and while they are described as powders the texture is very unique. They almost have a creamy look and feel but definitely are not creams. Laura Mercier calls this a “non-dusting texture” which I think is fairly accurate. They are powders without the traditional powdery feel. Each color is very shimmery and sparkly but the texture is smooth and they are not overly frosted. On the face they adhere nicely to the skin which makes them long lasting on me. The texture is soft and blendable so they are easy to layer. Pigment is medium and natural looking but you can build pigment for a more visible sheen. In terms of emphasizing skin texture or pores, only one emphasized my pores slightly which is the gold one mainly because of the way the color looks against my olive skin.

  • Devotion is a shimmering pale pink. It has a similar effect to some of the colors in the Anastasia Gleam Glow Kit, Urban Decay Afterglow Highlighter in Aura and Chanel Perles et Fantaisies (swatch comparisons below). This one swatched on the arms and hands extremely frosted but on the face it blends out to a really pretty natural sheen.
  • Indiscretion is a classic medium champagne color with a peachy tinge. This is my favorite out of the four, I already had the old original version (had a different name) and this is the same color. It adds a lovely glow to the skin. If you are fairer I suspect this will be more bronzey on your complexion compared to mine.
  • Addiction is a shimmering yellow gold. Gold highlighters with yellow tones often times emphasize my pores. This one is really pretty but not my favorite on my olive skin because I already have some yellow undertones. Shimmer is on the sparkly side but it’s not over the top and blends nicely.
  • Seduction is my next favorite out of the bunch. It’s a medium bronze shimmer that has some reddish undertones. I suspect those with darker skin tones will find this matches their skin tone more for a glowy highlighter while on me it’s definitely bronzey.
The shimmer in each highlighter is really pretty. The colors in direct sunlight:

Close ups with comparison swatches:

Anastasia Glow Kit in Gleam (Crushed Pearl and Hard Candy review)

Anastasia Glow Kit in That Glow – Bubbly and Dripping in Gold (review)
MAC Cream Color Base in Hush from Contour Kit (review on kit)
Tom Ford Illuminator Duo in Moodlight (1/2 swatched, review)
NARS Dual Intensity Blush in Jubilation (peach side)

NARS Dual Intensity Blush in Jubilation (peach side)
MAC MSF in New Vegas (discontinued)
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow (highlighter side, review)
Anastasia Glow Kit in That Glow – Sunburst (review)

I had some challenges photographing the bronze shades with the flash and cloudy weather, so I have two sets, first is without flash, next is with flash:

MAC MSF Metal Rocks (discontinued)
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow Medium-Dark (review)

All four perform extremely well and give the skin a natural candlelit glow. The shimmer is noticeable on the complexion but not over the top. That being said, for my medium skin, the lighter shades Devotion and Addiction do have a more visible sheen on my skin because of the color contrast to my natural skintone. Devotion is all kinds of gorgeous for a soft light opal pink sheen without looking too pale. Addiction is pretty just not for my skintone. Seduction acts like a bronzer. Indiscretion is hands down my favorite.

With so many highlighters available to choose from picking one or narrowing down picks to a few might seem overwhelming. I certainly find that it is. If  you can try in person I recommend you do – finding the right one for you will be kinda like finding the right foundation for you. It depends on your skin type, skin texture, coverage, degree of shimmer and application preferences. I think the Face Illuminators from Laura Mercier have the a very unique texture compared to others. The non-powdery finish makes them feel almost like a cream so they adhere well to the skin. Shimmer is definitely noticeable to give the skin a glowy highlight so it’s apparent on the skin but it’s not over the top. I love that for the most part they don’t emphasize my skin imperfections or pores too much. Your mileage may vary depending on what your skin texture is like. All this being said if you’re going more for color effect rather than formula or texture you will be able to find a lot of other products that will give you a similar look (as shown by the handful of comparison swatches).

For me my top two picks are Indiscretion and Seduction for color and finish. I already own a lot of light pink highlighters but if you’re like me (medium or even darker) you might find many light pinks have a sharp almost white look on the skin so they require a light hand or lots of blending. If I didn’t already own so many I would hands down say Devotion is a must – it performs the best out of all the pale pinks I own because of the way it melds with the skin and just glows. The formula and texture is superior to other pale pink highlighters that I have.
I still have one more set of newer highlighters to review (the ones from Urban Decay) but out of all the ones that have recently launched, the Laura Mercier ones definitely have the best texture for my skintype, Hourglass Strobe Powders have a more subtle strobe effect, Anastasia Glow Kits are the most glowy and have the best value for price, I’m still undecided on the Urban Decay highlighters but will let you know my thoughts once I post the review.

Bottom line, the Laura Mercier Face Illuminator Powders are solid performers for quality, pigment, texture and lasting power. You can find them now at Sephora.

Devotion and Seduction sent as press samples. The other two shades purchased by me.

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighters Sephora

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits in That Glow and Gleam

April 6, 2016

I picked up the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits ($40 each) earlier this year and have been completely obsessed with these for months. After playing with both kits for some time I will say that they are on the high shimmer side and give the cheeks or eyes a luminous glow. The colors are very smooth and easy to blend. Shimmer is on the more dramatic side similar to that of MAC Mineralize Skin Finishes but are very wearable for everyday as long as you blend these well or use a loose fluffy brush. For shimmer/frost reference the most frosted highlighters I think I’ve ever tried are the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits are not as frosted as the Bobbi Brown ones in my opinion, but are definitely more shimmery than say the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. The Glow Kits are designed to be face highlighters but I also like to use them on the eyes as eyeshadows.

There are two kit options: That Glow has warmer golden tones and Gleam has cooler pink tones. On my medium olive skin I think the warmer gold option is more naturally flattering while the cooler pink one is more dramatic but still very wearable. Both kits come in a magnetized cardboard box and the pans in each kit are removeable. I’m not the biggest fan of the packaging but it is very sturdy so for me it’s not a deal breaker. I bought mine at IMATS Los Angeles earlier this year where they had a slight discount (they basically did not charge sales tax) but you can find them now at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Macy’s.

A look at both kits without flash, in indirect natural light, you can see the colors still glow:

Swatched on my medium-olive skin most of the shades are clearly highlighters. If you have lighter skin these will show more color as you can see in The Non-Blonde and A Little Bit Etc. If you have deeper or darker skin these will most likely look lighter and more contrasted on your skin. Anastasia Beverly Hills has both kits swatched on 3 skintones here and here.

____________________

That Glow has warm gold tones with the following shades:
Sunburst is a pale yellow gold shimmer
Golden Bronze is a warm coppery golden bronze shimmer
Bubbly is a shimmering soft champagne
Dripping in Gold is a shimmering champagne gold

Each shade shown below with photographed close ups:

Note these are swatched with a heavy hand to show the pigment and color. You can blend easily for a more subtle and less frosted look.

Some swatch comparisons below to:
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne (discontinued)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Brilliant Strobe Light (review here)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in So Ceylon (discontinued)

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Gleam has cool and neutral shimmers:
Hard Candy looks like a peachy coral in the pan, but it goes on an almost duo-chrome cool pink pearl
Mimosa is a shimmering light peach
Starburst is a shimmering pale frosted pink
Crushed Pearl is a shimmering pale champagne that almost looks white on my skin

Swatch comparisons to:
Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand (review here)
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Starlight (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Stereo Rose (discontinued)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Euphoric Strobe Light (review here)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Iridescent Strobe Light (review here)

I’m one who loves to have glowing skin and these are both pure love for me. I found these went on the face smoothly and did not emphasize pores or fine lines. The pigment is medium but blendable. Because these are so pigmented I do think these can be easy to overdo so for me the key to application is to apply with a light hand. Any regular blush brush works to apply or a skunk brush too. I’ve been using the Chanel Blush Brush or MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush to apply these. Lasting power is excellent – they stay put and do not budge from morning to night.

For me these get a thumbs up. If I had to pick just one it would be a tough call for me. Gleam has colors I find more unique compared to other highlighters I own, but That Glow is more natural on my skintone and I prefer the warmer tones for my complexion.
You can find the Anastasia Glow Kits for $40 each at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Macy’s.
26 Comments
Highlighters

Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight and Starlight – The Celestial Skin Liquid, Celestial Powder and Lip Gloss

March 28, 2016

A couple weekends ago I stopped by the Kevyn Aucoin booth at The Makeup Show LA and picked up the new Lip Glosses ($30 each for 5.04 ml) in Candlelight and Starlight along with the Celestial Skin Liquid Lighting ($52 for 30 ml) in Starlight. I already own the Celestial Liquid in Candlelight which I really like and was curious about the pink version. I did a review on the Celestial Powders a little over a year ago in this post here but I thought I’d feature all the Candlelight and Starlight products for the Celestial Skin Liquid, Celestial Powder and Lip Gloss in a single post to swatch them side by side in case you were wondering how the colors looked in different formulas.

Candlelight is the champagne-gold option while Starlight is the pink-tinged color. In my initial review about the powders, I mentioned that color of the Candlelight Celestial Powder was a slight miss for my skintone. I still stand by that opinion because the color is a bit too pale and too cool toned for what I like on the face. It’s still a very well made product and high quality (I like it as eyeshadow, just not on my cheeks). I personally prefer the color of the Celestial Skin Liquid which is deeper and more golden. It gives the skin a very soft luminous glow – those who are afraid of too much shimmer on the face should check out the Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Liquid because it gives the skin a very natural glow without the frost or shine. You can use it mixed in with foundation to add a nice luminosity or on top of cheekbones as a natural highlight. The Candlelight Lip Gloss is a gorgeous sparkling gold in the tube but it’s pretty much clear on the lips. It’s pretty when layered on top of lipsticks but I would have loved to see more pigment in the base.
For Starlight, I loved the Starlight Celestial Powder and still do. It’s a beautiful seashell pink shimmer that I find difficult to find in highlighters from other brands. It works well on cheeks as a highlight or the eyes as an all over wash. The pigment is very good and shimmer visible but not frosty. The Starlight Celestial Liquid is almost identical in color but has a more subtle finish compared to the powder. If I had to pick one, I would pick the powder mainly because it shows up more on my skin, but both are very good. The Starlight Lip Gloss is stunning. I’ve swatched both on the lips (scroll down) and it was hard to capture the depth of the shimmer but if you are in search of a soft seashell pink shimmer gloss that shows up the Starlight Lip Gloss is perfect. 

I won’t repost the images of the Celestial Powders since I already reviewed them here and swatched them above, but here are close ups and swatches of the Celestial Liquids and Lip Gloss in Starlight and Candlelight.

The glosses look identical in the lip swatch photos – the shimmer was difficult to capture, but Starlight shows up more on the lips closer to the arm swatch above. Both have a semi-thick texture but it’s not tacky. They are scented with a fruity scent but it’s pleasant and fades after a few minutes. Lasting power is like the average gloss – they will stay on the lips a while without fading or budging as long as you don’t touch the lips. They will transfer if you drink anything like cups of tea or coffee (or any other kind of drinks).

 

In terms of cream or liquid highlighters, the Edward Bess All Over Seduction highlighters are still hands down my favorites for adding a nice visible but natural glow to the face. I think the Celestial Skin Liquids from Kevyn Aucoin perform well – they are great for mixing in with foundation or adding a luminous glow to the cheeks in a very natural way. Lasting power is pretty good for a liquid (I find they last longer than Armani Fluid sheers). I know they have reached cult status for many, I think they are very good but for me I can’t personally say I find them must-haves. I will use mine up to the end but I don’t know that I will repurchase due to the high price tag combined with the fact that I prefer powder highlighters. Starlight Celestial Powder is still one of my favorites for pink highlighters. For the lip glosses, I would say that the Starlight gets a thumbs up from me. Candlelight is nice to have but not a must because of the sheerness – although there are times when I want a sheer sparkly gloss to add shine instead of color so in those cases this one fits the bill.


You can find Kevyn Aucoin products at a number of different retailers including Nordstrom, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Space NK and Beautylish.

Do you have any Kevyn Aucoin favorites?
14 Comments
Highlighters

Edward Bess All Over Seduction Sunlight, Afterglow and Paradise

February 28, 2016

The Edward Bess All Over Seduction ($38) is hands down the best cream highlighter I have every tried and I’m thrilled to finally be able to share his newest color called Paradise which is a shimmering rose with a golden sheen. For those new to his line, the All Over Seduction is a solid cream highlighter that’s cased in a small mirrored compact. They have a natural glowy sheen that I find just perfect – not too sheer, not too sparkly and never looks greasy. There are so many ways to use these, under blush, over powders, on the eyes – basically anywhere you want a bit of a glow. It makes the skin look fresh and naturally dewy.

The two original shades are Sunlight and Afterglow – both of which have been staples in my beauty collection for years. I’ve hit pan many times. Whenever I travel I almost always bring one if not both shades with me. For me it just doesn’t get better than this for cream highlighters.

Sunlight is the lighter option which I’d describe as a light cool-toned champagne glow. The color payoff of course will depend on how fair or deep your skin is. On fairer skintones I suspect this will match your natural skintone more and appear to be more of a transparent sheen. On my medium skin it definitely shows up like a lighter highlighter.

Afterglow is deeper and more of a peachy golden bronze by comparison. On my skin it gives the cheeks that natural healthy lightly sunkissed look. Not quite bronzey, but just barely. I adore this color – I wish I had a powder eyeshadow just like it because it has the perfect mix of light shimmer, bronze color and peach (MAC All That Glitters has a close effect, I like layering that color on top of the cream highlighter on the eyes).

The newest color Paradise is a shimmering golden rose. It’s a highlighter so it is on the natural side just like the other two shades. On my skin I can wear it as a very subtle blush, but it’s still a highlighter and performs as such. For more color I like layering any pink powder blush on top. It’s great for adding a bit of warmth to the skin for that polished glowy natural look.

A closer look at all three:

 

A few comparison swatches:

Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duo in Moodlight (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Las Salinas (review here)
Tom Ford Cream Blush in Pink Sand (review here)

Bottom line all three are must-haves in my book. They are perfection. For me these are the best kind of cream highlighter to give the skin a natural youthful glow. They glide onto the skin easily, smoothly, don’t emphasize pores and they never look frosty. The All Over Seduction does have a soft fig scent like his lipsticks but it’s not overpowering or too sweet. I highly recommend checking them out.

You can find the Edward Bess All Over Seduction at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and online at Edward Bess. Right now Neiman Marcus has their Beauty Week Gift with Purchase Event going on – there is a department-wide gift but you might want to check out the individual brand gifts too.

Have you checked these out? What’s your favorite cream highlighter?

Paradise sent courtesy of Edward Bess for review consideration.
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Eye Makeup Fragrance Highlighters Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty – New Spring 2016 Launches

February 1, 2016

There are quite a few new items launching this spring from Tom Ford Beauty. There appear to be mini product launches versus a full seasonal collection release. I did some major hauling over the past few weeks and have thoughts + swatches of my picks to share today. Shown above and swatches of what I picked up below:

Honeymoon Eyeshadow Quad ($80, on backorder at Neiman Marcus) 
Lip Color Shine SS16 ($52)

First up are new eyeshadow quads. The good news is that there are new eyeshadow quad colors in Disco Dust, Honeymoon, Last Dance, Starry Night and Lilac Dream. The bad news is that some like Cognac Sable are being discontinued. I picked up two of the new quads, the neutral warm ones in Disco Dust and Honeymoon. I had to call around to several stores to track down Honeymoon a couple weeks ago. I heard these are permanent so even though Honeymoon seems to be sold out for now, it should be available for purchase when they restock.

Both quads pull very warm on me. They also have shimmer in them which is absolutely stunning. Disco Dust has a cool silvery mauve sparkle, a warm satiny tan, a copper peach shimmer and a dark plum brown shimmer. Two of the shades are very similar to NARS Hammamet Eyeshadow Duo (swatched here) so if you’re not a fan of glitter, you may want to check out the NARS.

Honeymoon is one of the warmest eyeshadow quads I own. It has a shimmering tan, shimmery copper bronze, reddish auburn shimmer and reddish plum. This one pulls very warm on my eyes but it’s still very wearable if I layer and blend it and use the two darker shades along the lash line smudged. If you are very fair this one will pull a lot more red on your skin compared to me. On deeper tan skintones, I think this one will look absolutely amazing on.

Swatch comparisons to Charlotte Tilbury The Dolce Vita (another warm quad I have) and Tom Ford Orchid Haze. In terms of neutral quads, Orchid Haze is one of my favorite everyday neutral palettes from Tom Ford.

Quick eye swatch/look of Disco Dust:

There are two scents launched for early spring called Soleil Blanc. Since I was a huge fan of the Shimmering Body Oil from last year, I picked up both the fragrance and oil. I think I could have skipped the Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil, although it smells amazing. I prefer the fragrance simply because it’s stronger and I feel like it’s not as messy as the shimmering body oil. Also this year’s oil seems to be more emollient than last year’s which I found absorbed quickly into the skin. This one has a lingering feel that isn’t greasy, but definitely noticeable, almost like it’s slightly sticky. For both of these, there isn’t much I could find online to describe the notes except that it has floral combined with amber. 
Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum is a white floral. I don’t find amber notes to be very strong – but when I smell it closely, I can see how there is some blended in because this isn’t an overly powdery floral. It’s a warmer weather scent but I’m completely obsessed with it right now. The Soleil Blanc is what I wanted the Guerlain Terracotta fragrance from a few years ago to smell like (which I found too strong and too floral last time I smelled it).

Next up are one hit and one miss for me. I had very high hopes for the Lip Color Shine in SS16 and Shade and Illuminate in SS16. I almost never try lip color testers at the counters because they are loaded with germs, so I bought the Lip Color Shine without trying it on the lips. On the hands it swatched like a gorgeous glossy nude. On my lips it looks like concealer.

Swatched below is uneven, streaky and concealer-like on my pigmented lips:

If you’re like me and can’t pull off pale nudes, you may want to check out Lip Color Shine in Bare instead which is more pink in color:

Swatch comparisons:

Tom Ford Lip Color in Nude Vanille
Tom Ford Lip Color in Sweet Mystery (swatched)
Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Eddie (swatched here)
MAC Lipstick in Creme de Nude

Last but not least is the new Shade and Illuminate in SS16. This is the first Shade and Illuminate product I’ve tried from Tom Ford even though there are two other shades. This is a sheer dewy cream illuminator duo. The texture is very dewy and glossy for a natural sheen. I don’t think it will be everyone’s cup of tea since it’s on the dewy side. I like using this as a base for powder blushes or bronzers because it gives the skin a natural glow from within look. If you have oily skin you many want to proceed with caution on these. On my skin this gives a barely there glow. I actually still prefer the Edward Bess All Over Seduction highlighters (they are my holy grail cream highlighters), so if you want something more versatile and more visible, check out the Edward Bess ones instead.

Two sets of comparison swatches:

Tom Ford Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust (discontinued, review)
Tom Ford Cream Blush in Pink Sand (discontinued, review here)

Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Sunlight, Afterglow and Paradise

There’s lots to explore from Tom Ford right now. I believe there is a mix of permanent and limited-edition items. I suspect the SS16 items are all limited, but the quads are reported to be permanent. Also new from Tom Ford includes a new Purifying Cleansing Oil that I’ve been testing (review soon). It looks like new items for lips and eyes that just launched online including Cream Colors for Eyes, Patent Finish Lip Colors and High Definition Eye Liners.

Out of the items I reviewed on the blog today, I would say that my top picks are the Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum, Disco Dust Quad and SS16 Shade and Illuminate Duo. The SS16 Lip Color Shine doesn’t work for me by itself – I suspect it can be easily fixed with a deeper lipliner like MAC Boldly Bare or Subculture though. Honeymoon is all kinds of gorgeous – but does pull dark and warm on me. It’s very pretty on but I prefer Disco Dust.

Have you checked out the new items from Tom Ford yet? Some pieces have sold out on different sites so if you’re shopping online you may have to order from multiple places.

Eyeshadow Quads can be found at all Tom Ford retailers such as Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

The Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum appears to be exclusive to Neiman Marcus at the moment.

SS16 Shade and Illuminate + Lip Color Shine can be found at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Net-A-Porter.

52 Comments
Highlighters

Natasha Denona Glowing Skin System via Beautylish

January 29, 2016

I just recently discovered Natasha Denona’s makeup line thanks to Beautylish. Her makeup line has been all the rage on social media lately and rightly so. I had the privilege of meeting her in person at IMATS Los Angeles earlier this month and got a sneak peek at the full line. I’ve been testing some of her products for the past month now and have a first look today at her Glowing Skin System. Right now Beautylish carries the items focused around glowing skin. They will carry her full line of makeup by the end of February including eyeshadows, blushes, lipsticks and more.

The Glowing Skin System is a five-piece set that includes selected products, all formulated by Natasha to give your skin a natural-looking glow. The set also includes a bonus brush.

Based on my skin preferences, the Beautylish team sent me a few items to try. After seeing the line in person at IMATS, I later purchased three more items to test out and compare. First up are some thoughts on the primers. It was recommended that I try the Anti-Shine Flawless Face Base ($55, c/o). Let me preface by saying I am not a primer kind of person. I think primers can make a huge difference in the way foundation lasts and applies, but in general I don’t like the added layer of product on my skin because it usually feels too thick. The Anti-Shine Flawless Base feels like a gel formula and glides evenly over the skin. It feels slightly thick when you blend onto the skin, but once it sets it’s not thick and smooths out the skin. It doesn’t make the face look matte but it helps prevent shine and with the Face Glow Foundation it helped extend wear and did reduce shine throughout the day (compared to when I tested it without the primer). I liked that it didn’t clog pores or irritate my skin. I haven’t tested it with other formulas of foundation though.

At IMATS I tested the Face Glow Hydrating Primer Underbase ($35) and it felt amazing so I ordered it the next day. It’s almost like a cushiony moisturizer and it feels incredible on the skin. It reminds me of a more emollient version of the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. This one is definitely best for those with dry skin. Right now I have normal combination skin. I tested this on several occasions and found it too rich and moisturizing for my skin type. It’s going to be regifted to one of my friends who has super dry skin.

I was matched sight unseen to the Face Glow Foundation ($42, c/o) in Shade 30. You can see the color face chart online at Beautylish which I think is super helpful. When I apply it, the color looks just the a bit too light, but once it sets it darkens just the slightest bit so it’s a fairly good match. I can also fix this with a slightly darker powder. I checked out the next two shades in 40 and 42 while at IMATS. 40 was too pink and 42 was too dark. I’m in that skintone transition phase right now, so I don’t have a 100% exact match, but I can make 30 work without too much extra effort.

The Face Glow Foundation has SPF15. It comes in a pump tube and to me feels like an in between BB cream and CC cream. It is on the thick side, similar to that of the Chanel CC Cream, but has a sheerer finish. The finish is sheer to medium. It’s not so sheer that it’s invisible. It does even out the skin but I would say this is best for those with near perfect skin. As the name implies this is a glowy kind of product. One of the more glowy ones I’ve tried lately. I found it absolutely necessary to set with powder. On my normal combo skin, it did get a bit too dewy by 2 pm for my taste. More dewy than other foundations.

This one is perfect for going out at night if you have a special date night or want to look fresh and glowy. For everyday, I prefer something with more coverage and less dewy. Your mileage may vary – there are lots of customer reviews on Beautylish which I always find helpful.

I did some swatch comparisons when I did the review on the NARS Velvet Skin Tint (c/o). I’ve reposted here for quick reference:

Next up are the glow products. I love a good glow – there’s something about shimmery makeup that always gets me. There are three glow products for face and body. There are three shades for each one in Light, Medium and Dark. First up is the Face Glow Cream Shimmer Stick in Light 01 ($42, c/o) which is a champagne pearl cream. It comes in a twist up stick and gives a very glowy gleam to the skin. Out of the all the items I tried, I had the highest hopes for this, but am sad to report it did not work for me. This gives the skin a beautiful sheen and I love the color. The effect for my personal taste is simply too glowy – it makes the skin almost look wet. Even if I set with a powder on top (whether it’s a setting powder or powder highlighter) for me this one is just too glowy. If you read other reviews it has been very well received and raved about. I may be in the minority in my opinion on this one. The shimmer is fine and smooth (not frosty or glittery). It doesn’t emphasize pores. I just didn’t like the way this looked on my skin. I tried it multiple ways under foundation, over foundation, over blush, on cheekbones, on the eyes.

A quick shot next to the powder in Light 01 – you can see they are the same color:

Next up are the All Over Glow Face and Body Shimmer Powders ($38 each). Beautylish sent me Light 01 (c/o) which is one of the prettiest champagne shimmers I’ve tried. The powder is on the shimmery side but I don’t find it overly frosty. Pigment is excellent and easy to blend. It makes the skin glow to perfection. After playing with these at IMATS I fell in love with both the Medium 02 and Dark 03 and ordered them immediately. I love shimmer powders and these are amazing. I live for flesh toned shimmers and it’s hard to find ones that are tan or deep, somewhere in between a straight champagne or pure bronze. I think these are definitely worth a look. After playing with these, I still think Light 01 is the best for me, but Medium 02 gives my skin a slightly golden bronzey sheen. Dark 03 is definitely too dark for me to wear on the cheeks. I can wear it with a super light hand. I actually really like it on the eyes.

Swatches of each, left swatch is with a light hand,  right swatches are heavier:

Next up is the Body Glow ($55, c/o) which also comes in three shades Light, Medium, and Dark. I have light shown below. I didn’t get a chance to see the other shades at IMATS (too many other distractions to play with). This gives the skin a luminescent glow. I applied it heavily in the swatch below next to Charlotte Tilbury’s Supermodel Body Shimmer. Once you blend on the skin, both of them dry to the same naturally glowy finish. I would say the one from Charlotte Tilbury has sparkles that are slightly larger and more visible while the one from Natasha Denona has a very similar effect but more fine shimmer. I’m not one who wears body shimmer products frequently (maybe I should start) but this one is very pretty and natural looking. It dries quickly so there’s little to no transfer to loose clothing. For me this is nice to have, but not necessary.

Last but not least, the Natasha Denona Glowing Skin System from Beautylish comes with a bonus brush. I think the option may vary per set. I was sent the Brush #22 (c/o) which is a foundation brush. It’s a flat top brush that is very soft and dense. I actually prefer this one for the powder highlighters. It picks up just the right amount of product and applies powder perfectly to the face. I didn’t expect much from it since I’m usually not a fan of flat top brushes (they almost always end up feeling like the poke my face), but this one is insanely smooth at the top and feels amazing. It’s not available separately on Beautylish yet, but I hope they will launch it soon.

Close ups:

If you’re looking for a makeup base collection to give you some serious glow, the Natasha Denona line is definitely worth a look. Out of all the items I tried, my top picks are the Face Shimmer Powders in Light and Medium and the Brush #22. Of course you don’t need to use the entire system – the pieces are nice to incorporate into your everyday routine or nice to add for a bit more glam and glow for an evening look. There’s been a lot of buzz about Natasha’s line and I’ve been watching videos to try and decide what lip colors to try out. I have been testing one of her blush duos and an eyeshadow palette. I hope to have a review up soon on both.

Have you tried anything from Natasha Denona? If yes, what do you recommend? You can find the Glowing Skin System now at Beautylish. The rest of her line is expected to launch there by the end of February.

Glowing Skin System sent courtesy of Beautylish indicated by c/o, Face Powders in Medium and Dark and the Hydrating Primer purchased by me.

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