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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.

28 Comments
Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders

January 21, 2016

This spring Hourglass has launched some additions to the Ambient Lighting family with the Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders ($38 each for 0.16 oz/4.6 g) and the Ambient Strobe Light Sculptor ($22). I stopped by the Hourglass Store in Venice Beach last week to check these out and fell in love. One of the strobe powders Incandescent Strobe Light was introduced to us before in the Ambient Lighting Palette (Trio) as an exclusive. If you have this palette, you’re familiar with the beautiful natural glowy finish and smooth texture of the strobe powders. They look sheer on the hands/arms. On the face they add the perfect natural glow and highlight. The sparkle isn’t over the top and it makes the skin glow without being too frosty and they do not emphasize pores.

There are four shades of the Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders. If you ask me if you think all four are necessary to have, I would say no – but after seeing them at the store, I had to buy all four. The colors are:
  • Euphoric Strobe Light – A pearlescent beige powder bestowing a natural highlight
  • Iridescent Strobe Light – An illuminating pink powder imparting a soft highlight
  • Brilliant Strobe Light – A shimmering gold powder imparting a lustrous highlight
  • Incandescent Strobe Light – An opalescent pearl powder bestowing a celestial highlight
Euphoric is the darkest option available. Iridescent and Incandescent are very similar, Iridescent is slightly deeper and more pink. Brilliant is a gorgeous yellow/gold option. I find the powders very finely milled and apply flawlessly with the Ambient Strobe Light Sculptor or a regular powder brush.

The packaging of the Strobe Powders is similar in size to the Ambient Lighting Blushes, except the color is silver.

A quick look at size comparisons:

Ambient Lighting Powders $45 for 0.35 oz/10 g (review)
Ambient Lighting Bronzers $50 for 0.39 oz / 11 g (review)
Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder $38 for 0.16 oz/4.6 g
Ambient Lighting Palette $58 for 0.35 oz/9.9 g (review)
Ambient Lighting Blush $35 for 0.15 oz/4.2 g (review)

Close ups of each powder in sunlight:

The product in the pans will look different depending on lighting situations. The shimmer particles are highly reflective. I have a couple shots to show the base color and the shimmers depending on light. Both sets are in the same order.

Top: Incandescent Strobe Light, Euphoric Strobe Light
Bottom: Iridescent Strobe Light, Brilliant Strobe Light

Swatches and three sets of comparison swatches, first in natural light:

With sun + flash – they look frosty here, but I can assure you on the face they are more finely milled and naturally glowy:

A quick look at the Ambient Strobe Light Sculptor – it applies these perfectly to the cheek bones by tapping on the areas you want highlighted. A regular blush brush works just as good, although if you want to apply the powders damp for more color, I found the brush worked better.

Comparison Set 1: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders in Luminous Light (reviewed here), Diffused Light and Dim Light. Luminous Light has a shimmery quality that acts as a highlighter while some other shades like Diffused and Dim Light are less shimmery and can be used as an all over setting powder for me without looking too glowy. Below the swatches are done with a heavy hand to show the color differences.

Comparison Set 2: Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powders in Starlight and Candlelight (reviewed here) are a lot more shimmery. On me Candlelight looks too white for my olive/yellow skin although it looks good on many of my friends. I prefer the Hourglass Strobe Powders by far. Also shown is Becca Champagne Pop (swatched here) and the Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duo in Moodlight (review). The Becca is one of the most shimmery highlighters I own (and adore). By comparison the Becca Champagne Pop almost feels sharp because the shimmer is so pigmented.

Comparison Set 3: MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade is one of the softest most finely milled highlighters from MAC that I own. It’s a lot paler than any of the Ambient Lighting Strobe Powders but has a similar effect. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle by comparison has a lot more shimmer/frost. I added a swatch of the MAC Extra Dimension Highlighter in Whisper of Gilt (d/c, review here) to show texture comparison. The effect of the powders is similar to that of NARS Hot Sand Duos (review here). If you already own Hot Sand, you can probably skip Incandescent or Iridescent.

Quick look at the beautiful store on Abbot Kinney:

One last shot, clockwise from top left: Euphoric, Iridescent, Brilliant and Incandescent

Bottom line all winners. I tested these over the past week and am thoroughly impressed. They lasted all day on the cheek bones without getting too glowy or dewy looking by late afternoon. I’ve been testing them over a number of foundations from Tom Ford, NARS, Laura Mercier and Natasha Denona. They all held up remarkably well. I am already on highlighter/glow overload – I’m completely obsessed with glowy highlighters, but I thnk these are well worth a look. If I had to narrow down my picks, I would say Brilliant Strobe Light offers the best strobe highlight for my olive skintone. It brightens the complexion with a gorgeous candlelight glow. Euphoric is the most natural on me since it’s deeper, but it still shows up like skin but better. I would say there’s a tie between Iridescent and Incandescent – I think the pink tones in Iridescent make it more special, but you can’t go wrong with either. The sponge is nice to have, but not a must.

You can find the Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders ($38) and Sculptor ($22) at Sephora and Hourglass Cosmetics right now. It is expected to launch at other retailers later this spring.

Have you checked these out yet? What’s your favorite highlighter right now?

29 Comments
Highlighters NARS Nordstrom

NARS Hot Sand Collection (Nordstrom Exclusive)

January 4, 2016
NARS Hot Sand x Nordstrom Collection

For the new year NARS x Nordstrom have launched an exclusive collection called Hot Sand which is all about glow. There are six pieces in the collection all with a champagne color focus which give the most natural incandescent luminous finish. I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom to share a review on the collection along with lots of comparison swatches to other champagne shimmers.

The six items in the Hot Sand Collection are all exclusive to Nordstrom, items include:

  • Hot Sand Lip Gloss ($26 for 0.18 oz/6 ml) is a pale sandy gold, it has a bit of shimmer in it which comes off as a shimmering frost, finish is sheer to medium but smooth and makes the lips look light and glossy
  • Hot Sand Illuminator ($30 for 1.1 oz/30 ml, repromoted) is a sheer pearlized champagne peachy glow, this is one of my favorite liquid illuminators to add the most natural sheen, it’s perfect for my medium-olive skin because the peach gives it color while most champagne highlighters look light and pearly on my skin, it gives the skin that glow from within candlelit look without looking frosted
  • Hot Sand Multiple ($39 for .5 oz/14g) is a new color, it’s almost identical to the Illuminator, it gives a more visible glow to the skin, I find it slightly lighter in color because of the pearl particles and more pigmented, two swipes on each cheek are just slightly lighter than my natural skintone and once blended the skin simply glows
  • Blush and Bronzer Duo in Hot Sand + Laguna ($42 for .35 oz/10g) is called a blush / bronzer duo, it has a powder blush which on me acts more like a soft highlighter, it’s a champagne pearl similar to the Illuminator and Multiple, the powder has a more shimmery glowy finish while the others are more natural looking, Laguna is a cult-classic bronzer, in this compact I found the color to be just slightly different from the regular full-size, the compact one is slightly cooler-toned and sheerer
  • Blush Duo in Hot Sand + Orgasm ($42 for .35 oz/10g) is a blush duo with Hot Sand Blush a peachy champagne shimmer combined with Orgasm a peachy pink shimmer
  • Hanamachi Kabuki Brush
    ($42)

NARS Hot Sand x Nordstrom Collection

Wearing above: NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Groenland mixed with St. Tropez, Powder Foundation in Punjab, Blush Duo in Hot Sand + Orgasm, Bronzer in Laguna, Lip Gloss in Hot Sand, Dual Intensity Eyeshadow in Himalia, Eyeshadow Duo in All About Eve

First up is the new Kabuki Brush. This is a small domed brush that is very dense but soft. Size-wise it fits nicely in the hand – it’s small enough to be compact, but not so small I feel like I can’t grip it easily. The bristles are evenly distributed and it’s very soft and smooth around the edges. There are no hairs poking out and it blends powders seamlessly around the cheeks. I own a number of other kabuki brushes and this one is extremely good. I can see myself using it for setting powders as well. I’ve shown it below next to the #21 Contour Brush for scale.
NARS Kabuki Brush and Contour Brush

Next up are the Hot Sand + Orgasm Blush Duo and Hot Sand + Laguna Bronzer Blush Duo. Both contain Hot Sand which is listed as a powder blush. The texture of both duos is very good. It’s smooth, finely milled, easy to apply and blend. There is a luminous quality to Hot Sand which is very pretty and glowy. I like that they have a slight peachy tone to them which makes for a more natural glow rather than a pearl shimmer which contrasts with my olive skin. I can’t pick one over the other, but I do think the Hot Sand + Laguna Duo is my new favorite contouring duo. It’s super easy to use for the contouring-challenged (like me). It’s great for a no-makeup makeup look to add depth and dimension without looking over the top.
NARS Hot Sand Nordstrom Blush Bronzer Duos

There are three individual items in the collection with the name Hot Sand. Below is the Illuminator, Multiple Stick and Lip Gloss. I’m a huge fan of pale pearly glosses but since I have pigmented lips, many often end up looking like concealer on me. Hot Sand thankfully has enough color to show up with some shine. It’s pale but not too pale and the application/color goes on smoothly without streaks. It makes for a good layering gloss too.
NARS Hot Sand Illuminator Multiple Lip Gloss

Close up of the Hot Sand Multiple:
NARS Hot Sand Multiple Nordstrom

Close up of the Hot Sand Lip Gloss:  

NARS Nordstrom Hot Sand Lip Gloss

Hot Sand Lip Gloss on bare lips:

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Some comparison swatch sets in case you’re wondering how these compare to other champagne shimmered items from NARS:

Illuminator in Hot Sand
Illuminator in Orgasm
Multiple in Hot Sand
Blush in Hot Sand (part of the duos)
Eyeshadow Duo in All About Eve
Eyeshadow Duo in Alhambra
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Multiple in Hot Sand
Blush and Bronzer Duo in Hot Sand/Laguna
Bronzer in Laguna (individual one is more luminous and warmer)
Dual Intensity Blush in Jubilation
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Lip Glosses in Supervixen, Chelsea Girls, Striptease, Greek Holiday, Sweet Revenge and Orgasm
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NARS Hot Sand Collection

Overall lots to love in this collection – especially those looking for a natural luminous glow. I am addicted to glowy highlighters so I found it necessary to buy all the Hot Sand face items even though the colors are similar among the different formulas. I’ve owned the Illuminator for a long time and I find the peachy undertone unique in a beauty world filled with pale white champagne highlighters which I love, but often want something that doesn’t look white on my skin. The peach in the Multiple, Powder Blush and Illuminator meld more with my olive skintone which makes for a more natural looking glow.

For those who are glow-conscious – I do think these are suitable for those who are ultra conservative in the glow department. Many with oily skin often are wary of anything that glows since oil + shimmer tends to = shiny by afternoon. If you have oily skin the Illuminator is the most natural of the face items. The Multiple Stick has a nice semi-matte finish compared to other multiples and I found it stayed put. The most glowy of the face items is the Powder Blush which I really like – it’s not too shimmery but shimmery enough that you can see it.

If I had to pick just one of the face products, I would say I can’t because I really like all of them, but I think the Multiple adds the most natural luminous quality in a highlighter I’ve seen that makes the face glow – your mileage may vary depending on your skintone.

Bottom line thumbs up. I’m really liking the way Hot Sand Lip Gloss looks – it’s what I wanted Striptease to look like on the lips which is too pale for me to wear alone while Hot Sand just works. Alone or layered.

Have you checked out the NARS Hot Sand Collection yet? Or do you already own the Illuminator? For this time of year what’s your go-to for a glow?

Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. As always, all opinions my own.

46 Comments
Highlighters Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Moodlight Skin Illuminating Powder Duo

August 10, 2015

 

Tom Ford Beauty has some exciting new releases for fall. It appears new products are launching in a few mini collections, up first is a focus on face makeup for flawless and glowing skin. New products include:
Today I have a review of the gorgeous highlighter duo in Moodlight. I ordered mine online as soon as it popped up for pre-order and it arrived a couple of weeks ago. Moodlight is a powder duo. It comes in the large rectangular Tom Ford compact with a soft iridescent opal white shade and a medium bronzey peach pink champagne. The texture is very soft and easy to blend. Pigment is buildable but visible on the skin. The shimmer is pretty strong in both shades but on me the duo glows without that garish frost. The powders are embossed with the prettiest cross-hatch pattern and TF initials.

 

 

The colors have this beautiful mix of pigments. It makes the skin glow in a youthful way. I suspect on fair skintones, the light shade will be more subtle as it will match your skin and the bronzey shade will look more like a darker bronze. On my medium skin the light color shows up as a gorgeous opal highlight and the bronzey shade appears like a soft peachy bronze contour blush highlight. Darker skintones will see more contrast. The colors are truly stunning – I think this is going to be a universally flattering palette – it will look gorgeous no matter what skintone. Some more photos and swatches below.

 

 

 

 

 

Many have asked for a number of comparisons. I’ve pulled two batches for what I could fit on my arm. My personal thoughts on highlighter are that you can never have enough glow. The Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duo gives that perfect glow-from-within combination. It mimics the effect Armani Fluid Sheers have minus the oily-overly-dewy factor you can get with warm weather.

 

Comparison Set 1:
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Comparison Set 2:

 

 

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The swatches and photos can’t do Tom Ford’s Skin Illuminating Powder Duo in  Moodlight justice. I’ve swatched it with a heavy hand to show you the color and complexity but it is easy to blend and on the skin it’s not overly shimmery or frosty. If you ask me if I think it’s a must-have I say absolutely yes. It’s like the now-discontinued Burberry Fresh Glow Powders minus the garish frost. If you want my thoughts on what the closest dupe is, I would say that the Edward Bess All Over Seduction Highlighters give the most similar effect but they are creams and slightly more dewy while the Tom Ford is a powder and more shimmery. Here it is applied on the cheeks. On the lips is Spanish Pink. On the eyes is the Nude Dip quad. For skintone reference I’m wearing the Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Natural #5.

 

 

I’ve been playing with Moodlight for several days now. It’s a good highlighter that isn’t overly frosted. It gives a youthful glow + subtle color. I like adding a bit of blush or bronzer for more color, but at my skintone right now I find I can wear it alone. (I wear Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting in Shade 5 Natural now, when I’m lighter I wear Shade 4 Bisque, swatches of all colors here + review on Shade 4 here).

 

 

There seem to be a number of new highlighters that have launched this season. Since I’m a huge highlighter fan I can’t pick just one as my favorite. I do think the Tom Ford Moodlight is a winner and backup-worthy. It lasts all day without getting too glowy-looking. I like that it’s a powder with a slight creamy finish so it adheres well to the skin. Also a huge plus is the fact that it doesn’t emphasize pores (at least on me). I give it a huge thumbs up. It’s mega expensive but worth every penny.
The Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Powder Duo comes in one shade Moodlight. It retails for $80 and is limited-edition. Available now at Tom Ford Beauty counters. Online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue and Tom Ford.

 

40 Comments
Becca Highlighters

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop

August 6, 2015

Becca x Jaclyn Hill teamed up to create a Pressed Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop ($38 for 8 g / 0.28 oz, limited-edition, exclusive to Sephora). The shimmering skin perfector comes in a round mirrored compact in powder form but it’s very soft and buttery – it almost has a creamy texture to it. The color is described as a soft white gold with pinky peach undertones and it’s exactly how it appears on my skin. In the pot it’s this gorgeous luminous peachy gold champagne shimmer on the skin it pulls a bit more cool-toned than what I see in the compact. It is very complex in color and the powder shifts depending on how the light hits the shimmer particles. The color is super pigmented so you only need a tiny bit. I love how easy it is to blend. It gives a very visible and noticeable highlight. If you want something subtle this is not the product for you. I did find it went on the cheeks smoothly. It blends into this dreamy soft glow if you buff or blend it out. Huge plus is that it doesn’t emphasize pores. I have tons of highlighters in all forms and I find this one to be very special and quite amazing.

Pictures can’t do this Becca x Jaclyn Hill highlighter justice. I’ve taken a few photos to show the complexity but it’s something you have to see in person to really understand how gorgeous it is. Below in direct sunlight. I would say this shot is the closest to getting what the color looks like once on the skin.

At an angle, it looks more peachy. The peachy champagne base color helps add depth and dimension to the highlighter:

Close up of all the shimmers:

On the skin it’s more of a white-gold like the Sephora description:

I swatched the Becca Champagne Pop highlighter next to the Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson Highlighter, Hourglass Luminous Light and NARS Tribulation Blush in this post here.

I pulled a few more to compare.

Tom Ford Stroked Contouring Cheek Colour Duo (discontinued, review here)
Kevyn Aucoin The Celestial Powder in Candlelight (reviewed here)
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in New Vegas (discontinued)
MAC Mineralized Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle
Estee Lauder Courreges Illuminations Face Powder (limited-edition)

One last shot with partial sunlight reflecting from the mirror to show the complexity of the powder:

Bottom line a winner. I give it a huge thumbs up. The powder has a finely milled texture and although it is very shimmery and very pigmented it blends easily onto the skin. You only need a tiny bit to highlight the cheeks or eyes. I found lasting power to be quite good – it stayed put from morning to late evening and it adheres well to the skin. Since it is so pigmented I recommend using a very loose fluffy brush to apply on the cheeks. I’ve been using either a Stila Powder Brush (one I got years ago with the silver handle, I don’t think they make it anymore) or my MAC Duo Fibre Brush #187 to apply it. I didn’t experience fall out on the face since my skin was well prepped with a layer of serum, moisturizer and foundation. On my arm swatches I didn’t have any product so there was a bit of product that fell off my brush in a few fly-aways.

Overall gorgeous. I highly recommend it unless you’re a fan of the ultra-subtle-almost-invisible shimmer because this one will probably be too shimmery for you. The Becca x Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop is limited-edition. Currently exclusive to Sephora. Starting August 10th Sephora is launching their Epic Rewards Perks. One of the 1,000 Point Perks is a Becca set that will include Champagne Pop although I can’t tell if it’s full-sized.

Have you tried Becca highlighters? Which ones are your favorites? I still own some from the days where they had the loose versions in the larger sifter containers. 
23 Comments
Charlotte Tilbury Highlighters

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow: Light-Medium, Medium-Dark and Sun Tan + Sun Light

July 24, 2015

I’ve been a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstar Bronze and Glow Palette (originally reviewed here). It contains a bronzer and highlighter powder duo in a mirrored compact which creates depth and dimension. This month Charlotte Tilbury has launched two new extensions of her Filmstar Bronze and Glow in a Medium to Dark Palette and Sun Tan & Sunlight Cream Duo with the Norman Parkinson Collection – I ordered both online from Charlotte Tilbury’s website and have been playing with them for a few days. (The original version has now been renamed Light to Medium.) I really like the original version because it works well with my skin tone and skin type. Highlighters can sometimes emphasize pores but the one from Charlotte Tilbury adds a nice even natural glow even though it has more of a frost finish.

My skin tone has been around a Chanel Beige 30 and NARS Punjab for a long time. After our month long trip to Europe I got a bit darker which puts me at a Chanel Beige 40 range (post on summer foundation rotation soon). When I was medium to light the original Filmstar Bronze and Glow ($68) worked perfectly for me. Right now the bronzer is more subtle on my skin – it still shows up but it’s not quite as strong on my skin. In case you missed the original review, I’ve taken some new photos to post here.

The Filmstar Bronze and Glow Medium to Dark ($68) is designed for deeper skin tones. It’s quite a few shades darker than the Light to Medium with a deep shimmery luminous bronze and an orangey gold highlighter. I thought the concept of an orangey highlighter to be odd, even for those with tan to deep skin tones, but it’s surprisingly wearable and very pretty on the skin. I suspect if you have super fair skin the highlighter will look more like a strong blush. On me it’s not quite traditional highlighter material but it does give the skin a warm glow. When you swatch it on the arm it will appear orange like the color you see in the pan. On the face it adds a really interesting glow.

With the Norman Parkinson Collection, Charlotte Tilbury has a new limited-edition cream Filmstar Bronze and Glow in Sun Tan & Sun Light ($80). I’m usually not a fan of potted or pan creams because I find they get messy with fingers, debris, dust and even brushes but since this is from Charlotte Tilbury I had to give this a try. There is a medium tan cream side and a shimmering gold cream. The tan shade does not swatch well on bare arms but on the face it applies smoothly and blends very easily (I tested mine over foundation). The shimmering highlighter swatches nicely on the arms and face. The highlighter has visible sparkles in it but isn’t over the top and doesn’t emphasize pores. This one is more luminous compared to the original version but it’s easy to blend and sheer out. On my combination skin in this warm 80 degree weather it held up from morning until late afternoon without budging.

All come in the same sized-compact with two pans of
product and a large mirror. The packaging itself comes in a rose gold
metallic finish. The Norman Parkinson Sun Tan + Sun Light comes with a
photo shot by Parkinson of Jerry Hall for British Vogue taken on Montego
Bay, Jamaica, in 1975 on the lid. Also shown below is the Powder and Sculpt Brush which is sold separately.

I’ve swatched each one side by side. Note that all the swatches on the arms have been done with a rather heavy hand. Each one is easy to apply with a light hand and you can control intensity of color by layering. Pigment is pretty rich in each palette so I would recommend on your first few uses apply with a light hand and build up the color.

Below swatches of each version on the face. I have both the bronzer side + highlighter applied and blended lightly in each shot. For skin tone reference I’m wearing Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super–Charged Oil–Free Foundation in Golden Medium with NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation in Punjab + Chanel Les Beiges 30 dusted on top to set. On the lips is Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment in Nude (the gloss version). Coral nail polish is Essie Sunday Funday.

I’m really happy with the Medium to Dark version. It gives the face some warmth and color. I don’t know how the orange will translate on deeper skin tones – if you’ve tried this please chime in with your thoughts in the comments below. I applied with with a medium hand and it’s not too orangey. The cream duo in Sun Tan and Sunlight from Norman Parkinson is a really nice easy-to-use duo. It’s very luminous on my skin and as you can see in the photo above the sheen really stands out with a flash. Even in natural light the cream highlighter looks very luminous and on me it was easy to overdo. I recommend applying with a light hand but it gives a nice golden strobe effect.

For brush recommendations, after playing with the original one for a year, I have to say hands down the best one is the Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush ($49). My original thoughts that it was not a must-have and could be replicated with other regular blush brushes. The shape, texture and density of the brush make this my go-to for any kind of subtle contour/highlighting. It’s one I reach for constantly even though I’m usually a fan of MAC cheek brushes. There are two sets available for each of the powder bronzer/highlight duos that offer a slight price break. The Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Light-Medium Set and Filmstar Killer Cheekbones Med-Dark retail for $110 each and come with the duo + brush in a gorgeous box. For the cream duo I’m still experimenting – so far I like using fingers the best.

All the Filmstar Bronze and Glows are available online now, they should be arriving at Charlotte Tilbury counters soon. Do note that the Norman Parkinson Duo is limited-edition. Available online at Nordstrom, Beautylish, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter and Charlotte Tilbury.

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Bronzer + Blush Highlighters Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Cream Cheek Color Pink Sand for Summer 2015

April 27, 2015

Tom Ford Beauty has released a Cream Cheek Color for summer called Pink Sand ($65 for 0.17 0z/5 g, made in Canada). It’s a luminous soft pink gold blush that gives my medium/olive skin a soft glow that comes cased in a small white and gold mirrored compact. There is enough color that you can see the pink color but on my complexion I find it performs more like a highlighter shade rather than a traditional blush. The effect is similar to the glow NARS Orgasm gives minus the frost and minus the peachy tone. Pink Sand is multi-dimensional so depending on how the light hits it sometimes you will see more of the pink base, other times you will see more of the gold shimmer. I love how it gives a natural glow to the skin.

It has a soft creamy feel with a dewy glow finish. On the cheeks it stays dewy but as the day progresses remains dewy but not greasy. I’ve been experimenting with this for two weeks now and like this either alone for low-key makeup days, as a base for powder blush or bronzer to give cheeks dimension and help color adhere to the face, or topped on top of cheek bones over blush/bronzer for a highlight. It’s really versatile. I’ve also tried this on the lips. It looks pretty topped with a clear gloss or dabbed in the center to add a bit of shimmer. As far as I can tell there is no detectable scent or taste.

A few more close ups and swatches:

Swatched with a heavy hand, once blended it sheers out:

A few comparison swatches to other cream and liquid highlighter/blushes. Most of these were either limited-edition or were discontinued (previous features and reviews will linked below):

Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand

Pink Sand offers a radiant no-fuss easy to use glow to my medium skin (I use Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 4, swatches to other foundations in rotation here). On lighter skin tones the pink will show up more and probably make this look more like a pink blush. If you’re medium to dark this will probably perform more like a highlighter on your skin tone. Lasting power on my normal combination skin was very good, from morning to afternoon without fading. If you have super oily skin you may find the dewy factor increase into the afternoon. Being a huge fan of Tom Ford Beauty I really love this one. It’s quite a splurge at $65 so if you’re unable to test in person I hope you find the swatches and comparisons in this post helpful.

The Tom Ford Soleil Collection for summer is starting to trickle in stores and online. You can find Pink Sand now online at Nordstrom and Saks. Available for pre-order at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Tom Ford (while supplies last as it is a limited-edition item).

The Tom Ford Pink Sand was provided courtesy of the PR team for review consideration.

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