Highlighters Archives - Page 4 of 12

New MAC Launches: Strobe Collection, Mineralize Blush and Galactic Glitter

April 30, 2018

I’m catching up on some recent new MAC launches – there are so many I feel like you can literally blink and miss them! Today I’ve rounded up three launches with the Strobe Collection, Mineralize Blush and Galactic Glitter.

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Strobe Collection

Up first is the Strobe Collection which brings us new ways to glow. MAC is truly one of the leading trendsetters – I feel like they were the first to launch amazing highlighters and glow creams! In this collection we have:

Strobe Body Lotion in Opalite ($33 for 3.4 fl oz/100 ml) is a soft thin lotion with a beautiful pink iridescent gleam. If you’re looking for something that has a more natural sheen versus glitter/sparkle this is the one for you! It has the prettiest soft pink glow without being overdone. It’s also lightweight and not sticky which is going to be a plus for me in Florida heat.
Prep + Prime Fix+ Shimmer in Pinklite and Goldlite ($26 each for 3.4 fl oz/100 ml) is the Prep + Prime mist with shimmer added! There are little metal balls in the bottles to stir up the shimmer since it settles. These add a very natural sparkle to the face when you set. On me it’s very very natural, Pinklite has pink flecks while Goldlite has a warm gold sheen.
Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Whisper of Gilt and Show Gold ($34 each) are both repromotes, I feel like Whisper of Gilt is the classic soft gold champagne everyone needs to try! Show Gold has a duochrome sheen and is more glitzy on the skin. The formula in general has a high shine shimmer frost finish.

I have all the other Extra Dimension Skinfinishes so I swatched them below in case you haven’t seen them before. Left to right: Whisper of Gilt, Show Gold, Beaming Blush, Double Gleam, Glow With It, Oh Darling, Soft Frost, Superb.

Strobe Lotion swatches were hard to capture. Once you blend it disappears into the skin to give the most beautiful gleam! I swatched it straight out of the tube along with the Strobe Creams (for the face):

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Mineralize Blush Matte

The Mineralize line has been a favorite of mine for their highlighters and powders. Mineralize Skinfinishes in Global Glow and Lightscapade are my favorites in the shimmer finish and I use the Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus and Medium Golden to set makeup. I’ve collected a number of the blushes over the years but this launch they added a matte version. They are on the sheer side and are very natural. If you want a natural blush these are amazing! There are also four highlighters each with 4 shades in the pan. I picked up one. The MAC highlighters usually last all day long on me, the blushes are sheer and faded by afternoon. I still like them for the natural look – they are easy to touch up without looking muddy.

Mineralize Skinfinish in Nuanced ($34 for 8 g/0.28 oz) is a soft quad with neutral pink tones, when swirled it gives a soft pink sheen to the skin, it is on the shimmery side but on me it did not emphasize pores or texture (your mileage will vary depending on your skin type)
Mineralize Blush Matte ($29 for 4g / 0.14 oz)
- Humour Me is a dusty brown neutral
- Naturally Flawless is a soft nude peach
- Hey Coral Hey is a soft coral pink, I initially thought this would be a dupe for Chanel’s Foschia Rosa, but the MAC one is a lot sheerer and lighter
- Like Me Love Me is a light medium peach
- Sweet Enough is a mauve pink neutral

Two beauty looks with the Mineralize Skinfinish in Nuanced (left) and Mineralize Matte Blush in Hey Coral Hey (right). Base worn is Sunday Riley The Influencer Foundation 190, MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus, Hourglass Arch Brow Gel in Soft Brunette, Charlotte Tilbury Eyeshadow Quad in Transformeyes.

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Galatic Glitter – New Lipglass Shades

I almost skipped the Galactic Glitter launch just because of the word “glitter.” There are new glitters in the small pigment glitter jars which I don’t wear, but what caught eye were the new Lipglass shades ($ for)! There are a number of new colors along with a few repromotes. If you’re new to MAC lipglasses they have a wide range of colors. Last year they redid the packaging to what you see above. My original haul and picks here. They are semi-thick with a high shine and slightly sticky. This makes them last a long time on me and they don’t budge. If gloss is prone to sliding around on you, I’d recommend adding a liner first. New ones I bought:

Very Go Lightly is a sparkling pale champagne
Mystic Powers is an iridescent pink opal glow
Elemental Forces is a warm beige
Good Juju is a pretty warm pink shimmer
All Things Magical is a perfect mauve pink shimmer
Magically Delightful is a medium-warm pink
Soar is a classic mauve (repromote in this collection but it was always sold out when I stopped by the counters near me!)

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Overall lots to love with MAC. I can always find something new that catches my eye. Since I’ve been collecting MAC since my high school days I’ve accumulated a lot of their products so it’s only natural that one begins to see similarities between launches.

If you’re a MAC junkie like me and already own a lot, I’d say my top picks to check out are the Strobe Body Lotion, Nuanced Mineralize Skinfinish and Matte Mineralize Blushes. I’m obsessed with Lipglasses in general and am happy with all the new shades. My top 3 favorites are Elemental Forces, All Things Magical and Magically Delightful.

One last thing that I wanted to mention is that the MAC Gently Off Wipes + Micellar Water are now available in the small travel size. This makes them more travel-friendly as the full size is HUGE! I bought two of these the last time I was at the store. They’re not as emollient as the Regular Wipes.

You can find the MAC launches out now. I usually purchase mine in store or online at MAC Cosmetics or Nordstrom.

Press samples include the MAC Strobe Collection. All other items purchased by me.

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Becca Highlighters

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Swatches + Review

April 19, 2018

I’ve loved the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter for years! I still remember the early days of the brand when the line had those beautiful loose shimmering powders, pigmented eyeshadow singles and glowy lip glosses. They had the prettiest pink gold shimmer powder called Gypsy and warm pink called Princess which I wish they’d bring back, but these days they have so many beautiful options you are bound to find one that works for you. The Becca Glow is one of the more intense highlighters on the market. The Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter is an ultra soft powder that comes in a number of colors. All the colors are very pigmented, ultra smooth and very soft. This makes the powder in the compacts themselves on the delicate side – it’s not something I’d throw in your purse for touch-ups. If you do carry it with you make sure it’s secured in a cushioned makeup bag.

I’ve found classics to be Opal, Moonstone, Rose Gold and Champagne Pop. I’ve used up entire pans of Opal and Champagne Pop which is huge for me since I own so many highlighters I rarely ever hit pan. I’ve purchased a few other shades and also have received a couple here and there as press samples. It occurred to me that I hadn’t done a comprehensive roundup and so I stopped by several different Sephora stores during the Spring Bonus Event and bought all the other shades I could find. Do note that you won’t find all the colors at Sephora. Some are Ulta Exclusives and a couple are exclusive to Becca’s Website. I don’t have all the shade options swatched today, I’m missing Prosecco Pop (I did swatch it from a palette here), Golden Mint and Parisian Lights, but I do have most of them!

In terms of application the highlight can be pretty intense but the formula is soft and easy to layer and blend. You can use them anywhere you want a highlight, on the cheeks or eyes. I find them versatile for both. Since they are intense I like to use a loose fluffy brush to apply. For me I prefer one that is really soft. My favorites are the Wayne Goss Brush 14 (also in The Face Set), Laura Mercier Fan Brush, MAC 137S or Chanel Foundation Blending Brush (it’s essentially like the MAC skunk brush but fluffier/less dense).

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Onto the colors, I’ve split the 15 colors I now own into 3 categories so you can see the shimmer/colors better up close. First set includes lighter champagnes and white shimmers.

Pearl, Moonstone, Vanilla Quartz, Champagne Pop and Opal

Color descriptions and swatches:

Pearl is a glowy white pearl shimmer
Opal is a champagne pink beige shimmer
Moonstone is a soft light gold beige shimmer
Champagne Pop is a classic champagne gold shimmer
Vanilla Quartz is a duo chrome opal that flashes a hint of pink, note that on my skin it’s hard to see the duo chrome in the swatch below

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Dreamsicle, Topaz, Bronzed Amber, Chocolate Geode and Gradient Glow

Bronzey shimmers swatches:

Dreamsicle is the newest, it’s a soft tangerine + gold swirl, on me this looks very orange on the cheeks, it looks amazing on the eyes thought!
Topaz is a coppery bronze pearl
Bronzed Amber (found this at Ulta) is one of the least shimmery colors, it has a velvety sheen and is a warm soft bronze amber
Chocolate Geode is also one of the newer ones, the beauty world needs more medium to deep highlighters like this one! It’s a shimmering bronze, swatches darker on the arm than on the face (scroll down for beauty looks)
Gradient Glow (also an Ulta exclusive) is a mix of Bronzed Amber, Moonstone, Opal, Rose Gold and Topaz pressed together in stripes. Swirl them together and you get a really pretty color!

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Rose Quartz, Smoky Quartz, Prismatic Amethyst, Rose Gold and Lilac Geode

Pink tones and swatches:

Rose Quartz is one I never knew existed! I thought for sure it would be way too pale for me but it’s actually a very wearable pale cool pink shimmer
Prismatic Amethyst is pale lavender with a hint of soft pink gold shimmer
Smoky Quartz (available on Becca’s website) is a shimmering mauve with taupe undertones
Lilac Geode (available at Ulta) is a a pale pink lilac gold
Rose Gold is a medium rose peach shimmer

I swatched a few on the face. As always I don’t usually wear highlighter alone on the cheeks. I typically layer on top of blush or bronzer but I swatch them alone on the cheeks so you can see the true color. Also wearing below:

Foundation is Bobbi Brown Skin Long-Wear Weightless Foundation in Natural Tan 4.25
Powder is Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder
Lip Gloss is MAC Lipglass in All Things Magical (new and LOVE it!)
Eyeshadow is the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal + Chocolate Geode mixed
Brows have the By Terry Eyebrow Mascara in Dark Brown on them
Mascara is L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof

Highlighter Colors worn:

Top Row: Champagne Pop and Dreamsicle
Second Row: Chocolate Geode and Rose Gold
Bottom Row: Rose Quartz

Overall thoughts and a few comparison notes to other highlighter options. I think the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighters are some of the prettiest ones out there. Texture-wise they can be on the soft side so some may be more delicate than other brands. Shimmer factor is medium to high but easy to diffuse or intensify. Lasting power is excellent. There is a wide range of shades but if you’re medium skin toned like me some of the lighter options may look really similar on you. Whether or not these are must-haves really depends on what you already own. We live in a world saturated with highlighters and they keep on coming. I do think the quality, texture, pigment and finish are excellent with the Becca ones. If you own a ton you may want to shop your stash.

On me these don’t emphasize pores or texture but your mileage may vary depending on your skin type. I think with highlighters blending is key to smooth out any harsh edges.

My top picks are Rose Gold, Opal, Smoky Quartz and Champagne Pop. If you want a more trendy duo chrome kind of shimmer opt for their Light Chaser Highlighters (reviewed here when I was super tan!). Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits have a more intense frost and shine. If you want something more natural looking with less shimmer I’d recommend you try the NARS Highlighting Powders or Tom Ford Sheer Cheek Duos. If you like the shimmer and sheen of the Becca Highlighters but want more color (versus shimmer) their Shimmering Skin Perfector Blushes are some of the most glowy pigmented blushes I’ve ever tried. If you’ve been interested in these but don’t have a counter or store near you I hope these swatches help you!

You can find the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighters at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Nordstrom and Becca Cosmetics.

If you’re a Sephora Beauty Insider there will be another round of their Spring Beauty Event coming up this week! The dates, details and codes for the Sephora Spring Bonus Event Round 2:

Rouge Members: receive 15% off 4/20 through 4/23, use code YAYROUGE
VIB Members: receive 15% off 4/20 through 4/23, use code YAYVIB
BI Members: receive 10% off 4/20 through 4/23, use code YAYINSIDER

I’ll have my Sephora haul on the blog tomorrow 🙂 And to continue the spirit of giving back I’m doing a few more giveaways this week! One person will be selected to win 3 Becca items including the Iconic Trio Set, Ocean Jewels Highlighter Palette and Ocean Jewels Eyeshadow Palette. Open internationally to anyone 18 years or older. Simply enter through the widget below. Runs through 4/20/2018 11:45 PM EST. One winner will be selected within 48 hours after giveaway ends and contacted via email by me. They must respond/confirm within 48 hours or another winner will be selected in their place. Prizes are shipped within a week. Not sponsored or affiliated.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Press samples of highlighter include Vanilla Quartz, Prismatic Amethyst, and Gradient Glow. All other shades purchased by me.

102 Comments

Highlighters NARS

NARS Change of Sheen Highlighting Powders

March 23, 2018

NARS has launched yet more highlighters with new shades of their Highlighting Powder ($38 each for 14 g/ 0.49 oz, made in Italy) in the Change of Sheen Highlighting Powder Collection. There are six shades total described as having a “second-skin luster” and I’d say that is pretty much on point of what the finish is like. They’re powders with a soft glowing texture that doesn’t emphasize pores or fine lines. Colors come in a pretty range of classic options from pale opal to bronze. If you’re in the market for a soft highlighter that will last on the face all day and looks natural these are great options. However if you already own a ton of other highlighters you will probably find color-dupes in your stash.

Packaging is similar to that of the NARS Sunwashed Bronzers, it’s bigger than the regular eyeshadow/blush compacts. Colors as shown below:

Albatross is a pale opal yellow gold shimmer
Capri is a soft pale pink glow
Fort de France is a light champagne shimmer
Ibiza is a soft yellow gold
Maldives is a medium soft rose shimmer
St. Barths is a warm soft bronze

On my skintone Capri and Fort de France look very very close. The difference is slight with Capri being more pink and Fort de France being more beige. I’m right at that skintone though where they look pretty much identical. If you are fairer or deeper the contrast will show up more.

Albatross

Close ups and swatches of each one on the face, starting with Albatross. This pulls very yellow on my skin. It seems similar to the original version in color/shimmer. Makeup worn below is the same in all photos except for the lips + cheeks:

NARS Natural Radiant Foundation in Punjab + Barcelona mixed (swatches of all shades here)
MAC Next to Nothing Pressed Powder in Medium Plus (review here)
Hourglass Arch Brow Pencil and Brow Gel in Soft Brunette (swatches here)
Tom Ford Cream and Powder Eye Duo in Paradiso (review here)
Pat McGrath Permaglide Liquid Eyeliner in Black (review here)
NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Bound for the pink rose lips (review here)
Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in 716 with NARS Lip Cover in Embrasse Moi layered on top for the nude beige lips (swatches here and here)
Tee by Joie

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Capri

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Fort de France

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Ibiza

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Maldives

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St Barths

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Comparison swatches to the Easy Glowing Palette in Reve Sale (Nordstrom exclusive) and Highlighter Trio in Banc de Sable (discontinued). The trio palettes have a different formula with more glow and shimmer to them. If you’re looking for a softer effect the individual Highlighting Powders are better. If you don’t mind a more intense glow opt for one of the palettes.

Comparison swatches to the MAC Hyper Real Glow Palettes. The MAC palettes are significantly more glowy with the ability to build more for an intense almost wet look.

NARS Change of Sheen Highlighting Powders

One last look, from top left clockwise is Albatross, Fort de France, Ibiza, St. Barths, Maldives and Capri:

Bottom line: easy to wear, glowing, doesn’t emphasize pores, long lasting, soft but easy to build and natural. While these are distinctly powder formulas I do feel like NARS hit it right on point when they said these are like second-skin. They are very smooth with a semi-firm texture. It’s very easy to blend and build. On my skin they stayed on all day from morning until late afternoon without budging or getting too dewy looking. Initially I thought St. Barths was for sure going to be orange on me, but it’s not! If you are an OG NARS fan though you might remember they had a St. Barths Multiple stick that was the best shimmering beige taupe with silver shimmer. I do wish they would launch the original St. Barths in powder form – I’ve never found any color quite like it.

Thumbs up on quality, color selection, finish and long-lasting power. That being said you may want to shop your stash if you already own a lot of highlighters. I do find Maldives to be unique for a rose-shimmer. I think it’s hard to find a good medium pink rose highlighter that isn’t too dark or too pale. My favorite of the bunch is Fort de France, I suspect it’s the most dupeable but it has the prettiest beige undertone that gives the skin a natural glow.

You can find the NARS Highlighting Powders right now at NARS Boutiques and online at NARScosmetics.com. Also available at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

NARS highlighting powders provided courtesy of NARS for review.

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Highlighters Natasha Denona

Natasha Denona Spring 2018

January 26, 2018

Natasha Denona Spring 2018 has two new stunning palettes called Diamond and Blush ($89 each for 6 x 7 g/0.25 oz) and three new shadows called Duo Chrome Top Coat ($28 each for 0.2 oz/ 6 g). The collection is all about the glow with multi-dimensional finishes and textures. I think highlighters and glow are here to stay for quite some time!

Duo Chrome Top Coats

Up first are the Duo Chrome Top Coats which are similar in packaging to the Crystal Top Coats from holiday. The new ones for spring have a more finely milled shimmer with a clear duochrome finish while the Crystal ones were more sparkly. Finish and texture is cream to powder and for me these are best applied with the fingers dabbed onto the lids. Pigment is sheer to medium but buildable. For me the Spring Duo Chrome Top Coats are too trendy for me to pull off. There are three shades:

Brown Mauve/Purple is a mauve pink with purple shimmer
Burnt Terracotta/Green is a yellow terracotta that flashes green
Lavender/Gold and Silver is a pale lilac lavender with gold and silver shimmers

The only shade that had fallout on me was the lavender one. The others went on the lids smoothly and blend well together. Even though the Crystal Top Coats are a lot more sparkly, I feel like I can wear those because the bases are more neutral.

Diamond and Blush Palettes

The Diamond and Blush Palettes are absolutely gorgeous! After seeing them in action on Natasha Denona’s Instagram @natashadenona I was a bit worried these would be way too intense on the shimmer and color. You can definitely apply them and build intensity for a stunning glow, but if you’re like me and prefer a more conservative look the good news is you can blend and sheer out the products for a more natural looking finish. First I need to take a moment to say how pretty the packaging is. The pink is the prettiest shade of pink! The tops of both palettes are identical but they are almost holographic in the labels – you can see below just different angles with the light hitting shows different variations!

Each palette has three different finishes Diamond, Blush and Glow and each finish comes in a Cream and Powder form (6 colors total per palette). Darya is the pink option and I’m completely obsessed with the colors. Everything blends out beautifully on the skin and you can control intensity or sheerness easily by layering and blending. Top pink is Darya. Bottom peach is Citrus.

Darya – Pink Tones

Darya colors and descriptions:

Diamond Glow Cream Base is a smooth champagne shimmer
Diamond Powder is a glittery sparkling champagne with silver flecks (best for me worn on eyes)
Cream Blush is a soft coral pink with a very subtle sheen
Powder Blush is a coral pink
Duo Glow is a pink gold duo chrome cream to powder feeling highlighter
Glow Extreme is a shimmering sparkly champagne

Swatches:

Look below featuring:

Base/foundation is Cle de Peau UV Protective Cream SPF 50 in Ochre
Powder is Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation #4
Concealer is Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium
Cheeks has layers of Darya Diamond and Blush Palette Diamond Cream Base + Cream Blush + Powder Blush + Duo Glow
Eyeshadows are the Glow Cream Base + Diamond Powder
Brows are Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in Soft Brunette
Mascara is L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof in Blackest Black
Lips is the Cle de Peau Radiant Lip Gloss in 6 Rose Pearl (review coming soon)

Citrus Palette – Coral and Peach

Citrus descriptions:

Diamond Glow Cream Base is a bronzey tan shimmer
Diamond Powder is a sparkling gold
Cream Blush is a coral cream
Powder Blush peachy gold shimmer
Duo Glow iridescent yellow
Glow Extreme shimmering tan/bronze sparkle

Swatches:

Look below featuring:

Base/foundation is Cle de Peau UV Protective Cream SPF 50 in Ochre
Powder is Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation #4
Concealer is Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium
Cheeks has layers of Citrus Palette with Diamond Cream Base + Powder Blush
Eyeshadow is the Glow Cream Base + Diamond Powder layered
Brows are Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in Soft Brunette
Mascara is L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof in Blackest Black
Lips is the Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in 744 Subtil (also reviewed here)

Based on the product descriptions I thought the Palette Duo Glows would be similar to the individual Duo Glows she launched last year. I found them completely different in finish/texture so instead I’ve compared the individual Duo Glows to the Powder Blush in the palettes (hope that’s not too confusing). I also pulled a couple of her individual Glow Powders to compare below.

Bottom line: very much on trend but not too trendy for me (yay!). I 100% recommend the Diamond and Blush Palettes. The glittery diamond powder is a bit much for my face but I can wear it easily on the eyes as an accent or shadow. Since there are lots of sparkles and shimmer flecks with the Diamond Powder and Glow Extreme there will be some fall out if you apply with a brush. It’s easy to clean up though and once everything is on the face it pretty much stays put. I love that the palettes are glowy but the creams aren’t too emollient so they don’t get oily (at least not on me).

For me the Duo Chrome Top Coats are a pass simply because I don’t wear those kinds of colors. Yes I’m a bit boring when it comes to eyeshadow, but what can I say, neutral is how I like it.

You can find the Natasha Denona Spring 2018 collection at Sephora and Beautylish. Definitely check out the tutorials and swatches on @NatashaDenona Instagram because it will give you a better idea of how much pigment you can build.

Natasha Denona spring collection provided courtesy of the team for review.

81 Comments

Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Sticks

January 19, 2018

Hourglass is on a roll with new launches this spring and they have a new product called the Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick ($42 each for 0.21 oz/ 6.1 g). Their Ambient Lighting Powders are among my favorite for a luminous glow and now they’ve launched a Cream Stick version with five shades of their Vanish Flash Highlighting Stick. These are smooth easy to apply highlighters that come in a similar package to the Vanish Seamless Foundation. The formula is lightweight but creamy. According to Hourglass you can use these for the underglow as a base underneath foundation or for an overglow on top of foundation on high points like cheekbones, brow bone, nose or cupid’s bow. I’ve tried both and like them on the cheeks and eyes. The formula has enough creaminess to allow it to blend but it’s not so dewy that it will pull your foundation/powder. They have a soft dry down but it’s still creamy in finish. We are having Florida’s version of winter right now so I don’t know how these will hold up in hot weather or humidity, but for now it has stayed put all day without sliding off the face or eyes.

The shimmer is medium – it’s definitely glowy. Straight from the tube it’s metallic but if you blend it out it smooths nicely to a radiant finish without a harsh frost. If you liked the concept and colors of the Ambient Lighting Strobe Powders but found those glittery (I personally loved them here but I know lots of you complained about the sparkle) you might want to give the Vanish Flash Sticks a try instead because there’s no sparkle fallout.

Vanish Flash colors include:

Champagne Flash – a champagne pearl shimmer
Pink Flash – light pink shimmer
Gold Flash – pale yellow gold shimmer
Bronze Flash – warm bronze gold
Rose Gold Flash – looks more pink mauve oyster on me

Champagne Flash

Above wearing the NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz, Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium, La Mer Pressed Powder in Light, Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss 722, Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic Eyeshadow Palette in Glambition, Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown, L’Oreal Lash Paradise Mascara in Blackest Black.

Pink Flash

Gold Flash

Rose Gold Flash

Bronze Flash

Overall a solid winner. My favorites are Champagne Flash and Pink Flash. In the face beauty looks above I only applied the highlighter for the three shades I did looks for to show what they look like alone. I typically don’t just wear highlighter – I’ll usually add a blush or bronzer as well. I really like these on the eyes as well. For application Hourglass recommends you blend with one of their brushes. I’ve found they work well straight from the tube and then I blend with my fingers. Or I’ll take my fingertips and rub them on the stick then apply onto the cheeks. They’re really quite versatile. If you’re in the market for a cream highlighter I’d recommend checking out one of these.

You can find the Hourglass Vanish Flash Highlighting Sticks out at counters now. Five shade options total. Available in stores and also online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter and Hourglass Cosmetics.

Do you have a favorite Hourglass highlighter? Have you checked these out yet? What did you think? If not – what’s your current favorite highlighter?

Vanish Flash provided courtesy of Hourglass for review.

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Bobbi Brown Highlighters

Bobbi Brown Extra Glow Collection

January 15, 2018

For spring getting that glowing beauty look is still very much on trend and Bobbi Brown has an Extra Glow Collection that they call “light reflecting and treatment infused.” I think most of the collection is limited-edition, a few pieces have already sold out at stores near me – you may have to shop around online for all the colors. From what I remember the first time Bobbi Brown launched her Extra Lip Tint it sold out extremely fast as well.

Up first is the Extra Glow Skincare Palette which I think is perfect for carrying around with you and throwing in your purse for on-the-go. I normally don’t think of having skincare in palettes but this is really quite genius. It has her Extra Face Oil, Skin Salve and Extra Soothing Balm which are great for lips and cuticles.

It’s been a while since I’ve tried any of her skincare items and I was pleasantly surprised by these. The Extra Face Oil is super hydrating and meant for dry skin. For me I like to put these little travel sizes on my cuticles and the balms on my lips. The Skin Salve and Extra Soothing Balms make for nice lightweight lip treatments.

Also for the face are three Extra Illuminating Moisture Balms that are pearl-infused. They are similar to MAC Strobe Creams but the Bobbi Brown ones are slightly less iridescent in finish once you blend. I received Golden Glow and Bare Glow as press samples but purchased Pink Glow because I wanted to see how different all three were. On my olive/medium skin I find all of them work to give the skin a subtle luminous glow. They disappear into a very subtle glow on the skin. I’m probably on the lighter side now that I’ve lost most of my tan. They have a nice hydrating feel but the hydration is very lightweight so I’d recommend using a moisturizer underneath.

Bare Glow is a pearly color, Pink Glow is a soft pink, Golden Glow is a soft warm skin-toned gold. Above you can see once they’re blended there’s no shimmer or frost, just glow. It’s something that is definitely more visible in person rather than a photograph. You can use these alone as a lotion, as a primer or over makeup for a dewy glow. These have a lightly moisturizing feel. There’s no greasy feel and they don’t make you look oily. I felt these were best on me over moisturizer and under a medium-sheer foundation or mixed in with foundation. If you use a full coverage foundation on top it will pretty much cancel out the glow effect.

There’s a new Highlighting Powder called Opal Glow. It’s highly reflective with a really pretty opal pink iridescent finish. It’s very shimmery and sparkly but you can definitely apply with a light hand for a sheer wash. It’s not quite duo-chrome but almost has that kind of quality. I thought for sure it would be too sparkly but I actually love it. There are noticeably larger shimmer particles but it’s not quite glittery.

Swatch comparisons below to Bobbi Brown Afternoon Glow (cooler-toned and less iridescent with a smoother finish), Tawny Glow (deeper and more mauve), Tom Ford Lavender Lure (highlighter portion), Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Devotion (cooler toned) and Dior Nude Air Luminizer in Holo Pink (a lot lighter).

For the lips there are new shades of her Extra Lip Tint. I have three of them in Bare Pink Sparkle, Bare Melon and Bare Popsicle. These have a little bit of color in them – I can’t tell for sure if these are ones that adjust to your natural lip color or simply have a nice tint. On my arms they look like they have a soft tint that seemed to adjust after a minute. On my lips they mimic what you see in the tube even though they’re sheer. Bare Pink Sparkle seems to have sold out many places (I only see it at Macy’s) and I’m not sure if it’s going to restock. Sometimes this turns a deeper pinkish color on my lips (as shown below), other times it’s just clear on my lips with a soft hint of shimmer. My favorite of the three is Bare Popsicle because it gives the lips a soft pink tint. There’s no detectable scent and they last like a regular lip balm. They are very moisturizing without feeling thick. I have a slight preference for the Dior Addict Lip Glows because I find them more moisturizing and the colors shift more on me.

I’m experimenting with finding different places to get good light in our new home! Quick look without flash, a light wash of the Opal Glow Highlighting Powder on the cheeks, Bare Melon on the lips, Estee Lauder Doublewear Foundation in 3W1 Tawny mixed with the Illuminating Moisture Balm in Golden Glow, Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation #4 to set, Diorshow Browstyler in Universal Brown, NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger.

Overall a lovely collection for that soft glow. I’m really liking the Illuminating Moisture Balms for a very natural radiant finish that isn’t greasy and doesn’t get oily as the day progresses. If I had to pick just one it would be a tough call between Golden Glow or Pink Glow. The Extra Lip Tints are really nice as well – I love the slim white packaging because it has a tiny bit of pearl. Opal Glow is also stunning – it does have more of an iridescent sparkly flash than the beauty look shows because I applied with a super light hand for a wash of shimmer. If you can’t do super sparkly I’d recommend you try before you buy if you can because it’s extra glowy.

Available now at Bobbi Brown counters, also online at Bobbi Brown, Barneys New York, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Sephora, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Most of the collection appears to be limited-edition.

Have you tried the Bobbi Brown Lip Tints before? Or anything else from the spring line? What did you think?

Extra Glow Collection provided courtesy of Bobbi Brown for review. Pink Glow purchased by me.

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Dior Highlighters

Dior Spring 2018 Glow Addict Collection Picks

January 12, 2018

Dior Spring 2018 is here with a beautiful collection of feminine pinks called Glow Addict. A handful of items have made their way to counters at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue etc. but a number of things appear to be exclusive online to Dior.com. You may have to do a bit of shopping around to find all the pieces if you’re in the US. International countries often get slightly different variations. Today’s post is Part 1 of Dior Spring. I’ll have a separate post on the new Addict Lip Glows.

What I hauled from the Dior Spring 2018 Glow Addict Collection. Everything swatched in today’s post is limited-edition:

Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Holographic Sculpting Powder $56 each
- Holo Pink #001 and Holo Gold #002
5 Couleurs Glow Addict Eyeshadow Palette $63 each
- Flirt #667
Rouge Dior Matte $35 each (Dior.com exclusive)
- Idyllic Matte #641
Dior Vernis Scented Nail Lacquer $28 each (Dior.com exclusive)
- Love #557, Desire #674, Thrill #787 and Flirt #993
New Dior Addict Lip Glows $34 each (will be reviewed and swatched in a separate post)
- Raspberry 007, Ultra Pink 008
- Matte Pink 101, Matte Raspberry 102
- Holo Pink 010, Holo Purple 009 (purple is a Sephora exclusive)

Up first are the two new Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer Glow Addict highlighters. I’m obsessed with the four other Nude Air Luminizers and the holiday Precious Rocks version is pretty as well. Nothing would have stopped me from getting both of the new ones. A few of you expressed a bit of concern about the “holographic” quality but I assure you these aren’t really like true holographic shimmers. They’re Dior’s version of the holographic trend and to me they’re very wearable and un-unicorn like compared to the trendy ones. Both Holo Pink and Holo Gold have highly reflective particles making them more sparkly than the regular ones (which are more metallic).

Holo Pink is a cool shimmering pink. Holo Gold is more glitzy with bigger chunks of sparkle and more iridescent with a pretty gold peach pink opal-like sheen. I prefer Holo Pink for everyday wear as it has a more finely milled shimmer. Holo Gold is a lot more sparkly with more visible chunks of shimmer, to me this is a bit much for everyday but that’s just my take.

Swatch comparisons to the Nude Air Luminizers, Holiday Precious Rocks, Bobbi Brown Sunrise Glow and Laura Mercier Indiscretion:

Next is the 5 Couleurs Glow Addict Eyeshadow Palette in Flirt. There are two options and I picked the one I thought would be less pink, but it’s still on the pink side. Pigment is medium but buildable and finish of the shadows have a natural sheen. Quality overall is very good and if you like these kinds of colors then it’s a great pick. I broke my palette buying rule as this one had 2 shades I didn’t think I’d wear but thought I could still make it work. For me it’s still too pink so it will probably be regifted to a friend. Lasting power is good over an eyeshadow base, finish is smooth and easy to blend.

I ordered one of the Rouge Dior Lipsticks in Idyllic Matte 641 which is a velvety medium but bright matte pink coral. This one I added on accident as I meant to order the nude one Poetic Matte 525. These appear to be Dior.com exclusives as I haven’t seen them anywhere else so there’s no place to test in person. As far as matte lipsticks go it’s very comfortable, non-drying and has a smooth velvety finish without making the lips look like prunes or raisins. Lasting power is like a regular lipstick, there will be transfer and it will fade after a few hours but with the Dior lipsticks I really don’t mind reapplying.

Quick look featuring:

Foundation is the Diorskin Forever Undercover 24 Hour Full-Coverage Water-Based Foundation in 21 + 31 mixed
Concealer used under eyes is the Diorskin Forever Undercover Concealer in 31
Powder to set is Armani Luminous Silk Powder in #4
Highlighter is Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer in Holo Pink by itself
Eyeshadow is the 5 Couleurs Glow Addict Eyeshadow Palette in Flirt
Lipstick is Rouge Dior Lipsticks in Idyllic Matte 641

Last but not least are the four Dior Vernis Scented Nail Lacquers which also appear to be exclusive to Dior.com. They’re supposed to be scented with a floral fragrance but to me they smell just like regular nail polish and once they’ve dried I can’t detect any smell. All four are opaque. You do need two coats with each shade but application is smooth and flawless and I think each one is perfect. Love is a bright warm pink, Desire is a cool-toned pink mauve, Thrill has a semi-sheer finish but still has full coverage with two coats, this one is a muted purple mauve, Flirt is a pretty deep shimmering purple (it’s deep but doesn’t look black on the nails, you can still tell it’s purple). The colors don’t appear to be the most unique that I’ve seen but they have the right mix of pink and purple to look really pretty and the formula is one of the best that I’ve tried in terms of application, shine and lasting power.

Overall after testing these for a few weeks now I 100% love Holo Pink and the four nail polishes. The other items are exceptional in terms of quality and pigment but not quite must-haves for my personal taste. Holo Gold is a bit too glitzy, Flirt is definitely too pink and the lipstick is pretty but I’ll probably feel more in the mood for brighter coral pinks once the sunshine returns and weather warms up. Addict Lip Glows to be posted soon!

You can find the entire Dior Spring 2018 Glow Addict Collection online at Dior.com. Select pieces also available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think?

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