Highlighters Archives - Page 5 of 12

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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Chanel Highlighters

Chanel Highlighters Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion

December 3, 2017

There are new Chanel highlighters that come in two formulas. One is called Poudre Lumiere Highlighting Powder ($58 for 8.5 g/0.30 oz, made in Italy) and the other is called Le Signe du Lion Illuminating Powder ($70 for 9 g/0.31 oz, made in Italy). Both are listed as Chanel.com exclusives and limited-edition. At this point I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like the world does not need another highlighter. I still love these and think they are quite stunning. That being said if you already own a lot I don’t think any of these will be must-haves as I do think you can get a similar effect with other Chanel launches or even ones from Dior. I would have liked to do a handful of comparison swatches, however if you have followed along on @beautylookbook you know I’ve been traveling! We made a quick stop to Los Angeles for a wedding and up next is Miami for Art Basel. Due to the traveling I didn’t have time to search for dupes or swatch them. Notes and thoughts below. As a die-hard Chanel lover there would have been practically nothing to stop me from buying these four. First a look at all four Chanel Highlighters Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion and side by side swatches:

Poudre Lumiere

Up first is the Poudre Lumiere formula. This is one of Chanel’s more sparkly options. Chanel describes this as an illuminating face powder that captures and reflects light for a sheer radiant finish. I do think it’s light reflecting and radiant, but I didn’t find these sheer. You can definitely apply with a light hand or fluffy brush for a sheer finish, but I found these fairly pigmented. The texture is stiffer than a traditional powder. I find they have a similar feel in texture to the Dior Nude Air Luminizers but the Chanels have tiny flecks of sparkle. They are really pretty for holiday, I don’t mind the shimmer but if you want more of a glow, opt for the other two. Ivory Gold is a golden champagne and Rosy Gold is a deeper pink/peach version. Lasting power is really good. On me they don’t emphasize pores or texture. I actually think these are amazing as eyeshadows.

Wearing below: Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer in Natural + Tawny mixed, Urban Decay Naked2 Palette on the eyes, each corresponding highlighter on the cheeks, Chanel Le Rouge Crayon in Rose Violine.

Le Signe du Lion

The Le Signe du Lion Illuminating Powders have a more creamy smooth feel to them. I absolutely love these! They give the skin a lovely soft sheen. Pigment is medium and easy to blend or layer. On my tan complexion they look similar – Or Blanc is a white gold and Or Rose is a peachy pink. If you’re light to fair these will most likely look darker on you. Lasting power is also really good, even in humid weather. They stay put all day without getting dewy looking or greasy.

Wearing below: Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer in Natural + Tawny mixed, Urban Decay Naked2 Palette on the eyes, each corresponding highlighter on the cheeks, Hourglass Confession Lipsticks in If Only + I Woke Up.

Each powder comes with its own brush. They’re nice for touch ups, but as usual I prefer full sized brushes to apply makeup. The Le Signe du Lion ones come with a red compact and the other comes in a classic black one.

One last look:

Overall the four are excellent in quality, pigment, smoothness, lasting power and texture. I think that the Poudre Lumieres are more sparkly and inline with the current shimmery more intense highlighter trend. The Le Signe du Lion is smoother and has a softer glow. After testing these I don’t think it’s necessary to own all four but they are beautiful. My favorites are the Le Signe du Lion out of the bunch, I really like Or Rose. While they are quite the splurge I think they are worth the price. That being said if you already own a lot and are looking for something unique, you may find these too similar to what you already own.

You can find the Chanel Poudre Lumiere and Le Signe du Lion highlighters online now at Chanel.com, both are limited edition.

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Becca Highlighters

New from Becca: Apres Ski Palettes, Lilac Geode, Smoky Quartz and Bronzed Amber

November 1, 2017

I have a roundup of some new holiday palette launches from Becca alongside three Shimmering Skin Perfectors that have been on my wishlist for ages. The items are all shimmering and glowy and in this day I do not think any of us need any more highlighters but new ones continue to pop up everywhere.

For holiday there are two new palettes with the Apres Ski Glow Face Palette ($54 for 15.5 g/0.54 oz, made in USA) and the Eye Lights Palette ($45 for 9.8 g/ 0.35 oz). I think the Glow Face Palette is a hit, but not must-have and the Eye Lights Palette is ok, but also not a must-have.

Up first is a look at the Apres Ski Glow Face Palette which has three highlighters in Rose Quartz (soft iridescent pink), Icicle (pale white aqua), and Opal (classic shimmery champagne). All three highlighters are smooth and soft with sheer to medium pigment for a soft glow. There are also two blushes in Blushed Copper (metallic copper shimmer) and Winter Berry (sheer matte pink). Both are also smooth in texture. Blushed Copper is super pigmented while Winter Berry is sheer. There is also one bronzer in Bronzed Bondi which I find on the sheerer than the individual full-sized one I reviewed here. The overall look and composition of the palette is stunning, however if you have been a Becca fan you probably already own several of the shades. There is the convenience factor but I feel like there are too many repeats of previously launched shades which makes this less unique. Still I think this one is quite stunning.

The Eye Lights Palette has seven shimmering colors for eye highlights. I have mixed feelings about the pigment and texture. The overall feel is sheerer than what you normally see from Becca. Sheer shimmers can be good especially if you are looking for something with a super soft effect rather than a glaring sharp frost. In the palette you have lighter colors that I feel aren’t the most unique and while the medium to deeper colors are beautiful I would have liked to see more pigment in the deeper shades.

These are the shades swatched with a heavy hand below:

In addition there are three Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighters that have been a bit hard for me to track down. I am normally a Sephora or Beautylish shopper for Becca and some colors are retailer exclusives so I could not find them there. Two of these in Lilac Geode and Bronzed Amber are both exclusive to Ulta ($38 each for 7 g and 8 g respectively). Smoky Quartz is exclusive to the Becca website ($38 for 8 g). These three are absolutely beautiful, true to the individual Shimmering Skin Perfector texture, pigment and smooth finish. I 100% love them.

Close ups:

Lilac Geode is a unique duo chrome lilac pink gold shimmer. The gold is very soft which I like, sometimes with duo chromes the gold can be too yellow or too sharp. This one is perfect. Bronzed Amber is a soft luminous bronze. The shimmer in this one is on the softer side on my skintone which makes it look like a blush/bronzer a bit more than highlighter. I adore this color on the skin to warm up the complexion in a natural way. Smoky Quartz is just as pretty as it is on the Becca website. It’s a unique pink mauve tan taupe shimmer that has smooth pigmented shimmer. On me it’s a highlighter color, if you are fair this will probably show up more pink/tan.

Swatch comparisons next to the full-size individual Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal, Champagne Pop, Rose Gold and the two shades from the Becca x Chrissy Teigen Palette (review here)

Overall, palettes can be good, but every once in a while I’m reminded why I pass on them and opt for the individual colors. I really just like picking the shades I like and know I’ll use. The quality and colors of the Becca Apres Ski Palettes are good and whether or not I’d recommend them is going to be based on your color preference and if you already own individual shades. The three individual Shimmering Skin Perfectors are pure love for me. I definitely think they’re worth tracking down.

You can find the Becca Apres Ski Palettes at all counters and retailers now. Online at Sephora, Beautylish, Ulta Beauty and Becca Cosmetics. Smoky Quartz is a Becca Cosmetics website exclusive. Bronzed Amber and Lilac Geode are available exclusively at Ulta.

Have you tried any of these yet? If yes what did you think? If not what are some of your Becca favorites?

Apres Ski Palettes sent courtesy of Becca for review. Others purchased by me.

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Base Makeup Dior Highlighters

Dior Makeup Holiday, Lip + Base Haul

October 13, 2017

I have a collective haul post today with some Dior bits. Over the past few months I’ve been using a lot of their base products and found some new favorites. Some mini collections have launched new products such as the Rouge Dior Liquid Lip and Metalizer for Eyes that I’ve been testing. So many of you have asked about the Rouge Dior Liquid Lip Stains and I picked out two (thoughts below). Holiday has also launched and I picked up three items from the collection to review today. So there’s a little bit of everything in today’s roundup post. I hauled these items from both Nordstrom and Sephora but you should be able to find most everything at all Dior counters now (I think holiday is still trickling in stores).

For holiday Dior has a mix of items with shimmers and mattes. The eyeshadow palettes look gorgeous in the formulas but colors aren’t really up my alley like they were in previous years so I limited my picks to three things:

Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer in Precious Rocks 001 is one of the smoothest shimmer highlighters I’ve tried. It’s so unique with an opalescent shimmer quality. To me it has a pinkish beige tinge and depending on how the light catches it, sometimes it will look more warm/gold but if you see it in person I think you’ll see it’s definitely more pink. On my olive medium tone skin this has a light opal pink finish. If you are fair this may look more peachy/deeper on you. When I first swatched it I thought it was going to be a near dupe for the regular Nude Air Luminizer in 002 but it’s not (comparisons below).
Diorific Matte Fluid Lip & Cheek Velvet Colour in Charm is something I had high hopes for since last year’s options were just perfect and festive for holiday. I picked up one shade in Charm which is different from last year’s Charm. This year is a nude pink but it dries down to a dusty finish. If you are lighter in complexion than me or darker I think it will look more flattering. On me it just makes me look a little dead. Drydown is nice for a matte, but it’s more of a satiny matte.
Diorific Vernis Nail Lacquer in Ruby is a metallic pink ruby red and the shimmer is smooth and free of brush strokes. It has some pink which gives it a more youthful effect compared to a traditional red.

Comparisons below to some older Dior Highlighters, turns out I had Glowing Gardens from a million years ago in my backup stash.

Additional pink highlighter comparison swatches to Laura Mercier Face Illuminator in Devotion, By Terry Compact Expert in #3, Diorskin Nude Air Glowing Gardens 001 in Glowing Pink (discontinued), Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001, 002 and 004.

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I’ve been a long-time fan of the Dior Airflash Foundation but anyone who has tried it knows it’s one that takes a bit of time to apply. I tried some other foundations and concealers from the line and love everything I’ve bought. My base picks and testing include:

Diorskin Forever Perfect Foundation in 21 and 31 – this isn’t a new formula but for some reason it escaped my radar for a long time. I’ve featured it in my summer base edit here. I matched myself and in store 30 was perfect. When I got home I applied it and found it oxidized a full shade darker and looked very pink. I went back and found that 21 and 31 have a more yellow undertone and since I tan easily (and loose my tan just as easily) I decided on both to mix the colors. The formula is medium but buildable to full coverage and looks natural. It holds up well in the humidity here and I love the way it covers everything up evenly.
Diorskin Forever Perfect Cushion Foundation in 21 and 30 – this was a newer launch last month in the US and is one of the best in-between cushions for coverage. Most cushions I’ve tried are either very sheer or very opaque. This is a good in the middle option. Colors are very limited though – I wish they would expand the line! I was lucky to find two matches. Again I picked out two shades 21 and 30 (since they don’t have a 31).
Diorskin Forever Undercover Concealer in 30 and 31 – is also a new launch, I can’t remember the last time I tried a Dior concealer so I can’t compare this to others, but this has impressive coverage with smooth creamy texture. It is similar to NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer but the Dior isn’t quite as creamy or emollient and it has a slightly more matte finish. I use this both under the eyes and on spots. 30 is more neutral and 31 is more yellow.

Additional misc items below, I saved the worst for last. Sorry to be harsh but these weren’t up my alley. I had such high hopes for these too!

Rouge Dior Liquid Lip Stain in Vibrant Metal and Delicate Satin – I am a huge fan of the Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshine & Care Couture Colour so I thought I’d like these. There are a few finishes: Satin, Matte and Metal. I knew I wouldn’t like the mattes so I tried the other two. The Vibrant Metal shade looks so pretty in the tube and swatched on the hand but on my lips it’s like I straight up applied this hideous copper orange foil onto my face. Delicate Satin is a more wearable color and I actually like it for a warm neutral rose pink brown. I just find the formula too airy and mousse-like, it has that silicone powdery feel which I don’t like on the lips. It also wears off really easily. I suspect that matte ones wear better but since I really don’t like mattes on my lips because they make them look like raisins I passed.
Metalizer Eyes & Lips Cream Shadow in Platine Fusion – is a metallic cream shadow that you can use on the lips or eyes. I felt these were best suited for eyes. It has a very fluid texture in a squeeze tube that doesn’t retain its shape well. The color is swatched in the top swatch photo and you can see the color is very standard and basic. I will say that it does have great lasting power – once you put it on it doesn’t budge, but I’m just not the biggest fan of the finish (it is sheer but buildable) and the packaging style just wasn’t my cup of tea.

One last look wearing the following items:

Foundation is Diorskin Forever Perfect Foundation in 21 and 31 mixed
Concealer under eyes and around nose is Diorskin Forever Undercover Concealer in 30
Powder to set is the La Mer Loose Powder
Highlighter is the Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer in Precious Rocks 001 on the cheeks
Eyeshadow is the Metalizer Eyes & Lips Cream Shadow in Platine Fusion
Lip Color Rouge Dior Liquid Lip Stain in Delicate Satin (also shown in this post here)
Mascara is the L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof
Nothing on the brows because I forgot to do them!

You can find the Dior items online and in store now. I bought holiday items from Nordstrom and some other items from Sephora. So far I’ve only seen Dior Holiday online at Nordstrom, Dior.com and Neiman Marcus but it should be up on other sites soon!

Have you tried the Dior foundations or concealers yet? If not what’s your current favorite? If you picked up anything from holiday let me know!

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Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics Lips

New Hourglass Launches: Ambient Lighting Edit Volume 3, Metallic Strobe and Confession Refillable Lipstick Set

September 28, 2017

There are three new limited-edition launches from Hourglass for lips and cheeks. Two new palettes have arrived with new formulas/finishes from the Ambient Lighting line and there are new shades of the Confession Ultra-Slim Lipsticks exclusive to a set. I have all three that I’ve been playing with for the past week:

Ambient® Lighting Edit Volume 3 ($80) has six different powders for face, bronzer, highlight and blush in Diffused Light, Hypnotic Strobe Light, Dim Light, Luminous Bronze Light, Surreal Halo, Pure Effect Blush
Ambient® Metallic Strobe Lighting Palette ($62) has three new metallic highlighters in Absolute Strobe Light, Pure Strobe Light, Lucent Strobe Light
Confession Refillable Lipstick Set ($54) has three new lipsticks in My One Desire, True Love Means and You Are My

Up first is the Ambient Lighting Edit Volume 3 which has a mix of existing and new shades. The colors included: Diffused Light (soft pale yellow satin powder), Hypnotic Strobe Light (pale champagne shimmer), Dim Light (soft pink satiny powder), Luminous Bronze Light (light bronze), Surreal Halo (mauve rose shimmer), Pure Effect Blush (light but bright pink).

The entire feel and vibe of this is on the light to medium side for color. Pigment is soft to medium with a naturally glowy feel. I thought the colors would be too light for my tan complexion but they all show up on my skin – Diffused Light and Dim Light of course have a sheer effect, almost like a finishing or softening powder. The bronzer does seem quite a bit lighter in color than the individual ones I own. Each powder is unique so I do understand there could be variation because the one I have in the palette has more highlighter vs bronzer, still the effect is noticeably lighter.

Finish is smooth and doesn’t emphasize pores. Lasting power is quite good – it stayed put on my face and cheeks from morning to late evening. All this being said if you already own a lot of Hourglass products individually you may find there are very close dupes. As mentioned in a few recent posts I’m in between places and most of my items are in storage so I don’t have access to products for comparisons. Off the top of my head I do feel this palette is very similar to existing shades although the Pure Effect Blush is one of the prettiest pinks I’ve ever swatched.

Worn below is:

Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Natural
Armani Luminous Silk Powder #4 + Hourglass Dim Light to set
By Terry Stylo Expert Click #8 Concealer
Hourglass Pure Effect Blush on cheeks
Hourglass Hypnotic Strobe Light on eyes
Marc Jacobs Beauty Glambition Eyeshadow Palette on eyes
Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim Lipstick in True Love Means

Up next is the Metallic Strobe Lighting Palette which I’ve previously reviewed here. The powders are smooth with buildable pigment and rich shimmer. It’s wearable for a pretty highlight but a little on the pale side for my tan complexion right now. Full review + swatches (also shown on the face) here but I’ll repost images below.

Last but not least is the Hourglass Ultra Slim Confession Refillable Lipstick Set. It has three new shades of lipstick that are exclusive to the set. There is one gold bullet exterior and two refills inside. The pigment is opaque with full coverage and smooth. Formula is just as good as the individual shades all reviewed and swatched here.

My favorite shades are still from the individual lineup but all three of these are wearable for pretty much any occasion, day or night. I’m giving away the three new launches featured in this post to two lucky readers, enter through the widget below. Here’s how this will work:

Giveaway open internationally, but you must be 18 years or older
Giveaway will run from 9/28/2017 through 10/12/2017 11:45 PM EST
Two winners will be selected at random through the widget below
Giveaway is not sponsored or affiliated

a Rafflecopter giveaway

You can find the new Hourglass launches at all Hourglass counters, stores and retailers now. They are limited-edition. Available online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Bergdorf Goodman, Space NK, Net-A-Porter, Barneys New York and Hourglass Cosmetics.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

New Hourglass launches sent courtesy of Hourglass for review. Giveaway items purchased by me.

163 Comments

Highlighters

New Highlighter Launches for Fall

September 24, 2017

The highlighter trend is still going very strong and brands show no signs of slowing down with new releases. I love a good glow and trying new highlighters is one of my favorite things to do. I tend to be ok with varying degrees of glowy shimmers but these days it seems like the more glitz the better. I can’t pull off lots of frost, glitter or super light colored shimmers with my olive tan complexion so for me this roundup has some misses alongside some hits for me. There are a number of new launches out that aren’t included in this post. I’ll add a few notes at the end with some extra thoughts.

One of the palettes that caught my eye immediately was the Laura Mercier Exotique Face Illuminator Collection Palette. It’s exclusive to Sephora and has two new shades of their Face Illuminators in Infatuation and Temptation. I already own the other two Indiscretion and Devotion in the full size (reviewed here) and while I would have really preferred to have a palette with all new shades I do like that it has these as it will be a good one for travel. Indiscretion happens to be one of my favorites that I own. Going forward if I had to travel with 1 highlighter palette I think this would be in my top 3 picks. Formulas is true to full size – smooth, easy to build, doesn’t emphasize pores, beautiful color and shimmer. They last long on my skin even in humid weather. You can wear on the eyes or cheeks, alone or over blush/bronzer. It’s a solid winner for me.

Next are the highlighters from Hourglass and Fenty Beauty. I’ve been a long time fan of Hourglass Ambient Lighting highlighters. This holiday they have two new palettes. One is the Ambient Metallic Strobe Lighting Palette and the other is the Ambient Lighting Edit Volume 3. I have the trio reviewed today and the other palette will be reviewed separately as it has more than just highlighters.

The Ambient Lighting Powders in general have a softer but noticeable glow. This season they’ve increased the intensity with the Metallic Strobe Lighting Palette which has the most intense shimmer I’ve seen from them. Pigment is smooth, nicely pigmented and very metallic. Colors are on the pale side and on my olive tan skin they look very similar on the face with the exception of the middle color which is clearly more gold/yellow. I can wear this with a very light and soft hand. I use a skunk brush to apply on the cheeks and it’s still very intense and metallic. Compared to previous powders launched from Hourglass this is very unique in color and finish. It has a less powdery finish compared to the Ambient Strobe Powders which some of you reported you found glittery or chalky (although they worked well for me). The Metallic Strobe Powder by comparison have no glitter particles and there isn’t any matte/chalky/powdery base but instead has a more metallic shimmer like a wet-look shimmer.

I’m kinda mixed on this one. I do think it’s a good palette. Quality, finish, pigment, texture and price are all a thumbs up. Color-wise it’s a miss as I find it’s a little too pale for me as I have quite a bit of tan and the paleness of color makes it look extra shimmery on my skin.

Next are the Fenty Beauty Match Stix Shimmer Skinsticks. I bought both sight unseen but have since had a chance to play with the entire line at Sephora. My first test with Starstruck (pale champagne pink) wasn’t good. I found it had a gritty texture and looked really dry. I tested it a few more times and it grew on me. However there is still something with the paleness that makes it too contrasted with my tan skintone and it ends up emphasizing texture. Sinamon works better for me as it is a pretty bronzey color. Both have a buildable shimmer quality and they adhere well to the skin and in this hot humid Florida weather they held up remarkably well. That being said if you have any dry patches or if you find shimmer can emphasize texture – definitely be aware these can emphasize both. I don’t think these would work for me in normal weather climate on the cheeks as they have a rather dry texture that almost tugs at the skin. They are easy to blend with fingers and I think the issue with most cream products in general is they are lacking in lasting power. For me the two shimmer sticks I tested held up really well so I’m ok with the slightly dry texture. I actually wanted to get Rum but my store was sold out. Given the number of highlighters I have and also keeping in mind holiday will probably have more offerings I’ll hold off on purchasing more.

I was able to wear both without any irritation or clogging of skin. This is something I’m always concerned about when it comes to cream or liquid cheek products. I give these a thumbs up for formula even if the colors I picked aren’t really all that unique. Starstruck just didn’t work color-wise on the cheeks for me but the formula is still really good and I find it’s lovely on the eyes.

Edward Bess makes my holy grail cream highlighters with the All Over Seduction compacts. This fall he has new launches with a Harmonious Hues Light Stick Trio which are twist up highlighters in a chubby pencil form. The colors include Candlelight (champagne), Ambience (peachy gold), Aura (soft bronze) and I absolutely love these. The shimmer is subtle but still noticeably glowy, the texture is creamy and easy to swipe on the face or eyes and easy to blend. They have a semi-emollient finish which makes the color adhere well to the skin. It’s as natural as it gets without being invisible. The colors are right up my alley.

He also has a new powder highlighter called the Marbleized Rose Gold Highlighting Powder. It’s a very pale yellow gold with smooth luminous shimmer. I love this video he did with an application on lighter skinned complexions. I think it looks amazing on them! Yellow golds really aren’t my thing as I already have yellow-based skin but I like this one on the eyes for me. The texture is very smooth and beautifully pigmented without the frost.

Cover FX launched a new set of mini Custom Enhancer Drops in a set of 4. These are larger than the ones you may have seen in a few GWPs or Beauty Insider gifts but smaller than the full size. I’ve shown them below. If you’re one who wants to try a bunch of colors or want to travel with more than 1 these are perfect. When I ordered them I didn’t realize they were existing shades (I should have read the description). I saw “minis” and it went in my cart and I didn’t think twice. Since I already own these I’m sending these to my niece. They come with a similar dropper style packaging as the full size. The shimmer is buildable to full intensity. Don’t be scared at how shimmery they look. They are actually very wearable and easy to blend out. Review on the full sizes here and here.

Last but not least Charlotte Tilbury launched a Beauty Light Wand with her Hollywood Collection. I just reviewed it a few days ago here but wanted to include it in the fall roundup. It’s a really pretty one and surprisingly convenient for on the go touch ups or for travel.

I managed to get a few decent face swatch shots. We are in between places living a rather nomadic life and are about to make our fourth move this year very soon. My setup for everything has been rather on-the-go for the past few months and I couldn’t get the focus right on the camera the last few rounds of reviews. Four highlighter face swatches shown below:

Foundation is Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Foundation in Buff
Concealer is NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger
Powder to set is Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation 4
Brow pencil is Diorshow Browstyler in Universal Brown
Lipstick is Tom Ford Lips and Girls in Zoe
For highlighter:
- Top row left has the new Laura Mercier L’Amour Exotique Face Illuminator Collection with Infatuation
- Top row right has the new Laura Mercier L’Amour Exotique Face Illuminator Collection with Temptation
- Bottom row left has Hourglass Absolute Strobe Light
- Bottom row right has the FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Rose Gold on the right

Additional ones that were on my radar that I haven’t tested (yet):

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Smoky Quartz is on my wishlist, I wish it were available at Sephora or Ulta because it’s where I can get points or perks, this one looks so so pretty, I obviously do not need, but if you have it let me know what you think
Fenty Beauty Killawatt Freestyle Highlighters are something I swatched in store and the colors/pigment is quite impressive, with each duo at least 1 side has some micro sparkles which I thought would be too over the top for what I’d normally wear, I may give one a try – the pigment is soooo good!
Bobbi Brown Highlighting Powder Trio looks amazing, I really loved her highlighting powders this year and think it’s possible the trio would be dupes for the individual shades I own, but the finish of these powders is really divine
By Terry Compact Expert Dual Powders are new powder + highlighters in a compact, I will have a review on all the shades soon, I bought 5 of the 8 shades, fell in love, ordered the remaining 3 which should arrive soon, the texture and finish is so naturally beautiful (some look light in color like they could be highlighters but I’ll have to do some more testing to report)
Burberry Fresh Glow Highlighters have such a lovely glow, I’ve swatched on several occasion in stores and have been extremely tempted but I really love my Laura Mercier and Dior highlighters and felt it would be like owning duplicates
Victoria Beckham Estee Lauder Modern Mercury has been on my radar for quite some time but it kept selling out with previous launches, that being said it should be easy to find now, if I can test it in person first I’ll give it a try, I still own the Modern Mercury color before it was part of the VB collection (I had a backup) and I suspect it’s identical so I don’t think I’ll be purchasing it

All this being said, if you feel overwhelmed by all the highlighter options, you are definitely not alone. I’m on highlighter overload (and also feel that way about new foundation base launches too). I still feel my top highlighter picks include the Dior Nude Air Luminizer Powders (all four reviewed here), Laura Mercier Indiscretion (review here), Hourglass Luminous Light (review here) and Edward Bess All Over Seduction (reviewed here).

Out of the new launches the Laura Mercier palette is my favorite, followed by the By Terry Compacts (not reviewed yet, but will be soon!).

Have you jumped on the highlighter bandwagon for fall launches? What have you picked up lately (new or previously launched colors)? Let me know what you’ve been loving!

Press samples include items from Hourglass, Edward Bess and Charlotte Tilbury.

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Eye Makeup Highlighters

Bobbi Brown Peace, Love and Beach Highlighting Powders and Eyeshadow Trio

August 2, 2017

For summer Bobbi Brown launched a few mini collections and my favorite one is the Peace, Love and Beach. In this collection are three new Highlighting Powders ($48 each for 0.28 oz/8g), three Eyeshadow Trios ($40 each for 0.25 oz/7.2 g) and two Nail Colors ($16 each). I picked up all of the highlighters in Sunrise Glow, Sunkissed Glow and Tawny Glow and the Love Eye Shadow Trio. At the time I bought these there was a little Beach GWP going on at the counter so I stocked up on a couple glosses as well and was able to try a couple of the Beach body items from the gift.

Up first is the Love Eye Shadow Trio which is the neutral taupe option. At first glance this reminded me of the Tom Ford She Wolf Trio launched a few years ago. Once I compared them at home I found the Bobbi Brown version to be warmer or more on the neutral side. You get a shimmering dark bronze, a glitter silvery taupe and a lovely beige taupe tan shimmer. It’s literally my taupe palette dream come true. I’ve also swatched it next to the Tom Ford Young Adonis Cream Powder Duo for reference (review here).

Texture is smooth for all three. The middle glitter color does have some chunky texture to it because it’s a glitter but it’s very smooth and adheres well to the lids. I had minimal fallout when applying and the shadows stayed put all day long.

Next are the three new Highlighting Powders. I had last year’s versions but never got around to reviewing them. They are really lovely highlighters that have the perfect in between shimmer of subtle and high frost. You can layer for more intensity but applied with a soft hand alone or over blush gives one of the prettiest glows I’ve ever seen. This year’s colors have a similar vibe to last year’s. I’ve swatched them side by side in case you already own them. As a quick note you can find Afternoon Glow in this Nordstrom Set. You can find Telluride and Afternoon Glow individually at Neiman Marcus. These were limited-edition so I don’t think those will be around for long.

New shades are limited-edition as well. This year’s shades are Sunrise Glow a soft warm pink, Sunkissed Glow the perfect subtle bronze shimmer and Tawny Glow a cool-toned mauve shimmer. Each one is just perfect – texture is ultra smooth and they have an almost creamy texture but are definitely powders. Lasting power is impressive and they stayed put for hours. I like to use these on the eyes as well.

Two looks with the Love Eye Shadow Trio. For the cheeks, on the left is Sunkissed Glow, on the right is Sunrise Glow. I applied them with a light hand alone (just over my foundation/base).

Last but not least a couple thoughts on the Beach items. Bobbi Brown’s Beach scent is one of the best beachy scents I’ve ever smelled. It is fairly strong so I’ve never splurged on the perfume. It has a blend of jasmine, white florals, mandarin and sea spray. The Body Lotion is quite amazing – it’s smooth and soft and transports me to vacation mode (full size here). The Shower Gel is also lovely, but right now it appears you can only find it in the Beach Collection Set. I would have bought the shower gel separately if I could find it but the set seems to be a good deal and I’m seriously considering it especially for the last few weeks of summer. This was part of the GWP I got below:

Bottom line not really a full color collection, but it has some great options. I’m 100% in love with everything I purchased. When I was at the counter there was a makeover event going on – the highlighters were being applied on women of various ages, 30’s, 40s and 50’s (by my guess) and they looked pretty wearable and naturally glowy on all of them. If you don’t mind glitters the trio is really pretty. I’m almost tempted to get a backup. There’s a pretty beige neutral nail polish I was tempted by, but I swatched it on the counter and it was a bit too warm for my current skintone shade.

You can find the Bobbi Brown Peace, Love and Beach Collection at counters now. All the items are limited-edition. I bought mine at Nordstrom. Also available at Bobbi Brown, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Have you checked these out yet? What’s been your favorite summer beauty collection to date?

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