Lips Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm – New Shades

February 6, 2025

Hourglass added four new shades of their Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm ($38 each) and they are incredibly beautiful. Three of them are shimmers and one is a new red. Out of all the Hourglass lip formulas this is probably my favorite, especially since I love a glossy lip.

Above left to right:

Secret is a rose with gold shimmer (think MAC Sophisto vibes, but not as frosty)
Invite is a medium tan brown with gold shimmer
Wander is a light peachy pink with golden shimmer
Red 0 is the most perfect wearable red for those who don’t like to wear red

Below also wearing:

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 6.5
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in Medium
Hourglass Unreal Liquid Blush in Scene (review + swatches here)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Strobe Blush in Brilliant Nude (discontinued, but RMS Crystal Slipper is similar)
Makeup By Mario Master Mattes Eyeshadow Palette + Hourglass Scattered Light Eyeshadow in Ray
Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara
Nail Polish is Olive and June Quick Dry in Sandy

Secret

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Invite

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Wander

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Red 0

Every single color of the new Phantom Glossy Balm is wearable and even though Wander is on the lighter side it still shows up on my lips – the pigment is perfect. The regular non shimmer shades are very soft and almost melty feeling once they’re on the lips. The shimmer version is smooth without texture but they have a slightly stiffer feel which I actually like better.

Since these are glossy balms lasting power isn’t going to be long, but they don’t slide off easily and I really like that the finish is forgiving so it fades nicely. They are nicely hydrating and smooth without feeling thick.

The Hourglass team sent a beautiful press box with the new shades and also included three from the permanent lineup. I’ve reviewed them here, here and here but thought I’d add them here too including Desire (rose mauve), Lure (plum) and Sense (the best nude pink).

Overall love. Every single color is one I think could be universally flattering. I’ve finally found my new holy grail red. I was hoping the peach orange shade Mystic in the Holiday 2024 Duo would be out individually but it looks like it’s only available in the set (still in stock). I might end up buying the set before it sells out since I love peachy coral shades.

Available now at Nordstrom, Sephora, Hourglass Cosmetics and all other Hourglass retailers.

New Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balm shades provided for review.

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Chanel Lips

New Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Les Perles

January 27, 2025

Chanel launched a limited-edition lipstick in their Rouge Allure line called the Rouge Allure Velvet Les Perles ($52 each). I checked out the colors while I was in Miami and picked up a few shades along with the ones in the limited-edition Duo Set ($120) in store. The set is currently sold out online and I did see it restock once. I am hoping it restocks again or that some boutiques may still have it.

The Rouge Allure Velvet Les Perles formula is a smooth luminous matte lipstick. They have an ultra fine pearl quality to them which gives them a glow while still looking like a matte on the lips. These are so soft and smooth on the lips. They glide on beautifully and you can control the pigment to be more of a blotted blurred effect or layer for more opacity.

I find them very comfortable. They do have a soft matte look but don’t look or feel dry at all. I think they’re very under-rated and they look much prettier on the lips than what you see in the tube.

Every color I tried is 10/10 wearable. I did have my eye on multiple shades although I splurged on the Rouge Coco Baume Shines which launched around the same time, so I tried to limit my picks with this launch.

All the shades are available individually. I purchased:

447 Naturelle – the prettiest light beige neutral
457 Eclatante – pretty coral

Duo Set with:

459 Lumineuse – soft mauve
458 Sensuelle – blue red

Below wearing the shades along with the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Foundation in BD41.

Chanel also reformulated their Joues Contraste Powder Blushes recently. A number of you asked for a review. According to the SAs in store they have been reformulated to change the ingredients and to improve the pigment. I still own a lot of Chanel powder blushes which I still use and love. They kept a lot of the same colors so I decided to just try one Malice which is a soft coral pink with a tiny bit of shimmer.

I really like it. The powder is easy to blend with very good pigment level. I love the color – peachy coral tones are usually my favorite. I can’t really tell the difference in pigment or formula between new vs original. I would love to compare the original shade to new but I can’t find my original one. Off the top of my head this new one looks more pink-coral to me (I remember this being more peach), but without seeing them side by side I can’t confirm.

I shared a look at the lipsticks in action here if you want to see how they apply on the lips with a sheerer application.

Overall love the lipsticks and I’m really loving the formula. The blush is a beautiful classic coral shade. I don’t know that I’d call it a must-have.

You can find these now at Chanel.com and Chanel Beauty Boutiques.

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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

New Tom Ford Lip Color Lipstick + Lip Pencils

November 11, 2024

Tom Ford reformulated a few of their lip products for the Lip Color Lipstick ($62 each) + Lip Pencils ($46). It seems a number of items are going through a revamp as it appears the Foundation Stick has been pulled (or not restocked) along with a few other items. I hauled quite a few of the new shades and am 10/10 happy with everything I picked out.

It has been a while since I’ve repurchased a Tom Ford lipstick and have to say I am shocked at the prices these days. I don’t know that luxury makeup is “worth” the steep price tags that keep increasing, but I have been really pleased with the performance, quality and colors with this particular haul. If you missed out on the Sephora sale, keep an eye out for upcoming holiday sales. A lot of retailers offer a good discount (flash sale) or gift card events and with Cyber Week approaching I’m sure you will be able to find these at a lower price.

Lip Color Lipstick

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Colors have been reformulated and with nearly every single brand revamping or repackaging I suppose it was only a matter of time before Tom Ford followed. The new formula has a little more slip to it. It glides on the lips better, isn’t quite as opaque, has a tiny bit of shine but still has great color payoff. I think the new formula is a noticeable improvement for a more modern look. The original was a classic for sure but because some of the colors were so opaque (especially the pale ones) they ended up looking a little too heavy.

The new formula looks a little more natural on the lips while still being a true classic lipstick formula. These still have the same classic soft vanilla scent and mahogany + gold packaging (which I love). I am a bit sad they didn’t keep all the shades though.

Shades I hauled below:

Spanish Pink is a nude pink, it’s more wearable and a bit warmer than the original
Sable Smoke is still the same flattering beige nude I remember (unfortunately I don’t have the original anymore to compare)
West Coast is a 90s kind of brown cinnamon sepia shade
Slip is a blue-based baby pink
Runway Rose is a plum pink rose
Casablanca is a mauve pink, the new one seems to have less grey undertone and I can actually wear the new version (the original one made me look a little ashy)
Impassioned is a pretty reddish plum, it’s almost identical to the original, I could barely tell the difference between the two variations

I ordered mine sight unseen and was lucky every single color works for me! Lasting power is just like the original formula and stays put for hours but fades nicely/evenly. These are a solid win for me.

Lip Pencil

Tom Ford revamped their Lip Pencil and the formula is exceptionally good. It’s everything I want in a lip liner! Formula is smooth, creamy, opaque, doesn’t look too dry on the lips and stays on the lips really well. They’re not completely budge-proof but they adhere well to the lips. I do miss some of the shades in the older formula (ones with the brush) but the four I picked are stunning. The colors I bought are all variations of a neutral tone.

101 Close-Up is a nude pink
102 Re-See is a light beige
103 Irresistible is a tan brown
106 A-List is the perfect brown tone

Overall some solid wins even though I’m not too happy about the ridiculously steep prices. Quality is 10/10 and they launched some really beautiful classic colors that you can apply without any fuss or tweaking.

I picked mine up from Sephora and Nordstrom. Available at all Tom Ford Beauty counters now.

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Lips

Tarte Holiday 2024 Lip Sets

September 25, 2024

Holiday beauty is already starting to trickle in and every year they seem to launch earlier and earlier! As the ultimate fan of the Tarte Maracuja lip lineup, I picked up four of the holiday sets that launched this year and the ones I picked up have all brand new shades.

It’s also been a while since I reviewed and swatched the Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump or Lip Liners. Tarte has been adding new shades to almost all of the Maracuja formulas and I’ve accumulated so many I thought I’d swatch them here.

Quick note that there are a lot more Tarte sets, bundles and variations for this holiday season. Also every retailer seems to have slightly different offerings (Sephora and Ulta have different sets). Some have duos with their best selling shades popular shades while some of the sets have new colors.

Best of Maracuja Juicy Lips Set 2024

Best of Maracuja Juicy Lips Set 2024 ($45, available at Tarte, Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Macy’s) has four new colors and I am 10/10 in love. They’re all neutrals and I love every single shade. The set has:

Maracuja Juicy Lip Vinyl in Spiced Pink, a super opaque and lush medium rose with full coverage and high shine
Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump in Rose Quartz Shimmer Glass, a high sparkle pink rose quartz shimmer shade
Maracuja Juicy Plumping Lip Oil in Cool Mauve, a cool mauve with a glossy finish
Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump in Buffed Rose a tan beige rose

I really like all four formulas. This is my first time trying the oil and while I really love the formula, I’m not sure how long the cushiony sponge tip applicator will last. It’s not flimsy by any means, but it just seems like it could potentially wear down quickly.

Maracuja Juicy Lip Icon Duos

There are three new holiday Maracuja Juicy Lip Icon Duos ($26 each, Tarte, Ulta Beauty, Dermstore). Each set has a Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump Shade and matching Lip Liner.

Rosy Neutrals is my favorite with Rosy Beige shades, both are soft rose pink beige
Spiced Neutrals has Spiced Ginger Lip Liner and Ginger Lip Plump, both are variations of tan/beige/brown
Rich Neutrals is the darkest option with an Rich Brown Lip Liner, a blackened brown and Truffle Lip Plump which is a deep mahogany brown shade

Out of the three sets Rosy Neutrals is the most flattering. Spiced Neutrals is pretty but pulls very flesh-toned on me. I’m not a fan of the Rich Neutrals mainly because the liner is so dark on my lips and the lip plump is a little streaky in finish.

Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump

I am obsessed with the Tarte Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump ($26 each). I love the shades, glossy finish, formula and click up balm style applicator. You can find this formula at nearly every Tarte retailer, but Tarte has the most shades available and they often have sales and bundles that you can mix and match for super savings. The formula is glossy and semi-thick with a gentle plumping formula. It tingles a little but doesn’t sting on me. It almost has a minty cooling sensation on the lips.

I have swatches below of pretty much every neutral they launched. Some of these I just received in the mail so I haven’t tried every shade, but I do know I love White Peach, Peachy Beige, Rosebud, Mixed Berries and Coral Pink. I included shades from the holiday sets in the swatch lineup too.

Maracuja Juicy Lip Liner

The Maracuja Juicy Lip Liner ($22, Tarte, Sephora, Ulta Beauty) is another favorite. These are in a twist up style with a removeable tip sharpener at the end. There are quite a few pretty neutrals and what I love about these is they don’t tug too much when you apply and they also do not budge once they set. My favorite is Nude or Dusty Rose, but I think the new Rosy Beige from the Rosy Neutrals Duo is my favorite.

That wraps up my Tarte lip haul roundup! I think the Best of Maracuja Lips is the best one for the colors and price. They come packaged in a way that you can separate the colors if you want to split it and gift. I ordered all of mine from Tarte (they had some promos going on) but you can definitely find these at your local Ulta Beauty or Sephora. QVC also has great value sets that are often limited-edition so be sure to check them out too if you’re shopping for holiday bundles.

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Have you started to check out any of the holiday launches yet? What’s on your radar?

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Lips NARS

NARS Explicit Lipstick Review

September 6, 2024

NARS revamped their lipsticks with a new formula and refillable packaging style called the Explicit Lipstick ($40, $24 for the refills). These are satin finish with a lightweight formula that offers medium-full coverage and rich color payoff. The NARS team sent a selection of the bold shades to try and as a neutral-lip lover I ordered nudes. Available now at Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty, Sephora, NARS and all NARS retailers.

These new lipsticks are a solid win. Classic in formula. Unscented. Hydrating and lightweight. Even after swatching 10+ shades my lips are still fully intact with no dryness or peeling. I do think the formula being on the lighter side almost makes them feel a bit thin but they have impressive smooth coverage. They’re hydrating and comfortable on the lips. I do wish they were just the slightest bit creamier or thicker but I do really like that the texture isn’t too soft or melty. They seem very sturdy.

Many of the lighter neutrals and medium brown tones look extremely similar but there are noticeable variances in undertone. I was thrilled to find that I could actually wear every single shade. Even the lighter ones (yay!!!).

I split the swatches into two categories: the neutrals and the bolds. For skintone reference I wear the NARS Light Reflecting Foundation in Vanuatu (review here). In this post, I’m also wearing the Total Seduction Eyeshadow Sticks in Strip Down and Mambo along with the Patrick Ta Major Dimension III on the eyes and Deep Throat Blush on the Cheeks.

Here are the Neutral shades I tried:

Adulterous is a nude blush pink
Blame is a peach pink nude
Envy is a beige
Indecent is a neutral-warm beige tan
Liason is a peachy nude
Exposed is a cool beige
Dirty Talk is a warm coral pink

Bold Shades:

Unashamed is a cool mauve
Devious is a cool rose pink
On Top is a chestnut reddish brown
Excess is a reddish brown
Body Heat is a tan brown
Rendezvous is brown rose red
Desirous is a classic red

Overall a solid A. I don’t know that I would call these the best lipstick formula ever, but they are exceptionally good and I think every color I tried is wearable. I would say my top 5 are: Blame, Liason, Adulterous, On Top, Devious.

I also added swatches of the Total Seduction Eyeshadow Sticks ($32) to this post. These launched over the summer and I love the colors but am still not sold on matte creams. In general I don’t like cream matte shadows because they tend to look dry on my lids, especially when they dry down. These are creamy matte eyeshadow sticks with impressive pigment and once they set they do not budge. Since they set quickly you have to work very fast to blend and on my lids they aren’t forgiving. These are wearable and easy to blend for a matte, but I still prefer a powder shadow format for mattes. I think you can get a similar effect with the Patrick Ta Major Dimension III Palette (swatched here).

Overall love the new lip launch for a classic effortless kind of lipstick. The matte cream shadows sticks are very good, but for a cream I prefer some shimmer or for a matte I still prefer powders.

Available now at Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty, Sephora, NARS and all NARS retailers.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

Press samples provided for review.

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Fenty Beauty Lips

Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix + Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner

August 14, 2024

There are new lip launches from Fenty for summer with a new Gloss Bomb Stix ($25) and Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner ($20). Available now at Sephora, Ulta, Fenty). It’s all pure love for me.

Gloss Bomb Stix

The Gloss Bomb Stix is a high shine high pigment gloss in stick form. They are on the softer side similar to the YSL Candy Glaze or Candy Glow, but not as soft as say the Makeup By Mario MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serums or Hourglass Phantom Glossy Balms.

These Gloss Bomb Stix are scented just like the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer. They are one swipe wonders. Texture feels a little thick almost like a gloss so they’re definitely not weightless. They almost have a creamy balm feel.

I picked up the neutrals and love all of them except the lightest shade. I’ve found that most pale nude pink beige shades look very pasty on my lips, while warmer beige nudes seem to work better.

Lip swatches below wearing:

Foundation – Fenty Eaze Drop Blurring Skin Tint Shade 9
Powder – Rare Beauty True to Myself Tinted Powder in Ivory
Blush – Rhode Pocket Blush in Teddy
Eyeshadows – Makeup by Mario Master Mattes + Pat McGrath Mothership IX
Brows – Chanel Microfine Defining Brow Pencil Blonde Tendre
Hair – Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium 1 1/4″ Extended Barrel Curling Iron + this hair oil
Nails – Olive and June Quick Dry in Poodle

Blaz’d Donut is a creamy pale pink beige

Two’Lips Kiss is a perfect peachy nude beige

Fenty Glow is another perfect rose tan beige

Is it Fu$$y is a mauve pink

Sp’ice Cold is a perfect brown

High’Biscus is a bright pink rose

Riri is a mauve plum

I think this formula is the best lip launch of the year so far. We finally have a new glossy lip formula with amazing pigment and color payoff!

Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner

The Fenty Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liners do not disappoint. Formula is very long-wearing. Once they are on my lips they do not budge. I love that they glide on easily with minimal tugging. Pigment is full coverage and smooth. My most-worn lip pencils are from Huda or Charlotte Tilbury these days so I swatched what I thought might be similar. I think the pigment and finish is similar to the Huda Beauty ones with the Fenty being just a little bit more thicker in feel.

I didn’t lip swatch the liners here but you can see Satin Panty in action here for a pretty lip combo. Overall solid A+ for formula, color and pigment.

You can find these now at Sephora, Ulta, Fenty.

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Bronzer + Blush Lips

Brights by Mario – Makeup by Mario Summer Collection

July 23, 2024

Makeup By Mario launched his Brights By Mario Collection for summer with new shades of his MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum ($24 each) and Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil ($30 each). The colors are fun and bright – perfect for this summer. You can find these at Sephora.

Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil

There are four new shades of the Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil in bright bold colors. The formula is creamy and easy to blend. They blend out to a much sheerer finish for a veil of color compared to what you see in the pan. Since these are significantly brighter and bolder in color they show up much better on my medium tan skin compared to the other shades in this formula. The colors in the original launch (reviewed here) didn’t work so well for my skin tone (they were too pale for me).

They have a soft dewy finish but it’s not too dewy or shiny. Since they are creams I think they’re best suited for normal or normal to dry skin types. On me lasting power is very good indoors but outdoors they become very dewy looking within a short period of time. To be fair though everything gets dewy looking in this humidity!

Pink Peony is a cool toned powdery pink, this has a very pastel undertone so looks a little streaky on me if I don’t blend it out all the way. For skintone reference I’m wearing NARS Light Reflecting Foundation in Vanuatu below (formula reviewed here).

Below: Pink Peony + Watermelon Glow on the lips

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Papaya Pop is a bright orange but sheers out to a tangerine glow on the cheeks.

Below: Papaya Pop + Tangerine Glow on the lips

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Strawberry Sunset is a bright warm pink.

Below: Strawberry Sunset + Cherry Glow on the lips.

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Paradise Pink is a fuschia pink.

Below: Paradise Pink + Pomegranate Glow on the lips.

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Swatched below next to the blush shades I still have from the original launch.

MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum

There are five new shades of the MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum and I love these colors. Texture is the same as the other lip serums in the lineup: very soft, balmy, glossy, sheer in finish. They are bright and sheer at the same time so you’ll get a healthy wash of color on the lips. You can sheer them out for a more subtle look.

I think every single color is beautiful and perfect for summer. I do wish they were in a squeeze tube format instead. The texture is really soft and almost melty on the lips. I haven’t had any product melting issues but I also haven’t put these in my bag this summer. Also quick note in case you’re new to these: they twist in one direction (they don’t twist back down).

You can find these now at Sephora.

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Press samples sent by the Makeup By Mario team for review.

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Older Posts

Lips

Hourglass Phantom Volumizing Glossy Lip Balm – New Shades

New Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Les Perles

New Tom Ford Lip Color Lipstick + Lip Pencils

Lip Color Lipstick

Lip Pencil

Tarte Holiday 2024 Lip Sets

Best of Maracuja Juicy Lips Set 2024

Maracuja Juicy Lip Icon Duos

Maracuja Juicy Lip Plump

Maracuja Juicy Lip Liner

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NARS Explicit Lipstick Review

Fenty Gloss Bomb Stix + Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner

Gloss Bomb Stix

Trace’d Out Pencil Lip Liner

Brights by Mario – Makeup by Mario Summer Collection

Soft Pop Plumping Blush Veil

MoistureGlow Plumping Lip Serum

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