Lips Archives - Page 12 of 24 - The Beauty Look Book

NARS Oil-Infused Lip Tints (New Shades) + Wanted Mini Eyeshadow Palette

July 2, 2019

NARS launched a few new products at Sephora with new shades of the Oil-Infused Lip Tints ($26 each 0.17 oz/5.7 ml) and a pocket-sized eyeshadow palette called the Wanted Mini Eyeshadow Palette ($25 for 6 colors 0.02 oz/.7 g x 6). I have swatches plus thoughts on all the new launches. Per the NARS team everything is limited-edition.

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Oil-Infused Lip Tints

I’ve been a huge fan of the Orgasm Oil-Infused Lip Tint and Orgasm Afterglow Balm so I was excited to try the new lip oil shades. There are three colors and they have the same emollient feel and packaging as the Orgasm oil: hydrating, smooth, not sticky, comforting and offer just a slight hint of color. On me pigment is barely there and sheer. I don’t get a shift on the lips in color like I did with the Orgasm color (review here). They are formulated with raspberry seed oil and pomegranate extracts to hydrate and protect.

Primal Instinct is a sheer beige
High Security is a fuchsia
Disco Infernal is a purple berry

For me I think Orgasm is the best color as it transforms to a healthy soft pink on me. The new ones are nice if you can’t do the color-shifting lip products. I know some of you find they turn into a super unflattering bright pink – these look different on everyone. The new ones are so sheer and have a similar vibe on me, I’d recommend opting for just one if you want to try them. Even though they look practically the same on me, I’ve still been loving the formula for the beach or warm weather days. I wore the beige one out kayaking with my niece and nephew who were visiting in town last week. It stayed put for 5 hours straight without budging or sliding. Lips felt good the entire time.

Swatches are done on bare lips:

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Mini Wanted

NARS launched a pocket size version of one of their best selling palettes Wanted in a super mini version called the Wanted Eyeshadow Mini Palette (originally reviewed here). The mini has 6 shades while the full size has 12. I think the full-size is the better buy and you get more color options for a complete eye look. The mini is one of the smallest palettes I think I’ve ever seen. Quality of the mini is the same as the full large option you can still find at Ulta or Macy’s. Colors applied smoothly without any issue and layer beautifully. The customer reviews online are pretty bad but to me it seems it’s all based on the size and price. I think it’s all based on the packaging presentation – one look at this in person and it’s fairly unimpressive just based on the size. The Natasha Denona Mini Eye Palettes are the same price $25 and are also similar in weight per pan for the shadows but seems to have more positive reviews even though it’s tiny too. Also by comparison the NARS Voyageur Eyeshadow Palettes have 6 shades just like the Mini Wanted, is priced higher at $32 yet has less product (pans are .6 g each). The packaging and presentation looks so much better even though these are small pans as well.

I think the Mini Wanted might be nice if you want to gift something at that $25 or under price point and still have it be from a luxury brand. I do think there are better options out there, but a quick price filter just on Sephora alone shows that most of them will be over the $25 mark.

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Quality-wise everything performs well. The eyeshadows are smooth, nicely pigmented, layer beautifully for a soft rosy eye look. They stay put and don’t have a lot of fall out and blend well. The palette is too small for my taste even though I do love a good mini. I think the full size is a lot better for the price and more versatile.

The Oil-Infused Lip Tints are lovely for that smooth hydrating feel and soft wash of color to tint the lips. They do make the lips look lush and glossy in a really pretty way, but I’m still partial to the first one they launched in Orgasm.

You can find these new launches available now at Sephora.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

NARS items featured provided courtesy of NARS for review.

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Lips Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath Labs BlitzTrance Lipstick New Shades for Summer

June 10, 2019

This summer Pat McGrath Labs brings us nine new shades of BlitzTrance Lipstick ($38 each for 3.9 g/0.13 oz, made in USA). These new summer colors have a different finish and formula compared to her original holiday BlitzTrance Lipsticks last year. The original ones had an intense sparkle finish with bold colors. This month’s release has the same name “BlitzTrance” but the finish is more of a smooth refined satiny shimmer creme. These new summer BlitzTrance colors are everyday kinds of colors and every single one is phenomenal. You can find them now at PatMcGrath.com.

The summer BlitzTrance has medium to full coverage. They have a soft creme feel and the shimmer has an almost velvety dry down look to them. There’s a shimmer and sheen to them but they’re not really glossy in finish like I expected. They adhere well to the lips, there’s no detectable scent, application is smooth without any tugging. With a few of the shades I could feel a tiny bit of texture from the shimmer applying to the lips, but once on the lips they feel 100% smooth. Lasting power is excellent – there is no sliding around and I did not need a lip liner to help the color stay in place.

There are nine colors in this launch. The range has 5 very similar neutral nude-pinks, 1 nineties brown-rose, 1 plum, 1 red and 1 coral rose. At first glance the neutrals look remarkably similar. Even on the arm they look close. After lip-swatching them though I can see the differences are in undertone which I can really appreciate because finding the perfect neutral nude pink can vary so much depending on skin and lip tone. For example a few of my red hair friends look amazing in MAC Twig and Spirit lipsticks. Both look like great neutrals on my hand but on my complexion make me look like I’m 100% dead. Charlotte Tilbury’s Pillow Talk is one of my favorite neutral rose lipsticks but a number of you find it too cool/dusty looking on your lips and complexion. Finding a perfect “neutral” truly depends on so many things!

Close ups, descriptions and swatches:

Skin Flixx, Naked Kiss, Lady Stardust
Skinsane, Full Fantasy, Love Train
Flesh3, Blood Rush and Emmanuelle

Descriptions as I see them, quick note that the shimmer is more visible in the lip swatches:

Skin Flixx is a neutral warm rose pink neutral with a satiny shimmer
Naked Kiss is the lightest one but not pale, this is a light peach pink with gold pearl
Lady Stardust is a medium neutral-cool rose pink nude pearl, pulls more blue toned compared to the others
Skinsane is a neutral medium pink-beige with a slight hint of pink (looks almost identical to Naked Kiss on me, Skinsane is just a little deeper)
Full Fantasy is a warmer neutral nude peach pink shimmer
Love Train is a perfect plum shimmer
Flesh3 is a brown rose shimmer, almost like a brick shimmer
Blood Rush is a bold classic red with shimmer
Emmanuelle is a pretty coral rose with a metallic sheen

All swatched on bare lips, for skin tone reference I’m wearing Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation in Buff (equivalent of Tom Ford Soleil Glow Natural and MAC Studio Fix in NC35):

Details shots below, starting with Skin Flixx:

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Naked Kiss

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Lady Stardust

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Skinsane

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Full Fantasy

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Love Train

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Flesh 3

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Blood Rush

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Emmanuelle

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We are in the midst of packing for another move so I only pulled a couple to compare. Overall the BlitzTrance neutrals run lighter and almost brighter compared to her LuxeTrance and MatteTrance neutrals. I have one in LuxeTrance Realness swatched below. I also have Tom Ford Lip Color in Autoerotique and Spanish Pink side by side. I included both of the neutral-ish ones from the original BlitzTrance launch as well:

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Two full-face looks with Emmanuelle (left) and Blood Rush (right), also wearing:

Foundation is Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion in Buff
Powder is MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Golden
Brows are Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel
Eyeshadow is Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Lueurs Ambrees
Eyeliner is Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Brun Agape
Top from Free People
Cheeks/lips:
- Left is Pat McGrath BlitzTrance in Emmanuelle and Charlotte Tilbury Lightgasm Palette
- Right is Pat McGrath BlitzTrance in Blood Rush with CoverFX Monochromatic Blush Duo in Warm Honey

Overall the formula is excellent across the board. Colors wear well and apply perfectly. I can get full coverage with one swipe and even after doing 9 lip swatches in a row my lips have not peeled or dried out. They’re not hydrating but at the same time they don’t dry out my lips which is a huge plus. If there is one thing I think is a little confusing, it’s the name. I think the new summer formula is different enough from the holiday launch to justify a different product name, but BlitzTrance still suits it. The new summer formula is a lot more wearable compared to the holiday colors. Summer ones have a beautiful reflective quality that shines as the light hits your lips from different angles. Even though the neutrals look remarkably close I can appreciate that they launched variations with different undertones to suit different skin and lip colors.

I think they’re all really perfect but my favorites are Skinsane, Love Train and Emmanuelle.

You can find the new Summer BlitzTrance Lipsticks out now online at Pat McGrath Labs. As usual you can shop these in bundles and lip kits on her website which give a nice price break.

Have you tried these yet? Are any on your radar?

BlitzTrance provided courtesy of Pat McGrath Labs for review.

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Hourglass Cosmetics Lips

Hourglass Unreal High Shine Volumizing Lip Gloss Review

May 17, 2019

Hourglass launched their new Unreal High Shine Volumizing Lip Gloss ($30 each for 0.20 oz/ 5.6 g) in 18 shades. I hauled 11 of them during last month’s Sephora Beauty Insider Event. I’ve really loved all things Hourglass for so many years I felt like these could possibly be holy grail material. After testing these for a week I think they’re really beautiful and definitely worth looking into.

The Unreal Lip Gloss is a plumping lip gloss with medium to full coverage. Creams tend to be more opaque and for me the shimmers I tried are medium-sheer. The glosses are hydrating and have a nice smooth feel to them. There is a soft minty scent and slight cooling sensation when you apply. The plumping effect is noticeable after it sets for a few minutes and as one who has ultra sensitive lips I’m thrilled to report there is no tingle and no stinging. I can still feel them plumping my lips but it’s in a gentle way. Since these are hydrating and lush they aren’t weightless. At the same time they aren’t super heavy even though they do have a semi-thick lush feel.

Color selection right now for the most part runs on the neutral side with a few bolder options. The finishes range from creams, shimmers and sparkles. Pigment is medium to me for most of the shades but you can layer for a more opaque finish. As mentioned above the shimmer sparkly options tend to be a bit more transparent (except the plum one).

I initially bought 5 and loved them so much I quickly ordered more to take advantage of the discount last month. At $30 each they are pricey but I’m happy with all the colors except two of them. These come with a flattened sponge tip applicator which makes for easy application. I like that they’re sturdy vs flexible. Sometimes the bendy wands make it hard to get gloss on my lips.

A closer look:

The colors I bought with descriptions below:

Ignite is a sheer shimmer with gold, this is the only one I didn’t like, it’s too sheer to have any color payoff on my lips so it’s basically clear, if you want a similar color to what you see in the tube I think Charlotte Tilbury Ibiza Nights is a much better option
Child is pale peach cream, this one applied streaky on my pigmented lips, I can blend to smooth out, but for me it’s a tad too pale
Provoke is the most beautiful neutral cool mauve nude, most colors like this look like death on me, this one works perfectly!
Sublime is what I envisioned Child to look like, it’s a much better neutral peach pink nude
Truth is a medium beige nude
Canvas is a nude beige rose, this is really similar to Truth, on me they’re so close I can barely tell the difference
Prose is a baby rose pink cream
Cosmic is a sparkling sheer pink fuchsia glitter, this is smooth without any gritty texture, I think this is one of the more fun shades
Fortune is a pink gold shimmer
Horizon is a perfect coral cream
Impact is a shimmering berry plum sparkle

Swatches:

Lip Swatches, as usual all done on bare lips:

A few full face looks wearing:

Foundation – Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation in Nude (review here)
Powder – Hourglass Veil Translucent Setting Powder
Bronzer – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Nude Bronze Light (swatches here)
Blush – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Luminous Flush
Brow – Hourglass Arch Brow Gel in Soft Brunette
Eyeshadow – Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette in The Dolce Vita + Hourglass Scattered Light in Blaze
Lips – Unreal Lip Gloss in Horizon, Prose and Child

With Horizon Lip Gloss:

Below With Prose Lip Gloss

Last one with Child Lip Gloss:

A number of you wanted to know how these compared to my favorite Pat McGrath LUST Gloss (review and lip swatches here and here) and Fenty Beauty Gloss Bombs (all three worn in this post). Both of these formulas have a softer more cushiony feel. They also run sheerer. The Hourglass Unreal by comparison doesn’t quite have that same soft feel but are still glossy and smooth. The pigment is richer and more opaque with the Hourglass shades as well. All formulas are really nice. I’ve swatched some of the Pat McGrath LUST glosses next to similar colors of the Hourglass options.

I cannot decide which of the three is best. All are excellent for different reasons. I love the Fenty Beauty Gloss Bombs for their lush sheer shimmery glow. The Pat McGrath LUST Glosses have been among my favorite for color selection and formula. Hourglass is more opaque but some of the colors settle into my natural lip lines (this is also the case with some Pat McGrath colors).

If I had to live with just one gloss formula the rest of my life though, right now I’d have to go with the Pat McGrath LUST Gloss. That being said a number of you felt they were too sheer for your liking so if that’s the case then you’ll most likely be happier with the finish of the Hourglass Unreal.

Overall thumbs up. I think they’re beautiful glosses although I don’t know that I would call them truly innovative like their description suggests. To me truly innovative life changing products are more along things like the Hourglass Scattered Light Shadows, Pat McGrath MatteTrance Lipsticks and Charlotte Tilbury’s Flawless Filter. Still the Hourglass Unreal Lip Glosses are really nice and well made. I’m thrilled to find a nice plumping gloss that doesn’t have a tingle or sting. My top three favorite colors are Horizon, Fortune and Canvas. If I could do the haul over again I’d skip Ignite and Child and would also pick either Canvas (slightly more pink) or Truth (more beige) but not both.

You can find the Hourglass Unreal High Shine Volumizing Lip Glosses out now. Available at Sephora, Nordstrom, Hourglass Cosmetics and all other Hourglass retailers.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

20 Comments

By Terry Lips

By Terry Lip-Expert Shine Review + Swatches

March 19, 2019

By Terry launched 32 new shades for the lips in a Lip-Expert Shine and Lip-Expert Matte ($34 each for 3 g/ 4 ml). The color range for both formulas is perfect for the person who wants a classic no-fuss kind of lip. They give the most beautiful classic Parisian chic kind of vibe. I’ve been a long-time fan of her tinted lip balms but the only lip color product I’ve truly loved from her line is the Terrybly Velvet Rouge in Lady Bare. The new Lip Experts have completely won my heart. I have the review split into two parts since there are so many colors it’s taken me a while to test, swatch and edit the photos. Today’s review focuses on the Lip-Expert Shine.

These are liquid lip vinyls but act like a high pigment gloss. They’re packaged perfectly in a twist tube that has a little snap when you close it. Applicator is a sponge tip with a unique shape to help give you precise application.

Some of the colors are sheerer than others but in general they can cover the entire lip, have a soft glossy sheen, are not sticky and aren’t thick. They have a nice hydrating feel, just like a gloss. Finish is very comfortable with the prettiest soft sheen. Lasting power is pretty average – on me I thought they might fade/slide off easily because of how soft they felt. They do stay put as long as I don’t drink or snack, color fades on the lighter shades quicker within a few hours. Deeper bolder shades seem to last longer.

Four of the shades are available in both the Shine and Matte formula so you can alternate finishes in Vintage Nude, Rosy Kiss, Red Shot and My Red. I’ll swatch them side by side in my Matte feature, but for now here are swatches of all the Lip Expert Shine colors. All lip swatches done on bare lips. For skintone reference my skin tone is a Laura Mercier Flawless Finish Foundation in Buff, Laura Mercier Flawless Lumiere in Latte and NARS Radiant Finish Foundation in Punjab.

Shades 1 through 8:

1 Baby Beige – is a neutral cool beige
2 Vintage Nude – is a deeper medium brown beige
3 Rosy Kiss – is a perfect medium light rose pink cream
4 Hot Bare – is a medium rose brown
5 Chili Potion – is a chili brick orange
6 Fire Nude – is a soft red pink
7 Cherry Wine – is a deep wine cherry red
8 Juicy Fig – is a plum purple, this is one of the few that applied streaky

Below, shades 9 through 16:

9 Peachy Guilt – is a perfect peach
10 Bare Flirt – is the prettiest soft pink peach nude
11 Orchid Cream – is a cool-toned orchid pink
12 Gypsy Chic – is a hot deep pink
13 Pink Pong – is a bright pink
14 Coral Sorbet – is a bright coral
15 Red Shot – bold warm red
16 My Red – bold classic red (on me Red Shot and My Red pretty much look the same)

These are among the most lightweight soft glosses I’ve tried. There is a heavy lipstick kind of scent to them but it does start to fade after a few minutes. With the small precise applicator I do find I have to swipe back and forth and layer a bit to cover my entire lip, but it’s not something I mind. Alone these are perfect swipe and go kind of glosses. To extend the wear I’ve added a lip pencil underneath and then applied the gloss on top.

These have a soft finish so if you’re into the full coverage lip vinyls these might be too natural looking for your taste. I like that they’re natural but not too natural. Some of the lighter colors do seem to have a sheerer finish than the bolds but I can still get very good coverage where my lip is covered entirely.

I’m hard pressed to pick a favorite shade. Bare Flirt is easily one of my favorites because I love neutrals. I do love shades like Rosy Kiss because finding a neutral-cool pink rose that isn’t too blue is hard for me to find. Peachy Guilt is also fun, especially for summer and I think Hot Bare is such a nice neutral that isn’t nude.

You can find the By Terry Lip-Expert Shine out now. Review on the matte versions to follow as soon as I can swatch/edit all the colors. I’ve been testing them for weeks now and really like them for a comfortable lightweight matte.

By Terry Lip-Expert Shines available at By Terry, Bloomingdale’s, Dermstore, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York, Net-A-Porter, Nordstrom, Beautylish, Bluemercury and SpaceNK.

By Terry Lip Expert provided for review.

8 Comments

Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Lacquer Luxe Vinyl + Matte

March 4, 2019

Tom Ford Beauty launched their new Lip Lacquer Luxe Vinyl and Matte in 20 shades ($57 each). These are full coverage high pigment lip products. I have 10 colors swatched, five I purchased on my own, five are press samples. I’ve been a long time fan of Tom Ford lip products – anytime someone asks me to recommend one item to splurge on I always pick the Tom Ford Lip Color. After testing both finishes of the new Lip Lacquer luxe, I find that I really like them, however have mixed feelings on these mainly because there are some packaging issues. The product itself is very good in my experience. Quick thoughts on both formulas:

The Lip Lacquer Luxe Vinyl is a thick glossy full coverage lip product. Because it’s thicker it does take some blending but this adheres well to the lips and once blended does not feel super heavy. I can feel the product like I would a regular gloss but it’s not uncomfortable.
The Lip Lacquer Luxe Matte is a soft lightweight matte. It has buildable coverage but some blending is required as well to smooth it out. I like that it’s super lightweight and has a soft velvety matte that doesn’t make the lips look shriveled or dry.

In terms of lasting power the Vinyls stay put better. For the Mattes they don’t slide off and do stay put, but not as long as their Lip Lacquers they launched last year. I actually prefer the packaging style of the Lip Lacquers however with the new Lip Lacquer Luxe you do get 6 ml of product while last year’s slim tube has only 2.7 ml.

There’s a slight scent to them but it’s not really a fragrance, it’s more of a lipstick scent. Once applied the scent fades. As soon as some of you saw I bought these on Instagram stories I received a number of messages asking about the applicator. Many of you were really upset that it broke when you opened it. I do find the sponge tip applicator seems a little too wide for the lacquer opening so there is a bit of tugging to pull it out. Luckily only one of mine broke and I didn’t twist or bend when I tried to open it. If yours broke I hope you will be able to get a replacement. I’ve since opened and used all the other shades multiple times and none of them have broken.

I’ve split the swatches by color grouping from neutrals to bolds. Group 1:

All swatched on bare lips, descriptions:

Insinuate (vinyl) is a medium peachy pink
Softcore (vinyl) is a high shine beige
Intimate (vinyl) is a medium light pink
Darling (matte) is a nude pink, looks beige in the tube but on me pulls more pink
Quiver (matte) is a nude mauve

Group 2 with deeper and bold colors:

Descriptions and swatches, all done on bare lips:

Pussycat (matte) is a mauve rose that deepens and darkens
Unzip (vinyl) is a bold warm bright glossy pink
Infuriate (vinyl) is one of my favorites, it’s the perfect deep red on me!
Jaguar (matte) is the one that broke, it’s a bold warm red matte
Habitual (matte) is a deep bright slightly blue-based red

All the colors side by side:

A few comparison swatches and thoughts:

NARS Velvet Lip Glides are lighter weight and sheerer than the Tom Ford Lip Lacquer Luxe Mattes, I included some swatches of the neutrals for comparison in Bound, Swing, Roseland and Xenon.
Tom Ford Lip Lacquers (in the skinny round tubes from last year) are longer lasting, more matte in the dry down and budge proof once dry. Universal Appeal is still the best liquid lipstick nude from Tom Ford, on my lips in this post here. Pussycat is darker than the luxe version.
Tom Ford Lip Color in Sugar Glider is a similar color to Quiver if you want a lipstick instead of the matte formula.
Tom Ford Satin Matte in London Suede is a more browned neutral and has a soft diffused matte compared to the Lip Lacquer Luxe Mattes.

Aside from the packaging issues I think the formula makes for a solid luxury lipstick. I really love the formula and finish even though they do take a little bit of extra effort to blend because of how pigmented they are. My favorites are Softcore, Quiver and Infuriate. I’ve worn Softcore the most so far and love it for a nude but not washed out lip. I do think that opening a gloss shouldn’t be challenging and it definitely should not break at the tip. Based on the design of the applicator and opening I don’t know if mine will break eventually. I was lucky I had issues with only one of mine. I have splurged on many Tom Ford lipsticks and think that it has been money well spent since I really do love the formula. I do think that $57 is really steep even if it is Tom Ford and luxury. They seem to have a similar vibe to the Bobbi Brown Luxe Liquid Lip High Shine and Velvet Mattes which are $37 each by comparison. I never tried those even though they seem to be really popular. I still have the By Terry Lip Expert Shine and Mattes I’m working on swatching for you so you might want to wait on swatches before splurging on the Tom Ford ones unless you’re a Tom Ford addict and there’s a color you think you’re absolutely in love with.

You can find the Tom Ford Lip Lacquer Luxe Matte and Vinyl at counters now. I bought five from Nordstrom. Also available at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and all other Tom Ford Beauty Counters.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

Press samples include Unzip, Infuriate, Jaguar, Habitual and Softcore. The other five shades purchased by me.

13 Comments

Lips NARS

NARS Lip Gloss Shade Extensions + Multi-Use Gloss for Spring

February 20, 2019

For spring NARS has launched 9 new shades of their classic Lip Gloss ($26 each) formula alongside 5 shades of a new gloss called Multi-Use Gloss ($26 each). These launch soon on February 24th at NARS Boutiques and online at NARS, and will also be available at all other NARS retailers later this spring (current backorder date at Neiman Marcus is 03/07/2019).

Lip Gloss Shade Extensions

The NARS Lip Gloss formula has been a long time favorite of mine even with several reformulations. It’s a classic medium coverage lightweight formula that has a wide range of finishes. There’s no detectable scent or taste. Nothing fancy or extra added, just your classic kind of gloss you can wear for any occasion. The new shade extensions are almost all creams with one sparkle. They come with a sponge tip applicator for precise color application. Some of the lighter shades need a little more blending to smooth out but in my testing every single color is amazing.

Sexual Content is a bright fresh warm pink
No Regrets is a medium caramel brown
Pulsion is a light nude pink cream
Outrage is a light milky orange peach, can be a little streaky, but blending creates the prettiest baby peach
Fever Beat is a plum rose cream
Love Me Do is a pastel baby pink
Mythic Red is a soft pink mauve (no red like the name might imply)
Color Me is a milky lavender, also a little streaky, extra blending required
Sexy Time is a gold sparkle

Close ups of each color, lasting power is fairly good for a lip gloss. They stay put for hours as long as you don’t touch them to a cup or snack. Otherwise you’ll have to reapply as there will be transfer, but this is expected with any gloss.

NARS Multi-Use Gloss

The Multi-Use Glosses come with a spatula applicator. These are meant to be worn on eyes, lips and cheeks. As with any other gloss product I have not been able to bring myself to wear them anywhere except the lips. These have a clear base loaded with different sparkles. The formula is a unique super smooth gloss with a lot of slip to them. They’re very sheer on my lips, almost clear – depending on the light you can see various flashes of sparkle and shine. I like these alone or on top of a lip pencil. For a more visible sparkle though I think Pat McGrath’s Lust Gloss in Aliengelic or Pale Fire Nectar are more my thing. Lasting power is average, it will stay on my lips but isn’t transfer proof and fades after a few hours.

Starbabe is a sheer white gold glitter
First Time is a silvery glitter
Relentless is a iridescent pink sparkle
Redemption is a light pink gold glitter
Working Girl is a sparkling gold

Closer up swatches, note I take my swatch photos with a flash which washes out the sparkle a little bit.

I really cannot express how happy I am that gloss and shine is back in for lips! I think this launch gives us a lot of fresh beautiful colors to brighten the complexion. The colors have a nice range from neutral to brighter options, every single one is wearable. My top 3 picks are Sexual Content, Mythic Red and Pulsion. I am undecided about the Multi-Use gloss. I like the concept and quality is there, I just don’t feel like they’re something I’d use a lot. I think it’s nice to have one of the pink ones for layering on top of other lip colors, but for eyes and cheeks I just can’t bring myself to put gloss on my cheeks.

There are a few more formulas I’m still working my way through testing from other brands. I do think you should put these on your radar for when they officially launch in stores and online. I have a hard time finding bright fresh pinks like Sexual Content – most are too bright, too fuchsia or too cool but this one is just perfect. Bright but not too bright for me.

The new NARS Lip Gloss and Multi-Use Glosses are expected to launch soon. Original launch date was listed as 2/14 but I confirmed with the team there was a slight delay and their new anticipated launch date is 2/24 for NARScosmetics.com.

You can find NARS at Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Barney’s New York and NARS.

New launches featured are press samples from NARS.

8 Comments

Bobbi Brown Lips

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Review

February 4, 2019

Bobbi Brown launched a new lip formula called the Crushed Liquid Lip Balm ($26 each for 6 ml/.2 fl oz). These are saturated balm-like colors with a liquid lipstick kind of vibe. There are 14 color options with neutrals, bolds and brights. They’re very comfortable on the lips with a moisturizing but lightweight feel. The Crushed Liquid Lips are scented just like her regular lipsticks – it’s a little fruity with a lipstick scent mixed together. Finish has a soft shine cream with medium to full coverage. Everything applies smoothly and all the colors are very wearable for any kind of occasion or mood. There were only two shades I felt was a little streaky because of the contrast to my lip but it smooths out with a little extra blending. Lychee Baby and Cool Beets needed a little more blending but they weren’t too high maintenance.

I love everything about these. I love the packaging where you can see the actual color from the tube. The applicators are really cute too with a beveled tip sponge – it’s not your typical sponge tip, I think the design is really well made.

Colors and swatches below. I feel like the reds look really similar on me:

Lychee Baby is a soft peachy nude, this one requires a little blending but you’ll see in the lip swatches it smooths out, I thought it would be too pale for me but it’s not!
Hippy Shake is a pale cool mauve pink
Juicy Date is the perfect pinky brown cream
Give A Fig is a pinkish fig pink
Peach and Quiet is a medium bright pink peach
Mango Mood is a bright coral red
Main Squeeze is a bright pinkish red
Cherry Crush is a bold deep red cherry
Big Apple is a bright red
Bitter Sweet is a mauve plum with blue tones
In A Jam is a berry mauve plum with neutral tones
Smoothie Move is a brown pink
Haute Cocoa is a cocoa brown
Cool Beets is a dark purple in the tube, it applies more like a berry stain, this one also requires a little blending, I think it would be flawless over a matching lip liner pencil

All swatched on bare lips, the colors cover the lip entirely. They don’t bleed or migrate.

I tried hard to find one downside and was hard pressed to find any. Lasting power isn’t like a liquid lipstick since it has a balmy feel. You will have to reapply but I found they stayed put well for a few hours. They adhere better to the lips compared to a stick balm like the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines or YSL Volupte Shines. I think these have a solid A+. I mixed Lychee Baby and Juicy Date together for a perfect neutral. I’m not sure that I could pick a favorite, but when I tested these I started from light to deep. I was impressed with every single color.

Below wearing Lychee Baby with new hair highlights! It’s been three months since my first appointment and I went in for something different and a little bit lighter. Makeup worn:

Foundation – Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Foundation in Buff
Powder – La Mer Pressed Powder in Light
Blush – Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in Brilliant Nude + Incandescent Electra mixed
Eyeshadow – Tom Ford Iris Bronze
Brows – Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Duo in Taupe
Lip Color – Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip in Lychee Baby
Sweater – Everlane Cashmere Waffle (other colors/styles reviewed here)
Denim – Madewell (also shown here and here)
Makeup Bag – The Daily Edited

You can find the Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lip Color Balms out now. There are 14 colors available and they retail for $26 each. Available at Bobbi Brown, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Sephora, Neiman Marcus and all other Bobbi Brown counters.