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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Soleil Collection – Moisturecore Lip Colors

April 2, 2016

There are six shades of Moisturecore Lip Color ($55 each) from the Tom Ford Soleil Collection this summer. These come in luminous glowing fresh colors perfect for spring to summer – but really you can wear these year round. These are described as:

Two exclusive formulas in one innovative lip product. In the center, a liquid core infused with passion fruit oil provides luxurious moisture in a pink pop of color throughout every Moisturecore Lip Color shade. A luminous lip color encases the core, infused with an exotic blend of melon fruit extract, murumuru butter and plant derived esters that conditions lips. Sprinkled with subtle gold pearl to complement bronzed, summer skin. Shades, ranging from sandy nude to rosy mauve, provide a soft veil of lightweight, long-lasting color.

The center of each lip color is identical which is a sheer melon pink color that blends seamlessly with the outer colors of each tube. The packaging is the same size as the Lip Color Shines – they come in a slim twist up tube but with this season’s white and gold packaging. Since the formula has the word “moisture” in the name I expected an ultra hydrating lip color – they do have a moist slightly glossy finish with a cushiony lush feeling but I didn’t find them as moisturizing as a traditional lip treatment. I actually feel the Ultra-Rich Lip Colors are more hydrating on my lips.

Pigment is medium but buildable. They covered the lip entirely with the exception of Scandola and Otranto which I found a bit sheerer. You’ll see in the lip swatches below that the colors do show up but there is a slight transparent quality in the shimmer which makes my natural lip color show through a bit. There is a slight vanilla scent but it’s very subtle and disappears after a few  minutes.

Top row, left to right: Scandola, Carriacou, Mustique
Bottom row, left to right: Pipa, Cala di Volpe, Otranto
At first swipe some of these colors felt on the dry side. The colors do all get better after the initial top layer of the lipstick is worn down and after the first swipe I had no issues with any of them. They all had very good smooth application without any streaks or patches. Lasting power is medium with these. As with any lipstick that has a shine finish they usually don’t last as long as a matte or long-wear lipstick but the Moisturecore Lip Colors still last a relatively long time. They don’t disappear immediately like some other sheers do, by comparison I find they last longer than Rouge Dior Baumes but not quite as long as the Chanel Rouge Coco Stylos. By comparison to other Tom Ford formulas, the Moisturecore Lip Colors last longer than the Lip Color Shines but not quite as long as the regular Lip Colors.

The colors are all on point for neutral lip lovers who want something that isn’t a beige nude. The only color I feel slightly off about is Cala di Volpe – it’s such a pretty copper in the tube but on my lips it turns almost orangey. Color descriptions, close ups and swatches:
Scandola is a sheer golden nude shimmer
Carriacou is a soft peachy pink
Mustique is a cool baby pink that is surprisingly wearable
Pipa is a gorgeous medium bright pink melon
Cala di Volpe is a shimmering copper
Otranto is a shimmering plum

Scandola:

Carriacou:

Mustique:

Pipa:

Quick look with Golden Peach Eye Duo (reviewed here), Bi-Coastal Sheer Cheek Duo (both colors swirled and blended together, review soon) and Pipa Lip Color:

Cala di Volpe:

Otranto:

All the colors swatched side by side:

I give all of the colors a thumbs up – they are really pretty wearable colors. If I had to skip any, I would say Scandola and Carriacou are similar on my lips but do note I have pigmented lips so Scandola will most likely show up more close to the arm swatch on you. Cala di Volpe is not something I would wear a lot right now – in the lip swatch it may be hard to tell but it pulls orangey against my complexion right now. It will probably be better for me when I have more of a tan. The others are all winners.

Formula-wise I don’t know that I would say the moisture core has enough noticeable benefits to justify the higher price tag (they are priced slightly higher than the other Tom Ford lipsticks). Still for me the price is not a deal breaker as I think the quality is there and formula is very good. Colors are all up my alley and ones I can see myself wearing everyday for either day or night. If you’re wondering whether I prefer the Moisturecore or the Ultra-Rich formulas (both new for summer), I will say I like the Ultra-Rich formula better but the Moisturecore range has colors that are more of what I am comfortable wearing.

You can find the Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Colors for $55 each at Tom Ford counters and stores now. Also online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s and Tom Ford.

Have you checked out the summer collection yet? What did you think?
Press samples include four shades Carriacou, Mustique, Cala di Volpe and Pipa. The other two options Scandola and Otranto purchased by me.
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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Soleil Color Collection for Summer 2016 – Sneak Peek + Swatches

March 31, 2016

Tom Ford just launched their summer beauty items in the Soleil Color Collection and it’s absolutely breathtaking. Everything is cased in the white and gold packaging for this season with new formulas for lips and beautiful items for the skin and cheeks. I have a quick sneak peek and wanted to list all the items that are available for reference. I received some press samples and purchased additional items to review which made a serious dent in my bank account but I don’t mind one bit because everything is gorgeous. Personal first impressions are all very good. Some items that were limited-edition in previous seasons have been repromoted this season such as the Cream and Powder Eye Duos, Pink Sand Cream Blush and Firelust Skin Illuminator. Also on a great note is that Tom Ford Beauty has now launched online at Sephora (yay!). The items in this year’s Soleil Color Collection:
Also not part of the color collection, but the Soleil Blanc Eau de Parfum and Shimmering Body Oil (previously reviewed here with other spring launches) have launched at all retailers (it was an early exclusive to Neiman Marcus for a while). Several of you have asked if this year’s oil is the same as last year’s – it unfortunately is not and I find this year’s version a bit sticky/tacky. I personally would recommend you skip the oil.

 
Quick swatches of what I have including some of the repromotes. Note I don’t have the entire summer collection swatched but here is what I have:

Fire Lust Skin Illuminator (press sample)
Pink Sand Cream Blush
Pieno Sole Cream Blush
Bicoastal Sheer Cheek Duo (press sample)

Gold Dust Bronzer
Terra Bronzer
Bronze Age (press sample)
Soleil Contouring Compact

Moisturecore Lip Color in Scandola
Moisturecore Lip Color in Carriacou (press sample)
Moisturecore Lip Color in Mustique (press sample)
Moisturecore Lip Color in  Pipa (press sample)
Moisturecore Lip Color in Cala Di Volpe (press sample)
Moisturecore Lip Color in Otranto
Ultra-Rich Lip in Les Mepris (press sample)
Ultra-Rich Lip in Temptation Waits (press sample)
Ultra-Rich Lip in Revolve Around Me (press sample)
Ultra-Rich Lip in Solar Affair (press sample)

Cream & Powder Duos in Golden Peach and Naked Bronze (original review here):

Most of the summer collection has launched in stores and online. The only item that is a bit hard to find right now is the Bicoastal Sheer Cheek Duo which is on backorder at many places. I bought some of my items (non-press samples) from Nordstrom. The collection is also available online at Sephora, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. 

Stay tuned for individual reviews! I hope to have the Ultra-Rich Lip Color review up later this afternoon!

Some items featured include press samples and others purchased by me. Press samples indicated above next to the swatches.

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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lips and Boys Preview Event + Beauty Look Book Picks

December 28, 2015

Tom Ford Beauty launched 25 new shades of Lips and Boys Lip Colors ($35 each) alongside 25 re-promoted colors from last year. I was fortunate to attend a preview event with my friend Rae from the RaeViewer last month at the boutique in Beverly Hills. If you haven’t visited the store before and are ever in the area I recommend stopping by – it’s beautiful inside! At the event there were small displays of lipstick testers scattered throughout the store. Rae and I had the best time searching the store for the new shades. At the event I picked out 6 colors (3 were gifted) – it was hard not to buy the remaining colors because they were all stunning! I did a bit of research over the next week and ordered 6 more. In total I’ve ended up with 12 of the new shades and am beyond thrilled with them.

First a few thoughts, impressions and more preview pictures of the store event. The 25 new shades launched this year all seem more shimmery compared to last year’s launch. Most have a smooth shimmer, a few had sparkly chunks (some of the deeper brights). Out of all the ones that caught my eye, only one is a cream (Austin). The finish of the shimmers is smooth and creamy. Smooth like the Lip Sheers but with more pigment and color payoff. The good news is all the colors are permanent!

Repromoted shades include (swatches of my last year’s picks here):

Addison, Alejandro, Beau, Cary, Collin, Flynn, Giacomo, Guillermo, Henry, Holden, Ian, James, Julian, Justin, Leonardo, Liam, Luciano, Michael, Pablo, Patrick, Rafael, Richard, Starvos, Wes, Xavier

Newly launched colors are:

Alex, Ansel, Austin, Daniel, David, Demsey, Derek, Drake, Eddie, Egon, Eric, Hiro, Jake, Jay, Joaquin, Jude, Kingston, Louis, Malik, Roberto, Rocco, Roman, Theo, Tony, Vladimir

A few more snapshots of the beautiful store, could an evening of playing with lipstick, champagne and small bites be more fun?

My picks, mostly neutrals of course with a couple brighter shades. Left to right below is Ansel, Austin, Daniel, Demsey, Drake, Eddie, Egon, Eric, Jake, Jude, Malik and Vladimir.

Descriptions of each of the colors and then a few close ups:

  • Ansel is a shimmering bright but neutral pink
  • Austin is a creamy nude pink (lighter than Addison/Pink Dusk)
  • Daniel is a mauve neutral shimmer
  • Demsey is a warm peachy shimmer (less frost and more peach compared to William/Sweet Mystery)
  • Drake is a shimmering cool mauve plum with silver shimmer
  • Eddie is a neutral beige shimmer
  • Egon is a cool beige shimmer
  • Eric is a medium warm rose, on me it pulls very warm
  • Jake is a medium rosy shimmer pink
  • Jude is a cool-toned light baby pink
  • Malik is a complex mauve pink with gold shimmer
  • Vladimir is a cool taupe nude shimmer
A few more close ups and swatches:

For skintone reference, I’m wear Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 4 (swatches of all colors here, review + comparisons of shade 4 here):

In case you’re wondering how the new neutrals compare to other colors, I pulled some other Tom Ford shades to compare by color grouping. There are a couple repeats in some sets. Many of these I’ve swatched before. I’ll link the previous reviews where applicable for reference. Below are six sets of comparison swatches.

My desktop clutter:

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Lips and Boys in Peter was discontinued but replaced with Lip Color in Sweet Mystery
Lips and Boys in Orlando was discontinued

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As a huge fan of Tom Ford lip colors in general, I’m smitten with the new colors. I think for the neutrals there’s a lot to love. I like that there are new neutrals that aren’t repeats of other existing colors. I didn’t pay too much attention to the deeper shades or brights but from what I remember swatching in the store – there is a lot that looks different from last year’s launch. From this year’s new batch of colors, my top picks:

Jake
Ansel
Demsey
Daniel
Eddie

The Lips and Boys launched this year are permanent so the good news is there’s no rush to run out and purchase a color for fear it will sell out. They retail for $35 each, or you can find some colors in the 10 Piece Set for $350 or all 50 Shades in a set for $1,950. Available at Tom Ford Boutiques and counters. Online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Bloomingdale’s.

Did you pick up any of the new shades this year?

Three of the Lips and Boys shades featured were gifted, the remaining purchased by me.

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Beauty Lips Roundup

My Favorite Neutral Pink and Nude Lip Liner Pencils

October 7, 2015

 

I’m a neutral nude lipstick lover but I since I have pigmented lips I can’t always pull off nudes. Many tend to either look super pale and chalky like concealer or are too dark on me – I know everyone has a different definition of nude when it comes to makeup, but to me a true nude is a your lips but better kind of color that is light and close to your natural skintone. I adore shades like MAC Cherish, Blankety, Creme Cup etc but they are almost impossible for me to wear alone without looking like I’ve swiped concealer all over my lips. Lip pencils often make it possible for me to wear lighter nude colors with blending or by creating a good softly lined base. If you’ve tried ordering lip pencils online like me then you know how hard it is to tell what the color looks like based on online swatches. I thought I’d roundup 20+ of my favorite neutral lip pencils alongside cult classics (some of which do not work for me even though they are wildly popular). As you’ll see below many times you can’t tell what the color will really look like until you swatch it. Also like nude neutral lipsticks, lip pencils have a wide variety of different undertones: warm, cool, pink, beige, peach, plum and brown.

 

Above photo: Diptyque Room Spray in Baies, Chêne candle recycled (boutique exclusive), stacked Blushes from Chanel and Hourglass 

 

 

A bit of background on what I look for in lip liners. I like ones that are soft and glide over the lips. I’m usually not a line and fill kind of girl when it comes to lip liners. I prefer to wear them around the outer edge and blend it slightly inwards to the center of lips to create an outlined base and then fill with a gloss or lipstick. Since many pencils are super pigmented and super saturated in color to help extend the wear of lipstick, I find lining and filling the entire lip leaves the lips looking really dry and emphasizes lines. This of course can be fixed with a good lip balm, lip primer or gloss.
I have 28 lip pencils to share swatches of, I’ll link previous lip swatches if I have them. I was debating whether or not to swatch all on my lips – but nudes tend to look so different on me compared to everyone else. I think the swatches on the arms will help show the differences.

 

 

 

  1. Le Metier de Beaute Dualistic Lip Pencil in Nudite is a medium pinky brown creamy lip pencil, this one glides on the lips easily and is very pigmented, it has a smooth texture
  2. H&M Lip Liner in Au Naturel is included in the roundup because it’s a new one and the perfect neutral nude color and at $5.99 I couldn’t resist ordering it, on bare lips it’s a disaster for me, you definitely need to prep the lips with a bit of lip balm or primer, this is borderline too pale, but it works
  3. MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Cultured is new to me, it’s a long-wear mauvey nude pink
  4. MAC Lip Pencil in Subculture is my perfect nude pink, it has reached holy grail status for me, I’ve gone through 4 of them in my life, it’s the best light pink nude that is still wearable
  5. MAC Lip Pencil in Oak is a classic light flesh nude, it’s a classic for me because it has no orange undertone in it but doesn’t make me look dead, unfortunately I think it might be on the discontinue list – the only place I could find it was on Bloomingdale’s so I ordered 3 backups
  6. MAC Lip Pencil in Stripdown is another good true flesh nude, it’s brown in undertone and slightly warmer than Oak, it’s a good one but I know many find it too brown/grey
  7. MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare comes second to my favorite Subculture, it’s what I wanted Spice to always be, Boldly Bare is the perfect pinky warm medium nude that works wonders with pale lip colors and glosses
  8. MAC Lip Pencil in Spice is a cult classic that was so popular when I was in high school, every cool girl owned it, on me it was always so brown and pulled orangey on my lips even though it swatches more neutral, I still use and wear it to tweak lip colors, it’s just not my favorite
  9. MAC Lip Pencil in Dervish isn’t really a nude, it’s more of a neutral medium rosy pink, but it falls into the neutral category for me, it’s a classic staple I think everyone should try
  10. MAC Lip Pencil in Whirl is another really good nude, it pulls more mauvey nude rose which I adore, the cool tones prevents it from looking orange or brown on my lips, it has enough depth to really define the lips perfectly
  11. MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Double-Time is a neutral medium warm brown-pink-nude, this lasts all day without budging
  12. MAC Lip Pencil in Soar is a medium to dark pink, it’s a bit darker and deeper on me than the traditional neutral, if you have deeper skin or deeper lips, this will probably pull more neutral on you than it does on me
  13. MAC Lip Pencil in Hover is another deeper neutral, it’s one of the deepest neutrals I own
  14. MAC Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Staunchly Stylish almost matches Subculture but it’s slightly deeper and has a more pigmented finish
  15. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Re-Size and Re-Shape Lip Liner in Iconic Nude is my perfect true nude in the sense that it’s a flesh-toned beige nude, this is a classic pigmented pencil that I think might be a universally flattering color
  16. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Re-Size and Re-Shape Lip Liner in Pillow Talk is a classic rosy pink neutral, this one goes well with a lot of the Charlotte Tilbury Lipsticks like Bitch Perfect, Confession, Penelope Pink etc.
  17. Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat Re-Size and Re-Shape Lip Liner in Pink Venus is a warm peachy pink, the color warms up the lips and adds life to the face
  18. Chanel Precision Lip Definer in Natural is a classic light neutral pink nude beige, if you’re looking for the perfect beige pink nude, this is it, compared to other formulas Chanel can tug on the lips a little, but they aren’t drying
  19. Chanel Precision Lip Definer in Beige Satin is one of the lightest colors I own, it’s borderline too pale for me, but I like mixing it with beige and nude lipsticks
  20. Chanel Precision Lip Definer in Beige Innocent is another pale pearly lip pencil from Chanel, it’s almost identical to Beige Satin but slightly lighter
  21. Chanel Precision Lip Definer in Nude is a cult classic that has been used on me for every single Chanel makeover I’ve had, it’s always seemed to be darker than what I envisioned a nude to be, but it’s almost magical – artists have used this with every lip color imaginable from red, pink, coral, beige, peach – this somehow transforms and defines lip colors in the most amazing way
  22. Laura Mercier Lip Pencil in Naked is light baby pink neutral, it looks super light on me, but when I blend it out, it evens out the lip tone
  23. Laura Mercier Lip Pencil in Chestnut is another cult classic that is super popular, it’s always recommended for the lipsticks I look at when shopping at the counter, it’s a mauvey warm neutral
  24. Marc Jacobs Beauty (P)Outliner Lip Pencil in Honey(bun) is a super pigmented creamy twist up lip pencil, all three shades of the (P)Outliner are reviewed here, Honey(bun) is a neutral bright peachy color
  25. Marc Jacobs Beauty (P)Outliner Lip Pencil in Prim(rose) is a rosey pink brown neutral
  26. Marc Jacobs Beauty (P)Outliner Lip Pencil in Nude(ist) is a beige brown nude
  27. Edward Bess Defining Lip Liner in Natural is in my top picks for lip pencil formula, it comes in a sleek twist up tube and mine have never dried out, I’ve gone through several pencils, it’s a great go-with-everything kind of neutral, texture is smooth and doesn’t tug the lips
  28. Nudestix Lip & Cheek Pencil in Soul is one of the few chubby pencils I really really like. I own a number of chubby sticks from different brands but always find them a pain to sharpen (they always get so messy). Nudestix has a wide number of great nudes, Soul is my perfect warm peach nude (swatched on lips here)
One more view of all the pencils:

 

 

From the * clockwise, Le Metier de Beaute Nudite, H&M Au Naturel, MAC Cultured, MAC Subculture, MAC Oak, MAC Stripdown, MAC Boldly Bare, MAC Spice, MAC Dervish, MAC Whirl, MAC Double-Time, MAC Soar, MAC Hover, MAC Staunchly Stylish, Nudestix Soul, Edward Bess Natural, Marc Jacobs Beauty Nudite, Marc Jacobs Beauty Primrose, Marc Jacobs Beauty Honeybun, Laura Mercier Chestnut, Laura Mercier Naked, Chanel Nude, Chanel Beige Innocent, Chanel Beige Satin, Chanel Natural, Charlotte Tilbury Pink Venus, Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk, Charlotte Tilbury Iconic Nude

 

 

Truffle Small Clarity Clutch in new Nude
I hope you found this roundup of neutral lip pencils helpful! I think the swatches show how different many of them are even though they look really similar just based on the pencils themselves. If I were pressed to rank my top picks, my absolute favorites/staples are:

 

MAC Subculture
MAC Whirl
Edward Bess Natural
MAC Oak
Chanel Nude
Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk
Do you have a favorite neutral lip pencil? I’d love to hear about what your holy grail neutrals are!
Press samples featured include Marc Jacobs (P)Outliners x3, Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer in Moonglow, Nudestix Soul, Buxom True Nude Lip Foundation, Truffle Clarity Clutch
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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Luminous Modern-Matte Lipsticks

September 18, 2015

 

Charlotte Tilbury finally launched her Matte Revolution Luminous Modern-Matte Lipsticks ($32 each) in the US. If you’re a Charlotte Tilbury fan like me, you’ve probably been waiting for these for what seems like forever. There are 10 shades of matte lipstick – these are truly phenomenal in terms of the formula and pigment. If you’re a regular reader of The Beauty Look Book, you know I’m not a fan of matte lipsticks in general. I find them drying and thick in texture. They often darken on my skin/lips and also emphasize lip lines in the worst way. There are a few exceptions and Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution is one of them.

 

There are 10 luminous modern-matte hues inspired by various famous women. I have swatches of all 10 shades and a review of 5 in more detail. The colors and inspiration according to Charlotte Tilbury:
  • Amazing Grace is inspired by Grace Kelly, a vintage tea rose for pretty, polished perfection a la Nicole Kidman and Miranda Kerr
  • Love Liberty is inspired by Liberty Ross, a wild rose-flush for wildly glamorous nights a la Jerry Hall and Uma Thurman
  • Bond Girl is a chic natural berry for sultry and alluring beauties from Halle Berry and Barbara Bach to Olga Kurylenko
  • Lost Cherry is a pop of pastel fuchsia for a fresh and effortlessly gorgeous look, perfect for Kate Bosworth, Felicity Jones or Cara Delevingne
  • Glastonberry is a sheer blackcurrant hue is for sex kittens and rock n’ rollers like Rihanna, Grace Jones and Rita Ora
  • Walk of Shame is a beautiful, berry tinted rose for antique chic, perfect for Christina Hendricks and Margot Robbie
  • Very Victoria is inspired by Victoria Beckham, a suede, taupe nude for those who buck the trend like Brigitte Bardot
  • Birkin Brown is inspired by the icon, a timelessly elegant soft chocolate cream for Naomi Campbell and Jane Birkin
  • Red Carpet Red is a true ruby red to bestow Hollywood style wow-factor – think Scarlett Johansson, Marilyn Monroe and Michelle Williams
  • Sexy Sienna is inspired by Sienna Miller, a golden coral to partner with sun-kissed skin, think Gisele and Veruschka

 

For quick reference, there are also two additional colors in the Matte Revolution formula that were part of the Charlotte Tilbury x Norman Parkinson collection: Miss Kensington and 1975 Red are reviewed and swatched here. The five colors I have to share from the Matte Revolution collection launch include Very Victoria, Walk of Shame, Bond Girl, Sexy Sienna and Love Liberty.

 

 

 

 

Thoughts and lip swatches below. For all the colors I find they transform into different colors on the lips compared to what you see in the tube. This usually happens with all matte lipsticks on me in general – there’s something about the rich pigment in the lipstick and my pigmented lips that causes a color shift.
Very Victoria is a brown tan nude in the tube, on my lips and skin it pulls more pinkish/nude. There is a very slight hint of shimmer in the color but it’s more cream-looking on the lips.

 

Walk of Shame is a brick red berry color, it pulls warm on me, almost reddish. It looks brighter on my lips compared to what I see in the tube.

 

 

Bond Girl is my favorite. It’s a muted mauve pink brown color. It has a lot of color and is darker than what I’m used to (there is a lot of brown undertone) but it will be perfect for fall as a color that’s deeper than neutrals, but not as dark as vamps.

 

Sexy Sienna is the color I was most excited about. It’s a stunning coral that’s bright but natural. On my lips it was a bit of a let-down. It clashes with my skin and looks a bit harsh. I think I can make it work better for me by toning it down with a lighter gloss.

 

Love Liberty is a stunning berry. It’s a plum color in the tube but on my lips it’s more reddish in color.

 

All the lipsticks have a nourishing formula. The combination of matte and luminous seems impossible to have in one lipstick, but Charlotte Tilbury has managed to make a luminous matte. These have a smooth texture that’s easy to layer for pigment. With one swipe these are fairly pigmented and easy to blend. They don’t emphasize lip lines and don’t dry out my lips. When I do lip swatches I usually have to spread out the swatching over a couple of days because the rubbing and makeup removing is pretty harsh on my lips. These are so nourishing I was able to swatch them all in one day and when I was finished, my lips were still in very good shape.

 

 

Lasting power is really really good. I found by hour 5 of wear the color was still in tact without any fading. There is color transfer to cups if you drink coffee, tea, water, juice etc. but the color still stays on the lips really well. The lipsticks do have a vanilla scent but it’s not too sweet and disappears after a few minutes.

 

Overall I give these a huge thumbs up. The colors options in general are on the dark side – much darker than I’m used to wearing for everyday. If you’re a fan of neutral lips you will probably find all of these too dark or pigmented. I’d recommend you check out the new Buxom Big and Sexy Bold Gel Lip Colors, there are lots of neutrals in the matte formula (I’ll have a post next week on these). If you’re one who likes color and are looking for a long-wearing matte that’s nourishing, these are among the best mattes I’ve tried. Other favorites for formula include the Tom Ford Lip Mattes although the colors are limited (my favorite color is First Time) and the Rouge Louboutin in Velvet Matte.
If you like lighter colors, you will also find more options in the regular K.I.S.S.I.N.G lip color formula. The two formulas are very different in terms of texture, finish and color selection. (Swatches of Penelope Pink, Bitch Perfect, Confession, Stoned Rose, Nude Kate and Hepburn Honey here.) The K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks are creamier in texture with a thicker feel. The Matte Revolution by comparison glides on the lips easier and feels weightless. Lasting power of both formulas is very good. I have a slight preference for the feel of the matte, but like the finished look of the regular formula.
You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks at counters now priced at $32 each. Online at Beautylish (they have lip swatches on fair and deep skins), Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Charlotte Tilbury. If you want to go all out, you can splurge on 10 of the shades in the Luxury Lipstick Wardrobe for $305.
Have you tried these lipsticks yet? If so, what colors?
The 5 Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks featured in this post were provided as samples for review consideration.
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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

New Tom Ford Lip Colors for Fall 2015

September 11, 2015

 

Tom Ford added 16 new Lip Colors to his permanent beauty lineup. He launched three shades that were previously Asia Exclusives and also launched eight lipsticks in full-size form that were formerly in the small Lips & Boys size. I ordered several a few weeks ago – I’m a huge fan of Tom Ford Lipsticks (all his formulas) even though these come with a high price tag of $52 each, the formula is rich, creamy, pigmented, non-irritating and non-drying (they made it into my top three picks of favorite lipsticks). I have a review of 6 shades I picked out plus swatches of 15 of the 16 colors that I swatched at the counter (I missed one that I couldn’t locate at the counter). The new colors that just launched include:

 

  • Bare Peach is a medium peach silver shimmer
  • Casino (formerly Blake from Lips & Boys) is a metallic plum-brown with gold frost
  • Dark & Stormy (formerly Pavlos from Lips & Boys) is a dark brown with a hint of red
  • Flash of Pink (formerly John from Lips & Boys) is the color I couldn’t locate at the counter
  • Guilty Pleasure (formerly William from Lips & Boys) is a warm metallic peach gold
  • Lilac Nymph is a cool-toned lilac cream
  • Misbehaved is a medium peach cream
  • Naked Coral is a shimmering soft coral
  • Seventh Sin is a metallic copper gold
  • Showgirl (formerly Francesco from Lips & Boys) is a vibrant hot pink cream
  • So Vain is a mauve plum with a slight hint of gold shimmer
  • Something Wild is a medium warm hot pink
  • Sunset Boulevard (formerly Tomas from Lips & Boys) is a hot orange cream
  • Sweet Mystery (formerly Peter from Lips & Boys) is a shimmering champagne nude
  • Virgin Rose is a cool-toned baby pink
The colors I picked out are all neutrals of course. When I bought mine I ordered sight unseen and I did not know that some were repromotes of Lips & Boys. After seeing the other colors at the counter I was tempted by Virgin Rose but suspect it will be too cool-toned for my skin. Casino is gorgeous but looks identical Blake which I already own so I passed.

 

My picks include Naked Coral, Forbidden Pink, Sweet Mystery, Bare Peach, Guilty Pleasure and So Vain. All performed true to what I’m used to with other Tom Ford Lip Colors. They glide on the lips nicely. The shimmering colors are on the frosty side which emphasized lip lines – although I will say that my lips have been a bit dry lately. These days I prep my lips with Charlotte Tilbury Lip Magic or MAC Prep + Prime Lips and let it set for a minute before applying lip color. Both give the lips a nice smooth base with some hydration. They are good bases for lipstick because they have just the right amount of moisture and aren’t too emollient which is a must – otherwise the lip color can tend to slide off.

 

Colors in different lighting, indoors without flash:

 

 

Swatches side by side, note most of the colors I picked had some kind of shimmer in them. Naked Coral, Forbidden Pink and So Vain are the ones with the least shimmer but the formula still has a very slight glossy sheen which makes them glow:

 

 

Close up and lip swatches. On my skin Naked Coral and Forbidden Pink are very close. My lips tend to make anything with a slightly bright base turn a bit so you will probably see more of a distinction on your lips versus mine. I have a very slight preference for Forbidden Pink because it has a warm pink base.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I pulled a few other Tom Ford lipsticks to compare and see if a couple were truly dupes of the Lips & Boys. The ones I looked at are 90%+ identical, there are very slight differences. There are still a few of the Lips & Boys available online at Neiman Marcus. Reviews of previous reviews linked below:

 

One last shot of the new colors lined up side by side:

 

I definitely have dupes with Sweet Mystery and Guilty Pleasure. If you have either Peter or William you don’t need the repromotes unless you love it, are running low and want to replenish. Naked Coral and Forbidden Pink are very close on me. I have a slight preference for Forbidden Pink although if you like lighter colors I’d recommend you opt for Naked Coral instead – it has a brighter look. Bare Peach is pure love although the shimmer in it requires lip prep so it doesn’t emphasize lip lines. So Vain is a good cool-toned mauve plum that will be perfect for a fall transition color.
All the new lip colors are supposed to be permanent additions to the Tom Ford Lip Color line. I’m still tempted by Virgin Rose but I know it will almost certainly be too cool in color for my skin. Also with the other lipstick launches from other lines this fall, there are plenty of other colors and formulas to choose from.
The Tom Ford Lip Colors retail for $52 each. Available now at Tom Ford Beauty counters. Online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue and Selfridges.

 

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Clarins Lips

Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors

August 3, 2015

 

Clarins launched a new tinted lip balm formula earlier this past spring called the Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector ($24 each for 1.8 g / 0.06 oz). There are six shades in total – all of which are pretty sheer but still have enough color to show up on the lips. Each of the lip balms have a very tiny amount of shimmer that’s only visible if you look at them up close in direct sunlight. Otherwise they act more like sheer creams and on my lips are essentially shimmer-free. These lip balms are designed to moisturize, plump and illuminate the lips with subtle, natural-looking color and shine and they do just that. They come in a sleek and slim twist up tube:

 

 

Testing by Clarins indicates lasting power should be 4 hours long. I experienced about the same and found these lasted between 3 to 4 hours if the lips are not touched by coffee cups, tea cups, soda or snacks. They have Wild Mango extract, shea butter, Vitamin E and a plant-extract from rice bran oil. I found these to be the most pleasant-feeling tinted lip balms I’ve tried. There is a slight sweet vanilla scent but it’s very subtle and not overpowering.

 

I’ve been really obsessed with the formula – they are sheer, glossy and add the perfect amount of color to the lips. They feel really amazing on my sensitive lips and leave them feeling smooth and well hydrated.

 

 

The only downside to these balms is the amount of product in each tube so the price per gram or oz is pretty high. These have 1.8 g and by comparison Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatments have 4.3 g and L’Occitane Peony Tinted Lip Balms have 4 g of product. I know many will want a comparison to other tinted lip balms – I would say the concept is similar but the texture is completely different. Fresh is thicker and softer in texture. Some of the brighter colors will give much more pigment and color payoff on the lips. L’Occitane’s lip balms have a harder texture and have more slip to them – they glide on and look more like a velvety stain. The Clarins by comparison is a lot more glossy and feels more hydrating on the lips.

 

Swatches and close ups of all six shades. #03 My Pink is a self-adjusting shade adapts to the pH of lips – on me it turns into a rosy healthy pink. Note that the swatches on the arm for #03 is a light pink but on the lips it will adjust/brighten depending on your pH.

 

 

 

Lip swatches below. For skintone reference I’m wearing Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation in Beige 40 with Urban Decay Naked Skin Ultra Definition Powder Foundation in Medium Light Warm.

 

 

 

Bottom line: the formula of the Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors is a winner in my beauty book. They feel hydrating on the lips and there is enough color in these balms for them to show up on my pigmented lips. A closeup look at the colors show there is a tiny bit of shimmer in them but on the lips they look shimmer-free. Just naturally glossy and shiny. If you want something with similar shine and feel but with more color I would suggest looking into YSL Rouge Volupté Shines or Chanel Rouge Coco Shines – however those aren’t as hydrating as these Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors. If you can get over the small product size (or the price per ounce) then these are ones I know I’ll use up entirely (where some lip balms take me forever to use). They are nice to throw in the purse for quick shine and touch ups and feel super nice on the lips. I recommend checking out at least one. There’s nothing else I’ve tried that makes the lips look as healthy and naturally plump as these. I’ve been testing these for a couple months now (sorry it took so long to post this review) and I’m already almost finished with Rosewood and Coral.

 

The Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors retail for $24 each. You can find them at all Clarins retailers, online at Clarins.com, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Lord and Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Harrod’s and Selfridges.

 

The Clarins Lip Balms were provided for review consideration. As always, opinions are my own.

 

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