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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Lip Color Sheers Skinnydip and Rose Soleil for Summer 2015

April 30, 2015

There are four featured Lip Color Sheers ($50 each for .1 oz/3g) for the Tom Ford Summer Beauty Collection. The two new shades are Skinnydip and Rose Soleil which come alongside Sweet Spot and Paradisio which are repromoted colors from 2014 (previously swatched here). I picked up the two new shades last weekend from Neiman Marcus Northpark in Dallas with Beauty Professor (we took a quick break from the rewardStyle conference to do some beauty shopping). Both of the new colors are to-die-for gorgeous. In my testing experience with Tom Ford Beauty, I find his lipsticks to be the best beauty product in his line and the new Lip Color Sheers are perfect for summer.

Both colors are shimmers, but they are not frosty. If you’re familiar with the Lip Color Sheer formula from last year, you know some of the colors are sheer and glossy while the brights are glossy but rich. The new shades for Summer 2015 have the perfect mix of pigment and gloss with medium coverage. Skinnydip is a light nude rose peach with some gold shimmer. Rose Soleil is complex deeper rose pink with gold flecks mixed in. Swatched on the arms or the back of the hand they may appear sheer, but on the lips they meld with your natural lip tone to give the prettiest wash of color. On my lips they are visible and show up.

There is a soft vanilla scent to these. Lasting power is medium, they will stay put better than most sheer or glossy lip colors (as in they won’t disappear or slide off within an hour). The sheer finish makes any fading more forgiving so you don’t end up with contrasted color around the edges. I find it won’t last through a meal or snacks, but I find that to be the case with most lipsticks or glosses (unless they are ultra long-wear or stains).   

Some more close ups and swatches:

Skinnydip on my lips along with comparisons swatches shown below. I pulled out last year’s Lip Color Sheers in Pink Dune and In the Buff along with the Lips and Boys in William. There is a similar vibe but to me, Skinnydip has more peach and gold compared to last year’s lip color sheers. Compared to William Lips & Boys, Skinnydip has less frost and is slightly more nude.

Indoor natural light:

In direct sun:

Comparison swatches:

Dior Rouge Dior Baume in Milly (reviewed here)
YSL Rouge Volupte Shine 22 Nude Indeed
Tom Ford 2014 Lip Color Sheers In the Buff/Pink Dune (reviewed here)
Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Peter and William (swatched here)

Rose Soleil seems more unique compared to the other lip colors I own. It has a deep rose pink base but has a brightness to it that prevents it from looking dark. The gold flecks add dimension to it. The complexity makes this one look different in the tube depending on the angle or lighting. Sometimes I see more plum and berry, other times I see a darker base with gold flecks. Swatches below.

Comparison swatches below show that Rose Soleil has a unique mix of plum, pink, berry and gold. I find it most similar to MAC Viva Glam VI lipstick but the Tom Ford has more gold, more berry and more shimmer.

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in #11 and 7 (swatched here)
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Bel-Ami (arm swatched here)
Guerlain KissKiss Shaping Cream Lipstick in Fabulous Rose (lip swatched here)
MAC Lipstick in Viva Glam VI

Quick re-swatch of Sweet Spot and Paradisio for reference:

One last shot of the Summer 2015 Lip Color Sheers in Skinnydip and Rose Soleil:

I’ve been told at the counters that both shades are limited-edition but I haven’t confirmed it yet. Update: I just received confirmation from Tom Ford Beauty that the lip color sheers are permanent this round!! In my opinion both are quite beautiful, soft and fresh. They give the lips a healthy glow with just the right amount of color to show up but still look natural. For me I find both colors to be must-haves and I’ve purchased back ups.
Have you checked out the Tom Ford Soleil Collection for summer yet? In case you missed it:
Cream and Powder Eye Color Duos swatched/reviewed here
Cream and Powder Eye Color Duo comparison swatches here
Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand swatched/reviewed here

You can find the Lip Color Sheers at Tom Ford counters and stores now. Available online at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue and Tom Ford.
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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks and Lip Lustres – Neutral Lip Perfection

January 7, 2015

If you’re like me and are obsessed with neutral lipsticks and glosses, you might be very curious about the Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks and Lip Lustres. The line is currently available at select counters and stores right now so you may not have easy access to the line. Buying nudes lip colors sight unseen can be a bit risky – not all nudes are wearable and everyone has a different definition of what they consider nude or neutral. I ordered Bitch Perfect, Nude Kate, Blondie and Sweet Stiletto sight unseen last August. I was really pleased with these but wanted to wait to see the rest of the colors in person before ordering more. In October, I was thrilled to be able to attend the Charlotte Tilbury Nordstrom launch at The Grove last year and took that time to look at all the nudes in person. They all looked phenomenal and I made a wish list. Even after seeing them all in person it took me a few weeks to decide whether or not to jump and purchase more (after all I have enough nude lipsticks to last multiple lifetimes).

Today I have six of the K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks and five of the Lip Lustres to share with you. All of them swatched side by side to show you the differences and similarities with comparisons and photos of how they look on my lips.

First up are the neutral K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipsticks ($32 each). Left to right is Nude Kate, Hepburn Honey, Penelope Pink, Bitch Perfect, Confession and Stoned Rose. All of these lean neutral or on the warm side which I think make them easier to wear and more naturally flattering on the skin. Some of them look remarkably similar in the tubes side by side. I’ll add my descriptions on the differences below. With the exception of Confession, all are permanent and have cream finishes (without shimmer). These are high in pigment and full coverage. Fragrance wise there is a very soft nice vanilla scent, it fades after a minute. They have a creamy finish with a slight sheen. Lasting power is quite good and the colors adhere really nicely to the lips. Due to the pigment, I do think you need to have a well-prepped lip before applying otherwise they will emphasize lip lines. While they aren’t really moisturizing, they do have a nice cushiony feel and I was happy to find that they did not dry out my lips. For recs on lip prep, check out this post Lip Primers and Lip Balms in Rotation.

Nude Kate is a flesh-toned beige nude cream, this for me is a true nude
Hepburn Honey is a honey-toned neutral nude beige
Penelope Pink is a pink-nude beige, leaning more pink than Nude Kate
Bitch Perfect is a pinky-peachy medium pink neutral
Confession is a medium rose-nude with golden shimmer
Stoned Rose is a warm almost terra-cotta nude rose cream

Swatch comparisons to other neutrals below:

Tom Ford Lip Color in Nude Vanille
Tom Ford Lip Color Sable Smoke (review)
NARS Audacious Lipstick in Barbara and Brigette (review)

The Lip Lustres Lip Lacquers ($22 each) range from creams to sheers to shimmers to sparkles. Out of all the neutrals, I don’t own Bardot Beige or Portobello Girl, but here are the ones I do own. The coverage is sheer to medium on these. I find them pigmented enough to wear alone, but for the shimmers I think they work best layered over other lipsticks to add dimension and shine. They are a bit sticky but not tacky. I really love these glosses.

Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds is a sparkling light beige nude pink
Seduction is a creamy beige nude cream
Ibiza Nights is a super sparkly sheer golden champagne
Blondie is a pink base with cool-toned champagne frost
Sweet Stiletto is medium warm neutral rose

High Society is a medium plummy color, it’s not a neutral/nude but I added it for comparison purposes below:

Comparisons below:

Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Baby (swatch mislabled)
MAC Lipglass in Bijou (discontinued, review here)
Tom Ford Tawny Pink (discontinued)
NARS Lipgloss in Belize
NARS Lipgloss in Dolce Vita (review)

I hope you found this roundup and swatch lineup helpful, especially if you can’t see the Charlotte Tilbury beauty line in person before purchasing. For the lipsticks, I hate to say this, but I think every single one is perfection for a neutral lip. I think Nude Kate is the truest nude in the sense that it is a flesh-toned nude. I was worried it would be too pale but it has enough color to not wash out the complexion. That being said, I think Hepburn Honey and Penelope Pink will be easier to wear for a nude color since there is more pigment and depth. If you want more color but still want something natural Bitch Perfect and Stoned Rose are good to look into.

For the Lip Lustres, your mileage may vary depending on what kind of gloss you are looking for. If you want a full coverage high pigment gloss, you might not like these. They have medium pigment and a natural shine which I find really flattering on the lips.

Have you tried Charlotte Tilbury’s beauty items yet? What are your
favorites? I’m still working my way through testing out items from the
line but so far I’ve really liked most of what I’ve tested. Would love
to hear about your favorites!

You can find Charlotte Tilbury online at Nordstrom, Beautylish, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter, Selfridges and Charlotte Tilbury.

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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lips & Boys – Beauty Look Book Picks

December 24, 2014

Tom Ford launched 50 shades of clutch-sized lipstick last month with the Lips and Boys collection as an online exclusive for a very short period of time. Ordering the colors I wanted was a bit tricky for me since many of the colors sold out on different sites almost instantly. They are making a comeback though, while supplies last, online now at Nordstrom, Saks and Bloomingdales. They are expected to launch again on December 26th at select Tom Ford counters and boutiques, also online at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman. I have my neutral picks to share with you along with swatches and thoughts.

The Tom Ford Lips & Boys are clutch-sized lipsticks priced at $32 each for 0.07 oz/2 g. They are in between the sizes of the full sized Lip Colors and baby gift with purchase Lip Colors. For size reference here are all three options lined up side by side.

Full Size is .1 oz / 3 g priced at $50 each
Lips & Boys are 0.07 oz / 2 g priced at $32 each
Baby Gift with Purchase is 0.03 oz / 1 g 

After playing with the shades for several weeks I can say that my overall impressions are positive. I think the lip colors are the strong point of Tom Ford’s beauty line and have been impressed with pigment, coverage and feel ever since the first launch back in 2011. The Lips & Boys have two different finishes. There are shimmery shades and then there are cream shades. Some of the creams have a tiny bit of shimmer in the tube but on the lips they apply more like a true cream. Pigments range from sheer to medium to full depending on color. Closeups and arm swatches below:

Photographing 15 lipsticks on one arm was a bit tricky because of my arm curve and also because many of the colors have this natural glossy sheen. I have several shots to try and capture the colors and show you the difference between the nudes:

Close ups and lip swatches with descriptions of each shade:

  • Addison is a creamy full coverage medium neutral pink, the coverage is perfection, Addison is reported to be a repromote of Pink Dusk – I find Addison about a 1/2 shade darker than Pink Dusk
  • Alexander is a full coverage bright pink with cool tones, on my lips it pulls very blue, this one emphasizes dry patches and lip lines
  • Beau is a full coverage creamy nude, it’s almost flesh-tone on me, it’s reported to be a dupe of Blush Nude, in the tubes Beau is slightly more pinkish, Blush Nude is a tiny bit lighter and more beige
  • Cary is a full coverage deep mauve pink, it pulls brighter on my lips
  • Flynn is a baby pink with medium coverage

  • Henry is full coverage shimmering brown, on my lip/complexion it pulls very orange
  • Ian is a sheer shimmery light pink nude
  • Orlando is a sheer frosted mauve nude tan
  • Patrick is a bright medium coverage coral pink, texture was patchy on this one
  • Peter is a shimmering medium coverage neutral pink with pale champagne shimmers

  • Rory is sheer shimmering pale gold, it goes on patchy if your lips aren’t well prepped
  • William is a medium coverage shimmering warm nude peachy pink, this is reported to be a repromote of Pink Dune, I don’t find them similar, Pink Dune is more beige and glossy, William is a lot warmer almost peachy gold by comparison
  • Julian is a full coverage medium cool pink
  • Luca is a medium to full coverage coral with contrasted pale champagne frost mixed in
  • Olivier is a medium coverage cool pale pink

Swatching 15 lipsticks was extremely harsh on my lips with all the wiping and re-applying so some of the swatch photos may look a bit dry. I found that the shimmery shades have a high level of pale frost in them which ended up emphasizing lip lines with a camera flash or super dry lips. I think prepping the lips and making sure they are hydrated is key – but I do think extra moisture is needed right now with the dry winter weather. The creams performed the best for me with the exception of Patrick which I found applied patchy and uneven (it took extra work). Still with the creams you need a well hydrated or smooth lip because the pigment is rich and creamy with full coverage.

My favorite shades include William, Peter, Addison, Ian, Orlando and Luca. I personally don’t like Alexander, Julian & Olivier because cool-toned pinks just don’t work well with my skin although they are very pretty pinks. I had application issues with Rory and Patrick (at least straight from the tube). Henry for some reason turns very orange on me.

Overall my thoughts are thumbs up on most of the colors. The clutch size is just so adorable – I can never resist a mini. The price point is still a bit steep but I have an easier time justifying $32 vs $50 on a lipstick (even if the size is small).

If you’re not able to see these in person before purchasing, I highly recommend researching swatches and reviews online. I won’t have time to do comparison swatches but there are many resources that have helpful reviews you can find on other blogs. The Tom Ford Beauty discussion thread on Specktra.net is extremely helpful, many have chimed in on their thoughts, added swatches, photos and have additional shopping tips.

If any of these interest you at all I recommend you order sooner than later because I think it’s a good assumption that these will sell out very quickly. You can find the Tom Ford Lips & Boys online now at Nordstrom, Saks and Bloomingdales. Available for pre-order at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Expected to launch at Tom Ford counters, boutiques and online this week on December 26th.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday. I will be taking a few days off from the blog to enjoy time with loved ones. Merry Christmas from me to you! 

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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Luxe Color-Lasting Lip Lacquer // Blondie, Sweet Stiletto, Seduction, High Society and Ibiza Nights

November 12, 2014

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Luxe Color-Lasting Lip Lacquers ($22 each) are high shine lip glosses that have a nice smooth finish with medium-pigment. I reviewed Blondie and Sweet Stiletto back in September and they’ve been regular go-to’s for natural color and shine. I’ve since picked up more colors. I went to the Charlotte Tilbury x Nordstrom Launch at The Grove in Los Angeles where I was able to play with the whole line in person.

The Lip Lustres I have accumulated include:

  • Blondie which is a shimmering champagne pink
  • Sweet Stiletto which is a warm medium pink
  • Seduction is a perfect nude beige cream
  • High Society is a pink rose with a hint of mauve
  • Ibiza Nights is a sparkling gold beige with tiny flecks of glitter
They are all really lovely colors. The ones I opted for were of course the natural shades. I find they have enough pigment to show up on the lips alone, but I really like these layered over her lip liner or lipsticks. Blondie is my personal favorite, followed by Ibiza Nights which has the prettiest sparkle. It has a tiny bit of glitter but it’s not in-your-face glitzy and has a really smooth texture. Seduction is nude perfection and Sweet Stiletto is a nice warmer pink. High Society is sheerer than I had hoped it would be, but it is layerable. It’s a nice warmer mauve but I prefer this one over a lipliner.

Lip swatches of the three newer shades I have (see Blondie and Sweet Stiletto here):

I’m overall really pleased with the glosses. I think the neutrals are well executed and have enough pigment to show up on the lips. The texture is nice and slightly sticky to adhere well to the lips, but they aren’t tacky and feel smooth. In terms of fragrance, there is a very subtle hint of vanilla but it fades after a few minutes.

Huge thumbs up and I highly recommend checking out Blondie. Do note that these seem to have been extremely popular, I’ve seen websites list some shades on back order multiple times, you may have to shop around if you want more than one color.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustres online at Nordstrom (in store at The Grove), Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and online at Charlotte Tilbury.

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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte | First Time, Pink Tease, Pussycat and Velvet Cherry

October 17, 2014

Tom Ford has released a new lipstick formula called Lip Color Matte ($50 each, made in Belgium). I spotted some shades at the Tom Ford Boutique on Rodeo Drive last week. The new Lip Color Mattes are currently available online at Tom Ford and Neiman Marcus, they should be released at all Tom Ford retailers later this season. I found some helpful swatches and photos on Instagram from @beautyprofessor, @reallyree and @tanyabuzzetta. I saw seven different shades in Pink Tease, First Time, Velvet Cherry, Pussycat, Flame, Plum Lush and Ruby Rush, although there are reports that an additional shade Black Dahlia might also be released.

The Lip Color Matte formula is a lipstick with a velvety semi-matte finish. They are designed to be matte lipsticks but they aren’t really a traditional full matte which is a huge plus for me. I rarely say I hate anything beauty related, but on me, I really hate matte lips. I find they emphasize lines, look heavy/thick and end up aging the face. Finding colors that work with the matte texture is also tricky for me. The Tom Ford Lip Color Mattes have a soft cushy velvety texture. They glide on smoothly onto the lips and don’t look dry. I do find that if you have any peeling or dry areas, prep the lips with a lip balm for a few minutes and then wipe it off before applying the lipstick. Another good alternative I like is MAC’s Prep + Prime Lip (it’s a good lip primer to keep lipstick in place, but not really a lip moisturizer).

These have the same vanilla scent as the regular lip colors do. Lasting power is quite good, they aren’t budge proof but they do stay put fairly long. I picked out four colors, three neutrals and one deep burgundy red. The others were very dark and bright – good if you want a dramatic lip, but too dramatic for my taste. The color I bought include:

L to R: First Time, Pink Tease, Pussycat, Velvet Cherry

  • First Time is a peach nude pink, this one applies nicely on the lips, you have to let it sit for a minute and warm up on the lip though, it doesn’t change color but the texture melds into the lip after a minute of sitting on the lips
  • Pink Tease is a very cool-toned medium pink, this looks like a neutral pink in the tube, but on my lips it went a bit fluorescent and pulled very cool on my skin, this one needs tweaking with a gloss or lipliner to warm it up, otherwise it makes my lips look really dry just because the color clashes with my skin
  • Pussycat is a cool mauve pink, this one surprised me, I thought it would go on too blue-toned based on how it swatched on my hand, it’s a surprisingly wearable mauve
  • Velvet Cherry is a deep red, this something I usually don’t go for, but it’s a classic deep dark red that isn’t too dark, this one needs careful application and lip prep, it has such a sharp contrast with my natural lip color, precise application is key, I applied it below straight from the tube (scroll down) although I should have fixed it with a lip brush

Close ups and swatches, you can see below the coverage and pigment is really good:

Comparisons, Set One has the following (I’ll link previous swatches and reviews):

Set Two has Aerin Wild Lilac, Tom Ford Black Orchid (discontinued), MAC Ruby Patent Polish, Burberry Blueberry Lip Mist

Lip swatches of the four lip mattes I picked out below:

I like First Time, Pussycat and Velvet Cherry. In real life they look very natural and smooth on the lips, a camera flash tends to emphasize any shadows or fine lines so they might look a bit dry in the photos above. The exception is with Pink Tease which I am not a fan of (at least on me). I can’t really pull off cool-toned bright pinks well, they end up looking too mod-like. The color just looks really aged and dry on my lips, but in all fairness, all colors similar in tone and brightness do the same.

I’m not a fan of matte-finish lipsticks so I can’t say I am absolutely in love with these, but I am very pleased with 3 of the 4 shades I bought. I personally prefer Tom Ford’s other lip formulas and color options, but the Lip Color Mattes still perform very well and I do think they are worth looking into, especially if you like rich deep colors.

The Lip Color Mattes can be found online and in stores at Tom Ford Boutiques and Neiman Marcus for $50 each. They should be widely available at all Tom Ford counters soon. (PS Neiman Marcus has their Incircle event now and an online mini lipstick gift with $100 purchase, while supplies last).

Are you a fan of matte lips or Tom Ford lipsticks? Have you picked up any of the colors?

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Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Negligee and Twist of Fate Lip Color | Fall 2014

September 1, 2014

Tom Ford has two new lipsticks for fall in the Lip Color formula: Negligee and Twist of Fate ($50 each for 0.1 oz/3g, made in Belgium). I’ve been a fan of all the Tom Ford lipstick formulas, the Lip Color option offers the most pigment with full coverage. They have a thicker texture which makes them last longer and adhere better to the lips (in my experience) but they still glide on easily. The lipsticks have a slight vanilla scent which fades after a few minutes. I like that it’s a softer vanilla and isn’t too sweet. At $50 each, Tom Ford Lipsticks are a luxurious splurge. I can’t say that they are must-haves due to the extremely high price tag, although I do adore Spanish Pink and Pink Dusk and haven’t found anything that is quite like them in terms of color and pigment. They are smooth and non-drying. I can’t say they add any moisture but I like that they don’t dry out my sensitive lips.

Negligee is a medium pink rose nude. It’s on the darker side for my medium skin tone but it’s still a good neutral with enough pink in it so it doesn’t give me that deathly look that MAC Twig or Spirit gives me (they have quite a bit of brown). For those with darker lips or tan complexions looking for a good neutral rose that isn’t pale, this one is perfect. For light to medium complexions, this is a good neutral but deeper color. I didn’t want to love it because I thought it would be too dark but I actually do.

Twist of Fate is a bright coral. It looks more neutral in the tube, but on the lips it transforms to a brighter coral shade that pulls more orange. If you’re a neutral lip lover, this one may be too bright for you. I found it a bit too garish when applied with full coverage due to the orange base, I needed to blot a bit for this one. NARS Juliette is very similar (at a lower price) with slightly more pink and less orange. For me this seems to be more of a summer shade rather than fall. It’s a lovely shade but due to the amount of orange mixed in, some might find it too warm.

Close ups and lip swatches of each color:

Some comparisons swatches:

MAKE Pink Clay Silk Lipstick Cream (review)
Tom Ford Negligee Lip Color
Tom Ford Sweet Spot Lip Color Sheer (review)
NARS Julie – Audacious Lipstick (swatches)
NARS Juliette – Audacious Lipstick (review)

I’m overall really pleased with the color and quality of each shade. They aren’t typically the colors I gravitate towards but I really like Negligee especially for fall. That being said they are a lot darker than I expected them to be. In discussing fall releases with a few other beauty bloggers, I know many have expressed concern that these will probably be too dark for them. I do think Negligee is the more universally flattering color.

Tom Ford Negligee and Twist of Fate are both part of the fall collection. They are available at Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales and Tom Ford. According to Nordstrom Live Chat the fall collection will be available online at Nordstrom within the next day or so.
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