Barneys New York is having a great Holiday Beauty Bag event going on now through December 10th. With any $175 purchase on cosmetics, skincare or fragrance you’ll receive a bag filled with deluxe samples. As always, the contents of the Barneys GWP bags are top notch and a cut above all other beauty GWPs (at least in my opinion). The minimum spend is usually on the high side but the samples you get are well worth the splurge. It’s a nice way to try expensive skincare and hair care items to see if you like things before buying the full size.
What’s inside the bag I received listed below (some of the scent options are assorted so you may receive a different scent):
Silver zip cosmetic pouch
Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray (37 ml/1 oz)
Diptyque 34 Eau de Toilette (2 ml/0.06 fl oz)
Byredo La Selle Extrait de Parfum (2 ml/0.06 fl oz)
lilah b. Divine Duo Lip and Cheek sampler with b. real, b. fearless, b. sassy
Eve Lom Cleanser Packette + Cloth (5 ml/0.16 fl oz)
Atelier Bloem 1614 Perfume (1.5 ml/0.05 fl oz)
rahua Body Shower Gel (12 ml)
Molton Brown Body Wash (30 ml/1 fl oz)
3LAB M Serum (3 ml)
Route Du The Eau de Toilette (6 ml/0.21 fl oz)
Marvis Whitening Mint Toohpaste (10 ml/0.5 oz)
Tiziana Terenzi Cassiopia Extrait de Parfum
Le Labo Face Lotion (3 ml/0.10 fl oz)
Baxter Paste Pomade (5 ml/0.17 fl oz)
Mediterraneo perfume vial
Antica Farmacista Room Fragrance in Prosecco (mini)
A few recommendations in case you need ideas. The Barneys Beauty department is literally beauty heaven so there are plenty of brands and sets to browse. They have a lot of great options for gifts – especially if you’re shopping for someone who you feel already has everything. You’re bound to find something at Barneys New York.
The gift with purchase is available online now through December 10th or while supplies last. Valid on US orders only with orders $175 or more. If you’re shopping a specific brand also check out their Gift With Purchase page as some brands have extra goodies.
Many thanks to Barneys New York for partnering to sponsor this post. As always all opinions my own.
There’s a new palette launching from NARS called the NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette ($59 for 0.04 oz/1.5 g x 12) and it’s absolutely stunning. It’s going to launch exclusively online at Sephora for one day on November 27th and then also at other NARS counters after the 29th.
There are quite a few warm toned rose eyeshadow palettes out right now as it’s quite popular but I’ve never found one where I could wear all the shades. I’ve swatched Urban Decay Naked Heat, Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance and Tarte Tartette Toasted Eyehadow Palette on numerous occasions in store. I’ve been tempted as the pigment these days is amazing but they all have at least 3 shades I know I’d never use. At first glance I thought the same about the Wanted Eyeshadow Palette. I was thrilled to find they sent one as an early preview that I could review and I have to admit my heart sank a little when I opened it and saw 3 rosy reds. However I felt the same about the NARSissist Loaded Eyeshadow Palette and it completely surprised me so I kept an open mind with this. I’m glad I did because it’s truly beautiful.
This comes in a rectangular mirrored compact. The eyeshadow pans appear to be the same size as the NARSissist Loaded but the overall size of the compact seems slightly smaller. I love that the top has a non-mirror surface on the outer packaging because as lovely as they are they show all the fingerprints and it drives me nuts.
The colors are all excellent in pigment, texture and color payoff. Some NARS palettes in previous years have had some hit/miss shades. This one is all good, but there are a few glitzy shades so I know there’s a chance this might be a no-go for some of you. Some of the shades are made of a new formula with powder suspended in a liquid-binding system which I suspect are the super sparkly ones. In this palette:
Biarritz – perfect creamy neutral matte cream
Satisfaction – shimmering light pink with a soft gold shimmer
Delirium – metallic rose sparkle
Temptress – satin paprika red
Seven Heaven – matte neutral sand
Shadow Hill – matte warm brown, NARS describes this as matte saddle
Mendoza – sparkling pink copper
Wicked Game – satin cranberry with a soft sheen
Shooting Star – sparkling glitzy pink champagne
La La – shimmering warm bronze
Fallen Star – shimmering antique bronze with a khaki-sparkle sheen
Coconut Grove – matte deep brown
The mattes are smooth and almost silky feeling. The shimmers are my favorite texture and I would think this would be more universally appealing if it had all shimmers vs sparkles, but I actually really love the sparkly shades. The new formula is pretty glitzy – there is fall out when I apply on the lids with a looser fluffy brush so I found it best to pack on with a denser brush. The good thing is that it’s the kind that is really easy to clean up under the eyes. The worst thing about some glitters is that they stick so hard to the face it’s almost impossible to clean. Once these were on my lids they stayed put pretty well – but I did pack them on the lids with a slightly damp brush.
A closer look at the shades, swatches, a look and then a side-by-side to the Loaded Palette.
Close ups:
More swatches:
Quick beauty look wearing:
Foundation – Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Liquid Foundation in Y345
Powder – Charlotte Tilbury Air Brush Flawless Powder in Shade #2
Cheeks – Laura Mercier Matte Radiance Baked Bronzer #2 and the pink shade from the NARS Veil Cheek Palette from the Man Ray Collection
Lips – Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Tendresse 172
Brows – Hourglass Arch Brow Sculpting Pencil in Soft Brunette
Eyeshadow Shades Used – Biarritz all over the lid, Satisfaction under brow, Shadow Hill 1/2 way up eyes, Mendoza packed on top with Coconut Grove
Close up of the eye look. You can definitely intensify the color but I like to blend everything out:
A side by side of Wanted next to Loaded, since there are so many colors I couldn’t swatch them all on the same arm but you can see my review of the other palette here:
I have my huge Sephora sale haul with some first impressions on items I was able to test in a few days. I stocked up on a few favorites and also ordered some things I had been curious about for quite some time. This haul is a pretty hefty one and as the first round of the sale was just a little bit ago I haven’t been able to test everything. I did swatch all the color items as makeup is easier get an idea of with the first application. I had quite a few misses. Everything is going to take some time to work my way through. Let me know if you want a more detailed review on anything in particular and I’ll try to do one at a later date. The sale runs through November 15th. If you’re shopping online don’t forget to use the code for your Beauty Insider tier!
Rouge Members get 20% off with code 20FORROUGE
VIB Members get 20% off with code 20FORVIB
Beauty Insider Members get 15% off with INSIDER15
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Lip Picks
Up first are the lip items. By now I think I’ve been pretty good at picking things online and sight unseen but having misses is bound to happen. Thank goodness Sephora has a pretty good return policy because 3 of these are going back.
Kopari Coconut Kiss Kit – hit! The set lives up to the raves. These are sheer tinted balms with a nice coconut scent. They have an emollient feel with fun colors. All the shades are bright but sheer so they are very wearable.
Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Creme in Purr-Fect! – hit! this is a really pretty soft nude, it’s sold out online but check your local store to see if they have it in stock.
Bite Beauty Champagne Discover Lip Set – this was a miss on everything except the lipliner in Cashew. I’ve tried the Multisticks before and found them incredibly dry for the lips. I decided to give it another try and it’s still a solid miss for me. The Prismatic Pearl Creme Lip Gloss in Champagne is thick and so metallic it’s not flattering on my skin tone. I know many people love these formulas so it may be a hit for you. For me just not my thing.
Kevyn Aucoin Molton Liquid Lipstick in Copper – this was a huge miss because it’s also not flattering on my skintone. I had high hopes because I love and adore the same formula in Rose Gold.
Tom Ford Patent Finish Lip Color in Casablanca – I’m undecided, it’s a lot darker than I had anticipated. This is the first in the formula I’ve tried and it took over 50 clicks to get any product out. The color is rich and pretty but it settled a tiny bit into lip lines. I think it’s a great color for fall. I’ll need to test it out longer to decide.
Burberry Lip Color Contour in Medium – huge miss, I’ve swatched this on my hand at the stores numerous times over the past year, on my lips it just makes my whole complexion look dead and lifeless. It’s one I’ll have to layer with other shades to get to work. I’m going to try and make it work for me as the formula is smooth and feels nice on the lips – alone it just doesn’t look so great.
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Face and Eye Picks
For face and eyes, I bought a few foundations in darker colors because I’ve gotten even more color from the sun. To me this is a little puzzling as I’ve really made a conscious effort to stay out of the sun with the heat. Apparently I haven’t tried enough because I’ve gone a full shade darker:
Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation Stick in Golden I guessed my shade because Nude was a bit too light. Golden works ok but alone all over my face it’s a bit too yellowish. If I use it on areas I just need more coverage it works just fine.
Anastasia Beverly Hills Blush Kit in Radiant – undecided on this, I tried it and found the pigment beautiful with smooth texture. It’s easy to blend and layer but the colors are a lot darker than I had anticipated. They also oxidize and deepen on my skin without getting muddy, but as my skin warms up they get deeper/darker so I have to experiment more with application. If you have deeper skin tone and struggle finding blushes pigmented or dark enough to show up on you, definitely give this a look. I think the pigment is excellent!
Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks in Sugar Frost and Moonlight (repurchase), I’ve swatched all my current Caviar Eye Sticks and Matte Caviar Eye Sticks below
Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic in Scandalust is a palette I received as a press sample months ago but it arrived completely shattered. I was able to test the broken bits and fell in love with the colors. I decided to buy one to replace it. It pulls warm but it’s so pretty for the season.
Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara – I actually meant to get the waterproof version, but I do remember liking the original so I’ll keep this one!
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For fragrance and hair:
Atelier Cologne Set – LOVE! there are several Atelier Cologne sets online, it was hard to pick one, but I decided on the Necessaire Curated by Sylvie Ganter and Christophe Cervasel. It has Sud Magnolia, Pomelo Paradis, Orange Sanguine, Vanille Insensee, Bois Blonds, Cedre Atlas. Orange Sanguine is one of the best citrus scents I’ve smelled. Vanille Insensee is one of two vanilla scents I’ve found that I can actually wear. Bois Blonds is already a favorite. I’m trying to wait until I can visit a free standing store again before I buy full size bottles. I stopped by one in San Francisco over the fall and had the best time exploring there.
Elizabeth and James Choose Your Nirvana Coffret Warm and Spicy has generously sized minis of the Amethyst, Black and Bourbon. I like them for fall but don’t know that I can pull them off in Florida’s kind of fall/winter. I felt the minis were the best way to enjoy them without committing to the full sizes just in case.
Verb Ghost Shampoo and Conditioner – LOVE! I actually bought both of these weeks ago and they are both my newest shampoo/conditioner obsession. Many of you want something that’s sulfate free and these are great options for a good clean rinse that leaves hair shiny and bouncy. They are back in my cart for round 2 so I can stock up on the larger size that comes with a pump.
Verb Hydrating Mask – LOVE! I tried a sample packet before and fell in love, it’s really hydrating, but I still favor the Ouai Mask (just hate the packaging of those packets).
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Skincare Restocks and Splurges
Skincare is where I spent the most, I restocked on staples and also picked new things to try:
Caudalie Glow Activating Trio – this line has been on my radar for the fine lines and wrinkles, I have those forming on my forehead area and have high hopes this will help with those!
Caudalie Deep Cleansing Exfoliator has really high ratings with the customer reviews and as I’ve really liked a lot of their skincare decided to give this a try, I have high hopes!
SK-II Pitera Mid-Day Essence – excited to try this one, although I have a feeling this may be too moisturizing for me. I gave it a quick mid-day test the day I received it and it felt a bit too rich for my skintype me. I’ll have to test it more before I can say how well it works.
Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Glow Moisturizer is something I bought months ago, in our multiple moves it has been buried in one of our moving boxes, I repurchased it and hope it’s as good as the rest of her ExfoliKate line.
Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion is something I also have high hopes for. It appears MAC discontinued my favorite Prep+Prime Blemish Control Gel which was one of the few that worked for me and did not turn my face red. I’ve been in search of a replacement and hope this will be the one!
Farmacy Green Screen Daily Environmental Protector with SPF30 is a mineral sunscreen with impressive rave reviews. People say it doesn’t have a white cast on the skin and is non-greasy. The description says it has solutions for fine lines and wrinkles so I’m going to give it a try.
Lancome BiFacil Face is something I’ve been so curious about. I really love their Micellar Water so it will be interesting to see how this compares. In the bottle I find it interesting that a very very small portion at the top is suspended (the oil portion).
In summary I still have a lot of testing for these items before I can make a proper assessment. For makeup I find it easier to judge on color and application alone. Three of my lip purchases were definitely misses. The Hourglass foundation could be a better match but I find there are often gaps in their color lineup for bases so I’ll have to go to the store and see. The Anastasia Beverly Hills blush kit is lovely, but is just a lot darker than I expected. I think the SK-II mist may be too rich for my skin type.
That wraps it up for my haul! Did you pick up or stock up on anything during the sale? This time of year there are lots of sales going on and with the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday events approaching there’s definitely plenty of time to find good deals. Oftentimes I wish these sales were spread out a little more. In case you missed it, my top recommendations in this post here (e-gift card giveaway has ended and winners have been e-mailed!).
The Sephora Beauty Insider Sale runs through November 15th. If you’re shopping online don’t forget to use the code for your Beauty Insider tier!
Rouge Members get 20% off with code 20FORROUGE
VIB Members get 20% off with code 20FORVIB
Beauty Insider Members get 15% off with INSIDER15
Did you get anything from the Sephora sale yet? Or are you waiting for other sales? I’ll be covering some holiday launches from Tatcha soon as their Friends and Family sale is also happening and many of you have asked me for a review on their lip launches.
I finally splurged on the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer because Sephora has a Dyson x Blown-A-Ouai Set this season. It’s one of the most expensive beauty tools I’ve purchased and based on my testing I think it 100% lives up to the hype. After reviewing the new Harry Josh Ultra Light Pro Dryer I was thrilled to see how many of you love haircare posts and especially surprised many expressed interest in a review of the Dyson Supersonic. This dryer has been out on the market for quite some time now and it has caught my eye on numerous occasions but I could not bring myself to splurge as I already own and love several other dryers. The Sephora set pushed me over the edge and for those who have been contemplating it for the Beauty Insider Sale I hope this review helps you make your decision either way. This dryer comes with an ultra-hefty price tag but it 100% exceeded my expectations and to me I think it lives up to the hype.
The Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer currently runs at $399 which includes the dryer, smoothing nozzle, styling concentrator, diffuser, non-slip mat and storage hanger. There are a few value sets available at various retailers that come with a case or other accessories. The Sephora Blown-A-Ouai Set caught my eye because it comes with all the nozzles, diffuser, mat and hanger but also has a travel bag and four Ouai haircare products including the Repair Shampoo (2 fl oz), Repair Conditioner (2 fl oz), Soft Mousse (1.7 oz) and the Hair Oil (1.5 fl oz). Because of the mousse do note this must ship ground so it may take a little longer to get to you if you order it. Also it appears that this is an online exclusive at Sephora. Note the one I’ve reviewed is limited-edition for 2017. Current 2018 version Dyson Blown Ouai Set comes with the matte black dryer and slight variation of products.
I didn’t take pictures of the boxes but the entire set comes beautifully boxed in three separate boxes. The dryer + attachments come in its own box. The bag has it’s own box. The Ouai products also come in their own box. Everything is packaged in a way that even in transit nothing moves around and all pieces are held securely in place. It may seem excessive but I really appreciate when items are carefully packed (especially liquids) and to me this is super important especially at the price.
I must admit I thought there was a chance this dryer was going to be a high-tech gimmick but we’ve owned a few Dyson products for the home and found them 100% worth the splurge. We also own a Dyson Cord-Free Vacuum that we bought four years ago and it’s held up remarkably well even with daily use. We find it essential as we own 3 pets with white fur and they shed constantly. We are always vacuuming, using swiffers and washing the pets. When Andrew first saw this dryer out of the box he did not think it was going to be anything special. Then I turned it on and we did a side by side performance comparison to the Harry Josh Ultra Light and T3 PROi and we both saw that the Dyson Supersonic has a lot more power, more control options, and although it is odd-shaped for a dryer, very ergonomic and easy to hold and maneuver. The air flow is a lot more controlled and for some reason the way it’s designed makes for a less frizzy blow out. I’ve experienced a lot of hair breakage from hair ties over the past few months and as parts of my hair have grown out I find my hair is prone to a lot of static or flyaways that stick up. This of course can be fixed with a bit of pomade, gel or shine product. The Dyson dryer seemed to reduce all frizz for me.
Dyson Supersonic Dryer in White/Nickel
This is one of the fanciest products I beauty tools own. It has what Dyson calls Intelligent Heat Control technology because it measures temperature 20 times a second and transmits data to the microprocessor. This in turn controls temperature to prevent heat damage. Power-wise- it has a Dyson Digital Motor V9 which is supposedly on average 6 times faster and a third of the weight of other dryer motors. The motor is actually in the handle which is why it feels different in your hands compared to a traditional one. It is so powerful it nearly knocked off all the things on my counter as I didn’t pay attention where I was pointing it when I turned it on.
For the features:
There are four heat settings and a constant cold mode
There are three airflow power settings
The nozzles and diffuser are magnetic and easy to rotate
There is a removable filter cage at the base you can remove for easy cleaning
One of the best things to me is the mat which helps prevent it from slipping or getting scratched once you set it down
I don’t have the hanger cord shown below as I’m always losing little things like hair ties and I’ve already misplaced the little hanging device
Due to the high power it does indeed give me a super fast blow out. I like the lightest or medium heat setting for my hair type. It isn’t the quietest I own or the lightest but it’s easy to hold and use. The only con I see is the extra long cord. This could be seen as a pro or con depending on your preference and needs. I find it long and cumbersome and it takes up a lot of space. The bag it comes with doesn’t quite fold over at the top like the stock photo shows but it’s not a deal breaker. It holds the dryer, it’s super long cord + two nozzles which is perfect for travel. The cord takes up most of the space. I don’t usually use a diffuser so I did not test it out, but both nozzles provide precise control.
Dyson Travel Storage Bag
For the Ouai products that come in this set I have already tried and fell in love with the Repair Shampoo and Repair Conditioner. I have been meaning to restock on the full sizes but just bought the Verb Ghost Shampoo and Conditioner which I also really like. The Hair Oil is something I wasn’t a fan of originally because of the scent but it has grown on me over the past year. I gifted several partially used bottles away to friends who were dying to try it but didn’t want to buy the full size without trying it first. I’m glad I have another one now. The Soft Mousse is new to me. I’m not a mousse fan simply because I don’t like the texture and find them sticky. This one is exceptionally soft like the name implies and has a very nice dry down.
Ouai Haircare Products in the Set
A quick hair demo. Since I just got this I haven’t been able to put weeks of testing into this. I have tried it 8 times so far and used this multiple times in a single day. My hair has held up just fine to the heat and power. I do find the highest heat setting too strong for me right now (just for scalp sensitivity) but it did not scorch or dry out my hair. Do note the components will get hot so after you dry your hair I recommend you don’t touch it. I used the Ouai Hair Oil to prep my towel dried hair. Hair was dried very quickly within 5-6 minutes. The result was perfect evenly dried hair with a lightweight feel and airy feel without any signs of frizz. My ends needed a bit of work but I haven’t had a haircut in months.
Quick Demo with the highest airflow and middle heat setting and highest heat setting
Because I know you all love the comparisons here is a side by side look at the Harry Josh Ultra Light and T3 PROi. I really cannot pick a favorite. All three perform exceptionally well. The Harry Josh and T3 are both lighter in weight than the Dyson. The Harry Josh is the most gentle on the hair – if you have sensitivity to heat, this one has the softest (but still powerful) heat settings so you don’t get that crispy feeling on the scalp after drying your hair. The T3 gives me shinier hair after a blow out but doesn’t cut down the dry time. The Dyson is by far the most powerful. When you look at the Dyson it doesn’t look like it would be travel friendly but when I compare it to the other two, based on the shape and design I think it is.
If I were forced to pick one to keep right now I’d say I would keep the Dyson. Harry Josh comes in very close second. Why? Simply because the Dyson packs in more power and the fact that it leaves my hair with zero frizz is really impressive. That being said I did read some of the negative reviews online and if you have very dry hair or a sensitive scalp, I’d recommend opting for the Harry Josh instead. While the Dyson did not dry out my hair I think the sheer strength and power could be too much for some.
I have a couple upcoming trips before the end of the year. I’ll be sure to let you know which one I end up packing with me as I know many of you like my packing posts as much as I love sharing them 🙂
Dyson vs Harry Josh vs T3
Bottom line a winner for me. I wholeheartedly recommend it and for me it 100% lived up to the hype. Definitely worth the splurge for me and I still can’t believe I spent $400 on this (I ordered it before the sale started). While I love it, I don’t think you need to spend this much to get a good quality dryer. There are definitely other more affordable tools that will get the job done well.
You can find the Dyson Blown-A-Ouai Set exclusively at Sephora for $399. One shown is 2017 version. New version here.
There are a few other sets available right now and as the holiday season approaches I suspect more could pop up. You can find the Iron/Fuchsia win a special limited-edition Dyson Your Blowout Set at Nordstrom for $399. There is the Iron/Fuchsia with a Light Pink Case at QVC for $399. Also three variations of the Supersonic + Living Proof at QVC for $399 as well.
Have you tried the Dyson Supersonic before? What did you think?
It’s that time of year again for the Sephora Beauty Insider Sale! The 20% off sale starts today November 3rd and runs through the 6th for Rouge Members online and in store. If you’re shopping online use code 20FORROUGE. In addition there’s a bonus weekend for Rouge Members to shop the sale for a second round from November 10th to the 15th. My top recommendations and a few things on my wishlist:
Tom Ford Lip Colors ($54 each) have launched in a wide range of new colors (my picks swatched here), there are also the clutch-sized Boys and Girls ($36 each) in new colors this season (girls swatched here)
Rag & Bone launched fragrances a while ago and it looks like they just launched online at Sephora! I have and love Bergamot, they have a Fine Fragrance Collection Sampler ($99 for 8 3.5 ml vials), I’m debating this set or more of the Atelier Cologne Sets as I really love their fragrances (I’ve only bought Bois Blonds so far but have tried a number of samples)
Dyson Blown-A-Ouai Set ($399) is something that was on my wishlist but I hauled last week, I had hoped to receive it in time to test and review before today but it ships ground due to the contents so I didn’t get it in the mail yet, I will try to test and review ASAP but it looks like a pretty good value with the extras you get
Natasha Denona Chroma Crystal Top Coats ($28 each, not shown in the collage) are so pretty for the upcoming holiday season, they’re super glitzy but still really pretty (swatches and review here)
Rouge – November 3rd – 6th and 10th – 15th, 20% off with code 20FORROUGE
VIB – November 10th – 15th, 20% off (will list code as soon as I get it)
Beauty Insiders – November 10th – 15th, 15% off (will list code as soon as I get it)
I’m hosting a giveaway for the sale! It’s open internationally but you must be 18 years or older to enter and qualify. I’m giving away FIVE $75 e-gift cards to Sephora. Simply enter through the widget below. Giveaway is not sponsored and will run through November 8th. I’ll pick five separate winners through the widget and e-mail them by the 9th just in time for the second round. Please note you will need to respond within 24 hours or another person will be selected in your place. E-gift cards will be sent to the selected winners within 24 hours after I receive a response confirmation.
I recently did a massive Pat McGrath Labs beauty haul from Sephora. A large number of you have asked me for a review on the MatteTrance Lipsticks ($38 each for 0.14 oz/ 4 g) and since I’ve never really been big on matte lips I did not plan on looking into these. I don’t think I’ve ever received so many review requests on a single product so once I saw that she launched a creamy formula called LuxeTrance Lipstick ($38 each for 0.14 oz/ 4 g) I ordered a handful online sight unseen. I also added some of the MatteLuxe Lipsticks, Permagel Ultra Lip Pencils ($25 each for 1.2 g/ 0.042 oz) and one shade of the Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner ($25 each for 1.2 g/ 0.042 oz) to my cart to try out. A couple days ago I finally saw the line in person at my local store and everything is just stunning! Since I just received my order recently this is more of a first impressions rather than a detailed review.
A look at the stunning display in store:
First can we talk about the box packaging? I know super pretty boxes and packaging can be a waste, but the presentation is just so pretty. Opening any of the lipsticks or pencils is like opening a present. I don’t know if the gold embossed icons on the front have any meaning but everything is so artistic and creative.
The Permagel Ultra Lip Pencils and Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliners are super smooth and creamy. They glide onto the skin and are waterproof. They have about the same smoothness as the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On pencils (which last long but aren’t budge-proof on me). The Pat McGrath Labs pencils have VERY impressive lasting power. I swatched them on the hand and they would not come off easily. On the lips they stay put all day long. The liner on the eyes does not smudge all day. They have enough of an emollient smooth gel-like quality that you can apply and blend it out a little before it dries and sets. But once it sets it stays put. Pigment is ultra rich, there’s no tugging with application, it feels comfortable and performs well.
Colors I bought:
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Buff is a medium neutral pink
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Done Undone is a lighter pink nude with a hint of pearl
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Bare Rose is a pretty soft rose with a slight sheen
Permagel Ultra Lip Pencil in Suburbia is a deeper rose pink
Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner in Blitz Brown is a deep bronze with shimmer
At the store I also looked at Supernatural and Contour. Both were more brown without any pink tones, along the lines of MAC Lip Pencil in Stripdown. I didn’t buy any more as I had already hauled quite a few. I don’t typically wear brown lipliners with the exception of MAC Stripdown and Oak so I felt the pinks and neutrals were my best bet. I do think I’ll consider other shades of the Permagel Ultra Glide Eyeliner but for now I love the one I have. All the pencils come with a sharpener.
Comparison swatches below to NARS Man Ray Velvet Eye Pencil in Santiago, Marc Jacobs Matte Highliner in Earthquake, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Cheat in Iconic Nude and Pillow Talk, MAC Lip Pencils in Boldly Bare, Whirl, Dervish, Spice and Soar.
Next are the lipsticks which are mind blowing good. It was pretty risky for me to order so many colors in a new-to-me formula sight unseen. The last time I did that with a brand I hadn’t tried before, it was total a fail. These Pat McGrath LuxeTrance and MatteTrance Lipsticks do not disappoint and they are easily among the best I’ve tried. I would say the matte formula tops all other matte formulas I’ve tried with the exception of the Louboutin Mattes. I’ve said that Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks (also swatched here) have been in my favorites list. That was before I tried Pat McGrath’s.
The lipsticks come in a sleek metal black and gold tube. Both formulas have the same packaging. They have a cute gold embossed/raised lip which I think could have been really tacky to be frank, but they managed to make it look sleek and luxe. There is a good weight to the tube so it feels solid. They are well designed in every way.
LuxeTrance of course is my formula of choice. It’s a creamy opaque lipstick with full coverage. All the shades are creams without shimmer. They’re one-swipe wonders and make the lips look full. They glide onto the lips, feel super smooth, have a comforting feel and have impressive lasting power. I would say you get similar coverage with the Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim Lipsticks. They are also just as opaque as the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche formula but more creamy with a bit more slip. The LuxeTrance isn’t super thick but it does have substance and when you wear it, it looks like you are definitely wearing lipstick. Colors I picked:
Donatella is a pale nude, it pulls pinkish on me
Sextrology is a light salmon pink
Realness is a perfect peachy nude
Valletta is a light peachy pink
She’s Heaven is a neutral brown-pink
Beautiful Creature is a stunning plum
Attitude is a neutral brown
For other nudes, I also saw La Beija in store. The online swatch made me think it might be too dark/brown so I did not order it. In real life it’s a lot lighter than the stock swatch. It’s a pretty light-medium peachy beige and I would have bought it but they were sold out.
The MatteTrance Lipstick formula has a unique almost whipped like feel. They glide onto the lips and have a nice sheen even though they are clearly matte. They don’t make the lips look dried out or flat. They didn’t dry out my lips and lasted a decent amount of time. The texture of the lipstick in the tube looks almost like they took a sponge to make an imprint on the exterior. There is no texture when you apply though – it’s 100% smooth.
1995 is a stunning light neutral pink nude
Omi is the perfect rose pink
As far as I can tell there’s no detectable scent with these.
Bottom line pure love and lots to explore. There are a lot of bold shades in all the formulas. I did take a look at the Eyeshadow Palettes which are quite impressive in size and color selection. Each one had quite a few glitzy shades or at least 2 shades in each palette I didn’t think I’d use so for now I’ve passed. I do hope they launch more palettes or singles so you’d be able to pick and choose. For now I’m more than happy with my lip picks and eyeliner.
This is probably the first year that I’ve seen holiday collections and sets out this early and I’m excited to be able to share my first holiday gift guide/review with you today! I’ve teamed up with Ulta Beauty to give you a look at four affordable gift sets from Benefit. There are a lot more options to choose from online and in store and the best two things are 1) they are all under $60 and 2) the packaging is fun and festive so there’s no extra work required to wrap it up. The four I’m featuring today include:
Up first is the Cable Car Cuties Set which has three minis of the Rockateur Rose Gold Blush, Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in Shade 3, POREfessional Face Primer. This is an Ulta exclusive and is great for an affordable stocking stuffer set or for holiday gift exchanges. All three items are easy to wear and can be a fun way to test things out. This was my first time testing out Rockateur and it’s one of the prettiest soft rose blushes I’ve tried – truly natural and doesn’t darken on the skin.
Up next includes the Beauty and the Bay Set which has 4 full-size items and one mini. This one is on the left with the High Brow Highlight & Lift Pencil, They’re Real! Mascara in Jet Black, Hoola Matte Bronzer, High Beam Liquid Face Highlighter Mini. Hoola is one of the most under-rated matte bronzers (in my opinion).
GALifornia Love Set has a full-size Roller Lash Super Curling and Lifting Mascara in Black, full-size Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in Shade 3 and a mini GALifornia Sunny Golden Pink Blush. It’s been a while since I tried Benefit blushes and have to say I’m really impressed with the finish and quality, especially for the price. GALifornia smells like candy peaches (in a good way). Whenever I ask for mascara recs a lot of you mention the Roller Lash and I finally tried it – pretty impressed that it had no smudging and was truly a deep rich black color. No clumping either!
Beauty and the Bay Set swatches, I swatched Hoola with a very heavy hand, on the face I promise it doesn’t look this dark. If you’re ultra fair definitely checkout their Hoola-Lite, I’ve tried that one too and it’s the best light colored non-grey non-orangey powder bronzer I’ve tried.
Last but not least is the Great BROWnanza Blockbuster Set which is a great value for the price. If you’re brow novice and don’t know what formula works best for you this is a great way to try all the different formulas. It’s priced at $59 but the retail value is $151. Note there are two shade options in 3 and 5. I picked up the 5 for darker hair.
Long-time readers know I’m a super minimalist when it comes to brows – I have thick dark hair but my brows are lighter in color so I struggle with whether I should match color to my brows, or my hair or somewhere in between. I’m still learning and do think brow application gets better with practice. I tried all the brow items in the set and my top two picks are the Gimme Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel (it’s so easy to use!) and the Brow Zings set because it comes with a usable travel applicator and the cutest mini tweezers. The Ka-Brow! gives me the most coverage and fills in the best, the Brow Pencil is easiest to use for precise feathering layering. The spoolie is a really good one and I don’t know why I didn’t find it sooner.
Here’s a quick look at the Benefit Hoola and the Brow Zings Shade 5. On the left photo you’ll see half my face is before with just my base (powder, concealer and foundation) and the other side has a more polished look with the Brow Zings and Hoola on the cheeks. On the lips is MAC Lipglass in N-U-D-E over Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare.
Lots of cute options to pick from! Do you have any Benefit favorites? You can find all these sets now online and in stores at Ulta.
Thanks to Ulta for partnering to sponsor this post!
that we bought four years ago and it’s held up remarkably well even with daily use. We find it essential as we own 3 pets with white fur and they shed constantly. We are always vacuuming, using swiffers and washing the pets. When Andrew first saw this dryer out of the box he did not think it was going to be anything special. Then I turned it on and we did a side by side performance comparison to the 
