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Eye Makeup Sephora

Viseart Theory Palettes: Minx, Chroma and Cashmere

April 25, 2016

Viseart launched three new eyeshadow palettes called Theory Palettes ($45 each for 0.42 oz, available at Muse Beauty Pro and Sephora). I was able to get a preview of these at The Makeup Show back in March. I had high hopes that I could purchase them at the show but they only had testers to play with so I pre-ordered them and was excited when they finally arrived for me to play with. There are three color options and I ordered all three. Each option comes in a compact cardboard flip top packaging with a magnetic closure. Each palette has 6 colors (3 matte finish, 3 shimmers) with removable magnetic pans. Shown below from left to right:
  • Chroma is the cool-toned option with a pale sheer white, medium-dark charcoal, deep matte black, shimmering cool silver-taupe, shimmering cool steel, shimmering gunmetal
  • Cashmere is the neutral palette with a light-medium cream beige, medium coffee brown, deep matte brown, shimmering champagne, shimmering soft neutral-cool tan, shimmering medium cool-taupe
  • Minx is the warmest option with a matte camel, warm sienna brown, warm deep reddish brown matte, shimmering golden sand, shimmering orange, shimmering plum red

All three have extremely good pigment. Finishes and textures are similar to that of the shadows in the 12 Pan Palettes (Neutral Matte and Sultry Muse reviewed here). The mattes are on the hard side but apply smoothly and blend easily. The shimmers are buttery soft and powdery but blend with incredible ease. All the colors are easy to work with and layer together – you can mix shades between palettes or for convenience stick with the shades in a single palette.

A quick look at the packaging – at the show, Viseart founder Anastasia Van Dusen demonstrated how the packaging is designed with certain folds and closures so you can hold them in your hand like an artists palette (as shown in the top photograph) which I found quite clever. Below the new Theory Palettes next to the 12 Pan Palettes.

A closer look at the palettes plus a few comparison swatches. First a look at the palettes in different lighting, first is without flash but in direct sunlight:

 In natural indoor light:

Chroma is the cool-toned option perfect for that traditional gunmetal smokey eye look.

Swatched below next to Tom Ford Titanium Smoke which I find similar in color. I’ve found Titanium Smoke to be a staple as far as traditional smokey eye palettes go. For my coloring I find it hard to wear cool-toned whites, greys and silvers all over the eye because they end up looking ashy on my skin. Viseart Chroma has a more conservative feel while the shades in Tom Ford’s have more glitz (two of the shades are very sparkly/almost glitters).

Chroma works on my skin as long as I use the two lightest shades with a light hand. I prefer a warmer base for the lighter colors and like to work the darker cool-tones on top. Chroma performs really well – I just can’t wear cool-tones easily. Out of the two, I can’t pick a favorite.

Cashmere is the neutral option, but on my skintone it actually pulls more cool-toned. Many neutral palettes look simply that – neutral on most skintones, but when I apply them on mine they pull cool. Out of the three this is my favorite option.

Below compared to Urban Decay Naked Basics (one of my top 2 matte palettes, the other being Naked2 Basics) and Tom Ford Nude Dip (one of my top picks for neutral shimmers). My heart still belongs to both the UD and TF ones – they work perfectly with my coloring and as you can see they really pull more neutral on my skintone while the Viseart Cashmere pulls a bit more cool-toned in the swatches.

Although Cashmere may seem like a repeat of other shades, I do think if there’s any out of the three I would call a must, Cashmere would be it. It offers the best of both worlds in terms of mattes and shimmers. It has enough color to show up on the lids and there is enough difference in the colors that they won’t all look the same if you apply all 6 on the eyes.

Minx is the most stunning option out of the three – the colors are absolutely breathtaking. I’m learning to wear orange shadows so this one has taken me a bit of work to learn how to use. I really like it so far though.

Below compared to Tom Ford Honeymoon and Charlotte Tilbury The Dolce Vita. By comparing all three, there are 2 shades in Viseart Minx that are almost identical to Tom Ford Honeymoon. I think Viseart Minx is very different from the Charlotte Tilbury Dolce Vita but the overall color theme seems to have a similar vibe.

One final look at the palette packaging:

I think all three are solid performers. The colors are well coordinated for an easy look depending on your color preferences, cool, neutral or warm. I like that they each offer a wide range from light to medium to deep colors and especially like the fact they each have 3 mattes and 3 shimmers. It makes it very convenient to create a wide range of looks without being overwhelming like palettes with more than 6 shades can be. Out of all the Viseart Palettes I’ve tried (which is 5 to date), I still think Sultry Muse has the most special place in my heart. As mentioned in my previous review, if you have been wanting to try Viseart Palettes but get overwhelmed with eyeshadow palettes that have more than 6 shades, these are the perfect way to start.
I’ve been playing with the shades in each of the palettes – sticking to combinations within each palette. I’ve found that they work best when layered over a creamy base like Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks or Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base. They work well with a dry or slightly damp brush on the eyes. Lasting power is excellent – they last all day without fall out or fading. As with most powder shadows there will be a tiny bit of fall out when you apply them – but it’s easy to clean up.

As shown above in the comparison swatches you may find similar shades in your collection (even if you don’t have the palettes shown) so you may want to shop your stash. I hope the swatches and reviews help you make your ordering decisions since at this time I think you can only find these online. Even though I have dupes I have no regrets buying any. If I had to do it over again, I would have skipped Chroma, but I knew after swatching it at The Makeup Show there would be a really good chance it would pull very cool-toned on my skin.

You can find the Viseart Theory Palettes online now exclusively at Muse Beauty Pro and Sephora. I hope they will be available at more locations soon.

Have you tried these yet? If so what did you think?

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Eye Makeup Sephora

Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes in Neutral Matte and Sultry Muse

April 12, 2016
I’ve been curious about Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes ($80 each for 24 g/0.84 oz, made in France) for quite some time (probably for a few years now) and finally splurged on my first in Sultry Muse and Neutral Matte two last month at The Makeup Show from the Muse Beauty Pro booth (haul + recap of the 2016 show in this post here). I purchased mine at a discount (most booths offer some kind of discount at these shows) and have been thrilled with both. Each palette has 12 eyeshadows which are extremely pigmented and smooth in finish. For quick reference you can find these palettes at a number of retailers online, the main ones I’ve shopped from include Beautylish, Sephora and Muse Beauty.Pro.

It took me a long time to splurge on these because of a few factors. I didn’t have in person access to these and although there are a number of excellent reviews online I wanted to test in person before splurging. I played with them for the first time at IMATS earlier this year but decided to wait and think about them. To date my favorite eyeshadow palettes are the Urban Decay Naked Eyeshadow Palettes for color, pigment and convenience – they have my favorite easy to wear neutrals and I feel they are priced reasonably. The Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes by comparison are a lot more expensive and the color palettes seem to be more for professional use for the pro makeup artist rather than for an everyday consumer like myself. The colors are beautiful but there are a few of the warmer tones I was hesitant about wearing. I decided to give these a chance and have no regrets. They are really quite amazing.


Up first is Viseart Neutral Matte. This has all matte neutrals with the exception of one burnt orange shade. I’m not one to wear anything orange makeup-wise but this particular color does amazing things when layered. I’ve learned from using a few of the Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes that the colors I consider odd look really amazing when layered over other shades. The shadows in the Netural Matte palette have a slightly harder texture than most other shadows I use but the pigment is excellent and they apply smoothly on the skin and blend flawlessly. By comparison the Urban Decay Naked Basics and Naked2 Basics are a lot softer in texture and are more on the neutral-cool side while the Viseart Neutral Matte. A look at the palette in two different light settings:

In direct sun, no flash:

Indoor natural light:

Descriptions by row, Top Row:

Medium caramel beige
Medium vanilla cream
Light beige with a slight pink tone
Pale white

Middle Row:

Cool bark brown
Burnt sienna orange
Medium warm brown
Neutral cool brown

Bottom Row:

Matte cool toned black
Dove blue grey
Cool grey
Cool-toned taupe

Swatches:

Texture and blendability are excellent – there are a lot of colors to choose from. I’ve been playing with this using 4-5 shades max at any given time. Long time readers know I’m not a fan of matte eyeshadows in general but these perform really well. I’ve found they work well over the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks (I love Rose Gold) or Edward Bess Illuminating Eyeshadow Base. They aren’t the kind I can use on a bare eye – there has to be some kind of prep or dewy primer to help the colors adhere but that is usually the case with any matte eyeshadow for me. Lasting power is excellent – they stay put from morning to late evening without fading or fall out.

Next up is Sultry Muse. This one has all shimmer eyeshadows – some are a tiny bit glittery while others are more of a frost. There were a few plum and warm pink tones I didn’t think I could pull off but when they are are layered with the other cooler tones the result is really quite pretty. Layering can create a wide range of looks. A look at the palette + descriptions and a quick eye look.

In direct sun + flash you can see the sparkle and glow:

Indoor natural light, no flash you can see the base and undertone better:

Top Row:
Shimmering white pearl
Shimmering medium tan beige
Pale champagne beige with tiny silver glitters
Sandy gold champagne with gold flecks
Middle Row:
Warm pink shimmer
Bronze shimmer
Shimmering orange
Warm plum rose shimmer
Bottom Row:
Sparkling cool silver
Shimmering soft rose
Gunmetal black shimmer
Shimmering soft yellow gold

Since some of these these have complex shimmers – colors can look different depending on how the light reflects. This palette looks different in so many different review posts – I think this shows how incredibly versatile it is because it works with a wide range of skintones to create truly unique looks. I have swatches with flash and without to show the complexity.

With flash:

No flash, natural light:

Quick eye look, no flash, in natural light. Shades used include the four shades in the middle row and the two middle shades from the top row to blend:

I give both of these a thumbs up and even though they have that professional makeup artist feel they are still wearable for everyday. That being said if you find 12 colors in a palette overwhelming or find any of the combinations have a few colors you might not wear at all, you might want to consider trying out the new Viseart Theory Palettes ($45 each) instead (online now at Muse Beauty.Pro, coming soon to Sephora). They have 6-pans each with 3 mattes and 3 shimmers, they come in a slightly different packaging, and the color themes make them more wearable for everyday. I just received mine that I pre-ordered at The Makeup Show and will have a review in the next week or so, but the texture is phenomenal, colors are on point, and they perform really well – but if you want to know right now if I prefer the 6 pan or the 12 pans, I will say right now that I prefer the packaging style of the 12 pans, but for the color selection if I had to pick, I prefer the 6 pans. I still think Sultry Muse is excellent though.
For application I tested a number of brushes and found natural hair brushes work the best, at least for me. Synthetics work on the shimmers if you dip the brush and pat on the lids, but if you apply in sweeping motions the natural hair brushes pick up pigment the best. Ones I really like include the MAC 239, Wayne Goss 18, Wayne Goss 6 and Wayne Goss 30.
Both the Sultry Muse and Neutral Matte offer a good mix of colors to create a wide variety of wearable looks for day or night. If you’re looking for a palette of eyeshadows that aren’t too neutral but at the same time aren’t too bold, these offer a good in-between option. Each offers a good mix of warm and cool shades which I think makes these extremely versatile to wear with a number of lip and cheek combinations. If I had to pick one I would say since I prefer shimmer eyeshadows Sultry Muse wins as my favorite.
You can find the Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes for $80 each at a number of retailers online, including Beautylish, Sephora and Muse Beauty.Pro. Have you tried Viseart Eyeshadow Palettes before? If so which ones have you tried and what did you think?

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Anastasia Beverly Hills Highlighters Sephora

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits in That Glow and Gleam

April 6, 2016

I picked up the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits ($40 each) earlier this year and have been completely obsessed with these for months. After playing with both kits for some time I will say that they are on the high shimmer side and give the cheeks or eyes a luminous glow. The colors are very smooth and easy to blend. Shimmer is on the more dramatic side similar to that of MAC Mineralize Skin Finishes but are very wearable for everyday as long as you blend these well or use a loose fluffy brush. For shimmer/frost reference the most frosted highlighters I think I’ve ever tried are the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks. The Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits are not as frosted as the Bobbi Brown ones in my opinion, but are definitely more shimmery than say the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. The Glow Kits are designed to be face highlighters but I also like to use them on the eyes as eyeshadows.

There are two kit options: That Glow has warmer golden tones and Gleam has cooler pink tones. On my medium olive skin I think the warmer gold option is more naturally flattering while the cooler pink one is more dramatic but still very wearable. Both kits come in a magnetized cardboard box and the pans in each kit are removeable. I’m not the biggest fan of the packaging but it is very sturdy so for me it’s not a deal breaker. I bought mine at IMATS Los Angeles earlier this year where they had a slight discount (they basically did not charge sales tax) but you can find them now at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Macy’s.

A look at both kits without flash, in indirect natural light, you can see the colors still glow:

Swatched on my medium-olive skin most of the shades are clearly highlighters. If you have lighter skin these will show more color as you can see in The Non-Blonde and A Little Bit Etc. If you have deeper or darker skin these will most likely look lighter and more contrasted on your skin. Anastasia Beverly Hills has both kits swatched on 3 skintones here and here.

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That Glow has warm gold tones with the following shades:
Sunburst is a pale yellow gold shimmer
Golden Bronze is a warm coppery golden bronze shimmer
Bubbly is a shimmering soft champagne
Dripping in Gold is a shimmering champagne gold

Each shade shown below with photographed close ups:

Note these are swatched with a heavy hand to show the pigment and color. You can blend easily for a more subtle and less frosted look.

Some swatch comparisons below to:
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne (discontinued)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Brilliant Strobe Light (review here)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in So Ceylon (discontinued)

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Gleam has cool and neutral shimmers:
Hard Candy looks like a peachy coral in the pan, but it goes on an almost duo-chrome cool pink pearl
Mimosa is a shimmering light peach
Starburst is a shimmering pale frosted pink
Crushed Pearl is a shimmering pale champagne that almost looks white on my skin

Swatch comparisons to:
Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand (review here)
Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Starlight (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Stereo Rose (discontinued)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Euphoric Strobe Light (review here)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder in Iridescent Strobe Light (review here)

I’m one who loves to have glowing skin and these are both pure love for me. I found these went on the face smoothly and did not emphasize pores or fine lines. The pigment is medium but blendable. Because these are so pigmented I do think these can be easy to overdo so for me the key to application is to apply with a light hand. Any regular blush brush works to apply or a skunk brush too. I’ve been using the Chanel Blush Brush or MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush to apply these. Lasting power is excellent – they stay put and do not budge from morning to night.

For me these get a thumbs up. If I had to pick just one it would be a tough call for me. Gleam has colors I find more unique compared to other highlighters I own, but That Glow is more natural on my skintone and I prefer the warmer tones for my complexion.
You can find the Anastasia Glow Kits for $40 each at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Macy’s.
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Base Makeup Sephora

Color Correcting for Beginners

March 17, 2016

Last week I stopped by Sephora at South Coast Plaza for a Correct and Conceal Mini Makeover to learn more about the color correcting trend happening right now. I was curious to see if there was anything that could cover dark spots and redness better than a full coverage concealer or foundation. I had a session with artist Dre who was one of the most knowledgeable artists I’ve ever worked with. She was very thorough in explaining color correcting, going through all the options and application techniques, gave me awesome skin prep recommendations and I could not have had a more fun experience. If you’re like me you and consider yourself a novice or beginner when it comes to color correction you might be intimidated by the whole concept. I’ll share my makeover experience, what was used, what I bought and some thoughts on the product testing process. I hope this will help give you some tips and ideas of what to try on yourself. If you have a Sephora near you I highly recommend you call them to schedule a mini-makeover. They can be as quick as 15 minutes and I think you will be impressed with how much you learn – I learned a lot. Scheduling one in advance is probably best to make sure they have someone on site to sit down with you although they can accommodate walk ins sometimes and they are free of charge!

First a quick run through of the mini-makeover I had at Sephora. She started by assessing my skin type and skin concerns. I mentioned I had super sensitive skin and told her about a few products I had allergic reactions to. Personal concerns for my skin were to improve texture, cover dark spots from scars that were healing, under-eye darkness and redness in general. I also mentioned that I liked a streamlined easy approach to applying base face makeup so she picked out her four favorite color correcting products for my skin type that would be easy to use and incorporate along with some skincare items for me to try for calming and radiance.

For a bit of background on Color Correcting it’s not a new trend but it has been very popular right now. The concept of color correcting is that you can use certain colors to counter or diffuse others. Green will correct red, peach will help with dark spots and undereye circles, pink and purple will counter dullness and brighten the skintone. I initially thought using a full coverage concealer or foundation would be sufficient but I often find it leaves the face looking a bit flat and sometimes those dark spots still show through. This is where color correcting can help. Here’s a look at the Sephora Beauty Studio in store – it varies per store but most have a station with mirrors, makeup remover and tools for artists to apply product on your face.

A run through of all the products she used on me from start to finish:

Step 1: Prep the skin

She started by having me remove my makeup with the Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths which are super gentle and non-irritating for my sensitive skin. This one cleans, balances and hydrates in one step which is convenient for on-the-go makeup removal. Next she used the First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads to help with surface texture. She followed with the Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum and Ole Henriksen Nurture Me since I mentioned my face was prone to irritation and flare ups. Skin felt smooth, nicely hydrated and calmed down.

Step 2: Base

Dre’s theory of using color correcting was to use apply in steps and use it with your current foundation routine. She started by applying the Algenist Reveal Concentrated Color Correcting Drops in Blue to help brighten the overall skintone as a base which did indeed brighten the skin without looking scary blue. Blue helps to neutralize sallow skin. She followed with the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick in 128 mentioning one’s foundation will do a lot of the color correcting as a starting point to neutralize uneven skintone or dark spots.

Step 3: Color Correct

At this point even with a fuller coverage foundation on my skin you can still see dark circles under the eyes and dark spots from acne scars that are healing still show through. Rather than layer on the foundation color correcting helps add coverage without caking on product. I was skeptical but was really impressed with how literally all the dark spots disappeared with a green color corrector and undereye circles disappeared with a peach/melon corrector. She applied the Sephora Collection Bright Futures Color Correctors in Green and Melon. The key here was to apply and let set so that colors don’t get muddied when you blend them wet. For the green she dotted on spots and then blended with a detailed concealer brush in a cross hatch method to help blend and cover naturally. For the melon she applied directly under my eyes in a downward swiping motion and blended with the sponge tip applicator.

Step 4: Conceal, Set and Finish

Once the color correctors have properly set (takes maybe 3 minutes at most, as long as you don’t pile on the creams) finish by taking concealer or foundation and pat it on top. She used the Sephora Collection Pro Foundation Brush #47 which is a more affordable similar version of the Marc Jacobs Beauty Sculpting Foundation Brush to roll and dab on the foundation over the corrected spots gently and then blend everything out gently with a beautyblender. You don’t want to take a sponge or brush and press too hard on the face or else it will drag and mix colors to make it look muddy. The final step she used was to set with a loose powder. She showed me the difference between the Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder and also the Besame Brightening Face Powder in Violet (both applied with a puff). She said the Laura Mercier is her favorite (it’s one of mine too) but if I wanted to try something new she recommended the Violet to brighten the skin, for fairer skins she recommended the Pink (which I already own).

Step 5: Add color and makeup

She added a bit of blush and bronzer on my skin so my face wouldn’t look flat from all the base makeup, but I asked her to keep it minimal so I could see how the correctors and foundations performed through the afternoon. We skipped everything else and I was impressed that my makeup lasted well into the late evening without any touchups needed. Her skincare recommendations and application made it so nothing budged or creased or faded. Once I use up some of my moisturizers I will need to buy some of the items she used on me.

I have never been so impressed with a makeup session as I have been with my visit to Sephora. Dre taught me so many things – I really appreciated her taking the time to go through application tips and recommending products specific to my needs. My brother tagged along to help me take photos and afterwards I asked him if he thought my face looked ok. He said yes, it looked natural and he couldn’t tell that there were any weird colors. So it passed the brother test 🙂 In discussing the different color corrector options, I asked her why she recommended the Sephora Collection Color Correctors over the ones from Urban Decay Correcting Fluids or YSL Touche Eclat Neutralizers or even the ones that come in cream compacts. She said it was a matter of preference – the cream palettes can definitely multi-task with all the options for color correction and concealer, but to keep things simple she said the Sephora Collection correctors were her favorite for consistency, texture and coverage. (I bought one each of the Urban Decay and YSL to test against the Sephora Collection and I’ll say right now she was right.)

Next up is a run through review of everything I bought and tried along with a mini tutorial of how I’ve been recreating the color correcting look to diffuse dark spots and dark circles. Here are the items she used on me during the makeover. I bought all the items she tried with the exception of the Violet powder because I already own the Pink although I’m seriously considering going back to the store to pick it up this weekend.

Left to right are:

  • Micro Mini Correct Four by beautyblender – there are some new beautyblender options, for the color correcting trend they launched a set of four in different colors, I really like these for blending under the eyes or in the creases of the nose, it’s nice to have different colors on hand to match the correctors so you don’t have to worry about mixing colors together 
  • Algenist Reveal Concentrated Color Correcting Drops in Blue – you can use these alone or mixed in with foundation to help color correct the skin. I’ve been using this as a base, almost like a primer to help counter my sallow undertones with my olive yellow skin. It brightens the skin without looking too blue. You can even mix it in with moisturizer to blend all over to make it a bit more sheer. I really like the way this performs. 
  • Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation in 128 (looks dark but blends out to a slightly lighter finish, that being said I am getting lighter right now so I will probably have to purchase a different shade soon to mix) is one of the most amazing foundation sticks I have ever tried (it rivals Tom Ford’s) – I’ll have a separate review in the upcoming weeks once I’ve given it a thorough test drive but it offers medium to full buildable coverage that looks amazing
  • Sephora Collection Bright Future Color Correctors in Green and Melon – After testing this compared to YSL and Urban Decay, I have to say that my favorites for texture and consistency on my face are the Sephora Collection ones, they don’t crease or emphasize fine lines and they have enough coverage and pigment to truly neutralize my face issues, the Urban Decay Naked Skin Color Correcting Fluid in Peach has a similar coverage to the Sephora ones and looks great on the skin but if I don’t have enough primer under my eyes it emphasizes all the fine lines that I don’t want to show up, the YSL by comparison is a lot more sheer in finish and I need more coverage
    • A quick side note, during my make over I mentioned my favorite under eye concealer of the moment was the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer and that I liked the ones with peachy tones (mainly R32) to warm up and brighten under eyes, Dre did mention that this was also one of her favorites to use, but she showed me the Sephora Collection in Melon for me to try something new
  • Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place Flawless Wear Concealer in Warm Light Medium – she used this to highlight my face and I was so impressed with the coverage and texture I had to try it out – it offers smooth flawless coverage and really does stay in place without caking or creasing through out the day
  • Besame Brightening Face Powder in Vanilla Rose (she used Violet on me in store)
  • Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder – I already own this and have repurchased numerous times, it’s one of my favorite loose setting powders, if you haven’t tried it I will say you need to
A simple step by step mini tutorial showing before and after. I took the tips learned at my appointment to recreate a flawless base at home. I hoped to take an after show last week but the store lighting wasn’t ideal. In the first shot I did prep my skin with a thin layer of foundation, but as you can see dark spots and dark circles are still highly visible:

Below are the tools I recommend using, but you can shop your stash and find what works:

A look at packaging and different applicators for each kind of color corrector that I’ve been testing out ranging from droppers, sponge tips, squeeze tubes and click brush applicators:

Side by side swatches of the color correctors and some concealers:

A look at the Sephora Collection Bright Future Color Correctors, note there is also Orange/Deep and Lavender available online but when I was in store they didn’t have those colors yet:

In case you missed the Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealer post, here are all the shades swatched:

I hope you enjoyed this overview on color correcting! If you’re a novice like me I hope the rundown of my makeover, all the options I tried and swatches help make the color correcting concept seem less confusing or intimidating. I went into my appointment thinking that there wasn’t going to be much that could be done for my dark spots but I went in with an open mind and learned so much. Sometimes makeovers can be a daunting process especially if you get a pushy artist or one who just doesn’t listen to your needs or who doesn’t care preferences. I really recommend trying to book an appointment at your local Sephora – I am already planning on going back for a second appointment hopefully in the next couple of months because my experience was that good. If you’re in the area of South Coast Plaza try to book one with Dre – she’s awesome. If you can’t make it into the store, there is an online survey on the Sephora Color Correcting Makeup page to guide you and help narrow down the picks according your specific concerns and skin type.

Have you tried color correcting recently or is it something you’ve always done for your base makeup routine? Please let me know what you’ve tried and your thoughts. I always learn new tips and tricks from you and would love to hear about what you have been testing or if you have any favorites.
This post was created in partnership with Sephora. As always all opinions my own. Most products picked out and purchased by me, press samples include the Besame Powder and Make Up For Ever Ultra HD Concealers.

42 Comments
Barneys New York

Surratt Beauty Prismatique Lips – Nouveau Riche, Jolie Laide, Chichi, Pailettes and Lili Dorée

March 10, 2016

The Surratt Beauty Prismatique Lips launched sometime last fall ($36 each for 2.36ml/ 0.08oz.) and I picked up a few shades to try out. I’ve been a huge fan of his Lipsliques and Lip Lustres (Hevyn, Soigne and Gamine swatched here) – they are colors I’ve used up entirely but haven’t repurchased due to the steep price points but I do love the formulas. The quality is excellent with good smooth coverage and a voluptuous soft feel. The Prismatique Lips are sparkly lip sheers that contain Japanese reflective pigments for brilliant shine. Even though they are sparkly, the shimmer is done in a refined way to add the prettiest glimmer to the lips without feeling chunky or overly glittery. I have five shades that I purchased, although in playing with the formula, I have all the shades on my wishlist. The colors are sheer but work well with your natural lip tone to give a youthful glowing look to the lips. The Prismatique Lips come in a slim duochrome shimmering tube. It flashes green or purple depending on the light. These are extremely small in size so I do believe the price per oz is on the steep side.

Nouveau Riche is a shimmering nude
Jolie Laide is a taupe violet shimmer
Chichi is a gorgeous shimmering coral pinky peach
Pailettes is a sparkling cool baby pink
Lili Dorée is a soft shimmering peach

These apply similar to the Chanel Rouge Coco Shines in the sense they are no fuss kinds of colors. They have a sheer transparent quality and on the arms they swatch sheer but the color adheres better once on the lips and gives a healthy glow. The texture is smooth and nourishing. Lasting power is like any glossy finish lipstick. The Surratt Prismatique Lips last a decent amount of time on the lips. They won’t disappear or slide off within a few hours, but lasting power won’t be as long as a full coverage lipstick.

Swatches on bare lips (no primer or liner added):

Bottom line all winners for my neutral lip loving self. These give the lips the prettiest wash of shimmer that I’ve seen. I’m all for shimmering lips but I do tend to avoid glitters. The sparkles are beautiful in these and are visible but not over the top. If I had to pick one favorite it would be Chichi. Given the way these have sheer coverage I suspect some of the brighter color options would also look gorgeous on the lips with the bright but sheer finish they have. For the amount of product you get in all the Surratt Beauty items I do think the prices are extremely high, but the quality is there and I haven’t regretted anything I’ve splurged on from the line. As far as I can tell there’s no detectable scent in the lipsticks.

You can find the Surratt Beauty Lipsliques at Barneys New York, Sephora and Net-a-Porter. If you have a few of these or any other Surratt Beauty items on your list I highly recommend you check out the Barneys Love Yourself Event going on through the 12th of March. Details on the gift in this post here. Since Surratt Beauty items are spendy the gift event is a great time to get something back for spending a significant amount. Plus it’s a nice way to treat yourself 🙂

Do you have any Surratt Beauty favorites?

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Barneys New York GWP

Barneys New York Love Yourself Event: March 8 – 12

March 8, 2016

The Barneys New York Love Yourself Event starts today March 8th and runs through March 12th (while supplies last). This is one of the best gift with purchase events for beauty that I’ve shopped over the years. It usually only happens twice a year for Barneys and with any $200+ order in beauty or grooming (cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, men’s or women’s) you get a complimentary gift bag filled with selected Barneys favorites. There are two gift bag options, one for men and one for women – the sampling selection is top notch. I always find great minis to try out and some favorites I like to keep for when I travel. Today I’ve teamed up with Barneys to share the women’s gift along with a selection of some luxury favorites in case you’re in need of recommendations or ideas. The event happens in store and also online – over the past several years I’ve ordered through both methods which have worked equally well. I do recommend you put together your lists and order sooner than later as the gifts usually do run out every year.

Here’s a list of the contents of the women’s gift which comes in a zip cosmetic case. Contents per bag may have a few variations for scent options or colors (as indicated below):

  • Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara 2 ml
  • 3LAB M Cream Ultimate Lift 6 ml
  • Chantecaille Mini Brilliant Gloss 1.5 ml (assorted colors, Lucky shown above)
  • Costume National Parfum in Soul 1.5 ml
  • Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye 3 ml
  • Malin + Goetz Geranium Face Cleanser 15 ml
  • Moroccanoil Fragrance Originale Body Souffle 20 ml
  • Oribe Supershine Moisture Cream 15 ml
  • R & Co Death Valley Dry Shampoo 75 ml/1.6 oz
  • REN Keep Young and Beautiful Beauty Shot 3 ml
  • Ritual Wai Wang Body Scrub 70 ml
  • Bellatora Cellular Renewal Cream 12 ml
  • Tatcha Deep Brightening Serum 10 ml
  • Givenchy Phenomen Eye or Mini Le Rouge 1.5 g
  • La Mer New Lifting Eye Serum 3 ml
  • NARS Audacious Mascara mini 3 ml
  • Byredo Mojave Ghost mini 2 ml
  • Maison Martin Margiela mini spray 1.2 ml (assorted options Sunday Morning or Beach Walk)
  • Rene Furterer Hair Care (assorted options)
  • Raw Spirit mini 1 ml (assorted Desert Blush or Summer Rain)
  • Verso Reviving Eye Mask packet

The men’s grooming bag (not shown) contains:

  • Ulrich Lang NY Fragrance – Lightscape and Nightscape mix 50 ml
  • Byredo Sunday Cologne 1 ml
  • Rituals for Men Magic Shave cream 70 ml
  • Kieh’s Facial Fuel Heavy Lift Moist 7ml DLX
  • La Mer Eye Concentrate
  • Chantecaille Magnolia healing emulsion 8ml
  • Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Face cleanser
  • Aesop Mouthwash
  • Harry’s 4oz Aftershave Moisturizer
  • 3LAB M Cream 6 ml
  • Tatcha Deep Brightening serum
  • Raw Spirit Assorted: Winter Oak or Citadelle
  • Verso Reviving Eye Mask
  • Illuminum Assorted: Tahitian Yuzu Vaporizor, Vetiver OUD, Bergamot Blossom Vaporizor, Phool, Rajamusk Vaporizor, or Hindi OUD, 1.5 ml each
  • Tizian Terenzi Assorted: White Fire or Ecstasy
  • Sisley Botanical D-Tox 2ml
  • Bellatorra Cellular Renewal Cream 12 ml
  • Marital Vivot Shampoo
I’ve rounded up ten luxury items in cosmetics and fragrance featuring some brands almost never go on sale. These kinds of events are the best time to splurge on things like Diptyque, Byredo or even on luxury skincare.

Some of my favorites and a few new recent discoveries featured above:
  1. Frederic Malle Carnal Flower ($74 to $380) is one of my most favorite perfumes of all time. There are several different sizes that you can purchase. The travel sprays come individually for most fragrances or in a set of 3. The set or full size bottles are a better buy price per oz wise but if you just want to try one and see how it wears, I think buying the individual ones are the best way to go. It’s the best tuberose I’ve tried.
  2. Le Labo Travel Trios in Santal 33 ($145 for ml) is my latest perfume splurge. I ordered mine last week because I could not wait for the event. Again I decided to go the travel size route (I’m splitting this one with a friend for her to try one). So far I’m obsessed. It has a mix of sandalwood, virginia cedar, cardamom, violet, papyrus, spices, leather, musk and amber.
  3. Byredo La Selection Perfume Set ($145) this is a discovery set that has an assortment of 6 Byredo scents including Bal D’Afrique, Blanche, La Tulip, Black Saffron, Gypsy Water, Oud Immortel, I’ve had mine since the holiday and love it as a way to explore a number of fragrances without having to splurge on the full size bottle (my favorites are Bal D’Afrique and Black Saffron).
  4. The Laundress Detergent x Le Labo Signature Detergent in Rose ($45, also in Santal) is something I discovered through one of my readers via Instagram, I’ve since purchased and tried both, I prefer the Rose because I think the scent is stronger and more noticeable. It’s a soft sweet rose that I’m obsessed with for washing bed sheets. It’s noticeable but still soft enough that it won’t keep you awake at night.
  5. Diptyque Baies Mini Candle ($32) is a classic, if you’re unsure about buying the full size the travel mini is a good way to ease into the brand.
  6. Byredo Hand Cream in Gypsy Water ($35, also available in Flowerhead, Blanche, La Tulipe and Bal D’Afrique) is as luxurious as hand creams get.
  7. NARS Lip Gloss in Chelsea Girls ($26) is one of my most reached-for peachy nudes these days. I’ll repost a swatch of it below for reference.
  8. Lipstick Queen Seven Deadly Sins in Indolence ($24) is a pretty sheer to medium classic rose pink gloss. It has no detectable scent and has a nice natural healthy color to it.
  9. Surratt Beauty Prismatique Lips in Lili Doree ($36) gives the lips the prettiest wash of shimmer, it’s a peachy shade that makes for a very youthful luminous glow.
  10. Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powders ($38 each) are some of the prettiest powder highlighters I’ve tried. I think all four shades are winners but I’ve been reaching for Brilliant the most. 
  11. By Terry Baume de Rose in Coral Stellar and Mauve Moon (not shown above) are two of the latest tinted lip balm launches from By Terry. The colors are to die for gorgeous and if you were looking to shop these but didn’t want to splurge, the Barneys gift event might be a good time to buy because you get goodies for splurging.

By Terry Mauve Moon and Coral Stellar swatches reposted:

You can find the Love Yourself gift with purchase online and in stores at Barneys New York now through March 12 while supplies last. I recommend ordering soon if you have your eye on anything. The gift bag should be added to your cart automatically as soon as the contents total $200 in beauty (men’s or women’s). Are you ordering anything yet for this event? If you do – please let me know! Would love to hear about what you hauled!

This post was created in partnership with Barneys New York. More information in my disclosures but as always all opinions my own.
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Barneys New York By Terry

By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur New Shades in Coral Stellar 7 and Mauve Moon 8

March 2, 2016

I made a quick stop to Barneys a couple weekends ago and picked up up the two new By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleurs in Coral Stellar 7 and Mauve Moon 8 ($56 each for 7g/0.24 oz). I intended to take a quick peek, but it was love at first swatch for both shades and I could not resist the smooth lush texture and pretty colors that made me go “ooooohhh.” According to my rep at the counter, Mauve Moon is a limited-edition shade, but she wasn’t sure about Coral Stellar. She suggested I wait for the Love Yourself Beauty Gift Event coming up just around the corner (starts March 8, details soon), but I decided to go for it and am beyond thrilled with both. Each shade comes with a steep price tag, but the formula does not disappoint. I’ve reviewed and featured a number of other colors before which I will link at the bottom of this post. These are very expensive for a tinted lip balm. Anything over the $40 mark for lip products in general is pretty hard for me to justify, but there are a few brands where I’m willing to splurge and By Terry is one of them. The formula, colors and texture make it worth the splurge to me.

Coral Stellar is a stunning soft iridescent peach and Mauve Moon is a unique lilac color that flashes violet, pink and blue. By Terry now has eight shades of her tinted lip treatment, these are the first ones that have any shimmer in them. The shimmer is luminous and glowy and not frosted.

The texture is smooth and creamy with a lush thick finish. They glide on the lips and have the signature By Terry rose scent. The formula does have some added skincare elements designed to nourish, smooth and help regenerate the lip. It’s also described as having Shea Butter, Essential Rose Wax, Vitamin E, Filling Spheres. I’ve used a number of lip balms and treatments (most recent lipbalm roundup here). The By Terry is one of the most lush formulas I’ve tried. For tinted balms, hers are among the best. A closer look at both shades with swatches at different angles to show the luminous glow these have:

Coral Stellar is a lush peachy shimmer. It has a deeper brighter orange base which makes it look bright, but it has a pretty soft shimmer to it which lightens the color and gives the lips the most luscious soft peachy glow. It is on the sheer side but it’s not so sheer that it’s invisible on my pigmented lips. If you love the color and aren’t focused so much on the treatment aspect, I’ve swatched a few gloss colors that I think have a similar effect.

Mauve Moon is a stunning violet lilac shimmer. It’s a color I’ve always been obsessed with for lips. If you used Trish McEvoy in the 90’s or early 2000’s you might remember she had a gloss called Lilac. It was a straight up soft purple in the tube but on the lips it was the prettiest soft cool pink ever. This reminds me of the color.

Not sure if you can tell the difference between the two swatches on your screen, but the first one is swatched sheered out a bit. It has a soft pinky lilac glow.

Here it is a little heavier where the blue undertones are more visible.

Some swatch comparisons below to some similar colors:

Featured above from left to right:
  • MAC Cremesheen Glass in Imperial Light
  • Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer in Uproar (swatched here)
    MAC Lustreglass in Love Nectar
  • Marc Jacobs Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer in Pink Steam (swatched here)
  • MAC Lipglass in Cultured
  • Buxom Full-On Lip Creme in Purple Haze (lip swatches here)

One last look (on the nails RMS Luminizer):

Both are stunning colors and I’m smitten with both shades. The pots have a pretty decent amount of product which will make these last a long time. I think they are both worth checking out although the high price tags will put these into the luxurious treat category versus a must-have. There are a couple events you might want to look into if you have these on your list. Barneys New York Love Yourself Event happens 3/8 to 3/12 (details soon). Space NK Discover promotion starts tomorrow on 3/3 thru 3/9 where you can save $20 off orders $100+ online with code EXPLORE16 at checkout.

Other By Terry Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur swatches linked below:
Rosy Babe and Mandarina Pulp here and here
Cherry Bomb here and here
Bloom Berry, Fig Fiction and Toffee Cream here
You can find both Coral Stellar and Mauve Moon at Barneys New York, Beautylish and Space NK.
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