Kicking off the holiday season with my first gift guide with ideas $25 and under! I’ve put together some ideas whether you’re looking for a stocking stuffer, co-worker gift or a gift exchange.
Sharing a look at the summer launch from Chantecaille with their Cosmos Collection today! The summer items are repromoted colors in limited-edition packaging. If you’ve been a long-time Chantecaille lover you may want to shop your stash to recreate their summer look. I own two of the items from previous launches and there are slight differences but they are pretty much the same (more below).
Real Bronze and Real Glow
There are two cheek products in this launch. The Real Bronze Bronzer ($84) in Sirena is a gel to powder formula with a super soft texture. It almost feels like it melts into the skin in a really beautiful way. The color in this new launch has a more golden brown undertone compared to the original (in the red packaging). The differences are so subtle though I cannot tell the difference on the face but the original one does pull more neutral/cool. Their bronzers have a subtle glow/sheen that is super flattering on the skin.
The Real Glow Highlighter ($84) in Stella is a soft pearly champagne. It has some slight peachy undertones with a pearlescent golden shimmer. I’ve read that it’s also a repromoted from a previous launch but I don’t have it to compare. This one is smooth, ultra fine in texture, doesn’t emphasize pores and has pretty impressive pigment. You can sheer it out for a more subtle glow and it doesn’t give frosty metallic vibes at all.
Lip Chic
The Chantecaille Lip Chic ($52) formula is well loved by many of you and I 100% agree it’s top notch! The two shades are repromotes as well. Freesia is a soft pink with mauve tones although it pulls warmer and almost rosy beige compared to the previous one (more mauve/cool/muted). Ceylon is a plum orchid shade. This is a new to me color so I can’t compare it to the existing lineup.
Both colors glide onto the lips with absolute perfection. I love the glossy finish, medium buildable pigment and the colors are flattering for year round. They have a soft vanilla scent to them. Formula is hydrating and feels very comfortable on the lips.
Overall thoughts are a bit mixed. The products are beautiful and perform well. I think they’re easy to wear for an effortless polished look. If you splurge I don’t think you’ll be disappointed – I splurged on Sirena in the previous red compact format and while my wallet was not happy, I really enjoy using that bronzer still. The colors are so wearable and naturally flattering I think they are shades you’ll reach for frequently.
I will 100% use these (especially the Sirena bronzer and Freesia lipstick) because I think the shades are beautiful, quality is excellent and the colors are easy to use for a polished look. That being said I’m not sure I would call any of these must-haves given the extremely high price points and the fact that they’re repromotes. I usually love Chantecaille’s aesthetic for something fresh, new and polished. I would have really loved to see new colors alongside their best sellers instead of just repromotes.
Shop the Post
You can find the collection out now at Chantecaille. Have you checked out the new collection yet? Do you already own the other colors?
Happy Friday everyone! I hope you had a great week. Some of you may have noticed I switched up the design of the blog and my site went through some updates. A few of you have been kind enough to message me and let me know you aren’t able to access new content from the home page, I hope everything is fixed now! Kindly shoot me an email if you can’t see the Glossier Black Tie Set review or the Holiday Beauty Gifts and Stocking Stuffers Under $50 guide. Or if you’ve posted comments but don’t see them show up also let me know via [email protected].
On my desktop I have the new Coveteur Book and Capture Your Style – both which I’ve been able to peek at here and there over the past few busy days. I can’t wait to dive in as I’m such a huge fan of both blogs.
Five things I’m loving right now include:
#Glossierpink Nail Polish (on the nails, only available in the Black Tie Set) it’s baby pink perfection and flawless with 2 coats and lasted an impressive amount of time without tip wear or any chipping
Dior Addict-Ultra Gloss in Nude 363 (shown above) because it’s the prettiest lush cream pink
I wanted to thank everyone for entering my giveaway a few weeks ago – I’ve enjoyed reading all of your questions you have and will pick a few and answer them in a fun get-to-know-me post after Thanksgiving. A quick note on upcoming posts:
I did a teaser on Instagram of the new Tom Ford Lips and Boys – there are 25 new shades and 25 repromoted colors that will launch at Sephora.com on November 24th and the rest of the stores will receive them on Black Friday, I’m busy doing lip swatches right now and will have the post up soon in case you’re ordering online, this year there are mattes!
Many of you wanted swatches of the MAC Extra Dimension Finishes and Strobe Creams from the In the Spotlight Collection. Post scheduled to go live tomorrow (Saturday!)
More holiday gift guides to be posted in the next week!
I have an exclusive coming up on Wednesday the 23rd that I’m dying to share with you but can’t yet. It’s something that Beauty Look Book readers are going to get early access to and I’m really really excited!
And yes the Louis Vuittons Perfume post is going to happen, I just don’t know when I’ll be able to fit it in, but I’ll review all the scents as I bought the mini sampler set
I hope you all enjoy your Friday and have a wonderful weekend! If you have anything you are loving right now I’d love to hear about them. Hopefully the comment function will resume working soon! xoxo
Surratt Beauty is one of those harder to find beauty brands that I’ve played with here and there over the past few years. It’s a makeup line designed by artist Troy Surratt and I discovered it a while back when it was exclusive to Barneys New York and am thrilled that products have expanded to Sephora and Space NK. I’ve liked most of the products I’ve tried from his line, in particular some of his lip products like his Prismatique Lips, Lipsliques and Lip Lustres. Today I have a review of his Artistique Blush ($32 each for 0.14 oz/4g, made in Japan). I bought several last year but never got around to reviewing them. There have been some new additions that I ordered online sight unseen and they arrived last week just in time for me to test them out to review for the Sephora VIB Rouge Sale.
I have 10 shades to review today and most of them are very light in color. I ordered the newer shades sight unseen and did not know what to expect color-wise but they are excellent in color, pigment and texture. First a few notes on the blushes themselves. They are made with a unique Japanese technique called “slurry” which makes them super lightweight and fine in texture, almost making them feel like a soft silk pillow. They come in individual pans and there are separate compacts you can purchase to put the blush inside. At $32 each they are extremely pricey – to fill a larger compact with 3 blushes costs $118 ($32 x 3 + $22 for 1 compact). The ones I ordered last year were 6 g each and the ones I ordered last week indicate the product amount has been reduced to 4 g. Update – I just received an email from the Surratt Team informing me that the weight of the blushes has always been 4 g and was not reduced, the original ones were labeled incorrectly due to a typo.
The products are not magnetic – they have an adhesive sticker which I’ve kept on to make the pans easier to interchange in compacts. Given the price points I do think it would be nice to have magnetic pans.
Overall they have a very soft natural looking finish and feel. They are among the most natural looking finish blushes I’ve tried. They meld unlike anything else on the skin. There are a number of great blushes on the beauty market. The ones from Surratt Beauty are unique in their finely milled texture. Even the shimmers look incredibly natural on the face. I do believe there are some more pigmented options but the ones I have are so natural they are impossible to overdo.
Colors I have include matte, satin and shimmers:
Top Row, left to right:
Coup de Genie is a perfect peachy champagne highlight, it has the prettiest shimmer and warmth to it which is just perfect
Cherubique is a warm pink rose shimmer
La Rosee du Soir is a satiny nude pink with a matte finish
Angelique is a shimmering beige peach champagne
Chaleur is a tan peach matte
Bottom Row, left to right:
Grisalle is a light taupe grey nude matte
Duchesse is a super pale light peach matte
Aureole is a white gold shimmer
Parfait is a peachy cantaloupe matte
Guimauve is a sheer cool baby pink matte
Per the Surratt Beauty team, the ones I bought last year with the 6 g labels were labeled incorrectly and the weight has always been 4 g. Hope this clarifies any confusion if you have older ones labeled differently from the current ones.
A few more close ups shot at angles to show the texture and shimmer:
The artists I’ve spoken to at the Barneys counters have said the line is inspired by Japanese beauty which is usually very natural. The one word that comes to mind with these is just that, “natural.” The textures are so soft and they don’t really feel like powder. For me the color payoff is better on the face than the arms. Any blush brush will work – I’ve used ones from MAC, Chanel, Marc Jacobs and they all work perfectly.
The mattes are the sheerest on my skin. Grisalle is a super soft contour but on the sheer side. It shows up in a noticeable but natural way and it is what I wanted the Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powders to be. Out of the finishes I prefer the shimmers – the pigment is just incredible on the skin and super fine shimmer is very very natural looking.
The quality and finish is excellent but the prices are extremely high for the amount of product you get. That combined with the expensive price point of the compact to house them all is the only thing that has prevented me from buying more and the only reason I bought the ones I did was because of the Sephora sale (from last year and also I was lucky to get an early access last week).
For the ones I picked I think they would only show up on light to medium skin. I do think the shimmers perform better for pigment so if you’re medium tan many of them will probably still show up on you. There are quite a few deeper shades now – I haven’t been able to check them out yet though.
Bottom line excellent quality and beautiful textures but extremely expensive. I’ve found colors that work for me and as I’m getting a bit lighter I can wear most of them now.
If you’re a Sephora VIB Rouge, use code 20ROUGE at checkout for 20% off your orders through 11/7. Sephora VIBs will have access 11/11 to 11/14 with code 20VIB at checkout.
Have you tried Surratt Beauty before? What did you think?
Fall always seems to be a very popular season for new lip launches and Armani’s latest is the Lip Magnet ($38 each for 3.9 ml/.13 fl oz). These are long-lasting liquid lip products that have a matte finish but a slight lip gloss feel. There are eighteen colors total and I received a lovely box of six to play with. They are super pigmented, unscented, extremely long lasting and bold in color.
Based on what I’ve seen I do think most of the shades are bold or deep, even the natural ones tend to pull a bit darker than nude or natural. The texture is very lightweight for a matte opaque finish lip product and they are not drying. Armani describes these having a “second-skin” effect with a formula that has a “gradual evaporation phenomenon” and a finish that is “four times thinner than a liquid lip color.” Lasting power is indeed excellent – they stay put and look fresh for hours after application. For someone who snacks throughout the day frequently and goes through coffee, tea and water a lot, I’m always having to reapply lip colors. These last through all kinds of eating. There’s no budging, or migrating from the lips. Some of the color will transfer to a cup or straw but for the most part the color stays true to the initial application for a long time.
Many liquid lipsticks dry out my lips. These do not. One of the best things about the Armani Lip Magnets is the packaging. They come in short little tubes which are just so so cute. The applicator is unique compared to anything I’ve seen – they are almost like a calligraphy pen where there’s a well in the center to gather the liquid product. The ends are sponge tipped to a point for precise and smooth application.
The colors I have to review are primarily bold and deep shades:
If you like bold lip colors I think you’ll find a lot to love with the Armani Lip Magnets. As a nude lip lover 506 is the lightest and most natural color I received to try out. These are currently exclusive online to Giorgio Armani Beauty and also available at Sephora but are expected to launch at all other counters in the next couple weeks so I have not been able to see if there are any other light/natural shades to pick from. 506 pulls more rose and deep on my lips compared to what I see in the tube which makes for a good fall neutral. By comparison to a few other matte-finish, liquid lipsticks or velvet-finish lip products:
Chanel Rouge Allure Ink is sheerer and lightweight in texture, most of the colors pull extremely bright with the exception of Amoureux (swatched here), the Armani Lip Magnets are bold but not garish and have a more classic glamourous feel which I think are easier to wear
YSL Vinyl Cream Lip Stain (three swatched here) are for the most part bright and bold like the Armani Lip Magnets but the YSL has more of a cream almost gel-like finish with a sheen, Armani has a more matte finish and more coverage
My favorite of course is 506, but I also like the look of 300. The formula and packaging are both on point. As a nude lip lover I am hoping there might be one or two more neutrals to choose from. All eighteen shades are available now online at Giorgio Armani Beauty, Sephora and for pre-order at Barneys New York. I expect they will launch at Armani counters and in other stores by early November which is just around the corner. $38 each.
Have you seen or tried these yet? If yes, which colors?
Armani Lip Magnets provided courtesy of Giorgio Armani Beauty for review.
TGIF everyone! I have a roundup of some items on my radar – some are new, others are just simply new to me. Several of you have kept asking for a foundation roundup – I hope to have it go up next week as I just finished testing a few more formulas. I ordered a few shades of MAC foundation even though my skin can’t handle it to swatch for you as a reference point so stay tuned!
Laura Mercier launched new additions to her Candleglow Collection with the Candleglow Concealer and Highlighter (1) and Candleglow Sheer Perfecting Powder (2). Both look promising and I will be testing them out next week. I have yet to see the colors in person but I am hoping I will have a good match. Will keep you posted!
Le Metier de Beaute just launched a new Breast Cancer Kaleidoscope 2016 Edition (3) for the eyes. I have high hopes for this one as well as I just ordered sight unseen. I will review it as soon as I receive it.
It’s been a while since I’ve shopped at Coach for myself but I stopped by the store to pick up a little anniversary present for my husband (this wallet). We decided on no presents this year but I still wanted to pick him up something small and practical. The Coach 1941 Collection Clutches (4) immediately caught my eye with the simple classic sleek look and soft leather. I’m the biggest sucker for flat pouches and these are calling my name. I haven’t bought one yet as some of the crossbody bags look like a great no-fuss option for weekends. If you’re a Coach fan let me know if you’ve had experiences with either!
Shopbop is having a mega sale that ends tonight (October 14th, 11:59 PM PST). Use code MAINEVENT16 at checkout for 25% off orders up to $500 and 30% off orders over $500. I need a pair of leather camel ankle boots and the ones from Madewell (8) look perfect. I’m still trying to pick out a pair. If you have any favorite camel/tan colored ankle booties or styles to recommend let me know.
A couple weeks ago I went to a Shu Uemura Art of Hair Event where they showed us a few new launches. The Urban Moisture Collection is new and designed specifically for dry hair. I was able to test in the salon and it wasn’t heavy at all. My favorite item is the Urban Moisture Hydro Nourishing Double Serum (9) which is a bi-phase spray. It helps add moisture to ends and prepare for heat styling. The stylist also used it in conjunction with the Wonder Worker and Ample Angora (both of which I love). My hair was surprisingly volumized, hydrated and soft all at the same time. There were no tangles and when it was being styled no tugging happened when the stylist worked the round brush through my hair (which rarely happens in salons for me).
In my last hair care styling roundup a number of you recommended the Oribe Signature Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray (10) so even though I have blow out products to last me months I bought it to try it. It is indeed amazing. Also new from Oribe is the Cote d’Azure Replenishing Body Wash (not shown) which is one of the most comforting and hydrating body washes I have ever tried. I still need to do more testing but it’s really really good. I’m really not happy about the price though.
By Terry has some gorgeous items for holiday that has my wallet crying a flood of tears. The Impearlious Baume De Rose Deluxe (11) comes with roses!
I’ve recently started incorporating the Colgate Optic White line into my daily teeth care routine in particular the Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Whitening Pen. They reached out and asked me to try it and today I have some thoughts on my experience to share with you. When it comes to teeth whitening I’ve tried a number of strips and various toothpaste brands but haven’t been crazy about any as I have very sensitive teeth.
The Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Whitening Pen is a two-in-one product. The box states you can get “5 shades white teeth” by using this pen for three weeks, and the pen starts to work in one day. It comes with an easy to use twist-up whitening pen that dispenses a white gel. Simply brush with your regular toothpaste, remove cap from the pen (first use only), apply the gel and store the pen inside the toothbrush. The gel has a very soft and gentle mint scent. I found the gel adheres well to the teeth. No extra rinsing or washing required. Just apply and go.
I’ve been using this for four weeks now morning and night. I drink coffee and tea frequently so my teeth were not in the best state to start.
The toothbrush comes with a soft bristle which works well on my sensitive teeth and gums. I really like that it’s truly easy to use, takes little to no time at all to apply the gel and has an easy storage solution so I don’t misplace the pen from the toothbrush. It’s gentle and effective. The box instructs you to replace the Toothbrush + Whitening Pen every 3 months so I suspect it will last a while before I will need to replace. The pen recommends 2 clicks for the top teeth and 2 clicks for the bottom and so far I find that is a good amount for me.
This week I’ve just started incorporating the Colgate Optic White High Impact White Mouthwash as well into my routine and it helps freshen the mouth without any stinging. It’s supposed to help remove surface stains as well and prevent future ones. I wanted to see how the pen performed alone with my regular toothpaste first and so far I’m impressed and it’s something I will continue to use. You simply use the pen after the mouthwash.
You can find the Colgate Optic White Toothbrush + Whitening Pen online and in stores now at Target. I stopped by the store to pick up another one for my husband to try. Have you tried the Colgate Optic White line before? What did you think? If not, what teeth whitening products have you found work for you?
This post was sponsored by Colgate. As always all opinions my own.
