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Loving Right Now

May 12, 2012

Right now I’m loving all sorts of new cream shadows and bases from Bobbi Brown, Edward Bess and Giorgio Armani (reviews to come soon).

Currently loving these reads:

  • Paris in Four Months – new blog discovery (thanks to the interview featured on Feather Factor)
  • The Non-Blonde – Tom Ford Love Lust Cheek Color (his blushes truly are amazing, they’re at the top of my favorites list from his beauty line)
  • The Ultimate Makeup – Trend Spring Report from the Neiman Marcus
  • Cafe Makeup – Shu Uemura Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil (I think I need this now)
  • Joey’space – Features three Burberry Beauty look breakdowns
  • Best Things in Beauty – Giorgio Armani’s Summer Highlighter Duo looks so glowy
  • The Honeybee – MAC Spice Lipstick looks gorgeous on Andee Layne
  • Extra Petite – Love her florals and fuschia combination
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Burberry Iconic Nudes Summer 2012: Sheer Summer Glow & New Lip Mists

May 8, 2012

This summer Burberry Beauty has released a small collection featuring a new highlighter quad Sheer Summer Glow ($50) and four new shades of their sheer lipstick in the lip mist formula, 210 Pink Heather, 211 Nude Honey, 212 Nude Peach, and 213 Field Rose ($30 each). The theme for the entire look is subtle nudes. Everything is extremely natural.

Based on preview promotional photos, I envisioned the Sheer Summer Glow to be subtle and natural, but I didn’t expect it to be that natural. The quad is designed for the face as a highlight or contour. There are two shades of tan, a soft mink pink and a warm pearly ivory color – all shades have a luminous sheen. Some have discussed using this as an eyeshadow as well. I personally think it is too sheer to pull off on the eyes for my coloring, although it does create a soft wash of color (high emphasis on soft). Note that the wash is extremely subtle and sheer. On the face, to have this show up better on my skin, I applied over a cream bronzer like Chanel’s Tan Soleil (their cream bronzer in the round tub which I’m not sure if it’s still available) or NARS St Barts Multiple. The finish is a luminous sheen without the frost.

Lip Mists are a sheer creamy gelled type of lipstick formula. They are the sheerer option in the Burberry line. This season has four shades, don’t let the swatches below fool you. They are indeed sheer but apply with much more coverage on the lip with excellent lasting power. The impact on the lips surprised me with Pink Heather and Nude Peach. I have not yet tried Nude Honey but it looks extremely nude.
  • 210 Pink Heather is a soft cool pink
  • 211 Nude Honey is a sheer flesh beige
  • 212 Nude Peach is a nude light peach
  • 213 Field Rose is a soft rose pink (warmer than Pink Heather)

As many others have noted the entire Burberry Beauty line has been extremely well designed in all aspects from packaging, to quality, product finish and color selection. I’m currently obsessed with Pink Heather Lip Mist – it’s the perfect natural cool pink. The highlighter I could have passed on mainly because I like a more defined contour rather than something so subtle. Swatches of the entire collection (note I swirled and swiped the highlighter palette with a heavy hand, be sure to check other blogs for individual swatches and different application methods):

See other reviews and swatches on other skin tones:

Swatched comparisons below, two views of each set in different lighting.

You will notice with the lip shades that most swatched comparisons have more pigment because they are the Lip Cover Formula (Burberry’s regular lipstick). Yes, there are very similar colors in the existing lineup, there are subtle differences between each shade in the undertone or base color. Do note that the colors will apply differently on your lip based on your skintone and natural lip color. For more detailed descriptions on the differences, I highly recommend you call your local Burberry counter for extra assistance. In my experience they’ve been extremely helpful in describing the differences between all the nudes, pinks and roses in the line.



I found the entire line at Nordstrom. It’s currently available online at Nordstrom.com as well.
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Le Métier de Beauté Haute House Hues (Neimans Exclusive)

May 5, 2012

Thanks to Best Things in Beauty for keeping us up-to-date on the latest releases from Le Métier de Beauté. Among all the store exclusives, my favorite collection includes the latest design by Ken Downing: the Haute House Hues Collection which includes a Lip Crème Lip Gloss Duo ($65) in Mum’s the Word and Two Lips and the new Snappy Dragon Nail Lacquer ($18).

The Lip Crème Lip Glosses are perfect for spring. Mum’s the Word is a bright pink with cool undertones. When I saw it featured on twitter I was a bit scared. My counter did not have testers of the items when they arrived but I am glad I purchased. The Lip Crèmes are a highly pigmented liquid creme gloss. They aren’t high shine but aren’t fully matte or satiny either. More of a hybrid lipstick/gloss. Mum’s the Word can be applied heavily or sheer for a soft tint. I was surprised at how wearable it is. If it’s too bright for you, you can always mix it with other glosses to sheer out the color.

Two Lips is a slightly shimmery nude pale peach. The texture applies a bit dry and emphasizes the lines in the lips, but let it sit for a minute and it warms up nicely to apply more evenly. The pigment is quite opaque and covers the entire lip. It gives me a nude-peach lip look which I think will go nicely with a smokey eye.

Here are comparisons to a few other shades:


Snappy Dragon Nail Polish is a shocking bright pink. It’s VERY bright, almost fuschia. There is a neon quality to this shade so it was a bit difficult to photograph. The finish is a satiny semi-matte. Two coats and you get full rich coverage. I’m still partial to the high-gloss finish nail polishes, but this one you can easily just add a clear top coat to achieve the shine.

Compared to the ShoKen Pink from spring/resort, Snappy Dragon is more fuschia/rose with blue tones. ShoKen Pink almost looks orange next to it because it has so much neon in it.

 
Overall perfect for spring to summer.  The colors are fresh and naturally flattering. The lip cremes go perfectly with a simple bronzer or the latest Blush Kaleidoscope kit. To date I believe the collection is limited edition and exclusive to Neiman Marcus.
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Le Métier de Beauté Blush Kaleidoscope

May 3, 2012

Those who missed out on Le Métier de Beauté’s Blush Kaleidoscope ($95) last year will be thrilled to learn that the kit has been released to all Le Métier counters and is now a permanent item in their line (yes, it’s the same one as the first issue from Troy, Michigan). I was one of those who waited and missed, but as soon as I heard it was arriving to all stores, I immediately put myself on the waiting list. Thank you Le Métier de Beauté for reissuing this!

Le Métier de Beauté describes this as a wardrobe for the cheeks and I couldn’t describe it better. Their blush theory is similar to what I’ve experienced with many other lines, according to Le Métier de Beauté’s Director of Color Mikey Castillo:

“When we blush it’s not one shade; it’s a prismatic multitude of color. To express how you feel or the feeling you want to evoke, you need to layer color for that perfect flush. In order to create dimension, there must be at least two pigments that are contrasting in tone or texture. For instance, matte with sheen, satin with matte, pink with coral, or mauve with bronze. Layering multiple shades eliminates flatness while bring vitality to the skin- this is true of color whether it is on the eyes, lips, or cheeks.”

While the concept of layering blushes isn’t new, I think the combination of these particular blush shades in one kit is fresh and unique. I love that this kit offers so many options allowing you to be the artist and create your own custom blend of color to suit a diverse range of looks. The shades from top to bottom include a matte peach with a satiny finish, a matte rose pink with a hint of brown, a shimmering golden honey, a frosted pale cool pink. They are naturally flattering but not boring neutrals. The texture of the blushes are a finely milled powder that allows you to control the intensity of pigment depending on how much you layer or how dense a blush brush you use.

Here are more close ups of the blushes swatched on my skin, also compared to two other blushes from Le Métier de Beauté, Fresh and Whisper. Those afraid of shimmer need not fear this one. I found the frosted shades applied more heavily on my arm and that the flash emphasized the shimmer. On the skin they blend nicely and softly without being too shimmery.

I believe this kit is a must-have for all Le Métier de Beauté lovers. The colors are different enough from the current line of singles to justify owning. I asked Le Métier de Beauté if they planned on offering the shades individually but at this time it appears they do not. I think the kit is more than worth it. Those who are new to the line will find this Blush Kaleidoscope Kit a beautiful introduction to the brand. It’s perfectly fresh for spring and summer. Suitable for everyday and great for night as well. As someone who always layers 2-3 colors on the cheeks (sometimes bronzer as the first layer, plus blush and then a soft swipe of highlighter), I love love love this kit. It’s pure genius.
When this arrived at my local Neimans it sold out as soon as it arrived due to the wait list. Don’t fret – while your counter might be sold out of the first shipment, I’ve been told that they expect to receive more soon. It should be arriving at other Le Métier de Beauté counters this month as well. I am hoping to snag one more for Mother’s Day.
I’m sure everyone has seen the lovely swatches on other blogs, but if you haven’t be sure to check out the swatches on Café Makeup (ingredients are listed here too!), Best Things in Beauty and Beauty Info Zone to name a few. Also check out the Le Métier de Beauté Facebook page for updates and news.
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Latest from Le Métier de Beauté: Blush Kaleidoscope & Haute House Hues Collection by Ken Downing

May 2, 2012

A quick look at the latest from Le Métier de Beauté: re-release of their limited Blush Kaleidoscope (swoon!) and Limited-Edition Haute House Hues Lip Crème Lip Gloss Duo in Mum’s the Word and Two Lips and the new Snappy Dragon Nail Lacquer. More detailed thoughts, photos and swatches to come this evening, but I can tell you – call your Neimans counter ASAP if you’re interested. The Blush Kit arrived in very limited supply.

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Soleil Tan de Chanel: 2011 Bronzes vs. 2012 Sables

April 29, 2012


Top: Bronze Rose (summer 2011) and Sable Rose (summer 2012)
Bottom: Bronze Corail (summer 2011) and Sable Beige (summer 2012)

Here is a comparison post of the stripe bronzers from Chanel. Overall thoughts on each release:

Summer 2011: Bronze Corail 537 and Bronze Rose 547 (reviewed here and here)

  • Retailed for $50 each
  • Four stripes of varying color
  • Overall darker and more brown-based
  • Product size 14 g/0.49 oz

Summer 2012: Sable Beige 907 and Sable Rose 917

  • Retails for $60 each
  • Seven stripes of varying color, each shade embossed with a stripe imprint
  • Overall softer glow and more sandy-beige undertones
  • Product size 15 g/0.53 oz
Bronze Corail vs. Sable Beige

Bronze Rose vs. Sable Rose 

Swatched, two views/applications (labels corrected): 

 
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Chanel Sable Beige and Sable Rose Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzers for Summer 2012

April 29, 2012
This summer Chanel has continued in the striped-bronzer theme and released two new variations of their Soleil Tan de Chanel bronzers in a luminous powder compact. The two colors this year are Sable Beige 907 and Sable Rose 917 ($60 for 15g/0.53 oz, both limited edition). Both shades contain 7 stripes of color each although to my eye, it appears that there are some repeats of colors within each pattern. The finish of both of these are subtle with a finely milled shimmer. It makes the skin glow without having too much shimmer. I recommend testing on the face in person since swatching on the hand or arm will not give you the same effect as on the face. I had similar thoughts/experiences to Product Doctor. The finish of these are softer than previous years. I also did not find these to be the typical bronzer, but rather a more luminous glow blush/highlighter – minus the frost or shimmer. This year’s releases are more glowy and sandy/beige than last year’s which I found more brown/bronzey.
Sable Beige 907 is a soft light beige bronze shimmer. I found this to be a lovely subtle warm contour. It can be used as a blush alone for lighter skins or over other colors of blush as well. I don’t recommend applying over a bare face. The texture needs some kind of base (foundation or tinted moisturizer) to show up. Sable Beige is the lighter of the two.

Sable Rose 917 is the darker bronzer. It has more bronze and pink stripes which make this more of a soft luminous rose-brown blush on my skin. On me the brown/beige dominate over the pink and shows up as more of a soft tawny bronze with a slight hint of pink. It’s lovely alone as a blush and has enough color to wear by itself.

More shots of both Sable Beige and Sable Rose shown side by side.

 

Swatched: 

 

Overall thumbs up. When I called my Nordstrom Chanel associate, she thought I did not need either of these if I had both of last year’s bronzers. I still bought both. After playing with both I think she is correct, however if you found last year’s muddy on your skin, give these new ones a try. I can’t emphasize enough that what you see on the arm/hand will not translate to what you will see on the face. I’m about a 1/2 shade lighter (Chanel B30) than I was last year so I think both show up well on my skin. If you have doubts about which shade would look best on you, I recommend calling your Chanel counter to have a specialist help. 

Are these must-haves? At $60 each and given my current bronzer collection, I could have probably just bought 1 although I can’t pick my favorite. I’ve been wearing Sable Rose regularly since I purchased it. It’s an easy no-fuss go-with-everything kind of color that works with all types of lip colors. I haven’t found one yet that didn’t work well with it.

Many have asked how these compare to last year’s. A more detailed comparison post to come soon.