Here’s a beauty roundup of new launches I have on my radar this week. From top left, clockwise:
The holiday collection from Chanel called Vamp Attitude just launched. I am still working on swatches for the Rouge Allure releases, but I know I will need the Le Vernis in Rose Fusion and the Le Top Coat Lamé Rouge Noir ($27 each).
Wander Beauty is a new brand that’s popped up on my radar. They sent a couple of the Exquisite Liquid Shadows ($26 each) for me to try (they are stunning, review soon). I’ve been browsing their site and the Paris Collection features four items for lips, cheeks, eyes and highlight that look like they could create the perfect polished look. Have you tried this line yet?
Eve Lom has launched a number of gift sets for the holiday. The Icons Gift Set ($260) contains their Cleanser, Intense Firming Serum, Daily Protection SPF 50, Eye Lift and a Muslin Cloth. There is a price break for this set (individually the items total a little over $300). Other options such as The Perfectors Set and The Classics which have different items and are at lower price points. If you’ve been eyeing any of these, don’t forget Space NK US has their Explore promotion that’s going on online through Sunday. Use code EXPLORE15 at checkout for $25 off any orders $100 or more.
Net-A-Porter has this amazing Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer Set ($150). It has eight lip lacquers packaged in a pretty black box. You can find the colors individually in case you’re one who prefer to pick out your own colors.
Bite Beauty always launches cute sets over the holidays. I ordered the Discovery Set ($55) a few weeks ago, I hope to review it soon. The Best Bite Rewind has four mini matte creme lip crayons. This one has more color for those who like something brighter with more variety. This one has been calling my name too.
Holiday season is the season of palettes. I stopped buying holiday or seasonal palettes years ago because I found if I didn’t like all the colors the palettes didn’t end up getting much use. The NARS x Stephen Klein One Shocking Moment Cheek Palette ($69) looks soooo pretty though. It has the Contour Blush in Paloma, Bronzing Powder in Laguna, four blushes in Robotic, Blasphemy, Luster and Dolce Vita. If you’ve seen or tried this let me know what you think!
MAC Magic of the Night Collection launches in stores this week. There are already some items that popped up online and as usual many pieces have already sold out within minutes of launching online. I was able to order Please Me Lipstick ($18) and Shaft of Gold In Extra Dimension Skinfinish ($33). I’m hoping nothing in my order gets cancelled.
Korean Skincare is something that I’ve been interested in for a long time but found very complex and somewhat challenging for me to understand with the numerous steps and options. My friends have been raving about skincare items such as essences, pore packs, watery creams, overnight masks and sheer coverage balms and creams for a long time. Right now, Korean Skincare is trending now at Sephora and thanks to articles and shopping guides, they’ve now made the 10-step Korean Beauty routine easier to understand. As a beauty blogger I find it easy to navigate through cosmetic options, but for skincare, understanding the uses and benefits of creams, solid oils and masks are foreign to me. Sephora has an easy-to-follow Korean Beauty Guide with recommendations that I’ve found incredibly helpful. It’s helped me figure out when and how to incorporate new items into my skincare routine. I’ve teamed up with them to share my thoughts on 10 Korean skincare items I’ve been testing.
I’ve split the items I’ve tested into category type. As always I would love to hear about your recommendations and loves. I purchased the Amore Pacific Moisture Bound Oil Free Essentials Set based on your recs and have been really loving it so far (review to follow once I’ve used it up).
Double Cleansing is a something standard in Korean beauty rituals. I usually double cleanse with a wide variety of cleansing oils, makeup removers or cleansing waters as the first step before using a traditional gel, liquid or cream cleanser because it is really the best way to remove all traces of makeup from my skin. I tried the Erborian Solid Cleansing Oil ($39) which is a solid balm cleanser that transforms into a oil when it comes in contact with your face. It comes with a small spatula to remove product. You massage it all over the face and then rinse with water and it turns into a milky lotion. It has a fresh almost green tea spa scent but isn’t too strong. It does a pretty good job at removing makeup but I still think a follow up with regular cleanser is necessary. This leaves the skin feeling moisturized and clean. There’s no film residue.
Another cleanser I tested was the Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser ($20). This is a whipped egg white mousse cleaner with egg yolk extract. It’s a super gentle cleaner and the way it foams up makes it super fun to clean the face. The egg yolk combines milk proteins and amino acids to cleanse skin. It’s supposed to dissolve oil while leaving the skin smooth and moisturized. I found it to be a really good gentle cleaner suitable for my sensitive skin. I like using it in the morning – it leaves the skin clean without stripping the skin and it also makes the face glow without looking greasy. I’ve found the way it cleanses my skin is really nice – skin feels more balanced throughout the day.
Next up is the May Coop Raw Sauce ($14-$43) which is an essence. This is similar in concept to the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. You use this on the skin applied with fingers or a cotton pad after cleansing and toning. I always feel this is an unnecessary step in the skincare routine but I am really impressed every time I am disciplined enough to use an essence. It adds moisture and glow to the skin and is supposed to prep the face better for skincare serum and moisturizer absorption. This is made of maple tree sap and cruelty-free. After testing this for a few weeks I have to say I am impressed. This far exceeded my expectations in terms of how it has transformed my skin. I don’t use it everyday but it’s made the skin feel more hydrated. Dry patches have disappeared. Skin does indeed absorb moisturizer better. A little goes a long way. I think it will be a staple for winter.
Another line I just started testing is belif. The True Cream Aqua Bomb ($22 – $38)is a lightweight gel cream moisturizer that is oil-free. It has a bounce to it. In general I really do not like gel moisturizers (I have made a few exceptions) because I feel they end up feeling sticky and too dewy. The belif True Cream Aqua Bomb has made it into the exception category. It’s supposed to be designed for all skin types. For my normal, sensitive combo skin, this is a really nice lightweight moisturizer. I like that it really feels weightless. Skin feels smooth and there is no stinging sensation (I get that with a lot of gels).
Masks are a big deal with Korean Skincare. I tested three. First is the Dr. Jart+ Water-Max Sleeping Mask ($48). I prefer night creams to night masks because I usually don’t like the feel of product on my face when I sleep. The Dr. Jart+ however is a super lightweight mask. It is a gel formula but doesn’t feel sticky or leave any residue. It feels more like a lightweight lotion. I tested this on 1/2 of my face for a week to see if I could notice a difference between use and non-use. I can. You apply it at night and leave it on then rinse in the morning. The side I used it on looks more refreshed, smoother, plumper and more glowing.
The Erborian Waterlock Mask ($43) is another hydrating mask treatment. This also is a gel formula that feels like a thick jelly. There are a few ways you can use this. I used it as a 10-minute mask then rinsed off. This is one of the most gentle feeling face masks I’ve used that gives instant hydration. The moisturized feeling lasts after it washes off but there is no residue. It has bamboo sap and fibers designed to lock in hydration. There is a slight cooling feel that is very relaxing and soothing. It’s a refreshing moisture mask that I have fallen head over heels in love with.
The third mask I tried was the belif First Aid Transforming Peel Off Mask ($34). This is the first peel off mask I’ve tried that peels off with water. I really like peel off masks but often time they are messy and don’t peel off completely so I end up having to scrub residue off. This one you leave on for 15 minutes. When you rinse with warm water the dry mask turns into a peel off gel that easily peels off. It has lemon balm and white willow bark, which is a natural salicylic acid, which helps to clarify and soothe skin. After using this my pores disappear, skin feels ultra firm and smooth. I’m obsessed.
Pore Packs are new to me but I think if you try one new thing out of this roundup, pore packs should be one of them. Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steam Balm ($18) comes in an egg-shaped container. The bottom portion of the egg is filled with product. It’s a self-heating balm designed to target blackheads by opening pores with the heat and then remove dirt and oil. I think it’s a really good gentle treatment that makes a huge difference in cleaning out pores around the nose and mouth. It’s not a dramatic kind of facial treatment. I like to use this sometimes in conjunction with a clarifying mask or regular cleanser after this. The Egg Pore Balm helps open up pores. When I follow with a mask it draws out impurities even more. The heating element is noticeable but super gentle.
The Caolion Pore Pack ($30) is a stronger treatment. If you have sensitive skin you might want to try it on spots first. I used it all over the face and while it was perfectly fine and left my skin looking so much better, it does feel extra tingly. Some might find the tingle too strong. The top half is a dark mask that is the hot portion called Premium Blackhead Steam Pore Pack. This is a stronger version of the Tony Moly and cleans out pores and exfoliates dead skin. It made my nose pores disappear almost 100%. Pores along the cheeks and sides of the nose were noticeably smaller.
Step two is the cool portion which is the Premium Pore Original Pack. It has a menthol element that tightens pores even further and soothes the skin. I have extremely sensitive eyes and the first time I used it, I applied the menthol too close to my eyes which made them tear. It didn’t sting but the menthol is pretty strong. You can really feel it working on your skin and I was worried my face would be red and blotchy after I washed it off, but it left the face looking super smooth with all redness gone. If you have extra sensitive skin I would recommend using this more as a spot treatment on troubled areas.
Last but not least are two items called lightweight finishers. I’ve reviewed the AmorePacific Color Control Cushion Compact ($60) before and still love it. It has SPF 50 and protects against UVA and UVB. This is a very natural glowy product that melds into the skin unlike any other foundation I’ve tried. A huge bonus is that each pack comes with a refill so the price point to me is really reasonable. It’s a your-skin-but-better kind of product. I do think you need to set with a powder.
I also tried the Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm ($39) which comes in two colors, 01 Medium Light and 02 Medium Deep. This is a one-step beauty balm that gives natural coverage and evens out the skin. It’s more pigmented than a lot of other beauty balms I’ve tried. I am a match to 02 Medium Deep which is on the greyish side but adjusts to my skintone right now. I think the downside to this product is the two colors make it hard to find a color match. If you can find a match, it’s a nice smoothing product. It makes my face and skin look more youthful without being overly dewy.
I hope you found this roundup helpful! There’s a lot I’ve tested and covered so I hope the categories helped break down the options by product type. My top three favorite items I tested in this round include the Dr. Jart+ Water-Max Sleeping Mask, Tony Moly Egg Pore Blackhead Steamer Balm and Erborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask although I did discover a lot of new things to love.
The Sephora Korean Beauty Guide and Posts on their blog The Glossy have helped me understand all the options better. Once I started to look at each product individually and incorporate them one at a time into my skincare routine it’s all started to make more sense. The process of using Korean skincare still contains a number of steps, some of which are more complex than my basic routine right now, but I can see a difference in clarity, texture and overall glow.
Sephora has been kind enough to give me extras of some items to giveaway. You can enter via the widget below. Due to liquid restrictions, this is open to US residents only and you must be 18 or older to enter. Items in the giveaway to 1 lucky winner will include the following:
Eborian Solid Cleansing Oil, Eborian Bamboo Waterlock Mask, Dr. Jart+ Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask, Dr. Jart+ BB Beauty Balm, Amore Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact Broad Spectrum SPF 50+, May Coop Raw Sauce, Too Cool For School Egg Mousse Soap Cleanser, Tony Moly Egg Pore, Belif The True Cream Aqua Bomb, Caolion Premium Hot & Cool Pore Pack Duo, Shiseido Facial Cotton (selected winner will be able to select the colors for the foundation and bb beauty balm)
You can find a wide selection of Korean beauty products online and in stores at Sephora. I’m really thrilled with the selection and hope they continue to expand the brand offerings. Right now for a limited time you can get 1 of 4 K-Beauty Minis at checkout with code KBEAUTY with orders of $25 or more. In case you’re hesitant to splurge on the full size, there are a number of value sets available with trial sizes you might want to look into.
If you have any Korean Beauty favorites, please let me know!
Many thanks to Sephora for teaming up to sponsor this post. As always, all opinions my own.
This month Neiman Marcus and Le Métier de Beauté launched a special Limited-Edition Stephanie Kaleidoscope ($95) to celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness. It is inspired and designed by Stephanie Seban, a former Neiman Marcus employee, to help spread awareness about breast cancer. Proceeds from this kit are being donated to breast cancer research and awareness centers all over the nation, Le Métier de Beauté is give back 30% of total sales in support of the cause. You can read more about Stephanie’s touching story on her website Stephanie Seban. The launch coincides with the Neiman Marcus Incircle Event and there is a gift with purchase available online and in stores that ends today 10/18. (More on this below.)
The Stephanie Kaleidoscope contains four eyeshadows named Light, Heart, Hope and Live. Per Neiman Marcus, the inspiration behind each color is as follows:
Light – A brightening neutral
Heart – The heart of the Kaleidoscope, soft pink
Hope – A golden ray of hope
Live – A lively cool taupe
True to Le Métier de Beauté style, each color is very soft with a finely milled texture. The colors have medium but buildable pigment. They layer together beautifully for a stunning unique look. They always come up with color combinations I would never think of, sometimes there are shades I look at and think I would never wear. However when I try them, I’m always impressed with how beautiful they are.
From top to bottom, the colors are breathtakingly beautiful. Light is a bright neutral cream champagne, on my skin it pulls neutral-cool. The shimmer is very finely milled and it’s not frosty. The next shade Heart is a cool matte pink. I’m normally not one to wear pinks on the eyes like this one but I gave it a try and it looks quite pretty when layered with the other colors. It can also double as a very subtle blush. Hope is one of the warmest copper shimmers I’ve ever tried. It’s a surprisingly pretty color when mixed with the pink and taupe, I think this kit would be more wearable if this were more of a neutral golden shimmer rather than a warm coppery shade, but I find it unique and really pretty. The last shade is Live which is a shimmering taupe with slight khaki and grey tones. There’s a bit of silver shimmer mixed in which makes it a soft smokey shade.
Close ups of each color:
There is a special gift with purchase for Neiman Marcus Incircle which is their bonus point event for Neiman Marcus cardholders. You don’t need a card to qualify for any of the gift with purchase promotions. The October Incircle Gift is with any $300 Le Métier de Beauté purchase which is fairly steep. I’ve had some kaleidoscopes on my wishlist for a long time and decided this gift was worth splurging for. There are two options of lip creme lip gloss, I picked the darker one Overcome which is a warm pink that’s slightly red. The other one in store looked like a non-shimmery cream that is a pale pink. They didn’t have testers so I didn’t swatch it. Also in the gift is a Baked Blush called Victoria and a Liquid Luminizer called Lambent. At this time all three are exclusive to this gift with purchase. (If you shop online the gift will be added automatically at checkout.)
One last shot of the Le Métier de Beauté x Neiman Marcus Breast Cancer Awareness Stephanie Kaleidoscope:
I tried to take photos of an eye look I did a few days ago but the lighting conditions weren’t the best and photos didn’t turn out so well. I do think the matte pink and copper are outside of my comfort zone in terms of wearable shadows for everyday but when they are layered with the other two the result is really quite pretty and not over the top. If you’re new to Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes, they have four swivel pans. Some are all eyeshadows, others have a mix of powder, blush, bronzer or gloss. The top flips up to reveal a mirror. They are beautifully designed and the quality of the shadows are phenomenal. (You can click the Le Métier de Beauté tag at the bottom to see previous reviews of other kits.)
Bottom line the Stephanie Kaleidoscope is a beautiful luxurious treat. If you can stop by the counter to see it in person I recommend doing so. It’s a delight to hear that a sizeable portion of the sales are going towards a good cause. I’m happy I purchased it. The pink packaging is really cute.
I’ve been a long time fan of the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks ($35 each for 5.5 ml/0.18 fl oz, made in France) since they launched in spring 2014. These are incredible lipstick/lipgloss hybrids that glide on the lips with full smooth coverage and the most beautiful shine. There have been several new color additions to the formula over summer and fall. I’ve been sitting on some new purchases for a while now. I photographed them months ago and they’ve been sitting in a folder waiting to be edited. Some are listed as limited-edition so I thought I’d swatch and review them so you don’t miss out in case these didn’t make your beauty radar.
If you’re not familiar with the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks I highly recommend you check at least one out. These come in a cute chic silver and clear colored tubes with an angled sponge tip applicator. The sponge is perfectly shaped to get a precise line around the edge of your lip and also wide at the base to cover the lips perfectly. You have to try it in person to appreciate how well designed it is. These are fluid in texture and glide on the lips perfectly. The colors blend out to cover the entire lip with rich pigment but there is a very slight transparent quality so you can see a tiny bit of your natural lip underneath. Swatches of my picks from the initial launch here and here.
Onto the new colors I picked up. Unfortunately one you cannot find in the US – I picked one up in Paris at Sephora, but I will swatch a few other colors to try and dupe it below.
Beige Passion (summer 2015, Europe) is a perfect your lips but better natural pink beige. I wish it was available in the US but unfortunately it was never released here. On my lips it’s a very natural color. I like that it’s not too pale so it doesn’t wash me out.
Ciel Rose (summer 2015) is a medium rose pink. It’s bright but has a somewhat muted brightness to it which makes it conservative but not boring. It’s the perfect in between of warm and cool which I think will make it a universally flattering color.
Tropiques (summer 2015) is similar to Ciel Rose, but it’s brighter and more vibrant. Even though fall is here and plums are in, I still love a good coral pink year round. It brightens the complexion and face and gives a healthy flushed look.
Versatile (fall 2015) is a cool pink which I knew would be either hit or miss. In the tube it looked like it might be too cool-toned but it’s actually really perfect. On my hand and arms it pulls a lot of blue so I was surprised that it was very wearable (blue-based pinks often look purplish or too mod on my skintone). If you are looking for a pretty cool pink, this one is really gorgeous.
Avant-Garde (fall 2015) is a mauve-nude pink which is a your lips but slightly deeper and more mauve. It’s a pink nude in the tube and swatched on the arm. On my lips it pulls deeper and more cool-toned. Your mileage may vary on the color depending on your skintone. I think it’s an amazing mauve nude – but it will probably look very different on you than it does on me.
Lip swatches:
Swatch comparisons below, note that Frisson has been discontinued and Tiny Pink is a Sephora Exclusive color.
One last shot of the colors below:
Overall a huge thumbs up. I am completely obsessed with these. They are lush liquid lipstick glosses and the formula is amazing. I like that they last a long time on my lips and don’t slide off but still have that gorgeous shine to them. There is a slight perfumed scent to them that is hard to describe but I find it very soothing and refreshing at the same time. The scent does fade after a few minutes.
If you’re in France, Beige Passion is still listed as being in stock online at Sephora France. The other colors are still available at most places online although I haven’t checked in store. They have been out for quite a while now. I don’t usually like to backup lipglosses but I do think Versatile is back-up worthy, it’s the perfect pink I’ve been looking for that is cool-toned but still wearable.
I’m thrilled to share swatches of the latest collection from Rescue Beauty Lounge called The Fan Collection 3.0. This is a launch includes seven new nail polish colors inspired by fans of the Rescue Beauty Lounge line. Ji has mixed up seven dream nail colors and as always, they are absolutely stunning colors. In a world full of hundreds of nail polish colors, Ji never ceases to impress me – each time I open a box, I’m in total awe of her. She is a genius mix master.
There are seven new shades. These will be available for pre-sale starting October 13th for 48 hours so be sure you’re signed up for her newsletter via www.rescuebeauty.com to receive the link to shop. It will be available for sale to everyone else shortly after.
Ethereal is a gorgeous pearly seashell ivory shimmer. It has a lovely glow to it. It’s semi-sheer but you can layer it for full coverage, I have it shown with three coats.
The inspiration, “It is reflected in a fleeting sunrise, the lining of a seashell, the bubbles of pink champagne in a gold-rimmed flute, the shimmering silk of a sari, the glow of a candle through a gossamer white curtain. Ethereal is elegant and infinitely wearable, but has the merest hint of flash. It’s a versatile polish that can be worn by anyone, for any occasion.” —Nancy’s Fantasy.
Sanguine is a deep rich burgundy wine red shimmer. It’s packed with loads of sparkles but applies very smoothly on the nail with a glossy finish.
The inspiration, “The color I crave is a juicy jelly a la Starfish Patrick with a bright, burgundy base. It is luminous, like Poco a Poco, illuminated by the soft, peached pink glow and subtle flashes of orange. The color is vibrant, bold, and spirited. At once bright and sparkling, mysterious and dark.” – Lygie’s craving.
Electro Glacier is a baby blue with electric sparkles. This one took Ji a lot of mixing to get the right mix of bright, light and blue undertone to get the perfect color.
The inspiration, “This dream color would be an icy pastel blue/green with magical iridescent sparkles. It would be light and bright, never described as muted or dusty. More blue than Aqua Lily, and much lighter than Faraway, it is closer to the color of Bikini Bottom, but striking and opaque. I imagine the sparkle effect to be along the lines of Scrangie and NailsandNoms. Tiny, yet highly effective.” — Ashley’s #want
Galaxsea is a stunning complex iridescent purple with blue, silver, magenta, and purple sparkles inside. It’s almost duo-chrome with the way it’s complex, but it’s a very smooth sparkle. This one brightens up my mood, it’s such a fun color to wear. It’s almost like a glitter polish but very smooth and the base makes it easy to remove.
The inspiration, “Things that excite (and somewhat terrify) me are outer space and the sea. My inspiration for a new shade are those two extremes, as well as my favorite colors — multi-faceted shades of purple, blue, magenta– think fish scales. I love glitter in my polishes or sometimes a well-done shimmer makes an even bigger impact — think stars.” –Danielle’s Yearning…
Golden Horn is possibly my favorite out of the collection. It’s a gorgeous iridescent soft shimmering white that isn’t too white with suspended gold flecks. It’s an off white shade in color but not a pure white so it’s wearable on my hands (while true whites always look like white-out). There is a beautiful soft shimmer in the base which makes it glow. I had to add a closeup of the bottle – the gold is really subtle from a distance but up close you can see how gorgeous it is.
The inspiration, “This is a beautiful place in Istanbul where the Bosphorus makes an inlet. The idea is to have an off-white base (nothing too strong) with gold particles in it, similar to Naked Without Polish (which had a pink base). I love Naked Without Polish and I believe this can be a unique addition to your line. The particles should show through, so probably the base will not be 100% opaque. I love white and gold, I think it can be worn all year round, it is classy and chic.” – Sara’s Marvel….
Vixen by Sassy Shelly is such a surprise. It’s a medium-deep gorgeous berry magenta in the bottle but the shimmers are so bright the mix creates a unique bright but deep color on the nails. There are so many beautiful colors in the shimmer it’s a really complex color. Of course as always, I love RBL shimmers because even the complex ones apply smoothly on the fingers.
The inspiration, “I’m dreaming of a shade that (as of yet?) has been missing from the RBL spectrum. It’s rich and decadent and just dripping with luxury. A vivid magenta! A semi-translucent jelly, but one that is so drenched in color that it can become fully opaque in just a few coats. Its depth is filled with shimmer, a shimmer like (the first) Scrangie so deep you feel as though you could dive right in and swim around for hours. A magenta that almost glows from within with stunning teal and gold, sparkling, shining through its layers…”— Shelly’s Dream…
Last but not least, Many Splendors is the most unique color in the collection. It’s a deep black and gold glitter that dries to a matte texture. Ji calls this lava-like and I completely agree. I love the look of this with a glossy top coat added, but I’ve swatched it here as is alone with 2 coats. Being a glitter matte, it is challenging to remove, so I recommend using a base coat to create a barrier for your nails.
The inspiration, “…a night-sky black polish that, like Uluru, responds to its environment revealing fiery flashes of red orange from within. “Many Splendours” could be thought of as a darker sister to my beloved bottle of Piu Mosso, however, like the island that inspired her, she will be truly one of a kind.”— Angela’s envisage
Be sure to check out more swatches, details and close ups on these amazing nail and beauty bloggers. There photos are amazing and nails impeccable. More details on the RBL Blog too:
These polishes will retail at $20 each. Pre-orders will start on October 13th for 48 hours. Be sure to sign up for the Rescue Beauty Lounge newsletter on their website to receive the pre-sale link. Also follow RBL on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with the latest from them.
Many thanks to Rescue Beauty Lounge for sending me samples for a preview.
Today Birchbox is launching a new limited-edition box called Everyday Glamour ($48 for 8 items, approximately $200 value). It’s a really cute box filled with the perfect items to treat yourself or a friend with a transition into fall theme. For those new to Birchbox, this is a special limited-edition box that is different from the monthly subscription boxes. The Birchbox Team was kind enough to send me one as an early preview to share with you today. The contents of the Everyday Glamour Box:
All items are available to purchase individually (P.S. Juliette @jdalfeen, one of Birchbox’s Social Media Managers has a live unboxing video on Periscope):
I’ve been playing with the box over the weekend, some items are classic staples for me, others are new discoveries. First up are the four color items. The Cargo Texas Lash Mascara comes with a large plush brush. It’s a true deep black that doesn’t turn color once dry. I like how it thickens the lashes without clumping. In texting it over the past weekend it didn’t smudge or flake. It holds the curl for a long time. It doesn’t hold it all day, but I would say the curl stayed put for about 4-5 hours but I have super stick straight lashes.
Also in the box will be one Jouer Powder Eyeshadow (colors will vary per box). I owned several Jouer Powder Eyeshadows many years ago – I should explore these more. They have a wet-to-dry formula that’s super soft and blendable. The colors are good everyday kind of shades and the packaging has these little sliders on the side so you can connect multiple colors together. Espresso is a natural medium brown with a hint of shimmer.
Each box will have one Smith & Cult Lip Lacquer, mine came with Life in Photographs which is a sheer pale milky pink. On my lips it’s almost clear – but if you’re the kind of person who likes to line and fill lips with a natural lipliner and top with a sheer gloss, this is a good one because it smooths out the lips, adds shine and doesn’t feel goopy or too sticky. The glosses have a very moisturizing feel and stay put without sliding around. There’s a soft vanilla scent but on the lips the scent fades after a minute. I have a few of these glosses and really like them.
The last color item is a Ciaté Nail Polish in Paparazzi which is the perfect cream vamp plum shade for fall. It goes on smoothly. Full coverage is achieved with two coats. I’m on day 2 of the manicure and so far no tip wear or chipping yet. I’ll update the notes here after testing if for a full week on lasting power.
Swatches of Paparazzi and Life in Photographs:
For skincare items, the Everyday Glamour Box comes with three items to try. The first is a NER:D Sheet Mask called the Skin Repair Master Mask. I haven’t had a chance to try this but I hope to this week. If you’ve tried anything from NER:D, I’d love to hear your thoughts. This one is supposed to have healing and soothing properties which sounds like the perfect end-of-week treatment.
There’s a mini vial of the Caudalie Divine Oil which is a classic staple for me. It’s an amazing dry oil perfect to add moisture and glow to the skin. I use mine on the body – it absorbs quickly and and has a really nice relaxing scent. I like to apply it on in the morning or night after showers. It’s a good touch up product if you’re feeling dry mid-day. The minis used to come with a spritzer, I do wish it still did. These days the mini vials don’t have one.
Last but not least is the Michael Todd Concentrated C Antioxidant Moisturizing Serum. This is a new line for me. I’m super hesitant to try new serums on my face since I have very sensitive skin and in general extremely picky with serums. I’ve only tried this for a couple days – but first thoughts are that this is an extremely moisturizing and hydrating serum. If you have super dry skin I recommend giving this a try. I always layer moisturizer on top of serum. The dry-down texture of many serums doesn’t work so well with foundation if you wear it alone. The texture of the Michael Todd is on the thick side, I was worried it would be too heavy because you can really feel it on the skin. However once it’s absorbed it feels weightless. Throughout the day my skin feels less oily and greasy – it seems to hydrate while controlling oil. It’s supposed to have ingredients that repair sun damage and reduce brown spots. It will take time to see results but so far I like the way it feels on the skin.
Overall, thumbs up. The Everyday Glamour Box does indeed have a good selection of items for everyday glamour. The plum nail lacquer in Ciaté Paparazzi couldn’t be more perfect as a fall transition color. Smith & Cult Lip Lacquers add a nice natural shine to the lips, good to layer over your go-to fall lip color. The Caudalie Divine Oil is a must-have in my opinion, the travel size is pretty affordable so if you’re looking for one new body product to try, I highly recommend it. The other items in the box are pretty new to me and I like the variety offered in skincare and body. I think it’s a nice way to try a lot of items at a value price.
If you’re looking for a treat yourself gift or a box for a friend, the holiday boxed sets are starting to trickle in. I’m usually a pick-your-own-individual-items kind of person but last year’s sets were phenomenal and the ones trickling in this month look even better. The Birchbox Everyday Glamour Box is definitely worth looking into. You can find the Everyday Glamour Box online at Birchbox now. It is limited-edition.
Do you spot any favorites in this box? If you’ve tried anything from the brands, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Many thanks to Birchbox for sending a preview box for review.
Chanel launched a new mini collection focusing on cheeks and complexion. There are two Joues Contraste Powder Blushes ($45 each for 6 g / 0.21 oz) in Golden Sun 280 and Vibration 270, a new Illuminating Powder called Infiniment Chanel ($65 for 12 g/0.42 oz) and a new angled 2-in-1 Foundation Brush for Liquid and Powder ($45). Other items in the feature include repromotes with a focus on the Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation, Hydrabeauty Microserum and Le Blanc de Chanel Makeup Base. I reviewed the new Chanel brush a couple weeks ago here. It’s a very good one that provides streak-free smooth application on foundation. Today I have a review on the 3 items for cheeks.
Swatched below with a heavy hand:
All three colors are new to me. It was pointed out to me that Golden Sun might be an older color that was discontinued but I don’t own the original so I’m not sure if it’s the same color repromoted or if it’s a new color with the same name. The current Golden Sun #280 blush is the most perfect shimmering beige nude with a hint of tan. It’s a gorgeous stunning neutral that adds a tiny bit of warmth and natural contour/depth to the face that’s ultra flattering. I’m head over heels in love with it.
A few comparison swatches below, all are discontinued except:
Vibration #270 is another unique color. To me it looks like a bright warm pink, but at the counter, one of my favorite reps described as more of a bright coral pink. I think it’s somewhere in between both – depending on how light or dark your skin is will determine how it looks on your skin. On me it’s a very pigmented vibrant color. A tiny dab adds such a pretty healthy glow but it is easy to layer. That being said it’s also easy to overdo because it’s so pigmented so I recommend applying with a light hand.
Last but not least is the new Infiniment Chanel Illuminating Powder. This launched in other countries earlier a few months ago and I was hoping it would be released in the US. I was thrilled to find that it did. It’s described as having a “shimmering peach-pink shade to brighten cheeks and a luminous beige tone to subtly highlight or enhance.” The peachy-pink tone is actually more peachy on my skin and it’s in an embossed double C pattern in the middle. The light beige color is a soft luminous beige that is very soft and pretty on the skin. I tried applying both shades individually – but unfortunately the Cs are right in the middle so no matter how much I tried, with any powder or blush brush I ended up mixing. The light powder would be so perfect if it were separated because I think it would be an amazing setting and finishing powder. The peachy center makes the color too dark for all over my face at my current skintone of Chanel Beige 30/40.
I love this swirled together on the cheeks alone for a very natural barely-there glow or over other blush to soften and illuminate colors. I don’t have any dupes or comparison swatches for this one. The mix of the light beige and peachy shimmer is really unique, I would say the light beige has a similar effect to if you mixed Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused and Dim Light, the peachy color isn’t like anything I own. Do note this powder is heavily scented – I was a bit blown away by how floral and strong it was when I opened the compact. The good news for me is that I didn’t find the scent lasted too long and it faded after a few minutes. Even though it has a slightly luminous shimmer, on my skin this looks more matte.
I’m beyond thrilled with all three additions. Golden Sun is one of the prettiest nude shimmer blushes I’ve tried. It seems fairly basic in the compact but has such a stunning mix of shimmers it gives the face depth and dimension. Vibration is something that also appears standard in the pan but it’s such a striking bright warm pink that isn’t too warm. I thought it would be really similar to other Chanel blushes I have but am happy to find it’s darker and more pigmented than the others I own. If you’ve found Chanel blushes too light in color for your skin, this is a good one that fills the gap of darker shades. I have a huge love for the Infiniment Chanel Illuminating Powder but given how subtle it is, I suspect it might be hit or miss for many of you. I like the way it adds a very natural hint of color and glow on the skin, but the effect is very very natural – it’s more of like a soft finishing powder with a tint rather than an illuminating powder. The peach makes this one too dark to wear this all over my face. I adore it but think it would have been better if the colors were more distinctly separated so I could wear the beige all over and add the peach as a darker contour.
You can find all three items at Chanel counters now. If you’re looking for a good angled foundation brush, the new one in this collection is worth looking at too. Online at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers.
