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Lancôme Auda[city] in Paris Eyeshadow Palette

September 14, 2015

Lancôme recently launched a 16-pan eyeshadow palette called Auda[city] in Paris ($68 for 16 shadows each x 1.3g/0.45 oz). This palette was designed by Lisa Eldridge and inspired by the streets of Paris. It’s Lancôme’s first multi-palette with light neutrals, taupes, purples, smokey greys and darker browns. It comes cased in a large mirrored compact and double-ended eyeshadow brush. The eyeshadows have different textures including matte, satin and metallic.

There are mixed reviews on this palette – I’ve been playing with this one for a few days now to put it to the test. Overall I would say it’s a good neutral palette that has a wide range of colors to create a multitude of looks. I like that each color is distinct from each other so there aren’t any repeats within the same palette. The look and feel of the shadows is very natural with a sheer to medium finish. Most of the colors are buildable in pigment – by using a denser brush or dampening it you will get more pigment. Texture is soft and sheer – the shimmers have a lot of powdery kickup and when applying on the eyes I experienced a lot of fall out onto the cheeks. It was easy to clean up though and I usually have some sort of fall out with powder shadows whenever I blend and swipe (creams excluded). Once on the lids – lasting power was pretty good. I tried with and without a base – a base definitely helps, my favorite is Edward Bess Illuminating Eye Base or a cream shadow stick like NARS Velvet Shadow Sticks or Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Sticks.

The finish of each color in this palette is either hit or miss. Some are sheerer than others. A couple of the darker shades are best applied with a detailed brush damp and then smoked out – if you use a fluffy brush for some of the deeper colors you will see uneven application. The nice thing about the darker shades being sheer though is that they are easy to build slowly. If you’re a smokey eye novice and worried about overdoing it – this is a good starter palette.

  • Filigree is a light ivory gold shimmer, pigment is medium
  • Choquette is a matte cream peach, pigment is medium
  • Parfait is a light matte cool pink, pigment is sheer to meidum
  • Joie is a frosted champagne shimmer, pigment is medium-full
  • Voyage a warm matte terracotta tan, pigment is sheer to medium but easy to blend
  • Santé is a soft matte brown, sheer to medium pigment, this is a good blending shade to soften harsh edges and finish the eye look by adding warmth
  • Kitten Heel a metallic duo chrome pink gold copper, pigment is medium with a lot of fallout, but on the lids it stays put
  • Tenacity is a glorious metallic taupe, it’s frosty but so so pretty on the lids
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  • Exhibition is an orchid shimmer, finish is very sheer, this is my least favorite in the palette
  • Zip Me Up is a deeper orchid purple shimmer, also sheer in finish, my second least favorite
  • Volcano is a shimmery grey, finish is sheer to medium
  • Audacious is a satiny smokey brown shimmer, pigment is medium
  • Couture is a soft semi-sheer dark matte brow, color is really soft unless you apply with a damp detail brush or small smudge brush
  • It List is a satiny black with tiny bits of silver shimmer flecks, pigment is medium
  • Clock Strikes 12 is a metallic grey that is very sheer, but buildable if you pack it on
  • Nuit is a cool-toned metallic black gunmetal, pigment is medium
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Quick eye swatch with a super natural look:

One last shot:

My overall take on the Lancôme Auda[city] in Paris Eyeshadow Palette is that it’s a decent palette. If I were to rate this on a scale, I’d give this a B rating. I think it’s a good wearable palette that will take you from day to night looks without any other shadows required. The variety makes it versatile and will allow for a number of different looks. If you’re new to eyeshadow and want the convenience of a palette, this is a good starter palette. There are a number of women I know who don’t wear much eyeshadow – if you want color but want a natural palette that’s fun to experiment with this is a good option.

Compared to other palettes, I do think there are better options out there for richer more vibrant color/pigment. That being said the Lancome Palette does appear to be designed for a natural look versus bold rich color. I’m not a huge fan of the brush it comes with – one is a synthetic small brush that seems better suited for creams. The other side is a larger fluffy side which is good for pigmented shadows, since this palette is sheer to medium it doesn’t pick up color well. It is a really good blending brush though.

In terms of larger palettes, the Urban Decay Naked series still rules them all as the best ones for the price of $54 each (at least in my opinion). Based on feedback I’ve received from previous reviews I’ve posted I know they aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. I like Urban Decay because of the soft textures, rich pigment, gorgeous shimmers, wearable metallics – for many the palettes are just too much in terms of frost/shimmer. For others, some can’t get over the look of the packaging. The MAC x15 Naturals Palettes are also good if you’re looking for variety but come at a much higher price tag of $85.

If you want a softer palette with shimmers but ones that have more subtle shimmers I’d recommend this Lancôme Auda[city] in Paris Eyeshadow Palette or the Dior Eye Reviver (reviewed here and here). Given how many eyeshadows I’ve tested and own, I can’t call this one a must-have, although for the price it’s nice to have – the quality is good and shadows blend/build nicely on the lids.
Overall a good wearable and versatile palette that’s nice to have, or nice to start out with if you’re building a makeup collection. The overall look and feel is extremely beautiful – it’s a palette you can wear for a number of occasions. You can find the Lancôme Auda[city] in Paris Eyeshadow Palette available now at Lancôme counters. Online at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and all other Lancôme retailers.
Have you tried this palette yet? What’s your favorite large eyeshadow palette?
This palette was provided courtesy of Lancôme for review consideration.
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Weekend Link Love

September 13, 2015

I hope everyone has been enjoying the weekend! We are having a heat wave in Southern California with temperatures in the high 80s, it’s hard to imagine what fall will feel like with all this warmth. I’m working my way through some new products. I’m really excited to try the new Edward Bess Illusion Foundation and Longwear Lip & Cheek Stains. Also on my testing list have been the Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks, Lancome Audacity Eyeshadow Palette and the Molton Brown Ylang Ylang Collection. I’ll have reviews up soon.

Several of you have asked for thoughts on the latest from Marc Jacobs Beauty, including the Under(cover) Perfecting Coconut Face Primer and Re(marc)able Full Cover Foundation Concentrate. I bought the primer and acquired four mini samples of the foundation from my local Sephora. I’m still putting them to the test. I like the primer, still undecided about the foundation. Right now my preference is still for the Genius Gel Super–Charged Oil–Free Foundation (reviewed here) over the new one, but I want to give it a thorough test before I have a review posted.

A few links I’ve been loving this weekend:

What are you loving right now? Did you end up ordering anything from the recent beauty events from Neiman Marcus, Barney’s or Space NK? I’m still waiting on a couple orders – unfortunately they didn’t arrive in time to post before the events ended – but I’ll start testing things soon as they arrive (I ordered some new items from By Terry and Le Metier de Beaute).

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
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Sara Happ Lip Scrubs, The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm and One Luxe Glosses

September 9, 2015

I first tried Sara Happ’s line a couple of months ago when I ordered the Sparkling Pink Lip Set from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (it’s still available online). One of my BFFs raves about and swears by The Lip Slip One Luxe Clear Shine Lip Gloss – she wears it over her lipstick or alone for a soft glossy shine. I usually don’t wear clear gloss so I opted for the Pink Lip gloss along with the Grapefruit Lip Scrub since it came in a set – both are really fun to use. I’ve since been able to play with a few more of the items from Sara Happ’s line. Today I have a review on some of The Lip Scrubs, The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm and her One Luxe Gloss in The Pink Slip and The Nude Slip (they all retail at $24 each).

The Sara Happ Lip Scrubs have been on my radar for a long time but the concept of a scrub on the lips sounded a bit harsh for my super sensitive skin. The packaging can’t be beat with these though – they come packaged in a small square box with a white little bow. These make the cutest little gifts and you don’t have to do any wrapping to make them look special. These are gritty and have texture but have an emollient feel so they glide easily on the lips. They do get a bit messy, as you can expect with a scrub. The instructions say to apply on the lips and massage in a circular motion, then wipe off with a tissue. I tried each of these several time and each time I think I applied too much (although maybe it’s because they taste amazing). Using a tissue wasn’t enough to remove it from my lips. I had to wipe it off with a slightly damp towel as well. These leave the lips feeling super soft – it does help remove dry patches and flakes. These are paraben free and made with natural ingredients. Ingredients vary slightly per flavor. I’ve been playing with several flavors for a few weeks now:

  • Peony is a limited-edition flavor, it resembles the floral scent that the lip glosses and lip balm have, it’s not my favorite but if you like soft florals this one is really good, it’s not bad tasting – it’s just the sweeter ones are amazing by comparison
  • Vanilla Bean is a brown-colored scrub, it smells and tastes like vanilla bean without being too sweet or sugary
  • Confetti Cake is another limited-edition one, it tastes and smells similar to Vanilla Bean, but softer and more like a sugar cookie or white cake
  • Sparkling Pink Grapefruit (not shown) smells exactly like grapefruit, if you like citrusy fruity scents this one is really fun

Ingredients of The Luxe Lip Balm (above) and Vanilla Bean Lip Scrub (bottom):

The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm is a floral scented milky pink balm that has tiny bits of silver shimmer mixed in. On my lips it’s pretty clear in color although the milky pink tint does make my lips look a bit pale. It’s on the thick side for a lip balm – a little goes a very long way. This is the closest thing I’ve ever tried that compares to the By Terry Baume de Rose in terms of look and feel. Of course the two aren’t identical, but the Sara Happ Luxe Balm has a similar milky light pink tint and a thick texture with a floral scent. My preference is still for the By Terry, but the Sara Happ does a really good job at hydrating the lips – my only hesitation in keeping this one in my purse for daily use is that it’s very thick in texture and a bit too heavy for day. I suspect once fall/winter rolls around I will be loving the texture more, right now for summer in high 80-100 degree weather, it’s too much.

The One Luxe Glosses come in four colors. Below are two of them in The Pink Slip and The Nude Slip. Both come in a tube with a large sponge applicator. The glosses are fairly thick in texture and have a sticky tacky feel to them. They feel really nourishing on the lips. The Nude Slip is lighter than my natural lip color and took some blending to apply smoothly – it’s a nude color but doesn’t wash out the complexion. I’m a huge lover of nude lips but this one was a bit too pale for my skintone. The Pink Slip on the other hand is a lovely baby pink that has enough color to give the face a glow. It’s on the cool-toned side on my skin but looking at the tube I would call it more in the neutral territory (not too warm and not too cool). It makes the lips look very healthy. Lasting power is pretty good with these since they have that thick tacky feel. If you’re not a fan of thick sticky formulas though you may want to skip.

Swatches of all three:

Bottom line, fun lip products to play with for grown ups. The packaging makes these really special even though you will probably end up throwing away the boxes. It gives them a unique feel that you don’t see with other brands. I’m obsessed with The Pink Slip Lip Gloss as it gives the lips a healthy glow. The Nude Slip is a good nude but too light for me. I like the way the Lip Slip Luxe Balm performs – it hydrates the lips really well, but the texture is thick and a bit too heavy for the hot weather we have right now.

In terms of the Lip Scrubs, I think Vanilla Bean and Confetti Cake are musts. I’m super picky when it comes to sweet scents in lip products – these have just the right amount of sweetness without being over the top. I was skeptical about how useful these would be but after trying them, I really don’t know what took me so long to try one.

Have you tried anything from Sara Happ before? What are your favorites? Occasionally you can see some sets available for sale that give a slight price break. You can find Sara Happ at Nordstrom, Beautyhabit, Blue Mercury, and Selfridges.
Confetti Cake, Vanilla Bean, Peony and The Nude Slip were provided as press samples for review consideration. Other items purchased by me.

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On My Radar / New in Beauty

September 8, 2015

Fall beauty is here in full swing. This month is a big one for beauty events and gift with purchase offers – if you have had items on your wishlist, you may want to wait and shop for the gifts coming up. I’ll have more details soon on some of the gifts, but for now a quick overview:
  • Space NK has their Autumn Beauty Edit starting September 12th with any $250 purchase you will receive a huge gift bag of deluxe sized samples
  • Barneys New York Beauty Event starts September 9th, with any $200 purchase you have the option of a large beauty bag with deluxe sized samples (option for man and an option for women)
  • Neiman Marcus Beauty Week starts September 10th, there is a store gift and each line with have individual gift with purchase options, some lines will have step ups
Many of the gifts are tempting as there are a lot of good gift with purchases this year. I’m making a list trying to sort and prioritize purchases for this month. In the meantime some new items that are on my beauty radar right now (from top left clockwise):
  • By Terry has four new duos out. There are two Terrybly Densiliss Blush Contouring Duos and two Terrybly Densiliss Compact Contouring Duos. These are extremely pricey at $95 each, but in my experience, the By Terry powders are usually very pigmented and extremely soft in texture. I hope to check these out in person soon. I have high hopes for these.
  • NARS has launched their NARS Pro Palettes. This is their first refillable palette launch. There are two size options and over 64 refill shades of eyeshadows, blushes, bronzer, and pressed powders. These are exclusive to NARS Boutiques and online at narscosmetics.com. Prices/options are as follows:
    • Large Palette is $18, Small Palette is $14
    • Refills are priced at $18 for Single Eyeshadows, $25 for Duo Eyeshadows, $25 for Pressed Powder Refills, $30 for Contour Duos, $27 for Bronzing Powder and $21 for blushes
  • Bumble and Bumble has launched a new haircare line called Full Potential. I tried the Hair Preserving Shampoo ($31) and Conditioner ($34) from Sephora.com by ordering samples (get 5 shampoo and conditioner samples and a deluxe Booster Spray, free with $25 purchase using code POTENTIAL at checkout). I was so impressed by day 3 I ordered the full size. The products in the line smells incredible. My hair feels soft and bouncy and stronger. It has a more masculine smell to it but it’s something I really love. If you can try the samples I highly recommend it.
  • Le Metier de Beaute is launching some new kaleidoscope kits for fall. At the top of my list is Full Stream and Lift Off. Both kits contain a pressed translucent powder, highlighter, blush and eyeshadow. They retail for $95 each – I can’t wait to see them in person.
  • New plum lip colors are always something I look forward to in fall. Even though I’m a nude/peach kind of lip girl, I love a good plum. Three on my list to check out are Fresh Sugar Fig, Buxom Big and Sexy Bold Gel in Voodoo Spice and Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Glastonberry.
  • Dior has launched four new Dior Vernis Nail Colours $27 each with their Addict Lipstick relaunch. In my experience Dior makes some of the best nail polishes in terms of formula and wear. Almost nothing glides on the nails as good as Dior and the colors are usually flawless. The four new colors are Smile, Wonderful, Be Dior and Tribale.
  • As the season transitions to fall I start to look into new primers and foundations my skin reacts to weather changes. Right now I’m focused on maintaining radiance and extending foundation wear without adding too many layers. I’ve been testing the Becca Backlight Priming Filter and Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primers for a few weeks. I’ll have a report soon. Also on my radar is the Eve Lom Radiance Lift Cream.
  • Last but not least, I’m obsessed with mini sampler sets that give you items to try out. The Sephora Give me Some Lip Set looks like the perfect pick-me-up for $25. I already have 2 of the 6 lip colors so I didn’t jump to buy it when I saw it in store. It was really tempting though and oh so cute.
What’s on your beauty radar this week? Are you shopping any of the beauty events this month? The gifts from Barneys and Space NK are usually so good – although I do wish they didn’t all occur in the same month. It would be nice to spread them out over a few months to help with budgeting and decisions!
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Chanel Fall 2015 Rouge Allure and Rouge Coco Shines

August 31, 2015

For fall Chanel has four new lipsticks in their Collection Les Automnales release. I picked up two of the Rouge Coco Shines ($36 each) in Mélancolie and Téméraire along with one Rouge Allure ($36) in Pensive. I’m usually super excited about the new lip releases from Chanel. Their lipstick formulas usually perform really well for me and I love the colors. This fall, the items fall a bit short of my expectations.

The three colors I picked out at the counter:

  • Rouge Coco Shine in Mélancolie is a sheer glossy warm brownish nude with shimmer, this goes on beautifully if swatched on the hands, on my pigmented lips it looks very nude and natural, it almost disappears because of the way it matches my lip tone, it’s so so pretty in the tube, on me it’s almost invisible, I suspect if you have less pigment in your lips it will show up better
  • Rouge Coco Shine in Téméraire is a pigmented deeper red with shimmer, this one has phenomenal coverage and pigment, if you’re like me, most reddish lip colors can turn orange or fuchsia on the lips no matter what the base color is, this one surprisingly does not turn fuchsia and stays true to what you see in the tube
  • Rouge Allure in Pensive is a sheer nude that is applies unevenly and blotchy, it’s almost identical in color to the Reveuse Rouge Coco Shine, but the Rouge Coco Shine has a much better formula and coverage, it photographs well, but in real life it looks really uneven, I’ve tried desperately to make it work because it swatches so pretty on the arm and looks like nude perfection in the tubes, but it’s really not worth the price given the sheerness

Swatches below:

Some swatched comparisons:

One last shot:

Overall beautiful in the tubes, but they aren’t must-haves for me. I do like the way Téméraire looks and how pigmented it is although it has a lot more color in it than I’m used to. It’s definitely not an everyday kind of lip color unless you are used to wearing reds. Mélancolie is such a stunning shade in the tube and on my hand, on my me it seems to have decent coverage but it disappears on my pigmented lips. Pensive is something I would say skip – there are much better nudes out there from other lines that have better pigment, coverage and texture. If you’re in the market for new lipsticks to splurge on I would say save for Louboutin, Tom Ford or the Burberry Kisses. Or wait for Chanel Holiday.
Did you check out the fall selection for lips? What did you think?
All the new lip colors in the fall collection are listed as permanent. They are available at counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers.
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#BirchboxInMyCity Los Angeles Pop-Up

August 29, 2015

The Birchbox Pop-Up arrived in Los Angeles at The Grove yesterday morning. I attended the preview where I met up with the Birchbox team and they showed me how to build my very first Birchbox. At this weekend’s event you can build your own box in a his or hers version. In addition to their BYOB (build-your-own-box) stations they brought along two large containers filled with full-sized products to shop. The event is on for two more days, Saturday, August 29, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Sunday, August 30, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. – all the details are on Birchbox Roadtrip.

Some of you have asked about the boxes you can build. For $15 you can pick out 5 sample-sized beauty and grooming products. All the items are sorted by category such as Skincare, Haircare, Fragrance, Makeup, Beard + Shave and Lifestyle. There are multiple brand options to choose from  which is nice. A quick look at the BYOB setup for Man and Woman. First, grab a box:

Then pick your items down the line:

Start filling up your box:

Pick one item from each of the 5 categories:  

For men, picks from Baxter of Ca, Kiehl’s, Harry’s and more:

Box I built for my hubby:

In addition to the minis you can pick for your boxes, Birchbox brought along full-sized items. Here’s a peek at the displays. There are mirrored stations to play with testers in makeup and hair products. On one side they have makeup, on the other side is skin care and hair care.

Rooftop manicures available:

Gorgeous Smith & Cult nail polishes:

Complimentary hair trims with Baxter on the rooftop of Birchbox Man:

Grooming products galore:

Here are the two boxes I made at the event. One for me, one for the hubby:

Many thanks to Birchbox for inviting me to the event preview! I had so much fun yesterday and was so happy to meet up with one of my blogger favs Beauty Professor and finally meet the gorgeous Caitlin Confidential.

If you’re in the area I’m planning on stopping by the event early today. Let me know if you’re going to be there – I’d love to meet you! Follow me on Instagram @beautylookbook to see more from the event and stay tuned for a giveaway later this afternoon. Also search #BirchBoxinMyCity and #BirchboxManInMyCity to see more snippets from the weekend.

Created in partnership with Birchbox.
 
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Loving Right Now

August 26, 2015
It’s the last week of August which means summer is coming to an end soon. I suspect we will still have really good weather in Southern California for the next few months – although I haven’t been to the beach nearly enough this year. Right now I’m working my way through Chanel, Tom Ford, Sara Happ, and Eve Snow reviews along with some roundup features. Sometimes I feel as though the days go by so quickly and I find it challenging to accomplish as much I as I would like to. I need some organization and time management inspiration!
Right now I’m obsessed with Smith and Cult in She Said Yeah. It’s such a pretty vibrant girly lilac periwinkle colored nail polish – I like it on the toes. For bronzers I’m obsessed with Tom Ford Small Bronzing Powder compacts. I don’t know if they are limited-edition or not, but I picked up 2 of the Gold Dust. Armani Maestro Liquid Summer I got last year has still lasted me a long time (with a long way to go, I don’t know if I will ever use it up). I like how it blends into the skin naturally. There are three shades now.

For the lips, I’m still obsessed with the Clarins Instant Light Lip Perfectors. I almost always have one or two colors in my purse. For fragrance I’m on a rollerball kick. I ordered this Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanille Coco mini recently. I’m forever in search of a good vanilla perfume I can wear that isn’t too sweet. I’m completely in love with it but my husband is not a fan. He doesn’t like vanilla scents on me at all (inserts sad face).

I featured R+Co in my July Favorites and I’ve been exploring more from the line. I’ve stocked up on a few mini sample packets from various gift with purchase offers. Most recently I was sent a sample of the Rockaway Salt Spray and it smells so so so amazing. The first few times I used it I sprayed too much too close to my roots. It does dry down even if you use too much but I recommend spritzing at least 6 inches from your hair. It gives a nice textured look and volume without making the hair feel crunchy.

The Supergoop! Sun Defying Sunscreen Oil with Meadowfoam SPF 50 has been on regular rotation for body. It absorbs quickly, doesn’t feel greasy, doesn’t have that sunscreen smell, keeps sunburns away and doesn’t irritate my super sensitive skin. I started testing the cream Everyday Sunscreen SPF 50 with Cellular Response Technology and it also works well without irritation issues. I’ll have a sunscreen testing roundup soon. 

Last but not least, Truffle has new Clarity Pouch colors! Above shown are Large Seafoam Mint Cranberry and Small Pewter Lime Slate.

What have you been loving this week?

Press samples in this feature include items Smith & Cult, R+Co, Clarins and Truffle.

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