The three new nail lacquers are fresh spring-summery colors. Each color has a stunning mix of subtle shimmers in them that give the colors depth without being frosty or too shimmery. Like most other Dior nail polishes, these have shimmer that’s more visible in the bottle but on the nails they act more like creams. Below you can see the shimmer becomes more visible depending on how light hits the bottle.
Rose 499 is the only one of the three that has a more visible shimmer with gold and rose flecks. On my nails it’s still very natural. This one is on the sheer side with a jelly finish. The color itself is very natural. If you’re looking for a soft shimmery neutral pink, this one is lovely, although for soft pinks, Lady 294 from the Kingdom of Colors Spring release is my favorite by far.
Even though it’s sheer, you can still get smooth medium coverage with two coats:
Pink 599 is a warm pink that pulls almost peachy on me. This is my favorite of the three. It’s hard to find warmer pinks that don’t look orange on my olive skin. This one has a lovely jelly finish and has enough pink to still, well look pink. Two coats shown below.
Corail 899 is a vibrant coral red. In my mind Dior can do no wrong when it comes to bright orange and coral nail polishes. This one is really beautiful with flawless rich coverage. It is however very similar to prior releases. It’s very similar to Glory 660 from spring. Corail is more orange while Glory is more pink. The new Corail is also very similar to other Chanel colors. On the nail wheel compared side by side they look almost identical from arms length. A close look will show that there are slight differences in undertone (some are more orange, others more red, some are lighter etc.). On a computer screen it may be hard to see the real difference.
Bottom line flawless. Each color is easy to use with a rounded chiseled brush that makes applying nail polish really easy. Those who have tried Dior’s formula know how incredibly smooth the colors are. They really are phenomenal. Lasting power is good if you use a good base and top coat. (My favorites here). If you’re a Dior nail polish fan, you may want to skip Corail because it’s very similar to other shades. Rose is nice but not a must-have for me because it’s so close to my natural skin tone but it gives a flawless soft polished look. Pink is a really fun warm spring-to-summer pink color that I find unique and wearable.
Available now at Neiman Marcus (where I bought mine) and Dior.com. Have you checked these out yet? What’s on your nails this week?
The latest from Fresh Beauty is the new Sugar Nude Tinted Lip Treatment ($22.50 for 4.3 g / 0.15 oz). It’s currently available as a Sephora.com Exclusive for VIB/VIB Rouge Members online and at Fresh.com for purchase but will be available at all Fresh retail locations later this spring in May. I ordered mine online and give it a huge thumbs up.
Fresh Sugar Nude is described as a shimmery blush nude tint. It gives a barely there wash of color but has enough pigment to cover my lip entirely with a smooth veil of pearlescent beige shimmer. Before I swatched this I was worried this might be too sheer or be invisible on the lips, but I am happy to report that even though it’s natural, it does show up as a my-lips-but-nude-and-better kind of color.
This appears to be the first Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment that has shimmer and I hope Fresh will add this lovely shimmer to future shades. In the tube it looks like a soft peachy blush beige. There is a gold sheen to it and when you see it swatched in real life you will see champagne pearl like shimmers mixed in too.
Per Fresh, these tinted lip balms contain SPF 15 and the following key ingredients:
Sugar is a natural humectant that ensures long-lasting moisture.
Meadowfoam seed oil, blackcurrant seed oil, passionflower seed oil, and avocado oil are rich in super moisturizing fatty acids.
Vitamin A helps to firm, retexturize, and smooth the skin.
Antioxidant grapeseed polyphenols and vitamins C and E provide protection from wrinkle-causing free radicals.
Beeswax, an emollient substance with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, softens the skin and enhances elasticity.
Carnauba wax, a natural wax that coats the leaves of the Brazilian Carnauba Palm, seals in moisture and acts as a protective barrier to prevent dehydration.
I give this a huge thumbs up. Coverage and pigment is similar to that of the discontinued Tom Ford Lip Color Sheers in Pink Dune and In the Buff – sheer but buildable. If you liked either of those, then you will like the new Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment. Fresh Sugar Nude is a bit lighter in color due to the pearlescent quality mixed into the lip treatment. You can see the shimmer in the tube better in real life, it glows and is really luminous.
Lasting power is really good for a tinted lip balm. It won’t last through snacks or coffee but if left untouched it stays put for a decent amount of time. I love the hydrating feel and it has that signature Fresh Sugar scent that is sweet, lemony and sugary all at the same time.
Definitely worth checking out. Available now at Sephora and Fresh.
I’ve featured the Tatcha Aburatorigami Blotting Papers in some of my previous posts here, here and here. I like keeping these with me inside my bag because they are compact, fit into small spaces and work really well. Today I have a dedicated post on these papers inspired by a long-time beauty friend. She recently wrote me asking for my thoughts on these stating “the problem with most papers is that the packaging works against you when you are on the go … it’s difficult to grab just one and hot, sticky weather doesn’t help.” She brought up excellent points. I too had actually given up on blotting papers a long time ago for a variety of reasons. Packaging was often an issue, getting just one paper out has been a challenge, and often times papers either had too much of a powdery feel or disintegrated and fell apart (even on moderate oily days).
Enter in the Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Beauty Papers. These are described as “all-natural leaflet blotting sheets which absorb excess oil without disturbing makeup for petal fresh skin anytime, anywhere.” These are phenomenal blotting papers that work like blotting papers should. They are fragrance-free, powder free and pulp-free.
Everything is amazing about these from packaging, design and performance. The papers themselves measure approximately 3.75 inches by 3.75 inches. The size is just right so you can use one sheet for your entire face. These absorb oil without leaving any powdery residue (there is no powder on the sheets) yet they won’t strip moisture, nor will they leave your skin looking or feeling dry. Each sheet is thin with tiny gold flakes but they have just the right amount of thickness that they won’t fall apart and don’t feel flimsy in the hands. I like that they are sturdy enough so you can easily remove one at a time. They also won’t tear easily and the thickness makes it easy to grab just one (versus thin papers that are SO thin you end up grabbing several at a time). I like that they don’t disturb makeup on the nose or forehead when you blot your face.
Another plus for these papers is that Tatcha offers multiple packaging options, individually and in kits (they are genius!). As you can see below they are compact enough to slip into a pouch.
For the individual Aburatorigami Blotting papers, there are two main packaging types. There is the Original Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Paper that comes in a flat packed envelope with 30 sheets ($12 for a single pack, $40 for a four pack or $150 for fifteen packs.) You can also find these in a number of different sets like the Travel Kit, Nozomi Girls Kit and Bridal Skincare Set. I really like this format because of the flat pack packaging. It takes up little room in your makeup bag, clutch or purse.
The newest packaging option is the Aburatorigami Japanese Beauty Paper Tube ($15 for 35 sheets). These are cased in a black cardboard case with a clever mirror at one end. These are packed into the tube stacked, but the size is large enough so it’s easy to remove one sheet at a time from the inner part of the tube. The packaging is sturdy but since it is made of paper/cardboard, this one does seem like it will be prone to wear if it comes in contact with lots of items in your bag. The size of the papers in the tube is the same as what comes in the flat packs.
A closer look at the packaging:
Bottom line, these are indispensable to me. They will absorb oil and keep the skin looking matte for a few hours without removing moisture or adding powder to the skin. I like that they are well made and sturdy and won’t fall apart. As usual with all Tatcha items, the packaging is well designed and I like that they give you multiple options. For me these are a definite must. I’ve ordered multiples of these multiple times.
You can find the Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Beauty Papers at Tatcha.com and also at Barneys New York. There are two promos going on that I want to share.
At Tatcha.com, receive a complimentary Aburitorigami Beauty Paper pack ($12 value) with any order over $20. Use promo code TREAT2015 at checkout to redeem. Offer may not be combined with any other promotions. Valid 3/5/2015 to 3/31/2015.
Right now at Barneys New York, the spring Love Yourself Beauty Event starts today through 3/14. Spend $200+ on beauty and receive a gift bag with goodies and samples (while supplies last). I don’t have the full listing but the e-mail I received shows 1 pack of the Tatcha Beauty Papers is inside.
Have you tried these blotting papers? If not what are your current favorites?
I can’t tell you how happy I am that neutrals are in this spring season. There’s usually something neutral-toned with every seasonal release but this year the focus is on nude and neutral colors for eyes, lip, cheeks and. I’ve pulled a mix of items from fresh new releases along with some classic favorites to share today.
For blush there a number of great neutral colors that will add a nude glow to the skin. I like a neutral blush that won’t darken or look muddy once it sets on the skin. For the cheeks I prefer something that has a bit of a sheen to add dimension and give depth to the face. Texture and blendability are important so you can layer and build color easily.
Clockwise from the left: Charlotte Tilbury First Love, Charlotte Tilbury Sex on Fire, NARS Reckless, MAC Tenderling, Tom Ford Frantic Pink
My all time favorite soft pink shimmer is Tom Ford Frantic Pink. There is nothing like it. It has a soft satiny silky feel with a buttery soft texture that melts into the skin. All the Tom Ford blushes I’ve tried are phenomenal and blend beautifully with a multi-dimensional finish that adds color and depth.
NARS Reckless is new for spring and it’s a super pale powdery pink with tiny flecks of silver micro sparkle. I’m normally not one for glittery blushes but the shimmer in this one is fine enough to be wearable if you dust this lightly over matte blushes for an extra oomph.
As far as matte neutrals go, MAC Powder Blushes are the best ones I’ve tried. Tenderling is a classic soft tan with a very slight hint of pink. Other staples include Cubic (more pink), Prism (more nude) and Buff (a bit darker).
The Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Swish and Pop blushes are definitely worth checking out. These are similar to the Tom Ford in the soft and natural shimmery sheen but have two colors to mix. The outer ring is for the apples of the cheeks and the darker center color is to add a pop of color. I like to swirl my brush in the compact and apply both mixed to the face. First Love is the perfect nude that isn’t too light. Sex on Fire is slightly darker and has more color but is still a really good neutral.
Beauty Look Book readers know I’m all about neutral lips. I could probably go on for days about neutrals. I’ll have a roundup later on more spring releases for lips but for now I wanted to share my top picks that I’ve been loving right now.
Above from left to right: Tom Ford Lip Color Pink Dusk, Chanel Rouge Coco Adrienne, NARS Lip Gloss Guyane, Tom Ford Lip Gloss Rose Crush, Chanel Glossimer Sweet Beige, MAC Lipliner Boldly Bare, Charlotte Tilbury Lip Liner Pillow Talk
Tom Ford Pink Dusk is as good as it gets for me in terms of a natural pink lip that leans slightly neutral/nude but is still pink. I’ve used up a couple tubes of this one already. This comes with a steep price tag but it just works. No extra tweaking required and it has full flawless creamy coverage. In my experience there is no dupe that can match it in quality, pigment, coverage and color.
Chanel revamped all their Rouge Cocos (a full post on these soon). The new versions apply better on the lips with a texture that is smooth and hydrating. The coverage is medium on these. Adrienne is a soft warm pinky nude, similar to the Tom Ford Pink Dusk, but the Chanel is more beige and has a soft sheen to it. There is a very smooth shimmer to the Rouge Cocos that gives these a beautiful glow that isn’t frosty.
NARS Guyane Lip Gloss is a super pale powdery cool nude pink. Alone it can look awful but this works wonders layered over other lipsticks or liners. (Above shown layered over MAC Boldly Bare Lip Liner). It works well with pinks, nudes, peach and rose lip colors.
Two lip liners I’ve been loving include Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk and MAC Boldly Bare. Both are really good neutrals that go with a wide range of lip colors. They are rich in color but blend nicely and help extend the wear of lipstick by creating a base. Both are good line + fill liners.
For nude gloss, Chanel Sweet Beige Glossimer is a classic soft beige with gold shimmer I think everyone should own. There is a slight hint of pink and brown in it so it won’t wash you out. Tom Ford Rose Crush is the ultimate pigmented nude pink gloss. It covers the lips completely and adds a really pretty sheen.
For eyeshadow palettes, my top picks are still Urban Decay Naked2, Chanel Tisse Rivoli and Tom Ford Orchid Haze. Those are classic staples for me. If you’re looking for something different and new, there are a number of new palettes and shadows that have just launched.
Above clockwise from left: MAC Amber Times Nine, Dior Eye Reviver Eyeshadow Palette, NARS Eyeshadow Valhalla, NARS Paint Porto Venere, Burberry Wet and Dry Glow Eyeshadow Shell, Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick Rosegold
MAC released several 9-pan palettes. Each palette comes with 9 mini-pan shadows in different color themes. MAC Amber Times Nine is the most neutral option with a variety textures ranging from matte, satin, shimmer and sparkle. The texture of the shadows are soft with medium but buildable pigment.
Dior released a new 6-pan palette filled with shimmery cool-toned neutrals. It’s called the Dior Eye Reviver Eyeshadow Palette. These are ultra soft in texture with a finely milled shimmer that adds the prettiest sheen to the eyes. The shadows blend on the eyes for a natural look with very soft finish.
For single shadows, Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rosegold is one of my holy grail champagne shimmery cream shadows. It’s the perfect color for an all over wash and also works as a good base for powder shadows. Burberry’s Wet & Dry Glow shadows are game changers for a unique gel/cream-to-powder kind of metallic. Shell is the prettiest soft pinky peach. If you want something more glitzy, NARS Valhalla is a super sparkly soft peach neutral. It’s hard to tell in the swatch but it has peach and coppery bits of micro sparkle (versus the traditional silver or gold) which makes it super unique.
For nude eye bases, I typically prefer creams with a bit of shimmer. NARS Eye Paint in Porto Venere is a soft but pigmented nude powder pink that evens out the lids. If it seems to pale for you, MAC Paint Pots come in some good neutral matte cream colors. Above shown is Soft Ochre, Groundwork, Painterly and Layin Low.
For nails there are a number of good classic neutrals and nudes. Christian Louboutin has ten flawless nudes in a variety of shades from pink, beige, to cream (swatches of all ten shades here). For a cool-toned pink neutral, Dior Lady has reached holy grail status. I will need a backup. If you want a neutral that isn’t a flesh-toned nude, Chanel Particuliere is a classic but can pull warm on some skin tones. Dior Palais Royal is a cool-toned version of the Chanel. If you are looking for a good neutral beige cream that has good coverage, Tom Ford Toasted Sugar is really lovely.
What are your favorite neutrals for lips, cheeks, eyes and nails? Have you checked out any of the new spring releases this year? What are your favorites? I’d love to hear about your all-time favorites or new discoveries. For more ideas, Nordstrom has an entire beauty section dedicated to New Neutrals.
This post was sponsored by Nordstrom. Press samples include NARS Valhalla, NARS Reckless, NARS Guyane and Burberry Shell. All other items purchased by me. More information in my Disclosures.
It’s sunny and warm this weekend in Southern California. I’m currently smitten with the new MAC Amber Times Nine palette. The pans are smaller than the regular-sized eyeshadows making the compact the same size as the quads with pro-palettes. They are super cute. The MAC Burgandy Times Nine is also a stunning option. (Review soon.) Other loves include Frederic Malle Travel Sprays in Carnal Flower, Marc Jacobs Sheer Lip Gel in Eat Cake and Tom Ford Lip Gloss in Rose Crush. The NARS Dual Intensity Blushes are absolutely stunning (Craving shown above). I’ll be testing these more this week.
Current reads I’m loving this weekend:
Café Makeup swatched and reviewed all of the new NARS Soft Velvet Loose Powders, if you’re ordering online, her post is a really good resource for the color swatches
The RaeViewer gives a gorgeous sneak peek + tutorial of the beauty look for Burberry A/W 2015
Beauty Professor features a list of items to get a warm glow with color in her Glow Getters post
Mostly Sunny has awesome swatches of a few new Chanel Rouge Coco shades
Paris in Four Months’ photographs become more and more beautiful by the week, I have Paris on my list to visit by the end of next year
J.Crew’s Blog has some beauty notes and details on how to get the look behind their Fall/Winter 2015 Presentation (looks are stunning and glowy)
I’ve had this Byredo Trio of Minis on my wishlist for quite some time and finally caved and ordered them online. The trio includes three individually wrapped candles in Bibliothèque, Cotton Poplin and Fleur Fantôme. This specific set is currently exclusive to Net-A-Porter and Byredo.com ($120 for the set) but you can buy them individually in the mini size and full sizes at select locations. Based on what I’ve seen in person, stores seem to have limited inventory of the minis. Each mini has 8.4 oz /70 g with an approximate burn time of 14 hours each although I haven’t timed my burn lengths.
The three mini candles all have extremely good throw even at the small size. Based on my experience with the full-sized Fleur Fantôme, I can say the mini is just as strong in scent once it is burned. I’ve burned each of the minis over the past few weeks. These are lovely unique home scents but my heart still belongs to Diptyque and Henri Bendel.
Bibliothèque mimics the Bal D’Afrique perfume. To me this is a warm peachy plum that gives all sorts of warm fuzzy feelings. It is still very fruity so if you’re not a fan of sweet, I’d say skip this one.
Cotton Poplin resembles Blanche perfume. The candle is much better than the perfume version (in my opinion). It’s a fresh clean linen-like scent with a hint of powdery floral mixed in without feeling too powdery. This is quite unique and makes the entire room feel bright and clean.
Top notes: Blue Chamomile
Middle: Linen, White Cedarwood
Base: Sweet Musk
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Fleur Fantôme is a unique floral. This is one of the most natural-smelling sweet floral candles I’ve burned, it makes you feel like you are in a spring garden.
The Byredo candles are comparable with Diptyque in terms of price per ounce. I no longer have the larger full-sized Byredo candle anymore to show you an image of but for reference here are the minis compared to the full-sized and mini Diptyque (full break down on Diptyque sizing here):
Price per ounce breakdown:
Byredo full size
240 g / 8.4 oz for $80 to $95
Burn time 60 hours
Price per oz $9.52 to $11.30/oz
Bydedo mini size
70 g / 2.4 oz for $40 each
Burn time 14 hours
Price per oz $16.67/oz
Diptyque full size
190 g / 6.5 oz for $60 to $68
Burn time 60 hours
Price per oz $9.23/oz
Diptyque Mini
70 g / 2.4 oz for $30
Burn time 30 hours
Price per oz $11.76/oz
While the minis are really adorable and are great to sample the scents or good for travel, the better buy is the larger size. Packaging-wise these are sleek and simple making beautiful home accents. Recycling the older versions proved to be tricky since the labels were made of paper and if you got them wet it ruined them completely. If you search for reviews or images you might notice that the packaging has changed slightly (older version shown here). The newer version seems to have a more sturdy label but it is still prone to smudging and staining.
My overall assessment of these Byredo Candles is that they are a luxurious splurge. Beautiful with strong throw and unique scents, but extremely pricey. Although you the price per oz of the full size is similar that of Diptyque, spending $80+ on a single candle is pretty hard to stomach. Out of all the Byredo candles, the three scents in this trio are among the softest and most soothing in overall feel although the scent itself is very strong. I have a full size Cotton Poplin on order but will probably not be ordering anymore for a while.
In case you missed it, be sure to check out my Candle Care Tips and Recycling Posts. I’ve included tips on how to avoid tunneling, burning the sides, excessive smoking and also how to recycle the candles after you finish burning them.
I ordered my Mini Candle Trio from Net-A-Porter. It’s also available at Byredo.com. Individual minis are available at select stores from Barneys New York and Neiman Marcus too but you may have to shop around to find all three in stock.
Dior released a new lip gloss formula called Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshine and Care Couture Colour ($35 each for 6 ml/0.20 fl oz, made in France). These are currently exclusive to Neiman Marcus and Dior.com but will be released at all Dior counters later this spring (update, now also available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Bergdorf Goodman and all Dior retailers). I picked up several shades last month and have been playing with them for a few weeks. These are incredible glosses. They are luminous lip glosses with a skincare aspect Dior calls Rouge Dior Brilliant a “couture lip balm gloss with lip care oil.” The colors I saw all act like creams but each has a very subtle hint of shimmer to give the gloss dimension on the lips.
Coverage of these glosses is medium in terms of pigment. The brighter and darker colors do have more pigment than the neutrals but overall the color of each shade will show up on the lips. There is a subtle signature floral Dior scent on the glosses but it is significantly lighter than some of their previous formulas of lipstick and gloss so those with sensitive noses should be able to tolerate the fragrance.
The formula itself is quite soothing and moisturizing on the lips. They wear well alone or with a liner. The texture is not thick so you can easily layer it over lipstick without feeling like there is too much product on the lips. The colors I’ve been playing with all apply with a smooth streak-free finish and add a medium tint of color. Lasting power is medium – it stays put without sliding off for a few hours but it will transfer off the lips if you snack or drink tea/coffee frequently.
The Dior Brilliant Lipshines come with a sponge tip applicator that have a unique design. The shape is tapered to give you precise application around the edges of the lip and there is a small reservoir designed to give you the perfect dose of gloss for your lip. The applicator is different from anything I’ve seen and works beautifully.
The colors I picked up:
Swan is a medium rose pink
Paname is a neutral nude beige
Miss is a bright but soft pink
Bonheur is a sheer light pink (the sheerest of the ones I tried)
In terms of formula comparison, these are similar in concept to the Chanel Rouge Allure Glosses released last October (review of my picks here). The color schemes of the Chanel and Dior are very different, Chanel being more edgy and classic and sharp while Dior has more nude options and the colors are softer. Texture wise the Chanel has a thicker formula that lasts longer, however Dior has one that is more moisturizing. In terms of lasting power the Chanel lasts longer on me compared to the Dior, mainly because the Chanel is thicker.
My counter didn’t have all the shades available as testers, in fact three of the five shades I bought were bought based on what they looked like in the tube so I went with the safe ones. There are others that are deeper and brighter that look phenomenal (in particular Times Square and Soho) but I wanted to be able to swatch on the hand first. I will probably go back for one deeper/darker shade. In the meantime I have five lovely neutrals that aren’t nudes that work perfectly for everyday. If you’re in search of a medium coverage gloss, I recommend these with a huge thumbs up. Either these Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshines or the Chanel Rouge Allure Glosses are phenomenal in terms of formula. They come with a high price tag but in my testing experience with all kinds of glosses these are among the top in terms of performance, lasting power and being fuss-free. They are glosses that just work.
Have you checked out the new Dior Lip Glosses? There are three new nail polishes that go with this collection as well in Pink, Rose and Corail – working on swatches this week 🙂
