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On My Radar / New In Beauty

January 3, 2015

Happy weekend everyone! New spring collections and launches are starting to trickle in. Spring seems to be filled with some lovely pinks and roses. A few things on my beauty radar, from top left clockwise:

Guerlain Spring is filled with soft delicate pinks. I have my eye on the Les Precieux Eyeshadow Palette, Rosy Silk and Peach Satin Kiss Kiss Lipsticks and Baby Rose Nail Lacquer.

Diptyque’s latest is the Rose and Ivy Collection. There is a new candle out called Rosafolia. Available now at online Diptyque and in Diptyque Boutiques. In addition there is a new scented oval and perfume released with the collection.

NARS Eye-Opening Act is a new launch exclusive to Nordstrom. I will have a review out next week. It includes St. Lucia Multiple (which is stunning!), two eyeshadow palettes in Yeux Irresistible and Inoubliable Coup d’Oeil along with five new Velvet Shadow Sticks.

Hourglass Cosmetics has new Eyeshadow Palettes coming out this spring called Modernist Eyeshadow Palettes. Infinity is the first one released, available now at Barneys New York. I can’t wait to see this in person.

Dior Kingdom of Colors has two new Nail Lacquers in Glory and Lady for spring. There is also a really interesting Top Coat that looks like confetti.   

YSL Volupté Tint-In-Oil is a lip tint suspended in oil. It comes in eight colors. I’ve read mixed reviews but I have three sitting in my shopping cart. I can’t decide whether or not to pull the trigger and buy without testing first. 

Bite Beauty has a new Agave Lip Mask in Smashed which is a berry hue. I am putting this one to the test right now and hope to have a full review with swatches later next week.

The Sephora + Pantone Universe Shimmering Marsala Cheek Trio keeps calling my name. I think it’s only a matter of time before I cave and purchase this too. If you bought it, I’d love to hear your thoughts. 

What’s on your beauty radar this weekend?

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Sephora + Pantone Universe Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme & Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette

January 2, 2015

The Sephora + Pantone Universe Color of the Year is Marsala and there are some beautiful options for lips, cheeks and eyes that have been released. In this year’s color collection we have:
I have two items to share with you today (and a giveaway too!). First up is the Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme. This is a full coverage cream lipstick. It’s labeled as a matte finish color but I didn’t find it to be a true matte. It has a creamy feel with a slight sheen making it look more plush than a pure matte. This is the first Sephora branded lipstick I’ve tried and I found the pigment and coverage phenomenal. There’s no added fragrance although it does have a slight lipstick scent. On me it’s a dark pink wine color but not so dark that it’s a vamp shade. It is darker than what I am normally used to wearing but I found the color naturally flattering. If you want a darker lip but don’t want something quite as dramatic as a vampy shade, this is a good in between transition color. Texture is very smooth and glides on the lips easily. I found lasting power to be very good.

Here it is swatched with two swipes each lip, I found that if you layer it with a few more swipes, you can get a deeper more pigmented/vampy dark lip look:

A few comparisons to other shades (previous reviews are linked):

Charlotte Tilbury Stoned Rose (review soon)

Next up is the Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette. This is an impressive palette with 24 pigmented shades. The focus is primarily on reddish burgundy shades, but there is a good mix of others in the palette to coordinate with the reds. The colors in this palette are very much outside of my comfort zone although during makeovers artists often like to use warmer sable shades or wine shades on my eyes layered to warm up the entire look. I’ve experimented with some (like the wine shimmers from Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscopes) but use the color in small doses. This palette has a wide range of finishes and textures. Most of mattes are good if used as a liner or smokey eye, some of the textures of the mattes are a bit chalky if you try to use them all over the lid. I think they are best layered for added depth or as a liner. The shimmers range from glitter to finely milled shimmer to chunky sparkle. There are a few finely milled shimmers that have a very smooth easy to blend texture. Some of the chunkier shimmers have fallout when you apply them, but I found they did adhere ok to the lids once they were on the eyes. The glitters weren’t my favorite (I’m not a fan of glitter eyeshadows in general), but I’m still experimenting with them.  I think performance and quality does varies per shade.

Colors are swatched by row:

  • Autumn Blonde is a pale matte bone colored base with silver glitters, this one was very powdery and chalky on my skin
  • Toasted Nut is a shimmering pumpkin color, it has a medium-to-high frost with a smooth texture
  • Marsala Matte is a pigmented matte red wine color
  • Marsala Satin is a pigmented semi-matte/semi-shimmer red wine
  • Shifting Sand is a chunky silver with a high frost, there was fallout when applying this shade, but once it’s on the lids it stays put
  • Cocoa Brown is a satiny cool brown with a slight sheen

  • Burro is a neutral cool satiny matte color, it has a slight sheen but on the eyes goes on matte
  • Deep Taupe is a cool-toned bark brown that looks more blue on my skin
  • Marsala Metallic is a shimmering red wine, it has a smooth texture, I found it easy to blend and layer with other eyeshadow shades
  • Marsala Glitter is a red wine with red and silver tiny glitters
  • Kelp is a warm olive gold metallic, it has finely milled shimmer
  • Dusty Olive is a darker metallic olive, it also has good pigment and finely milled shimmer

  • Desert Mist is a highly frosted buttercream gold
  • Butterum is a medium golden copper metallic sparkle
  • Macaroon is a satiny tan with a hint of camel and pink
  • Chutney is a reddish matte red
  • Nimbus Cloud is a chunky cool-toned silvery white sparkle
  • Moonlight Blue is a sheer glittering blue, you can get more pigment if you layer it with a damp brush or over a liner but alone it’s pretty sheer

The last row of colors includes my favorites in the palette:

  • Carob Brown is a satiny medium-warm brown, it’s primarily a matte but has a slightly reflective quality when layered and swatched in a large area
  • Bracken is a dark chocolate cool brown base with gold shimmer loaded into it
  • Russet is a warm matte brown, this also looks satiny because of the flash, but it performs like a matte
  • Hot Chocolate is a warm reddish brown matte
  • Castor Grey is a duo-chrome metallic similar in concept to MAC Club Eyeshadow
  • Red Mahogany is a matte plum red brown

I’m really pleased with the quality, pigment and color of the Marsala Lip Creme. It works just like a lipstick should. I think the Eyeshadow Palette is a good value set that will offer a diverse range of colors, textures and finishes. There are a lot of different looks that that you can create with the 24 shades. The quality of the shadows is mixed, but overall it’s a good palette. Color-wise, I’m almost exclusively a neutral eyeshadow wearer but I’ve played with this for a week now and found that I can use some of the reds layered with the cooler-toned shades and it’s very wearable. If you’re at a Sephora store, I definitely recommend you giving this a look.

For the other Marsala beauty items, I’ve played with the lip crayons and blush palette. There are a number of spring releases trickling in stores now so I’m waiting to see other items before purchasing, but the blush palette is seriously tempting me.

I have an extra set of the two items featured in this review to giveaway thanks to Sephora! This is an international giveaway, but you must be 18 years or older to qualify for entries. Simply enter using the Rafflecopter Widget below. One winner will be selected at random to win (x1) Pure Marsala Matte Lip Creme and (x1) Facets of Marsala Multi-Finish Eye Palette. Entries will be collected through 1/8/2015 (refer to terms and conditions in the widget for all the details). All entrants must submit their own entries. Please note if you select to leave a comment via the Rafflecopter option, any with links or urls listed to blogs, websites, giveaways, Facebook pages etc. will be considered spam, will not be published and the entry will be disqualified.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!

The Sephora + Pantone Universe items in this review and
giveaway were provided courtesy of Sephora.

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Happy New Year!

January 1, 2015

Desk Calendar + Stand by Sugar Paper, Notebook by Vianel

Happy New Year! I wish everyone all the best in health and happiness for the upcoming year. The last month flew by so quickly I felt like I blinked and December came and went. I’ve been thinking about New Year’s Resolutions for a few days and find myself struggling to come up with a tangible and specific list of things I want to accomplish in the next 12 months. So far I only have one specific item on my list thanks to a friend. A couple of days ago one of my friends convinced me to sign up for a month long workout bootcamp with her. We start next week and I am extremely nervous because as of right now I can’t even manage a single pull up, but I’m excited to get fit and am really happy to have a someone to help motivate me and keep me committed along the way.

I would love to hear what your 2015 goals are – I’m in need of some inspiration!
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2014’s Most-Loved Blog Posts

December 31, 2014

I shared my personal favorite 2014 beauty discoveries earlier this week. Today I have one last roundup post to share this year which includes 2014’s most-loved blog posts by you! Here are the most popular posts on The Beauty Look Book from this year (ranked in order):

Happy New Year to all!

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Loving Right Now

December 28, 2014

I can’t believe that this is the last week of 2014. I will have a year-end roundup/review shortly with some thoughts and reflections soon. For now I wanted to share a few things I’m loving right now. As always I would love to hear what you’ve been loving too! 

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blushes are a current favorite. It has the perfect mix of glow and pigment in one compact. I’ve been reaching for Luminous Flush lately which brightens the complexion and adds a nice healthy glow with the soft shimmer. Review + swatches here and here.

I’m a sucker for cute notebooks and Vianel has small Moleskin Pocket Notebooks that you can have personalized (for now the personalization is free of charge). I like that they give you a choice of engraving on the front or back of the notebook.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys in Peter is a pretty neutral nude shimmer I’ve been really pleased with. Based on reader comments, many of you seemed to like this one most in my recent post here. I like it so much that I bought a backup.

Marc Jacobs O’Mega Lash Volumizing Mascara is seriously good. When it comes to mascara it takes a lot to impress me, most mascaras turn grey on my lashes once they dry or smudge or flake. The Marc Jacobs O’Mega volumizes and separates my lashes without any clumping or flaking. It holds the curl without looking crunchy. Once it dries the color remains a true black. I will definitely be repurchasing it.

So many have raved about the Aesop Parley Seed Cleansing Masque. I have a few loves from Aesop for body products but many of the facial skincare products have a really strong earthy and herbal fragrance which I cannot tolerate. I decided to give this a try and am thoroughly impressed. This mask is amazing. It is gentle on the skin but really works to remove impurities from the pores. What I like about the Aesop mask is that it seems to be perfect for sensitive skin. It has a soothing feel once applied. There’s no tingly or burning feeling. If you have super sensitive skin and want a good clarifying/cleansing mask I highly recommend looking into this one. It has a natural earthy scent but it’s not too strong and actually quite soothing.

With the dry weather I’ve been exploring more in hand creams. I’ll have a roundup of all the ones I’ve been testing later this week. One new discovery of mine is the Eve Lom Hand Cream. For those who cannot tolerate highly fragranced hand lotions this is a good one. It has no added fragrance but still has a nice super lightweight naturally clean scent. It has lightweight airy texture that moisturizes well and absorbs quickly into the skin. A more detailed review to come soon.

For the home, I’ve been obsessed with Diptyque Figuier. In my opinion this is the best fig candle that I’ve tried (it beats Henri Bendel and Jo Malone, although those are very good too). It’s a good holiday candle that gives a warm and cozy feel to the home.

Last but not least, I’ve been loving the Faux Fur Throw from Williams-Sonoma Home (used in the background of the photo above). It’s super soft and thick and warm.
What have you been loving right now?
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Chanel Collection Rêverie Parisienne Blush Camélia Rosé and Angélique

December 23, 2014

Chanel has two stunning options for cheeks this spring in the Collection Rêverie Parisienne. There is a beautiful floral cheek powder called Blush Camélia Rosé ($55 for 3 g/0.1 oz, limited-edition) and a new Joues Contraste called Angélique #190 ($45 for 6 g/0.21 oz). Both look like spring in powder form and they look quite stunning in the compacts.

The Blush Camélia Rosé has two shades in one compact. There is a soft light pink and a medium rose intertwined in a stunning camellia rose pattern. The overall tone is cool-toned and there is a slight hint of silver sparkle in the powder. On my medium olive skin this is semi-sheer but has a glowy finish. It does show up on my Chanel Beige 30 skin but it is very subtle. My first impression when I saw this was to think “this is so tiny!” – I do wish Chanel had skipped the brush on this one and made the powder larger like the Beiges De Chanel or seasonal highlighters. Still, it is remarkably beautiful in the compact and on the skin. If you need something more dramatic or visible but still natural and glowy I would recommend Hourglass Mood Exposure (reviewed here and here).

Angélique #190 Joues Contraste is a stunning peachy pink blush. It has a super smooth texture with a glowy finish. I found the pigment in this one just perfect. It has a lovely mix of pink, peach and rose in it so warms and brightens up the skin. If I had to pick one of the two cheek options, this would hands down be it.

Here are the two spring shades swatched side by side:

A few comparisons:

Hourglass Incandescent Electra (exclusive to the blush palette)
Chanel Espiegle (discontinued)

I’m in love with Angélique Blush. It is such a pretty peachy pink that I tend to gravitate towards. I have mixed feelings about the Blush Camélia Rosé mainly because of the size. It is a pretty soft pink rose that has a lovely glow but I do wish it had just a tiny bit more pigment on my medium skin.

For reference on other Chanel Spring 2015 reviews:

You should be able to find Chanel spring at all counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks, Bloomingdales and Chanel.com.

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Chanel Collection Rêverie Parisienne Les 4 Ombres in Tissé Paris and Tissé Fantaisie

December 20, 2014

There are two new Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadows ($61 each) for spring in Tissé Paris 238 and Tissé Fantaisie 236. I bought both of mine in store from Nordstrom (just launched online too at Nordstrom and Chanel.com). Both of them are shimmery but on the eyes the shimmer is soft and satiny. These come in the new Les 4 Ombres formula which has the round pans and better pigment compared to the non-US baked quads.

Tissé Paris is the cool-toned option with soft pink, rose and a deep navy-grey smokey shimmer. It’s really quite stunning in the compact. It has the perfect mix of delicate with the pink and bold with the deep smokey navy grey shade. I was worried it might give a pink-eye look (because I have to approach pink eyeshadows with caution), but it is neutral enough that it looks perfect. I don’t recall having a palette quite like this one, although the mix of pink and gunmetal do remind me a bit of Marc Jacobs Beauty The Enigma and Dior Bar.

Tissé Fantaisie is what I envision spring to be like in a palette. It has a soft silvery shimmer with a slight hint of cream and green, a shimmering soft warm peach, a stunning green with gold shimmer and a warm coppery bronze metallic. The colors layer well together to create a really interesting look. Green shadows usually aren’t my thing, but these have gold and silver shimmers mixed in making them more wearable for me. I don’t have a lot of quads with sea green or green tones in general, the closest thing I could think of is Dior Bonne Etoile from a few holidays ago. For some reason Tissé Fantaisie has a Dior-vibe to me, but I don’t think I have any of the quints with a sea green and bronze mix.

The pigment for the spring quads is very good, but softer than what I’ve tested with quads like Tissé Rivoli/Poesie. I found Tissé Paris and Fantaisie to swatch very well on the arm or hand, but on the eyes the effect is softer, similar to what I experienced with Tissé Vendome/Gabrielle. A good creamy eye base will help bring out the pigment more.

I’m more of a fan of neutrals and right now I’m all about golds or smokey palettes. Both of the Chanel spring quads are definitely worth looking into. For me, I’ll be wearing them more in the new year once the holiday season is over. These are both stunning, gorgeous and feminine, but have a more spring-like seasonal feel. I’d be hard pressed to pick one favorite because they are both so unique in their own way. I have a very slight preference towards Tissé Paris.

Right now, only Tissé Fantaisie is listed as a limited-edition shade. I purchased both of mine in stores at Nordstrom. They are also online now at Nordstrom and Chanel.com.

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