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On My Radar / New In Beauty

August 27, 2014

Happy mid-week lovelies! A few items that popped on my beauty radar this week. Fall collections look incredibly beautiful and there are a number of new foundation formulas on the market that sound promising.

  1. Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt has arrived for fall and it sounds amazing! This will come in a Candle, Body Cream,  are the the 1 oz and 3.5 oz Cologne Spray, I can’t wait to check it out this week
  2. Christian Louboutin will launch 30 new shades of nail polish at the end of the month, I have my eye on The Nudes Nail Colors (available for pre-order at Nordstrom)
  3. Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Fluid Foundation has been on my radar for a while now, I received a sample packet (but in the wrong shade), it felt really nice on the skin, if you’ve tried it please let me know what you thought, I have friends that keep telling me it really is the best, but I can’t bring myself to splurge just quite yet
  4. Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Foundation is another new formula on the market, I tested a couple samples I received at the store, it did feel amazingly smooth, evened out the skin and covered imperfections while looking natural, I had a hard time deciding on a shade
  5. YSL Fusion Ink Foundation is yet another new one, I’ve heard nothing but great things about this, it’s on my list to try out
  6. Giorgio Armani Fall has arrived, the Palette Yeux Organica Palette looks absolutely amazing, it’s on hold for me at my local Neiman Marcus counter and I hope to pick it up in the next few days
  7. Jin Soon Choi collaborated with designer Tess Giberson to create five new nail colors, I ordered two and will share them soon, the five shades are Heirloom, Farrago, Mélange, Pistache and Nocturne, available now at Nordstrom and Space NK
  8. Tom Ford Fall has started to trickle in stores and has been selling out at lightening speeds. Today, some items have popped up online at Neiman Marcus including the Contouring Cheek Duos in Stroked and Softcore, Black Cherry Nail Lacquer, and Lip Colors in Negligee and Twist of Fate.
I have the Tom Ford and a couple JINsoon polishes to review soon. I ordered the Tom Ford Fall Collection from Saks NY after calling around several stores to find they had sold out and had wait lists going. Many have been asking me to rush the review and post it stat. I took about 1/2 of the pictures to review and my camera broke (heartbreak!!) before I could do swatches, it will take 3 weeks to get repaired so I purchased another camera which is on its way. I have some other items photographed and ready to publish in the mean time. I appreciate your patience. If you’re thinking about the Tom Ford, I suggest you act fast. I’ve been testing it and the eye quad and cheek duos are a must if you don’t want to wait for online items to show up, call your closest Tom Ford Counter or Boutique to place an order.

What’s on your beauty radar this week?
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Liquid Eye Liners | Chanel, Kat Von D, Marc Jacobs Beauty, Charlotte Tilbury and Tom Ford

August 26, 2014

I’ve never been a fan of liquid eyeliners on me. The traditional kind with a tiny brush at the end has always felt flimsy to me which has never let me control the line on the eyes. I don’t have the steadiest hands and prefer to line with a detail brush and a darker powder shadow or a pencil that I can blend easily. I’ve tested a few felt tip liquid liners in stores (on the hand) and found they either looked grey when they dried, had felt tips that looked mushed after use, or bled into crevices easily. I dismissed them for many years until I discovered Tom Ford’s Defining Eye Pen last year and it completely changed my outlook on liners. Since then I’ve been braver with the liquid liner application and have been able to test a few more. I don’t have a good tutorial on application but find it’s best when applied in short strokes (even if it’s messy) along the upper lash line and then built up for thickness and precision. I absolutely loved this Easy Winged Liner Technique video by MakeupbyTiffanyD which helped me tremendously as a liquid liner beginner.

Five liquid liners I’ve tried that I wanted to share (with a Sharpie and Post Card for size reference):

  • Chanel Écriture de Chanel Stylo Eye-Liner in Noir ($35) was the second liquid liner I purchased. The artists at the Chanel counter raved about it when it came out with the fall collection. Noir is a true black but when you compare it to the other five I have, it’s not the deepest and looks slightly greyish. It has a felt tip and the cap has a slight spring inside when you close it, the packaging seals it completely so it doesn’t dry out. My initial thoughts on this were that it was a good liquid liner, but after comparing it to others, it’s just not as good. It takes a long time to dry, the tip isn’t quite as precise and just looks grayish once it does dry.
  • Kat Von D Ink Liner in Trooper ($18) has made it into my top three picks. The Ink Liner comes with a felt tip while the Tattoo Liner comes with a brush tip. This one has a stiffer tip that is still slightly flexible. For me it creates a super precise line and is very easy to control. When testing which one would remove easily off my arm with a dual-phase eye makeup remover, this was the second longest lasting (next to Tom Ford). This one also has a spring insert in the cap which seals it completely once closed. I like that it’s very fluid and there’s no bleeding when you apply it.
  • Marc Jacobs Magic Marc’er Precision Pen in Blacquer ($30) is one I had high hopes for based on the rave reviews. When I first tried it I did not like it. The felt tip was too soft for a precise line. After experimenting with it some more, I found it best when applied sideways or horizontally and then gliding it across the lids in short feathery strokes. It dries nicely to a true rich and glossy black but doesn’t smudge. It is a liner I find takes more time. When I’m in a rush, this one isn’t the best for me. 
  • Charlotte Tilbury The Feline Flick Quick Fine Line Shodõ Pen is something I purchased from the from the Rock Chic set on Charlotte Tilbury UK. Now available in the US at Nordstrom, Net-a-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and Beautylish. This one is quite amazing with a super precise line and glossy rich black finish. It stays put and sets quickly. I love that it is super easy to glide on for precise application. The stiffer tip makes it easier for me to apply versus one that bends easily. Huge thumbs up for this one.
  • Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen in Deeper 01 ($55) is hands down the best liquid eye liner I’ve tried. It comes with two tips, one is a thicker brush, the other is a smaller felt tip. This one is super easy to apply. It gives a super dark black line and is the easiest for me to use (which is important since I’m not the best at applying liquid liners). It’s lasted almost a year for me without drying out and the tips have remained sharp.

Comparisons to pencil liners: Houglass 1.5 Mechanical Pencil, Chanel Stylo Yeux in Gris and Edward Bess Defining Eyeliner in Deep Brown

To summarize my thoughts:

Top three picks
Tom Ford, Charlotte Tilbury and Kat Von D
Deepest black: Charlotte Tilbury
Longest lasting: Kat Von D, Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford
Most precise: Tom Ford and Kat Von D
Easiest to control: Tom Ford

If I were pressed to pick just one, it would hands down be the Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen even though $55 for an eyeliner is quite ridiculous. It’s super easy to control for a lighter or deeper line. It also has two tip sizes for a fine or thick line. It glides on and doesn’t smudge and retains its lush dark glossy black color even when dried.

Are you a liquid liner fan? What are your favorites?

The Marc Jacobs and Kat Von D eyeliners were provided courtesy of Sephora for review consideration. The others were purchased by me. More information in my Disclosures.
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NARS Audacious Lipsticks | Lip Swatches for Barbara, Raquel, Vanessa, Anita, Julie, Brigette and Juliette

August 23, 2014
All the lipsticks lined up at the NARS Melrose Boutique (previous feature here)
Here is Part 2 of my NARS Audacious Lipsticks review with lip swatches of my picks. They retail for $32 each. Some of the colors are exclusive to Barneys New York and NARS Boutiques. I will make a note for the retailer exclusive shades.  I picked out all the neutral shades in Barbara, Raquel, Vanessa, Anita, Julie, Brigette and Juliette.

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Barbara is a tan rose nude pink on me. It’s a great peachy beige.

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Raquel is the lightest color in the lineup. It’s a pale pink beige cream.

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Vanessa is a cool mauve nude. This one is a Barneys/NARS Boutique Exclusive. On me it pulls more blue in some light, but in others more neutral. The photo below shows it to be a bit more cool toned.

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Anita is described as an antique rose. I find it almost identical to Vanessa. The difference is slight but Anita is a bit lighter and warmer in color.

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Julie is another Barneys/NARS exclusive. This one is described as a nude pink. On me it has a hint of peachy tone to it. It’s really quite lovely.

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Brigette is described as a nude rose, but on me it’s a brighter peach with a hint of pink.

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Juliette is a bright coral. It looks neutral-ish in the tube but on the lips it’s really bright. For me this is a super bold lip.

Bottom line is I need more lip space. I wish I could wear them all at once. If you’re like me and love neutrals, I hope this helps show the difference between the neutral nudes and pinks. There are a couple more neutrals (such as Jane) I saw at the store but they pulled more orange/brown on me versus a true neutral. It would be hard for me to pick out my favorite shade because they all work so well on the lips. They are creamy, hydrating, full coverage and long lasting. They apply smoothly as well. Some of the lip swatches show more texture than others since I did a lot of wiping and reapplying it dried out my lips a bit. However on a regular non-swatching day these apply flawlessly.

My top three picks would be Barbara, Anita and Julie.

Have you checked out any of the NARS Audacious Lipsticks yet? Which ones do you have your eye on? These are currently available now at Nordstrom, Sephora, Barneys New York, NARS Boutiques and online at narscosmetics.com.

Julie and Juliette were provided courtesy of NARS for review consideration. All other shades purchased by me.
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NARS Audacious Lipstick | Beauty Look Book Picks

August 23, 2014

In celebration of its 20th Anniversary, NARS has designed an incredible collection of lipsticks that pay tribute to its beginnings with the launch of The Audacious
Lipstick Collection. This is a 40-shade collection of lipsticks all encased in a sleek modern matte-black magnetic case. Each lipstick is embossed with the NARS logo. There is a diverse range of color options from nudes, reds, pinks, orange, plums and vampy shades. 10 of the forty shades are exclusive to NARS Boutiques, narscosmetics.com and Barneys New York ($32 each). The shades launched early at Barneys and I went to the Barneys New York counter in Beverly Hills last weekend to have my makeup done at one of their events and meet their Lead Makeup Stylist Janice Daoud (Twitter @NARSJanice). The RaeViewer also stopped by for a quick hello (sneak peek of her picks on Instagram @raeview).

on the nails, NARS Paros
I have seven of the neutral shades to share with you. NARS kindly sent two peachy shades for review in Julie and Juliette. While at Barneys, I picked up an additional five in Barbara, Raquel, Vanessa, Anita and Brigette. Seeing all 40 shades at once was overwhelming. Each shade looked so incredibly gorgeous. The texture is really rich and smooth with full coverage. They all appear to be creams (no shimmer) although after wiping them off, I did notice some shimmer remnants on my hand. I wasn’t able to tell which one it came from, I suspect some have a tiny bit of iridescence but on the lips they act like a true cream.

There is no detectable added fragrance from what I can tell. The colors have intense pigment and you can get full coverage with one swipe although I prefer two. All the shades, including the nudes, cover the lip entirely. There’s really no need for liner although it does help to even out the edges and make your lipstick stay on longer.

What I liked most about the nudes and neutrals I picked was that there is no tweaking required. You don’t need to add liner, gloss, or any other lipstick to correct the color and make them work. The artists I worked with at the counter did like to layer the shades together, but I personally find they all work well by themselves.

Some of the neutrals are very similar to each other. There are slight differences in undertone which is great since some look better in warm neutrals while others look better with cooler tones.

Shades as described by NARS:

Barbara is a tan rose
Raquel is a pink beige
Vanessa (Barneys / NARS Exclusive) is a mauve nude
Anita is an antique rose
Julie (Barneys / NARS Exclusive) is a nude pink
Brigette is a nude rose
Juliette is a pink coral

 The lipsticks have a slightly natural sheen to them which reflect in swatches:

Based on my testing, Vanessa and Anita are very close in color, Vanessa is slightly deeper in color. Julie and Brigette are also close with Brigette being deeper in color. I was really impressed with how naturally flattering the neutrals were. Normally there are at least one or two nudes that end up washing out my complexion. I’m very pleased to report that all of these worked really well for my pigmented lips and medium/olive skin tone (I use the Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Groenland and Radiant Cream Foundation in Punjab). I’ll have lip swatches uploaded shortly in a separate post.

The NARS Audacious Lipstick collection is currently available now at Nordstrom, Sephora, Barneys New York, NARS Boutiques and online at narscosmetics.com.

Two shades were provided for review consideration. Remaining shades purchased by me. More information in my Disclosures.

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New Shades of YSL Volupté Sheer Candy | 14 Belle Cannelle, 15 Rose Candy, 16 Cherise Désir, 17 Fraise Ganache

August 22, 2014

There are four new shades of YSL Volupté Sheer Candy in 14 Belle Cannelle, 15 Rose Candy, 16 Cherise Désir, 17 Fraise Ganache ($34 each, currently exclusive to Sephora). The YSL Volupté Sheer Candy formula is a sheer glossy tinted lip balm. I feel those who have tried these either really love them or hate them. I was thoroughly unimpressed when I first one I tried these several years ago. I gave them a second try last year early in 2013 and my opinion had changed completely. Funny how personal taste on beauty and style can change. Although the YSL Volupté Sheer Candy lip balms are indeed very sheer, they feel phenomenal on the lips and help transform texture with a super lush hydrating feel. These are heavily scented with something I feel is a mango and grapefruit blend, but to me it’s not artificially sweet. I love these for a swipe and go kind of lip product that doesn’t require a mirror and that will always look natural. Some of the colors are more visible on my lips than others, but all are still pretty sheer. If you want more color and pigment, I’d recommend you opt for the YSL Volupté Shines (reviews and swatches on my picks here).

The four new shades appear to be exclusive to Sephora. All look a lot lighter and brighter in real life compared to online square swatches. The actual lip balm tubes don’t have names on them, just the numbers.

  • #14 is warmer brownish nude
  • #15 is medium hot sheer pink
  • #16 is a brighter fuchsia pink that is still very soft 
  • #17 is a soft mauve with subtle shimmer particles

If you’ve tried the Volupté Sheer Candies, you know swatches are difficult to photograph because of the sheer glossy finish. These are colors that show up better on the lips. I’ve swatched them below with a lip brush to pick up more color. I recommend you also check out swatches on Best Things in Beauty – her swatches show what the color will look like straight from the tube.

Here are close ups and lip swatches of each shade. As usual with lip swatches, no added liner or base unless specified. On the lips I applied the colors straight from the tube, swiping back and forth around 2 to 3 times each lip:

A few comparisons, same set but with two views, Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy, Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Fetiche, YSL Rouge Volupte Shine #7, 8 and 9:

I’m really happy with the four new shades. They are sheer but have such a lovely natural tint to them. They smooth and hydrate the lips and are really luscious. You can find them now in stores and online at Sephora.

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7 Shades of Grey Nail Lacquer

August 21, 2014
I’m in that in between mood of summer and fall for beauty. I’m loving the vibrant bright colors for summer but also craving colors that are either more subdued or darker for fall. Right now I have an obsession for grey nail polishes. Here are seven shades of grey, some newer and some older colors that I’ve been loving.
All swatched side by side along with Chanel Eastern Light which is a pure white for a baseline reference on color:

Each color close up and swatched on the nails. JINsoon Kookie White is a super pale white grey with cool tones. It’s almost a pure white but the hint of grey prevents it from looking too harsh. I love the clean contrast it has with the skin. It applies very smoothly with two coats on the nails as long as you have a good base coat underneath. (Roundup of all my nail essentials and favorites here.) It’s fully opaque with two coats, but as with most white colors, you need to take extra care to apply precisely around the edges and near the cuticles.

YSL La Lacque Couture in Gris Deco #23 has been on my wish list for ages ever since YSL revamped their nail polishes. It’s a gorgeous pale grey with blue tones and has a slight hint of pearl mixed throughout. On the fingers depending on the light sometimes it looks more blue, other times more white or grey. It’s truly beautiful and clean looking. The pearl gives it a bit of dimension. This one was a bit sheer so I prefer it with three coats.

Sephora’s Formula X is another favorite of mine (more thoughts on Formula X here). The Sephora team sent the Formula X in Extraordinary for review and it surprised me. It looks so basic and plain in the bottle but it applies very smoothly with full coverage. I like that it’s a pale grey but has color in it so it doesn’t look white on the nails. I like the blue tones in it which brightens the color. I love beige-greys but sometimes they can make the skin look sallow or dirty. 

Burberry Storm Grey is another dove grey with blue tones. The brush is on the thick side which made it a bit difficult for me to get a clean application. It’s not impossible though. The formula is smooth, rich and opaque – it just takes a bit more time to apply. The color has the perfect blend of blue and grey mixed together. On the nails it’s a non-shimmer.

Dior Gel Shine Nail Lacquer in Junon is a powder blue color with a hint of grey. On me it leans more blue but I still see hints of grey tones in it. The Dior Gel Shine Formula is amazing. It has a lush cushy look with a high shine. Lasting power is really good and these are super easy to apply flawlessly. It’s shown below with two coats. 

Dior Metal Montaigne is also in the Gel Shine formula. It’s a metallic gunmetal color. Being a metallic color you can see brush strokes when applied but it’s on the subtle side. It also applies very smoothly. I like that it’s a darker color that isn’t too dark.

Last but not least, I’ve featured Chanel Frenzy again. Many think of this as a classic grey color. On me it pulls more beige as it’s a warmer-toned grey color. It has a sheer jelly finish so I need three coats for this one. It’s an understated classic neutral.

If I had to pick one favorite, it would be impossible. Each grey has different nuances in the undertone that make them all very unique. I am quite smitten with the pale opaque grey nail lacquers at the moment although I also love a good dove grey color. Do you like grey nail polish? What are your favorite greys for nails?

Sephora and JINsoon provided polishes for review consideration. All others purchased by me. For more information, refer to my Disclosures.

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Elizabeth and James Nirvana Black

August 20, 2014

Elizabeth and James launched the Nirvana Black and White Eau de Parfum as a Sephora Exclusive earlier this year. When the line launched, Sephora had adorable mini roll-ons available as 100 point perks for Beauty Insiders. They literally flew off out of stores but I was lucky to find them online via Sephora.com and I used up my points to redeem for both (and a couple backups of each). I fell head over heels in love with Nirvana Black and purchased the full size 1.0 fl oz ($55) version during the Summer Surge Event.

Nirvana Black is described as a “blend of alluring violet, sensual sandalwood, and rich vanilla that strike the perfect balance between masculine and feminine.” I’m a fan of fragrances that have a hint of sandalwood which gives scents a sort of smoky, spicy, dark touch. On me it’s more of a date-night kind of fragrance but I love it during both day and night. It has really good lasting power in both the roll-on and spray, I like the mini roll-ons because they fit easily into a compact makeup bag or clutch and don’t take up much space.

I spritzed Nirvana White on me in store at Sephora when these first launched. I tend to prefer lighter scents and thought I would prefer the lighter version. By itself I found it too floral although my husband loves it on me. The Nirvana White is described as having “delicate peony, chic muguet, and tender musk for a feminine scent with dark sophistication.” I’m not a fan of wearing peony scents on the skin, as I find them too floral and powdery, although I love the actual flower scent just as flowers. 

Book: Influence

After posting several snapshots of the mini roll-ons, several readers have suggested I layer them both.  It does create an interesting blend of floral and spice but I still lean more towards preferring the Nirvana Black. I love the simple design with the gold detail. When it comes to fragrance, the packaging design matters a lot to me. There are some fragrances I have not purchased that I love the scents of simply because the bottles are either too gaudy or just plain hideous. I like the textured grooves in the surface because it makes these more interesting without looking like spikes.

Nirvana Black is a bit too spicy for warm hot summer days but I still wear it. I personally think it will be perfect for fall. Bottom line love and I hope they extend the line to include home fragrance or oils.

Nirvana Black is available exclusively at Sephora in different sizes. $22 for the 0.34 oz rollerball, $55 for the 1.0 fl oz bottle, or $75 for the 1.7 fl oz bottle. Both minis are also available in the Sephora Favorites Bottled Dreams Fragrance Sampler $58 (you get a scent certificate to any US Sephora store to redeem for a full-size bottle at no extra cost, see website for details on how to redeem).

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