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Tatcha Indigo Collection

February 24, 2014

Tatcha’s latest release is the Indigo Collection with new body and skincare products formulated to soothe, renew and soften the skin. For those new to Tatcha, the line was created by Victoria Tsai who based her products on Japanese geisha practices. More behind her story here. I discovered the brand thanks to some of my long-time readers who have been raving about the line for months. Several reached out through email and convinced me to order the Gold Camellia Lip Balm (which I adore). I was fortunate to meet part of the Tatcha team in San Francisco last month and they kindly sent me samples of the Indigo Soothing Silk Body Butter ($48 for 200 ml/6.7 fl oz) and Soothing Silk Hand Cream ($38 for 60 ml/2 fl oz). Both products are made with the stems, leaves and petals of the Indigo plant. This is combined with other anti-flammatory ingredients to help soothe irritated skin. Both the hand and body cream have a blue tint to the product. I was worried the color would transfer or stain clothing but the good news is the color disappears upon application. The Indigo products have this beautiful scent that I find impossible to describe. It’s a relaxing refreshing spa-like scent that is very calming.
The products come beautifully packaged as you can see below. Anyone who has ordered from Tatcha online knows that everything arrives with everything from the products to samples wrapped beautifully.

I’ve been testing these for the past month and both perform exactly as described. The Silk Body Butter is rich and with a medium-thickness for texture and blends easily. I rarely use body creams because I find them to be either too heavy in texture and scent. (I prefer dry oils.) The Tatcha cream blends easily with only a tiny bit and the scent balance is perfect. I can wear this at night and apply before bed without the scent interfering with my sleep. (I am sensitive to scents when it comes to being able to fall asleep.) A little goes a long way and it absorbs quickly into the skin and soothes any dry areas that might be irritating. If you’ve applied this and it feels sticky – it means you’ve applied too much.
The Soothing Silk Hand Cream is a new favorite. It also has a rich in texture so you only need a little bit. This past month has been a dry one for me causing my hands to be extra sensitive and dry. I alternate hand creams on a daily basis (between L’Occitane, Aerin and Diptyque) and the Tatcha has proved to be the most neutral in scent making it the most appropriate for my conservative corporate work place. It comes with a purse-friendly squeeze tube that seals all the way so you don’t have to worry about it leaking all over your bag.
I have the Soothing Body Butter nearby when I’m at home either on my home work desk or by my nightstand. I have the hand cream in my purse and have been reaching for it more than others lately. I can see myself using up the hand cream within a few months and will most likely need to replenish soon.
You can find Tatcha at online at Tatcha.com (lovely samples with every order) and Barneys New York. The line is available in stores in the US at Barneys in New York, Beverly Hills and San Francisco. (PS follow Tatcha on Twitter @tatcha_v for extra sample codes.)

Have you tried anything from Tatcha? What are your favorites?

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AERIN Beauty Rose Balm Lipsticks – My Picks

February 23, 2014

I swatched all of the new Aerin Beauty Rose Balm Lipsticks a couple of days ago here. Today I’ll show you my picks along with lip swatches. Aerin Beauty Rose Balm Lipsticks ($30 each for 0.14 oz/4g). These are buildable lipsticks with a moisturizing feel. There is a very soft rose scent which I find similar to the Rose Hand and Body Cream. It’s a sweet soft rose that fades after a few minutes. For reference it’s not as strong as the rose scent in some Chanel lipsticks. The Rose Balm Lipsticks have a soft shine to them which makes them look like a shiny balm but they have the pigment of a lipstick (meaning more coverage on the lips than the MAC Lustre formula). Coverage is quite good from medium to full coverage. They apply better on the lips versus the hand or arms. You do need a smooth lip to apply. If you have any flakies, I recommend prepping your lips with a balm first for about 5 minutes or so to smooth them out. Since the colors adhere well to the lips they can enhance anything that is chapped or peeling.

I tried Poppy in store and photographed it on the lips before it faded. I purchased Coral Sand, Liebling, Pretty and Wild Lilac for myself. I bought Geranium for my mother as a Valentine’s Day gift so it is not swatched below.

Swatches without flash:


Swatches with flash highlight the shine factor:


Close ups and lip swatches shown below of each shade I bought. Here is Poppy which I tested in store but did not purchase. If I remember correctly Poppy may have had a tiny bit of shimmer in the tube but on the lips the shimmer does not show up.

Coral Sand is a fresh peachy shade. The Aerin rep in San Francisco was wearing this color and it brightened her whole face (she had light skin and dark brown hair). I think this one would be flattering on almost anyone. It’s the perfect shade of peach for the transition into spring.

Liebling is a cool mauve. It looks darker in the tube than it applies on the lips. On me it pulled very blue-toned due to my olive skin. I saw it on some cooler-toned lighter skinned women at the counter and it looked amazing on them. I like this one but it’s a bit too cool-toned for my taste – but I usually have a hard time wearing anything mauve on the lips.

Pretty is the perfect pink in my mind. It’s a neutral soft pink that doesn’t wash out the skin. This one is my favorite out of the collection.

Wild Lilac is a dark vampy wine color in the tube. Similar to Clinique’s classic Black Honey, this translates into a brighter wine on the lips. On me it pulls cool-toned however on the hands it swatched more red. The color on your lips will probably depend on your skintone. I swiped it twice a bit unevenly before I photographed it. If I had pressed my lips together to blend a bit it wouldn’t have been quite as blotchy.

Geranium is a stunning brighter rose pink cream. It’s the kind of color my mother loves. She’s a loyal Estee Lauder and Chanel fan and likes anything bright. I thought this new lipstick would be right up her alley.

One last photo:

Overall thumbs up. If you’re an Estee Lauder fan you will love these as well. The overall feel of Aerin’s line is like an updated modern version of Estee Lauder. My heart still belongs to Chanel, Tom Ford and Edward Bess for lipsticks, but Aerin’s Rose Balm Lipsticks are close behind as a new favorite. My must-have shade after testing these is Pretty although Perfect Nude is still calling my name. See all the lip colors swatched in this post.

Aerin Rose Balm Lipsticks retail for $30 each. Online now at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Saks.

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On My Radar / New in Beauty

February 22, 2014

On my radar for what’s new in beauty. I splurged on almost all the Hourglass blushes and have been testing this week (they are now on Sephora.com). They are all amazing. In my mind the best blushes released this year.
Armani has two new products that appear to be exclusive to Saks right now. There are four new shades of a Sun Fabric compact ($54 each) along with seven new shades of Cheek Fabric ($46 each). Have you seen these yet? I haven’t seen them anywhere in stores yet. If you have please share in the comments. I’m dying to hear your thoughts.
My heart skipped a beat with the Chanel Jardin de Camélias collection (Chanel.com limited-edition exclusive). My order arrived last night so I will be busy photographing and swatching this weekend. For curious minds, I ordered the blush, highlighter and all the lip products. (Temptalia has been uploading reviews and swatches of the collection on her blog.)
Le Métier de Beauté finally released the three new Kaleidoscope Kits in Total Face Look, Cheeky Chic and Strada ($95 each) online at Bloomingdales (review on Total Face soon).
I’m dying over all the new NARS Matte Multiples and don’t know whether to order now or wait to test in person (now at Narscosmetics.com and Sephora). I know I need the two pink ones.
Finally, Bobbi Brown has a fresh peach collection Nectar and Nude. I haven’t bought a Pot Rouge since she repackaged them into compacts but the new Hibiscus Pot Rouge might be worth checking out.
What’s on your beauty radar right now?
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AERIN Beauty Rose Balm Lipsticks – First Look

February 21, 2014
The latest from Aerin Beauty includes 10 new shades of Rose Balm Lipstick ($30 each for 0.14 oz/4g). I’ve been impressed with the Aerin Beauty lipsticks but the new Rose Balm formula takes lipsticks to a whole new level. These are moisturizing, full pigment, cream colors with a natural sheen. For a slightly glossy-finish lipstick these are long lasting and have surprisingly good coverage. These come in a heavy weight gold tube. The packaging is sleek and has a simple classic design.
I played with these a couple weeks ago when I was in San Francisco and came home with Liebling (a cool rose). Last week I purchased a few more shades and have been thrilled with each color. It’s amazing that every single one of the colors is beautiful and naturally flattering. I will have lip swatches up this weekend of the colors I bought. For now here are all the shades hand swatched. I have my eye on the Perfect Nude shade because it really is a perfect nude. In my attempt to try colors I don’t usually go for, I skipped it for now.

Instore lighting, sorry for the bad quality, this was taken with my iPhone. Top Row: Whisper, Lady Beige, Cabana, Coral Sand, Pretty. Bottom Row: Liebling, Geranium, Perfect Nude, Poppy and Wild Lilac.

The shades described:

  • Whisper is a pale pink that has a slight sheen to it
  • Lady Beige is a transparent but pigmented flesh nude
  • Cabana is a peachy nude
  • Coral Sand is a coral peach
  • Pretty is the perfect natural pink
  • Liebling is a cool rose pink (this is the only one that has a slight hint of shimmer)
  • Geranium is a bright pink rose
  • Perfect Nude is a neutral cool nude pink
  • Poppy is a rose warm poppy shade
  • Wild Lilac is a cool wine-plum 
Shades photographed at different angles. These were taken in the evening. Some of the photographs make the colors look shimmery but it’s really just the sheen/glossy finish that is reflecting.

I hope you find these swatches helpful if you don’t have an Aerin counter near you. Aerin Rose Balm Lipsticks are $30 each. You can find them at Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman Marcus and all Aerin Beauty counters now.

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Desktops

February 20, 2014

A quick break from beauty reviews to bring you a sneak peek at my frequently changing desktops at home. I tend to rearrange things quite often at our home. I have my favorite things scattered around: fresh cut flowers, pretty stationary, candles, fashion magazines for inspiration and various desk accessories. My home workspace is quite different from my office work space at my job. If I could work from home part of the week it would be a dream come true.
Right now I’m loving Diptyque Rosa Mundi and Roses candles (review soon), my Connor Ballloon Desk Calendar (on sale now at Barneys) and Felix Doolittle stationary. Here are a few snapshots from this past week.

Update for those who asked, my work desks are from the Bedford Collection in Espresso Stain from Pottery Barn. I have the small desk and a corner desk set next to each other. Our console table in our living room is the Hemnes Sofa Table from Ikea.

What’s on your desktop right now (home or office)?

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Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer #13 and Belladonna Highlighter (Limited Edition) | Effetto Nudo Spring 2014

February 18, 2014

Armani’s spring collection this year is called Effetto Nudo. I saw the items a couple weeks ago at my local Armani counter. My favorite Armani artists called me and kindly set aside some items for me which turned out to be a good thing since items were literally flying off the shelves as soon as they arrived in store. I picked up the new Fluid Sheer #13 ($62 for 30 ml/1 fl oz) and Belladonna Highlighter ($88 for 5g/0.1777 oz).

Fluid Sheer #13 is a pale opalescent cream shimmer. Belladonna is a cream-colored champagne shimmery highlighter in a mirrored compact. Both are very light in color but not overly pale on the skin. They have a transparent luminosity that gives a nude glow effect without washing out the skin.

The Fluid Sheer #13 (limited-edition) is new for spring. True to classic Armani form, this is a beautiful sheer liquid highlighter that you can use mixed in with foundation or on top of the cheekbones for a luminous glow. #13 is a very pale cream with an oyster-shell-like opalescent sheen. It flashes a bit of pink which I think is unique compared to others in the market. Compared to other Fluid Sheers, #13 is significantly sheerer with a softer shimmer. On my skin the color almost disappears when applied over foundation/cheekbones. The shimmer adds a luminous transparent glow to the skin. Although this is sheerish – the pink shimmers show up in a way that makes your face glow. The effect is very subtle with this highlighter but still visible. If you need more color or shimmer, I’d recommend you opt for #2 or #10. If you are one who can never find a suitable highlighter because you find most too shimmery, #13 is the right pick for you.

The fluid sheers come with a sleek black pump:

Comparisons below to Fluid Sheer #2 and #10:

Swatched along with NARS Copacabana Illuminator swatched below, note these are blended and sheered out. These were hard to photograph blended, the effect is better seen in person. I recommend you google for other swatch examples to get a better idea of what these look like:

The Belladonna Highlighter (limited-edition) is a solid cream that comes in a mirrored compact with a brush. It has a beautiful embossed floral design on the compact. It’s described as having a texture that is both dense yet incredibly light. I did not intend on purchasing this when I saw press releases. The $88 price tag had me saying no, but I caved on purchasing this due to the stunning embossed floral design combined with the limited-edition factor. On the skin it gives the perfect halo effect. The brush that comes with the compact is the perfect shape and density for this cream.

The Belladonna highlighter comes with a brush stored in the bottom of the compact:

Comparisons to other previously released limited-edition highlighters: MAC Superb (discontinued, but has made a few comebacks), MAC Whisper of Gilt, Chanel Poudre Signee de Chanel, Chanel Mouche de Beaute:

Swatched below, also with Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light swatched beside:

One last photo/swatch set:

Both items are limited-edition for spring. They are on the pricey side – if you already have a lot of highlighters that you love, I’d say you can safely skip these. I do really love the Belladonna Highlighting palette – it gives a soft halo effect to the skin, I’m just not in love with the $88 price tag.

The #13 Fluid Sheer is a gorgeous sheer highlighter – one that is different from anything I’ve seen before – it makes the skin glow in a way that makes you look like you glow from within. If you are always finding most highlighters end up looking too frosty, Fluid Sheer #13 is the best shimmery glowy highlighter I’ve tried that is also the most natural and luminous.

You should be able to find these at your Armani counter now, although note they are limited-edition items. My counter sold out of the Belladonna highlighter the first day they arrived instore, but your counters should be able to locate one and have it shipped. The spring collection items are also online at Giorgio Armani Beauty, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Selfridges.

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Chanel Coup de Coeur #609 Le Vernis | Variation Collection

February 18, 2014
Chanel just released a small collection focused on lips and nails. I spotted a new tester unit of the collection at Nordstrom this past weekend and was excited to try the new lip colors, however many of the slots for lips had colors that were from spring and previous collections. The counter rep did not know which ones were supposed to be featured with this collection stating all the colors in this set were repromotes. This turned out to be partially true – for a full list of what’s in the Variation Collection check out Specktra.net. I left the counter with two glossimers (swatches later this week) and the new nail lacquer in Coup de Coeur #609 ($27 for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz).
Coup de Coeur #609 is described as a lacquered plum. It’s just that – however it proved to be challenging to photograph. It has quite a bit of red mixed into the color but on the nails and in real life it’s a purply-plum shade. In sunlight and on the camera it wants to look more red – which is why you may see it look very different in reviews or message boards. To my eye it looks more like a mauve plum with a very slight hint of red.

Coup de Coeur #609 applied very smoothly with full coverage after two coats. It has a high shine finish like most Chanel nail colors. It’s a classic shade that I think will be universally flattering.
Here it is with two coats. I used Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat and Rescue Beauty Lounge Top Coat to finish. The photos below show the complexity of Coup de Coeur – in some light it looks more red, others it’s more plum, and yet others more mauve.

Comparisons below to Infidele (discontinued), April, Paparazzi, Provocation.

Here you can see all the shades pulling more red in the direct sunlight:

More comparison swatches, left to right (previous reviews linked for each shade in case you want to see more swatches): Chanel Infidele, Coup de Couer, April, Paparazzi, Provocation, Elixir, Rescue Beauty Lounge Bruised and Chanel Rouge Moire.

Overall Coup de Coeur #609 is a lovely classic plum. It looks very similar to April on the hands, the difference is that April is warmer and more reddish. From arms length I think would not be able to tell the difference.
Coup de Coeur #609 Le Vernis from Chanel retails for $27. I only spotted it at one store last weekend but the collection should arrive at your counters soon. Online now at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Saks.
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