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Bronzer + Blush By Terry Highlighters

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love

April 1, 2017

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love | The Beauty Look Book

Happy Saturday! I have a weekend post for you today because I don’t want you to miss out on a new launch from By Terry. Today Beautylish is launching two new Sun Designer Palettes ($82 for 15 g/0.53 oz, made in Italy) from the By Terry Tropical Break collection and they have a 2-week early exclusive. If you signed up for their early access page the palettes will be available at 9:00 AM PST and 11:00 AM for the public. I have one of the new ones to feature today, Savannah Love #4 and it’s stunning. A quick look at their early access page shows that Savannah Love is the lighter option of the two new ones and I’m grateful that Beautylish sent one for me to preview.

I previously featured the first two Sun Designer Palettes #1 Tan and Flash Cruise and #2 Light and Tan Vibes last year (how time flies!). You can see swatches and a review in my original post. The new palettes this year have the same size packaging and pans but the embossed texture has a more summery vibe to resemble a palm print. Also the dividers in this season’s launch are gold-colored versus the black dividers. If you’re looking for a really pretty summer glow Savannah Love #4 will give you a natural flush of color. It has a mix of textures and shades to be versatile for eyes and cheeks.

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love | The Beauty Look Book

Colors:

  • Shimmering soft pink
  • Shimmering warm gold
  • Berry satin (shimmer is very subtle)
  • Satiny-matte light nude cool pink (love this color)
  • Satiny-matte nude warm pink
  • Soft shimmering cool bronze

Pigment is medium-rich but soft and buildable. Textures are similar to that of the first two in the sense they are extremely soft and smooth powders that feel of high quality. Since they are powders there will be some powder kick up but there’s very minimal fall out once you apply to the face. They meld with the skin nicely, blend smoothly, don’t emphasize pores and last all day without fading.

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love | The Beauty Look Book

Close ups and swatches:

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love | The Beauty Look Book

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love | The Beauty Look Book

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Because I know so many of you will ask, I swatched the three I have side by side. There are six colors per palette so I had a hard time getting them to all fit on the arm in larger swatches. I do think that Savannah Love #4 is different enough for both sides to justify buying even if you already own #1 and #2. I will say that the Light and Tan Vibes is my favorite out of the three. Also a quick note that I’ve been out in the sun so my body is already at least 1 maybe 2 shades darker as I’ve been experimenting with different sunscreens while outside. My face is still the same color as I’ve been using SPF50. I didn’t have time to photograph a beauty look this round – it was a toss up between swatching and photographing comparisons + brushes or a look. I felt that comparisons would be more helpful this round.

My favorite is #2 and I think it will suit a wide range of skin tones. If you have medium-tan to deep I think you’ll find that #1, #4 or even #3 (not featured) will be more up your alley for a pretty summery look!

By Terry Sun Designer Palette swatch comparisons | The Beauty Look Book

Another note since many of you have asked about pan size. Yes it’s inevitable that you’ll mix colors with a face brush. You can still dip a smaller brush into an individual color without mixing if you’re careful. The beauty of these palettes is that even if you mix the result is still pretty. I personally like to swirl my brush in either the right half or left half and then apply on the face. If you’re in search for some smaller detail brushes I hope this helps.

By Terry Sun Designer Palette vs brush sizes | The Beauty Look Book

Shown above includes: Chanel Blush Brush, Wayne Goss Brush 02, MAC Duo Fiber 188, Wayne Goss Holiday 2016 (discontinued), Wayne Goss #14 (part of his new Face Set, sold out but they will restock), Charlotte Tilbury Powder and Sculpt Brush.

A few more thoughts on Savannah Love. Out of the three I have, the new Savannah Love does feel like it has more variety in color and texture. You can swirl 2 or more the colors together. If I take a smaller brush I can separate the colors for individual application. I like that the lighter shades help to blend or soften harsh edges while still adding color. The darkest bronze shade is a little bit dark to wear on the face alone for me but if I swirl it with other shades it works for the cheeks. I find it really subtle on the eyes as eyeshadow. If you like color but don’t want something super bright go with #4 Savannah Love. If you want more pop and color go with #1 Tan and Flash Cruise. If you want something more natural go with #2 Light and Tan Vibes (love love love this one!). There’s no detectable scent.

By Terry Sun Designer Palette Savannah Love

Bottom line another solid launch from By Terry. I haven’t explored much of recent launches since I’m still working my way through a lot of her products, in particular the tinted Baume de Rose (I love Coral Stellar and Fig Fiction). The prices are very high but worth the splurge.

You can find the new By Terry Sun Designer Palettes on Beautylish (launching today!). If you’ve tried these what did you think? If not what are you wearing for a summery cheek look right now? Or are you waiting for summer launches?

Many thanks to Beautylish for sending Savannah Love for review.

Bronzer + Blush Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Summer Soleil Collection

March 17, 2017

Tom Ford Beauty Summer Soleil | The Beauty Look Book

Last month I was lucky to get an early sneak preview of the Tom Ford Summer Soleil Collection in Los Angeles at Violet Grey. I went with my friend Rae from The RaeViewer and we were able to check out everything and get our makeup done by their National Artist Executive Allan Aponte (he’s amazingly talented). Both Rae and I are huge Tom Ford fans – we still remember the first time we each splurged on a Tom Ford lipstick, so being able to play with the new collection together was just the best. You can see a few sneak peeks of her makeover on her YouTube channel (I’m kinda proud of these clips because it was my first time filming someone!).

In today’s review I have the following new items to share with you:

For quick reference to those who want to know what else is in the collection, other items includes the Ultimate Bronzer in Terra, Fire Lust Skin Illuminator (repackaged in the same size as the Shimmer Shots), a Bronzing Gel and the Soleil Contouring Compact in a new shade Soleil Afterglow, Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette. Some of the Soleil Blanc items have been launched in more body product formats as well.

Tom Ford Beauty Summer Soleil Preview Violet Grey | The Beauty Look Book

Up first are the new Ultimate Bronzers which are the large size bronzers in a new formula. The Small Bronzing Powders have been repromoted and the colors/formula remains unchanged (swatched last year here). The larger ones come with an almost creamy texture that have a subtle luminosity and blend on the skin beautifully. I want to warn you first that they swatch on the arms and hand very orangey – but I promise on the face it looks amazing. On the skin it has a semi sheer finish but the pigment is enough to give the skin a warm slightly bronzed healthy look.

Tom Ford Ultimate Bronzers Gold Dust and Bronze Age | The Beauty Look Book

Here are the two new ones swatched compared to the original formula (which you can still find in the small size). Note that I swatched these with a heavy hand so you could see the color variation – on the face with a brush they apply a lot sheerer and look very natural.

Beauty Look Book and RaeViewer | Tom Ford Event

Both Rae and me after our makeovers. We both are wearing the bronzers in Gold Dust with the Reflects Gilt Highlighter. You can see below the bronzer doesn’t look orangey on us but rather warms up the complexion. Also as a side note her skin is always glowing in the most beautiful way!

There’s a new retractable brush called the Soleil Bronzing Brush made with synthetic material. We were told at the event that Tom Ford brushes are all going to be made with synthetic materials going forward. I’ve bought quite a few of the original ones which I love so I will do some investigating to compare the new to original launches. Given how well made this new one is I have high hopes they will continue to be just as good in quality. The Soleil Bronzing Brush has a tapered tip and comes in a beautiful white and gold packaging. I love how soft it feels – it almost feels like a kitten it’s so soft!

Tom Ford Summer Soleil Bronzing Brush | The Beauty Look Book

I’m pretty much excited about everything in this collection, but if I were to pick my two favorites it would be the cheek duos. There’s a Sheer Highlighting Duo in Reflects Gilt which has two variations of beautiful gold shimmer. It has the most incredible formula like a metallic cream to powder that almost has a wet sheen. It looks incredible on the skin and just the tiniest amount dabbed with a brush gives the skin an amazing glow. I saw it on several members of the Tom Ford team, one who has fair complexion and it looked like a blush on her. On me it’s a highlighter that can be easily layered. Pigment is smooth and flawless. It’s just so so pretty. For the cheeks there’s a new Sheer Cheek Duo called Paradise Lust. This is a more coral version compared to the previously launched Bi-Coastal. Paradise Lust has an iridescent champagne gold and a satiny coral. Mixed this is perfect for summer.

Tom Ford Summer Soleil Reflects Gilt and Paradise Lust | The Beauty Look Book

All three duos swatched side by side:

Tom Ford Summer Soleil Reflects Gilt, Paradise Lust and Bicoastal | The Beauty Look Book

Tom Ford Summer Soleil Reflects Gilt, Paradise Lust and Bicoastal | The Beauty Look Book

For the eyes there are two new Cream and Powder Duos called Young Adonis (silvery taupe) and Sun Worship (gold). Two colors have been repromoted in Golden Peach and Naked Bronze (both long-time favorites). If you scroll up to the photo above of me and Rae, I’m wearing Young Adonis on the eyes and Rae has Sun Worship (it might be hard to tell with the lighting in the studio). So many of you wanted to know if the cream in Young Adonis was a dupe for Platinum. I thought that was the case the minute I saw it but Allan confirmed it was lighter in color (a swatch below will show the difference). Sun Worship is a yellowy gold which looked so so pretty on Rae. I find it wearable on me too but if you don’t like yellow golds, I’d say skip this one.

Tom Ford Summer Soleil Young Adonis and Sun Worship | The Beauty Look Book

Tom Ford Summer Soleil Young Adonis and Sun Worship | The Beauty Look Book

Swatch comparisons of the cream sides to Tom Ford Opale and Platinum (review here) and the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Norma Jean and Marie Antoinette (review here).

Tom Ford Summer Soleil Young Adonis and Sun Worship Cream Comparisons | The Beauty Look Book

Last but not least are the Clutch-Sized Lip Balms. These are the same size as the Lips and Boys and are just the cutest! The balms are super comforting and come with a dome tip. All but two of the colors look really bright but since they are balms they give the lips that really pretty soft pop of color. I love sheer brights because they give the lips a nice glow but don’t look overdone. The texture is really smooth and they glide on the lips easily. Since they are balms they won’t last as long as a lipstick but they stay put in the sense that they won’t disappear within minutes. The day I went to the event in LA I took a flight right afterwards to meet my husband in Tuscon, AZ. He was driving the moving truck while I was at the event and we met up in Arizona. I had the balm applied around 11:30 am and it stayed put and did not budge for 6 hours. The only reason it came off was because I stopped at the airport for a snack because I forgot to eat that day with the travel and moving things on my mind.

Tom Ford Clutch Sized Lip Balms | The Beauty Look Book

Swatches applied straight from the tube:

  • L’Odissea  is a sheer peach
  • Neotropic is a pretty orange coral
  • Cruising is a cool sheer pink
  • Fathom is a cherry pink
  • Pure Shores is a pinkish red
  • La Piscine is a sheer plum

Tom Ford Clutch Sized Lip Balms | The Beauty Look Book

Below the colors can be intensified if you apply with a lip brush:

Tom Ford Clutch Sized Lip Balms | The Beauty Look Book

Swatched on bare lips straight from the tube. On me Fathom and Pure Shores almost look identical. It’s hard to tell the difference even in the tube. I cannot pick a favorite –  I love them all.

Tom Ford Clutch Sized Lip Balms | The Beauty Look Book

Tom Ford Summer Soleil | The Beauty Look Book

Tom Ford Beauty Summer Soleil | The Beauty Look Book

Bottom line lots to love to refresh your look. As a Tom Ford lover and long-time collector I was a bit worried there would be a lot of repeats or colors that looked the same. At first glance the theme and look is very similar to past launches, but if you give them a chance you’ll find there are actually quite a few new items that are different enough to justify adding to your collection. I love the cheek duos and the new bronzer formula is really good – but given that I have a LOT of bronzer I wouldn’t call them must-haves. A the same time I really like the formula and and they are very wearable. For the eyes I love Young Adonis – I’m a taupe-silvery eye shadow lover but Golden Peach and Naked Bronze are still my favorite out of all the eye duos. The lip balms are super fun – I think everyone needs at least one even though they are the splurge they really do a good job of adding hydration to the lips in a way that doesn’t feel thick or goopy.

My top picks: Reflects Gilt, Paradise Lust, Young Adonis and any one of the Clutch-Sized Lip Balms.

You should be able to find the collection at all Tom Ford Beauty counters now. Since I’ve moved I no longer have one close to me so I ordered the eye duos online at Sephora. You can also find Tom Ford Beauty at Violet Grey, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Beautylish, Net-A-Porter and Tom Ford.

Many thanks to the Tom Ford team for inviting me to the preview! Summer Soleil collection provided courtesy for review with the exception of the Cream Powder Duos which were purchased by me.

Bronzer + Blush Chanel Eye Makeup Highlighters

Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection – Spring 2017

March 14, 2017

Chanel Energies Et Puretes Collection | The Beauty Look Book

Chanel lovers have probably had the new Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection on their radar for months and it has finally arrived in the US. The collection features a mix of colors Chanel calls “the harmony of opposites” – we have a mix of soft and subtle colors combined with some vibrant bright shades. The collection is exclusive to Chanel.com (like previous years Le Blanc collections). I have some pieces I’ve been playing with which include:

Chanel Energies Et Puretes Collection | The Beauty Look Book

Every color above is listed as limited-edition according to the Chanel website with the exception of Energie and Bleu Pastel. There are additional colors and some other products repromoted in the collection as well – so be sure to check the Energies Et Puretes page to see the full list of what’s in the collection.

Up first is the Illuminating Powder in Plisse Lumiere de Chanel. This is absolutely stunning and has a soft finely milled texture. It is shimmery and comes in a soft champagne kind of color. It has a stunning embossed texture and has a metallic sheen that has a luminous effect on the skin. The Camelia de Chanel powder by comparison is a lot more sparkly with more visible sparkles. It’s also the slightest bit more rosy. I prefer the newest Plisse Lumiere de Chanel because it has a little less glitz making it easier to wear. The texture of this new one is smooth, easy to blend, well pigmented and you can layer it for a sheer wash or a more intense kind of sheen. The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001 is a bit warmer in color.

Chanel Plisse Lumiere de Chanel | The Beauty Look Book Chanel Plisse Lumiere de Chanel swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Swatch comparisons:

Chanel Plisse Lumiere de Chanel Comparisons | The Beauty Look Book

Next are the blushes which are the Les Tissages de Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect. These are ultra pigmented and on the bright side so a tiny bit really goes a long way. The intensity is almost too much to swipe your brush into the pan. I found it best to lightly tap the brush into the product and tap off the excess. Tweed Coralline is my favorite. For my complexion color right now (I’m usually around a Chanel 30) Tweed Cherry Blossom can easily give me a sunburned look because it’s so bright. One is a bright orange peach, the other is a deep pink.

Left is Tweed Cherry Blossom, right is Tweed Coralline:

Chanel Les Tissages de Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect in Cherry Blossom and Coralline | The Beauty Look Book

 

Left is Tweed Cherry Blossom, right is Tweed Coralline:

Chanel Tweed Cherry Blossom and Tweed Coralline Swatch | The Beauty Look Book

The lip color options are also extremely bright. The Rouge Coco Shine in Rose Ravissant is a bright sheer hot pink. This one is pretty sheer but still has visible color. The Rouge Allure Gloss in Energie is a bright pigmented coral. It’s too bright for my comfort zone but coverage is smooth and flawless. I really love the formulas of the Rouge Allure Gloss because they stay put and apply beautifully.

Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Energie and Rouge Coco Shine Rose Ravissant | The Beauty Look Book

Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Energie and Rouge Coco Shine Rose Ravissant Swatch | The Beauty Look Book

The eyeshadow quads Les 4 Ombres come with excellent texture and pigment. Even though they are the round pans they are not the baked format (at least in the US). I love the look of Jardins Eclatants because it’s more wearable for me – although the colors can probably be duped with other brands. It has a soft pink shimmer, a cream shimmer, a golden sand shimmer and a bronzey color. Jardins de Lumieres has colors I really don’t know how to wear – I just layered all of them as I couldn’t really decide where to place each color or what order to apply them in. This has a soft green, a soft washed faded blue, a bright purple and a pale pink.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Jardins Elclatants and Jardins de Lumieres | The Beauty Look Book Chanel Les 4 Ombres Jardins Elclatants and Jardins de Lumieres | The Beauty Look Book

Two looks with the blushes, eyeshadow quads and lip products. Also both photos have the Plisse Lumiere de Chanel highlighter on the cheeks layered on top of the blushes.Chanel Energies et Puretes Look | The Beauty Look Book

Last but not least are two of the Le Vernis colors in Bleu Pastel and Resplendissant. Bleu Pastel is a semi sheer baby blue. The pigment on many pastel colors can be tricky to apply and that’s what I found with this one. It took three coats to get smooth coverage but it’s a really pretty baby blue on the fingers so I don’t mind. I think it will be fun on the toes as well for summer. Resplendissant is a bright coral pink. This one has flawless perfect coverage. I still prefer two coats but the pigment is good you can get by with one. Of course this has a similar effect to many other bright coral pinks but I still love it.

Chanel Le Vernis Resplendissant and Bleu Pastel | The Beauty Look Book Chanel Le Vernis Resplendissant Swatch | The Beauty Look Book Chanel Le Vernis Bleu Pastel | The Beauty Look Book

Comparisons below show that Riva is more aqua and warmer while Blue Pastel is more of a baby blue. Pigment-wise you I found there is more coverage with the Bleu Pastel even though I need 3 coats.

Nail Polish Comparisons Chanel Riva vs Bleu Pastel | The Beauty Look Book

Overall a beautiful collection with some lovely additions to update your look for spring. If you’re one who finds Chanel blushes too light or too sheer I think you’ll really like the pigmented Tweed options this round. I suspect I’ll find them more suitable for my skintone when I get a tan. The winners for me in this collection are the nail polishes – both are really pretty. The Plisee Lumiere de Chanel is a beautiful highlighter. Given the large number of highlighters I own I wouldn’t call it a must-have as the color is similar in effect to others. Still it’s very pretty and I don’t mind having similar colors. Jardins Eclantes eyeshadow palette is another gorgeous option that you can easily wear for daily looks – it’s not the most unique but having a palette where I love all the colors is always a plus and it’s one that I think I’ll be traveling with a lot.

You can find the Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection online at Chanel.com. Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think?

Press samples include the Plisse Lumiere de Chanel highlighter, Tweed Cherry Blossom Blush, Bleu Pastel Le Vernis, Energie Rouge Allure Gloss, Rose Ravissant Rouge Coco Shine. Other items purchased by me.

Bronzer + Blush NARS

NARS Pop Goes the Easel – Nordstrom Exclusive

March 9, 2017

NARS Pop Goes the Easel Nordstrom Picks | The Beauty Look Book

Happy Thursday everyone! I’m back and have a review of the NARS Pop Goes the Easel collection today. This is currently a Nordstrom Exclusive collection with new shades for lips and cheeks consisting of:

  • Three new Powder Blushes ($30 each) in Misconduct, Peep Show and Threesome
  • Four new Velvet Lip Glides ($26 to $28 each) in Bait, Suck, Impossible Red and Disruptor (not sure why one shade is listed at a higher price online)
  • Three Sheer Pop Multiples ($39 each) in Motu Tane, Cote Basque and Navagio Beach

I ordered two of the lip products and all three multiples to test out. I’ll say up front I love the Sheer Pop Multiples, the Velvet Lip Glide colors are nice but not must-haves in my opinion.

Up first are the Velvet Lip Glides. I picked the lightest color options in Bait and Suck since I don’t really wear a lot of orange or reds unless they’re sheer. (By the way I’m obsessed with the new Tom Ford Lip Balms, the colors are perfect for spring to summer and I love the formula.) Bait is a bright cool-toned pink that has a bit of a streaky finish with one swipe but it can be smoothed out with a finger or brush. Suck is a medium peachy nude, it’s like if you mixed Playpen and Unlaced (both of which were reviewed here and I didn’t really like color-wise). I do like this color, but I can’t help but feel like it’s a bit on the boring side. If you want a good neutral nude, the Tom Ford Revolve Around Me, Lips and Boys Bradley or Edward Bess Pure Impulse are much better although they are lipsticks versus the velvet lip formula.

NARS Velvet Lip Glide Suck Bait | The Beauty Look Book

NARS Velvet Lip Glide Swatches Unlaced, Playpen, Stripped, Suck Bait | The Beauty Look Book

Next are the Sheer Pop Multiples which appear to be a new formula. These have a more weightless formula that isn’t quite as dewy as the regular version. These have a soft shimmer finish and considering how sheer they swatched on the hand and arms I was surprised that the color payoff on the face is really good. Navagio Beach is a sheer champagne gold, Motu Tane is a light pink with impressive pigment, Cote Basque is a coral with tiny gold flecks of shimmer. They dry to a powdery finish although they stay creamy long enough that you can easily blend on the cheeks and layer depending on how much color you want. I would say the finish can definitely be sheered out for a sheer wash of color, but you can still build to medium coverage. I like these better than the regular multiples. They layer well over foundation and powder without looking cakey or dragging your base off the face.

NARS Sheer Pop Multiple | The Beauty Look Book

NARS Sheer Pop Multiple | The Beauty Look Book

NARS Sheer Pop Multiple | The Beauty Look Book

A quick comparison of the Navagio Beach Multiple to the Banc de Sable Highlighter Palette. The palette is to die for gorgeous and I’ll review it soon. If you’re one who want a sheerer glow of shimmer go with the multiple. If you want more pigment go with the palette. Are they different enough to justify both? I think the formulas are different enough to justify both but I’ll have to do a bit more testing with both on the face at the same time to tell you. I’ll be sure to address this when I review the palette. At the moment I’m more inclined to say I like the palette more – but that’s mainly because I like the darkest shade A LOT.

NARS Banc de Sable Palette v Sheer Pop Multiple Navagio Beach | The Beauty Look Book

I’m trying something a bit different with face looks of the products. If you prefer the up close lip swatches let me know and I’ll resume that style in future posts. In both posts I’m wearing the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque with Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Finish Powder #2.

Look 1 has Sheer Pop Multiple in Motu Tane and Velvet Lip Glide in Bait.

NARS Sheer Pop Multiple Motu Tane and Velvet Lip Glide Bait | The Beauty Look Book

Look 2 has Sheer Pop Multiple in Cote Basque and Navagio Beach mixed with Velvet Lip Glide in Suck.

NARS Sheer Pop Multiple in Cote Basque and Navagio Beach and Suck Lip Glide | The Beauty Look Book

Overall love the Multiples. I like the Velvet Lip Glide colors but don’t think they are must-haves. Bound is still my favorite out of the bunch, but if you found the nudes in the original launch off, I think many will find the color Suck more wearable.

NARS Pop Goes the Easel Nordstrom Picks | The Beauty Look Book

You can find the NARS Pop Goes the Easel collection exclusively at Nordstrom. Have you checked out the colors yet? If you saw the powder blushes in person let me know what you thought!

P.S. My site has been migrated to a new host! If you have any issues with viewing the posts on your desktop or mobile device please shoot me an e-mail and let me know what device you use and also what browser you use (Chrome, Safari, Firefox etc.) – thanks!

Bronzer + Blush NARS Sephora

NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes I and II

December 21, 2016

NARS Narsissist Unfitered Cheek Palette Review

NARS has two new cheek palettes called the NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes I and II ($59 each for 0.12 oz / 3.5g x6). These launched early at Sephora for as a Cyber Monday sneak preview for spring launches and I ordered them sight unseen. Update: back in stock now at Sephora but you can enter your email for notification for when they are back in stock. Right now you can find both online at NARS Cosmetics. They launch officially at other counters starting February 1st.

I’ve been a long time NARS fan and I love blush and highlighters. Both of these palettes have good-sized pans, pigment and texture is very good across all colors, and the color options in each are excellent. That being said NARS has released quite a few cheek palettes this year so if you already own other palettes or individual shades I suspect you will have a lot of similar colors or dupes and may want to shop your stash. Each palette has a mix of matte and shimmers shades for blush along with a few lighter colors that can be used as highlighters. These have a colorful tinted cover and come in a very sturdy mirrored compact.

NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes Packaging

Unfiltered I has deeper and darker tones with a bold vibe. The top three shades in the palette are easy for me to wear for my medium-toned olive skin (for reference I mix NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tints in Groenland and St. Moritz). The bottom three colors are really dark and bold on my skin and I have to use with a super light hand or blend like crazy otherwise they are too dark for my complexion. Colors include:

  • Watch Me a shimmering light gold
  • Me First a shimmering soft peach
  • Takeover a gorgeous bronze nude shimmer (can they please make this in a single?!)
  • Out There is a matte deep reddish brown
  • Chic is a matte plum
  • Exhibit A is a bright vibrant red

NARS NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palette I Review via The Beauty Look Book

NARS NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palette I Review via The Beauty Look Book

Unfiltered II has lighter cooler tones. Pigment is good but if you are tan to deep these may not show up on you as the colors pull on the lighter side. For me this palette is easier to wear for everyday. Colors are:

  • Conquest a matte baby pink that darkens after it sets
  • Undefeated looks like a medium babydoll pink in the pan, on my skin it applies more like a highlighter
  • Power Play is a medium matte cool pink
  • Hot Sand is a champagne shimmer highlighter (also reviewed here)
  • Fame is a satiny peach
  • Candid is a raspberry shimmer

NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palette II review and swatches

NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palette II review and swatches

For size comparison, here is a full size blush pan shown below from the Pro Palette Format, the NARSissist Cheek Studio Palette from Spring 2016, a Chanel Blush Brush and Charlotte Tilbury Powder Sculpt Brush.

NARSissist Cheek Studio Spring vs Unfiltered vs Full Size Pan

Two quick looks:

NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes I and II reviewed by Sabrina of The Beauty Look Book

One last look:

NARSissist Unfiltered Cheek Palettes I and II reviewed by Sabrina of The Beauty Look Book

Bottom line both are solid performers. In previously released NARS palettes the texture can be hit or miss with some shades, but with both of the Unfiltered Cheek Palettes colors and highlighters have consistent quality, pigment and are easy to layer/blend. If you already splurged on other NARS palettes this year you may want to shop your stash. My personal favorite this year is still the NARSissist Dual Intensity Cheek Palette (you can still find it at Nordstrom reviewed and swatched in this post here). Still both of these new launches from NARS have a good mix of colors and finishes in a palette which make them convenient for travel.

Both are limited-edition. I ordered mine from Sephora but you can find them now at NARS Cosmetics. Launching everywhere else later this spring starting February.

Did you try these yet? What did you think?

Eye Makeup Highlighters Holiday Gift Guide Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil Eye and Cheek Palettes and Lip Foil Picks – Holiday 2016

November 12, 2016
Tom Ford Winter Soleil 2016 - The Beauty Look Book

The Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil collection has been on my radar for weeks now and I finally caved and splurged on the Soleil Eye and Cheek Palettes in Warm and Cool ($155 each for 0.45 oz / 12.8 g) and four of the Lip Foils ($53 each for 0.1 oz / 3 g). I’m getting this post up quickly for those who are Sephora VIBs in case you want swatches to help you decide on purchasing decisions for the sale so I haven’t been able to do extensive testing. This is going to be more of a first impressions post but having used Tom Ford beauty products for years I can pretty much tell how they will perform right away. Everything is cased in the white and gold packaging with a glowy shimmery feel for holiday. 

Up first are the Lip Foils which are ultra shimmery lipsticks. They have ultra fine mica to give them a reflective look and feel making them almost like foil. If you don’t like frost I’d recommend you try to see if you can swatch before buying sight unseen as these are pricey. I find adding a clear gloss or balm on top helps soften the foiled look (I do it with a lot of MAC Frost Lipsticks). I swatched these at the counter and wanted all six of the colors but limited myself to four.

Tom Ford Winter Soleil 2016 - The Beauty Look Book

Private Life is stunning warm gold foil, Spanish Flame is a peachy metallic, Venus Rising is a cool pink frost, Seadragon is the most stunning metallic plum I’ve ever seen. Pigment is excellent and smooth with easy to build color. Texture is smooth but since these are very metallic they look frosty on the lips. They have a comforting smooth feel on the lips and while they aren’t hydrating they don’t dry out the lips. My heart belongs to Venus Rising and Seadragon but as I know shimmer might not be your thing these won’t be everyone.

Tom Ford Winter Soleil 2016 Lip Foils - The Beauty Look Book

Tom Ford Winter Soleil 2016 - The Beauty Look Book

All four shown on my bare lips, for foundation I’m wearing the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque reviewed and swatched in this post here.

Tom Ford Winter Soleil 2016 Lip Foils - The Beauty Look Book

Two sets of comparisons, note that the Lips and Boys I have were from previous years so some of the shades you might not be available anymore.

Set 1:
Dior Diorific Matte Lipstick in Golden (review here)
Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Rory (from 2014, review here)
Tom Ford Lip Foil in Private Life
Tom Ford Lip Color in Guilty Pleasure (review here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer in Skinnydip (review here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in Spanish Pink
Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in First Time (review here)

Set 2:
Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in Quiver (on lips here)
Tom Ford Lip Foil Venus Rising
Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Ansel, Jake, Jude, Drake, Daniel (from 2015, on lips here)
MAC Frost Lipstick in Plum Dandy
MAC Frost Lipstick in “O”

Tom Ford Winter Soleil 2016 - The Beauty Look Book

Up next are the Soleil Eye and Cheek Palettes which I completely love – 100%! It’s hard to pick a favorite as both are very good. The texture of the blush and highlighters are silky smooth and buttery soft. The blushes have a lovely natural looking glow on the complexion while I find the highlighters to be more shimmery. The pigment is soft but impressive. Eyeshadows have a mix of shimmer and glitters and are also incredibly soft and well pigmented. They apply on the lids effortlessly for a lovely glow. Both are on the glowy shimmery side.

Both are cased in white and gold rectangular compacts that have an almost clutch-like look to them. They are well made even though they are plastic and have a magnetic closure – for some reason I really like the way the compacts close.

The Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette in Cool has a cool pink blush, cool light pink highlighter, glitter light pink, glitter light lilac, shimmery violet grey, deep plum shimmer. If I were forced to pick just one I would pick this one which surprised me as I usually prefer warmer tones.

Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil 2016 Eye Cheek Palette Cool - The Beauty Look Book

Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil 2016 Eye Cheek Palette Cool - The Beauty Look Book

The Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette in Warm is simply stunning. It only has 1 glitter eyeshadow color. Shades in this are a yellow gold, warm tan gold glitter, soft sandy champagne tan, satiny brown and a soft champagne highlighter.

Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil 2016 Eye Cheek Palette Warm - The Beauty Look Book

Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil 2016 Eye Cheek Palette Warm - The Beauty Look Book

Palettes next to each other so you can see the undertone difference:
Tom Ford Beauty Winter Soleil 2016 Eye Cheek Palettes - The Beauty Look Book

As many of you might be wondering how the shadows in these holiday palettes might compare to existing Tom Ford Eye Color Quads I pulled three to compare including Orchid Haze, Seductive Rose and Nude Dip.

Tom Ford Orchid Haze, Soleil Eye/Cheek Cool, Seductive Rose, Soleil Warm, Nude Dip

All of these made a significant dent in my wallet but I’m thrilled with everything. If I had to narrow down my picks I would skip two of the lip foils in Private Life and Spanish Flame simply because I have similar shimmery colors in my current stash.

I think both palettes are must haves but I am a die hard Tom Ford Beauty fan and love all things glowy that come in pretty packages. These fulfill all of my makeup dreams in terms of palettes and while I do think they should be priced at lower price points, given the price tag of their quads I think it does make sense. I think my readers are split in how they feel about shimmer. I do think everything in this collection is more on the shimmery and glowy side, but I really love the palettes and the lip foils can be toned down easily with clear gloss.

There are a few more items in the Winter Soleil Collection including 2 more Lip Foils in Creme Conque (gorgeous light pink) and Aperture (stunning bronze), Soleil Blanc Dry Oil Spray, Face Protect Broad Spectrum SPF 50 and a Soleil Brush Kit. All are very spendy and as I already have the Soleil Blanc perfume I decided to stick with it (although I haven’t tried the spray, I forgot to check at the counter).

The Winter Soleil collection is limited-edition. You can find all items at Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Net-A-Porter, Sephora, Selfridges and other Tom Ford Beauty locations. If you’re a Sephora VIB don’t forget you can save 20% off your orders with code 20VIB through 11/14.

These have been out for a few weeks now, did you check out anything yet?

Eye Makeup NARS

NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Picks: Give In Take, Indes Galantes, Impudique and Isadora

November 7, 2016
NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Picks: Give In Take, Indes Galantes, Impudique and Isadora

NARS partnered with French fashion photographer Sarah Moon to create his holiday 2016 collection. There are a lot of beautiful limited-edition palettes and sets. I bought four of the items:

Up first are the Sarah Moon Collection items. There are individual colors for eyes, lips and cheeks. The lips are all in the Matte Lipstick Formula so I passed. Indes Galantes Eyeshadow Duo is a shimmering gunmetal and matte cranberry plum shade. Together they make for an interesting smoky eye but I can’t wear them alone. I need an additional color like a light neutral such as NARS Himalia or any of the lighter neutral duos to help blend and create a full eye look. Pigment and texture wise both shades are excellent.

For the Sarah Moon Blushes I bought them as an impulse buy at the counter. I have an extensive blush stash and probably did not need either of these but I was really impressed with the lovely soft rose almost mauve tone of Isadora. It’s rare for me to find pink mauve blushes with that kind of sheen/shimmer. It has some warmth in the shimmers so it doesn’t pull muddy on my complexion. Impudique is a brighter warm raspberry shimmer which I tried at the counter and fell in love with as well. Both are smooth and have a natural sheen and are not overly shimmery. Pigment is rich but easy to blend and apply on the skin.

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Picks

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Picks

The Give In Take Dual-Intensity Eye and Cheek Palette is a Sephora exclusive. It has six Dual-Intensity Shadows and three Dual-Intensity Cheek products. All the colors are exclusive to the palette and are different from the existing full size color options. This is a beautiful soft and smoky kind of palette but it turned out to be completely different from what I expected. I ordered this sight unseen online (as of last week I still haven’t seen it at my Sephora stores). I expected full pigment rich colors and shimmers as I experience with most of the dual-intensity products. The colors in this palette are a lot softer with a more muted finish that isn’t really intense as the product name implies. The blushes are extremely sheer – I can build them for a soft natural glow but on my medium olive skin it’s very very soft.

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Give In Take

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Give In Take
I had to swatch with a very heavy hand to get the colors to show up on my arm. I hope this shows how you can build and layer the colors. These were applied with a dry brush, to get more intense color apply with a dense damp brush.

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Give In Take swatches

For the eyes you have a soft grey ivory shimmer, a dove grey satin, a gunmetal shimmer, white opal, soft grey taupe satin, warm black satin.

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Give In Take

For the cheeks you have a shimmery ivory, a super soft peach and a soft baby pink shimmer.

The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016 Give In Take

Here’s a look with the Dual Intensity Eyeshadows used from the top row, Indes Galantes Duo, all three  Dual-Intensity palette blushes swirled and applied on cheeks. Lips are Louboutin Altareva (reviewed here). Foundation is NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland and concealer is NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Macadamia.

Shop the look below:


One last look:
The Beauty Look Book NARS Sarah Moon Holiday 2016
Overall some lovely items for holiday that are nice but not must-haves. If I were to narrow down my pick to 1 item it would most likely be just the Isadora Blush. All the colors are made extremely well with high quality and with good color payoff. The palette is a very good one – it was just different from what I expected. If you like soft looking glowy makeup and find most shimmers too shimmery you will absolutely love this one. I like the looks it can create – I just expected something more intense and dramatic for holiday.

You can find the Sarah Moon collection items now at all NARS counters. The items are limited-editino. Online at NARS Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Don’t forget today 11/7 is the last day for Sephora VIB Rouge Members to receive 20% off purchases with code 20ROUGE at checkout.

If you hauled anything let me know in the comments!