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Beauty Favorites Loving Right Now Roundup

Spring Neutrals and Staples

May 16, 2017

I’m obsessed with fresh pretty neutrals for spring and I have a roundup today of some old and new things in beauty. Over the past few months some new formulas in lips, eyes and cheeks have launched and of course I had to check out the nude options. I feel like we didn’t really see any trends for spring makeup but rather more mini launches and a lot of reformulations on products. I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom today to share a look at some things I’m loving right now along with some first impressions on new formulas.

First up my favorite category for lips. I’m a gloss girl at heart even with the liquid lip trend still going strong. I have dozens of neutrals and even though so many are similar I just can’t get enough. Glosses are more forgiving on dry lips compared to lipsticks or liquid lipsticks. A few I’ve been obsessed with, shown below left to right:

Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Caresse 714
Burberry Kisses Lip Gloss in Nude Beige
Bobbi Brown Shimmer Lip Gloss in Rose Gold (a long time staple)
Bobbi Brown Lip Gloss in Buff

My most-used lip liner these days is MAC Lip Pencil in Boldly Bare – it’s the perfect go with everything kind of rosy tone. MAC repackaged their Lipglass and changed some of the colors. I’ll do a full review soon but for now the neutrals I have top to bottom are Love Nectar, Spice, Lust, Beaux and Oh Baby.

All of these have medium coverage that shows up on the lips with the exception of Bobbi Brown Buff which is on the sheerer side.

Swatches below (I added Chanel Caramel to the mix). If you’re looking for a less expensive option to the Chanel Caramel or Caresse, I’d say MAC Lust and Spice are pretty close in color. I do think the Chanel formula is superior, the MAC ones can settle in lip lines if you don’t have a base, liner or lipstick underneath. (My go-to lip base is the MAC Prep+Prime Lip.)

Next for eyes, I still think one of the best neutral shadow palettes is Urban Decay Naked2 but I’m always looking forward to new formulas and colors. Chanel launched two new formulas called Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadow and Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadow. I ordered three sight unseen and WOW they are truly long-wearing. In the powder I ordered Flesh which is a satiny soft champagne with a very soft finely milled sheen. It’s just gorgeous! For the creams I ordered Scintillance, a peachy champagne and Undertone, a neutral brown taupe. Both have the most beautiful shimmer I’ve ever seen.

The powder has a super soft texture and has rich pigment that is easy to blend. It wears well alone or over the cream. The creams have a stiffer texture than you’d normally think of in a cream but the color is easy to pick up and blend with the little brush or with fingers. These stayed put all day from morning to evening through a hot day (it ranged from 80’s to low 90’s). I have dry lids so I don’t recommend layering the creams over each other – they set quickly to a long-wear finish without any emollient texture. I do think any powder layered over them quickly will help intensify the powder color.

I also checked out the NARS counter recently and a Velvet Shadow Stick in Siros caught my eye. I don’t know if it’s new or an older color but it’s a soft copper bronze. For those who want a tiny bit of shimmer but not frost this is a great option.

After playing around with the new Chanel and NARS I thought they looked really similar to some Tom Ford and Burberry options I had. I had to pull them out to compare for you. There are similarities but the formulas and finishes are very different. I love the Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes but I know some of you find them a bit too emollient in which case I’d recommend you check out the Chanel Ombre Premiere because they stay put longer. The Burberry Eye Contour Shadow Stick in Pale Copper has more shimmer and is more pigmented compared to the NARS Velvet Shadow Stick in Siros.

For cheeks my go-to neutral blush is the Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in First Love. It has the prettiest soft sheen and two colors to swirl together. I loved the formula so much I bought almost all the colors. It occurred to me that I never swatched them all so I’ve added them below. My next favorite is Ecstasy which is a pretty peach option.

Bobbi Brown launched these new Glow Sticks which are cream twist up sticks. I fell in love with Island at the counter because of the pretty soft gold sheen it has. They are emollient similar to the texture of the RMS Mix Master and Living Luminizer so if you can wear those you will like this formula/texture. If you’re super oily you may want to skip or try before you buy. On my skin Island has a barely there kind of glow. I’ve gotten tan so this one almost matches my skin tone. I wore it under blush the other day and it stayed put without getting oily. I haven’t tested it by itself yet but will keep doing so in the upcoming weeks.

Ouai launched a new Rose Hair and Body Oil and it comes in a pink tinted oil. I’m obsessed with this as a body oil. Compared to the original Hair Oil the Rose version has a less powdery scent and has a lighter more fluid texture. For the hair I feel the original Hair Oil is more versatile to use as a pre or post styling treatment. For the Rose version I tried it several different ways – the best results for me were to use it on the ends of either towel dried hair or blow dry hair that was about 70 to 80% dry. Sometimes I just want my roots to dry first so it doesn’t irritate my scalp but I want the rest of my hair to air dry. Leaving it on ends of damp hair left the hair looking soft and shiny. A little goes a very long way – it’s fluid and absorbs quickly so I thought I wasn’t getting enough the first few tries, I applied too much and it left my hair looking stringy. I only use 1 pump and evenly distribute. On the body it leaves the skin feeling lightly hydrated and soft. It’s a win for me.

Last but not least a few beauty staples that I love from Tom Ford Beauty. I’ve been playing around with different bases for the past few months but regardless of weather the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer wins. The name makes it seem like it might be too opaque or too heavy, but I assure you it’s not. It is full coverage but looks very natural, doesn’t cake, doesn’t oxidize and lasts all day. I love the finish and the colors in the Tom Ford line are always great for my olive/yellow skintone. My most-worn neutral polish is Sugar Dune which I highly recommend. It’s the best neutral nude pink with good smooth coverage. You do need 2 to 3 coats but the color is perfect and formula is excellent. With the hot humid weather more mascaras have started to smudge on me. The Waterproof Extreme Mascara is pure love. I need to buy another tube soon because this one is hitting the 3 month mark. It volumizes, holds the curl, doesn’t smudge and lengthens. Last but not least I think the best nude lipstick from Tom Ford is the Lips and Boys Lipstick in Bradley. I’ve featured it so many times on the blog – it’s the perfect peachy beige neutral and doesn’t wash me out. I lost mine and after looking for it for a week decided it was lost for good and bought another one.

Quick beauty look with:

Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Concealer in Natural
Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in #4 to set
Bobbi Brown Glow Stick in Island on cheeks
Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in First Love mixed
Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Shadows in Scintillance and Undertone layered
MAC Lip Pencil in Boldy Bare topped with MAC Lipglass in Lust
Off shoulder top by Paige

That rounds up my latest testing of spring neutrals and new beauty launches from Nordstrom. I hope you enjoyed and if you’re on the hunt for a good neutral nude lip gloss I hope the side by side swatches help! Also be sure to check out their Gift With Purchase page. There are a lot of great GWPs going on 🙂

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Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. Press samples include the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation and Ouai Hair Oil (original). All others purchased by me.

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What's In My Bag

Spring Makeup Bag Update

March 27, 2017

Now that spring is officially here, everything in my wardrobe including my makeup and skincare have been going through a bit of an update. As always I find one of my favorite ways to update my look is to focus on new colors for lips and cheeks. There are a new launches I’ve been mixing into my weekly beauty routine and I’ve teamed up with Nordstrom to share some colors I think will be great for the spring transition.

Up first are some cheek products – I’ve really been obsessed with all things from Tom Ford Beauty. As part of the Summer Soleil collection, they launched a Sheer Illuminating Cheek Duo in Reflects Gilt. Even though I own so many other highlighters I find this one unique in the formula and color. It gives the skin a luminous sheen and it can also be used on the eyes. Tom Ford also revamped all their Powder Blushes. I have not yet had a chance to investigate the new formula in all the colors in detail but a quick look at the counter did prove the shades have changed a little. I have two new shades I bought include Inhibition (a perfect peachy nude) and Gratuitous (a mauve plum). They have a very subtle sheen in the pan but the shimmer does not really show up on the skin. Both have smooth medium buildable pigment and apply beautifully on the face. I like that they’re neutrals, but not nude. Also they have color that shows up on the skin but they don’t darken or oxidize on me.

Gratuitous (plum) on the left and Inhibition (peach) on the right. I’m wearing Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque.

Next is my favorite category: new lip colors. I love a good glossy lip because the formulas are usually more hydrating, smooth and soft. They’re also more forgiving when it comes to fading as the day progresses. If you splurge on one item, I would again say go with anything from Tom Ford. I really love the Lips and Boys lipsticks, Bradley is the perfect nude (shown in the photo above with Inhibition Blush). For summer they launched Clutch-Sized Lip Balms in bright sheers. They feel really good on the lips and the colors add a nice healthy flush of color that is super natural but fun.

Makeup bag from Tory Burch.

If you’re a gloss kind of person, Chanel Rouge Coco Glosses are new. They come in a wide range of colors and finishes. If I could pick only one color, Tendresse is my favorite purchase because it’s rosy and gives the face a brightened effect.

YSL launched their Volupte Tint-In-Balms which have been nearly impossible to find because they keep selling out. I managed to order three shades in 1 Dream Me Nude, 2 Tease Me Pink and 3 Call Me Rose. These resemble the Volupte Sheer Candy, but the new Volupte Tint-In-Balms are supposed to be a lipstick balm hybrid with a bit more color. They have that amazing passionfruit scent and go on smooth but sheer. I was surprised to see color but if you don’t like sheer colors you may want to opt for the brighter ones (I bought mine sight unseen). I personally love these and definitely want a couple more of the brighter ones.

For something different I also picked a few of the new Bobbi Brown Art Stick Liquid Lip colors. The packaging is super cute – they look like a chubby stick but it’s a squeeze tube for a super opaque creamy liquid lipstick. The finish is semi-matte but gives you full coverage. As one who really doesn’t like semi-matte finishes I’m undecided about these. They are comfortable on the lips but a little goes a long way, so the first few times I applied, I really overdid it. Pigment is incredible and they don’t dry down like traditional liquid lipsticks. Colors are on the bold side.

Last but not least, I bought the YSL Lip Perfector a couple months ago. It’s supposed to be a multipurpose product that nourishes, soothes and enhances your natural lip color. For me it’s a basic lip balm that feels nice and does a good job of hydrating the lips. It doesn’t do anything for my natural lip color (it applies clear and stays clear), but I have no regrets purchasing and it does work nicely under lipstick if you feel your lips are dry. That being said I still prefer the Dior Addict Lip Glow Pomade.

For the eyes, I picked up the YSL The Shock Mascara and many of you wanted to know my thoughts. I really like it! On me it doesn’t clump, it defines well, it holds the curl and it doesn’t smudge. So based on this it’s a thumbs up for me because so many mascaras either don’t hold the curl or smudge. I do wish it did a better job at volumizing because I have wimpy lashes, but I can get more volume by layering. I’ve featured the new MAC In the Flesh Eyeshadow palette a few times already but felt it was worth re-mentioning because I find it really versatile and wearable for everyday. I love the color combinations and find it easy to wear. It’s one of those palettes I feel is an effortless kind of palette to wear. Another item I’ve had on repeat is the Burberry Eye Color Contour in Pale Copper. It’s a shimmering bronze shade that is one I can wear on it’s own and feel like I’ve added depth, color and dimension to the eyes. I’ve been on the hunt for this color in powder form, but for now the cream version works for me.

Right now Lancome has a gift with purchase at Nordstrom so I restocked on a couple items and picked up one thing new. Cleansing water in general is something I really love and use on a regular basis. I use it to double cleanse because it helps remove all traces of makeup. I’ve tried a number but the Lancome Micellar Cleansing Water remains one of my favorites because it’s gentle, effective and doesn’t leave a film on the skin. I have lost count of how many times I’ve repurchased! For a lash base/primer, many of you recommended I try the Cils Booster XL Vitamin-Infused Mascara Primer as a base coat to help add volume and I loved it so much I bought a second tube. Also because I’m going to need a good primer now that I’ve moved to Florida, I decided to give the La Base Pro a try (it has an overwhelming number of positive reviews). Fingers crossed it doesn’t break me out. Quick note – with this GWP there are options to choose from so there’s a promo code you’ll need to enter at checkout. Minimum purchase is $39.50 but there’s also a step up.

Be sure to check their Beauty Gifts with Purchase page as well – they often have good promos there from other brands, sometimes there will be a good sampler bag with a larger purchase.

That wraps it up for my first spring makeup roundup! As I go finish up testing more skincare and sunscreens I’ll have more roundups in the upcoming weeks. I’ve already had quite a few items I’ve been testing for the past month since I moved and hope to share the hits and misses as I progress. Do you change your routine as spring rolls around? What do you have in your spring makeup bag right now?

Many thanks to Nordstrom for partnering to sponsor this post. Press samples include the Tom Ford Reflects Gilt, Fathom and Bradley. All other items purchased by me.

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Beauty Favorites Roundup

My Favorite Everyday Neutral Nail Polishes

February 14, 2017

Today’s post is another one by popular request. It seems like neutral nail polishes are what a lot of you need recommendations for and I totally understand the pain of finding a good one. There are so many neutral options but many are that either too sheer, too light, too pink or really beige and if you’re like me you’ll go to the store, look at all the OPI or Essie options and think hmmm a lot of these look really similar. I’ve found that something with a bit of pink and nude mixed together works best for my olive skintone. I’m still on the hunt for the perfect light nude peach that isn’t too yellow, too orange or beige. I love the look of OPI Samoan Sand on others but on me it’s a bit too dark and a bit too peachy. I did a similar post back in 2014 of my Favorite Nude Pink Polishes. Today I have an updated version although a few of them will be on repeat because I just haven’t found anything better.

If you see me wearing a nude polish, there is a really good chance that it’s either Tom Ford Sugar Dune, Essie Topless and Barefoot or Burberry Nude Pink. All three are very similar – the difference is slight in undertone but pigment and wear time is also different. Many times you just don’t know what a color will look like until you try it on your hands. Something that looks incredibly boring in the bottle like Tom Ford Sugar Dune ends up being one of the prettiest soft nude pinks ever. If you think all these look the same you’re right but I’ll add descriptions on what makes them each unique so you can find the right one for you.

Lineup in natural light:

Descriptions as I see them and notes on how many coats it takes for full coverage:

Essie Spin the Bottle is a nude pink with slight warmth to it, it’s one of the few ones that has a bit of beige and peach that I can wear, this one takes two coats for full coverage and the best way to make it last is with Seche Vite top coat, although many of you have recommended the Essie No Chips Ahead
Essie Topless and Barefoot is one of my most-worn polishes, it’s a nude pink and has more pink than Spin the Bottle, this one unfortunately almost always gets tip wear on me within 7 hours to 1 day no matter what top coat I use, but I still love the color so with this one I’m going to try it with the Essie top coat once I have a chance to go pick one up, this one always need 3 to 4 coats for me
Louboutin Tutulle (all 10 of the nudes swatched and reviewed here) is one of the best nude beige pink polishes I’ve tried, all the Louboutin nudes are just flawless, it has smooth shiny coverage and only takes 2 coats and usually lasts a minimum of 7 days without chipping or tip wear
Tom Ford Sugar Dune is a light powdery looking cool pink, on the hands it gives the most polished elegant look I’ve seen, I get full coverage with two coats but there are times I need three
Chanel Organdi (reviewed here) is another great neutral, this is one of the darker colors but it’s still light enough in color that it gives the hands the look of being lighter and brighter, this has medium coverage in texture but you can get full coverage with two thin coats
OPI Mimosas for Mr and Mrs is one of the sheerest neutrals I own and takes a minimum of 3 coats, the result is a clean looking light pink neutral though so sometimes when I have patience I’m ok with the extra work it takes
OPI Be There in a Prosecco (application shown here) is one of the lightest polishes I have that isn’t a pure white but pretty close, it has a bit of cream in it without being yellow, this gives the effect of white polish but it’s not as harsh on the skin, this one has full coverage with two coats, the first coat will be streaky but it will even out with the second
Dior Incognito is a classic neutral pink with warmth, for me this looks better when I have a tan, but I love that it’s semi sheer but still incredibly smooth with a flawless high shine finish, I need two coats with this one
Burberry Nude Pink (also reviewed here) is another classic, it’s lasted over two years and is still just as good as when I bought it, many of mine last for years, it’s a great opaque neutral nude pink, full coverage achieved with two coats
Nails Inc. Bond Street Passage is a new one to me, it’s not really one I’d consider in the neutral category because it looks more like a mauve pink in the bottle, on the hands it pulls more like a neutral with a pink kick, this is a one coat wonder but I still prefer it with two coats to get a more cushiony look, I haven’t tried much from this line, so far only 3 polishes, but every time I do I’m really just blown away by the pigment in their polishes!

Swatches on the nail wheel, all of these have two coats with the exception of OPI Mimosas for Mr. and Mrs. which has 4 and Essie Topless and Barefoot which has 3:

Swatches in natural lighting for each of these polishes, OPI Be There in a Prosecco (Ulta Beauty), two coats:

OPI Mimosas for Mr and Mrs (Ulta Beauty), three coats:

Two coats, mug from Etsy:

Essie Topless and Barefoot (Ulta Beauty), three coats:

Essie Spin the Bottle (Ulta Beauty), three coats:

Burberry Nude Pink (Nordstrom), two coats:

Tom Ford Sugar Dune (Nordstrom), two coats:

Chanel Organdi (Chanel.com), two coats:

Louboutin Tutulle (Nordstrom and Sephora), two coats:

Nails Inc Bond Street Passage (Sephora), two coats:

Dior Incognito (Sephora), two coats:

Another look of the polishes lined up in sunlight with flash:

You definitely do not need all of these, but I hope this helps compare colors in a side by side and swatch manner. I’ve accumulated many polishes over the past few years and these are my favorite neutrals that you can still find today. A few other favorites have been limited-editions from Dior and you can’t find them anymore so I didn’t want to include those in the roundup. As many of you have asked for recommendations that are in the more affordable price range I included Essie and OPI to the mix. I usually consider myself a lover of brighter or bold shades for the fingers like Chanel Camelia or Louboutin Miss Mars, but I really like the clean and almost brightening look of neutral nails.

My top three favorites of the moment: Tom Ford Sugar Dune, Louboutin Tutulle and Chanel Organdi.

Do you have any neutral favorites? I know the word “neutral” can mean something different to everyone, but I’d love to hear what yours are! They don’t have to be nude pinks like the ones I featured, let me know what has worked for you and if you can share your skintone that would be super helpful as well 🙂

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Lips

Burberry Beauty Liquid Lip Velvet Review

January 10, 2017

This month Burberry launches a new lip formula called the Liquid Lip Velvet ($34 each for 6 ml). There are 14 shades total with full opaque creamy coverage in bold matte colors. They have a lightweight whipped texture that covers the lip flawlessly and beautifully. The formula is just exquisite especially given the fact that these are full coverage and very matte in finish. I ordered five shades sight unseen based on online stock swatches. In the past I’ve been smitten with a number of the neutrals and nudes from Burberry as they are typically well executed and extremely flattering. (Review of the Kisses formula here.) I had high hopes for these as they looked perfect in the tubes! However out of the five shades I ordered I felt a bit let down after testing these – the colors just don’t work for my skintone.

The Liquid Lip Velvet formula is excellent – it’s unscented, smooth, offers perfect flawless coverage. For a matte liquid lip product it’s everything that I could dream of. However I found the shades I picked lacking. There was something missing in each of the colors I tested. They looked either too light, too dusty, a bit faded, or just simply did not have the right undertone for my olive skin. Being that they are matte I do think you need a smooth lip surface otherwise flakes or dry patches will be emphasized. They are also not transfer resistant. The light airy whipped texture makes these super comfortable to wear, but once on the lips they don’t set or stick like the ones from Anastasia Beverly Hills or Kat Von D. As long as you don’t touch your lips though they last remarkably well and don’t slide or bleed.

Close up of the sponge tip applicators:

Swatches, without flash:

Light Nude is a pale light beige cream
Fawn Rose is a dusty light cool neutral rose pink
Primrose is a bright blue-based pink
Dark Rosewood is a brownish rose
Fawn is a brown nude tan

With flash:

Lip swatches, below I’m wearing the Tom Ford Waterproof Foundations in Bisque and Sable mixed. Light nude is too pale for my complexion but I like that it has smooth streak-free coverage. Fawn Rose looks ok in the lip swatch but when seen on the entire face it washes me out. Primrose is such a gorgeous pink but has too much blue for my olive skin. Dark Rosewood looks a bit dark when seen against my whole face. Fawn is the one shade I think I can wear easily.

Comparison swatches of the nude shade:

Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Noble
Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Light Nude
Le Metier de Beaute Lip Creme in Riche
NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Stripped and Unlaced (review here)
Anastasia Beverly Hills Liquid Lipstick in Stripped and Pure Hollywood
By Terry Velvet Rouge #1
Kat Von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Bow N Arrow
Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme in Fawn Over Me (review here)
Tarteist Quick Dry Matte Lip Paint in Bestie (review here)

Comparisons of the pinks and rose shades:

Stila All Day Liquid Lipstick in Baci and Fresco
Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Fawn Rose
Bare Minerals Gen Nude Matte Lip Color in Slay
NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Bound (review here)
Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme in Slow Burn (review here)
Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet in Dark Rosewood and Fawn
Marc Jacobs Le Marc Liquid Lip Creme in Hot Cocoa (review here)
Cle de Peau Radiant Rouge #12 (review here)
Tarteist Quick Dry Lip Paint in Rose

Bottom line I have a love hate with these. The formula is really quite good and I love how comfortable they feel on the lips. As much as I love the long lasting power of traditional liquid lipsticks, sometimes the way they dry down just doesn’t feel all that great. The Burberry Liquid Lip Velvets feel like cashmere on the lips. I’m really bummed the colors didn’t work as I had hoped for me. I think my coloring for my skintone right now makes it where the ones I picked are unflattering, flat and dusty-looking on my skin. Based on the online stock photos I suspect I would have found the darker shades like Oxblood or Bright Plum more flattering on my olive yellow skin. I do think I can pull off the shades Fawn Rose and Dark Rosewood with a bit of tweaking if I add a soft rose or pink lipliner. On one occasion I mixed Fawn Rose with MAC Dervish and it helped warm up and deepen the color a bit.

If I were to do this one over, I would have passed on all of the colors. I do regret buying these. That being said I am more of a gloss and regular lipstick person.

You can find the Burberry Liquid Lip Velvet online now at Sephora and Nordstrom. They retail for $34 each. I have one more liquid lipstick review to do before I do a roundup and comparison of liquid lipsticks I’ve tested. Do you have a favorite formula? If you tried these let me know what you thought!

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On My Radar

On My Radar / New in Beauty

January 6, 2017

Happy Friday! New beauty launches have started to trickle in and there are a few things on my radar this week. Most brands have yet to launch their spring color collections but I’m eager to see what everyone has in store for the season. Chanel launched theirs first with the Coco Codes and I’m loving everything so far.

Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur ($37 each) just launched online at Chanel with eleven color options, these are jumbo crayons for the lips and are retractable, I will have a review and swatches on these in the upcoming weeks
Guerlain Happy Glow Pearls ($74) and Happy Glow Blush ($54) just launched, I think there are a few additional items launching for spring but these are the only two I could find so far, they look so pretty!
Giorgio Armani Powder Fabric Foundation ($64) is Armani’s latest in base launches, I’m really intrigued by this and have high hopes for it to work for my skin type, I’m not sure when it launches in stores but will be keeping my eye out to see if I can find a good color match
Bite Beauty Agave Lip Balm ($18) comes in stick form now! I love the tube version formula in Smashed, so I ordered the stick, it arrived yesterday and the testing will start this weekend
KNC Beauty All Natural Collagen Infused Lip Mask ($24.99 for a 5 pack) from Violet Grey is something my bestie texted me asking, “have you tried this yet???” – I have not but the concept is intriguing so I had to order to test it out, I will definitely keep you posted! I don’t know how I feel about a sheet mask for the lips but I’m super curious!
Tatcha just launched a new product called The Essence ($95) which is a resurfacing softener, when it comes to essence or softening lotions I have to say that I’m 100% confused about what they’re supposed to do, when to use them and what the difference is between the options, I’ve tried the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence which did help improve texture and softness of my skin (I got lazy and stopped using it after I used up my minis), alternatively one of my friends swears by the La Mer Treatment Lotion which is also another softener – if you have any insight on essences or lotions I would love some insight!
Burberry Liquid Lip Velvets ($34) have launched in 14 shades online at Sephora and Nordstrom, I have five that I ordered and will be swatching and reviewing them as fast as I can for you
beautyblender just launched their beautyblender bubble ($20) and micro.mini bubble ($18) as a Sephora exclusive to celebrate their 15th Anniversary, they sent a lovely package over the holiday and I can’t wait to use them!
Diptyque launches a special-edition Rosamundi Candle ($35 to $68) for Spring 2017, review to follow soon on this beautiful launch
Charlotte Tilbury launched four Quick N Easy Sets ($75 each) designed with an edited selection of beauty products to create a look in 5 minutes, I’ll have these reviewed next week and will be hosting a giveaway so stay tuned for the post and details!

Have a wonderful Friday! What’s on your beauty radar right now?

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Dior Highlighters NARS

Easy to Wear Contour and Highlight Sticks

August 10, 2016

I have mixed feelings about the contouring technique for beauty. Mainly because I’m not very good at doing it myself on my own face. I have used a bronzer like Bronze Universel de Chanel or NARS Laguna in a 3 shaped motion along the sides of my face to warm up the complexion and add depth, but for the popular contouring powders and creams – I find they are easy to overdo and while they look great in photos, in real life I think it can look very much overdone. I do own quite a few contouring powders and the most natural ones to date that I’ve tried are the Marc Jacobs Beauty #Instamarc Light Filtering Powders for flawless finish and textures that blend beautifully with the skin. I haven’t really found a cream product that I love – there are a number of compacts others rave about but cream compacts get messy so I haven’t really found anything that speaks to me. Today I have a roundup of four brands of contour sticks, several of them are multi-tasking and great for travel because they are double-sided.

I find it rare to find all items I test in a category phenomenal in the sense that I think all aspects of the product are great but this is one of those rare occasions. I tested highlight/contour sticks from Burberry, Wander Beauty, NARS and Dior and all of them are impressive to me and perfect for a natural look. If you need a contour product for dummies (like me) these are the perfect option for you because they look very natural, easy to use and blend really well. Picking one will come down to brand, texture or color preference.

Up first are the Burberry Fresh Glow Highlighting Luminous Pen in Nude Radiance 01 and Face Contour Effortless Contouring Pen for Face and Eyes in Medium 01. In terms of a highlight the Burberry Fresh Glow Pen is on the sheer and subtle side. You will see a glow on the face if you highlight the cheekbones or eyes but it gives a luminous glow versus a more visible shimmer. The fresh glow highlighting pen comes in 1 shade, if you’re similar to my skintone or lighter the effect will be more subtle, but if you’re tan to deep there will be more contrast and it will show up better on your skin. Texture is creamy but dries down quickly. It is easy to blend before it dries down so you don’t have to rush.

The Face Contour Pen comes in two colors and I picked the lighter option. It dries to a matte finish and blends easily on the skin for a very natural contour. It is on the warm side but it’s not too warm. This one is the easiest for me to use by applying a few stripes along the cheeks and then blend with either a finger or brush. This is the easiest to use along the sides of the nose because it’s slim. You can find these at Nordstrom, Sephora and Net-A-Porter.

There are two On-The-Glow Bronzer Duos from Wander Beauty. I received both items to try out, each one has the same highlighter in Candle Glow. The lighter option is Malibu which is a neutral brown and Capri is the darker/deeper option. If you go to their website you can see it on different skintones. These have a thicker creamy texture but they don’t feel greasy and look completely natural once blended. I love Malibu because it’s a lighter color and the perfect shade for my skintone for a barely there contour. Candle Glow Highlighter has the perfect mix of gold and warmth so it doesn’t look yellow on my olive skin. You can also find these at Sephora.

Next up are the NARS Sculpting Multiple Duos which are currently Sephora exclusives. I had very high hopes for these as I’m a huge fan of the multiple sticks and they did not disappoint. The texture of the highlighter multiples are stiffer than I normally see in multiples so they do not swatch well on the arms. They do swipe a 100x better on the face or eyes. I found these to be on the more subtle side which I think is due to the slightly stiffer/harder texture. The bronze/contour sides are amazing though. As a lover of lighter contour shades I love the Copacabana and Sidari Beach duo – it’s a peachy pinky color on my skintone which makes for a less traditional brown contour.

As you can see below they look to be on the sheer side. I think the highlighters are all sheerer than most multiples I’ve tried from NARS. The darker contour sides are creamy with little to no shimmer. They look streaky on the arm but blend out easily on the face.

Last but not least are the Diorblush Light and Contour Sticks which are part of the fall 2016 collection launch. They just launched at Dior.com and there are three shades each with a different color of shimmery highlighter and contour cream which has no shimmer. These are my favorite of the bunch because the round tip makes them easy to glide along the face. The flat tips of the others are still easy to apply but having the round tip is easier for me to put on the cheeks. My favorite color is 001 but 002 is probably better suited for my skintone. The browns are on the warm side which I found a bit too warm for my nose but for the rest of the face or eyes it’s perfect. Texture is very creamy but natural looking without being too dewy.

Here’s a quick look of before and after the Diorblush Light and Contour Duo in 002. Also worn on the face includes NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint Groenland and St. Moritz mixed, Anastasia Glow Kit in Sundipped on the eyes, Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara, Lancome Juicy Shaker in Lemon Explosion. On then nails is Dior Minimal.

I couldn’t fit all the items on my arm so I split them between the contour side and highlighter side with a few added items to compare.

That wraps it up for thoughts and swatches on four brands of contour sticks that are easy to wear and natural looking. My personal favorites are NARS Copacabana/Sidari Beach and Diorblush Light and Contour Duo 001 – but all of the ones I tested are pretty good for that natural contour. In terms of application I put these on the face after foundation and powder. I like putting these on the cheeks in stripes along the side of the face directly from the tube and then either blend with fingers or a duo fibre brush like the MAC 159 or any synthetic brush like the ones in this post here.

Do you have any contouring favorites? If so please share in the comments what your skintone is and your favorite shades or brands. If you haven’t tried contouring and are interested in starting with natural looking products, I hope this post helps you find something new to try!

Press samples include products from Wander Beauty and Dior Beauty.

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Roundup

Best in Beauty 2015: The Beauty Look Book Makeup Favorites

December 30, 2015

I look back on the last twelve months and can’t believe an entire year has gone by. This has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding years I’ve had yet and I have lots to look forward to for 2016. I took a quick look at my blog posts for the past year along with an inventory of my favorite beauty products. I started with a massive list – there were so many good launches this past year, especially for lipsticks. Brands have really upped their beauty game with better formulas. I’ve edited my list as much as I could to what I considered game changers this year.

I have four categories of best in beauty this year. The first up is makeup favorites. I have 20 of my top makeup picks for lips, eyes and face – nails have their own category (up next).

NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Gloss is this year’s best creamy nude (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Penelope Pink, Iconic Nude + Seduction make for the best nude lip combo ever, I used up an entire tube of Penelope Pink this year! (swatched here and here)
Marc Jacobs Hi-Shine Enamored Lip Glosses = the best lip gloss launch (swatches here)
Rouge Louboutin Silky Satin = most luxurious lipstick formula created and the best red lipstick I’ve ever swatched (3 formulas swatched here)
MAC x Ellie Goulding Lipsticks were the best pinks launched (swatches here)
Burberry Kisses Lipstick = the best lipstick formula launch this year huge plus that they are unscented and also non-drying on the lips (my picks swatched here)
Tom Ford Lip Color Sheers in Skinnydip and Rose Soleil (swatches here) were the best new colors launched for the entire year (so good I have backups even though they are permanent)
Hourglass Lip Treatment Oil in Icon is best new tinted lip treatment formula (swatched here)
Urban Decay Naked3 was my most-used eyeshadow palette of the year (swatches here)
Burberry Wet & Dry Glow Eyeshadow in Shell = best all over eyeshadow shimmer color for the lids ever made (review here)
Clio Kill Bill Liquid Liner was the best liquid eyeliner discovery (review here)
NARS Yeux Irresistible Palette wins for the best smoky eye palette of the year (swatches here)
Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise colors are the best cream shadow launched this year for formula and color selection (swatched here)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer wins for most luminous bronzer + highlighter combination (swatches + review here)
Tom Ford Moodlight is the best highlighter launch of 2015 (look + review here)
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow in Medium Dark = the best bronzing duo launched and also the one I used the most this past year (look shown on face here)
Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder in #2 is best setting powder of the year, if it ever gets discontinued I will literally want to die (thoughts + review here)
Sephora Pro Full Coverage Airbrush Foundation Brush #53 best foundation brush discovery for flawless streak-free coverage (review here)
Wayne Goss Anniversary Set = the best brush set launch of the year (review here)
Edward Bess All Over Seduction = most-used cream highlighters of the year (swatches here)

What were your favorite makeup picks this past year?

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