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Chanel

Suncare

Sunscreen Rotation

September 16, 2015

I’ve been testing a number of sunscreens all summer long to see which ones hold up to heat, humidity and also are suitable for my ultra sensitive skin. I know a sunscreen roundup would have been more appropriate earlier in the summer – but it’s recommended you wear sunscreen all year round, not just in warm sunny weather. Here in Southern California we have sunny weather 90% of the year. I used to think sunscreen wasn’t necessary for everyday – especially for those who work indoors for the vast majority of the day. However, in a good portion of work places there are windows where your skin can still be exposed to sunlight. These days I’ve put extra effort on applying sunscreen regularly. I am not the most disciplined at re-applying but am trying to be better. I’ve split my testing into three categories: Face, Body and Men’s.

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Face Sunscreens – Many of my moisturizers or foundations already have SPF in them so I used to not pay much attention to applying sunscreen as an additional step. These days I prefer moisturizers and foundations that don’t have SPF – it’s not something I actively look for, it’s just a coincidence that most of the foundations I really like do not have any SPF. The highest SPF foundation I own is the Chanel CC Cream (all shades swatched here) which comes with an SPF 50. For days where I don’t wear this I do layer on sunscreen over moisturizer.

Four I’ve tested over the summer:

  • Clarins UV Plus Anti-Pollution Multi-Protection Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen ($42 for 50 ml/1.7 fl oz) is a new formula that replaced the original UV Plus HP. I prefer the original version because it had a thinner formula and even though the liquid was white, it didn’t leave a noticeable white cast on the skin. The new one has a higher SPF of 50 versus 40. It’s also slightly thicker and more creamy – it does the job at covering the face and protecting it – I found it too heavy for my skin. It does have a lightweight feel but the formula covered so much of my skin it felt like it couldn’t breathe underneath. If you have dry skin this one will probably be ok for your skin type.
  • Tatcha Pore Perfecting Sunscreen ($68 for 60 ml/2 fl oz) was launched in August. I had been waiting for this one for months ever since a reader e-mailed me with news that she saw a preview of this. This one comes with SPF 35 and is the one facial sunscreen to rule them all (at least all the ones I’ve tried). It’s a pore perfecting formula which really does smooth and blur out imperfections without making the face look matte or white. Many blurring products have a white or pink cast which makes my olive skin look ashy, powdery or flat. The Tatcha sunscreen is white but it blends out to an invisible finish. It makes the perfect primer for foundation too. It is on the pricey side, they have a Travel Size option for $13 to try. It helps control oil, it doesn’t break out my face, it covers the skin completely but allows the skin to breathe. It doesn’t clog pores and it doesn’t feel greasy. (PS, there is a promo with code CLEAN20 to receive a complimentary travel-size Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil ($12 value) on any order over $20, offer expires 9/30/2015.)
  • Chanel UV Essentiel Anti-Pollution Broad Spectrum SPF 50 ($55 for 1 fl oz/30 ml) has been a go-to for years. It used to come in a more rectangular bottle with a different formula. I loved the original and love the new one. It’s an ultra lightweight formula that is a white liquid but disappears on the skin. What I love about this one is that it doesn’t break me out and also layers beautifully over moisturizer and under foundation (I’ve tried it with Chanel, Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, By Terry, NARS, Laura Mercier to name a few). Many sunscreens have a heavy greasy feel and don’t work well with foundations, this is the one I’ve repurchased a number of times. My husband likes to use it for day. For working out or running though it’s not sweat proof. It runs into both of our eyes and stings. This one works for my sensitive skin but one of my friends found it created tiny little bumps on her cheeks.
  • First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Pure Mineral Sunscreen Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 40 ($30 for 2 oz) is one of the few moisturizer + sunscreen products that I like. It has a creamy texture and white color but doesn’t leave a white cast on the skin. This one is free of skin-irritating chemicals and has a soothing feel. It dries to a semi-matte finish and works really well alone or under makeup. For my ultra sensitive skin this is one of the most gentle sunscreens I’ve tried. I gave one tube to a friend (same one who broke out from Chanel) and she is completely obsessed with the First Aid Beauty sunscreen. It’s lightweight and has a silky finish.
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Body Sunscreens are something I test with dread. I get irritation and red blotches from so many it’s really quite ridiculous. My husband can use any body sunscreen without any issues. His main concern is about texture. If it feels greasy or oily and doesn’t dry down then he doesn’t like it. Four we’ve tested over the summer below that passed my sensitivity test.

  • Supergoop! Sun Defying Sunscreen Oil with Meadowfoam SPF 50 ($34 for 5 oz) is something I’ve been obsessed with all summer long. I bought in the mini size and brought with me to Europe in June. It’s an oil that absorbs quickly into the skin and makes the body glow but doesn’t feel greasy. If you’re not a fan of thick cream sunscreens this is a great alternative. It does a good job at preventing burns and when I use this I don’t get much of a tan. This is for face and body but I wasn’t brave enough to try it on my face.
  • Supergoop! Everyday SPF 50 with Cellular Response Technology is something I received from Birchbox ($32 for 7.5 oz). I didn’t think I would like it because it has a white cream lotion texture. This one is even better than the oil and even though I have sensitive skin and both work for me, I think this has a more gentle feel. I tried this on the face and it stayed put, didn’t sting my eyes with sweat and didn’t get oily. This is hands down one of the best body sunscreens I’ve tried. It’s easy to apply and absorbs quickly into the skin. It has a lightweight non-sunscreen scent that fades after a few minutes. One of my biggest gripes about body sunscreen is the sunscreen smell. This one doesn’t smell like the usual.
  • Coola Sport Continuous Sunscreen Spray SPF 30 in Tropical Coconut ($30 for the small 3 oz size) smells so amazing. I couldn’t find this one instores (my local stores had the unscented versions). It does have alcohol in it and you can smell it when you spray it on the skin, but the scent disappears and you’re left with the coconut scent. It’s lightweight and gives an even spritz of mist in a continuous spray. I like this one because it’s easy to apply all over – you can sunscreen your back easily and reapply quickly. It’s non-drying and non-irritating. I love that it’s not messy like creams or oils can be.
  • Korres Sunscreen Face and Body with SPF 50 is made with Greek Yogurt. You can’t find this one in the US unfortunately – we bought this in Athens and loved it. It’s a liquid spray but applies like a lotion. It’s creamy and soothing and completely covered the skin. There were a couple times we saw a dramatic difference on our skin on spots we missed. Areas covered with this sunscreen didn’t get dark or tan.
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Last but not least, three men’s sunscreens my husband has liked enough to repurchase. He’s been a long-time Jack Black user. The one facial moisturizer he uses regularly is the Double Duty Face Moisturizer with SPF 20. He uses this almost daily – if he’s going to be indoors at his office most of the day he will use this alone. He likes the lightweight texture and it keeps his skin soft and prevents it from getting oily. On days he think he will be on the road or outdoors, he will layer on the Jack Black Sun Guard Very Water Resistant SPF 45 on top. This one is light enough that it doesn’t feel heavy. With sweat or water it doesn’t sting his eyes. He likes this for the body as well – it prevents burns when he’s been at the beach. Another one he likes is the Kiehl’s Facial Fuel UV Guard Sunscreen with SPF 50. This is his preference for high SPF – it’s lightweight and doesn’t leave a white cast on the skin. It’s similar to the Chanel UV Essentiel in terms of texture, but this one works better for his skin. It doesn’t bead up when he sweats.

I hope you found this roundup helpful. My top picks: Tatcha and First Aid Beauty for the face, Supergoop! Everyday Sunscreen (white tube) and Korres for the body. What are your favorite sunscreens? I’m always open to recommendations – I often learn about awesome skincare items from my readers.

Press samples include items from Clarins, Tatcha, First Aid Beauty and Supergoop! Everyday SPF50. All others purchased by me.
 
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Chanel Fall 2015 Rouge Allure and Rouge Coco Shines

August 31, 2015

For fall Chanel has four new lipsticks in their Collection Les Automnales release. I picked up two of the Rouge Coco Shines ($36 each) in Mélancolie and Téméraire along with one Rouge Allure ($36) in Pensive. I’m usually super excited about the new lip releases from Chanel. Their lipstick formulas usually perform really well for me and I love the colors. This fall, the items fall a bit short of my expectations.

The three colors I picked out at the counter:

  • Rouge Coco Shine in Mélancolie is a sheer glossy warm brownish nude with shimmer, this goes on beautifully if swatched on the hands, on my pigmented lips it looks very nude and natural, it almost disappears because of the way it matches my lip tone, it’s so so pretty in the tube, on me it’s almost invisible, I suspect if you have less pigment in your lips it will show up better
  • Rouge Coco Shine in Téméraire is a pigmented deeper red with shimmer, this one has phenomenal coverage and pigment, if you’re like me, most reddish lip colors can turn orange or fuchsia on the lips no matter what the base color is, this one surprisingly does not turn fuchsia and stays true to what you see in the tube
  • Rouge Allure in Pensive is a sheer nude that is applies unevenly and blotchy, it’s almost identical in color to the Reveuse Rouge Coco Shine, but the Rouge Coco Shine has a much better formula and coverage, it photographs well, but in real life it looks really uneven, I’ve tried desperately to make it work because it swatches so pretty on the arm and looks like nude perfection in the tubes, but it’s really not worth the price given the sheerness

Swatches below:

Some swatched comparisons:

One last shot:

Overall beautiful in the tubes, but they aren’t must-haves for me. I do like the way Téméraire looks and how pigmented it is although it has a lot more color in it than I’m used to. It’s definitely not an everyday kind of lip color unless you are used to wearing reds. Mélancolie is such a stunning shade in the tube and on my hand, on my me it seems to have decent coverage but it disappears on my pigmented lips. Pensive is something I would say skip – there are much better nudes out there from other lines that have better pigment, coverage and texture. If you’re in the market for new lipsticks to splurge on I would say save for Louboutin, Tom Ford or the Burberry Kisses. Or wait for Chanel Holiday.
Did you check out the fall selection for lips? What did you think?
All the new lip colors in the fall collection are listed as permanent. They are available at counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers.
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Chanel Eye Makeup

Les 5 Ombres de Chanel Eyeshadow Palette in Entrelacs for Fall 2015

August 27, 2015

There’s a stunning new eyeshadow palette from Chanel this fall called Les 5 Ombres de Chanel in Entrelacs ($80, limited-edition). It’s quite expensive but the colors are phenomenal neutrals that have a super soft texture with good buildable pigment. I think Chanel should make all their shadows in this formula – it melds into the skin flawlessly. The light colors are pigmented with a glorious shimmer giving them unique look. (In the pan they look almost matte.) The three darker shades are satiny in texture and layer nicely over each other. If you have a creamy liner or base on the lids you will see the dark shades pop. Chanel’s Les 5 Ombres de Chanel for fall is the perfect in-between of pure mattes and high frost shimmers. The finish is more of a satiny glow and I can’t rave enough about this palette. Even though I own enough neutrals to last 100 lifetimes I think this one is a must. 

The colors left to right:

Shimmering soft ivory with a champagne shimmery glow
Matte neutral beige tan
Soft satiny chocolate shimmer
Dark blackened brown satin
Soft light pink with gold shimmer

Swatches with the sponge applicators:

Swatched heavy over Tom Ford Peach Glow Primer with fingers:

I suspect each color can be replicated with individual colors. Some of the ones above resemble older Chanel singles and quads that I own (the first one resembles Ivory, second resembles Sand, third looks like a brown version of the darkest color in Poesie, fourth is unique). I pulled two other palettes to compare, Chanel Charming from Holiday 2013 and Dior Eye Reviver 001:

Overall a winner. I highly recommend it. If you’re new to high end eyeshadows and want a good easy to wear palette of neutrals, the Les 5 Ombres de Chanel is a good introductory palette. It has conservative colors suitable for everyday wear but enough color to show up on the eyes and add dimension. Lasting power is very good – it stays put all day without fading or budging. I’ve used it with my go-to eye base from Edward Bess. I like it so much I have to buy a back it up.

You can find the fall 2015 Les 5 Ombres de Chanel Eyeshadow Palette in Entrelacs at all counters now, while supplies last since it’s limited-edition. Online at Chanel.com, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and all other Chanel retailers.

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Chanel Fall 2015 Stylo Yeux in Ardent, Érable and Pomme de Pin

August 25, 2015

For fall Chanel has four new Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliners ($32 each) in Ardent, Érable, Feuilles and Pomme de Pin. I picked up four at my local counter but when I got home realized one was the wrong color (it was one of the older shades) so I have three of the four shades swatched. The three new fall colors I have are Ardent which is a shimmering copper, Érable a shimmering khaki taupe and Pomme de Pin a glossy brown-black. All are permanent with the exception of Ardent which is limited-edition. The Stylo Yeux pencils seem to have improved drastically with this release. I’m not sure if all pencils are like this, but the new ones are super creamy and glide on the lids without any tugging. Previous releases are hit or miss with the formula. Some drag a little while others are more emollient. All three in the fall collection have intense pigment and apply easily on the eyes. They are creamy but set within a few minutes. As with my experience wearing all other Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof pencils, they last all day without smudging or fading. I give all three a huge thumbs up. I wish they would make the colors into cream shadows because they are just so pretty.

The three fall shades I came home with shown below in Pomme de Pin 921, Ardent 918 and Érable 919, plus a repromote in Ardoise 912. At the counter the rep went by number when she was pulling the colors, she must have confused 912 and 914. I don’t blame her – I get confused by the numbering system all the time.

Close up photo plus swatches:

Comparison swatches below:

Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Khaki Preciuex
Burberry Effortless Kohl in Storm Grey (c/o)

Bottom line all three are winners. Since the formula has improved so much I need to investigate some other existing colors as my Black Shimmer and Ebene seem to have dried up and are tugging at my eyes when I use them. I would have thought Pomme de Pin to be a basic black color but I like that it has some brown undertone to prevent it from looking harsh on my eyes. Ardent is pure love – I like to smudge it upwards with the fingers on the lids as a cream shadow. Erable is beyond gorgeous. I need it in a powder shadow form.

Have you checked out Chanel fall? Did you pick up any of the eye products? I passed on the Illusion D’Ombres. I picked up the quad but haven’t touched it yet – I can’t decide whether or not I can do the khaki colors. I’ll have a review of the 5-pan palette up soon. I’ve been playing with it and am head over heels in love with it. I may need a backup. If you’ve seen/tried it let me know if you think Feuilles is a must-have and I might go back to check it out.

You can find the Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof pencils at all Chanel counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers.

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Chanel Collection Automnales La Base Coat, Le Top Coat and new Le Vernis in Châtaigne, Écorce Sanguine and Vert Obscur

August 25, 2015

This fall Chanel has released a host of new products and colors for nails. There are three new limited-edition Le Vernis Nail Colours in Châtaigne, Écorce Sanguine and Vert Obscur ($27 each for 13 ml / 0.4 fl oz). In addition there is a new La Base Coat, Le Top Coat and a Le Top Coat Velvet (all $27 each). I’ve been playing with these for several weeks – each year it seems as though fall collections arrive earlier and earlier. I’m still in summer mode so I’ve been loving brighter colors but the new shades for fall do not disappoint.

I have a preliminary review on the new base and top coat after testing it with Chanel, Dior and Tom Ford nail polishes (I did skip the velvet version). I tried the original base coat and was never a fan. I found it didn’t go on the nails smoothly and it made nail polishes of all brands drag unevenly along the nail. The new La Base Coat has improved tremendously in terms of how it glides onto the nails. It’s supposed to be a protective and smoothing base with a soft pink tint to even out the nail tone. I find the pink tone does give the nails a very soft even look, but if you wear opaque polishes it doesn’t make a difference. The Chanel Base + Chanel Color combination = pure love. I found that it didn’t perform so well with Dior or Tom Ford – the color drags and you need a slightly thicker coat of color to get an even application. I prefer base the Formula X Base Coat and CND Sticky Base Coat by far in terms of how it performs with a variety of brands.

The new Le Top Coat is a quick dry high shine top coat. I’m a huge fan of the original Laque Brilliance Extreme Top Coat and after testing the new one, I have to say I still prefer the original version by far. I really hope it’s here to stay and that Chanel did not create a new one to replace it, however the original one is now gone from Chanel.com so I will have to stock up. The new Le Top Coat has a thinner more liquidy finish compared to the original. There was a slight learning curve for me to figure out exactly how much to load up on the brush. Too much resulted in it pooling in the cuticles. Too little caused streaking. That being said – once I got the hang of it, I found it was really nice how quickly it dried. It left the nails with a glossy finish, but the original had a more cushiony glossy shine. It works well with multiple brands and there is no shrinkage around the edges if I use it with Dior or Tom Ford. It did help my manicure last without tip wear for 5 days. I found the original version better with manicures lasting up to 7 days without chipping or tip wear.

Onto the colors for fall: Châtaigne is a brown plum vamp cream, Écorce Sanguine is a stunning deep red with the almost-invisible gold shimmer and Vert Obscur is a jelly forest green. I love a good vamp, Châtaigne goes on smoothly without any issues. Two coats will cover the nail entirely. There is a brownish base that prevents it from looking pure black on the hands. It’s still very dark.

Écorce Sanguine is a very special red. In my mind Chanel can do no wrong with reds. Last holiday they released too many similar reds, but this one for fall is deep and bright at the same time. It’s a classic color that doesn’t age the hands or darken. I own way too many reds already but this one has phenomenal coverage. One coat is enough to cover the nail entirely. I always prefer at least 2 coats though. Be sure to check out the swatches on Café Makeup – she captures the shimmer perfectly!

Vert Obscur is the color I was most excited about but ended up being slightly disappointed with it. It’s a gorgeous dark forest green in the bottle. The formula is a bit blotchy with the first coat. It will leave the nail looking streaky. Two to three coats fixes it and it looks better with extra coats, but on the nails it’s so dark it almost looks black. I would have liked it to be a bit brighter or have the green more visible.

Comparisons:

Dior Nuit 1947 (reviewed here)
Louboutin Sevillana
Tom Ford Bitter Bitch
Tom Ford Black Cherry (review here)
Chanel Vamp (swatched here)
Chanel Forbidden (discontinued), Rouge Fatal (discontinued)
Chanel Cinema (swatched here)
Marc Jacobs Jezebel
Tom Ford Black Jade (swatches here)
Louboutin Lady Twist (swatched here)
Burberry Dark Bottle Green (reviewed here)
Rescue Beauty Lounge Small Dim Summer Stars (swatches here)

Overall thoughts on the new Base and Top coat are that I’m undecided. I like they way they perform with Chanel nail polishes, but I was so in love with the original top coat. I think I just need to test them out more. For the new fall colors, I think all three are really gorgeous – I think the red Écorce Sanguine is absolutely stunning but you can get something very similar although most won’t have that gorgeous gold shimmer. I can’t say the other two are must-haves – there are just so many similar colors to Châtaigne and Vert Obscur is so dark it looks black on my hands. Perhaps once the actual fall season rolls around I’ll be more into these colors. I do think they are nice to have – as a die hard Chanel collector, I had to add them to my collection, but I can’t call them must-haves. Right now I have my eye on the Rouge Noir collections coming out, preliminary details and sneak peeks via Specktra.net. The colors look amazing for late fall/holiday collections.

All three Le Vernis colors for fall are limited-edition. The new La Base and Le Top Coats are here to stay. You can find them at all Chanel counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Chanel.com.

Did you try any of the new fall colors? What did you think?

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Base Makeup

Current Base Testing Rotation

August 18, 2015

I have a love-hate relationship with foundation these days. The summer sun is impossible to avoid here in Southern California and I’ve gotten a bit of color even with sunscreen. On our three weeks trip to Europe we spent a lot of time outdoors and on beaches – I got 2-3 shades darker. I’ve been trying to stay indoors more since I’ve been home so my tan is fading and I’m in that in-between stage of foundation colors. Some I have to mix to get the right match. These days I’ve been loving sheerer coverage formulas that are more forgiving. They have enough coverage to even the skintone but are sheer enough that you don’t need a 100% exact match.

Another tricky thing about foundation is color matching at the counter. In the past several trips I’ve made to the beauty counters and asked about foundation, the reps have looked at my skin and asked, “do you want to be darker or lighter?” Foundation is supposed to be a close match and I understand it can’t always be exact, but I can’t count the times I’ve been mis-matched at the counter. My solution is to ask to try 2-3 shades on the jawline, side by side and decide for myself. Or just go to Sephora where I know I can shop on my own and swatch at my own leisure.

I have a roundup of some new formulas I’ve been trying out along with a few tried-and-true. Some formulas I’ve found the next shade up is too big of a jump for me to purchase. Here are swatches of all the colors shown above. More detail below by coverage type.

Sheer Coverage

Sheer coverage foundations are something I haven’t been able to wear for a long time, but my skin has cleared up over the past 6 months thanks to skin resurfacing treatments like the Hourglass Equilibrium Biomimetic Night Serum and regular use of clarifying masks from Aesop, Caudalie and Glamglow.
  • I recently received a sample of the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint ($26 for 1 fl oz) in Medium. There is a skin chart online to help determine what color will be your match. I wasn’t sure what to expect – this looks like the kind of product that looks so sheer it might designed for those with near-perfect skin. I’ve tested this for the past month and am really pleased with it. It is truly a skin tint. It’s very sheer so it’s forgiving but it gives the skin that natural healthy glow. It evens out the skin and brightens. I do need to set with powder or powder foundation but it’s really good. It’s lightweight and lasts all day without getting greasy. No breakouts or reaction to the formula either.
  • Armani Luninessence CC Color Control Bright Moisturizer ($52 for 1 fl oz) has been raved about by so many. I know Armani foundations are really well-loved, I like a couple of the formulas but find the color selection very limited in the ones I like (Luminous Silk has the most options and it’s one I cannot wear more than 1 hour without getting greasy-looking). When this product launched I was in between shades. Since I got a bit darker I thought it was the perfect time to try Shade 5. It’s pink-based but very sheer so it adjusts to my skin without looking too pink. I do wish it was a tad bit more olive, or that they released yellow versions of this formula. It gives the skin a natural glow with sheer coverage. It’s on the hydrating side so I think it’s better suited for normal to dry skin. If it had a wider color selection I’d give this a rating of 8.5 out of 10 stars.
  • By Terry Cellularose Moisturizing CC Cream ($86 for 1.41 fl oz) is extremely expensive but in terms of formula for CC creams, it’s the best I’ve tried. It’s very lightweight, very hydrating and sheer but buildable. It gives the skin a well-rested glow look like you just had a facial. I like that it has enough yellow in it for my skintone. Right now it’s a bit light but since it’s sheer I can make it work by dusting a bit of darker powder like Chanel Les Beiges 30 on top. If the next shade up was a good match I would get it, but my rep said there’s a huge jump and that it would be too dark. If you have oily skin I don’t think this is the product for you. For normal to dry skin it’s a great one.
  • Chanel Les Beiges All-In-One Healthy Glow Fluid ($45 for 1 fl oz) is a sheer glow product. The colors pull pink but the formula is very sheer so applying this all over gives the skin a warm glow. I like to use this as a base and then layer a heavier coverage foundation on areas that need more coverage. It gives the skin a natural healthy look.
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Medium Coverage

Three medium coverage base products I’ve had in rotation are from La Mer, Charlotte Tilbury and NARS. This is my foundation coverage of choice. I like medium coverage to cover the entire face but something that still has a bit of transparency so if it’s not an exact match it will adjust.
  • La Mer The Reparative Skin Tint ($95 for 1.4 fl oz) is the most I think I’ve ever spent on foundation. Color selection is limited but it’s sheer to medium in coverage and adjusts to the skin after it sets. My closest match is Light Medium 3. It looks pinkish in the swatch but it blends out really nicely. The warmth gives a glow to the skin and makes it glow. When I went to the counter to try this I really appreciated the honesty of the rep who helped me. His initial thought was that I would be in between shades but was really nice and swatched two colors, one on each side. We were both surprised #3 matched. I had one of my friends with me to give a second opinion. She gave it the thumbs up so I bought it. It gives a similar glow to that of the By Terry but it has more pink undertone and it has more coverage. It has SPF 30. I hate to say it but I really love this one.
  • Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder ($45 for 1.4 fl oz) is an amazing foundation. It gives the appearance of a youthful glow with perfect medium coverage. It’s thin-to-medium in texture so it feels weightless. It blends into the skin flawlessly and lasts all day long. The downside is the color selection and until now I’ve been in between colors. I swatched #6 and #7 above to show you the jump. If you’re at the counter and look at the shades in consecutive order you may find them confusing. There’s a huge jump in colors and undertones. Right now I’m a perfect match to #7 but I can tell any day I’ll have to mix in a light color to adjust it. If you can find a good color match this one is amazing in formula.
  • NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer ($43 for 1.9 fl oz) has been my holy grail medium coverage tinted moisturizer for a long time. My go-to shade has been Groenland but over our trip I found St. Moritz to be a better match. I got even darker than St. Moritz however the next shade up is too dark. I still love this formula – it’s the best tinted moisturizer I’ve tried but it doesn’t have that tinted moisturizer feel. It has medium coverage and feels super lightweight. It evens out the skin and looks very natural.
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Medium to Full Coverage

I have a few favorites for medium to full coverage but I can’t wear all of them now with hot humid weather. There are only two that truly hold up to the heat.
  • Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet ($47 for 1 fl oz) has never let me down. In my lightest I wear 20, I’m normally a 30, right now I’m a perfect match to 40. It’s been a long-time go-to for me. It has a perfect velvet finish without looking too matte. It holds up really well in the heat and for the coverage and pigment I’m really happy it doesn’t oxidize or darken.
  • Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Super-Charged Oil-Free Foundation ($48 for 1 fl oz) is my new favorite (tied with the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet). It’s an oil-free foundation that comes in a wide selection of color undertones. I matched myself at Sephora to Golden Medium which is really yellow (I swatched 4 different colors on my face at the store). It’s concentrated but fluid so you only need 1-2 pumps to cover the entire face. It’s lightweight but gives medium to full coverage. It blends out nicely and is easy to layer. I don’t know what took me so long to try it but it lasts all day.
  • Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation ($80 for 1 fl oz) is something I repurchased recently. I’m usually Bisque 4 but it pulls light so I went up to Natural 5. I really adore this for the coverage, color selection and finish. In hot humid weather this time of year it just feels too heavy. It holds up pretty well to the heat but on the skin if I’m outdoors I can feel it.
  • Chanel CC Cream Complete Correction Sunscreen ($55 for 1 fl oz) is another Chanel love of mine. It has a high SPF of 50 and covers the skin really well. I wore this all through spring and have been using it on and off in the summer. In 83+ degree weather it feels thick on the skin although it holds up well and looks good. I’ll be saving this for cooler days. It still works on warm days I just prefer something that feels more lightweight.
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Overall my top three picks for right now include the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet, Marc Jacobs Genius Gel and Glossier Skintint. The La Mer follows close behind but due to the price and limited color selection I don’t know how likely it is I will repurchase once I finish it up. NARS is almost always at the top of my list but I don’t have a color match. Do you have a summer favorite right now? If yes, please share!

The Glossier Skintint was provided as a courtesy sample for review consideration. All others purchased by me.

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Summer Loves

August 7, 2015

Happy Friday! I hope everyone had a great week – mine was a very long one and I’m glad it’s almost the weekend. A few things I’m loving right now are summery-themed.
Glossier Coconut Balm Dotcom $12 is described as a “vacation in a tube.” It does indeed smell like a dreamy vacation with a delicious coconut scent. It’s Glossier’s do-anything skin salve for the lips, eyes, cheeks or cuticles – basically anywhere you need an added moisture boost. It’s very creamy so I’ve only been brave enough to test it on the lips and so far I love it. It’s hydrating, soothing and smells incredible.

Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino $215 was one of my biggest summer splurges. It’s a summery white floral citrus. Similar to the Neroli Portofino and Mandarino di Amalafi but with a floral twist to it. It’s bright and very rich. Lasts all day on me and makes me feel like I’m at the beach. If you own either of the others I would say you probably don’t need the Fleur de Portofino as they are similar. There are noticeable differences, the original Neroli is the strongest and more unisex, Mandarino is the most citrus, Fleur has floral notes which I like the most.

Supergoop! Sun-Defying Sunscreen Oil Broad Spectrum SPF 50 $12-34 has been in regular rotation. The concept of a sunscreen in oil form is new to me. I’m super hesitant about trying new sunscreens in general but this one has been gentle enough for me to wear without any irritation or reaction. It’s meant for both the face and body but I haven’t been brave enough to test it on the face.

Chanel Tutti Frutti $27 is my favorite coral pink nail color for summer. It’s been on my nails a lot lately. I plan on getting a pedicure this weekend for the toes.

Smith & Cult recently launched Lip Lacquers $22 each. I’ve been testing a few that I ordered sight unseen. They are all relatively sheer in finish but have a lush glossy shine to them with a hint of color. My personal favorite is Her Name Is Bubbles (in large part because I like the name). I’ll have a more detailed feature soon on the glosses but for now below are a few swatches. You can find them at Neiman Marcus, Net-A-Porter, Birchbox. If you want to see Her Name is Bubbles on the lips, you can see it in my peachy makeup loves post.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! What have you been loving this summer?

The Glossier Lip Balm was provided as a courtesy sample for review. All other items purchased by me.

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