I featured a sneak peek of the newest items from Edward Bess about a month ago and am happy to report my presale finally arrived! I am thrilled with my new purchases – the colors are amazing in texture and finish. The new items I ordered:
I had the pleasure of speaking to Edward over the phone and he was so kind to give me detailed descriptions and he was spot-on in comparing the new shades to his existing line. To recap:
Soft Smoke Eyeshadow Trio: which has a pale color similar in concept to their Nude eyeshadow, but brighter less creamy/beige, a soft dove-grey which is described as EB’s first true grey (a sister shade to Dusk which isn’t a true grey since it has a more mossy finish), a deep dark charcoal not quite as dark as Night Eyeshadow
Soft Orchid Blush: soft cool pink
After Sunset Compact Rouge: described as a burned rose, almost bronzey reddish-brown
I don’t have swatches but I do have comparisons to some other colors, so hopefully this will help you get a better idea of the shades:
I really like Soft Smoke for a good smokey eye. It’s what I wanted Chanel Smokey Eyes Quad to be (but was just not the right combination leaving me with tired eyes). The shades are similar in color family to Night, Nude and Dusk, but just as Edward described, are definitely different in undertone and finish.
The new Soft Orchid blush looks coolish in the pan but is very flattering giving a soft pink glow.
After Sunset is equally stunning – something I know darker skinned girls would definitely love. But as a light-medium girl right now, I think it’s very flattering on my skin as well since it blends out nicely.
All were purchased from Bergdorf Goodman for their giftcard event. For more info about the line, click on the Edward Bess Tag below and you’ll find lots more articles and reviews on his products that I’ve tried plus a few guest articles from other EB fans!
Le Metier de Beaute recently came out with a few new items and I couldn’t resist ordering their Crème Fresh Tints which are described as giving “a sheer wash of color to brighten cheeks and lips for a radiant glow.” The blush comes in two colors, Tenné (a nude pink brown) and Poppy (a brighter pink), and both retail for $28 for 5g/0.17oz each.
Le Metier de Beaute is one of those harder to find luxury brands. They were originally exclusive to select Neiman Marcus locations and Bergdorf Goodman, but have been expanding into various boutiques and other counters. I purchased these from Neiman Marcus. Check out Le Metier de Beaute‘s website for locations. I spotted the line at Fred Segal in Los Angeles as well.
Here they are compared to Whisper & Fresh blush:
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by these. The texture is smooth and blendable, but they have decent pigment. Similar to that of Stila Convertible colors in pigment, but a lot easier and smoother to blend without being too sticky, thick or dry like some other cream-lip-cheek products can be. For another swatch, London Makeup Girl has swatched Poppy here. The Non-Blonde has also written a fabulous review + has a great swatch on Tenne.
After wiping it off my arm, I did see a stain left – to me this is a good sign that since they stain a little the lasting power should be better than your average cream blush. I have on Poppy today on my lips and cheeks so we’ll see how well they last.
Le Metier actually had creme blushes available for their custom kaleidoscope kits in the past where you pick out a concealer, powder, bronzer and cream blush. This was not available online and I heard from a few that this was a limited edition thing and not permanent. Tenne seems similar to one of the other cream blush shades I have but the texture is slightly different. Both are fabulous though.
Overall another winner from Le Metier de Beaute! Those not familiar with the line or new to my blog – click on the Le Metier de Beaute tag/label beneath this post and you’ll find all the other posts and articles related to the brand. You’ll find more info about the items I’ve tried so far and more resources. My current favs are The Non-Blonde, London Makeup Girl, and Visionary Beauty.
I checked out some new blushes on Friday. I was all set to get a few of the new MUFE HD Microfinish Blushes but Sephora was packed. I was testing out #14 Star Struck (a soft light peach) applying the tester on my face by one of the mirrors and this woman came up next to me and said “you’re in my way.” I swear if I didn’t move she probably would have pushed me. Why do some people lack manners? Couldn’t she find another empty mirror? Ugh! Reminder to self: avoid Sephora unless the store looks empty. The store was busier than usual and the line was pretty long so I didn’t even try to make a purchase.
So off I went to Saks to see if they had the new Blushing Fabrics and they did along with the new Face Fabric Radiance.
The Blushing Fabrics retail for $38 USD each for 20 ml/0.6 oz and come in three different shades labeled 1, 2 and 3 in a squeezable tube. They have a similar texture as the Face Fabric foundations which is nice for the brighter colors so it gives a soft tinted flush. The lightest shade #3 goes on pretty sheer. I will need to play around with it more to. I don’t use the Face Fabric foundation for 2 reasons:
1) I am in between shades 2 and 3 (those who have tested these know that there’s a large shade gap) 2) I didn’t really like the way it felt all over my face
Yet I was still willing to give the Blushing Fabrics a chance since I’ll only be applying these on my cheeks.
Note, these blend out a lot more sheer than the swatch looks just squeezed onto the skin. I couldn’t get it to photograph well though. Those who are dying to see better swatches, let’s all keep our fingers crossed that our beloved Karlasugar (swatch queen) will be swatching these in the near future!
Overall thoughts: #1 and #2 are practically identical when blended out. #1 is just more pink and #2 is slightly more coral. I tested out #3 a soft peach shade and I’m not sure if the one I got is different from the store, but it just completely disappears into my skin. The store tester had a dryer texture and showed up better. Maybe I just need to shake mine up. If you want a soft peach, I think the MUFE #14 has better pigment and will show up better. Although, I found the MUFE textures to be very dense and a bit thick. The Sephora artists recommended you use a skunk-type brush to blend, but it just seems like using a brush would waste a lot of product.
So there are your pros and cons: get the Armani #3 it might now show up, get the MUFE #14, it’s a thicker harder-to-work-with texture.
YMMV on these. I personally like the Armani Fluid Sheers a lot more. But curiosity got the best of me. Add that with an enthusiastic sales rep and I was easily sold even though I was a bit skeptical of how great these would be. Note to self: think more before you purchase. So rants about Sephora aside, I do love the fact that they don’t have typical sales associate there pressuring you to buy things.
Oh, I mentioned the Face Fabric Radiance – same size/concept as the Face Fabric but with a slight pearl finish. Shade 1 is probably the equivalent of a MAC NC10-15, Shade 2 is the equivalent of a MAC NC40+, Shade 3 is even darker. My opinion: why do they skip the shades that fit me? I didn’t look twice after swatching them.
Two of my favorite brands Paul & Joe and Edward Bess have some great new things coming out! I have some information on a few upcoming new products I am super excited about and wanted to share the details with you!
Paul & Joe has posted a preview scan of their upcoming Summer Brochure on Facebook, so check out their fan page. There are:
3 lipsticks – Caravan (a natural coral pink), Sahara (a sexy vivid pink), Morocco (a warm golden pink)
3 nail polishes – Marrakesh (a stunning exotic coral red), Mirage (a soft neutral sand brown), Oasis (a sophisticated earthy blue)
2 shimmer powders – Dune & Desert Sand
+ more: body shimmer oil, blotting papers, nail files
Jocelyn from Paul & Joe was kind enough to send me a few sneak peek photos:
* photos from Paul & Joe
* photos from Paul & Joe
Also coming in April (before the summer collection is released) are 5 new double-sided lipliners and 10 new wand lipglosses which I believe will replace the current wand glosses. I was lucky enough to be able to swatch testers of the lipliners! The lipglosses were lovely, but unfortunately I didn’t swatch those. The packaging is similar to the older wands but the tubes have the flower design embossed. (Disregard my scribbles to the right, I meant to say that lipglosses are being released in conjunction with the lipliners.) Each lipliner has 2 formulas on each pencil, one more creamy and slightly glossy and the other more opaque.
* Photo from Paul & Joe
Edward Bess has released some new products! I spoke with both Susan and Edward last week to get the 411 on the new products. They sent a swatch card in the mail which made me even more excited.
Soft Smoke Eyeshadow Trio which has: * a pale color similar in concept to their Nude eyeshadow, but brighter less creamy/beige * a soft dove-grey which is described as EB’s first true grey (a sister shade to Dusk which isn’t a true grey since it has a more mossy finish) * a deep dark charcoal not quite as dark as Night Eyeshadow
Soft Orchid Blush: soft cool pink (see Amy’s lovely review for photos and description on CafeMakeup.com)
After Sunset Compact Rouge: described as a burned rose, almost bronzey, darker skinned girls who want more color, I think you’ll really like this!
BONUS NOTE: Note that Bergdorf Goodman is having their giftcard event coming up starting April 18 – I believe both counters are doing a promotion in addition to their $25 off $100 purchase.
I’ve been playing around with my new MAC Too Fabulous Mineralize Blushes and Cremesheen Glass lipglosses all week and tried a few combinations for each product. Eye makeup was very low-key this week, only using a neutral cream eyeshadow + gel liner + mascara.
The new mineralize blushes are really pretty! Those with darker skins will really like the colors. I agree with the consensus among other reviews that these tend to be on the more shimmery side. They aren’t overly frosty when applied with a lighter hand. Those who get oily/shiny fast or have larger pores, I’d say these will probably be a nay for you.
The cremesheen glasses are among my favorite gloss formula from MAC. I like that they repromoted some colors and mixed in some new shades. This gives me ideas on how to use the colors I already have with some new blush colors.
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Look #1: MAC Rhapsody in Two Mineralize Blush + Paul & Joe Creamy Cheek #02 + Partial to Pink/Boy Bait Cremesheen Glasses mixed
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Look #2: MAC Bi-Tone Mineralize Blush + MAC Love, Henri Lipstick + Moth to Flame Dazzleglass
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Look #3: MAC Buddy Up Mineralize Blush + Trish McEvoy Baby Pink Essential Pencil + Just Superb Cremesheen Glass
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Look #4: MAC Sun & Moon Mineralize Blush + NARS Cafe Con Leche + MAC Ever Hip Lipstick + Richer, Lusher Cremesheen Glass
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Look #5: MAC Deelight Cremesheen Glass + Laura Mercier Chestnut Lipliner + NARS Tutti Fruitti Lipstick + MAC Afterdusk Blush/Stark Naked Blush mixed together
Paul & Joe has expanded their blush line with a new product called Creamy Cheek Color. There are currently 5 shades: 01 Marionette, 02 Kitten, 03 Peaches, 04 Butterfly, 05 Dusk. Each come in a mirrored compact the same size as the Face Color Blushes. The shades are all beautiful and have a subtle shimmer infused for a pretty glow. These retail for $24 each USD.
Swatches on bare skin:
Comparisons to other brands/similar colors:
Initial thoughts: I haven’t worn any of these for a full day yet, but I did test out 01 Marionette on my face as soon as I got it. It has an easily blendable texture and slightly powdery finish. The pigment is medium-sheer which is about the same as NARS Multiples, just less shimmery and less dewey looking on the skin.
Being the P&J fan that I am, I love these. I think everyone can find at least 1 flattering color. I know a few of my tan olive-toned friends love 05 🙂
For those who are wondering about the finish – the shimmer is very subtle. Not overly frosty like NARS Multiples or even MAC Blushcremes Sweet William/Blossoming. They give a pretty natural glow and the shimmer makes it so it doesn’t look too heavy or flat on the skin.
These were purchased from Bergdorf Goodman and should also be available soon at other Paul & Joe retailers.
Bobbi Brown’s second spring release this year focuses on a coral theme featuring universal modern corals. I was able to check it out in person yesterday and I came home with Shimmer Lipglosses in Sunset Beach, Golden Nectar, Coral Sand, Pot Rouge in Cabo Coral, and Nectar Shimmer Brick.
The counter didn’t have the older Calypso Coral in their tester unit so I decided to get the new one anyways. I compared the new Cabo Coral to the old Calypso Coral and Becca Tuberose. They are pretty similar, the older Calypso Coral has more pink where the new Cabo Coral is more of a straight coral. Becca Tuberose clearly has some pink similar to the Calypso Coral.
Those who are scared of bright blush – don’t be afraid to try Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouges. They are very blendable and are great for both lips and cheeks. I prefer to use them on cheeks though. If you’re still scared or find these are still too bright, look into Trish McEvoy’s Liquid Face Color for a softer peach with a bit of shimmer.
I already had the Nectar Shimmer Brick from Neiman’s Exclusive Release which cost $45 each in a smaller heavy metal magnetized compact. I only found out about the release of the Nectar Shimmer Brick in the regular size after my purchase. I kinda felt like kicking myself for caving into such a splurge but the compact is cute and pretty. I purchased the regular sized Nectar from the new collection as a gift for my sister. It is identical in color to the Neiman’s release.
Apricot Shimmer Brick compared to Nectar Shimmer Brick:
Here are my comparisons to other coral-peachy blushes including Chanel In Love, Bobbi Brown Coral Shimmer Blush, Nars Deep Throat and Nars Torrid.
Here are my swatches of the cheek items:
I also compared the new lipglosses to my other peachy-coral lipglosses. Left to right:
Swatched below, please note below is a different order:
My thoughts:
The standouts are the Nectar Shimmer Brick and Lipglosses. I love corals but can’t really pull of stronger corals and oranges (except for cheeks). If you’re a corals fan you will like this collection.
*UPDATE* I also saw the Coral Eye and Lip Palette at Neimans and passed – the only color I was interested in was Burnt Sugar which I already have. The palette itself is gorgeous, I just knew it would be too warm for me.
I passed on all the lipsticks because they looked too orangey for my taste. The Metallic Lip Colors were gorgeous, but I’ve had bad experiences with breakage – they are so soft that about 1/4 of mine have already broken at the base. All the testers were already broken as well.
I’m not quite sure that I think this collection is really “universal”. I do think most women can find at least 1 item they will like. But they aren’t the most unique colors.
I find the corals a bit too monochromatic – I really liked her lipglosses but the lipsticks were all too peachy and orangey. On my face, it would end up looking clown-like.
Although I’m happy she has released the Pink Quartz Shimmerbrick again, it doesn’t quite seem to fit with the theme.
I wish there were eyeshadows featured with the collection or at least recommendations of what to use with the lips and cheeks.
Her website introduces the Cabana Corals collection as “Bobbi’s fresh take on an old-school favorite.” My question is what is the old-school favorite? Is it the Pink Quartz Shimmer Brick or is it the Cabo Coral Pot Rouge as a revamped version of Calypso Coral? While this isn’t a huge deal – I find the message a bit confusing.
Overall – it’s definitely worth checking out especially for that Nectar Shimmerbrick. If you missed out on Pink Quartz the first round, then I highly recommend you get it now. It’s lovely!
As a courtesy, I’d like to ask that these photos NOT be republished on other sites. Thank you!
