Cream Eyeshadow Archives - The Beauty Look Book

Bobbi Brown By Terry Eye Makeup Hourglass Cosmetics

New Cream Shadows from Hourglass, Bobbi Brown and Victoria Beckham Beauty

April 28, 2023

There are some new cream shadows that have launched from a few brands I really love and I have a quick roundup review. There are new shades from Bobbi Brown and new formulas from Hourglass and Victoria Beckham Beauty.

New Bobbi Brown Shades

I’ve been a long-time lover of the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow Sticks in the shimmer and matte formulas. The pigment is great, easy to layer and once they set and dry they are pretty much budge-proof. I saw some new limited-edition shades pop up online in Sun Pearl, Bronze, Soft Bronze and Sunlight Gold and ordered two.

Bronze is more of a neutral taupe shimmer while Soft Bronze is a slightly lighter neutral (both listed on-sale at Bobbibrowncosmetics.com). Both shades are really pretty and slightly different variations of their Golden Bronze (which isn’t really golden or bronze on me but still stunning).

I added a swatch of Smoky Topaz (cooler taupe shimmer) to compare. Also had to give Peach Mimosa a shoutout because when it launched last year it was a bit hard to find but it’s back in stock at Nordstrom and Ulta Beauty.

They also added some new variations of the Dual-Ended Long-Wear Cream Shadow Stick at Sephora and I have one in Cashew/Pink Copper which I’ve been really loving. I hope they make Pink Copper in the full size eventually.

Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow Stick

Top to bottom: Equinox, Prism, Phoenix and Solstice

So many of you expressed interest in the new Hourglass Voyeur Eyeshadow sticks and the shades looked so beautiful I had high hopes. After testing these for a few weeks now I feel I am among the very few that did not like these.

I found the color payoff and formula very disappointing. They swatch beautifully on the hand. The colors, shimmer and texture are just beautiful. However, on the eyes the color does not show up. The formula feels dry so if I pack it on to get the color payoff I want it looks very creased and caked.

A few things to note: I have dry eyelids and I think these were formulated for more oily lids. Also I think I may just be the skintone that the shades blend in – if you have lighter skin or deeper skin the colors may contrast more and show up better. Last – I’ve received a number of messages from new followers who found my account and like to wear foundation/blush but don’t wear a lot of eye makeup and have asked for a recommendation on a light eyeshadow they can swipe on without a lot of effort.

If you’re one who wants a more minimalist wash of color I think these will be right up your alley. I found these missed the mark and still 100% prefer the Scattered Light Eyeshadows.

Available at Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta Beauty and all other Hourglass retailers.

Victoria Beckham Beauty Eye Wear

Last is a look at two of the new Victoria Beckham Beauty Eye Wear Cream Shadow ($34 each) and these are pure love. I think the formula is really nice for a cream shadow. I wish there were more shades to pick from in the initial launch but I’m happy with both.

Formula is creamy but long-wearing, easy to blend and work with. I like layering on Pecan (matte brown) first as a base and blending it out they adding Caramel (shimmery bronze) on top. I can’t wait to see more colors in this formula.

Available at Victoria Beckham Beauty and Violet Grey.

I swatched some other browns I own including her Lid Lustre in Mink. Also included the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerize in Chocolate Brown, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadows in Cinnamon and Espresso, Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Cocoa, the creams from the Patrick Ta Major Dimension Palette and By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Bronze Moon.

Overall my favorite cream shadow stick formulas are still Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier. They’re easy to work with, they have the right amount of color payoff for me, they set well and they have a good range of colors + finishes to work with.

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Have you tried these new colors or formulas? What did you think?

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Eyeshadows

August 7, 2017

Chanel launched new eyeshadow formulas earlier this year in the Ombre Premiere Collection. There are two formulas called the Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Shadow ($36 each) and Longwear Powder Eyeshadow ($30 each). I bought a few colors several months ago to try and fell in love with the texture of both formulas. Since then I’ve acquired more shades in the neutral category as press samples and find the formulas quite good. Chanel also launched two double-ended brushes with this launch that come with caps making them really nice for travel or to carry in your makeup bag. There is a Retractable Dual Tip Eye-Contouring Brush ($42) and a Retractable Dual-Tip Eyeshadow Brush ($42). They are a bit on the expensive side but are super soft and perform extremely well and for me they were worth the splurge.

The new Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadows are the among the best ones I’ve tried from Chanel in powder form. They are extremely soft but velvety in texture with beautiful pigment. The colors I tried are neutral shimmers. I’ve had Flesh for a few months and find it to be the perfect neutral champagne pinky peach for an all over lid or wash color. Sable is a lighter champagne color. Talpa is a really pretty cool-toned brown shimmer. I feel like this makeup age is the age of palettes and find it rare that single eyeshadows are released. Palettes definitely have the convenience factor but these are really good even if the price tag is pretty high. They glide on the lids beautifully and smoothly with very little fallout. Lasting power is quite impressive alone. If you layer them over the Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Shadows you get a more intense shimmer. These come with applicators but for these shadows I find it better to apply with a regualar full size eyeshadow brush.

The Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadows are pigmented cream shadows that have a softer texture and more pigmented texture compared to the Illusion D’Ombres. The Ombre Premiere formula by comparison to most traditional creams has a dry finish versus a super emollient one. This makes it one of the longest-lasting cream shadows I’ve ever tested. My lids aren’t like most others in the sense that they aren’t oily and do not tend to get oily. I find my eyes to be more on the normal/dry side if anything. Most of my readers have asked for shadow primers that work for oily lids – ones that are super popular and highly rated with customer reviews all tend to dry out my skin making it look wrinkly. Because of this – I find that the creams work best when I use a single color as a base or lid color either alone or with a powder on top. Layering cream on top of cream with this formula didn’t work so well on some occasions because they dry and set fast. These last an impressive amount of time even in hot humid weather.

Shadow labels on the bottom:

These come with a small white-hair applicator which I didn’t think would be useful. It actually performed the best in picking up pigment and applying them to the lids. I wish that Chanel made another one like it with a larger handle for easier use. Otherwise fingers work for application too. I’ve experimented with a number of shadow brushes and like the double-ended contour brush the best for a full-size option. I do think the applicator these come with is the best way to pick up the most color.

Last but not least are the two dual ended brushes, Retractable Dual Tip Eye-Contouring Brush on the bottom and a Retractable Dual-Tip Eyeshadow Brush on the top. These are some of the softest eyeshadow brushes I’ve tried from Chanel. I really love the larger option as it has the perfect size/density for a brush. The smaller one works really well too but I already have my favorites for detail brushes. There is a moveable portion on each end that you push up to cover the brush tip and then place the cap on top – that way you don’t have to worry about messing up the brush if it gets fluffy from use and recapping. In the past few weeks Chanel has launched an entire line of new brushes – I’m still testing them but hope to have the review up soon.

Overall thoughts are that the formulas of the shadows are really good. I prefer the texture of the powders for that beautiful shimmer but like the colors of the creams better. For summer or hot humid weather these are very good for lasting power when it feels like almost everything is prone to melting off my face. I’m all about neutrals but there are quite a few other colors that are more edgy or bold. For me the neutrals seem most on-brand for Chanel. Some of the others (like the yellow, blue or green) seemed a bit dated but I can see how they could appeal to those who like more fun trendy shades.

Other new items have launched online as well including the Fall-Winter Collection and some new pink Lip and Nail Colors. I already ordered a few pieces from the fall line which I’ll review, for now I’ve decided to pass on the pink shades.

You can find the Chanel Ombre Premiere collection online at Chanel.com and also at all other counters now. The shadows are listed as limited-edition. Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

Ombre Premiere Longwear Shadows provided for review. Brushes purchased by me.

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Bronzer + Blush Fragrance Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Paradiso Eye and Cheek, Sole di Positano, Soleil Blanc and Fleur de Portofino

April 12, 2017

I have some more Tom Ford Beauty newness to review in makeup and fragrance. I had already featured a large portion of the Summer Soleil collection last month and am still enjoying everything very much. After a bit of browsing online I noticed a few other products pop up called Paradiso in the Cream and Powder Eye Duo, Cream Cheek Color, Moisturecore Lip Color and Lip Color Sheer. Some other new launches includes a new perfume called Sole di Positano (already shown in this roundup here), Private Blend All Over Body Spray extensions to include Fleur de Portofino and an Dry Oil Spray in Soleil Blanc.

Up first are the scent and body extensions. I’m a huge fan of Tom Ford perfumes even though are on the expensive side. The Private Blends are my favorite and the best one I’ve bought include the Soleil Blanc and Fleur de Portofino. The latest is Sole di Positano which I’m obsessed with for spring. It’s fresh, green, bright different from anything I’ve tried before. Of course when I saw the body sprays and a dry oil spray I was intrigued. They are priced significantly lower so I had to investigate. I bought the Fleur de Portofino All Over Body Spray and the Soleil Blanc Dry Oil Spray and I have to say that the perfumes are the better buy for lasting power and strength. The Body Spray lasts a long time on me if I’m indoors but fades quickly on me if I go outside. Something with the Florida air, heat and my body chemistry doesn’t seem to want to hold the scent. The Dry Oil Spray has a very faint Soleil Blanc scent with a raw oil kind of scent if that makes sense. This one was a disappointment to me in terms of smell – I had expected it to be all kinds of amazing as I love the perfume, but I can barely smell it on me. That being said I had it on all over and my husband walked by me and said “wow you smell really good” which surprised me as I feel like the perfume version is more noticeable.

For color there’s a new Paradiso Cream and Powder Eye Duo. The cream side is lighter and more pink compared to Golden Peach while the glitter side is darker than Golden Peach. I love the cream from Paradiso and the powder from Golden Peach (go figure). I do think they’re different enough to justify both but you might disagree. I swatched them side by side so you can decide for yourself in the event you don’t have a counter near you.

Swatched below Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rose Gold + Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes in Opale (also reviewed here) as a reference for what I consider more champagne/neutrals next to Paradiso and Golden Peach.

For the cheeks there’s also a new Paradiso Cream Cheek Color which at first glance I thought was Pink Sand. If you put them side by side you’ll see the difference. Paradiso has the same gorgeous luminous glowy quality that Pink Sand does. Right now that I’ve gotten more color Pink Sand is almost highlighter material for me while Paradiso is more like a blush. I love this. I’ve only had a chance to test it for one day as it’s something I had to put on immediately – lasting power is quite good for a cream blush. I can’t say how it will perform in super hot humid weather yet but will keep testing it in the upcoming months as the season shifts.

Swatch comparisons to MAC Quiktrick Stick in Miss Cupcake/Tomato, Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand, Paradiso and Pieno Sole, Tom Ford Sheer Cheek Duo in Paradise Lust. The cheek duo has more pigment and is less dewy than the cream cheek color.

A quick look with Tom Ford Cream and Eye Powder Duo in Paradiso, Waterproof Extreme Mascara, MAC Next to Nothing Foundation in Medium Plus (review soon), MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus, Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in Paradiso, Tom Ford Moisturecore Lip Color in Carriacou (also reviewed here), top by Rag and Bone.

For those curious, I did not buy the Paradiso Lip Color Sheer (I already own it, review here) or the Paradiso Moisturecore Lip Color – they are pretty much identical. I get a quick swatch of them at the counter.

Bottom line, I love the Paradiso eye and cheek items. I do think they’re worth owning even if you have Pink Sand or Golden Peach. For the body and fragrance, I wanted to love the body spray and oil spray – I just think the perfumes are the better buy, although I do like the body spray. I would entirely skip the oil. It added a nice sheen to the skin but I didn’t notice a lot of added hydration my skin other than a light oil. Brands like Caudalie, Moroccanoil or Nuxe have better body oils in my opinion. If you try one new fragrance this spring, I think it should be Soleil Blanc, Fleur de Portofino or Sole di Positano.

You can find all the items at counters now. Available online at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Beautylish and Tom Ford Beauty.

Sole di Positano Provided for review consideration.

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Bronzer + Blush Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Summer Soleil Collection

March 17, 2017

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:

The Ultimate Bronzer in Gold Dust and Bronze Age ($110 each)
Sheer Highlighting Duo in Reflects Gilt ($78)
Sheer Cheek Duo in Paradise Lust ($78)
Clutch-Sized Lip Balms in six colors ($36 each)
Cream and Powder Eye Duos in Sun Worship and Young Adonis ($62 each)
Soleil Bronzing Brush ($95)

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

All three duos swatched side by side:

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.

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).

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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By Terry

By Terry Impearlious Baume de Rose and Ombre Blackstar Gift Collections for Holiday 2016

October 29, 2016

I ordered two of the holiday sets from By Terry from Space NK to take advantage of the current Explore Promotion going on. The promo runs through 10/30 where you can save $25 off orders $125 or more with code EXPLORE30 at checkout online at Space NK (US site only). There are quite a few holiday items to choose from and given the fact that there are lots of other tempting sets and holiday launches this year, I decided to narrow down my picks to two sets:

Impearlious Baume de Rose Gift Collection ($65) for 1 mini-sized Baume de Rose and 4 mini Pearlescent Baume de Rose colors, colors are available only in the mini size
Impearlious Ombre Blackstar Gift Collection ($155) for 5 full-sized Ombre Blackstar cream shadow sticks in existing shades

As a long-time By Terry fan I have mixed feelings about these two. I think almost everyone has bought items they like but don’t necessarily love. I had high hopes for this year’s Impearlious Baume de Rose Gift Collection as I really loved last year’s version and I love the Baume de Rose formula. There would have been nothing to stop me from ordering this year’s version as it contains four shimmery versions which you can’t find in the full-size, at least not right now. There’s also a single Impearlious Baume de Rose Tree Decoration version but I could not tell if it’s the same color as the pink one in the set. Some sites list it as “Fresco Rose” which is what is in the set, others list it as “Crystalline Rose” so I decided to pass. If you have bought the ornament – let me know where and what yours says on the bottom label.

The Holiday 2016 Impearlious Baume de Rose Gift Collection contains four shimmers and one signature clear Baume de Rose. What prevents me from giving this a 100% rave review is that the colors are just so incredibly sheer. I do know that balms in general are supposed to be sheer, but since I have pigmented lips these pretty much all look the same on me. If one is going just for the skincare hydration element, I think you can skip and find something that works just as well for a fraction of the price. Right now I’m completely obsessed with Lanolips which I just discovered. Net-A-Porter has an exclusive Peach and Strawberry duo which is amazing (review soon). It offers better hydration for my lips although the concept and formulas are completely different so I don’t know that I can really compare the two.

Onto the set. The Impearlious set contains 100 Frozen Queen which is a shimmering silvery pearl, 200 Fresco Rose a sheer pink with silver sparkle, 400 Freezy Berry which is a sheer lilac shimmer, 300 Frost Fire which is a coppery peach shimmer (my favorite). There’s also the regular Baume de Rose which is clear on the lips. The shimmer is noticeable on the lips but texture is smooth without any chunky feel like you might expect from the sparkle particles.

By Terry Impearlious Baume de Rose Gift Collection - The Beauty Look Book

Swatched on bare lips, they pretty much look the same, or at least very similar:

The Impearlious Ombre Blackstar Gift Collection is priced at a value price compared to buying each one individually. Separately, the Ombre Blackstars are $44 each. The set give you 5 for $155 making them $31 each. If you don’t own any I highly recommend you get the set because the formula is really good. They are on the sparkly side but still very wearable. Even though I already own 3 of the 5 colors the set was worth it to me as I need to replace them anyways. The only thing I was a bit disappointed about was that the stock images online show these to be cased in a silver packaging but they come in the regular gold. It’s not a deal breaker but in this day and age I think there should be some level of accuracy in online stock images.

The colors you get in the set are Black Pearl which is a shimmering gunmetal, Blonde Opal which is a shimmering soft gold, Bronze Moon (one of my favorites) a bronze taupe, Frozen Quarts a gorgeous shimmering soft pink, Ombre Mercure a sparkling antique silver with a greenish tinge.

What I like about these is they are super creamy, apply smoothly, are easy to blend and layer. Lasting power is pretty good on my lids and you can wear a single shade as a wash or layer them together or with powders for an easy effortless kind of look. To me they have the prettiest shimmer finishes I’ve seen in any cream shadow. A tube also lasts forever and unlike other cream shadow sticks they won’t dry out even if you have them for over a year. I know many believe you should throw out cosmetics after a certain period of time for sanitary purposes or because items have a certain shelf life. I have thrown out quite a few items before they’re 100% used up like mascara, foundations or lipsticks – especially if the scent turns or products separate. I’ve had some of my Ombre Blackstars for over 2 years and the formula has stayed in perfect condition.

By Terry Impearlious Ombre Blackstar Gift Collection - The Beauty Look Book

Swatches of the two more Ombre Blackstars I own for reference:

One last look:

By Terry Impearlious Baume de Rose and Ombre Blackstar Gift Collections

Overall beautiful sets and nice to own, but spendy and I can’t call them must-haves. I do think the Space NK promotion savings helped on savings for the sets. I love the Ombre Blackstar formula and it’s time I replace the ones I have so the set was worth the splurge. Had I been able to see and swatch everything in person first I would have passed on the Baume de Rose set. I’m all about natural lip products but for me these are too natural for me to love them and at $65 I would have rather bought a single item I really loved from any line, a skincare set (there are so many good ones out this year!) or stocked up on Oribe items from Space NK. Given the fact that I’ve had so many hits from ordering things sight unseen it’s bound to happen every now and then to have misses. I want to reiterate that I find the quality of both sets to be really good, and I know some will really love the lip balm set, there’s nothing wrong with sheer, for me it’s just too sheer.

You can find the By Terry Holiday 2016 collection now at Net-A-Porter, Barneys New York, Beautylish and Space NK. There are still a couple days left of the Space NK Explore Promotion. If you’re ordering anything online they have Kevyn Aucoin, By Terry, Oribe, Diptyque and much more. Save $25 off orders $125 or more with code EXPLORE30 at checkout online at Space NK through 10/30 (US site only).

Have you checked out the By Terry Holiday collection yet? What did you think?

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Becca Bronzer + Blush Highlighters

Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection

May 26, 2016

The Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection launches today online at Sephora and everything is beautiful. The collection features items focused on creating the ultimate glow for the complexion, eyes and cheeks. The original Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Powder (reviewed here) has been extended into two other formulas. In addition two palettes created by Becca and Jaclyn Hill have launched as limited-edition pieces. The collection launches online today 5/26 at Sephora and will be in stores 6/16:

Champagne Collection Face Palette ($52 for 20.4g/0.72 oz – limited-edition)
Champagne Collection Eye Palette ($40 for 8.5g/0.3 oz – limited-edition)
Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid ($41 for 50 ml/1.7 fl oz)
Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Powder ($38 for 8 g/0.28 oz)
Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Poured Crème ($38 for 5.5 g/0.19 oz)

A closer look at each item starting with the Champagne Collection Face Palette which comes a large sturdy mirrored compact. The two palettes have gold reflective packaging so if you see that they look different on other blogs or on social – it’s because of the highly reflective nature of the surface. The Champagne Collection Face Palette has three blushes and two highlighters. All the colors in this palette are extremely pigmented but easy to blend – in testing this I found it best to use with a light hand. There is one shade of Luminous Blush called Rosé Spritz which is a very shimmer pink gold finish. There are two shades of Mineral Blush which are more on the satiny side and more natural-looking in Amaretto which is a medium tan and Pamplemousse which is a pink grapefruit color. You can use shades individually or mix to create different looks. I found I liked the look best when I used either of the mineral blushes first before layering any of the shimmery shades on top.

There are two highlighters – both of which are extremely shimmery and very glowy. I have and adore the original Champagne Pop (originally reviewed here and compared to Anastasia That Glow here). The Champagne Pop in the palette is identical in color but for some reason to my eye both highlighters in the palette seem to be a couple notches up in terms of glitz and shimmer. Both are still wearable if you apply with a light hand. Prosecco Pop is the more yellow gold option which usually isn’t a flattering color on my olive yellow-based skin. I can wear Prosecco Pop with a very light hand, but I still prefer Champagne Pop by far. A closer look:

Swatched below with a medium hand, you can blend to sheer out or apply with a denser brush for more intensity. Pigment is so rich I suspect these colors will show up on a wide range of skin tones. The overall effect is very glowy but still wearable for conservative makeup lovers:

A look at the palette without sunlight or flash:

Next up is the Champagne Collection Eye palette which has two shimmers and three mattes. The overall undertone is warm. It has Chardonnay which is a pale white gold frost, Champagne Toast which is a warm tan copper frost, Cordial which is the prettiest mauve matte, Cognac a very warm toasted brown matte and Bordeaux a soft plum matte. The shimmers offer rich high pigment color while the mattes have a softer medium finish. Textures are soft making them easy to blend on the eyes but I do recommend using a creamy base (I like using the Shimmering Skin Perfector Liquid or Poured Creme on the lids, but I think I’m the only one I know who does not have oily lids). For me the colors did take a bit of experimenting and blending because I cannot wear reds or warm shades like this easily. I swatched it next to Ombre Rouge which I just ordered (have not tried yet) for reference. Here in direct sunlight:

Left is the Champagne Collection Eye Palette, right is Ombre Rouge:

Another shot of the Becca Champagne Collection Eye Palette – because the packaging is gold it looks different depending on what is reflecting in the compact:

Last but not least are the three Champagne Pop complexion items. The Shimmering Perfector Liquid offers the most natural finish. It’s very natural on the skin and on the medium-sheer side. The color almost matches my skin exactly so it adds a naturally dewy sheen. It does look luminous so if you have oily skin you may find it will look more luminous as the day progresses. The Shimmering Perfector Poured Creme has a more visible finish compared to the Liquid but still looks very natural. Out of the three Champagne Pops this finish and color is my favorite. Then you have the classic Champagne Pop Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed – for those who love highlighters there is a different formula for multiple colors in the Becca line so you can pick the finish that works best for you.

Below the Champagne Pop formulas swatched along with a few other Becca colors:

I’ve only been playing around with the collection for a few days but first impressions are that I really love all three Champagne Pop formulas. I did think there might be a chance that having Champagne Pop in three formats would be overdoing it but after testing them I think they are different enough to justify all three if you love highlighter. If you want to limit yourself to 1, my favorite is the Poured Creme because it has the perfect in between finish (powder being the most shimmery and liquid being the most natural).

For the Face Palette – I had already ordered it when it launched as a very brief preview and was able to test this one for a few more days. I tried this a number of ways and found it to be extremely pigmented and very glowy – but the colors are easy to blend for a wearable look and the blending does not require a lot of extra effort which is nice for me since I’m more conservative in the makeup I wear. The colors are naturally flattering for and the warm undertones brighten the complexion. Since the colors are pigmented I prefer to apply with a lighter hand. The Champagne Pop highlighter in the palette does seem to be more glowy and shimmery compared to the individual version (Prosecco Pop is exclusive to the palette). If you prefer a more natural glow or softer color this may be too shimmery or too pigmented for you.

The Eye Shadow Palette is all kinds of gorgeous but very warm. I have been experimenting with warmer shades recently though and the palette from Becca is really stunning. I start with the medium matte mauve shade, then layer the ivory and gold, then use the deeper shades to contour – the effect is very pretty and soft without being too warm. Pigment for shimmers is rich while the mattes have a sheerer more natural finish but still offer smooth easy to blend coverage.

Bottom line everything is beautiful and worth checking out. The Becca Face Palette may be too glowy for some in which case I’d recommend you opt for the Tom Ford Afternooner which has a much softer effect but similar warm color scheme.

You can find the Becca x Jaclyn Hill Champagne Collection exclusively at Sephora. It launched online today 5/26 but everything is scheduled to launch in store by 6/16.

The Champagne Collection Face Palette and Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed were already purchased by me, however Becca also sent the entire collection for review consideration.

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Chanel

New Chanel Stylo Fresh Effect Eyeshadows and La Palette Sourcils de Chanel Brow Powder Duos

April 20, 2016

Chanel launched some new shades of their Stylo Eyeshadows ($34 each) and two new brow palettes called La Palette Sourcils de Chanel ($50 each) both part of the Eyes Speak Volumes Collection which focuses on adding some color and definition to the eyes in an almost minimal way. I ordered three of the five Stylo Eyeshadow Fresh Effect Shadow Sticks in Brun Châtain, Beige Doré, Rose Pétale (all limited-edition, all shimmery) and Chanel sent the two Brow Powder Duos in Naturel and Brun for me to try out.

Up first are the two new La Palette Sourcils de Chanel.
I’ve never tried the brow compacts from Chanel before or actually any
brow compact in general. I’m more of a pencil or tinted brow gel kind of
girl and when it comes to grooming or technique my brow game is super
weak. I usually brush them with the By Terry Brow Mascara or use the Diorshow Brow Styler
because even a brow novice like myself can’t mess them up. I have
tested a number of brow powders, pencils, waxes – so many artists have
shown me how to use them and even though I try at home, I keep going
back to my two basics. I have dark hair which is almost black but does
have quite a bit of natural red undertone. My brows are a lot lighter in
color so powders often either look too grey, too red or too black.

When
the new Brow Powder Duos arrived for me to play with I did not know
what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. There are two options
Naturel 40 is the lighter version and Brun 50 is the deeper duo. Each
one comes cased in the lacquered black mirrored compact with the most
adorable tools I have ever seen. They are miniature and very tiny but
not so tiny they slip out of the hands.

Both duos come
with a lighter color and one slightly deeper to customize the color.
The texture of the powders is very hard and stiff so you need a stiff
dense brush for application. The tiny one that comes in the compact is
one of the stiffest brushes I have ever tried and it worked quite well
to pick up product and apply to the brows. I tested both duos – Naturel
40 is better for me for everyday but lighter brow colors often don’t
show up well on camera. Brun 50 is the deeper option and matches my hair
more closely but I found it a bit too deep. I think I could have gone
with either one – it’s just a matter of preference that I prefer more
natural brows.

The powder adhered really well to the
brows and stayed put all day. The whole compact is perfect for quick and
easy application for a natural look to add noticeable but soft
definition. The tools are tiny and while they aren’t the same as a full-sized angled brush or regular set of tweezers, perform well enough for quick fixes and grooming.

Up next are three Stylo Eyeshadows in Brun Châtain, Beige Doré, Rose Pétale. I ordered these sight unseen and picked out the shades I thought I would reach for the most. I’ve been a fan of the Fresh Effect Eyeshadow Sticks in other colors. They offer a really pretty shimmer and have a unique smooth cooling effect when you apply them to the lids. I also find they stay on for a long time.

Brun Châtain is a shimmering neutral-cool brown. Beige Doré is a pale shimmering yellow gold. When I saw this one I thought it would be too yellow but it’s actually my favorite of the three. It’s pale enough to add a bit of highlight on the lids with the perfect mix of yellow/gold/white shimmers to give the eyes a natural glow. Rose Pétale is such a pretty pale pink in the tube, unfortunately, like many Chanel pinks, it gives me the pink-eye kind of look when worn alone. It is workable if mixed with other colors, but had I seen or tested it first I probably would have skipped.

Quick eye swatches, these were taken with a flash to show the sheen/shimmer. As a result the colors are a bit washed out and I don’t know if you can even tell there is brow product, but hopefully this will give you an idea of what they look like.

The Brow Duos exceeded my expecations. As one who is really timid when it comes to applying product on my brows both duos are great for the person who wants definition in a natural soft kind of way. The colors are easy to apply and also easy to build and impossible to overdo. If you like a strong brow you may find these are too soft for you, but I give them a thumbs up. For the Stylo Eyeshadows I think Beige Dore is the best color out of the ones I tried. Brun Chatain is a nice neutral that I thought I would really love – I do think it’s a great everyday kind of color but feel previously launched colors like Caroube were a bit more special.

The Stylo Eyeshadows and La Palette Sourcils de Chanel are both available at Chanel.com and all Chanel retailers. As of right now the eyeshadow sticks are all listed as limited-edition shades.

Have you tried anything from this collection yet? If not what’s your favorite brow product?

Brow Duos sent courtesy of Chanel for review consideration. Eyeshadows purchased by me from Nordstrom.