Happy Friday everyone! I’m relieved it’s almost the weekend. We have 80+ degree weather in Southern California right now, it’s like winter never came and we are in a non-stop state of summer (I’m not complaining, although I do feel like I should have a tan right now). A few things I’ve spotted new in the beauty world:
Christian Louboutin Beaute has a new Python Vulcano Limited Edition Nail Colour Coffret ($90, limited-edition) for spring. The three shades include Salonu, True Blue, and Hot Chick. I want to see this one in person as it looks stunning although I only own 1 yellow nail polish (Chanel Mimosa) and rarely wear it.
Glamglow released their new cleansers ($39 each for 5 oz) in Supercleanse (Daily Clearing Cleanser), Thirstycleanse (Daily Treatment Cleanser) and Youthcleanse (Daily Exfoliating Cleanser). I have the white and blue ones that I bought a few weeks ago and am completely obsessed with both. Detailed review next week.
Bobbi Brown has a new Sunkissed Nude Collection Set ($120, limited-edition) at Neiman Marcus. If you’ve been eyeing things at Neimans, save your shopping for next week when their Beauty Week Event starts on the 18th.
Chanel has released some new items this month. The Collection La Perle de Chanel has a new Harmonie Levres Lip Palette, Joues Contraste in Crescendo, Illusion D’Ombre in Mysterio, Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Perle de Lune along with more items for lips and eyes. If you’re shopping for Valentine’s Day, the have complimentary overnight shipping with orders $125+ (until 5 PM EST). I ordered several items + a few of the new Rouge Cocos. I’ll be swatching and photographing this weekend.
Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks ($45 each, 5 shades) have finally launched in the US. I have a few that I ordered, I’ll be swatting and have a review in the next week (fingers crossed).
Giorgio Armani has two Limited-Edition Runway pieces, a Runway Palette ($120 for highlighter + 3 shadows) cased in an embroidered silk pouch and a new Rouge Sheer Runway Lipstick ($40). The palette looks incredibly beautiful but I’m not sure about the price point.
Chantecaille has a small edited collection for spring. There is a new Glacier Eyeshadow Trio ($70), Arctic Rose Lip Chic ($36), and two Galactic Lip Shines ($34 each) in Aurora and Polaris. (I bought the palette and one lip chic, review next week.)
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! My husband and I are celebrating Valentine’s Day early with a date night dinner tonight. What’s on your beauty radar this weekend?
Dior has two new Addict Glosses ($29.50 for 6.5 ml/.21 fl oz, limited-edition) for the Spring 2015 Kingdom of Colors Collection in Fastes #154 and Mylord #624. Both are soft and delicate feminine colors that are semi-sheer with a high shine finish. Fastes #154 is an ultra-sparkly warm light pink with multi-colored sparkles. Mylord #624 is a mauve nude with gold sparkles mixed in.
I’m a huge fan of the some of the Dior Addict Glosses because of the smooth texture, high shine and sometimes complex shimmer. I really like that the shimmery ones have a smooth texture and aren’t gritty, but sometimes the sparkles have a bit too much sparkle for my taste. In terms of formula these have medium lasting power, the colors are mixed in the whole line – some are sheer while others have more pigment. I find most of them medium at best (if you want more color opt for the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks). I like that these have no detectable scent or fragrance which is a huge plus for those with sensitive noses.
Fastes #154 is on the super sparkly side. The pale color isn’t too pale to wash out my medium olive-toned complexion but since I have pigmented lips, the sparkle is more prominent on me compared to those with lighter lip tones. I normally love a really good shimmery gloss but this one is a bit too glitzy for my taste alone. I like this one layered over a cream lipstick to add a bit of shine and dimension. This being said, it does photograph well and a flash doesn’t make the lips look white. In real life it’s just too light and sparkly for my comfort but do note my lips are weird with the way they look with lighter pale colors. For me, I prefer my NARS Sweet Dreams or Dior Nuit Boreale (currently missing in action) because they have a bit more color for my super pigmented lips.
Mylord #624 is all kinds of gorgeous. It’s a lovely understated nude mauve that isn’t too cool. It has some gold flecks mixed in it. When this one faded, there were remnants of gold sparkle left on my lips but it wasn’t gritty. I wish this color came in lipstick form because it’s the perfect mix of nude, pink and mauve all in one. I would love this in a more pigmented version.
Here are some comparisons swatted side by side for reference:
I love Mylord for the color – it’s the prettiest mauvey nude color. Fastes is a stunning shimmer but just too light and too sparkly for my taste but this is mainly because of my skin and lip tone.
I hope everyone had a great weekend! I was planning to upload swatch comparisons on the Dior Kingdom of Colors Spring 2015 Nail Polishes on Friday but took a few days off from blogging for a much-needed weekend break. As promised here are some comparisons for Dior Spring 2015 Vernis Gel Shine Nail Lacquers in Lady #294 and Glory #660. Both nail wheels have the same colors, just two different views for lighting:
Louboutin Madame Est Nue + Tres Decollete (swatched)
To me Dior Glory looks identical to my old Dior Lucky and very similar to other pinkish reds. I still love it but definitely think you can find similar colors. Dior Lady on the other hand is powder pink perfection. It’s not too dark, not too light, has full coverage and has just the right amount of cool/pink tones to make it look soft and feminine but not too pastel. I love how elegant and understated it is without being too neutral or nude.
Dior’s Spring 2015 collection is called the Kingdom of Colors. There are three new nail polishes with the collection including two new Gel-Shine Long Wear Nail Lacquers ($27 each) in Lady 294 and Glory 660 and a Blossoming Top Coat ($28). Every time I swatch a Dior nail polish I am always impressed by the formula. They’ve done a phenomenal job at creating an exquisite flawless finish and sometimes I don’t know why I use anything else. The two spring colors are stunning with full opaque and smooth coverage. The Top Coat has a clear base with tiny chunks of glitter particles in different shapes and sizes. It’s a really fun item to wear layered over other colors, but it’s just not me. More thoughts on this below.
First up is Lady #294. When I saw this online I suspected it might be very similar to Tra-La-La or Incognito, but it’s really quite different. When I swatched this color on the nails my first thought was “where has this color been all my life?!” It’s a stunning full coverage baby pink that has a hint of mauve and cool-tones in it. Pictures don’t do it justice – on the nails it’s a powder pink but not too powdery or pale and it’s super flattering for a clean polished look. This is definitely going on my backup list.
Glory #660 is a vibrant pink red with a tinge of coral. This has more of a slight jelly finish but still gives complete and full coverage on the nails with two coats. I have lots of other colors similar to this one, but I still think it’s perfect. That being said if you have a lot of warm pink/corals you may want to shop your stash and skip this one.
The Eclosion Top Coat is a party in a bottle. It’s a soft mix of pastel greens, yellow and white glitter particles in different shapes and sizes. The base is clear and the density of the glitters is on the medium side. As with many glitters that are suspended in a clear base, application can require some extra work to get it on the nail evenly. I swatched it below on top of both of the spring shades with two coats. It looks like I’m wearing a sprinkles cupcake on my fingers which is fun, but too much for my conservative makeup wearing/loving self.
I’ll have swatch comparisons loaded later this weekend (I’ll update this post). I’m still trying to find out where a couple of the shades I want to compare are. In the meantime I recommend you check out Color Me Loud’s post and comparison swatches.
Both Lady and Glory are stunning polishes for spring and year round. I would say if you have a lot of brighter summery shades, you may find Glory dupe-able or too similar to what you own. As for Lady, it think it’s absolutely perfect. After testing the top coat for a few days and wearing it around, I tried to see if it would grow on me. It’s so fun and pretty in the bottle I keep trying to love it and see how I can pull it off. I can’t help but feel it’s too trendy for me.
This time of year my skin feels like it lacks natural luster so I rely on illuminators and soft nude shimmers to fake that glow-from-within. Today I’m sharing my favorite go-to’s along with thoughts on a few new items I’ve been testing to get that soft glow. Picks include items for nails, lips, cheeks and eyes. When it comes to shimmers I like to mix them in for one to two areas of the face with color rather than wear champagne shimmers all over the face, otherwise it’s just too much. I like using these as a cheekbone or very soft brow bone highlight too in order to add dimension.
First up are pale shimmers for the lips. I am always a huge fan of those soft pale shimmers for the lips but can’t always pull them off easily. I have medium pigmented lips with olive skin so often times pale shimmers make me feel like I have white lips. Two I’ve discovered that work for my lips include Rouge Dior Baume in Star and Lipstick Queen Ice Queen. Both have that lovely translucent quality with multidimensional shimmer to prevent these from looking too frosted.
Both look similar in photographs on my lips but I think they are different enough to justify both. The Rouge Dior Baume in Star has a cooler-toned quality and is sheerer. Lipstick Queen Ice Queen looks lighter in the photos but it has a higher level of frost which reflects more. It has a mix of silver and gold particles which makes it a good layering lipstick. I have a slight preference for the Lipstick Queen because the shimmering quality is really pretty. If you are anti-shimmer for lips, you may find it too frosty.
For the nails, I’ve been obsessed with Rescue Beauty Lounge Bubblegum Punk for a fun multi-colored shimmer frost. It has an ultra smooth finish even though it’s on the sparkly side. I can never resist pale shimmers for nails, but some are hard to work with if they are frosts. Marc Jacobs Beauty has released two new Hi-Shine Enamored Nail Polishes. Blanche was released last fall. It’s a metallic soft white which I found took some extra effort to make work. Being a metallic I found brush strokes visible with two coats, but they disappeared a bit with the third coat. I have yet to find a good white shimmer that is streak-free. This one is pretty good if you are patient. Milk is a new addition to their Runway Shades. This is an iridescent beige that flashes pink and opal. I adore these kinds of colors but I know some women find the colors like this difficult to work with on their skin tone (something about the beige makes the skin look sallow). Milk flashes enough iridescent shimmer to prevent the beige base from dominating. I find it very wearable.
For highlighting, there are a number of multi-tasking products for eyes and cheeks. I love a good shimmer that gives a glow without looking frosty. I know everyone has different preferences for what degree of shimmer they are comfortable wearing so I’ll give a summary ranking of what I think is the most subtle to the most frosted.
First up are creamy ones. NARS St. Lucia Multiple is the latest from NARS (currently a Nordstrom exclusive, available at all NARS counters in March, review here). It’s a multi-purpose creamy twist up stick. On me it gives a natural glowy soft pink highlight to the cheeks and eyes. On fairer skins this will probably give you more color and look more blush-like.
My holy grail cream highlighter is Edward Bess All Over Seduction. He has two shades, Sunlight is the paler one (shown below) and Afterglow is a bronzey version. Both are incredibly natural and glowy. The texture blends in beautifully with the skin and the shimmer is finely milled. If you’re afraid of shimmer I highly recommend you check these out because it’s impossible to overdo and looks amazing on everyone I’ve seen it applied on.
One of the newest illuminators I’ve been testing is the Chantecaille Liquid Lumiere Anti-Aging Face Illuminator in Sheen (I received this as part of the Net-A-Porter holiday beauty box but it’s available separately). At first swipe I found the shimmer in this one to be on the high side but after playing with this I found it blended out to a soft smooth veil of shimmer. It does have more shimmer than Armani Fluid Sheers or the Edward Bess Sunlight but it is still very wearable. The pigment and shimmer is intense but it’s concentrated so you only need a tiny amount. A little goes a long way. If you’re one of those beauty lovers who is in search of a liquid highlighter that won’t disappear on the skin once you blend it this is a good one to look into. I’ve dabbed it on top of the cheekbones or eyes (after foundation/powder) and it doesn’t disrupt your makeup base. Check out the review on Best Things in Beauty to see how the colors look once blended properly.
For additional highlighters, my go-to powder highlighter is from Hourglass. The Ambient Lighting Palette (review here) goes with me on all trips. I use the full size versions at home and take this palette with me for on-the-go or on vacations. The palette came out after the individual ones were released, so I have some duplicate colors. If you’re new to these powders, I hands down say go for the palette. There is a good amount of product so it will last you a long time and it’s super convenient to use and carry with you.
I used to use the Kevyn Aucoin Celetial Powder in Candlelight a long time ago when it had the larger compact packaging. I liked it but didn’t love it. Several have recommended I check it out again claiming it reached holy grail status for them. I like the new compact packaging and the powder is lovely but I don’t love it. I find it a bit too pale for my medium-olive skin. That being said if you thought the Hourglass Luminous Light was too shimmery or glowy I recommend the Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight because it is a notch down in the shimmer intensity. If you prefer neutral to cool-toned highlighters then you will really like Candlelight. I have friends who are on the fair side (Chanel Beige 10 or MAC NC20) and they swear by this one.
Last but not least, I think the NARS Dual Intensity Eyeshadows in Himalia and Dione are the best shimmers on the market. It has a really good blendable cream texture. The shimmer/frost is high on this so your mileage may vary. Full review here. If you don’t have a lot of the colors you may want to check out the NARSissist Dual Intensity Eyeshadow Palette. I already own 5 of the 8 shades so I’m having a hard time justifying a purchase since it will result in a lot of dupes for me.
What do you like to use to get a nice glow in the winter time?
The Lipstick Queen Ice Queen, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette, Rescue Beauty Lounge Bubblegum Punk Nail Polish and Chantecaille Illuminator were provided as press samples for review consideration. All other items purchased by me.
Happy weekend everyone! New spring collections and launches are starting to trickle in. Spring seems to be filled with some lovely pinks and roses. A few things on my beauty radar, from top left clockwise:
Diptyque’s latest is the Rose and Ivy Collection. There is a new candle out called Rosafolia. Available now at online Diptyque and in Diptyque Boutiques. In addition there is a new scented oval and perfume released with the collection.
Hourglass Cosmetics has new Eyeshadow Palettes coming out this spring called Modernist Eyeshadow Palettes. Infinity is the first one released, available now at Barneys New York. I can’t wait to see this in person.
Dior Kingdom of Colors has two new Nail Lacquers in Glory and Lady for spring. There is also a really interesting Top Coat that looks like confetti.
YSL Volupté Tint-In-Oil is a lip tint suspended in oil. It comes in eight colors. I’ve read mixed reviews but I have three sitting in my shopping cart. I can’t decide whether or not to pull the trigger and buy without testing first.
Bite Beauty has a new Agave Lip Mask in Smashed which is a berry hue. I am putting this one to the test right now and hope to have a full review with swatches later next week.
I shared my personal favorite 2014 beauty discoveries earlier this week. Today I have one last roundup post to share this year which includes 2014’s most-loved blog posts by you! Here are the most popular posts on The Beauty Look Book from this year (ranked in order):
