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Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Sunlight & Afterglow

December 15, 2009

I bought these due to the Product Swatches the Edward Bess Counter sent me (many thanks to the wonderful staff there). I briefly glanced at the description online to get more details – they are priced at $37 each and described as a cream-finish highlighter for eyes, lips and cheeks.

I’ll do my best to describe the colors:
* Sunlight – a pale cream shimmer
* Afterglow – a light peachy bronze shade

Sunlight

Afterglow

I must admit I was stunned when I saw how small these compacts were. For $37, I assumed they would be at least as big as the bronzer compacts. I compared these to a few of my other liquid and cream highlighters and the EB is clearly superior if you are looking for that subtle glow without the greasy feel or glittery finish.

This is how I feel the Edward Bess products compare to other brands:

* NARS Multiples – I am a huge fan of Nars Multiples for the wide range of colors and the luminous glow you can get from these. I love the pigment and blendability of these, however, I find that the Multiple Sticks tend to get a bit greasy-looking on warmer days and don’t last very long by themselves. I usually need to set with a powder blush.

* Armani Fluid Sheers – Armani Fluid Sheers are indeed very sheer. The formula is a bit rich for my skin, so I need to apply this sparingly or else I end up looking shiny/oily. The #02 shade is most similar to EB Sunlight, but has a slightly glittery finish, where the EB just gives you a glow.

* Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors – I’ve used this mixed with foundation. I find the Becca to be the most glowy-luminous liquid highlighter I have (even my husband has commented before about how my skin just glows). With these I have to be careful in the application too because they are so luminous, too much makes me look very shiny because of the finish.

How does the All Over Seduction compare? Color-wise Sunlight is a less white version of Nars Copacabana, Afterglow is most similar to Maldives minus the sparkle. For the finish/texture, Edward Bess’s cream highlighters are non-greasy yet creamy enough to be blendable. I do find them to be very sheer, so if you’re looking for a more visible highlight, I wouldn’t recommend these for you. If you’re looking for that subtle glow to finish your look, then these are the right product to try out.

For me, I’m a Chanel Shell 1.5, so the Sunlight shows up better on my skin because of the contrast where the Afterglow blends in more for a nude-barely-there peach glow. Today I am wearing Sunlight on my lids with the Nude Eyeshadow over it and it gives the perfect natural your lids but better glow. I have Afterglow on my cheeks and added MAC Nuance Mineralized Blush on top.

Comparison to Nars Multiples: Copacabana, Maldives, South Beach

Swatches on bare skin, keep in mind my swatches aren’t the best/most accurate:

Same order, but in natural sunlight:

Have you tried these? What are your thoughts?

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Why Do We Love Edward Bess? Hear It From The Experts Themselves

December 15, 2009

To my fellow readers and makeup aficionadas – you’ve probably seen at least one review I’ve written about Edward Bess’s cosmetics line and may be wondering “what’s the big deal? is this line really all that?”

I’ve briefly mentioned how I discovered the line. Edward Bess is a very exclusive luxury makeup brand that is available at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC. My interest was peaked by rave reviews from other loyal Edward Bess followers – many of whom did not have immediate access to the line due to it’s exclusivity to Bergdorfs in New York.

Descriptions like “wonderful texture, lovely packaging, intensely pigmented, timeless and modern” told me I had to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. For me, the personal experiences of others and word-of-mouth is the closest alternative to trying something yourself, so I contacted a few other fans for the 411.

Each of them was kind enough to email me detailed descriptions and recommendations along with comparisons to other brands. I can’t thank them enough for their help!! I’ve asked a few who have helped me to share with you why we all love Edward Bess’s products and let them tell you in their own words.

Up first is Leslie Cook, a retired Marketing VP in her early 60’s, loyal fan of Edward Bess.

Tell us about yourself: My name is Leslie Cook. I am 61 (most people guess me at around 45). I think I look younger than I am because I am such a TOTAL skin care and cosmetics addict and always use the best products. I take good care of myself (in other words, I am very high maintenance). I’ve never had plastic surgery, lasers, injections, etc. but I hope to someday if I can afford some of it.

Can you describe your skintone and hair color to us? I am very fair with highlighted brown hair. I have blue/red undertones.

What’s your beauty style? My beauty style is to make the most of my best assets while still taking trends into account. I don’t want to look like a teenager, but since I do look younger than my age and am thin and in good shape, I can dress in more contemporary styles than most women my age so I like my makeup to look modern and hip as well. I wear my hair in a long layered “youngish” style, too. I wear a variety of fun tinted designer glasses (can’t wear contacts and couldn’t get Lasik due to corneal damage).

How did you discover Edward Bess and why do you love his line? I discovered EB thanks to a lovely friend at Makeupalley.com, Michele D. I fell in love with EB because of the incredible quality of his products. The textures are fantastic. The products are easy to apply and stay on beautifully for many hours, don’t cake or flake and look fabulous ON a real person (not just in the packages or on models’ pics in magazines). I love Edward’s selection of wearable colors and his gorgeous sleek packaging. I also love the fact that his collection is so versatile. I can wear his neutral colors camping and look natural (but not bland) hiking in harsh, bright sunlight or I can wear his deeper shades ‘glammed’ up for a cocktail party or a night on the town. No matter what I choose, his products always look flawless, chic and elegant and are incredibly flattering.

What are your favorite EB products? My favorite products are his:

Ultra Slick Lipsticks (love the fig scent, smoothness and longevity with no caking & there are plenty of great shades for every skin tone, outfit and occasion)
Concealer (covers beautifully but looks natural and is the perfect portable size to carry in your purse for touch ups)
Eye Shadows (silky smooth, flattering true “shadow” colors which accentuate the eyes, don’t just lay on your lids and the combinations are endless…..from pale to very deep and dramatic)
All Over Face Brush (works wonderfully for blending and is also very compact and portable)
Gorgeous (shimmery but not fakey) cream high lighters

Is there anything you don’t love? My least favorite product is his mascara. It’s NOT bad, but I’d prefer a thinner brush as I have scrawny lashes (thinner brushes cause less clumping on me).

So tell us about the other brands/products you love: There is no other makeup line that even comes close for me now that I’ve discovered Edward Bess. I have, in fact, given away most of my colors from other lines. Chanel colors come in a distant second (and I still have a few of those). I also use and love Kanebo Sensai Brightening Primer and Creme Foundation when I want more coverage than I get with just EB concealer (such as for a formal evening event) and, finally, Serge Lutens mascara comb.

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Holiday Jet Set from Edward Bess

December 11, 2009

The highly anticipated Jet Set collection from Edward Bess finally arrived at my front door! Krista from Bergdorf Goodman was kind enough to tell me about this set a few months ago and put me on the wait list. Luckily it arrived just in time for their $25 off $100 event!

The set is exclusive to Bergdorf Goodman and retails for $125 but you can also purchase the items individually. Inside the kit:

Island Escape Eyeshadow Trio – Comes with an ivory shimmer, a matte medium brown, a matte smokey brown. Great pigment and easily blendable.

Island Rose Compact Rouge for Lips & Cheeks – This is a bright watermelon almost-fuschia pink cream with no detectable shimmer in the pot. Even though it looks and swatches bright, it wears very natural and gives a nice pink glow. The texture is creamy and easily blendable.

Natural Lipliner – A creamy twist-up neutral pinky-brown.

I’m doing a tag-team post with the FABULOUSLY AMAZING KarlaSugar for the Edward Bess Jet Set. She brought all of us a Sneak Peak of the Jet Set with details and prices (items can be purchased individually) last month. Just posted today, check out her blog for the Swatches of the Holiday Jet Set with comparisons too!

Close up:

This was the look I did today with the kit and it lasted pretty much all day with the exception of the lips after I had my lunch.

Face:
Edward Bess Island Rose on cheeks

Eyes:
Laura Mercier Platinum Metallic Cream Eyeshadow
Edward Bess Island Escape Trio: pale ivory on lid, medium 1/2 way up lid blended, dark as a smokey liner (so it was a gradual dark at lash line to lighter up the lid)
Le Metier Tamarack Eyeliner
D&G Mascara

Lips:
Edward Bess Natural Lipliner
Chanel Formentera Aqualumiere
Edward Bess Sweet Dreams Lipgloss

Overall thoughts – My readers know I’m a fan of Edward Bess products as great line for wearable classic neutrals. For this kit, I have mixed feelings mainly because of the high price tag. The quality and pigment of this kit is just as good as everything else I’ve tried from his line, and I know I will get a lot of use out of each product from this kit because the colors are very wearable and give a natural and pretty polished look.

For me, the winner in the kit is the Island Rose Compact. It looks very bright in the pot and swatched, but blends out to give a perfect natural pink blush. It’s similar to Bobbi Brown’s Raspberry Pink Pot Rouge but warmer and slightly more dewy. (Check karla’s blog for swatch comparisons.)

I like the eyeshadow trio and lipliner for the quality and convenience for a no-fail everyday look, but I feel like the colors can be easily duplicated with other brands. That being said, I do like everything, but if I had seen/tested them in person, I think I would have probably splurged on some more lipsticks from the line.

Anyone else get the Jet Set? What are your thoughts and how are you coordinating the products with your current makeup stash?

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Edward Bess Eyeshadow Gorgeousness

December 9, 2009

It was love at first sight for the Intimate & Dusk Eyeshadows from Edward Bess. I had read about the line before but never really paid much attention until I started receiving the Bergdorf Goodman catalog in the mail. I have Leanne (aka Artbabe) to thank for enabling me – she described Intimate as the taupe “you can’t go wrong with.” I was immediately sold!

I’ve since discovered a few other Edward Bess fans, Alexa (aka Nekochama), Robin (aka Applepark) and Leslie (aka LeslieCZ) to name a few. Thanks to their expertise and glowing reviews have pushed me over the edge to collect all the single eyeshadows he has created.

They are pricey at $29 each but I have to say they are worth every penny if you love neutrals. At first glance, the eyeshadows may seem very ordinary, but when you look closer and swipe them with your finger, you will realize how incredibly gorgeous each shade is. I find the mirrored compact design is refreshingly clean and simple. I will do my best to describe each color:

* Nude – pale buttercream with a very slight luster
* Intimate – a light luminescent warm tan/taupe, hard to describe, but LOVE
* Dusk – a gorgeous complex grey-brown-taupe shimmer that has a bit of gold and khaki
* Escape – warm coppery shimmer
* Mystery – complex dusty coffee brown with slight shimmer
* Night – matte charcoal-black with a satin finish

Nude

Intimate

Dusk

Escape

Mystery

Night

Swatches – these really do not do the colors justice!

With flash:

No flash:

I have to admit at times cannot believe I spent $29 on a single eyeshadow (or all 6 for that matter). But I really love the colors and quality. My favorites are Intimate, Dusk and Mystery. You can see a look I put together using Dusk in A Week of Looks I’m Loving Right Now: Day 1.

While I like Nude and Night, I think they can be easily duplicated with other brands so to me, if I had seen and tested them in person first, I probably wouldn’t have bought these 2.

I like these because they are neutral but not boring. They are timeless and appropriate for any age. There’s just enough sparkle/glow to each shade to give a luminescent glow, but not overly so which will make these work for ladies who avoid shimmer/frost like the plague.

One more view:
* Top Row – Nude, Intimate, Dusk
* Bottom Row – Escape, Mystery, Night

These were all purchased from Bergdorf Goodman. Krista the Brand Manager there for the line has been super helpful in describing colors to me. Love that she is friendly, knowledgeable, and not at all pushy. She actually tried to talk me out of Nude since I was getting the Jet Set (more on this set soon) and told me that the pale shade in the palette was similar to Nude. Also great there with Edward Bess is Susan – super friendly and helpful as well.

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Ten Things I’m Loving Right Now

November 16, 2009

Here’s November’s List of Ten Things I’m Loving Right Now. As always, I want to hear your lists too! And they don’t have to be beauty/makeup related.

1) Henri Bendel Candles from Bath & Body Works $26 – these are the best candles I’ve tried with so many feel-good scents. My favorites are Vanilla Bean, Fig, Quince, Pomegranate – and my husband loves these too.

2) L’Occitane Holiday Sets – Still loving the scented hand creams, in particular the Shea Vanilla and Frangipani scented ones! I wish they weren’t limited edition. Also love the Shower Celebration set – wish all the scents came in larger sizes (I believe the only one available individually right now is the Almond Shower Gel).

3) Paul & Joe Lip Lacquers $20 – You’ve seen these in my look features earlier in the month and my regular readers know that I bought practically every color. They are absolutely fabulous and I hope these are here to stay. They are great alone or over a liner/lipstick. I can’t rave enough about them. Cute packaging, nice pigment, non-sticky texture, very wearable colors. I’ve purchased my Paul & Joe items from Bergdorf Goodman, The Primping Parleur’s Online Boutique, Beautyhabit.com and Dermstore.com – but check the Paul & Joe Beauty website for locations around the world.

4) PhytoSpecific Integral Hair Care – this is a spray hair treatment which is supposed to “restore moisture, smooth, redefine curls, detangle, make setting easier, and protect hair from heat damage.” I have thick slightly wavy hair which I cannot air dry because it poofs up into a huge frizz ball. Up until a year ago when I started using this, I religiously blow dried and straightened my hair daily. I tried a number of no-frizz serums and straightening sprays, but I still had to go through the daily ritual of blow dry/straighten. This spray is incredible for me and once I spray and comb through, it allows my hair to air dry without turning into a huge frizz ball. I haven’t tried any of the other PhytoSpecific products, but I do love the shampoos in the regular Phyto line.

5) Dolce & Gabbana Caramel Blush $44 – I love nude blushes and this one is pretty without looking muddy on my skin. You can buy D&G online at saks.com, but I highly recommend ordering through the Saks NY or Beverly Hills counters because you get excellent customer service and the makeup artists who run the counter are very good at recommending colors. If you have any questions about other products, you can ask me too! I’ve accumulated quite a few things from them since they launched the line.

6) Edward Bess Daydream Bronzer $48 – By far my favorite powder bronzer of the moment. Wasn’t so thrilled with the hefty price tag, but I have to say that it gives that natural tanned glow. My skintone is on the pale side right now, I’m the equivalent of what’s in between MAC NC30-35. Normally I’m more of a NC35-40ish. You can purchase Edward Bess at Bergdorf Goodman or online at EdwardBess.com. Compared to some other bronzers:

7) Le Metier Eye Brightening & Setting Powder $36 – I’ve always been skeptical of brightening powders mainly because I usually don’t see a difference when using them. This, however, is every bit as great as Ellyn (from Neimans King of Prussia) and Lisa (my fellow Le Metier fan) have both raved. I use the shade Revive which is good for medium-tanned skintones. The next shade down Refresh is quite a bit paler. Seems like they need a shade in between. I use it after I apply my foundation in place of concealer under the eyes and it is an instant-brightener/evener all in one. (FYI – Neimanmarcus.com has free shipping with code and a promotional Peche Lip Creme with any Le Metier purchase, good as long as supplies last.)

8) MAC Pigments: Naked, Fairylite, Your Ladyship, Shimmertime – I like light/neutral pink shimmers for a natural barely-there all over eye color. I believe all of them have been discontinued except Naked, but you can get a full sized Shimmertime Pigment in one of the MAC holiday sets and Naked is also available as a mini in one of the holiday pigment sets.

The swatch picture couldn’t capture the real color, so I’ll try my best to describe the differences:

Naked is the most neutral
Fairylite has the most pink and most visible silver sparkle/micro glitter
Your Ladyship has a golden sheen to it
Shimmertime is the most pink/frosty throughout

9) MAC Style Black Mineralize Eyeshadows: Gilt by Association, Cinderfella, Young Punk $19.50 each – Yes, I do like MAC products even though I don’t write much about the line! I was afraid these would be too glittery, but they work well when applied with a damp brush or over a gel liner for a pretty smoky eye. It appears they are sold out online, but most MAC stores usually still carry seasonal stock so check your local store.

10) Hot Chocolate – I know many of you prefer I stay on the beauty topic, but I really love this time of year because it’s the perfect time for hot chocolate, apple cider, and warm teas. A classic favorite is the Williams Sonoma Hot Chocolate that they only carry during the holidays. I’ve seen a few at Godiva and Crate & Barrel that I’m dying to try out. I know Trader Joes has a lot of holiday ciders and goodies, so I’m hoping they have a hot chocolate too. Do you have a favorite hot chocolate?

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Color Focus: Rosy Pinks for Lips and Nails

November 15, 2009

I will admit that I tend to associate rosy pinks more with spring or summer, but I feel that rosy pink lips can pretty much be worn year round. For lips, I tend to lean more towards more natural pinks since I already have a lot of pink in my natural lip tone, so these won’t be the rosiest pinks that are out there.

Rosy Pink Lipglosses:

1. MAC Sweet Strawberry Lipglass
2. MAC Bingo! Plushglass
3. MAC Creme Anglaise Cremesheen Glass
4. Le Metier Siena Lip Creme (GWP)
5. Becca Rosita Lip Gloss
6. Nars Stella Lip Gloss
7. Paul & Joe Limited Edition 001 Lip Gloss
8. Chanel Imaginaire Glossimer
9. Edward Bess Love Always

Swatches, same order:

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Rosy Pink Lipsticks:

1. Chanel Ischia #96 Aqualumiere
2. Chanel Tasmania #99 Aqualumiere
3. Bobbi Brown Ruffle Metallic Lip Color
4. Le Metier de Beaute Cannes
5. MAC Strawbaby Lipstick (Fafi label came off)
6. MAC Party Mate
7. MAC Skew

(The swatches didn’t turn out so well, I might try again later)

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Nail Polishes:

1. OPI California Raspberry
2. Essie Very Cranberry
3. OPI Grand Central Carnation
4. Dolce & Gabbana Rose (received as a GWP, but part of the regular D&G line)
5. Paul & Joe #13

For the swatches, the order is:

1. Thumb = Paul & Joe #13
2. Index = Dolce & Gabbana Rose
3. Middle = OPI Grand Central Carnation
4. Ring = Essie Very Cranberry
5. Pinkie = OPI California Raspberry

My blush collection has a lot of nude pinks, hot pinks, dusty pinks, peachy-pinks. I don’t have very many rosy-pink colors for cheeks other than my Bobbi Brown Raspberry Pot Rouge. Hence, no focus on the cheeks. I definitely do not have any rosy pink eyeshadows.

Would love to hear what your favorite rosy pink colors are!

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Looks I’m Loving Right Now: Day 3

November 4, 2009

Today’s feature focuses on green eyeshadows and a few ideas on how to coordinate with other colors for the rest of your face.

Look Day #3 Focus: Green Eyeshadow Combinations

Cheeks:
Edward Bess Daydream Bronzer
MAC Pink Swoon Blush

Eyes:
Nars Mousson Cream Eyeshadow
Nars Taiga Eyeshadow Duo
Bobbi Brown Forest Shimmer Ink Liner

Lips:
MAC Whirl Lipliner
Chanel Tempt Hydrabase Lipstick
Chanel Bon-Bon Aqualumiere Gloss

* Please note that the bronzer and blush were applied with a heavy hand for swatches and do not look the same on the face, when applied with a bronzer/blush brush, these 2 mixed create a healthy soft glow

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Another combination: green/gold/brown eyes with peachy lips/cheeks

1) MAC Cash Flow Paint Pot
2) Giorgio Armani Eyeshadow Quad #3
3) Benefit Coralista
4) MAC New Vegas Mineralize Skinfinish
5) Chanel Black Jade Eyeliner
6) MAC Summerfruit Lipliner
7) MAC Shy Girl Lipstick
8) Giorgio Armani Lipshimmer #1
9) Giorgio Armani Lipshimmer #16