Browsing Tag

Eyeshadow

Eye Makeup

Clé de Peau Beauté Eye Color Quad Satin Moon 305

August 6, 2014

Clé de Peau Beauté has released eight new Eye Color Quads ($55 for the refill, $25 for the case). The eight shades released for fall include Marmalade Sky 301, Stardust 302, Baby Universe 303, Champagne Supernova 304, Satin Moon 305, Silver Eclipse 306, Stellar Gaze 307, Cosmic Aura 308.

For reference Beauty Professor has all the quads swatched and reviewed. Best Things in Beauty also has a number of quads reviewed.

I’ve played with a few single shadows many years ago but never looked into the quads or palettes due to the hefty price tag. Several readers keep raving about Clé de Peau Beauté via e-mails so I’ve finally decided to look more into the line. I picked out one quad to try out and purchased Satin Moon 305 (along with the case) which has a soft tan gold, a bronze with a hint of plum, a mauve taupe and a smokey brown grey. All the colors have a super soft texture that are really easy to blend. The shimmer in each shade is extremely beautiful with multi-colored shimmers pressed together. On the eyes the shades layer very well together but are on the subtle side for me. In terms of comparisons for pigment, I would say it’s similar to Burberry singles and Chanel Quads (the square pans), less pigmented than Urban Decay and Le Metier de Beaute.

Satin Moon is quite stunning. On me it’s more on the subtle side but can be layered for more intensity. I shot the compact from the side and front to get a better view of the compact. I like that it’s sleek and sturdy. It was really easy to insert the refill into the case without damaging the eye shadows.

Here’s a subtle smokey eye. The flash keeps washing out all the makeup worn, but I hope this gives an idea of how you can wear this with subtle blending (layering light to dark).

I think you can find similar colors in other brands, quads, palettes and singles but the texture and shimmer is really quite extraordinary. It’s really impossible to capture how complex the shimmers are in swatches but I had one that was a bit blurry that ended up showing the different pearl particles well. On the eyes it’s not glittery even though there are tiny sparkle particles.

Close ups:

I couldn’t find any dupes but here are some comparisons:

Urban Decay Half Baked from Naked2

After testing my first Clé de Peau Beauté quad I am really happy with it. I tend to like colors with more pigment and impact (and then I blend it down a bit for more of a natural gradient) but this one is quite lovely. The quality is excellent and for those who don’t do shimmer on the eyes do note this quad is one of the most subtle with the shimmer factor that I’ve tried. I give this one a huge thumbs up, my I’m still a Chanel, NARS and Urban Decay girl at heart when it comes to eye shadows.
I like that you can refill these but I’m not sure I how feel about having to spend $80 on one complete compact.

The Clé de Peau Beauté Fall Eye Color quads have arrived at counters. You can find them (also the compact sold separately) online at Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman.

Are you a Clé de Peau Beauté fan? What are your favorite items?
29 Comments
Uncategorized

MAC Look in a Box All About Coral | Nordstrom Anniversary 2014

July 19, 2014

MAC has several limited-edition boxed sets and palettes available for this year’s Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. I bought the Look in a Box – All About Coral ($39.50) which includes 2 lip items and 2 eye products:

  • Passion Charge Lustre Lipstick is a glossy medium-bright coral peachy shade
  • Stoke the Flame Lipglass is a frosted peach with visible sparkles
  • Collective Chic Veluxe Pearlfusion Eyeshadow has a glitzy champagne, olive shimmer and plum-brown frost shade
  • Brownborder Technakohl Liner is a warm brown eyeliner, it’s the only item you can purchase separately

I bought this mainly because I fell in love with the lip items. The Passion Charge lipstick and Stoke the Flame lipglass combination creates a pretty peachy coral lip that’s perfect for summer. The lipstick is a lustre formula but has impressive pigment for a glossy lipstick. The lip glass looks good layered over lipsticks but has enough color to wear alone.

If you’re like me and only like the lip colors, here are some swatches that I did in attempts to dupe Stoke the Flame Lipglass. I couldn’t find anything identical but here are some swatches:

MAC Mimmy (Hello Kitty collection, discontinued)
MAC Eurobeat Dazzleglass (discontinued)
MAC Meteoric Cremesheen Glass (discontinued)

Some more dupe attempts with other corals and peaches. I was really surprised how close it is to Tom Ford Sweet Spot:

Tom Ford Sweet Spot (discontinued)
Edward Bess Forbidden Flower (discontinued)
MAC Fresh & Frisky Huggable (discontinued)

I swatched the eye palette in store and was really impressed with the pigment. On the eyes it proved to be a bit tricky to apply. The champagne color is quite glittery and when I applied with a brush I experienced a lot of fall out. I found it best either applied with fingers by patting all over the lids with a creamy base or on top of the other two shades to set. Once on the eyes it didn’t budge, but the initial application had some fall out over the face. The khaki olive and brown plum applied smoothly with a brush and layered nicely for a smokey eye. I tested this in warm hot weather outdoors at an event that lasted from 1 pm to 7 pm. I spritzed the Urban Decay All Nighter Spray (also featured here) over the eyes and face and it made the look last all afternoon and kept it looking fresh – nothing budged.
The eyeliner is pretty basic. I like the smooth creamy texture and find it lasts long, but if you have a lot of brown eyeliners it’s not a must-have. I did some comparisons for the eyeliner.

The MAC Look in a Box sets are limited-edition. It appears the All About Coral Set has sold out online along with a few other sets but I’ve linked it so you can find the Product/Item Number. I suspect it’s still available in stores and you may want to have Nordstrom Customer service locate one for you if you’re interested. They might restock online. I found the set to be a good deal for the price. If you only like a few items in the set I hope the comparison swatches above help find something similar.
13 Comments
Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow | Poésie #234 and Tissé Rivoli #226

July 15, 2014

Chanel just released nine new Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadows in the US ($61 each for 2g/0.07 oz). I’ve been eagerly waiting for these quads to arrive in the US and am so happy they are finally here. I purchased two of the shades in Poésie #234 (limited-edition) and Tissé Rivoli #226. These come in the round pan format but the formula is different from most non-US quads that come with the round shapes. The texture is slightly creamy with amazing pigment and shimmer. They blend well on the lids without any base needed. The pigment is truly incredible and very easy to control. I’ve been a huge fan of the regular Les 4 Ombres (US versions) – I think the new ones are even better.

Poésie #234 is a limited-edition shade. It showed up online at Chanel.com and Macy’s for a limited time but currently isn’t listed. I contacted Nordstrom once the quads launched to see if Poésie would be listed and was told it is an in-store exclusive. I’m not sure if it will show up online again or not but you may need to track it down in stores like I did. It’s a stunning quad with a warm tan beige shimmer, an ivory shimmer, a dark blackened smokey brown-plum and a soft lilac shimmer. This is great for an everyday eye but the black shade is amazing for a smokey eye look.

Tissé Rivoli #226 is a neutral palette with warm neutral shades. It has a similar effect on me when I compare it to Poesie, but the Tisse Rivoli is slightly warmer and some of the shades are a tiny bit more sparkly. I don’t think you need both, but they are both really stunning.

Here they are swatched side by side, note that the shimmers are highly reflective so they look more shimmery in the photos than they are in real life. These were swatched with the sponge applicator:

I pulled a few other palettes to compare:

Fitting all the quads on one arm proved to be impossible so I have two sets of swatches. Comparisons show that Raffinement is very similar to Poesie and Tisse Rivoli:
Chanel Kaska Beige (discontinued)

Chanel Rives (discontinued)

Overall a huge thumbs up for both the new Les 4 Ombres in Poésie #234 and Tissé Rivoli #226. For those who like easy to use palettes with colors that are easy to combine these are perfect. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with larger palettes (although I do love them), having four coordinates shades makes life easier to create polished looks. I find both similar, Poesie gives me more of a smokey eye while Tisse Rivoli is more neutral but slightly more glitzy. I can’t choose between them.

Eight of the Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow are available now online at Nordstrom and Chanel.com. These should be arriving at your counters soon, I spotted these near me at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

24 Comments
Eye Makeup NARS

NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows | Dione, Callisto, Himalia and Subra

July 11, 2014
I picked up four more NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows in Dione, Callisto, Himalia and Subra ($29 each). I’ve been using the more natural Europa and Andromeda on a regular basis for a natural glowy eye. The other shades in the line are more intense in color and sparkle. It was hard to narrow down my picks and I will probably pick up at least one more shade sometime in the future. All the colors are phenomenal in texture, pigment and lasting power. They have a sort of creamy finish but act like a powder. The texture makes these adheres well to to the skin and while I wouldn’t call them budge-proof, they last quite long without fading. 
  • Dione is a sparkly silvery taupe, it pulls very cool on my arm but on the lids it’s more neutral
  • Callisto is a very sparkly cool lilac champagne, it’s similar to Dione, but on me Callisto is more pinkish/lilac and paler in color
  • Himalia is a neutral warm and cool kind of gold, it has a warmish base but the shimmers are cool, on me it’s a neutral tan-nude golden color, it’s shimmery but not frosty
  • Subra is a dark purple, red, brown shimmer, it also has a subtle shimmer finish
Dione and Callisto are similar on my arm and in the pan but the difference is noticeable on the lids. Both have a high shimmer factor that borders on frost but aren’t too frosty. I was really happy to see that there was no fall out on the face during application or throughout the day. Himalia and Subra are shimmers as well but the shimmer is more subtle in finish.

Here they are swatched next to Europa and Andromeda. They are swatched dry with fingers.

Close ups of each shade show how they have a good base color and different colored shimmers. It gives these shadows a multi-dimensional look.

 
Some comparisons, two sets with:
MAC Coco Pigment (discontinued)
Tom Ford Platinum Cream Color (discontinued)

Chanel Magic Night Eyeshadow (discontinued)

Huge thumbs up. The Dual-Intensity shadows have a really smooth pigmented finish. They apply easily with fingers or a brush. I’ve found them extremely versatile – you can wear these alone with a liner, layered together, under or over powder shadows. The uses are really endless. Applying with a damp brush intensifies the color. Between Dione and Callisto, I prefer Dione because it has less contrast with my skin and therefore looks less frosty.
The Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows retail for $29 each. There are currently twelve color options and every color looks amazing. I bought mine from Nordstrom.
Have you purchased any yet? What are your favorite colors?
27 Comments
Uncategorized

NUDESTIX Eye Pencils and Lip & Cheek Pencils

July 8, 2014

NUDESTIX is a new line of simple easy-to-use multipurpose makeup crayons designed for a nude but better look. The line is exclusive to Space NK with four pencil products, a pencil cap sharpener and one mascara. The pencils come packaged in a cute black metal tin for storage. I have two of the Eye Pencils and Lip and Cheek Pencils to share with you today.

The NUDESTIX Eye Pencils ($24 each) are a multi-purpose eye liner, eye shadow and highlighter ‘all-in-one’ product. They come with a sponge tip on one end to smoke out or smudge the shadow. I was sent Smoke, a shimmery light grey taupe and Stardust, a neutral champagne shimmer for review. They are really creamy in texture and glide on the eyes easily. Given the pale neutral color I found I liked to swipe and blend with my fingers rather than use the sponge tip. Both blend well and are easy to layer. They both give a neutral wash of color on the lids. After you apply they set on the lids to a slightly drier finish (not as creamy as when you apply them). Once blended the color sheers out for a slight all over the lid glow. I like these as eye bases rather than a pigmented shadow. Used under powder shadow helps make the colors pop.

The NUDESTIX Lip & Cheek Pencils ($24) are also multi-purpose pencils. Soul is a neutral peachy pink and Whisper is a pale nude. These are super creamy pencils that hug the lips and blend easily on the cheeks. I prefer to use these on the lips. On the lips you get full coverage with a slightly glossy sheen.  I like how they act like a lipliner and give full coverage but are creamy like a lipstick. On the cheeks I found the color disappeared once blended (at least it did for my medium skin). 

Close ups and swatches. The pencils measure a little over 4 inches long making them compact in size so they will fit easily into a small clutch or makeup bag.

Lip and Cheek Pencil swatches, just on the lips (on the cheeks it’s barely visible).
Soul is the perfect creamy nude peach. It’s an easy swipe and go kind of lip pencil. It applies a bit more peachy on my lips compared to when you swatch it on the arm or hand.

Whisper is super-nude and super pigmented. Since the pigment is so rich it emphasizes my lip lines, adding a bit of gloss or dabbing it helps minimize the look of the lines but I wanted to show you how pigmented it was. You can’t see any of my natural lip underneath.

Overall I am really happy with the Lip & Cheek Pencils. The creamy texture makes them glide onto the lips and the texture hugs the lips making them last fairly long (no detectable scent either). I suspect any of the medium to dark shades will be easy to wear for most skin tones. Soul is peach perfection. Whisper is a bit light for me but those with fair skins will love it.
The Eye Pencils are stunning neutral shimmers but the colors are pretty easy to dupe with other brands. I do like the convenience of the eye pencils though – they are easy to swipe and blend with the fingers making them the perfect on-the-go kind of pencil (no brushes needed). Stardust is a good your-lids-but-better kind of shade. Smoke is a lovely taupe grey shimmer that is a great color for a base shadow.
The NUDESTIX Lip & Cheek Pencils and Eye Pencils retail for $24 each, exclusive to Space NK. There is a wide range of color options from neutral to dark. If you like that nude but better look the line is definitely worth looking into. I have a list going of what to check out the next time I can visit one of the stores.
P.S. Tomorrow (July 9) is the last day for the Space NK + Beauty Look Book Gift with Purchase offer. Check out the details here for the code and terms. A few readers mentioned their gifts were missing an item, I contacted Space NK and they told me due to an overwhelming response to this offer it appears Space NK ran out of the Hourglass mini sample and they apologize for any inconvenience.
This post contains press samples sent courtesy for review consideration. For more information refer to my disclosures.
16 Comments
Eye Makeup Roundup

Neutral Creamy Shimmer Wash Eye Shadows | NARS, By Terry, Laura Mercier, RMS and Chanel

June 25, 2014
Lately I’ve been a fan of these swipe and go shimmery wash eyeshadows. I like a creamy texture so there’s no extra base needed for good pigment and blending. I like neutrals but have discovered a few non-nude shadows I find good for color, dimension and glow. Just add a simple black or bronze liner and mascara and you’re good to go (for lazy makeup days). I also find them good for touch ups if you’re transitioning from day to night to add a bit of depth to the eyes. The creamy textures mean you apply straight from the tube if it’s a twist up stick or right from the compact with your fingers and smudge/blend easily. My current favorite neutrals:
  • NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Iraklion ($25) is a mauve rose quartz taupe fawn shimmer. It blends out to a sheer finish but nicely contours the lids. You can layer for more color and it also works well as a base for powder shadows but won’t change the color.
  • Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rose Gold ($26) is a shimmery gold with a slight hint of pink tones, on me it pulls more champagne gold but the pink prevents it from being a pure yellow gold. It’s on the creamy side so if you have oily lids you may need a matte base underneath.
  • By Terry Ombre Blackstar ($43 each) in Ombre Mercure (interesting oyster that flashes gold and a bit of green sparkle), Frozen Quartz (cool medium pink sparkle) and Misty Rock (plum pink) are all intense creamy shadows, I adore each of them alone on the lid with a simple liner. They are on the pricey side but the quality, texture and lasting power make these worth every penny.
  • RMS Cream Eyeshadow in Solar ($28) is something I use on a weekly basis, alone or as a base, there’s something so pretty about a rich gold shimmer for the eyes that warms up the complexion (review here)
  • Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Emerville ($36) is a classic champagne peach shimmer. I think it’s one neutral shimmer everyone should have in their beauty collection. It makes a lovely wash all over the lids.
  • NARS Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows ($29 each) in Europa and Andromeda (reviews here) are nice when layered together for that simple polished glow look for the eyes. 

Swatched side by side you can see they look intense when swatched straight from the tube, the pigment is good and textures are super easy to blend and layer. They aren’t quite as frosty when you blend them out. My assessment for shimmer levels:
  • Most shimmery are the By Terry Ombre Blackstar sticks but if you’ve tried these you know they blend out really nicely but maintain the color. RMS Solar is on the shimmery side as well but the gold base blends well with my natural skintone almost like a contour.
  • Medium shimmers are Laura Mercier Rose Gold and Chanel Emerville.
  • Sheer shimmers are NARS Iraklion and Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows in Europa and Andromeda (most in this formula are intense, but I have the softest ones).

What are your favorite creamy shimmer shadows for an all over wash? Do you have any swipe and go kind of shadows you love? Or are you one who usually prefers to layer more color on the eyes?

26 Comments
Uncategorized

Burberry Sheer Eyeshadows in Storm Grey No. 27 and Graphite No. 28

June 24, 2014
Burberry has released two new single eyeshadows in Storm Grey No. 27 and Graphite No. 28 ($29 each for 2.5g, made in Italy). These weren’t released as part of any full collection but add ons with a recent color feature at Nordstrom. I ordered one online at Nordstrom even though it was listed on backorder for several weeks. (It shipped the next day anyways.) The other shade I ordered from Nordstrom San Francisco. Many thanks to Café Makeup for taking the time out of her busy schedule to e-mail me with a heads up. Otherwise I might have completely missed these. You might find swatches on Gummy Vision and Chic Science helpful for additional reference.
_______________________
Storm Grey No. 27 is a shimmery grey. It has a beautiful pearly quality similar to that of Pale Barley. The color of Storm Grey is a cool grey but it has some warm tan and beige tones to the shimmer. If you look at other blogs you will notice it looks warm in some photos and cool in others. This is because of the multi-dimensional quality the shimmer has. It swatches like a neutral-cool toned grey on the lids but the warmth in the shimmer prevents this from looking drab on the skin. The pigment and blendability of Storm Grey is very good. It layers very nicely on the lids and the amount of color is easy to control.

_______________________
Graphite No. 28 is a darker cool charcoal color. There is a slight hint of shimmer in it but on my eyes it applies more like a satiny matte. I’m a fan of darker smokey greys for eyes however with my olive skin, grey colors can be hard for me to pull off. They often are too blue-based or too dusty looking giving me a punched-eye look. This one for me is best layered along the upper lash lines on top of a emollient eyeliner or used in combination with a warmer tan or taupe shimmer eyeshadow base. The texture of this one is slightly dry and sheer, but not quite as bad as I found Gold Pearl to be.

More photos and swatches:

Some comparisons swatches, two sets. First compared to a few palettes:
Edward Bess Soft Smoke Trio (this is one of the few smokey palettes I can actually pull off)
Second set compared to some singles:
Overall thoughts: I really like the look and texture of Storm Grey. It’s a good neutral-cool grey shimmer that isn’t too cool-toned. It layers beautifully on the eye for a good smokey eye look and blends really nicely. Graphite is a color I really want to love but just can’t. It’s a good color as a liner but the texture is on the dry side with a slightly sheer/chalky finish so it is a bit more difficult to work with alone.
Both shades are available now at Nordstrom.
19 Comments