- NER:D Skincare Repair Master Mask (1 sheet)
- Cargo Texas Lash Mascara in Black
- Caudalie Divine Oil (mini 15 ml size)
- Ciaté Nail Polish in Paparazzi
- Jouer Powder Eyeshadow (shades will vary per box, mine has Espresso)
- Smith & Cult The Shining Lip Lacquer (shades will vary, mine has Life in Photographs)
- Stephanie Johnson Tinseltown Gunmental Medium Flat Zip Pouch
- Michael Todd Concentrated C Antioxidant Moisturizing Serum
Some of these you might even describe as taupe. I don’t use these a lot, but I think pairing these with a soft pearl shimmer would be pretty.
I have been procrastinating on a few comparison requests and thought I’d post this in case anyone else had the same questions. I plan to be a better blogger this upcoming year and be more on top of things!
Comparison Project #1: How does Edward Bess Intimate compare to other shades, particularly Chantecaille Pyrite & Benefit Fawn Over Me?
Chantecaille Pyrite has more gold while Edward Bess is definitely more taupe/brown. Benefit Fawn Over Me might look like a close dupe at first glance, but looking more closely will show that it’s more of a paler sandy champagne compared to the Edward Bess. Here it is compared to similar shades.
Middle: Scott Barnes Sable, Benefit Fawn Over Me, Guerlain Sable Blonde
Bottom: Becca Mermaid, Nars Cyprus, Benefit Fawn Over Me
1) Chantecaille Pyrite
2) Edward Bess Intimate
3) Laura Mercier Bamboo
4) Scott Barnes Sable
5) Benefit Birthday Suit
6) Guerlain Sable Blonde
7) Becca Mermaid
8) Nars Cyprus
9) Benefit Fawn Over Me
Bottom line: In my opinion, there is nothing like Edward Bess Intimate and I find it different enough to justify owning even if you have any of the above shades. This post will be updated later this afternoon with swatches.
Comparison Project #2: Is Bobbi Brown Java Metallic similar to the brown shade in Nars Brousse?
Bobbi Brown Java is a cooler mouse-grey when compared to Nars Brousse which seems to have a tinge of red. By itself you would barely be able to detect any red tones to Nars Brousse. I’ve also compared it to a few other medium-dark cool-toned browns.
Bottom: Cle de Peau Satin 106, MAC Magnetic Fields, Jouer Espresso
1) Edward Bess Mystery
2) Bobbi Brown Java Metallic
3) Nars Brousse
4) CdP 106
5) MAC Magnetic Fields
6) Jouer Espresso
What’s the verdict? Are these different enough to justify owning all? Probably not unless you are a brown eyeshadow fanatic like me. This section will also be updated with swatches if my camera will cooperate with me later today. While I love the Cle de Peau 106, it can look a bit bruisey on my Chanel Shell (equals MAC NC30-35) skin and it’s the least shimmery.
According to my recent survey, some of you mentioned how you loved certain posts, but wanted ideas on how to coordinate the products with other colors. I’m going to do a five-part series of looks I’ve done recently that I loved. I hope this series will help give you some ideas!
A few things to note ahead of time: I am not a professional makeup artist, but the following looks have been created on my own. My fashion/beauty style is very simple and natural. Style/beauty icons include Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Winslet, Eva Mendes, Lucy Liu to name a few – all women who embrace their natural beauty with subtle, elegant and classic natural makeup.
Look Number 1: a simple smokey eye with soft pink cheeks and rosy pink lips
Cheeks:
Stila Lilium Convertible Color on cheeks
Dolce & Gabbana Delight Blush layered on top
Eyes:
Laura Mercier Platinum Metallic Cream Eyeshadow lash to brow
Jouer Buttercream Eyeshadow on lids
Stila Black Cat Smudgepot smudged along upper lash line
Edward Bess Dusk Eyeshadow applied over the black liner blended up
Lips:
MAC Naked Rose Lipliner
Edward Bess Tender Love Lipstick
Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer #7
Close up photos for eyes:
Top Left = Jouer Buttercream, Top Right = Edward Bess Dusk
Bottom Left = Stila Black Cat, Bottom Right = Laura Mercier Platinum
Close up photos for lips, Left to Right:
Edward Bess Tender Love, Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer #7, MAC Naked Rose Lipliner
Variation 1: using most of the same colors except includes Le Metier Fresh Blush, Edward Bess Love Always Lipgloss, Laura Mercier Pink Label Lipstick:
Variation 2: MAC Conjure Up Mineralize Blush, MAC Bare Study Paint Pot, Dolce & Gabbana Stromboli Eyeshadow Duo, Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel Liner, MAC Plum Lipliner, MAC Scant Slimshine, Laura Mercier Violet Lip Glace (old packaging)
I’ve written about a few makeover events I’ve been to from Chanel, Nars and MAC before, click on this MAKEOVER tag to see the products used in those events for some more ideas!
Here is a series on some taupe eyeshadows. For me there are numerous shades that could qualify as “taupe”, these mostly range from neutral to cool-toned taupes. For most of the pictures, I’ve included MAC Satin Taupe to help you gauge the colors in comparison to one another. Also note there will be some repeats in some photos!
MAC, Becca & FACE Stockholm Eyeshadows:
MAC Pigments, Paul & Joe Pearl Powder, MAC Solar Bits:
Bobbi Brown Metallic, Bobbi Brown Shimmerwash, Laura Mercier, Scott Barnes Eyeshadows:
Bobbi Brown (some repeats to include Fawn Shimmerwash):
More Laura Mercier & Scott Barnes:
Chantecaille Eyeshadows:
YSL & Chanel Eyeshadows:
Christian Dior, Calvin Klein (original discontinued line), NARS Eyeshadows:
Urban Decay & Giorgio Armani Shadows:
Jouer, Le Metier de Beaute, Shu Uemura & Trish McEvoy:
Better view of Jouer Amaretto & Espresso:
Dior Jazz Club Palette:
Palettes from Lunasol & Dior:
Today’s lips are a baby pink shimmery look:
* Dolce & Gabbana Shine Lipstick in Soiree (see previous D&G feature here)
* Trish McEvoy Lipliner in Bare
* Jouer Moisturizing Lipgloss in Blush (see previous Jouer feature here)
What are your favorite products for baby-pink or natural pink lips? I’m always on the search for my HG baby pink glosses, lipsticks, lipliners and would LOVE to hear yours!!!
(For reference, I have medium olive-toned skin, in between MAC NC30-35, Chanel Teint Innocence Liquid Shell 1.5, Stila D/E, Armani Luminous Skin Foundation in 5.5)
I found out about Jouer from an article in Harpers Bazaar featuring some of their products and was immediately intrigued by the cute packaging concept.
Jouer Cosmetics was designed and created by Christina Zilber to provide women with personalized beauty. The brand concept was focused around allowing women to create a customized palette of colors in which she developed a unique interlocking compacts to package her products. The line was first launched in 2004, but recently revamped in 2008.
The website is also unique, fun and interactive, providing great swatches of each product and brief descriptions of each color. In addition to swatches, each product features four different faces (with different skin tones and hair color). This allows you to see what each product looks like on different faces.
Tint ($20): a creamy cheek tint that comes in a square mirrored compact
* Petal – described as a soft rose pink, has a creamy texture that is sheer, but buildable, has a hint of shimmer in it
Moisturizing Lip Gloss ($20): wand style with the interlocking feature on one side, these have a nice non-sticky texture with a sponge-tip applicator.
* Wind – described as a creamy pink nude, this has no shimmer, and seems more peachy-nude than pink
* Blush – described as a creamy baby pink, perfect description, a great natural youthful pink shimmer that isn’t too pale
Powder Eyeshadows ($20): satin finish and oil free shadows that come in both shimmer and matte finishes, these are in a wet-to-dry formula, but so far I have only used these dry.
* Caramel – described as a shimmering soft gold, this is an accurate description, but it’s not too yellow or metallic, gives a soft warm golden caramel shimmer to the lids
* Buttercream – described as a pearly french vanilla, this is a great soft cream, the shimmer is very subtle on this one
* Truffle – described as a matte platinum grey, more of a dove grey
* Chocolat – described as shimmering bronzed brown
* Amaretto – described as a shimmering bronzed plum, more of a medium taupe shimmer to me than a bronzed plum, but gorgeous
* Espresso – described as a shimmering smokey slate
Overall thoughts: I believe this line is currently available online at the Jouer Website along with Henri Bendel in New York. I purchased these items sight-unseen online and was pleasantly surprised by the super-fast shipping and cute pink box that the items arrived carefully wrapped in. Also a plus – everything arrived very close to the online swatches/descriptions!
The eyeshadows are my favorite out of the products I ordered, but the glosses are nice as well! Good quality products at very reasonable price points. I hope they will expand their product line as well as possible expand their distribution to other locations in the US!