After playing around on the Dior Addict Minisite, I went back to Nordstrom and picked up Dior Diablotine 643 in the Addict Lipstick ($31) and Lipgloss ($29.50) formula to match the Nail Lacquer ($24) (reviewed last month here). The looks from Dior showed that using both the lipstick and lipgloss created a lush lip look that is perfect for spring to summer. Being the coral fanatic that I am, I didn’t need to see them in person to know they were must-haves. (Click photo below to go to Dior’s Addict minisite.)
The Dior Diablotine 643 lip options are similar to that of Spring Ball 343 in the sense that both lip colors are more subtle and soft than the nail polish versions. Diablotine Addict Lipstick and Lipgloss do have more color than Spring Ball so they show up better on my lips, but are still natural enough for my neutral-loving self.
Diablotine 643 Addict Lipstick is a coral in the tube but goes on more pinkish on my lips. The texture is smooth, finish is semi-shiny, pigment is medium but slightly transparent. There is subtle shimmer in the tube but you don’t really see it on the lips. Diablotine 643 Addict Lipgloss is a true coral peach loaded with tons of gold shimmer. It’s a high-shine gloss. It’s gorgeous. The gloss is similar to Chanel Nakkar so you probably don’t need both. The Dior is more sparkly and more red/orange.
Lip comparisons:
Lips and nails side by side:
I love both the lipstick and gloss formulas of Dior Diablotine #643 (along with the nail polish). The formulas feel luxurious on the lips. They have a nice moisturizing feel. I purchased mine from Nordstrom in store. The entire Sparkling Shine is also online at Nordstrom.com and other Dior counters and boutiques.
Have you had a chance to play with the new items from Dior?
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Dior’s Sparkling Shine collection brings some beautiful shimmering colors for spring. I fell in love with each of the new nail colors released and loved that Dior also brought us matching lipstick and lipgloss shades.I spent quite a bit of time at Nordstrom swatching and testing. I was particularly smitten with Spring Ball 343 a gorgeous peachy pink shimmer which comes in multiple forms:
Nail Lacquer ($24) is the perfect shimmery coral with gold, peach and silver flecks of sparkle infused throughout. I love that this has a hint of pink in it and multi-colored shimmer. This prevents it from looking too orange. The color is highly pigmented but still slightly transparent with two coats. It applied smoothly and flawlessly.
Addict Lipstick ($31) is a very natural light sheer peach shimmer. The shimmer is very natural on the lips. The texture is smooth and moisturizing. I couldn’t detect any scent. It matches my natural lip color closely but still has enough pigment to cover the lips fully and smooths them out with a lovely natural sheen. If you’re looking for something with more pigment this one might not be your cup of tea. I think you can get a similar result with something like MAC’s Ramblin Rose. (Note there is an Addict Extreme version of Spring Ball as well, I swiped it briefly, it was brighter and more pigmented without shimmer.)
Addict Gloss ($29.50) is also very natural and sheer. Spring Ball 343 gloss gives a high shine with beautiful soft sparkle. Layering this gloss over the lipstick lightens the overall look. I didn’t have time to compare but the gloss reminds me of MAC’s lustreglass in Love Nectar.
Swatches below, the nail polish is more vibrant than the lipstick/gloss, although the gloss and lipstick are lovely I wish they matched the brightness and pigment of the nail polish:
Spring Ball 343 Nail Polish:
Spring Ball 343 Addict Lipstick and Lipgloss:
Overall I’m quite pleased with Dior’s Spring Ball lineup for the Nail Lacquer, Addict Lipgloss and Addict Lipstick. The nail polish is a definitely must-have for me. The lipstick and gloss are not quite as unique compared to other colors and they are borderline too natural. Still these are perfect for lazy makeup days. They make the perfect swipe-and-go duo and are easy to apply or touch up without a mirror. The lipstick feels extremely luxurious and smooth on the lips (very lightweight). I like that the gloss is shiny but not sticky. I purchased all my items at Nordstrom.
Did you pick up any of the nail polishes, new addict lipsticks or glosses? Which is your favorite shade?
Le Métier de Beauté has released five new glosses (see line up with comparisons on The Ultimate Makeup and a snapshot of all shades on Twitter @BeautyGypsy). I purchased several from Neiman Marcus during their Beauty Event last month. My top two picks are Pink Berry Crème (a lip crème $36 for 0.22 fl oz/6.5 ml) and Coral Rose (sheer brilliance formula $32 for 0.22 fl oz/6.5 ml). Both are gorgeous spring colors.
Pink Berry Crème is a stunning rose gold in a pigmented creme formula. According to numerous sources, this is a re-launch of Cebu (formerly a Tyson’s Galleria exclusive) under a new name. I don’t have it to compare, but online reviews seem to show that these are indeed the same color. It has a gorgeous shimmery finish that isn’t frosty. Lasting power is average like most lipglosses. A few readers have e-mailed me about the scent of some newer glosses. Most I’ve tried have a lovely slightly burnt dusty vanilla smell. There are a few duo sets and also some exclusive releases that have a slightly different scent which is sweeter and a bit artificial smelling. However it’s not overpowering and fades within a few minutes. I’m not sure if it’s the same across all batches or just a few.
Coral Rose is a high gloss coral peach. On me it’s surprisingly pigmented even though it’s on the sheerer side. There’s not really a plumping aspect to the formula but for some reason this one makes my lips look full. This one has no scent that I can detect. The finish has a high shine. I love it.
More photos below:
Lip swatches:
A few comparisons below show that there are similar shades, but both Pink Berry Creme and Coral Rose have a pretty sophisticated shimmer that I couldn’t find in any other gloss. Below glosses are from Le Metier unless indicated.
I found both Pink Berry Crème and Coral Rose to be lovely additions for spring. The colors are naturally flattering without being too natural. The colors are perfect to wear alone or over lipsticks and are versatile enough to incorporate into any look. Both should be available at all Le Metier de Beaute counters by now. For online shoppers I’ll include a few links below. Note that Pink Berry Creme is a lip creme formula which is more pigmented and slightly more expensive. Coral Rose is the sheer brilliance gloss formula which is sheerer more glossy and a bit cheaper.
Pink Berry Creme can be found at Neimans (I would try calling your local counter to help you locate, it’s not showing up online right now at many locations)
Burberry has released a few new lip glosses for spring. The ones available at the Nordstrom counters include Lip Glows ($27 each) in Mallow Pink No. 19 (bright coral red), Pink Sweet Pea No. 20 (hot fuschia glow) and Coral No. 22 (sparkling orange). These colors are vibrant and unlike anything else in the Burberry Beauty line. Being the neutral-lover that I am, I was a bit intimidated by the shades but decided to give them a try. The shades are very pigmented with a high-gloss shine. After playing with these over the weekend I’ve decided they will be lovely for going out or special occasions. For my medium toned skin, coral is the only one that I feel I can pull off comfortably at the office or for everyday.
Swatches:
I could only get one lip swatch, here is Mallow Pink No. 19 (sorry for the crappy quality, this was taken with my iPhone):
Swatch comparisons below show how vibrant and rich the Burberry spring glosses are. There is a slightly transparent quality because of the gloss formula, but the spring colors are highly pigmented. Below MAC Astral, Lé Métier Hibiskiss, Burberry Mallow Pink, Burberry Pink Sweet Pea, Burberry Coral, Chanel Désir 168, Chanel Nakkar 149, Burberry Cameo:
Overall thumbs up. Beautiful vibrant shades that are very wearable. For me, Coral is the only one I can safely pull off everyday, the others work but are more color than I’m used to. Still, the pigment and shine is just incredible. Lasting power was medium – better than Chanel glossimers, but not quite as long as say Bobbi Brown.
This post finalizes the Chanel Fall 2012 roundup for me. The last two items are Chanel’s newest shades in the Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss formula: Caprice #67 a delicate soft pink shimmer and Troublant #68 a gorgeous plum brown pink shimmer ($32 each). The Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss formula was introduced in August of 2010. I often refer back to Cafe Makeup’s summary report and Karla Sugar’s swatch lineup for reference on colors, reviews and comparisons. (I highly recommend you read their reviews on the formula, lasting power, texture etc. they are both extremely helpful!)
The formula of the Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss was designed to be a pigmented ultra-shiny but long-lasting type of gloss. They indeed are glossy without being too sticky. The formula is thick enough and has a rich shine that lasts quite long on the lips without bleeding. It’s one of the few gloss formulas that doesn’t require a lipliner to help the color stay within the lip lines. Past releases have brought a diverse range of pinks and reds and corals. The colors released this season are on the more natural subdued side.
Caprice #67 is a soft light pink shimmer. It goes on fairly light on my lips. It’s still visible but very soft. Troublant #68 is a soft brown plum pink shimmer. The color is fairly natural on my lips but very pretty and easy to wear. If I had to pick one, it would definitely be Troublant.
More close up photos and swatches:
I found both to be good go-with-anything type of colors. They are on the more natural side for my skintone right now. I think fairer ladies will find these show up better on them. Troublant is a must-have for me. I’m not so sure about Caprice mainly because it is just so natural looking on me.
Now that I’ve had a chance to play for a few weeks, my top picks:
Frenzy Le Vernis
Vertigo Le Vernis
Troublant Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss
Complice Eye Shadow
Rose Initiale Blush and the Fall Highlighter are tied
By now I hope everyone has had a chance to go to the Chanel counter to
play with the fall colors. What did everyone come home with? Or order?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
This summer Giorgio Armani has a few mini-releases in addition to their main Écailles Summer Collection. The first to be released in the US is six new shades of Gloss d’Armani ($28 each for 6.5 ml/0.22 fl oz) and six new Rouge d’Armani Sheers ($30 each). I spotted the collection this past weekend at Saks Beverly Hills and picked up one of each of the lipglosses.
The six shades are all labeled to be in the Pink family, although some of them are more beige/peach/rose. The collection includes Pink 513, 514, 515, 516, 517 and 518. I asked the artist if these were indeed new shades or if any were re-promotes. I noticed one looked like the original Lipshimmer #1 and another like the Lipshimmer #16. She pointed out that while these were new in the Gloss d’Armani range, they were indeed older Lipshimmers reformulated in the new Gloss d’Armani formula and packaging. (Much like what Armani did when they reformulated all their eyeshadows into the Maestro formula back in 2009, see those features here and here.)
At Saks, I was told that this particular collection of glosses was a less thick version of the first wave of Gloss d’Armanis (see the original review herefrom 2010). Those who have any of the shades released know they apply sheer and lightweight but thicken slightly after they set which makes them last slightly longer than the original Lipshimmers by Armani. Some promotional features have called this particular release the “Porcelain Doll” collection since these shades are meant to mimic a high shine of porcelain doll lips. After playing around with a few of the shades, I personally can’t see the difference. They appear to have the same feel/texture as all prior Gloss d’Armani shades: natural color, semi-sheer finish, gorgeous glowy shimmer (not frost), and high shine. The scent is slightly fragranced (very very slight) to have a clean fresh scent. I never really noticed a scent in the first wave that have been released, but upon further inspection found they have a slight chemical/plastic scent if you smell them closely. The newer ones are an improvement in my opinion.
The new shades are gorgeous, but if you have a number of glosses from Armani, you may want to check your stash first. Many of the existing Gloss d’Armani shades are similar, not quite dupes, but close. I’ll try to add a few thoughts on each of the new shades and how they compare to existing colors. I’ll also list what I believe to be the original Lipshimmer numbers.
Photographed above, L to R in consecutive order (for reference I swatched all my older lipshimmers back in 2010 here, most of these I’ve used up and no longer have so I didn’t compare them side-by-side):
Pink 513 is a beige shimmer. The shimmer is higher in this one with a frostier shine but not overly so. This is a lighter more champagne version of Beige 102. This replaced Lipshimmer #16.
Pink 514 is a soft opal pink that flashes pearly-pink. It’s a glowy soft sheer pink that’s more opal/pale than Beige 103 (which also has more peach). This replaced Lipshimmer #25.
Pink 515 is a pale pink that flashes blue, green and white sparkles. This replaced Midnight Lipshimmer #1.
Pink 516 is a soft light peach with tiny silver sparkles. This is a peachier version of Pink 501. It replaced Lipshimmer #1.
Pink 517 is a soft neutral-cool rose with cool shimmer. It’s a lighter version of Pink 503. It replaced Lipshimmer #9.
Pink 518 is a non-shimmer neutral rose brown pink. It’s warmer and slightly deeper than Pink 507. This replaced Lipshimmer #21.
Swatches, two views. I think the top shows the undertones best, while the bottom shows the hint of iridescence for each shade with the high flash.
Overall I do think the Gloss d’Armani formula is a huge improvement over the original Lipshimmer formula in terms of lasting power. The thickening factor of these glosses does help prevent them from slipping off the lips easily, but still like any typical gloss, lasting powder is limited. I usually wear Armani glosses with some kind of liner or over a lipstick since they are rather sheer. These are a nice swipe-and-go kind of gloss but I think most will prefer more color or pigment. They are great for layering.
Those who had a favorite Lipshimmer shade will be happy to learn that Armani is bringing some of them back in the new formula. I think Lipshimmer #1 and 16 were classics. I’m glad to be able to replenish those. I highly recommend checking these out at your local Armani counter. The colors are easy to wear and great for everyday or for creating a polished look.
Have you checked out the new Gloss d’Armani or Rouge d’Armani Sheer colors? Thoughts?
Le Métier de Beauté has released another Haute House Hues Lip Crème Lip Gloss Duo called Indian Summer ($65 for 0.44 fl oz/13 ml). The two new shades are called Ginger Snap, a sheer sparkly warm pink and Copper Leaf, a warm metallic coppery orange bronze.
Both are labeled as the Lip Crème formula, but it Ginger Snap is more glossy and sheer than the typical Le Métier Lip Crème. It goes on fairly sheer on the lips giving a tint of sparkly pink. It’s quite stunning in the tube and naturally pretty on the lips. I think this shade works for me alone, but I think most will find it sheer and prefer it over lipsticks.
Copper Leaf is highly pigmented with a lightweight mousse-like creme feel. It’s on the orangey-side of copper but not overly so. I think this would look lovely on darker skinned girls. I like it but think it would be more flattering if I had a tan. This shade did bleed a little while wearing this. I recommend using a lip liner with a non-glossy texture to help matte-out the lip area.
Here are the Lip Crèmes swatched, Ginger Snap, Copper Leaf, then mixed together (Copper Leaf dominates even when mixed in equal parts)
Comparisons to other Le Métier de Beauté lipglosses:
Swatched comparisons to other Le Métier de Beauté lipglosses: Nadine is more pink/red (not photographed above but swatched below), Ibiza is lighter and more pink, Toffee Creme is more neutral/brownish, Summerland has loads more sparkles and more pink/sand.
I like them mixed best but my love for Le Métier de Beauté lip crèmes and glosses still burns strong. Both are fairly unique for the colors I own. I don’t think you’ll find dupes in the Le Metier line (which is nice). For reference, the spring pinks lip creme duo was reviewed last month here.
There are two additional items in the collection, two orangey nail lacquers. I decided to pass for now, but I’m looking forward to upcoming Le Métier de Beauté releases (more kaleidoscope kits soon please!). I found my lip crème set in-store at Neiman Marcus. It should be available at all Neiman Marcus Le Metier locations.
