Browsing Tag

Lipgloss

Chanel

Chanel Collection Libre Holiday 2016 Picks

October 21, 2016
The Beauty Look Book Collection Libre Picks

Many of us have been wondering for a few weeks whether or not the Collection Libre Synthetic de Chanel would be the holiday collection or if it was a mini launch. We now know that it is indeed the official Chanel Holiday 2016 launch this year. The pieces definitely have a unique take on a winter holiday theme with a mix of a cool-toned silvery smokey eyes, black liner, and an interesting mix for nails and lips. I ordered these sight unseen and have yet to see the collection in person in stores. I’m happy with all but one of my picks. What I hauled:

Velvet Nail Color in Pink Rubber
Le Vernis in Liquid Mirror and Hyperrose Glass
Rouge Allure Gloss in Super Coral and Super Nude

The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Holiday 2016

I bought the 3 nail polishes because to date I don’t think I’ve skipped a seasonal nail polish launch in many years. Since the reformulation I have yet to try all the new permanent colors, but for seasonal collection launches I still collect them. We have Velvet Nail Color in Pink Rubber (limited-edition), Le Vernis in Liquid Mirror and Le Vernis in Hyperrose Glass (limited-edition).

The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Velvet Nail Color Pink Rubber, Liquid Mirror and Hyperrose Glass

Pink Rubber is the item that I’m not thrilled with mainly because I don’t like matte or velvety nails. My first instinct when I put it on was “I hate it” – the matte finish is just something I can’t get into. This one is such an interesting concept though as it dries to a gel-like rubber matte finish. Coverage is just perfection with two coats though which I find very rare for pale pastel polishes. Most apply like a streaky mess and require 3 coats to smooth out or are just very sheer. The exceptions are Dior and Tom Ford from my experience. The first coat of Pink Rubber can be a streaky mess but the second coat fixes everything to a perfect soft baby pink.

I think it photographs well but in real life it just looked odd to me. The finish is something you have to see in person to truly understand the velvet finish. I think it can easily be fixed by adding a glossy top coat.
The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Velvet Nail Color Pink Rubber

Liquid Mirror is a metallic silver which is beautiful but I’m just not into silvery nails right now. This is a one-coat wonder but I always apply colors with two coats. Brush strokes are visible but the formula is very good so you can smooth it out as seen below. For a metallic almost chrome color I think performance, pigment and formula are all excellent.
The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Liquid Mirror

Hyperrose Glass is an interesting shade as it’s on the sheer side. It feels like it almost has a transparent base with bright pink shimmer particles suspended. I do wish this one had full coverage as what you see in the bottle is simply gorgeous. It’s shown below with 3 coats. I suspect a fourth coat can add more color.
The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Hyperrose Glass

One of my beauty friends who has also been a long-time Chanel fan sent me a link to British Beauty Blogger’s post on Chanel Christmas layering Hyperrose Glass over Liquid Mirror on a nail wheel. I would have never thought to do that but gave it a whirl on the fingers. It has that 90’s duo-chrome vibe which I think is so interesting but don’t know that I’d wear. Below is one coat of Liquid Mirror and one coat of Hyperrose Glass.

The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Liquid Mirror and Hyperrose Glass

Next are the lip picks which include the Rouge Allure Gloss in Super Coral and Super Nude (both limited-edition). Neither have a holiday or winter vibe to me, but these colors are right up my alley so I said yes to both and added them to my cart. I really like this formula of gloss (previously reviewed here) and can’t believe it’s already been two years since Chanel first launched this.

Super Coral is a medium but muted coral with slight pink tones. Super Nude is a perfect soft peachy nude. Both are amazing. If you tried NARS Lip Gloss in Chelsea Girls but find it too sheer, Chanel Super Nude is a better alternative as it gives more color, coverage and pigment. It is thicker in texture though so if you need something weightless these might be too heavy.

Still I really like the Rouge Allure Gloss formula. It’s thick but not too thick. It has a perfect shine and just the tiniest bit of shimmer. Gloss adheres well to the lips and makes them look lush and full. It’s about time Chanel added more colors to this formula and I hope they continue to do so.
The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Super Nude and Super Coral

The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Super Nude and Super Coral

The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Super Nude and Super Coral

The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Super Nude

The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Super Coral

Swatch comparisons:

The Beauty Look Book - Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss comparisons

NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Stripped, Unlaced and Playpen (reviewed here)
Chanel Glossimer in Beige Star (on lips here)
NARS Lip Gloss in Chelsea Girls (review here)
Chanel Rouge Allure Glosses in Sensuel, Sensible, Affroliant (review here)
Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Amoureux (on the lips here)
Diorific Matte Fluid in Pleasure 001 (review here)

I’ve found some nice pieces. My favorite items are the Rouge Allure Glosses which I think are both just so perfect they are back-up worthy. I’ve gone back and forth in my head on the Hyperfresh Joues Contraste as it looks quite beautiful but am just not sure especially since I already own a lot of blushes and there are lots of holiday items coming out soon. When I placed my order the blush was not available at the time. If you’ve tried it let me know what you think. I may go investigate this weekend.

You can find the Chanel Collection Libre right now at Chanel.com, Nordstrom and Saks. I suspect it will be available at all counters very soon.
NARS

NARS Velvet Lip Glide, 413 BLKR Cheek and Lip Palette and NARSissist Dual-Intensity Cheek Palette

October 17, 2016
The Beauty Look Book - NARS Velvet Lip Glide, 413 BLKR Cheek and Lip Palette and NARSissist Dual-Intensity Cheek Palette

 

I’ve had some NARS bits that I’ve accumulated that I had not yet swatched or reviewed for you. By now their Sarah Moon Holiday collection has already launched so much of this post contains items that are old news. Today I’m reviewing:
Up first are the Velvet Lip Glides. These are described as comfortable high-pigment products that glide on as a gloss but have the lipstick finish. They have a slight semi-matte finish but on my lips the colors I picked out still have a slight sheen. There’s an almost weightless airy feel but they will cover the lips all the way with a few strokes. When I bought mine I ordered them sight unseen and went with the safe colors.

 

The Beauty Look Book NARS Velvet Lip Glide Stripped, Unlaced, Playpen, Bound

 

The Beauty Look Book NARS Velvet Lip Glide swatch Stripped, Unlaced, Playpen, Bound

The colors I bought:

  • Stripped is a beige nude which I found to be a very good neutral nude that doesn’t wash me out or look streaky on the lips, huge thumbs up for this one!
  • Unlaced is a light pink beige which unfortunately doesn’t work well with my lip or skintone by itself, it’s too light and pale, finish is a bit streaky because of the contrast it has with my natural lip color but you can smooth it out with some blending
  • Playpen is a warm peachy coral which should work for me because I love these colors, but there’s something about the undertone that makes it pull orangey and makes my skin look a bit yellow when I wear this one, I found this odd because it’s almost identical to a few from Chanel and Tarte (swatched below) but there must be something about the drydown that turns the NARS a bit orangey on me
  • Bound is a perfect mauve neutral, I feel like I’ve been looking for a color like this for a long time and I’ve finally found the one
The Beauty Look Book NARS Velvet Lip Glide swatch Stripped, Unlaced, Playpen, Bound

 

Swatch comparisons:

 

The Beauty Look Book NARS Velvet Lip Glide swatch comparisons

Swatched above:

 

Next is the 413 BLKR Cheek and Lip Palette which is exclusive to NARS boutiques and NARS online. I also bought this sight unseen in part because NARS palettes excite me and also because the pink shades looked just perfect.

 

The Beauty Look Book NARS 413 BLKR Cheek and Lip Palette

 

The Beauty Look Book NARS 413 BLKR Cheek and Lip Palette

 

The Beauty Look Book - NARS 413 BLKR Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

 

It contains, 3 blushes in a satin pale pink, a neutral rose blush, a deeper raspberry blush, Laguna Bronzer and a bright electric fuchsia lip pencil. This palette did not work for me. The colors for the cheeks ended up looking muddy on my complexion and darkened quite a bit giving me a burnt look. The lip color pulls too bright and too cool-toned on my lips. This is one I should have gone by my palette rule of not buying because I knew there might be a chance I would not like at least one of the colors. Quality-wise the powders are soft and easy to blend. The lip pencil went on the lips smooth but I couldn’t get over how garish the color was against my olive skintone, I literally wiped it off immediately. They just don’t work with my skintone.

 

The Beauty Look Book - NARSissist Dual-Intensity Blush Palette

 

Last but not least is the NARSissist Dual-Intensity Cheek Palette which I’ve featured a few times before but never posted swatches. I liked this one so much I bought a backup although given the holiday palette launches I probably should have skipped the backup. I’m a huge fan of the Dual-Intensity Blush formula (also for the eyeshadows) because they’re the perfect hybrid of powder and cream. They meld beautifully with the skin and last all day on me. The shimmer is just perfect in each color as well. After swatching the palette next to individual colors I did find a lot of almost-dupes. If you haven’t bought it yet and were still debating whether or not to get it, I think it’s a great option, especially for travel. However if you already own a lot of the others (I own all of them and yes they were all splurge-worthy) you may want to skip and opt for the holiday palettes instead.

 

Colors include a soft opal with a pink sheen, shimmering peach, shimmering pink and warm bronzey tan shimmer. They all have some degree of shimmer but aren’t frosty.

 

The Beauty Look Book - NARSissist Dual-Intensity Blush Palette Swatches

 

Swatch comparisons below to four of the other Dual-Intensity Blushes:

 

The Beauty Look Book - NARSissist Dual-Intensity Blush Palette vs Individual Swatches

 

A quick side by side rundown of the palettes in this review lined up by the Holiday 2016 offerings. I just ordered the Sephora exclusive  which just popped up online over the weekend and have high hopes for it. Most of the rest are available at NARS stores and narscosmetics.com right now and will launch at other stores/counters on November 1st. I’m trying to wait and see in person before splurging.

 

NARS Palettes

 

Bottom line, love the Velvet Lip Glides in Stripped and Bound along with the NARSissist Dual-Intensity Blush Palette. The rest aren’t bad – the colors just didn’t work out for me but it’s bound to happen from time to time when ordering items sight unseen.
NARS Velvet Lip Glides and NARSissist Dual-Intensity Blush Palette are available at all NARS stores and counters. Note the blush palette is limited-edition. The 413 BLKR Cheek and Lip Palette is exclusive to NARS stores and their website.

 

Have you picked up or tried any of the NARS items I reviewed today? Or have you checked out the holiday collection? Let me know your thoughts!
Uncategorized

Edward Bess Deep Shine Lip Gloss

August 27, 2016

Edward Bess’s cosmetic line is among my favorites and it has been for many years. I discovered his brand while browsing through a Bergdorf Goodman catalog and there was a page that showed his Lip Wardrobe which was a collection of his lipsticks and glosses at the time packaged in a beautiful sleek black box. It looked so clean and modern and there were some pinks and nudes that looked amazing. I called up the store to order some sight unseen as a quick google search showed that the store in NYC was the only place to buy them. To this day the whole experience of ordering them has left an impression on me. I still remember how amazing, professional and helpful the girls were over the phone. I told them that I saw his lipsticks in the Bergdorfs catalog but didn’t know what colors to pick and asked if they could recommend 3 to 4 items for me to order sight unseen. Just for fun, you can see my first order in this post here. As a nice follow up they sent a card in the mail with their entire line swatched on a card as a reference for me since I wasn’t able to see the entire line in person. The whole experience left such an impression and that was the start of my love affair with Edward Bess’s line. I didn’t meet him in person until years later when he launched his line at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills but we clicked instantly. This past summer I was thrilled to finally see his counter in person at Bergdorf Goodman which was truly the highlight of my trip. I feel incredibly lucky to have had lunch with him at one of his favorite cafes in the city. Quick peek of us taking selfies here.

I have a review of all the colors in his Deep Shine Lip Gloss ($32 each for.2 fl oz/5.9 ml). It took me a while to post this because a few of his glosses had been sold out for a few weeks and I had used up some of his colors so did not have them all to swatch. I know many of you may not be able to get to a counter easily to see these in person I wanted to create a comprehensive post as a reference for those who want to order sight unseen. At this time you can find his lip gloss at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter and Edward Bess. There are some stores and boutiques internationally that carry his line as well, check his website for the full updated list.

First a look at his counter in NYC:

There are eight shades of Deep Shine Lip Gloss at the moment. They are all non-shimmers and are fig scented. They have sheer to medium finish in terms of pigment and look very natural on the lips. The texture is slightly thick and sticky which may sound unappealing but they feel really nice on the lips and the consistency makes it so these stay put on the lips. You can layer for more color but overall finish is medium-sheer. I personally like most of these layered on top of his lipsticks or a liner because they add the best kind of shine and sheen to enhance a lipstick color. I’ve swatched them on bare lips though so you can see how the color looks by themselves. What I like best about the lighter colors is that they are smooth and aren’t patchy – many pale colors look patchy on my bare lips and need liner or lipstick to make them work. All of these colors work for me.

Colors shown from top to bottom include:

  • Nude Whisper is a pale flesh-toned light nude
  • Lover’s Desire is a peachy pink
  • Stolen Kiss is a pale pink
  • French Lace is a medium cool toned pink
  • Nude Satin is a mauvey nude pink
  • First Kiss is a bright cool pink
  • Wild Passion is a sheer plum
  • Amor is a sheer bright red
My personal favorites are Nude Satin (best color ever), First Kiss (prettiest pink), French Lace (best neutral pink) and Amor (best red ever, perfect for neutral lip lovers who want to wear red but are afraid to).

A closer look at the applicators, they have an angled sponge tip:

All eight colors will give you a you but better look for the lips. They are natural and work well to enhance your natural beauty without looking overdone or too heavy.

Swatched heavily on my arm, for reference you can see this cute video of the colors live swatched sheer on Edward’s arm on Instagram @edwardbess:

Swatched on bare lips (as always there is no liner, no foundation and no concealer on the lips to prep), you can also see First Kiss layered over a Tom Ford lipstick in this post here:

 

Above shown left to right: Nude Whisper, Stolen Kiss, Lover’s Desire, Amor, Wild Passion, French Lace, First Kiss and Nude Satin

Bottom line I love them all and I highly recommend. I almost always have at least one in my purse or makeup bag. I probably wear Lover’s Desire and Nude Satin the most. If you don’t like sticky at all these may be a bit too thick for your taste. Even though some of the colors are on the sheer side, I find that they have enough pigment to wear on their own. His lipliner in Natural is a must and works with a wide range of colors if you need a suggestion for something to wear underneath. The fig scent is to die for. I’ve been working on swatching his lipsticks too (another love). Those were also sold out at a number of places for a few weeks but just popped up back in stock online. Keep in mind that September is a big month for beauty events so you may want to wait a few weeks to splurge.

You can find Edward Bess’s Deep Shine Lipgloss at Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter and Edward Bess. Follow Edward Bess on Instagram @edwardbess for fun videos and some tutorials.

Most colors gifted by Edward Bess in the past. For this post, Nude Whisper, Stolen Kiss and French Lace repurchased by me.

Cle de Peau Beaute Lips

Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Liquid Rouge Review

August 16, 2016

 

Clé de Peau Beauté launched a new lip product for fall called Radiant Liquid Rouge ($48 each for 5.5 ml/0.18 oz). These are luxurious lip lacquers with medium-full rich coverage and a glossy sheen. The texture is smooth and once they set on the lips they thicken a bit into a more gel-like finish. I picked up four shades at the counter, neutrals/natural shades of course in 11, 12, 13 and 14. For those curious about the other shades in the lineup, Bubbly Michelle has the entire collection for fall swatched (8 lip colors total).

 

The Radiant Liquid Rouge comes with a sponge-tip applicator in a very sturdy tube. I’m not entirely sure what the base packaging is made of but it feels like it could be glass. The colors I picked are suitable for everyday wear if you like natural colors. They do have a soft perfumed scent but it’s not too strong. Lasting power wise they stay put relatively well for a liquid lip lacquer and fade evenly. They have a hydrating feel to them although I am not sure they have any skincare properties in them.
  • 11 is a peachy beige cream. It does take a bit of blending and swiping on my pigmented lips to smooth out. I apply one layer, let it set, and then apply a second thin layer to smooth out the color. A lip brush can also help.
  • 12 is a medium rose brown cream, on my complexion it pulls a bit warmer, but on my arm it’s more of a neutral kind of shade
  • 13 is a cool shimmering rose. This pulls bright and slightly cool but has enough rose to balance out the cool undertone.
  • 14 is a pinky peach cream. This is the only one I had issues with streaks but I suspect those with lighter lip tones or those who can easily wear these kinds of colors will have no issue. For me this is one of those super high-maintenance shades that contrasts with my natural lip tone and therefore looks streaky. I personally prefer the Dior Addict Fluid Stick in Tiny Pink which is similar but less streaky on my lips.
A look at the shades in sunlight to better show the colors:

 

 

 

 

Two sets of comparison swatches in an attempt to find dupes:

 

Set two of swatch comparisons:

 

 

 

Out of all the shades I bought, I am most smitten with 11 the nude peach beige and 13 the shimmering pink rose. 12 is nice to have and I suspect better suited for fall due to the brown undertones. 14 is high maintenance for me – it takes a lot of work to get streak-free, but once it’s properly blended on my lips the color is really pretty. I don’t own a lot of Cle de Peau items – I tend to avoid the line because of the high price points, but I’ve been happy with everything I have tried from the line. The Cotton Pads are among the best I’ve tried (why I think so in this post here) and it’s one I will never stop buying (it’s well worth the splurge, although they have gone up in price since I reviewed them).

 

While at the counter I was seriously tempted by the new Luminizing Face Enhancer in Almond. It had a really pretty glowy sheen to it. I have a few other shades that I’ve bought and really like. I stick to my original assessment that I think the price point is just too much (even if you just buy the refills) but it’s one of those products I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with if you splurge. Given the vast number of highlighters I own I decided to pass.

 

As for the Radiant Liquid Rouge, I think one or two are well worth the splurge. The formula and pigment is top notch and I can’t really fault 14 because of my pigmented lips. As fall collections and launches start to trickle in, I’m sure there will be a number of new lip products coming out. Fall always seems to be the season for new lip formulas. You may want to wait a few weeks as September is just around the corner when most of the fall collections will be out.

 

I’ll be reviewing my picks from the Louboutin Loubilaque line soon, quick takeaway to compare the Louboutin vs Cle de Peau Beaute is that I prefer the Louboutin finish and coverage, but both are really good.

 

You can find the Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Liquid Rouge now. Available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Clé de Peau Beauté.

 

Have you tried these yet? What colors did you test or buy?
Clarins Lips Skincare

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors + New Shade Extentions

July 13, 2016

 

I first tried the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector ($25 each for 12 ml/0.35 fl oz, made im France) over a year ago in Rose Shimmer 01 and have been so thrilled to find quite a few Clarins fans among my readers. For summer I always feel like multi-tasking products are in and the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors combine makeup and skincare in one product. These come in the squeeze tubes with a sponge tip applicator. There are tiny holes in the tip so you simply squeeze the tube to dispense product. This summer there are new shades that have been added to the permanent lineup and three new shades which are limited-edition. The Clarins team sent over all the shades for me to play with and I’ve swatched all the colors to share today.

 

The Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors have a glossy finish with semi-sheer pigment similar to the Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors (the stick version) but the squeeze tubes have a slight sheen and shimmer to them. They have a pleasant sweet scent and taste to them, like a sweet vanilla but not overly sweet. The Lip Perfectors contain mango, shea and licorice to protect and moisturize the lips. Color-wise most of the original shades look pretty much the same on my lips once blended out. They have a sheer finish but there is a noticeable tint. I have pigmented lips so some of the shades will most likely show up better on your lips compared to mine. The colors have names and numbers, but on the tubes there is only a number label.

 

 

A quick look at the packaging and applicators:

 

 

The new shades include 7 and 8. New limited-edition shades include 10, 11 and 12 which have a special design on the packaging. These all have some degree of shimmer in them but on the lips it’s not visible – the shimmer gives them what Clarins calls a 3D effect. Shown below are the colors in numerical order, left to right:
  • 1 Rose Shimmer is a light medium neutral pink
  • 2 Apricot Shimmer is a light apricot color
  • 3 Nude Shimmer is a light peachy shimmer
  • 4 Petal Shimmer is a pale light baby pink
  • 5 Candy Shimmer is soft medium pink
  • 6 Rosewood Shimmer is a neutral medium brown pink
  • 7 Toffee Pink Shimmer is a neutral mauve
  • 8 Plum Shimmer is a red plum
  • 10 Pink Shimmer (limited-edition) is a bright sheer pink
  • 11 Orange Shimmer (limited-edition) is a bright sheer orange shimmer
  • 12 Red Shimmer (limited-edition) is a bright sheer red

 

 

 

 

All swatched on bare lips, no lipliner or lipcolor underneath. This is the case with all lip swatches unless another color is specified. The only reason I mention it is because I frequently receive e-mails asking what lipliner I’m wearing or why I would wear a dark lipliner with a light lip color. I have pigmented lips and in many cases light colors that have a transparent finish will allow my natural lip pigment to show through, especially around the edges.

 

 

Many of you have e-mailed me in addition to leaving comments about these and out of the tinted balms out there, this formula appears to be well loved. That surprised me considering how sheer these are, but I will say that the formula is comforting and hydrating on the lips. As with any lip balm they won’t last all day long. They do stay put and don’t slide around as long as you don’t snack or drink. Since they feel nice I don’t mind reapplying. The packaging is pretty and the sponge tip makes it easy to apply.

 

Shades 1 through 4 almost look identical on me. Shade 5 shows up better than Shade 1. My favorites in the line are the new shade extensions 6, 7 and 8. For the limited-edition colors 10 is the one that has my heart. If you like the concept but don’t like the packaging/style the Instant Light Lip Balm Perfectors come in a twist up stick format although they don’t have all the same colors. If you prefer a more hydrating formula but in an oil format, you might want to check out the Clarins Instant Light Lip Oils instead.

 

You can find the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors now at all Clarins counters. Online at Clarins, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s.

 

Have you tried the new colors yet? If not do you have a favorite shade in the original lineup?

 

Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors provided courtesy of Clarins for review consideration.
Highlighters

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Sun Dipped and Mini Lip Gloss Set in Summer

June 17, 2016

There are two new launches this summer from Anastasia Beverly Hills that caught my eye. First is a new Glow Kit in Sun Dipped ($40) and a Mini Lip Gloss Set in Summer ($28 for 6 mini glosses). I’ll say right up front that I love both and even though I already own the other two Glow Kits in That Glow and Gleam (reviewed here) and a few neutral Lip Glosses (three reviewed here) I think these are worth purchasing if you own the others.

Up first is the new Glow Kit in Sun Dipped which I’ve been stalking the web for what seems like weeks. It has four large pans of highlighting powders with a high shimmer finish. They are very pigmented but are easy to blend for a diffused look. The product looks very different on my skin compared to what I see in the pans – these appear to be very complex shades with a lot of different colors mixed in. The reflective lighter particles dominate on my skin – so your mileage may vary depending on skin tone.

The four shades include Bronzed which is a warm shimmering bronze, Summer a pale ivory gold shimmer, Moonstone a pale champagne peach frost and Tourmaline a mauve nude shimmer.

On my medium olive skin I like mixing Bronzed and Tourmaline with a brush by dipping it into both shades and then swirling on the cheeks alone. For eyes – all four shades work layered together or using select ones for an all over wash. I love using Summer or Moonstone on top of a neutral beige matte shadow because it helps diffuse the frost a little bit. The two lighter shades have a strong contrast to my olive skin so on the cheeks I have to use with a very light hand.

In direct sun without a flash below the colors look cooler-toned. Light really brings out the warmth of the shades that are apparent when you swatch on the skin.

Comparisons to That Glow and Gleam (both reviewed here). There are definitely similarities between the That Glow and Sun Dipped, you can probably just pick one but I’m highlighter-obsessed and nothing was going to stop me from trying out Sun Dipped.

Next is the Mini Lip Gloss Set in Summer which is currently available online only at Anastasia Beverly Hills (if you’ve spotted it anywhere else let me know). I ordered sight unseen since the only place I could find it was online. I knew there was a chance that two of the shades would be well outside my comfort zone but I’ve been really pleased with her lip gloss formula so far and this set has some shades exclusive to the set. I hope they launch them separately in the future. For those who haven’t seen my previous reviews, these are full coverage glosses. They come in a few different finishes, most of the colors in this set act like creams that have high shine and opaque color. Only one is a shimmer. They do have a vanilla scent that is pretty strong but it fades after a few minutes.

Six shades:

  • St. Tropez is a stunning duo chrome rose with gold shimmer
  • Blushing is a light-medium cool pink that is actually wearable for me
  • Grape Jelly is an electric purple cream
  • Toffee is a medium nude that has very subtle shimmer
  • Caramel is a warm pink brown
  • Tango is a deep plum with red tones

On the lips, foundation shade worn is NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland + St. Moritz mixed together (review + swatches in this post here):

Two sets of comparisons:
Buxom Wildly Whipped in Centerfold (review here)
Anastasia Lip Gloss in Undressed and Vintage (review here)
Tarteist Glossy Lip Paint in Obvi and Goals
NARS Lip Cover in Get Dirty and Overheated (review)

YSL Pop Water Gloss Stain in 205 (swatched here)
Buxom Wildly Whipped in Wandress and Swinger (review here)
Marc Jacobs Lip Lacquer in Whip It (reviewed here)
Anastasia Lip Gloss in Metallic Rose (review here)

Both items are phenomenal in terms of quality, pigment and lasting power. The Glow Kit in Sun Dipped is absolutely gorgeous. If I had to pick Sun Dipped or That Glow, I would say for me Sun Dipped is the winner. It has that gorgeous mauve shimmer which is pretty for the eyes and cheeks. The kit is on the shimmery side so I have to use with a lighter hand. If you are medium to tan to deep it will have more contrast on your skin.
The Mini Lip Gloss is pure love for me even though there is one shade that I won’t ever wear (Grape Jelly). I think the mini size is really cute and they have the same sponge tip applicator that’s flat but flexible. The minis run at 2 g each while the full size glosses are 4.5 g.

You can find the Sun Dipped Glow Kit at Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Macy’s and Anastasia Beverly Hills. Right now it appears the Mini Lip Gloss Set is available only at Anastasia Beverly Hills.

Have you looked at these yet?
Chanel

Chanel Aqua Glossimer for Summer 2016

June 3, 2016

The Chanel Collection Dans La Lumière de L’Été features six colors for lips in a new gloss formula called Aqua Glossimer ($30 each for 5.5g/0.19 oz, all limited-edition). These are similar to the regular Glossimers which I’ve been a long time fan of for natural color and shine. The new Aqua Glossimer is a lighter kind of gloss with a lightweight almost watery cushion feel and sheer color. The colors in the tubes are absolutely gorgeous. Once I applied them on my lips I was undecided how I felt about them. They have a very sheer finish and almost feel jelly like. At first they felt so emollient I thought they would slide off my lips. I did put these to the test though and am happy to report that they do not slide around but stay put, however if you don’t like that thinner emollient feel for a gloss you may want to add a neutral lipliner first to help it feel like it won’t slide.

The colors have a mix of jelly non-shimmers and a couple shimmers. The 3 deeper colors have better color payoff. The lighter shades give the lips a barely there tint. If you like color to show up I would say pass on these – they will simply be too sheer for you. Curiosity got the best of me and being a Chanel fan I just had to try them. I am happy with the formula and colors – I think they are fun for an effortless kind of wash, however if I will say that if you want a nice wash of color I would recommend the YSL Rouge Volupte Shines I reviewed in April instead even though the formula is completely different. The color payoff is much better but will still give you that beautiful sheen. If you still want a gloss but with more color stick with the regular Chanel Glossimer formula or try the YSL Pop Water Glossy Stains – I reach for these frequently and I repurchased Wet Nude and Pink Rain.

Onto the colors for the Aqua Glossimers. They also come with a slightly different applicator which has a pointy tip instead of the regular rounded tips:
  • Tanami is a sheer coral with a hint of pink
  • Sirocco is a bright orange red with gold shimmer 
  • Rouge Desert is a sheer brick red but on me it brightens a bit because it’s sheer
  • Dzhari is a gorgeous plum red with shimmer, unfortunately most plums turn red on me, this may look more true to the tube on your lips
  • Sahara is a sheer your lips but better shimmer, it’s a pale peach gold in the tube but is almost transparent on my lips
  • Ademium is a soft rose pink without any shimmer

Swatches:

All swatched on bare lips, for skintone reference I’m wearing NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint in Groenland + St. Moritz mixed (review here) with NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation in Punjab (review in this post here) on top to set.

One last look:

I give them a thumbs up for the formula and natural shine. They have a very nice hydrating emollient feel and do not slide around. Lasting power is about average for a gloss – they stay put like most other glosses will but color transfer will happen if your lips touch anything or you snack. If you’re looking for an effortless kind of wash of color you’ll like these. However I don’t think they will appeal to everyone because they are on the sheer side. You can build the color by layering it and it won’t feel too goopy. If you’re a natural lip lover like me but want a bit more color try the YSL Rouge Volupte Shines I mentioned above – there will be similar colors but they have more pigment and color payoff.

All that being said I do recommend these. Given that they are sheer and if I were to do it over again, I don’t think I would have purchased all six. I almost never try glosses at the counter on my lips because they aren’t sanitary so with these you don’t know until you try them on your lips. My top three picks would be Adenium, Tanami and Sirocco.

You can find the Aqua Glossimers at counters now. All the shades are limited-edition. They retail for $30 each. Available online at Nordstrom (where I bought mine), Neiman Marcus, Chanel.com and all other Chanel retailers.

For those curious about what other bits of Chanel Summer I will be reviewing, I have both of the Les Beiges duos and the Le Vernis in Turban that I will be reviewing soon (preview here). Espadrilles has already been reviewed in this post here.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?