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Buxom Holiday Lip Sets: Leave Your Mark & Don’t Miss a Beat

November 7, 2015

Each year I swear the gift sets get better and better. Buxom Cosmetics has several amazing holiday sets out this year. There are two lip gloss sets in particular that are beyond adorable. The Don’t Miss A Beat Full-On Lip Polish Collection ($32) has six mini lip polishes. Possibly one of the most impressive lip gloss sets this year is the Leave Your Mark Full-On Lip Polish and Lip Cream Set ($59) for 15 mini lip polishes and lip creams. These contain plumping glosses that come with a sponge-tip applicator. There is a minty feel to these and they do make the lips look full with plumping activity but it’s not numbing or too tingly. The colors in both sets are so so so good! Normally sets have several repeat shades, in these two there is only one color that is in both sets which is Jennifer. This is my first time trying on the Full-On Lip Polishes and Full-On Lip Creams and I really don’t know what took me so long. For comparison, the minis have 0.07 fl oz while the full sized Lip Polishes have 0.15 fl oz and Lip Creams have 0.14 fl oz, both full sized versions retail at $19 each. Here is what they look like in the box – how fun is the packaging?
All the colors laid out along with some other Buxom goodies that I’ve been loving. A few full-sized Lip Creams also shown for size comparison. All the colors are so amazing. It’s rare that I like most of the colors in sets, but in this case I liked all the colors with the exception of one (White Russian was too pale for my lips and settled into lines). These are great to gift yourself, a friend, or if you’re doing a mix of little goodies you can split them up into different gift bags.
Don’t Miss A Beat is the smaller set. The colors are all Full-On Lip Polishes and all have some degree of shimmer. Some are more sparkly than others. In this set, all have either subtle shimmer or tiny flecks of gold sparkle. Colors are: Destiny (peach carnation), Nicole (shimmering strawberry), Ava (berry smoothie), Jennifer (flirty fuchsia), Kayla (preppy pink), Dolly (shimmering sultry mauve.

Lip swatches below, for skintone reference I’m wearing Marc Jacobs Genius Gel in Golden Medium and Urban Decay Naked Skin Powder Foundation in Medium Light Warm (equivalent of Chanel Beige 40 right now). Dolly is my perfect your lips but better shade.
Leave Your Mark is an impressive 15 piece set. It has a good mix of neutrals, brights, and sparkly colors. The Lip Creams have medium to full coverage and are non-shimmer. The Lip Polishes range in pigment depending on the color. The most glitzy lip polish is Olivia and Zoe which have more sparkle. The others have a more subtle or less frosted shimmer finish. Colors in this one are listed below.

Mini Full-On Lip Polish in Bunny (fresh peach nectar), Jennifer (flirty fuchsia), Olivia (pink disco), Sandy (almost naked), Sophia (sweetheart pink), Starr (sweetheart pink), Taylor (crimson flame), Zoe (dazzling orchid).

Mini Full-On Lip Cream in Berry Blast (vivid fuchsia), Cherry Flip (red poppy), Dolly (sultry mauve), Hot Toddy (toasty nude), Pink Lady (electric pink), Purple Haze (ripe grape), White Russian (nude pink) .

Lip Polishes:

For the Lip Creams, the only shade that didn’t work so well for me was White Russian. It’s a light color that contrasts with my pigmented lip tone so my lip lines showed through. I was really surprised by Purple Haze, it looked like an un-natural bright purple in the tube but it has a slight jelly finish which makes it a really pretty plum-fuchsia.

Both sets are winners. I think they are both really good values even without the Sephora Sale discount. The colors are small enough that you can fit several in your purse or clutch without taking up too much room. But I like that they seem big enough that they will last more than a couple uses. If you’re a VIB Rouge definitely take advantage of the holiday 20% off event now through November 9th (use code ROUGE20). Or if you’re a VIB member the sale starts the 13th (use code VIB20). Full ingredient listing on all formulas can be found on each product page at Sephora.

There’s a Beauty Insider 500 point perk with some cute Buxom minis. If you’re looking for a smaller set to buy there is also the 3-piece Pout Out Loud Set ($19) which has Rebel Rose Bold Gel Lipstick, Lip Cream in Hot Toddy and Lip Polish in Gabby (all minis).
Bottom line, there’s lots to love. The Buxom Don’t Miss a Beat ($32) and Leave Your Mark ($59) sets are both exclusive to Sephora in stores and online. Both are limited-edition. Do you have any favorite Buxom Lip Polishes or Lip Creams? I just took a quick peek online and there are so many shades! I need to check them out in more detail this weekend.
The Buxom lip sets were provided as courtesy press samples for review consideration. All opinions my own.
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Dior Addict Fluid Sticks

October 12, 2015

I’ve been a long time fan of the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks ($35 each for 5.5 ml/0.18 fl oz, made in France) since they launched in spring 2014. These are incredible lipstick/lipgloss hybrids that glide on the lips with full smooth coverage and the most beautiful shine. There have been several new color additions to the formula over summer and fall. I’ve been sitting on some new purchases for a while now. I photographed them months ago and they’ve been sitting in a folder waiting to be edited. Some are listed as limited-edition so I thought I’d swatch and review them so you don’t miss out in case these didn’t make your beauty radar.
If you’re not familiar with the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks I highly recommend you check at least one out. These come in a cute chic silver and clear colored tubes with an angled sponge tip applicator. The sponge is perfectly shaped to get a precise line around the edge of your lip and also wide at the base to cover the lips perfectly. You have to try it in person to appreciate how well designed it is. These are fluid in texture and glide on the lips perfectly. The colors blend out to cover the entire lip with rich pigment but there is a very slight transparent quality so you can see a tiny bit of your natural lip underneath. Swatches of my picks from the initial launch here and here.

Onto the new colors I picked up. Unfortunately one you cannot find in the US – I picked one up in Paris at Sephora, but I will swatch a few other colors to try and dupe it below.

  • Beige Passion (summer 2015, Europe) is a perfect your lips but better natural pink beige. I wish it was available in the US but unfortunately it was never released here. On my lips it’s a very natural color. I like that it’s not too pale so it doesn’t wash me out.
  • Ciel Rose (summer 2015) is a medium rose pink. It’s bright but has a somewhat muted brightness to it which makes it conservative but not boring. It’s the perfect in between of warm and cool which I think will make it a universally flattering color.
  • Tropiques (summer 2015) is similar to Ciel Rose, but it’s brighter and more vibrant. Even though fall is here and plums are in, I still love a good coral pink year round. It brightens the complexion and face and gives a healthy flushed look.
  • Versatile (fall 2015) is a cool pink which I knew would be either hit or miss. In the tube it looked like it might be too cool-toned but it’s actually really perfect. On my hand and arms it pulls a lot of blue so I was surprised that it was very wearable (blue-based pinks often look purplish or too mod on my skintone). If you are looking for a pretty cool pink, this one is really gorgeous.
  • Avant-Garde (fall 2015) is a mauve-nude pink which is a your lips but slightly deeper and more mauve. It’s a pink nude in the tube and swatched on the arm. On my lips it pulls deeper and more cool-toned. Your mileage may vary on the color depending on your skintone. I think it’s an amazing mauve nude – but it will probably look very different on you than it does on me.

Lip swatches:

Swatch comparisons below, note that Frisson has been discontinued and Tiny Pink is a Sephora Exclusive color.

One last shot of the colors below:
Overall a huge thumbs up. I am completely obsessed with these. They are lush liquid lipstick glosses and the formula is amazing. I like that they last a long time on my lips and don’t slide off but still have that gorgeous shine to them. There is a slight perfumed scent to them that is hard to describe but I find it very soothing and refreshing at the same time. The scent does fade after a few minutes.

If you’re in France, Beige Passion is still listed as being in stock online at Sephora France. The other colors are still available at most places online although I haven’t checked in store. They have been out for quite a while now. I don’t usually like to backup lipglosses but I do think Versatile is back-up worthy, it’s the perfect pink I’ve been looking for that is cool-toned but still wearable.

You can find the Dior Addict Fluid Sticks at all Dior counters. Online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Dior.com and all other Dior retailers.

Have you tried any of the newer Dior Addict Fluid Sticks? Which colors are your favorites?
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Sara Happ Lip Scrubs, The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm and One Luxe Glosses

September 9, 2015

I first tried Sara Happ’s line a couple of months ago when I ordered the Sparkling Pink Lip Set from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (it’s still available online). One of my BFFs raves about and swears by The Lip Slip One Luxe Clear Shine Lip Gloss – she wears it over her lipstick or alone for a soft glossy shine. I usually don’t wear clear gloss so I opted for the Pink Lip gloss along with the Grapefruit Lip Scrub since it came in a set – both are really fun to use. I’ve since been able to play with a few more of the items from Sara Happ’s line. Today I have a review on some of The Lip Scrubs, The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm and her One Luxe Gloss in The Pink Slip and The Nude Slip (they all retail at $24 each).

The Sara Happ Lip Scrubs have been on my radar for a long time but the concept of a scrub on the lips sounded a bit harsh for my super sensitive skin. The packaging can’t be beat with these though – they come packaged in a small square box with a white little bow. These make the cutest little gifts and you don’t have to do any wrapping to make them look special. These are gritty and have texture but have an emollient feel so they glide easily on the lips. They do get a bit messy, as you can expect with a scrub. The instructions say to apply on the lips and massage in a circular motion, then wipe off with a tissue. I tried each of these several time and each time I think I applied too much (although maybe it’s because they taste amazing). Using a tissue wasn’t enough to remove it from my lips. I had to wipe it off with a slightly damp towel as well. These leave the lips feeling super soft – it does help remove dry patches and flakes. These are paraben free and made with natural ingredients. Ingredients vary slightly per flavor. I’ve been playing with several flavors for a few weeks now:

  • Peony is a limited-edition flavor, it resembles the floral scent that the lip glosses and lip balm have, it’s not my favorite but if you like soft florals this one is really good, it’s not bad tasting – it’s just the sweeter ones are amazing by comparison
  • Vanilla Bean is a brown-colored scrub, it smells and tastes like vanilla bean without being too sweet or sugary
  • Confetti Cake is another limited-edition one, it tastes and smells similar to Vanilla Bean, but softer and more like a sugar cookie or white cake
  • Sparkling Pink Grapefruit (not shown) smells exactly like grapefruit, if you like citrusy fruity scents this one is really fun

Ingredients of The Luxe Lip Balm (above) and Vanilla Bean Lip Scrub (bottom):

The Lip Slip One Luxe Balm is a floral scented milky pink balm that has tiny bits of silver shimmer mixed in. On my lips it’s pretty clear in color although the milky pink tint does make my lips look a bit pale. It’s on the thick side for a lip balm – a little goes a very long way. This is the closest thing I’ve ever tried that compares to the By Terry Baume de Rose in terms of look and feel. Of course the two aren’t identical, but the Sara Happ Luxe Balm has a similar milky light pink tint and a thick texture with a floral scent. My preference is still for the By Terry, but the Sara Happ does a really good job at hydrating the lips – my only hesitation in keeping this one in my purse for daily use is that it’s very thick in texture and a bit too heavy for day. I suspect once fall/winter rolls around I will be loving the texture more, right now for summer in high 80-100 degree weather, it’s too much.

The One Luxe Glosses come in four colors. Below are two of them in The Pink Slip and The Nude Slip. Both come in a tube with a large sponge applicator. The glosses are fairly thick in texture and have a sticky tacky feel to them. They feel really nourishing on the lips. The Nude Slip is lighter than my natural lip color and took some blending to apply smoothly – it’s a nude color but doesn’t wash out the complexion. I’m a huge lover of nude lips but this one was a bit too pale for my skintone. The Pink Slip on the other hand is a lovely baby pink that has enough color to give the face a glow. It’s on the cool-toned side on my skin but looking at the tube I would call it more in the neutral territory (not too warm and not too cool). It makes the lips look very healthy. Lasting power is pretty good with these since they have that thick tacky feel. If you’re not a fan of thick sticky formulas though you may want to skip.

Swatches of all three:

Bottom line, fun lip products to play with for grown ups. The packaging makes these really special even though you will probably end up throwing away the boxes. It gives them a unique feel that you don’t see with other brands. I’m obsessed with The Pink Slip Lip Gloss as it gives the lips a healthy glow. The Nude Slip is a good nude but too light for me. I like the way the Lip Slip Luxe Balm performs – it hydrates the lips really well, but the texture is thick and a bit too heavy for the hot weather we have right now.

In terms of the Lip Scrubs, I think Vanilla Bean and Confetti Cake are musts. I’m super picky when it comes to sweet scents in lip products – these have just the right amount of sweetness without being over the top. I was skeptical about how useful these would be but after trying them, I really don’t know what took me so long to try one.

Have you tried anything from Sara Happ before? What are your favorites? Occasionally you can see some sets available for sale that give a slight price break. You can find Sara Happ at Nordstrom, Beautyhabit, Blue Mercury, and Selfridges.
Confetti Cake, Vanilla Bean, Peony and The Nude Slip were provided as press samples for review consideration. Other items purchased by me.

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NARS Fall 2015 Collection – Beauty Look Book Picks

July 30, 2015

NARS is among the first to launch their fall beauty collection for 2015. The collection has a mix of bronze and smokey colors for eyes and neutral gloss for lips with a nude shimmer blush. Everything is quite stunning. For the lips NARS relaunched two lipgloss shades in Baby Doll and Chelsea Girls. They now come in wand form without the plastic scent that the potted glosses had (yay!). A couple older formulas/colors for the eyes have been relaunched in the Velvet
Shadow Stick form including Hollywoodland, Goddess and Aigle Noir. My picks include:
Here are swatches of my fall picks side by side:

Baby Doll and Chelsea Girls Lipglosses are both stunning colors. In pot form Babydoll was always a favorite although I hated the taste/scent. The wand form is taste and scent-free. I don’t have the original to compare but from what I remember the pot version was deeper in color on me. The wand form is quite shimmery. With my slight tan this is very cool-toned on me which works but I think it looks better with a neutral lipliner mixed in. Chelsea Girls is a creamy peach pink beige. On the hands it fills in the tiny crevices so I was worried it would emphasize lip lines. I was relieved to find that once on the lips it does not sink into the lip lines and goes on smoothly. It is semi-sheer so my natural lip shows through.

Swatch comparisons to:

Dual Intensity Eyeshadows in Telesto and Pasiphae are the winners in the collection. I’m a huge fan of the Dual Intensity Eyeshadows and the two new colors for fall are exceptionally pretty. They look pretty wet or dry, alone or layered together.

Swatch comparisons to:

Velvet Shadow Sticks in Hollywoodland, Goddess and Oaxaca are shimmery. They have a satiny feel that dries relatively quickly so you need to blend fast once they are on the lids. I prefer to have a slightly creamy base (like a tiny bit of foundation or eye cream) underneath these to help them blend on my eyes better. The pigment is medium to full and the colors are easy to build. They aren’t the most unique shades though so you may want to shop your stash if you want to avoid duplicates.

Swatch comparisons below to:

Tribulation Blush was a surprise for me. When I saw it, I thought it would be frosted and chalky on my cheeks as a blush. On deeper skintones I suspect it will be more like a highlighter. On super fair skin this one might not show up. On medium-tan skin this has the perfect mix of nude and gold to look like a natural glow on the cheeks. It’s an odd color for a blush in my opinion but it works. I like it alone even though it doesn’t add much color. It also works nicely layered on top of neutral blushes to soften the entire look.

Here are a few swatch comparisons next to Charlotte Tilbury Norman Parkinson Highlighter in Dreamy Glow (review soon), Becca x Jaclyn Hill Highlighter in Champagne Pop, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light.

There’s a lot to love with the fall collection. I’m completely in love with both Dual Intensity Eyeshadows, Tribulation Blush and the Baby Doll and Chelsea Girl Lip Glosses. Based on how similar some of the Velvet Shadow Sticks are to other cream shadows I think I could have skipped them but I spotted them in store at my Sephora and couldn’t resist. They are classic neutrals that will go with everything so I know I will get frequent use out of them – they do last longer than the Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks but since the NARS does dry faster they aren’t quite as easy to work with.

The NARS Fall 2015 Collection is available now at NARS Boutiques and narscosmetics.com. It will launch at all other retailers starting August 1st at Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Barney’s New York, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Some of the items featured were press samples including Telesto, Tribulation, Chelsea Girls and Baby Doll. Other items purchased by me include the Velvet Shadow Sticks and Pasiphae.

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Peachy Makeup Loves

July 26, 2015
Right now I’m obsessed with peachy makeup for lips and nails. All variations from peachy nudes, lush peachy apricots and bright coral peaches. Anything with peach is actually a staple for me – the color is almost a neutral to me because I find it goes with everything, almost every occasion or any color outfit. I’ve pulled a few of my favorites that I have had in rotation this summer.

Lips: Clarins, NARS, Tom Ford, Smith & Cult, Marc Jacobs Beauty, YSL and Fresh

  • Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector Sticks (c/o) have been in regular rotation. I’ll have a review of all six shades hopefully this next week. All the colors have the perfect amount of color and shine for a tinted lipbalm. 02 Coral is a sheer light peach.
  • NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Gloss (c/o) is a new shade for fall, it was previously in pot form. It’s now in tube form and seems a bit deeper in color compared to the original making it more wearable.
  • Tom Ford Skinnydip Lip Color Sheer is my favorite peachy nude gold shimmer, it makes the lips look shiny and naturally full.
  • Smith & Cult Her Name is Bubbles is something I’ve been testing out. I ordered 3 glosses, so far the gloss in Her Name is Bubbles is my favorite, it’s a bright coral in the tube but goes on the lips a sheer lush peach. It smells like soft vanilla.
  • Marc Jacobs Uproar (c/o) is the prettiest sheer peach sparkle. It has an ultra luxe cushiony texture that feels super moisturizing on the lips. Review and swatches of all Enamored Hi Shine Lip Lacquers in this post here.
  • Tom Ford Lips & Boys in William is a high shimmer warm gold peach nude. The frost factor is high but I like it. If you can’t do high shimmer frosts, try Skinnydip instead.
  • YSL Pop Water Glossy Stain in Wet Nude is the best sheer nude peach gloss ever. (Swatches and review of more colors here.)
  • Fresh Sugar Lip Shines now come in more shades, Sugar Nude is a sheer peachy nude shimmer with a high shine finish.

Lip swatches of a few of the colors:

Nails: Dior, Smith & Cult, Chanel and Essie

  • Dior Sunkissed is the prettiest peach nude I’ve ever tried. It’s super flattering and brightening on the hands without looking too pale, too pastel, or too peach.
  • Dior Majesty was released in the US as a Nordstrom Anniversary Beauty Exclusive. It’s a brighter peach but still a soft color. Against a tan it makes the hands look darker but it’s a fun bright peach without being too bright.
  • Smith & Cult Ghost Edit is a super sheer glossy nude peach. It took three coats for me to get the color to show. It’s a nice glossy neutral that lets the whites of your nails show through. The look is polished and natural.
  • Essie Sunday Funday is such a pretty coral peach with a tiny hint of shimmer. For the price, the pigment and color is really good. I have yet to find a good base/top coat combination that makes an Essie nail polish last more than 3 days on me (I am still getting major tip wear by day 2). But the colors are fun to wear and affordable.
  • Chanel Mirabella is my favorite orange peach. I’m glad it hasn’t been discontinued even though it was released last year. It’s a pretty bright orange.

What’s your favorite peachy lipstick, lipgloss or nail polish?
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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers

May 19, 2015

 

For summer Marc Jacobs Beauty has launched a new lip gloss formula called the Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquer ($28 each for 5 ml/0.16 fl oz). There are 18 shades of high-shine lip gloss that come in a wide range of colors from soft nudes, feminine pinks, plums, corals and bolder reds. The textures range from jelly, to cream, to shimmer – all with a smooth lush cushiony gloss feel. In terms of pigment, most of the colors offer sheer to medium coverage. Some you can wear alone while others are best used for high shine or to layer over lipstick. There is a subtle sweet minty scent to the glosses which have a cooling (but not tingling) feel on the lips. The Enamored Lip Lacquers are infused with apricot and passionfruit and feel ultra hydrating and smooth once applied. I’ve teamed up with Marc Jacobs Beauty to share all 18 colors with you today.

 

 

First a quick look at the packaging. The new Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers are similar in design and packaging compared to the original lip lacquers (sheer and full). The tube is now a rounded square rather than a flattened tube but still has the same flexible sponge-tip applicator.

 

 

A closer look at the sponge-tipped applicators:

 

 

on the nails two coats of Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer in Le Charm

 

Above: Daisy Nail Lacquer, Honeybun (P)Outliner, O!Mega Bronzer
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All the colors plus swatches and close ups below:

 

 

I’ve grouped the colors into three categories, first up are the Pinks and Roses:

 

 

  • Love Buzz is a metallic pink gold, the shimmer is very smooth and gives lips a lush full glossy glow, pigment and coverage on this one is medium, it will cover the entire lip but has a slight transparent quality to let the natural lip shine through
  • Pink Flamingo is a soft cool pink jelly, this one has no shimmer, finish on this one is sheer
  • Allow Me is most similar to the original gloss in Kissability, it’s a medium rose with tiny gold flecks mixed in, it has a very smooth non-gritty texture, coverage on this is sheer-to-medium
  • Love Drunk is a brown-rose with gold shimmer, it’s a few shades darker and more brown compared to Allow Me, coverage is medium
  • Rebel Rebel is a deeper but soft warm rosy color, it has multi-colored shimmers mixed in with a slight blueish sheen, coverage on this one is sheer-to-medium

 

 

 

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Next up are the Nudes:

 

 

  • Moon Glow is an ultra pale nude cream, if you have pigmented lips like me, it will contrast with your natural lip tone, one swipe may appear chalky, but if you layer this and blot, the color will smooth out, pigment is medium to full depending how you layer it
  • Pretty Thing is a sheer glossy warm peachy pink nude with a jelly finish, there is no shimmer in this one, on my pigmented lips it evens out the lip tone for a natural your lips but better sheen, coverage is sheer to medium
  • Sugar Sugar is a neutral beige with gold shimmer flecks, it feels more like a cream shade even though it has a bit of shimmer, coverage on this one is medium
  • Taboo is stunning metallic nude rose with champagne frost, on the lips the shimmer is very smooth, this is similar to Love Drunk in finish, it makes the lips look full and glossy, coverage is sheer to medium
  • French Tickler is a sheer iridescent pink beige with tiny silver and champagne sparkles, coverage on this one is ultra sheer, it will add a nice shine to the lips and for me works best layered over other lipsticks (or a liner)

 

 

 

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Last but not least, On-Trend Bolds:

 

 

  • Some Girls is a gorgeous shimmery warm watermelon pink, it has smooth shimmer (no frost) coverage on this one is medium
  • Forbidden Fruit is a sheer jelly orange, coverage on this one is sheer, but the brightness of the color gives the lips a soft wash of color
  • Whip It is a bright metallic fuchsia, coverage on this one is medium
  • Uproar is a peachy gold in the tube, on the lips it’s very sheer, almost transparent, it gives the lips a very subtle sheen of shimmer
  • Hot Hot Hot is a jelly pink red, it has a high shine and you can layer the color for more coverage, pigment is medium on this one
  • Hey You is similar to Hot Hot Hot but it’s more pink/warm-based (versus blue/pink), coverage and pigment is medium
  • Pink Steam is a metallic lilac pink, it’s purply in the tube and on the arms, on the lips there is a see through quality that lets your natural lip shine through and looks slightly more pinkish, it’s a very wearable lilac
  • Boom is a sheer jelly plum, coverage is sheer to medium on this one, the bright color of this gives the lips a tint of lush plum, you can layer for more pigment, but on me it’s still a jelly

 

 

 

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In addition to each individual lip lacquer, Marc Jacobs Beauty has a few #Enamored Lip and Nail Pairing Sets ($46 each) available exclusively online. The colors were personally selected by Marc Jacobs, each set include one nail polish, one lip lacquer and a black zip cosmetic pouch:
  • #EnamoredWith Desire has Lip Lacquer in Love Drunk + Nail Lacquer in Petra
  • #EnamoredWith Seduction includes Lip Lacquer in Moonglow + Nail Lacquer in Jezebel
  • #EnamoredWith Charm contains Lip Lacquer in Uproar + Nail Lacquer in Le Charm (colors shown below)

 

 

I’ve been playing with the glosses for a few weeks now and found lasting power to be pretty good given the shine and jelly finish. The Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers last for several hours without fading or budging if your lips go untouched. The gloss has decent lasting power and will stay put through one cup of coffee, but there will be transfer to the cup. The good news is even though these are sheer, the texture makes them pretty much budge-proof and the color doesn’t fade until several hours into wear. Overall I think there’s lots to love with this formula. If you like high shine glosses with sheer to medium coverage I think you’ll definitely find a color to suit your taste. My personal top three picks include Love Buzz, Pink Steam, Taboo and Some Girls. The shimmery/metallic ones seem to have the best coverage with slightly more pigment. Even though my favorites are on the metallic side, they go on the lips with a smooth lush shimmer that isn’t overly frosted. Long time Beauty Look Book readers know I am a neutral lip lover at heart, but I find the brighter ones very wearable. The glossy finish and semi-sheer color makes these more forgiving on the lips – the shades are perfect for that effortless glow and wash of color that I crave in warm weather months.

 

There are 18 shades available now online at Marc Jacobs Beauty. Each color retails for $28. Have you checked out the new Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers yet? If so, what did you think?

Many thanks to Marc Jacobs Beauty for sponsoring this post. The glosses were provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs for this feature. For more details refer to my disclosures.

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Christopher Kane for NARS Lip Glosses: Nucleus, Glow Pink, Mezmer and Nebulous

May 7, 2015

For summer 2015, NARS and Christopher Kane have partnered to launch a limited-edition collection of neons and neutrals to showcase Christopher Kane’s edgy design aesthetic with NARS’ iconic and bold beauty philosophy. I’ve been playing with the collection for a few weeks now and first up are the Christopher Kane for NARS Lip Glosses ($26 each for 0.18 oz/6 ml). There are four shades of lip gloss in the collection that come with the special fuchsia NARS Print and white Christopher Kane name embossed on the caps. The rest of the packaging is similar to that of the regular lip glosses with the sponge-tip applicator. The colors have a high-shine finish with a transparent quality. They appear to be sheer but the brighter colors have a bright base that add color once you let them sit. They leave a stain on the lips once the gloss is gone.

The four shades are all creams/jellies (no shimmer):

  • Nucleus is a sheer pale milky pink 
  • Glow Pink is a sheer violet purple that looks like a soft pink tint
  • Mezmer is a warm watermelon pink that goes on bright
  • Nebulous is a sheer coral orange peach
Swatches of each color show the transparent quality. Glow Pink looks violet in the tube but sheers out. Mezmer is the brightest and most pigmented of the four colors. Nebulous looks super bright in the tube but sheers out to give the lips a light tint of color. Nucleus is the creamiest.

Close ups and swatches on the lips. As always, lip swatches only show the color reviewed. Some readers have been asking about the lipliners I’ve been wearing on lip swatches. I have pigmented lips which means my natural lip color sometimes shows through the lipstick, especially around the edges. It can give the appearance of lipliner, but it’s just my natural lip that is showing through. Lipliner is included only when specified in each post.

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Nucleus is a sheer pale pink. The lightness contrasts with my natural lip tone and settles into the fine lines if I wear this alone. It looks best when layered over a lipstick or filled in lipliner. I like this over NARS Raquel Lipstick or Chanel Natural Lipliner. Below swatched alone on bare lips where you can see that Nucleus is a transparent-ish color.

striped boatneck by J.Crew, current season’s style here
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Glow Pink is a violet pink. It’s a sheer jelly which gives the lips a tint of color. On my lips it brings out the pink tones of my natural lip. On my lips it looks warmer than it does when swatched on the hand or in the tube.

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Mezmer is a warm watermelon pink in the tube but on my lips it turns into a bright cool fuchsia. I swatched this multiple times on different days to make sure there wasn’t any remnants of stain from other colors on my lips. Each time it looked exactly like this as shown below. Your mileage may vary with this color as it melds with your specific natural lip tone. Out of the four Christopher Kane for NARS Lip Glosses I found this one to be the most pigmented but it still has a jelly finish.

striped boatneck by J.Crew, current season’s style here
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Nebulous is a hot orange in the tube. On the lips it sheers out to a coral peachy glow. This is my favorite in the bunch because of the way it transforms on the lips. I like it alone but it’s also pretty layered over Barbarella Lipstick or Barbara Lipstick from NARS. Here it is swatched alone on bare lips. 

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Some swatched comparisons for reference:

If you like sheer jelly brights then I think you’ll find something to love in the Christopher Kane for NARS collection. I found the glosses have a similar vibe to some other sheer jelly lip glosses but I do like the fact that the NARS ones have a stain factor making them more pigmented and colorful compared to the traditional jelly gloss. My personal favorites are Nebulous and Glow Pink because they give the lips a healthy tint of color that looks bright but still natural. Mezmer is so gorgeous in the tube but on me it turns into a cool fuchsia which is fun, but I don’t usually gravitate towards bright cool pinks because they turn blue on my olive skin. Nucleus is a fail when worn alone, but it’s a good one when layered over lipstick/liner or when mixed with other lip glosses. This is mainly because of my super pigmented lips that contrast with the pale undertone.
A quick peek at the Christopher Kane for NARS Collection from the Melrose Boutique:

Have you checked out the NARS Christopher Kane collection yet? What did you think? You can find the lip glosses now at all NARS counters and Boutiques. Online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and Narscosmetics.com.

Nucleus was provided as a press sample for review consideration. All other colors purchased by me.

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