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Lipstick

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Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipstick Sorbet

February 19, 2016

Happy Friday everyone! Today I’m excited to share a first look at one of the new Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Lipsticks ($26 for .15 oz/4.35g, made in Canada) in Sorbet. Right now these are online exclusives to Sephora VIB Rouge and VIB Members. They are expected to launch in stores by early March which is just around the corner. The Amuse Bouche Lipstick line replaces the previous Luminous Crème Lipstick with a new and improved formula. There are 34 handcrafted shades with a super creamy texture in pigmented bold colors. All the colors are made with 12 edible oils and come softly scented with a delicious citrus flavor (they are made with fresh pressed fruits). I have one shade to share today in Sorbet which is a medium watermelon pink cream. I’m working my way through swatching the remaining shades (34 shades in total). These lipsticks are one-swipe wonders, super creamy, long lasting, moisturizing and really just incredible.

Sorbet is the perfect bright medium summery pink. It’s bold and bright but not too bright. I teamed up with Bite Beauty to share my favorite color via Instagram and am sharing swatches here on the blog. I swatched a few other colors from my collection and there’s nothing I own that’s quite like Sorbet. It has a brightness to it with the perfect mix of warm and cool and bright.

First a quick look at the packaging, these come in the same design and packaging as the Luminous Crème Lipsticks. By comparison, the new Amuse Bouche formula is significantly more creamy in texture with richer bolder pigment. I found the original formula to be really good, but somehow Bite has managed to make an even better lipstick formula.

Lipstick next to an iPhone and sunglasses for scale:

A look at Bite Beauty Sorbet with a side of sorbet 🙂 It’s always time for dessert right? In direct sunlight Sorbet looks like a warm watermelon pink shade:

Swatched it sometimes looks like a cooler pink, other times it’s warmer, with flash + sun it’s warmer:

Without flash, it looks a bit cooler:


Applied straight from the tube:

Swatched on the lips without flash:

Ingredients:

The lipsticks last an impressive amount of time without feathering or fading. Here’s what the lipstick looked like after 5 hours of wear (it lasted through a few cups of tea and a couple of snacks):

Some comparison swatches: 

Tom Ford Lip Color in Pink Dusk (swatched on lips here)
NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anita (on lips here)
Charlotte Tilbury Between the Sheets (swatches here)
Tom Ford Lips and Boys Jake (review here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in Forbidden Pink (on the lips here)
Charlotte Tilbury Kiss Chase (review here)

When brands reformulate something I love, my first reaction is to panic because I often think why change something that’s already so good? The formula of the Amuse Bouche Lipsticks is a lot better than the original Luminous Creme formula (even though I really liked it). Amuse Bouche has better pigment, richer coverage, more of a shine, better lasting power and better colors. These are a luminous full coverage creamy formula that doesn’t look flat. Even though they are creamy with a naturally glossy shine they adhere well to the lips and don’t feel like they are sliding off (and they stay put really well). I give these a huge thumbs up.

If you’re a VIB Rouge or VIB member you can order Bite Beauty’s Amuse Bouche Lipsticks online now at Sephora at $26 each. They launch for everyone else online and in stores starting early March. Have you checked these out yet? If so which colors and what did you think?

Amuse Bouche lipsticks provided courtesy of Bite Beauty for review.

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Chanel

Chanel Rouge Coco Stylo Complete Care Lipshine

February 18, 2016

There’s a new lipstick formula from Chanel called the Rouge Coco Stylo ($37 each for 2 g/0.07 oz) which comes in a slim twist-up tube that’s described as having “the intensity of a lipstick, the shine of a lipgloss and comfort of a lip balm.” It truly is a three-in-one kind of lipstick. These have medium to full pigment – coverage is a lot better than the Rouge Coco Shines and just as much pigment as the Rouge Coco Lipsticks. Out of all the Chanel lipstick formulas I’ve tried the new Rouge Coco Stylos are definitely the most creamy in texture and most hydrating in feel. There is a soft floral scent to these similar to the Rouge Coco lipsticks. The formula is quite amazing and all the colors are knock out beautiful. There’s a tiny bit of shimmer in the tubes, but on the lips it’s very subtle. You mostly see color and shine.

There are neutral and bright colors in the mix, there are eight shades total:
  • Conte 202 is a baby pink with golden shimmer
  • Article 204 is a bright warm tangerine with a vibrant finish
  • Histoire 206 is a bright coral shade, on me it pulls red
  • Roman 208 is bright fuchsia pink
  • Recit 212 is a plum shade with gold flecks
  • Message 214 is a warm watermelon pink
  • Lettre 216 is a medium soft rose pink
  • Script 218 is a beige nude pink-brown

Lip swatches with the Rouge Coco Stylos alone on bare lips (no liner or other added colors, I have naturally pigmented lips so sometimes the lip shows through around the edges):

In terms of lasting power I found they lasted a lot longer than the Rouge Coco Shines, about the same amount of time as Rouge Allures or Rouge Cocos. They stay put on the lips and adhere well for a glossy finish lip product. Colors will fade or transfer with snacks or drinks, but as long as you don’t touch the lips to any food, straws or cups they stay on long. I give the formula an overwhelmingly positive thumbs up. The only downside I see is the price seems high given the amount of product in each tube, but the formula performs well, looks good, makes the lips look and feel well hydrated and healthy. Bottom line is you need at least one.
You can find the Rouge Coco Stylos for $37 each now at Chanel.com. I also spotted them in store and online at Nordstrom but they should be arriving at all Chanel counters now.

Three shades provided courtesy of Chanel, the remaining five purchased by me.

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Charlotte Tilbury

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Between the Sheets and K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Kiss Chase

February 11, 2016

There are two new lipsticks from Charlotte Tilbury this spring named by Charlotte Tilbury lovers via social media. There is a new Matte Revolution Lipstick in Between the Sheets and K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Kiss Chase ($32 each, both exclusive to CharlotteTilbury.com). This season I swear lipsticks are draining my beauty budget. There are quite a few new launches this season from so many brands – being the Charlotte Tilbury fan that I am, I had to order both sight unseen even though there is no counter or store to see these two since they are online exclusives (at least they are in the US).

Above left is Kiss Chase, right is Between the Sheets

Both shades have a very romantic feel to them. If you visit Charlotte Tilbury’s website you will see a few beauty looks and the transformation with color is amazing! Between the Sheets is described as a dreamy vintage rose petal shade. I find it’s a bright baby petal pink with a hint of coral if that makes sense. It’s what I wanted Marc Jacobs Georgie Girl and Tom Ford Pink Tease to be on me. It’s the Matte Revolution formula which is one of the best matte lipstick formulas on the market (review on other shades in this post here). It has full coverage but still looks natural and non-cakey. There’s a tiny bit of shimmer in the tube but it doesn’t show on on the lips. Kiss Chase is a warm bright raspberry color. It looks like it would pull cool-toned on my lips, but once applied, it looks more warm. This is the K.I.S.S.I.N.G formula which is full coverage, creamy and has a slight sheen in the finish.

A closer look at both shades + swatches.

Lip Swatches, up first is Between the Sheets:

Some swatch comparisons:

Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Nude Pink (swatched here)
Marc Jacobs Georgie Girl (swatches here)
Charlotte Tilbury Miss Kensington (review here)
Tom Ford Forbidden Pink (on the lips here)
Tom Ford Pink Tease (swatch here)
Bite Beauty in Heather (review here)
MAC Without Your Love (here)

Next up is Kiss Chase:

Comparison swatches, if you find Kiss Chase to be too bold/bright, I’d highly recommend you try Edward Bess Night Romance instead which is the best raspberry cream lipstick I’ve ever tried:

Marc Jacobs Beauty Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (swatched here)
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Bond Girl and Walk of Shame (swatches here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in Negligee (swatched here)
Buxom Bold Gel Lipstick in Forbidden Berry (on the lips here)

There are so many new lipstick formulas and options to pick from right now. I wish I could say that you should save your $$$ and skip these, but the formula is phenomenal. I’ve repeatedly mentioned that I’m not a fan of matte lips for me – I have full lips to begin with and mattes often make them look larger and flat in color. The Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick Formula is one of the few that manages to look luminous and matte at the same time. Between the Sheets turned out to be brighter and a bit more mod-like on my lips than I anticipated, but I love it. Kiss Chase is a bright and vibrant rosey shade. Even for a neutral lip lover like myself, I can’t help but think it’s such a pretty bright that I don’t feel self-conscious wearing.

I think if you like these kinds of shades, the Charlotte Tilbury lipstick formulas are top notch in terms of quality, wear and lasting power. I give both Between the Sheets and Kiss Chase a huge thumbs up. You can find both Between the Sheets and Kiss Chase exclusively online at Charlotte Tilbury ($32 each).

Have you checked these out or ordered them yet? What did you think?

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Tatcha Sunrise: A Plum Blossom 23-Karat Gold Illuminated Lipstick (Limited-Edition)

February 10, 2016
Tatcha just launched a new lipstick called Sunrise: A Plum Blossom ($55 for 3g/0.1 oz, made in Japan, limited-edition). As soon as I heard about it I immediately ordered a few as it looked like a pretty plum pink lip color I would wear everyday. Tatcha’s Sunrise Lipstick is one of the most luxurious lip colors I think I’ve ever splurged on. Everything is exquisite from the box to the packaging design of the tube. It’s described as a cool plum pink blush color that has a fine hint of 23-karat gold mixed in for a creamy, lustrous finish to flatter any complexion, day or night. I see a very fine veil of gold in the color but on the lips it applies more like a cream. It’s very creamy and smooth and glides on the lips easily without having too much slip. I’m so impressed with the way it feels – it’s very moisturizing but feels lightweight. I can’t detect any scent or taste which is a huge plus. Lasting power for this glossy finish lipstick is pretty impressive. On me it pulls more pink than plum and brightens the entire look for a fresh pink glow. Do note that on me, anything plum-toned tends to pull brighter and more vibrant for some reason. I recommend you check out the swatches on The Non-Blonde and Best Things in Beauty to see how it looks on other skintones.

Tatcha’s Sunrise Lip Color is inspired by the first spring time blooms of the iconic pink Japanese Plum Blossoms in Kyoto. Here in Southern California we don’t have any but I played tourist in my hometown and took a visit to the Japanese Gardens at Balboa Park to see what blooms I could find. Right now the Pear Trees are in full bloom everywhere with pretty white blossoms.

A closer look at the packaging and intricate details. The lipstick comes in a heavy weight sleek metal tube. It’s quite luxurious and I love the clean classic look of it. There are gold details on the cap and base that give this an extra special touch.

Above, on the nails Essie Barefoot and Topless 
Below, a look at the multi-faceted design of the lipstick itself

Another look at the detailing:

Some swatches, applied straight from the tube it adheres well to the lips, but with glossy lipsticks sometimes they swatch sheer on the arm. I have one light and one heavier one to show how you can build the pigment. On the lip swatches lipstick is applied straight from the tube.

Some comparison swatches:

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lip Color in Bond Girl (reviewed here)
Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Cary (swatched here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in Pink Dusk (on the lips here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in So Vain (on my lips here)
Chanel Rouge Coco Mademoiselle (reviewed here)
Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Rose Blush (swatched here)

Note many of the above colors look similar on the arm, but they are pretty distinct in my opinion, especially on the lips. Tatcha Sunrise is the brightest and most youthful. Tom Ford Lips and Boys in Cary looks a lot deeper and darker on my lips. Tom Ford So Vain is significantly cooler-toned and more blue-based. Chanel Mademoiselle is warmer.

Tatcha’s Sunrise A Plum Blossom shade is hands down a winner. Even with the high price point of $55 I think it’s something that will be truly a universally flattering color no matter what skintone or lip color you have. Everything from the formula, packaging and way the lipstick is molded is exquisite and well worth the high price tag. I think it’s the perfect bright but still somewhat neutral pinkish color with a hint of plum to add life to the complexion this time of year. It’s the color I will be wearing on Valentine’s Day 🙂 It’s a soft romantic pink that has enough pigment to show up but still neutral enough to be on the natural side. I believe it’s exclusive to Tatcha.com (where I ordered mine). Since it’s limited-edition, I do recommend ordering very soon. The last one that was launched sold out very quickly (it was a red shade and I missed out).

Right now, Tatcha has a promotion to Celebrate the Lunar New Year and a golden future ahead with their Omokage Gold-leaf Hand Mirror, a hand-crafted treasure from Kyoto. You can enjoy a complimentary Hand Mirror with code MIRROR16 at checkout at Tatcha with any order over $200. Begins 2/7/16 while supplies last.

Have you checked out the new Tatcha lipstick yet? If not I hope you will! If you have, I’d love to hear what you think about it!

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Chinese New Year 2016 Armani Highlighting Palette and MAC Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer for the Year of the Monkey

February 8, 2016

Happy Chinese New Year! Today marks the day many of us celebrate Chinese New Year and this year’s zodiac animal is the monkey. There are some cute beauty items that have launched to celebrate this event, I have two to feature today. One being the Armani Chinese New Year Highlighting Palette ($88 for 8.5 g/0.3 oz, made in France) and the other is MAC Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer ($17 for 3g/0.1 oz, made in Canada).

Up first is the new highlighting powder from Armani. The Chinese New Year Highlighting Palette comes in a mirrored compact with a compartment for a small brush. The packaging design is similar to that of other highlighting powders and the powder foundation. It’s a very soft and subtle highlighter in a gold shade. It does have quite a complex mix of shimmers from champagne and gold. I found the finish to be on the sheer side but it is buildable. Depending on how the light hits the compact, sometimes the color will look more golden and yellow, other times the shimmers will reflect to show more of a champagne colored shimmer. It comes cased in a stunning red lacquered compact. On the top is embossed the Chinese character for good fortune. It was difficult to capture the shimmer in this one but depending on how you apply it, you will see tiny bits of micro sparkle, almost like superfine tiny bits of glitter. It’s very smooth on the skin though, there’s no texture or chunkiness to the feel.

A look at the packaging design:

Swatched with a heavy hand otherwise it would not show up on camera:

A few swatch comparisons below to:
Armani Fluid Sheer #2 (also swatched here)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light (review)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder Brilliant Strobe Light (swatch)
Hourglass Ambient Strobe Lighting Powder Euphoric Strobe Light (review)

I think it’s a nice collective piece to own if you celebrate Chinese New Year or if you simply love Armani highlighters. I find it special because of the packaging design and since I am Chinese, I do think it’s a fun piece to own. In terms of the color and quality, it’s a high quality powder with a finely milled texture to add a nice glow. On me I find it very subtle. I suspect some may find it too subtle or may not like the tiny gold micro sparkles. I like that it doesn’t emphasize pores and it feels very smooth on the skin. That being said, I do prefer the Hourglass Ambient Strobe Powders to this one.

Next up is something from MAC. They’ve curated a collection of some of their top-selling items (repromotes and permanent items) for the Year of the Monkey Collection – shades inspired by Chinese opera. Online and in MAC stores they have a special gold envelope (while supplies last). I ordered Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer online as it’s always been on my radar but I never caved and ordered. It’s a beautiful sheer grapefruit color. It’s bright but not too bright. You can find the color at all MAC counters and online. It’s just the envelope that is limited-edition and exclusive to MAC online/stores. This comes in the lustre lipstick formula which is sheer but buildable. Your natural lip color will show through if you only swipe it across the lips once and it has a naturally glossy finish.

Swatch comparisons to:
Buxom Bold Gel Lipstick in Coral Confession (swatched here)
YSL Glossy Stain 42 (swatched here)

I think the Armani palette is a nice item to have, but not a must. I ordered mine sight unseen as I did not see it available at any counters near me. Had I been able to test it in person I suspect there’s a good chance I still would have purchased it because of the packaging and personal meaning. MAC See Sheer is a good wearable coral that adds life to the complexion. It’s a brighter shade compared to my natural preference for nude lips but I still find it very wearable and easy to pull off for everyday.
The Armani Chinese New Year Palette retails for $88 and is limited-edition. You can find it online at Nordstrom, Giorgio Armani and Saks Fifth Avenue.

MAC Lustre Lipstick in See Sheer retails for $17. You can find it at MAC stores and online (they will send a gold envelope with any Chinese New Year collection purchase while supplies last). If you’re just interested in the lipstick, it’s widely available at all MAC counters. Online at Nordstrom, Macy’s and MAC Cosmetics.

Did you check out any of the Chinese New Year beauty items this year? Happy New Year to those who celebrate!

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YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain – Spring 2016

January 18, 2016

This spring YSL has launched two new Glossy Stains ($36 each) in Tangerine Boho and Rose Folk. Both are warm-toned glossy tints. I couldn’t find these anywhere at counters near me so I ordered these online sight unseen. The colors are warmer than I anticipated but offer a medium to bright wash of coral to the lips that will brighten the complexion. I’m a huge fan of many of the YSL Glossy Stains (in particular the Pop Water colors). These are different from your normal lip stain because they don’t dry out my lips and remain glossy once dry.

Love Pink nail lacquer (available for pre-order at Saks)

Tangerine Boho is a warm bright coral red. Rose Folk is a few shades lighter but runs peachy on me (instead of a pink like the name rose implies). Your mileage may vary depending on your lip tone – these pull very warm on me but have a slight transparent quality which allows the lip to show through slightly. These are slightly scented with a pleasant sweet fragrance but it’s subtle and not overpowering.

In case you’re new to this formula, the tips are beveled for easy application:

Swatch comparisons:

YSL Pop Water Glossy Stains in Wet Nude, Juicy Peach, Eau de Corail (swatched here)
Tom Ford Lip Color in Twist of Fate (review here)
Tom Ford Bare Peach (reviewed here)
MAC Huggable Glass in Such a Sweetheart and Cool & Cute (reviewed here)
Tom Ford Sweet Spot (swatches here)

If you already own some of the other Pop Water Glossy stains I think you can probably skip these two. Tangerine Boho is a redder version of Juicy Peach and more red version of Onde Rose. Rose Folk is a slightly deeper version of Wet Nude and lighter than Eau de Corail. I do think they are both lovely – although these are from the spring collection, they have more of a summery vibe.
I’m drawn more towards Rose Folk (the lighter option) as I love a good peachy color. I do think it pulls more peach than rose, but if you’ve seen/tested these in person, I’d love to hear your take on these as well.

Both of the YSL Glossy Stains from the spring collection retail for $36 each. You might want to see if your local counters have these. Also online at Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York and YSL.

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Too Faced Melted Chocolate Liquified Lipsticks

January 6, 2016

For spring Too Faced launched six new Liquified Lipsticks called Melted Chocolate ($21 each for 12 ml/0.40 fl oz). The colors are all chocolate-inspired and best of all have the most amazing chocolate scent. There are two different formulas/finishes: there are full coverage creams with no shimmer called “long wear” and then there are the shimmery ones called “metallic.” The creams are pretty consistent to the regular Melted Liquified Long Wear Lipsticks in terms of pigment, coverage and finish – they are super rich and smooth and cover the lips entirely like lipstick but with a liquid texture. The metallics in the collection have a different finish compared to the Melted Metal formula. I prefer the ones in the chocolate range because they have a sheerer glossier smoother finish while the Melted Metal ones are very metallic and frosty.

I ordered mine sight unseen, after falling in love with Melted Nude, I decided to give these a chance based on the names and packaging. The colors in the Melted Chocolate range include:

  • Chocolate Honey is a warm neutral beige honey tan cream
  • Metallic Chocolate Diamonds is a sheer glossy beige nude taupe base that’s loaded with chunks of silver micro sparkles
  • Chocolate Milkshake is a creamy peachy nude with full coverage
  • Metallic Candy Bar is a smooth neutral brown shimmer that is sheer-to medium in coverage
  • Metallic Frozen Hot Chocolate is an interesting mauve shimmer, texture is smooth with sheer to medium glossy coverage
  • Chocolate Cherries is a super dark vampy black cherry cream
The creams all performed really well. They offer full creamy coverage with a nice feel. They stay creamy on the lips with a slight sheen and didn’t dry out my lips. The darkest color Chocolate Cherries is too dark for my comfort although if you like a good vamp this is a nice one that is super saturated and smooth in coverage. I asked my husband what he thought and the words that flew out of his mouth were, “wow that looks absolutely horrible, you look like Halloween.” The metallics are hit or miss as well. I wish Metallic Chocolate Diamonds looked just like the color on the packaging because I think it would have made an amazing nude taupe shimmer. The color in this one is loaded with micro sparkles, although it did feel smooth and wasn’t gritty – it just looked like I dipped my mouth into sugar with the chunks of sparkle. It was hard to capture on camera (I think it looks better in photographs than in real life).

For those new to this formula, these come in a squeeze tube with sponge tip applicators. Simply squeeze the tube to dispense product through the sponge and swipe on the lips. Once you apply them, the color will saturate the whole tip.

Lip swatches below, all done on bare lips. For reference I’m wearing a mix of NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Groenland and St. Moritz mixed together with the Powder Foundation in Punjab layered on top.
Two comparison swatch sets:

NARS Lip Gloss in Supervixen (swatch here and here)
Kat Von D Everlasting Love Liquid Lipstick in Lolita II and Lolita (review here)
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Bitch Perfect (swatched here and here)
NARS Lip Gloss in Chelsea Girls (swatched here)

Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Cremes in Mahogany and J’Adore (lip swatch here)
Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in Distinction (swatched here)
Buxom Bold Gel Lipstick in Voodoo Spice (swatched here)

One last shot:

Overall for me, 4 out of 6 are hits. I’m really smitten with the Metallic Candy Bar and Metallic Frozen Hot Chocolate as wearable browns for me. Often times I can’t pull of brownish colors in lips because then end up looking like death. These have enough color that the aren’t too brown. They are sheerer than the others so if you want something full coverage you will have to layer. Overall lasting power is average for a lipstick. They stay put pretty well although if you take sips from a cup or eat a snack, it will disrupt the color.

I think these are definitely worth a look. I’m a sucker for a good nude and both the Chocolate Honey and Milkshake ones are fun for the name and color.

You can find these now at Sephora and Too Faced. These retail for $21 each.
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