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Lipstick

Beauty Lips

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick Collection

November 27, 2018

Christian Audette Beauty Professor Lipstick Collection

I’m thrilled to share a peek at a collaboration between Christian Audette and one of my favorite beauty bloggers Rachel from the Beauty Professor. They launched a Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick Collection ($60 for the bundle) with three perfect lipsticks in Elle, a gorgeous neutral-cool pink rose, Golightly, a neutral but bright peach and Johanna a flawless peachy nude. I feel fortunate to call Rachel a dear friend – I still remember the day we met many many years ago 🙂 She’s beautiful both inside and out. I think she’s the mix master with neutral lip combos and has quite the eye for layering products for the perfect lip.

Christian Audette Beauty Professor Lipstick Collection Elle, Golightly and Johanna

The three lipsticks are available exclusively on Christian Audette’s website. This is my first experience trying the brand and I think the best way to describe the formula is that they are classic lipsticks. Elle and Johanna seem more creamy to me while Golightly had a slightly more opaque matte finish. Each one has smooth flawless coverage. It’s medium but buildable. Weightless. No scent or taste. You can see them all on Rachel on her blog post here. Fun fact is that most of the year we are skin twins! We also both naturally tan easily so our coloring changes depending on how much sun we each get even though we are now on opposite coasts. A closer look at each color and then side by sides at the bottom with full face photos.

Elle is truly one of the prettiest cool pinks I’ve ever seen. Anything cool-toned is hard for me to wear (ie Tom Ford Pussycat) with my olive complexion but this has enough warmth that it does not look blue on me. It has a tiny bit of sheen to it but on the lips the shimmer isn’t really visible. It has the perfect creamy finish.

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick in Elle review

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick in Elle review

Golightly is a peach that is neutral but pulls a little bright on my olive skin. It’s a really fun mood lifting color I think would be nice to wear year round.

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick in Golightly review

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick in Golightly review

Johanna is a beautiful peach pink nude that has full coverage, doesn’t look streaky and doesn’t wash me out! It’s a solid winner and I think it would suit a wide range of skintones.

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick in Johanna review

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick in Johanna review

Swatched side by side on the arm and full face:

Christian Audette Beauty Professor Lipstick Collection swatches

Below also wearing:

Christian Audette Beauty Professor Lipstick Collection swatches

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor Lipstick Collection

Overall perfect. The colors are truly flawless as is, you can layer to mix the colors but each tube is perfect alone. I cannot pick a favorite. Each one is unique in its own way. I find the formula is comfortable and non-drying. They’re not really moisturizing lipsticks but I was thrilled to find that they did not dry out my lips at all and that the days after testing my lips felt nice and smooth. Lasting power is average for a lipstick, they’ll last several hours without fading or budging. You can find the Christian Audette x Beauty Professor online at Christian Audette in a $60 bundle. Available for a limited run.

Christian Audette x Beauty Professor lipsticks gifted for review.

 

Lips Pat McGrath Labs

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Lipstick Review + Swatches

November 12, 2018

Pat McGrath Labs BlitzTrance Lipstick Review

Continuing holiday beauty reviews with a look at the Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Lipsticks ($38 each for 3.9 g/0.13 oz, made in USA). Pat McGrath continues to launch innovative colors and formulas in a way that makes me want to go beyond my usual conservative makeup comfort zone and try new things. These BlitzTrance Lipsticks have intense sparkle and pigment. They’re described as an “iridescent lipstick that releases a full-coverage blast of explosive color with multidimensional, high-shine effects” and I could not describe it better. They’re opaque, ultra-reflective, explosive in color pigment and luminous.

These lipsticks are very sparkly but the sparkle and glitter varies per shade. I’ll describe them in more detail next to each shade description. There is a little bit of texture from the sparkle with a couple of these but it’s not a harsh texture and once on the lips I barely notice it. Lasting power is really good – the color base is emollient and has a hydrating feel so it helps the glitter adhere and it doesn’t migrate. Only Pat McGrath can make me want to wear sparkle this intense. I was prepared to tell you that they are way too sparkly and intense for me based on the online swatches I saw, but some of the colors are really wearable and I think the bolds are going to be particularly beautiful for holiday parties or dinners.

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Lipstick Review

There are currently 7 shades available. I received 6 of these as press samples and then picked up the 7th color from my local Sephora. There is another 8th shade listed online as “coming soon.”

  • Nude Romantique is a refined peachy pink shimmer, it has lots of sparkle but this is one of the more subtle sparkles
  • Flesh Fatale is a medium bronze nude shimmer, also has softer shimmer
  • Fuchsia Perfect is an intense cool-toned bright blue based pink sparkle
  • Cyber Orchid is a bright cool-toned purple pink sparkle (it’s similar to Fuchsia Perfect, Cyber Orchid just has more blue tones)
  • Rebel Red is the most stunning metallic red I’ve ever seen, sparkle is chunkier in this one with a noticeable texture
  • Club Kiss is an intense plum-red shimmer, sparkle is also very metallic and bold
  • Blitz Gold is a yellow 24K gold metallic, it’s smoother in shimmer, but very foiled
  • Electra is listed as “coming soon”

Pat McGrath Labs BlitzTrance Lipstick swatches

Pat McGrath Labs BlitzTrance Lipstick swatches

I’d recommend looking at the @patmcgrathreal Instagram page for live swatch videos to get a better sense of the sparkle. The ones I have don’t capture the sparkle quality quite as intense as I see in real life. Although I do think the studio lights used on social emphasize the sparkle and glitz a little more intensely than they actually appear.

Close ups of each color below, Nude Romantique:

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Nude Romantique review

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Nude Romantique swatch

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Flesh Fatale:

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Flesh Fatale review

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance swatch

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Fuchsia Perfect:

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Fuchsia Perfect review

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Fuchsia Perfect swatch

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Cyber Orchid:

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Cyber Orchid review

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Cyber Orchid swatch

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Rebel Red:

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Rebel Red review

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Rebel Red swatch

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Club Kiss:

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Club Kiss review

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Club Kiss swatch

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Blitz Gold:

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Blitz Gold review

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Blitz Gold swatches

Pat McGrath Labs BlitzTrance Lipstick swatches

Pat McGrath BlitzTrance Lipstick Review and Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

For me the only two colors I did not like are Cyber Orchid (it’s really blue on me) and also Blitz Gold (I just don’t like really yellow golds) – but this is just a matter of color preference. If you don’t like sparkle or glitter in your lip color I think it’s going to be a safe pass for you. If you like bold colors and don’t mind some shimmer and glitz I think they’re really worth checking out. Out of all the shades Nude Romantique and Flesh Fatale are the most conservative in color and shimmer.

I think these have the perfect festive holiday feel. For me they’re a little too sparkly for everyday wear but I do think the neutrals Nude Romantique and Flesh Fatale are ones I can wear without feeling too sparkly. Rebel Red and Club Kiss are my favorites out of the entire collection. I always feel like bold reds and plums draw so much attention to my already full lips – but these two are so stunning and festive I think they’re going to be fun for holiday. No detectable scent or taste with these! Lasting power is really nice.

You can find the Pat McGrath Labs BlitzTrance Lipsticks out now online at Pat McGrath. Available at $38 each or in various bundles and sets on her website.

6 shades provided for review. Fuchsia Perfect purchased by me.

 

Lips MAC

MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick Review + Swatches

October 22, 2018

MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick Review and Swatches

MAC launched a new formula of matte lip color called Powder Kiss Lipstick ($19 each for 3 g/0.1 oz, made in Italy). These were seen all over the backstage beauty photos in recent fashion week coverage and I thought these were going to be too trendy for me but was pleasantly surprised. Long time readers know I really do not like matte lips. These are described as, “A moisture-matte weightless lipstick that delivers a romantic blur of effortless soft-focus colour.” Depending on your lipstick finish preference these are going to be hit or miss for you. For me these are a solid win.

MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick Review and Swatches

The Powder Kiss Lipstick has a soft blurred matte finish without looking or feeling dry. They have a weightless texture and finish that almost feels like it’s wearing an airy cloud on the lips. The finish is cushiony with full smooth coverage and I am truly surprised at how lightweight it is. MAC describes these as having moisture-coated powder pigments which seems so interesting to me. They’re not really as hydrating as a lip balm, but I do think they have some moisture in them given the fact that they do not look dry on the lips.

I tried these individually on their own. I suspect with some of the lighter shades you can mix and blend together for an ombre lip or to create your own custom color. There is only one shade that didn’t work for me by itself which is the palest option Best of Me. Still it applied smoothly without any patchy issues.

The packaging is just like the regular MAC Lipsticks but it has a slightly matte finish resembling the finish of the lipstick formula. Some have commented on the scent of these. I didn’t notice it while swatching or playing with them until I gave them a good whiff right out of the tube. It has MAC lipstick scent with a powdery slightly rubber smell. It’s not strong enough to bother me but it is noticeable. I consider my nose to be sensitive and it did not bother me.

MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick review

First a look at all the shades plus descriptions:

  • Best of Me is a pale milky beige
  • Influentially It is a pale nude beige
  • Impulsive is a medium warm brown
  • Sweet No Sugar is a light warm pink
  • My Tweedy is a peachy pink blush nude
  • Scattered Petals is a medium pink
  • Sultriness is a cool toned pink
  • Mull It Over is a peach pink-brown
  • Devoted to Chili is a brick red brown
  • Mandarin O is a bright orange
  • A Little Tamed is a muted pink rose
  • Lasting Passion is a bright red with blue pink tones
  • Style Shocked is a vibrant coral orange
  • Fall In Love is a hot pink
  • Shocking Revelation is a hot pink red
  • Burning Love is a perfect plum

MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick swatches

A closer look at the lighter neutrals, Best of Me, Influentially It, Impulsive, Sweet No Sugar, My Tweedy, Scattered Petals, Sultriness and Mull it Over.

MAC Powder Kiss Best of Me, Influentially It, Impulsive, Sweet No Sugar, My Tweedy, Scattered Petals, Sultriness and Mull it Over

MAC Powder Kiss Best of Me, Influentially It, Impulsive, Sweet No Sugar, My Tweedy, Scattered Petals, Sultriness and Mull it Over swatches

Swatched on bare lips, skintone reference I’m MAC NC35 in Studio Fix and Studio Fix Fluid.

MAC Powder Kiss Best of Me, Influentially It, Impulsive, Sweet No Sugar, My Tweedy, Scattered Petals, Sultriness and Mull it Over lip swatches

Deeper bold shades including Devoted to Chili, Mandarin O, A Little Tamed, Lasting Passion, Style Shocked, Fall In Love, Shocking Revelation, Burning Love.

MAC Powder Kiss Devoted to Chili, Mandarin O, A Little Tamed, Lasting Passion, Style Shocked, Fall In Love, Shocking Revelation, Burning Love

MAC Powder Kiss Devoted to Chili, Mandarin O, A Little Tamed, Lasting Passion, Style Shocked, Fall In Love, Shocking Revelation, Burning Love swatches

MAC Powder Kiss Devoted to Chili, Mandarin O, A Little Tamed, Lasting Passion, Style Shocked, Fall In Love, Shocking Revelation, Burning Love lip swatches

MAC Powder Kiss Lipstick review

Bottom line I’m impressed, especially since I’m a glossy lip girl. I really like how these glide on and give a blurred lip effect without looking or feeling dry. There’s no tugging at the lip when you apply. I also love the weightless feel. They did not dry out my lips. Lasting power is very good, it stays on and adheres well without fading for hours. Color isn’t transfer-proof though. My top 3 picks: Burning Love, My Tweedy and Sultriness.

A few thoughts on this formula compared to a few others I’ve tried and like. MAC Matte Lipsticks are heavier and more opaque in finish with a thicker feel. Pat McGrath Matte Trance has more impact pigment-wise, it has more weight to it while the MAC Powder Kiss feels like air. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution almost feels like it drags on the lips by comparison, and in reality it doesn’t really drag on my lips, but if you swipe it compared to the MAC Powder Kiss, the MAC glides on easier/smoother.

Available now at all MAC counters. Online at MAC Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. Have you tried these yet? Or do you have any matte lipstick favorites?

MAC Powder Kiss provided courtesy of MAC Cosmetics for review consideration.

 

Lips Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Beauty Boys + Girls Lip Color – 2018 Picks

October 17, 2018

Tom Ford Beauty Boys and Girls Lipstick 2018 review

I look forward to the Tom Ford Beauty Boys + Girls Lipsticks every year! Today I have review and swatches of my 2018 picks for the Tom Ford Boys and Tom Ford Girls and the formula is true to Tom Ford style with well made pigment, texture and finishes. They have that subtle vanilla scent to them and lasting power is similar to those of previously launched clutch-sized lipsticks. The sheers are sheer and glossy with medium lasting power while the creams stay put longer. There were a handful I ordered online sight unseen and I received some press sample colors. By the time I stopped by my local counter to see all the shades I noticed they didn’t receive all the testers and I didn’t have a chance to go back and investigate. Based on my online guesses I’ll say up front that I ended up with a lot of similar shades. As a neutral lip lover I’m thrilled, but even on my lips I could have skipped a few and opted for some of the more edgy colors.

Tom Ford Boys and Girls 2018 Picks

Tom Ford Beauty Boys and Girls Lipstick 2018 review swatches | The Beauty Look Book

The formula for all the colors I tried is excellent. Smooth application, no streaky finish or patchy look. Even with the pale colors I found the finish to be really good. In addition this year the Tom Ford Girls Lipsticks have a stronger base than last year’s versions (at least the ones I have do). I experienced some breakage at the bases with the 2017 version. Some of you had the same issue. With all the 2018 shades I found them all to be 100% ok.

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lipsticks 2018, Uma, Ava, Monica, Camila, Alistair, Gal, Tomoko, River, Bryan, Ori, Helena, Hudson, Chadwick and Scott

Colors I have reviewed have a mix of the Boys and Girls formulas. In general the Girls are sheerer with a glossy finish. These come in Ultra Rich (creamier but still glossy) and Lip Color Sheer (sheer and glossy). The Boys are more opaque and creamy with either a Matte or Cream finish. I prefer the Boys because they have better color payoff but really all the formulas are nice.

  • Uma (Girls, Ultra Rich) is a pale flesh nude cream, it’s a lot more wearable on me than Blushed Nude or Spiced Honey, but still very pale on my lips
  • Ava (Girls, Lip Color Sheer) is a semi sheer glossy shimmery champagne
  • Monica (Girls, Ultra Rich) is a sheer light brown cream, pulls a little warm on my lips, but in the tube is more neutral
  • Camilla (Girls, Lip Color Sheer) is a sheer shimmery peachy pink (please excuse the typo on the photos, I forgot to add an extra “L”)
  • Alistair (Boys, Lip Color) is a neutral cool-toned nude, on my olive skin it pulls slightly mauve
  • Gal (Girls, Ultra Rich) is a medium neutral pink cream
  • Tomoko (Girls, Lip Color Sheer) is a shimmery pink cream, has tiny flecks of gold, pulls a little deeper/brighter than Gal
  • River (Boys, Lip Color) is a medium peachy pink, pulls more peach cream
  • Bryan (Boys, Lip Color) is a pretty cool pink neutral, pulls the tiniest bit cooler
  • Ori (Boys, Lip Color) is a medium pink cream
  • Helena (Girls, Lip Color Sheer) is a sheer cool plum pink
  • Hudson (Boys, Lip Color) is a cream nude cool-toned pink
  • Chadwick (Boys, Lip Color) is the perfect brick brown red
  • Scott (Boys, Lip Color) is a sheer plum with subtle shimmer

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lipsticks 2018, Uma, Ava, Monica, Camila, Alistair, Gal, Tomoko, River, Bryan, Ori, Helena, Hudson, Chadwick and Scott

Tom Ford Beauty Boys and Girls Lipstick 2018 review

A closer look row by row with lip swatches on bare lips. Set 1 has Uma, Ava, Monica, Camilla and Alistair:

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lipsticks 2018, Uma, Ava, Monica, Camilla, Alistair

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lipsticks 2018, Uma, Ava, Monica, Camila, Alistair

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Swatches 2018, Uma, Ava, Monica, Camila, Alistair

Set 2 has Gal, Tomoko, River, Bryan and Ori:

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lip Color Gal, Tomoko, River, Bryan, Ori

I triple checked my swatches as they all look nearly identical. I do suspect if you have lighter lips or lighter skin tone you’ll see the difference between shades more on your complexion. I’m right at the medium olive point where these tones look the same. The color difference can be seen better from the product shot of colors in the tubes.

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lip Color Gal, Tomoko, River, Bryan, Ori swatches

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lip Color Gal, Tomoko, River, Bryan, Ori swatches

I did pull a few other Lip Color classics such as Sable Smoke, Pink Dusk, Spanish Pink to compare on my own. I think that it was a really tough call to detect the differences between Pink Dusk, Spanish Pink and the entire middle row of colors I swatched. If you had your eye on any of the full size neutrals but didn’t want to splurge, the clutch-sized Boys and Girls are a nice way to splurge at a lower price point with similar colors. Comparisons that look nearly identical to me:

Tom Ford First Time, Spanish Pink, Pink Dusk and Sable Smoke swatches

Set 3 has Helena, Hudson, Chadwick and Scott (I also added Daniel for comparison):

Helena, Hudson, Chadwick and Scott

Helena, Hudson, Chadwick and Scott

Tom Ford Boys and Girls 2018 Helena, Hudson, Chadwick and Scott

Tom Ford Beauty Boys and Girls Lipstick 2018 review swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Tom Ford Boys and Girls Lipstick Swatches

For the Boys and Girls 2018 launches I tried, my favorites are Camilla, River, Bryan, Ava and Scott. I really feel like I should have ventured to try more of the plums or reds. I received a couple very bold colors (a bright purple and electric red) but since they weren’t colors I felt I’d ever wear so I gifted those away. I do think based on online swatches that Jordan, Ingrid and Nico look particularly stunning. I might take another look if I’m at the counter soon to see if they have testers, but there is so much coming out for holiday I’m thinking about waiting for other things.

You can see swatches of the 2017 Tom Ford Beauty Girls picks from last year. I found myself reaching for Katherine and Lara the most, although to this day Bradley is still my go-to nude.

You can find the Tom Ford Beauty Boys and Girls Lipsticks at all counters now. I bought half of the featured shades from Nordstrom and the other half were sent as press samples. Also available at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Beautylish, Net-A-Porter, Saks Fifth Avenue.

 

Have you tried the new Boys and Girls yet? What colors did you pick up?

 

Chanel Lips

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme + Rouge Allure Liquid Powder Review

September 21, 2018

Chanel Matte Lips: Rouge Allure Liquid Powder and Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme Review

Chanel has brought us quite a few new mini-launches this season. They’ve continued their Le Mat de Chanel launches with a whole collection of lips with new formulas called Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme ($37 each for 3.5 g/0.12 oz, made in France) and Rouge Allure Liquid Powder ($30 each for 9 ml/0.30 fl oz, made in France). I previously reviewed the eyes and cheek products in the Le Mat de Chanel Collection here (I think the Clair Obscur Eyeshadow Quad is a must). Today I’m thrilled to share swatches of all the new lip formulas.

Chanel Matte Lips: Rouge Allure Liquid Powder and Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme Review

Up first is the Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme which a new intense matte lipstick formula. It comes in 6 shade options and is also encased in a soft matte black finish. These have that click-up magnetic packaging like the Rouge Allures and Rouge Allure Velvets. I tried the Rouge Allure Velvet formula in a number of shades years ago and thought the formula was just ok. The Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme formula completely blew me away though! It’s different in the sense that it has more opaque coverage. They’re creamy and non-drying. The finish is soft and velvety and long-lasting. I wish more colors were available in this formula. They’re completely comfortable on the lips with a very slight scent.

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme

The six colors include:

  • 102 Modern is a nude pink
  • 110 Impressive is a vibrant coral orange
  • 112 Ideal is a deep red
  • 114 Epitome is a blue-based bright bold pink
  • 116 Extreme is a deeper red
  • 118 Eternel is a nude rose

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in Modern, Impressive, Ideal, Epitome, Extreme and Eternel

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in Modern, Impressive, Ideal, Epitome, Extreme and Eternel swatches

Every single color is perfect. Lasting power is really good. Even though I wear neutrals most of the time I think these bold reds, orange and plums are classics that you can wear for any occasion. I do think Modern and Eternel are really close in color. Eternel has a bit more pink/rose to it, but they’re very similar.

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme and Liquid Powder review + swatches

Ingredients, some have slight variations which I’m assuming is the color:

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme ingredients

Next are the Rouge Allure Liquid Powders. These are so unique to me! They are a matte cream to powder lip product with a sponge tip applicator. The package base is a squeeze tube. These give the lips a diffused matte blurred tint of color. Almost like a watercolor finish but with a matte feel. The Rouge Allure Liquid Powders have a weightless feel. The color vibe to me is similar to the shades from the Rouge Coco Lip Blush launch, but formula is different.

Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder review

Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder review

The lighter shades are sheer on me, but the deeper shades have buildable pigment. Simply squeeze and apply straight from the tube. They layer easily without feeling heavy. Dry down is a soft blurred matte. Once on the lips it feels like you have nothing on. Lasting power is quite good. The deeper shades leave a slight stain on the lips but they wear like a regular lipstick in terms of lasting power and how they fade.

  • 950 Plaisir is a sheer soft coral peach
  • 952 Evocation is a soft rose
  • 954 Radical is a coral orange
  • 956 Invincible is a deep red
  • 958 Volupte is a bright bold cool-pink
  • 960 Avant-Gardiste is a deeper plum

Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder swatches

Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder swatches Plaisir, Evocation, Radical, Invincible, Volupte, Avant-Gardiste

Ingredients:

Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder ingredients

Chanel Matte Lips: Rouge Allure Liquid Powder and Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme Review

Overall I think the formulas are excellent and Chanel has launched well-edited color selection for fall. To me these are classic kinds of colors. I would have liked to see a few more neutral options or true plums, but Chanel does have excellent reds and bold pinks. I think they are wearable and suitable for a wide range of skin tones.

I really love the Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme formula. Long-time readers know I’m super picky about matte lips and I think these wear very well. No dry patches or raisin-looking lips with these! Also deeper shades in general can run patchy with the contrast of my natural lip, but every single color in this formula applies smoothly without any issue. Pigment is very very good.

The Rouge Allure Liquid Powder is unique and I think they’re really good. I didn’t know what to expect from it as I haven’t tried a cream to powder product for lips. I think the packaging is well designed. I love it when you can see the color in the outside so you don’t have to guess or take those extra few seconds to look at the bottom label to see what color you are picking up. I’m not sure these will be everyone’s cup of tea – they’re just so different!

Many of you have been e-mailing me about the Les Eaux de Chanel fragrances and the Le Volume Revolution de Chanel Mascara. I just received my order of the mascara and I’m going to test it this weekend. I also did try the perfumes when I saw testers in store as a preview, every single one is amazing. My two favorites are Venise and Biarritz and I will be reviewing all three soon. If you can’t smell in store right now Chanel.com has them available in their complimentary sample selection. I’ve ordered from their website a number of times and they always have samples that they rotate (you can pick two with each order).

Quick update: Here’s a look at two of the mini samples that came with one of my recent orders:

Chanel Les Eaux Minis

You can find the Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme + Rouge Allure Liquid Powder available out now at Chanel.com.

Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme and Liquid Powder provided for review.

 

Lips Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick

June 15, 2018

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick | The Beauty Look Book

Marc Jacobs Beauty launched new lip glosses in stick form called the Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick ($28 each for 2.1 g/0.074 oz). I’ve been such a huge fan of the Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers I was eager to try the new formula. I ordered five sight unseen. I picked the neutrals which turned out to be a lot lighter in color than I anticipated but still lovely. My picks:

  • Sugar Sugar – sheer nude cream
  • P(r)each – sheer soft peach
  • One Mauve Time – perfect mauve
  • Sweet Escape – baby pink
  • Mocha Choco-Lata – perfect nude beige

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick | The Beauty Look Book

These are emollient sheer smooth gloss sticks. They have a very shiny finish and moisturizing feel. Lasting power is medium – they won’t disappear quickly but they aren’t budge-proof. The gloss sticks have a melt-on texture. Packaging is slightly longer than the Enamored Hi-Shine Lip Lacquers but similar in style. The Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick has a removable pull off cap and the product comes in a twist-up tube that clicks with each twist. The only downside is you can only twist up, you can’t twist back down. The good thing is each click will only push a small amount of color up.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick | The Beauty Look Book

The two lightest shades Sugar Sugar and P(r)each were patchy with the first application, once you have it warmed up a little it smooths out. Close ups of each color below with lip swatches.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review and swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review and swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Mocha Choco-lata!

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review Mocha Choco-Lata! | The Beauty Look Book

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review Mocha Choco-Lata! | The Beauty Look Book

Sweet Escape

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review Sweet Escape | The Beauty Look Book

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review Sweet Escape | The Beauty Look Book

One Mauve Time

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review One Mauve Time | The Beauty Look Book

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review One Mauve Time | The Beauty Look Book

P(r)each

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review P(r)each | The Beauty Look Book

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review P(r)each | The Beauty Look Book

Sugar Sugar

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review Sugar Sugar | The Beauty Look Book

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick review Sugar Sugar | The Beauty Look Book

All side by side:

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick Mocha Choco Lata, Sweet Escape, One Mauve Time, P(r)each, Sugar Sugar | The Beauty Look Book

 

For quick reference my MAC foundation shade right now is the Studio Fix Fluid in NC37. Lip swatches as always done on bare lips.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick Mocha Choco Lata, Sweet Escape, One Mauve Time, P(r)each, Sugar Sugar | The Beauty Look Book

If you want something light and glossy these are great. I think the color selection is a lot more wearable for me compared to the Le Marc Liquid Lip Crayons. The glossy texture feels similar to me although the crayons are full coverage while these new gloss sticks are a lot sheerer. I’d say if you like the feel of the YSL Volupte Tint in Balms or Chanel Rouge Coco Shines you will most likely really like the Marc Jacobs Enamored Lip Gloss Sticks. In terms of glossy lips though my favorite product this season are still the Pat McGrath LUST Glosses although the formula is completely different and also in liquid form.

They are sheer so depending on how much color you want these might be too sheer if you prefer a lot of pigment. I give them a thumbs up – although I do wish the packaging would click up and down. The only shade I think is iffy is Sugar Sugar – this is mainly because I find pale colors challenging to wear in general. If you see the last photo of my natural lip you’ll see that there is going to be a contrast between pale colors and my lip. This is why you’ll often see a dark ring around the outer edge if the product is slightly sheer or transparent. It’s my natural lip color showing through. Since I have full lips if I cover it entirely with product it makes them look EXTRA huge.

Based on how light and sheer these colors are I was tempted to order the other three shades which are deeper/brighter. I have not seen them at stores near me yet but have decided to pass for now. My top two picks are Mocha Choco-lata! and One Mauve Time.

You can find the Marc Jacobs Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Sticks at Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Net-a-Porter and Marc Jacobs Beauty. Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

 

Chanel

Chanel Cruise Collection 2018 Beauty Picks

June 5, 2018

Chanel Beauty Cruise Collection Review 2018 | The Beauty Look Book

Happy Tuesday! I’m back from a week of travel from NYC. Trip recap to follow soon but I have a few beauty reviews to share first. Chanel Cruise 2018 launched a few weeks ago with some limited-edition pieces. I ordered a few items sight unseen and have been playing with them over my trip. Quick take is that the Cruise 2018 Collection has some really beautiful pieces but in general my heart gravitates more towards the colors of the Les Beiges 2018 Collection for a glowing summer look.

Items featured today are from the Cruise Collection along with one lip pencil that’s new but not part of cruise:

Up first are two eye picks including the Les 4 Ombres in Eclat Enigmatique and Le Volume Waterproof Mascara in Gris Voile. The Eclat Enigmatique is a soft sheer but buildable eyeshadow quad with beautiful shimmery colors including a soft ivory, gunmetal shimmer, medium bronze and reddish shimmer. With a brush they can apply on the medium to sheer side so I recommend either using a damp brush or layering on top of a cream shadow for more color. The quad can create a variety of looks depending how much red or gunmetal you use. I found they all layered well together.

Chanel Cruise Les 4 Ombres Eclat Enigmatique review

Le Volume Mascara in Gris Voile below. I’m always a fan of the Le Volume Mascara and was thrilled to find a waterproof version this season. Gris Voile is a greyish color almost with an olive green tint. On my lashes it looks pretty dark, not quite black, but it does look dark enough that it could pass for a light black color. I love this formula because it really does add volume without clumping. The waterproof version doesn’t smudge on me.

Chanel Le Volume Waterproof Mascara Gris Voile

Chanel Cruise Eclat Enigmatique and Gris Voile swatches | The Beauty Look Book

There are three Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colors in Halo which is a baby pink, Legerete a dusty green, and Chicness a medium purple mauve cream. As much as I adore Chanel nail polishes to me these have to be some of the most boring colors I’ve seen. The quality and smoothness is on point and excellent but these colors just don’t excite me. Halo is a really pretty pink but very dupeable, it looks practically identical to some of the OPI Lisbon shades. Legerete and Chicness look like they are just different variations of New Dawn and Horizon Line from Fall-Winter. In all fairness the new colors do wear really well, I think I just expected something a little more fresh and unique.

Chanel Cruise Le Vernis Halo, Legerete and Chicness

Chanel Le Vernis Swatch Halo

Chanel Le Vernis Swatch Legerete

Chanel Le Vernis Swatch in Chicness

 

The L’Eau Tan Chanel Refreshing Self-Tanning Body Mist is an interesting product. It’s a body mist that is supposed to enhance your natural glow. It’s almost like the same concept as Dior Addict Lip Glows but for the body. It has a light fresh floral perfume scent that makes me feel like I’m on vacation mode. It can get a little sticky if you spray too much but within a few minutes skin looks like it has started to develop a natural glow. It’s not quite like a self tanner for me where you see dramatic results. It’s more subtle but this may react differently on you depending on how light or deep your skin is. It is refreshing smelling and feeling. I really like it.

Chanel L'Eau Tan Chanel Spray

Two Cruise Le Rouge Crayon de Couleurs are No 17 A La Rose and 19 Au Naturel. I also ordered one of the new neutral shades No 21 Warm Rosewood. In case you’re new to these and missed the first launch reviewed here these are amazing twist up pencils. They’re creamy, opaque, glossy and hydrating. A La Rose is a bright peachy pink, Au Naturel is a nude brown that pulls warm. Warm Rosewood isn’t part of cruise but it’s a gorgeous wearable nude pink.

Chanel Le Rouge Crayon A La Rose, Au Naturel, Warm Rosewood

Chanel Le Rouge Crayon A La Rose, Au Naturel, Warm Rosewood

Swatch comparisons to some other Le Rogue Crayons, Rouge Coco Stylos and the Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist in 19:

Chanel Le Rouge Crayon Lip Swatches Comparisons

Chanel Beauty Cruise Collection Review 2018 | The Beauty Look Book

Overall nice quality pieces that I think are very wearable for the upcoming season but classic enough to take you into fall. Individually the products are gorgeous, easy for me to wear and everything can be worked in with other makeup items from my current stash. However as a collection I don’t really feel like the colors are tied together that much for a cohesive theme but that’s just me. The nail colors were a disappointment for me simply because they look like recycled colors from past seasons. I still think Halo is really pretty, just not that unique.

The highlights for me are the Le Rouge Crayon de Couleurs in all three shades with Warm Rosewood being my new favorite everyday neutral pink. The new L’Eau Tan Chanel is really fun and I love the way it smells.

You can find the Chanel Cruise Collection out now. I believe most items are limited-edition. Available at Chanel, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Have you tried any of these pieces yet? What did you think?