I love the smokey eye looks that come out for fall but until recently, it seems like most all the lines usually release the typical variations of black and grey for their “smokey look.” I am not one who can pull of black eyeshadow or eyeliner easily because it’s often too harsh or ends up looking blueish on my skin. I have to opt for other deep colors and did a series on Smokey Eye Variations back in June and am so excited that lines are now releasing collections with a “black/smokey” theme that include colors other than just black or grey.
I just discovered 2 new deep purple shimmery eyeshadows from MAC and Dior and thought I’d pull out some of my favorite deep purples to compare.
1. Dior Ultra-Smooth High Impact Eyeshadow in #186 Ultra Violet 2. MAC Mineralize Eyeshadow in Young Punk 3. Laura Mercier Sateen Eyeshadow in Kir Royal 4. MAC Fertile Eyeshadow 5. Giorgio Armani Maestro #18 6. Bobbi Brown Metallic Eyeshadow in After Hours 7. Stila Poise
A few other pictures of smokey purples:
1. Bobbi Brown Metallic in After Hours 2. Chanel Magic Night 3. MAC Smut 4. MAC Deep Purple Pigment (Pro)
Here is Part 2 for the Armani Powder Blushes with comparisons to similar colors for each shade. I did try to do swatches, but they didn’t come out so well. These pictures should help you gauge the color based on comparisons to other shades and brands.
Giorgio Armani #1, 11 and 12 compared to: Becca Sylph, Chanel Winter Shimmer (LE), MAC Angel (discontinued), Paul & Joe #11, MAC Blooming (LE) Giorgio Armani #2 compared to: MAC Shy Beauty (LE), Becca Malika, MAC Pinch O Peach, MAC Cheek (discontinued), Laura Mercier Nectar (old version) Giorgio Armani #3 & 4 compared to: Nars Silvana, MAC Sincere, Laura Mercier Fresh Ginger, Laura Mercier Crushed Hazelnut (discontinued) Giorgio Armani #5 compared to: Nars Madly, Laura Mercier Wild Bouquet (new version), Lancome Miel Glace, MAC Buff, Sue Devitt Koh Samui (old packaging) Giorgio Armani #6 compared to: Nars Oasis, Bobbi Brown Plum Wine Shimmer, MAC Deep Plum, Laura Mercier Plum Radiance, Nars Sin Giorgio Armani #8 compared to: MAC Sunbasque, MAC Peachtwist, Chanel In Love (US version), GA #3 Giorgio Armani #9 compared to: Chanel Rose Dust, Chanel Blush, MAC X-Rocks (LE) Giorgio Armani #10 compared to: Chanel Rose Bronze, Becca Princess Pressed Shimmer Powder, Stila Rose, MAC Trixie (discontinued)
I just purchased a new lipstick from MAC called High Def which I find to be a nice my-lips-but-better pinky brown shade. I normally don’t post much about MAC since there are so many other great resources out there, but had to rave about this one because even though MAC has a wide variety of natural pinky-brown lipsticks, I find a lot look odd on me because they turn too brown or look really dark on my lips even though swatched on my hand or in the tube it’s gorgeous. For example MAC Twig pulls an ugly brown on my lips while in the tube and swatched on my hand it looks so sophisticated and gorgeous!
I’ve pulled a few of my “non-shimmer your lips but better” lipsticks ranging from a nude-pink to pinky-browns and here they are:
1. Bobbi Brown Brownie Pink 2. MAC Velvet Teddy (matte) 3. MAC Half ‘n Half (amplified cream) 4. MAC High Def (amplified cream) 5. MAC Fanfare (cremesheen) 6. MAC Cosmo (amplified cream) 7. Laura Mercier Nude Lips 8. Laura Mercier Bare Lips
(Same order, different view):
Swatches in natural light:
1. Bobbi Brown Brownie 2. Bobbi Brown Brownie Pink 3. MAC Velvet Teddy (matte) 4. MAC Half ‘n Half (amplified cream) 5. MAC High Def (amplified cream) 6. MAC Fanfare (cremesheen) 7. MAC Cosmo (amplified cream) 8. Laura Mercier Nude Lips 9. Laura Mercier Bare Lips
Swatches with flash (same order as above):
What are some of your favorite your-lips-but better non-shimmer lipsticks?
Here are 10 things I am loving right now. Please share your own list with me of things you love so much you think everyone should try it out!
1) Nars Sheer Matte & Sheer Glow Foundations $42 – I am a true skeptic when anyone tries to sell me a foundation unless it is Chanel or Armani. I have super sensitive skin (but otherwise fairly normal) with golden/olive tones and usually have a hard time finding a good match since I typically fall in between shades. I was immediately stunned by the gorgeous new advertisement Nars has been promoting for their new foundations and decided to give it a try.
In the past I had used their Oil Free Foundation and had mixed thoughts about it. I loved the coverage, but always felt like I had a heavy layer of gunk sitting on my skin. Also, I was often matched with Fiji which for some reason turned pinkish on me. The next shades up were either too yellow or too peach.
With this in mind, I went to the counter with a list of shades to try out: Fiji, Ceylan, Punjab & Stromboli. Punjab is my perfect match which was a bit odd because on my hand it looked more peachy but on my face, it blended in perfectly.
Coverage is medium but completely natural and flawless looking. Another plus is that you can barely feel anything on the skin after you apply it. I’ve tried both formulas and they last all day – I do set foundation with my Laura Mercier Loose or Chanel Powder Foundations though. If you haven’t tried this out, RUN to your counter to try it out.
I do recommend you try at least 2 to 3 different shades on your jaw line though.
Left to right: Chanel Teint Innocence Shell, Chanel Lift Lumiere Shell, Nars Punjab, Armani Lasting Silk 6.5
2) Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream $20 – I bought this because there was a gift with purchase going on at my local Bloomingdales. I had read reviews and decided to try this because Clinique had discontinued my favorite body scrub (the yellow one in the squeeze tube) and I didn’t like the other tube-packaged scrub. I have to say I was pleasantly suprised. Has a slight minty scent to it leaving your skin refreshed and smooth.
3) Stila Black Cat Smudge Pot $20 – I think I’ve found my holy grail shimmery black eyeliner. Most blacks go on greyish or blueish or too harsh on my skin. This one gives the perfect smokey silvery black liner. I bought mine at Ulta – it should be showing up at Sephoras & Stilacosmetics.com soon. I didn’t retake swatch pictures of this, but click HERE for swatches and comparisons.
5) Le Metier Lip Cremes $36 & Sheer Brilliance Lip Glosses $32 – You’ve heard me rave about these before – pricey, yes, but I absolutely love the formula and shades. My two current favorite colors are Toffee Creme & Cannes. Neimans has a gift with purchase going on right now – check out their website for details. Also click on this LE METIER LINK for more posts and pictures on products from the line.
6) Laura Mercier Mineral Cheek Powders in Pink Spark, Coral & Amberstone $22 – these came out a while back after Laura Mercier started introducing mineral makeup into her line. These are absolutely gorgeous. Amberstone makes the perfect nude cheek for me with a hint of sparkle. Neiman Marcus also has a super cute gift going on right now. Saks will be having their beauty event later this month, and Bloomingdales will have their event mid-October.
7) Nars M. Butterfly Nail Polish $16 – for some reason I haven’t been able to find this shade instock anywhere near me, but it’s still available online. The swatches didn’t turn out so hot, but it’s a gorgeous berry red shade. Nars describes it as a “poison berry.” I have seen testers at Nordstrom and Bloomingdales so they are probably just low on stock.
9) Neutral Pink Eyeshadows: Shiseido Bare Pink, Laura Mercier Metallic Creme in Pink Gold, Laura Mercier Satinee Creme in Pink Chiffon, MAC Naked Pigment, MAC Perky Paint Pot, Bobbi Brown Ballet Pink, MAC Ego Eyeshadow – all of these are like your-lids-but-better natural pink shadows that won’t give you a pink-eye look. I like to layer Naked Pigment over any of these all over the lid and then just add a simple liner in a shimmery chocolate color or deep brown. Sometimes I’ll contour the lid or crease area with a soft brown like MAC Era, Soba, Bobbi Brown Hot Stone or Urban Decay Naked.
10) Sprinkles Cupcakes – have you been to a Sprinkles Cupcake Bakery? Their cupcakes, especially their Red Velvet & Vanilla flavors are absolutely divine and the frosting is pure heaven. Luckily you don’t need to be near one of the few bakeries in order to enjoy these. Williams Sonoma carries the mix which is super easy to make and tastes just like the fresh made ones from the stores. Each come with a recipe card for the frosting too. They have seasonal flavors, right now they just released two new flavors, Spice & Pumpkin. (PS I think if you buy two mixes instore at WS, you save $3.)
1. Paul & Joe Pearl Powder 01 2. Nars Cyprus 3. Benefit Fawn Over Me 4. Dior Beige Print 5. MAC Deckchair 6. Shu Uemura P Brown 820 7. Dior Beige Sunshine 8. MAC Femme-Fi 9. Bobbi Brown Beige Shimmer Wash
Swatches (used a sheer tinted moisturizer as a base):
1. Paul & Joe Pearl Powder 01 2. Nars Cyprus 3. Benefit Fawn Over Me 4. Dior Beige Print 5. Bobbi Brown Beige Shimmer Wash 6. MAC Femme-Fi 7. Shu Uemura P Brown 820 8. Dior Beige Sunshine 9. MAC Deckchair
The new Makeup Art Cosmetics Collection was just released in the US so I stopped by the MAC store today to check out the new items. Glad to report I only came home with 3 items (normally the damage is worse). I found the lipsticks either too pale or too dark for my lips. Was tempted by the Personal Taste Lipglass (shimmery cool pink) but felt it would be too frosty for my taste.
Came home with The Perfect Cheek Blush, New Spirit & Young Thing Lipglass.
Some comparison shots of The Perfect Cheek Blush with some other MAC blushes such as Blooming, Cubic, Sierra (discontinued) and Angel (discontinued).
I’m one of those people who always uses lipliner with lipstick & gloss. I find that it can enhance certain tones and define the lips nicely especially with natural or nude looking shades. Therefore I find it’s one of my beauty essentials. I’ve swatched (on bare arm, equivalent of MAC NC30) all my natural lipliners, hopefully this will help you make a list of what to check out and try in stores!
1. MAC Oak 2. MAC Honey B. 3. MAC Whirl 4. MAC Gingerroot 5. MAC Subculture 6. MAC Sublime Culture 7. Giorgio Armani #1 8. Giorgio Armani #10 9. Giorgio Armani #13
1. Bobbi Brown Beige 2. Bobbi Brown Heather Beige 3. Bobbi Brown Blush 4. Bobbi Brown Ballet Pink 5. Bobbi Brown Pale Pink 6. Bobbi Brown Naked 7. Bobbi Brown Cocoa 8. Bobbi Brown Blondie Pink 9. Bobbi Brown Sandwash Pink 10. Bobbi Brown Brownie Pink 11. Bobbi Brown Mauve (now named Pink Mauve) 12. Bobbi Brown Slopes
* Note that Bobbi Brown has reformulated her lipliners at least 3 times, the shades swatched are from her current collection of lipliners
