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Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No. 7 – The Dreamer #212

April 4, 2015

Something that’s been on my favorites list for a couple months now is the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con No. 7 in The Dreamer ($59 for 7 shadows each 7 g / 0.24 oz). The Marc Jacobs palettes come with an eyeshadow they call a plush shadow formula that contains a mix of textures from “shimmery metallics, buttery mattes, and lustrous sheens.” If you’ve played with any of the palettes in a Sephora store you know first hand that most of the colors are indeed plush with a buttery pigmented smooth texture. I reviewed The Enigma last year which has a mix of cool neutrals and darker shades. It has a lovely unique mix of colors to give a modern smokey eye that’s different from the regular grey/black colors. The Dreamer is a warmer neutral option that is perfect for spring to summer. It’s rare to find eyeshadow palettes with more than 4 shades where I am 100% in love with each color. This one (much like The Enigma) is pure love.

The colors in the palette are neutral to warm, but not too warm. The last color on the far right scared me a bit because it’s so warm and yellow but it layers really nicely over the other colors to add warmth and depth without making the skin look sallow. The mattes in this palette are rich in pigment and ultra smooth in coverage so they won’t make the lids look dry and even though they are neutral they show up well on the skin.

The colors as I see them described below:
Matte beige cream that has a very smooth soft texture
Shimmering sandy champagne beige
Light and pale yellow cream shimmer
Matte warm brown
Matte peach beige with a hint of pink
Shimmering coral with gold shimmer
Warm frosted marigold shimmer

Close ups of the palette:

Swatches:

The colors layer well together although I don’t usually wear more than 5 shades of shadow on the lid at any given time. I like the matte brown because it looks warm in the pan but it has super saturated pigment and applies deeper so it’s dark enough to be a liner. Even though something like a matte brown is basic, I really love this one because it can change the look for something more dramatic by smoking it out – it’s a matte that blends like a dream.

The colors are well coordinated in a way that they all go together quite nicely – no other shadows from other singles or palettes needed to tweak the look. At the same time there is enough variation between each of the colors that they don’t end up looking identical on the skin or the eyes.

I literally could go on and on about how much I like this one, but in short, it’s a really good one that I can wear on any day for any occasion. The colors perform really well and adhere nicely to the lids even without primer and last all day long without budging. The colors are so well-coordinated so this is a palette I can swipe on easily and not have to think about how to use or blend. I give this one a huge thumbs up.

You can find the Style Eye-Con No. 7 palettes at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty. If you’ve tried any of the shadows I’d love to hear about your favorites. The Lolita has been on my wishlist since the line launched but I’ve been trying to resist as I already have so many neutrals. I suspect it’s only a matter of time before I cave and buy that one.

The Dreamer was provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs Beauty for review consideration.

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On My Radar

On My Radar / New in Beauty

April 1, 2015

It’s a brand new month and this time of year summer beauty collections start to trickle in. So far I’ve been building a wish list that is primarily Chanel, Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs. Can’t wait to see what everyone has in store for the upcoming season. Right now there are a few new things that are on my beauty radar:

Edward Bess recently launched his Matte Artist Eyeshadow Palette (1) I’ll have a review on this in the upcoming weeks. This Friday Edward will be on the QVC Show at 5pm EST where he will be featuring some new product launches. One is his new Fully Defined Brow Duos (2). They will come in a choice of Neutral or Rich (on right) and both feature the same brightener shade to lift the arches.

If you missed out on the two latest runway shades from Marc Jacobs Limited Edition Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquers in Milk and Wine Not (3), the good news is they are now online at Sephora.com (VIB Rouge for now). Swatches of both shades here and here.

Guerlain has a four new shades of the Terracotta Natural Healthy Glow Powder Duo (4). The compact is a stunning pearly color and the powders are super soft in texture. Review to come soon.

Nuxe fans will be happy to know they’ve expanded the Rêve de Miel line with a Gentle Shampoo (5). I’ve been testing this and have fallen head over heels. It’s an amazingly soft sweet honey scented shampoo that is gentle and leaves the hair soft. I’ll have a detailed review on this soon too.

Surratt Beauty (6) just launched online at Sephora.com. I’m thrilled there is a new place to buy Surratt items. For reference, three of his lip items previously swatched and reviewed here.

The Dior My Lady – Diorblush Glowing Color Cannage Palette (7) is calling my name but I just purchased this one so I fear the colors will be too similar to justify both. They’ve re-launched the Coral Lip Glow (8) and it’s in my wishlist.

Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipsticks (9) have finally launched in the US. I’ve been waiting for these to launch for months here.

Last but not least, By Terry (10) has 5 new shades of Hyaluronic Sheer Nude Hydra-Balm and 4 shades of a new Cellularose Moisturizing CC Cream. I have the CC Cream in Shade 3 (review soon) but initial thoughts are that it offers good natural sheer to medium coverage that’s buildable and is very hydrating.
What’s on your beauty radar this week?

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty #Instamarc Light Filtering Contour Powder and The Shape Contour and Blush Brush No. 15

March 6, 2015

For spring Marc Jacobs Beauty released three contouring duos called the #Instamarc Light Filtering Contour Powder ($49 each for 0.31 oz each side) along with the Shape and Contour Blush Brush No. 15 ($38). I’ve put these to the test for a few weeks now and can say that I am extremely impressed. The contouring duos are finely milled powders with a buttery soft texture that melt into the skin. They give a natural contour with medium buildable coverage. Both shades blend flawlessly into the skin without looking cakey, powdery or fake. There is enough color for the shades to be visible on the face but they are soft enough that you won’t be left with any harsh edges.

Top to bottom, Dream Filter, Mirage Filter and Hi Fi Filter

When it comes to contouring I am usually not a fan. I find most powders or creams are good for photographs but in real life I simply find it too harsh (no matter how much I blend). I prefer a soft tan powder or bronzer applied in a 3-shape motion around the edges of my face from temples to chin to create soft dimension. I have friends who are very much into the contouring right now and their biggest challenges they have with contouring include powders darken too much after a few hours or they just end up looking too harsh. If you’re not a contour pro and want something that will define and highlight, the Marc Jacobs #Instamarc duos are the solution to give a goof-proof contour that looks natural and flawless.
Each color has one highlight shade that naturally highlights in a non-shimmery way, and one contouring shade that helps add definition and dimension. Both sides melt into the skin and blend easily. The lighter colors help soften any harsh edges. There are three different colors, all three seem to be designed for the light to medium skin color spectrum:

Dream Filter is pink-toned described as a soft pink / medium bronze
Mirage Filter is cool-toned described as light gold / light bronze
Hi Fi Filter is the darkest with neutral tones described as warm peach / deep bronze

Dream Filter is a soft neutral pink. It resembles NARS Paloma Contour Blush which is more pink (the Marc Jacobs is more neutral and softer). On my skin this is the most natural. Both shades have a satiny finish. They look like mattes in the pan and on the face, but there appears to be a very slight satiny sheen which gives these dimension on the face. If you’re afraid of shimmer, no need to worry, there is no shimmer on the face. On the flip side if you don’t like mattes, these aren’t your typical matte powders. They won’t make the face look flat.

On my medium olive toned skin, Mirage Filter has the sharpest contrast since it has cool-tones. I was worried the light gold/yellow side would be too yellow, but it blends into the skin beautifully without making the skin look sallow. The darker contour side is what I think of when it comes to traditional contour, it’s a cool-toned tan with a very slight hint of grey undertone.

Hi Fi Filter is the darkest option but on the skin it’s the most neutral in tone. This one warms up the skin nicely. It’s the warmest option so if you prefer warm tones on your skin, this is a good one.

Swatches:

Comparisons to some other contouring products and bronzers, below you can see how large the Marc Jacobs compacts are:

  • Chanel Les Beiges #40 (review here) is quite a bit warmer than any of the Marc Jacobs contouring duos, this one is good to add depth and warmth all over the face
  • MAC Emote (discontinued) is darker and cooler toned compared to any of the Marc Jacobs duos, it’s also a full matte with no satiny sheen or texture
  • NARS Paloma Contour Blush (reviewed here) is a pinker darker version of Marc Jacobs Dream Filter, the texture is similar in that it’s also buttery soft and easy to blend
  • Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow (review here and here) is warmer and significantly more blowy than any other bronzer or contour duo I’ve used without being orangey
  • Marc Jacobs O!Mega Bronzer (worn here) is a really good warm bronzer, swatches below make it look orangey by comparison, but on the skin it’s not orangey at all

In addition to the three powders, Marc Jacobs released a brush designed for contouring called The Shape Contour and Blush Brush #15. It’s ultra soft with an extremely sturdy handle. This is the first brush I’ve tried from Marc Jacobs and I thought due to the synthetic material it would be somewhat problematic to use. The bristles are extremely soft but dense and work surprisingly well to pick up quite a bit of powder. It blends product nicely on the face and is soft enough for sensitive skin so there’s no poking, tugging or harsh feeling if you blend.

These are definitely worth looking into. Do note that they swatch much better on the face than they do on the hands. On the hands swatched with fingers they can look a bit chalky. Once you apply with a brush on the face you will be surprised at how smooth they look. The above swatches show that these are on the neutral-cool side compared to some warm bronzers, so if you prefer warmer tones you may want to stick with your regular powder bronzer. Also if you can’t do satiny mattes at all these will be a skip, although I will say you should still give these a look. They don’t look flat, cakey and don’t emphasize pores.

You don’t need all three although I do like each one for different purposes. My top two picks are Dream Filter #20 and Hi Fi Filter #60. Mirage Filter is sharper on my skin because of the cool undertones, it works but I prefer something with a bit more warmth.

The #Instamarc Light Filtering Contour Powders retail for $49 each and The Shape Contour and Blush Brush No. 15 retails for $38. Both available now at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty.

Have you tried these yet? If you’re a contouring fan what’s your favorite contour?
The Marc Jacobs contour duos and brush were provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs Beauty for review consideration. All other items purchased by me.
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What's In My Bag

Inside My Bag

March 4, 2015

This week I’ve been playing with the Charlotte Tilbury Beach Sticks, new Burberry Eye Shadow formulation, the Dior Eye Reviver Palette, Marc Jacobs Contouring Duos, Chanel Rouge Cocos and much more. Thank you for your patience while you wait for reviews – I know some of you have e-mailed me and been asking when the reviews will be posted. I’m working as fast as I can. It’s only Wednesday and I’m already exhausted. I’ve been trying to go
easy on caffeine so I’ve been coffee-free for a few days which has
impacted my energy levels. Here’s a quick peek at what’s in my bag this week. Why I carry this much stuff is beyond me, although I have been traveling on a few mini road trips this week.

Malin + Goetz Mojito Lip Balm (reviewed)
Chanel Glossimer in Fleur D’Eau (review)
Charlotte Tilbury Beach Stick in Ibiza (review tomorrow)
L’Artisan La Chasse aux Papillon
Tom Ford Lips & Boys in Peter and Ian (review)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Aviator Sunglasses
Louis Vuitton Wallet, Goyard Tote, Sony NEX-6
Compartes Chocolate Bar

What do you have in your bag this week? I hope your week has been going well! P.S. Kelly Clarkson’s new album Piece by Piece is awesome.
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Monthly Favorites

February Favorites

February 28, 2015

I haven’t done a monthly favorites roundup in a while since I find my favorites rotate quite frequently. I like to mix things up and change things around. This month I narrowed down a favorites list to some items I’ve been enjoying thoroughly. As always I’d love to hear from you about your favorites for the past month. (The items below include links to previous reviews where applicable.)
This month feels like it’s been all about new lip releases. I’m still working on reviews for the new Rouge Dior Brilliant Lipshine but will say right now these new Dior  glosses are phenomenal. I’ve been loving them a lot – they have the perfect mix of color and shine. I have all the swatches and review finished but still need to pull colors for comparison swatches.

Other lip staples this month include Charlotte Tilbury Confession, Marc Jacobs Beauty Infamous and Tom Ford Lips & Boys in Peter. I’ve also been reaching for the Chanel Hydrabeauty Lip Balm. Initially I thought this was just an average lip treatment. The more I use it the more I like this as a lightweight lip balm that doesn’t feel heavy on the lips and adds a nice veil of moisture.

For the skin I’ve been going through a lot of masks. My favorite is the Aesop Parsley Seed Mask. It’s the best clarifying face mask I’ve tried that is good for sensitive skin. It will draw out impurities and is gentle enough to use multiple times a week. I like it because it smells like a spa and it doesn’t irritate the skin. My favorite new cleanser discovery is the Glamglow Supercleanse Daily Clearing Cleanser. It’s a bit too strong for daily use but I do use it multiple times per week.

For eyeshadow palettes, the Marc Jacobs Style Eye-Con in The Dreamer has a beautiful mix of warm neutrals. There are golds, corals, champagnes and tan shimmers with a really good matte brown. This one is what I wanted Lolita to be. Let me know if you want a full review of this one.

My current foundation routine includes a mix of Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow + NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation. This combo gives the perfect glow with medium to full coverage.

For fragrance, I’ve become smitten with the Byredo Bibliothèque, Cotton Poplin and Fleur Fantôme set from Net-A-Porter. These are so cute although pricey, it’s a nice way to try the candles at a cheaper price than buying the full size. My favorite is still Fleur Fantôme (which I have the full size of). Full review to come soon.

Last but not least, I’ve still been loving the Lumira Paradisium perfume. It’s the perfect mix of florals with a hint of fig.

What have your favorites been this month?
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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty New Nudes Sheer Lip Gel

February 25, 2015

 

Marc Jacobs released seven shades of a new lipstick formula called the New Nudes Sheer Lip Gel ($30 each for 3.6 g/0.12 oz). These have replaced the original Lip Gels but some of the colors have been re-promoted. Being a huge fan of the original lipstick my heart broke a little when I discovered it was being discontinued because it was so so good. I have two of the original colors to compare with the new ones in Role Play and Have We Met?. The colors are identical but the new formula is slightly sheerer in texture and color payoff. That being said, the New Nudes Sheer Lip Gels aren’t really all that sheer. I would say compared to the Le Marc Lip Cremes these new Lip Gels are sheer, but in terms of how they rank compared to all the lipsticks on the market I would say they are sheer to medium in coverage.

 

The Sheer Lip Gels come in a twist up beige tube with a magnetic cap. The size and design is identical to the original ones that came in the black tubes. There is a very soft vanilla scent to the lipsticks but it’s not overpowering. The texture is creamy and glides onto the lips and feels very moisturizing. Based on my testing I will say these are a no if you have super dry lips. Having a smooth lip surface is essential for these lipsticks, so I’d recommend adding a primer or lip balm first before applying. The texture and pigment ranges from slightly shimmery to full on creams and the pigment combined with the lightness of the colors can emphasize lip lines. Adding a lipliner by lining and filling or mixing a liner with these lipsticks solves any patchiness that might result by the contrast. Do note that I have pigmented lips so wearing nudes is a challenge for me, there tends to be a sharp contrast between my natural lip color and the lipsticks.

 

 

Above L to R: Sheer Lip Gels in Strange Magic, Moody Margot, Have We Met?, Role Play, Understudy, Anais, Eat Cake, (P)outliners in Prim(rose), Honey(bun), Nude(ist)

 

 

The colors are gorgeous but ease of wear varies depending on the color. This is the case with most nudes across all brands (for example Tom Ford Blush Nude takes a lot of tweaking for me to wear without looking like a ghost, on some of my other friends, it is an easy swipe and go color).

 

 

 

 

Strange Magic is a super pale pink. On the lips it resembles concealer and if you have any pigment in the lips this will look streaky and patchy if you wear it alone. It’s a layering or mixing color that can add a sheen to liners or darker lipsticks. Below it’s shown alone on the lips and then transformed into the perfect nude with the (P)Outliner in Nude(ist) added:

 

 

 

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Moody Margot is a pale beige that has enough color to not wash out the face. It’s still on the pale side so if you have pigmented lips this one will perform best over a neutral liner.

 

 

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Have We Met? is a bright hot warm pink that is ultra sheer so on the lips it’s more of a healthy subtle pink tint. The new formula is identical in color to the original formula, but the pigment is sheerer making this one look lighter on my lips.

 

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Role Play is a medium neutral rose pink. The new formula performs the same as the original in terms of color, pigment and level of sheen. If there’s one I had to pick as my favorite this would be it.

 

 

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Understudy is a warm peachy nude with a hint of coral. It’s a full opaque cream that has medium to full coverage. It has a smooth finish but looks a tiny bit streaky in the swatch photo because I was in a bit of a rush to get all 7 lipsticks lip swatches.

 

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Anais is a sheer nude beige tan cream. This one has a bit more color than Moody Margot making it easier to wear. If you have pigmented lips this will contrast with your natural lip color so adding a liner will help smooth out the color.

 

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Eat Cake is the darkest of the New Nudes and is a rosy terra-cotta peachy rose. It pulls very warm on me which and has just enough brightness to add life to the face. This is a medium to full coverage pigmented cream.

 

 

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Here are some swatch comparisons of the original vs new formula of shades I have:

 

 

I am still trying to get over the fact that the original lip gels were discontinued, but the new ones proved to be just as good in terms of formula, wear and finish. Lasting power isn’t quite as long as the Le Marc Lip Cremes but lasts like the average medium-wear lipstick. Adding any of the (P)Outliner Long Wear Lipliners helps to extend the wear by a long shot. My favorite colors are the darker ones, mainly because I am nude-lip challenged due to the pigment in my natural lip tone. Fav picks include Role Play, Anais, Eat Cake and Understudy. The only shade I would say skip on is Strange Magic because it’s so pale and chalky by itself making it a super high maintenance nude.

 

The New Nudes Sheer Lip Gels retail for $30 each. Available now at Marc Jacobs Beauty and Sephora. Have you tried or bought any of these yet? Which colors did you try?

 

The Marc Jacobs Sheer Lip Gels were provided courtesy of MJ for review consideration.

 

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs (P)outliner Longwear Lip Pencil

February 24, 2015

Marc Jacobs Beauty has released three new lip pencils called the (P)Outliner ($24 each for 05g/0.01 oz). These are long-wear twist up creamy pencils with rich pigment. All three are cream shades without any shimmer and are the perfect modern nudes. In terms of wear they glide on well although they aren’t super emollient (like some glossy pencils) so you may need to warm up the tip a bit by swiping on the back of your hand. Once you apply on the lips they go on very smoothly and with full coverage. Lasting power is very very good. I swatched all on my lips for reference (more below) and had to use a dual-phase eye makeup remover (my current fav is Chanel) to get the product off my lips. There is no detectable scent with these.

The three (P)Outliner shades include Prim(rose) which is a nude-brown rose, Nude(ist) which is a brownish flesh nude and Honey(bun) which is a peachy pinky nude. I’m completely in love with the names.

Here are swatches with the liners lined around the lips and filled in for reference. These are extremely pigmented lip pencils and due to the richness I recommend you apply some kind of lip primer or balm underneath if you want to use them all over the lip. The intensity can emphasize lip lines if you use it all over. I recommend using these as a traditional lip liner around the edges and blended slightly. Note these are all swatched on a bare lip.

Some comparison swatches for reference:

The labeling on the packaging really sums it up. These stay put on the lips for all-day wear and will go well with a wide range of lip colors.

Overall huge thumbs up. The three shades are all on the warm side but still lean neutral on my olive skintone. If you are one who can only wear strictly cool-toned colors these may be too warm for you. The formula is super creamy and the lasting power and pigment are phenomenal. These days I have neglected most of my lipliners (with the exception of Chanel and Charlotte Tilbury) because I am usually a swipe and go kind of lip person. These lipliners are really fun and go really well with the New Nudes Lip Gels though and helps to extend the wear. If you’re near a Marc Jacobs boutique or Sephora I highly recommend you give these a closer look. I hope Marc Jacobs will expand the color selection. The formula is really really good.

The Marc Jacobs (P)Outliner is available in stores and online at Marc Jacobs Beauty and Sephora.

The Marc Jacobs liners were provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs for review consideration.

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