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NudeStix

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5 Brands to Check Out at Space NK

October 23, 2015

There are two more days left of the Space NK Explore Promotion where you can save $25 off any online order of $100 or more with promo code EXPLORE15 at checkout (ends Sunday Oct 25th at midnight, terms and conditions here). If you’re looking for something new to treat yourself but want something that’s going to be a classic staple, I have a roundup of products from five brands I’ve been loving. The bonus is that that you can find these at Space NK and save a little with their promo.

Nudestix is a fun line filled with wearable neutrals with products in pencil form. My favorite item from the line is the Magnetic Eye Color Pencils ($24 each). These are creamy pencils that double as shadow sticks. They blend beautifully on the eyes and layer nicely together. Once they dry, they stay put all day long (pretty much budge-proof on me). I received 3 colors as press samples and I loved them so much I bought the rest of the colors (and accidentally bought one twice). Here are the colors. Left to right: Moon, Lilith, Gilt, Twilight, Angel, Spirit, Immortal and Night.

Eve Lom is a skincare line that I absolutely adore. The price points of the items are on the high side so I’ve rationed samples and minis, but I’ve been really happy with everything I’ve tried. The Hand Cream is one of the most gentle fragrance-free hand creams I’ve bought that still hydrate the skin well. The Brightening Cream ($110, c/o) is my favorite gentle moisturizer, I’m almost out of mine and it does brighten the skin and hydrates gently without feeling too heavy. I have high hopes for the Eye Lift Eye Cream ($75, c/o) which has really high ratings. I just started using it and am really eager to see how it works. Be sure to check out the gift set options for Eve Lom, there is a price break if you buy the sets versus individual items.

By Terry products are always a luxurious treat to have. These are extremely pricey but I’ve never been disappointed with anything I’ve tried. It’s hard for me to take the jump and splurge on her items but I end up loving the items I buy. The Baume de Rose ($60) is the most luxurious rose scented lip treatment. There are a lot of other cheaper alternatives, but none have the same lush texture as the By Terry. She also introduced tinted versions of her lip balm called Baume de Rose Nutri-Couleur ($56). Lip balm is really just lip balm, but the ones I have from By Terry are really quite lovely. I can’t call them a must-have due to the high price point, but they are a luxurious splurge. (Lip swatches here and here.)
For lips, her Velvet Rouge ($46.50) in #1 Lady Bare is one of the prettiest velvet lip colors I’ve tried. It’s the perfect peachy nude. It feels like it has a slightly whipped texture. If you have dry lips this might not be the best option for you, but I adore the color.
For eyes the Ombre Blackstar ($43.50) is also on the pricey side. The colors are mostly metallic or shimmery but aren’t over the top glittery. I like them layered together or as a base for powder eyeshadow. Swatches of Bronze Moon here. Misty Rock, Frozen Quartz and Ombre Mercure swatched here. The best part of these sticks is that the formula is creamy but sets. So many shadow sticks end up drying out in the container before I can use it up. These haven’t dried up for me.

R+Co is a relatively new hair care line to me. I’m obsessed with the Moon Shine Shampoo ($24) and Conditioner ($25). Both have an amazing scent and make my hair super glossy and healthy looking. I wouldn’t recommend it as a daily shampoo but I use it 2-3x per week. Two other items I’ve been living are the Death Valley Dry Shampoo ($17 to $29) because it doesn’t leave any white residue on the hair and doesn’t make it look matte and dusty like many other dry shampoos do. I wash my hair daily on a regular basis. On the rare occasion that I am rushed and don’t have time to wash my hair, I like to use this to refresh the roots. The Rockaway Salt Spray ($25, c/o) gives textured beachy waves. The key to using this is to use it very sparingly. I hold it about 2 feet away from my hair, give it two very loose spritzes then run my fingers through the hair quickly distribute. It gives texture and smells incredible. I think it would be easier to use if the mister/dispenser sprayed out a finer mist though.

Last but not least, Smith & Cult is a fun cosmetic line to check out. The line was created by Hard Candy founder Dineh Mohajer. Her Nailed Lacquers ($18) are 5-free without Dibutyl, Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor.

Swatches below of Nail Polishes in three colors. So far the shades have a mix of pigment. Some are sheer but they are smooth jelly sheers (like Ghost Edit). Pillow Pie was easy to layer for full coverage. Dark Like Me is a jelly color, I was able to get full coverage with two coats but some of the nail still shows through. I tested two of the lighter shades on separate occasions. Both lasted around 4 days before I saw any tip wear. No chipping occured.
Ghost Edit (sheer peach nude, two coats)
Pillow Pie (pastel pink, three coats applied)
Dark Like Me (c/o, vampy plum, two coats)

The Shining Lip Lacquers ($22 each) have a lush glossy shine to them. They are pretty smooth on the lips. I bought several colors sight unseen. The formula is pretty sheer on the ones I ended up with.

  • Life in Photographs is a clear sheer pink
  • Flesh Riot is a sheer golden pink shimmer, also sheer (c/o)
  • One Word Chorus is a newer color with better pigment and coverage, it’s a medium rose with silver shimmer
  • Fade the Sun is an iridescent peach
  • Her Name is Bubbles is a sheer medium pinky peach cream

Have you ordered anything yet from Space NK for their Explore Promotion? I’m getting ready to place an order tonight to restock on some shampoo and conditioner from R+Co. I’m debating whether to re-order the Shine items or try something new. If you ordered anything let me know! I’m always looking for ideas of what to check out at Space NK.

Be sure to enter promo code EXPLORE15 online at checkout Space NK Explore Promotion to save $25 off any online order of $100 or more (ends Sunday Oct 25th at midnight, terms and conditions here, note this is for US only).
 Select items featured are press samples that were sent for review consideration. Items marked with the note c/o beside them. All others purchased by me.
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NudeStix #GILTYLOVE Holiday Kit

November 24, 2014

NudeStix has released a few holiday sets this year, today I have the #GILTYLOVE Holiday Kit ($49 for 3 x 1.41g/0.05 oz) to share with you. It has three Magnetic Eye Colors in Gilt, Twilight and Night along with a compact sharpener, all cased in a limited-edition tin. You can also purchase each of the shades in the set individually for $24 each at all NudeStix retailers, but the trio set is currently exclusive to Sephora.

The three shades in the set:

  • Gilt – a warm shimmery golden beige
  • Twilight – a silvery taupe bronze mix
  • Night – a super intense black

I reviewed the couple of the Eye Pencils back in July. The Magnetic Eye Color pencils surpass the Eye Pencils in pigment and lasting power. They are longwearing eye color pencils with a creamy texture that glide on lids easily. There are different colors to shade, highlight or define and once the pencils set, they will not budge. These have a nice creamy texture that blends nicely with the fingers. For the lighter shades Gilt and Twilight, I like to apply straight onto the lid from the pencil and then either smudge or blend with the fingers. The darker shade Night is best when smudged with a soft brush for me (I like MAC #239).

According to NudeStix, the Magnetic Eye Color pencils are ideal for oily lids. The formula is waterproof and after testing these, I can say that they did last all day for me and did not budge at all, not even Night.

Close ups and some swatches:

There are a number of creamy pencil shadow sticks I’ve reviewed from different brands. I’m really impressed with the long-wear quality many brands have been releasing. Formulas are improving and lasting power is getting better. The NudeStix Magnetic Eye Colors are in between Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks and Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pops. I would say the Laura Mercier is more creamy in texture with softer shimmer and slightly softer pigment. Marc Jacobs Twinkle Pops are more glitzy and shimmery but have pigment that is just as intense as the Nudestix.

I have three sets of color comparisons:

NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Hollywood Land
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Golden (discontinued)
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Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow in Moonriver (discontinued)
By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Ombre Mercure #15
Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Moonlight (review + eye look)
Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Suspect (from Naked2)
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Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Tuxedo (on the eyes here)
Chanel Stylo Yeux in Black Shimmer
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The colors in the NudeStix #GILTYLOVE Holiday Kit are classics that are easy to combine for a no-fuss look. I’m really impressed with the lasting power and pigment. Some creamy pencils disappear on the lids once you blend them out, but the NudeStix doesn’t disappear on my lids. Given that these are classic neutrals, you may find duplicates or colors with similar effects. You may want to shop your stash, but I give these a thumbs up.
The NudeStix #GILTYLOVE Holiday Kit is limited-edition and exclusive to Sephora this year, if you miss out or don’t like all the colors, you can buy the shades individually at Sephora and Space NK (they are part of the permanent line).
The NudeStix products were provided free of charge for review consideration.
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NUDESTIX Eye Pencils and Lip & Cheek Pencils

July 8, 2014

NUDESTIX is a new line of simple easy-to-use multipurpose makeup crayons designed for a nude but better look. The line is exclusive to Space NK with four pencil products, a pencil cap sharpener and one mascara. The pencils come packaged in a cute black metal tin for storage. I have two of the Eye Pencils and Lip and Cheek Pencils to share with you today.

The NUDESTIX Eye Pencils ($24 each) are a multi-purpose eye liner, eye shadow and highlighter ‘all-in-one’ product. They come with a sponge tip on one end to smoke out or smudge the shadow. I was sent Smoke, a shimmery light grey taupe and Stardust, a neutral champagne shimmer for review. They are really creamy in texture and glide on the eyes easily. Given the pale neutral color I found I liked to swipe and blend with my fingers rather than use the sponge tip. Both blend well and are easy to layer. They both give a neutral wash of color on the lids. After you apply they set on the lids to a slightly drier finish (not as creamy as when you apply them). Once blended the color sheers out for a slight all over the lid glow. I like these as eye bases rather than a pigmented shadow. Used under powder shadow helps make the colors pop.

The NUDESTIX Lip & Cheek Pencils ($24) are also multi-purpose pencils. Soul is a neutral peachy pink and Whisper is a pale nude. These are super creamy pencils that hug the lips and blend easily on the cheeks. I prefer to use these on the lips. On the lips you get full coverage with a slightly glossy sheen.  I like how they act like a lipliner and give full coverage but are creamy like a lipstick. On the cheeks I found the color disappeared once blended (at least it did for my medium skin). 

Close ups and swatches. The pencils measure a little over 4 inches long making them compact in size so they will fit easily into a small clutch or makeup bag.

Lip and Cheek Pencil swatches, just on the lips (on the cheeks it’s barely visible).
Soul is the perfect creamy nude peach. It’s an easy swipe and go kind of lip pencil. It applies a bit more peachy on my lips compared to when you swatch it on the arm or hand.

Whisper is super-nude and super pigmented. Since the pigment is so rich it emphasizes my lip lines, adding a bit of gloss or dabbing it helps minimize the look of the lines but I wanted to show you how pigmented it was. You can’t see any of my natural lip underneath.

Overall I am really happy with the Lip & Cheek Pencils. The creamy texture makes them glide onto the lips and the texture hugs the lips making them last fairly long (no detectable scent either). I suspect any of the medium to dark shades will be easy to wear for most skin tones. Soul is peach perfection. Whisper is a bit light for me but those with fair skins will love it.
The Eye Pencils are stunning neutral shimmers but the colors are pretty easy to dupe with other brands. I do like the convenience of the eye pencils though – they are easy to swipe and blend with the fingers making them the perfect on-the-go kind of pencil (no brushes needed). Stardust is a good your-lids-but-better kind of shade. Smoke is a lovely taupe grey shimmer that is a great color for a base shadow.
The NUDESTIX Lip & Cheek Pencils and Eye Pencils retail for $24 each, exclusive to Space NK. There is a wide range of color options from neutral to dark. If you like that nude but better look the line is definitely worth looking into. I have a list going of what to check out the next time I can visit one of the stores.
P.S. Tomorrow (July 9) is the last day for the Space NK + Beauty Look Book Gift with Purchase offer. Check out the details here for the code and terms. A few readers mentioned their gifts were missing an item, I contacted Space NK and they told me due to an overwhelming response to this offer it appears Space NK ran out of the Hourglass mini sample and they apologize for any inconvenience.
This post contains press samples sent courtesy for review consideration. For more information refer to my disclosures.
Packing Travel

Travel Makeup | Summer Edition

July 1, 2014

As requested, here are the items I brought with me on my recent trip. All the items were carried in my well-loved Bobbi Brown Train Case (from 12+ years ago and no longer available for sale, Old Hollywood Version still available). I tend to overpack for makeup so the case limits what I bring. If it can’t fit, it doesn’t travel with me. I’ve split the items into three categories: Lips, Face/Cheeks and Eyes.

To those who asked to see what I brought with me, I hope this helps! I always have a makeup overpacking problem so my fellow beauty lovers – if you have any tips I’d love to hear what you bring with you on trips/travel whether it’s a weekend getaway, a week trip or extended vacation.

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On My Radar / New in Beauty

June 19, 2014

I hope everyone is having a great week so far. Some new things in beauty on my radar.

There will be nine limited edition shades of nail polish in a 3.1 Phillip Lim for NARS Nail Collection. One of the shades, Insidious, will be a NARS Boutique exclusive. In addition a canvas nail pochette will be released. These will be available July 15, 2014 at NARS boutiques and narscosmetics.com; August 1, 2014 at Sephora and Dept./Specialty stores.

Bobbi Brown has a second summer release called Surf and Sand, some items have started to trickle in online. There are two eyeshadow palettes in Surf (aqua and pastels) and Sand (earthy neutrals), two Long-Wear Eye Pencils, two Brightening Blushes, three Sheer Lip Colors.

Frédéric Malle and Carlos Benaïm have created a new fragrance Eau de Magnolia that launches this month. I haven’t checked it out yet but I’m hoping to soon. It sounds absolutely divine. Some details on Kafkaesque Blog.

Chanel Fall Beauty has arrived online Chanel.com and Bloomingdales. I have yet to check out the collection in person but reports on Twitter and Instagram indicate it has arrived at some counters. I ordered the three nail polishes in Secret, Orage and Atmosphere online and expect them this week. I’m eyeing the glossimer and liquid eye liners but undecided on most of the collection. Several have e-mailed me that this is a see-before-you-buy kind of collection. If you’ve checked it out, please share in the comments.

Burberry has two new eyeshadows out in Storm Grey No. 27 and Graphite No. 28. Thanks to Café Makeup for letting me know about these. I called the counter in San Francisco and found they aren’t with any full collection but were two new colors released. I’ll have a review soon. In the meantime check out the swatches on Gummy Vision.

NudeStix is a new line of natural and nude pencils, exclusive to Space NK (or Space NK via Bloomingdales). All the products are in pencil/stick form. The Eye Pencils look like they have quite a few lovely neutral shimmers. The Lip and Cheek Pencils have a wider range of colors from light to dramatic. I think a trip to Space NK is in order soon.
What’s on your radar this week?