Tom Ford Beauty has a beautiful understated collection this fall. Items are expected to arrive at Tom Ford counters and online early September, but Bergdorf Goodman has the items right now. Here’s a quick preview of the star products the new Ombré Eye Color Trios in She Wolf and In the Pink ($60 each for .16 oz/4.5g, made in Italy). Detailed reviews to follow for each. For now check out these other features:
Temptalia has In the Pink and She Wolf swatched along with gorgeous eye looks
Finding the right bronzer or illuminator to achieve the perfect well-balanced summer glow can be a challenge sometimes. There are slight differences in the undertones, shimmer factor and pigment that can make some products make the skin look muddy, too shimmery or too dark. I’ve always been one to favor stronger contrasted bronzers but sometimes I want something just a bit more subtle. This season there are a number of new bronzers and illuminators that are well balanced in both color and shimmer. The result is a more naturally flattering summer glow. A few of my new favorites mixed in with some older ones in both powder bronzers and liquid highlighters.
Giorgio Armani’s Bronze Palette (previously swatched here)
gives the perfect luminous light warm bronze highlight. It’s a goof
proof naturally flattering shade that has just the right amount of
shimmer. MAC’s Pro Longwear Bronzing Powder in Nude on Board is a
finely milled darker cooler-toned bronze that makes you look naturally
tanned. I like that it has a soft sheen and that it’s more on the neutral side for bronzers. The pigment is richer than most other MAC powder bronzers but doesn’t darken on the skin. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Radiant is a more sparkly option, it gives a warm glow (detailed review to come soon).
I usually prefer to wear illuminators over foundation and powder as a
highlight. I find most liquid highlighters either too shimmery or pale to mix in with my
foundation. The result is often a clash with my olive skin making me look like a shimmery statue. There are several peachy/bronze ones now that I find perfect
to mix in to give that all over luminous glow without looking like a
bronze statue. Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel is a classic favorite, if you haven’t tried it yet I highly recommend it. Giorgio Armani Fluid Sheer 10 (see it swatched here) is a lovely warm golden shimmer (this one is the most fluid and sheer). MAC Strobe Liquid in Golden Elixir is a definite must-have that I’ve already backed-up. It just might be my holy grail bronze liquid highlighter. Tom Ford Fire Lust (reviewed here)
is a pretty sheer natural peachy highlighter. Due to the price I usually
don’t mix in with foundation but just use on the cheeks and temples as a
soft highlight for a luminous glow.
If I could only pick two items this season, it would be the Giorgio Armani Summer Bronze palette and MAC Strobe Liquid in Golden Elixir. What are your favorite items you use to get that summer glow? Do you usually mix in a highlighter with foundation? Share your skintone and favorite go-to items.
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Tom Ford Pink Lust Lip Lacquer ($30 for .5 fl oz/15 ml, limited-edition) is sheer soft pink pearl gloss that comes in a squeeze tube. Much like the other Tom Ford Lip Lacquers Vinyl and the limited-edition Gold Dust from last year, Pink Lust has a lip-balm feel and texture. It’s smooth and lightweight with a very sheer veil of shimmer. The pink shimmer is one of the prettiest shimmers I’ve ever seen in a lipgloss.
Packaging and applicators are the same as the prior lip glosses released (Vinyl is the white which is still available, Gold Dust was limited from last year, see it here):
Swatched it goes on very sheer. It’s difficult to capture the sheen, but here are two views I hope help some. Be sure to check it out on Temptalia and Makeup and Beauty Blog as well.
Swatched in direct sunlight:
Swatched under artificial light shows the sparkles a bit better:
Comparisons to some other pale pink lip glosses will show how Tom Ford’s Pink Lust is paler when swatched, but once on the lips sheers out so it’s not so pale:
Overall thoughts are a bit mixed. I tend to fall in love with pale pink shimmer glosses regardless of how sheer they are. The price point of Tom Ford beauty items in general are priced at the higher end of luxury beauty products. $30 for a sheer gloss that feels like a balm is definitely a splurge. Yet I love the way this looks and feels on the lips. I’ve had Tom Ford’s prior lip lacquers for a while so I knew what to expect with pigment, coverage and feel. Pink Lust performs just like his other lacquers. It has a moisturizing feel without too much slip. The color is very sheer but I still love the subtle glow of the sparkles. Based on the swatches above I think it’s definitely something dupe-able from other brands and formulas.
Tom Ford Pink Lust Lip Lacquer is a limited-edition shade and retails $30. It sold out almost immediately at counters and online as soon as it was released. However I’d recommend checking your local Tom Ford counters to see if they will be receiving a second shipment. It’s available online for pre-order on Saks.com.
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Tom Ford’s new Cream Color for Eyes in Escapade and Pink Haze are the stars of his summer beauty collection ($40 each for .21 oz/6g, both limited-edition). These are a cream shadow with a unique formula that’s a cross between a traditional cream eyeshadow and whipped mousse cream. These new colors are the same formula as his original release from last year (see formula review and swatches on Platinum and Spice here) but with new and improved richer pigment. Both are pigmented enough to wear alone on the lids with mascara for a simple look. The new cream shadows from Tom Ford are extremely versatile in what you can pair with each shade. I have used both layering a bit of a bronzey copper (like NARS Fez, Urban Decay Lost and NARS Cordura) for a bit of depth. Lasting power was excellent for me – they stayed put all day long well into the late afternoon.
Escapade is a stunning peachy gold that has a pink/opal iridescent sheen. It has a beautiful mixture of colors that makes it a stunning neutral with kick that is absolute perfection when applied. I love how it applies smoothly with the fingers. Pigment can be easily controlled by layering.
Pink Haze is a lovely warm rose pink shimmer. I normally avoid warm rosey shades on the eyes because they tend to pull too warm often clashing with my olive skin. Pink Haze has a bit of a silvery sheen to it making it perfect. It’s not too warm and not too pink. I do prefer this one with a lighter hand blended out on the lids though.
Although the two shades Escapade and Pink Haze are neutrals which might seem like repeats of other releases, I found the two to be fairly unique with the depth of shimmers. Some comparisons and notes below:
Chanel Emerville Illusion d’Ombre is more transparent, sparkly and pinker than Tom Ford Escapade, both are lovely neutrals, the Tom Ford has a lot more coverage/pigment and is more peachy (both are different enough to justify owning)
Laura Mercier Gold Metallic Creme is a warm gold shimmer compared to Tom Ford Escapade which is more peachy/creamier
Chanel Abstraction is close to Tom Ford Pink Haze, Abstraction is warmer/more pink and has a lot more complexity in the sparkle with gold flecks
Laura Mercier Pink Gold is more silvery and cooler-toned than Tom Ford Pink Haze
MAC Vintage Selection and Armani Eyes to Kill #29 are shown for additional comparison purposes but aren’t similar
Because the shimmers made photographing swatches difficult, I’ve included several shots, hope this doesn’t confuse you, but each of these shades change depending on how the light hits the sparkles:
Bottom line gorgeous. Given the pigment, ease of blending, lasting power and size of product, I think these are worth every penny for the splurge. Both shades have sold out online so I recommend checking your nearest Tom Ford counters to see if they can help locate one for you.
Tom Ford Illuminating Cheek Color is new for summer and comes in two limited-edition shades Blush Guilt 01 and Bronzed Amber 02 ($58 each for .42 oz/12g). Both are packaged in a convenient twist-up stick very much like his stick foundation. Blush Guilt is a sheer pale seashell pink shimmer. It’s a dreamy glimmering pink that goes on very sheer on my skin. It does show up pink but the effect is extremely natural on me – even more natural than the Fire Lust Liquid Skin Illuminator. Bronzed Amber is a warm darker bronze shimmer that sheers out to a beautiful warm bronzed glow. It looks deep and dramatic when swatched but blends out to a beautiful natural bronze.
Both shades have a dewy texture with a sheer finish. They can be layered for more color but are still fairly natural shades. I was surprised how much I fell in love with Bronzed Amber. I expected Blush Guilt to be my favorite, but once blended out the color is borderline too light for my skin to wear alone. It’s a color that needs a bit of extra work with layering of bronzer or blush. Although the shimmering quality is just beyond gorgeous on the skin.
Swatches were a bit difficult to capture due to the dewy nature, light keeps reflecting off each shade. I recommend seeing swatches on The RaeViewer and Best Things in Beauty for a better idea of what they look like on the skin.
The Tom Ford Illuminating Cheek Colors are quite emollient but they do stay put a surprisingly long time for such a dewy product. On me I don’t end up getting greasy as fast as with some other cream blushes, but by afternoon, I can definitely feel that my face feels moist from these cream blushes. I wouldn’t recommend them for oily skin, although they can be set with a powder. Compared to NARS Multiples, the Tom Ford is dewier and sheerer. I personally prefer the finish of the Tom Ford sticks because the transparent quality gives you a more natural luminous glow. On the other hand I prefer the pigment of the NARS sticks because they offer more color without any added blush/bronzer needed.
Here are some of the shades compared below to Armani, NARS and MAC. You can see that the colors of Tom Ford Blush Guilt and Bronzed Amber are quite unique.
All shades swatched with a heavy hand below:
I think Bronzed Amber is a must-have, but Blush Guilt is definitely the hit shade of summer. There’s something irresistible about a shimmering seashell pink blush.
Tom Ford Illuminating Cheek Colors ($58 each) are limited-edition. Right now both Bronzed Amber and Blush Guilt is still available online at Saks. Bronzed Amber is still available online at Neiman Marcus. If you’re interested act fast, the Tom Ford Summer items are selling out very quickly. (Tom Ford locations posted in the Fire Lust post a few posts below).
Shop the items at Saks:
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Tom Ford Vapor Nail Lacquer ($30 or .41 fl oz/12 ml) is a new limited-edition pearly white for summer. It’s a semi-sheer metallic shade that looks silvery against my olive skin. It has a lovely soft yet crisp clean look. Unfortunately, like many metallics, Vapor applies with visible brush strokes making it look streaky on the nails. It’s a shade that requires careful application – something I need practice with to achieve a smoother finish. Some more photos, close ups and swatches:
Swatched with one coat, the color applies smoothly but quite sheer with a transparent glow. Two and three coats give more coverage but increases the visibility of brush strokes. Here it is swatched with two and three coats, you can see the finish isn’t very even:
Tom Ford Vapor is nearly identical to Chanel Attraction. The Tom Ford is softer, less streaky, and less harsh looking, but the colors look very close on the nails. I’ve worn Attraction on several occasions, each time I end up taking it off within 1-2 days simply because I find it clashes with my skin. Vapor is much more flattering to darker skins because it has a transparent quality. Here is Tom Ford Vapor compared to other pearly whites:
For me, this is a miss mainly because of the visible brush strokes. I’m still determined to play with it until I can get a streak-free application. The color has a lovely softness to it. I prefer this shade to Chanel Attraction although the Tom Ford still appears to be somewhat high-maintenance.
Tom Ford Vapor is a limited-edition color and retails for $30. It is available at select stores (see the Fire Lust post below to see store locations) and online at Saks.com and NeimanMarcus.com.
Tom Ford Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust ($65 for .68 fl oz/20 ml, limited-edition) is new for summer. It’s a sheer luminous peachy-pink illuminator that can be used as a highlighter or mixed in with your foundation/tinted moisturizer. Stores have limited quantities, I recommend calling your Tom Ford counters soon to order if you’re interested.
Tom Ford’s Fire Lust has a peachy-pink base loaded with golden shimmers. The shimmer is visible but not over-the-top. There are some very tiny gold flecks that show up on the skin but it’s not frosty or glittery like NARS Super Orgasm. On me (Chanel B30/NARS Groenland Tinted Moisturizer) Fire Lust is very sheer but still visible. The peachy color is close to my skintone so it gives that barely there glow. I’ve tried it several ways. My thoughts on each method:
Worn alone as a blush gives more of a soft warm peachy glow to the skin. It’s not dark enough or pigmented enough to be worn as a blush for me. For a similar color with more pigment I’d recommend Giorgio Armani’s Fluid Sheer #11.
Worn underneath as a base for blush/bronzer basically makes the illuminator disappear unless you use a semi-sheer blush or bronzer like Tom Ford Frantic Pink or Gold Dust Bronzer, layered together creates a soft blush/bronzed contour with depth and glow.
Worn over blush as a highlight creates a really pretty luminous glow-from-within effect (this is probably my favorite way to wear it).
Mixed in with foundation worn all over the face gives a nice added glow that isn’t too glowy, however, I would probably reserve this for special going out occasions only.
A few more photos and swatches. I love that the cap pulls off easily and that the bottle has an easy to use pump:
Swatched heavy, then blended:
Many have been asking how Tom Ford’s Fire Lust compares to NARS Orgasm and Super Orgasm Illuminators. I don’t own Super Orgasm but was able to get a small sample at the counter to try. I think NARS Orgasm is close enough Tom Ford Fire Lust that you don’t need both, but the Tom Ford is really beautiful and I think it is worth every penny. Below you can see the natural glowy effects of the Tom Ford vs Nars. The differences I see:
Tom Ford Fire Lust is darker and peachier, more luminous with a natural shimmer/glow (but still sheer on the skin)
NARS Orgasm has a similar effect but appears lighter, less peachy and more frosty with more pigmented shimmers
NARS Super Orgasm is more pinky/peachy in the base and has the most pigment and color but it also has the most gold shimmer with tiny glitters (making it the most glitzy)
In terms of texture, the Tom Ford is slightly more fluid and easier to blend on the skin, but the NARS is still very easy to use. I apply both with a foundation brush from MAC or Chanel. Comparisons of Tom Ford to the NARS:
Some more swatches blended out on the skin, same items for each set below but different views to try and show the undertones/shimmers that are different with each illuminator:
Ingredients:
Overall a stunning luxurious liquid highlighter. On my skin it stayed put into the early afternoon although it did get a bit dewy with the natural oils on my skin near late afternoon. In Southern California the weather is mildly warm. I do think in warmer summer weather lasting power will diminish. It has a soft subtle sweet scent that disappears after a minute. Application is easy with fingers or a foundation brush. You can layer the product for more glow but not more color since it’s on the sheer side.
If you’re on the darker side I think you might not see if show up on your skin since it’s very sheer. If I were 1-2 shades darker I am not sure that I would be able to see anything other than a very subtle glow. If you’ve tried this please chime in the comments with your thoughts and skintone.
If you are at all interested in this I’d recommend you call your nearest Tom Ford counter to track one down soon. I don’t know if the online retailers will restock. All said, it is similar to the NARS Orgasm Illuminator ($30 for 1.1 oz/30 ml) so if you can’t track one down, this will give a similar effect.
I have a partial list of stores that have a full beauty counter, if you have more info add in the comments below:
Bergdorf Goodman in New York
Neiman Marcus Ala Moana, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Beverly Hills, Fashion Island, Houston and Dallas NorthPark, Chicago Michigan Ave
Saks Fifth Avenue New York
Did you pick up anything from the Tom Ford Beauty Summer collection?
