The Summer 2013 Collection for Tom Ford Beauty has arrived in select stores and online in very limited quantities. Items popped up online at different locations, I had to do a bit of searching to find all the items. Every piece in the collection has such a gorgeous glowy beachy feel. Reviews and swatches to come soon. I’d recommend ordering soon as some pieces are selling out very quickly. Stores I know of that have the full line include Bergdorf Goodman, Saks NYC, Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills, Neiman Marcus Fashion Island (if you know of other locations that have the full line of cosmetics post in the comments below).
New items in the collection from the photo, left to right include: Illuminating Cheek Color in Blush Guilt, Illuminating Cheek Color in Bronzed Amber, Skin Illuminator in Fire Lust, Nail Lacquer in Vapor, Cream Eye Color in Pink Haze, Cream Eye Color in Escapade, Lip Lacquer in Pink Lust. I found my items online at Saks and Neimans.
For now check out these other blogs for reviews, photos and swatches:
I’ve been eyeing Tom Ford’s Cocoa Mirage Eye Color Quad ($75 for 10g/0.35 oz)
for quite some time. It’s one of the few in his line that don’t have the glitter/sparkle finish. However the high price and borderline boring color combination prevented me from ordering sooner. A trip to Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills last month
pushed me over the edge after a few minutes of swatching.
A quick peek at the Tom Ford Beauty counter at Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills (photos by me):
Cocoa Mirage‘s palette is very basic but the pigment is phenomenal for a powder shadow. The texture of the powder is smooth and finely milled. Any brush picks up an impressive amount of pigment and they blend beautifully on the lids for a natural but nicely defined/contoured look. The colors in the palette include a rich matte vanilla, a soft neutral tan, a warm chocolate shimmer, a dark bark matte brown.
The colors will shift from neutral to warm depending on the light. With any kind of flash the swatches turn significantly warmer. On the skin these apply more neutral than red/warm. I have two sets of swatches to help show you the difference. First is with flash:
In direct sunlight:
Tom Ford Cocoa Mirage contains a basic cream and three neutral browns. It’s quite likely you will find dupes out there. I pulled a few neutral palettes to compare but did not have time to search through all my singles. I hope this will help for now. Below is Edward Bess Island Escape and Burberry Mocha.
$75 for an eyeshadow palette is insanely expensive however Tom Ford does provide quite a bit of product in the mirrored quad. At $75 for 10 g for four shadows, the price breaks down to $18.75 per shadow which is 2.5g. Compare this to a few others and the price seems to be similar to put together a quad:
MAC singles are $12 to $15 for 1.5g each (a quad with compact will be around $57 for 6 g)
Bobbi Brown singles are $21 for 2.5g to 2.8g each (a quad with compact will be around $94)
I’m overall thrilled with Cocoa Mirage. It’s basic but the colors are high quality shadows. This is a wear-to-the-pan kind of quad although I do suspect most will find it too basic. I’m not happy about the high price but given the prices of other brands and singles, Tom Ford doesn’t seem to be too out of line with his eye shadows (still would love the quads to be in the low $60ish range). Out of his whole entire line the strong points still seem to be his lipsticks, blushes and brush range.
I purchased my quad from Neiman Marcus. Also available at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Saks. Have you tried Tom Ford Eye Shadow Quads? Which is your favorite? (Mine is Enchanted which was limited-edition.)
Anything Tom Ford releases these days catches my eye immediately. The new semi-transparent Lip Color Shines ($48 each for .12 oz/3.5g at Saks, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman) released a month ago have been on my radar but the insanely high price tag had me hesitant to buy before trying. Still, after looking at swatches online for hours, I decided to order a few online. I love Tom Ford Lipsticks (swatched here) and Lip Glosses (swatched here) so I figured there was at least one I was bound to fall in love with. I’ve started with Quiver (a pale cool pink), Insidious (a brighter peach), and Frolic (a nude peach).
All the lip shines have a delicious subtle vanilla cake scent (soft, not strong) that lingers for about 20 minutes before fading. The texture of the Tom Ford Lip Color Shines is smooth and creamy, slightly thick, but on the soft side. All the colors I picked have quite a bit of shimmer in the tube, on the lips there is noticeable shimmer, but it’s subtle (not frost). The finish is quite glossy, but the slightly thick texture helps the color adhere to the lips. The colors are on the sheer/natural side but show up.
Close ups and swatches, here you can see the shimmer:
(Sorry for the inconsistent lighting, lip swatches are really difficult for me.) Compared to YSL’s Rouge Volupte Shines and Chanel’s Rouge Coco Shines, I would say Tom Ford’s new sheer lipsticks are definitely similar. The differences:
YSL has the most pigment and darker/brighter color range, these glide on the smoothest
Chanel has a more diverse color range on the neutrals/roses, colors are slightly sheerer than Tom Ford
Tom Ford has the thickest texture, strongest scent and a great neutral range
In terms of lasting power, strongest to weakest is YSL, Tom Ford and then Chanel. However since all are on the sheer/glossy side, the lasting power is still medium like most glossy sheer lipsticks. I’m overall pleased with these, although YSL’s Rouge Volupte Shines win my heart for all over formula, color and price (Tom Fords come in close second).
The price will kill your wallet. For a sheer lipstick, I really expected the price points to be a lot lower. If you’re looking for a similar color to these but want more pigment, here are my suggestions:
Tom Ford Quiver – look at Dolce & Gabbana’s Shine lipsticks in Charm, Rosebud, Love or Emotion
Tom Ford Insidious – check out Chanel Flirt Rouge Coco Shine or Dior Diablotine
Tom Ford Frolic – check out Burberry’s Cameo
I like really these for the quality, feel and natural shine but feel the $48 would be better spent on a regular Tom Ford Lipstick or used towards their blushes. For some reference Karla Sugar and Wondegondigo have all the shades swatched on their blogs.
Did you try or pick up any of the Tom Ford Lip Color Shines? What’s your favorite shade?
Tom Ford Ginger Fire Nail Lacquer is my nail pick for the week. It’s a luscious vibrant tangerine with subtle shimmer. I feel like I have summer on my fingers with this shade. It’s the perfect amount of bright, orange and red mixed together. Ginger Fire retails at $30 for 0.41 fl oz/12 ml and is available online at Nordstroms, Neimans, Saks and select counters. I purchased mine from Neiman Marcus Fashion Island in store.
To date I’ve purchased several Tom Ford Nail Lacquers and my feelings are mixed. The regular line consists of sheers and creams, most of which are on the sheerer side, requiring three coats. I haven’t been a huge fan of the creams mainly because they require three coats for full coverage and also don’t last long on me (chips occur on day 3 with major tip-wear). I’ve found that the limited-edition releases (metallics) wear much better in terms of pigment, coverage and lasting power. Ginger Fire seems to last like the metallics from Tom Ford’s beauty line. I only started to see tip wear on day 4 and only one finger had chipping by the evening. With two coats there is still a slight transparent look. You can still see the whites of the nails underneath. I think a third coat would cover the nail fully. Still the color is gorgeous. I love that the shimmer shows up on the nail if you look closely. It’s not quite as invisible as Chanel’s can be.
Swatched with two coats, this was on day two of my manicure:
I love the color, the formula is almost as good as Chanel/Dior/OPI, but not quite (in my book). The price is quite steep and although it may be difficult to get to a Tom Ford counter, I think more stores carry the nail polish and lipsticks versus the full lineup. The nail polishes may be easier to find. Given the fact that this costs $30 and has a semi-sheer formula, I can’t say that I’m 100% in love. Perhaps I need to experiment with different base and top coats to make it last longer. (I’ve been using Deborah Lippmann’s base coat and Rescue Beauty Lounge’s top coat.)
This past weekend I wasn’t able to do comparisons. I would say this is most similar to Chanel Holiday, except the Chanel is more reddish, while the Tom Ford is clearly tangerine.
Have you tried Tom Ford’s nail lacquers? Thoughts?
Tom Ford’s Eye Shadow Contour Brush #12 has been my beauty BFF for the past few weeks ($55 individually or part of the 5-piece brush set at $365). When Tom Ford released his beauty line back in September of 2011, I was drawn to his lipsticks, blushes and glosses. I was told that the brushes were best in class, but the high price points prevented me from even daring to touch one at the counter. Since then I’ve been scouting the web for reviews and features on his brushes. More and more raves from loved and trusted sources kept popping up.
Café Makeup gushed about the amazing softness and lusciousness of the bronzer brush
Product Doctor found the cream foundation brush gave a flawless streak-free application
Sweet Makeup Temptations did a thorough feature on 7 of the brushes (excellent resource and feature)
Karla Sugar photographed the entire brush lineup on her blog (good for sizing reference)
My curiosity got the best of me and I’m glad it did. I’ve tested a few of the brushes now – all have been amazing. Tom Ford’s Eye Shadow Contour Brush #12 measures about 6.4 inches and comes with a mahogany-colored handle with white natural hairs (made in Japan). It has a slight angle with densely packed hairs, but it’s soft enough that it doesn’t feel like a normal smudge or liner brush. Others have reported that it’s great for contouring the crease or making an outer v for the eyes. I have crease-less lids, but this is the perfect tool for making a killer smokey eye. I’ve found it to be extremely versatile. It applies color to the lashline like a normal smudge brush. Since it’s thicker it creates a smokier look (rather than a more precise line). Turn the brush flattened against the skin and it blends out any harsh edges perfectly.
On the nails: Chanel Riva with YSL Premiere Neige
The price of $55 is quite high. Because of this, I can’t say this is a must-have. There are a number of other brushes which are more affordable that will achieve the same result of either a well-contoured or perfect smokey eye. For me though, having no crease, getting that smokey eye look often requires tons and tons of blending with multiple tools and layering of 2-3 shadows. This is where I feel Tom Ford’s #12 is worth the price in terms of time saving and performance. It’s the all-in-one smokey eye brush. Rather than having to use 3 different brushes for lining, smudging and/or blending, I now have the perfect tool that can do all three steps for me. (Of course for a precise defined line I do still need a finer-tipped brush.)
Here are a few comparisons: My MAC eye brushes are among my favorites for price, shape and quality. The white-haired brushes by MAC were the softest in my collection and best for blending. The Tom Ford beats it by far in terms of softness while still managing to be dense enough to be a good smudge/contour tool.
Bottom line: performance is amazing and love that it’s also a time saver. Have you tried Tom Ford brushes yet? Which ones?
As a side note, many have been emailing me reports of my photos showing up on places (such as ebay), some with watermarks, some with removed/edited watermarks. As a reminder, I currently do not sell on ebay so any listings with my watermarked photos are not from me. I’ve been doing what I can to get certain listings removed, but since it will be a time consuming and never-ending process (content is continually being lifted without permission), I felt the best thing to do was just put a warning/reminder/disclaimer that I currently do not sell on ebay or any other sites.
I’ve always been one to wear neutrals, pinks or peaches on the lips. The darkest I tend to go is Clinique Black Honey, MAC “O, or MAC Desire Lipglass. I’m slowly but surely venturing into darker more dramatic colors for makeup. There have been a number of others who have inspired me to try new things 🙂 With a bit of nudging/encouragement from friends and after seeing some lovely swatches on other blogs – these are my new discoveries: perfect vampy lipsticks that are great for fall. I tried to get good lip swatches – unfortunately I failed miserably to get good lip photos. Most of these turned too red with a flash or purple without a flash. I will do my best to supplement with descriptions.
Burberry Lip Mist in Blueberry ($30, found at select Nordstrom and Saks counters) is a sheer glossy red-plum-brown. Out of all the darker colors in the feature this one is the easiest to wear for those scared of dark lips. As others have noted – it’s not really a true blueberry color on the lips. This one is the most forgiving when it comes to fading though. The glossy texture makes it look more natural on the lips and the fading is more subtle than with something that is sharply contrasted to the natural lip tone. I loved it at Cafe Makeup and The Non-Blonde.
Tom Ford Black Orchid ($48, found at select Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and Nordstrom counters) is pure luxury in a tube. This one is quite dramatic, but it has enough warmth and red/plum in it to not be too dark. I really love Tom Ford’s lipsticks (just not the price). This is a gorgeous dark burgandy wine plum. There is shimmer in the tube but it doesn’t really show up on the lips. I recommend a darker lipliner like Trish McEvoy Iced Nude or Chanel nude to help with the application. Since this one is so dramatic, it does require precise application – blending with a brush over a lipliner will help even out any areas that aren’t 100% accurate. I loved this on Lisa Eldridge (she has a brilliant video) and Buy Now, Blog Later. Also see it on KarlaSugar.
Chanel La Provocante ($32.50, I found mine at Nordstrom Seattle) was part of the twin sets for 2012’s Fashion’s Night Out and sold out almost immediately online. It’s a deep dark purple-red color. On my lips the texture was a bit blotchy and uneven, it took a few swipes back and forth to get even coverage. To me this was the least forgiving in terms of application/fading. It required precise application and it looked Check with your local Chanel boutiques or studios to see if they still have this one. This one I still haven’t quite mastered yet. It’s the perfect dark vamp – a bit too dark for my taste, I would probably have to lighten it with a touch of gloss to warm it up. See it on Front Row Beauty, Christy-Tb and Indigo Kir Royale.
Dolce & Gabbana Dahlia ($30, at select Saks counters) is a classic cream formula and more pinkish/mauve out of all these. It’s borderline non-vamp because it’s not quite dark enough to be a true vamp, but still dark for me. I couldn’t find many reviews/photos of this one. I did like the feature on The Non-Blonde and comparisons on 3 19 29.
Le Métier de Beauté in Castelo ($32, available at Neiman Marcus) is a beautiful wine shimmer with brownish tones. It’s my perfect vamp without being too dark/goth. I fell in love with this after seeing it on Messy Wands (her post says it all). It’s also swatched on KarlaSugar.
I do apologize again for not having more useful lip swatches. Here are the ones I’ve done on the arm which I hope will compare the intensity of each shade.
To date I’ve worn Burberry Blueberry and Le Metier Castelo to work – the others not yet. I’ve matched these with a neutral eye and soft contoured cheek (Burberry Earthy, Dolce & Gabbana Tan or a soft bronzer like Edward Bess Daydream).
What’s your favorite vampy lipstick? Do you prefer the softer ones like I do or do you like to wear the dark/dramatic shades?
I’m loving dark vampy nail polishes right now. This season has brought us some beautiful new shades. My current favorites: Chanel Vamp (not new but a classic), Tom Ford Minx, Chanel Malice (new for holiday), Chanel Provocation (Fashion’s Night Out release) and Chanel Vertigo (fall). All provide full rich coverage with just two coats. Most of these have already been featured on this blog, but here are my favorites this season swatched side by side (I hope you don’t mind the repeats below).
Chanel Vamp #18 – the classic vamp shade, mine has a slightly jelly finish, but this is probably one of the oldest nail polishes I own – I think this bottle was purchased before Chanel reformulated their polishes
Tom Ford Minx – a gorgeous metallic mink-vamp brown
Chanel Malice #637 – the latest release from Chanel for holiday (a more detailed review to come soon), this color is to-die-for, a gorgeous rich dark aubergine shimmer
Chanel Provocation – a perfect plum cream (limited-edition release for Fashion’s Night Out)
Chanel Vertigo – part of Chanel’s fall collection, a gorgeous dusty purple brown grey
What’s your favorite vamp shade this season for nails? Do you have any new favorites or are you pulling out your classics this month?
