HOURGLASS Ambient Lighting Edit – Too good not to!…

Tags

Christmas 2015, Diffused Light, dim light, Hourglass, Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette, Irridescent Light, limited edition, Luminous Bronze Light, Luminous Flush, Mood Exposure, review, swatches

This is a one-of-a-kind makeup collector piece and I’ve been absolutely obsessed with it ( along with other ever-so-many beauty enthusiasts?! )! It’s the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Christmas 2015 Palette, filled with the most magical things you’ll ever see: fairy dust in the form of finishing powders, highlighters, blushers and bronzing powders…

I can actually hear myself dismissing this Palette when it first released. I had most of the shades in it ( Mood Exposure and Luminous Flush – review here, and Dim Light ) and I was only interested in getting the bronzing shade…

In the meanwhile disaster stroke!…

I managed to reduce to pieces my L.E. Ambient Lighting Blush Palette containing the two blushers mentioned above ( well done Self! – NOT!!!!?!?!! )…

As for Dim Light, I almost hit pan on it since it has been my go-to powder for setting my makeup, for the longest time. So another purchase would’ve been inevitable anyway!

So why not get me this gorgeous complete palette!?

Plus, with Christmas approaching and all – that certainly didn’t helped much, as this gorgeous Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Palette would definitely make an awesome gift for everyone… Not just for a makeup addict like myself!

[ I will definitely include this in my annie’s beauty… Christmas 2015 Gift Guide upcoming post, so make sure you keep an eye on my blog next week! ]

Not going to ramble more about how amazing quality these are as I already did raved about that in some of my previous posts ( here and here )… I will definitely write a separate review on the bronzing powder and the new highlighting shades later, next year.

Until then I’ll leave your with some more pictures that I hope you’re going to enjoy as much as I enjoy this palette!

See you soon, Beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

 

 

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My MAC Eyeshadow Collection feat. Brulé, Patina, Espresso, Cork, Wedge, Honey Lust, Sweet Lust, Satin Taupe, Coppering, Greensmoke, Creamy Bisque & Top Knot

Tags

Brulé, comparisons, Coppering, Cork, Creamy Bisque, Espresso, eyeshadow, Greensmoke, Honey Lust, limited edition, mac, MAC Eyeshadow Collection 2015, MAC Eyeshadows, neutrals, nude eyeshadows, Patina, review, Satin Taupe, swatches, Sweet Lust, Top Knot, Wedge

What kind of of a beauty blogger would I be if I didn’t owned some MAC Eyeshadows, right?!

Well, I do own a few that I have to admit I don’t reach out for as much as I probably should – you’re going to see in a sec, some of them are barely touched!…

Not that I don’t like the quality of them… They’re extremely pigmented, buttery soft and blend like a dream with the most trickiest eye tool, with a minimum of a fallout. Plus, the colour selection is every makeup lover dream! Check it for yourself here, on MAC‘s website!

What truly happens here is that I’m always distracted by my other eyeshadows from Tom Ford, Charlotte Tilbury, Burberry ( to name a few?! favourites )… They have become such an important part of my makeup routine, that my poor little MAC Eyeshadows had no other alternative than to collect dust in the back of my makeup drawers! #shame

*Side note: the whole “rotating your makeup thingy” it’s definitely not for me!*

Introductory ramble done, let’s move on to the actual review!

Brulé – a “soft creamy beige”* with a Satin finish, an excellent skin tone colour to be used as a base, by its own or to highlight.

Patina – a “taupe brown with golden pearl”* and a Frost finish. I don’t visualise Patina as a taupe but more of a muted, antique-y gold… Like those golden objects in my Granny’s attic, with the “patina” of time all over them! Great for an everyday makeup! Highly dupeable! ( See swatches below! )

Espresso – a “muted golden brown”* with a Matte finish. I don’t find Espresso muted at all! It’s a deep chocolate-brown, with golden undertones… Don’t you see it the same way? Grea in the crease to smoke out the look! Again, highly dupeable – swatches below!

Cork – another “muted golden brown”* but with a Satin finish. Lighter and warmer than Espresso. See dupes below!

Wedge – a “soft muted beige taupe”* and Matte finish. One of the most known MAC products and probably, my most used MAC eyeshadow – as you can probably see. Dupes below!

Honey Lust – a “bronze-dipped peach”* with Lustre finish. Excellent description! One observation though… Honey Lust and his sister Sweet Lust have obvious specs of glitter that are prone to fall outs, but used wet they create such an amazing glow on the lids as if they were glittey pigments.

Sweet Lust – a “pinky-rose”* with Lustre finish.

Satin Taupe – a “grey-brown taupe”* with a hint of purple and silver metallic sheen. It comes in a Frost finish. A cult beauty product, an essential in every makeup artist professional kit. Unfortunately, as you’ll see in the swatches below, it’s SO easily dupeable! 

Coppering – an “orange-copper”*, a Veluxe Pearl I simply adore this eyeshadow for this time of the year. It has the burnt orange-red colour of the fallen leaves and a beautiful, luminous sheen. Just beautiful! Swatches simply don’t do any justice to this gorgeous colour!

Geensmoke – another beautiful colour for Autumn. It’s a “tarnished olive”* eyeshadow with a Lustre finish. Like the other lustre finishes above, you might have some issues with the golden glitters in this one as well.

The last two are unfortunately Limited Edition items and not available at the moment at MAC counters or online.

Creamy Bisque ( L. E. ) is a soft off-white with pink sheen. It’s a Frost which makes it excellent for highlighting the inner corner of the eye, the brow bow even the rest of your face, if you like… It was part of the MAC Me Over 2011 Collection.

Top Knot ( L. E. ) is a charcoal with indigo-purple shimmers. It comes in a Velvet finish. Available for a limited period of time, as a part of MAC’s Brunette Blonde Redhead 2009 Collection. 

 

Next…

…you will find all the swatches and a few comparisons with other eyeshadows in my collection.

Swatches. I hope you find them helpful!

Dupes in my collection:

• see full post here.

• see full post here.

• see full post here.

• see full post here.

• see full post here.

Before you leave please let me know which MAC Eyeshadows are your absolutely favourites!

See you soon, Beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

 

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*Description taken from MAC’s website.

Gilded Summer: TOM FORD Summer 2015 Soleil Collection: the New and Limited Edition Shimmering Body Oil

Tags

limited edition, review, Shimmering Body Oil, Tom Ford, Tom Ford Summer 2015 Collection, Tom Ford Summer 2015 Soleil Collection

This weekend’s post is not going to be about makeup, but it will bring you such a luxurious item that has the given power to make anyone look fabulous! This is the Tom Ford, Limited Edition, Shimmering Body Oil, from the Summer 2015 Soleil Makeup Collection.

“This is just another body oil brands always come out during Summer!“,

some might say. And you might think they’re right until you get to try this for the first time!

The smell is so nice and the texture is beyond amazing! I’m not the biggest fan of body oils and I haven’t found too many to suit my demands. But unlike all the oils I have tried, this one is by far the best and the most luxurious feeling!

It absorbs instantly and doesn’t leave a greasy residue, no matter how much you apply! It makes your skin feel smooth and silky and thanks to these playful gold and platinum leaf shimmering particles you’ll be wearing the diffused glow of an angel!

Make sure you shake it well before you apply it, because it separates!

It is the most beautiful final touch to a sun-kissed summer skin! Plus it is really hydrating and emollient thanks to the lightweight oils in its composition, that will feel amazing on your sun drenched skin, after a full day on the beach enjoying the sun and the waves.

Its captivating fragrance wraps a bouquet of white florals in a golden, amber-sandalwood embrace

– this is a description I found online about the scent of this body oil and I think this is the closest to the truth it can get! I for instance, wasn’t able to come out with a better description for it than: a tropical garden, coconutty, delicious goodness that lingers on my skin throughout the whole day.

Scents are personal, but this is how I feel it smells combined with the chemistry of my own skin!

Another particularity of the Tom Ford Shimmering Body Oil is its consistency! This is not one of those oils that can be sprayed on the skin as it comes out as a concentrated, dense, almost jelly-like oil that I warm up between my hands before I use it and then apply it wherever I want!

I’ve been wearing it a lot as a perfume lately, so I mainly apply a tiny bit on my neck, shoulders and hands! It is a powerful scent and if you’re familiar with the fragrances from the Tom Ford Private Blend Collection, it’s something along those lines… Powerful, seductive and long-lasting!

Plus, the packaging is pure perfection and I think it would look amazing on any vanity!

I hope you enjoyed this post and make sure you check out the reviews on my other picks from the Tom Ford Summer 2015 Collection: Pink Sand – cream blush, Golden Peach – cream eyeshadow duo, Skinnydip and Rose Soleil – sheer lipsticks.

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

Another Little Dose of TOM FORD Summer 2015 Soleil Collection: the New and Limited Edition Cream and Powder Eye Color in shade #03 Golden Peach

Tags

Cream and Powder Eye Color #03 Golden Peach, limited edition, Limited edition Golden Peach, review, swatches, Tom Ford, Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color #01 Pink Sand, Tom Ford Summer 2015 Collection, Tom Ford Summer 2015 Soleil Collection

Yes, I’m giving you only small doses of the Tom Ford Summer 2015 Soleil Collection but not because I an a meanie but because I just want you to see it and appreciate in all its glory, item by item.

So, today it’s the turn of this amazing cream eyeshadow, the Cream and Powder Eye Color in shade #03 Golden Peach.

Tom Ford is well known for his amazing eyeshadows and these Limited Edition cream shadows are as great as the regular powder ones. Hence the fact that they were the second best sold items every time they are released!

#03 Golden Peach is one of the four shades that came out with the Soleil Smmer 2015 Collection ( see the other ones in this post here ).

It’s a premiere in the world of Tom Ford makeup because of its structure. This one comes in a form of a duo made of a glittery, powder eyeshadow ( that “mature” very pigmented glitter that has a beautiful application and minimal fall out! ) in a beautiful an unique soft peachy colour, with warm, brown undertones. That gorgeous glitter makes a lovely pair with the beautiful peachy-pink almost rose gold cream eyeshadow, which some say it’s a repromote of another cream eyeshadow – Pink Haze. As for the glittery shade that is definitely similar in formulation to all the other glitter shades Tom Ford does flawlessly!

If you’re familiar with the Tom Ford cream formulas you already know how extremely long-wearing they are, how intensely pigmented, and how smooth and easily blendable the application is.

These two eyeshadows can be worn separately or layered together to achieve the look that suits your every need. It’s probably one of the most versatile eyeshadows I own in my collection this far!

Along with their Cream Blush in Pink Sand, which is also a Limited Edition item ( see review here ) these were the two makeup pieces I thought to myself that I HAD to have them and luckily I managed to get my hands on!

I hope you enjoyed this little short yet helpful presentation of a yet another beautiful Tom Ford product from their Soleil Summer 2015 Collection! Stay tuned for more in the following days!

In the meanwhile, please share your picks from this collection and the experiences you had with them! Recommendations are also welcomed!

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

A Little Dose of TOM FORD Summer 2015 Soleil Collection: the New and Limited Edition Cream Cheek Color in #01 Pink Sand

Tags

#01 Pink Sand Cream Blush, limited edition, limited edition Pink Sand, review, swatches, Tom Ford, Tom Ford Summer 2015 Collection, Tom Ford Summer 2015 Soleil Collection

This is by far my favourite piece of the new Tom Ford Summer 2015 Soleil Collection!

I know many have as a favourite the Eye and Cheek Palette, but as far as I’m concerned the blush won me for its novelty and breath of fresh air it brought in an otherwise predictable, yet always gorgeous Summer collection!

This is the Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color in #01 Pink Sand. It’s the first cream product for the face that I’ve tried and it’s safe to say that this luminous soft pink blush, with warm undertones and golden iridescence won my heart irremediably!

It’s a blush-meets-highlighter in one which makes it unique and a must have, if you ask me! Since the summer finally arrived I’m more for a natural, glowing makeup and on my fair skin this can be used as a blush as well as to add the radiance of a highlighter ( a step minus in my makeup routine, right?! ).

It’s so creamy and soft, and I have to warn you that this one doesn’t transfer on the cheeks as pigmented as the traditional cream blushers you might have tried do ( think Chanel, for instance! ). Therefore it’s harder to make mistakes! It has colour to it but the finish is more of a satin, and throughout the day it keeps its shine without making you look greasy, or accentuate any imperfections.

Tom Ford describes it as a “healthy glow and natural burst of color” which means that this is a quite sheer product essentially, but it can also be build-up to a maximum of semi-opaqueness. Which I don’t mind at all, and I’m sure that all the lovers of a natural blush look won’t mind as well!

 – here you have it heavily swatched and blended out to a sheer coverage. I hope you can still see the golden reflections in it! Glorious!

 

HOW I APPLY IT!

I think that to really make this product work at its full potential you need to take your time with it and make sure that you warm it really well between your fingers. Yes, it’s one of the few products I really like to apply with my fingers! But I also think that a nice synthetic stippling brush does an amazing job as well!

[ I haven’t tried it with my #06 Tom Ford Cheek Brush yet, but I will and update you on that too! ]

I gently pat the product onto my cheeks making sure not to press to hard to move my foundation! A trick to make the application easier is to apply Pink Sand before the foundation has time to dry down and it’s still “wet” – if that makes any sense. Like that the two kind of melt together and create a natural, compact look!

As for that packaging… What else there’s to say but that it’s gorgeous! The ivory and gold combination Tom Ford uses for all his summer collections will always melt the heart of any makeup lover!

What is your favourite item from the Tom Ford Summer 2015 Soleil Collection, lovely?

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

 

Loving Nudes #4 – DIOR Rouge Dior Nude Blush lipstick in #459 Charnelle

Tags

#loving nudes, dior, Dior Charnelle, Dior Ruge Dior Nude #459 Charnelle, limited edition, nude lipstick, review, swatches

 A touch of colour is all it takes to change your appearance.

Christian Dior

 

In my opinion, a nude lip can also be the very essence of a sexy and determined woman, the same way a red lip will always make you feel sexy and powerful. No wonder the nude lip has been the signature lip of beautiful icons like Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez or Angelina Jolie…

But the concept of “nude” does not end with a flawless complexion. To compliment the perfect natural glow, the right lipstick is also a must… A must balance between the right colour and your skin tone, in order to avoid the “too tired” or the “too pale” effect.

To help us with that, Dior launched almost three years ago a collection of lipsticks that take nude To the next level. A collection of eight radiant lip-blush shades, which instantly hydrate, plump and smooth your lips for a classy and timeless finish.

Not all the shades will be universally flattering and from all the Dior Nude Blush Lipsticks shades I have tried on, the one I think it’s the most appropriate for my skin tone and the pigment in my lips, is the #459 Charnelle. There’s also the iconic Grège, but this one goes a bit too much into beige territory for my liking. A gorgeous nude nonetheless!

Charnelle is the perfect soft nude shade with peachy pink undertones, which looks just like my natural lip color, only better. It has a warmth to it that makes it ideal for so many skin tones. It also has a sheerness to it which confers a soft, elegant, subtle touch to your entire look whether you are using it for a subtle day look or you’re using it as a final touch for an important dinner. It will enhance your natural lip colour adding a dash of pigment to it… A highlighting blush for the lips!

It looks very natural on the lips, a very wearable nude. The translucent pigment  makes it that much easier to wear! Comfortable and hydrating on the lips, the Rouge Dior voluptuous care formula is enriched with criste marine extract, smoothing and reshaping the lips, maximizing in the most natural way the expression of each nuance in your lips…

Because Dior believes in: “Couture Colour” and  “Voluptuous Care“!

Though not the most long-lasting lipstick you’ll ever try, it’s such a pleasure to take it out of your bag and re-apply it on any occasion because of the classy, iconic, quilted packaging which makes it a beauty and style accessory, by itself!

And if you just started your quest for the “perfect nude lipstick” the Dior Nude Blush lipstick range is a great starting point…

For other suggestions make sure you check my other nude loves: Tom Ford, Burberry, Givenchy… And make sure you follow annie’s beauty… because I have some new Charlotte Tilbury propositions for you, I’m sure you won’t be able to say no to!…

See you soon, Beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

 

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My sheer yet sparkly lips for Summer 2014: GUERLAIN Rouge G #86 Rose Glacé and CHANEL Lèvres Scintillates Glossimer #131 Mica

Tags

chanel, Chanel Glossimer #131 Mica, guerlain, Guerlain Rouge G #86 Rose Glacé, limited edition, review, swatches

– this is a photo I posted on my Instagram account a while ago

I never leave the house without wearing lipstick! And that is a fact! But as much as I struggle, few hours later it is gone! And I never seem to bother applying it again during the day! So, I end up carrying around with me 12 different lip products, only to find myself reaching the most for my Dior Lip Maximizer or the Dior Lip Glow Balm. ( I had to exaggerate a bit, but only to emphasize on the amount of lip stuff that makes my bag a lot heavier! At my last count there were only 6?! )

But this summer I decided to step out of my comfort zone, to give my purse a good clean up and to go for a glossy, healthy looking lip. And my two choices were my Guerlain Rouge G in #86 Rose Glacé and and oldie but goodie – my Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer in #131 Mica.

 

The Guerlain Rouge G, in #86 Rose Glacé is, unfortunately a limited edition, lip product Guerlain threw on the market with their summer collection, along with 5 more permanent shades of their iconic Rouge G’s. 

It is a “nude, barely-there pink”, with a milky consistency, which is not sticky or tacky at all. It does not offer much coverage and it is very similar to the Lip Glow balm from Dior, but with an extra touch: the white and pale-pink fine shimmers, which lighten your natural lip colour.

The scent of the Guerlain Rouge G Rose Glacé is light and delicate. When you first apply it you will sense the fresh top notes of lemon, orange and bergamot. After the application it leaves on your lips a sweet vanilla and tonka bean taste, mixed with irises and roses. But if you are sensitive to scents and you find it overpowering, do not worry because it will fade in a matter of minutes. 

It is a feminine scent, same as the packaging, the classic mirrored, heavy bullet has now been coloured in a feminine, pale pink… It is a delight to pick it up from your purse and apply it at any time of the day. 

I apply it straight from the bullet and I wear it by itself or on top of another lipstick, or a pink-toned lip liner for a more sophisticated look!

The Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer in #131 Mica is an old favourite of mine, which I dug out from the depths of my makeup drawers.

The Glossimers are Chanel’s best selling glosses. They come in a wide range of colours and  finishes, from sheer and natural to sparkling and rich.

#131 Mica is a beautiful reflecting shimmer, with white, pink, fuchsia and blue-based particles. It is more pigmented than the Gurelain Rose Glacé, which means that is offers a higher coverage and it is also long-lasting, in fact it is my most long lasting lip gloss I have in my collection!

The only downside to it is that it is a bit stickier, so you might want to keep that in mind if you want to buy one soon 

– on the left the Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes Glossimer #131 Mica and on the right the Guerlain Rouge G #86 Rose Glacé

I absolutely love these two lip products! So easy to apply, so comfortable on the lips, and so low-maintenance!

What do you think? Are you a gloss wearer or you remain faithful to your old lipstick formula?

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guerlain Terracotta Sun Celebration 30th Anniversary Edition Bronzing Powder and Blush “The Star Sun Powder”

Tags

30th Guerlain Anniversary, Guerlain Teracotta bronzer, Guerlain Terracotta Sun Celebration 30th Anniversary Edition Bronzing Powder and Blush "The Star Sun Powder", limited edition, photos, review, Star Sun Powder, Summer of 2014, Sun Celebration, swatches

 

Today I am happy to share with you my own experience with one of the most beautiful summer releases – if not all year round! Because I think it will be rather difficult for another brand to release a more beautiful pattern on a product, or package, or scent than Guerlain‘s Terracotta Sun Celebration 30th Anniversary Edition Bronzing Powder and Blush, “The Star Sun Powder”.

– you might have seen already this picture on my Instagram account

This is a beautiful combination of bronzer and blush all-in-one product, that Guerlain launched in May 2014, to mark their 30th Anniversary. This limited edition palette is meant to capture the allure of the sun in a pan. And it definitely does that with the two bronzer sections, a bright pink blush, doubled by another beautiful orange coloured one. The sun in the center is only a gold overspray, and it will wear off with using the product.

Before buying it, my main concern was how this will translate on my rather pale skin?! I have to admit that this is one step close to an orange look when all the colours are swirled together, mainly because the orange blush gives away more colour than the pink one. But used with a light hand, everyone can make it work!

– L-R: bronzer, orange blush, pink blush, and the last swatch are all the colours swirled together

The powder is extremely finely-milled and the colours are easily buildable, even if they will start off very subtle. Except for the gold sun overspray in the middle of the pan, all the colours are matte. 

I would rather use the colours ( bronzer and blushes ) separately. One great thing about this palette is that the shades are large enough, that you can go in with a decent sized brush and pin point exactly which colour you want to use. I used it with my Tom Ford #06 Cheek Brush, but mainly with my Hakuhodo J210 Blush Brush, because I like more the way the product blends with it.

The packaging is this 16 g of product gathered in a sleek, wooden compact, with a mirrored detachable lid, held together by 3 magnets. Can anyone beat Guerlain on that presentation?! Not really!

And the scent… OMG! That scent is God sent! ( feeling the poet side of a beauty blogger, much?! ) It does not have the usual Guerlain violet signature scent! This one is more fresh and more floral, with a tinge of sweetness in it. It will instantly take you to an exotic Thaitian garden, filled with tiaré flowers. Some might find the scent overpowering, but I think that it is simply gorgeous.

As for the wearing time: I have applied it in the morning when I did my makeup and after 8 hours of work, and sun, and sweat at the end of the day I could see slight signs of fading. And without any touch ups!

Bottom line: If you are after that deep, summer kind of a goldeny bronzed glow this is the right product you were lusting after!

Thoughts on it? Please share!

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie

 

 

 

 

Dior Trianon Spring 2014 – my signature colour for this season

Tags

dior, Dior Trianon 2014 Spring Collection, high end, limited edition, lipstick, makeup, pink, review, spring

I’ve never been this excited about the launch of a make up limited edition line since last year in spring, when Chanel launched “Printemps Precieux de Chanel” Collection.

So, when the Dior Trianon Spring 2014 Collection hit the counters at my Sephora, I went there and picked up the products that will feed my lip-anything obsession this spring.

I’m talking about the Rouge Dior Lipstick #744 Allégresse and the
Dior Addict Coral 004 Lip Glow.

The inspiration behind this season’s collection was queen Marie-Antoinette and her private domain, the Petit Trianon. Macaroon shades and Fontange bows, the atmosphere of Versailles and its gardens flourishes beautifully in blushes, eyeshadows and lipsticks. The pastel shades give the whole collection a very light and girly feel.

Dior believes that every woman has to have her signature colour, her own attitude. Mine was Rouge Dior Spring 2014 Limited Edition #744 Allégresse.

It is a timeless shade, perfectly balanced between the bright pink and the blue undertones. The Rouge Dior voluptuous care formula is enriched with criste marine*. It gives smoothness, reshapes the lips and maximizes the expression of each shade.

*criste marine = plant stem cells that delay premature aging

I had high hopes for this one as I wanted a bright happy colour to wear in spring. And again, Dior didn’t failed me! It is perfect for the spring season; it applies beautifully and stays true for hours.

On the website Dior wrote that: “The new Rouge Dior sets the tone as a beauty and style accessory.The couture lip colour that is all it takes to change everything, to make you look stunning. Like a Dior bag, it leaves the mark of ultimate, timeless elegance and tops off the silhouette.

 A good-luck charm, definitely Dior.”

Dior addicts will read between the lines…

Although I have one mention…

  …in this picture you can see the Dior Addict Coral 004 Lip Glow that I bought with the lipstick… I actually had to return it because I didn’t like it on me… At all! Blame it on the impulse buy…

*Note to self again: Stay away from orange toned lip products!

See you soon, beautiful!

xx, Annie