Nars Undress Me Multiple Review

 Blush, Highlighter, NARS  3 Responses »
Jul 242012
 

Nars Undress Me Multiple ($39) is a pink nude highlighter shade with a wash of fairy glitter. Right now many of the high concept fashion collections are playing with surface textures in a modernist framework. It seems to me that Nars Fall 2012 collection is made in this same tradition. The items have a beautiful internal connection, they bring something new to the innovative makeup realm. As with many new and inventive textures, these are not traditional. Undress Me fits within this framework–my guess is that very few readers have any duplicates that are close to NARS Undress Me.

This soft, glitter-rich color will act as a highlighter on all but the very lightest skin tones. Here is a comparison between Nars Undress Me Multiple, Nars Angelika Mutliple, and Nars Copacabana Multiple. In this case, I think that the picture tells the entire story, readers will either be entranced and delighted with the gorgeous sheen, and others may find that this does not fit within their personal sensibility:

Nars Undress Me was sent to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review.

NARS Fall 2012 Sephora Foreplay Palette

 Blush, Highlighter, NARS  1 Response »
Jul 022012
 

Due August 1, 2012, NARS will offer Sephora Foreplay, an exclusive blush/highlighter palette ($49). Inspired by NARS best-selling Orgasm blush, Foreplay is Orgasm “deconstructed.” The original is a peach, pink, and gold combination. This palette includes the original Orgasm, plus each of the components separately–pink, peach, and gold. You can layer the iconic original with shimmery gold highlighter, or intensify either the peach or pink by adding the matte tones to create your own signature Orgasm glow.

MAC Extra Dimension Highlighters: Swatch & Comparisons

 Bronzers, Highlighter, MAC  6 Responses »
Apr 042012
 

I was curious to see whether MAC Extra Dimension Highlighters ($29 each) compared with Estee Lauder’s gelee formula highlighters.  I agree with Temptalia’s assessment that these are similar. I’ll go further- I found these extremely similar. The Estee Lauder versions sold out so quickly, that I thought it useful to post some comparisons. If you missed Estee Lauder’s, you might want to grab MAC’s instead.

Unfortunately, the similarity appears to include  fragility. As you can see from these pictures, my MAC Glorify arrived broken. I also just discovered, with much heartbreak, that my Estee Lauder Tom Pecheux Pure Color Night Higlighter (reviewed here), is now pulverized into tiny bits. I’ve never traveled with it and it’s been in a box for several months. Fortunately, my MAC Glorify is being replaced by the store from which it was purchased. Sadly, the Estee has been sold out for so long that I am not even going to try to track down any replacement. My other Estee Lauder highlighters seem strong, both Modern Mercury and Topaz Chameleon seem like they are in good shape.

Saddest photograph ever.

Here are the MAC Extra Dimension highlighters, comparisons with Estee’s are below. For the record, MAC’s are $29 for 0.31 oz, Estee’s run $40 for 0.19 oz. in a mirrored compact.

First, Whisper of Gilt, which appears to be the best color for a pale skin tone. It has a slightly cool gold color.

Second, MAC Superb, with a warm peachy tone:

Third, MAC Glorify, which gives a golden bronze effect:

And here are the comparisons with MAC Whisper of Gilt with the Estee Lauder Pure Color Night Highlighter, which have obvious differences although both are light in tone. Also, you can see a similarity between MAC Superb and Estee Lauder Modern Mercury (reviewed here).  Finally, there is MAC Glorify which looks very similar to the Estee Lauder Topaz Chameleon:

 

Edward Bess Makeover at Bergdorfs

 Blush, Edward Bess, Eyeliner, Eyeshadow, Foundation, Highlighter, Mascara  47 Responses »
Mar 222012
 

Liz and I were so fortunate to meet Edward Bess in person at Bergdorf’s last week. As we were walking through the magical beauty floor, we found him standing near a counter of his beautifully formulated makeup line. Even more incredibly, he offered to do our makeup. I took some pictures for you to enjoy–and we hope that you do!

First of all, Edward Bess is even more charming and knowledgable in person than we had imagined–and we are some of his biggest fans. A prodigy, his taste level and expertise is incredible. Also, his personality is so pleasant and easy-going–he had us laughing along with him throughout. If you could choose anyone to do your makeover, Edward Bess would be a most delightful (and talented) choice.

Edward began with Liz’s eyes–he explained that cleanups are so much easier if the color product somehow migrates.  We were so lucky to try his new Edward Bess Eye Primer.   This product, which comes in three different shades, is distributed via a brush pen to the lid. Above, the product is coming out of the tube before it is smoothed out (with fingers or the built-in brush). It creates a blank canvas on the lid, drying to an opaque matte finish. I noticed that both Liz’s and my eye makeup lasted beautifully until we removed it much later that evening. The finish is amazing. I cannot wait until this product is available in the next 2-3 weeks. I need it.

With a few exceptions, nearly all of the color products used on both Liz and I were from the Edward Bess Back to Basics Palette ($75). Although I realized that this was a very versatile travel palette, I was stunned to see how easily Bess could use this palette to create our “you but more glamorous” looks. With just a few of his brushes and his fingers, Edward used some of his collection’s favorite colors. You can see Sabrina’s review and swatches of this palette here at The Beauty Look Book.

The eyeshadows were used to create a very natural eye, using the neutral colors on the lid, and the darker shade just above the crease. Edward used his Edward Bess Luxury Eye Brush ($40) (pictured with the palette, above, which I couldn’t resist buying).

A little Edward Bess Defining Eye Liner ($29)….

 More work on the eye area:

 And bringing some color under the eyes:

Edward gave Liz incredibly long, defined lashes with his Edward Bess Lash Designer Volumizing Mascara ($30):

Edward mixed his Edward Bess Platinum Concealer ($38) with a touch of his moisturizing Edward Bess Black Sea Deep Hydration Cream ($90) to do Liz’s under eye area. He also used a mix of this moisturizer with his Edward Bess Sheer Satin Cream Compact Foundation ($60), which he dabbed on Liz with fingers. Although I don’t own this foundation yet, it did provide a very lightweight, moisturizing feel. The finish was lovely. I do own at least three of the Platinum Concealers, which I keep at home, work, and in my purse.  It has amazing coverage and the quality is excellent. I’m discontinuing the use of the Cle de Peau stick concealer in favor of the Edward Bess.

He then began to dab on the blush and highlighter from the Back to Basics Palette to add subtle color to Liz’s cheeks:

He used very soft lipstick and pencil on lips:

Edward then used the South of France Quad Royale ($45) applied with his Luxury Face Brush ($56) to add a glow to Liz’s complexion.  This quad gave Liz a very natural sheen–really, we couldn’t leave the counter without picking one up for her.

The Beauty Look Book’s review and swatches of the South of France Quad Royale are here. If you love a soft, subtle, beautiful glow, this is a must have.

I hope you enjoyed this little essay–we certainly felt very fortunate to have met with Edward Bess. What an enormous talent–I cannot wait to see what else he will be releasing in the coming months.

Lumiere Sculptee de Chanel Review

 Chanel, Highlighter, Powder  6 Responses »
Nov 012011
 

The Holiday 2011 Holiday Sculptee de Chanel Highlighting Powder ($72/ .46 oz.) has a gorgeously textured, glazed finished.  The compact is the large Chanel version that matches the size of Chanel’s powder foundations and bronzers and comes with a well-designed, usable brush.  The compact and velveteen sleeve:

Designed as an elegant gift, the glazing on the highlighter looks beautiful and brushes off easily with a few brush swipes:

 The powder is soft and the pattern wears down quite easily.  Here is the same compact with the glazing removed and after the highlighter was used once on Liz:

This highlighter did not live up to my expectations.  I found that the texture was not as finely milled as Chanel’s Pearl Glow, and the highlighting was so subtle that the product acts more as a very slightly glowy finishing powder.  Here is the powder applied heavily on Liz’s cheek over Chanel’s Tweed Brun Rose blush (reviewed here) in sun:

Typically, this type of lighting maximizes the highlighting properties of any powder product (compare Guerlain’s Parure de Nuit here).  Neither Liz or I found that Lumiere Sculptee de Chanel had reflectivity.  Here is a comparison between Chanel’s Lumiere Sculptee, MAC Lightscapade, Chanel Pearl Glow (reviewed here) and Guerlain Parure de Nuit (which picked up some color from the peacock color shapes):

To be honest, I was disappointed (and a bit surprised) with Chanel Lumiere Sculptee. As beautiful as the product looked in the promotional pictures (really, it absolutely glowed with the pretty glazing), I found the product delivers a finishing powder-type look. Worse, I didn’t find the powder very finely milled.  I’d give this a “pass,” even for collectors.  Particularly at this price point, this did not work for me.

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