Lipstick - 2/15 - Café Makeup

Nars Lodhi Satin Lip Pencil Review

Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, NARS 6 Responses »

Mar 192013

Nars Lodhi1

Nars Satin Lip Pencils ($25) each are just being released. Our overview of all shades and the formula is here. This is part of a series of posts that looks at all shades on lips. At the close, we’ll do a wrap up post of all shades again for this 13-pencil release. Here, Nars Lodki is a crowd-pleasing coral that is very easy to wear.

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Nars calls this a “vibrant coral.” We found that it is a pretty, brightening shade.

Nars Lodhi on Liz:

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These are available at Nars online website, Nars boutiques, Nordstrom.com, Sephora.com, and other Nars retailers.

Nars Cosmetics provided these pencils to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review. This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup).

Nars Isola Bella Satin Lip Pencil Review

Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, NARS, Uncategorized 2 Responses »

Mar 192013

Nars Isola Bella1

Nars Satin Lip Pencils ($25) each are just being released. Our overview of all shades and the formula is here. This is part of a series of posts that looks at all shades on lips. At the close, we’ll do a wrap up post of all shades again for this 13-pencil release. Here, Isola Bella is a peach beige that has enough brown to hold its own on some cooler skin tones. Of course, peach is an easy choice for warm skin tones as well.

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Nars Iso Bella is on the deeper-toned side of the nude scale:

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Nars Isola Bella on Liz:

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These are available at Nars online website, Nars boutiques, Nordstrom.com, Sephora.com, and other Nars retailers.

Nars Cosmetics provided these pencils to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review. This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup).

Nars Floralies Satin Lip Pencil Review

Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, NARS Comments Off

Mar 192013

Nars Satin Lip Pencils ($25) each are just being released. Our overview of all shades and the formula is here. This is part of a series of posts that looks at all shades on lips. At the close, we’ll do a wrap up post of all shades again for this 13-pencil release. Here, Floralies is a light apricot, which we found quite warm on our warm-toned skin.

This is the type of nude that goes well with a smoky eye–it’s not quite the same as a skin-tone color. There’s just enough color separation to keep the tone from looking like concealer on the lips.

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Here is Nars Floralies on Liz:

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These are available at Nars online website, Nars boutiques, Nordstrom.com, Sephora.com, and other Nars retailers.

Nars Cosmetics provided these pencils to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review. This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup).

Nars Satin Lip Pencil Het Loo Review

Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, NARS Comments Off

Mar 192013

Nars Het Loo1

Nars Satin Lip Pencils ($25) each are just being released. Our overview of all shades and the formula is here. This is part of a series of posts that looks at all shades on lips. At the close, we’ll do a wrap up post of all shades again for this 13-pencil release. Here, Het Loo is a browned cherry nude, which Nars quite accurately calls “cognac.”

Nars Het Loo 3

On Liz:

Nars Het Loo 1

These are available at Nars online website, Nars boutiques, Nordstrom.com, Sephora.com, and other Nars retailers.

Nars Cosmetics provided these pencils to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review. This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup).

Introducing Nars Satin Lip Pencils

Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, NARS 12 Responses »

Mar 172013

Nars Satin Lip Pencils02

Nars Satin Lip Pencils ($25) are part of another winning launch. Just released on Nars online and Nars boutiques (New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco). These have also appeared on Nordstrom.com, and will soon be in stores and makeup counters everywhere.

Like Nars Velvet Matte and Nars Velvet Shine pencils, these are chubby sticks that apply with rich color. Named for beautiful parks from around the world, the thirteen colors are:

Het Loo: cognac

Floralies: light apricot

Isola Bella: peach beige

Lodhi: vibrant coral

Biscayne Park: pink guava

Rikugien: rose pink

Golshan: spiced wine

Majella: garnet

Luxembourg: vivid watermelon

Hyde Park: cardinal red

Palais Royal: sangria

Yu: shocking pink

Jardin des Plantes: fuchsia (this color available at Nars boutiques and Nars online only)

Nars Satin Lip Pencils12

We found that the line has a nice selection of nudes and neutrals, but enough brights to keep us happy. We’re working our way through the testing, and we’ll have more complete reviews throughout the next few days. These work with the standard Nars sharpener, or any other sharpener that accommodates a larger pencil.

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Here are some quick swatches in different lighting (click to enlarge):

Although we’re still playing, so far our “must have” picks are Lodhi, Majella, Luxenbourg, and Yu. These feel moisturizing on first application for the first several minutes. As you can see, these have plenty of rich, beautiful color.

Compared to other Nars lip pencil releases, the Nars Satin Lip Pencils did not have any scent or taste. One more swatch set:

We’ll get some lip images up soon, so that you can see the texture as applied. As you might expect from the name, these have a satin texture (rather than glossy or matte, as with the other Nars chubby pencil lines). Click to enlarge:

These are available online at Nars online and Nars boutiques, Nordstrom.com and other stores.

Nars Cosmetics sent these Nars Satin Lip Pencils to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review. This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup).

Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro in Dark Velvet Review

Giorgio Armani, Lipgloss, Lipstick 9 Responses »

Mar 162013

Armani Maestro Lip1

There are times when you want glamour. Just “take over the red carpet” show-stopping amazing. Few deliver full-on gorgeous like Giorgio Armani’s Lip Maestro in Dark Velvet ($32 #201). We didn’t love the red cap, but as we know it’s what is inside that counts.

Armani Maestro Lip2

Like the other products in the Armani Maestro line, the Lip Maestro’s are a complete reformulation that one doesn’t find in other makeup lines. This is a deep, velvet texture with very intense color. It dries down to a matte texture with a very soft sheen (“velvet” describes it well). I’m not certain how Giorgio Armani packed so much pigment into such a slight bit of product, but one has to really work a bit to apply this color lightly. Here’s a full application on Liz:

Armani Maestro Lip4a

This is one of those incredible, once-in-a-lifetime swoony colors that packs a gorgeous punch. Here is Liz wearing the color with Giorgio Armani’s Eyes to Kill Shimmer in Mirage:

Armani Maestro Lip11a

We tried the alternative of patting Giorgio Armani Dark Velvet on very lightly, to get just a touch of a stain:

Armani Maestro Lip3a

Unsurprisingly, we found that Giorgio Armani Dark Velvet was out of stock at several locations. I can see this becoming a cult color. Here are swatches of Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro Dark Velvet, Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Rouge Noir, Chanel Rouge Coco Rivoli and Guerlain Vega:

GA Maestro Dark Velvet

Armani Maestro Dark Velvet is even deeper than Chanel Rouge Noir, which of course is a very dark, dramatic vampy color. One doesn’t need many colors like Armani Dark Velvet, however there simply aren’t many colors like it, so that works out perfectly.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipsticks Review

Lipgloss, Lipstick, Yves Saint Laurent 21 Responses »

Mar 122013

YSL 51

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupté Shine Lipsticks ($34 each) have been my obsession lately. After all of the sheer lipsticks released last year, I was prepared to pass these by. Despite this, I found myself playing with these at a Sephora. The colors were just beautiful. I liked the shine and the stain that they leave behind.

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The YSL Rouge Volupte Shines come in a protective cover, given that these bullets are very soft. The casing is deeply engraved, heavy, and luxurious. The casing is banded with the color inside.

YSL 201

Yves Saint Laurent Pourpre Intouchable (#2) is a deep berry shimmer.

YSL 202

I love deep, vampy colors but some are intimidated to wear them. Having the option in a sheer formula is well brings this color into everyone’s comfort zone. Pourpre Intouchable is the only one of the three I purchased with shimmer.

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Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shines apply with a gorgeous shine, which makes my lips look moisturized and very smooth. Really, this effect is the reason that I’m loving this line of lipsticks. The shine last about the same amount of time as Burberry’s Lip Mists (on me, about an hour, although things don’t tend to last on me very long typically), and the stain persists for quite a long time.

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As you can see, YSL Pourpre Intouchable sheers out nicely. In contrast, Yves Saint Laurent Rouge in Danger (#4) is a sheer pretty red.

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Rouge is Danger has no shimmer and applies as a sheer red. Again, those who are looking for a very moisturizing, light color for Spring, or dislike a pure red cream, are in for a treat.

I find myself wearing this with everything. It’s a fun way to add a touch of color without going into a full formal red.

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YSL Rouge in Danger on Liz, which is a perfect sheer:

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Finally, I am trying Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine in Fuchsia In Excess, which might be a Sephora Exclusive. As the name suggests, this is a luminous deep fuchsia that looks fabulous with cool tones or a simple white shirt.

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As with many fuchsias, this color has a blue undertone although it looks mostly red in the tube.

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YSL Fuchsia in Excess on Liz:

Here are swatches of all of the Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shines tested here. On the left, I added Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Bonheur which I think is the most similar to Rouge Volupte Shine Pourpre Intouchable. On the right, I swatched a nice red cream (here, Chanel Rouge Coco in Gabrielle), so that you can compare the texture of these YSL sheers with a standard cream lipstick:

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Swatches 2

Overall, I’m finding these lipsticks quite addictive. I have just one more on order, but I find these three to be a good range (a deep cool berry, a good sheer red, and a statement fuchsia) that is carrying me into Spring. Love the shine, love the color (but don’t love the grapefruit taste and scent, which both fade after a few minutes of wear). Two thumbs up!

These are available at Nordstrom with free shipping and Fuchsia in Excess is exclusive to Sephora (free shipping w/$50 minimum).

This post includes affiliate links. (For more information, see About Cafe Makeup)

NARS Spring 2013: Dressed to Kill Lipstick and Mad, Mad World Eyeshadow Duo

Lipstick, NARS, Uncategorized 1 Response »

Feb 032013

Nars Dressed to Kill1

Spring 2013 brings Nars Dressed to Kill Lipstick ($ 26 and the Nars Mad Mad World Duo eyeshadow.

Nars Dressed to Kill is a richly pigmented complicated shade described as a “fuchsia rose with gold shimmer.” This gives a glowy look when applied that combines the gold with the deeper rose berry. This is now available at Nordstrom.com, Sephora.com and Nars Cosmetics.com, as well as store counters and Nars boutiques (coming soon to San Francisco!).

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Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Envoutante Review

Chanel, Lipstick 10 Responses »

Jan 202013

Chanel Envoutante 4

Chanel Spring 2013 introduces Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense in Envoutante ($34 /#116). This is a deep shimmery mauve which drew me in immediately when I saw it at a counter. For my fair (Chanel Clair/Ivoire, Mac NC15/20) coloring and my taste, it is a must-have.

Chanel Envoutante 3

Over the past few months, I’ve been obsessed with deep berries and aubergines. My accessories and nail polish has been reflecting that. For me, it’s a sophisticated take on the “pop of color” idea that happens to work very well with my coloring.

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Chanel Envoutante has a similar deep, beautiful shimmery quality as the Louis Vuitton monogram vernis. You can see the depth in the bullet.

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Here is Chanel Envoutante on Megan, who came by to help out Cafe Makeup the other day. Because my lips are deeper in tone (similar to Megan’s), this is how the color looks on me. You can see that although it gives a very rich color, the formula does not cake up:

Chanel Envoutante (which roughly translates to “spellbinding”) is not as deep as Chanel Rouge Noir, but deeper than Chanel Rivoli (which I still love). Here are swatches next to some other deep colors that I have in my collection–Chanel Rouge Coco Rivoli, Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Rouge Noir, Chanel La Provocante (Fashion’s Night Out 2012, limited edition), MAC Hot Chocolate (Apres Chic colleciton, limited edition, and the very sheer Givenchy Liv’s Lips (available exclusively at Sephora):

Chanel Envoutantee2

As you can see, Chanel Envoutante is more mauve that the comparatively redder, deep Chanel Rivoli. Chanel Envoutante is lighter than either Rouge Noir or Chanel La Provocante (both of which approach black when worn on the lips). Mac Hot Chocolate is a friendly mauve-nude-brown by comparison. Givenchy’s Liv’s Lips looks deep in the tube, but applies quite sheerly compared to the other lipsticks.

Overall, I love Chanel Envoutante as a statement color. It has the same gorgeous formula as the other Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense shades (all former shades are swatched here). It adds a rich, beautiful touch of color to your look.

This post includes an affiliate link. If you’d like more information, see the “About Cafe Makeup” link.

Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Attirance Review

Chanel, Lipgloss, Lipstick 8 Responses »

Jan 182013

Chanel Attriance11

Spring 2013 includes Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Attirance ($32/ # 70), a warm peach gold with subtle sparkle. Attirance is an elegant neutral. As with many Chanel colors, it can be worn with a formal suit or jeans. Although it looks a bit orange in the tube, it applies with a light tone and slight sheerness that allows one’s natural pink, red or mauve tones to show through. This has the effect of enhancing, rather than coloring, one’s natural lip color.

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On the left, a swatch of Attirance. On the right is the shimmery mauve Chanel Spring 2013 in Merveille (reviewed here).

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As you can see, Attirance applies as a peach gold wash:

Chanel Attriance2

Here is a look on Liz, who is wearing the blue color from Nars Mad Mad World (new for Spring 2013, review forthcoming) on her lower lashline for a bit of cool contrasting color. She’s also wearing Tom Ford bronzer in Gold Dust and Guerlain Les Fauves eyeshadow quad.

Chanel Attriance1

Of Chanel’s Spring 2013, Chanel Attriance is a good, safe and pretty neutral that coordinates well with other warm-toned makeup. It’s one of those colors that can be applied throughout the day, to add polish without thinking very hard about whether the color coordinates with the rest of one’s face. Of the two Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss, Merveille is more difficult to duplicate. Nonetheless, no one does sophisticated neutral soft shimmer like Chanel. Overall, I know that I’ll end up using Chanel Attriance to the last drop (just as I used up several Chanel Twinkle Glossimers years ago), because it’s a great shimmery neutral.

This post includes affiliate links to Nordstrom.com. If you have questions about this, please see “About Cafe Makeup” at the top of the page.

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