By popular request, here are some quick swatch comparisons between the Chanel Raffinement eyeshadow quad (reviewed here) and Tom Ford Enchanted (reviewed here). I hope you find them helpful!
First:
You can tell that Tom Ford Enchanted as a more pink/mauve impression. Second:
Third:
Yesterday, we looked back at some of our favorite products of 2012. Today, we’re going to look forward to create a wish list and observe a few things about the future of beauty. At this same time that this is posting, Sabrina at The Beauty Look Book is posting her thoughts as well here. This is Cafe Makeup’s little thought piece, looking at potential directions and trends. We’re speculating and opining, so take this needs to be taken with a wink and a grain of salt.
So, here we go, what do we think will (or should) happen in 2013?
Cafe Makeup believes that the key concept is “giving the customer a reason to buy.” At this point, the beauty and skincare market has myriad options. Which will customers find most compelling?
1. Color trends for the face. Over the past year, nail colors have gotten more vibrant. At the same time, companies have worked to improve makeup formulations to create strong color with thinner layers. We suspect that the bright color trends that we’ve seen in Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense lipsticks and MAC’s Iris Apfel collection will continue into 2013. We predict that bright pops of color using new technology will spread to other lines, and also to eye products. Color is decidedly back!
If you’ve tried this look, you know that it starts with a flawless face and a neutral canvas. Skin care and subtle products that cover and contour will continue to be important.
2. Luxury Travel Products: Tom Ford’s successful launch may signal that some women are ready, willing, and able to invest in looking right, including while on the road. We suspect that we’ll see more travel-friendly products, like this Nars skincare set that is set to release soon. Will other companies follow suit? We suspect that they will.
3. Wishing for a most customized customer experience. Luxury fashion has discovered a customized experience, and will pay a premium to do so. Although sometimes makeup companies promise customized products, that typically means that the product “adjusts” to your coloring. This isn’t really controllable, and sometimes delivers dubious results.
We’re left to self-mix foundations, mix blushes, or top a lipstick with a gloss to get everything right. We wonder when (or whether) makeup companies will give customers a genuine custom experience, including the ability to choose textures and colors. Wouldn’t you love a foundation that was genuinely customized to your skin?
Moving toward a customized experience
4. Resistance against micro-releases. Although some might believe that in the thrill of the hunt, our reading is that customers are growing weary. Some items sell out in less than an hour. Some are understandably questioning the entire system. Some great makeup companies, like Nars, Chanel, Guerlain, and many others, manage to do limited edition releases in a balanced way. Why can’t everyone?
5. UV/LED Gels: The next nail frontier. Over the past year, we’ve seen the gel nail trend blossom. This nail polish is set with a UV light, and lasts for up to 2 weeks. After First Lady Michelle Obama wore a chip-free blue at the Democratic National Convention, we discovered that she had used a UV-set polish. We’re wondering why no high-end polish company has executed this trend safely and well. That set would get our vote!
6. Untold color stories. We’re hoping that some makeup companies can leave their personal drawing boards to ask women about color stories that don’t yet exist. As one tiny example, why not pick up on the Chanel Notorious frenzy, and apply this mauve blush idea to bronzers? Some women found Notorious too grey, so that would have to go. Mixing mauve with a bronzer would dispel the unfortunate orange that now seems so passé (especially as Jersey Shore has officially aired its last episode) and work better on cooler skin tones.
What other color stories could be told, if customers were meaningfully consulted? What would you like to see?
7. Double-duty products, merging science and beauty. This year, BB Creams became mass-marketed. These products promised coverage plus sunscreen and skincare benefits. Eyeliners promise longer lashes, and lipsticks promise conditioning and SPF protection. Cafe Makeup believes this trend will continue, as more become responsive to customer’s skin/sun care needs.
8. Customized sampling (for a price). A while ago, free beauty samples seemed to became more scarce unless you developed a good relationship with a sales associate. Now we see a proliferation of samples in charge-per-month sample services like Glossybox, Birchbox, and others. These samples are usually larger, and some items are full-sized. In addition, some companies sell “try it” sets.
We believe that the more customized experience for these boxes, the better. We don’t love paying for items we don’t wish to use. We’d like to see more samples from high-end skin lines and foundation samplers for different skin tones (whether from a single brand, or a mix).
9. The continued proliferation of inspired similarities. High end brands may find that their products inspire others to offer similar features at lower price points. These may be authorized, but does put pressure on the high end companies to continue to justify their prices.
Cafe Makeup suspects that this will encourage luxury companies to offer super-special formulations that are impossible to deliver at low prices. This may include drawing on hand-created custom palettes and the creation of entirely new versions. For consumers, this will widen choice but might entail ever-higher prices at the “super luxury” end.
10. Natural beauty. Despite the proliferation of color, Cafe Makeup knows that many women prefer a subtle look and will always continue to do so. Although sometimes this is accomplished with genetic advantages, it might be created with an artful application of well-formulated skincare and makeup (shhhh–we won’t tell!). We’re hoping that companies continue to love and appreciate this market sector with fabulous products for a flawless face.
As we said, please take these observations and opinions with a grain of salt. We have no inside information, but plenty of hopes, thoughts and dreams. We’d love you to share yours as well!
It’s been quite a year here at Cafe Makeup! We’ve had a huge year–we passed our 3rd blog birthday and we’re very thankful for our amazing readers.
As you might now, we’ve both had a very busy year off the blog as well. Between Amy’s travel schedule (she was on the road almost continuously from June through November), and Liz’s busy work schedule, we’re so pleased that we’ve been able to keep our love of beauty alive on the blog now that we’re reached December 31st. We’ve had a lot of help along the way. Cafe Makeup would like to do a special “thank you” to Sabrina at The Beauty Look Book (her Best of 2012 is here). She’s been so wonderful and and encouraging throughout the entire year. I’d also like to thank all of the lovely readers and other beauty bloggers who’ve kept us alive by linking, retweeting and continuing our beauty conversations. You might also wish to explore The Non Blonde’s Top Products of 2012–I really respect her taste.
To celebrate the year’s end, we’d like to raise a glass of champagne to our readers! As we sip, we’re going to go through our Top Ten Products of 2012. As you know, we’ve seen many things throughout the year. Here’s a feature which tells you which ones won our hearts, which ones we still depend on, and are truly the very Top Shelf Products of the Year 2012.
1. Tom Ford Blushes: Although released in 2011, I’ve come to love the high quality, beautiful glow of these blushes. As an aside, the brush is incredible as well. The original review is here.
2. Giorgio Armani Maestro Concealer: I can’t believed that a concealer made my top 10 list, but there it is. This is truly an androgynous product–appropriate regardless of gender. I originally bought this on a whim. Over time, I’ve become dependent on the extremely high quality, great coverage, incredibly natural look, and skin care benefits (it contains ingredients to breaks up sun damage and dark spots). The application is incredibly natural–sometimes I cover few spots and under eyes, and skip foundation entirely. This makes this a truly travel-friendly product, as you can leave your liquid foundation at home. The original review is here, I’ve since switched to buying shade #3.
3. Perricone MD Skin Care: I’ve been working on my skin with intensity since February. Last week, I got a few random compliments from strangers–”your skin looks beautiful–what are you using?” As a beauty blogger, I’ve been using several different things, but I’ve added a healthy dose of Perricone MD. My favorites so far are the Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester 15, the Blue Plasma Peel and the Formula 15 serum. Although I haven’t reviewed it yet, the Perricone Face Finishing Moisturizer appears to have some magical ingredients in it as well.
4. 2012 was the year of the BB Cream: Over the past several months, the term “BB Cream” has entered the beauty vernacular with a vengeance. Although originating overseas with formulas that combine anti-aging, skincare benefits, and sunscreen, in the U.S. some formulas are said to be nothing more than glorified tinted moisturizers. However, there are some that stand above the crowd. Cafe Makeup’s former favorite was Dior DiorSnow BB Cream, a remarkably stable version with serious sun protection(SPF 50) and all-day tenacity (even in the Florida summer humidity).
The Dior would still be my favorite, except that I was recently sent the Omorovicza Complexion Perfector BB Cream (SPF 20) by the company. I’ll be doing a review soon, but this creamy, light foundation is absolutely perfect is so many ways.
The most startling effect is that my skin looks improved after I remove it at the end of the day. To my eye, it’s noticeable. In 2013, we can expect to see “CC Creams,” which are next-generation products (including one from Chanel). A few have started to land at drugstores, according to Nouveau Cheap. Those new products will have some very stiff competition from Omorovicza’s Complexion Perfector.
5. Tom Ford Enchanted Eye Quad. This one makes me hear angels sing. The original review is here.
6. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lipsticks. Why should the MAC lovers have all the fun? These are intensely pigmented lipsticks that provide gorgeous coverage with a very thin layer of product. The colors are outstanding–complex, intense, original, sophisticated, and very beautiful. I’ve purchased several, and am eyeing several colors from the Spring 2013 collection (I’ve caved on one already). Swatches of all colors are here (except for the Spring 2013, which were just released).
7. Nars Andy Warhol Collection. This highly original collection melded fine art and beauty. This included an incredibly rich and thoughtful array of choices, with something for everyone. I certainly found some favorites among them, including the Flowers palettes with the incredible taupe. At the same time, the collection helped us relive just a touch of the 1960′s makeup era just as Marc Jacobs made it fashionable for clothing. I’ve read that Francois Nars plans to do another artists collaboration next year, and I’m certainly hopeful that he will. Regardless of whether you purchased anything from the collection, this one warrants serious recognition for its attention to detail and creativity, as well as its sweeping scope.
8. Le Metier de Beaute CHEM60 Pro-Peel and GLOW10ai Mask Set. Applause for giving busy women truly ingenious results at home. I love this set. The original post is here.
9. Dior Nail Polish. There is something about Dior that has been excelling in the nail polish realm lately. Yes, I loved OPI’s Skyfall collection–the colors are fast, fun, and highly affordable. I got a 4-5 of them, and still wear them. Can you think of a Fall on-trend color that wasn’t part of Skyfall? I sure can’t.
Still, Dior’s formula spreads like butter, levels off beautifully, and has a helpful, manageable brush. Unlike OPI’s Skyfall, Dior has been truly cutting edge in its color development this year. Rather than capturing trends, Dior is setting them. I have to love an imaginative industry leader.
10. Guerlain This traditional French company has done so many things right this year. From its beautiful summer Terracotta Pucci collection, the new Petit Robe Noir perfume, and the development of new formulas of lipsticks. Liz and I both love the new Guerlain Rouge G L’Extrait Lip Color (the review for Paresse is here). I’d love to include more Guerlain in this list, if I could.
Thank you for another wonderful year in beauty, Gorgeous! And cheers!
What were your favorite products for 2012? We’d love to know!
Tom Ford Cheek Brush ($75/#06) is a luxuriously soft and beautiful brush. There are some products that are so perfect, and such complete joys to use, that they are worth every penny regardless of the price. Like Tom Ford’s Bronzer Brush, the Cheek Brush is one of those products.
The head of the brush is tapered and full. After a few washes, the head looks the same as it does out of the box.
The handle is lighter than one might expect, but round and large enough to make use easy and comfortable.
There are few reviews for this brush, although the Non Blonde has done a beautiful job here. While were at it, I’m going to post some first impressions of some Tom Ford blushes that I purchased–Frantic Pink, Wicked and Narcissist ($55 each). I haven’t played with these enough for a full review, but was able to take some pictures that I can share.
First, all of these blushes have a pearly quality that gives a gorgeous, sparkle-free glow. Here is Frantic Pink, a light soft pink-with-a-peach twist:
I don’t typically love blushes that impart only subtle color. I found that Frantic Pink does give enough color to give a blush effect to my NC15 skin tone, and the soft highlighter shimmer was gorgeous.
Wicked is an amazing cool raspberry with a cool pearl.
Close up:
I haven’t had time to play with Wicked or the next blush, Narcissist (released for Fall 2012):
Narcissist does not appear to have quite the amount of shimmery pearl as Frantic Pink or Wicked. It reminds me a bit of a more luxurious, complex version of MAC Full Fuchsia Pro blush.
Swatches, outside in sun:
Swatches, indoors with flash:
I hope that you might enjoy my experiment with Tom Ford. Personally, these all look amazing to me. The packaging is compact and light enough for travel, and the color payoff is amazing. I’ve worn Frantic Pink for a few days, and love the effect. Have you played with Tom Fords blushes or brushes? What do you think?
A few weeks ago, I became curious about color correctors. Above, are the results of my experiment and some thoughts about how things went. My adventure started at a few makeup counters where artists tried an orange or yellow-toned corrector to counteract my blue-toned dark circles and the now-highly faded remainder of sun damage (a treatment summary is here).
I used to think of color correctors as using a distasteful green color and I couldn’t imagine doing that. Well, as it turns out, green isn’t the type of color correction that I’d ever need, so I had a mental block against trying any. Yellow or amber are said to be best to counteract blue or ashiness. Here’s a summary of my experiment–first, face primers and then undereye correctors.
Face Primers
1. Make Up For Ever HD Perfecting Primer in Yellow #6 ($34) This is a sheer yellow that essentially brightens warm-tone pale skin. The line makes other colors (caramel, mauve, green). The strength is its stability. This certainly helps makes my foundation last all day. I found that the color-correcting properties were modest and subtle. However, it did keep my foundation from shifting or fading, thus maximizing coverage over problem areas throughout the day. If you are already using a stable, long-lasting foundation, you might not notice a tremendous difference.
2. Yves Saint Laurent Tient Parfait Complexion Enhancer in #4 Apricot ($ 42) is a cosmetically elegant, luxurious mousse that provides a sheer coverage of skin-brightening, luminous color. This YSL Complexion Enhancer provides enough coverage that, when used with a light coverage of a powder foundation, is a nice, casual-day look. It really gives me a peaches-and-cream glow. No, really. Like many other YSL products that I’ve used, the Complexion Enhancer seems a bit fragile. Over time and in high humidity/heat, I noticed fading and disappearing long before sundown.
Swatches:
Under Eye Color Correctors
1. MAC Studio Finish in Pure Orange ($12) I became curious about this product watching this video on the MAC website. It features concealers for hot climates (where I’m currently visiting). After researching it, I found advice that this will work to color-correct light skin tones if it is blended with concealer or foundation. I’m sure a makeup artist has no trouble doing that, and this is the most cost-effective corrector on the market. It’s highly pigmented, and would probably last a year if not longer. I found that I lacked patience to dilute this on a daily basis, I just didn’t have the knack–some days it was too orange, some days not enough. Not for me. This also comes in a pot for $18.
2. Bobbi Brown Correctors in Porcelain Peach and Peach ($23 each). Bobbi Brown makes four (4!) different peach correctors. Porcelain Peach is lightest and Peach is the third darkest. These worked pretty well. They are not as cost-effecient compared to MAC Pure Orange (nothing is!) but they were super easy to use. They blend well, and look close to natural.
3. Tom Ford Illuminating Highlight Pen in Amber Eclat ($52) This worked best of all of the options that I’ve tried (I bought two), even better than Armani’s Master Corrector in #2 Orange. This looks quite natural and has good lasting power. I use a concealer over this.
Close up of the Tom Ford brush:
Although Tom Ford makes concealers, Amber Eclat is a corrector–so it has a decided amber-orange tone. Here’s a quick comparison with some other concealers that I happen to have with me on this trip–Burberry Sheer Luminous Concealer in #1, Armani Maestro Corrector in #2 and Chanel Pro Lumiere Corrector in #10 (this may be discontinued):
As you can see, the Tom Ford leans orange, and the Armani almost disappears in its natural look. They actually work nicely together.
Some Results of My Experiment
For face primers, I did not find a corrector which really does the job. I fell in love with the YSL Perfection Enhancer in Apricot for a peaches-and-cream glow, does that count? I only wish it has the longevity of the Make Up For Ever HD Primer. The best thing that works if I want a flawless canvas is a light concealer. As I said here, the Giorgio Armani Maestro Concealer gives me a very natural, undetectable look. If you need more coverage, Make Up For Ever Full Cover concealer ($32) is absolutely bullet proof and comes in a wide color range. Vichy Dermablend Liquid Foundation ($28ish) is another good choice.
For eye primers, Tom Ford won my heart. Although I use a concealer over it, I find my concealer lasts longer, and I need far less of it, wearing the correct. It just works well.
For more about correctors, I found Goss Makeup Artist video here very helpful.