LIPSTICK

Tom Ford Private Blend Lipstick Black Orchid Review and FOTD

November 27, 2012

Tom Ford’s Private Blend Lipstick Black Orchid is the one and only vampy lipstick that I have bought this season. It is a very bold and daring deep wine color with the most intense pigmentation – it’s one of those dramatic shades that gives you an attitude and a ‘bad-girl’ look, and makes you feel powerful!

I have expressed how I feel about Tom Ford’s lipsticks in my previous post, so I won’t repeat that again here. In short every inch of Tom Ford lipstick is totally luxurious and I just absolutely love them. From packaging to the most fashion-forward color selection, I cannot pick a single fault. I love the texture with most of the shades that I have tried, but I have some issues with this particular shade.

Black Orchid gives a satiny finish. The texture feels the same as the others and it still glides on ultra smooth. Unfortunately it enhances every single dry patch/skin on my lips which I was not even aware of, so the finish looked very uneven on my lips. You may not be able to see this in my FOTD, but that’s because I had spent a great deal of time to make it work with a lip brush by applying a thin layer over and over until it looked reasonably even. This lipstick will not work for me if it is directly applied from the tube. However, to be fair, I have experienced the same issue with vampy lipsticks of other high-end brands as well. The highly raved Chanel and YSL also added more dry lines to my lips than I thought.

In this FOTD, I am wearing the Tom Ford Black Orchid in full opaque layer. I probably applied 5 thins layers of it and I blotted my lips between each application. I am also wearing it as a blush (as suggested by Claire – check out her awesome blog here!) I applied the color on the back of my hand and mixed it with Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentrè so it turned into a cream blush. It goes on pink with a plummy undertone, and the Embryolisse Cream gives a lovely dewy finish.

If you don’t feel comfortable wearing such a bold shade out (including me…), you can wear it as a lip stain. I have a FOTD showing this, and I paired it with a clear lip gloss to take away the dryness.

I bought mine at David Jones for a record high of AUD$65. It is available in the US here and here. Good news to the fellow Aussies – international delivery of Tom Ford makeup is now available at Harrods with 10% VAT deduction off the retail price.

{ 21 comments }

Labels: BLUSH • FOTD • LIPSTICK • Tom Ford

Jill Stuart 2012 Patisserie Collection – 01 Cherry Custard and 02 Apple Custard Lip Pots Review and Swatches

September 8, 2012

I posted my beauty wishlist a while ago and I am slowly working my way through (along with some other impulse buys!) Today I am reviewing the cutest lip products ever – the Custard Lip Pots in 01 Cherry Custard and 02 Apple Custard by Jill Stuart’s Patisserie Collection 2012. Different to the collections from the western brands where they always focus on creating sexy and sultry makeup looks, I thought the Jill Stuart’s “themed” collection around french patisserie was very sweet and brought back many fond thoughts of lunching at Ladurée.

The texture of these lip pots feels like lip balm which is creamy and smooth. It has a semi-matte finish with a hint of moist glow that almost mimics the natural texture of the lips. The pigmentation is also semi-opaque. I have tried to apply it with a lip brush and it goes on sheer so it takes some effort to achieve the desired intensity . My preference is to directly apply them with a finger, as a few dabs-and-swipes is enough for the color to show and completely cover the natural color of my lips. Since both shades are lighter than my own lips, I have to apply some concealer to cover the lip lines. The only downside is that they are a little “high-maintenance” – I have to make sure my lips are well exfoliated and moisturized before the application, otherwise they can enhance the flakes on the lips.

01 Cherry Custard: Surprise surprise…it’s a cool-toned nude pale pink. Long time readers will know my obsession for this color!

02 Apple Custard: is a nude peachy beige with a hint of pink. It is similar to the Cherry Custard but with a warmer undertone.

Swatches of both:

Overall I like both of them. I wouldn’t say that they are must-haves as the textures don’t knock my socks off (having said that my standard is based on my HG Suqqu lipsticks), but the dreamy packaging and the cute colors make them worthwhile to collect. And a big thanks to the lovely Jen from Lifeandlensofbeauty who purchased these for me from Hong Kong!! 🙂

{ 9 comments }

Labels: Jill Stuart • LIPSTICK

Giorgio Armani Skin Lacquers Collection – Rouge d’Armani Sheer Lipstick 505 Review and FOTD

July 24, 2012

I don’t get more excited than finding the perfect soft milky pink lipstick – meet my lipstick of the moment which is the Giorgio Armani Rouge d’Armani Sheers 505 from the skin lacquers collection. Finding a light pink shade that works for me is not an easy mission. Most milky pink can be a little tricky to pull off for Asians with a yellow skin tone. I have made a lot of mistakes in the past (used to wear the most unflattering pink on myself), so I am glad I am a little more “tasteful” now and I know how to work out the right pink for me.

The Rouge D’armani Sheers, skin lacquers collection just landed in Australia , and 505 was the only shade that caught my eye instantly, as it reminded me of my all time favorite light pink lipstick The Shiseido Doll Pink (which is shown in the comparison picture below) . As the name suggests, the formulation is sheer (but not as sheer as Chanel Rouge Coco Shine) with a glossy finish. Two or three swipes are enough for the color to show. The texture is light and has a good slip, and feels quite hydrating on my dry lips with a longer than average lasting power (about 3-4 hrs) than most sheer lipsticks.

Compared to the other light pink (slightly blue based) lipsticks:

From left to right: Rouge d’Armani 505; Shiseido Sheer Gloss Lipstick Doll Pink; MAC Victorian, Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Chance

Overall Look:

Foundation: Laura Mercier Moisturizing Foundation

Eyes: Giorgio Armani ETK 29 Rose Titanium as a wash, and ETK 27 Oxidised Silver over the lid. (both shades are reviewed in this post)

Cheeks: Jill Stuart mix blush 105 sweet lock

I purchased mine at DJ for AUD$52. The collection is also available here online.

{ 11 comments }

Labels: FOTD • Giorgio Armani • LIPSTICK

Lancome Rouge in Love Lipsticks Reviews and Swatches – 322M Corail in Love and 340B Rose Boudoir

May 23, 2012

Lancome has released a new range of long-wear lipsticks Rouge in Love (you can get them here in the US). Each lipstick retails for $45 in Australia. The entire range is divided into 3 variations of pigmentation, referred to as a “mood” by Lancome. I bought:

– the lipstick in 322M Corail in Love , and it falls into the mood of Jolis Matins: “Pretty morning” ready-to-wear, and luminous fresh day shades that recreate daylight on the lips, for subtle and soft brilliance, due to the precious mother-of-pearl.

– the lipstick in 340B Rose Boudoir, and it falls into the mood of Boudoir Time: Trendy, punchy “it” shades that give color to the lips thanks to the intense contrasted mother-of-pearl. These shades offer an intense bright color reflection. Perfect to start the evening right.

I have skipped the most intense range as I thought the pigmentation was just way too rich for my liking – Tonight is My Night: Sophisticated, pure intense shades to give depth to lips and brighten a night out, for a deep lacquered effect and luminous color, thanks to gold mother-of-pearl.

I like to judge the makeup by its packaging, and unfortunately I do not like the packaging of Rouge in Love. I cannot really pinpoint the reason (maybe it resembles an aluminum tube..) but they just look cheap next to my arrays of other high end lipsticks.

Please note that the two lipsticks I bought look strikingly similar when they are side by side, but they show up completely different on my lips due to the difference in pigmentation.

322M Corail in Love is a foolproof peachy pink shade for everyday use without any shimmer. The formula is good but I won’t say it is blowing me away. It applies nicely, feels lightweight and non-drying and leaves a semi-satiny sheen to the lips. The lasting power does live up to my expectation, as I get to have 4-5 hours wear even while drinking in between. My only pet peeve is that I consider it as a full coverage lipstick (completely covers the natural colors of your lips), as opposed to what I expected which was a luminous finish. If I apply only a sheer wash of the color, it looks almost matte on my lips. In the swatch below I had to swipe it over my lips a few times to get a sheen.

340B Rose Boudoir is unique and beautiful. I can’t find any dupe of this from my stash of lipsticks. It shows up as a true warm neon pink on my lips. The pigmentation is rich and intense, but in the meantime it stills feel feathery light on the lips. I have not tried other shades in the Boudoir Time range, but I thought Lancome has given the perfect description for Rose Boudoir – it is young, trendy and punchy. One of those “IT” shades that will just make you the center of attention from the crowd. It will be my default “party shade” from now on! The phenomenal lasting power is truly cocktail proof.

Group Swatches:

{ 28 comments }

Labels: LANCOME • LIPSTICK

Burberry Lip Cover in Tulip Pink and Devon Sunset Review and Swatches

March 26, 2012

My lipstick collection is growing a little out of control lately, and my wallet is severely damaged after a little stroll around the department stores as I have noticed all the major brands have released either a new range of lipsticks or new shades. Meet my Burberry Lip Cover in Tulip Pink and Devon Sunset from the Burberry Spring 2012 Collection. These are my first taste into the Burberry lippies and I am completely head over heels.

I wasn’t that into Burberry until Christopher Bailey became the creative director, as I love his modern and grunge take on the classic Burberry design. He once again did an excellent job for their makeup line, as the packaging of Burberry Lipsticks are the most luxurious and classic you could ever get. I instantly added one to my makeup purse just for “a touch of Burberry” 🙂

The texture of Burberry Lip Cover is on the semi opaque side – it has enough pigment to completely cover the natural color of your lips, and it’s non-drying and neither does it look or feel too heavy on the lips. It applies silky smooth with a satiny sheen.

Tulip Pink is a nudish pink color on me. To me it’s a fuss free all year round shade that would look lovely with any makeup.

Devon Sunset is a beautiful salmon coral pink on my lips. Compared to Tulip Pink, this is more of a spring summer color that instantly makes your complexion look more fresh and youthful.

As a beauty blogger, I always feel compelled to show you the makeup swatch on my arms. But I have to say in this case, the swatch of them on my skin is completely different to the color showing on my lips.

Overall look wearing Burberry Lip Cover in Tulip Pink

Overall look wearing Burberry Lip Cover in Devon Sunset

Bottom Line: Have absolutely no regret for my poor wallet! Love love these shades. If you are still hesitant about making a foray into the Burberry makeup line, I urge you not to wait!

{ 17 comments }

Labels: BURBERRY BEAUTY • LIPSTICK

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Flirt and Royallieu Review and Swatch

February 18, 2012

Chanel is a brand that makes consistently great lip products, and out of all their lipsticks the Rouge Coco Shine wins my heart the most. So naturally I had to get my hands on their latest from the Spring 2012 Collection. I only bought the shade in Flirt 69, and passed on Candeur as I thought it looked very similiar to Royallieu 58 (limited edition) that I acquired a while ago but never had the opportunity to show you.

I had expressed my thoughts on Rouge Coco Shine Lipsticks in several of my previous posts, so I won’t repeat them here.

Flirt appears as a bright coral orange from the tube, but the sheer texture translated to a fresh pink coral color on my lips. I have been neglecting Rouge Coco Shine for a while, and wearing Flirt now just reminded me of how much I used to adore the finish. The wet glossy and moist semi-transparent texture gives an innocent and youthful finish to the lips, and the color just instantly brightens up my face.

Flirt Lip Swatch:

Full Face:

Royalleiu has never made it to the Australian shore. I bought it sight-unseen which I don’t normally do…and Royallieu proves that I have no luck with buying lipsticks this way. Had I tested this shade in real life, I would not have bought it. It is a very sheer pale nude pink shade when it is swatched on the skin. Unfortunately on my naturally pigmented lips, the pink color barely shows up! It works more like a glossy lip balm for me but with a a hint of mauve undertone. I personally do not like to wear lip shade that has a mauve or voilet hue to it as it just doesn’t look flattering against my skintone.

Here is a group swatch – noted that both Flirt and Royallieu shows up completely different on my lips than on my skin.

Left: Royallieu Right: Flirt

Bottom Line: Thumbs up for Flirt – a universally flattering Spring shade for everyone. As for Royallieu, though it is a beautiful color on its own, it takes the right complexion to pull it off and that is why I did not pick up Candeur.

{ 22 comments }

Labels: CHANEL • LIPSTICK

Tom Ford Lip Color in Pink Dusk vs Spanish Pink, Review and Swatches

December 19, 2011

I finally had the time to take some FOTD pictures wearing the Tom Ford Lip Colors. I know some of you are interested in knowing my thoughts on them – both the Pink Dusk and the Spanish Pink are probably the most coveted shades from his lipstick line so as a makeup enthusiast I have to have both. Though Pink Dusk was released as part of his previous lipstick line (the white tubes), it has been repackaged into the black tube now.

Tom Ford Lipstick retails for $65 in Australia, much more than what I would normally pay for a lipstick. Some of my favorite lipsticks such the Suqqu Creamy Glow and Chanel Rouge Coco Shine and Dior Serum de Rouge are around the $50 mark and they are superior. So judging by the price tag I expected Tom Ford lipsticks to be better. The packaging design is definitely more flashy and looks more expensive than the rest. It’s one of those lipsticks that steals the limelight – as soon as you pull it out from the makeup purse there will be other girls ‘checking you out’ and trying to work out what is THAT lipstick?! The texture feels luxurious as well, as they are smooth, creamy and not as slippery as the Suqqu. The downside is that it feels heavier on the lips and less moisturizing compared to the Suqqu and Dior (both have a melting texture that keep your lips hydrated). It offers full coverage with a single application. There is not much luminosity to the finish as with other lipsticks such as Suqqu or Chanel RCS. The sheen is kept subtle and I thought that it gave quite a sophisticated and grown up look. The lasting power of Tom Ford’s is the best as it lasts about 5 hours on me with minimum fading.

Differences between Pink Dusk and Spanish Pink :

Pink Dusk contains micro shimmers in the tube and Spanish pink has none. Spanish Pink looks slight more peachy than Pink Dusk. They are both slightly streaky on my lips, with the Spanish Pink being slightly more streaky than the other. However if I don’t compare them side by side, I won’t be able to tell the difference.

Left: Pink Dust Right: Spanish Pink

Pink Dusk on me is a neutral pink with a hint of rosey undertone. The shimmers are not noticeable on the lips. Overall Look:

Spanish Pink shows up as true nudish peachy pink on me.

Overall Look:

Spanish Pink looks quite similiar to the YSL Rouge Pur 06 from the tube, but on the lips it appears darker and less glossy as it is much more opaque than the YSL.

Bottom Line: My weakness is pink lipsticks and as you may have known I have a huge collection of them, and Tom Ford just brought the pink lipsticks to a new level of sophistication and luxury. They are keepers but my HG are still the Suqqu Creamy Glow lipsticks.

{ 27 comments }

Labels: LIPSTICK • Tom Ford

Suqqu Cream Glow Lipsticks in SAEBANA and URUMISHU Review and Swatches

November 3, 2011

If people asked me “what was my holy grail lipsticks’ before I had my Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipsticks, I seriously wouldn’t have a clue considering I have a lot of them! I love lipsticks, and I share my love for them equally, they all have their own pros and cons. However after I have tried the Suqqu, I can confirm that they are the perfect lipsticks for me. Just like when you have met the one, at this moment my heart doesn’t have any spare space for other brands! So I got my friend to get me a few more shades from London which I haven’t received yet, but because I am going on holiday very soon I thought I will swatch the ones I have with me for you.

Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick has a soft and extremely silky texture – it reminds me of YSL Rouge Volupte which I adore for its buttery texture, but the difference is Suqqu applies smoothly, almost melts into my lips without a single streak,whereas YSL goes on streaky and can enhance lip lines. It feels moist and lightweight, completely camouflage the dryness of my lips and provides a subtle satiny glow. The coverage is medium, and what you see from the tube transforms accurately on to the lips.

I bought three shades from my first purchase, except for the red shade KARAKURENAI that I reviewed here, the rest are the best selling and most wearable shades from what I have heard prior to purchase.

Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick in 10 URUMISHU潤朱 is a persimmon coral and contains no shimmers. It’s one of those colors that is flattering on any complexion and looks appropriate for any occasion.

Overall Look:

Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipstick in 01 SAEBANA冴華 is a neutral angelic pink. Still looking for a soft barbie pink? This is your answer! SAEBANA is also regarded as the must-buy shade by many Suqqu fans.

Overall Look: I am also wearing the Sleek blush in Rose Gold on my cheeks, isn’t it gorgeous?!

Bottom Line: If you love lipsticks, I urge you to try out the Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipsticks, you will not be disappointed! I can’t wait for more Suqqu that I have ordered recently 🙂

{ 37 comments }

Labels: LIPSTICK • SUQQU

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