Color Me Loud

After a silent weekend, here comes a fall choice post with four pretty vamps for your nails. These are from permanent line of Tom Ford and as far as I know they will stay so. Since both of the purple palettes are discontinued though, I have a bad feeling about the future of the vampy plums. So I would say if you happen to like one, don't wait very long.

Tom Ford Nail Lacquers, #04 Bitter Bitch, #09 Plum Noir, #10 Viper, #16 Bordeaux Lust

Why not starting by Plum Noir. This one is a deep plum, which is not too dark. It doesn't appear blackened and has a pure creme formula. Opaque in two coats, a just little watery but easily controllable during application. I have to note and apologize for some artifacts you may see on the bottle (see photo below), like waves. These are not because of the photos but unfortunately Tom Ford bottles have some quality issues. The design of the bottles are luxurious and chic so it is a little heart breaking but let's try to concentrate on the content for now.

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer, #09 Plum Noir

The first time I have heard this name, it was clear that I needed it, Bordeaux Lust. Isn't it beautiful. Very Tom Ford in a cliche way too, I know but still I can't stop swooning after someone says this out loud. This one is also a little watery but opaque in two coats. It is pure creme but since it is very glossy, reminds me of a furniture, like furniture finish, if that makes sense. On fingers it is more bordeaux while looking more plum in the bottle. The shade is deep but not blackened. This one is the lightest of four shades. It also has good longevity, lasted on me about 5 days without chipping.

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer, #16 Bordeaux Lust

Next one is the deepest of them all, it is the darkest Tom Ford ever. And the name fits that reputation too, Bitter Bitch. This one was the first Tom Ford nail polish I ever purchased because I found it to be rather unique, despite the size of my stash. It is a murky muddy plummy brown with smoky quality. It keeps reminding me of dried blood, the name may also be playing a role in this disturbing image. It is definitely one of that ugly pretty shades and I love it.

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer, #04 Bitter Bitch

And here comes the purple of them all! Viper. I don't know about the name but this shade is love to me. I am sure you can imagine why :-) You can build and build on it, it stays dark vampy but never turns black. It stays as a purple, a real one. Not too red, not too blue. Perfectly opaque in two coats and I like the consistency. It is darker and more blue than Plum Noir.

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer, #10 Viper

When it comes to comparisons, I could easily take out at least 10 more shades since my stash is heavy on vamps. You can never have too many of them, can you? Anyways I tried to stick to the recent releases and here are the ones I found to be closest.

Stash comparison: #04 Bitter Bitch, #09 Plum Noir, #10 Viper, #16 Bordeaux Lust

Dior #981 Orchid and Tom Ford Plum Noir are very close, Orchid being a tad more blue. Chanel Provocation is also close to these two. Tom Ford Bitter Bitch reminded me of Chanel Koala and Imperial. Here I swatched Imperial which is more of a brown, Bitter bitch has more red tones in it and is still unique to my stash. Bordeaux Lust is lighter than some other Bordeaux I own, like Chanel Rouge Noir or Chanel Accessoire. Tom Ford Viper is truly unique and magnificently purple and shines like a super star among all the others, well, at least to me.

Nail wheel: #04 Bitter Bitch, #09 Plum Noir, #10 Viper, #16 Bordeaux Lust

Thanks to Lipstick Boulevards for asking me about Tom Ford vamps and inspiring me for this post.

Final thoughts: Lovely vamp nail polishes for this fall. My personal favorite is Viper and my most unique choice is Bitter Bitch.

You can never have enough vamp nail polishes

Mini Poll:

I am considering to publish my nail polish stash in form of excel sheets which I keep for myself for reference. Do you think it would be interesting or rather would scream the world that I seriously need an addiction treatment. (we are talking about over 200 Chanel about 100 Dior and many many other brands, ugh).

The reason I thought it might be useful is because you may check it to see if a shade is there and ask me to do a comparison of these with a newly released item. Or when I say "I don't have anything close to that one in my stash", you would know what is in my stash.

So what do you think? Please choose one from useful/stupid/I can't care less ;-) and let me know!

It is no secret that since Selfridges started delivering to Germany, my bank account is in mortal danger. Seriously, who could resist that brushes, blushes, and that...

Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow #06 Ginbudou

Just that I thought I missed on Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow #06 in Ginbudou, which is about to be discontinued, Selfridges added them to their website, under the limited editions eye color item. The eye Shadow Quads of Suqqu from #01 to #08 will be replaced by the new ones (#09 to #12) so if you are eyeing one of these, you may want to check them out sooner than later. Just keep in mind that these are less pigmented and gives your softer eye looks once compared to the newly released ones or limited editions from spring, summer or winter (Ex-15, Ex-16, Ex-17).

Close-up: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow #06 Ginbudou

On top left corner there is a gorgeous soft shimmering gold. This one unfortunately doesn't show on my skin or on my eyes due to it being very close to my skin tone (even considered M.Jackson whitening process just for this pretty shade!). Next to it is a silver taupe with shimmery/metallic finish. On bottom right there is a cool matte white which I prefer to use to soften or add milkiness to some of the other colors as well as applied by itself under brow bone or right over the crease for a softer transition. Bottom left shade is a gorgeous deep plummy brown with matte finish, which must be my favorite of the bunch. Such a perfect crease/definition shade, natural yet edgy and plum and matte! You know how much I like my crease in matte. *happy sigh*

All in all the palette offers a great variation between shimmery to matte, light to dark, warm to cool.

Swatch under direct sun light: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow #06 Ginbudou

I started using the quad by the most unique shade, the gold one. Unfortunately this one being very close to my skin tone doesn't show properly. Gold shade works better for me once layered on the other shades to give a wash of warmth as much as desired. For the below look, I used the silver taupe on the lid, deep plum on the crease, a mix of these two for the lower lash line. I have to admit this was not instant love and I had to work my way through by trying whatever works best. In the end I came to terms with the below look, but I think with this gorgeous quad, there may be better looks created.

In-action: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow #06 Ginbudou

And here is my FOTD with Ginbudou on eyes... Please ignore my wild hair, I still haven't figured out what to do with those ;-) Rest of the makeup: Armani Rouge Ecstasy Day Break on lips, Chanel Joues Contraste #86 Discretion on cheeks.

FOTD: Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow #06 Ginbudou

Also check out Kate's gorgeous looks and swatches (where the gold actually does show up) and Bellyhead's lovely post on Ginbudou.

Final thoughts: A very well balanced quad from Suqqu which is sadly about to be discontinued. As of today it is still available on Selfridges website though. I still have to experiment with this one to get the most of it but love the purpley natural hues of it.

Are you eyeing anything from Suqqu recently?

My Selfridges order consisted almost all from Suqqus, except this one which slipped inside my shopping bag by a microsecond click, a present from my right index finger to me which is triggered by the immense curiosity based somewhere inside the cosmetics part of the addiction center in my brain. That curiosity will kill this cat one day or at least her bank account.

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eye Shadow Pencil in Bronzed Garnet

It all happens so fast, make-up artist gets public by first starting her webpage, then the tutorials, then the events and finally the line is released. Each step being a part of the plan, I got to see it happen too fast that it looked a bit too artificial to me. Sorry to bother the fans here but she hardly had like 10 tutorials and afterwards everything was pumping her products by using this channel. I must have felt a little disappointed (and used?) since I was desperately hoping for another Lisa Eldridge on board but looked like her interests were different on the first place. By this feelings, I decided not to get anything at first. Watching the movies and checking out swatches, eye shadow palettes seemed like a bit too frost to me. Then in one of the videos, I have seen this wonderful thing called "Colour Morphing Eye Shadow Pencil". Let's try to ignore the very forced marketing name behind this product but shortly after the release beauty blogosphere started raving about these. After checking this lovely swatch set and review, I decided on Bronzed Garnet, which by chance happened to be for green eyes.

It has to be mentioned that despite my disappointment to her social media tricks, I very much like Charlotte Tilbury. Here is the logo of her line swatched with Bronzed Garnet. This shade has a beautiful complex shimmer, doesn't appear frosty nor flat. It is also very pigmented and smooth. Very easy to apply and blend on the edges and once it is set, it lasts all day. I seriously love the formula and wrote a few other colors in my wish list for the upcoming Selfridges order.

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eye Shadow Pencil in Bronzed Garnet

This shade is recommended for green eyes, so here it comes. I applied this one on the entire lid and defined the crease with a black matte eye shadow lightly. It was 5 min eye look which lasted all day on me without smudging or looking dull.

In-action: Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eye Shadow Pencil in Bronzed Garnet

Final thoughts: Even if you get nothing from the line, be sure to check out one of those eye shadow sticks. They are truly worth the price. You can find her products in Selfridges UK or her website. I believe she only delivers to UK though but Selfridges has now international delivery to selected countries.

Have you picked up anything from Charlotte Tilbury? Do you find the way she enters and makes use of Social Media alright?

Lately it has been a challenge to keep up with all the collections MAC has been releasing. Six new quads must have been caught my selective attention. I can imagine some of the commands my brain was sending around: eye shadow, quad, eyes, gorgeous, taupe, take out CC, order!

Actually it has been a little more complex than that. I have read in some blog that the blogger loved this and it almost became her go-to quad. I always save these kind of information in case I have to act for a quick order. Showstopper quad sold out in less than a day in Germany without leaving any trace behind, even at MAC online shop and online retailers.

MAC Eye Shadow X4 in Showstopper

Once you see the shades, it is no brainer to guess that this one would be popular. Peachy, taupe tones with a natural matte brown defining shade and the price is in somewhat lower range than other brands such as Dior, Chanel or Guerlain. On the other hand, MAC is known for the inconsistent quality throughout their limited edition quads. I purchased that one sight unseen and I have to admit, I was a little let down.

Close-up: MAC Eye Shadow X4 in Showstopper

Shades are as follows:

A light peachy ivory with matte finish. (top left)
Light peach with satin finish. (top right)
Mid-tone taupe with shimmery finish. This particular shade produced a lot of fall out during application. (bottom left)
A deep cool leaning brown with matte finish. This one could be a little more pigmented and less powdery. (bottom right)

After trying those out on the eyes, I have to admit that I was not impressed. It was rather difficult to work with them considering the fall out and pigmentation issues. The end result was not that bad though. My expectations were raised too high by the fellow blogger who raved about it. I must have been expecting a flawless result.

Swatch under direct sun light: MAC Eye Shadow X4 in Showstopper

An everyday palette? I seriously don't have time to make it work everyday. I would rather invest in one which might cost like 20% more but saves me half the time. I wished MAC's palettes would be as good quality as their singles.

Below I applied the satin peach (top right) all over the lid, then tried to apply the taupe (bottom left) with minimum to no success (as you see peach turned a little more taupe). Then defined the crease with the brown shade (bottom right) and blended it towards the brow bone with the matte ivory (top left).

In-action: MAC Eye Shadow X4 in Showstopper

Final thoughts: Too bad that taupe had fall out and brown was not that pigmented. But anyway it is sold out so quickly that probably I shouldn't be hoping for a better quality from the next quad either. After seeing their summer quads, I thought these were improving...

How do you feel about the quality of recent MAC eye shadow quads? Have you made any purchases?

After my back-breaking encounter with Cinema and the fifty shades of red, I was praying to nail polish gods that Chanel wouldn't release another red for at least for another year. But it seems but my voice was lost in the hollows of beauty blogosphere or maybe there were many others who were praying for another red. Who knows, maybe it was meant to be but today my desk was looking exactly like this...

Chanel Le Vernis #677 Rouge Rubis together with similar reds from my stash

It is the official start of Holiday 2013 collections review in Color Me Loud, *trumpets, drums and vuvuzelas*. I will probably start with another tab next to Fall 2013 one after getting a few more posts done. I am happy to start the review with such a cheerful shade, a vivid glossy red with blue undertones, here is Rouge Rubis on the nails against the beautiful blue fall sky of today.

Chanel Le Vernis #677 Rouge Rubis outdoors

It is a red even I like to wear and was perfectly matching today's happy fall mood with sun and no clouds. Yes it is one of a gleeful red but manages to stay understated too. I think this is one of the things Chanel does to perfection, just the right balance to being noticed without screaming, if that makes sense. I was very curious to see how this red with a unique mood effect compared to other thousand reds in my stash.

Stash Comparison for Chanel Le Vernis #677 Rouge Rubis

At this point I would like to say that it is unique but unfortunately there are close shades to Rouge Rubis but the good (bad?) news is that there is no perfect match. Chanel #473 Coromandel is more orange, Chanel #159 Fire is a tad darker, Diorific #751 Marilyn and Dior #999 Rouge lean more blue, Chanel #475 Dragon and #581 Cinema are darker. Chanel #587 Rouge Carat has shimmer. Chanel #08 Pirate is more blue based.

The closest of the two shades are Tom Ford #13 Carnal Red from the permanent collection and Laura Mercier's Moderne Red from last year's holiday collection. Moderne Red is a tad lighter though but Carnal Red is quiet close. Just saying, in case you have this one already in your stash.

Nail wheel swatches for Chanel Le Vernis #677 Rouge Rubis

Check out beautiful photos and swatches in Belletristic Beauty, more comparisons in Beauty Look Book and Chahevu (in German).

Final thoughts: Rouge Rubis is a happy red which manages to be unique among Chanel's hundreds of other reds. It is perfect for sunny fall weather as well as holidays and Christmas. Let the holiday season begin!

Do you like wearing red on your nails? What kind of red do you prefer?

I am planning to write a few fun posts this week, sharing with you what I am enjoying right now. After one very random and quick decision at the shopping moll last week and I brought this little beauty with me home, Butter London's Brown Sugar.

Butter London Brown Sugar Nail Polish

I swatched Brown Sugar over a tape before buying but you know those swatches are almost never shows what it would look like on the nail. It just gave me a slight idea about the colour (luckily not brown as the name indicates) and that it has some scattered glitter in it. Although I am not a glitter fan, recently I found out that I am liking sparse glitter on a creme or metallic base more and more. If you remember my favourite summer nail polish, you know what I mean. Another reason why I love Excalibur so much was the foil finish. I am also reaching for foil finishes more than the metallic ones this year, finding these more modern.

Now after the first proper encounter with Butter London's Brown Sugar, I was head over heels! Look at this, doesn't it remind you of a fall scene with sun hitting on the delicate leaves of a Japanese Maple, which is dressed in reddish pink?

Indoors Swatch: Butter London Brown Sugar Nail Polish

After putting Brown Sugar on, I went out for a dinner with a friend. It was in an Italian Restaurant with candles on the tables. I couldn't help myself looking at my nails all the time because of how the sparse light from the candles played with the small silvery glitter pieces as well as the bigger golden ones. I think you have to see this one in person to understand what I mean.

Outdoors Swatch: Butter London Brown Sugar Nail Polish

Brown Sugar appears pink in some angles, copper in another. Golden flecks makes it even more interesting. It is so pretty, not too glittery, not too over the top but very unique and offers you many faces to discover in different light conditions. It is definitely a stunner, so far my favourite nail polish this fall.

Outdoors Swatch: Butter London Brown Sugar Nail Polish

Short notes on application: Two coats were enough for full coverage, I like the consistency and it ends up being rather smooth to touch since the glitters doesn't stick out of the base. The photos are with one coat of top coat. Removing was easier than most of glittery nail polishes.

Final thoughts: Nothing but love. Butter London's Brown sugar is for those of you who are searching for the unique nail polish to bring stunning fall colours on the nails.

Buyer's tip for Germany: You can subscribe for news letter at Butter London Germany web page, to get %10 off for your next order. You can also find many sold out shades from previous collections or exclusive shades such as Two Fingered Salute at their on-line shop.

What is your favourite fall nail polish this year?

This year Santa brings us two brand new Illusion d'Ombres from Chanel, #827 Initiation and #837 Fatal. The eye shadows in this line are known with their pretty to touch bouncy consistency, complex shimmer and buildable pretty colors.

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre #827 Initiation & #837 Fatal

Illusion d'Ombre #837 Fatal has my name written all over it. If they would ask me what color to design, surely my answer would be "a reddish plum!". Fatal is not your ordinary reddish plum though, it is one with fine silver shimmer which makes it so unique and pretty.

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre #837 Fatal

#857 Initiation is what makes your holiday wishes come true, it is golden and very sparkly. Certainly not for matte lovers but it adds an interesting dimension to any of your mattes if you ever get bored or would like to go for a statement eye. The base shade is more natural than any other gold Illusion d'Ombres since it leans beige/brown.

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre #827 Initiation

Below you can see comparison swatches:

#837 Fatal

Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #83 Illusoire and Diorshow Fusion Mono #881 in Hypnotique (reviewed previously here) are both more grey/taupe purples. Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #86 Ebloui leans more brown.

#827 Initiation

Last year' holiday Illusion d'Ombre in #817 Apparence is more yellow/gold. Closest shade I could find to Initiation is Diorshow Fusion Mono #661 Meteore (previously reviewed here) which leans a tad more brown and is darker, denser.

Stash comparison under sun light: Chanel Illusion D'Ombre #827 Initiation & #837 Fatal

Below I applied Fatal all over the lid and used Initiation very lightly on the inner corner. I found it to be very sparkly, so tried to tone it down by applying a little more Fatal on top so mostly what you see in this picture is Fatal.

In-action: Chanel Illusion D'Ombre #827 Initiation & #837 Fatal

I love the effortless natural look Fatal gives me. Nowadays I enjoy combining it with YSL Rebel Nudes Glossy Stain #101 in Nude Provocateur which has similar reflective property. Here is rest of the face.

FOTD: Chanel Illusion D'Ombre #827 Initiation & #837 Fatal

Final thoughts: Fatal is nothing but love. If those weren't be water based, I would seriously consider a back up. Initiation is a nice natural color for those who like some sparkle on their lids.

Are you eyeing anything from Chanel Holiday Collection? I am still waiting for the eye palette with a big curiosity.

After my last fun look with Addiction Ready to Wear Eye Palette #04 Mudd Club (here), nemesis86 managed to convince me to get my hands on the newly released #05 Departures Palette. I was pondering about that one but after her comments I pulled the trigger and placed my first order to Ichibankao. I was very surprised to receive it pretty fast and the communication with the customer service was very good. And once I opened the envelope...

Addiction Ready To Wear Palette #05 in Departure

... I was smitten by the color combination, the pretty texture and overall uniqueness of that one, even to my unreasonable stash. Check this out...

Close-up: Addiction Ready To Wear Palette #05 in Departure

Then I touched it and I knew it would never be the same! Buttery and so pigmented...

Top right: Khaki pulling bronze shade with golden shimmer.
Top left: Semi transparent periwinkle with glittery finish.
Bottom right: Must be the prettiest burgundy shade I own, with multi colored shimmer
Bottom left: Mid-toned gray/taupe with matte finish.

Swatch with direct sunlight: Addiction Ready To Wear Palette #05 in Departure

These can be layered like no other. I was having so much fun mixing and matching, I don't even know which shade was applied where but I am guessing that khaki/bronze (inner lid), burgundy(outer lid and crease), matte taupe (blend), periwinkle shimmer (mid lid for dimension)

This picture doesn't really do it justice. In real life, it was prettier.

In-action: Addiction Ready To Wear Palette #05 in Departure

My only slight disappointment was a few minutes after when I applied the periwinkle glitter. At first application, it looked breathtaking but in a few minutes it started to fade and blend and I assure you I was not touching it. I looked if there is a fall out but none, zero, nothing at all. Where was the periwinkle shade then? I have no idea but I solved this situation by gently tapping another layer of it by my fingers and voilà, it stayed put.

FOTD: Addiction Ready To Wear Palette #05 in Departure

Final thoughts: Love, love, love that one. How come I waited so long!

What do you do when you would like to have some fun with your make-up? Bright lips? Graphic Eye liner? Let me know.

The first holiday collection which reached Germany is Dior's Golden Winter. I really appreciate the companies who release their products almost at the same time around the globe and Dior is one of them. I played with Golden Winter Collection at the counter and I would like to write my impressions as another post but first things first, I would like to introduce you one of the two quints released for this holiday season. Welcome Golden Snow, GS, stands for shimmer, glitter and glory.

Dior 5 Couleurs #644 Golden Snow from Golden Winter

I pondered for a long time. The reason behind that was that the darker palette was cooler and the lighter one was warmer. It is usually the other way around, so this made me confuse. So much that my ordering process reflected my undecided mind. I ordered Golden Flower quint first, then called to cancel the order and ordered once more with Golden Winter.

Dior 5 Couleurs #644 Golden Snow from Golden Winter

The shades can be described as follows:

Top left: Very pale pink (almost white) with frosty finish
Top right: Golden shimmer/glitter. Base color is rather opaque so the finish is a cross between glitter and metallic.
Bottom right: Black with a tingle of deep dark blue. Finish is near matte with a few scattered shimmer particles. This one is a little dry to touch and appears to be not as pigmented as the other shades but applies beautifully on the lid and has zero fallout, reminds me why i prefer my matte definition shades a little dry.
Bottom left: A pinkish purple with frosty finish. I love this shade although I am no fan of frosts because on the lid it doesn't reflect the way it does on the arm swatch below.
Center: A shimmery/glittery silver. Again the texture is a cross between glitter and metallic.

Close-up:Dior 5 Couleurs #644 Golden Snow from Golden Winter

After playing around with Golden Winter, I can safely say that I don't own anything with shade combination coming close to that one. The gold and silver glitters are rather dense and opaque so once layered, the shade below more or less disappears. Those two has to be applied sparingly. Purple shade is beautiful, being my favorite of the bunch. I love the dark shade too, defines beautifully without fall out.

The uniqueness of this palette comes from the fact that, it does make "silver" work for my complexion which is one of the hardest shades to pull off for me. Having a plummy base and adding a bit of gold on silver definitely does make it work on me.

Swatch: Dior 5 Couleurs #644 Golden Snow from Golden Winter

Below you see my first attempt on an eye look with Golden Winter. After applying purple (bottom left) all over the lid and defining with the black shade (bottom right) I patted some silver and gold on the lid randomly. You see the result is rather silver since it takes over the scene and doesn't let others in but I like the subtle metallic look it gives. I have some other ideas with this quint. I will let you know after I try!

In-action: Dior 5 Couleurs #644 Golden Snow from Golden Winter

Final thoughts: Magic of Golden Winter quint of Dior makes Silver Eyes possible to pull off for me and fellow warm skinned ladies. Glitter shades are rather opaque so should be used sparingly. All in all a nice addition for proper holiday glam.

Have you checked out Dior Holiday? Are you eyeing anything?

To get us slowly into holiday mood, Dior released four new and one repromoted shades in their cute Diorific bottles which we got to know and adore already last year. Three of the four new shades landed to Germany last week and I played around with these today, to share my thoughts with you.

These look like Christmas decoration rather than nail polishes, aren't they so lovely?

Diorific Vernis (left to right) #128 Winter, #751 Marilyn, #775 Royale, #995 Minuit

I would like to start with #751 Marilyn, the repromote shade, which was a definite hit last year. It is a classical blue based red, which would bring the Hollywood glamour to all regardless of the skin tone. This has jelly creamy formula but becomes opaque in two coats. The consistency is a little thinner compared to real cremes, therefore a careful application is needed to get clean cuticles.

Diorific Vernis #751 Marilyn

#775 Royale is the pink sister of Marilyn. It is a pinkish red the same crelly (creme/jelly) texture. If you find reds rather boring, you might want to go for a vivid holiday shade with a twist. Royale is opaque in two coats and consistency is the same as Marilyn.

Diorific Vernis #775 Royale

Since Royale appears more red in some lightning, it may look similar to Marilyn. Below I am wearing Marilyn on all fingers but the middle finger, which has Royale on for a comparison.

Diorific Vernis #751 Marilyn vs. #775 Royale (mid finger)

#128 Winter is a sheer white base packed with white shimmer. The shimmer reminds me of snow flecks on a winter landscape. The shade is really very pretty in bottle as well as on the nails. The only problem is the sheerness. After three coats, you can still see the nail line, so if you don't like sheer nail polishes, this one might not be for you.

Diorific Vernis #128 Winter alone and as top coat on #751 Marilyn, #775 Royale, #995 Minuit

I also tried Winter as a top coat on other polishes in the collection. Below you can see Winter on Royale, Marilyn and Minuit. I think it works as a top coat but much prettier on its own.

Diorific Vernis #128 Winter alone and as top coat on #751 Marilyn, #775 Royale, #995 Minuit

The last one I would like to talk about is #995 Minuit. This one is a love at first side for me. One brush on the nail and I was head over heels. The slightly jelly dark aubergine base is already pretty on its own but together with the red and silver shimmer, which is also visible on the nails, it becomes a truly unique beauty. Minuit has perfect formula and it is opaque in two coats. I found the consistency to be a little thicker therefore better than the other three shades.

Diorific Vernis #995 Minuit

It is difficult to capture Minuit's true beauty on two dimensions but here is another try with direct sun light hitting on the nails. Needless to say that Minuit is my favorite of the bunch. I am considering a backup of this one.

Diorific Vernis #995 Minuit

Dior also released six new Diorific Lipsticks, which I swatched at the counter. The photo is not very good since I took it with my phone but I would like to share it with you to give you an idea. The shades are: #38 Diva (repromote), #41 Etoile, #042 Winter, #43 Joy, #45 Royale and #46 Minuit. Until now I haven't picked any yet since I would like to take my time and try them out. After swatching them briefly, I can say that #46 Minuit looks like the most unique of the bunch because of its pretty shimmer. #43 Joy looks like a nice nude for me and #45 Royale is worth checking out. #38 Diva is a repromote from last year, which I already own and it is very close to #42 Winter.

Diorific Lipstick Swatches from Golden Winter Collection

Hollywood glamour with Marilyn and Royale, sexy understated vampy Minuit or snow flecks on the nails with Winter? Which one is your favorite Diorific Vernis?

Diorific Vernis #128 Winter, #751 Marilyn, #775 Royale, #995 Minuit

Final thoughts: Royale is a nice alternative to classical red, Winter is the sheer beauty of the holiday season and Minuit is to die for. I love the packaging too. These are now available worldwide, except Royale which seems to be only released in Europe (and Asia?).

Have you checked out Dior Holiday Collection yet?

For holidays, Clarins recently released a natural palette with ten eye shadows.

How said than done, but take a moment to think about it. We are talking about something like UD's Naked, something good, something which, I think, is ever better. Check this out...

Clarins The Essentials, Eye Make-up Palette

The palette has a sleek package with a rubber band to make sure the top lid stays in place. For less than 40€, you even get a full sized two ended brush, which I didn't care about that much but surely comes handy when you are travelling. If you like sticking to your favorite brushes, you may as well use the space available and exchange it with this one. The top lid has a large sized mirror and the plastic cover has some sketches with ideas about how these shadows can be placed. The eye shadows are 0.04oz /1.1g each, same size as in quads and here there are 10 of them! Could it get better?

Clarins The Essentials, Eye Make-up Palette

The answer is yes! It certainly gets better once you start touching, playing with these and see how buttery they feel and how easily they blend. We are talking about lovely texture and good color pay-off. There is definitely a balance between light and dark, warm and cool.

Close-up: Clarins The Essentials, Eye Make-up Palette

The left side of the palette consists of lighter shades.

#1: Skin color (at least to my NC20-25 skin) with matte finish.
#2: Very light beige with shimmery finish.
#3: Light pink with shimmery finish
#4: Light rosewood with matte finish
#5: Light taupe, leaning pink, with frost finish

Swatch of Shades 1 to 5: Clarins The Essentials, Eye Make-up Palette

#6: Mid-toned bronze with subtle golden shimmer, satin finish,
#7: Deep warm bronze with satin finish
#8: Gorgeous mid-toned pink leaning taupe with silver shimmer, satin finish.
#9: Mid-toned brown with silver shimmer, satin finish.
#10: Khaki-leaning deep brown with golden shimmer, satin finish.

Swatch of Shades 6 to 10: Clarins The Essentials, Eye Make-up Palette

I have to admit I am not a fan of UD Naked Palettes, since I find the texture too frosty for my taste and it looks almost falling off my rather dry eye lids, making them appear much older. The Essentials Eye Make-up Palette on the other hand is almost the perfect natural palette for me. It is pretty close to being my dream basic palette with just one exception: Wished there would be a darker shade, like a dark cool brown with matte texture instead of #6 or #7 which are quiet close.

Below I applied three shades on my lids, #2 (inner lid), #9 (all over lid) and #7 (definition/crease) and used #1 to blend on the crease. I am just starting to explore the many possibilities you can get with so many pretty neutrals.

In-action: Clarins The Essentials, Eye Make-up Palette, used shades: #2, #7, #9

Final thoughts: Clarins goes on impressing with the quality they deliver for affordable prices. The Essentials is definitely great value for your money. If you like your easy, everyday neutrals, you can't go wrong with it. It is limited and retails for 39 € in Germany, at Clarins' website or for £35.00 at Escentuals.

Do you like the concept of "basic neutrals" palette or would you rather go for one which has more interesting colors mixed in between?

We have a new Tom Ford Palette on board! So cool for my Blog Post Series and beyond. I mean it is really cool, it is the "Ice Queen" *a cold wind blows*.

Tom Ford Quad #14 Ice Queen

I don't know how the weather is at where you are right now but here it is sunny and still over 15°C which makes it hard for me to talk about ice, snow and winter. Nevertheless I wanted to feature "the new palette" as soon as possible so rushed to the post office yesterday before bringing my car to the service for check-up. As they were doing their job, I rushed home and took advantage of the sun to make some good pictures. Following you see pictures of me turning the palette around to get as much sun as possible to shine on it.

Tom Ford Quad #14 Ice Queen

I tried hard to capture the blue tingle of the palette with no success. It looks very silvery/grey but there is a tad of blue in there. I am wearing this one today and asked my hubby what color I am wearing, he said it is grey with a light blue hint. This is exactly how it applies on the lids.

Tom Ford Quad #14 Ice Queen

Now a close-up before we start with the swatches. Sorry for the blurry quality of that one, I would love to edit it once I am home but I will be away until next week. I am driving to Berlin tonight. So much for "Tom Ford" since I will be visiting Tom Ford counter there, which we unfortunately don't have in Stuttgart yet. I have some brushes on my wish list for so long now and I am planning to play around with them.

Tom Ford Quad #14 Ice Queen

Swatches reveal the first three shades (from the swatches below) would make a bluish grey trio similar to In The Pink. These three are very close in color but different in texture. For those of you who said "In The Pink" was lacking a definition shade when we discussed about it back then, are in luck since this time the fourth shade is a deep matte as you wished. The last three shades on the other hand, look like a cooler version of She-Wolf which I love. But then does the first shade really add that much to the last three? It surely does a nice highlight on inner corner but I guess that is it for me. For frost/metallic lovers out there, this shade has certainly more to offer.

Here goes the shade descriptions:

Top left: Cool white with frost finish

Top right: Semi opaque silver glitter on light grey base

Bottom left: Light grey with a hint of blue, satin finish

Bottom right: Very deep grey leaning slightly blue, matte finish

Swatch under sun: Tom Ford Quad #14 Ice Queen

Below you can see what I am wearing today on my eyes. I applied the light satin grey (bottom left) all over the lid, defined the outer corner and crease with deep matte grey (bottom right). I then added some of the frosty white (top left) to highlight the inner corner and padded some of the glitter (top right) sparsely on the lid to add a bit of oomph. The quality of the shadows are superb. The shades are buttery to touch and blend effortlessly. The glitter shade is also of superb quality and sticks on my dry lids without a problem and doesn't wonder around my face.

All in all this shade combination is not the most flattering one for me, but it certainly works on my NC20-25 complexion. I have to note here though that I have rather natural undertones (e.g. NC and NW both work on me). I can imagine this one may pull very cool and crash on some complexions with strong warm/yellow undertones.

In-action: Tom Ford Quad #14 Ice Queen

Also check out Jenny's beautiful pictures and swatches here.

Final thoughts: A great basic palette from Tom Ford for those of you ladies out there who would like to add an icy bit of something to their make-up.

Ice Queen is released in US but not yet in Germany. I got mine from eBay from an Italian seller. This indicates it should arrive here soonish.

What do you think, loving it or leaving it? Do you like your eyes ice cold?

I am back! *trumpets*

At least I am slowly getting back to life after an extraordinarily nice trip to Berlin and a terrible time driving back by car. Usually I love driving over untouched landscape of Thüringer Forests offering many shades of green and autumn insprations but this time around it was one traffic jam after another. It took us almost 10 hours to get here for only 630 km. Anyway for our time in Berlin was totally worth it!

I prepared some posts before going and thought I would have time to publish them while I am there but it turns out there were better things to do *winks*. Today I would like to show you this little beauty that I am enjoying for a few weeks now, Carnaby Street Kaleidoscope from Le Métier de Beauté, take a look...

Le Métier de Beauté Carnaby Street Kaleidoscope Eye Kit

It is almost always tricky seeing how the shades cooperate since they cannot be captured altogether. Below I tried to form a traditional quad for you to see how unusual and pretty the color combination is.

Le Métier de Beauté Carnaby Street Kaleidoscope Eye Kit

The shades can be described in the following way:

Cameo (Tier #1): Soft peachy pink with satin finish
Anorak (Tier #2): Mid-toned khaki leaning taupe with multi colored shimmer.
Jackie (Tier #3): Light mauve with matte finish
Dandy (Tier #4): Deep blue with lighter blue shimmer

I also layered all of these together to show you the resulting effect once used as Le Metier prefers by applying it with their signature "couches de couleur" technique.

Swatch under direct sun light: Le Métier de Beauté Carnaby Street Kaleidoscope

I have to admit I like stronger eye looks but this one is too pretty to pass. It gives the softest, most subtle smokey eye ever and it is hard to over do it. I imagine ladies among you with lighter skin tones rocking this quad even more.

Below I used Tier #2 on inner corner, Tier #4 on the crease and Tier #3 on the mid of the lid for a twist. Who says you can't use matte for an accent? I used Tier #1 to blend that a little on the edges. I hope you like the resulting look. It was looking much better in real life but usually it is hard to capture subtle beauties than the louder ones.

In-action: Le Métier de Beauté Carnaby Street Kaleidoscope Eye Kit

Also check out Jenny's post for beautiful photos and Sabrina's post for comparisons to other Kaleidoscopes. Le Métier de Beauté Carnaby Street is still in stock at Neiman Marcus online.

Final thoughts: If you are searching for a subtle smokey eye look for everyday and a little bit of a twist to that one, be sure to check this one out.

Totally unrelated, how bad was the worst traffic jam you had to drive through. What have you done to kill time? I seriously started thinking to apply a nice eye makeup during driving, wouldn't that be cool? ;-)

The pieces of Dior Holiday Collection have been partly hard to find. To my knowledge, the two quads (one of them reviewed here) have been released around the globe but according to where you are, you may find different lipstick colors and nail polishes (nail polishes available in Europe are reviewed here). Some other items such as highlighter compacts, golden Diorshow Fusion Mono and the eyeliner I am going to present you today seem to be exclusive to a few stores. In Germany, I could find it at Dior Counter in Breuninger, Stuttgart, which has all the collection pieces for Europe.

Diorshow Liner Waterproof #738 Rosy Gold

Diorshow Waterproof Eyeliner #738 in Rosy Gold reminded me of Chanel Stylo Waterproof #89 in Or Rose which was released with this year's Spring Collection. I personally like the formula of Chanel Stylos and Diorshow Eyeliners. Although they are a little dry, they last long on my waterline. I have found myself reaching for Or Rose frequently to brighten up my waterline.

Diorshow Liner #738 Rosy Gold vs. Chanel Stylo Yeux #89 Or Rose

Once swatched side by side, Diorshow Liner in Rosy Gold proves to be more of rose than gold, while Chanel's Or Rose is leaning more gold, even beige. For those of you who didn't find Or Rose to have enough pink, you may want to check Rosy Gold out. On the water line though, this might give kind of a swollen rabbit look to some. Formula wise these two liners are close, they require a few swipes to show up, but last long on water line.

Diorshow Liner #738 Rosy Gold vs. Chanel Stylo Yeux #89 Or Rose

Final thoughts: If you are searching for a light pink shimmer for your waterline or inner corner, you may want to track one of these down.

Would you wear this shimmery light pink on your waterline?

It quickly became one of the most talked about releases of this season. It fell like a bomb onto beauty blogosphere. I am talking about Laura Mercier's holiday palette, which hosts 12 gorgeous shades of mattes and satins. It is natural but it is plummy, so I felt, if it had lips, it would shout my name when I first have seen the review in Lipstick Boulevards last month.

Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes from Holiday 2013 Collection

It is natural, yet not boring. It is shimmery but also matte. It is butter smooth but not powdery. This one is heaven in a palette. Or a palette in heaven? ;-)

Outside of US, it is hard to reach though. I searched and searched for it. Biggest Laura Mercier counter in Germany must have been the one in Breuninger Stuttgart. They received each and every holiday item but only this one was missing. I later on found out that it is Sephora Exclusive and this usually means Sephora US exclusive, so I don't think other Sephora's such as France, Spain etc. received it. Not fair isn't it? Well, it turns out there is a way... But before all that, let me introduce you to the shades first.

Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes from Holiday 2013 Collection

Left part of the palette consists of lighter shades for highlighting, blending or inner corner. Those are nicely balanced shimmery, satin and matte shades.

Left side of Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes

Sparkling Dew: Very light almost white peach, satin finish

Guava: Light peachy pink with satin finish

African Violet: light mauve with golden shimmer, my favorite LM shade!

Vanilla Nuts: Warm white, matte finish

Primrose: Pale pink, satin finish

Fresco: Light tan shade with matte finish

Left side of Laura Mercier Artist's Palette (L to R) Sparkling Dew, Guava, African Violet, Vanilla Nuts, Primrose, Fresco

Right hand side of the palette has deeper shades to smoke it out. These are mostly mattes with stunning quality. They can be used to define and to line the eyes but also all over the lid for a Rock'n Roll look.

Left side of Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes

Plum Smoke: Mid-toned lavender mauve with matte finish, so gorgeous!
Kir Royale: Mid-toned reddish plum with satin finish
Violet Ink: Deep blackened cool purple with matte finish
Bamboo: Mid-toned beige taupe with golden shimmer
Truffle: Deep Warm chocolate brown with matte finish
Espresso Bean: Deep cool black brown with matte finish

Right side of Laura Mercier Artist's Palette (L to R): Plum Smoke, Kir Royal,Violet Ink,Bamboo,Truffle,Espresso Bean

Today I wore this palette and I probably can't express how much I love it. For that I have to jump out of the monitor, hold you by your shoulders and shout my love with a loud scream, then you would understand. Below I used African Violet all over lid, Kir Royale on the crease, Violet Ink as a liner, Sparkling Dew on the inner corner and Vanilla Nuts under the brow bone. This is only one of millions of things which passed my mind in the morning. I might be back, with more looks, who knows ;-)

In-action: Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes from Holiday 2013 Collection

Also be sure to check out the posts of Tracy, who inspires me with her gorgeous eye looks and great swatches of Martha.

Us residents can pick theirs during Sephora sales right now. What about those of us unlucky ones everywhere outside of US? I mind you, there are very good offers in eBay. I got mine for only 40$ *grins*.

EDIT: A new look is requested by the lovely readers, so here is one more. I may update this post with more looks as I go on enjoying this palette. This one is more brown/neutral to show that this is also possible with the second raw of the palette (warm tones). In that one I used Bamboo (lid), Truffle (outer corner), Espresso Bean (crease and liner) and Guava (inner corner).

Final thoughts: Naturals and plums, buttery soft and blends like a dream, no frosts, just satins and a lot of mattes. This one might be my favorite holiday palette... Not this year, but ever.

What do you have on your holiday wish list?

Today I have some eye/nail candies to share with you. The nail polishes from Giorgio Armani's Holiday Collection, Eccentrico. These are dazzling, clashing and definitely eccentric for holiday season, so the names are just right, let me introduce you to Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer in #302 Clash, #303 Dazzling and #505 Eccentrico.

Giorgio Armani #302 Clash, #303 Dazzling, #505 Eccentrico Nail Polishes

Before I start with the swatches, I would like to apologize for some blurriness going on in there. Mind you I have made hundreds of photos, each of them turned out to be that way. Apparently my photography skills are not good enough to work with crazy brights. Have any tips for the next photo shoot? Please leave a comment below...

I would like to start with #302 Clash, a very bright apricot orange. This one is basically glowing. I don't know if it is neon, maybe not that but very close. The consistency is rather thick, but I find it good for a bright creme. With the first coat Clash is a little streaky but the second coat evens it out. I used two coat for the photo below.

Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer #302 Clash

Next comes #303 Dazzling. After the crazy orange Clash, this bright orange leaning coral looks more wearable but don't be fooled by its appearance. On the nails this is also very funky, brighter than all of my other corals. Consistency of Dazzling was perfect, no streakiness, almost opaque in one coat but I used two for the photo below.

Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer #303 Dazzling

Crazy orange, bright coral, what else would you like? Maybe a funky pink? There you got it. On the nails #505 Eccentrico is the brightest blue based pink of them all. Perfect consistency, no streakiness, almost opaque with one coat. Below I used two coats and loved how it looked against the blue sky.

Giorgio Armani Nail Lacquer #505 Eccentrico

I was very excited to check out my collection to find out any similar shades. I started by checking the summer collections... Dior, Chanel, were they bright enough?

Stash comparison: Giorgio Armani #302 Clash, #303 Dazzling, #505 Eccentrico Nail Polishes

I picked up two to three closest shades and put them all together for a group photo. Doesn't they look so playful?

Comparison with close high end shades, Giorgio Armani #302 Clash, #303 Dazzling, #505 Eccentrico Nail Polishes

Below you can see all of the closest shades together. Armani #302 Clash is closest to June from the Chanel's I own, which is paler and more subdued. Dior #438 comes close but is more yellow. Armani #303 Dazzling is more orange than Riviera #537 from Dior. Chanel #617 Holiday is close to Dazzling but a little more red and darker. Armani #505 Eccentrico is closes to Chanel #489 Rose Insolent, which is more blue based and a little darker. Chanel #571 Fracas comes close to Eccentrico but slightly warmer.

Nail Wheel Comparison: Giorgio Armani #302 Clash, #303 Dazzling, #505 Eccentrico Nail Polishes

Below I swatches closest shades on the nails to give a better idea. Dior Mango from 2013 Cruise Collection leans more yellow. I find Armani Clash to be more flattering than Mango, so if you missed that one and if you are into oranges, you may want to check Clash out.

Giorgio Armani #302 Clash vs. Dior #439 Mango Nail Polishes

Armani Dazzling is close to Chanel Holiday, which is a tad darker. On the nails Dazzling glows and next to it Holiday, although bright, looks rather understated.

Giorgio Armani #303 Dazzling vs. Chanel #617 Holiday Nail Polishes

Armani Eccentrico is close to Chanel Fracas from 2013 Spring Collection. Eccentrico is a tad more blue based and again brighter once compared.

Giorgio Armani #505 Eccentrico vs. Chanel #571 Fracas Nail Polishes

Final thoughts: They are bright, they are loud. I don't know if I would be brave enough to wear them during winter but I know I can't wait until summer. Either way I am planning to mix&match these candies with the equally flashy Armani Maestro Lipsticks from the same collection, which I also picked up and have been loving since then.

Would you wear bright corals, pinks oranges during holidays and winter?

I am slowly making my way through the holiday releases.

Guerlain's Holiday Collection is just released a week ago in Germany when I was visiting Berlin. I got to play around with the products and went for both of the compacts and nail polishes for the time being. I resisted the eye shadow palette but I don't know how long I can carry on with that, we will see. First product I would like to share with you is the illuminating pressed powder...

Guerlain Crazy 68 Météorites Illuminating Compact from Crazy Paris Holiday 2013 Collection

This year's powder is hosted in a plastic compact. It feels lighter once compared to last year's Wulong, which was metal. It is not necessarily a drawback though, you would definitely appreciate it after you start carrying it around in your purse.

Guerlain Crazy 68 Météorites Illuminating Compact

The shades include minty green (to even out redness), pink and lavender (to brighten up the compexion), white (to illuminate), tan (for sun kissed effect). Of course the shades are all very light and the resulting effect is rather a tone of white but on the compact you can see the pretty colors forming a nice pattern.

Close-up: Guerlain Crazy 68 Météorites Illuminating Compact

Here is Crazy 68 Météorites with last year's compact Wulong side by side. Just to refresh your memory, Wulong was a jaw dropping $170. This amount was mostly paid for the heavy metal compact which could be refilled. Crazy 68 Météorites retails for only $69. Still it is not cheap in any means but if you were eyeing lat year's compact and couldn't pull the trigger because of the price, here is a nice surprise from Santa.

Guerlain Crazy 68 Météorites (right) vs. Wulong Météorites (left)

Once swatched together (and very very heavily), you can see that Wulong was warmer. It can also be seen by looking at the shade combination in the compact. Warmer toned ones among us, might find Wulong to be more natural looking. For me, I prefer Crazy 68 Météorites because it brightens up my complexion much better, bringing life to it. Another difference between the two is how different colors are brought together. Wulong has more color transitions, which doesn't necessarily help once I swirl my brush all over it. To me, it is just prettier to look at. All in all I am loving Crazy 68 Météorites, even more than its terribly expensive twin Wulong.

Comparison swatch: Guerlain Crazy 68 Météorites (right) vs. Wulong Météorites (left)

I have heard that some of the products of Guerlain's holiday collection are already sold out in US, but in Germany, they can still be found. The Illuminating Compact 68 Météorites is even available online at the time I am writing that post. Do also check out eccentuals, they always stock up quiet well and their prices are very competitive.

Final thoughts: Guerlain Crazy 68 Météorites already became my go to finishing powder since I brought it home with me (I don't have oily skin so can live without a setting powder). I am enjoying soft brightness it brings to my skin. Wish it would be permanent.

Have you picked up anything from Guerlain Crazy Holiday collection? Maybe the crazy ballz? ;-)

Do you remember the post back in July, when I was reviewing Guerlain La Lacquer in Madame Batifole from Fall 2013 collection, I have written this "The only thing I keep asking myself is, will the nail polishes in Guerlain's line break free of the lip products and will eventually also have unique interesting shades"

Well friends, the time has come! Let me introduce you to Sulfurous...

Guerlain La Laquer Couleur #861 Sulfurous

Yes, it is the first nail polish which doesn't go matchy matchy with one of their lip products and indeed a nice interesting shade a chameleon. One moment you are like I know this is a deep plum, then next moment you change your mind and identify it as a grayish brown, but there are times you are unsure if it would make a better bluish anthracite.

Guerlain La Laquer Couleur #861 Sulfurous

The formula is nice and opaque with two coats. Once light shines upon your nails, you will see subtle multi color reflexions. Sulfurous has a metallic finish but I didn't have problem with brush strokes.

Guerlain La Laquer Couleur #861 Sulfurous

After I applied the polish on to the nails, I knew I didn't have any dupes. I could see though that this shades is more Dior than Chanel, if you know what I mean. So here comes three close Dior polishes from my stash for a comparison.

Guerlain La Laquer Couleur #861 Sulfurous and similar colors from my stash

It turns out Dior #782 Silver Purple is more gray, Dior #972 (or Dior Shadow which is very close to that one) is more plum/red, Dior #886 New World Purple is more brown and warm.

Nail wheel comparison of Guerlain La Laquer Couleur #861 Sulfurous and similar colors from my stash

Final thoughts: Yes to free La Laquer! Don't let lipsticks suppress nail polishes! Viva Revolution ;-) Interesting chameleon shade, which is appropriate for fall but I don't think it is necessarily for holidays. Therefore there is also an ultra violet top coat in the collection to give it a holiday glow.

Have you checked Sulfurous out? Did you like it?

Dedicated to their signature store on Avenue des Champs-Élysées, number 68, Guerlain released their holiday compacts this year with number 68 on their lid. I knew I would fall in love with Crazy 68 Météorites Illuminating Compact for a photoshop finishing effect to my makeup. What I didn't know was that I would opt for another piece from this collection even before Météorites and it would be bronzer. Bronzer during winter? Really?

Guerlain Crazy 68 Terracotta Healthy Glow Powder

It all happened like this. I was visiting KaDeWe in Berlin. Friends went to food court at the top most floor. I would check Tom Ford counter and walk around the cosmetics department before joining them. Walking by Guerlain Counter, I have seen that Guerlain holiday collection was released. It was the first time I could touch and feel so started playing with it. A lovely SA, presumably from France, assisted me to try out some of those on my face. I had full face makeup, so all I could try was the powders. After that I decided not to buy anything because I didn't want to carry it around with me all night. I went up and met friends, one of them said "wow, what have you put on your face?". It was Crazy Terracotta singing...

Close-up: Guerlain Crazy 68 Terracotta Healthy Glow Powder

You would wonder what it is, it has all browns and vivid pink mixed in a pretty way. Once I swirl my brush and apply it on the cheeks, I get a nice healthy glow. It is a blush for me, not a bronzer. It is subtle but it is definitely there on my NC25 complexion. To give you a better idea, I pulled out some blushes and bronzers from my stash.

Comparison: Guerlain Crazy 68 Terracotta Healthy Glow Powder

I included my favorite bronzer, Guerlain 4 Seasons Terracotta #03 Naturel Brunettes in the bunch, to show how the color of Crazy Terracotta look nothing like a bronzer. Newly released Chanel Joues Contraste #85 Evocation is also deeper, more brown and denser once compared. Soleil Tan de Chanel in #917 Sable Rose is also more brown, but similar in intensity and lightness. Closest products I have in my stash are Diorskin Nude Paradise Duos in #001 Pink Glow and #002 Coral Glow. They are both a tad darker, denser. As for the shade, I would say Crazy Terracotta of Guerlain is between these two, having some coral and pink in the mix.

Comparison swatch: Guerlain Crazy 68 Terracotta Healthy Glow Powder

It was easy to find an FOTD for Crazy Terracotta since I am wearing this one almost every day. I like using it with a dense blusher brush, like Tom Ford one. I also used it with Suqqu Blush Brush but took sometime to build up the color. Below I am wearing it together with Laura Mercier Artist's Palette on eyes, Guerlain Rouge G Madame Reve on lips. I find the resulting look very natural on my complexion.

FOTD with Guerlain Crazy 68 Terracotta Healthy Glow Powder

Final thoughts: Guerlain Crazy 68 Terracotta Healthy Glow Powder is a gorgeous blush on my complexion, absolutely loving it at the moment. For darker complexions, I am guessing it would make a good all over powder. If you are fair and can't get along with bronzer, this might be the dream bronzer for you to start using one.

Any pieces you are missing from Holiday Collections or have you started eyeing Spring ones already?

It is this time of the year. There are reds, reds and more reds. Then some golds and reds again. So it is not surprising that today's post is about reds. Reds on your finger tips.

Tom Ford reds together with other reds from my stash

Recently Tom Ford released two new nail polishes. #26 Shameless is what you would call classical Hollywood Red. It is a mid toned red, which is a little on the warm side. Application is flawless, great consistency, needed two coats for full opacity.

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in #28 Shameless,

The phrase "Trophy Wife" must have been given a prize for "mostly used nail polish name". (China Glaze, Essie, now Tom Ford). Do you also have the same feeling?

Trophy Wife of Tom Ford is a polish that I made me gasp after the first brush stroke. The fuchsia sheen in the bottle transfers on to the nails as a gorgeous dimension. It has perfect formula, which covers the nails in one coat. Below I used two coats just to intensify the color a little. I remembered of my first encounter with Chanel's Rouge Carat, which is still one of my absolute favorite reds to date. Trophy Wife has definitely potential to become one too.

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in #27 Trophy Wife

I pulled out some reds to check out if I had something close to these, close being meant in a beauty blogger way (everything which are subtly different can be justified to have a place in the stash)

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in #28 Shameless, #27 Trophy Wife and similar reds from my stash

Chanel #595 Rouge Moire is leaning very plum, #541 Tentation is very pink once compared to Trophy Wife. Chanel #587 Rouge Carat is fairly close but a tad darker and warmer.

I was thinking Chanel #581 would be close to Tom Ford Shameless but Shameless turned out to be darker. Chanel #475 Dragon and Dior #999 Rouge are also lighter and a little cooler. Chanel #08 has jelly consistency and is cooler and lighter too. I added the reds of Tom Ford from their permanent collection to see how they relate to the new shades. Tom Ford #15 Smoke Red is more blue based and therefore cooler. As we have seen earlier, Chanel Rouge Rubis and Tom Ford Carnal Red are close in shade but these two are more vibrant once compared to the rest of the bunch.

Nail wheel comparison of Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in #28 Shameless, #27 Trophy Wife with other reds

Final thoughts: Two lovely reds from Tom Ford if you are in search for one this holiday season. Both have great formula but to me Trophy Wife stands out by its beautiful fuchsia sheen and perfect opacity by one coat.

Do you have place for any other reds in your stash or are you bored of them?

Vamp Tom Ford Nail Lacquers for Fall, #04 Bitter Bitch, #09 Plum Noir, #10 Viper, #16 Bordeaux Lust

Suqqu Blend Color Eyeshadow #06 Ginbudou, Swatch & Review

Charlotte Tilbury Colour Chameleon Eye Shadow Pencil in Bronzed Garnet

MAC Eye Shadow X4 in Showstopper from Gorgeous Eyes Collection

Chanel Le Vernis #677 Rouge Rubis from Nuit Infinie de Chanel Holiday 2013 Collection

Fall Favorites: Butter London Brown Sugar Nail Polish

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre #827 Initiation & #837 Fatal from Nuit Infinie de Chanel Holiday 2013 Collection

Friday Fun with Addiction Ready To Wear Palette #05 in Departure

Dior 5 Couleurs #644 Golden Snow from Golden Winter Holiday 2013 Collection

Diorific Vernis #128 Winter, #751 Marilyn, #775 Royale, #995 Minuit & Diorific Lipstick swatches from Dior Golden Winter Holiday 2013 Collection

Clarins The Essentials, Eye Make-up Palette

Blog Post Series, Tom Ford Quads IX: The Coolest, #14 Ice Queen

Le Métier de Beauté Carnaby Street Kaleidoscope Eye Kit, Review & Swatches

Diorshow Liner Waterproof #738 Rosy Gold from Holiday 2013 Golden Winter Collection Swatch & Comparison

Laura Mercier Artist's Palette for Eyes from Holiday 2013 Collection, Review & Swatches

Giorgio Armani #302 Clash, #303 Dazzling, #505 Eccentrico Nail Polishes Swatches & Comparison from Eccentrico Collection for Holiday 2013

Guerlain Crazy 68 Météorites Illuminating Compact Swatch & Comparison from Crazy Paris Holiday 2013 Collection

Guerlain La Laquer Couleur #861 Sulfurous from Crazy Paris Holiday 2013 Collection, Swatch & Comparison

Guerlain Crazy 68 Terracotta Healthy Glow Powder Swatch & Comparison from Crazy Paris Holiday 2013 Collection

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in #26 Shameless, #27 Trophy Wife Swatch & Comparison