Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette Natural Beauty Review, Swatches and Photos

After a long absence we have something very special for you today - a review of the very buzzed about Charlotte Tilbury "Instant Look in a Palette" (limited edition, $85.00 CA.)

The Instant Look in a Palette is designed to "take you from desk to dinner in 7 easy steps," or as Tilbury also suggests, give you a full look in five minutes. This is a full face natural colour palette that includes three eye shadows, a bronzer/contour, two blushes and a highlighter. Housed in Tilbury's signature night crimson and rose gold packing, the palette is medium sized and measures 3.5" squared.

The palette itself is well designed, thin and for the most part the pans are big enough to comfortably fit most full sized brushes. The only products I thought could have benefited from bigger pans were the blushes, but I could still fit a small blush brush such as the ELF Blush Brush within them.

The products are all powder and have a very silky, finely milled texture and good to excellent pigmentation. I did find that when using all of them, they were fairly powdery and kicked up excess product. I did not find I got fall out when I used them on the face however.

The products are labelled in the order of use:

#1 Eye Brighten - a matte white-pink

#2 Eye Enhance - a shimmery champagne with slight pink undertones

#3 Eye Smoke - a matte medium-light taupe brown, one of my favourite colours in the palette!

#4 Face Bronzer - a neutral-warm satin finish medium bronzer with slight gold undertones, this bronzer has gold micro shimmer which does not translate to glitter on the face. According to Tilbury, this is the same bronzer in the Filmstar Bronze & Glow compact, however I detect a subtle difference between the two with this bronzer being ever so slightly more neutral then the one in Filmstar Bronze & Glow.

#5 Cheek Swish - a beautiful matte medium dusky rose, another favourite!

#6 Cheek Pop - a beautiful matte light pink with slight peach undertones, another favourite!

#7 Face Highlight - a bright shimmery white-gold highlighter, again Tilbury states this is the same shade highlighter as in Filmstar Bronze & Glow, but again I detect this version to be ever so slightly lighter/brighter.

L to R: Eye shadows #1-#3, Bronzer #4, 

Highlighter #7 and Blushes #3 & #4 on NC 40 skin

Swatches and photos are all taken in natural light. The product swatches are on my arm, which is at least one tone darker than my face, so is probably around NC 40. As you can see on my medium skin tone the colours are very natural & subtle. Here is the first full face look I did with the palette, using the exact same application technique that Tilbury shows here applied with Tilbury brushes (kudos to Tilbury for choosing a WOC for this tutorial.)

As you can see the overall look is very natural - I actually described it to Cath as "supernatural" because let's be honest, no one, not even the healthiest/genetically blessed of us wakes up looking glowing, rosy cheeked and even toned.

In the photo I'm wearing all of the products in the palette supplemented with: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger mixed with MAC Prep + Prime Highlighter in Bright Forecast (around eyes, nose, mouth), Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade in Ebony, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Perversion, Maybelline Lash Stilletto Waterproof Mascara, Boots No 7 Precision Lips Pencil in Nude and Clarins Instant Light Lip Balm Perfector in Rosewood. I am not wearing foundation.

In an attempt to squeeze a little bit more drama/tonal range out of the eye shadows I used the palette again but this time used MAC's Soft Ochre Paint Pot as a base. Using a primer or a base will definitely help you achieve more impact.

Eye shadow without base or primer.

Eye shadow with MAC Soft Ochre Paint Pot as base/primer*

*You will have to excuse the difference in colour between the two photos - the second photo was taken after a run in hot weather so my face is flushed.

Overall I'm fairly happy with this palette - the textures and formulas are beautiful, and because the colours are so natural and blendable you can really slap together a look  without worrying too much about how precise your application is. But to give you a well rounded review, let's address the weaknesses of this palette. Is it the most versatile in the sense that you can get both a natural day and dramatic night look from it without adding any other products? No. Is it the most unique palette in terms of colours? Also a definite "no." Is this palette truly "universal" in the sense that it can work for women of all skin tones as Tilbury suggests? Also a definitive "no."

To conclude, I think if you are light to medium in skin tone, enjoy "supernatural" looks and appreciate high end make-up, you will like this palette. You will also like this palette if you want to look pulled together and "naturally" luminous in a short amount of time with minimal effort and like practical, travel friendly palettes. The palette gives you the type of look that causes your boyfriend, who almost never remarks about your make-up to exclaim "your make-up looks perfect!" in a very approving way, ie: you look much better than usual in that "no make-up, make-up" way. True story.

Grades: A (for formulas, pigmentation), B/B+ (for colour range). 

Overall grade: B+/A-

Charlotte Tilbury's Instant Look in a Palette is available for a limited time directly from Charlotte Tilbury. and Holt Renfrew in Canada.

Chanel Infiniment Illuminating Powder Review, Swatches and Photos

Despite the fact that in the world of make up we left summer behind somewhere in July, there are some late summer/early fall releases lingering about the counters still worth looking at. Today I have Chanel's permanent late summer/early fall release the Infiniment Chanel Illuminating Powder ($72.00 CA) Photos in natural light on NC 35 skin.

Chanel has jumped hard on the highlighting/illuminating powder bandwagon in the last few years with their luxurious, limited edition releases such as last holiday's Camelia de Plumes. The Infiniment Chanel Illuminating Powder they released in late August is a different, though very wearable, sophisticated take on the trend of luminous (dare I say "strobing"?) skin.

Infiniment Illluminating Powder is more of an all over finishing power a la Guerlain Meteorites. It has a sheer slightly peachy matte base with tiny shimmers. The overall effect is understated but very pretty - a fresh matte finish with a luminous, definitively "non makeup-y" look.

The powder itself looks like a standard translucent powder in the case, with medium the Chanel logo "embroidered" in the middle in a medium coral powder. The C's are large and thin enough that using the two powders separately is not really an option. Swirled together and buffed over the skin, this powder really flatters the skin, giving you a naturally matte yet radiant glow.

I hesitated at providing a swatch of this, mainly because I knew it would not show up on camera. People who want a noticeable highlight or strong "strobing" effect should skip this. Fans of Guerlain's Meteorites or Hourglass's Ambient Lighting powders will find this a beautiful product.

Chanel Infiniment Illuminating Powder (swatch between lines)

The only downside to this product for me (other than the usual hefty Chanel price tag) is the scent. It has the classic Chanel rose scent, but in a much stronger, dare I say unappetizing version? I'm used to the way their lipsticks smell and I don't mind it. But this product smells gross to me. It's not so gross that I won't use it, but gross enough that I feel I need to comment on it, and that says something because I'm usually indifferent to scented products. It has the same scent as Dior Diorshow Mascara which I similarly find a bit nauseating.

Other than that this is a great finishing powder. It really does give your skin a photoshopped effect without looking artificial or made up.

Grade: B+

Update: This is a permanent product.

J

Wayne Goss The Anniversary Full Review

Wayne Goss The Anniversary Set brushes #1- #5 (bottom to top)

I've now had over a week to use and collect my thoughts about the Wayne Goss Anniversary Set. The Anniversary Set, which as the name suggests, celebrates two years of Wayne Goss's brushes. This limited edition set ($225.00 US), which is hand crafted by artisans in Japan,  is identical to the original Collection with two exceptions. The first being that Goss enlarged brush #1 a slanted, duo fibre foundation brush by 4x. The second being that The Anniversary Set includes an updated (and now permanent) version of brush #5, a pencil tipped eye brush. Since I don't own the original Collection, this review will not address the differences between the new #1 & #5 and the original versions.

Overall my impression is that the natural hairs used in the brushes are of an exceptionally fine and soft quality (goat and squirrel) and the shapes are very well formed and symmetrical. Wayne Goss states that it takes over 20 people to complete one brush and you can see that care in the product - there are no wayward hairs or loose ferrules here. The handles are also of a good length and diameter (medium) and fit well in the hand. The all black ferrules and handles with Goss's name lazered on in fuschia add a stylish touch.

Brush #1

As I stated in my first impressions post, the Anniversary version of the #1 is 4x bigger than the original #1. Even at 4x the size, the #1 seems average size for a foundation brush. It's a great brush to buff out and stipple on foundation, though I would recommend you begin your application by using your fingers to loosely spread your foundation out (to save on product, as a dense brush like this will soak up product.) As an aside, I tried this brush to apply loose powder and it does it like a dream, giving good coverage and buffing it into the skin. The slanted shape also makes this great for getting into corners like the side of the nose. Grade: A

Brush #2

Brush #2 is a small domed, tear drop shaped brush which is good for precision powdering, highlighting or contouring. Out of all the pointed/tear drop brushes I own (including Hakuhodo J5521, Hakuhodo + Sephora Pro and Charlotte Tilbury Powder & Sculpt), this is my favourite powder brush for the under eye area. Super soft and just the right size to make spot powdering easy, fast and fool proof. My favourite brush of the set. Grade: A+

Brush #3

Brush #4

Brush #3 and #4 are pointed creases brushes, #3 is larger and thicker and both brushes are for applying washes and blending. Both of these brushes are of excellent quality, and both do their intended job well, though I find the inclusion of both to be redundant (more on that later.) In terms of quality though, both are excellent. Grade: A. 

Brush #5

Brush #5 is the other new addition to the set and will be a permanent replacement for the old #5. It is a small, finely pointed pencil brush which can be used to cut a crease or line the eyes. This brush is finely pointed but not scratchy and versatile. Grade: A

Brush #6

Brush #6 is Goss's version of the MAC 217, made for applying washes and blending. It has a longer cat's tongue shape and is relatively floppy.  I like this brush but I don't love it - it is a great brush for blending, but I prefer the crease brushes for applying washes of colour. I find that the #6 is less precise than I want (even for soft washes), and I have a harder time controlling the placement of shadow. Part of this is related to my eye shape - with my very shallow creases, I need to be very precise where shadow goes or it ends up taking up too much real estate on my lids. People with larger lids and deeper sockets may not experience this problem with this brush. Grade: B+

Brush #7

Brush #7 is a minuscule flat shader which is excellent for highlighting around your tear ducts. Goss also maintains this brush is good for brows and for applying lipstick but I did not try either. If you do a lot of precision eye shadow application, this would be a great tool to help you fit multiple colours on your lid. Grade: A

Brush #8

I have to admit when I saw this tiny push liner I wasn't convinced it would be all that useful. Like Goss suggested in his video, I used this brush to tight line my eyes with powder and I'm happy to report it does this job exceptionally well without scratching or poking your eyes. Definitely a unique brush and a great addition to my kit. Grade: A

Final Thoughts

There is no doubt in my mind that Wayne Goss has created brushes of an exceptionally high quality in The Anniversary Set. Because of the high quality, I believe that the exceptional price can be justified because if cared for correctly, this set will last a life time.

My only criticisms about this set is the inclusion of two crease brushes (#3 and #4). As someone who has very shallow creases and prefers to apply shadows with flat shaders, I find two crease brushes redundant, particularly when there are other brushes included that can do aspects of what the crease brushes are designed to do (deposit colour in the crease and blend). Brush #5 can be used to cut a crease beautifully and #6 is described by Goss as primarily a blending brush. Another argument for including a flat shader is that none of the shadow brushes (beside the #5 and #7) can really densely pack colour on. To further this argument, brushes #5 and #7 are so small that they really aren't practical to use for that purpose. If I were given the chance to redesign the set I would trade brush #4 for a flat shader.

My final thoughts are that this set is an excellent investment. The quality. luxury and functionality is there, the only thing that holds this set back from being perfect in my eyes is the choice of brushes. for versatility I would have liked to see a flat shader.

Overall Grade (as a set): A-

J

MAC Magic of the Night In Extra Dimension Skinfinishes Review, Swatches and Photos

The star of MAC's 2015 holiday colour collection "Magic of the Night" are two new limited edition In Extra Dimension Skinfinishes ($38.50 CA/$35.00 US). The hybrid, baked/gelee formula with a high impact sheen is extremely popular in the current culture of highlighting/strobing. Photos in natural light, swatches on NC 35 skin.

In Extra Dimension Skinfinish: Oh Darling and Shaft of Gold

This holiday MAC gives us two new colours, Oh Darling and Shaft of Gold. At the time of this post, Oh Darling is currently sold out online, but still might (if you're lucky and persistent) be available at counters and stores.

In Extra Dimension Skinfinish: Oh Darling and Shaft of Gold

The textures of both shades is consistent with the In Extra Dimension Skinfinishes of the past - soft, smooth and buttery despite having a drier feeling in the pan. The colour pay off for both shades is intense, a soft, wispy brush like a fan brush will be the best tool for getting a natural glow. If you want to get an intense metallic finish, you can easily get it with a stiff dense brush or by applying with finger tips.

Oh Darling

Shaft of Gold

Oh Darling (sheered out L, heavy swatch R) and 

Shaft of Gold (heavy swatch R, sheered out L)

Oh Darling - is described as a "metallic gold", it's a light medium gold with yellow undertones. It reminds me of BECCA's Champagne Pop minus the peach. Naturally this was the first shade to sell out because it's a universally flattering colour. Grade: A

Shaft of Gold - is a "deep bronze", it's a medium dark bronze with coppery undertones. On my yellow toned skin it reads slightly peachy, but on cooler skin tones it will come across as more orange. This would be stunning as a highlighter on deep skintones and on lighter skin tones this could be used a a bronzey blush. Grade: A

Anytime MAC releases In Extra Dimension Skinfinishes is a time for highlighter fanatics to celebrate. Get your holiday glitz on by applying these on the high points on the face, or even on the collarbone and down the length of your shins. Get your party on!

Overall Grade: A

J

Wayne Goss The Anniversary Set First Impressions!

Well dear readers, I finally pulled the Wayne Goss trigger yesterday. I have been eyeing his brush collection for a year or so now, but kept putting off getting it because of our steadily tanking dollar. But when a few days ago I got an email from Beautylish inviting me to get early access to Goss's The Anniversary Set, I couldn't (didn't want to) hold out any longer.

Wayne Goss The Anniversary Set brushes #1- #5 (bottom to top)

The Anniversary Set, which as the name suggests, celebrates two years of Wayne Goss's brushes. This limited edition set ($225.00 US) is identical to the original Collection with two exceptions. The first being that Goss enlarged brush #1 a slanted, duo fibre foundation brush by 4x. The second being that The Anniversary Set includes an updated (and now permanent) version of brush #5, a pencil tipped eye brush.

I ordered these Wednesday morning from Beautylish and literally got them Thursday afternoon, so I haven't had any time to test or try these yet. So consider this post a sneak peak/first impression of the set with a full review to come later. I was just so excited to finally get my hands on these that I wanted to share the pictures right away! As stated by the man himself, all Goss's brushes are hand crafted by artisans in Japan and each brush takes over 20 people to make.

Brush #1

My only thoughts about brush #1 is that if the Anniversary version is 4x bigger than the original #1, the original #1 must be tiny because in my opinion the Anniversary version of #1 is normal/average sized for a slanted foundation brush. This brush is exclusinve to The Anniversary Set and is limited edition.

Brush #2

Brush #2 is a small domed, tear drop shaped brush which is good for precision powdering, highlighting or contouring.

Brush #3

Brush #4

Brush #3 and #4 are pointed creases brushes, #3 is larger and thicker and both brushes are for applying washes and blending.

Brush #5

Brush #5 is the other new addition to the set and will be a permanent replacement for the old #5. It is a small, finely pointed pencil brush which can be used to cut the crease or line the eyes.

Brush #6

Goss's version of the MAC 217, made for applying washes and blending. Soft and floppy. 

Brush #7

Brush #7 is a minuscule flat shader. This would be good for highlighting the tear duct and according to Wayne, also good for doing your brows and lips.

Brush #8

Again another minuscule brush! (I'm getting the idea that Wayne loves small brushes.) This time it's a tiny, tiny, tiny push liner. According to Wayne you can tight line your eyes expertly with powder and this brush.

Stay tuned for my full review!

J

MAC MACnificent Me Pro Longwear Paint Pot and Fluidline Review and Swatches

From my MAC MACnificent Me haul, I also have two Pro Longwear Paint Pots for review. The two Pro Longwear Paint Pots I purchased were Stroke My Ego a "pink silver shimmer" and Nice Composure a "midtone cool grey" (LE, $26.00 CA/$22.00 US.) 

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pots (L to R): 

Nice Composure and Stroke My Ego

Like other colours from the range, these Paint Pots have a creamy texture which sets to an almost indestructible, long wearing shadow. Of the two I purchased, Nice Composure has the most traditional Paint Pot texture in that it's opaque and smooth.

MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pots (L to R): 

Nice Composure and Stroke My Ego

Nice Composure - As MAC aptly describes, this is a cool matte mid tone grey with excellent pigmentation and a smooth even texture. This would be great on it's own or a nice alternative to black for layering under duochrome or shimmer eyeshadows. A+

Stroke My Ego - A shimmery mid tone taupe with pinky-mauve overtones. I found this shade to be a little on the sheerer side which made application a little less smooth, but this colour is still buildable. Very pretty. B+

Overall I think these are solid offerings in the Pro Longwear Paint Pot range. Good neutral-ish shades for fall and both shades are flattering to all skintones. If you are a lover of this product don't wait too long to get these!

Overall Grade: B+ and A+

MAC MACnificent Me Mattene Lipsticks Review and Swatches

MAC's current fall collection, MACnificent Me features the return of the Mattene lipstick. I have three of the four LE shades for review today: Personal Pick, Strutting Fabulous and Own the Look ($22.50 CA/$19.00 US). Photos in natural light on NC 35 skin.

MAC Mattene Lipstick (L to R): Personal Pick, 

Strutting Fabulous and Own the Look

According to MAC the Mattene formula is a "moisturising matte lipstick that delivers a creamier, softer, glide-on application." A silicone rich formula, the Mattene lipsticks do have a soft, creamy texture with a very smooth application. Out of all the matte texture formulas MAC offers (Matte and Retro Matte), this formula is my favourite. I typically do not like matte lipsticks because they tend to emphasize my usually dry lips and do not feel comfortable on. However, the Mattene formula feels weightless on the lips, and though I would not categorize it as moisturising (in the sense that it actually adds moisture), I do not find it drying to wear.

 MAC Mattene Lipstick (L to R): Personal Pick, 

Strutting Fabulous and Own the Look

Personal Pick - A pretty mid toned dusty rose with subtle blue undertones, a versatile colour that will suit both cool and warm skintones. Opaque in two passes. B+

Strutting Fabulous - A mid toned lavender with very cool undertones. Pigmentation is slightly sheer, so this needs 2+ passes to be opaque. A very unique, stunning colour that will no doubt create a "statement" look! B

Own the Look - A deep wine toned purple with tiny violet shimmers, a versatile colour that will suit both cool and warm skintones. Opaque in two passes. B+

MAC's Mattene formula is a great lipstick for those who otherwise can't or won't wear traditional matte lipsticks. The colours in the MACnificent Me collection offer a little something for everyone - a pretty pink for more conservative looks, a fall purple for evening or vampy looks, and an edgy lavender for those wanting to push the makeup envelope.

Overall grade: B/B+