Tom Ford Lip Color Shine in #10 Willful - Review and Swatch

I was itching to get another Tom Ford lip product but I wanted to test out the Lip Color Shine range (that kind of reminds me of Chanel Rouge Coco Shines but slightly more pigmented). 

I was swatching up a storm at my local Tom Ford counter and I was torn between Nubile and Willful. I was on the verge of playing it safe and going with Nubile since it was a nude, every day kind of shade but right as I was about to make my decision, I sprung for Willful instead. I'm crazy haha and indecisive. But I'm so glad I went with Willful.

Willful is this bright strawberry red that is PERFECT for this time of year. It really lights up your face in a way I couldn't believe. It gives your complexion this healthy look. Crazy, I know, since it is a lip product but it's the right kind of shade for the spring and summer months.

With the Lip Color Shine range, these retail for $48 (instead of the $49 of the Lip Color range). These line is more hydrating as it has a special blend of oils that conditions and moisturizes your lips.

The packaging on these Shines is thinner and sleeker than the normal Lip Color range. I like both packaging but the Shines actually fit in the little hole/space in my lipstick holder! haha

As you can see, it has that classic mahogany and gold casing. It is quite heavy (for a lipstick) despite the sleeker packaging.

It does not have TF embossed like all the other TF lip sticks which bums me out slightly but you'd wear it down with use anyways :P.

Here is the swatch of that beauty. This is two swipes of Willful and it's pigmented enough to warrant buying or looking at it. It is not a glorified, slightly tinted, lip balm. A lot of the shades in the TF lip range pack a real punch when it comes to pigmentation.

Due to the fact that it is a lip shine, the wear time is not as long. Through drinking and snacking on some munchies, I got a solid 4 hours of wear (compared to almost 7 hours with the Lip Color range).

What do you think of Tom Ford's line? Over hyped? Or do you love it? Let me know your favorites or what you have on your wishlist in the comments :)

Hope you enjoyed this quick review,
Bianca :)

Tom Ford Cognac Sable - Swatches and Review

Oh Cognac Sable... why art thou so beautiful...?

This is one of my favorite quads that I own from Tom Ford. It is one of those that is so versatile. I know you are thinking "You say every time that the TF quads are so versatile" but it's so true!! :)

I absolutely adore the warm tones in this quad. There isn't a matte shade (which is a bummer) but the shades work well together. When you create a look with this quad, it doesn't look like there is too much shimmer or metallic-ness to the look.

The mixture of these shades together really help form, practically, the perfect quad for the summer and leading into fall. It has those warm browns, that bronze "adult" glitter, and a golden beige highlight.

With this quad, it is one of those that you can easily transition from a soft day time look to a sultry bronzey brown smokey eye. Which is what a lot of people look for, in my opinion.

I love how buildable these shadows are. I'm not going to lie, when I first swatched this quad... I thought I got a dud. There was not a whole lot of pigment when I swiped it on my finger and I felt this buyer's remorse instantly haha. But I reminded myself that it is important to see how the eyeshadows perform on the lids and with brushes.

And thankfully, it worked out amazingly once I created a look with it. I post all my makeup of the days on my Instagram, you should probably head on over there and follow if you'd like ;).

This is one of my favorite quads to work with and I get so many compliments when I wear this out. Even my friends and sales associates at my local Tom Ford counter love how I create looks with the quads.

I purchased this at Nordstrom for $78 and I absolutely love it. If you can, see if you can check it out in person. You will fall in love with it!

Thanks for stopping by as always,
Bianca

Tom Ford Orchid Haze - Swatch and Review

So I have here another Tom Ford Quad. I want to add to my master post featuring Tom Ford. I think this was the first or second Tom Ford quad I purchased; hence why it looks used haha. But it is special to me. This is how my obsession with this brand started.

I wanted to show you swatches of the quad and share my thoughts.

This quad features that classic mahogany and gold packaging. Inside, you will see four beautiful eyeshadows and will help create some amazing looks.

The eyeshadows consist of a shimmery champagne/beige, light golden taupe, cranberry/mauve, and a matte eggplant eyeshadow.

The way this quad was put together is really great. It combines shadows that will help create subtle day time looks and helps you transition from daytime glam to a sultry smokey eye.

This quad is for the person that love that versatility in a eyeshadow palette but that isn't all earthy neutral shades.

The purple, taupe, plum colors are suitable for so many people and different eye colors.

The texture of Tom Ford eyeshadows are unmatched. They are so smooth and really pigmented.

What is so nice about these shadows is that they work and blend so well together. They never look muddy, which I have had that problem with other eyeshadows from other brands before.

This quad was released in the Fall 2013 collection and from what I heard, it was limited edition but I see this displayed with the quads in the permanent range. So this could have been moved into the permanent range. Check online or at your local Tom Ford counter/retailer.

Hope you are all well and that you enjoyed this post.

Take care,
Bianca

Tom Ford Lip Color in #03 Casablanca - Swatch and Review

Well... I purchased my first lipstick from Tom Ford (from the permanent range). I have been eyeing this range since I first laid eyes on Tom Ford and I couldn't justify (at the time) spending almost $50 on ONE lipstick. I only took the plunge on this because I got my Ebates cash back check and well I knew what I wanted to do with it when I cashed it ;).

Some of the shades at my local Tom Ford counter were sold out but I was able to get my hands on one that I truly like. 

Tom Ford Casablanca Lip Color.

I seem to gravitate towards these kinds of colors... I don't know why. *maybe I'm in a constant state of Autumn/Winter* ~Thanks Seattle....~ haha.

Anyways, here are some pictures of the packaging and the bullet itself.

Casablanca is this berry toned, plum-y, mauve-y(?), pink shade. A horrible description on my part haha. Describing color is like describing fragrances...it's impossible haha.

Here is the official description of the color: reddened plum.

It is a cream finish, which is my favorite kind of favorite out there. And it has a slight shine to it.

I love how Tom Ford Lip Colors have the TF embossed at the top of the lipstick. It adds that touch of luxury to it's products. I personally love that little detail in makeup when brands do that.

Here is the swatch of the lipstick. On the left is one swipe of the lipstick and the right was swiped three times to build up color.

It is easy to build up to full opacity with this lipstick in particular and the color is so beautiful.

I wore this today and I applied it at around 8:30 AM. I drank my smoothie, coffee, was at work until 5, and was just busy all day. It wore on me, with slight fading, for an almost solid 6-7 hours.

I went to the restroom at 2 PM and I was amazed at how well it lasted through the drinking and just time passing by. I'm truly impressed with this lipstick and the lasting power of it.

I do realize that spending $48 on one lipstick is not everyone's cup o' tea but if you have money to splurge or looking to try a luxury lipstick. I think this range in general is one to look at. If you are on the fence, go in store or check out other beauty bloggers that have a more extensive Tom Ford collection for other views and swatches.

I hope you all enjoyed this review on the Casablanca Lip Color from Tom Ford. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them down below.

Hope you are all well,
Bianca :)

MASTER POST - Tom Ford Eye Color Quads

Hello hello,

I thought I would make a master post on all the Tom Ford quads I have posted about on my blog. This will be an easy reference for you if you are looking for a particular one. I will update this post as I purchase them and review them.

Here are the posts with clickable links!

Silvered Topaz
Cocoa Mirage
Sahara Haze
Titanium Smoke
Orchid Haze
Cognac Sable

Tag of Tom Ford on my blog for more on the brand: http://biancasmakeupblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Tom%20Ford

:)

Tom Ford Silvered Topaz - Swatch and Review

I have embarrassingly collected most of the Tom Ford quads and I still want them all haha. It's a bad thing to want to achieve but I adore his eyeshadows. And believe me, any new TF product that comes out with eyeshadow trios, quads, or palettes...you can bet I will do my best to get my hands on it.

But for now, let's talk about Silvered Topaz. Ain't she a beaute?

obvi haha

This palette is compromised of one signature TF glitter shade, two shimmer-y satin eyeshadows, and one matte.

That glitter shade goes very well on its own on layered on top of any of the 3 shadows. I would say it's neutral because it goes well with that silvered taupe shade on the top right and with that warm plum-y golden-ish taupe without any clashing or looking weird.

These shadows are very pigmented and so smooth like all of the TF quads I have tried and own. They are a dream to apply and blend out.

I can make so many different looks with this quad. And that is what I LOVE about the TF quad line. Every quad has endless possibilities from subtle washes or color for an easy look and can be built up to create some kick ass smokey eyes (which are my personal favorite kinds of looks).

 

This right here is one heck of a beautiful quad. Especially if you love taupe shades. 

I think if you wanted a little more variety in taupes, I think the Les Fumes palette from Guerlain would compliment this TF quad nicely. Not necessary but if you like a little more options than just these 4, I think that would be a good one to take a look at.

Okay, *focus self* haha back to TF. I recommend this quad like the others that I have posted on my blog. I know that the price tag is scary at $78 but the beauty about these quads aside from the AMAZING quality is that these quads are so versatile. You won't be stuck doing the same old look every day. What's not to love about Tom Ford...? ;)

If you are curious, I have done reviews and swatches of: Cognac Sable, Titanium Smoke, Cocoa Mirage, Sahara Haze, and Orchid Haze. ~Check out the rest of my blog for more~

Alright, I hope you enjoyed this review on the Silvered Topaz quad from the amazing Tom Ford. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know. 

Hope you are all well,

Bianca

Tom Ford Unabashed Eye and Cheek Palette for Summer 2014

Well isn't this a thing of beauty?

This is the new and highly coveted Tom Ford Eye and Cheek palette in Unabashed. This is the first palette Mr. Ford has come out with in terms to combining both eye and cheek products. And I am hoping for more palettes like these! 

As you can see, the Ivory and Gold packaging is still going on, resembling the original Private Blend lipstick packaging from back in the day. So fans of Tom Ford are loving it right now because it is so sleek and simple.

*ahhhh* It's so beautiful!

So it comes with three eyeshadows and two cheek products.

Eyeshadows - top to bottom: the classic TF glitter is the top shade and it looks like a champagne coloring with a touch of taupe. The only way I can describe the undertone of that glitter shade is taupe...I can't put my finger on it. It's really gorgeous! Next, it's a classic and true gray taupe matte shadow. MonsiieurAlex mentioned that it's the closest dupe to Chanel's Notorious contour/blush powder from a few years back. So if you are a pro at contour and missed out on Notorious, this would be a cool multi-purpose shade. And finally...the star of the palette...the bright cobalt blue. It is also a matte shadow. When you swatch and apply it, it turns into a bright teal color. So if you want true to pan opacity, you would have to pack it on.

 *drooling*

Here, I took pictures from three different angles and different lighting to get every angle position to show these shadows as best as possible.

The texture of these shadows are AMAZING and so soft like all TF shadows I've come across. I have yet to make a look with these...when I do I will post on my Instagram :)

If you have any questions, feel free to ask me! I'll do my best to answer it as best as possible.

I purchased mine at my local TF counter in Nordstrom. As of right now, Neimans and Saks are doing in store purchases online...They have put that on their website. *it might change*. Demand for this palette is insane. With all the hype around it thanks to social media...A LOT of people pre-ordered it! I know I did :}. Nordstrom doesn't even have this palette online but the rest of the collection is available.

It retails for a heartbreaking $95 haha. I justified it because it was a birthday present to myself :P. *reason enough riiight?!* ;)

Anyways, hope you enjoyed this! Any questions, feel free to ask.

Have a great day/night,
Bianca

TOM FORD Cocoa Mirage - Swatches and Review

*drools*

Oh Tom Ford... you have my heart. It's the way you package your line of beauty products and the fact that you do not have to do a thing and your products will sell out.

You have this way about you and the way you put your style into your products that appeal to everyone. It makes your products worth a look and completely worth the investment.

Here, I present to you... Cocoa Mirage. Arguably, the most popular Eye Color Quad from Tom Ford. 

 Packaging: Sleek, sturdy, and beautiful. The classic mahogany and gold.

*dead* Just look at it! ahhh :}

It comes with three matte shades and one satin/shimmer shade.

The beauty about this quad is that it's so versatile. You can create the most natural of looks to some sultry bronze smokey eyes.

I think if you were to get just one quad from the range, I would recommend this one. I think it's the most universally flattering and it's a quad that can help you create a huge range of looks.

I realize that the $78 price tag is shocking to most but it's something that will get a lot of use and the quality of the shadows are unmatched. I have yet to find something in my collection that matches the quality, smoothness, blend-ability, and pigmentation of these 4 shades. This is coming from a girl that owns Naked 1, 2, and Basics, TheBalm palettes, and Inglot shadows.

It has become harder to get your hands on. There has been a lot of buzz around this specific quad. So if you are interested, get a hold or pre-order on this at any counter that sells it, TomFord.com (now available to purchase his beauty line and much more!!), Nordstrom/Bergdorf Goodman/Neiman Marcus/Saks, and free standing Tom Ford stores.

*yep, still drooling*

Haha, if you have any questions, feel free to leave them down in the comments. Until the next time, take care!

Bianca :)

High End Blushes - Are you getting your money's worth...?

I was thinking today about how people justify buying certain makeup items, whether it be blush, foundation, eyeshadows; and if it is worth the money.

I thought I would do a comparison post on some of the higher end blushes that I own and compare price per gram of product.

Hourglass Cosmetics, Benefit Cosmetics, Chanel, Tom Ford, and Clinique

I know some people might think that being the pan looks big that there may appear like there is a lot of product when in fact...if you do the math...you might be paying more for less product. And it might actually be worth to spend the extra few bucks by buying from another brand.

My very first Tom Ford item I purchased was a blush and believe me...I couldn't believe what I had spent that much on it. I picked out a blush I knew I could use with every look and something I would reach for on a daily basis (which is how I first justified my first TF purchase) #NoRegrets haha.

Whether you are on a budget or not, it's good to know whether you are getting your money's worth. Think like you are in Costco, the more you get, the better the deal right? Sometimes not haha. I think that concept applies a lot to makeup. The higher price tag might mean less product and in some cases you get way more than you thought.

Some folks do not really think about how much they are getting for the price. So that is why I'm here to compare different brands that have blush lines and see how they stack up against each other.

In the pictures posted, I have featured: Benefit Cosmetics, Tom Ford Beauty, Hourglass Cosmetics, Chanel, and Clinique.

I wanted to show you the amount you get per compact. I calculated on Excel the price per gram and you will see some interesting things from the screen shot.

 If you want a close up view of the pic, click on it. You will see more detail.

I think some of the most surprising in my opinion was Benefit's Box o' Powder as the most bang for your buck. You get a TON of product for the price.

The most expensive was Chanel in both cream and powder formulas weighing in at over $10 per gram :O.

I think something to consider, if you are interested in Tom Ford blushes, is that you are getting quite a bit of product for a not-so-crazy price tag (it could be worse haha). And from personal experience, you only need to dab your brush in once and you're good to go for each cheek. I can imagine my TF blushes lasting me FOREVER haha.

The price per gram in the new limited edition Clinique Cheek Pop blushes rival TF. If you had the choice though...which one would you pick if you had the means? (I would say Tom Ford; personal opinion haha).

Hourglass Ambient Lighting blushes are definitely in the higher price spectrum of the ones listed. It's personal preference on what you want in a blush and if you are okay spending that much. Though I must say that you cannot really overdo these, so in my opinion it's fool proof.

SOOO...what do you guys think? Does the how much you get matter or are you just interested in getting your hands on the product?

Does anyone else do these price per gram comparisons...? Just me? Yeah, thought so :P ;)

Let me know your thoughts in the comments, I would love to hear your opinions.

Apologies for the super long post but there was a lot of info to cover.

Talk to you all soon,
Bianca

TOM FORD Sahara Haze

Hey everyone, here again with another Tom Ford post. I seriously cannot get enough of this line. I'm eyeshadow OBSESSED. His quads are blowing my mind. I haven't been reaching for anything else really. I'm in love and I think these are definitely something to splurge on if you can. 

This is how I am justifying purchasing these quads.

**Imagine the cost of an Urban Decay shadow (1.5 g for $18) or Burberry single eyeshadows (2.5 g for $30). If you get 4 of those, you will be paying way more than the cost of one of the Tom Ford quads.

Each Tom Ford quad has 10 g of product (2.5 g per pan) for $78...so that breaks down to... $19.50 per shadow. 

You are just paying more right off the bat instead of little by little. 

I hope my little math lesson made you smile and to make it seem like I'm not that crazy ;).

So without further ado, here is Sahara Haze (which I'm not 100% sure but I heard a rumor this might be discontinued!!).

Hope you enjoyed! I absolutely love the quality and pigmentation of these shadows. They are just a dream to work with. I haven't been much of a green eyeshadow girl lately but this quad turned things around for me. This quad creates gorgeous dark green smokey eyes to subtle green eye makeup looks :)

Check this out in person if you would like at Neimans, Nordstrom, and anywhere that sells TF.

Talk to you all soon,

Bianca 

TOM FORD Titanium Smoke quad - Swatches

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing well. I'm here with a quickie post swatching the very beautiful and sexy quad from Tom Ford....

TITANIUM SMOKE

UGH so gorgeous :)

*one swipe*

The feel of the shadows are soft and luxurious. 

Absolutely perfect for a sexy smokey eye.

*drooling* haha

Talk to you all soon! If you have any questions, feel free to leave them down below :)

Bianca

What I Wore This Week #1 (2/10-2/14)

Happy friday/weekend! ~yasss!~

I'm excited to share with you my first "What I Wore This Week" post. Where I share with you what makeup I wore during the week :). Since this is my first, I welcome any and all constructive criticism on how to improve these posts. My goal with posting my weekly makeup stash is to vary my makeup products so I don't get stuck in a rut or just use one thing for weeks.

First group of products I'm going to share with you are LIPS: 

 I've been using two regularly over the past week, left: YSL Rouge Volupte in #9 Caress Pink (muted raspberry pink) and original Dior Lip Glow. They are the kind of lip products that require no mirror to apply and since I'm SUPER forgetful when it comes to reapplying my lip products so these two have been my go to (and not just for this past week). I love these two! :)

Next: EYES

I have my stand by's when it comes to eyeliners and liquid liners. I rarely steer away from what I use unless I run out of it and buy something else.

 Top to Bottom: Maybelline Full n Soft Waterproof mascara, Kat Von D Tattoo Liner, Kat Von D Autograph pencil in Puro Amor, Urban Decay 24/7 Slide On eyeliner in Crave, and Maybelline Define a Brow in Medium Brown.

 Eyeshadow: Tom Ford Orchid Haze *drools*. It's a stunning palette to work with. I think it can be a great every day palette for a variety of people :).

Finally: FACE

For foundation, I have been using and loving the sample of Tom Ford Traceless Foundation in #7 Tawny. It's the most perfect match I have found in my time of trying out foundation from drugstore to high end. But just my luck, my perfect match is the most expensive one I've ever tried haha :(. I'll definitely keep trying to snag samples though if I can :p.

Blush: Tom Ford Ravish. ALL TIME favorite blush that I own. I've been using it like 90% of the time since I purchased it. It's gorgeous!!

Concealer: NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard ~Review of this concealer on my blog!~

Setting Powder: Guerlain Meteorites (old formulation) in Teinte Dore #3. I'm in loooove with this setting powder. It really makes my skin look glowing but not sparkly or icky. It's subtle but noticeable. It livens up my complexion and without it...my foundations and concealers don't look the same by the end of the day. I have yet to try the new formulation so I can't give my thoughts on that...yet... ;).

What did you wear this week? Let me know in the comments :)

Hope you all are doing well. Talk to you all soon,
Bianca xo

Tom Ford Spring 2014 Lip Color in Paradiso

Hello hello everyone :) Hope you are all well!

This blog post will talk about my veryyy first Tom Ford lip product and OMG I can't even. It's gorgeous.

The brand and the packaging of ALL Tom Ford products scream luxury. If you have seen any of the Tom Ford products, you know that the normal packaging is a dark chocolate-y brown and gold. For the Spring 2014 collection, they brought back the 'original' packaging when Tom Ford first released his makeup line a few years ago. With that being said, this collection is LIMITED EDITION. I know some websites are sold out of certain colors: Paradiso, Sweet Spot, and Incorrigible have been the most popular of the eight lip color release.

Okay, onto the juicy deets about Paradiso. This is the one shade I picked up from the release. And believe me I want more...they are just too beautiful. *must resist* ~ kind of easy to resist since Sweet Spot is sold out in many retailers :( and the price haha ~

The color is described as a bring watermelon pink creme. Which in my opinion is a perfect shade for the spring :).

And can we just talk about that TF embossing on the lipstick? Yes? Ok. IT'S SO FANCY! I'm not going to lie, when I swatched it I used the underside of the lip stick so I wouldn't ruin the TF :P.

The packaging is far from cheap feeling and looking. There is some weight to it which, for me, is nice. It feels good in the hand and it's not too heavy either. To put it simply, it feels very luxe. And with the hefty price of $48, you would hope it would feel, look, and apply like a dream. *which is does :)*

I took two pictures of the swatch to show how it reflect the shine. It's not overly shiny, it is a creme but it's not satin nor sheer. It can be built up to full opacity. 

I have heard some people say that this whole line is really sheer and doesn't last well on the lips. I would have to disagree with that. I swatched the lipsticks at my local Tom Ford counter and my experience is that some were sheer, some were super bright (Paradiso and Fire Cracker), and some were more subtle. I think if you are looking into this line, you can probably find something that you'll like. It depends on your preference.

My one Tom Ford Lipstick on display *drools*

Review: this product is super creamy and buildable in opacity and lasts about 4-5 hours on me with no weird fading. I have zero complaints really. At the end of the day, you are buying Tom frickin' Ford and it's up to you if it's worth it. I justify my purchase as it is limited edition, the color is something I would wear, and YOLO haha (I apologize for using YOLO in my review hahaha).

Do you need it? Probably not. If it's within your means to splurge almost $50 on a Tom Ford lipstick, go for it. They are phenomenal. But it's not in your budget, don't worry about it :). It's not a "YOU NEED THIS IN YOUR LIFE" kind of product, it's just a nice present for yourself :).

According to Temptalia, Elegant Accent from MAC's Mineralize lipsticks is a dupe for this and it costs around $22 ish. So that is an option for you if you really like the color :).

I hope this was helpful. If I missed anything, please let me know in the comments below.

Did you pick up anything from the TF Spring collection? Or what is your favorite TF product? I'd love to know in the comments down below :).

Have an amazing day/night,
Bianca xo