Hello!  I’ve been having an intense week, and between juggling work and a 3-day old migraine, I haven’t been having much energy to do anything else.  But there is nothing quite like a good dose of gorgeousness to perk things up!  And I’m really excited to be able to show you the very latest Tom Ford Summer 2015 Soleil Collection!  The collection will officially launch here in Singapore this Friday 8 May 2015, and I am very privileged to be able to check out everything in person.  Feast your eyes out with these close-ups and swatches!

Tom Ford Summer 2015 Soleil Collection seeks to capture the sensuality of the golden summer light against bare skin.  Eyes smolder in burnished tones and metallic finishes, against glowy cheeks and shimmering skin.  Take a closer look in this campaign video here!

I have not had the chance to test out these products in depth yet, but I wanted to get you the complete swatches and some very preliminary thoughts so you still have time to get a hold of these.  As always, Tom Ford limited editions run out in the blink of an eye, so it is a good idea to be prepared.

The “must-have” piece of the collection, is the Tom Ford Eye and Cheek Palette.

What had appeared to be redder in the early promo images is actually a very lovely, complex burgundy with golden & baby pink micro-shimmers!  Described as golden violet, it leans warm on me but the pale frosty pink and sheer shimmer wash give the flexibility to vary the final look.  The cheek shades are really very interesting with a warm-ish rose gold highlighter and satin plum blush with a sheen.

What is completely new this season, are the Tom Ford Cream and Powder Eye Colors.  These come dual-layered, with the top lid snapping open to reveal a powder eyeshadow, and the bottom twists open to reveal a cream shadow in a glass jar.

There are 4 Cream and Powder Eye Colors, but unfortunately the shipment for Naked Bronze has yet to arrive when I was there today.

Swatches for Golden Peach are below, layered on left, cream middle, and powder on right.  This is probably the “sweetest” and most everyday wearable combination, although it is very reminiscent of the  In The Pink trio from Fall 2013.

Swatches for Black Oyster are below, layered on left, cream middle, and powder on right.  This is the most contrasting pairing, with the deep charcoal cream and brilliant silver glitter.

Swatches for Midnight Sea are below, layered on left, cream middle, and powder on right.  This is the most striking pair as the blue powder shade is the most opaque, and the choice of pairing it with a deep bronze cream shade is really unexpected.

The Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer formula returns this year with 2 repromotes – Sweet Spot and Paradiso – and 2 new colors – Skinny Dip and Rose Soleil.  With the exception of Rose Soleil, these are not shimmery, the luster of the lipsticks had reflected light to cause the swatches to show up as such below.

Another brand new item, one which has never been seen before, is the Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color.

On my first swatch, this very first cream cheek color in Pink Sand has a formula that is very reminiscent to Illuminating Cheek Color from Summer 2013.  It is very emollient, and the color is very sheer.  Although it looks rather pink in the pan, it actually swatches out a rose golden color.

The Tom Ford Bronzing Powders are back, and this year they are also available in a smaller size that is easier to handle for those of us with smaller palms, and of course much more convenient for traveling.  It is the same size as the cream cheek color, both approximately 3/5 the size of the full-sized bronzer, as you can see from the picture below.

And finally, there is 1 incredibly special item – Tom Ford Shimmering Body Oil!

It is so easy to overlook this, after all, the promo images didn’t seem like much.  But trust me, this one smells AMAZING… slightly coconut-ty and warm, the way summer should smell… but remember, this is Tom Ford, so it is much more than that!  And the shimmers are just spectacular!  I would not use this all over my body, but on the hair, shoulders, and maybe dab it with a brush on the cheek bones.

Seriously, just look at that!  Gah!!  I can’t even!

I hope I’ve given you enough to think about for the next couple of days.  For those of you in Singapore, here is the price list for your reference:

RETAIL PRICE

Tom Ford Cream and Powder Eye Color – SGD85 [reviewed here]

Tom Ford Eye and Cheek Compact – SGD146 [reviewed here]

Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color – SGD87 [reviewed here]

Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer – SGD72 [reviewed here]

Tom Ford Bronzing Powder – SGD160 (Large) / SGD102 (Small) [reviewed here]

Tom Ford Shimmering Body Oil – SGD160

I’ve been told the Eye and Cheek Compact will be slightly delayed, but they will be taking reservations once the collection launches this Friday, 8 May.  So head on down and check everything out for yourself!

_{^{I am very grateful to Estee Lauder Singapore for giving me the opportunity to preview everything.  They had also kindly provided me with some press samples, which I will be reviewing in greater detail over the next few days.}}  

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Alright, let’s get down to business! After yesterday’s major swatch-a-thon [go ahead and indulge here!], I thought I’d take you through an in-depth look at each of the pieces. That’s going to take a few days because #onefaceonly, and between making random appearances at work and events this week, I only have time for 1 look a day! Oh yes, and it’s day 4 of le migraine… so that’s fun. For today, I thought I’d take you on a spin round the piece that everyone is trying to get hold of – Tom Ford Eye and Cheek Compact in Pink Glow!

This is the second year that Tom Ford is releasing these Eye and Cheek Compacts, and for those who felt last year’s Unabashed [reviewed here] was too blue and hard to pull off on a daily basis, you may find Pink Glow to be somewhat less controversial.

Pink Glow consists of 3 eyeshadows and 2 cheek colors arranged on the left and right of the compact respectively. The shades generally lean towards warm-ish on me, and feature the Pantone-color-of-the-year Marsala.

From left to right, the swatches are:

• Top left of compact: Pale baby pink with a frosted finish. These sorts of colors easily dupeable, but I was surprised by how easily it blends to give a sheer wash of color all over, even worked well as a brow bone highlight and did not end up too 70’s-disco on me.
• Middle of left column: Golden glitter over a sheer translucent base. This is typical of Tom Ford eye color palettes, and part of the reason why I love them so. Dab a little of this over the middle of your lid on top of the eyeshadow, and it gives an almost-wet glisten that makes the eyes pop. I did not experience any fallout even when worn without any eyeshadow primer.
• Bottom left: Medium-dark burgundy with golden and pink micro-shimmers. This one is an exceptional shade, one which I don’t have a dupe of at all, not because I’m lacking purples in my stash, but due to its ability to pull almost copper-bronze. Use a little bit more and it can be almost full-on red, or sheer it out for an almost pink look. It has a satin sheen which helps to give that summer glossy look to the eye without emphasizing the texture of my crepey lids.
• Top right: Light-medium rose gold with a strong sheen. The high shine finish of these cheek shades reminds me of the NARS Dual-Intensity blushes, but done in a much more elegant way. Both this and the bottom right cheek color are as buttery soft and smooth as any of the eye colors in this compact, and I would not hesitate to use it on the eyes as well as the cheeks.
• Bottom right: Medium-dark plummy pink with a luminous sheen. Similar to the rose-gold shade above, the sheen in this gives a luminous look to the cheeks without going frosty. This is an incredibly pigmented blush though, and given how deep the color is (for a blush), do start with a lighter touch than usual and build up as (if) needed.

And here is the full look featuring Pink Glow on eyes and cheeks, Terra Bronzing Powder to sculpt [to be reviewed soon] and Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer in Paradiso [reviewed here] on the lips!

A closer look of the eye perhaps?  For some reason, because of the way the light was reflecting off the frost, the pale pink is showing up as silver in the EOTD below.

Overall, Tom Ford Pink Glow Eye & Cheek Compact is very interesting to me, not only because it’s so drop-dead-gorgeous with its sleek curved ivory and gold casing, but the shades contained inside are so incredibly on-trend. I’ve always thought of Tom Ford as being timeless, outside the fashion herd, setting its own direction. However, when you’re determined to grow the business into an international multi-billion luxury brand, you have to justify your existence. And that’s precisely what Pink Glow does. If the thought of dropping USD95 or SGD148 on a palette makes you cringe, then consider this an investment that replaces any any “It” palette that contains the Marsala Pantone-color-of-the-year and one of those NARS Dual-Intensity blushes. And with 14gm of product, it really is not too shabby!

Sara at Color Me Loud has a lovely review on this as well, with lots of useful comparison swatches here.

_{^{This palette was provided to me by Estee Lauder Singapore for my consideration.  All opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}}

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I’m not usually a big fan of cream cheek colors, as the tropical humidity here in Singapore usually fades and causes cream colors to slip off my cheeks. But when it comes to Tom Ford, I tend to give everything the benefit of the doubt. And so, I was happy to find that the Cream Cheek Color in Pink Sand did not disappoint!

Pink Sand is the very first cream cheek color by Tom Ford, and it is a medium, warm-toned pink filled with golden shimmers. These are really fine, micro-shimmers that are nearly invisible in the pan, but show up distinctly when applied to create a golden sheen on the skin.

I was apprehensive when I first swatched it, as it contained a fair bit of slip, and when I tried to swipe it with a finger on my arm it sheered out considerably.

When I posted my initial preliminary thoughts about the collection here, I had thought it might be reminiscent of the Illuminating Cheek Color in Blush Guilt [reviewed here] from Summer 2013. However, after wearing it for the first time yesterday, I am very happy to report that Pink Sand Cream Cheek Color is completely different and so much better! Unlike Chanel cream blushes, Tom Ford’s rendition is much softer in the pan such that it is easy to pick up with a brush [I used the Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush (02)] and it transfers easily onto the cheeks when I dab the brush on. Given it sheers out when stroked, I simply bounced the brush along my cheek bones and it created a beautiful glowy flush easily! Thereafter, it did not feel sticky at all, but regardless, I set it with a light dusting of Guerlain Meteorites so as not to dampen the glowy effect of the blush. The best part, was the blush lasted me all day without fading nor slipping!

As always, Tom Ford has released its 2 bronzing powders in a special limited edition white and gold casing for summer. I had not given these a second glance in previous years as they were huge monstrosities for someone like me who doesn’t use bronzer all over, but merely to contour. However, when I spied the minis this year, my interest was piqued!

Terra Bronzing Powder seems slightly darker than Gold Dust, but I personally feel it is much more wearable across a variety of skin tones as Gold Dust pulled a little orange on me. Terra is a muted, medium brown with a slight reddened-ash tone. I was initially worried about the undertones, as it did not feel as neutral as the Surratt Artistique Blush in Grisaille that has made it as my current daily staple.

The difference between the 2, is that Terra is a lot denser in the pan, and does not pick up as easily as Surratt so it is not easy to overdo. Even when I swirl my brush in the mini pan, I pick up just enough product to contour under my cheek bones and jaw. It adheres well to my liquid foundation, and blends itself out in a way that looks completely natural. Even though I was worried about the color, Terra turned out fabulously.  It does appear a bit more golden than Grisaille, and would probably work better with a tan.

And here is how it all looks on me – Pink Sand on the cheeks and Lip Color Sheer in Sweet Spot on the lips!

A side profile to show you Terra in a figure ‘3’ extending from the temples down under my cheekbones, along the sides of the face and under my jaw.

Are you excited by the new Tom Ford Cream Cheek Color and mini Bronzing Powders?  Alternatively, hop on over here for the review on those Cream & Powder Eye Colors, here for the review on the new Lip Color Sheers,and Eye & Cheek Palette in Pink Glow here!

_{^{This post featured products that were kindly provided by Estee Lauder Singapore for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}}

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For Summer 2015, Tom Ford Beauty has released 4 lipsticks in the Lip Color Sheer formula that was first launched in Spring 2014.  Of the 4 shades available this season, 2 were repromotes from the limited edition Spring 2014 release – Paradiso and Sweet Spot, whilst 2 are completely brand new.  For today, I’d like to give you a good look at Tom Ford Lip Color Sheer in Skinny Dip and Rose Soleil!

It would be an exaggeration to say that I’ve been searching for the perfect nude lipstick forever… because quite frankly, I’m more of a bright lip kinda chick.  So I never knew what I was missing out on, until these 2 brand new Tom Ford Lip Color Sheers came into my life!

Tom Ford Skinny Dip Lip Color Sheer is precisely as its name implies… it is lips in the buff, and extremely naughty.  It is a warm-toned peach-pink with a semi-sheer base.  It is so emollient it glides easily over my lips and is truly my-lips-but-better.  What makes it exceptional, is the addition of fine golden shimmers that gives Skinny Dip a special golden sheen.

If Skinny Dip is just a little too pale for you, there is another – Tom Ford Rose Soleil Lip Color Sheer.

Rose Soleil looked a little inhibiting at first sight, so it completely caught me by surprise when I swatched it.  It is a soft plummy brown with fine pink and gold shimmers.  The texture is very similar to Skinny Dip, super emollient and glides over the lips like a dream.  It is also semi sheer, but I was able to get a better color coverage than Skinny Dip although this could be due to it having a bit more color.

What was unexpected to me, was that Rose Soleil looked so dark and so shimmery in the tube, but turned out to be such a soft juicy shade on the lips!  Both Rose Soleil and Skinny Dip are the perfect sexy nude lips to pair with the more dramatic Cream & Powder Eye Color Duos from the same collection [full review coming very soon, but in the meantime, here are the swatches].

I would also like to chat briefly about the other 2 Lip Color Sheers that are “repromotes”.  I had acquired Paradiso and Sweet Spot back in Spring 2014 [reviewed here] and found the formula extremely drying and patchy on my lips.  However, I had the opportunity to swatch the recently released versions, and found them to be much more emollient and glided much better than I could recall.  Unfortunately, I don’t have them so I’m not able to test them out in person.  Regardless, if you didn’t get them last year, be sure to give them another chance this time around!  As for Skinny Dip and Rose Soleil, these are so comfortable to wear, and they bring something of interest to an otherwise boring nude lip, that I can see myself reaching for them very often!

Do hop on over to this post for full swatches of everything else in the collection, and access links to the full review of each product!

Do you have any favorite nude lipsticks to share?

_{^{The products discussed here were generously provided by Estee Lauder Singapore for my consideration.  Regardless, all views expressed here are my own honest, unbiased opinions.}}

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I am getting to the last of my Tom Ford Summer 2015 collection review!  For those of you who are not Tom Ford die-hards like me, I do apologize for all these non-stop chatter, I hope you’re not offended.  But starting tomorrow, I promise to switch gears.  For today though, I will be discussing the Cream & Powder Eye Color duos.

There are 4 shades in this limited edition collection of Cream & Powder Eye Color – Naked Bronze, Black Oyster, Golden Peach, and Midnight Sea.  Each duo is comprised of 2gm of glittery powder and 7gm of cream eyeshadow.  At SGD85 / USD60 a pop, these little jars had me gasping initially, until I realized how much product you really are getting.  In contrast, the most recent Spring 2015 Cream Color for eyes was USD42 for 4.2gm, and Spice was USD42 for 6gm.  The pricing does seem a little arbitrary, regardless the point is you do get to try 1 of Tom’s infamous complex and relatively budge-proof cream formula together with a very lovely grown-up glitter shade that i’m personally very fond of.  For many Tom Ford aficionados (myself included) it was a little of an emotional roller coaster as we were all pumped up for 4 new cream shades plus shadow, and then disappointed when we found out 3 of the 4 were repromotes.  But I did a little side-by-side swatch, and found that’s not entirely the case!

From left to right:

• Naked Bronze is composed of a sheer golden shimmer over a translucent base, and a complex coppery bronze cream.  The bronze cream is supposedly a repromote of Spice Cream Color from Holiday 2014 [reviewed here].
• Black Oyster comprises of a silver glitter powder over a translucent base, and a black cream with silver shimmers.  The combination of the 2 is reminiscent of Titanium Smoke Eye Color Quad, but that palette is actually composed of a pale golden shimmer and a black (powder) with silver shimmers which you could possibly build up intensity with a damp brush.
• Golden Peach is a pale champagne peach shimmer over a translucent base and a metallic peach cream.  The cream is very close to Pink Haze Cream Color from Summer 2013 [reviewed here], although when I swatched them side by side, Pink Haze seems to be pinker and Golden Peach slightly more peach.
• Midnight Sea is an unexpected pairing of a medium-dark teal blue with silver shimmers and a dark graphite bronze cream.  This is the only duo whose power shade is not sheer, in fact I found the teal blue to be quite pigmented.  The dark graphite bronze cream is a clear dupe for the ubiquitous Spring 2015 Cream Color that was released on the tail-end of the last season as a stand-alone piece, but when swatched side by side, Midnight Sea seems even darker and more intense than Spring 2015, although it can be easily sheered out.

And here are the swatches for your reference.  On the left of each swatch group is the cream and powder eyeshadows layered, middle is the cream, and right is the powder shade.

Naked Bronze

Black Oyster

Golden Peach

Midnight Sea

And here are the comparison swatches of Pink Haze vs Golden Peach, and Spring 2015 vs Midnight Sea.  I hope you can see the subtle differences between the shades as I had already noted above.  They’re not immediately obvious, especially depending on the screens you are looking from, and I’m not sure if they make a difference when applied.  However, for collectors/junkies…. maybe, just maybe…..  

And here are some EOTDs to give you an idea what these shades look like on the eyes!  I was blessed to have received Golden Peach and Black Oyster as press samples, but I ended up buying Midnight Sea as well.  The latter was an unexpected purchase, because the color combination had seemed to garish and odd to me initially, but after I got the BA to demonstrate it on me, I had to have it!  I was sorely tempted but resisted picking up Naked Bronze, just because I already own Spice and am very sure I have more than 1 sheer golden shimmer in my stash, so that is the only one I can’t show you the EOTD.

Golden Peach is very soft, and it is something that is great for a day out under the sun or lounging by the poolside.  Very sublime wash of color, lovely also for a day at the office.  I did feel like I needed some definition, and I opted for a bronze pencil liner.

I chose to wear Black Oyster very softly here.  The trick to working with these black creams, and after some experimentation I now think creams are the way to go when working with black! – is to first take a bit out of the jar and place it on the back of your hand.  The heat of your skin warms up the product and you can then control how much / little you pick up and apply to your lids.  Dab it close to the lash line and then use the clean side of the brush or another brush to blend it out.  Repeat as necessary.

And this is Midnight Sea!  Unlikely as it had seemed initially, I ended up really loving this one!!  You can apply more blue of course, and it really does work up to a vibrant eye look with the bronze shade deepening and adding complexity to the color.  But I had worn it very very sheer here just to show you it is not garish at all, and completely wearable for a day look!

And to round up my weeklong obsession with Tom Ford’s Summer 2015 collection, here are some LOTDs featuring many of the pieces of the collection – enjoy!

Tom Ford Golden Peach Cream & Powder Eye Color on eyes, Pink Sand Cream Color on cheeks, Terra Bronzing Powder to contour, and Rose Soleil Lip Color Sheer on lips.

Tom Ford Black Oyster Cream & Powder Eye Color on lids, Pink Sand Cream Color on cheeks, Terra Bronzing Powder to contour, and Skinny Dip Lip Color Sheer on lips

Tom Ford Midnight Sea Cream & Powder Eye Color on lids, Pink Sand Cream Color on cheeks, Terra bronzing powder to contour, and Skinny Dip Lip Color Sheer on lips

I hope this series of reviews has been helpful if you are still trying to makeup your mind about picking up any Tom Ford this season.  In case you missed anything, I had reviewed the Eye and Cheek Compact in Pink Glow here, Pink Sand Cream Color for Cheeks and Terra Bronzing Powder here, and Skinny Dip & Rose Soleil Lip Color Sheers here.

Have you picked up anything from this collection, or has anything caught your eye yet?

_{^{I am very grateful to Estee Lauder Singapore for providing 2 of the 3 Cream & Powder Eye Color duo reviewed here.  As always, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}}

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This Summer, apart from dressing us up in glistening eye makeup and luscious nude pouts [see here], Tom Ford has also released a sexy new member to the Neroli Portofino series. This is a small collection of cologne-inspired style of fragrances within the Private Blend Collection, and is now joined by the 4th and latest – Fleur de Portofino.

Tom Ford Private Blend Neroli Portofino Collection is a special series of fragrances that are designed in the “Eau de Cologne” style, which is traditionally a recipe of citrus and herb notes with very little in the base. Not to be confused, however, to indicate lesser concentration as is now commonly associated with in the industry, as these are still labeled as Eau de Parfum. The spirit of the collection is vibrant and fresh, inspired by seaside towns and sunny summers. The latest Fleur de Portofino carries very much the same characteristics, but with a very interesting and uncommon twist – this is a floral cologne!

“Vibrant. Carefree. Captivating. Private Blend Fleur de Portofino is inspired by the cascades of white flowers that spill off the branches of the white acacia beloved shade tree that dots the mediterranean’s gardens and lines its tranquil avenues. Fleur de Portofino creates a crisp and bright floral accord from this bloom, then surrounds it with effervescent citruses and acacia honey. The fragrance creates an effect of sheer floral possession that is incomparably hypnotic and extremely bold.”
– Tom Ford

Having given the original Neroli Portofino several tries in the past, and each time regretting it on my skin; I was very surprised when I took a whiff of Fleur de Portofino and fell in love. It opens with the slight crisp bite of citrus essences – Sicilian lemon, mandarin from Sorrento, Calabrese bergamot, and tangerine. In true cologne style, it has that freshness and lifts the entire fragrance up to the senses. But within minutes, that opening note fades and what you experience after that, is quite simply the warm summer sunshine draped over the fertile Tuscan fields.

At the heart of the fragrance is the white acacia blossom. It is paired with white magnolia, Moroccan rose absolute, and jasmine grandiflorum concrete… all blending harmoniously to give a stunning floral bouquet. The inclusion of the fragrant orange flower Templar, the spicy cassie tree and herbaceous mimosa, keeps things interesting for Fleur de Portofino. The dry down is a smooth golden honey… the nectar of the acacia flower mixed with Cistus absolute produced a golden, resinous flavor. This is warmed further by vanilla absolute and Tolu balsam. Fleur de Portofino is a sexy Italian, warm-hearted and spirited, full of the joie de vivre of summer.

Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino is a warm floral scent made interesting by a citrus zest and kept light enough to be enjoyed in the summer months ahead. At the same time, it is a voluptuous, alluring cologne that beckons the beguiling. I only wish it lasts longer on me, because at SGD330 (USD215) for 50ml, 4-6 hours’ wear time seems too short.  It will be available in Singapore at the TANGS Orchard Beauty Hall in June.

_{^{I was provided a small decant of this fragrance for my sampling and consideration by the kind folks at Tom Ford Singapore.  All opinions expressed above are my own honest, unbiased views.}}

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There is nothing worse than having to dash to a function after work, and realizing an entire day of staring at the computer has brought out those ghoulish dark circles. Or perhaps your makeup has faded in some areas (for me it’s always around the nose, chin and forehead between the brows), and you need to spot touch-up. I could go into a long-winded description of how to blot, powder, etc… but what I’d really like to do, is to show you 4 handy concealers that I pack with me for emergency situations like these!

Generally speaking, I prefer cream concealers because they offer greater coverage and stay crease-free longer (especially for my dry under-eye area). However, when I have been out and about for an entire day, my skin is oilier than when I started fresh in the morning, and since I really only need the makeup to hold for another couple of hours, liquid concealers work much better. Also, liquids don’t require heavy blending, and is less likely to move your foundation or cause it to pill.

There are 4 such liquid concealers I’d like to show you today.  They are:

• Marc Jacobs Remedy Pen Concealer
• Tom Ford Concealing Pen
• Laneige Watery Cushion Concealer
• Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector**

I was quite tempted to throw in the infamous YSL Touche Eclat which made these pen-type concealers so popular to begin with, but that really does not work as a concealer on me at all as it is much too sheer.  And I don’t suppose anybody needs to hear anymore about that, so 4 it shall be!

As you can see, these 4 have made it into my purse for their slim portable shapes. The Kiehl’s one I have here is actually a 3ml deluxe sample, but the full-sized at 15ml is not a whole lot bigger (longer not much fatter, and with the same thin dispensing tip). More importantly, most of these are designed to be used directly on the spots and should not require a separate brush or sponge to blend.

**I do have to point out here at the Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector is actually marketed as a hybrid product, call it perhaps a tinted eye cream.  But I found it a little lacking as an eye cream, and the tint is much too opaque for all over use and I really don’t want to wear a tinted eye cream to bed at night.  So, I personally consider this a concealer-with-skincare benefits, which is just about right at home with the other 3 as they all boast some sort of skin loving ingredients too!

From left to right: Marc Jacobs Remedy Pen Concealer – Tom Ford Concealing Pen – Laneige Watery Cushion Concealer – Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Perfector

I found the applicator / dispenser tips to make quite a big difference with these concealers, and here are my thoughts.  From left to right:

• The Marc Jacobs Remedy Pen Concealer has an interesting palladium tip that is cool to the touch, and is intended to help relieve tired, stressed eyes and reduce puffiness. Whilst I enjoy that after a long day, I found the flat metal to smear the concealer rather indiscreetly, and I still need to finish off with a finger or brush.
• Tom Ford’s Concealing Pen is perhaps my favorite of the bunch because it has a rounded sponge applicator, but the product actually dispenses in a hole at the very tip of it. That means I am able to be quite precise about where I place the product, and then use the sides of the sponge to blend. I never have to dirty my fingers at all!
• Laneige Watery Cushion Concealer is similar to Tom Ford, except there is no hole at the tip. Instead, the product is squeezed out and dispersed throughout the sponge, which can get rather messy and deposits too much product. Instead, I prefer to dab as little as I can manage, then blend with a finger. This design is also slightly problematic because any product left unused stays soaking in the sponge, and in addition to sanitary concerns, I also found it shortens the life of the sponge. Mine actually broke off shortly after these pictures were taken.
• Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector has a simple pointed plastic dispenser tip that allows you to control how much product you squeeze out of the tube. You could go big or as tiny as a dot. But then you do need to mess around with a finger or brush/sponge. This is also the only one out of the 4 discussed today with sun protection with SPF30!

Here is a look at how the product dispenses if you swipe it down directly from the applicator:

Direct swatches from applicator tips. From left to right: Marc Jacobs Remedy Pen Concealer – Tom Ford Concealing Pen – Laneige Watery Cushion Concealer – Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Perfector

Here is a closer look at the swatches, partially blended from the single swipes shown above.  All are the lightest shades in their ranges, with the exception of Kiehl’s which is only available in this one shade.

Sexy packaging aside, the product contained inside is what matters the most. Of the 4, I found myself reaching for Tom Ford and Kiehl’s the most. Tom Ford has the best coverage of the bunch, which is not immediately apparent in the swatch above as there was the least amount of product dispensed in that swatch.  In contrast, Marc Jacobs had the least coverage, and I could never adequately cover up my undereye circles with the Marc Jacobs. Kiehl’s has a nice buildable coverage too and I’ve been enjoying that equally. When I first got the Laneige I was using it quite often as it felt quite brightening and had good coverage.  But after trying out the rests, I realized Laneige’s was way too light and dried down to a matte finish that emphasised fine lines.

Overall, my favourite would be Tom Ford’s Concealing Pen as it had a good buildable coverage, and had the easiest applicator to work with.  I also liked the satin finish it leaves as it dries down which is more flattering on dry skin.  However, at USD52 for 3.2ml of product, it does come with a hefty luxury price tag.  A more affordable option is the Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Circle Perfector, priced at USD38 for 15ml.  It also comes with a generous SPF30 sun protection which is great, but there are no shade options to suit different skin tones.  Again, I need to reiterate, the Kiehl’s is not marketed as a concealer, but a tinted eye cream so do with it what you will!

Do you have any favourite concealer that you carry around for touch-ups throughout the day?  If so, please share!

_{This post featured some press samples and some were purchased by me.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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When I first saw the upcoming Fall 2015 collection from Tom Ford, I was a little underwhelmed.  Even though I would never expect a 20-piece collection from Tom Ford, 4 cheek and eye shadows and a bunch of repromotes just aren’t very inspiring.  That was until I realized that instead of 1 main launch, Tom Ford will be releasing something special every month from now until the holidays!  For this month, the focus will be on the complexion, and there are 2 brand new products that I’m loving.  Today, I will be reviewing the new Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Powder Duo in Moodlight.

Tom Ford Moodlight Skin Illuminating Powder Duo comprises of 2 luminous powder highlighters.  The top is a soft champagne with a luminous satin finish, and the bottom is a cool-toned bronze-peach with a foiled finish.  Pigmentation of both is good, although the bronze-peach is much more pigmented and the champagne is slightly sheer.

It is important to understand the difference in finishes between the 2 shades because you wouldn’t necessarily want a highlighter that is too pigmented, on the other hand the stronger sheen of the darker shade renders that wonderful strobing effect that is so popular at the moment.  Regardless of how you apply it though, Moodlight will reflect light where it is applied without giving off a garish flash or leave shimmers all over your face.  The darker shade is best applied along the cheek bones for a healthy post-summer naturally-tanned look, and even though it is fairly pigmented, it blends in easily with your blusher without changing the color.  At a recent press event, Patrick Eichler – Education Director of Tom Ford Beauty Asia Pacific, also showed us how we can apply the darker shade all over our eye lids (from lash line up to brow bone) as a base to create dimensions to the face, and it worked beautifully with the upcoming Eye & Cheek Shadow Ombres.  The lighter shade should be applied wherever you’d normally place highlighters – nose ridge, forehead, above the cheek bones, etc.

It is perhaps worth noting that the Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Powder Duo is made using a slurry technology in which the powders are poured into the pans rather than pressed, which leaves the powders softer, smoother and much more blendable.  They may also be used “wet” for stronger pigmentation if desired, not necessary for the face, but something to keep in mind for the body!  Yes, these powders are lovely for the shoulders, décolletage, and even down the legs for that added glow.  Simply take a big fluffy brush like the Tom Ford Bronzing brush, and sweep generously over both shades, and then dust away!

You’ve already seen me wear Moodlight last week here, but here’s another one that captures the effect on my cheeks excellently.  I’m wearing Chanel Joues Contraste Caresse blush on my cheeks (reviewed here), and the color is emphasised by the bronze-peach shade in Moodlight.

And here’s another look from the front.  The effect is very subtle, suitable for everyday wear.  But you can see how my face looks more sculpted, the high points are brought into better focus even though I’m not using any contouring products here at all.  Pardon the dark under eye circles… even the best concealers aren’t enough these days as I’m seriously hooked on Game of Thrones at the moment (very very late to the party I know!!!).

Now in case you still can’t decide, no worries because Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Powder Duo in Moodlight is permanent and not limited edition!  It is currently soldout in Singapore (the 2nd shipment came and was snapped up), but put your name on the waitlist, and it’ll be back.

_{This post featured a product that was provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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This month, Tom Ford has released 2 products to create sexy, radiant skin.  I have already introduced the Skin Illuminating Powder Duo in Moodlight last week, and today I would like to discuss the other essential Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer.

The new Complexion Enhancing Primer is a tinted makeup base that revitalises dull skin, bringing radiance and luminosity to the complexion.  Similar to the other base products from the brand, this Complexion Enhancing Primer contains Tom Ford’s signature Infusing Complex, which is the key ingredient in all its skincare products, that is designed to hydrate and stimulate skin’s natural repair mechanism.

Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer comes in 2 shades – Pink Glow and Peach Glow.  The names are somewhat misleading because Pink Glow (the one that I have here) is actually more peach, slightly warm-toned and lacking in any blues in the base to be truly pink.  I am usually not fond of pink bases as they tend to make me look even more red in the face, but Pink Glow does not have that problem.  In fact, Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer blends out completely to be invisible against the skin as you can see from the swatch above.  Instead, it leaves a brightening effect to make me appear more lively and healthy.  Peach Glow on the other hand is quite dark and is a bronze shade rather than peach.  Unfortunately, Peach Glow will not be sold in Asia, and I was unable to get a comparison swatch, but you can view it on Gummy’s blog here.

Click to enlarge

As you can see from the comparison picture above, Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer effectively balanced out my skin tone, and visibly brightened the side of my face where I had applied it.  There is an intelligent luminoscity that glowed perfectly on the high points of my face – cheek bone, nose ridge, forehead; without rendering my entire face overly dewy.  If you clicked on the comparison photo to enlarge it, you may also notice the primer has the ability to blur out the appearance of pores and other minor imperfections.  However, if you have severe redness and textural problems, this would not be able to remedy adequately.

Tom Ford Complexion Enhancing Primer gives the kind of glow that is very popular with the Korean beauty trend right now, but done in an elegant, refined way.  The glow is still visible even after layering over with foundation, and works seamlessly with the Illuminating Powder Duo.  In fact, it brought back to life foundations that were otherwise too flat and lifeless for my liking, such as this one. It is great for those with dry and dull skin, although I would advice perhaps a bit of caution for those with oily skin problems as I suspect this primer is not quite as strong in terms of keeping the shine at bay.  It worked fine on me in that aspect, and my makeup stayed on well all day, but I did notice my makeup growing increasingly glowy beyond the 6 hour mark.

_{This post featured a product that was provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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This Fall, Tom Ford is determined to get us dressed in the most intimate way possible.  Apart from the immaculate complexion [aided by this and this], the body is also enveloped in the sultry fragrance of Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme.

Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme is the latest flanker to Tom Ford Noir, the latter originally released in 2012.  It is notable because it is the first time the brand has released a fragrance specially concocted for women.  There are others that are distinctly feminine or male, but none have ever been labeled as such, and even the most sweet and floral of them have male fans and vice versa.

The bottle itself bears a classic sleek, minimalistic design that looks equally attractive on a lady’s vanity or a man’s bathroom shelf.  The accordion-like rivulets that adorn the surface of the bottle and cap is similar to the original Tom Ford Noir, but the flattened oval shape and gold cap gives this Pour Femme a more sensual appeal.  In my hands, it reminds me of Tom Ford Black Orchid [reviewed here], which was my first love from the Tom Ford fragrance family.

Similar to my experience with Black Orchid, Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme may be a little overpowering for the uninitiated.  Getting the right dosage is essential… this is a strong precious brew so one spritz is sufficient to start.  It opens with a burst of Citrus tampered with spicy Ginger.  There is no mistaking the signature heart of Tom Ford Noir, that spicy oriental flavour filled with Spice and Indian Kulfi accord.  Amber and Sandalwood enhances the exoticism of the orient, and warms up the fragrance.

As the initial bold wave settles down, a floral bouquet starts to bloom.  Jasmine provides the creamy sweetness that bolsters the oriental exoticism.  Rose Absolute gives the bouquet more body, and Orange flower sweetens the entire experience.  It is the femme fatale at the height of her prowess, confident and bold, unabashedly feminine.  Vanilla further smoothens the blend, and lends it a slight gourmand taste.

The dry down is long and sustained, lasting for most of the day, fading gently and uniformly. Despite the name, there is enough spiciness in Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme to appeal both to men and women.  I’ve gone back and forth comparing this with Black Orchid, and the similarities are obvious in the opening few minutes.  However, Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme settles down much more sweetly and lacks the smokey flavour, making this a lovely alternative for admirers of Black Orchid who find it just too much for daily wear.

I’ve also had a little taste of the original Tom Ford Noir, as well as the other new flanker – Tom Ford Noir Extreme.  Pour Femme is quite a different character from the original… and when you juxtapose the 2, it is distinctly more feminine.  On the other hand, Extreme feels like an amped up Pour Femme, slightly less sweet but warmer with spices like Nutmeg, Cardamom and Saffron.

There is plenty to discover this Fall, as soon as you are ready to dress in warmer scents.  The good news for Tom Ford die-hards is that the new Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme is available in a smaller 30ml which is slightly easier on the wallet, and also frees up room for more.

_{This post featured a product that was provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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We can always rely on Tom Ford to defy prevailing trends and sensibilities, and bring a freshness to our cluttered beauty world with something unexpected. If sexy is defined by the boldness to bare, then Tom Ford’s makeup collection this season is the sexiest of all.  Instead of the standard autumn smokey eyes, Tom Ford has given us clean, fresh, sculpted features brought to light with modern monochromatic colors.  The Flawless Face Collection [reviewed here and here] launched last month should be viewed as part of the Fall 2015 makeup look, and now to put the finishing touch is the Color Collection, comprising of 4 Eye and Cheek Shadows, and a matching Lip Color from the newly revamped collection.  I have 1 of each and will show you how they’re designed to be worn, and also some swatches of the rest of the collection.

At the heart of Tom Ford Fall 2015 Color Collection are 4 brand new, limited edition Eye & Cheek Shadows.  These are infused with light-catching pearls to give a satin finish with micro-pearlescent shimmers that are very subtle and near-invisible though they give extra dimension to the shades.  Each pan includes a lighter and darker shade on either ends, giving an ombre effect when viewed.

The 4 shades are (in clockwise direction starting from the bottom) – Pink Ombre, Plum Ombre, Bronze Ombre, and Peach Ombre.

Although when viewed from the angle as shown above, the ombre seems obvious enough; in reality the distinction between light and dark shades is not quite as dramatic when viewed straight on, and varies between the 4.  The highest contrasting duo are Bronze Ombre and Plum Ombre, whilst Peach Ombre is moderate and Pink Ombre the least.

Here is a closer look at Peach Ombre:

The other thing to note is that given how small these pans are – the casing is the same size as the regular Cheek Color but the product pan is only slightly bigger than half the size.  Therefore I found it quite impossible to pick out either the lighter or darker shade with a standard blush brush.  For the purpose of applying on the eyes though, any standard eyeshadow brush is able to choose between the shades easily.

Whilst it is possible to pick out the lighter and darker shades at will if you are determined enough, I found the lighter shade in Peach Ombre to be too close to my skin tone to show up well.  And as I had already noted above, given the contrast between the lighter and darker tones is not all that significant, I personally think it is rather futile to try and create any eye looks using the 2 opposing ends of the pan separately.  Instead, what I would suggest is to swipe your brush across the pan to pick up a blended color and apply that across the entire lid, then use the lighter shade to blend out.

I was able to swatch 3 of the 4 Eye and Cheek Shadows at a recent press preview.  Unfortunately the press sample of Plum Ombre never made it to Singapore, and so I am unable to swatch and give you my first impression on it.

The swatches above are all equally blended swatches of the light and dark tones within each shade.  Here are my first impressions from swatching:

• Bronze Ombre is a pale pink-beige that does not show up well against my skin tone, even focusing more on the darker end of the pan did not yield much color.
• Peach Ombre is a warm-toned light-medium peach that shows up decently on my skin. However, it felt a little “hard” on the surface, and lacked pigmentation.
• Pink Ombre is a cool-toned medium pink.  This is the best in terms of pigmentation and showed up most distinctly against my skin.

I was fortunate to be able to witness a makeup demonstration by Patrick Eichler, Tom Ford’s Education Director covering Asia Pacific, and picked up a couple of tricks on integrating the various components of the Fall 2015 makeup collection.  As this season’s look emphasised the petal-fresh complexion, the Complexion Enhancing Primer [reviewed here] is the first step to getting that all-over glow.  After your choice of foundation, the next crucial step is the Skin Illuminating Powder Duo [reviewed here].  In addition to dusting Moodlight on the cheek bones and high points of the face, the darker shade may also be applied lightly all over the eye lids to give that gleam and contrasting light and shadows to bring dimension to the face.  Moodlight layers beautifully with the Ombre Eye and Cheek Shadows, especially Peach Ombre, both on the eyes and cheeks.  I have attempted to recreate the look at home, and here is how it looks on me.

I simply can’t get over how beautiful the Complexion Enhancing Primer and Illuminating Powder Duo look!  And a closer look at the eye…

It is a very subtle look, and I had to emphasise my small eyes by lining the top with a black liquid liner with a slight flick at the end, and the bottom with smudged out black kohl.

To complete the monochromatic look, there is a Lip Color and Ultra Shine Lip Gloss recommended to match each of the Eye and Cheek Shadows.  The Ultra Lip Glosses are all repromotes, but the one to watch out for is the newly revamped Lip Color Collection.  Tom Ford is taking the opportunity to equalize their Lip Color offerings across all markets this season, and depending on where you are, there may be 8-12 “new” Lip Colors being introduced, and some retired.  Most of the 8-12 are reissues of previously released Lip Colors (some from the last Lip and Boys Collection, and some previous seasons’ limited editions), but there will be 2 brand new, never seen before Lip Colors – Misbehaved and So Vain.

Tom Ford Misbehaved Lip Color is the prescribed matching shade for Peach Ombre, and it is a warm-toned peach-rosewood with a luscious cream finish.  The formula is true to the Tom Ford Lip Color family, very creamy, pigmented and long-lasting.

And here is another look at Peach Ombre Eye and Cheek Shadow and Misbehaved Lip Color on me…

Having played around with the Peach Ombre Eye and Cheek Shadow for a bit now, I must confess that this product still confounds me somewhat, despite the tips that I’ve already shared above.  I’m not sure if the press sample I received is a dud, but it seemed to lack pigmentation, especially when compared against the usual Tom Ford Cheek Color.  Also given the small size of the pan, it can be rather frustrating work building up color on the cheeks.  Peach Ombre works fine on the eyes, but the selection of shades in this product category is very limited, and frankly not very exciting even if we are going for monochromatic.  And priced at SGD100 / USD65 for 4.5gm of product versus USD60 for 8.4gm of Cheek Color, I am hesitant to recommend this to anyone but the greatest Tom Ford fan.  On the other hand, the shades do work well both on eyes and cheeks to give a very modern and chic clean look, taking the guessing game out of simple day makeup.

_{This post featured products that were kindly provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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As part of its Fall 2015 makeup collection, Tom Ford had released 2 Brow Sculpting Kits.  A handsome brow is an integral part of the Tom Ford woman’s look, and its Brow Sculptor pencil has gained cult status since its launch.  And now, Tom Ford has taken us a step further in our journey towards perfect brows.

Tom Ford Brow Sculpting Kit consists of 2 brow powders and 1 clear brow wax.  It is housed in a mahogany palette that is similar to the Cheek Colors, and includes a dual-ended applicator with an angled brush on one end and a spoolie on the other.

There are 2 variants available, and the one I have is Medium shade (the other is Light).

Each of the Brow Sculpting Kits contains a lighter and a darker shade to cater to a variety of skin tones and hair color.  The Medium kit has a medium brown with a reddish undertone, and a darker cool-toned brown that has some ash tones in it.  I’ve been using the cooler ash-brown on its own for myself, but if and when I dye my hair red, I can mix in some of the lighter reddish brown to get a perfect match.

Please click to enlarge and zoom

In the 3-step comparison photos above, you can clearly see the difference that the Tom Ford Brow Sculpting Kit makes.  In picture #1, I’m embarrassed to show you the unruly state of my current brows.  I’m so behind on my brow trimming schedule!!  In picture #2, I had applied the darker brow powder to my brow following the natural shape.  As you can see there are some stray hairs sticking out here and there.  And in picture #3, I had very quickly swept a tiny bit of the clear brow wax over my brow, following the direction of the brow from inside to corner.  The wax not only helped to tame the strays, it also gave my brows a slight sheen (you can observe it more clearly if you clicked on the image to enlarge) that creates a more lively and dimensional feel.

Tip: To apply powder to brows, start by dipping your brush into the powder – just dab gently, there is no need to sweep as it is easier to start with less pigment and build up as necessary than to start with too much.  Apply to brows first at the arch moving towards the tail.  Thereafter, take whatever is left over on the brush and apply towards the inner corner.  

When I first started doing my eyebrows in my teenage years, I had a much thicker brow, and I was advised to go with brow powder and brush.  It became such a natural process to me that there is always a brow palette in my wardrobe.  From my experience, whilst brow pencils are fast and easy, and allows more precision especially when trying to make minor adjustments to the shape and thickness; brow powders applied with a brush gives a more even and gentle impression.

However, the brush itself makes a difference, and I personally found the angled brush that came with the palette to be too thick to get a defined tail and edges for my thin brows.  It was also rather scratchy.  On the other hand, I found it was perfect for picking up just the right amount of wax for combing through each brow!  I also preferred to keep a separate brush for powder and wax, as otherwise it can get rather messy.  Regardless, for applying on the go, you can make do by wiping the brush down with a tissue in between uses.  The powder stays put on my brows all day and does not fade, and the wax keeps my stray brow hairs in place effectively.

Have you used brow powders and wax before?  Do you prefer powders or pencils?

_{This post featured a product that was kindly provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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I am counting down the days until I’m leaving on a jet plane…. for Italy!  The land flowing with pizza, pastas and gelato!!!  I finally, finally(!!!) got all my hotels and trains booked, and all that’s left is to pack up my bags, and we are off!  Still hopeful to be able to queue some interesting posts for you while I’m gone, and with the help of some friends I just might be able to do that.  But as a last hoorah (at least for the next couple of weeks), I’d like to give you a peek at a few hot off the plane items from the Tom Ford Noir Holiday 2015 Collection!

By now, you must have already seen photos of this capsule collection, and as much as I would have loved to have gotten dips on these beforehand, the collection launched at the beginning of this month in the US and will only be available in Singapore in November.  The Noir Color Collection is inspired by the recently released Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme fragrance [reviewed here], and is notable for the deep sultry characteristic, as well as the glossy jet black packaging.  I have 3 out of the 6-piece collection to show you today…

Tom Ford Cream and Powder Eye Color – Night Sky is a new limited edition shade in a format that we first saw last summer [refer here].  And in terms of color, it is exactly what I had thought Crushed Indigo from Spring 2015 [see here] would look like!  Blue lovers all heave a collective sigh of hallelujah with me!!

When I first opened up the lid to the top compartment, I must have squealed in excitement because it was the most stunning blackened blue filed with tiny purple, silver, and light blue shimmers!  And when I applied it, the powder did not disappoint as it was intensely pigmented, though it is possible to sheer out, and the shimmers neither disappeared nor overwhelmed.

Next, I unscrewed the bottom compartment to reveal the most perfectly formed cream color I’ve ever seen, and it is an intense midnight blue with a hidden metallic sheen that only shows up when it is piled on thick and under the light.  As with all other Tom Ford Cream Eye Colors, it is very easy to blend and work before it sets, so you may either pile it on super thick like what I did in the swatch above, or sheer it out to the barest of a blue tint.

The magic happens when you layer the powder over the cream, and you get a stunning night sky!

In the eye look above, I had sheered the cream out considerably, especially towards the crease, and then dabbed the powder over, concentrating on the area from my lash line up to mid-lid.  If you’d like things even darker and more intense than this, simply dab on more!  I love this so much I’m ready to junk just about every other blue eyeshadow I own!!

And to balance out the intense eye, Tom Ford has chosen to repromote its Lip Color Matte in First Time.  This was 1 of 2 limited edition shades when it was first launched in the US last year and was quickly sold out, but the collection of Lip Color Mattes only recently made its way to Singapore, and First Time is part of the permanent set here.  In any case, you now have another chance at owning First Time, with an even sexier riveted black casing after the style of Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme!!

On my lips, First Time is a light beige-pink.  Although it is a matte formula, I must say it felt very comfortable on my lips and not drying in the least.  My lips generally have quite a few lines and is rather pigmented so lighter shades tend to show up badly on me.  However, I was pleasantly surprised by the coverage that First Time provided, and though it would probably look better with some lip balm underneath, or a gloss over it, the color is quite flattering!

And this is the combined makeup look:

And even though I generally prefer to dedicate nail polishes to a separate post, I just don’t have the luxury of time right now.  Also, I think that Black Out is better shown in context…

Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Black Out is another hallelujah moment for me as it is the perfect shimmering black polish that I’ve been looking for!  It is perfectly black, easily opaque in 2 thin coats, and filled with fine silver shimmers that turns the entire polish almost blue!  The shimmers are so fine that they create no texture on the surface, and are easy to remove.  At the same time, they are sufficient to be noticed!

Although it has a nice sheen to it on its own, I prefer adding a gel top coat over to bring out the shimmers even better.  And you can see them clearly under lighting!  For an even more comprehensive review with comparison swatches, please feel free to pop over to Sara’s lovely blog here!

Tom Ford Noir Color Collection for Holiday 2015 also contains a brand new Lash Tip Mascara in 2 shades – Electric Blue and Gold, and an Eye Defining Pencil in Navy Black.  The collection will be out in counters in November… has anything caught your eye yet?

_{This post featured products that were kindly provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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Hello my dears!  I’m taking a much needed holiday with el hubs for the next couple of weeks, and I’ve asked a few friends to fill in for me while I’m away.  I thought this would be a good time to introduce some local bloggers to you, and indeed you may find some (if not all) of them familiar!  In any case, to kick things off, I’d like to introduce my good friend Meryl who blogs over at Memoiselle.com.  She is one of the nicest and most generous person I know, and was a great help to me when I was still finding my footing as a blogger.  Enjoy!

Hi Hi!

Firstly, I want to say thank you to a friend whom I met through Instagram and since then we have been in touch in real life regularly. It’s a pleasant surprise when Linda texted me to ask whether I would be okay to post a guest post while she’s away enjoying her holiday. I agreed and here I am sharing a note on the things I have been loving lately.

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Tom Ford produces some of my favourite fragrances and their latest Private Blend named Venetian Bergamot seemed made just for me.  Bergamot is my favourite citrus note, and I love the glamour and romanticism of Venice.  The marriage of the 2 hints at a wondrous and exciting journey that I could not wait to unravel!

I had a first whiff of Venetian Bergamot about 2 months ago, and it was a wondrous change from all the light-hearted florals that had been plaguing summer.  Although Bergamot is the central figure in this fragrance, it is not the fleeting opening burst that is common in colognes and other citrus perfumes.  Instead, its characteristic sharpness and tanginess lingers on long after the top note fades.  What makes Venetian Bergamot interesting is how Tom Ford has taken it away from the light-hearted spring-summer colognes and added more depth to create a full-bodied fragrance suitable for the cooler season.

Tom Ford Venetian Bergamot opens with a tart bite of its namesake bergamot, accentuated by the bitter sharp black and pink pepper, and juicy ginger.  This mix swirls around and lasts for about 30 minutes before easing into the background, making way for a heady floral bouquet of ylang-ylang combined with gardenia and magnolia.  These never really make it to the forefront, instead they remain to tantalise the senses, anchored by a rougher base of cedar and pepperwood.  After over an hour, a warmer base starts to emerge, filled with sandalwood, tonka bean, amber and cashmeran.

Through the expert hands of Tom Ford, the common Bergamot has been elevated to the heights of Venetian opulence.  It is a provocative tease, a tart with a sharp bite that transforms into a sensual, warm embrace.  There is something almost animalistic after the 2nd hour, an exotic blend of amber and tonka bean combined with the heady florals and lingering pepper.

Tom Ford Venetian Bergamot has good sillage and lasts 6-8 hours on me, so I would recommend to start with just a light spritz especially for the day.

_{This post featured a product that was provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest and unbiased views.}

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Tom Ford’s Holiday 2015 Noir Collection has been out in stores for a bit now, have you seen it yet?  Consistent with the brand’s practice, the collection is not overly extensive, so it is easy to get lost amidst all the other exciting launches happening throughout this busy season.  But the more time I spend with this capsule collection, the more I appreciate how well planned it is!  I had previously reviewed the Cream and Powder Eye Color in Night Sky and Nail Lacquer in Black Out along with First Time Lip Color Matte in limited edition packaging here.  Today, I would like to take you through the rest of the collection, just in case you are still lucky enough to snag some of these!

One thing I’ve come to love about Tom Ford, is how much thought goes into creating the perfect pair of eyes to mesmerise.  And much as I’d love to see a new eyeshadow palette (we hadn’t had any all year!), Tom Ford reminds us there are plenty more ways to dress up the eyes than just shadow.  The Noir Holiday 2015 Collection has not 1, but 5 different products for that very purpose!

Tom Ford Eye Defining Pencil Navy Black is the pencil version of the Cream and Powder Eye Color in Night Sky [reviewed here].  It is a blackened midnight blue filled with light blue shimmers – absolutely stunning!  I found the formula of Navy Black to be consistent with the other Eye Defining Pencils [Bruise reviewed here], reasonably smooth and blendable.  Unfortunately, similar to its predecessors, this formula does not stay put on my heavily hooded eyes with hidden eye folds.  It works blended out as a darkening base for me, and also for defining just the outer wings of my lids.

I had loved Tom Ford’s Extreme Mascara when I first tried out Black Plum from Spring 2015 [reviewed here], and was super excited to see Tom Ford release a waterproof version of this for Holiday 2015!  This is also the only item from the collection that will be made available permanently – yay!  The brush head is the same, big but easy to use and soft enough it does not poke my eyeballs out.  It is available in Noir, which is a jet black shade that helps to define my pathetic lashes.  I also love that it noticeably lifts and lengthens!

Here’s a before and after comparison:

Please click on image to enlarge if necessary.

And along with the Noir waterproof extreme mascara, there are 2 coloured Tom Ford Lash Tips Mascara to add in a dose of fun to the collection!

These are like the miniature versions of the Extreme Mascara, but in funky colourful doses!  Pure Cobalt is an electric blue that adds a little something something to the lashes, or you can apply them to the lower lashes.  It actually does stand out in photography even if you can’t quite see it in real life.

Burnished Gold is a sparkling gold over a translucent base, so when swept over a darker mascara it gives lashes the effect of twinkling fairy dust!

Just in case you are wondering, both the eye looks above were created with SUQQU’s Holiday 2015 Eye Color Palette in EX-04 Shisouori which I will be reviewing shortly.  The point here is simply to demonstrate how Tom Ford’s Lash Tips Mascara may be used with just about any other eyeshadows that you may already own or are picking up this season!  Also, both eye looks feature the new Extreme Mascara in Noir as a base over which the Lash Tips were applied.

And to tie it all together, here is a complete set of swatches of everything that we discussed today:

Have you or will you be picking anything up from this Tom Ford Holiday 2015 Collection?

_{This post featured products that were kindly provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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I am super excited to be able to write about the new Tom Ford Lips and Boys today!  This collection will be launching on 23 November (which is today!) in the US, but only out in Singapore on 23 4 December [latest updated!].  The original plan was for the collection to only arrive after the New Year (or so I heard), so I had not been planning for it which explains why there are 2 Tom Ford posts back to back (I usually do try to have a much better variety here!).  In any case, I know many of you like to purchase things on the fly as soon as they are available online, so here are swatches of the full collection to help you decide!

First of all, I’d like to let you know that these 50 boys are going to be permanent so don’t fret if you can’t get a hold of your favourite(ssss) at the initial launch, because they will be restocked!  Also, of the 50 boys in this year’s release, 25 are actually returning heroes from last year’s Lips and Boys which I had swatched completely HERE.  So, in the interest of time and space, here is the list of the returning boys so you can pop over to my previous post to check out the swatches.

The returning boys are:

Holden, Beau, Collin, Cary, Guillermo

Ian, Flynn, Addison, James, Richard

Julian, Pablo, Xavier, Stavros, Liam

Henry, Alejandro, Luciano, Leonardo, Wes

Patrick, Michael, Justin, Giacomo, Rafael

With that out of the way, let’s get down to the 25 brand new shades!  Now, these have been numbered running from 51-75, which kinda makes sense because the collection last year took us from 1 to 50.  However, since half of last year’s lot will not be returning, it is kinda strange to me, but I suppose numbers do make life a bit easier.  I mean, who can keep track of all the names of their lovers when the count is nearing 3-digit, right?!  

Tom Ford Lips and Boys 51-55:

From left to right: Ansel (51), Alex (52), Rocco (53), Austin (54), Kingston (55).

And here are the swatches…

And another look…

Tom Ford Lips and Boys 56-60:

From far left to right – Louis (56), Jude (57), Malik (58), Daniel (59), Drake (60).

And the corresponding swatches are:

Another look….

Tom Ford Lips and Boys 61-65:

From far left to right – David (61), Dempsey (62), Jake (63), Hiro (64), Eric (65).

The corresponding swatches…

And another look…

Tom Ford Lips and Boys 66 – 70:

From far left to right – Vladimir (66), Roman (67), Egon (68), Eddie (69), Derek (70).

The corresponding swatches are:

Here is another look…

Tom Ford Lips and Boys 71-75:

From far left to right – Roberto (71), Tony (72), Joaquin (73), Theo (74), Jay (75).

And the corresponding swatches are:

Let’s take another look at this spectacular group shall we?

There are quite a number with shimmers this time round, and I’m a little nervous though extremely intrigued by them.  In particular, Theo (74) and Jay (75) were love at first sight for me!  I hope the swatches above are sufficiently insightful and my first impression is that none of these felt sheer to me, but were creamy and had good coverage which is true to the Tom Ford Lip Color formula.  There are no mattes, but still a good range of finishes and colours.

Tom Ford Lips and Boys will be available in Singapore at the Tom Ford counter at TANGS Orchard on 23 4 December 2015.  Each of these Lips and Boys will retail for SGD50, and similar to last year, a very nice keepsake box will be provided free with every 3 purchased.  You may also choose to go all out and splurge on the entire collection, and bring home a stunning exclusive lacquered box to house all your boys!

So, what is it going to be?  

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I feel the need to apologize for flooding you with Tom Ford propaganda this past 2 weeks… it is by no means an attempt at subliminal messaging (except perhaps I’ve fallen victim of it!)… or worse a complete brand sellout. Although selling myself to Mr Ford does not quite seem like such a bad thing to do. And rather than postponing this by yet another week just for the sake of giving things some breathing room, I really want to share with you this fragrance that I’ve been loving so much lately that I simply can’t bear to wear anything else!

Tom Ford White Suede was originally launched as part of the White Musk Collection in 2009, with a white and gold colored packaging. It was later integrated into the Private Blend family with the mahogany packaging, and whilst there are some whispers floating around that the brew was also reformulated, I can’t verify that since I never had a whiff of the original. The flacon that I have today has been part of the permanent collection for awhile now, but only very recently made available in Singapore.  Which is the reason why I am only now singing its praises.

To say that I love White Suede is a little of an understatement… this particular fragrance has awoken something in me that I never knew existed. The name on its own is somewhat pedestrian, and I’m not normally a musk kind of gal. At first spray, a beguiling cloud of fragrant flowers drew me irresistibly into their embrace. Lily-of-the-valley and Rose, oh those 2 sweet innocents, they did a kind of fairy dance laced with a dash of saffron like a warm summer’s eve. The warmth builds and the initial floral burst starts to retreat to reveal the sensual suede at the heart of it all. There is a kind of amber-led oriental feel to White Suede, but instead of going where most other floral-musk combinations inevitably end up, I suddenly find myself face-to-face with leather laced tight as a corset.

Leather was something that I had always loved, on handbags and shoes. But my encounter with Tuscan Leather left me convinced that this was a fragrance note that was best reserved for the gents. Add in a dash of spice or citrus, a very sexy man awaits. But on me, leather generally left me feeling as if I’ve been run over and left with skid marks all over my face. And so I was completely bowled over when I found the leather in White Suede to be soft and supple.  There is still that unmistakable dry and leathery quality, but it is intoxicating, wafting in and out of the musk medley, enforced by sandalwood and amber.

White Suede has been described by many as powdery, but I think that is more an illusion of a dry sort of floral rather than the honeyed variety.  It is both feminine and masculine, a perfect harmony.  And that is precisely the balance that I have been craving – taking a traditionally male fragrance note and making it my own.  Tom Ford has created something that is very clean and modern with White Suede, and yet one that has a very strong and distinct personality.  Although it does not have a strong projection, White Suede has impressive longevity, staying on me for 6 hours before starting to fade gently.

_{This post featured a product that was kindly provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest and unbiased views.}

The post Tom Ford White Suede: Leather Made Feminine appeared first on Silverkis' World.

Happy Friday!  This is my last Friday before returning to the office proper, so let’s make this one count, shall we?  It was tough deciding on shades from the recent Tom Ford Lips & Boys 2015 release, so I went with my gut and picked a handful of shades that looked most unique and called out to me – Kingston, Malik, Eric, Theo, Jay!

Last November, Tom Ford released 25 new shades of clutch-sized lipsticks named after significant boys in his life.  Unlike the 2014 releases, the new shades all featured a metallic finish and were designed to be worn either on their own or layered with each other.  I had swatched all the shades here previously, but as we all know, lipsticks seldom appear the same on the lips as on the arm.  So, here are the lip swatches of 5 that I have picked out:

A couple of observations to note…

• As you can see from the swatches above, all the new boys contain some element of metallic shimmer, although I am very happy to report that the shimmers are so fine that they don’t leave any feeling of grittiness on my lips.  Instead, all 5 Lips & Boys that I tested feel smooth and comforting on my lips.
• Also, unlike the images shown on the official Tom Ford site, none of the shades I tested were over-the-top blingy with that retro-ish metallic flash.  On the contrary, I thought the shimmers give a nice dimension to the lips without having to resort to a separate gloss, especially when I specifically don’t want a glossy finish on the lips.  Quite modern really!
• Since these were specifically designed to be layered, they are somewhat sheer-er then the classic Tom Ford Lip Color formula.  So in terms of texture, these feel less buttery and don’t apply as thickly.  That said, these are by no means sheer lipsticks, and it is possible to build up to complete opacity by layering straight from the bullet. On the other hand, for those who prefer a lighter wash of color, these are perfect!

I tried to pick out shades from a variety of color families, but of course I naturally gravitated to those that complement my skin tone better.  Here are the full makeup looks to give you an idea of how the boys really appear:

Tom Ford Lips & Boys Kingston belongs to the Metallic Pinks family, and is the most vivid out of all the shades that I picked out.  It is a cool-toned, brightened fuchsia with a lighter pink/purple micro shimmer.  Kingston is also the most opaque out of the lot, and the least shimmery.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys Malik belongs to the Metallic Violets family, and is one of the more muted shades that I picked out.  It is a muted mauve that pulls purple-y with hints of gold and pink shimmers that gives the overall shade an almost frosty finish.  This was not a shade that I was particularly drawn to initially, but I wanted to push my comfort zone and experiment with something new.  Unfortunately, the result is as I had intuitively known, the muted mauve shade made me look somewhat washed out, and it is best paired with bolder eye makeup.  It does seem to pull more rose on others though, as Sara demonstrates so beautifully here.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys Eric belongs to the Metallic Coral family, and it was the most surprising of the 5.  On my initial swatch [here], Eric appeared a muted brownish-red, but on my lips it actually appears brighter and is quite flattering!  I would describe it more accurately as a medium-dark coral-red with a golden shimmery sheen.  However, Eric is one of the sheer-er shades that I’ve picked, and really needs multiple passes straight from the bullet to achieve the opacity shown here.  When applied with a brush, the effect is softer like the lip swatch I showed earlier in this post.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys Theo belongs to the Metallic Violets family, and was the very first boy from this year’s crop to catch my heart!  It is a cool-toned medium-dark purple with light purple micro-shimmer.  Theo makes me feel all kinds of mischievous, but in a good way.  It is brighter on the lips than it appears in the tube, and is wearable for both day and night.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys Jay is the last of the Metallic Violets that I picked up, and is probably the most overtly evening in its sensibilities.  Though it looked fairly similar to Theo in the tube, it pulls warmer and darker on my lips, and is much more berry than violet.  Jay has gold, blue and light purple shimmers but it does not translate so much on the lips, instead looks fairly muted on.  This is one shade that I think needs to be paired with more dramatic makeup overall to come alive.

I’ve had a really fun time with these 5 boys, and I can’t seem to get enough!  All the Lips & Boys are now available permanently and are priced at SGD50 (USD35) for 0.07oz.  Which boys have you picked up?

_{This post featured products that were kindly provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

The post Tom Ford Lips & Boys: Kingston, Malik, Eric, Theo & Jay appeared first on Silverkis' World.

This spring 2016, Tom Ford has refreshed its permanent makeup offerings, and there is plenty to love!  Apart from some extensions to their popular Cream Color for Eyes, there are a couple of completely revolutionary and brand new releases.  Let’s take a look at some of my top picks!

The most hotly anticipated (and perhaps controversial) of the SS16 releases is the Tom Ford Patent Finish Lip Color.  These are a hybrid between lip stains and lip lacquers, with very enduring last and a high shine glossy finish.  By now, long-wearing glossy lip lacquers are nothing new, but Tom Ford has been able to make these even more long-lasting, they basically stay on until removed!  And with a color intensity that is the best of its class!

There are 8 fantastically bold hues to love, ranging from bright cherry to blackened berry.  Here are the swatches of all 8 shades:

1. Red Corset is a medium mauve red that is everyday wearable
2. Exposed is a medium-deep fuchsia
3. Ravageur is a neutral-toned medium red
4. Infamy is a brightened pink with strong blue undertones
5. Stolen Cherry is a brightened cherry-cola shade of cool-toned red
6. No Vacancy is a bright poppy vermillion
7. Erotic is a brightened fuchsia
8. Orchid Fatale is a stunning berry that is much more wearable than most people realise!

To up the shine factor, there are some sparse micro-shimmers worked into the formula.  My lips generally don’t take well to shimmers, but these did not irritate me at all.  Here is another look at the same set of swatches:

These Patent Finish Lip Colors come in sleek pens with a click dispenser and a sponge applicator head.  I was very much on the fence on this form of packaging initially, because sponge applicators get soggy after awhile and they crumble apart.  Not to mention unsanitary from a hygiene perspective.  But any other sponge applicator wand that go right into the tube containing the product would probably be even worse.  The saving grace is the applicator tip really makes applying the product around the the curves of my lips a breeze.  It provides perfectly even coverage, and allows me to define my lips without bleeding.

We have been seeing these little pots of Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes pop up with every other season the past year, and now the most popular shades have been made permanent to satisfy those who have been unsuccessful at securing theirs.  And of course, we all know that we are not supposed to keep cream products (especially those for the eyes!) for more than 6 months after their first open date, so now we can get replacements for our beloved shades!

There are 8 shades in the Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes family, 3 of which are repromotes.  Unfortunately at the time of my preview, 2 of the shades were unavailable, and I was also not able to swatch all of them for you.  The repromotes [pictured on the left in the earlier picture] are – Platinum and Spice from Holiday 2014 [both reviewed here], and Caviar which looks very similar to the cream shade in the Black Oyster Cream & Powder Eye Color from Summer 2015 [reviewed here].  The 2 shades that I received are Burnished Copper [top right] and Midnight Violet [bottom left].  Swatches for your reference:

• Midnight Violet is a must-have for purple lovers!  It is a gorgeous blackened violet with reddish base and is filled with the most amazing multicoloured shimmers!  It does sheer out quite a bit when applying on the lids, but it is easy to pack on more.  The shimmers are very fine and really only visible up-close and under bright lights, so wear it with ease!
• Burnished Copper is an antique copper that pulls olive green and has a more metallic finish than Midnight Violet.  In terms of pigmentation and opacity, it is very similar to Spice although easier to wear since the color is lighter.

One of the biggest critiques of this season’s releases is the drop in size from previous Cream Color for Eyes.  Apart from the fact that the jars are smaller and taller, the new crop carries only 0.17oz / 5ml versus 0.21oz /6.3ml whilst the price remains the same.  This is a marked increase in price per unit and never a good thing despite the fact that few of us will be making a dent on these jars before their expiration.

As soon as I am able to access the full range, I plan on adding more swatches here – so stay tuned!

To complete the eye look, Tom Ford Eye Definition Eyeliner is the latest addition to the brand’s eyeliner offerings.  Much as I love Tom Ford Beauty, I’ve never had much luck with their eye liners on my heavily hooded lids that are prone to smudging.  So I was very intrigued with these new twist-up and retractable eyeliners.  There are 6 shades all with a matte finish, and I have 2 of them – Black & Azure.

These new Eye Definition Eyeliners are not as smooth as the Eye Defining Pencils [reviewed here], but they are certainly much more long-lasting and budge-proof!  There is sufficient time after applying to smudge and blend, but once they set they do not move even on my lower lash line.  Swatched on the arm, these feel smooth enough, but on the lids they do tend to skip a little but nothing that I can’t live with.  The colors are intense, especially the black shade, which I really appreciate.  Azure is an interesting deep cerulean that I’ve never seen in a liner until now.  I do wish there’s also a built-in sharpener so I can get a defined wing tip when I want.

Here is a makeup look featuring Midnight Violet Cream Color for Eyes and Black Eye Defining Eyeliner, and Infamy Patent Finish Lip Color.  Notice how intense and glossy Infamy is on the lips when worn in its full glory!

On this next makeup look, I applied Burnished Copper Cream Color for Eyes all over my lids, and dabbed on a little Platinum on the inner half.  Also added Black Eye Defining Eyeliners on lash line.  Lips feature a new Estee Lauder Pure Color Envy Sculpting Gloss that I will be reviewing soon.

And here is a makeup look featuring Orchid Fatale Patent Finish Lip Color worn lightly as a stain – notice the brilliant shine despite being sheered out!  This is a very day-wearable lip color despite its blackened hue.

Overall, I would recommend giving these Tom Ford Patent Finish Lip Colors a good try if you can… I simply love them! Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes never disappoint and the new shades are really lovely; the Tom Ford Eye Defining Eyeliners pair wonderfully and are bullet proof.  These will be launching in Singapore on 22 February, and will be available permanently!

_{This post featured products that were kindly provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}

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