NARS Under Cover - Summer 2016

Oh Monsieur Nars, you are on a roll Sir. There is a ton of newness from NARS and this isn't even the last you will see this week.
For makeup obsessives and collectors, the NARS Summer Under Cover Collection is worth looking at before you even open the packaging.
Designed with artist Konstantin Kakanias, it is based around the French Riviera, and is of course, Limited Edition.

Dual-Intensity Blushes and Eyeshadows come in two and four colours respectively, and all can be used wet or dry.

The Lip Covers come in four colours, all are brilliantly wearable, no blue or green lip gloss in this collection.. :) The Lip Covers contain passion fruit seed oil and vitamin e and are not sticky at all.

Just an FYI - the Lip Cover in Members Only (above) is exclusive to NARS online - you won't find it in stores.

NARS Under Cover is available exclusively to Selfridges this month and rolls out nationwide on 1st June. 

Selfridges.com/NARS

It's available in the US on Sephora.com and in stores - and of course also available on their own website: www.narscosmetics.com/summer-2016

There's a quick behind-the-scenes video if you're interested. I'm always nosy. :) 

Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits - hurry....

OK another one that I meant to put up when I bought them a couple of weeks ago. If you watch my vlogs you will have seen me literally ordering them on sight when Rohit flashed them at lunch (Hi Rohit!).
The problem is that they are of course now limited stock. If you enjoy a glow, a highlight, a dazzle, a jhoozsh or a flourish, you need these. That is all.

Not glittery, just shimmery goodness. I know Anastasia polarises opinions - especially on social media - her Instagram (9.6 million and counting) is often just a lot of overly made up young women that bear no relation to any kind of makeup I've seen anyone wear in real life, but each to their own, and these are really lovely.

They are £39.00 and exclusive to Cult Beauty in the UK - available here: cultbeauty.co.uk/Anastasia

And $40.00 in the US - Sephora still has both - here: Sephora.com/Anastasia

And they are both still available on the Anastasia website: anastasiabeverlyhills.com/glow-kit

(God that exchange rate sucks doesn't it?)

Urban Decay Alice Through The Looking Glass

I've seen a couple of these around but they are out of stock already on the Urban Decay website. If you haven't seen the Alice Through The Looking Glass Eyeshadow palette and lipsticks yet, maybe run, don't walk, to the nearest counter.

The palette is £43.00 and contains 20 brand new shades, the lipsticks are £16.00 and the Iracebeth is easily the most wearable.

Currently sold out on the UD website www.urbandecay.co.uk/alice-in-wonderland-collection but Debenhams are showing as having stock: www.debenhams.com

What to Buy? Honest Beauty

This week's What to Buy? comes from Honest Beauty, the new beauty line extension from Jessica Alba's Honest brand.

I LIKE.

Honest Beauty is available from https://www.honestbeauty.com/

The store that I visited is located in The Grove, Beverly Hills.

My top is from Banana Republic http://bit.ly/1QfCxB

and my nails (always my most-asked question) are OPI Gels in Fluffy Bunny http://bit.ly/1KPm76E

Products mentioned: 

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/refreshing-gel-cleanser

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/powder-cleanser

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/hydrating-face-mist

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/daily-face-moisturizer

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/hydrating-face-cream

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/beauty-fluid-sheer-tint

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/face-primer

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/cream-foundation in Linen

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/luminizing-face-powder in Midnight Reflection and Dawn Reflection

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/eyeliner-pencil in Truly Black

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/mascara-lash-primer

https://www.honestbeauty.com/products/lip-gloss in Playful Kiss

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Caroline Hirons c/o

Gleam Futures

6th Floor

60 Charlotte Street

London W1T 2NU

caroline@gleamfutures.com  (skincare queries cannot be answered at this address)

Some links may be affiliates. This is not a sponsored post.

See my full disclaimer here:

http://bit.ly/1rpEmSq

The views expressed on this site are the author's own and are provided for informational purposes only. The author makes no warranties about the suitability of any product or treatment referenced or reviewed here for any person other than herself and any reliance placed on these reviews or references by you is done so solely at your own risk. Nothing on this site shall be construed as providing dermatological, medical or other such advice and you are always advised to seek the advice of a suitable professional should you have any such concerns.

Delilah Cosmetics - GORGE.

 Even after all my years in the industry I still love it when I see something new and think 'PHWOARRR'. That's exactly what I did with Delilah.

The brainchild of 3 friends, Delilah is a British born and led brand that launched onto the scene fairly quietly this summer. It's also, like Charlotte Tilbury (for me anyway), a brand that literally makes you think you need every piece. I wish I was joking. I cherry picked the two that I've used religiously since I got them - although more will undoubtedly make their way on to this blog before long (esp the loose powder).

This, dear readers is Stiletto Cream Lipstick and to show you the true representation of the colours on their website - always a bugbear of mine - this is one I papped at home with no filter:

The colours are exquisite and they hold, the textures are beautiful and the packaging is reassuringly heavy. Rose gold is used throughout the range to great effect.

And this little wonder has replaced the aforementioned Tilbury Retoucher as my grab'n'go concealer. Perfect consistency for me, I use this all around the eye area, sides of nose, around the mouth to redefine lip line when out and about.. pretty much everywhere.

The only downside is the lack of availability in stores. Delilah is available in selected spas and online at www.delilahcosmetics.com - and I suspect that is their choice - but someone, somewhere more readily available needs to pull their finger out and take this brand on. It's a travesty. *becomes a beauty buyer*

Prices start around £20. The lippies and the pencil concealers are both £24. Love.

Bobbi Brown Lilac Rose Collection

I'm a sucker for a good flower visual. This is for the new Bobbi Brown Lilac Rose Collection available nationwide from today.

Hard to go wrong with Bobbi Brown and how much do those colours make you pine for Spring??!

Prices start at £11.00 and the Lilac Rose Collection is available on BobbiBrown.co.uk

Chantecaille Christmas - Updated

Some prettiness for Midweek. These are coming soon to a counter near you - and being Chantecaille, they are gorgeous.

Limited Edition Evening Duo Palette

The Evening Duo is a Limited Edition Swarovski bejewelled eyeshadow palette containing two new colours: Charmeuse, a soft pearl with a delicate shimmer and Carbon, a highly pigmented jet black matte. The set comes with two custom designed brushes is £75.00 and available from Harrods.

And for the first time all five of the Chantecaille fragrances - of which Kalimantan - above - is my favourite, are available as a 7.5 ml roll-on in a beautiful faux-croc envelope-style pouch which of course matches the packaging of the respective fragrance.

The roll-on is also available with the matching candle in a similar faux-croc bag as another Limited Edition set in Tiare and Frangipane only.

And finally - look at this... *sighs*

The Chantecaille Crystal Collection is has been created by Cimon, whose renowned sculptures are adorned with crystals and these promise to bring a new level of exclusivity to the term 'Limited Edition'.  If you take yourself down to Harrods you'll be able to order the fragrance of your choice - and collect it four weeks later... The fragrance is normally £150.00 so I weep at the thought of the price of this beauty - but that's not the point - is it?

No on-counter date for any of the above as yet. But they're on their way!

Soap & Glory Cosmetics Launch

Marcia Kilgore is a genius. I don't throw that word around thoughtlessly - she just IS. The woman behind Bliss and Fit Flops is in a league of her own. I remember being at a talk she gave to industry people a few years ago just before the launch of Soap & Glory. She was presenting the concept of the brand to the bigwigs at Harvey Nichols when they asked her 'Why Harvey Nichols would possibly sell something so cheap and 'mass' market?' to which she went around the table and asked each of them 'How much do YOU spend on a shower gel?'
The answers were resoundly 'not more than a fiver' and she sealed the deal. At the same event she mentioned how the trademark office hung up on her team when they tried to register 'Sexy Mother Pucker' thinking it was a prank call...

And thus Soap & Glory launched in Harvey Nichols Beyond Beauty whilst simultaneously becoming the Number 1 brand in Boots. In the beauty industry - this is unheard of. You're either 'mass' - and sold in chemists/supermarkets etc or 'prestige' and sold in department stores such as Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges. To cross over takes real skill in marketing and good product with no BS. Women are not fools.

So: after the huge success of the bath and body range (of which I have a healthy stalker-like obsession) which included a little dabble in cosmetics - comes the official launch of Soap & Glory Cosmetics.

Affordable, funky in style and staying true to the original S&G ethos of fun 50's packaging and images - it's undoubtedly going to be a sure-fire success.

I personally showed no restraint when invited to their Head Office and spent a good hour ooh-ing and aah-ing at the new products on offer which include Fabulipstick, Show Good Face foundation, Cheekmate cheekstain and various eye products including kohl pencils, eyeshadows and mascara....

Thick & Fast Mascara

In fact my only gripe is with the mascara. A big brush does not necessarily big lashes make. It's too big to actually be able to get it on the lashes successfully. And the formula is a little dry. I have used it over another mascara to give 'oomph' and that works well - but for me, it's not great for normal everyday use. Sadly.

Glow All Out Luminizing Face Powder

Glow All Out however is lovely. I need a bronzer to stop me looking like death and my bronzer of choice this year has been New C-ID's Coral Glow. This is a great cheaper alternative. Lifts off nicely on to the brush and doesn't look orange or dry. I know my bronzers. This is a good one.

Sexy Mother Pucker in Yummy Plum

Predictably, from a Sexy Mother Pucker addict, this is my favourite. There are other colours but this one I think is the most user-friendly. It gives great sheer colour - and you get the notorious SMP 'burn'. LOVE.

Soap & Glory Cosmetics prices start at a bargainous £5.00 and are available from Harvey Nichols and Boots - although surprisingly not from their own website. Sort THAT and it'll be damn near perfect.

P.S. - As I hit 'publish page' S&G is on 3for2 in Boots.

P.P.S. - the above were PR samples - but I'm off to Boots to stock up on all things Righteous Butter....