1/04/2015

Taking a Nude Dip

Before I upload my New Year's post, I need to upload the looks I wore on the 24th and 25th of December. Yes, Christmas is over, but that doesn't mean you can't wear these looks, or if you like, try them next year.

Christmas really isn't celebrated in Japan; the 24th and 25th are treated as any other day, with the exception of the 25th as being a kind of date night for couples. Aki and I were very low-key last year; we didn't have any huge parties to attend, and instead of give each other gifts, we made a few donations to animal rights groups.

Tom Ford's Eye Color Quad, in Nude dip, is a lovely, radiant, neutral quad. Three of the eyeshadows have a sophisticated, pearly, semi-metallic finish, and the fourth shadow (my favorite shade in the quad) has a stunning pearled-satin finish. Whether used dry or wet, all four shadows have fantastic pigmentation.

03 Nude Dip Eye Color Quad swatches.

A soft, pearly, semi-metallic beige-champagne.

A medium, pearly, semi-metallic rosy-peach.

A soft, pearly, semi-metallic grey-taupe.

A deep, Pearled-satin taupe-brown.

Both of the Contouring Cheek Color Duos were my favorite pieces from the collection. The smooth and finely-milled texture, and color payoff, are simply breathtaking; warming up the complexion, giving the cheeks a dreamy, beaming flush.  I wish both of the blushers and highlighters were in the permanent line.

 From left to right: Contouring Cheek Color 01 Softcore, 02 Stroked.

Softcore: a shimmery peachy-pink highlighter/ a warm, muted, reddish-pink-rose satin blush.

Stroked: a shimmery champagne-peach highlighter/a warm, muted, bronzy, terracotta-coral satin blush.

Tom Ford's Extreme Mascara in 02 Mocha Rush was my first introduction to TF's Mascaras. You should know by now that I have a soft spot for colored mascaras. And, as excited as I was to purchase Mocha Rush, I have to say I wasn't entirely thrilled after using it. When I swatched Mocha Rush, my heart went pitter-patter with glee, the formula was creamy and the color gorgeous! I love Mocha Rush's large wand, but I had problems with the way it performed. I found the wand didn't grab onto my eye lashes very well, or didn't offer much resistance when I combed it through my lashes. The color did show up well on the lashes, but the formula did nothing to make my lashes look fuller or longer.

Both, Negligee and Twist of fate, are highly saturated and opaque. Their formula is creamy, smooth, and long-wearing without drying out my lips. Negligee is a beautiful shade for Fall/Winter. But, Twist of Fate needed a little muting down with a lip liner, so I could feel comfortable enough to wear it during Fall and Winter.

From left to right: 04 Metallic Moss Eye Defining Pencil, 02 Mocha Rush Extreme Mascara, 30 Negligee, & 31 twist of fate Lip Color.

The Eye Defining Pencil in 04 Metallic Moss wasn't part of the Fall Collection. But, since I used it in the two looks, Included it in the swatches. Btw, isn't it purrty ^^

04 Metallic Moss Eye Defining Pencil: a dark emerald green with emerald green sparkles.

02 Mocha Ruse: a bronzed brown with topaz sparkles.

30 Negligee: a muted, medium-toned brownish-plummy-rosy with a satin finish.

31 Twist of fate: a warm, semi-bright, orange-coral with a satin finish.

On the 24th, we met up after work in Aoyama, and had a casual dinner. This is what I wore:

Look Breakdown:

Face:
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe (Medium 2).
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.
Tom Ford Contouring Cheek Color in 01 Softcore (blush on the apples of the cheeks blended out, and the highlight on the cheekbone, center of the forehead, dusted lightly on the brown bone, chin, center of the bridge of the nose, cupid's bow).

Eyes:

Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow in Grey Brown.
Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener.

Mac Mineralize Concealer in NW20.
Tom Ford Eye Color Quad:
From lightest to dark I layered the beige-champagne, rosy-peach and grey-taupe over one another on the lid.
Blended the the taupe-brown in the crease, used to line the upper lashline and to blend out the Metallic Moss on the lower lashline.
Tom Ford Eye Defining Pencil in 04 Metallic Moss.
Lips:

Tom Ford Lip Color in 30 Negligee.

On the 25th, we, along with several other friends, had dinner at our friend, Mattiaz's, home. Here is what I wore on that day:

Look Breakdown:

Face:
Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Santa Fe (Medium 2).
Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer.
Tom Ford Contouring Cheek Color in 02 Stroked (blush on the apples of the cheeks blended out, and the highlight on the cheekbone, center of the forehead, dusted lightly on the brown bone, chin, center of the bridge of the nose, cupid's bow).

Eyes:

Browlash EX Water Strong W Eyebrow in Grey Brown.
Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener.

Mac Mineralize Concealer in NW20.
Tom Ford Eye Color Quad:
Used wet, apply the taupe-brown on the lid, blended out into the crease, and to blend out the Metallic Moss on the lower lashline.
Use the Rosy Peach shadow to blend out the taupe-brown in the crease.
apply the grey-taupe in the inner corner.
Tom Ford Eye Defining Pencil in 04 Metallic Moss (on the upper and lower lashline, and waterline)
Lips:
Mac Lip Pencil in Stripdown.
Tom Ford Lip Color in 31 Twist of Fate.

With the exception of one product, I loved everything I got from Tom Ford's Fall 2014 Collection. I'm so grateful to my girl at Tom Ford Beauty for reserving the items for me. Thank you Tanya!

Did you purchase anything from this collection?

Looking gorgeous one lipstick at a time.