Tom Ford – Bubbly Michelle

Tom Ford Lip Lacquer Luxe | Review, Photos, Swatches

February 23, 2019February 24, 2019by Bubbly Michelle2 Comments

Tom Ford has just launched a bunch of new liquid lip colours. I’ve seen them pop up on online but will only be launching in Singapore in March.

After testing them these few weeks i’m ready to share my thoughts. So far I received 3 shades to try, two from the matte finish range (10 shades in total) and one from the vinyl finish (a range of 10 as well).

The packaging is absolutely stunning. True to the Tom Ford aesthetic, these feel weighty & luxurious (made in glass, similar to the ones by Clé de Peau).

Jaguar – A vibrant peachy pink coral

Overpower – A bright neutral red with pink tones

Infuriate – A rich burgundy with a hint of plum

The matte Lip Lacquer Luxe is a highly pigmented formula. The two I tested, both Jaguar and Overpower were opaque in a single swipe. What I loved the most was they did not accentuate lip lines, instead set to a pretty soft focus effect for a saturated, high impact lip.

TOM FORD lip lacquer luxe

The flocked doe foot applicator tapers off to a blunt pointed tip which makes defining the lip contour easy. It only didn’t seem to work as well with the vinyl formula, (possibly due to the thicker consistency) and left an uneven edge that needed to be neatened up with a q-tip.

The vinyl finish is an amazingly rich formula. Hands down the most pigmented liquid lipstick i’ve ever come across. The texture is thicker which made it slightly harder to achieve a neat edge with the applicator as mentioned previously. Needless to say this formula is high maintenance. The only way to beat it was to apply the bare minimum without any excess product that could potentially move around. I’d even go a step further and line the lips for additional safety. These migrate over time.

Overall the vinyl looks beautiful and glossy on the lips, a statement lip to say the least, but SOO much work!

In terms of lasting power the mattes are pretty good, they are not budge proof, but relatively transfer resistant once set. Luckily they last well enough through a meal so touchups aren’t a must unless you are really particular. Happy to report these did not dry out my lips one bit. Always a plus when it comes to matte lipsticks.

With the vinyl finish I didn’t wear it an entire day to test, but during the time of testing it did get on my teeth, so i’m guessing this would most likely only survive regular drinking and not an entire meal?

I also like that these lipsticks aren’t hard to remove. I’ve had some mid range matte liquid lipsticks wear like glue! The hardest part is taking them off at the end of the day. The struggle!

Luckily the Tom Ford Lip Lacquers come off easily with Bioderma. Minimal staining on the mattes with a little bit more on the vinyl I tested. Possibly since it was a very deep shade.

Overall the Tom Ford Lip Lacquer Luxe has been the best matte liquid lipstick in terms of finish and comfort. The major winning point is that it doesn’t dry out my lips and make them peel.

Digging up a few shades for comparisons I picked from matte and cream formulas in my stash.

NARS Powermatte Flame from the latest CNY limited edition is an almost neon coral. More pink in comparison to Jaguar.

Chanel Seduisant is a slightly more pink coral, but less vibrant.

Chanel Libere is more warm in comparison to Overpower. less pigmented but similarly vibrant.

YSL No.12 is a true red, more matte on the lips but completely weightless.

Chanel Melancholia (Fall 2018) is a muted burgundy, less pigmentation to Infuriate and is a matte.

NARS Powermatte Warm Leatherette is lighter and more violet in comparison.

Givenchy Framboise Charmeuse is similar once worn. Less in intensity and gloss factor. But a lot easier to wear.

My all time favourite formula for matte liquid lipsticks so far has been the YSL Tatouage colours. They have an extensive shade range and I love them for their weightlessness. They do actually feel like nothing on the lips and don’t feel tacky which is something I hate when i’m wearing a liquid lipstick. Another plus, they are also transfer resistant and wear very well during the day.

Comparisons within the Tom Ford Liquid Lipstick formulas.

I pulled out some of the older Tom Ford releases for a quick comparison.

The Lip Lacquers and the Lip Lacquer Extreme that released last year are more matte and don’t transfer at all. They are more similar to the YSL Tatouage lipsticks.The Lip Lacquer Luxe feel almost hydrating when worn.

The Patent Finish Lip Colours from a few years back are a thinner formula that’s similar to the Lip Lacquer Luxe Vinyl, same high gloss effect yet a less opaque, and thinner consistency (they are more gloss than a liquid lipstick). Also the click pen version is not one of my favourite types of packaging.

The latest Winter Soleil release carried new Soleil Lip Lacquers in white packaging. They are a nourishing gloss formula, less pigment and thinner formula. Nothing like the Lip Lacquer Luxe.

Bottom Line

I think the mattes are truly worth grabbing. Even just one. The colours are pretty and the red (Overpower) is possibly the most beautiful red I own (and I have a LOT of reds!).

Even though they are priced almost 50% higher than the average luxury lipstick, I highly recommend these if they are within your budget. Totally worth the splurge.

Pricing and Availability

Retailing at SGD 80, March onwards.

Find them at Takashimaya, Tangs, Robinsons Raffles City.

Makeup

Tom Ford Solar Exposure Palette | Photos, Swatches & Review

January 25, 2017February 23, 2017by Bubbly Michelle26 Comments

Among all the spring beauty releases happening right now, there’s a surprise Tom Ford palette to be launched soon. It’s another Soleil Palette similar to ones launched during the holidays. Exquisitely packaged and just as gorgeous, it’s sure to disappear as fast!

At first glance it does look quite similar to the Warm palette as many of you had commented on the initial photo I posted on Instagram. But is it really?

Here’s a closer look!

Each of these palettes come with 4 eyeshadows (in shimmer, satin & celestial finish) and a blush & highlight.

This new palette includes a peach blush with fine gold shimmer, a neutral pale yellow, a soft rosy brown glitter, a neutral light taupe-y brown, a deep satin brown and a pale pink highlight with fine silver shimmer.

All except the darkest eyeshadow shade swatched well with smooth application and good pigmentation. The deep brown was in comparison slightly drier. When tested out on the eyes I did not see any problem getting it to show up though which made up for the poor swatch.

The main difference I saw between previous palettes and this new addition is the blush was considerably more shimmery.

The Warm and Cool palette blushes seem to have a similar formula to Flush from the permanent line. While this is more along the lines of the Lovelust or Ravish. The result is more glowy.

Here’s a look at all three lined up! I believe the new Solar Exposure palette to be the ‘neutral’ palette. A well balanced mix of colours that don’t lean quite as warm or cool.

(All swatches taken on a primed arm in natural light near a window)

The differences between the palettes are quite obvious. As you can see, the highlight shade seen in the swatches show Solar Exposure to have a silver glow rather than a warm beige as the Warm palette.

Here’re a few extra swatches of the blushes and highlighters alone just so you see the subtle differences clearer.

Bottom Line

Quality wise, the palette is good! I didn’t see any shades perform badly. Although i’d have liked the darkest eyeshadow to swatch as well as the other three shadows.

What’s interesting to note is the darkest eyeshadow in all three palettes to be of similar formula. If you have already swatched or own the Warm or Cool palettes, you’d know what to expect.

Among the blushes, the Solar Exposure palette had the best finish in terms of colour a performance. It was blendable, smooth and easily buildable.

Final verdict, if you already own one of these palettes (specially the Warm) I don’t think having this as a second palette a must. No palette is a must have at SGD250 to be honest. More of a want i’d say. Though if you do have some extra cash to splash….. you know where to head to come February!

Makeup

Best of Beauty 2016

January 18, 2017November 10, 2018by Bubbly Michelle11 Comments

best-in-beauty-bw

Super excited to deliver my round up of the best of 2016! Getting back into the swing of blogging has been slow after the holidays, but I believe a quick look at the past year and closing the book of 2016 is a great way to get on with business this new year.

Best of Beauty 2016

1. Givenchy Healthy Glow Powder – I hadn’t been a regular user of Givenchy beauty till this came into my life. Absolutely stellar product on all fronts, packaging, quality and finish. Blogged here.

2. NARS Hot Sand Illuminator Duo – If epic highlighters aren’t your thing, NARS Hot Sand is your match made in heaven. A wonderfully glowy highlight with a soft peachy pink base, this adds subtle glow for delicate radiance. Although initially LE, I’m happy to see it come back in another newly released face palette. The Unfiltered 2 Cheek Palette. Blogged here.

nars-hot-sand

3. Dior Nude Air Glowing Gardens 002 – In 2016 Dior ruled the world of highlighters. Each season I could not resist getting at least one! Possibly my favourite highlighter of the year. Also was available in a pink option.

P.S- how stunning is the floral embossing ❤

highlighter-duo

4. Dior Diorific Splendor – Part of the holiday collection, this highlighter was the key piece / must-have which everyone needed in their lives. Sadly, did not make it to the U.S market. Luckily I live in sunny Asia and for once I was happy to be here! Didn’t waste any time picking this up for myself. wink. I also got a few extras as gifts!

The packaging, quality and colour was just perfect for that extra sparkle for the holidays. Get it while you can!

5. Clé de Peau Radiant Liquid Rouge – As someone who did not hop on the matte lipstick bandwagon, I was mighty pleased CPB came out with these ultra luxe glossy liquid lipsticks! They are luxury in every sense. If you loath the dry lip syndrome that’s plaguing the world right now, maybe this nourishing glossy type would interest you 😉 Read all about this collection here.

lip-stuff

6. Bobbi Brown Nourishing Lip Colour – Possibly my favourite lipstick release this year. Think ultra nourishing, balmy colour with superb pigmentation! It’s all my lips want to wear this season. To be blogged soon!

7. Tom Ford Lips & Boys 2016 – It seems the Lips & Boys get better each year! This year, the colours to watch out for were the new matte ones. Absolute must haves. Blogged here.

8. VB x Estée Lauder collection – Overall my favourite collection of the year! The formula, packaging and colours were to die for! Even though I loved almost everything I received, the stand out products were the nude lipstick in Brazilian Nude, the eye kajal duo & the single shadow Bitter Clove. Unfortunately LE collection sell out fast. However if you come across any, do not hesitate! Blogged here.

P.S- There’s talk of a new VB collab happening soon. Keep your eyes peeled!

9. Tom Ford Fiber Brow Gel – The perfect solution for light short brow hairs. I find myself reaching for this almost every time I do my makeup. It’s got the perfect formula to set your brows in place while also adding colour and some body. It’s brows-on-fleek, all day, everyday! To be blogged soon!

10. Tom Ford Le Mepris – Part of the summer collection, this little number was clearly a hot item, specially with that irresistible LE white packaging!! Blogged here.

11. Dior Diorific Nova – 2016 wasn’t the year of nail polish that’s for sure. Almost all brands left me with boring options. However, just as the year ended Dior launched their holiday Diorific Vernis and this unique little number was quick to come home with me. Almost like fairy glitter/flakes on the nails, this works great as a topper or on it’s own. Don’t miss out!

12. Zoeva Concealer Buffer Brush – I am so happy I finally got to try Zoeva brushes this year and this brush in particular is now my essential/everyday, concealer blending brush. Everything just sits better when buffed with this and i’m happy to recommend it to everyone. To be blogged soon!

13. Zoeva Luxe Fan – A great multi purpose brush, (not just for highlighting). This is my go-to for flicking off any eyeshadow or mascara fall out, dusting off excess powder and of course applying highlighter PERFECTLY. A must have brush in any collection.

14. Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting brush – On a whim I purchased this brush off Net-a-Porter last year. I just needed something precise that’d work for contouring smaller areas of the face. Not surprised, this works brilliantly! It’s my favourite for some nose contouring (which is the only contour I ever do) whenever I know i’ll be taking photos or for special events. Love it!

15. Tom Ford Cocoa Mirage – The only product that’s featured here which isn’t new for 2016. However it’s new to me! I picked this up from a sale last year and let’s just say, my world is a better place. The Cocoa Mirage palette is pretty much the standard matte shadow palette but BETTER. Perfectly curated and multi functional as this mixes great with any other TF palettes you may have. The light cream shade is my go-to brow highlight, there’s a perfect transition shade that’s not too warm, and also a shimmer shade thrown in just for variety. ABSOLUTE MUST HAVE if you are on the look out for a great everyday palette that delivers. Can’t recommend this enough!

That rounds up my list of favourites. Products i’ve used and loved! Unfortunately in terms of foundation & concealers I didn’t find anything new that was truly outstanding, therefore left out a fair few that I tested last year. What you see here is a brutally edited skinny version of what has been tested and I find to be A+!

xx.

Makeup

Tom Ford Lips & Boys 2016 | Photos & Complete Swatches

December 5, 2016November 10, 2018by Bubbly Michelle6 Comments

Last week Tom Ford launched their seasonal Lips & Boys collection. 50 shades of mini lipsticks to see you through the holidays!

As always, the collection included some new shades, 25 to be precise. And since they have never been seen before, i’m here to swatch everything for you!

Tom Ford Lips and Boys 2016

What’s exciting this year, is there are mattes introduced to the Lips & Boys. The past years have only been the creams and the metallics. And with matte lips being a huge trend right now, it’s only appropriate that Tom Ford included some in the Lips & Boys collection.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys 2016

The press package arrived in this lovely lacquered box. Can I just say, Tom Ford sure knows how to kill a girl with major presentation!!!!?? *takes a moment to get over initial shock.

More closeups in the mean time..

Tom Ford Lips & Boys

The collection consists of 10 metallic finish lipsticks, 10 matte shades & 5 cream shades in a selection of nudes to pinks, to burgundy.

Starting off with these exciting new mattes (my favourites!).

Tom Ford Lips and Boys 2016

Dominic – A medium blue toned red.

Evan – A neutral taupe-y beige with a hint of rose.

Nicholas – A deep burgundy red.

Ben – A warm deep chestnut brown.

Christopher – A medium-deep warm brown with a hint of rose.

Anderson – A neutral light pink (pulls almost cool toned on my olive skin tone).

Thomas – A medium cool toned rosy nude.

Jared – A warm fuchsia pink.

Christiano – A bright orange-y red.

Dylan – A bright warm red.

The Tom Ford mattes are a very soft matte. Not too dry with a slight creamy slip to it. Although they are drying overtime, I do find this formula to be very flattering as it doesn’t emphasise lip lines too much.

As expected from TF, the pigmentation and colour pay off is out of this world, achieving full opacity in 1-2 swipes. One of my all time favourite lipstick formulas hands down!

My favourites among the mattes are, Dylan, Christiano, Anderson & Dominic. However I did struggle to pick the ‘best’ of the bunch as everything I swatched and wore looked pretty amazing.

tf-for-blog-3

And now on to the metallics!

Tom Ford lips & boys swatches

Ryan – A warm reddened rose brown with finest gold micro shimmer.

Inigo – A warm burgundy red with fuchsia micro shimmer (very similar to Black Orchid though redder in tone).

Jon – A deep prune with purple tones & silver shimmer.

Logan – A medium bright fuchsia.

Elliot – A mauve rose with hints of purple & silver micro shimmer.

Graham – A peachy champagne gold.

Douglas – A light baby pink with golden micro shimmer.

Snowdon – A ultra metallic warm peachy gold with rose gold shimmer.

Aaron – A warm medium copper brown.

Travis – A neutral deep brown with rose gold micro shimmer.

Overall the pigmentation and pay off varied within this collection. I found colours such as Inigo apply almost as a creamy satin formula and some apply more patchy and sheerer.

The best colours in terms of formula were, Inigo, Logan, Snowdon & Travis. These swatched very evenly with good colour payoff. Although several passes were necessary, I found these to be the best of metallics.

However my favourites weren’t necessarily the best pigmented! I found sheerer shades such as Douglas & Graham equally captivating. Both apply without any patchiness delivering a beautiful wash of colour. For a more opaque look, try layering it over your favourite nude lip liners. I particularly love Douglas worn like this.

Lastly, swatching the signature Tom Ford creams!

tom Ford lips and boys

Jack- A muted medium mauve plum.

Ashton – A medium mauve rose brown.

Mitchell – A slightly plummier version of Ashton.

Bradley – A warm beige nude

Alexander – A pale chalky pink.

All shades within the creams swatched with really good pay off with no duds in terms of formula with my top favourite being Ashton. A beautiful everyday shade with wonderfully creamy application.

Least favoured was Alexander. I find it hard to conceive of a skin tone that this would flatter. A strangely pastey shade. Needless to say this look horrible on my medium olive skin.

Overall Thoughts

Hands down one of the best lipstick launches this year. Tom Ford Lips & Boys pretty much knocked it out of the ball park with excellent formulas, amazing pigmentation and colour variety. I would have liked to see more medium pinks & lighter nudes though, as I felt the collection was slightly plum/burgundy heavy.

As mentioned earlier, the mattes are the way to go if you are on the look out for opaque pay off and vivid colour. Loads of great shades to choose from here.

P.S – for lip swatches of the complete collection, do drop by Instagram (@bubblymichelle). I’ll be counting down to Christmas with these boys. ❤

Pricing and Collection Info

The Lips & Boys are now available at Tangs Tom ford counter and the Raffles City Robinsons Tom Ford counter.

Each priced at SGD50.

*Special thanks goes out to Tom Ford Beauty Singapore for providing me with the collection for review.

Makeup

Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer Review

October 8, 2016November 10, 2018by Bubbly Michelle8 Comments

This October Tom Ford launched another brand new foundation. The Waterproof Foundation/Concealer.

Tom Fords first full coverage foundation that conceals flaws while maintaining a skin like finish.

Tom ford waterproof foundation review

A month ago I was sent a sample of this gem by Tom Ford PR for a test run and of course I was very keen to try it out! So here I am today to share with you my thoughts on this baby.

Packaging

The foundation wasn’t exactly what I anticipated packaging wise. It’s a tube!

Although as far as tube packaging goes, this one looks darn nice! A delicious chocolate shade with luxe gold lettering.

I also like that the foundation is visible through a clear strip close to the nozzle. This allows you to monitor usage so you know just about when you’ll be running out!

On the whole, i’m a huge fan of tube packaging. You can easily control the amount of product dispensed and is also hygienic. Tubes are also by far the safest to travel with (unless you have a faulty cap). It’s easy, functional & ideal for packaging things like creams and foundations.

With regular use I noticed, this packaging gets very messy around the nozzle. Even though it never leaks, the product collects in the cap however meticulously I clean up before I recapping. It’s not a deal breaker, but I know some may find it quite irksome, so this is just a mention of my experience.

Formula, Coverage & Finish

Tom Ford waterproof foundation review

The Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer is a creamy almost gel like consistency & incredibly well pigmented that a small amount is sufficient to cover a large area.

I like that it almost fuses with the skin when applied (almost tacky). It’s what helps the foundation last so long and also look like it’s one with the skin and not just sitting on the surface.

For application, i’ve used this with brushes, fingers and also a Beauty Blender. Method of application doesn’t seem to affect the finish. I feel it spreads well and blends in quite nice either way. Overall I can achieve almost full coverage with a light layer and I love that this can be sheered out easily to almost nothing!

For the most part blemishes are concealed. Redness and any unevenness in skin tone is effortlessly perfected leaving the complexion radiant, looking like a better version of itself.

Overall the effect is a natural, semi matte finish. Not too dewy, not too matte.

On to how this looks on the skin!

Starting off with my bare face. Just brows and lip balm. As you can see I don’t have a whole lot to cover, just some annoying hormonal blemishes on my chin that never seem to leave and plague my life!

tf-face-before

Here’s the after. I used Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation/Concealer in the shade Sable. A really good match for my NC35 skin. Maybe a tad light, but a pretty close match.

tf-face-after

I’ve only used a single layer here. If needed, this can be build it up a bit more with another layer. Though for day to day I feel this is more than enough coverage.

What I love about this foundation is that it evens out my skin tone so well, all redness is instantly corrected. Like MAGIC.

Longevity

Although this foundation is said to withstand harsh weather conditions such as extreme heat, humidity and water I find it doesn’t survive well in sunny Asia. Extended wear outdoors causes it to melt and separate fast and subsequently settle into pores. In an air conditioned environment this fares better and wear beautifully all day and yes, the waterproof claim is also true. It does repel water!

I also like that the foundation doesn’t settle into fine lines. A problem I usually face as the day goes on. The fact that the formula is so pigmented and spreads so thinly, ensures there’s no excess product to seep into said lines.

Bottom line

It’s a beautiful foundation. The coverage is customisable as it can be built up or sheered out. Also love how wearing this gives me a gorgeous flawless finish. It instantly ups my confidence.

Who is this for?

Anyone who’s looking for a long wearing foundation.
A flawless, full coverage, skin like finish.
Anyone with normal to dry skin.

Avoid if,

You have excessively oily skin and/or live in extremely warm climates or spend most of the time outdoors.
Prefer a dewy finish.

Swatches of the entire range (applicable to Singapore) is as follows.

*swatches taken indoors in natural light.

Tom Ford waterproof foundation swatches

Here’re the corresponding shade descriptions with rough MAC references.

Cream – pink undertone for light complexions.

Buff – peachy pink undertone for light complexions.

Linen – neutral undertone for light complexions (around NC 15)

Fawn – yellow undertone for light medium complexions (around NC 20)

Ivory – pink undertone for light medium complexions.

Bisque – warm yellow undertones for medium complexions.

Natural – yellow undertones for medium complexions (around NC35)

Sable – peach undertones for medium deep complexions.

Tawny – yellow undertones for deep complexions (around NC 40)

Other Info

Available at Tom Ford counters in Singapore from October.

*Ingredient list to be updated.

Makeup

Tom Ford Lip Contour Duo | Review, Photos & Swatches

September 17, 2016November 10, 2018by Bubbly Michelle5 Comments

This fall Tom Ford adds yet another new product to their lip colour category and as always, the mere mention of a new product had me counting down to the release. Of course the arrival of press goodies was a celebrated affair and I dove right in to see what they look like in person.

The packaging is as exquisite as i’d hoped. Sleek, sexy and everything i’d come to expect from my favourite brand.

Tom Ford Lip Contour Duos

I picked 4 of the 8 shades released. Two ‘nudes’ & two bold colours just in case I need something to refresh my fall makeup wardrobe.

The Lip Contour Duos are quite an innovation. The idea of combining a lipstick with a matching lip shaper/liner in a single product is pure genius. And the fact that it’s so beautifully designed with the lipstick fitting into such a sleek wand is even more enticing.

Packaging

What I noticed first off was, uncapping the lipstick can be tricky business. If you aren’t careful, the risk of damaging the lipstick by stabbing it with the packaging is pretty high.

The lip shaper also came with it’s own set of problems. The extra soft formula makes the tip quite fragile and in an attempt to twist up more product the worst happened and it broke off. My suggestion is, only wind up just enough to apply so that the soft tip does not break.

Formula

This duo combines a lip shaper in a soft, pigmented, shimmer infused formula.

What’s interesting is that the shaper is also a few shades lighter in comparison to the corresponding lipstick. According to the press info this is to contour the lip for a subtle ombré effect when paired with the deeper lip colour.

For those of you concerned ’bout the shimmer factor. It is less than subtle.. (slightly chunky & bordering a glitter look). Personally I didn’t get the purpose of a glitter infused liner, specially since it’s barely noticeable once the lipstick is layered on.

Tom Ford Lip Contour

The lipstick portion of the duo is a pigmented, creamy, luscious one. A near perfect formula. Everything I want in a lipstick & very comparable to the regular TF lippies from the permanent line. I also feel that they are slightly smoother and glossier somehow too.

Count me a fan!

Application

The lip liner prolongs the wear of the lipstick though also at the same time makes the overall finish of the lipstick slightly heavier on the lips (as you’d expect with layering product).

How i’ve been wearing it most days was, filling in the lips fully and applying the lipstick on top. This gives the most even result.

Overall I believe I could do without the liner. Or swap out the liner for a glitter free formula.. Personally the liner isn’t really working for me how i’d hoped it would.

Onto the SWATCHES!

Tom Ford Lip Contour duo

The shades are, L-R

No.4 Show it Off, No.6 Devil Inside, No.8 Make Me, No.3 Dream Obscene

tf-swatches-2

Devil Inside is a warm medium red which transforms more coral when layered over the liner.

Make Me is a deep plum which pulls rosy worn over the liner.

Show it Off is a neutral taupe brown.

Dream Obscene is a rosy pink with hints of lilac.

Tom Ford Lip contour duo

And another look!

tf-lip-swatches

Bottom Line

I believe these would be perfect for anyone who prefer to wear liner with lipstick. Saves the trouble pairing liners to your favourite shades & the hard work of searching for the perfect match.

Personally I do love the colours within the collection and find Show It Off a must have, even though i’d use it mostly without the liner. It’s a nude without much warmth & yellow tones which I find rare.

Another favourite in terms of colour was Make Me. An absolutely stunning shade of plummy goodness. Though deeper bolder shades as this aren’t something i’d wear regularly, I do appreatiate a plummy wine done right. Highly recommend!

Pricing & Availability

These new Lip Contour Duos are new and permanent. Find them at Tangs Tom Ford beauty counter as well as MBS Tom Ford Boutique.

Retailing price & launch dates – to be updated.

Makeup

Tom Ford Bicoastal Sheer Cheek Duo : Review, Photos & Swatches

March 26, 2016March 29, 2016by Bubbly Michelle20 Comments

Hello and happy Friday! Kicking off phase 2 of the Tom Ford Summer 2016 reviews starting with one of my favourite new releases, the Bicoastal Sheer Cheek Duo.

Bicoastal sports typical Tom Ford summer packaging. Glossy white with accents of gold for a luxurious yet light summery feel. The palette is a very compact size (same as the mini bronzers) and fits in the palm of your hand. I find this a good size for travel that doesn’t take up too much space.

As always these powder compacts also come with a matching white sleeve to protect the glossy white from staining and scratches. A nice touch which I believe adds value to an already splurge-y indulgence.

As seen above, there’s one highlighter and a brighter blush shade.

On top we have a light shimmering peachy pink. Very soft to the touch with excellent payoff & smooth application. It’s a perfect summer highlight to contrast on golden skin, something that a gold toned highlighter lacks. However on deeper skin tones I assume this would look slightly too pale.

I also observed, the extra shimmer content emphasises pores and texture a bit. However I do love how this looked paired with shade 2 applied just at the high points of the cheek to add that glow.

On the bottom we find a brightened, medium rose pink. It’s a delightfully vibrant pop of colour that pairs well with sun-kissed skin. The texture of this was less shimmery (more satin) in comparison to the highlighter shade and was harder pressed, therefore needing more pressure to pick up colour for swatches. With a brush however I had no problem as such and the product picked up just fine.

On to swatches!

For comparisons sake I swatched Bicoastal along with the other cheek products that come out this summer (both cream versions with Pink Sand a repromote), as you can see, the supposedly sheer, Sheer Cheek Duo Bicoastal swatches pretty intense. However for a more natural, sheerer effect, wet application is suggested.

Personally I really love how they look wet. It practically becomes one with the skin and imparts a very natural flush. And paired with a fresh summer tan, the stained cheek does look utterly effortless.

Application

For wet application i’d suggest lightly misting your brush with water, wiping off any excess on a tissue and dipping the brush in. A few swirls to pick up product and then you can start stippling on the area you want the most amount of colour (apples of your cheek) working your way to blending the edges and sweeping colour for the desired blush placement.

So far i’ve had no problem doing this over a powdered face, however if you prefer, this step could be done before you set your base with powder. Overall with wet application i’d suggest keeping the powdering to a minimum concentrating on areas that are oilier and truly need reenforcement. It just looks better on glossier, fresh skin rather than a completely matte complexion.

More swatches! This time alongside some of my Tom Ford blushes from the permanent collection.

Bicoastal is unlike anything that’s found in the permanent line up. I’m missing Savage here, though that’s more of a caramel toned blush.

On to a closer look at how this applies. I used the blush shade wet (using my Tom Ford blush brush) and the highlighter shade dry.

I love that the pink highlighter adds a pretty glow to the tops of my cheekbones and contrasts well without disappearing on my skin as a typical golden highlight would.

Bottom line

I love the quality and the finish of the product and I feel it’s good value for money considering there’s two products in one, AND each pan is fairly large in size.

I also like the option of wet or dry application, which comes handy when adding variety to the looks you can create with this palette.

Lastly considering the colour mix, it’s pretty flattering on practically all skin tones and the well pigmented formula will most certainly show up even on deeper complexions.

It’s a winner on all fronts!

Availability

Bicoastal will be available at the Tangs Tom Ford Beauty counter from May for a limited time.

Retail price, SGD 119.

For more swatches and a preview of the collection, please refer my previous post here.

Lastly thank you for reading and wishing you all a blessed Easter weekend! xx, Michelle.

Makeup

Tom Ford Soleil Collection for Summer 2016 : Preview, Photos & Swatches

March 14, 2016May 6, 2016by Bubbly Michelle18 Comments

Finally getting down to typing up a post on the Tom Ford summer fragrance & colour collection I previewed last Thursday.

As with all things Tom Ford, the press event was a decadent affair. From the dapper butlers serving canapés & champagne, to the entire hotel suite transformed to look like an extension of a Tom Ford boutique, it seemed like no expense was spared.

In cosy settings invitees were encouraged to swatch and play with the new seasons offerings.

There’s loads of new lipsticks, complexion perfecting products & new additions to their Neroli Portofino fragrance collection AS WELL AS a brand new scent for summer. So much to get excited about!

My personal favourites as always are the lipsticks and there’re two new offerings this season. The Moisturecore Lip Colour & the Ultra-Rich Lip Colour.

The Moisturecore Lip Colours are a sheerer formulation with an outer casing of luminous, shimmery lip colour and an inner core of moisturising passion fruit oil for continuous hydration during wear. All shades contain a percentage of golden shimmer and a hint of pink (via the pink core) for soft summer lips to compliment sun-kissed skin.

The Ultra-Rich Lip Colour (not to be confused with the Lip Colour Sheer from previous releases) are a new high coverage lip colour with an exceptionally moisturising formula. They come in a satin & cream finish. Absolute must haves from this collection in my opinion.

*For a semi opaque lip, two passes is all you’ll need, though these don’t swatch as intense as the lipsticks from the permanent line.

To compliment the gorgeous lipsticks there’re two Cream Cheek Colours this season. We see Pink Sand back again (repromote from last summer) as well as a new addition Pineo Sole. A gorgeous golden bronze seen far right.

There’s also a new bronzer making it’s debut this summer. It’s a deeper warmer matte bronzer ideal for anyone that fits within a medium-deep to deep colouring.

Here’s a look at Bronze Age!

For those of you who prefer liquid bronzers to powders, the new Bronzing Primer is sure to pique your interest. It’s an ultra blendable creamy formula that imparts colour & luminosity to the complexion. I love that it’s not orange and a very natural looking shade. Something that’s suitable for the lightest as well as medium complexions. A light dab blended just on the cheekbones adds a tanned sheen as a day out in the sun would.

Onto some exciting repromotes this year, starting off with Firelust. A golden coral skin illuminator which can be used mixed in with your foundation or even moisturiser for glowing skin.

There’s also the Cream & Powder Eye Colours making a come back this summer, which i’ve already reviewed here if you are interested in swatches & my thoughts on these.

Apart from the colour collection that’s highly sought after, this season we see a new body product that’s bound to be a favourite. The Radiant Moisture Soufflé. It’s an unscented lightweight yet rich cream that’s infused with gold shimmer and skin loving ingredients to impart radiance & vitality to fatigued skin. The skin looks drenched in moisture and glowing gold. The perfect companion to take on all your summer vacations this year.

Definitely something I urge you to check out.

Now on to some swatches!

Starting off with the lipsticks here’re the Moisturecore Lip Colours.

Next up, Ultra-Rich Lip Colours,

Here’s a comparison swatch of Bronze Age bronzer against Terra and Gold dust. Also included are the two Cream Cheek Colours far right.

And some quick swatches of the Bronzing primer & Firelust.

Lastly, my thoughts & some swatches of the pièce de résistance, The Afternooner Soleil Contouring Compact and the stunning Sheer Cheek Duo, Bicoastal.

The Afternooner is a trio containing a golden beige highlighter, coral blush and a warm bronzer. The blush and bronzers were matte with soft shimmer dispersed within. However overall they both apply pretty much matte. The swatches came out well pigmented though the matte finish did somewhat affect the overall feel & texture. They don’t swatch as impressively as the regular Tom Ford blushes from the permanent line.

Bicoastal was my favourite between the two palettes. I found this swatched very similar to the Moodlight highlighter with the same rich silky feel. Both shades were well pigmented and blends easily. Needless to say I believe this palette is a must have so get it before it’s gone!

Now onto some swatches,

My picks!

My top picks of the collection were the Ultra-Rich Lip Colour Les Mepris, Purple Noon and also Moisturecore Lip Colours Carriacou and Mustique (both quite sheer and light shades). I believe the colours were absolutely stunning and pair well with a summer tan.

For those who missed out on Pink Sand last year, I highly recommend you grab one this time! It’s possibly the most perfect flush for summer time. And one of my all time favourite Tom Ford releases EVER. Also from the repromotes i’d recommend the Cream & Powder Eye Colours Naked Bronze (containing the cream colour Spice) as well as Golden Peach. These are excellent in terms of quality and are perfect for creating sultry eyes all year round.

Between the palettes I was strongly leaning towards Bicoastal, though I thought both make lovely palettes for travel. It’s a matter of choosing something suitable for your needs. Though just so you know, The Afternooner is a larger compact (similar to the full sized bronzers) and Bicoastal is a smaller more travel friendly size.

Concluding my Tom Ford summer preview, I hope you found this post useful! I tried my best to take as many swatches as I could. If you need any clarification or extra info about the products, feel free to leave a comment below. I’d get to you as soon as possible 🙂

Launch Info & Pricing

The Soleil collection is set to hit our shores in May retailing exclusively at the Tangs Tom Ford Beauty counter.

The Afternooner Contouring Compact – SGD180

Bicoastal Sheer Cheek Duo – SGD119

Resort to Pleasure Bronzing Primer – SGD97

Bronzing Powder Large, SGD160, Small SGD104

Pieno Sole, Pink Sand Cream Cheek Colour – SGD104

Fire Lust Skin Illuminator – SGD97

Radiant Moisture Soufflé – SGD165

Cream & Powder Eyeshadow duos – SGD85

Ultra-Rich Lip Colour – SGD75

Moisturecore Lip Colour – SGD77

Stay tuned for further updates via Instagram. Username – bubblymichelle

Lastly, a big thank you to the Tom Ford Singapore team for the invitation to preview summer! It was a pleasure joining you as always!

Makeup

Tom Ford Cream Colour For Eyes | Review, Photos & Swatches

February 21, 2016February 21, 2016by Bubbly Michelle12 Comments

Here to discuss the new Tom Ford Cream Colours for Spring 2016 today and it just so happens these finally landed on our shores.

Talk about perfect timing! My post is just in time for a bit of weekend shopping!

Packaging wise, I find very few makeup brands entice me like Tom Ford does. I love the rich mahogany screw on cap with a regal TF boldly plastered on, and the glass jar itself weighs like a S$68 product should. Overall I’ve never had any problems with these dying out and look as fresh as the day I purchased them, a testament to sound packaging.

Formula & Application

Tom Ford cream shadows come in a whipped, smooth mousse-y consistency. I love how lightweight they feel even though it’s a highly, highly pigment product. A little truly goes a long way with these.

If you are new to TF cream shadows, you’ll find the formula does take a bit of getting used to and the trick is to layer them on bit by bit for good opacity.

For more on application you can refer this earlier post, click here.

Of the 8 shades released, I have 5 to share with you today (two from previous releases which are repromotes).

Midnight Violet – A warm deep plum

Blue Siren – A medium sea foam blue

Opale – A pale shimmering champagne ivory

Platinum – A light/medium taupe

Spice – A warm medium golden brown

Sphinx – A golden peach with pink duochrome

Burnished Copper – A medium khaki green

Caviar – Charcoal black

The opacity of a single layer (blended out) can vary from sheer to medium with the lighter shades such as Opale & Blue Siren significantly sheerer.

I also found Opale particularly sheer and applies as a translucent wash of pearly shimmer rather than the pale champagne it looks in the jar. Of course these build up beautifully and Opale can be layered on to look like glistening champagne ivory if needed, but takes extra effort and careful building up in comparison to the others.

Overall my favourites are Platinum, Spice and Midnight Violet. Though incredibly neutral in nature, these look stunning on the eyes and far from boring! For those of you on the hunt for something more unique, i’d suggest Sphinx. A rather interesting option. Although I passed on this shade due to it’s intense warm tones, it should look lovely on rosier skin types with blue or light green eyes.

On to an eye look I created with 2 of the new shades I received.

Opale as an inner corner highlight, Platinum for the lower lash line & Blue Siren on the lid.

Some new findings!

Apparently these don’t survive that great worn outdoors in 85°F weather (pretty much 365 days a year in Sri Lanka) and the wear time is significantly cut down to around 5 hours wear (before it starts to crease) as opposed to my usual 10+ hours. Crazy heat paired with oily lids aren’t the best combo in case you were wondering.

However, If your day to day activities don’t include potential ‘sun bathing’ you can expect these wear without any creasing for up to 8-9 hours and even longer if layered with any powders on top!

I find them to be THE BEST cream colour product in the market in terms of longevity.

Other Info

The new cream shadows come in a noticeably smaller jar in comparison to the limited edition releases that we’ve seen before. However, looking at actual product the difference is just 1.2g/ 0.04 oz , which is not much at all. And given that these don’t empty in a hurry, I’m sure that 1.2g won’t be missed!

Bottom Line

Personally I find these a great alternative to powder shadows with much less hassle to apply. I just throw them on and am out the door in less than 10 mins tops!

Pricing and Availability

All cream shadows are now available at the Tom Ford Beauty counter at Tangs retailing at S$68 a pop.

Makeup

Tom Ford Patent Finish Lip Color – Photos, Swatches & Review

January 30, 2016February 2, 2016by Bubbly Michelle11 Comments

This spring Tom Ford surprised everyone with a new and EXCITING debut, Patent Finish Lip Color. Yeah, count me tired of that annoying matte liquid lipstick trend that’s taking over the world. My poor dry lips will never get on board that.

But seriously, how perfectly bold are these stunning shades of reds to berries hitting Tom Ford counters right now. Gimme more!

Since it’s customary to discuss packaging before product formulation over here, let’s start with that.

These hybrid gloss/lip stains come in a click pen version complete with a plush sponge tip applicator. As much as I like the idea of a sponge tip over traditional wand type packaging for liquid lip products, I found the clicking mechanism a bit annoying. It took over 20 clicks to get the product moving along (think Stila gloss pens…. loathe) and THEN, needed several clicks to get product out for every application. To be honest I was worried it just won’t dispense anymore and I had a bad batch, but I was wrong! That’s just the way they are it seems.

Anyways clicker fail aside, I love the overall look of the product and applicator. The sponge tip allows very good control for perfectly sharp edges. LOVE it!

Formula

The product is essentially a gloss on steroids. No joke possibly the most pigmented glossy formula I’ve ever come across.

They feel like a thick gel texture as they glide on, with each stroke delivering intense colour. I also liked that there weren’t any noticeable strokes and didn’t settle into lines which made the finish so professional. I truly do love that applicator, it’s magic.

As with all Tom Ford lip products there’s a scent to these. Something like a vanilla scent that quickly fades away leaving you with just smooth, juicy colour. The product also didn’t feel sticky on the lips and super comfortable to wear (you can barely feel them on).

As far as longevity goes, these do stick around for a couple of hours and stain. Although it’s worth noting I detected slight migration and strongly recommend a lip liner with these to stay put (I think the perfect match would be an invisible lip liner like the one’s by Kiko or Lipstick Queen).

Overall the formula was faultless as you’d expect and was a clear winner for me.

On to swatches! I have No Vacancy and Stolen Cherry. Two gorgeous reds (old habits do die hard! 😉 right?)

In comparison to a few other liquid lipsticks and glosses in my stash, the Tom Ford Patent Finish Lip Color is less opaque than the Armani Lip Maestro. Mac Retro Matte is obviously matte and fully opaque. Estée Lauder Pure Color Envy Liquid Lipsticks are more opaque and a semi matte finish and the Tom Ford Ultra Shine Lip Gloss more translucent & less pigmented.

On to lip swatches of Stolen Cherry and No Vacancy.

Stolen Cherry is a deeper red with a neutral tone with No Vacancy a brighter, more of an orangey red.

For easy shopping, here’s a complete set of swatches, all thanks to a little Tom Ford fairy 😉 (swatches taken indoors in artificial lighting)

Final Verdict

Apart from the dispensing mechanism which clearly wasn’t working for me, I do love the product. I feel the end result was lovely and worth trying. But of course as all glossy finishes it’s high maintenance, goes without saying, and does get on your teeth & around the face (perils of long hair) if you aren’t careful.

For more swatches & a review, do drop by lovely Ree’s blog. Click here!

Collection Info & Pricing

The Patent Finish Lip Colors are set to retail at SGD 72. (New & permanent)

Launch date- End February at the Tangs Tom Ford Beauty counter.