Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Lips and Boys, 25 New Fall 2016 Shades: The Mattes and Metallics

November 15th, 2016 by Karen 15 Comments

tom ford lips and boys 2016 — The 25 new clutch-sized (mini) Lipsticks from the Tom Ford Lips & Boys collection for Fall 2016

Something tells me that these little dudes would not be down for a Taco Bell date. They’d want you to take them to Ruth’s Chris Steak House or some other expensive restaurant.

Dang, Tom Ford, you sure know how to make a girl feel self-conscious about her $10 jeans that she got from Old Navy!

Please pause the rational part of your brain for a moment and consider that each of these 25 new Lips & Boys Lipsticks is $36 each (!). And they’re minis! They’re all new shades — 10 mattes, 10 metallics and 5 creams — and they’re being added to the existing 25 Lips & Boys, thereby bringing the new total up to 50.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys
$36 each, 50 shades, 25 of them new for Fall 2016 (10 matte, 10 metallic, 5 cream).
Coming soon to select Sephora stores and online #TFLIPSANDBOYS @SEPHORA

First up, the mattes and metallics, all of which have boy names.

There are lots of browns, plums and neutrals present, but the bangin’ mattes were the first to catch my eye.

The shiny metallics are also cool. They have varying levels of metallic-ness. Some are full-on sexy robot with lots of shiny pearl and glitter, while others are more suggestive and reserved…like an illicit kiss behind a closed door.

Tom Ford Lips & Boys 50-Piece Set — The complete collection housed in an exclusive black lacquered Tom Ford case: $1,950 (side note: holy sh*t!).

Tom Ford Lips & Boys Three-Piece Container — A custom set of any three clutch-size lipsticks displayed in a luxe carrying case: $108 for your choice of any three shades.

“Tom Ford presents Lips & Boys, the third adaptation of the originative Lip Color collection named for the men he finds admirable and inspiring. The 50-piece lipstick lineup unleashes 25 new boys including 10 modern matte finishes.

“From nuanced nudes like Bradley and Alexander to the unabashed bold reds of Nicholas and Dominic, each transformative shade amplifies a woman’s individuality while inciting an insatiable desire to suit her every mood.

“Showcased in sleek mahogany and gold cases, each tube is compact enough to slip inside the smallest of clutches.

“The clutch-size lipsticks of this decadent wardrobe contain rich, specially-treated pigments blended to deliver pure color payoff in three ultra-kissable finishes: matte, cream, and metallic.”

— Tom Ford PR

The 10 new mattes

tom ford lips boys 2016 matte — The new Tom Ford Lips & Boys Matte finish shades from the left: Anderson, Thomas, Jared, Cristiano, Dylan, Dominic, Evan, Nicholas, Be and Christopher

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Teal Liner Gives Me Wings! A MAC Bangin’ Brilliant Face of the Day

July 12th, 2016 by Karen 30 Comments

mac bangin brilliant fotd — Wearing some MAC Bangin’ Brilliant today!

Can I just say, it took all of my strength to NOT wear nude lips with this look today, but I dug deep and busted out a glossy, orangey red instead. Thank you, babe, for giving me strength!

You know, it’s funny…but this is basically the same look I’ve been rocking for the last five months or so — winged liner, lashes and lipstick — but with slight adjustments, and it’s kind of amazing (and I forget this sometimes) how a few simple tweaks can turn something routine and basic into something new and different.

mac bangin brilliant fotd k1 — Hey, girl, haaaay!

When I did my winged liner this morning, instead of doing a teeny, tiny kitten flick in basic black, I used a teal eyeshadow (worn as an eyeliner) and exaggerated the flick a little more than usual.

Then for my lashes, instead of using mascara, I grabbed my good ol’ trusty Ardell Demi-Wispies (which I’m able to put on in my sleep now, for reals).

And for my lips, instead of going the nude route, I reached for a glossy reddish orange gloss.

mac bangin brilliant fotd swatches — Summery teals and oranges, yum!

Most of the key products I used for the look are from MAC, with a couple of items from the new MAC Bangin’ Brilliant collection.

Remember Teal Appeal, that teal I was drooling over yesterday?

Yeah! I managed to get it on my lids sooner than later (small victories!), and that’s what I’m wearing on my lash lines. I’m also wearing MAC Bangin’ Brilliant Blush in Bright Response on my cheeks.

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Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom and Velvet Orchid Lip Color

July 5th, 2016 by Karen 24 Comments

tom ford velvet bloom — Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80)

Is this jewelry, or is this makeup? — because sometimes with Tom Ford I just can’t tell!

Do wear it on my face, or do I dangle it from a chain and rock it as a statement necklace? I gotta hand it to Tommy-boy for nailing the whole luxury aesthetic. He’s got it down pat, especially when it comes to limited edition packaging.

Here’s a look at two of the lush and tasty (and expensive) purple and gold tidbits in Tom’s new Fall 2016 Orchid Collection.

The new nine-piece limited edition fall release (yup, fall!) just launched online July 1, and it arrives at Tom Ford counters this August. It’s inspired by Tom Ford’s Black Orchid Eau de Parfum, his first fragrance.

And fragrance plays a big part in the launch, as five of the nine pieces are perfumes, while the other four — two lipsticks and two blushes — are the goodies you can wear on your face.

The Tom Ford Fall 2016 Orchid Collection includes…

Black Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Nightbloom Powder in Black Bloom ($80)

Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80)

Black Orchid Solid Perfume ($190)

Velvet Orchid Solid Perfume ($190)

Black Orchid Eau de Parfum ($115)

Velvet Orchid Eau de Parfum ($115)

Orchid Soleil Eau de Parfum ($120)

I’m a “smoky eye till I die” kinda gal, so I always look forward to the dramatic eye pencils, eyeshadows and all of that fun schtuff I’m used to seeing for fall. So I’m a little bummed that this release doesn’t include any eye makeup for me to lust after.

tom ford velvet orchid — Tom Ford Orchid Collection Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60)

Strangely, neither of these two pieces here — pearlescent rosy plum Velvet Orchid Lip Color ($60) and sheer, cool-toned pink Nightbloom Powder in Velvet Bloom ($80) — give me that same visceral desire that I usually feel for Tom Ford’s products.

Like the Velvet Orchid Lip Color? Yeah, it has all the hallmarks of a dreamy TF lippy, with its deliciously even application throughout, in and around the curves of my lips (none of that patchy nonsense!), its fabulously lighter-than-air formula, and yeah, the color, which is something I can totally see myself wearing in fall, but I dunno… I guess I was hoping for more.

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I’ll Save the First, Last and Every Dance in Between for the Tom Ford Last Dance Eye Quad

June 16th, 2016 by Karen 29 Comments

It’s totally fine if you don’t know the words to Donna Summer’s disco classic, Last Dance, right now, but just know that from this moment onward, whenever I open the Tom Ford Last Dance Eye Quad to marvel at its golden taupe, beige, forest green and glittery midnight blue deliciousness in your presence, you’re going to have to sing the song with me.

Sorry, those are the rules! 🙂

So you’re gonna have to learn the words. Here, you can practice with the video…

When I’m bad, I’m so, so baaaaad!

P.S. When I was in high school, my friend Jen and I would sing Donna Summer songs all day, every day (especially in the car). Yes, I’m a not-so-secret Donna Summer fan.

Now back to the quad!

Somewhere between that first month with Connor, when I was getting, like, no sleep and would go to Panera Bread in my pajamas just to get of the house for 15 minutes (by the way, I was the lady with the unkept hair and dark circles eating the salad and crying), and today, the Tom Ford Last Dance Quad became my go-to Tom Ford eyeshadow quad.

I can’t say that it’s my favorite Tom Ford quad of all time, because upon that pedestal sits the regal Cognac Sable (which, I’ll never understand why, was discontinued!), but it’s definitely up right there.

I love it.

If you lean toward neutrals but also like fun pops of color, you’ll wanna literally AND figuratively dance with this quad.

With higher-end/designer/expensive makeup, in particular, I always feel like if the brand’s charging as much as they are, the makeup had better pass muster.

I ask myself, “Self, is this something I know I’ll be able to wear at least three times a week without getting tired of it?” Because, as you know, there’s a lot of great makeup out there that costs less than $80, and just because something is expensive doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s good.

With pricey products like an $80 Tom Ford quad, OK isn’t good enough. It should be so good that I swoon on my fainting couch!

Thankfully (or, perhaps, unfortunately), the Tom Ford Last Dance Eye Quad isn’t just OK. It’s great. I think it’s fantastic for everyday neutral makeup.

That golden taupe? Oh, gorgeous! Whenever I get it on my lids, I feel like I’m discovering golden taupe for the first time. And the beige? It’s that kind of shiny that isn’t frosty, which is one of Tom Ford’s strengths when it comes to eyeshadow. He’s really good at that glistening, high fashion, glossy (but not frosty’80s-style) look.

Yeah, the two neutrals might not be as dramatic as a crazy rainbow glitter duochrome, but there’s no fallout, they’re hella pigmented, they’re a breeze to blend, they last all day long and, to top it all off, they’re abso-freakin’-lutely gorgeous, and I could wear them every single day.

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Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon: With These Shadows, the Honeymoon Period Lasts and Lasts and Lasts…

February 16th, 2016 by Karen 34 Comments

tom ford honeymoon — Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon ($80)

Competely proven, statistically verifiable facts (well…) about the new spring Tom Ford Eye Color Quad in Honeymoon…

It costs $1 BILLION!
OK…it’s more like $80, but it feels like a billion dollars because we’re only talking about four eyeshadows.
Studies show that upon applying any of these four luminous shades, nine out of 10 people exhibit the following symptoms: their eyes roll back in their head, they bite down on their fist and scream, “OHHHH!” in sheer ecstasy. The tenth person just face plants directly on the ground from a standing position.
You could probably live without it (LIES!!!).

I mean, seriously, there are so many things (price notwidthstanding) about this quad that make me want to do the snake in my chair. In terms of texture, finish and wear time, it knocks it outta the park.

tom ford honeymoon swatches — Swatches of the Tom Ford Eye Quad in Honeymoon (for reference, as you may or may not already know, I’m a MAC NC42)

It’s as if Tom probed my mind like a creepy makeup alien from The X-Files (have you been watching the new ones?) and molded all of my lusty eyeshadow dreams into these pans. When I load my brush with these shadows and apply them to my lids, the pigmented powders glide, blend and buff like they were put on this planet solely to make my makeup life easier.

A few days ago, I got it into my head to use the palette, and it was a day when I didn’t have a lot of time to get ready. No joke — I had my eye makeup all blended and done in less than five minutes, and even though I blazed through everything, I didn’t have to clean up anything under my eyes.

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The Day in Beauty, Vol. 7: A Needy Sandwich, Tom Ford Spring 2016 Palettes, and Hella Books!

February 3rd, 2016 by Karen 29 Comments

Tabs has a number of nicknames…and they’re all completely ridiculous!

I don’t even know where half of them come from. His latest one, “Needy Sandwich,” is like a turkey sandwich, except without the deli meat…

So he’s been extra Needy Sandwich today, following me around, basically “supervising” (air quotes) me very closely, and, for the life of me, I can’t get anything done.

He likes to drape his hefty girth across my forearms while I sit at my desk, which makes it darned near impossible to type. He also likes to rub his face all over mine and basically get all the way up in my grill.

Part of me is like, “Tabs, mommy has to get stuff done,” but another part of me is like, “Aww!” I gotta give him as much attention and lurvies as possible before Baby Girl arrives.

To be honest, I’m kind of worried about him because I don’t know how he’s going to handle sharing the spotlight with BG.

I’ve read a lot about pet/baby introductions, and I just hope — I really, really hope — it goes smoothly, because Tabs has been our only “child” for such a long time, and I don’t want him to feel like he’s being replaced. I have to find a way to let him know that he’ll always be my oldest child. He’ll always have a special place in my heart.

Um…you know what else has a place in my heart? Tom Ford’s eyeshadow palettes. 🙂 A bunch of new ones just came out for spring; here’s a few of them.

I could seriously pass out…

Clockwise from the upper left, that’s Lilac Dream, Honeymoon, Last Dance
Starry Night and Disco Dust ($80 each).

I may skip my nap today to hang out with them, but I don’t know about that. Something happens to my body these days in the late afternoon. I’ll be all set to do something, but then it’s lights out. Zzzz…

The first one I want to play with is Honeymoon, the warm one with the bronze, wine and purplish shades. Or, Last Dance. I’m lovin’ that sparkly blue… Well see!

How do you feel about Tom Ford’s palettes? They’re expensive as all heck, but gurrrl! — kind of amaze. The powders practically blend themselves.

My all-time fave is Cognac Sable, which I think might be discontinued (NO!), because I can’t find it online anymore. I also love Cocoa Mirage.

OK…transition time. You might laugh, but we’re all friends here, so laugh away. 🙂 Whenever somebody gives BG a book, I get a little verklempt…

She just got a few from some friends in NY, and when I opened the box, I got, like, super teary.

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Tom Ford Holiday 2015 Noir Color Collection

November 5th, 2015 by Karen 26 Comments

There should be a video embedded in this post. If you can’t see it, you can click here to watch it on YouTube.

So, the Tom Ford Holiday 2015 Noir color collection. I mean, really, it’s not like I was going to do a freaking cut crease with these products. The collection has smoky eyes written all over it!

And when I realized that, of course I had to do a little wiggle dance in my chair, because nine times out of 10, I’ll pick smoky eyes over just about anything else, so thank you, Tom, for helping me indulge my natural smoky eye makeup tendencies. Sending you matte lipstick kisses from across the Interwebs. 🙂

Cream and Powder Eye Color in Night Sky ($66)

Five of the seven pieces in the limited edition release, which is available now online and at Tom Ford counters, are eye products. The other two include a black nail polish and a re-promoted matte pinkish nude lipstick from the permanent line, and for extra fancy effect, all of them even have special limited edition packaging (see how the caps are black instead of the regular dark brown?).

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Neat and New to Me: Tom Ford Metallic Mink Eye Defining Pencil

October 20th, 2015 by Karen 25 Comments

Neat and New to Me

Unlike my Unsung Heroes series, which features permanent collection products I’ve known and loved a long time, the Neat and New to Me series showcases permanent collection products that slipped under my radar for a while, but then I discovered them! — and now I think they’re neat and new to me.

The answer, my friend, would be yes. A thousand times yes!

If a roving band of performance artists stopped me one day on the sidewalk in downtown Novato and asked, “Excuse us, miss [yes, they’d say ‘miss’]? Would you mind if we poured this bucket of melted Tom Ford Metallic Mink eyeliner on you to cover your entire body from head to toe like a fabulous coat of golden purply bronze?” I’d say yes, even though it would be hard to clean up, ’cause it would look fabulous.

tom ford metallic mink swatch — Tom Ford Eye Defining Pencil in Metallic Mink

All I have to say about this eyeliner is “Get outta my dreams; get into my car! — and grab me a backup while you’re at it, yo!” Metallic Mink looks SO lovely smudged along lower lash lines, especially with reddish browns or purply brown eyeshadows on your lids.

It’s a shimmery golden bronzed brown eye pencil with a slight essence of purple that comes through every once in a while, and it’s the closest thing I’ve found to BECCA’s fabled Cabrera liner. Although it’s not an exact dupe, it’s close enough to warrant a ticker-tape parade and a pair of naked baby angels playing harps. 🙂

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