| Review | Tom Ford Soleil Contouring Palette in The Afternooner

Probably the star of the Soleil 2016 Collection (with exception of the VERY elusive Bi-Coastal Blush) the Tom Ford Soleil Contouring Palette in The Afternooner is a face palette containing; a highlighter, a blush, and a bronzer. Is it just me, or did every line come out with a face palette this season? Which I honestly don't mind because I only have to pull out one product to use! If you're interested in other face palette reviews, check out my Hourglass, Estee Lauder, or By Terry face palette reviews.

As typical of Tom Ford, this summer palette is in his classic white and gold summer compact. It is light and sleek rounded square compact. I personally adore this packaging, its just simple and classy.

Here is the description on the Neiman Marcus website:

TOM FORD debuts his first luxurious face palette, featuring three sensual summer shades in one limited-edition ivory- and gold-colored TOM FORD Soleil compact. The blush, highlighter and bronzer add natural dimension and sensuous color in a cream-like powder formula that effortlessly glides onto skin with a soft, even finish. Vibrant coral blush gives cheeks the perfect touch of color, the nude highlighter mimics the sun reflecting off the skin, and the sultry bronzer enhances a healthy radiance. Use shades alone or together to contour a seductive, natural glow. Provides sheer to medium coverage, both matte and radiant. Embossed with the TOM FORD logo.

The product appears to be some kind of "baked" formula due to its raised form, it does not appear to be "pressed" into the pan. This formula is very reminiscent of the popular "gelee" formulas released by Estee Lauder, MAC, and many other lines. The texture of this trio is incredibly smooth and soft, similar to the recent By Terry Sun Designer Palettes, these powders kick up a little bit of excess powder. When applied to the skin, the powders seamlessly blend into the skin. The powders make the skin appear smoother and flawless. These powders photograph beautifully! The first time I wore this palette, it was on a night out and with flash photography, my makeup looked flawless!






The highlighter is a an ivory cream powder with fine gold shimmer running through it. It is a very soft and subtle highlighter, which I didn't expect but I love! The shade is reminiscent of the top half of his Skin Illuminating Powder Duo in moodlight but much softer. If you enjoy the Hourglass Illuminators, you will love this highlighter. It is particularly beautiful for summer days, when the sun is burning bright and you don't want to look too sparkly. This highlighter is on the sheerer side but still creates a beautiful and very natural glow. If you have oily skin, you will love this! Even if you don't, we all get a bit sweaty in the summer, this won't enhance that look.

The blush is a beautiful warm pink-coral that will work for a range of skin tones. Although it is of medium pigment, it is very buildable. The texture is very smooth and blendable. If you're a bit heavy handed, it blends very easily into the skin, providing a very natural flush. The finish is a very natural satin texture with no shimmer at all.

The bronzer is a medium tan shade and has the perfect amount of warmth for a medium skin tone but may run a little orange on a very fair skin tone. Unfortunately, I believe the shade will only work for fair to tan skin tones. The shade is not nearly dark enough for a dark skin tone to pull it off. The bronzer, like the blush, is of medium pigment but is buildable. The shade allows it to be a versatile, for both bronzing and sculpting.

Overall, this is a high quality luxury face palette. The texture makes it very easy to apply and the finish is perfection! My only disappointment is the lack of shades. A deeper skin tone will be unable to wear this palette, which is the downside of making a face palette, you can't suit everyone. If you're looking for an introduction to the Tom Ford line, this is a fantastic introduction because you get three products in one! For the collector, it is always a must have! I think if it suits your skin tone, its a great buy but expect the effect to very natural.

What did you think of Tom Ford's summer 2016 collection? Any favorites? Which summer collections are you looking forward to? Comment below!

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