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. A 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.
