Ultraflesh Black Magic - The Ultimate Jet Black Eyeliner Collection

Imagine five black eyeliners in one collection. That's the new Ultraflesh Black Magic - The Ultimate Jet Black Eyeliner Collection ($39).

Black is back in force with this eyeliner set that provides multiple choices for creating sophisticated eye looks at home or on the go. Lecithin and amino acid-derived formulas apply smoothly, providing vibrant color and long wear. Plant-derived squalane adds both application and skin-conditioning benefits. That's important. No animals were harmed to produce the squalane. Spherical-shaped powder lends a long-wearing, smudge-resistant, and creamy texture.

This set is unique. It provides two powder liners, one cream liner, and two pencils in one swivel-out compact. You'll find every permutation of black in Black Magic.

• Wet/Dry Black Liner (matte)
  
• Wet/Dry Black Shimmer Liner
• Black Smudge Liner (cream)
  
• Black Kohl Pencil
• Black Shimmer Pencil
• Mini Pro Angle Liner Brush

I used the mini angled liner brush in the collection to apply each liner, thinking you could see how the brush works. I drew lines thicker than I would draw on my eyelids. I prefer thin liners, but I wanted to get enough pigment for the photo. Even so, I found the little brush to be much less effective than the eyeliner brushes I normally use. The mini brush is great to use on the go, but I wouldn't recommend you rely in it when you are home.

You can apply the top two powder liner shades lightly and dry, as I did, or wet your brush for a more defined look. The line at the top of my arm is the matte powder, and the next one down has a shimmer finish. Although they don't look terribly different in my photo, the shimmer is more obvious when you use a damp brush for application.

The next level (middle) of the compact holds a cream "smudge" liner that I adore. I don't smudge it (too much black for my fair skin), but it would be easy to do so with the creamy texture. The middle level also holds the mini brush.

The bottom level of the compact has the two mini pencils, one Black Kohl and one Black Shimmer. Like the other pencils from Ultraflesh collections, these are gorgeous - and so easy to apply. I will wear them out before I go through the powder liners in the kit. The pencil liners are extremely long-lasting - longer than the others. That's good for anyone who has trouble with liner fade during the day. I hope Ultraflesh starts making their pencils available as individual items for purchase.

I tried to get another swatch photo that would show more clearly the differences among liners, particularly between the two powders. By that point, the sun was low in the sky, and my photos were useless. I will append one to this feature when I can get one worth posting.

This is a fun collection. I just got mine and need more time to play with it before I decide how I feel about the powder liners. I can tell you already, though, that I adore the cream and two pencils - worth the price of admission.

You can purchase Black Magic and all Ultraflesh makeup at Sephora, the exclusive source.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; swatch photo by Best Things in Beauty

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Ultraflesh Shinebox Highlight and Shimmer Collection

My love affair with Ultraflesh continues. The multipurpose Shinebox Highlight and Shimmer Collection ($39) is one more reason why I think Ultraflesh is one of the most exciting new brands in my life. This compact for the eyes, lips, and cheeks is exquisite. I've had mine for many weeks. Although I told you about other Ultraflesh purchases first, I've probably used this beauty more than the others - so far.

"Now every angle is your perfect angle - day or night - with this chic and versatile compact that can be used to create a variety of looks. Formulated with an emollient cream-to-powder formulation, the shades hold up for maximum wear without ever creasing." Each of the five colors in the collection can be used anywhere the face.

The top level of the large fan-out compact is an "enhancer," or highlighting powder. The shade appears to be a golden pink in the compact, but on my skin, it's gold and gorgeous. The middle level contains two cream shimmers, sheer gold and sheer rose gold. Every time I apply one, I'm struck by their elegance; everything about these cream shimmers is divine.

The lower level houses two Secret Shimmer pencil highlighters/eyeliners. The shades are rose gold and platinum. These little pencils are the cat's meow. They are so creamy, I want to have them in lager sizes. I hope Ultraflesh is working on that. Surely they know that they have created some of the most heavenly pencils I've ever used! I have an Ultraflesh contact now, and I must tell her that I'm ready to shout my love from rooftops. Seriously, they are that good!

I took my swatch photos in full sun. I applied the pencils at the bottom of my arm directly from the pencil tips, but I applied all other shades with a sponge-tipped applicator - even the creams. The shades shimmer more in the sun than they do indoors, but they are highlighting shades.

The top swatch is the golden top-level enhancer. The two shades below are the sheer gold and rose gold cream shimmers. The two creamy pencil shades - rose gold and platinum - are at the bottom. Have you ever seen a compact with so many ways to shine?

Each time I have written about Ultraflesh, I have struggled to find enough superlatives to describe the shades. Shimmering, stunning, gorgeous, divine, extraordinary, exquisite - they all work. I'm sure I could use a thesaurus and find more adjectives to apply to the shades in the Shinebox Highlight and Shimmer Collection. You get the idea, though. This collection is a must-have. You need to go see it. Make sure to check out the Ultraflesh Bronze Metalika Bronze and Glow Collection too. You can see my swatches at this link.

Ultraflesh is sold exclusively by Sephora, which has a great 500-point Too Faced eye shadow bonus right now. I have been building up points this year because I've been unimpressed with the bonus choices. I think I am going to need a second Shinebox Highlight and Shimmer Collection, so I'm headed off to Sephora to shop. I'll be adding more Ultraflesh to my shopping basket - and a second Too Faced bonus if it's still available.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

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Ultraflesh UltraGloss Luminous High Shine Lip Gloss

I featured Ultraflesh recently when I described Bronze Metalika, a palette that left me searching for superlatives. Naturally, I purchased more Ultraflesh. I decided to try UltraGloss Luminous High Shine Lip Gloss ($18), a Sephora exclusive.

This moisturizing lip gloss has a seriously luminous, high-shine formula that leaves no sticky or tacky feeling and helps keep the lips soft, protected, and smooth. UltraGloss is available in a dazzling array of eight shades. It can be worn alone or layered with lipstick. The two I purchased have enough pigment to wear them alone (see my comments on the ingredients below if you have sensitive skin).

The unique airtight applicator dispenses exactly the right amount for a single use. Just twist the bottom part of the tube, and out pops the product for your application.

The formula includes vitamins A and E to give you lip-conditioning benefits and antioxidant protection. The super-mild formula contains no castor oil and is preserved with naturally derived preservatives. I would prefer it had no retinyl palmitate in it (would be better for me with a different vitamin A ingredient). I have to be careful not to wear UltraGloss every day or to wear it with lipstick underneath. It's a personal problem. My lips are extremely sensitive to retinyl palmitate - even more so than the rest of my sensitive skin. Retinyl palmitiate is ubiquitous in cosmetics, and it bothers me more in some formulas than others. Since it's pretty far down on the ingredient list of UltraGloss, I have my fingers crossed that I won't have a reaction. I did react to a Kiehl's lip balm after years of daily wear, and I'm dead sure it was the retinyl palmitate. Of course, I applied that lip balm about every 20 minutes.

Anyhow, back to the gorgeous, glistening colors! There are eight shades. I purchased two: Aurora and Echo. Aurora is a neutral pink shimmer, and Echo is a shimmering mauve pink. Both shades are must-have gloss shades in my book.

Here are two swatch photos taken in full sun. The warmer shade is Echo at the top of my arm. The cool, mauve-pink is Aurora. Both sparkle in sun (with no grit in their feel). The shades are even prettier than they look here. Examining them closely, I see a luminous effect that is dazzling.

I wouldn't be able to chose between these shades, so I'm really glad I purchased both! I purposely selected two shades with "shimmering" in their descriptions. Shimmer makes my lips look larger. I am curious about the two that are described with the word "sheen" in the description. I'd like to know how they compare to the shimmers - not enough to drag myself into a Sephora store, though. I'm an online kind of gal.

You can find Ultraflesh, a fabulous new label, at Sephora. So far, I have purchased four items, and Ultraflesh is four for four - all smashing successes. Creator Nicole dropped by and left a comment on my Bronze Metalika feature. I would love to meet Nicole and her partner Robin. They created the brand for "beauty junkies." I wonder if they know how many of us there are!

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora

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Ultraflesh Bronze Metalika Bronze and Glow Collection

Wow! I am not sure how I could be more impressed with a sight-unseen purchase. I discovered Ultraflesh while browsing Sephora online. I knew nothing about it. Somehow, I had overlooked the publicity about the line launching at Sephora last fall. Now, I have purchased nearly everything. Here is what Sephora has to say about the brand.

High fashion, function, and performance come together in Ultraflesh. Inspired by the desire to elevate mundane beauty routines, founders Nicole Ostoya and Robin Coe Hutshing created this high-fashion collection of beauty products, which are made with innovative designs and infused with even more innovative technology. Packaged in unique, memorable designs, their panther-inspired mascara tube is just one beautiful example that Ultraflesh is not just a brand, it's a movement.

Ultraflesh debuted at Sephora with a mascara. I haven't tried it. The new items, exclusive to Sephora, are incredible.

The Bronze Metalika Bronze and Glow Collection ($39) is a multipurpose five-piece compact that has everything you need to achieve the ultimate bronze glow. I was jumping-for-joy pleased when it arrived. I had already read that the mineral-based, talc-free, non-comedogenic formulas offered cream-to-powder color that can be used all over the face, with a long-wearing and non-creasing shimmer effect. I also knew that the formulas were free of most of the nasty ingredients we are all trying to avoid. What I didn't know before my new collections arrived was how incredible and luxuriously creamy the textures of the components are. Each item in a collection rivals the most expensive makeup, but without the luxury price.

This Bronze Metalika Bronze and Glow Collection contains:

• One Allover Enhancer,
• Two Allover Shimmers,
• Two Allover Highlighting Pencils.

They could not be nicer. Even more exciting, the shades worked for me - no mud, no overwhelming heavy colors - just skin-enhancing beauty. How good does it get?

The collection has levels, much like a Kaleidoscope. Here is a photo at right of the enhancer, taken outdoors in sunshine. Below at left is a photo of the second level of the palette, containing the cream shimmers. I was amazed with how nice these products are, even before I pulled out the lowest level, containing two mini-pencils for highlighting or lining the eyes.

Because these are sheer, wearable shades, they were extremely hard to photograph. I took my swatch photo in full, outdoor sun, and I swatched the enhancer and shimmers with a sponge-tipped applicator. I applied the pencils as-is. You will see the enhancer at the top of my arm, the shimmers below (barely), and the two pencils at the bottom.

There isn't a shade in the bunch I don't love. The rosy copper-bronze is the darkest, but remember that I applied it very heavily for the photo. It is gorgeous on the skin when applied with a brush. It leaves my face with a soft glow, radiant and illuminated with a neutral bronze shade. I can't find enough superlatives to describe it. The enhancer alone is worth the price of the collection, but it gets more exciting.

The creamy shimmers offer a light pure gold and rose gold touch. They can be used anywhere. The pencils are intended to be eyeliners, but they are fabulous highlighters when applied lightly and blended. One is a white gold, and the other rose gold. I'm not sure how this collection could get any prettier. I'm gushing.

I haven't had the collection long enough to know how long the shades "wear," but my intuition tells me that they will be shades that stay with me all day. Their textures give away their quality.

I have quickly become an Ultraflesh addict. I also purchased the Highlight and Shimmer Collection and two UltraGloss Luminous High-Shine Lip Glosses, which I hope to show you this week if the sun shines again.

You can find Ultraflesh at Sephora.

Top photo courtesy of Sephora

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