Happy 2017, and welcome back to Writing Beauty!
After a busy December of posting about lots of wonderful brands that I discovered near the end of 2016, I took a month off to prepare for the winter 2017 lineup.
I’m starting the year by sharing my thoughts on Sothys Paris, a highly specialized beauty brand that exudes pure luxury.
Sothys, an avant-garde beauty expert, produces products sold exclusively in beauty institutes and spas. The company has a line of innovative skin and body care, as well as a makeup line with limited-edition collections inspired by the seasons. I was lucky enough to test out seven of their top picks from the Fall/Winter 2015-2016 Baroque Collection, and am excited to share my experiences with you. This collection is glowing with its glints of gold and iridescent accents.
First, let’s talk about the packaging. All items feature sleek black casing with a matte exterior and shiny interior The eyeshadow quad and lipsticks also come with suede pouches that add an extra-special touch. All packaging includes the Sothys symbol which is of an Egyptian goddess named Sothys who dedicated herself to women in order to preserve their beauty and happiness. It’s these little details that show the thought and research that the company puts into its products.
One of the most eye-catching items in the collection is the Ombre Sothys Eye Quartet Palette*. Aside from the beautiful packaging, the colours in this quad are chic, glowy, and iridescent—perfect for a goddess! I really appreciate the harmony behind the colour selection. While each shade can work on its own, all four shades can also be used together to create a pretty, natural look. I was a bit nervous when I opened it to see two brown shades since most brown shadows are too warm for my cool-toned complexion, but was presently surprised by how neutral and wearable they are. The standout shade for me is the icy pink. It really makes my brown eyes pop, and I think it will look great with any eye colour. The gold shade is a nice touch and an effective way to add a bit of wearable glitter to the palette. I find that this palette is very versatile with its smooth and buildable shadows that can create a polished everyday look, and the neutral darker shades that can deepen the overall effect for a sultry night look. If you are thinking of trying some items from this collection, the eye quad is definitely one to consider.
Another eye product from the Baroque Collection is the Eyeliner in Noir Essentiel*. This product includes a foam applicator with a carefully crafted design meant to achieve an even line. I like the concept of a foam applicator because it won’t fray like a brush and won’t feel rough on sensitive eyes. The formula itself has a creamy, easy-to-apply texture in an intense black shade. I also really like that the product dries to a very natural finish that is not too shiny or matte. From my experience, it dries quickly, does not smudge easily, and holds up well for hours of wear.
Look at how rich and dark the formula is on the skin. This photo was taken after just one quick swipe of the product.
The last eye product of the collection is the Essential Mascara in Marron Glacé*. When I opened the tube, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn’t a basic black shade. It’s more of a rich caramel brown colour that adds a multidimensional effect to the lashes and works very well when paired with the eye quad. Aside from the colour, I also love the brush since it’s made of a rubber material and has perfectly spaced bristles that avoid clumps. It leaves the lashes looking long and separated.
Let’s take a moment to admire those sleek, clump-free bristles.
In the lip category, this collection features two lipsticks in very different formulas and finishes. First is the Rouge Doux Sothys Sheer Lipstick in Des Arts*. While it may look a bit intimidating in the photo, this lipstick is more like a balm with a glossy finish that makes the lips look hydrated, plump, and glowy. The glitter is very sheer, so it adds a shine to the lips rather than a metallic look. Sothys describes this lipstick as a product with three uses: a sheer lipstick, a slightly glittery top coat to be used over your regular lipstick, and a balm that protects and moisturizes lips. Worn on its own, it gives the lips a sheer-coverage nude look that’s smooth and glossy. The glitter shows a bit more when worn over a darker lipstick, but it’s still quite sheer and natural. As for the texture, it’s soft and melts into the lips effortlessly without feeling greasy. One last feature of this product that I must tell you about is the scent. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it smells like fresh berries with a hint of citrus. Mr. Writing Beauty says that the scent reminds him of raspberry Tootsie Pops. This lipstick is one of those unique luxury products that would make a great gift for yourself or your makeup-loving friends.
Here’s a close-up of that soft glitter.
The other lipstick in the collection is the Rouge Intense Sothys Satin Lipstick in Rose Franc-Bourgeois*. With its rich rose colour, this lipstick provides medium coverage for intense, nourished-looking lips. It feels very smooth and satiny upon application and does not leave the lips feeling tight or dry. The neutral rose shade also makes this lipstick fairly versatile and wearable for many different skin tones. It sets to a creamy finish that is not overly glossy to matte. Unlike the Rouge Doux, the Rouge Intense does not include a customized scent and smells more like a regular lipstick.
The Sothys imprint adds a bit of luxury to the lipstick.
The last items from the collection are nail products in gold and rosy shades like the lipsticks. The Vernis Sothys Glittery Effect in Or Baroque* is a gold glitter that can be worn alone or as a top coat. It’s more unique than a typical gold glitter polish because it includes multiple shapes and sizes of glitter. Most of the glitters are either extra small round or small hexagonal pieces, but there’s also some larger triangular pieces (you can see one of them on my thumb in the photo below). For being a glitter, the polish has a nice texture that’s not too thick and is easy to apply.
A better look at the different sizes and shapes of glitter flakes in this polish.
Last is the Vernis Sothys Nail Lacquer in Framboise Rock*. This raspberry shade looks very similar to the Rose Francis-Bourgeois lipstick but with a bit more pink. The formula is easy to work with and is opaque with just one coat. What impresses me most about this polish is its extremely shiny finish. In the photo below, I am only wearing one coat of it with no top coat and it looks seamless and glassy.
The flat, rounded brush makes it easy to apply polish on smaller nails like mine.
Overall, the Sothys Paris Fall/Winter 2015-2016 Baroque Collection features luxurious make-up products in rich and natural shades with a glowy iridescence that makes them very wearable. As a cool-toned person, I usually stay away from gold products, but the gold accents in this collection are incorporated in such a classy way that they can be used subtly to enhance rather than dominate a look. My favourites of the collection include the eyeshadow palette, the mascara, and the sheer lipstick. All products in the collection range from C$18.50-$67.00, so they are in the appropriate price range for a high-end brand and are great options if you are looking to splurge on unique yet versatile beauty items. In future posts, I look forward to sharing my thoughts on the current seasonal collection from Sothys as well as some of the innovative skincare products that Sothys has to offer.
For more information on Sothys Paris products, visit http://www.sothys.fr/en. The Sothys make-up range is available in institutes and spas throughout Canada. To find them in your vicinity, you can call 1-800-361-3004. Those located in the US can find a salon that carries Sothys products by visiting http://www.sothys-usa.com/pages/find_a_salon.html
Which products in this collection are your favourites?
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