Tom Ford Beauty Cheek Color in Frantic Pink

The online photos don't do justice to Tom Ford Beauty's Cheek Colors ($55). I was much more delighted with the colors that arrived at my door than the ones I had expected from the photos. I'm featuring Frantic Pink (02) today. The photo on the Neiman Marcus Web site is shown above. My photo, taken in full, mid-day sun, is shown immediately below.

Frantic Pink is a beautiful, everyday, wearable pink that imparts a natural blush to the cheeks. "Formulated with spherical pearls and rich emollients, it glides onto skin with the comfort of a cream, achieving outstanding luminosity and a velvety transparency."

I had an opportunity to talk with someone who was at the multi-day Tom Ford launch at Bergdorf Goodman last week. She told me that the colors were selected to fall into two categories: the first for a soft, natural look and the second for a dramatic look. It's clear to me that Frantic Pink falls into the first category. It's a great blush for a soft, pretty look.

Here are a couple of swatch photos taken in full sun. I actually applied the color fairly heavily at the top of my arm, using a sponge-tipped applicator. Even so, it's soft and natural. In the swatch below, I applied Frantic Pink with a dense blush brush, using a heavy hand. I wanted to get enough color to show you the hue.

To my eye, Frantic Pink is a neutral pink - too too cool and not too warm. I think it's gorgeous. It enlivens my fave. I'm reminded of one of my favorite Bobbi Brown trainers, Tia Hebron, who says, "People are nicer to you when you wear blush." She's right!

There has been much conversation in the last few weeks about Tom Ford Beauty. There are two schools of thought. Some believe the prices are ridiculous and won't buy/order on principle; others, like me, were willing to try the line, waiting to judge its cost to value ratio. I believe the Cheek Colors are definitely worth your attention. The compacts (brown and gold, hefty, suede-like pouch, etc., as I've mentioned already) are extremely nice. The colors themselves - at least the two I purchased - are stunning. You get a nice large block of product in the pan.

The Eye Color Quads seem to be drawing the most polarized attention. Even I had mixed reactions, finding Golden Mink to be pretty, but not worth its high-end price, but also finding Sahara Haze to be drop-dead gorgeous and worth every cent of the $75. I've read some high praise for other quads as well.

I'm now intrigued - to the point I'm going to have to purchase it - with Shade & Illuminate, a duo that Tom Ford designed to chisel our cheekbones (basically, apply the brown and top it with the white). My friend, a new Tom Ford representative, said it's an outstanding item in the collection. I won't identify her until I get her permission. I'll just tell you that she knows her luxury makeup. She saw Shade & Illuminate in use at Bergdorfs last week and was blown away by it. Enough said for me! She told me I'd be an Intensity One, so as soon as I can find a new source for money, I'll be purchasing it.

I doubt I'll purchase more than Shade & Illuminate now. I can't see the collection in person. I understand additional doors will be added when Tom Ford's spring collection is launched, and I'm hoping that one of them will be in the DC area. There are currently only 10 doors carrying the line. I'm not sure why New York got three, and we got none. We have two worthy Neiman Marcus stores and a great Saks Fifth Avenue at Chevy Chase, Maryland. Despite rumors (or wishful thinking) from several of the stores, I hear the locations are not yet set in stone.

If you want to shop Tom Ford Beauty, the line is available at Neiman Marcus' Web site and select Neiman Marcus stores. It's also available at Bergdorf Goodman.

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