Thursday, September 5, 2013

Tom Ford Absolute Noir For Eyes Review & Swatches

Purchased by me (Affiliate links)

According to Tom Ford Beauty, Noir Absolute For Eyes is,

    Tom Ford's dramatic eye accessory: a black gel formula that sweeps over the entire lid for a smoldering eye or can be used to fluidly and boldly line the lid. Its highly enriched, blackened pigment is infused with a unique spark of blue optics that catch the light and brighten the eyes for an extremely dimensional effect.

Noir Absolute For Eyes is a wonderfully complex gel shadow/liner that appears to be a flat black in the pot until you break the surface to reveal the stunning blue optical particles--that really and truly do brighten the eyes. Note the difference in the top picture of the open pot where it appears to be a flat black- then behold the picture below! The black base is punctuated by the blue particles and this combination makes for one stunning eyeliner!
I have been a huge fan of gel eyeliners as long as I can remember, and they have been my favorite medium for creating a nice winged liner with the perfect flick (of course my experience is notably enhanced by the use of my handy and beloved Hakuhodo brushes). I have quite a few Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliners which have been my go-to for years, but they have just found a formidable opponent in terms of longevity and beauty. 
The first day that I wore Absolute Noir, I applied it at about 7:00AM, and when I returned home late that night it had not budged, faded or flaked one bit. I wore it for nearly 17 hours and it could have held up much longer had it been necessary!
The sparkle is by no means over-the-top, and it took capturing just the right light for my camera to pick it up at all. On the eyes it is far more subtle, and is not in the least bit garish. Therefore, it is thoroughly office appropriate- even in a more conservative work setting. When compared to Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliners, Absolute Noir is a touch more stiff and a little bit thicker. This is by no means an indictment of its ease of use or efficacy, but it does account for what I have found to be its longer wear-time. I have not tried it on my waterline because I have pretty sensitive eyes- so I tend to avoid applying anything with any potentially loose particles when I tightline in my upper lash line, or apply liner to my waterline. That said, as a liner it is utterly stunning!
Overall assessment: Not only is it gorgeous and high quality, but Absolute Noir For Eyes also stays put until you remove it! While I won't give up my Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliners- I am understandably smitten with the fetching Absolute Noir For Eyes! A new love!
$36.00 for .12 oz. Available at Neiman Marcus & Saks Fifth Avenue (Affiliate links).Copyright © 2013 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

16 comments:

  1. Oh I love this product, always wanted to try it out on eyes after swatching on counter but somehow other prios (like quads, brushes) took over and it never made it to my shopping bag. Thanks for reminding it to me ;-)

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    1. Hi Sara!! You "NEED" this one to keep all of your other Tom Ford babies company! THis is definitely my new favorite gel eyeliner. I avoided it at first because I thought the blue optical particles would be over the top, but they aren't at all. They really make the whites of the eyes appear whiter and the eyes more rested! I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!! :-)

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  2. Helen, what are you doing out for 17 hours? I hope having a par-tay? ;-)
    That blue sparkle is totally stunning!!!

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    1. LOL!!! Nothing quite so exciting-- I spent the day/evening with my sister and niece, and got home later than usual-- I wasn't clubbing it in Hollywood or anything like that! I was initially apprehensive that it was going to be too glittery for my taste, but it is just breathtaking on the eyes! I love love love it!

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  3. Your post has reminded me that it's time to reorder this baby :-) I first encountered Noir Absolute over a year ago when a visiting MA gave me a Tom Ford makeover. Being a bit of a geezer or rather "une femme d'un certain âge" ;-) it's one of the very few liners that doesn't migrate into the fine lines at the inner corners of my eyes. If you think smudging at the outer corners looks messy, can you imagine how horrible it looks when that happens in the inner corners? I don't have oily lids, quite the contrary, but I do use a very emollient eye cream (La Mer) all over my eye area which creates a bit of a challenge for any eyeliner, including waterproof. I find that Noir Absolute has no problem staying put and lasting for hours and hours. That hidden touch of blue is also nice as it does brighten the appearance of the whites of the eyes without looking artificial as blue liners invariably do. Not that I have anything against blue eyeliner, but there is a time and place for it and it's just not part of my daily routine.

    Noir Absolute is quite different in texture from Bobbi's justifiably famous gel liners. It is not nearly as creamy or slick feeling, but as you pointed out, the stiffer texture probably contributes to its tenaciousness. Although colored liners are beautiful, every woman needs a good basic black that she can rely on for hours of wear without it fading, smudging, migrating, or flaking and that's where TF's fits in. Noir Absolute is an excellent choice for anyone who prefers cream, gel, or cake type eyeliners.

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    1. I suspected that you might have had this baby in your stash :-) Having met you in person- I can say with firsthand knowledge that you are ANYTHING but a geezer- you are simply a stunningly beautiful and highly intelligent woman! I was apprehensive about Noir Absolute when I first saw it a while ago-- I felt that the blue might be too garish or glittery, but that isn't the case at all. I agree with your assessment that the hidden blue really does brighten the appearance of the eyes without appearing in the least bit artificial (which I had really feared initially). I also agree that a good basic black eyeliner is a must have in every woman's makeup wardrobe- and this beauty fulfills this need with real style! While I still love my Bobbi Brown gel liners- I have to say that Tom Ford's is my new favorite!

      Which of his lipsticks do you have, Eileen?

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    2. By the way, how much do I owe you for that "stunningly beautiful and highly intelligent" comment?!? LOL Beauty is as beauty does and so you, my dear, are gorgeous!

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    3. LOL-- I simply spoke the truth! You are so kind! <3

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  4. I currently have Pink Dusk, Indian Rose, and Blush Nude. Blush Nude is lighter than I'd normally wear, but every now and then I feel like a nude lip and this particular one has enough pink in it so that I don't look like an escapee from the city morgue :-)

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    1. I only have Nude Vanilla so far- my beloved TF SA picked it for me-- I thought that it would wash me out- given my fair-med cool toned skin, but she told me to wait a minute to let it to its thing and that it would work perfectly-- truthfully I had my doubts, but magically it worked. Which of those that you have would you recommend for my skin tone?

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  5. I should know better than to read posts that talk about Tom Ford. Next time find something awful and that I won't want. Please!! As usual your pictures are divine.

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    1. It is a dangerous business reading positive reviews about his lovely things! I will try to focus on reviewing awful and inherently unappealing thins and taking wretched photographs so that you will find no temptation here!!!! This is definitely a very lovely gel eyeliner, and the subtle blue flecks really brighten the eyes so beautifully!

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    2. Thank you for your kindness and consideration. At least Neiman has beauty week coming up!

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    3. LOL!! Ahhhh, yes-- I am still finalizing my list for NM Beauty Week! Getting myself into plenty of trouble at the TF counter!

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