Eyeliner

Chanel has released two new shades in their waterproof eyeliner formula this season: Silver Light #87 and Noir Intense #88 ($30 each). I ordered sight unseen and meant to only purchase the silvery shade, however both were sent (and charged). Chanel’s Stylo Yeux Eyeliners are among my favorite for lasting power and texture. They are soft enough to apply easily, yet not too soft that they smudge, fade or bleed. Added bonus: the bottom can be removed to sharpen the tip only, so there’s not too much waste when sharpening (see the diagrams at Natural N Chic Makeup and Makeup and Beauty Blog).

Silver Light #87 is an ultra-pale silvery metallic. On my olive skin it appears slightly greenish (only on the hand). I find it difficult to envision myself wearing this as an actual liner, even in the corners of my eyes or as an accent. It’s simply too contrasted for my skin – perhaps it will make a good eyeshadow if I apply and blend carefully. I find Rose Platine and Khaki Platine much more wearable for my skintone. (Comparisons to be shown below).

Noir Intense #88 is a deep dark black matte shade. When I received this I wondered if it would be the same as Ebene (see it featured on Cafe Makeup here) or if it would be darker/more intense (as the name suggests). Swatched side by side, Noir Intense is darker and deeper. I can’t say the difference is dramatic, to my eye it’s noticeable but still subtle. More close ups and swatches.

Given the fact that Khaki Platine and Rose Platine from past seasons were a huge hit, it makes sense for Chanel to release another silvery shade of eyeliner this season. I personally see it being a difficult shade to pull off myself. Any tips/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Comparisons to other black eyeliners and silvery eyeliners. All Chanel except where noted. I believe the Khaki Platine and Rose Platine were limited and no longer available. The others I think are still easy to find.

I’m glad that Noir Intense was sent to me unintentionally. I think it is a good purchase for me since sometimes Ebene isn’t deep enough on my skin (many black eyeliners end up looking ashy or greyish on my skin). However, many of you may already have your staple/holy grail shade in your stash making this one an easy one to skip. Silver Light is a beautiful silver but something I’m going to have to experiment with. Any tips welcome.

In general I can’t say either of these are must-haves. $30 is steep for an eyeliner, but the packaging is well designed and these Chanel eyeliners are among the few that actually last throughout the day for me. I love eyeliners from a number of other brands for the color and pigment, but few last as long as I’d like them to.

Chanel’s newest Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner is Taupe #84 ($29). It has been released in the US as part of the Sophisticated Eye Collection, a collection of new eyeshadows, eyeliners and tools (see entire collection lineup on Karla Sugar and featured on Chanel.com). I’m a huge fan of the Stylo Yeux Waterproof Eyeliners. They’re waterproof, easy to apply, soft yet not too soft (as in gentle on the eyes) and I love that they come with a twist-up design. Taupe #84 is a complex color. It’s nothing like you would expect from the name. I anticipated a grey-brown to arrive. Instead, I found that Taupe #84 is an intriguing beautiful complex fusion of plum brown silver. I applied this alone on the eyes and it gives subtle but pretty definition to the eyes. The silver shimmer makes it slightly lighter than I anticipated. It will look lovely with light-to-medium shades. However, over darker colors, I think this will not show up. I do envision that it will make a great layering base for colors like Fauve and Taupe Gris to intensify the color or help extend the wear of powder shadows.

At first glance I thought it might seem similar to Dior’s Aztec Chocolate Nail Polish. It’s in the same color family but has quite a bit more silver making it look more purply than brown. Here it is also compared to Chanel Fauve and Taupe Gris Eyeshadows.

$29 is rather steep for an eyeliner, but the quality and uniqueness of this color makes it easy for me to justify. I like the color but the lightness/silver reflective quality of this makes it seem more of something I will use like a cream shadow rather than a definer. It will be lovely with lighter subtle colors or as a base for Fauve. For the lasting power, I put it on this morning (alone without any other shadows or base) around 8 am and it lasted until around 5 pm.