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Fall 2013

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Dior Mystic Metallics Vernis: Destin 382 and Galaxie 992

July 11, 2013
Dior Mystic Metallics brings us three new nail polishes, one in a magnetic-wave formula, two in the regular Dior formula. I purchased the two regular Dior Vernis shades in Destin 382 and Galaxie 992 ($24 each for 10 ml/0.33 fl oz, made in France). Both are stunning shades for fall. Destin 382 is a beautiful neutral mauve-grey shimmer with slight pinkish tones. Galaxie 992 is a beautiful plum metallic. Both are very smooth in finish with full coverage. Each shade has the perfect amount of shimmer – enough to be visible on the nail, but not too frosted or metallic. You may find similar colors in your collection however each shade is just so stunning – they are like updated classics, I think they are definitely must-haves for fall.

Swatches and comparisons for each shade, first up Destin 382. It’s a mauve but the complex shimmers make it look pinkish on the nails depending on the light. I love the color, it’s natural but not nude.

Galaxie 992 is a stunning berry vamp. I was hoping it would be a dupe for the limited-edition Love 928 shade from years past, but it’s not quite the same. Still, Galaxie is beautiful.

More comparisons on the full nail wheel in different light: Deborah Lippmann Good Girl Gone Bad, Dior Shadow, Dior Love, Dior Galaxie, Dior Icone, Chanel Gondola, Chanel Taboo, Chanel Vamp, Chanel Malice, Le Metier de Beaute Faraday, Deborah Lippmann Glamorous Life, Deborah Lippmann Modern Love, YSL Beige Leger, Dior Destin, Chanel Violette, Rescue Beauty Lounge Grunge, Guerlain Petite Robe Noire and Chanel Quartz.

I wore Destin over the weekend and I have Galaxie on my nails now. I can’t stop looking at my nails. Definitely must-haves. Demure enough for conservative offices, but enough oomph to not be completely boring. The formula is beautiful and the brush makes the shades extremely easy to apply. I didn’t test either for more than 5 days since I usually like to change nail colors frequently. I didn’t experience any tip-wear with Destin after 3 days of wear (using Deborah Lippmann’s Rehydrating Base Coat and Chanel’s Top Coat).
I found the colors in store at Nordstrom. They are both limited-edition.

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Laura Mercier Spellbound Face Illuminator

July 7, 2013
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Laura Mercier’s Dark Spell Collection for fall features a stunning glowy Face Illuminator in Spellbound ($42 for 10g/0.35 oz). Run immediately to your closest Laura Mercier counter to pick this one up. You may remember Rose Rendezvous (released back in 2011) sold out instantly. I suspect this one will be a fast seller as well.
Spellbound is a stunning rose-gold highlighter. It has incredible pigment that is visible on the skin even when brushed and blended. The shimmer is highly visible but it’s not quite as frosty as MAC’s Extra Dimension Skinfinish highlighters or Estee Lauder’s Gelee Highlighters. I’ve worn Spellbound over and under blush or bronzer and also as a highlight for the eyes. This is just so so gorgeous, words cannot describe this one. Lasting power is quite good and doesn’t turn your face into a glowy mess. I love that this one doesn’t emphasize pores like some metallics can. The application is quite smooth and lightweight.

Compared to other highlighters below. I find it most similar to Chanel Mouche de Beauté minus the glitter/sparkle and with a bit more finely milled shimmer/pigment. You can see that the shimmer isn’t quite as sharp as with some of the other highlighters. Pigment is hard to show because it blends in with my skintone but the pigment is very good with Spellbound.

Bottom line: back-up worthy. Be sure to check out the lovely reviews and swatches on The Non-Blonde and Best Things in Beauty.
Laura Mercier’s Dark Spell Collection has arrived in stores now. You can find Spellbound now online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Lauramercier.com. It’s listed as limited-edition so I suggest you order sooner than later so you don’t miss out.

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YSL Fall Look 2013: Gris Underground 38 and Beige Gallery 39 La Laque Couture

July 6, 2013
For fall I spotted two new shades of YSL La Laque Couture ($25 each, for 0.34 oz/10ml) at Nordstrom in store: Gris Underground 38 a beautiful blue-grey with a hint of lavendar and Beige Gallery 39 a nude tan cream. Both are non-shimmers with full coverage. The quality and wear is quite amazing. The wide brush makes these easy to apply flawlessly. You get full coverage with two thin coats. Dry time is faster than most. I am in love with both new shades.

Before I go on to the individual swatches, I wanted to post a nail wheel comparison. In my mind before I pulled any other colors, I expected Gris Underground and Beige Gallery to be quite similar to other greys and nudes. They proved to be very different from what I expected. Gris Underground is more blue. Beige Gallery pulls more brown.
Here are some colors compared: NARS Storm Bird, JinSoon Auspicious, Dior Gris Montaigne, Chanel Frenzy, Dior Gris Trianon, Butter London Lady Muck, Dolce & Gabbana Anise, OPI Don’t Pretzel My Buttons, OPI My Very First Knockwurst, YSL Beige Leger 22, Dior Trench, Dior Grege, Chanel Beige, Dior Incognito and Chanel Particuliere.

Gris Underground No. 38 is a shade I’ve been searching for for years. It has just the right mix of blue, grey and purple to be that perfect dove-grey nail color. Most others I’ve seen are either too purple or just a straight grey. This one pulls blue-ish on me against my olive skintone. All swatches two coats without any top coat.

Closeup of the comparisons:

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Beige Gallery No. 39 is a beautiful tan nude. I expected it to go on the nails paler than it does, but it is true to what you see in the bottle. It gives a fresh clean nude look without being too nude or brown. Two coats without any topcoat (although these work well with Chanel).

Comparison closeup:

YSL is slowly but surely making it’s dent in my beauty collection. I’ve
fallen in love with their La Laque Couture nail formula for the
smooth application, long wear, beautiful rich colors, easy to use brush
and sleek packaging. The quality is really amazing. My collection pre-fall additions:

Bottom line: both Gris Underground 38 and Beige Gallery 39 are must-haves. I love the neutral but not boring look these colors give. In stores and online at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus.

Did you check out YSL fall yet? Thoughts? Will you be picking up the nail colors?

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Chanel Fall 2013 Rouge Coco Shine and Rouge Coco: Instinct, Secret, Icône and Mystique

July 1, 2013
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This fall Chanel has released four new Rouge Coco Shines ($34 each) and two new Rouge Coco Hydrating Crème Lip Colors (also $34 each).

There are two pale neutral colors and two bright cool-toned pinks for the Rouge Coco Shines:

  • Instinct is a pale cool-pink with subtle shimmer
  • Secret is a a pale peachy-pink
  • Rendezvous is a bright pink
  • Espirit is a fuschia berry

The two new Rouge Coco Hydrating Crème Lip Colors are on the warmer/neutral side:

  • Icône is a shimmery golden nude
  • Mystique is a semi-bright apricot peach
I was drawn to the brighter pinks for this collection but they turned out to be a bit too cool-toned for my complexion. I decided to stick with the four neutral colors. The Rouge Coco Shines are both gorgeous in the tubes, however they end up looking fairly similar on my lips. They do show up on me even though they are very sheer. I prefer the warmer one Secret because it’s not quite as pale as Instinct is on me (which I think makes me look slightly washed out). The Rouge Cocos are the highlights in my mind for any neutral lip lover. Icône is the perfect golden nude on me. The pigment is amazing on this one and I love that it doesn’t wash out my complexion like some pale golden nudes can. Mystique is a lovely bright apricot. You do need to have smooth lips for this one, if you have any dry patches or flakes this color will emphasize any flaws (prep your lips before-hand, I recommend Jo Malone’s Vitamin E Lip Balm or Hourglass Lip Oil).

Close ups of the each of the shades plus lip swatches. For skin-tone reference, I’m wearing NARS Light Optimizing Primer, Edward Bess Black Sea Mousse Foundation in Light (reviewed here) and NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powder. I think this is one of the first times I’ve photographed myself wearing the reflecting powder, I’m surprised how it makes the skin glow in pictures. It seems to give a photo-shopped look and hides imperfections.

For comparisons, similarities to other shades will depend on your natural lip color and skintone. For the Rouge Coco Shines, I found Evasion to be very similar to Secret. I couldn’t find another Chanel Lip Color similar to Instinct, but I know I have some sheer MAC and Armani lipsticks that give the same effect.

Rouge Coco Shine comparisons to Boy, Effrontee, Evasion and Interlude:

I couldn’t find a dupe for the Rouge Cocos, perhaps you will be able to find color similar in your stash. Most of my Chanel nudes proved to be more pink or mauve than Icône. I couldn’t find anything quite as bright as Mystique, although I’ve historically avoided brighter corals.

Rouge Coco comparisons to Jersey Rose, Peregrina, Stunning and Avante Garde:

Overall, I could have passed on both the Rouge Coco Shines. I keep forgetting they cost the same as other Chanel lipsticks even though they are smaller in size. Both shades look very similar on me and seem to be very slight variations of past colors. Still, I like Rouge Coco Shines for their easy goof-proof swipe-and-go application. The shades fade nicely so you don’t have obvious lipstick lines around the edges of your lips. The Rouge Cocos are both loves for me.

By now the fall collection should have arrived at your local counters and boutiques. It’s still trickling in online, I haven’t been able to find the entire collection at any one place online, but I suspect everything will be stocked very soon. For now you can find the lip products here:

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Chanel Mystère, Gri-Gri and Khaki Précieux

June 28, 2013
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The Chanel fall collection for eyes this year consists of some beautiful neutrals in the khaki family. I immediately picked up Gri-Gri Ombre Essentielle a beautiful sparkling taupe. I resisted the Chanel Mystère Les 4 Ombres and the Khaki Précieux Stylo Yeux Waterproof for a week before caving. Khaki colors are challenging for me to pull off. The olive color on olive skin often results in a sallow muddy look. I was hesitant to try any of the khaki items but a quick mini-makeover with the quad at the Chanel counter fixed everything.

Quick swatches, left to right: Mystère Quad, Gri-Gri Single and Khaki Précieux Eyeliner, I find it interesting the taupes pull more mauve on me while it pulls more neutral and brown on others (similar effect happened with Taupe Gris and some other taupes). See Mystère on Café Makeup and Weekend Ramblings, also Gri-Gri on The Non-Blonde. Clearly your mileage may vary depending on your skintone.

Some close ups of each item. First up, Mystère Quadra Eyeshadow ($59 for 6.8g) is a stunning mix of pale sparkly champagne with gold flecks, soft neutral mauve-taupe, dark blackened-khaki with gold shimmer and a neutral brown satin with green tones. What makes this work for me is that none of the shades are a pure khaki, but two have some khaki elements. The lightest and darkest shades have slightly larger shimmer particles. A base is absolutely necessary or else you will have some glitter fall out on the cheeks and smudging for the dark shade. I used this over Edward Bess’s Eye Base and also RMS Beauty Solar Cream Shadow. The colors are well pigmented and easy to blend. I found it flattering on my olive skin. Easy to wear for day and versatile enough to take into night by adding more of the smoky khaki/gold/black color.

Next, Gri-Gri Soft Touch Eyeshadow ($28.50 for 1.6g) is a must-have for any taupe lover. On me it pulls more on the mauve side versus a straight taupe. It’s very sparkly. I love it. Some close ups and comparisons below.

Khaki Précieux ($30)  is a lovely metallic khaki green. I find it to be both a good liner and a smudgey base for a smokey eye. It’s dark enough to define the eyes but the shimmery quality makes it soft. The texture is soft and easy to apply on the eyes, but firm enough so it doesn’t smudge. Some close ups and comparisons below.

For me, I think the Mystère quad is the winner for eyes. The taupe is similar to the Gri-Gri single (although not an exact dupe). There’s more versatility in the quad.
So far I’ve spotted the collection in store at Neiman Marcus, Nordstroms and the Chanel Boutique on Rodeo Drive. It should start trickling in all stores by next week, as well as online. For now you can find the collection online at Nordstrom.com.

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Le Blush Crème de Chanel

June 22, 2013

This fall Chanel has released six new colors of cream blush called Le Blush Crème de Chanel ($38 each for 2.5 g/0.09 oz). I had my heart set on one of each shade but my local counters have not received all the shades yet for sale. At the counter the Chanel artist applied a bright peach called Présage on me along with the peachy Rouge Coco Mystique and I fell in love in an instant. I left with four of the shades and have been putting them to the test this whole week. The colors are all creams without shimmers.
  • Destiny 61 is a neutral beige brown/tan
  • Présage 62 is a bright peach
  • Révélation 63 is a perfect pink/peach watermelon-like color
  • Inspiration 64 is a pale powder pink
My two favorites are Présage and Révélation for the color. They brighten the face with just the right amount of color. Destiny is a good basic tan, but I found slightly boring for my skintone. Inspiration is borderline too pale for my medium skintone.
The texture of these creams is not quite a cream-to-powder but not quite as emollient as regular cream blushes. They are described as a power-cream. They definitely dry down when applied but don’t really feel powdery on the skin. I really like that these have a lightweight feel but are quite pigmented.
I tried several different application methods. With fingers or a regular foundation brush I found application to be a bit tricky for my skin. I either applied too much color or it looked uneven. Color didn’t last more than 2 hours. Layering over a sheer liquid illuminator like Tom Ford Fire Lust or MAC Strobe Liquid helped smooth the application but sheered out the color a bit and also diminished lasting power. After testing with several brushes, I found that my Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush proved to be the best tool for these. It provided the smoothest, most even and longest lasting application (well through the late afternoon). I suspect how these apply on you will depend on your skin type (mine is fairly normal, I don’t get oily except in humid weather and my skin isn’t dry). Your mileage may vary – some will prefer fingers others may find a brush works better.
Some more photos and swatches:

 Swatches, swatched with a heavy hand to show the rich color, note that the colors are easily blended out for a flawless glow:

I was hard pressed to find dupes or similar colors in cream blush shades. Most of my cream blushes have some shimmer or are in a different formula making colors a bit difficult to compare. Here are a few I thought were similar. After pulling the shades, it turns out the Chanels are really different. 

Comparison swatches:

I wanted both of the darker shades and will probably purchase once they arrive at my counter. For now I’m in love with Présage and Révélation.
The Le Blush Crème de Chanel is available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Chanel.

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Chanel Mysterious 601 Le Vernis – Fall 2013

June 19, 2013
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Chanel Mysterious 601 Le Vernis ($27, Nordstrom.com) is a deep khaki military green. It’s a full coverage cream. Although this is a very deep shade, there’s a muted quality that prevents it from looking black on the fingers. I never thought I could love a khaki-green colored shade for the nails, but this one is quite polished and distinct looking on my fingers. Below shown with two coats.

Comparisons below to some Chanel and Dior:

My heart still belongs to Elixir from the fall collection, but Mysterious is a nice alternative to black, grey or vamps. I can’t say that Mysterious is a must-have for me, mainly because I’m usually drawn to non-green/khaki shades for nail polish. I found Alchemie unique, but for some reason, I can’t get excited about Mysterious. If you’re on the fence and trying to decide between a few select items from fall, I would say skip Mysterious and go for one of the cream blushes or lipsticks in the collection. Those are the winners in my mind.

Right now, Chanel Fall 2013 has been spotted in stores early. I found mine at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. For now, the only place I can find it online is at Nordstrom.com.

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