Quite a few fall collections have jumped on the dark-vampy-trend bandwagon and while I’m usually very excited to find new dark colors for nails, I have mixed feelings about the new polishes from the Chanel Noirs Obscurs collection after seeing them in person.
Chanel just released two new colors, Forbidden and Diabolic and repromoted Vendetta from last holiday. I ordered the two new ones sight unseen and at first glance was less than impressed. However when I swatched them on my nails, my feelings changed.
Both Forbidden 437 and Diabolic 427 are deep chocolatey-burgundy-vampy shades and are extremely similar. When swatched, the colors aren’t as dull as I expected – they have just the right amount of brown and red. You definitely don’t need both, but they are different enough from Chanel’s Vamp and Rouge Noir to justify maybe buying one.
Difference between the two:Forbidden is slightly lighter and more chocolatey, Diabolic is deeper and darker.
Here are more photos with my comparisons to similar shades:
Swatches: Thumb = Cosmic Violine 497 Index = Forbidden 437 Middle = Diabolic 427 Ring = Rouge Noir 18 Pinkie = Vamp 18
With high flash:
In natural sunlight:
Another view:
Compared to a couple other brands: MAC All Night Long and Sephora by OPI I’m With Brad:
Overall thoughts: Even though I’m a huge Chanel fan and obsessed with collecting almost every single nail color they release, Forbidden and Diabolic were just ok for me. I didn’t gasp with awe when I took them out of the box. I was hoping for something different with those complex shimmer particles that they are known for creating.
That being said, I tend to like shimmery nail polishes, perhaps I need to get more used to those creamy non-shimmery shades. As a fellow Chanel fan and I were discussing a few days ago, they seem to be more for the Chanel collector, and while they are nice to have, we wouldn’t have died if we didn’t get our hands on them.
Bottom line: They look great on the nails, but there’s no need to have both. They are different enough from Vamp/Rouge Noir to justify trying out. If you don’t mind shimmer and want a cheaper alternative, Sephora by OPI I’m With Brad is pretty close, however do note that the Chanel formulas are superior by far. With the Sephora by OPI – you can get good results, but it will require a lot more thin coats.
Here is October’s list of Ten Things I’m Loving Right now. There’s a slight twist on a few items because I simply could not pick one item in a certain category. I’d love to hear what you all are loving right now too.
1) Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill #1 Steel Black Mascara $28 – I finally found a mascara that thickens and holds curl! I have the straightest lashes ever and even after curling with my favorite Trish McEvoy Eyelash Curler, nothing holds the curl as well as this one. Doesn’t clump, smudge or flake. I’ve tried other Armani mascaras in the past and did not like them at all, luckily, I got a mini-sized version of this to try out first. My other favs are DiorShow (gives thick plush lashes), Dior Iconic (gives dramatic black lashes) and Chanel Inimitable (also great) – but Armani’s Eyes to Kill has won my heart.
* A few key tips – I recommend using only one coat and make sure it dries completely before touching up your eye makeup or removing smudges from eyeshadow fall out. Also, I use this in conjunction with an eyelash curler, I can’t say whether or not it is curling, but I will say it holds the curl very well.
2) Shu Uemura Natural Pony Brush 20 $50 – Soft and plush, this is the perfect size and shape with the right density in bristles to make this my favorite blush brush. There is an angled version 20h which is just as soft.
3) Paul & Joe Refreshing Skin Toner $33 – I was lucky to try a sample before I bought this. The Paul & Joe toner makes my skin feel refreshed and it isn’t too drying or heavy. I have sensitive skin and this seems to be gentle and effective at the same time. Love the price too!
4) Bobbi Brown Nude Shimmer Brick $38 – I own almost every Shimmer Brick from Bobbi Brown and this one is the prettiest to date and works on both eyes and cheeks. It features “five pure pearl pigments—pink, gold, bronze, beige and caramel” – I believe it is limited edition, but can still be found at various counters. See comparisons to other shades HERE.
5) Chanel Quadra Eyeshadows in Mystic Eyes $56 – This is one of the prettiest unique combination of colors I have seen. I love the silvery shade because it has some golden flecks in the shimmer. I like to wear it with NARS Oasis Blush and Stolen Kisses Lipgloss over Mitzi Lipstick.
6) MAC Viva Glam V Lipglass $14 – this is my classic no-fail neutral pink lip gloss
7) Black/Gold Olivey Colors – I really like black golds for fall which can sometimes end up looking olivey with the combination. My favorites right now are:
1. MAC Seriously Hip Nail Polish 2. MAC Gilt By Association Mineralize Eye Shadow 3. Laura Mercier Black Gold Kohl Eye Pencil 4. Clinique Egyptian Eyeliner 5. Bobbi Brown Forest Shimmer Ink Gel Liner
9) Beige Shimmer Lipglosses like MAC Bare Necessity Dazzleglass $18, Chanel Freeze Aqualumiere $27, Hourglass Ignite Extreme Sheen Gloss $28, Chantecaille Crystalline Brilliant Gloss $28, Le Metier Captiva Sheer Brilliance Gloss $32 and Laura Mercier Opal Lip Glace $22 all have this lovely complex iridescence with a neutral beigey base giving a barely-there glow to the lips.
L to R: MAC Bare Necessity, Chanel Freeze, Hourglass Ignite, Chantecaille Crystalline, Le Metier Captiva, Laura Mercier Opal
10) L’Occitane Cherry Blossom Hand Cream $10 – love this for the packaging and lightweight non-sticky texture. I keep one in my purse all the time. Also comes in the larger sizes and a few different scents/formulas.
Anyone looking for a job or career change? Those of you who are will most likely be familiar with the excitement of finally getting an interview but also know the anxiety of having to go through the process.
It’s nerve-wracking being evaluated on your skills and competencies from a grilling 30-90 minute interview. The best thing I feel I can can do is be prepared to the best I can and be confident about it. For me, a key part of feeling confident is feeling comfortable and looking my best. I like to keep it simple, polished and professional. But, each time, I still go through a “what should I wear?” moment, so I stick to basics and neutrals and avoid new things and lots of shimmer at all costs.
I’d like to open it up to my readers and ask you what is your interview face? Tell me: * What types of jobs have you been looking for (corporate, finance, marketing, retail, fine arts etc.)? * Do you have any tips or techniques or a go-to look that you feel worked for you for interviews? * What are your favorite colors (specific brands and shades) you like to use? * If you’re on the employer side – any tips or input from you? What are some no-no’s?
One upside to having gone through several interviews is being able to observe how your interviewers dress and present themselves. This has helped give me some guidelines on how to dress and what not to wear. Here is what I wore to a recent interview with a Jcrew Navy Pinstipe Suit, cream scoopneck sweater-shirt, black closed-toe pumps (for corporate finance type position):
Face: Nars Sheer Matte Foundation in Punjab Chanel Double Perfection Powder Foundation in Tender Bisque dusted very lightly Le Metier Fresh Blush + Whisper Highlighter for a barely-there blush
Eyes: Bobbi Brown Malted Cream Eyeshadow Nars Abyssinia Single Eyeshadow dusted lightly over 3/4 of the eye Le Metier Milan Eyeshadow to contour softly (blended so there was no visible line) Dolce & Gabbana Coffee Liner smudged with Nars Bali (for a soft defined liner, again no visible defined line) Diorshow Iconic Waterproof (just to define the lashes)
Lips: MAC Sublime Culture Lipliner Chanel Ming Rouge Allure Laque
My husband gave me his approval before I left the house. What do you think?
I know it’s not the makeup they should notice, but rather the applicant – but there still requires some planning and thought for getting that “no-makeup look,” of course with makeup. I’d love to hear what colors and products you use for your interviews!
Those who like natural lip colors but have a hard time finding one that works for you, I highly recommend you check out the shades from Edward Bess. I now have six lipsticks and two glosses and have more coming in the mail.
It can be challenging to pick something sight unseen – still unsure about the shades from the pictures? Call the Bergdorf Goodman counter and the girls there are excellent at recommending shades and describing them in full detail.
The Ultra Slick Lipsticks retail for $29 are made with a hydrating formula that is rich in pigment and made with Vitamins A & E. They are also “scented with the subtle fragrance of wild fig.”
My review: The lipsticks are indeed radiant and rich in pigment. The coverage is full without being too heavy or drying. I’ve worn Pure Impulse with MAC Dazzleglass in Bare Necessity and it lasted from about 4 pm until 10 pm. They do have a subtle sweet berry candy-like scent but it’s not too strong to be bothersome.
Lipsticks from the regular line: * Pure Impulse – perfect natural nude (featured last week) * Forbidden Flower – soft creamy light coral peach with a hint of pink * Secret Desire – natural everyday your lips but better creamy pink
New for fall include three pinkish berry plum colors, all still natural and wearable (NOTE, I highly recommend checking out the feature on blogdorfgoodman – her photos of the fall lip colors are more accurate in my opinion, in my picture they all look the same for some reason): * Tender Love – to me, the most natural of the three, a soft natural mauve rose * Forever Yours – a natural light raspberry * Night Romance – the brightest/coolest-toned of the three, a cool berry mauve rose
Closer view:
The Deep Shine Lip Glosses are equally stunning and retail for $28. Described as “seductive” with “radiance” and are supposed to be hydrating to create full lips.
My thoughts: My current favorite non-shimmery glosses are from Bobbi Brown for their gorgeous and long-lasting colors. However, they can be a bit thick and sticky (which I actually don’t mind). Edward Bess has some great non-shimmery shades that have decent lasting power, but without the sticky factor. Also scented with the same fragrance as the lipsticks.
Colors I have: * Soft Whisper – the perfect nude-beige (featured last week) * Bare Rose – a pretty creamy pink that matches Forbidden Flower but leans more towards the pink versus peach. If you love milky pinks, but find they are often too pale or milky, you will find that Edward Bess’s Bare Rose Gloss is a brighter version that will work a lot better for you.
Swatches in natural light, no flash: * Top (l to r): Soft Whisper Lipgloss, Bare Rose Lipgloss * Bottom (l to r): Pure Impulse, Forbidden Flower, Secret Desire, Tender Love, Forever Yours, Night Romance
Swatches with flash, same order as above:
See Sunday’s post for swatches of the entire collection to date directly from Bergdorf Goodman. Think you’ll like most of the colors and willing to splurge for *all* of them? Check out their luxurious Lip Wardrobe which has 10 lipsticks and 5 lipglosses for $400 (comes out to about $26.67 per piece) all in a gorgeous black lacquered box. (Details on edwardbess.com)
Photo from Bergdorf Goodman’s catalog:
Edward Bess products are available for sale on his website Edwardbess.com and also at Bergdorf Goodman.
I received these swatches in the mail from Krista from the Edward Bess counter at Bergdorfs today. Those interested in Edward Bess’s line but aren’t near NYC to check out his colors in person, I hope this post will help you!
Huge hugs and kisses to the ladies at Edward Bess. I love everything and thank you so much for these swatches.
FYI, a few notes and disclaimers: * The glosses have tape over the swatches to prevent bleeding * In the top photo, the first gloss Desert Glow (pale flesh beige) has bled into Soft Whisper (nude-beige) – so please click on the photo for larger viewing * I am not affiliated with Bergdorf Goodman or Edward Bess – just a very happy customer * Please note these swatches may vary on your screen compared to what I see
Other tips: * Check Makeupalley.com for awesome product reviews * There are additional swatches at Edwardbess.com * Check out THIS LINK for other resources (Blogdorfgoodman, The Non-Blonde & The Beauty Alchemist)
I will be posting photos and swatches of the lipsticks I bought in the next week!
I am excited to feature more pictures and swatches of Edward Bess products in the next few days. My feelings for his line have grown from intrigue to anticipation to pure adoration for his high quality and richly pigmented classic colors. For face products, Edward Bess currently has two shades of his Ultra Luminous Bronzer and for my skintone I was recommended Daydream.
Daydream is a satiny soft bronze color that is somewhere in between matte and shimmery. One thing I love about many of the Edward Bess products is that at first glance, the colors look basic and ordinary, but if you look closely at the bronzer and eyeshadows you can see a soft glowy-ness with gorgeous shimmers that give it a natural depth once applied to the skin.
Here is Daydream compared to some other neutral bronzers I have: Becca Duende, MAC Golden, Bobbi Brown Bali Brown, Giorgio Armani Bronze Mania #5 and Chanel Sierra (discontinued). My swatches ended up looking muddy, but to help compare Edward Bess Daydream to the other shades, it is the truest-tan brown, without any hints of orange, more pigmented and darker than MAC Golden, similar to Bobbi Brown Bali Brown minus the shimmer and a bit more tan.
I think this would work well with medium-tones. The price of this bronzer is $48 which I felt was steep, but I know it will give me the tanned glow I love without having to worry about too much shimmer or looking too flat.
Overall thoughts: The products in his line are priced on the higher side than the average high-end luxury brand with prices along the lines of Armani, Chanel and YSL. Even so, I want more of his products and wish he made blushes! Hopefully he will release some in the future at a reasonable price.
I look forward to trying out more of his products, perhaps visiting New York to see the entire line in person, and hope his line will see the same success as Bobbi Brown who also started her line at Bergdorf Goodman with 10 classic lipsticks (of course in his own unique personal way). For pictures of more Edward Bess items I have, check out First Look at Edward Bess: Naturally Chic.
Stay tuned for more posts about the lipsticks and glosses!
I took advantage of the Saks Beauty Week Event and placed an order the from NY store. Turns out the mailer card I received wasn’t entirely true when it said you would get 20 different samples in the goodie bag. At least there was a good GWP with Dolce & Gabbana of Seduction Lipgloss (was told the gift would be Candy, but I’m actually really happy with Seduction).
Here’s what arrived today:
* Luminous Cheek Colors in Delight (soft pinky rose) & Provocative (bright pink) * Ultra Shine Lipglosses in Baby (shimmery baby-barbie pink), Sunset (soft peachy shimmer) & Seduction GWP (creamy nude pink-rose) * Smooth Eye Color Duo in Stromboli (smokey black with silver micro sparkles & nude champagne shimmer)
L to R: Delight Blush, Stromboli Duo & Provocative Blush:
Delight:
Provocative:
Stromboli Eyeshadow Duo:
Ultra Shine Lipglosses, L to R: Baby (bubble gum shimmery pink), Sunset (shimmery peach), Seduction (nude rose cream)
Top to Bottom: Baby, Sunset, Seduction
Another view:
Swatches (note the flash enhanced the shimmer in the first picture making Baby & Sunset look frostier and lighter than they actually do):
This gives you a better idea of the undertone:
I haven’t tried the lipglosses on my lips yet, but they seem to be thick and very pigmented. They have the same rose scent as the lipsticks. Baby looked so much prettier in the promotion pictures – in reality, it’s brighter and more barbie-like, but still wearable in my opinion.
