December 2009

Love from London for Edward Bess

December 23, 2009

Grace London from London Makeup Girl brings you her take on Edward Bess cosmetics. Her blog is one I follow regularly because she features those unique brands – many of which I hope I can try out someday!

Tell us about yourself: London is where I work (and shop.) My beauty interests lie mostly with the smaller, independent lines (Mr London jokes that the best way to describe my taste in anything is ‘esoteric’.) My beauty style is classic with a twist. I like taupe eyes, and red or rosy lips.

For our reference, what’s your skintone and hair coloring? My skintone is a pale cool olive (I’m about MAC 20 depth, although NW is too pink and NC too yellow.) My hair is a dark chestnut, and I have brown eyes.

How did you find out about Edward Bess? I first read about the Lip Wardrobe in Allure. When the products started to be sold separately a couple of the ladies that I know on emakemeup.com bought some, and one of my makeup twins there told me I needed to try the eyeshadows (and then enabled the purchase for me across the pond.)

What do you love best about Edward Bess? The excellent quality and textures of the products. The eye products are just fabulous neutrals; they’re wearable and classic without being dull or muddy.

Top favorite products/colors? Dusk and Intimate eyeshadows, and Midnight Bloom lipstick. Dusk and Intimate are the perfect neutral shadows to wear with a red lip (a khaki taupe and a beige with very subtle green/pink shimmer respectively), and Midnight Bloom is a lovely cherry red (pictured below).

Is there anything that didn’t quite work for you? Night Orchid lipstick is hard work for me to wear. I picked it because at the time it was the only pink lipstick in the range, but it is a little bit brighter than I feel comfy in. I have one of the three new lipsticks on the way to me (Tender Love) and I’m really looking forward to trying this; I think the line has been crying out for some rosy/plum lipshades.

What are your other favorite beauty brands and or products? Other brands I love include: Julie Hewett, Beaute, Kevyn Aucoin, Rouge Bunny Rouge, RMS Beauty, Lipstick Queen.

Anything else you’d like to mention? Please come to London, Edward. Your products would be perfect in Liberty or Fenwick, and I wouldn’t have to rely on the kindness of US friends to get hold of them!

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Bobbi Brown Brightening Lip Gloss

December 21, 2009

I was browsing Nordstrom yesterday and was surprised to see that Bobbi Brown and Clinique had already put up their spring collection tester units. The newest collection for Spring 2010 is her Face Lift Collection which includes 2 new brightening lipglosses, new brow pencils, a new eye cream, 2 eyeshadows, and a twist-click pen eye brightener. The collection also includes 2 repromoted pot rouges.

I ended up getting the Popsicle (brighter pink) & Nectar (pink-peach) Brightening Lipglosses. Here they are photographed with the rest of the Brightening Lipglosses:

Swatches in the same order. BEFORE you write these off as being too sheer, I want to reiterate to you that my swatches aren’t capable of capturing the true glowiness or pigment. While these are sheer, they aren’t completely transparent like these swatches make them seem. I highly recommend you check these out in person before making up your mind.

L to R: Pink, White, Peach, Pink Lilac, Popsicle, Nectar

Bobbi Brown’s Brightening Lipglosses are a sheer version of her regular lipglosses with the slightest hint of shimmer/sheen to them. They are supposed to be infused with “brightening pearls” which create a fuller-lip look. I already have full lips, so I can’t really say if these truely make my lips fuller, but I can say I like these over any cream or shimmer lipstick. Many times I have a cream lipstick on that needs just the slightest bit of moisture to it b/c by itself it looks too dry – I avoid adding clear lipglosses because most times it looks too shiny and adding a bit of lipbalm makes it wear off faster. These are good because they enhance your lips while adding a bit of color and they aren’t too frosty or too flat.

I’m not the biggest fan of that bristle brush she has in these tubes, but I’m happy with the formula, scent and the fact that these tiny tubes seem to last FOREVER. For me, her lipglosses are also the longest lasting glosses. They do tend to be a bit tacky/sticky, but the finish is pretty so I don’t really mind.

I passed on the rest of the spring collection, although I might go back for the Caviar Eyeshadow which was released in her last Nudes eyeshadow palette – it’s the perfect matte black for me because it doesn’t look grey or blueish on my skin like most blacks do.

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All-In-One Convenience with Chanel Quadra Eye Shadows

December 19, 2009

Per reader request, I’ve photographed the new Kaska Beige Eyeshadow Quad next to Demure and Winter Nights for comparison and decided to photograph my entire collection of Chanel quads.

For me, nothing compares to the color palette of Chanel – I usually find that all the shades in each quad coordinate well with each other for a base, crease, liner and highlight. (Exceptions are with the lumieres quads Oasis and Plein Soleil which have a slightly different texture and are more for highlight/contour.) The colors in each quad work perfectly for an all-in-one palette which I find rare in most other pre-made quads. The pigment ranges from medium-light to medium, I like to apply the darker shades with a slightly damp brush. If you like super rich pigment, then these might not be the best option for you. I find Dior Iridescent Quints to be more pigmented, but they have similar intensity to the regular Dior Quints. All of these are the US versions, unfortunately most have been limited edition or discontinued – but check your local Chanel counters, they often still carry some of the older colors until stock sells out. On occasion they will repromote some of the palettes.

Top: 85 Demure, 18 Kaska Beige, 14 Mystic Eyes
Bottom: Dunes, Planetes, 13 Beiges de Chanel

Top: 81 Shimmering Dunes, Spices, 25 Variations
Bottom: Nymphea, 517 Oasis, 527 Plein Soleil

Top: Fascination, Dreams, Golden Eyes
Bottom: Songes, Influences, Winter Nights

Top: 94 Reflets D’Ombre, 16 Murano, Nebuleuses
Bottom: 95 Sparkling Satins, Allegories, Les Divine Mattes

I believe most of these quads have been released in the Asia/Euro/Canada version (ones with the round pans). The only non-US version I have is the White Whisper quad (see photos and swatches here) which was an Asia exclusive, but released through Chanel.com and at select Chanel Beaute Studios and Boutiques. For color releases, I believe Asia gets more colors than we do in the US.

While these are expensive, I do find they last a long time. The most frequently used quad I have is Dunes and does not yet have any dips in it yet. This is by no means an all-comprehensive list of all the quads that have been released – there are quite a few that have been released that I do not own.

What are your favorite Chanel quads? Or are there other brands of quads you like better?

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Chanel Les Impressions De Chanel for Spring 2010

December 18, 2009

After a few iffy collection releases, I am happy to say that Chanel has gotten back on their gorgeousness track with the release of their Les Impressions de Chanel collection for spring (which seems more like summer, but still stunning).

Here is my “omg, I can’t believe I spent so much, but I’m so happy” haul:

* Empreinte de Chanel Poudre Eclat Illuminatrice
* Joues Contraste #59 Imprevu
* Les 4 Ombres #18 Kaska Beige
* Eyeshadow Single #85 Sillage, #86 Trace
* Nail Polishes #503 Inattendu, #505 Particuliere, #507 Tendresse
* Rouge Allure #79 Impertinente, #80 Delicieuse, #81 Insouciante, #82 Incognito
* Glossimer #139 Futile, #141 Maline

Part 1: Face and Cheeks

It seems like the star product of the collection is their compact highlighter Empreinte de Chanel Poudre Eclat Illuminatrice – this has a multi-colored base powder with an embossed crossing C logo on top in a gold shimmer powder. The shimmer goes all the way through, the Cs are definitely more pigmented, the base powder shows up, but is more sheer.

The new blush #59 Imprevu is probably the most shimmery Chanel blush I’ve seen. It’s a peachy-tawny-nude that will probably be too dark for fair skins. Right now, I have medium skin (check My Foundation Shades Here) and it gave me a bronzey-peach look. It doesn’t go on as shimmery as it looks in the compact and is just a tad lighter than Fandango but very similar.

Part 2: Eyes

These are definitely my favorite pieces. See MORE VIEWS HERE. The eyeshadow quad #18 Kaska Beige is very natural with a unique combination of colors: pale cream, medium pink-brown-beige, shimmery dusty plum, shimmery beige-gold.

Equally stunning are the new eyeshadow singles #85 Sillage (shimmery pinky shell) & #86 Trace (sparkley warm bronze). Sillage is more pink and less pale than Lotus and Island. Trace is warmer and more sparkley than Le Bronze and Cinnamon with the gold shimmers being more visible.

Part 3: Lips

The lipsticks come in the Rouge Allure formula. The colors, L to R are #79 Impertinente (dusty rose pink), #80 Delicieuse (soft coral), #81 Insouciante (nude beige-grey), #82 Incognito (neutral nude pink).

The glossimers in this collection are both sparkley and sheer but still really pretty. #139 Futile is a super pale pink and #141 Maline is a pale gold. If you have colors like Rose Sand, Seashell, Pink Crystal, or Bronze Crystal, you probably won’t need to get these unless you’re a die hard Chanel fan. I believe both are Limited Editions.

Part 4: Nail Polishes

I posted pictures and swatches of the nail polishes already a couple days ago here, so today I’ll do comparisons to other similar shades I have.

#503 Inattendu comparisons
L to R: Chanel Jasmine, Chanel Inattendu, OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy

#505 Particuliere comparisons
L to R: OPI You Don’t Know Jacques, Chanel Particuliere, OPI Over the Taupe

#507 Tendresse comparisons
L to R: Paul & Joe #10, Chanel Tendresse, Chanel Rose Satin, Zoya Jessika

Also in the collection (not purchased):
* #68 Khaki Dore Le Crayon Yeux (olivey-gold shimmery eyeliner)
* #100 Ombre D’eau (a khaki-greenish fluid eyeshadow)
* #36 Beige Le Crayon Levres (pale beige lipliner)
* #110 Beige Claire Poudre Universelle (a luminous setting powder)
* #68 Sand Eyeshadow Single (repromote)
* Soleil Tan de Chanel (Sunkissed – reformulated version of their Brilliance Pur)
along with a few other items I didn’t catch since everything was still in boxes.

Overall thoughts . . .
Winners = Eyes: To me, the must haves are the Kaska Beige Eyeshadow Quad and Sillage/Trace Singles.
Face/cheek: While I love all the Chanel JC blushes, the new Imprevu didn’t wow me as much after I saw how it compared to my other Chanel colors (if you have Fandango or Enchantresse I don’t think you need this new one). I must admit the store lighting made me gasp when I saw the new blush though. The highlighter powder is really nice, but I think YMMV on this one. It shows up on me, but I was a bit disappointed that multi-colored base is sheerer than the rest of the powder.
Nails: The nail polishes are amazing in the formula, but not so unique with the colors. I really wish they had some pearl or shimmer to them to give them that extra unique Chanel-touch. Particuliere (the grey/taupe) can be easily duped with OPI Over the Taupe – the only difference is that OPI OTT is more warm/brown where Chanel Particuliere is a tad more greyish/cool. If you like grey/taupes but want something lighter with a pearl finish, check out Zoya Pasha.
Lips: These are great if you like natural wearable colors. I think Chanel always does a great job with their lipsticks and glosses.

*Commentary deleted*

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More on Edward Bess from Guest Reviewer Leanne

December 17, 2009

So what is an Edward Bess fan like? From what I gather, we all love those unique and more independent lines. We go for that simple minimalist but classic polished look. Leanne, another Edward Bess fan, shares her experiences and reviews on the line. She was the first one to help me with my millions of questions back in September and immediately gave me the latest scoop on the newest upcoming lipsticks (released in the fall) giving me super descriptions and details based on what she knew. Leanne definitely pointed me in the right direction starting me off with Intimate Eyeshadow & the fall lipsticks and glosses.

From Leanne:

I’m a 53 year-old visual artist, mother of two, and yoga fanatic from the Pacific Northwest. I consider myself something of a minimalist. I’m a sucker for really good design, whether it’s fashion, handbags, or furniture (I have a particular soft spot for Scandinavian style).

I have pale skin with cool undertones and blue eyes. My natural hair color is a medium ash blonde. I am in the process of letting it grow out with some gray and toning to blend it, so the overall effect is light blonde.

I would call my beauty style “simple chic with added quirkiness”, and “working what you’ve got”. I love the French concept of bien dans sa peau, or “feeling good in one’s skin”– being happy with who you are, flaws and all. I practice good skin care and work with my natural hair texture (which is curly/wavy and worn just below the shoulders). I’m the same weight I was in high school because of my yoga practice and a fairly healthy diet (I’m no saint, but I avoid fast food). My favorite makeup is a natural, neutral but polished look with a deep or striking lip color (think of the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy). As I age, I’m spending more time on things that define my features, like eyebrows and lipstick, rather than trendy colors or complicated makeup.

My finding Edward Bess story is rather poignant. I became a widow last year, and decided that one way to ease myself through such a difficult time was to pare down my beauty routine but splurge on the absolute best products for the job. Researching on Makeup Alley and reading beauty blogs was a fun distraction when I needed it. The first thing I discovered about the line was that his lipsticks were great but you had to buy them all together for hundreds of dollars. My initial reaction was “pull the other one, Edward, it’s got bells on”– not exactly positive! Then I discovered that he was in fact expanding his line and selling products separately, with prices comparable to Chanel, Chantecaille, and Giorgio Armani. I was entranced by the reviews– his take on makeup sounded so in tune with what I wanted– and I contacted Leslie for her advice. She was, of course, lovely and very helpful. I started out with a few lipsticks, and I was a goner. Orders for the highlighter and concealer happened next, followed by purchases of eye shadows and more lipstick. (You see where this is going). I started getting rid of similar items from other lines that just didn’t stand up to these products. For me, having his line of cosmetics is like having a great quality wardrobe of a few simple, gorgeous, versatile pieces that all work together. The quality of these products– the texture, the scent, the lovely color palette, the simple black packaging– makes them a pleasure to use and wear. And the wear time is phenomenal.

My favorite products are Intimate eye shadow, Afterglow highlighter, Soft Beige Platinum Concealer, and several of the Ultra Slick Lipsticks (Eternal Passion, Tender Love, and Night Romance). There were a few lipstick shades I tried that didn’t work for me, but definitely have more hits than misses.

I love small, independent beauty lines and Julie Hewett’s is another that deserves more attention. Of the larger brands, Nars has been a consistent favorite of mine.

I can’t wait to see how Edward Bess expands his line. I hope he continues to do it with the same thoughtfulness and care he has put into it so far!

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Chanel Les Impressions de Chanel Nail Polishes & Eyeshadows for Spring 2010

December 16, 2009

So I’m supposed to be studying Securities Law & Business Associations for finals right now but I couldn’t contain my excitement for the new Chanel Spring 2010 line. The spring collection has been trickling instores and my local Saks just got them in yesterday and my favorite SA pulled the testers from the back even though the Chanel rep was off for the day and didn’t have the unit set up.

For official promotional photos, check out Marina’s blog Makeup4All!

A more comprehensive post will be coming soon, but I wanted to show you the three new nail polishes that came out:

#503 Inattendu – neutral light peach
#505 Particuliere – grey taupe
#507 Tendresse – soft pink cream

All three are cream and have no shimmer. Those who love neutrals will like these, although I must admit they are very dupe-able (more dupe swatches to come soon). My biggest weakness is for Chanel – when I got home, I had slight buyer’s remorse feeling that “why did I buy these nail polishes?” when I already have similar colors. But when I put them on, I found they have just the right amount of pigment so that they aren’t too yellowy or white. Often times, peachy colors end up looking yellowy on my skin and pinks look whitish once they are on my nails.

The eyeshadow singles and quads are the winners in the collection for me.

Sillage (left) & Trace (right)

Kaska Beige

More descriptions and details to come in the next couple days featuring the highlight powder, new blush, rouge allures and glossimers. Along with comparisons too!

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Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Sunlight & Afterglow

December 15, 2009

I bought these due to the Product Swatches the Edward Bess Counter sent me (many thanks to the wonderful staff there). I briefly glanced at the description online to get more details – they are priced at $37 each and described as a cream-finish highlighter for eyes, lips and cheeks.

I’ll do my best to describe the colors:
* Sunlight – a pale cream shimmer
* Afterglow – a light peachy bronze shade

Sunlight

Afterglow

I must admit I was stunned when I saw how small these compacts were. For $37, I assumed they would be at least as big as the bronzer compacts. I compared these to a few of my other liquid and cream highlighters and the EB is clearly superior if you are looking for that subtle glow without the greasy feel or glittery finish.

This is how I feel the Edward Bess products compare to other brands:

* NARS Multiples – I am a huge fan of Nars Multiples for the wide range of colors and the luminous glow you can get from these. I love the pigment and blendability of these, however, I find that the Multiple Sticks tend to get a bit greasy-looking on warmer days and don’t last very long by themselves. I usually need to set with a powder blush.

* Armani Fluid Sheers – Armani Fluid Sheers are indeed very sheer. The formula is a bit rich for my skin, so I need to apply this sparingly or else I end up looking shiny/oily. The #02 shade is most similar to EB Sunlight, but has a slightly glittery finish, where the EB just gives you a glow.

* Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors – I’ve used this mixed with foundation. I find the Becca to be the most glowy-luminous liquid highlighter I have (even my husband has commented before about how my skin just glows). With these I have to be careful in the application too because they are so luminous, too much makes me look very shiny because of the finish.

How does the All Over Seduction compare? Color-wise Sunlight is a less white version of Nars Copacabana, Afterglow is most similar to Maldives minus the sparkle. For the finish/texture, Edward Bess’s cream highlighters are non-greasy yet creamy enough to be blendable. I do find them to be very sheer, so if you’re looking for a more visible highlight, I wouldn’t recommend these for you. If you’re looking for that subtle glow to finish your look, then these are the right product to try out.

For me, I’m a Chanel Shell 1.5, so the Sunlight shows up better on my skin because of the contrast where the Afterglow blends in more for a nude-barely-there peach glow. Today I am wearing Sunlight on my lids with the Nude Eyeshadow over it and it gives the perfect natural your lids but better glow. I have Afterglow on my cheeks and added MAC Nuance Mineralized Blush on top.

Comparison to Nars Multiples: Copacabana, Maldives, South Beach