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July 2010

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Summer Guide To My Bronzer Favorites

July 13, 2010
Perhaps it is the California girl in me that is obsessed with bronzers, but I’ve always been one who prefers to be tan rather than fair. Right now I am a Chanel Teint Innocence Shell (equivalent to what’s in between MAC NC30 and NC35, neither is an exact match for me), hardly “tan” but luckily I have bronzers to help me feel not-so-pale since I have little patience for tanning in the sun.

There are so many different effects one can achieve with bronzers. One’s skintone and skintype will also affect one’s preference for formula and finish. A bit of information about my skin & personal bronzer preferences: I have normal skin with olive tones. I get a bit oily in the T-zone only when it’s really humid. I prefer something that gives noticeable tanned look. My top 3 requirements for bronzer:
  1. Don’t turn orangey as my skin
  2. Don’t make me look dirty/muddy
  3. Too much shimmer = copper bronze statue

Powder Bronzers:


Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Bronzer – Daydream $48 This is my favorite bronzer ever! Not being able to see this in person, I purchased it based on the recommendations of Leslie (see her guest review on the EB line here). Her description was right on. It’s neither shimmery nor matte but somewhere in between. It’s a goof-proof bronzer that I can never go wrong with and makes the skin glow. I like it alone or layered over a luminizer like NARS Multiples or Edward Bess’s All Over Seduction. I recently bought the other bronzer shade shade from EB, Desert Sun, and will be reviewing it soon.


Bobbi Brown Illuminating Bronzing Powder – Bali Brown $33 Part of her Illuminating Bronzer formula, I don’t find this one all that “illuminating” even though there are sparkles in this one. For some reason it applies more matte and I find the sparkle/shimmers don’t show up on my skin. This one is more pigmented so I have to apply it with a light hand in layers or else I get an intense brown streak across my face. I would say this gives a more earthy-brown look rather than illuminating glow.


NARS Bronzing Powder – Laguna & Irresistiblement $32 NARS Laguna has achieved cult status as the most well-known and popular bronzer. It was one of my first bronzers and I used it every single day while I was in college because I found it so versatile. It worked well alone and when layered with other blushes. Irresistiblement is the newest powder bronzer from NARS. It looks rather orange in the compact and when I saw it I immediately wrote it off. However, I saw it featured on Em from Too Much Blush and it looked so good on her pale skin I had to try it. See her review here. See it on her lovely face here. She’s done a few looks with it and her review is extremely helpful. I highly recommend searching through her archives for inspiration on how to use this. I tried this at Nordstrom and fell in love.


MAC Bronzing Powder – Golden & Bronze $22 I find these to be the most natural and sheer bronzing powders. Golden is very subtle on me because it’s close to my natural skintone (when applied) so I like to use it as a contouring powder or over powder blushes to add a bit of warmth. I’ve hit pan on this one twice. Bronze is similar just a few shades darker and warmer. These give a soft bronzed glow. I like the simple mirrored compact. If you find these too sheer, try MAC’s Refined Golden instead.


Armani Sheer Bronzer #1 & #5 $49 #1 is the most brown-based bronzer I have. Looks like it would be too brown in the compact but goes on a nice tanned bronze. I would call #5 my most glowy bronzer. It on the shimmery side but doesn’t apply frosty. It’s a warm golden bronze that makes the skin glow. Darker skinned girls will find this less dramatic and more glowy than bronzey.

Cream Bronzers:


Chanel Soleil de Tan Bronzing Makeup Base $48 This replaced the Bronze Universel de Chanel Sun Illuminator. Comes in the same tub and compact. Looks virtually identical to the original. I believe it was simply reformulated and given a new name. My favorite cream bronzer for a natural contour. The tub is huge and lasts forever. This is my second tub. Looks brown but blends out naturally.


Armani Fluid Sheer #11 $59 This is more of a peachy bronze shade. I like Fluid Sheer #3 as well but find it extremely sheer. The Fluid Sheer #11 is one of the shades that shows up better. It has enough color on me to wear alone as a blush. I apply this over powder and foundation with a foundation brush and it doesn’t cake or get greasy.


NARS Multiple – South Beach $38 Another pretty peachy-bronze shimmer. More shimmery than the Armani. I like this with a powder bronzer (like MAC Golden or Bronze) layered on top. Love how this can be used on eyes, lips and cheeks. The challenge for me with this is making it last. It’s so emollient I find it hard to make last throughout the day. Still, the color is so pretty, the non-existent lasting power won’t stop me from wearing it.


MAC To the Beach Cream Bronzer – Weekend $25 I didn’t think I would like this because it looked so reddish in the container, but it works well as a subtle bronzer with warmth. Fair skinned girls will probably find this too red. If I were slightly paler this would turn orangey on me.

Discontinued Loves:

  • Chanel Irreelle Soleil Silky Bronzing Powder in Sierra 22 This was the best bronzer Chanel made. Then they discontinued the formula and came out with something I feel is chalky which just sits on the skin instead of blending in with it.
  • MAC Mineralize Skinfinish – So Ceylon, Sunny by Nature, Global Glow I find these can be a bit intense so I like these with a skunk brush.
  • Shu Uemura Loose Powder in Luster Bronze I don’t remember which year this came out, I think back in the summer of 2005? I got this at Bergdorf Goodman when I was in New York summers ago. I use it only for special occasions because I love the color so much I’m afraid to use this up.

Tools:

I like brushes that are more on the fluffy side for bronzer to get a sheerer application. These are my most frequently used brushes. For the creams, most of the time I use my fingers but my staple is the Prescriptives Foundation brush which is no longer available. Listed left to right:
  • Prescriptives Foundation Brush
  • MAC 129 Powder/Blush Brush $34
  • MAC 187 Duo Fibre Brush $42
  • MAC 138 Tapered $52
  • Bobbi Brown Bronzer Brush $50

My Top Bronzer Picks:

  • Best Bronzer Hands Down – Edward Bess Daydream
  • Best Bronzer For the Price – MAC Golden or Bronze
  • Most Natural Bronzer – MAC Golden & Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base
  • Best Bronzer Brush – MAC 129 (because it’s the most versatile)

A Side Note: I do have a number of other bronzers from the same brands listed above and other brands like Guerlain, Laura Mercier, Le Metier de Beaute, Dolce & Gabbana, Becca and Dior. The ones listed above are just my favorites for the formula and price. Also, I just got a new computer which I am trying to get used to. You may see a slight difference in the photos from my normal posting. Please bear with me as I am trying to figure out all the new settings with a new version of photoshop as well.

A Note About These Swatches: Please take these with a grain of salt. These were swatched on a bare arm without primer or moisturizer. Bronzers apply better over foundation + powder for me, so these swatches aren’t really true to life. I put as many as I could fit on my arm. There might be a few missing. Please don’t be alarmed by the furry thing at the bottom, he’s my kitty.

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Chanel Fall 2010 National Artist Event

July 10, 2010
The Nordstrom near me recently had a National Artist Event for Chanel and they used a mix of the new fall 2010 shades with a couple other items from the regular line. There were two different artists who worked with me. Typically with the National Artist events one makeup artist from the Chanel team will cleanse and prep the skin with moisturizers, primers, foundation, concealer and powder. Once the face is prepped, then the National Artist will come by to apply the makeup and work their magic. I would say about 1/2 the events I’ve been to, the National Artist has been able to do my makeup. The other 1/2 were so busy the artist never made it to my chair (in that case one of the regular artists will do your makeup).

I brought in a photo of one of the latest Burberry Beauty ads and asked them to recreate the look using Chanel products. The final result didn’t really resemble the look but I was still pleased with the look and the items they picked out.

Face:
Teint Innocence Compact in Shell 30
Poudre Universelle Libre in Naturel 30
Pink Explosion 64 Blush

Eyes:
Cristal-Dusk 77 Irreelle Duo
Cassis 83 Stylo Yeux Waterproof
Smoky Violine Exceptionnel Mascara

Lips:
Nude Lipliner
Rose Dentelle 37 Rouge Coco
Rose Dilemma 144 Glossimer

Products are linked to the Chanel & Nordstrom websites for your convenience in case you want to read more about the products through their descriptions, check prices, see other color options etc.

Cristal-Dusk Duo + Cassis Eyeliner

L to R: Nude Lipliner, Rose Dentelle Rouge Coco,
Rose Dilemma Glossimer, Pink Explosion Blush


  • Skin: Skin was cleansed and then prepped with the Ultra Correction Lift line. For the skin the focus was on preventing the effects of aging. Looking at my skin, they said they thought I would have the type of skin that would sag instead of wrinkle as I aged. I’m not sure which one is better, lol. They used the Sculpting Firming Concentrate, Lifing Firming Day Fluid, and the Total Eye Life Eye Cream. I’ve never really liked Chanel skincare (except their Age Delay line which has long been discontinued) but they gave me samples to try.
  • Face: The artist who prepped my skin had done my makeup before on numerous occasions, so she used my regular foundation in Teint Innocence in Shell 30. I asked to try the loose powder, and she applied the Poudre Universelle Libre in Naturel 30. I was surprised no concealer was used since they almost always push their concealers during these events. However, the Teint Innocence Compact Foundation is a heavier coverage foundation on my skin, so perhaps that is why they skipped it (much to my delight).
  • Cheeks: This is where the National Artist stepped in and picked out Pink Explosion 64 Joues Contraste (previously reviewed here). Much to his surprise, I mentioned that I noticed the formulas for the fall collection were different and came in the baked formula like the European and Asian releases. His face just lit up as he said, “I’m so proud you know that, half of these ladies (waved his hand at the team) don’t even know that and they should.” I asked if he by chance knew if they were going to change the formula going forward. He wasn’t sure but thought it would be for certain collections only, not all, but couldn’t confirm.

Close up of the lips, but this is a few hours after the event so it’s a bit faded. Also within a few hours, my skin felt extremely greasy despite the cloudy-cool and slightly windy weather we’ve been having here in Southern California. I think the skincare items I tried will be a no-go. I hate to admit this, but for the eyes, I took the makeup off as soon as I got home. I liked the colors they used, they just applied way too much. Even my husband asked, “why do you have so much makeup on today?”

There wasn’t a gift with purchase offered. I feel this is sometimes better because then there is less pressure to spend a lot of money. They did however give out samples to everyone who attended: A mini look-card, mini perfume sample, eyemakeup remover, Rouge Coco sample card.

Those new to my blog, you can click the “Makeover” tag below to see other products used at past events I’ve attended (including Chanel, MAC and NARS). My last one from Chanel was back in March (click here).
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Chanel Quatuor Boutons de Chanel (Nordstrom Anniversary 2010)

July 9, 2010
Ever since I saw the Chanel Quatuor Boutons de Chanel $65 swatched on KarlaSugar (see here for her review) I knew I had to have it. I didn’t even need to see the tester even though it was of the round-pan design – that’s how good Karla Sugar is.

It seems like Nordstrom has been sending out their pre-sales early this year because UPS arrived with a package from Nordstrom today. (I hear from my local store associates that you can pick up your pre-sale items as early as the 13th. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that what happened with SR doesn’t happen with the other “pre-sales.”) I was even more pleased to find out that while these shadows come in the round pan, they are not the baked variety! Yay! I’m not sure if where it’s made makes a difference, but these ones were made in Italy. This quad seems very similar in texture to the Les Folies Noires from the Noirs Obscurs collection.



This quad has four neutral shades in a soft ivory, light brownish-red clay color, soft fleshy peach and a sheer cool-mauve-brownish color. All have the gold Chanel logo as an overspray which disappears after one swipe. The quad seems to be more on the sheerer side for me, perhaps the color doesn’t show up as well as they do on Karla because I’m darker than her, hence the shades seem to blend in with my skin better. I will say that this quad swatches better on the fingers and apply better on the eyes with brush. Once I put them on my arm the color seemed to disappear a little.

The gold overspray disappears:

In natural light, no flash (still cloudy here in Southern California):

Swatched on bare skin, NOTE they swatched sheer on my arm,
but on my fingers and eyes the color shows up better:



I will say I had no idea these were $65 when I did my pre-sale. Regular quads are $56 which is still highway robbery. At that price, I can’t say it’s a must-have. Pretty, but the price is pretty steep for what you get considering it’s on the sheer side. It seems to have a similar texture/pigment to the Noirs Obscurs quad which was something I was tempted by but passed on because I found it too sheer for the price.
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My Hunt For MAC Stereo Rose MSF

July 8, 2010
I rarely write about bad shopping experiences, but finding the re-released version of MAC Stereo Rose was such a hassle I am making a pact with myself not to do this again. At the end of the day, I have my new Stereo Rose, but sometimes the ends do not justify the means. As a customer I am frustrated. Frustrated with poor inventory management, over-sold pre-sales and the limited-edition-factor of these “hot today, forgotten tomorrow” items.
The most helpful part of this post will be a comparison of the original 2005 Stereo Rose to the new re-released version of the 2010 Stereo Rose. I will save my rantings for the end. Here they are photographed together, side by side (per Lakshmi’s request).


The new 2010 version is very similar to the original 2005 version but not quite the same. The difference is subtle. This is what I see in comparing the two:

  • Original 2005: slightly lighter in the compact, more pink on the skin
  • New 2010: slightly darker in the compact, more orangey-peach on the skin




I prefer the original version. When applied with a light hand it just glows. The new one is very similar – I know some of you won’t be able to tell the difference from the photos. It’s just slightly different in the undertone. It’s more peachy-orange, still lovely, but not different enough to justify owning both. (Update: the new one I just bought is being re-gifted to a friend who was also searching for this.)

A disclaimer for what you read below: this is my own personal experience and opinion. I do not expect anything to be done about this, it’s just an expression of what I feel as a customer.

I arrived at Nordstrom today to pick up my pre-sale items from In The Groove (Stereo Rose MSF, Soften The Mood Trio and Happy Together Blush) and was shocked to find out that they did not have my Stereo Rose. Shocked because I had done my pre-sale with my sales associate a week before the release date. As we were on the phone she said, “tell me what you want and I will grab them as you list them because I know if I don’t grab them now, someone will take them.” She ended our phone conversation by telling me she had “grabbed and bagged” all my items and that they were “safe” for me to pick up on Thursday.

Yet when I arrived today I was told many of the pre-sales were not fulfilled because of something that “happened” and they were not sure what had occurred. Not the fault of my sales associate though. I saw on the handwritten pre-sale slip in big letters, “DO NOT TOUCH,” bless her heart. I heard that someone went through all the pre-sales and removed the Stereo Roses but it was kept a bit hushed and nobody could confirm.

They called the MAC Store for me and they luckily still had some. They did say over the phone, “we can only hold it if you literally run up here right away.” So run I did. When I got to the MAC store, I went to the cashier and said “I have Stereo Rose on hold, Nordstrom just called seconds ago.” I received a shocked look followed by, “What? We don’t hold the new collection items anymore for anyone …” but she saw the box with my name on it to her right and said, “Oh, HERE it is, good thing a manager didn’t see this.” I did thank her for making an exception. I explained my situation with my pre-sale and she said, “you know, you are the 4th customer who has come here and said that is what happened to them too.”

So at the end of the day I have my new Stereo Rose. Why I went through the extra effort to call ahead of time to do a pre-sale and run to 2 different stores to get it – I have no idea. Makeup just not worth this kind of “tracking down”. Chances are MAC will re-release this again. It won’t stop me from shopping at Nordstrom and MAC. I value Nordstrom for their excellent customer service. Especially the women I shop with personally. I know this wasn’t necessarily their fault. But the fact that it did occur is bothersome.

I realize the limited edition factor creates buzz and attention, but I feel bad for those women who couldn’t get this. I don’t know the reasoning behind why Nordstrom counters were sent such a limited supply. It could be for a variety of factors, economic downturn/struggles, loss of profit from unsold inventory (hence decreasing the supply) or something entirely different. I just heard they only received 6 pieces of Stereo Rose which I think is poor inventory management/forecasting.

If you are desperate to find one, I recommend checking out MAC stores, Macy’s and Bloomingdales as they might have more inventory than online distributors.

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Urban Decay

Urban Decay Naked Palette

July 6, 2010

I was one of those who jumped on the Naked bandwagon the day this palette was released on UrbanDecay.com. It contains 12 eyeshadows + 1 double ended eyeliner, retails for $44 and measures about 8 inches wide by 2.5 inches tall. I’ve been eagerly waiting for this ever since I saw it on Twitter and Facebook and it exceeds my expectations.

Here it is for size reference:

This is my first palette from Urban Decay. I’ve been intrigued by the Book of Shadows series, but unfortunately I won’t buy a palette unless I feel it’s at least 50% wearable for me. I was so excited to discover that all the colors in this palette are wearable. I already have a few of the shades in single format (Toasted, Sin and Naked), but couldn’t resist. There’s a good mixture of existing + new shades. Also, I hate to say this, but I haven’t been a fan of the Book of Shadows packaging. I like palettes to be sleek and simple. I found the BOS a bit bulky and just not my style. Plus I don’t dig glitter.

The Naked Palette comes in a soft velvety brown case with a small mirror. I love that it comes with a mini eye primer (I’m excited to try this).

L to R: Virgin, Sin, Naked, Sidecar, Buck, Half Baked,
Smog, Darkhorse, Toasted, Hustle, Creep, Gunmetal

Close ups:


Swatches in the same order as palette, on bare skin:


I am one of those girls who doesn’t like to buy palettes with over 5 shades because there is usually at least 1 shade I don’t like. I still cave occasionally. This one I feel is wearable for a wide variety of skintones. As a neutral lover, I find this very wearable.

Without flash:


I’ve been a huge fan of Urban Decay Eyeshadows since I was in high school (in the 90’s), but this is my first Urban Decay palette. I’ve loved the Urban Decay line back when it was the edgier counterpart to Hard Candy (pre-walmart days). I can’t say that I love all their shades (especially the glitter ones) but they are one brand I feel has revamp packaging and expanded their distribution to a wider variety of retail channels yet has remained consistent in quality and focus. I have to say, as a brand, Urban Decay is continuously true to their brand values. This is something I appreciate as a customer who panics when I hear the word “revamp” (since revamping isn’t always good). Even though I’m not the biggest fan of their packaging, I think for the most part, it still works. I find their matte and shimmer eyeshadows rank among the top in terms of quality. Now if they would only release a non-glitter version of Maui Wowie and Mushroom as a single/individual shadow and bring back their lip gunk I would be forever happy 🙂

Here is the old eyeshadow packaging for YDK compared to the new,
one might consider this from 1999 “vintage”:


I hope Urban Decay will release more palettes in this same style/format/theme. I find the name “Naked” a bit misleading, but it works for me. Perhaps it is naked for Urban Decay, considering they have some really bright shades. I hope they release more versions of this like they did the BOS (1, 2, AIW and soon 3?). A smokey palette (with Mushroom please!) would be divine. One can dream, but I will be very busy with this one until then.

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Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour Collection

July 6, 2010

This post is for one of my readers Jo Ann, a fellow Chanel Nail Polish collector, she was kind enough to search for shades I did not have from Asia during her recent business travels. I apologize to her, but this has been a few months delayed. She hoped I would feature an updated post on my Chanel Le Vernis Nail Polish collection in order to try and figure out which shades she was missing. Upon returning from her trip, I heard she brought back over 20 bottles (Chanel + Dior) 🙂 Many were for her friends. One was for me. I was ecstatic (it was Magnolia Rose which I had missed out on years ago).

I never thought this would happen, but I’ve recently run out of space for my Chanel Nail Polishes in my nail polish rack. There are now four lone bottles without their own space. I need an intervention, but don’t really want one. Most of these shades were limited edition from past seasons. Chanel is the brand that set off my interest in nail polishes. The formulas weren’t always great quality (in my opinion). I can’t remember the exact year, perhaps it was the early 2000’s was the time Chanel revamped their formulas. My first two were Le Perle (see dupes here) and Vamp (see swatches here). Some of the shades are from Canada, Europe and Asia, so US girls might not recognize or remember all the shades being released here in the US. This is definitely not comprehensive of all the shades that have been released in the US.

* Blanc Petale & White Satin swatched here

* Django swatched here
* Jasmine & Inattendu swatched here

* Jade Rose swatched here
* Perle Rosee swatched here

* Tendresse swatched here
* Pink Satin swatched here

* Mistral swatched here
* Cry Baby swatched here

* Rose Paradise swatched here

* Violette & Lilac Sky swatched here
* Paradoxal swatched here
* Vendetta & Feu de Russie swatched here

* Diabolic, Forbidden, Rouge Noir & Vamp here

* Blue Satin & Nuit de Russie swatched here

* Antilope & Trapeze swatched here
* Particuliere swatched here

* Illusion D’Or, Gold Lame & Golden Sand swatched here

* Riviera & Nouvelle Vague swatched here
* Riviera dupes here
* Orange Blossom swatched here

* Dragon swatched here
* Coromandel swatched here

* Tokyo Happening Collection


I may have missed a few swatch links. Also, I haven’t always photographed every mani/pedi I’ve had in the past year. I’ll try to include more in the future. Do you have any favorite Chanel Nail Colors?

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Dior Misty Mauve Quint 844 & Tailored Mauve Addict Ultra-Gloss 692

July 5, 2010
Dior Fall 2010 has arrived in Nordstroms although the full tester unit wasn’t up yet, the counter did have the testers scattered in the regular tester unit. I picked up the Misty Mauve Quint $58 and Tailored Mauve Lipgloss $26.50 – both stunning colors for fall. I probably won’t be wearing this for a few months until fall arrives, they seem a bit too cool-toned for summer wear.

In direct sunlight:


The Misty Mauve quint has a good mix of mauve shades which will allow you to achieve a diverse range of looks from neutral to smokey. It does appear more mauve and a bit more subdued compared to the promotional photos released by Dior, but is still pretty in my opinion. While the colors in this palette might not be the most original, I love the texture and finish of these particular shades and they are well coordinated. As a lover of neutral shades, I think this is a good palette for those who want something smokey but not too dramatic. I call it a natural-smokey eye palette with a bit of attitude.

I’ve had a little debate with a fellow makeup fan of mine about this new quint. She thought it unoriginal and something Dior has done a million times before. It’s possibly similar to the purple palette Nordstrom released last year for their anniversary sale (which I do not have), but in terms of the quints I own, it seems quite different. I will say the lighter shades definitely seem familiar. Looking back on past quints, it appears that I have neglected them. I need to use these more often. In the past year I find myself using Chanel, Edward Bess, D&G and Paul & Joe more frequently.


Per reader request from the comments, you can see it’s very different from Chanel Kaska Beige. Here it is also compared to Chanel Enigma.

Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss in Tailored Mauve 692:


Tailored Mauve is a pretty purple-pink gloss. I was worried it would be too purple on the lips and I normally don’t try out tester glosses on my lips, but my SA pulled out a brand new tester so I felt safe trying it out. It was surprisingly wearable and I normally can’t pull off purpley shades. I need a smidge of pink or red in my purple-tones. This will look good with a classic smokey bronze eye (like NARS Cordura) or even a classic smokey eye (like Chanel Enigma or Mystic Eyes). I find that it goes extremely well with the Misty Mauve quint and isn’t overly purple when worn together. It’s semi-sheer to medium with a lovely glossy finish. No detectable scent. Lasting power isn’t the greatest, but I don’t mind reapplying lipgloss regularly throughout the day.

L to R: Chanel Imaginaire, MAC Cultured, Dior Tailored Mauve,
Laura Mercier Violet, Chanel Delight

I checked out the other items. There are a number of new gorgeous Serum de Rouge shades in bright pinks, plums and mauves. Nordstrom is doing a GWP for their Anniversary Sale, so I had my sales associate put aside a couple to qualify for the gift later in the month. I’m also testing out samples of their new Hydra Life skincare line. So far, so good and it’s surprisingly well priced. Will be writing a review once I feel I’ve tested it long enough to get a good feel for how it works on my skin.

Swatches of my Dior Fall Picks (Serum de Rouges not included b/c they are being held for the Anniversary Sale):

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