I had a $50 giftcard to Neimans that expired on the 18th and since Shu Uemura was going to be pulled from the store soon, I decided to look at the line to see if there was anything I could find. I found two shadows that I didn’t recognize in IR Brown 850and P Purple 781, and to reach the $50 minimum for my gift card, I decided on one of the new Laura Mercier summer lipglosses in Glistening Sand. I also had a few cards I received in the mail for a mini Rouge Coco in Legende and a mini DiorShow. I had received the cards in the mail about a month ago – but they didn’t get their samples in until recently.
Laura Mercier has 3 featured glosses for the summer collection: Glistening Sand (a beige with gold sparkles), Bon Bon (repromote, a bright salmon coral pink), and another bright coral (forget the name). She reformulated her bronzers with a wave-like pattern, but as far as I could tell they looked the same as the older ones. There were also 3 new eyeshadows which I neglected to pay attention to, one was a teal, the others were golden. Glistening Sand seems pretty sheer unfortunately – but it will be pretty over other beigey-nude lipsticks. (I don’t test glosses at the counter for sanitary reasons.)
The Shu Uemura eyeshadows have good pigment when applied over a base or with a damp brush. IR Brown 850 is a taupe with a slight greenish tinge on my skin. P Purple 781 is a matte purple-brownish base with silver micro-sparkles.
Eyeshadows are swatched wet (with a damp brush) and dry:
This was a present thanks to my sister who went to Japan about a year ago – I had given her a list of things to check out for me and asked her to pick out a pretty nail polish and this is what she brought home: Lunasol Nail Finish in Cool Beige #19, a pretty beige base with gold-silver complex sparkles and glitters.
This is the only Lunasol nail polish I have but I am really impressed with the formula. It’s rich and opaque and needs only 1 coat to get a full even finish. This mani is with 2 coats because that’s what the nail tech did. The color is chock-full of so many colors, I can’t even describe how complex it is. I’m not usually a huge fan of super-sparkles unless they are super sheer (ala Chanel Cry Baby or OPI Hollywood Blonde) but I really like this one and am glad my sister picked this one out.
Is this dupeable? I would say no. The finish is truly unique and so complex, I haven’t seen anything like it. Paul & Joe #27 Gilded is similar (check here), but slightly darker and has a similar finish but with a darker gold base. I am curious to find out how the new one from P&J coming out this summer will compare to it.
Bobbi Brown has released a new palette in the U.S. exclusive to Bloomingdales called the Antigua Palette. It retails for $55 and has the following colors:
3 eyeshadows in Navajo, Oat, Caviar (all matte)
3 lipsticks in Ballet Pink (creamy), Kitten (creamy) and Azalea (metallic)
1 illuminating bronzer in Antigua
The Bobbi Brown collections this year seemed to have been a slight digression from her typical Bobbi-style, but this palette seems to be right on track for her typical classic, feminine, natural sense of color. Four of the shades are repromotes, but the combination is convenient, simple and chic in an all-in-one compact. My only gripe I have is that it mixes powders and creams in the same level which can get messy for the lipcolors if you’re not careful – but the size for the price is great so I’m not complaining.
My descriptions:
Navajo is your basic matte bone white (but not stark white)
Oat is a medium oat-brown color which appears to be a true neutral (like the name implies)
Caviar is a matte black (which is one of the few wearable true blacks for me)
Antigua is a soft shimmery pink
Ballet Pink is a bright pink base with gold shimmer
Kitten is a creamy beige (but goes on a light pinky-beige)
Azalea is a cool-plum with subtle gold flecks
Overall thoughts: The eyeshadows are great neutrals, but don’t apply well without some kind of base, so if you tend to find Bobbi Brown’s matte shadows a bit chalky, try applying them over a cream eyeshadow or shadow base. I had initially wished there were more new/exclusive colors to this palette to make it more unique, but I like the fact that it has everything I need in one palette which makes it convenient to put in my purse for touch ups. I like that it has 3 different lip colors which allows you to customize your look for neutral to more dressy. Definitely a winner for me, but mainly because I like all the colors and find that this will be good for a no-fail look when I am short on time and need a quick touch up.
Two more views:
FYI – Check your local Bloomingdales for their Beauty Benefits event GWP. I don’t see the details online, but saw one at my local Bloomies. I didn’t spend enough to get the GWP so I didn’t pay attention to the details, but definitely call yours to see what they have!
Laura Mercier has released 4 new blushes in her Second Skin Cheek Colour formula and I couldn’t resist picking up Lush Nectarine & Lotus Pink. Medium-tan-skin girls will be excited to learn that these 4 are brighter and darker than the other shades in her normal line.
Both retail for $24 each for 3.6g/.13 oz. These have higher price points than her previous blush formula and are slightly smaller in size, but they are indeed very natural, like “second skin” as the name implies. Lush Nectarine is described as a “soft peachy coral.” Lotus Pink is described as a “universal pink with slight shimmer.” The other new shades released, Soft Clove & Violet Orchid, were equally stunning, but I decided they might be a bit too brown or purple for my taste.
A few comparisons + swatches:
Overall thoughts: Lotus Pink is a warm-neutral pink with shimmer which I find very unique. Most healthy pink blushes I find to be more cool-toned like MAC Pink Swoon and Dollymix, so it was nice to find a pretty pink that wasn’t too cool, too fuschia, or too brown. I definitely think it’s worth checking out. Lush Nectarine isn’t too original – while it has a subtle peachy lustre that isn’t too frosty, it’s just very similar to your standard peachy-shimmer blush.
Are they worth the higher price tag? I would say it depends on what you are looking for. I think Lotus Pink is definitely worth it. The other blushes in her line are very natural looking and soft, but still have pigment. I find most of them pretty unique compared to other brands, but in the store, all the LM blushes do have a tendency to all look very similar to each other.
My recommendation – don’t write these off just because most of the colors look boring in the pan. I highly recommend you get to a counter to try them on your face because swatched on the hand or arm just doesn’t do these justice. And they look better on the face than in the pan.
I am very excited to write my fragrance post! The topic of fragrance is a challenge for me because I typically don’t wear fragrance and have extreme perfume A.D.D. – but I am excited to tell you I have recently found one I have fallen in love with from Chloé: the new Eau de Fleurs in Lavande. So here is my first fragrance post!
My Chloé Experience: I have smelled the regular Chloé on various visits to the fragrance counters. While I loved it on the little spray card, I found it slightly too strong for my liking on my arm. I was thrilled to find out that Chloé recently released a trio of Eau De Toilettes (initially exclusive to Saks Fifth Avenue) in three scents: Neroli, Capucine, and Lavande. I had high hopes that I would fall in love with at least one. My favorites were Neroli (citrusy) & Lavande (like the regular Chloé, but softer) and I opted for the more neutral less citrus-like option, Lavande.
Lavande is described as “feminine and elegant, tinged with citrus, violet leaves and sweetened with musk.” I am horrible at describing fragrances, but I would describe the Lavande as a softer more gentle version of the original Chloé. Those who like stronger scents or want something that lasts a long time might not like these since they are definitely on the softer side. The lasting power of these isn’t the best and fades within a few hours, but I personally prefer scents like that.
The Chloé Eau de Fleurs in Lavande retails for $135 for 3.4 oz. The release was initially exclusive to Saks, but is now offered at other retail locations as well.
A bit of background on my fragrance likes/history:I typically opt for scented shower gels and sometimes a scented lotion, but most fragrances induce a severe migraine for me within 1 hour. After that point, I cannot stand even the slightest whiff of that particular fragrance again. Oddly enough, I love the smell of perfumes and colognes on my friends and especially my husband. I just have a difficult time finding one I can wear myself.
What draws me to a certain fragrance? It’s all in the packaging. I go for the pretty bottles – particularly clear glass bottles. If the bottle is too abstract, too bulky, or a hideous color, I won’t even go near it to smell. For the actual fragrance, I don’t know what I like, I just know what I don’t like which is heavy, highly floral, extreme sweets, rich spices – I think that eliminates most fragrances right there, so you can imagine the challenge for me!
What fragrances have I purchased in the past? Gucci Rush 2, Bobbi Brown Bath, and Marc Jacobs Cucumber Splash. Yet I have never even come close to finishing a bottle. All of these have either been gifted away or tossed. I like Estee Lauder’s Sensuous but hate the bottle so I’ve never purchased it, but occasionally spritz a little bit of my sample on my wrists. I have my eye on Acqua di Parma’s Mirto di Panarea which I tested at SpaceNK before. However, it is very hard for me to find near me, I can find almost all the other Acqua di Parma scents though, just not this one!
What fragrances do you like? I’m open to recommendations of what you all love.
Bikini Peach Glossimer – soft pinky-peach with shimmer
Close Ups of the Nail Polishes:
My fingers feel like the came from the 80’s or like they belong in a gumball machine.
Comparisons to some other Chanel colors: Ming, Jade, Azur, Melrose
Lipstick + Lipglosses:
Summer Gloss Comparisons to MAC Love Nectar, MAC Sublime Shine, Armani #1, and Chanel Sesame:
Lipstick comparisons to: Como, Lily Beige, Cancun
Overall thoughts: You all know I’m a die-hard Chanel fan, but this collection seemed a bit lacking. The collection seemed a bit uncoordinated. There weren’t any new blushes or eyeshadows which I was hoping for. The bronzers seemed a bit unoriginal. The lips had a good balance of bright and neutral, of course I picked up the neutrals and I am completely obsessed with both Bondi Lipstick and Bondi Beach Gloss!
Bikini Peach Glossimer is nice, but is similar to Sesame Glossimer, just a bit deeper in color.
The nail polishes are not must-haves in my opinion, although I do love Riviera which I think will be cute on the toes. Of course I got them because I collect Chanel nail polishes. The formula of these 3 summer colors are incredible and applied like a dream. I didn’t really need 2 coats, but decided to do it anyways because my application was sloppy. At this time, I don’t have any idea how or when I will be pulling off the Nouvelle Vague. I still have yet to brave the Jade color on tips or toes. But at least they both look nice in my vanity.
Being the Chanel fan that I am, I was still able to find some items I liked. The collection as a whole just didn’t wow me as much as past seasons have. The sheer glosses were interesting – I already had a few Fluo Glosses from a previous collection and haven’t used those much because they were just so sheer. However, the new ones seemed to have more color due to their brightness.
If Neimans has a good Incircle GWP, I might consider picking the other glosses up. Saks’ Triple Points GWP was less than thrilling with a mini lifting cream, No 5 body cream mini and a mini mascara. Hardly worth the $150 minimum. Thankfully my SA threw in a few other goodies and extras that she could gather, but this time I had to actually ask.
I intended to get a mani/pedi with one of the shades I featured from my last week’s post, but I never made it to the nail salon. By the time I had a free moment to go, I had completely changed my mind on colors due to the fact I am the most indecisive when it comes to nail colors. They all look so pretty, I can never decide, so always bring 2-3 bottles with me to either:
A) Decide at the last minute, or B) Ask the salon which color they recommend
I brought Rococo Organza and Paul & Joe 02 Heirloom with me and could not decide on a color, so the nail aesthetician said, “why not use both?” I happily agreed. She applied a layer of Rococo Organza on the bottom (which applied like a dream) and then two coats of Paul & Joe 02 Heirloom on top.
The result = a very natural and conservative barely-there nail look that is both interview and work appropriate.
Rococo Organza is a soft nude pink with opal iridescence. However, there was a slight difference from the one I purchased compared to the tester at SpaceNK (which was a nude with gold shimmer much like Essie’s Chips-No-Potatoes). You can see other swatches of Organza linked here.
Paul & Joe Heirloom 02 is a sheer transparent champagne-gold with the most gorgeous microglitters. I don’t know if you can tell from the swatch photos, but if you look really close at the fingers, it just looks magical. I believe Paul & Joe 02 Heirloom is discontinued, but you should still be able to find it. There are similar shades that you can see in my post here on Paul & Joe Nail Enamels.
Together, the colors are very sheer and give that barely-there look. While it may seem too natural to some, it will definitely suit those who aren’t a fan of having noticeable color on their fingers. I know DH approves. He’s not a fan of bright colors on my fingers, but tolerates it, lol.
