Currently catching up on all my favorite blog reads, instagram feeds and tweets from last week. Also busy swatching some of the latest nail polishes for fall from Dior and YSL. Check out my Instagram feed @beautylookbook to get early sneak peeks.
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?
Edward Bess released three new blushes in a new package and formula early in the spring called Blush Extraordinaire ($43 for 0.21 oz, made in the USA). There are three shades, Secret Affair 01, Filled with Desire 02 and Bed of Roses 03. I ordered all three online from Neiman Marcus during one of their beauty events to take advantage of a lip gloss gift with purchase. As usual, I have been thrilled with the latest from Edward Bess.
Each shade has a soft smooth finely milled texture. The colors are well pigmented but easily layerable. They have the classic Edward Bess fig scent (which I adore). I’ve tested the shades for several weeks now, the lasting power is quite good. The colors don’t darken on the skin as the day wears on and I love how the color is visible but natural. Each shade brightens the face with a hint of color.
Secret Affair 01 (available online at Neiman Marcus and Sephora) is probably my favorite of the three. It’s a luscious peach with shimmer with a slight hint of pink. The shimmer disappears on my skin leaving a soft satiny finish. On me it pulls more coral, but there is enough pink in it to prevent it from looking orangey. See how it pulls more pinkish on The Non-Blonde and Temptalia.
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Filled with Desire 02 (available online at Neiman Marcus and Sephora) is a soft sheer pale pink. It’s a satiny baby pink – something I find rare among most blush brands. Pale pinks are typically flat or come with silvery shimmers. Edward Bess’s Filled with Desire is a ballet pink with pink shimmer. On me it looked very sheer. I found it worked best when layered over Tom Ford’s Blush Guilt or Edward Bess Afterglow Highlighter. These creams helped pick the color up a bit better for me. I suspect this is a pale shade that might not show up on darker skintones.
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Bed of Roses 03 (online at Neiman Marcus and Sephora) is my second favorite out of the three. It’s a cool rose pink. As mentioned by others, Bed of Roses appears to be sheerer in pigment, but layers beautifully. The semi-sheer quality prevents it from looking muddy on the skin like some pigmented rose blushes can. Bed of Roses has a soft sheen that gives a demure blush. I see it working on most skintones. On me it pulls more cool, but it really is a neutral rose. See it also on Best Things in Beauty, The Non-Blonde and Temptalia.
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All three close up with swatches:
Everything about these blushes seems to be an improvement from Edward’s original Blush Imperiale formula. The packaging is sturdier and sleeker-looking. The texture is easier to blend and layer with a softer feel (although I do still love his other blushes). The new shades also have a gorgeous soft shimmer sheen versus the flat matte colors for his original blush colors. Those who don’t like shimmer on the cheeks will still like these colors. The shimmer disappears on the skin (at least for me) and leaves a soft glow. Bottom line is that these are perfect basics and staples that can be incorporated into any look (but not too basic). The colors are highly versatile.
If I were forced to only pick one, it would be impossible. I would call it a tie between Secret Affair and Bed of Roses.
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:
Rouge Coco Shines in Secret and Instinct at Nordstrom.com
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.
Currently obsessed with Diptyque. I love that the Diptyque room sprays are making a comeback. I found three at my local Nordstrom and decided to start with Baies ($65 for 3.4 oz). I’ve been a huge fan of the Baies Candle and was curious to see how the Room Spray compared. Both are similar with the mix of roses and blackcurrant leaves (floral but not too floral, sweet but not too sweet). The Baies Room Spray is quite a bit sweeter with the blackcurrant more prominent. I spritz rooms with just one spritz to fill the entire room. Lasting power is quite good – it lingers for several hours.
Two new candle discoveries include the Feullie de Lavande (a mini gift with purchase) and the new Diptyque Minä collection in Joie, Infini and Ciel ($65 each, spotted in stores at Nordstrom and Barneys NY Beverly Hills, online at Nordstrom.com and Diptyque.com). The new candles were created by minä perhonen and the house of diptyque inspired by poems written by Akira Minagawa. The candles are cased in a semi-transparent white glass with beautiful designs. More details on each to come as I open them and start to burn. The first one I’ve opened is Joie which is a fresh floral, I will write more about it in the upcoming days.
Finally I’m obsessed with Bottega Louie Macarons. I’ve never been to Paris to try the real french macarons but I hear Bottega Louie makes ones closest to the ones in Paris. My favorites are Vanilla and Earl Grey. If you go to LA, I highly recommend you visit Bottega Louie for a treat. Click over to Styled Notes to see a detailed feature on Bottega Louie.
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.
