Sabrina, Author at The Beauty Look Book

Loving Right Now

October 21, 2012

A heart-felt thank you to each and every one of you for your support, kind e-mails, tweets, comments. I haven’t had much time to blog these days but love what I’ve been reading on others (discovering amazing new ones each week!). First an update on our kitty: he’s a two month old ragamuffin (part Siberian), and we named him Calvin. He’s already settling in quite well with our two jack russell terriers (matched energy, lol). For those wondering about our other cat, he disappeared back in late July (yes, a total heartbreak, we had him about 6 years). I thought I couldn’t possibly replace him – but it was love at first sight when I saw this little white fluff ball in a local pet store window. (On the nails above is NARS Storm Bird.)

Onto beauty related loves …

NARS opened a new store on Melrose, I can’t wait to see it in person! For now, amazing photos were posted by others of the grand opening on Twitter and Instagram here, here, here, here, here and here
Burberry Beauty is releasing new Eyeshadow Quads next month, see previews on Bella-Shmella and swatches on British Beauty Blogger
Edward Bess is also releasing three new stunning Eyeshadow Quads next month, the Bergdorf Blog 5th/58th has some preliminary information
Giorgio Armani has revamped their eyeshadow quads (yet again), I fell in love with 2 and 6 (reviews to come soon), Best Things In Beauty has done extensive testing and swatching
Guerlain Holiday looks amazing this year, I went for the nail colors only, but the Wulong Meteorites Pressed Powder makes Temptalia’s skin glow (I’m tempted)
Cafe Makeup posted swatches of all the new Burberry Lip Velvets from Nordstrom San Francisco (great reference)
The Non-Blonde has a sneak peek of Laura Mercier’s new Illuminating Eye Color

What are you loving right now? (For those who aren’t on Twitter, here’s a picture I tweeted from yesterday.)

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Le Métier de Beauté Nouvelle Vague Kaleidoscope

October 20, 2012

Le Métier de Beauté Nouvelle Vague Kaleidoscope ($95 for 0.56 oz/16gms) has been widely raved about by many. I’ve been waiting for this kit since August when I saw the press release and previews in the Neiman Marcus book. It finally arrived at Neiman Marcus counters and online. It’s a beautiful palette of pinks combined with an intense true black. It does not disappoint and fully lives up to my expectations.

The shades in the palette have names, but they aren’t labeled anywhere on the packaging so I will refer to them as layer 1, 2, 3, and 4 but according to Le , the shades are named as follows:

Layer 1: Nouvelle, described as a “sheer mink negative” is a soft warm shimmering seashell pink, to my eye this is almost identical to the one in Antiquité Poupée
Layer 2: Gamine, described as a “satin pink celluloid”, a frosted cool pink
Layer 3: Icon, described as a “silky matte Parisian mauve”, a lovely mauve-nude satin, the perfect contour shade, but not in the traditional nude or brown
Layer 4: Fin, described as a “smoldering black carbon”, an intense true black with slight shimmer, definitely the deepest darkest black I own (darker than MAC Carbon, my older Shu Uemuras, Chanel Black Star, Burberry Midnight Black etc.)

The texture is smooth and colors have amazing pigment. The Couches de Couleur layering technique is pure genius with all their kaleidoscopes. This one is no exception. While most press photos showed this kit in the black packaging, mine arrived in silver from Neimans. It appears most others are also in silver packaging. The actual kit is cooler-toned than online promotional photos. When I first saw it, I was concerned that it might give me a pink-eye look with all the pinks. However, the combination of the mauve and the black prevent it from looking too pink.

Close ups and swatches, (L to R) Layers 2 and Layer 1:

(L to R): Layer 4 and Layer 3:

Swatches:

A few sets of comparisons, first up pinks compared to Le Métier de Beauté Antiquité Poupée, Rose Champagne and Bobbi Brown Pink Pearl:

Second, the mauve compared to Burberry Antique Rose and swatched next to MAC Mauvement:

The black shade swatched next to Burberry Midnight Black, Le Métier de Beauté Thunder, and Urban Decay Zero:

I think it’s a beautiful kit that will suit a wide range of skintones. It stands out among other beautiful releases this winter season. I’ve found it beautiful for both day and night looks. The black is finally what I’ve been searching for for many years. It’s a true intense deep black that doesn’t go on grey or blue (like most other blacks do). It made the perfect look for a night out (went perfectly with a little black dress) last week when my husband and I celebrated our four year anniversary. I matched it with a sheer pink cheek (Bobbi Brown’s Pale Pink + 24k Shimmer Brick) and a rosy pink lip (Chanel Stresa Aqualumiere plus Bon Bon lipgloss, both discontinued).

It should be available to all Le Métier de Beauté counters now. I found mine at Neiman Marcus in store. Did you try or buy Nouvelle Vague? What were your thoughts?

See two beautiful eye looks on Messy Wands and Temptalia.

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Chanel Malice #637 Le Vernis – Holiday 2012

October 13, 2012

Chanel Malice #637 ($26 for 13 ml/0.4 oz) is the newest nail polish release for holiday this year. I found mine at Neiman Marcus in-store, but the entire holiday collection had not yet arrived (and there were no testers). It’s a stunning drop-dead gorgeous dark wine vamp infused with red shimmer. It’s quite dramatic and deep. The finish is a smooth shimmer. It’s not quite as shimmery or frosty like Delight or Island, but the shimmer isn’t invisible like it is with shades such as Distraction or Jade Rose. I’ve worn this color for three days now with no wear/chipping/peeling. I haven’t been this smitten with a nail color since Black Pearl. I do find it different enough from Vamp to justify owning both.

When the light hits Chanel Malice, the ruby red shimmer glows:

Here it is without direct sunlight hitting the polish:

Malice is a full-coverage polish. One coat was sufficient for full nail coverage but two is better:

Without a flash or sunlight, it looks like your basic vampy polish. A few shots below shown with the latest addition to our family (still not yet named):

I closest shade I could find to Chanel Malice is OPI’s Glove You So Much (from holiday 2009). There are definitely other shades similar in effect and finish. I didn’t find another exact dupe but here are some comparisons to: OPI The One That Got Away, OPI Glove You So Much, Rescue Beauty Lounge Black Russian, Chanel Gondola, Chanel Tulipe Noire, Chanel Rouge Noir, Chanel Red Dream, Dior Icone, Dior Apparat, Chanel Rouge Fatal and OPI Black Cherry Chutney.

Full nail wheel – lightened so you can see the shimmer undertones:

Full nail wheel, same shades/order – darker lighting (more true to the real color):

I think Malice is definitely a must-have. Many may find it too similar to Vamp to justify owning but I adore Malice. I have yet to see the entire Chanel Holiday collection in person yet. I did purchase all the glossimers, the quad and illusion d’ombre. I will do my best to review them in the upcoming week – however right now I’m fully distracted by our new kitty.

Have you seen Chanel holiday yet? Thoughts? I’m dying to see the new blush and eyeshadow duo and anxiously waiting for them to arrive instore.

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Dark Vampy Lips – Fall/Winter 2012

October 9, 2012

I’ve always been one to wear neutrals, pinks or peaches on the lips. The darkest I tend to go is Clinique Black Honey, MAC “O, or MAC Desire Lipglass. I’m slowly but surely venturing into darker more dramatic colors for makeup. There have been a number of others who have inspired me to try new things 🙂 With a bit of nudging/encouragement from friends and after seeing some lovely swatches on other blogs – these are my new discoveries: perfect vampy lipsticks that are great for fall. I tried to get good lip swatches – unfortunately I failed miserably to get good lip photos. Most of these turned too red with a flash or purple without a flash. I will do my best to supplement with descriptions.

Burberry Lip Mist in Blueberry ($30, found at select Nordstrom and Saks counters) is a sheer glossy red-plum-brown. Out of all the darker colors in the feature this one is the easiest to wear for those scared of dark lips. As others have noted – it’s not really a true blueberry color on the lips. This one is the most forgiving when it comes to fading though. The glossy texture makes it look more natural on the lips and the fading is more subtle than with something that is sharply contrasted to the natural lip tone. I loved it at Cafe Makeup and The Non-Blonde.

Tom Ford Black Orchid ($48, found at select Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and Nordstrom counters) is pure luxury in a tube. This one is quite dramatic, but it has enough warmth and red/plum in it to not be too dark. I really love Tom Ford’s lipsticks (just not the price). This is a gorgeous dark burgandy wine plum. There is shimmer in the tube but it doesn’t really show up on the lips. I recommend a darker lipliner like Trish McEvoy Iced Nude or Chanel nude to help with the application. Since this one is so dramatic, it does require precise application – blending with a brush over a lipliner will help even out any areas that aren’t 100% accurate. I loved this on Lisa Eldridge (she has a brilliant video) and Buy Now, Blog Later. Also see it on KarlaSugar.

Chanel La Provocante ($32.50, I found mine at Nordstrom Seattle) was part of the twin sets for 2012’s Fashion’s Night Out and sold out almost immediately online. It’s a deep dark purple-red color. On my lips the texture was a bit blotchy and uneven, it took a few swipes back and forth to get even coverage. To me this was the least forgiving in terms of application/fading. It required precise application and it looked Check with your local Chanel boutiques or studios to see if they still have this one. This one I still haven’t quite mastered yet. It’s the perfect dark vamp – a bit too dark for my taste, I would probably have to lighten it with a touch of gloss to warm it up. See it on Front Row Beauty, Christy-Tb and Indigo Kir Royale.

Dolce & Gabbana Dahlia ($30, at select Saks counters) is a classic cream formula and more pinkish/mauve out of all these. It’s borderline non-vamp because it’s not quite dark enough to be a true vamp, but still dark for me. I couldn’t find many reviews/photos of this one. I did like the feature on The Non-Blonde and comparisons on 3 19 29.

Le Métier de Beauté in Castelo ($32, available at Neiman Marcus) is a beautiful wine shimmer with brownish tones. It’s my perfect vamp without being too dark/goth. I fell in love with this after seeing it on Messy Wands (her post says it all). It’s also swatched on KarlaSugar.

I do apologize again for not having more useful lip swatches. Here are the ones I’ve done on the arm which I hope will compare the intensity of each shade.

To date I’ve worn Burberry Blueberry and Le Metier Castelo to work – the others not yet. I’ve matched these with a neutral eye and soft contoured cheek (Burberry Earthy, Dolce & Gabbana Tan or a soft bronzer like Edward Bess Daydream).

What’s your favorite vampy lipstick? Do you prefer the softer ones like I do or do you like to wear the dark/dramatic shades?

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Dark Vampy Nails – Fall/Winter 2012

October 7, 2012

I’m loving dark vampy nail polishes right now. This season has brought us some beautiful new shades. My current favorites: Chanel Vamp (not new but a classic), Tom Ford Minx, Chanel Malice (new for holiday), Chanel Provocation (Fashion’s Night Out release) and Chanel Vertigo (fall). All provide full rich coverage with just two coats. Most of these have already been featured on this blog, but here are my favorites this season swatched side by side (I hope you don’t mind the repeats below).

Chanel Vamp #18 – the classic vamp shade, mine has a slightly jelly finish, but this is probably one of the oldest nail polishes I own – I think this bottle was purchased before Chanel reformulated their polishes

Tom Ford Minx – a gorgeous metallic mink-vamp brown

Chanel Malice #637 – the latest release from Chanel for holiday (a more detailed review to come soon), this color is to-die-for, a gorgeous rich dark aubergine shimmer

Chanel Provocation – a perfect plum cream (limited-edition release for Fashion’s Night Out)

Chanel Vertigo – part of Chanel’s fall collection, a gorgeous dusty purple brown grey

What’s your favorite vamp shade this season for nails? Do you have any new favorites or are you pulling out your classics this month?

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Neutral Glimmer for Eyes: Bobbi Brown Sparkle Eye Shadows and MAC Pressed Pigments

October 5, 2012

This season, sparkly eye shadows are in. A number of brands have released pumped up neutrals infused with extra glitz and micro glitter. Those who’ve followed me for a while know that I’m a bit of a glitter-phobe when it comes to glitter for blush or eyes. For some reason this year I’ve been braver in trying new things. Last month, Bobbi Brown’s Sparkle Eye Shadows and MAC’s Pressed Pigments caught my eye – it’s virtually impossible for me to resist neutral sparkles.

There have been many reviews published on these already. There is no consensus on a thumbs up or down – thoughts have been mixed. Many have commented that these are pure glitter with tons of fall out and virtually no pigment. I think this depends on how you apply these, but I generally agree that these are mostly glitz with very sheer pigment/color. You can get the color to show up better with a dense brush by patting on top of your eyes rather than doing the regular swipe/blend.

I was convinced to try the Bobbi Brown Sparkle Eye Shadows ($28 each, part of the Uber Basics Collection, limited-edition) at the Bobbi Brown counter by my favorite BB artist. She told me that I needed Black Chocolate Sparkle and that these were best used when applied over other shadows (cream or powder) or even a smudged liner. She recommended using a denser brush to pat and gently blend (rather than swipe and blend like regular shadows). Patting allows for the color to actually show up a bit better.

The MAC Pressed Pigments ($21, listed as limited) are part of the Face and Body collection released in September. I did purchase and try the new brush and did not like it at all. I found it difficult to work with and it felt stiff and harsh on my sensitive eyes. The MAC artist recommended using Brush 242 to apply these and I felt it worked perfectly to pick up the pigment and transfer it to the lids. For these I’ve been using a similar method of application: press and pat. Using a damp brush intensifies the shimmer to a metallic sheen. These are coincided with a MAC foundation shade to match skin tones but I found that I liked almost all of them on mine (I think I’m about a NC35 but I haven’t been matched in quite a few years).

I used these shadows two weeks straight – layered over other shadows lightly for a subtle added shimmer. I was really surprised to find them wearable and suitable for work (emphasis when layered lightly). I did experience a little bit of fall-out, which was expected due to the texture of these, but I found they worked a lot better for me than Urban Decay glitter shadows or even the Night Series shades from NARS. The trick is getting the right application. These definitely aren’t for everyone – but if you’re at a counter I would recommend trying just for fun. They’re borderline too glitzy for everyday – but they work for me. I love them for evening, they go well with a neutral lip/cheek or a bold lip/cheek. Photos and swatches below.

Another view of the shadows:

Swatches on the arm:

Did you try these? What were your thoughts?

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The Beauty Look Book Blog Sale Update

September 30, 2012

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone for your support and patience to make my blog sale a huge success!! The sale page (linked here) has been updated as of Saturday 5:09 PM, PST. I received over 200 e-mail requests in the last couple days. If I have not responded to your inquiries I apologize, everything was responded to on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are some items I have pending on a waitlist, I will get back to you as soon as I can.

I sent out 38 packages yesterday and today. I will do my best to e-mail tracking numbers to everyone in the next few hours or so. If you sent payment (as of 4:35 PM, California time), then your package shipped by today (keeping fingers crossed that I didn’t miss any, if I did, it will ship Monday morning). I included samples with each package – I hope everyone will find something new they fall in love with.

Thank you again, I had no idea this blog sale would move as fast as it did. I appreciate all the kind words and support, I’m truly touched by so many kind and wonderful readers. In the mean time, I’m still working my way through e-mails. Thank you for your patience!

For quick reference – packages that shipped (since my fingers will be slow to type out all the d/c tracking numbers), listed in alphabetical order by first name:

Shipped Friday:

Christine N.
Cynthia W.
Janielle B.
Jennifer C.
Jessica F.
Kayla G.
Lisa S.
Melissa C.
Sara G.
Tina C.
Vutny U.
Zoe S.

Shipped Saturday:

Adriana O.
Alejandra C.
Alexandra C.
Alexandra O.
Alice W.
Brittany D.
Charlotte B.
Chelong H.
Coralys N.
Denise B.
Elaine G.
Elissa S.
Ivette O.
Josephine L.
Kate B.
Laura L.
Lydia L.
Maureen H.
Melissa G.
Monika W.
Natalie K.
Steph N.
Susan H.
Susan H.
Tiffany K.
Tumy P.