L to R: Le Metier de Beaute Whisper & Armani Holiday 2010 Shimmer Powder (to be reviewed soon)
Top to bottom: Chanel Star Glossimer, Laura Mercier Pink Diamond, Trish Irresistible Nude, MAC Oyster Girl Lipglass, MAC Gel Lipstick (on tube #3), D&G Perfection Lipstick
L to R: Paul & Joe Pearl Powder #01, MAC Naked Pigment, NARS All About Eve Eyeshadow Duo
OPI Hollywood Blonde Nail Polish, MAC Bare Study Paint Pot
MAC Bare Study Paint Pot, Paul & Joe Pearl Powder #01, MAC Naked Pigment, OPI Hollywood Blonde Nail Polish, Le Metier de Beaute Whisper Highlighter, D&G Perfection Lipstick, MAC Oyster Girl Lipglass, NARS All About Eve Duo, Chanel Star Glossimer, Laura Mercier Pink Diamond Lip Glace, Trish Irresistible Nude, MAC Gel Lipstick
YSL has a beautiful holiday collection this year filled with lovely metallic golds, champagne pinks and shimmery colors. I’m going to split up my reviews into two parts. First up are the Holiday La Laques ($20 each) in 139 Gold, 140 Pink Gold, 141 White Gold and two of the Holiday Golden Glosses ($30 each) in 38 Golden Champagne and 39 Golden Chestnut.
The Golden Glosses are typical YSL style and loaded with sparkle. They are on the sheer side and have the signature YSL gloss scent – sweet and like candy. These are non-gritty and smooth in texture. If you bought any of the Golden Glosses from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (#31, 32 or 33) then I’d say you don’t need either of these new holiday shades. The effect is similar.
Golden Champagne #38 is a soft pink with gold sparkle
Golden Chestnut #39 is a warm beigey-tan with gold sparkle
Comparisons to some other Golden Glosses. For many of these I can barely tell the difference in the tube unless I look at them closely in direct sunlight. Some have a different sparkle than others. There are some with a straight gold sparkle. Others have a multi-colored sparkled infused in the gloss. There are differences in the base color as well. Some have a more transparent finish while others have a more opaque creamy finish. All are still on the sheer side. Those wondering how these compare to MAC – the YSL Golden Glosses are like Dazzleglass Cremes without the grittiness. In my opinion the YSL are much better than MAC.
This is the first time I have tried YSL’s nail polishes so I won’t be able to compare these to previous shades. All I know is their number system drives me nuts to no end. Magazines will often list the products by name while the testers at counters are all labeled by number. Many times I’ve just given up trying to match the name and numbers. The holiday nail colors are frost-finished colors with rich pigment. The finish can be streaky if you’re not careful but the coverage is just incredible. The result is a high-shine metallic, almost foil-like finish.
Gold #139 is a pale gold frost
Pink Gold #140 is a copper pink-gold
White Gold #141 is like a sterling silver color (this is sheerer than the others)
The metallic nature of these polishes made it difficult to photograph. Here is one taken at an angle so you can see the color without the shine washing out all the color from the flash:
Photographed with a high flash:
Comparisons to other shades:
YSL #139 Gold Comparison Swatches:
YSL #140 Pink Gold & #141 White Gold Comparison Swatches:
Overall thoughts: I’ve been exploring YSL more and more lately. After buying several Golden Glosses I’ve found that most of them are pretty similar on the lips, so in the future I’ll probably stick to the regular non-shimmer shades. I found the Holiday Collection at Bloomingdales which only carries currently sold product, like most department stores. The other shades shown for comparison purposes have been discontinued meaning they were no where in any store to be pulled for comparison purposes.
I like the nail polishes for their excellent quality and rich pigment. I do find them a bit too metallic-y for my taste. I would have liked a more sophisticated shimmer rather than something that looks like chrome. Still I am impressed. The colors are unique and even in my extensive nail polish stash I don’t have anything quite like these holiday colors. I have Pink Gold #140 on my toes right now and I have to say it looks a lot better on the toes than the fingers.
Coming up soon: the Holiday highlighter and Gold Touche d’Or.
There was much confusion about the Chanel Soho Collection that was released in select Chanel Boutiques for Fashion’s Night Out. Was it exclusive to the Soho Boutique? Was it all Limited Edition? Would anything be released online?
The collection was released online in a few select boutiques. Today there are only 3 items left on Chanel.com (Soho de Chanel Powder, Steel Le Vernis, Star Glossimer). Those who waited too long or prefer to see/test things in person before buying, the GOOD NEWS is that the collection is now available at Chanel counters. I’ve seen this at Nordstrom and confirmed this with my a few other Nordstrom Locations in Southern California and Bloomingdale’s (none of which are the Chanel Studios).
The items from the collection, reviews, swatches & comparisons:
Soho De Chanel Highlighter $65 & Stupendous Quad $56- both reviewed here
I was on the phone calling up Nikki from Saks Houston as soon as Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog gave us a sneak peek at the Dolce & Gabbana Holiday Collection. Nikki put me on the wait list and called me as soon as it came in. (Read about why I love Nikki here.) I was thrilled that it came in time for Saks’ Friends and Family event and also in time for the Saks GWP from Dolce & Gabbana. I saw the holiday campaign ad in Elle and it made me go “oooh pretty.” What arrived in the mail was not exactly reflective of the ad campaign or the holiday spirit but still gorgeous, nevertheless.
My first thoughts: This looks like something for resort. My second thoughts: The promotional ad looks like it’s simply been photoshopped from season to season rather than a true application of the holiday colors. Of course these are just my own thoughts. These days resort seems to be the new holiday when it comes to designer fashion and beauty collections.
Desert Eyeshadow Quad – matte bone, shimmery sandy gold, matte warm tan brown, matte dark warm chocolate
Update here – the swatches and comparisons below:
Bronzer & Blush thoughts: Cashmere Bronzer is very similar to their Desert Bronzer. The difference is that Cashmere appears to be warmer in undertone. Both have a subtle finely milled shimmer that doesn’t really show up on the skin, however both just make the skin glow with that healthy tan look. Rosebud Blush seems more Apricot/Petal to me versus Rosebud-y. I envisioned a pink color but instead a brightened peach came. I love it even if it’s not very holiday. It’s brighter than the Dolce & Gabbana Peach and Nude blushes as you can see below. The difference in the compact is subtle. I’m afraid the swatches make them look the same but the difference can be seen when you apply them on the face.
Lipstick & Lipgloss thoughts: I really liked the Shimmer, Rosebud & Desert lipsticks from the holiday collection. The formula of the shine lipsticks aren’t the best because of the glossy texture but I love them anyways and don’t mind reapplying. I couldn’t find a dupe or comparable shade to Desert. Here are some similar shades to Shimmer & Rosebud.
The Dolce & Gabbana Lipglosses are beautiful in my opinion. They do have that Dolce & Gabbana flowery scent but it’s not overpowering. Those who wonder how Shimmer & Honey compare to other shades, here’s the lineup:
Thoughts on the eye items: Dolce & Gabbana Shimmer Eyeliner is very similar to Stila’s Kitten Smudge Pot (which I have barely used). I like the texture of the Dolce & Gabbana much better. The Stila was a bit hard to work with (it has a slightly different texture than the other smudgepots in my opinion).
The Desert quad – I’m sorry to say seems rather boring. They could have spiced up the matte shades and made it more special. Still I really love the pigment and texture of Dolce & Gabbana eyeshadows. They’re really easy to blend and have a lovely velvety texture. Here it is compared to Chanel Beiges de Chanel (long d/c) and the new Bobbi Brown Day To Night Warm Eye Palette from this holiday.
Overall thoughts: Love the Rosebud Blush and all the lip items. Bronzer & Eye Quad – ok, but not must haves. I think there are better options from the Dolce & Gabbana line.
If you’re in need of a good Dolce & Gabbana rep I highly recommend Nikki from Saks Houston. She is incredible and described everything spot on. You can check out my post on the fall collection for her contact info or e-mail me directly.
A few of you have asked what nail color I was wearing last Sunday. It’s Rescue Beauty Lounge in Bruised ($18), a beautiful cream mauve plum. Unfortunately it’s currently sold out online, most likely due to the recent holiday 5-hour sale. I don’t believe it’s a limited edition color so it should be available for purchase. I’ve been in love with this color ever since I first got it back a few months ago. Rich color, opaque finish, smooth texture. You do need 2 coats to get full coverage but I find most of the Rescue Beauty Lounge polishes to be similar in quality as Chanel’s recent colors (Rouge Fatale, Riviera, Khakis etc.) which I love.
I thought I would have more creamy non-shimmer plums but it appears that most of my plums are more on the vampy side (versus mauve-plum). Here it is compared to a few other shades. I’m sure there’s a dupe from OPI or Zoya, I just haven’t found one with quite the same undertone.
L to R: OPI Yankee Pankee Plum, OPI Queen of West Web-erly, RBL Bruised, RBL Moulin Rouge
The NARS Holiday collection this year is described as “brazenly mesmerizing” on narscosmetics.com and the description is spot on. NARS has never failed to capture my attention even when his collections are clearly not me. No matter what he releases, his collections still manage to turn my head and I’m always drawn to the counter to play. I don’t always leave the counter with something but his collections are always so cutting edge I can’t help but be curious. I loved the little black card I received recently – it brought a smile to my face.
I fell in love with his Mélusine Eyeshadow Duo ($32) because it is truly unique and took my breath away. Just read Josie’s review on Pink Sith and you’ll be in love too. This duo is SO MUCH better than the promotional photos. One side has a complex opalescent grey-purple shimmer. It’s almost duochrome but not quite. The shimmer is so finely mixed together it’s hard to describe. The other side is a matte cool purple. It did not apply well on my arm but goes on much smoother and richer on the eyes. This purple is an enigma to me – you can see that it looks slightly red in some photos while others look more blueish purple. It’s a matte shade so there’s no reflecting particles yet it still looks different depending on what angle you hold the duo at.
I could not resist Petit Monstre Lipstick ($24) because of the name. I have featured my kitty a few times on my blog and many of you have asked his name. I have to confess that we call our kitty Monster. He’s the meanest little furry thing I’ve ever seen yet I love him to death. He was the best birthday present I’ve ever received. I had to have this lipstick for my kitty’s sake. It’s described as a “rich, luscious berry” and that is exactly how I would describe it but with a gold shimmer infused throughout. It’s not quite red in the tube or on the hand but it applies red on my lips.
One last view of Mélusine Eyeshadow Duo and Petit Monstre Lipstick:
Swatched on bare skin:
My thoughts on the other items: Passed on the nail polishes and glosses. Was slightly interested in the new Sex Appeal Blush but it was simply too pale. Fell in love with the gold Étrusque eyeshadow but thought it would be too warm for my olive-toned skin. The other items were ok but not really my cup of tea. I found these at Nordstrom.
Right now I’m loving minis . . . usable minis that is! I have a weakness for cute miniature things like mini lint rollers, mini toothpaste tubes, mini brushes, puppies, kittens, bunnies etc. There’s something about cute that gets me all the time. Makeup is no exception – but for me it has to be something that is functional, usable and not-to-mini. I know I should be grateful for any kind of mini sample, especially these days when good ones are SO hard to come by. However, if something isn’t functional I’ll just end up tossing it.
Makeup mini fails for me:
mini pigment vials in those holiday sets (can’t get a brush into the product)
mini NARS lipglosses (can you even get 1 application on the lips with these?)
mini perfume vials without a pump spritzer or roller ball (my fingers are small, but not THAT small and I end up with the cologne all over my hands and the floor)
Functionality is even more important if I’m going to spend money on something less than full size. I’ll rarely purchase something “mini” unless it’s usable or if it’s in a cute set (even those mini pigment sets still get to me even though they’re not super easy to use). I have small hands but some things are too small even for me.
A few makeup mini successes that I’m loving right now:
OPI mini nail polishes
Laura Mercier mini eyeshadows
Anastasia Mini Tweezers *
Diptyque Eau Duelle (yummy vanilla)
Urban Decay Little Sins Primer Potions Set *
Chanel mini foundation brush
MAC ss7 SH *
Laura Mercier double-ended mini brush
Chanel mini glossimer
Chanel mini makeup removers
Diorshow mini
Chanel mini perfumes with the rollerballs
La Mer new eye balm sample
items with the * were purchased, the rest were from GWPs and samples
So you may be wondering: where does one find good samples? I’ve come across good ones over the years but it’s hit or miss. I find that if you develop a good relationship with a sales associate they will often times call you when there are decent promotions or put something aside for you when they know there is something you like.
How does one develop a “good relationship”? It’s like any relationship – it takes time and a bit of work. Be polite and patient. Don’t lecture the sales associate if they suggest something you hate (I’ve seen this so many times). Be understanding and patient. Take some interest in your makeup artist’s personal life. Customer loyalty helps. Keep your returns to a minimum.
That being said – being a good customer doesn’t ensure that you’ll get good samples either. I find it ridiculous these days when high end department stores think that an ugly cheap makeup bag will 4 tiny samples will be considered a great incentive for a customer to spend the minimum of $300. Even a full-sized product valued at $25 isn’t always the best incentive for a $350 minimum purchase.
Anyhow, there are the occasional good finds that keep me happy. I know that if certain retailers offered better samples and incentives they’d have more of my business. Many times I don’t need an incentive to make me buy but it’s always nice to have. How often do we have something specific on our wishlist (like the Chanel Holiday Blush) that we know we just have to have? The question for women who know what they want is where to buy it. I think retailers miss out when they don’t look at the competition and think about what they can do better or differently to stand out.
But I digress . . . what are you loving right now? It doesn’t have to be minis. I’d love to hear what you like right now 🙂
