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Sabrina

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Paul & Joe Eye Glosses: Celestial, Halo & Murmur

July 1, 2010
I’ve been eyeing the Paul & Joe Eye Glosses for over a year and finally decided to purchase them to try them out. Another lemming-inspired purchase influenced by bloggers I adore and trust. I am a skeptic by nature and for me reviews are sometimes hard to decipher. We all have different tastes, opinions, and preferences, so what works for some might not be my cup of tea. I don’t have immediate access to Paul & Joe in person, so these reviews gave me a good idea of what to expect. Each have their own unique style, but there are multiple items they’ve reviewed on occasion that I love, so I found their perspective and descriptions extremely helpful. Check out their reviews:
  • Lotus Palace’s review of Halo 04 + eye swatch here
  • Josie’s review of Celestial 01 and Murmur 05 + swatches here
  • Gaia’s review of Moonlight 03 and Murmur 05 + swatches here
  • Tali’s review of Celestial 01 + eye swatch here
The Eye Glosses retail for $24 each and come in a tube with a sponge tipped application with a whipped gel type of formula. My picks from Beautyhabit (online) & Bergdorfs (instore) in 01 Celestial (sparkling pale gold), 04 Halo (light frosted cool pink), and 05 Murmur (shimmering grey-taupe) are shown below:





The first one I played with was Murmur 05, a shimmering grey-taupe. It took some experimenting before I could get the application right. My first tries left me with either a finish that was too sheer or lop-sided (because they dry pretty fast). I found this one works best when applied in light layers. They dry and set pretty fast once brushed onto the eyelid, so I had to use my cream eyeshadow brush to apply in quick strokes blending fast. I like this one just by itself with mascara.

Next, I tried Celestial 01, a super sparkly pale gold. When it comes to shimmer, we all have our own personal preference for how much shimmer we feel comfortable with. I have to say this one is a lovely shade of pale gold, but the sparkle factor is extremely intense! Gaia from The Non-Blonde described it perfectly when she says it’s more for date night. We have similar tastes in brands and products, just typically pick colors on different ends of the spectrum. I’m all about shimmer, but I’m pushing 30 and this seems a bit over the top for conservative-me. It’s borderline glittery. Gorgeous, but it’s definitely out of my comfort zone.

Halo 04 was the last one I tried out, a cool pale pink shimmer. It’s sparkly as well, but the finish is less glittery than Celestial. This one blends to a lovely pink shimmer wash.

So the verdict – I like the packaging and the lasting power. They dry fast, but once they are set, they stay put. Murmur is lovely when layered properly on the eye and is subtle enough for everyday wear. Halo and Celestial are a few notches up in the shimmer factor. I think these are better suited for going out. I could possibly wear Halo (the pink one) for every day, but only when applied with a light hand.

If you’ve tried these – what are your thoughts? Are there any other colors you feel are must-haves or must-try-outs? If you’ve reviewed it feel free to link in the comments below 🙂

Or if you have any suggestions on what you coordinate with these I’m all ears!

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Chanel Taupe Grisé 87 Soft Touch Eyeshadow

June 30, 2010
*Updated – see below at bottom*


Taupe + Shimmer + Chanel = must buy. If there’s a taupe Chanel makes, it’s instantly a must have for me. I am taupe-obsessed much like Elvira and Josie, and there’s no stopping us, ever. Taupe Grisé 87 is the newest taupe released by Chanel for their Fall 2010 collection. My makeup-twin Amy at Café Makeup has given a lovely review here (I call her my twin because we love the same things, although she has fairer skintone = Chanel Cameo/NC15 while I am Chanel Shell/NC30-35).


There a number of other great reviews, photos and swatches out there so the focus of this post will be on comparisons to similar shades.

There are a million other taupes out there (click on the Taupe Label below this post to see the other ones I have obsessed over) but I picked out the ones in my mind I thought, “Could this one be a dupe?” I personally could not find a dupe for this lovely color. There are similar shades, but from what I have, no dupe.

Compared to: Chanel Silvery, Chanel Safari, Chanel Vega (d/c), MAC Moth Brown (l/e), MAC Sweet Sienna (l/e), MAC Smoke & Diamonds (l/e), MAC Clue (l/e), Stila Dapple (d/c), Chanetcaille Meteorite, Laura Mercier Sable

In natural light (still cloudy weather):

Swatched over bare skin:

One more view with different lighting:



Is it a must-have? For me it was being a Chanel fan and a taupe fan. I have no willpower when it comes to Chanel. I played around with it on the eyes today, it works better when applied over a cream base, otherwise it just ended up looking bruisey on my eyes. I would describe it as having a subtle sheen. It looks shimmery in the container but when applied on the eyes, it looks more satin-matte rather than shimmery.

*Update* Upon reviewing my swatches and those on other websites, I thought Taupe Grise looked extremely brown on me compared to other girls. Much more brown than it appears in the container. I swatched it again alone, and then next to MAC Moth Brown to see if perhaps I made a mistake – but no. For some reason, it looks cool in the container, but on my skin, it’s not quite as cool. Here is another swatch comparison. Note that I have olive medium skin. This may look different on you. It’s still a cool colored taupe in my opinion, but next to Moth Brown it just looks warm perhaps because Moth Brown is overwhelmingly cool with an almost blueish sheen.

Hope this helps give you a better idea!

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Chanel Pink Explosion 64 Joues Contraste

June 28, 2010
Another one of my picks from Chanel Fall 2010, Pink Explosion Powder Blush, a dusty cool pink with tiny bits of silver sparkle. It’s a lovely shade of pink, but I bring my first less-than-satisfactory review for Chanel. I normally love the color products Chanel makes – the formula, texture, finish are all divine and I feel the higher price tag justifies the purchase because of the higher quality. The items I don’t like are typically just because the color isn’t me, but I am usually able to find at least one thing that I like with each collection. This fall, Chanel has released the blushes in the Asia/Euro baked version and I am slightly disappointed.

Chanel has two types of product batches they produce (as far as I know): U.S. versions and Euro/Asia/Canada versions. The difference is in the product names and finish (why many like the number reference so they know which overseas products to compare). Euro/Asia eyeshadows and blushes come in a baked formula with round pans and have a more powdery-like finish. I will say up front, I am not a fan of the Euro/Asia formulas at all. I have a couple Euro blushes from custom purchases (Candy and Tea Rose) and I only purchased them because I was interested in the color. The formula has left me wanting for more. Both definitely show up, but the finish is not the same as the U.S. – they are sheerer, more powdery, and just sit on the skin rather than blending into the skin like a natural blush does.

The labeling shows Made In U.S.A. versus Made in France:

That being said, I decided to give Pink Explosion a try. The verdict is still out. The color is pretty, but I’m less than thrilled with the finish – one swipe and you get a powdery mess. I find the formula too soft. Also there’s the glitter. Granted, it’s extremely fine and tiny. But still, I love Chanel for their finely milled shimmers, not glitter. Hence the less-than-satisfactory review. I know I would have loved this one had it been in the US formula.

Here you can see the powdery crumbly debris,
(natural light, no flash but cloudy weather):

If you own other Chanel blushes, you may be wondering how it compares to other pinks. Here it is compared to Narcisse and Turbulent (both discontinued):

No flash, in natural light (cloudy weather light though):


Swatch comparisons to other Chanel Pinks:
Narcisse, Pink Explosion, Turbulent,
Rose Petale, Tweed Pink


So all in all, I think it’s a nice blush. Just not the usual quality I find for Chanel. The clouds have me slightly off my game – photography wise. I’d suggest checking out other blogs to see how Pink Explosion looks photographed in different lighting. It will give you a better idea of how it looks. I’m in between a MAC NC30-35.

  • Check it out on darker skintone on Karen at Makeup and Beauty Blog here.
  • Also check it out on lighter skintone like Christine’s from Temptalia here.

I’d say my skintone is probably somewhere in between those two 🙂 If you have this photographed or swatched, please feel free to link to your blog in the comments.

US girls who have purchased Chanel blushes in the past – what are your thoughts about the Asia/Euro formula for blushes?

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Chanel Paradoxal 509 Le Vernis Nail Colour

June 28, 2010
The Chanel Fall 2010 collection is trickling in stores and finally arrived at a Neimans near me. Among the things I picked up, the most anticipated item for me was the new Paradoxal 509 Nail Polish. I saw it featured by Jen at Beauty Moogle and fellow Chanel fan Leslieal sent me pics of it swatched on her. It’s an odd shade because it looks so different depending on what lighting your fingers are in making it a bit difficult to tell what it really looks like. If you’ve seen the photos on the web you may be wondering, “so which photo is the most accurate?” My answer is: they all seem to be accurate, it just depends on what light you’re in.

In the bottle Paradoxal is a greyed mauve plum with visible purple shimmer. On the nails, the shimmer disappears, much like Vendetta (Spring 2009) and Jade Rose (featured here) which has been repromoted with the fall collection. In the sunlight there is a subtle sheen to the polish but from arm’s length, it appears to be a flat-cream finish. The formula and finish on this shade is pretty good. I was able to get a full color application with 2 coats. While I would have liked the shimmer to be more visible, I did like that it applied smoothly without streaks. I took a number of photos in different lighting:


Swatches all applied with 2 coats, no topcoat:

Photo with high flash:

Photographed in artificial light:

This is what the color looks like in natural light:

Compared to NARS Tokaïdo Express & Chanel Vendetta 483:


Artificial light (shimmer is not as visible):



With high flash (shimmers visible here):

Outdoors, natural light:


I found the collection at Neimans, but I’ve also heard reports that it’s available at Macy’s. My Nordstrom and Macy’s both said they weren’t expecting the shipment until right before July 4th. So those still trying to hunt the collection down – it will most likely be in store near you within the next week.
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Current Loves For June . . .

June 26, 2010

Paul & Joe Creamy Facial Foam
NARS Beverly Hills Multiple Tint
NARS Sertao Blush
NARS Cordura Eyeshadow Duo
Urban Decay YDK Eyeshadow
Bobbi Brown Bronzer Brush
Bobbi Brown Shore Cream Eyeshadow
Chanel Nail Polishes
MAC Blonde’s Gold Pigment
MAC Fleur Power
J.Crew Skinny Belts

* Sorry for the misspelling on the NARS blush, it’s Sertao, not Serato


  • Paul & Joe Creamy Facial Foam – I tried this from a sample and finally purchased the full size. It’s thick and creamy and cleanses the skin really well. Leaves the skin feeling clean and refreshed.
  • NARS Beverly Hills Multiple Tint – See more swatches and the review here, a nice swipe & go type of product, easy to use and blend, gives a pop of color, can’t rave enough about these
  • NARS Sertao Blush – A pretty shimmery light golden tan
  • NARS Cordura Eyeshadow Duo – Great for a smokey bronzed eye look
  • Urban Decay YDK Eyeshadow – This is from the old packaging, a nice nude-taupey-bronze sparkle
  • Bobbi Brown Bronzer Brush – This is from the Black Plum set, but is available in the regular brush handle, the most luxurious soft bronzer brush you’ll ever find. Definitely worth the price even though it is pricier.
  • Bobbi Brown Shore Cream Eyeshadow – My perfect lids-but-better base, review here
  • Chanel Nail Polishes – Especially love Riviera (check out dupes here) and Orange Blossom (see the manicure here)
  • MAC Fleur Power – The perfect healthy warm pink blush
  • MAC Blonde’s Gold Pigment – The prettiest wash of soft gold-champagne
  • J.Crew Skinny Belts – Simple, classic and makes a nice accent to the waist, now I just need to go back and find a black one


What are you loving right now? I always love reading your favorites.

*Update* I wasn’t happy with the swatches for this post – I think they were a bit misleading because the lighting was off so I removed them so I don’t confuse my readers. Sorry for any confusion!

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Estée Lauder Pure Color Night Collection by Tom Pecheux

June 26, 2010
Lemming inspired by Fab Over Forty, British Beauty Blogger and Cafe Makeup. I typically don’t purchase much from Estée Lauder but when I heard the line was being revamped I was intrigued. I have a few Estée Lauder products including some skincare products, the Michael Kors collection items, some items from last fall and Cinnamon Eyeshadow – I like them, but don’t find myself reaching for them very much. Still, I was intrigued by the press release and reviews of the Pure Color Night Collection by Tom Pecheux. Some other blogs that have done excellent reviews are linked below.
  • Check out Kari’s review, photo and swatches here
  • Find British Beauty Blogger’s report here
  • Read Amy’s detailed background report, photos and swatches here
The Tom Pecheux Pure Color Night Collection is exclusive to Bergdorf Goodman in the U.S. and includes a Highlight Powder, Kiss Me Lip Gloss and Naughty Black Eyeshadow Trio.


The Highlight Powder feels like it has a slight cream texture. Amy’s description is perfect – it really does give a sheer wash of highlight. Not too shimmery or sparkly. It melts into the skin unlike any powder highlighter I’ve tried. It gives a soft candlelit glow. I would definitely be interested in seeing this released in more shades – preferably darker ones in a golden tan sparkle.

I was excited to learn that the line was being revamped so I was hoping the lipglosses would no longer have that Estée Lauder scent. Unfortunately it still does however, the scent isn’t quite as strong. Kiss Me is pretty in the tube but goes on very sheer. It feels smooth like MAC Lipgelees but seems to have a better moisturizing quality rather than the slippery feel that MAC’s had.


Naughty Black is my favorite item from the new release. It goes on more of a blackened brown, but this is perfect for me. I find it difficult to get straight black eyeshadows to work on my skin (they either look too harsh or greyish) so the brownish undertones make this perfect. I was surprised how pigmented it is. It’s swatched below without a base.


Overall a great collection. However, typical of Estée Lauder ads, I find that the items don’t look anything like they do on the model. They are usually way off from what the featured look is each season. However, I am excited about the new eyeshadow reformulations coming out next month and definitely plan on checking them out. For now, I will think I will pass on checking out the new lipglosses. I’m just not a fan of the scent, although I do have to say I find the packaging sleek and very attractive.
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Summer Brights On Tips & Toes: Chanel Orange Fizz + Rococo Trash

June 25, 2010
A few summery brights for the tips and toes with Chanel Orange Fizz (a vibrant orange) and Rococo Trash (a pretty raspberry cream). Fall collections are tempting me, but I’m still in spring mode. I just started feeling like it’s really summer – but haven’t quite fully transitioned (in my mind at least).

I have never really been into coral or orangey nail polishes. I usually feel like they are so loud but I thought Chanel Orange Fizz would be fun to try something different. I find it still a bit too bright/loud on the fingers. I think I’ll like it better for a pedicure. Rococo Trash on the other hand is a stunning red raspberry. I’m sure there’s a dupeable color out there by Zoya or OPI, I just haven’t looked into it. It was a bit of a hunt for me to track down Chanel Orange Fizz. As far as I can tell, there are plenty of online places to buy it. I had to go to a few counters near me to find this one even though it’s been out for a while. I finally found it at one of my local Macys and they only had 2 bottles left. The Rococo was found at Space NK Bloomingdales South Coast Plaza.

Chanel Orange Fizz:

Rococo Trash on the toes:

There’s a lovely coral-peachy-pink that I saw at Sephora that I need to check out again. I can’t remember the name but it’s by the OPI for Sephora line.

All the coral nail polish lovers. Do you have any favorites you’d like to share? I’m open for recommendations for summer!

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