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Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss Review + Swatches

March 24, 2017

Chanel recently reformulated their lip gloss with a new formula called Rouge Coco Gloss ($30 each for 5.5 g/0.19 oz, made in France). This is a new and improved version that offers more hydration with a glossier finish and plump feel. As a long-time Glossimer fan I was a bit sad to see the original formula go but since Chanel has revamped a number of other products in their line I think it was inevitable to see a new gloss formula. The new Rouge Coco Glosses have two different formulas, most are a regular lip gloss formula Gel Brilliant Hydrantant / Moisturizing Glossimer, but three shades are what Chanel calls Top Coat Intense / Colour-Intensifying Top Coat designed to layer over lipstick to change color.

There are 30 shades of Rouge Coco Gloss total for the initial launch. At a quick glance there are at least a few that seem to be repromotes (but with different names). We’re in the midst of working on a few remodels which will take some time so much of my makeup is stored boxes so I won’t be able to do swatch comparisons for old vs new. I received 8 shades as press samples and purchased 8 on my own to review. Some thoughts on the new formula and then swatches of 16 colors below.

The Rouge Coco Gloss formula is described as a “non-sticky, ultra light formula leaves lips visibly smooth and plump, and perfectly brilliant.” These are indeed smooth glosses that give the lips an ultra high shine. They aren’t tacky or sticky but being a gloss there is still a little bit of balmy gloss feel. On my lips they don’t really feel ultra light, but more like a semi-thick balm.
Finish is ultra shiny and glossy.
Pigment and finish varies across all colors. Some are sheer creams, some sheer shimmers, some high sparkle shimmers, others are opaque creams.
There’s no detectable scent. Yay!
Compared to the original, the sponges have a curved more cushiony bigger applicator tip which allows for more coverage in fewer swipes.
Formula is hydrating and has a cushiony feel, the new ones are noticeably more cushiony and hydrating compared to the original formula.
Lasting power is pretty good, I’ve been snacking a lot lately so I haven’t had any extended period of time where my lips go untouched to test these. I find they stay put for a few hours without sliding off or fading. They will of course transfer if you drink or eat.
Some of the colors are sheer so my natural lip color shows through making many of these look similar.
These have numbers on the bottom of the sticker, but they also have names which aren’t listed on the actual gloss (they are on the boxes).

A look at the old vs new:

I split the colors into color grouping for the swatches, descriptions on each color below as well. As always I’ve swatched these on bare lips. My foundation shade is Tom Ford Waterproof Foundation in Bisque. First are the light golds and neutrals:

774 Excitation is a top coat, it’s a sheer gold that brightens lip colors
712 Melted Honey is a sheer warm golden honey shimmer
722 Noce Moscata (purchased) is a semi-sheer smooth shimmering neutral fawn, love this!
714 Caresse (purchased) is a medium coverage nude brown cream
716 Caramel (purchased) is a medium coverage nude pink cream

Next are the peach orangey shades and the two darker colors I have:

744 Subtil (purchased) is a pigmented shimmering peachy color with pink and gold
736 Douceur (purchased) is a sheer cantelope cream
776 Impulsion is a top coat, it’s a sheer orange that brightens and warms up colors
752 Bitter Orange is a pigmented bright orange with a tiny bit of shimmer
768 Decadent is black in the tube, on the lips it’s a sheer vampy plum, color is gorgeous but this one went on super streaky and settled into lip lines for me
778 Caviar is a black shimmer in the tube, on the lips it’s a super sheer almost black grey gloss, this is a top coat designed to deepen lipstick color

Last set are the pinks:

726 Icing is a sheer pale milky pink, this one goes on smooth without any streaks
119 Bourgeoisie is a medium pigmented shimmering rose with gold flecks, this is almost identical to Wild Rose in the original formula, but the new one feels a lot more sparkly
728 Rose Pulpe (purchased) is a medium bright soft pink with micro sparkles
172 Tendresse (purchased) is another favorite, it s a medium hot pink rose with shimmer
738 Amuse-Bouche (purchased) is a pigmented bright pink with a tiny bit of shimmer

For those curious about how the top coats transform lip colors, I have it swatched over Rouge Coco in Vera (a baby pink) and Suzanne (a medium plum). To recap, 774 Excitation is the gold top coat, 776 Impulsion is the Orange Top Coat and 778 Caviar is the black top coat. I was really skeptical that these would do anything to lip color. I received the top coats as press samples and even after seeing them at the counter they didn’t really speak to me until I swatched them on my own. As you can see below they really do shift the color. They’re sheer but still manage to change a lipstick. I like Impulsion (the orange one) the best.

Overall, my thoughts are that Chanel has indeed improved the formula. I still have quite a few in the old formula which I adore. I would have loved to see a few more of the original shades in the new formula, but I think there will be a lot we can look forward to in the future. The main differences between old vs new is the applicator change and also the new ones have a cushiony feel with more shine. Off the top of my head, Bourgeoisie looks like Wild Rose, Douceur reminds me of Sirop, either Caresse or Caramel remind me of Giggle.

Since I have pigmented lips and some of these colors are sheer or semi-sheer many look pretty similar on my lips. I was completely blown away by the pigment of Bitter Orange and Amuse-Bouche. Both are brighter than I’d normally wear but I think will be perfect for when the actual summer season arrives. As much as I adore sheer glosses, part of me wishes all the colors had the same pigment as those two. My top 5 color picks out of what I tested: Caramel, Noce Moscata, Amuse-Bouche, Tendresse and Bourgeoisie. My husband commented that my lipstick looked good when I wore Tendresse which made me smile because he rarely comments on my makeup.

You can find the Rouge Coco Gloss at all Chanel counters now. I ordered the ones I purchased online at Chanel and Nordstrom. They retail for $30 each.

8 colors provided as press samples, 8 colors purchased by me.

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Chanel

Chanel Le Vernis Tulle, Washed Denim, Androgyne and Emblematique

March 22, 2017

There are four new Le Vernis Nail Colours ($28 each for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz, made in France) from Chanel that have launched with the new Rouge Coco Gloss collection. The new shades are all creams (non-shimmers) in Tulle, Washed Denim, Androgyne and Emblematique. All four performed well in terms of smooth application and rich opaque pigment. The color selection seems to be an odd mix to me as there is not really a theme but since they aren’t really part of a color collection it makes sense that they wouldn’t be coordinated or match. My favorite one is Tulle which surprised me. In the bottle I thought it looked like a boring peach but on the hands it’s actually just perfect for spring.

I purchased all four colors, descriptions as follows:

Tulle (is the only one listed as limited-edition) is a medium peach, it’s the perfect mix of peach with a slight hint of pink, there’s no yellowish tone which is perfect for my olive skintone. I don’t do back-ups of nail polish anymore but I’m tempted to do so with this one.
Androgyne is a dark purple, it has that secret shimmer you see in the bottle, but on the nails all you see is a cream color. Sometimes I wish Chanel made the shimmers visible on the nails – it has this pretty almost blue iridescent sheen to it. This one is almost identical to Vertigo (comparisons below).
Emblematique is a sheer blue-based red. It has a slight jelly finish but is still smooth and opaque. On me these kinds of reds apply true to the bottle but then darken as they dry down. Out of the four I would say this is the least unique and most easily dupeable.
Washed Denim is a surprisingly pretty soft blue. Whenever I wear blues on the fingers I often feel like it looks so unnatural. There are lots of lighter blues that I’ll still wear or grey blues but for me blue is hard to pull off. This one manages to be muted enough and has some grey tones that it’s very wearable for everyday but still different enough that it’s not a neutral. I really like this one.

Swatches and close ups of each color. I used 2 coats for application with each swatch, Tulle is first.

Tulle

Androgyne

Emblematique

Washed Denim

Nail wheel comparisons, note the following shades have been discontinued: Majesty, June, Orange Fizz, Paradoxal, Vertigo

Overall I love Tulle and Washed Denim because the colors are flattering and the most unique out of the four. Some may find peach polishes to be fairly standard but for me, if a peach polish has too much brown, beige or yellow it ends up making my olive skin look sallow. Tulle has enough pink in it to work for me. I find Emblematique can be duped by a lot of other sheer blue-based reds. Androgyne looks very similar to Vertigo, so if you already own that one you might want to skip it to avoid dupes. That being said the new Chanel polish formula has improved in pigment and lasting power. You can see previous reviews of the new polishes here, here and here.

I’ll have the new Rouge Coco Glosses reviewed and swatched soon. I’m working my way through quite a few of the shades, first impressions are that they do seem to be more lush and more hydrating than the original formula (which I loved). You can find all four of the Le Vernis nail polishes at all Chanel counters and stores now. I ordered all four from Chanel.com.

Have you checked these out yet? Did you pick up any of the colors? If not what have you been wearing on your nails lately?

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Bronzer + Blush Chanel Eye Makeup Highlighters

Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection – Spring 2017

March 14, 2017

Chanel lovers have probably had the new Chanel Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection on their radar for months and it has finally arrived in the US. The collection features a mix of colors Chanel calls “the harmony of opposites” – we have a mix of soft and subtle colors combined with some vibrant bright shades. The collection is exclusive to Chanel.com (like previous years Le Blanc collections). I have some pieces I’ve been playing with which include:

Plisse Lumiere de Chanel Illuminating Powder ($70 for 10 g/0.35 oz)
Les Tissages de Chanel Tweed Blush in Tweed Coralline and Tweed Cherry Blossom ($48 each for 5.5 g/0.19 oz)
Les 4 Ombres in Jardins Eclatants and Jardins de Lumieres ($61 each for 2 g/0.07 oz)
Rouge Coco Shine in Rose Ravissant ($37)
Rouge Allure Gloss in Energie ($37 for 6 ml/0.20 fl 0z)
Le Vernis in Resplendissant and Bleu Pastel ($28 for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz)

Every color above is listed as limited-edition according to the Chanel website with the exception of Energie and Bleu Pastel. There are additional colors and some other products repromoted in the collection as well – so be sure to check the Energies Et Puretes page to see the full list of what’s in the collection.

Up first is the Illuminating Powder in Plisse Lumiere de Chanel. This is absolutely stunning and has a soft finely milled texture. It is shimmery and comes in a soft champagne kind of color. It has a stunning embossed texture and has a metallic sheen that has a luminous effect on the skin. The Camelia de Chanel powder by comparison is a lot more sparkly with more visible sparkles. It’s also the slightest bit more rosy. I prefer the newest Plisse Lumiere de Chanel because it has a little less glitz making it easier to wear. The texture of this new one is smooth, easy to blend, well pigmented and you can layer it for a sheer wash or a more intense kind of sheen. The Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001 is a bit warmer in color.

Swatch comparisons:

Next are the blushes which are the Les Tissages de Chanel Blush Duo Tweed Effect. These are ultra pigmented and on the bright side so a tiny bit really goes a long way. The intensity is almost too much to swipe your brush into the pan. I found it best to lightly tap the brush into the product and tap off the excess. Tweed Coralline is my favorite. For my complexion color right now (I’m usually around a Chanel 30) Tweed Cherry Blossom can easily give me a sunburned look because it’s so bright. One is a bright orange peach, the other is a deep pink.

Left is Tweed Cherry Blossom, right is Tweed Coralline:

The lip color options are also extremely bright. The Rouge Coco Shine in Rose Ravissant is a bright sheer hot pink. This one is pretty sheer but still has visible color. The Rouge Allure Gloss in Energie is a bright pigmented coral. It’s too bright for my comfort zone but coverage is smooth and flawless. I really love the formulas of the Rouge Allure Gloss because they stay put and apply beautifully.

The eyeshadow quads Les 4 Ombres come with excellent texture and pigment. Even though they are the round pans they are not the baked format (at least in the US). I love the look of Jardins Eclatants because it’s more wearable for me – although the colors can probably be duped with other brands. It has a soft pink shimmer, a cream shimmer, a golden sand shimmer and a bronzey color. Jardins de Lumieres has colors I really don’t know how to wear – I just layered all of them as I couldn’t really decide where to place each color or what order to apply them in. This has a soft green, a soft washed faded blue, a bright purple and a pale pink.

Two looks with the blushes, eyeshadow quads and lip products. Also both photos have the Plisse Lumiere de Chanel highlighter on the cheeks layered on top of the blushes.

Last but not least are two of the Le Vernis colors in Bleu Pastel and Resplendissant. Bleu Pastel is a semi sheer baby blue. The pigment on many pastel colors can be tricky to apply and that’s what I found with this one. It took three coats to get smooth coverage but it’s a really pretty baby blue on the fingers so I don’t mind. I think it will be fun on the toes as well for summer. Resplendissant is a bright coral pink. This one has flawless perfect coverage. I still prefer two coats but the pigment is good you can get by with one. Of course this has a similar effect to many other bright coral pinks but I still love it.

Comparisons below show that Riva is more aqua and warmer while Blue Pastel is more of a baby blue. Pigment-wise you I found there is more coverage with the Bleu Pastel even though I need 3 coats.

Overall a beautiful collection with some lovely additions to update your look for spring. If you’re one who finds Chanel blushes too light or too sheer I think you’ll really like the pigmented Tweed options this round. I suspect I’ll find them more suitable for my skintone when I get a tan. The winners for me in this collection are the nail polishes – both are really pretty. The Plisee Lumiere de Chanel is a beautiful highlighter. Given the large number of highlighters I own I wouldn’t call it a must-have as the color is similar in effect to others. Still it’s very pretty and I don’t mind having similar colors. Jardins Eclantes eyeshadow palette is another gorgeous option that you can easily wear for daily looks – it’s not the most unique but having a palette where I love all the colors is always a plus and it’s one that I think I’ll be traveling with a lot.

You can find the Energies Et Puretes Makeup Collection online at Chanel.com. Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think?

Press samples include the Plisse Lumiere de Chanel highlighter, Tweed Cherry Blossom Blush, Bleu Pastel Le Vernis, Energie Rouge Allure Gloss, Rose Ravissant Rouge Coco Shine. Other items purchased by me.

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Chanel Highlighters

Chanel Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder

January 25, 2017

Chanel launched a new highlighter called Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder ($70 for 6 g/0.21 oz, made in Italy). It’s currently available online at Chanel.com and comes in a solid mirrored compact, limited-edition red lacquered case, half-moon brush in a stunning embossed camelia pattern. This highlighter compact literally took my breath away as soon as I opened it – the pattern, texture, shimmer and color are just out of this world beautiful. It truly is one of the prettiest compacts I think I’ve seen. On the skin my feelings are mixed. This is a beautiful highlighter that I think has an exquisite type of prism-like shimmer but I need to apply with a very light hand on the cheeks or only use this on the eyes – otherwise it’s simply too shimmery for my skin tone.

Chanel describes this to be “a sheer highlighting powder” that “captures and reflects light for a delicate, luminous glow.” For my medium-olive skintone I don’t find it sheer or delicate. It’s a champagne highlighter with an intense sparkle with tiny micro sparkle particles. They aren’t glittery chunks but the glow particles are definitely bigger than finely milled shimmer. I know many of my readers are split into those who are anti-shimmer anything and those who love all the glow they can get. I am one who loves as much glow as I can get as long as I don’t end up looking like a frosted or gilded statue. In all the years I’ve collected Chanel highlighters I would say this one is definitely the most glitzy and sparkly of them all. Chanel highlighters have been all over the place from so sheer that you can use as an all over setting powder to a more noticeable glow to a more traditional highlight. If you remember the sparkly loose powders like MAC Silver Dusk or Laura Mercier Candlelight (both discontinued) – this Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder has a similar sparkly quality but in pressed form and also in a more beige-champagne color versus the light silvery pink tint the loose powders had.

There’s a slight texture that is noticeable if you swipe the powder with a finger but swatching it on the hand or arm it feels extremely smooth and silky. The pigment is quite intense but can be easily blended out for a more diffused look. I love this on the eyes for a good champagne sparkle highlight. On my cheeks it gives my face an almost wet-look effect with the way the light hits the shimmer – but I will note that some champagne highlighters don’t look good on my specific skin tone because of the way it either matches or is one shade too light. For example Kevyn Aucoin Candlelight looks good on everyone I’ve seen it on but on my skin tone it looks chalky and just plain horrible. By comparison the Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kits are some of the most glowy almost frosty looking highlighters I’ve tried – but because the colors contrast more with my skintone I find them more wearable especially if I blend them out with a brush.

A closer look

Swatch on bare skin:

I know this one is super blurry but it shows how the light reflects on some of the particles:

A quick look on the face, photo taken without flash because with one my entire face looked like a glowy shiny mess. I have mixed feelings about this one on my face because I feel like it looks a bit too glowy and also emphasizes texture on my skin. It doesn’t emphasize pores like some highlighters do, but right now I’m working on some exfoliating and peels for my skin so texture is showing a bit on the cheek areas.

Look

On the face:

Hourglass Vanish Seamless Foundation in Warm Ivory and Nude mixed
MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural in Medium Plus
Chanel La Palette Sourcils de Chanel Brow Powder Duo in Brun
Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Rose Initial
Camelia de Chanel Highlighter on eyes and cheeks
Chanel Les 4 Ombres in Tisse Rivoli on eyes
Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur in Beige Rose on the lips

Two sets of swatch comparisons for you, Set 1:

Hourglass Ambient Strobe Powders in Euphoric and Incandescent (review here)
Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Shimpagne (discontinued)
Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Powder in Champagne Pop (review here)
Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Sunlight (review here)

Set 2:

Tom Ford Skin Illuminating Duo in Moodlight (review here)
Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001 (review here and here)
Laura Mercier Face Illuminators in Indiscretion and Devotion (review here)
Tom Ford Shimmer Shot Spin Spin Sugar (review here)
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle (available here)

Quick note and some thoughts on comparisons. The Camelia de Chanel has a similar sparkling quality to MAC Soft and Gentle on my skin, but the Chanel is slightly more sparkly. My personal favorite is still the Diorskin Nude Air Luminizer 001 because it melds nicely with my skin and the color is just perfect for me. This spring they’ve added 3 more shades (review soon). The comparison swatch shows the Dior and Chanel to look really similar but on camera it’s difficult to capture ever single nuance with the shimmer, color and sparkles. If you want to avoid all kinds of harsh shimmer and want just a soft natural glow the Edward Bess All Over Seduction is my holy grail cream highlighter although the Tom Ford Shimmer Shots are quite pretty and easy to wear too.

Final thoughts: I think the Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder is an exquisite highlighter. I was sent one for review and would have purchased one even if they didn’t send one to me. I think it’s definitely a unique piece compared to previous Chanel highlighter launches and even unique compared to other brands. It has a sparkle that almost feels like it could be fairy dust captured and pressed into a compact. Opening it is a breathtaking experience and they really did an excellent job at creating a one of a kind piece for beauty collectors and fanatics like myself. Quality is top notch – it has a smooth even texture without any patchy issues. As with any powder there will be some fallout in the application but once on the skin I found it stayed put all day long. I love it on the eyes. On my cheeks it’s a bit much for me – even though as you can tell from the comparison swatches above I’m a bit of a highlighter junkie and love a good glow. This one is just not doable for the cheeks for everyday but I will say that right at this moment I’m in that weird skintone transition phase where I’m getting lighter and finding a lot of colors aren’t working for me. I know this will pass as I tan easily and sunshine is in the weather forecast in the upcoming days so I’ll probably get some color soon.

If you bought this I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you can chime in on your skintone to help those who are debating whether or not to order sight unseen that would be amazing too.

The Camelia de Chanel Illuminating Powder retails for $70, currently available online at Chanel.com.

Illuminating powder provided courtesy of Chanel for review.

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Chanel

Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Jumbo Longwear Lip Crayons

January 13, 2017

This spring beauty season seems to the season for the lips. There are a quite a few new formulas launching in lipstick, balms, crayons and liquid lipsticks and as the ultimate lip junkie I can’t help but feel super excited. Today I have a review of the Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Jumbo Longwear Lip Crayons ($37 each) to share and thanks to the Chanel team I have all eleven shades swatched for you. Right now they are exclusive to Chanel.com but should be launching at counters and stores soon.

The Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur is a twist up lipstick in chubby stick form with a satiny smooth finish. They have a glossy shine much like the Rouge Coco Shines and Rouge Coco Stylos, but with a creamier texture. Most of the colors offer medium-full coverage with a few swipes. They glide on easily and have a nourishing feel. If you remember many years ago Chanel had a lovely lipliner called Le Crayon Gloss. They came in a traditional skinny lip pencil format but had this amazing glossy formula. The new Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur reminds me a little of those in the sense that these pencils have a lovely natural shine. I love sheer glossy lipsticks but often wish most had a bit more pigment with the same texture. I almost feel like these Jumbo Longwear Lip Crayons were made for me because it’s almost everything I could want in a lipstick. There’s no detectable scent. In terms of lasting power they stay put a long time and don’t slide off or fade quickly. However due to the glossy emollient nature of these you will see color transfer to cups if you drink anything.

The colors are just perfect:

First a look at other Chanel lip products for scale: Rouge Allure, Rouge Coco Stylo (all shades swatched here) and Rouge Coco Shine in Boy:

The 11 colors shown below with descriptions:

Nude No. 1 is a nude beige with medium coverage
Rose Violine No. 2 is a perfect soft beige rose cream with full coverage
Rose Clair No. 3 is a shimmery cool light rose pink with medium-full coverage
Rouge Corail No. 4 is a orangey red with full coverage
Rouge No. 5 is a classic red with full coverage
Framboise No. 6 is a strawberry pink red with full coverage
Fuschia No. 7 is a hot cool pink with full coverage
Cassis No. 8 is a deep plum, due to the contrast with my lip tone I found this one a bit patchy
Beige Rose No. 9 is a light beige pink with medium coverage
Tangerine No. 11 is a hot orange with full coverage
Carmin No. 12 is a deep red

Another photo for scale, they are on the short side compared to the regular Chanel lip liners. On the nails is Chanel Camelia Le Vernis.

Individual lip swatches on bare lips, for skintone reference I’m wearing Anastasia Beverly Hills Foundation Stick in Warm Natural.

Swatches all side by side:

Bottom line: right up my alley. I do think they are on the pricey side given the small size. At this time I don’t have the exact product weight as the pencils arrived as press samples without boxes. That being said I love all the colors. Cassis is the only one that I had issues with – it can be fixed with a lip liner as a base to help smooth out the color. It applies well but on me went on slightly patchy – not a deal breaker as it wears beautifully. By comparison the other colors apply flawlessly. Nude and Beige Rose are the sheerest out of the bunch but still offer full coverage with a bit more swiping back and forth. As I just received them and did swatches as quickly as I could I can’t report on whether or not they offer long lasting moisture. However they do have a nice emollient feel and my lips have experienced no peeling or drying even with all the swatching and wiping. If you like a glossy lip with pigment I think you’ll really like these. They are pricey but the formula is excellent and I’m in love with every single color.

You can find the Chanel Le Rouge Crayon de Couleurs online now at Chanel.com. Right now Tangerine and Carmin are listed as limited-edition colors.

Jumbo Crayons provided courtesy of Chanel for review. Camelia Le Vernis featured was also a press sample from last year. All other items featured from my own collection.

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Chanel

Chanel Coco Codes for Spring 2017

January 3, 2017

Happy New Year! I’m excited for the new year, new opportunities and new adventures. My first review of the year starts out on a positive note with a post on the Chanel Coco Codes for spring. I ordered a few pieces from spring 2017 sight unseen. Based on the online stock photos I did not really expect to be wowed as the colors looked pretty but fairly basic and almost boring. After extensive testing I am pleased to report that everything far exceeded my expectations! The Coco Codes collection might appear to consist of standard color options but everything performed really well. Quality and textures are great true to usual Chanel quality standards and as a whole, the collection works well for a pretty updated modern but classic look. What I ordered:

Coco Code Blush Harmony ($70)
Joues Contraste Powder Blush Elegance #370 ($45)
Les 4 Ombres Codes Elegants #274 ($61)
Les 4 Ombres Codes Subtils #278 ($61)
Rouge Allure Velvet Libre #62 ($37)
Le Vernis Nail Color Blanc White #548 ($28)
Le Vernis Nail Color Beige Beige #556 ($28)

The cheek colors for this collection run on the neutral warm side on me both the Coco Code Blush Harmony Quad and Elegance Blush look very similar on me, the first is slightly deeper and more luminous because of the red and caramel brown tones. The Coco Code Blush Harmony is the most beautiful item in the collection. It’s a quad with a mix of satin and soft mattes that you can swirl for a warm peachy bronzed cheek. The colors can be applied individually but since each portion is on the small side you’ll need a small detail brush to pick up one color at a time. The colors swirled together give a naturally luminous glow – no frost or overpowering shimmer. They blend nicely for a smooth finish that is easy to layer.

Elegance Blush is a soft peachy nude. It has a slight sheen to it and I’m pleased to find that the one sold in the US is indeed the regular US version versus the baked option you see in other countries. For those not familiar with Chanel blushes there are two versions, most of the time the ones released in the US have a different finely milled perfect smooth texture. Countries outside the US receive blushes that are baked, pull very powdery and chalky on my skin and don’t show up as well.

There are two eyeshadow quads Les 4 Ombres and both are excellent in texture and pigment. They come in the round pans but aren’t the baked version. They are similar in texture to that of Les 4 Ombres in Tisse Rivoli and Vendome – almost creamy in texture with rich beautiful shimmer pigment but still powders. Codes Elegants is the golden option which pulls on the yellow side but is still very wearable even though I tend to prefer more neutral gold colors for my olive skin. Codes Subtils is prettier in person than online stock photos show. It has a unique and pretty mix of soft pink, salmon, bronze and brown.

For the lips I picked one lip color in the Rouge Allure Velvet formula called Libre. It’s been a while since I’ve paid attention to the lip velvets launched so I’m not sure if it’s a new or repromoted shade. It’s new to me and is a perfect flawless neutral rose. It has a velvet matte finish but still looks like it has a very subtle luminous sheen to it – perfect for me as pure matte lips often make my lips look dry. I would have liked to see some glossimers or rouge allure glosses for the launch but if you follow sneak peeks on social it appears they are reformulating the formula sometime in the spring. Back to the lipstick, Libre has smooth medium to full coverage with a moisturizing feel. It feels comforting on the lips and lasting power is pretty good.

Some comparison swatches, to me it looks almost identical in color to MAC Liptensity in Smoked Almond:

MAC Liptensity in Smoked Almond and Toast and Butter – swatched here
Charlotte Tilbury K.I.S.S.I.N.G Lipstick in Stoned Rose – swatched here
Tom Ford Lips and Boys 2016 in Christopher – swatched here
Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick in Mademoiselle – swatched here
Tom Ford Lips and Boys 2016 in Ashton – swatched here
MAC Velvet Teddy Lipstick – swatched here

Last but not least are the Le Vernis nail polishes. I bought two shades, one is Blanc White which is a sheer white cream color. I need three coats to get the color to show up. I think it makes the hands look polished and clean and even though I know it’s supposed to be a sheer I do wish the pigment was a bit more opaque. Beige Beige is a warm beige that looks almost tan. It’s not the most unique color but I like that it doesn’t have too much of a yellow base like some beige colors do which can make olive skin look sallow or sickly. This one seems to have enough peach to give it some life. Coverage on this one is perfect and I get full smooth coverage with two coats.

How the cheek colors will vary depending on your skintone – I found both the face quad and blush have a similar effect on my skin so I wouldn’t call them both must-haves. The blush is more subtle and lighter in color for a more natural look while the cheek quad has more pigment and more color. I don’t favor one over the other however the Coco Code Blush Harmony is more unique and more versatile in the event you want to use individual colors on the eyes or to highlight the cheeks.

Quick look with the Coco Code Blush, Codes Elegants Quad and Libre Rouge Allure Velvet:

For the quads I was really surprised by how wearable Codes Elegants is – especially since it has yellow gold tones that I find usually clash with my already yellow-olive skin. I do favor the other option Codes Subtils for the color selection – the shades are just so pretty and pigmented. If there were two things I would pass on they would be the nail colors I picked – they’re nice and pretty neutrals. Great for conservative work environments for for those who want a natural polished look, but they aren’t must-haves to me. That being said I do think finding a good beige can be challenging, so Beige Beige wins for being wearable without looking too sallow or yellow. Have you checked out the collection yet? What did you think?

You can find the collection now online and in stores. Most of the pieces are limited-edition. I bought my pieces online from Chanel and Nordstrom. Also available at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Ombres Lamées de Chanel for Holiday 2016

November 23, 2016

For holiday Chanel is releasing a special limited-edition palette called Ombres Lamées de Chanel ($105 for 14 g/0.49 oz, made in Italy). It launches officially on Chanel.com November 28th but I’m thrilled to share that Beauty Look Book readers are getting an exclusive to shop it early starting today through this specific link. In addition they’ve offered a special overnight shipping code (details at bottom of post)! The Ombres Lamées de Chanel is, “Inspired by the meticulous craftsmanship and rich textures of iconic Chanel Ready-to-Wear creations, this exclusive palette reveals a harmony of exquisite shadows in three shades laced with gold. The soft, silky texture leaves an even, luminous finish.” The palette is exactly as described – soft, silky and luminous.

The Ombres Lamées de Chanel comes cased in a small black box which also contains a little black pouch and two brushes. The brushes are small for detail application and blending but extremely well made. The design of the palette is simply exquisite – like a work of art in a small compact. It’s almost too pretty to use with the gold overspray accents and gorgeous embossed surface patterns. There’s a chart online at Chanel which gives a how-to application guide, but I tried it by swirling all the colors together for a soft luminous golden eye look with slight smoky tones. First a closer look at the palette:

It’s truly a sight to behold:

The surface does have some gold overspray which is just beautiful. A look at the palette below once the overspray has been removed:

There are three colors in the palette: yellow warm gold shimmer, soft taupe shimmer, satiny brown-black. The texture is very soft and colors are sheer-to-medium but can be applied slightly damp for more color. The overall effect is soft and luminous.

Swatches:

Look below wearing with the Chanel Ombres Lamées de Chanel:

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation in 30 Beige
Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Powder in No. 20
Chanel Le Volume Mascara in Black
Hourglass Surreal Light Palette on cheeks
Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss in Innocent (just ordered it and absolutely love it!)
Chanel Le Vernis in Rouge Noir 18
Sweater by Club Monaco

The colors are easy to layer but since the stripes of color are on the small side you will need to use a detail or smaller brush to pick up individual colors. The brushes that come with the palette are the perfect size for picking up shades individually, but most likely some swirling between colors will occur.

If you haven’t yet seen the palette I hope this review helps give you an idea of the texture and colors. I think the effect of the shades swirled together is really pretty and makes for a soft smoky gold and almost olive-tinged eye that is great for holiday. The palette launches officially online at Chanel.com November 28th. Beauty Look Book readers get early access by shopping through this Ombres Lamées de Chanel link. In addition you can receive overnight shipping with code GOLDEN at checkout, valid 11/23 at 12:01am – 11/28 at 5pm.

Many thanks to Chanel for sending me this palette and for offering my readers early access!

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