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Chanel

Chanel Rêve D’Orient Quadra Eye Shadow

December 3, 2014
Chanel has released a limited-edition eye shadow palette called Rêve D’Orient Quadra Eye Shadow ($70 for 2 g/0.07 oz, made in Italy). It was initially a special release only to the Chanel Boutique in New York on 57th Street. My dear friend Café Makeup e-mailed me to let me know the news in early October. By the time I received my order in the mail it sold out. The good news for Chanel fans is that this palette has launched at other retailers. I have thoughts and swatches to share with you today.

Chanel Rêve D’Orient was designed for the Dubai Cruise Show earlier this year. Each shade has a stunning star pattern embossed on the powders. Opening it simply took my breath away. The colors in the palette are well pigmented. The shades are a bit powdery so you might get a tiny bit of fall out with it, but it isn’t anything different than I experience with most powder shadows. The pigment is very smooth. All the shades have some degree of shimmer. The shades are quite complex with multi-dimensional shimmers. In some light the colors look more warm, in other lighting (like the one below) the gold tones show up more making it look more neutral.


The colors that are in this palette:
  • Deep warm brown with a very natural shimmery sheen
  • White gold ivory shimmer, I like that this is an ivory color that doesn’t turn yellow
  • Sparkling but very smooth true gold shimmer
  • Satiny pigmented black, this one applies very smoothly

Swatched on the arms with a brush. The palette comes with tiny white-tipped sponge applicators but I always prefer to use brushes:

Some have wondered how the Chanel Rêve D’Orient compares to the Charlotte Tilbury Fallen Angel. Both have beautiful star patterns embossed on the surface. They are very similar in overall effect, I would say that the Charlotte Tilbury pulls more cool-toned on me, while the Chanel is more neutral.

The differences I’ve seen from testing:

  • Charlotte Tilbury’s quad has a creamy texture, Chanel’s quad is more like a traditional powder
  • The black shades apply almost identical in the finish, I have a slight preference for Chanel’s because it’s more satiny and slightly smoother when you apply it
  • The deep bronze shade in Charlotte’s is more metallic, Chanel’s bronze has slightly more red/plum
  • Charlotte Tilbury’s pale shades are ivory champagne pink and silvery tan with a mauve sheen
  • Chanel’s pale shades are an ivory gold that’s off-white and the gold is a pure gold

Between the two, I prefer the Chanel, mainly because I can wear neutrals on the eyes easier than I can pull off cool tones. Although the shades in the Chanel palette do have a similar vibe to previously released singles, I think the formula, texture and pigment in the Chanel Rêve D’Orient surpasses the singles. The colors just blend in beautifully with the lids and the color adheres well to the lids. They layer together really well and the shades are distinct enough in undertone and texture that they don’t all look the same once applied.

It’s a splurge at $70 but in my opinion I’ve found it to be totally worth the splurge. It performs well, the pigment is super smooth, the colors are super easy to wear, and it’s extremely versatile for day, night and almost any occasion.

The Chanel Rêve D’Orient Quadra Eye Shadow is limited-edition. It has already sold out on a few sites I mentioned a few days ago, but right now still available at Nordstrom, Macy’s and Chanel.com.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty The Sky-Liner Petites Highliner Collection

December 2, 2014

Marc Jacobs Beauty released some beautiful sets for the holiday season. The Sky-Liner Petites Highliner Collection ($45 for 7 eyeliner minis, each 0.37 g / 0.01 oz) has been on my list for quite some time and after a few days of testing I can say that I think it’s a must if you like eyeliner and want some options that are beyond the basic black and brown.

This set has seven different minis of the Marc Jacobs Beauty Highliners (full sized options are $25 each). These are twist-up gel pencils that are waterproof. The pigment of these is quite intense but the formula is smooth and glides on the eyes nicely without any tugging. I was really pleased to find how easy it was to layer nicely and get a precise line. Given the smooth texture when you apply these, I was worried these might be one of those types of pencils that didn’t stay put. But after you let these sit for a minute, they truly are budge-proof. Compared to other long-wear pencils, I would say these last a lot longer than Urban Decay 24/7 pencils and even more than Chanel Stylo Yeuxs. Lasting power is as good as Burberry Effortless Kohls (reviewed here).

I had tested a mini that was a Sephora Beauty Insider 100 Point perk back in August and loved it. The other shades in this set are just as good and had it not been for the minis I probably wouldn’t have tried some of the other fun colors and totally missed out. It comes cased in a sleek black tin.

All the shades are shimmery except Blacquer. The shimmer isn’t overly frosty on the eyes though, for me it’s really perfect. I’m in my early 30’s and for those who want to know if anyone over 25 years of age can wear these, I would say absolutely yes.

The colors in the Sky-Liner Highliner set include:

  • O(Vert) is a shimmery sage green
  • Brown(Out) is a metallic deep chocolate brown
  • Sunset is an interesting warm coppery gold
  • Midnight in Paris is a deep teal shimmer
  • Th(ink) is a violet navy blue metallic
  • (Plum) age is a bright orchid purple shimmer
  • Blacquer is a lush glossy deep black
For size reference next to my hand, you can see these are really cute mini-sized liners:

If you’re like me and won’t buy sets unless you like all the colors know that all the shades are available for individual purchase. Wearing colors like Sunset and Plumage are a bit of a stretch for me based on my natural instinct. I gravitate towards neutrals but every once in a while I have a makeover at a counter (like with NARS and Chanel) where they use some more wild colors as an accent on the eyes. I’m always surprised that it actually looks nice although I’ve never been able to bring myself to splurge on a full sized pencil I know I will only use occasionally. For me, this is the benefit of mini sets. This year has brought a lot of sets that have items I know I will actually be able to use up while still giving me mini bite-sized options that I can test out before seeing if I want to splurge on the full-sized versions.

I still haven’t quite figured out how to wear Sunset (any recs would be appreciated) but I’ve tested each of the other six shades and really like them.

The Marc Jacobs Beauty Sky-Liner set retails for $45 and is limited-edition. As of right now, the set is still available online at Marc Jacobs Beauty. It was available at Sephora but looks like it’s currently sold out online, if you are brave enough to go to the mall these days, you might want to check in store. Update 12/13 back in stock online at Sephora! After testing the colors, I can say I highly recommend it. They last all day long and didn’t budge at all from morning until late evening.

Did you buy any of the Marc Jacobs Beauty sets? Or the Black Friday sets? What did you think?

The Sky-Liner Petites set was provided courtesy of Marc Jacobs Beauty for review consideration.

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Base Makeup Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide

November 21, 2014

The latest foundation innovation from Laura Mercier is her new Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide Foundation. She’s well known for her “Flawless Face” concept which includes four easy steps to achieving the most natural and smooth complexion for your skin type. The main steps include Prime, Cover, Conceal and Set. I used to use the Tinted Moisturizer religiously many years ago when I was in college with near-perfect skin. These days my face needs more than sheer coverage. I have some acne scars and areas I need medium to full coverage, but I still want something that looks natural. The new Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide offers medium to full coverage that looks like skin. It comes in 24 different shade options with a multitude of undertones which made me very excited.

I had an appointment with a Laura Mercier artist last month to tested the new Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide. The artist swatched several shades of the foundation along my jawline and on other areas of my face to find a good match. The foundation comes in a sleek tube that requires shaking to mix the formula inside. It’s very fluid but blends nicely on the skin to give medium coverage. If you try this at the counter, you will need to smooth it out with a finger to see how it wears on your skin – the color adjusts as you blend. I was matched to Honey. The foundation is designed to offer 12 hours of wear. It’s described as humidity-proof, sweat-proof, water resistant, oil-free, non-comedogenic, non-greasy and non-drying. It’s formulated to be suitable for all skin types (including sensitive skin). I found that it worked well with my sensitive acne-prone skin.

Since it had been a while since I had used any of the Laura Mercier foundations, the artist walked me through the Flawless Face process as a refresher.

  1. After cleansing and moisturizing my face, she used the Radiance Primer to prep the skin. There are multiple types of primers. My main concern was that I wanted a medium to full coverage foundation but didn’t want it to look too matte. The Radiance Primer was suggested to give a glow-from-within look.
  2. Next she followed with a thin layer of the Tinted Moisturizer in Sand. For good skin days she recommended the Tinted Moisturizer all over and then using a more pigmented foundation on areas I needed more coverage. She used the Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide in Honey on the forehead and cheeks for more coverage.
  3. For spot coverage and under the eye brightening, she mixed the two shades of the Secret Camouflage Concealer in SC-3. Concealer was set under the eyes with the Secret Brightening Powder.
  4. The final step was to set with the Loose Setting Powder in Translucent (a classic that I’ve never stopped using).

At home, the same Flawless Face look was easy for me to replicate. I added some color to the cheeks for a natural glow with the Matte Radiance Baked Bronze Powder in Bronze 02. For the eyes, I’ve been layering the cream shadow Caviar Stick Eye Colors. Three easy-to-use colors for a classic no-fuss look include Rosegold, Amethyst and Tuxedo. Rosegold highlights the entire lid naturally Amethyst gives a nice medium contour and is layer able for a natural or smokey look. Tuxedo doubles as a smokey liner. All the shades are blendable and layer well together. For the lips, a thin layer of the Lip Glacé in Pink Pop brightens the face with a sheer wash of color.

Above: Radiance Foundation Primer, Spiced Rose Creme Lip Color, Tinted Moisturizer in Sand, Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide in Honey, Lip Glace in Orchid, Bare Baby, Pink Pop and Nectar, Matte Radiance Baked Powder 02, Secret Brightening Powder and Caviar Eye Stick in Rosegold

What I used at home for a flawless face with a very natural look:

I’ve been really pleased with the way the Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide foundation in Honey wears.  At first swatch I thought it would be too warm but it blends in flawlessly with my skin. The warmth in it adds a bit of color to my face but is still an exact match. It has a thin fluid texture but isn’t too runny as long as you shake the bottle properly before use. It blends easily onto the skin and covers dark spots and uneven areas quite well while still looking natural. I’ve been using the fingers to apply or a damp sponge and the coverage is quite nice. Those sensitive to fragrance will be happy to know that there is no detectable scent in this foundation. As a plus, it photographs well with a flash. Lasting power is quite good when set with the Translucent powder, I was able to get 10 to 12 hours of wear each time I tested without any touch ups required mid-day.

Have you tried the Laura Mercier Smooth Finish Flawless Fluide foundation? What shade do you wear? If you haven’t tested it, I highly recommend you give it a look the next time you’re at the counter.

Shop the post:

Special thanks to Laura Mercier for sponsoring this post. For more information, refer to my Disclosures page.

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Charlotte Tilbury Lips

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Luxe Color-Lasting Lip Lacquer // Blondie, Sweet Stiletto, Seduction, High Society and Ibiza Nights

November 12, 2014

Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustre Luxe Color-Lasting Lip Lacquers ($22 each) are high shine lip glosses that have a nice smooth finish with medium-pigment. I reviewed Blondie and Sweet Stiletto back in September and they’ve been regular go-to’s for natural color and shine. I’ve since picked up more colors. I went to the Charlotte Tilbury x Nordstrom Launch at The Grove in Los Angeles where I was able to play with the whole line in person.

The Lip Lustres I have accumulated include:

  • Blondie which is a shimmering champagne pink
  • Sweet Stiletto which is a warm medium pink
  • Seduction is a perfect nude beige cream
  • High Society is a pink rose with a hint of mauve
  • Ibiza Nights is a sparkling gold beige with tiny flecks of glitter
They are all really lovely colors. The ones I opted for were of course the natural shades. I find they have enough pigment to show up on the lips alone, but I really like these layered over her lip liner or lipsticks. Blondie is my personal favorite, followed by Ibiza Nights which has the prettiest sparkle. It has a tiny bit of glitter but it’s not in-your-face glitzy and has a really smooth texture. Seduction is nude perfection and Sweet Stiletto is a nice warmer pink. High Society is sheerer than I had hoped it would be, but it is layerable. It’s a nice warmer mauve but I prefer this one over a lipliner.

Lip swatches of the three newer shades I have (see Blondie and Sweet Stiletto here):

I’m overall really pleased with the glosses. I think the neutrals are well executed and have enough pigment to show up on the lips. The texture is nice and slightly sticky to adhere well to the lips, but they aren’t tacky and feel smooth. In terms of fragrance, there is a very subtle hint of vanilla but it fades after a few minutes.

Huge thumbs up and I highly recommend checking out Blondie. Do note that these seem to have been extremely popular, I’ve seen websites list some shades on back order multiple times, you may have to shop around if you want more than one color.

You can find the Charlotte Tilbury Lip Lustres online at Nordstrom (in store at The Grove), Net-A-Porter, Bergdorf Goodman and online at Charlotte Tilbury.

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Diptyque Fragrance

Diptyque Winter Landscapes // Hiver, Épice and Résine

November 11, 2014
Diptyque’s Winter Landscapes Collection for this holiday include three new limited-edition candles in Hiver (Winter), Épice (Spice) and Résine (Pine). The scents this year come in three options: the full 6.5 oz ($68), the mini 2.4 oz ($34) and a trio of 2.4 oz minis ($98). I purchased the full size of each candle. The packaging design is absolutely beautiful this year and all three scents are phenomenal. My favorite is Résine which reminds me of last year’s Pine Bark.


The boxes have an exquisite design, I find them just as beautiful as the actual candle jars:

Up first is Hiver (Winter) which comes cased in a teal blue glass jar, it’s described as a “balsamy world of contrasts, where the biting wind gusts beside the nourishing wood fire.” It’s a unique light and fresh winter scent. This one is the most difficult for me to describe but it smells just like winter. It has a very soft uplifting and soothing feel to it.

Next is Épice (spice) described as “a voluptuous, warm-scented candle filled with vibrant cinnamon rounded with enchanting plum.” This one has a warm spicy cinnamon feel. The plum in it helps smooth and round out the scent with a bit of sweetness. If you don’t like sharper cinnamon spice scents because you find them too strong, this one will be perfect for you. If you want something stronger, I’d recommend you opt for the Le Redoute candle. Epice has a good throw, but it’s not as strong as some of the other Diptyque scents I’ve tried.

Last but not least, my favorite is Résine (Pine) which is described as a “wintery scented candle with notes of generous pine, comfortingly whole amidst bark, crushed needles and resin.” It’s a beautiful scent that I absolutely adore. I stocked up on last year’s Pine Bark but burned through all of them. I was sad when I used up the last one but am thrilled Diptyque released a similar scent. This year’s version of Pine smells a bit softer and greener, more like actual pine. I will be ordering back ups of this one.

All three scents for this holiday are winners in my mind. I find them perfect for the fall and holiday season. The packaging design is absolutely divine this year. I love that they have a packaged trio of minis as a boxed set which will make a luxurious gift. I will be buying back ups and they are for sure on my gift list for close ones I know love Diptyque.

The full sized candles are priced at $68 each, minis are $34 each, trio of minis is $98. All are limited-edition. You can find them now at all Diptyque boutiques and counters. Online at Nordstrom, Space NK, Neiman Marcus and Diptyque Paris.

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Marc Jacobs Beauty

Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No. 7 | The Enigma #216

November 6, 2014

Marc Jacobs Beauty has released several new eyeshadow palette colors in their Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow format for fall/holiday. I ordered The Enigma #216 ($59 for 0.24 oz) back in late September but never managed to post a review. I have photos and swatches for you today. I’ve eyed several of the Marc Jacobs Beauty palettes ever since the line launched in August 2013, but with eyeshadow palettes that have more than 5 shades, it’s hard for me to justify a purchase if I don’t love all the colors. The Enigma is the first one I decided to splurge on and it’s a lovely palette with a mix of deep and pale colors.

There are seven colors included in this one:

Matte black
Shimmering sterling grey
Soft shimmering grey-sage
Shimmery cool-pink
Satin-matte soft pink
Sparkling warm taupe brown
Frosty champagne

Overall the palette pulls more cool-toned on me, but it’s still neutral. I like that the pink shimmers have a visible soft rose-colored base but don’t give me a pink-eye look. All the shades are well pigmented. The shimmers have a softer more pigmented texture but the satiny-mattes also go on the lids nicely. I’ve played with this a number of ways using 3-4 shades with any given eye look.

Here is one with the frosted pink, frosted taupe, shimmering champagne, gunmetal and matte black. All the colors are blended for a gradient finish. The photo below shows the color a bit washed out, but the color in real life really shows up well on the skin.

Close ups of each shade in The Enigma Palette below and swatches:

The Enigma Palette is a winner in my book. I like that this palette has distinct shades. It has a good mix of colors making it a classic but edgy neutral. I found lasting power to be quite good with an eye base (I like Edward Bess’s, other favorites here). The shadow lasted all day from early morning until late evening without moving or smudging.

You can find the Marc Jacobs Beauty Style Eye-Con No. 7 Plush Shadow Palettes online at Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty. Most of the palettes are also available in stores, but the last time I was at a Sephora store (a couple weeks ago) I did not yet see this one on the tester unit. If you’ve seen it please share in the comments.

Have you tried any of the Marc Jacobs Beauty eyeshadows? What are your favorites?

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Tom Ford Beauty

Tom Ford Matte Lip Colors for Holiday 2014 – Now On Nordstrom.com

October 29, 2014
http://rstyle.me/n/sf55rubf6

If you’ve been waiting for all the shades of the Tom Ford Matte Lipsticks ($50 each) to show up online, all eight colors of the new lipstick formula are now available on Nordstrom.com including First Time which seems to have been the first to sell out other places and also Black Dahlia which didn’t show up for a while.

The eight colors include:
Pink Tease
Flame
Plum Lush
First Time
Black Dahlia
Pussycat
Ruby Rush
Velvet Cherry

My review and swatches on the formula and picks First Time, Pink Tease, Velvet Cherry and Pussycat here. My two favorites are First Time and Velvet Cherry.
At this time I’ve heard that First Time and Black Dahlia are the only two shades that are limited-edition, but I reports are often mixed depending on who you ask. I do know First Time sold out quickly so if you’ve been searching for it, I recommend ordering sooner than later.
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