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Gucci Beauty Multi-Use Long Wear Concealer

October 3, 2023

Gucci Beauty Multi-Use Long Wear Concealer

Gucci Beauty launched a new concealer called the Concentre de Beaute Multi-Use Longwear Concealer ($47 each). I really love the new formula it and did a demo on my Instagram in partnership with Sephora. A lot of you had questions about the formula and color selection so I wanted to review it in more detail and include an updated roundup of their base products.

Multi-Use Longwear Concealer

Gucci Beauty Multi-Use Long Wear Concealer

The new Gucci Multi-Use Longwear Concealer is a medium coverage concealer with a lightweight texture and natural finish. It has enough pigment to cover my freckles and even out the under-eye area but still looks like skin (just better). I really like the wear and how it sets If you watch my video here you’ll see how it blends in seamlessly to look like skin. I applied it with the Fenty Concealer Brush which I recently bought and love.

The new concealer comes in wide range of shades with different undertones. According to their shade breakdown:

  • C is for cool – skin rarely tans, with pink hues
  • N is for neutral – skin tans sometimes, with both pink and golden hues
  • W is for warm – skin tans easily, with yellow or golden hues

For a shade match I found Shade 34N to be my best match under the eyes. It’s neutral, medium and just the slightest bit lighter than my skin, but very close. I usually prefer concealers close to my skin tone rather than having something 2-3 shades lighter for under eyes.

Gucci Beauty Multi-Use Long Wear Concealer review 28C to 35W

Gucci Beauty Multi-Use Long Wear Concealer review 28C to 35W swatches

I ended up ordering multiple colors, mainly because I wanted to try them and also swatch them for those who are my skin twins. I did try all six and my first pick 34N ended up being the best. I also really like 28C or 31W for brightening. 35W can also work as an exact match for spot concealing.

Some of the W shades pull more yellow/olive than others. 32W pulls very yellow while 31W and 35W both pull more golden/neutral. Out of the 2 C undertone shades they look consistently pink in undertone. I only tried one of the N neutrals so I’m not sure how the other neutral shades run, but 34N is indeed very neutral.

Wearing 34N below with their Glow Care Shine Lipstick in Sally Soft Honey.

Concealer is unscented and lasting power is pretty impressive. It did not crease or cake and I like that it sets on its own pretty well. The texture/pigment is similar to the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer with a slightly more matte dry down. If you need something more creamy and opaque this one may be too sheer for you in which case I’d recommend the Natasha Denona Hy-Glam, Givenchy or Tarte Shape Tape Radiant.

Concealer Swatches Armani, Tarte, NARS, Gucci, Natasha Denona

Swatches compared to:

Luminous Matte Foundation

Gucci Luminous Matte Finish Foundation 305N

Gucci has launched several foundation formulas in recent years and the current formula available now is the Luminous Matte Finish Foundation ($69). My best match is 305N although it runs just a tiny bit light in color. I can make it work since it adjusts/oxidizes just slightly.

The next shade up is 310N and there is a pretty big gap (looks like at least 3 shades darker). This foundation has one of the best matte finishes I’ve tried. I typically do not like matte foundations because they often feel too thick and look flat. This one however has a really nice finish and great lasting power. I would wear this one more often if I had an exact shade match. I adjust this one with one by mixing in one of the Elf Halo Glow Filters (usually Shade 5 or 7).

It is floral scented which might be a deal breaker for those sensitive to fragrance in foundation. Luckily it did not irritate my skin. Before/afters below, also wearing the Gucci Satin Lipstick in The Painted Veil and Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Dreams Eyeshadow Palette.

Matte Beauty Powder

Gucci’s Matte Beauty Powder is cased in one of the prettiest compacts I’ve ever seen. There’s a compartment for a puff which I love. It’s described as “matte” but there are actually some shimmer particles in it but once applied on the face the shimmer isn’t really visible on the skin. I wear Shade 4 (seems to be discontinued now) or Shade 5.

Gucci Matte Beauty Powder Shade 5

It’s a nice powder but there are a few downsides. One is this is heavily fragranced. It’s not unpleasant but I find it on the strong side. The other is that it’s prone to hard-pan but this happens when there is oil on your powder brush whether it’s oil from touching your face or moisturizer residue or even your fingers.

Gucci Matte Beauty Powder Shade 5

I’ve managed to keep mine clean but I am really careful with what brushes I use. I’m a little OCD about having clean brushes and am constantly washing them so I almost always have a clean powder brush when I use this. Overall nice and performs well, but it’s not my favorite. I have used a few compacts up entirely and just bought a fresh one. I like it, but I think there are better formulas out there.

Brume de Beaute Mist

Gucci Beauty Face Mist

The Gucci Beauty Face Mist is another great product. It’s a multi-tasking product you can use to prep the skin or set your makeup. It’s a bi-phase formula with Black Rose Oil and hyaluronic acid. The top dispenses a super fine mist and feels super refreshing on the skin. I think it makes for a really nice luxurious splurge, but it does have a floral scent to it. If fragrance is a no-go for you I think the MAC Fix+ or Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Setting Sprays are great options.

Multi-Use Illuminating Drops

Gucci Beauty Illuminator Drops

Last but not least is another look at their Illuminateur de Beaute Multi-Use Drops. This is one of the prettiest liquid highlighters I’ve tried. It’s glowy with the perfect amount of pigment & glow for me. The color is a peachy champagne which I really love for medium/tan skin but I think it will work for any skin tone.

Gucci Beauty Illuminator

Gucci Beauty Illuminator Drops

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That wraps up my Gucci Beauty Concealer review! If you’re around the same skin tone as me I hope you found the swatches helpful!

Chanel Lips

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

September 27, 2023

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

Chanel launched a new lipstick called 31 Le Rouge ($195 each) inspired by their iconic address 31 Rue Cambon in Paris. There are 12 lipstick shades total packaged in a stunning re-fillable glass lipstick case that mirrors the Art Deco staircase in Gabrielle Chanel’s apartment. Each lipstick also comes with a quilted black case to protect the glass. This is one of the most luxurious lipsticks launched to date. Available now at Chanel.com.

Refills are available at $80 each but they cannot be used without the case (there is a lock/twist mechanism inside the base which needs the lipstick case to twist up).

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

So many of you have been asking me to review these. As a long-time die hard Chanel fan and collector I knew I had to purchase at least one. I ended up buying a few to try and today I’m sharing all of my thoughts after putting them to the test. First here is a look at all 12 shades.

1 Rouge Beige
2 Rouge Croisière
3 Rouge Roman
4 Rouge Flou
5 Rouge Premier
6 Rouge Imaginaire
7 Rouge Privé
8 Rouge Fétiche
9 Rouge Tailleur
10 Rouge Byzantin
11 Rouge Coromandel
12 Rouge 2.55

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick swatches

If you want a closer look at the display, case options and more I posted an Instagram Reel of the store displays and setup. We now have a Chanel Beauty boutique in Tampa so I stopped by to swatch all the colors since they are exclusive to Chanel.com and Chanel boutiques. In stores they have a boxed Coffret Set you can customize and pick a leather case (white, black or silver).

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

Here are my thoughts on the new lipstick:

Formula is truly exceptional. It’s the most exquisite formula I’ve ever tried. It’s the best classic satin lipstick formula I think that has ever been made. Texture is smooth and comfortable. They glide on the lips flawlessly. Pigment is opaque and rich. It adheres well to the lips. They’re softly scented with a floral scent but it’s modern and soft. They have Gardenia Oil and have pretty good lasting power.

Packaging is beautiful. The Chanel 31 Le Rouge cases are exactly what you’d expect from Chanel. Thick, weighted, sturdy, constructed like a work of art and with a magnetized cap. The glass resembles the super thick glass of tempered glass (like the duraclear glasses you find at Williams-Sonoma). I think the separate pouch is beautiful too.

The pigment is also really beautiful. They have a micronized pearl making them luminous on the lips, although only one has visible shimmer. The biggest downside in my opinion is the limited color selection – they have one lighter neutral and eleven bolds. While it makes sense that they focused primarily on classic reds, I wish they had launched more neutrals, soft pinks even some mauves. A handful of you told me the lightest shade was going to be too light for you and the second lightest option was straight up orange.

I ended up picking 5 shades to try and here are my thoughts on each of them.

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick swatches

1 Rouge Beige

1 Rouge Beige is the lightest shade and it’s a pearlescent beige. I love it although it’s pale and is a little bit on the sheer side (at least compared to all the other colors in the lineup). This shade reminds me of one of my favorite Tom Ford Lipsticks from my early days of blogging In the Buff and Pink Dune. It’s not as visible in photographs but in real life you can see it on the lips a lot better.

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 1 Rouge Beige

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 1 Rouge Beige

Makeup worn:

_______

2 Rouge Croisière

2 Rouge Croisière looked promising as a healthy coral peach, but on my lips it’s really orange. It’s a vibrant coral that has a summery vibe. I do think you can tone down the color by lightly dabbing it versus swiping it on the lips.

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 2 Rouge Croisière

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 2 Rouge Croisière

_______

3 Rouge Roman

3 Rouge Roman is my second favorite shade. It’s nearly impossible for me to wear purples on the lips because I can never find the right undertone. Most are either too brown, too red, or too purple. I think this one has just the right mix to truly look like a plum/mauve on my lips.

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 3 Rouge Roman

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 3 Rouge Roman

_______

4 Rouge Flou

4 Rouge Flou is a bright warm red orange. Swatching it in store made me think it would be a warm coral but on my lips it definitely pulls more reddish. It’s so bright it is almost a electric neon kind of shade.

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 4 Rouge Flou

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 4 Rouge Flou

_______

10 Rouge Byzantin

10 Rouge Byzantin is a brown plum. There are 3 darker plum tones and they all looked really pretty in store. It was hard to narrow down my pick as the nuances between each of them are slight. I debated between Rouge Byzantin or Rouge 2.55 decided to opt for the one with more brown tones. It’s beautiful.

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 10 Rouge Byzantin

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick 10 Rouge Byzantin

Are they worth the price? I really think this depends on your budget and personal preference. I had a chat with a few friends about the price recently – we talked about how some have no hesitation dropping $200 on a perfume, cashmere sweater, skincare etc, but not a lipstick or a makeup palette.

Chanel 31 Le Rouge Satin Lipstick

I don’t know that I will ever think a lipstick is worth a $200 price tag, but if you love Chanel or find a color you really love, I think the 31 Le Rouge Lipstick will make a beautiful collector piece. It will truly be a special splurge treat. The packaging is truly exquisite and formula is exceptional. Part of me wishes they had more neutrals or soft pinks, but I am happy to have at least 1 neutral.

Available at Chanel.com and Chanel Boutiques.

Did you check out the lipsticks? What did you think?

Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance

September 17, 2023

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance

Chanel Beauty launched 4 new eyeshadow palettes in the Les 4 Ombres Byzance Collection ($70 each). The palettes have a beautiful gold surface in the compact to mimic Gabrielle Chanel’s jewelry and it adds a really special touch to these.

All four performed very well – pigment is very good, finely milled, application is smooth and easy to layer. Each quad has 3 regular eyeshadows and 1 sparkly iridescent topper.

Out of the four palettes there are two lighter neutral variations that are wearable for everyday. The remaining two are more on the trendy side with reds and greens – both of these were too trendy for me to pull off.

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Cristal

Les 4 Ombres Byzance 328 Parure Cristal is really beautiful. It has two soft pink shimmers, a satiny cool brown and a sparkling pale blue topper. Overall it pulls very soft on the eyes but I love the softwash effect.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Cristal

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Cristal

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Venitienne

The other lighter variation Les 4 Ombres Byzance 318 Parure Venitienne is also really beautiful (my favorite of the four). It has a warm shimmery gold, soft warm peach shimmer, warm brown and a ultra pale aqua shimmer topper. The colors show up a lot more in person, on camera it’s really hard to pick up the nuances and color on the eyes.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Venitienne

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Venitienne

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Venitienne

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Venitienne

Look wearing:

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Imperiale

The reddish quad 308 Parure Imperiale is very warm and pulls very pink on my skin tone. It has a yellow gold shimmer, warm coral red, deeper red and champagne silver glitter/shimmer. On my skin tone it was too red for my taste. I rarely wear reds on the eyes but can pull off the Les 4 Rouges Yeux et Joues in Tendresse or Les 4 Ombres in Candeur Et Experience. This new one however did not work for my complexion.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Imperiale

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Imperiale

Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Baroque

Les 4 Ombres Byzance in 338 Parure Baroque is the most trendy one of all with colors that have a decorated Christmas Tree vibe. Colors include a burnished brassy gold, red, shimmery smoky green and silver glitter. The mix of colors did not work for me but I did see some really pretty looks on the @welovecoco Instagram account with the green shade applied.

For some reason this color configuration seemed like an odd mix for Chanel as I didn’t think they usually launched anything with this particular shade of green. A quick search though proved me wrong and it appears they’ve actually had quite a few bright greens in singles and palettes in the past.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Baroque

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Byzance Parure Baroque

Overall beautiful pigment, texture and shimmers. I’m not sure they will be for everyone, although I really love the Parure Venitienne color scheme with Parure Cristal in close second. I can’t see myself wearing the other two, but I do think they will appeal to those who want something different and bold.

All four quads are limited-edition. Available at Chanel.com while supplies last.

Les 4 Ombres Byzance gifted by Chanel for review.

Bronzer + Blush Highlighters Hourglass Cosmetics

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes 2023

September 13, 2023

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Jellyfish

This year Hourglass has three new limited-edition Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes ($90 each) and they are stunning. They’re currently available online at Hourglass Cosmetics and will be launching at Sephora starting 9/22.

You can also customize the palette combination of the compact + palette inside on the Hourglass website (they have an exclusive Owl design) although I ordered the palettes as they are named/pre-designed. There are repeats in each palette but Hourglass gave us quite a few new shades this year.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes Holiday 2023

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes Holiday 2023

Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Jellyfish

The Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Jellyfish is probably my favorite although I’m not thrilled about the finishing powder repeats. They are nice to have and work well to set or blur, but I think the vast majority of us already own the setting powder and are craving all new shades.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Jellyfish

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Jellyfish swatches

Lunar Bronze swatches warm on my arm but it’s actually more neutral. The pink blushes are neutral and the new highlighter pulls cool-toned on me. I am currently in between MAC NC30 and NC35 (I’m wearing NC35 in the new MAC Studio Radiance Serum Foundation) and this one surprisingly shows up on me. At first glance I thought there could be a chance it would be too light but it works for me!

  • Diffused Light Finishing Powder (repeat, available individually)
  • Rose Fusion Blush (new)
  • Opal Strobe Light Strobe Powder (new)
  • Bronzer Lunar Bronze (new)
  • Diffused Heat Blush (repeat, available individually)
  • Ethereal Light Finishing Powder (repeat, available individually)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Jellyfish

Look wearing:

Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Leopard

The Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Leopard Palette seems the most versatile to me but it has a lot of repeats in it. I do think if you’re new to Hourglass or makeup and want a good mix of shades that you can wear with almost any lip, this is it.

  • Dim Light Finishing Powder (repeat, available individually)
  • Celestial Strobe Light Strobe Powder (repeat from Holiday 2022 Butterfly Palette and 2023 Blush & Glow Palette)
  • Mood Exposure Blush (repeat, available individually)
  • Iridescent Rose Blush (repeat from Holiday 2019 Ghost)
  • Ethereal Flush (new)
  • Lustrous Bronze Light Bronzer (repeat from Holiday 2022 Elephant)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Leopard

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Leopard swatches

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Leopard Look

Look wearing the same as the above look, but with Scattered Light Eyeshadow in Ray and Phantom Glossy Balm in Slip

Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Snake

The Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked – Snake is the most unique as it has almost all new shades. It pulls very warm and reminds me of the Holiday 2022 Tiger Palette, but isn’t as orangey. This year’s Snake Palette has more pink tones but still pulls warm.

  • Radiant Light Finishing Powder (repeat, available individually)
  • Coral Haze Blush (new)
  • Infinite Strobe Light Strobe Powder (new)
  • Sun Beam Blush (new)
  • Mystic Flush Blush (new)
  • Solar Bronze Bronzer (new)

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Snake

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Snake swatches

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palette Holiday 2023 - Snake look

Look wearing the same as the above look, but with Scattered Light Eyeshadow in Foil and Phantom Glossy Balm in Lucid

I tried to get the same camera and lighting settings as last year to do side by side swatches. I think they’re close enough to give you an idea of how different/similar they are. Full review of Holiday 2022 here.

Holiday 2023 vs Holiday 2022 Palettes

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit Unlocked Palettes Holiday 2023 vs Holiday 2022

Overall I think the Holiday 2023 palettes are really beautiful. For me they were worth the splurge even though they’re incredibly expensive. Are any of them must-haves? I think it depends on how many other Hourglass palettes you own, but I do think this year’s palettes are among the prettiest ones I’ve tried.

Based on the feedback from many of you, opinions seem mixed. A good portion of you are like me: love these and collect them every year, even if there are duplicates and similarities. Then there are quite a few who passed on the last year’s palettes and aren’t quite sure about this year’s because you own one or two from several years ago and either never used them or think there are too many similarities to justify another one.

With the holiday season approaching (sets come out earlier and earlier every year), I think there will definitely be some upcoming sales like Friends and Family discounts or gift card events etc. You might want to bookmark these or add these to your wishlists for those times.

Currently available at Hourglass Cosmetics. Customization options are exclusive to Hourglass. Pre-designed palettes will be launching at all retailers starting September 22.

What do you think about these palettes? Did you order any of these yet?

Cle de Peau Beaute Eye Makeup

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quads – New Launch

September 8, 2023

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quads NEW FORMULA

Cle de Peau revamped their Eye Color Quads with twelve new shades ($110 each). They are refillable and the compacts are sold separately ($75 for the eye quad and $35 for the mirrored compacts). They sold out very quickly online at Cle de Peau but you can still find them at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. (Some shades appear to be exclusive to the Cle de Peau site.)

I ordered four of the shades and the Cle de Peau team kindly sent a few others for me to try. There are quite a few stunning neutrals and while a number of you have mentioned all the neutrals look the same from the compact. Side by side a lot of them look really similar, but I can assure you there are noticeable variations in the swatches.

These Eye Color Quads have a super smooth texture that feels like silk. They have an almost bouncy texture to them. Each quad has a primer shade in the bottom left corner that feels a little thicker/creamy.

Pigment varies by quad but overall I would say colors run on the softer side but are buildable. I wouldn’t call the softness “sheer” since the pigment is pretty good, but some of the shades do take some building. I swatched these with a pretty heavy hand on top of the Tatcha Liquid Silk Canvas Primer. On the eyes the shimmer isn’t as intense as in my arm swatches.

Beach Pebbles 2 is the most natural/neutral palette with a beautiful mix of tan, brown and pale ivory shimmer.

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Beach Pebbles

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Beach Pebbles

Starlight 7 is probably my favorite with the best mix of peachy pink champagne, tan brown, neutral cream primer and a soft but deep brown.

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Starlight

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Starlight

Warm Ocean Sunset 8 has the prettiest mix of softer pink/peach tones. The brown/plum is on the softer side when layered on top of the other powders, but it applies with more pigment on bare lids or with a damp brush.

Look wearing:

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Warm Ocean Sunset

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Warm Ocean Sunset

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Warm Ocean Sunset

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Warm Ocean Sunset

Caviar Pearls 6 is a purple lovers dream come true with that stunning lavender purple, taupe and deeper cool brown.

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Caviar Pearls

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Caviar Pearls

Ocean Sunrise 4 is a cool-toned mix of tan and brown.

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Ocean Sunrise

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Ocean Sunrise

Coral Reef 5 is the most natural on my skin as the tones match my skin tone the closest. The shades pull more satiny matte than the other quads.

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Coral Reef

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quad Coral Reef

If you want a staple eyeshadow palette you can wear easily without a lot of effort there are lots of great options with the new Cle De Peau eyeshadow launch. Quality is great, color range is stunning, lots to love here. However if you want colors with high impact and ultra-rich pigment, I will say that I think these might be too sheer for you.

Quick note if neutral eyeshadows aren’t your thing there are some fun combinations with green, lilac, purple, pink and blue too.

The biggest downside for me is the price. I don’t know that I can call these worth the splurge at $110+ each (even though I splurged on 4). For the price and similar pigment the Dior 5 Couleurs, NARS Palettes or Charlotte Tilbury are a better buy.

Overall love the quality and colors. There seems to be a growing trend for refillable makeup whether it’s eyeshadow, foundation, lipstick etc. Having the refillable option isn’t really a big selling point to me. If these quads (compact and eyeshadow) were priced at the refill price I would be more inclined to give them a more glowing positive review. The price almost makes me feel like the Natasha Denona or Pat McGrath Palettes are a steal.

Cle De Peau Eye Color Quads NEW FORMULA

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Palettes + refills have sold out a lot of places but quickly restocked so you may have to shop around to find the colors you want. Available at Cle de Peau, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Natasha Denona

New Natasha Denona Launches

August 23, 2023

Natasha Denona I need a Nude Palette, Mini Starlette + New Lip Crayons

I’m always excited to see what Natasha Denona creates and this season she’s given us neutral makeup lovers some stunning palettes. I have a look at her two latest palettes I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette and Mini Starlet alongside swatches of her new I Need a Nude Lip Crayons.

Mini Starlette

I think her mini 5-pan palettes are some of my favorites on the market. I still adore her Mini Nude and Mini Biba Palette years after they launched. Her new Mini Starlette is beautiful. It has a very pretty mix of neutrals, both warm, neutral and cool. It has a soft matte cool brown, a sparkling champagne pink topper, a soft matte apricot pink and a cool brown plum matte.

Pigment is beautiful and easy to layer. The mattes don’t always swatch the best on the hands but I’ve always found they apply beautifully on the lids with smooth textures.

Natasha Denona Mini Starlette Palette

Natasha Denona Mini Starlette Palette swatches

I Need a Nude Lip Crayon

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Lip Crayon

Natasha Denona added new shades of her I Need a Nude Lip Crayon. These are super creamy and opaque and glide on like a dream. I think the colors are just SO beautiful, but my darker tone pigmented lips cannot pull off the neutrals. They swatch beautifully on the arm but on my complexion/lip tone/skin tone they look very cool and grey.

This round I’m finally able to wear some of her new shades, in particular the colors with the P in the color code work really well.

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Lip Crayon

I Need a Nude Palette

I’ve saved the best for last. Her I Need a Nude Palette is a neutral-lover’s dream come true. I love her Biba and Glam Palette and this new one runs a bit warmer in tone which is perfect for me. I love a good neutral but there’s something about my olive/yellow complexion that can’t always pull off true neutrals and taupes. I feel best when I’m in warm-neutrals and while this palette isn’t exactly warm, it’s warmer than Biba (review here) or Glam (reviewed here).

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette

I’m obsessed and 100% think it’s the best palette launched this year. It has a beautiful mix of mattes, shimmers and metallics. Some of the metallic eyeshadows have an almost wet foiled effect when applied with fingers (with a brush the shimmer isn’t as intense). I love that she added a warm matte pink and a warm dusty rose pink which helps warm up the eye looks in the best way possible.

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette swatches

I’ve only played around with this a few times – with the number of shades I think the combinations are endless but I’ve really like the look with Mesh, Vague, Wit, Ella and Sheen layered and then Silhouette as a liner.

Side by side swatches of I Need a Nude vs Glam Palette

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude vs Glam Palette swatches

Look wearing:

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette look

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette look

Natasha Denona I Need a Nude Eyeshadow Palette swatches

You can find the launches available now at Sephora, Ulta Beauty and Natasha Denona.

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I Need a Nude Palette + Lip Pencils provided for review. Mini Starlette purchased by me.

Chanel

Chanel Beauty Fall-Winter 2023

August 19, 2023

Equinoxe de Chanel Collection Fall 2023 Beauty Collection

The Chanel Beauty Collection for Fall-Winter 2023 has arrived with the new Equinoxe de Chanel Collection. Everything has launched now at Chanel.com. I have a look + swatches today covering a few pieces:

I don’t have every single color for the eyes or lips but I do have a 5 of the 6 new eyeshadows and 4 of the 6 new rouge coco blooms. The entire collection has medium to deep tones that feel like the fall season. At first glance I was worried everything would pull too dark and dramatic, but I was pleasantly surprised by a number of pieces. I think there are definitely some winners with this launch!

Douceur D’Equinoxe Powder Blush Harmony

Chanel Douceur D’Equinoxe Powder Blush Harmony

There are two new powder blushes called the Douceur D’Equinoxe Powder Blush Harmony. I really appreciate how every season Chanel creates something special and unique. The embossed detail on their powders will disappear with use but these extra touches makes for a truly luxurious piece of art. These have two shades but with the design it’s pretty much a given that both will be mixed when you dip a brush into the powder.

Chanel Douceur D’Equinoxe Powder Blush Harmony swatches

Beige and Corail 797 is a warm orangey russet color. It has a very tiny bit of shimmer giving it a soft luminous glow. It does pull warm but I think this shade is perfect for fall.

Chanel Douceur D’Equinoxe Powder Blush Harmony Beige and Corail

Beige Rose and Mauve 798 is a plum with a soft rose pink. Purples are very difficult for me to pull off as a blush but with a light hand I think it’s a really pretty soft plum shade.

Chanel Douceur D’Equinoxe Powder Blush Harmony Beige Rose and Mauve

Both have medium pigment that is very easy to blend and layer. I really like the finish. It’s very smooth, doesn’t look streaky and I think they will be easy to layer with other powder blushes.

Rouge Coco Bloom

Chanel Rouge Coco Bloom

There are six new shades of Rouge Coco Bloom. These are high pigment lipsticks with a lot of shine. This kind of lipstick formula is one of my favorites. Neutral lip lovers will be able to wear Ease 150 (beige nude brown) or Sweetness 152 (medium-deep rose pink). The other shades pull very bold and edgy which aren’t my vibe, but if you’re one who loves a bold glam look I think you will absolutely love the bright orangey reds this fall.

Bright 158 is a bold and bright warm red. Wild 160 is a deep eggplant plum shade with a tiny bit of shimmer.

Chanel Rouge Coco Bloom swatches

Chanel Rouge Coco Bloom 150 Ease

Chanel Rouge Coco Bloom 152 Sweetness

Chanel Rouge Coco Bloom 158 Bright

 

Chanel Rouge Coco Bloom 160 Wild

Ombre Premiere Libre Loose Eyeshadows

Chanel Ombre Premiere Libre Loose Eyeshadow

For the eyes Chanel launched a new loose eyeshadow called the Ombre Premiere Libre Loose Eyeshadow. I have mixed feelings about these because the product itself is SOOOO good, but the packaging/applicator is high maintenance.

The product itself is a beautiful loose shadow. I think the colors and textures are really stunning. Arm swatches can’t do these justice for how beautiful they are on the eyes. They have a gorgeous soft airbrushed finish with an amazing glow. The shimmer is super fine and smooth. Colors are perfect for fall but I think you can wear them year round.

Chanel Ombre Premiere Libre Loose

Chanel Ombre Premiere Libre Loose Eyeshadow swatches

402 Sycomore is a shimmery beige
404 Chene Brun is a neutral brown
406 Cedre Cuivre is a warm copper
408 Acacia is a reddish brown with shimmer
412 Bois D’Amarante is a plum with shimmer

below wearing 402 + 404

Chanel Ombre Premiere Libre Loose Eyeshadow

The biggest downside for me is the applicator but I’m not sure how else these could be designed or packaged. These have a sponge tip cap which picks up an impressive amount of product and applies the pigment to the lids really well, but there is a ton of fall out and they can get very messy on the cheeks.

I have some fall out with any powder shadow whether to be pressed or loose, so I almost always have to clean up the debris every time I apply product (unless it’s a cream).

To get the best application I dab a bit of the loose pigment into the palm of my hand and then dip a brush (like the Hakuhodo B004G, Chanel No 204 or Chanel Dual Ended 200) into the product and apply on the lids. It takes time to dip + apply + blend + layer so these aren’t going to be a quick swipe and go kind of shadow.

Le Vernis

Chanel Fall Winter 2023

Last we have two new shades of Le Vernis Nail Polish. Ete Indien is a sheer jelly bright orange. I can get smooth slightly transparent finish with two coats. Bois des Iles is a wine brown shade. With two coats it pulls very dark brown with vamp-like vibes. The brown-red undertone is noticeable so it’s not too dark.

Overall pleasantly surprised. I’m still used to neutrals or softer tones and I did not expect these colors to work for me. I really love both the lighter shades of the Rouge Coco Bloom in Ease and Sweetness. I think the blushes are beautiful although I’m still in the bright coral + pink + bronze summer state of mind when it comes to makeup colors so I’ll save these for September/October.

Did you check out anything from the fall launch yet? What did you think?

Available now at Chanel.com.

Fall/Winter collection provided for review. Ease, Chene Brun and Acacia purchased by me.