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Chanel Ombres Matelassées 51, Montaigne Eyeshadow Palette

March 15, 2012
Chanel has released a new beautiful palette to celebrate the opening of one of their new boutiques in Paris. The palette is called Ombres Matelassées 51, Montaigne ($80 for 6g/0.21 oz, Made in Italy). It comes with five stunning soft silky-smooth shimmery eyeshadows embossed with the classic quilted pattern. The colors aren’t all that unique to Chanel’s prior releases but the texture is amazing with an ultra-smooth finish and satiny feel. Pigmentation is medium, like most Chanel eyeshadows. The shimmer is very soft and subtle. At $80 this is extremely pricey (especially when you consider the fact that the Ombres Perleés de Chanel from Spring 2011 was $65). I fell in love with the beautiful presentation and packaging but I’m not really comfortable with the price. (I skipped the Vegas de Chanel face highlighter and so felt this splurge was justified.)
The colors, left to right: soft iridescent ivory, pale gold shimmer, satiny warm gold, khaki olive shimmer, soft greyed-black with a tinge of navy. A few more close ups.

Swatches:

Comparisons to a few other shades, Chanel Ivory, Chanel Blazing Gold, Burberry Midnight Black, Chanel Black Star and Chanel Noir-Ivoire. (The greenish/olive shade wasn’t compared because I don’t own any of the Chanel khaki shimmers.) As you can see the theme is not extremely unique, but still extremely beautiful.

I’m not sure exactly where this will be available. My guess is this will be available at the counters and stores that receive the special exclusive launches (such as Les Jeans de Chanel, Vegas de Chanel, etc.) I know Nordstrom in Seattle has received the palette and have seen reports of this being spotted at various Boutiques and select Neiman Marcus counters. I’m assuming it will be launched online at Chanel.com eventually but at this time I’m not sure. I purchased mine at my local Neiman Marcus although they did not have any testers. See other photos at Best Things in Beauty and Luxury-Makeup Livejournal.

Overall beautiful presentation and extremely high quality. There is a lack of originality with the colors (I found them to be repeats of prior/existing shades) but the palette is a classic and I really love it. The texture is better than some of the singles, which I’m a huge fan of, but sometimes can be a bit chunky in feel. I personally cannot envision wearing all 5 shades at once. I’ve tried a few combinations and prefer to use 3 at most at one time. I find it wears very well and adheres well to the lids like the classic Chanel eyeshadows do.

Bottom line, it’s a true luxury product, not a necessity. I love it but I don’t think it’s a must-have for those who have a lot of other Chanel eyeshadows. I simply think you will find this redundant. I like the convenience of having all shades in one palette and felt the presentation is just exquisite. At the price it’s definitely a splurge. If I could only have 1 palette this season, I think it would still be Dior Grège 734 (reviewed here), although a few photos of summer collections have been surfacing and I’m kinda dying over the NARS trio coming out for summer (see it on Specktra.net here).

Have you seen/tried this yet? What are your thoughts?

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Dior Lucky 659 Nail Polish

March 13, 2012

Dior Lucky 659 ($23 for 10 ml/0.33 fl oz) has stolen my heart and made into my top three favorites this season (three-way tie with Chanel Distraction & Laura Mercier Cabana). Dior Lucky is a rich pink-red cream. It’s one of those shades that’s an in-between kind of color. Sometimes it looks pink, other times it looks more red. Either way, it’s a stunner knock-out kind of bright that looks great on both tips and toes. I love that it’s vibrant and full of life but in a wearable way. It’s photographed above on top of a Jimmy Choo ad. I loved the bright nails in that photo and Dior Lucky is a slightly pinker version of what I saw.

Here it is swatched after 3 days of wear (2 coats with Rescue Beauty Lounge’s top coat). I found it lasted quite long.

Out of all four shades released with the Dior Color Block nail polishes, Lucky is my favorite and the most unique in my opinion. Yes, it’s similar to other bright pinks and reds, but the mixture of red/pink makes it different from most others. Compared below to Dior Cabaret Pink, Trafalgar, Chanel Rose Exhuberant, Chanel Cherry and Pirate.

I have not yet checked out the lipstick partner for the nail color, but you can see it on Makeup and Beauty Blog, Blushing Noir and Beauty Addicted (my newest discovery).
Have you checked out the latest shades from Dior? Did you pick up any nail polishes or Addict Extreme Lipsticks yet?
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Dior Riviera 537 and Plaza 579

March 10, 2012

Dior Riviera 537 and Plaza 579 Nail Lacquers ($23 each) are both vibrant highly saturated creams. Riviera is a hot orange coral, while Plaza is a hot pink. These have a similar vibe to last summer’s Aloha and Paradise, but without the neon quality. I found both to be slightly thicker in texture which requires a slow and steady application. The chiseled brush is something I’m still trying to get used to. I find it easier to use with their metallics/shimmers, although it does apply nicely for creams. It has a very slight jelly finish – not quite as jelly-like as Laura Mercier’s though. The Diors have a bit more coverage.

Riviera 537 is shown below. It’s very similar to other orange-corals. I wouldn’t call it a straight orange or coral, but it does lean more on the orangey side with a slight reddish undertone. Two coats and you get rich full coverage. Scroll down a little and you’ll see this isn’t all that unique in color. Still gorgeous and for those who don’t like Chanel’s formula, Dior’s is amazing.

Riviera Comparisons: Aloha, Psychedelic Orange(more pink, less orange), OPI Red Lights Ahead … Where? (a shade and a 1/2 darker), Laura Mercier Sizzle (closest match just the slightest bit deeper), Dior Trafalgar (more red and deeper), OPI I Mainely Eat Lobster

Plaza 579 is a hot pink. This color too is very similar to other releases from OPI and Chanel. The difference is in the undertone. Hard to detect on the color wheel or in the bottles. My recommendation would depend on what works best with your skintone. Some people want a warmer pink, others like a cooler pink.

Plaza comparisons: OPI Strawberry Margarita (slightly warmer than Plaza and 1/2 a shade lighter), OPI Kiss Me On the Tulips (significantly more blue), Chanel Rose Insolent (warmer in tone), Chanel May, Laura Mercier Flamingo (lighter in color), Dior Caberet Pink (slightly warmer)

Are either of these must-haves? I would say for me not really, but I really love these. If you’re new to nail polish and are looking for good brights, Dior’s are a good pick. The quality and finish of the polishes is amazing. It really is getting better and better by the season. If you’re on a budget looking for something less expensive, there are definitely many options from OPI. I really adore their brights, especially from their recent Holland collection.
Many of you have asked if I’ve tried the new Dior Addict Extremes yet. I purchased 2 but haven’t had a chance to wear or try them yet on the lips. After a few quick swipes at the counter, I think they look promising though! Another FAQ relates to the nail wheels used on the blog. The nail wheels were purchased from Sally’s Beauty Supply. I don’t know the name of the brand since I’ve thrown away the label/packaging. So far I’ve only seen 1 brand at the store. I think they also carry them online.

Have you seen the new Dior lip and nail items? Thoughts?

P.S. Dior Nail Polish fans who missed out on Saint Tropez Nail Polish last year will happy to know it’s out again!! Check your Nordstrom counters! I spotted it last week. No sign of the rest of the summer collection yet. (See Cafe Makeup’s and Steph’s Closet swatches from last year.)

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Dior Incognito 257 Nail Polish

March 6, 2012

Dior Incognito 257 nail polish is a demure nude pink cream with a hint of grey. It’s a fairly standard nude-colored polish but what I love about this one is that it doesn’t make you look corpse-like. Coverage is semi-sheer which helps it look more natural. It makes the hands look polished and clean but it’s easily dupeable. If you don’t have a good nude-pink this is a good one and the formula is long-lasting with a smooth shiny finish. If you have nudes in your collection or prefer something with more kick I think you can safely pass. Comparisons below.

Comparisons shown below:

  • D&G Petal
  • Dior Beige Lotus (shown here)
  • Dior Sienna (shown here and here)
  • Dior Incognito
  • Chanel Rose Cache (shown here)
  • Sephora by OPI Leotard Optional
  • Chanel Jade Rose

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Dior Incognito, Plaza, Riviera & Lucky

March 5, 2012

Dior has been releasing some killer knock-out shades for nails recently. The latest release includes four nail polishes to coincide with the release of their new Addict Extreme lipstick formula. So far it appears the four polishes were released first to Macy’s in Incognito, Plaza, Riviera and Lucky ($23 each). I ordered mine from Sephora.com and I believe the other shades are trickling in slowly to other locations. At first glance these appear to be your basic and standard shades that are easy to replicate with less expensive brands like OPI and Essie. While true, I find the Dior formula continues to impress me with the rich color and shine and long lasting formula. Here is a quick sneak peek. A more detailed review to follow for each shade. So far I am impressed. Compared to other recent releases, Dior packs in more punch while Laura Mercier’s recent release is softer and more subdued. OPI’s Holland release was more diverse in color selection with the brights being super sharp and bright.

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Chanel Gold Fingers Le Vernis

March 3, 2012
The Las Vegas de Chanel collection was released a month ago exclusively to the Bellagio Chanel Boutique in Las Vegas. It has recently been launched online at Chanel.com and select stores (I know Nordstrom Seattle has received the whole collection). I decided to wait for photos and reviews to surface before jumping to order. I was going to pass on the entire collection but once I saw it online I caved and ordered the Gold Fingers Nail Polish ($28, limited edition).
Chanel Gold Fingers is a sparkley liquid gold shimmer. It has a similar finish to Graphite with a slightly clearish base loaded with multi-colored sparkles. Although initial photos made me think that Gold Fingers would be too yellow for my skin I decided to try. It is indeed very yellow, much like pure 24K gold. I don’t know that I love it but I don’t exactly hate it. 

Here you can see it’s very sheer with 1 coat. Unfortunately although it’s sheer on a naked nail, it’s not quite sheer enough to be a layering color over other shades (like Illusion D’Or was). It still has enough color to cover the nail if you try it over, say a red or orange.

I did pull a few other golden shades. I prefer Golden Sand and Gold Lame from seasons past compared to the new Gold Fingers. L to R: Dior Or Divin, Chanel Gold Fingers, Gold Lame, Golden Sand and Peridot.

I passed on everything else from the Vegas collection and don’t intend on ordering anything else, did you purchase anything? Thoughts?
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Sunday Riley Crème Gloss Sheer Impact Lip Color in Beach Front

March 1, 2012

Sunday Riley Crème Gloss Sheer Impact Lip Color in Beach Front was one of the goodies in my Barneys Love Yourself Beauty Event gift bag last month (retails for $28 at Barneys). Having fallen in love with her blushes and eyeshadows I was very excited to try her glosses. The product is described as “A true innovation Lip Gloss! A super conditioning, non-tacky formula adds a high hloss sheen to lips, while stable Vitamin C boosts collagen and provides antioxidant protection. Paraben free.”

Beach Front is a shimmery nude-beige color that looks beautiful in the tube. It comes with a sponge tip applicator. Although this is called a “sheer impact” gloss I found this one had virtually no impact when it comes to color. Product Doctor had a similar experience with the same color. Yes it can be layered over other lipsticks for shine and depth but sheer glosses can be found elsewhere for much less which will achieve the same effect. The sheerness is even sheerer than Becca glosses (which I love but often find too sheer to justify repurchasing once used up). The only redeeming factors are the formula and scent. The scent is something I can’t put my finger on but it smells like a spa facial in a tube (in a good way). I think it makes an amazing lip treatment. I swiped it on several times during the weekend to help moisturize my lips. (My favorite lip treatment is still Jo Malone’s Vitamin E though.)

Click to view ingredients:

I am very thankful Barneys included this in their gift bag. It was extremely generous of them to let their customers sample full-sized goodies which is definitely a step up from other retailers. I however wasn’t really impressed. I know I will use mine to the very last drop because I really like the formula but most likely will not repurchase or look into shades. I saw the colors briefly before the launch (they had prototypes at the counter during my last visit) and only a few caught my eye. After seeing how sheer these are I’m going to stick with my oldies but goodies from other brands.
Have you tried Sunday Riley yet?