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Chanel Les Impressions De Chanel for Spring 2010

December 18, 2009

After a few iffy collection releases, I am happy to say that Chanel has gotten back on their gorgeousness track with the release of their Les Impressions de Chanel collection for spring (which seems more like summer, but still stunning).

Here is my “omg, I can’t believe I spent so much, but I’m so happy” haul:

* Empreinte de Chanel Poudre Eclat Illuminatrice
* Joues Contraste #59 Imprevu
* Les 4 Ombres #18 Kaska Beige
* Eyeshadow Single #85 Sillage, #86 Trace
* Nail Polishes #503 Inattendu, #505 Particuliere, #507 Tendresse
* Rouge Allure #79 Impertinente, #80 Delicieuse, #81 Insouciante, #82 Incognito
* Glossimer #139 Futile, #141 Maline

Part 1: Face and Cheeks

It seems like the star product of the collection is their compact highlighter Empreinte de Chanel Poudre Eclat Illuminatrice – this has a multi-colored base powder with an embossed crossing C logo on top in a gold shimmer powder. The shimmer goes all the way through, the Cs are definitely more pigmented, the base powder shows up, but is more sheer.

The new blush #59 Imprevu is probably the most shimmery Chanel blush I’ve seen. It’s a peachy-tawny-nude that will probably be too dark for fair skins. Right now, I have medium skin (check My Foundation Shades Here) and it gave me a bronzey-peach look. It doesn’t go on as shimmery as it looks in the compact and is just a tad lighter than Fandango but very similar.

Part 2: Eyes

These are definitely my favorite pieces. See MORE VIEWS HERE. The eyeshadow quad #18 Kaska Beige is very natural with a unique combination of colors: pale cream, medium pink-brown-beige, shimmery dusty plum, shimmery beige-gold.

Equally stunning are the new eyeshadow singles #85 Sillage (shimmery pinky shell) & #86 Trace (sparkley warm bronze). Sillage is more pink and less pale than Lotus and Island. Trace is warmer and more sparkley than Le Bronze and Cinnamon with the gold shimmers being more visible.

Part 3: Lips

The lipsticks come in the Rouge Allure formula. The colors, L to R are #79 Impertinente (dusty rose pink), #80 Delicieuse (soft coral), #81 Insouciante (nude beige-grey), #82 Incognito (neutral nude pink).

The glossimers in this collection are both sparkley and sheer but still really pretty. #139 Futile is a super pale pink and #141 Maline is a pale gold. If you have colors like Rose Sand, Seashell, Pink Crystal, or Bronze Crystal, you probably won’t need to get these unless you’re a die hard Chanel fan. I believe both are Limited Editions.

Part 4: Nail Polishes

I posted pictures and swatches of the nail polishes already a couple days ago here, so today I’ll do comparisons to other similar shades I have.

#503 Inattendu comparisons
L to R: Chanel Jasmine, Chanel Inattendu, OPI Coney Island Cotton Candy

#505 Particuliere comparisons
L to R: OPI You Don’t Know Jacques, Chanel Particuliere, OPI Over the Taupe

#507 Tendresse comparisons
L to R: Paul & Joe #10, Chanel Tendresse, Chanel Rose Satin, Zoya Jessika

Also in the collection (not purchased):
* #68 Khaki Dore Le Crayon Yeux (olivey-gold shimmery eyeliner)
* #100 Ombre D’eau (a khaki-greenish fluid eyeshadow)
* #36 Beige Le Crayon Levres (pale beige lipliner)
* #110 Beige Claire Poudre Universelle (a luminous setting powder)
* #68 Sand Eyeshadow Single (repromote)
* Soleil Tan de Chanel (Sunkissed – reformulated version of their Brilliance Pur)
along with a few other items I didn’t catch since everything was still in boxes.

Overall thoughts . . .
Winners = Eyes: To me, the must haves are the Kaska Beige Eyeshadow Quad and Sillage/Trace Singles.
Face/cheek: While I love all the Chanel JC blushes, the new Imprevu didn’t wow me as much after I saw how it compared to my other Chanel colors (if you have Fandango or Enchantresse I don’t think you need this new one). I must admit the store lighting made me gasp when I saw the new blush though. The highlighter powder is really nice, but I think YMMV on this one. It shows up on me, but I was a bit disappointed that multi-colored base is sheerer than the rest of the powder.
Nails: The nail polishes are amazing in the formula, but not so unique with the colors. I really wish they had some pearl or shimmer to them to give them that extra unique Chanel-touch. Particuliere (the grey/taupe) can be easily duped with OPI Over the Taupe – the only difference is that OPI OTT is more warm/brown where Chanel Particuliere is a tad more greyish/cool. If you like grey/taupes but want something lighter with a pearl finish, check out Zoya Pasha.
Lips: These are great if you like natural wearable colors. I think Chanel always does a great job with their lipsticks and glosses.

*Commentary deleted*

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More on Edward Bess from Guest Reviewer Leanne

December 17, 2009

So what is an Edward Bess fan like? From what I gather, we all love those unique and more independent lines. We go for that simple minimalist but classic polished look. Leanne, another Edward Bess fan, shares her experiences and reviews on the line. She was the first one to help me with my millions of questions back in September and immediately gave me the latest scoop on the newest upcoming lipsticks (released in the fall) giving me super descriptions and details based on what she knew. Leanne definitely pointed me in the right direction starting me off with Intimate Eyeshadow & the fall lipsticks and glosses.

From Leanne:

I’m a 53 year-old visual artist, mother of two, and yoga fanatic from the Pacific Northwest. I consider myself something of a minimalist. I’m a sucker for really good design, whether it’s fashion, handbags, or furniture (I have a particular soft spot for Scandinavian style).

I have pale skin with cool undertones and blue eyes. My natural hair color is a medium ash blonde. I am in the process of letting it grow out with some gray and toning to blend it, so the overall effect is light blonde.

I would call my beauty style “simple chic with added quirkiness”, and “working what you’ve got”. I love the French concept of bien dans sa peau, or “feeling good in one’s skin”– being happy with who you are, flaws and all. I practice good skin care and work with my natural hair texture (which is curly/wavy and worn just below the shoulders). I’m the same weight I was in high school because of my yoga practice and a fairly healthy diet (I’m no saint, but I avoid fast food). My favorite makeup is a natural, neutral but polished look with a deep or striking lip color (think of the late Carolyn Bessette Kennedy). As I age, I’m spending more time on things that define my features, like eyebrows and lipstick, rather than trendy colors or complicated makeup.

My finding Edward Bess story is rather poignant. I became a widow last year, and decided that one way to ease myself through such a difficult time was to pare down my beauty routine but splurge on the absolute best products for the job. Researching on Makeup Alley and reading beauty blogs was a fun distraction when I needed it. The first thing I discovered about the line was that his lipsticks were great but you had to buy them all together for hundreds of dollars. My initial reaction was “pull the other one, Edward, it’s got bells on”– not exactly positive! Then I discovered that he was in fact expanding his line and selling products separately, with prices comparable to Chanel, Chantecaille, and Giorgio Armani. I was entranced by the reviews– his take on makeup sounded so in tune with what I wanted– and I contacted Leslie for her advice. She was, of course, lovely and very helpful. I started out with a few lipsticks, and I was a goner. Orders for the highlighter and concealer happened next, followed by purchases of eye shadows and more lipstick. (You see where this is going). I started getting rid of similar items from other lines that just didn’t stand up to these products. For me, having his line of cosmetics is like having a great quality wardrobe of a few simple, gorgeous, versatile pieces that all work together. The quality of these products– the texture, the scent, the lovely color palette, the simple black packaging– makes them a pleasure to use and wear. And the wear time is phenomenal.

My favorite products are Intimate eye shadow, Afterglow highlighter, Soft Beige Platinum Concealer, and several of the Ultra Slick Lipsticks (Eternal Passion, Tender Love, and Night Romance). There were a few lipstick shades I tried that didn’t work for me, but definitely have more hits than misses.

I love small, independent beauty lines and Julie Hewett’s is another that deserves more attention. Of the larger brands, Nars has been a consistent favorite of mine.

I can’t wait to see how Edward Bess expands his line. I hope he continues to do it with the same thoughtfulness and care he has put into it so far!

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Chanel Les Impressions de Chanel Nail Polishes & Eyeshadows for Spring 2010

December 16, 2009

So I’m supposed to be studying Securities Law & Business Associations for finals right now but I couldn’t contain my excitement for the new Chanel Spring 2010 line. The spring collection has been trickling instores and my local Saks just got them in yesterday and my favorite SA pulled the testers from the back even though the Chanel rep was off for the day and didn’t have the unit set up.

For official promotional photos, check out Marina’s blog Makeup4All!

A more comprehensive post will be coming soon, but I wanted to show you the three new nail polishes that came out:

#503 Inattendu – neutral light peach
#505 Particuliere – grey taupe
#507 Tendresse – soft pink cream

All three are cream and have no shimmer. Those who love neutrals will like these, although I must admit they are very dupe-able (more dupe swatches to come soon). My biggest weakness is for Chanel – when I got home, I had slight buyer’s remorse feeling that “why did I buy these nail polishes?” when I already have similar colors. But when I put them on, I found they have just the right amount of pigment so that they aren’t too yellowy or white. Often times, peachy colors end up looking yellowy on my skin and pinks look whitish once they are on my nails.

The eyeshadow singles and quads are the winners in the collection for me.

Sillage (left) & Trace (right)

Kaska Beige

More descriptions and details to come in the next couple days featuring the highlight powder, new blush, rouge allures and glossimers. Along with comparisons too!

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Edward Bess All Over Seduction in Sunlight & Afterglow

December 15, 2009

I bought these due to the Product Swatches the Edward Bess Counter sent me (many thanks to the wonderful staff there). I briefly glanced at the description online to get more details – they are priced at $37 each and described as a cream-finish highlighter for eyes, lips and cheeks.

I’ll do my best to describe the colors:
* Sunlight – a pale cream shimmer
* Afterglow – a light peachy bronze shade

Sunlight

Afterglow

I must admit I was stunned when I saw how small these compacts were. For $37, I assumed they would be at least as big as the bronzer compacts. I compared these to a few of my other liquid and cream highlighters and the EB is clearly superior if you are looking for that subtle glow without the greasy feel or glittery finish.

This is how I feel the Edward Bess products compare to other brands:

* NARS Multiples – I am a huge fan of Nars Multiples for the wide range of colors and the luminous glow you can get from these. I love the pigment and blendability of these, however, I find that the Multiple Sticks tend to get a bit greasy-looking on warmer days and don’t last very long by themselves. I usually need to set with a powder blush.

* Armani Fluid Sheers – Armani Fluid Sheers are indeed very sheer. The formula is a bit rich for my skin, so I need to apply this sparingly or else I end up looking shiny/oily. The #02 shade is most similar to EB Sunlight, but has a slightly glittery finish, where the EB just gives you a glow.

* Becca Shimmering Skin Perfectors – I’ve used this mixed with foundation. I find the Becca to be the most glowy-luminous liquid highlighter I have (even my husband has commented before about how my skin just glows). With these I have to be careful in the application too because they are so luminous, too much makes me look very shiny because of the finish.

How does the All Over Seduction compare? Color-wise Sunlight is a less white version of Nars Copacabana, Afterglow is most similar to Maldives minus the sparkle. For the finish/texture, Edward Bess’s cream highlighters are non-greasy yet creamy enough to be blendable. I do find them to be very sheer, so if you’re looking for a more visible highlight, I wouldn’t recommend these for you. If you’re looking for that subtle glow to finish your look, then these are the right product to try out.

For me, I’m a Chanel Shell 1.5, so the Sunlight shows up better on my skin because of the contrast where the Afterglow blends in more for a nude-barely-there peach glow. Today I am wearing Sunlight on my lids with the Nude Eyeshadow over it and it gives the perfect natural your lids but better glow. I have Afterglow on my cheeks and added MAC Nuance Mineralized Blush on top.

Comparison to Nars Multiples: Copacabana, Maldives, South Beach

Swatches on bare skin, keep in mind my swatches aren’t the best/most accurate:

Same order, but in natural sunlight:

Have you tried these? What are your thoughts?

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Why Do We Love Edward Bess? Hear It From The Experts Themselves

December 15, 2009

To my fellow readers and makeup aficionadas – you’ve probably seen at least one review I’ve written about Edward Bess’s cosmetics line and may be wondering “what’s the big deal? is this line really all that?”

I’ve briefly mentioned how I discovered the line. Edward Bess is a very exclusive luxury makeup brand that is available at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC. My interest was peaked by rave reviews from other loyal Edward Bess followers – many of whom did not have immediate access to the line due to it’s exclusivity to Bergdorfs in New York.

Descriptions like “wonderful texture, lovely packaging, intensely pigmented, timeless and modern” told me I had to check it out and see what all the fuss was about. For me, the personal experiences of others and word-of-mouth is the closest alternative to trying something yourself, so I contacted a few other fans for the 411.

Each of them was kind enough to email me detailed descriptions and recommendations along with comparisons to other brands. I can’t thank them enough for their help!! I’ve asked a few who have helped me to share with you why we all love Edward Bess’s products and let them tell you in their own words.

Up first is Leslie Cook, a retired Marketing VP in her early 60’s, loyal fan of Edward Bess.

Tell us about yourself: My name is Leslie Cook. I am 61 (most people guess me at around 45). I think I look younger than I am because I am such a TOTAL skin care and cosmetics addict and always use the best products. I take good care of myself (in other words, I am very high maintenance). I’ve never had plastic surgery, lasers, injections, etc. but I hope to someday if I can afford some of it.

Can you describe your skintone and hair color to us? I am very fair with highlighted brown hair. I have blue/red undertones.

What’s your beauty style? My beauty style is to make the most of my best assets while still taking trends into account. I don’t want to look like a teenager, but since I do look younger than my age and am thin and in good shape, I can dress in more contemporary styles than most women my age so I like my makeup to look modern and hip as well. I wear my hair in a long layered “youngish” style, too. I wear a variety of fun tinted designer glasses (can’t wear contacts and couldn’t get Lasik due to corneal damage).

How did you discover Edward Bess and why do you love his line? I discovered EB thanks to a lovely friend at Makeupalley.com, Michele D. I fell in love with EB because of the incredible quality of his products. The textures are fantastic. The products are easy to apply and stay on beautifully for many hours, don’t cake or flake and look fabulous ON a real person (not just in the packages or on models’ pics in magazines). I love Edward’s selection of wearable colors and his gorgeous sleek packaging. I also love the fact that his collection is so versatile. I can wear his neutral colors camping and look natural (but not bland) hiking in harsh, bright sunlight or I can wear his deeper shades ‘glammed’ up for a cocktail party or a night on the town. No matter what I choose, his products always look flawless, chic and elegant and are incredibly flattering.

What are your favorite EB products? My favorite products are his:

Ultra Slick Lipsticks (love the fig scent, smoothness and longevity with no caking & there are plenty of great shades for every skin tone, outfit and occasion)
Concealer (covers beautifully but looks natural and is the perfect portable size to carry in your purse for touch ups)
Eye Shadows (silky smooth, flattering true “shadow” colors which accentuate the eyes, don’t just lay on your lids and the combinations are endless…..from pale to very deep and dramatic)
All Over Face Brush (works wonderfully for blending and is also very compact and portable)
Gorgeous (shimmery but not fakey) cream high lighters

Is there anything you don’t love? My least favorite product is his mascara. It’s NOT bad, but I’d prefer a thinner brush as I have scrawny lashes (thinner brushes cause less clumping on me).

So tell us about the other brands/products you love: There is no other makeup line that even comes close for me now that I’ve discovered Edward Bess. I have, in fact, given away most of my colors from other lines. Chanel colors come in a distant second (and I still have a few of those). I also use and love Kanebo Sensai Brightening Primer and Creme Foundation when I want more coverage than I get with just EB concealer (such as for a formal evening event) and, finally, Serge Lutens mascara comb.

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Paul & Joe Holiday Event from Guest Writer Lakshmi

December 14, 2009

Guest Writer Lakshmi brings us a detailed account of her recent makeover at Bergdorf Goodman with the Paul & Joe team for their holiday event along with lovely photos of her amazing haul (credit to go to her friend Dhruv for taking these photos)! It looks like the Mesmerize Holiday Palette is a big hit this season – want to know how to use this and what products to coordinate with it? Read on for her experience . . .

L to R: Nail Polish 06, Lip Lacquer 07, Lip Lacquer 10

Intrigued by rave articles on Paul & Joe, I decided to go in for a makeover at Bergdorf Goodman and had Caroline do my make-up which was just wonderful, the whole experience was totally fun! Here’s what she used on me:

Skin Prep
Caroline started by cleansing my face with the Cleansing Milk N, followed by the Refreshing Toner. Since my skin is very dry at the moment she followed it up with a richer toner that you just press into the skin instead of applying with a cotton pad. All these skin products have an orange blossom fragrance that is very soothing. She then applied some moisture cream, which was a little too heavy, so she blotted away the excess moisturizer and followed with an application of their Protective Foundation Primer.

Foundation
After the skin-prep, Caroline then proceeded with an application of the Protective Fluid Foundation. I am Indian with deeper skintones (MAC NC43) and unfortunately they did not have a perfect match for concealer so she opted for a Shu Uemura concealer from the neighboring counter as an alternative! She set my foundation with some loose face powder.

Eyes
* Step 1) Eyes were first prepped with a layer of their eye primer
* Step 2) She then applied the lightest shade (lilac) from the Mesmerize palette all over the lid
* Step 3) The medium shade from the same palette was blended in the crease to warm up my eyes, because the lilac was a little too cool toned for my skin
* Step 4) The next thing she did which was my favorite part of the entire makeover – she took the darkest shade in the palette (the black sparkly one) and lined my eyes extending it into the outer V, while smudging this to make it look diffused and soft.
* Step 5) She then deepened this eyeliner effect with Pearl Powder in 001 (smokey black shimmer) and lined my eyes with a black pencil liner.
* Step 6) Finishing touches – just to give some sparkle she used the Pearl Powder 03 on the center of my lid, applied and blended lightly with a finger.

While seemingly complicated, this combination of products gave my eyes a soft smokey look with a wonderful gradient effect from the darkest black color at the lashline slowly blending upward and outward. She then applied their mascara in black, the brush is quite thick and the formula seems glossy and volumizing, so can’t wait to try that. Since she applied it with a disposable wand, I have yet to see the effect of application with the brush.

Cheeks
I had already seen so many things I wanted to buy and we couldn’t really decide on a face color that was suitable, so she just applied the darker shade of their bronzer as a blush. I think that this shade is very comparable to MAC’s Refined Golden bronzer.

Lips
She applied a lipliner (don’t remember the number but it was a brick colored one) filled in lips with a brick reddish-brown lipstick (not limited edition packaging), followed by Lip Lacquer #10. We also tried Lip Lacquer #07 which complimented the rest of the look perfectly too!

What I ended up going home with:

Pearl Powders in 001, 002 and 03
Lash Mascara in 01 (black)
Lip Lacquers in 07 and 10 – they are unlike anything I’ve tried and have an amazing finish…
Nail Enamel in 06

The gift with purchase was a beautiful Paul & Joe notebook in purple to match their holiday collection packaging!

Pearl Powders: 03 (top), 002 (front left), 001 (front right)

Mascara

Nail Polish 06

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7 Things I’m Loving Right Now

December 12, 2009

I’ve been writing so much on Edward Bess and Paul & Joe (my two new loves) – I thought I’d take a short break. Here is my list for December (a bit shorter than normal) of what I’m loving right now:

1) Harney & Sons White Christmas Tea – Got this in a Holiday Tea Set from Williams Sonoma (instore). I know it’s not exactly beauty-related, but I’ve been drinking this nonstop when I study or blog. Add a bit of honey, sugar and soy milk and it’s heaven. I think you can get it cheaper individually on the Harney & Sons Website.

2) Korres Lip Butter in Guava – Posted about some lip balms last month HERE. This one is smooth, sweet but light scent, moisturizing but not goopy. I love the light pink tint! My lips were a bit chapped from lack of food/water/sleep as I spent the last week working non-stop on school projects. This revitalized my lips instantaneously – no joke.

3) Dolce & Gabbana Mascara – I used up my favorite Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill and felt it was time to open my D&G Mascara. This is *everything* Melissa and Rachel from Saks NY D&G have raved about. Defines and thickens lashes and doesn’t clump or smudge. I love the brush because it gets all my lashes without applying too much goop. It gives a more natural look compared to Armani Eyes to Kill/Diorshow. (No photo, but it comes in a heavy gold tube.)

4) Bobbi Brown Java Metallic Eyeshadow – I don’t know why I haven’t written about this sooner. I bought it as soon as the metallic shadows came out and love this for a smokey cool-brown shimmer. Most shimmery dark brown shadows I’ve found seem to be warm toned (Bobbi Brown Chocolate Shimmerwash, MAC Mulch, Nars Lola Lola, Chanel Cinnamon). If you like taupes, you will like Java – it’s a few steps up in intensity from your regular taupes with smokiness to it. Looks great when applied with a damp brush.

Compared to Stone Shimmerwash and Chocolate Shimmerwash for your reference:

5) Nars Irresistiblement Bronzer – I bought this months ago because it looked so pretty on Em from Too Much Blush. Even though our skintones are completely different, I had to give it a try. I’ve been alternating between this and Edward Bess Daydream for everyday bronzers. It’s a warm almost orangey looking bronze in the pan. But on the skin, it warms up my face like a bronzer-blush. Your mileage may vary on this, but if you have a Nars counter near you it’s definitely worth trying out even if it doesn’t look like your cup of tea.

6) Mauvey Pink Lipglosses: Bobbi Brown Pink Buff, Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer 07, Paul & Joe Lip Gloss 09, MAC Lovechild and Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer 10 – It’s difficult for me to find a mauvey lipgloss that isn’t too pale, too purple or too grey. All of these work perfectly because they have just the right amount of pink or brown so I don’t end up looking dead. They go well with Laura Mercier Chestnut Lipliner which is a good everyday neutral.

I bought Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer 07 and Gloss 09 thanks to the genius of Caroline from the Paul & Joe counter at Bergdorf Goodman. She said they were great for girls with skintones like us (medium and Asian) but flatter almost everyone she’s worked with. Of course she was right on the money. I then bought Lacquer #10 thanks to Joey’s rave review and pictures. I was worried it would be too brown, but turns out it’s not!

L to R: Bobbi Brown Pink Buff, P&J Lacquer 07, P&J Lipgloss 09, MAC Lovechild, P&J Lacquer 10

7) Guerlain Perles Imperiales Holiday Meteorites – This is my one and only Guerlain Meteorites. I caved from all the raves and bought it online because it was sold out in stores by the time I decided I wanted it. Gives a pretty sparkley glow.