I wish each and every one a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday!
Chanel spring brings us two new Le Vernis shades in Charivari #603 and Tapage #605 ($27 each). Both are rich vibrant creams without any shimmer. If you didn’t like the dusty/muted effect of Paradoxal (swatched here) or Elixir (review here), you may find the colors from the spring collection will suit your taste better. They are sharp and rich in color.
Charivari #603 is a dark purple cream. It applied smoothly with two coats. I found it to be an exact dupe for Rescue Beauty Lounge Recherché (sold out). If you already own that shade you do not need both.
Comparisons to Rescue Beauty Lounge Recherche, JinSoon Debonair (swatched here), Chanel Paradoxal (here) and Dior Purple Mix (discontinued):
Tapage #605 is a rich bright red pink. This one was a bit difficult to photograph. It has an incredibly bright base. In all my photos it looks like a straight red. It’s actually a pink-red in real life. In the bottle I assumed it was a straight pink, but after comparing it to other pinks, I found this one to be more red. I like this color because it has the holiday new-year’s feel without being the traditional red or pink, it’s somewhere in between.
Comparisons to Chanel Rose Exhuberant, Lilis (swatch here), Fracas (swatch here), Elixir (swatch here) and Pulsion (swatch here).
The quality, coverage and pigment of both shades are excellent. The colors are safe classics and similar to many other rich pink-reds or purples, but I’m particularly smitten with Tapage. If you’re looking for something new and unique you may want to wait for other collections to arrive in the next month.
Chanel Charivari #603 and Tapage #605 Le Vernis both retail for $27 each. You should be able to find the collection at your counters now. I found mine at Nordstrom.
Chanel is the first this year to release a spring collection. I spotted in stores at counters last week at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. I was in a rush so I left with what I knew I wanted: Tapage Le Vernis, Charivari Le Vernis, Sonate Glossimer, Murmure Glossimer and Impulsion Illusion D’Ombre. I skipped the quad, duo, blushes and lipsticks. I might revisit the blushes but honestly I’m overloaded with cream blushes, I can probably skip the ones from spring.
There are snippets of reviews around other blogs, a few I’ve resources I’ve read lately:
- Makeup and Beauty Blog – Charivari Nail Polish
- Specktra – Chanel Spring 2014 – swatches and photos galore
- Beauty Geeks – preview and swatches
- Best Things in Beauty – creme blushes, glossimer, quad
- Time4Beauty – swatches and previews
Everything is online now at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Chanel.com. For your reference I put together a chart of all the new items.
I’ll have a review of the items I picked out soon. Have you checked out the Chanel spring collection yet? I’d love to hear your thoughts of the collection and our first look at spring beauty. Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday with loved ones.
Burberry has released four beauty variations of Oxblood colored makeup. The Nail Polish was previously featured here. In addition to the nail color, Burberry also has Oxblood in a Lip Mist No. 214 ($30), a Lip Cover No. 33 ($30) and a Lip Glow No. 23 ($27). Each lip product is slightly different in finish and color so you can select one according to your preference for a burgandy pinkish red lip.
Oxblood No. 214 Lip Mist is the most red of the three. It’s a semi-glossy semi-tacky lipstick. It’s a dark wine color in the tube but applies cool-toned and red, almost pinkish. The slightly sticky texture helps the color adhere well to the lips and prevents it from sliding off. The benefit of the slight transparent finish is that it will fade nicely on the lips without appearing obvious.
Oxblood No. 33 Lip Cover is the most pigmented color. It’s also a deep wine red with a slightly glossy finish, but it’s rich in color like a regular lipstick. This one required careful application to prevent bleeding or smudging. Lasting power was quite good and it left a slight stain on the lips after a few hours of wear. It’s quite dramatic in a beautiful way.
Oxblood No. 23 Lip Glow is a semi-dark wine pink in the tube. It applied quite a bit lighter and pinker on the lips. This one is my favorite of the three, mainly because it is the softest but still has quite a bit of color. It has a transparent finish with a high shine. If you want more color or pigment, you may want to opt for MAC’s Desire Lipglass (a staple of mine). Or simply layer this one over a darker lip liner or either of the Oxblood lipsticks.
Swatches:
With all three shades, you need to apply carefully and accurately. I recommend blending or smoothing the edges
with a lip brush for even application. There is a sharp contrast for me
between my natural lip color and these Oxblood lip items. The lip
swatches below were applied straight from the tubes, you can see that
it’s slightly uneven in the pictures so you can see a bit of the edges
of the lip. Do note that most wine-colored items tend to pull fuschia or blue on me. Your mileage may vary depending on your skin and lip tones.
with a lip brush for even application. There is a sharp contrast for me
between my natural lip color and these Oxblood lip items. The lip
swatches below were applied straight from the tubes, you can see that
it’s slightly uneven in the pictures so you can see a bit of the edges
of the lip. Do note that most wine-colored items tend to pull fuschia or blue on me. Your mileage may vary depending on your skin and lip tones.
The Lip Mist:
The Lip Cover:
The Lip Glow:
Comparisons swatched: Burberry Blueberry Lip Mist is more brownish, MAC Desire Lipglass is the perfect match to the Oxblood Lip Cover, Tom Ford’s Black Orchid is more blueish, Chanel Fiction applies more red.
For other swatches, I recommend checking out the swatches on Café Makeup, Gummy Vision and Vanity Fashionista.
I’m particularly smitten with all three colors. They are quite bold for
me (I normally wear neutral or peachy lips). I find them perfect for the
holiday season or special occasion. They are dramatic for me without
being too bright or too dark.
me (I normally wear neutral or peachy lips). I find them perfect for the
holiday season or special occasion. They are dramatic for me without
being too bright or too dark.
I purchased mine all at Nordstrom: Lip Mist here, Lip Cover here, Lip Glow here and Nail Polish here (back in stock).
I recently ordered Diptyque Eau Duelle Solid Perfume ($48 for 4.05 g/0.14 oz). It’s a very soft earthy vanilla. I had tested this a few months ago at the San Francisco Boutique and South Coast Plaza stores. I found it less intense and not quite as sweet as the Eau de Toilette and Eau de Parfum versions. Vanillas can be difficult for me to tolerate so I usually have to do sampling on various occasions by spritzing at the counter and wearing the scent for a few hours. My sensitive nose tends to react very strongly to sweet vanilla scents (in a bad way). It took me several months of thinking about Eau Duelle before I decided to buy. By the time I decided to purchase, all the counters and stores near me were sold out. I could only find it online at Neiman Marcus. Although the Diptyque reps have assured me it’s only temporarily sold out, a couple readers have told me that the solid version is being discontinued. At this time I’m not sure which is true.
I was lucky to get a few samples of the different versions of Eau Duelle. The liquid sprays are significantly stronger and sweeter in scent. The Eau de Parfum has an almost incense-like smell to it. The Eau de Toilette is lighter and sweeter. I prefer the Solid Perfume by far as it’s the softest, however I feel I may be in the minority in my preference. The lasting power is medium. Since I prefer softer vanillas I don’t mind that this one fades within a few hours.
I’m still on the hunt for the perfect vanilla fragrance. I love Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille on others. It’s a bit too dark for me. Others are too sweet or strong. For now the sweeter round scents I like are Tom Ford’s Oud Wood and Jo Malone’s Dark Amber and Ginger Lily. Not exactly vanilla-like, but there is a slight vanilla-ish undertone to each one (review on these soon).
I’m happy I purchased Diptyque’s Solid Perfume version of Eau Duelle, but I’m still on the hunt for my perfect vanilla scent. If you have one you love I’m all ears for your recommendations.
One last holiday gift guide post for my picks of items under $100 to help with your last minute holiday shopping. I’m almost finished with mine (later than expected). Hope you are all having a wonderful weekend!
- Tory Burch Desk Calendar $75 – such a beautiful desk accessory for the entire year
- Nordstrom Solid Woven Cashmere Scarf $65.98 (on sale) – classic scarf in a variety of colors
- Diptyque 5 Piece Set $75 – amazing mini set great for trying out a variety of sets
- Longchamp Le Pliage Mini $95 – classic tote great for travel or everyday
- Tory Burch Robinson Saffiano Leather Coin Purse $95 – love the petite size but functional shape and style
- Smythson Notebook $60 – versatile gift that’s appropriate for all ages
- Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Marc Disc Skinny Bangle $58 each (3 options available)
- Chanel Le Laque Le Vernis Trio $82 – Pirate, Gold Shimmer and the Top Coat (my favorite)
- Moroccan Oil Body Collection $65 – this set looks like a steal, I want one for myself
- Diptyque Pine Bark Candle $68 – my favorite holiday candle (review soon)
- Urban Decay Naked3 $52 (review here) back in stock online at Macy’s!
For other price points and stocking stuffer ideas you can see my other guides $25 and Under and $50 and Under.
It’s that time of the year where my skin and hair is in desperate need of that extra boost of moisture to fight dry patches. Finding lightweight moisturizing products can be a bit of a challenge for my sensitive skin. My nose is particularly sensitive so light-fragranced items are a must. My go-to fixes and staples this season right now:
- Aerin Rose Hand and Body Cream $40 is a lovely light-scented hand treatment, it’s a bit pricey for me to justify using on the body, but it’s a nice moisturizing cream for the hands. It smells like candied roses which is really nice (coming from a person who doesn’t really like strong rose florals).
- Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Intensive Smoothing Hand Cream $55 is probably the priciest hand cream I own, I was lucky to get this as a gift with purchase one year. It smells like a spa treatment. It’s a bit heavier than most hand creams I use but it dries down to a soft silky finish. It helps diminish those dry lines in the hands upon application. Read the reviews on Nordstrom.com and you’ll see this is well worth the price.
- L’Occitane Extra-Gentle Lotion for Hands and Body $20 is the perfect body lotion for me. I’ve gone through five bottles already and keep one at work and one at home. I’m a huge fan of L’occitane’s Shea Butter line. They have several different options of moisturizing intensity depending on your skin needs. I like this one because it melts into the skin and makes any itchy dryness disappear without being too greasy. I love the lightweight scent – it’s very soothing and comforting. It’s neutral enough to be unisex. My husband and male co-workers always borrow mine.
- Caudalie Divine Oil $49 is relatively new to me. I’ve written about the mini size that I’ve tried which is perfect for the purse. I loved it so much I bought the full size in the trio set. I spray it on the legs and elbows. It smells fresh and light and feels nice on the skin. It’s also designed for the face and hair – I’ve only tried it on the ends of my hair to add a bit of shine (although I prefer other hair treatments).
- Jo Malone Vitamin E Lip Conditioner $25 is one of my favorite lip treatments. Review here. It’s soft, moisturizing and you can feel the results instantly.
- Jo Malone Vitamin E Vitamin E’ Body Treatment Scrub $90 is the ultimate luxury body scrub. It’s a spa in a tub and smells like a luscious honey dessert. It’s strongly scented and extremely moisturizing – if you visit your local Jo Malone store or counter they should be able to make a small sample for you to try. It’s really REALLY amazing.
- Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil $20 is one of the first cuticle oils I’ve tried. In the past I’ve tried substituting baby oil but found it hasn’t really helped my dry cuticles. This one is made of pure white jojoba oil, vitamin E and coconut oil (it smells like coconuts). It works well on my cuticles and a little goes a long way. Be careful to keep application to the cuticles as it can feel a bit sticky on the finger tips. The texture is perfect to actually stay on the cuticles (versus some oils that are so liquid/fluid they roll off quickly).
- By Terry Baume de Rose $60 review here. My holy grail lip treatment, but still a three way tie with the Jo Malone and Hourglass.
- Drybar The Chaser Shine Pomade $28 is the hair cream of all hair creams. It adds shine without being too heavy or greasy looking on the hair. I find it lasts all day long. I’ve used it a couple of ways. One is right after I shower on towel-dried damp hair. This is the only thing I’ve tried that lets my hair air dry perfectly without any frizz. It makes the perfect pre-heat treatment as well (whether it’s blow drying or straightening). I also find it makes a great finishing product to add a bit of texture and shine. Bonus is that my husband likes it on his hair as a pomade (even though it’s really a cream). The smell is incredible too.
What are you winter skin and hair savers? I’m all ears to hear what your favorites are!