Marc Jacobs Beauty launched last week at Sephora. I had some fun at my local Sephora Friday Night. The packaging was surprisingly fun. I limited myself to 3 nail polishes (although I did not test in store, I just had a manicure). Fall collections are trickling in. Bergdorf Goodman has received the Tom Ford Fall collection. Some Neiman Marcus stores have Guerlain fall. I’ve seen reports of Jo Malone’s Peony and Blush Suede arriving in stores although I haven’t seen it yet in person. Sneak peeks of Bobbi Brown’s Chocolate collection have surfaced. Marc Jacobs nail polish reviews to come soon. Right now I’m loving:
Dior released four single shadows as a Nordstrom Exclusive with the fall collection. These are new in the US, although available in other countries (see swatches on Front Row Beauty). I picked up two of the shades Mordoré 653 and Gris Montaigne 047 ($29 each for 2.2g/0.07 oz, Nordstrom.com). Both are in the Diorshow Mono formula which has allows either a wet or dry application. This was my first time trying these shadows even though the formula was released months ago with other shades.
Mordoré 653 is a beautiful warm bronze metallic. It has a lovely shimmery finish to it. On me it pulls very warm but not red. Swatched on the arms it looks identical to Armani Eyes to Kill #5, but Dior Mordoré is easier to wear with less yellow/orange and slightly more bronze. The pigment is very rich but smooth and easy to layer. Blending with this color is easy – some coppers and warm bronzes blend out to look reddish or yellowy on the skin, this one stays true to color.
Gris Montaigne 047 is a classic metallic grey silver. There is a blend of different kinds of silvery shades which prevent it from looking too metallic or foiled on the skin. Silvers can be hard for me to pull off – this one has enough grey to not turn blue on the eyes. I could not find a dupe for this one.
More photos and swatches:
Comparisons below to Urban Decay Half Baked, NARS Fex, Chanel Le Bronze, Armani Eyes to Kill #5, Burberry Pearl Grey, Chanel Furtif, Chanel Infini, Armani Eyes to Kill #21 and Armani Eyes to Kill #17.
In the US you can find both Dior Mordoré and Gris Montaigne at Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com. I’m new to the Diorshow Mono formula but so far am pleased with the two shades I tried. Are there any other colors you’ve fallen in love with that I need to try?
On the nails this past week: Chanel Paradoxal 509 ($27 for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz). This color came out years ago with the Fall 2010 collection but remains a classic. It’s a lovely dusty grey purple cream that has that Chanel shimmer in the bottle but applies more like a cream. If you look closely at the nails (once it’s applied) you can see a beautiful sheen. I do wish the shimmer was more visible but it is still a lovely classic shade with a twist – different from your traditional vamps or reds. Chanel Paradoxal worked well with shades of black, white, navy and even orange from my work wardrobe. Many have tried to dupe it with less expensive alternatives. See the verdict on Lacquerized, Pink Sith, and The Swatchaholic.
Here you can see how the shimmer flashes depending on the light:
From the Fall 2010 Chanel Campaign:
Swatches with two coats:
You can find Chanel Paradoxal 509 at all Chanel retailers. Do you find yourself revisiting older classics? What are you wearing on your nails right now?
My two favorite lip treatments right now are Hourglass N° 28 Lip Treatment Oil ($42 for 0.25 oz) and Jo Malone Vitamin E Lip Conditioner ($25 for 0.52 oz.). When it comes to trying new lip balms I tend to get a little nervous. I have sensitive lips and some lip treatments cause either numbing or allergic reactions (such as Kiehls and many of the drugstore brands). The ones with a plumping factor are usually a no-go for me. Some make my lips feel more dried out than moisturized (like La Mer) I also prefer lip treatments that are in squeeze tubes rather than pots or twist up sticks.
Hourglass N° 28 Lip Treatment Oil was sent as a press sample. I was actually able to try it in store before I received my sample. The finish and texture is smooth and shiny. The lip treatment is infused with 14 different oils: Bois De Rose,
Lavender, Geranium, Petitgrain, Lemon, Rosemary, Vanilla, Clove, Amyris,
Orange, Ylang Ylang, Eucalyptus, Cedar, and Rose Geranium. It also contains
lipid-rich plant oils that include Hazelnut, Kukui Nut, Rose Hip,
Borage, Olive, Green Tea, Cherry Pit, Sweet Almond, Jojoba, and Evening
Primrose, and is fortified with vitamins A, B5, C, and E.
The product is designed to provide deep hydration while reducing the appearance of depth in wrinkles. I did notice it smoothed out the lips but the look result was like most other clear lip glosses and lip balms. The shine and moisture smoothed out the wrinkles. There is a soft soothing herbal scent to the Hourglass Lip Treatment Oil. It’s a like a spa for the lips. My favorite part is the texture. It’s a medium-thick texture which adheres well to the lips. There’s not too much slip that it feels greasy like some lip balms do, but it’s not too thick. I’ve been using this one to two times per week, usually in the evenings to help hydrate the lips. The packaging is quite unique. There is a beveled gold-plated tip that dispenses the product easily without any mess. The tube is compact enough to store in your makeup bag and easy to travel with. (Full ingredient list on Sephora.com)
above on the nails, YSL Prune Minimale No. 07
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Jo Malone Vitamin E Lip Conditioner is a tried and true staple. This has a smooth texture that makes the lips feel well moisturized and soft. There is a soft scent to it which is hard to describe but it’s very gentle and soft, almost honey-like but not quite. It has a calming quality and a very luxurious feel. The black sleek tube has a cap that twists on well so it doesn’t leak. I can’t rave enough about this one. I’ve gone through many tubes. (Full ingredient list below.)
on the nails Chanel Paradoxal
If you have sensitive lips and are looking for something luxurious and soothing for normal to dry lips, I’d recommend both of these. I personally prefer the Jo Malone for the scent and price, but the Hourglass is nice as a weekly treatment.
I’ve had YSL Prune Minimale No. 7 La Laque Couture ($25 for 0.34 fl oz/10ml at Nordstrom) for over a year but have never had a chance to review it. Some of the YSL nail lacquers can be hard to find since most stores don’t carry the entire color range. Certain stores have exclusive shades. I’m not sure if Prune Minimale is one of those colors but I’ve only been able to find it at Nordstrom in the US. Prune Minimale No. 7 is a dark vampy plum-brown. In the bottle it appears to a wine color with shimmer. On the nails the shimmer is invisible and it applies significantly darker than what you see in the bottle. It gives full coverage with two coats. Lasting power was quite good – I took it off on day five to swatch comparisons and there was minimal tip wear. From arms length this looks very similar to a number of other vampy shades. I pulled a few to compare (scroll down). YSL Prune Minimale proved to be one of the darker vamps that I own.
Comparisons below to Chanel Rouge Noir, Vamp, Accessoire and Strong:
I think YSL Prune Minimale No. 7 is a lovely but fairly standard vamp. It’s a sharp classic color that is something you can wear year round. However I was surprised about the attention it received for something I found to be very basic. YSL Prune Minimale received a significant amount of attention over the last week though from co-workers as well as from both of my favorite Chanel and Dior reps at Nordstrom – they all wanted to know what color it was.
Overall I’m impressed with the quality and wear. If you look closely you can tell that it is different from Chanel classics like Rouge Noir and Vamp. It’s about 1-2 shades darker, cooler and more brown than Rouge Noir. So far I’ve only seen it at Nordstrom but if you’ve spotted it elsewhere please share in the comments. (I searched about 10 other retailers online that carry YSL and couldn’t find it listed anywhere.)
YSL Prune Minimale No. 7 retails for $25. You can find it now instores and online at Nordstrom.
This past week on Instagram. I’ve had somewhat of a tumultuous work week so my planned reviews for the week had to be pushed aside. Checking my favorite blog reads and Instagram feed has been my perfect break throughout the week. Thank you all for entering my giveaway – remember to enter by Sunday evening PST (see 2 posts below). I’m loving all the feedback and comments!
Diptyque Violette Scented Candle $60
I’ve received so many raves and recommendations on this one, I’ve added it to my wishlist to smell in store. Have you tried this one? Thoughts?
Diorshow Fusion Mono Eyeshadow $30
A new cream shadow formula from Dior. The colors look absolutely stunning. I have high hopes for these but they haven’t arrived in store yet. I restricted myself to ordering just Etoile which looks like a gorgeous gunmetal shimmer.
Chanel Affinité Le Blush Crème de Chanel $38
None of the stores near me received this hot pink blush for sale (only testers) and I’ve been stalking counters and online for it. It was on Chanel.com for a brief moment but sold out quickly before I could add to my cart and buy. Nordstrom.com now has it up online – I snagged it immediately this morning.
Dior Merveille Addict Lip Gloss (Nordstrom Exclusive) $29.50
This was a Nordstrom Exclusive I never saw at any of my counters. I’m assuming it sold out during the Early Access. My local Dior reps from Nordstrom didn’t even know about this one. Perhaps it was extremely limited? It’s still online although I haven’t seen many reviews for this one yet.
