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the beauty look book thank you giveaway

July 25, 2013

I’m doing two giveaways as a thank you and to celebrate four years of blogging (I missed my blog anniversary in May). There will be two separate winners (applicable to US only due to shipping restrictions on nail polishes) each of whom will receive:
  • Either Chanel Riva or Steel nail polish (sorry I only have one of each so selection of color will be at random, both are brand new)
  • Minis of each item from the Chanel Resynchonizing Skincare line, day/night/weekend
  • Mini of Chanel Le Volume de Chanel Mascara
  • A mini Chanel Venice booklette (I received two during a recent event, you can’t find these anywhere for purchase)
  • Black drawstring Chanel pouch
  • Three additional mini goodies (these will be a surprise!)

How to enter:

1) You must be in the US and have a US shipping address.

2) Fill out this survey – survey is now closed.

For additional entries:

3) Follow me on Twitter @beautylookbook and retweet the giveaway tweet (be sure to retweet directly so I can track entries).

4) Enter a comment below and tell me about one item you’ve purchased from reading The Beauty Look Book this year or one post that has inspired you (note that no spam comments with any kind of links will be published). Please be sure to enter in a way for me to contact you whether it’s an email address or Twitter Id, or fill in your Google Profile in the options so I can add your additional entries.

To qualify you must fill out the survey, have a valid US shipping address and provide a way for me to contact you. (Sorry I cannot ship nail polish overseas.) Giveaway will end on Sunday 8/4/2013 at 11:45 PM PST. Entries will be collected and gathered. Two will be selected at random and announced the following week. Giveaway winners will be contacted and must respond within 24 hours. Each winner will receive package within one week of receiving shipping address information. Must be 18 years or older to enter. Good luck!

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Bobbi Brown Brush Cleanser

July 22, 2013
My usual go-to for brush cleanser is usually Neutrogena Rainbath Shower and Bath Gel in the Original version or occasionally MAC Brush Cleaner. Although baby shampoo is often a popular recommendation from many, I tend to avoid it as I find it sometimes leaves a slight residue on the brushes. At my latest Chanel event, I asked the artist what she thought was the best brush cleanser for foundation and concealer brushes. Although I find soapy warm water can clean these, I usually have to wash in at least 3-4 rounds to get them fully cleaned. She said hands down Bobbi Brown’s Brush Cleanser ($16.50 for 3.4 oz)  and Brush Cleaning Spray ($22 for 3 oz). I decided to try the cleanser and give it a thorough test (the reviews online seemed very favorable).
Bobbi Brown’s Brush Cleanser is a clear liquid that comes in a black squeeze tube. It’s not quite as fluid as toners, but not thick like a gel. The cap flips open.

I tested the Bobbi Brown Brush Cleanser with about a dozen brushes this weekend. I’ll show the before and after results below with three different sets of brushes. Although I’m sure most know how to wash their own brushes, I’ll do a quick tutorial of the steps I used to test the Bobbi Brown. The instructions on the box were fairly simple and easy to follow. Basically wet the brushes, squeeze a small amount into the palm of your hand (I found a dime size worked for 3 brushes at a time), massage the cleaner into brushes, rinse completely, squeeze water out, reshape and lay flat to dry.

I found the brush cleanser to work extremely well with all of my brushes. There was a slight minty scent to the product, but it disappears after washing the brushes. You only need a small amount and it foams up just slightly as you work it into your brushes. I was really impressed at how well the brush cleaner cleaned my foundation brushes. My used foundation brushes usually needed 3-5 rounds of cleaning with strong dish soap before the creams budge. With the Bobbi Brown Brush Cleanser, I only needed 2 rounds to get them completely clean. Huge thumbs up! The only brush that didn’t come completely clean was the MAC Duo Fibre 130 (probably because I had remnants of a darker Armani Fluid Sheer sitting on it for a few days).

Three sets of testing with before and after photos. Below, the dirty brushes, scroll to the bottom to see the after look:
Brushes after cleaning and drying (I let them dry through the afternoon):

Overall extremely impressed. I found Bobbi Brown’s Brush Cleanser to be extremely effective but not too harsh. The brushes dried nicely without any residue left on them. I’m ecstatic my foundation brushes were cleaned very quickly and effectively. The cleanser seemed to be versatile for all different types of bristles and hairs. Most of the white brushes returned to their original white cream color. The only one that did not was the MAC Duo Fibre (which probably needs a few more rounds of cleaning). The price of $16.50 is reasonable since a little goes a long way. Still, given the frequency which I wash my brushes, I would probably want to reserve this for the brushes that need an extra effective cleanser. Neutrogena is a cheaper option (Costco size bottles that is) and just as effective for most of the brushes (except the ones I use for cream products). Bottom line: huge thumbs up. I think I need to try the brush spray next.
I bought my Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaner at Nordstrom. It’s also available at all Bobbi Brown counters and retailers.

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Loving Right Now

July 21, 2013

Right now I’m loving Sara Bareilles’ new album The Blessed Unrest, my new Céline Trio in black, Chanel Riva (limited from 2010/2011), YSL Rouge Volupté Sheer Candy (I’ve finally been converted), Aerin Rose Hand and Body Cream, Moroccan Oil treatment and mini Chanel perfume bottles I’ve collected. Currently loving these reads:

Have a wonderful Sunday!

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Chanel Makeover – Escape to Venice Event

July 19, 2013
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I had a makeover with Chanel at my local Nordstrom for their Escape to Venice event. It was focused around some repromoted items such as the Blue Satin and Beige Nail Polish, Vitalumière Aqua foundation and some Rouge Coco Shines (no new colors or items). I went in to replenish foundation – Chanel makes my favorites. They are one of the few lines I can wear almost any foundation or powder with a good color match, long wear and no irritation/breakouts. They had the Les Beiges powders on display for pre-sale only. I was happy to be able to test those out in person before committing to buy online. (Was also happy to see they won’t be an online exclusive.) Breakdown of what was used on me below.

Items used throughout the makeover:

Face Prep: Cleansed with cotton pads and the Le Blanc Fresh Brightening Cleansing Foam, toned with Le Blanc Brightening Moisture Lotion (really a toner), prepped with the new Le Jour de Chanel. I loved the feel of each item. I was already well stocked on cleanser and toner so I did not purchase either. I have fallen in love with the Le Jour de Chanel samples I received so I went into the event knowing I wanted to purchase the full size. (Detailed skincare review to come shortly.)
Primer and Foundation Makeup: Light application of the CC Cream B20 with the Foundation Brush (nice evening effect but too pale for my taste). Vitalumière Aqua Compact Foundation in B30 buffed with their Kabuki Brush gave an airbrushed natural look. Dusting of Les Beiges 20 all over the face was applied. Last face prep step was to use Les Beiges 40 as a contouring powder.
Eyes: The artist used a lot of layering on the eyes. She started with Illusion d’Ombre in Ebloui all over the bottom half of the lids applied with the Concealer Brush and blended with the fingers. She then followed with the mauve-taupe shade from Mystère Quad on top with a softer fluffy brush. Next she took Apparition Illusion d’Ombre and layered it on top – this achieved a stunning sparkly brown-gold effect when all mixed together. She then used Ebene Stylo Yeux to line the water lines and define the upper lashline. Khaki Precieux was used along the lower lashes to make the eyes pop. The darkest shade from Mystère was used to follow along the lines just in the outer corners and blended softly. Finishing touch was the new Volume de Chanel in Khaki.
Lips and Cheeks: For cheeks she used the Revelation Blush Creme layered with the Les Beiges in 40 for blending/contour. Lips were mixed with a vibrant coral pink Rouge Coco Le Basier 54 and Rouge Coco Shine in Interlude. Both shades were mixed with a lip brush then applied. She blotted the lips and then reapplied the Rouge Coco Shine to soften the look.

The overall look was glowy and just beautiful. I loved the combination for the eyes and the pink lips and cheeks balanced the whole look quite well. The Le Blanc skincare line felt nice on the skin but I’ve never had much luck with the Chanel skincare lines (since Age Delay was discontinued about a decade ago). The Resynchonizing Trio has worked wonders for my skin though (more to come soon). Most of the items used were things I already owned which was nice. The artist took care to take note of what I already own to show me some ideas on how to coordinate the items.

Some new items mixed in with some classics:

Have you had a Chanel makeover recently? Thoughts? Ideas? I will update the post later with more product photos. I’m looking forward to the release of Les Beiges in the US! Nordstrom fans – check your local counters to see if they have events or gifts going on now, many counters are doing promotions in store now.
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Dior Mystic Metallics: Constellation 864 Couture Color Eyeshadow Palette (Nordstrom)

July 16, 2013
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Dior Constellation 864 Couture Color Eyeshadow Palette ($61, limited-edition, Nordstrom exclusive) is the second quint release for Dior Fall this year. It’s a stunner in the compact and the colors translate onto the skin true to pan. If you can pull off cool-toned colors and brighter plums or purples on the eyes you will love this. For me, some purples appear too blue against my olive skin leaving me with a punched-eye or pink-eye look. This is one of those purple palettes – it requires a bit of layering with a warm terracotta or sheer bronze (Le Metier makes some nice ones from their limited kaleidoscope kits, NARS Fez works well as does Urban Decay Lost). The lighter shades pull very cool on my skin, if you’re very warm or tan you may find this one pulls very cool-toned on you, more so than when you swatch on the arm.

The colors include a pale mauve, a frosted silvery-platinum, a cool pink opal, a plum with silver flecks and a purple satin. Most of the colors pull very shimmery. Each color is very pigmented. I liked that the colors applied very well on the eyes and stayed put well throughout the morning and afternoon.

Overall, not my favorite … at least for now. Part of me thinks it’s the warm summer weather that is making me crave warmer colors for eyes (versus cool purples). Once autumn arrives I think I’ll like this more as is. For now, it will be reserved for days I have extra time to get ready in the morning or evening. It’s going to be a higher-maintenance palette that requires some warm color layering to make it work for me.
Constellation is available now at Nordstrom and Nordstrom.com as an Early Access item to Nordstrom Cardholders. It will be available to all this Friday when their Anniversary sales starts. Do note it’s a limited-edition product. You may want to call your local Dior counters to pre-sell if you don’t have a Nordstrom card. They can reserve one and set it aside for you.

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Dior Mystic Metallics: Bonne Étoile 384 Couture Color Eyeshadow Palette

July 14, 2013

Dior Bonne Étoile 384 Couture Color Eyeshadow Palette is this season’s star product for eyes ($61, limited-edition, at Nordstrom). The palette has the most beautiful embossed star patterns. Each color is richly pigmented with varying degrees of shimmer and sparkle. Even those who avoid shimmers will love this one. I am not usually brave enough to wear bright teals or greens on the eyes but the colors in this palette are deep enough to not be over-the-top. The colors include a deep rich khaki olive gold, a chocolate brown with gold flecks, a sparkly silvery-taupe, a deeper green-teal sparkle and a soft seafoam green shimmer. The shimmers adhere well to the eye, but you still need a good primer to avoid fall out from the teal and taupe (I experienced just a slight bit). Five colors on one eye can be challenging to pull off, but the colors layer nicely together. I played with this today and found the combinations to be endless. Applying the darker shades with a slightly damp brush intensified the colors nicely for a more dramatic look.

Swatched:

I don’t own any other palette similar, although I suspect each shade is similar to other individual colors. I think you can probably achieve a similar effect with some Urban Decay or even MAC singles, although I do think this Dior palette will be a bit more conservative and easier to wear for those who prefer neutrals. I don’t own many teals or greens so this was perfect for me. I’m still testing out the other option Constellation 864, but I can say right now that I definitely prefer this Bonne Étoile 384.
You can find Bonne Étoile 384 in stores at Nordstrom now and also online at Nordstrom.com.

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Dior Bonne Étoile 384 and Constellation 864 (Preview)

July 14, 2013
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Dior has released two stunning quints for fall this year in Bonne Étoile 384 and Constellation 864 ($61 each, limited-edition). Both are listed as exclusive to Nordstrom (for now). You can purchase Bonne Étoile now in stores and online, however Constellation is listed as an Early Access item for Nordstrom cardholders only (available to everyone on July 19th). I picked up both of mine in store today so I haven’t had time to play with these extensively. I did have my Dior artist apply Bonne Étoile on me, and although greens usually aren’t my thing for eyes, I’m already in love with this one (it’s a bold pick for me). The teal and green layer beautifully with the khaki and bronze shades. Detailed swatches and photos to come very soon. For now, check out these awesome bloggers for swatches and details:

Bonne Étoile 384

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Constellation 864

Some more preview photos of both side by side:

With flash:

In direct sunlight, no flash:

In direct sunlight with flash:
 

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