I’m loving spring pinks right now. I can’t get enough of them. They make me feel polished and brighten my skin in a soft and feminine way. A few favorites right now:
Chanel Riviera Le Vernis – reviewed here, featured here, compared to Rose Insolent here, duped here
Chanel Morning Rose Le Vernis – reviewed here and compared here
Compared to Bobbi Brown Pale Pink (old packaging) for color reference:
Morning Rose feels like it’s a bit faded looking – I think it’s because of the top coat I used which is the Dior from the Electric Tropics duos, I feel as though it doesn’t help colors last and makes them look slightly faded. It looks amazing on the Dior, not so much on Chanels.
Various Chanel Nordstrom counters all over the country have been having a special launch event for the Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks. I love Chanel events because I always leave with great tips, tricks and ideas on how to use new and existing shades.
Today the artist asked me what kind of look I was interested in. It helps to give the artist some direction so they know where to start. They almost always like to try new colors on you (“new” as in don’t own yet) but since I have virtually all the Chanel quads she decided to use Kaska Beige to show me how to do a subtle smoky eye. The face chart of what she used:
Skin and Face:
Ultra Correction Line Repair Fluid SPF 15
Base Lumière Illuminating Makeup Base
Vitalumière Aqua in B20 (see swatches here)
Eyes:
Concealer as a base (didn’t note which one)
Kaska Beige Quadra Eyeshadow
Ébène Stylo Yeux Waterproof (pure black)
Cheeks:
Terre D’or Soleil de Tan Bronzer (soft bronze)
Tweed Corail Bronzer (coral & peach blend also shown here and here)
Lips:
Deauville Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick (pinky-mauve-brown)
The look was subtle but polished. I loved how she did the eyes. In my experience, few artists know how to do Asian eyes without creases. What she did with Kaska Beige:
Step 1: Apply a concealer base to even the eye
Step 2: Dampen a small eyeshadow brush and apply the darkest plum shade on the eyes from the center of the eye outwards to the outer corners (in a smudgey messy way), it was applied about 1/3 up the bottom lid from the center out
Step 3: Take a new clean soft eyeshadow brush and apply the warm brown shimmer all over the plum and all over the lid and blend together
Step 4: Apply the upper right cocoa color in outer corners and under the eyes for extra definition
Step 5: Line with a black liner along upper lashes
Step 6: Take the light cream shell color and dip another clean detail brush and swipe from brow bone downwards for a soft highlight
Blending the golden brown shade over the darker plum was pure genius. The cheeks and lips went perfectly with Kaska Beige.
*Update* Several of my readers have asked for more thoughts on Tweed Corail – I personally love all the tweed blushes. I’ve linked prior features here and here. It gives a lovely soft peach glow that brightens the face with a refined slight shimmer.
For the lips, Rouge Coco Shine in Deauville is a lovely mauve-brown with pink. It’s a complex color in the tube with different shimmers but applies with a lovely glow. It looks different depending on the light angles. I thought it might be too brown from what I saw in the tube but on the lips it looked more pinky-mauve. Another view below, see how it’s more pinkish compared to the views the above photos (because of the lighting/angle). The texture is sheer and glossy. More thoughts on Rouge Coco Shines soon.
As a promotion, the counter gave out mini pink notebooks, a mini mascara and mini skincare item (shown in the first photo at the beginning of this post). For additional Chanel Makeover Features, click on the MAKEOVER tag at the bottom.
Have you attended any Chanel events? What Rouge Coco Shines have you tried? If you went to an event this weekend, please share the details! I’d love to hear what they used on you or what kind of look they put together for you 🙂
I think every week should have a three-day weekend. Two days simply isn’t enough time to do the things I want to do (the fun stuff). Today’s look is quick and easy with a simple black cotton dress, tan belt, black flats, ivory leather bag. Outfit is almost entirely J.Crew (I can always rely on them for a classic simple look). Leather bag is by Balenciaga. Makeup is all barely-there natural colors. I’m a minimalist at heart even if my natural “no makeup” look isn’t really minimalist if you break it down to what I’m wearing.
Inside the bag:
What I’m wearing today: Chanel Tweed Rose Blush, Chanel Taupe-Délicat Eyeshadow Duo, Chanel Espresso Stylo Yeux, Armani Eyes to Kill Mascara, Chanel Confidentielle Rouge Allure, Chanel Star Glossimer, Jo Malone Orange Blossom Cologne, Chanel Peche Nacree Le Vernis
I hope each and every one of you have a great week! Remember Chanel Rouge Coco Shines come out this week in the US!
Bright blushes are a definitely must-have for me, although I usually layer two colors for more depth and dimension. Most of the time I will layer a soft wash of bright over a bronzer. For eyes I don’t really wear brights. The brightest shades I have are golds or pinky-peachy shimmers. I’ll feature a few non-neutrals, but for bright eye colors I’m a bit lacking.
Bright pink blushes (L to R)*: NARS Angelika, MAC Pink Swoon, NARS Desire, Chanel Tweed Fuschia
Bright peaches (also see my peach obsession here): NARS Taj Mahal, MAC Style , Bobbi Brown Coral Shimmer Blush, NARS Gilda
Bright corals (clockwise from left): NARS Cactus Flower Cream Blush, Guerlain Série Noire Blush G, Bobbi Brown Pink Coral Shimmer Wash, MAC Fleur Power
Brighter eye colors for me (not necessarily bright for everyone): NARS Goldfinger, NARS Étrusque, MAC Pink Bronze Pigment* (note the picture has been corrected, it’s Pink Bronze, not Pink Gold), Edward Bess Escape (which isn’t bright but I put it in just for a color reference)
The next and final part of this series will include a few tips and look ideas of how I incorporate brights with neutrals.
* Those who follow me on Twitter know that I no longer have my NARS Angelika Multiple since my Jack Russell pup Lucy ate it. Thanks to all who have asked about her! She is fine and dandy just like the vet assured me over the phone. In fact she is acting like it was any other puppy treat. The picture above at the very top was taken pre-puppy-consumption.
Edward Bess has a beautifully edited, sophisticated and classic beauty line. I first discovered his products while flipping through a Bergdorf Goodman catalog and was instantly intrigued by the sleek black lipstick tubes all lined up in a row. I googled it but to my dismay, found it was only available in NYC. I could not see the items in person. Thanks to LeslieCZ, Alexa, Leanne, Blogdorf Goodman, Fab Over Forty among other Edward Bess fans, I was able to get the scoop. Several gave me wonderful recommendations and urged me to contact the Edward Bess counter Bergdorf Goodman. I’m so glad I did. I’ve never met a more helpful team of artists. On each and every occasion that I’ve called them, they have given helpful descriptions and recommendations over the phone as they listened to me describe my tastes/likes/dislikes. They put me completely at ease ordering items sight-unseen.
The items from Edward Bess are classics and naturally flattering. They are reliable staples in my beauty wardrobe and versatile to create a number of different looks.
Many of you have asked for my own recommendations of what I like from Edward Bess. I thought I’d put together a resource page of what I’ve tried that has been reviewed since I can imagine what a hassle it must be to search through over 600 posts =) I’ve loved almost everything I’ve tried (with the exception of the original mascara). I hope this helps!
Where to buy & info
Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus Beverly Hills, EdwardBess.com (prices, full collection and other locations on his website)
The Beauty Look Book’s Top Five Favorites from Edward Bess
(only because so many have asked)
Daydream Bronzer (my holy grail)
Pure Impulse Lipstick
Forever Yours Lipstick
Dusk Eyeshadow
Soft Smoke Eyeshadow Trio
Island Rose Compact Rouge (oops, six!)
* Tip – Yes, the price points are high, but Bergdorf Goodman occasionally puts together beauty events and gift-card events, many times with nice gift-with-purchases. Their GWPs are usually one full-sized item (they pick out the item) and occasionally they have a step-up gift. I think their next one is in April.
Burberry Beauty has released three new blushes and lipsticks this spring at exclusively at Nordstrom in select stores and online. The three blush shades are 06 Tangerine, 07 Earthy and 08 Misty. All are soft and muted colors but apply with enough color and pigment to show up as a visible blush. The texture of these is soft & powdery – like velvet. Don’t let the swatches on your hand (or my arm) deceive you. When I first saw the line at South Coast Plaza I was disappointed at first glance (see it here). They looked incredibly boring, but after trying them on the face I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t detect any shimmer although I wouldn’t call these a full matte. They have a satiny finish. These come in a sturdy metal mirrored compact with the Burberry Check pattern on the outside. See details below.
06 Tangerine is a peachy color with a hint of brown. Compared to Blossom, it’s more dusty and lighter in color with a touch more brown.
07 Earthy is a lighter soft brown-tan. It has greyish undertones with the tiniest bit of pink tones making this a good contour shade. Kristy from Nordstrom SF recommends using this as a crease color for the eyes as well.
08 Misty is soft cool pink. Compared to Peony, Misty is lighter, cooler, more muted.
For additional swatches, check out NaturalNChicMakeup’s blog. She has excellent photos in different lighting.
Comparison photos below. Comparison swatches did not turn out so well so these will have to suffice.
One last view of all three:
Overall thoughts: All were purchased from Nordstrom San Francisco. Burberry Beauty is only available at a few select Nordstrom locations. I like these for a natural soft contour-like shade. All are goof-proof and highly versatile. The texture is amazing and melts into the skin. They feel like velvet and feel natural on the face. Lasting power is decent for a powder blush and colors are naturally flattering.
In general, I feel like the blushes from Burberry apply darker on the face than they appear in the compact. You can see from the swatches above they look darker than what you might expect.
Photos, swatches and what I’m coordinating with the Armani Spring 2011 items. Picks include: Pink Light Micro-fil Powder for Spring 2011, Rouge d’Armani #518 and the new La Femme Bleue Blush Palette.
*Update Friday Evening* What a week! TGIF a million times over. The Spring 2011 Collection from Armani is lovely and fresh with soft feminine pinks for lips and cheeks. I viewed the eyeshadow quad as the misfit in the collection – lovely and vibrant and very original, just not for me. I ended up with the classic soft pinks – gorgeous and naturally flattering, but dupeable and a bit unoriginal. Photos are separated by Spring Product Picks first, followed by comparisons all the way at the bottom.
#518 Rouge d’Armani is extremely close to last spring’s Silk Lipstick #98 and Dior’s Serum de Rouge in 640. It’s a lovely soft cool pink but I found it applied a bit streaky and uneven. It took a bit of work layering combined with a brush for me to get an even application. I like the effect but it’s been done before. The texture is smooth and creamy and those who avoid Armani Lipsticks because of lack of staying power – the good news is the Rouge d’Armani formula does last longer. The finish is natural with a soft shine. No detectable scent.
The Spring 2011 blush was the item I was anticipating the most. I’m a huge fan of Armani blushes for their subtle natural finish. They are soft and light but noticeable on my skin and I love the way they look when layered over a soft cream highlighter. The Spring Blush is a soft powder pink with a luminous glow. There’s a soft silver sparkle that you can barely see. The finish of this blush is very natural. More comparisons down below.
I was a bit disappointed to find this season’s Pink Light Powder is the exact same as 2009’s Pink Light Powder. I think my sister will be happy to take this off my hands. If you missed out a couple years ago, definitely try to find a counter to try this. It’s like their Fluid Sheer #7 and NARS Luxor in a powder form. It’s a soft opalescent pink that is beautifully luminous and gives that glow from within effect. I love this layered over other blushes to add shimmer. It’s really lovely without being too sparkly or frosty. Can’t rave enough even though I wish this was slightly different than the previous release, it’s still an awesome product.
What I’m wearing with the Spring 2011 items today:
