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Fragrance

Spring to Summer Fragrance Edit

June 8, 2018

It feels like we skipped spring this year and went straight to summer here in Florida! Today I have a roundup of spring to summer fragrances that are light and fresh. I’ve been thrilled to find that so many of you are die hard fans of Tom Ford Soleil Blanc and Creed Love in White like me. This year both brands have launched new variations of the classics! I know fragrance is so personal so I’d love to hear about your go-to’s. If you’re looking for something new but don’t know where to start I hope this list will give you some ideas of where to start exploring!

Row 1:

Creed Love In White for Summer ($335 for 75 ml) is a new variation of their classic Love In White. The original is a crisp white floral with a powdery feel. The new version at first spritz smells almost identical but if you let it sit you’ll notice a softer vibe with a fruity touch. They both have that distinct white floral feel, but the new one is really beautiful! Right now Love in White for Summer is only available in the 75 ml form. I have purchased a few of their Leather Atomizers for travel or my purse. My husband also has a couple for his favorite which is Aventus for Men.
- Top Notes: Bulgarian roses, Calabrian bergamot, sweet magnolia
- Middle Notes: Florentine iris, rice, Virginian cedarwood
- Base Notes: Ambergris, sandalwood, apple, jasmine
Louis Vuitton Apogee ($240 for 3.4 ml) is one of the soft earthy florals from Louis Vuitton. To me I notice the magnolia and jasmine notes the most. It’s a natural and earthy kind of floral. One thing I learned at the stores is once you buy the full size bottle you can get them refilled in store for a much lower price than repurchasing another full size bottle. These come in beautiful glass jars. If you cannot decide on one they have a lovely Miniatures Set which contains seven 10 ml bottles.
- Notes: Lily-of-the-valley accord, Jasmine from Grasse, Magnolia from China, Gaiac wood, Sandalwood essence
Byredo La Tulipe ($165 for 50 ml) is another pretty clean floral. It has extremely strong lasting power – even though my nose gets used to it within a few hours, people who walk by notice it many hours later. To me it smells almost like fresh linen + white flowers combined. I also have this in the Hand Cream and Hair Perfume just for fun. In the event you want smaller options, it is available in the La Selection Florale Trio (12 ml vials). Alternatively on the Byredo Website you can order their Discovery Set (they limit 1 per person) and it comes with a voucher that you can use at Byredo Stores on Byredo.com.
- Top Notes: rhubarb, cyclamen, freesia
- Middle: tulip
- Base: blonde woods, vetiver
Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt ($135 for 3.4 oz) is one of the best earthy sea salt scents I’ve tried that is so unique. It’s a great light everyday kind of scent one can wear year round, but it’s not a floral or citrus. It seems like most scents that are light need to be either floral or citrus or beachy. This one is none of the above yet it’s not spicy or heavy. I attribute the hint of bergamot to this fact. It’s one I can wear alone but I received the best tip from one of my favorite Jo Malone associates in San Diego to layer this with Wild Blue Bell. The Wood Sage and Sea Salt notes:
- Top: bergamot, ambrette seeds, buchu leaves
- Middle: sea salt, mineral accord, dry fruits
- Base: driftwood accord, guaiac wood, white musk, sage

Row 2:

Diptyque Eau de Sens ($95 for 1.7 oz, also now available in a Solid Soap, Cleansing Hand and Body Gel and Hair Mist) is my all time favorite orange blossom. It’s not too citrus and it’s not too floral or powdery. It’s the perfect mix to be orange and floral. Lasting power is not as strong as Tom Ford or Creed on me but I don’t mind reapplying after a few hours as it fades nicely. I have the Hair Mist on my wishlist which I hope to pick up soon.
- Top Notes: bitter orange, juniper berry.
- Middle Notes: orange blossom
- Base Notes: angelica, patchouli
Chanel L’Eau No 5 All Over Body Spray ($60 for 150 ml/5 fl oz) is a lighter variation of the L’Eau No. 5 reviewed here. I actually prefer the body spray version because it’s softer and not quite as crisp. It also comes in a Hand Cream option which smells completely different to me but is still lovely.
- Notes: Lemon, Mandarin and Orange, Rose, Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Cedar and Musk
- Molton Brown Orange and Bergamot Radiant Body Oil ($49 for 100 ml/3.3 fl oz) is such a beautiful dry oil. As you might guess from this roundup I’m obsessed with anything that has bergamot in it! This one is a fresh one that has a blend of orange, bergamot and mandarin. It’s very bright and refreshing. The oil absorbs nicely into the skin and gives the body a luminous glow. Scent is very strong for a body oil, I can wear this alone instead of the perfume version. You can find this in other body products in their entire Orange and Bergamot collection.
  - Top Notes: orange, bergamot and mandarin
  - Heart Notes: neroli, cardamom and galbanum
  - Base Notes: musk, ylang-ylang and cedarwood
Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc ($122 for 1.7 oz) is new this spring. It’s one of my favorites of the season and I did not think it could get better than the original. It’s really close to the original version but this one is lighter in feel and not quite as rich or deep. It’s more green and a tiny bit more citrus with a brighter feel. I do not think you need both if you are already well stocked on one. I used up my original so decided to buy this one and I’m 100% happy I did.
- Notes: Vert de Bergamot, Orange Bitter, Petitgrain Bigarde, Ylang-Ylang, Pistachio Accord, Coco de Mer Accord

Row 3:

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Oil ($74 for 8.4 fl oz/250 ml) is my favorite scented body oil. I wish it came with a spritzer but it’s so good I can overlook the packaging. It does come in a Dry Oil Spray Version which I personally did not like very much. For some reason the regular Body Oil works much better for my skin and smells better too.
Byredo Mojave Ghost ($165 for 1.7 fl oz) is one of the most unique scents I’ve tried. To me it smells a little fruity and floral with noticeable violet and magnolia notes. There’s a tiny hint of musk and sandalwood with amber to round it out and prevent it from being a full on floral. Lasting power on me is excellent.
- Top Notes: ambrette, Jamaican nesberry
- Middle Notes: violet, sandalwood, magnolia
- Base Notes: chantilly musk, crisp amber, cedarwood
Tom Ford Fleur de Portofino ($230 for 1.7 oz/50 ml, also available in the All Over Body Spray which I’ve tried and loved) is a twist on their classic Neroli Portofino. They have several spinoffs of the classic and to me this one is the best because it mixes in floral making it softer, more feminine and well rounded. It smells like the spring to summer transition with crisp citrus and fresh floral notes.
- Notes: Sicilian Lemon, Bigarade Leaf Absolute, Violet Leaf Absolute Orpur, White Acacia Accord, Jasmine Grandiforum Concrete, Acacia Honey Accord
Tom Ford Soleil Blanc is another classic that I’ve used up in the full size. The one shown is from a limited-edition Travel Atomizer which has just launched at Nordstrom! So many of you have said this scent is THE ONE for you. I think it’s a classic sunshine vacation scent in a bottle!
- Notes: Bergamot, Cardamom Oil Orpur, Pistachio Accord, Ylang Ylang Comores Islands, Benzoin Extract Orpur, Coco De Mer Accord

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My top 3: Creed Love in White for Summer, Byredo Mojave Ghost and Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc.

I know perfume is one of those beauty products that is best to shop for in person. I’ve ordered a few blind simply because I did not have a counter near me and it has been both hit or miss. After a couple misses I decided to never do it again. These days I’ve found more and more brands have started to sell sample vials or discovery sets on their websites. You may have to do a bit of searching to find them. Many larger retailers offer samples with beauty purchases, I almost always add one to my cart from Nordstrom. Lucky Scent also sells samples and sample packs of fragrances of their entire store. If you are ever in the Los Angeles area I highly recommend you stop by their store. You can read more in a feature I did here. In some cases you might not find any sample section online even on specific brand websites. I’ve also had luck a couple times e-mailing customer service to see if I could buy or order samples and in two instances they did!

That wraps up my spring to summer perfume favorites. I know it’s quite a lot and some of you stick to 1 or 2 scents but I also know women who rotate on a seasonal basis and like to switch things up like me. As always please share your personal favorites in the comments! I love reading about what you love and wear.

Press samples featured include items from Creed, Molton Brown and Louis Vuitton.

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Chanel

Chanel Cruise Collection 2018 Beauty Picks

June 5, 2018

Happy Tuesday! I’m back from a week of travel from NYC. Trip recap to follow soon but I have a few beauty reviews to share first. Chanel Cruise 2018 launched a few weeks ago with some limited-edition pieces. I ordered a few items sight unseen and have been playing with them over my trip. Quick take is that the Cruise 2018 Collection has some really beautiful pieces but in general my heart gravitates more towards the colors of the Les Beiges 2018 Collection for a glowing summer look.

Items featured today are from the Cruise Collection along with one lip pencil that’s new but not part of cruise:

Les 4 Ombres in Eclat Enigmatique ($61)
Le Volume Waterproof Mascara in Gris Voile ($32)
Le Vernis in Halo, Legerete, Chicness ($28 each)
L’Eau Tan Chanel Refreshing Self-Tanning Body Mist ($60)
Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur No 17 A La Rose and 19 Au Naturel ($37 each)
Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur No 21 in Warm Rosewood ($37, new but not part of Cruise)

Up first are two eye picks including the Les 4 Ombres in Eclat Enigmatique and Le Volume Waterproof Mascara in Gris Voile. The Eclat Enigmatique is a soft sheer but buildable eyeshadow quad with beautiful shimmery colors including a soft ivory, gunmetal shimmer, medium bronze and reddish shimmer. With a brush they can apply on the medium to sheer side so I recommend either using a damp brush or layering on top of a cream shadow for more color. The quad can create a variety of looks depending how much red or gunmetal you use. I found they all layered well together.

Le Volume Mascara in Gris Voile below. I’m always a fan of the Le Volume Mascara and was thrilled to find a waterproof version this season. Gris Voile is a greyish color almost with an olive green tint. On my lashes it looks pretty dark, not quite black, but it does look dark enough that it could pass for a light black color. I love this formula because it really does add volume without clumping. The waterproof version doesn’t smudge on me.

There are three Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colors in Halo which is a baby pink, Legerete a dusty green, and Chicness a medium purple mauve cream. As much as I adore Chanel nail polishes to me these have to be some of the most boring colors I’ve seen. The quality and smoothness is on point and excellent but these colors just don’t excite me. Halo is a really pretty pink but very dupeable, it looks practically identical to some of the OPI Lisbon shades. Legerete and Chicness look like they are just different variations of New Dawn and Horizon Line from Fall-Winter. In all fairness the new colors do wear really well, I think I just expected something a little more fresh and unique.

The L’Eau Tan Chanel Refreshing Self-Tanning Body Mist is an interesting product. It’s a body mist that is supposed to enhance your natural glow. It’s almost like the same concept as Dior Addict Lip Glows but for the body. It has a light fresh floral perfume scent that makes me feel like I’m on vacation mode. It can get a little sticky if you spray too much but within a few minutes skin looks like it has started to develop a natural glow. It’s not quite like a self tanner for me where you see dramatic results. It’s more subtle but this may react differently on you depending on how light or deep your skin is. It is refreshing smelling and feeling. I really like it.

Two Cruise Le Rouge Crayon de Couleurs are No 17 A La Rose and 19 Au Naturel. I also ordered one of the new neutral shades No 21 Warm Rosewood. In case you’re new to these and missed the first launch reviewed here these are amazing twist up pencils. They’re creamy, opaque, glossy and hydrating. A La Rose is a bright peachy pink, Au Naturel is a nude brown that pulls warm. Warm Rosewood isn’t part of cruise but it’s a gorgeous wearable nude pink.

Swatch comparisons to some other Le Rogue Crayons, Rouge Coco Stylos and the Sisley Phyto-Lip Twist in 19:

Overall nice quality pieces that I think are very wearable for the upcoming season but classic enough to take you into fall. Individually the products are gorgeous, easy for me to wear and everything can be worked in with other makeup items from my current stash. However as a collection I don’t really feel like the colors are tied together that much for a cohesive theme but that’s just me. The nail colors were a disappointment for me simply because they look like recycled colors from past seasons. I still think Halo is really pretty, just not that unique.

The highlights for me are the Le Rouge Crayon de Couleurs in all three shades with Warm Rosewood being my new favorite everyday neutral pink. The new L’Eau Tan Chanel is really fun and I love the way it smells.

You can find the Chanel Cruise Collection out now. I believe most items are limited-edition. Available at Chanel, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Have you tried any of these pieces yet? What did you think?

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Chanel

Chanel Fall-Winter 2017 Makeup Collection

August 21, 2017

Chanel is among the first to launch their Fall-Winter 2017 Beauty Collection this year with a California Travel Diary inspired set of colors. So many of you have requested a review and from the items I ordered I’ve found some hits and misses. I’ll say up front the Les 4 Ombres in City Lights is a the highlight for me and one of the prettiest neutral-cool palettes I’ve tried. Based on the color payoff and texture I’ll be looking at Road Movie once it hits counters but for now it appears everything is only available online at Chanel.

Up first is the Palette Essentielle in Beige Clair 150 which has a concealer, highlighter and cream color. All the items in this palette are creams and the one I ordered has a concealer that is definitely too light for me to conceal but it does work as an eye base to even out the lids. I ordered sight unseen so I can’t report on the pigment of the other two, but Beige Clair has a pigmented concealer with a matte finish, a soft medium-sheer light peachy pink cream and a pale white highlighter with sheer but buildable finish. On the face pigment is medium but on the soft side – you can build it for a super natural dewy finish. It’s not too dewy though and I was able to wear all three without it getting greasy looking by late afternoon. For me it’s neither a hit or miss. Quality, pigment and texture are very good. They give me a natural polished glow but based on the color I ordered it’s almost too natural for my skintone.

Up next is the Retractable Dual-Tip Concealer Brush ($38, made in China). I was surprised to find this was made in China according to the box label but it performs exceptionally well. It works to pick up concealer from a pot or the tip of an applicator and the fluffy side works to blend. I personally feel this is best suited for cream shadow and powder like the Tom Ford Cream Powder Duos. For concealer application I like to apply with the sponge tip applicators and either blend with my finger, a beautyblender or the Marc Jacobs The Conceal Brush. The original Chanel Concealer Brush #10 is actually one of the best ones I’ve tried but they didn’t bring this out with the redesign. You can still find the original one at a few select places like Neiman Marcus but I don’t know how long they will be available.

The brush performs well and I really like the dual-ended retractable ends. Still given the number of brushes I own I do feel like I already have ones that do the same trick so I can’t call this a must- have. The convenience factor and packaging style is really well made though.

The eyeshadows in the Les 4 Ombres City Lights and Ombre Premiere Cream in Memory are both gorgeous. The Les 4 Ombres in City Lights looks more on the warm side in the stock photo, in person it looks more neutral, swatched on my olive skin it pulls more cool-toned. Your mileage will definitely vary depending on your skin undertone. If you have pink or fair skin this will definitely not look as cool-toned as it does on me. It has four easy to wear neutral shimmers with excellent pigment and lovely shimmer.

Ombre Premiere in Memory is a stunning bronze shimmer. I can’t wait to wear this all season long. As with the other Ombre Premiere formulas I reviewed lasting power is quite impressive and pretty much budge-proof once you apply and let it set. It has a semi-matte finish but still has a shimmery look to it.

Both aren’t really the most unique colors. They have a very similar vibe to previous launches from Chanel and other brands. As I’m in the middle of moving and travel for the next 2 months I have most of my things in temporary storage and don’t have easy access to pull things for comparison.

For the lips I picked out the neutrals. I had very high hopes for the Rouge Coco in Daylight which is a sheer soft peachy nude and Rouge Allure Ink in Lost – both are just not the best formula-wise. I can make them both work with some blending and layering but they are on the streaky side and with all the other formulas on the market that are pretty much opaque, smooth and flawless I found these to be a disappointment. I will say that this may be due to the fact I have naturally pigmented lips – if you have lighter tones in your natural lip color there may be less contrast and therefore less streaking. I feel like there’s a really good dupe with the Hourglass GIRL Lip Stylos in Believer or Idealist (swatched here) although since I don’t have them to compare at the moment I can’t say which color. I’ve even though I feel the Hourglass Confession Ultra Slim Lipsticks are overpriced I feel the formula is truly excellent and if price isn’t a concern (or price per oz that is), these are definitely superior in formula, pigment and color pay off.

For these Chanel lips, I can make them look smooth with blending but anything that touches the lips after – even if it’s my own lips touching each other makes the color budge and streak. If you have a different experience please share in the comments.

Last but not least are two gorgeous Le Vernis nail polishes. I’ve been in a bit of a nail polish funk for months. Long time readers know I used to be a die hard Chanel and Dior nail polish collector of every single color. These days I feel like I rotate between three colors: Chanel Coralium (swatch here), OPI Be There in a Prosecco (swatched here), and Chanel Organdi (swatch here). The new Le Vernis shades for fall are Chanel Horizon Line which is a soft grey mint color and New Dawn which is a muted dusty lilac. Both are really pretty and have smooth opaque coverage.

A quick look with the collection wearing:

Foundation Chanel Sublimage Le Teint 40
Powder Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder 2
Concealer, cheeks and highlight Chanel Palette Essentielle Beige Clair
Blush Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic in First Love
Eyeshadow Les 4 Ombres in City Lights (all four shades)
Brows Diorshow Browstyler in Universal Brown
Lips Rouge Allure Ink in Lost (with 3 layers)
Sweater from Club Monaco

I think the standouts are the eye shadows, both the City Lights quad and Memory cream shadow. The nail polishes are nice subdued shades that have a soft feel without that pastel vibe you usually get with spring launches so I think they’ll be really pretty once the fall season arrives. You can find the entire Fall-Winter 2017 Collection available online at Chanel.com now.

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Beauty Tools Chanel

Chanel Makeup Brushes – New Design

August 9, 2017

Chanel recently revamped their makeup brushes with a new sleek look and the ones I’ve tested are extremely well made. I had quite a few from the previous design and they’ve lasted for years. The new ones have definitely improved with a softer feel and more luxurious application. These are currently exclusive to Chanel.com and they’ve pulled all the older styles from their site.

There are four face and cheek brushes I tested. All exceeded my expectations in terms of performance and application of powders and creams.

Shown above from left to right:

2-in-1 Liquid and Powder Brush ($50) is essentially the same as the original design in shape and size. This works extremely well for streak-free foundation coverage. I tested this on the Chanel Sublimage Le Teint and it provides a flawless application. It’s very soft and makes it easy to layer and blend liquids.
Blush Brush ($50, made in Japan) is one of the most dense fluffy blush brushes I’ve tried. I feel like I can almost use it for powder. For blush it picks up the perfect amount of product for a single sweep on the cheeks. It’s dense but still extremely soft and isn’t too dense.
Foundation-Blending Brush ($50, made in France) is essentially like the previous version and also similar to MAC’s 187 Duo Fibre Brush but with all black hairs. It’s not quite as dense as the previous version or MAC’s but large and fluffy and extremely soft. It is softer than both previous versions. I’ve had this used on me for liquid foundation blending and buffing which works extremely well. I tend to use this for powders or highlighters. It’s a versatile brush though so you can really use it any way you want.
Precision Powder Brush ($60, made in Japan) is an extremely soft tapered face brush perfect for contours or detail powder application. I tried it as an all over face powder brush and it’s a bit small for big sweeping strokes. It is however great for detail application like on the nose or cheekbone area. It’s so soft and plush and picks up product beautifully. I’ve used this for bronzer and soft contouring.

For the eyes the brush options have improved significantly. Unfortunately I didn’t keep the boxes of all the brushes but for the ones I have I’ll list where they were made.

Shown above from left to right. Quick note at the moment on the Chanel.com website a couple of these are switched in the image: the Eyeshadow-Blending Brush and Rounded Eyeshadow Brush images are switched for the names. I emailed them and they said they fixed it but based on the product names they have not. I would go by the brush name which I confirmed by checking the box they came in.

Eye Contouring Brush ($32, made in France) is a detail brush perfect for a precise line with powder shadows. It’s described as one you can use to apply eyeshadow to the eye contour but to me it seems too small and tiny for that purpose. As a small liner brush it’s excellent and there’s no poking.
Rounded Eyeshadow Brush ($28, made in Japan) is the new version of Chanel’s previous #19 brush. Thew new design is significantly softer in material but just as dense. It’s perfect for smudging the eyeshadow.
Flat Eyeshadow Brush ($38, made in France) in the new version is much better than the previous one. In the older format this brush had more coarse bristles while the new one has the same shape/size but it’s more dense and a lot softer in finish. For me it’s the perfect size for lid application. I’m going to order a few more.
Eyeshadow Blending Brush ($38, made in Japan) is a soft fluffy brush you can use on the lids or crease. It’s pretty standard but well made along the lines and quality of the ones from Wayne Goss Eye Set.
Retractable Dual Tip Eye-Contouring Brush ($42) is a double ended brush for smudging shadows or defining them. I’ve used this on both powders and creams and it works really well. I love that it comes with retractable portions and caps to keep the bristles pristine if you store them in a jar or travel.
Retractable Dual Tip Eyeshadow Brush ($42) is a double ended brush with a fluffy shadow brush and more precise shadow brush on the other end. This is the perfect duo for me. It has my two favorite shapes in one brush. It’s extremely soft without any poking.

A quick look at the original vs new for the ones I own, original ones have the silver handles:

A quick look at the brushes next to product for size reference:

For the face and cheek brushes, items shown are the Hourglass Ambient Diffused Palette (review here), Hourglass Ambient Lighting Diffused Bronzer (review here), Chanel Joues Contraste Blush, Armani Luminous Silk Compact #4, Chanel Les 4 Ombres Jardins Eclat (swatched here), Ombre Premiere in Talpa (swatched here), Marc Jacobs Eye-Conic Multi-Finish Palette in Glambition.

Overall the brushes are excellent. They have a more modern updated look and quality and performance wise it’s definitely an improvement or upgrade from the previous ones. The face brushes seem to be a bit on the pricey side but they are well made and perform well. Based on how long mine have lasted from the previous launch I do think they are a good investment as the ones I bought have lasted for years (I’m guessing at least 5 years).

Bottom line definitely worth looking into!

You can find the newly revamped makeup brushes online at Chanel.com.

Most brushes featured in this post were provided for review consideration. Ones purchased by me include the Rounded Eye Shadow Brush, Flat Eye Shadow Brush and both dual-ended brushes.

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Chanel Eye Makeup

Chanel Ombre Premiere Longwear Eyeshadows

August 7, 2017

Chanel launched new eyeshadow formulas earlier this year in the Ombre Premiere Collection. There are two formulas called the Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Shadow ($36 each) and Longwear Powder Eyeshadow ($30 each). I bought a few colors several months ago to try and fell in love with the texture of both formulas. Since then I’ve acquired more shades in the neutral category as press samples and find the formulas quite good. Chanel also launched two double-ended brushes with this launch that come with caps making them really nice for travel or to carry in your makeup bag. There is a Retractable Dual Tip Eye-Contouring Brush ($42) and a Retractable Dual-Tip Eyeshadow Brush ($42). They are a bit on the expensive side but are super soft and perform extremely well and for me they were worth the splurge.

The new Ombre Premiere Longwear Powder Eyeshadows are the among the best ones I’ve tried from Chanel in powder form. They are extremely soft but velvety in texture with beautiful pigment. The colors I tried are neutral shimmers. I’ve had Flesh for a few months and find it to be the perfect neutral champagne pinky peach for an all over lid or wash color. Sable is a lighter champagne color. Talpa is a really pretty cool-toned brown shimmer. I feel like this makeup age is the age of palettes and find it rare that single eyeshadows are released. Palettes definitely have the convenience factor but these are really good even if the price tag is pretty high. They glide on the lids beautifully and smoothly with very little fallout. Lasting power is quite impressive alone. If you layer them over the Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Shadows you get a more intense shimmer. These come with applicators but for these shadows I find it better to apply with a regualar full size eyeshadow brush.

The Ombre Premiere Longwear Cream Eyeshadows are pigmented cream shadows that have a softer texture and more pigmented texture compared to the Illusion D’Ombres. The Ombre Premiere formula by comparison to most traditional creams has a dry finish versus a super emollient one. This makes it one of the longest-lasting cream shadows I’ve ever tested. My lids aren’t like most others in the sense that they aren’t oily and do not tend to get oily. I find my eyes to be more on the normal/dry side if anything. Most of my readers have asked for shadow primers that work for oily lids – ones that are super popular and highly rated with customer reviews all tend to dry out my skin making it look wrinkly. Because of this – I find that the creams work best when I use a single color as a base or lid color either alone or with a powder on top. Layering cream on top of cream with this formula didn’t work so well on some occasions because they dry and set fast. These last an impressive amount of time even in hot humid weather.

Shadow labels on the bottom:

These come with a small white-hair applicator which I didn’t think would be useful. It actually performed the best in picking up pigment and applying them to the lids. I wish that Chanel made another one like it with a larger handle for easier use. Otherwise fingers work for application too. I’ve experimented with a number of shadow brushes and like the double-ended contour brush the best for a full-size option. I do think the applicator these come with is the best way to pick up the most color.

Last but not least are the two dual ended brushes, Retractable Dual Tip Eye-Contouring Brush on the bottom and a Retractable Dual-Tip Eyeshadow Brush on the top. These are some of the softest eyeshadow brushes I’ve tried from Chanel. I really love the larger option as it has the perfect size/density for a brush. The smaller one works really well too but I already have my favorites for detail brushes. There is a moveable portion on each end that you push up to cover the brush tip and then place the cap on top – that way you don’t have to worry about messing up the brush if it gets fluffy from use and recapping. In the past few weeks Chanel has launched an entire line of new brushes – I’m still testing them but hope to have the review up soon.

Overall thoughts are that the formulas of the shadows are really good. I prefer the texture of the powders for that beautiful shimmer but like the colors of the creams better. For summer or hot humid weather these are very good for lasting power when it feels like almost everything is prone to melting off my face. I’m all about neutrals but there are quite a few other colors that are more edgy or bold. For me the neutrals seem most on-brand for Chanel. Some of the others (like the yellow, blue or green) seemed a bit dated but I can see how they could appeal to those who like more fun trendy shades.

Other new items have launched online as well including the Fall-Winter Collection and some new pink Lip and Nail Colors. I already ordered a few pieces from the fall line which I’ll review, for now I’ve decided to pass on the pink shades.

You can find the Chanel Ombre Premiere collection online at Chanel.com and also at all other counters now. The shadows are listed as limited-edition. Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

Ombre Premiere Longwear Shadows provided for review. Brushes purchased by me.

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Eye Makeup

Mascara Hits and Misses

August 4, 2017

I have a new updated mascara roundup. I’ve been trying a few new formulas and have some hits and some misses. The humidity in Florida is pretty high and the sun feels a million times stronger here than it did in San Diego. Finding one that holds up to the humidity has been a process.

Bobbi Brown No Smudge Mascara is a formula I had purchased from a duo over last holiday. I had it sitting in the box waiting for my other tubes to get used up. I was pleasantly surprised because the reviews with this were mixed. It had zero clumping, defined lashes, volumized, coated evenly, held the curl and had no smudging. For me this is a hit.
Sisley-Paris So Intense Mascara is one I tried from the Nordstrom Color Twist Set (review here). Huge hit with this one even though the comb is so tiny it looks like it won’t grab lashes. It allows you to get right at the base without touching the skin. This usually isn’t a big deal for me if the mascara is good because a quick clean up with a Q-tip fixes it after application. However this one makes application easier. It volumizes, holds curl and doesn’t smudge.
L’Oreal Lash Paradise Waterproof is the first drugstore mascara I’ve actually liked. I’ve tried dozens and end up throwing them all away after 2 uses because they either dry to a grey looking black, smudge or don’t hold the curl. This literally was WOW with the first try. It’s everything I want in a mascara – volume, definition and holds the curl. I absolutely love the waterproof version because there is zero smudging. Blackest Black is the color I tried and it’s a true rich black. It does take more work to remove at the end of the day but is completely worth it. Huge hit.
Tom Ford Waterproof Extreme Mascara has to be mentioned again even though it’s not new to me because it’s my favorite waterproof mascara. No smudging, holds the curl, volumizes – huge thumbs up. I’ve repurchased this one the most in the past year.
Chanel Le Volume Waterproof is another classic. The regular Le Volume is good, but I prefer the Waterproof version because it holds up better in the humidity. This is one of the few rubberized applicators I like – most other brands just don’t do it for me. A classic one for me.
Dior Pump N Volume Mascara was a big miss. The first application was decent for volume, holding the curl and having a true rich black color. Every application after that was a clumping disaster – even when I removed excess from the tube by cleaning it. When there’s buildup, every once in a while I’ll take the wand and run it in between a folded piece of paper. It’s just like you would do with a tissue or paper towel but using paper makes it so those cotton fibers from tissue won’t get caught in the bristles. The volume on this one is really good and there are quite a few rave reviews on this one, if it didn’t clump all the time it would be perfect.
Serge Lutens Comb Mascara is another miss for me. I had such high hopes for this one as it came highly recommended and the online reviews on the formula were stellar. It has a similar applicator to the Sisley-Paris one. For some reason this Serge Lutens one made my lashes look spidery. It took a while to dry and smudged with a few blinks. After it dried down it had decent staying power but didn’t hold the curl and didn’t have as rich of a black finish as other ones. It wasn’t the worst but there are much better formulas for me out there.

A few notes on other mascaras I’ve loved but didn’t feature in this roundup. Other long-time favs have included the By Terry Mascara Terrybly, Chantecaille Faux Cils, Stila Huge Lash and Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara. Most of these still work for me in the humid hot weather, I’ve just been rotating through different options recently. If you’ve had your eye on the Chantecaille one I highly recommend you check out the Touch-Up Essentials Set while it’s still available for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale because it’s a great deal. The only one that doesn’t work so well for me in humid weather is the By Terry option, but they do have a waterproof version which I want to investigate.

For makeup removal longer lasting formulas and waterproof ones are going to be more difficult to remove in the evenings. Most of these I have to use a multi-step process to take them off in the evenings. Regardless of whether I double cleanse with a cleansing oil or cleansing water, I always use a cotton pad and soak it with eyemakeup remover first. My favorite formula used to be the Chanel Gentle Bi-Phase Eye Makeup Remover but these days I’ve found it’s just ok. Some of the longer lasting formulas don’t come off anymore with this one and I don’t know if the formula of the makeup remover has changed or if I’m simply finding formulas with better lasting power. Some thing goes for the Neutrogena Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. It used to be a long-time go to but my last bottle didn’t perform as well as I remember it did in past years. My current go-to is the Lancome Bi-Facil Double Action Eye Makeup Remover (available in this value set from Nordstrom here and here). For cotton I’ve tried a number of brands but my favorites are from Chanel and Sephora.

If I had to pick one mascara to use for the rest of the summer that would be a hard choice. I would be able to narrow it down to three: Sisley-Paris, L’Oreal and Tom Ford.

What are your favorite mascaras for the summertime?

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Base Makeup Chanel

Chanel Les Beiges Collection Summer 2017

July 28, 2017

The Chanel Les Beiges Collection this year brings us a some new products including a new foundation formula, new brush, two new cheek colors, a natural eyeshadow palette and some repromotes. I have four items I’ve been testing this month thanks to the Chanel team and am happy to report the collection exceeded my expectations. There have been mixed reviews about this year’s launch, after testing this I do think it’s going to be a hit or miss for you depending on how natural or pigmented you like your makeup. For me it’s a hit. In today’s review:

Les Beiges Gel Touch Healthy Glow Tint in 30 and 40
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Stick in 23 and 24

The Les Beiges Gel Touch Healthy Glow Tint is an interesting base. If you like BB creams or dewy sheer bases you will love this one. I had expected this to be a cushion – but it’s not really cushion like. It has a soft flexible mesh top where you press a sponge into to absorb product. There was some excess that had oozed out around the edges when I opened and I swatched with my fingers and barely saw any coverage. Quick tip is to use the sponge – it’s amazing what a difference there is in application when you apply it with the sponge. I’ve been a long-time fan of the original Les Beiges Healthy Glow Colour Powder in 20 as a setting powder but subsequent Les Beiges launches have often let me down – the newer bases and tints have been tricky to work with sometimes.

The Gel Tint compact is smaller around in size compared to other Les Beiges compacts, but it’s also taller.

Swatches of 30 and 40:

Comparison swatches to the Dior Dreamskin Cushion in 30 (which looks dark but actually matches once blended out), Saturday Skin All Aglow Sunscreen Perfection Cushion in 5 Honey and 6 Goldie, Sulwhasoo Perfecting Cushion in 25.

Coverage is sheer but still noticeable. There’s enough coverage to cover redness, even out skintone and see color on the skin. Shade-wise I wish there were more yellow-toned options. 30 looks a bit light and pink on my skin but it does adjust and darken on me – my skin is weird these days, some foundations darken quite a bit after they dry down. 40 is the right undertone but it matches when I have a tan. As mentioned in a few recent posts, if I’m out of the sun for even 2-3 days I lose my tan very quickly. Since there is sun everywhere in Florida it’s impossible to avoid the sun – so my skintone changes frequently. Long story short – I can wear either 30 or 40.

I think the Gel Touch Cushion is better suited for normal to dry skin, but even in the hot humid weather I’ve found it stayed put all day and didn’t slide off in the humidity. You do need to set with a powder – when testing this I set with the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Powder in 20 and it helped to tone down the glow but still keep the skin looking radiant and glowy.

Next up are the two Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Sticks in 23 (sheer warm pink) and 24 (sheer apricot). Both have a very natural sheen to them and I believe 23 and 24 are new shades. I tried these when they launched a few years ago and found the pigment lacking once you blended them out on the skin. The pigment in this years’ has improved significantly – but they are still very natural looking. They have a satiny almost velvet finish so they’re not like regular creams. I found they lasted and stayed put all day.

Last but not least is the Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette. Reviews on this have been all over the place in terms of reviewing the pigment. I found all the colors performed well with good pigment – they are all sheer to medium for a soft natural eye though. If you’re looking for high impact rich pigment this is not the palette for you. For me it’s a great fool-proof everyday kind of palette. If you have dry lids or us a matte primer the shadows most likely won’t show up as well as they are very soft – try using a more emollient base and the colors will show up better. I used the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Rose Gold to prep my lids.

In the palette you have a sheer beige base, a soft cool brown, a soft warm brown, a satiny charcoal brown and a shimmering champagne. Everything is soft with a diffused look to them. For the person who wants natural definition to their eyes this is just perfect.

It has a similar vibe to the Dior Eye Reviver Palette which I found way too sheer and natural for me. It also reminded me a bit of the Urban Decay Naked2 Basics so I swatched them side by side.

A beauty look with just the Les Beiges Gel Touch Healthy Glow Tint in 30 on the left side. On the right look:

Face with the Gel Tint set with the Les Beiges Healthy Glow Sheer Colour Powder in 20
Les Beiges Blush Stick in 23
Le Rouge Crayon de Chanel in Beige Rose (all shades reviewed here)
Les Beiges Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palette all shades used
Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
Le Volume Mascara Waterproof in Black

Bottom line I like the collection a lot more than I expected. For me the winner is the Natural Eyeshadow Palette – it’s great for everyday when you just need a little color or a fool-proof conservative palette to add definition without looking like you have a lot of makeup on. I really like this year’s launch of the Blush Sticks – the pigment is a lot better than it was a few years ago but they still look natural. For a cream they stay put for a good amount of time but that being said they’re still creams so if you’re going to be outdoors in humid weather for an extended period of time they’re not going to be budge-proof. The Gel Touch Tint is going to be hit or miss for you depending on skin tone and skin type. I think if you like moisturizing dewy bases you’ll love this. I like it more than I expected and I found a few color matches although I would prefer it to have more of a yellow/olive undertone. I did just buy the Dior Forever Perfect Cushion in 21 and Forever Undercover Concealer in 30 and 31 and I’m testing some bases from Sisley-Paris so you may want to stay tuned for those reviews.

You can find the Chanel Les Beiges collection now online at Chanel.com and at all Chanel counters. P.S. The new brushes have launched as well along with some new nail and lip colors! I’ll be reviewing some of the brushes soon – I’m currently putting them to the test.

Have you tried anything from this year’s Les Beiges collection?

Press samples include the Chanel Les Beiges Gel Tint in 30, Les Beiges Blush Sticks in 23 and 24, Les Beiges Eyeshadow Palette and Le Rouge Crayon in Beige Rose. All other items purchased by me.

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