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On My Radar / New in Beauty

February 22, 2014

On my radar for what’s new in beauty. I splurged on almost all the Hourglass blushes and have been testing this week (they are now on Sephora.com). They are all amazing. In my mind the best blushes released this year.
Armani has two new products that appear to be exclusive to Saks right now. There are four new shades of a Sun Fabric compact ($54 each) along with seven new shades of Cheek Fabric ($46 each). Have you seen these yet? I haven’t seen them anywhere in stores yet. If you have please share in the comments. I’m dying to hear your thoughts.
My heart skipped a beat with the Chanel Jardin de Camélias collection (Chanel.com limited-edition exclusive). My order arrived last night so I will be busy photographing and swatching this weekend. For curious minds, I ordered the blush, highlighter and all the lip products. (Temptalia has been uploading reviews and swatches of the collection on her blog.)
Le Métier de Beauté finally released the three new Kaleidoscope Kits in Total Face Look, Cheeky Chic and Strada ($95 each) online at Bloomingdales (review on Total Face soon).
I’m dying over all the new NARS Matte Multiples and don’t know whether to order now or wait to test in person (now at Narscosmetics.com and Sephora). I know I need the two pink ones.
Finally, Bobbi Brown has a fresh peach collection Nectar and Nude. I haven’t bought a Pot Rouge since she repackaged them into compacts but the new Hibiscus Pot Rouge might be worth checking out.
What’s on your beauty radar right now?
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Chanel Coup de Coeur #609 Le Vernis | Variation Collection

February 18, 2014
Chanel just released a small collection focused on lips and nails. I spotted a new tester unit of the collection at Nordstrom this past weekend and was excited to try the new lip colors, however many of the slots for lips had colors that were from spring and previous collections. The counter rep did not know which ones were supposed to be featured with this collection stating all the colors in this set were repromotes. This turned out to be partially true – for a full list of what’s in the Variation Collection check out Specktra.net. I left the counter with two glossimers (swatches later this week) and the new nail lacquer in Coup de Coeur #609 ($27 for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz).
Coup de Coeur #609 is described as a lacquered plum. It’s just that – however it proved to be challenging to photograph. It has quite a bit of red mixed into the color but on the nails and in real life it’s a purply-plum shade. In sunlight and on the camera it wants to look more red – which is why you may see it look very different in reviews or message boards. To my eye it looks more like a mauve plum with a very slight hint of red.

Coup de Coeur #609 applied very smoothly with full coverage after two coats. It has a high shine finish like most Chanel nail colors. It’s a classic shade that I think will be universally flattering.
Here it is with two coats. I used Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat and Rescue Beauty Lounge Top Coat to finish. The photos below show the complexity of Coup de Coeur – in some light it looks more red, others it’s more plum, and yet others more mauve.

Comparisons below to Infidele (discontinued), April, Paparazzi, Provocation.

Here you can see all the shades pulling more red in the direct sunlight:

More comparison swatches, left to right (previous reviews linked for each shade in case you want to see more swatches): Chanel Infidele, Coup de Couer, April, Paparazzi, Provocation, Elixir, Rescue Beauty Lounge Bruised and Chanel Rouge Moire.

Overall Coup de Coeur #609 is a lovely classic plum. It looks very similar to April on the hands, the difference is that April is warmer and more reddish. From arms length I think would not be able to tell the difference.
Coup de Coeur #609 Le Vernis from Chanel retails for $27. I only spotted it at one store last weekend but the collection should arrive at your counters soon. Online now at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Saks.
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Tom Ford Spring Nail Polish Comparisons to Chanel, MAC, Marc Jacobs, NARS, YSL and Laura Mercier

February 13, 2014

Sugar Dune is more pinkish compared to other nude pinks like Chanel Jade Rose, Tom Ford Toasted Sugar and Tom Ford Show Me The Pink.

Coral Beach is more of a straight peach compared to Chanel Distraction, Laura Mercier Cabana (discontinued) and NARS Vertebra (discontinued from the Pierre Hardy collection).

Incandescent is the perfect mix of copper, gold and rose. It’s not too metallic on the hands which makes for a more neutralish shimmer. Below compared to Chanel Delight, MAC Soiree, Chanel Rose Moire and Marc Jacobs Le Charm.

Indiscretion proves to be a slightly deeper but brighter pink. Below compared to Tom Ford Trophy Wife, Chanel Pulsion, Chanel Rose Insolent and YSL Rose Babydoll.

I hope these comparisons help with your purchasing decisions!

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The Top 13 Beauty Discoveries in 2013

December 31, 2013
The top 13 beauty discoveries of 2013 from The Beauty Look Book (reviews from the past year are linked for each item listed):
  1. Caudalie Divine Oil – my absolute favorite beauty discovery this year
  2. By Terry Baume de Rose – pure luxury for the lips, worth every penny
  3. Drybar The Chaser Shine Pomade – my holy grail hair product to add shine, remove frizz, long lasting and smells amazing, my husband also loves this for his hair
  4. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder – the perfect answer to glowing skin and my second favorite discovery this year
  5. Urban Decay Naked3 Palette – lovely rose-gold neutrals
  6. Chanel Taboo Le Vernis – a dramatic purple with red and silver shimmers, The Beauty Look Book’s second most popular post from 2013
  7. Dior Diablotine Le Vernis – the most striking intense coral red shimmer
  8. Tom Ford Illuminating Cheek Colors – unfortunately these were released in very limited quantities, but close alternatives you can get right now are MAC Magnetic Nude Skinfinishes in Magnetic Appeal and Fairly Precious
  9. Edward Bess Black Sea Mousse Foundations – I’ve mixed Light and Medium to get a good match, I’ve found that this is indeed the perfect full coverage foundation that gives a flawless airbrushed look that still manages to look natural, I truly hope Edward releases this to all his counters and in more shades (it was a QVC exclusive that sold out almost instantly)
  10. Chanel Les Beiges Powders – my favorite is 20 for all over, 30 and 40 work wonders for natural contouring and adding a soft glow of color to the face
  11. Diptyque 10-Piece Set – special release this holiday and the perfect way to try multiple scents at a more affordable price than buying the full sizes of each candle
  12. YSL Rouge Volupte Shines – my favorite lipsticks of the year for and The Beauty Look Book’s most popular post from 2013
  13. Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Initiation – holiday 2013 release and the perfect bronze shimmer
I am thankful from the bottom of my heart for each and every one of my readers. You inspire me every week with your thoughtful and insightful comments/e-mails/tweets. I can’t express enough how appreciative I am for those of you who take the time to share your expertise and add your input to my weekly features. Your experiences, tips and tricks help others like myself figure out what works or how to make things work better. Thank you for following my blog and for your support.

What were your top beauty discoveries this year?

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Chanel Impulsion #93 Illusion D’Ombre | Spring 2014

December 29, 2013

The Chanel Spring collection has two new Illusion D’Ombres in Diapason #92 (purple) and Impusion #93 (pink). I picked up Impulsion #93 ($36 for 4g/0.14 oz, made in France) a pale silvery pink with intense sparkles. The silver sparkles resemble prisms in the sense that once applied, the sparkles reflect different colors as it catches the light. It makes the eyes sparkle as if it has extremely-fine micro glitters. It’s definitely one of the most sparkly shadows I own. I found the color to be long wearing without any fall out when applied with fingers. Using a brush can result in some sparkles falling on the cheeks.

Coverage is easy to control with layering. A light hand will give a nice sheer wash of sparkle with a hint of pale pink shimmer.

Close up of the silver sparkles:

Comparisons to a few other pinks and neutrals: MAC Vintage Selection Paint Pot, Armani Eyes to Kill #29 (review here), Bobbi Brown Cool Lilac, Armani Eyes to Kill #8 (review here), Dior Chimere (review here), Chanel Emerville (swatched here), Chanel Abstraction

I’ve been testing Impulsion #93 for a few days now and I love the color and the shimmer effect. I find the color to be quite unique with the texture and finish although you can get a similar effect with other shades. I’m not sure that I could wear this to work all over the lids since it’s quite shimmery. I think I could wear this with a light hand for everyday. It does make a lovely color to dab on top of your regular eyeshadow to add a bit of sparkle (think Tom Ford glitters but taken down 2-3 notches with the bling-factor). I give it a thumbs up. I passed on the purple shade since purples can make my eyes look tired. I may go back to the counter to revisit and test though.

Chanel Impulsion #93 is currently listed as a limited-edition shade, you can find it along with the rest of the Chanel Spring collection at counters now, online at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Saks and Chanel.com.
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Chanel Sonate #178 and Murmure #179 Glossimers | Spring 2014

December 25, 2013
The Chanel spring collection has two new glossimers in Sonate #178, a bright sheer red pink and Murmure #179, a lighter soft pink ($29.50 each). The two new spring shades seem like familiar colors with similarities to other previously released glossimers, but I really like both shades. They have a slightly richer pigment compared to other shades giving a healthy fresh glow.

Sonate #178 is a sheer muted red pink. It gives the lips a healthy tint of red mixed with pink and brightens the whole face. The color is layerable for more coverage but is still semi-transparent.

Murmure #179 is a light milky pink. It has a slight hint of warmth to prevent it from looking too bubblegum-like. I thought this would be a repeat of Sirop (discontinued), however Murmure is pinker and slightly darker.

Comparisons to Dior Diablotine (review here), Tom Ford Peach Absolut (swatched here), Burberry Mallow Pink (swatched here), Chanel Sirop (discontinued), Chanel Volupte, Chanel Calypso (discontinued) and Chanel Nakkar (discontinued, reviewed here).

I give both a huge thumbs up. Chanel spring is out on counters now. I purchased the spring collection items from Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

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Chanel Charivari #603 and Tapage #605 Le Vernis | Spring 2014

December 24, 2013

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.

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