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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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Chanel Fall 2013 Rouge Coco Shine and Rouge Coco: Instinct, Secret, Icône and Mystique

July 1, 2013
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This fall Chanel has released four new Rouge Coco Shines ($34 each) and two new Rouge Coco Hydrating Crème Lip Colors (also $34 each).

There are two pale neutral colors and two bright cool-toned pinks for the Rouge Coco Shines:

  • Instinct is a pale cool-pink with subtle shimmer
  • Secret is a a pale peachy-pink
  • Rendezvous is a bright pink
  • Espirit is a fuschia berry

The two new Rouge Coco Hydrating Crème Lip Colors are on the warmer/neutral side:

  • Icône is a shimmery golden nude
  • Mystique is a semi-bright apricot peach
I was drawn to the brighter pinks for this collection but they turned out to be a bit too cool-toned for my complexion. I decided to stick with the four neutral colors. The Rouge Coco Shines are both gorgeous in the tubes, however they end up looking fairly similar on my lips. They do show up on me even though they are very sheer. I prefer the warmer one Secret because it’s not quite as pale as Instinct is on me (which I think makes me look slightly washed out). The Rouge Cocos are the highlights in my mind for any neutral lip lover. Icône is the perfect golden nude on me. The pigment is amazing on this one and I love that it doesn’t wash out my complexion like some pale golden nudes can. Mystique is a lovely bright apricot. You do need to have smooth lips for this one, if you have any dry patches or flakes this color will emphasize any flaws (prep your lips before-hand, I recommend Jo Malone’s Vitamin E Lip Balm or Hourglass Lip Oil).

Close ups of the each of the shades plus lip swatches. For skin-tone reference, I’m wearing NARS Light Optimizing Primer, Edward Bess Black Sea Mousse Foundation in Light (reviewed here) and NARS Light Reflecting Loose Powder. I think this is one of the first times I’ve photographed myself wearing the reflecting powder, I’m surprised how it makes the skin glow in pictures. It seems to give a photo-shopped look and hides imperfections.

For comparisons, similarities to other shades will depend on your natural lip color and skintone. For the Rouge Coco Shines, I found Evasion to be very similar to Secret. I couldn’t find another Chanel Lip Color similar to Instinct, but I know I have some sheer MAC and Armani lipsticks that give the same effect.

Rouge Coco Shine comparisons to Boy, Effrontee, Evasion and Interlude:

I couldn’t find a dupe for the Rouge Cocos, perhaps you will be able to find color similar in your stash. Most of my Chanel nudes proved to be more pink or mauve than Icône. I couldn’t find anything quite as bright as Mystique, although I’ve historically avoided brighter corals.

Rouge Coco comparisons to Jersey Rose, Peregrina, Stunning and Avante Garde:

Overall, I could have passed on both the Rouge Coco Shines. I keep forgetting they cost the same as other Chanel lipsticks even though they are smaller in size. Both shades look very similar on me and seem to be very slight variations of past colors. Still, I like Rouge Coco Shines for their easy goof-proof swipe-and-go application. The shades fade nicely so you don’t have obvious lipstick lines around the edges of your lips. The Rouge Cocos are both loves for me.

By now the fall collection should have arrived at your local counters and boutiques. It’s still trickling in online, I haven’t been able to find the entire collection at any one place online, but I suspect everything will be stocked very soon. For now you can find the lip products here:

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Chanel Mystère, Gri-Gri and Khaki Précieux

June 28, 2013
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The Chanel fall collection for eyes this year consists of some beautiful neutrals in the khaki family. I immediately picked up Gri-Gri Ombre Essentielle a beautiful sparkling taupe. I resisted the Chanel Mystère Les 4 Ombres and the Khaki Précieux Stylo Yeux Waterproof for a week before caving. Khaki colors are challenging for me to pull off. The olive color on olive skin often results in a sallow muddy look. I was hesitant to try any of the khaki items but a quick mini-makeover with the quad at the Chanel counter fixed everything.

Quick swatches, left to right: Mystère Quad, Gri-Gri Single and Khaki Précieux Eyeliner, I find it interesting the taupes pull more mauve on me while it pulls more neutral and brown on others (similar effect happened with Taupe Gris and some other taupes). See Mystère on Café Makeup and Weekend Ramblings, also Gri-Gri on The Non-Blonde. Clearly your mileage may vary depending on your skintone.

Some close ups of each item. First up, Mystère Quadra Eyeshadow ($59 for 6.8g) is a stunning mix of pale sparkly champagne with gold flecks, soft neutral mauve-taupe, dark blackened-khaki with gold shimmer and a neutral brown satin with green tones. What makes this work for me is that none of the shades are a pure khaki, but two have some khaki elements. The lightest and darkest shades have slightly larger shimmer particles. A base is absolutely necessary or else you will have some glitter fall out on the cheeks and smudging for the dark shade. I used this over Edward Bess’s Eye Base and also RMS Beauty Solar Cream Shadow. The colors are well pigmented and easy to blend. I found it flattering on my olive skin. Easy to wear for day and versatile enough to take into night by adding more of the smoky khaki/gold/black color.

Next, Gri-Gri Soft Touch Eyeshadow ($28.50 for 1.6g) is a must-have for any taupe lover. On me it pulls more on the mauve side versus a straight taupe. It’s very sparkly. I love it. Some close ups and comparisons below.

Khaki Précieux ($30)  is a lovely metallic khaki green. I find it to be both a good liner and a smudgey base for a smokey eye. It’s dark enough to define the eyes but the shimmery quality makes it soft. The texture is soft and easy to apply on the eyes, but firm enough so it doesn’t smudge. Some close ups and comparisons below.

For me, I think the Mystère quad is the winner for eyes. The taupe is similar to the Gri-Gri single (although not an exact dupe). There’s more versatility in the quad.
So far I’ve spotted the collection in store at Neiman Marcus, Nordstroms and the Chanel Boutique on Rodeo Drive. It should start trickling in all stores by next week, as well as online. For now you can find the collection online at Nordstrom.com.

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Le Blush Crème de Chanel

June 22, 2013

This fall Chanel has released six new colors of cream blush called Le Blush Crème de Chanel ($38 each for 2.5 g/0.09 oz). I had my heart set on one of each shade but my local counters have not received all the shades yet for sale. At the counter the Chanel artist applied a bright peach called Présage on me along with the peachy Rouge Coco Mystique and I fell in love in an instant. I left with four of the shades and have been putting them to the test this whole week. The colors are all creams without shimmers.
  • Destiny 61 is a neutral beige brown/tan
  • Présage 62 is a bright peach
  • Révélation 63 is a perfect pink/peach watermelon-like color
  • Inspiration 64 is a pale powder pink
My two favorites are Présage and Révélation for the color. They brighten the face with just the right amount of color. Destiny is a good basic tan, but I found slightly boring for my skintone. Inspiration is borderline too pale for my medium skintone.
The texture of these creams is not quite a cream-to-powder but not quite as emollient as regular cream blushes. They are described as a power-cream. They definitely dry down when applied but don’t really feel powdery on the skin. I really like that these have a lightweight feel but are quite pigmented.
I tried several different application methods. With fingers or a regular foundation brush I found application to be a bit tricky for my skin. I either applied too much color or it looked uneven. Color didn’t last more than 2 hours. Layering over a sheer liquid illuminator like Tom Ford Fire Lust or MAC Strobe Liquid helped smooth the application but sheered out the color a bit and also diminished lasting power. After testing with several brushes, I found that my Tom Ford Cream Foundation Brush proved to be the best tool for these. It provided the smoothest, most even and longest lasting application (well through the late afternoon). I suspect how these apply on you will depend on your skin type (mine is fairly normal, I don’t get oily except in humid weather and my skin isn’t dry). Your mileage may vary – some will prefer fingers others may find a brush works better.
Some more photos and swatches:

 Swatches, swatched with a heavy hand to show the rich color, note that the colors are easily blended out for a flawless glow:

I was hard pressed to find dupes or similar colors in cream blush shades. Most of my cream blushes have some shimmer or are in a different formula making colors a bit difficult to compare. Here are a few I thought were similar. After pulling the shades, it turns out the Chanels are really different. 

Comparison swatches:

I wanted both of the darker shades and will probably purchase once they arrive at my counter. For now I’m in love with Présage and Révélation.
The Le Blush Crème de Chanel is available at Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks and Chanel.

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Chanel Mysterious 601 Le Vernis – Fall 2013

June 19, 2013
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Chanel Mysterious 601 Le Vernis ($27, Nordstrom.com) is a deep khaki military green. It’s a full coverage cream. Although this is a very deep shade, there’s a muted quality that prevents it from looking black on the fingers. I never thought I could love a khaki-green colored shade for the nails, but this one is quite polished and distinct looking on my fingers. Below shown with two coats.

Comparisons below to some Chanel and Dior:

My heart still belongs to Elixir from the fall collection, but Mysterious is a nice alternative to black, grey or vamps. I can’t say that Mysterious is a must-have for me, mainly because I’m usually drawn to non-green/khaki shades for nail polish. I found Alchemie unique, but for some reason, I can’t get excited about Mysterious. If you’re on the fence and trying to decide between a few select items from fall, I would say skip Mysterious and go for one of the cream blushes or lipsticks in the collection. Those are the winners in my mind.

Right now, Chanel Fall 2013 has been spotted in stores early. I found mine at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. For now, the only place I can find it online is at Nordstrom.com.

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Nordstrom.com Chanel Beauty Samples (Online Only)

June 19, 2013
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Nordstrom.com samples: Le Weekend de Chanel, Le Nuit de Chanel and Le Volume de Chanel.
I just received a package from Nordstrom.com and wanted to share a current promotion they have. They have deluxe Chanel samples while supplies last. If you haven’t tried the Resynchronizing skincare this is a great opportunity to sample them. Unfortunately as of today the Le Volume mascara sample is no longer available, but they still have an awesome selection. I suggest you order soon to take advantage of the offer! (I purchased a backup of Élixir 589 Le Vernis.)

Details online at Nordstrom:


For a limited time, choose three free CHANEL beauty samples with any
makeup, skincare, grooming or fragrance purchase. Online only. This
offer does not apply to in-store pickup orders. Samples are limited and
subject to availability, and substitutions may apply. You may choose a
maximum of three samples per order. Samples cannot be shipped to PO
boxes, military APO/FPO or international addresses. Your samples may
ship separately from the items you purchased.

Happy Shopping!

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Chanel Élixir 589 Le Vernis – Fall 2013

June 17, 2013
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Chanel Élixir 589 ($27 for 13 ml/0.4 fl oz, Nordstrom.com) is a beautiful milky warm red pink. This color is hands down my favorite shade out of the three released for fall. It looked stunning on the runway at the Fall-Winter 2013/14 Show. The color has a beautiful mix of pink and red with just the right amount of warmth to make it different from other pinks from Chanel. It’s a classic color that I hope will become part of the permanent line. It applied smoothly with full coverage with a single coat. Swatches below are all with two coats. It’s a color that isn’t quite as dramatic or sharp as red, not quite as soft as baby pinks, and not quite as attention-grabbing as bright fuschias. It’s somewhere in between. The pink/red is noticeable, but Élixir has a soft gentle-looking feel. It looked striking against black on the runway. I suspect it will be a shade that will be easy to incorporate into any wardrobe color combination. (Photo below via Vogue and Chanel.com.)

Some close up shots:

Swatches with two coats of color and a layer of Poshe Top Coat:

Many have asked how this compares to other Chanel pinks, in particular May and April. I pulled out some to compare: May, Rose Insolent, Fracas, April, Infidele, Cinema and Suspicious. Most of the shades have been previously featured before (links provided for reference).

Nail swatches of a few for extra detail:

Definitely a must although some may find it too similar to other rose pinks to justify purchasing. The fall collection has started to trickle instores now. Some counters are still waiting for pieces of the collection to arrive in their next shipment. Chanel Le Vernis in Élixir 589 is available now online at Nordstrom.com with free ship and currently has a nice selection of 3 Free Samples from Chanel to choose from (while supplies last, online only). 
Did you pick up Élixir?
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