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Chanel Pearl Drop #511 Le Vernis for Spring 2011

December 30, 2010

I had a girls’-day-out with my mother and sister the other day and we all treated ourselves to a mani/pedi together. My sister texted me earlier in the day, “can you bring a light red for mom?” so I brought 3 different shades of Chanel red for her to pick from. She ended up picking Dragon (one of my favorites). I decided to go light and give Chanel’s Pearl Drop #511 Le Vernis a try even though it is my least favorite color out of all the spring shades (see review and comparisons here). After trying it out on a full manicure with 2 professionally applied coats, my heart softened a little for this color – but only in the slightest bit.

Chanel Pearl Drop #511 is a frost-finish white gold shimmer. The base is mostly white with a bit of pink and the shimmer is golden. It’s not the easiest shade to apply – the frost in this makes it easy to streak if not applied with a steady hand. Also, the gold shimmer makes this yellow, much like NARS Albatross Highlighting Powder. I already have yellow undertones being Asian so I feel like yellowy-golds aren’t the most flattering for my skintone. (If you’re wondering why I have Albatross even though I don’t like it, the compact was received as a gift.)

Now that I’ve ranted enough about it, you might wonder: is there anything good about this color? The answer is yes. I actually like this color in brighter lighting or natural light because it appears less yellow and more pearly. The coverage is decent, but you definitely need 2 coats with this color. It’s definitely a brightening color because it’s on the lighter side. Compared to actual pearls, Chanel’s Pearl Drop flashes more yellow-gold than most pearls do.


With flash:

Outdoors without flash:

My mom and sister were wowed by this color. Their comments were, “it matches your outfit perfectly!” So don’t write this off just because I’m not so wowed by it. Overall I think I am just picky when it comes to lighter colors. If you try this on at the counter, definitely try and apply 2 coats, not just one. My heart still belongs to Black Pearl (reviewed here).


I think it’s pretty but I don’t think it’s a must-have. You can probably get a similar effect with other colors but most will be more gold or more white. The streaks aren’t too visible at arm’s length. At this time I do not know if this is limited edition or not. I found mine at Nordstrom. By this time, most counters in the US should have the spring collection available for sale.
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Spring 2011 Previews from Maquia February 2011 Issue

December 26, 2010
I scanned these from Maquia’s February 2011 issue. A few sneak peeks of what’s to come. Note, I cannot translate this so I won’t be able to answer questions about the products, your guess is as good as mine is. However, there are number indicators on some of the products which help me try to figure out the coordinating product number to name. Also note Maquia is a Japanese publication so I don’t know if the US will get all the items featured, I know in years past we haven’t, but I’m not sure about this year.









For more previews, check out Rouge Deluxe for her preview scans/photos from Biteki’s February 2011 publication. She’s great at finding out new information and has a number of sneak peek and links to previews of stuff coming out this spring.

At the moment I have no information about what else is coming out or when items will be released except for Chanel, MAC and Bobbi Brown: I do know the Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful palettes have been released, I saw them at Nordstrom this morning but passed since they combine creams and powders in the same level for the palette – a BIG NO-NO for me.

Please do not republish these on message boards, blogs, websites or anywhere else as it took me some time to scan each in and format them to fit this blog. Thank you.

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Chanel Spring 2011 Powder Blush Espiègle 65

December 26, 2010

Chanel Joues Contraste in Espiègle #65 ($42) is a soft luminous light peach with gold shimmer and the slightest hint of pink. It gives a pretty soft peach glow and in the US is made in the regular US formula (instead of the Euro Baked style). What I like about this color is that it simply glows. It’s not a full matte – the shimmer is finely milled so it’s not frosty on the skin. I find it more wearable than In Love and Fresque – both of which I like, but find difficult to get just the right amount of color. Both end up looking either too sheer or too orangey if applied with one-too-many brush swipes.

* On the nails, still Chanel Rouge Fatal

If you have a lot of peaches, you might find this one unoriginal. It looks a bit boring in the pan and swiped on the fingers, but if you have a Chanel counter near you, give this a chance and try it on the face with a blush brush. I love that it brightens the face with a soft peachy glow and also like that it has a bit of pink to it to prevent it from looking orangey. I personally think it’s a must-have for any peach-blush lover. It’s naturally flattering that gives a beautiful glow without looking overly frosty or too gold like some peachy-golds are.

I have two sets of comparisons for you. I wasn’t planning on doing any comparisons but everytime I leave them out, I always get asked to do some. The first set shows Chanel Reflex, Fresque, In Love and Tweed Corail.

* Nars Deep Throat was added in the swatch above, but the product wasn’t photographed

The second set compares the new Chanel Spring 2011 blush to MAC Ripe Peach, Nuance, Style, Springsheen, Utterly Game. Note that all the MAC shades are quite a bit more frosty and shimmery than the Chanel which has a nice glow. These were applied with a heavy hand.

One last view:

Overall: I love this, but I don’t think it’s a must-have. Still it has a beautiful finish that isn’t easily replicated in other brands or colors. It definitely leans towards peach but has just the right amount of pink to balance out the warm tones making it not-too-warm. Chanel.com currently does not have the “limited edition” indicator on their website for Espiègle #65 but I’m not 100% sure that I ever really trust any response on the LE factor.

If you don’t have many peaches in your collection, this is a great one to start with. Otherwise, if you already have a lot of peach – reshop your stash and wait for summer collections later in the year. Yes, I know spring isn’t even here and I’m already talking about summer. However, I’ve seen a sneak peek of what’s to come for spring and the blush colors seem to be blah this year for spring.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!

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Chanel Spring 2011 Continued – The Lips

December 23, 2010
For Chanel Spring 2011, I’ve reviewed my eye-makeup picks (here), the nail polishes (here) and featured a detailed review on Black Pearl (here). Up next are my lip picks, top to bottom: Peregrina Rouge Coco, Jersey Rose Rouge Coco, Cristal Rose Rouge Double Intensité, Aragonite Glossimer and Nakkar Glossimer.

*UPDATE* I’ve once again added more comparisons. See all the way at the bottom.


The colors are fresh and brightening and the options this spring are great for both neutral and bright-color lovers alike. I, of course, picked out the most neutrals. If you’re into brighter colors like Lancome Chris & Tell check out the 2 new Rouge Allures (which I passed on).

Swatched on bare skin:


The Rouge Cocos at first glance seemed like your basic and unoriginal pink and peach. Swatched on the hands they were pretty, but didn’t have that wow factor. Let me tell you – you MUST try these on the lips! They are just beautiful for spring. Jersey Rose is a bright healthy pink on the lips. Peregrina is a healthy but neutral coral. Both are neutral enough for my comfort yet have enough color to brighten the face. If you look at the tube close up you see the slightest sheen, almost shimmer! But on the lips, I don’t see any shimmer at all. I like them both layered with the sparkly glossimer, Aragonite, for a glistening shine. Here are close ups of both colors, plus lip swatches.



The glossimers are fun this spring. Nakkar is a warm reddish pinky-peachy color with gold flecks. For once Chanel has released a nice warm reddish color that isn’t orange or deep red. Yay! It sheers out so a bit but definitely shows color. On the lips I don’t really see the shimmer. Aragonite is a pretty sparkly clear multi-colored gloss. The micro sparkles are highly visible in this one, similar to MAC Dazzleglasses. It’s different from Galactic in the sense that Galactic flashes blue-opal, Aragonite is more neutral and less blue. There’s a new Rouge Double Intensite this spring in a color different than anything they’ve done before. Those familiar with Chanel’s Rouge Double probably expect a rich opaque thick flat color. Cristal Rose goes against all Rouge Double traditions in the sense that it’s light, shimmery and sheer. I’m not sure how I feel about this one, it’s so sheer it barely shows up on me, but it’s gorgeous in the tube.



I couldn’t get good lip swatches of the glossimers tonight, so the arm swatches will have to suffice.

Overall: LOVE! Healthy colors that are fresh and flattering to the skin in a natural way that brightens the complexion. Aragonite is an unexpected favorite because of it’s versatility. It’s great for layering over lipsticks without altering the color like some multi-colored sparkly glosses can do.

FYI, check out Amy’s reviews of the Chanel Spring lips on Café Makeup. She’s my Chanel twin but lighter in skintone! If you see my swatches and think “what?! they look off” check out her blog, she has amazing pics and great lip swatches on her daughter there, who is also lighter in complexion.

* UPDATE STARTS HERE *

Here are more comparisons to other Rouge Cocos and one other Glossimer. Note the differences are very subtle and hard to capture. The difference you see is mainly on the lips. The Spring 2011 colors are warmer in undertone.


Jersey Rose & Peregrina from Spring 2011
Chintz & Rose Dentelle from Fall 2010
Magnolia from Holiday 2010

* On the nails: Chanel Rouge Fatal (reviewed here & here)

In the tubes, Aragonite & Galactic look identical. On the hand/lips, the difference is subtle. Galactic flashes blue while Aragonite flashes more pink.


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Chanel Spring 2011: Ombres Perleés de Chanel, Regard Perlé & Gris Scintillant

December 19, 2010

The palettes for eyes this spring from Chanel are beautiful. I’m glad the look for the Collection Les Perles de Chanel for Spring 2011 is lighter and less dramatic than what we saw on the runways (gorgeous but simply too dark and vampy for everyday wear). The theme this spring seems to be all about that pearl finish. The new items from the collection include:
  • Ombres Perleés de Chanel Eyeshadow Palette – A beautiful palette of 5 high-shine pearl finish colors I would describe as white cream, pink shell, violet, seaweed and blueish-gray, all have a complex mixture of multi-colored shimmers. The texture is a soft almost creamy-like powder, but not quite cream. These are high-shimmer colors, I have to play around with this more, but I think this will work best when layered over regular shadows for a luminous effect.
  • Gris Scintillant Precision Eye Definer – A sparkly cool grey with silver flecks that looks more blueish-purple on my skin rather than gray, this is probably the most sparkly eyeliner I own.
  • Regard Perlé Quadra Eye Shadow Palette – A soft buttery-textured combination of white-gold, peach, pink and forest green. All have a soft luminous shimmer quality (not frosty). The palette isn’t all that unique in the sense that you can probably find similar shades elsewhere, but Chanel always has a way of creating colors with a the most beautiful luxurious finish. It’s perfect for an everyday look. I can’t express my excitement that the US formula is back! To me this is a more wearable neutral version of Garden Party (from fall 2007) that I passed on.
More photos, swatches and comparisons below:

Swatched on bare skin, note these are a bit washed out, the pearl finishes had me cursing while photographing these. The colors are fairly accurate (at least on my screen), but they just aren’t as washed out as these appear below. I find the palette sheer, but buildable. Click to enlarge for better viewing of the shimmer particles, perhaps you’ll be able to see the complexity of the colors in a larger view.

With flash:

In natural light:

Details and close up of the Pearl Palette (if you have this, tell me how you’re wearing it!):

This is what the shades look like swatched on the fingers. Sorry for the blur, but the shimmer/pearls were difficult to photograph for some reason. I’m sure other bloggers will have better luck with their photos, I can’t wait to read other reviews. This shows how the pigment can be heavier with a high-frost finish when applied with a heavier hand, but can be blended out (like on the arm photos above) for a luminous glow.

Details of Regard Perlé Quad:


I couldn’t find a dupe, but some wanted to know how it compared to a few other quads by Chanel. I didn’t have time to swatch them, but the textures/finishes are typical of the usual Chanel quads: soft, silky smooth, medium pigment, soft shimmer, beautiful sparkle. Here is Regard Perlé next to Winter Nights and Murano. To me, the runway looks from the Spring 2011 show seemed more like Murano on the eyes rather than Regard Perlé.

Last, but not least, Gris Scintillant Precision Eye Definer. It’s beautiful with those silver flecks, but on the softer side. Those who like a more dramatic defined eye will probably find this too soft/sheer. I think it would be a beautiful cream shadow. Note that it pulls very blue on me. It might be more neutral/grey on you depending on your undertones.


Eyeliner comparisons, L to R:

  • Bobbi Brown Thunderstorm Ink (reviewed here, Bloomies exclusive)
  • MAC Zinc Zone Greasepaint Stick
  • MAC Dig It! Eye Kohl
  • D&G Onxy #11 Eyeliner (reviewed here, D&G Fall 2010)
  • Chanel Gris Scintillant #69 Precision Eye Definer
  • Chanel Graphite #64 Intense Eye Pencil
  • Chanel Gris #35 Stylo Yeux (reviewed here)
  • Chanel Black Shimmer #70 Stylo Yeux
  • MAC Wolf Pearlglide Eyeliner


Overall thoughts: Beautiful, especially for our first look at spring. The Perleés de Chanel palette is the winner for me. The other two are items I adore but don’t know that others will share the same love as I do for soft wearable natural makeup. If you’re looking for a good everyday eyeshadow palette that isn’t your basic boring black or brown, then Regard Perlé is a great option. It has enough color to brighten the face without being too basic. However, those who prefer something more colorful will probably be let down a bit. I feel like the colors in this quad have been done before, yet when I searched my stash, I couldn’t find anything quite like it.

Chanel Spring 2011 is starting to trickle in stores. The first sightings were just a few days ago. I expect most counters in the US to have this within the next week. Cheeks and lips to be reviewed soon.

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A Closer Look at Chanel Black Pearl #513 Le Vernis

December 18, 2010

A few readers wanted to know how Chanel Black Pearl 513 compared to other shades such as Chanel Steel and NARS Full Metal Jacket. Due to differences on computer screens it may be hard to tell. I hope these close ups will give you a better idea of what this looks like. To me, Chanel Black Pearl is a dark greyed-teal shimmer. It has a pearly finish with a bit of silver veining which makes the color look different depending on what angle and lighting you see this in. I had my nails done today with this color and keep getting distracted by the pretty color. It’s a darker dramatic color, but the soft pearl gives it a soft glow that prevents it from being too sharp.

Balenciaga fans, if you’re familiar with the Anthracite colors you know how it’s evolved over the years with each new seasonal release. The first generation of Anthra was a murky dark greenish teal. (You can see all the variations from Anthra fans at The Purse Forum: Balenciaga Clubhouse.) I compared it to Lancome Pop Petrol back in February (see here). You can see Chanel Black Pearl is better matched to the 2007 Anthra Balenciaga. The Lancome is sharper, deeper and more contrasted in color.

Here is Chanel Black Pearl swatched next to my Balenciaga First – Anthracite from 2007

Next to my Ocean Le Creuset (if you think this is nuts, you’re not the only one, but I have limited teal in my house).

Close up from the side, looks a bit more blue-ish rather than greenish:


I already did some comparisons yesterday but here are more. I hope this helps you! On my screen, Chanel Black Pearl has that greenish sheen that NARS Full Metal Jacket and Chanel Steel lack.

NARS Full Metal Jacket, Chanel Steel, Chanel Black Pearl, Laura Mercier Caviar Dreams, Lancome Pop Petrol, OPI Cuckoo For This Color shown below

*UPDATE* I hope this doesn’t confuse you even more, but people keep asking for more comparisons! I dug up a review from the past that has Deborah Lippman’s Don’t Tell Mama, China Glaze Gussied Up Green and Hard Candy Envy and Laura Mercier Caviar Dreams. It was from last January (Color Focus: Teal Eyes & Nails Inspired by . . .) – I decided to do one last set of comparisons for you. I can’t believe how many greens I have. I didn’t think green was really my color.

Comparison Set #2 with China Glaze, Hard Candy & Deborah Lippmann



Bottom line: GET THE CHANEL BLACK PEARL. It’s unique. It’s gorgeous. It’s different enough to justify owning. There is no comparison.

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Dear Chanel, I Love You! Spring 2011 Le Vernis Shades Have Arrived

December 17, 2010

Chanel spring is starting to trickle in stores and the best news is that in the U.S. they have brought back the American-style formulas of the blush (no longer baked) and eyeshadow quad (back to square). I’m ecstatic! With the past few collections I was worried that in 2011 I would fall out of love with Chanel. There is so much to cover and I haven’t had time to play with everything yet so I’m going to split up my reviews. The first review will cover the new Le Vernis shades: Pearl Drop 511, Black Pearl 513, Pêche Nacrée 515.

The colors of white-gold, murky greyed-green and soft peachy-pink are an interesting combination for nails, but I love them. I love how Chanel matched the new Eyeshadow Quad, Regard Perlé (review coming soon). You might think the colors have been done before – but Chanel has a way of combining colors and pigments that no other brand can match. The result is a sophisticated and fresh palette that is appropriate for now and also serves as the perfect transition to spring.

Nails matched to the quad:

The finish of these spring nail colors is a pearl-frost. You can see brush strokes on Pearl Drop and Black Pearl if applied with a shakey hand, but the streaks aren’t too bad. All of them are a bit sheerer than your typical Chanel nail polish (in my opinion). I find the cream-non-shimmers to be full coverage while these are not full-coverage-with-1-coat. The Spring Shades definitely need 2-3 coats. Fortunately, they aren’t as sheer as Riva is. The nice thing about the texture is it allows you to build your color as you like.

Pearl Drop 511 is a white base with gold shimmer. It’s almost a duo-chrome color. This color is lovely, but not exactly my favorite. It’s simply too contrasted with my skintone. The yellowish undertones in my skin also don’t really help with this color. I wanted to compare it to Hard Candy’s Sugar Daddy, but it appears I had gifted that shade away. So, I pulled a few other Chanel whites for your reference. Blanc Petal is a pure white frost, Intermezzo has that opal-pinkish sheen, Pearl Drop is clearly a white-gold frost.

L to R: Chanel Blanc Petale, Intermezzo 501, Pearl Drop 511


Black Pearl 513 is the most highly anticipated shade of spring (for me). I have been dying of curiosity to see how it compares to other greenish murky shades. I am happy to report that Black Pearl appears to be truly unique. It’s one of those shades that is true-to-the-bottle in the sense that what you see in the bottle is what you get on the nails. So many dark greenish teals look gorgeous in the bottle, but go on nearly black on the nails. Chanel Black Pearl has a beautiful sheen to it with a mixture of teal, grey, silver, dark green. It’s hard for me to describe but it’s a stunner! Compared to the colors below, it’s lighter in color and exactly as gorgeous as I had hoped.

L to R comparisons: OPI Cuckoo For This Color, Laura Mercier Caviar Dreams, Chanel Black Pearl 513, Lancome Pop Petrol (reviews/swatches on other colors are linked)

Pêche Nacrée 515 was a pleasant surprise. I expected it to be an unflattering frosty shade of peach but it has just the right amount of pearliness which makes it a lovely soft peachy-pinky-pearly color. It is on the sheerer side, so it definitely requires 3 full coats. This is the most spring-like color out of all 3 shades.

L to R comparisons: OPI Love Me Tender, Chanel Pêche Nacrée 515, Dior Angelic Rose 152

FYI: The spring collection is up on Chanel.com and I found the items in-store at Nordstrom in Southern California. I’ve also heard reports that it’s been spotted at Bloomingdales in NY. So ladies, call your counters – it should be arriving any day now if it hasn’t already!

More reviews to come soon, here’s a sneak peek . . . please do not republish or hotlink my photos, all content is copyrighted!

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