L to R: Le Metier de Beaute Whisper & Armani Holiday 2010 Shimmer Powder (to be reviewed soon)
Top to bottom: Chanel Star Glossimer, Laura Mercier Pink Diamond, Trish Irresistible Nude, MAC Oyster Girl Lipglass, MAC Gel Lipstick (on tube #3), D&G Perfection Lipstick
L to R: Paul & Joe Pearl Powder #01, MAC Naked Pigment, NARS All About Eve Eyeshadow Duo
OPI Hollywood Blonde Nail Polish, MAC Bare Study Paint Pot
MAC Bare Study Paint Pot, Paul & Joe Pearl Powder #01, MAC Naked Pigment, OPI Hollywood Blonde Nail Polish, Le Metier de Beaute Whisper Highlighter, D&G Perfection Lipstick, MAC Oyster Girl Lipglass, NARS All About Eve Duo, Chanel Star Glossimer, Laura Mercier Pink Diamond Lip Glace, Trish Irresistible Nude, MAC Gel Lipstick
There was much confusion about the Chanel Soho Collection that was released in select Chanel Boutiques for Fashion’s Night Out. Was it exclusive to the Soho Boutique? Was it all Limited Edition? Would anything be released online?
The collection was released online in a few select boutiques. Today there are only 3 items left on Chanel.com (Soho de Chanel Powder, Steel Le Vernis, Star Glossimer). Those who waited too long or prefer to see/test things in person before buying, the GOOD NEWS is that the collection is now available at Chanel counters. I’ve seen this at Nordstrom and confirmed this with my a few other Nordstrom Locations in Southern California and Bloomingdale’s (none of which are the Chanel Studios).
The items from the collection, reviews, swatches & comparisons:
Soho De Chanel Highlighter $65 & Stupendous Quad $56- both reviewed here
It looks like this week will be all about Chanel’s Holiday collection. I apologize for being slow with the roll out of reviews. I need to figure out a way to manage my off-work time better. These days time just seems to fly at all hours of the day. Chanel, however, makes each part of the day better whether it’s having a pretty manicure, a gorgeous gloss to touch up with, or just having a sneak peek into your purse during break time and catching glimpse of that sleek black Chanel compact.
The new glossimers released this holiday include Pleasing 227 (complex cinnamon brown pink sparkle), Charming 237 (sparkling light pink) and Pink Pulsion 247 (sheer but sparkling hot pink). All are gorgeous and I think you’ll love these if you don’t mind shimmer. These are slightly-thick but not super sticky in typical Chanel style. I personally love glossimers and while these are very pretty I have noticed a few things that while slight, still have me thinking hmmmmm …
If you have ever looked at the bottom label of your glossimers you might notice some come with a black sticker label with a number while others come with a clear sticker with a word name. I was told by one of my Chanel specialists a few years ago that the black labels indicate “limited edition” or “European produced” while the clear labels with names were made in the US. I have not confirmed this with anyone else but I have noticed that the recent glossimer releases with the black labels have been slightly more glittery/sparkley than what I see in my older shimmer glossimers. It’s not that I don’t love the finish – I just remember loving glossimers like Pagoda, Spark and Twinkle for their lovely sophisticated shimmer. These days the color seem significantly more sparkley with tiny micro glitters. I find that they still apply beautifully, especially when layered over lipsticks. So what I’m trying to say is that while I find these newer glossimers different, different doesn’t mean bad. Different is just, well, different. They are still gorgeous, wearable, non-gritty and luxurious.
Anyhow – I found Pleasing very unique and pigmented. It’s simply stunning even though it’s more on the frosty side. Charming is gorgeous, but I prefer some of my other pink shades. Charming is very sheer and goes on practically clear on me. Pink Pulsion is hot though. Everyone knows I’m a huge neutral-makeup lover, but Pink Pulsion is absolutely stunning. I couldn’t find dupes for any of the colors but pulled some from my extensive Chanel stash to do some comparisons for you. Are they a must have? If you’re asking me this question I will say you’re asking the wrong person. If asked “is this Chanel product worth having?” 8.5 times out of 10 I will say yes. So if you’re looking for someone to talk you out of buying something from Chanel – don’t look at me.
Comparisons, swatches in different lighting plus close ups:
Note that the swatches are not in the same order as the photo above:
Close ups of the comparisons:
Chanel’s Holiday collection has also been swatched by the lovely Karla Sugar. Be sure to check out her post here if you haven’t already.
Also check out NaturalNChicMakeup for lovely swatches and you’ll see how different this collection looks on all three of us.
Chanel Pulsion Le Vernis ($23) is a vibrant hot pink cream color that is cool-toned. I thought Riviera was bright but Pulsion is like Riviera electrified. It’s a few shades deeper and significantly brighter. I’m not sure I would really associate this with a winter/holiday color except maybe for a holiday party. Definitely too bright for a conservative office environment, perhaps ok for the toes.
Here it is compared to a few other pinks, left to right:
Chanel Melrose, Chanel Riviera, Chanel Pulsion, Dior Red Dahlia
I picked up the two new products released this holiday for Chanel: Tentation Cuivrée Quadra Eyeshadow ($56) & Splash Fluid Iridescent Eyeshadow ($32). In addition to these two, there are a few repromotes such as Cassis Eyeliner (reviewed here), Espresso Eyeliner and Misty-Soft Duo (reviewed here).
* left to right: wearing Khaki Rose, Splash, Tentation Cuivrée
Both are beautiful but not entirely unique. All of us Chanel lovers have been waiting holding our breath to see what the Holiday Quad in the Euro formula will look like. I’ve tried the round-pan formula at a few Chanel Studios (which carry import collections) and was never impressed. I found the pigment sheer and texture powdery. The Tentation Cuivrée quad is not quite as powdery as most I’ve tried and I was surprised to find out pigmented the colors were. You’ll see my swatches below without any base (it’s incredible in my opinion). However, after swatching this quad at home I saw how it was quite a bit more sparkley than I observed from swatching in-store. It must have been bad lighting. Still gorgeous but the colors have these uber tiny micro glitter particles and a higher level of shimmer (much like Paul & Joe’s lighter eyegloss shades reviewed here).
I’d describe the colors as light pink with gold sparkle, neutral ivory with sparkle, warm medium-light brown with gold sparkle, deep warm chocolate shimmer (love this last shade). There is a difference between the lighter shades, but on the eyes, they both look the same, at least on my skin.
I’ve compared it to single shades and a few other quads. I personally prefer the older square pan eyeshadow quads and current singles, all of which have a more sophisticated luminous glow (rather than super-sparkle). Take note I’m not claiming any are dupes, these are simply comparisons to help you get a better idea of what the quad looks like. The singles below have a more finely milled shimmer quality. Those who have Chanel Ivory and are familiar with MAC Pigments know that Chanel Ivory is a softer more wearable version of MAC Vanilla Pigment. Both have this lovely opalescent almost duochrome quality. The light shade in the quad is more basic in undertone, but more glitzy in sparkle. (Does that even make sense to anyone? I feel as though I’m not really communicating what I see properly.)
Note that Nomade didn’t swatch so well on my arm, but it applies so much better on the eyes. Trace is warmer and less red than the quad. For the bottom left shade in the quad I couldn’t find anything with the same undertone and deepness – all the other shades I looked at were lighter, less pigmented, or more red/purple/or darker.
Splash Fluid Iridescent Eyeshadow is like a liquid-and-slightly-warmer version of Taupe Grisé. I envisioned Splash to be a light silvery blue or a light greyish color. Instead it’s more of a medium taupe grey. These come in a glass tube with part clear liquid and part pigmented liquid eyeshadow. To apply, simply shake the tube, apply the sponge tip directly to the eye and then blend. I like to blend with my fingers. Since Splash is a darker shade, I find it takes more careful application on the eye compared to the other lighter colors like Source & Sand etc.
Overall thoughts: I prefer the older US Chanel quads. I find the holiday quad a stunner, but the shimmer level is a bit outside of my comfort zone. Still the pigment is amazing and shades are very blendable. The liquid eyeshadow is stunning, but if you already have Taupe Grise you might find it redundant to own both. Definitely check it out if you’re a taupe lover.
The Les Khakis de Chanel Le Vernis shades are growing on me even though my initial reaction was “meh”. The formula however is very impressive. You will get a full coverage application with just one coat. I find that this quality definitely makes these well worth the high price tag ($25 each). I did an extensive review and comparison post a few weeks ago Les Khakis de Chanel: Khaki Brun, Khaki Vert & Khaki Rose and finally did a full manicure with Khaki Rose, a warm coffee-with-milk type of brown. Not really something I would normally be drawn to for nails, but I like it. There’s no brand like Chanel that can capture my attention for trendy shades.
I had five nail polishes with me in my bag the other day (yes, 5) because I could not make up my mind, so I e-mailed my sister with my handy iPhone “which one should I do?” She said “thumb!” Thank goodness for sisters.
More views:
Recap of my comparison to other shades, Rescue Beauty Lounge Om & Chanel Rose Confidentiel:
I have been insanely busy with work and with DH having been out of town I’ve been working later than usual. I will get to the comments and questions in the next few days, so please be patient – my time and energy levels have been at an all time low (although work is going extremely well). I spotted Chanel’s Holiday 2010 Collection this evening and went nuts. Thanks to KarlaSugar, we got a preview from the information sheets back in July (see her sneak peek here) so I credit her for satisfying my curiosity for the past few months. You all know I am not the biggest fan of the Euro/Asia-made formula for Chanel powder products – but those who feel the same as me, not to worry, the pigment and quality of the holiday eyeshadow quad is amazing. You will not be disappointed with the formula. The whole collection is stunning.
More details, reviews and swooning to come very soon. At this point my house is a mess and I feel like I’ve been hit by a tornado – I need a day to recoup. Thank goodness DH is coming home tomorrow night. Hope you all have an amazing Friday!
Tentation Cuivré Quadra Eyeshadow
Tweed Fuschia Blush and Pulsion Le Vernis
Top to bottom: Glossimers Pleasing 227, Charming 237, Pink Pulsion 247, Rouge Cocos Patchouli 107, Magnolia 117
I found these at my local Neimans. I am thrilled to have gotten my hands on these so early, however found their customer service extremely lacking. I will most likely not be shopping the Chanel counter at Neimans again in the near future unless they tone down their snooty attitude. I’ve experienced poor customer service from them in the past but thought I’d give them a second chance. Never again. Although I will say my regular SAs with other brands at that location are fabulous. Just not their Chanel counter. I called my Nordstrom Chanel counter to inquire when they will be receiving the collection, they said any day now.
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