Chantecaille’s Les Dauphins Palette & Bourbon Rose Lip Chic are more beautiful than words can describe. I’ve been thinking of how I can give a review that does justice to the Les Dauphins Palette – and all I can say is I think it’s a must-have for those who love soft spring-like neutrals and especially those who love taupey shadows. Bourbon Rose is the softer color out of the 2 spring lip chics. It’s a natural rosey pink – similar to Tea Rose, but slightly lighter and has golden shimmer.
Another view with flash:
Without flash:
I haven’t had time to do swatches of this palette, but Karlasugar has already done an amazing feature on all the items – so I highly recommend you check out her post if you haven’t already.
I played around with the palette at Neimans and the color on the dolphins is an overspray. The shadows and blush all have a lovely subtle shimmer. I’m typically not a huge fan of split-pan shadows or blushes, but all the colors in this palette are so pretty, I don’t mind.
This is the planned look of the day with the Chantecaille Dauphins Palette & Bourbon Rose Lip Chic.
Cheeks: Giorgio Armani Blush 1 Chantecaille Dauphins Palette Eyes: Chantecaille Dauphins Palette Giorgio Armani Eyeliner #12
Lips: MAC Naked Rose Lipliner Chantecaille Bourbon Rose Lip Chic MAC Full For You Plushglass
Outfit: Jcrew Button Top Banana Republic Beige Pencil Skirt Jimmy Choo Black Pumps Gucci Princy Tote
MAC Metal Rock Mineralized Skinfinish (From 2005 Gold Play Collection) – One of the prettiest complex coppery-deep bronzey colors. I like to use this for eyeshadow rather than on the face. For my skin it’s too dark to use on the cheeks. The closest I’ve found to this is NARS Fez.
Bobbi Brown Penny Metallic Eyeshadow (From 2008 Bronzed Pink Collection) – Also limited edition. Gorgeous warm sandy copper shimmer. Highly pigmented. Blends like magic. Try Bobbi Brown Burnt Sugar as an alternative.
Edward Bess Sunlight Highlighter – You’ve seen the review and swatch comparisons before. I love this for the perfect glow.
MAC Beigeland Lipstick – Yay for B2M! Lovely light nude-gold shimmer. Not quite as pale as Gel, but pretty similar.
YSL Rouge Volupte #26 Tender Peach – Also swatched/photographed before. This is such a lovely healthy fresh peach that doesn’t scream “loud.”
Chanel Seashell Glossimer – The perfect sheer glowy pink. It’s better than topping lipsticks with clear gloss because it just makes everything look better with a subtle shimmery glow.
March Issue of Lucky Magazine – This was a surprise for me, normally I don’t really find many things in this magazine that appeal to me, but in this issue there are so many cute outfit and shoe ideas in this issue. Definitely a good read!
Pottery Barn Vintage Milk Bottles – Couldn’t find the individual ones online, but they have them instore. So cute to store pencils or small flowers. Online they have a set of 6 with the labels on the sides.
These are the ones from Pottery Barn Online:
Michael Bublé – I love his music. He has such a great voice. His songs Some Kind of Wonderful and Just Haven’t Met You Yet make my heart skip a beat.
So today I decided I would branch out a bit and show you more of my whole look – basically what makeup items I picked to coordinate with my outfit of the day. I didn’t have much on today’s agenda except for a lunch date with friends and a few errands to run (yes, I know it’s a rough life being on school break).
I know some of you prefer I stick to writing about makeup and after this post, I think I will. I suppose one benefit of this is that you can see a bit more of my style which you might say doesn’t exist. I tend to be very basic and simple with my clothing, not the most creative or fun, but it’s what I feel comfortable with so it works for me. My makeup tends to reflect my clothing style as well: simple and natural looking. For reference, I am petite at 5’3″. So much for trying to be a little creative, but here goes.
The outfit of the day:
Silk Ribbon Pleated Shell in Tarnished Steel from Banana Republic
Thin Cashmere White Cardigan from Jcrew (this is from over a year ago, so no link)
Paige Hollywood Hills Jeans
Quilted black purse/tote
Black strappy sandals from Banana Republic (from about 3 years ago, so no link)
The face of the day items used include:
Cheeks
MAC Golden Bronzer
Paul & Joe Face Color 001
Eyes
MAC Bare Study
Bobbi Brown Galaxy Cream Eyeshadow
Dolce & Gabbana Champagne Quad
Dolce & Gabban Stromboli Eyeliner
Diorshow mascara
Lips
Bobbi Brown Ballet Pink Lipliner
Chantecaille Camelia Lipchic
Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer 06
The products against the steel grey tank
(not recommended since I almost dropped my lipstick on my dry-clean only tank)
Swatched on bare skin
One more view
I used all four shades in the Dolce & Gabbana Champagne quad and really liked the result. I applied MAC Bare Study Paint Pot first all over the lid, then dusted the light lilac-gold shade from lash line to the middle of the eyelid. I then put the dusty brown mixed with the black smudged along upper lash line blended upwards. Dolce & Gabbana Stromboli was lined and smudged over upper lash line as well with the black shadow reapplied on top for extra definition.
MAC Golden Bronzer was applied on the cheeks like blush with the Paul & Joe 001 Face Color dusted lightly as a highlighter and to give a bit of pink to the cheeks.
The lips were a neutral healthy pink. Overall, I was happy with the result. FYI the Dolce & Gabbana quads have the best pigment that I’ve tried, they just don’t swatch well on a bare arm without any moisturizer or makeup base. I hope the swatches won’t deter you from checking out their quads!
I have been procrastinating on a few comparison requests and thought I’d post this in case anyone else had the same questions. I plan to be a better blogger this upcoming year and be more on top of things!
Comparison Project #1: How does Edward Bess Intimate compare to other shades, particularly Chantecaille Pyrite & Benefit Fawn Over Me?
Chantecaille Pyrite has more gold while Edward Bess is definitely more taupe/brown. Benefit Fawn Over Me might look like a close dupe at first glance, but looking more closely will show that it’s more of a paler sandy champagne compared to the Edward Bess. Here it is compared to similar shades.
Top: Chantecaille Pyrite, Edward Bess Intimate, Laura Mercier Bamboo Middle: Scott Barnes Sable, Benefit Fawn Over Me, Guerlain Sable Blonde Bottom: Becca Mermaid, Nars Cyprus, Benefit Fawn Over Me
1) Chantecaille Pyrite 2) Edward Bess Intimate 3) Laura Mercier Bamboo 4) Scott Barnes Sable 5) Benefit Birthday Suit 6) Guerlain Sable Blonde 7) Becca Mermaid 8) Nars Cyprus 9) Benefit Fawn Over Me
Bottom line: In my opinion, there is nothing like Edward Bess Intimate and I find it different enough to justify owning even if you have any of the above shades. This post will be updated later this afternoon with swatches.
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Comparison Project #2: Is Bobbi Brown Java Metallic similar to the brown shade in Nars Brousse?
Bobbi Brown Java is a cooler mouse-grey when compared to Nars Brousse which seems to have a tinge of red. By itself you would barely be able to detect any red tones to Nars Brousse. I’ve also compared it to a few other medium-dark cool-toned browns.
Top: Edward Bess Mystery, Bobbi Brown Java Metallic, Nars Brousse Bottom: Cle de Peau Satin 106, MAC Magnetic Fields, Jouer Espresso
1) Edward Bess Mystery 2) Bobbi Brown Java Metallic 3) Nars Brousse 4) CdP 106 5) MAC Magnetic Fields 6) Jouer Espresso
What’s the verdict? Are these different enough to justify owning all? Probably not unless you are a brown eyeshadow fanatic like me. This section will also be updated with swatches if my camera will cooperate with me later today. While I love the Cle de Peau 106, it can look a bit bruisey on my Chanel Shell (equals MAC NC30-35) skin and it’s the least shimmery.
Today’s focus is around silvery eyes with a few alternatives in case you can’t pull off silvers. I have warmer skin with olive tones and can’t always pull off silvery eyeshadows because they make me look tired, but the Dior Smoky Crystal Quint was a surprisingly pretty on! I hope this gives you a few ideas of what types of colors you can use. These may not work for everyone, but these are looks that I’ve done that work for me.
To recap (in case you haven’t read my About Me section), I have dark black/brown hair with red highlights, medium olive/golden skin and use Chanel Shell/Beige Teint Innocence, my eyes are dark brown. Look Day 4: silvery eyeshadow with rose-pink lips/cheeks
Eyes: Shiseido Rose Tulle H11 Hydropower Eyeshadow Bobbi Brown Steel Cream Eyeshadow Dior Smoky Crystal Quint MAC Feline Eyeliner
Lips: Chanel Tulip Lipliner Trish McEvoy Pink Innocent Le Metier de Beaute Cannes Lipgloss or Bobbi Brown Pink Lilac Brightening Gloss as an alternative * Note the swatches for the eyeshadows look greenish on my screen for some reason. In real life they are close to what the product photo looks like in the picture near the top.
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Alternative if you can’t pull of silvers: try champagne, a soft taupe, a sparkley silvery-gold cream shadow and a smokey black eyeshadow
Cheeks: Giorgio Armani Blush #10
Eyes: Giorgio Armani Maestro Eyeshadow #30 Bobbi Brown Galaxy Cream Eyeshadow Giorgio Armani Eyeshadow Maestro #32 Giorgio Armani Manta Ray Duo #1
Here is October’s list of Ten Things I’m Loving Right now. There’s a slight twist on a few items because I simply could not pick one item in a certain category. I’d love to hear what you all are loving right now too.
1) Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill #1 Steel Black Mascara $28 – I finally found a mascara that thickens and holds curl! I have the straightest lashes ever and even after curling with my favorite Trish McEvoy Eyelash Curler, nothing holds the curl as well as this one. Doesn’t clump, smudge or flake. I’ve tried other Armani mascaras in the past and did not like them at all, luckily, I got a mini-sized version of this to try out first. My other favs are DiorShow (gives thick plush lashes), Dior Iconic (gives dramatic black lashes) and Chanel Inimitable (also great) – but Armani’s Eyes to Kill has won my heart.
* A few key tips – I recommend using only one coat and make sure it dries completely before touching up your eye makeup or removing smudges from eyeshadow fall out. Also, I use this in conjunction with an eyelash curler, I can’t say whether or not it is curling, but I will say it holds the curl very well.
2) Shu Uemura Natural Pony Brush 20 $50 – Soft and plush, this is the perfect size and shape with the right density in bristles to make this my favorite blush brush. There is an angled version 20h which is just as soft.
3) Paul & Joe Refreshing Skin Toner $33 – I was lucky to try a sample before I bought this. The Paul & Joe toner makes my skin feel refreshed and it isn’t too drying or heavy. I have sensitive skin and this seems to be gentle and effective at the same time. Love the price too!
4) Bobbi Brown Nude Shimmer Brick $38 – I own almost every Shimmer Brick from Bobbi Brown and this one is the prettiest to date and works on both eyes and cheeks. It features “five pure pearl pigments—pink, gold, bronze, beige and caramel” – I believe it is limited edition, but can still be found at various counters. See comparisons to other shades HERE.
5) Chanel Quadra Eyeshadows in Mystic Eyes $56 – This is one of the prettiest unique combination of colors I have seen. I love the silvery shade because it has some golden flecks in the shimmer. I like to wear it with NARS Oasis Blush and Stolen Kisses Lipgloss over Mitzi Lipstick.
6) MAC Viva Glam V Lipglass $14 – this is my classic no-fail neutral pink lip gloss
7) Black/Gold Olivey Colors – I really like black golds for fall which can sometimes end up looking olivey with the combination. My favorites right now are:
1. MAC Seriously Hip Nail Polish 2. MAC Gilt By Association Mineralize Eye Shadow 3. Laura Mercier Black Gold Kohl Eye Pencil 4. Clinique Egyptian Eyeliner 5. Bobbi Brown Forest Shimmer Ink Gel Liner
9) Beige Shimmer Lipglosses like MAC Bare Necessity Dazzleglass $18, Chanel Freeze Aqualumiere $27, Hourglass Ignite Extreme Sheen Gloss $28, Chantecaille Crystalline Brilliant Gloss $28, Le Metier Captiva Sheer Brilliance Gloss $32 and Laura Mercier Opal Lip Glace $22 all have this lovely complex iridescence with a neutral beigey base giving a barely-there glow to the lips.
L to R: MAC Bare Necessity, Chanel Freeze, Hourglass Ignite, Chantecaille Crystalline, Le Metier Captiva, Laura Mercier Opal
10) L’Occitane Cherry Blossom Hand Cream $10 – love this for the packaging and lightweight non-sticky texture. I keep one in my purse all the time. Also comes in the larger sizes and a few different scents/formulas.
My Neiman Marcus finally received this instore! This is Sylvie’s Personal Palette and retails for $72. It so pretty I don’t want to use it to ruin the surface (the iridescence is the overspray).
For actual swatches, check out Karla Sugar’s awesome Blog. FYI Neiman Marcus has their Beauty Event starting next week so if there are more Chantecaille items, this is a good time to take advantage of the gift. I couldn’t think of more things to get so I decided to pick the palette up yesterday instead of waiting for the event. The gift with purchase for the line is:
They will be having two more incircle events for this year in October/November and December.
