Check out Makeup Magpie’s reviews and comparison as well!
A quick breakdown of the new colors in the collection plus over the phone descriptions:
- Classic Cream Lipstick in Venere (vibrant cream orange red)
- Classic Cream Lipstick in Mandorla (nude tan cream)
- Shine Lipstick in Perla (pale frosted pink)
- Shine Lipstick in Luna (pale gold champagne)
- Ultra-Shine Lipgloss in Acqua (clear with white frost shimmer)
- Ultra-Shine Lipgloss in Cannella (dark brown shimmer)
- Precision Lipliner in Caramello (tan brown)
- Smooth Eye Color Quad in Vulcano
- Eyeliner in Bronzo (taupe bronze gold shimmer)
- Eyeliner in Agave (deep forest green shimmer)
- Mascara in Dahlia (dark plum)
- Intense Nail Lacquer in Passione (rich fuchsia magenta mauve)
- Luminous Cheek Color in Sole (vibrant red)
Many of you ask “where do you buy brand x?” You may notice I normally do not write about who I buy from mainly because I want you to go out and explore and discover makeup artists and sales associates on your own. I believe it’s best for you to develop a personal relationship with a brand expert who can see you in person to really know what you like and what looks good on you. After all makeup shopping is about more than just the product, it’s about the experience!
However, with hard-to-find brands, it’s a different story. I will help in any way I can. With HTF items, we often times end up ordering online. It’s definitely convenient and it’s hassle free from overzealous associates who overpromise and under-deliver (hate those). But online swatches are crummy and you often miss out on promotions, GWPs and sometimes great customer service.
I’ve written about Nikki before – she’s amazing (I didn’t tell her about my blog at first, but someone else spilled the beans and when she asked, I did tell her, yes, I have one). I’ve never met her in person, but she is friendly, upbeat, prompt in letting me know when new things arrive and never fails to give me super accurate descriptions over the phone. Her product knowledge is superb. She foundation-matched me over the phone twice (once when I was tan, and then recently when I got lighter). Both times were a perfect match. The GWPs she has with her store are generous and while the minimums might be higher than most brands, they are not ridiculously high (around $100 to $150) and they often include at least 2 full sized products plus a makeup bag. The items in Dolce & Gabbana GWPs are nice items that are usable. Bonus!
You can reach Nikki at Saks Houston at 713 627 0500 x5101. I’m not sure when their next event or GWP occurs, but she will give you the full 411.
Ultra Correction Line Repair Fluid SPF 15
Base Lumière Illuminating Makeup Base
Vitalumière Aqua in B20 (see swatches here)
Eyes:
Concealer as a base (didn’t note which one)
Kaska Beige Quadra Eyeshadow
Ébène Stylo Yeux Waterproof (pure black)
Cheeks:
Terre D’or Soleil de Tan Bronzer (soft bronze)
Tweed Corail Bronzer (coral & peach blend also shown here and here)
Lips:
Deauville Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick (pinky-mauve-brown)
The look was subtle but polished. I loved how she did the eyes. In my experience, few artists know how to do Asian eyes without creases. What she did with Kaska Beige:
- Step 1: Apply a concealer base to even the eye
- Step 2: Dampen a small eyeshadow brush and apply the darkest plum shade on the eyes from the center of the eye outwards to the outer corners (in a smudgey messy way), it was applied about 1/3 up the bottom lid from the center out
- Step 3: Take a new clean soft eyeshadow brush and apply the warm brown shimmer all over the plum and all over the lid and blend together
- Step 4: Apply the upper right cocoa color in outer corners and under the eyes for extra definition
- Step 5: Line with a black liner along upper lashes
- Step 6: Take the light cream shell color and dip another clean detail brush and swipe from brow bone downwards for a soft highlight
*Update* Several of my readers have asked for more thoughts on Tweed Corail – I personally love all the tweed blushes. I’ve linked prior features here and here. It gives a lovely soft peach glow that brightens the face with a refined slight shimmer.
For the lips, Rouge Coco Shine in Deauville is a lovely mauve-brown with pink. It’s a complex color in the tube with different shimmers but applies with a lovely glow. It looks different depending on the light angles. I thought it might be too brown from what I saw in the tube but on the lips it looked more pinky-mauve. Another view below, see how it’s more pinkish compared to the views the above photos (because of the lighting/angle). The texture is sheer and glossy. More thoughts on Rouge Coco Shines soon.
Have you attended any Chanel events? What Rouge Coco Shines have you tried? If you went to an event this weekend, please share the details! I’d love to hear what they used on you or what kind of look they put together for you 🙂
- Brown zippered bag with a paisley lining
- Full sized Tightline Cake Eye Liner in Ground Espresso
- Full sized Lip Glacé in Pink Lilac (sheer milky lilac pink)
- Eye Colour Duo in Dusk (shimmery pink-lilac) & Chocolate (shimmery brown)
- Mini Black Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara
- Double-Ended Pony Tail/Flat Eye Liner Brush
Pink Lilac is beautiful in the tube but very sheer and practically invisible on the lips. I think it will make a good enhancing color for sheer pink and lilac colored lipsticks.
Have any of you checked out any of the Special Edition sets at Saks, Neimans or Nordstrom? Did any of you pick one up? Thoughts/rants/raves?
NARS Calanque Eyeshadow Trio & Hollywoodland Soft Touch Shadow Pencil
February 4, 2011- Pale soft champagne chunky sparkle
- Neutral camel fawn with a satin finish
- High shimmer bronze
Thumbs down for the poor layering quality. These colors really need to be layered over creams (cream base, cream shadow or smudgy liner). The powders in this trio do not layer well over each other. I normally layer and blend over creams anyways – these just take a bit more work. I recommend using a denser thicker brush to apply the colors by patting and softly blending. Thumbs down for the price as well (at least for the size and amount of product you get). The cons for me exceed the pros.
Amy from Café Makeup has a lovely review of Calanque for lighter skin. Her photos are phenomenal!
Applying with the fingers worked just fine this morning and lasted all day over the cream shadow, but it’s not ideal as the oils from my fingers are bound to ruin the surface texture. I thought I loved it earlier this morning when I applied it, I really liked the result, but after playing around with it more at home this evening with brushes I’ve become less in love, especially after comparing it to the soft texture of the NARS singles and duos. Again, I know this is supposed to give a minimalist effect – but All About Eve, Edie, Silk Road, Abyssinia & Nepal are all minimalist neutrals but give a better payoff enhancing the eyes much better with natural glowy highlights.
On the upside for NARS – you can see they are doing much better in their promotional campaigns with accurate photos! I received a spring flyer in the mail and you can see their photos are pretty darn good. Yay for better presentation to help us get a more realistic idea of what to expect before we get to see the real live product =)
Bobbi Brown Tibi Peony & Python Beauty Kit (Neimans Exclusive Preview)
January 31, 2011- Pink Peony Illuminating Bronzer (new) – a cool pink with gold flecks
- Pink Lilac Brightening Gloss (repromote) – pink lilac shimmer
- Black Mauve Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner (repromote) – taupe purple bronze
- Two Mini Brushes