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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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Le Métier de Beauté Splendid Frost Kaleidoscope Eye Kit, Holiday 2010

December 15, 2010

I told myself I wasn’t going to buy another $95 kit so I blame this purchase on The Non-Blonde & Best Things in Beauty. Ok, well not entirely. I sat in my Le Métier de Beauté makeup artist’s chair at my local Neimans and fell in love with what she did with the new Splendid Frost Kaleidoscope Eye Kit. The colors are luxurious, highly pigmented and just breathtaking. Even at a jaw-dropping $95, it’s still worth every penny (if you do the math, it comes out to about $23 per shadow not counting the compact). The texture is smooth and easy to blend. Even the high-frost shades are extremely wearable, so those who can’t pull off high shimmers need not worry. Beautiful for the holidays, going out, and yet appropriate for day-wear if worn with a lighter touch.


The colors, described by me are as follows:
  • First tier – a brassy gold high frost shimmer, if you remember Bobbi Brown’s Platinum Metallic from last year, this is a slightly more golden/brassy type of color but similar in concept
  • Second tier – soft matte grey but full-pigment, it’s a true neutral grey on me
  • Third tier – coral-pink infused with gold shimmer, this one just glows, it’s not too peachy/pinky that you can’t wear it on the eyes, but I would recommend applying with a soft hand
  • Fourth tier – my favorite, a deep navy with just the right amount of brightness so it doesn’t appear black, comes with tiny red and gold microglitters that make this one of those colors that make you gasp “wow”
Close ups of each shade:




I’ve heard different things about the packaging this season. Some who purchased from Bergdorf Goodman received their kit in the regular black packaging. I can’t confirm if their packaging is different or not though. The one I bought from my Neimans came in a beautiful frosted white case.

L to R: Regular Packaging, Holiday 2010, Lip Kits

Swatches:



Overall – L O V E!!!! It’s so pretty, I nearly died when I saw it in person. I couldn’t find it anywhere online yet. I recommend calling your local Neimans to see if they stock Le Metier de Beaute. Chances are if they do carry the brand, the holiday kit is in stock since they recently had their InCircle events going on.

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Holiday Palettes From Becca: Fallen Angel & Enigma

November 26, 2010

Becca always puts together the most beautiful makeup looks. Check out their features from past seasons under Becca Style – Makeup Looks and you’ll see what I mean. This season Becca has released a new collection called Fallen Angel. The featured looks were just so stunning that I immediately ordered the 2 palettes: Enigma (eyes) $49 and Fallen Angel (lip and cheek) $45.

Enigma Palette has a trio of neutral-cool smokey colors. Amure is a matte soft grey-brown, Silesia is a dark smokey grey-brown-black, Surah is a shimmery mauve. All have a soft velvety texture which make these easy to apply and blend together. I was a bit let down by the palette in the sense that it did not look like the promotional photo online. Still the quality is very good and colors are good neutrals for a soft smokey eye – just not very unique.


Fallen Angel Palette is for lips and cheeks. It appears to have more of a peachy-resort feel rather than angelic. When I think “angel” I think soft pink and champagne. Still this is lovely. Sunrise is a sheer peach (almost clear), Nectar reminds me of Tuberose Lip & Cheek Creme, Narcissus is a pale gold cream highlighter.

As much as I love Becca, I was somewhat disappointed by what came in the mail. Having been somewhat let down (compared to the promotional photos) twice in the past, you would think I had learned my lesson to wait and check out other reviews before ordering again. These palettes are indeed beautiful and very wearable, so don’t get me wrong, I think they are very high quality and worth the price. I was just expecting something different. Below are swatches, the eyeshadows were swatched over a lightly moisturized arm.



One last view for size comparison, the palette colors are similar in size to a MAC eyeshadow. The Becca Shadows are 1.6 g or 2 g each (depending on color) while MAC eyeshadows are 1.5 g each. Do note I find the quality and texture of the Becca much better than most MAC shadows. The creams in the Fallen Angel Palette are 1.3 g each.

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Armani Gold Rush Collection Picks Holiday 2010

November 13, 2010
I’ve been a long-time fan of Armani ever since I first saw it at the London Heathrow Airport back in 2001 for their natural looking elegant makeup line. These days their collections seem to have more pizazz with brighter colors that are anything but natural. I still love what they release. This Holiday, the Armani Gold Rush Collection has some beautiful options. My local Neimans didn’t have any testers for the new items but these days I feel familiar enough with the line I didn’t need to test anything to make my purchasing decisions. Also thanks to Karla Sugar (see her Gold Rush Swatches Part 1) I knew I had to have the black and gold shadows.

The items I picked out: Gold Rush Highlighting Shimmer Powder ($55), Eyes to Kill Shadows #13 Black and #15 Copper ($32 each)



The Gold Rush Highlighting Powder is a soft sparkly gold. It’s softer in texture making the shimmer powder pigmented and easy to pick up with a brush. (Some shimmer powders are harder in texture making the finish sheerer.) If you are familiar with the Spring Nude Contrasts Shadows (reviewed here), the texture and finish of the Holiday Shimmer Powder is similar. It’s somewhere in between finely milled shimmer and chunky shimmer with uber-tiny micro sparkles.

* the above photo shows the upper 1/2 with the mirror reflection so you can see the shimmer in different light, the powder is one color, not duo-colored

I don’t have large visible pores on my cheeks (just had foundation/powder on), but when I applied this over my cheeks – I suddenly had visible pores. I tried it again over a foundation/powder/cream highlighter, it had a much better result. It’s not SUPER sparkly but the sparkle is definitely visible. As beautiful as it is, I think this would be better suited for the eyes or décolleté – but that’s only my personal opinion.

Here it is compared to NARS Albatross and MAC New Vegas. From the swatches it’s hard to see the sparkle – I recommend clicking to enlarge for better viewing. The NARS is more finely milled but can go on frosty if applied to heavily. The Armani has no frosty finish, but has visible microsparkles.

The Eyes to Kill Shadows are AMAZING. The Copper Shade #15 is more of a golden-bronze rather than copper but I love it. This is a high sparkle color but blends out beautifully. The Black Shade #13 is a soft cool-toned black. They come with a little black cover inside. I’m not exactly sure what the purpose of these are – they don’t really seal the shadow since there is space around the cover once inside the pot. I’ll have to ask my makeup artist the next time I go. I completely forgot to check the silver shade.

The shimmer is very subtle but this is one of the few cream black shadows that give a soft smokey eye without looking too harsh. I found both blended better with the fingers than a brush. They have an interesting texture – not quite a cream, not a powder, not quite a mousse. It’s like a blend of all three types of shadow formulas. I recommend reading the description on Armani’s Website for a better description.

Left = #15 Copper, Right = #13 Black

* Numbers on the shadows have been updated and corrected, #15 is the Copper Shade, #13 is the Black Shade

Swatch comparisons to the other brands and colors:


Since they didn’t have testers of anything I passed on the lip items since I knew they would be bright. I did pick up a few more Rouge d’Armani Lipsticks (not part of the holiday collection) and the new Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara (all which will be reviewed in the near future).


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Loving Right Now: Shimmering Pales

November 10, 2010

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

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Dolce & Gabbana Ethereal Beauty Collection for Holiday 2010 * Updated*

November 5, 2010
I was on the phone calling up Nikki from Saks Houston as soon as Karen from Makeup and Beauty Blog gave us a sneak peek at the Dolce & Gabbana Holiday Collection. Nikki put me on the wait list and called me as soon as it came in. (Read about why I love Nikki here.) I was thrilled that it came in time for Saks’ Friends and Family event and also in time for the Saks GWP from Dolce & Gabbana. I saw the holiday campaign ad in Elle and it made me go “oooh pretty.” What arrived in the mail was not exactly reflective of the ad campaign or the holiday spirit but still gorgeous, nevertheless.


My first thoughts: This looks like something for resort. My second thoughts: The promotional ad looks like it’s simply been photoshopped from season to season rather than a true application of the holiday colors. Of course these are just my own thoughts. These days resort seems to be the new holiday when it comes to designer fashion and beauty collections.

The items I picked out with Nikki’s help:

  • Cashmere Bronzer – soft warm bronze
  • Rosebud Blush – medium coral-peach

  • Honey Lipgloss – creamy nude beige
  • Shimmer Lipgloss – opalescent shimmer
  • Shimmer Shine Lipstick – pale shimmery champagne
  • Rosebud Shine Lipstick – cool shimmery soft rosebud pink
  • Desert Classic Cream Lipstick – complex brownish copper

  • Cashmere Lip Pencil – nude brown pink
  • Cinnamon Lip Pencil – nude cinnamon
  • Shimmer Eyeliner – pale champagne shimmer
  • Desert Eyeshadow Quad – matte bone, shimmery sandy gold, matte warm tan brown, matte dark warm chocolate

Update here – the swatches and comparisons below:

Bronzer & Blush thoughts: Cashmere Bronzer is very similar to their Desert Bronzer. The difference is that Cashmere appears to be warmer in undertone. Both have a subtle finely milled shimmer that doesn’t really show up on the skin, however both just make the skin glow with that healthy tan look. Rosebud Blush seems more Apricot/Petal to me versus Rosebud-y. I envisioned a pink color but instead a brightened peach came. I love it even if it’s not very holiday. It’s brighter than the Dolce & Gabbana Peach and Nude blushes as you can see below. The difference in the compact is subtle. I’m afraid the swatches make them look the same but the difference can be seen when you apply them on the face.



Lipstick & Lipgloss thoughts: I really liked the Shimmer, Rosebud & Desert lipsticks from the holiday collection. The formula of the shine lipsticks aren’t the best because of the glossy texture but I love them anyways and don’t mind reapplying. I couldn’t find a dupe or comparable shade to Desert. Here are some similar shades to Shimmer & Rosebud.

The Dolce & Gabbana Lipglosses are beautiful in my opinion. They do have that Dolce & Gabbana flowery scent but it’s not overpowering. Those who wonder how Shimmer & Honey compare to other shades, here’s the lineup:


Thoughts on the eye items: Dolce & Gabbana Shimmer Eyeliner is very similar to Stila’s Kitten Smudge Pot (which I have barely used). I like the texture of the Dolce & Gabbana much better. The Stila was a bit hard to work with (it has a slightly different texture than the other smudgepots in my opinion).


The Desert quad – I’m sorry to say seems rather boring. They could have spiced up the matte shades and made it more special. Still I really love the pigment and texture of Dolce & Gabbana eyeshadows. They’re really easy to blend and have a lovely velvety texture. Here it is compared to Chanel Beiges de Chanel (long d/c) and the new Bobbi Brown Day To Night Warm Eye Palette from this holiday.

Overall thoughts: Love the Rosebud Blush and all the lip items. Bronzer & Eye Quad – ok, but not must haves. I think there are better options from the Dolce & Gabbana line.

If you’re in need of a good Dolce & Gabbana rep I highly recommend Nikki from Saks Houston. She is incredible and described everything spot on. You can check out my post on the fall collection for her contact info or e-mail me directly.

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NARS Mélusine Eyeshadow Duo & Petit Monstre Lipstick for Holiday 2010

November 4, 2010

The NARS Holiday collection this year is described as “brazenly mesmerizing” on narscosmetics.com and the description is spot on. NARS has never failed to capture my attention even when his collections are clearly not me. No matter what he releases, his collections still manage to turn my head and I’m always drawn to the counter to play. I don’t always leave the counter with something but his collections are always so cutting edge I can’t help but be curious. I loved the little black card I received recently – it brought a smile to my face.

I fell in love with his Mélusine Eyeshadow Duo ($32) because it is truly unique and took my breath away. Just read Josie’s review on Pink Sith and you’ll be in love too. This duo is SO MUCH better than the promotional photos. One side has a complex opalescent grey-purple shimmer. It’s almost duochrome but not quite. The shimmer is so finely mixed together it’s hard to describe. The other side is a matte cool purple. It did not apply well on my arm but goes on much smoother and richer on the eyes. This purple is an enigma to me – you can see that it looks slightly red in some photos while others look more blueish purple. It’s a matte shade so there’s no reflecting particles yet it still looks different depending on what angle you hold the duo at.


I could not resist Petit Monstre Lipstick ($24) because of the name. I have featured my kitty a few times on my blog and many of you have asked his name. I have to confess that we call our kitty Monster. He’s the meanest little furry thing I’ve ever seen yet I love him to death. He was the best birthday present I’ve ever received. I had to have this lipstick for my kitty’s sake. It’s described as a “rich, luscious berry” and that is exactly how I would describe it but with a gold shimmer infused throughout. It’s not quite red in the tube or on the hand but it applies red on my lips.



One last view of Mélusine Eyeshadow Duo and Petit Monstre Lipstick:

Swatched on bare skin:


My thoughts on the other items: Passed on the nail polishes and glosses. Was slightly interested in the new Sex Appeal Blush but it was simply too pale. Fell in love with the gold Étrusque eyeshadow but thought it would be too warm for my olive-toned skin. The other items were ok but not really my cup of tea. I found these at Nordstrom.
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