Here is a series on some taupe eyeshadows. For me there are numerous shades that could qualify as “taupe”, these mostly range from neutral to cool-toned taupes. For most of the pictures, I’ve included MAC Satin Taupe to help you gauge the colors in comparison to one another. Also note there will be some repeats in some photos!
MAC, Becca & FACE Stockholm Eyeshadows:
MAC Pigments, Paul & Joe Pearl Powder, MAC Solar Bits:
Bobbi Brown Metallic, Bobbi Brown Shimmerwash, Laura Mercier, Scott Barnes Eyeshadows:
Bobbi Brown (some repeats to include Fawn Shimmerwash):
More Laura Mercier & Scott Barnes:
Chantecaille Eyeshadows:
YSL & Chanel Eyeshadows:
Christian Dior, Calvin Klein (original discontinued line), NARS Eyeshadows:
Urban Decay & Giorgio Armani Shadows:
Jouer, Le Metier de Beaute, Shu Uemura & Trish McEvoy:
For makeup I’m obsessed with neutrals, but for nails, I’m obsessed with dark vampy colors and reds. Even though it’s mid-summer, I thought I’d share my favorite vampy colors to go along with the recent fall release themes like Dior Black Plum & Nars Tokaido Express. (Please excuse the messy manicures.)
***Note all pictures taken in direct natural sunlight. Also note the bottles shown don’t necessarily coincide with the shade on the finger directly above it. Bottles shown are notated in each category.***
Vampy Burgandy Shades (Sephora for OPI I’m With Brad & Chanel Vamp bottles shown): 1. Sephora for OPI I’m With Brad 2. Chanel Vamp 3. Chanel Rouge Noir 4. Chanel Cosmic Violine 5. Chanel Tulip Noir
Vampy Wine Shades (Dior Black Plum & Nars Gimme Shelter bottles pictured): 1. Nars Gimme Shelter 2. OPI NYPD Beet 3. Sephora by OPI Meet for Drinks 4. Dior Black Plum 5. MAC Boom!
Vampy Plums & Purples (Dior Licorice & Chanel Feu de Russie bottles pictured): 1. OPI Black Cherry Chutney 2. Nars Tokaido Express 3. Le Metier de Beaute Black Orchid 4. Dior Licorice 5. Chanel Feu de Russie
Miscellaneous Dark Shades (Chanel Nuit de Russie & Blue Satin bottles pictured): 1. OPI My Private Jet 2. Laura Mercier Caviar Dreams 3. Chanel Nuit de Russie 4. Chanel Blue Satin 5. Chanel Vendetta
Unfortunately for me this is how these blues/purples look on me without the sunlight:
I’m new to photographing nail polishes – so for more views or to check out these colors, I’d highly recommend checking out other various nail polish blogs for more swatches in case any of these look off on your screen! Or if some of the shades look identical, these blogs and galleries might help!
The Sheer Brilliance Glosses & Lip Cremes from Le Metier de Beaute have been my favorite products in the line, but I have also added a few gorgeous neutral eyeshadows and blushes to my collection. Included in this post are some eyeshadow, blush, highlighter and bronzer pictures from Le Metier de Beaute.
Eyeshadows come in a single-compact format or in a set of four packaged in a unique swivel-stacking system they call their Kaleidoscope Kits. Most of their Kaleidoscope Kits are pre-made and contain shades exclusive to each kit. The Persephone Kit did contain shades available in single-compact format. Check out these links to Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman or Karen’s Makeup and Beauty Blog to see the more product photos.
Eyeshadows, left to right: Mulberry, Jojo, Milan, Spicy
Close up of Mulberry & Jojo
Close up of Milan & Spicy
From Persephone Eye Kit: Rose Quartz (available as a single)
From Persephone Eye Kit: Alexandrite (available as a single)
From Persephone Eye Kit: Canvas (available as a single)
From Persephone Eye Kit: Sequoia (available as a single)
Whisper Highlighter, Fresh Blush, Echo/Sunkissed Blush Bronzer Duo
Close up of Whisper & Fresh (note Whisper doesn’t show on the websites for purchase but is available at counters)
Close up of Echo/Sunkissed Duo (which I received as an extra from the King of Prussia Le Metier Counter)
Overall thoughts: the eyeshadows are soft and with pretty pigment. I would say the pigment is in the medium-full range – not quite as rich as Urban Decay, but not as sheer as MAC Lustre Eyeshadows. The blushes have the same pigmentation as Nars, but have a more natural finish – I find some Nars shimmery blushes can be a bit too frosty if applied with a heavy hand. The Le Metier Bronzer is absolutely divine giving a soft warm glow. A HUGE thanks to Ellen at Neiman Marcus King of Prussia for including this!
Interested in more Le Metier? Check out these links:
Le Metier de Beaute: Feature on Lips (pictures of Sheer Brillance Glosses & Lip Cremes – my personal favorite with a gorgeous selection of pinks and beiges)
Many know I am a huge fan of Le Metier de Beaute for their high quality and gorgeous colors. Click HERE for a previous post on the lip glosses, lip cremes, and lipsticks.
FYI, Bergdorfs is having a gift with purchase event. The bag is really cute and it comes with a full size Le Metier Eye Liner and Kevyn Aucoin Shadow Pencil. Click HERE for the details from the Bergdorf Goodman website.
Back to the subject of Le Metier, my newest acquisitions include the new nail lacquers. The description per Bergdorf/Neiman Marcus online:
“Specifically formulated without formaldehyde, toluene and dibutyl phthalate (DPB), Le Metier de Beaute Nail Lacquers provide long-lasting, chip resistant, protective color and shine. Fortified with strengthening proteins and hydrators, Le Metier de Beaute Nail Lacquers delivers rich, glossy, long-wearing color . . . Benefits include truly intense, multi-dimensional color, resists chipping up to 14 days, and won’t fade, dull or streak, even in strong sunlight.”
I have loved everything I have purchased from Le Metier, however the new nail lacquers are somewhat disappointing. Priced at $15 each, the bottles are so tiny, they are smaller than those NARS mini bottles with about 1/2 the amount of product. The colors are pretty – but . . . I’m not totally in love, mainly because of the size.
Here are four of the colors, Lenton Rose is a shimmery gold, Phlox is a shimmery lilac, Violaceous Splendor is a complex purple-eggplant, Black Orchid is a deep purple:
Also featured from the July 2009 issue of InStyle – the Pink Peony shade which looks like a really cute pink:
Disappointments aside – I have heard from a few sources (who are not Le Metier artists or Neimans employees) that the color does indeed last a long time and that the formula is chip resistant, so you might be getting more for your $$ because of the quality.
* UPDATE on June 29* I just tried one coat of the Phlox on 2 fingers and the formula *IS* truly amazing. One coat was all I needed for a rich, streak-free, high shine color – even my other favorite brands (OPI, Chanel, RBL) need 2 coats. This is by far the best formula of nail polish that I’ve ever tried. That being said, even though I’ll only need one coat per manicure, the bottles are still so tiny it will definitely make me wait to see them in person before I order anymore.
Also, I’d like to ask that those of you who read this blog, please do not use my photos on your own websites without permission. Thank you!
I have fallen in love with a new luxury cosmetics line called Le Metier de Beaute. Karen at Makeup and Beauty Blog kindly featured me as a guest blogger in May with a review and introduction on the line. You can find the pictures and review here to find out more about their Galatea Eye Kit, Persephone Eye Kit, Sheer Brilliance Lip Glosses, Lip Cremes, and Lipsticks.
For a mini intro, the line launched exclusively at Bergdorfs and select Neiman Marcus locations last October 2008 and most of the products are available for purchase online at Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. The line may be available at few boutique salons and recently launched in the UK at Libertys. Be prepared to see price points similar to that of Dolce & Gabbana (see previous D&G feature here) and Giorgio Armani products.
Since last month’s feature at Makeup and Beauty Blog, I have added a few more glosses and lipsticks to my collection, visited the Neiman Marcus Le Metier counter at the Beverly Hills location and joined the Le Metier de Beaute fan club on Facebook. I have ordered items from the Neimans at King of Prussia (Product Specialist is Ellen) and Beverly Hills (Product Specialist is Scott) locations and both of them are extremely helpful, patient and great at describing colors and making recommendations over the phone.
For my updated collection, I’ve separated the items into two different groups Lilac/Pinks/Reds and Beiges/Peaches/Nudes. There are 2 different formulas, Sheer Brilliance Glosses and Lip Cremes and they are both are mixed in each group. Please refer to Makeup and Beauty Blog for a description on each formula.
Group 1: Lilac/Pinks/Reds, left to right Cap D’Antibes, Marsala, Sweet Creme*, Vanilla Rose*, Cannes, Dubai, Ibiza, Siena, Fraise Creme*
Group 2: Beiges/Peaches/Nudes, left to right Sunset Boulevard*, Zanzibar, Apricot Creme*, Peche Creme*, Creme Caramel*, Captiva, Cafe Creme*, Bondi Beach, Papaye Creme*
(Please note, a * indicates the creme formula. Also note, that Sunset Boulevard, Zanzibar, Marsala and Siena were gifts with purchases and as far as I know, are not available for purchase in the regular line.)
Some of the glosses also come in a lipstick form, here are four of the lipsticks compared with the gloss versions.
Color Core Moisture Stain Lipstick & Sheer Brilliance Gloss, left to right San Tropez, Cannes/Cannes, Ibiza/Ibiza, Marrakech
Have you heard about or tried this line? Thoughts? I have seen it featured in a few places and hope they will start advertising more as well as expand their distribution to more retail locations. Le Metier de Beaute was featured in Neiman Marcus’ May 2009 issue of THE BOOK as well as Bergdorf’s Spring Beauty Book section. There is also a picture of their new nail polishes in this month’s Instyle – looks pretty but very tiny!
Kalidescope Kits featured in THE BOOK:
The bottom eye kit is called Persephone, more close ups/info at makeup and beauty blog! I have nothing but raves about the quality of this line. However, I’m not sure the high price tag will attract enough customers, and on each occasion I have placed orders, the counters have been out of stock on at least 2-3 items. However I have received great customer service from the Product Specialists and each time they always offer to locate it at another location and have it shipped directly to me. Also, not all stores received the same items (such as the spring lip kits or eye kits or nail polishes) as what is online. At this time I am not sure if their store distribution is delayed or if the buyers at Neimans simply chooses different products for each location.
If you’ve seen features on this anywhere, please share! I’d love to see more pics or hear about more reviews on the line since it appears that the line selection is not the same everywhere based on the buyers decisions. More to follow on other items soon!
Neiman Marcus has an event coming up called Camp Gorgeous. It happens once a year. Here are the details for the event!
In addition to this tote, some lines are having a gift with purchase. I would highly recommend calling a store versus ordering online, even with shipping, the store sales associates are much more helpful and will sometimes throw in extra goodies or samples that are not available online.
Some of the GWPs are online under Neiman’s Beauty Section. There is a GWP for Armani that is not listed, call your counter for details.
This year they are also offering the Laura Mercier Pink Bronze Duo for $10. This was released
last summer with Laura Mercier’s Summer Collection. If you are a pink-bronze fan, this is a great deal!
Also, I’d like to provide a detailed picture of one of my favorite new lines, Le Metier. Their GWP is a Siena Sheer Brilliance Lipgloss, not available for purchase in the regular line. This one is a
pretty cool-toned carnation pink with a hint of shimmer.
The promotion picture from online and a real picture:
Also swatched on my lips. My skintone is olive, Chanel Shell 1.5, Armani LSF 5.5, in between MAC NC30-35. Siena is one of the more pigmented lipglosses from the Sheer Brilliance line, but still has that glossy finish.
(NOTE: This color was also offered as a GWP for Bergdorf’s Beauty Event back in April, which is why I already have one of these!) For Le Metier, I’ve ordered online, and over the phone through the Beverly Hills store and also King of Prussia. The product specialists are very helpful and patient. They will also give you details about any items not available online.
Scott is the specialist at the Neimans Beverly Hills location. Ellen is the product specialist at the King of Prussia Location. I cannot rave enough for these two! If you’d like to try Le Metier, this is a good time to try the line out and take advantage of this exclusive gloss! Check out Karen’s Makeup and Beauty Blog for some product photos of Le Metier de Beaute. More pictures and reviews to come soon in the next week!
Are you planning to get anything for Camp Gorgeous?
I’m a huge fan of the tanned summery look, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite coppery bronze colors. To avoid bronze-overload, I usually mix different variations or intensities of bronzey shades for eyes, lips and cheeks. Some of my favorite eyeshadows: 1) Nars Fez, 2) Chanel Lumieres Facettes in Plein Soleil, 3) Chanel Le Bronze, 4) Trish McEvoy Eye Base Essentials in Malibu, 5) Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow in Copper Cocoa, 6) Le Metier de Beaute Spicy Eyeshadow, 7) Trish McEvoy Sable Bronze, 8) MAC Pigment in Chocolate Brown I’m a huge fan of bronzey cheeks: * Top left to right – Becca Mineral Bronzing Powder in Duende, Bobbi Brown Shimmer Blush in Bahama Brown, Laura Mercier Illuminating Powder in Moroccan Bronze * Middle left to right – Trish McEvoy Luminzer in Luminous Bronze, Nars Multiple in South Beach * Bottom left to right – Nars Blush in Lovejoy, Laura Mercier Mineral Powder in Warm Bronze (mini size) For lips, I’m not a huge fan of the dark bronze lips, but prefer lighter bronze shades, or even nude shades with a hint of bronze: * Left to right – Trish McEvoy Sheer Lipcolor in Barely Innocent, Chanel Aqualumiere in Maritius #86, Chanel Aqualumiere in Key West #83, Giorgio Armani Silk Lipstick #18, Laura Mercier Boho Bronze, MAC Lustre Lipstick in Honey-Flower, Bobbi Brown Creamy Lip Color in Bronzed Pink
For lipglosses: * Left to right – Giorgio Armani Lipshimmer #57, Trish McEvoy Irrisistible, Chanel Glossimer in Unity #41, Chanel Aqualumiere Gloss in Freeze #66, Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bronze, MAC Lustreglass in Beaux
What are some of your favorite coppery bronze shades?
