I can’t believe it’s nearly the end of the month, where did the time go? This is April’s Edition of what I’m loving right now. As always, I’ve love to hear what you are loving right now too!
1. MAC Goldenaire Pigment – From MAC Lingerie 2006, a lovely pink with pearly shimmers. Goes well with almost everything for a neutral all-over wash.
2. Bobbi Brown Bronze Gel Liner – A nice soft but defined bronze shimmer. One of the few gel liners I’ve actually used up.
3. Diorshow Mascara – A mini one, but this is one of my holy grails. Love that the minis are just as good as the full sized ones. Can’t say that it really holds the curl, but it does give full lush lashes without clumping, smudging or flaking.
4. Dior Iridescent Leather Quint – Limited from Fall 2008. A gorgeous palette of neutrals and warm beigey taupes. The closest alternative is Earth Reflection which is cooler-toned. I read from Rouge Deluxe that this was re-released in Asia. If they brought this back in the US, I wouldn’t have to use this so sparingly.
5. Bobbi Brown Maui Illuminating Bronzer – A lovely natural pink glow. You can see it here compared to Antigua. Maui is the darker version with a bit more pigment.
6. Dolce & Gabbana Desert Bronzer – Lovely soft warm bronze with subtle shimmer. Those who find NARS Casino/Laguna too shimmery, this one is a nice option that is softer but not completely matte.
7. Chanel Pink Crystal Glossimer – Came out Holiday 2007, not the most unique pink shimmer. Chanel has released quite a few similar shades including the new Spring Futile. But I love this one over other lipsticks.
8. Chanel Bondi Beach Aqualumiere Gloss – New for Summer 2010. A soft peachy gold shimmer. I love the way this looks on the lips even though it’s medium-sheer. You can see an additional swatch here.
9. Chanel Stresa Aqualumiere – I’m not sure if they still make this shade, but it’s a sheer hot strawberry iridescent cool pink. I love this with Chanel’s Nude Lipliner and Bon-Bon Aqualumiere gloss on top for a healthy pink lip. Bright as it looks in the tube, on the lips it’s very wearable. See a makeover breakdown I had with it here.
10. NARS Mojave – I’ve been a longtime fan of NARS Viva Las Vegas. Mojave is it’s darker more pigmented sister which is like what I wanted MAC Plastique to be (still lovely, but too frosty for my taste without gloss on top).
Check back soon for my list of what I’m loving right now – the non-beauty edition!
I had a $50 giftcard to Neimans that expired on the 18th and since Shu Uemura was going to be pulled from the store soon, I decided to look at the line to see if there was anything I could find. I found two shadows that I didn’t recognize in IR Brown 850and P Purple 781, and to reach the $50 minimum for my gift card, I decided on one of the new Laura Mercier summer lipglosses in Glistening Sand. I also had a few cards I received in the mail for a mini Rouge Coco in Legende and a mini DiorShow. I had received the cards in the mail about a month ago – but they didn’t get their samples in until recently.
Laura Mercier has 3 featured glosses for the summer collection: Glistening Sand (a beige with gold sparkles), Bon Bon (repromote, a bright salmon coral pink), and another bright coral (forget the name). She reformulated her bronzers with a wave-like pattern, but as far as I could tell they looked the same as the older ones. There were also 3 new eyeshadows which I neglected to pay attention to, one was a teal, the others were golden. Glistening Sand seems pretty sheer unfortunately – but it will be pretty over other beigey-nude lipsticks. (I don’t test glosses at the counter for sanitary reasons.)
The Shu Uemura eyeshadows have good pigment when applied over a base or with a damp brush. IR Brown 850 is a taupe with a slight greenish tinge on my skin. P Purple 781 is a matte purple-brownish base with silver micro-sparkles.
Eyeshadows are swatched wet (with a damp brush) and dry:
Bikini Peach Glossimer – soft pinky-peach with shimmer
Close Ups of the Nail Polishes:
My fingers feel like the came from the 80’s or like they belong in a gumball machine.
Comparisons to some other Chanel colors: Ming, Jade, Azur, Melrose
Lipstick + Lipglosses:
Summer Gloss Comparisons to MAC Love Nectar, MAC Sublime Shine, Armani #1, and Chanel Sesame:
Lipstick comparisons to: Como, Lily Beige, Cancun
Overall thoughts: You all know I’m a die-hard Chanel fan, but this collection seemed a bit lacking. The collection seemed a bit uncoordinated. There weren’t any new blushes or eyeshadows which I was hoping for. The bronzers seemed a bit unoriginal. The lips had a good balance of bright and neutral, of course I picked up the neutrals and I am completely obsessed with both Bondi Lipstick and Bondi Beach Gloss!
Bikini Peach Glossimer is nice, but is similar to Sesame Glossimer, just a bit deeper in color.
The nail polishes are not must-haves in my opinion, although I do love Riviera which I think will be cute on the toes. Of course I got them because I collect Chanel nail polishes. The formula of these 3 summer colors are incredible and applied like a dream. I didn’t really need 2 coats, but decided to do it anyways because my application was sloppy. At this time, I don’t have any idea how or when I will be pulling off the Nouvelle Vague. I still have yet to brave the Jade color on tips or toes. But at least they both look nice in my vanity.
Being the Chanel fan that I am, I was still able to find some items I liked. The collection as a whole just didn’t wow me as much as past seasons have. The sheer glosses were interesting – I already had a few Fluo Glosses from a previous collection and haven’t used those much because they were just so sheer. However, the new ones seemed to have more color due to their brightness.
If Neimans has a good Incircle GWP, I might consider picking the other glosses up. Saks’ Triple Points GWP was less than thrilling with a mini lifting cream, No 5 body cream mini and a mini mascara. Hardly worth the $150 minimum. Thankfully my SA threw in a few other goodies and extras that she could gather, but this time I had to actually ask.
Dior has released a new lipgloss called Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss which comes in a larger tube than the regular Addict Ultra-Gloss Reflect formula. Does this mean the original Addict Ultra-Gloss Reflects are going away? I’m not sure. There are quite a few of the same shade numbers in the new packaging/formula, just with different names, my SA did not know when I asked her.
The new formula retails at the same price as the old, even though the newer tubes have slightly more product. Both retail for $26.50, the new tubes have 6.3 ml/.21 fl oz versus the older tubes which have 6 ml/.19 fl oz.
Also, new and exclusive to Sephora for Spring 2010, there is a new Lip Polish called Petal Pink in #004 for $29.50. I wrote about the other 3 lip polishes last June, click here for the review/swatches.
L to R: Lace Beige, Pink Silk, Negligee Pink, Petal Pink
Close up:
Overall lovely with nice soft-medium pigment and smooth texture. The new Addict Ultra-Glosses range from cream non-shimmer to soft iridescent to super sparkle, so there’s a wide range to suit your sparkle needs. I picked the ones that were more subdued. (From Nordstrom.) If you own any Dior glosses, I suggest you go through your current stash and write down the numbers of the colors you own so you don’t experience the same “do I already have this shade” that I did while playing with all the colors.
(FYI those not familiar with Dior, most of their lipglosses are labeled by number at the bottom, the product name is typically only on the boxes, making it a challenge to remember what colors you have.)
The new Lip Polish in Petal Pink is fairly sheer. If I had tested it in-store, I probably would have passed. It is very dupable from other milky pinks, although it does give your lips that pretty youthful looking glow. These are pricey at $29.50, but this is due to the roller-wand and unique ingredients. I personally find the rolling wand a bit awkward to use since I’m not used to it. (From Sephora.)
Trish McEvoy’s latest release, The Bronze Collection, is trickling into stores and I am really excited to report that the Irresistible Petal Lip Gloss that was in the Turquoise Petite Python Planner is available separately!
Products featured include: Dual Matte Bronzer in Medium, Mistake-Proof Sheer Application Brush, Classic Lip Color in Natural, Irresistible Petal Lipgloss.
Check out her website, TrishMcEvoy.com – The Bronze Collectionfor more details on each item. Even more exciting – Trish has done a video on the look which can be viewed on her Trish McEvoy FaceBook Fan Page. I just discovered her FB resource and it has a lot of great features! I like the look on the model from the video, although she’s quite a bit darker in skintone than I am, it’s nice to see how the products look on her.
And even better, another view for their promotional photo on the collection. I love that the look is simple and gorgeous and fresh. Photo from Trish McEvoy:
I found some of the items at Saks – the display unit was up, but the products were not yet featured for testing. Thanks to my iPhone, I was to check online for the product names and my SA kindly checked the drawers to see if they had any of the colors in-stock. They had the lipstick and lipgloss. I know Trish products pretty well now, so I didn’t need to test them out before buying. Seeing them in the tubes was enough for me to say, “yes, one of each please!”
Top: Irresistible Petal Bottom: Natural
* Natural Lipstick ($23) is a new formula which is more matte than her other lipsticks. According to her video, this is the first of her new Classic Lip Color line which will consist of shades that are here to stay. It’s a natural pinky your-lips-but-better color. If you found the Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle too warm for you, I think the Trish McEvoy Natural might be a similar but less warm alternative for you to check out.
* Irresistible Petal ($25) is the third color in her Irresistible Lip Gloss formula (Irresistible reviewed back last July & Irresistible Pink, tried but not purchased) which all have a reflective sparkle quality. These have quite a bit more shimmer with tiny micro-sparkles than her regular lipglosses. I found Irresistible to be just as sparkly as MAC Dazzleglasses, but the newest Irresistible Petal has a more subdued sparkle. It’s a sheer light pink sparkle which has a faint minty scent and smooth glossy finish. The gloss gives me really full lips.
Here they are both swatched on my lips:
I wrote about the Python Planner set from Blue Mercury back during Christmas. The set was intended as a gift, but luckily I got to keep the actual python print planner since my friend liked the regular black quilted petite planner instead 🙂
I have too many planners to count in various sizes. The pros to using these include the fact that they keep you organized, they help you sort all your makeup items and tools, and it’s convenient to carry if you have a larger purse or for travel. The downside is that since it’s designed for Trish McEvoy products, you have to find pan eyeshadows/blushes to fit in her page to make full use of the planner. But if you’re not a 100% Trish user, not to worry, you can still fit quite a bit of other items from other brands into the sets.
This is what I have in mine today:
This is everything I was able to fit into the planner and there was still plenty more room to fit more stuff. Includes a variety of mini brushes, Chanel mascara, Paul & Joe lipliner, Edward Bess Afterglow Highlighter, Trish Eye Base + Lipstick + Luminizer + Petite Page + Lipliner + Lipgloss, Laura Mercier cream eyeshadow, Le Metier eyeliner etc.
How the planner fits neatly into my purse:
My purse contents (I have no idea why there is Splenda in my bag):
Overall thoughts: Both are pretty for spring. The Natural lipstick is indeed very natural looking. It gives me my-lips-but-better with a soft rosey tint. If you want more color, Trish definitely has some brighter lipsticks which are flattering and have a pretty finish. The lipgloss is very sheer, but I love the way it adds a bit of sparkle and it smells and feels great.
1. Paul & Joe Alice in Wonderland Fantasy Set – So cute, I can’t help but smile everytime I look at my P&J Alice sets. I wish I could take it with me in my purse, but it’s not really practical for toting around. The lipbalm goes on basically clear even though it has a pink tint. I haven’t seen the new movie – anyone who has, what are your thoughts?
2. Chanel Sillage Eyeshadow – From the spring collection, this is a lovely shimmery light highlighting color. It’s along the same lines of Lotus, Liberty and Island eyeshadows but has a bit more pink with slight peach to it. It gives a lovely glow to the lid.
3. Chantecaille Sel Eyeshadow – Yes, of course, I’m always loving at least one taupe shade every month. This month my favorite is Chantecaille Sel – a complex color that has shades of silver, taupe, grey, and gold making this very uniquely stunning. It looks different depending on what angle you hold the compact at. I have a hard time pulling off most silvers. Taupes I can do, but pure silvery shades end up making me look tired. On my skin Sel is more silvery but the gold in it makes it wearable for me which is a plus. I love this over Laura Mercier’s Platinum Metallic Cream Eyeshadow.
4. Giorgio Armani Maestro 23 – This color replaced the original Eyeshadow #4. It’s a deep navy-black with a satin finish that has a slight shimmer. There are definitely other similar colors, but I like that the Maestro 23 isn’t too harsh like most blacks or navys which are typically flat matte shades. The texture makes the finish a bit softer since you can blend and layer it to the intensity you prefer.
5. Lancome Pop Petrol 014 Nail Polish – See the full review plus some other views here. Such a lovely murky steel green blue shimmer. I prefer it on the toes rather than fingers, but I’ve never received so many head-turns, compliments and random women coming up to me to ask “what color is that you’re wearing?” just from a nail polish.
6. NARS Ophelia Lipgloss – Also from spring, this is a sheer healthy pink with shimmer. Looks lovely over the new Cruising lipstick or Tutti Frutti lipstick. (Pictured below, swatch is at the top.)
7. Chanel Maline 141 Glossimer – From the spring 2010 collection, it’s on the sheer side and basically goes on clear, but I love the sparkles in this. It looks great over lipsticks to add a pretty sheen. I really like this over nudes like Chanel Como Aqualumiere and MAC Marquise D. (Pictured above, bottom swatch.)
8. Chanel Gardenia 13 Rouge Coco – This is exclusive to Neiman Marcus. It’s a soft shimmery warm pink on me. I’ve already reviewed/featured this before, but here it is on me below again. It might be replacing my Chanel Waikiki for HG (holy grail) status.
Also check it out on Tali at The Gloss Goss here to see how it looks on a different skintone. It’s gorgeous on her!
9. Chanel Caprice Blush – This came out years ago in the US and is by far the prettiest pink blush I have ever seen. I was really sad that it was discontinued but luckily I have a back up! It’s like a soft pink version of Chanel Rose Bronze/Armani Blush #10 without the bronzey looking finish that these have sometimes. There’s no dupe for this that I know of and I’ve searched hi and lo through almost every high-end brand. No luck.
10. Chanel UV Essential – For the past week, I’ve been using this on top of my moisturizer, underneath foundation as a primer. It’s very liquid and has a thin texture so a little goes a long way. The recommended use is to apply it as the last step of your daily skincare regimen. It works really well for me to make my makeup last all day.
Dolce & Gabbana has released a mini collection exclusive to Saks Fifth Avenue which includes Caramel Lipstick, Caramel Lipgloss, Blossom Eyeshadow Duo and Perfection Nail Polish.
Both the Lipstick and Lipgloss versions of Caramel were described to me as a nude color. Blossom Duo was described as having shades of pink and rose and Perfection Nail Polish was described as a beige cream color.
Since I have been smitten with the Caramel Blush from the holiday collection, I decided to order the lipstick and lipgloss version. When ordering things sight unseen, there’s always a chance that something arrives a bit different than expected. I’ve been lucky to have liked most of the things I’ve ordered sight-unseen. Caramel Lipstick ended up being a disappointment as soon as I opened the tube. I was expecting a warm caramel nude, instead, it’s a beige-grey caramel color. The lipgloss is also more greyish than I expected but seems like it will be more workable. The lipstick will definitely be going back for an exchange. I haven’t tested the gloss yet.
The Lipgloss retails for $29 and Lipstick retails for $30.
