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Chanel Le Blanc: Rouge Allures Désinvolte 86 and Joyeuse 87

March 13, 2011

This will be my last Chanel Le Blanc feature. Rouge Allures Désinvolte 86 and Joyeuse 87 are beautiful combination of bright and fresh. Désinvolte is a soft pinky-peach with a soft sheen. Joyeuse is a sheer hot bright pink. Both go on with a natural sheen and fairly sheer on my lips. These are of the typical Rouge Allure texture – smooth, soft and creamy.

Désinvolte looks like a straight soft peachy-apricot in the tube, however it goes on very sheer on my lips and looks like a pinky-peach than peach. See the hand versus lip swatch. There is a soft silvery sheen to the color which I think is why it goes on so sheer. Due to the limited nature of these I know many of you are wondering if there is anything similar. For Désinvolte, I would say yes. It reminds me of a softer/sheerer version of Chanel’s long discontinued Lola Hydrabase. I think MAC has made quite a few Lustres with a similar finish. Compared to Peregrina Rouge Coco from Spring, Désinvolte is similar but softer.

Joyeuse is a cool bright hot pink with a soft sheen. I love it. For me it’s hard to find a cool hot pink that doesn’t look blueish on my lips (since I have a lot of olive). This one is hard to dupe in my opinion. NARS Venice is significantly more frosty, NARS Roman Holiday is significantly more pastel, MAC’s bright pinks are all a lot more sparkly or opaque. Compared to Jersey Rose, it’s a lot cooler and sheerer.

Here are my comparisons to the peach and pink Rouge Cocos from the Spring 2011 Collection (previously reviewed, swatched, and compared here) plus a few a few more.

Edward Bess Forbidden Flower
Chanel Peregrina Rouge Coco
Chanel Désinvolte Rouge Allure
Chanel Joyeuse Rouge Allure
Chanel Stresa Aqualumiere (discontinued)
Chanel Jersey Rose Rouge Coco

As of now, I believe these two are still exclusive to Asia. The Chanel Beaute Studios I called have said no, they will not be receiving anything from the Le Blanc collections. I have not contacted Chanel.com to inquire about it though. If you don’t want to scour e-bay or have a friend in the Asia regions able to do a custom purchase, you might want to keep your eye on Izzy’s Perfume & Beaute Shoppe, I know in the past they have carried Asia/Europe exclusives from Chanel and Dior. (Not affiliated with them and FYI they have their own prices that are higher than US retail.)

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Trying Out A Few New Nudes: MAC, Burberry & Zoya

February 21, 2011

I’m always looking for that perfect shade of nude even though I have quite a few favorites (Chanel Mythic & Luminous, Bobbi Brown Beige Gold, MAC High Tea). Everyone has a different interpretation of what they see as a true nude (see an older post here, What’s Your Definition of Nude?) – for me a true nude is something flesh colored. Light nude beiges don’t always work for me, many require tweaking with layering of extra gloss or liner (what I call my high maintenance nudes). Sometimes there are nude colors that are simply too neutral or beige and end up washing me out, but my curiosity always gets the best of me, I can’t help but check out every variation of beige.

A few new discoveries, thoughts, and swatches: MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick & Lipglass, Zoya Naomi Nail Polish, Burberry Trench Eyeshadow, MAC Gana Blush (from the Mickey Contractor collection).

First up are the newest additions to the MAC Viva Glam series: Gaga 2 Lipstick and Lipglass. Both are creamy neutral grey-beiges in the tubes but go on with a slightly peachy cast on the skin. These are true nudes, both of which I find fall under my “high maintenance” nudes category. The Gaga 2 Lipstick resembles concealer on my lips. It has full coverage (the amplified formula) with rich and creamy texture. Having tried other MAC nudes like Cherish, Creme d’Nude and Peachstock, I know this one will work better once layered over a darker liner (and blended of course) like MAC Stripdown and then topped with clear lipglass. I’ve swatched it alone below. Thumbs down by itself – the color just makes my skin look dirty and I look lifeless. Gaga 2 Lipglass is the exact same shade of nude, it’s not quite as flat and has the tiniest bit of sparkle in the tube. The shimmer doesn’t show up on the lips. For some reason the glossy texture makes it more forgiving on the lips. Thumbs up for this one! It’s a wearable nude, but I think MAC Revealing Lipglass is a more universally flattering beige nude. This one is also featured below alone (no lipstick or liner underneath).

In direct sunlight:

Zoya Naomi is an opalescent beige with a soft silver sheen. I ordered this from Zoya.com sight unseen along with a few of the Zoya Spoons. I haven’t tried too many Zoya Nail Polishes yet, but so far I’ve been extremely pleased with the finish, pigment and wearability of the colors. However, my experience with the Zoya neutrals is similar to my experience with Essie neutrals – what you see in the bottle doesn’t always translate to what you get on the fingers. In this case, I found Zoya Naomi a bit too warm for my beige skintone. I had to tweak it with a layer of a sheer silvery pink to get it to work. (Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post to see what I used.) Lovely color with 2 coats, just needed a slight change for my own liking.

Burberry Trench Eyeshadow is one of the best nudes I have ever tried. It’s deceptively boring and dull looking in the pan and swatched on my fingers, but it has a soft velvety texture that brightens and evens out the eye lids with a subtle luminescence. I love it. This isn’t entirely new (bought it back in late August in San Francisco’s Nordstrom) but I haven’t gotten around to reviewing it. I really love Burberry’s soft eyeshadows. I can’t wait for them to release more colors.

Burberry Trench finger swatched (on the hands it just melts/blends):

MAC Gana Frost Blush from the Mickey Contractor Collection was exclusive to select MAC Pro Stores and online. It’s a soft champagne grey pink shimmer powder that looks pretty on the eyes and as a highlighter on the temples. I don’t know if it’s still available or easy to find. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to Estee Lauder’s Tom Pecheux Highlighter (reviewed here) but with a pinkish/grey sheen. Those who can’t find it and want something similar that you can still find, MAC’s Beauty Powder in Play it Proper similar in effect.

Gana Swatched on bare skin:

All the new nudes swatched on arm, two views:

Have you tried any of these nudes I just reviewed? What are your thoughts if you have tried them? I’m especially interested to hear your thoughts on the Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick and Lipglass – how are you making these work for you?

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My Must-Have Eye Brushes

February 18, 2011

I’ve accumulated so many brushes over the years from dozens of different brands, I’m embarrassed to admit just how many I have. Finding the right tools are essential for good makeup application – I’ve played with each and every brush using them for practically every type of powder or cream, experimenting with different textured products, trying different application techniques, testing out different angles & applying different pressure. When I first started blogging I did a comprehensive post on all the brushes I own by type. I’ve linked it here Beauty Tools & Essentials: Eye Brushes for your reference.

The brushes listed below are my go-to brushes that I love so much I have multiples of these. Some have lasted me over 10 years now. I wash mine with Neutrogena’s Body Wash as needed. Probably about once every couple of weeks to once a month. Note I do not have a crease so I don’t typically use brushes specifically for the crease or outer V.

I personally prefer full sized brushes with longer handles because they are easier to hold in the hands while applying and they are easier to store. For short-handled travel brushes, I’ve accumulated a number from different sets but have never found the perfect travel brush set. I usually tend to avoid those brush sets simply because I find the quality to be poor. Laura Mercier seems to be the exception and has the best ones I’ve tried and I love her mini brushes that come with special sets or palettes.

1. Stila #4 Precision Eye Liner Brush $20 – this one has lasted me since my senior year in high school, soft but precise for layering dark shadows over a pencil or gel liner

2. Laura Mercier Smudge Brush $24 – small dense smudge brush with a fine point at the tip, good for getting into those corners or detail areas, extremely versatile for powders & creams, I like that it’s dense but soft and easy on my sensitive eyes, great for smudging liner for a soft blended look

3. Becca Brush #11 – now discontinued, similar in shape to MAC 242 – this is my perfect brush for cream eyeshadow

4. MAC 224 Tapered Blending Brush $29 – soft loose and fluffy, best for a super sheer wash of color and good for blending colors

5. MAC 219 Pencil Brush $24.50 – small pointy and dense, good for a smokey eye and getting to corners for detailing along bottom lashes

6. MAC 217 Blending Brush $22.50 – one of my most favorite brushes ever, super soft and versatile, great for blending and layering, love that it’s big enough to cover a big portion of the eye but small enough to control color where you want it, definitely a must have in every collection

7. MAC 239 Eye Shader Brush $24.50 – another favorite, this is the best brush to pack on color by patting or sweeping, picks up product well and allows control depending on how much product you have on your brush and the pressure you use to apply powders on the lids, if you use it sideways (versus flat) you can use it to get a smudgey line, another great versatile brush, blends colors well

8. MAC 242 Shader Brush $24.50 – I like this for cream shadows that I don’t want all over the lid, the small size allows thicker more pigmented application, I’ve used this for smudging gel liners, it also works for powders too, but I mostly use this for creams

9. Bobbi Brown Ultra Fine Eyeliner Brush $25 – no comparison for gel liners, this is the best one I’ve tried, the tiny tip allows for a precise application even for those with unsteady hands

10. Bobbi Brown Eye Liner Brush $25 – another great option for powder eye liners and precise application with one sweep, I don’t like angled liner brushes because I find the tips too wide and harsh for my eyes, this one from Bobbi Brown is stiff but gentle

11. Trish McEvoy #21 Large Laydown $53 – pricey and a total splurge but well worth the price, love this for both powders and creams
12. MAC 227 Large Fluff Brush $30 – a great all over fluff brush that is densely packed but allows for an even wash of color all over the eyes with one sweep

Detailed close ups:

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MAC Chez Chez Lamé, Rosé Olé, Vintage Selection & Let Me Pop

December 29, 2010

I know what you’re thinking: Not another Cham Pale review! Even more so, MAC on this blog?* I realize you’ve seen this collection reviewed practically everywhere, but per request, here are my thoughts on the MAC Cham Pale collection and comparisons to other shimmer powders and paint pots.

Overall impression: I love the theme of shimmering pales (as seen in last month’s Loving Right Now: Shimmering Pales post). I’m all about the glowy and luminous but when I started seeing swatches and reviews on other blogs I was a bit let down. Everything looked so frosty! Still, curiosity got the best of me so I took a peek at the MAC counter the day after Christmas. I can report that my favorite bloggers did an amazing job in swatching with great accuracy. The colors are indeed very metallic in this collection, however I was able to find a few things that worked for me when applied with a lighter hand.

What I picked out, thoughts and descriptions:

Chez Chez Lamé Special Reserve Highlight Powder – This is a soft pale beige gold shimmer. I have a soft spot for MAC MSFs even though they tend to be overly frosty so I couldn’t resist these new highlighting powders. On my skin, the shimmer is more finely milled and less frosty. I also find these less frosty than Bobbi Brown Shimmer Bricks. I was pleasantly surprised! This is extremely pale however – if you’re a Chanel Shell or darker I would recommend using this with a super light hand to avoid super-frost.

Rosé Olé Special Reserve Highlight Powder – This is described as a soft pink with gold shimmer, on me it’s a peachy-rose, slightly bronzey. Same finely milled shimmer quality on the cheeks. I think this will look great on the eyes. Since it’s darker it’s not quite as contrasted on my skin. I recommend also applying with a lighter hand, I don’t think these will photograph well if applied heavily – you will most likely end up looking oily from the shimmer/shine.

Vintage Selection Paint Pot – I was the most anxious to see how the Paint Pots looked in real life. I thought I would pass on them all as they looked glittery and chunky. They are significantly more sparkly than any other paint pots I’ve seen, yet there were two that I liked blended out. Vintage Selection is a lovely light mauvey-pink sparkle. Those who don’t like micro-glitters may find this too over-the-top. Normally I avoid glitter like the plague, but this one is pretty blended out. Even though these are creams, for some reason I find MAC Paint Pots to be a bit hard to blend and need a bit of help from eye creams.

Let Me Pop Paint Pot – A unique coppery peach that is light enough for me to wear on the eyes without looking ill. This too has glittery chunks, so I recommend if you do venture to try this, try it on in small doses.

The comparisons of similar products with swatches, MAC Chez Chez Lamé:

The comparisons of similar products with swatches, MAC Rosé Olé:

MAC Paint Pots, MUFE Aqua Cream & Laura Mercier Metallic Creme Eye Color:

I found most of the Cham Pale colors original and different from others (with the exception of the repromotes). I don’t think this is a universal palette of colors. The paleness of everything will definitely not suit all skintones. The glittery frosty aspect of the lipglosses and paint pots will definitely be out of many women’s comfort zone. I personally don’t know who would wear those glittery lipgelees ever. But to each their own.

If you’re wondering how the shimmer highlighters compare to other high-end brands, well, I still have to tell you they just don’t. Even though these are finely milled and not-too-frosty, The Dior Skinshimmers and YSL Holiday Powder and Chanel just have a more natural glowy quality. Compred to the frost level of NARS Multiples, Blushes, and highlighters, the MAC is more subtle in my opinion.

I was surprised myself that I left the MAC counter with anything – you all know I’m not a huge fan of super-frost or glitter. I won’t say anything is a must-have, but I do recommend if you’re at all interested to explore this collection and check it out in person if you can. You might be surprised to find something fun and different.

* As an update to the rude commenter and others who like to throw insults on a regular basis – I did not mean to imply I am too good for MAC. I do like quite a few items from MAC, in fact a substantial percentage of my collection consists of MAC products, but mainly from older collections. Those who have actually read my blog for a while know I do not typically cover MAC collections by choice simply because it is a widely accessible brand that is well covered in blog reviews, message board reviews and videos. I blog about what I want to blog about and what I like. What I like is variety. If you are offended by luxury brands then this is not the blog for you to read.

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Getting Ready for New Year’s Eve with Metallic Glitzy Nails

December 29, 2010

New Year’s Eve is only a few nights away! I’m keeping it low-key this year with family but it’s still fun to get dressed up in the spirit. This year I’m in the mood for those high metallic, chrome-like/foil-like colors on the nails which is out of the ordinary for me as I’m not the biggest fan of those high-shine metallics. I end up feeling like an ornament or metal statue, but for NYE I think it’s fun. My picks (which I am still trying to decide on) include:

Dior Timeless Gold (Holiday 2010) reviewed here
Dior Silver Pearl (Last Spring 2010) reviewed here
YSL Pink Gold #140 (Holiday 2010) reviewed here
YSL Gold #139 (Holiday 2010) reviewed here
MAC Soirée (Holiday 2010)
OPI Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous (Swiss Collection, Fall 2010)
Rococo Nail Apparel R2T2 (can be found in the US at Space NK) reviewed here
Rococo Nail Apparel Metal Jacket (can be found in the US at Space NK reviewed here

The fun part about metallic nails is how the colors change depending on the light and how you move your fingers. I love how these have rich pigment and the metallic finish pearl particles make these dry really fast and last long. The formulas of these have a semi-matte finish, not quite like the OPI suede colors, but not like a shiny varnish either. I always love the colors in the bottles, but what goes on the nails is sometimes too intense for my personal taste.

Close ups and on the nails, Dior Timeless Gold, Dior Silver Pearl, YSL #140, YSL #139:

Close ups and on the nails, MAC Soiree, OPI lucerne-tainly look marvelous, Rococo R2T2, Rococo Metal Jacket:

I have too many options and can’t decide! Maybe you can help me pick 🙂 Of course it will depend on what I’m wearing. I have a few outfits picked out which are versatile and will go with any of these nail colors.

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Spring 2011 Previews from Maquia February 2011 Issue

December 26, 2010

I scanned these from Maquia’s February 2011 issue. A few sneak peeks of what’s to come. Note, I cannot translate this so I won’t be able to answer questions about the products, your guess is as good as mine is. However, there are number indicators on some of the products which help me try to figure out the coordinating product number to name. Also note Maquia is a Japanese publication so I don’t know if the US will get all the items featured, I know in years past we haven’t, but I’m not sure about this year.

For more previews, check out Rouge Deluxe for her preview scans/photos from Biteki’s February 2011 publication. She’s great at finding out new information and has a number of sneak peek and links to previews of stuff coming out this spring.

At the moment I have no information about what else is coming out or when items will be released except for Chanel, MAC and Bobbi Brown: I do know the Bobbi Brown Pretty Powerful palettes have been released, I saw them at Nordstrom this morning but passed since they combine creams and powders in the same level for the palette – a BIG NO-NO for me.

Please do not republish these on message boards, blogs, websites or anywhere else as it took me some time to scan each in and format them to fit this blog. Thank you.

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Loving Right Now: Dark & Murky

December 9, 2010

I am anxiously waiting for Chanel Spring 2011 to arrive instore. I watched the Spring-Summer 2011 Fashion Show at Chanel.com and once again became inspired to pull a few of my dark murky greenish-blackened teals. I can’t pull off the dramatic looks that were on the runway, but when these darks are used with a lighter hand or as a smokey liner the result is lovely.

What am I loving now?

Chanel Black Jade Intense Eye Pencil – blackened jade with slight shimmer
Laura Mercier Black Turquoise Kohl Eye Pencil – beautiful deep teal shimmer
NARS Rajasthan Eyeshadow Duo – LOVE, featured here
MAC Deep Blue Green Pigment – intense frosty deep teal
MAC Moonlight Night Pigment – glittery deep green
Laura Mercier Caviar Dreams Nail Polish – dark blackened teal
MAC Dark Soul+Moonlight Night Pigments mixed – my ideal smoky teal-grey shadow

What I love about these specific colors is the complex nature and deep base making them dark enough to not be a straight teal, but also green enough so they aren’t a straight black. They all change color depending on different angles and lighting. Below you’ll see what I mean.

Swatches L to R: Chanel Black Jade, Laura Mercier Black Turquoise, NARS Rajasthan, MAC Deep Blue Green, MAC Moonlight Night, Laura Mercier Caviar Dreams, MAC Dark Soul+Moonlight Night mixed

In different lighting you can see the green more:

The thing I am looking forward to the most is Chanel’s Black Pearl Nail Polish. You know I’ll be doing a comparison as soon as I get my hands on it! To satisfy my current craving for that deep black-green murky nail polish, I did a Laura Mercier Caviar Dreams manicure (shade is from 2008). I know some of you will be cursing me as this shade is no longer available, but I think it can be easily duped. (More comparisons to come once Black Pearl is released). In the meantime, here are my fingers at the moment.

See the beautiful duo-chrome in the bottle:

On the nails it’s a different story though:

Didn’t get enough green/teal? Go back into the archives, back from last June 2009 where I featured Blues and Greens in my Smokey Eye Series. There you’ll see more colors to observe.