Today’s color theme includes bronzey eyes and peachy lips/cheeks with three variations. (Note that Day 1 has been updated as well with a third look.) I would have to say this is my no-fail go to look. I always feel comfortable with a bronze liner and a soft peach lip (although I’ve been told that I look better in pinks and plums).
Look Day #2: bronze eyes with peachy lips & cheeks
Cheeks: Chanel Fandango Blush MAC Refined Mineralize Skin Finish
Eyes: Bobbi Brown Sandy Gold Cream Eyeshadow MAC Vanilla Pigment Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill #2 Brown Copper Trish McEvoy Eye Definer Sparkling Bronze
Lips: Make Up Forever Aqua Lip Liner 1C Laura Mercier Designer Beige Shimmer Lipstick Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer #3
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Alternative with a brighter lip:
Cheeks: Trish McEvoy Liquid Face Color #1 + MAC Superduper Natural Mineralize Blush
Eyes: Bobbi Brown Flesh Eyeshadow Bobbi Brown Burnished Cream Eyeshadow Nars Cordura Eyeshadow Duo Laura Mercier Brown Copper Eye Liner Lips: Chanel Exquise Rouge Allure MAC Euro Beat Dazzleglass mixed with Paul & Joe Lip Lacuqer #8
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Alternative with a smokier eye & lighter nude-peach lip:
Cheeks: Chanel Tweed Sienna Blush Le Metier Blush/Bronze Duo Sunkissed and Echo Eyes: MAC Femme Fi Eyeshadow Trish McEvoy Eye Definer in Sparkling Bronze MAC Gilt by Association Mineralize Eyeshadow Lips: Bobbi Brown Beige Lipliner Giorgio Armani Rouge D’Armani Beige 101 Le Metier de Beaute Peche Creme
(Note you will most likely see a recurring trend with the Paul & Joe Lip Lacquers because I love them so much! For those who don’t have access to Paul & Joe, do not fear, I will include other brands too.)
According to my recent survey, some of you mentioned how you loved certain posts, but wanted ideas on how to coordinate the products with other colors. I’m going to do a five-part series of looks I’ve done recently that I loved. I hope this series will help give you some ideas!
A few things to note ahead of time: I am not a professional makeup artist, but the following looks have been created on my own. My fashion/beauty style is very simple and natural. Style/beauty icons include Charlize Theron, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Winslet, Eva Mendes, Lucy Liu to name a few – all women who embrace their natural beauty with subtle, elegant and classic natural makeup.
Look Number 1: a simple smokey eye with soft pink cheeks and rosy pink lips
Cheeks: Stila Lilium Convertible Color on cheeks Dolce & Gabbana Delight Blush layered on top
Eyes: Laura Mercier Platinum Metallic Cream Eyeshadow lash to brow Jouer Buttercream Eyeshadow on lids Stila Black Cat Smudgepot smudged along upper lash line Edward Bess Dusk Eyeshadow applied over the black liner blended up
Lips: MAC Naked Rose Lipliner Edward Bess Tender Love Lipstick Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer #7
Close up photos for eyes: Top Left = Jouer Buttercream, Top Right = Edward Bess Dusk Bottom Left = Stila Black Cat, Bottom Right = Laura Mercier Platinum
Close up photos for lips, Left to Right: Edward Bess Tender Love, Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer #7, MAC Naked Rose Lipliner
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Variation 1: using most of the same colors except includes Le Metier Fresh Blush, Edward Bess Love Always Lipgloss, Laura Mercier Pink Label Lipstick:
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Variation 2: MAC Conjure Up Mineralize Blush, MAC Bare Study Paint Pot, Dolce & Gabbana Stromboli Eyeshadow Duo, Bobbi Brown Black Ink Gel Liner, MAC Plum Lipliner, MAC Scant Slimshine, Laura Mercier Violet Lip Glace (old packaging)
I’ve written about a few makeover events I’ve been to from Chanel, Nars and MAC before, click on this MAKEOVER tag to see the products used in those events for some more ideas!
From pictures I’ve seen online, I thought Conjure Up would be a mineralize version of Stark Naked Beauty Powder blush, but when I got home, I found it was a lot darker and more plummy than pink (see comparisons below). Superduper Natural is gorgeous and different from any other peachy blush I have. Yes, I have too much peach blush in my collection, but I’m happy they released one different enough from all the other ones they have released before. Jingle Jangle is a pretty sparkley pink. It’s not quite as bright as Steppin Out and doesn’t have that blueish-sparkle-sheen that Internationalist has which makes it a good inbetween color.
Superduper Natural comparisons to Sunbasque, Nuance, Improvise, Warm Soul, Eversun, Earth to Earth and Cheeky Bronze (all from MAC)
Conjure Up comparisons to Hot Planet, Grand Duo, Gentle, Love Thing, Plum Foolery, FAB, Gleeful (all from MAC)
Jingle Jangle comparisons (I don’t really like this picture b/c the sparkles threw off the flash and made all the MAC shades look the same): 1) Dior Addict Ultra GlossReflect #557 Denim Pink, 2) MAC Steppin’ Out, 3) MAC Jingle Jangle, 4) MAC Internationalist, 5) Chanel Nebula #122, 6) Lipstick Queen Creation, 7) Bobbi Brown Pink Raspberry
Quite a few fall collections have jumped on the dark-vampy-trend bandwagon and while I’m usually very excited to find new dark colors for nails, I have mixed feelings about the new polishes from the Chanel Noirs Obscurs collection after seeing them in person.
Chanel just released two new colors, Forbidden and Diabolic and repromoted Vendetta from last holiday. I ordered the two new ones sight unseen and at first glance was less than impressed. However when I swatched them on my nails, my feelings changed.
Both Forbidden 437 and Diabolic 427 are deep chocolatey-burgundy-vampy shades and are extremely similar. When swatched, the colors aren’t as dull as I expected – they have just the right amount of brown and red. You definitely don’t need both, but they are different enough from Chanel’s Vamp and Rouge Noir to justify maybe buying one.
Difference between the two:Forbidden is slightly lighter and more chocolatey, Diabolic is deeper and darker.
Here are more photos with my comparisons to similar shades:
Swatches: Thumb = Cosmic Violine 497 Index = Forbidden 437 Middle = Diabolic 427 Ring = Rouge Noir 18 Pinkie = Vamp 18
With high flash:
In natural sunlight:
Another view:
Compared to a couple other brands: MAC All Night Long and Sephora by OPI I’m With Brad:
Overall thoughts: Even though I’m a huge Chanel fan and obsessed with collecting almost every single nail color they release, Forbidden and Diabolic were just ok for me. I didn’t gasp with awe when I took them out of the box. I was hoping for something different with those complex shimmer particles that they are known for creating.
That being said, I tend to like shimmery nail polishes, perhaps I need to get more used to those creamy non-shimmery shades. As a fellow Chanel fan and I were discussing a few days ago, they seem to be more for the Chanel collector, and while they are nice to have, we wouldn’t have died if we didn’t get our hands on them.
Bottom line: They look great on the nails, but there’s no need to have both. They are different enough from Vamp/Rouge Noir to justify trying out. If you don’t mind shimmer and want a cheaper alternative, Sephora by OPI I’m With Brad is pretty close, however do note that the Chanel formulas are superior by far. With the Sephora by OPI – you can get good results, but it will require a lot more thin coats.
Here is October’s list of Ten Things I’m Loving Right now. There’s a slight twist on a few items because I simply could not pick one item in a certain category. I’d love to hear what you all are loving right now too.
1) Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill #1 Steel Black Mascara $28 – I finally found a mascara that thickens and holds curl! I have the straightest lashes ever and even after curling with my favorite Trish McEvoy Eyelash Curler, nothing holds the curl as well as this one. Doesn’t clump, smudge or flake. I’ve tried other Armani mascaras in the past and did not like them at all, luckily, I got a mini-sized version of this to try out first. My other favs are DiorShow (gives thick plush lashes), Dior Iconic (gives dramatic black lashes) and Chanel Inimitable (also great) – but Armani’s Eyes to Kill has won my heart.
* A few key tips – I recommend using only one coat and make sure it dries completely before touching up your eye makeup or removing smudges from eyeshadow fall out. Also, I use this in conjunction with an eyelash curler, I can’t say whether or not it is curling, but I will say it holds the curl very well.
2) Shu Uemura Natural Pony Brush 20 $50 – Soft and plush, this is the perfect size and shape with the right density in bristles to make this my favorite blush brush. There is an angled version 20h which is just as soft.
3) Paul & Joe Refreshing Skin Toner $33 – I was lucky to try a sample before I bought this. The Paul & Joe toner makes my skin feel refreshed and it isn’t too drying or heavy. I have sensitive skin and this seems to be gentle and effective at the same time. Love the price too!
4) Bobbi Brown Nude Shimmer Brick $38 – I own almost every Shimmer Brick from Bobbi Brown and this one is the prettiest to date and works on both eyes and cheeks. It features “five pure pearl pigments—pink, gold, bronze, beige and caramel” – I believe it is limited edition, but can still be found at various counters. See comparisons to other shades HERE.
5) Chanel Quadra Eyeshadows in Mystic Eyes $56 – This is one of the prettiest unique combination of colors I have seen. I love the silvery shade because it has some golden flecks in the shimmer. I like to wear it with NARS Oasis Blush and Stolen Kisses Lipgloss over Mitzi Lipstick.
6) MAC Viva Glam V Lipglass $14 – this is my classic no-fail neutral pink lip gloss
7) Black/Gold Olivey Colors – I really like black golds for fall which can sometimes end up looking olivey with the combination. My favorites right now are:
1. MAC Seriously Hip Nail Polish 2. MAC Gilt By Association Mineralize Eye Shadow 3. Laura Mercier Black Gold Kohl Eye Pencil 4. Clinique Egyptian Eyeliner 5. Bobbi Brown Forest Shimmer Ink Gel Liner
9) Beige Shimmer Lipglosses like MAC Bare Necessity Dazzleglass $18, Chanel Freeze Aqualumiere $27, Hourglass Ignite Extreme Sheen Gloss $28, Chantecaille Crystalline Brilliant Gloss $28, Le Metier Captiva Sheer Brilliance Gloss $32 and Laura Mercier Opal Lip Glace $22 all have this lovely complex iridescence with a neutral beigey base giving a barely-there glow to the lips.
L to R: MAC Bare Necessity, Chanel Freeze, Hourglass Ignite, Chantecaille Crystalline, Le Metier Captiva, Laura Mercier Opal
10) L’Occitane Cherry Blossom Hand Cream $10 – love this for the packaging and lightweight non-sticky texture. I keep one in my purse all the time. Also comes in the larger sizes and a few different scents/formulas.
MAC released their Dsquared² collection earlier than planned so I checked out the new colors and came home with Nude Rose Lustre Lipstick which is just that, a soft nude milky pink rose. I went through my lipstick stash to pull all the other soft pinky shades I’ve collected over the years from MAC and have concluded that I simply MUST STOP buying these milky pink colors! While it is very pretty and wearable, it’s not that unique and very similar to other shades MAC has released before.
Here are the comparisons to other MAC shades (I believe all were LE or discontinued except for Creme Cup):
L to R: 1) Classical, 2) Pure Rose, 3) Hue, 4) Her Fancy, 5) 3N, 6) Nude Rose, 7) Way to Love, 8) Pink Glaze, 9) California Dreamin’, 10) Creme Cup
Another view:
* Note since most of these are lustres or glazes, they are very sheer and so most of them don’t show up very well on my arm
Purple seems to be popular this fall and there are quite a few vampy purples that have been released (or repromoted) this season. I did a feature back in July, Color Focus: Dark Vampy Polish with some of the vampy shades I have and a swatch/review on Nars Tokaido Express as well.
I just added MAC’s Baby Goth Girl from the Style Black release to my own personal collection and love it! Although it looks similar to my other vampy shades in natural light, I found it different enough in the undertone and sparkle to make my heart skip a beat when I put it on. Here are some comparisons to other purple shades.
Left to right: Nars Tokaido Express, Chanel Vendetta, Chanel Feu de Russie, MAC Baby Goth Girl, OPI Black Cherry Chutney
Three coats each shade:
Thumb = OPI Black Cherry Chutney Index Finger = MAC Baby Goth Girl Middle Finger = Chanel Feu de Russie Ring Finger = Chanel Vendetta Pinkie = Nars Tokaido Express
Same order as above, different view:
Close up swatches of Chanel Vendetta, Chanel Feu de Russie, MAC Baby Goth Girl
Swatches in natural light, same order as above:
Thumb = OPI Black Cherry Chutney Index Finger = MAC Baby Goth Girl Middle Finger = Chanel Feu de Russie Ring Finger = Chanel Vendetta Pinkie = Nars Tokaido Express
