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Chanel Le Vernis Rouge Carat 587

October 8, 2011

Chanel Holiday has slowly been trickling in and has finally arrived on the West Coast in Southern California at Neiman Marcus. My local counter did not have any testers or display yet but I suspect all counters will have the full collection soon. First up is the newest Le Vernis shade in Rouge Carat 587 ($25) a rich ruby red infused with the most beautiful fuschia iridescence. It has “holiday” written all over it. Karla Sugar gave us a sneak peek at full line up earlier this year. According to her charts, the color appears to be Limited Edition for holiday.
As another reference, I loved Fruity Lashes review and swatches. She has excellent descriptions and I too see Rouge Carat as a red shade even though it flashes pink and looks quite complex in the bottle. To me, the texture seems thicker than most Chanel polishes I’ve tried. It applies beautifully with just one coat and on the nails the pink fuschia shimmer barely shows up. I find that it helps balance out the warmness of the red color making this a neutral red, but it still pulls warm on me. I’ll show a few different angles in an attempt to show the shimmer and complexity.

Here it is swatched with two coats although a single coat was sufficient:

My comparisons show that Chanel Rouge Carat is very similar to Shanghai Red. The difference is that the shimmer and base in Shanghai Red is more pink. More pink and red comparisons below to Rococo Nail Apparel in Trash, Chanel Dragon, Chanel Shanghai Red, Chanel Cherry and Chanel Pulsion.

Bottom line is LOVE. The complexity of the shimmers in Chanel Rouge Carat make it stand out among other red shimmers but it’s still a beautiful classic red. I suspect it can be easily duped by other shades from OPI (who also does an amazing job at creating killer red shimmers) but I feel Chanel usually does it best. I would have liked the shimmer to be a bit more flashy or show up more but the rich pigment and color is beautiful as is and absolutely perfect for the holiday season. That being said, I’m still enamored with the Spring and Fall colors that were released this year so it might be a while before I wear this one as a full mani or pedi.
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Juicy Couture & Deborah Lippmann Holiday Trio Comparisons: Believe, Here Comes the Queen & Jewel in the Crown

October 2, 2011

Here are comparisons for the Deborah Lippmann/Juicy Couture Precious Metals Trio which includes Believe, Here Comes the Queen and Jewel in the Crown.

The comparisons (no dupes found):
  1. Estee Lauder Extravagant Pearl
  2. Lunasol Cool Beige 19
  3. Paul & Joe Nail Enamel 01
  4. Rococo Nail Apparel R2T2
  5. Chanel Trapeze
  6. Deborah Lippmann Believe
  7. Dior Timeless Gold
  8. Chanel Quartz
  9. Deborah Lippmann Jewel in the Crown
  10. Chanel Kaleidoscope
  11. YSL 141
  12. Chanel Graphite
  13. Dior NY57th
  14. Paul & Joe 005
  15. Deborah Lippmann Here Comes the Queen
  16. Chanel Illusion d’Or
  17. Chanel Galactic Touch
  18. Chanel Gold Lame

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Juicy Couture & Deborah Lippmann Precious Metals Nail Polish Set

October 2, 2011

This year Deborah Lippmann and Juicy Couture have teamed up to create some beautiful holiday nail polish sets. Temptalia offered a sneak peek in early August (see her website for details on the full lineup). Yesterday I saw the two nail trios on display at a Juicy Couture boutique. I picked up the Precious Metals Trio ($48) which includes three metallic shades encased in a small pink box:
  • Believe – an opalescent silver gold metallic
  • Here Comes the Queen – a Juicy Couture/Deborah Lippmann shade exclusive, a sheer glittery gold sparkle
  • Jewel in the Crown – a Juicy Couture/Deborah Lippmann shade exclusive, a shimmering highly metallic pewter
The colors in the Precious Metals set have a slightly different packaging in the handles. Instead of the matte black top, the Deborah Lippmann/Juicy Couture shades in this set come with a metal-colored handle capped with a clear gemstone-shaped top (in true Juicy Couture bling style).

Left to right: Believe, Here Comes the Queen, Jewel in the Crown

All the shades swatched together plus close ups (Believe and Jewel in the Crown 2 coats, Here Comes the Queen has 4 coats):

Believe is not a new shade, but new for me. It’s a complex opalescent silvery gold metallic shade. Pigment is very good with this color and has minimal streaking for a metallic finish nail polish. Here it is with two coats.

Here Comes the Queen is a sheer glittery warm gold. It’s very sheer but if you apply Deborah Lippmann’s Rehydrating Base Coat first, the glitter adheres to the nail better. It has about the same finish/intensity as Chanel’s Illusion d’Or (comparisons soon). I’m not a huge fan but I suspect this will be a good layering piece for those who like to layer nail polishes (I personally do not). Below is with one coat, it does not photograph well but the finish isn’t quite as sheer as shown in the swatch.

Jewel in the Crown is the color I purchased this set for. It’s a rich metallic pewter. There were no testers at the boutique so I was not able to try this befor buying. It appears there might be tiny bits of glitter in this. They don’t really show up when you apply, but when you brush your nails with the nail polish you will see tiny little round chunks that look like small bumps. It’s not too noticeable unless you look closely. This one does have streaking like many metallics do but it smooths out with two coats.

Overall this is a cute set for the holidays but not a must-have for me. I have to admit I bought this mainly for the metallic pewter shade Jewel in the Crown. I’ve had my eye on Believe for sometime but was never able to cave in the past. If you love metallics you will love this set. If you found the metallics of Chanel fall too much, then this is something you can safely pass on. I personally feel Chanel’s metallics are more sophisticated in the shimmer and better designed with less streaking but Deborah Lippmann’s shades are still good.
Is this a good deal? Not exactly. I wouldn’t call this a “deal” since the retail price of the set is the same as if you bought 3 individual nail Deborah Lippmann polishes (unless you consider Here Comes the Queen a glitter, then you save $2). Still, Deborah Lippmann nail polishes are fairly reasonable in price for a higher-end nail polish although for a holiday set it would have been nice to have a bit more of a price break.

For availability, I am not sure where this will be available for sale. I found mine instore at a Juicy Couture Boutique and only saw the 2 nail trios. I suspect the other sets will be released in the upcoming weeks.  I’ve searched online to see if this shows up through any other retailers and so far I have not seen anything yet.

Comparisons will come in the next post.

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Wearing Lately

October 1, 2011

I thought I’d shade what I’ve been wearing on my tips and toes lately. Here are a few pairings I’ve worn over the last month. I typically wear the lighter shade on the fingers and the darker ones on the toes.
Chanel Quartz and Le Métier de Beauté Midnight Rendezvous
Rococo Nail Apparel Lab Nude 3.0 and Chanel Coco Blue
Chanel Paradoxal and Chanel Steel

Chanel Quartz and Le Métier de Beauté Midnight Rendezvous

Rococo Nail Apparel Lab Nude 3.0 and Chanel Coco Blue

Chanel Paradoxal and Chanel Steel

With holiday collections trickling in I can’t wait for the reds, pinks and golds. What have you been wearing lately?
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Dior Mitzah Camel and Ebony Comparisons

September 19, 2011
Dior Camel and Ebony are compared below to Dior City of Gold, Dior Sienna, Chanel Khaki Rose, Chanel Particuliere, Dior Underground, Dolce & Gabbana Chocolate and MAC Dim the Lights.
To see how Camel compares to neutral nudes, like Dior Nude Chic and Dolce & Gabbana Nude, scroll down two posts (linked here).
I found Dior Camel truly unique. There wasn’t a shade I owned similar to it at all. Granted I don’t typically gravitate towards yellow-based shades unless it’s a gold shimmer. Dior Ebony wasn’t exactly unique as I found it very similar to Underground. The two are practically identical except when you scroll down to the bottom photo, you might be able to see that Underground has a slightly purplish base while Ebony is more neutral black/brown. In real life you can only see the difference if you look very closely. In the photos I doubt you will be able to tell the two apart unless you tilt your head, squint and try to look for the difference.

I hope these comparisons help. I’m not sure I would classify these new Dior shades as must-haves as they are fairly neutral and not exactly knock out colors. Still they provide a polished subtle elegant look to the fingers which I really like. Quint/quad comparisons to come soon. I didn’t get good swatch comparisons from this weekend so I will have to redo them.
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Dior Mitzah Picks: Camel & Ebony Dior Vernis and Mitzah Quint

September 19, 2011

I’ve been eagerly waiting for the release of the Mitzah Collection to Sephora in the US. The collection was designed to commemorate Mitzah Bricard, Christian Dior’s legendary muse who was known for her love of leopard. The Mitzah Collection features pieces for eyes, face and nails in shades of camel, chocolate brown and beige in a jungle-print theme. While traveling in Paris last March, Café Makeup was lucky to find the collection early and shared beautiful photos of the palette and nail polishes. The collection has finally arrived in the US exclusively at Sephora and Sephora.com.
My picks included the new eyeshadow quint Mitzah #753, Camel Nail Polish #622, Ebony Nail Polish #912 and the new Golden Brown DiorShow Mascara #598 (not featured). All are currently exclusive to Sephora and are limited edition.

The Mitzah 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette ($60 for 6 g / 0.21 oz) palette is a collection of neutrals with a slight kick. The four outer shades have an embossed animal print in the powder and have a very subtle finely milled shimmer. The shimmer is so slight the colors glow with a slight sheen. The colors in the palette include a dark aubergine-brown, a medium caramel brown, a soft camel with a light orangey tinge, a warm beige and a soft greyed-brown.

After seeing this swatched and reviewed on Beauty Moogle Zone, Café Makeup, Iron Spy I was worried it would be too warm for my olive skin. Still I could not resist the lovely descriptions of the satiny finish and when I tested the palette at Sephora I fell in love. The colors are very soft and refined. I find them a bit different from the traditional Dior palettes which typically have at least 1 high frost shade. This palette has a very subtle sheen in all shades and a very natural finish. If you’re looking for high impact or high shimmer, you might be disappointed with this one but I love it.

It’s usually difficult for me to use all 5 shades in Dior quints, however the Mitzah Quint has a wonderful layering quality and today I put all 5 shades on my eyes. I apologize I do not have photos to share, but for my application method, I started with MAC’s Cream Color Base in Seaside, applied the pale cream all over the lid, then followed with the bronzey top right about 1/2 way up the lid brushing the color back and forth into a soft gradient from the lashline upwards. I then took the bottom right greyish brown and smudged it right along the upper lashlines heavily. Next I took the upper left aubergine and applied it from outer corners about 1/4 way into the eye. Last step was to take the middle orange shade and lightly dip a soft fluffy brush and blend the two dark shades just to soften the edges.

Camel and Ebony Nail Polishes ($22 each for 10 ml / 0.33 fl oz) are both opaque creams. I love this photo from Dior’s International Website. They apply beautifully with 2 coats and have a gorgeous glossy sheen on the nails.

Camel is a yellowed beige and Ebony is a deep cool brown. Both are pure love. I thought Camel might be too yellow but oddly once applied on the skin it just works. Might not be everyone’s cup of tea. This is one you have to see and test in person to really tell. I don’t think it photographs well on the fingers but in person I find it more flattering.

Ebony is a dark beautiful brown cream. It’s very similar to Underground which was released earlier this year. If you have Underground (slightly more purple undertone), you can safely skip Ebony (comparisons to come soon). These shades apply beautifully with 2 coats. The tapered brush makes application easier for those of use who have unsteady hands.

I highly recommend you check out additional swatches and reviews at Joey’space, Fashion Polish, and Café Makeup if you haven’t already. They have lovely comparisons and swatches.

Overall love. Bravo Dior! They did an excellent job creating a beautiful collections of neutrals with a kick. If you’re at all interested I recommend purchasing soon since all pieces are limited edition and exclusive to Sephora in the US. If you’re unsure about the quint because your coloring doesn’t do so well with warm shades, just use the middle shade with a very light hand. The other colors are very easy to wear and even on my warm skin worked just fine. At this time I won’t be reviewing the mascara I purchased. I have several tubes of other brands I have to use up. By the time I get around to opening up this one to test I’m afraid it will be sold out. At Sephora, the mascara tester looked like a dark brassy brown shimmer which I found intriguing.

I’ll be posting comparisons very soon in a separate post. Did you check out the Mitzah Collection at Sephora or elsewhere? What were your thoughts?

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Rococo Nail Apparel Nude Wardrobe Collection

September 18, 2011

Earlier this year A Model Recommends gave us all a preview/sneak peek of a new collection in the works from Rococo Nail Apparel called the Nude Wardrobe Collection. Six nude nail colors have finally been released to SpaceNK and select Bloomingdales SpaceNK stores in sheer gloss, satin and full pigmented cream finishes. These retail for $16.50 each for 14 ml / 0.5 fl oz.

Following a season of loud and proud nails, this autumn/winter takes a turn for the subtle with nude nails firmly back on the style agenda. Inspired by the catwalk collections Rococo Nail Apparel have created a wearable wardrobe of six nude nail colours each designed to perfect and flatter – whatever the outfit, skin tone or mood. Rococo Nail Apparel have been quietly building a cult underground following since the brand launched two years ago and today continues to predict trends rather than follow the crowd. Commenting on the Nude Wardrobe sisters and co-founders Ange and Vernice Walker say, “The aim was to create an I-want-them-all collection of nudes that each delivers a highly polished and chic finish. We definitely predict nude as the new black this autumn/winter.”

The Rococo Nail Apparel Nude Wardrobe collection includes the following shades (shown L to R below):

  • LAB Nude 1.0 Sheer Gloss – a sheer transparent white gloss
  • LAB Nude 3.0 Sheer Gloss – a sheer transparent cream nude beige, used backstage by Ange & Vernice Walker at the Roland Mouret A/W show during Paris Fashion Week
  • LAB Nude 6.0 Satin Crème – an opaque pale neutral mixture of pale pink & beige & grey
  • LAB Nude 8.0 Sheer Gloss – a transparent warm nude beige
  • LAB Nude 8.8 Crème – a full pigment tan caramel nude beige
  • LAB Nude 9.0 Crème – a soft brown cream, it’s borderline taupe, but not quite

Rococo Nail Apparel succeeded in generating the “I want them all” bug. When I saw these at SpaceNK Bloomingdales in San Francisco I thought that they all looked divine. I’m a sucker for nudes and couldn’t wait to put these on. I’ve applied one on each finger all with 2 coats. The Sheer Gloss finish shades 1.0, 3.0 and 8.0 all seemed a bit streaky with my unsteady hand. Applying 3 coats evened everything out. At the nail salon, a perfect smooth application was achieved with only 2 coats (your mileage may vary) for 3.0.

Here are more swatches on nail wheels (thanks to Cafe Makeup who helped me find these). It was a bit of a challenge to have 1.0 (the sheer white) show up on a white nail wheel since it’s very sheer.

I’ve pulled a few other nudes, beiges and taupes to compare for you. Included are Dior Sienna, MAC Blissed Out, MAC Abalone Shell, Chanel Inattendu, Dior Nude Chic 219 (d/c), Dolce & Gabbana Nude, Chanel Beige Petale, Chanel Particuliere, Chanel Khaki Rose and Dior Camel. (Past available reviews have been linked if you want more detail.)

While 3.0 and 8.0 looked almost identical in the bottles, on the nails 3.0 is paler and 8.0 is more peachy. I had 3.0 applied early last week on the nails and the lasting power was amazing. It lasted a full week without any chipping or tipwear. If my nails hadn’t grown so fast I think I could have worn this past a full week. While the sheer beiges might not be extremely unique and easily dupeable, I found these to be easy to wear and naturally flattering and the quality excellent.
I can see myself getting regular use out of each and every shade. They are all beautiful and easy to incorporate into your weekly wardrobe since they are so neutral, it shouldn’t be hard to coordinate your look with your clothing. I love them all. 1.0 might be a bit of work, but sheer whites can be a challenge to wear on nails anyways. With so many options I can’t decide which one to wear next although I think I have my eye on 9.0 (it looks like a softer lighter version of Chanel’s Particuliere).
One more shot of the collection, all lined up:

Have you checked out the Rococo Nail Apparel new nude shades yet? Thoughts? Did you buy any or did you decide you already had similar shades in your stash? What’s your favorite “nude” nail polish? For a full list of availability, check out Space.NK.Apothecary.com.
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