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NARS Ita Kabuki Brush – How Do You Use It?

June 19, 2010
I got the NARS Ita Kabuki brush as an amazing gift-with-purchase at a recent Nordstrom Trend Show Event. It’s one of the NARS Kabuki Artisan Brushes and this one has a wide flat brush with black goat hair and comes in a nice black box. I love that the brush is extremely soft and feels so smooth on the skin. The shape intrigues me as I am enamored with odd-shaped brushes – however, there’s a slight issue: I do not know how to use this.

Do any of you have it? If so, how do you use it? I know it’s meant for contouring and highlighting but I still feel clumsy swiping it. It’s so wide that it covers my entire cheek and then some. I need to go back to the NARS counter to ask them to show me how it’s to be used. If any of you own this, I’d love to hear your tips on how you use this one!

I did have the regular Ita Brush before but never used it so I ended up gifting it away to another happy home. I do have to say I’m a bit worried about how I’m going to keep the handle clean and prevent it from getting sticky.





Have you ladies ever been to a Nordstrom Trend Show? For those not familiar, call your local Nordstrom and ask! I think Nordstrom.com has a list of events per store, so you can search in advance. The events vary per store, but it seems like the Nordstroms near me typically have around 2 Trend Show Events per year. They are a store-wide event that starts early in the morning (around 8 am) for an hour presentation featuring various products, trends and models wearing the season’s current makeup trends. They have raffle giveaways, coffee, cute gift bags. All you have to do is sign up in advance and you can get your makeup done at any counter too. Most of the lines usually have some sort of promotion or gift. They can be hit or miss. And also very crowded. On more recent events, if I can’t get the first makeover opening appointment, I’ve opted to skip the show and just get my makeup done during one of the later time slots to avoid the crowds and pushing (yes, sometimes pushing).

I’ve been to about 4 in the past few years and the ones I’ve been to are really fun (although extremely packed). The gift with purchases can be a hit or miss sometimes but recently, there was an incredible promotion going on with NARS. I was so excited to get my makeup done again but unfortunately I had last minute change of plans and wasn’t able to attend. Thankfully, my sales associate was willing to do a pre-sale for me so I was still able to get the GWP. The first level GWP was with a $75 purchase and the step up (to get the multiple duo and brush) was with over $150. Definitely well worth the purchase and much better than previous GWPs at other counters which have been a mini double-sided lipgloss with a $75 purchase which I think is hardly an incentive.

Here is the GWP: Mini South Beach Multiple, Multiple Duo,
Full-Sized Mindgame Lipstick, 2 Mini Lipglosses, Kabuki Ita Brush



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Weekend Look of the Day: J.Crew White Ruffled Tank & Skirt

June 14, 2010
How was everyone’s weekend? The weather here in Southern California has been a bit odd the past few days – at least by the beach. Sunny bits here and there and then mostly cloudy. This was Sunday’s outfit/look.

Top: J.Crew ruffle tank
Skirt: J.Crew white denim mini
Belt: J.Crew patent burgandy skinny belt
Shoes: Prada flats
Purse: Chanel

I didn’t plan to have mostly J.Crew on – but it seems to happen more often these days, although I do have to say it’s with their older pieces from past seasons. I love how comfortable the ruffle top is, but unfortunately, if it’s not tucked in or tied with a belt over, then it looks like a huge tent.

Face:
NARS Beverly Hills + South Beach Multiples mixed on cheeks
MAC Getaway Bronze Blush on top

Eyes:
Clinique Seashell Cream Shadow as a base
NARS India Song Duo
MAC Orpheus Eyeliner

Lips:
NARS Beverly Hills + South Beach mixed/dabbed on lips
MAC Love Nectar Lustreglass + Beach Lounger Lipglass mixed

I’m really loving those Multiple Tints from NARS (see my review of 2 of them here NARS Beverly Hills & Cadaques Multiple Tints = Pure Genius). Beverly Hills pulls more bright pink than red on my skin for some reason, but I still like it. Works well dabbed on lips for a slight tint. I liked it mixed a little with South Beach. I mixed the two on the back of my hand first and then applied on the lips. For cheeks, I swiped Beverly Hills on each cheek then South Beach on top and blended quickly with the fingers.

Also wanted your opinions: for the Chanel – is this something I can still pull off or is it totally OUT of style? It’s an older one, I don’t think Chanel makes the line anymore – at least definitely not the brown-on-brown. It’s just been sitting in my closet for ages. I keep forgetting to bring it out. Input would be greatly appreciated 🙂

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Beauty Investigation: Is There a Dupe for Chanel Riviera?

June 9, 2010
I recently received an e-mail from one of my readers asking if I knew of a dupe for Chanel Riviera. She had decided to wait a bit to think about purchasing it and by the time she decided to purchase it, the color was sold out everywhere online and at all the stores and counters near her. Knowing that “oh no it’s sold out” feeling all too well, I was more than happy to help. I called & visited a number of local stores (about a dozen) but I too was unable to locate the nail polish – so began my quest to find the perfect dupe.
I narrowed down my search to brands that had testers available thus eliminating brands without testers such as Zoya, China Glaze, Essie and all drugstore brands. I swatched about a dozen hot pinks in my notebook and then went back to each counter/store to swatch the four closest matches on my fingers. I have to admit I was a bit nervous swatching so many shades in my notebook – but the Chanel reps were so sweet at each store. They even chimed in with their input about which ones they thought looked the most similar to the Riviera shade.

For some reason the fuschia undertones of some of the shades were throwing off my camera flash, so it was hard to get an accurate picture. Here are two views (to the best of my ability).

  • Thumb: Sephora by OPI It’s All About Me – about 2 shades darker and brighter and a smidge cooler toned

  • Index: NARS Schiap – same intensity, one shade bluer, looks more magenta

  • Middle: MAC Steamy – closest dupe in my opinion, just a bit more intense/sharper looking

  • Ring: Chanel Riviera

  • Pinkie: OPI Strawberry Margarita – second closest dupe, slightly lighter (only a touch)

So, which are the closest dupes? The verdict: MAC Steamy and OPI Strawberry Margarita. From an arms distance glance – you can barely tell the difference. Here they are photographed next to Chanel Riviera. Note that while they look slightly different in the bottles, on the fingers the difference is not noticeable. Are the exact dupes? No.

I was also asked how it compared to Lancome’s Miss Perfectly Pink and Illamasqua Collide – Lancome’s is significantly cooler toned and Illamasqua is a hot electric neon pink. So if you missed out on Chanel Riviera, not to worry – no need to shell out extra money for the shade on ebay. You can definitely find a similar shade! Not an exact dupe, but yes, similar. (Here’s one more shot with the Lancome – can’t swatch it b/c it’s a present.)


In terms of pigment, I actually found all the dupes to be pretty smooth and nicely pigmented. The Chanel did apply the best IMHO, but after 2 coats, you get the same result.

Note that this is by no means the most comprehensive list – just the ones I found 🙂 I hope this helps some! All work is copyrighted. Please do not republish these photos.

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Color Focus: Soft Pinks I’m Loving Right Now

May 29, 2010
I decided to do a different twist on my regular monthly Ten Things I’m Loving Right Now and combine this with my color focus feature. I like soft pinks because they always look so pretty in the compact and tubes. But finding a good soft pink can be a bit tricky sometimes. I can’t tell you how many soft pinks have made me oooohh and aaaahhh only to find it looks way to light or washed out on my skin (ala MAC Hue/Angel Lipstick or Trish McEvoy Gorgeous Demure Lipstick). It still doesn’t stop me from trying to make them work though, lol. That being said, the products listed below are my no-fail and no-tweaking required soft pinks.

There are so many favorites, but these are the ones I’ve been using a lot in the past month. I am actually just starting my 3rd tube of MAC Fabby (see below)! Laura Mercier Babydoll Lip Glace is a favorite that looks good on practically all my friends whether they are fair skinned or tanned.

Blush & Highlighters:

Dior Rose Diamond
MAC Well Dressed
MAC Summer Rose Beauty Powder
(this was repromoted with the Liberty of London Collection in a different compact)

Eyeshadows:

Bobbi Brown Petal Shimmerwash
NARS Nepal Eyeshadow
Becca Angel Loose Shimmer Powder

Cheek and Eye Swatches:


Lip Glosses:

Chanel Waterlily Glossimer
Dior Pink Silk 262 Addict Lip Gloss (swatched here)
Laura Mercier Babydoll Lip Glace
Trish McEvoy Pretty Pink Beauty Booster Gloss

Lipsticks:

Chanel Rouge Coco in Rose Comete (swatched here)
MAC Frost Lipstick in Fabby
D&G Shine Lipstick in Soiree (swatched here)

Lip Swatches:


Nail Polishes:

Paul & Joe Poodle #10
Zoya Jessika
Chanel Mica Rose


I have many more favorites but if I featured all my loves, this would just be a never-ending article if I pulled every single soft pink from my stash. What are some of your favorites and what is your skintone?

FYI, in case you’re new to my blog, I’m a Chanel Shell 1.5 Teint Innocence right now. This is the equivalent to what’s right in between MAC NC30 and NC35. I’m at that point again where I’m in between shades for most foundation lines. You can see My Foundation Shades HERE. I recently tried Bobbi Brown’s newest foundation and found a perfect match in Natural Finish formula shade 4.25 Natural Tan, however the formula didn’t work so well with my skin. So far, Chanel Teint Innocence and Lift Lumieres and DPFs are my holy grails.

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NARS Beverly Hills & Cadaqués Multiple Tints = Pure Genius

May 23, 2010
The new limited edition Multiple Tints from NARS finally arrived at my local Nordstrom and much like Amy from Café Makeup and Karla from Karlasugar – I too fell in love, but with all three!

My Nordstrom is having their Trend Show in a couple weeks with an amazing GWP (will post details on this next month) – but I had the need-to-have-this-now itch, so I brought home two of the colors on Friday, Beverly Hills and Cadaqués, and left Turks & Caicos for my pre-sale among other things for the GWP, so I will review that color later in June. Also new from NARS were 2 primers for the face and eyes, but I decided to wait until the June to test those products out.

Everything about these is incredible from the colored lettering on the package and the multiple tube to the finish, texture, and color of the actual product. It’s PURE LOVE. I used Cadaqués for my commencement ceremony this morning on the cheeks and it blended out like a dream and gave my cheeks a nice cool pinkish tint. Here are my thoughts below . . .


Colors: Beverly Hills is a coral reddish color on me. Cadaqués is a lovely cool pink. Turks & Caicos (which I will review in the next couple weeks) is a lovely sheer orange. All look frightening in the tube but go on natural enough and are extremely flattering on the skin. Those who love color will love these. Those who are a bit wary of color on the cheeks will still like these because you can blend them out to give a nice healthy tint.

A few close ups . . .


Texture & Finish: These are an almost gel-like cream blush stick that has the perfect texture. Not too sticky or tacky (so it doesn’t pull the skin) but not too creamy (so it doesn’t feel greasy or oily). Super easy to blend. I did 2 swipes on each side of my face and blended out with my finger. I love how they blend out smoothly and flawlessly. The finish on the skin is natural and glowy. They truly are goof-proof.

Pigment: These Multiple Tints are truely incredible in that you can control the color by how much you layer. As much as I love the regular Multiples, sometimes I find they color disappears after blending. Not so with these new Tints. My SA who has the most gorgeous tanned complexion (about NC40-45ish) showed me these swatched on her hand and I could definitely see the color show up. She had one on her cheeks (can’t remember which one), but it gave her a natural glow with a pop of color ala Eva Mendes. Karlasugar’s review does an excellent job at showing how you can control the pigment.

Lasting Power: It lasted all day from 6:30 am past 5:00 pm (although I did layer a bit of Edward Bess Soft Orchid Blush on top, so I’m not sure how much the powder + cream combo contributed to the lasting power). Still, given my experience in layering powder blushes over regular NARS Multiples, the Multiple Tints + Powder Blush lasted a quite a bit longer.

Miscellaneous Thoughts: I didn’t notice any scent. There was no clogging or streaking or uneveness. Finish is not sticky at all and you can barely feel anything on the skin after you blend it which is a plus for a cream product. No irritation after the entire day (I usually react immediately to anything I am allergic to). I haven’t tried these on my lips yet. Are these worth the $38 price tag? In my opinion, definitely yes.

Here are some swatches compared to a few other cream products from Armani, MAC, Becca and Stila (swatched on a bare arm).

If you’ve bought these, I’d love to hear how you’re using these and what lips/eyes you are pairing with the colors you picked out.

For commencement, I used Cadaques with Soft Orchid Blush, Chanel Island + Le Bronze Eyeshadows, Trish McEvoy Baby Pink Chubby Stick + Pretty Pink Lipgloss (will review soon).

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Do You Have a Beauty Emergency Kit?

May 3, 2010
Last week I had one of those days where I had a million things to do during the day with no time to stop by home before a special occasion dinner. I packed my car with my laptop, papers, textbooks, backpack, purse, a change of clothes and an extra pair of shoes (to transition from day to night) but neglected to pack my makeup bag and brushes to touch up.
Luckily, I had my Edward Bess Compact Rouge in Island Rose (for lips/cheeks) and a mini Diorshow mascara tucked away in my backpack which was enough to freshen my look a bit. But it made me realize I needed to put together an emergency beauty kit to keep in my car for those times I need a last-minute touch up or days I forget to bring my makeup bag with me.

I looked to one of my favorite beauty books by Trish McEvoy “The Power of Makeup” for her tips on what to include in a beauty emergency kit. This is what I put together for my own using my trusty quilted planner:

  • Trish McEvoy Power of Makeup Simply Chic Page (Pink Innocence Lip + Cheek, Nude Innocence Lip + Cheek, Golden Peach AOC, Peony Pink Blush, Sand/Pink Shimmer/Snow/Blackberry Eyeshadows)
  • Laura Mercier Eyemakeup Remover
  • Edward Bess Love Always Deep Shine Lipgloss
  • NARS Luxor Multiple
  • Diorshow Mini Mascara
  • MAC Fix + (travel size)
  • Chanel DPF Compact
  • Chanel Spices Quadra Eyeshadow
  • MAC Cremestick Lipliners in Sublime Culture and Beurre
  • Chanel Ebene Waterproof Eyeliner
  • Laura Mercier Brown Copper Eye Kohl
  • Chantecaille Crystalline Gloss
  • Shu Uemura Tweezers
  • A bunch of mini brushes

My so-called “emergency kit” turned out to be quite a bit more than I intended. It’s probably the equivalent to a travel kit or a weekend-away kit. Yes, I am rather high maintenance, so this will probably be a work in progress. But at least I know that by having this tucked away in my car, I will always be well prepared to touch up, redo or refresh my makeup and not have to worry about finding the time to try and get back to the house before a last minute appointment or spur of the moment evening out.

Do you have a beauty emergency kit? What do you have inside yours?

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Chanel Le Vernis Black Velvet, Gold Lame & Illusion D’Or

May 2, 2010
I promised myself I would never buy anything I thought I’d never wear but have broken this promise several times this past year with Chanel Jade, Chanel Nouvelle Vague, MAC Birds & Berries and now the Chanel Shanghai-Paris limited edition nail polishes. Combine the words “exclusive” and “limited-edition” and I’m sold. Add “Chanel” to that mix and it triggers that need-to-have-it-now syndrome. So of course, I caved with the three newest exclusive limited edition shades from Chanel launched in honor of their Shanghai-Paris runway show. Here are my photos, swatches + comparisons to other shades.

L to R: Dior Black Sequins, Chanel Black Satin,
Chanel Noir Ceramic, Chanel Black Velvet


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L to R: Chanel Antilope, Chanel Golden Sand,
Chanel Gold Lame, D&G Desert


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L to R: NARS Adelita, Chanel Beige D’Or,
Chanel Illusion D’Or, Chanel Galactic Touch


Overall thoughts: Hmmm . . . not so sure about these. I normally love everything Chanel releases but I’m not crazy about these. I was well aware that these were released because of their runway show, so I knew ahead of time that these would indeed be “trendy.” I like the other blacks and golds in my current collection a lot better than these new Chanel colors. I love the concept of Illusion D’Or, but the gold is too bling-tastic for my taste. That being said, I would absolutely DIE if they released a pink version in this formula. Any shade of pink ranging from light pink to golden-pink to bright pink.

These are lovely, but for nails I try to be more conservative. Up until I started blogging, I only wore colors on my toes but have tried to go out of my comfort zone and wear color on fingers. Black Velvet is intriguing because the finish is so different from other shades, but just not practical for an every-day type of manicure. Gold Lame and Illusion D’Or are just too flashy for my taste, although I’m sure I’ll find some occasion to wear them in the future.

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