Recommendations and Overview: Chanel Sophisticated Eye and Les Aquarelles

 Blush, Brushes and Tools, Chanel, Eyeliner, Eyeshadow, Lipstick, Powder  11 Responses »
Aug 212011
 

Here is an overview of the items from Chanel’s recent collections, followed by a list of my personal favorites:

First, the Sophisticated Eye Collection:

Recourbe Cils de Chanel Precision Eyelash Curler ($36) is reviewed here.  Overall, it is a very good curler with logo appeal.  If Le Metier de Beaute’s is workable for you, it is a better value at $19.

Chanel Eyeshadow Quad in Lagons ($57) is reviewed here.  It is a beautiful palette of shimmery blues.

Chanel Eyeshadow Quad in Vanites ($57) is reviewed here.   This shimmery palette swatches with a strong purple/violet tone.  It is pigmented, pretty and can be very flattering.

Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Taupe is reviewed here ($29). This eyeliner is a softly pigmented cool plum Ebene has been previously released and it is reviewed here.  

Chanel Crayon Sourcils Sculpting Eyebrow Pencil in Blond Clair ($29) is reviewed here.  It’s a convenient, easy to use pencil that works well for light-toned brows.

Chanel released several new eyeshadow singles ($28.50 each).  Twilight is reviewed here.  Fauve is reviewed here.  Magic Night is reviewed here.

Chanel Inimintable Intense Mascara ($30), Lily single eyeshadow ($28.50) and Beaute de Cils Mascara Base ($30) are not reviewed.

Second, Les Aquarelles:

Ombres Tissees in Beiges ($75) is reviewed here.  This is a large, shimmery palette designed for eyes but can be used as a highlight for the rest of the face.

Joues Contraste Blush in Pink Cloud ($43) is reviewed here.  This is a very subtle, light color.

Ombre Essentielle Eyeshadow in Gris Exquis is reviewed here.  It is a beautifully pigmented matte neutral.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Royallieu ($32) is re-promoted with this collection. It is a sheer light shimmery pink previously reviewed here.

Joues Contraste in Rose Petale ($43) is re-promoted with this collection.  It is reviewed here.

 

Stylo Yeux Eyeliner in Ebene is re-promoted with this collection ($29).  It was previously reviewed here.

Chanel Vernis in Tendresse is part of this collection, but is not reviewed.
My favorites from the two collections:

  • Gris Exquis single eyeshadow is an excellent basic that I will reach for again and again
  • I liked both eyeshadow quads, Lagons and Vanites
  • Ebene eyeliner is an excellent pencil, although you may already own this from the previous collection
  • For the real Chanel fans, Ombres Tissees and the Precision Eyelash Curler are musts.  These are both limited edition, signature products.
Which are your favorites?

Chanel Fall 2011 Final Recommendations and Overview

 Blush, Chanel, Eyeliner, Eyeshadow, Foundation, Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, Nail Polish, Powder  12 Responses »
Jul 042011
 

Chanel Fall 2011 is a pivotal Chanel collection. This appears to be a time when many products were added to the permanent line, adding several needed items and exploring some new textures and formulas.  I love when established companies innovate, so if you hear someone shouting from their rooftops, c’est moi!

The sheer size and scope of the collection is notable.  Although The Nonblonde suggests that “they’re overdoing it,” to me, more Chanel is more Chanel. The critical question is this–can you ever have too much Chanel?

I think you can have too much football, or fishing.  Or tequila.  Maybe even too much MAC.  But we have a long way to go until we get to that point. For me, Chanel makes the bumps in life’s roads a little easier.  I’d fill my bathtub with it and want more.  Maybe I’ll be in Chanel rehab with Dr. Drew someday.  We’ll see.  Until then, I’m going with what works.

Let’s review the collection, before I get to my favorites:

  • Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadows (overview here).   Application tips are here.

– Fantasme (reviewed here)

- Emerveillé (reviewed here)

- Ebloui (reviewed here)

- Epatant (reviewed here)

- Illusoire (reviewed here)

- Mirifique (reviewed here)

  • Le Crayon Yeux eye pencil in Khaki Platine (reviewed here)

  • Joues Contraste Blush in Rose Écrin (reviewed here)

  • Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Palette in Prélude (reviewed here)

  • Lèvres Scintillantes (Glossimers)

- Pampille (reviewed here)

- Braise (reviewed here)

  • Crayon Lèvres lip pencils in Rose Cuivré and Coralline (reviewed here)

  • Rouge Coco lipstick

- Plumetis (reviewed here)

- Étole (reviewed here)

  • Rouge Double Intensite in Rose Morganite and Rose Quartz (reviewed here).

  • Le Vernis nail polish

- Graphite (reviewed here)

- Peridot (reviewed here)

- Quartz (reviewed here)

  • Double Perfection Compact Foundation in Medium Beige-Contour (reviewed here)

My personal favorites:

  • Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Eyeshadows in Ebloui, Illusoire and Mirifique
  • Chanel Le Vernis nail colors in Peridot and Quartz
  • Chanel Prelude Eyeshadow Quad
  • Chanel Rouge Coco Plumentis
  • Chanel Crayon Levres in Rose Cuivre

Which of these items interest you most?  If you have tried any, which are your favorites?

 

Chanel Fall 2011 Makeup Look

 Blush, Chanel, Eyeliner, Eyeshadow, Lipgloss, Powder  8 Responses »
Jul 022011
 

Liz did a quick makeup look with some of the Chanel Fall 2011 items:

  • Chanel Illusion D’Ombre eyeshadow in Mirifique as a liner (reviewed here)
  • Chanel Illusion D’Ombre eyeshadow in Emerveille as an all-over lid wash (reviewed here)
  • Chanel Illusion D’Ombre eyeshadow in Illusoire in the outer portion of the lid and into the crease (reviewed here)
  • Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara
  • Chanel Joues Contraste Blush in Rose Ecrin (review forthcoming)
  • Chanel Glossimer in Braise (reviewed here)
  • Caron Translucent Powder (reviewed here)

How are you wearing Chanel’s Fall items?

Dior Summer 2011 Aurora Powder

 Bronzers, Dior, Powder  13 Responses »
Apr 062011
 

Dior Summer 2011 is Electric Tropics, and the stars of the collection are two beauty bronzing powders, called Diorskin Nude Glow Healthy Glow Summer Powder.  The lighter is Aurora ($46 #001), and the darker is Sunset ($46, #002).

I went to see this on their very first day for sale at the House of Dior’s original headquarters at 30 Rue Montaigne in Paris.  I believed that if anyone knew how to use these beautiful powders, it would be at Dior’s main location.  It was a glorious warm spring day in Paris, and I could think of nowhere else in the entire world that I would rather look at Dior’s new summer makeup collection.

The powders come with large silver compacts with the beautifully woven top, which include a mix of bronze tones with subtle gold sparkles, plus a coordinating shade.  Aurora has a soft pink tone, and Sunset has a soft peach.  Here is a close up of Aurora:

 

I am NC15/Chanel Cameo, so fairly fair skinned.  I tried to talk the sales associate into admitting that I needed both Aurora and Sunset.  She refused.  ”But I’m from California,” I implored.  ”Everyone is so bronze there in California–it’s like Jersey Shore–do you know it?”  She laughed, admitted that she did know Jersey Shore.  Still, she wasn’t going to let me walk around on this Earth with a too-dark bronzer, because that’s what a great makeup professional does.

She explained how to use these Healthy Glow Summer Powders.  First, they come packaged with a wide brush:

One places the powder on the wide brush, then swipes the brush downward over the entire face in a downward motion.  The motion is intended to mimic how the sun hits the face.  So the eye sockets, under the nose area, and other receding areas will not get any bronzer, but areas that would be hit by the sun are touched with the powder.  Because one puts this bronzer on such a large area, the skin-tone match must be good.

In indoor soft light:

My finger-swatch of Sunset confirmed that she was absolutely right.  Sunset is a dark bronzer similar to the deeply- toned Nars Casino.  One would want to be NC35 or darker to choose Sunset.  There is no way that Sunset will work on my fair skin.

Aurora in sunlight to highlight the texture:

I looked at the Nude Healthy Glow Fluid ($46), but passed.  These come in three color tones.  These are very sheer and glowy, and they promise no skin care benefits.  Essentially, the are intended to add a very soft sheen to the skin.  Indeed, these did so beautifully, and the lightest available shade was light enough for my skin tone without adding much (if any) color.  Personally, I didn’t feel the need for another glow product at this time, although I might reconsider when I get back to the U.S.

One more Aurora picture because it’s so pretty:

To see more products from Dior’s Electric Tropics collection, see these posts:

  • Dior Aloha and Paradise Nail Polish is here.
  • Dior Rosy Nude and Rosy Tan eyeshadow palettes are here.

There were several gorgeous Lip Addict colors as well, but I thought I’d wait to pick up those.

30 Days Worth of Makeup

 Bobbi Brown, Bronzers, Chanel, Edward Bess, Guerlain, Le Metier de Beaute, Lipgloss, Lipstick, Nail Polish, NARS, Powder  Comments Off
Mar 072011
 

I’m heading out of town for 30 days. Comments are turned off, and I cannot answer any of your wonderful emails.  My apologies.

I’m packing very late into the night but took a few minutes to post my makeup for my upcoming trip:

  1. Chanel Ombre Perlees eyeshadow palette (reviewed here)
  2. Soliel Tan de Chanel powder bronzer in Terre Epice
  3. Tom Pecheux for Estee Lauder Pure Color Night Luminous Powder (reviewed here)
  4. Various brushes and tools, including tweezers, scissors, cuticle nippers, eyeliner and eyeshadow brushes
  5. Powder brushes, including MAC 168, Chanel Powder brush and MAC blush brush
  6. Chanel Le Vernis in Strong (reviewed here).  I’m also taking a Sally Hansen clear polish (not pictured)
  7. Le Metier de Beaute Precision Eyeliner (reviewed here)
  8. Le Meter de Beaute Peau Vierge Concealer
  9. Guerlain Issima concealer pen
  10. Chanel Rouge Coco in Patchouli (here)
  11. Lipglosses, including Nars Angelica (here), Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Confidence (here) and Emoi (here)
  12. Edward Bess Soft Smoke eyeshadow trio (here)
  13. Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua foundation in B10 (here)
  14. Chanel Ombre Essential eyeshadow in Taupe Grise (reviewed here)
  15. Bobbi Brown gel eyeliners in Chocolate Shimmer and Black Ink
  16. Guerlain Illuminating and Mattifying Compact Powder (reviewed here)
  17. Cle de Peau concealer
  18. Nars Multiples in Angelica (reviewed here) and South Beach
  19. Guerlain Le 2 Volume Mascara (not pictured) (reviewed here)

I can create several different looks, and sometimes even use up products completely.  It’s  nice to pare down to a finite set of beauty products. I have to remind myself that my original makeup bag, not that long ago, was much smaller and every item was used almost every day.  This helps me get some perspective-you really don’t need very much to get a lot of very versatile looks.

Page 3 of 4 1 2 3 4