Oribe Volumista ($38) Mist for Volume is, as the name suggests, is a treatment spray used to give hair some oomph. Beautifully packaged in a tasteful paper box that whispers “this smells nice” (and it does, it does), this is a quick and easy way to give yourself some pouf. Not being talented with round brush twirling or major rollers. I just spray mostly into my roots, dry my hair upside down using a blow drying, and voila, I’ve got some all-day volume.
As you probably know, I’m a big believer in good suncare. I love Chanel, Institute Estederm, Shiseido, and other high end lines. Still, if you do as much sunscreen research as I do, you are bound to run into raves for Burn Out Eco-Sensitive Sunscreen ($17.99), also called “Burn Out Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin.” It’s available on the Burn Out website, and also at Whole Foods (where I bought mine).
Unlike some cosmetic company sunscreens, Burn Out is made for rough and tumble outdoor life. Formulated in Santa Cruz, California, the formula uses a physical zinc oxide as a block and is water resistant for up to 40 minutes. It’s oil free, chemical-free, paraben-free, petroleum-free, fragrance-free, eco-sensitive, ocean safe, and biodegradable. It’s made by Sun Resesarch LLC, a company “dedicated to suncare education, and enjoy motivating people to get out and have fun in a sun-safe, environmentally responsible way.”
It’s enriched with plankton extract, aloe vera, and antioxidant vitamins. Also, it’s remarkably cosmetically elegant to wear on the face or body. It provides a very nice stable base for foundation–I’ve been wearing this (on and off) for about three weeks, and found that it doesn’t interfere with (or degrade) foundation.
This has a high zinc oxide content as a physical block against the sun. The inactive ingredients are: deionized water, caprice/caprylic triglycerides, vegetable glycerin, sorbitol, imperata cylindrica (root) extract, caprylyl glycol, lecithin, arabidopsis extract, plankton extract, aloe vera, vitamin C, vitamin E, and citric acid.
Unlike some physical sunscreens, this doesn’t leave a visible white cast that takes 20-30 minutes to disappear. Instead, a little bit (or a lot) blends quickly and invisibly into the skin. It doesn’t feel the tiniest bit greasy (and not drying either).
This is a grab-and-go product–it’s just got a flip-cap and a squeeze tube. Curiously, I don’t even see a volume printed on the label (I’m guessing it has around 1.5 to 2 fluid ounces, but I can’t be sure). You can see that Burn Out Eco-Sensitive has none of the packaging elegance of a Chanel or Shiseido product. Some might find this works well as a good body sunscreen, while others (including me), find that it works well on the face as well.
Bottom line: Worthy of its cult status. A surprisingly excellent formulation at $17.99. Definitely worth a good look.
This is a first look at the Chanel CC Cream ($55/ 1.0 oz.), which has just become available to certain Chanel boutiques across the U.S. This will soon be available where ever Chanel is sold. Although this has been released internationally for some months, this is the first tube that I’ve seen in person. I was so excited to experience this product, so I thought that I can’t be the only one. I’m posting this quick overview of pictures so that you can see it with me.
Edit/updated: My in-depth review has now been posted here.
As far as I know, this is just released in one shade–20 Beige–at least so far. There are five primary attributes of the product:
Here’s the product literature (in English) (click to enlarge):
The packaging is a travel-friendly squeeze tube:
The Chanel CC Cream in 20 Beige runs fair and warm. Here is a comparison with Chanel CC Cream, Chanel Perfection Lumiere in 32 Beige Rose (which is much pinker/cooler), Chanel Lift Lumiere in Ivoire (14) (similar, but with a bit more coverage), MAC Pro Longwear in NC15 (more coverage, lighter), and Nars Tinted Moisturizer in Alaska (darker).
Here is the active sunscreen agent, titanium dioxide 12%:
The additional ingredients (click to enlarge):
Additional packaging information:
I asked the Chanel cosmetic specialist, who was in the boutique for the weekend, whether the product had any color-reducing properties (for example, the Smashbox CC Cream advertises that it will help fade acne scars and discolorations). In other words–does this product correct permanently with skincare ingredients, or does it “correct” by covering up? The Chanel representative said that this product is not advertised to actually correct discolorations permanently, but that it could be used with the Chanel Le Blanc line (which is designed for those purposes).
I hope you enjoyed this first look. I’ll post again in a few days once I’ve had more of a chance to test this out.
Available with free ship and return at Nordstrom.com, and other Chanel sources.
For me, the standouts of Chanel Summer 2013 were the nail polishes. This collection includes Lilis (soft coral creme), Azure (shimmering blue-green) and Bel-Argus (shimmering ocean blue) ($27 each).
These three incredible shades have incredible formulas, gorgeous color, and each bottle has its own twist in on-trend perfection. Just my opinion, but yes you need these.
Azure is a metallic blue green. Perfect in two coats, this gave me no streaking and looks as gorgeous as a peacock feather.
I applied this directly on my nail (no base) and got no staining. Quick dry time. All nails swatches in this post use a topcoat (Dior Gel Coat):
Bel-Argus is a beautiful rich metallic blue.
As with Azure, this is perfect in two coats. No staining without a base. Quick dry time. No streaks.
This color reminds me of going to the beach–it looks wonderful with corals, yellows, and khaki. I love to wear it with a crisp white shirt.
Lilis has been my go-to this week. It’s a standout reddened coral creme that looks amazing with either pale or tanned skin.
Lilis isn’t quite as vibrant as some corals, there’s a polished appropriateness about it, as the color seems softened by a touch of white. Unquestionably, it’s work appropriate and lovely for summer.
Chanel does a killer creme formula (they have for decades), and Lilis is part of that tradition. Perfect in two coats, fast-drying.
Verdict: gorgeous! I loved every one of these.
Available at Nordstrom.com w/free ship and all Chanel counters and online sources.
This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup).
Chanel has released a collection of six shimmering cream shadow sticks for Summer 2013. Cool to the touch, most of these are vibrant colors that include a warm gold, an electric blue, and a shimmering jade green. I understand that these look fabulous on dark skin tones. Unfortunately, these are not colors that I can wear. A sales associate at a major retailer didn’t even try to contradict me when I confessed that “these don’t look like my colors.” However, she did convince me that one of them–the shimmering champagne Chanel Moon River ($34)–was necessary.
Summer calls for simplicity, particularly for day. Chanel Moon River is a twist-up pencil in a chic slim cylinder. This is an easy-to-swipe-on lifesaver that, when paired with a black liner and a brown powder crease color, gives me an effortless eye that looks polished and pretty.
Applied by itself in very warm weather, a few swipes gives a cool silver-cream sheer wash of shimmer. It’s so glowy and pretty, adding a touch of a moonlight-toned lightness to the lid. The formula is a little unusual–it’s tenacious, but it creases on me after several hours (no primer, warm weather). A quick swipe in my crease will allows the creasing to dissipate, and there is still plenty of shadow left for a pretty look. It feels cool to the touch, and very calming, which is helpful when the thermometer starts pegging.
You might be surprised to find me recommending Chanel Moon River anyway. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. No one does shimmer sparkle like Chanel. No one. Their imperfect, creasy crazy cream eyeshadow is glowy, elegant, magical and lovely. It just looks so good, and adds something to my face that no other shimmering eyeshadow does. It makes my eyes and skin look better, even though it isn’t a textbook-perfect formulation.
Liz and I discovered that a soft matte brown is key to making Moon River work. Here, we used the second shade from Burberry Mocha quad. Using a powder in the crease also seems to keep Moon River from creasing.
Here’s a look on Liz using Chanel Moon River, Chanel Rouge Coco in Gabrielle, Burberry Light Glow Blush in Hydrangea Pink, and Laura Mercier Matt Radiance Baked Powder in Highlight (review to come soon), over Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation. Overall, this gives her skin and eyes a pretty, elegant glow.
Here are some swatches of Chanel Moon River, next to MAC Powerchrome in Rich Glance (the most tenacious, most crease-proof, and most pigmented), Laura Mercier Caviar Stick in Rosegold (runs pink-gold and is a more standard metal cream formulation compared with Chanel’s fairy-ephemeral glowy-sparkle), and Dior Twin Set in Beige Ribbon (messier, more subtle compared to Chanel).
Another:
Aside from the nail polish (review to come) and Moon River, I didn’t get anything else from Chanel Summer 2013. For the first time in my memory, Chanel did not release a bronzer, blush, highlighter or other product. I didn’t fall in love with the lip products. As I am a tried and true Chanel fan, I feel like I’m missing something. Did you find yourself getting anything?
Chanel Moon River is available at Nordstrom.com and other sources of Chanel makeup.
This post contains affiliate links (for more information, see About Cafe Makeup
Here’s a sneak peek at the bag that’s available from Neiman Marcus’ Camp Gorgeous for Summer 2013 (while supplies last during the event). The event runs from Sunday June 2nd through Sunday June 9th. It’s available in three colors for an $85 minimum purchase.
This year, the samples are:
I’m especially excited to try the new Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll mascara sample:
Inside, the bag (which was sent to me from Neimans) is lined in a bronzy satin fabric.
If you know of any gifts with purchase that the lines will feature during this event, would you kindly let us know in the comments?
Now that we’re entering the summer season, I thought it would be useful to do an entry about warm weather foundations. Last late summer through the end of fall, I was living on the road doing extensive traveling throughout the hot, humid areas of the American South. Keep in mind, as a Northern California resident, I’m no stranger to hot weather. At Cafe Makeup, we weather our share of over-100 degree days. However, there’s a lot of truth to that expression “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity.” I remember the blast of warm, humid heat that rendered my favorite foundations powerless to withstand the afternoons. Not kidding–I have a whole new level of respect for those who wear makeup in humid climates. It’s a whole new level of challenge.
In the earlier part of this millennium, I used to wait for the May releases of MAC collections with anticipation. I loved D’Bohemia way back when, and more than a few others. These days, I don’t buy from many MAC collections, but the Temperature Rising collection (just released last week) is the exception. We bought a few items, and took a (very) few (very) quick pictures to put together a sketchbook of our first impressions so that you can see our favorites before it runs out.
Some of the products are still online at Nordstrom.com, and other MAC sources like Belk, Macy’s and even some at Mac Comsetics.com (there’s always hope for a restock, but who knows?). I had the best luck at counters and MAC stores, however.
Nars Pierre Hardy collaboration includes six sets of nail polish colors ($29 per set) that are pre-coordinated for your tips and toes. These are fun for summer, when sandal season brings our bright-colored nails out in the open. These bottles are marked as containing 0.5 ozs., and are packed in shoe-box styled packaging that includes a little shoe-type dust bag, all of which evoke Hardy’s core reputation as a shoe designer.
Taking the shoe theme on step further, each bottle has a theme with each bottle named “left” or “right.” How you choose to wear the colors is, of course, entirely up to you. I love the concept, and it’s as well-executed as any that I’ve seen.
Here’s an overview of all pairs, each swatched with two coats on my nails. All nail pictures were taken with a top coat (Dior Gel Coat), unless otherwise noted.
Two weeks ago, I picked up Guerlain Lingerie de Peau BB Beauty Booster ($51/ 1.3 oz.) in Light, the palest color of the two available. This new product is described by the line as follows:
Guerlain’s new BB Cream is a multi-action skin perfector which offers skin protection with SPF 30, hydration and color correction while evening skin tone with a fresh, lightweight texture. The bio-fusion micro-mesh combination of linen and silk fibers creates a second-skin effect to boost the natural beauty of the skin as hyaluronic acid intensely hydrates for a younger-looking complexion. The benefits are proven with staggering results: over 97% of subjects experienced fresh and beautiful skin all day long.
This release of this product is timely for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. With a respectable SPF 30 sun protection, and all-day wear in warm weather, this could easily become a go-to summer face product.
The product comes packaged in a easy-to-pack plastic tube topped with a pump to keep things sanitary and leakage-proof.
The pump top and cap:
This comes out of the tube a bit on the thick side, with a texture similar to a traditional BB creme, and dries to a near-matte finish. This applies with a medium-to-heavy coverage if you apply this with fingers as a traditional foundation. The makeup artist who sold me the product highly recommend that I dab this on with a sponge, then buff the product into the skin with the sponge as well. This was his polite way of telling me (I think) that the thicker texture needs delicate treatment to prevent the product from becoming mask-like.
I’ve applied this several ways over the past two weeks, and realized how right he was. The product does look much better applied lightly and buffed in. If I am too careless, the product can “sit” on the skin exposing pores for the first hour or so until it settles in and mixes with my natural oils.
Because of its thicker texture, this mixes well with other products. I’ve “cut” the foundation with MAC Golden Elixir Strobe Liquid Lotion ($31) (limited edition). I absolutely loved the effect. It gave the Guerlain BB creme a bit of warmth and glow, and made the texture more foundation-like. Because MAC’s Golden Elixir is a light fluid, you can use quite of bit of it and retain the light color of the Guerlain BB creme. Another product that could be used for the same purpose is Guerlain’s Meteorites Light Reflecting Diffusing Primer for summer ($71/limited edition). Back of the tube (click to enlarge):
Pros:
Cons:
Ingredients for the sunscreen properties:
The rest of the ingredients (click to enlarge):
More advice:
Here are comparisons of the Guerlain Lingerie BB Beauty Booster compared with a few other color tones in my stash, including the Shiseido Urban Environment Tinted UV Protector in #20, Dior Diorsnow BB Creme in Shade 010, Nars Tinted Moisturizer in Alaska, Chanel Perfection Lumiere in BR 32, MAC Pro Longwear in NC15 and Make Up For Ever HD Foundation in #118.
When I swatched Guerlain Lingerie de Peau BB Beauty Booster in the second available shade (No. 3 Medium), I thought that it was not very dark–I believe it is roughly equivalent to a MAC NC30 but not much deeper. One more, same foundations:
Overall, Guerlain’s BB Beauty Booster is a winner for me. I liked it far more than Dior’s standard BB Creme offerings and I find it’s a good substitute for the now-unavaible Diorsnow BB Cream. After sampling several other BB creams on this market, this Guerlain is coming out on top. This is a good, no-budge, good SPF product that looks elegant and won’t move during the hot summer months.
Available at Nordstrom, and other Guerlain counters.
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see About Cafe Makeup.