Yes, Virginia, there is Chanel Heaven, and thy name is the Chanel Makeup Studio.
One of three Chanel Makeup Studios in the US (Honolulu, Hawaii; Costa Mesa, California; and Seattle, Washington), the Honolulu studio, located at Nordstrom in the Ala Moana shopping center, not only lets Chanel junkies play with the company’s full domestic makeup, fragrance and skin care lines but also allows them to get their Chanel-addicted hands on exclusive international products not normally carried by Chanel’s regular US counters.
Some European Chanel products currently available at the Ala Moana Chanel Makeup Studio
- Chanel Irreellee Blush in Snow ($40)
- Chanel Irreellee Blush in Sable ($40)
- Chanel Les 4 Ombres De Chanel Quadra Eye Shadow in Beiges Velours ($55)
- Rouge Allure Lipstick in Reve ($30)
- Rouge Allure Lipstick in Discrete ($30)
- Hydrabase lipstick in Sahara Beige ($30)
- Glossimer in Muscat ($25)
- Chanel Les Vernis Nail Color in Viollete ($20)
Non-Hawaii Chanel-aholics needn’t despair because nirvana is just a phone call (and a credit card) away. US residents may order Chanel’s international products by calling any of the three US Chanel Makeup Studios. Reach the Honolulu studio at (808) 953-6100. Ask for Sheila, the studio’s fabulous Chanel makeup artist, and tell her “Hi!” for me.
I gotta warn ya… Exclusive, hard-to-find European Chanel products plus birthday equals mega Chanel haul and excessive credit card debt. If/when you visit or call a Chanel Makeup Studio, be sure to save your pennies beforehand because you’ll need every last one. On my visit, I ended up “adopting” the Beiges Velours Quad, the Snow Blush and the Muscat Glossimer, along with a few other items from the regular line. An in-depth review with product shots and color swatches will have to wait ’til I get back to California, but here are a few pictures from other sites: Specktra forums, Flickr and Make Me Heal.
All three of the Chanel Makeup Studio locations in the US carry products from Chanel’s international lines, but the Oahu Chanel Makeup Studio will be the only Nordstrom location to carry the highly anticipated Robertson Boulevard Polishes. The limited edition polish collection is slated to hit the Ala Moana Nordstrom counter on July 28, but you can call to reserve and purchase the shades now. When the products arrive in late July, they’ll ship them out to you. No muss, no fuss.
I was also impressed by the lighting in and around the Chanel Makeup Studio. They use well-placed mirrors to mimic different light settings.
Lighting makes a huge difference in how your makeup looks, and you can really see how different types of lighting changes the appearance of colors and textures. I played around with the different settings and noticed that the florescent light setting washed out my eyeshadow colors, while the sunset light setting made colors appear richer and took years off my appearance. Now, if only I could find a way to bring sunset lighting with me everywhere, ha!
It has taken quite a bit of willpower to refrain from using my new Chanel loot, but I plan to test, photograph and review everything for you once I’m back home.
Oh, and after months of waiting and searching, I finally found a tube of Astral Glossimer. YES!
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
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I’m in shock. I don’t know what to say besides I’m incredibly jealous.
Can’t wait to see your purchases!
Girl…for real that looks like heaven. I’m jealous too!!!
That Snow blush looks amazing! That color/idea would never have even occurred to me. I can’t wait to see what it looks like on!
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Aaarrgle…. can’t type, drooling!
argh! I’m swooning. I only have my one “gateway” chanel product (the new lipgloss) but it is a little piece of heaven. OK, that’s it-that nordies on the must stop list for Hawaii-whenever i get there. 🙂
BTW, thanks for asking about the hubby’s bday-I think he liked his loot-he’s so sweet and mellow he loves everything. His main present I told him what the general item was and let him pick the specific one. (not much of a surpise for him but that way i knew he would like it).
Karen, you’re making me so jealous!! This has to be the best birthday gift ever!! This is where I’m going for my next birthdaY!!!!!!!!!! The studio looks soooo AMAZING in the pictures I cant even imagine what it’s like in person *sigh*
It’s like showing a kid who has never been to Disneyland, “Disneyland pictures”!
i♥makeups last blog post..June 08, Verve’s Editor Picks: Bright Eyeliners
Hi! I have been lurking for a while, and this is my first time commenting. I absolutely love your blog! It is one of my daily reads.
Your posts from Hawaii are making we want to visit. My husband and I went to Oahu, Kauai (my fave) and Maui back in 2002 and last summer we got to visit Maui again. I have never been to the North Shore, but I definitely want to go back.
Thanks for posting pictures of your trip. At least I can live vicariously while sitting here at work. 🙂
Oh My Chanel! That is indeed Chanel heaven! I want to go there for my birthday :):) And that sounds like a wonderful haul.
Karen Bs last blog post..Icons: Spain NT match vs Russia
Amazing:D You look so beautiful Karen. I wish I was there to shop too:D:D
I can’t wait to see your review and swatches. This is timely as I was getting bored of experimenting with Chanel Summer 2008 collection. Congrats on getting your hands on Astral Glossimer! It is currently my favourite gloss.
Yeah for you! I’m so happy for you! Can’t wait to see swatches of all of your Chanel goods, especially Astral!
Oh man… you are so lucky!
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Hi Tuprnut,
🙂 I almost passed out when I was there. European Chanel? I’m ON IT!
Hi Megan,
You’d feel like a kid in a candy store! I could’ve stayed there all day.
Hi Jessica,
I can’t wait to try it. The Makeup Studio didn’t have a tester, but it was so pretty in person that I thought I’d chance it.
Hi Glosslizard,
LOL! Welcome to Chanel Heaven. Here are your angel’s wings so you can float amongst the Glossimers.
Hi Amanda,
Glad to hear the hubby’s bday celebration went well! Gotta love the sweet and mellow boys.:)
Yes, you’ve got to come to this Chanel counter next time you’re here. Save up lots of $ before hand so you can “international haul”!
Hi Iheartmakeup,
I felt like I was in Disneyland! It’s definitely a great way to celebrate a birthday. Just to see the entire collection laid out the way almost made me pass out!
Hi Violet,
It’s nice to meet ya! Next time you come you definitely have to visit the North Shore. It’s one of the most beautiful places on the island. Oh, and the Matsumoto’s Shave Ice is also a must, yum. 🙂
BTW, Kauai is my favorite island, too!
Hi Karen B.,
It really is! I wish we could all go together and have a massive Chanel party!
Hi Alicia,
Thank you, girl! I think it was the glow from the magic Chanel mirrors, ha ha ha!
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all go there together and go all makeup crazy?
Hi Miss QQ,
Astral is so beautiful! What have you paired it with?
Hi Julia,
It was a very happy (Chanel) birthday. Astral is so hot… I think you’ll really like the swatch. 🙂
Hi Marisol,
Chanel heaven was too dreamy! And would ya believe it’s just a phone call away… 😉
I have tried Astral with all my lip colors and it goes with almost everything because it is so sheer yet the sparkles are so pink. I like it best with Rose Flamingo (gives a hot pink) and with Buoy-o-Buoy (sparkly nude pink).
Wow! I thought a place like this would only exist in a huge Chanel store or something!
It’s cool that they gave you some space. Sales people can be helpful but in a place like this, come on, it’s like…I’m fine.
Thank you! 🙂
Ok, so here’s my burning question… to insure that one gets one’s greedy little mitts on the Robertson Boulevard polish, do you think it’s better to go through the Chanel website (having signed up for the notification the second they’re available) or calling Chanel Paradise (as it is now officially called) for the delivery option?
OMG, that is grande! Dreams do come true indeed! I know how you feel when you get the item you’ve been looking high and low for. I so want that miracle mirror, I think Bed, Bath and Beyond has something similar.
Hej and cheerio from Stockholm! It’s been rainy and cloudy here but I still have a smile on my face, this city is fab (even tho I’ve been here like 40 times). 🙂 I’ve never done this much shopping in my life. Here’s what I’ve got (make up wise) so far.
-Chanel Cristalle Gloss ‘Melon’ (OMG I found it)
-Lancôme L’extreme mascara
-Clinique Cherry Bomb l/g
-POP lipbalm/gloss ‘Cutie’
-MAC e/s ‘Femme-Fi’
-Estée Lauder High Gloss Plump ‘Melon Plump’
-Chanel ‘Beiges Velours’ e/s quad (dude, we’re a match made in makeup heaven! I bought this only ONE day before I read your Chanel post! I was like OMG :D)
Is everything well there? Hope so! Have a great one!