Chanel

In Daydreams, I See Oceans of Shimmer: The Glossy, Glittery Glossimers From the New Chanel Revelation Collection

April 11th, 2013 by Karen 46 Comments

Chanel Daydream Glossimer — Starring in a reverie near you, Chanel’s $29.50 Daydream Glossimer…

“When in doubt, Chanel it out.”

Wouldn’t that look great on a t-shirt? Or a bumper sticker? Or maybe tattooed on a Chanel addicted beauty fanatic’s inner wrist (in sans serif font, of course)?

This, my friend, is my new makeup mantra: “When in doubt, Chanel it out.”

It occurred to me earlier this week — a revelation of sorts — as I was trying to figure out to wear to that work lunch I went in the city last Tuesday.

I was stumped and rutting around through my makeup drawer. Couldn’t figure out what I wanted to wear, and then I remembered the quad and blush from the spring 2013 collection and spotted one of the new Glossimers from the new Chanel Revelation collection.

“When in doubt, Chanel it out.”

Oh, babe! The spring collection’s glosses, and that Taboo nail polish, are fodder for daydreams. Think glossy, glittery lips and rich, interstellar indigo tips that twinkle like little stars.

For the season, Coco’s crew positioned the Glossimers as essentials for your makeup kit, like must-have purses and shoes — wearable, flexible, because they can go with so many different outfits and looks. The collection includes a mix of 10 new and re-promoted glosses, some of them on the sheer, subtle side, like sheens, and others sparkly metallics.

The new Chanel Collection Revelation collection of Glossimers ($29.50) and Taboo Nail Polish ($27)

Chanel Ocean Shimmer 171, Rose Sauvage 172 and Daydream 174

Chanel Collection Revelation Swatches — From the left: Ocean Shimmer 171, Rose Sauvage 172 and Daydream 174

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I Don’t Care If It’s Taboo! I’ll Break Every Rule for Chanel’s Latest Le Vernis Nail Colour

April 1st, 2013 by Karen 36 Comments

Chanel Taboo Le Vernis — Chanel releases a new nail polish called Taboo Le Vernis ($27), and the universe collectively swoons…

Take heed, beauty lover! You’ve been warned…

Get too close to Chanel’s new $27 Taboo Le Vernis Nail Colour, and you run the risk of losing yourself in its galactic shimmer for all eternity.

Gazing too closely at the shimmery blue and bronze stars in Taboo’s deep, interstellar purple base is like crossing the event horizon of a black hole — the boundary in spacetime through which matter and light can only pass in one direction.

It will suck you in!

At least that’s what I told El Hub when he said, “You paid $27 for a bottle of nail polish!?”

Every few millennia (okay, years), a beauty brand Big Bang occurs. Chanel crafts a nail polish so striking that it warps the very fabric of space and time.

Taboo!

When I saw it for the first time, I knew that if I let it pass me by, I would regret my decision for — who knows how long? Maybe years (I have a friend who still regrets skipping Jade, and whenever I bring it up, she gets fussy).

Why do I like it so much?

Well, because opalescent copper nebulae streak through Taboo’s blackened purple like comet tails, while flecks of cosmic blue glitter wink and twinkle like distant stars, and because I only need to wear a single layer — A SINGLE LAYER, OMG! — for total opacity.

If you’ve ever wished (on a star, perhaps?) for a darker, sparklier, more intense version of Chanel Vendetta, the universe answered. It’s Taboo.

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Are You a Eye Shadow Palette Purist?

March 5th, 2013 by Karen 30 Comments

EstÃ©e Lauder's New Pure Color GelÃ©e Powder EyeShadow Palette in Batik Sun — Wearing EstÃ©e Lauder’s Pure Color GelÃ©e Powder EyeShadow Palette in Batik Sun (from the new Bronze Goddess collection) on my eyes

When I was getting ready this morning, I grabbed my eye shadow palette crush o’ the moment, EstÃ©e Lauder’s Pure Color GelÃ©e Powder EyeShadow Palette in Batik Sun from the new Bronze Goddess summer (!) collection, and I wondered about how other makeup lovers like to wear eye palettes.

Par exemple, when you grab a palette, do you usually stick to the shadows in that palette, or do you like to mix and match them with other shades?

I’m not really strict about sticking to the colors in a single palette; it’s mostly about proximity, LOL! If something’s close by and will work with the palette I want to wear, then I’ll add it into the mix. But if I’m traveling and only have room in my bag for a single eye palette, then I’ll just stick to those colors.

A few of my favorite spring and summer palettes…

EstÃ©e Lauder Pure Color Gelee Powder EyeShadow Palette in Batik Sun small — EstÃ©e Lauder Pure Color Gelee Powder EyeShadow Palette in Batik Sun ($48)

Too Faced Summer Eyes Summer Sexy Shadow Collection 11 — Too Faced Summer Eyes Summer Sexy Shadow Collection ($36)

Chanel Pearl River Ombres Matelassees Eyeshadow Palette Picture — Chanel Ombres MatelassÃ©es Eyeshadow Palette in Pearl River ($80)

Guerlain Coup de Foudre — Guerlain Ã‰crin 4 Couleurs in Coup de Foudre ($59)

What about you? When you wear an eye shadow palette, do you tend to stick to just those colors? Are you an eye shadow palette purist, or do you like to mix it up?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

No Need for a Night Light Around the New Chanel Eastern Light Le Vernis Nail Colour

February 22nd, 2013 by Karen 7 Comments

Chanel Eastern Light Le Vernis Nail Colour Picture Swatch 1 — Wearing three coats of the new Chanel Eastern Light Le Vernis Nail Colour ($30), one of two limited edition shades from the new Hong Kong collection, available now at select Chanel boutiques and online at chanel.com

I can see how opaque white nail polish could be a little off-putting in a “Whoa! That’s one too many toe rings!” kind of way.

But when they’re done right, I think they’re go-go girl chic.

If you’re open to the idea, what do you think of Chanel’s new Eastern Light Le Vernis Nail Colour?

It’s a creamy winter white with a high-gloss, mirror-like shine that sets it apart from your everyday drugstore white nail polish.

Wowza, Eastern Light is almost bright enough to read by. Doesn’t it look like it’s glowing? I could totally see Lady Gaga wearing it on stage and gripping the microphone with her eyes closed as she belts out the bridge to You and I.

WARNING: the shade does require some work to wear. I need three coats for that full-on Whiteout effect (did you ever do those when you were a kid?), and those three coats can take an hour to dry.

You know what they say, though. Patience is a virtue. 🙂

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I’ve Seen the Western Light, and ‘Tis Glorious! The New Chanel Western Light Le Vernis Nail Colour From the Hong Kong Collection

February 22nd, 2013 by Karen 15 Comments

Chanel Western Light Le Vernis Nail Colour Picture Swatch — Wearing two coats of the new Chanel Western Light Le Vernis Nail Colour ($30), one of two limited edition shades from the new Hong Kong collection, available now at select Chanel boutiques and chanel.com

Go on. Do it. Dooooo it!

Stop trying to resist. Let the feeling wash over you like melted butter on French toast.

(Dang, how can I still be hungry…? I had a huge lunch!)

I’m talking about that craving you get when you fall in love with a new Chanel nail polish, and suddenly the thought of dropping $30 on a single bottle makes perfect sense.

I had it when Jade came out, and Vendetta, and Riva, and now I’m feeling it again with Western Light from the Hong Kong collection (joined by Eastern Light).

But it didn’t start out that way. My first thought when I saw Western Light from a few feet away was, “Pretty, but what’s the big whoop? It looks like a standard issue dark purple cream.”

Two coats later I was hooting and whistling at my hands like some kind of lip-licking, lecherous nail polish pervert, LOL!

You know how some nail polishes are masters of disguise? One minute they look one color, and the next they look another?

Well, Western Light does that. From some angles, it’s a blackened eggplant; from others, a dark roast coffee, hold the cream and sugar.

I like… 🙂

And it loves the open plains… Or rather, it loves spending time outside where it can get some sun. In direct sunlight, it looks much more complex. Reddish pearl micro-shimmer bursts through!

Chanel Western Light Le Vernis Nail Colour Picture Swatch 3 — What’s that? Secret shimmer, BAM!

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The Chanel Pearl River Ombres MatelassÃ©es Eyeshadow Palette From the Hong Kong Collection: A Pearl River in a Gilded Land of Quilted Pans, Coral Fans and Golden Tans

February 21st, 2013 by Karen 20 Comments

Chanel Pearl River Ombres Matelassees Eyeshadow Palette — Wearing the Chanel Ombres MatelassÃ©es Eyeshadow Palette in Pearl River ($80) from the new three-piece Hong Kong collection for eyes and nails, available now online

Chanel and gold eye shadow. Gold eye shadow and Chanel. The two go together like…short-sleeve t-shirts shirts and Jeremy Renner’s arms, high heels and pencil skirts, breakfast and Tiffany’s, perfume and pajamas…

In other words, things that go together well. 🙂

Add a pinch of peach and a drizzling of dark chocolate brown, and you get a veritable dream team palette to accompany those springy coral cheeks and lips you’ve been — okay, I’ve been — obsessed with lately.

There’s no real way to get around the fact that Chanel’s $80 Pearl River Ombres MatelassÃ©es Eyeshadow Palette demands an arm, a leg, a low-hanging tabby tum AND a twitchy tail. Chanel ain’t exactly budget, if you know what I mean.

But oh! — the extras you get, like the quilting on the pans and Chanel’s trademark black velvet storage pouch (it looks like a tiny makeup sleeping bag!). It’s the little touches that make it so easy to stay on Team Chanel.

As for the palette itself? Picture this: five (a shout-out to Mademoiselle’s lucky number, perhaps?) powder eye shadow shades based on the luminous reflection of Hong Kong shimmering in the South China Sea.

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Zombie Preparedness 101: In Case of Emergency, Grab Chanel’s Rouge Allure Lipsticks From the Printemps Precieux de Chanel Spring 2013 Collection

January 11th, 2013 by Karen 34 Comments

Chanel Rouge Allure Fantasque 112 — Wearing Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour in Fantasque ($34), one of six lipsticks from the Chanel Printemps Precieux de Chanel Spring 2013 Collection

After much thought and deliberation about the inevitable zombie apocalypse — because we all know it’s only a matter of time — I’ve come to the realization that when the sh*t goes down, my zombie transformation will probably come sooner than later.

So, instead of wasting time honing skills like wilderness survival and close-quarters combat, and instead of squirreling away baseball bats and brain-slashing instruments under my bed, I’m going to stuff my “In Case of Zombie Emergency” kit, not with canned foods and medicine, but with Chanel.

Lots and lots of Chanel. 🙂

First thing to add? The four Rouge Allure lipsticks ($34 each) and two Rouge Allure Velvets ($34) from the Printemps Precieux de Chanel Spring 2013 collection.

Chanel Printempts Precieux de Chanel Spring 2013 — From the left: Captivante, Envoutante, Fantasque, Precieuse, La Favorite and L’Eclatante

chanel printemps precieux de chanel lip swatchesa — Swatches from the left: L’Eclatant, La Favorite, Fantasque, Precieuse, Envoutante and Captivante

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in L'Eclatante 42 — Rouge Allure Velvet in L’Eclatante 42

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I’ve Got a Brain Filled With Cheese Whiz and a Chanel Quad Filled With Plums: The New Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Raffinement

January 2nd, 2013 by Karen 48 Comments

chanel raffinement — Wearing the new Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quara Eye Shadow in Raffinement ($59) on my eyes, from the new Printemps PrÃ©cieux de Chanel Spring 2013 Collection

Thanks to the 20-something hours (at least) of The Hills I watched on Netflix over the Christmas break, my brain is now cheese fondue.

Even though I could see my faculties deteriorating, could feel the brain cells evaporating, and even though I must have spent half of that time rolling my eyes and exclaiming, “OH, PUHH-LEASE!” whenever Spencer and Heidi were on screen, I simply could not look away.

And now, I feel like I’m in so deep (at the end of Season 4, right after Speidi got “married,” air quotes, in Mexico) that if I were to give up now, all of those 20-something hours would seem wasted…

Or, more wasted. More of a waste. LOL! 🙂

What does this have to do with the new Chanel Les 4 Ombres Eye Shadow Quad in Raffinement, you may ask? Well, pretty soon, at the rate I’m losing brain cells, I may not be able to handle any makeup looks that require the blending of more than two eyeshadows.

Good thing this spring collection quad, with its mix of plum, mauve, taupe and purple, is really great at two-color eye looks…

I actually brought it with me when I visited my family last week over the holidays and did a number of quick looks with one of its lighter colors on my lids and one of the darker colors along my lash lines. And that was it.

If you’re one of those gals (or guys) who likes a little color, as in looks with far fewer than 18 blended shadows, and plums and purples that don’t scream “PUNK ROCK, 4EVER!” take a closer look at Raffinement.

Normally, when it comes to punk rock colors, I think of brands like Urban Decay. They do vibrant, sparkly punk rock plums and purples really well, and it’s a very distinct, eye-catching look that I like. Sometimes.

Chanel, on the other hand, excels at things like this quad, where they execute colors like purples, blues and greens in ways that make them blend so beautifully into your overall outfit and look.

Like, when you’re watching The Hills, and you see LC carrying a classic black Chanel flap bag (SWOON!), and you can tell that it was meant to be a part of her outfit, but not the only part — that’s how I feel about the way Raffinement looks on the eyes.

When I’m wearing these colors and see myself in the mirror, I see the color there, but I don’t feel like I’m wearing two tons of eyeshadow.

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