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Chanel

It’s All About the Essentials This Fall at Chanel: The Chanel Fall 2012 Les Essentiels de Chanel Collection

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Chanel Sweet Beige
Chanel Fall 2012 Les Essentiels de Chanel Levres Scintillantes Glossimer in 297 Sweet Beige on my lips

Okay, so I think I’ve finally figured out my plan, and I have to thank the new Chanel Fall 2012 Les Essentiels de Chanel collection for this bit of inspiration.

It’s not “The Plan for the Rest of My Life,” which I’m still working on (I get the feeling this one will take quite a while), but my fashion plan for the rest of the year. The one-sentence summary: hunt for iconic Chanel-esque pieces to up my wardrobe game.

The plan is just a first step, I know, but seeing as how I can’t even commit to a dining room table, it still feels like I’m making progress on something.

The idea hit me like an airborne canvas shoe at a middle school dance when I was thinking about how Chanel Makeup Creative Director Peter Philips translated Coco Chanel’s timeless fashion sense — quilted handbags, two-toned shoes and little black dresses — into the 27-piece collection.

Strutting its stuff now on Chanel counters and chanel.com, the elegant release features a mix of limited edition and re-promoted pieces for lips, eyes, nails and cheeks. Classic pinks and natural beige shades softly define faces and lips while fuchsia and black accessorize nails.

Pish-tosh, you might be thinking. More basics?

Well, don’t hit the snooze button quite yet. I think there’s some pretty interesting stuff going on here from what I’ve seen so far.

Secret micro-glitter, subtle color shifts and sheen finishes spice up these seemingly everyday shades.

The four pieces I looked at today seem every bit as classic to me as a black quilted Chanel purse. They’re understated, and yet able to make a statement without having to shout.

Chanel Lumiere D'Artifices Beiges Illuminating Powder
Lumiere D’Artifices Beiges Illuminating Powder

Chanel Lumiere D'Artifices Beiges Illuminating Powder

Chanel Vertigo
Le Vernis Nail Colour in Vertigo
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Chanel’s Peche Cuivre Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil Softly Brightens Lids and Lash Lines

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chanel peche cuivre le crayon khol intense eye pencil

Thanks to Chanel, I’m turning peachy beige! First it was my nails. Then my cheeks and lips, and now my eyes!

This summer, Chanel die-hards with a weakness for uber-natural makeup eye looks and the Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil line won’t have to scrounge around for an eyeliner to light up their lash and water lines — not with the new Peche Cuivre waiting expectantly on counters.

Is your eyeliner makeup mojo more about subtle definition than crisp, sharp lines? If it is, feast your lids on this limited edition shimmery shade. It graces lids with a shy hint of shimmery, peachy beige — nothing fussy, frightening or overdone — and it even comes with a convenient pencil sharpener.

I guess that’s the least Chanel could do for asking $28 for it…

It’s also boldly emblazoned with that gorgeous logo, there to remind you of life’s luxuries while you sharpen it in the restroom at work (been there, done that!).

chanel peche cuivre le crayon khol intense eye pencil

chanel peche cuivre le crayon khol intense eye pencil swatch
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Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Empreinte: A Magical Medley of Pinkish Beige

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Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Empreinte

Many run-of-the-mill pinkish beige lipsticks appear to loathe my lips. They feel heavy, look thick, apply unevenly in patches, and leave my pucker looking creepy and very, very unnatural (concealer lips, ugh!).

For the record, Chanel’s pinkish beige Rouge Coco Shine Lipstick in Empreinte is not one of those lipsticks.

Instead, it’s one of those rare, magical pieces of makeup made from kitten kisses and fairy dust.

Okay, not really. The truth is, winged drag-queen fairy godmothers wearing Jimmy Choos and bedecked in dazzling sequined tutus made each one by hand, pouring the magic formula into each sleek Chanel tube. 🙂

chanel en vogue
Chanel Rouge Coco Shines in En Vogue (left) and Empreinte (right)

This limited edition $32.50 lip Lothario also has a dainty rose garden flavor and scent and tiny flecks of golden glitter that sparkle from time to time in the light. It glides effortlessly across my lips like a Pegasus soaring silently above the clouds.

It’s so slick and moisturizing that I was able to apply it without taking my eyes off of my iPhone while playing Bejeweled 2 this afternoon.

Chanel Empreinte swatch

So what if it bails after two fish tacos? At least it sticks around for the horchata. We can’t all be annoyingly perfect, like that bubbly varsity cheerleader who sat right behind you in honors chem with her perfect hair and straight A’s…

No, I’m not bitter.
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This Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Steals the Show When Moisturizing Lipsticks and Shine Are En Vogue

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chanel en vogue

Some products are fun to talk about, in part because of their names, like this new Rouge Coco Shine from Chanel. It’s sooo En Vogue. No I mean, that’s what it’s called. En Vogue. 🙂

It’s one of two new limited edition $32.50 Rouge Coco Shines released with the Summertime de Chanel collection, available now on Chanel counters and chanel.com.

chanel en vogue
Chanel Rouge Coco Shines in En Vogue (left) and Empreinte

Before my lips got En Vogue (okay, sorry — no more puns), just based on how it looked in the tube, I expected a brighter, warmer orange, but it applies more like a neutral pinkish coral.

I like it! And I also like the matte stain this lightweight, slick lippie leaves on my lips after it wears away (like the Laura Mercier Gel Lip Colours), which en Vogue’s case (was that a pun?) takes about three hours.

Well, the wear time varies… I get about three casual hours with it, or two if I’m just sipping coffee or tea. It usually won’t, however, make it through a meal.

Moisture and shine are two of the Rouge Coco Shine line’s shining achievements. All of the lipsticks I’ve tried from the line feel great, thanks to a hydrating formula (it has a light rose flavor and scent) that doesn’t dry out my lips.

chanel en vogue swatch
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The Chanel Ombres Contrastes Duo in Sable-Emouvant: A Duo That Moonlights as a Quad

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Chanel Sable-Emouvant

running thin
colloquial
1 My patience for eyeshadow looks involving more than two steps.

Okay, so maybe Chanel’s limited edition $42 Ombres Contrastes Duo in Sable-Emouvant from the new Summertime de Chanel collection doesn’t beam with the boundless possibilities of, say, a mega makeup palette packed with 99 shadows in every color of the rainbow.

And maybe it’s not interested in dazzling stargazers with sparkly disco glitter or lighting up lids with summertime teals, greens or golds — heck, it doesn’t even have any extra accoutrements, like a small tube of primer or a tutorial booklet.

But all that aside, it’s still one hell of a great date.

If it asked you to the movies, it would suggest Casablanca over No Strings Attached and Fandango the tickets ahead of time so you could both skip the line. Then, it would get you a big bag of popcorn while you freshened up (no butter, please), and snag perfect seats smack dab in the middle of the theater. No muss, no fuss.

Chanel Sable-Emouvant

With Sable-Emouvant, Chanel created a duo so elegant and effortless that I instantly forgave the brand for not releasing a summer quad in the collection as soon as I slipped it on my lids.

Just like the Ombres Contrastes Duos first launched in 2010, Sable-Emouvant blends with the grace of a swan. One minute, one brush, and I’m done.

The Chanel Ombres Contrastes Duos

And without a trace of fallout. None.

Despite only containing two shadows, the duo has as much flexibility as a good quad (perhaps more).

The lighter shade looks like a pearly golden peachy beige on my NC42 skin, and it reminds me of a creamier, soft-focus MAC Arena.

The darker shade, a purplish brown sheen, has blackened undertones when applied dry (amazing for smokey eye looks!), but it transforms into a pearly bronzed purplish brown with reddish tones when applied with a wet brush.

And when both shadows are mixed together, the resulting peachy brownish taupe flashes more purple when the light hits it just right. Super sophisticated, understated, and so totally Chanel.

Chanel Sable-Emouvant swatches
Chanel Sable-Emouvant swatches from the left: lighter shade, darker shade, darker shade applied wet and both shades mixed together

Chanel Sable-Emouvant
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Wild Sables Couldn’t Keep Me Away From the Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Luminous Bronzing Powders in Sable Beige and Sable Rose

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Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Luminous Bronzing Powders
Wearing Sable Beige on my cheeks and Sable Rose as a contouring bronzer

I’m a card-carrying, unabashed, self-styled Chanel nut.

Even El Hub knows it, and it took him three days to notice that I dyed my hair pink. 🙂

Whenever I see those interlocking double Cs, I’m like a doe in headlights. I freeze in my tracks! Spittle dripping down my chin…

Hey, those beautiful black compacts are more than good looking. They’re also good listeners, and they’re always there for me when I’m feeling needy or craving affection.

Poor El Hub just doesn’t understand… When he came home yesterday, I was giving tiny kisses to the two Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Luminous Bronzing Powders ($60).

“Um, sweetie?” he asked, uncertainty heavy in his voice. “Are you kissing your Chanel…?”

“Mmm…” I answered, “Yes.”

“That’s so weird.”

“Mwah! They get kisses because they’re good! And I love them!”

“Okay, but what’s really strange,” he replied, “is that this is not the first time this has happened.”

“Wanna hear about these new bronzers? They’re pretty rad.”

“Is this a trick question?”

“Oh, fine. Party pooper. I’d rather talk about it with the gals on the blog anyway.”

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Luminous Bronzing Powders
Sable Beige (left) and Sable Rose (right)

Chanel designed Sable Beige, a golden bronzed beige with whispers of peach, and Sable Rose, a darker golden pinkish bronze, to impart a subtle warmth to the skin. Both are limited edition and part of the new Summertime de Chanel collection available now on counters and from chanel.com.

chanel sable beige
Sable Beige

See the strips of color up there in the pan? Chanel did something similar last summer with the $50 Soleil Tan de Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder, except that one had four strips of color, and these two have seven.

The strips are pretty narrow, but you can try to apply them separately, or swirl all of the colors together.

That’s what I’ve been doing, swirling and wearing them as both a blush and a bronzer.

chanel sable rose
Sable Rose
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The Summertime de Chanel Glossimers May Be Sheer, But They’re Also Chanel

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chanel calypso glossimer

Sirocco! Calypso! Ah, yes. Gotta love Chanel Glossimers that 1) rhyme and 2) sound like the names of late-’80s pop duos, which reminds me…

…freshman year in high school, I sat next to a girl in algebra class who went to a Milli Vanilli concert one night and then gushed the next day at school about how “They were so amazing live!”

LOL! Live-ish. 🙂

It’s too bad the Glossimers aren’t less expensive. Both of these limited edition shades from the Summertime de Chanel collection are also pretty sheer, and at $29.50 a pop, they aren’t exactly a bargain in terms of pigment per ounce.

Even so, their sheerness is oddly what I like about them.

I can just imagine the summertime adventures I could have with these two. Touring wine country one Sunday with my friends, Jen and Cindy, peachy beige Sirocco on my lips.

The color is a little like MAC C-Thru, only less pigmented and more shimmery. Perfect for an easy nude lip. I’d whip it out for touch-ups between sips of Merlot and the grand revelations that come with being a boozy lightweight/cheap date (“Dude, Madonna’s Bedtime Stories CD was way ahead of its time!”).

Fun facts about “Sirocco”

The second shade, Calypso, is a reddish coral with golden glitter. More pigmented than Sirocco but less opaque than similar shades like MAC Lychee Luxe, it’s the one I’d wear with friends to Bliss Spa, followed by lunch at the Samovar Tea Lounge (because tea with friends makes everything better).

Sheer and shiny coral lips + spa treatments * tea + good conversation = happiness. Add a bright floral dress, and I’m smiling from ear to ear. 🙂

chanel glossimer sirocco calypso tube
Calypso (bottom) and Sirocco (top)

chanel sirocco calypso swatches
Sirocco (left) and Calpyso (right)
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