Collections

Cheeks, Lips and Nails Bask in Bronze, Coral and Pink Shades With Guerlain’s New Summer 2014 Collection

May 8th, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Wearing the new Guerlain Summer 2014 collection

I know you’re not supposed to stare at the sun, but in the case of Guerlain’s new summer 2014 collection, it can’t be helped.

The sun symbol on the new Celebration Powder Compact and the bottle of Terracotta Le Parfum is so mesmerizing that I keep losing myself in its golden glow…

While daydreaming about the many eco-adventures I could have while wearing the bronzer and blush compact on my face (I’ve been flirting with the idea of a trip to Costa Rica or Belize), Tabs hopped in my lap! It gave me such a start that I accidentally dug my nails into the pan.

Shoot.

Oh, well. Whatcha gonna do, right? #makeuploverproblems #bronzeraddictissues

This succinct six-piece limited edition collection basks in bronzy, sunny, summery shades of brown, orange and coral for lips and cheeks…and there’s also a gorgeous bottle of perfume.

Not much going on in terms of eye makeup this year — just a single waterproof mascara in Guerlain’s fabulous Cils D’Enfer Maxi Lash formula, which, no joke, makes my lashes look like Zac Efron’s.

I like what I see, but it would’ve been nice to also get some cool metallics or eye kolhs this year.

A few thoughts on the new collection, which is available now at Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Sephora, Bergdorf Goodman stores and online…

Guerlain Terracotta Sun Celebration Powder Compact ($76): Two shades of matte bronzer to sculpt, and matte pink and coral blushes to brighten cheeks and skin. There’s also a touch of gold (it’s an overspray) for shimmer.

The bronzers apply sheer when I swatch them with my finger, but deposit more color on my skin when I apply them with a brush. Same goes for the blushes. The powders appear effortless and natural on the skin, and blend sans drama.

Guerlain Terracotta Le Perfum — Terracotta Le Parfum EDT ($73)

Guerlain Terracotta Le Parfum ($73): My new favorite “summer in a bottle” scent, it has notes of bergamot, tiare flower, ylang ylang and vanilla.

This soft, summery fragrance is like a forbidden kiss on a tropical beach at sunset… I like to reapply after about 5-6 hours to keep the scent going.

Guerlain 940 Nahema Stack Gloss DEnfer maxi Shine — Gloss D’Enfer Maxi Shine in 940 Nahema Stack ($30)

Guerlain Gloss D’Enfer Maxi Shine in 940 Nahema Stack ($30): Non-sticky and smooth, this sheer bright orange gloss feels delightful on my lips, where it lasts about two hours. It tastes and smells a little like rose-flavored candy, too.

Mmm…

Guerlain 602 Tonka Imperiale Le Vernis Nail Lacquer — Le Vernis Nail Lacquer in 602 Tonka Imperiale ($25)

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The New Zoya Tickled Summer 2014 Collection, and a Quick Fashion Tip

May 5th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

Zoya Tickled Collection, Summer 2014 — Wearing the new Zoya Tickled summer 2014 collection with my favorite scarf…

Giddy-up, little darlin’! We’re living in the Wild West of the nail polish frontier, where anything goes when it comes to tips and toes.

Once upon a time, not so long ago, when the lacquer landscape was tamer territory, most gals stuck to one shade of polish at a time, and if you felt like pushing the envelope, maybe you’d get a French manicure or a small dangly charm for your pinky.

These days, we’re way more adventurous than that! Whether it’s nail art in your team’s colors, Skittles manis, accent nails, glitter gradients, bumpy textures or ombre effects, anything it goes.

You can even match your nails to your accessories, which is what I’m doing now with the new Zoya Tickled collection ($9 per bottle).

With the six-piece summer release of creamy shades, it kind of seem like Zoya’s channeling Essie (in a very good way). Here my multicolored mani matches my favorite scarf, which I picked up on sale at Anthropologie last summer. 🙂

Zoya Tickled Collection on my nails clockwise from my thumb: Rooney, Tilda, Ling, Rocha and Wendy; nail polish bottles clockwise from the blue bottle: Ling, Rooney and Wendy — On my nails clockwise from my thumb: Rooney, Tilda, Ling, Rocha and Wendy; nail polish bottles clockwise from the blue bottle: Ling, Rooney and Wendy

Zoya Tickled Collection, on my nails clockwise from my pinky: Kitridge, Tilda, Rooney, Wendy and Link — On my nails clockwise from my pinky: Kitridge, Tilda, Rooney, Wendy and Ling (two coats each); bottles clockwise from the green shade: Tilda, Rocha and Kitridge

I’m wearing two coats of each creamy, pigmented shade with Guerlain Le Gel topcoat (two words: shiny, sturdy) on top.

The smooth colors are packed with pigment (no streaks, BTW, not even with Kitridge, the pale pink polish), but a word of caution…

I’m just wearing them with a topcoat here (lazy girl says what now?), but you may want to go all out with these and also wear a base coat.

Then, in addition to that, you’ll probably also want Siri to remind you to reapply your top coat every other day.

Since I skipped the base coat this time around, I started seeing small chips around the edges of four fingernails by the end of the second day…

Wearing a multicolored mani with a matching scarf is one of the quickest fashion tips/conversation starters I know, and an easy way to gussy up a basic outfit like jeans and a tee, or a simple black dress (I do it all the time).

With multicolored manis, I get out of glancing down at my nails as I’m typing. Highly recommended if you spend a lot of time at a computer. 🙂
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The MAC Alluring Aquatic Collection Extra Dimension Bronzers and Blushes Are Making Waves With Me

May 2nd, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

Contrary to popular belief, mermaids aren’t always able to rely on sunshine and brisk sea breezes for bronzed skin and beautifully sun-kissed cheeks.

I mean, have you seen the beaches here in Nor Cal?

Holy crap, man! Most of the time they’re freezing cold and the skies are overcast.

But that’s where blush and bronzer come in, because even if you’re a mermaid, selkie or siren, you will find a way to get some color on your face and cheeks, high tides, cloudy skies and rough seas be damned!

The new MAC Alluring Aquatic collection, which crashes on shores this month, makes it easy to look like you’ve been lounging in a seaside sun-drenched seashell all day, thanks to its two Bronzing Powders ($27.50 each), two Extra Dimension Bronzers ($33 each) and two Extra Dimension Blushes ($27.50 each).

The release splashes ashore May 15 at maccosmetics.com and May 22 at North American MAC counters (internationally some time in May).

I’ve been wearing the Extra Dimension Bronzer in Delphic and Extra Dimension Blushes in Sea Me Hear Me and Seduced at Sea this week, and as a part-time mermaid (my regular job as Tabs the Cat’s personal assistant prohibits me from making the jump to full-time), I can say that all three have made a big splash with me.

MAC Extra Dimension Bronzer in Delphic — Extra Dimension Bronzer in Delphic

Starting with Delphic Extra Dimension Bronzer, I can’t recall ever seeing MAC release a bronzer version, so I’m beyond thrilled to see this soft brick tan with its touch of barely-there golden shimmer.

I’ve been using it to add all-over warmth to my skin by sweeping it beneath my cheekbones, around the edges of my face and across my forehead, where it deposits just the perfect amount of color to the skin without that heavy, obvious, powdery look that some powder bronzers leave behind.

The new-ish Extra Dimension formula, which is sort of a combination of a cream, liquid and powder in the same pan, feels soft to the touch — almost creamy — and I really, really love it, not only because it blends easily and looks natural (the bronzer doesn’t sit on my skin like some powder bronzers do), but it’s also long-wearing. I get from 8-10 hours.

Delphic has a finish that’s just about perfect, and I’m crushing hard on this one, big time. It looks matte at first, but when you look closely you can see a slight sheen. The fine shimmer also gives it even more depth.

And then there are the two blushes in beige pink Sea Me Hear Me and neutral plum Seduced at Sea.

MAC Extra Dimension Blushes in Sea Me, Hear Me (left) and Seduced at Sea (right) — Extra Dimension Blushes in Sea Me, Hear Me (left) and Seduced at Sea (right)

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The MAC Alluring Aquatic Lipsticks, Lipglasses and Lip Pencils Are off the Port Bow

May 1st, 2014 by Karen 23 Comments

Dear MAC Makeup Sirens of Alluring Aquatic…

Hey, ladies! I know y’all are busy reclining on the rocks and beguiling sailors with your songs and whatnot, but when you have a spare minute, ideally some time before your new 32-piece Alluring Aquatic summer collection arrives on May 15, can we schedule a quick conference call?

I’d like to discuss a major issue I have with the five Lipsticks, five Lipglasses and two Lip Pencils in the collection — specifically, I wish I could wear each and every one of them, like, all at the same time.

Four of the five MAC Alluring Aquatic Lipsticks

Frankly, I am jealous of the hydra, your mythical multi-headed pal, because he doesn’t have to choose among the pearly nudes, neutral pinks, plummy bronzes and vibrant violets. It’s totally not fair!

I, being a mere human (sigh), am relegated to wearing a single lip look at a time. ‘Tis a Greek tragedy of epic proportions.

But it’s not my fault! I have a weakness for nude lips, particularly in smokey eye looks using eyeshadows in unexpected colors, like the shimmery blue, green and plum Extra Dimension Eye Shadows from the MAC Alluring Aquatic collection.

I love the femme fatale look of glistening eyes and glossy nude lips, and I can totally get that by lining my lips with light nude What Comes Naturally Lip Pencil before filling them in with Lustre Lipstick in Siren Song (a pale sheer beige) or Frost Lipstick in Pet Me, Please (a light shimmering mauve).

A layer of either the seductively sparkly Clear Water or creamy nude Peachstock Lipglasses on top, and I, too, feel like a magical creature of the sea.

Oh! — and the pinks in this collection? Both neutral pink Matte Lipstick in Enchanted One and creamy rose Cremesheen Lipstick in Mystical are neutral enough to work with both warm and cool skin tones and perfect for a day at the office, whether you spend said days on sea cliffs singing enchanting songs or pushing paper at your desk (damn those TPS reports!).

MAC Alluring Aquatic Lip Pencils in Half-Red (left) and What Comes Naturally (right) — Lip Pencils in Half-Red (left) and What Comes Naturally (right)

I like both of the lippies worn either by themselves or with a touch of light bronzy pink Water Deities Lipglass or plummy bronze Seducing Sound Lipglass on top, which makes them even more alluring.

And how about those big parties at the Parthenon? Well, when I need enough drama to party with Zeus and Athena, vibrant violet Cremsheen Lipstick in Goddess of the Sea, deep violet Lipglass in Modern Lure and soft burgundy Lip Pencil in Half-Red perfectly accompany shimmery statement eyeshadows.

Yes, MAC Makeup Sirens, I believe that you gals know where to find me, since I can hear you singing your songs of makeup seduction practically every single day. Have your people call my people, and let’s set up a time to talk.

Sooner than later, yeah?

MAC Siren Song Lustre Lipstick — Siren Song Lustre Lipstick

MAC Mystical Cremesheen Lipstick — Mystical Cremesheen Lipstick

MAC Pet Me PleaseFrost Lipstick — Pet Me Please Frost Lipstick

MAC Enchanted One Matte Lipstick — Enchanted One Matte Lipstick

MAC Modern Lure Lipglass — Modern Lure Lipglass

MAC Clear Water Lipglass — Clear Water Lipglass

MAC Peachstock Lipglass — Peachstock Lipglass

MAC Water Deities Lipglass — Water Deities Lipglass

MAC Seducing Sound Lipglass — Seducing Sound Lipglass

MAC Alluring Aquatic Lipstick swatches from the left: Siren Song, Mystical, Pet Me Please Me and Enchanted One — Lipstick swatches from the left: Siren Song, Mystical, Pet Me Please Me and Enchanted One

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The MAC Alluring Aquatic Collection Extra Dimension Eye Shadows and Pearlglide Intense Eye Liners Are off the Starboard Bow

May 1st, 2014 by Karen 32 Comments

Wait.

Quiet, now.

Do you hear that?

That song…?

It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.

Oh, my goodness! I think I know what it is. That’s the siren song of the new MAC Alluring Aquatic collection.

Gah! Lure me in, why don’t ya? — with your lustrous teal packaging, Neptunian theme and the inviting Extra Dimension formula that makes me want to dive into your shimmery waters without fear or hesitation.

Yeah…this stuff sings to me.

MAC Alluring Aquatic Collection — The MAC Alluring Aquatic collection

The release splashes ashore May 15 at maccosmetics.com and May 22 at North American MAC counters (internationally some time in May).

The packaging…I lurves it. Shimmery, shiny and teal, and the little water droplets make it unlike anything I’ve seen before, at least that I can remember.

The ship sets sail with 32 pieces — a good many of them lipsticks and lipglosses — with a couple of lip pencils and plenty of beautiful pieces with MAC’s Extra Dimension formula (eyeshadows, bronzers and blushes). There are also a couple of liners, nail polishes, regular powder brushes, a makeup bag and a few other tidbits (full list down below).

Soft, shimmery eyes, chrome nails and glistening skin characterize the collection. Think cheeks with a soft, satiny sheen. Harsh is not the operative word.

The lips vary widely from warm nudes to neutral pinks, deep violets, bronzes and plums, giving a MAC Alluring Aquatic siren a lot of lip choices.

MAC Alluring Aquatic Extra Dimension Eye Shadows — Alluring Aquatic Extra Dimension Eye Shadows

I love it when MAC includes Extra Dimension products in their collections because of how well those blasted things blend, and how amazingly long they last.

Don’t be scurred of the shine and frost you see here, even if you’re afraid of shimmer, because in these looks I’m wearing the shadows rather intensely. Overall, I think they’re quite wearable.

I packed them on with the MAC 233 Split Fibre Eye Shadow Brush from the collection, but a MAC 217, with its fluffier domed shape, would deliver a lighter wash of soft, shimmery color.

I’ve been playing with four of the six Extra Dimension Eye Shadows this morning, and here some quick thoughts…

Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Lorelei

MAC Lorelei Extra Dimension Eye Shadow, a golden beige — Lorelei Extra Dimension Eye Shadow

Lorelei is otherworldly! What a lovely golden beige and a great everyday color. I think it also has hints of peach in it…

I love it just buffed all over the lids. I know that it looks a little frosty in the swatch, but that’s partly due to the flash. It’s not quite as shiny in person (more of a subtle sheen), and I think it looks gorgeous with peaches and golds, like — ooh! — Indianwood Paint Pot or Woodwinked. You could do Woodwinked on the lid, Lorelei in the inner corners and lower lash lines and Soft Brown in the crease.

Yeah, awesome.

Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Legendary Lure

MAC Legendary Lure Extra Dimension Eye Shadow — Legendary Lure Extra Dimension Eye Shadow

MAC calls Legendary Lure Extra Dimension Eye Shadow a deep cerulean…

I love that word — cerulean. 🙂

On my NC42 skin, it reminds me of a simpler MAC Club without Club’s flash of reddish brown, so basically a tantalizing teal-ish gray.

I love those peacock feather colors, ya know? I can’t wait to wear this one with a deeper green, maybe something like MAC Tarnished Eye Kohl.

Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Fathoms Deep

MAC Fathoms Deep Extra Dimension Eye Shadow — Fathoms Deep Extra Dimension Eye Shadow

Fathoms Deep, which is technically a deep blue, interestingly enough looks more like a dark gunmetal periwinkle on me (Lots of blue shades often lean purple on my skin tone… Weird!).

Since I’m a sucka for smokey eyes, all I want to do with this one is smudge a black liner all over my lash lines and smoke it out on top.

I’m looking forward to trying it with the nude lip shades from the collection, like Peachstock Lipglass, for a summery smokey eye.

Extra Dimension Eye Shadow in Soul Serenade

MAC Soul Serenade Extra Dimension Eye Shadow — Soul Serenade Extra Dimension Eye Shadow

As for deep plummy brown Soul Serenade Extra Dimension Eye Shadow, it’s also sure to lure smokey eye fans.

With these shadows, because they are quite shiny, I like to add a matte shadow up in the mix. For me, whenever I wear shiny shades like these, I like to have something matte or satin to balance everything out, like I actually took one of the Extra Dimension Bronzers from the collection and put it in the crease.

That’s not a rule, mind you. If you like the full-on shine, girlfriend, go for it. Sometimes I do too.

Pearlglide Intense Eye Liners in Black LIne and Black Swan

MAC Alluring Aquatic Pearglide Intense Eye Liner in Black Line (left) and Black Swan (right) — Pearglide Intense Eye Liner in Black Line (left) and Black Swan (right)

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The MAC Maleficent Collection Conjures Crimson Kisses and Chiseled Cheeks

May 1st, 2014 by Karen 49 Comments

Sorcery is a brutal business. Between the handsome princes hell bent on thwarting your dastardly plans and the difficulty in procuring eye of newt and other essential ingredients, there’s the whole time-consuming nature of conjuring and the plotting of evil deeds.

A successful villainess doesn’t even have time to touch up her lips these days, what with all the demand for demon summonings and whatnot.

Can you imagine the mighty Maleficent, star of Disney’s upcoming movie and MAC’s latest collaboration, pausing in the middle of a curse to grab a lip brush to reapply her red lipstick?

Please. It makes perfect sense that MAC, in working with the dark sorceress herself, would populate the new MAC Maleficent collection with lip products that last a supernaturally long time.

I’m no sorceress, obviously (well, not yet, but who knows what the future holds!?), but I’ve been wearing the True Love’s Kiss Lipstick, Anthurium Pro Longwear Lipglass and Kiss Me Quick Lip Pencil from the release this week, and all of them last a solid 6-7 hours — more than enough time to cast a fireball spell, cook a big batch of witch’s brew and/or frighten some local villagers.

Of the 14-pieces in the release, many of which are re-promotes from the MAC permanent line, the lip products conjure up some seriously stunning red lip magic for me. Total musts for crimson lip lovers.

MAC Maleficent Lipstick in True Love's Kiss, Pro Longwear Lipglass in Anthurium and Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Kiss Me Quick — Lipstick in True Love’s Kiss, Pro Longwear Lipglass in Anthurium and Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in Kiss Me Quick

In Disney’s Maleficent, which comes out this summer, Angelina Jolie plays the allegedly devilish Disney sorceress of Sleeping Beauty fame, who may or may not have been the villainess she was once portrayed to be. The film chronicles Maleficent’s “true” rise to power.

Yes, MAC totally has a thing for the bad gals (remember Venomous Villains?).

The Maleficent collection has a vastly different color story than the Maleficent portion of Venomous Villains did. Where VV’s cool-toned purples, blues and greens drew upon Maleficent’s skin and wardrobe from Disney’s original Sleeping Beauty, the new collection evokes Maleficent’s evil elegance, with bold neutrals for eyes and cheeks and, of course, that intense red lip.

In the Maleficent movie posters I’ve seen, Angie has a whole scary/cool thing going on — super contoured cheeks, bold red lips, striking eyes in neutral tones. No green skin like the original Disney character, but more of a chilling gray…

She kind of looks like a witchy version of one of Robert Palmer’s Addicted to Love video girls from the ’80s, which I think is pretty damn fabulous!

MAC Maleficent Collection Sculpting Powder in Sculpt and Beauty Powder in Natural — Sculpting Powder in Sculpt to contour and Beauty Powder in Natural to highlight

With the exception of the grayish skin (really, though, would ya want that, anyways?), the look could be recreated with the 14 products in the MAC Maleficent collection — if you wanted to, that is.

But here’s the kicker that will probably peeve more than a few MAC fans: most of the pieces are re-promotes with limited edition packaging, and MAC does charge a little bit more for them.

Yes, you’re mostly paying for the packaging here, unless you don’t have some of these products.

And I sure do like the packaging! Like that logo, which looks like black wings, and the wings look like crows (Maleficent has a thing for corvids), which also form the shape of the letter “M.”

It’s on the main pieces — the quad, lip products, the cheek/face powder and the polishes.

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According to Mayan Makeup Calendars, the Santigolden Age Summer Collection Is Right on Time

April 30th, 2014 by Karen 10 Comments

The new Smashbox Santigolden Age Collection Eye Shadow Collages in Apocalypse Now (left) and Earth As We Know It (right), $36 each

Shout-out to the Mayans, yo! The feathered serpents, jaguars, pyramids and gold rings — you know, the usual Sephora fare.

I feel like the 7-piece Santigolden Age collection is about two years late, but hey, I’m not complaining at all. I’m glad that last doomsday prediction was off. 🙂

Smashbox Santigolden Age Collection — The 7-piece Smashbox Santigolden Age collection…

New for summer from Smashbox, the release, a collaboration with American singer/songwriter Santigold, sort of has a Mayan apocalyptic theme. It features two eyeshadow palettes, which Smashbox refers to as Eye Collages; two double-ended eye liners; two lip glosses; and a lipstick…inside a ring!

I hadn’t heard of Santigold before this collection, so I looked her up on YouTube…

Some pretty catchy stuff! Kind of reminds me a li’l of M.I.A.

At first I thought the colors in the limited edition launch seemed all over the place, but upon closer inspection, I think I see how the pieces fit.

There are a bunch of bright-ish colors — blues, greens, oranges and yellowish golds — held together by neutrals (brown, black and beige).

I think it’s definitely a collection for girls/guys who have a “no fear!” outlook on wearing color.

Smashbox Santigolden Age Collection Double-Ended Limitless Liner — Double-Ended Limitless Liners in Azurite Is Never Wrong/El Dorado and Green Martian/Yellow Dwarf ($24 each)

Smashbox Santigolden Age Collection eyes — Who is Santigold?

Smashbox Santigolden Age Collection Eye Shadow Collage Swatches in Apocalypse Now (top row) and Earth As We Know It (bottom row) — Eye Shadow Collage swatches in Apocalypse Now (top row) and Earth As We Know It (bottom row)

Smashbox Santigolden Age Collection swatches from the left: Double-Ended Limitless Liner in Azurite Is Never Wrong and El Dorado, Double-Ended Limitless Liner in Green Martian Yellow Dwarf and Be Legendary Lipstick Ring — Swatches from the left: Double-Ended Limitless Liner in Azurite Is Never Wrong and El Dorado, Double-Ended Limitless Liner in Green Martian Yellow Dwarf and Be Legendary Lipstick Ring

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Letters to Coco and Reflections on a Chanel Summer, Part 3: Bronze BFFs Forever! Mirage Illusion D’Ombre, Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Ambre Dore, and Tutti Frutti Le Vernis Nail Colour

April 11th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

Chanel Reflets D'Ete De Chanel — Wearing the new Chanel Reflets D’Ete De Chanel summer collection

Letters to Coco

What follows is the final installment of a three-part series of posts titled “Letters to Coco,” a series of letters written in the summer of 2014 from me to my best friend (in my head), Coco Chanel. In this third letter, which features summer collection standouts Mirage Illusion D’Ombre, Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Ambre Dor and Le Vernis Nail Colour in Tutti Frutti, it’s the end of the summer, a few weeks after our trip. 🙂

My dearest Coco,

You know what they say. Tans fade, but friendships last forever. And you, my friend, are my girl for life.

4-LIFE!

I can’t believe the summer is almost over. It’s seems like just yesterday we were boarding the plane to the Maldives.

Ah, the Maldives…

I can’t even think about that trip without smiling!

The beach, the waves… Thank you for being such a good sport and getting up at the crack of dawn to go surfing with me. Oh, and uh, also thank you for not telling anybody that I lost my bikini top when I dropped in on that wave.

Whoops! Half-naked surfing. Everyone’s gotta do it at least once in their life, haha.

Geez, barely two weeks back from vacation, and I feel like I need another one. It’s been super stressful (but what else is new?). Tabs is already gearing up for fall — fall! — and I’ve been working cray-cray long hours, but whenever I’m about to lose my sh*t, I just close my eyes and pretend we’re back on the beach with our towels, digging our toes into the sand.

Chanel Mirage and Ambre Dore — Mirage and Ambre Dore

You’re probably going to laugh this, but I’m still wearing your summer collection. In August! I know!

By this time of year, I’m usually hitting up the Trader Joe’s in matte berry lips and full-on smokey eyes.

Chanel Mirage — Illusion D’Ombre Loong Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Mirage, a bronze ($36)

But I’m just not ready to say goodbye to summer yet.

NO! I still have a tan from our trip (tears!), so I’ve been wearing your bronze cream eyeshadow, Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in Mirage; and your shimmery gold liner, Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Ambre Dore, in an attempt to cling to my memories of our best summer ever.

Chanel Ambre Dore — Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Ambre Dore, a shimmery gold ($32)

You know, sometimes, Coco, I feel like you just get me. You get my makeup style. Especially with this cream eyeshadow.

My goodness! It’s like the most perfect shimmery bronze I’ve ever worn — or rather, the most perfect buttery bronze, because I think it’s different than a regular orangey bronze, and I love how it works with my caramel coloring.

And the finish? It’s off the hook, girl! Did you make it this way — so soft and satiny and scintillating — because of that time I complained about how frosty eyeshadows settle into my fine lines? Because the way this catches the light is absolutely perfect.

I’ve been wearing Mirage all over my lids with Ambre Dore Eyeliner on my lower lash and water lines. The warm, shimmery golden tones in Ambre Dore play off the bronze in Mirage really well — no clashing of metallics here!

I’d go so far as to call the Mirage + Ambre Dore combo the best metallic summer eye look of 2014. It’s easy, elegant and I swear to gawd, makes me look 10 years younger.

So, of course, this would not be one of my trademark rambling letters without a nail update. Well, I’ve been wearing Tutti Fruitt Le Vernis Nail Colour, also from your summer collection, to go with my shimmery bronze and gold eyes.

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Tutti Frutti, a soft coral ($27) — Le Vernis Nail Colour in Tutti Frutti, a soft coral ($27)

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