Twenty years later, and we’re still talking about Chanel Vamp!
Who knew that a blackened red nail polish could ignite such a frenzy? — but it did, from the moment it arrived in the mid ‘90s.
Maybe I missed my calling as a makeup fortune teller (what if that were a real job?!), but I kindasorta suspected that Vamp would stand the test of time. I remember going absolutely b-a-n-a-n-a-s for it way back when, and I still get amped about Vamp.
I guess other lacquer lovers do, too, because it’s making waves again with Chanel Holiday 2015 Collection Vamp Attitude, which is all about Vamp.
Chanel used Vamp as their inspiration for the collection’s eyeshadows, liners, mascara, lipsticks and gloss, and they maintained Vamp’s runway-ready wow factor bite. Still, the colors are also everyday wearable, meaning that you won’t have to wear them with a scowl while listening to sad songs by The Cure.
Generally speaking, Chanel turned down the reddish tones (so you won’t have to worry about looking like an extra from The Walking Dead), and turned up the black, which I think makes some of the products, like the cream shadow, actually look more like a deep plummy bronze.
The 15-piece collection arrives at Chanel counters and the Chanel website next month, with most of the pieces being limited edition. I think that only two of them — the cream shadow and the long-wearing liquid lipstick — are permanent (and I’m trying to confirm this).
Despite its inspiration, the collection isn’t strictly about Vamp. Chanel also added soft pinks, peachy beiges, taupes, frosty bright golds and an intense raspberry, all of which go really well with the blackened red tones.
My current favorite Vamp-ified look involves plummy taupe and reddish brown smoky eyes with a bright spot of gold in the inner corners, which I pair with a delicate, light pinkish purple sparkly lip.
That’s what I’m wearing in the video at the top and what I plan to also wear over Thanksgiving. I’ve already decided, because I love it that much. 🙂
Being Chanel, these products are pricey and the opposite of bargain or affordable, but if you’re thinking of a splurge, I really, REALLY like the Signe Particulier Quad ($61), or the Illusion D’Ombre Long-Wearing Eyeshadow in Rouge Noir ($36), or the Le Crayon Kohl Intense Eye Pencil in Rouge Noir ($32). I think all of those are at least worth a swatch.
And if you can, spend some time with light pink Rouge Allure Lipstick in Vamporeuse ($36) and Glossimer in Rose de Lune ($30) at a counter if you like the sound of there-but-not-there nude pink lips. Or for babes who love bold, swipe the bright raspberry Rouge Allure Velvet in la Merveilleuse ($36) on the back of your hand, and when you do so, try not to fall in lusty-lust. 🙂
What a beautiful launch! It’s easily one of my top three holiday collections this year.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
What a beautiful collection. The quad is stunning! And so is the Illusion Ombre shadow. Gorgeous! You did a fantastic job on your makeup, it looks really elegant and glamorous! And I am going to check out Melissa’s YT channel.
Btw, what’s on your cheeks?
Hi Agata,
I’m wearing NARS Madly blush. It’s like a peachy pink beige with subtle shimmer and goes with everything. The bronzer is Guerlain Brunettes and the highlighter is MAC Shaft of Gold from the holiday collection. 🙂
I remember the “Vamp” craze in the ’90’s. All my gal pals had to have it on their nails. I rarely did dark shades like that, and still don’t. I always love Chanel’s product line, but I have never purchased anything. It’s a little pricey, although, Bobbi Brown and brands like hers are getting up there is price was well. I always thought of Chanel as “rich-girl” makeup or very special event makeup. I know what you mean when you say, when you put it on, you feel different. The colors are beautiful and look great on you.
Hi Janej,
I’ve noticed that all of the department stores brands seem to be going up. A MAC lipstick is now $17! When I first started blogging it was $14.50.
If only price increase could ever stop me 🙂
I, too, went nuts for Rouge Noir when it came out. This is a lovely collection. Can’t wait!
Odd question — does the Illusion d’ombre contain talc? I know some don’t.
Cheers!
Hi Melanie,
I just checked the box, and it does. HTH.
Chanel mascara has made my eyes itchy lately, and this color of Le Volume is just so pretty.
Aww, bummer! What mascara have you been using instead of your Chanel?
Clinique! I’ve been using
Clinique eyeliner too, since my eyes are really sensitive right now.
The quad looks better than I expected! The swatches look really nice.
Rouge Noir is such a classic nail color. I never bought it – but I have several dupes.
Yes, the quad is super pretty. 🙂
That is a beautiful and well-designed collection! Very sophisticated.
I also admit that collection looks better than expected from the promo pics, sadly:) I think Chanel is at its best with doing something elegant & classic. I wish they focus on it and leave the other brands do all crazy makeup. I didn’t like their spring and summer collections, but they know how to make the right amount of drama. TF also know how to make drama, but he goes a step further, which is already a “too much drama” territory for me:)
What a great idea to base a whole collection on a nail polish shade 😀 The collection looks great, very mysterious and glamorous. The quad sounds good. Good to hear they look so flattering on the eyes.
Oh and yes, you totally butchered La Merveilleuse, haha 🙂
Great video, Karen, and I think you addressed something I’ve been wondering about since I saw the promo pics of the collection. The quad looks like (and apparently is) that wonderful formulation that we’ve seen from Chanel in Harmonie du Soir (I think Christmas 2012) and the legendary Topkapi.
Everything looks fab on you. I’ll be buying several pieces from this collection. 🙂
Chanel needs to stop doing this thing, where they make me buy all of the collection all of the time.
Karen, could you please put a breakdown of what makeup you’re wearing below each video? I always have to know!!!
Hi Bella,
I’ll try! (Sometimes I just end up forgetting or I run out of time). Is there anything in this specific look that you want to know about? I’ll be happy to list it for you here.
Thank you, Karen, for the information. It helps tremendously. Cheers!
This is a gorgeous collection and I’m quite thankful that, while I appreciate Vamp, it’s not my style. Thank you, Chanel. For once, you haven’t made me want to desperately buy something. Though, a standard black Le Volume purchase will be coming shortly. 🙂
PS Have you watched Scream Queens? It’s quite entertaining (very campy… sort of Heathers meets Friday the 13th, which I think I read was their goal). I always have a bit of an extra smile because of all the Chanels.
The coolest collection from Chanel in a while. Those rouge noir eye shadows! And basically everything rouge noir.
I thought I was done with my makeup purchases, but alas, my work is never done. Lol! I love Chanel! I can’t wait to get my hands on that Quad! I am gonna have to get the Illusion d’ Ombre too. The eye pencils look nice too. Didn’t expect to like that dark purple lipstick, but the swatch looks really pretty. Still sulking over missing Frenzy, nail polish but I think I am going to buy Rose Fusion.
Chanel Frenzy is still available online. Check Saks Fifth Avenue’s website. It is a can’t miss shade- so easy to wear.
thanks for all the glorious photos! that quad looks so festive and very tempting for a splurge. The collection has started to arrive at some US boutiques, and I can’t wait to play with those nail polishes. I want to see what the sparkly topcoat will do in a jelly sammich or over deep blues and purples.
I usually pick apart the Chanel line and grab my favs but I love the whole collection this time around! My wallet isn’t going to love it though.
Vamp was my first high-end makeup product and I’ve never been a huge nail girl but back in my goth days I never wanted black polish. This what I wanted that no one made that I semi-custom made myself buy making a semi-opaque black top coat and layering it over blood red shades. Then Chanel came out with Vamp… back when their polishes were $14 and it was cheaper than buying 3 nice polishes to mix and the time it took.
It’s like they looked into my adult soul and came up with everything I ever wanted built on the Vamp concept. Still a little dark but uber chic and wearable.
Ooooh, I love that Rose Fusion nail color! I can pass on the eye shadow quad, thankfully, because I don’t use colors that are that dark.
This is a beautiful collection. I love these kinds of colors. The shadows look much better than I’ve usually seen in Chanel palettes.
This collection is so beautiful! I’m loving the palette swatches and the cream shadow is stunning too. The eyeliners are even catching my eye lol. Chanel did an amazing job with this collection!
I am in love with this collection since reading your blog the other day! Amazing shade, as I am a goth and love the vampy look for my make up. I cannot wait to get this collection. Usually I only want one piece, but for this I’d love it all! Excellent post! 🙂
How did you find the texture and pigment of this quad to be? Some have said the the red black shadow and patchy and lots of fall out. I had no problems at all with these colors. I love this quad so I don’t understand why it got mixed reviews.
I am terribly disappointed in the new vamp nail polish. It is nothing like the old polish. its a plain brick red with glitter not at the red purple of the old one. Why would they name this Vamp if it was not the actual Vamp?