Dior: Lifting Amber 642, Rosy Tan 754, Ara 999

I seem to be having a Dior moment. I was a bit intrigued with their new Lift eyeshadow palette, which is supposed to contain some amazing serum that cares for your skin whilst looking pretty. And then typical me, once I started buying, I couldn't stop, so I got a few more things... 

This is the 642 Lifting Amber. It has a creamy base in the middle, three powder eyeshadows and in the bottom right hand corner is a very dark brown meant to be used as an eyeliner or eyebrow colour (only if you have dark hair, obviously). What I have noticed with this palette and the other one (below, Rosy Tan) is that Dior eyeshadows seem to have pigmentation issues. If you are used to solid, deep colours eg NARS, then you might find these frustrating. On the other hand, if you don't like having to blend so much, then these work really well. Perhaps well suited to beginners because they are all soft and natural, and there is no way you could apply too much and look like a clown, even if you wanted to.   

642 Lifting Amber

Here are the swatches - all except for the base, which is off whitish/slightly pink and not supposed to be visible once you've packed on the other colours, anyway - and I must say, I am very pleased with them. Very wearable. Just so you know, the brown isn't necessarily as dark as it looks here.

Here are the swatches again from a different angle. The brown eyeshadow looks better here. None of them are matte; the powder eyeshadows all have a subtle shimmer. And some more good news: The eyeliner seems to stay on really well (at least on my hand): I couldn't get the swatch off with soap and water! I had to use a make-up remover.

I think the cream shadow brush by Bobbi Brown might work very nicely for picking up the base. Dior suggests using fingers but I'm not so keen on that. 

642 Lifting Amber

I told myself that it made NO sense to buy two eyeshadow palettes at the same time but I still did because I have no self-control... This is from their summer collection: 754 Rosy Tan.

754 Rosy Tan

Five powder eyeshadows, very straightforward. They are all everyday colours. My favourite is the taupe in the bottom left hand corner. The light brown in the bottom right corner is matte. I haven't been able to decide yet which palette I prefer... because they are so similar.

And both go well with the lip products that I also got. The Lip Glow, which I'm sure you know about, I've had before (and lost within a week of buying it). It's a lip balm that is supposed to enhance your natural lip colour. I remember ending up with bright lips after applying it several times. I just wanted to try it again.

And a red lipstick. This is the Dior Rouge 999 Ara. What an amazing red. It looks like a true red to me but I'm not much of a red lipstick expert. 

Dior Rouge 999

I'm already nervous about wearing red lipstick during the day! I almost always have nude / only lightly-coloured lips. But when I see the look in magazines, I love it... These neutral eyeshadows will be the perfect balance for the bright lips! How often do you wear red lipstick and do you have a favourite?

Tortoiseshell and rose blossom

I was excited when I got my hands on Bobbi Brown's tortoiseshell palette in Bronze - which is actually just a bunch of neutral and unexciting colours, I suppose, but great.basics. These are the colours I wear most often. These days I feel too self-conscious wearing bright colours on my face.

So with my eyes looking natural, I thought I'd play up the lips a bit. I just wanted something new and different and it took me one minute to decide on a bright pink lipstick called Rose Blossom. I tried on the limited edition shade - nude rose? - but it didn't suit me; it just looked blah on me.

Face: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B50 Beige Sienne, Bobbi Brown corrector in Bisque, Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder 2

Cheeks: Chanel Solein Tan in Bronze Corail

Eyes: Bobbi Brown White, Bronze Tortoiseshell Eye Palette, Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner in black, Dior waterproof eyeliner in black, Chanel Sublime mascara in black

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B40, B50, Bobbi Brown Rose Blossom

The foundation is still the same Vitalumiere Aqua by Chanel but a shade darker than last time. I couldn't make up my mind for a while but I think I do like this. I can't compare it with any other Chanel foundations but it's supposed to give that 'my skin but better' look. It has an SPF of 15, it's light and gives more coverage than eg MAC's Face and Body, which is ultra sheer. The packaging is perfect, in my opinion, because it's small, plastic and travel-friendly; I really don't need glass bottles.

As for concealer... well, I'm still experimenting. I'm not 100% satisfied with Bobbi's corrector+concealer stuff because the product(s) become visible on my skin after an hour or two. So at the moment I'm just using the corrector, applying the foundation over it, and setting it with the magic powder.

Chanel Liberté

Finally gave in and bought the new Rouge Coco Shine. Chic packaging, of course, and I like that it's slimmer / smaller than the Rouge Coco.

Left: Rouge Coco Shine. Right: Rouge Coco

I got the colour Liberté, described as a sheer apricot. Beautiful soft colour, smells like Chanel, and gives a decent shine to the lips. It feels moisturising as well but because it's so sheer, it doesn't last that long. Love it, anyway, because it looks and feels so natural. 

Same swatch in different lighting

Any other colours you've tried and can recommend?

Daily make-up

Before the move, I put a few make-up essentials in a bag and packed everything else away. My make-up drawers don't have a proper home yet (they are in my wardrobe!) and I'm too tired these days to be that creative... so I've just been using these products... for an entire month (I'm shocked, this never happens)!

Face:

NARS Sheer Glow foundation in Stromboli

NARS Laguna bronzer

NARS Penny Lane cream blush - Very pleased with this! Adds a subtle flush. But doesn't always last all day.

NARS Orgasm blush - I sometimes apply this over the cream blush.

Eyes:

NARS Rajasthan eyeshadow duo - I still love this! Good thing I got a back-up! 
MAC Technakohl liner in Graphblack or
Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in black - Fantastic eyeliner, doesn't budge, I have multiple back-ups of this!
MAC Zoom Lash mascara in black or
Chanel Inimitable Intense mascara in black

Lips:

MAC Patisserie (lustre lipstick) with
MAC Love Nectar (lustreglass lipgloss) - Peachy pink with some golden shimmer. Comes with a brush wand, which I like best. My favourite combination of MAC lip products.

L to R: Patisserie, Love Nectar, both together

Nails:
Chanel Rose Confidentiel (491) - I knew I wasn't going to have the time to look after my nails during the move so I stuck to a neutral dusty rose colour. 

Chanel cashmere

When Chanel launched the Rouge Coco earlier this year, Peter Philips’, Global Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, said: "I like the idea that women from the gloss generation, who are afraid of lipstick, can return to this essentially feminine beauty step with Rouge Coco.”

(What is it about this ad with Vanessa Paradis? It's so alluring.

Do we call it the "Je ne sais quoi"?)

I have done exactly what he wanted. I used to be a gloss girl. Now, I wear lipstick. I feel more grown-up, French and chic wearing not just any lipstick but... a Chanel Rouge Coco.

Of course I had to get Mademoiselle first. It's the colour that Vanessa Paradis is wearing in the ad.

My latest is Cashmere. A beautiful beige tone that I can really recommend. It looks very natural on my lips.

And whilst we're talking Chanel: I got three more 'liquid lipsticks' from the Rouge Allure Laque line that I love so much. (Read about it here.)

74 Dynastie, 76 Ming, 78 Phoenix

Did this Vanessa Paradis ad make you change your mind about lip gloss, too? (Please tell me I wasn't the only one to fall for the marketing!)

Wear Chanel... on your lips

I heart Chanel's Rouge Allure Laque.

This is basically a liquid lipstick with good staying power. It's a fantastic compromise between lip gloss and lipstick: it is ultra creamy and hydrating like a gloss but has the strong pigmentation of a lipstick.

The packaging is chic and unmistakably Chanel: in case somebody misses the logo on top, it's written in big letters at the bottom. The black lacquered glass packaging is sleek and compact. Yes, j'adore the packaging!

#77 Santal is a peachy pink coral (?) that is perfect for every day.
#79 Mandarin is a deep (orangey?) red - a wearable red.

What I also like about these is that they stain the lips. After taking the swatch photo below, I rubbed them off with my fingers and was left with a light stain - and that was just after 15 minutes!

Don't forget: you will need a chic mirror to apply your Chanel. I can recommend this: it's very slim and has two mirrors, one of which is magnifying (not to worry, you won't ever look bad in a Chanel mirror!).

What's your favourite (Chanel) lip product?

The great big MAC Pret-a-Papier haul and review

This is one of those times when I think, "It's a good thing my husband doesn't read my blog!"... because I ended up getting quite a few things from MAC (and not just what's in the photo!). Here is the Pret-a-Papier collection.

Let's start.
I adore blush. Especially in pink, coral and sometimes also bronze (but not plum, for example). So no surprise here that I had to get both Instant Chic (a pink coral sheertone) and Light over Dark, which is a two-toned mineralize blush. Light over Dark could be used as eyeshadow, too, by the way.

In the swatch, Instant Chic is on the left. It swatched nicely but it's quite sheer when applied to the cheeks with a brush (as you will see in a different swatch). It's a pretty colour. Quite matte.

Then we have Light over Dark. In the middle, the light colour on top, the darker colour on the bottom, and swirled together is the colour on the right. You need to apply this with a light hand because it is well pigmented. I like the colour - perfect for those sunny summer days - and the shimmer that you always get with the mineralize blushes.

Here is another swatch, this time applied with a brush (131) over Studio Sculpt foundation in NC30. In the photo below, Instant Chic looks plum. The colour in the photo above is more accurate.

* * *

I got two (lustre) lipsticks, both perfect for spring/summer. Dressmaker, Dressmaker is a beautiful, soft pink coral that blends in nicely with the rest of the face and make-up (if you know what I mean); I love it. Made to Order is a deeper coral. It's absolutely wearable. They're both incredibly pretty.

Made to Order (L) and Dressmaker, Dressmaker (R)

* * *

I only got one eyeshadow, Tissueweight (frost). It is a... pink beige, perhaps? It would make a good highlighter, depending on your skintone. It is not as pink as it looks in this photo.

I swatched Tissueweight with some like colours (all from MAC). It's like a pinkier version of Shroom.

L to R: Tissueweight, Jest, Naked Lunch, Shroom

* * *

I also got the Paint Pot in coral crepe. This is brighter than I thought. I tried sheering it out but this is about as sheer as it will get (without using anything to dilute it or anything).

Here it is again (referring to the swatches below). The lighting is different.

Top picture: swatched on its own again. It actually makes a pretty blush!

Middle: combined with Tissueweight eyeshadow. Not really a combination I like.

Bottom: combined with Mythology eyeshadow. Now this is pretty! First I swatched Mythology on its own. It's hardly visible but to be fair, it's without a base. Below it, I applied it over coral crepe and look how nice that is. It goes well with Smut, for example.

* * *

I decided to get the chromagraphic pencil after I read it was safe for the waterline. It's very soft and easy to blend. I tried NW15/NW20 but for me it was too light on the waterline and obvious - just like those white pencils that have always been on the market. I got NW25/NC30 and it looks more natural.

* * *

The nail lacquer, Originality, is a frosty gold. When I first saw it, I got excited because I thought it was similar to Mercenary (Style Warriors collection). But Mercenary is a deeper bronze, which - to be honest - I prefer to the much more golden Originality.

I did not get the other nail lacquer from this collection - I thought it was just a blah brown, rather ugly.

Top row: Originality.
Bottom row: Originality and Mercenary. (Thumb: Mercenary)

And that's it!

Sorry this was such a long post but I hope that was useful. Do let me know what you plan on getting and then how you like them when you get them!

Got it: Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle

I had the impression that #5 in Mademoiselle was one of the, if not the most popular colour from the new Chanel Rouge Coco lipstick line. Vanessa Paradis does such a convincing job of selling the je ne sais quoi with this that even I had to get my hands on it.

Generally, I'm more into playing up the eyes and going lighter on the lips, so I was worried that Mademoiselle might be too strong a colour. It can be, if you apply several layers - see the swatch on the right - which can be handy for day-to-night transitions. But just one quick swipe or smacking the lips together when applied to the upper lip will give you a healthy-looking stain.

As with any lipstick, you can change the colour and effect with lip gloss. Out of curiosity, I swatched Mademoiselle first on its own (very left), then applied four different MAC lip glosses.

L to R: Chanel #5 Mademoiselle, MAC Lustreglass Love Nectar, Cremesheen Glass Partial to Pink, Dazzleglass Goldyrocks, Dazzleglass Moth to Flame 

I like it best with Love Nectar, which isn't a surprise because it's my favourite gloss. It gives it some shine and deepens the colour a bit but otherwise stays relatively true to the lipstick colour. Partial to Pink is a pink gloss so unsurprisingly it takes Mademoiselle into a girlier category. The last two are just extremely glittery and don't appeal to me. In fact, I don't like the Dazzleglasses anymore, they are too shiny and way too sticky.

Chanel Rouge Allure lipstick in #7 Genius

Chanel recently launched a new line of lipsticks: the Rouge Coco. This is why I'm reviewing a lipstick from their Rouge Allure line. Hm, that doesn't make sense, does it?

Ok, so all the publicity got me wondering about their lipsticks again. I own several Chanel lipsticks already so I pulled out the most wearable nude (for some reason, all of the others are shades of red). It's a Hydrabase, which is being replaced by the new Rouge Coco line.

I looked at the swatches of the newly launched lipsticks and made a mental note of Mademoiselle, which is what Vanessa Paradis is wearing in the ad. When I finally decided to buy it, it was sold out in two stores that I went to. Looks like I wasn't the only one fooled by the marketing.

But I couldn't simply walk away empty-handed. Whilst contemplating which colour to get, the packaging of the Rouge Allure lipsticks caught my eye. Yes, the packaging. It looks like this.

Here is how to open the lipstick. You have to push one end and then it pops out.

I got Rouge Allure 07 Genius.

It's a pretty coral colour, nice for spring. But it can get quite intensive if you apply too much (see photo below, swatched once lightly on the left and several times on the right).

What bothers me is that it doesn't feel that hydrating. For the first hour or so, it's comfortable but then my lips start to want lip balm. My old Hydrabase lipstick is more hydrating than this. But I'll just wear some lip balm or gloss over it - this will also tone down the colour a bit - and it'll be fine.

Even though I like the chic packaging and the fact that it's Chanel, I'm not convinced I would buy another Rouge Allure. What I do love is the Rouge Allure Laque, which is like liquid lipstick. And of course I'll give the Rouge Coco a try...