The six new $34 limited edition Chanel Stylo Eyeshadows in Moon River, Cool Gold, Pink Lagoon, Jade Shore, Blue Bay and Black Stream

When an effortless, ethereal cream shadow collided with a twist-up stick to form Chanel’s first Stylo Eyeshadow, I wager it was like when Karl Lagerfeld met Choupette the cat — a match made in crazy cat lady (and dude!) heaven.

From the left: Moon River, Pink Lagoon, Jade Shore, Blue Bay, Black Stream, Cool Gold

Then, when some intrepid soul at Chanel added shimmer and glitter, it was like waltzing into the ritziest, fanciest Petco ever and finding an entire aisle dedicated to diamond-encrusted cat collars.

In other words, pretty freakin’ neat.

Add to that a bad-@ss cooling effect, and things get even better — like a battalion of drag queens with purple feather boas parachuting down into that same Petco carrying bedazzled cans of Gravy Lovers Fancy Feast while Haddaway’s What Is Love (Baby Don’t Hurt Me) blares over the store’s speakers.

Like I said — pretty freakin’ neat!

(more…)

A closeup of orange zest or $30 Chanel Zest Inimitable Mascara?

Oh, Chanel Zest Inimitable Mascara, you fabulous, adorable weirdo… Why on earth would anyone want to wear yellowish orange mascara, I mean, unless they had a coffee date with a handsome actor/spaceship captain at a comic book convention?

It’s just so…strange, and not at all what I imagine emerging from the sacred, hallowed halls of La Maison de Chanel, where I picture everyone wearing tweed jacket uniforms and strands of pearls, and stilettos click and clack down dystopian halls.

And yet here it is — Zest.

Yes, it’s really *that* yellow

Waterproof, and designed for volume, length, curl and lash separation, Zest only looks like a blinking yellow streetlight. It’s actually one of four kooky, colorful limited edition Inimitable mascaras in the new L’Été Papillon de Chanel summer collection on counters now.

I look at Zest and think that someone in Chanel’s eye makeup department went bat sh*t cray! — but in the best possible way. Like, Karl locked up all the creatives in a room with some hella good vino and The Hunger Games looping on a big screen TV and wouldn’t let them out until they came up with something totally weird, crazy and cool that still captured the Chanel vibe.

A Capitol-approved makeup look

The new Chanel Lilis Le Vernis Nail Colour ($27)

As far as I’m concerned, any factoid or tidbit of information can also be used to justify spending time with Chanel’s new coral, Lilis Le Vernis Nail Colour.

• Had the most insane week ever? (Yup, my kitty boss is cray!) Let’s unwind with Chanel.
• Did you floss your teeth this morning? (Sure did.) Now let’s brush our nails with Chanel.
• Did you successfully resist the urge to wear Pajama Jeans to Trader Joe’s? (So far.) Cool! Let’s stay home and paint our nails with Chanel.

It might not sparkle like its shimmery summer sisters, Azuré and Bel-Argus, but it still commands attention in its own way.

Non-streaky with a mirror-like shine, this creamy reddish coral practically leaps off the screen.

I’ve been wearing it on my fingers this week with Azuré on my toes, and even though they aren’t colors I’d normally think to wear together, I like the way they complement each other.

You’ve got creamy coral Lilis on the one hand — ladylike and vintage — and techno teal Azuré on the other, and through some offbeat twist of fate, I think the combo just works.

Chanel Lilis Nail Polish Swatch

Chanel Bel-Argus Le Vernis Nail Colour, $27

I’m starting to believe that Chanel creates nail polishes for nefarious purposes…like distracting me while toy poodles are trapped in my garage (more on this shortly).

I’ve just been sitting here for the past 10 minutes losing myself in the shimmery blue Bel-Argus on my nails…

Can you blame me? It’s enchanting… Much like Chanel’s other summer stunner, Azuré.

(more…)

Two coats of Chanel Azuré Nail Polish, $27

Growing up, I always had an overactive imagination. Sometimes, it was great, because all I needed were two branches and an empty flowerpot to entertain myself for hours (I’d pretend I was hosting a cooking show).

But sometimes, it wasn’t great, like when one of my aunties visited from the Philippines and stayed with us for a month in the spring when I was in second grade.

For some reason, it was a good year for butterflies. There were way more of them than usual, and my auntie, who had a fondness for what my family refers to as “Filipino old wives’ tales,” (here’s one: “Don’t fall asleep with wet hair, or you’ll wake up blind.”) said that the butterflies were the spirits of dearly departed relatives coming to say hello.

Um…

Of course, instead of taking that as a quaint, poignant fairy tale, I kept thinking, “WOW! There are SO MANY dead people flying around my front yard,” and I assumed that it was only a matter of time before one of them, or perhaps a swarming mass, would open an otherworldly gateway in the yard, like from Poltergeist and Salem’s Lot.

I spent that entire spring running away from butterflies…

Butterflies play an inspiring part in Chanel’s new L’Été Papillon de Chanel summer collection, and it shows in the $27 Azuré Le Vernis Nail Coulour.

The first time I saw it, I gasped! — but not in fear. In sheer delight! The conjurers at Chanel captured the beauty of butterfly wings in a bottle.

Sometimes, depending on the light, it’s difficult to describe Azuré’s color (just like a butterfly’s wings).

(more…)