chanel

Chanel Fall-Winter Collection 2018 Le Mat de Chanel: A First Look

July 27th, 2018 by Karen 16 Comments

chanel le mat de chanel collection — MATTES!

As a beauty addict who spent her formative years in the golden era of matte makeup — THE ’90s! — I can attest that finding impeccable matte makeup is a freakin’ game-changer, because ye olde days of blending chalky chocolate eyeshadows and tending to parched pouts are ovah if the new all-matte makeup by Chanel has anything to say about it.

Can I just say…not one, but *two* ALL MATTE QUADS. And jumbo twist-up crayons and cream shadows! I believe this all-matte moment is a Chanel first, and if that is the case, please bring out the defibrillator ASAP because I’m dying.

It’s called the Fall-Winter Collection 2018 Le Mat de Chanel, and it’s out right now. Here’s a quickie look at swatches of some of the products, including the brown matte quad, because your homegirl had to go there!

The Chanel Fall-Winter Collection 2018 Le Mat De Chanel includes…

Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in 308 Clair-Obscur and 312 Quiet Revolution ($61 each)

Joues Contraste Powder Blush in 330 Quintessence ($45)

Le Rouge Crayon de Couleur Jumbo Longwear Mat Lip Crayon in 257 Discretion, 259 Provocation, 265 Subversion, 261 Excess, 267 Impulsion, 269 Impact ($37 each)

Le Vernis Velvet Nail Colour in 636 Ultime, 638 Profondeur ($28 each)

Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Colour in 168 Serenity, 170 Euphorie, 172 Expression, 174 Melancholia ($37 each)

Stylo Ombre Et Contour Eyeshadow Liner Khol in 06 Nude Eclat, 12 Contour Clair, 04 Electric Brown, 08 Rouge Noir, 02 Bleu Nuit, 14 Contour Graphique, 10 Contour Sombre ($34 each)

Le Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue Ultra Wear Lip Colour in 43 Sensual Rose, 112 Chic Rosewood, 48 Soft Rose, 43 Sensual Rose, 43 Strawberry Red, 122 Soft Coral, 124 Soft Candy, 126 Radiant Pink, 59 Shocking Pink, 104 Bright Raspberry, 27 Daring Red, 49 Ever Red, 102 Milky Blueberry, 142 Sweet Berry ($37 each)

chanel le rouge crayon de couleur — Jumbo Longwear Matte Lip Crayons from the left: 257 Discretion, 261 Excess, 265 Subversion, 267 Impulsion, and 269 Impact

chanel les 4 ombres clair obscur — Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in 308 Clair-Obscur

chanel rouge allure ink fall 2018 — Clockwise from the lower left: Le Vernis Velvet Nail Colour in 638 Profondeur, Rouge Allure Ink in 174 Melancholia and 170 Euphorie, Velvet Nail Colour in 636 Ultime

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What Are Some Pricey Skin Care Products You Love?

July 19th, 2018 by Karen 28 Comments

GIRL. Don’t even get me started…but here we go. Saving drugstore/budget options for another day!

Clarins Face Moisturizers — My combination skin likes all of them. ? ‘Tis a blessing (because it’s always great to find something that doesn’t break you out, right?) and a curse. Their face moisturizers range from $48-128. Right now I’m using (and just about to run out of) the Extra Firming Day and Extra Firming Night creams, which are $87 and and $93 each, respectively.
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Antioxidant Serum — It’s $166 (!), but a few years ago when my skin was at its wonkiest and I found this and started using it consistently, it worked wonders. It dramatically helped to even out the uneven spots and the dark marks from old pimples.
Sunday Riley Good Genes All-In-One Lactic Acid Treatment — $158!! But IMHO, worth every penny if you can spring for it, especially if you’re looking for something to correct unevenly pigmented areas, or if you’re having trubs with pimples or flaky texture.

What about you? What are some pricey skin care products you love?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Unsung Makeup Heroes: Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Créatif

July 16th, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

chanel creatif swatch — Chanel Rouge Allure Ink Matte Liquid Lip Colour in Créatif

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

I’m always down for a summery coral lippie, and Chanel Rouge Allure Ink in Créatif ($37) is THE ONE.

Well…the one for this week, ha ha ha! ? Hello, have we met? My name is Karen, and I have a new coral crush every other day.

But that’s neither here nor there.

This one’s a matte liquid lipstick, but it’s unlike your typical dry and heavy/hello horizontal lip lines/cat butt liquid lippie sitch. It’s on the thinner side, like the NARS Powermattes, so you can’t feel it sitting on your lips, and it lasts about the same amount of time (~5 hours), but it’s much, much easier to control as it glides across your lips.

chanel creatif — I’m hoping that wearing Créatif will spark some creativity…

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I’m Having Blue Illusions

September 6th, 2012 by Karen 3 Comments

The limited edition Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Apparition ($36), a shimmery grayish blue cream shadow from the new Blue Illusion de Chanel collection. Available now at chanel.com.

To the Chanel 51 Montaigne Ombres MatelassÃ©es Palette I Say, “You’re Golden”

July 11th, 2012 by Karen 19 Comments

chanel 51 montiagne

I guess if I were being completely honest with myself, I could probably dupe the gorgeous golden shades in the characteristically expensive new $80 Chanel Ombre MatelassÃ©es Eyeshadow Palette in 51 Montaigne with colors already in my makeup drawer, but that wouldn’t be fair to my eyes.

Few dupes could also duplicate the thrill I feel clutching the black-and-white compact in my claw, its surface catching the light like a polished black pearl, its quilted colors luxuriating in their little slots as I breathe a single word, “Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaanel…”

What kind of witchcraft makes seemingly sane women drop $80 on a palette of five eyeshadows?

Oh, yeah, I remember. The kind from Coco.

Chanel cooked up this limited edition cutie to celebrate the opening of their newest boutique in Paris, not coincidentally named 51 Montaigne, after the street on which it lives. The palette comes with five profoundly smooth powder eyeshadows ranging in pigment from sheer to medium.

Yes, 51 Montaigne is on the pricey side of the street, but once its shadows set up shop on my lids, they absolutely do not move!

When I’m wearing these shades, I almost feel like hot stuff, all smokey and whatnot, like I’m getting ready to go shopping for Choos, as opposed to Fancy Feast and butternut squash.

chanel 51 montaigne

chanel 51 montaigne swatches

chanel 51 montaigne
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It’s All About the Essentials This Fall at Chanel: The Chanel Fall 2012 Les Essentiels de Chanel Collection

July 4th, 2012 by Karen 25 Comments

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