Tag Archives: green

CHANEL | Le Vernis 767 Fraîcheur

With January fast approaching, my mind starts turning to all things Spring (it’s the curse of the beauty industry; always being one – or more – seasons ahead) add to that the incredibly gloomy weather we’ve been experiencing here in Montréal (seriously, what does the sun even look like again?), I wanted to brighten things up and came across this little beauty in my archives: CHANEL’s 767 Fraîcheur, a shade that made my heart skip a beat when I first laid eyes on it, in part due to its incredible resemblance to the elusive Jade – one of 2 CHANEL shades I was never able to add to my collection (the other is Holographic and both were never released here).

Before I go on, I want to state that this was a limited edition shade released this past Summer and even though some retailers sold out at the speed of light, you might still be able to score a bottle with a little detective work (don’t be shy to ask sales associates to dig around their beauty drawers – you just never know what treasures might turn up)

767 Fraîcheur (CAN $31.00) | A celery/celadon green hue filled with ultra fine emerald shimmer of the type that may not be as visible in shaded light, but which certainly makes its presence known in brighter light. The formula leans on the mid-sheer side and while slightly thin, it’s definitely not runny at all. Self-levelling and quite glossy at the finish, shorter nails can get away with 2 coats for a solid opacity, while longer nails may need a third coat – unless like me, you like a slight translucency.

Coats applied: 3 (thin) plus top coat

CHANEL | Le Vernis 767 Fraîcheur (detail)

CHANEL | Le Vernis 767 Fraîcheur swatch

I would have loved to have included a comparison swatch to Jade, but that’s obviously not going to happen (although a quick google search will yield plenty of comparisons, for those curious enough to see). To my understanding, the two shades are extremely close, with Fraîcheur perhaps a touch more greener but with the same patented CHANEL ‘secret shimmer’. All I know is that this totally garden-fresh colour not only makes up for the ‘Jade loss’, but makes me happy every time I wear it and puts me in a regrowth state of mind as I gear up for many more beauty adventures to come in 2016.

Purchased product

Essie Fall 2013 – Comparisons

July 4, 2013

I’m not surprised that Essie’s Fall 2013 Collection has sparked quite a bit of interest amongst enthusiasts of the brand, and since many of you have wondered how close several of the new shades are to past hues, here’s a breakdown on a nail wheel for comparison. The swatches shown are all done with 2 coats of lacquer each (no base or top coats), but bear in mind that natural nails may alter the colour to a certain degree. I’ve left out ‘For The Twill Of It’ as well as ‘Cashmere Bathrobe’ from this post, as I don’t have anything like either shade in my personal collection of Essie polishes.

The reds:

Limited Addiction – from the Fall 2010 Collection (reviewed here): a couple of degrees deeper in tone, but otherwise exceptionally close colour-wise (crème formula)
Twin Sweater Set
First Dance – from the Bridal 2011 Collection (reviewed here): several degrees lighter in tone, sheerer formula

the reds

The Purples:

Sure Shot – from the Resort 2012 Collection (reviewed here): more pink based and filled with ultra-fine shimmer (as opposed to glass-flecked)
The Lace Is On

the purples

The Greens:

School Of Hard Rocks – from the Holiday 2011 Collection (reviewed here): similar formula, more teal/blue based
Vested Interest

the greens

The Blues:

Midnight Cami: more vivid shade of blue & filled with ultra-fine glass-flecked shimmer
After School Boy Blazer
No More Film – from the Resort 2012 Collection (reviewed here): similar formula but several degrees lighter, more cobalt/indigo leaning in tone
Bobbing For Baubles – from the Holiday 2011 Collection (reviewed here): similar formula, more grey based and a few degrees darker in tone

the blues

Last word: Apart from the red shades, the other hues of this collection all seem to be rather unique – both in tone & texture/application, and hopefully this quick chart can help you narrow your choices down in preparation for this collection’s release this August. No matter which shade(s) you opt for, they’re all fabulous!

Kindly provided by Essie for my unbiased consideration

Illamasqua – Speckled Nail Varnish in Mottle

March 8, 2013

Brand new for Spring 2013, Illamasqua introduces a unique new finish in their lacquer lineup released in conjunction with their latest “I’m Perfection” Collection – 5 new shades of Speckled Varnish, meant to mimic the speckled look of bird eggs and all of their imperfect beauty, as found in nature. Of the 5, I was most drawn to ‘Mottle’ – I love the way the glitter pieces seem to paradoxically stand out and also stay just out of reach, from their seafoam green background, although I confess to having my eye on a few more of these shades – time for another shopping trip, I think.

Illamasqua – Mottle

Illamasqua Speckled Nail Varnish in Mottle – (CAD $18.00 15 ml/0.5 fl.oz) a milky mint green base filled with ultra fine black glitter as well as black hexagonal glitter pieces in small & medium sizes. With a superb flow and a perfect viscosity to the formula, application was effortless, completely self-levelling, and glossy enough at the finish to make top coat basically redundant – but don’t skip that step nonetheless. Each brush stroke yields a healthy and fairly equal amount of glitter & colour, so no extra “fishing” or placement is needed, although keep in mind that this look is all about “nature” and meant to be slightly imbalanced. I was surprised to find the end result smooth to the touch, as I was expecting a lacquer with this much going on to be rather bumpy – so not the case here. Absolutely loving its diffused/filtered look, as though the glitter has risen from the bottom to come just shy of the surface – totally fascinating. Bonus: fairly easy removal. Coats applied: 3 (thin – mainly for pictures, as 2 coats provides more than adequate coverage), plus top coat.
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Illamasqua – Mottle

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Final thoughts: With all the different types of polishes and finishes that I’ve worn, ‘Mottle’ is the one that made me stare the longest at my nails. There’s a uniqueness to this finish, that I feel elevates it beyond the usual standard glitter polish; understated and almost organic in feel, all the components are in place for something truly special – from the formula, the colour, to the final finish. Then there’s that whole mint-chocolate ice cream vibe it’s got … the final & irresistible push.

Illamasqua varnishes are available through Sephora – I purchased mine in store.
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