Filed In: Lip Gloss

CHANEL | Rose de Lune, Vaporeuse & La Merveilleuse, Rouge Noir Absolument Collection

November 27, 2015

Perhaps as a counterpoint to the brooding tone of CHANEL’s iconic Rouge Noir shade, there are also several new and more lighthearted lip options that have been released with the Rouge Noir Absolument Collection for Holiday 2015, and not surprisingly, I am in love with them all.

Also reviewed from this collection:

CHANEL | 347 La Merveilleuse, 237 Vaporeuse, & 477 Rose de Lune

CHANEL | 477 Rose de Lune, 347 La Merveilleuse & 237 Vaporeuse

CHANEL | 477 Rose de Lune, 347 La Merveilleuse & 237 Vaporeuse swatches

477 Rose de Lune, Limited Edition (CAN $34.00) | An icy pink shade with cooler undertones and filled with a soft and almost iridescent silvery shimmer. CHANEL Glossimers are amongst my favourite lip glosses, primarily because they’re not sticky and always leave lips feeling well hydrated. That being said, there is something magical about Rose de Lune, with its multi-dimensional shimmer that elevates it from being a typical pink gloss to something almost ethereal. Totally backup-worthy.

CHANEL | 477 Rose de Lune Glossimer

CHANEL | 477 Rose de Lune Glossimer swatch

237 Vaporeuse Rouge Allure, Limited Edition (CAN $42.00) | A soft nude-pink shade in CHANEL’s relaunched Rouge Allure formula, with a smooth glide upon application and subtle shine at the finish, lightly scented with the brand’s signature rose fragrance (which definitely dissipates quickly after application). As my lips are quite heavily lined, I was pleased to see that Vaporeuse doesn’t seem to settle or emphasize said lines, and while the shade itself is quite subtle, it’s also perfect for balancing a stronger and/or smokey eye. Lasting power is on the light side (approx. 2-3 hours), although it leaves a nicely moisturized feel to lips once the colour has faded. Layered with Rose de Lune on top creates a lush look and can boost wear time slightly.

CHANEL | 237 Vaporeuse Rouge Allure swatch

347 La Merveilleuse Rouge Allure Velvet, Limited Edition (CAN $42.00) | A luxurious magenta/berry shade in a highly pigmented formula with a matte/satin finish. With its effortless glide along the lips, this lush hue benefits from a liner if you want a precise look, but I love the more approachable tone of applying it directly from the bullet. Fragranced with the CHANEL’s classic rose scent that becomes undetectable (to my nose) once applied, this is a far cry from other matte lipsticks that can be somewhat drying, leaving a fully hydrated feel to lips throughout the wearing and after. Longevity is impressive, lasting easily 8+ hours, even with drinking and eating thrown in the mix.
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CHANEL | 347 La Merveilleuse Rouge Allure Velvet swatch

I have been impressed with every single piece of CHANEL’s Rouge Absolument Collection for Holiday 2015 (left to go: my review of the eyeshadow quad, coming soon), and that’s something that doesn’t happen often. Of the three lip products shown here, my hands-down favourite is Rose de Lune and I definitely intend to stock up as this has now become my go-to lipgloss (I have literally been stopped by total strangers asking me what shade I’m wearing when I have this on). What’s lovely about La Merveilleuse and Vaporeuse, are that they’re both shades that will transition well for Spring & Summer, but also totally on point right now. To repeat: a highly impressive collection and well worth checking out … before they’re all gone.
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The CHANEL Rouge Noir Absolument Collection for Holiday 2015 is available now at The Bay & thebay.com, Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom stores across Canada. Find more information via www.chanel.com

Press sample kindly provided by CHANEL for my unbiased consideration/Post may contain affiliate links

CHANEL | Étincelle Glossimer, Rouge Noir Absolument Collection

November 16, 2015

One of four limited edition lip products released with the CHANEL Rouge Noir Absolument Collection for Holiday 2015 (review coming on the other 3), 487 Étincelle Glossimer (French for ‘spark’), continues the black-red story of the brand’s iconic Rouge Noir shade, albeit in a much more wearable format.

Also reviewed from this collection:

487 Étincelle Glossier Limited Edition (CAN $34.00) | Don’t let the deep shade in the tube fool you; this is a semi-sheer and non-sticky lipgloss (still haven’t figured out how CHANEL has managed the non-sticky part) with a berry tint and filled with incredibly fine irregularly shaped shimmery bits – all of which lay perfectly smooth on the lips, never gritty. Applied solo, I get about 2.5 – 3 hours of wear time (which is about the norm), with a slight blush-like tint left upon my lips after most of the actual colour has worn off, along with a totally moisturized feel. Étincelle also makes a great layering shade especially when worn in conjunction over CHANEL’s matching Rouge Noir lipstick, to not only emphasize that gorgeous vampy effect, but to add a little shimmery pop as well.
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CHANEL | 487 Étincelle Glossimer (detail)

CHANEL | 487 Étincelle Glossimer

CHANEL | 487 Étincelle Glossimer swatches (direct & alternate lighting)

CHANEL | 487 Étincelle Glossimer swatch

I absolutely love the look of a dark & vampy lip, but I’m not always successful in pulling it off; apart from the logistics involved (the darker the shade, usually the more precision work is involved in application), deep hues can also clash with my colouring. Étincelle Glossimer is an effective and perfect way of indulging the trend, without a major commitment AND the added bonus of being a swipe-and-go kind of colour. Holiday beauty made easy, I tell you.
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The CHANEL Rouge Noir Absolument Collection is available now through The Bay & thebay.com. Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom stores across Canada. Find more information via www.chanel.com

Purchased product/Post may contain affiliate links

MAC x Guo Pei Collection, Fall 2015

September 21, 2015

MAC, a brand known for leading edge colour collections as well as some of the industry’s most provocative collaborations, dials things up a few notches with the upcoming MAC x Guo Pei Collection for Fall 2015.

“Inspired by her ‘garden of the soul,’ China’s most esteemed haute couturier, Guo Pei, brings her legendary elegance to an inspired collection of hues, merging vibrant jewel tones with lush neutrals, punctuated by deep graphite”

In early August I was invited to preview several of MAC’s upcoming launches, and when I beheld this collection, I confess to being so totally captivated by the imagery depicted on the packaging, that I had a hard time tearing myself away to look at anything else (which I eventually did, naturally). The shades I was sent are exactly the pieces I would have chosen for myself, and after playing with these lovelies for some time now, I have added them to my list of most reached-for items. This is truly a beautiful and absolutely wearable curated selection of beauty items – and somewhat of a surprise but so totally welcome just the same, coming from the brand that likes to push the beauty envelope.

*Note: there are several more items to this collection; what is shown here are the pieces I was sent for review.

Born in 1967, Guo Pei has quickly risen through the ranks to become China’s most celebrated couture designer, with her creations worn by some of the country’s most influential women, as well as many celebrities worldwide. Enlisting a team that consists of as many as 400 skilled artisans, each design can take years to be completed; the trailing yellow gown Rihana wore at this year’s Met Gala (seen below) took 2 years of painstaking work to complete. Such incredible detail can only be one thing: true art.

A masterpiece from the Guo Pei ‘Legend of the Dragon’ Collection (credit)

Rihanna at the Met Gala wearing Guo Pei (credit)

A Guo Pei gown from Hong Kong Fashion Week 2010 (credit)

MAC x Guo Pei Collection, Fall 2015

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Red Water Lily Powder Blush

Red Water Lily Powder Blush (CAN $47.00/Limited Edition) | Cheek powder blush with a raised floral pattern on the surface. What appears as a vivid, yet cool-leaning pink shade in the pan, turns out to be more of a coral based pink hue that will work equally beautifully on a wide range of skin tones. Extremely finely milled, there is almost no powdery kickback when swirling my brush across the surface, while the saturation of colour is not as intense as appearances might indicate, making Red Water Lily easily layerable for more depth of tone. The satin finish has a gorgeous lustre to it and gives cheeks a lovely luminosity. Wear time goes easily past the 10 hour mark without fading, especially when applied over foundation.

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Red Water Lily Powder Blush (detail)

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Red Water Lily Powder Blush

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Red Water Lily Powder Blush swatches (applied heavily/left, blended out/right, direct sunlight & alternate light)

Palm Tree Fluidline (CAN $21.00/Limited Edition) | A gel formula eyeliner in a charcoal with pearl shade that applies with a soft creamy feel, and dries quickly to a smudge-proof finish. An excellent and lovely alternative to using a traditional black liner the deep smokiness of Palm Tree still offers that intensity, but without any of the colour black’s harsher side. Layer able for an enhanced depth of tone, you can also smudge this out for a diffused look – but you need to work quickly (as well as one eye at a time), as it does dry quite quickly. Once set, it’s there until physically removed – without any flaking, fading, or smudging. Wear time: like iron.

*Eyeliner brush available separately

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Palm Tree Fluidline (detail)

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Palm Tree Fluidline

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Palm Tree Fluidline swatches (applied heavily/left, blended out/right in both direct sunlight and alternate light)

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Ethereal Orchid Lustre Lipstick

Ethereal Orchid Lustre Lipstick (CAN $37.00/Limited Edition) | Described as a ‘mid-tone dirty coral’, I also see some nude hints, making Ethereal Orchid a warmer-leaning neutral. The lustre formula helps this shade literally glide along the lips, depositing enough colour to tint but not necessarily stain, can be somewhat built up for more depth of tone and bears a lush shine, leaving a hydrated feel behind once the majority of colour has worn off. Fragranced with MAC’s signature candy/vanilla scent and which is virtually undetectable once applied, although worth noting for those with sensitivities. Staying power goes easily past the 4.5 hour mark (not factoring in eating and/or drinking), which is pretty impressive for this type of format and lighter hue.

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Ethereal Orchid Lustre Lipstick (detail)

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Ethereal Orchid Lustre Lipstick

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Ethereal Orchid Lustre Lipstick swatches

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Ethereal Orchid Lustre Lipstick swatches (right: with Bright Pink Bouquet Cremesheen Glass on top)

Love of Roses & Bright Pink Bouquet Cremesheen Glass (CAN $36.00/Limited Edition) | Fusing the creamy texture of a lipstick with the high-wattage power of gloss, the Cremesheen formula is also non-sticky, leaving a nicely moisturized feel to lips as a bonus. Love of Roses is a cool-leaning cherry red hue with a slightly thinner consistency and no shimmer; displaying some translucency when worn alone, it can be built up for a touch more opacity. Bright Pink Bouquet is a coral-pink-nude shade with a slightly thicker texture and contains ultra-fine shimmer, as well as being absolutely gorgeous worn solo or applied over a matching hue. Both glosses have that same candy/vanilla scent, but which quickly dissipates after application. Staying power is good for both, averaging 3.5 hours, more without eating/drinking.

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Love of Roses & Bright Pink Bouquet Cremesheen Glass

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Love of Roses & Bright Pink Bouquet Cremesheen Glass (detail)

MAC x Guo Pei Collection | Love of Roses & Bright Pink Bouquet Cremesheen Glass swatches

After learning a little about Guo Pei (the designer), I have developed what can only be described as an obsession with her masterful creations (being raised with an haute couture seamstress mother, will do that to you) and have been scouring the internet for images of her work. #guiltypleasure #dontcare. With regards to this collection, I love every single piece shown here and use them all on the regular – in fact, I’m already planning on backups of Bright Pink Bouquet and Red Water Lily. Multiple backups.

The MAC x Guo Pei Collection for Fall 2015 is Limited Edition and will be available in October. Find more information on the brand via www.maccosmetics.ca

Press samples kindly provided by MAC for my unbiased consideration

NARS | VIP Red, Chelsea Girls & Baby Doll, Fall 2015

August 7, 2015

For the Fall 2015 Color Collection (Tribulation blush reviewed here), NARS introduces three new lip products: VIP Red lipstick (CAN $34.00, limited edition) described as a ‘Dark Brique’, along with Chelsea Girls & Baby Doll Lip Glosses (CAN $32.00 each), described as ‘Pink Beige’ and ‘Shimmering Candy Pink’, respectively. For those who have been fans of this brand for years now, you might find that the names of the lip glosses sounds familiar; originally released in jar format (now discontinued) the brand has revived and reformulated these two best-selling shades, and I for one couldn’t be happier as I loved the originals – but let’s just say that the jar style of gloss does not always stand the test of time.

NARS | Chelsea Girls, Baby Doll, VIP Red

VIP Red (limited edition) | a warm toned deep brick red hue in an opaque formula with a shiny, but not glossy, finish. Velvety smooth in application, this colour screams “Fall” to me and strikes just the right balance between vampy dark & sophisticated bright, making it easily wearable for a wide variety of skin tones.

As this shade is highly pigmented, it can still be made office-friendly by being applied as more of a stain; simply swipe on a layer, blot, then add a balm on top for a touch of extra moisture (this is my daytime method of wearing such colour-saturated lipsticks), or amp up the intensity with another [unblotted] swipe for an after-hours look. As is usually the case with such intense lipstick shades, a matching liner will help define the edges and keep the colour within bounds, although I’m really into the more relaxed ‘slept-in’ look of makeup that’s trending right now (plus it makes application so much more fuss-free). Wear time is excellent – easily 9 hours of wear, and even after eating and drinking you’ll find you still have plenty of solid colour, with minimal migrating/bleeding into any surrounding lip lines, most likely because this formula is so dense; dark/vibrant lipsticks that are in a more emollient format don’t fare so well on my lips.

NARS | VIP Red

NARS | VIP Red swatch

Chelsea Girls | a nude rose hue with beige undertones that leans more warm than cool, in a shimmer-free formula. Housed in a clear rectangular tube so you can easily see which shade you’re reaching for (as well as monitor product usage), there is no discernible scent (at least, for my nose) and the applicator is of the sponge doe-foot variety. The formula has en interesting texture, with enough weight to help it spread easily along the lips but not so watery that it gets pulled into the skin, non-sticky and coming to a glossy finish.

I’m a total sucker for anything neutral and nude/beige shades are my comfort zone, and finding one that doesn’t clash with my skin tone (light-medium with yellow undertones) can be an effort, but this shade works – providing enough colour to not make my lips disappear, but still staying well within the neutral range. As my lips are quite lined (ugh), lighter colours have a tendency to overly-emphasize said lines and while initial application of Chelsea Girls falls into that category, within about 10 minutes of wearing the product seemed to almost fill out and fuse better with my lips, a definite point in its favour. Wear time was surprisingly good for a colour so light, lasting easily 3.5 hours before fading into oblivion (wearing away much faster with eating & drinking, naturally), and leaves my lips feeling well hydrated long after all traces are gone.

NARS | Chelsea Girls

NARS | Chelsea Girls swatch

Baby Doll | a soft rose/candy pink that leans more cool than warm, bearing tons of ultra-fine silvery shimmer and in the same format as Chelsea Girls. The formula feels slighter thinner in consistency but can be built up slightly for more opacity, while the shimmer has absolutely no gritty feel to it at all.

Even though Baby Doll is tailor-made for those with fair complexions, I am surprisingly able to wear this shade and it manages to not clash with my skin tone – possibly because it’s not an all-out cool colour. And while I personally have a hard time wearing pink anything, I like the fact that I can wear this shade without looking juvenile. Plus the name pushes all the right buttons for me (seriously).

NARS | Baby Doll

NARS | Baby Doll swatch

Two of the first NARS products I ever purchased, were Chelsea Girls and Baby Doll lip glosses, in their original jar formats and while I loved the colours (and the cute chubby little pots), there were serious drawbacks as well; for starters, you needed a lip brush to apply them and the formula itself was sticky & goopy from the get-go. Then there’s the fact that they seemed to go rancid quite quickly, upping the ick factor. So, I had them condemned in my pile of beauty products to throw out, but for some reason I never got around to actually getting rid of them – and now I’m glad I didn’t, as I’m able to properly compare the two versions (something to be said for being a beauty-product hoarder!)

As seen in the swatches below, there are differences in both colour and consistency:

Chelsea Girls (original) – more beige leaning, more opaque hue
Baby Doll (original) – deeper rose, thicker formula

NARS | Chelsea Girls comparisons (new vs original)

NARS | Baby Doll comparisons (new vs original)

Launching just three lip products in the Fall 2015 Color Collection is an interesting move and possibly means that NARS is that confident with their shade offerings; personally I find it makes my selection relatively easy, and while I have no problem with having options, too much of a good thing can also be a little overwhelming at times (or not, lol). Of the three items shown here, my picks are VIP Red for being such a strong and perfect Fall red (with a killer application to sweeten the deal), and Chelsea Girls, well, because I love neutral glosses and this is a great counterpart to smokey eye makeup.

The NARS Fall 2015 Color Collection is supposed to be available now through all NARS retailers across Canada (Sephora, The Bay, Nordstrom, Holt Renfrew and Murale). Find more information via www.narscosmetics.com

Press samples kindly provided for my unbiased consideration

NARS x Christopher Kane | Neoneutral Lip Glosses

May 25, 2015

As my first post back from my holiday (where I decided to basically unplug, hence the unnatural quiet on the blog), I bring you the 4 luscious shade from the NARS x Christopher Kane Neoneutral Collection (CAN $31.00 each, limited edition). This collaboration draws inspiration from Christopher Kane’s aesthetic of combining neons with neutral hues in unexpected and refreshing ways – but what makes the bold colours of these glosses totally work on everyone, is the fact that they’re sheer in application.

The glosses come in a rectangular tube with a transparent body to clearly display the colour of each shade, while the applicator is of the angled sponge/doe-foot variety for ease of application. I detect no discernible scent, but I recommend you ask for a full ingredient listing at the counter (as these are press samples, I don’t have that information on hand).

NARS x Christopher Kane | Neoneutral Collection Lip Glosses

Nucleus is a milky pink/nude shade that bears enough pigment as to not appear totally transparent when applied. Since Nucleus has a tendency to settle in lip lines, it’s best when worn over a matching lipstick; barring that, any settling issues will eventually work themselves out during wear, but the trade-off will be less colour upon the lips. Wear time is approx. 2 – 2 1/2 hours, which is average for a pale gloss such as this.

NARS x Christopher Kane | Nucleus Lip Gloss swatch

Nebulous is a warm-leaning Creamsicle shade of orange and definitely nowhere near as über-neon when applied. Orange can be a tricky colour when worn on the lips, but the silky texture and softened hue of Nebulous eliminates any issues. Almost as if by magic, there manages to be enough colour deposited upon application to give a gorgeous tint and lush look to lips (I count that as a bonus). Wear time is about 2 – 2 1/2 hours, longer when applied over a matching lipstick.

NARS x Christopher Kane | Nebulous Lip Gloss swatch

Glow Pink appears more lavender-like in the tube (although my photo above gives off more of a pink vibe), but comes across as a sheer fuchsia when applied, with the colour deepening as it develops – leaving a rosy stain behind when most of the glossy part has worn off. What looks like the most vivid shade of the four, Glow Pink is a beauty contradiction: almost transparent in finish but with long-lasting colour. Sorcery, I tell you. Wear time is two-sided, with the glossy part fading after about 2 1/2 hours, although the stain left behind can go on for at least 6 hours +.

NARS x Christopher Kane | Glow Pink Lip Gloss swatch

Mezmer is described as a watermelon hue and while the tube colour meshes with that, upon the lips it definitely appears more rosy (at least, it does on my lips – which are rather pigmented to begin with, so bear that in mind). With excellent pigmentation for a sheer gloss, Mezmer can also be layered over a similar lipstick for more impact, although be warned: this shade develops with wear and intensifies, leaving the strongest stain behind of the four — which is absolutely gorgeous! Wear time is the longest of the bunch, going easily 4 hours (the glossy part) to 7+ (the stain portion).

NARS x Christopher Kane | Mezmer Lip Gloss swatch

NARS x Christopher Kane | Mezmer Lip Gloss swatch with gloss worn off, showing stain shade

Unless the shade is super colour-saturated and requires care in application, I tend to reach for glosses over lipsticks, mainly because they’re a swipe-and-go type of product, and can be applied without needing a mirror (I can be lazy that way). The beauty of these Neoneutral shades, is how they seem to morph upon application; all but Nucleus deepen as they go and leave a stain behind on the lips, basically keeping the colour alive long after the shine has gone. The NARS formula is also one that I really like, as it’s not too sticky or slick-feeling, leaving a well hydrated feel upon the lips as well. The only minor disappointment here was Nucleus primarily when worn solo; that being said, it totally redeems itself when applied over a matching shade. If you usually steer clear of neons, I suggest you give this collection a try – it will not only surprise you, but in all likelihood convert you over to the [sheer]bright side.

The limited edition NARS x Christopher Kane Neoneutral Collection is available now through Sephora and sephora.com, thebay.com (links provided for convenience), Holt Renfrew stores across Canada, as well as narscosmetics.com