There’s an undeniable Frisson (shiver) of excitement I feel when I come across a new CHANEL collection, and the while the Attraction may be obvious, the Distraction of all that beauty makes me catch my breath – in the end, I cannot help but give in to the utter Tentation (temptation): CHANEL, I’m yours!
I know, cheesy but … I couldn’t resist trying to use the names of all four lacquers in one sentence! Right before CHANEL’s summer offering came out, the brand had released a smaller capsule collection consisting of 6 limited edition Glossimers (I caved and bought one, but that’s for another post) and 4 limited edition lacquers, all inspired by the sublime beauty of roses. I am a self-professed CHANEL addict collector, although I must confess that initially I wasn’t wowed by these shades – but it didn’t take long for me to have a change of heart, as the following all proves!
‘Garden Queens’ by Robert Joyner (source)
There’s a convoluted story behind how I ended up with this collection; I was sure that I had duplicates for at least 2 out of the 4, so I initially walked away with only two of them: ‘Attraction’ and ‘Distraction’. Bringing them home, however, not only showed me that they actually were unique in my collection, but also made me question my decision to leave the other 2 behind. Sooooo….
‘Frisson’ I pretty much wrote off as soon as I saw it, primarily because I was sure it was identical to last year’s ‘Morning Rose’, but once again, I was wrong. Therefore (and several days later), I picked it up as well. Now though, the foursome was only a trio (unfair? awkward? unbalanced?) – but still not reason enough to convince me to add the missing shade.
‘Tentation’ finally joined its brethren — for free! (which I picked up using my Pharmaprix Optimum Points – so sweet!) I should state that even had I not received it gratis, one quick counter swatch was enough to convince me how totally stunning it truly is and that I was insane to not already own it!
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white rose (source)
‘Attraction’ is a highly gleaming and somewhat metallic frosted white hue … and a bit of a contradiction. It should be stated that this shade certainly looks significantly better on; in pictures, what stands out more than anything are any visible brush strokes, an unfortunate by-product of this type of finish. The medium-thick formula spreads well, although you do need a steady hand with your application to keep it smooth looking. Surprisingly, 2 coats were enough for good opacity, although I did 3 for the swatches. With a pearly shimmer softening the wintry cast of this lacquer, this is a fresh & crisply modern way to wear white.
NOTE: This was the shade the models sported at the CHANEL spring 2012 runway show.
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Rummaging through my CHANEL lacquer collection for anything similar, the only shade that came remotely close was ‘Pearl Drop’ (previously reviewed here); below is a list of how it compared. Index & pinkie fingers – ‘Pearl Drop’ (3 coats as well), middle & ring fingers – ‘Attraction’. buy zestril online buynoprescriptionrxxonline.net/zestril.html no prescription
- more sheer with a thinner formula
- golden shimmer (adds a warm cast)
- smoother finish and less prone to visible brush strokes
- looks dingy beside the icier white of ‘Attraction’
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pale pink rose (source)
‘Frisson’ is a ballet tutu pink hue, made even more interesting by the addition of finely ground gold and slightly iridescent pink glitter. The excellently flowing formula made application a breeze and while I absolutely loved the translucent look of 2 coats, I opted for 3 coats here to achieve a deeper opacity. Another plus: how self-levelling and wonderfully glossy the finish is. Personally, this shade reminds of one thing: powerful femininity. Love that!
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Until I went looking, I hadn’t realized exactly how many pale pinks I am fortunate enough to own in my rather extensive CHANEL lacquer collection, and yet ‘Frisson’ still manages to stand out among them. Here’s how they compared:
- index finger: ‘Flamingo’ – base hue almost identical to ‘Frisson’, no glitter but more of a pearly shimmer, a denser formula making it more opaque and overall a degree warmer by a slight peachy tint.
- middle finger: ‘Frisson’
- ring finger: ‘Morning Rose’ – similar sheerness to ‘Frisson’, several degrees deeper in tone making it the darkest here, with a higher concentration of gold glitter
- pinkie finger: ‘Bikini Rose’ – medium formula, not quite as sheer as ‘Frisson’, a few degrees lighter in tone, no glitter but with a subtle and ultra-fine hot pink/fuchsia duochrome flash (quite gorgeous, actually!)
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coral rose (source)
‘Distraction’ is perfection. Really. A simmering salmon pink/warm coral hue, the formula was nothing short of amazing, flowing easily and with an excellent viscosity. The first coat lays down a touch on the sheer side, which becomes opaque by the second, although I did 3 coats for the swatches here. Bearing an almost jelly-ish look to it, the finish is not only completely self-levelling, but ultra-glossy as well – but the best part is the internal fuchsia fire of this beauty, which adds such a stunning luscious depth. LOVE!
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The only shade that bears even the slightest resemblance to ‘Distraction’ in my CHANEL collection, is ‘Orange Fizz’ (on index and pinkie fingers) – here’s how it compared:
- slightly more opaque
- definitive peach/orange undertones
- no inner flash or shimmer
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fuchsia rose (source)
‘Tentation’ is the other shade of this collection that has totally stolen my heart. This is a most luxurious and deeply intense fuchsia hue, filled with a vivid magenta shimmer that gives off an almost luminous blue-ish flash in certain lights. An exceptional formula (the best of the four, actually), 2 coats are more than enough for perfect coverage, although I applied 3 here for consistency with the rest. Self-levelling and with an ultra glassy finish, do not skip base coat as this shade has the potential to slightly stain.
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Before picking up ‘Tentation’, I was sure that it was basically a summer version of ‘Rouge Carat’ (previously reviewed here), but as you’ll see in the swatches, I was way off. Here’s how it compared: (3 coats shown on index and pinkie fingers)
- same amazing formula, viscosity and opacity/coverage, self-levelling properties and glossy finish
- more red-toned
- ruby inner shimmer, giving a more “fiery” look
- looks red besides ‘Tentation’
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Final thoughts: With the exception of ‘Attraction’ and its rather fussier nature, this is another stellar collection of varnishes from the house of CHANEL. I love how a theme as obviously romantic as roses, is interpreted in such a modern and fresh way, with a small but interesting assortment of colours. As I stated earlier, I can understand why Peter Philips (CHANEL’s Creative Director) chose ‘Attraction’ for the runway show, as it definitely looks amazing when seen “live”. I believe that each shade shown offers something unique, although the show-stoppers here have got to be ‘Distraction’ and ‘Tentation’, not only for their vivid hues, but for bearing such superior formulas. Still available at CHANEL counters now, I encourage you to take the time and stop to smell, er…swatch these “roses”!
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