Vanessas Paradis Named Face of Chanel

Vanessa Paradis, Wife, er partner of  Hottie Johnny Depp, Mother, Model and French beauty has been named the face of a new line of Chanel lipstick. This is so fitting considering Paradis appeared in Coco ads back in 1992,I loved that commerical with Vanessa as a bird in a birdcage--so artsy. She later worked with Karl Lagerfeld in handbag campaigns and now in 2010 will be the face of Rouge Coco de Chanel lipstick. Chanel Rouge Allure lipsticks are my all time favorite formula--so mositurizing, good pigmentation, unique shades and elegant packaging. I'm excited to see what the new line will look like. Stay tuned to find out!

Chanel Holiday 2009 - Chanel Take Me Away!

Inspired by Coco Chanel's birdcage, the collection mimics the colors of tropical birds and flowers. It strikes me more as a summer collection rather than Holiday, but it definitely feels like a breath of fresh air compared to all the dark Gothic black of MAC Style Black and even Chanel's own Noirs Obscurs. The shades in the collection do invoke images of the golden sand of Hawaii, the aqua/teal of the ocean and the Bird of Paradise flower. I can almost smell the sea air.

• The eye shadow quad is called Bird of Paradise and shimmers with shades of flamingo pink, teal, gold and khaki/green.    LE $56
• Professional Eyeliner Duo in Celadon-Lame $45
• The new Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshines are equally summery and so pretty I want to eat them like candy. They are Maldives (LE), Galapagos, Grenada and Tasmania--all tropical locations  $28.50
• There are also three Aqualumiere glosses in Colibri, Hirondelle and Canari  $27
• Trapeze Nail Polish-- Silver beige(LE) $23
• Perhaps the standout is the Les Tissages Lames De Chanel, a beautiful highlighter with gold, bronze and copper woven together to resemble  Chanel's signature tweed. This looks as if it would be well suited to a warmer complexion. $60

Chanel Holiday will hit counter in November, I'll be ready for a tropical vacation then!

Chanel Noirs Obscurs 2009 - Deep, Dark & Tantilizing

In a departure from the classic Chanel offerings, Global Creative Director of Chanel, Peter Philips has created the dark, vampy and mysterious Noirs Obscurs collection. Comprised of traditional jewel tones emerald, sapphire, ruby & violet infused with dramatic black. At first glance I thought 'I'm too old to be wearing Goth makeup' but the more I look at the pictures and think about it, I think it's damn sexy!

The Noirs Obscurs Collection includes:

Les Folies Noirs Eyeshadow Quad ($60.00)

Exceptionnel de Chanel: Noir Obscur and Inimitable: Noir Obscur, see my previous post here. Eyeliner in Demoniac, three new Rouge Allure lipsticks: all dark and vampy, Obscure, Maniac and Hysteria, a Aqualumiere Gloss in Furious, a sheer gold, three nail polishes in Diabolic, Forbidden and Vendetta. With names like these, it sounds more like The Matrix rather than the tweed suits of Chanel. However, no one does black like Chanel. I'm looking forward to checking out the collection in person this weekend at my local Chanel counter, I'll let you know then how appropriate and wearable it is. It certainly has me intrigued!

Mascara Review - Maybelline Pulse Perfection

One thing I was blessed with is fairly long, dark curly lashes. Before you go getting all jealous on me, my sister got the thick hair and the boobs, okay ? I did not want to like this mascara,  I thought the vibrating thingy was a gimmick stolen from Lancome, which it is but...but...I really like this mascara!  It makes my lashes super long, as in almost touches my brow long!

I applied Lancome's Cils Booster XL first as always, then followed with Pulse Perfection. The brush is one of those rubber types which I think really helps to separate. It is a very wet formula, which is good and bad; good for application since it lessens clumps but when I sneezed I had huge dots under my eyes. Warning: do not apply when you have a cold--K? The vibration did take some getting used to; in a effort to try to get as close to the base of my lashes as possible, I kept sticking it my eye--yeah I know, duh! Don't worry, this was purely operator error on my part. The vibration works by pressing down on a button--I found it easy to use if you use your thumb to press the button. Maybelline could improve on this by changing it to an on-off switch, thereby eliminating the need to apply constant pressure on the button. I also found it a bit difficult to remove; I use my cleanser, Philosophy's Purity Made Simple to remove eye makeup and this takes two passes instead of the usual one.

If you want long dramatic lashes, then you should try Maybelline Pulse Perfection. It is a bit expensive for a drugstore mascara, $12-14, but I would almost compare it to Chanel Exceptionnel and then it's a bargain!  Download a $3 off coupon here

Packaging--4/5 --needs an off/on switch

Value--3/5, not that much more than some, much less than high end brands

Performance:-- 4/5--a little hard to remove

Will it make you Verklempt?--4/5

Overall Rating: 4/5

I purchased this item myself

Review: L'oreal Colour Riche Anti-Aging Serum Lipstick

It has been years since I have purchased a drugstore lipstick. I attribute this to the fact that I can be a makeup snob on occasion (surprise!), there are no testers in the drugstore, and the general poor quality and staying power of drugstore lipsticks. I have bought lip glosses, but glosses just don’t seem to last very long so my preference is lipstick. I’m sure it started waaay back when as a child and my mom let me play with the Avon tester lipsticks; those teeny tiny tubes were great, weren’t they?

I cannot tolerate the cloying fragrance of L’oreal lipsticks and just gave up on them for several years. But L’oreal Colour Riche Anti-Aging Serum Lipstick had me at “anti-aging”. They must have changed the formula for this lipstick because the smell is faint and not unpleasant. The serum core has ingredients like ProXalyne, Collagen, Hyaluronic spheres and Glycerin, all designed to smooth out lines and plump up lips. It does a decent job of both.

The formula is smooth, creamy and moisturizing. The pigment is great, one swipe and your done. Make no mistake this is a plumping lipstick so you will feel a tingle. I found the sensation more like a slight warming feeling and not at all uncomfortable. I liked the plumping effect, it was subtle but I could notice it. Lasting power is average for a good quality lipstick, around 4 hours which included sipping tea and a snack. There are 16 gorgeous shades; some have slight shimmer, all have a bit of shine but are not what I would consider glossy. I chose Berry Exciting, a raspberry shade, Blushing Bouquet a soft rose pink that will work for everyone, Spicy Pink, a browned bright pink and Compelling Coral a bright coral with a bit of red. I chose well for my warm skintone but there are some lovely choices for cool skin as well.

Left to right: Berry Exciting, Blushing Bouquet, Spicy Pink, Compelling Coral

Left to right: Berry Exciting, Blushing Bouquet, Spicy Pink, Compelling Coral


I won’t give up my beloved Chanel Rouge Allure’s, however I will not purchase another $30 Chanel lipstick unless it is a truly unique shade, or…. it has anti-aging in the name :)

I've only been using L’oreal Colour Riche Anti-Aging Serum Lipstick for a week but if it really does make my thin lips fuller with continued use, it just might complete me.

Performance: 4/5

Value: 5/5, retails for about $10, got mine on BOGOHO (buy one get one half off) so, $15 for 2

Packaging: 3/5--cheap plastic, but I do appreciate the clear cover so you can see the color

Overall: 4/5--Impressive!

I purchased these products myself

Chanel Debuts NOIR OBSCUR Mascaras

Black is elevated to a new level of intensity with the introduction of NOIR OBSCUR, an extreme black shade of the best-selling CHANEL mascaras. Lashes are lush with deep, luxurious colour for the most intensely dramatic effect.

INIMITABLE NOIR OBSCUR

Mascara Multi-Dimensionnel

Now, in a single stroke, CHANEL sets a new standard in mascara with a formula that does it all. A sophisticated formula and unique brush design combine to lengthen, plump and curl, delivering lush, long-wearing colour so precisely that each lash, even the finest, is perfectly defined and separated. Now in new   Noirs Obscurs Extreme Black. $30

 EXCEPTIONNEL DE CHANEL NOIR OBSCUR

Intense Volume and Curl Mascara

INTENSE VOLUME & SENSATIONAL CURL MASCARA A dream mascara is one that is VOLUMIZING, CURLING and LASTING. EXCEPTIONNEL DE CHANEL achieves these three feats in perfect harmony. Its exceptional brush provides lash-by-lash application and creates an intense volume effect for precise makeup from roots to tips. Now in new Noirs Obscurs Extreme Black. $30

Chanel Debut: Paris-New York

Created by the CHANEL Makeup Studio in Paris especially for the United States, this essential all-in-one makeup wardrobe now features three new must-haves: two cream concealers and one cream blush. The exclusive colour collection, named ‘Paris-New York,’ also includes two shades of lipgloss, one cream lip colour, three powder eyeshadows, a sponge-tipped applicator and a soft-bristled lip brush.

CHANEL Paris-New York multi-use makeup alette is available exclusively online at Chanel.com.

I have a love addiction to palettes. They are such a no-brainer; everything in one place all coordinated for you. That's why this Chanel palette will go on my wish list. It not only has eye shadows and lip colors but blush and concealer as well, truly one stop makeup!

Chanel Symphonie Blanche de Chanel

Chanel is my one of most coveted makeup brands. When I think of Chanel, a chic,  sophisticated and classy woman impeccably dressed comes to mind. And Chanel's new Symphonie Blanche collection is the makeup she would be wearing.

The White Whisper eye shadow quad features a quartet of shades - silver pink, pearly white, light gold and dark silver for a luminious effect. This quad will take you from day to night in a flash! $56

Fleurs Celestes de Chanel is a gorgeous trio of face highlighters. White, pink and bronze powders provides a natural looking radiance to accentuate the gentle curves of the face and décolleté. The compact itself is a work of art with an arrangement of embossed flowers across a 'field' of snowy white. $65

Nails stand out with LE VERNIS Nail Colour, in new limited-edition Blanc Pétale, a crisp white. $23

The collection also includes Poudre Douce in Rosee, a soft pressed powder with light reflecting pigments, Rouge Hydrabase lipstick in Simply Pink, Le Crayon Kohl eye pencil in new shade Blanc and Intimitable mascara, a favorite of mine. See the entire collection at Chanel.com

Some day a classic Chanel bag will be mine!