Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in 493 Jade Rose Review & Swatches

My cute little Chanel shopping bag. Am I the only one who collects these?

Chanel’s Jade & Jade Rose polishes ($25 a pop) are going to be two seriously hot shades for Fall 2009, and while I’m not really into the mint green nails at the moment (who knows, I may later change my mind), Jade Rose is definitely right up my alley!

Jade Rose out of her box!

Jade Rose is this beautiful duty pinky peach with beige undertones in the bottle, and when the light hits it just-so, you’ll get flashes of an almost fuchsia vein of shimmer running throughout. Once on your nails the shimmer is really barely there and only visible under the best of lighting conditions, but it’s a beautifully elegant shade for the nails.

Check out the subtle flashes of pink shimmer in Jade Rose!

If you check out the two photos above you’ll see that you really can’t see Jade Rose’s shimmer unless you twist the bottle so that the light hits it at just the right angle, and you’ll notice in the photos below that the shimmer really is barely there ~ the only photo in which you can get a glimpse of it is the one in which the flash was really close to my nails.

Jade Rose on nails.

Close-up of Jade Rose on nails.

And a super close-up of Jade Rose on nails!

If you click to enlarge this last nail shot above, you should be able to see a hint of shimmer on my nails. What I love about Jade Rose is that while it can look like a simple peachy beige under most lighting conditions, it’s still a very interesting shade. The lighting at my office brings out a little more pink, making this look more peachy pink with just a tiny bit of beige, and the subway lighting makes this look more pinky peach. It’s always changing on me!

I’ve been on the hunt for an opaque fleshy nude/beige polish for the longest time, and while it takes three coats of Jade Rose to achieve the completely opaque coverage shown above, it’s pretty much exactly what I’ve been looking for. Search over!

And I just thought I’d thrown in a photo of some of the great samples that I got, including some items from Chanel’s new Ultra Correction Lift skincare line!

Have you tried Chanel’s Jade polishes yet?

Guerlain Parure Gold for Fall 2009

This fall Guerlain is expanding it’s much-loved (at least by yours truly) Parure line of cosmetics to encompass a new level of luxury – Parure Gold. I first fell in love with Parure Extreme (review HERE), then Parure Pearly White (review HERE), and now Guerlain has to go and tempt me with the most expensive Parure line to date!

Parure Gold Fluid ($78) contains an exclusive double-sided Gold Radiance Pigment that targets imperfections and dull zones while reflecting light. Regenerative Myrrh Oil and lifting and smoothing peptides provide long-term skin benefits including a diminished fine lines and smoother, softer skin. Luxurious golden flecks in Parure Gold Fluid envelope your skin in light and radiance.

Thankfully this doesn’t seem to be targeted for my age range and so I’m having a relatively easy time resisting temptation, but I am very tempted to purchsae this as a gift for my mother. Sadly Guerlain has not elected to expand its shade range with the release of this new foundation, so we’re stuck with a grand total of six shades.

Rejuvenating Golden Light Foundation ($78) packs all of Parure Gold’s wonderful properties into a creamy, soft texture that glides over skin and dries to a satiny finish.

And last but not least we have the Rejuvenating Illuminator ($48), essentially a YSL Touche Eclat clone with the addition of many great anti-aging ingredients to treat while concealing.

Guerlain is also re-promoting their L’or Radiance Concentrate with Pure Gold Makeup Base (essentially a clear primer with flecks of gold suspended throughout) which runs $68 with this line.

Do you think you’ll be indulging in some gold come fall?
(everything’s actually currently available on the Saks/Neiman Marcus sites if you’re eager to get your shop on!)

MAC Make-Up Art Cosmetics Fall ’09 As Seen By Richard Phillips, Maira Kalman, & Marilyn Minter Now Live!

As Seen By Marilyn Minter
Erotic imagery that zooms in on a dappled, glittered eye, or a silverized stiletto splashing in the mud from this Whitney Biennial Artist. Push the Edge Pigment and Fuchsia Glitter have the power to make anyone feel like they WILL be seen – and desired.

As Seen by Richard Phillips
Racy, hyper-glam images revved-up in a modern take on vintage magazine pages, transformed into a super-vixen collection of colour for eyes, lips and cheeks. Paint it bigger-than-life with style and sensuality.

As Seen By Maira Kalman
Cheeky, witty, always amusing, Maira’s style is cute and colourful, wonderfully child-like…and sophisticated all at once. Technakohl Liners and magical Eye Shadows full of cock-eyed optimism, with just the tiniest smidge of city-girl-snobbism. Simply sublime!

This is probably my favorite collection of the three – the fun shades are definitely all very wearable and also very me. I’ve never tried a Technakohl liner before, but this collection has be very very tempted! Hopefully I’ll be able to review/swatch these for you at some point.

Pretty pretty face chart using Maira Kalman’s collection.

Are you indulging in anything from one of MAC’s million collections that launched within the past few days? It’s all a little overwhelming to say the least!

New From Chanel: Rouge Allure Laque & Symphonie Blanche de Chanel

Chanel’s new Rouge Allure Laque Luminous Satin Lip Lacquer is a creamy lipstick/gloss hybrid with rich colour and shine that supposedly lasts for up to 8 hours.

Rouge Allure Laque- is the ideal weapon of ultimate seduction that gives the lips an even more “dressed-up” style. This little jewel in black lacquered glass conceals an “artist’s brush” applicator, the secret weapon of precision for perfectly defined lips. It offers a new, elegant beauty gesture. It combines the easy application of a gloss with the makeup finish of a lipstick.A brilliantly stylised signature for the lips. Its light, creamy texture, filled with “soft focus” coated pigments, coats lips in intense colour and lacquered shine. A botanical jelling agent provides perfect hold, while Jojoba oil extract ensures extreme comfort.

Available in 8 shades, Chanel’s Rouge Allure Lacque will run you $32 – ouch I know! Nonetheless these have been pushed to the top of my wishlist; I 100% blame Nicole for this. Ming & Phoenix both look to be gorgeous pinks. Check out a video of Rouge Lacque being applied HERE.

Chanel’s Symphonie Blanche de Chanel is a modern makeup collection that highlights the beauty of white. It’s comprised of:

• Fleurs Celestes de Chanel (Natural Finish Face Highlighter): A captivating trio of highlighting powders with a subtle gradation of colour – white, pink, bronze – provides a natural-looking radiance to accentuate the gentle curves of the face and décolleté. Adding to the compact’s desirability: an artful arrangement of embossed flowers across a ‘field’ of snowy white
• Les 4 Ombres (Quadra Eye Shadow) in White Whisper: Ideal for this luminous eye look, LES 4 OMBRES Quadra Eye Shadow features White Whisper, a quartet of shades – silver pink, pearly white, light gold, dark silver – that combine for a range of effects.
• Poudre Douche (Soft Pressed Powder) in Rosee: Pure flattery for the face, POUDRE DOUCE Soft Pressed Powder features light-reflecting pigments that help minimize skin imperfections, in a convenient compact. In Rosée, a soft rose.
• Le Blanc de Chanel (Sheer Illuminating Base): Prep the skin with LE BLANC DE CHANEL Sheer Illuminating Base, an ingenious multi-tasking fluid that highlights, contours and creates a lit-from-within luminosity.
• Rouge Hydrabase (Creme Lipstick) in Simply Pink: Long-lasting ROUGE HYDRABASE Creme Lipstick delivers deeply moisturizing colour in a chic new shade: Simply Pink.
• Le Crayon Kohl (Intense Eye Pencil) in Blanc: LE CRAYON KHÔL Intense Eye Pencil glides on for flawless eyelining – and eye-opening! – effects, in new Blanc, a pure white.
• Le Vernis (Nail Colour) in Blanc Petale: Nails stand out with LE VERNIS Nail Colour, in new limited-edition Blanc Pétale, a crisp white.

Click on over to Chanel’s site for more info on this refreshing, ice-princess reminiscent collection. I know I’d probably never be able to bring myself to use the highlighter but I want it simply for the fact that it’s gorgeous, and I’ve also got my eye on the sheer illuminating base. Budget permitting as always though!

Bobbi Brown Introduces Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadows for Fall/Winter 2009

Very rarely does a Bobbi Brown product inspire the “OMG I need that” feeling deep within me, but these seem to have done the trick. The last Bobbi Brown product that I was just dying to own was the Brights palette, sadly I never managed to get my hands on – it was just too pricey.

The model in the promo image just looks absolutely stunning – polished, refined and chic. Does it remind anybody else a little of Vermeer’s Het Meisje met de Parel or is it just me?

Coming to a Bobbi Brown counter near in late fall/early winter, the Metallic Long-Wear Cream Shadows will include:

• Antique Gold
• Black Pearl
• Brown Metal
• Chrome Patina
• Gold Stone
• Mercury
• Starry Night
• Starry Purple

You can be sure that I’ll be adding one or two of these to my collection, so stay tuned for swatches when these launch!

Save 30% During Urban Decay’s Friends & Family!

I usually find Urban Decay’s Friends & Family discount relatively easy to ignore, but this fall is an entirely different story. There are so many things that I want from their recent Fall 2009 release and this discount means that I just may be getting some of them! Currently on my wishlist are:

1) At least one of the Ink for Eyes cream eyeliners. I’ve got my eye on Empire, Zero and Pyrotechnics – what about you?

2) I’ve been hearing such raves about Urban Decay’s new lipstick shade, Naked, that I just need to try this one for myself. Apparently it’s that ideal “my lips but better shade” that all women are perpetually on the hunt for, and so this creamy pink nude is definitely high on my to-buy list!

3) I know I told you I wasn’t entirely crazy abotu the Pore Perfecting primer in my review of a few weeks back, but I am currently loving the Brightening formula which keeps my skin and foundation in happy harmony all day long. I’m thinking a back-up may be in order!

Of course onto the most important part, the code! Enter code: FNFF1 at checkout now through August 20, 2009 to receive 30% off all of your UrbanDecay.com orders. And of course be sure to share your hauls with me!

Bobbi Brown Ivy League Collection for Fall 2009

Greens aren’t my favorite, although the right khaki can create a beautifully understated smoky eye, but I’m finding that I have a soft spot for Bobbi Brown’s Fall 2009 Ivy League Collection. I suspect that a large part of that may be a result of the collection’s name, but in my defense the Illamasqua artist that I spoke to told me that I should experiment with more greens as they look great on me! See I’m not entirely illogical!

• Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Forest Shimmer Ink ($21): For me this looks to be the highlight of the collection. As many of you know, I happen to love Bobbi Brown’s Long Wear Gel Liners for their smooth, skip-free application and beautiful pigmentation, and when they include shimmer, well that just makes for an even happier Jen!

• Eyeshadows in Golden Leaf, Bash and Ivy ($20): I need to check these out in person but I’m confident that at least one of these deep greens will catch my eye.

• Creamy Eye Pencil in Jet, Walnut, Charcoal, Caviar, Hunter, Midnight, Brown Plum, Mahogany and Dusk ($20)

• Lip Crayon in Honeysuckle, Coral Pink, Raisin Berry, Posey, Dusty Nude and Wild Rose ($22)

Urban Decay Pore Perfecting Complexion Primer Potion Review & Swatches

Urban Decay Complexion Primer Potion – Pore Perfecting ($30)
Smooth on a little Complexion Primer Potion – Pore Perfecting before foundation (or alone!) to minimize the look of pores and fine lines. The velvety formula simmers down to a soft-matte finish—without the greasy, heavy feel sometimes associated with foundation primers. The result is flawless skin with an airbrushed look and feel. Foundation will go on smoothly, evenly, and won’t fade away. Ideal for oilier skin, but dry complexions who want pore perfection will love it, too! The convenient squeeze tube includes a twist-up dispenser (like school glue!) for easy portion control.

I’m loving the whole ‘Lab Sample’ thing Sephora’s been doing as of late ~ it’s always fun to have the opportunity to test out new products before they officially launch, and it prevents me from spending money on a product I don’t like and then having to return it. My latest lab sample was Urban Decay’s recently released Pore Perfecting Complexion Primer Potion which I was expecting to be holy grail material. So was it?

A pea-sized dollop of the Pore Perfecting Primer ~ enough for your whole face.

In short, no. I don’t hate it, but I don’t entirely love it either. My main issue with the Pore Perfecting Primer is its texture. I find it rather ironic that the people at Urban Decay chose to use the words ‘school glue’ in their product description, as to me that’s kind of what the product feels like. Squeeze out a dollop of this product and you’ve got a really thick white substance in your hand that isn’t really the most spreadable.

A little goes a long way so I usually squeeze out a small, pea-sized amount, rub it between my hands to thin it out and warm it up a little and then proceed to apply all over my face, focusing on the areas that have enlarged pores. The sensation of the product against my skin isn’t entirely unpleasant, but it is a little heavy and I can definitely tell that it’s there ~ it’s got the same siliconey feel as Smashbox’s PhotoFinish but a little heavier, and minus the weird greasy slipperiness.

Partially blended ~ see how thick it is?

Every morning I look in the mirror after applying this primer, and then my foundation on top, and think “Wow my skin looks amazing,” and it really does for the first three hours or so. My skin looks smooth, even, nearly poreless and as close to flawless as it’s probably ever going to get.

After a little more blending…

However after those first few hours my face is a mess. Most of the foundation simply disappears, and what’s left behind is this really greasy feeling that I can’t shake for the rest of the day. The Complexion Primer Potion does make my foundation fade more evenly, but it also makes it fade more quickly than it normally would without primer. It also seems to mix in weird ways with the oils that my skin produces, so that my skin looks less oily but it feels 100x oilier than normal.

And fully blended in!

I could forgive the thickness and heaviness of this primer if it were longer-wearing, and if my face looked as good during the middle of the day as it did at the beginning, I could even deal with the greasy feeling it leaves on my skin. I’m surprised and more than a little disappointed that I didn’t love this, as I know that others have been raving over it and professing that they’ve found their end-all-be-all primer.

List of Ingredients

Please keep in mind that this is just my opinion, and I’m only one little person with very oily skin and excessively large pores! There are a ton of people out there who absolutely adore this product so if you’re curious, do try it out for yourself, it might just be perfect for you. I think that this could have been great if my complexion were just a little less oily.

RATING: 3/5

I’ll be ordering Urban Decay’s Brightening Complexion Primer Potion soon – let’s hope I have better luck with this one!

MAC Graphic Garden Collection Mini Review & Swatches (Nordstrom Exclusive)

I’m usually not too wowed by the Nordstrom Exclusive MAC releases, but this year I was surprised by the fact that I wanted everything! Sadly I came home with absolutely nothing as I’m trying to be a bit more responsible with my beauty spending, but every time I look at these swatches I want to go running back to Nordstrom.

So there are two sets of each swatches under two different types of lighting so that you can get an accurate representation of each set. (& remember you can click to enlarge all my photos)

Graphic Garden Eyeshadow x 6 Palette ($35)
Swatches: Fresh Cut Palette (top); Graphic Garden Palette (bottom)

While both palettes were really pretty and wearable, I was surprised by just how much I loved the Graphic Garden Eyeshadow x 6 Palette. Greens usually aren’t my thing but the palette as a whole is just so fresh and vibrant looking. As for Fresh Cut, the only shade I’m absolutely in love with is the pink that’s second from the right. Somebody talk me out of Graphic Garden, my makeup budget this month just won’t allow it!

Swatches:
Top Row: Baby Blooms Lip Bag (Baby Bloom; Spiceflower; Soft Illusion [missing])
Bottom Row: Summer Crop Lip Bag (Summer Crop; Semi-Annual; Garden Bed)

The real shocker for me was how much I loved these lip bags, and how quickly they sold out. I stopped by Nordstrom on Saturday afternoon, and there wasn’t a single lip bag to be seen — they were long gone! The Summer Crop set is such a beautifully understated set of neutrals that pairs so well with the brightness that is Graphic Garden.

Overall I’m loving the entire collection and the Graphic Garden Palette shades have been dancing through my head since I saw them on Saturday.

Did you indulge in anything from MAC’s Nordstrom-exclusive Graphic Garden collection?

Chanel Venice Collection for Fall 2009 Mini Review & Swatches

Swatches of Les 4 Ombres/Quadra Eyeshadow in Murano:
mossy green; pale pink; seafoam green; deep green shimmer

As many before me have mentioned (and as I’m sure many after me will also say), Chanel’s Murano quad (see a shot of it HERE) from their Fall 2009 Venice Collection is reminiscent of their much loved Garden Party quad ~ only more grown up and amped up a notch or two. While the quad would make a beautiful green-tinged smoky eye, I personally wasn’t a fan of the two darker shades which I just know would look muddy on me. The palette lacked the wow-factor that I’ve come to expect from palettes that cost an arm & a leg.

I did, however, absolutely love the two fall glossimers!

Glossimer Swatches (L to R): Arlequin, Courtisane

Arlequin is a shimmery slightly peachy/yellowy gold that great for giving your lips that sun-ksised, touched with golden shimmer look. You know how I love my shimmer, and this definitely contains copious amounts!

Courtisane is a bright Barbie pink and one of the prettiest glossimers I’ve seen in a long time! Chanel’s glossimers have been rather uninspired as of late, so I was so pleased to see the bold Courtisane being as part of the fall line-up. I’m definitely thinking I need to go back for this one.

I found Chanel’s Fall 2009 release as a whole to have a rather staid, heavy feel to it so other than perhaps indulging in a little Courtisane, I’ll probably be saving my pennies for the bigger and better things I sense coming with the Winter 2009 releases.