September Favorites

It's hard to believe that it's the end of 2013 already.  This year has flown by.  At the end of the month, I'll be sharing my top loves of the month.

In no particular order:

1. Chanel Les Beiges- No. 10: While nobody will certainly ever mistake me for Gisele, I love this multi-purpose powder. It just goes on forever.

2. Anastasia Bold & Beautiful Kit: This kit only came into my life within the last 10 days of the month, but it's already a must-have in my opinion.

3. Kat Von D Shade Shifter Eyeshadow in Devotion: I bought the Shade Shifter eyeshadows expecting to fall in love with a different shade (On the Road). Devotion is a warm coppery shade that's perfect even for work, while being totally interesting in its own right.

4. Dior Addict Eau Delice Eau de Parfum: I totally blame Sephora for this obsession. I didn't like the perfume in-store, but nabbed a deluxe mini perfume (I love minis!  But who doesn't?) as part of a sample trio.  I fell in love hard.  It may have originally been marketed as a summer fragrance, but I find its berry-tinged notes to be fall-appropriate.

5. Chanel Le Vernis in Rose Moire: I'm normally a bold nail woman, but there's something alluring about this rose gold-tinged polish. It's refined and ladylike- and just makes me feel pretty to wear it.

6. Chanel Les Vernis in Bel-Argus: This cobalt metallic polish has been my pedicure du jour since I picked up the shade back in May (or June- but I think it was May).  I'll be interested to see if it remains during the winter.

7. Lipstick Queen Lipstick in Jean Queen:  This is the perfect MLLB daytime lipstick for me.  Whenever I'm at a loss in the morning, I reach for this.

8. Benefit Rockateur: This is the perfect rose-gold blush for me and perfectly accents my complexion.


There's my top 8 for the month!  What products did you love in September?

Butter London Rock Your Colour Bespoke Collection

Although I may have jumped this collection review by looking at one of the mascaras, I'm going to spend some time looking at the Butter London Fall 2013 Rock Your Colour Bespoke Collection, their first foray beyond lippies and nails.

The entirety of this collection, available via Ulta or ButterLondon.com, includes (bold indicates a shade I'll be reviewing):

• Nail Lacquers- $15 each  (Indigo Punk, Inky Six, Jaded Jack, Pistol Pink, Brown Sugar, Union Jack Black)
• Wink Mascaras- $20 each (Indigo Punk, Inky Six, Jaded Jack, Pistol Pink, Brown Sugar, Union Jack Black)
• Wink Cream Eyeshadow- $18 each (Indigo Punk, Inky Six, Jaded Jack , Pistol Pink,  Sun Kiss, Alabaster Gaze)
• Wink Eye Pencil- $18 each (Indigo Punk, Inky Six, Jaded Jack, Pistol Pink, Brown Sugar, Union Jack Black)
• Cheeky Cream Blush- $20 each (Abbey Rose, Honey Pie, Naughty Biscuit, Pistol Pink)
• LIPPY Tinted Balm- $20 each (Abbey Rose, Apricot Sunray, Axis Kiss, Black Cherry, Strawberry Field, Toasted Marshmallow)
• LIPPY Sheer Gloss-  $20 each (Berry Whipped, Coconut Frock, Dandy Bubbles, Hot Totty, Secret Door, Tipple)

Nail Lacquers:

I selected five of the six shades; the sixth- Jaded Jack- is a lime green creme that looked chartreuse to me.  There's no way that I could ever wear it to work, and I don't like green on my feet.

L-R: Pistol Pink, Indigo Punk, Brown Sugar, Union Jack Black, Inky Six


I'll be featuring these as the next 5 NOTD selections, so no hand shots.

Pistol Pink is described as "opaque, magenta pink shimmer." The shimmer is mainly visible in the bottle rather than on the nails.  It seemed to be rather unique when I picked it up; once swatched it reminded me of a few polishes.

Moving left-right: Julep Nellie is significantly brighter and a creme finish, Julep Joan nails the visible shimmer once swatched but is slightly darker, Butter London Pistol Pink, Chanel April nails the undertone but is a creme- glad to see that it's not a total dupe, OPI Casino Royale is significantly darker.


Indigo Punk is described as "full-coverage indigo purple glitter." I knew that I had nothing quite like this in my collection, and it was the first polish in the collection that I picked up.  It's suspended in a clear base and takes at least three coats to get reasonable coverage.

Moving left-right: Julep Reece is a purple holo glitter but far finer glitter particles, Butter London No More Waity, Katie has the right size glitters but is significantly lighter, Butter London Indigo Punk, Zoya Carter is more red-toned.



Brown Sugar is another polish I was instantly attracted to.  It is described as "opaque copper shimmer with gold glitter." All swatches are with three coats- it initially reads pink.  Coppers/bronzes are a major area in my collection where I'm lacking, so I knew I had nothing like it.

Moving left-right: Butter London Brown Sugar, OPI Brisbane Bronze is significantly lighter and lacks the foil effect.



Union Jack Black is described as "jet black nail lacquer that goes on like patent leather" by Butter's website. I hesitated to pick this up since I have a nice black nail polish, but wanted to test the formula.  It's amazing.  Read carefully- this is as awesome as Chanel Black Satin, same type of coverage and depth of color- at $12 less per bottle. You're welcome.

Moving left-right: Julep Brandt is more green-toned and required 4 coats for the swatch, Chanel Black Satin is the granddaddy of black polishes and the gold standard; this is 2 coats, Butter London Union Jack Black (almost a one-coat black, people!), OPI Black Onyx was the thinnest formula and needed 4 coats, Zoya Raven required 3 coats.


Inky Six is described as "medium coverage, deep blue glitter." This was my final selection from the collection because it reminded me of something else- I just wasn't sure what. It took some soul-searching and realizing that I'd ultimately be sad if I missed out on it. I'm glad that I picked it up.

Moving left-right: Julep Tracy is much lighter, China Glaze Water You Waiting For is that color I was searching for as a probable dupe- decide for yourself, Butter London Inky Six, OPI Get Your Number (with top coat) is another probable dupe, OPI Get Your Number without a top coat is a lot lighter, Zoya Sunshine is a navy glitter.



Macaras:

Inky Six is descibred as "cornflower blue shimmer."  Watch for an in-depth review in the coming days.

Indigo Punk is described as "Violet Shimmer."  See here for an in-depth review.

Overall, I'm loving the colors in this collection and would've loved to have picked up more items.  Keep an eye out for the featured posts for the rest of this work week.

Tarina Tarantino Jewel Shadow Palette: Wonderful

Let's continue looking at one of my favorite brands, Tarina Tarantino.  Many people don't realize that the collection is still available via Tarina's website; it wasn't discontinued after exiting Sephora in 2012.

Overall, I find Tarina's eyeshadows to be of extremely high quality and incredibly affordable price point.  Over these next few posts, I'll be showcasing some of my favorite products of all time.


Tarina Tarantino Jewel Shadow Palettes retail for $32 via Tarina Tarantino. Each palette contains five eyeshadows, with a total net weight of 0.32oz among them.

All of these palettes have a holo coating on the compacts, and this photo gives a great shot of it:

Wonderful, a green palette, contains the following shades: Forest Green Shimmer, Pearl Golden Green, Brown with Gold Sparkle, Pearl Buttermilk, Pearl Gold.

Outside, in indirect light

In direct sunlight

Forest Green Shimmer is a deep green with visible golden flecks.

Outside, in indirect light

In direct sunshime

Pearl Golden Green is a mint shadow with a frosty kick. I don't get golden green out of it, rather a beautiful mint shade.

Indirect light, outside

In direct sunshine

Brown with Gold Sparkle is as the name states.  This works either in a deep smoky eye or as an eyeliner.

Outside, indirect light

Direct sunshine

Pearl Buttermilk is the light shade that's a prerequisite of every Tarina palette.

Outside, in indirect light

In direct sunshine

Pearl Gold is a rich golden brown.

Outside, indirect light

In full sun

And now, swatches.

First, outside in indirect light:

L-R: Forest Green Shimmer, Pearl Golden Green, Brown with Gold Sparkle, Pearl Gold, Pearl Buttermilk

Inside, with the flash on:

L-R: Forest Green Shimmer, Pearl Golden Green, Brown with Gold Sparkle, Pearl Gold, Pearl Buttermilk

Finally, inside without flash:

L-R: Forest Green Shimmer, Pearl Golden Green, Brown with Gold Sparkle, Pearl Gold, Pearl Buttermilk

I get 8-10 hours of wear when I use a primer.  When applying these shades, there is a significant amount of fallout. However, it's worth it.  Texture-wise, these are all silky smooth and the color payoff rich.  I find these palettes to be a great value.

Bottom Line: I've noted my ongoing struggles with green shadows in this blog before.  In terms of green shadows, it's beautiful. I primarily bought this because I love the formula in general, and was able to get it at a crazy price when the line was exiting Sephora.  If green is your color, this is your palette.

Chanel IllusionD'Ombre Eyeshadow- 827 Initation

This is the first of my selections from Chanel Holiday 2013: Nuit Infinite Collection.  I've never been drawn to the Illusion D' Ombre line before, but when I swatched this, I knew I had to have it.

In  general, Illusion D' Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow is described as a cushiony gel eyeshadow specifically designed for long wear.  Illusion D'Ombre features mostly metallic shades in its lineup.

Initiation (827) is one of two limited edition shades from the Chanel Holiday 2013 collection.  I did not pick up the other.  It is the lighter of the two, and so wearable, in my opinion.

The box gives the novice user instructions on use- something you don't typically see with makeup.  There's also a warning about making sure that the shadow is tightly closed following use; duly noted.

Initiation has a total net weight of 4g/0.14oz.  It comes in a weighty glass container, with black top featuring the classic Chanel logo.

It also comes with a mini brush specifically designed for application.

Now, lets look at this stunning shade.

Outside, in indirect light. Unfortunately it was a cloudy day.

Outside, in indirect light with flash to mimic sunlight.

And what you've been waiting for- swatches!  I swatched it both lightly and heavily so you can see how versatile this shade is.

Outside, indirect light:

Outside, with the flash turned on (for diffuse light to catch the sparkle):

Inside, no flash:

Inside, with flash:

When I bought this shade, I thought it reminded me of a few other cream shadows in my stash.  Here they are, for comparison:

1. Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream- #13
2. Buxom Stay There Shadow- Collie (my original guess as to a possible dupe)
3. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Initiation (lightly swatched/heavily swatched)
4. Chanel Stylo Eyeshadow- Moon River
5. Make Up For Ever Aqua Cream #12


As you can see, this is as stunner with no dupe in my collection.  Whereas Moon River is platinum taupe, Initation is bronzey pyrite.


As I was applying this, I finally figured out what this reminded me of on my eyelids, smoked out a bit.  Pyrite, or Fool's Gold.  It's a gorgeous color.

Here's a breakdown of the full face I wore while testing this shade, including tools:

Face:

• Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer
• Benefit Boi-ing in 01 Light
• NARS Creamy Concealer- Chantilly 
• Marc Jacobs Genius Gel Foundation- 10
• Chanel Les Beiges No. 10
• NARS Highlighter- Albatross
• Benefit Rockateur
• Tarte Park Avenue Princess Bronzer

Eyes:

• Anastasia Brow Powder- Light
• Anastasia Brow Gel (review forthcoming)
• NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
• Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum
• Stila Smudge Crayon- Kitten
• Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes #25L- top tightline (review forthcoming)
• Anastasia Beautiful Eyes #1- to browbone
• MAC Pearlglide Eyeliner- Molasses (upper)
• Too Faced Better than Sex mascara

Lips:

• Shiseido Benefiance Full Correction Lip Treatment
• Make Up For Ever Lip Line Perfector
• Chanel Rouge Allure- 99 Pirate

Brushes:

• MAC 190 Brush (foundation)
• Sephora Professional Powder Complexion brush (Les Beiges- keep an eye out on the website, I saw it back in the clearance section for $9 each)
• Ulta Professional Fan Powder (highlighter- and they're 50% off right now)
• Estee Lauder GWP Powder brush (for bronzer)
• Sephora Professional Rounded Blush Brush (for blush)
• Ulta Professional Eyebrow brush (brows; likewise, 50% off right now)
• Illusion D'Ombre Eyeshadow Brush 
• Sephora PRO Precision Crease brush (for all-over eyeshadow) 
• Sephora Professional Smudge Brush (I preferred this to the included brush)
• MAC 204 lash Spoolie Brush
• Sephora Pro Lip Brush

Bottom Line:  We're talking Chanel holiday collection here, people.  This is the more neutral of the two Illusion D'Ombre shadows and if applied lightly, could be work appropriate. Just get it!

Chanel Rouge Rubis (NOTD)

The final Chanel red to round out the "week" of reds is the brand-new release for Holiday 2013: Rouge Rubis.  I kicked off the reds with Rouge Moire, a brand-new release, so it only seems right to round out the series with another brand-spanking-new release.

This is a more in-depth review than my quick NOTD posts, but this shade will function as such.

Rouge Rubis is the sole new Le Vernis offering for Chanel's Holiday 2013 Nuit Infinite Collection.  It is a cherry red crelly (half creme-half jelly finish).  It is very bright and could work either in holiday or for the bright summer sun.

Outside, in indirect light

I love it.

It even looks good inside.

I pulled a few of my zillion reds to see if I had a reasonable dupe for the LE Rouge Rubis.

Moving from L-R: Lancome 22 is a touch darker and a creme, Julep Jackie is a lighter jelly but close- a similar shade, Chanel Rouge Rubis, Essie Pouf Daddy is the closest dupe but slightly darker without the jelly shine, Dior Red Royalty is darker, Chanel Dragon looks dark in this comparison, but you know how bright it really is.

Of all of those, Julep Jackie and Essie Pouf Daddy come to closest- but nothing is quite like the real thing when you're talking Chanel polishes.

This is a LE shade and retails for $27. I picked mine up at my local counter at Nordstrom, but it's online at Nordstrom.com right now- go!