I admit, when I initially saw photos the new Gloss Fluo de Chanel ($27) from Chanel’s Les Pop-Up de Chanel Collection, I was pretty excited. Bright fuchsia AND coral? That’s so me. Of course I’d be drawn to them! But I am sad to report that they’re incredibly sheer. (This is why one should not get excited purely by looking at photos!) I was curious as to why they appeared fluorescent in their tubes but ultra sheer on lips, so I figured I’d better take a harder look at what they are *supposed* to be.
Chanel describes Gloss Fluo de Chanel as,“Hot colour and high-wattage shine. The electric effect of bright, sheer, light GLOSS FLUO DE CHANEL Brilliant Lip Shine mixes and matches with equally vivid shades of ROUGE ALLURE Luminous Satin Lip Colour and LE VERNIS Nail Colour — perfect for going from the beach to a night out.”
So, they had me. They suckered me in! Gloss Fluo is *designed* to be “bright, sheer, light.” Is it just me or is that description kind of confusing? Bright and sheer? What? The way I review and rate a product is always based on what the product is supposed to do, not necessarily what I think it should do. I’m going to give Chanel the benefit of the doubt and just go with these are supposed to be sheer, lightweight “glosses” rather than over the top, electric color. Okay, now that that’s out of the way…
Gloss Fluo makes an excellent lip balm. It’s one of the weirdest “glosses” I’ve played with, because it doesn’t have the texture of the gloss. It’s like a squishy jelly in a glossimer tube. They’re sheer with no real shimmer but have a fairly glossy sheen/look to them.
Laser looks like a brightened fuchsia pink in the tube but applies more like a lightened baby pink with just a smidgen of fuchsia in it. On my lips, it just gives it that slicked pinked pucker look — a tiny bit of enhanced rosiness to my natural lip color with lots of pretty glossiness.
Pop looks like an electric coral-orange, but when swatched on skin, it takes on a much pinker hue. It’s more like a pink-coral than orange at all. On my lips, Pop looks like I put on a clear lipgloss–seriously. It does less for me than Laser, unfortunately.
So, they’re some of the sheerest lip products I’ve used that weren’t actually lip balm, but Gloss Fluos are ridiculously moisturizing without being heavy. I’d wear this to bed! For those who love glossier, thicker lip balms but hate that most of them are only available in pot-form, this might be something to consider. Since they apply straight out of a tube with a doe-foot wand, it makes it easy to apply, travel with, and use on the go. Not to mention, the sheerness makes it easy to apply without making mistakes. Gloss Fluos feel like a slippery jelly on lips–non-sticky, thick without being heavy or goopy. They did remind me a bit of MAC’s Tendertones, but in a gloss tube instead.
I want to reiterate that as far as I can tell, Chanel wanted these to be sheer. They will work well with the lipsticks from the launch, as those are more vibrant (I’ve tried only one, but the other two seem promising), and designed to be more pigmented. I think these work as a moisturizing lip balm with a glossy finish, but I’m not sure I’d put my $27 towards a Chanel lip balm. It’s heaven on the lips, but I’d probably opt for one of Chanel’s Glossimers or Rouge Allures for the price and opt for a cheaper lip balm.
Don’t get me wrong, though, because these made my lips sigh in relief after a round of lip swatching. They were instantly hydrating, smooth, and wore for hours and kept my lips moisturized all afternoon.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
Product: 28/30
Value: 7/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: If the idea of a clear but glossy, ultra moisturizing lip balm in a tube gets your engine running and you don’t mind paying a little extra to get Chanel, you may like these. Not a must-have if you’ve found a solid balm that doesn’t break the bank already!
At $23 a pop, Chanel’s Le Vernis Nail Lacquer is a decadent indulgence for your hands. Some love ‘em, some hate ‘em. I’m in the camp of love the product, hate the price (but who loves to pay more? seriously!). I’ve personally haven’t had any issues with formula or wear on the Chanel shades I own. In Les Pop-Up de Chanel (Chanel’s summer collection), Chanel is releasing three new shades of Le Vernis: Mistral (soft pink), Nouvelle Vague (turquoise), and Riviera (intense pink).
I literally just received Nouvelle Vague this afternoon, and I was thinking about holding off to post until tomorrow, but I just can’t resist. Nouvelle Vagueis a beautiful shade of aqua-blue. It’s turquoise, but it’s not a brightened turquoise. It’s pastel without being light and sheer. There is the finest dusting of icy, aqua-blue shimmer laced throughout the aqua-blue. It’s a very stunning shade of turquoise. It’s one of my favorite polishes by Chanel, ever.
For those who find Chanel out of their price range (or fear their bank account murdering them in their sleep if they purchased this…), don’t despair, because China Glaze For Audrey is so, so close. Chanel’s Nouvelle Vague is just the slightest bit lighter and it has shimmer, whereas China Glaze’s is a pure cream. Check out the swatches to see just how similar they are. Personally? I would have bought Nouvelle Vague anyway. In a heartbeat. I wouldn’t even think twice (barely once!).
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
Product: 30/30
Value: 6/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
Recommendation: I think for those who love their polish, there may be the need to own both, but for those who are simply lusting after the shade, For Audrey might be a little lighter on the wallet.
Lushious Beauty shared an ultra-divine collection by Chanel recently, and The Cut confirmed we’ll be seeing it stateside!
The products were created for the Paris-Shanghai show that took place last December. This collection will be exclusive to Chanel boutiques (of which there are not too many).
Le Vernis ($25.00)
Illusion D’or (450) Clear with gold sparkle
Gold Lame (440) Copper gold
Black Velvet (430) Matte black
Ligne et Ombre de Chanel ($45.00)
Jet-Gold Matte black eyeliner / gold eyeshadow
Availability: April 1st at Chanel (15 E. 57th St., nr. Fifth Ave.; 212-355-5050).
Chanel Les Pop-Up de Chanel Collection for Summer 2010
Bold and audacious, Gabrielle Chanel pushed the boundaries of style. Now Peter Philips continues the tradition by creating a free-spirited makeup collection inspired by an idyllic seaside vista: LES POP-UP DE CHANEL, fresh new cult-worthy hues for lips and nails. Vibrant pops of colour, including neon pink, sunny coral and brilliant turquoise are beautifully complemented by bronzed, glowing skin. . . and sure to be the standout shades of summer.
Chanel Mythic Rouge Allure Lipstick ($30.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a soft nude-beige with subtle champagne shimmer and a rather glossy sheen. I love that it looks like a sheer, lightweight nude, but it’s actually nearly opaque on my lips. I do think those with more pigmented lips may find their natural lip color adds a bit of rosiness to the overall look, though. Rouge Allure Lipsticks carry a very, very low-level scent of roses–I almost wasn’t sure if there was a scent, but since I did go, “Roses?” initially, I’m going to stick with that. Rouge Allures feel incredibly light on lips, less like the average lipstick, and they’re creamy enough to glide on evenly but not so creamy that they slip-slide all over the place.
Is this the right nude lipstick for you? Would you wear it?
The Spring Season is a series of posts featuring my favorite soft beige, coral, and pink lipsticks and lipglosses — all perfect for the first blossom of spring — that runs through March 2010.
A few more swatches of Rouge Coco! That’s all I have currently!
Gabrielle is a bright blue-based red with a slightly glossy sheen. It reminded me of the glory that is Dragon Rouge Allure Laque, though not quite as glossy or bright, in a different texture!
Rouge Orage is a darkened reddish coral with a little bit of pink undertones.
Ballet Russe is a vamp-y wine-berry that’s dark but not ultra dark.
