Chanel Spring 2011 Look

Here is a quickie look I did to test out Chanel’s spring collection… It’s not quite polished/finished, as this was just for testing

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), Chanel Ombres Perlees de Chanel Eyeshadow Palette (white gold, pink-bronze, navy blue), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow, Chanel Gris Eyeliner, Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Chanel Espiegle Blush
• Lips: Chanel Aragonite Glossimer (sheer iridescent silver)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 222 (fluffy crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply the white gold eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid and pull upwards along the inner crease. Lightly blend the pink-bronze eyeshadow on the middle of the lid with the 239. Next, apply the navy blue eyeshadow into the crease with the 222, lightly blending onto the outer lid.  Blend Trench eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Gris eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Inimitable Intense mascara.

For cheeks, apply Espiegle blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Aragonite glossimer for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Look:  NARS Melusine Eyeshadow Duo

Here’s the look I talked about in my review of NARS Melusine!  This was a super quick look — I think it took five minutes at most.

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), NARS Melusine Eyeshadow Duo (silver-plum/eggplant), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow (highlighter), MAC Black Swan Pearlglide Eyeliner (silvered black), MAC Plushlash Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: NARS Albatross Blush (white gold)
• Lips: Guerlain Gillian Rouge G Lipstick (pink-brown), Chanel Imaginaire Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss (pink)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 217 (fluffy crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply the silver-plum shade on the lid. Lightly blend the eggplant eyeshadow in the crease and diffuse upwards with the 217.  Blend Trench eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Black Swan eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Plushlash mascara.

For cheeks, apply Albatross blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Gillian lipstick first, and then layer Imaginaire lipgloss for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Temptalia Staples: Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder ($34.00 for 1.0 oz.) has been a long-time favorite for me — it’s been my go-to setting powder since I first started using it. It’s been used in over 70 posts!

The one I hav been using is actually a smaller size included in one of Laura Mercier’s gift sets or travel kits (can’t remember), but it was 0.33 oz., whereas the full-size version (which is pictured in this post) is a full 1 oz. It took me six months of regular usage to go through it, so I imagine a full-size should last at least a year with daily use or a year and a half with 3-4 uses a week. I just picked up the full-size during Sephora’s F&F sale last month.

I love it because it sets my makeup, keeps it in place throughout the day, and helps minimize oiliness. It never looks powdery, and it never looks obvious–it has a silky smooth texture as it is a finely milled loose powder that disappears on the skin. The soft, featherweight texture means it never feels heavy over foundation.  I like using this with MAC’s 134 brush and dusting all over after finishing foundation and blush.

The only area this product could improve on is working longer than six hours – I do find a hint of oiliness starts to peek through by hour seven or eight, and I’m normal-to-dry, so I imagine that very oily skin types may find they need a touch-up after three or so hours.

P.S. — I recommend only peeling back (or cutting) half of the label, because you don’t need that many holes exposed to get a good amount of product.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!

• Product: 29/30
• Value: 9/10
• Ease of Use: 4/5
• Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: It’s fabulous on dry and normal skin types, but it may not produce as stellar results on the oiliest of skin types. I fully recommend giving it a shot, though – one of my staples!

AVAILABILITY: Nordstrom and Sephora

See more photos & swatches!

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder

MAC Pro Longwear SPF 10 / MAC Pro Longwear SPF 10 + LM Loose Setting Powder

Philosophy Supernatural Superbeautiful / With LM Loose Setting Powder

Ode to Hourglass Gypsy

I have raved about Hourglass’ Visionaire Eyeshadow Duos before–the texture is really top notch: buttery, soft, and easy to blend. I don’t think there’s a single thing I dislike about these duos. The price is hefty, but then they give you a ton of each color. I would love to see them put out more shades, though. Is that a con? Hm.

As you can tell from this look, I was test-driving quite a few products I’ve yet to review.  Some quick notes…

• Hourglass Gpysy eyeshadow duo makes for a really easy, go-to everyday look
• Lancome Definicils Precious Cells mascara clumped up a lot, seemingly dry, so I’m going to have to check the tube and do some more testing
• NARS Sex Appeal blush barely shows up on me (NC25/NC30 skin tone, for reference), bummer!
• NARS Bougainville lipgloss is a sexy, vampy shade — in the vein of Strawberry Fields but noticeably darker

You will need the following…

• Eyes: NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (neutral eyeshadow base), Hourglass Gypsy Eyeshadow Duo (champagne/chocolate brown), MAC Lord It Up Pearlglide Eyeliner (dark brown), Lancome Definicils Precious Cells Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: NARS Sex Appeal Blush
• Lips: NARS Bougainville Lipgloss
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)

For eyes, start by applying Smudgeproof as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply the champagne eyeshadow all over the lid, blending just above the crease.  Next, apply the chocolate brown eyeshadow into the crease with the 226 and blend softly above and below the crease.  Lightly highlight the brow bone with the champagne eyeshadow with the 217.  Bring everything together by applying Lord It Up pearlglide eyeliner on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Hypnose Precious Cells mascara.

For cheeks, apply Sex Appeal blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Bougainville lipgloss for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Look:  Chanel Holiday 2010

Here’s a look using several of Chanel’s new products for the holidays!   It’s a quick, five minute look, and for reference, I used all of the eyeshadows dry.

You will need the following…

• Eyes: Chanel Splash Fluid Eyeshadow (taupe), Chanel Tentation Cuivree Eyeshadow Quad (champagne, light pink, medium brown, dark brown), Chanel Cassis Eyeliner (plum), Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara (black)
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: Chanel Tweed Fuchsia Blush Duo (medium pink)
• Lips: Chanel Patchouli Rouge Coco Lipstick (peachy champagne), Chanel Pleasing Glossimer (redded copper)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)

For eyes, start by applying Splash as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249. Using the 239, apply the champagne eyeshadow on the inner third of the lid and pull upwards along the inner crease. Lightly blend the medium brown eyeshadow on the middle of the lid with the 239. Next, apply the dark brown eyeshadow into the crease with the 226, lightly blending onto the outer lid.  Blend the champagne eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone. Bring everything together by applying Cassis on the lower lash line. Finish by sweeping lashes with Inimitable Intense mascara.

For cheeks, apply Tweed Fuchsia blush on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Patchouli lipstick first, and then layer Pleasing glossimer for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!

Look:  MAC Venomous Villains – Maleficent

I used all of the mineralize eyeshadows wet, and these photos were taken at least a half hour after applying (do you know how terrible I am at applying lashes?!), so the color stayed quite vibrant well after they dried.  I went for a greasepaint stick as a base, as I felt like it might be a little tacky and keep fall out to a minimum (true!).  Half lashes look so wonky so close-up – because you can see clearly where the lash ends and the natural lash begins, but at a normal viewing distance, I think they worked really well.  More drama but not the heaviness of a full lash!

And yeah, I paired bold eyes with bold lips.  Don’t you think that’s what Maleficent would have done?

You will need the following…

• Eyes: MAC French Quarter Greasepaint Stick (dirty, dark antique gold), MAC She Who Dares Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo (blackened forest/emerald green), MAC My Dark Magic Mineralize Eyeshadow Duo (blackened purple, blackened violet-blue), Burberry Trench Eyeshadow (highlighter), Urban Decay Graffiti 24/7 Liner (grass green), MAC Nocturnal Superslick Liquid Eyeliner (metallic silver), Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara, MAC Hello Kitty Lash
• Face: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation (140), Laura Mercier Loose Setting Powder (translucent)
• Cheeks: MAC Briar Rose Beauty Powder (pale pink)
• Lips: MAC Violetta Lipstick (fuchsia-purple), MAC Revenge is Sweet Lipglass (sheer, jelly fuchsia-pink)
• Brushes: 249 (flat, firm brush), 239 (fluffy shadow brush), 226 (fluffy crease brush), 219 (pointed crease brush), 116 (dense blush brush)
• Substitutes: French Quarter = Bobbi Brown Antique Gold Cream Shadow; She Who Dares = NARS Night Porter (not a great dupe); My Dark Magic = Urban Decay Purple Haze (layered over black) / Parfait Amour (layered over black); MAC Hello Kitty Lash = Sephora Flutter Lash; Briar Rose = Pin Swoon; Revenge is Sweet = Flashmode (not a great dupe)

For eyes, start by applying French Quarter greasepaint stick as your eyeshadow base all over the eye area with the 249.  Spritz the 239 brush with a little water, and then pick up the emerald green side of She Who Dares and apply to the inner third of the lid.  Repeat but apply the blackened purple side of My Dark Magic to the outer two-thirds of the lid.  With the 272, lightly spritz with water, and then apply the violet-blue side of My Dark Magic into the crease, gently blending upwards.  Blend Trench eyeshadow with the crease shade and highlight the brow bone.  Line the upper lash line with Nocturnal liquid liner and lower lash line with Graffiti liner.  Apply Hello Kitty Lashes on the outer half of each eye.  Finish by sweeping Inimitable Intense mascara on lashes.

For cheeks, apply Briar Rose Beauty powder on the apples of the cheeks and sweep upwards towards the temple with the 116.

For lips, apply Violetta lipstick first, and then layer Revenge is Sweet lipglass for a complementing lip.

Check out more photos!