Chanel Stunning Rouge Coco Lipstick
Is Stunning… Stunning?
Chanel Stunning Rouge Coco Lipstick ($30.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a pearly peach-beige with subtle champagne shimmer and a rather glossy sheen. It applied smoothly and pretty evenly, and it felt more moisturizing than other Rouge Cocos I’ve tried in the past. It’s comfortable to wear, and this lighter shade lasted beautifully under a glossimer (over seven hours). It’s a very lovely barely-there shade, and I think it will flatter all skin tones. Though it’s soft in color and a little sheer, it is versatile; it can be worn on its own for an everyday look or layered underneath a more pigmented gloss to add some oomph.
I think the name sort of gave me high hopes, but the color itself was a bit of a let down. I think with a name like “Stunning,” a bolder, really show-stopping kind of shade was in order. Instead, it’s much more of a my-lips-but-better hue. I’m not sold on it, even though it looks nice on, just because it’s not my cup of tea. I can see why this sold out, though!
I would say it’s similar to Chanel Chintz (pinker), Chanel Mythic (a bit lighter), Guerlain Gabrielle (pinker), Urban Decay Peroxide (frostier, pinker), and Smashbox Charming (peachier).
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: Well, if you’re able to track it down and you like subtle shades that are similar to your lip color, you may enjoy Stunning. If you’re more into opaque lip colors, I would skip.
AVAILABILITY: Sold out!
Philosophy Cookies ‘n Creme Shower Gel
Mmm, Cookies ‘n Creme
Philosophy Cookies n’ Creme Shower Gel
($16.00 for 16 fl. oz.) is a new-for-fall scent that is as sweet as you’d expect it to be. It starts with a very basic sweet vanilla aroma, but then the deliciousness of chocolate cookie comes through; it’s exactly what I remember Cookies ‘n Creme ice cream smelling like.
This is a rather foodie scent, and as such, quite sweet, but I don’t find it synthetic or overwhelming, but this is not a scent that lingers. One of my favorite things about Philosophy’s shower gels is that they smell amazing when you’re using them but don’t leave you smelling like food all day. It lathers up incredibly well, and a little dab will do you–probably a quarter’s worth (maybe a touch more) should get you sudsy in no time.
Before the boy started stealing my bath products (OMG, he uses TWO PUMPS of my Kate Somerville cleanser–I use half a pump, AHH!), a bottle like this would last me months. With his “generous” usage, a bottle lasts about a month and a half. And can I just say I can’t wait until full-sizes of Pumpkin Spice are back?
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- Product: 28/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: Personally, I like it, but it’s not my all-time favorite scent, but I do love the formula and all that. If you like sweeter, foodie scents, you might like this one!
AVAILABILITY: Sephora
Chanel Rouge Fatal Le Vernis (Natural Light)
The Femme Fatale of Red
Chanel Rouge Fatal Le Vernis ($25.00 for 0.4 fl. oz.) is one of those OMGSEXY reds, and of course, limited edition. I’m actually very rarely tempted by red creams; they’re never bad and certainly aren’t disliked by me, but I never crave a creamy red. (I do, however, have a total love for shimmered/glittered reds, though.) Rouge Fatal (which I actually want to call Rouge Fatale!) is a deepened scarlet red with such richness. It’s darkened slightly by brown, which makes this a nice red on both cooler and warmer skin tones.
It’s still a bit glossy without a top coat, though I topped all of these with Zoya’s top coat (and used Zoya’s base coat underneath). This is incredibly pigmented, and I really debated just using one coat, but I went with two just in case. Now knowing that one coat is almost enough, I might try doing just one thicker coat and calling it a day; but if you’re short on time, two thinner coats would work, too, and I always find thinner coats dry faster.
Application is smooth and even; not a single issue when I applied this shade at all. It actually felt like the perfect consistency–not too thick, not too thin–as Chanel polishes sometimes feel rather thick (and though not problematic overall, may be harder to control, especially for those with smaller nail beds).
I’m contemplating doing a full manicure of this shade, just so I can hear my Dad crack, “Why are your nails bleeding?” Gotta love him — ironically, he reads Temptalia almost every day! My Mom heard my voice (coming from my dad’s office) at midnight the other week, and she raced out of bed figuring I was in a crisis, only to find him watching one of my YouTube videos, LOL.
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- Product: 30/30
- Value: 6/10
- Ease of Use: 5/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you like high-end polishes and don’t mind the price, this is an excellent shade of red for fall.
AVAILABILITY: Chanel
Nail Lacquers: Sew Psyched, Limited Addiction, In Stitches, Merino Cool, Velvet Voyeur, Little Brown Dress
Essie Gets It Just Right for Fall
Essie’s Fall Collection includes six new shades, which you can purchase individually for $8 a pop. You can also purchase all six together for $48 (which is still $8 each). Nordstrom also has a mini four-pack (includes Merino Cool, Limited Addiction, Little Brown Dress, and Sew Psyched) for $17. The shades are described as: Sew Psyched (cashmere-soft sage pewter), Limited Addiction (racy garnet red), In Stitches (cheeky blush pink), Merino Cool (sensuous autumn mulberry), Velvet Voyeur (intense chocolate amethyst), Little Brown Dress (beguiling black coffee).
- Sew Psyched is a muted sage green with silvered-gray micro-shimmer. Two coats. It reminded me of Rescue Beauty Lounge’s Diddy Mow, but it’s darker and less yellow–like cousins but not twins.
- Limited Addiction is a deep red cream that’s very opaque in one coat, though I found two coats to be perfect. It almost looked like a jelly lacquer, even though it’s a cream. Though the color may be similar to other shades of red, the application was flawless.
- In Stitches is a muted rose-berry cream. I love how it’s pink, but it’s not really pink–and it’s not plum either. I think this would be really lovely on cooler skin tones in particular.
- Merino Cool is a purple-tinged gray, or perhaps a very dull, darkened lilac? But not really. I think you have to go with gray as the primary descriptor, even though it is quite altered by the purple pull. I swatched it with two coats, but I think three would be better.
- Velvet Voyeur is an ultra vampy red-based purple burgundy cream. It has a very glossy, inky look. Make sure you get enough polish on the brush when you go to do a second coat–I didn’t get enough on one of my nails (you’ll notice in the swatch), and it layered rather streakily.
- Little Brown Dress is a deep, blackened chocolate brown cream. It’s dark, but it’s distinctly brown, even in natural light. I love that it doesn’t look black but definitively black-brown. Just two coats here, as it was incredibly pigmented.
The formula was really nice on these; not too thin, not too thick, and the majority were pigmented enough to use just two coats of polish. Merino Cool was the only one where I think three coats was necessary (though the swatch photos are with two, for reference). My personal favorites were Merino Cool and Sew Psyched, though I kind of dig Little Brown Dress.
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: There’s no reason not to consider one of these shades, as they all performed quite well. I found Merino Cool and Sew Psyched to be the two that really grabbed me, but Little Brown Dress is a shade I wouldn’t normally consider wearing, so I liked getting the chance to try it!
AVAILABILITY: Essie
Part Lipstick, Part Gloss — Laura Mercier Stick Gloss
Laura Mercier Courtisane Stick Gloss
($20.00 for 0.12 oz.) is one of four shades of Stick Gloss, which is described as “part lip balm, part lip color, and part lip glace.” Courtisane is a deepened rose color base with gold and copper shimmer. On me, it’s semi-sheer but delivers enough shimmer that it almost looks like it’s opaque from afar. It actually reminded me of a sheerer, bronzier version of La Prairie’s Rose Bronze Lipstick (oh, and you know, half the price!).
Stick Gloss is an incredibly moisturizing lipstick that feels lightweight, balm-like, and doesn’t emphasize lip lines. It’s very comfortable to wear, and despite its moisturizing properties, it lasts a solid three to four hours on me. It has a pleasant berry-ish scent that’s not too sweet nor synthetic, and it’s not a scent that lingers after you’ve applied. I really enjoyed this shade, and Sephora carries three others–I would love to see more shades added in the future.
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: If you find most lipsticks too drying, I’d encourage you to test out Laura Mercier’s Stick Gloss!
AVAILABILITY: Sephora
For fall, Butter London gives us four new shades of their 3-Free Lacquers ($14.00 for 0.4 fl. oz.): All Hail McQueen,
Bumster, Marrow (mixed for Vena Cava), and Victoriana (reminiscent of the Victorian era). The first two were inspired by the late Alexander McQueen.
- All Hail McQueen is a medium beige brown with pale nude shimmer. I needed two coats for a really opaque, even finish.
- Bumster is a creamy mustard yellow. One coat was almost enough, but two coats made it perfect.
- Marrow is a muted grape purple that’s been grayed out–it’s not the vibrant shade you’d think of with the term “grape purple” but it’s so fitting. It has very subtle icy silver-white shimmer. Just two coats, though one was rather pigmented.
- Victoriana is a toned down aqua-teal with soft silver and aqua shimmer. Two coats for even, opaque color.
Butter London’s formula was on the thicker side, but it was very easy to apply and never felt goopy. It spread out easily to give nearly full-color coverage in a single stroke, though I found two coats were the perfect number for all four shades. I’d say that All Hail McQueen was the sheerer shade, but I still managed to do just two on it and get nice results. Bumster is a rather unique shade, and it’s one of those “ugly” shades that some will find pretty, and others, well… think it’s ugly.
I like the bottles, which have a removable black cap that reveals the actual cap with the brush attached to it (so it’s not as awkward in the hand as a rectangular handle!). They’re very space-saving for me, as they line up so well together!
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- Product: 29/30
- Value: 8/10
- Ease of Use: 4/5
- Packaging: 4/5
RECOMMENDATION: These are a nice way to wear more muted, darker shades without being incredibly vampy. Bumster seems the most unique to me, even if it may not work well on all skin tones.
AVAILABILITY: Beauty.com
