Name: Inimitable Intense Mascara
Brand: Chanel
Price: $30.00

From Chanel’s website:
This technologically advanced formula builds on the success of the original mascara, delivering dramatic effects with a unique brush. The result is a more intense lash look, with the same easy application. Lashes appear longer, thicker and more curled, yet each lash, even the finest, is still precisely separated – without clumping, spiking or flaking.

What I liked:
- intense black shade
- adds length
- makes lashes look fuller and a bit thicker
- holds a curl well
- longlasting, doesn’t smudge nor flake

What I didn’t like:
- it becomes clumpy after two coats
- doesn’t separate lashes well
- the price

Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara, which is available in four shades – Brun, Noir, Purple and Rouge Noir – is one of those rare mascaras that make your lashes look great, fuller and longer with just one coat, which is ideal for lazy gals like me. Noir is a true and intense black shade with a quite thick, smooth formula that doesn’t weight lashes down. It doesn’t take too long to dry either.

The wand is very simple with tiny teeth that reach all the lashes, even the smallest ones. A single coat creates a dramatic look that’s not over-the-top: it makes lashes noticeably longer, fuller and a bit thicker too. It also holds a curl from the lash curler for the entire day. A second coat makes lashes look even more dramatic, but because the mascara doesn’t separate lashes all that well (if you want precise definition, Inimitable Intense is not for you), it will also make small groups of lashes stick together. After a third, it becomes really clumpy.

However, considering how well one coat works (I only applied one in the swatch above), that’s not really a problem. And once applied, Inimitable Intense lasts all day (so no need to retouch it) without flaking nor smudging. To me, the main con is the price. It retails at $30.00, which is very expensive especially when you consider mascaras have very short lives. But if you’re gonna spend that much on a mascara, you’d want to buy one that delivers and Chanel Inimitable Intense does. It keeps its promises and makes lashes look great.

Available at: Nordstrom

Summary
Chanel Inimitable Intense Mascara has a quite thick formula and simple wand that provide a lot of length and fullness and a bit of volume too with only one coat. In addition, it holds a curl well and lasts for the entire day without smudges and flakes. However, it doesn’t separate lashes well, becomes clumpy after a couple of coats and is very expensive.

Rating: 4/5

Dark shades are always in in fall, but this year Chanel has put a twist on them: lots of shimmers to spice them up and give them an elegant, glamorous look. The collection features smokey shades for the eyes, soft and feminine hues for cheeks and lips and metallic accents on the nails. I’m totally in love with the nail polishes in this collection. Chanel has come out with some really interesting and unique shades for our nails, don’t you think? Here’s what the collection includes:

EYE PALETTE LES 4 OMBRES ($57.00)
Prelude contains a mix of dark, smokey and nude shades (taupe, beige, taupe rose and plum charcoal) to create beautiful and wearable looks, suitable for any occasion.

ILLUSION D’OMBRE LONG WEAR LUMINOUS EYESHADOW ($36.00)
These eyeshadows have a silicone gel formula, a soft texture, intense shimmery effect and glide on smoothly. Available in: Fantasme (white), Epatant (khaki), Emerveille (peach), Mirifique (black), Illusoire (purple) and Ebloui (red brown).

LE CRAYON YEUX ($29.00)
Available in Khaki Platine (Silver khaki).

JOUES CONTRASTE BLUSH ($43.00)
Available in Rose Ecrin, it provides a soft rosy tint to your cheekbones.

ROUGE COCO ($32.00)
These lipsticks are available in Plumetis (peach beige) and Étole (rose brown), two shades that provide a natural tint to lips and suit most skintones.

LEVRES SCINTILLANTES GLOSSIMER ($28.00)
These sheer glosses are available in Pampille (sheer pink) and Braise (reddish brown).

CRAYON LEVRES ($29.00)
These lip liners are available in Coralline (coral) and Rose Cuivré (copper rose).

LE VERNIS NAIL COLOUR ($25.00)
Available in Graphite (metallic silver), Peridot (green gold) and Quartz (silver beige).

What do you think of this collection? Has anything caught your eye?

Name: Bleu De Chanel
Brand: Chanel
Size: 3.04oz
Price: $79.00

What I liked:
- nice scent with an interesting mix of notes
- longlasting
- the packaging

What I didn’t like:
- not very original
- the price

Bleu de Chanel is the first major male fragrance released by Chanel since 2004’s Allure Homme Sport, but not one that was particularly well-received by the fragrance community. While the general consensus is that the scent is lovely, it has also been criticized for being very commercial and boring, cheapening the image of the brand. And I have to agree.

Bleu De Chanel is a fresh, citrusy woody fragrance. It opens with strong, but not overpowering, notes of lemon and grapefruit which last about an hour on the skin. The heart of the fragrance is very interesting: it is a nice contrast of spicy ginger, woody cedar and vetiver with jasmine. This floral note adds a feminine touch to the fragrance which, despite being quite masculine, can also be easily worn by a woman too. The woody notes hang around in the base notes as well but are accentuated by amber, making the drydown quite dry.

However, while I like the mix of notes in the fragrance, which I think are nice and interesting, there is nothing original about this scent. It smells lovely and it’s a nice scent to wear but not a must-have. It’s actually very forgettable and there is nothing about it that makes it stand out. Had it been just another celeb-endorsed fragrance, I wouldn’t have minded much, but this is Chanel, a brand that is known for its elegant, sophisticated and unique fragrances. This one instead is very mainstream. Not necessarily a bad thing, but not what you expect from Chanel and definitely overpriced.

I know that all perfumes tend to be quite expensive and Chanel ones more than others, but I certainly wouldn’t pay so much for it ($79.00 for 3.04oz). It is just disappointing as Chanel can do so much better! But if you decide to give it a go, you’ll be pleased to know that the fragrance easily lasts all day so there is no need to reapply, meaning the bottle will last you for ages. And the blue color glass bottle, which has a magnetic cap, is also beautiful, simple and sleek and quite masculine.

Available at: Macys.com and Amazon.com

Summary
Chanel Bleu De Chanel Fragrance is a longlasting but not overpowering citrusy woody fragrance with a nice floral twist in the middle notes that would make it suitable for women too. However, there is absolutely nothing original about this fragrance, which is very forgettable and not worth its expensive price tag.

Rating: 3/5

To be honest with you, I find talking about fall collections in July kinda depressing. I mean, summer has barely started and all I wanna do is enjoy this beautiful season, not think about the gloomy and cold weather that awaits us in a few months. I really wish brands would stop releasing promo photos and info and especially the actual collections so soon, but since I don’t think they have any intention of doing that anytime soon, let’s see what they have to offer. At least, these fall collections all look gorgeous!

Chanel Les Contrastes De Chanel

Let’s start with Chanel. Sadly none of their lip products has caught my eye so I’ll just avoid those and talk about their beautiful blushes. The iconic, longwearing and lightweight Joues Contraste Powder Blush ($42) is now available in 3 new shades. My favourites are the two pictured above, Pink Explosion, a beautiful and luminous pink, Plum Attraction, a bold dark plum. Also available is Rose Temptation, a shimmery rosewood.

For the eyes, Chanel has released Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in Enigma ($56), which features 4 shades – shimmering peach, deep plum and two deep smoky greys – perfect to create smokey eyes looks. I’m also lemming the Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow in Vert Khaki ($28.50). What can I say? I love greens and this Khaki color is simply beautiful. The same eyeshadow is also available in Taupe Grisé, a chocolate grey shade.

Purple lovers like me can also choose (or get both!) between the Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Cassis ($28), a beautiful pitch dark plum to add focus to the eyes, or Le Vernis Nail Colour in Paradoxal, ($23) a dark grey-violet shade that looks divine in the bottle.

La Praire Midnight Blues

For the fall, La Praire has come out with a collection of seductive and rich shades that are perfect for a night on the town. And as always, the packaging is so luxurious and glamorous! My favourite item is the Cellular Treatment Eye Colour Ensemble in Midnight Blues ($70.00), a beautiful eyeshadow quad that features slate blue, midnight navy, violet grey and lilac shades with a black powder eye liner. I love blues and lilac shades and the palette looks perfect to create dramatic but understated smokey eyes.

Would you pay $50 for an eyeliner or lip pencil? Apparently La Prairie think so since they released the Luxe Eye Definer , an eyeliner pencil with a soft and smooth formula that can be used on the lid and waterline. On one side, there’s a waterproof shade in either Midnight Violet, Midnight Blue or Midnight Noir, on the other, a sponge applicator. It also comes with a pencil sharpener. As for the Luxe Lip Definer ($50.00 as well), it is available in Cocoa Spice (warm nude), Twilight Fig (muted plum) and Evening Rose (vibrant rose)

I’m not a big fan of lipsticks, but I love the chic packaging of the Cellular Luxe Lip Colour ($55.00). Not so much the shades though. They are available in Quiet Berry (cinnamon), Midnight Rose (vibrant blue-toned rose), Midnight Plum (plum), Evening Nude (warm shimmering nude) and Twilight Blush (pink). And since no collection would be complete without a blush, we also have Cellular Treatment Powder Blush in Plum ($55.00). It is said to have a creamy, silky texture and a sheer color payoff.

Estee Lauder Blue Dahlia

Estee Lauder has come up with a versatile collection that has something for everywhere.  Blue Dahlia features both colorful and natural shades that can be used to create soft and wearable looks for the daytime and smoky, more dramatic looks for the night. The Collection is divided in two distinct looks.

Blue Dahlia features The Blue Dahlia Pure Color Five Color Eyeshadow Palette ($40.00) that includes blues, black, white and grey shades, Pure Color Gloss Stick ($18.50) in Rose Dusk and Night Bloom, Pure Color Gloss ($20.00) in Rock Candy and Twilight Petal, Pure Color Eyeshadow Single ($20.00) in Twilight Rose and Sepia Sand for soft everyday look and a beautiful blue Pure Color Nail Lacquer ($18.00) in Blue Dahlia.

The Surreal Violet look instead features the Surreal Violet Color Five Color Eyeshadow Palette ($40.00), which includes purple, grey and white shades, the Pure Color Gloss Stick ($18.50) in Orchid Dream and Mauve Mirage, Pure Color Gloss ($20.00) in Raspberry Pop and Star Pink, Pure Color Eyeshadow Single ($20.00) in Enchanted Meadow and Emerald Star to add a touch of color to your look and a Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Surreal Violet ($18.00). I have to say the polish looks kinda dull in the promo picture though. Hopefully, it’ll look better on the nails.

What do you think of these collections? Has anything caught your eye?

It’s Friday, at last! It’s time to relax and look back at some of my fave posts from this time last year:

What is mineral makeup?: a small guide about everything you always wanted to know about mineral makeup: what it is, what ingredients are used, benefits for the skin, how to apply it and more.

Product Review: Chanel Exceptionnel De Chanel Mascara: if you’re looking for a mascara that gives a va-va-va-voom, fake lashes effect to your lashes this is it. It’s expensive and the wand takes a bit getting used to but it adds both volume and length without clumping or smudging.

Skin Irritation or Allergy?: sometimes the ingredients used in cosmetic and personal care products can cause irritations and allergies. But how do we tell the difference between the two?

12 Ways To Use A Q-tip: q-tips are a very inexpensive, useful and versatile makeup tool we all have at home. Here’s 12 beauty tricks you can do with them.

Product Review: Bottega Verde Purifying Mud Face Mask with Olive and Wheat Extracts: an organic mask that cleanses and exfoliates skin, leaving it clean, soft and bright. It doesn’t cause irritations and the packaging can be recycled.

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Chanel spring collection is full of neutral shades for eyes, face, lips and nails for a wearable and chic look. Being into bright and colorful shades, I find this collection boring and not very appealing, but neutral lovers will surely dig it. I have to admit that gorgeous highlighting powder is tempting me, though! Here’s the details:

LES 4 OMBRES ($56.00)
Available in Kasha Beige, a mix of deep and soft brown shades.

OMBRE ESSENTIELLE ($28.50)
Available in Sillage, Trace and Sand.

OMBRE D’EAU ($32.00)
Available in Torrent.

EMPREINTE DE CHANEL (€65.00)
A gorgeous highlighting powder that features subtle and shimmering shades of rosewood, beige and brown to warm and brighten the cheek and brownbone.

JOUES CONTRAST ($42.00)
Inattendu: light pinkish brown

SOLEIL TAN DE CHANEL ($48.00)
Available in Sunkiss, this sheer liquid fluid instantly brightens skin and evens out skin tone.

ROUGE ALLURE ($30.00)
Delicieuse: amber brown with hints of beige
Impertinente: brownish beige with pink
Incognito: pinkish beige
Insouciante: beige with dark brown

LEVRES SCINTILLANTES ($27.00)
Futile: fresh pink
Maline: light peach

LE VERNIS ($23.00)
Inattendu: beige
Particulière: red brown
Tendresse: soft pink

The collection also includes:

- Poudre Universelle Compact ($44.00) in Beige Clair (light beige)
– Le crayon yeux ($28.00) in Khaki Doré
– Le crayon lèvres ($28.00) in beige

What do you think of the collection? Beautiful or boring?

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Well, 2009 is almost over so, while we are getting ready to celebrate it tomorrow, I thought it’d be nice to take a moment to relax and have a look at some of the topics we talked about this year. Enjoy!

Cosmetic ingredients

How to read a cosmetics ingredient list: being able to read ingredient lists is important to make sure that we’re using well-formulated products without ingredients that could cause allergies or irritations to our skin. But how do we read them?

Vitamin C in skincare: this powerful antioxidant, available in different forms in skincare products can provide great benefits for the skin but has some downside too.

What ingredients are comedogenic?: some of the ingredients used in skincare and cosmetic products can clog pores and cause breakouts in some people. Click on the link to find out who the culprits are.

Why are preservatives used in cosmetics?: preservatives are a controversial topic in the beauty world. Some of them release formaldehyde, some have potential safety issues while others don’t work too well. Yet, they are necessary in beauty products.

Haircare

7 Ways To Wash Your Hair: did you know that there are several ways of washing your hair without using shampoo? Find out what they are, as well as their pros and cons.

How to Create Volume for Thin Hair: professional hairstylist Giles Lever shares some tips on how to create volume for fine and thin hair.

Interviews

Interview with Jami from Bionic Beauty: last April, I was thrilled and excited to have got the opportunity to interview Jamie, the brainy beauty behind Bionic Beauty, about blogging and beauty.

Interview with Toma from Makeup Masala: in February, I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing the lovely Toma from Makeup Masala about her beauty secrets and her own makeup shop, The Makeup Mix shop.

Makeup

Are you addicted to lip balm?: is it possible to be addicted to lip balm? If so, what causes it and is this addiction physical or psychological?

Why does my foundation turn orange on me?: we all have experienced foundation turning orange or just darker on our skin, but why does that happen? And how can we prevent it?

Product reviews

Chanel Exceptionnel De Chanel Mascara: this smudgeproof mascara provides volume, length and curl. If it weren’t for the high price and that it takes too long to apply, this would be my HG.

LipFusion XL Lip Plumper: does this expensive lip plumper really works or is just a hyped-up, gimmicky product? Read the review to find out.

Sleek I-Divine Original Eyeshadow Palette: you are all probably very bored to hear me rave about the Sleek palettes, but I can’t help it. Gorgeous, highly pigmented and longlasting shades at a cheap price. What more could a girl want?

Skincare

Are hypoallergenic products really safer?: more and more products are being labelled as hypoallergenic, but what does that mean? And are these products really gentle and less prone to cause negative reactions?

Effects Of Smoking On Skin: smoking doesn’t only cause cancer and heart diseases, but also premature aging, yellowish complexion and teeth and dry skin. The effects aren’t always reversible, so the sooner you quit, the better for your body.

How to care for dry skin: a brief explanation of what causes dry skin and some tips to treat it.

How to care for oily skin: a brief explanation of what causes oily skin and some tips to deal with it.

What does alcohol-free mean?: why do some products labelled as alcohol-free still contain some form of alcohol? And aren’t all alcohols bad for the skin?

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Hello everyone,

as the year is drawing to a close, I thought I’d share with you the products that rocked my world in 2009. The list includes the products that I tried this year, not those that were released this year, and they are all things that I love very much and use again and again. Curious? Read on:

FACE

Pupa Professionals Smoothing Foundation Primer is a silicone-based primer with a very silky texture that applies like a dream. An excellent base for makeup, it diminishes small imperfections, makes skin smooth and helps makeup last longer. And I love that it is also available in a mini size which is a better value for money for people like me that don’t wear face primers often.

The Body Shop Nature’s Minerals Foundation SPF 25. Although it’s not HG material (mainly because it is available in very few shades and doesn’t control oil too well), it’s one of the best foundations I tried this year. It is a pure mineral foundation that provides a light to medium coverage for a very natural finish that lasts long.

EYES

Barry M Intense Eyeliner Pen is a retractable liner that doesn’t need to be sharpened. The colors are bright and intense, easy to apply, last for hours even on the waterline and don’t smudge.

Unfortunately for my wallet, Chanel Exceptionnel De Chanel Mascara is the best mascara I’ve tried this year. This long-lasting, smudgeproof mascara provides volume, length and separation without clumps. It takes a while to learn to use the wand properly, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll get a dramatic, false lashes effect.

Sleek Eye Dust Pigments are easy to blend, last long and have great color payoff. I wouldn’t say these are the best pigments on the market (although the quality is great), but what I love the most is the size: they are almost as big as MAC pigments (actually I heard MAC is reducing the size of their pigments again so Sleek’s are bigger now) but only cost £2.99. A real steal!

And obviously, I couldn’t forget to mention my beloved Sleek Eyeshadow Palettes. The ones I got these year are Curious (LE, featuring a mix of green, blue and purple shades), Safari (LE, a mix of neutral and colorful shades), Acid (LE, bright and neon shades) and Chaos (permanent, bright and matte shades), but all the others are amazing too. They feature 12 soft and highly pigmented mineral eyeshadows that last all day. And they are super cheap too!

CHEEKS

Barry M Blusher comes in six bright shades that, if applied with a light hand, look very flattering on pale skin too. The packaging could use some work, but the blush is very pigmented, soft to the touch and provides a rosy and healthy glow to the cheeks.

E.L.F. Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder contains a pigmented blush that gives cheeks a rosy glow and a pigmented bronzer that is perfect for contouring. Unfortunately the bronzer is not suitable for pale skin, but overall, this duo is a steal!

Lumiere Blushing Bronzer in Sugarberry, a dark mauve that gives cheeks a natural flush. And because it has a matte finish with just the sightliest hint of shimmer, this is perfect for contouring pale skintones. In addition, it is nicely pigmented and lasts all day.

Senna Cheeky Blush was a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting to like this much since I prefer powder blushes cos they last longer. But this cream blush lasts for hours and doesn’t feel sticky at all. The color is pigmented and because it is very shimmery (too shimmer for some people) it provides a nice flush with a sparkly glow that allows me to skip highlighting powder.

LIPS

Although I’m a lipgloss girl, my favourite lip products this year are both lipsticks. My favourite is Lancome L’Absolu Rouge Lipstick for its creamy and moisturizing texture. It is available in lots of beautiful and pigmented shades and it’s fairly longlasting too.

NYX Round Lipsticks aren’t as longlasting as Lancome lippies, but they are still a great and much cheaper alternative. They’re also available in a wide selection of shades, are creamy and have a great color payoff. And most importantly, they aren’t drying on the lips.

BRUSHES

E.L.F. Studio Powder Brush is my favourite brush to apply both liquid and mineral foundation. The dense bristles feel like silk on my skin and provide medium to full coverage for an airbrushed look in just a few seconds. And it’s very inexpensive too!

MAC 219 Pencil Brush is one of those brushes that, once you have them, you wonder how you could have lived without. It’s definitely a must-have. The soft and dense pointed tip is perfect for precise work. It defines the outer V and crease perfectly, deposits eyeshadows on the lower lashline effortlessly and it’s great at creating shapes and smudging colors.

MAKEUP REMOVERS

I’m still on the look out for a cheap and effective makeup remover. All the ones I tried this year are average and the only one that truly impressed me is Helena Rubinstein All Mascaras! Complete Eye Make-Up Remover. If it weren’t for the high-price, I would stick to this and never use anything else. It completely removes all traces of eye makeup, including waterproof mascara and eyeliner, in just a few seconds and is gentle on the eyes.

HAIR

I like trying new products all the time, but when it comes to my hair I usually stick to my old favourites. But this year, I had the chance to try Bottega Verde Anti-Age Cream Conditioner and I completely fell in love with it. It conditions hair well, leaving it soft, moisturized and tangle free. And it smells gorgeous too!

Can you see something missing from the list above? Yeah, that’s right, skincare products. That’s because none of the skincare items I tried this year have blown me away. Some of them are great and worked well for my skin, but I haven’t found any HG or must-have products.

What are your favourite beauty products from 2009?

Disclosure: all the products in this post, apart from the Lumiere and Senna blushes which were provided by PR for consideration, were purchased by me. For more information, please see my disclaimer.

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