"The most beautiful makeup for a woman is passion, but cosmetics are easier to buy."
—Yves Saint Laurent
Announcements
If you're new to this blog, then read our guides to the basics: Skin (Part I), Skin (Part II), The Supernatural, Color Theory I, Color Theory II, Eyes, and Brushes.
Also, check out the blogsale.
Contents
Favored
Art Tattler
the glamourai
The Non-Blonde
Perfume Shrine
Lisa Eldridge
Garance Doré
Smitten Kitchen
Into The Gloss
Grain de Musc
Lacquerized
Res Pulchrae
Drivel About Frivol The Selfish Seamstress
Killer Colours
Bois de Jasmin Glossed In Translation
Jak and Jil
Toto Kaelo
Worship at the House of Blues
I Smell Therefore I Am
Food Wishes
The Natural Haven
Messy Wands
1000 Fragrances
Moving Image Source
Wondegondigo
The Emperor's Old Clothes
M. Guerlain
Colin's Beauty Pages
Barney's jewelry department
Parfümrien
loodie loodie loodie
The Straight Dope
Sea of Shoes
London Makeup Girl
Sakecat's Scent Project
Asian Models
Ratzilla Cosme
Smart Skincare
Illustrated Obscurity
A.V. Club
Tom & Lorenzo: Mad Style
Eiderdown Press
Beauty and the Bullshit
La Garçonne Flame Warriors Everyday Beauty
Fashion Gone Rogue
Now Smell This
Dempeaux
Fashionista
The Cut
A Fevered Dictation
Nathan Branch
101 Cookbooks
After Lisa Eldridge, I made my own Estée Lauder by Tom Pecheux haul:
In spite of my eyeshadow habit, it takes an extraordinary palette to justify a purchase (such as the Guerlain sextet 2, Place Vendôme, a lemming courtesy of Gaia at The Non-Blonde), but I was determined to possess one of the new eyeshadows. Most luxury brands have recognized consumer expectations, so the new singles are silky light in texture, yet deposit pigment at full intensity. But these are special: you could apply these shadows with fingers, sponge tips, or crappy brushes, and the finish looks professional, every single time. In that user-friendly spirit, every single shade is meticulously calibrated for maximum appeal (they're extremely useful or extremely pretty), but that leaves me with a quandary, I don't need any of these colors, because I own them already. I was attracted to Glacial Blue, but went with the inanely titled Purple Passion, a cool vibrant violet shimmer, because it is a shade new to my stash. While I was at it, I picked up the Pure Color Gloss Stick in Orchid Dream, a glossy-finish, semi-sheer fuschia with a purple-blue sheen. I have plenty of reds, but this bright pink has an equal consonance with bright purple eyes. I'm not so ecstatic about the lipcolor's formula, it can go on a little unevenly if you try to build up intensity, but the color is phenomenal.
In Korea, you receive samples with every purchase. I received Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex, Advanced Night Repair Eye Synchronized Recovery Complex, Hydrationist Maximum Moisture Lotion, and Double Wear Zero-Smudge Lengthening Mascara.
My eye shape is very different from Lisa Eldridge's, so I've gone with a time-tested formula on my tiny lidspace, a thick, hazy smudge on the upper lashline, and just a faint trace on the lower. Contouring looks ridiculous on me, as does any kind of elaborate paint-by-number eye scheme, but this really flatters the almond shape. I packed on pigment with Laura Mercier Smoky Eye Liner, and blended out the edges with Shu Uemura 5R.
Labels: beauty notes, chanel, estee lauder, laura mercier, shu uemura, tom pecheux
8/28/2010 [3]
Everyone is going ape over the shadow palettes from Guerlain's Fall 2010 collection. They are indeed beautiful, but they were not what seized my attention. I've tried their new lip gloss in-store (the stupidly-named Kiss Kiss Essence de Gloss) and I was blown away by how lovely and sophisticated—unusually for a gloss—it looked on me, not to mention the way it felt. Essence de Gloss has a light yet substantial texture that nestles on the lips and clings to them lovingly, like the best of lip balms. Indeed, the product is supposed to contain active anti-aging elements (hence the "essence" in the name, I believe) but I do not know how much good that will really do, for it is my firm belief that makeup and skincare gimmicks don't really mix... or at least not in the same product.
A light rose-petal scent is also present throughout—and by "light" I do not mean the scent is faint, for it is quite emphatically there even a long while after application, but that it has an airy floating quality to it that's quite cheering. Simply put, this lip gloss feels wonderful going on, and feels wonderful to wear too.
The color is lovely too, at least in the iteration that interested me the most. I have pale olive skin and dark hair and eyes, so this browned rose with mauve tones goes very well—it is similar to, though rosier and browner than, NARS Sin, which is the best blush on me—though I honestly believe this could flatter a wide range of skintones and colorings. For those whom it doesn't flatter, there are a range of other colors, all wonderfully complex (but, I will warn, on the warm side of neutral). There is 420 Vermillion, a rich red like its name that is not quite as pigmented as lipstick but adds that extra oomph when layered over red lipsticks, 460 Myrrhe, a golden nude with a composite sheen of several different shades of peach and copper, and 441 Tonka, a sheer shimmering toasted bronze (none of which I can wear, but I think would be lovely on the right people). All in all, I'd say that this is one of those rare products that serves both luxury and utilitarian purposes.
The greatest caveat: I very much dislike the packaging, it's way too much bling for me. The only thing that's really stopping me from buying this gloss (apart from the price tag, of course) is imagining how embarrassing it would be to take that case out in public. The strong scent may also be a deal-breaker for some, and from what I hear, the lasting power is not excellent... though that may be only to be expected from a texture so light and smooth.
A brief word about the collection: since I heard that Guerlain started reformulating their classic perfumes—arguably the greatest source of their status as a legend—into new compositions of lesser complexity, I did not have great faith in the brand... or, to be more precise, LVMH, the large company that now owns the Guerlain name (and they still have yet to win my approval on that count). Which is why this fall's collection has honestly surprised me with its immense shelf appeal potential which is sure to last beyond the first euphoria of purchase, excellent products as they are. What's more, Guerlain has done its customers an extra kindness and made these products permanent additions to their line. The always-beautiful face of Natalia Vodianova fronts this collection, as it has for years, but in my view, her richly sensual yet sophisticated look is reflected very well in the elegantly-calibrated products themselves.
Labels: beauty notes, guerlain
8/07/2010 [1]
Subscribe to
Posts [Atom]. Or
follow on bloglovin'. If
you'd like to contact Dain,
feel free to email me.
I'm also on Pinterest.
The Mnemonic Sense
Most Wanted
The Beauty Primer
Lookbook
Bestsellers
Consumer Diaries
Closet Confidential
On The Label
Beauty Notebook
The Hit List
Color Me In
The Makeup Artist
Wedding Bells
Globe Trotter
Desert Island
perfume notes
beauty notes
fashion notes
culture notes
minimalism
chypre arc
floral arc
fresh arc
masculines arc
gourmands
& orientals arc
Archives
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
January 2010
February 2010
March 2010
April 2010
May 2010
June 2010
August 2010
September 2010
October 2010
November 2010
December 2010
January 2011
February 2011
March 2011
April 2011
May 2011
June 2011
July 2011
August 2011
September 2011
October 2011
November 2011
December 2011
January 2012
February 2012
April 2012
May 2012
June 2012
July 2012
August 2012
September 2012
October 2012
November 2012
December 2012
January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
Images
Photobucket