More From OPI La Collection De France

Now that the weather has taken a serious plunge towards the dreary and right before I go back to holiday reds, the mood calls for something different.

Enter OPI's La Collection De France for fall-winter 2008. I've already talked about Tickle Me France-y, an elegant nude which was my transitional color. Now we go for the serious stuff:
Parlez-Vous OPI? and You Don't Know Jacques!


Both looked on the scary side when they first came out several months ago, but even back then their beauty was apparent. Parlez-Vous is a smoky violet, cool and aloof. I can't stop looking at my nails when wearing it because it's just that different from anything else I own and wear. I was worried about the color clashing with my olive skin, but it works surprisingly well. Two coats got me bottle-perfect depth and coverage.

You Don't Know Jacques looked even more intimidating. In the bottle it is a dark taupe with strong gray roots, but on the nail (mine, at least), it actually has more brown and is a lot easier to wear than I ever expected. It's a melancholy color and works best on those days the sun is nowhere to be found. The look is elegant and not goth at all, quite suitable for most workplaces, as long as you keep your nails short and oblong, to avoid the Morticia vibe.

The quality is what you expect from OPI. A good brush, great coverage, easy to apply and lasts (with the aid of base and top coats) five to six days before the first crack appears.

OPI La Collection De France is available at decent nail salons and from various online sources. I'm pretty sure I got mine through Amazon for about $8.50 each.

Photo: Winter Evening at the Louvre by Rita Crane Photography on flickr

Chanel Kaleidoscope Nail Polish

I was sniffing perfume at Bergdorf's Chanel counter (basically, reminding myself how much the Exclusif line with its family-size bottles of too weak juice annoys me), when the SA noticed my nail polish, Chanel Kaleidoscope. It's quite recognizable, and hard to miss.

Most of the bottle images and swatches you see online look more silvery and on the cool side of things. It's just how it photographs, as I discovered myself. But Kaleidoscope isn't silver, gray or even taupe. The best I can describe it is as a very light metallic khaki with gold undertones.

Metallics can be tricky to apply without showing every brush stroke. Kaleidoscope is a bit better in this regard, especially when you go for a second coat. The result is quite striking and very shiny, almost mirror-like. The trade off is in the drying time, which is longer than most metallic polishes (and causes me to repeatedly mess up). I use two coats of Essie base, which helps tremendously in spreading the wealth. A top coat is necessary for me, otherwise there's serious chipping and peeling after the third day in the areas that hit the keyboard most.

Chanel Kaleidoscope ($20) is a limited edition for fall 2008. It's still available from most Chanel counters, so please check your local department store before you drop $29-$50 on an eBay auction. I got mine from Neiman's.

Images: mine

Chanel Facettes D'Or Powder And All that glitters (Part 1)

A few months ago, when Chanel first introduced their fall 2008 golden collection, I fell in love with it: from the obscenely expensive nail polish to the ambery Glossimer that adds shine and depth to several of my old lipsticks. I wasn't too sure about the golden powder, mostly because I'm not into elaborate highlighting makeup, and couldn't see why I'd need it. But the promise of a "candle-lit, glowing from within" look was just too good to pass, and this was one product I didn't already have in my stash.

Opening the compact and dipping a brush, I got scared of the little golden flecks. They looked too glitter-like for comfort. I don't know about you, but my clubbing day are long behind me and I just can't see myself applying shiny little particles to my face, highlighting or not. But I braved the powder and gave it a try. At first there was definitely glitter. Then I could almost see how the product would melt into the skin, leaving behind a very faint glow. It's much more finely milled than you'd expect from looking at the pressed mound.

The result is a very faint glow, nothing dramatic. The golden particles mostly disappear into the skin, and I can't say I like the idea of them sitting in my pores. It's not the best finishing powder I've ever seen, but it's decent. Not $50 decent, though. It also has a distinct gold/yellow tint that I don't mind, but might not work on the cool-toned.

Personally, I wear it to add something extra to an evening look, but wouldn't attempt it for day, because there's still just enough gold there to make it questionable. Not so much because of age, it's just that I'm not sure that tiny gold flecks were meant to appear for a Sunday brunch or at the office. I'd probably avoid this powder altogether if I had visible wrinkles, since I'd worry about the tiny flecks settling in them, but other than that, this is one of those subtle shimmers that are mostly ageless. It's just not that exciting.

Part 2 will include several other age-appropriate options to add a little shine to our looks.

Chanel Facette D'Or highlighting powder ($50) is a limited edition for fall 2008. Most Chanel Counters still have it in stock. It's available online from Nordstrom.com. I bought mine at my local Saks.

Reality Check: Chanel Smoky Eye Quad

A couple of months ago, when I first got the sneak peak preview of Chanel's Smoky Eyes eye shadow quad (it was on the annoying promotional mini-site for the Exceptionnel mascara) I got a serious case of coveting. It looked utterly gorgeous.

Last week I got to play with it at my local Bloomingdale's. The compact is, indeed, beautiful (you can see the real-life photos taken by Annie of Blogdorf Goodman here. I'm not yet brave enough to attempt such a move, as the SAs here still give me enough dirty looks when I take my time testing and swatching. Apparently, I'm supposed to whip out my charge card just because they tell me "everyone looooves it"), but I didn't buy it.

Why?

I've always had issues with the smoky eye concept. The combination of a funky skin tone, dark circles and my age is making my first eye makeup priority be "try to look alive". While I use very dark colors on my lids and (upper) lash base because my lids are quite heavy and can use serious shading, I avoid any eye makeup on and under my lower lashes, and I always make sure that the rest of my eye area is "opened up" with a light wash of barely-there color. So my version of the look is the "half smoky" eye, where nothing is smudged downwards. Ever.

Now, the Chanel quad could have been the answer to my problem: all the colors, even the black one, are on the sheer side. The pigment is airy rather than dense, so there's no risk of looking like I just got a shiner. The thing is, what Smoky Eyes lack in pigment they compensate with shimmer. Lots and lots of shimmer. The white color, for example, doesn't show on me at all. It's a translucent base that holds tiny shimmery particles. Very pretty, but unless I was going clubbing or to a holiday party I wouldn't ever wear it. The black and the charcoal were seriously Halloween disco and the silver was pure shiny metal. Pretty, trendy, but not practical if you're me.

I really wanted a version of this look, but one that could actually work with my style and habits.there are several other smokey eye palettes on the market right now, and many, though shimmery, look more wearable than the Chanel (and they cost significantly less) with a better pigment/shimmer ratio. Worth checking: The Red Carpet Look or the Smoky eye quad from Stila, the Grey Eye from Du-Wop, Night Essence from Fresh and Guerlain L'Heure Fumee. I also took a good look at my already existing stash and realized I already have several black, charcoal, gray and silver eye shadows in various textures and finishes. I bet you have some, too (except you, Tom).

What I'm currently missing is a matte medium gray that can create the look for daytime. Bobbi Brown has exactly that: Slate (Steel also looks like a good option). I'd love to hear more suggestions.

Ten Fall Essentials

So what if the temperatures are in the 80s and the official start date of fall is the Equinox, September 23rd? These precious weeks of pre-season are good for planning our fall strategy. Colors, textures and scents. Here are the things that are making me forget that fall also means that it's about to get really really cold...

• Skinny black pants
  If you're going to wear a longer cardigan or a top with some volume, a pair of black stretchy pants is your friends. As long as it's butt friendly. 
• Lacy top
  Black, sexy and mysterious. Goes with jeans as well as with a pencil skirt.
• Berry/pink- a subtle approach
  Pink, purple and berry tone are all the rage. I can't wear most, so instead I go for a pop of the color in a more palatable black and grey top.
• Pencil skirt
  A classic. You need one.
• Gray basics and accessories
  Who said it was boring? And gray nail polish is probably the edgiest item this season. Chanel Kaleidoscope or OPI You Don't Know Jacques are probably the most interesting.
• Gray eye shadow
  You don't need to go all the way with a smoky eye, but a touch of gray on the lids works surprisingly well.
• Dark lips
  Not just for goths. Choose a color that works for you: burgundy and plum are quite easy to wear.
• Perfect skin
  Hopefully, we were all smart about skin protection during the summer. But extra TLC in the form of serums would do wonders. I'm still loving my old C booster from Remede but have been testing one from Chanel and there's a Guerlain sample on my shelf. And the new Secret de Vie serum just came out.
• Tea
  I've been on a chocolate tea kick for a while now. My new favorite is chocolate-mint. 
• Perfume
  Continuing the chocolate theme, Borneo 1834 from Serge Lutens is chocolate and  patchouli with a touch of tobacco, honey and camphor, to keep things interesting. Borneo 1834 is a Paris exclusive, but will be this year's limited edition export release. Coming soon to a Barneys near you.
  
  And a bonus one: The remake of the 1939 movie The Women is coming out September 12th. I'm a bit scared to see it what they've done to it, but won't be able to stay away. At least, we'll always have the classic.

1. Nanette Lepore lingerie lace top. $325 Neiman Marcus
2. M. Missoni double knit pants $295 Neiman Marcus
3. Stila Backstage Beauty Eye Shadow Palette - The Red Carpet Look $40 Sephora
4. Diane von Furstenberg Nadina blouse $198 Saks 5th Avenue
5. Serge Lutens Borneo 1834  €110 (the export edition is should be about $130)
6. Nars lip gloss Rose Gitane $24 Sephora
7. Diane von Furstenberg Cashmere Maia sweater $345 and wide leg Burnes pants $158.90
8. Chanel Kaleidoscope nail polish $20 Saks

The Color Of French Lingerie: OPI Ticle My France (Fall 2008)

I'm not ready for summer to be over. But there's something about fall collections, fall fashion and September editions of all the magazines that even I find exciting. OPI took it to the max with their fall/winter La Collection De France, which (unlike the one from Essie I've blogged about yesterday) is different and inspired and very evocative of an urban winter.

But before I start applying the more unique grays and purples that still look out of place in the last days of August, I chose the lightest and most subtle polish in that collection to carry me until after Labor Day (and probably later. This is a fabulous neutral that is always appropriate).

Tickle Me France is is a muted mauve, almost nude, that's both elegant and sexy. It's the color of exquisitely made, über-French undergarments. While this won't be the talk of the town like a couple of others in the collection, I'll probably wear it more often.

OPI nail polish is available from nail salons all over the US. I bought mine online through Amazon.

Photos: mine. Models: Kosh and Tulip.

Essie Nail Polish Fall Collection

There are several innovative new nail polish collections for fall, but the one from Essie is not one of them. Don't get me wrong: it's very pretty, the quality is great, they all have a nice glossy finish and look great. The colors are very classic and would be a great addition to the permanent line instead of a limited seasonal edition. Who doesn't need great reds and rich pinks?

But compared to other offerings this season, the Essie collection is just not inspired enough to get one excited about fall colors. I got the mini pack that contains Forever Young, Lacy Not Racy, No Boundaries and Tomboy No More (I wish every company would sell a mini version of every collection. It's the best deal) to replace some old bottles of classic reds and pinks that are way past their prime, and a regular size bottle of Swept off My Feet which is a beautiful warm rose because I recently ran out of a similar color from Lippmann Collection and couldn't be bothered to pay $15 for a new one.

Not that every color needs to be a bold fashion statement and I'm a big advocate of classic looks, it's just when I'm looking at seasonal special editions I want to be surprised and excited and not to feel like I've seen it all before.

Essie nail polish is available locally at many nail salons and from Essie.com. The mini pack of four color retails for $18 and a regular size bottle is $8.

All photos are mine.

Smashbox Wicked Lovely Gloss in Sultry: Making It Work

Smashbox Wicked Lovely series has beautiful, goth-inspired packaging. The whole look is intriguing in theory as long as we all remember that if you overdo it, it can get very Elvira very fast. But I'm sure we can all show the required restraint. I chose to focus on the lips.

The sexy dark look can be difficult to achieve, as I discovered the hard way. From lip gloss on my teeth to uneven color that looks like I just bled all over myself. Not pretty. Even when done perfectly, like in the promotional photo on the Smashbox site, it can scare children and small animals. I made it work, eventually, but I can't say I fully endorse this specific product, Smashbox Wicked Lovely lip gloss in Sultry.

It's not that there's anything wrong with it: the texture is pleasant and feels nice and moisturizing on my lips. Despite the glittery appearance of the tube, there are no gritty particles and the look is shiny but not disco ball. The color is very dark grape, which is theoretically pretty and does not make teeth look yellow.

The problem starts with application. Just like when using a dark red lipstick, you need a perfect canvas (exfoliated and well-moisturized lips), otherwise every imperfection would show and the pigment clings exactly where you don't want it. I have a tiny scar on my bottom lip, but regular glosses actually cover it up. Not this one. It became more noticeable. The gloss also tends to bleed if not applied just right and you need to have exactly the right amount on: too little and you get patches, too much and it comes to visit your teeth.

The secrets for perfect application are, again, taken from the red lips technique: you need to use a matching lip liner (I didn't buy the one from Smashbox, but instead used something I already had, a Lancome pencil in Raisin). Also, after you're done, use a concealer brush (and your concealer, of course) to carefully define your lips on the outside and blend it outwards. It's not just a double protection to keep the color where it belongs, but also gives a more polished look.

Now, personally, I prefer my lips to not be so dark. It's just too much and I doubt it flatters me. Since I use a healthy dose of lip balm to keep things smooth and manageable, the result is what you see in the picture below (the flash made it a shade or two lighter, but that's the general idea).

Bottom line is that this is a gloss that takes work and I'm not certain the end result is worth the hassle.

Smashbox Wicked Lovely line is available from most department stores, the Smashbox website and Sephora, where I bought mine. The lip glosses retail for $18.

Top image Smashbox.com, all the others are mine.

Fall Inspiration: Sue Devitt Sea Spray Fall 2008 Collection

What inspires designers when working on a fall collection?
Autumn leaves, darker days, harvest colors.

And, apparently, the sea.

The image above (click on it for a full size view) is taken from Barneys newsletter about Sue Devitt's fall makeup collection. I looked at some of the items on the store's website, and they're very pretty in a not-really-my-color way, but I can't avoid thinking this could have easily been a spring/summer look.

What do you think?

The Darker Lips Of Fall- Rouge Dior Fiction Brown

We're back to discussing the new fall collections in all their dark lip glory. Before we go hardcore with the vampy colors, there's still an elegant option from Dior, even if many of you thought that the Dandy look, at least the way it was officially introduced, is a little too weird. The lesson here is that the fair and blondes should choose carefully and go for a more subtle makeup. Especially since there's no airbrushing and special lighting in our lives.


Those of us who can pull off a brown lipstick would find Brown Fiction to be a very wearable color. Unlike what you see above, it has just enough red in it to look alive (assuming the color on the model was achieved with makeup and not digitally, it's probably the result of layering with the Lurex Plum Ultra Gloss and then blotting the shine away). The color is on the warm side, opaque enough to stand out and the the texture is velvety smooth. I need more moisture than what Rouge Dior provide, so I tend to apply it over a thin layer of lip balm. It means less staying power, but I prefer soft lips over painted but parched.

Lipstick photos are mine, Dandy look from Nordstrom website.

Dior Dandy collection is available from Nordstrom (where I bought mine) and Sephora, in store and online. Rouge Dior lipstick retail price is $27.

Chanel Fall 2008 Glossimer Amberlight

Before we move on to the other lip color trend for fall, deep brown, let's have a look at one of the limited edition glossimers: Amberlight (114). The other colors were too light for me (Delight is a pale, silvery lilac and Gold Light is a perfect match for the Gold Fiction nail polish), so I picked this deeper golden caramel shade. It looks more bronze in the tube, but when applied the effect is very transparent, and it has more of a glow than a shimmer.

It can be worn alone, especially if your natural lip color is not as dark as mine. I prefer it over a lipstick and have been layering it with Dior Must See Mauve for a stunning candle-lit effect, which means I'm not saving it for fall. It's a good thing that by October we'll have the holiday collections, because I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who's been wearing fall colors in July.

Chanel Glossimers ($26) are available at your local department stores from Macy's and up, and online. I ordered mine directly from Chanel's website.

Photos: mine. A somewhat reluctant model: Kosh.

Bobbi Brown Fall 2008 Mauve Collection

I doubt Bobbi Brown would release any numbers, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the Mauve collection is the biggest bestseller since the Chocolate palette of fall 2006. It's practical, wearable, flattering on just about anyone and looks very cute.

Out of the entire collection I chose the palette (of course) and a gloss- the non-shimmery one called Mauve. The other two didn't work for me. They had too much shimmer and the pigment was too light. I considered the gel eyeliner but it's basically a shimmery Black Plum, so I didn't feel compelled to have it.

The gloss looks very nice by itself. It's an elegant dark mauve that will go nicely with a more somber fall wardrobe. But it looks even better layered on top any of the lip colors in the palette. Together they give a beautiful, rich finish.

The two dark eyeshadows are pretty and go well together. I use the middle one, Vintage, on the crease and the darkest, Chocolate Mauve, to enhance my eyeliner (or create a semi-smoky eye). The lightest one, Navajo, is completely useless for me. It might as well be a transparent powder because it doesn't show up at all. I had the same issue with Bone from the Chocolate palette. It's just not pigmented enough to appear on my skin.

The blush is the biggest winner here. I was a bit worried it'd be too pink for me, but it turned out to be the most natural looking blush I own. It's the first cheek color I tried that really has the effect of a true flush. Not sun-kissed, not shimmering, just a healthy glow.

The palette doesn't come with brushes. It's a serious flaw because otherwise it'd be perfect to toss in your purse and skip the makeup bag altogether. But you must add a brush case and make sure you have a lip brush in it, because it's the only way to successfully apply the lip colors. They are too thick and unyielding to be finger-friendly (and it'd take you some work to clean your finger if you try).

All photos are mine. Models: Lizzy and Gracie.

The Mauve collection is a limited edition, currently available from most department stores and online. I bought mine at my local Bloomingdale's Bobbi Brown counter. Lip Gloss $19, the palette $55.

Chanel Fall Makeup Collection: Ombre Essential Eyeshadow

Chanel Ombre Essential eyeshadows have the softest, smoothest texture and always make me wonder why I don't just stick with them (the answer is that we, beauty ninjas, are both brave and reckless when it comes to new products. We just can't be satisfied with one brand).

There are two new colors for fall, Le Bronze, which you see here, and Bois Bleu, a gorgeous but not really necessary dark teal (unless you don't have any teal eyeshadows in your stash, which makes it as good a reason as any to get one. You'd probably use it a handful of times a year and never hit the pan for the rest of your life).

None of the official color swatches of Le Bronze (on Chanel web site and the other stores selling it) is doing it justice. It's a perfectly balanced brown, not too warm, described as "metallic", but it's not disco in any way. The shimmer is low key and elegant, perfectly suited for day time, and while it's intended for fall, I'm wearing it now, paired with the lightest gold color from my old Chanel Gold Rush compact.

Available from your local Chanel counter, Nordstrom.com and Chanel.com, which is where I bought mine. $28.50
Photos: The Non-Blonde

Another Fall Look: Dior Dandy Collection

Among the more interesting options for fall 2008 we have the 'Dandy' collection from Dior. It's interesting, and can be made wearable with a few adjustments. Nordstrom debuted it and within days (and before I made up my mind if I really need more pearly brown eyeshadows) were sold out of the most interesting item, the Imression Cuir Leather Couture eyeshadow compact. It was gorgeous and I hope they will have some more when the collection moves to other stores.


There are still other options to create this glamorous (and, let's admit it, a bit over-the-top) eye makeup using the Iridescent Leather 5 shadow compact. And I'm willing to bet my Bobbi Brown Chocolate palette from fall 2006 that we all have enough brown and bronze eyeshadows in our stashes that adding another big compact isn't a top priority.

But the real star here is the dark brown lip color. Dior isn't the only option for this look. Smashbox Wicked Lipgloss in Sultry is another one (review coming later this week), and it's worth exploring, even though it's not easy to pull off without looking like you had an encounter with a pudding cup. I'll post some tips with my upcoming reviews.

One last thing: The model in the photo is sporting the icky reverse French manicure, but the color itself is great. Neither Nordstrom nor any other retailer has announced which one it is. It might be Liquorice (a former Nordstrom exclusive, now available at BeautyEncounter.com, of all places).

Goldfinger- Chanel Facettes D'Or Nail Color Gold Fiction

I'm posting pictures of my own nails here is neither because I'm proud of either my one-hand photographing skills (I'm definitely not), nor is it because of my nail polish application expertise (I'm a known klutz). The reason I'm doing this is because the bottle of the new Chanel Facettes D'Or Nail Color Gold Fiction for fall 2008 is an opaque gold so you can't see what's inside. I can't say I'm convinced it was the best idea ever, but the bottle is quite true the polish, though to get the exact result you'll need three coats, which is more than I'm willing to commit myself to doing. It triples the odds of cat hair getting stuck to my nails, which is not a good look for me.

Therefore, what you see here is the result of two coats of polish. The first two photos were taken in natural daylight (though still indoors and I had to use flash). The last one was taken in evening-like environment (again, with flash). The results are very true-to-life. I didn't use any base coat or top coat when taking these, so this is Gold Fiction straight up.

What I like about this polish is both the quality (easy to apply and doesn't streak, stays put for several days even when not using a top coat) and the color itself. I was worried that it would be too yellow, hence look sickly, but this is true gold and the undertone is almost peachy, so it never goes fungal.

The gold color is actually very summery. Especially when you compare it to Dior Gold Nugget. I'm glad it came out early enough to wear all through July and August. In the fall I actually prefer the deep browns and burgundy that other companies are about to launch.

But now we get to the price. Gold Fiction retails for $30 and I hate to even think about what it would end up raking on eBay, once it's sold out everywhere else. I like this polish and don't regret buying it, but considering the prices of everything else, I'm not sure I can tell you to run out and buy it. It's a good one, for sure, the color is lovely and quite special. But unless you're a collector, a die-hard fan or think this is your holy grail, I can't say the price is fully justified.

Now, here's a little distraction brought to you from an era when you didn't have to choose between filling your gas tank and buying a nail polish:




Photos: my own.

Chanel fall 2008 collection is available from Chanel counters at upscale department stores (though my local ones in Paramus still didn't have it last weekend) and online. I bought mine directly from chanel.com.

You Are Gold

My annoyance with Chanel's spring collection is already documented here. Truth be told, spring/summer collection are rarely as exciting as fall offering. Maybe it's all the pink, or maybe there's something else at the works. Just like Vogue's September issue is usually more interesting than the almost equally lethal March one. Whatever it is, there's a good chance that Chanel would redeem their reputation with their 2008 color collection.

Their new creative director, Peter Phillips (not the Peter Phillips who was the first person to call Queen Elizabeth II "Granny", but the name made me somewhat amused) is continuing the gold rush theme from a couple of seasons back, but this time, at least judging from the picture on WWD, the color is deeper and a little more interesting. I still had to stifle a yawn when reading about the inspiration behind the collection: Once again, it's the famous Coco Chanel Rue Cambon apartment. We've been through this multiple times before, but what do I know? My habitat, with its stacks of books, rows of CDs and the occasional feline that tops them would never inspire anyone to create an evocative nail polish.


The jewel in this golden crown is the Gold Fiction nail polish, which is supposed to be made with special pigments, rendering its honey-gold color deeper and with an excellent finish. It's outrageously priced at $30, but the people at Chanel are predicting a big success. They might be right. An innovative formula and a special color which is pretty, wearable and wouldn't scare children and small animals can go a long way. On my covet list there's also the promised eye shadow quad palette which will include gold, coffee, ivory and dark green.

Not bad.

Info and images: WWD. Model: Natalia Vodianova