Three years in a row, CHANEL Cruise has been my favourite collection each year. It’s that final drop as summer hits and loaded with great colours for summer vacations. Usually the nail polishes are my first pick, glorious shades that work superb for sunny manicures and powders that are eventually must-haves in my makeup bag.

Lumiere Et Contraste is based on light and shade. The glow on summer skin with depth to make the features pop. I love smokier eyes for summer paired with nude lips and glowy skin. Isn’t it pretty much summer makeup 101?

Here’s the list of newness that’s Chanel Cruise 2019,

Duo Bronze Et Lumiere Clair & Medium

Les 4 Ombres Lumieres Naturelles

Ombre Premiere Gloss Lunaire & Solaire

Stylo Ombre Et Contour Pure Flesh, Metallic Flash & Vague

Rouge Coco Gloss Fraicheur, Aurora

Rouge Coco Flash Lumiere & Contraste

Rouge Duo Ultra Tenue Warm Beige

Le Vernis Afterglow, Open Air & Purple Ray

Duo Bronze Et Lumiere described as ‘matte’ bronzer/pearlescent highlighter duo. This comes in two shade variants, one intended for fair complexions (Clair) and Medium for medium skin tones. The formulation for the bronzer seems new, incredibly fine, luminous and blends like a DREAM. It almost feels gel like when swatching but still a powder.

The undertones are very neutral and work perfectly for a bit of sculpting. I love that the bronzers aren’t flat, there’s definitely some golden shimmer, for a more satin luminous finish.

The highlighters in these are equally stunning. Both with golden shimmer.

Clair overall has a slight peachy rosy undertone that makes it beautiful for fairer skin tones. I don’t think the bronzer in this will ever work for anyone, perhaps those with an alabaster complexion, even so as a finishing powder at best.

Here’s a look at the swatches.

Clair contains a peachy pink powder and a peachy pink highlighter with golden shimmer.

Medium is a neutral brown with a gold shimmery highlight.

I rounded up a few comparisons to see how these compare with my current stash.

My go-to is the Givenchy (which looks pretty beat up now!) and is my perfect shade. A mid tone warm brown with no orange tones. In comparison the Chanel is the deepest of them all, with hardly any yellow. probably why this works so well for some sculpting. It’s also much less warmer compared to everything else.

I also included the (NEW) Tom Ford Soleil bronzer Gold Dust which will be reviewed next along with the Soleil 2019 collection. It’s a peachier gold with a fantastic formula.

For the eyes it’s neutrals again (I feel like CHANEL’s been churning out neutrals non stop these days!). This time an easy to use no fuss combination of matte browns, shimmering taupe and bronze to help define this seasons sultry smokey look. The colours are easy to work with and the textures are beautiful. As always Chanel shadows are very easy to blend and always allow effortless application.

Lumieres Naturelles is one of those palettes that can definitely be an everyday staple. I found myself dipping into shade 3 and 4 the most, a quick eye look with some subtle contouring and bronzy lid.

Also within the collection are three eyeshadow pencils that can be used on its own or as eyeshadow bases. Metallic Flash is a silvery taupe and Vague a satin medium brown.

These are creamy and can be smudged out with a brush or fingers before they set. They are pretty much budge proof then on for long wear.

It’s hard to pick a favorite between the two. But I am drawn to Vague for most days as it’s the easiest shade to throw on when i’m rushing.

Also in the eye category are two interesting gloss toppers. Personally I shy away from high maintenance makeup. Specially in weather that’s pushing over ninety degrees! But the gold eye gloss Solaire piqued my interest. There’s noticeable gold flecks suspended in the gel that catches the light beautifully. If you skip eye makeup, a thin wash of this looks sophisticated and fresh. A waterproof mascara is a must of course.

I wore them out once and also added some to the tops of the cheeks for a wet highlight and decided I prefer to wear them this way. When placed strategically these are gorgeous on the skin (as you’ll see from the look I created for the collection).

For the lips I was sent the two Rouge Coco Flash lipsticks. These are a brand new lipstick launch for 2019. An instant love for me. I have been accumulating quite a few and live for the glossy, vibrant shades. As expected from a glossy formula they don’t last as much but I don’t mind reapplying time to time so these are perfectly fine for me. Overall sheer lipsticks are my go-to for summers warm months and they look great applied.

Lumiere is a soft peachy rose and Contraste a deep neutral mauve. The pay off as you can see is quite sheer but they are somewhat buildable and look beautiful on the lips. The deeper shades do show up better, especially if you have pigmented lips.

The nailpolishes are always high on my wish list and the three new additions did not disappoint. I found they are sheerer in terms of pigmentation, though with two medium coats deliver a satisfying result. Purple Ray is my must-have and a gorgeous shade for summer, so is Open Air. I love how paler, neutral toned shades like Purple Ray compliment my warm skintone as I tan. Definitely something to check out when you visit the counter.

Afterglow is a beautiful neutral toned sheer nude with subtle golden shimmer. I wasn’t sure how much I was going to love this but it’s one of those polishes that can look great for a barely there groomed look.

As always the wear is approximately 4-5 days.

Moving on to a look I created with some of the collection.

I used the Duo Bronze Et Lumiere in Medium for the cheekbones, the eye gloss Solaire with Lumiere on the lips. I wanted to experiment with a slightly different look since I always post the brown neutral eye looks.

The gloss is absolutely gorgeous for summer, but obviously crazy high maintenance and creases if you apply too much. But as you can see topped over the highlighter it gives the most incredible wet glow. It’s probably one of my favourite looks so far!

Bottom Line

My must-have from the collection is the Bronzer duo Medium, the lipstick in Lumiere and the nailpolish Purple Ray. I would also add Vague to the mix as it was a great everyday shade that I’m sure you’d grab often. Just perfect for those rushed days when you need something on the eyes that wont take much time.

What are your favourites from the collection?

Facials may seem like a frivolous indulgence, but over the past year i’ve been visiting the Epion Clinic i’ve come to realise facials and aesthetic treatments can not only be a powerful ally as you combat aging, but also make you feel happier and confident resulting from clear, beautiful skin.

Result driven courses of treatments help you reap the benefits of skin ‘Care’. For me it’s been clearer skin with far less breakouts; and of course, youthful features thanks to tighter facial muscles and refined skin texture.

It’s not been easy attaining good skin, I’ve been religiously pampering mine since I was 28 yrs (I did start quite late!). But as I pass through the mid thirties I realised I could do a little more than just rely on lotions and potions, some professional help was missing in my long term plan.

That’s when the Epion Clinic was referred to me by a friend.

I remember the very first day I met Dr. Melvin Tan an ophthalmic-trained aesthetic physician. Apart from the fact that he is very easy to talk to, his no bullshit approach to beauty made me feel very comfortable. Personally I like it when someone clearly defines what can and can not be achieved. I mentioned that I had no intention of having any fillers or botox (to this day I am still filler and botox free!) and my concerns were lifting my facial muscles that are now slowly but surely taken hold of by gravity.

I was recommended the Star Facial. The Clinics signature facial for tightening the muscles, refine the skin and also to bring out that much needed glow. The Star Facial is recommended as a pre-event treatment as it delivers instant results of glowy skin, apart from the significant long term effects.

This signature treatment consists of a Hydra Facial, Infrared Light Therapy and a pampering 24k Gold Mask.

THE STAR FACIAL

The session begins with a relaxing cleanse. The skilled therapist at Epion thoroughly strips off any makeup and grime that’s present to prep skin for the first step of this Facial.

Hydrafacial, is the process of clearing up all the congestion of the pores and then super-charging with hydrating serums and peptides to deeply moisturise and nourish the skin.

The pores are deep cleaned with a vacuum extraction and skin’s gently exfoliation. The process takes about 15-20 minutes. The skin then gets a ‘blast’ of serum (a combination of hyaluronic acids and peptides) to help soothe and plump up with moisture.

The second phase of the treatment is, Infrared (red) light therapy, to stimulate the lower levels of the skin and help boost regeneration. As with everything in life, skins natural ability to renew and repair itself slows down with age, becoming less capable of regenerating collagen and repair elastin fibers that make up the structure of the skin. Using the Sciton Skintyte machine, Dr Melvin Tan pulses the skin to encourage collagen growth and tighten the skin. This helps with improving firmness with regular treatments.

The red light treatment generates heat in the lower levels of the skin, stimulating the growth of new collagen.

For my treatment, the targeted areas are the lower cheeks and the forehead, places where the skin has evidently lost it’s ‘fullness’.

The 24k Gold mask is then mixed and applied to the entire face (eyes and mouth) and left on for about 20-30mins. Once set, this can finally be lifted off the face (with no discomfort) to reveal radiant skin.

I’ve had six Star Facials this past year, and have noticed my skin breaks out less thanks to the constant clearing of congestion in my pores. My cheek muscles are definitely firmer and the lines on my forehead less severe. I’ve been recommended a more intense lifting treatment next, the Thermage. Maybe my next step, for now though , i’m really pleased at how my skin looks. Dr. Tan has been noticing the changes as well!

FAQ’s

How often do you need to repeat the treatment and frequency?

For noticeable lifting and firming a course of 4-5 is recommended by the Doctor. Preferably done monthly.

Is it painful? 

The only step with any discomfort is the Infrared Light Therapy. Is it unbearable? No. But it does take a bit of getting used to.

What made me choose Epion clinic?

Personal recommendation by a friend.

When it comes to aesthetic treatments I trust a friends recommendation more than anything. Also Dr. Melvin Tan is an expert in the field and is one of the five regional faculty members of the Allergan Medical Institute. He travels across the region training doctors on facial beauty and injection techniques (his speciality). If there’s anyone you want to trust with your face (especially if you are looking to Botox or fillers) Dr. Tan would be the one.

Why choose Epion Clinic?

I believe overall just feeling comfortable is key. Specially when your health and wellbeing is in someone else’s hands. All medical procedures are administered by Dr. Tan himself and there’s no compromise on safety. Also bedside manner is important when it comes to choosing someone for treatments and Dr. Melvin Tan is one of the most easy to talk to. He instantly puts you at ease.

Bottomline

Overall I think there’s no shame in trying to improve the way you look. Whether it’s going in for botox or just sticking to laser treatments. It’s up to you.

I am very happy with my results. My skin looks so much better now. Less pigmentation and breakouts with firmer skin.

I would suggest making an appointment for a consultation and take it from there, the treatments are well worth the money.   

*Not sponsored.

Les Ornements De Chanel (holiday 2019) will be dropping soon! … and ever since my sneak peek of this STUNNING collection (on Instagram), there’s been much interest for more swatches.

What I love about Chanel holiday is, the opulence. The packaging always has beautiful seasonal details and come in very wearable colours that the quintessential Chanel lover enjoys. They truly encapsulate the spirit of the season so well!

The 2019 holiday collection is inspired by Coco Chanels love for ornaments. Gold details that offset Gabrielles minimalistic black and white palette.

The powders are adorned with pretty Chanel button embossing, and curiously enchanting as much as the silky powders beneath.

This year you can expect,

Rouge Allure Lipsticks in 6 luxurious shades –

Rouge Délicieux : a soft rosebud

Rouge Majestueux : an intense muted raspberry

Rouge Splendide : a pink coral

Rouge Magnifique : a bright orange

Rouge Spectaculaire : a true red

Rouge Noble : a black cherry burgundy

2 Rouge Coco glosses –

Rouge Carmin – a light brick red

Rouge Grenat – a brownish red

Highlighter –

Éclat Magnétique de Chanel – Metal Peach

Les 4 Ombré (eyeshadow quad)

Lumiére et Opulence

2 Ombré Premiere (eyeshadow singles)

Grandeur : a metallic old gold

Poupre Brun : a plum brown

Stylo Yeux

Khaki Intense

Vernis

Deepness : a gunmetal green

Richness : a chestnut red

Among the key pieces of this collection is the stunning eyeshadow quad. If you follow me here you’ll know i’m a fan of the Chanel eyeshadow formula. the texture is silky and always buildable for a range of looks from luminously airy to deep and mysterious. I find the mix in this seasons palette rich and devastatingly pretty!

There’s a deep gunmetal khaki, soft peach, a dirty golden khaki and a molten brown.

The highlighter Metal Peach is another obvious must have. It catches the light beautifully (as seen is the swatch). Silky, pigmented, with no noticeable glitter. This one’s a mix of gold and peach, something that will see you well past the holiday season without breaking a sweat.

Moving onto the other offerings for the eyes, there are two single shadows with the prettiest (button) embossing. I find Grandeur irresistible. A gold that combines a hint of peachiness but still muted and very wearable.

A statement on it’s own as a bold wash across the lids.

Here’s a closer look!

Saving the best for the last, the lips in focus this year are Rouge Allure. The packaging is gunmetal with a simple edging of gold. The colours are ultra wearable, with literally something for everyone.

My choice surprisingly are the rich berry tones. A slight departure from my usual favourite, REDS!

Here’s another set of swatches by the window with natural light.

Love, love, LOVE Rouge Spectaculaire and Rouge Majestueux. The perfect holiday lip.

For a video of the highlighter, drop by Instagram! It’s such a stunner. Unfortunately the lighting wasn’t the best when I took this closeup.

Collection launch date is set for the end of October. Two months before Christmas, however these collections always sell out fast. Make sure to stalk the counters around the time so you wont miss the key pieces.

I’m so excited for the holidays! Can’t wait to share a few looks with this collection closer to the launch.

(all information from official press release provided by Chanel Beauty)

CHANEL just launched a new line of cleansers under the Sublimage range, their most premium (anti-aging) line especially formulated for mature/dry skin with key ingredient Vanilla Planifolia.

Sublimage has been missing a ‘Cleansing Ritual’ & since the Hydra Beauty line already has one, i’m excited to see these new additions!

Chanel describes this line more than just a cleansing ritual; more of an opportunity to enjoy a peaceful moment in the morning and evening to calm the mind and relax. It’s an ultra sensorial cleansing line enriched with natural-origin Vanilla Planifolia Water and Harungana extract for their antioxident and detoxifying properties.

The collection consists of,

Sublimage Vanilla Grain Scrub  (50g)

Sublimage Gel-to-Oil Cleanser (150ml)

Sublimage Cleansing Water (125ml)

Sublimage Soap (115g)

Among these new additions the Vanilla Grain Scrub is one of my favourites! It’s made up of vanilla pod seeds that gently exfoliate and tiny jojoba microbeads that lift away any residual impurities.

The grains are suspended in a very thin gel and feel ultra fine, I use two scoops with the spatula that’s provided.

The round beads ensure skin isn’t damaged and exfoliated gentlest as possible without dragging or scratching. Once rinsed off, the skin feels silky without any tightness or dryness.

Recommended use is three times a week.

The Sublimage Gel-to-Oil Cleanser is a clear thick  gel that is applied directly to the skin, and massaged to transform into an oil.

On application you indulge in the aroma of it’s key ingredient, vanilla. I like that the scent is not overpowering, a gentle one that even the most sensitive wouldn’t find offensive unless you dislike vanilla itself.

Once rinsed, it leaves the skin ultra soothed and comfortable to the touch. Skin feels soft without any tightness. It doesn’t leave any residue on the skin and rinses off completely taking with it all impurities and makeup.

Usually a single step cleanse isn’t enough when I wear makeup, however with this I feel it does an exceptionally good job and don’t feel the need to double cleanse. It’s hands down the best luxury cleanser i’ve tried.

Luckily the tube contains quite a generous 150ml, which makes parting with $100+ for a cleanser a little easier. A really good buy nonetheless and one of my favourites from this collection.

Sublimage Cleansing Water.

A luxurious (oil-free) water cleanser that’s perfect for your morning skincare routine. Ideal for sweeping off impurities and residue skincare from the night before. The thicker lotion reminds me of an essence. Leaving the skin deeply hydrated and prepped for your next step.

Especially with the premium ingredients (Vanilla Planifolia), the Cleansing Water would be a great start to a morning routine delivering a healthy dose of antioxidents to keep the skin protected through the day.

The fourth and final installment to the Cleansing Ritual is the Sublimage Soap.

A generous bar that lathers into thick lush foam with it’s natural-origin emulsifier and combination of shea butter and humectants. It allows for a very gentle cleanse without stripping the skin of it’s natural oils.

In my opinion this would make an incredibly luxurious Christmas gift for any skincare lover, since the season is just around the corner! Maybe a combo of the luxurious Vanilla Scrub to make an even more precious!

Bottom line

I loved EVERYTHING!

If you are looking to pick up just one thing from the collection, i’d urge you to try the Gel-to-Oil Cleanser or the Cleansing Water. Both exceeded expectations in terms of sensorial experience and overall effectiveness. I love that these leaves the skin so soft & soothed. If you have dry skin, this line is a must-try if your budget allows.

Pricing & Availability

The collection launched on the 1st November and already available at CHANEL Beauty counters.

Vanilla Scrub – SGD114

Gel-to-Oil Cleanser – SGD134

Water Cleanser – SGD134

Soap – SGD121

Thank you CHANEL Beauty Singapore for this generous PR gift!

For me Christmas is all about spoiling my loved ones. Nothing excites me more than discovering that perfect gift for a friend or family member that I KNOW will be appreciated.

Personally I believe there are no ‘terrible gift givers’, just lazy ones and some who just don’t have the time to be out shopping. Whatever your reason for being late to the gift buying rush (me included this year), i’m here to help you pick some of the most luxurious gifts that wont go unnoticed, or unappreciated. Can you believe it’s only one more week till Christmas?!! I cant!

As you might have guessed, there’s a theme for todays gift guide. All things golden and shiny! Who doesn’t love a little extra sparkle during the holidays right? Gold packaging has this way of instantly transforming the most simple everyday things!

1. Louboutin Beauty Metallic Eye Colour 

Finally Louboutin Beauty has made its way to Singapore this year and finally accessible. My very first Louboutin Beauty product was a lipstick a few years ago and I remember being smitten by the quality of the products and the packaging. When I finally got to see everything in real life I found the eyeshadows to be just as Ah-mazing, if not better! There isn’t a huge shade range but the colours are beautiful and are super long wearing (read budge-proof).

I chose two shades, Morganite (shimmering pink) and Black Sapphire 

2. Chantecaille Eclat Brillant Highlighter

Packaging goals! But of course Chantecaille do in-fact make fantastic highlighters. This years holiday collection featured a gorgeous true gold highlight Eclat Brillant, just perfect for the festivities coming up! The texture is ultra silky and goes on without looking powdery. Pure luxury.

P.S- While you are browsing, do check out the stunning Lip Cristals (that come in three shades) for some extra shimmer this holiday season. The packaging is gold of course with a chic shimmer bullet which is a pearl pigment formula.

ALSO for each lipstick purchased Chantecaille has the 1 lipstick = 1 tree campaign where they plant a tree in Kenya for each lipstick sold! It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

3. Hourglass Scattered Light Glitter Eyeshadow Holiday Trio 

If it’s gifting glitter, Hourglass is the way to go! I’m a sucker for adding some extra shimmer for my holiday makeup looks and nothing quite does it for me like these. They can be applied with fingers and add the most beautiful sparkle to the lids. This year (again) Hourglass have come out with a gorgeous holiday trio that’s limited edition. The pots are slightly smaller than the regular size but just perfect to dip a finger in to grab some iridescent sparkle!

4. Byredo Perfume Sampler Set 

Something I don’t normally advise gifting is perfume. However when it comes to minis in a set, I think it’s a great way to try a brand and also for gifting. Byredo does a sampler kit called La Selection. There’re several fragrance groups to pick from. If you know what the recipient normally favours, why not let them try something new!

5. YSL Sequin Crush Eyeshadow.

What’s the point of Christmas if you don’t get to play with glittter…right? , let me add one more gorgeous product for you to consider. Have you seen YSL’s new(ish) Sequin Crush Eyeshadow?? I spotted a gold and a silver and couldn’t resist picking them up! Packaging is A+, and so is the glitter inside! Creamy to the touch and packed with pigment. These give more of a foiled effect than outright glitter. Obsessed!

6. CHANEL Gabrielle Shower Gel

Luxury shower gels are a total splurge and make the best gifts. I know I love receiving them.

CHANEL Gabrielle is for the floral lover. A mix of Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Orange Blossom and a hint of Tuberose. This comes in a decent 200ml bottle that’ll look perfect in anyones shower.

For other delectable gift worthy shower gels, check out Aerins selection. I love the Tuberose Body Wash and the Body Cream. A must have if you love white flower fragrances. This one feels extra decadent with it’s silky, creamy formula!

7. Chanel Sublimage Gel-to-Oil Cleanser

Skincare is always a welcome gift in my books, and one of the most decadent additions to my shelf is the newly launched Sublimage Gel-to-Oil Cleanser. Review here!

Sublimage is Chanels most premium anti-aging collection and as you may already know, the skincare is top-notch. Since I loved this product so much and it comes in cheery ‘holiday gold’, it’s made the list!

A very lucky someone deserves to have this slipped in their stocking.

8. Silke London Hair Wrap

Something extra luxurious and a truly unique gift is a silk hair wrap by Silke. It protects your hair from tangling and eliminates frizz therefore minimizing hair damage while you sleep.

Also great for keeping the hair away from the face when you get ready in the morning. Order via Net-a-Porter! They deliver within 2-3 days, definitely making it in time for Christmas.

9. COVETEUR Coffee Table book

Gifting Coffee Table books will never go out of style. One of my favourite books to date is Coveteur. Be it mindlessly flipping pages taking in the drool worthy editorial photography or curiously reading about celebs hand bag collection or wardrobe dripping with couture. This one’s perfect for anyone who loves the finer things in life.

10. A Spa voucher 

If you made it through holiday shopping you KNOW how hard it’s been! Every friend deserves a little pampering and some me time especially after the holidays. Be it a new mom, a corporate rockstar or even Mommy dearest who deserves a little me time of her own. It’s honestly one of the easiest ways to make someone happy! I’m all for gifting experiences, it’s less stress on our planet and eliminates any need for unnecessary packaging.

That wraps up todays guide. I’m planning to upload a few more linked guides before the weekend since it’s the very last weekend before Christmas! I hope you manage to pick up the perfect presents for your loved ones. Happy Shopping!

Happy Thursday! 5 more days to Christmas and that very last weekend to get your holiday shopping done is around the corner.

Today i’ve rounded up some fragrance and wellness gift ideas for the guys. Some which my husband uses and enjoys and a few unisex products I love that also make perfect gifts.

1. Molton Brown Bizarre Brandy Gift Set

I love Molton Brown and find their shower range truly special. The fragrances are quite unique and elevate the whole bath experience. If you are looking for luxe body care options for guys, Molton Brown is one of the first places I’d suggest you check out.

This particular gift set includes a body lotion and a shower gel in their limited edition festive fragrance Bizarre Brandy. Soo delicious!

2. Diptyque Amber candle

Amber is one of my favourite fragrances for all year round. It adds that warmth and cosiness to any space and makes a great addition to one’s study or bathroom. What I love about these candles is that the fragrance tends to linger in a room regardless whether the candle is lit; and in smaller spaces such as a powder room not only do they add a decorative touch, they keep it from smelling musty or stale.

3. Le Labo Neroli Shower Gel

Is one of the best sellers they make. It’s light, fresh with a hint of Neroli but unlike most mainstream Neroli fragrances out there. Le Labo Neroli is a sophisticated blend of Rose, Musk, Jasmine and Vanilla and a medley of other essences that make this one stand out.

If you enjoy Neroli fragrances, i’d urge you to try this one. You’d be hooked!

4. Diptyque Car Diffusers set

Makes one luxurious fragrance gift! It’s a boxed set that comes with a scent diffuser and 4 cartridges. Baies, Rose, 34 and the new Tuberose.

Baies and 34 are great unisex home fragrances and two of my top favourites! This set will make a fantastic gift for any car enthusiast or just about any guy who loves his car.

5. Diptyque 34 Scented Oval 

Since 34 is one of my favourite Diptyque scents I also picked out this scented wax oval that makes a great addition to any wardrobe to keep clothes smelling fresh. If you are already a fan of the brands candles, the scented ovals are a nice place to add a bit more luxury to other parts of your home.

6. Jack Black Balm Squad

It’s no secret Jack Black Lip Balms are some of the best lip care products out there. Why not gift a good supply that will last a while? This one’s a great stocking stuffer for guys. If you don’t feel like giving socks (again) this year

7. Herbivore Detox Bath Salts 

Is one of my favourite bath products of all time. It’s scented with refreshing Eucalyptus that alleviates muscle pain and soothes body aches. Perfect for running a hot bath after a long day.

8. Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt Cologne 

Makes for a great everyday scent. I also love Blackberry & Bay. Both which hubby has been LOVING ever since I gifted them last year. Overall I find fresher scents to be more on the safer side for gifting as they are universally appealing.

9. Acqua di Parma (Bergamotto Di Calabria) 

Is a classic. They are the masters of summer fragrance. I would also recommend checking out the deodorant body sprays and the gift sets which are usually a good deal during the holidays.

10. Jo Malone Travel Collection

Is a luxury set of 5 mini (100ml) Body and Hand Wash. It contains their top selling unisex fragrances: Basil and Neroli, Blackberry & Bay, Wild Bluebell, Orange Blossom (another fave!) and Wood Sage & Sea Salt.

Ideal for the man who’s a frequent traveller or enjoys an elevated shower experience.

Kicking off the new year with an exciting preview of the NARS Afterglow collection that’s launching soon!

With the success of last years Afterglow Lip Balm collection (exclusive to Asia), NARS has come back with new shades and an entire collection of Afterglow for Spring 2020. The existing lineup of Afterglow Lip Balms are to be phased out and replaced with these brand new shades.

The Collection launches early February & includes :

The Afterglow Eyeshadow palette $90

Overlust Cheek palette $90

Afterglow Lip Balm $40

Dolce Vita, Turbo, Wicked Ways, Torrid, Fast Lane, Deep Throat, Orgasm*, Clean Cut* 

*existing shades.

Today i’ll be sharing swatches of the eyeshadow palette & new balms. Unfortunately the cheek palette wasn’t available for swatching at the time of preview; however according to the press release, it’s said to contain an all new formulation of highlighter called the Gel-to-Powder highlighter which is exciting!

For the lips there’re 6 new shades of Afterglow balm. The formula is undoubtedly more pigmented than before. Previously I found it impossible to get the colour to show up on a swatch but now there’s definitely more payoff (some more than others).

The new shades left to right, Wicked Ways, Torrid, Dolce Vita, Fast Lane, Deep Throat & Turbo.

If you snagged the cute Softcore stocking stuffers during Christmas you’d have already tried Dolce Vita or Torrid in the mini version. It’s identical to what’s releasing this Spring. More colour pay off but equally hydrating but noticeably creamier on the lips. I definitely think the new formula is even better.

Dolce Vita – is a soft nude rose

Torrid – an orangey coral

Wicked Ways – is a deep plum

Turbo – is a punchy cherry red

Deep Throat – is a soft peachy pink

Fast Lane – is a soft mauve pink

For the eyes NARS offers sorbet shades aptly combined into a neat little palette this spring. The overall feel is warm, with a hint of playfulness with the inclusion of pops of colour. The mattes were buttery. All smooth to the touch and infinitely pigmented. I also find the pop shades perfect for creating fun makeup looks through the season.

Here’s a quick look!

… and some swatches!

Overall I find the colour mix interesting and allows a variety of looks. If you are on the look out for a neutral palette, with options for some colour this would be ideal. The quality of the shadows are pretty much on par in comparison to their existing mattes and shimmer formula.

Bottom line

The collection is exactly what I love for spring, beautiful neutrals with pops of pink & soft sorbet shades for added interest. I love, love, LOVE the NARS Afterglow balms from last year so obviously these new ones are a must-have for me.My top pick would be Dolce Vita, Deep Throat and Turbo. Dolce Vita is that ideal MLBB shade which is bound to look great on everyone and Deep Throat another winner b’cos we love peachy pinks over here in this part of the world!

P.S- Click here for swatches of all the existing shades PLUS the limited edition Chinese New Year Afterglow balm Nuits de Chine (in limited edition red & gold packaging).

Launch dates

Collection launches beginning of February. I feel the Afterglow balms should fly off the shelves as soon as they hit, it would be a good idea to waitlist your favourite shades in store as restocks take time once they are sold out.

What’s on your beauty radar this spring? I’ll be reviewing a bunch of spring releases including the NARS blush edit for spring 2020. So stay tuned!

It’s been a while since NARS has focused on cheeks and finally we have some new shades! I’m a massive fan of the NARS blush formula and thrilled to see new additions.

There’re 10 brand new blushes hitting the shelves this February for a total of 26 shades. The lineup is pretty comprehensive with almost every colour family well represented. I personally hoped for more nudes, especially since my all time favourite NARS blush Madly will be discontinued.. However, i’m loving the new additions and already stocked up with backups on what I’ll miss from the old collection.

At the preview I noticed some of the new shades had an improved formula in comparison to my old NARS blushes. It’ll be interesting to see how the beauty community receives these. The formula is now more pigmented, swatching a lot more smoother with much finer shimmer (in the shimmery shades)!

I’ve been playing with a few new colours that I received, and it almost seems NARS is on the verge of revamping their blushes like they did with the eyeshadows in these past two years.

The lineup, (new shades marked with an *)

Orgasm X* – shimmering coral pink with gold pearl

Tempted* – silky shimmering beige

Illicit* – warm peachy brown with a satin finish

Savage* – shimmering mid tone bronze

Zen* – neutral mid tone matte brown

Behave* – neutral matte mauve

Dominate* – reddened bronze chrome

Aroused* – matte deep berry

Thrill* – matte blue toned pink

Coeur Battant* – matte bright blue toned pink

Orgasm – peachy pink with gold shimmer

Bumpy Ride – a bright peachy pink in a satin finish

Deep Throat – soft peachy pink with a golden sheen

Sex Appeal – matte pale peachy pink

Gina – muted matte peach

Torrid – warm shimmery mid tone coral

Liberté – neutral toned brick red

Lustre – peach with gold shimmer

Amour – matte mauve-y pink

Taos – reddened brick with golden shimmer

Dolce Vita – dusty rose in a satin finish

Sin – neutral mauve with a golden sheen

Mata Hari – dusty mid toned muted pink

Exhibit A – bright orangey red

Taj Mahal –  mandarine orange with shimmer

Impassioned – matte pale pink mauve

The most anticipated within the newly launched shades is Orgasm X. A brighter, bolder version of the original. The shimmer is a lot finer and smoother, which is perfect since I love my shimmers subtle!

Top to Bottom it’s, Tempted, Orgasm X and Dominate. My top three picks from the collection.

Swatched, Orgasm X is a bright coral pink. My first thought was how PERFECT this would be for summer when my tan starts showing. It’ll compliment medium skin tones so well!

Dominate on the other hand would be one for a bolder look, a burnished red that would balance a striking makeup look. I usually gravitate to shades like these for the night. The formula of all three were EXCELLENT. And for anyone with a medium deep complexion i’d highly recommend this one.

Tempted is more of a highlighter on me. It was the second blush that caught my eye. I loved how smooth and buttery this feels in the pan, the formula almost feels soft! It’s an unusual colour for blush and has a gorgeous sheen, on my medium fair complexion it’s almost golden. For even fairer skin tones this would almost be a very natural peachy nude. For reference, this looks very similar in finish to NARS Hot Sand delivering a very subtle/natural look.

Bottom Line

The colours are fantastic and i’m obsessed! There were a few shades I swatched that didn’t quite hit the mark (like Aroused which was very difficult to swatch as it felt a bit too dry, and Zen that was almost blending in with my skin tone and was also difficult to pick up). Other than a few misses, they are overall very promising.

I’d love to see more with the same formula as Dominate and the new Orgasm X. The quality was actually superb and i’ve got my fingers crossed, hoping they’d make some more!

Launch Date

4th February at the NARS Boutique at Takashimaya. With each blush retailing at SGD52

Late last year Chanel extended their shade range of Rouge Allure Inks while releasing a brand new matte version. The Rouge Allure Ink Fusions (SGD52 each).

Rouge Allure Inks have been a staple in my lipstick collection. Ultra light on the lips with impressive wear these have come to be my go-to for night outs and events. See original review here.

The new Rouge Allure Ink Fusions come in 12 shades.

I was gifted some by the Chanel PR team but later added more to the collection since I loved them so much. Shockingly I’m obsessed with the deeper tones, something I never usually go for!

Top to bottom we have,

204 Metallic Bronze (Rouge Allure Ink) – A metallic bronze

208 Metallic Red (Rouge Allure Ink) – A metallic true red

224 Harmonie (Rouge Allure Ink) – A neutral rose brown

804 Mauvy Nude – A medium rosewood

806 Pink Brown – A rosy nude

812 Rose-Rouge – A vibrant hot pink

816 Fresh Red – A bright poppy red

818 True Red – A true red

822 Deep Pink – A deep rich pink

824 Berry – A medium toned berry

826 Pourpre – A berry with heavy purple tones

828 Rouge Noir – A deep burgundy red

The shades i’m missing are Beige Naturel, Vibrant Pink & Coral Peach.

Chanel describes this formula as ‘A new generation liquid lip colour that immediately fuses with the lips to leave it’s imprint and make a bold impression. A second skin coating with intense, ultra matte colour that stays in tact all day for a weightless sensation of comfort’.

In my experience I found these to be truly weightless, pigmented (but thin) and ultra long wearing. I find these don’t accentuate lip lines (like cheap liquid lipsticks do) and have a subtle softness to them. They truly do look elegant on the lips.

Between the original Rouge Allure Inks and the Rouge Allure Ink Fusions, I find both have their merits though I do like the Fusion formula better for the reds especially as they doesn’t wear off easily. It’s thinner consistency makes it super lightweight, dries down completely matte with no tacky feeling and lasts longer with minimal need for touch ups.

The wand of the new Fusion formula is a tilted doe foot as opposed to the flocked paddle type wand of the Rouge Allure Inks. It makes for easier application and gives more control for applying the runnier formula of the Rouge Allure Ink Fusions. I like that there’s plenty of play time to lay down the application too. Liquid lipstick can be tricky when the formula is thinner and takes time to apply carefully with neat edges!

The lipsticks have a slight floral scent. Something to keep in mind if you prefer minimally scented or unscented lip products.

So far my favourites are Mauvy Nude, Pink Brown, True Red (which I practically reach for every time I do a red lip) & Berry which was one of my faves for fall.

The deeper shades Rose Rouge, Berry & Pourpre seemed to swatch slightly runnier and needed a little layering to even out the application. However they apply a lot more evenly on the lips and a little smoothing out gives you good coverage free of streaks. This formula also can be layered a little and never feels heavy.

The only shade with tricky application is Rouge Noir. I found this really needed patience and a lip liner to help it go on streak free. I wish the formula was a bit more workable since the colour was just stunning, it’s probably the only vampy shade i’d ever consider wearing.

On to some more swatches,

Bottom line,

These are absolutely lovely and I can’t get enough.

Within the extended shade range of the Rouge Allure Inks, Harmonie is now my new love, they feel soft and cushiony on the lips and definitely something to look into if you prefer a less matte feel on the lips.

Have you tried these yet? If not, which shades are you keen on trying?

Spring is fast approaching and this year Chanel delivered one of the prettiest drops for the season.

The collection includes some new and interesting products in a gorgeous colour palette!

I was most excited to see the Ombre Premiere Laque liquid eyeshadows. I love a good easy eyeshadow when i’m rushing off to meetings or running errands; these have been my go-to most days.

Here’s what I have for todays review :

Les 4 Ombre 354 Warm Memories

Ombre Premiere Laque 24 Rising Sun, 26 Quartz Rose, 28 Desert Wind

Stylo Ombre Et Contour Contour Brun

Les Vernis Day Dream, Mirage

Warm Memories is a striking mix of reddened mauvy plums and a muted peachy orange that brings a little light to an otherwise subdued palette.

Overall the payoff of these are on the sheerer side, with quite a bit of powder kick up in some shades (especially) deepest plum (shade 3).

I’ve tried various looks but somehow the three mauvy shades tend to blend together into one. The last plummy shade on the bottom row especially seemed to blend away every time I attempt to add some depth; it applies on the lid much lighter than expected. Other than that I think the palette will work better paired with the liquid shadows to help them adhere better. Overall I feel it’s one of the less impressive Chanel launches in recent times.

For todays look I chose eyeshadow placements that would clearly separate the colours so they don’t blend together too much.

I discovered the orange in the palette works better paired with Rising Sun, adding a little more colour and shimmer. It looks so warm and beautiful on the lid. I’d wear this on it’s own paired with the matte brown for a elegant spring or summer look.

The Ombre Premiere Laque are soft shimmery liquid eyeshadows with a transluscent quality to them. The pigmentation on these are good but sheer out when blended; however you can build them up for more impact. The formula is fairly thin and wont feel heavy on the eyes. Once set, they wear all day, (with some creasing around the 6 hour mark on me) but completely budge proof.

Overall I think these are awesome. The colours are all so good! You really can’t go wrong here.

I reach for Desert Wind for a subtle eye look when I want something neutral. It’s a great everyday shade. In comparison to the others, this contained more pronounced shimmers that catch the light making it livelier. It’s the most elegant sparkle possible and I love it.

Quartz Rose is my favourite and most worn. A must have in my opinion if you are keen to try these eyeshadows. It’s a sparkling metallic pink which on me tends to pull almost sandy and not outright a noticeable pink. I find this adds a little something extra to the makeup look while keeping things polished.

Rising Sun is a medium copper. You can see why it fits so well into this collection. It’s a perfect compliment to the Warm Memories Eyeshadow palette.

I like to use these as a base to extend the wear of powder eyeshadows on days I skip a primer. But on their own they look stunning too just a lot more sheerer than i’d hoped. I find the more you blend, the more pronounced the shimmers look as the base colour sheers out. I’d suggest a patting motion for application to retain as much colour on to the lid.

Here’s a look at the Chanel eyeshadows along with one of my favourite liquid shadow formulas, the Armani Eye Tints.

If you already own these you probably LOVE them as well. The deeper shades are far more pigmented than the Chanel counterpart, and less sparkly. The lighter Armani Eye Tints can be blended out on the lids to look like what can be best described as a ‘glow’. I’m already halfway through my Armani 46 Halo.

Stylo Et Contour are some of my favourite eye products from Chanel, I have a few from previous launches and Contour Clair is one of my most worn and great for a little crease definition when I do soft eye looks. I was excited to see a deep brown in this years Spring lineup and it’s perfect for a smudgy smokey look. The product is a twist up style jumbo eyeshadow stick and perfect to scribble on and blend with fingers (or a brush). They are quite emollient and lend themselves to be topped with powder shadows if need be.

The nail polish from the collection are gorgeous! There’s two shades, Day Dream and Mirage. Day Dream is a light mauvy nude, and Mirage a creamy grape.

For both colours I did two coats for a fully opaque finish; without a top coat it lasted beautifully for 4+ days with minimal tip wear.

I feel between the two Mirage was something I didn’t expect to love as much as I did, once applied I really appreciated the contrast Mirage provides and the somewhat unexpected colour choice for spring.

Lastly, a look created with Warm Memories and Rising Sun. I also added Contour Brun on the lower lash line.

Bottom Line

I think the must have’s from the collection are the nail polishes & the liquid shadows. I wouldn’t mind adding more shades of those tbh. Rayon looks like a great highlight to compliment the lineup. The truth is i’m a sucker for easy wearable makeup!

The Warm Memories palette wasn’t a must-have for me; I feel the quality could be much better and the colours lacked enough contrast. Overall it looked dull on the eyes. I feel the colours look better worn as singles rather than together.

The products I skipped were the highlighter palette and the other eye quad Elemental. I felt the highlighter too subtle for my skin tone and the eyeshadow palette barely showed up on my light medium skin tone. I usually prefer well pigmented deeper colours for decent contrast on my eyes. Taupes and shimmery bronze is usually my jam.

Have you picked anything from this collection? I know i’m terribly late to post up the review but currently in the process of warming up to blogging more consistently again and clearing up the backlog.

I hope you enjoyed todays post and found it useful. x

For Spring 2020 Dior released 2 new limited edition Diorskin Nude Luminizers and i’m IN LOVE! I always tell myself I don’t need any more highlighters but when it comes to Dior I have zero self control.

Dior also released 3 new Backstage Rosy Glow blushes earlier this year as well. There were 2 new shades along with the original, all repackaged in a new sleek format. I honestly don’t get the hype of the original pink as it’s so dry and powdery, but the new limited edition colour Pearl caught my eye so I added to cart.

These limited edition Nude Luminizers have the most beautiful swirl embossing. They still come in the slim compact with the silver lid and clear acrylic base which I love. As far as packaging goes, Dior really nailed it with this one. It’s also lightweight and very portable too.

Here’s a look at the two shades, Coral Vibes and Rosy Vibes.

Coral Vibes is a peachy coral with a golden glistening sheen. The powder is harder pressed so not much kick up, but silky smooth when applied. The payoff is a medium opacity that can be built up.

Rosy Vibes is a pale pink with soft lilac and pink shimmers; it almost looks holographic and glittery in direct lighting. The lighter base in this makes it more suitable for fairer skin tones, however still wearable and look good on medium-light skin tones (like mine) without pulling ashy.

The texture between the two are slightly different. I feel Rosy Vibes has a tendency to go on sheerer when applied.

So far i’ve been using a moderately dense brush so there’s zero chance of overdoing it. However I feel it’s pretty safe to use even if you are a bit heavy handed.

On to some comparisons!

I swatched these alongside two newly released highlighters and some older Nude Luminizers in my stash for reference (in case you happen to have some of them).

As seen, Metal Peach has a distinct peachiness and Chantecaille Eclat Brillant an obvious gold.

Dior Rosy Glow 003 Pearl is a soft pink with subtle golden shimmer. It’s a very portable and handy size. Luckily the colour is also pretty nice! Swatched heavily this shade almost leans blue toned, but blended out it adapts n warms up on the skin. I feel the trickery is in the fact that it’s so sheer and almost translucent which is what makes it suit every possible skin tone imparting that veil of a rosy flush.

If you are on the look out for something pigmented and statement worthy this definitely won’t cut it; but more suitable for a natural flushed look or a ‘rosy glow’ as the name suggests.

Here’re a few more comparisons. I know you most likely own NARS Orgasm so what better reference point! NARS clearly has more pronounced gold shimmers. In Dior they are more spread out and less noticeable. In real life it can look matte with a subtle sheen especially when it’s applied over a matte foundation. On bare skin it looks more satin to the naked eye when it melds with the luminosity of skin.

Another blush i’ve been really loving is this Hourglass one from the Holiday 2019 Ghost Quad. The base in this pulls a little more blue toned even though when I grabbed to swatch it, I was so sure they were identical.

Overall I believe it’s a beautiful blush. It depends on how barely there you like your blush to be. It’s definitely buildable but I can’t say it’s a must have, even though the packaging is sooo cute & irresistible.

Bottom Line

Coral Vibes is my favourite from my Dior Picks so far. I also grabbed one of the polishes, but yet to try it. I’ll swatch it for Instagram soon though.

What are your picks from Dior Spring 2020?

Early January I got my hands on the ever illusive Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask. This initially launched a while back in selective regions & online at Tatcha, but now available in Singapore via (Sephora) & hopefully here to stay.

I always wondered if it REALLY was worth the hype?

The Kissu Lip Mask according to the brand is an ‘ultra-soothing Japanese peach jelly that smooths, plumps and helps restore overnight for soft, pillowy lips.’

‘Formulated without parabens, synthetic fragrance, mineral oil, sulfate detergents, phthalates, urea, DEA, or TEA. Non Irritating. Non sensitising. Dematologist tested’.

The product is packaged in the cutest little acrylic jar with it’s own dedicated gold spatula. Ideally I wish it could be attached and stored on top of the jar like other Tatcha creams, but still handy and useful never the less for getting product out without having to dip fingers in (which can contaminate the product).

Even for the pickiest users, this feels super cushion-y on the lip and soft, with a lot of slip and no tackiness. What I like most is there’s no artificial fragrance. It’s near impossible to find a lip mask that’s fragrance-free these days and thank goodness someone decided to make one!

On a regular day i’d scoop out a small pearl sized amount for one application. Within 1-2 hours all flakes are softened and can be scrubbed off to reveal the softest lips. It’s like a conditioning treatment.

Sadly I don’t find it very useful as an overnight treatment as most of it gets rubbed off on my pillow while I sleep; I like to bury my face into the pillow, one side at least… soooo, this i’ve been saving for days when I really need some TLC after an at home facial. Or when I just want to condition my dry lips as I work.

Bottom line

Overall I do love the product. It’s pretty spendy, and i’d classify it as a lip-luxury that’s more of a want than a ‘need’. If you constantly suffer from dry lips it’s a good product to invest in. I feel the appeal in it for me is that it’s fragrance-free and has a nice texture and most importantly gets the job done.

*To make this post more informative i’m rounding up some of the other masks i’ve used before. The most popular is one by Laneige. It comes in several flavours and freely available; also the most budget friendly at a great SGD27! (everything else is well over SGD45). Last year Sulwhasoo introduced their version of lip mask in a gorgeous pot, and quite similar to the Tatcha. I’ve been liking that too.

I would say the closest in terms of texture and conditioning capacity is the Sulwhasoo Essential Lip Mask. If you can’t get your hands on Kissu, this would be my next recommendation.  It’s mildly fragranced.

The Estée Lauder Lip Repair Potion isn’t quite as remarkable as the others but a nice contender if you feel you could use some lip therapy on the go. I also like this as it’s a thin formula and can be worn under lipstick for more comfort.

Personally for daily (day time) use, i’m a fan of the Hera Lip Balms that I find are excellent for hydrating and bringing some extra colour. A true winner for dry chapped lips. I never knew a tinted lip balm (that looked like a lipstick with full on colour) could ever be so conditioning. I am blown away.

Another great lip conditioner that launched several years ago is the Clarins Lip Comfort Oil. I don’t think there’s still a formula to rival this. It’s one of those all time greats for me. I even hoarded multiple back-ups when it launched. The new Dior lip oils that dropped a few months were a poor copy. Thick & heavy, they feel more like a sticky gloss to me. I had zero good things to say about it; the only merit would be the luxurious packaging.

Ingredients List

TRIISOSTEARIN, POLYGLYCERYL-2 TRIISOSTEARATE, SQUALANE, SUCROSE HEXAISOSTEARATE, DEXTRIN PALMITATE, ALUMINUM DISTEARATE, DEXTRIN PALMITATE/ETHYLHEXANOATE, CAMELLIA JAPONICA SEED OIL, PRUNUS PERSICA (PEACH) KERNEL EXTRACT, PRUNUS PERSICA (PEACH) FRUIT WATER, CITRUS UNSHIU PEEL EXTRACT, ROSA CANINA FRUIT/(ROSA CENTIFOLIA/ROSA DAMASCENA) FLOWER EXTRACT, LITHOSPERMUM OFFICINALE ROOT EXTRACT, SACCHAROMYCES/CAMELLIA SINENSIS LEAF/CLADOSIPHON OKAMURANUS/RICE FERMENT FILTRATE*, ALLANTOIN, STEARYL GLYCYRRHETINATE, TOCOPHEROL, ETHYLHEXYL PALMITATE, TRIBEHENIN, SORBITAN ISOSTEARATE, PALMITOYL TRIPEPTIDE-1, PYRIDOXINE HCL, AQUA/WATER/EAU, PROPANEDIOL, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, PARFUM/FRAGRANCE, PHENOXYETHANOL, IRON OXIDES (CI 77491), LAUROYL LYSINE, ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE, SILICA

*HADASEI-3

Pricing and Availability

Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask SGD54 (9g) available via Sephora SG.

Clé de Peau Beauté reformulated their eye cream last summer and I was sent a sample for review. I’ve had a good couple of months of dedicated use and thought i’ll share my experience here since it’s been a while since i’ve made time for a skincare chat.

Lately, i’ve also been enjoying a little extra pampering during quarantine and wanted to include their eye mask too; which is so perfect for these very strangely restless days when people are working from home and trying to get their minds off this current crazy pandemic! Just a little treat to keep the spirits up.

As most eye care in the luxury market, this new eye cream is packaged in a jar. There’s also the usual spatula (that’s dual ended) with a massager to pick up product and massage it into the skin for maximum absorption, (i’ve found daily massaging really does help the product absorb nicely and increases blood flow while also de-puffing in the mornings).

The Enhancing Eye Contour Cream Supreme is a light weight albeit deeply hydrating soft cream. The texture is silky smooth and absorbs very fast. I’d grab a rice grains amount for each application which is enough for both eyes. It’s the perfect prep if you wear makeup daily. There’s no issue of piling. It hydrates and keep your under eyes from looking crepe-y.

When it comes to anti-aging creams it always feels like it’s not working until you suddenly notice results one day. With a good two months into my routine I noticed my eye contour looking fresher and brighter. The circles and tiredness I normally see when I wake up had significantly diminished.

Around the 3-4 month mark, (I still had plenty left in my jar) and my wrinkles significantly smoothed out. I don’t have severe lines, but with my eye shape I do have a noticeable few; obviously any help in this regard is always appreciated. Overall I see my eye area looking firmer and less saggy and just brighter.

You will love this if you are,

• In your early 30’s and starting on an anti-aging routine
• Have fine lines and loosing firmness around the eye contour
• Need a light weight eye cream
• Looking for something to help with dark circles

This is not for,

• Anyone with severely dry under eyes; I just don’t think it’ll be rich enough to really solve that problem.

Bottom Line

It’s a great starter anti-aging eye cream. It won’t be too heavy for younger skin. Just the right amount of daily hydration and perfect texture to wear under makeup. I don’t mind being a little extra generous at night to make sure my skin is extra hydrated as I sleep.

It really does work well to brighten the eye area if you suffer from dark shadows under your eyes and erases the finer lines preventing them from becoming severe. The best way to describe the results would be firmer, lifted skin with brightness in the eyes for a youthful look.

Overall my switch to Clé de Peau Basic Care Routine has been really helpful for maintaining well hydrated, ‘juicy’ skin. I’ve been also loving the Hydro Softening Lotion which is a must before any other skincare goes on.

Have you tried Cpb skincare?

The recent months haven’t been easy. With the Covid restrictions easing up been feeling slightly more anxious about how we move forward now on. One thing that has taken a back seat is blogging, and i’ve also been taking some time off Instagram too. However, if you’ve been missing the makeup reviews, today I have something exciting to share. It’s been a long time coming.

NARS Spring 2020 Cool Crush is all about warmth, definition and pops of colour…. a collection that works all year round.

The Collection consists of,

Cool Crush Eyeshadow Palette

The Hot Fix Cheek Palette

Loaded Lip Lacquer

I received most of the collection and also the Afterglow Lip Balms which were swatched previously on the blog as they launched..

I’ve always been a fan of the NARS blush formula and this new palette is perfectly curated for summer. Top to Bottom we have Sugar Spirit, Dream Place, Spark Got Hot, Gold Leash.

Sugar Spirit is stunning bronze with a delicate tinge of rose, the formula is soft and well pigmented; perfect as a blush topper. Dream Place is a matte neutral brown, Spark Got Hot is a pink satin nude and Gold Leash a buttery smooth champagne gold. The two blushes Dream Place and Spark Got Hot are very softly pressed. The brush produces kick up but the overall application isn’t powdery and gives you buildable colour. I’ve been using Spark Got Hot most days topped with Sugar Spirit. My usual go-to natural mix since I don’t wear much colour day to day.

Swatches,

The Cool Crush Eyeshadow palette contains 12 colours.

The pigmentation in most of the shades are superb and apply smoothly. My favourites are Superclass, Prowl & Feist which were similar to the hardwired sheen finish of the permanent line, they really exceed expectations.

Soft Chill – is a matte cream. The texture ultra soft and blendable.

Sexed – is a silky, pale gold.

Superclass – is a lively shimmery taupe with an incredibly smooth texture.

Nylon – is a matte pink beige.

Fresh Cut – is a warm medium tan with subtle golden shimmer.

Inception – is a teal with golden shimmer.

Prowl – is a metallic rose.

Shake It – is a warm satin peach.

Feist – is a bold rich metallic gold.

Ganges – is a deep matte teal.

Risk – is a matte brick red.

Isolde 2 – is a silky golden bronze and the only shade that’s already a permanent Nars colour.

Overall the palette delivers. The pops of colour give you the option to play, while the neutrals work well for everyday wear.

For the lips, The Cool Crush collection includes 4 Loaded Lip Lacquers. I picked out the two lightest shades. The palest shade (Playin’ Around) is paler than my usual faves, but the formula in these are so easy to wear. If there’s one thing i’ll be reaching for all summer it’s the Young Hearts Loaded Lip Lacquer. The formula is glossy& conditioning, these feel plush and comfortable on the lips. Especially good if you are prone to dry/flakey lips.

Swatches,

I swatched a few of my favourite NARS gloss formulas for a quick comparison. Swing has been one of my favourites for the longest time, and Young Hearts following closely behind.

I also included my go-to NARS Lip Pencils along with the comparisons since a lip liner is essential for full opacity. So far Vence is my pairing combo with Young Hearts. The warmth of Young Hearts gives me a 90’s lip look and I’m loving the combo (it’s what i’m wearing in todays makeup look below).

Sharing a quick look with the collection here; I used the Cool Crush Palette along with Spark Got Hot for the cheeks. I love the pop of teal blue on the lower lashes, so sultry and lifts the bronzy shades on the rest of the eye.

The eyeshadow placements are, Sexed in the inner corner, Isolde 2 on the lid and Ganges layered with Inception on the lower lash line. I’ve also blended the crease with Fresh Cut and Soft Chill.

Bottom line, the collection is gorgeous. I feel the eye palette especially delivers. A variety of looks can be achieved wether subtle or full on glam depending on the mood. Unless you already own many Nars nude palettes, this one’s a great addition. The mix makes it ultra versatile. I especially love that I don’t need to grab additional palettes to make this work, there’s already a great pale matte and shades to contour the socket and add depth. It’s a winner.

From the lips I’d highly recommend Young Hearts, if you enjoy warmer nudes, you might not want to miss this one. Also check out Foxy. I regret not picking that over Playin’ Around after seeing swatches online.

Overall the collection is an A+ . Even though the mattes in the Hot Fix cheek palette could be more pigmented, it’s one of those palettes I’d feel comfortable grabbing for everyday or travel. It’s fool proof and contain solid everyday shades. I LOVE Sugar Spirit especially now that it’s summer. Works as a perfect blush topper (or on it’s own) for warmth and looks beautiful on the eyes as well.

Have you picked up anything from this collection?

How have you been doing? The months past Covid outbreak have been a bit crazy. As much as I enjoy luxury beauty, i’ve been keeping things quiet as I don’t think anyone ‘needs’ a new red toned palette or that brand new MLBB lipstick. The current situation puts things into perspective doesn’t it?

I still however feel that life’s little luxuries and some new makeup lighten the mood and therefore happy to share these exciting launches with you. I haven’t been blogging but IG has been updated (infrequently!) and I have been talking about some of the products in this review. 

The Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray promises 16 hour wear of flawlessness. No melting, no fading, no creasing.

Firstly, I love the overall aesthetic of the packaging. It actually comes in 2 sizes and I picked up the larger one (which I regret now as i’d have found the mini more useful in terms of portability). The bigger size is a generous 100ml for ($35) which should last a while though and more value price/ml.

The mist is fine and delicately fragranced, just enough to signal the brands ‘luxury’ positioning but never lingers. Which I love. On application there’s no tackiness or dewiness. I was expecting more of a ‘glow’ with this product but relieved there’s no oily feel or tackiness. Usually setting sprays always end up so dewy and unless you have dry skin and crave that glow, no one needs their face to be shiny when set. 

The overall appearance is that your foundation is now one with the skin. I can’t claim to have seen any blurring effect or ‘shrinking of pores’ but I do love that it seems to control excess oil and prolong the wear of foundation. 16 hours might be a stretch given I live in a hot and humid climate year round, but it’s capabilities of holding makeup in place is pretty impressive. 

I like that it also ensures the makeup looking fresh without drying up and locks in the moisture. (Glycerin is in the ingredient list which is a known humectant). Other than that the ingredient list also contains a few other skincare ingredients I enjoy such as Aloe Leaf Juice  and Camellia leaf extract. Both found in skincare that soothes dry skin.  

Bottom line, I do enjoy the product and think is just lovely. It achieves a perfect balance of keeping makeup in place without sucking all the moisture out of your skin. Normally long wear setting sprays feel so dehydrating or sticky, and this does not.

Along with my Setting Spray I ordered the mini Magic Serum. As far as minis go this one was shockingly tiny! I only ever wanted to test it out but the size is pretty decent if you have trouble deciding on splurging on the full sized product. 

The full size retails at $80. Not too bad considering most luxury products of a similar category retail around the same price. 

The Magic Serum is packaged in a luxurious glass bottle, (even the mini!) and comes with a dropper dispenser. Not my ideal packaging for skincare since air and impurities can end up in the product causing contamination, but this one is all about ‘Vanity Goals’, pretty packaging that adds to the whole ritual of indulging in expensive skincare and looks good in any boudoir.

The texture of this is ultra luxurious, it’s silky without the silicone-y feel and absorbs beautifully! I honesty don’t intend to use this in my day to day skincare but instead a primer for dry skin when I use my Westman Atelier Foundation. I noticed it needed more slip for smooth application (over my flakey areas) and this does the job perfectly. Even though the box comes plastered with a million (exaggerated) claims, I do enjoy the serum and find it amazing for soothing and prepping dry skin. Makeup does look more glowy and fresh and all I need is 4 little drops for the entire face.

P.S- The ingredient list is pretty impressive too. I’ll add in all the details right at the end of this post. 

Bottom Line

I feel the serum and setting spray does deliver. The larger bottles are definitely more value for money but the setting spray is good to try out in a smaller size if you are unsure if this works for your skin. Plus it’s more travel friendly! 

I like that the serum in particular spreads so well and instantly plumps the skin up for flawless makeup application. I haven’t tried it long enough or consistently to confirm the claims of ‘skin looking younger’; but then a mini wont last long enough to see real long term results.. However, I feel this would be a lifesaver in the drier months to come for keeping the skin nourished and hydrated under makeup. It’s an expensive primer in my eyes rather than skincare and I do enjoy it! Dry skin types will LOVE this.

Have you picked up any of these? I’m so tempted to try the Magic Cream Light. I could have sworn I ordered one but can’t seem to find it. The packaging looks suspiciously similar to one that La Mer does &  curious to see if they are alike at all. I might just order one. 

Ingredient list

Magic Serum –

AQUA/WATER/EAU, NIACINAMIDE, GLYCERETH-26, TRIHEPTANOIN, GLYCERIN, METHYL GLUCETH-20, SILICA, CAMELLIA OLEIFERA SEED OIL, QUARTZ POWDER, AMETHYST POWDER, RUBY POWDER, GOLD, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) OIL, PHENOXYETHANOL, DIMETHYL-ISOSORBIDE, POLYSORBATE 20, GLYCERYL STEARATE, BUTYLENE GLYCOL, OCTYLDODECYL OLEATE, BENZYL ALCOHOL, MYROTHAMNUS FLABELLIFOLIA LEAF EXTRACT, PEG-100 STEARATE, OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE, SCHISANDRA CHINENSIS (MAGNOLIA) FRUIT EXTRACT, CARBOMER, SODIUM GLUCONATE, SODIUM HYALURONATE, CHONDRUS CRISPUS (CARRAGEENAN) EXTRACT, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, SAUSSUREA INVOLUCRATA CALLUS EXTRACT, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ALOE BARBADENSIS LEAF JUICE, POLYGLUTAMIC ACID, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, SORBITOL, MAGNESIUM ASPARTATE, ZINC GLUCONATE, ROSA CANINA FRUIT EXTRACT, POLYHYDROXYSTEARIC ACID, OCTYLDODECANOL, SODIUM BENZOATE, PROPANEDIOL, BIOSACCHARIDE GUM-4, XANTHAN GUM, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), PLUMERIA ALBA FLOWER EXTRACT, PLUMERIA RUBRA FLOWER EXTRACT, LITHOTHAMNION CALCAREUM EXTRACT, LACTIC ACID, POTASSIUM SORBATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, COPPER GLUCONATE, HYDRATED SILICA, 1,2-HEXANEDIOL, CITRIC ACID, SOLANUM TUBEROSUM (POTATO) PULP EXTRACT, ACETYL TETRAPEPTIDE-11, ACETYL TETRAPEPTIDE-9, DEHYDROACETIC ACID, ASCORBIC ACID, GLUTATHIONE, LIMONENE, GERANIOL, CITRONELLOL, LINALOOL, CITRAL.

Setting Spray –

INGREDIENTS: AQUA/WATER/EAU, AMP-ACRYLATES/ALLYL METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER, PVP, PHENOXYETHANOL, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, PROPANEDIOL, POLYSORBATE 20, CITRIC ACID, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, ALOE BARBADENSIS (ALOE VERA) LEAF JUICE POWDER, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), POTASSIUM SORBATE, GLYCERIN, CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE, CAMELLIA OLEIFERA LEAF EXTRACT, PISTACIA LENTISCUS GUM, HYDROGENATED LECITHIN, LEUCONOSTOC/RADISH ROOT FERMENT FILTRATE, PHENETHYL ALCOHOL.

Victoria Beckham recently launched 9 new lipsticks. They are priced at $38 each and described as “buttery soft lipstick in a clean vegan formula with rich colour payoff and natural shine”. 

I blindly picked up 6 directly from the Victoria Beckham site which is where the entire beauty range is available. The collection can also be found in-store in Victoria Beckham boutiques with some bits of the range at Cult Beauty and Net-a-Porter where I purchase more frequently since the VB site doesn’t ship worldwide and only select countries.

The lipsticks are mailed in a cream drawstring bag, perfect for reusing as a wash bag for when you travel or repurposed as a nifty little pouch to keep maybe your cables and chargers etc. I do enjoy these little extra touches that add to the luxury experience when you buy high end makeup.

The lipsticks come packaged in a slim, twist up tube with a gorgeous tortoise shell finish. Absolutely stunning! Hands down my favourite lipstick packaging so far. It’s also weighty and feels substantial like most luxury lipsticks.

The finish of these are almost a creamy balm. If you were hoping for full coverage lipsticks, these are definitely not it; and I do see them more as an easy to wear balmy lipstick formula that can be applied without a mirror. They feel very comfortable on the lips, which I really like, and don’t feel heavy on. They are truly hydrating and condition the lips.

The payoff of these vary between shades, the best ones so far have been Play & Sway. There’s noticeably less slip in these two and a slightly drier formula. Also happen to be my favourite shades within the range.

Fringe – A chocolate brown

Play – Deep Merlot

Pose – A muted mauve

Sway – A soft mauvy pink

Spice – A light true nude

Girl – Pale nude with a hint of pink

My favourites are Play and Sway as mentioned earlier as well as Girl which is a nice easy to wear shade for daily use. It’s actually the most perfect nude for light to light medium complexions.

The only colour I didn’t like, actually two.. was Spice and Fringe. With olive complexions, the best shades are lipsticks that don’t lean too yellow, and these just emphasise my golden/green undertone making me look sallow.

Overall I do like the lipsticks. It’s right up my alley and just the kind of thing I use day to day. I do wish they were slightly more pigmented and come in a wider shade range though. Right now I feel a majority of the shades are geared towards the lighter skin tones and the medium to deep complexions are left with only a handful of options. The paler shades such as Spice & Girl will not work on anyone NC 35 and up, most likely would need to be layered over a lip pencil. I myself always tend to line my lips whenever I wear nudes since I already have pretty pigmented lips; and a cleaner look can be achieved by ensuring the whole lip is ‘neutralised’ with the help of a pencil. The formula most certainly benefits from a pencil and luckily VB does some good ones too. The shades I have are 2, 3 & 4 which I feel would match a majority of the lipsticks I own.

As much as I love the attention to detail on the packaging and overall purchasing experience, I feel the lipsticks themselves could have been better. They are lovely, but not exactly WOW… if you know what I mean. Especially at a time when masks cover 50% of the face, it’s important to have lipsticks that actually last, the timing of the product launch is just off.

Anyway the best buys would be Sway, an excellent pink for everyday and Play, a gorgeous lipstick for a bolder look. Those two, I LOVE & highly recommend, but the colours themselves I feel can be easily duped if you are a lipstick lover.

Overall my opinion is, if you love sheerer lipsticks and usually gravitate to a nourishing & clean formula, these will be perfect for you. Colours like Girl, Sway and Pose are great for daily use and feel luxurious, which is what we ultimately look for in a luxury lipstick.

The highly anticipated Chanel Les Beiges collection just launched. Packaged in signature beige for the season, the collection embodies the lightness it represents. Elegant textures, subtle flashes of colour with a signature Chanel touch.

The collection consists of ;

Two bases, Water Fresh Tint & Healthy Glow Foundation both reviewed previously here & here.

Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow Palettes in two colour ways : Tender , Intense

Rouge Coco Flash in Dawn (le) , Heat (le) , Flame & Sunbeam

Nail polish in shades, Glimmer (le) , Sunlight, Golden Sand (le) , Solar

The western markets will also be retailing the Soleil Tan Bronzer in a NEW darker shade Deep Bronze.

The lipsticks for Les Beiges 2021 are my favourite Rouge Coco Flash formula. If you follow me on instagram you’ll notice they make a regular appearance in my makeup bag.

The formula is essentially a semi-sheer one with conditioning ingredients. They are the perfect no fuss formula for everyday & summer holidays ensuring the lips stay juicy and hydrated throughout the day.

For 2021, the palette is a shimmering sand, a peach, a warm rose and a hot red.

Flame – Is a medium warm rose

Dawn – Is a light neutral nude with the slightest hint of shimmer

Sunbeam – Is a muted peach with silver shimmer

Heat – Is a warm spicy red infused with specks of gold shimmer

My favourite of the collection is Dawn. There’s a subtle shimmer finish that is invisible when worn but adds a sheen to the overall finish. If you enjoy your summer lipsticks neutral, this is gorgeous.

Sunbeam is a muted peachy apricot. I noticed a chunky silver shimmer dispersed throughout the lipstick, though hardly noticeable on the lips. It’s a very cute colour for summer. Should suit most complexions except deeper skin tones since it doesn’t lean too warm or too light.

Flame is a stunning warm rose. This one’s more pigmented in comparison to the others of the collection and would suit medium and darker skin tones beautifully. It’s the one shade that’s a true cream finish & contains no shimmers.

Heat as the name suggests is a spicy warm red. The formula of this is somewhat sheer with noticeable golden shimmers (if you look closely in the swatch you can spot it). Even though the Rouge Coco Flash is a balmy, emmolient formula, this ones extra balmy! I find the pigments in this settle into lip lines and doesn’t give you an even finish. Of the 4 lipsticks, I liked this the least. I’m sure it’ll work better over a lip liner if there’s a drier base for it to hold on to.

Overall the wear is what’s expected of a glossy formula (maximum 2-3 hours) but they do fade evenly, which is good.

I’ve put together some comparison swatches of formulas and colours that I felt would be similar. I don’t have any possible dupes. But in terms of formula, and texture, the YSL Rouge Volupté Shine’s are very similar. The Chanel Le Rouge Crayon formula has similar slip but infinitely more pigmented!

Moving on to the eye palette, I have Tender to share with you. The colours are meant to be more on the sheerer translucent side hence the name Healthy Glow Natural Eyeshadow. I do find these excellent for a natural everyday makeup look (which I guess what they are intended for anyway).

Each of the Les Beiges palettes come with 5 shades. Tender contains a pale pink, a deep reddened brown, a sparkling champagne nude, a glittery pink, a medium pink rose.

The shades come together perfectly to create a soft blown out eye look. For more payoff I use my fingers to add more colour, but overall these are sheerer but blend like a dream. It embodies the lightness and carefree nature of this summer collection.

The only shade I really found hard to work with was the glitter. It struggled to stay on, even though I used my fingers to apply. The palette in general would most certainly benefit from a primer pre-application. I use my Chanel eye primer to get the best staying power for all my eye looks.

.. swatches!

Within the collection I feel the nail polishes were some of the BEST offerings. Firstly I am not a fan of pearly satin finish nail polish.

But…. these two shades are amazing! I’ve always had trouble achieving a streak free application with shimmer polishes but Chanel has nailed the formula. Two coats is all it takes for a opaque application. Top coat optional since these dry so glossy anyway.

I love Sunlight. It’s a gorgeous shade for brides. The colour is a neutral rose. Golden Sand is a warmer gold toned nude. They both apply so evenly I was tempted to pick up a backup of Sunlight. I’ve already ordered Glimmer in the hope it’s this exact formula. Fingers crossed!

I feel the nail polishes were perfectly executed. Both colours outstanding. I love the lipsticks too. Must-haves to me are Dawn & Sunbeam. Beautiful colours that’ll transport you to warm sunny days.

The eyeshadow palette is pretty; I feel the overall looks that can be created are rather muted since the formula is on the sheerer side. As much as I want to love it, there are definitely better palettes for your money. Though I do enjoy wearing this one, it’s not a must-have.

Have you purchased anything so far? I think Dawn will be a staple in my makeup bag regardless of season. Hoping Chanel realeases more nudes and mlbb shades within the Rouge Coco Flash range. I can never get enough!

Collection currently available at all Chanel Beauty Counters and Beauty Boutiques.

*This post contains PR gifts sent for review.

Let’s talk about the latest in luxury beauty; Louboutin Beauty has expanded it’s portfolio with a new range of palettes for the eyes and cheeks. The compacts and refills are sold individually, which adds up to a total of SGD 216 per palette. There’s a red and black compact to choose from… and then three eyeshadow palette refills + three blush trio refills to mix and match.

It’s quite the splurge considering each empty palette is SGD108 and another SGD108 for the refill. Still cannot get over how much it costs to have just one palette with the case! But I do appreciate the effort to be environmentally conscious even though I might never really pan these palettes.

The empty palette is a stunning compact with a magnetic closure. The top is studded with signature Louboutin spikes (that surprisingly don’t seem to add a load of weight) and the bottom of the palette has an equally pretty ‘red sole’ .

Each palette assembles with a satisfying click thanks to the magnetized case. Perfection! Honestly wish Hermes got it right that first time.

My picks from the eyeshadow palettes were Rose Pigalle & Bronze Eloise. These look like the most likely combinations I’d normally wear. I wish the two had a bit more variation of colours. Unfortunately BOTH contain a gold shade with one palette containing TWO. I honestly didn’t see the point in releasing similar shades when the launch is such a small one. Also there is room for some matte shades in the palettes. Bronze Eloise had one matte brown, luckily!

Unfortunately the variety of looks from Rose Pigalle is limited to shimmery, sparkly ones. I really hoped the brown in this was matte. But at least the palette didn’t contain two golds!

Rose Pigalle is a mix of, a pink with gold shimmer, a warm gold with micro glitter, a shimmery copper, a rich metallic orange, a satin brown with gold shimmer and a rich metallic maroon.

The formula between these vary, the two shades bottom left and right (orange & maroon) swatch like baked (wet and dry) formulas. I tried them wet and they really do POP. The only shade I wasn’t loving was the satin brown, the gold shimmer in this ends up in the eye when I use it to line the lower lash line and irritates. Personally I prefer darker shades to have minimal to no shimmer (especially when the formula is a powdery one and tends to escape while applying). Overall the pigmentation in these shadows were pretty good. I wouldn’t say they are crazy pigmented and buttery like let’s say… the Pat Mcgrath shadows, but I do think they are good. I also actually like the gold in this palette. It has a gorgeous high shimmer glittery finish that can be worn on it’s own for a statement eye look. I’d use it patted and pressed on all over the lid with fingertips for maximum effect.

My only gripe is that the palette isn’t well balanced. The addition of some matte shadows would definitely allow more variety in terms of the looks.

If you really want to try out the Louboutin formula and enjoy luxury palettes, I definitely feel this would be the one to go for. Of the three palettes Rose Pigalle had a better colour mix in my humble opinion (read, no repeat shades).

Bronze Eloise is the ‘neutral’ palette that …. wasn’t quite neutral. I really didn’t get the need for two golds. I feel this missed the mark in that sense since the launch didn’t have a single true ‘neutral’ palette that many of us tend to use on a regular basis. What was lacking was a matte cream or a simple beige that would really kick up the versatility of this one, minus the gold. The 1st gold really wasn’t needed. Who needs a pale gold that’s pigmented ‘ok’ at best and a incredibly warm but well pigmented, VERY yellow gold too?

Anyway.. the shades in here are a shimmery rose, a satin gold, a medium matte brown, a rose bronze, a warm saturated gold and a deep metallic bronze. My favorite shade in the palette is the 1st one, the beautiful satin rose. It’s formula is silky smooth and just the kinda shade I love to use as a one and done colour for daily use. It’s so pretty.

The first gold in the palette is more of a muted pale gold, the second a warm saturated one. The matte brown swatched ok, but did perform much better with a brush. I feel overall these pick up with brushes really well and blend out nicely! They look very smooth on the eyes.

Bottom line, the palettes weren’t extraordinary. I do think they create a glamourous eye look as the brand intended. It’s all about drama. If I had to pick, I can’t say I love one more than the other.. except where wearabilty is concerned I guess you would be better off with Bronze Eloise.

Of the blush palettes I pick up one.

I ADORE the shades in this. Plus it’s a baked Gelee type formula. Silky smooth, amazingly pigmented and wears like a second skin with no powderiness. This almost melts and fuses with the skin for a luminous glowy finish. On me they wore well for over 5-6 hours after which they faded considerably.

The colours in here are definitely more for medium to deeper skin tones and I love that the brand kept this launch more inclusive.

Left to right there is a berry with a subtle blue shift, a warm gold highlighter and a bronze. I was curious to swatch this along with the NARS blush Dominate and to be quite honest they are very similar (almost like a mix of the two blush shades in the palette). However NARS is a little bit more bolder, more saturation and also contains a little micro glitter that catches the light for a dazzling look. I went ahead and swatched one of my favourite NARS blush/highlighters Tempted which looked more peachy in the end.

Lastly a look with the palette.

I used Bronze Eloise and the So Prive blush palette for easy glam makeup. The blush shade is a mix of the two colours in the palette. I skipped the highlighter as I didn’t want the look to end up too warm. I’m happy the palette does come together rather nicely.

Bottom Line

The eyeshadows apply smoothly and are well pigmented. They also blend easily and can be used with or without primer, (I tried both). There wasn’t much fallout during application except for the deeper shades. I like that overall they do come together to create a beautiful eye look.

For what they cost, they better be nothing short of fabulous and truth be told, I could achieve this look with other palettes with possibly better formulations. However as far as overall execution, they are very nice. I feel the attention to detail for the packaging alone is pretty amazing and they nailed it as with their lipsticks which look and feel equally luxurious!

Btw these palettes contain 6g of product , 1g per pan. I cross checked with a Chanel eye palette and it contains 2g. The average Dior palette contains 3g and a NARS 4.8g . It’s important to note that depending on whether a powder is baked or pressed the weight varies. But overall 6g is not too bad when it comes to justifying the price. Also another plus is this palette comes with 6 colours as opposed to 4-5 in other luxury brands. More colours to mix and match.

For me the real winners were the blushes, and they are lovely! I feel if you are on the look out for some luxury retail therapy these are wonderful. Personally I wouldn’t mind adding more to my collection… but the price… I really find it hard justifying it.

For Fall/Winter Chanel released a collection composed around 4 shades; warm grey, khaki, terracotta and reddened brown. Each colour group working in synergy for a complete Tone-on-Tone look.

I’m excited to finally see more Liquid Eyeshadows as well as Eyeshadow Pencils as they are my everyday go-to’s. There’s also new 4 Nail Polishes, 2 Rouge Allure Velvet Lipsticks & a brand new limited edition blush shade to complete the look.

The key focus of the collection is the eyes.

The eye pencils define & add depth while the Ombre Premiere Laque enhance the look with a ‘touch of radiance’ to catch the light. There’re 4 Ombre Premiere Laque within this collection.

Lamé Pourpre – A metallic maroon.

Lamé Bronze – A metallic platinum khaki

Lamé Acier – A metallic silver grey

Lamé Ivoire – A metallic ivory

Ombre Premiere Laque’s are a creamy liquid eyeshadow that can be used on it’s own or layered and combined with an eye pencil or eyeshadow. My preferred method of application is using fingers to dab & blend till there’s an even wash of colour (alternatively a firm synthetic brush could also work for a streak free diffused application). It’s a race against time to make sure there’s an even blend before these set and they really do set FAST!

The formula of the new limited edition colours are somewhat different to the previous Ombre Premiere eyeshadows. The only colour that’s an identical formula match to earlier releases is Lamé Acier which has an ultra shimmery finish, with fine but noticeable shimmer particles. The other three shades have a more smooth, metallic molten look.

Staying power of these are really good since they set to a completely budge-proof veil of colour. If you don’t usually gravitate to liquid shadows, these are a game changer, application is a breeze and they stay put even on oilier eye lids lasting all day.

Lamé Ivoire is perfect for highlighting the brow bone and as an inner eye highlight. I haven’t highlighted my brow bone in what seems like ages, but this one shade can lift the eyes to look fresher and less tired. I am a fan.

The Stylo Ombre Et Contour eye pencils are some of my favourites in my makeup bag. I use the shade Contour Brun a LOT. It’s exciting to see Marron and Khaki within this new collection. They aren’t the longest lasting on their own and occasionally crease on my oily lids, but I use them as a base, smudged closer to the lash line then set with a coordinating eyeshadow. They give the eyes more depth when used under eyeshadow.

The Stylo Ombre Et Contour are super creamy and blend like a D.R.E.A.M. The colour payoff is excellent, even in the lighter shades.

Contour Clair (from the permanent lineup) is a great everyday colour for fairer skin tones to add definition to the crease for minimal makeup days, the new Contour Beige is a warmer counterpart which is a slightly deeper, tan version that can be used on light-medium complexions.

I have 3 of the 4 new limited edition shades.

Contour Marron – A deep burgundy (limited edition)

Contour Khaki – A rich khaki (limited edition)

Contour Beige – A neutral light terracotta brown (limited edition)

The blush Ombre is a pretty light neutral brown. On me it pulls slightly grey, but the colour was too similar to my skin tone to show up (for reference my Chanel foundation shade is between B30-B40). I don’t own many blushes in this shade and find it unique in my collection. However the overall texture and formula is a miss for me. It’s a very flat matte with a lot of kick up and whatever gets picked up on the brush disappears while blending. It was a battle that i’d never win. I feel this would show up better on fairer skin tones but with a lot of layering.

Here’re some comparisons. I couldn’t find anything in my stash that I found to be similar. I wish more brands release neutral browns like this. The only ones I could think of were by Laura Mercier as their tones tend to lean more neutral.

The new nail polish for fall are just perfection. I feel it’s the first time i’ve seen a collection where every shade was a hit! My favourites are Terre Brulée (Terracotta red) & Rouge Brun a deep vampy reddened brown. Both well pigmented and applied with ease.

Rouge Brun – A deep reddened chocolate

Beige Cendré – A warm grey (limited edition)

Brun Fumé – A khaki brown

Terre Brulée – A terracotta red

I tried some nail art with this collection and I LOVED it. Such a great colour palette to get creative with!

*All swatches are two coats with no topcoat. They last just under a week before starting to chip.

For lips, there’re two new shades in the Rouge Allure Velvet formula which is Chanels version of a soft matte.

The texture is silky and had good pigmentation.

Mode – A medium brick red (limited edition)

Low Key – described as a light dusty rosy peach

These have a subtle scent, typical for Chanels lipsticks in the Rouge Allure range.

I rounded up a few comparisons within a few Chanel formulas and also some older Rouge Allure Velvet limited editions. Mode is a more earthy red in comparison.

For the look below i’ve used Contour Marron + Lamé Pourpre & Contour Khaki topped with Lamé Bronze. Inner corners of the eye are highlighted with Lamé Ivoire.

Bottom line, the collection is exactly what a Chanel lover would hope for. Sophisticated, elegant colours for the new season with lots to choose from. My favourites were the Ombré Premiere Laques. Lamé Acier is a must for sooty smokey eyes, with Lamé Ivoire a go-to for a simple eye look worn with red lips. I really can’t pick a favourite here.

What are your thoughts on this collection? Will you be purchasing anything? I like that most of the nail colours are permanent shades so I won’t have to buy backups yet! Rouge Brun will be my new favourite this season along with Terre Brulée.

*Samples provided by Chanel for review + a few purchased by myself.

Black Friday is the perfect time to stock up on holiday gifts & beautiful candles for the home. Today i’ve rounded up some gorgeous candles and fragrances that make the perfect hostess gifts and also for your home. Some which are on sale and ripe for the picking!

1. Number one on my list is Maison Margiela Replica candle trio – It’s currently ON SALE at Space NK and you save 15% off. This trio contains miniatures of their candles (By the Fireplace, Lazy Sunday Morning & Bubble Bath). If saving is your ultimate goal, a full size candle of By The Fireplace is still available on Cult for 25% off with their code CBBF25 here.

2. Diptyque Holiday Candles

Diptyques holiday favourite Sapin is back and this years candle is possibly the best one yet in terms of packaging. They’ve also included a gold lid which makes it even more special. The candle is available in two sizes and is my top pick for a true pine scents. If you are looking for alternative that’s on sale, Jo Loves does a great fresh pine scent called Christmas Trees. The throw is exceptional and just as lovely as Diptyque and comes in a festive red and gold starburst print. You can grab this on SALE here.

3. Boy Smells Candle Wick Trimmer

A useful gift for any candle lover and I adore the black version that Boy Smells makes. This one’s a good price too! ($18)

4. Diptyque Best Of Baies

Another perfect holiday gift is this beautiful Best of Baies set (£102) . It comes with a mini candle, room spray (which is one of my absolute favourites!) & a scented oval that’s perfect for hanging in the car or your linen cupboard to keep everything smelling nice. It comes in a beautiful gift box, ready for gifting to someone special.

5. Diptyque Reed Diffuser

If it’s a luxe home fragrance you are on the look out for, Diptyque also released this Reed Diffuser ($190) in three scents (Baies, Tuberose and Rose). It comes with a glass vase + the fragrance and reeds. I LOVE the minimal design of this but is pretty much sold out everywhere (that it’s on sale) but still available at Blue Mercury for their Cyber week sales. You can save money there.

For a budget alternative, NEST makes really great home scents, and this Birchwood & Pine reed diffuser will spruce up your spaces with fresh pine for just $50. If you are looking to buy from Europe, Nest is available at Cult Beauty.

6. Cire Trudon Limited Edition Holiday candles

This year they have the most incredible limited edition candle packaging. If you are into the ornate gold filigree vibe, you can choose from 5 candles in LE packaging. Ernesto is a divine mix of Bergamot, Patchouli, Clove with a base of smoky tobacco and leather. If you are looking for a twist on a traditional pine candle Bayonne sounds amazing. a mix of cocoa, chilli for spice and pine. I’ll be waiting for it to go on sale, so I can pick one up!

7. Nest Birchwoord & Pine three wick candle

Nest candles are a popular choice for the holidays. If you are looking for budget options, this is where you look! The three wick candle will last ages and make a substantial hostess gift. I love the glass packaging that’s accented with gold. It really does look expensive and is a tasteful design that’ll effortlessly match any decor style.

8. Diptyque Feu de Bois

Is a seasonal favourite of mine. The cosy smell of burning wood fills the room with warmth. This year Diptyque has the ceramic 600g LE candle in this scent and it’s beautiful. I love the grey vessel that can be used as a vase long after the candle burns out (which takes a while btw!). I have the pink Rose candle from last year and it’s still around! I especially like the three wick candles as they burn very evenly even if I trim the wick too short.

9. Diptyque Baies Scented Oval

Is a great way to gift something luxury but also keep it within the budget. I’m sure you’ve already guessed, Baies is my favourite Diptyque scent! .. find these at Space NK as well Net-a-Porter and directly from Diptyque.

10. Byredo Bibliothequé candle

Hands down my favourite by Byredo. If you are into smoky scents or plan on gifting one to someone who is into warm fragrances, this is my top pick. It’s also one of Byredo’s best-selling fragrances. Available at Net-a-Porter, Selfridges or Cult Beauty.

11. Do son Shower Gel

Another favourite for gifting is luxe shower gels. I’ve never tried the Do Son version, but the perfume is one of my favourites. If Jasmine scents and white flowers are your vice, this one’s perfection. I love LOVE LOVE this fragrance.

I feel this post is very Diptyque heavy, but they are my favourite fragrance brand soo…. >.<

For budget shower gels with great ‘giftable’ packaging, Aesop is my top pick. They do a whole host of curated boxes too. Find them at Cult or Space Nk during Cyber Week Sales.

12. Diptyque Accessories

For Diptyque fans out there, the holiday accessories are a must-have. I found several carrousels as well as lanterns that add a pretty sparkle to your lit candles. The best one in my opinion is this huge lantern accessory that sold alone without a candle; the Basile Lantern for Candle. If you already own plenty of their candles buying the accessory alone is a great idea & these last long with no tarnishing. I’ve had mine from a few years back and it still looks pristine.

Diptyque hardly goes on sale but you can find them at Blue Mercury that has discounts right now (20% when you spend over $250 | 15% when you spend over $175) It’s easy to fill up your cart at Blue Mercury since they carry LOADS of amazing brands including Atelier Cologne & Nest.

That rounds up my fragrance gifting guides. In addition you can also try some Atelier Cologne candles and gift sets. It’s my go-to for gifting perfumes and Space NK has most of them on sale 15% off right now. I love Orange Sanguine and Cédrat Enivrant (I have gifted both my husband and dad!) aaaaand i’ll be gifting more Atelier Cologne this year too! Here’s what I picked up. Don’t you love the celestial pattern on the leather?!