CHANEL Summer 2011: 577 Mimosa NOTD

Sunshine on the nails, thats what it is! 

A bright yellow with very fine shimmer...

having deja vu? looks like OPI's "Need Sunglasses?" right? but I must tell Mimosa leans more towards the cool side.

I needed 3 coats for this NOTD. Application is quite difficult, its a very streaky polish! but I discovered that its easier to apply in a warm environment (turned off AC) rather than in an air-conditioned room. I sweat buckets, but achieved better results. *whew!* :D

Mimosa is a limited edition shade and retails for Php1,350 (approx. USD31) at Rustan's.

Happy Monday!

♡,

G

CHANEL Summer 2011: 547 Bronze Rose

Bronzers are not really my thing, but this one made me change my mind because of its versatility. SA explained it can be used as bronzer, blusher and as eyeshadow! 3-in-1 CHANEL! It's in the bag! xD


 Soleil Tan De Chanel Bronzing Powder in 547 Bronze Rose.

This is a limited edition item from CHANEL's Summer 2011 collection. Packaging-wise, one thing which stands out in this palette is the gold CC logo. As if CHANEL couldn't get any more luxe. :)

When you open the palette, you will be greeted with a four-striped blusher/bronzer, a full compact mirror and that prickly brush. bleh. (im obviously not a fan of their brushes, am too spoiled by the softness of Shu Uemura) 

Although its a bit powdery, the softness of the pink and brown pigments won me over. I have to admit I can be heavy handed when it comes to face color application, thats why I think this is perfect for me. Its hard to overdo it.

swatches:

blended:

as you can see it gives off a warm glow which is not too dark, very nice for fair skinned gals. Jess did a pretty FOTD using this here. 

So is it a must-have? If you are looking for a versatile product and a softly pigmented bronzer, I'd say YES. but if you're just after this being a blush, then NO. It stays on the cheeks for about 3-4 hours, which is not bad, but not that good either especially with the price tag it comes with (Php3,250 approx. USD75). I already used this as a blush and took FOTD pics, unfortunately, the lighting was too poor to make the colors show up on my face. I have to do it again. :)

In other news, I am on a self-imposed cosmetic shopping ban. It started in mid-May and will cease on mid-June. I'm feeling good as I'm managing to stick to it, but I still need your words of encouragement! The weekend is coming = mall trips = shopping! lol x_X

Enjoy your weekend!

♡,

G

Love Bombed.

When I started blogging, my thoughts were fueled by my growing interest in beauty, cosmetics and the passion to share my experience with others who breathed the same air. I never really thought about developing friendships across the seas. Now, I can honestly say I have met some of the sweetest ladies in the beauty blogging world! OK before I get any more emo, this post is about the 2 packages I received this week courtesy of lovely tweetheart Lynn and Blogger beauty Kat! 

I asked Lynn to help me purchase some Silk Whitia Moisturizing + Whitening Masks (my favorite ones) and she sent me more gifts than the actual items asked her to CP!

Sheet masks galore! Do you spot the Coldstone Ice cream mask? been wanting to try that forever! *squeals* I wish you can hear my squeal in Singapore Lynn! hahaha! <3

Lynn also sent me an advanced birthday gift!

A Shu Uemura UV under base mousse in BB beige 

from the Sakura collection by Mika Ninagawa! *review coming soon*

fresh from Hawaii, another love pack from Kat!

Kat is so accommodating, she helped me purchase the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary 24/7 set from the UD site. Plus she sent me gifts as well! MBD masks, a Sonia Kashuk brush, Wet 'n Wild palette, a really cute and lightweight mirror and the cutest lip pots from NYX! I cant wait to play around with them, will take some nicer photos this weekend. :)

THANK YOU Lynn and Kat! I am truly in awe with all the love you make me feel.

♡,

G

NARS Tainted Love Set: Review and Swatches

A heaven sent trio for cool pink lovers, "Tainted Love" is by far the nicest value set I've seen from NARS. 

Released in time for Valentines 2011, it contains the new Angelika Multiple (exclusive to the set), Angelika lip gloss and the notoriously hot Schiap nail lacquer.

The Angelika Multiple (face, eyes, lips, body) Tint

This Angelika multiple is just a wee bit smaller compared to a regular sized tube. It contains 13g of product whereas a regular one has 14g.

swatch:

cotton candy pink with silver shimmer

The Angelika Multiple is long wearing (just like Turks & Caicos), highly pigmented and the shimmer does not fall out and travel all over my face. However, it should be applied with a very light hand as it can make you look clownish if you overdo it.

Angelika Lip Gloss

again, a cotton candy pink with silver shimmer. Consistency is a bit thick and sticky, but overall still comfortable to wear. Worn alone, it will enhance your lips and make it smooth and plump, adding a pristine shine. But I like it better when worn over vivid pink lipsticks. The effect is just so pretty! I usually get 4-5 hours of wear with this lip gloss.

swatch:

Schiap Nail Lacquer is a creamy fuschia shade.

NOTD:

This is the first time I'm trying NARS nail lacquers and I have to say consistency is really good, the brush is great, it makes the polish glide on smoothly. Definitely not streaky. You can get away with a single coat as its highly pigmented but on this NOTD I applied 2 coats to make it fully opaque. Schiap reminds me of CHANEL Pulsion, not an exact dupe because the latter looks creamier, and Schiap has more blue undertones to it, but similar.

This set retails for Php3,350 (appox. USD78) at local NARS counters. US price I believe is $59 (damyoo value added tax!) I would recommend it if you like cool pinks, you're new to the brand and would like to try their products at a value price, everything is in full size so you get your money's worth. Get it while you can, I don't think you'll regret it.

Happy Monday!

♡,

G

ps. I apologize for being an evil enabler! :P

CHANEL 307 Orange Fizz and Majolica Majorca OR213: Orangey Twins!

A pop of color is pure eye candy for summer! Orange is one of my favorite colors, its fun and cheery, but it's a tricky color to wear. However, if you find the perfect shade to match your skin tone, you'll be glad with the results!

I have a few orange nail lacquers, but I find these two most flattering. Coincidentally, I found them to be really similar! 

can you tell which is which?

CHANEL 307 Orange Fizz on index and middle finger, Majolica Majorca OR213 on ring finger and pinky.

Orange Fizz is described as a "coral", but as you can see it is creamy orange with just a hint of coral. I like it because its a bright, fun color without being over the top.  Fun yet still sophisticated (typical CHANEL). I needed 3 coats to get an opaque, solid color. This retails for Php1,450 (approx. USD 31)

on the other hand, Majolica Majorca's OR213 is an orange-peach nail polish, it looks creamier than Orange Fizz and applies more streaky as you can see on my ring finger nail. I also put 3 coats on, but I already can do with 2. ;) This retails for Php225 (approx. USD 5)

both are very wearable, they're creamy and easy to apply, but CHANEL has better consistency in my opinion. If you don't like the thought of spending too much for a seasonal and trendy shade, I'd say go for Majolica Majorca's OR213 (if you want to try orange nail color), although the bottle is smaller in size, the price difference is HUGE!

 Do you like bright colored nails? Let me know what you think!

♡,

G

Majolica Majorca Jeweling Eyes BR631 Caramelisee

A part of the Spring 2011 Sugary Trap collection, Majolica Majorca's Jeweling Eyes in BR631 Caramelisee is a gorgeous, shimmery neutral which deserves a spot in your stash.

Although the plastic packaging feels a tad flimsy, it looks really cute and the scalloped edges gives it pretty, girly feel. Plus a better grip. ;) 

it comes with a small dual ended applicator, which is really soft.

I love the fact that all shades in the pan are quite pigmented even without using a base/primer. The colors are very pleasing to look at, a no brainer palette to get for neutral lovers. It contains shimmer to add a gleaming effect to the eyes. Fallout is minimal, which is great.

swatches on bare skin:

yellowish gold, light brown, bronze, dark brown shades

simple EOTD using the palette and Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus BR666 mascara just to give you an idea on how it looks on an NC30 skin tone.

I like how it adds dimension and depth to my eyes, I actually got a few compliments on how my eyes looked beautiful when I wore it yesterday, I think the subtle glow it gives makes the eyes more noticeable.

This limited edition palette is available locally and retails for Php795 (approx. USD18). 

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

♡,

G

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus BR666 (LE)

It's finally out in our local department stores Manila based lovelies! My HG mascara in a subtle brown color.  I bought mine last Sunday at SM Makati, had to wait for almost 2 hours just for the SA and the cashier to come into a proper settlement as the Sugary Trap collection's bar codes weren't working yet. I almost ran out of patience,  good thing the beauty section was quite huge and filled with loads of interesting stuff. xD

anyway, here it is!

Packaging is similar to the black version (BK999), only the colors were edited, this tube is chocolate brown with lilac and gold accents.

   

close-up of BR666

a rich chocolate brown shade, I had to remind myself its not edible. :P

I'm actually wearing it today, no other makeup used aside from UD 24/7 liner in Bourbon (which I can't live without). Its too hot to wear foundation right now.

PRO's:

♥ Contains long fibers for lengthening effect.

♥ holds the curl all day

♥ Smudge-proof, waterproof - no panda eyes (O.O)

♥ Lightweight

♥ Soft color, natural looking

♥ Brush type wand separates lashes, no clumps!

♥ Reasonably priced for a great quality mascara (Php795 approx. USD18)

♥ Available locally!

CON's:

♥ Limited Edition

♥ Difficult to remove, must use oil based cleanser

I'm really excited about this mascara, its a perfect shade for summer, a great alternative to the usual black I wear, and I'm sure it won't budge under the sweltering heat! Highly recommended to my lovelies! :)

Hard to believe were almost halfway through 2011! Happy merry month of May! 

♡,

G