CHANEL

The Perfect Black Blazer

April 12, 2017

I recently bought the highly coveted SMYTHE Duchess Blazer and I couldn’t be more impressed. To me, a black blazer is a perennial wardrobe staple that every girl should have at least a couple of in their wardrobe. The SMYTHE Duchess style is made and cut in absolute perfection and I could not pick a flaw. Love the 100% wool material that makes the blazer look expensive in real life, and the material is quite durable and not prone to creasing. The tailoring is on another level compared to other blazers I own in the same price range include Rag and Bone and Theory. I am of standard size small, and this jacket feels like it is tailor made for me. I love the slightly padded shoulder (not as over the top as the heavily padded Balmain like Jackets) which gives you a sharp silhouette. The gold buttons are also super on trend. I thought I’d share my review with you now as it is on special with Shopbop’s current promotion (up to 25% off on all orders use code EVENT17) at the moment.

Victoria Beckham Sunglasses / Acne Studios Pump / SMYTHE Blazer / Cropped Pants / Chanel Reissue Bag

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Labels: ACCESSORY • ACNE STUDIOS • BAG • CHANEL • Fashion • OOTD • VICTORIA BECKHAM

Monthly Favorites

March 27, 2017

I can’t believe it’s nearly the end of March as I haven’t updated my blog as I planned. I have been having rounds of flu lately so not in the perfect condition for swatching new products, but I thought I’d share some of my favorite and most-used products of the month.

MAKEUP

1. I’ve been using the Charlotte Tilbury Instant Look in a Palette Seductive Beauty almost every day ever since I got my hands on it. Thumbs up for its practicality and easy to wear, and they just look flattering without looking like you have too much makeup on. Detailed review for both palettes here.

2. My skin has been looking ok lately, so I am opting for a very natural foundation. The Tom Ford Traceless Foundation gives the dewiest and most natural finish that is completely traceless as the name suggests. The low-down is that the coverage is very sheer and the ultra dewiness will not work for oily skin. The highlight is that it is very hydrating for dry and aging skin, and you can easily fake the most glowing editorial-like complexion with this foundation! FYI my shade is Albaster that is similar to NC15-20.

3. The exclusive Chanel Le Blanc Compact Foundation is one of the best the powder foundations I have used for its buttery texture, good coverage, and feels quite moisturizing for a powder-based foundation. Detailed review here.

4. Switching to bright coral lips lately after being on brown lips for months! My favorites are the MAC Retro Matte Rich & Restless (swatched here) and Kat Von D Liquid Lipstick Berlin (swatched here).

SKINCARE & HAIRCARE

5. I prefer washing powder more than paste these days, and the Kose Sekkisei White Powder Washing Powder forms into the most creamy lather that deeply cleans and gently exfoliates your skin. It also helps to clarify and brighten your skin after each wash that you can see the difference.

6. I have been resisting Oribe haircare line for a while as it’s a very expensive line and I knew I would be loving it. Finally bought the Oribe Signature Conditioner travel-sized to give it a try when I was on holiday and I was blown away! It’s not easy to transform my overly processed dry hair to the best hair condition, and this conditioner did it after only 1 wash! Will definitely be getting the full-size set soon.

LIFESTYLE

7. I am a big fan of home fragrance, and as a result, I am obsessed with Diptyque. I have pretty much used most of their home fragrances, and my all time favorite will always be the Baies. I have it in Candle, Room Spray as well as the Scented Oval (reviewed here)!

8. Received a lot of questions about this beautiful crystal and gold coaster when I posted it on my instagram lately. They are from the brand RABLABS (I bought it here and also available here worldwide). They are beyond beautiful in real life when it gleams under different angles, and make your vanity/coffee table instantly more expensive and glamourous!

9. Here is another accessory that I have been wearing a lot. The Celine Shadows Flattop sunglasses that is seen on every fashionista! Currently on sale at 40% off here!

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Labels: CELINE • CHANEL • Charlotte Tilbury • DIPTYQUE • KOSE • LIFESTYLE • Oribe • RABLABS • SUNGLASSES • Tom Ford

Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss Moisturizing Glossimer Review and Swatch – 172 Tendresse, 738 Amuse-Bouche and 756 Chilli

March 21, 2017

The matte lips trend has been going strong for a while, and as much as I still embrace the look, it is exciting and refreshing to see that a lot of my favorite beauty brands are releasing new lip formulas in glossy finish! The Chanel has recently released the new Rouge Coco Gloss Moisturising Glossimer (bought here in Australia), that is one of my all time favorite lip gloss which I have been collecting over the years for all the pretty and juicy colors! The new release comes in 25 new shades from soft nudes to vibrant colors in a more lightweight and moisturizing formula. After staring at the official online swatches for hours, I picked my top 3 colors – 172 Tendresse, 738 Amuse-Bouche and 756 Chilli.

The new formula feels more lightweight, non-sticky with much better-lasting power with the darker colors almost feeling like lip stains. It is packed with lots of moisturizing ingredients such as peptides and vitamin E so it also hydrates, smoothes out the lip lines, and instantly plump up the lips for a more youthful appearance. The intensely high-shine finish reminds me of how much I used to adore the pretty glossy look. I love this vibrant color in a lacquered jelly-like finish as it adds a more youthful and fresh spin to the makeup look.

Another thing worthy of mention is the newly designed applicator that comes in a cocoon tip. It makes the application super even and smooth, and the curved tip follows the natural contour of the lips for a more precise and better control.

Closer look

172 Tendresse is a soft peachy pink color with beautiful pink shimmer in a translucent gloss finish. Looks great to layer on top of lipstick, or wear it alone for a hint of color as swatched.

738 Amuse-Bouche is an intense bright red with pink undertone in a translucent gloss finish.

756 Chilli is a true bright red in a translucent gloss finish.

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Labels: CHANEL • LIP GLOSS

The New Chanel Le Blanc 2017 Whitening Compact Foundation Radiance Thermal Comfort Review and Swatch

February 21, 2017

I gushed about how much I was impressed with the new Chanel Le Blanc Whitening Compact Foundation Radiance Thermal Comfort from the Le Blanc 2017 collection when I first bought it, and I’ve been trialing the new foundation over a few weeks now (so the honeymoon period is over!), and I can honestly say that it is one of the best compact foundations I have ever used. It has the finest creamy texture, and is the most moisturizing powder that works great for dry skin or in the cold months.

The design is very minimalist – encased in a clean all-white case, and comes with a sponge applicator. The sponge has 1 side of velvety texture, and it feels ultra luxurious and plush against the skin. It is designed for application for a better coverage and a more air-brushed finish. The other side has a normal sponge finish that gives a more natural and traceless finish.

The powder is designed to work in all climate conditions as well as protecting your skin with SPF25 with PA+++. It is extremely finely milled that feels silky smooth and buttery upon touching. Best of all, the powder applies creamy and feels very moisturizing on the skin. It gives the skin a milky porcelain-like finish in a natural way that does not look overly powdery. It gives medium to high coverage without looking cakey. I personally prefer to apply it with my favorite Chanel Les Beiges Kabuki Brush, or with the sponge applicator for touch-ups.

It doesn’t enhance any dry lines and does a wonderful job to even out the imperfections with a hint of brightening effect and completely cover the pores. I have been using it solely as a foundation, with a sheer layer of primer underneath, and it stays put for the whole day (7-8 hours ) without creasing. Since it is a very moisturizing powder, it does not completely mattify the skin, and I notice some oil comes through on the t-zone after 5 to 6 hours of wear.

Color: I bought the color 20 Beige (FYI I am NC15-20, GA 3.5/4) and this shade matches me perfectly.

Swatch

Overall I highly recommend this compact foundation whether you need it for touch up or solely as a foundation. The texture is perfection for all skin types and particularly for the dry skin, and it feels ultra comfort and blends seamlessly!

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Labels: BRUSH • CHANEL • COMPACT FOUNDATION • foundation • POWDER FOUNDATION

Chanel Le Blanc Spring 2017 Makeup Picks with Le Vernis Blue Pastel Review and Swatch

February 9, 2017

The Chanel Le Blanc Spring 2017 collection was released recently, and as usual, I always find a lot of beautiful pieces that are more appealing to me than their seasonal collections. Unfortunately the collection is Asia-exclusive as of now.

I picked up the Le Blanc Whitening Compact Foundation (amazing powder, and as the Chanel SA says “the best powder foundation Chanel has ever done!”), the gorgeous Plisse Lumiere De Chanel highlight powder and a nail color. The former two products will take me a while to review, so I thought I’d share some swatches for the beautiful Le Vernis in Blue Pastel first. It’s a pastel sky blue color in cream finish. I have been wearing nude and pastel colors a lot lately, so this color is right up my alley. It looks unique, clean and elegant at the same time. Consistency is slightly streaky for the first coat, but you can achieve a full opaque and smooth finish with a second or third coat.

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Labels: CHANEL • NAIL POLISH

Chanel Le Rouge Lip Crayon De Couleur Review and Swatch – 02 Rose Violine and 04 Rouge Corail

January 24, 2017

The latest Chanel Le Rouge Lip Crayon De Couleur is amazing (also available on Chanel online). They have possibly the best formulas for lip crayons I have ever used, and I picked up two colors – 02 Rose Violine and 04 Rouge Corail that I fell in love with straight away. In total, Chanel has released 11 new colors, and although I only narrowed down to two colors (sticking to my makeup-shopping rule that I will only buy what I absolutely love), I strongly feel I need more backups of them!

The packaging of the Lip Crayon inherits the classic Chanel packaging in a twistable pen style that you can touch up on the go. The formula is flawless – it glides on like silk (not chalky at all) with a balmy-like texture, and it feels completely weightless on the lips and is super hydrating. The pigmentation is on the extreme intense side, as one gentle swipe is opaque enough and can be blended with your fingertip or a lip brush to cover the entire lips for a stain/gradient look (my preferred application). For a bolder finish, you can apply the color all over the lips. It has a nice slip for blending, but it doesn’t feather, and you can still get a precise control for lining the lips. Best of all, unlike other hydrating lip formulas, this crayon has an incredible staying power that is on par with a liquid lipstick. It lasts about 4-5 hour on me even with having drinks and food in between!

For the finish, it gives a medium gloss finish on a fresh application, and over time it settles down to stain like finish with a semi-satiny shine. Can’t rave enough about them and highly recommend it to everyone!

02 Rose Violine is a soft MLBB with a rosy tone, and it would look flattering on anyone!

04 Rouge Corail is a pretty bright true coral color. It instantly brightens up the complexion and can be toned down to create a softer just-bitten stain look.

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Labels: CHANEL • LIPSTICK

Chanel Camelia De Chanel Illuminating Powder Review and Comparison Swatch

January 9, 2017

If there is one makeup item that I consistently collect, it has to be the Chanel Highlighter! Most recently, Chanel has done it again with another elegant piece Camelia De Chanel Illuminating Powder that is both aesthetically pleasing and flattering to use as an everyday product that adds a soft glow. The highlighter is exclusive to the Chanel online and the makeup boutique stores.

This highlighter is embossed with Chanel’s iconic symbol – the camellia, presented in a special edition red Les Beige case. The quality of this highlighter is on par with the previous releases. It has a creamy and velvety texture, and the powder is extremely finely milled to give a second-skin effect that blends in seamlessly. The best thing with the highlighter is that it has a neutral champagne color that would look flattering on most complexions, and you can also use it as eyeshadow base color. It’s neither too warm nor too silvery, and it blends in perfectly with my complexion without adding much color to it. It gives a silky satin finish, with a gentle sweep across the high points of the face, it reflects the light softly and adds a luminous glow with a hint of dewiness that is just beautiful but not too overly done.

Swatch

Here is a comparison with some of my other favorite highlighters. Clockwise Camelia-de-Chanel; Dior Diorskin Nude Air Highlighter 001 (reviewed here); Becca Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop (reviewed here); Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Highlighter Fair (reviewed here); Tom Ford Illuminating Duo Moonlight (reviewed here)

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Labels: BECCA • CHANEL • Charlotte Tilbury • DIOR • HIGHLIGHTER • Tom Ford

Chanel Les de Mini Travel Brushes 2016 Review

December 10, 2016

I have been looking for a perfect set of travel brushes for a very long time, and finally, I was able to get my hands on the uber luxurious Les Mini De Chanel Travel Brush Set 2016. Chanel only releases mini brush sets (LE) for the Holidays, and they tend to sell out fast every year. I have had travel brush sets from MAC (which I do not recommend), and this Chanel is of much better quality and feels more luxurious! This set is now sold out at most stores but you can still buy them at Chanel Online (also available here in Australia).

The mini brush set comes with a signature pouch, and decent sized Chanel mirror and a set of 5 exclusive brushes including powder, foundation, 2 eyeshadow and 1 lip brush. This set pretty much covers all the essential brushes that I need when I travel, also I probably will carry another spare blush and eyeshadow blending brush. Having this set has greatly downsized the amount of beauty items that I need to bring with me.

All 5 brushes are of superior quality and the bristles actually are of the same quality and feel as Chanel’s original sized brushes, unlike MAC where their mini brushes are made of less superior hair compared to the MAC full sized

Brush Description (from right to left as in the above pic)

1. Powder brush (natural hair) – This is one of my favorite brushes from the set. The brush is so big and full of volume for a “mini brush”. The brush is round and tapered, and the bristles feel soft and fluffy, which is good for applying loose and compact powder.

2. Foundation brush (synthetic hair) – Compared to the previous releases, this set has an exclusive foundation brush in an innovative shape that had never been seen from Chanel before. Everyone is very interested in this spiral brush. I was told by the Chanel SA that it is designed for applying makeup primer as well as the liquid foundation. Simply pour the liquid foundation/primer to the center hole of the brush, and swirl over the face for an even and flawless finish. It is an interesting design, and the finish is on par with a kabuki brush.

3. Smudge and Blending brush (natural hair) – Has a tapered dome shape, and is great for applying, blending and smudging the eye shadows. Size is similar to the Chanel brush #19 (reviewed here) and the legendary Suqqu M brush. (reviewed here).

4. Contour Eyeshadow brush (natural hair) – Similar to a pencil brush. It has a slim tapered brush head and is great for precise application and working around the corners. Can be used with powder or cream eye shadows.

5. Lip brush (synthetic hair) – It has a flat shape and the size is just perfect for a precise and controlled application.