Chanel Rouge Coco Etienne #446 review

I have been planning to get my hands on Chanel Rivoli lipstick for quite sometime but its been discontinued recently. Chanel reinvented their Rouge Coco line with new formula and vibrant colors. While surfing through the makeup at Bloomingdales, I came across Etienne which seemed close to Rivoli as that was a deep red too.

Its a burgundy red with certain brightness and sheen, has brown undertones. However Etienne looks very intense in tube but not so much on the lips. The finish is semi opaque but you can build it without any heaviness. The color is visible even on pigmented lips with full coverage.

Rouge Coco Etienne is a moisturising lipstick with a stay of 4-5 hours and leaves a stain after eating / drinking. The textture of lips actually feels improved after application. The package is classy Chanel with black and gold rim in middle.

Recommendation - Chanel Rouge Coco Etienne is perfect for mature woman who is confident to carry off bold deep colors. It goes nicely with heavy eye makeup and woody scent.

Burberry Launching Skincare

Fashion house Burberry has plans to launch luxury skincare line by 2015. Moving into skincare is also an exercise in customer relations; skincare "drives loyalty over time," says John Smith, Burberry chief operating officer. Burberry hopes to become one of the top 10 players in the luxury skincare field. Although not much raved about on blogs, Burberry makeup is top quality as other luxury brands and has released beautiful seasonal collections since its launch.

My Burberry wishlist:

LIP MIST BLUEBERRY

LIP MIST CAMELLIA PINK

LIP MIST PINK HEATHER

LIP COVER UNION RED

LIP GLOW MALLOW PINK

LIP GLOW PINK SWEET PEA

NAIL POLISH SAGE GREEN

Makeup Inspiration: Metallic eyes, Bold lips

image courtesy: pinterest,mac cosmetics,highheelconfidential

MAC Eyeshadow swatches: metallic

In trend with the metallic fashion and bling couture, here is a quick review of some MAC eyeshadows I am warming upto. Better late than never reviewed, some shades are limited edition (LE) and might not be up for grabs.

clockwise from top left - Jaan, Folie, Carbon, Vivah

Jaan (LE) is a lustre finish eyeshadow. It is peach, flesh tone with gold sparkles. The color intensity is medium and a beautiful shade for brow bone and inner eye corners. However the sparkles fall out.

Folie (permanent) is satin finish, described as reddish-plum brown. It’s a weird shade if you apply it all over lid, you feel knocked down. The intensity is good, so I use it more for outer corner.

Vivah (LE) is lustre finish, brown with gold sparkles. It comes out beautifully and can be used as all over lid color. Sparkle fall out exists here too. However Vivah speaks Sabyasachi Opium Dream collection.

Carbon (permanent) is matte black eyeshadow. On its own it has the worst intensity and very chalky, but could be used to build up other colors. Consider it to be the supporting cast.

Chessa, Indie Spirit

Chessa (LE) is veluxe pearl finish, golden orange color. It is a beautiful color with good intensity, almost a golden sun setting proudly. A must have color for Indian wedding makeup.

Indie Spirit (LE) is matte finish, almond brown color with red undertones. It looks similar to Folie, less red and softer finish.

Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Milk review

Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Milk for normal skin is a nourishing and quality cleanser to remove makeup and dirt. Its light feeling and no oily residue makes it good for everyday use unlike my last Lancome cleanser.

Quantity – 200ml

Price –  in 20 AED range

Product info – Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Milk enriched with Vitamin E and Hydra IQ cleanses deeply, removing makeup and even waterproof mascara, moisturizes the skin to keep its natural moisture balance, refreshes the skin with its invigorating formula.

It is a sweet smelling, slightly runny cleansing milk which melts away the makeup (foundation, kohl, eye pencil, sunscreen – what I have removed) without much pulling and tugging at skin. The best part would be that it does not leave any oil and after washing the face I feel clean and fresh skin. Me being dry skinned, Nivea Cleansing Milk moisturises the skin just the right amount to feel soft, sometimes I follow it up with light moisturiser, sometimes not. However it does sting the eye if it goes inside, so I have to be careful. To remove waterproof eye makeup it takes 3-4 gentle swipes and it comes off. A little effort there.

I first moisten my face with water, then massage the cleansing milk with cotton and gently it removes the makeup. Following it up with splashes of water, skin feels hydrated and clean. It is not extremely moisturising if that’s what you are looking for, but for me Nivea Cleansing Milk is perfect – gentle, effective and soothing (no breakout, flakes).

Recommendation – If you are looking for hydrating deep cleanser for normal to dry skin, then Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Cleansing Milk might fit the bill.

In Love edition: Fall-Holiday shades

It took me an hour to pen down the words "In Love edition" for a new blog series. I was looking for words to represent my object desire, wish list, things I am loving now. Searched for french, spanish, italian words to churn out something special and different but at last something simple and english.

1. Chanel Rouge Coco lipcolor Rivoli - I have been longing for this one the moment I saw it on Anne Hathaway. She sported it in Oscars, yeah she was the spunky host that year with 8 dress changes. Rivoli is a deep red almost maroon shade and I am falling for dark colors now. Its Chanel, a celebrity pick and Parisian name *Rue De Rivoli*, so desirable.

2. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense lipcolor Palpitante - Beautiful fuchsia color, bright pink but not leaning neon. I can pull it off easily any occasion and time. Also it would look more beautiful in cold months when our skin tone is bit pale.

3. Burberry Lip Mist Blueberry - OK so this is a biased one. A lipstick of my blog's name *Blueberry* I MUST have it. Blueberry is sheer oxblood color in lip balm finish. This lipstick might look brown on me and will be glamorous with Burberry trench. Now now, me swaying with emotion.

4. Nars Pure Matte Lipstick Volga - Matte and dark, NARS Volga has to be in list. Saw it in Harper's Bazaar photo below and luckily on Indian complexion. Described by the brand as deep aubergine, it looks inky, dark and bit purple. I don't have single matte, Volga could be great start.

5. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense lipcolor Incandescente - I desire a bright Chanel red lipstick and Incandescente is perfect. Many have reviewed it as warm, flaming red. Incandescente looks like great holiday red, plus the new rouge allure formulas pack more shine. Shiny red, happy holidays.

6. Essie Berry Hard nail polish - Dark berry color, looks elegant and will complement all above lipsticks. Saw it on Lisa Eldridge in her video .

MAC Party Line cremesheen lipstick review

Fall season, noir lips, hot chai and chocolate truffles. That would be my idea of holidays in Parisian land. Dabbling with the dark lip trend for 2013, I got Party Line lipstick through Back to MAC. To choose a lipstick is confusing as I wish to get a new color, good finish and long lasting. I thought of getting either a pink or maroon or some dark shade. Party Line looked good on my skin tone and I liked the berry hints in it. MAC describes it as red toned plum on website, however the red is lost on my warm complexion.

Party Line is from deep red family of MAC cremesheen range. I would say the color is burgundy mixed with red and brown. The lipstick is very glossy when applied, covers with opaque color and hydrating. The shade is vampy and appears deep wine at night. Its a proper wine color in  my opinion. I have completely fallen for Party Line this season. Its bold, its deep and its warm, the perfect combination for cooler months. I would take the liberty to say that the color can look flattering across all skin tones, only the intensity would differ. Also with the right amount of maroon in it, this could be the elegant color to wear in weddings all year round for our Indian beauties.

However, Party Line is not a young and fun color, its mature and safe. I do feel that Chanel makes the best dark lipsticks but MAC has churned out this beautiful shade. Party Line could be a cross between Chanel Rivoli and Rouge Noir, here is a Cafemakeup blog swatch to compare.

Recommendation - Pair it with translucent skin, elongated lower lash line set with black kohl and loadsa mascara. Party Line works true magic at night.

MAC Studio Moisture Tint SPF 15 review

Oh how I love these days in Bangalore, the skies laden with rain clouds, cool wind, the weekend urge in heart to travel somewhere nearby and my skin enjoying good days, all thanks to nature. Summer and monsoon are the times when I do not wish to slather on the foundation, powder and what not to the skin. It feels clogged and certainly does not enjoy those heavy layers. There comes the MAC Studio Moisture Tint to the rescue. Confessing the truth here, I am loyal to MAC Studio range, which has some quality products and have always worked for me. MAC Studio Moisture Tint has SPF 15 and comes in shade range suitable for Indian skin tones.

Quantity - 40 ml
Price - INR 1800
Shade - Medium Dark

As claimed on website,  A light, tinted moisturiser with SPF 15 and other skin-nourishing ingredients. An easy one-step finish specially suited for the season, this sheer tint provides just enough coverage to even out the skintone while creating a flawless protected, softly moisturised finish. Suitable for all skintones.

Since my skin needs moisture all year round, I picked this product for being 2-in-1 (moisture + tint). I just have to apply sunscreen underneath and use this tint to even out the skin tone on the outer sides of face - around the mouth, sides of nose, around eyes, side of cheeks and nearby hairline. I use it on days when my skin behaves well and is naturally bright. Studio Moisture Tint is apt to conceal the flaws here and there and still be light in finish.

It is creamy in texture but not oily, and the shade Medium is warm, well matched for my skin in summers (tends to get tanned). It works well as a tint with sheer coverage (do not expect to work it as foundation) and provides light hydration. MAC could have worked upon this area, as tinted moisturiser should be completely hydrating on its own. On bad skin days, it does not cut the usual step of using moisturiser as my skin is quite dry. Also this makes it unsuitable for winters, when it just sits on top of dry skin refusing to blend. The SPF is low for summers so sunscreen is unavoidable, but SPF 15 would do well for winters. The tint can conceal minor pigmentation / blemishes / dark spots as you can see in the blended swatch below. Also it soothes the redness of my sensitive skin.

On application, the tint feels cream like, but blends fast and does not leave any white cast. I apply it with fingers in dotted pattern on the required areas and move fingers towards the outer side to let it absorb. It sets somewhere near matte finish but no patches and I do not require to set it with powder unless more coverage - longevity is needed. The wear time of the tint alone is somewhere around 5-6 hours. However this is not water or sweat resistant. Studio Moisture Tint comes in tube packaging which is travel friendly and sturdy. What puts me off is the smell, which is bit plastic / rubber like, really needs to be worked upon. With all its pro and cons, I love its coverage and perfect shade.

Recommendation - Ignoring the smelly part, I would repurchase this for its concealing ability, light finish and comfortable wear. More suitable in daytime. It is a handy product in summers when one is in rush, does not want to spend much time and also the price is OK compared to the latest BB creams offered by Chanel, Dior, etc. I would be happy to explore the BB / tints by Pond's, Garnier Maybelline and Shiseido.

MAC Face and Body Foundation review

So here is the truth about the peaches and cream, flawless skin you see in photo shoots, magazine covers or even your friend who seems to have no dark spots or pigmentation. The wonder product - foundation. And aptly called, good foundation is the base for flawless, commendable makeup. MAC Face and Body Foundation, a much hyped backstage product was launched last year in India and I am gaga over it.

Quantity - 50 ml
Price- INR 1700

MAC Face and Body **the iron foundation :D

As claimed on website, MAC Face and Body is fluid foundation that provides low-to-medium buildable coverage and a flawless, natural satin-shine finish. Skin conditioning, water-resistant and long-wearing.

This foundation is lightweight and sheer-medium in application as I build it up slowly. If one has natural, healthy & clear skin, then this product is made for you as it provides my skin but better look. It does not cover any pigmentation, scars or spots, so I need a concealer for those spots. What it does is to even out the skin but still look natural. MAC Face & Body is suitable for dry skin as it gives a dewy finish and subtle shine. For oily skin, it might build up on the oil and sweat in these summers, since the foundation is no where close to matte.

On application, the texture feels cool and thin water-based lotion which disappears on the skin and slowly I layer it on. MAC Face & Body could be difficult to work with and needs some time as it can be streaky if not applied correctly. I apply foundation with fingers so I go section wise, apply few dots on one part, go in circular motion to layer it and slightly tap with fingers to blend the foundation into skin. I require two layers to be satisfied with the finish and even out any variations. Although this foundation is long wearing (6-7 hours), I still do the simple routine of base moisturiser / sunscreen, then applying Face & Body and setting it up with sheer coverage powder. This ensures the longevity and glow of skin.

Here is a video by MAC Artist Fatima Thomas on creating perfect skin through which I learnt to apply foundation using fingers. Here she tips to buff in the Face & Body foundation with fingers and what i really love about this video that this tutorial works for dusky skin like me,as it covers the under eyes and grey area around mouth and comes up with glowing prepped up skin. I will try to discuss this video in a detailed post.



About the water resistant part I am not sure but here is a cue to weather resistance. I have used this in winter (Jan-Feb) wedding season and it did not require re-application and kept the skin moisture intact, no dry patches. It photographed very well even in close up shots. In summers, if staying out in sun / hot environment then I need to blot the T-zone after 3-4 hours and re-apply the powder, although the foundation is intact.

The product shade range is great and Indian skin tones can definitely match to a shade. I use C3 which looks slight yellow and matches my medium-olive tone. It does not give patchy or whitish cast look. MAC Face & Body does not have any SPF so sunscreen underneath is must in summers. In summer daytime I go for a slight matte sunscreen with this and at night a light veil of MAC Studio Moisture cream. I have not used this on body so can't comment on that part.

The packaging is plastic bottle with nozzle which controls the thin flow of product and it has to be shaken before use. There is no fragrance and I have not experienced any sensitivity issues. For me this is a perfect regular foundation with hassle free medium coverage and reasonably priced.

Recommendation - MAC Face & Body is a boon for healthy maintained skin and absolute go to for fresh looking makeup. Dry skin would love it for the moisture it provides and dewy look.

The HIP list: Trending Coachella Festival + Summer 2013 fashion

Soaring temperatures are never a deterrent to music lovers and Coachella festival is bursting with activity in desert heat. Are you too heading onto a music festival with your pals or a serene beach vacation is on mind ? Take a cue from this HIP list.

1. Daydress or Sundress: Bask in the sun while upping your oomph factor in knee length dresses. Enjoy the day, give a shout out and remember to sneak in a bikini in your bag.

(1. Freepeople 2. H&M 3. Macy's)

(1. Shift by Nimish Shah 2. Freepeople 3. Serena in Gossip Girl)

2. Makeup: Bright lips, shimmery eyes and glittery nails, here is my pick on the must haves.

(1. Guerlain Coup de Foudre 2. Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet L'Exuberante 3. Hare Polish Hooky At The Hamlet 4. Hare Polish Party Palace)

3. Evening wear: The inspiration for evening is Carrie Bradshaw on the beach in Sex and The City 2 wearing coral Halston dress. The style is laidback, relaxed and a bit vintage.

 

(1. Erdem 2. Asos.com Frock and Frill 3. Dolce & Gabbana)

(1. Freepeople 2. Warehouse 3. Urban Outfitters Ecote Jemma Maxi dress)

4. Shoes: Wedges and Espadrilles are the go-getters for summer active fashion. Comfortable, supportive and protective, would be my adjectives for these.

(1. Dillard's Vince Camuto Tovia Espadrille Wedges 2.  Dillard's Jessica Simpson Cosset Espadrille Wedges 3. Zara 4. Soludos Ikat Espadrilles 5. Soludos Aztec Espadrilles)

5. Serena Jackets: Embellished,studded,sequinned,leather, you name it she has it. I am talking about the uber stylish embellished jackets worn by Serena van der Woodsen in Gossip Girl, so the given name Serena Jackets. These are cropped and sleeveless, and can be worn over anything from vests to dresses.

Images courtesy: Freepeople, H&M, Macy's, Vogue India, Guerlain, Chanel, Temptalia, JustJared, Asos, Apunkabollywood, Urbanoutfitters, Dillard's, Zara, Soludos)

The HIP list : Summer coolers

Summer has arrived with all its might and so are we ready to tuck in those winter wardrobe and strut out the whites and cottons in this heat. I give you some essentials to head onto this season, simple and chic.

1. Breezy tees and tops are the staple if you are spending time in the city and no holidaying. Whites, pastels, sailor stripes, message and quirky prints and colorful embroidery or lacework will always be the summer rage.

1. Zara 2. Abercrombie & Fitch 3. Old Navy 4. Abercrombie & Fitch 5. net-a-porter.com

2. Throw on a Sleeveless denim jacket on any outfit to up the cool quotient and be the style icon around.

Aeropostale denim jacket

3. A Straw hat serves as an all time shade under the cruel sun and saviour of your lustrous hairlocks.

H&M straw hat with ribbon

4. Keep the accessories simple. A carry all, minimalistic but large shopper bag is summer bff to keep all your stuff whether in the city or on vacation. Metallic accents like studs are still big this season

H&M bag with silver studs

5. Wear a single piece of jewelry but make it attention grabbing. Look out for stones and semi-precious pieces in punchy colors.

6. Summer means spending lots of time outside, shopping and walking. ditch those high heels in daytime and opt for flat sandals.

Zara white sandals

7. Why should makeup take a backseat in heat and sweat. Do not forget your SPF and wear juicy, no-fuss lip colors. Take a cue from Anne Hathaway below on how to do bright pink lip. I am guessing the color being Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet L'Exuberante.