Chanel Rose Exuberant

I purchased this nail polish not too long ago ($39 AUD from Myer).  It's one I've been eyeing forevaahhh and the only reason why I never got it before is because I already have so many pinks. My current favourite pink shade is OPI's Kiss Me On My Tulips, but the formula for that is a bit streaky for my liking (see a review for that here).

Chanel Rose Exuberant is extremely similar to Kiss Me On My Tulips.  It is a vibrant cream and is great for a pop of colour.  However, Chanel's formula is sooooo much better.  It's smooth and streak free and in fact I would've gotten away with just one coat.  In the photos you'll see two coats, but seriously, one application is enough to yield an opaque and streak free finish.

This is Rose Exuberant in low lighting.  Still so pretty, yes?  I think that given the fact that one coat is enough (therefore more wears out of a bottle), $39 is not bad to pay for a polish that has an awesome formula and is a colour I really love and will wear over and over agian.  What do you think?

Cajun Shrimp (on my toes)!

If you can get past how ugly my feet are (hairy toes, anyone?) perhaps you will enjoy the Cajun Shrimp I put on it yesterday.  It is a cream based orangey-red nail polish by OPI that was included in The Best of the Best mini collection which came out eons ago (ok, maybe just over a year ago).

In natural lighting it looks like a very vibrant coral red.

In low lighting it looks orange!

This is not the kind of colour I usually go for but it has grown on me quite a bit.  I think it's perfect for summer as it's a cheerful, bright colour and compliments my skin tone fairly well.  My feet have been in nothing but thongs as of lately - you can see those horrible thong tan lines, can't you?  When wearing thongs, I always like to dress up my toes in a cute colour.  OPI Cajun Shrimp fits the bill :)

Kiss Me On My Tulips

This weekend is a low key one for me, so I decided to perk it up by wearing a super bright, fun colour on my nails.  Kiss Me On My Tulips is part of the Holland Collection by OPI, designed for spring/summer 2012.  I love pink nail polish, however this colour isn't all that unique.  It's a hot pink.  There are lots of similar pinks that you can find by O.P.I. and other brands.  I think that Chanel's Rose Exuberant is quite a good match and in fact, that's why I decided to get this one instead, to save a few dollars.

Perhaps I should have gotten the Chanel instead, because I find the formula of Kiss Me On My Tulips (which is a creme) to be a little streaky.  I had to apply three applications to get an even coverage.  It's not too bad, two coats would have been sufficient but I'm quite pedantic about little things like that.

The good thing about this colour is that is doesn't seem to chip as easily as some other colours by OPI. Being a creme probably has something to do with that.  Or perhaps it was because I applied three coats, which I rarely do. Hmmm?!

A day old, in artificial light.

A day old, in natural light.

Right after application, in natural light.

I really like the other colours in the Holland collection, so I'll probably get them at a later date. I love the look of Pedal Faster Suzi, but I have enough pinks as it is so I'm trying to venture out and discover other colours. Vampsterdam and Dutch Ya Just Love seem like good contenders!

My weekend is extremely low key, I haven't left the house at all yet but tomorrow is another day.  My nails will be flaunted then, although it's not hard to miss.  Especially in this drab weather!  Kiss Me On My Tulips is definitely a great colour to perk up your day.

Mecca Cosmetica - You Make My Heart Sing

This is just a post showcasing some very poorly swatched colours in the 6 set of mini nail polishes called "You Make My Heart Sing".  While Mecca Cosmetica really does make my heart sing, their set of mini polishes doesn't quite do it for me.  I'm not too big on the colours, but I do like that it sits very prettily on my vanity.  This was a christmas gift :)

Firstly, let's get into the general basics.  This set is available at Mecca Cosmetica stores or online (website here).  It costs $60 AUD for 6 x 9ml "classic glide on" nail polishes.  The colours are quite varied and ideal for someone who likes wearing nail polish but doesn't do much experimenting with colours.  So in other words, this set was ideal for me as I am a french manicure girl.  If I wear colour, it will almost always be red or pink and be on my toes.

Ironically, I decided to write this post because I was wearing the pinky-purple shade (Timandra) on my toes and thought it would be a good opportunity to put up some swatches.  Toe swatches are gross, but rest assured my photos are poor in quality so no harm will come to your mental health after seeing my horrific piggies.  Having said that, the colours you see are true to life.  So these swatches won't be completely useless!  I'm sorry about the poor quality of the swatches, though.  I am extremely lazy and halfway through painting my nails I got bored and wanted to do something else.  Such is life!

Anyway, while most of these so called "glide on" polishes did just that (glide on smoothly), I found that the lightest two shades of pink were quite gloppy and left a streaky finish, even after three applications.  But perhaps that was just my impatience at waiting for it to dry before putting on another coat?  All the other colours were very easy to apply and gave a streak free finish.  In fact, one coat would have been sufficient for the darker colours.

Two days old.  Two coats applied.

Freshly applied.   Perdita, Thaisa & Virgilia have two coats each.  Jessica and Rosaline have three coats each.

I love pink polish, but I am not too fond of the pink shades in this set. Timandra and Virgilia are the only two shades I like, all the others I don't think go well with my skin tone.  So I doubt that I will be getting much use out of this set.   The quality of the polishes itself are quite comparable to O.P.I. and have lasting staying power, so if there were shades I really liked I would most definitely be in love with this set.  It's just that the colours aren't my cup of tea.  I will continue to wear Virgilia and Timandra, but I think the rest are destined to remain decoration for my vanity.

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow - Illusoire & Epatant

Epatant & Illusoire

These eye shadows are amazing.  First of all, they're Chanel, so you know they're not going to disappoint.  Secondly, they have a very unique texture - a bit like a mousse: gel like & cushy.  It applies quite easily and is buildable.  It can be used as either an eye shadow or an eye liner.  They have an intensive shimmer (the grown-up kind) that look amazing in all lights.  Chanel claim that this is a crease free eyeshadow, and from my 8 hours of wear (with primer underneath) it has delivered this claim without a problem.  In Australia, these babies retail for $48 for a 4g/0.14oz pot (ouch)!  But they come with a mini angled brush, which is good quality but I have yet to try them out.

Mini angled brush that comes with each eye shadow pot

The mini brush, lid off and put on the end as an extension.  Very convenient!

I have only two: Illusoire 83 and Epatant 84.  I purchased them from Myer.  Epatant I got about a month ago with two Myer gift cards (thanks, myerone!) and some loose change. Illusoire I got just recently, after putting aside $12 per week after I had purchased my first one and fell in love.  I hope to get at least two more colours - Ebloui 86 and Emerveille 82... anyone want to be my secret santa?  Haha.  I'm glad christmas is just around the corner!

Onto the swatches.  First up, Epatant, which was my first one.  It is intensely shimmery and you can see a FOTD that I posted awhile ago using this colour by clicking here.  I would describe the colour as a muted green-silver.  I imagine that this colour would suit anybody as it is just so universal.  Personally, I'm not big on green eye shadows but the silver is what drew me to buy it.

Obviously I've used this a few times already!

Now onto Illusoire.  This colour is very popular, almost everyone goes for this one as their first Chanel Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadow.  I would describe it at a soft metallic purple-mauve-taupe (sorry, I'm not good at describing colours)!  It's shimmery (as they all are) but it's not quite as shimmery as Epatant.  I love purple eye shadows so this one was a must have.  It looks gorgeous as a wash of colour on the lid all on it's own.  I haven't yet used this with any other shadows to create a look, but I do plan on playing around with it once my eyes become less red and irritated.

My Illusoire when it was still a virgin, hehe!

Illusoire worn alone as a light wash on my lids.

Now here are the swatches of it on my arm.  The first photo was taken in natural lighting, no flash.  The second photo was taken in natural lighting with camera flash.  You can see that even in natural lighting, it's supremely shimmery.

Botton/left: Epatant.  Top/right: Illusoire.
Natural lighting, NO flash.

Bottom/left: Epatant.  Top/right: Illusoire.
Natural lighting, WITH flash.

Gorgeous, no?!  I'm itching to get the other colours, as I love the consistency and ease of application.  When you find something great that you really love, I believe you should get it in all colours available!  So... as I asked earlier, who's going to be my secret santa this year?!  Hehe!

Have You Ever Had a One Night Tan?

The Model Co One Night Tan is the best wash off tanning product ever!  Relatively inexpensive ($26 AUD for the bigger bottle, comes in a convenient travel size too) and smells delicious.  Not to mention how natural and bronzed your skin looks after application!  For some reason, I could not find it on the Model Co website, so I'm praying that it hasn't been discontinued.  I'm pretty sure that David Jones, Myer and Priceline still have these on their shelves, but to be honest, I haven't really been looking out for it as I have a backup in my cupboard already.

It is a very light-weight mousse that is easily rubbed in to create a gorgeous, natural looking bronze sheen on your skin.  You cannot mess it up!  One application gives you a light, natural brown colour with a touch of shimmer that can only be seen under bright light.  Two coats gives you a deeper colour.  The mousse can easily be layered to create the colour you desire.  Obviously, the more layers, the deeper the bronze glow.  If you apply this with your bare hands, you only need soap and warm water to wash it completely off your palms (I always need to double wash, though).  I prefer to use disposable gloves, because I'm lazy :)

One thing about this tanner is that is does not rub off at all.  I have tried a few other wash off tans and each one remains sticky feeling and ends up rubbing off against things, such as the car seat, bed sheets, clothing.  The Model Co One Night Tan does not come off, even if you sweat a bit, until you wash it off with soap and warm water.  That, and it's gorgeous chocolatey biscuit scent, is what makes me love the product so much.  Just check out how it looks:

My legs with no tanning product on.

Left leg with two coats of mousse.  Right leg bare.  See that gorgeous glow on my left leg?!

Both legs with two coats of mousse.  Very natural looking, is it not?

I like using the One Night Tan on a night out, or sometimes during the daytime in summer if my legs will be bare.  I have keratosis pilaris, which means my legs look rather spotty and bumpy.  When I use the Model Co One Night Tan, it masks my imperfections a little and gives my legs a smoother appearance, a bit like I'm wearing stockings.  Here's a look book image of me wearing the tan on my legs on a night out:

If anyone can confirm for me if this product is still available, that would be great!  I will be so sad if it has been discontinued :(  I have already emailed an enquiry to the company but so far, I have not received a response.  I love this product a lot, and have been using it for over a year now.  I don't want to have to go on a search for another holy grail wash off tan!  So... have you ever had a one night tan?  I think that every girl should have one every time she goes out!

Vodka & Caviar by O.P.I.

I have had this nail polish for two years, and its consistency has not changed at all!  It is still the same as when I first bought it.  Most of my nail polishes get thrown out around the two year mark because they get dry and clumpy, but this one is still going strong.  It's so easy to apply, and looks great against my skin tone (in my opinion, anyway!)  I believe that Vodka & Caviar came out in the Russian collection a few years back.  I don't think it's available anymore, but I haven't really done much research into it.  I just wanted to show off my shiny, pretty red nails that I wore on the weekend :)

Both photos are two coats of Vodka & Caviar with a top coat over it by O.P.I.  It could've done with a third coat for the colour to be deeper, but I was in a hurry and two coats was sufficient.  I had not cleaned up the nails yet, so excuse the sloppy job!

NARS Hopelessly Devoted

Feeling totally uninspired to blog.  Today I've had such a tough day, all I really want to do is go to sleep, but I'm not even tired yet.  So I may as well talk about some products I got a few weeks ago, from a NARS gift set purchased from meccacosmetica.com.au.

The NARS Hopelessly Devoted gift set contains a blush/bronzer duo in Deep Throat/Laguna and two mini lip glosses: Orgasm and Crepuscule.  It is limited edition and costs $85 AUD.  It can be purchased online or from the Mecca Maxima store (unless they've sent back their stock - I last spoke to them a few weeks ago so things might have changed).  The reason why I wanted this set was for the blush/bronzer duo.  I already use the Laguna bronzing powder, and had previously swatched Deep Throat blush and wanted to buy it, but never did.  This has the best of both worlds, and is perfect to take out with you for touch ups.

Left - Deep Throat blush; Right - Laguna bronzing powder

From top to bottom: Deep Throat blush applied with a blush brush, Deep throat blush heavy finger swipes, Laguna bronzing powder heavy finger swipes, Laguna bronzing powder applied with a fluffy brush.

The lip glosses are a cute size.  I wouldn't call it mini, exactly.  More like medium.  Agian, ideal to take with you on a night out or perhaps a holiday, if you're lucky!  Orgasm is a popular lip gloss shade, but I prefer the Crepuscule because it suits my NC40 skin tone much better.  NARS lip glosses aren't the best smelling products around, but I think they look nice and feel good on your lips.

Top - Crepuscule lip gloss; Bottom - Orgasm lip gloss

To sum up, I think Deep Throat blush is absolutely gorgeous.  It's quite similar to Orgasm blush, but to me it seems less glittery and suits my skin tone better.  It is my new favourite NARS blush, after purchasing the Hopelessly Devoted set, I went on and purchased the NARS I Will Survive gift set, which contains a full size Deep Throat blush.  I will review that set a little later, and perhaps create a look using the products in both the sets.  Or maybe just provide better swatches :)  Ok, now I'm feeling tired.  Goodnight xo

Chanel Peridot: Pretty!

Feast your eyes on this baby!  Peridot Le Vernis, a unique green/gold nail polish colour from the Chanel Fall 2011 Illusions d'Ombres collection (alongside Quartz and Graphite).  In Australia, you pretty much need to sell your first born to obtain this. $39 AUD is the most I've ever paid for polish!  Was it worth it?  Well...

I find that this nail varnish does not streak and even after one coat, it looks opaque.  In the photos I have on two coats, just to make sure that the application was even.  It was so easy to apply.  I always make mistakes with other polishes, but with this one, I did not make one mistake whatsoever.  Weird!  Or ingenuity on Chanel's part?

In my opinion, it is definitely worth the price tag.  You're not going to find a colour that comes as close to this gorgeous mermaid green that looks gold in certain angles.  You know how bright and shiny a green christmas beetle is? That's pretty much what Peridot reminds me of!  It's such a rich, glorious, intense shimmery green/yellow that can look gold at certain angles.  Amazing!

Sadly, it doesn't look very pretty on my hands.  It kind of matches my NC40 skin tone too much.  I put it on today and freaked out about how it looked.  Maybe it's just because I'm not used to solid colours on my fingers, as I pretty much always wear a french manicure?  Hmm.  Whatever it is, I'm sure I can overcome it because it really is so pretty.  Have a look for yourself...

Natural lighting

Sunlight

Lights on indoors

With camera flash

What do you think?  Unique and pretty?  Or just a waste of money?

NARS Sweet Disposition Mini Multiple Set

Are you a fan of The Multiple by NARS?  Personally, I've never tried it but I've always been intrigued by it.  A product that can be used as either a highlighter, blush, lip colour or eyeshadow doesn't really appeal to me.  But I was browsing online at meccacosmetica.com.au, and saw a limited edition set containing 3 mini multiples for just $70 (the regular size retails for $79).  It was the perfect size to trial the product in an assortment of colours, so of course I had to get it!

And here it is... The NARS Sweet Disposition Mini Multiple set!  Cute little 4g tubes containing the shades Luxor (iridescent pink), Orgasm (peachy pink with shimmer) and Malibu (pinkish brown).  The only colour I was really interested in was Orgasm, as I already own the powder blush.  Luxor looked way too light for me and Malibu looked way too dark!

Here they are swatched 4 times over on my arm:

Luxor looks too light for my NC40 skin tone, but rubbed in and used as a highlighter, it is actually a very good match!  It makes a very pretty highlighter on my cheekbones, under the brows and along the inner eyes.  It is quite shimmery, though, which I'm not too big on.  Orgasm is also quite shimmery but when used with a light hand, it is beautiful as a blush.  It's just like the powder, except more pigmented (so less product is used).  Malibu makes for the perfect contour for my skin colour and contains no shimmer so I quite like it.  In terms of ease of application, it goes on smoothly and blends easily, so no problems there.

I've only swatched the products on my arms and applied it to my face just to check out how it applies.  I like the way it feels on the skin, very light and fresh.  I think Malibu on the lips would look gorgeous, but I don't think it'll have much staying power... We'll see!

These cute 4g tubes are the perfect size to throw in your clutch on a night out or to take away on holiday.  They're limited edition, so if you're interested, you should grab them quickly.  They're available on the Mecca Cosmetica website.  I think some of the stores might have them, as Chadstone in Melbourne had a pack, but I'm not sure.  Usually their gift sets or limited edition sets are only available online.  But if I managed to find it at Chadstone, you might get lucky too.  If you want to buy from Mecca, here's the link. 

 

I'm hoping to do a FOTD using just these 3 products so you'll get an idea of how versatile and convenient they are.  So look out for that!  And if it's not up within a week or two, bug me about it because I have a tendency to be lazy... Just saying!  Lol.  Thanks for reading!

My YSL Eyeshadows & Swatches

Ok, so I don't have a lot but I thought I'd show you my Yves Saint Laurent eyeshadows that I'm rather proud of. The first one is the Ombres Quadrilumieres, or 4 Colour Harmony For Eyes in number 5. I'm sure they have names but I don't know them. The second is the Ombres 5 Lumieres, or 5 Colour Harmony For Eyes in number 4, and the third is the Ombres 5 Lumieres, or 5 Colour Harmony For Eyes in number 6. The one up the front is a pigment that my sister gave me, the Eclat de Givre in number 3.


All the eyeshadows are so smooth and silky, and really easy to work with. They blend well, all the colours go well together and they have good colour payoff. Expensive, yes, but worth it in my opinion. I got all the eyeshadows at a reduced price so for me they weren't too pricey. My fav palette is the purple one, it's fun to wear and you can create a few different looks with the one palette. I want the blue one but I can't afford it at the moment. Haha!

Free Nars Lip Gloss!

I had my eyes done at Mecca Cosmetica in Chadstone just to claim my free gift, which turned out to be these cute mini Nars lip glosses. The look was nothing special, just a basic sultry smokey eye. Let me just say, I felt so weird walking around the shopping centre with a bold smokey eye. It was a night look, not a day look! But that was what they were offerering on the day, and I wanted my goodies!

I did a swatch of the colours. My fav is sweet revenge. It's a nude gloss and give the lips a nice sheen. The Nars lip glosses are nice in texture, not too sticky and have a good colour pay off but they don't smell very good. The smell reminds me of paint, for some reason. I don't think I'll actually purchase these but if I were to buy one, I'd get misbehave (which has glitters in it but looks really subtle on the lips) or sweet revenge. I'm glad I got these for free, they're great to carry around in my handbag!

I did make a purchase while in Mecca (how could I not?) I bought Nars blush in Orgasm for $62 (AUD). I love that it has a subtle shimmer and it really does give you that naturally flushed look. This will be my regular blush from now on. Previously I was using Estee Lauder, which I love also but you really have to keep applying to get the colour you want. With the Nars I do just one swipe and that's all I need! My next Nars purchase will have to be a bronzer, which they're famous for. Not sure which one to get. The infamous Laguna or the new Irresistiblement? Any thoughts?