Color Me Loud

As I have already mentioned previously, I am trying my best to post as an important deadline for my work is getting closer. I believe for a week or two the posts might be a little less frequent. I might be a little unresponsive as the comments go, so apologies in advance.

Here is a quick review, swatch & FOTD of one of my latest acquisitions, Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm. I have presented #40 Autumn Fire a few weeks ago when the line just launched. I was happy about the quality so decided to order one from their online boutique.

Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm

The reason why Tuscan Storm caught my eye was because it looked like a great natural quad which I can wear on a daily basis. I also thought it could be combined with the crazy lipstick colors I am determined to try this fall, like MAC Matte Lipsticks. I was in search for a palette which is not too warm nor too cool, not too shimmery nor too matte. I am happy to report that Tuscan Storm fits the bill.

Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm

I have expressed my feelings about the packaging at my previous post. All in all I like it, only the round edges started to bother me. I like concrete minimalistic designs and the roundness started to look like not that modern. It might be just me though since the quality and luxury feel are certainly both there.

The only problem I pointed out until now if that some of the eye shadows are not lined up properly, if you see the close up below, you can see that the darkest shade is slightly tilted. And that is probably only if you look at it with bloggers eyes ;-) Missfrankiecat in YouTube also talk about this (and swatches another quad, Cosmic Deco)

Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm

The shades go as follows:

Top left: A light champagne/gold with shimmery finish. Although the shimmer is quiet linear, it doesn't look frosty. A great highlight shade for inner corner and also under the brow bone when lightly applied.

Top right: The star shade of this quad, a lovely natural taupe with very complex shimmer. This is great to apply all over the lid to have a natural look which is not flat nor boring.

Bottom left: Mid-toned natural brown with matte finish. Great shade for contouring. I was afraid that this would pull too warm but happy to see that it isn't. Great shade to apply at the socket before deepening it with the darker shade.

Bottom right: A very deep cool brown with subtle golden/brown shimmer. The shimmer in this one is very understated so the shade works both as a liner or to add drama to the eyes. My only problem with this particular one is some fall out. Since the texture is very smooth, it blends a bit too much and ends up under my eyes. This is why I always like darker shades a little drier and stiffer since they are then easier to work with.

Close-up: Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm

Swatch: Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm

Below I applied the magic taupe all around the lid and the highlighter under my brow bone and on the inner corner of the eyes. I then went to deepen the crease just slightly with the matte brown. I wanted to add a little more drama with the darkest shade which unfortunately didn't layer so well and ended up not showing too much. Next time I will first start off with the darkest shade and go from there inside. This usually helps if I want to increase the drama level.

I coupled this look with Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Liner in Twice Baked.

In-action: Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm

The products I used for rest of the face are:

YSL Fusion Ink Foundation (review coming up soon)
Diorstar Concealer (reviewed here)
MAC Blush in Make You Mine (swatched here)
MAC Matte Lipstick in Styled in Sepia (swatched here)
MAC Viva Glam 2 Lipgloss

I liked how this Sepia almost mono color look turned out to be. Tuscan Storm is a quad I can use especially if I want to go for an interesting lip shade, such as this one.

FOTD with Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm

Also check out other swatches and reviews of Tuscan Storm of Jenny and Sonja.

Final thoughts: A great everyday quad which is not too boring nor too shimmery. The shades and the texture variation is great. One thing I would change about it must have been the fall out of the darkest shade during application, wished it would have been a little stiffer and not too easy to blend into nothing. That said, I am really loving Tuscan Storm and recommend it to natural eye look lovers.

Availability: Gucci Beauty can be purchased from their online store in some of the countries such as Switzerland, Germany, UK, USA and Italy.

Are you eyeing something from Gucci Beauty? What do you think about round-edged packaging.

These days I am trying to catch a deadline and nevertheless keep up with the blog. The things which lift my spirit are nail polishes and perfumes since I sometimes skip make-up in the mornings. Last week I have enjoyed the new Dior nail polishes which were released with their Dior Baumes in the beginning of September. I would like to share some swatches and my thoughts with you.

Dior Vernis #121 Lili, #775 Star, #798 Spring and #988 Diorette for Rouge Dior Baume Collection

Dior Vernis #121 Lili is a light natural-toned nude cream. I think it has the right balance of pink and beige so that it would be flattering across skin tones. I took the photo right after the holiday so you can see the result on my very much tanned hands. The formula was good, it is opaque in two coats and consistency is great.

Dior Vernis #121 Lili

I don't know why I don't have a nice photo of Dior Vernis #775 Star although I wore it for days. I must have been distracted with work and this one really cheered me up. I have posted about Star also in intagram, which looks like a better photo, so you may want to check it out here. Below it looks much lighter than it is. Anyway, a nice classical red with some coolness to it, I really like it. I have to admit I like Expression from Chanel a bit more though since it is more saturated and looks better on my hands. Dior Star has a good consistency and formula, below swatch is with two coats.

Dior Vernis #775 Star

Now comes two of the colors which made my heart skip a beat. Let me start with Dior Vernis #798 Spring first. I love everything about it other than the name. It is certainly not a Spring shade but a fabulous one for Fall! The mauve undertones on a slightly brownly taupe cream base makes is so interesting and season appropriate. I love it and ended up wearing it a whole week (talking about longevity!). The formula was great, below swatches are with two coats.

Dior Vernis #798 Spring

I was so happy with Spring, I didn't know that I would end up loving another polish from the collection even more, but Dior Vernis #988 Diorette stole my heart. Seriously, this is the Fall shade I was longing for. Under each light it looks different, berry, plum, red, pink, you name it. Oh and I love the name too! Unfortunately I don't have time to post a comparison at the moment but checked out two close nail polishes Chanel Coup de Coeur and Chanel April for you, April is lighter, Coup de Coeur is pretty close but I like the plummy tones of Diorette even more. The formula is again here great and very easy to work with. Below I am wearing two coats. Also check out the photo with a matching ring and a Dahlia from last week.

Dior Vernis #988 Diorette

Final thoughts: For me #988 Diorette and #798 Spring are must haves for the upcoming season. I could have skipped the other two although they are surely pretty too. Great formula and longevity on all of them.

Availability: They are available world wide, I believe these shades are permanent.

Which one is your favorite?

“Most people assume that a muse is a creature of perfect beauty, poise and grace.
Like the creatures from Greek mythology.
They're wrong.

In fact, there should be a marked absence of perfection in a muse
--a gaping hole between what she is and what she might be.

The ideal muse is a woman whose rough edges and contradictions drive you to fill in the blanks of her character.
She is the irritant to your creativity. A remarkable possibility, waiting to be formed.”

by Kathleen Tessaro from her book "The Perfume Collector"

Estée Lauder Modern Muse Chic Eau de Perfum, the base notes

Estée Lauder released this month a new version of their popular perfume Modern Muse, called Modern Muse Chic. The new flacon is decorated with a studded bow around its spray, which looks modern and complements the feminine pink and gold appearance.

It is noted that the perfume has a bold contrast between florals and woody notes, having a dual personality. The notes are described as follows:

Top notes: Plum, Artemisia

Middle notes: Jasmine Sambac, Tuberose and Stargazer lily

Base Notes: Cashmere Wood, Agarwood (oud), Labdanum, Patchouli, Ebony Tree, Musk, Madagascar Vanilla and Suede

Estée Lauder Modern Muse Chic Eau de Perfum, the heart notes

By the first spray Modern Muse Chic takes me to a tropic place by the warmth it radiates. Plum notes reveal themselves playfully. Already in about ten minutes, jasmine zambac quietly enters the scene. I always feel happy subtle jasmine accord since it reminds me of the jasmine plant in our summer garden and the scent I used to enjoy as the breeze carries it to our balcony. Jasmine stays in balance with plum as Artemisia neutralizes the sweetness of the plum and prepares a neutral base for tuberose and lily. I appreciate the fact that Modern Muse chic never becomes sweet.

Tuberose is the star of the show on my skin, becomes potent after half an hour to forty five minutes and builds the white floral mood with its little helpers, Stargaze Lily and Jasmine which yet manages to linger. At this stage, Modern Muse Chic becomes a bold oriental beauty, showing its carefree self-conscious presence with a moderate sillage. Tuberose appearance here reminds me ever so slightly of Estée Lauder's Pleasures, which I used to enjoy during university years, yet another pleasant memory. To me they are yet very different, Pleasures can be differentiated by its spicy notes.

First exotic then oriental, what next one wonders. As the scent starts becoming close to skin after four to five hours, the quiet woody notes starts dominating with clean skin like musk and soft leathery tunes. The base of Modern Muse Chic is complex and well blended. It is very pleasant, in fact my favorite part of the experience. Right on time as one start believing the tuberose would never get quiet and sing until the end, the scene slowly changes and revolves around this new sophisticated concept. Although oud is listed in the notes, I wouldn't describe Modern Muse Chic as an oud fragrance since the base is rather quiet, softer, a little musky and leathery too.

Estée Lauder Modern Muse Chic Eau de Perfum, top notes

I have chosen the photos according to the moods Estée Lauder's Modern Muse Chic evoked in me, you can see one photo for each top, heart and base notes. I hope you enjoyed the visuals and this review.

Final thoughts: The new interpretation of Estée Lauder's Modern Muse, Modern Muse Chic is definitely a fragrance white floral and tuberose perfume lovers shouldn't miss. Once the weather gets colder, I believe I will enjoy its warmness even more.

Availability/Price: To the best of my knowledge, Estée Lauder Modern Muse Chic Eau de Parfum is now on the counters worldwide. It is available in 30 ml and 50 ml (photographed above) for around 49.99€ and 76.95 respectively.

Have you sampled Estée Lauder Modern Muse Chic yet?

The product in this post is provided free of charge for my consideration.
I am not paid for this review, all opinions are honest and my own.

As my deadline approaches, the excitement and stress on this side of the screen gets rocket high but I can't keep myself from showing you Chanel's holiday eye shadow palette. I will try to keep it short as the photos speak for themselves. This is going to be the first review of the items I picked up from the collection.

Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette

Oiseaux de Nuit (nocturnal birds) is a 5 pan eye shadow palette, called Les 5 Ombres, I don't know of any other release from Chanel with this name, so I was very much curious about the formula. It must be why I purchased it sight unseen although the colors didn't catch my attention at first. I like cooler side of the spectrum when it comes to eye shadows but silver is a color which is hard to make it work on me. The purple shade in the middle though made me reconsider my decision of skipping so here we are...

Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette

A few more observations about Les 5 Ombres formula, compared to Ombres Matelassees, which was the general name of last year's holiday release Charming (reviewed here):

Les 5 Ombres doesn't have the signature Chanel pattern pressed on it.

Les 5 Ombres lists two different formulas at the back, namely "cream powder" and "powder". It is hard to figure out though which pan has which formula. Golden eye shadow is significantly sheerer than the others so this one might be the "powder" one.

Similar to their new gloss release, Chanel again cuts back from the weight as the price stays the same, last year's palette was 9 g/0.32 OZ while this one is only 7.5g/0.26 OZ.

That said I find 5 Ombres more pigmented than last year's Charming.

Close-up: Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette

I am pleased to see that Oiseaux de Nuit has different finishes including mattes to balance out the shimmers. The shimmery shadows are rather subdued, they are more like a satin to shimmery finish. I am also glad that they are not frosty. The shades from left to right are like follows:

Left most: Very light cool white with satin finish. It is great for highlighting the inner corner or the brow bone but be careful with this one, it is very pigmented.

2nd from left: A light silver with a tad of lavender. This has a subtle metallic finish which is not overly shimmery. I really like the undertones of this particular shade, easier to wear than many other silvers on me.

Middle: Deep blackened cool purple with matte finish. It is a complex shade but not because of its finish but because of its undertones. I really like it, it is a great alternative to black to define the eyes.

2nd from right: Very deep matte black. Although I like the quality and how deep it is, I don't think it was necessary in this palette. The deep purple was a nice blackened shade and a full pan black is something I wouldn't be using much. Sheered out the deep purple and this shade almost look the same.

Right most: A very sheer mid-toned gold with satin finish. Another shade which I am not that fond of. I thought since it is sheer, I could use it to layer on the others, which I did on the eye make-up below. It worked but I needed to apply multiple layers for it to show up. If you find the rest of the palette to be too cool, this shade may make it work for you.

Swatch: Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette

I have tried to wear the palette two times. Each time I though the end result was nice but not ground shaking. Below I applied the white on the inner corner, silver all over the lid, purple on the crease which I attempted to deepen more with black but these two shades are almost dupes, so no luck in trying to make them show individually. I then layered the gold on the first half of the lid, which made the whole look a little warmer.

In-action: Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette

Since the eyes were unspectacular, I decided for some color on the lips. I was testing the blush from Chanel's holiday collection as well so they didn't go all that well together but nevertheless here is the whole look and the list of the products:

Foundation: Chanel Vitalumiere Compact Douceur in B20

Concealer: Diorskin Star Concealer (reviewed here)

Eyes:

Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette,
Chanel Les Volume Mascara #30 Prune,
Stylo Yeux #905 in Smoky Grey (swatched here)

Face:

Chanel Joues Contraste in Caresse (review coming up)
Chanel Camelia de Plumes Highlighting Powder (review coming up)
Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder

Lips: MAC Fashion Revival (swatched here)

FOTD: Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette

Looking at the photos of the compact once more, I wished the middle shade would swatch a little lighter, like in this photo, compared to black. I would also love to have a true-to-pan pay-off with the gold shade.

Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette

Final thoughts: Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette is nice but it didn't blow off my mind. If you are in search for a cool smoky palette with good color pay off (I am ignoring the gold shade here) then you may want to check it out. Personally if I would have swatched it in person, probably I would end up not purchasing it.

Price/Availability: Chanel Plumes Précieuses Holiday 2014 Collection is now available in the States. I believe in Europe we have to wait for one more month for the release. Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette costs $70 in the States.

Do you have something in your wish list from Chanel Plumes Précieuses Holiday 2014 Collection?

It must be the destiny of beauty bloggers to wear fall lipsticks in summer, put on pastel springy eye shadows in winter and walk around with golden sparkles in fall. As Chanel Camélia de Plumes goes, I am not complaining a bit, because it is the most gorgeous highlighter for each season which I would like to share with you today.

Chanel Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder

Camélia de Plumes is the star of Chanel's Plumes Précieuses Holiday 2014 Collection. It was summer when the first sneek peak photos started floating forums and social media. It was a true attention catcher. It quickly became one of the most awaited items. The design is truly breath taking. If last highlighter from Chanel was out of this world, this one must be sent directly from heaven.

Chanel Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder

Although it may look like a palm tree, the name suggests that these are "Camelia Feathers". I love the fact that this is a little surreal, feathers of a Camelia bird which flew far far away so long ago.

Close-up: Chanel Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder

Another interesting fact about Camélia de Plumes is its shade. It is said to be platinum by Chanel but I think it is much more complex than that. In the pan it looks very cool and silvery but once swatched and compared it pulls rather warm, almost gold. Like a white gold, a natural gold. It is beautiful and I believe it can be worn by both warm and cool complexions and would look equally flattering.

Close-up: Chanel Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder

Below you can see a close up of the make-up I shared with you here. Thanks so much on the comments about my lipstick, it sounded like I need to go bold on the lips more often. You can see Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder applied heavily on the top of the cheeks. And yes it is a heavy application for it to show up on the camera. You see it is in no way frosty although very pigmented. Under artificial light, the effect is stronger than what you see here but still not over the top. Seriously this highlighter surprised me in a good way, a very good way and it is probably the only piece which impressed me from Chanel's holiday collection until now, since I find the rest of the collection rather unspectacular and a little uncoordinated.

In-action: Chanel Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder

Here is some comparisons, I have pulled out Chanel Poudre Signee (still a favorite of mine), Armani Belladonna and a discontinued shade Joues Contraste #49 Luna from Chanel for a comparison.I was especially wondering how Camelia de Plumes would compare to Luna, since Luna is the whitest powder/highlighter I have.

Comparison: Chanel Camélia de Plumes, Chanel #49 Luna, Chanel Poudre Signee, Armani Belladonna

As you see in the swatches, it turns out Chanel Camélia de Plumes is not white, not platinum nor silver. It is a silvery gold, like white gold if that makes sense. This slight warmth to its undertones makes it very wearable. The texture is similar to Armani Belladonna, very pigmented, finely milled and yet not frosty. Aah how I wished they would make a fol finish nail polish which looks like this and include it in the collection... Wouldn't it be better than another red?

Comparison swatch: Chanel Camélia de Plumes, Chanel #49 Luna, Chanel Poudre Signee, Armani Belladonna

Here is one more shot. I haven't said this for a Chanel product for ages but, ladies, you need it!! Even at this price point. Once you put it on, you will know what I mean.

Chanel Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder

Final thoughts: Love love love! If you can afford it, it is a must-have in my book. It is the only piece from Chanel Holiday 2014 which made my heart skip a beat. Chanel Camélia de Plumes is not just a pretty face, its quality and this shade makes it a staple.

Availability/Price: Chanel holiday is now available in US and it is about to arrive worldwide soon. It costs $76 but Chanel highlighters costs more in US so I believe it will be more reasonably priced in Europe.

Have you added Chanel Camélia de Plumes in your wish list?

Dior Holiday Collection Golden Shock is now available in Germany and I believe it started popping up at other countries as well. I went to the counter to play with the items and take a few photos. Since I got a few unpleasant experience with my blind 5 Couleurs orders in terms of linear frosty finish (Femme-Fleur) and panda eye creating fall out (Pied-de-Poule), I don't thrust buying the new eye shadow formula from Dior without touching it. So my intention was to swatch and take a few photos for you but instead ended up being ditched by a very unfriendly SA at the counter in Breuninger, but... That is a story for the swatch post.

Today I would like to show you the nail polishes from Golden Shock Collection which really shocked me, why? Keep reading...

Diorific Vernis #001 Golden Shock, #022 Mirror, #241 Gold Equinoxe, #762 Shock and #990 Smoky

Here is the first shock, beautiful in the bottle, #022 Mirror is not only very sheer and shows visible nail line but the formula is also streaky. Below you can see it with three coats. Nothing more to say about this polish, money wasted. (Shock No.1)

Diorific Vernis #022 Mirror

#241 Gold Equinoxe is a beautiful warm gold in the bottle. The color is very unique to my collection so I had to have it. Only today I put it on and have seen the terrible brush strokes and cheap metallic effect. *frowns* Another not that stellar polish from the collection, below it is swatched with two coats, (Shock #2), let's keep searching shall we?

Diorific Vernis #241 Gold Equinoxe

#762 Shock has a good formula. Almost with one coat it has a good coverage, below I applied two coats. My only problem with this one is that it is very close to Diorific #751 Marilyn from last year an the year before that. There is a comparison post at the end of this post for ones who wonder how they compare.

Diorific Vernis #762 Shock

#990 Smoky is an almost black but not yet eggplant color. I love me a good vamp, always but this one was not that spectacular. Especially after last year's Minuit, which I loved so much. Smoky is a cream, nothing special going on in there. Formula is good, below you can see it with 2 coats.

Diorific Vernis #990 Smoky

Then there is the "Golden Shock" Gold Leaf Effect Top Coat in the collection. This one was by far the best piece between the nail polishes. I liked how random the sizes of the golden leaves were and how easy it was to pick them up with a brush and apply them homogeneously on the nail. Below you can see it applied on #990 Smoky.

Diorific Vernis #001 Golden Shock over #990 Smoky

I also applied it on #241 Gold Equinoxe and liked the resulting effect. In fact Golden Shock saves #241 Gold Equinoxe in a way, make the brush strokes appear less. The resulting mani is pretty, below you can see one coat of Golden Shock over 2 coats of #Gold Equinoxe.

Diorific Vernis #001 Golden Shock over #241 Gold Equinoxe

When I was at the counter, I had to check my own post from last year to make sure I was not buying the same shades again since they repromoted Marylin last year and this year the colors were looking so much like the last two years. Below I swatched almost all the Diorific nail polishes for you. Do you see a pattern? A gold, a white, a blackened vamp and a red. This is what they release for the last three years and I was "shocked" to see that this year's collection wasn't changed a bit.

Shock is a tad brighter than Marilyn, Gold Equinoxe is a little warmer than Diorling, Mirror is very close to Winter, just a tad warmer. Smoky is very unspectacular once compared to #995 Minuit from last year and #901 Dive from one year before. (Shock #3,#4, #5....)

Diorific Vernis comparisons: #001 Golden Shock, #022 Mirror, #241 Gold Equinoxe, #762 Shock and #990 Smoky

Final thoughts: I love Diorific nail polishes and I couldn't pass these. Wish I could though since it turned out this year's colors are almost the same with last two years. I started feeling like Dior is cooking the same dinner for us each Christmas. What scout a little chance? My pick is Golden Shock golden leaf top coat, I think others can be easily skipped, especially if you already own some from last years.

Are you eyeing anything from this collection? Are you also tired of the same packaging/color theme for the third year or is it just me?

Dior has just released the holiday collection, Golden Shock. The collection has the vintage packaging that brand is using for the last three years. I have picked up the nail polishes for my collection and swatched and compared them for you in my last post. Today I would like to share the swatches I took at the counter for you since it haven't seen many lipstick swatches online, I think it may help.

Dior Counter, Golden Shock Collection for Holiday 2014

I can't help myself but mention the treatment I got from SA at Stuttgart Breuninger counter. I am a long term customer and this disappointed me beyond words. I would like to take a few swatches and she was very rude. She told me it is not allowed to take photos. Really? No explanation why, what kind of photos. I only had my cell phone with me, no professional camera and I was taking photos of my arm, I can't imagine this being forbidden. I am at cosmetics department at least once a week and all the SAs help me take pictures while this one **** feels she needs to be rude at me for what? If nothing else I am helping them to sell their products!

Anyway, I moved to Douglas down the street, very friendly SAs there, they helped me to take the rest of the photos by providing me with cleaning towels and I purchased the nail polishes there. I am trying to decide if I should complain about her behavior. I am a platen customer at the store but I don't like making people's lives harder, their income less stable etc. I have never complained about a person before but this time it looks like she really asked for it. What do you think?

Maybe I should just get over it... Let me introduce you to duo lippies from Dior, which are the newest thing in this year's collection which is very close to last year's otherwise. If I have understood it right, these are supposed to me matte on one side and sheerer and shinier on the other. What I have seen though instead was the matte side was rather satiny or even shimmery. Since I like wearing sheerer lipsticks, these looked like a good way to change the intensity during the day by applying one side, other side or even layering them. I didn't try them out on my lips yet though. Anyway, I might go back for Daring Shock, which is a lovely berry color. I usually like Diorific lipstick formula and own many of them, these are intriguing me.

Dior Swatches of all lipsticks from Golden Shock Collection, Mysterious Shock, Daring Shock, Passion Shock

Dior Swatches of all lipsticks from Golden Shock Collection, Enchanted Shock, Ardent Shock, Delicate Shock

I have also swatched two of the glosses which appeared to be very unspectacular. Fusion Moni in #621 Mirror was way too shimmery for my taste but I can see it being lovely padded on an otherwise matte/satin eye look to take it to night.

There are a number of swatches on the internet for both of the quads. I especially like the posts from Stacy for that matter, she also posted lovely eye looks. Hop to her blog for Golden Shock and Golden Reflections. Below I have also swatched them for the sake of completeness. My thoughts upon trying them, I will probably pass on both since they are pretty frosty and glittery. Pigmentation is not too bad (average) and I like also a bit of shimmer for holidays but the quality of shimmer is nothing like, say, Nude Dip from Tom Ford or Poesie from Chanel. We are talking about linear frost and I believe it looks cheaper than it costs, if you know what I mean. I used to be a lover/collector of Dior eye shadows but since they changed their formula this fall, I am rather disappointed. The only two I love until now are Cuir Cannage and Trafalgar.

Dior 5 Couleurs Palette, #046 Golden Reflections

Probably between the two I would rather go for Golden Reflections since it has an unusual color combination. Golden Shock seems like the purple quad we all own a couple of. The darkest shades being glittery/shimmery and not that deep and pigmented is also another issue.

Dior 5 Couleurs Palette, #046 Golden Shock

Final thoughts: I am a little underwhelmed about Dior Holiday this year so this posts concludes my reviews of Golden Shock Collection. Double-sided lipsticks deserve another chance though so I will go to the counter once more when unfriendly SA is gone.

What do you do when SA is unfriendly? Any tips?

Together with Nude Glow Collection, Burberry repromoted their Fresh Glow Luminous Base. I have read lots of stellar reviews about this product so I was very happy to be able to get my hands on one to review. I have been testing it for the last three weeks. I would like to share my thoughts with you today.

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base

Packaging:

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Base comes with a similar packaging to their foundation. I am a fan of their packaging design and Fresh Glow is no exception. Remember, the cap covers a part of the bottle and giving the impression that it is tiny but what you see is just the half of the product. The product is being dispensed by a pump so that it is easy to get the product out and it is hygienic.

Look & Feel:

The first time I used Fresh Glow, I thought it felt like a moisturizer with some luminosity. The first impression was rather to the point since Fresh Glow lacks the silicony feel of other bases that I was used to. I have normal to dry skin and I need a good amount of moisturizer if I would like to go for a base product with silicons, such as Chanel Le Blanc. These products make your pores and lines appear less but at the same time it is like an isolation layer on top. Fresh Glow doesn't have any silica listed, I also couldn't feel it. It also has Glycerin listed in first three ingredients as well as others as skin conditioning such as rosa canine fruit extract and cassia obtusifolia seed extract.

There are two types of bases out these, one that minimizes pores and prolonges makeup and minimizes shines, and one that gives luminosity to the skin. I think the latter is for us normal to dry skin girls with less "shining" problem and more "looking dull" issues. To me Burberry Fresh Glow hits home run by not drying out but rather moisturizing it while giving it a lit within glow.

The shade of Fresh Glow is white with some warmth in it, which is great for neutral complexions. I believe both warm and cool complexions can also get along with the product.

Swatch: Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base

Usage:

There are three ways to use luminous bases,

1) Mixing with your foundation

2) Applying before your foundation

3) Applying on top of a foundation on the high points of the face as a liquid highlighter.

I found out that Burberry Fresh Glow performs best in first two categories. As for the third category, I find it to be tacky. I am not getting along with any liquid highlighters though, so it might as well be me. I especially like using Fresh Glow under a semi matte foundation, such as YSL Ink Fusion and when I do so, I even skip a moisturizing step and feel comfortable with it all day long.

Cons & Pros

It is very moisturizing and it gives a very pretty natural glow. I don't think though that it prolongs the longevity of my foundation. I can't complain since most foundations do last pretty well on my normal to dry skin. I can see it being too rich for oily skin. If you have oily skin and tried Fresh Glow, please let us know in the comments below.

Comparison of Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base to other base products from Tom Ford, Chanel and Dior

Below I have compared a few similar luminous bases. Chanel Le Blanc is the whitest and has the most silicony feel among the others. I would say it is better for combination and oily skin. Dior Glow Maximizer is a product I couldn't bring myself to review since it is way too warm for my skin tone and doesn't look all that well even once blended out. If you have redness though, the yellow tones in that one might even it out. Burberry's formula is close to Tom Ford's Illuminating Primer Base, which I also like. Tom Ford's is a tad warmer though, I like the undertones of Burberry more. Tom Ford Illuminating Base has a few silicons listed but also has more skin care ingredients in the list.

Comparison swatches (heavy application) of Burberry Fresh Glow and base products from Tom Ford, Chanel and Dior

Comparison swatches (blended) of Burberry Fresh Glow and base products from Tom Ford, Chanel and Dior

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base

Final thoughts: If you have normal to dry skin and searching for a luminous base without silicon, you can't go wrong with Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base. It made it to my very tightly scheduled morning make-up routine although I usually tend to drop steps rather than adding any.

Availability/Price: Available at all Burberry counters and online stores. Costs 41€ /$48 for 30 ml/ 1 FL.OZ.

Are you using base under your foundation? Which one is your favorite and why?

The product in this post is provided free of charge for my consideration.
I am not paid for this review, all opinions are honest and my own.

Today I would like to write about another piece I picked up from Chanel's Holiday Collection, Joues Contraste #180 in Caresse. Chanel has one of my favorite blush formulas, I like both their cream blushes and powder blushes but I prefer powder blush in general. I am fond of Chanel's baked or non-baked formula alike. They apply and blend beautifully and last very long on my cheeks. Therefore I was intrigued by Caresse and decided to try it out.

Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse

Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse is a light apricot. I have the US-version (non-baked) and I don't know if it will be released as baked formula elsewhere since Jersey was released with no-baked formula everywhere.

Caresse is a very soft and light blush, one of the lightest that I have from Chanel and in fact I can get it show on my NC20 skin if I use a dense brush like Tom Ford Cheek Brush. I like blushes which are not that pigmented so I don't complain about it but if you like pigmented blushes or if you are medium and darker, Caresse may not be a good choice for you.

Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse

A close look reveals some glitters on the brush surface but once it is applied on the cheeks, it doesn't look shimmery nor glittery but very natural. Just to give you an impression of the shimmer degree, it is much less shimmery than holiday shades of last year (Accent) and the year before (Stardust).

Close-up: Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse

Caresse is rather like than love for me. I like wearing it but I feel like it is misplaced in a holiday collection and it would go much better with a pastel spring collection. If you look at the photo and comparison swatches below, I think you can see the delicate pastel undertones I am talking about. If you have deeper complexion, it might look chalky on the skin as well. I feel it is borderline for me. Below I combined Caresse with Chanel Rouge Allure #90 Pimpante. You see, I am ready to skip the cold winter months and jump into Spring already *wink wink*

FOTD: Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse

Some of you may be wondering how Caresse compares to recently released Chanel Joues Contrasted #80 in Jersey (reviewed here). Caresse turns out to be lighter and more pastel. I am loving Jersey, I believe it has the right darkness for my skin tone. I have also included Accent to show you the difference of shimmer. The closest blush I have to Caresse must be Giorgio Armani's Cheek Fabric in #305 Dolci, which is a little darker. I really like Dolci and prefer it over Caresse for my skin tone.

Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse vs. #84 Accent, #80 Jersey, Giorgio Armani #305 Dolci

Final thoughts: Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse is best for fair ladies and those who like pastel tones on the cheeks. Starting from medium skin tones this blush may not show or look chalky so be sure to try it out before investing. Regardless it is pretty, I don't think Caresse is a must.

Availability: Chanel Holiday Collection is available in US since a few weeks. It started popping here and there as well so stalk your local counter if you are eyeing that gorgeous highlighter, just saying *wink*.

Do you prefer pigmented or sheer blushes?

I am about to conclude my reviews of Chanel's Holiday Collection, Plumes Précieuses. You can my thoughts on the eye shadow palette, highlighter and blush. Today I would like to introduce a product from the peach themed part of the collection, together with the Joues Contraste #180 Caresse and Rouge Allure #227 in Volage. I have also picked Volage and Stylo Yeux in Or Blanc from this collection, which I will try to review too. At the moment I have some other reviews lined up though, such as Tom Ford and Guerlain, which I am very excited to share.

Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #847 Envol

Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #847 Envol is a shimmery soft peach which brightens up the eyes. Under day light, it gives a polished look without being too shimmery nor too metallic. Under artificial light, it becomes much more shimmery but still it is not over the top. When I wore it for the first time, I was not impressed. Not to bring the topic of those mirror visits of a narcissist again but during the day I have caught myself watching it occasionally at the rest room. It looked so pretty.

Close-up: Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #847 Envol

The effects of some diamonds winking on your eye lids is hard to capture in camera. What I like about Envol is that it becomes subdued at day light and shows itself under light. Below I am wearing it all over my lid with a touch of MAC Omega on the crease to avoid it from looking swollen or flat.

What I am a little confused about is the date of the release. I have told you before about Joues Contraste in Caresse too, which was also looking so Spring to me, Envol is the same. I can't see myself wearing this during winter, when I will rather be rocking some smokey eye nor would I reach for it during Holiday season when I am in the mood for some gold and glitter.

Another reason why I see Envol a little uncoordinated in the collection is because it doesn't go so good with the eye shadow piece of the collection as a base. Usually Chanel releases an Illusion d'Ombre to carry the day look to evening by adding some shimmer to the base of the eye shadow quad/quint. Last year #827 Initiation was a lovely base for Charming Quint for example. This year I approched Illusion d'Ombre with high hopes and tried it under Oiseaux de Nuit. You won't see an eye look from this effort because the result was really not good.

In-action: Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #847 Envol

I have pulled out some of my other Illusion d'Ombres to compare. It is no secret that I am collecting them. I like their moussy texture and longevity. Some days when I am late in the morning, there is nothing better than an Illusion d'Ombre for to pad on the lid, add some mascara and voilà. Ready to go! ;-)

Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #847 Envol and comparison to other shades

Envol is like a light-hearted sister of #82 Emerveille. Emerveille is more brown and a tad deeper. I like the shimmer qualities of the later Illusion d'Ombres more than the first releases though so I prefer Envol to Emerveille in this respect. #93 Impulsion is more pink and definitely frostier, #88 Abstraction is also pinkier but close in terms of finish and lightness.

Comparison of Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #93 Impulsion, #83 Abstraction, #847 Envol and #82 Emerveille

Final thoughts: Although I wouldn't be wearing #847 Envol for the holiday season and I don't really understand how this combines with the rest of the items from Plumes Précieuses Collection, it is still a lovely piece on its own. I don't think it is a must but if you like bright eyed looks and some refined shimmer, make sure to check it out.

Do you use shimmery cream eye shadows under your satin/matte beauties or do you prefer wearing cream eye shadows on their own for a quick swipe and go kind of day?

I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I feel quiet tired as if a truck drove over me during the week. I guess it is just natural after all the appointments and deadlines I had for the past two weeks. My plans for the weekend are to sleep and rest to pump my energy levels up. Today I have some products from Burberry Nude Glow Collection to show you which was release together with their new fragrance My Burberry around the Trench Coat theme.

Burberry Nude Glow Collection: Fresh Glow Luminous Base, Complete Eye Palette #02 Mocha, Light Glow #07 Earthy Blush, Effortless Mascara #02 Midnight Brown and Nail Polish #100 Nude Beige

Burberry Nude Glow Collection features repromoted products so if you are a Burberry make-up fan like myself, you may have them already in your stash. I find the collection very coordinated and a good way to give hints about how to combine products which would go good together. As the name suggests it is all about natural makeup with glow skin and nude hues.

I have already shared my thoughts about Fresh Glow Luminous Base last week, which I am enjoying very much as a silicon free smoothing base under my makeup at the moment. Today I would like to write about the rest of the collection which I have been testing for the last couple of weeks.

Burberry Nude Glow Collection: Fresh Glow Luminous Base, Complete Eye Palette #02 Mocha, Light Glow #07 Earthy Blush, Effortless Mascara #02 Midnight Brown and Nail Polish #100 Nude Beige

I have been enjoying Dark Spice from Burberry Complete Eye Palettes since the day it was launched, which is a natural palette which I opted for since it is more copper, denser and smokier than the others. Dark Spice would show up on deeper skin tones. Pale Nude from Burberry quads is very soft and most suited to lighter complexions, which I decided to skip. #02 Mocha on the other hand is a great mid toned natural quad for everyone. I really like the fact that the browns are not too yellowy nor warm.

Burberry Complete Eye Palette #02 Mocha

The finishes are mostly satin to matte, which is great to smooth out the eye lids, not showing up the fine lines. The consistency is buttery, smooth and finely milled across the palette. The shades are as follows:

Right most: Very light matte beige with matte finish, it is a great base shade. I like sweeping it on my crease before applying a darker shade to make it blend effortlessly.

Mid-right: Light tan shade with subtle golden shimmer. This one is a stunning shade for all over the lid.

Mid-left: Mid-toned brown with a tad of mauve undertones and satin to matte finish. I like applying this shade on the outer corner of my eye to add deepness.

Left most: A deep warm brown with a hint of copper shimmer. I like using it on the crease but it is also stunning once used on its own.

Swatch: Burberry Complete Eye Palette #02 Mocha

The eyes of Nude Glow Look is finished with Burberry Effortless Mascara in #02 Midnight Brown. I know that sometimes Burberry goes for looks without a touch of mascara. Effortless Mascara on the other hand gives a natural but defined eye lashes. The formula is rather dry than wet, which takes some time to apply but it doesn't smear nor bulge. Also drier formulas have the advantage of holding the curl. I have been wearing the mascara very often since three weeks and all in all I really like to formula. Only if I am rushing, I reach for something which is easier to get done in a shorter time.

Burberry Effortless Mascara #02 Midnight Brown

One of the "already cult" products from Burberry Beauty line must be their Earthy Blush. It is a pink taupe shade which sculpts and gives a natural flush at the same time. I have been enjoying Earthy since almost a year and posted many looks with it, for example here and here. I like Earthy for contouring but I feel I usually need more rose on my cheeks to look healthy since Earthy is a little too warm for me, so I usually pop also a bit of rose toned blush on top, such as Burberry Peony. Earthy Blush is a part of the Burberry permanent line but at the moment it is sold out at their online store. I hope they will restock soon.

Burberry Light Glow #07 Earthy Blush

The last item from the collection is a timeless beige on the nails, #100 Nude Beige. After loving everything else I have tested from Burberry, this one unfortunately falls a little short of their usual quality. I own many Burberry nail polishes and most of the time the formula is superb. This one however is hard to work with, consistency is thick and result is streaky. It is hard to do a non streaky light nude though, still at this price point, I wouldn't recommend Nude Beige. Below you can see me wearing two coats.

Burberry Nail Polish #100 Nude Beige

Off to my version of Burberry Nude Glow Look with trench hues on eyes, nude lips and face. I have Light Glow #07 Earthy Blush on my cheeks, which complement my tan nicely right after the holidays. Right now I need a bit of blush as extra, oh where is my tan go ;-) On my lips I am wearing Burberry Lipmist in Pink Heather, which is a great everyday shade to swipe and go.

FOTD Burberry Nude Glow Collection

On my eyes I have used Burberry Complete Eye Palette #02 Mocha and Effortless Mascara #02 Midnight Brown for a polished day look. I really enjoy a subtle but chic makeup, especially for work.

FOTD Burberry Nude Glow Collection

Check out other posts and looks from Burberry Nude Glow collection: Melanie and Sunny

Final thoughts: I appreciate the fact that Burberry is not trying to create an artificial demand in their items by going down the "super exclusive, mega limited" road. Instead by Nude Glow Collection a wonderful selection of their popular products are curated together for a timeless polished chic look for everyday. The only item I wouldn't recommend whole heartedly would be the nail polish #100 in Nude Beige, since its formula is not au par with rest of Burberry nail polishes I tried. Mascara, Eye Palette and Blush are definitely getting two thumbs up together with their Fresh Glow Luminous Base which I am loving at the moment.

Do you own any of these products? Anything else you have been enjoying from Burberry and would like to recommend?

The products in this post is provided free of charge for my consideration.
I am not paid for this review, all opinions are honest and my own.

That one collection that I am super excited about is about to hit the counters in Europe. It has already released in the states a few weeks ago and I am expecting some more items to reach me in the following days. In the meanwhile, I would like to present you... *drums*... Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Pink Tease and Cream Color For Eyes in Platinum.

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Pink Tease and Cream Color For Eyes Platinum

Let's start with the lips for a change. I am a religious follower of matte lip trends. I was almost loosing myself at MAC Matte Lips release (reviewed partly here) and ended up with 6 shades, ugh... Since I purchased them, I wear them almost daily. My favorite at the moment is Nouvelle Vogue. I was almost considering to "back it up" when I heard about Tom Ford coming with the matte lips range. And there it was, Tom Ford version of Nouvelle Vogue, a cool mid-toned pink, Pink Tease.

Until now I have only tried Pink Tease from the collection, but I am deeply in love with this formula. It is very creamy and doesn't try out my lips. It goes on smoothly and stays very long. I am a foodie and a coffee ~~addict~~ drinker, so at the office when I start at 9am, drink a coffee, eat lunch, drink another coffee not to sleep and decide to go to the rest room at around 3pm just to notice a good part of the lipstick on my lips was a really shocking moment.

As for the comparison between MAC and TF Mattes. I would say I feel like Tom Ford stays much longer on me. They both don't dry my lips (I don't usually have drying lips) and I can wear them without conditioning my lips in any way. Tom Ford though feels a little creamier and goes on smoother, settles a little less to the lines. The main difference I would say is the staying power though.

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Pink Tease

I pulled out some mattes and similar shades from my stash. You can see that MAC Nouvelle Vogue is deeper, Chanel L'Eclante is much brighter (and this one in fact dries out my lips). Chanel La Raffinee is the closes from my stash but it is less matte and shinier. I also included another favorite of mine from Tom Ford Spring Collection, Summer Fling, which of course has a different (sheer/lip balmy) formula and at the same time it is warmer.

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Pink Tease and comparison to similar shades

I would like to compare Pink Tease to other Tommies too so went to Tom Ford counter at Stuttgart Breuninger. There was a sweet SA and she helped me search for cool pinks from their regular and sheer line. Here they are, nothing is like Pink Tease. Pink Dusk is warmer, Quiver is lighter, Flamingo is warmer and deeper, Spanish Pink is much warmer. So read, even if you collect Tom Ford lippies, there won't be another like Pink Tease <3 (big love!)

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Pink Tease and comparison to other Tom Ford pinks

Here is me wearing Pink Tease. It is no secret that I love cool pinks which are not too deep nor too pale and this one hits my sweet spot. I like combining it with Tom Ford blush in Wicked, which I am also wearing at the photo below. On my eyes I have Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes in Platinum, which is our next topic. Gosh, looking at my photos, I thought, where is my tan go, where?

FOTD with Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Pink Tease

Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes in Platinum was first release during the summer of 2012. At the time the only Tom Ford Counter was in Berlin and I was lucky enough to be visiting. I was just getting warmed up to the line though so ended up only purchasing their now discontinued quad Burnished Amber, which is still one of my all time favorite quads. Anyhow, how did I miss those cream eye shadows? During Summer 2013 Tom Ford released two more cream eye shadows, Pink Haze and Escapade (reviewed here). I was very fond of their quality and the staying power.

Now that I tried the reported Platinum, I understand why I overlooked it. This one has to be worn on the lids to be fully appreciated. It has a dense texture and a very small amount is enough to get full opacity. It is very easy to apply. I like using my fingers, it glides on smooth and cover the whole lid in just a few seconds. Before it sets which is not before a minute, you have enough time to clean the edges and blend. And better... it lasted over 14 hours on me once applied over Nars Pro Prime. The effect is a gorgeous metallic look. Of course if you are not into metallic eye shadows, this one is not for you but its complex shimmer and subtle yet there effect is a big winner for me. I have been wearing it since 3 days, non stop for a quick eye makeup. It also has enough warmth to work across different skin tones. Big thumbs up.

Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes in Platinum

Below I am wearing Platinum on the lids, photos are taken with flash to show the metallic texture of the eye shadow. Without artificial light, the shimmer is very subtle and day appropriate. I don't know if I would wear Platinum to a holiday event but I will surely wear it all year around. I am glad that they reported it, because it was being sold for $$$ at evil bay!

FOTD: Tom Ford Cream Color For Eyes in Platinum

I then thought alright, let's have a little bit of fun. This is gorgeous Gigi Hadid for the promo photo, look at those lips *faints*. She is wearing another shade, called Flame, an orange red on this photo. I thought I could try to recreate this... look... Not really but try to look like this in the photos.

Tom Ford Holiday 2014 Promo Image

The challenges: appearing cross-eyed (crop the half of the photo), looking too up, too much down, having a big chin (crop it out!) and here is what is left of me... A Gigi pose... Do you like it?

My version of Tom Ford Holiday promo ;-)

Final thoughts: Pink Tease is a lovely matte, didn't dry out my lips and for a cool pink lipstick lover as myself, the shade is very wearable. Loving it. Platinum is easy to apply with fingers and very long lasting. Beware it is metallic though. The shade is a great everyday one over each lipstick shade. Price of Tom Ford is high up in the sky but it definitely delivers the quality for it. Thumbs up.

I have four more shades I ordered from US (thanks to a dear friend, *smooch*), so do expect more reviews coming up soon.

Are you eyeing anything from Tom Ford Holiday?

The products in this post is provided free of charge for my consideration.
I am not paid for this review, all opinions are honest and my own.

"How sensuous the perfume of her smile
announcing her sweet presence in the air
Inspiring the racing of an old poet’s heart
as it is worn in a young woman’s hair."

Gardenia by Amor Sabor

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Eau de Parfum

The new perfumes from fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez are under the spotlight after his very successful start in the world of fragrance by award winning "For Her". In his own words, with Narciso, he wanted to create a seductive and intoxicating fragrance to turn the heads of men.

His description leaves us with the question, who is that woman? How does she look like, what does she do? Can she be put in a bottle?

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Eau de Parfum

A minimalistic flacon, matching dimensions suggests us of a cube, but it has round edges. Clear cuts but no extremes and cream is selected as its color instead of white. It is inviting. Once you take the cap off, you face the golden detail inside. First spray, intriguing, what else is hidden in there?

With the first whiff, the first contradiction comes to life. A fresh gardenia bouquet appears, offering a vintage sensuality of an innocent white flower worn on woman's hair. The white roses she holds in her hand joins this creamy mix. It reminds of a bridal scene with musk rushing in to make it a little warmer while providing a clean base for the gardenia to shine through.

In a few hours cedar-wood starts bringing its darkness upon the creamy innocence. It represents the masculinity we learned to seize, just as much as it is demanded from us. Gardenia lingers a little longer on this deeper base, becomes yet sexier and more inspiring by the contrast woods bring. As gardenia finally fades, musk accompanies the cedar notes close to the skin for a few more hours.

Personal notes: On my skin gardenia is very much pronounced suppressing the rose notes, which makes Narciso different from "blended to ~~nothing~~ perfection" perfumes. The distinction of its notes elevates the sillage a little but it remains to be pleasant. It wears moderately long on me around 9 hours.

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Eau de Parfum

Final thoughts: The story of a modern woman, she is self-confident and determined, yet manages to be romantic at heart. A strong character bearing a vintage soul. I believe Narciso captures the 21st century contradiction of a modern woman in this tiny bottle. Especially recommended for gardenia lovers.

Have you tried out Narciso yet? How did you find it?

The product in this post is provided free of charge for my consideration.
I am not paid for this review, all opinions are honest and my own.

I can't believe it is almost Christmas! This year I had a relatively late holiday during September and when I came back there was no time to enjoy the Fall collections. On to golds and reds we shall go. Today I have two products to share with you from Guerlain's holiday collection, Un Soir a L'Opera, or in other words A Night At The Opera. The collection is inspired by Russian Ballet by all its glamour.

Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer #901 L'Oiseau De Feu, Colour Lacquer #400 Coque D'Or

The names of the products in this collection is making my music loving heart seriously skip some beats. I adore Russian orchestral works, especially of 20th century and seeing a gloss named after one of my all time favourite Stravinsky piece, Fire Bird, is almost too good to be true *hugs her gloss, kisses it*. This is my pieces of Stravinsky in my make-up collection. Remember that Coco Chanel was all over him? *cough cough*.

Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer #901 L'Oiseau De Feu is a clear gloss with tiny golden pieces. Under light the shimmer particles have a multi colored shimmer, depending on how the light hits their surface. It is very pretty to look at. On the lips the particles are very subtle and the result is almost like a clear gloss with a touch of gold. It is surely a collectors item but if you like more effect, it may not be for you. It wear quiet long for as gloss, it is comfortable and not sticky.

Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer #901 L'Oiseau De Feu

Here is a close up for you to see how complex the shimmer of Fire Bird is. There are pink, green, purple flashes of light.

Close-up: Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer #901 L'Oiseau De Feu

The next product I would like to show you today is Guerlain Colour Lacquer #400 in Coque D'Or. Coque D'Or means golden shell, it is the name of a vintage fragrance which was designed by Jacquer Guerlain himself in 1937 and was dedicated to his friend Sergei Diaghilev, the founder of Ballet de Russe. It is a word play on one of Rimsky-Korsakov's operas, called Le Coq D'Or (The Golden Cockerel). This vintage fragrance is adapted by Thierry Wasser. Don't rush to get yours just yet though, since there are only 29 of them and they cost 17 000 € for 190ml.

Namesake, the nail polish is surely easier to get hold of though. Guerlain Colour Lacquer #400 Coque D'Or is a lovely cool toned gold with foil finish. It has very complex shimmer under the sun light, it applies beautifully and lasts long on the nails. It doesn't show brush strokes and has full opacity in two coats. Coque D'Or is one of my favorites from Guerlain's holiday collection.

Guerlain Colour Lacquer #400 Coque D'Or

Guerlain Colour Lacquer #400 Coque D'Or with flash

I pulled out some shades to see how Coque D'Or compares to rest of the cool, silvery golds I have in my stash. I love foil finish and appreciate cooler toned golds.

Guerlain Colour Lacquer #400 Coque D'Or vs. similar shades

OPI Love.Angel.Music.Baby has a matte finish and it is warmer. Tom Ford Silver Smoke (discontinued) leans more rose. Chanel Diwali is a tad lighter but very close. Butter London Full Monty is warmer.

Nail Wheel Comparison, Guerlain Colour Lacquer #400 Coque D'Or

Final thoughts: I am very pleased to see my favorite composer's pieces as inspiration to Guerlain's holiday look. Guerlain's Nail Polish #400 in Coque D'Or is my nail polish pick for this holiday season in terms of its shade, finish and quality. There is gold everywhere but it is always hard to find a flattering one. Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer #901 L'Oiseau De Feu is very pretty in the bottle. Be sure to get one if you like clear glosses, if you are a collector of pretty makeup or if you are a Stravinsky fan. Both of these items are limited edition.

Availability: Guerlain Holiday started to arrive at the counters around the globe. A few stores in Germany already have the full collection.

What kind of a gold nail polish do you find to be flattering on you?

The products in this post are provided free of charge for my consideration.
I am not paid for this review, all opinions are honest and my own.

A few weeks ago Chanel quietly released the palette which was used by make-up artist Tom Pecheux during Dubai Cruise show earlier this year. The palette first popped at Chanel Boutique in NYC (57th street), and I have seen the first photos at Instagram from @lepanties. The stars, copper and gold screamed my name. I am hearing it will be released also in Europe with a bit of delay (I have heard that it will be early next year).

Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow

Tom used the black kohl all around the eyes for an oriental eye make-up, leaving a space between the prolonged wings from upper and bottom lashlines. Then geniously he added that leaf of gold on the inner corner. Love the look and the hair styles on this show. For a full review and more photos, check out Vogue UK.

Chanel Dubai Cruise Show, Makeup by Tom Pecheux, photo rights Chanel, source Vogue UK.

Now back to Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow. It is a beauty on its own with lovely stars embossed on its surface. It was too beautiful to swatch (bloggers dilemma anyone?) but someone had to do it! It is housed in a signature Chanel Compact which is the same as their regular quads. It has 2 g of product, similar to the latest eye shadow launch. I would say the complexity, the textural feel and pigmentation of the eye shadows are also similar to these.

Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow

Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow consist of three shimmery/metallic and one matte shade. Doesn't that look so Christmas/Holiday to you? I actually find it more season appropriate than the quint they released with their holiday collection (reviewed here). All in all the coppery shade in the pan is more of a natural brown with complex shimmer and quad gives a natural eye with a golden twist.

Close-up: Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow

The shades are as follows:

Top left: A warm deep brown with shimmery finish. I was thinking this would have more red/copper but it is more of a wearable brown with lovely multi-dimensional finish.

Top right: A very light white gold with metallic finish. As all the other shades this is also very pigmented. Although it is metallic, because of its multi dimensional shimmer, it doesn't look cheap nor frosty.

Bottom right: A very deep true black with matte finish. This one is insanely pigmented. It is like MAC Carbon done right if that makes sense. It doesn't produce fall out and it is lovely as a liner or as a definer on crease/outer corner if you want to really go dramatic, like done in the show.

Bottom left: A mistuned natural gold with metallic finish. This must be the most beautiful gold I own to date. I would describe is as "foil finish" if it would be a nail polish, does that make sense? It is so smooth and pigmented and it applies beautifully.

Swatch: Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow

Below I have applied the white gold on the inner corner, gold on all over the lid, brown on the crease and outer corner. I then smudged a little bit of black along the lash line. I would like to demonstrate how I would wear it daily. The result is really natural and appropriate for office. That said you can turn the drama button to 10 if this look would be like 3 or 4 what you can achieve with this quad. Do you see why I like it?

Also worn on the eyes: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Pencil in Twice Baked (my go to liner!) and Lancome Grandiose Mascara in black (loving at the moment!).

In-action: Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow

Here is the look in context. YSL Fusion Ink Foundation on my face (B20), Tarte blush palette on cheeks, Lancome L'Absolute Rouge #246 in Rose Comtesse on lips. I will try to review both of them soon. It is so busy here with all the holiday releases, I am trying to keep up.

FOTD: Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow

Final thoughts: I am loving Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow Palette because it is nicely pigmented, has multi-dimensional shimmer, and a very black matte to define and add all the drama necessary, so in versatility, this product wins.

Are you going to hunt those stars?

Last June the Italian jewellery house Pomellato (not affiliated, no affiliated links in this post) announced to launch their first unisex fragrance along with their Collection 67. You can see the full catalogue of products (watch & accessories) here. Different from their classical collection which focuses on gold, 67, the silver collection of Pomellato, are aimed for younger customers and for those who are in search for more casual accessories.

On the beauty end of things, Pomellato entered the fragrance world just recently by their Nudo trio last year. When it was announced that they are now releasing another fragrance, Artemisia, it caught my attention, especially because of the nose behind, Annick Menardo. You surely know her from her successful creations such as Dior Bois D'argent or Dior Hypnotic Poison.

By the way this time I decided for a male model under the fragrance, thought as an eye candy, what do you think? Would you like more in the future? *wink wink*

Pomellato 67 Artemisia for women and men Eau de Toilette

Pomellato 67 Artemisia is named after the herbal plant and the queen of Halicarnassus (today called Bodrum). The latter is the place I spend most of my holidays. The mention of it makes me expect a piece of Mediterranean air brought by this bottle. The flacon is designed in an unisex fashion, simple and clean. The green color is suggestive of the herbal heart note, Artemisia. Notes are listed as follows:

Top notes: Lemon, mint and neroli

Heart notes: Artemisia absinthium (wormwood), jasmine and violet

Base notes: Olive wood, vetiver, patchouli and musk

Pomellato 67 Artemisia for women and men Eau de Toilette

With the first whiff, the fragrance opens up like a fresh summer cologne with the citrusy top notes and pleasant breath of mint. One of the best moments I have with Artemisia is when mint starts fading as artemisia kicks in. I imagine a endless green field which changes its tone of green as the clouds pass by. It stays green thus becomes a little more bitter and not that bright and fresh anymore. On me jasmine and violet are not pronounced very much but patchouli starts lingering slowly in a rather masculine way, at that point it almost becomes smoky on my skin. Olive wood and musk stay at the background as patchouli dominates. I found Artemisia to appear more masculine on me than I am used to wear but it definitely makes a nice fresh summer fragrance if used lightly. I will hold on to that until the weather warms up again.

I then decided to spray Artemisia on my husband. It was an instant love and proof of how different fragrances turn out to be depending on one's skin chemistry! On him a delicious Neroli dominates for the first hour, like as if he takes me to the Mediterranean orange gardens. On his skin, Artemisia balances out this fruity tone wonderfully, not too fruity, not too bitter. The florals are lingering softly at the background, not spoiling the play between Neroli and Artemisia. Finally another balanced act of patchouli and musk enters between good and bad, dirty and clean. The slightly smoky dry down is similar to what I have but on him I like it even more. This wonderful experience lasts about 5 hours, which is a moderate time for Eau de Toilette. After that it stays close to skin for another 4 hours.

Final thoughts: I don't feel like it is the right thing to assign a fragrance to a specific gender and that the experience is personal. I love Pomellato 67 Artemisia more on my husband than on my self because this particular combination likes his skin chemistry. If your skin lets the Neroli radiate, you get the best of this experience.

Availability/Price: Pomellato 67 Artemisia is now available at boutiques and online. Prices in Germany for 30ml / 50ml / 100ml (pictured above) are 36€/52€/72€ respectively.

Have you tried Pomellato before? Do you know know/love any other fragrance with artemisia?

The product in this post is provided free of charge for my consideration.
I am not paid for this review, all opinions are honest and my own.

It must be the worth thing ever to have a public holiday on Saturday. It is then two days of shopping break. Possible I can use it as rehabilitation if there wouldn't be internet... Hmmm...

I have already started to tell how excited I am to find it out that Guerlain's Holiday Collection theme is Russian Ballet and some of the items are named after Stravinsky's timeless compositions. I wished there would be Rites of Spring (my favorite) in the names but I believe since it is a Christmas collection, it wouldn't be so appropriate after all. Check out my previous post to see a lovely gloss named after Firebird, one of his early works. Today it is about Eyes and Blush Palette Petrouchka, named after the composition which is known to be the piece "Stravinsky become Stravinsky". It all makes sense that it is the center piece of the collection as well.

Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette

Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette comes in a compact which is similar to their limited edition blushes, such as Madame Rougit. It comes wrapped in a red bow, with Guerlain's logo on it. It is indicated inside the package that this can be used as a hair band. Inside the box there is a velvet pouch with pockets. Inside the pockets there is a mini red cheek brush and a sponge tipped applicator for eyes. I don't find them very useful unless you would like to touch up during the day.

Package content of Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette

Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette has two tiers, the top one has five eye shadow shades. They are embossed with Guerlain's name. It is composed of warm shimmery naturals which are very finely milled with buttery texture. Almost all of them apply beautifully on the lids, the lightest two shades being a little sheer. The gold shade has the worse color pay off but the darker shades are all very smooth and pigmented and makes it up for the gold one.

Top layer of Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette

The shades are as follows:

Top most: A warm ivory with shimmery finish.

2nd from top: A neutral gold with shimmery finish. This is the one which applies semi transparent and lack a bit of pigment.

Middle: A gorgeous mid-toned copper with shimmery finish. This shade was included also at Gueriain's 2012 and 2013 Palettes (comparisons are at the end of this post)

2nd from bottom: A deep warm brown with red undertones. I love this shade for the outer corner. If you have green eyes, you need this shade! *winks*

Bottom: A very deep natural brown with shimmery finish. This shade has the less shimmer compared to the others, which is great if you want to use it on the crease or for definition.

Swatch of eye shadows, Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette

The second tier of Petrouchka Palette has four different brush shades. I was a little skeptical since I know that Guerlain blushes doesn't swatch very well and they are rather hardly pressed. So was not the case with the Petrouchka blushes. All of the turned out to be smooth to touch and very pigmented. I also found the sizes of the pots large enough for application since I like using smaller brushes in general. The smaller ones can be easily used by a large eye shadow brush and bigger ones are perfect for mid-sized blush brushes (I used Suqqu cheek with these and it was perfect for the size).

Bottom layer of Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette

The shades are as follows:

Top left (small pan): Light cool pink with shimmer particles on a satin base

Top right (large pan): Mid-toned berry with satin to matte finish, this shade is so beautiful for fall and winter, it applies and blends beautifully.

Bottom right (large pan): Mid-toned red coral with satin to matte finish. Lightly applied to the apples of the cheeks, it gives a wonderful natural flush.

Bottom left (small pan): A light tan with satin to shimmery base and some shimmer particles. It is one shade I did' know how to use. It could make a good subtle contour but it is more shimmery than the other shades. Any ideas here?

Swatch of blush shades from Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette

Below I applied the lightest shade on the inner corner, orangy copper all around the lid, warm bronzy brown at the outer lid and deepest brown at the crease. I lined my eyes with Urban Decay 24/7 in Twice Baked and added Lance Grandiose Mascara on the lashes.

I found that the eye shadows apply even more beautifully than they swatch. They blend effortlessly but they can still be noticed, meaning they don't over blend. I have tested the eye makeup over 14 hours and it looked freshly applied even after that.

In-action: Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette

Below I have applied the berry shade as a contouring blush, then added a touch of the coral shade on the apples of the cheeks for freshness. I also used the light pink as a highlight by picking it up by a later eye shadow brush (Suqqu Eyeshadow L). On my lips I am wearing Gloss D'Enfer #901 L'Oiseau De Feu (reviewed here).

FOTD with Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette

I also decided to try the look with a edgier lip, below is the same eye placement and blush as above, combined with MAC Matte Lipstick in Styled in Sepia (reviewed here). I know it is not that Guerlain but I think it brings this look more to life.

FOTD: Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette, MAC Styled in Sepia

Now on to comparisons. I have been collecting Guerlain palettes since a few Holiday Collections, so I was curious how similar they are. Below you can see Liu Palette for Eyes and Lips from 2012 and Crazy Paris Eye Palette from last year. First about the package, although I love the eyes colors from Liu Palette, which I keep on wearing because of that one taupe I can't get enough, I am principally not a fan of lip and eye palettes since eye shadows dusts over the lipstick making it turn messy in time. Crazy Paris was really not my favorite palette (hence I have never reviewed it here) because of awkward shade combination of cool and warm shades which doesn't go all that well together and a repetition of copper and gold from the previous year. They both had around 10.2 to 10.5 g of product and a bigger bulkier package.

Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette is more compact than the other two, takes smaller space and has more products inside, a generous 11.9 g. In terms of design and packaging, it certainly wins the price among the others.

Comparison of Guerlain Holiday Palettes from 2012, 2013 and 2014, Liu, Crazy Paris and Petrouchka respectively

As far as the uniqueness go, the upper three shades are very similar to other two palettes, copper shade is repetitive all through the years, ivory and gold are also very close to other releases. The bottom two shades are more unique as well as the Guerlain Holiday Palettes go and it has the new blushes to try so it is still justified even if you own the other palettes in my opinion. Finishes of all three palettes are very similar.

Swatches of first three shades from Guerlain Holiday Palettes, Liu, Crazy Paris and Petrouchka

It was a long review, congratulations if you have made it to the bottom. Check out this beautiful movie from Petrouchka Ballet, starts from 30th second. The first theme and the second theme played are so lovely. The whole atmosphere also reminds me of a Christmas market, so fits to the mood.

Final thoughts: This years Eyes & Blush Palette from Guerlain, Petrouchka doesn't disappoint. It manages to fit almost 12 g products in a rather sleek case. All the products are finely milled and apply beautifully. Check out the comparison swatches above if you own one of the previous palettes though since there are similarities.

What do you think about blush and eye palettes in general? Do you find them useful?

Precious Feathers is the theme of Chanel's Holiday Collection, so what could be a better name than Phenix for their new red nail polish...

Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix

Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix is a bright orange based red with cream formula and glossy finish. It applies very evenly and beautifully. Two coats is needed for full coverage. It is a very cheerful shade, I ended up wearing it over 5 days and loved it for its mood lifting effect on the tips.

Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix

You might be wondering how another red fits in Chanel's million reds spectrum. It is yet another red and we know that Chanel can do it like no one else. I pulled out some recent shades from Chanel, Tom Ford and Rescue Beauty Lounge.

Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix and similar shades from my stash

Chanel #677 Rouge Rubis from last years holiday collection and Tom Ford Carnal Red are rather close. These are both very bright reds but it turns out that Phenix is yet brighter and lighter. Chanel #173 Coromandel is one of the orange based reds in the spectrum but it turns out that it is also deeper once compared to Chanel #687 Phenix. Chanel #159 Fire is also deeper and warmer. A recent Chanel red, Chanel #635 Expression is also a tad deeper and a little darker. The closest match is Rescue Beuaty Lounge Gondoliere from an Italian Summer Collection and this one is even a little brighter. Just when you think nothing could be brighter right?

Nail wheel comparison of Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix and similar shades

Here is Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix once more on the tips. I can see combining this one with a black dress, black eye liner and red lips. It is one of my favorite reds among the recent releases, that being said, have you thought about it? Three reds in Cult Reds Collection (review coming soon), two reds in Gloss Allure Collection, now one for Holiday... Does that make six or what?

Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix

Also check out at Sunny how this shade combines with the matching lipstick and for more comparisons go to Sabrina's review (Chanel Enthusiast looks close!).

Final thoughts: A lovely red which is unique in its own rights by being more orange and brighter than any other Chanel red. Nonetheless Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix is yet another red. After Chanel released six new reds in the last two months, it is hard to be excited about it.

What do you think, Chanel and their fifty shades of red, are you tired of it or do you buy them all?

Chanel made a smart move that makes a nail polish collector's heart skip a beat. They remade three of their cult reds from 1980s. How cool is that?

By the time I knew what fashion is and that I could dress up appropriately, 80s were already over. I was more interested in music and my fashion sense followed along when I was a teen at 90s. I loved 60s, early 70s, the music, hippies, all the ideologies they believed whole heartedly but I was never into 80s. I remember my mom having to remove the shoulder pads from my shirts when I was a little girl because I wouldn't wear anything which had them. My childhood passed by as I was hoping 80s would be over and I was all ready when 90s arrived.

Chanel Le Vernis #38 Rouge Flamboyant, #71 Laque Rouge, #19 Rouge No 19

Today when we think of all the brands jumping in the bandwagon with their newly curated make-up lines, it is not hard to step back and see the history behind a long established brand such as Chanel. It tells why it is still the hottest discussion on beauty forums when photos of new Chanel nail polishes are revealed for the next season. Most of us can remember our mothers even our grandmothers loving a particular Chanel shade. We share memories, Chanel is a part of us.

A history back in time. Year 1980, some carry over thoughts from 70s dominate the fashion industry. Colors are subdued, so are the accessories. Chanel Le Vernis #38 Rouge Flamboyant, "a fiery red to cheerfully welcome a new decade" is released. Chanel being always ahead of the time, slowly makes the fashion world warm up with the idea of "brighter" colors for the second half of the decade.

Chanel Le Vernis #38 Rouge Flamboyant, photo taken with sun light

Chanel Le Vernis #38 Rouge Flamboyant is a warm classical red with a tad of orange to lift up your spirit. It applied beautifully, right consistency, self levelling and opaque in two coats.

Chanel Le Vernis #38 Rouge Flamboyant, photo taken in shadow

Year 1981, Chanel reveals their new nail polish, an elegant deep red with a touch of berry, Le Vernis #71 Laque Rouge. Is it one of the pioneers before it all started to get deeper with Vamp? It is hard to pinpoint, all that can be said is that it is lovely on the fingertips and toes alike.

Chanel Le Vernis #71 Laque Rouge, photo taken in shadow

Chanel Le Vernis #71 Laque Rouge can be worn all year around but I find it especially pretty for fall and winter. It has a great consistency and a very lovely glossy finish. I applied two coats for opacity but with this one you can almost get along with one.

Chanel Le Vernis #71 Laque Rouge, photo taken with sun light

1980s are almost over, just three more years to go and there comes my favorite of the bunch, playful, feminine yet classic. Chanel Le Vernis #19 Rouge No 19 was released in 1987. If you are not into reds, you may like this one. It is a blue toned pink, with almost fuchsia undertones. The new version has fuchsia hidden shimmer, which makes it appear even more pink than it was with the first release back than.

Chanel Le Vernis #19 Rouge No 19, photo in shadow

Chanel Le Vernis #19 Rouge No 19's new version has wonderful consistency and formula. It is opaque with two coats. The hidden shimmer reveals itself quietly once the right amount of light falls on the nails, making it very unique.

Chanel Le Vernis #19 Rouge No 19, photo with sun light

I was so obsessed with that fuchsia red, I had to hunt the old version from 1987 down a few years ago. I am glad to be able to compare these two for you, as you see the new version has more of Chanel's hidden shimmer and as a result it appears cooler, with more pink on the nails. I was told that the matching lipstick of Rouge No 19 has also shimmer, so I imagine that they decided to vamp up this shade to a degree they were not able to do back then. All in all I am loving the both versions but new one even more!

Chanel Le Vernis #19 Rouge No 19, old version vs. new version

Chanel Le Vernis #19 Rouge No 19, swatch, old version vs. new version

Do you know Chahevu? She has the biggest Chanel nail polish collection that I know of and has a lovely blog in German. The photos speak for themselves even if you don't translate the text. Check her posts about: Le Vernis #38 Rouge Flamboyant and comparison to two older versions, Rouge No. 19 and comparisons to two older versions, #71 Laque Rouge and comparison to an older version.

Final thoughts: All thumbs up for Chanel to bring back these lovely reds for us. I hope they consider to bring back some other cult shades such as Night Sky, Jade and Facettes Collection.

Availability/Price: These three reds are now available at Chanel.com and they keep popping around world at many Chanel counters. I got mine from Stuttgart Breuninger last week. They are prices the same as permanent shades.

How do you like this idea from Chanel? Which particular shade would you like to see remade?

They are matte, they come in lovely colors and have funny names... They are the new Tom Ford Lip Color Matte Lipsticks and I can't stop myself until I have them all. Damage is done, I reached with my grabby hands and picked up five of the eight shades.. I am trying to stop here but I have to be talked out of it. Help me please! Tell me that I only have two lips!

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte Pussycat, Pink Tease and First Time

After falling in love and almost getting to the half of the bullet with Pink Tease (reviewed and compared here in detail). I decided to go for the lightest shade of the range, so I ordered First Kiss and Pussycat. After seeing the swatches online, Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #04 Pussycat was the first shade which winked at me. They were all winking but that one was dancing and winking at the same time so it must have caught my attention. It is a mid toned mauve pink which is not too dark, so it wouldn't make a statement lip but it is not too light to be a nude. It is a great everyday shade which can be worn with a smokey eye or simple eye look alike.

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #04 Pussycat

Pussycat combines beautifully with Tom Ford's Blush Wicked. Below I am wearing MAC Crazed Imagination on the cheeks, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil in Perversion and Lancôme Hypnôse Dazzling Cream Eyeshadow in Rouge Cabaret from their Parisienne Lights Make-up Collection (review coming up soon) and MAC Nylon on the inner corner. Check out Pussycat also on Jaa, it looks lovely on her.

FOTD with Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #04 Pussycat

Next one I purchased is Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #09 First Kiss. This is one of the two limited edition shades from the collection so I made sure I was not missing something. First Kiss is a very well executed peachy nude, which is not too beige nor too pink. It is also not too light nor too pastel, not too intensive nor too sheer. I am still struggling to get along with MAC Mattes from Kelly Osbourne Collection, Strip Poker and Riot House. These give an instant MLBC (my lips but concealed) feel. With First Kiss I have just the right amount of pigment that replaces MLBC to MLBB (my lips but better) ;-).

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #09 First Time

I like combining First Time with a warm toned blush like Chanel Joues Contraste #80 Jersey. Alternatively a touch of Tom Ford Flush looks also good. Below I am wearing a similar make up as the one above ( did I tell that I am obsessed with Lancôme Hypnôse Dazzling Cream Eyeshadow in Rouge Cabaret?).

If I had to pick just one though, I prefer Pussycat because it is more there (if you splurge so much money for a lipstick, it should be there right?) and I found out that it lasted longer on me once compared to First Time. I have heard that First Time is sold out in the states, I think it is a pity but I wouldn't pay even more to get it if you know what I mean.

FOTD with Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #09 First Time

Below I have compared some similar shades from my stash to Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #04 Pussycat and #09 First Time. Tom Ford Sable Smoke is much warmer than First Time, MAC Pander Me from their recent Matte Collection (reviewed here) is also warmer and deeper. Tom Ford Pink Adobe is warmer than Tom Ford Pussycat. MAC Nouvelle Vogue is very close to Pussycat, just a little a tad warmer as Pussycat has more blue in the mix. Tom Ford Negligee is much warmer and so it Tom Ford Indian Rose.

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #04 Pussycat, #09 First Time, comparison to other shades

Final thoughts: Love the look & feel of these. I can easily say it is my favorite matte lipstick formula at the moment. Since I am big on matte lipstick trend, I am trying hard not to spend all my money here *inhale in inhale out, slowly...*. My favorite of the collection up to this point is Pussycat. First Time is a lovely nude but I found its staying power to be a little shorter than the others in the collection. Pussycat is permanent (woohoo!) but if you have your eyes on First Kiss, you should act quick.

Availability/Price: Tom Ford Lip Color Mattes are now available in US for $50+tax each, First Time appear to be sold out though. In Germany they haven't shown up on KaDeWe Online shop until now but I suspect it should be any time soon. They will be priced around 47€ each.

If you were to shell out serious money on lipstick, would you go with a nude or for a special occasion vamp or red?

Gucci Magnetic Color Shadow Quad #020 Tuscan Storm for Fall 2014, Swatch, Review & FOTD

Dior Vernis #121 Lili, #775 Star, #798 Spring and #988 Diorette for Rouge Dior Baume Collection, Review & Swatches

Estée Lauder Modern Muse Chic Eau de Parfum, Photos & Review

Chanel Les 5 Ombres Oiseaux de Nuit Eye Shadow Palette for Plumes Précieuses Holiday 2014 Collection, Swatch, Review & FOTD

Chanel Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder for Plumes Précieuses Holiday 2014 Collection, Swatch, Review, Comparison & FOTD

Diorific Vernis #001 Golden Shock, #022 Mirror, #241 Gold Equinoxe, #762 Shock and #990 Smoky from Dior Golden Shock Holiday 2014 Collection, Review, Swatch & Comparison

Dior Swatches of all lipsticks, lip glosses and eye shadow quads from Golden Shock Collection for Holiday 2014

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base, Swatch & Review

Chanel Joues Contraste #180 Caresse for Plumes Précieuses Holiday 2014 Collection, Review, Swatch, Comparison & FOTD

Chanel Illusion d'Ombre #847 Envol for Plumes Précieuses Holiday 2014 Collection, Review, Swatch and Comparison

Burberry Complete Eye Palette #02 Mocha, Light Glow #07 Earthy Blush, Effortless Mascara #02 Midnight Brown and Nail Polish #100 Nude Beige from Nude Glow Collection, Review, Swatch & FOTD

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte in Pink Tease and Cream Color For Eyes in Platinum for Holiday 2014 Collection, Review, Swatch, Comparison & FOTD

Narciso Rodriguez Narciso Eau de Parfum, Photos & Review

Guerlain Gloss D'Enfer #901 L'Oiseau De Feu, Colour Lacquer #400 Coque D'Or from A Night At The Opera Holiday 2014 Collection, Swatch, Review & Comparison

Chanel Rêve D'Orient Quadra Eye Shadow, Review, Swatch & FOTD

Pomellato 67 Artemisia for women and men Eau de Toilette, Pictures & Review

Guerlain Petrouchka Eyes and Blush Palette for A Night At The Opera Holiday 2014 Collection, Review, Swatch, Comparison & FOTD

Chanel Le Vernis #687 Phenix for Chanel Plumes Précieuses Holiday 2014 Collection, Review, Swatch & Comparison

Chanel Le Vernis #38 Rouge Flamboyant, #71 Laque Rouge, #19 Rouge No 19 for Les Rouges Culte Collection, Review, Swatch & Comparison

Tom Ford Lip Color Matte #04 Pussycat and #09 First Time for Holiday 2014 Collection, Review, Swatches, Comparison & FOTD