{Review} Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Black Pearl

Hi everyone! This is going to be a review for the Chanel Le Vernis Nail Color in Black Pearl. Although I do have other Chanel nail polishes, this is going to be my first review of one on the blog. I just had to do a review on such a pretty and unusual color!

The shade I got is Black Pearl, from the Chanel Spring 2011 collection. I think you might be able to still find it in a few stores, but I would hurry. The color is a blackened, metallic teal/green, with blue and green glitters in it as well.

One thing I really love about Chanel nail polishes is that the big square cap comes off. I really like Lancome nail polishes too, but they can sometimes be very difficult to use because the cap is so large and as far as I've tried, isn't removable.

And finally, swatches:

It's a blackened metallic muted teal/green with blue and green sparkles in it.

On the nail it is very very metallic, but honestly my nails look atrocious right now lol! I don't have anything like this in my collection. I have things that have a similar finish, but not even close on the shade so I fell in love! As far as dark colors go, this one actually isn't too bad on the nail which I like. It is very very metallic so it reflects light. You will need two coats to reach full opacity and they dry fairly quickly. If you don't like any streaks in even metallic polishes then I would stay away from this polish. Although it looks stunning, it takes a bit of work to apply it evenly. I don't mind the effort as I quite like metallic polishes. That's the only negative (well, other than price) that I can think of. I love Chanel's unique colors and this one is no exception.

Info:

Price: $25

Ingredients: (to be posted)

{Haul} Chanel

L to R: Chanel Le Vernis in Black Pearl, Inimitable Intense Mascara in Noir, and Stilo Yeux Waterproof in Rose Platine.

Hi! Just thought I'd share a recent special haul! Now, I don't normally indulge this much on a single shopping trip. I'm the kind of shopper who browses for an hour and buys jus tone thing because buying a lot of makeup especially at one time makes me feel a bit guilty and wasteful since I've got so much makeup at home. And it's been a loooong times since I've indulged in Chanel haha, and lately I've really been craving. So I gave in and bought three things.

I got the Inimitable Intense mascara in Noir. Now, I've never had luck with those plasticy applicators, but somehow, this applicator works on me. I think until this point I had lost confidence in all mascaras with the bendy plastic applicators, instead opting for traditional wads. I will post pictures because honestly, I've been bowled over by how much I like this mascara.

I also got the nail polish in Black Pearl. I love Chanel nail polish. I think Chanel and Lancome nail polishes have the best formulas I've tested, better than OPI and Essie. I will post swatches soon!

The final item I got was the Stilo Yeux Waterproof in Rose Platine. This was a purely indulging purchase. I don't usually purchase high end eyeliners because, since I don't use eyeliners much, they tend to dry out on me and go to waste. This color just suckered me, sooo pretty! I will post lots and lots of pics in the reviews so stay tuned for those!

{Favorites} March 2011

Not a lot this month, but more than a few cheap and effective goodies!

1. Skin Care

Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream and L'Oreal Skin Genesis Deep Purifying Foaming Cleanser.

I've really really been trying to get my skin looking as great as I can, that's why most of the RIP posts lately have been filled with skin care items. I've really been just wearing less makeup and being more conciencious with my skin care routines, making sure to almost never skip it.

L'Oreal Skin Genesis Deep Purifying Foaming Cream Cleanser

I wouldn't say that this cleanser is foaming. It does lather, but not enough to qualify as a foaming cleanser. That makes this cleanser so different from others I've tried is that it contains clay. I've been washing my face with this cleanser for the past month and every two nights or so I leave it on as a mask for about 15 minutes before washing it off. It really cleans out my face and since the clays are a little abrasive, it gives me a good dose of exfoliation as well. It's just a really good all in one cleanser.

Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream

Now, I know that the idea of a cold cream type product seems very old fashioned, but I have to say that I've seen a drastic improvement in my skin ever since I started first taking off all of my face makeup and only then cleansing. As good as a face wipe is, it's not going to dissolve all of my makeup. If I just use a face wipe to clean my face and then use a bit of toner on a cotton pad, the cotton pad almost always ends up with makeup that I've missed on it. If I do the same but use Noxema instead, my makeup is completely gone. There will be nothing on the cotton pad, and that really leaves my skin cleaner when I finish with my cleanser.

Noxema Deep Cleansing Cream

How I use it (and I will have a full review posted soon), is I scoop a little bit out with my hands and massage it into my face and neck after I've removed my eye makeup with a liquid eye makeup remover. I make sure to get the hair line and neck very well because I apply makeup there but tend to neglect the area when cleaning. At first the cream feels thick, but it gets thin very very quickly. Because it is oil based it will dissolve all of the makeup, everything. I then use a cotton pad or a face wipe to remove it, but you can also wash it off. I love how clean but moisturized my face feels after using this stuff.

L to R: Noxema and L'Oreal.

Although the texture of Noxema seems solid in the tub it thins out as your hands warm the product and spreads very easily. ANd if you zoom in you can see the little particles in the L'Oreal cleanser.

2. Makeup

Sally Hansen Carmindy Fast Fix Concealer All Over Neutralizer, NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in Translucent, MAC MSF in Petticoat, Benefit High Beam, Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush, Shiseido Color Stick in Champagne Flush, and Chanel Glossimer in Seashell.

NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in Translucent and MAC MSF in Petticoat.

I picked up the pressed version of NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder because while I love the loose version, it simply isn't convenient for every day use. I was really surprised with the pressed version as well. It goes on almost invisible (not completely, but doesn't really add too much coverage) and doesn't look cakey or anything like that. I usually use the loose version in the morning just after applying my makeup and take the pressed version with me to go for touch ups. And because the case isn't as sturdy as more expensive drugstore powders, I make sure to keep it in a makeup pouch. It hasn't cracked/opened on me yet, but I don't want to risk it.

MAC's Petticoat MSF I bought last year around the time that Pret-A-Papier collection came out. At first I was absolutely in love, but after a while I kinda forgot about it. I found it again a few weeks ago when I was cleaning out my vanity and fell in love again. I even found a better way to wear it. I used to just use it as blush, but now I layer it over my bronzer and it gives the most natural finish and keeps my bronzer from looking too matte. I'll show you pics of this later.

And how stunning is the veining!?

Benefit High Beam, Shiseido Color Stick in Champagne Flush, and Sally Hansen Carmindy Fast Fix Concealer All Over Neutralizer.

Whenever I'm breaking out because of stress I try to focus on concealing and illuminating, highlighting the good areas on my skin and concealing the bad. I found the Sally Hansen Carmindy concealer at the Dollar Store (I'll post a haul in a bit) and I love it!!! I completely gets out the red or the purple!!! It can look a bit heavy so I only really use it on pimples, not all over the face.

L to R: Shiseido Color Stick in Champagne Flush and Benefit High Beam.

I love these two highlighters. I actually bought both of them because I couldn't ever find the Boots No. 7 Highlighting Lotion at Target, and I actually found the Shiseido one at TJMaxx for around $16! I usually just use them in the inner corners, cheekbones, and the cupids bow. I find that the pink highlighters don't work on the brow for me. They just end up looking unnatural. I use the Shiseido one when I need a more subtle highlight and the Benefit one when I want a little bit more oomph.

And I love the packaging of the Shiseido one!!! So chic and pretty!

Sally Hansen Carmindy Fast Fix Concealer All Over Neutralizer.

I've always been a bit skeptic about color correcting concealers. Before this one, just about every single one would look unnatural, even under regular concealer or foundation. This one doesn't. It blends in seamlessly and looks barely there, even without regular concealer over it. It doesn't look too yellow either, which I like. I actually wanted the lavender version of this concealer, but they didn't have it :(

L to R: Chanel Glossimer in Seashell and Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush.

I've been wearing one of these every single day. That says a lot because I'm not really much of a lip person. I easily get annoyed with something sticky or something that transfers easily. For me, Nude Blush is the perfect my-lips-but-better color. It barely shows up but evens out my lips and gives me just a bit more color. Oddly enough, it also makes my eyes look bluer, which I love!

L to R: Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush and Chanel Glossimer in Seashell.

I love the formulas of both as well. Nude Blush smells like watermelon and goes on very thin, almost like a thin balm. It's very moisturizing. The formula of the Chanel Glossimers is unlike any other lip gloss I've ever used. It's more gel than liquid, a bit thicker but not sticky and always very shiny!!!

Swatches:

Top to bottom: Chanel Glossimer in Seashell and Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Nude Blush.

Top to bottom: Benefit High Beam and Shiseido Color Stick in Champagne Flush.

Sally Hansen Carmindy Fast Fix Concealer All Over Neutralizer.

It looks a lot more yellow than it actually is when blended out. I'll do a full review to show just how well it works!!!

Top To bottom: NYC Smooth Skin Pressed Powder in Translucent, MAC MSF in Petticoat: lightest shade, middle shade, darkest shade, and all swirled together.

That's it for March. No special perfume and you already saw my hair favorites earlier! Hauls and reviews coming up!

{Empties} Almay, Chanel, Revlon, Prescriptives & Psssst

L to R: Psssst Dry Shampoo, Revlon Blush in Naturally Nude, Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, Prescriptives Camouflage Concealer in Light B/R.

I finished so many products in the past few months! Really super excited! I've really been trying to use more of the same products consistently.

1. Psssst Dry Shampoo- I liked this product, it was actually in my January favorites post, but I don't know if I got a defective bottle or something, but I literally got only five or six uses out of it. Keep in mind that I don't use it all over my head, I just do my bangs and the back of my head for a bit of volume. I picked it up the other day and was shocked to discover it was completely empty.

Top to bottom: Revlon Blush in Naturally Nude, Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, Prescriptives Camouflage Concealer in Light B/R.

2. Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire-I'm actually kind of sad I finished this one. It is probably my all time favorite gloss ever. I've come across similar shades like the Sally Hansen gloss I showed you a while ago, but nothing else gives me the effect this one does.

I can kinda get some if I really work at it, but I can't really get the huge glob of it at the bottom or the top :( Any tips for that?

The formula is unlike any other that I've tried. It's like a gel, not the thin liquid formula of other glosses, but at the same time it's not really sticky.

A swatch:

Look at this shade!!! It's a warm plum but can you see those silvery flecks? The glitter is fine, but the gloss itself doesn't have a frosty shimmer. If you can recommend other glosses like this one, feel free in the comments!

3. Revlon Blush in Naturally Nude-This was one of those products that I really liked when I bought it, but kinda stopped using for no particular reason. It is very light, but since I'm very fair that worked fine for me. It gave me just a bit of color. It's very very slightly frosty which would give my cheeks a glow. I think it's a much lighter version of Nars Decour.

A swatch:

I don't know how well you can see, but the finish is a bit glowy. It shows up better on my face because my face is a bit lighter than the back of my hand.

4. Prescriptives Camouflage Concealer in Light B/R-I liked this concealer a lot because the coverage is very opaque. Just a teeny tiny bit goes a very long way and it's not a drying formula either. There's still a bit in the tube but it's starting to get these little weird hard spots in it, so it's done.

5. Almay Moisturizing Makeup Remover-I just finally finished this stuff. I've had it for almost a year, which is a loooooong time for a makeup remover. I did a full review on this product and put it to the test on several eyeliners if you wanna check out that review. I really recommend this one to anyone trying to find a good makeup remover. I don't think I'll repurchase just because I like to try different products.

Current Favorite Lip Glosses

If you've been reading my blog for long then you know all about my love hate relationship with gloss. The fact that I've had FOUR glosses in my makeup bag all week is huge because I'm not a huge fan of anything on my lips.


L to R: Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Sunrise Nude, Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem in Embellished, and ELF Minty Lip Gloss in Chicago.

As you can see, the shades are in two categories: kinda plummy or kinda nude. I;m not really big on super pigmented glossses. I look for more of a soft wash of color, something I get from each and every one of these glosses.


L to R: Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Sunrise Nude, Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem in Embellished, and ELF Minty Lip Gloss in Chicago.

I;m also a big fan of all of the applicators. I was a bit unsure of the brush applicator on the Sally Hansen Liptonic gloss because they tend to deposit a bit too much product. No such problem with this gloss! The formula is superb--not too slick, not too thick.

Some swatches:

Top to bottom: Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire, Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss in Sunrise Nude, Sally Hansen Liptonic Gem in Embellished, and ELF Minty Lip Gloss in Chicago.

They're not too pigmented, definitely a plus. I got the Sally Hansen gloss at the Dollar Tree for a buck and was thinking the color would be very garish and dark, but I was very pleasantly surprised by the fresh and sheer look of the gloss on my lips!

Full review Chanel Glossimer (click here).
Ful review Revlon Gloss (click here).
The other two reviews are coming soon!

LOTD: Chanel Glossimer in Imaginaire

Just a quick post today: what's on my lips. I've been in love with the Chanel Glossimers for the longest time. I know that a lot of people believe that drugstore and high end glosses are the same, but no one whose ever tried this gloss will tell you that. The texture, finish, feel, and shade selection of this gloss is unlike that of any other gloss that I've tried and I highly recommend these to everyone!!!

The shade Imaginaire looks very dark in the tube, but applies basically like my lips only better, with a bit more of a plum color to them. It's very sheer and I think would be flattering for a wide range of skin tones. I love how juicy and plum it makes my lips look!

My full review is available HERE!

Review: Chanel Glossmers in Seashell and Imaginaire

These glosses are by far the best glosses I've ever tried! And I do mean EVER! I've got them in two shades, Seashell and Imaginaire. Imaginaire I bought about a year and a half ago while on vacation in New York City, so as you can see below, it's been used a great deal more than Seashell.


Seashell is a sheer peach shade with gold and pink shimmer in it, while Imaginaire is a deeper but still sheer plum with a bit of understated silver shimmer in it that is very fine, I'd say. Imaginaire is actually only one or two shades deeper than my natural lip color, so it gives my lips a bit of oomph without too much color. I know it looks dark in the picture, but it really is very sheer.

Here are the applicators:



Just your standard doe foot applicator. What's really special about these glosses is their texture. You can really see it in the picture above of the Imaginare applicator. The formula isn't like your typical liquid gloss, it's more of a thicker gel, almost. It goes on a bit thick, but is completely non-sticky, and has great shine. I find that you can do a thin layer for a bit of understated shine, or really layer it on for the full effect.

Here are the swatches:

Sorry for the blur:( You can really see how sheer Imaginaire is in this swatch, as well as how much less glitter it has compared to Seashell.


Here they are on my lips:

Seashell
I usually apply a thin layer of Seashell cause I don't like too much glitter.


Imaginaire
You can really see how nicely Imaginaire applies. It's perfect for everyday, when you don't want to wear anything too blingy (is that even a word!?). This is a thicker application than of Seashell above because since it doesn't have too much glitter, I don't have to worry about looking like a disco ball. And you can really see how glossy these can be.

I really love these glosses, as do most people who try them. The gel based formula is very good, worth every penny I'd say. It coats your lips evenly, even the darker colors with shimmer and is never sticky or tacky. The lasting power isn't like that of the MAC Lipglasses, but I''d say it's decent, about 3-4 hours without eating/drinking. And as you can see from the first couple of pictures, a tube will last you quite a while. Also, the packaging is gorgeous! I am a big sucker for packaging, especially if it is elegant and sophisticated, and this is both. It's one of those glosses you wouldn't be embarrassed to pull out of your bag to reapply during a girls night out, haha!

The only downside to this product (well, except for the price, haha!) is that the packaging can get scratched up very easily.



Here's a comparison with the newer Seashell:

I keep Seashell in the box that it came in, even in my makeup bag when I take it with me. It keeps the metal looking shiny and new. I was actually a bit miffed that these didn't come with one of those felt bags that they eyeshadows come in. But keeping it in the box really does keep them looking nice, and it's not much of an inconvenience.

Anyhow, I highly recommend that you try these out. At $27 they're not cheap, but worth every penny. I would suggest, however, that if you've never tried these before to go to the department store counter and ask the sales assistant to help you pick out a shade. Some of the colors look very dark and intimidating in the container, but actually apply very sheer, as you can see with Imaginaire.

Info:

Price: $27 (.19 oz)

Ingredients: C10-30 Cholesterol/Lanosterol esters, polybutene, diisostearyl malate, silica, tocopherol, ascorbyl palmitate, ascorbic acid, citric acid, peg-8, propylparaben. May contain: mica, titanium dioxide, carmine, iron oxides and dyes.

Disclosure:The products featured in this post were bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.