Chanel Vamp Holiday 2015 Makeup Collection

1. Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour  – Limited Edition – $36.00 

109 Rouge Noir – black red

     I am totally in love with color though my husband tells me it is a bit too dark but with proper outfit and dark smokey eyes, it is a true dark beauty in a tube. Remember, you do need to exfoliate lips before applying it because the color is so intense it picks up on any dryness. You can see a little bit of that in the middle of my lower lip. I will purchase Chanel Rouge Noir Lip Pencil because if you want to pull off the look, the application needs to look meticulously perfect. Also "Too Faced Lip Insurance" help you with that. Love it, love it. 

2. Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour  – Limited Edition – $36.00 

237 Vamporeuse – light pink purple

     Personally I find this color to be nothing special but since I have been looking for this kind of pink for quite a while, I bought it without a second thought. It is a blue based nude pink that brings that pretty brightening effect to the face without making you look like a zombie. Very wearable color though it requires couple of swipes to achieve full coverage. I find the formula to be more moisturizing than that of Rouge Noir, maybe because it is less pigmented. I wore it the other day with "Too Faced Lip Insurance Primer" and it was a perfect combo, lasted for 3-4 hours without a budge and had fuller coverage. 

3. Le Top Coat | Gold Sparkle Nail Coat – Limited Edition – $27.00

Lame Rouge Noir – shimmering black red

     This is a truly unique and one of a kind piece for Chanel. I love it. I think it is a must have for anyone. Lots of sparkles so when applied the glitter spreads all over the nail generously. 

4. Joues Contraste Lumiere Highlighting Blush – Limited Edition – $45.00 

12 Coups de Minuit – peach beige

     Really finely milled highlighter with no visible glitter or sparkles. Gives beautiful glow from within without emphasizing pores which is a huge plus for me since I have enlarged pores and most of the powder highlighters make them super visible. This highlighter is definitely does not have the same vavavoom effect as Becca Luminizer, but it does a great job of what Chanel does the best -natural effortless healthy glow. I personally love it. And it is not frosty whatsoever. A must have for me this season for sure.

     Overall I am happy with this collection. I could not wait to get my hands on it for a very long time and finally I cannot believe it is available to purchase. I also purchased Le Crayon Rouge Noir which I have to test a bit more to let you know my thoughts on it. For some reason the day I wore it, I had super watery eyes after I applied it on my waterline, so I will write a separate review on it. There are couple more pieces I am about to purchase soon, so there will be PART 2 to the Vamp Collection. Go and test it at Nordstrom, and do not forget to try the Highlighter. It might look like nothing special in a pan, but once applied it turns into a hidden gem of the collection. I do hope you will have fun with this collection as much as I do.

Be Happy. Stay Pretty.

Sincerely,

Lena

http://shop.nordstrom.com/o/chanel-vamp-attitude-holiday-collection/4194628?origin=leftnav

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Confident (Fall 2014)

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Confident Fall 2014

          As much as I love lipsticks, I have really dry lips, so especially towards fall/winter I do need to use something very hydrating. This is the time when I pull out my Coco Shines and abuse them as much as possible. Even though I think the lipstick is overpriced for the color pay off and staying power, I do enjoy using it as a lip balm (pretty expensive lip balm if you ask me), or over lipstick, plus it is really easy to reapply without a mirror, though it also depends what color you choose to use. If it is a light to medium dark color, you can pull it off without a mirror, but once you have a very dark intense one, I find that it is hard to create a perfectly lined lips without the mirror, plus I think those kind of colors need a matching lip pencil to achieve clean defined lines, otherwise, it may look messy.

          Now, Chanel came up with a fall appropriate color range for their Fall 2014 makeup collection. The moment I saw Confident, 1990's Chanel ads came to my mind, very subtle warm plumy-brown nude color, classy. I've been looking for this color for a while, there is no visible shimmer in the lipstick, just color and lip gloss affect. I did not feel the need for the other Coco Shines in the collection, but sure thing I am glad I got the Confident. I thought the color would be more intense, but once it's on the lips, it creates a nude brown-pink lip. It's a perfect color for rainy days (a cloudy and stormy color if it makes any sense). Also I think it is a sophisticated color that will suit most skin tones, especially fair girls. It should be suitable for women with light eye color since there are bluish-plum undertones, and it will be great for brown eye girls due to brown undertones. 

           Overall Rouge Coco Shine in Confident is a great color but it is not something of a must have. If you want to achieve classy and sophisticated makeup look, definitely Confident is a great choice. It's more of a mature lip color, let's say work appropriate for sure. Application is not messy and it is possible to achieve a more intense color with couple of swipes. I also love the combination of Rouge Coco Mademoiselle and Rouge Coco Shine Confident with Dior Grege Lip Pencil. It creates a more intense brown color and lasts longer. Personally, I will be using it throughout the fall season with Stila Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Lionfish and Aubergine; and Chanel Holiday Collection 2012 Eyeshadow Euad in Harmonie Du Soir (Dior 5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palette in Trafalgar #876 from Fall 2014 is a close match).

I also found two Chanel lipsticks from the same color range as Confident in case you want something with a better coverage.

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in L'adoree #45

Chanel Rouge Coco in Caractere #45

Be Happy. Stay Pretty.

Sincerely,

Lena

Chanel Holiday 2014 Makeup Collection

 CHANEL HOLIDAY 2014 MAKEUP COLLECTION
 Plumes Precieuses de Chanel

Fall is not over yet but my local Nordstrom offers the Holiday 2014 Collection already! How awesome is that! Every year I am looking forward towards Chanel's holiday collection and every year they do not fail me. The moment I saw it I squealed from excitement and disbelief that it is out! I started to swatch every piece, talking out loud completely forgetting where I was, which was quite a weird behavior to a guy who was watching me doing things a guy would never understand women do when they see something pretty! 

I will tell you like every other Chanel Holiday Collection, this one is a Christmas appropriate collection. It is everything what a Holiday Makeup should be; festive and glamorous, elegant and feminine, yet it has enough of sparkle to emphasize the occasion. Here some of the swatches I took. As tempting as it was to get some pieces I liked that same day, I thought it was way too early since I want to enjoy it during Christmas/New Year. So I hope I will be able to wait until December.

1. Illusion d'ombree Long Lasting Eyeshadow- Envol- limited edition (shimmering peach) $36

The moment I saw this color I was like AHHHH so pretty, but the moment I swatched it, I was literally blown away how darn pretty it was, so pigmented, rich and sparkly, so if you want just a wash of color with sparkles, it will be super cute, and if you want bombshell sparkly eyes, it will be so gorgeous. Definitely this is a must have for me this season.

2. Les 5 Ombres de Chanel Eyeshadow Palette – Limited Edition – $80.00 

 Oiseaux de Nuit – Luminous White, Soft Grey Lavender, Intense Grey, Intense Black, Antique Gold

Quite honestly I was not impressed with this particular color combination. I am still not sure whether I will be purchasing it, and I think $80 is way too expensive. First of all, I found this palette to be on a dry side, and while I was swatching it, it seemed a little dusty, not buttery smooth. I used the brush first, but the colors wouldn't stick to my skin, especially matte ones, so I took swatches with my finger, and still it looked powdery. I think during application there would be some fall out, which is not cool for $80 pallet. Though the colors would really compliment blue eyed girls :)

3. Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour – $35.00 

La Flamboyante – Bright Orange Red

This color is so gorgeous and just screams Christmas! I love Chanel's Velvet Lipsticks, not only the colors are to squeal for, but also the formula is moisturizing, long lasting, and just beautiful to work with (still do not forget to exfoliate and prep with lip balm for flawless application). A definite buy this winter.

 

 4. Le Vernis – $27.00 Phenix – Bright Orange Red (Limited Edition)

Talking about the nail polish, personally I was disappointed, it is a dupeable color (can I make up my own words?), anyways, it's red, shiny red, but no gold sparkles or anything that would make it stand out from regular reds. I wish it would have some gold in it, but I think it can be fixed with the new Dior 2014 Holiday Diorific Golden Shock 001 Nail Polish. Pairing them together on a ring finger nail will definitely be a stunning combination, or for more drama on all nails. Cannot wait to wear it together, otherwise this color is on a boring side for me.

5. Camélia de Plumes Highlighting Powder – Limited Edition – $72.00 

 Platine / Platinum

It is a beautiful highlighter indeed. Design wise, I do not like it. It does not look like a camellia or any flower to me at all, more like feathers. Am I the only one who sees feathers in this design? Anyhow, I do not have photographed swatches of it because they did not have the real highlighter on the stand, this one on the pic is a fake one, but let me tell you when I swatched the real one the other day, I really liked what I saw. Yes, it is a white highlighter, but it is not a shy one at all. It got some sparkle particles in it, and they are golden. Even after blending the highlighter on my hand, I still could see sparkles but they are not "right in your face". It is pretty and if it didnt have any gold in it, I would not love it as much. Am I excited about the price, heck no! It is expensive, if I said otherwise, I would be lying to you. Is it worth it? I am still trying to figure out myself. Since I am not getting the eyeshadow palette, maybe this Camelia Powder will be on my shopping list, but for right now I cannot part with $72.

 

6. Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour – Limited Edition – $35.00 

Volage – Peach Rose

This lip color is so amazing! It is a nude peachy rosy color! Doesn't it sound pretty? I wish I took better picture of the lipstick in the tube itself, but the swatches below are exactly how the lipstick looks. It is a must have for a fresh pretty pout! Get it, with the Illusion D'ombree it is a beautiful makeup marriage.

  

Joues Contraste Powder Blush – Limited Edition – $45.00 Caresse – Shimmering Peach

Personally, I am on a fence with this particular blush color, it seems so nude, and transparent, but once again, Chanel blushes are very pigmented and if you are fair to medium skin tone, it is possible to get a well defined blushing affect. And yes, it does have sparkles, and they are visible, but not overwhelmingly sparkly. The powder itself is matte, so sparkles are good. I will think whether I will buy it, but I think it has to be purchased if you choose to buy the peach lipstick and eyeshadows from this collection. Nordstrom's Beauty Consultant said that three of them pair so good together, after all they are made for each other.

 

Also on the swatch pictures you will see a  Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long-Lasting Eyeliner – Limited Edition – $32.00Or Blanc – White Gold.
I really like this eyeliner, it is not white gold however, it looks yellowish to me so I am not sure why they called it white gold, but definitely it compliments the whole holiday vibe. Must have for me, for sure.

Here are the swatches of everything (from left to right)

1. eyeshadow palette, Illusion D'ombree in Envol (peach), Rouge Allure in Volage (peach one), Rouge Velvet in La Flamboyante (red), Blush in Caresse (peach), Eyeliner in Or Blanc (white gold).

I 

Be Happy. Stay Pretty.

Sincerely,

Lena

Staying Chic & Elegant

Staying Chic & Elegant This Fall Season Part3

I've always believed that when it comes to handbags, perfume, makeup, jewelry, shoes, and coats, quality should come first over quantity.  For me it's not about fashion, but more about elegance and timeless style. Here are some of my favorite picks for this season. 

1. Handbags

Susannah Quilted Leather Large Tote $398 

 Selma Large Saffiano Leather Satchel $250

 2. Fragrance

        Chanel Coco Noir Eau de Parfum $130                              Chanel Coco Eau de Parfum $120  

3. Lipstick

Chanel Rouge Coco in Mademoiselle and Rivoli $35

Rouge Dior in Pied de Poule and Massai Fall 2014 $35

4. Nails

Chanel Le Vernis $27

 5. Pearls  

are a must have in any woman's wardrobe, it's something that never gets out of style 

 Majorica 8mm Manmade Organic Pearl 3-Row 16" Strand Necklace with CZ-Accented Square Clasp $448

Macys.com offers some really good and affordable pearl necklaces, and now they are on sale.

I hope my list of Fall essentials was helpful and interesting at least for some of you. Whereever you shopping spree takes you, always Be Happy & Stay Pretty.

 Sincerely,

Lena

Fall Fashion Must Haves Part 2

Fall Essentials
Part 2

 6.Booties

VINCE CAMUTO Pointed Toe Booties - Amori High Heel $125.30

7. Trousers

Zara PRINT TROUSERS WITH CONTRAST PIPING $79.90

ZARA CROPPED TROUSERS WITH SLIT AT HEM $59.90

 

Zara MEDIUM-RISE COATED SLIM-FIT TROUSERS $69.90

8.Ballet Flats

Tieks by Gavrieli $175

9.Anorak

Sam Edelman 'Melissa' Wide Collar Packable Anorak $54.98 

10. Sneakers

 501 Classic Run Shoes by New Balance® $65 in Orange

Fall Fashion Must Haves Part 1

 Fall Fashion Essentials

Part 1

Finally Fall is here, even though we are still in the range of 90F in California, the leaves are falling and the air is fresher then usual. I am always excited about the Fall, and for the most part because of the fashion. Probably you are as excited as I am for the same reasons:boots, coats, pretty warm sweaters, sultry perfumes and beautiful makeup. I have created a list of items that are an essential part to stay pretty, elegant and fashionable this fall.

1.  Trench Coat

Zara Cotton Trench Coat $149.99

 Zara Flowy Trench Coat $99.99

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

BEAUTY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

           Most of my teenage years I was a tomboy, but getting married changed the way I feel about myself and made me more conscious about my looks. Also my sister-in-law, who would always look so pretty and made up, was one of the people who stirred the interest in me for the makeup, which with time evolved into a deep passion and admiration to the power of colors and brush . 
           When it comes to beauty, I am not type of person who is willing to spend hours on my makeup and hair, I was never and wont' be ever this kind of girl. I am not saying that it's wrong, it's just not who I am, I guess I am too lazy when it comes to hairdos and makeup. I just like quick, simple yet effective beauty transformations. Simplicity and easiness, plus good quality versus quantity is something I strongly believe in.
        One thing I've learned, the health and beauty of my skin comes first before any makeup, when one has great skin, the makeup is just an enhancement of existing beauty. But first and foremost, the beauty is from the inside.If you believe that you are beautiful, every time you are looking in the mirror, you will see a beautiful girl. You will see a confident girl who is content and finds the will and strength to move on.
          If you think you are not pretty enough, get close and look into the mirror, smile. What do you see? Your eyes, deep and  infinite pools of mystery.  Eyes are one of the most important feature on our face, if they are twinkling from joy, the whole face lights up, if you are sad, the face changes its appearance. Eyes reflect our own well being, they are the mirror to our soul. The beauty starts with the eyes. Make them glow with happiness and confidence, do not put yourself down, thus planting the seeds of doubt, it will drag you down, taking you to dark places. 

          The way you think about yourself, that's exactly the way you will see yourself. The way you perceive yourself, the way other people will look at you. If you think you are not pretty, that's exactly how you will feel every time you look at yourself, but the moment you start looking at yourself positively, step by step your confidence will rise, and you will understand that "yes, maybe I have some flaws, yes maybe there are some facial features that I am not comfortable with, but I know I am beautiful and unique, that's the way God created me, and I feel empowered by the way I look. I am positive, I am beautiful, I am a woman, and I can make a difference". That's where the true beauty comes from first.

(DO NOT FORGET THAT EVEN THE MOST GORGEOUS WOMAN FEEL UNCERTAIN WITH THEIR OWN BEAUTY, it's all in our head, reset yourself and be happy with your looks).

          If one doesn't see herself as a pretty girl, makeup won't make her feel that way. Make up should enhance what we already know is beautiful. Makeup brings diversity to our beauty. It is one of the way a woman communicates and expresses herself with people around her. Today I feel sophisticated, I wear dark lipstick, tomorrow I want to be playful, I wear pink lipstick. Today I want to look sexy, I wear smoky eye, tomorrow I want to be elegant, I wear cat eye. We should seek makeup for the right reasons, to intensify our beauty.

On this note, I welcome all of you to my blog. Quite honestly I did not intend to write so much, but I know that a lot of women struggle with this issue.  So let the wheel of change to spin, bringing positive fruit in our lives, and lives of people around us. Let's spread some beauty and positivism.

Be happy. Stay pretty.

Sincerely,


Lena