Les Codes De Chanel event - Nordstrom, SF

I love a good makeover and if it's at the Chanel counter at my local Nordstrom then just let me know when to show up fresh faced. I'll even arrive early! This event's theme was Beauty Secrets Revealed. I picked up a beauty secret here and there but this was my chance to try out the new Winter collection. My makeup artist, Tiffany was awesome. A trained artist that understood color theory, proper use of brushes and paints on her spare time; I knew I was in the right hands. I told Tiffany I wanted the focus to be on my lips along with a sophisticated and polished eye look. It was also date night for my husband and me. She did not disappoint. Because Tiffany had some esthetician training she gave me a mini-facial with the skincare products.  She began by prepping my skin with Demaquillant Yeux Intense (eye makeup remover) then smoothed on cleansing milk on a cotton pad - Lait Confort to disolve my existing tinted moisturizer. Then she applied the a new product on my list of many beauty wants is the Hydramax + Active mask. My skin is still baby smooth as I type this and it was only left on my face for 5mns. Tiffany tells me that it's a lifesaver as she's snowboarding. She then used a toner - Lotion Douceur to remove the mask. Followed up with Ultra Correction Line Repair serum, Hydramax + Active gel cream (a moisturizer I personally love) on my face and Ultra Correction Lift night cream smoothed on my neck. Okay here's my reality check, Tiffany said she noticed fine lines and some sun damage on my forehead - DAMN, seriously? I just got comfortable saying I'm 36 and now I got lines to worry about? She got my attention...so I guess I'll also be saving up for the Ultra Correction Line Repair serum. Okay maybe she was just saying that to push the product but I am at that age where I am actually paying attention to firming and line erasing creams. I don't see myself ever being that woman that gets Botox so I will take preventative measures now.

**Side note, I have sensitive, problematic (Eczema) skin and all these products did not disrupt or cause me to scratch like crazy. I also use a dermatologist prescribed ointment so that may have assist on keeping my face calm. Like I mentioned I have used Hydramax + Active gel cream moisturizer and serum in the past and it actually kept my skin pretty smooth but please do not take my word for it - it worked for my skin.**

Okay now to the fun stuff:

I took this opportunity to try the new Winter palette - Tentation Cuivree. Unfortunately this is the only product I had time to swatch:

  After Tiffany applied Teinte Innocence Compact in #116 Pecan-Walnut and Correcteur Perfection Concealer in Beige Santal under my eyes. She then applied Soleil Tan De Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing powder in Terre Halee to contour under my cheekbones and then Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Fandango, a neutral brownish pink without any shimmer. A tip Tiffany passed on to me when looking for a neutral everyday blush is to compliment the natural color of your earlobe. Something, I will now think of next time I look for a good neutral blush. Actually, this is also on my WANT list because I hear so many rave reviews on the Chanel blush. She applies this to the apple of my cheeks. She finishes my face with an application of liquid highligher - Soleil Tan de Chanel in Sunkissed - top of my cheekbones, tip of my nose and temples just above the side of the end of my brows (did that make sense?). I love how this makes my skin glow. Apparently this is the same highlighter that Jennifer Lopez uses mixed with La Mer (what else?) body cream to make her skin glow. Well if it's good enough for J-Lo then it's good enough for me!

NC 42 Skintone

Moving on to my eyes. After using the same concealer to lightly prime my lids, Tiffany concentrated the shimmery med-brown shade (second to the right on my inner arm) on the middle of my lids. She takes a regular fluffy eye shadow brush and sweeps the light pink shadow (third to my right) and applies it in an arc from the inside corner of my lid - contour top of the med. brown shimmer shade -to the outside corner of my eye. Then she took a dry lip liner brush and applied the same light pink shimmer under the arch my brows. I would have never thought to use a lip brush on my eyes but Tiffany being the free thinking artist she is was on to something. It does give you precise definition just be sure it's dry and free of lipstick/gloss residue. Then using the dark brown (first shade on my arm) to the outer corner of my lids in a V formation with a fluffy shadow brush and then with the same dark brown she lined my lower lash line (yes, she used the lip brush for this). She used the milky white shade (closest to my wrist) and dabbed it on inner corner of my eye -bottom near my tear duct. She then tight lined my top lash line with the Waterproof Long Lasting eyeliner in Ebene. The end result was a soft shimmery smokey eye - LOVE IT! I liked how she lined just 3/4 of my lash line and waterline vs. the entire lashlines. I find by doing this you elongate your eyes:

Oh and before I forget she used the Brow Definer crayon in Soft Brown. A very nice alternative to my everyday MAC Espresso e/s with a #266 brush. Because I recently highlighted my hair light this soft brown compliments my hair and complexion better. She finished my eyes by applying Inimitable Intense Mascara Multi-Dimensionnel Sophistique Volume (yes, a mouthful to describe a lifting and curling mascara but it is CHANEL) in a very surprising color - Rouge Noir, a burgundy. Black would have been expected so this was a nice surprise and it kept my shimmery brown smokey eyes simple yet polished. I love a mascara that can curl my lashes without the use of a eyelash curler. I get lazy sometimes and I currently don't own one.

Lips were finished with Aqua Crayon liner in Rouge, Rouge Coco in Lune Rousse and one of the new Winter Glossimer shades, Pleasing placed just in the middle of my pout. The reddish brown gloss with pink sparkles complimented this red lipstick beautifully. I recently started to wear red lipstick again so I wasn't as shocked on how bright my lips were. Then again it's Winter and if it were Summer I'd be reaching for a milky pink lipgloss. I'll have to make another visit to the counter just to swatch this lipstick/gloss combo that I would never thought to combine together. Here's a pic in the store and in natural lighting (it was that bright outside at 4pm):





And here's another close up of my lid - I really want this quad. At first I was dismissive but not I WANT it.

For a better description on the Chanel Winter collection please see Sabrina's write up because she's simply fabulous!

So what did I walk away with? Just this:

Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in Fatale #61. Review coming soon!

I always enjoy a makeup event. I think it's a great way to get introduced to a makeup line. Sometimes purchases are required but luckily at this event purchases were suggested and they offered a GWP with a 3 item purchase. If you are still intimidated by these type of events you can even ask a makeup artist at any counter or at Sephora for advice on how to apply a product or for color suggestion. This is what they get paid to do so utilize them and don't be afraid to ask! More than likely you'll learn something, get a product sample or make a new discovery on an item you'd otherwise walk away from. Makeup is suppose to fun and don't take it too seriously. I remember asking a Benefit Makeup Artist at Macy's if she could apply a creaseless shadow/liner on me and she was so happy to do so simply because she was bored. Not only did she do my eyes she also applied a complimentary blush. I only wanted to see how the color looked on me and she didn't push me to purchase anything. See you don't know until you ask!