July Discoveries

Hi there! I stayed home today - I lost the battle to the nasty cold bug. With a toddler in pre-school, I'm surprised that my family is not sick every other week. The cold kicked my ass over the weekend and I figure that I'd actually use a sick day because I'm actually sick!

I just quickly wanted to share my favorite items I discovered in July:

NARS single in Outremer/NARS Bright Lights, Big City Palette
Chanel Glossimer, Braise, #158, Chanel Illusion D'Ombre, Emervielle, Chanel Jouer Contrastes, Rose Tourbillon

The one stand out product for me has been the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre shadow - reviewed here. I find myself just using my finger instead of the enclosed brush. I think I just like the ease of using my fingers, especially if I take this with me to the gym on the weekends.

Another item that has become stirred up some buzz in editorials and the beauty blog world is NARS' single shadow from the FALL 2011 collection, Outremer. On the NARS site it is described as a bright, true blue.

Here it is on my arm (for reference, I'm a NC42):

I really like this color. This is not your typical Fall shade but NARS being NARS this color choice really doesn't surprise me. This is the only item from the collection that really wowed me. I've been wearing this solely as a liner as I did in this picture (sorry, to have to repeat this photo again).

It does come out darker on my eyes than it does on my arm as a swatch. That's fine with me - it just makes this bright shade wearable.

Another item I have featured that I haven't properly reviewed is the Chanel Glossimer - Braise, #158.

This has been reviewed many times in the Beauty Blog world so I won't go into too much detail. It's a lovely gloss if you aren't familiar with the Chanel Glossimers - on the thicker side, unscented and if it does have any shimmer it is finely milled that you do not feel any grittiness when the color wears off. This is one of my favorite brand of glosses, next to my beloved NARS glosses.

Braise is a lovely copper rose with fine golden glitter. I have been wearing this on it's own but once Autumn arrives I plan on using this on top of a darker lipstick or lip pencil. I have tried this on top of my deluxe sample sized Chanel Rouge Allure in Attitude, reviewed here. It's a lovely duo. Ugh, I knew I should have snapped a photo of that look. Sorry, folks....

And I just have to mention really quickly that I am still wondering why it took me this long to buy a Chanel blush. I think it may be due to the high price tag - $43/USD when I'm use to paying $27/USD for a NARS blush. However, if I don't have problems buying a lip gloss for $30 then what was my problem? Honestly, I still have a bit of reservation buying more Chanel blushes because of the price tag, so I'm holding out for colors that are really grabbing me like this.

I don't have to say too much about the NARS Nordstrom Anniversary palette, Bright Lights, Big City that hasn't already been said. I bought it because they consisted of NARS single shadows from the permanent collection and I didn't own any of these. I wasn't getting tired of the palettes that consisted of shadows that are originally sold as part of a duo and I had a few repeating shadows - black shade from the Pandora duo, for example. This is a very easy palette to use and it's something I can easily toss into my gym bag along with my Chanel cream shadow.

Because I was sick, doesn't mean I don't put any effort into looking nice. I did a very basic makeup look today. Nothing complicated and it didn't take any longer than 10mns to do.

Another plus to staying home sick - watching morning television. I caught Bobbi Brown on the Today show this morning and she gave makeup tips to ladies that wear glasses. She stressed a frame that doesn't cover your brows and wearing light shadows and eyeliner. I was hoping she was going to do a full on makeover on the real woman model but the woman was introduced already made over and she didn't go into much detail about the colors used, other than the shadow she used to darken the woman's brows, Mahogany. I'm still a sucker for morning makeovers and I love watching Bobbi give interviews.

Don't let this photo fool you - I am still wearing a hoodie and I just put on a pair of jeans so I can leave the house to pick up my daughter. I will put my sweat pants back on the moment I get back into the house!

I already have a few things planned out for August - going to order new liners from NARS and Urban Decay. Also, my Chanel counter connection, Ms. M, gave me the word that there'll be a new line of foundation later this month that will offer a bigger range of colors - FINALLY!!

Any new product launches you are eagerly awaiting for?