I have a friend in Tennessee who loves Armani lipstick. She doesn’t live near enough to an Armani counter to go check out the new releases, and in the summer of 2008, Armani had a new lipstick collection. My friend was lamenting to me how unhelpful the colored circles on Armani’s website were, and how frustrating it is having to shop blind.
Living in Dallas (a shopping mecca, with representation for almost every brand), I said that it would be no trouble to go to the counter, swatch a few shades on my hand, and go outside to take a picture.
A few weekends later I did the same thing with some Chanel lipsticks, and it occurred to me that I could make a blog out of this.
I’m 30. I started out in journalism, working for a newspaper; I spent several years working in advertising. Now I blog full-time. (I also contribute to Neiman Marcus’s blog, and post videos on YouTube.)
I’m fair, but not the palest person I know. I’m roughly an NW15/20 on MAC’s scale. My current price-is-no-object favorite foundation is Chantecaille Future Skin in Porcelain (it’s just so INVISIBLE, and so perfect a color match). I also wear Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer in Porcelain or Armani Face Fabric shade 2 (maybe shade 1 in winter), and I’ve also been matched to MAC Face & Body in N1, Chantecaille Real Skin in Fresh, Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 3.75, NARS Sheer Glow in Mont Blanc (got to sheer this one out a bit with moisturizer), and Shu Uemura Face Architect Fluid in 774. My arms don’t always match my face (especially at the end of a summer of swatching).
Anyway, thank you for reading — I hope I can help you find what you’re looking for.
karla, just a big thankyou for this blog, I love it! please keep up the great work!
Love this column! Thanks for the MAC eyeshadow color swatches.
I am a conservative, for years I’ve been using only ONE MAC eyeshadow — Satin Taupe, which I dearly love, I have brown eyes and am Asian.
However, time to get another and I am leaning towards the more natural, closer to skin tone shade.
Thank you so much for your blog.
This is an amazing website! Love seeing all the latest launches, and the swatches are the best – really show the colours and textures well. Keep up the good work! xxx
Hi Karla,
Your site is truly brilliant !
The swatches are so helpful and you are worth your weight in gold.
All the very best !
This website is a BLESSING to me and has saved so many expensive mistakes.
Thank you, Karla!
Sarah x
STYLE SOUK – Fashion and Beauty Blog
Hi,
I love your website. I think I check it almost everytday!
I would love to see the By Terry products swatched when you have a chance.
Thanks
What a helpful site! I just discovered that I made the right choice of a Bobbi Brown shadow I just purchased online (after actually seeing your swatches), but visiting your site first would have made my painstaking decision making a lot easier… I’ve got you bookmarked for my next online makeup purchases!
Thank you, Karla!
- Gracie
- J
Hi Karla, I love your blog. I live in India and buy a lot of stuff online so I’m normally buying blind without any swatches. I am so happy I found your site. Keep up the awesome work.
Hi Karla, I’m so grateful for your blog, and swatches. It has greatly helped me, and I personally feel you have the best swatches on the web.
I bookmarked your site The Best Swatch site. Your site is very helpful.
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now and I just wanted to thank you because you have been a tremendous help. Unlike so many other sites the fact that you are so fair and thorough, especially when it comes to displaying and labeling swatches, has really helped me make decisions. Makeup is expensive but well worth the cost (in my opinion) when you know what you’re doing and you have really helped me to make wise choices.
hi karla i’m so glad with u, this blog is amazing thank u for share us all
good look
saw a post on Facebook about Lancome shades and it brought me to this site. I love it, a place for product junkies like myself and the swatches really helped me when I go lipstick shopping, not like I need more, but hey you can never have enough! thanks again!
love your blog. Your chanel lipstick swatches are awesome! will definitely read your post regularly
Your blog is very helpful. I’m fair (NW15 on MAC’s scale, sometimes NW20 in summer) with brown hair. In make up I love Bobbi Brown looks, I also appreciate stronger looks but afraid with my fair skin (don’t want to look like a gothic !!). I love your style and the way you do swatches and reviews.
All the best
Manuella (Paris-France)
Greetings Karla,
Your site has been such a help to me regarding the description of shades and colors! I found it accidently and have saved a small fortune(as least to me)already.
Those swatches on your arms have helped me get perfect shades in lipsticks, blushes and foundation. I love Armani foundation also and the online site doesn’t get close to the colors I have ordered…none of the others such as Nordstrom, Saks, etc. do either. Thanks a lot. Nancy
Karla, you’re the absolute best! Not only are your swatches amazingly accurate but we have the same coloring, AND taste. Keep posting your favorites—I follow your recommendations with devotion!
Excellent descriptions, colour swatches & photos are amazing. I live in the country, in Australia & often buy Online, so your Blog has helped me many times to reach a decision. Thank you so very much, Karla! Please don’t ever stop Blogging!
I have been a fan for sometime but have not been able to figure out how to subscribe to your blog. It’s probably obvious, but I’m going to need you to point me in the right direction! Thanks for all the great blogging! Lisa
Hi Karla, Omg I am just thrilled to read this bio about you and where you’re from! I am also from Dallas and had no idea you were residing here as well. I am already a huge fan of your blog (due to your amazing swatches) but this just made me love your site even more! I always felt like everyone was located in the west or east coast. Nice to meet you and look forward to your fantastic blog posts!
Love the blog….I’ve also recently started to take advantage of my wavy hair (which was not wavy until about a year ago, not sure what’s up with that!). I LOVE your hair, and was wondering if you could tell me a little bit about how it is cut. My stylist has put two sets of layers in, one a little shorter on top and the other a bit longer. Seems to leave the top waves pretty flat. How is your style cut?
TIA!
Tami O.
I just looove your blog!! Congrats!
great site!
you are the best!!!!! this is the best blog that i have ever found!!!!!!
I just found your blog, and am so thrilled. Seeing the swatches on you are a world away from looking at the online samples. Ironically, it doesn’t help me narrow my selecctions, but it does help me decide which 20+ blush shades I absolutely can’t live without! LOL! Thank you!
This is absolutely brilliant! Saves you so much time going around the shops trying everything and so much money buying the wrong stuff online! Thanks for your effort! Brilliant job! Keep this up and thank you for sharing.
AMAZING!!!!
Thank you so much for your hard work and effort. If there are ever any affiliate/ contests you are entering personally to win goodies, please let us know. I would love to be able to help out somehow when you show so many amazing things!
Chelsfofo =)
I love you!! This is so amazing!! I could cry when I found this site!!
You are amazing1