I have to think that Fire was limited edition (or discontinued) in the U.S., since I can’t find it for sale online anywhere.



So is it warm or cool? Based on Carine’s photos, I would have said cool — and I still think it is. But warmth or coolness is a spectrum, not an absolute. In certain light, under a flash, on certain skintones, and/or next to other, cooler colors, it may look warm (or warmer). I actually think this shade is actually pitch-perfect to please a variety of skintones.

For more photos of Fire around the web (and on different skintones), check out these links:
Polish or Perish
Day Loves Colours
Nail Polish Debby (scroll to the bottom)
Source unknown

First, let me introduce the eyeshadow quad ($57, permanent). Eclosion includes a satin peach-pink, a sheer light beige-pink with tiny gold sparkles, a shimmery-satin rose-sand, and a satin red-purple-brown (lighter, brighter, more red than Magic Night).

The two eyeshadow singles are also a permanent addition to the line ($28.50). Tigerlily is a pale orange with a few tiny gold sparkles. Rose de Mai is a warm matte light pink.

Grenat ($29) is a Stylo Yeux waterproof eyeliner pencil. It’s a sheeny plush red-purple, and another permanent addition to the line.

And then there’s Ombre d’Eau Fluid Iridescent Eyeshadow ($32) in 40 Source. It’s a repromoted shade, a pale, shimmery ballet pink.

For me, the most eye-catching item on the display was the stripey, limited edition Blush Horizon de Chanel ($58). I love patterned blushes, but I’m really bad at “color math,” so I can never guess what blended color they’ll produce until I swatch them. Blush Horizon de Chanel is a pink satin (warm, but unquestionably pink, not peach).

Another limited item in this collection is the Poudre Universelle Compacte (Natural Finish Pressed Powder) in Jasmin ($45). Jasmin is a sheer invisible golden peach beige with tiny golden sparkles. It’s much too subtle to use as a highlighter — instead, use it all over the face for a delicately warming golden glow.

Chanel is not always 100% consistent in its lipstick formulas. The Rouge Cocos, the Rouge Allures — they all have some shades that are sheerer and some that provide fuller coverage. There are five Rouge Coco lipsticks in the collection, and it seemed to me that the four new shades (particularly Superstition and Charme) were somewhat more sheer than the repromote.

Superstition is a muted nude beige-pink with tiny gold sparkles. Chalys (repromoted from last fall) is coral. Paradis is a cool flamingo pink with pink sparkles. Charme is a more muted mauve blue-pink. Destinee is a deeper blue-violet-rose.

There are two new shades of Rouge Coco Shine. Candeur is nearly invisible. It’s a very sheer, very pale baby pink with tiny pink and blue sparkles. Flirt (so pretty!) is a soft, warm guava pink. All seven lipsticks (Rouge Coco and Rouge Coco Shine) are $32 each.

There’s also a new Rouge Coco Shine Baume, which I didn’t swatch, because it’s clear. The balm is $32.50.

And there are two Crayon Levres lipliners ($29): Rose Corail is a sheeny, warm, strawberry-candy pink. Bois de Rose is slightly deeper and ruddier (more red) — and it’s more matte.

There are three Glossimers ($28.50). Bagatelle is Barbie-/bubblegum-pink with gold sparkles (and offers more coverage than the other two options). Petillant is clear with tiny pastel pink and purple sparkles. Bonbon is sheer pale pink with gold shimmer/sparkle.

There are also three nail polishes ($25). April is clearly the awesomest (okay, that’s my birth month). It’s a berry wine creme. May is bubblegum pink. June is the only limited edition shade, a pale peach/orange.

Last but certainly not least, the U.S. exclusive: Rose Topaz Rouge Double Intensite ($34). Rouge Double Intensite is a long-wearing, double-ended lipgloss. The colored end is super long-wearing (and kind of drying), so the clear gloss end keeps your lips feeling comfortable. Rose Topaz is a mauve rose.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any deals or gifts with purchase to tell you about, though NeimanMarcus.com and Nordstrom.com are both offering free shipping. (Use code SHOPNM on NeimanMarcus.com; no code required for Nordstrom.)

The holiday collection includes two limited edition eyeshadow singles ($28.50). 407 Blazing Gold is a slightly chunky shimmery yellow. 417 Beige Lamé is a nutmeg-tan satin with very tiny blue and pink sparkles.

There is one new eyeshadow duo ($42): 27 Noir-Ivoire, a satin charcoal-black paired with a gently shimmery wedding-dress-ivory-beige. I’m surprised that such a basic and sensible duo would be limited edition, but it is. Buy now or forever hold your peace.

The collection repromotes Crayon Kohl pencil eyeliner in Noir (so I swatched it; $28). There’s also a limited edition Ligne Extreme liquid liner in 307 Or ($32). It’s a very yellow gold metallic shade with a fine brush applicator.

587 Rouge Carat nail polish ($25) is a rose-red with fuchsia pink shimmer — also limited edition.

Of course the signature piece of the collection is an ornately embossed highlighting powder: Lumiere Sculptee de Chanel. It is lovely, but at $72, I wasn’t prepared to buy it for looks alone. And then I swatched it.

I can’t think of another powder that’s so amazingly pearly. It’s white that’s simultaneously pink and gold. It’s really a remarkable shade.

I don’t totally understand Poudre Universelle Libre (Natural Finish Loose Powder) Féérie ($52). It’s a translucent powder with tiny pink and gold sparkles. It seems risky to put this all over your face.

And then the Tissages blush in Brun Rose swept me off my feet. It’s a slightly burned matte coral that — for me — is a must-have. All Tissages blushes are $45.

If you needed proof that life isn’t fair, all three of these powders — even the blush — are limited edition.

I swatched the lips in what I felt was a sensible color order, so the formulas are all mixed up.

You guessed it: everything on this arm is ALSO limited edition.

Famous (207) is a Rouge Allure lipstick ($32). It’s a pink-red with subtle pink sparkles.

Dragon (75) is a Rouge Allure Laque (full coverage lipgloss, $32). It’s a cool, deep, sexy red with a shine/slight shimmer. This is a repromoted color (see a swatch from its 2009 debut), but soon to be discontinued — which has caused a bit of a frenzy. I find Dragon too cool, too blue-red for me.

Triomphal (517) is a Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss ($32). Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss is a pigmented-but-sheer formula compared to Laque’s full coverage, liquid-lipstick finish. (Click here for swatches from Extrait de Gloss’s debut, plus a lip-swatch of EdG in Exces.) Compared to Dragon, Triomphal is a sheerer cherry pink-red with pink sparkles.

Enivrée (197) is a Rouge Allure lipstick ($32), a sheer warm pink with pink sparkles.

Empire (707) is a Rouge Allure Laque ($32), a medium warm rose with gold sparkles.

Sweet Beige (297) is a Glossimer ($28.50), a muted/greyed beige-pink with gold sparkles.

Sparkle d’Or (307) is also a Glossimer ($28.50); clear with tiny gold sparkles.

There should be one more Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss: nude-beige Discretion. I checked four counters and no one had received tester or product; they said the shade was MIA nationwide. Since Chanel’s website lists permanent shade Insouciance instead, I guess Discretion isn’t coming.

Chanel just introduced a (highly anticipated) new lipstick formula: Rouge Allure Velvet, a creamy-matte in the click-click case. Available in eight shades, Rouge Allure Velvets are $32 each.

La Ravissante (the beautiful) is a coral pink — my favorite, of course. La Câline (the cuddler) is a muted, mauvey blue-rose pink. La Raffinée (the sophisticated) is a brighter blue-rose pink. L’Exubérante (the exuberant/bubbly) is a bright, saturated, cool blue-pink. La Fascinante (the fascinating) is a bright, very cool red. La Somptueuse (the glamorous) is a deeper, more subdued, warmer red. La Sensuelle (the sensual) is a deep cool (violet) rose. L’Exquise (the exquisite) is rose-brown.

Translations provided by my favorite French-speaking sales associate.

Chanel also included three nail polishes in this launch — plus a limited edition “velvet matte” topcoat. I swatched each color twice, first in its “natural” state, then with the matte topcoat.

Rose Cache is a grey-pink with very tiny, subtle pink shimmers (these are totally lost under the mattifying topcoat). Rose Exuberant is a bright, electric-watermelon, hibiscus pink. Pirate is bright cherry red.

The mattifying topcoat is interesting. It has an easy-to-apply gel texture, and dries to an almost rubberized finish. Each of the polishes (including the topcoat) is $25.

I am absolutely convinced that trends and technologies in nail polish and car paint are linked — and apparently matte finishes for cars are also enjoying something of a Renaissance (at least in the European luxury market). Check out this article from the Wall Street Journal, and see if that photo doesn’t make you want to take Chanel’s topcoat out for a spin.

From people who like that medium-to-full coverage, I’ve heard nothing but praise for Perfection Lumiere’s longevity. I don’t like that much coverage myself, and in my in-store test, I found the finish a little mask-y. I also didn’t find a shade match I just loved.

The shades are divided into BR (beige rose, the pink shades), B (beige, the yellow shades), BA (beige ambre, the golden shades), and A (ambre, the amber shades). It’s refreshing to see Chanel offer such a wide selection of colors.

Perfection Lumiere is $55 and contains SPF 10.  It also smells like Hydramax (Chanel’s moisturizing serum, which I would describe as having a light, pleasant, “tea-like” skincare scent). I really like Hydramax’s scent, so I consider that a plus.

Here are blended out swatches by color family. I wasn’t sure if it was easier to see the Beige Rose with or without dividing lines, so I did them both ways:

You may remember last year’s Khakis de Chanel, a trio of limited edition, muted, “fashion camouflage” colors released in honor of New York shopping block party Fashion’s Night Out. This year Chanel recreated the magic with a trio of blue polishes they’ve called Les Jeans. (And apparently good things come in threes, because there’s a trio of red or rose polishes in the upcoming Rouge Allure Velvet collection.)

Les Jeans include candy-colored Coco Blue, Parisian-blue Blue Boy, and deeper, nautical blue Blue Rebel.

Chanel polishes are regularly $25 each; these — in addition to being both limited edition and limited availability — are $29 apiece. I must, perforce, resist (but oh, Carla, did you have to make them look so desirable?).

Here are Carla’s thoughts on the trio:

I am a sucker for Chanel’s nail polishes. The formula is usually right on target for me (Mimosa is a recent exception) and this trio has that old familiar formula. Out of the three shades, Blue Boy is my absolute favorite, I love the shade’s not quite as “blue” as the rest and seems to lean a little to grey. I wish Coco Blue could have been a creme instead of the light shimmer that it is, but we can’t have it all, can we? Two coats will give you the color seen here but I’d opt for a third coat for truer bottle color.

Les Jeans de Chanel are available at Chanel.com, the Chanel boutiques, and select counters (Neiman Marcus Houston, Dallas NorthPark, Austin, Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Oakbrook, Michigan Avenue, Tysons, Troy, Boca Raton, Natick, and San Francisco, as well as Bergdorf Goodman).

For more swatches, check out Cafe Makeup’s excellent post, and Beauty Look Book’s (plus comparisons!)

Sublimage cleanser comes out of the tube as a gel, which “melts” into an oil as you rub it on your skin. You massage it onto dry face (and lashes), then dampen the cotton cloth with warm water. Place it over your face and let it sit for a moment (the warmth is supposed to maximize the soothing effects of the camellia and jojoba oils).

With the cloth still over your face, rub with gentle circular motions to remove your makeup. Then remove the cloth, rinse it out, and rinse your face with water.

In a nutshell, this is an oil cleanser. Whether or not you want to follow the full Chanel ritual, you apply it to dry skin, and then wet it to activate and thoroughly remove. It is NOT a cold cream (apply to skin, wipe off with cloth without the use of water). I’m probably not going to be taking the plunge anytime soon, but it’s nice to know how it works.

Sublimage cleanser (plus cotton cloth) is $95 for a 5.0 oz tube.

This collection feels bigger and more important than past in-between collections. First, almost everything you see on the display is a permanent addition to the line. Second, it represents the introduction of Chanel’s new Crayon Sourcils brow pencils (which will entirely replace the previous formula). Third, I’ve been waiting to see the eyelash curler!

I curled my lashes using the tester at the counter, and I was actually impressed. The silicone pad is quite springy (meaning it gives a nice curl without crimping), and the “head” of the tool seems smaller than my Shu Uemura curler, meaning I was able to get much closer to the roots of my lashes (and do so more comfortably). This lash curler is limited edition, $34 (with two replacement pads in the box, though Chanel does not currently sell additional replacement pads after that).

This collection features two eyeshadow quads — Vanites and Lagons. They’re $57 each, and both are quite pigmented.

I feel compelled to tell all my purple-loving friends about Vanites. It includes a dark, very pigmented blue-purple satin; a shimmery pale lilac; a shimmery lavender; and a shimmery golden-purple-brown. Is it golden brown that reflects purple or purple-brown that reflects gold? Either way, gorgeous.

Everyone’s doing blue this fall, and Lagons is right on trend. The quad includes a shimmery powder-blue/ice-blue; a satin muted denim blue with blue shimmer; a more saturated Wonder-Woman-dark-blue satin; and a “Cinderella” dreamy periwinkle blue shimmer.

There are four eyeshadow singles (each $28.50). Magic Night is a red-purple-brown shimmer, a repromote from Spring 2009. Fauve is a purple-silver shimmer. Twilight is a cotton-candy-pink shimmer. Both Fauve and Twilight appear to be baked. Lily is a matte pink-beige-white.

This collection also introduces one new shade of Stylo Yeux waterproof mechanical eyeliner pencil: Taupe, which is a shimmery purple-silver halfway between Rose Platine and Guerlain’s Oriental Metal. (Black Ebene is repromoted, so I swatched it, too. Stylo Yeux are $29 each.)

Most brow pencils are so firm that they don’t mark on skin, but the new Crayon Sourcils were soft enough to be able to swatch. Blond Clair is an ashy blond khaki. Brun Naturel is a cool wood brown. Brun Cendre is a darker cool brown. And Noir Cendre is actually a super dark cool brown (near black, but not quite black).

I wasn’t sure which pencil would look best on me, so I put Blond Clair on one brow and Brun Naturel on the other. The Blond Clair was subtle (a good “fill” color), but the “blondness” of it added a warmness that doesn’t naturally occur in my brows (so the color didn’t look quite right). Brun Naturel was a bit dark, but the coolness made it a better match. It made for a nice complement to smoky eyes, but looked like a bit much without other makeup on.

The brow pencils are $29 each, and my sales associates are really enthusiastic about them. They like the new colors better, and say they prefer the glide of the new formula.

If you haven’t already, you should definitely check out her blog. She has perfect nails, amazing manicure skills, and always takes fantastic pictures.



What’s on her nails:
Nailtek Foundation II
1 coat Chanel Peridot
1 coat Poshe Fast Drying Basecoat (she says she does this with all prone-to-show-brush-strokes polishes)
1 coat Chanel Peridot
Poshe Fast Drying Topcoat (except on index finger)

Very excitingly, the Chanel counter is receiving the makeup pieces from Le Blanc (a collection that released 5-6 months ago in Asia).

The collection includes 31 Rose Envolee eyeshadow quad (round pans of baked powder, European/Asian style). The shades are sheer, satin-finish, pale beige pink (containing a very fine gold dust); softly shimmery white; soft satin purple-brown; and bubblegum pink with small, not-too-dense pink sparkles. It is $57.

There are two Rouge Allure lipsticks: 86 Desinvolte (corally pink) and 87 Joyeuse (Barbie pink). There are also two Glossimers: 154 Liaison (clear with a few red sparkles) and 152 Blossom (sheer pink with dense, tiny, pink and blue sparkles). One of my sales associates said she thought these two Glossimers felt a little thicker than usual. (Have you tried them? Do you agree?)

Rouge Allures are $32; Glossimers are $28.50.

There’s a warm-white pressed powder highlighter, Poudre Lumiere Perlee (or Pearl Glow Powder, $60). It contains tiny sparkles, but it’s hard to go overboard (you can see my best effort in the heavy swatch).

And Rose Tourbillon will finally be available to Americans! (Revisit glossedup’s fabulous comparison swatches of this blush.) If you missed Turbulent, Rose Tourbillon may assuage your craving. It’s a cool pink with tiny silver sparkles (it’s also baked/Euro-style). Like all Joues Contrastes, it’s $43.

Two more things worth mentioning: Nordstrom counters will also be receiving Eau Douceur Cleansing Water/Makeup Remover ($45, for face and eye, only available in Europe until now). AND there’s a 6.8 oz. Coco Mademoiselle EDP Pour.

If you don’t have a Nordstrom counter near you, or you don’t have a counter you’re loyal to, please feel free to call my absolutely wonderful ladies at Nordstrom Northpark (Elena, Kristyn, Meredith, and Mary) at 214-231-3900.

Also, if you’re in Dallas, national artist John Fussell will be at Northpark on July 19th (call to make your appointment!).