Casual Air is a milky, warm  pale pink with shimmer. Have to Have It is a rosy-peach with shimmer. Rich & Witty is a warm, terracotta rose with shimmer. It’s a Wow is warm, bubblegum pink with subtle shimmer. Comfort & Joy is a pink-purple shimmer/sparkle. Famously Fab! is lilac with subtle shimmer. Real Posh is red-grape/berry with subtle blue shimmer. Rich Bounty is slightly browned orange-red with gold shimmer. Knockout is red-orange (so hawt!). Tour de Fabulous is a hot, summery coral-peach with tiny multicolored shimmers. Style Packed is bright, cool Barbie pink.

The lipglosses are $14.50 each, and if I were to group them by level of shimmer, Level 1 (smallest, least, almost creme-finish) would include Knockout and Style Packed. Level 2 would contain Casual Air, Rich & Witty, It’s a Wow, Famously Fab!, Real Posh, and Tour de Fabulous. Level 3 would include Check This Out, Comfort & Joy, and Rich Bounty.

The lip pencils are $14 each. What Comes Naturally is a light, warm pink. Have to Have It is a warm, terracotta rose-brown. Just My Type is dark, cool brown. Hip ‘n’ Happy is a cool, blue-toned, slightly mauvey eraser/chewing gum pink. Embrace Me is bright! cool! fuchsia! Just Wonderful is a sheeny red-purple-rose. Entertain Me is construction-fence orange. Lasting Sensation (my favorite) is a fluorescent red-orange.

Did anything from this collection speak to you?

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 Sultry bag is surprisingly monochromatic. I Love Winter is a mauvey rose, and — though I usually steer clear of mauvey or blue-tinted shades — I am surprised to say I really like it. It’s a lovely my-lips-but-better grown-up pink. Deelight (a repromote) is almost the same rose color, but slightly warmer. Boldly Bare (also a repromote; made permanent in the Quite Cute collection) is the lip pencil version.

The Wintercool bag is nude but not that cool. It contains Creme d’ Nude lipstick, a very pale warm pink. The Cremesheen Glass lipgloss is Fashion Whim (a repromote), a very pale peach with nearly invisible tiny shimmers. Also included in this bag is Stripdown lipliner (a repromoted shade), a warm, “brown butter” shade.

Both sets come packaged with a makeup bag.

Why oh why do I fall for every new formula of MAC eyeshadow? Like the Peacocky shadows, Pro Longwear eyeshadows are large-format pots. The formula is supposed to provide 8-hour crease-proof wear even without an eyeshadow base, and they apply SO smoothly. The texture reminded me of Starflash, though I guess they’re not quite so creamy. Pro Longwear shadows are $20 each.

Pink Frontier is an all-things-girly shimmery peony pink with a tinge of gold. Carefree reminds me of Solar White. It’s a softly shimmery, warm, pearly white saturated with gold. Sweet Satisfaction is a shimmery/frosty, warm, pink-beige. One to Watch is a muted autumnal pumpkin satin. Lie Low is a shimmery warm burnished bronze-brown. Make Your Mark is a shimmery, warm, deeper brown. Keep Your Cool is a steely thundercloud blue-graphite shimmer. Legendary Black is a complex warm black with multicolored shimmer.

On first swipe, Pro Longwear shadows are softer and more sheer than they look here. I layered these swatches to show the colors as truly as possible (and that’s especially relevant for this second arm).

Hot Paprika is Indian-paintbrush burnt orange satin with a subtle pink reflect. Sunny Outlook is a slightly dirtied butter-yellow satin. Fresh Flare is bright, new-grass, kelly green shimmer. Styledriven is a sky-blue shimmer. Thru the Night is a shimmery blackened blue. Weathered is a shimmery blue-grey with tiny green, blue, and purple shimmers. Plus is a plum-grape shimmer. Tease with Ease is a party-pink fuchsia satin (I think Crayola called this color “red-violet”).

Pro Longwear Lipstick (officially named Pro Longwear Lipcremes) are $17 each. The first seven shades are new; this collection also repromotes five existing shades.

To the Future! is a pale warm pink. So Very Good is a muted brick rose. Dress It Up is pale, cool, bubblegum white-pink (almost lilac). Positively Dashing is a very violet blue-rose. Endless Drama is cranberry-wine. Soulfully Rich is a dark, smoked wine-brown-purple, a chocolate-covered-raisin. Soft Sell is a blue-rose-pink.

Till Tomorrow is much more muted than Soft Sell. It’s a greyer beige- or clay-pink. Extended Play is a deep crimson red. Prolong is a bright, pinked cherry red. Also repromoted in this collection are construction-orange Good to Go and bright, cool, schiap-pink Love Forever!  I couldn’t fit them all on my arm this time, but I swatched them here.

The Pro Longwear Lip Pencils are $18 each, said to deliver 8-hour feather-proof wear.

Etcetera is a muted pinked brown. Nice ‘n’ Spicy is a little rosier, a muted terracotta rose. Staunchly Stylish is mauve-rose with a sheen (pinker than either Etcetera or Nice ‘n’ Spicy). Morning Coffee is mauve-brick-rose (mauvier than Staunchly Stylish). Absolutely It is the most purple shade yet, a violet-rose with a sheen.

More to Love is fuchsia. In Anticipation is medium bubblegum pink. Bittersweet is chocolate/mahogany brown (warmed with maybe a touch of red?). Kiss Me Quick is a cool cherry red. What a Blast! is bright orange.

The Pro Longwear Lipglass is maybe the most interesting new product of the bunch. It swatches on as thick as paint, and it is REALLY thick when you first apply it to your lips. I find the sensation of sticky lips intolerable, but this gloss actually thins out after a minute or two (kind of the opposite of the Gloss d’Armani experience). Don’t get me wrong: it’s still sticky, but it doesn’t bother me if I don’t press my lips together.

From eavesdropping on countless MAC makeovers at the counter, I feel like the “MAC lip” is a multi-step process, involving liner, lipstick, and gloss. In my mind, these new Longwear lip products push those boundaries — even a hardened MAC veteran could wear the glosses alone.

Patience, Please is a milky white-pink. Infinitely Likable is a cool bubblegum pink. Ready or Not! is peach-nude (a good nude for me). Show Me! is a really pretty warm terracotta rose. Driven by Love is bright, cool, cherry red with subtle red sparkles. Lasting Achievement is burgundy-maroon with subtle pink and gold sparkles. Dark as Night is very black cherry. Full Speed Ahead is a nearly fluorescent Barbie cool pink. Whoops! is fluorescent coral.

Pro Longwear Lipglasses are supposed to provide 6-hour wear (I don’t think they’d withstand lunch, but they’d probably last through your cup of coffee). They’re $18.50 each, and have a flattened-doe’s-foot applicator. To my nose, they don’t smell exactly like standard “MAC vanilla.” They’re a little sweeter… Mr. Salt called the scent “white chocolate.”

I’m still putting the finishing touches on my wishlist — which products ended up on yours?

This set contains a 1 oz. foundation primer (1.7 oz. is full size), Full Blown Volume mascara, lipliner in Plumberry, eye trio (containing two exclusive shadows and an exclusive shade of cake liner), lip trio (not only new colors, but a new formula as well), and a handful of tools: a dual-ended ponytail/crease brush, dual-ended flat eyeliner (tightliner brush)/pointed eyeliner brush, a lip color brush, and a pencil sharpener.

Smoky Lilac is a shimmery, soft lilac. Smoky Plum is a matte/satin muted “rusty” plum (a reddish brown purple). Ground Espresso is a new shade of cake liner, a near-black, dark, cool, brown-black. I swatched it with the Tightline Activator solution.

You can use Laura’s new (reformulated) cake liners with water, but once you wet them with tightline activator, they won’t work with water.

The lip palette contains a new formula for Laura: Lip Glazes, which are supposed to be something like a cross between a Lip Glace and a Stickgloss (in pan form). I’d describe them as full-coverage, very glossy, potted lipglosses. Sugarplum is light, cool pink. Raspberry Tarte is a cool rose pink. Chambord is raspberry (violet-red). And of course, you can always mix the colors.

Plumberry lipliner is a mauvey, dusty rose-pink.

Just as the Bloggers’ Obsessions collection was a nod to beauty bloggers, MAC Me Over was a “we love you back” to fans — one part celebration of street style and one part celebrity makeover.

Makeup lovers sent in their answers, with photos and videos, and the company selected six winners. These winners became the face of fall trend — they’re the folks you see on the displays.

The fall collection is truly enormous, and I realized I had to break it up into three posts (or risk putting you all to sleep). I thought we should tackle the largest section first, “MAC Basics.”

MAC Me Over features six individual eyeshadows — all “basics” — and they are all fantastic.

Creamy Bisque is a gently shimmering, crystalline satin beige-white. Moleskin is a warm, pink-brown, nude, neutral matte (it reminds me of Bobbi Brown Woodrose or Naked).

Outre is a matte mustard yellow, and every MAC makeup artist I know always gets so excited about these ochre/mustard/camel colors. I asked one of them why they consider it such a must-have. He said, “it looks good on basically every skintone. On dark skin it can be a highlight; on very fair skin it works in the crease. Basically, with very little effort, it looks like you did a lot.”

Satin Taupe is a regular permanent color, a shimmery purple brown. Why does Mythical feel so familiar? You’re probably confusing it with Mythology, like I did. Mythology is a Lustre, and more orangey/coppery. Mythical is a frosty, pinked, bricky red. Carbonized is a dark, shimmery, warm (red-) brown.

All six of these shadows delivered great pigmentation and fabulous texture — even the mattes. Buy with confidence — though the price of eyeshadows has gone up to $15.

There are also two repromoted Eye Kohls ($15): warm, shimmery, chestnut-brown Teddy and black Smolder.

I think this guy actually has a future in modeling

Secret Lover is a sheer, milky white-pink with tiny, invisible sparkles. Peachstock is permanent to pro, a satin/matte pale peach that always looks good on my arm… but is a bit too nude for my lips (I’m not usually ready to commit to the amount of eyeshadow I would need to offset it). Offshoot is a blue-rose-mauve. And I think Oh, Oh, Oh is meant to evoke permanent Frost lipstick O (burgundy/crimson-red-with-gold-shimmer). Oh, Oh, Oh is a Lustre, a mauvey-rose-with-gold-shimmer.

Illicit lipglass… is 2007′s Smoke Signals really the last time this color came out? It’s cream peach — basically Kim-Kardashian-perfect. Social Light is rose quartz with dense silver sparkle/shimmer. Curvaceous is a very blue pink creme. Plum Fun is berry rose with a few subtle sparkles. Lipsticks and Lipglasses are still $14.50.

There are two permanent, repromoted lip pencils: muted mauve-rose Spice and dark brown Chestnut. Both are $14.

There are two Cream Colour Bases (or Cream Color Bases, or CCBs) and two powder blushes, so I swatched them first lightly (to simulate on-cheek application), then heavily (to better demonstrate color).

Cream Color Bases are multipurpose products that can be used on eyes, cheeks, or lips — though Take Root and Seaside are not lip-safe. Take Root is a contour-a-licious brown with silver sparkles. Seaside is a very shimmery warm beige pink with dense silver shimmer/sparkle. Both CCBs are $17.

Equilibrium is a warm, slightly peachy, neutral beige-brown with a sheen. Stunner is cool, blue-pink with a sheen. Both are Satin finish; both are $19.50.

And finally, this collection also repromotes a few permanent collection “basics”:

• Studio Fix Fluid SPF 15 foundation, $26.50
• Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation, $26.50
• Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealer, $17
• The 116 small blush brush, $34 (I personally like the 129, which has a slightly larger head)
• The 190 foundation brush, $32

Of course, this is only part 1, so tune in tomorrow for more of MAC Me Over.

Well seeing these liners in action last weekend (Marcus Monson was in town, working his magic at the Neiman Marcus counter) reminded me of my swatching intentions. The lipliners seemed so nice — both in formula and shade range — I could put them off no longer.

Guerlain’s lipliners are $29 each and mechanical (twist up, retractable).

Weird side note: I asked about the price of these at my Neiman Marcus counter, and heard $29. NeimanMarcus.com lists them for $35 (the price of a Rouge Automatique), but SaksFifthAvenue.com lists them for $29. I live-chatted with Neiman Marcus to ask them if they’d made a mistake. They said no, but they’d price-match Saks. Weird, right?

44 Bois de Santal is mauve-pink. 45 Terre de Sienna is a warm, muted, watermelon rose (love!). 63 Rose de Mai is cool, medium pink. 64 Pivoine Magnifica is brighter cool pink. 24 Rouge Dahlia is cherry red. 25 Iris Noir is deeper violet-red. 43 Feve Tonka is a warm yellow-brown leather-tan with a slight violet reflect.

Do you own one of these? Do you love it?

If you don’t have a Nordstrom counter nearby, and you’d like to help me thank/support the counter that lets me swatch, please visit or call the Nordstrom MAC counter at the Dallas Galleria. Their number is 972-702-0055 — and if you’re ordering over the phone, ask for Kenitha (and see if she can’t help you on shipping).

Before we jump in, let me explain: there’s a collection called Colourizations that launches everywhere (all counters and free-standing stores) on August 4th. That collection includes the Double Feature eyeshadow duos, repromoted Technakohl liners, Zoom Lash mascara, the 222 tapered blending brush, and the 275 angled eyeshadow brush.

Nordstrom (in the United States, and The Bay in Canada) got the chance to sell these items early. So the eyeshadow duos (and the repromoted permanent items) are rolled into this Anniversary (Cine-matics) collection. The OTHER Cine-matics items (lip bags, brush sets, “makeup lesson” palettes) are exclusive to Nordstrom and will not be sold anywhere else.

So let’s talk about these totally fantastic eyeshadow duos ($25). They are magnetized, clear-topped compacts in the style of MAC’s new quads — but they’re half the size. I’ve heard a rumor that later this year, MAC will be selling empty two-pan palettes alongside their empty quads (and pro pans).

Anyway, these duos were explained to me as a bridge between spring/summer and fall/winter (each duo containing one summer color and one fall color). The pigmentation and texture of almost every pair is excellent. Unfortunately, the shades are not individually named (actually, I was lucky to be able to track down the finishes of each shade). I’m still working on putting names to shades, and will update this post if I learn more.

Double Feature 1 contains a gently frosty dirty yellow (Veluxe Pearl) and a satin/frost royal purple (Frost). Double Feature 2 includes a soft-frost lime (Veluxe Pearl) and a a satin, midnight-blue-charcoal (Frost). I was surprised to LOVE Double Feature 3, a matte turquoise (Matte) paired with a matte dark brown taupe (Satin). Both shades are very pigmented and very smooth. I’m tempted, even though I’d probably only use the turquoise as a liner. Double Feature 4 offers a frosty teal (Veluxe Pearl) and a matte camel (Matte).

Double Feature 5 includes a satin ballet-pink (Frost) and a red-brown that reflects sea-green shimmers (Frost). Double Feature 6 is my other favorite, with a matte mushroom/bisque (Matte) and a frosty golden brown (Veluxe Pearl). Double Feature 7 includes a matte fuchsia with ultra-tiny blue sparkles (Frost) and a slightly dry-feeling near-black matte/satin (Satin). Double Feature 8 includes a soft-frost bold tangerine (Frost) and a chalky-but-pretty grey-blue-purple satin (Satin).

Non-North-American markets will not get the Double Feature eyeshadow duos. INSTEAD, they will get empty duo compacts plus pro pan shadows in:

• Performance Art (new, Veluxe Pearl)
• Indie Spirit (new, Matte)
• Vintage Bloom (new, Frost)
• Raving Mad (new, Frost)
• Dressing Room (new, Veluxe Pearl)
• Waterfront (new, Veluxe Pearl)
• Green Room (new, Satin)
• Medallions (Veluxe Pearl)
• Naval (Matte)
• Bows & Curtseys (Satin)
• Look at the Eyes (Frost)
• Melt My Heart (Veluxe Pearl, a silver that appeared in one of the Tartan Tale palettes)
• Lucky Green (Frost)
• Soft Brown (Matte)
• Amber Lights (Frost)
• Naked Lunch (Frost)
• Embark (Matte)
• Shadowy Lady (Matte)
• White Frost (Frost)
• Mystery (Satin)
• Nylon (Frost)
• Purple Haze (Matte)
• Scene (Satin)
• Brule (Satin)

And then, if that weren’t complicated enough, Duty Free shops will receive six “On Screen” duos, which do not correspond to the Double Features duos:

• Duo 1 (Medallions, Veluxe Pearl + Scene, Satin)
• Duo 2 (Amber Lights, Frost + Indie Spirit, Matte)
• Duo 3 (Performance Art, Veluxe Pearl + Mystery, Satin)
• Duo 4 (Look at the Eyes, Frost + Purple Haze, Matte)
• Duo 5 (Waterfront, Veluxe Pearl + Naval, Matte)
• Duo 6 (Naked Lunch, Frost + Embark, Matte)

I know this is a lot to take in at once, but I want you to be prepared, no matter where you live and shop. And I’m still trying to correctly pair those new shade names with the shadows I swatched.

Okay, getting back on track. This collection repromotes the Technakohl liners ($15, mechanical eyeliners), but I didn’t realize they were part of the collection until too late. I’ll try to go back and swatch these — though Graphblack and Photogravure appear later in this post. (Repromoted shades: Graphblack, Photogravure, Purple Dash, Auto-de-blu, Uniform, and Jade Way.)

Also repromoted are Zoom Lash mascara ($15), the 222 tapered blending brush ($29), and the 275 angled eyeshadow brush ($24.50).

There are two brush sets (Cine-matics Brush Musts). Each is $49.50, in a zip-top, extruded-diamond-shaped soft bag.

The Face brush set includes the 187 (large skunk/stippling brush; black and red bristles), a 190 (foundation brush; magenta bristles), the 168 (angled blush brush; yellow bristles), and the 194 (concealer brush; green bristles).

The second brush set is called the “All Over” brush set… I’d think of it as eye brushes + blush brush. It contains the 227 (eyeshadow laydown/concealer brush; blue bristles), the 129 (blush brush; dark purple bristles; this one had just come out of its brush guard, so the bristles aren’t fluffed out yet), 219 (pencil brush; yellow bristles), 224 (fluffy blending brush; red bristles), and 266 (angled eyeliner; green bristles, though they didn’t photograph very dramatically).

There are four “Triple Feature” lip bags (the bags are the same diamond-shape as the brush bags, but not as long, and they have different colored piping). Each bag contains a Cremesheen lipstick, a Dazzleglass Creme lipgloss, and a full-sized Cremestick Liner (mechanical lip liner). Each set is $38.

Overnight Sensation Lip Bag contains Pillowtalk lipstick (deep, nude, warm/rosy brown), Overnight Sensation Dazzleglass Creme lipgloss (deep, nude, warm/rosy brown — even rosier than Pillowtalk — with subtle sparkles), and Creamola lipliner (warm brown).

It’s a Girl Lip Bag contains Innocence Beware lipstick (pale pink, repromoted from Venemous Villains), It’s a Girl Dazzleglass Creme (pale pink with silver sparkles), and Creme O’ Spice lipliner (muted mauvey-rose).

Nude Scene lip Bag contains Nude Scene lipstick (pale peach), Lightly Prancing Dazzleglass Creme (pale peach-beige with gold sparkles, repromoted from Tartan Tale), and Sublime Culture lipliner (muted, neutral, deep “natural” pink).

I regret that I wasn’t able to fit all four lip bags on one arm, but Reel Drama is my prediction for best seller of the group.

It contains Reel Drama lipstick (mauve-rose), Scenestealer Dazzleglass Creme (papaya coral with silver sparkles), and Softwood lipliner (deep, muted wine-rose-brown). It’s the only lip bag where the lipstick doesn’t match the lipgloss.

Lastly, there are two “Makeup Lessons,” all-in-one smoky-eye palettes (with step-by-step instructions in English and French) in black and brown. Each kit is $49.50, and contains three eyeshadows, a 212 tightlining brush, a 275 angled eyeshadow brush, a full-size Technakohl (mechanical) eyeliner, and a mini Zoom Lash mascara. The makeup lessons are printed on the paper sleeve, and each compact has a big mirror in the lid.

Here are the lessons, in case you lose your paper sleeve (click to view at full size so you can actually read it):

And here are the swatches:

Carbon is matte black (always somewhat chalky). Ambience is medium grey satin with a very few, very tiny silver sparkles. It’s also kind of chalky. Bisque is a pinkish off-white matte. Graphblack Technakohl is black.

Sable is warm red-bronzey brown frost. Showstopper is dark, very cool brown taupe (I believe this shade debuted in the Diana Ross collection. I saw it repromoted in All Ages All Races All Sexes, and it was included in one of the Tartan Tale palettes. I’m sad to say it felt a little chalky this time). Retrospeck is pale gold shimmer (I’d forgotten what a pretty color this is). Photogravure Technakohl is dark, cool brown.

There’s a lot to talk about for fall. The collection is named for the new eyeshadow formula it introduces (Illusions d’Ombres, sparkly “jelly” formula shadows) — but I think I’d like to talk about those last.

Even without the Illusions d’Ombres, fall is all about the eyes for me. Just take a look at Chanel’s new (and permament! Halleluia!) Prelude eyeshadow quad ($57). Its shades are grey taupe with tiny iridescent shimmer; a satin, dully gleaming beige-gold; a soft, sheer, light purple-taupe with tiny iridescent shimmers; and a sheer matte soft-black. I think this could be my favorite Chanel quad ever (supplanting Beiges de Chanel, Smoky, and Mystic Eyes).

And then! (Be still my heart!) — Khaki Platine eyeliner. It’s green-grey-silver, the color of money (American bills, anyway). Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear. Green-silver is my favorite color, and this is one of the best executions of that color I’ve ever seen. Khaki Platine is a Crayon Yeux, a non-waterproof, regular/non-mechanical pencil. It’s $29, and limited edition.

Last on this arm is Rose Ecrin Joues Contraste blush ($43), a glowy, very soft frozen-pink (the color reminds me of Armani’s spring blush, actually). Rose Ecrin is a permanent shade; I’ve heard it’s slated to replace Rose Dust.

Fall is never my season for lipsticks. I know almost everyone in the world loves a mauve lip, but I never feel comfortable in purple.

Chanel fall gives you a plethora of lip formulas to choose from. Starting on the left, we have two Rouge Coco lipsticks ($32 each). Etole is mauvey rose; Plumetis is a muted blue-pink with very tiny blue and pink sparkles that give it a slightly shimmery quality. Both are permanent.

There are two pretty new lipliners, sheeny coral-pink Coraline and matte brick-rose (with a few tiny gold sparkles) Rose Cuivre. They’re $29, and permanent to the collection.

There are three Glossimers. Mauve creme Giggle is a repromote, but Pampille and Braise are new. Pampille is a sheer pinked peach with dense silver and light pink sparkles. Braise is a cranberry rose with pink and gold sparkles. These are $28.50 each.

Finally, there are two Rouge Double Intensite, longwearing, dual-ended lipglosses ($34). They have long-wearing, liquid-lipstick-like, full coverage gloss on one end (which can be drying if worn alone), and clear gloss in the other (for moisture and shine). Cool rose pink Rose Quartz is a repromote. I’ve heard mauvey, berry rose Rose Morganite is a U.S.-only color.

At last, the Illusions d’Ombres. These eyeshadows have a dry, resilient, spongy feel, kind of like poking a mushroom. (They’re not very wet, compared to other cream shadows). They also feel remarkably smooth for something so sparkly.

I made my swatches with my fingertips (tapping a finger on the product, then rubbing it along my arm). It would be possible to apply these more heavily, but also to apply them more sheerly.

If I were to distinguish between the finishes, I’d saw Fantasme and Mirifique are glittery, Epatant and Illusoire are sparkly, and Emerveille and Ebloui are shimmery.

Fantasme is glittery white-silver sparkles (with a few pink sparkles). Epatant is an absolutely ravishing sparkly silver-green-pewter (between Epatant and Khaki Platine, I’m in heaven). Emerveille is beige-peach shimmer. Ebloui is shimmery red-brown with a few tiny pink and green sparkles. A lot of people shy away from red shadows, but my sales associate said it’s a great shade for the lower lashline. She actually put it on me (on my lower lashline and above my top-lid eyeliner) and it “finished” my makeup beautifully.

Illusoire is a sparkly, complex, warm silver-brown taupe with a few tiny purple and green sparkles. Mirifique is a blendable sooty black with silver sparkles.

These shadows are $36 each, and come in a screw-top jar. Each shade comes with a brush, which is flat (for applying shadow to the lid), with an angled edge (for applying the product as eyeliner). My sales associate says she’s been using a flat, synthetic concealer brush to put these on customers. Creative Director for Chanel Makeup Peter Philips prefers to use his fingers. I’d like to try a fluffy blending brush (which is what I use for my Make Up For Ever Aqua Creams).

My sales associate also said these make an excellent base for powder shadows (if you want a less sparkly final look). She also recommended using Fantasme or Emerveille on the center of your lip, on top of lipstick (for a long lasting dimensional shine).

The Chanel fall nail polishes have (deservedly) been getting a lot of attention. They’re all pretty complex (and they’re each $25). Quartz is a taupey, smoky quartz brown-silver. It sort of reminds me of a darker version of Chanel Trapeze, and I’d like the color if not for the finish. It’s a frost with tiny pink and green microshimmers.

Peridot is a green-gold duochrome shimmer that can look green, gold, amber, or olive, depending on the angle. It’s like a beetle shell.

Graphite is a true looks-gritty-feels-smooth foil (it feels incredibly smooth even without a topcoat). It’s a dark steely silver foil with a lot of gold glitter. So it’s definitely, obviously grey-silver in sunlight, but looks warmer as it moves under indoor lighting. I painted one hand as I was making my arm swatches. (This is three coats, no base coat, no top coat.)


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By far the cutest pieces are the three mineralized blushes. $23 each, they each have a contrasting-color heart baked into them.

The blushes are basically satin-finish powders, but the hearts are sparkly. The net result is a shimmery blush whose color comes from the main part of the powder. The heart adds shimmer, but doesn’t really affect the color (I was suspicious of that ice green in Miss Behave).

I thought you might want to use the two shades as eyeshadow, so I swatched the heart (top left), the main shade (bottom left), and the blush, blended together (right). Here are the light blush swatches:

And here are the heavy blush swatches:

Miss Behave (shimmery ice green + satin peach) is a shimmery, pale pink highlight. Giggly (light violet shimmer + bubblegum pink satin) is a shimmery medium pink. Sakura (fuchsia shimmer + lavender satin) is a shimmery, slightly pinked lavender.

The lipsticks are $14.50 each. Playing Koi (Satin) is opaque, warm light (peached) pink. Saint Germain (Amplified Creme) is pale, cool pink (previously swatched here, here, and here). Candy Yum-Yum (Matte) is blindingly bright, cool fuchsia — this season’s Petals & Peacocks? Quite Cute (Cremesheen) is periwinkle blue-lavender. Play Time (Cremesheen) is a pinky purple, like freesia — this season’s Blooming Lovely?

The lipglosses are actually MAC’s plumping formula, Plushglass (which means they’re $18.50 each). I’ve owned a regular/permanent Plushglass (Ample Pink) for some time now, and I’ve never particularly noticed any plumping properties — but it also doesn’t sting. I tried on Bubble Tea in-store and it was MUCH more potent than my Ample Pink. It was definitely tingly, and minorly stinging. Has MAC changed their Plushglass formula, or is my Ample Pink uncommonly tame?

Fashion Fanatic is warm, sheer, milky pink. Bubble Tea is sheer peach pink. Girl ♥ Boy is a more opaque, cool milky pink. I ♥ U is sheer pale lavender.

There’s a Quite Cute eyeshadow palette ($36, and I believed it’s named CUTiE). It includes Moshi Moshi! (frost), a very whitened, icy apple green. It’s a satiny finish and produced just a bit of fallout. Goody Goody Gum Drops (satin) is pastel pink satin. Boycrazy (lustre) is satin pastel purple with silver sparkles. Azuki Bean (frost) is a shimmery darker iced-violet/blue-purple, a beautiful color and fabulous texture.

The nail polishes are $14 each. Ice Cream Cake is cool pink. Little Girl Type is pastel lilac. Mischievous Mint is a blued mint green.

The three lipliners are actually repromotes (and new additions to the permanent line). They debuted in last spring’s Too Fabulous collection, and I remember my favorite sales associates hoping then that they’d be made permanent. I can only assume that these three were the best sellers. Naked Liner is a nude peach. In Synch is pale pink. Boldly Bare is a browned rose. The lip liners are $13 each.

Also in this collection (but not swatched): Penultimate eyeliner ($17.50), Zoom Lash mascara ($14), and 7 Lashes ($14).