The Power of Makeup, my thoughts
When I started to be seriously interested in makeup and beauty products I never thought it would come with the whole package : new amazing friends, new creativity challenges and more fun, but sometimes telling your friends you are passionate about makeup can be seen as “inappropriate for your age“, “shallow“, or “pointless“, I had this kind of conversation more than once :
“What do you do on your free time?“
..this, that and I have a beauty/makeup blog“
“oh…. really ? you don’t look like that kind of woman…“
“hmmm and what would that particular kind be ?”
There is a sudden embarrassing silence, then I stop their agony and change subject before they have a stroke… Maybe I don’t match the “beauty model magazine” standards, or can you not enjoy makeup after you reached a certain age ?? Ok, I don’t wear a killer smokey eye on a daily basis but make up is not only intended for runways or movies and it’s not only meant to make you look fake and superficial, I just want to have fun and use it to make me look healthier, glamorous, yet natural.
I receive many emails from women in their 40+ who would like to start using make up but who just don’t know where to start. Unfortunately I am no professional, all I know I got it from talking to make up artists or to sales assistants at the beauty counters, getting advice from Youtube gurus and watching nice and useful videos so if I can manage a nice make up look, you definitely can.
My needs were different some years ago, now I focus more on anti-ageing tutorials and products more adapted to mature skin. It depends what you are expecting from makeup, just make you feel better ? more confident ? younger ? fresher ? desirable ? or just conceal a few flaws ? Lisa Eldridge gives great advice on her channel so just try Youtube and search for what you want to do and try it for yourself. Tammy is a sweetheart, I just recently discovered her channel, I can’t believe I didn’t see it before, a great resource for anti-ageing advice and she is so fun to watch. If you know of any other gurus that give anti-ageing tips, please share !
I will be 42 in 2 weeks therefore today I am simply trying to achieve an enhanced version of me, a fresher and healthier one, exactly like Wayne says here. I cannot pull off strong and heavy makeup looks at my age but I can still look sexy with a smokey eye, there is a beautiful and hot smokey eye for everyone, it’s just a matter of getting to know your features, choosing the appropriate products for you and using efficient make up tools also helps a lot, it takes time but it’s so worth it.
Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill #11 and #12
These two palettes have been released a few months ago but they just arrived here in Switzerland. I was really interested in the taupe #11 Mystery and when I saw the purple, #12 Fatal, and swatched it at the counter I really fell in love with these fresh and luminous shades.
This is what Armani says :
Giorgio Armani introduces four new Eyes to Kill Quad Shimmers featuring iridescent, eye-catching colors with electric shine. Real innovation in the formulation of a powder eyeshadow: an intense formula that melds perfectly with a satin, pearly veil producing amplified light effects. Irresistible with its extremely soft, sensorial appeal, the eyeshadow arms the eyes with a flawless weapon all day long.
Hmmmm…
- Irresistible ? yes. They are gorgeous wearable shades, nice satin or pearly finish depending on the shades, perfect for any occasion (work, evening).
- Innovation ?? I don’t see innovation here because once I started using them I realized I had very similar shades in my collection, it’s actually intriguing how close these are to the Chanel quads below. Is there any link with their creative director ? Otherwise I just don’t get it but it seems like they have been copied.
- Lasting “all day long” ?? definitely not on my eyes, even with a primer. I noticed that after 3 hours the application fades and it barely shows anymore. I apply my makeup at around 6h30 in the morning, if I was relying on these palettes to keep me looking fresh and prepped all day long they would miserably fail. I am not saying that I necessarily have the Russel Howard’s effect at 10:03 but I know that if I want to look like I still have makeup on at 10:03, I definitely need to add some other item to help, for example a more intense lipstick paired with them.
Chanel Printemps Précieux
I knew Printemps Précieux was going to be very tempting for me, when I saw the collection in person I wasn’t disappointed at all.
Here are the items I have selected, a lot, but surprisingly all were interesting – even the Raffinement quad in the EU version :
As you may know already, Chanel Poudre Signée is a masterpiece. The compact is slightly bigger than other compacts like the Lumière d’artifices or the Ombres Tissées, but the product weights 8g, vs 18g for the Lumière d’artifices.
Both the color and the texture are exquisite. That’s the glow I am looking for, natural glow with a very subtle iridescence.
Summer 2012 favorites
I don’t know about you, but here in Switzerland you can clearly feel that summer 2012 is over.
I thought I would write a post on products I have been using the most during the last season, this can involve LE items, older season items, early fall releases… I just took all the products that have been used and loved the most and here they are :
Requested post : Green – gold – bronze eyeshadows…
A sweet follower asked me what I could recommend her that would be similar to the Mac Desires and Devices, well, I had so much to talk about that I thought I could use a little post 
I think many of us are drawn to complex shades, I am addicted to taupes… but here I will try to show Helen, and you, some green-gold-bronze type of shadows.
Helen, I hope this will help you in your hunt for the perfect green-gold-bronze eyeshadow or pencil
In this picture, there are some similar products that could come close to that Mac Desires and Devices liner, others would need a little help but I will explain :
The Mac Buried Treasure is a great long-lasting pencil eyeliner, I love to use it, it’s actually nearly all the time in my daily makeup bag. It’s quite similar to the Mac Desires and Devices and if you put Chantecaille Sel on top of it, the result gets even a bit more complex, when I wear Mac Buried Treasure on the outer eye, I extend the liner in the inner corner with a bit of Sel eyeshadow, gets lighter in the inner corner of the eye and darker in the outer corner… you get the idea, a gradient application. I always keep it very thin, if needed I will use a smudge brush to apply the pencil very close to the eyelashes.
Ultimate flattering matte and satin eyeshadows for everyone
Some years ago I felt it was time to upgrade my makeup products and adapt my makeup routine, I sat at the Trish McEvoy counter one day and they told me what I was doing wrong. They kept on saying “Now you have to… Now you cannot..” it was a bit upsetting because I had to face the fact that I wasn’t 20 anymore and I was also sad because I loved shimmery and metallic textures and daring looks. However, when I left their counter that day, I looked much younger and refreshed, they weren’t wrong at the end 
I am in my 40′s and it’s now a necessity for me to pay attention to what makeup I wear and how I wear it, these are my eyeshadow rules and recommendations :
- Find the right texture, not too powdery, not too shimmery, if you see that the texture accentuates the wrinkles and settles into the lines, upgrade your makeup to a more appropriate eyeshadow finish
- Place the dark colors at the right place, use smaller and more precise brushes
- Blend well and define without harsh lines
- Find the colors and the looks that are the best for you, “Less is more” is definitely the best way to go, but with the right products and right techniques there is no reason you could not afford a more dramatic look
- Always use a primer, it will help to prevent the eyeshadow from sliding into the fine lines and I choose a primer that is lighter than my foundation (Laura Mercier, Trish or UD Eden)
- After applying the eyeshadow, if I find that the result is too shimmery and not appropriate, I take a cotton a go softly over the eyeshadow application, it really does help to remove that over shimmery-looking effect when I don’t have time to start over.
- I sometimes use secret-weapon products like the Trish Line Refiner for around the eyes orthe Chantecaille Lip contour for around the lips…
- Last but it’s actually the most important advice I could give you : use good make up brushes !
The eyeshadows I will show you here are mattes, satin, some are even more shimmery but they all are extremely forgiving and flattering, I have tried to pick mostly mattes but I really love a more luminous and silky finish so there’s a bit of everything :
Most of them are extremely expensive brands, you can find less expensive brands that also work well but here I am talking about ultimate results and most of the time you will have to pay the price for that.
Some of these palettes might be discontinued and I am really sorry about that, but, it will show them to you anyway, this will give you an idea of what the brand has and if one day you come across some sale or outlet, then you may even find them at a good price. If I mention them here, it’s because I highly recommend them and I am hoping that if they are not available anymore, the Brand will re-promote them or add them into their permanent collection.
Rouge Bunny Rouge – Face makeup brushes
I was finally able to get my hands on the Rouge Bunny Rouge 012 Contour brush, every time I wanted to order it, it happened to be sold out… is that because it’s really that good ?
So here it is now and since I have the other two RBR face brushes, I take this opportunity to briefly review the three Rouge Bunny Rouge face brushes together.
If you don’t know it already, RBR make wonderful eyeshadows and blushes, expensive, but you’ll love them. Their makeup brushes are not bad at all but if you had the possibility to try Japanese brands like Hakuhodo, Koyudo, Chikuhodo, Suqqu, you’ll find that it’s quite difficult to find better elsewhere.
Face powder 001 – Goat hair
Base of the ferrule : 2,5cm, hair length : 5cm
10 Long lasting plum, violet, purple or aubergine pencil eyeliners
Some years ago I was afraid of wearing anything else than brown or black eyeliner. Recently, after watching many Youtube tutorials on purple looks, I started playing with them until I finally managed to create fun looks still appropriate for my age.
I loved to wear a beautiful and colorful eyeliner but since I was wearing contact lenses, of course one eye always feels more or less comfortable than the other when you are wearing lenses… and that was causing my eyeliner to fade more on one eye than the other… after 4 hours I could already see that happening and it was upsetting, I have no time and I don’t want to have to reapply make up during the day.
I first started wearing the Clinique or Estee Lauder long lasting eyeliners, then I crossed borders and discovered Urban Decay and By Terry in London, today I am in love with the Chanels and the Addiction !
Les Expressions de Chanel – Illusion d’Ombre 88 Abstraction
What a week… in one word “Abstraction” would quite well define it. Too many things happened, terribly good and pretty bad, I had to fight really hard to stay focused at work and I just couldn’t win the battle.
I saw this Illusion d’Ombre by accident today, I don’t even know how I managed to see it, I was trying to get back home, kind of zombie-style walking, … by the way, I loved “Shawn of the Dead” so if you ever want to watch a silly but super funny movie just go ahead with this one… 
Sorry… to the point…
Chanel is launching a new collection, “Les Expressions de Chanel” for Summer 2012. In this collection there are many items, some are new and some are repromoted, you can have a look at the Chanel collection pictures in this post.
Today I got the Illusion d’Ombre in number 88 “Abstraction”, I was very tempted to also get the gold one called “Vision” but I have way too many glitter shadows in my Tom Ford quads that I need to use and that are gorgeous, I did not feel like I needed more glitter but it’s actually really beautiful too and I see many of you splurging on both of them !
BeautyObsessed has a very funny post and review of this Illusion d’Ombre in Abstraction, you can read it here, she has nice close-up pictures and swatches too.
Chanel Les 4 Ombres eyeshadow quads and Joues Contraste blushes … USA vs The Rest of the World
Depending on where you buy your Chanel eyeshadow quads “Les 4 Ombres“, or blushes “Joues Contraste“, the texture and pigmentation will be different, there’s one “USA” version, and there’s another one for the rest of the world (Canada, Asia, Europe, …).
Chanel USA vs the Rest of the World
I have tried to find the reason why there is such a big difference in exactly the same products, so far without success. Here in Switzerland they aren’t even aware of a different version released specially for the USA… . But, I don’t give up easily and I will find out ! Some say that in Europe or Asia we tend to prefer a more sheer and subtle application, but every single Chanel make up lover I met till now, prefer the more pigmented USA releases. Even in Asia, Canada, Germany or anywhere else, when they know about this difference, they would rather pick the non-baked and more pigmented USA formula.
At some point I thought maybe the ingredients (regulations in the countries) could be the reason, but I don’t think so…
Some brands, like Dior for example, sometimes launch additional or completely different products depending on the countries, for example with their collection “Electric Tropics”, in the Diorskin Nude Glow, we had two bronzers in Europe but Dior launched a beautiful highlighter, in that same collection, exclusive to Asia : the First Light Nude Glow in 003.
But for Chanel, and for these Les 4 Ombres quads and the Joues Contraste blushes, the names are the same but the texture is completely different.
If you are interested in exclusive Asia releases or if you missed out on some Limited Edition collections, sometimes I buy my products at http://www.izzysbeautyshoppe.com, that’s were I got the Dior First Light in case you are interested.
Sweet Make Up Temptations
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