Programming Note

I arrived last night in Washintgon DC for the holidays, so blogging will be light for the next few days !

With that being said, I’ll be back after Christmas with new products – Caudalie has generously sent me their night renewal and mask to review, and I picked up a few goodies at the duty free boutique at Charles de Gaulle airport (including the much coveted Vol de Nuit Meteorites).

I leave you with a few images from the festive decorations in Paris, and I will be writing again this weekend!

Last Minute Christmas Gifts – Tokyo Milk

What is better for holiday gift giving than something totally frivolous and luxurious – the sort of thing you don’t need, but really enjoy?

Last year a friend gave me a pocket mirror from the brand ‘Tokyo Milk’, and I absolutely love it – it’s tiny but features an image of one of my favorite Ingres paintings. I checked out their website and ended up ordering a few things – they have a complete range of body care, luxury soaps, perfume and stationary.

The prices are very reasonable and they are currently offering free shipping – though I know that this brand is becoming widely available (I found their soaps, for example, last year in a stationary store in Arlington, VA). They also have recently introduced a line of men’s grooming essentials. These make excellent stocking stuffers, or inexpensive gifts !

Here are a few of my favorites:

Opera Mint Bon Bon Lip Balm - 10USD

Marie Antoinette Pocket Mirror - 9 USD

Eiffel Tower No. 15 Bubble Bath - 22USDé

 

Check out the Tokyo Milk website:

www.tokyo-milk.com

Face of the Day – Snow Angel

Since the holidays are fast approaching (I’ll be flying home to the US next Wednesday !), I’ve been thinking about festive makeup constantly. I wanted to create a look that was wintry, but without falling into the gold eye/red lip rut, which I so often do when thinking of holiday makeup.

So I decided to create a ‘snow angel’ look – blues, nudes and silvery tones with a nude pink lip, rosy cheeks, and a whole lot of highlighter. The look wasn’t perfect or exactly what I wanted, but I do think it looks lovely and subtle, especially for those with cool skin tones.

On my eyes, I used my fingers to blend – I wanted a ‘sfumato’, unprecise look – a shimmery, silvery white (Urban Decay Polyester Bride), topped with a shimmering cool taupe (Stila Eyeshadow Pan in Wheat). I then topped this with a nude, shimmering pigment (Sephora Nacres/Shimmer in No.9), and instead of putting my deepest color on the outer crease, as I usually do, I blended a cool toned duck egg blue (Stila Eyeshadow Pan in Mystic) in the inner corners and slightly out towards the brow bone and the lower lid. I used just the tiniest hint of black eyeliner (Urban Decay 24/7 Glide in Zero) which I smudged into the lash line, then used a natural black mascara (Chanel L’exceptionnel) on curled lashes. Finally, I topped my lids with a bit of white glitter, which I then dabbed onto the tips of my lashes (see closeup photo) for an ethereal look, and lined lower lash line with a mix of Wheat/Mystic.

For skin, I used Chanel Teint Innocence (No. 20, Cameo/Clair), topped with Smashbox Luminizing Lotion around the temples, on the tops of my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, and just above my cupid’s bow for a soft, shimmering look. On cheeks, I used Maybelline Dream Mousse blush in Mauve (No.4), and then dusted a light layer of powder on my t-zone. I wanted to keep my skin looking slightly shimmery, so I left my cheeks unpowdered.

On lips, I blended MAC lipstick in Syrup (a cool toned pinked mauve) with my finger, and dabbed on a bit of Bourjois effet 3-D gloss in no. 34, a nude, milky pink with a slight shimmer.

Products Used

Eyeshadow: Urban Decay Polyester Bride, Stila Wheat, Stila Mystic, Sephora Shimmer No.9, White Glitter (Sephora brand)

Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide in Zero

Mascara: L’Exceptionnel de Chanel

Skin: Chanel Teint Innocence, Smashbox Artificial Light Luminizing Lotion, Maybelline Dream Mousse No.4/Mauve, Nars Pressed Powder in Flesh

Lips: MAC Syrup, Bourjois Gloss 3-D No. 34

 

I hope you enjoyed my Snow Angel look for the holidays !

Cheap Thrills – Christian Lenart Eau de Roses

Let me introduce you to my favorite cheap product:

Christian Lenart’s Eau (aromatisée) de Roses is something I discovered haphazardly a few years ago in a supermarket here in Paris, and have continued buying it since. It comes in a wonderful blue glass bottle that reminds me of Art Nouveau Paris, and the elixir itself has a lovely, floral smell. It costs less than 4 euros (about 5 USD) for a 200ml bottle, and lasts for ages.While this product isn’t PURE rosewater – it does contain trace amounts of antifungals and alcohol but the main ingredients are rose, and water, and the formula is paraben free.

 

I use this rosewater as a toner, or even to hydrate my skin in summer when cream is too much – and this tends to be the product I reach for. It’s cheap, effective, and the packaging looks rather chic indeed in my boudoir. If you’ve never tried rosewater as a toner, remover of face (not eye) makeup, or even just to refresh your skin, you should try it – my friend Shilpa says her mother even combines rosewater with her face masks, which she’s done religiously for years, to leave her skin soft and soothed.

The rose, of course, is excellent for sensitive and dehydrated skin, and won’t irritate the skin of those with redness and rosacea. You know I love anything with a rose fragrance, but I use this product for its effectiveness!

Christian Lenart products are manufactured by Kisby Labaratories, and can be found widely in France. Their website does have an online store, and it appears that they ship to the U.K., though I’m not sure about the U.S – check it out in English here.

If you’re looking for a really special product, try Santa Maria Novella’s Aqua de Rosi, housed in an incredible vintage style bottle.

You can also make your own rosewater, using the instructions on this wonderful blog I found (put it in a fancy bottle and give it out as a holiday gift, or keep it for yourself !):

http://tenfunkyowls.blogspot.com/2010/05/diy-rosewater-toner.html

What are your cult skincare products?

Chanel Rouge Allure No. 8, Brillant

Let me begin by telling you that this product is, without a doubt, my holy grail of red lipsticks !

Now that the Holidays are fast approaching, many of us are searching for the perfectly elusive festive red lipstick to compliment our skin tone – I’ve received a dozen emails in my inbox about red lipstick this week alone.

The thing is, every woman has the perfect red lipstick for her, but not every woman has found hers. Some too, like to mix it up (I have at least 10 red lipsticks). But what about the ONE, the product that you reach for when you want to look your best and know will help you to look amazing?

For me, that red lipstick is Chanel‘s Rouge Allure in Brillant, the most versatile red I’ve ever seen. This is a wonderful true red, much like an apple, that pulls neither cool nor warm. On my very pale skin, red lipsticks can either look fuchsia or orange, garish or whore-ish. When I wear Brillant, however, it is a perfect shade of what the English call ‘Pillar Box Red’ – bright and clean, transforming me into a latter-day pin-up.

The packaging, as always, is lovely, and is my favorite of the Chanel lip products – it was designed to recall the atomizer for Chanel No. 5, and the black lacquer lid pops off to reveal rich red lipstick embossed with the Chanel name, housed in a gold package.

 

The formula is lovely, and is one of the reasons I can pull this color off – it is matte but still hydrating, giving a pretty, luminous look to my lips without the shine of a gloss. There is no shimmer in this lipstick, and the color is buildable, meaning I can go from one swipe for day time discretion to a few for full on evening diva looks.

In my swatch below, I have paired it with MAC‘s Merry Mistress and BlackUp‘s No.25, and you can see the difference in formula – it is not overly creamy and has none of the gloss of the others ( but is still moist), which I feel lends this shade a more subtle finish.

      

No flash - Chanel Brillant, MAC Merry Mistress, BlackUp No. 25

I can wear this lipstick for 6+ hours, even through drinks and a meal, without having to reapply. This is also one of the few red lippies I own which I do not need to blot to remove excess color – it creates almost like a film which clings to the lips comfortably. I do start to feel the need for lip balm after 5 hours or so of wear, but usually just dab a bit of rosebud salve into the center of my lips.

This will be the red I’ll be wearing on Christmas day – leave a comment and let me know if you’ve found your perfect holiday red !

A magical visit to the Serge Lutens boutique

Illustration Courtesy Serge Lutens Palais Royal

I paced nervously down the arcades of the Palais Royal, waiting for the right time to enter the boutique. The sleek window displays were heart-breakingly beautiful, and the setting, in the refined elegance of Paris’ Palais Royal gardens, only added to the effect.

It all happened quite by accident – I was looking for more information on Quant à Soi, the makeup base offered by the Serge Lutens Beauty Essentials range, and found very little information in English. I decided to email the company, and ended up being invited to their flagship boutique to take an exclusive look at the magical universe of Serge Lutens himself.

So there I was, pushing open the massive glass doors, and was instantly transported… if not back in time, than certainly to somewhere else, a hushed universe of luxury, where every inch of the boutique was covered in exquisite detail, from ceiling to floor. I was greeted by a coterie of women, all immaculately attired in black and perfectly made up, and my guide for the day, Soulaimane, who greeted me with a warm smile that instantly put me at ease. As I was led up the wrought iron spiral staircase (Soulaimane tells me Mr. Lutens sourced this from a former cannon maker somewhere in western France), I couldn’t help being nervous. You see, Serge Lutens is the reason why we now covet eyeshadow palettes and lipsticks from French couture houses like Chanel and Dior – born in 1942, Mr. Lutens precociously created the first makeup line associate with a couture house, for Dior, in 1967. While he may not have created the concept of luxury cosmetics, he certainly helped to mold it – he is, in short, a personal hero.

I was ushered into the second floor salon, a harmony of rich, warm colors on hand painted walls and low, geometric, ebony chairs. As I settled into my seat, Soulaimane told me that every single part of the boutique – from the chair I was sitting in to the lunar themes dotting the wainscoting, were chosen by Serge Lutens himself – in short, I was very much in the Lutens universe. I was told that the company prides themself, not so much on being a niche brand, as one that still has their soul intact, which is why creating a peek into the Lutens universe was so essential in the creation of this space.The boutique was opened in 1992 at the request of Shiseido (for which Serge Lutens served as artistic director), and I can remember a wonderful experience visiting with my mother in the late 1990s that had so lasting an effect, that I was certain this was the first Parisian beauty destination I wanted to share with you, dear readers.The décor, however, is simply a wonderful backdrop for why I was really there – the exquisite perfumes and cosmetics, of course, are what make the boutique a veritable destination for Parisians and tourists alike. Even the press agrees – when I was flipping through Elle Paris just last week, there was a special section on perfumes – and Serge Lutens came in at the top of the list. The perfumes are incredible, and divided into two categories: Les Parfums, which are sold internationally with 2000 locations to buy internationally, and Les Exclusifs, a range available exclusively at the Palais Royal boutique.

The range of cosmetics, however, exceeds any expectations whatsoever. Called Necessaires de Beauté, or Beauty Essentials, the range was originally modestly restrained and all housed in a silk coffret, containing 6 lip colors, 2 powder compacts, and a mascara. The range has now expanded, but still keeps the refined aesthetic with architectural  black lacquered packaging, free from branding. This is the ultimate in luxury cosmetics – the sort of lipstick you’d use as a seduction tool, pulling it out to re-apply over cocktails.

The original Beauty Essentials Coffret

Laurence, who works in the Palais Royal boutique, was my guide to the cosmetic line.  Her makeup looked impeccable and oh so French – discreet while still retaining a certain glamour – so I wanted to hear her take on the products. Her indispensables? The eyeshadow palette with four shades, which contain the most buttery, blendable powders with high impact pigment. I found it curious that the palette only came in one color selection, but Laurence explained that all four shades were selected in order to flatter all skin and eye tones, and work for both day and night looks. The shades were, indeed, versatile (a sparkling white, smokey burgundy, rich chocolate, and deep black), and are named Clair-Obscure, hinting at Chiaroscuro (an Italian art history term for the play between light and shadow), an effective analogy for painting the eyes. Laurence also raved about the mascara – there are two, but she was referring to the lengthening mascara, called Cil à Cil. This is the original mascara from the range, with a subtle brown-black shade that works for a variety of skin tones and a fine toothed comb for the lashes. She was wearing the mascara, and her lashes nearly touched her brow bone – she says she only needs one coat. More importantly, while the product is staggeringly expensive at 45 euros, she says that is lasts a year, which is incredible (I’m generally obligated to toss mine after 3 months).

I wanted to try the Quant à Soi makeup base, which was the product that led me into this adventure in the first place, and was advised that this is to be used in specific zones, as opposed to all over the face, before or after application of foundation. The product is pure, sheer white, and while it looks paste-like in it’s packaging, it applied very sheerly to my arm, and blended like silk. This did miracles for my slightly gray tinged smoker’s skin, bringing brightness and smoothing the texture of my skin.

The range also includes the iconic Fard à Levres reviewed here, which now encompasses 10 shades. The lipstick is expensive – 75 USD for a very tiny tube of lipstick indeed, but I do feel the price is justified, both because of the wonderful formula but also the exclusivity. These are colors that are meant to become your signature lip color, not a Friday night whimsy, and once your tube is finished, recharges are available for the comparatively modest sum of 55 USD. Laurence’s favorite color is Votre Sienne, which is a wonderful autumnal brick-red with hints of ochre, echoing the walls of Siena, and has the lucky advantage of bearing the No. 7.
Also included in the range are a finishing powder (fini pétale), a compact powder foundation (which has the advantage of being both mattifying and hydrating – this felt lovely on my skin and looked polished without looking made up), two eye khols housed in pots (black, and a white, to be used exclusively on the waterline for brightening the eyes), two shades of nail polish, and 3 shades of lipstain, called ‘L’encre pour les lèvres’ (ink for lips), which apply like a gloss, but stain the lips beautifully once the sheen has worn off. All of the shades have wonderful, whimsical names – Faux-Semblant and Sang Bleu for the nails, Mise à Mort for the lips – and Laurence assures me that the names spring from the mind of Mr. Lutens himself.

Photo Courtesy Serge Lutens Palais Royal

One of the most interesting (and original)  products was the Fard à Joues cheek color, which, eschewing the girlishness of pinks and peaches, is featured in a single, bricked bronze shade, which can be used both to add color and contour. This product echos the range’s name of Beauty Essentials – you won’t find glitter eye liners here, just what is needed to look groomed and glamorous.

Photo Courtesy Serge Lutens Palais Royal

Laurence was a wonderful sport answering my questions and demonstrating the products for me, so I asked her what being a Parisienne meant to her, to which she answered, “ A woman with a sense of elegance, but who isn’t afraid to be provocative either. Her lipstick is on, she is feminine, addicted to fashion but without being a fashion victim, and above all, perfumed beautifully.” I imagine Laurence’s Parisienne would be in heaven here, where one is certain to find a perfume suited uniquely to them. She tells me that a certain eccentric fashion icon recently discussed on this blog visited the boutique recently, and how wonderful it was to see a woman take fashion risks and wear what she likes. Laurence says that she would love to see more women be themselves and wear what they like. “Il faut oser” – dare to be yourself.

The staff was kind enough to send me home with a bag containing samples of all of the Serge Lutens perfumes, and it was difficult to decide which I liked more. These are not the Britney Spears style fruity-florals that are so popular now, but rather a mix of complex perfumes in symphonies of unexpected combinations, and simpler notes that I found perfect for layering. One of my favorites was the Tuberose Criminelle, which I had smelled before, and which is the most unexpected tuberose fragrance I have ever tried – it is not mixed with sweet notes, but rather, puts in evidence the white flesh of the tuberose, combined with an unexpected menthol note – it is, in short, exquisite.

Other perfumes clearly recall the perfumer’s personal experiences – Boxeuses has notes of rich, animalistic leather, while the rich odors of Ambre Sultan (one of the bestsellers) transport to a souk in Marrakesh. There are dozens of perfumes, each more beautiful than the last, and no two mistakeable for the other. I was once a devotee of the Fleurs d’Oranger, a sugary elixir of orange blossoms, but find myself reaching to smell De Profundis or Rahat Loukoum. These are perfumes that create an impact – the sort of fragrance people remember years later, which is such a wonderful change to the contemporary perfume scene, where each perfume is interchangeable with another. These are very much signature scents, some more sophisticated than others, but each one unique.

Photo Courtesy Serge Lutens Palais Royal

Interestingly, Serge Lutens has recently created L’eau, which is what he refers to as the ‘anti-perfume’. While the fragrance wasn’t bad, it was disappointing in it’s comonness, smelling to me very much like any other ‘clean’ perfume. This was, however, my unique disappointment.I left the boutique feeling elated and impressed both by the personability of the staff, as well as their knowledge about the products, both perfume and cosmetics alike. Soulaimane says that the boutique seeks to be a “place of discovery and learning, staffed with brand ambassadors” – and it is. Each employee took their time with the clients who steadily arrived, eager to explain each perfume and find a suitable olfactive match. The décor was magical, the lighting was moody and romantic, and I felt very much as though I had entered into the personal world of Serge Lutens.

After my interview, I was honored to find, in my inbox, responses from Serge Lutens himself (who now lives in Morroco) to a few questions I had for him. The interview in it’s original French, and translated, is below:

1. C’est quoi, pour vous, une femme Serge Lutens? [ What is, for you, a Serge Lutens woman?]
J’ai trop le sens du double pour vous répondre précisément. Elle n’est pas avec moi mais, en moi. Ce que j’ai fait ne s’adresse pas à un « Elle ». Elle n’est pas incluse dans ma psyché : elle coule de source, c’est-à-dire, de mon eau.

[ That is a question to which I could never give a concrete answer. A "Serge Lutens woman" is not the female sitting next to me, but more a "feeling" inside of me. My perfumes aren't made with her in mind, rather, they come from my own inspiration.]

2. Pouvez-vous décrire en trois mots une Parisienne? [Can you describe, in three words, what is a Parisienne?]
C’est une femme qui habite Paris, mais la Parisienne, c’est un truc pour ceux qui n’habitent pas Paris, comme on enfoncerait un clou dans un cliché. Aucune n’est pareille ni ne se ressemble. C’est un autrement pareil !

[This is a woman who lives in Paris, but La Parisienne is an idea for those who don't live in Paris, a hard hammered cliché. No Parisienne is alike or similar, except through their uniqueness.] 

3. D’ou vient l’inspiration pour les parfums de 2011, De Profundis et Vitriol D’oeillet? [What were the inspirations for your 2011 releases, De Profundis, and Vitriol D'oeillet?]

J’aime la fleur et l’odeur du chrysanthème de « De profundis ». Son amertume qu’on peut dire douce fait de ce parfum, « aussi profond qu’un tombeau » – mêlé à l’encens, un goût dont je ne peux me défaire avant de mourir, mais pour l’instant, tant que je suis vivant, ma mort est en pleine forme.

[I love the flower and the odor of the chrysanthemum of De Profundis. The bitterness, which is somehow also sweet, of this perfume, is 'as deep as a tomb' - blended with incense, for which I've held a lifelong taste. While I'm alive however, my '"death" is doing fine.] 

Pour « Vitriol d’œillet », c’est très fort, très net. Il y a du poivre. Une certaine violence qui le contient me retient. Je ne confonds pas d’ailleurs, celle-ci, avec la brutalité qui elle, est aveugle et sourde mais avec la nécessité à chaque instant de se défendre et de pouvoir s’imposer, même si c’est avec des artifices (couleurs, chapeaux, parfums…etc)

[For Vitriol d'oeillet, the inspiration is very strong, and very precise. There is pepper. The violence of the perfume holds me back - this is a perfume that is at once gentle and mute, but also demands to be seen and heard, albeit with tricks of artifice (like colors, hats, perfumes...etc)]

4. Avez-vous des conseils pour l’application des parfums Serge Lutens – eg; sur quels
zones du corps il faut les mettre pour qu’ils restent fidèles sur le corps? [Do you have any advice on the application of Serge Lutens perfumes - ie; on which parts of the body the client should apply the perfume so that they stay faithful to the original odor?]
Aucune idée de ce genre de choses…C’est à gré, n’est-ce pas ? Je ne suis pas guide en la matière. Ressentez plus que vous ne sentez !

[No idea for this sort of thing - it's really a personal choice, isn't it? I'm not a guru of the application itself. Don't just smell it (the perfume), FEEL it !]

I’d like to thank the entire team of the Palais Royal boutique, especially Soulaimane and Laurence, for opening their doors to me for an afternoon. A very special thanks to Mr. Lutens, who was kind enough to reply to my questions for him.

If you’re visiting Paris, the Serge Lutens boutique is located at 25, Rue de Valois, in the arcades of the Palais Royal. The new concession at Printemps on Boulevard Haussmann, designed entirely by Serge Lutens, is recently opened and worth a visit.

Internationally, visit the Serge Lutens website:

www.sergelutens.com

and in the United States, Serge Lutens cosmetics are sold exclusively by Barney’s New York:

www.barneys.com/

Chanel Spring 2012 Collection: Les Harmonies du Printemps

Despite the icy looks, dotted with pearls, shown on the S/S 2012 runway for Chanel, Peter Philips’s is bringing us a bright, wearable range for the Chanel Spring 2012 makeup collection.

Unlike many other brands, who have gone floral with variations of pastel greens, pinks, and parmas, Chanel’s collection is bright and sunny, and looks very wearable.

The collection includes:

Chanel Ombre Essentielle in Tigerlily (golden orange) and Rose de Mai (femnine pink)

Chanel Ombre Essentiel in Tigerlily and Rose de Mai

Chanel Les Quatre Ombres in Eclosion, an eyeshadow quad in peach, soft gold, beige and plum

Chanel Les Quatre Ombres in Eclosion

Chanel Poudre Universelle Compacte in Jasmin (soft golden color)

Chanel Poudre Universelle in Jasmin

Chanel Blush Horizon in Eclat Douceur, a gorgeous combination of four blush/highlight shades

Chanel Blush Horizon

Chanel Rouge Coco in Paradis (coral pink), Destinée (intense plum), and Chalys (shimmering orange coral)

Chanel Rouge Coco in Paradis, Destinée, Chalys

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Candeur (pastel pink) and Flirt (bright coral)

Rouge Coco Shine in Candeur and Flirt

Chanel Levres Scintillantes gloss in Pétillant (peach with gold shimmer), and Bagatelle (pink with silver shimmer)

Chanel Lèvres Scintillantes in Pétillant and Bagatelle

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Polish in April (bright berry), May (bright pink), June (pastel apricot)

This collection is certainly different from the rest of the makeup pack this Spring, but screams Summer to me! With that being said, the Vernis, Rouge Coco Shine, and especially the Blush Horizon look absolutely gorgeous – the blush reminds me of cruise wear!

Via (+ Images) : MusingsofaMuse

http://www.musingsofamuse.com/2011/11/chanel-les-harmonies-de-printemps-for-spring-2012.html

 

Serge Lutens Sneak Peek !

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to take an exclusive look at the Serge Lutens boutique in Paris’ Palais Royal gardens. While I’m working on my review of the experience, I thought I’d share with you a sneak peek of the colors of their Fard à Levres from their ultra luxurious Beauty Essentials range:

From left: Mise à Mort, Roman Rouge, Pourpre Maure, Or Frêle, Rose des Glaces, Mauve de Swann, Votre Sienne, Compliment Beige, Couvre Feu, Garde Rose

From left: Mise à Mort, Roman Rouge, Pourpre Maure, Or Frêle, Rose des Glaces, Mauve de Swann, Votre Sienne, Compliment Beige, Couvre Feu, Garde Rose

From left: Mise à Mort, Roman Rouge, Pourpre Maure, Or Frêle, Rose des Glaces, Mauve de Swann, Votre Sienne, Compliment Beige, Couvre Feu, Garde Rose

Descriptions of the shades (all are opaque unless stated otherwise):

Mise à Mort (No. 1) is a true, matte, long wearing red, close to the color of blood. Mr. Lutens was said to have been inspired by the muleta used by Spanish bullfighters.

Roman Rouge (No. 2) is a slightly browned wine red in the pan, with distinct blue undertones, that pulls somewhat berry when on skin.

Pourpre Maure (No. 3) is a purpled wine color, not quite vamp dark but not quite bordeaux either.

Or Frêle (No. 4) is a very sheer gold with microscopic shimmer. This appears more glossy than lipstick – I would use it to layer over the other, more opaque shades.

Rose des Glaces (No. 5) is the sheer pink answer to Or Frêle – this reminds me a great deal of NARS‘ discontinued color, Sabrina.

Mauve de Swann (No. 6) is an elegant, feminine mauve with distinctly cool undertones. Application is somewhat sheer.

Votre Sienne (No. 7), inspired by the red of the Tuscan city of Sienna, is a brick, orange – red.

Compliment Beige (No. 8 ) is a slightly sheer, neutral nude ‘flesh tone’. Application is not as smooth as the other shades, but this can be layered for more opaque color.

Couvre Feu (No. 9) is a cool toned deep wine, that is somewhat similar to Roman Rouge, but deeper.

Garde Rose (No. 10) is a bold, hot pink ( neither cool, nor warm), reminiscent of Elsa Schiaparelli’s signature color.

These were wonderfully hydrating and long wearing – I tested Mise à Mort on Monday and got a solid 7 hours of wear (including through dinner) before any significant fading. My lips felt hydrated and almost as though I had nothing on – despite the nearly matte texture, these weren’t drying in the least.

The Fard à Levres (which is rechargeable) retails for 75USD and is available for purchase in the US at Barney’s New York.

I’ll be posting more about the Beauty Essentials line from Serge Lutens later this week, as well as the rest of the story of my visit to the boutique. Please stay tuned !

P.S. I also received several fragrance samples, and couldn’t help taking a photo of this adorable mini bottle of Féminité du Bois !

Féminité du Bois from Serge Lutens

A Treatise on Eyebrows

Do you remember when you were 16, and you discovered tweezers? And wanting to have sophisticated, adult brows, you ended up plucking your brows into oblivion, resembling a very poor Marlene Dietrich impersonator?

Well, I do. I recently showed some photos of me in high school to a friend, and she was shocked that at the age of 17, I looked a great deal older than I do now, at 25. The culprit? Sparse, thin eyebrows with a poor, rounded shape, and no defined arch. I went for bi-weekly waxes at a local salon, where the woman who did my brows waxed indiscriminately, without any consideration for my age, or face shape. The result was ghastly, as the photos prove.

Me in 2004.. with my terrible tadpole brows!

Now, when I think of beauty sins, one of the first things I think about is eyebrows – eyebrows are so essential in framing the eyes, but also giving shape to the face. Those with round faces, strong jaws, or long faces, can effectively use their eyebrow shape to highlight the best features of their face and give shape. A pair of strong eyebrows instantly draws the eye to a pair of lovely eyes, or can add balance for women blessed with pillowy, Angelina Jolie lips.

Catherine Deneuve is the best example - gone are the dark brows of her youth, in their place are a pair of lighter, subtler brows that 'lift' the eye area

But that’s not all..

When we are young, our hair is thicker, and so eyebrows grow in very thick, and full. As we age, the hair on our brows and lashes grows in more sparsely, meaning that a full brow automatically gives a more youthful look. For those of you who are 50 +, I can’t stress this enough: a pair of fabulous brows is one of the best illusions of youth you can add to your face. Now, I don’t mean a pair of penciled in, ridiculously thick brows à la Liz Taylor, which are best left to the very young, but do take a look at the following famous women, all of whom are 50+ : Each one has a pair of brows that frame her face, open the eye area, and are neither too thin, nor too thick. Make sure your brows are not overly arched – it can make you look angry (as the controversy surrounding Michele Obama’s brows several years ago can attest to).

Nigella Lawson

Fanny Ardant

Beverly Johnson

 

As you get older, make sure that the color of your brows is one shade lighter than the color of your hair – this will bring light to the area, deflecting from crow’s-feet. If your brows are sparse, fake it until you make it – use a growth stimulating gel (Talika‘s Lipocils for eyebrows are said to be especially effective), and in the meantime, use an eyebrow powder and either gel or wax to set the shape. For sparse brows, powders will create a softer look than pencils, who’s application can be difficult to master, and which can create a harsh look.

The eternally youthful Jane Fonda, using brow powder for a subtle look.

 

A gorgeous pair of brows isn’t reserved, however, for our older friends! Young women, too, can find that very thin or overly arched brows tend to be very aging, as evidenced by my experience as a teenager. Think of the gamine beauty of Audrey Hepburn or Brooke Shields, and consider the fact that both women emphasized their strong, dark brows. It seems like every season for the past few years, Vogue has been declaring the return of the power brow, so now certainly seems like the time to embrace a full brow look. Full brows, however, do not need to mean ungroomed - it is important to keep the arch defined, and a clean brow-bone, as unruly brows are never an elegant look. Charlotte Casiraghi and Keira Knightley both embrace the full brow look and carry it off with aplomb, giving them a very elegant, yet modern, look.

Audrey Hepburn

A young Brooke Shields

The best option is to find a reputable brow shaper in your area, and splurge on a session – avoid your local, cheap nail salon, and go for women who are specialized. They might use any number of techniques, including waxing, plucking, and threading, though those who use a combination of techniques tend to be the best. After you’ve had your brows professionally shaped, you can use a tweezers for maintenance at home – NEVER wax your own eyebrows, as you can easily end up taking off too much hair (I had, literally, half eyebrows from 2005 – 2007  for this very reason). When you tweeze, make sure not to use a magnifying mirror – you need to see your entire face, to make sure you’re not taking off too much hair, and keeping within the shape that your brows have been tamed into.

The exquisite Charlotte Casiraghi

Keira Knightley's strong brow look

As for kits with eyebrow stencils, I really don’t recommend these – a plus sized woman with a very round face won’t have the same proportions as a woman with a very thin, long face. One size does not fit all, and you’ll need to take these things into consideration when taming your brows.

For eyebrow makeup, there are, however, a few excellent products on the market, some of which contain pencils, powders, and waxes. Find the product that works the best for you, in a shade that either matches your hair color, or is one shade lighter (especially important after 50). Only the palest of blondes can go darker, sticking with ash or taupe shades in one shade darker than their hair color – while dark brows can be pulled off by certain outlandish blondes, I wouldn’t generally advise this, for risk of looking like Courtney Stodden. I don’t condone permanent makeup (tattooed eyebrows) as they tend to look very harsh and unnatural, often fading to a frightening shade of burgundy.

To cover regrowth, you can use a product designed specially for this (like Benefit‘s High Brow pencil), or simply a highlighter that isn’t too shimmery.

If you’re shaping brows at home, you can generally refer to the pencil rule – that is, when holding a pencil to the inner tip of the eyebrow, it should line up vertically with the bridge of the nose and down to the nostril. Now, hold the pencil vertically from the center of your pupil – the highest point of the arch should more or less align with the pupil. Finally, hold the pencil on a diagonal, starting from the corner of the nostril, going across the outer corner of the eye – your eyebrow should end on this diagonal line. Be sure to avoid the ‘tadpole’ look, wherein eyebrows are very thick at the inner corner, and taper off sharply – the eyebrow should taper off gradually, if at all.

Chart for shaping your own brows

This article from Glamour (click on the text to link) provides a good guide of the different forms of eyebrows for your face shape.

Lastly, don’t hesitate to go all out with your brows. I love building mine up for a very 1950s look with simple makeup – with a wonderful pair framing your eyes, you’ll need very little makeup to achieve a polished look !

A strong brow look !

Avène Diacnéal Cream

If you’ve been following my blog, you must be well aware of my obsession with pharmaceutical skin care. My current addiction ? Avène’s Diacnéal, which is described as ‘Treatment care for acne prone skin’.

Now, I don’t have problem skin per se, but like any girl in her mid 20s (or 30s, or 40s, or 50s !), I do get the occasional spot. I started using this after a beach related breakout this summer, and have recently rediscovered it as a makeup base – why ? This pearly gold cream mattifies my skin and makes makeup hold gorgeously, since I am not fond of makeup bases (ie: Smashbox) that tends to make my skin very slick.

This is very much a medicated product, with 6 percent glycolic acid and 0.1 percent retinaldehyde, both of which calm redness and  smooth  skin’s texture by sloughing off dead skin cells when used regularly. While I haven’t been using this product long enough to notice a permanent effect on my skin (I had used it as an emergency spot treatment) , it does do short-term wonders, as mentioned above, for mattifying, as well as making my skin feel very smooth.

Due to the active ingredients the Diacnéal, this product could be harsh on dry skin, which is why I layer it underneath my regular day cream. According to a friend who suffers from rosacea, this works wonders calming her inflamed skin and has significantly reduced both redness and irritation, though this information is secondhand !

At about 10 euros for a 30ml tube, this is an inexpensive solution to not only rosacea and acne, but also those suffering from scars (which the active ingredients will diminish over time). This is my star product from the Avène skin care line, which is packed full of healing thermal waters from the Cevennes mountains in central France. Use only a very small amount, otherwise skin might feel tight, and somewhat sticky.

I’ll post progress reports of my long-term use with the product – though with Avène’s products being voted as best of beauty in both In Style and Allure magazines in the USA, it can’t hurt to try it yourself !

Avène’s entire skin care range is available on drugstore.com

For more information about the company, visit their website:

www.aveneusa.com