Guerlain Meteorites – Vol de Nuit

They had featured on one of my ‘objects of desire’…. I had asked about their arrival at least 4 times at the Guerlain boutique…..

Imagine my delight then, when flying home for the holidays, I found my much coveted Vol de Nuit Meteorites from Guerlain’s Holiday 2011 collection at duty-free ! At only 37 euros, a veritable bargain (I have issues), I nearly missed my plane making sure I didn’t miss this purchase.

And really, I’m so happy I did purchase them….

You see, Meteorites are sort of the original highlighter. Long before we were addicted to liquid highlighters, these delightful little pearls of shimmer were making skin glow. More subtle than other highlighters, the Meteorites can be used both as a highlighter or a setting powder – they simply perfect the skin.

These, being a special edition, are inspired by Guerlain’s iconic Vol de Nuit perfume (worn by the late, great, Katherine Hepburn) and the first female aviators. The packaging has been updated to reflect this – the blue tin is the most wonderful color and the rose pattern on the top, as well as the lines on the side, give this a very art deco feel. Even the box is detailed – the inside is a blue and black zebra print, lovely to behold. I’m elated to display this on my vanity, as both a functional product but also a decorative one.

The Pearls, Girls!

The pearls themselves are simply gorgeous, in four colors – a shimmering white, a golden amber, a sparkly cool pink and the most unusual silver. I managed to swatch each pearl individually, by pressing them on my arm, but photos do not do justice to this lovely product. Inside the tin is a puff intended for application, but I use a large brush to swirl around the pearls and then apply to my skin – cheekbones, nose, temples, but this product is subtle enough to be used on the whole face. No, this product does not travel well, but I’m willing to forgive it that for its excellence!

A natural light swatch (a bit washed out!)

These magical little spheres perfect my pale skin in ways I cannot even begin to describe – my skin looks airbrushed and luminous, as though I had a candle constantly held up to my face. There is no obvious shimmer or glitter, and the overall effect is very pleasing indeed. I imagine this might look a bit frosty on darker skin, but I’d like to try to see – something tells me this might be a universally flattering product, though it does make pale skin in particular look SUBLIME.

The Vol de Nuit Meteorites were from the Holiday 2011 collection but are still available on some makeup counters (I saw them recently at a Nordstrom in the US) as well as online. If you can, try to get your hands on this product – do. It makes an excellent gift …. for someone else, or just for you.

 

 

Face of the Day – La Grande Odalisque

As an art historian by training, I’m constantly thinking of art when I’m doing my makeup – so many of the techniques remind me of painting, and sometimes creating a beautiful palette of colors is like creating a masterpiece, with skin substituting for canvas.

When I was studying, I had the pleasure of working in the Louvre, presenting paintings. I spent many long hours in those majestic halls, and generally found myself transfixed by the paintings of Ingres, a wonderful 19th century French painter who was, for quite some time, the arbiter of good taste in French art – I would literally sit for hours in front of certain of his paintings. I later had the pleasure of visiting his hometown and house in Montauban, a tiny town near Toulouse, and fell madly in love with the universe of this painter who was also a skilled violinist, lending to the expression ‘violin d’Ingres’ (a passionate hobby). Ingres’ rich jewel tones and clean lines are an almost photorealistic study in sensuality, and his oriental style Odalisques have transfixed many generations of art lovers, both professional and amateur.

With that in mind, when I received the Urban Decay 15th anniversary eyeshadow palette from the boy’s mother for Christmas (Merci, Mireille!), I couldn’t resist using some of the wonderful rich colors to create an Ingres inspired look.

Echoing the bold blue and smokey golds of ‘La Grande Odalisque’, today I created a look with bold eyes and luminous pale skin to pay homage of this most beautiful of harem women.

On the eyes, I blended Chase (a warm, coppery gold) onto the inner corners of my eyes, and Deeper (a smokey bronze) on to the rest of the lid, starting from the inner point of my eyebrow and out. To define the crease, I used Evidence (a deep, yet bold, navy blue) and blending it out to an almost circular shape.  I repeated the same progression of colors on the lower lashline. All eyeshadow shades used were from the Urban Decay 15th Anniversary eyeshadow palette. I used a navy blue eyeliner pencil to define the lash line, and Make Up Forever‘s Smoky Lash mascara in thick coats to give bold, luscious lashes.

On skin, I used Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 3.75, a cool toned, pale color, topped with a peach cream blush. I dusted loose powder on top of the blush (for subtle cheek color – I didn’t want anything to distract from the bold look on my eyes), and on to the t-zone. Cheeks were topped with Guerlain’s Meteorites in Vol de Nuit for a bit of glow and luminosity.

On lips, I used Nars‘ Chihuahua lip gloss (a beautiful nude pink), which I blended with my finger for an imprecise, soft-focus look. In my hair, I attached an antique gold laurel leaf brooch using bobby pins, for a slightly baroque look.

Unfortunately I was having camera issues today, meaning my pictures aren’t fantastic, but I did want to share this look with you. It reminds me so much of the painting, in a strange way, and would work on most eye and skin colors.

 

P.S. Did you know that Ingres ‘added’ extra length to the backs of the nude women in his paintings? He felt that a rounded posterior ruined the clean line of a back – and so, if you count, you can see that every Ingres nude has two extra vertebrae!

 

Dior’s Garden Clutch Palette – Granville Garden

I’ve finally obtained the object of my cosmetic lust…. Dior’s Garden Clutch palette for Spring 2012.

As I mentioned in my post when the collection for Spring was announced, this is the first time in many years I’ve been excited about a Dior product, and this palette doesn’t disappoint.

The palette is beautifully crafted but smaller than I expected – slightly larger than my hand – though somehow that adds to the charm, as everything is in perfect, miniature detail. If you’re looking for something more feminine you’d be hard pressed to find it! The small clutch is covered in pink woven leather, with a silver Dior plaque and a sculpted silver rose closure. The small tag attached to this product, marked with Dior’s Parisian address gives this palette the feel of a piece of couture, a Dior bauble or a Dior handbag, and one has the impression of holding something rare in their hands.

Inside the palette are three eyeshadows and two glosses. On the left are the shadows, embossed with roses, the recurring theme for the Garden Party collection (the two eyeshadow quads are embossed with the same). The colors are a medium cool toned shimmering brown, a cool silvered pink and a sparkling mint, that applies more shimmering white than green. The shadows are very sheer but rich and apply smoothly, and full of sparkles. For those who enjoy matte eyeshadows, these are not for you. I was expecting to love the mint color (on the right) the most, but found myself drawn to the pink, which is complex and beautiful, looking alternately smokey silver, alternately cool pink.

On the right side of the palette, housed under a small silver ‘door’, are two glosses; on the left, a sheer pinked apricot and on the right, a lip plumper that looks bright pink but applies sheer with only a slight hint of color, giving a lovely sheen to the lips. The palette also contains a dual applicator, with a sponge tip for eyeshadow on one side and a lip brush on the other. Though the applicator is silver metal, I was disappointed with the sponge tip side, which I think cheapens the rest of the palette – Dior could easily have included a real eyeshadow brush with this luxury palette.

Natural Light, with 3 eyeshadows on left, 2 lipglosses on right

Swatched Indoors with flash, with 3 eyeshadows on left, 2 glosses on right

While the quality of the shades in this palette are beautiful, they are very sheer, which is appropriate for a spring color collection. I, like many who purchased this palette, however, feel that this is more collector’s item than anything else – I’m hesitant to use something so beautiful ! It’s a pleasure to see the craftsmanship of the house of Dior so expertly combined with their cosmetics, as it feels special, and personal. I’m so elated with this purchase, which with it’s pretty pastels, seems to harken to sunnier days in this very cold month of January.

The Garden Clutch palette is also available in Milly Garden, which includes shades of silver shadow. The availability depends on the retailer – mine was purchased at Neiman Marcus, for $75 USD.

Dior USA

Natural Light, with 3 eyeshadows on left, 2 lipglosses on right

Swatched Indoors with flash, with 3 eyeshadows on left, 2 glosses on right

Jo Malone Verbenas of Provence

Did you know that Kate Middleton is a huge fan of Jo Malone fragrances? Not only that, but at the royal wedding, the aisles of Westminster Abbey were lined with Jo Malone candles, to create an olfactive memory for the guests at this most monumental event.

With that in mind, I was recently looking for a bottle of Annick Goutal‘s Eau D’Hadrien – they had none left, so when the sales assistant pointed me towards Jo Malone‘s Verbenas of Provence fragrance, a reasonable facsimile, I was intrigued. I had once worn Red Roses by the same company and did like their clean aesthetic and simple, fresh fragrances… so I decided to take the plunge (the tidbits about the Duchess of Cambridge certainly didn’t hurt).

The fragrance comes in a thick, rectangular glass bottle with a silver stopper, and includes an atomizer. There is nothing overdone about the packaging, in pale yellow with black trim and text, and the whole effect is very elegant indeed. At $110 USD for 3.4oz, it certainly isn’t the most inexpensive perfume, but it is very much a luxury product.

The fragrance itself is lovely – more than the Verbenas advertised in the title, I get very fresh citrus notes more than anything else. This is not a complex perfume – the Jo Malone perfumes are designed to be layered with each other – but simple, clean and bright. From the Jo Malone website;  ”Inspired by the citrus scented ambience of a dining club in Hong Kong, Verbenas of Provence is a fresh, clean fragrance. Blended from the leaves of vervaine citronelle and undercut with hints of flowers and spice, it is summer in a bottle.”

This fragrance is overwhelmingly fresh and clean, but not ‘green’, rather a very chypre fragrance that borders, occasionally, on cleaning product  but is tempered by sweet notes and spices to keep it from being too antiseptic.  The citrus notes dry down to something slightly woodier, so the overall effect is quite natural, and, in my opinion, devastatingly chic. The rose notes, unfortunately, do not come through on my skin, though I do think that they might ruin for me what is a lovely, clean, and uncomplicated fragrance. This fragrance was actually purchased for my mother, who is a big fan of clean, citrus-y scents, and she is delighted with it.

This fragrance would be lovely and refreshing on a very hot summer day – it almost reminds me of the therapeutic personal fragrances created for kings and queens of another time, meant not to perfume the body but rather to refresh and soothe. The sales associate was kind enough to provide samples of other Jo Malone fragrances, and I find that the Verbenas of Provence pairs especially well with the French Lime Blossom and Grapefruit colognes – though the Verbenas of Provence is worthy and wonderful on its own.

Jo Malone fragrances are available at a number of specialty and department stores (including Le Bon Marché in Paris, and Neiman Marcus in the USA), but you can purchase directly through the company’s website:

Jo Malone London

A quick tip for long and lustrous hair…

I have a friend (who will remain unnamed until he agrees to be interviewed for this blog) who is a famous hair stylist, having worked for Vogue US and Paris.

When I asked him for tips about hair, he said… “longer, always longer!”.

But when I told him that my hair just doesn’t seem to grow past its current point, I asked if I should be trimming my hair more. He told me that the trim every 6 weeks is a myth – it won’t help hair to grow (logical), it’s just to keep split ends at bay and make longer hair less breakable. As I’ve found, with the rights products, I can avoid split ends no matter how often I cut my hair, so how to make hair grow?

He responded that the hair follicles need good circulation – and the key was to invigorate my scalp by massaging it with fingertips for 2 minutes every day.

I do this now while I’m shampooing my hair, making sure to use my fingertips to press into my scalp and get the blood flowing. Does it work? I’m not entirely sure – but for 2 minutes a day, it can’t hurt to try.

Upcoming Reviews…

I don’t normally do ‘haul’ posts, but since I haven’t updated in a while, I thought I’d share with you some of the products I’ve aquired over the past month. I’ll be reviewing all of these products, and more, in the coming days, but for now….

eye candy!

Paperself False Lashes

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 3.75

 

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 3.75 (new shade)

Jo Malone Verbenas of Provence cologne

Guerlain Meteorites in Vol de Nuit (holiday 2011 collection)

Guerlain Meteorites in Vol de Nuit (holiday 2011 collection)

Dior Garden Party Clutch in Granville Garden

Dior Garden Party Clutch in Granville Garden

These products, plus many more (including some drug store and higher end brands), plus a few new looks, coming soon……

Stay tuned!

Caudalie Vinoperfect Enzymatic Peel Mask

The other day, I posted a review for Caudalie’s Cell Renewal Night Cream. If you haven’t checked it out yet, I recommend reading it before reading this review, as they are sister products from the same line.

The Enzymatic Peel Mask is a compliment to the entire vinoperfect range. I imagined it was like a more concentrated version of the night cream, but in fact the ingredients are quite different, and based my experience, apparently more potent.

Like the night cream, this product comes in a small (50ml /1.7fl. oz) tube, in clean white with silver print. I was surprised by the small size of the product, but do appreciate its portability – though I don’t often bring masks when I travel, its small size means it could easily be brought in carry on luggage if you’re flying – for me, an absolute plus.

 

The press release says that this product will create a new skin effect in 10 minutes – “This exfoliating mask tightens pores, reduces sebum, clarifies and renews skin texture. In 10 minutes, reveal a brand new glowing complexion. An innovative combination of peeling and ultra-soothing active ingredients, this creamy mask offers an immediate radiance boost and a unique new-skin effect for all skin types. The skin texture is refined and pores are tightened. The complexion appears fresh, even and luminous.”

The product contains Viniferine, a chemical extracted from vine sap, that is purported to be 62 times more effective than vitamin C, but a look at the ingredient list proves slightly worrying – unlike the night cream which contains mostly wonderful things, this mask contains such delights as benzyl alcohol, which can be incredibly drying for many skin types. The product does contain glycolic acid, which is used in chemical peels by plastic surgeons to resurface skin, so does contain many good, active ingredients.

The cream itself is thick and white – it’s a really pleasant texture, and when applied to the face, feels more like a thick cream than a traditional mask. I applied this, as directed, twice a week, always at night and before the application of the night cream. The instructions direct to leave the mask on for 10 minutes, but I often ended up washing it off before, as the ingredients in this mask are REALLY strong – despite avoiding the eye area, my eyes were tearing and my skin felt odd and tingling. For some, this may be an advantage – this proves that the mask is working, after all – but for me, my sensitive eyes simply couldn’t handle being in such close contact with such a potent product.

Despite my sensitivity, this mask really DID work – my skin looked immediately brighter and smoother, and had a real visible softness to it. I don’t know that my pores were incredibly tightened, or that it lightens dark spots any more than the night cream, but my skin certainly did look fresh and dewy, like I had just gone for a run, almost like an ‘in love’ sort of flush. It does take quite a bit of product to cover the face – I needed two nickel sized dollops of products, but I still seem to have quite a bit of product left, despite that and its small size. I will continue to use it on occasion, as I have felt a different using the mask in tandem with the night cream.

Though this product is supposedly suitable for all skin types, I would recommend that those with sensitive skin and eyes avoid, as I did have a real problem with my eyes watering. The Caudalie website says that the grape acid can cause sensitivity and those who experience discomfort should stop using the product immediately, so I’m certainly not alone in this. If I had not experienced sensitivity, I would absolutely repurchase this product.

The product is sold both at Caudalie and Sephora USA for $40, which I find is a reasonable price for an effective mask, despite the small size.

You can find the product here;

www.caudalie-usa.com

XX La Coquette

P.S. If you’re in the New York area, Caudalie has recently opened a Vinotherapie  spa at the Plaza Hotel on Central Park East. The mask is used in the Vinoperfect treatment, available for $185 USD.

 

*PR sample

Sephora’s Supreme Cleansing Oil

Have you caught on to the cleansing oil craze yet? I have.

Who would have thought that using oil on your face could leave it so incredibly clean? Something about the properties of cleansing oils not only wipe off makeup and residual pollution, but also function as a sort of magnet to oils in the face, meaning that even those with oily skin can use these products without fear of giving themselves pizza face.

I’ve tried a number of cleansing oils, but many of them are excessively expensive. So when Sephora recently launched their own cleansing oil in their French stores which, like most of their products, is very reasonably priced, I was eager to try it.

The oil comes in a sea green colored plastic bottle, containing 4 fluid ounces (190ml) of product, with a black pump top. At 9.90 Euros (about 12 dollars), it is far less expensive than the Shu Uemura cleansing oils, which cost about $35USD for a comparably sized amount of product….. though after trying this, I do think it is a bit like comparing apples and oranges.

The product is paraben and soap free (excellent for those with sensitive skin), and contains a number of different oils; mineral oil, jojoba seed oil, cotton seed oil, sunflower seed oil, etc. The bottle instructs to apply to dry skin, then add water to transform the oil into lotion, and rinse. It really did remove my makeup beautifully, particularly stubborn waterproof eyeliners, and neither stung nor irritated my skin. When applied to wet skin, to remove foundation, I did like that the product foamed a little bit (the main principle of cleansing oils is that, upon contact with water, they emulsify to become a cleanser). The problem, however, is that the quality of ingredients is inferior to those contained in more expensive cleansing oils, and the Supreme Cleansing Oil did leave a residue on my skin that required face wash to remove. What I LOVE about cleansing oils is their ability to multitask – I’m psychorigid about skincare but incredibly lazy, so something that cleanses and removes makeup is like manna from the gods. In short, the product gets points off for making me use a cleanser (and copious cotton discs) to remove the oily residue left over. With that being said, for the price, I really can’t complain. It’s effective and does its job, and does manage to remove makeup gently, leaving my skin soft and my delicate skin on my eyelids soothed. In short, it’s not a bad product for the price, it works well enough, and it’s paraben free. I wouldn’t repurchase, but I don’t regret my purchase either !

Sephora has not yet launched this product in the US, but based on their recent push of their store brand skin care range, I don’t doubt this product will be arriving in their American stores as the trend for cleansing oil grows stronger.

If you’re living in the US or the UK and are looking for an alternative, Shu Uemura makes of course an excellent cleansing oil, as well as DHC (made with olive oil), L’Occitane en Provence, Laura Mercier, and my personal favorite, Kanebo.

If you’re in France or Asia, you can pick up the Supreme Cleansing Oil at Sephora;

http://www.sephora.fr/Maquillage/Demaquillant/Visage/Super-huile-demaquillante/P112301

An Interview with René de Bathory

I’ve found that in Paris, it’s easy to meet the most diverse people. One night during fashion week many years ago, at an ‘after after’ for Stella McCartney at the pillbox sized Baron club, I spotted a really fabulous young man with a whimsical bowler hat, and we became fast friends (I don’t know if it was the champagne and strawberry cocktails or the frenzied euphoria of pret-a-porter in Paris….)

René de Bathory

René is an incredibly talented young stylist, who after having worked for some important industry insiders, has set out on his own as a stylist. He has lived in some of the most glamorous places, including Berlin, but now calls Paris, officially, home. He has wonderful style, a sharp eye, and on a personal level, obviously well pampered skin and hair – and as he is always surrounded by a coterie of stunning Parisienne women, I thought, who better to interview for my site than my old friend René?!

René was kind enough to answer a few questions for us, so without further ado…

 Coquette in Paris: Please introduce yourself and what you do?

 René de Bathory: I’m a fashion stylist based in Paris.

Why did you decide to move to Paris?

It is important for me to live in one of the major fashion capitals. Paris made sense because I had studied here,

and I sort of feel at home.

What do you think makes Parisienne style so great?

It looks effortless but so chic!

What is the definition of Paris beauty for you?

Legereté

What are the key elements to achieving a ‘Paris’ look ?

It always changes, now: Easy hair, red lips, shades, heels,

leather jacket, cashmere coat, bottled water (for health).

Do you have any personal beauty tips, including male skincare?

Cleanse & moisturize.

What are your favorite brands?

I like Anthony and Shiseido Men for skin, Kiehls for hair

and Molton Brown for the bath. Fragrancewise i stick to

Comme des Garçons and Tom Ford.

What tips can you give our readers for achieving Parisienne style?

- Be confident! You are gorgeous – show it!

- Remember: black contains all colors.

- Never dress to impress!  

- Always wear heels!

Any tips on being fabulous on a budget?

Choose your color palette. Buy one or two key designer items each season and mix them with cheap pieces until you have built up a solid wardrobe. Don’t be stingy on beauty products!!

 

Please visit René’s website – his images are certainly an inspiration !

http://www.renedebathory.com/

Butter London’s Pretty ‘Black Wallpaper’ Nail Stickers…

and they were just that. Nail Stickers.

I actually had these pretty little things on my Christmas wish list, and when I didn’t find them under the christmas tree, I was elated to find them on sale at Nordstrom for 10 dollars. I bought both colors available – the black with a floral print, and the beige with text.

I’ve only tried the black ones, and considering my disappointing experience, I’m keeping the other ones either as keepsake trinkets, or for a very special occasion.

Butter London produces some of my favorite nail polishes on the market, so I was excited to see their whimsical take on the nail wrap trend. I really should have read the directions better, because the package specifically says that these are stickers (not wraps) that provide 48 hours of use – unlike some of the polish wraps I have used in the past, which bond to nails and provide up to 2 solid weeks of wear.

Nothing can be said about the packaging – wrapped up like a romantic love letter with a wax seal, these stickers are a delight to even possess. I applaud Butter London on their wonderful, feminine sense of whimsy – I honestly loved taking these out of the bag. The stickers themselves are gorgeous – shiny black with a floral print, reminiscent of Dutch master still lives in vibrant shades of rose, marigold yellow, and white stencilled. One nail sticker for each hand features a sketch of a bird wearing a crown. What once might have struck me as tacky (nail art?) is so delicately executed that I instantly fell in love.

The application process, however, made me fall out of love – unlike polish wraps, that bond to nails without being sticky, these slid off their sheet covered in a thick layer of gloopy, sticky glue. Getting them on to nails themselves was a bit tricky, and instead of being able to tear off the excess (as with many other brands nail wraps), I had to trim with a nail clipper, which resulted in an uneven finish. These also weren’t suitable for my short nails, since the design didn’t start by the base of the nail bed, meaning the heads of the birds, for example, were clipped off. The product basically reminded me of the stickers I collected as a kid.

The directions instructed to cover with a topcoat, which I did, but that didn’t prevent them from literally sliding off my nails after less than 24 hours. I was disappointed but forewarned, and while I would have loved these to have lasted longer (they really are gorgeous), I was happy that I had the chance to wear them at all.

For 10 dollars, these seem worth it for a special occasion. I still have my other set, and may have them applied by a manicurist or a friend if I do decide to wear them. Failing that, I’m happy to keep them in my makeup drawer since they really do make me smile.

The Butter London nail stickers are still available at Nordstrom (click link to be taken directly to the Butter London boutique @ nordstrom), in three colors, at $10 each.