3 Looks, 1 Palette: Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre

I knew I wanted the Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre ($59) ever since I saw promo pictures, if only because they threw that curveball of a coral in there. It didn't matter that it wasn't the most practical of colors to include in what is essentially a green palette, it's interesting.

The palette consists of shimmers - a coral, a seafoam green, an olive, and a steel gray. Out of all four, only the gray gave me problems. I had to pack on the pigment to get that swatch. I'm assuming it's because it's meant to be a liner and liner shades usually have that issue. That's disappointing for such an expensive quad, but at least it's workable.

Look 1

This look was an attempt to use all four colors at once. I asked the SA how she would use the quad and she said she would apply the seafoam green on the first half of the lid, apply the olive on the second half, then pat on the coral in the center. Use the gray as a liner shade (do note that I tightlined in all the pictures).

Look 2

I guess that's fine, but using the coral that way feels a bit like we're at a playground and we just want to make all the colors feel included. I also think if you weren't careful, it would make the eyelids look muddy. For my second look, I patted the olive shade on the center of my lids, then placed the seafoam green in the inner and outer corners, blending the edges together. I lightly lined both my top and bottom lash line with the steel gray shade.

On a whim, I used the coral shade on my cheeks. Look how pretty that turned out! If you're planning to do this, a light hand is crucial since eyeshadows are usually more pigmented.

Look 3

This was my favorite look. I was so excited to find that the coral was so easy to wear on the eyes! As for the look breakdown, I placed a swath of the coral on my lids, dotted the light green in the inner corners as highlight, and heavily applied the steel gray shade on my bottom lash line.

All in all, a fantastic eyeshadow quad to play with. I always thought I couldn't pull off green and Coup de Foudre convinced me otherwise.

Products Used:
Rouge Bunny Rouge Time Defying Foundation in Wheat Cream
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium
Le Métier de Beauté Eye Brightening and Setting Powder in Revive
Guerlain Parure de Nuit Pressed Powder & Blush
Shu Uemura Mechanical Brown Pencil in Seal Brown
Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre
THREE Flash Performance Pencil Eyeliner in 08 Eye On
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Burberry Lip Mist No.212 Nude Peach
(For Look 1 product breakdown, click here)

Full disclosure: This entry contains a sample product sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Chanel Joues Contraste 76 Frivole

There were two items that intrigued me from Chanel Spring 2013: the pink liner and the blush. I skipped on the liner because I didn't like their eye pencil formulas and I procured the blush because of the bright, happy color.

Sometimes I wish I gave a little more forethought to my purchases (though this is why I am particular about a store's return policies) because I realized after that Chanel Joues Contraste 76 Frivole ($42) bore striking resemblance to NARS Liberté, which I already own.

L-R: Chanel Frivole, NARS Liberté, Paul & Joe Color Powder CS in Inseparables

I swatched both blushes heavily to make sure I had a true representation of the shades. Frivole and Liberté are similar though not exact dupes. Frivole is a peachier orange while Liberté leans more red.

When applied to the cheeks, the difference is barely noticeable. If I was to be a stickler about it, I'd say Frivole pulls just a tad more orange and is comparatively less wearable on me (but remember, I'm neutral cool). I think it's because Liberté draws out the pink in my skintone. That said, unless you were looking at both cheeks with a macro lens (like below) you wouldn't notice.

Chanel Frivole

NARS Liberté

Chanel Frivole

NARS Liberté

Thus, I'd say those who already own Liberté can skip Frivole, unless you have a particular preference for Chanel blush formulas.

Funny anecdote about the beanie: I had lunch with a reader a few days ago (hi Joanne!). When I told her I didn't drink coffee, she reacted in surprise. She pegged me as this cool coffee-drinking hipster-dressing type based on my blog, which... couldn't be further away from the truth. Except I bought this beanie and it totally fitted into that mould. This beanie - the color, the style - does not fit my regular "style." In fact, it clashes with just about everything in my wardrobe. I was originally going to post this up and ask if I should return it, but for some reason now I love it way too much, so I removed the price tag and all you guys get are pictures of me wearing it. There.

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Mechanical Brow Pencil in Seal Brown
Guerlain 'Meteorites' Illuminating and Mattifying Face Powder 02 Teint Beige
Le Métier de Beauté Peau Vierge Correcteur in Light/Medium
Le Métier de Beauté Eye Brightening and Setting Powder
NARS 'Pro Prime' Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base
Guerlain Écrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre
THREE Flash Performance Pencil Eyeliner in 08 Eye On
Eyeko Black Magic Mascara Drama & Curl
NARS Liberté Blush
Chanel Joues Contraste 76 Frivole
Burberry Lip Mist No.212 Nude Peach

Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro #200 & Le Métier de Beauté Cocoa Me Crazy Nail Lacquer

We are talking about these two very different things in one post because I happened to photograph them together. Before we dive in, let's have moment to appreciate that nail color. Isn't that such a magnificent nude?

Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro #200 Terra

Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro #200 Terra ($32) is a browned-red, but what's more interesting is the formula. As you probably know, this year's beauty market has seen an onslaught of liquid lips (I predict cream sticks to be next year's thing... again) but each are markedly different from the next. I've tried virtually every one of those new formulas and Armani's is my favorite by far. It applies wet and dries down to a velvet matte. It is incredibly pigmented and long-lasting, though it has a lot of slip. I use that to my advantage especially after some of the color has disappeared after meals, as all I have to do is press my lips together; the pigment from the top lip will transfer and lips will be fully painted again.

For swatches of the entire Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro line, visit here.

Le Métier de Beauté Cocoa Me Crazy Nail Lacquer

The beautiful nude is courtesy of Le Métier de Beauté Cocoa Me Crazy ($18). I couldn't figure out how to describe this, but Nordstrom saved me. The polish is a "vanilla bean creme with cocoa flecks." It's not apparent in the picture (much more evident in the bottle), but after application you'll see little specks of brown on your nails. It is reminiscent of cement and I mean that in the best possible way. It's beautiful, and possibly already inched toward the top of my favorite nudes list.

The Look

Eyes: Suqqu EX-08 Hanamari Blend Colour Eyeshadow

Scenes From New York/Merry Christmas

Some scenes from my life in New York, as promised.

Gingerbread House

It was my first ever time making one! I didn't know you were supposed to stick the biscuits to a cardboard box and you couldn't actually eat it. That was a little sad (not to mention a huge waste of perfectly edible biscuits) but I had fun! It's no artistic masterpiece, but I was proud of the cascading snow on the rooftop.

MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)

Where we saw Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night and the crayon drawing of Edvard Munch's The Scream.

Shopping/Rare Outfit Pic

I haven't went physical shopping in so long! Blame it on the pros/cons of an online-oriented existence. This was taken on a particularly good day. The only thing I was displeased about was my beat up Toms, but I bruised my ankle and couldn't wear anything else. Arianne said I looked like an English schoolgirl, which made me quite giddy.

Coat and scarf from Burberry, dress from Free People, knee-high socks from Uniqlo.

View from Rockefeller Center

I know. How tourist of me. I've been up Rockefeller Center so many times it's like my second home. I know every nook, every turn of that building. But I do it because everyone who visits wants to see the city from up top, and I always hold that it's more fun up there if you actually know what you're looking at.

For those unfamiliar with the New York skyline, we're looking toward the south and that building topped with blue is the Empire State Building.

Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Windows

It is important to note that this window is less than two square feet wide. Look at that detail!

I've been told that Bergdorf Goodman is responsible for (or popularized) the creation of visual merchandising. At any rate, their lavish holiday windows is surely an institution by now. You know the holidays are nigh when these intricate displays grace the front of the department store. Today is the last day it will be up for viewing, and by tomorrow it'll be back to (relatively drab) business - a sure sign that things are going back to "normal."

Times Square

As New York tourist as it can get! I love coming here when few people are around, such as 11.30pm on a Monday night, or 5am on a Sunday morning. The lights will flicker and flash the same, but you'll have the leisure and space to actually bask in it, like all those books and movies tell you to. I once wrote that New Yorkers had to learn to love concrete and steel to see beauty in this place and it struck me as incredibly sad then. I suppose I have become one of those people, because I live on one of those straight avenues flanked with skyscrapers and I still absolutely love this city.

Have a Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone! I am not able to be home for Christmas this year, but I am spending it with one of my best friends in the world and we have a magnificent feast planned. May you have an abundance of joy and laughter for days to come.

Lipstick Bandits: Secret Santa Look Swap

We have perhaps the most elaborate Lipstick Bandit collaboration ever today! If you follow any of us on Twitter you'll know we've been very excited about this, largely because none of us knows what the other person is going to do. We're as clueless as you may be, dear readers, and for some reason this makes us giddy.

But what is this we're actually doing, you ask? The idea is based on Secret Santa and our "gift" to each other is a signature makeup look. Rae emailed each of us our assignments and we weren't allowed to reveal who we got until, well, now. I wasn't surprised to find out who she picked for me, but let's see if you can guess by looking at this picture below.

If that doesn't give it away, this would totally do it.

I was assigned Arianne of Glitter Geek because I proposed "dimple contouring" and Rae was amused. I actually attempted it in earnest for this look, but it's kind of impossible to contour something that only appears when your face moves in a certain way. I was thrilled to (re)discover that I actually have a dimple though.

If you didn't already know, Arianne is a huge fan of cats. Naturally, I chose to emulate this look she featured on her blog because recently that's how I've been thinking of her - all sexy and feline-like. I made sure to emphasize my lashes (by layering two mascaras) because hers are long, luscious, and completely envy-inducing. To complete the look, I even tried posing like her.

But of course, I reverted to my own style later.

Merry Christmas, Arianne (and everyone else)! I hope I did you justice.

We have a new bandit again! Please join us in welcoming Lily from ChloeAsh to our little masked tribe. We can't wait till you're all caught up in our shenanigans!

• Call It Beauty
• Eye Heart It
• Getting Cheeky
• Glitter Geek
• Makeup Morsels
• Musing on Beauty
• My Funny Valentine
• Rocaille Writes
• theNotice: a beauty blog‎

New Bandit:

• ChloeAsh‎

Products Used:
Rouge Bunny Rouge Time Defying Foundation in Wheat Cream
Guerlain Perles D'Azur Meteorites
Suqqu Balancing Eyebrow in Moss Green 01
Suqqu Eyebrow Liquid Pen in Moss Green 01
Giorgio Armani Waterproof Smooth Silk Eye Pencil #1
Shu Uemura 5R Pure Kolinsky Brush
Burberry No.3 Porcelain Eyeshadow
Pop Beauty Peak Performance Mascara in Billiant Black
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Chanel Tempting Beige Blush
Le Métier de Beauté Dualistic Lip Pencil in Rose
Guerlain Rouge Automatique #125 Vega

Full disclosure: This entry contains sample product(s) sent by PR or the manufacturer for editorial consideration.

Spring 2013 Swatches: Guerlain and Dior

My guerilla swatches hopefully require no more introduction.

Guerlain Spring 2013

On the far left: Meteorites Pearls du Paradis swatched individually

Ecrin 4 Couleurs 502 Coup de Foudre

Top: Shine Automatique 600, 601; Rouge Automatique 762 Rendez-vous, 761 Flirt

Bottom: KissKiss Gloss 870 Cherry Pink, 849 Fizzy Mango; Ecrin 4 Couleurs 501 Attrape Couer

The only thing I sprang for was the Ecrin 4 Couleurs Coup de Foudre because look at that coral! And the nuances on those greens! I tried it on at the counter and was surprised to find that it looked beautiful on my skin tone, so into the shopping bag it went.

Dior Spring 2013

5-Couleurs Eyeshadow in Rose Charmeuse #854

What caught my eye about Rose Charmeuse was the really dark black, which reminded me of LMdB Nouvelle Vague (swatches here, look here). I can't be certain, but I believe it is as pigmented.

Dior 5-Couleurs Eyeshadow in Rose Ballerine #724

Clockwise: Nail Lacquer in Gris Trianon, Rosy Bow; 'Cherie Bow' Twin Set Eyeshadows

Dior released a couple of duo cream/powder shadow sticks for spring as well, which I swatched above - cream on top, shadow on the bottom. It's... better than what I expected from shadow sticks, but the product itself doesn't appeal to me personally.

I think Dior released some beautiful pinks, but pinks are not my strong suit and not something I would wear much, so I didn't pick anything up from Dior. I am quite tempted by the two nail lacquers, but decided to mull over them for a couple of weeks before purchasing.

I swatched these in Saks Fifth Avenue New York, but both collections are already up online at Nordstrom!

Suqqu EX-08 Hanamari Blend Color Eyeshadow

I think we bloggers are secretly most gleeful when we can blame a fellow blogger for our purchases. My latest fall was not only Lizzie of Glossed in Translation's fault, she even went as far to procure it for me all the way from London. Seeing her post about Suqqu EX-08 Hanamari Blend Color Eyeshadow was one of those "I see, I want" kind of moments that usually leads to buyer's remorse. In my case, it has led to the kind of satisfaction you only get when time has proven that you've made a very good decision. I think of Hanamari as an effortless eye palette, and I know we abuse superlatives often, but I really, really mean it.

Like I always say, sometimes all one asks for is pretty, and pretty this is. The quad contains a pinkish pearl, a taupe meadow green (I'm at loss what color this is), a light shimmery pink, a warmish brown. If I were perfectly honest, I'll tell you I bought the quad solely because of the green shade, but it's always good to know everything else works.

What I do with it is dreadfully simple. I layer the three lightest shades on top of each other (pearl, pink, then green), with only the barest of afterthoughts in placement, such as more of the pearl around the inner corner, more of the green at outer corner etc. I tightline my eyes with a brown liner, then sort of fluff out the brown shade from the lash line (I wish this was a video so you understand what I mean by fluffing out).

For this particular look I accidentally applied a little too much of the pink. Usually the result is more of a gray-green-pink combination that's marvelous because I cannot tell you for sure what color it is.

If I look a little haggard in these photos, it's because it was taken after about eight hours of frantic running around the big city. There is just so much work to do before the holidays, which perplexes me a little. Why are we working so hard and stressing out for a holiday?

I don't know if Suqqu EX-08 Hanamari is still available since it is a limited edition Selfridges/Hankyu exclusive, as Lizzie explains. But uh, pretty!

Products Used:
Shu Uemura Retractable Eyebrow Pencil in Seal Brown
Suqqu EX-08 Hanamari Blend Color Eyeshadow
Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Waterproof Eyeliner in Brown #2
Annabelle Le Big Show Mascara
Suqqu 03 Hinageshi Balancing Cheeks
Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro #200 Terra