Chanel Joues Contraste vs Maybelline Fall 2011 Blushes

I stumbled upon a new Maybelline display at one of my local drugstores.

In the display were a few interesting blushes. There was a sale on Maybelline Face products so I picked up all of them XD I had to fight with the cashier for the discount because the items weren't ringing up in the system but thankfully, the manager put the discount through.

L->R: Pressworthy Pink, Ravishing Rouge and Stage Glow

No flash, indoor light

With indoor flash

Anyway, Macnunu mentioned they might be dupes for Chanel Joues Contraste so I dug in my stash to see if I had some possible equivalent colors. Here's what I came up with:

Top Row: Chanel Pink Explosion, Rouge and Pink Cloud
Bottom Row: Maybelline Pressworthy Pink, Ravishing Rouge and Stage Glow

(I'll try to update with pan pics later tonight)

So they are pretty close!

Chanel Pink Explosion is a bit warmer in color and more subtle in shimmer than Maybelline Pressworthy Pink.

Chanel Rouge is a brighter red and more shimmery than Maybelline Ravishing Rouge which feels more burgundy.

Chanel Pink Cloud is leans more white and subtle in shimmer than Maybelline Stage Glow which I think leans a bit more silvery.

Overall, the Maybelline blushes were pretty nice. I haven't tested them for wear time but they feel pretty smooth and I had no problems picking up the color. A nice drugstore substitute but I wouldn't say exact dupe for the Joues Constrastes :)

Les Aquarelles de Chanel~Ombres Tissées, Pink Cloud and Vanités quad

Les Aquarelles de Chanel collection has landed at Bergdorfs. It's a very pretty and shimmery collection. The main palette is the Ombres Tissées Beiges. I haven't had the heart to swatch this baby yet. There is a shimmery overspray that disappears with use (Front Row Beauty has tester pic and swatches here). It's labeled as an eye shadow palette and comes with a sponge applicator but the colors do lend themselves to be used as a face highlighter.

Another piece from this collection is the Joes Contraste blush in Pink Cloud. This shade does not really impart any color on my face but gives it a nice highlight.

The Chanel boutique that I visited did not have the Ombres Tissees or Pink Cloud but they did have a few eye shadows and quads that had been previously released in Europe only. I picked up Fauve and Twilight (pics to come in another post), along with the Vanités quad.

Hope to post swatches soon.

Nars Night Series Palette

More pictures for the Nars Night Series palette and swatches! At first, I had tried to do the swatches with a brush but the shadows became a smudge-y mess. I realized that finger swatching was the way to go, especially with Night Porter. Night Rider is just a sheer chunky mess no matter what method I tried :(

With flash~





L->R
Top Row: Night Star, Night Clubbing, and Night Porter
Bottom Row: Night Rider, Night Flight and Night Breed

Here is a shot of the polishes in daylight:

I do see the Night Series palette available on the Neiman Marcus website but I have not seen these items anywhere else so far. I purchased them at the Nars New York boutique. *Update* Nordstrom online now has the palette and the polishes.