Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow: Prelude (33)

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow in Prelude

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow in Prelude

I decided to dig up my Chanel eye quads because it's rather stupid of me to stow them away unused when I spent so much on them. Prelude (33) is probably the most neutral of my quads. It contains grayish-purple-taupe on the upper left, a cool light pink on the upper right, a deep eggplant purple on the lower right, and finally a pretty mauve on the bottom left. Chanel's renowned shimmer is most apparent in shadows on the left side of the quad (the taupe and mauve colors). The shades on the right (pink and deep purple) have shimmers visible in the pan but essentially come across matte when worn. In wear, I feel that the light pink looks almost white while the deep purple appears a very cool-toned dark brown.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow in Prelude

Swatched clockwise from upper left (please refer to previous picture)

I hate to say it but as far as performance goes, these shadows are not brilliant. I can't even say that they're good. To be honest, they're mediocre at best. They're quite chalky and powdery. As a result, they go on rather patchy and are difficult to blend into one another. Perhaps you can tell from my photograph of the colors on my lid that they don't transition well into one another. Pigmentation is lacking as well. I had to swipe several times to build up the swatches on my hand. It's truly disappointing. I recommend using a fluffier shader brush with these shadows because you want a tool which will grab the product into the bristles and softly diffuse the colors across the skin. I tried using a denser brush with these shadows and I found that the powder sat on the bristles, which had high potential for fall out. Furthermore, the color went on patchy with the dense brush because the shadows would just sit where I initially lay the brush on my lid.

The packaging is basic but classic. The plastic compact bears Chanel's double-C logo, and it comes housed in a black dust pouch. Relative to Burberry's eyeshadows, however, Chanel's packaging of the quads is not too impressive.

Sadly, I cannot recommend this eyeshadow quad. The product's performance is not up to par, and it certainly does not justify the $58 cost. I've had better experiences with drugstore eyeshadows. It is with a heavy heart that I must dismiss this product as one you should avoid.

Light pink in inner corner, mauve across lids, with taupe and purple blended on outer corner

Light pink in inner corner, mauve across lids, with taupe and purple blended on outer corner

Update 2/10:

Here are pictures from when I applied the shadows with fluffier brushes. I think they blended out better that way.

Light pink in inner corner, mauve across lids, with taupe on outer corner

Sephora by OPI Nail Colour: Already Famous

Sephora by OPI Already Famous

I believe that Already Famous from the Sephora by OPI collection is quite a popular polish so I'll keep this review brief. The color is a gorgeous taupe brown with abundant silver shimmer. Please don't laugh at me for comparing everything to MAC's Satin Taupe, but my first impulse was to call this the nail equivalent of the renowned eyeshadow. I love the color, and I highly recommend it as a chic and edgy shade.

The formula is great. Thin enough to dry quickly but still with decent color payoff. The initial coat was sheer, but provided a beautiful wash of shimmer. I like that this polish gives you the option to wear it sheer without it looking streaky. The color was opaque by the second coat.

In summary, great polish!

Sephora by OPI Already Famous (natural light)

Sephora by OPI Already Famous (with flash)

The Body Shop: Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover

The Body Shop's Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover

Project Pan Item #10: The Body Shop's Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover.

The item photographed above is actually my second bottle of this stuff, so that goes to show that I liked this enough to repurchase it. It is a rosewater-based makeup remover without an oil component. It is not at all irritating, and it does not leave behind any residue on the eye, which I think is a wonderful attribute. Even though the Body Shop makes an alternative remover specifically for waterproof products, I find that this one works just fine to dissolve my waterproof mascara and long-wearing eye makeup. However, it does take some extra remover and effort to wipe off very, very waterproof items. Lastly, I like this remover because it is handy for spot cleaning, as when your makeup smudges or has fall-out. As an oil-free liquid, it can be easily soaked onto a Q-tip for precise cleaning. I point this out because I have tried other removers that aren't suitable for this purpose. There are some that leave behind oily residue such that they can only really be used at the end of the day when you wish to remove all your makeup and then cleanse your face of the oil. I have also tried a cream remover (MUF's Sens'Eyes), which coats the Q-tip rather than soaking into it. It can't offer the same precision because the cream often smears onto places that I don't want it. Having had these experiences with other removers, I can truly appreciate the Camomile Make-up Remover.

My favorite eye makeup remover is Lancome's Bi-facil, which is a bi-phase formula with an oil component. It is gentle, effective, and best of all, it leaves the skin feeling soft but not at all oily, which cannot be said of all bi-phased makeup removers. However, it is rather expensive at $27 for 4.2 oz. This is why I am content to use The Body Shop's option at $15 for 8.4 oz. While it is not quite as effective as Lancome's Bi-facil, the Camomile Make-up Remover is close enough and offers much more bang for the buck. I recommend this product if you're looking for an makeup remover that is economical, effective, and residue-free.

Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow: Rosewood, Antique Rose, Midnight Brown

Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow

Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow Box and Pouch

Burberry Sheer Eye Shadow Compact

One of my favorite Youtubers is Tanya Burr of pixi2woo, because she is talented, knowlegeable, articulate, and adorably charming. Plus I love her English accent. She recently did a tutorial using Burberry's Midnight Brown eyeshadow. I was so taken with it that I felt an urgent need to get it for myself. It was a very naughty splurge, I know. I figured that I might as well get a few shades while I was at it, so I ended up ordering Rosewood (No. 9), Antique Rose (No. 10), and Midnight Brown (No. 21).

Rosewood is a lovely mauve-taupe shade in a satin finish. Antique Rose is in the same color family as Rosewood, but with much stronger mauve pink tones. It comes across matte, although very subtle frost is visible in the pan. Lastly, Midnight Brown is a gorgeous brown. I'm not even sure how to describe it because I feel that it has the complexity to look different depending on the light and the degree of blending. In the pan, it is a sort of silvery brown with chunky shimmer particles, although I don't find that these come across in wear. I feel that its finish is more satin than it is shimmery.

L-R: Rosewood, Antique Rose, Midnight Brown

L-R: Rosewood, Antique Rose, Midnight Brown (natural light)

Rosewood (No. 9)

Antique Rose (No. 10)

Midnight Brown (No. 21)

Rosewood and Antique Rose don't make the best impression upon swatching as I find that they come off sheer and powdery. However, the same is not true in actual wear. I have not yet tried Antique Rose, but Rosewood applied easily with great blendability and no fall out. Midnight Brown is excellent both in swatching and true application. I wore Midnight Brown on its own and hopefully you can see the beauty of this shade in my photographs. Even though I wore it alone, it did not look like a flat color on the lid. It still yielded depth and dimension because of the way it blends out and catches the light. If you watch Tanya's video (linked above), you might be able to see even better the variations in the color. It looks quite rosy where she blends it out, and I feel that the brown can alternate between looking cool and warm. It's really very beautiful and versatile. These shadows wore throughout the day with minimal (if any) fading (over Lorac's Behind the Scenes Eye Primer).

Lastly, I have to point out the elegance of the packaging. I would expect this from a high-end brand, and Burberry does not disappoint. My photographs will do better justice to the packaging than I can in words.

These go for $29 per eye shadow (2.5 grams). By comparison, MAC's eyeshadows are priced at $15 for 1.5 grams. If you were to scale up, MAC's eyeshadows at 2.5 grams would be worth $25, so I feel that the Burberry's shadows are quite fairly priced. I don't have any regrets about Rosewood or Midnight Brown, as these colors are right up my alley. I have a definite affinity for rose-toned neutrals and browns. I can't speak for Antique Rose as I have yet to try it. I think Rosewood is quite dupe-able so it is not a must-have by any means, but Midnight Brown seems like a good one to invest in if you're looking for a luxury product. It is not only a beautiful color, but it also offers versatility due to its complexity.

Midnight Brown across lids

Midnight Brown across lids

Rosewood across lids, Smashbox ASAP on outer corner

Rosewood across lids, Smashbox ASAP on outer corner

UPDATE 2/10:

I tried Antique Rose and decided to return it. The eyeshadow itself was fine but the color was not for me. I found the purple tones to be quite strong.

Antique Rose across lids with brown on outer corner
(Sorry, I can't remember the outer corner color. Perhaps MAC Mulch?)

Antique Rose across lids with brown on outer corner
(Sorry, I can't remember the outer corner color. Perhaps MAC Mulch?)

Sally Hansen Gem Crush Nail Colors: Big Money, Glitz Gal

Sally Hansen Gem Crush Nail Colors in Big Money and Glitz Gal

More nail swatches! My goal is to switch out my color every few days because I seem to purchase polishes more quickly than I get around to wearing them (except, unfortunately, I'm liking Yummy Mummy/Gray Suede so much that I don't want to swap them out).

I got these Sally Hansen Gem Crush polishes during the holidays when I was in the mood for glitters. I thought Big Money in particular was sort of fascinating because it has a cool taupe quality about it. The gold base glitters aren't the standard bright yellow gold. Rather, they're sort of silvery, like aged or faded gold, and they're interspersed with pinky-violet glitters. Glitz Gal is appropriately named because I think it's a great party color (very New-Year-esqe), a deep charcoal gray with rainbow glitters.

I painted these over L'oreal's Charmed, I'm Sure (reviewed previously) but I achieved enough opacity (in two coats) that the base color shouldn't affect the swatch. I found the glitters to look dull without a topcoat. These were easy to apply, although fickle to remove (as glitters tend to be). While I'm not personally enamored with these colors, they're fine as far as nail polishes go.

Big Money

Glitz Gal

Maybelline: Volum' Express One-by-One Waterproof Mascara

Maybelline One-by-One Mascara

Project Pan Item #9: Maybelline One-by-One Waterproof Mascara.

I have stick-straight lashes that won't stay curled unless I use a waterproof mascara. I was very happy with this one by Maybelline because it provided for a clean look by separating and defining the lashes without ever making them look clumpy. According to the description on Maybelline's website, it is designed for "bold lashes without the bulk." While I agree that it does not bulk up the lashes, I can't say that this mascara makes for bold lashes. In contrast, this mascara defines lashes while keeping them looking quite natural.

One-by-One applicator

The applicator is a rubberized material with spikes protruding all the way around in an oval shape that tapers at each end. I liked this wand a lot because I never had problems catching all my lashes, and it wasn't so large that it'd make a mess on my lids. The waterproof formula dried quickly so it didn't smudge around, and it made for nice, long wear. I did experience some transfer of the color to my undereye area as the day progressed, but I really blame that on the structure of my face/eyes. This mascara does as good a job as any at holding my curl.

I'm not too fussy about my lashes because they're not in any way the standout features of my face. All I really look for is a mascara that will hold the curl without making my lashes clumpy. Consequently, I'm probably not the best reviewer for mascaras, but my opinion is that Maybelline's One-by-One is a great one for very clean, defined lashes. I will probably repurchase this in the future.

One-by-One on lashes

Urban Decay: Primer Potion

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Finally, after over two years, I have used up Project Pan Item #8: Urban Decay's Primer Potion. This product gets all kinds of love from makeup enthusiasts so I won't say too much about it.

I concur that this is an excellent primer. It wasn't until I ran out of this product that I really came to appreciate it. I never quite believed that it improved wear because my lids aren't typically oily, so products seem to wear just fine with/without. However, my lids have been oilier as of late and without UDPP, I have found eye products to crease by the end of the day. I can appreciate now that UDPP does provide a nice base for colors to adhere to by smoothing out the lid surface with a soft, matte finish. As a result, it helps to prolong wear and prevent creasing. However, I'm still not convinced that UDPP helps to enhance colors because I haven't noticed anything remarkable in that respect.

I do recommend this primer. It is a product that I'd repurchase. It is on sale on the Urban Decay website so now might be a good time to get it if you're interested!

Button London: Yummy Mummy (and Revlon Dupe)

Butter London Yummy Mummy, Revlon Gray Suede

L-R: Yummy Mummy (YM), YM, YM, Gray Suede (GS), GS, GS, YM, YM

If I haven't said it enough, I love my neutrals. Butter London's Yummy Mummy is a sophisticated grayish-pink neutral with subtle shimmer. I find it to be a subdued but very chic shade.

Butter London's nail polishes are "3 Free," meaning that they are without DPB, toulene and formaldehyde, which are chemicals that you'd want to avoid exposing yourself to. This is wonderful, of course, although it is not so much of a consideration for me personally since I wear polishes that do contain those chemicals. The formula is just right in consistency, neither runny nor thick. I also love the packaging, which is sleek and makes for easy storage.

Butter London polishes sell for $14/bottle, which is rather pricey. I would thus like to point out a comparable shade by Revlon called Gray Suede, which I have reviewed previously. It is not an exact dupe, as you might be able to tell from my swatches. I can easily pick out the difference in real life as Gray Suede is a bit lighter and pinker than Yummy Mummy, which is more gray. Even so, I think they're quite close and they're definitely in the same color family. Revlon sells for less than half the price, so I consider it to be a good contender! Either way, this sort of color is lovely and should be a staple in one's collection.

Butter London Yummy Mummy on middle, ring, and little fingers (natural light)

Butter London Yummy Mummy on middle, ring, and little fingers (with flash)

Revlon Gray Suede on thumb and pointer (natural light)

Revlon Gray Suede on thumb and pointer (with flash)

Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadow: Pug, Mutt

Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadows

Buxom Stay-There Eye Shadows in Pug and Mutt

Pug, Mutt

Pug

Mutt

Pug, Mutt

I have been meaning to review Buxom's Stay-There Eye Shadows for a while now. I got these during Sephora's Friends and Family sale, and I am so glad that I did. Mutt, in particular, is my go-to shade these days. It the perfect warm, shimmery, medium brown that makes for an easy neutral eye look. It looks very golden in my swatch but I feel that it looks more like a true brown in real life. I also feel it has just a hint of rosiness about it. I absolutely adore it. Pug is a cool, silvery purple. It, too, is very pretty, although I have to admit I don't reach for it often just because I prefer neutral eyes.

These are cream shadows that remain creamy to the touch, rather than drying down the way that MAC Paint Pots or MUF Aqua Creams (reviewed here) do. Even so, they remain true to their claim that they are "stay-there" eyeshadows, as they do not crease, smudge, or wear off. They remind me of Chanel's Illusion d'Ombre Luminous Eyeshadows (reviewed here) in the way they wear and feel. However, the texture of these is more of a true cream, while Chanel's shadows have a sort of gel-like consistency about them. A light touch into the cream yields good pigmentation, which can be further built up. Because they remain emollient, I find that these are much easier to blend than cream shadows that dry down. In summary, these are excellent, no-fuss products.

These sell for $17 per pot, which carries 3.5 grams of product. While I consider that to be pricey, I would not hesitate to repurchase Mutt. Not only is the formulation of this product wonderful, but the color is just perfect for my everyday needs. I highly recommend these eyeshadows, especially if you are looking for a long-wearing cream shadow that does not set. I feel that these are a fair alternative to Chanel's coveted cream shadows, so definitely check these out at Sephora if you're interested!

Buxom Mutt across lids

Buxom Mutt across lids, Boots Botanics Cinnamon on outer corners

Buxom Pug across lids

Buxom Pug across lids, Boots Botanics Star Anise on outer corners

The Body Shop: Wild Rose Hand Cream

The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream

The Body Shop Wild Rose Hand Cream

Project Pan Item #7: The Body Shop's Wild Rose Hand Cream. When it comes to fashion, accessories, or decoration, I am obsessed with three things: roses, bows, and birds. It will thus come as no surprise that I gravitate toward rose-scented items. The scent of this hand cream in particular is quite sweet, sort of perfumey and artificial-smelling. Even so, it is light, nothing obnoxious or overwhelming. My friend, who finds rose scents to be grandmotherly, complimented the smell of this one, so that has to be a reassuring sign.

The 30 mL tube is a nice size for the portability. The cream is a very subtle light pink that is not greasy, which is an absolute must for me as I despise oily lotions. Unfortunately, this means that it can only provide light to moderate moisture. If you're looking for a rich moisturizer, then this will not be it.

This retails for $10 for the 1 oz (30 mL), or $18.50 for the 3.3 oz (~100 mL). I feel ambivalent toward this product, and I don't think I would repurchase it. Since it is just an okay hand cream, I feel that you might as well go for a cheaper version from the drugstore.