Essie’s Guchi Muchi Puchi – weekly nail review

July 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I don’t know what’s better than getting your nails done with a good friend; maybe a puppy and a kitten in a basket tied up with a pink bow?  Two weeks ago Sally and I met for a Saturday session of catching up, camaraderie and general banter – a tete-a-tete, if you will.  I was feeling mellow, so I opted for Essie’s Guchi Muchi Puchi, a.k.a Muchi, Muchi, a creamy, pale pink and Sally chose a brazen shade of red.

We continued onto Laurent’s bakery for coffee and nibbles – red, white and blue streamers added to the ambiance (hooray, it was Bastille Day).

Sometimes it’s fun sharing a guilty pleasure; that way they know what all the buzz is about and you feel, well, less guilty.

Want to experience French Pink for yourself?  Book in with Mom or your bestie (Penny, Penny, Penny). As of right now you can find them in the Galleria on the corner of Bourke and Elizabeth; but if you’re not visiting Melbourne until September, then head to 234 Collins.

Looking for a bit more sparkle in your life and gelish manis?  Erin of Blonde Tiger has your digits covered.

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Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in Mirifique

July 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Cooled lava emanating smoke upon being swallowed by the ocean – that, right there, is the look and feel of Chanel’s Mirifique.  Smoky, luxurious and a tad dangerous with that mysterious gaze.

Chanel’s Illusion D’Ombre range (eight colours in total) is versatile and fairly easy to use.  I prefer to use my fingers when applying this creamy eyeshadow, because the heat given off by my fingertip helps to diffuse and blend out its richness. With that said (admittedly), I have yet to find a brush which is able to grab ahold of and evenly apply this bouncy formula. Any suggestions?

Swatches applied with a heavy hand (L) and smoked out (R)

The presence of micro glitter has always been a huge draw for me – the fact it sticks around no matter how it’s applied is a huge bonus!  I also dig the charcoal black colour, but smoky eyes typically scare me (I think I look like a racoon).  However, I think I managed to avoid looking like one on this occasion.

Somehow I managed to put together a Chanel face.  Above, I’m also wearing Amour, on my lips and Blush Horizon de Chanel on my cheeks.

Total amount for Chanel’s Mirifique:

  • $48.00 AUS

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

  • 10 out of 10 bags – I think I found another HG product!

Likelihood to purchase again:

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MAC’s Dear Diary & Embrace Me – swatches and review

July 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment

From the desk of 14-year-old Nicole:

Dear Diary,

If you could create a super-awesome MAC collection which brought together polka dots, bright colours, a bit of attitude and harmony that’d be cool with me.  I can do my own makeup, like, pretty okay, but I’m really looking for a fun colour that’s easy to wear and lasts all day long at school.  And, it can’t come off.  I don’t really have time to hit the bathroom for touch-ups every hour – teachers don’t hand out hall passes like candy.  I mean, come on!

So, get on it and keep me posted.

Yours,

Nicky

xoxo

Earlier this month MAC released a limited edition collection ranging between brights and pastels – punk rock goddess, Beth Ditto just so happened to be their muse.  Plus, it helps she loves to pack a punch with her makeup and her curves.  Fearless and confident – those are two things you need to be or hope to achieve when applying a bit of Dear Diary and Embrace Me.  These bright watermelon pink hues were released with companionship in mind, but you can certainly take each colour on a solo journey too.

Embrace Me (L) and Dear Diary (R)

When I first swatched these two colours, I got twinges of joy because they both reminded me of NARS’ Mexican Rose.  Mexican Rose is deceptively pink and lasts all day.  Looking to make a statement? Then hop to it and add Embrace Me to your makeup bag; Dear Diary is sold out online and in stores (sorry ladies).

Embrace Me (L), Dear Diary (M), NARS’ Mexican Rose (R)

Mexican Rose certainly isn’t a dupe for either of these colours – it leans more red, whereas the other two have blueish undertones.  Embrace Me and Dear Diary both dry matte and require minimal maintenance; first, reach for your favourite lip balm, add a dash of Embrace Me, Dear Diary or both.

A few weeks ago I took both colours out for a spin, all told this duo hung around for eight hours.

Two hours into wearing Embrace Me under Dear Diary

Total amount for MAC Embrace Me and Dear Diary:

  • $30.00 AUS and $40.00 AUS

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

  • 9 out of 10 bags – I’m a sucker for bright pink lips

Likelihood to purchase again:

  • Hi MAC, what else do you have in store for us this year?

 

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Crack by Chanel

July 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

Allure For Men

Simple, classy logo

Well, if that article title doesn’t get the Search Engines all abuzz, I don’t know what will.  Take heed: You will not discover any great recipes on how to make your own crack in this article.  It’s all about scents and addiction and the positive (not negative) impact such things can have.

Hi.  This is Scott.  Nicole’s husband.  You may remember me from such hits as <insert links to other stories here .. there are quite a few of them, I think>.

You’re probably wondering why on Earth I’m writing an article on Bagful of Notions — and you’d be right to do so.   It all comes down to crack.  No, not cocaine, but, Allure from Chanel, a scent for men which Nicole bought for me for Christmas 2011.  I’m not much into scents, other than trying to ensure I don’t smell bad, so like any good husband, when Nicole supplied something as a gift that she thought would “fit” me as a scent, I was more than happy to give it a go.

Those of you who are into these things know that an individual’s body chemistry can dramatically effect perfumes and colognes.  What smells great on a piece of paper in the shop can smell dreadful when on certain people.  So buying a scent for someone else to wear can be quite a challenge (thankfully, Nicole has been quite happy with the ones she has got from me).

When Nicole had a whiff of Alure in the shop, she knew she liked it, but would it work when added to Scott?

The answer is a resounding: YES.

Indeed, Nicole likes it so much that we’ve begun calling it “crack” as a bit of a joke.

Here’s what the bottle looks like:

 

Simple, to the point, and doesn’t look like a fist, or a torso, or anything else — it looks like a simple, clean-lined bottle.  No Comic-Sans font, no graphic of a man atop a horse.  It speaks what it speaks through the nose, and that’s really what a scent should be about.

Sadly, technology which allows you to transmit scent over the Internet hasn’t made it into the public’s hands yet (and that really is for the best, if you stop and think about it); so you’ll have to suffice with a few words to describe my interpretation of Allure:

  • Vibrant spice
  • Not overtly “musky” as many male scents strive to be
  • Dried summer weeds

Finding the right words here isn’t easy.  Allure is not like a lot of other male scents that I’ve encountered wandering through the department stores with Nicole.  It’s doesn’t shout “douchebag banker” as so many do.  It doesn’t shout “I’m trying to cover up some other, atrocious, smell” either – it is sharp, crisp, vibrant, but not floral.  It reminds me of walking through a spice market in North Africa, and every now and then catching a whiff of some dried weeds or grasses.

I’m much better at describing wine or a woman’s perfume – after the initial spritz that I may use in the morning, the smell quickly fades to my nose.  It blends well with “me” and that’s part of what Nicole likes so much.

Do I like it?  Yes, absolutely.  The fact that Nicole likes it is even better.

I won’t give this a Bagful Breakdown, that’s up to Nicole to do, but I will say this:  Once this bottle is used up, I guarantee we’ll be buying it again.  Well done, Chanel!

 

Allure in Color

Allure in Color (Photo credit: bisonlux)

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L’Occitane Angelica – an initial look

July 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

For the sake of science and beauty I don’t mind playing the part of a guinea pig from time to time. A few weeks ago Beauty Directory presented local bloggers with an opportunity to try out L’Occitane’s Angelica range and I gladly took them up on the offer.

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve added Angelica to my rotation while trying to be mindful of my rosacea.  Thankfully, my skin hasn’t freaked out, but I haven’t witnessed any noticeable changes either.  L’Occitane claims the primary purpose for Angelica water and essential oil is it aids to “reinforce natural skin hydration.”  With continued use, I remain hopeful something positive will happen.

Right now, let’s wait and see.

Angelica Hydration Cream

Angelica Gel Cleanser

Angelica Exfoliating Gel

As for my initial thoughts, here are a few of my likes and dislikes…

Likes:

  • The exfoliating gel beads are soft, not gritty.  I’ve found this to be extremely gentle and doesn’t exacerbate my rosacea.
  • The gel cleanser foams up easily and manages not to leave behind any film from the suds.

Dislikes:

  • The scent – it’s an acquired taste.  It’s reminiscent of balsam fir and strikes me as very earthy.  Not really my cup of tea.
  • I loathe the glass jar which houses the contents of the hydration cream.  I wish it came in pump form; it would help to ensure how much product comes out.  Plus, you don’t have to worry about contaminating the lotion with potential germs, etc.

In two weeks time I’ll be sure to round out my final thoughts and give you a closer look at my skin’s appearance.

*Beauty Directory and L’Occitane provided me with free full size samples in exchange for this review.  Thoughts and ramblings written here are completely my own.

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Louis Vuitton’s Dot Inspired Papillon

July 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

I might not know much about Louis Vuitton, but I do know I am infatuated with dots, spots and anything pertaining to glitter (in makeup), sequins (in moderation) and whimsy.  You can find whimsy anywhere, you just need to know what you’re looking for.  Marc Jacobs saw that whimsy and flight of fancy in Japanese-born artist Yayoi Kusama.  Yayoi experienced hallucinations as a child, these hallucinations gave way to her creativity and something to focus her energy upon.

Here’s a quote from Yayoi in regards to the symbology behind polka dots:

“A polka-dot has the form of the sun, which is a symbol of the energy of the whole world and our living life, and also the form of the moon, which is calm. Round, soft, colourful, senseless and unknowing. Polka-dots can’t stay alone; like the communicative life of people, two or three polka-dots become movement… Polka-dots are a way to infinity.”

While Yayoi’s artistry, for me, does not create images of grandeur, similar to what we’ve seen in our art history books – I’m referring to pointillism here.  I do, however, appreciate her point of view and the ways in which she colours her world (and to some extent ours) with polka dots.

Last week Scott broke down and coloured my world with a few spots and dots.  A statement piece with a lot of heart and flight of fancy.

I am extremely proud to call this bag my own and to have learned a bit about Yayoi in the process.

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Lush Emotional Brilliance – photos, swatches and review

July 22, 2012 by 3 Comments

Salesperson: “First, take a seat and then close your eyes.”

Me: “Ok.”

Salesperson: “Now I want you to think of white fluffy clouds or even white sheets.”

Me (thinking to self): What did I sign up for?

Salesperson: “Ok, so, open your eyes and pick three colours that have jumped into your mind.”

The wheel continued to spin until I finished choosing all three.

Spin and Win!

The Selection from left to right – Glamorous, In Charge & Fantasy

Hiding underneath each coloured dot was a glass bottle with dropper-type applicator waiting to be discovered.  I just so happened to pick one lip colour, Glamourous, and two liners, In Charge and Fantasy.  The salesperson was sweet enough to explain what each colour represented, the first being my subconscious, the second conveys what’s rumbling within (or something like that) and third, what I want, essentially my desire(s).  If you’re into a hippie-dippy experience and don’t mind selecting colours on a whim, then have a play online or even visit your local Lush boutique.

As for the colours I walked away with, none of them were the three I chose.  Tho, I may go back and pick up fantasy and a cream shadow.  When you visit your local Australian Lush location, keep in mind they didn’t receive the full lip range due to the fact they were held up by customs, pfft! Once the collection is complete, you’ll be able to select from 13 lip colours, 11 eye liners and 6 cream shadows – and, they all retail for $24.95 per glass jar.  If you’re ecologically-thoughtful, you can even recycle the rubber dropper with your favourite Lush location whenever you’ve used up all of the product; the applicator and jar is yours to keep, if you wish.

Before I show you my wares, let’s take a look at what my psyche chose.

Glamorous (L), In Charge (C), Fantasy (R)

If you love Glamorous, a cool, matte pink lippie, then you’re also a lover of MAC’s St. Germain. In Charge is a creamy cerulean blue liner which could also be worn as a shadow; act fast or it’ll dry quicker than it takes to blink your eye.  Fantasy is a fun metallic gold liner which can also be smoothed out on your lids.  Two-in-one products are a far better bang for your buck too.  The applicators are alright, but you might want to use your own tools in order to get better results.

Don’t feel tethered down by what you chose (I didn’t) and don’t even feel pressured to buy anything; the sales girls were prepped for the day and super excited about what they have to sell. For them, it was all about spreading the word.

In the end, I walked away with Success, a silver liner and Feeling Younger, a creamy skin tint, a.k.a. highlighter.  For me it’s all about deflection – wrinkles be creepin’ in.

Feeling Younger

Puttin’ up a good fight!

Feeling Younger Unblended (L) and Blended (R)

Success

Success’ applicator

Success Unblended (L) and Blended (R)

And how did these perform?  Both are relatively easy to apply, I used a liquid foundation brush to dab a bit of Feeling Younger along my brow bone and cheek bone areas.  With Success, I actually used the applicator it came with and refined the lines with the aid of MAC’s 209.  Much to my  chagrin, I neglected to put on eye primer; let’s just say my final look creased.  However, Success stayed in place all evening long.

The final look

Above I’m also wearing Chanel’s Mirifique and Maybelline’s Color Tattoo in Too Cool on my eyes. For my lips, I’m sporting Chanel’s Amour.

Total amount for Lush Feeling Younger and Success:

  • $19.95 and $24.95

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

  • 8 out of 10 bags – relatively cheaper price points for the Aussie gals and guys

Likelihood to purchase again:

  • Like I said before, Fantasy might just become a part of my reality
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Butter London’s Disco Biscuit – weekly nail review

July 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

After wearing Butter London’s Disco Biscuit, I’ve decided I do not like jelly nail lacquer.  While Disco Biscuit is a very pretty and vibrant shade of pink, I hate its translucent appearance. Despite the presence of purple-hued glitter floating, it still couldn’t save this sinking ship. I’m more of a creamy formula gal with a dash of sparkle from time to time.

The other reason why I think Disco Biscuit didn’t work for me was due to the fact it chipped and peeled after a few days of wear.  Talk about disappointing.

While I do love Butter London, I’d say give this one a miss.

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MAC’s Keep It Loose – swatch and review

July 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Released in eight shades last week, MAC’s Keep It Loose resonated with me the most.  I honestly think I was still coming down from Something Special’s peachy hue; I even checked with a sales associate her thoughts before purchasing.  The main point of difference is Keep It Loose has orange undertones, whereas Something Special leans pink.

Keep It Loose swatch

The main purpose for this collection’s release, I believe, was to break up two major summer collections Hey, Sailor and Heavenly Creatures.  Why not soften the blow by selling a small array of multitaskers?  I liken this to the centre of a Double Stuffed Oreo – light, creamy and the presence of milk is optional.  In Keep It Loose’s case, colour can be applied to the lips, cheeks or both! Ultimately, it’s all about having options.

In order to cap off my smoky Chanel look, I applied Keep It Loose onto the apples of my cheeks and painted my lips too.  If you don’t own a brush similar to MAC’s 190 Foundation Brush, your fingers will do.  Keep it Loose appeared dewy and natural on my cheeks, whereas my lips looked washed out and matte; after taking the pictures you’ll see here, I freshened up my lips with a bit of clear gloss.

Trying to keep things Loose

After taking Keep It Loose out for a test drive last night, I definitely think this peach of a shade makes for a great blush, but I have reservations with using it on my lips again. Personally, I found it to be drying and the colour wasn’t all that flattering on my super pigmented lips.

Total amount for MAC’s Keep It Loose:

  • $41.00 AUS and retails for $20.00 USD back in the States.

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

  • 7 out of 10 bags – I should’ve had it applied to my cheeks before plunking down my moola.

Likelihood to purchase again:

  • Maybe another hue can persuade me to change my mind.  Thoughts?
Like my Chanel-inspired cardigan/blazer?  You can pick one up at your local ZARA; however, I could only find the pullover version online.
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Chanel Les 4 Ombres in 37 Variation – swatches and review

July 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

There’s nothing like leading off this review with an image of my mug.  I’m in the process of experimenting with my new camera (a surprise gift I came home to last week) and Pixelmator.  As each entry is written, my blog continues to grow as a result; might as well jump in by throwing a DSLR into the mix.

But I digress.  Early last week, Chanel released Les 4 Ombres in 37 Variation here in Australia. Finally, we get the luxury of blogging about something before the States – American lasses will have to wait ’til October or November.  For me, I found Variation reminiscent of Guerlain’s quad in Les Perles, yet different enough to warrant this latest purchase :)

Variation features four shades – pearly pink, golden taupe, dusty mauve and a deep plum.  If the last two colours had a baby, they’d name it Illusoire.

37 Variation

What drew me to this quad were the two purple hues featured on the bottom row, because purple has a way of accentuating hazel eyes.  Plus, I really wanted to experiment with their powder formula in order to see how well it applied when doing my own makeup.  I only had to make a couple of passes from each pan for the colour payoff you see above – a little goes a long way; just make sure you tap your brush before bringing it to your eye.  This extra step drastically reduced fallout and clean up.

If you want to recreate the look you see above, simply follow these steps:

  1. 1. Start with an eye primer of your choice and apply all over.
  2. 2. Apply the light pink shade all over your lid – lash line to brow bone; I used MAC’s 217.
  3. 3. Then apply the mauve hue (lower left) on your lower lid – ditto above brush.
  4. 4. Grab a fluffy angled eye brush and pick up a bit of the plum and concentrate on the outer half of your lower lid.
  5. 5. Next go in with the taupe and line the inner lash line while blending up and into the mauve and plum.  Inglot’s 8OHP did the trick.
  6. 6. Last, create a cat eye effect with any liquid/gel liner.  I used MACs’ Macroviolet and brush 208.

*Quick tip I learned from the ladies over at the Beauty Dept.:  Apply nude liner on your waterline; this makes your eyes look larger.  And yes, I ran out and purchased Stila’s Kajal liner in Topaz after reading about this tip.

If you enjoy shimmery eyeshadow and are a rabid Chanel fan, then it’s worth taking a trip to your local department store. Make sure you make a beeline for your Chanel counter and ask about the newest Les Expressions de Chanel collection.  There are few re-promotes and fortunately Variation is a new addition.

The Bagful breakdown:

Total amount for Chanel’s 37 Variation Eye Quad:

  • $98.00 AUS; it’ll retail for $58.00 USD once it hits a counter near you in the US.

Value for money spent (performance and quality):

  • 8 out of 10 bags – I’m a Chanel convert, even though it’s so expensive!

Likelihood to purchase again:

  • I can’t wait to check out this!  However, I don’t know if I need another face illuminator/highlighter.

 

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