AUDACITY IN PARIS LANCOME EYESHADOW PALETTE - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

I swatched the eyeshadows from left to right and then followed next was the bottom row which was swatched from left to right as well.

Also, as I mentioned in a previous post I just happened across the Auda[City] Lancome eyeshadow palette quite by accident. I was placing an online order for something else on the Lancome website when I saw a pic of this palette. I was like, "that is a really nice palette" and once I read it was "designed by Lisa Eldridge", I was like "sold - THAT PALETTE WILL BE MINE"! I know, I know, this year has been THE YEAR of the palettes! YSL, Urban Decay, Dior just to name a few, all have released rather large palettes. So the question I keep getting is - Do I really NEED this palette? YES!!! Yes, you really do NEED this palette.

I LOVE all the colors included in this palette. It's as if someone read my mind and built this palette based on all of my favorite eyeshadow colors. The most perfect combination of light and dark shadows which will allow me to create the perfect daytime or nighttime look. With this palette there's no need to haul around several different palettes. OMG, I LOVE IT!

The shadows in the palette are extremely pigmented and blend so easily. They are soft to the touch but not so soft that they will crease, crumble or have any crazy fallout. In that respect they have a kind of dry texture. When you first use the shadows all you really need to do is lightly tap, tap, tap your eyeshadow brush into the shadow to pick up a good bit of product. Then you will lightly tap, tap, tap the eyeshadow onto your lid or crease. These are super pigmented eyeshadows so it doesn't take much to really overdo it. I know I did the first time I tried using the palette and ended up with a muddled mess on my eyes. So I started over and below is a natural look I created. 

Now, typically I don't use eyeshadows to line my eyes but I thought I would give it a go. It was actually easier than I thought it would be especially when using any of the last four shades on the right of the palette. Those lined my eyes beautifully and were the perfect colors to line the eyes. Although I did go back in and use a touch of the purple eyeshadow to line the top middle of my lids. Just to add a bit of drama and to make my green eyes "POP" a bit more.

Now if I had to dislike or gripe about anything with this palette it would be the dual-end makeup brush that is included. I wasn't able to use it because it was rough and scratchy to my eyes. Clearly it wasn't the best quality although everything else was perfection!

AUDA[CITY] IN PARIS eyeshadow palette - $68.00 USD

Shades include:

Filigree (light gold shimmer)
Choquette (peach matte)
Parfait (light pink matte)
Kitten Heel (gold copper shimmer)
Joie (golden-bronze shimmer)
Voyage (muted purple matte)
Sante (brown matte)
Éclair (purple metallic)
Exhibition (orchid shimmer)
Zip Me Up (deep [purple shimmer)
Volcano (silvery gray shimmer)
Clock Strikes 12 (gray metallic)
Audacious (smoky brown shimmer)
Couture (dark brown matte)
It List (black matte)
Nuit (black metallic)

Includes Dual Ended Brush

(0.45 oz.)

Available online: Nordstrom, Lancome, Ulta and Macy's

260 ALEZANE CHANEL JOUES CONTRASTE POWDER BLUSH FALL 2015 COLLECTION LES AUTOMNALES - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

Alezane is a new Joues Contraste Powder blush from the Chanel Fall 2015 collection Les Automnales (see the entire collection here). It is an extremely pigmented reddish brown with light reflecting gold micro glitter. I was honestly on the fence about this blush. I'm just none too excited about the gold micro glitter and it is somewhat visible on the face; especially by the end of the day. On me the blush is dark enough I can use it as a bronzer or blush and it doesn't take much pressure to pick up a fair amount of product either. The best brush I found for application is the Real Techniques duo-fiber face brush or their blush brush. Both are excellent for picking up the perfect amount of product without overdoing it and they blend everything out perfectly so as to minimize the flecks of gold micro glitter. The key to a flawless look with this blush is to blend, blend and more blending.

Below I have a few comparison swatches of some blushes in my collection. As you can see some are similar while others...not so much. Currently the Alezane blush retails for $45.00 USD (0.21 oz) and can be purchased at Chanel.com, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Bloomingdales

01 MARINIERE LES BEIGES HEALTHY GLOW MULTI COLOUR BROAD SPECTRUM SPF15 SUNSCREEN - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

Chanel recently launched their Les Beiges collection (read here). A natural looking collection with a healthy dose of color to enhance and brighten the complexion for summer. Sounds promising so I jumped on board and purchased one of two Les Beiges healthy glow powders in 01 Mariniere. The other, 02 Mariniere, was nice but a tad too dark / orange for my really pale skin tone so I passed on it. Both Chanel Mariniere powders are housed in a really nice luxurious looking cream colored mirrored compact. The Healthy glow powders offer skin protection from the sun with an SPF 15 and can be used as a highlighter, bronzer, blush, sculpting powder or face powder. They are on the price-y side at $65 each (.39 oz) but considering this is not your typical face powder and they are a multi-purpose powder with SPF 15 sunscreen protection that is to be expected. On me I'm pale enough that 01 Mariniere works best on me as a blush, a highlight and as an all-over face powder. It didn't look overly powdery on my already dry skin and it seemed to brighten ever so slightly the areas on my face once it was applied. Application with the enclosed fan brush was okay but it tended to make things a tad powdery. I achieved better results using the Chanel 7 blending foundation make up brush. This brush is similar to the MAC duo fiber face brushes but in my opinion the Chanel brush is more compact and the duo fiber bristles are less uniform so it allows for better coverage. Either brush will work but I achieved better results with my Chanel brush. Wear time with the Mariniere powders is more a matter of personal preference. Since it's also meant to be worn outdoors then depending on the person's activity level reapplication may be necessary after just a few hours. Or it could wear longer if physical activity is kept to a minimum. Either way, in my opinion these multi-purpose healthy glow powders are a good investment piece to have in your collection.

Availability: Nordstrom, Chanel

302 ALLOW ME MARC JACOBS ENAMORED HI SHINE LIP LACQUER - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

Marc Jacobs 302 Allow Me is a glossy medium pink lip lacquer with a peppermint scent and fine flecks of sparkle with a slight iridescence. Allow Me is one of the brands more pigmented lip lacquers. When worn alone it applies with a nice wash of medium pink gloss and wears for about four hours. Over a lipstick such as Marc Jacobs Have We Met (see swatches here) it transforms itself into a beautiful iridescent glossy mauve pink and wears for about six to seven hours.

There are eighteen shades of Marc Jacobs enamored hi shine lip lacquers available for purchase. They currently retail for $28.00 USD, contain .16 fl oz of product and are available at Sephora.

NORDSTROM BUY 2 GET 1 FREE MASCARA MADNESS - MAY 23RD 2015 / PRE-ORDER NOW!

Nordstrom is taking pre-orders for their HUGE Mascara Madness event. 

Nordstrom is hosting their Mascara Madness event this coming Saturday, May 23rd. This one day only event will be held all day and most Nordstrom stores will accept pre-orders up until Friday, May 22nd. For those who are unfamiliar with this event - Nordstrom allows shoppers to purchase (in store and online) two mascaras and then receive a third mascara for free. Last Nov. there were no limits on the number of mascaras pre-ordered (I pre-ordered 9 of the Guerlain Maxi Lash mascaras) and you were able to purchase from across multiple brands. Just remember the lowest priced mascara will be the freebie so keep that in mind while shopping.

When you pre-order for the promotion you are guaranteed your mascaras and you will not be billed for them until a day or two before the event. If you decide to wait and make a purchase on the day of the event then quantities will be limited and your favorite brand might already be sold out. The same applies for making a purchase online as well. Additionally, online purchases will only apply to select brands while in-store and pre-orders will apply to all cosmetic brands. So don’t miss out on this exclusive Nordstrom opportunity! Hurry in and get your pre-order before your favorite brand is sold out! Also there are some exclusions - the B2G1 free promotion does not apply to lash primer or enhancing products (i.e. lash plumping serum).

**Please note** All information listed in this post (including the exclusions) are subject to change. I will be sure to update this post immediately should that occur.

Last year, several readers had questions about the event so I'm posting those questions and answers here:

a reader asked how do they pre-order -

To pre-order one can visit their local Nordstrom department store and pre-order from any cosmetic counter. If you don't have a Nordstrom store nearby you can call the closest one and they will let you pre-order over the phone. Then Norstrom will mail out the mascaras to you. Or if either option is not feasible then you can order online from the Nordstrom website the day of the event. Keep in mind though the more popular mascaras will sell out quickly the day of the event so don't wait!!!

a reader asked for mascara recommendations -

It all really depends on what kind of eyelashes that you have and personal preference. When choosing a mascara it all depends on several things - how wiry (hard) or thin (soft) your lashes are, do you want volume (making them look longer) or fullness (making them look thicker) and the last thing to consider is how far apart are your lashes spaced. Are they clumped together with little to no space between them or are they kind of sparse and spaced far apart. Lancôme HYPNÔSE DRAMA is a good mascara that doesn't flake, smudge or smear but it applies wet and over time dries out rather quickly. Chanel Le Volume (one of my favs) is another great mascara but it takes several swipes to get a good application onto the lashes. Chanel just released their Waterproof Le Volume mascara so I pre-ordered a few of those this time around. Guerlain Maxi Lash is great as well and I pre-ordered nine of them this past November. I do not like Benefit They're Real - it smudges, it flakes and I hate the wand. However others have had a great experience with it. Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill mascara is another good one too. My last pick would be Laura Mercier Full Blown Volume Lash Building Mascara which is another fav that I am currently using. I've tried Bobbi Brown's mascara but it makes my eyes itch so its a no go for me. Most of my favs are based on the fact that my lashes are super soft, medium length and spaced close together with no gaps. So I can recommend what works for me but I would also suggest you start collecting samples. Most high end department stores carry samples of their top mascaras so you can try it before you spend a bunch of money on something that may not work for you.

a reader asked about picking up pre-orders -

If a paid pre-order is not picked up the day of the event then the store holds the items for you. As a courtesy please call the store to let them know you will stop by later. Or upon request they will mail them to you if necessary. If pre-orders are not paid in advance then the store may not hold your items after the event ends UNLESS you call to make prior arrangements. Communication is a must!!

BERRY BOBBI BROWN CHEEK PALETTE - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

The new Bobbi Brown Hot collection features three unique cheek palettes: Pink, Berry and Calypso which are so gorgeous! Each cheek palette currently retails for $45.00 USD, contains .16 oz of product and is available for purchase online at Sephora and Nordstrom. The cheek palette houses two blush colors and a middle highlight color. Right away I knew I wanted the Pink Cheek palette but after taking a closer look I realized I already had both of the blush colors featured in the palette, UGH! So I settled for the Berry Cheek palette instead. The two blushes housed in this palette are Plum and French Pink with a Berry highlight shade. The Plum shade is a reddish pink color, while French Pink is a bright pink and the Berry highlight shade is a coppery pink with rose gold undertones. Plum felt really matte to the touch, French Pink was really powdery and even though Berry had a metallic sheen the finish was more of a satin. All three were extremely pigmented, gave good color payoff and blended quite well. It is important to note that none of the blushes housed in the cheek palette are removable. Previous blush palettes I've purchased all had removable blushes so you could interchange / customize them but that is missing with these which is a shame.

Mini rant here:
I love Bobbi Brown products because the quality is almost always on point. The only gripe I have with the brand is their constant need to keep re-promoting the same colors. I have several of their products, mainly their eyeshadow palettes, and over half of the colors are exactly the same. Which is fine if you are new to the brand but it would be nice to feature some newer / different colors for a change.

Availability: Sephora, Nordstrom
Price: $45.00 USD

L'INTEMPOREL DE CHANEL EYESHADOW PALETTE - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

I can't believe it is already March! This year is flying by so fast! I was just saying to a friend of mine how this year it seems the Spring and Summer collections are releasing earlier than ever. Well, one such collection that totally took me by surprise was the L'Intemporel De Chanel collection. It consists of two pieces: the L'Intemporel De Chanel eyeshadow palette and the Intemporel nail polish. Read more about the entire collection here. I had thought this collection would launch sometime around May during the release of the Chanel Summer collection. However it recently popped up on the Chanel website so I definitely had to splurge for the gorgeous eyeshadow palette. It currently retails for $80.00 USD, it contains .24 oz of product and is available online at Chanel.

According to Chanel:

Gabrielle Chanel created the 2.55 bag, iconic to the House of Chanel, in February 1955. Inspired by the leather-braided chain of the 2.55, the Chanel Makeup Creation Studio debuts a limited-edition collection firmly anchored in the codes of the House. Exclusive Creation L'INTEMPOREL DE CHANEL offers an eye palette of five shades delicately connected by an embossed chain design, while LE VERNIS in Intemporel reinterprets the glimmer of the inimitable metal chain.

The L'Intemporel eyeshadow palette is made up of an odd but unique collection of shadows. It also houses one dual-ended sponge applicator and one brush / sponge applicator although most of the time I never use them. In the pan all five shadows seem to contain miniscule glitter flecks but once swatched it was only the white and yellow shadows that contained heavy glitter particles. From right to left the eyeshadow palette features a soft semi-sheer sparkly white, the next shade is a dark purple satin, the middle shade is a smokey black, the fourth shade is a smokey dark green teal and the far left shade is a sparkly pale yellow. I didn't really care for the yellow shade and it was my least favorite of them all. It just didn't go well with my green eyes and pale complexion. Despite my lack of fondness for the yellow shade the eyeshadows are all soft, semi-sheer with buildable color and are nicely pigmented.

Availability: Chanel
Price: $80.00 USD

436 MAGGY CHANEL ROUGE COCO ULTRA HYDRATING LIP COLOUR - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

Lately I have been on a lipstick buying binge! So when I heard Chanel recently reformulated / relaunched their ROUGE COCO lipsticks I was definitely intrigued. Now I wasn't a fan of the original formula and I never really invested much money into purchasing many of them. I believe I had previously purchased maybe two, Magnolia and Mademoiselle. Magnolia I still have but the other, Mademoiselle, I promptly returned to the store. I didn't care for how heavy it felt on my lips because it had such a thick formula. Also, it wasn't very moisturizing as it tended to dry out my lips quite a bit. So I'm super excited to see how these new lipsticks will perform.

There are 29 new ROUGE COCO lipsticks to choose from and each are named for people who inspired Coco Chanel - friends, lovers and artists. Now naming a product for a muse isn't a new trend. Other brands such as Nars and Tom Ford have all done the same with their lipsticks but it is still nice to see how each brand honors those closest to them. With the Chanel ROUGE COCO lipsticks there are five color groups to choose from with the nudes named for her family, the pinks named for her best friends, corals named for her muses, reds named for her lovers and plums were named for her favorite artists. The ROUGE COCO lipsticks currently retail for $36.00 USD, contain .12 oz of product and are available in store and online at Chanel, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdales just to name a few.

According to Chanel:

The reinvented ROUGE COCO is more expressive than ever, in a new formula and vibrant colour spectrum, with shade names inspired by Coco Chanels closest friends. The bright lip colour features an exclusive complex with Jojoba and Mimosa Butters, Sunflower Wax and silicone for lasting hydration and luminous results.

The shades within each color range are featured from lightest to darkest with an even numbering system (400 to 456). The nude shades are 400 to 408, the corals are 410 to 418, the pinks are 420 to 438, the reds are 440 to 446 and the plums are 448 to 456. With so many to choose from I was a little overwhelmed. Each color group has something special to offer and trying to choose just one was really difficult. Typically I gravitate towards nudes, pinks and plums so after swatching a few I finally settled on 436 Maggy. It's the perfect "MLBB" (my lips but better) lip color which is a deep mauve-y pink. It does contain teeny tiny micro glitter particles which are not as noticeable on the lips until the lipstick wears off. Then they are more readily visible. In the tube the lipstick does have a slight floral scent but it didn't carry over upon application which is nice. I hate when a lipstick has a heavy floral scent attached to it and you can still taste and smell it on your lips even after application. Maggy applies semi-opaque with buildable lightweight color. The color does deepen and darken the heavier the application and it still feels lightweight. It is important to note the moisturizing properties contained in the lipstick keep the lips hydrated but it does have a slight waxy feel and it allowed the lipstick to travel somewhat. Especially along the outer edges of the lips so I would advise applying a lipliner for a more pristine look. Wear time for the lipstick was about five hours before reapplication was necessary. Even if you are not a fan of Chanel I would definitely suggest purchasing a few of these. The beautiful color range and the lightweight moisturizing properties absolutely make them worth purchasing.

Availability: Chanel, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales
Price: $36.00 USD

M536 MILK TEA MAKE UP FOR EVER ARTIST SHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

I recently purchased several more of the Make Up For Ever Artist shadows from Sephora. There is a current discounted pricing structure in place when purchasing more than one but if purchased separately they each retail for $21.00 USD. Over the next few weeks I will try to post swatches and a brief review for each one. Basically though, the formula, pigmentation, texture and over-all performance has been top-notch. The best of the best and I have yet to find a single "dud". The only gripe I have with them is: availability and storage. To be honest it has nothing to do with the quality of the eyeshadow but more about Sephora stores and their website. I'll explain more in depth below...

M536 Milk Tea is a matte medium tan eyeshadow. I plan on using it as an eyeshadow base for my lid or as an inner corner shade.

Availability: The more popular eyeshadows are almost always sold out. Prime example is M928 Eggplant. I went to five different Sephora stores in two different states searching for this eyeshadow and it wasn't in stock. Before you ask, I checked the Sephora website and all five locations "supposedly" had it in stock. Haha! Nope, sold out.

Storage: I hate that I have to purchase three eyeshadows and an empty single, double or triple palette just to receive the discounted pricing. It would be nice if Sephora included the Make Up For Ever XL metal palette that is available only online as one of the storage options. Then again, it would require Sephora to actually have the empty XL metal palette in stock. HAHA!!! It has been out of stock since the beginning of November which is ridiculous!

Sorry for the mini rant! I think I'm having a "Case of the Mondays"!

Availability: Sephora
Price: $21.00 USD

OLYMPIA NARS CONTOUR BLUSH - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

The latest craze is contouring - whether one should use a cream or powder and what is the best placement. In my opinion it really depends on personal preference and there is no right or wrong answer. For myself I prefer a powder and here is why. On a daily basis I apply enough cream-based products: toners, serums, moisturizers, face primers and foundations to my face that I don't want to add even more to what could potentially be a greasy mess. I allow for each of the above mentioned products to dry before applying the next layer but sometimes humidity and oxidation occur. Let's face it - sometimes Mother Nature's sick and twisted humor throws us a curve ball. Humidity is not a term relegated to the weather outside. It can and does occur in the most inconvenient of places especially when you have an important event to attend. And don't get me started on oxidation! It isn't something that just occurs to those with an oily complexion. I should know, I have extremely dry skin and I have had my foundation oxidize on me horribly on more than one occasion. So enough drama already!

The Nars Olympia Contour blush is a natural looking contour powder. It comes in three shades: Olympia, Paloma and Gienah. It currently retails for $42.00 USD, contains .28 oz of product and is available at many high end retailers such as Nordstrom, Nars and Sephora. The Olympia palette houses both a contour and highlight shade with the latter being a great deal smaller. Which is my only gripe with this palette. It should have contained equal amounts of both but other than the size disproportion this is a "Must Buy" recommendation. The Olympia contour blush imparts a soft matte finish with no sparkle or shimmer. The powder formula is lightweight and finely milled which allows for a smooth and flawless application. It doesn't look overly done or caked on which is nice.

Most contouring guides will tell you to start near the top of your forehead along the hairline with your contour powder then work your way down to underneath the cheekbone and finish up along the jawline. Which is fine but it is not what works best for me. I like to start underneath my cheekbone then sweep upwards toward my temple along the edges of my hairline. Then I sweep back down underneath the cheekbone and along the jawline to blend everything out. Next, because I'm so pale and to add a touch of warmth to my face, I will apply a slight dusting of the contour powder along the bridge of my nose, just a smidge on my chin and along my hairline at the top of my forehead. With the highlight shade I apply it to the tops of my cheekbones, above and below my eyebrows and another smidge at the top of my cupids bow. My best advice is to find what works for you and practice. I'm constantly practicing my application and placement techniques to see what works and what doesn't because there is always room for improvement!  

Availability: Nordstrom, Nars and Sephora
Price: $42.00 USD

001 PETAL DIOR ROSY GLOW HEALTHY GLOW AWAKENING BLUSH - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

Dior Petal is a finely milled pink blush. It features the Dior logo pattern embossed on top of the blush which is housed in a sleek silver case. Petal is said to be a universally flattering blush that reacts to your skin's chemistry and adjusts to create a look of naturally flushed, rosy cheeks. If it did, I sure didn't notice it. Petal is extremely powdery and quite messy. I wouldn't recommend this blush for those with really dry skin. It enhanced my pores, it was scratchy and dry upon application and afterwards there was nothing flattering about my complexion. Petal currently retails for $44 USD and contains .26 oz of product.

CREME DE ROSE DIOR SMOOTHING PLUMPING LIP BALM - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

During the winter months my lips get so dry and cracked that I'm desperate. I will try just about any lip product out there on the market - from lip balms, chapsticks, lotions, oils, or whatever is the most current lip product craze. So when I was at Sephora the other day, the Sales Associate recommended the Dior Creme de Rose. It is a smoothing plumping balm for the lips. Now there is a slight rose scent to this but it is so faint it is barely noticeable. The Creme de Rose currently retails for $27.00 USD, it contains .25 oz of product and is currently available in store and online at Nordstrom and Sephora.com.

Creme de Rose gives my lips that extra boost of moisture and really hydrates them. There is no waxy feel to this, just a smooth and creamy formula that is extremely lightweight. Wear time was about five hours and reapplication wasn't necessary. My lips stayed moisturized long after Creme de Rose had dissipated.

MINI BRUSH SET CHANEL HOLIDAY 2014 LES MINI DE CHANEL - PICS AND REVIEW

An array of exclusive, mini-sized brushes ideal for travel. Presented in a signature pouch with mirror. Set includes: Foundation Brush*, Blush Brush, Eyeshadow Brush*, Contour Brush, Eyeliner Brush and Lip Brush*.

Chanel's new limited edition LES MINI DE CHANEL is a holiday treat! It is a fun travel-size collection of six make up brushes, a brush pouch to store them in, a mirror and a round mesh tote to carry the whole set. When I first saw the Chanel Holiday mini brush set online at Bloomingdales I purchased it immediately. The brushes are super soft and work as well as full size brushes. I've used the brushes several times and I didn't notice any shedding with them either. The mirror is nice as well. I use it for touch-ups and it can rest inside the mesh pouch as a stand for hands free access. The mesh pouch allows you to see everything stored inside so that is great too. Although, to be totally honest, for the price I would have preferred a vinyl or leather pouch.

The Chanel Les Mini De Chanel brush set retails for $125 USD and is still available for purchase at NeimanMarcus.com.

11 MYSTERY GIORGIO ARMANI EYES TO KILL 4 COLOR SHIMMER EYESHADOW PALETTE - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

I love the classic simplicity of the Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill 4 color shimmer eyeshadow palette in 11 Mystery. This eyeshadow palette is a gorgeous and understated collection of grey and brown neutral eyeshadows with two of the shades having a shimmer finish and the other two having a satin and matte finish. The top shade is a medium grey brown satin, the next shade is a shimmery warm vanilla, the third shade is a shimmery taupe, and the fourth shade is a matte smokey dark brown with subtle grey undertones.  

The shadows in the Mystery palette are soft to the touch, easy to apply with no fall out and wear for approx. ten hours with no creasing. It is currently priced at $59.00 USD and can be purchased on the Giorgio Armani website here. 

15 PARMA GIORGIO ARMANI EYES TO KILL MACRO-COLOR SOLO EYESHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

In the past I've written several posts about various Giorgio Armani products I have purchased - liquid blushes, liquid foundations, powder blushes and even fluid sheers. With the majority of those products I've had relatively great success so I was a little surprised to find that I've never tried any of the eyeshadows from this brand. With that in mind I decided to purchase a few of the solo eyeshadows and one or two of the eyeshadow quads as well.

Typically I gravitate towards plummy taupe or purplish gray eyeshadows. So it was no surprise the first solo eyeshadow I decided to purchase was 15 Parma. It is a shimmery plum colored eyeshadow with miniscule reddish plum sparkles and faint hints of a taupe undertone. It is extremely pigmented, finely milled and blends beautifully. The wear time for Parma was about ten hours with slight fading but no creasing.

The Giorgio Armani Solo eyeshadows currently retail for $32.00 USD and contain .061 oz of product.

GRAND OPENING CHARLOTTE PREMIUM OUTLET MALL - MY EXPERIENCE, WHAT TO EXPECT and HELPFUL TIPS

Overview -
This past weekend was a fun-filled day of shopping for my family. The Charlotte Premium Outlet mall had just opened their doors on Thursday, July 31st and they were offering shoppers a 4-day celebration of awesome deals and sales. The list of stores at the outlet mall is quite impressive and every store has a ton of people ready to assist you. Many stores were offering 20-40% off your entire purchase with some stores hosting giveaways and contests. While other stores would offer a small discount up front and then offer even bigger discounts at a later date to try and entice you back with the promise of additional savings.

This is the newest mall to be built since Northlake mall opened in 2005 and although there are several outlet malls in surrounding areas I believe this is the first outlet mall of its kind for Charlotte. The new outlet mall is quite impressive - a size of approx. 400,000 square ft (with an additional 125K square ft available for potential expansion), over 100 new stores to shop, and the main anchor store is Saks 5th Avenue Off Fifth. At this time there are 2,000 parking spaces for shoppers at the outlet mall and three overflow parking areas located in surrounding neighborhoods (Berewick Elementary School, Radiant Church and Shopton Square Shopping Center) with shuttle buses operating from 6 am to 11 pm taking shoppers to and from the outlet mall.

What to expect trying to get there -
Opening day, Thursday, July 31st, shoppers showed up as early as 6 am in the hopes of scoring some awesome deals. It was the same on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with police routinely shutting down surrounding entrances and roads into the mall to allow time for parking spaces at the outlet mall to clear out. Depending on the time of day, the shutdown could be for as little as an hour or two or at its most extreme it could be for several hours. On Saturday, the traffic fiasco was made even worse due to a special guest appearance by Bethenny Frankel, who founded Skinnygirl Cocktails. Roads were shutdown for three to four hours at a time.

Our experience trying to just get there -
Getting to the exit for the outlet mall didn't take us long - we took I485 south to exit 4 on Shopton road. We tried to turn right going towards the mall but the police directing the traffic diverted everyone away from the mall - either go back onto I485 or travel down the road in the opposite direction of the mall and then make a u-turn. After having to sit in traffic for well over an hour we finally made it to the road leading up to the mall entrance only to be turned away once again. According to police, the mall was closed. By now, it was around 5 pm and we were tired, hungry and beyond aggravated about the outlet mall closing so early. We decided to get a bite to eat before heading home and coincidentally there was a Bojangles directly across from the road leading to the mall entrance so we stopped there.

While we relaxed and ate our food cars kept pulling into Bojangles thinking they could park there and walk to the mall. Not so, the managers at Bojangles were patrolling the restaurant parking lot and turning people away who weren't there to eat at their establishment. On the roadways it was even worse, people were abandoning their cars on the sides of the road and making the really long walk to the mall. It was sheer madness! We stayed at the restaurant for about 45 minutes all the while we watched as scores of people walked along the roadways heading towards the mall. We also saw hordes of cars exiting as well but the police were still not allowing cars into the mall entrances. It was during this time we realized the mall hadn't closed it was just filled beyond capacity with too many cars and not enough parking spaces. Well, I guess we timed it perfectly because just as we were leaving Bojangles the police decided to reopen the main road leading to the mall entrance. By then hardly any traffic remained so we were able to park and shop at our leisure.

Helpful tips -
For right now the best time to shop at the outlet mall will be right as they open. Any later in the day and a person runs the risks of not being able to get in due to the police presence and them shutting down the entrances to the mall. I wouldn't advise going close to closing either as the majority of the merchandise will be picked over and not worth it.

This is an open style mall with some areas covered and some open. If it rains an umbrella or a rain jacket will be needed. If the weather is cool or hot then it might be necessary to dress in layers to accommodate the ever changing crazy weather. Also, there are plenty of places to rest with seating and benches all along the middle of the walkway.

There were a few snack shops open such as Great American Cookie and Auntie Anne's but not much else in the way of food. The food court wasn't open yet but several food trucks and food vendors were readily available along the perimeter of the mall with overpriced food similar to what one would find at the ballpark. Take for example Chick-fil-A, they had $5 dollar sandwiches with your choice of spicy or original chicken and for an additional $2.50 you could get a bag of waffle chips. One thing noticeably missing were soda machines or drinking fountains. Those were located in a few of the restrooms situated midway on both sides of the mall.

Shopping was extremely easy with a few of the more popular stores having long lines such as Kate Spade and Nike. There was a line just to enter the Kate Spade store but once inside shoppers could freely roam the store without feeling crowded or rushed. Overall there was plenty of sales associates to assist shoppers and to expedite the checkout process.

Our shopping experience -
My husband and son shopped mainly for clothes at Gap, Old Navy, American Eagle and Aeropostle while I shopped at stores such as Coach, Eddie Bauer, Ann Taylor, Talbots, Kate Spade and Michael Kors. We did purchase quite a few items from various other stores such as Wilson's Leather, Eddie Bauer and Adidas as well. The prices were definitely in line with what one could expect from an outlet mall so that was nice as well. Overall we were really happy with the deals / sales that were being offered and we saved quite a bit.

Be sure to check back - I'm super excited to show you everything that I got.

13 ORCHID HAZE TOM FORD EYE COLOR QUAD - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

I was recently in the market for a Tom Ford eyeshadow quad. I had been wanting to try them ever since their launch several years back; I believe in late 2011. But let's face it, Tom Ford is quite an expensive brand. The eyeshadow quads are a little on the price-y side with a current retail price of $79.00 USD and they contain about .35 oz of product. The luxurious packaging is quite nice as well. Each quad (which are quite hefty) are stored in a brown suede pouch, feature a magnetic closure, have an enclosed mirror and contain two dual ended makeup applicators. Whether the price is justifiable or not the packaging and design sure make it look like its worth it.

Well after much consideration I finally went with 13 Orchid Haze. I was drawn to this quad because it houses a unique assortment of eyeshadows: (top left) a shimmery warm peach, (top right) a shimmery taupe, (bottom left) a medium pink mauve, and (bottom right) a dark matte eggplant. Each of these shades can be worn alone or all together and still look amazing. I can definitely see myself getting a lot of uses out of this quad and the shades are very complimentary to many skintones.

234 POESIE CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

234 Poesie is a new Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect eyeshadow quad. In addition to the limited edition Poesie, Chanel released eight new quads reformulated without talc and with a longer lasting eyeshadow formula. Check out the link below to read about the entire collection. These new quads are extremely pigmented and typically last a total wear time of eight to ten hours. The quads currently retail for $61.00 USD and they contain .07 oz of product.

The Poesie quad is described as a mixture of brown, beige, pink, and burgundy colors. The top right shade is more of a warm golden beige, the top left shade is a medium brown, the bottom right shade is a dark brown with slight reddish plum undertones and the bottom left shade is a pale pink. This quad has excellent color payoff, lasted a wear time of twelve hours with no creasing and only required an eyeshadow base for a vibrant application. The more I have used these new quads I am finding that a good eyeshadow base can really bring out the vibrant color more so than using them wet.

Final thoughts - I had the opportunity to see and swatch all nine of the quads this past week. They are all gorgeous and offer an array of color combinations to choose from. Some of the newer quads look similar to the older quads which is true but the formula for these make them a must have (no more chalky formula!). They also look and swatch better in person so if you have the opportunity it is worth the trip to check them out.

Check out the other quads here: CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT EYESHADOW QUADS

Check out Tisse Cambon here: 228 TISSE CAMBON CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

Check out Tisse Vendome here: 204 TISSE VENDOME CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

Check out Tisse Camelia here: 202 TISSE CAMELIA CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

Check out Tisse Rivoli here: 226 TISSE RIVOLI CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

JUST A WISP MAC MINERALIZE BLUSH - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

JUST A WISP is a new frosty pale pink mineralize blush. It was released about two months ago when MAC unveiled their newly repackaged mineralize blushes. There were two new shades released with the relaunch: New Romance and Just A Wisp and I purchased both shades (check out the link below for New Romance). The mineralized blushes currently retail for $27.00 USD and they contain .10 oz of product. Wear time for Just A Wisp was about eight hours with slight fading and significant fading after ten hours.

Check out New Romance here: NEW ROMANCE MAC MINERALIZE BLUSH - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

204 TISSE VENDOME CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW

CHANEL 204 TISSE VENDOME quad is a collection of warm peaches and browns. It is part of the new Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra eyeshadows that were just launched by Chanel (check out the link below to read more about them). There are a total of eight permanent shades in this collection. There is an additional limited edition bonus quad, Poesie, which will be released ahead of the entire collection at select department stores. While other department stores will release the collection including the limited edition bonus quad in its entirety all at once.

These new multi-effect quads are gorgeous, extremely pigmented and so easy to use and wear. Each quad contains two medium shades for color and contouring, a darker shade for more intensity and a lighter shade to highlight. In the Tisse Vendome quad the top right shade is a frosty pale gold with a satin finish and peach undertones. The top left is a warm tan brown although it looks like a light smokey grey brown in the pan. The bottom right is a medium dark brown and the bottom left is a beautiful frosty peach apricot shade. Each of these eyeshadows has a depth and color variation that is quite unique.

The formula for Tisse Vendome is unbelievably soft and build-able. As more pressure is applied the color intensity increases even more so when used wet. Although when used dry the color is still exceptional. The wear time for this quad was ten hours with minimal fading.

Check out the other quads here: CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT EYESHADOW QUADS

Check out Tisse Cambon here: 228 TISSE CAMBON CHANEL LES 4 OMBRES MULTI-EFFECT QUADRA EYESHADOW - SWATCHES AND REVIEW