Week 6--Seven Days of Roses

This is going to be my Rose week.  I am in love with makeup that bears the name of Rose or, even better, has a rose imprint or design.  Here is a pic of some of my rose-inspired makeup to get you in the mood.

To get back on the subject of blushes, I found that when describing rose colored blush, the word rose is used to describe many colors including pinks, fuchsias, reds, even going into the brown family.  The color rose usually refers to a shade between pink and red, but really, roses come in all colors.  For this week, I'm going to limit my blushes to ones that bear the name of Rose.  I'm sure that I could do a whole week on Chanel Roses, but I'm limiting myself to just 2 Chanel JCs.  So here are the rose blushes for Week 6:

For blushes that bear the name Rose, I've already done a few,  Chanel's Orchid Rose and Dior's Rose Diamond and Antique Rose.  This is what I'm covering this week:

1--Chanel Rose Petale

2--BB Desert Rose

3--LM Rose Petal

4--Stila Rose

5--Shu M Rose 19

6--Chanel Tea Rose

7--LM Rose Bloom

and the swatches for the week:

I hope you enjoy this week of rose colored blush.  I know I'm looking forward to it!  Cheers!

Blog Sale, Most Wanteds, and Cute Pictures of Oscar

Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I added a few more things to the blog sale.  I've also started a most wanted page, where I post the blushes that I'm interested in adding to my collection.  

Finally, hold on to your seats, I have something that I know everyone wants (haha!).  New pics of Oscar!  Yay.   We went to a dog event called Woofstock this weekend, so he's sporting his tie-dye bandanna.  Here are some pics of my boy.  Here, Oscar is smiling.

Another one where he's smiling (while he's sitting).

Yet Another Smile!

Oscar sure is a happy boy!

Wait, here's a serious one! Yay!

Finally, everyone needs a snack!

Thanks for looking and have a great day!!!!

Week 5, Day 7. Chanel Blush--Tempting Beige JC

Awww, I'm sad that today is my last day of talking about Chanel blushes.  But, look at all the pretty sparkly bits in today's blush--Tempting Beige!!  Yay!  This is one of my favorite blushes to look at in the pan.  It is a creamy milk chocolate brown with specks of shimmer--what's not to like?

This really is a lovely color.  On my skin, it is a very wearable nude--a warm toasted rosy-brown color.  Very pretty, but probably more suited for warmer and darker skinned ladies.  The shimmery bits barely show up on the skin, unless you use a ton of it.  But, please don't use a ton, Tempting Beige is one of the more pigmented JCs that I have.

Besides being VERY pigmented, the texture is so nice and beautiful.  The powder is lightly rose scented, and very soft and silky since it is the US version.  Here's one last look at this weeks Chanel lineup.

I hope you've enjoyed the week of Chanel JC blushes, it was fun for me because they are among my very faves.  I love the special glow they give and the subtle rose scent.  Next week, I'll be moving from the Rose scent of Chanel to Rose blushes.  It'll be Seven Days of Rose Blush. =)

Week 5, Day 6. Chanel Blush--Caprice JC

Chanel Week is starting to wind down and for day 6, I have an older Joues Contraste blush, Caprice.  In the pan, Caprice is a cool rosy pink, but it's one of those blushes that looks different on the skin and can vary from person to person.

Sometimes, I check out reviews and see if the color I see is how others describe it as well. Well, the reviews are all over the board on how to describe this color.  Some described it as cool, pale pink and others as pure peach, and others said it doesn't show up at all.  So, I think this is one of those blushes that looks different on each person and I'll do my best to describe how it looks on me.

In the pan, it is a cool dusty rose color, but on my cool, very pale skin, Caprice looks warm peachy-rose with some brown.  I can see a few sparkles in the pan, but nothing really noticeable that shows up on the cheeks, except for a nice gentle glow.  The Caprice JC is fairly well pigmented and the powder is nice and smooth.  It still has a slight rose scent.  Overall, I like it quite a bit, but it isn't nearly as cool and pink as my favorite blushes are.

What color does Caprice look on you?  Tomorrow, I finish the week of Chanel JCs with Tempting Beige, yay! 

Week 5, Day 5. Chanel Blush--Orchid Rose JC

Orchid Rose is today's beauty--and boy is it beautiful!  This is one of those lovely Chanel JCs that works for a variety of people and most seem to love. 

 

Day 5 of Chanel Blush week brings us to Orchid Rose.  From the name, I would think it would be a bright purply-pink, but it is very different from that.  The color is a complex peachy-brown rose color with a moderate amount of shimmer.  The color varies quite a bit depending on the skin tone of the person wearing it.  It can lean more tawny, peach, or pink.

The shimmer is very fine and gives a lovely glow--it shouldn't be too much for anyone.  Obviously it has the rose scent and the smooth powder consistency of all the US Chanel JCs.

Orchid Rose is a lovely blush and I think everyone should at least give it a try to see how it looks on their own cheeks.  Tomorrow is day 6 and time for a DC'd blush--Caprice. 

Week 5, Day 4. Chanel Blush--Petilant JC

Today's blush is an old JC.  I'm not sure how old, but it is a beauty.  For Day 4 of Chanel Blush week, I present Petilant (which means sparkling in French).  It might be old, but it still has the delicate scent of roses and gives off a good amount of color. 

This version is baked, so the texture is harder than the US versions.  But the powder that comes off is very fine and pigmented.  I see a tiny amount of shimmer in the pan, but on the skin, it has the slight glow that JCs are known for.

The color is a little hard to describe, I would call it a warmish raspberry pink.  It is a lovely color and goes on very smoothly and evenly.  A sweet friend at MUA has been wanting this one forever, but it's so pretty that I can't quite part with it yet.  Maybe this up-close view will make her change her mind and kill the desire for it.  It's #4 in the picture below.

I hope you enjoyed seeing this old JC!  Tomorrow, day 5 of Chanel JCs, is Orchid Rose.  Let me know what your favorite blushes are and what you'd like to see here!  TTYL!

Week 5, Day 3. Chanel Blush--Fantasia JC

Today's blush is Fantasia, which I've had in my collection for a while, but just tried for the first time today.  The color isn't super appealing to me because I always seem to reach for the pinks.  However, I must say that this color is really beautiful.

The color is slightly warmer than Mocha, less plummy, and more of a reddish terracotta color.  It buffs out to a warm rosy-peachy-brown.  Not really like the pinks that I usually lean toward, but still a great color.  I imagine it would look amazing on ladies with a golden tan.

It has the same subtle rose scent of all the Chanel JC blushes. The texture of the now DC'd Fantasia is very soft and powdery and it gives a great glow. There is a teensy bit of shimmer, but it is very subtle and not glittery at all.  The glow that JCs give is something that makes these blushes really special. 

It's very hard to capture the glow in photographs, but it is my favorite quality about Chanel's Joues Contraste line.  Sometimes Chanel adds other shimmer, glitter, iridescence, but there is always the base glowiness.  If you haven't tried one, do yourself a favor and pick one up and see what the fuss is about.  Tomorrow is Petilant, an old Chanel JC, for a sweetie at MUA!

Week 5, Day 2. Chanel Blush--Pink Explosion JC

One of my newer acquisitions is this beautiful new blush from Chanel as part of their Fall 2010 collection.  It is Pink Explosion and is a pretty, medium shimmery pink.  

The newer Chanel blushes are baked and will continue to be from what I've heard.  The color of Pink Explosion is a coolish rosy-pink with tiny little silvery shimmery bits in it.  It's not too glittery when applied, but it is noticeable.  Because it is baked, the powder isn't quite as silky smooth at the older US versions.

In my experience, because they're baked, it is more difficult to get the powder onto the brush, but the powder that comes off is very fine and pigmented.  I just have to rub the brush a little more and harder to get it to apply decently.  The advantage of the baked is that I don't have to worry quite so much about over applying my blush.  I've heard the baked are more shimmery, and if it's true, it's only translates into a slight bit more shimmer on the cheeks.

Tomorrow's blush is Fantasia JC.  It's not one that I normally reach for and I look forward to trying it out.

Week 5, Day 1. Chanel Blush--Mocha JC

It is Day One of Seven Days of Chanel Blush and I present my newest one--Mocha!  I must admit that this Joues Constraste blush looks rather brown and dull in the pan.  Actually, exactly the chocolatey color I would think of as mocha.  However, when applied to the cheeks, it is not dull at all!

Even though it looks a bit blah and brown in the pan, it is a beautiful slightly shimmery plummy brown.  It buffs out to a very soft plum color that is very wearable, even for the ultra pale.  It has a tiny bit of shimmer, but it really just shows up as a gorgeous glow.  This is a US version, so not baked like the Euro ones, and the powder is very fine and silky smooth to apply. 

Each day this week, I'll talk about one of the qualities of JC's that make them special.  Today, I'll start off with something simple, the smell.  There is a subtle distinctive rose smell when I open my JC's.  So in addition to seeing the glowy loveliness inside, I enjoy a subtle day-brightening whiff of rose!  The smell varies in intensity in all my blushes, but always fades when applied to my face.  I can never discern any scent at all except when I first open the compact.

Tomorrow, is one of the Chanel Fall 2010 blushes, Pink Explosion and I'll try to explain the differences between the baked and non-baked versions.  Do you have any ideas for future weeks?  If so, let me know what you'd like to see!  =)

A Little Blog Sale

If you're interested, I'm clearing out a few things to make room for more blushes.  I'll be adding more things every week, so check back often.  There's a link off to the right---->

Also, I'll soon be putting up a page with some of the blushes I'm looking to buy.  I can help you get rid of some things and you can help me add to my collection!  Yay!

Here's a link for the Sale.

And a bonus picture of Oscar!

Week 5--Seven Days of Chanel Joues Contraste Blush

 For this week, I've chosen to do Seven Days of Chanel Blush.  They will all be from the Joues Contraste line by Chanel because that is by far my favorite of the Chanel Blushes (OK, I don't actually own any of the others, lol).  I don't have all the current JC blushes from Chanel, so I've chosen a mix of oldies, DC'd, and current blushes. Here's a pic of this weeks lineup.

These beauties are:

1. Mocha

2.Pink Explosion

3.Fantasia

4.Petilant

5. Orchid Rose

6. Caprice

7. Tempting Beige

and the swatches:

If you're interested in other Joues Contraste Blushes, some of the others I have talked about recently are Turbulent, Winter Shimmer, Reflex, Evening Red, Narcisse, and Nude.

What's your favorite JC?

Week 4, Day 7. Shimmery Blush--Nars Super Orgasm

I saved the glitterbomb for last.  To be fair, Nars Super Orgasm looks much more sparkly in the pan than it is  in actual use on the face.  Despite it's Over The Top glitter in the pan, the color is quite pretty and most of the glitter can be buffed off to leave just a nice glow on the cheeks.

The color is slightly more pinky/rosy than regular Orgasm, making this a shimmery peachy-pink (instead of pinky-peach, like O).  The texture is better than many blushes, but slightly dry and gritty in comparison to some of my favorite brands.

If you can get past the glitter in this one and do a little work, it really is a beautiful color on the face.  On my shimmer scale, this one comes in at a 9.5, probably the glitteriest blush I own, but it's possible there are ones which are more glittery out there. 

So, this has been a fun week of shimmery blushes.  I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of my more flashy blushes (and highlighters)!  Next week, I'm doing Seven Days of Chanel Blushes.  Yay!

Week 4, Day 6. Shimmery Blush--Chanel Winter Shimmer JC

Chanel Winter Shimmer Joues Contraste has to be the most beautiful blush in the pan of all my blushes.  I'm a huge (HUGE!) sucker for really pale pink and adding shimmer, makes it irresistible to me.  This was a limited edition and I believe that it was a part of the holiday collection in 2006. 

This one is really more of a highlight unless your skin is paper white.  I can use this alone  because I have naturally rosy cheeks and it just adds a nice glow.  It also looks beautiful over any other pink or rosy blush.  The shimmer is very fine, not chunky glitter at all.

It has the signature rose scent of all the Chanel blushes.  Despite it's name, it isn't overly shimmery, only a 7 on the shimmer scale, where 0 is matte, 5 is glowy, and 10 is a glitter explosion.  The powder is silky smooth, not the least bit gritty. 

Winter Shimmer is a lovely ultra-pale pink highlighter--I hope you use it if you have it!  Tomorrow is the conclusion of Shimmery Blush week and we're going out with a bang--Nars Super Orgasm!

Week 4, Day 5. Shimmery Blush--Duwop Mango Blushbooster

Day Five of Shimmery Blush Week and I'm in love with this picture of Duwop's Mango Blushbooster.  This illuminating blush is just beautiful.  It's great for you warmer girls who can pull off these peach, apricots, and mango colors beautifully.  Luckily, even cool girls can pull these blushboosters off because they're pretty sheer, so they don't overwhelm the face. 

The Duwop website describes this color as a "shimmery apricot" which I guess is pretty acurate.  I think Mango is actually a good name for it, since that is what it reminds me of.  Well, a pretty, shimmer, peachy-mango. 

The website goes on to say that Blushboosters are safe to use as eyeshadow and are infused with beneficial ingredients:

• Jojoba oils to prevent moisture loss
• Cooling cucumber extract to reduce puffiness and calms the skin.
• Pomegranate extract and Vitamins A and E for their nourishing antioxidant properties.

I haven't really noticed any difference between these and regular blushes, but it's good to know. lol.

These blushboosters do go on really smoothly and they are silky smooth not gritty like some shimmery blushes and highlighters.  Tomorrow is day 6 and one of my favorites, Chanel Winter Shimmer JC.  It's really more of a highlighter, but it is pure pale pink gorgeousness.  TTYL!

Week 4, Day 4. Shimmery Blush--Lancome Shimmer Pink Pool

Day Four of Shimmery Blush Week--it's already half over. =(  Anyway, This beauty is from Lancome and is part of their Blush Subtil Shimmer range.  It is Shimmer Pink Pool--It's so pretty, I do want to dive right into it.  This is a current offering, available at Lancome.com or a department store near you.

The color is a definite pink, not really HOT pink, but a raspberry sherbet color, very pretty and wearable.  It is a cool pink (but not purple at all) with a fair bit of fine glitter.  But don't let the glitter scare you, this actually goes on quite sheer with just a bit of shimmer showing on the cheeks.

Shimmer Pink Pools does feel slightly gritty in texture as do most shimmer blushes.  I still really like this blush and give it a 7 on the shimmer scale.  It's wearable for almost everyone and one that doesn't get a lot of attention.  If you have a chance to test it, give it a try, you might be surprised.

I'm really enjoying the sparkliness of Seven Days of Shimmery Blushes and I hope you are too! Tomorrow is day five and another Duwop Blushbooster--this time in Mango.  It's something a little different for me. =)

Week 4, Day 3. Shimmery Blush--Nars Orgasm

Nars Orgasm, just saying the name to my mom would make me blush.  Orgasm is meant to duplicate the natural glow that a women gets after, um, er, uh, you know, sex.

 Now that that is out of the way, I want to apologize for the ugliness of my Orgasm.  I know it isn't all pristine and attractive like some of my blushes, but in my opinion all blushes are beautiful, even ones showing an obscene amount of pan.  I received this as an extra in a swap , so I can't take credit for all the pan that's showing. 

So, here it is, eek!  What color is Nars Orgasm exactly.  I've heard it called peachy, pinky, peachy-pink, and pure shimmer with no color payoff at all.  In my opinion (keep in mind my pale, cool-toned skin) it is pinky-peach with a hint of coral and golden shimmer.

Obviously it would look different on each individual's skin. It is a little hard and gritty in texture compared to some of my other blushes (like R&R and Chantecaille), but it does give a nice glow.  It's a generous size, but the rubber packaging isn't my favorite.  As far as the level of shimmer, I would give it about a 8.5 on the shimmer scale, where 0 is matte, 5 is glowy, and 10 is glittertastic.  The shimmer is fine and not clunky, but not as fine as the Dior Shimmer Star from yesterday. 

If you like the color, I hope you can have your own Orgasm soon!  Tomorrow will be a lovely pinky raspberry blush--Lancome Shimmer Pink Pool.  =)

We interrupt the Blush for some.........Vacation Pictures! Yay!

So, I was on vacation last week.  Hubby and I took the dog to the Northern California coast for some relaxation.  It was beautiful, but really, I just want to show off my adorable dog.  Enjoy!

We saw wildlife...

Pretty Scenery....

Oscar liked watching the deer...

sitting on the beach...

laying in the meadow...

playing fetch in the ocean...

ok, he REALLY liked playing fetch in the ocean...

Thanks for looking!  Love, Oscar