The beautiful and very vibrant LE ROUGE COLLECTION Nº1 by CHANEL is now available in stores. The inspiration for the collection is… you guessed it, the colour red.
“I am obsessed with the colour red, I always have been. There is strength and emotion, warmth and disruption in red. It is a colour that has both a sense of the real and the radical about it. Red is so strong for me and yet it is also intrinsic to the world of CHANEL”, says Lucia Pica Global Creative Designer for Makeup and Colour at CHANEL
Pica says she likes to create makeup that reflects a character, not to create a disguise. “I want to enhance what is there – there is strength in imperfection. There are nuances in someone or something being not too perfect”.
My favourite item from the collection has to be the Les 4 Ombres Multi-Effect Quadra Eyeshadow in Candeur Et Expérience (R920). It contains four matte shades: 3 in various hues of brown, and one in an almost brick-red colour. I’m not a big fan of shimmer or even satin textured eye shadows, so the fact that all these shadows are matte really got me excited. The textures are sublime: silky, soft, finely milled and super easy to apply and blend. Now, I know that a deep red eyeshadow may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it worked so well with my green/green eyes, really enhancing their colour. The brown shades, even though they don’t look that intense in the compact, are quite pigmented and bold when applied. I’ve been very impressed with the lasting power of the shadows that look fantastic for a good 8 hours plus. And that’s without a primer!
I’m also loving the Stylo Yeux Long-Lasting Eyeliner in 929 Agapé (R450) and think it’s a great product for summer. I like wearing hues of gold and bronze on my face in the warmer months, and this works beautifully on the eyes – worn alone or over a light shadow. It’s super soft and literally glides on setting very quickly. Because it’s waterproof, it lasts until you remove it – so use an oil based eye makeup remover.
I created a look above using the Candeur Et Expérience quad and the Stylo Yeux Long-Lasting Eyeliner in 929 Agapé on my eyes. I dusted the lightest brown colour over my lids, then worked the two other brown tones into the crease, ensuring they all blend well into one another. Then, using a flat shadow brush, I gently pressed on the red colour onto my lids. I lined my top and bottom lash line with the Stylo yeux and finished off with two coats of lengthening mascara. I have a little bronzer on my face along with a clear gloss on my lips. I used the new Le Teint Ultra Tenue Ultrawear Flawless Foundation to even my complexion and give it a flawless look.
Rarely do I deviate from my go-to black nail colour – but when I do, it’s always for a bold and racy red. The Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in 528 Rouge Puissant (R450) coats the nails in a true, very sexy tone of red. I like the smooth and creamy finish and found that just one coat is needed. The formula applies beautifully and stays for a good 5 days without chipping – but obviously you need to use a top coat, and try avoid submerging hands in water for too long.
LUCIA PICA
“I really believe in happy accidents and spontaneity in life. It is OK if you don’t perfectly apply your eye make-up or that your lipstick is a bit faded: you are living in it. Glamour can live. You can still think, live your life and wear lipstick.” – LUCIA PICA
Along with the products from the LE ROUGE COLLECTION Nº1, I also received the new Le Teint Ultra Tenue Ultrawear Flawless Foundation (R900) to try. I do enjoy Chanel foundations, and am yet to try one I haven’t fallen head over heels in love with. This one has a wonderful lightweight, silky texture and luminous matte finish. The formula contains technology that diffuses light, ensuring the skin looks radiant while any imperfections seem blurred. The coverage is medium to full, but doesn’t feel in the least bit heavy on the skin. I like adding two drops of my Chanel Le Blanc Illuminating Base (read about it here) as I find this give the foundation a gorgeous glow. I also like that this foundation doesn’t settle into any fine lines or wrinkles. This foundation is also available in a compact powder form and there are 4 shades specially designed for darker skin tones.
The LE ROUGE COLLECTION Nº1 by CHANEL is limited edition and has been available at Chanel counters since 12 August. If you’re keen on anything from the collection, now’s the time to get it as stock is limited.
