A Spot of Shopping - Chanel Obsessed?

A few posts back, you may remember that I did a big clean out of my makeup drawer.  This of course resulted in a handful of items I added to my shopping list.  Last week, I finally got around to driving down to the nearest large mall (it's a good thing it's over an hour away, there is definitely not a lot of impulse buying to be done) to check out the makeup counter.

I timed the visit with an invitation I'd received to the Chanel Trunk Show, so I hit two birds with one stone.   I'm am not a big Chanel bag collector, but I decided to drop by because I am on the hunt for a rather specific clutch or small bag which they just might be able to fill.  You see, I have a small gap in my purse wardrobe when it comes to clutches --  I've decided I need a small bag in a black or nudish neutral that can work for day-to-evening.  Nothing sparkly, and nothing to rough and tumble, just classic go with everything.  Kind of like my nude shoe hunt, I have been looking for a long time and have something specific and apparently difficult to find in mind.

Anyway, I had a look at their new fall merchandise and not much caught my eye.  I saw a number of loose strings and sloppy stitching-- they may have been samples, but you'd think for the money they'd do a better job.  And didn't they just have yet another price increase?  Oh, well.  They had some brightly colored patents, and things in tweedy or sparkly finishes but nothing just so.  I explained to the sales girl what I was looking for, and she showed me two options which I thought were so-so, but she could get me in other colors or permutations which could be just right.  So she ordered them.  Let the waiting begin!

The top item is actually a large zip around wallet, which I liked in concept because it has room for a car key and a lipgloss and could be multi-function.  However I didn't care for the gold color or the non-matching lining (you can't see it in the pick, but the zipper and interior are greyish, which to me does not work with the gold, it only makes it look cheap).  The sales assistant said it's because it's a sample, and the actually wallet comes in the taupe color of the second wallet below.  So that's what I'm waiting for to arrive, the large wallet/clutch in the taupe color.

The second thing I ordered was the wallet-on-a-chain, like the red purse on the bottom, but in red.  Maybe I will love it more in black, I am still on the fence about it.  I post photos when they both come in!

  
After that, I headed to the makeup counters and had a look around.  After much perusal and debate (thank you for recommendations!), here's what I came home with:

Eyeliner brush (out goes the old brush I had) and nude lipsticky gloss thing.

I had on my list a nude lipgloss but I got sucked in my this hybrid I'd never seen before.  It's called Chanel Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss in 51 Insouciance.  A mouthful indeed.  It's between a lipgloss and a lipstick.  I liked it because it seemed to have some lasting power, was moist but not too sticky, and yet sheer enough to go over a more pigmented lipstick shade should I be so inclined.  Darn the iPhone and my lack of photography skills, this is the best I could do to highlight the actual color on the wand:

Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Shade 51

And now my other lipgloss won't be so lonely in the drawer!

PS I do buy things that are NOT made by Chanel, I swear.  Next shopping trip, I'll have to prove it to you...

Make-up Redux

A couple posts back, I shared with you a few of the decluttering projects which have overcome me as of late.  Today I thought I would take a moment to show you in more detail the outcome of my rather ruthless (well, at least I think so) purging of my cosmetics drawer.

So, I should begin by admitting I adore makeup.  I like buying it, putting it on, re-applying throughout the day... the whole nine yards.  I keep to a pretty light/neutral set of colors, however, and have learned from my mistakes over the years.  My "smokey eye" looks like I've gotten into a bar fight.  Bronzer makes me look like an Oompa Loompa (unfortunately immortalized in my sister-in-law's wedding photos forever).  And that chic slick of red lipstick?  Always on my teeth.  And sometimes my chin.

Anyway, knowing what works for me has helped me keep my collection in check.  I am sure if I was a bit more suited for the experimental or trendy colors, my makeup drawer would be a bureau.  But I digress.

BEFORE the PURGE

 The "before" shot - nothing too horrific I hope, but still, filled with a lot of "almost empties", "somedays" and "mehs."  

The Casualties 

Starting at the back and working clockwise: 
Back row: Caron perfume samples that give me a headache but came in a pretty purple fan shape, almost empty bottle of Revlon Colorstay Foundation, sample packets of Chanel lipsticks in colors I would never wear, Guerlain eyeshadow/liner palette where the liner hardened and I used up my favorite color, Laura Mercier palette that I used on business trips and yet always made me feel less-than-pleased with the results, Chanel almost empty eye shadow palette.  
Third row: Bourjois powder in a shade too pink, Bourjois blush and eyeshadow that were just too hard to take the product up on brushes, Chanel blushes I haven't used in 3-5 years each, almost empty Guerlain Rouge G, dry Laura Mercier liquid eyeliner and almost empty eye shadown.
Second row: Bare Minerals pinkish powder I could never learn to wear without looking like a sparkly fairy, Dior lipstick almost empty, YSL lipstick almost empty and I hated the color, YSL lipstick really empty and I loved the color, Chanel Rouge Coco empty, Dior mini eyeshadow palette.
First row: Old YSL lipgloss, assorted samples of things I have never been inspired to use.

It turns out, the things I decided to toss fell into a handful of categories:

Samples I simply am not using.  
It's either not my color, or my type product, but I was holding onto them anyway "just in case." If unused and recent I will share with a friend, otherwise it was tossed.

Things I love.
Well, that should probably be obvious, but I had a bunch of things I was holding onto to remember the color for repurchase, or kidding myself that I could squeeze a couple more uses out it if.  Case in point, my favorite lipstick:

Yes, I think it's dead now.  (Chanel Rouge Coco 02 Perle.)

Now I have a list of things I would buy again in a heartbeat - typed into my phone so it can come with me to the makeup counter.

Things I wanted to love, but couldn't.
For example, Bourjois blush and eye shadow.  I remember reading that they were made in the same factory as Chanel, and so should have similar quality.  But for some reason, the ones I purchased were like hard little rocks in their pans.  So hard I had to scrape some product off to get it on to a brush.  Not worth it, so in the trash they went.  (I do like their mineral face powder though!)

Sentimental or pretty things.
A bunch of Caron perfume samples in pretty purple fan shapes, whose smell gives me a headache.  An empty tube of a Rouge G lipstick because it has a mirror.  The first nice lipstick I bought in Paris (Galeries Lafayette YSL horrid metallic bronze lipstick I hated to wear but loved to look at).  Gone!

The WINNERS 

 A small but trusty arsenal remains, more than enough for my daily makeup routine as well as special occasions and seasonal makeup needs.

Top Row: Bourjois mineral powder (a bit of extra coverage over foundation when needed), Chanel blush brush, Guerlain powder brush, Revlon Colorstay foundation, Chanel Levres Scintillanes Glossimer 129, Diorshow mascara, Chanel brown liquid eyeliner, Chanel Rouge Coco 02 Perle, Chanel Rouge Coco 33 Boise des Iles.
Center row: Guerlain ecrin 6 color eyeshadow palette Rue des Francs-Bourgeois, YSL eyeshadow palette Sahara, Chanel eyeshadow single in Lotus.
Bottom row: Guerlain Terracotta blush in Blonde, Guerlain Rouge G lipsticks in Gisele 08 and Gaby 07, assorted brushes from Chanel, Laura Mercier and Bare Minerals.*
* I confess, I have no idea what to do with the fan-shaped Bare Minerals brush, I just kept it because it was pretty!  Oops, forgive my weakness...

A close-up of some of the colors...

The AFTER Shot

Now when I open my makeup drawer, I am confronted only with my favorites - how simple!

Yes, it's looking a little sparse, but I am now in the market for a new nude lipgloss, a replacement tube of the Coco 33 Bois de Iles, and perhaps a second fun eyeliner.  Also I am looking to replace my lip and eyeliner brushes, which have seen better days.  Now the fun part really begins-- going shopping!  Any recommendations???