A Romantic Makeup Collection by Chanel

Les Aquarelles de Chanel

Makeup Collection



Chanel's new makeup collection is an ode to vintage romanticism; doe-eyed beauties fluttering their delicate lashes, with flushed cheeks and rose-tinted lips. During Paris Couture Fashion Week, Chanel awed audiences, not only with their delightful dresses, but also by the ballerina-inspired makeup worn by the models. 



Inspired by a 1920's watercolour painting of Coco Chanel, Les Aquarelles de Chanel reveals a softer, feminine side to makeup. Created by Chanel's makeup genius, Peter Phillips, this beautiful collection features 6 limited edition pieces. 

The Look

Eyelids shimmer with an iridescent tinge of ivory, gold and grey. Cheeks are abloom with misty pink blush, blended to create a natural rosy flush. Lips are tinted in pastel pink. I love the addition and precision of the black winged eyeliner, which perfectly balances out the soft opalescent shades. The final look is dreamy and striking at the same time. If I were to have a signature makeup look, this would be it.

Top Row

Le Vernis. A sugary pink nail varnish that duly corresponds with this feminine look. The formula is strengthening and nourishing, giving you colour that is resistant to chipping.

Ombrés Tissées. The star of the collection is this scintillating eye shadow palette in a woven tweed design. With luminous shades of pink and beige that beautifully reflect off the light, it bestows a youthful glow upon eyes and cheeks.

Stylo Yeux Waterproof. Add drama to eyes with a soft-textured, silicone-enhanced and smudgeproof pencil that is easy to manoeuvre, creating smooth lines. It comes with a built-in sharpener.

Bottom Row

Jouse Contraste. A silky powered blush for natural looking cheeks, providing seamless colour that can built up to achieve the rosy hue thats right for you. There are two shades available, Rose Pétale and Pink Cloud.

Rouge Coco Shine. The Hydrating Sheer Lipshine glides on easily, and has a lightweight, moisturizing formula. Royallieu is a cherub pink lip-tint with a hint of shimmer.

Ombrés Essentielle Gris Exquis. A dove grey eye shadow that defines eyes and adds an air of mystery to your romantic look.

If I had these few products in my makeup box, I wouldn't really need much else. You can create a versatile day-to-night look that is timeless, understated and enhances your natural beauty. The products range from about R203 to R503 ($28.50 to $75), and can be purchased from the Chanel website.

Flushed Pink

Pretty Pink Blushes

One of my makeup must-haves is a rosy pink blush. Even if you don't put anything else on, a sweet pink blush will give you a healthy, peaches-and-cream glow. These are my picks of the best pink blushes that are currently in stores.

Top Row

Rimmel London blush in Spring Fever. A trio of berry pinks that can be used alone or combined to create a multi-tonal look. A great budget buy.

Clarins Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour in Rose Wood. Two complementary shades in an elegant gold compact. There's a matte shade for sculpting and an shimmering powder that highlights.

Bobby Brown Shimmer Brick in Rose. Five iridescent rows of colour from frosty pink to deep sandalwood. It's better suited for a night out, due to the glimmering effect it creates. It can also be used as eye-shadow.

Middle Row

L'oréal Paris True Match Blush in Rosewood. This warm tinged, jigsaw-print blush is designed to naturally blend into your skin tone. It makes a good handbag companion, as it comes with it's own brush and mirror.

Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover in Plum Poppy. The beautiful floral design is not the only alluring factor about this blush. It is a long-wearing powder that's subtle and multi-tonal. It can be applied all over the face to create a radiant glow or just on your cheeks for a rosy hue.

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Blush in Rose. Pack away your make-up brush, this innovative little pink pot comes with it's own built-in sponge applicator. Lightly dab on for naturally flushed cheeks.

Bottom Row

Dior Shimmer Star Pressed Powder in Rose Diamond. Several stars of gleaming colour make up this stylish compact. It is enriched with Jeweled Microdust that give cheeks the ultimate sweep of luminosity.

Givenchy Le Prisme Blush in Blooming Fuchsia. Swirl your brush around four blocks of colour to get a sheer, multi-dimensional look. The blush is made using Givenchy's cutting edge particle atomization technique.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Rose Écrin. This spiced pink blush is from Chanel's Fall 2011 Collection. It has a shimmery, rather than frosty finish and the colour can be built up towards an intensity that you prefer.

Get tickled pink with one of these pretty pink blushes, available at selected Edgars and Red Square stores.

Quite Cute by MAC

'Quite Cute' 

Spring 2011 Collection

by MAC Cosmetics



MAC's colourful makeup inspiration for Spring 2011 is called 'Quite Cute'. 

If the promo picture (bottom right) is anything to go by, we can can expect a supremely girly range. It's like getting lost in a pastel coloured candy shop. This supersweet collection includes shimmery eye shadows, three new nail lacquers, candy gloss colours, five bubblicious lipsticks and three blush compacts.

The Mineralize Blush comes in sweet shades of pink, lavender and beige. The design is adorable with two colours of pearly blush, the darker shade placed in a tiny heart in the middle. Get rosy cheeks with Giggly, which is a frosty shade of pink (top right). The beige blush shade, Miss Behave, is a bit baffling, as it comes with a green heart highlighter. What is one supposed to do with it? 



The PlushGlass lipgloss is available in a pale pink, nude, soft lilac and peachy pink (top left). Nail Lacquers are 'cutie-fied' in Little Girl Type lavender, Ice Cream Cake pink and Mischievous minty green (pictured above right).



The sugary shaded Eyeshadow Quad has a satiny pink Goody Goody Gumdrop, a shimmery Boycrazy lilac, Moshi Moshi frosted white gold and Azuki Bean violet. 



The lipstick colours are bright, unusual and not for the reserved. They range from a peachy pink Playing Koi, Saint Germain pastel pink, bright lilac and deep violet to a neon pink Candy Yum-Yum (bottom middle).



MAC's new collection has undoubtedly carried the 'Quite Cute' theme to it's full colour potential. It looks pretty but are all the shades wearable? Maybe if you're throwing a Princess party for 5-year-olds.



MAC's Quite Cute range will be available worldwide from 7th April 2011 .