Chantecaille

Chantecaille's lip gloss palettes are pure joy for those of us who love mixing colors and playing with brushes and shades until we get that perfect hue. Of course, each of the colors in the set is gorgeous by itself and can be worn alone- I actually own a full size pan of Campari. But it's more fun to dip and blend, right?

Chantecaille lip glosses are soft, smooth and moisturizing without ever being sticky. They might be sheer, but still rich in pigment and their shine (and shimmer, when applicable) is understated and elegant. Les Delices is the darker of the two palettes available (Les Sorbets is focused on pink), but you can lighten up any of the heavier colors by mixing it with the shimmery gold Cristal. You can also build the color and coverage by using the three darkest ones together, and each one of them can also be worn over a lipstick.

The gloss brush that comes in the sleek compact is excellent, and as far as I can tell it's a short-handle version of their full size, $30 brush. It adds quite a bit of value to this palette.

Bottom line: Beautiful and versatile.

Chantecaille Les Delices Lip Gloss Palette ($69) is available from most top department stores, online and at the counter. I bought mine from Neiman Marcus.

All photos are mine.

I'm behind on reviewing Chantecaille Les Dauphins Palette, so I figured I'd better do it now when this limited edition beauty is still available. Chantecaille is known for making little treasures that you're reluctant to use because they are so pretty. It took me months to treat the La Baleine Bleue as a regular part of my makeup inventory, but I was more ready this time. I already knew the metallic color of the dolphins is just an over-spray that goes away the first time you swirl a brush over it. You're still left with a very nice embossed form, so it's not too bad, but I still wish it was more than a gimmick.

The palette comes in a very sleek gunmetal case and a satin pouch. Chantecaille makes sure the products look and feel luxurious without excess and overpackaging and I appreciate that. Inside you will find three eye shadow colors- a very light beige pink highlighter/base and two taupe/gray eye shadows. One is considered as a definer that can be used for lining, but it's not quite dark enough for me, so I use it on the lid and in the crease like any regular eye shadow. The fourth item is a delicate warm pink blush. It's probably the lightest blush I own and the swatch on my arm is barely detectable, but my face is several shades lighter (note to self: must use more sunblock on every exposed body part) and the blush looks very pretty and natural. It warms up the complexion without looking like makeup.

Every color in Les Dauphins Palette is made of two shades you mix together with your brush. In theory you can probably control and adjust how much of each you use, but I find it's not very convenient  and just swipe the brush over both. The texture is very fine, soft and blendable. The pigment isn't intense in any of the colors and neither is the shimmer. The result is a very neutral and sheer daytime look. I pair it with a dark eyeliner, black mascara and dark mauve lipsticks to make sure I don't look washed out. Those of you on the porcelain side of skin tones should not have such an issue- the warm pink would look very lively on you.

Chantecaille Les Dauphins Palette ($77. Five percent of the sale of this compact will be donated to help save the last dolphins in Greece) is available right now from top department stores, at the counters and online. I ordered mine from Neiman Marcus.

All photos by me.

I have several pressed powder compacts on my holy grail short list. All of them are of excellent quality- the finest texture that gives an airbrushed finish. The only issue is portability, because they are so delicate they crumble and break easily. On the other hand, a protective packaging that actually prevents damage can be much too heavy or bulky to fit into an evening clutch or even the inside pocket of a purse.

Chantecaille Voile de Rose is the perfect answer. The light as air powder is pressed into a miniature metallic compact that is sturdy enough to keep it safe but so small it really is ideal for a night out or your carry-on bag. The packaging is as elegant as the product inside and the embossed rose is beautiful. It looks like a lot of thought went into the size- it's tiny, but not too small to use with a good powder brush (there's a small flat sponge that comes in the black pouch, but I prefer to apply it with a fluffy tool like Edward Bess Luxurious Face Brush).

I don't have much experience with other face products from Chantecaille's regular line, so I can't compare them to Volie de Rose. All I can say is that this powder is top notch and gives my face a natural looking finish of a delicate glow with no shimmer. It settles on the face immediately and melds with anything I've used underneath with no caking.

Bottom Line: I hope it would be added to the regular line. It's too good to be a limited edition.

Chantecaille Voile de Rose Pressed Powder ($36) is currently available from chantecaille.com and at top department stores (though most of them are sold out online). I bought mine at Neiman Marcus.

All photos are mine.

Chantecaille Eye Define Palette looks like an eye shadow set. However, if you try using it the way you'd normally approach a Bobbi Brown or a Lancome  palette you will soon realize that these mostly dark colors with their intense pigment don't really work for a traditional highlighter-crease-liner look. Even the shimmery gold is too dark to highlight your brow bone, and using two or three of the palette's colors together is more likely to turn one into a reject goth.

So what's the story here? It's all in the name. This Chantecaille palette is really all about defining and contouring. The colors are dark gold with a very warm undertone, milk chocolate, an intense tealish blue, a very cool toned dark inky purple (no red in there, so it will not make one look bruised) and a dusty charcoal. Each one of them can work as an eyeliner, even the gold. You can use them dry as I did in the first swatch or apply with a damp brush for even more color intensity. Each color works perfectly on its own, and while you can always experiment  with layering and mixing, this is not the best palette for it- it's an opposite approach to Le Metier de Beaute's kits and kaleidoscopes and the final result is decidedly different, but no less fetching.

The textures are near perfect, as you'd expect from a Chantecaille product. The charcoal is the only color that had minor crumbling, but the debris is easy to clean and doesn't affect application or the finished look. The shadows/liners stay firmly in place and maintain the color integrity even when you blend and rub them for a softer look (see third swatch). The palette is sleek and elegant and the included eyeliner brush is of good quality and quite useful.

The one thing missing is either a real highlighter or a light neutral base color to make the look more polished. Some people actually prefer to only wear a strong eyeliner and leave the lids otherwise naked, but my opinion is that it works better on the very young, while the rest of us need a little more than that. Thus, I always have to use an extra eye shadow or two with my chosen color from this palette, making it less than ideal for travel and quick fixes.

Chantecaille Eye Define Palette ($68) is available from top department stores, online and in store. I bought mine from Neiman Marcus.

All photos by me. Finding them on other sites with no credit makes me cranky and also creative in finding ways to hunt and haunt content thieves. Don't say I didn't warn you.

These two Chantecaille items, the Shine Eye Shadow in Jungle and Kohl Pencil in Green, were part of a recent Neiman Marcus GWP event. Both colors are part of he regular Chantecaille line, which makes the gift feel very nice.

The Shine eye shadows pack both shimmer and pigment. Jungle is a fantastic evening khaki-green color that brightens up the eyes, gives a pop of color and blends beautifully with neutrals like ivory or champagne for an elegant look. It can be used in the crease or along the lashes and also create a modern smoky eye. The texture is silky and applies as flawlessly as every Chantecaille eye shadow I've tried so far. The color is intense and requires a light hand and a good brush. Lasting power is excellent- used over a primer nothing can make it crease, flake or budge, and there's no shimmer fallout.









I'm loving kohl pencils and pigments lately. Nothing beats their intensity and dramatic effect. I avoid black, though, because it tends to look too much- my eyes and lashes are dark enough as it is, so I prefer to soften the look with other colors. Green is perfect for most people with brown eyes- it brings out any hazel or gold flecks we might have. This Kohl Pencil from Chantecaille is especially lovely. I find that it's a bit lighter than Chanel Black Jade, so I'm happy to have them both. The texture is soft and creamy, so application is easy with no tugging and pulling and the result is a dark line in a rich shade that can be smudged a little or blended with an eye shadow.

Chantecaille Shine Eye Shadows ($28) and Kohl Pencils ($22) are available from Saks, Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus. As I've mentioned above, I received both as a GWP.

All photos by me with the help of my sweet Thomas.

You will never catch me not wearing an eyeliner. Never ever, not in a million years. It's my absolute must-have makeup item, even more than mascara. I try everything and have quite a collection of liners in every shape and form, but the felt tip pens might be my favorites- they're easy to apply and tote around with no need for an extra brush. The quality of stylo pens varies greatly between brands. I was sorely disappointed with the one Nars launched last season and delightfully surprised with Smashbox.

Chantecaille Le Stylo joins the ranks of the greatest eyeliner pens. The felt tip is excellent- thin enough to draw the most precise line and stay as close to the lashes as possible. You can also tilt it a little for a thicker look. It feels gentle, doesn't pull or tug and dries instantly. The color stays put from the early AM until late at night with no smudging, creasing or flaking, and at least in the case of Brown, the color's integrity is never compromised.

I have enough black eyeliners at the moment so I went for brown. This is a medium shade, a bit sheer and at least on my skin it has an almost khaki quality. It's not dramatic enough for evening, but makes an excellent daytime look that doesn't steal the show from my lashes or any other part I want to enhance. I like it and wear it often because it's so easy and neutral, but I'm pretty sure this brown would look better on a lighter skin tone and be really stunning on blondes.

Bottom line: Next time I'm buying this Chantecaille eyeliner in black.

Chantecaille Le Stylo Liquid Eye Line ($26) is available from top department stores. I bought mine at Bergdorf Goodman.

All photos by me with the assistance of Kosh.

I'm pretty sure Chantecaille Lip Contour Fill is going to end up on my Best Of 2010 list.

It looks like a chubby lip pencil and is labeled as a solution for lipstick feathering caused by wrinkles around the mouth. I bought it because I was looking for a product that can fill the tiny scar on my bottom lip that causes many lipsticks to pool in that space and ruin the look. Using most regular balms can be helpful, but it also affects the lipstick's performance, especially by diluting the pigment.

Chantecaille Lip Contour Fill can be used all over the lip surface as well as for contouring. It's invisible and doesn't leave any goopy residue. The pencil feels very comfortable and gel-like, but it's not wet or goopy and you can apply any lip product right away. I've tested it under a dozen lipsticks so far and the results have been outstanding. It really fills the scar and any other imperfection, making the lip surface very smooth. It actually feels moisturizing without ruining a matte lip color. The pencil significantly improves the look of any lipstick- lips appear smoother and more pillowy. I don't think it improves the actual staying power of any color product, but whatever you apply simply looks better.

Bottom line: A holy grail.

Chantecaille Lip Contour Fill ($28) is available from top department store and the company's website. I bought it at Bergdorf Goodman.

Photos by me, feline assistant: Kosh