Another Chance, two oh-so-desirable cosmetic collections and a CC cream that’s more skincare than makeup — Chanel Beauty has so many exciting things up its tweed jacket sleeve this season.
Smells like teen spirit: Chance eau vive
First and biggest is Chance Eau Vive, the fourth fragrance in Chanel’s popular Chance line. Aimed at a younger market, this orange-tinged juice — the second scent created by Olivier Polge, son of Chanel’s longtime master perfumer Jacques Polge — is zestier, more citrusy and energizing than previous Chances yet still retains Chanel’s signature elegance and femininity. A young woman wearing it would feel just as empowered as her Chanel No. 5-wearing mother, for example.
She would also be enchanted by Gabrielle Chanel’s advice on wearing fragrance: “You should wear a perfume you love, something you can call your own, that when you leave a jacket behind, people know it’s yours.”
We got this quote from Chanel’s brand manager at Rustan’s Francesca Sy, who added that when an interviewer asked Chanel where she usually wore her perfume, the designer answered, “Wherever you want to be kissed.” (Interestingly, Coco would wear fragrance on her back and ankles.)
More skincare than makeup: Chanel CC cream
Chanel was the first luxury cosmetics brand to release a color-corrective balm. This renovation of the old formula bumps up the SPF from 30 to 50, and offers two shades for Asian skin tones: B10 for a fresh, bright effect, and B20 if you want beige and rosy. “It’s more skincare than makeup because it has five benefits in one step: SPF protection, it soothes your skin, has hyaluronic acid to hydrate for 12 hours, it corrects with peach brightening complex, which is anti-aging — after one month of constant use it will lessen wrinkles by 20 percent — and it perfects, reducing the appearance of fine lines, pores (by 34 percent), dark spots, and redness (52 percent),” explains Sy. “So in short, it’s the fountain of youth.”
Lady got the blues: Blue notes collection
Chanel was a singer and dancer who performed at the cabaret, so the inspiration for Chanel’s pre-fall makeup collection was the liberating and improvisational form of music she loved: jazz. Sy likens the collection to an orchestra: “We have our famous quartets, Smoky and Jazz; our soloists, Ombre Essentielle; and our sensational chorus, cream eye shadows with subtle sheen.”
How to get the look
Eye Quartet in Tissé Jazz: Sweep the white shade over brow bone. Apply the midnight blue shade to lids, with turquoise on top for shine.
Ombre Essentielles in Swing and Midnight: An alternative eye look would be to sweep starry-blue Swing from lids to crease and line eyes with Midnight, a matte black with silver sparkles.
Ligne Graphique eyeliner in Dream Blue: This liquid liner in metallic indigo looks gorgeous even on a bare lid.
Le Volume mascara in Ultra-Noir and Jazzy Blue: Lengthen, volumize and intensify lashes with Ultra-Noir, Chanel’s blackest-of-the-black mascara, then apply turquoise Jazzy Blue to the tips for a twinkling effect.
Gloss Volume: This looks like clear gloss but contains pink peppercorn extract for a plumping effect. “It stimulates the microcirculation and is very subtle, not the Kylie Jenner type,” says Mica Agdamag, Rustan’s marketing communications manager.
Nail polish in Fortissimo or Vibrato: These deep navy and denim shades are so on top of the trends.
Timeless elegance: Collection Les Automnales
After the vibrant blues of pre-fall, for fall itself Chanel goes back to timeless elegance with Les Automnales, a collection that revolves around natural earth tones for eyes, cheeks, lips and nails.
How to get the look
Creation Exclusive in Entrelacs: Sy and Agdamag say these limited-edition Creation Exclusives are usually snapped up right away, so watch out for Entrelacs, a five-shadow eye palette embossed with lace patterns inspired by the stained-glass windows of Aubazine, the orphanage in which Gabrielle Chanel lived as a child.
Les 4 Ombres in Tisse d’Automne: Golden khaki, peach beige, copper brown and deep khaki have matte, iridescent, metallic and satin textures to make eyes pop naturally.
Illusion D’Ombre in Rouge-Gorge and Fleur de Pierre: These rust-orange and shimmery slate gray cream eye shadows can be worn alone or used as an eyeshadow base.
Stylo Yeux Waterproof eyeliner: Choose from copper, khaki, bronze and brown for natural definition.
Le Volume mascara in Ecorces: This deep brown completes the natural eye look.
Joues Contraste blush in Alezane: Add a warm, healthy glow with Chanel’s famous blush, which gives cheeks a touch of color with radiance.
Rouge Allure, Rouge Allure Velvet and Rouge Coco Shine: Colors inspired by autumn leaves are offered in Chanel’s bestselling lipstick line, Rouge Allure, as well as Rouge Allure Velvet, which has a more matte finish and Rouge Coco Shine, which heightens lips with semi-sheer color.
Le Vernis nail polish: Even the nail colors take inspiration from nature — chestnut Chataigne, dark green Vert Obscur and brick-red Ecorce Sanguine.
Also launching for fall are reformulations of Chanel’s basecoat and topcoat, now with argan oil and vitamin E, a new nail polish remover and a limited-edition velvet topcoat that gives nails a matte, rock-star look.
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Chanel is available at Rustan’s The Beauty Source.
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