Saturday, June 23, 2012

Chanel Rose Initiale Joues Contraste Powder Blush from Les Essentials de Chanel Collection for Fall 2012

Chanel's new Fall 2012 makeup collection, Les Essentials de Chanel, has some "lookers" in it. I was captured by several pieces, and I've got all of them to show you - after an order mishap by Bergdorf Goodman that made me very unhappy. I purchased my items from Neiman Marcus - after I should have received them from Bergdorfs, which appears to have received them very early.

Anyhow, now that I'm over that mix-up meltdown, I want to start showing you the pretty colors. Yes, it's autumn in June. It seems early, particularly for a collection that was scheduled to arrive at stores in the United States in August (September internationally).

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in Rose Initiale (#72, $43) is a gorgeous rose pink shade. Anyone who likes pink-toned blushes is going to love the luscious color. Joues Contraste Powder Blush, aka Joues Contraste Fards à Joues Poudre in French, is, in my opinion, a must-have from Les Essentials.

I used a sponge-tipped applicator to apply the stripe at the top of my arm, and I used a dense blush brush to apply the larger swatch. Both were applied heavily for the photos - more heavily than anyone would "in real life." My photos were taken in full sun.

The photos were taken with different backdrops, making my camera pick up more color in one photo than the other. The true color is somewhere in between, but the lighter photo is more representative of the color on the cheeks. Want more color? Just layer the blush on your cheeks. It's very forgiving.

I purchased a lot, but not the quad. Although I had ordered it sight unseen, when I saw it in person, I skipped it. I'll get more photos tomorrow and start to show you the rest of the collection. I purchased mine at Neiman Marcus. Today, Chanel.com doesn't appear to have the collection available online, but the Bombay Collection is available there.

Photos by Best Things in Beauty

36 comments:

Nemo said...

Cg, why didn't you get the eye quad? I have not read good reviews about it.

Brooke @ BlushingNoir said...

I can't wait to see the rest! I am on the fence about the quad... it looks SO similar to ones they have put out already.
Who am I kidding... I'll see it in person and it'll be all over lol

Rosemary said...

Ah, Chanel, my love! I am so excited for your reviews of the upcoming collections, CG. Do you think you'll have anything from the Blue Illusion collection?

This blush looks very pretty, but I'm not sure I need it. I am pondering the Brume D'Or from the Bombay Collection but, after a quick search, could not find swatches.

Also, CG, are you sure the price of the blush is $62? I though Chanel blushes were $43. Hope you weren't overcharged.

I should have posted on the Friday Forum, but a new member of my family is taking up all my time. Yes, I have a 9 week old Siamese baby boy! He's asleep on my tummy, and I'm typing over him. Haha.

Hope all is going well with your Mom, CG, and that life is at least a bit less stressful for you.

Rosemary

Rosemary said...

P.S. Any tips on integrating a kitten with an adult cat would be appreciated. Of course as a Siamese, the kitten thinks he's head of the house.

Nemo said...

Rosemary, I envy you your kitten! There are wonderful short videos on AOL about adult kitties meeting kittens for the first time. Maybe they will give you some clues!

Rosemary said...

Thank you, Nemo! I hadn't even thought of You Tube.

Rosemary

Charlestongirl said...

Rosemary, thanks. I looked at the wrong line on my sales receipt. It was $43.

I don't plan to buy anything from the Blue Illusion Collection. I did order Brume d'Or.

Aww...what did you name your new baby?

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Nemo,

I did not buy the eye quad. I thought it was relatively boring.

Charlestongirl said...

Brooke,

Make sure you look at the quad before you buy it!

Rosemary said...

Hi CG,

Since he's a Siamese, he had to have a regal name, so I named him after a Siamese King: Somdet Phra Naria. I'm calling him Naria.

Hope you'll do a swatch of Brume D'Or. It may be too peach for me.

Rosemary

lov2read68 said...

That blush is gorgeous! I am like a moth to a flame for a rose pink blush!

Eileen said...

Hi Nemo; Hi Brooke,

If you haven't already, take a look at Sabrina's review and swatches (The Beauty Look Book). You'll see that Premier Regard is pretty ho-hum and doesn't bring anything new to the vanity table. Sabrina also had trouble getting it to work without appearing chalky. When I had the opportunity to swatch it, I was very disappointed in how it looked on my skin. Even the black lacked depth and fell kind of flat. The bottom line is I already have similar colors that have better pigmentation, apply smoother, and have a better finish. I bet you ladies do, too. As much as I love Chanel's autumn look, this quad really isn't essential.

Charlestongirl said...

I love Naria. Great name for a regal cat!

I will definitely swatch it when it arrives. :)

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Lov2read!

Me too, and I love this one!

LoveSugarBabyDoll said...

spent time on the phone with my SA at Nordies- she says they have what sounds like the Fleur de Lotus collection from Asia arriving for the anniversary sale. I have been in a tizzy waiting to get my hands on Riviere IdO. I am probably going to end up with the Fleur de Lotus blush. She says they won't have this collection for quite some time? :( I'll have to make do with the Anniversary Sale offerings. Tho' I will probably skip the quad, I can't wait to see the rest of the collection. my SA was tempting me with tidbits about new brushes, new lipstick/liner launch, etc... contented sigh :)

Memoiselle said...

This is a must have for me. The pink color looks unbelievably pretty and the pink looks stunning :) Do you know whether this is a Limited Edition?

yesplease1816 said...

This blush is so lovely! I am thinking of going for this one...and, of course, the Lumiere D’Artifices Beiges Illuminating Powder. LOVE the sequined embossing! I cannot wait for your review and swatches of that one (because I KNOW you got it :D). The Rouge Allure Extrait De Gloss Pure Shine Intense Colour Long Wear Lip Gloss in Caprice also looks like a very easy to wear yet gorgeous, warm pink--perfect for summer, spring, fall...whenever!

Eileen said...

Hi LoveSugarBabyDoll,

It's definitely the Fleur de Lotus collection that Nordstrom is getting for their anniversary sale. My local counter is expecting all the testers next week and can take pre-orders for pick up during the preview shopping days for cardholders beginning July 11. So, you shouldn't have to wait long for these beauties. The collection should be at your local Nordstrom's in time for the sale. You might want to speak to the actual counter manager to find out when they are getting their testers.

I fell in love with the JC in Fleur de Lotus when a friend brought it back from Japan. It's such a gorgeous peach-pink! It's already part of my pre-order for the 11th. I can hardly wait for the testers to arrive. I'm sure I'll be adding more items :-)

Snjohnson10 said...

Hello Charleston Girl, Ladies.....
I just picked up the Fleur de Lotus blush, Quad (baked formula but incredibly pigmented and lovely), Aqualumiere Gloss in Roselin... Gorgeous!!
Looks like my Nordstrom had them out prematurely :)

The Fall blush you show here will be a must have as well. Can't wait to see what else you got!!

Stacy

LoveSugarBabyDoll said...

oh Eileen- I knew it was Fleur de Lotus! the Goddess Coco answered my prayers and brought the Asian collection to the Anniversary Sale. (tee hee)- my SA is not quite on top of some of these things- but she told me they had a training and she got a light blue IdO and I gasped;) (every time she says "illusion day ahm bra"- I cringe, but I do love her.) Some of the testers are at my Nordies- she offered to sneak them out of the back for me to see- but I don't know if I can handle not taking anything home. I am a total failure at fostering animals, I just can't let them go once they arrive, and am afraid of what behaviors I would possibly resort to in the event I had to have something. I can't explain it- but the Fleur de Lotus JC and Riviere IdO have me acting like an addict- well- all right - I am an addict, but at times the behavior is worse.

LoveSugarBabyDoll said...

Charleston Girl
I can't wait to see the rest of this collection. I think I need the silver eyeliner and perhaps.....i might lose sleep tonite :)

Charlestongirl said...

Hi LSBD,

Last year I had a snit over Nordstrom's insistence that I had to use their card to pre-order. So, I won't be shopping early. I'll just see what's left after the sale actually starts and everything is picked over.

I think it's a bad way to run a business since they reward customers who might spend a couple hundred dollars per year and punish those two spend thousands. It's also a company policy, apparently, to encourage people take on more credit card debt. Furthermore, it demonstrates that Nordies cares more about being a bank than a retailer.

Charlestongirl said...

And...as a result, I spent far less this year at Nordies than any other year. End of rant.

Charlestongirl said...

Memoiselle, I don't know. I don't have any Chanel promo materials on the collection. Sorry!

Charlestongirl said...

Hi Yesplease, the Beiges will go up here today. Love!

Charlestongirl said...

Stacy, now you have me curious to see if I can weasel one out of our store...LOL.

Anonymous said...

What NM did you purchase the collection?? And will they ship to me if I place an order with them? Thank you!!

Natalie

Charlestongirl said...

Natalie,

Call Loula Ayoub at (703) 761-1600, extension 3230 and tell her I sent you. She will take good care of you. They open at noon EST.

Leticia - Cosmetics Aficionado said...

Oh this is so pretty! What a pretty pink glow it gives.

Charlestongirl said...

It's a gorgeous shade, Leticia! You need it. :)

Eileen said...

Hi Memoiselle,

Chanel doesn't list the JC as a limited edition so I assume it's joining the permanent lineup.

Anonymous said...

Thanks doll! I bought from Loula and she was great!!! I put in a good word! xoxo
Natalie

Jane said...

I thought this collection very pretty, but also something I felt very comfortable passing on. All I have to do is hope that Bleu Illusion comes to a door in NoVa and I'll be all set!

Charlestongirl said...

LOL, Jane! I'll check on the arrival date for you.

Jane said...

Thank you! Since I'm usually shopping with my little boy in tow, I'm never able to listen very well when the SAs tell me stuff.

Resham said...

Awesome color!!!