Even though I am under pretty strict budget for shopping recently, Chanel always manages to blow my resolution out of the window. Earlier in July, I had bought a liquid foundation from the brand, at full price, just after a makeover. It is Pro Lumiere Professional Finish Makeup SPF 15 and I have not started using it. I will change to it after finishing my current tinted moisturizer from Nuskin. Hopefully I won't need to feel regretted over buying it.
Anyway, Metro was having its 20% sale last week (end of July) and I wanted to stock my Chanel sunscreen, my holy grail product at the moment. But the price has been increased, again, which made me thinking of exploring other options. Really, from $69 in 2009, to $70 in 2010, and now, the price has hiked up to $73. That is very ridiculous for a daily product (even if it is necessary). But I am afraid of wasting more money to try other brands and in the end I have to come back to Chanel. At least right now, as long as there is a 20% discount, I feel less painful to swipe my card.
Aside from the sunscreen, I wanted to buy a couple of brushes, powder and blush. One thing I never try to save money on is brushes. A good brush makes a huge difference in your make-up. And finding a good powder brush is the biggest challenge to me. It's easier to find my favourite blush brushes. Most established brands offer good blush brushes. I'm using YSL and Shu Uemura blush brushes and they have been working well for me so far. However, when it comes to loose powder/face brushes, that is another story altogether. I have tried Rouge Bunny Rouge, Giorgio Armani and Japanese hand-crafted brushes. Even though they are not bad, I still feel unsatisfied when using them everyday. That was why I wanted to buy Chanel brushes. If they are good, I could finally stop looking around. And if they are bad, well, at least I get these products from the brand out of my system. But you know what? When I finally decided to buy these brushes, Chanel had also decided to stop selling them. Something about a new range of brushes being launched in a month or so. Damn! In the end, I had to settle for a Shu Uemura face brush. And planning to buy Kanebo's Lunasol brushes the next time Metro having its 20% sale in September.
Because I didn't buy any brush from Chanel, I felt a need to buy something else. And last week, the Fall 2011 has just arrived to the store. So obviously, I took a look at what was offered. As I don't do eye make-up and the cheek color isn't appealing much to me, I set my eyes on nail polished. Wow, that was what my first thought. At first look, I liked all three colors. They all looked beautifully when I tried on my nail (with tape underneath, of course!). However, Peridot caught my eyes and I knew I had to have it. No thinking was required. I don't have any duo chrome color in my collection and the term "limited collection" also helped to push me to the cashier. So yep, I left the store with my Chanel Peridot Le Vernis and sunscreen that night.
For the other two colors, Quartz is pretty but I don't feel it is special enough for me to fork over 28 bucks for it (that is after 20% discount). Though I was hesitating about Graphite. I really like the color but I didn't know if the Paul & Joe bottle I had bought previously could be duped for it. So I didn't buy Graphite and went home. However, I kept thinking about it. Reading nail polish blogs blogging and raving about it didn't help either. That Paul & Joe bottle doesn't seem to be a dupe either. So yeah, I went back to the store the next day to get my share of Graphite, with 20% discount still in effect. If not, $36 for a bottle of nail polish is too extravagant for me.
Above are two new members of my collection. I haven't done any manicure or pedicure with them yet. But I think it will be pretty soon. Singapore has no season so I usually wear my colors based on my mood. And right now, my mood is duo chrome and graphite.
Note: I have just done a manicure with Peridot and a pedicure with Graphite. I have no photo for you as I am no good at taking picture of my nails and toe nails. But I've gotta say I love both the colors. Peridot looks gorgeous, ever changing itself whenever the light hits. Obviously it isn't an appropriate office color but due to the nature of my job, it doesn't really matter much. I could wear it anytime the muse strikes me. Graphite is very metallic but strangely more office-friendly. Even though it's less interesting than Peridot, it's a beautiful and amazing color to have. BTW, it seems Peridot has been sold out at Takashimaya. I haven't checked at Paragon, Isetan and other places. But if you are a Chanel lover or nail polish lover, better run to those stores and grab a bottle for yourself.
