Chanel Deauville Rouge Coco Shine 67

Another week, another Chanel Rouge Coco Shine to love.

This one is #67, Deaville, which is a decidedly brown-based pink. It's not as summery as some other colors in the range like Fetiche or Monte Carlo, but very wearable all year around. Deauville is a very neutral color and lets just enough of my natural lip color through, like all the other Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks I have, so the result is a twist on the "my lips but better idea", only with a shine and elegant color.

It's a good question why Chanel's marketing focused on the most fleeting aspect of these lipsticks, the glossy finish that fades within an hour. After all, their main strength is leaving a long-lasting but subtle stain that doesn't need any touch ups for the better part of the day other than topping it with a gloss. I love Deauville paired with YSL Glden Gloss in Praline, Burberry Sepia or Hourglass Eden. The low-key color is great as it is, and especially on days I go all out on the eye front (aka green eye shadow days). I'm having a hard time thinking about a complexion that would clash with this color, but I'm sure it's out there. The rest of us can consider it a favorite.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine lipsticks ($32) are available at the counters and on Chanel.com.

All photos are mine.

NARS India Song Eye Shadow Duo

With all the hype about NARS summer collection(s) it's sometimes easy to forget the hardworking constants in the permanent line. The eye shadow duo in India Song is a good example. Yes, I admit it's not exactly the most exciting or innovative color combination-  a matte vanilla and a satin low-shimmer rich brown. It's a classic, something that everyone needs for minimalistic days and the quality and finish are exactly the reason NARS eye shadows have earned a cult of collectors who rely on them to deliver every time.

The matte ivory color is an excellent base. Unlike many similar shades (Bobbi Brown Navajo, Bone, Banana and several others) it actually has a color and a texture that makes it more than just a base. This eye shadow subtly lightens the lid and opens up the eye without looking too made up. I find that NARS matte formula often requires a good primer both for longevity and for even application, and India Song's lighter half is no different. It's also a bit crumbly, but a good brush is enough to keep things under control and I have no real issue applying and making the color look pretty. The walnut brown with its shimmery texture is superb. The color can be packed and intensified or applied lightly. It's easy to blend and has a surprising depth and dimension for such a simple shade.

Bottom Line: Have I said a classic already?

NARS India Song Eye Shadow Duo ($33) is available from narscosmetics.com.

All photos are mine.

Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card For Eyes

I picked Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card For Eyes as an afterthought two or three months ago, because the colors and size looked right. I'm usually having a hard time finding good color matches in Trish McEvoy's line, but here we have a bunch of classic neutrals that are easy to combine and look flattering and effortless, which is exactly what one needs on the go and for makeup emergencies. Like the previous Beauty Emergency Card, this eye palette is, indeed pocket-size and very thin. Still, there's enough product there for months of use, and even more if you save it for travel.

The 8 pan palette includes: (sorry for the inconsistent numbering)
1. Eye Definer Deep Aubergine (it pulls more brown on my skin)
2. Brow Definer Natural (I wish it were just a hair darker, but I can still use it on my brows)
3. Glaze Eye Shadow Rose Quartz (a shimmery rosy skin color. I use it as a highlighter)
4.  Eye Shadow Peach Shell (matte and completely invisible on my skin and lid. Might as well be a translucent powder.
5. Glaze Eye Shadow Gilded Bronze (a light sandy bronze with shimmer, very wearable and not too warm)
6. Glaze Eye Shadow Gilded Taupe (do I need it in full size?)
7. Glaze Eye Shadow Sugar Plum ( a shimmery plum. A bit too purple for my taste when on its own but blends well with the other colors and I actually use it quite a bit)
8. Glaze Eye Shadow White Peach (a beautiful highlighter, somewhere between ivory and sand)

The texture of these eye shadows is really nice, the shimmer is polite and well-behaved and the combination one can create are many. For me, the matte peach color is utterly useless; if I were a craftier person I'd replace its pan with a same size navy shadow/liner or even an eye primer. Those of you with lighter skin tone might actually like this color, so don't take my word for this one.

Bottom Line: Very good.

Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card For Eyes ($38) is available at the counters and on trishmcevoy.com.

All photos are mine. If by any chance you're reading this post or seeing the photos on any site other than thenonblonde.blogspot.com or thenonblonde.com it means someone has been lifting my content. Please tell them they suck.

Three Looks From Cannes Film Festival

Gwen Stefani went where she's rarely gone before with a shocking pink lipstick. I like it, as well as the rest of her fearless makeup look. But is it just me who wishes she'd go a couple of shades darker with her hair? I think she'd look much more sophisticated with a little less bleach.

Beautiful actress Fan Bing Bing experimented with this Southern Belle look. The dress is Scarlett O'Hara but the hair is Melanie Hamilton. The orange lipstick looks fabulous on her (and such flawless skin!).

One lipstick I'm not loving is the one Zoe Saldana chose for the same Tree Of Life premier. It's not just a fluke of a photo as I've searched for other ones. I think it's the lipstick's finish- it's too dry and unflattering. The same color might have looked considerable better in a creamier texture.

Photos of Gwen Stefani, Fan Bing Bing and Zoe Saldana at the Cannes Festival Tree Of Life premier and after-party from Getty Images.

Shiseido Desert Rose 02 Medium Oil-Free Bronzer

I think I'm all set for a bronzed summer look in every finish and intensity, from shimmery summer night looks to a delicate "just took a walk in the garden to smell the roses" day. Of course, all this feels a bit weird considering we're in the middle of a week-long rain and thunderstorm weather and I'm fully snuggled in a gray sweater, but wearing a pretty bronzer brightens things up considerably.

Shiseido Oil-Free bronzer in Medium 02/ Desert Rose belongs to natural, just a little sun-kissed school of bronzing. It has no shimmer and doesn't try to make you even a tiny bit orange, just a little flushed and tan. The texture is as fine as it gets, smooth and soft, on the same level with the other top quality bronzers I swatched above. Shiseido Desert Rose (medium 02) is close to Edward Bess Daydream, though Shiseido is rosier while Edward Bess is decidedly more brown, thus on my skin it looks like a real full tan, "just got back from the coast" kind of color.

I also compared to other favorites, Guerlain Terracotta in Brunette, which is more of a shimmery glow (I also have the Blonde version which is among my favorite winter complexion fixers) and Burberry, the most intense bronzer I own. I didn't bother comparing to the limited edition Chanel and Estee Lauder Sea Star because the Lauder is quite shimmery and the Chanel can be applied in different ways by mixing the various shades. All the swatches here are relatively heavy and were done with my fingers for the sake of taking a reasonably decent photo. When actually applying Shiseido Desert Rose 02 to my face I prefer a dense bronzer brush- this color can use a confident hand as it's delicate enough and doesn't need to be carefully diffused.

Bottom Line: bring on the sun.

Shiseido Desert Rose 02 Medium Oil-Free Bronzer ($35) is available from Sephora (online only) and most department stores.

All photos are mine.

Hourglass Script Precision Liquid Liner

When Hourglass said that their Hourglass Script Precision Liquid Liner is "a micro-fine, easy-glide felt tip liquid liner for the ultimate in precision lining" they meant every word. I've been a devoted user of felt tip eyeliners since the 80s (I also love cream and gels liners, but at any given point I also have a couple of pens in my collection). These products were the first ones I managed to use and actually be able to leave the house wearing them- it took me years before I figured out traditional liquid liners. So I've been through the vast majority of pen liners on the market, past and present, and didn't expect to be surprised by the new Hourglass pen.  I was wrong.

Hourglass Script Precision Liquid Liner has the finest, easiest to control tip I've come across. I can draw the thinnest, most natural line that almost melds with my lashes or create a dramatic 60s inspired cat eye and everything in between. I'm not a morning person and not exactly at the top of my game when I need to wake up early (any time before 8 am is considered before dawn here). But I've discovered that I can use the Hourglass liner even when I'm half asleep and extra grumpy. The result in the mirror is enough to improve my morning disposition on the spot. The color, Jett, is a very glossy and true black, on par with the other very black liners I have (Smashbox and Lancome Artliner). The ease of use and the way the pen glides is similar to my other big love from Le Metier de Beaute (you can see Amy's excellent comparison on Cafe Makeup).

I tried to show just how cooperative and versatile Hourglass Script Precision Liquid Liner can be in my ridiculous swatch. Karen has done a better job by actually scripting on her hand. My handwriting is pretty atrocious these days as other than checks and the occasional birthday card I never actually write anything. Apparently my drawing skills aren't that god, either, but it's all about intentions.

Bottom Line: a must have for liquid liner enthusiasts.

Hourglass Script Precision Liquid Liner ($32) is available from Barneys and Sephora. The product was sent for my consideration by the company.

All photos are mine.