ABOUT
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"This unique mauve-taupe powder acts as a sculpting veil for eyes and face, subtly defining features for a sophisticated, stylishly contoured effect. Part of the limited-edition CONTRASTES ESSENTIELLES Collection."
PACKAGING
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| Outer box packaging |
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| The compact comes with its own black velvet pouch. |
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| Black lacquered compact with mirror. It's very lightweight. |
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| Product description label at the bottom of the compact. |
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| The brush applicator provided and can be stored inside the compact. Its natural bristles are slightly coarse to be able to pick up the baked powder which tends to be a 'harder' formulation (but, is not too coarse to irritate the skin when applying). |
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| The tip of the brush bristles, which is rectangular and flat in shape for application. It's thick enough to enable blending of the product onto the skin. |
COLOUR, PIGMENTATION AND FINISH
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It is, indeed, a mauve-taupe shade as described (or a grey taupe with a lavender hue). :) It has a matte finish that's appropriate for contouring/shading. The predominantly grey tone does help in mimicking natural shadow on the face (compared to a brown-based contouring shade, for example). 'Notorious' is fairly pigmented that can so easily be built up with each stroke of product, so definitely apply with caution and using the right brush tool! You will need to apply less or more depending on the depth of your skin tone or foundation colour that you're using - in general, the shade intensity should be about 3-4 times deeper. If you have fair skin, you can still use 'Notorious', but with the softest of brushes and/or lightest of hand and it can result in an almost imperceptible shadow. If you have very deep skin tone, then this may appear 'ashy' on your skin - therefore, you should test it out at the counter first.
SWATCHES
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All swatches below are against medium / light tan olive skin tone (~NC30-35). Photographed indoors under artificial lighting and using a strobe.
COMPARISON SWATCHES
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To give you an idea of the colour of Chanel's 'Notorious', below are swatches of MAC's Mineralize Eye Shadow in 'Daylight' and NARS single powder eye shadow in 'Lhasa'. As you can see, it is similar to NARS 'Lhasa', except that the latter has a very strong sheen to it compared with the matte finish of 'Notorious'. NARS 'Lhasa' is also a bit lighter and has a little more purple in it. The depth, stronger grey tone and matte finish of Chanel 'Notorious' make it suitable as a contouring powder for eyes and face.
APPLICATION
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Tip: Less is definitely more when it comes to using this product!
For contouring the eyes, I would recommend using a pointed or tapered blending brush. The more pointy it is, the more precise the application.
For contouring the face, I recommend using a small tapered blush/contouring brush such as The Real Techniques Contour Brush that is part of the Core Collection brush set. This is is a synthetic brush that's soft so it won't pick up too much product at once. It's easier to build the intensity slowly rather than having to remove product off your face. If you do happen to put too much on, you can gently swipe just the top layer of the powder product with a tissue and/or use a powder that matches your skin tone to diffuse the colour.
Another alternative is something like the NARS Yachiyo brush which has a pointed tip and does a brilliant job of blending out strong colours. The pointed tip also means it's good for shading the hollows of your cheeks more precisely. I would advise you just apply the powder using the tip of the brush as this avoids putting too much on and placing the product in too large a surface area. If you can find a similar shaped brush that's smaller, that would be even better!
Use a sticky tape or even easier, a business card for more precise product placement - check out Michelle Phan's video on using business cards as a guide! It definitely makes life easier and works a treat every single time. ;)
- Contouring -
Contouring is a great way to alter the way you look and gives more definition to the structure of your face. It can give the illusion of a thinner face (if that's what you're after); a longer, more defined face for those who naturally have a round face; or even make you look younger. Chanel's 'Notorious' can be used to shade the following areas of your face depending on your needs:
The crease or hollows of your eye lids: for mono-lids, this can help to create the illusion of an eye lid; or provide a more deep or larger eye socket.
The sides of the bridge of the nose: to give the illusion of a slimmer and longer nose (if you have naturally wide or flat nose).
The temples: Contouring from the outer corner of your eye upwards and outwards to the hairline in a 45 degree angle. This can make you look younger, but drawing the outer corners of your eyes upwards and outwards, therefore giving the illusion of a face lift! ;-)
The hollows directly underneath your cheek bones: to help emphasise your cheek bones.
The sides of the bridge of the nose: to give the illusion of a slimmer and longer nose (if you have naturally wide or flat nose).
The temples: Contouring from the outer corner of your eye upwards and outwards to the hairline in a 45 degree angle. This can make you look younger, but drawing the outer corners of your eyes upwards and outwards, therefore giving the illusion of a face lift! ;-)
The hollows directly underneath your cheek bones: to help emphasise your cheek bones.
Around the edges of your face: to help slim down the face. E.g., to give the illusion of a smaller forehead if you naturally have a large one, you can shade along the hair line; for a stronger jawline, shade along and underneath the jawline.
For more detail on the principles of contouring and invaluable tips and tricks, I highly recommend reading one of my favourite make-up artists - Rae Morris's books HERE or HERE. I have both books (the latest one of which was signed personally by Rae at this year's IMATS in Sydney) and I absolutely love them! ^_^
- Beware -
Since 'Notorious' has grey and purple tones in it, it can easily make you look like you have bruises on your face, if you apply in the wrong areas of the face and if you apply too much! If you apply to the hollows of your cheeks - make sure you have the greatest intensity starting from nearest your ear and fading as you move towards the corner of your mouth, and that you shade no thicker than the width of your finger! Otherwise, it can make you look like you have a '5-o'clock shadow' (yikes!). ;-)
I cannot stress enough the following:
Less is more.
Apply with a small, tapered brush.
Apply only in the precise, hollowed areas.
Blend, blend, blend out the edges to avoid artificial, sharp edges!!!
For me personally, I have olive medium to tan skin tone (~NC30-35), I have to be cautious when applying under the hollows of the cheeks in particular. If I don't apply precisely then it can look ashy in other areas and look like I have a '5'oclock shadow'. I have to focus in the hollow directly near my ear so then it looks quite natural and subtle. I also like to contour very subtly in the temples, eye crease area and the sides of my nose for definition - making sure apply a very little amount and blending thoroughly. It takes patience and time, but when applied in conjunction with highlighting, the result is worth it and makes an incredible difference - great for a night out or special occasions when I want to do a full makeup look. :-)
INGREDIENTS
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| [Click on the image to enlarge] |
SIZE
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4 g / 0.14 oz of product.
4 g / 0.14 oz of product.
AVAILABILITY
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Limited and exclusive to Chanel boutiques, official Chanel website and Chanel Makeup Studios.
OVERALL RECOMMENDATION
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A unique and intriguing contouring shade. I highly recommend those who love to contour on a regular basis to check Chanel's 'Notorious' out! Otherwise, you may not get your money's worth if you only want to contour your eyes, or just a beginner - I recommend an eye shadow for this rather than using a large amount of product dedicated for contouring both eyes and face! This is definitely for the more experienced at contouring. If you're face naturally shows off its contours, then you don't need this. ;-)
Hope this was helpful.
Thanks for visiting! ^_^ xo
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