"A girl can't read that sort of thing without her lipstick."
Audrey Hepburn's character Holly Golightly sweetly asks Paul to hand over her purse, because a girl like her simply can't bear to read the bad news the note from her Brazilian lover has to bring without putting on some lipstick.
I found that particular scene so endearing. It's like the lipstick is going to hold her hand and stand by her side. Her loyal protector who is always there for her to rely on. During the good and the bad. It is always there for her to lift her spirits and put her in a good news, for even is she'll get bad news, at least she'll look good while she hears it.
Lipstick has always done that for women.
It's no wonder why lipstick is so recession-proof.
It won't break the bank and it will make you feel better, even without a closet full of clothes.
But the past decade or so, it seems my generation of women have lost their touch with this small companion. We have been the lipgloss-generation , a label Peter Philips has given us.
To me, Peter Philips is a genius. If I could interview one person about beauty-related subjects, it would be him. Why? Because he gets women. He understands what they want in terms of looks. He creates make-up women want to wear. He disregards trends and searches for items that will last, that women will want to keep in their purses and reach for in times of doubt, just like Holly Golightly did.
Philips is the global creative director at Chanel since 2008. Since then, he's released, among others, Le Vernis in Jade, which has been a global phenomenon, ranking in the most ridiculous amount of money anyone has ever paid for nailpolish : one hundred dollars.
This Belgian is also responsible for the development of the newest lipstick to hit the make-up counters : Rouge Coco.
Rouge Coco is meant to update the Hydrabase line and to "seduce women back into using lipstick". His main goal was to make lipstick accessible again for this generation of young women, who have never worn lipstick before and haven't dared to take the leap from lipgloss to a proper lipstick. Because even when we didn't wear lipstick, he still got the same questions over and over : how do you wear lipstick, how do you know when it's the right colour for you, etc. So Peter developed this new line, which fronts Vanessa Paradis as the spokeswoman.
Clearly, Vanessa is an obvious choice. For Chanel and for the lipstick itself.
To me, she is the ultimate Parisienne as well as the ultimate Chanel girl / woman.
With her pale skin, small and delicate features and beautiful lips, she makes for an excellent spokesperson.
Peter succeeded in his mission. I have never worn lipstick in my life and at 22 (almost 23), I thought it was a good time to try it out. And I'm so glad I did!
I didn't feel uncomfortable at all! In fact, it really did make me feel womanly and elegant. The fact that the packaging is so nice and luxurious is only a plus.
From what I understand, all the different shades differ in texture, if only a tiny bit.
They are all long lasting and very pigmented, so you only need one swipe.
There are 30 different shades, so there is plenty to choose from. I've seen all the colours and they are all showstoppers, each one is very different from the other and they are all quite wearable as well. The lipstick doesn't feel uncomfortable, even though my lips are generally pretty dry. It also lasts really long, so you don't need to reapply all the time. I put mine to the ultimate test: I kissed my boyfriend, sat through dinner and a movie with friends and even after all that, the Rouge Coco was still visible on my lips and hadn't run or disappeared into a small line.
So on to the shades!
It's not very practical for me to review them all, so I'm only going to include my favorites.
Rouge Coco in number 5 : Mademoiselle
Rouge Coco in number 17 Orchidée
This is the shade I bought. It's quite bright, but not overpowering. It was too much on my friend, Mademoiselle suited her much better. It's a nice in-between shade, perfect for someone who has enough nudes, but isn't ready for a true red.
Rouge Coco in number 19 Gabrielle
Now this is a true red! Jen Brill (right, in the picture above), who is one of the beauty ambassadors of Chanel, is a loyal fan and wears nothing but this shade. I love this one, it's such a vibrant, lively colour. It's almost an accessory by itself! Just keep the rest of your make-up quite bare.
Last but not least ... Rouge Coco in number 29 Ballet Russe
This is such a beautiful, deep shade. It's the most purple one out of all the shades and I wouldn't say this is suitable for daytime, but it's certainly a great choice for a party. Again, it's probably better to keep your face quite bare for this one and let it stand out on its own.
*All swatches belong to www.temptalia.com*
Don't be afraid to mix it up and try a colour you haven't worn before. There are no strict rules when it comes to make-up, you should be able to have some fun with it.
Don't worry about the colour of your complexion, the colour of your hair and eyes, etc.
The main thing you should consider when buying lipstick is that when you put it on, it should make your features stand out, it should make you look fresh and awake.
If it wears you down, it is the wrong colour for you. It's that simple.
I also wanted to include this video. I figured it's nice for you to put a face to a name and when you hear Peter talk with so much passion about his work, you can't help but like him!
Chanel Rouge Coco is available for 26,05 € or 30 $. Yes, I know, it's not cheap, but it'll last you a long time. It's worth it. In the words of the Master himself : "Try it. It will make you feel beautiful.".
What an ingenious idea it was of you to have the models walk as if they were wandering around Saint-Tropez on their private holiday.
You also continued the mood you set in 'Remember now', the lovely short film you directed, starring Elisa Sednaoui, Pascal Gregory, Heidi Mount and Abbey Lee Kershaw among others. It was a great choice to let the true actors of the group have the leading roles and let the models have a smaller part. And yes, we will remember 'now', as you've shown in your film that icons like Bardot and Birkin are irreplaceable, but the present will provide us with new ones. And what a perfect setting for all this. Saint-Tropez. Where legends live and parties are 24/7.
Oh, and I also loved those sweet little cocktail dresses you showed! Hitting all the right curves on Crystal Renn, fitting perfectly on the tiny frame of pretty Hanne Gaby Odiele, you've showed that yes, Chanel dresses ARE for everyone!
And no Karl, I wouldn't mind being caught in one of them. So feel free to send over one or more items from your Cruise Collection. Or, you know what, all of them would be fine as well. I would be happy to provide a decent home for them. Especially the last one below, one that is similar to a blue and white Chanel dress worn by Keira Knightley, another one of your favorites, during her Atonement press tour. It's not hard to know why the model wearing this oh-so-pretty dress is beaming with joy. I know I would too...
