Clé de Peau Beauté Fall / Winter 2015 Collection: La Beauté Vénitienne

Cle de Peau Beaute's F/W 2015 Color Makeup Collection is inspired by the waters jewel-toned colors of Venice, and plays with light and shadows to create hazy, yet impactful colors.

There are a total of:

• 3 quads - 311, 312, 313 (SGD$80 for each, $30 for the refillable case)
• 5 Powder Blush Duos - 101 to 105 ($68 each, $40 for refillable case)
• 10 Enriched Lip Luminizers - 227 to 236 ($80 each, $30 for the refillable lipstick holder)
• 2 Bronzing Powder Duos - 1 and 2 ($130)

The showcase item for the collection is probably the Eye Color Quad in 311, which pairs gossamer cool neutrals with a deep, luxurious teal that's a perfect cross between green and blue. Cle de Peau's not usually the brand one turns to for outlandish strong colors, so I was quite surprised when I saw this palette.

But if you're worried about the colors looking garish, don't worry. There is only that one single shade that is a bit stronger, and the rest are like veils of shimmery fabric. The teal you can apply as an accent just along the lash line to add a bit of interest to a neutral look, OR you can do what I did and wear it stronger as a lid shade.

I personally love those blush duos. The colors look soft but you can get quite a good intensity if you pack it on with a good brush, so don't go overboard. I like swirling both the more intense and the more pearlescent shades together because the combined color is just more luminous and pretty, and add a "lift" to the cheeks. You can try to wear them separately, but I personally feel there isn't enough of a visible difference in tone between the 2 shades to warrant the effort.

The Enriched Lip Luminizers are great if you have dry lips or want an ultra luxurious balm-stick for daily use. They come in a mix of creme and shimmers. I'm just not sure I would rush out to purchase more shades because I for one go through these lip butter type lip products extremely fast, so at $80 a pop for just the refill, these can be quite a heavy investment if used frequently.

Also, an interesting thing to note if you didn't know, is that unlike the regular lipsticks, or most of the CPB products where you can get away with just buying the refill if you want the quality and colors, but don't want to shell out for the refillable packaging, these Enriched Lip Luminizers can't be used without the $30 lipstick case. There's a little click mechanism in the case that twists the lipsticks out of the tube. Without the case, you can't twist it. Just thought I should let you know!

In the case of lipsticks though, I would say just go ahead and invest in at least 1 case, if you intend to buy the colors. This is the one item aside from powder that you bring out to touch up, and without the sturdy, elegant, midnight blue case to keep it securely capped in your bag, you might end up making a very expensive mess.

The only products I have not featured in this post are the 2 bronzers, which I want to write about separately.

And now, with the swatching and quick review out of the way, here is the step by step to recreate that eye look!

On the cheeks, I am wearing 103, the petal pink blush.

For the lips, I wanted to keep things soft so the focus is on the dreamy teal eye, but at the same time I didn't want to remove the romanticism of the look by slapping on a nude lipstick, so I layered the deep raisiny shade 235 over a beige lip balm so there would just be a translucent stain of color, like you've bitten your lips.

Clé de Peau Beauté Radiant Powder Foundation

Clé de Peau Beauté has released a gorgeous new powder foundation in their Radiant base makeup range; the Radiant Powder Foundation.

The foundation comes in a refillable plastic case (SGD$45) in the brand's signature navy and gold, with the foundation refill ($130) and special Kumano brush ($35) sold separately. 

Like any powder from Shiseido's ultra-luxe brand, the Radiant Powder Foundation is extremely smooth and finely-milled to the touch. In terms of coverage, it's actually not as heavy and full as other powder foundations I've tried. And in terms of the finish, it's quite true to its name. 

The foundation brush is also pretty great. It's like a synthetic buffer in a flat shape. And it does a great job of sweeping a light coat of powder over the skin without wiping all your base or concealer off. You can buff and sweep, or you can stipple a bit. I only wish the flat top was slanted so there would be a slightly bigger application surface on the skin, and it would be easier to sweep and drag along the skin in a single direction as I don't tend to buff on my powder. (Disturbs the foundation and concealer underneath.)

Unlike other typical powders, Radiant Powder Foundation has special light-reflecting pigments that don't show up as a pearly or shimmery shine on the skin. Lots of brands promise that their powders will "bounce" light back off the skin, but not a lot actually manage to do it without using visible pearl pigments. I have to say up-front that this is one of the powders that actually manages to do it.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that the foundation looks dewy. It just manages to even out the skin and look very luminous without any shine. And what I like most personally is the lack of that very powdery-matte, unnatural look that powder foundations typically give. This just goes on silky and smooth and velvety.

What's the con?

Well aside from the high price, the main issue with the foundation is it's not the most long-lasting powder foundation around. Clé de Peau recommends applying it over a primer like their Sheer Fluid Veil, but considering this is more a light-medium coverage powder foundation which has some hydrating and barrier protection properties, it is not   designed to be a long-wear mattifying product. I prefer to use it more like a setting powder to add a bit more coverage to light bases or for special occasions where you are going to be in a temperature controlled environment for the most part, and want to look extra flawless.

This is my routine when using the product:

Moisturized bare skin

Apply a light BB or CC cream

Apply concealer where needed

Finish by sweeping powder over

If you don't like a heavy coverage (i.e. powder foundation on top of foundation), then you can always apply a lighter base like a BB or tinted moisturizer as a base. This adds maybe 10-20% coverage, and then the powder adds 30-40% more, so you never end up with an overly heavy base. The coverage also lasts a lot longer.

I haven't had any problems with it darkening over time on my skin, or grabbing and caking onto concealer or moisture on the skin. Which is another thing that really impressive for me. Many powders I've tried can cake on and change color over creamy concealers. This does not. It just goes on like a veil and covers evenly.

All in all, I believe this is a better option for people with normal to dry, and maybe slightly combination skin. Or if you have mature skin and typical powders just emphasize fine lines or don't sit nicely on your skin anymore.

If you want a heavy, full coverage, this is not the powder foundation for you.

If you want a super-matte look, this is not the powder foundation for you.
If you have very oily skin and need long-wear and oil-control, this is not the powder foundation for you.

But if you like a little natural glow, or you want the convenience and portability of powder foundation without the powdery and matte finish, (and budget allows for this luxury) this is a great option. I don't usually reapply powder when I'm out because I generally don't like the look sponges and puffs give, so the fact this has a soft plush Kumano brush is great for me.

But if you have a favorite puff and prefer it, then go right ahead. You don't HAVE to use this special brush although it does help to give a more diffused and natural look. If that helps reduce the upfront cost a bit and makes sense for you, skip it. This powder works fine with any other tool.

Clé de Peau Beauté La Beauté Enchanteress Spring/Summer 2015 Makeup Collection

Selections from the Cle de Peau Beaute Spring Summer 2015 "La Beauté Enchanteress" collection

Just a very quic post showing you swatches of some items from the gorgeous Cle de Peau Beaute Spring/Summer 2015 makeup collection. 

The colors are cool, iridescent, soft - and there are 2 new eye palettes (SGD80 for the 6g refills); 309, and 310. And the collection also includes 3 new lip colors (SGD70 for refills); 112, 211, 313. The ones I received for review are swatched here.

The eye palette I really love. Even though I must say I'm not much of  a blue eyeshadow person. Just the way they've paired an icy gossamer blue with a deep smoky navy and then added 2 beautiful neutral shades makes everything infinitely more classy and wearable. Nothing garish or loud about these colors. In fact you can do a rather neutral look by wearing the neutrals on your lids, the pale blue just in your inner tear-duct area, and then the navy as a liner.

Or you can flip it around and use the blues on the lids if you prefer a less subtle look, and just use the neutrals in the socket and on the brow bones. Either way, the texture is typical of classic Japanese-luxury makeup; very silky, translucent and blendable.

Cle de Peau Beaute Eye Color Quad 310: Dusky navy, pale blue, and neutrals

Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Rich Lipsticks 112, and 313

The lipsticks are all part of the same line (Extra Rich), but the textures of the 2 I tried are pretty different when worn.

Swatches: Cle de Peau Extra Rich Lipsticks in 313 and 112

313 is a lovely rich coral in a satin texture, with a medium sheen and moderate opacity. You do need to either prep your lips properly with a liner or primer, or be careful to really build up the color a bit, or it can look slightly patchy up-close.

Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Rich Lipstick 313

112 on the other hand, is a beautiful deep mauve pink with a semi-sheer glossy texture, although it can be built up almost to opacity, like in the image below. It looks dark in the tube but goes on much softer and more wearable.

Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Rich Lipstick 112

I can't tell you which items to focus on. I actually like everyone of these that I've tried.

What I will say though - if you must pick one - is that lipsticks do tend to be quite overpriced in Sg and for most people $70 is a astonishing amount to pay for a lipstick refill, so the quad is a worthier investment since you don't need to bring it out for touchups and $80 for 6g makes it cheaper than MAC. Then again - if you love the lipsticks, I would invest in the mauve. It's more even in texture and a far harder color to dupe with cheaper brands.