Welcome Spring 2019 with Vision d’Asie: L’Art du Detail

The onset of spring should be a time of celebration as sunshine returns and everything is new and fresh again.  It has always perplexed me that spring makeup tends towards pale washed out hues, but Chanel has me all excited now with a whole new vivacious collection that is anything but ordinary.  The new Vision d’Asie: L’Art du Detail Spring 2019 Collection seeks to sculpt the facial contours with pearly luminescence, and contrast that with vivid hues on the eyes and lush matte lips.

“The beauty of imperfection makes sense to me in terms of what I do –

I want something that feels alive.” – Lucia Pica

With this Spring 2019 collection, Chanel introduces a brand new product – the Baume Essentiel.  Designed to be used on the face, lips and eyes, the Baume Essentiel brings light to the high points of the face to provide a soft sculptural effect.  Inspired by her travels to Japan and South Korea, Lucia Pica has created a product that helps to add a dewy freshness to the complexion.

The sleek tube fits snugly in my palm and is easy to carry around.  At the same time, it is a great size for swiping directly on the cheeks, and may be easily picked up using the new Pinceau Illuminateur Retractable brush.  The cream texture glides on easily without causing underlying makeup to budge, yet it does not feel heavy nor slides as the day progresses.  There are 2 shade options – Transparent and Sculpting, the latter has a slight peach tint though the difference is imperceptible on my skin .  The Baume Essentiel creates a dewy glow on the skin without any hint of shimmer, thus creates a natural-looking healthy skin effect.  Mix it with blush for a translucent cheek; apply on eyelids or center of lips for a glossy finish; or sweep it over stray brows to define the arch.

The palette that captured my imagination was the Chanel Les 9 Ombres Edition No.2 Quintessence.  I loved last year’s rendition [reviewed here] and was excited to see a new variation this spring.  The colours are vaguely familiar, with some blues, greens, and red tones thrown in.  Regardless, Edition No.2 Quintessence runs brighter and has a greater range of finishes.

I have swatched the shades according to their respective placement in the palette.  The shades are:

1. Light platinum with a satin base and lots of silver shimmers thrown in

2. Dark chocolate brown with a reddened base and a matte finish

3. Medium brick red with a warm undertone and a satin finish

4. Light champagne with a shimmery finish

5. Light gold with a shimmery finish

6. Medium satiny gold green with a hint of golden micro-shimmers

7. Light taupe with a matte finish.  This shade is very close to my skintone, so it does not show up well on me.

8. Deep petrol blue with a matte finish

9. Dark dusty blue with a matte finish

All the shades were soft to the touch and well pigmented, and particularly noteworthy for the blues as these shades often tend to be dry.  The hues complement each other well, and it is easy and intuitive to create various looks.  From a bare wash of neutral for an easy day at the office, to smokey looks for dinners and events, this is truly the Quintessence of makeup.

To complete any makeup look you whip up, you need god options for the lips.  Lucia Pica loves contrasts in makeup, and to set off the dewy skin, she has chosen to drape the lips in two matte textures.  For those seeking rich, creamy finishes, look no farther than Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet.  Since it is spring, I personally prefer a slightly undone, blended look offered by the Chanel Rouge Allure Liquid Powder.  The makeup look above feature red-brown hues from Les 9 Ombres No. 2 Quintessence palette, dewy skin thanks to Baume Essentiel in transparent, and Rouge Allure Liquid Powder in Bittersweet.  Here are swatches of the shades that I have:

The Rouge Allure Liquid Powder is a relatively new-ish product in the Chanel family, and an improved version of the powder lip concept that the brand first introduced last spring [see here].  The sleek purse-friendly tube dispenses with a simple squeeze, and a sponge tip applies and blends directly on the lip without need for messy fingers nor additional brush.  The Rouge Allure Liquid Powder has a creamy fluid texture but dries down upon application to a soft matte powder finish.  I found it easy to blend out to a stain, and to build up to a bolder more opaque look.  It has good longevity, lasting a good 6 hours on me generally but goes away with eating.  For a matte and especially a powder product, this does not dry out my lips at all!

Below is another makeup look featuring a very light-handed take of the blue tones from Les 9 Ombres No. 2 Quintessence on the eyes, and Rouge Allure Velvet Nuance on my lips.

For the final touch, the Vision d’Asie: L’Art du Detail collection features a pair of Chanel Le Vernis that are diametric opposites.

Chanel Le Vernis Bleached Mauve is a creamy medium-tone beige that has a red undertone and a soft shine finish.  It goes on smoothly and is easily opaque in 2 thin coats.  It has great longevity, only showing the barest of tip wear after Day 4.

Chanel Le Vernis Neon Techno Bloom is a brightened fuchsia that is perfectly balanced in red/blue undertones.  It dries down to a matte finish, and is again easily opaque in 2 thin coats.  This one started chipping on Day 3, which is consistent with my experiences with matte polishes.

In contrast to the previous season, this Vision d’Asie: L’Art du Detail collection for Spring 2019 is much leaner though still offering plenty of options for everyone.  I love every single piece that I have here today, and I highly recommend you check the collection out in person at a counter near you!

_{This post featured some products that were generously provided for my consideration.  Regardless, all opinions expressed here are my own honest, unbiased views.}