Énergies et Puretés de Chanel for Spring 2017

This week has gone by in a flash, and I can’t seem to find the time to sit down and write properly.  I’ve rather been enjoying this season’s makeup collection, which is unusual for me, but I’ve really taken to the bolder makeup choices that Chanel has been offering us.  Hot on the heels of the Coco Codes Collection [see here], is the new Énergies et Puretés de Chanel for Spring 2017!

Every spring, Chanel releases an Asia-exclusive Le Blanc collection which comprises of skincare and makeup.  This year is no exception, in fact, Chanel is making the collection much more easily accessible to fans outside of Asia, and has expanded the traditional Le Blanc collection to include even more color makeup pieces!  So if you were not able to find something to your tastes from the main Coco Codes Collection, you may enjoy this Énergies et Puretés de Chanel more!

This Spring 2017 makeup trend is all about blush draping and there are a couple of gorgeous options to choose from.  I’ve been admiring these Le Tissages de Chanel Blushes for many years now, their tweed-like texture is so life-like, resembling the eponymous fabric that Chanel has come to be known for.  There are not many Le Tissages blushes in the market, and it has been many years since Chanel has released a new shade, so I was really excited to see 2 new shades this season!

Les Tissages de Chanel Blush in No.100 Tweed Coralline is a very lovely neutral coral pink, and it is a limited edition offering.  There is a sort of silver shimmer interspersed in the pan, arranged the way silver threads are woven through Chanel’s tweed fabrics, but this is just an overspray and goes away with the first sweep of the brush.  The resultant texture is a soft matte without any shimmer.

Les Tissages de Chanel Blush in No.110 Cherry Blossom is a bright cool-toned cherry pink which is really beautiful for spring complexion.  This one is quite pigmented, and I suggest approaching it with a lighter hand.  Again, the silver shimmer is an overspray, and even the lighter bespeckled design wears away with use (but much more gradually than the shimmers).  The resultant texture on the skin is again a soft matte.

Here are side-by-side swatches for your reference.  On the far right is a swatch of the exclusive highlighter, which is the star of this collection…

Plisse Lumiere de Chanel Illuminating Powder is an exclusive highlighter that is guaranteed to set your cheeks on fleek, and I have been obsessed with this ever since I got hold of it.  The design is inspired by Japanese Washi paper, which in case you were wondering, is a kind of traditional paper made from the bark fibres of Japanese mulberry trees.  There are a series of soft rolls engraved into the pan to resemble reams of paper, but for some reason my camera played some optical trick on this picture, blurring the horizontal lines on the left side of the pan.  The texture of this Plisse Lumiere de Chanel Illuminating Powder is incredibly soft and fine; and as you can see from the swatch above, it is soft pinky-champagne hue that pairs beautifully with both the Le Tissages blushes from the same collection.

Since Chanel has released a couple of other equally beautifully designed highlighters recently, I have swatched them side-by-side here for your reference.  Lumieres de Kyoto is part of a small exclusive capsule collection that was here for a brief moment and sold out right away.  It is a three-part pan that included a shimmery highlight at the top which I have swatched above for comparison.  I was sorry to find it quite impossible to capture accurately the sparkly nature of Camelia de Chanel, so you just have to take my word for it that in contrast Plisse Lumiere de Chanel is not as shimmery.  Of the 3, Lumieres de Kyoto is the least shimmery and gave a more matted look.  In terms of texture, Camelia de Chanel is the stiffest to the touch, which is necessary to retain the beautiful sculptural design.  Both Plisse Lumiere de Chanel and Lumieres de Kyoto felt sublimely soft.  My favourite is Plisse Lumiere de Chanel because it is easy to pick up with a brush, is instantly visible where applied without being too outrageous, and the effect lasts!!

Now, let’s turn to a couple of options for eye makeup to accompany those gorgeous cheeks…

Chanel Les 4 Ombres No.284 Jardin de Lumieres is a limited edition eyeshadow quad featuring cool-toned metallics.  At first sight, it reminded me a little of Tisse Gabrielle [see here], which also had this kind of steely vibes.  Here are the swatches:

The swatches from left to right are:

• Top left of palette – medium smokey olive with violet, light green, and golden micro-shimmers
• Top right of palette – pale pink with a sprinkling of lavender and silver micro-shimmers
• Bottom right of palette – deep smokey aubergine that pulls slightly warm but is filled with cool-toned violet micro-shimmers that brings out the purple
• Bottom left of palette – medium silvery grey filled with violet and silver micro shimmers

Here is an angled shot that better shows you the shimmers…

When applied on my lids, Jardin de Lumieres somehow pulled greyish, which sometimes happens with certain smokey purples.  And the blackened olive shade threw me for a bit because it appeared lighter in the pan than it really applies.  Regardless, the shades complement each other so beautifully, and those Chanel micro-shimmers are effortlessly elegant and make any eye look you come up with more interesting.

For this look, I applied the smokey aubergine on the inner half of my lid, followed by the medium silvery grey on the outer half.  Next I blended the smokey olive on the outer crease, and worked it into the corner v.  Lastly, I dabbed a little of the pale pink on my inner corner and used it as a brow bone highlight.

Here is the full look of Jardin de Lumieres in context, accompanied by Les Tissages Cherry Blossom blush and Plisse Lumiere de Chanel on the cheeks.

The best things come in pairs, and you should definitely not miss this Chanel Les 4 Ombres No.292 Jardins Eclatants.  This is one for the neutral-lovers, and if Codes Subtils [reviewed here] was too overly dramatic for you, Jardins Eclatants will sort you out nicely.

From left to right, the swatches are:

• Top left of palette – pale pink with a satin finish
• Top right of palette – pale pink-beige with a satin finish
• Bottom right of palette – dark brown with violet and golden micro-shimmers
• Bottom left of palette – medium barley brown with a metallic finish

Here is an alternate angled view of the swatches:

And translating all the shades into a single eye look…

For this eye look, I first applied the pale pink all over my lid as a base.  Next I applied the medium barley brown on the inner half of my lid, followed by the dark brown on the outer half.  Finally, I dabbed some of the pale pink-beige on my inner corner, and also buffed it under my brow bone as a highlight.

A different red dress, and completely different makeup!  Featuring the eye makeup look shown above from Jardin Eclatants, paired with Les Tissages Tweed Coralline on the cheeks topped with Plisse Lumiere de Chanel.  For the lips, I am wearing the new Le Rouge Crayon De Couleur in Rose Violine [reviewing coming soon!].

I hope this exhaustive post has been worth the long wait!  This Énergies et Puretés de Chanel collection is available at Chanel boutiques and counters in Singapore and Japan.  In the US, it is available on chanel.com.  Which pieces have you got your eye on?!

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