Spring in Your Step - Chanel in Your Cosmetic Bag!

Spring is in the air and one of the most effective and simplest approaches to enhancing your look is by giving your cosmetic bag its own facelift. As Coco Chanel once said, “Nature gives you the face you have at twenty; it is up to you to merit the face you have at fifty.” Gus Mayer is here to take care of all your Spring makeup needs by providing you with the new Spring 2013 Chanel Makeup collection.

PRINTEMPS PRÉCIEUX DE CHANEL, the most recent line, includes precious pinks, rich plums and a range of corals. These colors are used to enhance or awaken the vibrancy of Spring for lip and nail, with a fresh makeup palette inspired by Gabrielle Chanel’s codes of simplicity and sophistication. “The best color in the whole world is the one that looks good on you,” said Coco Chanel. We feel certain this makeup collection, from the sheer and shimmery lip liners to the neutral eye shadows, will look great on you and bring out the spring in your step!

Gus Mayer has the latest and most desired Spring colors for all your makeup needs, with coral as one of the freshest themes for lips, nails and cheeks. Jennifer Lopez appeared in New York City this month with coral blush, metallic-coral eye shadow and pale coral lips to achieve a warm, glowing effect. The new March issue of Glamour proclaims this look will be a big trend in the coming months. Although chic, makeup artists assure clients that anyone and everyone can look good in coral. It gives you that healthy, fresh, sun-kissed look that proclaims summer is just around the corner.

For lips, the key to wearing coral is to find the perfect accompanying lip pencil. For example, choose from Rubellite and Palissandre lip liners to match perfectly with the creamy matte lipsticks, such as L’eclatante and La Favorite. Whether you need a splash of color or prefer nude, understated lips, Gus Mayer has you covered. Spring nail polish colors include a range of nude corals to deep reds named Fracas, Emprise and Accessoire. One of the benefits of the “color of the season” is its variety: hues include pale peach to blazing bright orange. Chanel’s newest Illuminating Powder, Poudre Signee de Chanel, has a coral tint to match your nails and lips. Stop by Gus Mayer’s Chanel counter to try highlighting pencils offered in Beryl and Or Rose, as well as the neutral Spring eye shadows, such as 39 Raffinement to give you a reverse smoky look. If you are not convinced of coral’s wonder-working powers, let Gus Mayer’s makeup consultants show you otherwise.

As you are contemplating how to freshen up your makeup bag for Spring with the latest Chanel offerings, take a moment to appreciate the mastermind behind the brand.

Gabrielle “Coco” Bonheur Chanel, born in Saumur, France, (August 19, 1883 – January 10, 1971) was a French fashion designer and founder of Chanel. She was the only fashion designer to appear on Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people of the 20^th century. Most famous for Chanel No. 5, her trademark suits and little black dresses, Chanel was raised in an orphanage from the age of 12 where she learned to sew. Determined to rise above her humble beginnings, she worked to master the art of sewing. She had a short career as a singer where she was nicknamed “Coco” before she opened her own millinery shop and launched her fashion career. She quickly expanded her expertise from hats to clothing, accessories, jewelry and fragrance.

Her revolutionary designs pioneered a new way for women to dress that provided comfort and a sportier style. She is known to have jettisoned corsets and other confining garments popular before World War I and replaced them with sportier wear. Her pants suits, skirt suits and little black dress transformed the fashions of the day and have withstood the test of time as every woman knows she must have a black dress in her closet at all times.  Chanel is not only remembered for her clothing lines and perfumes, but also for her personal, iconic style and sophisticated outfits, often paired with strands of pearls.

How well do you know Chanel? Quiz yourself and see how you do!

Did you know?

• Coco Chanel became a licensed hat-maker and owned her first shop in 1910.
• She introduced her first perfume, Chanel No. 5 in 1922, and it was one of the first perfumes ever to mix natural and artificial essences.
• The reason it was named No. 5 is because a fortune-teller told her that her lucky number was five. It was released on May 5 (5/5/1922).
• A bottle of Chanel No. 5 is sold every 30 seconds around the world.
• Chanel invented the “Little Black Dress” in 1926, which French Vogue dubbed “Chanel’s Ford,” for its practicality and marketability.
• The distinctive Chanel logo on the top of each Rouge Coco lipstick is easy to spot, but there’s also a hidden engraved double C logo inside each cap.
• The shade Vanessa Paradis wears in the Coco Rouge campaign is Mademoiselle. It’s a creamy rose, cleverly numbered “05.”
• Chanel loved of flowers and chose the camellia to be her iconic symbol that translated into a design and cut on fabric. This flower also happens to be Alabama’s state flower.

“Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” –Coco Chanel

If you would like to read more about the life of Coco Chanel, here is a suggested list of books:

Chanel: An Intimate Life by Lisa Chaney (2011)

Chanel and her World by Edmonde Charles-Roux (1981)

Coco Chanel: The Legend and the Life by Justine Picardie (2010)

Sleeping With the Enemy: Coco Chanel’s Secret War by Hal Vaughan (2011)

The Secret of Chanel No. 5 by Tilar J. Mazzeo (2010)