This is my beautiful sister Monica (not to be confused with Monica Leitner, the Makeup Bag intern). I like to call her my OLDER, WISER sister, but really she is only 11 months older than me so I guess I am equally as old and wise.

Since I’ve been spending the majority of my time in Hawaii these last few months, my sister has been helping me out by caring for the kids in my absence. This means I get to enjoy frequent text messages from her like this one:

“Your daughters are fighting over the car. Ugh. It’s ugly.”

And this one:

“Have you considered buying stock in polish remover? Bree’s painting her nails for the 4th time in 4 days.”

Or my favorite:

“Is there a hair dryer hiding? Girls burned through theirs and now having fits.”

Thankfully my sister has the patience and ENDURANCE to handle my children and all their drama laundry and I’m grateful to have her in my life.

However, this doesn’t mean that I don’t get ever so slightly annoyed when she receives my deliveries and gets to sample a new CHANEL nail polish before I do:

“I must admit, I have a propensity to sparkle and shine and at 40, it is probably not my best choice.  Chanel has come up with an answer for me with their Noir Et Or Paris – Shanghai collection.  The black and gold colors give me just enough shimmer without recalling the sparkle of the 80’s.  And, considering that my eyelids now like to hang out on my eyelashes, I need to shimmer no matter how much I WANT to sparkle.

The collection includes Ligne et Ombre de Chanel in Jet-Gold for the eyes and Le Vernis Nail Colour in Black Velvet (matte black), Gold Lamé (satiny gold) and Illusion d’or (transparent sparkling gold).

There is nothing quite like an eyeshadow that has the right consistency and Chanel doesn’t disappoint.  This shadow went on smoothly and evenly with none of the fallout I usually associate with shimmery products.”

Chanel Noir Et Or is available in April exclusively at www.chanel.com, Chanel boutiques and CHANEL Makeup Studios.

By: Monica Leitner

I don’t think a more divine lip color exists in all the world. Seriously.

To be fair, I was a little cautious when applying this one for the first time: in the tube, the color looked as though it skewed a bit too coral for my tastes, but undeterred, I pressed on in the name of beauty research. And it’s a VERY good thing I did!

The color itself is insanely gorgeous and gives my lips that slightly toasted color they turn after a few hours spent in the sun. On the CHANEL website the color is listed in the beige category, but this is definitely not as neutral as they make it sound.

The formula is impeccable – completely fragrance-free and silky smooth, it’s nearly imperceptible on, boasting long wear and lending just enough shine to keep my lips from looking flat. This one is an absolute MUST for me!

CHANEL Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour is available in 31 shades and can be purchased online at CHANEL.com for $30.00.

Amanda Seyfried looked stunning in her Giorgio Armani Prive beaded gown at the Oscars on Sunday night.

“The look I was going for Amanda was movie star glamour while maintaining a young, fresh and modern feel,” says makeup artist Monika Blunder, who created Amanda’s stunning makeup look.

For Amanda’s skin, Monika started off moisturizing her with CHANEL Sublimage Fluid to give her a natural glow. Then she applied CHANEL Teint Innocence Foundation in Gentle Ivory all over her skin. Monika first lined her upper and lower lash line with CHANEL Intense Eye Pencil in Noir, extending the line past the outer corner and up. Then she blended with a brush to soften any hard lines. Next, she applied the darkest colour in the CHANEL Quadra Eyeshadow in Smoky Eyes starting at lash line and blending up towards the brow bone using a variation of the lighter colors in the
palette.  She finished with CHANEL Soft Touch Eye Shadow in Ivory on the inner corner of top and bottom lash line. To complete the eyes, she curled the lashes and applied three coats of CHANEL Inimitable Mascara in Noir. CHANEL Powder Blush in Rose Petale gave her a fresh rosy glow on her cheeks. Amanda’s look was completed by applying CHANEL Rouge Coco Lip Colour in Perle.

Harry Josh, John Frieda International Creative Consultant, is sharing his styling secrets to get Oscar presenter Amanda Seyfried’s cool, understated look with easy-to-use tips and tricks.

Harry gave Amanda the new Frizz-Ease Smooth Start Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner in advance as the frizz-fighting formula was essential to smooth and hydrate dry strands and replenish moisture for a nice, smooth blow out.

“These shampoos and conditioners were the perfect way for Amanda to prep her hair,” said Harry. “The look was clean and sleek, so it was important to start the fight against frizz early so that Amanda’s hair would be silky, shiny and totally manageable.”

He applied the new Root Awakening Strength Restoring Gel to Amanda’s hair at the roots to help achieve the sleek, flattened shape he was going for.

Using a tail comb instead of a round brush to avoid lift, Harry blew the hair out, combing it flat to the head as he dried. He then used the Sheer Blonde Crystal Clear Shape & Shimmer Hairspray section by section to hold the style.

“Amanda has such beautiful naturally blonde hair that I wanted to ensure it looked its best all night and didn’t photograph dark – which some finishing sprays can cause. By using a light hairspray you avoid adding residue or darkening the blonde hair.”

Harry finished by creating an extreme, slick side part and pulling Amanda’s hair back into a bun. He left a little bit of the bun sticking out in a fan, a last minute decision he made to reflect the pattern on Amanda’s earrings.

For product details and information visit chanel.com and johnfrieda.com.

photo: wire image

I love CHANEL Chance in all of its spicy green glory, so I am DYING to get my hands on the newest spin on the classic fragrance.

Described as “an unexpected mingling of grapefruit and quince meets the crispness of fresh green notes, while a trace of Jasmine Absolute lingers in the air. Gently warmed by a sheer veil of White Musk, at once, innocent and seductive,” I simply MUST smell this one for myself.

CHANEL Chance Eau Tendre 1.7 oz. eau de toilette is available from Nordstrom for $65.

*This fragrance is a Nordstrom exclusive.