This Month In Beauty: A Bold Chanel Makeup Collection Inspired By Byzantine Art & More
The 4-1-1 in the beauty world right now.
By Keng Yang Shuen,
French maison Chanel has been having fun with colours lately – last month saw the launch of the vivid Code Couleurs makeup accessories range, and this month, the new and limited-edition Les 4 Ombres Byzance collection continues that streak with its bold hues that are influenced by Byzantine art. More details on that and more below.
Byzantine culture (the Roman Empire that ruled from around 300s to the 1400s) has long influenced the Chanel universe. Proof? Check out the maison’s costume jewellery department: Gabrielle Chanel became inspired after a trip to Venice in the 1930s where she was introduced to Byzantine art, and proceeded to create jewellery pieces that reflected the rich colours of that culture.
Now, Chanel Beauty is continuing that relationship with Byzantine art: their latest makeup launch is a limited-edition release named Les 4 Ombres Byzance - a series of four eyeshadow palettes ($116 each) that nods to the sumptuous hues of Byzantine art and Chanel’s own jewellery pieces (hence the hammered gold texture of the palette).
Available now at Chanel Fragrance and Beauty boutiques
The name says it all: Gucci Beauty's Flora Collection is a perfume range that's dedicated to flowers. It launched in 2021, with the first being Gorgeous Gardenia, followed by Gorgeous Jasmine, with the latest being Gorgeous Magnolia Eau de Parfum ($150 for 30ml; $195 for 50ml; $265 for 100ml), which is distinguished from its brethren by its lilac lacquered bottle.
It features a blend of Magnolia essence, dewberries accord, and patchouli essence. The top notes are dewberries, which give the fragrance a fresh and fruity opening. The heart notes are magnolia and patchouli, which provide a warm and sensual base.
Available now at Gucci Beauty stores and counters
Dior's popular Forever Cushion foundations has just been upgraded: it now comes with refillable options and its case now sports two familiar Dior motifs: the Embroidered Cannage (a tactile fabric found on the maison's bags like the Lady D-Lite, pictured on the left), as well as the Vinyle Cannage (an ultra-shiny vinyl that borrows from patterns found on the Lady Dior bag). Each case rings in at $43.
The foundations themselves have also been improved: there are now two finishes - no-transfer matte (Dior Forever Cushion) and glowy (Dior Forever Skin Glow Cushion), with up to reportedly 24 hours wear. The glowy finish version comes with wild pansy extract, which acts on the skin to preserve its hydration in the long term and improve comfort, while its matte counterpart is infused with wild pansy extract for comfortable skin throughout the day, and rosehip extract to reduce the appearance of pores, for a smoother, more refined skin texture.
Did we also mention they're customisable? Pick the case you prefer and simply swap in the foundation refill ($77 each) of your preferred finish.
Available now at all Dior Beauty boutiques and counters, Sephora and Sephora.sg
Here's another notable contender if you're looking for a summer perfume: Pacific Chill, Louis Vuitton's latest, is a cologne described as taking after the Californian way of life. The maison's in-house perfumer, Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, was said to have been inspired after ordering a detoxifying smoothie that's so rampant among locals and tried to translate the well-being effects of that fruity blend into the perfume. The key note in Pacific Chill ($435 for 100ml; $645 for 200ml) is tangy blackcurrant, with supporting players in carrot, cedrat, lemon, coriander, ambrette seeds, basil, peppermint, orange essence, with the elegant May Rose lending a touch of floral sweetness.
Los Angeles-based contemporary artist Alex Israel returns once more to create the packaging - he's painted a California land-and-seascape on the box, while the eye-catching gradient effect on the bottle is a nod to the hiking trails along the Southern California Coast in the morning.
Available now at all Louis Vuitton boutiques and online store
This cult skincare label finally landed in Singapore last October and if you're not familiar with the label, it's started by Professor Augustinus Bader, a German stem cell and biomedical scientist who first catapulted to fame by developing his own medical-grade cream to heal severe burn injuries that were previously only thought to be possible through skin grafts.
He's extended his proprietary TFC8 technology (that comprises amino acids, high-grade vitamins, and synthesised molecules), to his own skincare label, with the latest product being eye patches. Said patches include key ingredients like niacinamide, allantoin, fermented polysaccharide, hyaluronic acid and of course, the signature TFC8 technology. The patches (sold in single sachets at $35 each or in a box of six at $190) are said to help brighten dark circles, reduce puffiness and calm redness and irritation.
Available now at the brand's pop-up at Tangs at Tang Plaza till August 17, and from August 31 at Sephora and Sephora.sg
Dior fans will be familiar with its anti-ageing-focused Prestige skincare line, which has been around for more than 20 years and is powered by a special flower – the Rose de Granville, which according to the brand, is the first rose created for cosmetic skincare. To re-highlight the Prestige line, Dior has tapped on one of the most celebrated design studios in the world – Chinese architecture and design firm Neri & Hu – to create an objet d'art centred around the skincare range.
The result: an elegant miniature vessel named Le Cabinet Extraordinaire. Only 250 pieces ($3,650 each) of this functional objet d'art have been created, which designers Lyndon Neri and Rossana Hu of Neri & Hu intended to be a contemporary take on Monsieur Dior's beauty cabinets. If you ask us, the cabinet perfectly mirrors recent trends of elevating one's personal spaces.
Available now exclusively at the Dior Beauty ION Orchard and Marina Bay Sands boutiques
K-beauty inspired label Glow Recipe's latest is a multi-use lip balm named Plum Plump Hyaluronic Gloss Balm ($36) that is said to deeply hydrate the lips, while also giving it a glossy, non-sticky finish and plump lip look. It comes packed with hydrating, antioxidant-rich ingredients like kakadu plum (a fruit that reportedly contains one of the highest concentrations of Vitamin C in nature), hyaluronic acid, and raspberry extract, which smooth lips and instantly lock in moisture.
Available now at Sephora and Sephora.sg
SK-II was one of the many brands that took part at this year's World Congress of Dermatology and presented its findings: the Japanese giant has discovered a new aging trigger factor the brand terms as Aging Trigger Factor “AT-02”. This is created by daily stressors, which then creates a chain reaction, which, if left untreated, can lead to accelerated aging signs prematurely in life.
To combat that premature ageing, SK-II has introduced the Skinpower Advanced Cream ($190 for 50g; $280 for 80g; $320 for 100g) that is said to target skin aging signs from the root. The cream contains their signature Pitera, a naturally derived skincare ingredient derived from a proprietary yeast fermentation process exclusive to the brand, as well as Kinren Bio Extract to protect skin from daily stressors that can produce AT-02, and White Peony Root Extract to maintain skin elasticity, reduce roughness, and plump up skin.
Available now at all SK-II counters
Sun-loving girlies will want to look out for Tom Ford's new Soleil Summer 2023 collection. For starters, there's a new perfume named Soleil de Feu, described as a warm, amber woody scent and is said to be the most sensual expression of the brand's Soleil fragrance family, according to the designer. Soleil de Feu ($275 for 30ml; $450 for 50ml) contains notes of sandalwood, tuberose accord and warm ambers.
On the makeup side, there's the Spark Lip Balm ($87) that leaves a subtly shimmery finish, and the Glow Highlighter which comes in two hues (a light gold and bronze, $130 each). And what's a Tom Ford makeup collection without eyeshadow palettes? There are two new limited-edition eyeshadow palettes ($150 each) - Tropical Dusk is a quartet of bronze mattes and gilded shimmers, while Island Haze focuses more on fiery amber hues.
Available now at selected Sephora stores, Sephora.sg, Tangs at Tang Plaza and Takashimaya
Japanese skincare label Sekkisei has been running its "Save the blue" ocean conservation project for 15 years now and to mark that milestone, its parent company KOSEi Corporation has collaborated with Disney to launch a limited-edition range called Sekkisei Save The Blue x Disney collection.
Popular products from the brand such as their Herbal Gel, Gentle Wash, Pure Conc and Refining Milk feature in this collection ($25 - $56), now made over with various ocean-esque Disney characters from movies such as The Little Mermaid, Moana and Finding Nemo.
Coral will be planted in an area equivalent to the total bottom area of the containers of products purchased during the period of the campaign (on now till August 31). The brand is working to conserve the coral reefs of Okinawa by donating the funds needed to cultivate coral cultivation to non-profit group Sea Seed, Ltd.
Available now at all Welcia-BHG stores and selected Guardian stores