There's something undeniably awe-inspiring about a desert. It's a terrain so rugged that sustaining life is rendered quite arduous, yet it's so captivating that you can see why desert-dwelling creatures call it home. The way light filters the unrefined landscape is otherworldly, and a sunset experienced there is so alluring you can't look away. And though seemingly inimitable, Chanel's new Desert Dream collection manages to capture the raw, natural beauty of the mysterious land — and the result is romantic, soft, and surprisingly easy to wear in your everyday.
While you may be prepping to hit the round running hard in 2020, Chanel's Global Creative Makeup and Colour Designer Lucia Pica chose a decidedly softer approach for the brand's first beauty launch of the new year. Looking to the dreamy, untapped scenes of desert landscapes, she created a palette of soothing, sultry shades that suggest a natural, easy start to the fresh decade.
The straightforward color palette of cool browns, peachy neutrals, and moody mauves not only echo the uncomplicated nature of the terrain, but present a stripped down take on beauty that's a pretty stark contrast from the brand's previous collection, Les Ornaments de Chanel (a gilded holiday drop that celebrated the decadence of the baroque period).
The Desert Dream collection, now available on Chanel's site and landing in department stores February 2020, introduces fresh shades in several of the luxe beauty brand's mainstay products in textures to appeal to matte lovers and shimmer aficionados alike. The result is an altogether versatile and wearable range.
A new shade of the brand's Illuminating Powder, Éclat du Désert, creates a warm, peachy glow on skin akin to sunlight on sand (and fittingly features a sculptural desert mountain pressed into the powder). Two lipsticks, satin Rough Allure in Rouge Brûlant and matte Rouge Allure Velvet Extreme in Endless, $38 each, similarly echo a warmth you'd imagine feeling in the extreme environment with fiery peachy pink shades.
For eyes, the range presents two eyeshadow quads, $62: Elemental, which features earthy tones of taupe, brown, and tan, and Warm Memories, a quartet of burnished pinks and mauves that mimic a desert sunset. And, new liquid shadow formula Ombre Première Laque, $36, joins the mix to provide lustrous shimmer and buildable color — you may recognize shade Quartz Rose, which was used on models during Chanel's Spring/Summer 2020 show in September, along with the new Baume Essentiel in Golden Light, $45, which brings foolproof bronzey glow to the face.
More dreamy shades are found in the form of muted mauve nail lacquers, like Le Vernis in Mirage, and effortlessly smudgeable kohl eyeliners in neutral hues.
Can't wait to create nature-inspired looks yourself? Keep scrolling to shop the new drop from Chanel.
