Cool of beauty: NARS

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Two New NARS Palettes

These new palettes were created in honor of the 15th Anniversary of the NARS line of cosmetics and are available on Nordstrom.com. Both are priced at $75 and are a $90 value.

Everlasting Love contains: For eyes: Edie, Underworld (left), Underworld (right), Night Breed. For cheeks: Orgasm Blush, South Beach Multiple. For lips: Belle du Jour, Chelsea Girls, Promiscuous and Dolce Vita lipsticks.

Wild at Heart features: For eyes: Abyssinia, Alhambra (left), Ashes to Ashes, Pandora (right). For cheeks: Orgasm Blush, South Beach Multiple. For lips: Baby Doll, Red Lizard, Manhunt, Fire Down Below.

NARS Kalahari Duo

When I first saw the new NARS Duo Eye Shadow in Brousse ($32) released for winter I immediately thought "that's like a more intense Kalahari!" I then realized that I hadn't worn Kalahari in ages and it was time to give it some attention!

NARS describes Kalahari as "Gold Confection and Sugared Cocoa," but I find this to be off. Both shades have a definite smokey taupey plummy undertone to them, more so when applied than in the pan. The left side is a smokey golden taupe and the right is a muted (but definitely plummy) heather taupe. While they look distinct is the pan, on the shades are much more similar to one another. There isn't much contrast when using these together (left on lid, right in crease) and so I occasionally need to use another shade in the crease as I prefer a more defined eye. This seems to be a frequent issue with me and NARS Duos though.

The great thing about these shades is that they really highlight green eyes! They make the green deeper and darker, allowing my eyes to stand out even from behind my glasses. I do feel that the colors are unique (even among the taupey plum set) and the inherent smokiness in the shades makes for a sultry but completely daytime/work appropriate eye.

If you find Brousse too dark or are just looking for something to add to your Sephora basket during Friends & Family, check out Kalahari!

My Sephora Friends and Family Wishlist

Sephora Friends and Family 2009 starts at Midnight PST (that's 3 AM for us East Coast folks) on October 19th and ends on November 2nd. Enter FF2009 in the promo code box. I've been compiling my wish list for a few weeks now, and here is what is currently on it. What do you plan to pick up during the sale?

Nars The Multiple Coffret ($40) contains mini Multiples in Orgasm, South Beach, and Copacabana.

Korres Deep Color Mascara in Black ($18) is a staple. My favorite mascara! Gives volume, length and is good for your lashes.

Philosophy the supernatural Superglossy SPF 15 Lip Gloss ($16.50) in Live in the Moment. This pink mocha shade promises to be non-sticky and protect lips from the sun.

Philosophy Turbo Booster C Powder ($35) can be mixed with any moisturizer or sunscreen for antioxidant protection and the repair of Vitamin C.

Tarte MultiplEYE ($65) Lash Enhancer. I certainly wouldn't mind if my short, stubby, thin lashes suddenly became lush and long!

Laura Mercier Eye Kohl ($19) in Black Navy is less harsh than black but provides more definition than straight navy. The best of both worlds!

NARS Only You Eye and Cheek Palette

I love palettes. More often than not they represent fantastic value for money with you getting several different products for a lot less than it would cost to buy them individually. Ok you don’t usually get the full sized product but let’s be honest, when was the last time I used up an eye shadow of any size? That’s right. Never. For £45 you get 4 eyeshadows, a blush and a highlighter all zipped up in a little fabric pouch. It’s actually sturdier than is sounds though I’d be nervous of travelling with is for fear of breaking the mirror.

The eye shadows are (from left to right and according to the NARS website):

• Alambra Eyeshadow - Metallic Rose Mist
• Mekong Eyeshadow - Espresso infused with gold
• Eurydice Eyeshadow - Electric Aubergine
• Pandora Eyeshadow - Matte Black

Eurydice is all kinds of gorgeous. It has these amazing blue reflects in it. I’d recommend clicking on the picture to get a better look at them. Alambra is a stunning neutral and when paired with a tiny bit of Mekong in the outer V makes for a stunning work appropriate neutral eye. The shadows are all highly pigmented and as smooth as you can get. It’s everything I hoped for from NARS.

The blush is of course the infamous Orgasm. I’ve been listening to the hype on blogs and Youtube for years now and honestly? Meh. Don’t get me wrong, the colour is gorgeous and the pigmentation is out of this world it’s just that it was cracked up to be the most amazing thing the blush world has ever known and it just isn’t. It’s a bright peachy pink which doesn’t lean too far either way on my skin tone. I do however find the gold shimmer in it almost too much. I’m hesitant to wear this during the day as it is so shimmery. Just a tip; don’t load your brush up with as much as you normally would for any other blush. It will be too much, this really is that pigmented.

The highlighter is Honey Lust which is a warm cream colour with a gold sheen. It’s almost too deep for me actually as it shows up less well on my skin than By Candlelight MSF does. For darker ladies this might be more appropriate. If you’re as pale as me then you might appreciate the more subtle effect this gives. I certainly wouldn’t want anything more over powering to pair with Orgasm!

If you are looking to dip your toes into the world of NARS then this palette is a good way to go about it in my opinion. It’s a versatile palette and you get a fantastic selection of shadows. Though I’m not as blown away by the cheek products as I was expecting I think that’s mainly down to my expectations being too high. They are still fantastic products. Love it! X

*I was given this by the bestest Aunty in the whole wide world. It doesn’t matter how I get hold of a product, my reviews are always my honest opinion. Further info is in the disclosure policy on the left*

NARS Blush/Bronzer Trio

I bought this for me, I wanted to see what all the fuss was around
Orgasm/Laguna, and well Albatross gets pretty good reviews as a highlighter...so

I think that this is a very well constructed package (snigger) it is sleek, sturdy and stylish to me. But I know that I won't use it, I won't, it represents to me all that is complicated about makeup:

Powder blush - can't do it. I have colour in my cheeks as it is, I can just about weedle a creme blush if I can be bothered and believe me everyone really does look better with a bit of blush, but I find it difficult enough to avoid the Aunt Sally with a cream texture and as for powder, well forget it, it is like advanced driving, to be undertaken only if the advantages outway the slog.

Bronzer - of any sort I have never gotten the hang of. As previously mentioned my skin tone is *ruddy porcelain* ie pale but thread veined and freckles-which-merge-into-one-big-block-of-age-spotness. The colour of the aforementioned brown bits of my face is akin to a bronzer colour anyway, I just look naff.

Highlighter - I like highlighters, I sort of feel that with enough natural colour albeit unwanted in my face, the paleness and moonlight gleamness of a highlighter can confuse the eye and restore my paleness. That said the shade of albatross is somewhat warm yellow gold, not good on me.

So this palette beautiful as it is remains looked at and occasionally stroked awaiting 25th December when I can palm it off as a present for my sister.

NARS Dolce Vita - an obsession

I have the lot in the lip department.

Dolce Vita Lipstick?

Or maybe the Lipgloss?

How about the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil?

This is described as infinately wearable, suits all, MLBB shade, the ubiquitous rosy brown.

Swatched on my arm

From bottom to top, lipstick, lipgloss, velvet matte lip pencil.

And on my lips - lipstick

lipgloss -

Velvet Matte lip pencil

All of these are products which I frown at myself in - I like the pencil but maybe matte is a bit ageing on a 45 year old lip? The gloss is well glossy, but a bit more pigmented than I would normally go for and can feel a bit gloopy. And the lipstick, on a good day it looks fabulous, just what I want, my lips look like my lips 20 years ago, but on a bad day - well lets just say that it looks as if I have been at the pasta sauce with abandon.

Collection Overview – Highlighters

Erm, how did I acquire so many of these? Honestly I have no idea. I do know it’s too many for me to go into too much detail in this collection but if you have a look at the tags on the right hand side chances are you will find reviews for all of these if you need more info (reviews on the Sleek Contour kit and Benefit High Beam are in the works).

From MAC I have (Clockwise from top left) By Candlelight MSF, Petticoat MSF, Truth & Light Magically Cool Liquid Powder (in Venomous Villains packaging), Belightful Iridescent pressed powder (in Fafi packaging). The swatches are in the same order.

My only liquid highlighters are Benefit Moonbeam (left) and Highbeam (the little sample from Glamour magazine). Again swatches are in the same order.

The 17 blush/ highlighter duo is called Peaches & Cream. On the right is NARS Honeylust. Swatches are in the same order.

Finally I have (clockwise from top left) Rituals Cheek & Eye glow in Pink, ELF Gotta Glow, the highlight side from the Sleek Contour kit and Lancôme Blush Subtil in Highlighting Or 00. For some reason I swatched them from left to right Rituals, ELF, Lancôme, Sleek.

My favourites are the Lancôme, Rituals, By Candlelight MSF and ELF Gotta Glow. I could probably live without the Belightful pressed powder and the Magically Cool Liquid powder. Petticoat MSF and the Rituals Pink and perfect compliments for cooler toned pink blushes.

Do let me know if these collection overviews are of any interest to you. Is there anything you would like to see in particular? Let me know in the comments! X

*All bought by me. My poor bank account*

Mood Blush (a.k.a. NARS Turks and Caicos)

I used to love those Mood lipsticks when I was younger. You applied a completely outlandish lipstick shade like blush or yellow and before your eyes the shade morphed into something wearable (actually it usually turned hot pink on me but you get the idea). This is how I feel about NARS Multiple Tint in Turks and Caicos--it's a neon orange in the tube yet somehow, magically, it become a coral pink flush on my cheeks.

I am completely enamored with concept of cheek tints. Translucent stains that impart both a sheer color and a glow? Too perfect. When I heard about the NARS Multiple Tints ($38) I was initially thrilled and then deflated when I saw the limited shade selected: a bright pink, a fuchsia and an orange? Not for me. I'm so pleased that I decided to actually swatch the colors! While Beverly Hills and Cadaques are both beautiful though indeed not for me (I can't wear cool blushes), Turks and Caicos transformed before my eyes into a perfect summer "I've been drinking Long Island Ice Teas in the sun" flush and once applied, lasts all day. I appreciate that it's not shimmery and remains ever so slightly dewy after it's set. It's the perfect thing to wear when you want to look like you just woke up vibrant and rested, not made up.

I have no idea if NARS intended this alchemy or if it was merely a happy accident, but either way I plan to make Turks and Caicos a summer staple.

Some Summery Blushes

During the couple of weeks in April/ May that I actually had a tan I was thrilled to be able to pull some blushes out of my collection that I find a little trickier to wear when I’m at my pastiest. Yes with a light hand I can use them all year round but some things just look better when you’re bronzer.

Clockwise from left we have NARS Orgasm, Illamasqua Hussy, Topshop cream blush in Pinch, The Balm Hot Mama, Sleek Scandalous.

Swatched from top to bottom The Balm Hot Mama, Topshop Pinch, Illamasqua Hussy, NARS Orgasm and Sleek Scandalous.

All of these are very pigmented and easy to overdo which can make them very unforgiving on pale skin. In fact I generally apply all of these with my MAC 188 stippling brush.

Do you switch up your blush depending on the time of year? Let me know in the comments! x

Blush "Tweets"

I don't Tweet. Partly because my life is incredibly normal and boring and no one cares what I had for breakfast or when I'm heading to the gym, and partly because I would be creeped out if someone did know or care what I had for breakfast or when I'm heading to the gym. I work in a cubicle--I'm fine with preserving a little mystery when I can.

Nonetheless, there are times, like now, when I have a few quick, "tweet-like" tidbits to share. I popped into bluemercury on my way home this afternoon (after buying two Levain Bakery cookies for dinner) and got to check out some new releases. Since blushes are my weakness, I was focused on them.

Bobbi Brown Beach Shimmerbrick- way too dark and bronzy for me. This would probably require a skunk brush and very light application on fair skin like mine.

NARS Multiple Tint in Turks & Caicos- a hideous day-glo orange in the tube, this gel tint is a super sheer but very bright coral on the skin. A pretty and pleasant surprise.

T. LeClerc Blush in Brun Voile- would make a gorgeous, subtle bronzer. A rosy as opposed to orange undertone.

NARS Orgasm Illuminator- I've heard many complain that this is too sheer, but I'm so fair that it was more than enough color, and has a distinct bronze tone and shimmer unlike the namesake powder blush and Multiple. It's a pretty blend of translucent pink, peach, bronze and gold that's perfect for summer.

NARS Angelique Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment

Backed when I owned NARS Exhibit A blush, I always had the most difficult time coordinating a lip look with it. On my the blush had rosy, red, and peachy orange tones that harmonized well, but were difficult to replicate in a lipstick. For those that have and wear Exhibit A, NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment in Angelique is the perfect counterpart.

The Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatments are slim, waxy tinted balms with SPF 15 and moisturizing mango butter. All of the shades (there are 6 total) are quite sheer, with Angelique having the most color. It's described as sheer strawberry and to me is a rosy red with just a hint of orangey coral. It's perfect for summer! The downside is that it is quite sheer and quite expensive for a tinted balm at $25. Sephora only seems to have 4 of the 6 shades, but Nordstrom and Blue Mercury have the full lot.