NARS Luxembourg Satin Lip Pencil

One of the makeup items that I bought during my hiatus was the NARS Satin lip pencil in Luxembourg.  I have to admit, I bought the color solely based on the name.  Luxembourg is named after the Jardin du Luxembourg, an exquisite park I visited last summer while in Paris.  It turns out, I really love the color, go figure.

NARS describes it as a watermelon pink.  I'd say that is pretty accurate.  Besides the color, I LOVE the texture and creaminess of the pencil.  And it is incredibly pigmented.  I barely have to touch it to my lips to get color payoff.  Fair warning though, it stains your lips.  I once wore it two days in a row and after attempting to take it off, had stained lips for another 24 hours.  Another issue, it requires sharpening which wastes product.  For $25, I'd expect this pencil to twist up.

Here it is on my lips:

The next color I'm going to get is Yu, a really pretty bright fuchsia.

NARS Makeup Removing Water

I've been unhappy with my makeup removing wipes lately.  I felt they weren't "wet" enough and they took too much elbow grease to remove my makeup.  I'd always been curious about cleansing waters but hadn't had a chance to try one.  So when I heard that NARS had released a cleansing water, I jumped.

According to NARS, it's a soap-free, alcohol-free water that removes face makeup and tones the skin.

Ingredients: Water, Butylene Glycol, Peg/Ppg-35/40 Dimethyl Ether, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Trisodium Edta, Cucumis Sativus [Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract], Chamomilla Recutita [Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract], Sodium Hyaluronate.

I soak two cotton balls with it and place them over my eyes for about 20 seconds, then I gently wiggle them before wiping.  And my eye makeup is gone, no joke.  No mascara, no eyeliner, no eyeshadow, GONE!  I then turn over both cotton balls and wipe the remainder of my face makeup off.  Now I don't wear water-proof mascara, so I don't know how it fairs against it, but with regular mascara, it cuts right through it.

Afterward, my face is left feeling clean, yet hydrated.  It's wonderful I tell you.  The only caveat is the price, $28 for 6.7 oz.  OUCH!  Much more than my $6 makeup removing wipes.  But it's NARS, you expect a price point like that from NARS.

If you can splurge, I recommend it!  It's available at nars. com, NARS counters, and, Sephora.

NARS Cordura Eyeshadow Duo

In the past 12 months, NARS has easily become my favorite makeup brand.  They just can't do any wrong in my book in terms of quality and texture.  After purchasing the Wild at Heart 15th Anniversary palette, I became enamored with their eyeshadow.  My next NARS eyeshadow purchase was the Cordura eyeshadow duo.

I purchased this during the NARS 20% off summer sale and I'm so glad I did.  The left side is a warm  brown with gold pearl and the right side is a cool-toned dark brown with gold pearl.  The two colors definitely complement each other.  I like to wear this duo when I want a dark yet subtle eye.

The texture is very smooth and the colors apply evenly.  I did not experience any fallout while applying this shadow and they blend out wonderfully.  With the NARS smudge proof eyeshadow base (reviewed here), they stay on all day.

In terms of pigmentation, this duo doesn't lack any.  I find that I barely have to touch my brush to the darker brown in order to deposit intense color.  The lighter brown doesn't take much to get the color payoff either.  The gold pearl in both are subtle enough so that it does not look like a glitter bomb exploded on your eyes.

If you are looking for a nice duo, definitely check this one out.  NARS duos retail for $33.00.

NARS Smudge-Proof Eyeshadow Base Review

Stop the presses!  I have found my Holy Grail eyeshadow base/primer!  

In the past, I have been loyal to Urban Decay Primer Potion.  But with packaging issues and being harder to blend, I set out to find something equal, if not superior to my beloved UDPP.  I had thought after the re-packaging of UDPP into a tube that it would eliminate the issues from the old packaging.  Not so!  After spending nearly $30 on the professional size UDPP, it dried out in less than 3 months!  But I digress, we're here to talk about NARS.

Let's start with the packaging. I like the packaging.  It's straight forward and I won't have to de-pot it nor worry about it drying out.  It is packaged like a lipgloss with a tube and a doe foot applicator.  The consistency is quite different to that of UDPP.  NARS consistency is more like a mousse.  Almost feeling like a silicone based product (not sure as I have thrown away the box with the ingredient list).

This stuff does not budge.  At. All.  It keeps my eyeshadow in place all day long.  I love it!  But best of all, it makes my shadows easy to blend.  That was a huge problem with the UDPP for me.  It just such a pain to blend my eyeshadow.

This stuff is not cheap.  It retails for $24 but I purchased it during the Sephora Friends' and Family sale and it was 20% off.  If you can splurge on this, I highly recommend it!

Sleek Makeup Blush In Sahara

Some months back, I did a swap with one of my favorite UK beauty gurus on YouTube, Jennie of BeautybyJJ.  As part of the swap, Jennie sent me this blush from Sleek Makeup in Sahara.  Sleek Makeup is a drugstore brand in the UK.  It produces high quality products.  Sahara is a beautiful burnt orange.   It is similar to NARS Taj Mahal but lacks the beautiful gold pearl that makes Taj Mahal so special.  The pigmentation is nice, though it is not crazy pigmented.  You can really build up the color depending on how deep you want to wear it.  This was one of two blushes that I took on the cruise and it looks phenomenal on tan skin.

The best part of this blush is that it is only $6.50 for 8 grams of product!  Us Americans can purchase products from Sleek from their website www.sleekmakeup.com but be prepared to pay at least $10+ in shipping costs.  Jennie and I have another swap planned soon, so I will definitely be asking for more Sleek products.

Smokey Eye Tutorial-Featuring NARS Cosmetics

I had a request from a personal friend of mine who also reads this blog to do a smokey eye tutorial.  So this one's for you M.G. :-)

Products Used:

Eyes:
NARS Ashes to Ashes
NARS Pandora
NARS Abyssinia
NARS Alhambra
Covergirl Volume Exact mascara
MAC Zoomlash mascara
Clinique Bottom Lash mascara

Face:
NARS Casino bronzer
NARS Sin blush

Lips:
NYX Mahogany lip pencil
MAC Viva Glam II lipstick
MAC Spree lipglass

Another NARS Blush...

I went ahead and placed a teeny tiny NARS order to take advantage of the 20% off promotion.  I actually got two blushes but will show you just one on this post.  I got the infamous Exhibit A.  I'd read several blogs stating this was a MUST for women of color and I totally agree.  However, I think this is a MUST for all women of ANY color!  It is a beautiful orange based red with a matte finish.  And boy is it pigmented!  A light hand is needed even if you are of the darkest skin tone.

 

I wore it today and it gives the most natural looking flush.  I highly recommend this blush to every woman who wears blush!

Exhibit A is available wherever NARS is sold.  Their blushes retail for $27 but if you hurry, you can get 20% off with code NEWNARS through today with free 2 day shipping!

A New Shoe Purchase

I wanted to share with you these awesome shoes I just ordered by Sam Edelman.  I can not wait to wear them! 

I already have the dress that I want to pair them with.  Surprisingly, it is a sassy little number from The Gap (who knew The Gap carried sassy numbers).

I love how the studs give the shoe a sophisticated edge.  Hurry up FedEx!!!!

On a totally different subject, NARS is having 20% off their products on their website with code NEWNARS.  Hmmm...to buy or not to buy...that is the question.

NARS Wild At Heart 15th Anniversary Palette

The NARS Wild at Heart palette was released in conjunction with their 15th anniversary.  It contains four eye shadows, three lipsticks, one lip lacquer, one blush, and one cream bronzer.  It's a good way to try a lot of NARS products without paying full price for all of the products.

The quality of NARS products are unmatched.  Especially when it comes to their pigmentation.  We already know they have highly pigmented blushes.  Their eye shadows and lipsticks are no different.

Pandora, Ashes to Ashes, Alhambra, Abyssinia

Eye shadows:

Abyssinia-is a beige with a satin finish.  Lovely has a highlight.

Alhambra-is a champagne color with a satin finish.  Great as an all over lid color.

Ashes to Ashes-is medium taupe color with a hint of purple.  Also great as a lid color and a can be used as a crease color as well.

Pandora-is a matte black.  Great to deepen the crease or to use as a liner.

Orgasm, South Beach

Blush:

Orgasm-their most famous color, a lovely peachy pink that is supposed to resemble the color you flush during its name sake.

Bronzer:

South Beach-a lovely golden bronze.  I use it as a cheekbone highlight. Gorgeous!

Baby Doll, Red Lizard, Manhunt, Fire Down Below

Lips:

Baby Doll-a bubble gum pink lip lacquer, similar to a gloss.

Red Lizard-a blue based matte red lipstick.

Manhunt-orange based red satin lipstick

Fire Down Below-bordeaux wine satin lipstick

As with all NARS products, the packaging is matte black.  It is very susceptible to dirt and finger prints.  I wish they would change that.  That is my only gripe with it.

This has instantly become one of my favorite palettes as it is so convenient and will be great for travelling.
It is available at http://www.nars.com/ and Sephora.

Best Of 2010-Beauty Edition

It's 2011!  And I hope this post finds you in the best of health and happiness.  With all of the "best of" list that pop up for the end of the year, I wanted do my own beauty edition.  These are the products that were truly my favorite products for 2010.

Skin Care:  I can't say enough about the Clarisonic Mia.  It was the best beauty related item that happened to me in 2010.  It has changed my skin for the best!

Face:  2010 was a great year for me and NARS.  I discovered my Holy Grail foundation in their Sheer Matte.  It is so worth the $42 price tag.  I also have a love affair with their blushes.  Truly some of the best on the market.  If you haven't already, treat yourself to a NARS blush in 2011!

Brushes:  My two favorite brushes in 2010 were the MAC 130 short duo fibre brush and the Essence of Beauty smokey wide brush.  The MAC 130 brush is outstanding for cream blush as well as liquid foundation!  I love how it blends out my cream blushes to provide such a natural looking flush.  The Essence of Beauty smokey wide brush is a drug store gem.  Sold only at CVS, the wide side is a perfect  brow bone highlight brush and the thin side is perfect for outer V work on the eye.

Eyes:  My go to shadows for 2010 has been MAC Woodwinked and Ricepaper.  Woodwinked is a great all over lid color, perfect to give you that "awake" look.  Ricepaper is the perfect natural looking brow bone highlighter for tan skin.

Mascara:  I fell in love with 2 mascaras in 2010 and I am on my second tube for both.  Lancome Hypnose mascara and L'Oreal Voluminous are both outstanding mascaras for volume.  I love them both!

Lips:  I have found my go to nude lip combo with MAC Viva Glam II and Spree lipglass.  Viva Glam II is a pinky brown, great for tan skin and Spree just gives it that extra glitz when applied over it!

Perfume:  I fell in love with Juicy Couture (the original) perfume.  So much that I have a purse size for my hand bag for touch ups.  It was my favorite daytime fragrance for 2010.

Nails:  Essie polish took the trophy this year for its superb formula and awesome staying power.  I can't get enough of Essie polish.  The absolute best top coat is hands down Seche Vite.  Talk about making a manicure last and giving that great glossy shine.  It is a must have for my manicures!

These products have been staples in my daily life for 2010.  What were your favorite beauty products for 2010?

NARS Taos Blush-The Perfect Rose Color

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NARS Sheer Matte Foundation Is A Winner

After months of searching and countless Sephora samples, I have found my winning foundation.  And the winner is...NARS Sheer Matte!  NARS has three foundations in their line, Firming foundation (for mature skin), Sheer Glow, and Sheer Matte.  Everyone is always raving about Sheer Glow, but never about its red-headed step-sister Sheer Matte.  I guess they forgot about us oily skinned girls...until now.  Here's my two cents.

First, color match-this was the first (and only) foundation that provided me a perfect color match.  For reference, I am medium-dark with yellow undertones and a MAC NC42.  This equals to Syracuse medium/dark 1 in NARS.  Prior to sampling this foundation, I had the sales assistant at Sephora try to color match me for Make Up For Ever's HD foundation.  She had the nerve to match me with a dark olive-toned foundation color.  Had me looking a hot mess leaving that store.  After three more trips, she still couldn't match me.  Well, NARS got it right on the first trip!

unblended



blended

Second, no break outs-there is always a break out risk in trying a new foundation.  I wore my sample (well actually two samples because I went back for a second when I ran out of the first) for 1 month and no issues.

Third, oil control-this foundation is supposed to absorb oil and control shine, which it does well.  Bottom line, I am not a shiny mess at the end of the day with this foundation.  Case closed.



foundation after 8 hours of work, no touch ups!



It is a sheer foundation that is light to medium buildable coverage.  I find that little to no concealer is needed unless it is a very dark spot (under eye area excluded).  It does not feel like you're wearing foundation at all, which is very important to me.  I hate "feeling" like I am wearing makeup. 

There is one drawback, the application.  You have to work quickly or it will be hard to blend.  After much trial and error, I found that my fingers are the best application tools for this foundation.  Ironically, that is what NARS recommends using to apply it anyway.  I work it in sections which allows me to blend it well.  Also, it does not come with a pump.  You have to order that separately.

 This awesomeness does come at a price, at $42 it is not exactly cheap.  I happened to take advantage of Sephora's Friends & Family sale and snagged it at 20% off ($33.60).  Well that's my two cents.  What's your favorite foundation?

Blush Obsession-NARS Taj Mahal

NARS Taj Mahal is the newest addition to my blush collection. It is described by NARS as being burnt orange with shimmer. I like to describe it as GORGEOUS! As I was so impressed with my other NARS blush (Deep Throat), I purchased this without having actually seen it in person. I had heard that it was a "brown girl's staple", and after getting it home and seeing it in person, I can see why. I looks very scary in the pan, but as with all of NARS blushes, it is highly pigmented, meaning a little goes a long way. You barely have to tap your brush in the pan to get the color. You have to be very careful not to over do it since it is so highly pigmented. It shows up on me as a nice golden peach with a beautiful glow (I am NC42 in MAC foundation for reference).

not blended out

NARS blushes retail for $26, a little on the pricey side but worth every penny as you will have this forever. I got free shipping since the purchase was over $25 and a free mini lip gloss duo in Striptease and Dolce Vita by using the promo code TEMPTALIA.

Striptease (left), Dolce Vita (right)

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Haul

The Nordstrom Anniversary sale is going on now through August 1. I woke up bright and early and got there right at open. I love this sale because you can find great items at phenomenal prices. I picked up a mish mash of things.

This is what I got:

1. Diane Von Furstenberg black pencil skirt

2. Maggie London brown and purple wrap dress

3. Nars Hopelessly Devoted beauty kit that included a Deep Throat/Laguna blush bronzer duo and Orgasm and Crepuscule lipglosses.

4. MAC Rubenesque paint pot

5. Coach Poppy perfume

My favorite is the Diane Von Furstenberg skirt. I adore her clothes and I just love pencil skirts! They are the right mix of sexy and professional.

If you get a chance, go by the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. They have a ton of great buys!