NARS Summer 2011 Collection

The NARS summer collection is looking like it is going to be my first let down of the summer season.  The model for the collection is wearing bright aqua eye shadow and I have heard all the hype around the new trio that contains that shade.  Since the bright blue/aqua eye look has never been for me, I am going into this collection hoping for some lovely new lip glosses and perhaps a new blush shade.  This new collection reminds me very much of the ocean and the French Riveria and is collection that I will love on other people but will get nothing for myself from it.

NARS states the following as the overall description of the new collection, "Summer arrives in a blaze of electrifying hues.  Strictly gorgeous: Cap Ferrat Trio Eye Shadow in cool sea foam, silver-green sheen, and turquoise.  Scorchers: Wonder Lip Gloss, mandarin glazed with gold; Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick in hot, hot pink.  Nails exhilarate in Kismet, a gleaming sunflower and Ecume, a modern matte white.  Edgy.  Evocative.  Strictly NARS".  Nothing in this collection is jumping out at me this moment but let's see if my mind changes a bit when I look at each product individually...

The new summer collection from NARS...

Trio Eye Shadow - Features color cooridinated shades in a stylish palette.  Complete with a large mirror the travel-ready palettes are ideal for easy makeup application anytime.  Limited availability.
- Cap Ferret - icy sea foam/silvergreen/icy turquoise

Duo Eye Shadow - Shades to inspire and desire.  The same longwearing crease resistant formula as NARS Single Eye Shadow, in uniquelt paired color combinations.  Worn together or alone, all Duo Eye Shadows can be applied sheer or built up for a more dramatic effect.  All powder eye shadows can be applied wet or dry.  Richly pigmented, micronized powder formula provides improved wear and feel.  Effortless blending; cooridinated in fashionable pairs.  Multifunction: use as an eye shadow, eye liner, or on eye brows.
- Dogon - metallic taupe with icy green sheen/charcoal black
- Exotic Dance - metallic white with silver sheen/metallic gold

Soft Touch Shadow Pencil - Soft Touch Shadow Pencils provide easy, portable, long-wearing application.  These jumbo sized pencils have versatile functionality to shade the lid, line, or highlight the eye.  Smooth, creamy texture delivers a smooth, velvety feel to the eye and make for easy blending and an ideal base for layering with a powder shadow for increased color intensity.  Portable application.
- Queen - citrus gold glitter

Lipstick - A wide range of captivating shades designed to provide the look and style the color dictates.  NARS Lipstick is available in three formulas.  Exceedingly longwearing.  Nourishing and non-drying, with Vitamin E.  Once you start wearing NARS Lipstick, you won't want to wear anything else.
- Mayflower - shimmering raspberry (Sheer)

Pure Matte Lipstick - Bright.  Bold.  Vividly matte.  This innovative, matte lipstick has intense, stay-true color so lips look lush and vibrant.  An exquisitely blended formula strikes a perfect harmony between optimal color, an ultra-matte finish and hydration.  A super-rich, super-pampering, super-sexy lipstick in six sumptuous shades.  Pure drama.  Glides on effortlessly, without drag or resistance.  Defying traditional long-wearing lipsticks, Pure Matte will not dry out lips.  Wild Mango Butter's advanced moisturizing properties work to repair lips from dryness and scaling, leaving lips supple and soft.
- Carthage - hot pink

Lip Gloss - Serious shine and sexy color in sheer, creamy, and semi-sheer formulas.  Extremely wearable and versatile shades, lip gloss may be worn alone or over other lip products for heightened drama.  Ultra-shiny and highly pigmented.  Convenient wand application.  Iconic shades.
- Wonder - sheer mandarin orange with pink and gold shimmer

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - The convenience of a pencil with the application of a lipstick in a jumbo-sized crayon.  Instantly coats lips with rich pigment, imparting a velvet matte finish for seamless color.  The long lasting yet non-drying is enriched with special emollients for creamy texture, while a combination of unique silicones ensures long lasting, velvety color for hours. Enriched with Vitamin E.
- Bolero - pink cantaloupe

Highlighting Blush Powder - This truely versatile highlighting product may be worn on its own or layered over other color products for added highlight and dimension.  The soft shimmering color will add instant radiance to any complexion, and may be used on the face and body.
- New Order - soft pink with gold and silver shimmer

Nail Polish - An exclusive formula with technology designed to improve flexibility, durability, wear, and gloss properties.  This longwearing formula provides a tough, durable chip-resistant finish and also has added UV protection to prevent polish discoloration.  Modern, sophisticated colors.  Gentle formula.  Toluene, Formaldehyde, and DBP free.
- Ecume - opaque white
- Kismet - metallic sunflower

The trio is just so pretty but it isn't for me, so will just be passing over it and moving onto to the other eye products in the collection.  I don't like the Dogon shade but the Exotic Dance shade and the Soft Touch Pencil in Queen have my name written all over them.  My favorite of the lip products is the new shade of Lipstick, Mayflower is a sheer raspberry and will look fantastic with my skintone.  The other shades are either too bright or too orange for me.  The New Order Highlighting Blush Powder will look great either day or night this summer.  Last but not least, I want the Kismet polish shade, Ecume (the matte white shade) is not my taste. 

Strong collection overall and I think that the Eye Shadow Trio will do really well, but this one just doesn't contain very many hits for me...

photo courtesy of NARS