NARS Holiday 2013 Collection - NARS x Guy Bourdin

The new holiday collection for NARS is now available on the NARS and Nordstrom website and I am very excited to see these new products and start picking them up.  NARS is a favorite brand of mine and I always look forward to all of their seasonal collections.  I have loved their holiday color and gift collections in the past and I am willing to bet that this will be on of my favorite collections of the season.  This collection was created by Francois Nars to honor one of his largest influences in his career.

Guy Bourdin was a French fashion photographer and artist, best known for many of his provocative fashion photos for many of the top designers of the second half of the 20th century.  He worked mainly with Vogue and was a contemporary of Helmut Newton.  Many of his best known photos were for shoe designer Charles Jourdan, a designer very well known for his highly sexualized ad campaigns.  Francois Nars found work done by Bourdin when he was looking through French Vogue as a child and stated that his career was inspired by works of Bourdin's .  I cannot wait to start checking this collection out!

I pulled some of the product descriptions from Nordstrom and some from the NARS website.  I am only seeing some of the collection on the Nordstrom website and a few pieces are missing from the NARS website too.

The NARS x Guy Bourdin collection!

Guy Bourdin Cinematic Eye Shadow - NARS celebrates the editorial creations of Guy Bourdin with a limited-edition eyeshadow designed to make your eyes pop. Cinematic eyeshadow features a velvety soft texture that glides on smoothly, giving you high-impact color with a metallic finish. The easily blendable formula is extremely versatile and can be used as a shader, liner or highlighter. Apply with a dampened brush for a more intense finish.
- Wishful Thinking - macaw blue
- Rage - electric orchid
- Bad Behaviour - deep pewter
- Cambodia - pink copper
- Mississippi Mermaid - champagne

Guy Bourdin Cinematic Lipstick - NARS pays homage to the editorial world of Guy Bourdin with a limited-edition Cinematic lipstick, a color that delivers you with intense pigment and a gorgeously glossy shine. The creamy, comfortable formula features an innovative blend of lip conditioners and antioxidants to hydrate, nourish and protect your lips.
- Future Red - cherry
- Short Circuit - fire coral
- Last Tango - dusty rose
- Goodbye Emmanuelle - hot pink
- Full Frontal - rose violet

Blush - The ultimate authority in blush, NARS offers the industry's most iconic shades for cheeks. Natural, healthy-looking color that immediately enlivens the complexion. A light application of even the highest-intensity hues delivers a natural-looking flush.  Silky texture in matte and shimmering shades.  Micronized powder ensures soft, blendable application.  Iconic NARS shades.
- Exhibit A - matte vivid red
- Coeur Battant - magenta
- Day Dream - peachy pink

Nail Polish - Knockout color. Genius formula. Introducing the new NARS Nail Polish, formulated for nothing less than pure color perfection. Wildly chic, this brilliantly curated palette of extended wear enamels features a flexible, high gloss finish for a freshly-painted look that lasts.
- Tomorrow's Red - scarlet flame
- Follow Me - deep fuchsia
- No Limits - bright pink violet
- Union Libre - blossom pink

I am so excited for these new shades and I am even more excited to see that NARS has brought out two limited edition products with this collection!  I am going to start with the two new products as I always love to try new items from my favorite brand.  The Cinematic Lipstick promises to be a favorite product of mine, I already love nearly every lipstick that I have ever used from this company and I am excited to try a formula with a glossy finish.  The combination of a glossy finish and high impact might be harder to pull off than I am used to but I can't wait to make a statement in these new hues.  I will be picking up Future Red, Last Tango, Goodbye Emmanuelle, and Full Frontal.  This might be my new favorite product of the whole holiday season.

I am also excited to see the new eye shadow formula, I have a bunch of the other formulas from NARS and I want to try even more from them.  Cambodia and Mississppi Mermaid are the only two shades that I would like from these new shades, I am not sure that I would be able to pull off the bright hues from this new formula and I would like to start with the neutrals.  I want to play with the neutrals and pair them with the bright lip hues from this collection.  I can easily skip over the blush shades but I would like to pick up all of the nail polish shades.

There is a good chance that this will be my favorite of the holiday collections and I cannot wait to start shopping these products.  I also want to do some more research into the works of Guy Bourdin and his photographs for Charles Jourdan.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

NARS Satin Lip Pencil

My last two purchases from NARS were designed to be practical, I needed both face primer and tinted moisturizer and ended up in the NARS aisle of Sephora for both of them.  While I was there, I was distracted from my practical quest by a display of the Satin Lip Pencils.  I had first used the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils from this company when I purchased the best-selling Dragon Girl shade last summer (the name was too irresistible for a fan of the Millennium Trilogy and the shade is an awesome red hue) and I wanted to see if the Satin Lip Pencils were as high quality as the other formula. 

I have mostly used the matte lip formulas from NARS in the past and might have one or two sheer cream shades from this company.  I needed to expand my horizons away from matte lipsticks and sheer lip glosses.  This formula is right in the middle of the two sides.  I started with two shades of this product and I now have two new favorite lip shades to add to my love of NARS products...

The Sephora website provides the following description of the NARS Satin Lip Pencils, "A selection of high-impact, fashion-forward shades in a rich, creamy satin finish that stays on all day.  The Satin Lip Pencil dresses up lips in statement shades that seduce with rich, color-bright pigments, while drenching them in decadent moisture. This modern, long-wearing, vitamin-enriched formula for lips looks sumptuously saturated and dramatically defined.  The Satin Lip Pencil Category shade designations are all named for parks and gardens around the world."

The shades of this product are...

- Biscayne Park - pink guava
- Floralies - light apricot
- Isola Bella - peach beige
- Rikugien - rose pink
- Lodhi - coral
- Timanfaya - mandarin orange red
- Yu - bright pink
- Luxembourg - watermelon
- Hyde Park - cardinal red
- Majella - garnet
- Golshan - spiced wine
- Palais Royal - sangria
- Het Loo - cognac
- Bansar - rose brown

I purchased one neutral hue and one deep red hue, I was hoping for a bright blue red shade but there isn't one at the moment.  Both shades wear about six to eight hours with normal coffee and cocktail sipping but don't hold up very well eating or any other activity more than sipping a drink.  These lipsticks are slightly more hydrating than the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils but I need to carry a separate lip balm with me and reapply it throughout the day.  Both shades have a cream finish with rich pigments. 

I purchased Rikugien, a neutral rose pink that I can wear with any makeup look and during the day or night.  I have worn this shade the past few days at work and paired it with all different looks from the Urban Decay Naked palettes.  I also purchased Hyde Park which I have worn once so far.  I paired it with the Stila Kitten eye shadow, a shimmering champagne, for a dinner party the other night.  I really like both hues but Rikugien is fast becoming a favorite of mine. 

There are only two other shades that I would like from this product, Biscayne Park and Yu.  Both pink shades will be saved for next spring.  I would hope to see more shades in this product as it is nice to have a finish other than matte from this color collection.

photo courtesy of Sephora

NARS Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer - Oil Free

Today we are taking a break from thinking about the holidays and reviewing a new primer that I have been using for the past few days.  I have a hard time finding one or two primer formulas that I consider to be "holy grail" as my skin changes so much with the seasons.  I have been using the formula from the NARS for the past few days and this is one of the highest rated primer formulas on Sephora's website so I had very high expectations of it.  I have two major thoughts on this product; the first being that I was expecting a bit too much from this product and the second being that I might love this product in the warmer weather.

NARS Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer - Oil Free is my latest trial in trying to narrow down the perfect primer formula for my skin.  This light, oil-free formula is not what my skin needs at this time of the year and might be a candidate for a great formula next May.  NARS is one of my favorite brands and I would expect that a company that offers such a range of foundation shades and great formulas would offer more than one primer formula. 

"An oil-free gel primer.  This gel primer instantly refines the look of pores, regulates shine, and creates a matte surface to the skin for smooth and long-wearing makeup application. Mineral Powders manage oil in the T-zone while blurring the look of pores, fine lines, and wrinkles.  This product is alcohol free, non-comedogenic, dermatologist tested, synthetic and fragrance free.", states the Sephora website. 

I think I should have tried this formula in warmer weather, my skin will only get drier over the next few months and this formula is just too light for me right now.  This gel formula went on easily and blended well but I would prefer a creamier formula right now.  This formula was easy to layer foundation and powder formulas over but I would have liked something creamier for when I blended my concealer in my under eye area.  To continue using this product at this time of the year, I will need to switch over to a creamier eye cream in order to be able to blend my current concealer formula easily in this area. 

This formula keeps my makeup in place for a full eight hours.  That being said, I think this formula was designed for best use with powder formulas.  I love how nicely my face powder and powder blush blend with it but it doesn't work as nicely with rich, creamy face makeup formulas. 

I do like this formula now but I don't think I will be able to keep using it much longer.  As I stated above, my skin will only get drier as we head closer into winter and I will hit a point where I will need a creamier formula to continue hydration throughout my whole makeup routine.  I think I will need to start looking for another formula soon and then put the rest of this tube aside until next May.  This isn't quite what I had in mind when I just ordered a new primer but I guess I will just have to head back to Sephora and make the best of having to shop again...

photo courtesy of Sephora

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30

My favorite Stila Tinted Moisturizer ran out the other week and I toyed with the idea of simply ordering a second tube of it or trying a new formula.  As usual, trying a new formula won out for me and I ordered the Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30 from NARS.  I have loved NARS foundation formulas from the first day of use and I was excited to try more face products from this line.  NARS has been one of my favorite makeup lines for years and I love everything that I have ever used from this line.  My favorite product is their lipsticks and their Sheer Matte Foundation is my second favorite product they make.  I really wanted to see if the Tinted Moisturizer lived up to the performance of my beloved foundation.

I mostly use tinted moisturizer formulas from April to the middle of October, I know that I am at the end of my usage for this product however I wasn't going to wait until next spring to order a new product.  I still use a lighter product on my days off and will until my skin gets too dry to not use a traditional face cream.  I am not interested in whether or not my tinted moisturizer or foundation has SPF in it, I have read in multiple articles from dermatologists that the addition of this ingredient to makeup is relatively useless.  Foundation and tinted moisturizer are usually not applied heavily enough to reap the SPF benefits and I always use a separate sunscreen designed for the face.

"A lightweight tinted moisturizer that evens skintone and provides a translucent veil of protection.  Infused with lush, naturally-derived ingredients, this lightweight tinted moisturizer immediately helps thirsty skin feel hydrated. It has been proven to help reduce the appearance of discoloration and dark spots caused by hyperpigmentation for a clearer and brighter complexion in as little as four weeks. Oil-free and luxurious, it obscures the appearance of lines, wrinkles, pores, and other imperfections while broad spectrum SPF 30 protects skin."

"Natural polysaccharides from Moorea Island in French Polynesia hydrate, condition, and help support natural cell renewal. Mineral-rich seawater uniquely revitalizes and adds key minerals back into the skin. Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 helps improve skin’s overall condition. Soft and smooth to the touch, skin looks natural and glowing. This oil-free, dermatologist-tested product is free of synthetic fragrances and is noncomedogenic.", states the Sephora website. 

This product is available in a range of shades, I ordered Terra Neuve which is a pale porcelain with pink undertones.  This is a great shade for me and I picked it out by comparing it to the shade of NARS Foundation that works very well for me.  There are 12 shades in total for this product and they are pretty evenly distributed between light and deep shades.  The product hydrates as well as any other tinted moisturizer, I haven't found much of a difference between any of the formulas that I have tried in this aspect and I doubt that I ever will.

The NARS tinted moisturizer is a much lighter version of the foundation.  It covers nicely and evens out my skintone.  I always apply tinted moisturizer products with my hands and this one is no exception.  A light coating of this product helps to even out the redness in my skintone and makes blemishes and under eye circles easier to cover with concealer.  I still need to use a separate concealer with this product, I still need it under my eyes and on random blemishes. 

I have never really reaped all the long term benefits of the hydrating ingredients in any tinted moisturizer formula.  I only use this product once or twice a week and will not receive the effects from everyday use.  This product is very high rated for both coverage and hydrating benefits and I have really liked this formula so far.

I will use this product for a few more weeks and then put it aside for next spring.  I used to only use tinted moisturizers if I knew that I wouldn't be leaving my house at all but now I am starting to use them all the time on my lazy days off.  The coverage and natural finish have improved a lot over the years and these are fast becoming some of the best products in my traincase.

photo courtesy of Sephora

NARS Concealer

Yesterday I talked about how the recent heat wave is affecting my skincare regime and today we are going to look at what I have had to change in my makeup regime to work around it.  I have been using Urban Decay Beauty Balm and then a MAC Bronzer all summer and then using Benefit Erase Paste on any problem areas.  The first two products are holding up to the heat and humidity but the concealer is slightly too soft and is melting off my face in the heat.  I decided that I wanted a thicker formula of a concealer when I went into Sephora to pick up my Philosophy face cream.  I am hoping that a thick formula dotted directly on dark spots and blemishes will be more effective than bringing my pot of Erase Paste in my bag with me.

One of the thickest formulas that I could find at Sephora is the NARS formula, this one is available in a stick form.  I use the product by directly dotting it on spots and blemishes and then using a flat concealer brush on the areas under my eyes and any areas of red on my cheeks.  I might even be able to continue using Erase Paste under my eyes and keep the NARS formula for blemishes.  I will play around with the combinations of the products on my face and see how it works.

I first used a NARS concealer formula when I was in college and I remember that the product was very highly pigmented and hard to apply (I wasn't quite the beauty expert in college so this was more my application issues than the product itself).  I gave the product another shot because I needed something that wasn't going to budge for any reason and that was one of the best aspects about this product.

The NARS website states, "Brilliantly obscures imperfections and dark spots with a creamy, vitamin-rich formula that nourishes the skin for all-day wear. Crease-proof and easily blendable for a flawless finish."  This formula is enriched with Vitamin E to hydrate skin and to improve application on the skin.  NARS Concealer is available in 10 shades, I bought the second shade (Vanilla) because it has an extra touch of pink that will work better with my skin than the palest shade.  For some reason, I haven't need to change concealer shades when I self tan and I am almost at the end of that season anyway so I didn't feel the need to purchase a medium toned shade. 

This concealer works best with a stiff brush, I use one type for the under eye area and then a smaller brush to dot the product right on blemishes.  I start with primer and Urban Decay Beauty Balm every day then I dot this product on whatever blemishes were not concealed by this combination and then dust bronzer over my whole face.  This regime keeps my concealer in place for a good ten hours and then it usually begins to fade away when I go to the gym at night or do an outside workout.  The formula is a bit creamier than I remembered it to be and the tube is completely different so it is very possible that NARS changed the formula around a bit. 

I don't know that I will need this formula all year long, I might use it mostly on blemishes and then keep using Erase Paste on dark areas and work with the combination of the two products.  I go through concealer very slowly and likely won't need to replace either of these two products for at least another six to eight months.  I doubt that I would have purchased this product had this weather not gone crazy to end the summer but I know that I will keep using this concealer for the next few months.  I would recommend this formula mostly for someone who needs spot coverage for blemishes or very dark circles in the under eye area.  Small amounts of this product will get you a long way and I really like the results that I get from this product!

photo courtesy of Sephora

NARS Fall 2013 Collection

My favorite brand has now brought out their fall collection and I could not be more excited to review and start my shopping list!  NARS already creates beautiful collections and just like Chanel, the fall and spring collections from this company are among the best seasonal collections of the entire year.  I have been collecting NARS products at a rapid rate since earlier last year and this trend shows no sign in stopping anytime in the near future.  I was looking forward to some pigmented hues when I looked at my last fall collection and was sorely let down by Laura Mercier's vain attempt at dramatic nighttime makeup.  Today we are onto the real pigmented products and hues, NARS makes some of the best pigmented shades and I have never been let down by any purchase that I have made from this brand (however my obsession with Orgasm has been rapidly declining over the past few years...).

I already spy a bright red lipstick pencil in the preview pictures of this collection and I love NARS red lipsticks and always want to add the newest shades to my lipstick collection.  I also see two lovely new shades of nail polish that I must have along with a deep lilac eye shadow that might need to come home with me too!

Here is the NARS fall collection!

Shimmer Eye Shadow - Luminous, light-reflecting powders for shading, highlighting and lining eyes. Highly pigmented, long-wearing, crease-resistant colors glide on smoothly and evenly and blend effortlessly. Can be applied sheer or layered for a more dramatic effect.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for heightened intensity.  Multi-function use for shading, highlighting and lining the eyes.  Sophisticated, luminous shades.
- Bavaria - deep sea blue

Matte Eye Shadow - Highly pigmented, velvety-matte, ultra-fine powders for shading, creating depth and lining eyes. Long-wearing, crease-resistant colors glide on smoothly and evenly and blend effortlessly. Can be applied sheer or layered for a more dramatic effect.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for heightened intensity.  Multi-function use for shading, lining and brow color.  Rich, vivid shade range, with ultra-matte finish.
- Kamchatka - navy smoke
- Namibia - gray moon
- Yamal - maple sugar

Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner - Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner takes liner to the next level. Rich, creamy color that glides on smoothly with a completely budgeproof finish. Incomparable 12-hour wear with no smearing and no caking. Deeply dramatic shades named for the most iconic streets in the world.  Long-wearing.  Achieves rich, intense color.  Twist up delivery and built-in sharpener.
- Las Ramblas - yellow gold
- Via De' Martelli - chocolate

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - The application of a lipstick combined with the convenience of a pencil in a jumbo crayon design. Lips are instantly saturated with rich pigments and a velvety matte finish. The long lasting, non-drying formula is enriched with emollients for a creamy texture, while a combination of unique silicones ensures long-lasting, seamless color for hours. Use for lining, all-over lip color, or pairing with another lip product.  Rich, vivid shades.  Enriched with Vitamin E.  Convenient, easy application.
- Mysterious Red - crimson red
- Paimpol - pink chiffon

Pure Matte Lipstick - Bright. Bold. Perfectly matte. This super-rich lipstick provides high-impact payoff: an ultra-pigmented, long-wearing formula that glides on effortlessly with comfortable wear.  Contains wild mango butter, know to provide advanced moisturizing properties to repair dryness and scaling.  Long-wearing application.  Enriched with Vitamin E and açai oil for antioxidant benefits.
- La Paz - orchid
- Peloponnese - ginger pink

Nail Polish - Knockout color. Genius formula. Introducing the new NARS Nail Polish, formulated for nothing less than pure color perfection. Wildly chic, this brilliantly curated palette of extended wear enamels features a flexible, high gloss finish for a freshly-painted look that lasts.
- Galathee - dove gray
- Fury - regal purple

I love this collection even though I am not sure that I could pull off the look that the model is wearing with it, it might be too much for me and would be better for going out in New York City than around where I live.  I will buy key pieces of this collection but will make them work with my "look" of the moment, there are some great shades offered this fall from NARS and they will work well with the shades I already own to make some great new looks for fall.  The first piece that I must have is the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Mysterious Red and then I also want to pick up the other new shade for more neutral looks.  I want both of the new nail polishes from this collection, I will use them together to create a perfect fall accent manicure.  Rounding out the collection, I love the Matte Eye Shadow in Nambia and the Larger Then Life Eyeliner in the gold hue, Las Ramblas,

I have a bunch of items that I love from this collection and then a few more that I would like to add to my collection.  I like the Yamal shade of the Matte Eye Shadow and could see it working well with my favorite hues from the Urban Decay Naked palettes and I want to pick it up soon.  I could go either way on the Pure Matte Lipstick in La Paz, it is very unique shade that I might either love or hate.

This isn't the strongest NARS fall collection that has been released but it is a very good one and will be one of the best fall collections for this year.  I will be adding a few items to be Most Wanted list right after I finish here.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

NARS Sheer Lipstick

NARS has been one of my top five favorite brands for several years now and I have been collecting their products quite steadily over the past two or three years.  One of the products that I buy the most of from them are lip products, I have been buying and trying each of their Lipstick finishes for the past few months and today I will be looking at the last formula of NARS Lipstick and giving my thoughts on how well it worked.  I have looked at the Semi Matte and Satin Lipsticks, as well as the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and now we are going to the other end of the spectrum by looking at the Sheer formula from this company.  I have loved lipsticks from this company for their full pigmentation and this formula will not have the high pigment level that I look for from NARS.  I don't think that this will be my favorite formula from this company though I am sure that they are still among the best sheer lipstick line in the world.

"A beautifully sheer formula infused with ingredients to improve the condition of the lips. Sheer, long lasting color pigments have been suspended in this translucent formula to provide a sophisticated shine.  Lightweight formula glides on smoothly.  Lush shade range.  Patented blend of conditioners and antioxidants hydrate, nourish and protect lips." 

This is more of a day lipstick formula for me, it is much more sheer than any of the other formulas from NARS and I can wear these shades easily in a professional environment or for a casual lunch date with a friend.  The Semi Matte and Satin formulas have a very distinct range of colors and no two of them are similar, each one has its own personality.  Unlike these two formulas, the Sheer formula has several shades in each hue that look very similar and I found that I didn't need as many shades as I thought that I would.  The first shade that I bought is the best selling Dolce Vita and I was so happy with this this shade that I wanted to buy others in the line, however as I was swatching them at Sephora, I soon realized that most of the shades look so similar on the lips that I only needed Dolce Vita and nothing else.

The formula is very creamy and gives a little hint of color to my lips, this is a very nice sheer lipstick formula but it has the same positives and negatives of most other sheer lipstick formulas.  It is very hydrating and light on the lips however it wears off much faster than any other formula from NARS.  I lose most of this product off my lips after eating or drinking and I reapply this shade much more often than I do the shades in the other formulas.

Here are the shades in the NARS Sheer Lipstick line!

- Autumn Leaves - shimmering warm brandy
- Barbarella - sheer pretty peach
- Belle de Jour - sheer beige
- Cruising - nude pink
- Damage - sheer muted grape
- Dolce Vita - sheer dusty rose
- Falbala - shimmering rose
- Fast Ride - sheer mulberry
- Flair - burnished berry
- Gipsy - warm berry
- Love Devotion - sheer guava
- Manhunt - sheer poppy red
- Mayflower - sheer shimmering raspberry
- Mindgame - sheer brandy
- Mitzi - sheer muted strawberry pink with soft shimmer
- Napoli - cool natural beige with a hint of pink
- Outsider - shimmering burnished coral
- Pago Pago - shimmering pink
- Roman Holiday - pretty pastel with the most delicate hint of pink
- Senorita - sheer shimmering cherry blossom
- Sexual Healing - shimmering pink blossom
- Shrinagar - metallic raspberry
- Tanganyka - sheer neutral plum brown
- Tzigane - pink brandy
- Vendanges - sheer grape

Dolce Vita is the iconic shade in this formula, it has won many awards in the beauty industry and is a consistent best seller for this company.  This was the first lipstick that I bought from this formula and it turned out to be the only one that I really needed, I initially loved it so much that I wanted to buy several similar shades when I went to Sephora.  I was ready to try several more when I started trying them on my hand however I quickly found out that both Gipsy and Love Devotion looked almost completely identical when applied and then I realized that I didn't need either of them.  I am currently waiting for Belle de Jour to come back in stock, this iconic shade was named after the Bridgette Bardot movie and I really want to add this shade to my nude lipstick collection.  Manhunt will be added to my red lipstick collection unless it ends up being the exact same shade as Ladybug from MAC (which is exactly what it looks like).  Senorita and Sexual Healing are the only other shades that  I want to add to my collection however both of them look very similar and I know that I will only need to buy one of them when I go to Sephora.  

This is one of the best sheer lipstick formulas that I have used however it is my least favorite of the lipsticks from NARS.  Many of the shades are very pretty but there is very little unique with them and many of them look very similar when applied.  This is a good way to introduce someone to NARS lipstick and I would recommend Dolce Vita to anyone, this is one of my favorite lipsticks and I wear it day and night, paired with all kinds of eye makeup looks.  This one is a classic for a reason but I feel that it is the only must have shade from this formula.

photo courtesy of NARS

NARS Loves New York Set

Anyone reading this blog knows that I have been on a huge NARS kick for well over a year now, this counter is the first place that I stop each time that I go to Sephora store.  I am already beginning to look forward to the fall collection from this company even though the summer months aren't even technically with us yet.  I have a few more Lipsticks from this company that I want to collect and am hearing a rumor about a new formula of lip crayon that is on the way from this company.  But I must say that I am the more excited about a new palette that just come out from this company and this will be the perfect birthday present to myself in the upcoming days!

The newest NARS palette is named NARS Loves New York and I love both NARS and New York so this palette appeals to me even without me seeing what colors and products are offered inside it.  I have always wanted to visit the NARS Flagship store on Bleecker St and I am hoping that I will be able to get down into that area and at least see the outside of the store.  A visit inside the beautiful store might really be painful to my Visa card but very fun for me.  I can only imagine the day when I live within a short cab ride from this store and can visit it all the time.  Until then, I will have to order the NARS Loves New York Set and envision my future apartment.

The NARS Loves New York Set contains a palette with eye and face shades included in it and then a lip gloss and nail polish to complement the look.  I am not sure which items I am the most excited about, I want to try the bronzer formula for the summer months.  I also want more eye shadow shades from this line.  But I love NARS lip products more than almost any other line and I haven't tried the nail polish formula from them yet.  I think that the bronzer formula is my priority but I will love everything in this entire palette.

"Day to night, uptown to downtown— the style and sophistication of New York City in a dynamic and dramatic color palette as rich with possibilities as the city itself."

Here are the product details from the set...

Bronzing Powder - Bronzing Powder creates the ultimate healthy glow. Diffused powders with golden shimmer create an all-over warmth or contour for the face perfect for creating or enhancing the look of tanned skin. Finely milled powders fills in lines and pores for smoother, more even looking complexion.  Iconic shades ideal for all skin tones.  Natural looking, imperceptible finish.  Subtle shimmer adds glow.
- Laguna - diffused brown powder with gold shimmer

Shimmer Eye Shadow - Luminous, light-reflecting shades for shading, highlighting and lining eyes. Highly pigmented, longwearing, crease resistant colors that can be applied sheer or layered for more dramatic effects. Color glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity.  Multi-function use for shading, lining and highlighting the eyes.  Sophisticated, luminous shades.
- Galapagos - bitter chocolate infused with gold shimmer
- Nepal - soft sheer rose

Matte Eye Shadow - Highly pigmented, velvety-matte, ultra-fine powders for shading, creating depth and lining eyes. Long-wearing, crease-resistant colors glide on smoothly and evenly and blend effortlessly. Can be applied sheer or layered for a more dramatic effect.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for heightened intensity.  Multi-function use for shading, lining and brow color.  Rich, vivid shade range, with ultra-matte finish.
- Biarritz - perfect neutral cream colored beige
- New York - plum brown

Blush - The ultimate authority in blush, NARS offers the industry's most iconic shades for cheeks. Natural, healthy-looking color that immediately enlivens the complexion. A light application for even the highest-intensity hues delivers a natural-looking flush.  Silky texture in matte and shimmering shades.  Micronized powder ensures soft, blendable application.  Iconic NARS shades.
- Amour - peachy pink

Lip Gloss - Serious shine and sexy color in sheer, semi-sheer and creamy formulas. Extremely wearable and versatile shades may be worn alone or over other lip formulas for added dimension.  Ultra-smooth, non-sticky, comfortable wear.  Enriched with Vitamin E to help lips feel supple and hydrated.  Iconic NARS shades.
- Dolce Vita - sheer dusty rose

Nail Lacquer - Fashion-forward and classic NARS Nail Polish shades impart incredible luster and prolonged gloss retention with UV protection to prevent polish discoloration. An advanced polymer system provides extended wear and a durable, chip-resistant finish.  Modern, iconic shades.  Long-wearing, chip-resistant.  Toluene, formaldehyde and DBP free.  Ships via ground only.
- Chinatown - blood red

I don't even have to think about this palette, I know that I will want to order it and the only decision will be where I will order it from.  I might wait a few days and see if it is on the Sephora website since I am almost at the 400 point mark for VIBs and I want to qualify for the 500 Point Perk soon.  I still can't pick my early favorite product yet from this set.  I have heard so many great reviews of this bronzer formula, I already love eye shadows from this company and use Galapagos all throughout the year.  I have wanted the Dolce Vita Lip Gloss shade for a few months now and I really like the red shade of Nail Lacquer in this set.  This might be my favorite NARS set ever released and I love New York just as much as NARS does!

photo courtesy of NARS

NARS Pierre Hardy for NARS Nail Polish Collection

So far this season we have already seen one new collection from NARS and now the second one has been released.  The same type of occurrence was done last summer, there was the traditional summer color collection and then a series of nail polish shades came out very soon after that.  NARS is taking the same path this summer, the traditional color collection was released about two weeks ago and now I see that the NARS and Pierre Hardy collection of nail polishes are up on the NARS website.  I have seen pictures of these polishes in magazines for the past month and they are said to be the best polishes of the entire summer and almost every article about new trends in manicures and pedicures contains at least one or two of these polish shades.  I believe that one article contained every single shade from this collection and that got me very excited to see when this line got released. 

These polishes are sold in pack of two bottles, one shade designed for manicures and the other designed for complementing pedicure.  I have seen the most pictures of a duo that contains a yellow and a purple hue and also of a duo that contains an orange and a deep blue.  I also see that this collection contains two shades of what I believe are blush.  I had seen these at Sephora before any of the polishes were released and now I know what collection that they are part of.  I originally wondered if they were part of the summer collection but we saw that they weren't and then I wondered if they were just a new product that I hadn't seen yet.  Now I have my answer...

This collection is all about contrasting and complementary shades and I believe that many of these nail polish duos are going to be some of the best polish shades for the summer months.  I am also excited to see if there is a blush shade for me in the two new ones that I have come out for Pierre Hardy for NARS.

Here is Pierre Hardy for NARS!

Pierre Hardy for NARS Blush - Limited edition high voltage blush palette with a shimmering pressing of Pierre Hardy's iconic avant-garde print.  Natural, healthy-looking finish that immediately enlivens the complexion.  Silky texture.  Micronized powder ensures soft, blendable applications.  Inspired by the designer's 2013 high-fashion shoe collection, the Pierre Hardy for NARS collection also includes six nail polish pairs presented in the spirit of his signature shoebox packaging for ultra modern couplings of conceptual color.
- Boys Don't Cry - pink grapefruit
- Rotonde - tiger lily

Pierre Hardy for NARS Nail Polish Pairs - Inspired by his 2013 high-fashion shoe collection, Pierre Hardy infuses his ultra modern color palette into limited edition nail polish pairs, presented in the spirit of his signature shoebox packaging.  These two complementary shades selected by Hardy may be worn together or separately -- hands, toes, anything goes. Sets includes two nail polishes and Pierre Hardy for NARS signature mini-shoebox and dust bag.  Incredible luster and prolonged gloss retention.  Long-wearing, durable chip-resistant finish.  UV protection to prevent polish discoloration. Toluene, formaldehyde and DBP free.  The Pierre Hardy for NARS collection also includes two high voltage blushes with shimmering pressings of the avant-garde designer’s iconic prints. Pierre Hardy for NARS —an ultra modern coupling of conceptual color.
- Ethno Run - orange/navy
- Sharplines - peach/burgundy
- Vertebra - coral/dusty rose
- Easy Walking - rose gold/camel
- Sharks - yellow/lavender
- Venemous - gunmetal/black

Sharks is my favorite combination and this is the one that was in all the beauty magazines and featured on all the beauty blogs, I might have a hard time getting my hands on it soon but I will be holding out for it over the next few weeks.  Sharks is my favorite but I still have several other duos that I would like to order.  Venemous is my second favorite, I will use this one in the fall and winter months and both of these shades will be staples in my polish collection.  Vertebra is the last duo that I want, this one will be best for summer and the coral shade will only work against tanned skin.  I don't love the other duos enough to order them, I love the rose gold shade and the navy shades but not the others in the duo so I will look to see if I can find similar shades from China Glaze or another one of my favorite polish companies.  I will round out my shopping of this collection with the Boys Don't Cry shade of the limited edition Blush shades.

There is nothing that I love more than a NARS collection and this one doesn't disappoint!

photo courtesy of NARS

NARS Summer 2013 Collection - Summer Shock

Yesterday was a big day in the world, for most people it was Tax Day but it was also a day of several great collection releases in the beauty industry.  I was very excited to see that both Butter London and NARS' newest collections were released late yesterday and are now both available on their company websites.  I don't need to say how much I love both of these companies, I already rave about their products on here as much as I can and am often picking up new items from them.  In fact, I have an untried Butter London polish that just came with my Friends and Family order and I use at least one product from NARS every single day.  What an exciting week for beauty!

We are going to start with the new collection from NARS and then will head over the Butter London website in the next few days.  This collection is available right now on both the NARS and Nordstrom website so I am pulling my information from a combination of the two places. 

The Nordstrom website provides a description of the collection, "The modern face of summer reflects a striking tension in tone – sexy, unexpected glam filtered through futuristic new wave sophistication."  The model for this collection is again Stella Tennant, I do wonder how many collections she will be the face of over the next few seasons.  She is rocking bright eye makeup and very defined cheekbones, two of the looks that I have been seeing in magazines for the past few weeks.  I have been talking about bright eye makeup ever since I started looking at summer collections and am still working on how I want to pull this look off.  The brights in this collection are very bright and I know that these are not the shades that I would be starting off with...

Here is the new collection from NARS!

The Multiple - François Nars' iconic innovation, the original multi-purpose stick for eyes, cheeks, lips and body. Its unique creamy formula and sheer color blends effortlessly to create shimmering accents; contours or dynamic highlights on all skin tones. Apply with fingers: the skin's warmth allows for perfect blending.  Mistake-proof color; quick and easy to apply.  Sheer, natural finish for eyes, cheeks and lips.  Enriched with Vitamin E and açai oil for antioxidant benefits.
- Puerto Vallarta - shimmering tangerine

Duo Eye Shadow - Modern, unique, sometimes unexpected color combinations of eyeshadow shades. Worn alone or together, all Duo Eyeshadow shades feature micro-fine powders that are highly pigmented, longwearing and crease resistant. Color glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly. The effects can be subtle or smoldering- the options are endless.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity.  Multi-function use for shading, lining and highlighting the eyes.  Fashion-forward shade pairing.
- Fashion Rebel - dandelion/african violet

Shimmer Eye Shadow - Luminous, light-reflecting shades for shading, highlighting and lining eyes. Highly pigmented, longwearing, crease resistant colors that can be applied sheer or layered for more dramatic effects. Color glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity.  Multi-function use for shading, lining and highlighting the eyes.  Sophisticated, luminous shades.
- Euphrate - frosted mint steel

Larger Than Life Long Wear Eye Pencil - Defined. Dramatic. Intense. NARS' Larger Than Life Long Wear Eyeliner takes liner to the next level. Rich, creamy color that glides on smoothly with a completely budgeproof finish. Incomparable 12-hour wear with no smearing and no caking. Nine deeply dramatic shades named for the most iconic streets in the world.
- Barrow Street - mint green

Larger Than Life Lip Gloss - Outrageously lustrous color meets high-impact shine. Dramatic, stay-in-place shades glide on smoothly and evenly for lips that are more luminous and voluminous than ever before.  High-shine, high-impact finish gives a dramatic effect.  Long-lasting, stay-in-place wear.  Infused with ingredients to nourish and fight free radicals while natural lip enhancers pump up volume.  Shorter-bristle brush delivers the most precise application possible.
- Paris Follies - pink flamingo

Satin Lipstick - A lustrous, long-wearing lipstick infused with conditioners to provide comfortable wear and sumptuously silky color.  Smooth, ultra comfortable wear.  Sophisticated shade range.  Patented blend of conditioners and antioxidants that hydrate, nourish and protect lips.
- Tolede - pink rose

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil - The application of a lipstick combined with the convenience of a pencil in a jumbo crayon design. Lips are instantly saturated with rich pigments and a velvety matte finish. The long-lasting, non-drying formula is enriched with emollients for a creamy texture, while a combination of unique silicones ensures long-lasting, seamless color for hours. Use for lining, all-over lip color, or pairing with another lip product.  Enriched with Vitamin E.  Convenient, easy application.
- Tender Night - iridescent lilac

Opaque Nail Polish - Fashion-forward and classic NARS Nail Polish shades impart incredible luster and prolonged gloss retention with UV protection to prevent polish discoloration. An advanced polymer system provides extended wear and a durable, chip-resistant finish.  Modern, iconic shades.  Long-wearing, chip-resistant.  Toluene, formaldehyde and DBP free.  Ships via ground only.
- Madness - electric orange crush

Stick Concealer - A unique yellow-toned shade to instantly correct redness. With a few gentle strokes, this quick-fix tool camouflages redness to create a more even-toned complexion. Crease-proof and easily blendable for a flawless finish. Use alone or with additional NARS concealers. Ideal for touch-ups throughout the day.  Long-wearing.  Enriched with moisturizing Vitamin E.  Crease-proof.  Paraben-free.
- Pear - pale yellow (correcting shade for light to medium skin tones)

Light Optimizing Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 15 - Primed. Revived. Radiant.NARS Light Optimizing Primer SPF 15 dramatically extends and transforms the appearance and vibrancy of makeup. Weightless and oil-free, it minimizes signs of fatigue to leave the skin luminous and revived. May also be worn alone as daily sun protection and/or to create a natural luminous complexion.  Dermatologist Tested.  Oil-free. Paraben-free. Alcohol-free. Synthetic fragrance-free.  Non-comedogenic.

I have already seen several pictures of this shade of the Eye Shadow Duo in magazines for the past month, this is supposed to be one of the best choices for colorful eye makeup for the late spring and the rest of the summer months.  This would be better for someone who is already used to applying and wearing colorful eye makeup, it is really just too much for me to start out with and I will be skipping over it this season.  I also have the exact same feelings for the mint green eye liner, again just too much for me right now.  The Single Eye Shadow from this collection is a bit more to my liking, this frosted mint green silver is much more wearable and I can mix it will all shades of silvers and platinums on my eyes, I am looking forward to finding this product at Sephora.

The lip products are what I am most excited about in this collection, this really seems to be the trend for me since the beginning of the spring collections and I foresee it remaining the trend for the rest of the summer collections too.  I love the Larger Than Life Lip Gloss shade, this bright pink will be perfect against pale skin or a tan and I could see myself wearing this shade long after the end of the summer.  The Lipstick is on my shopping list too, this is a second great pink for the summer and yet another shade that I would wear all throughout the year.  The Velvet Matte Lip Pencil shade might be hard for me to pull off, I love this product so I want it to work for me but this is an overall hard to pull off shade. 

The last product that I am really interested in is the new primer formula from this company, I love their eye shadow primer and I want to see if their face primers are the same high quality.  I am disappointed that it only has an SPF of 15, this is simply not enough protection for the summer months and I will need to use a separate product and risk the products beginning to cake in the warm weather.  I might have to put off this primer until fall since I need at least SPF 30 for the sunnier months.

I really do like the new collection and I can see how it will be one of the top rated collections for summer, the looks that these new products will create are right on trend but just may be on the harder side for many women to pull off...

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

NARS And God Created The Woman Set

Today we are going to take a bit of a break from the spring collections and look at an eye palette that I have had my eye on for the past week or two.  NARS has come out with the new palette in question and this is one of the first eye shadow palette from them that I have been on the fence about, I am usually all over a new NARS palette.  There is nothing wrong with the palette, the first time that I saw I actually really liked it and was considering ordering it right away.  Well why didn't I?  I already own about half of the products in this palette and am really trying to decide if I would use these products enough to warrant owning more than one of these shades.  To top it off...I already own the brush that is part of this palette and I don't know how different the smaller-sized version of it is.  On first glance...I shouldn't need this palette and I should just skip over it.  But I really love the shades and the brush too!

What palette am I referring to?  I am looking at the newest palette from NARS, And God Created The Woman.  This is an eye shadow palette that contains a series of neutral shades that can create a neutral or dramatic smoky eye look.  And no one does eye makeup better than NARS.

As of right now, this palette is available only at Sephora and I will provide all the details that are found on their website.  "An eye shadow kit with six sultry shades, a travel-size Eye Shader Brush, and a medium Pro-Prime Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base.  Captivating and compelling, this palette of six shimmering shadows shows off your sultry side. Created exclusively for Sephora, this sleek, travel-ready set also includes a mini Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base and Eye Shader Brush."

Here is what is contained in this palette!

Eye Shadow - Single-color eye shadows in an array of colors and textures.  Mix and match NARS Single Eyeshadows to create great-looking personal combinations for the eyes. Textures range from translucent highlights and subtle mattes to shimmering glitters.
- Alhambra - shimmering champagne
- Bellisima - matte taupe
- Kalahari - medium bronze
- Galapagos - rich brown with gold flecks
- Coconut Grove - matte deep taupe brown
- Night Clubbing - black with gold pearl

Pro-Prime Smudge-Proof Eye Shadow Base - A lightweight primer that creates a seamless canvas that keeps cream and powder eye color looking brilliant, fresh, and just-applied all day.  This smudge-proof eye shadow base uses a unique polymer and mineral powder blend to get a firm grip on color for long-lasting, gorgeous wear. Fortified with a special deep-sea extract and an antioxidant rice extract, it dries on contact and keeps the delicate eye lid smooth and ready for eye shadow application.  This fragrance-free product is ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested.
Eye Shader Brush - Sable hair brush domed for smooth application to wide areas, the crease of the eye, and the perfect blending tool for seamless color.

I can't deny that I would use every single one of these eye shadow shades and I would use them a lot throughout the year.  I already own Galapagos and Night Clubbing, deep shades that I don't use on a regular basis.  I mostly use these shades to create a dramatic eye look or as a liner in a more professional environment so these are not shades that I use every day.  If the shades that I owned from this palette where the highlighting shades, then I would be purchase this in a heartbeat as I use them like crazy and go through these faster than other shades.  On the other side of the debate...I love these shades and I can think of so many eye makeup looks that I would create with them.  Nothing in that palette would ever go to waste.

But do I really need that second Eye Shader Brush?  I will make my final decision after I see it in the stores and if it the same size or slightly smaller than the traditional version.  I use this brush almost every single day to apply highlighting shades and then to blend eye makeup.  I love this brush but that really doesn't mean that I need a second brush that is exactly the same. 

One of the pieces that pushes in the direction to order it is the Eye Primer, I love this formula and it is one of the few that I think really keeps any eye shadow in place.  This is one of the only products that can keep Urban Decay's Midnight Cowboy Eye Shadow from falling all over my face.  I wouldn't mind having another tube of this and I know that I would use it.

I will have to make my final decision after I see the brush in the stores.  Thoughts either way anyone?

photo courtesy of Sephora

Five Favorite - Pink Beauty Products

Today is the first of February and I will try to salute the month of romance and lovers in my own way.  And the only way that I can do this is to talk about my favorite pink beauty products, I love pink lipsticks and matching nail polishes and I later ended up falling in love with the Bath and Body Works Pink Chiffon body products (even though I wasn't a fan intially).  I am considering purchasing a little something for this holiday and perhaps this will take the sting out of the day, I will work all day that day and then I have class at night so at least the day will go by quickly and I won't be in a funk about not having a date that night...

Today we are going to look at my Five Favorite pink beauty products.  Ladies, any of these products will be great for a Valentine's Day date and then will still be in style all throughout the spring months.  No matter what your thoughts on the holiday are, you will find a product or two to try from this group!  I may hate Valentine's Day but I love pink lipstick shades!!

Here are my favorite pinks!

NARS Semi-Matte Lipstick in Schiap - "A pure, creamy lipstick formula for bold color.  Nars Lipsticks are enriched with vitamin E to increase wearability and keep true color intact. Sheer finish creates the most natural, stained-looking lips. Semi-matte produces velvety, full-bodied lips. Finally, satin fashions creamy, moist-looking lips."  Schiap is a "semi-matte shocking pink".  This is my favorite pink lipstick and I am not alone in my love since it it sold out all the time at Sephora.  This shade is a bright matte pink, it creates the best bright pink lip and it lasts all day long.  The matte finish keeps this shade looking classy and I wear this shade all throughout the year.  The shade was named after designer Elsa Schaiparelli, an avant garde designer from the 20th Centruy who loved bright pink hues such as this one.  I really love to wear red lip hues all the time but this bright pink actually makes me put the reds to the side and rock the pink.  This is a great choice for Valentine's Day or any day of the year.

Bath and Body Works Pink Chiffon Body Lotion - "Our exclusive Signature Collection Body Lotion is fortified with powerful ingredients like super conditioning Shea Butter, fast absorbing Jojoba Oil and protective Vitamin E to hydrate skin with moisture that lasts all day. Our non-greasy formula absorbs quickly and completely to leave skin feeling incredibly soft, smooth and nourished, making it the perfect daily moisturizer.  Our exclusive Pink Chiffon is a light-as-air pairing of soft pink petals & vanilla chiffon icing.  Key Fragrance Notes: Sparkling Red Pear, Vanilla Orchid and Whipped Chiffon Musk."  I hated this fragrance when it first came out, I tried the perfume on and it was so sweet that it turned on my skin.  I cannot wear these sweet fruity-floral scents, they either get much too sweet to handle or go sour, this one went the sweet route and I went on my merry way past this scent.  I stayed away from this fragrance for quite a long time but last holiday I received some small bottles of it and decided to re-try the products.  I got the Shower Gel and Body Lotion and I discovered that I really like the body products in this fragrance, it is light floral on my skin with just hints of sweetness.  This scent is just enough to be noticeable and I went through my small sizes very quickly and will be buying those products in the full sizes to use all spring.  The shower Gel is more fruity than the lotion, I smelled the pear the most but in the lotion, I smell the florals and the vanilla.
Sometimes first impressions need to be re-visisted...

LUSH Bath Bomb in Pink - "Inspired by the delightful Audrey Hepburn, Pink is sophisticated, sexy, elegant, and witty. Fragranced with edgy tonka bean, neroli, and the sweetness of vanilla absolute, it turns baths into candy-scented fantasies with a fragrance that lingers on your skin long after you’re out of the bath. It's sweet, but not overbearingly so, with a subtle bite of something cheeky. Spoil yourself; instead of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, have an indulgent bath with Pink."  This Bath Bomb is a yummy mix of vanilla and tonka bean, it is relaxing and the best way to treat yourself after a long week.  In addition to the wonderful scent and the pure fun of watching the bomb dissolve, this bath product turns the bath water bright pink.  Nothing is more fun than bathing in bright pink water and is the perfect Valentine's Day treat especially for the single girls that crave a bit of pampering this day.

Illamasqua Nail Varnish in Collide - "A vivacious nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is long-wearing and chip-resistant and contains individual finishes from matte to high-gloss. Apply two coats for high-intensity and use with Illamasqua Nail Base Coat and Illamasqua Nail Top Coat for the perfect finish. Make a statement and talk with your hands!"  Collide is a "bright neon pink with a satin finish" and matches the NARS Schiap Lipstick almost perfectly and I wear the two shades together all spring and summer.  Illamasqua's Nail Varnish formula is one of the best nail polishes on the market, the formula lasts several days with only minor tip wear and wears glassy without an extra top coat.  I will start using this shade in pedicures as soon as it begins to get warm out and then follow with the matching manicure.  This is shade that I wore the most last summer and I am willing to bet that the same will hold true for this year!

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Flirty Honey - "A glossy, ultra-light lipstick.  Not quite a gloss, and not quite a lipstick, this transparent formula merges with the unique, natural tone of your lips to create a look that's all your own. Its sheer, emollient-rich formula glides on for easy layering."  Flirty Honey is one the shades that was released in early 2012 when Clinique decided to expand the Almost Lipstick range and release a series of shades in this formula.  Flirty Honey is a "sheer bright rose" that delivers a sheer rose look to the lips.  This shade is brighter than many traditional rose hues and is perfect against pale skin or medium skin, it creates a subtle pink lip that is an easy way to ease more into a bright lip look.  Another aspect of these lip glosses that I love is that this formula is very hydrating and is perfect for use in the winter and early spring when I am still battling chapped lips. 

I hope that my favorite pink items have given you some shopping ideas.  I love pinks and am very excited to wear them at the end of this winter and then all the way into spring and summer.  What are some of your favorite pink beauty products?!

photo courtesy of Sephora

NARS Spring 2013 Collection

One of my favorite collections has now come out this week and I am so excited about it!  Everyone knows that I have been raving about NARS for the past year and have bought more products than ever before from this company and that they are in my top favorites for any kind of beauty products.  Earlier this week, their spring collection has finally released to their website and Sephora stores and I am so excited to see what came out for this season!

Stella Tennant is the model for the spring collection, she has dark hair and cool pale skin just like mine so I am hoping that I find a really good amount of shades that will be flattering to my skintone.  I see lots of pink shades in this collection, I am looking forward to the pink eye shadow duo and the deep pink lipstick that have been introduced in this collection.  The first piece of this collection that I saw pictures of was the Blush, it is a deep raspberry hue that I would put into a fall or holiday collection but I do wonder how well it will work in the early spring.  I can't see this shade being flattering against bright lips and I do wonder why NARS decided to a deep blush hue instead of a bright pink that would work well with the rest of the pinks in the collection.

"Arresting.  Powerful.  Provocative." are the words that NARS uses to describe this new collection.  All of the shades are very pigmented and I can see exactly why this look is described as "powerful", all of these shades can be used professionally or at play, depending on the mode of application.  I can see lots of versatility with these shades and I am already thinking about how I use them together and also with many of the shades that I already own (especially for eye makeup!).

NARS spring is also a favorite collection of mine every year so let's start looking at the products and shades right now!

Duo Eye Shadow - Modern, unique, sometimes unexpected color combinations of eyeshadow shades. Worn alone or together, all Duo Eyeshadow shades feature micro-fine powders that are highly pigmented, longwearing and crease resistant. Color glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly. The effects can be subtle of smoldering- the options are endless.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity.    Multi-function use for shading, lining and highlighting the eyes.  Classic, neutral and fashion-forward shade pairings.
- Mad Mad World - parakeet green/vivid cyan
- Bouthan - soft pink tulle/bright pink with gold shimmer

Matte Eye Shadow - Luminous, light-reflecting shades for shading, highlighting, and lining eyes. Highly pigmented, longwearing, crease resistant colors that can be applied sheer or layered for more dramatic effects. Color glides on smoothly, evenly and blends effortlessly.  True color application.  Can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity.  Multi-function use for shading, lining and highlighting the eyes.  Sophisticated, luminous shades.
- Persia - paprika

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.  Smooth, creamy, long-wearing formula.  Easy and seamless blending.  Ideal base for layering with powder eyeshadow to increase color intensity.
- Corcovado - 24 Carat gold

Blush - The ultimate authority in blush, NARS offers the industry's most iconic shades for cheeks. Natural, healthy-looking color that immediately enlivens the complexion. A light application for even the highest-intensity hues delivers a natural-looking flush.  Silky texture in matte and shimmering shades.  Micronized powder ensures soft, bendable application.  Iconic NARS shades.
- Seduction - sangria

Velvet Lip Gloss Pencil - Gorgeously glossy color in a jumbo lip pencil. Spectacular shine in an innovative, lightweight formula and enriched with Vitamin E plus a blend of moisture-rich hyaluronic spheres that make lips appear fuller.  Ultra smooth, buttery feel on the lips.  Contains vitamin E, hyaluronic spheres and phytosterol esthers; ingredients known to moisturize, increase hydration and improve barrier function.  Convenient, easy application.
- Cytere - soft metallic rose

Satin Lipstick - A lustrous, long-wearing lipstick infused with conditioners to provide comfortable wear and sumptuously silky color.  Smooth, ultra comfortable wear.  Sophisticated shade range.  Patented blend of conditioners and antioxidants that hydrate, nourish and protect lips.
- Dressed to Kill - fuchsia rose with gold shimmer

Shimmer Nail Polish - Fashion-forward and classic NARS Nail Polish shades impart incredible luster and prolonged gloss retention with UV protection to prevent polish discoloration. An advance polymer system provides extended wear and a durable, chip-resistant finish.  Modern, iconic shades.  Long-wearing, chip-resistant finish.  Toluene, formaldehyde and DBP free.
- Disco Inferno - iridescent silver green

My favorites are the pink hues in this collection, just as I thought that they would be when I first looked at the products.  I want the Duo Eye Shadow in Bouthan the most, I will use these two shades together to create a sweet pink eye look and I also plan to mix them with golds and silvers to create all kinds of pretty eye looks for the spring months.  I see so much potential for these two eye shadow shades and I plan to create all kinds of looks with this duo.  My second favorite piece is the Satin Lipstick in Dressed to Kill, this deep rose will work well right now and then into the spring months.  I will also pull it out again next fall and winter too. 

I really only love those two products, some of the others won't work for me at all and I am on fence about some too.  The Velvet Lip Gloss Pencil in Cytere looks on the website like it is almost a pure gold hue, a shade that I won't wear but the description states that it has rose pigments in it.  I will make my decision once I see this product in person at Sephora, I want to see how much rose is really in the shade.  I like the Shimmer Nail Polish shade, Disco Inferno is a greenish silver, it appears mostly silver on the website and isn't very unique but maybe it looks very different in person.  I will check these out in real life the next time that I go to Sephora.

The shade of the Soft Touch Eye Shadow Pencil is very pretty but I have never heard or seen a good review of this product so until the formula is modified, I will be skipping over this product.  I also don't really like any of the other eye makeup shades, the other duo is much too colorful for me to pull off with blue eyes and I just don't like the paprika hue.  Lastly, the Blush is going to be too deep for me to wear well but I do believe that that it will be stunning if you have medium to deeper toned skin.

I really like this collection and the pinks in it are going to be among my favorite pieces for the spring.  I will be needing more products from NARS very soon.

photo courtesy of NARS

NARS Makeup your Mind: Express Yourself Through Cheeks

About a week ago, we looked at the first of the two Makeup Your Mind sets from NARS, that day we looked at the eye makeup set and today we will look at the cheek set.  I was very excited about the eye makeup collection and therefore I doubt that I will be as excited about the blush set.  I love NARS Blushes however this set contains the Orgasm hue that I have owned for years now.  Orgasm was my first NARS Blush and my first NARS product in general and therefore it still holds a place in my heart even though I don't wear it near as much as I wear other shades from this company and from other companies.  Orgasm will always occupy a place in my heart...

Orgasm is one of the best sellers from NARS so I wasn't surprised that it is contained in yet another set but I do wonder how many more ladies do not own this product and would actually purchase it.  At some point, I would think that the market is getting completely saturated of this blush shade and all the spin-offs that have occured since its release.  I find that Deep Throat is actually more flattering to my skin and I have heard this from many ofhter ladies who have cool toned skin, I wish that a few more sets were done around Deep Throat as I would buy a set that contained a back up of this shade before I would buy another one with Orgasm in it...

This set is exclusive to Sephora and is still available on their website.  "A trio of products to illuminate your cheeks.  Turn the other cheek…to shimmering highlights and pops of color! Go beautifully bronzed one day and try a flush of blush the next. Released in conjunction with François Nars' must-have beauty manual, "Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself," this set features everything you need to get your cheeks pinched. "

This set contains the following products...

Bronzing Powder - Nars Bronzing Powder is a true brown-based bronzer with a gold shimmer fusion that's excellent for creating or enhancing the look of healthy, glowing, tanned skin.
- Laguna - brown with golden shimmer

Blush - A soft, sheer pressed powder blush.  NARS Blush offers a range of translucent, natural shades, each with a subtle pink for natural blush undertone, created to highlight the complexion.  Designed to be worn alone or layered together for more depth, NARS Blush provides a healthy glow to flatter any skintone.
- Angelika - cotton candy
- Orgasm - peachy pink with shimmer

The Multiple - An all-in-one, cream-to-powder, multipurpose makeup stick.  NARS The Multiple beautifully highlights, sculpts, and warms the eyes, cheeks, lips, and body in an array of shades, from sheer accents to mauve and bronze.
- Copacabana - glistening pearl

We all know that I already own Orgasm and that I prefer Deep Throat so we aren't going to get any further into that.  I do not own Angelika and this is a shade that I would wear pretty often.  It is a bright cotton candy pink, a shade that I would find very flattering on my skin.  this might be one of my next blush purchases, I haven't bought a blush in months now and I think that it is time that I invest in another shade.  The Multiple is one of the few products that I have never used from NARS and has never really appealed to me, many of the shades would be best for tanned skin and I would need to use the product in the summer months only.  I would be more likely to use it on eyes and cheeks only, I played with one tester at Sephora and the formula felt too chalky for me to consider using on my lips.  This is not really a product that I will be going after anytime soon.

Laguna is the top rated and best selling bronzer from this company, I have been using MAC bronzers for some time now and next spring I should buy at least one or two more formulas from companies other than MAC.  This would be one that I would really consider buying, it has won Allure Best of Beauty Awards in years past and is always featured at Sephora.  I guess that I will begin bronzer shopping again this May...

I wouldn't buy this set, I would only purchase the bronzer and the Angelika blush hue.  I do love NARS products and this company puts together some of the best palettes and sets that I have ever seen.  I am much looking forward to the spring collection from this company and I know that I will be spending even more money than ever from NARS this year!

photo courtesy of Sephora

NARS Makeup Your Mind Set: Express Yourself Through Eyes

So I have now finished up with the holiday makeup collections, many of the companies that traditionally carry new makeup items for every single season didn't really do much of a holiday collection this year so I actually finished up much earlier than I thought that I would!  Which isn't really a bad thing, at this point in this season I already have any makeup that I would buy to dress up and go out and am just gift shopping for others at this point.  Now that the holiday collections are done and the spring collections are not yet out (but will be coming out very soon!), we are going to back to looking at new products for all features.  I have been collecting skincare items like crazy over the past month so a bunch of skincare posts are on the way and I am craving some new color items that will take me into next year!

I was gift shopping the other day on the Sephora website and I came across two new NARS sets.  We all know that I can never resist anything new from this company and I have purchased more items from this beauty company this year so far than from any other.  These two new sets are not gift items, they are sets that are made to create either a strong eye or cheek look.  Today we are going to look at the Makeup Your Mind Set: Express Yourself Through Eyes.  This set contain four products that are perfect to create a strong smoky eye look.  Very few companies can do a strong eye look better than NARS and their Night Series of eye shadows are the first ones that I bought when I finally began to start wearing this look.  And I have purchased many more shades since then...

This set contains four items that are needed to create a great smoky eye: primer, several shades of eye shadow, mascara, and then a makeup remover for getting all of it off.  The primer contained in this set is one of the best eye primers that I have ever used and even if you aren't a fan of this set, i would recommend buying the primer by itself.

This set is exclusive to Sephora at the moment and is only on the website for now (I bet it will hit the stores very soon).  "A four-product set of eye essentials.  Ensure all eyes are on you. Released in conjunction with François Nars' must-have beauty manual, "Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself," this set features all the essentials for a subtle, smoked, or shimmering eye effect."

The products contained in this set are as follows:

Smudgeproof Eye Shadow Base - A lightweight primer that creates a seamless canvas that keeps cream and powder eye color looking brilliant, fresh, and just-applied all day.  This smudge-proof eye shadow base uses a unique polymer and mineral powder blend to get a firm grip on color for long-lasting, gorgeous wear. Fortified with a special deep-sea extract and an antioxidant rice extract, it dries on contact and keeps the delicate eye lid smooth and ready for eye shadow application.  This fragrance-free product is ophthalmologist and dermatologist tested.

Single Eye Shadow - Single-color eye shadows in an array of colors and textures.  Mix and match NARS Single Eye Shadows to create great-looking personal combinations for the eyes. Textures range from translucent highlights and subtle mattes to shimmering glitters.
- Abyssinia - delicate pearl sheen
- Fuji - deep rose with shimmer
- Strada - amethyst infused with gold
- Galapagos - rich bronze with gold flecks
- Silk Road II - deep matte olive
- Brumes II - deep matte charcoal

Eye Makeup Remover - A high-performance, extremely mild makeup remover that removes all types of makeup, including waterproof.  This formula removes of all types of makeup, including waterproof formulas. The non-greasy solution glides across skin leaving a silky feel without any residue. Natural ingredients calm irritation. Enriched with aloe and cucumber, it soothes the delicate skin around the eyes.  This formula contains hyaluronic acid known for comforting and hydrating the skin. It’s gentle enough for contact-lens wearers, is non-comedogenic, dermatologist-tested, ophthalmologist-tested, and suitable for sensitive eyes.

Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara - A volumizing mascara.  This lush, vitamin-enriched mascara boosts volume and curl with every stroke. The signature "honeycomb" fibers of the brush are designed for maximum product pickup and smooth, even distribution that coats every lash without smudging or flaking. The rich, deep pigment magnifies the effect, creating a thick fringe that's high definition, high drama, and bigger than ever.
- Black - deep black

I must have this set!  I really wish that this set would have came out a bit earlier in the year, I would have been all over this set for the fall months since that is the time of the year that I normally start wearing smoky eyes more often.  Even so, I know that I will use these shades and products all throughout the year.  I think that my favorite aspect of this set is the thought that went into choosing the eye makeup shades.  So many palettes are really ruined for me when a navy or blue is thrown in or the company decides to try and mix a bright hue in with the smoky shades.  A bold hue can look great with smoky eye shades however this is a much harder to look to pull off and is only recommended for someone who is already skilled at creating smoky eyes.  The shades in this set are very well chosen and will work well for any eye color or level of skill with eye makeup.  Galapagos is the only shade from this set that I already own and it is a fantastic bronze shade and the gold flecks really stand out.  This is truly a great choice of eye makeup shades to create all kinds of smoky eye looks.

What else stands out for me?  I have already stated how much I love the eye primer in this line, it kept my makeup in place all day long and has never failed me once.  This is the only eye primer that I consider to be on par with the Urban Decay Primer Potion.  I want to try both the Eye Makeup Remover and the Mascara that is in this set, this is one of those rare sets where I actually really want every single item contained in it! 

We will look at the cheek set in the next few days but I really recommend that you guys check out everything eye makeup-wise that NARS has to offer.  This company hasn't disappointed me yet!

photo courtesy of Sephora

NARS Holiday 2012 Collection - NARS and Andy Warhol

At the very beginning of October, Sephora released the exclusive NARS and Andy Warhol color and gift collections.  I covered both of those collections right as they were released since I was so excited when I first read about them and wanted to see every single product as soon as it was released.  I am now seeing another version of this collection on the NARS website and on the Nordstrom website.  I originally received an email on this collection from NARS the other day and I actually deleted it without even opening it since I just thought it was NARS annoucing that the products were available on their website.  I initially noticed on the Nordstrom website that there were some products in this new collection that I had not seen on the Sephora website and that I show go back to the NARS website and relook at the whole collection.

Some of the products in this collection have already been released and some have not.  I have referred back to my original post about the color collection from Sephora and I will only note any different products in this post about the NARS collection.  It appears that the sets in this collection were never on the Sephora website and there are a few palettes that are just on the NARS website.  On the flip side, I do not see some of the products on here that I saw on the Sephora website so if you want to collect every single product in this collection then you will need to visit both websites.

I am not going to rehash all the details about this collection.  NARS uses the products and shades in this collection to pay tribute to the great 20th century artist Andy Warhol, best known for works on Marilyn Monroe and Debbie Harry.  All of the colors in this collection are bright and will draw lots of attention to the wearer.

Here is the NARS exclusive products in the NARS and Andy Warhol collection!

Silver Factory Set - Inspired by Andy Warhol’s Silver Factory studio, this dynamic set captures the essence of the superstar-saturated scene of glamorous rebels and downtown divas.  Set includes the following:
- NEW Silver Factory Multiple — aluminum
- NEW Shadows Trio Eyeshadow — matte black, bright deep purple, silver
- NEW Chelsea Girls Pure Matte Lipstick — innocent flesh tone beige
- Desire Blush — cotton candy pink
- Via Veneto Larger Than Life Eyeliner — black
- Blush Brush
- Large Domed Eyeshadow Brush 
- Deluxe cosmetics bag

Edie Set - Exploding on the scene like a comet, Edie Sedgwick was the quintessential sixties ‘It Girl’ and Andy Warhol’s most memorable muse. Presented in an authentic 16mm film canister, NARS celebrates Sedgwick’s iconic style with superstar essentials. Your world is your screen test.  Set includes the following:
- NEW Film Star Pure Matte Lipstick — 60s nude pink
- Edie Eyeshadow — cream with a little bit of shimmer
- Carpates Eyeliner Stylo — black
- Mini Blush Duo in Deep Throat and Amour — flirty, sheer peach and peachy pink
- 16mm film canister

Beautiful Darling Set - The ultimate blond bombshell and Andy Warhol’s greatest actress, Candy Darling thought beauty was a duty, and worked harder at it than anyone. NARS commemorates Candy’s legendary look with a silver deluxe cosmetics bag filled with tools for making your mark and doing your beauty duty.   Set includes the following:
- NEW Candy Darling Mini Nail Polish — electric pink
- NEW Femme Fatale Duo Eyeshadow — sheer white shimmer and fresh mint green
- NEW Woman in Revolt Mini Larger Than Life Lip Gloss — hot pink
- Small cosmetics bag

Photobooth Nail Set - Andy Warhol believed a trademark look was essential to achieve superstar status. Certain to make its mark as a cult classic, NARS’ exclusive polish set smolders in camera-ready shades—from tomato soup red to scintillating silver.  Set includes the following:
- Back Room -- Black
- Soup Can -- Vivid red
- Chelsea Girls -- Modern beige
- Silver Factory -- Aluminum

Self Portrait Eye Shadow Palette - Portrait of the artist as a perfect palette. NARS celebrates Andy Warhol’s legendary painting, Self Portrait, 1967 with three ranges of eyeshadow palettes, each printed with a classic Warhol philosophy.  "I believe in low lights and trick mirrors." -- Andy Warhol.
- Self Portrait 1 - black, bright periwinkle blue, vibrant green
- Self Portrait 2 - black, white, silver
- Self Portrait 3 - dark brown, rose pink, heather blue

My favorite piece of this part of the collection is the large set that I have pictured, the Silver Factory Set.  This very large set includes every type of shade that I would need to create dramatic smoky eyes to go out to all the upcoming holiday parties.  I have used many NARS eye shadow shades that help to create this type of look and I have loved pretty much every single one so far so I have very high hopes for this wonderful set.

I want two other items in this collection, both are sets (the eye palettes do nothing for me).  I love the Nail Polish set, I love that the bottles are small and all of these shades would be in my regular polish rotation.  The Edie set contains come great neutrals for me and I would use this set more in my professional life rather than for going out.

I was hoping for a bit more from the NARS exclusives but I do love three of the sets that are part of this collection and I will be doing some shopping soon...

photo courtesy of NARS