Pantone Color of the Year 2013 - Emerald

I am not pretty much done in my head with 2012 and am ready to move onto 2013 and start checking out the newest looks and trends of the spring season.  The Pantone Color of the Year for 2012 was a bright tangerine color that I completely hated and basically ignored for the whole year, however the color choice for this year is a very different story for me.  The Pantone Color of the Year for 2013 is one of my favorite colors already, I love emerald and I wear clothing and accessories in this color all the time.  And now I can start mixing it into my beauty product routine, there are some visions of emerald manicures and eye makeup colors in my head already!

First of all...what is Pantone?  "Pantone LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-Rite, Incorporated, is the world-renowned authority on color and provider of color systems and leading technology for the selection and accurate communication of color across a variety of industries. The PANTONE® name is known worldwide as the standard language for color communication from designer to manufacturer to retailer to customer.  In 1963, Lawrence Herbert, Pantone's founder, created an innovative system of identifying, matching and communicating colors to solve the problems associated with producing accurate color matches in the graphic arts community. His insight that the spectrum is seen and interpreted differently by each individual led to the innovation of the PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM®, a book of standardized color in fan format.  Since then, Pantone has expanded its color matching system concept to other color-critical industries, including digital technology, textiles, plastics, architecture and contract interiors, and paint. Pantone continues to develop color communication tools for a variety of industries and aggressively adopt new digital technology to address the color needs of design and production professionals.", states the Pantone website in a company description. 

The Pantone website also provides a full description of the color and I loved it so much that I wanted to share it with all of you.  "Emerald, a vivid verdant green, enhances our sense of well-being further by inspiring insight as well as promoting balance and harmony.  Most often associated with brilliant, precious gemstones, the perception of Emerald is sophisticated and luxurious. Since antiquity, this luminous, magnificent hue has been the color of beauty and new life in many cultures and religions. Also the color of growth, renewal and prosperity, no other color conveys regeneration more than green. For centuries, many countries have chosen green to represent healing and unity.  The most abundant hue in nature, the human eye sees more green than any other color in the spectrum," said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. "As it has throughout history, multifaceted Emerald continues to sparkle and fascinate. Symbolically, Emerald brings a sense of clarity, renewal and rejuvenation, which is so important in today's complex world. This powerful and universally-appealing tone translates easily to both fashion and home interiors."'

I am not looking to use this color in decorating my home but I will be adding much more emerald hues to my wardrobe and I think that my first big purchase of this color will be either a new pair of flats or a great purse.  Sephora is as inspired by this color as I am, they will be launching a full collection from their House brand later on this year.  I am not a huge user of the Sephora Collection color products but being able to find some great hues in this color will inspire me to try a bunch of products from this collection.

As of right now, we will be waiting at least a few more months for that collection and Sephora has decided to tide us over by putting up a list of their best emerald shades in all kinds of makeup items.  The first product that caught my eye is the Illamasqua Nail Varnish that is offered in this shade, Nomad.

"A nail varnish.  Leave your mark with bold, rich, vibrant colors that stand out. The formula is hard 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!"  Nomad is a bright jade cream polish with a glossy finish.  I must own this shade and start off my emerald obsession off right!

photo courtesy of Sephora

Vincent Longo The Curl Mascara

I used to use Vincent Longo products all the time when they were carried at Sephora but ever since then, I rarely order or find them anywhere.  I was digging through my stash of unopened products the other day and I found a never-used tube of mascara, I believe that I bought this right when Sephora was discontinuing the line and they had a huge sale on the products at the store.  I had remembered using and liking a mascara formula from them but since I wasn't sure which one it was, I just deicded to try something new and picked up a tube of The Curl Mascara.  I didn't need a new mascara at the time so I put it aside and forgot about it for quite a while, I was a bit nervous to use this product since I didn't remember quite when I actually bought it but the tube was sealed the whole time and nothing seemed off about the formula itself. 

When I was making my decision, I decided that I would patch test this prodduct first.  I rubbed some on my arm and let it wear all night.  I didn't have any problems and as I said above, the texture was fine and it smelled like every other Longo mascara that I had used so I decided to give this product a go.  This experience made me wonder how long cosmetics are really good for and how long they can sit on the shelf before they are sold to us...

The Curl Mascara is a slightly misleading name for a mascara, I have stated before and I will say it again right here.  Mascara cannot curl your lashes, it can only help to maintain the curl that you have already put on your lashes.  Therefore, if you want curled lashes, use an eye lash curler and then use a formula that will help the curl to stay in place.  This is a formula that you will like if you take the time to curl your lashes and really want them to stay in place all day.

This line of makeup is available on the Vincent Longo website and therefore that is where I will pull the product description from.  "Think deeply colored, lengthy lashes that never clump, curl naturally and reach toward the heavens. Inspired by those true full lashes that some women are born with, and we all wish we had, the Curl's leading edge formula amplifies lashes without looking false or cakey, bestowing every woman with "well-endowed" yet natural looking lashes.  Unique curved wand follows the lashline to evenly distribute the mascara while it reaches and separates every lash.  Volumizing fibers and natural waxes contour and define lashes, yet feel weightless.  Dries quickly and will not smudge.  Easily removed with make-up remover or soap and water."

The following type of application is recommended if you wish to really enhance the curl of your lashes.  "Apply mascara using a zigzag motion from the roots to the tips of the lashes. Apply product more generously to the outer corner of the lashline to extend and open the eye."  This is pretty much how I apply any formula of mascara, there is nothing super unique about this type of application and I doubt that it will really change your lashes...

This mascara only comes in a black shades which is fine with me since I only wear black mascaras.  This is regular black, nothing amazing.  The formula needed a makeup remover to get off but removed pretty cleanly and without giving me raccoon eyes.

This mascara is really made to enhance curl, it is not specifically for lengthening or volumizing.  This is another one of those mascaras that gives me nice lashes and a good result but I wouldn't rebuy because it doesn't provide the huge, thick lashes that I tend to buy mascaras for.  Two coats of this product didn't get close to the results that I get from one coat of Buxom Lash or Diorshow so I know that I would buy a formula closer to either of those.  This formula worked best for me when I used it with Buxom Sculpted Lash, I used the Buxom formula to build volume and length and then used this formula is enhance the curl that I put in my lashes.  This style of application made the formula more to my liking but I still would rather use two coats of a volumizing mascara that is formulated to hold a curl.  At this point, most mascaras are formulated to help hold a curl and a separate formula is not needed for that...

photo courtesy of Vincent Longo

Current Favorites!

I just realized the other day that I haven't done a Five Favorites post for several months now, at one point I was doing them monthly and then somehow I just stopped during them during the fall months.  I can pretty sum up my entire fall and early winter favorites with this post, I have been using all kinds of red shades for my nails and lips and have been using Kate Walsh Boyfriend ever since I first got the sample from Sephora and then ordered the rollerball of the fragrance.  I can say that I have chosen some really great products over the past few months since I have been many of the same shades and fragrances since October, normally I tend to rarely use the same fragrance or shade two days in a row so it is pretty unbelieveable that I continue to use the same shades day after day and am still in love with them!

My Five Favorites from the beginning of fall to the present!

MAC Lipstick in Ladybug - " Colour plus texture for the lips. Stands out on the runway. Simmers on the street! What made M·A·C famous"  Ladybug is a sheer red, described by the company as "yellow tomato" and it is one of the Luster finish Lipsticks.  Lusters are on the sheer side and are more hydrating than any other formula, they are perfect for any time of the year and are among the easiest of MAC Lipstick's to wear.  This lipstick shade is a neutral red that is sheer enough to wear in any situation but will still get you noticed.  This is one of my favorite red lip shades and is one that I often recommend to ladies looking to buy their first red lip hue.

Kate Walsh Boyfriend - "She inhales his shirt, taking in the scent of the man she loves. It lingers on her clothes, her sheets, her hair—all over. Imprinted on her body and in her mind, it radiates within her, filling her with feelings of warmth and desire.  Actress Kate Walsh wanted to capture the scent of a guy on a girl: a man's cologne mixed with perfume, the smell that lingers on the skin. This fragrance evokes memories of that time after he has left for the day—when she gently awakes in a bed that's still warmly redolent of "boyfriend."  An alluring balance of vanilla, jasmine blossoms, and an accord of amber is set against the sensual scents of a man, including a light musk and a shimmer of fresh woods.  Notes: Dark Plum, Myrrh, Night Blooming Jasmine, Benzoin Tears, Skin Musk, Golden Amber, Vanilla Woods."  This unique fragrance has been one of my favorites over the past few weeks, I used my sample of this scent within a few days and then quickly ordered the Rollerball from Sephora.  This fragrance is a mixture of plum, jasmine, vanilla, and wood on me.  I initially didn't like this fragrance but am very glad that I gave it another chance, it is much more masculine than what I normally wear but doesn't smell like men's colonge.  It is very soft and sensual and the perfect date fragrance or to wear for cuddling in the winter months.  I will be using this all the time until spring comes.

China Glaze Nail Lacquer in Adventure Red-y - "China Glaze is a professional-level nail enamel made with a special balance of polymers and resins that combine to create a nail lacquer that is long lasting, chip-resistant and resistant to color and shine fading. Will not thicken in the bottle, no thinners necessary. "  Adventure Red-y is a "deep vivid red" with a cream finish, I love this red shade so much!  It came out in the On Safari collection for fall and now it is getting harder to find but I really recommend searching for it.  This is one of my favorite reds, it is deeper than many of the other that I own and I get compliments on it whenever I wear it.  It works very well in the fall months and then I wore it straight through the holidays and will still use it next summer for pedicures.  This is one of the best purchases that I have ever made from this polish company and On Safari is now up there with Anchors Away as my favorite collections from them.

Buxom Big and Healthy Lip Polish in Betty - "A pout-perfecting, sheer coverage, shimmering lip gloss.  This bestselling, lip polish instantly creates the look of fuller, more voluptuous lips with luminous shine. Vitamins A and E help keep lips soft, smooth, and protected while the tingling sensation reminds you that it's working."  Betty is a "crimson red" and is one of the older shades in this product, I first got this lip gloss back in 2009 and I somehow forgot about it for a whole year and then I pulled it out and tried it for the first time around the holidays in 2010.  This is a lovely deep sheer red.  It is another shade that is sheer enough that anyone can pull it off and it will work in any situtation but will still get you noticed.  This formula has a bit of a plumping effect but nothing mind blowing, it will help to slightly fill out your lips and improve the texture but it will not give you the collagen lips.  This is one of the Sephora best-selling lip gloss formulas and I have never met anyone that doesn't like this product!

Tarte EmphasEYES Waterproof Clay Shadow/Liner in Bronze - "A collection of plush eyeliners and a double-ended eyeliner brush, to create intense and long-lasting high definition eyes.  These liners provide skinvigorating™ benefits and an intense yet smooth-cream texture, perfect for creating a precise, high definition line or a smoky, sultry shadow base. High-performance natural™ Amazonian clay deepens the intensity of pure color pigments while nourishing skin for a truer, bolder color that lasts. The botanical waterproofing agent in these liners is earth engineered from a blend of natural plant waxes to form an impermeable layer that protects against rain, sweat, tears, and creasing for longer wear.  Nature's most perfect ingredient, Amazonian clay, balances and neutralizes skin's surface. Whether oily or dry, it reduces surface oil and improves the overall texture of the skin, for smoother application and better wear. The black and brown shades are matte; the bronze, plum, indigo, and green shades are metallic."  Bronze is a "deep bronze sheen" and is the eyeliner that I have been turning to more and more ever since I bought it in October.  This liner shade works with both of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes and therefore I use it at least three times a week, it is more subtle than the liner shades that Urban Decay selected for the palettes and therefore is much easier to wear in a professional environment.  This shade has a bit of shimmer but it is subtle and will work well with any type of makeup look.  I have been using this liner with shades from Naked and Naked 2 and then doing a sheer red lip at lot lately, both for work and getting dressed up at night.

I have been using this fragrances and products for the past few weeks and I know that I will continue to use them all through the rest of the winter.  Last year, I got sick of red right after the holidays were over but I am much more in loves with reds this year and I know that I will be using these products all the way until the beginning of March!

photo courtesy of China Glaze's Facebook page

Matrix Color Care Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray

Ever since last summer, I have been using the Color Care line from Matrix, this is yet another great recommendation from my stylist and I have been rebuying these two products as soon as I run out of them.  The last time that I went to the salon and went to replace the products, we were able ti find a holiday gift set that contained both the shampoo and conditioner and then a small size in a product that I have not tried before.  That product is the Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray, a leave-on conditioner that my stylist loves for dry, colored-treated hair.  I have been using it every night that I wash my hair for the past week and so far I can state that this is another winner from the Matrix Color Care line.  Two products very quickly become three for me and now I wonder how long it will be before I start walking out of the salon with a huge bag full of products every single visit...

I still use the Matrix Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner every other time that I wash my hair and I have added this product to my nightly routine.  I alternate the shampoo and conditioner with Fekkai however I use this treatment every single time that I wash and condition.  My hair is even worse in the winter than it is in the summer and it gets so dry and full of static that I spent more time caring for it than any other time in the year.  I so cannot wait for spring to begin!

So this time of the year, I will pretty much try any type of moisturizing face or hair care products, as long as they are recommended to me by someone who knows what they are talking about, I am likely to buy/order any type of product that might help a bit.  I tend to be all over deep conditioners and leave-in treatments during the winter so I was more than excited to buy the gift set version of the Matrix Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner and then receive a small size of the leave-in treatment.  And it now looks like I will be buying a replacement of this product too...

The Color Care Miracle Treat 12 Lotion Spray is a spray-on, leave-in treatment that is made to hydrate and help to protect hair from the damage that occurs with heat styling.  I also tend to heat style more in the winter months since beachy waves are not quite my style during the snowy months.  This only makes the dryness problem worse so this is the type of product that I need to use as much as I can during the winter.

"Conditions like a lotion. Sprays like a mist. Sunflower Oil, rich in antioxidant, provides 12 instant benefits:
- Helps protect color-treated hair
- Detangles
- Helps seal the hair from damage
- Helps prevent breakage
- Maximizes natural body
- Smoothes the cuticle
- Deeply conditions
- Helps strengthen hair
- Delivers instant silkiness
- Increases manageability
- Tames frizz
- Helps restore shine"

The first result that I saw is that my hair is much softer to the touch when using this product, it functions very well as a hydrating leave-in and I will keep using it for this purpise over the next few month.  Along with being softer, my hair is more smooth than it was before, I still have to heat style it like I always would but it appears much smoother after using the flat iron on it.  This product is part of the Color Care so it helps to maintain color when used with the shampoo and conditioner, both of the products really helped to maintain my color, this will add to it but I don't expect this product to really change how my hair holds onto the color.  I can't hurt to use it but I don't expect to see any great change in my hair color.  As long as it helps hydrate my hair, I don't really need it to do much else.  I will continue to use the Color Care Shampoo and Conditioner so they will work well together to help protect my highlights.

After using this product every single night for five days, my hair started to get some of the product built up on it and I did need to give it a rest for two days.  With also using the Bamboo hair Oil from Alterna, my hair has a lot of product on it every day and I needed to stop using this product for a day just to get rid of the build up feeling that was on my hair.  Going forward, I will use it for three days and then take a day off from it and then go back to using it.

I recommend this product if your hair is dry and needs extra hydration during the winter months, especially if you heat style on a daily basis.  I wouldn't recommend it for fine hair as it does contain Sunflower Oil and caused a bit of build up.  If it builds up on my thick hair, I don't quite know how it would react on fine or thin hair.

photo courtesy of Matrix

Julep Shades of Gray Nail Polish Set

I am one of the only people I know that has not read The Fifty Shades of Gray, I bought all three books during the height of the craze but between work and school, I ended up never even opening them up.  It is finals week right now but that also means that I will have about a month to catch up on reading after this week is over.  I have about ten books that I have picked up or wanted to read over the past few months so I am much looking forward to the end of finals so that I can spend a few evenings not reading about Microeconomics...

I came across this nail polish set from Julep earlier today on the Sephora website, I should stop visiting the Sephora website every single day.  I keep finding more products that I want to buy and I have no room for anything right now.  I think that 2013 will be my year to try and go through all of my beauty products and begin to sort out what I will and will not use and make room for new items.  That will be a huge task for the winter but the results will be so worth it when I can order and try new products without trying to figure out how I am going to store everything!

I have never used anything from Julep before, this is one of the lesser known brands that Sephora carries and I have only seen a small display of it on their Nail Bar.  I know that every polish carried in this line is named after females and that the company is very active with women's charities.  What first catches my eyes with this collection is that the bottles are tall and thin and would present a bit of a change from the traditional style of bottle.  I do fear that I would easily tip a bottle of this shape over so I will have to be extra careful when using polishes from this company!

"Three of Julep’s most popular shades of gray nail color inspired by the popular book series.  Developed and tested in Julep’s nail parlors, these fast-drying professional “4-free” formulations are free of DBP, toluene, formaldehyde, and formaldehyde resin.  Through Julep’s “Powered by Girlfriends” program, Julep donates a percentage of proceeds of every bottle of Julep nail color sold to organizations that empower women."

Three colors contained in the set are:

- Harley - medium gray with slight silver shimmer
- Kim - deep charcoal with silver shimmer
- Dendrie - light concrete gray cream

Whether or not I actually end up liking the books when I finally get around to reading them on winter break, I will want to order this polish set from Sephora.  I will use the Harley and Kim shades right now, I love grays and silvers and I am excited that I have another series of shades to add to my polish collection.  I will use Dendrie in the spring months, it will be a great neutral shade in the warmer weather.  In addition to using grays and silvers in my normal manicures, I often use these shades against all of the other hues in my polish collection in accent manicures, I have been using Illamasqua's DWS in this role since the beginning of fall and I would love to have more shades to use in the accent manicures.  Looks like I will be learning some more about this brand very soon...

photo courtesy of Sephora

Philosophy Candy Cane Lane Set

I think we might have time for one last holiday gift idea...  I looked at a set from Philosophy the other day that contained several 3 in 1s and then the matching Lip Shines and I already have thought of a few people on my gift list that would love gifts from this company.  I actually have thought of so many people that would love to receive gifts from Philosophy that I have decided to look for at least one more gift offering from this comapny so that I am not giving some of my friends the exact same gift!

The first item that I stumbled on at Sephora the other day is still one of my favorite gifts and one that I know I will be gifting for the holidays.  I will have to avoid the temptation to keep one for myself but since I did stock up at Bath and Body Works this year and I bought enough Twisted Peppermint to tide to over to next year, I really shouldn't order yet another series of peppermint body products.  Even though I love Philosophy products oh so much...

The Candy Cane Lane gift set will go over very well with many of my friends, I am not the only Twisted Peppermint lover of the bunch and this company's Candy Cane fragrance is very similar.  My favorite aspect of this set is that it actually is a set, I didn't see any Twisted Peppermint gifts this year and I love to buy gift sets that are all decorated for the holidays.  Presentation is half of the joy of giving!

"A three-piece set of formulas for head-to-toe peppermint cheer.  Invigorate your senses with the crisp peppermint scent of this trio for hair, body, and lovely lips. The three-in-one gel cleanses and conditions hair and skin, while also providing a rich, foaming lather perfect for the bath. The salt scrub exfoliates and then hydrates, leaving your skin silky soft and minty. The highly emollient lip formula keeps your pout kissably soft, while adding beautiful shine and a sheer hint of color."

This set contains...

- 4 oz Candy Cane Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath
- 6 oz Candy Cane Salt Body Scrub
- 0.5 oz Candy Cane High-Gloss, High-Flavor Lip Shine

The Hot Salt Scrub in this set both excites and terrifies me a bit... I already have a Hot Salt Scrub from this company however I had forgotten about it before reviwing this set.  Any type of peppermint item often has a cooling effect on the skin so I am really excited to known how the heating effect of the scrub will combine with the cooling effect of the peppermint.  I am also slightly concerned as to what kind of chemical reaction would be occuring on my skin and what type of reaction that I might have to the product itself.  This could be ugly...

I will be ordering this set for several of my friends, this really would make a great gift for almost anyone.  Every lady that I know loves to papmper themselves with Philosophy body products and the Candy Cane fragrance is just perfect for anytime of the 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