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Favorite NARS Bits

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While I’m miles away on vacation, allow me to share with you a few of my favorite bits from NARS. I think you can tell that NARS is one of my favorite beauty brands. If I could pick just one brand to use for the rest of my life, I can pick NARS and not even feel bad about it.

Anyway, like most established brands, NARS is a bit intimidating to approach if you’re a new buyer. Here are a few of my favorite items from them, not including skin care or brushes. Mostly because I forgot, lol, but I quite like them, too.

NARS Favorite Bits

  • NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer — I’ve never loved a concealer as much as I love this one. I have it in the shade Ginger, but Custard works well for me. It is easy to blend, packs on a lot of pigment, and doesn’t look cakey.
  • NARS Sheer Glow Foundation — One of my favorite liquid foundations! It’s a medium coverage foundation with a slightly dewy finish and a great range of colors. I wear Punjab.
  • NARS Eyeshadow Palette in And God Created the Woman — This is such a great and versatile neutral palette, which NARS re-released in a different pan order a few months ago. I wish they’d make this permanent because it is truly a gem.
  • NARS Eyeshadow Duos — I think NARS makes the most interesting duo pairings and combinations. They are always thoughtful and I love the stories behind the names and color pairings. My favorites are Charade, Grand Palais, Dogon, and probably China Seas.
  • NARS Powder Blushes — Ain’t no “best of” NARS list without listing their blushes. I’d wager that these are their very best sellers, and with good reason. They have a lovely color range that is modern and beautiful. Orgasm has a cult following and while it’s a truly beautiful blush, I have to tip my hat off to Sin, which is one of my favorite blushes of all time.
  • NARS Pure Matte Lipsticks — Not quite sure why these are in different packaging from the regular NARS lipsticks. I suspect that they are more expensive per ounce… but these are awesome. The quality of the lighter shades and darker shades are all consistently great.
  • NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils and NARS Satin Lip Pencil — These are also great matte lip pencils, with an excellent color range and formula. The only problem is that you have to sharpen them!
  • NARS Lipsticks — I’ve got them in three finishes: Sheer, Satin, and Semi-Matte. Guess what? They’re all excellent.

Not pictured, but also great: NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. I’ve yet to purchase this in full size, since I have to go through a bunch of base products, still, but this is a great everyday base.

A few notes on NARS: They are notoriously inconsistent, so if you can check and swatch or research before you buy, please do so. I find that their eyeshadow trios are a little meh. You can find more information on other products they offer online, but they are a pretty polarizing brand at times. Their packaging, while lovely and sleek, may turn really gross and sticky on you, like what happened to my NARS Orgasm. Everyone loves their eyeshadow primer/base, but it was just meh for me. Sometimes some of their matte lipstick shades inexplicably have shimmers in them, so test them to see before buying.

Anyway, just test everything before buying because NARS can be pretty expensive, especially when you accumulate them. NARS is an incredible brand, for the most part, but they do have some duds here and there.

What are some of your NARS favorites? Anything I missed out on? Comment down below. 🙂

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My Favorite Matte Lipstick Formulas

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Hey everyone! Before I left for my pretty extended vacation, I thought I’d whip up a post showing you my favorite matte lipstick formulas. I’m pretty picky with lip products, though my stash may not seem like it. I figured out, for example, that I’m not really into very glossy lips or frost finishes. I’m pretty okay with satin or creams, but my (second) favorite kind of lip is a matte one. I think it’s because I have pretty full lips anyway—shininess just exaggerates my pout and not in a way that I appreciate.

I know mattes have a reputation for being fussy, so here are my favorite formulas to help you maybe find yours. Now, there are a lot of “matte” lip products that only masquerade as such. These picks on my personal list are pretty much shine-free. I’ll list them from great to best. Ahem.

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Lipsticks
These are my first introduction to matte lipsticks. They are creamy, but not shiny, and they pack a lot of pigment. My first shade in the range, La Distinguée, is a sort of peachy neutral that is great for daily wear. Though they are not drying, I do find that you have to prep your lips before wearing these because the shade wears off horribly if you’ve got chapped lips—very evident when I wear a bright coral called La Favorite.

MAC Matte Lipsticks
I only have one matte lipstick by MAC and it’s one of my favorite lipsticks of all time. Mehr is a blue-toned dirty pink that’s easy to wear. I find this to be fairly low-maintenance, though I suspect that the shade is also one that fades away evenly. I have tried some other matte lipsticks by MAC like Russian Red, and I have to say that the quality is great across the board.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
These are ultra-smooth and creamy. I have three shades in the range—Bahama, Dolce Vita, and Damned—and I just want to get some more. I’ve got my eye on Bolero, but Shari has said that it wasn’t as great as the others in the range. I’ve read a lot of reviews on these lipsticks saying that they are drying, but that hasn’t been the case for me, personally. These are also really easy to apply. The downside is that they are pencils that need sharpening and that means product wastage.

NARS Pure Matte Lipstick
The NARS Pure Matte Lipsticks are, by far, my favorite mattes in the world. I have three shades as well—Montego Bay, Tonkin, and Mascate— and it took me a really long time before settling on the last two after I had such a great experience with my first one, Montego Bay. I have my eye on a few more… Thank God their range of shades is pretty small!

BONUS: A bonus one is one of my favorite red lipsticks to date, the Le Métier de Beauté Hydra-Crème Lipstick in Signature. Not all of the shades in the line are matte, though I found a few limited edition shades on Net-a-Porter that I may have to get (ahem, Amore, ahem). I do have a couple of nude mattes on hand right now, so perhaps some other time. This is a great formula, though, if you’re looking for a great nude.

Favorite Matte Lipstick Formulas - Swatches - Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet, Mac Matte, NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, NARS Pure Matte, Le Metier de Beaute Hydra-Creme Matte
Swatched: Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet (La Favorite), MAC Matte (Mehr), NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (Damned), NARS Pure Matte Lipstick (Mascate), Le Métier de Beauté Hydra-Crème Lipstick (Signature)

And that’s it! I hope this helps you out. I know it’s not really an extensive selection, but these are the ones that I’ve tried that I’ve truly loved so far.

What are your favorite mattes?

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Flushed for Fall: Some Blush Picks

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Here are five of my blush picks for fall, which isn’t technically even a season where I’m from (we only have “super rainy” and “super hot”), but there’s no harm in partaking in other countries’ seasonal whims, I say.

Fall Blushes - Tarte Flush, Addiction Revenge, Addiction Suspicious, NARS Sin, Kjaer Weis Abundance

Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Abundance
The newest addition to my blush brood, Abundance is quite a unique color that’s pretty perfect for fall. It’s a pretty intimidating and unusual color—a grey-toned purple-leaning taupe—but it applies beautifully once you figure it out.

NARS Powder Blush in Sin
Of course this blush would be a part of a “best of” series for fall blushes. Sin is a mid tone muted purple that has gold shimmer running through it, like the ubiquitous Orgasm. Like Orgasm, Sin’s shimmer doesn’t ruin the blush but adds just the perfect hint of golden luminosity. (Alternatives for this type of shade are the MAC Powder Plum Foolery and the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Blushing Bride.)

Addiction Cheek Stick in Suspicious
This is such a great deep wine shade that you can sheer out or pack on. I love Suspicious so much because it’s so unexpected for a blush shade, and yet so perfect for the fall.

Addiction Cheek Stick in Revenge
Revenge is my first cheek stick and it made me buy all the ones I have now (by which I mean it’s fantastic!). This bright coral shade doesn’t look like a typical option for fall, but it’s a great alternative for the times when you want to leave summer behind but don’t want to go the plum-berry route.

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Flush
This isn’t an automatic pick for fall, either but it’s a great bright fuchsia if you’re not into all the plum foolery that goes on during the autumnal season. It gives a great windblown flush if applied sheer, and makes quite a statement when you go all out.

Fall Blushes - Swatches - Tarte Flush, Addiction Revenge, Addiction Suspicious, NARS Sin, Kjaer Weis Abundance
Swatched, L-R: Tarte Flush, Addiction Revenge, Addiction Suspicious, NARS Sin, Kjaer Weis Abundance

What are your fall blush picks? 🙂

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Nosy Beauty Vol. 37: Rae

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For today’s Nosy Beauty, I’ve got Rae from Scatterbraintures! She is one of the most discerning and critical beauty reviewers, in my opinion. She’s more specific and particular than I am, for sure.

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From my teens to my twenties, I’ve always only been just a skin care girl.

Nosy Beauty Photo

​I started using ‘real’ makeup since 2+ years ago (i.e., when I worked for Watsons). I wasn’t in marketing or sales. I worked behind the scenes, inside a cubicle. I already left the company, but I took my new found love for makeup along with me. I started using makeup because it was kind of required. Now, I think I’m starting to enjoy the whole makeup application process where I’m forced to focus and be mindful. I think it’s even better than yoga in the sense that I don’t hurry to get to the next step. Read More

My NYC Beauty Haul + First Impressions

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As mentioned in my last post—a modest haul! Kind of. I’ll explain. First, I have not turned my nose up at consumerism, nosiree! I have actually gone loco over books on this trip. Yup, so smart. Here’s what I picked up from New York when we stayed there for about five days… Behold!

Haul1-All

A few things I picked up from Duane Reade, just because we were there buying ~necessities~:
Haul1-DuaneReade
Yes to Cucumbers Facial Wipes, Jordana Best Lash Extreme Volume Mascara, Physicians Formula Organic Wear Mascara (pink tube). Read More

Unboxing: Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP August 2014

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Hi everyone! I’m not sure if anyone noticed (since I’ve queued up a few posts), but I’ve been in the USA since the 13th of September. I haven’t had much time to sit down and make new posts, reply to comments or read blogs, but I’m trying, I’m trying!

I haven’t bought a lot of makeup yet—just a few pieces, and skin care—but I have 4 cities in 2 more states to explore. So far, we’ve been to New York, Boston and Stockbridge in Massachusetts, and now we’re nestled in New Jersey. If you’re interested in following our American exploits, I’ve been posting a lot on my Instagram, @presidents. Let me know if you want to see a supremely tiny haul, too. 🙂

Anyway, here are a few bits I’ve gotten from the second round of Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP subs. I had this specific box shipped to my friend Barby’s place since there was a shipping mix-up and it first ended up at a dead address (my fault). Unfortunately, I hadn’t gotten around to checking it until much later, and had to address the problem without them even informing me that there was a shipping problem (their fault).

The item for this month’s sub is a “Total Look” Kaleidoscope called After Dark, which is a full look kit, made up of two eyeshadows, a blush, and a bronzer. This is a sneak peek of the item, which is slated for release at Neiman Marcus in late September.

The shipment also included a “bonus gift” for last year’s subscribers who renewed their sub: the Classic Flawless Finish Loose Translucent Powder, which I’ve yet to try.

Le Metier de Beaute - After Dark Kaleidoscope - Pans

The first pair of pans are eyeshadows—a rich patina shade with a strong khaki tone, and a medium cool plum flecked with a cool icy blue. The next pair of pans are a shimmering mauve blush and a matte warm-toned brown, which is intended to be used as a bronzer.

Le Metier de Beaute - After Dark Kaleidoscope - Swatches
Swatched, L-R: patina eyeshadow, plum eyeshadow, mauve blush, matte bronzer; no primer

The quality of the shades in this Kaleidoscope is so good, and pretty much what I expect from LMdB eyeshadows, when they’re at their best. Some shades do underperform at times, but these ones belong to the stellar triple-milled camp that Le Métier de Beauté is known for.

For the uninitiated, the Le Métier de Beauté Beauty Vault VIP subscription is a year-long sub to LMdB. At $348/year (plus tax, S&H), a subscriber gets LMdB products—old, new, faves, or LE items—each month or 12 months. Each month’s cost is roughly around $30. This month’s totals to $145, with the Kaleidoscopes often retailing for $95 and the Classic Flawless Finish Loose Translucent Powder for $50. The $95 total for new subs is also quite worth it, especially since this is a new item that they will actually be launching at retail price. Sign ups for the subs open up every July.

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Quickie: Some Eye Bits from MAKE

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I have already waxed poetic about the MAKE Colour Palettes (Post-Impressionism, Aether*, Celeste e Verde*), but let me tell you a bit about their other bits! For the non-palette obsessed lot of you. 🙂

Today, I gots a matte eyeshadow called Khaki* and the Transforming Eye Primer* both of which are totally up my alley. (What alley, you say? This alley. What do you mean this is not an alley…?) Read More