The new NARS Ramatuelle Trio Eyeshadow ($45) reminds me of the time my neighbor brought jalapeño ice cream to the annual Memorial Day potluck on our street.
At first, all I could say was, “uh…” I mean, spicy and sweet? I pictured those big green peppers…
It just didn’t compute, but then I gave it a try. It was sweet, but it also had a kick that took my breath away. It took a few bites, but I started to like it. Eventually, I even went back for seconds. 🙂
Ramatuelle had a similar effect on me. Like jalapeño ice cream, it features an unexpected combination, except in this case, it’s not a sweet treat and a spicy pepper, but a combination of cool and warm shades.
A limited edition eyeshadow trio released with the new nine-piece NARS Summer 2012 collection, Ramatuelle contains three powder shadows — a warm, matte apricot; a warm, shimmery beige; and a cool, shimmery silver. It’s now the sixth eyeshadow trio available from NARS.
Ready for an Easter Egg? NARS included one to make it easier to keep the color temps straight. If you look closely at the patterns on the pans, the lines in the cool-toned silver shadow run vertically, while the lines in the two warm-toned pans are horizontal.
Isn’t that neat? Just a small touch, but I’m a nerd about details. I love it!
As for the silver shadow, it did seem a little out of place to me at first, but then I remembered the jalapeño ice cream…
One thing I like about NARS is their flair for the unexpected. After I patted a mix of the apricot and beige shadows along my lids and swept the silver along my lower lash lines and at the inner corners of my eyes, the trio made sense! The combination of the cool silver and warmer colors — surprise! — totally works.
From the left: Calabria Soft Touch Shadow Pencil, Ramatuelle Trio Eyeshadow, Marie-Galante Duo Eyeshadow and Liberté Blush
I think the silver brings out the best in these warmer shades, and I also like how it seems to brighten my eyes.
But as much as I like this palette, I wouldn’t call it revolutionary. Not that everything has to be revolutionary to be great, but NARS aficionados who were hoping for unusual, out-of-this-world colors may want to look elsewhere.
I think the matte apricot looks a little like MAC Soft Brown Eyeshadow to me, and the shimmery beige resembles Ricepaper. And in a weird way, even though it doesn’t have the green-to-pink duochrome flash, the silver shade kinda reminds me of MAC Vex.
If you’ve been looking for a trio of everyday colors, or if you’ve already had your eye on colors like Soft Brown and Ricepaper, give Ramatuelle (or one of the five other trios from NARS) some thought.
Purchased separately, three similar $15 MAC shades would cost the same price, and with regard to Soft Brown and Ricepaper, at least, I think these NARS versions might be a touch softer and smoother.
And they’re all in one place! So I don’t have to go rifling through my makeup for the individual pans…
This trio’s definitely gonna see a lot of use this spring and summer. 🙂
PRICE: $45 for three 0.05-ounce pans
AVAILABILITY: Available now at NARS counters and also online
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A- (a practical combination of colors, but not altogether unique)
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Hope you had a good day today. I’m glad we got Monday out of the way. No big plans for me tonight, other than catching up on Game of Thrones and Mad Men. How are things out yonder way?
Cute look on you 🙂
I like the duo you swatched.
Thanks! I used that duo in a recent face of the day:
https://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/face-of-the-day-fotd/a-nars-summer-2012-face-of-the-day/
Did you change your hair again?
It’s different that’s for sure! But I don’t know-I don’t think my pinky tones can pull it off still. You look gorgeous in it though! Your eyes look amazing!
I like it! Not that I need any more eyeshadow, loo! I’ve been riding the Pantone Tangerine tango, orange-ey trend wave lately. This week I discovered that orange on the eyes is actually quite easy to work with, one day with the Sephora + Pantone orange eyeliner with a shimmery golden shadow, and another day with Lancome’s palette from the summer collection. Orange/ Orangey-red is fast becoming one of my favorite summer brights!
Looks lovely on you!
It looks really very beautiful. I have to try some Nars eyeshadows soon!
They’re not colours I could pull off but I really like how you used the silver one. Looks nice on you!
Can I ask what brush you use to do that silver line? Do you also prime the skin first? Think I need to start including that trick in my makeup routine 🙂
That silver really boggles me too but when i saw your finished look, you are right it actually makes sense, makes the eyes pop!
I’m loaded with neutrals right now. The shades are really pretty and practical, but as you said, nothing exceptional IMO
It looks like an interesting trio in terms of color combination, but that apricot shade might be slightly tricky for some (if not most)! I’d do a thick black line to balance it out, and I think I might be able to work this 🙂
Really goegeous, I think mine wil arrive tomorrw and now I can hardlu wait! May I ask what is on your lips? Buenos Aires perhaps? Thank you so much!!
I watched House last night. Ive been a fan since this show started and im kinda sad that its down to the last 6 or so episodes before series finale …
I like the colors of the trio, butttttttt…. I dont like trios/duos in the same pan the way NARS makes it. I kinda want more space in between the colors so they dont migrate …. Most of my NARS e/s are singles. I do have 2 palettes that I hardly use because of the migration thing and because im weird.
The third shade is oranger than I expected. Is it close to orange rather than apricot? Can you compare it with Night Star, Mediterranee or Scorching sun eyeshadow?
The colors are really nice on you but I’m afraid the apricot would make me look like I’d been crying all day. 🙁
How do you feel about this season’s Game of Thrones? I’m sort of voting for less graphic (and incestuous) sexual contact and more character development. 🙂
I havent tried this particular palette, but I was nervous that orange around the eyes would have that effect on me, but I’ve recently started playing wih oranges and found that as long as it stays away from magenta tones, orange actually looks seriously great! I have an orange eyeliner that leans reddish, and it really brightens up my eyes when I use it on the top lash line with a nice shimmery good shadow!
I’m always a promoter of trying anything, because you never nnow what yiu might love! especially since many high end retailers let you try before you buy, and have a good return policy 🙂
That’s a great point! I have the Givenchy Candide Garden quad and love the orange in that (but it definitely doesn’t lean as reddish). I’ll have to try some liner and see how it looks. 🙂
It looks really lovely on you – and your jalapeno ice cream story reminds me of the time I had garlic ice cream, which was intriguing, weird, but overall not very good.
I think it looks lovely on you. And I’m heading straight to the Nars counter to get it.
I also love your natural lipstick, what are you wearing ?