Oh! — about the eye makeup I wore in yesterday’s NARS Foreplay review, that’s the new limited edition Laura Mercier Eye Colour Duet in Suspense ($22), part of Laura’s fall 2012 Cinema Noir Collection.
The cute case houses two powder matte shadows — a neutral beige and a plummy brown. Before I tried them on, based on how they looked in the pan, I wasn’t expecting to be thrilled, but then I got ’em on my eyes.
WOW! The texture of both of these shadows? Kind of amazing. They’re so soft that they almost feel creamy. Super easy to blend, too, and not a lick of fallout, either.
I think both colors go really well with bronzed brown and plummy brown eyeliners, like MAC Teddy and Becca Cabrera.
For my lips and cheeks in that look yesterday, I borrowed the idea from some of the fall campaign looks I’ve been seeing from NARS and YSL, pairing a strong eye with a bold lip, in this case a warm, shimmery brandy.
With the eyes and lips serving as focal points, I wanted to keep my cheeks more subdued, so I went with a matte peachy pink blush (all the deets are down below).
If you like the idea of looks that combine bold eyes and lips but feel like they can go a little overboard, you could opt for a nude lip shade instead (the Too Faced La Crème lip cremes have lots of nude shades to choose from), or skip the darker liner I’m wearing here on my lower water line entirely.
Or, you could use a lighter white or flesh-colored liner along your lower water line to create a wider-eyed look, and for something like that you might try MAC Eye Kohl in Fascinating, NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte, Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes in Champagne or Dolce & Gabbana Khol Pencil in True White.
Additional makeup worn in this look…
- MAC Concrete Eyeshadow: Brows
- NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base: Lids
- Urban Decay Supercurl Mascara: Lashes
- Line and Define Pencil in Cabrera: Water lines and lash lines
- NARS Lipstick in Autumn Leaves: Lips
- Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15: Cheeks
- NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Cuba and St. Moritz: Face
- Hourglass Oxygen Foundation Powder in No. 4: Forehead, nose and chin
- NARS Blush in Amour: Apples of my cheeks
Happy Wednesday (HI!), and a quick item of note…
Benefit is having a two-day flash sale for their new fall kits.
RIGHT NOW! 🙂
Might be a good time to get your hands on some goodies. No promo code necessary, and the kits will only be available online at benefitcosmetics.com, now through July 20 at 9 a.m. (PST). After that, they’re gone for good.
Hope your Wednesday got off to a good start. I just finished a run, so I feel on top of the world! — or at least on top of my chair.
I don’t know when I turned into a morning exerciser, but the transition is finally complete. Now the whole idea of exercising in the evenings like I did back in the day makes my feet hurt, LOL!
How about you? What’s your favorite time to work out?
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I LOVE wearing burgundy eyeshadows, especially in the corner, above my crease area for a nice pop of color. It pairs so well with neutral colors!!
Hi Joyce,
So true! I think I need more in my life. Happy Wednesday!
oooh. i love those colors on you, but i don’t think they would look right on my nw25 skin tone. too pink and not enough purple. but…i may be wrong. i do love this look on you. very fall.
workout – in the am. two young girls involved in school activities and sports – doesn’t mesh well with pm workouts. plus – it’s been so dang hot here. all i want to do is swim when i get home. 🙂 ♥
Hi Stephanie,
Oh, I’d love to go swimming! Laps are so relaxing. I love being in water…especially in diving pools where you can’t feel the bottom.
What kinds of sports do your girls play?
I have to say that such warm matte shades look FANTASTIC on you! I really love this look, Karen!
Hi Marina,
Thanks! It’s usually not a look that I go for, but I think I might have to wear it more often.
So…Dark Knight. Are you going to watch?
What a gorgeous eyeshadow duo — love mattes, love warm shades! They look gorgeous on you!
Thank you, Nina. 🙂
I’ve always been a little suspicious of really warm plummy browns (sometimes they can make me look like I’ve been crying), but this one’s just so wearable.
Hope that you’re feeling a little better today. Tabs sends extra biscuits and purrs your way.
Thanks Tabs *squishes* and thank you Karen. 🙂 Im hanging in there. Looking at makeup cheers me up … 🙂
For a while, I was scared that id look like someone punched me but with the right color combination — I can make it work! This duo makes the combination easier! 🙂
Karen, I really like this look on you! So pretty.
Not sure how this will work for me, but I’m definitely going to check it out – lol!
Hi Reesa,
Thanks, hon. 🙂 I wasn’t sure if the colors would work for me either…you just never know until you try! Laura also has another duo with navy and taupe shades. Maybe if Suspense doesn’t work for ya, there’s always that one.
I saw that picture of you and just HAD to comment – but it’s the lips that are drawing me in. The eyeshadow is nice, but the LIPSTICK.
MUST. BUY.
Just clicked through to your NARS Fall post to read more about that fabulous lipstick you are wearing – are you sure it’s Autumn Leaves? From the previous post, it looks more like Amsterdam matte lipstick. I want to be sure & order the right one 🙂
Oh my goodness. These are my kind of shades. It looks great on you. 🙂
Hi Rachel,
Thanks! I hope you give the duo a try.
So pretty! I was wondering about what you were wearing in the previous post. In fact, I love the whole look!
I really need to get into the morning exercise routine, b/c it feels so nice to get it out of the way. It’s just hard to get out of bed in the morning when I’m feeling tired or there’s a kitty holding me hostage with that sweet purring. 🙂
Hi Ruchita,
Thanks, my friend. 🙂
I totally know how it is being held by a cat hostage! Sometimes Tabs even goes so far as to take over the treadmill (it’s one of his favorite places to nap). I used to hate exercising in the morning at first because I’m usually so out of it, but now I like crossing it off my list first thing in the morning.
You could always try bribing yourself with makeup. Always works for me.
I love this look on you, it’s so beautiful!
Thank you, Gio! I hope your week is going well so far.
I love how soft these eyeshadows look! Matte shadows really give a look this classy, elegant feel.
Hi Lulle,
So true! These mattes are easy to blend, too, which makes things even better. 🙂
What are your favorite matte shadows?
This is such a lovely, smudgy, warm brown eye look–I didn’t think I’d be so interested in this duo, but it looks so pretty on you I may have to check it out. The rest of the makeup you chose to pair with it is perfect!!!
Thanks, Becca. 🙂 There’s also a taupe and navy duo in the collection too! Might be pretty if you like those colors.
Happy Wednesday!
I LOVE this look on you Karen! I love it so much I want to try it on myself!
Thanks Katrina!
It’s really easy to do, too! That’s probably the best part about it. 🙂
Have you worn Laura Mercier’s makeup before? Her eyeshadows are really nice.
Love your makeup! BTW..is that Autumn Leaves on your lips? I thought it looked more like Amsterdam..the fab folks at NARS seem to have botched up my order..not got anything till now 🙁
I normally don’t like matte shadows but this duo looks lovely 🙂
Agata!
So I feel like I’m constantly random chatting with you about coffee, but I have to tell you — I had the most AMAZING coffee the other night at this restaurant called Benu. It was by Lamill. Have you heard of them? Everyone at our table practically melted after having a sip. It was that good. Here’s a link:
http://lamillcoffee.com/
The coffee’s pricy, but I might have to save up to buy a bag of their house blend.
I love our random coffee chats 🙂 I have never heard of Lamill but I will have to talk my husband into buying some if you’re saying it’s that good. I think I have spent that kind of money on coffee before. Good coffee and make up are worth indulging into 🙂
I kinda wish I never heard of it because now everything else will never taste as good as Lamill! I wish I asked which blend they used…I didn’t realize they’d have so many to choose from. I’m thinking of getting the house blend. MMMMM! 😀
If I had some right now I’d make you a cup. Would you like milk and sugar? LOL
I’d love a cup, milk, no sugar 🙂 Thank you 🙂
this lip color is gorgeous on you. I think what makes is so good is that little bit of brown in it. My new Chanel nail color in Fatal is just like that http://bit.ly/NilPEl
This look is just stunning. Autumn Leaves looks gorgeous on your lips- cooler and more opaque than it looked in the original photos I saw (although it looked beautiful there too!). Wonderful all around!
How gorgeous do you look! Love this duo, so versatile!
This is a great look for you! I can see you wearing this to an elegant restaurant.
My favourite time to work out? Haha, never! 😛 When I used to go to the gym, I went after work. It really energized me…and then made me have the best night’s sleep. 🙂
I think I just found a new favorite eyeshadow duo. I really just like to use one eyeshadow color on a day to day basis. That matte warm brown looks like a great color and girl, matte highlight colors are my favorites.
Your entire look is gorgeous. I wasn’t that interested in anything from her fall collection, even though the promo pictures are pretty, but now I’m not so sure. Those colors could work for day or night. I also love the autumn leaves on you. I think I need it.
Wow! That looks great on you! I couldn’t pull that off.
When I first saw the promo pictures for the Laura Mercier fall collection I wasn’t initially blown away, even though the models look great. I’m now thinking that I must have that eye shadow duo. It would be great for a day look or a more elegant night look. I hope that it works with my coloring. I also must get the Autumn Leaves lipstick. The more I see it, the more I fall in love with it.
Ok I am obsessing right now!! Love the look!! Can that lip color still be purchased? It’s stunning on you!
Great look, very chic. You wear it well 🙂
As for working out, I prefer working out in the morning. I usually do a fitness routine in my own home, but this morning I had my first Powerplate session. And I liked it a lot. I signed up for a series of 10 sessions. Perfectly little tight round butt here I come!
Yeah, you’re right. In the pan, they don’t look tempting at all. But they’re fab on you.
I’m definitely an evening exerciser and my body is so used to it that a workout winds me down and makes me sleepy. If I exercise during the day (on a weekend), I’m beat afterward. I’ve never been a morning exerciser; it makes me a bit queasy if I haven’t eaten and I’m definitely not an early riser. Getting up at 4:30 or 5:00 to run would NOT appeal to me. 🙂
Holy Moly! You loook amazing. I want that really badly. As I type this I realize that i’m getting into eyeshadow, there was a time when I wasn’t really interested in them.
Can you look any more gorgeous Karen???!! You look amazing!!
Grrrl, you look like a sexy, dangerous cinema vixen for sure! I adore that Nars lippie with this new duo. I’m getting so excited for fall 😀
Hi Karen,
I usually never comment but I couldn’t help myself after reading this particular post. You look stunning in this set of photos and I was wondering if you could please provide us with a breakdown of how you did you eye makeup using the Laura Mercier duo? You have been looking absolutely fierce in the past few weeks (not that you didn’t look gorgeous before) but I just had to let you know!
Thanks for all the swatches and reviews!