The NARS 2015 collection has more twists than a woman-in-peril movie on Lifetime (which I’ve been watching A LOT lately, as you can tell). You know, like, just when you start to think that the birth mother of the baby that the movie’s protagonist planned to adopt might actually be a a nice girl, but then it turns out that she’s wanted in eight states for kidnapping and extortion! *gasp!*
Hello, TWIST.
Equally surprising twists are happening in the 14-piece NARS 2015 collection, which launches July 15 at NARS boutiques and narscosmetics.com, and August 1 at Sephora and NARS counters at department stores.
Instead of the same-o’, same-o’, usual mix of eyeshadow duos and singles, NARS mixed things up with an entirely new line of twist-up shadow sticks.
BOOM. Mind blown.
The $28 NARS Velvet Shadow Sticks are creamy twist-up eyeshadows that you can use as cream shadows or as bases for powder eyeshadows — or, heck if you’re feeling creative, as eyeliners, or even as face highlighters.
The eight featured in the fall collection are pale gold Hollywoodland, shimmery golden black Aigle Noir, navy Glenan, pink champagne Goddess, quartz Oaxaca, shimmery deep teal Sukhothai, black Filbuste and gray Reykjavik.
When I use these on my lids as cream shadows, they glide across my skin, and the formula spreads without any resistance when I go back in with a brush to diffuse the edges. It takes about seven and a half minutes for them to dry/set (yes, I totally timed it, LOL!), which means plenty of play time for me to take my sweet time moving the shadows around and blending the colors together.
So far, I’m really liking how easy they are to work with (and I’m also loving the satiny finish of the shimmers).
But wait, there’s more! 🙂 The Velvet Shadow Sticks aren’t the only things here with a twist. The colors themselves are kind of unusual for fall.
Instead of rich berries, reds and sooty smokey shades, NARS Fall 2015 includes two summery nude lip glosses in pinkish beige Chelsea Girls and shimmering candy pink Baby Doll ($26 each), as well as a rosy, shimmery, sandy blush called Blush in Tribulation ($30) that could pass for a warm-weather highlighter.
You know I love nude lips, so I’m all about the glosses. 🙂 They apply effortlessly with the brand’s standard gloss formula, so they’re unscented, unflavored, lightweight, non-sticky and VERY comfortable.
Chelsea Girls is my favorite of the two because it’s one of those warm and creamy pinkish beiges that you can wear pretty much everywhere with anything. If the name sounds familiar, it is! Chelsea Girls is also a current NARS Lip Lacquer.
Technically, Tribulation is a blush, which is funny to me because it looks more like a rosy beige highlighter on my skin. In these pics (up top and below) I’m wearing it buffed onto the tops of my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose for a very soft, diffused effect…which is exactly my kinda highlight!
As for the rest of the release, well, you know how NARS does red lipsticks, and the one here is also a beauty. Warm brick red Lipstick in VIP Red ($27) is rich, smooth and completely opaque. Of course, it’s so intensely pigmented that there’s no way I can pull it off without a lip brush and a lip liner. I mean, there’s just no room for error. I tried doing it freehand, and every little mistake stood out.
Rounding out the collection are two new shades of Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow — golden shimmery brown Telesto and shimmering peacock burgundy Pasiphae ($29 each) — both of which glimmer and glow on lids.
I like wearing them by themselves on my lids for a high-beam, eye-opening gleam, but I bet they’ll look even more amazing on top of a blackened base.
NARS Fall 2015: Swatches
Don’t miss the Velvet Shadow Sticks
Exciting stuff! Keep an eye out for the new Velvet Shadow Sticks when the collection arrives. For me they’re the stars of the show, along with the interesting fall color choices, like the summery nude lips and the blush that imitates a highlighter. I’m always up for flexible products that transcend seasons.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Stay tuned for a look at the two new NARS eye palettes also being released for fall 2015.
The eyeshadow sticks look so buttery soft! I have been wsiting for your swatches Karen! I totally need Telesto in my life… gorgeous!! Also Chelsae Girls reminds me of Chanel’s Mystery lipgloss!
Aah! I really hope the shadow sticks are as good as they look!
Happy 4th Karen and Tabs! 🙂
What a lovely fall collection. The cream sticks seem similar to LM Caviar Sticks, but I love that there are mattes in the mix. That navy blue! And the VIP red lippie, OMG. Love the gingham blouse on you as well as the MU look!
Insert “I NEED DIS” otter meme here. lol!
My eyes widened when I saw the description shimmering peacock burgundy! I think I want to see this over a brown or black base for sure. 🙂 And Chelsea Girls is just divine. I need dat!!
I love how everything warms up your face in the second look, Karen! You are positively glowing!
No seriously every time I think of that meme I crack up, LOL!
I feel like that ALL THE TIME, for reals.
I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Sending love to you, Scherbs and Le Mini Geekz!
A shimmering peacock burgundy?? I need this eyeshadow, even if it means eating canned food for a week, lol! It’s stunning and the eyeshadow sticks look so pretty too- especially Aigle Noir and Glenan. The blush/highlighter is right up my alley too. Overall, looks like a stunning collection!
I am in love with the eye shadow sticks. They are absolutely gorgeous. NARS’ fall line looks like it is going to be amazing with lots of color variation.
Oh girrlllll… I am in LOve with the eyeshadow sticks in Oaxaca and Sukhothai. I love how unique and pigmented they are!!!
How was the texture on the lipstick? Was it very moisturizing? I bought Nars Basque Red a while back and love it but it’s not nearly as moisturizing as some of his other shades.
Hi Michou,
The lipstick is on the thicker side; it has weight/texture similar to a matte lipstick. If you like lipsticks that feel very slippery and slick you might not like it. I found it moderately comfortable, but I wouldn’t say it was super moisturizing. (I have very dry lips for reference.)
Let me know if you have any other questions. Always happy to help!
Thanks, Karen!
I’ll likely swatch it in Nordstrom instead of just buying it outright online like I often do, haha.
I also want to compare it to other reds I have… my red collection is straight up out of hand. 😛
The twist up sticks! I really need the in my life!
How does Oaxaca compare to Lhasa / MAC shale/ LM Grey Pearl?
It’s such a gorgeous colour!
I love lots of the velvet sticks, can’t wait for them to come to the UK
🙂
Hi Jax!
I have Lhasa, and Oaxaca is more taupey gray. Lhasa shows up very purply on me. Hope that makes sense! Let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks
Yep, that makes sense, Lhasa tends to not pull quite so purple on me but I have very pale cool skin.
Looks like a spending spree at NARS is in my near future 😀
The shadow sticks turned out to be so beautiful! I need the olive and navy ones. I really like that olive shadow too
Yup, they’re super pretty.
The Babydoll gloss is CUTE! (And aptly named, I suppose!)
Super cute!
Eek, the shadow sticks look soooooo pretty! And creamy! Definitely gonna look into them.
Yay! I hope you love them!
How much play time is there to blend out the shadow sticks? I’m loving the one in Oaxaca, but only if there’s time to blend it out. Eyeing Telesto and the VIP Red lippie, too! NARS is one of my favorites. Okay, yeah, I have lots of favorites, I’ll admit it.
Hi Tatiana,
You get about 7 min. Here’s some more info:
When I use these on my lids as cream shadows, they glide across my skin, and the formula spreads without any resistance when I go back in with a brush to diffuse the edges. It takes about seven and a half minutes for them to dry/set (yes, I totally timed it, LOL!), which means plenty of play time for me to take my sweet time moving the shadows around and blending the colors together.
This is what I love about you! You timed it! Awesome! I love the idea of shadow sticks, but the reality is, some of them don’t spread very easily or smoothly across my lids or set too quickly for me to blend out the edges as well as I would like. So seven minutes seems like a good amount of time to get the right blend and fade going on. Thanks for being such an awesome product tester and blogger!
Definitely going to check these out when they hit the counters.
I know what you mean! I’ve tried quite a few shadow sticks and prefer the ones that stay creamy for longer. They’re so much easier to work with. 🙂
I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Did you do anything fun?
Your swatches look much better than some of the others I’ve seen and Chelsea Girls looks less lip line central too. I wonder if other bloggers got bad batches.
NARS is definitively my favorite cosmetic brand. LOve all their products, includind these.
Hi Afmu,
What are your NARS favorites? Here are a few of mine…
Amour Blush
Lodhi Satin Lip Pencil
Pro Prime Eyeshadow Primer
Pure Radiant Concealer
Mine are Lipgloss in Chelsea Girls and Baby Doll
Loving your look in the photos above! What colors did you use for your eyes? Thanks!
I can’t believe the fall collections are already starting to roll in. I’ll get the velvet shadow sticks in Hollywoodland and Goddess for sure. Oh Pasiphae is gorgeous too! There’s a possibility that this will get into my cart. 😉
Yay! I hope it makes it in there. It’s a beautiful color!
Thanks for all the review and swatches, Karen! I love them all but I always have to buy blind because there’s no NARS store in Germany. Are you wearing Pasiphae on the first picture? If yes, then I have to have it… and the blush… and reordering of Prep and Prime Eyeshadow… 😛
Hey there ~ thanks for these swatches! Am dying to know how you did the look in your bottom photos? Also, what is that navy blue eyeliner you use, it is gorgeous and I need it right away! Thx in advance, xo, Sarah
The NARS Fall 2015 Lipgloss in Baby Doll and Chelsea Girls look so pretty on you!
Hi Karen! Where is your plaid shirt from? LOOOOVEEEEE!!!! and please let me know how you achieve that eye look! I’m trying to decide which of the above Nars eye products to purchase. I just love the overall look you put together! Thanks!