The new NARS Erdem Strange Flowers summer collection is out now (side note: Erdem is a women’s fashion designer, if you’re not in the know… I had to look him up, so you aren’t alone if you had no clue!), so, of course, being the frustrated botanist that I am, I walked all over my neighborhood looking for strange flowers, and that’s when I realized that there aren’t any strange flowers in my neighborhood…
LIKE, NONE.
I don’t think it’s too much to expect to see a Venus Flytrap while you’re taking your cat for a walk.
But I digress…
The NARS Erdem Strange Flowers Collection
Wanna-Be Botanist Karen is like YAAASSS because every piece in this LE release is covered with ??? flowers.
- The eyeshadows palettes — Super potent. Just a little dip with the tip of eye brush lays down loads o’ pigment. If I get in there and blend with a fierce purpose, I’m fine. Fun for smoky looks. 🙂
- The blushes — Frostier in the arm swatches than they are on cheeks, yay! Good news for those of us with, like, pores.
- The lipsticks — Such a twist! They look dark and intimidating, but five of the six are sheer. The only opaque one is red Blood Flower, which I think is OK, but the sheer ones, I LOVE. They’re like super intense lip tints, and I’m all about the pink and purples because they could almost pass for nudes.
- The blotting papers — OK.
- The stick highlighter — Opalescent purple dewy gorgeousness. Also doubles as an eyeshadow base (I used it in these pics underneath the blue and charcoal from the Night Garden Palette, and it tinted the smoky look with a hint of purple)
- The lip palette — I like layering the lip powders on top of the cream lipstick, but they make my lips look and feel a little dry…
Instead of strange flowers, I saw a bunch of familiar ? flowers, and even though I’m bummed about my neighborhood’s lack of exotic horticulture, the familiar flowers always bring me so much joy and fill me with happy memories. 🙂
Like these white and purple daisies. Oh, my goodness! When my my parents first moved into the house I grew up in, which is the house my parents still live in today, it had this big patch of daisies just underneath the living room window, and when you’d walk in and out of the house, they were the first things you saw in the yard.
My friend Karrie, who lived next door to my childhood home in the East Bay, would hop over the fence, knock on the door, and ask if I could go outside and play. At some point whenever we’d be playing, a few of these daisies would be picked, and they’d end up either in our hair, around our wrists as bracelets, or squashed underneath bicycle tires.
And these California poppies… OH! They take me back, too.
They’re all over the place this time of year in Northern California, growing out of cracks in the sidewalk, on the sides of creek beds, and in everyone’s front yard.
When we were kids, Karrie and I would pick the petals, crush them in bowls, and pretend to make dinner.
Ah, the weird thing kids do!
Occasionally, we’d find a rare white poppy, and in kid law, the white poppies were off limits. Those were never, ever to picked…
Here in Novato where I live now — it’ll be 10 years soon, which is crazy to me! — I’m surrounded by different flowers that I didn’t see until I moved here, like these tiny hot pink ones, which are all over my neighborhood.
I just found out recently that they’re tea tree plants. So cute and so dainty!
Speaking of hot pink, bougainvillea takes me back to when El Hub and I first moved in together. Our apartment at the time was across the street from a house that was covered in them, and whenever I’d look out our living room windows, I’d see them there.
So, NARS Erdem Strange Flowers — do you see anything you like? ??
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I love your makeup!! I’m surprised NARS used white packaging for this! I’m so used to their black packaging.
HI Lupe,
Thanks girl! The packaging is a beautiful dove gray. I think you’ll love it when you see it in person.
Love the pretty flowers photos! I was interested in the pink blush-Loves Me Not but I have several similar blush colors already. So this collection is a pass for me. The packaging is really pretty though.
Thanks, Denise. I feel so lucky to live in a place where lots of things grow. 🙂 Makes me happy to step outside and see things blooming everywhere (even if my allergies are crazy right now).
BTW, are you doing any shopping for the Sephora VIB sale?
Bouganvillia reminds me so much of Mexico! So beautiful. Flowers everywhere. And the poppies… so NorCal (I lived in Berkeley for awhile). I like this eye look, because even when you smile with eyes wide open, you can see alllll the makeup! I like the fleur fatale palette…but of course don’t *need* it. Aside from the makeup, I love how inspirational and beautiful these nature pics are!
Hi Amy,
Yeah, that’s the great thing about colorful smoky eyes, especially if you really blow out those colors. They’re so visible and such a statement!
How long did you live in Berkeley? I love that area of the East Bay!
For about 3 years! I went to the graduate school there in religion. It is so beautiful there, isn’t it? I can still see the poppies, lillies, and those tall flowers with giant blue balls on top, like a Dr. Seuss drawing. Have a great day, Karen!
Oh, how cool. UC Berkeley? Or Dominican?
Just got back from a walk and now sending you some warm Nor Cal sunshine. My allergies are going nuts but it was so worth it!
I love the cover design of the eyeshadow palettes, but I’m not sure that’s enough of a reason to purchase one of them considering I already own too much makeup.
Has having too much makeup ever stopped anyone before?!
(As I continue to type my Sephora VIB wish list…)
LOL
Usually having too much doesn’t stop me, but lately I’ve been hesitant to purchase more stuff just because I think it’s pretty. I’m trying to buy only what I need (ok, maybe a little more than what I need but not as much as before).
Ahh, does this mean there will be no damage at Sephora VIB?
I gotta go in today to get some basics I’m in desperate need of — zit cream, stuff for covering up my roots. Maybe I’ll order all those skin tints I have in my cart. Maybe not!
Oh there’s damage. But I’m just repurchasing moisturizer and serum and eye cream. Also looking for a new sunscreen since Shiseido decided to reformulate my go-to and it’s now chemical (I hate that word) based instead of mineral based. Sigh.
You’re eyeshadow is gorgeous in these photos! And thank you for the rundown of the beautiful plants and flowers in your neighborhood, I wish it was blooming like that here?. It won’t be long though.
Hi Rachel,
Hang in there! Soon will come to you soon enough. 🙂
We’re going to Home Depot this weekend (I was going to write “Home Despot” because that store feels like it holds absolute power over me whenever I go in) to get some tomatoes for the deck and some flowers for the front yard. I’ll be loading up on allergy meds, but at least I’ll get to be amongst the plants.
Happy Friday to you, by the way. How’s your day going?
Glad it’s Friday! Today feels like it’s moving at a glacial pace at work since it’s the countdown to the weekend! And since it’s finally nice outside I feel like an animal trapped in a cage, lol!
Tell me about it. Why do Fridays drag?! lol
Hopefully you’ll be able to get out for a walk or something.
Oh, and from an earlier comment… I’ve tried to get climbing vines to respond to cages with no luck. If you find the secret you have to let me know! I would love fresh cucumbers.
I keep waiting for this for the VIB, but it is not available at Sephora as of yet!
Hi H,
Typically NARS does staggered release dates with all of their retailers. You can find it on their website right now. 🙂
I wish I could grow California poppies, but the Texas soil and climate is intolerable to them. I don’t even see them in the “wildflower” parts of the state.
I bet Texas has some gorgeous wildflower areas! The ones I’ve seen here where I live are usually by the coast.
Hello Karen
As I said before your just stunning and is true !
You look beautiful and very lipstick is perfect on you but my fav is the red one , classic!
Oh I do really enjoy your blog and I come here everyday to check on you , your my makeup hero 🙂
Hello Bebe,
You’re the sweetest. It’s so nice waking up on a Friday to your kind comments.
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!
You did a beautiful job with the flower/product pics. You’d be very sad here. You would have had to pair everything with snow and dead grass/leaves. 🙁 April 20th, huh? I felt so sorry for the robin in our yard this morning.
The packaging is very beautiful and your eye look is stunning!
Oh my. Tell me at least the snow is starting to melt. Please!
We still haven’t talked about your trip. Did you bring any cool makeup home?
Brace yourself – it’s currently 61 and sunny. We’re all about to keel over from shock. HAHA! It’s the first day that the weather has been decent so we’re hopeful it continues!
I’m sorry – it’s been so ridiculous. When I got back, I had to head out to a meeting in AR. Then, literally the night I got back from there, we left for vacation. It was a super-hectic month but full of good news and good times. 🙂
The trip was a great experience. Exhausting and fattening (when you’re eating pasta at 10PM every night, sigh) but so much to see and really worthwhile. There was not a ton of color cosmetics at the show but we had a day of store checks and saw lots of makeup. I looked for the Madina Crystal Glass Powder but had no luck. I didn’t end up picking up anything new, except some jelly soap at Lush, but had a great time looking around.
And we just got a new-to-me car last week. My transmission was going and I had some other issues so we traded. That was also great (but added to it being so hectic). I’m not complaining. We’re very fortunate to have those kinds of “problems”. 🙂
I love these looks on you. So pretty! I think my favorite is the one with the Moon Orchid lipstick.
Really enjoying the pics of the flowers. It snowed here the other day so I’m really craving spring. Love all the bright colors in your neighborhood!
Hi Ruchita,
I like Moon Orchid too. 🙂
Are you volunteering at the shelter this week? Please give all the kitties a hug for me.
Good morning! No I didn’t volunteer this week. I’ve still been getting caught up with life after being away last week. I’m looking forward to getting back to normal this week. Happy Friday! 🙂
I’m loving your eye paired with the sheer lip colors! Gorgeous!
Thanks, Christina! Happy Friday to ya. 🙂
Hi Karen!
Great pics! I don’t comment often, but I love your blog! It’s smart, non-fussy, and beautifully done! Larkspur looks so pretty on you. Hmm…I thought I was done with the Sephora Rouge pre-sale, but I might have to pop in today and check out these lip sheers! Thanks.
Hi Tina,
I’m so glad you enjoy MBB. I try my best to keep things fun and interesting. 🙂
So I haven’t seen the collection on sephora.com, and knowing NARS, they’re staggering the release. If I see it there anytime soon I’ll let you know!
I don’t think I have any strange flowers in my neighborhood either, just the ones I am used to. But they might be strange to someone else, who knows?
Wow, your eye makeup looks gorgeous! I love the color on you and how beautifully you blended it out! A great look!
I love this makeup look on you!
I think the eye palettes are both really pretty, and I love the floral packaging. I think the dark shades are close enough to the Man Ray Glass Tears Palette that I’m going to skip these, though.
This collection looks great, love the designs! And your childhood sounds like mine, I had an awesome childhood. Sometimes you wish you could go back haha I used to stir my bowl of ice cream and pretend I was making a cake lol
Hi Lisa,
We used to do stuff like that too, LOL! I’d stir cereal and pretend to be making brownies and whatnot. 🙂