NARS

With New NARS Audacious Mascara, What’s the Hook?

July 15th, 2015 by Karen 17 Comments

Raise yo’ paws to the heavens/roof! — NARS has a new mascara, which is quite a rare occurrence in NARS Land. It’s new NARS Audacious Mascara in Black Moon ($26), and it has an outrageous hook.

Actually, hooks.

No, really, it literally has hooks. See the bristles on the red brush? Those are little hooks…

BANANAS, right? I know! The hooks are supposed to catch lashes to better lengthen, lift, thicken and separate them, and I think it actually works.

I see satiny black lashes with nice length at the tips, and it pulls the lashes upward to keep a good curl. You can also add another layer as the day wears on, because everyone knows that nothing beats the 3 p.m. work blahs like an extra layer of mascara. 🙂

No, seriously, this mascara layers really well. No clumps, bumps or flakes. Just loads of seamless length, separation, lift and volume. It goes from cube mascara to club mascara like *that* (snaps fingers).

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The NARS Matte/Shimmer Palette for Fall 2015: A Quick Follow-Up

July 8th, 2015 by Karen 13 Comments

In today’s episode of The Annals of Awkward Phrasing…

Karen meets Kim at the diner after closing to discuss makeup and teh kittehs. “If you had a fluffy kitten for every time I wished for an eyeshadow palette that included a few mattes,” Karen exclaims, “you’d have enough cats to qualify as a full-blown CCL!”

LOL! Yes, I have no idea what I’m talking about… 🙂

The mattes were/are the main reason I got so stoked about the new $65 NARS Matte/Shimmer Palette. Four of its eight powder shadows are mattes, and the other four are shimmers.

nars narsissist matte shimmer eyeshadow palette — NARS Matte/Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette

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Mirror, Mirror on…These Eyeshadow Palettes: The NARS Fall 2015 NARSissist Matte/Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette and Hardwired Eye Kit

July 3rd, 2015 by Karen 18 Comments

Mirror, mirror on the wall…who’s the most beautiful NARSissist of them all?!

I think you already know Tabby’s answer. 🙂

The new limited edition NARSissist fall 2015 eye palettes have mirrors on the packaging so that you may admire yo’ fine self, or so that your kitty cat can admire his floof.

I think it’s pretty convenient and cool, even though it makes these things pick up a sh*t-ton of paw prints whenever I open them.

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The NARS Fall 2015 Collection Has More Twists Than a Lifetime Movie

July 3rd, 2015 by Karen 35 Comments

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.

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1-Minute Makeup Morsel: If Hot Weather Is Melting Your Concealer Mojo, Add NARS Pro Prime to Your Under-Eye Routine

July 1st, 2015 by Karen 13 Comments

I’ve been adding NARS Pro Prime to my under-eye routine before I apply concealer (I also whack it into my brows before brow products), in addition to using it to prime my lids, because it’s been so. Damn. Hot.

Plus, we don’t have AC in our condo, so sometimes when it’s REALLY hot, and I’m literally dripping in sweat, my makeup melts off my face.

So I tried it one day — Pro Prime under my concealer — and it made a big difference. My concealer definitely lasts longer with NARS Pro Prime’s help.

So just an FYI. Give it a try sometime if it’s hella hot where you are. 🙂

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. It’s actually been a bit cooler here this week. Today we only hit 82! Huzzah!

Unsung Makeup Heroes: NARS Yu Satin Lip Pencil

July 1st, 2015 by Karen 27 Comments

Hey, Yu!

Yeah, Yu, homie. Right there. No, not that dude behind you… I’m talking to Yu.

I have to tell you something and it’s…well, important? And awkward. But you see, this — you and I? Well, basically, I’m absolutely, positively madly in love with Yu.

YES, YU! I’m ride-or-die for life!

OK, enough of that, LOL! Let’s talk about Yu… 🙂

Yu. Oh, NARS Yu. It’s another one of my perennial summertime NARS Satin Lip Pencil jams. A bright hot pink lipstick with a satin finish, I love it for many of the same reasons I also love NARS Lodhi — the smooth, creamy formula, opaque coverage and 4-5 hour wear time. It’s another example of perfection in a pencil.

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7 Covetable Coral Lipsticks That’ll Make You Go Completely Crazy for Coral

June 29th, 2015 by Karen 24 Comments

Some people go cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs. I go crazy for coral…lips, which I will totally wear any time of year, but fiendishly in summer.

This time of year I wear coral lips. A lot. Practically every other day! I mean, coral as a color in summer? That never goes out of style.

And when it comes to coral lips and permanent colors, here are seven of my faves… 🙂

1. MAC Amplified Lipstick in Vegas Volt

Vegas Volt. Something must be powering all those slot machines and lights. Maybe it’s Vegas Volt. It’s the coral I wear when I feel like kicking doors down in my four-inch heels.

Intense, opaque and potent enough to send a lightning bolt of pigment straight to your soul. It’s $16 and available now at MAC counters, stores and online.

2. Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Streak

Urban Decay Streak Revolution Lipstick 10 — Urban Decay Streak Revolution Lipstick in Streak

Flamingoes. Creamy coral pink Streak reminds me of flamingoes. 🙂 This fresh, summery coral kicks so much @ss when worn with dewy skin, teal or gold liner, and mountains of mascara. It’s $22 and available now online and at Urban Decay counters, Ulta, Sephora and select Macy’s stores.

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Unsung Makeup Heroes: NARS Lodhi Satin Lip Pencil

June 25th, 2015 by Karen 26 Comments

Dang, it’s hot here today…

Like, fry-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk hot here today (incidentally, have you ever tried that?).

Or, sweat-until-you-have-a-major-life-revelation hot here today.

Basically, it’s sticky-back-of-the-knees, crook-of-the-elbows, middle-of-the-booty-cheeks hot here today (oh, and my air conditioner isn’t working).

The only things keeping me from melting into a puddle of sweat are 1) the fact that it’s a dry heat (it DOES make a difference), and 2) this tube of NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi ($26), because it’s cool. 🙂

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