NARS

A Friday Face of the Day With the New NARS Laser Cut Holiday Palette: Hazy Khaki Eyes, and Rosy Cheeks and Lips

October 17th, 2014 by Karen 20 Comments

Now we shall dance like children of the night!

Or not. 🙂

We can dance around my kitchen though, but only if it’s low impact because I’m still resting up for the race.

What are you doing tonight? I have a feeling El Hub is going to coerce me into watching Fury, that new WWII tank movie with Brad Pitt and the guy who played Shane in The Walking Dead.

Sounds like a hoot!

Oh, well. I’ll get him back in November when the new Hunger Games comes out.

I’m just gonna wear the smokey-light khaki eye look I wore today with the new $59 limited edition NARS Laser Cut holiday palette (available now).

Not that I’m gonna do it, because I feel lazy, but it would be really easy to turn this into an evening/party look by just swapping out the rosy gloss for a more dramatic lip color, like this glossy plum number perhaps…

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The New NARS Modern Future Set Has a Cinematic Past

October 16th, 2014 by Karen 31 Comments

It seemed like the right thing to do.

Yesterday afternoon I watched Roman Holiday (for, oh, I dunno, the ninth or tenth time) while painting my nails with NARS Roman Holiday Nail Polish from the new $49 Modern Future set.

I was also wearing Roman Holiday Blush and Roman Holiday Lipstick (also from the same set) on my cheeks and lips.

It just made sense. I mean, I could have watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Sabrina instead, but that would have been totally weird… Watching Roman Holiday seemed like the right thing to do. 🙂

Which reminds me, please, PLEASE tell me you’ve seen this movie. Breakfast at Tiffany’s seems to get more love, but Roman Holiday gets my vote for best Audrey Hepburn movie, ever. She even earned a Best Actress Academy Award for it.

If you haven’t seen it, do it! Audrey plays a princess who goes rogue by taking an unsanctioned, impromptu vacation from her life as a royal public figure. During her adventure she hangs out with an American newspaper reporter, played by Gregory Peck. The sets, the clothes, the dialogue, the ending — SO GOOD. Just watch it already!

And if you can, watch it while you’re wearing NARS Roman Holiday Blush, Lipstick and Nail Polish. It’s, like, extra poetic that way.

NARS Roman Holiday Lipstick — Roman Holiday Lipstick

NARS Roman Holiday Nail Polish — Roman Holiday Nail Polish

Roman Holiday is a cool pastel pink with slight purple undertones…but don’t let that description scare you! — because it’s actually really pretty and wearable.

Originally, the color only came as a lipstick, but NARS turned it into a blush and a nail polish for this LE holiday set.

Roman Holiday Lipstick

When I’m in the mood for a smooth, easy-to-wear cool-toned pink that doesn’t shimmer and isn’t too shiny, Roman Holiday Lipstick’s sheer pink wash rules. I can literally (well…) throw it on without having to use a mirror. I also like that it’s a build-able sheer, so you can intensify it by adding another layer. I also think it looks super pretty with NARS Angelika or Easy Lover Lipgloss on top.

The set includes a full-size 0.12-oz. tube.

NARS Roman Holiday Lipstick and Blush — Wearing Roman Holiday Lipstick and Blush

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This Hot Pink C.P. Yu From the $49 NARS Digital World Set Made Me Feel a Million Megabytes Better

October 9th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

I'm Wearing NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu from the Digital World Kit — Wearing NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu, from the $49 Digital World set

Memory is a funny thing, isn’t it? So many times I read the same tips over and over again — tips that have helped me before, but then I forget that they exist until I read them again, and it’s like, “Well I’ll be damned. That would totally work!”

Here’s one I know I’ve heard before, but I recently read it again: sometimes when you aren’t feeling great first thing in the morning, it can help to spend a little extra time getting ready.

Like, say goodbye to the sweats, and put something on that makes you feel cute. You know, fix your hair, do your makeup — that kind of thing — even if you totally aren’t in the mood.

To the first person who figured that out, wherever you are, thank you. You saved my butt this morning.

I woke up exhausted after an orange alert meltdown last night. It’s my fault, because I haven’t been taking my breaks throughout the day, which slowly turns me into a crazy person.

On top of that, I’ve been riding a PMS-fueled hormonal tidal wave, and everything has been getting on my last nerve. I’m serious, that one nerve is RAW.

Ha! OK, but seriously, I turned into a rabid cat in my office yesterday, and my poor computer chair… I kicked the living crap out of that thing, and then I cried non-stop for 45 minutes.

I felt much better this morning, but nowhere near my usual self. Without really thinking about it, I grabbed a pair of stretchy pants and a wrinkled tee shirt and planned to put my hair up in a bun and skip my makeup.

But then I remembered that tip about spending a little extra time getting ready when you feel blue…

After a long shower, during which I did a hair mask, a body scrub and even shaved my toes (yay!), I put on one of my favorite dresses, spritzed some Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Perfume, and slicked a hot pink lipstick on my lips.

Never underestimate the power of hot pink lipstick, my friend. It’s even better than chicken soup.

Today I haven’t once felt the urge to punch any office furniture. 🙂 Cupcakes for everyone!

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu, the hot pink I’m wearing in these pics, couldn’t be easier to apply (unless it applied itself…which would be scary and weird). It’s from the new Digital World holiday set. One of the things I like about it, in addition to the color, is that I can line and fill in my lips with the same pencil.

Yu is one of five Lip Pencils in the $49 Digital World set (coming November 1 exclusively to Sephora), which also includes the Satin Lip Pencils in tea rose Descanso and peachy coral Torres Del Paine, and the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils in scarlet Cruella and warm orange Iberico.

NARS Digital World Lip Pencils from the left: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Iberico, Satin Lip Pencil in Descanso and Satin Lip Pencil in Torres Del Paine — From the left: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Iberico, Satin Lip Pencil in Descanso and Satin Lip Pencil in Torres Del Paine

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For Queen B Cheeks, Try Matte Tan Rose NARS Almeria Blush

October 9th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

NARS Almeria Blush Swatch — Wearing the new NARS Almeria Blush on my cheeks and, yes, I’m standing in front of a fan, Beyonce-style

“Just to warn you…I look completely insane.” A good thing to broadcast right before you enter a room if you’re wearing NARS Blush in Almeria ($30) but didn’t spend enough time blending.

If, however, you did invest the time in blending — because you’ll need to with this intensely pigmented matte tan rose from the new NARS Holiday 2014 Laced with Edge collection — then you shan’t need to warn the general public, because your cheeks will look so naturally fabulous and flushed that witnesses will just assume that you’re Beyonce, and that you wake up like this. 🙂

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The NARS Holiday 2014 Hardwired Eyeshadows in Gabon, Canberra and Opal Coast: My Lids Are Hardwired to Like These

October 8th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

Also wearing in the picture above…

EYES: NARS Bronzer in Laguna in the crease, NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow in Gabon in the outer corner and inner corner, NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow in Opal Coast in the center of the lid, NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow in Canberra on the lower lash line, NARS Larger THan Life Long Wear Eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte on the water line and Topshop Doe Eyed Lashes mascara on my lashes.

CHEEKS: NARS Bronzer in Laguna to contour and NARS Blush in Almeria on the apples.

LIPS: NARS Lipstick in Femme Fleur and NARS Lipgloss in Soleil D’Orient.

OK, help me out. These are the three new Hardwired Eyeshadows from the 13-piece NARS Holiday 2014 Laced with Edge collection, so I’m trying to think of puns using the word “hardwired.”

Tabs is hardwired to kack at birds.

I am hardwired to lose track of time in Sephora.

The Terminator is hardwired by John Connor, in the future, to travel back in time to kill John’s mother, thereby ensuring Skynet’s…

Yeah, that one’s not working.

How about this? I am hardwired to like NARS.

Simple, clear, to the point. I like it. 🙂

I gasped out loud when I swatched this new line of sparkly powder eyeshadows in Opal Coast, Canberra and Gabon.

NARS Holiday 2014 Hardwired Eyeshadows from the left: Canberra, Gabon and Opal Coast — Hardwired Eyeshadows from the left: Canberra, Gabon and Opal Coast

NARS Holiday 2014 swatches from the left: Hardwired Eyeshadows in Opal Coast, Canberra and Gabon — Hardwired Eyeshadow swatches from the left: Opal Coast, Canberra and Gabon

It’s no secret, but sometimes iridescent and metallic finishes can be difficult to wear, especially when they’re really chunky and gritty and just sit on top of my skin highlighting my fine lines…

Being slightly creamy, the Hardwire formula seems to bind a little better to the skin. Sure, my fine lines are still there, but they don’t look as obvious as they do when I wear other metallic eyeshadows. As far as shiny shadows go, I think these are very forgiving.

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MAC Viva Glam? Yes Ma’am! A Hump Day Face of the Day Using the Too Faced Sugar & Spice Palette, the NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette and MAC Viva Glam

October 8th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

OK, so I’m enjoying an Amy’s Mexican Casserole Bowl and watching Gilmore Girls last night when I kindasorta FREAKED THE EFF OUT. One of the main characters in the show, Lorelei Gilmore (the mom half of the Gilmore duo), was getting her best friend Sookie ready for a date, doing her hair, putting on her makeup — all of that good stuff a beauty BFF does for her gal pals. Anywho, when she’s ready to apply Sookie’s lipstick, she calls out to her daughter Rory (the other half of the Gilmore Girls) downstairs to bring up “Viva Glam.” Yes! THE Viva Glam. She doesn’t say the word “MAC,” but when she holds the lipstick up to Sookie’s lips, you can clearly see the tube, and it’s definitely MAC.

Witty banter? Endless cups of coffee? MAC makeup references? This just might be the best show ever. 🙂

I still had Viva Glam on my mind this morning when I was getting ready, so I took out my favorite version, Viva Glam V Lipglass, and paired it with a cool-toned smokey brown and peach eye using the new Too Faced Sugar & Spice Palette ($39, available now), and the new NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette.

Also, just for fun, and to see how the eyes would look with a more dramatic lip, I swapped out Viva Glam V with the new Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipstick and Lipglass…

Wow! I actually really like the bolder lip combo.

Incidentally, the first time I wore the Rihanna 2 lippies separately, I felt they looked a little too stark on me. Then I tried them together and came around. Now I’m lovin’ that deep, sparkling pinkish mauve.

As for my cheeks, I’m wearing the new NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette ($65, from the new holiday collection). It comes with three blushes (Sex Fantasy, Deep Throat and Final Cut), a highlighter (Miss liberty) and a bronzer (good ol’ Laguna), available exclusively at Sephora starting November 1.

NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette Swatches from the left: Miss Liberty, Deep Throat, Sex Fantasy, Final Cut and Laguna

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NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF24: The Stuff of My Most Radiant, Soft Matte Finish Dreams (in Somewhat Tricky Packaging)

September 16th, 2014 by Karen 21 Comments

Wearing the new NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Broad Spectrum SFP24 ($48)

Of all my many makeup and beauty pursuits, like the quests for big hair, lush lashes and behaved brows (frickin’ Raul!), the quest for luxurious-looking skin consumes the most time.

I’m always looking for that expensive, luxurious Louis Vuitton skin look…without having to spend Real Housewives of Beverly Hills money.

Polished.

Elegant.

And hella pricey (looking).

Available in 13 shades, the new $48 NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation delivers exactly that, and it’s a revelation, especially when it’s applied with a wet sponge (I use a Beauty Blender).

It’s the stuff of my most radiant, soft matte finish dreams (in somewhat tricky packaging).

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation light — The light shades

My big fear with powder foundations is that they’ll look thick and heavy on my combination skin, because many of them do, but NARS All Day Luminous does not. The fine, silky powder formula looks and feels lightweight, while the finish falls somewhere between dewy and matte.

Coverage ranges from light to medium, depending on how you apply them. When I use a dry sponge or brush, the coverage is at its lightest. The formula does even out my skin tone a little, but some of the natural redness in my cheeks still peeks through, and I can still see my freckles. Worn this way, the look is super casual.

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Medium — The medium shades

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Medium Dark — The medium-dark shades

Using a sponge or Beauty Blender to apply them kicks up the coverage a notch. For the highest coverage (medium), I like to apply a 50/50 mix of Stromboli and Tahoe, because together they’re a closer match to my skin tone than any of the 13 individual shades, with a wet Beauty Blender. That keeps my freckles on the down-low and makes sure that no red on my cheeks sneaks through.

I’m definitely partial to applying these with the wet sponge (I use a patting and rolling motion). I think that way the look is more natural.

These don’t take long to apply, either. I can have a full face of foundation applied, blended and done in 3-4 minutes.

NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation Swatches — Swatches of all 13 shades

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For a Plush Pout, Call 1-800-NARS Velvet Lip Liner

August 20th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

NARS Nihiwatu Velvet Lip Liner — Wearing the new NARS Velvet Lip Liner in Nihiwatu ($24)

Ooh! shiny…

But not shiny like the sparkling mega twinkle of Ryan Gosling’s smile. More like the shiny finish of a classic Chanel flap bag — ideally one in black leather with gold hardware (that’s a hint, El Hub, in case we win the $160 million Mega Millions jackpot this week).

Um…please excuse my crazy hair and lack of makeup today, LOL! I literally put this face on in five minutes before snapping these pics (it’s a long story, but it has to do with tomorrow and a certain long-running American cartoon).

NARS Velvet Lip Liners from the left: Lanikai, Belle Mare, El Agua, Costa Smeralda, Nihiwatu, Playa Dorado, Anse Soleil, Waimea, Patong Beach, Medano Beach, Mirihi Island Beach and Karekare

Thanks to a slight sheen, these new $24 NARS Velvet Lip Liners (which are awesomely named after beaches!) pop in a way that matte lip liners don’t. The velvety finish reflects just enough light to be eye-catching. Because of it, you could probably even wear them alone and skip lipstick altogether if you wanted a long-wearing lip color that you didn’t have to touch up throughout the day.

NARS Velvet Lip Liner Swatches from the left: Lanikai, Belle Mare, El Agua, Costa Smeralda, Nihiwatu and Playa Dorado — Swatches from the left: Lanikai, Belle Mare, El Agua, Costa Smeralda, Nihiwatu and Playa Dorado

NARS Velvet Lip Liner Swatches from the left: Anse Soleil, Waimea, Patong Beach, Medano Beach, Mirihi Island Beach and Karekare — Anse Soleil, Waimea, Patong Beach, Medano Beach, Mirihi Island Beach and Karekare

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