If I’d moved to New York all those years ago when the idea seemed like the greatest idea in the world, the NARS Fall 2011 collection would have been like my cool city friend. She would have strut down streets late at night wearing Helmet Lang dresses, black lace tights and sky-high stilettos, guiding us to all the best underground clubs and bars (long before they were written up in the New York Times).
I think there’s something very urban about this latest collection from NARS. While Summer 2011‘s carefree golds, greens and teals made me want to spend the day at the beach, these fall shades make me want to dress up and meet friends at a trendy restaurant downtown.
The nine piece collection for eyes, lips and nails (no blush this time) sets dark, bold hues against soft, subtle tones. I’m thinking gals with skin that sings in cool-toned dove gray, silvery taupe, rich plum and true blue will really like what they see when it arrives on NARS counters July 15.
I’ll post a few looks and detailed reviews soon, but for now, here’s a quick look at the entire collection, along with some swatches.
NARS Fall 2011 Collection
Outremer Single Eyeshadow, $23
Grand Palais Duo Eyeshadow (Limited Edition), $33
Delphes Trio Eyeshadow (Limited Edition), $45
Oasis Lip Gloss (Limited Edition), $24
Train Bleu Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, $24
Pago Pago Lipstick, $24
Montego Bay Pure Matte Lipstick (left) and Mascate Pure Matte Lipstick (right), $25 each
Galion Nail Polish (Limited Edition), $17
NARS Fall 2011: Swatches on NC42 skin
Eyeshadows from the left: Outremer Single Eyeshadow (first swatch), Grand Palais Duo Eyeshadow (second and third swatches), Delphes Trio Eyeshadow (fourth, fifth and sixth swatches)
Lip products from the left: Oasis Lip Gloss, Train Bleu Velvet matte Lip Pencil, Pago Pago Lipstick, Montego Bay Pure Matte Lipstick, Mascate Pure Matte Lipstick
Galion Nail Polish
Outremer Single Eyeshadow, Grand Palais Duo Eyeshadow (taupe side) and Delphes Trio Eyeshadow on eyes
Oasis Lip Gloss on lips
Train Bleu Velvet Matte Lip Pencil
Pago Pago Lipstick
Montego Bay Pure Matte Lipstick
Mascate Pure Matte Lipstick
Well, what do ya think? I see a few things that will probably behave a little better on gals with cooler skin tone than mine, but I see some really pretty pieces here. I’m definitely drawn to the eyeshadow trio and the duo’s silvery taupe. And even though the blue shadow looks sheer in the swatches, it’s awfully easy to build with a brush.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S. Hope the rest of your Monday went well. I can’t believe it’s already after eight! Seriously, where the heck did today go?
Oh, remember that dress I mentioned I ordered late last week from Lulus.com? It just arrived (that’s fast shipping!). Hmm… I wonder what makeup looks and accessories might go well with it.
What are you up to tonight? How was your day?
Great post!
Q: How do you like their lip glosses? Do you find they glop up?
Thanks, Mariagrace!
I like the consistency of their glosses and don’t usually have any problems with them glopping up. They do have a very strong plasticy scent, though, that might be an issue for you.
I’ve been looking forward to swatches of this! I will be getting the eyeshadow trio and Oasis l/g!
Great choices, Erin! Both are gorgeous.
Love the nail polish and your necklace is it heavy?, It surprising but the blue of the eyeshadow box looks so marine blue on you. I also like the matte lipstick.
LOL, yeah, the necklace is pretty heavy. There’s lots of chains and beads and random stuff!
The Delphes trio looks pretty (and I like how cool the collection is which is great for me) but the middle shade in the trio looks a little chalky. Is it smooth or do you need to layer to get it to show?
Hi Paris,
Here I used it as a liner on the lower lash line, and I didn’t have any issues with it. I’m gonna play with it a little more today, but from what I’ve seen so far it’s smooth and not chalky.
Pretty pieces for fall…I like those matte lippies…
Both are great colors that could easily transition into other seasons. 🙂
really want to try the Delphes trio!
That’s a good one!
GAH love the duo! Love the lipsticks! LOVE Nars and will definitely have to pick up some of these beautiful products!!!
Awesome, Sonya! Glad to hear you like this release. 🙂
That trio looks SO awesome for fall.
Right? Love the dove gray, especially.
Whew, i don’t see anything I HAVE to have.
I can’t get over how amazing you look in red lipstick Karen. No one can pull it off like you.
Thanks, babe! Are you a red lippie kinda girl, too?
Happy Tuesday!
I try to be, but I need to find the right red llipstick. I’m so pale a lot of them just wash me out and overwhelm my face. So you know any you think would work?
Wow, loving the shadow duo and trio, as well as the lip gloss!
The lip gloss is one of my fave pieces. 🙂
Mmmmmm, Delphes and Train Bleu! Nom! 😀
Train Bleu would look amazingly goth on you!
When is this coming out?
Oh,nevermind,sorry I saw July 15!
oh nevermind I saw the date
*SWOON*
That happens to me when I see NARS, too!
Mmmmm fall…:) You look great with a dark lip!
Thanks! I feel kinda gothy, but dark lips are fun every once in a while.
Ooo, I want Oasis and Train Bleu Velvet now!
They’d both look great together!
If only if Outremer is as bright and vivid as it looks in the pan…=D
It actually builds really well — you can get it to look that bright, it just takes a few layers. I’ll do an post w/it soon! 🙂
OMG.. this is bad for my wallet. This collection has all of my favorite colors in it.
Aren’t the shades fun? I love that dove gray.
Love the eyeshadow trio. The shades are perfect for fall.
They are! I almost want to bust out my fall clothes!
Pago pago lipstick is a winner for me!Thanks Karen for the swatches
Hi Raquel,
It should be a fantastic everyday sort of shade!
Ohh my god, this entire collection looks absolutely stellar!
It’s gorgeous, right?
I always love fall collections and especially the plummy colors but I can never justify enough reasons to get it because of the price. I’ll be eyeing that Grand Palais Duo Eyeshadow though. 🙁
The taupe side in that duo is amazing! It’s worth a swatch when you hit up the NARS counter next month. 🙂
Mascatte Pure Matte lipstick really looks gorgeous on you! I’m not really convinced any shade would be suitable for me though… Maybe the Train Bleu pencil.
That pencil is so fun! The look is kinda ’90s but I love it. 🙂
what kinda color is montego bay? is it just pink or berry?
(it looks similar to pure matte bangkok at some point.)
Hi Jennifer,
Montego Bay is a rosy pink. I have Bangkok, and Montego Bay has more rose and less blue.
Hey Karen, just wondering what colour the Galion nail polish is (or is described as) – kind of a navy blue, or dark gray, or something else entirely? Is it a creme? It looks gorgeous!
Hi Candace,
It’s a deep gray with a creamy finish.
Oh Nars. They get me every time with that pretty, oh so satisfying packaging.. And as someone with a cooler skintone I might have to go take a closer look at the collection!
These shades should pop on you, Advah!
Me again. I can’t stop staring at those eyeshadow duo and trio. Damn you Nars!
My goodness! The Outremer Single Eyeshadow was glaring out of my screen into my eyes! What a bright blue!
Yup, it’s bright!
Loving the duo and trio.
And love the last look you did with the red lipstick!
Thanks, Vonvon!
This collection is soooo me. I mean, Grand Palais, Delphes and Oasis are just screaming my name and calling me… and I need to save money :S… :D.
Great picks, Kalcedon! You’ll be able to do some lovely looks with those three.
I love the Oasis lip gloss. Lately I have been layering glosses over lipsticks, and this looks like it’ll pair well with NYX Doll or Wet n Wild Wine Room.
I am getting ready to take the Columbia Admissions Exam today. Wish me luck!
Sending you sooooo much good luck today, Chris! I know you’ll kick ass on your exam!
Hi Karen,
Could you show the shadows with the Smudgeproof eyeshadow base; especially the trio and outremer? Much thanks!! And I know the girls on Specktra are enjoying this post!!!!!!!!!! This collection is very downtown. The Mascate on you is a great Fall look!!!!
Hi Ali,
Sure. The lighting here is kinda BLAH since it’s raining right now, but I plan on doing more reviews of the eye makeup later on today and will make a note to add pics of the products on top of Smudgeproof.
BTW, I heart Specktra! It’s a really great source of info and the ladies there are THE BEST!
i would like both matte lip lipsticks plzzzz! 🙂
you look sooo pretty in that picture, Karen!
I think you’ll really like both of those shades. They’re classics you can wear forever!
How’s the weather out your way? Believe it or not, right now it’s raining her in Nor Cal!
its weird – really hot but feels like rain. 🙂
I’d rather have hot than cold! I’m wearing a sweatshirt and long pants, boo.
im in a dress, a sleeveless one! i hardly wear sleeveless stuff to work but its just too too hot for anything more.
That Delphes Trio Eyeshadow looks gorgeous! The light color looks like Smasbox’s Nectar in the photo?? Is it peachy or champagney?
Hi Jen,
It’s more peachy, and it has tiny bits of silver glitter. SO CUTE!
Wow, Outremer in the pan makes me want to do the electric slide. 🙂 There are a lot of nice lip options here, but I’m currently loving my new MAC lipglass that came in yesterday. I think I’ll wear it every day for, oh, I don’t know… ever? 🙂 Love, love, LOVE the EvRev!!!
GURL, you went there! I actually can still do the electric slide, haha!
Ooh — when you get a chance, put on a layer of EvRev outside and check it outside in the sunlight. The little sparkles are amazing! I like to think of it as the “secret shimmer.”
HAHA! I thought you’d like that!
I’m loving it in every light. I put it on yesterday and then made kissy faces at the Hubs until he said it was lovely. I was then like “ooh, and smell.. it’s divine”. He did. He’s a patient fella; and, let’s be honest, it smells great! I like it so much that I’ve reapplied twice today. And this from the girl who only uses lip products once a month at best. 🙂
That red lip is perfection. I think I might need it.
Hi Becca,
You can never go wrong with red lips. I think that shade would look especially pretty paired with Outremer applied wet as a cat eye liner.
Oh fantastic!
I see 2 things i’d love to get already.
Thanks for the post and swatches Karen. Always so helpful!
Hi Rene,
What pieces are you thinking of picking up?
In love with this collection, nude lipstick but the Delphes eye palette is a must have!!!
That one’s really pretty. There’s a little bit of fallout with the peach shade, but if you use a flat eyeshadow brush and really pack it on it’s not a problem.
Oh for love of Pete, I haven’t had my Wonder lip gloss a month, and already NARS is throwing new stuff at me? I’m a warm toned one like you, Karen, and I think the Montego Bay lipstick and the eyeshadown trio (OMG!) are purrrrrrfect for us! 🙂 Have a great Tuesday!
Whew, lovely but not for redheads! AMAZING photos tho Karen, when I was first reading the post I thought they were press photos and then I saw the swatches – dang! Thanks for the review, what a weird fall it will be when I of the infinitely autumn complexion buy the clinique shadow but not the nars. Also: DYING to see Johnny Weir’s fall MAC collection!
I saw that! He’s a good fit for the line, and I can totally see him rocking some crazy eyeshadow.
BTW, did you know I interviewed him last year?
https://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/beauty-tips/makeup-tips-from-olympic-skater-johnny-weir/
Aweeesome! Thanks for sharing the link! Yeah winter collections tend to be sparkle heavy so I live in hope for this one, and hope Mac does something equally awesome for fall as I’ve been unimpressed with fall collections so far. (Where unimpressed = they wouldn’t look good on yours truly, and you know, it’s all about me. 😛 )
Oasis gloss is back! I lost my LE Sephora exclusive and was so bummed. I’m thrilled to see it back, even if it’s still LE. I guess I’ll have to get 2.
If it’s a fave then be sure to stock up. 🙂 I always do when it comes to LE stuff that makes it back on the shelves.
Have a great Tuesday!
Very nice! I love the eyeshadows and the Montego Bay matte lipstick. Thanks for the swatches!
That last red lipstick looks awesome on you, Karen! The dark velvet lip pencil, too. Different, but beautiful!
Thanks, Larie. Do you think you might pick anything up?
Wow! In love with almost everything in that collection especially the eye shadows and nail polish. Not quite so in love with the prices though. And releasing a fall collection in July?! Summer’s barely started in some states and it’s only just starting to get meltingly hot here in the mid-West.
ooooh, i’m liking the outremer e/s, grand palais duo, oasis l/g and mascate matte lippy! with the boo boo weather we’re having right now, i’m definitely dressed for fall…wool slacks, black l/s sweater, BOOTS! i was really sad when I had to drag it out of my winter box in the BACK of the closet this morning. can summer please come back though?! ;p
I know! I can’t believe I’m wearing long pants, a sweatshirt and socks! It’s freezing here in the bay today.
Lovely post! Looking forward to checking the fall collection out from Nars!
Thanks! What are your faves from the collection so far?
Outremer Single Eyeshadow, such an gorgeous blue color! Also, Mascate Pure Matte Lipstick, a great color on you. What’s your fav?
Hi Karen!
I think you’re wanting to type ‘Helmut” Lang as opposed to Helmet Lang. 😉
Hmm. So Oasis l/g is a continuing trend of making l/g or l/s to match their blushes (ie Oasis blush)? Looks really pretty, though I do love Oasis blush too.
I wonder why no blush, but maybe they’ll repromote existing/permanent?
I love all the e/s, especially the Grand Palais duo & Delphes trio.
I’m really liking the Oasis gloss and Montego Bay lipstick! I also like the lighter color in the Grand Palais Duo, but I’m not sure if I could pull of the darker shade. Ugh, I wish NARS wasn’t so expensive!
Need that gloss! To bad I’m broke.
OMG Woman!…………….you look terrific in all these gorgeous colors. My wishlist will consist of;
Oasis gloss, Montego Bay lipstick, Delphes Trio and the Grand Palais Duo. Thats it for now, I’m gonna have to figure out how to pay for all of this. You are such an enabler!!!!!! Luv it though.
I love the outremer eyeshadow that electric blue color is popping! But the Oasis gloss reminds me of Fashion Fair Lip Teasers in Vex, very similar color and shimmer.
Hi Karen! I have very similar coloring to you and I’ve been wearing the Outremer eyeshadow as an eyeliner since it came out. I have never gotten so many compliments on an eyeliner. I prep with the Nars eyeshadow base (no eyeshadow) and use a fine, angled eyeliner brush (Trish McEvoy #11). I dip the tip of the brush in a little bit of water before putting the color on it (not so much that it goes on watery, but somewhere between a liquid and a powder), and then line my eyes three quarters of the way, making a thin line as close to the lashline as possible, and winging upwards very slightly at the ends. Head on, you can’t see that it’s an electric blue (it just seems black) but when you get up close, you get a flash of blue from certain angles. I can even get away with it for work. It’s great when paired with just a polished, light lip and minimal makeup, and pin straight hair or bangs. I love wearing it with navy blue clothing – very chic.