When I look at the colors in the new NARS Summer 2011 collection, every cell in my body wants me to do this:
I wonder what prompted this 11-piece release. I can imagine François Nars, all tan and relaxed from a kick-ass beach vacay, dreaming up these playful colors because the teal, coral, citrus and cantaloupe fit the tropics to a (surf) T.
But there’s much more to the collection than that. An opaque white nail polish and warm, shimmery gold and silver metallics join the punchy, vibrant hues. By all appearances, someone had a blast this time around.
While the NARS Spring 2011 and Holiday 2010 collections reminded me of cocktail dresses, dainty heels and white wine spritzers at a bar in the Financial District downtown, this collection reminds me of a girl on vacation in Hawaii. She’s cruising around the island in a rented jeep with her surfboard in back. After catching a few waves, she stops by a beach bar, tucks a hibiscus behind her ear, and charms the bartender, who serves her free umbrella drinks all night long. 🙂
NARS Summer 2011 includes a mix of limited edition colors and items to be added to the NARS permanent line.
The Full Collection
Cap Ferrat Trio Eyeshadow (limited edition), $45
If I were a mermaid, I’d swim laps for this trio of sea blue powder eyeshadows. They draw inspiration from the Alpes-Maritimes region of Southeast France.
Dogon Duo Eyeshadow (limited edition), $33
Named after the people of Mali’s central plateau, this duo includes a metallic taupe with a green sheen and charcoal black eyeshadows. Oh, bending the shades together gives the charcoal a greenish cast.
Exotic Dance Duo Eyeshadow (limited edition), $33
This eyeshadow duo was a pretty piece of mixed metal jewelry in a past life. The metallic gold, and metallic white with a silvery sheen, contrast with the bright blues and greens.
Queen Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (limited edition), $24
This creamy, citrusy pencil contains flecks of golden glitter. It does triple duty as a liner, a highlighter and/or a base for powder shadows.
Wonder Lip Gloss, $24
A shiny, sheer mandarin orange gloss with pink and golden shimmer. Wouldn’t this looking fantastic with a tan?
Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil, $24
NARS named this pinky cantaloupe matte pencil after slow-tempo Latin music (a la bolero).
Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick, $25
Sometimes I feel like I learn more about geography from NARS than I did in school, LOL! This hot pink matte lipstick was named after the once famous city in the Gulf of Tunis. Who knew?
Mayflower Lipstick, $24
A sheer raspberry with a shimmery finish, this easy-to-wear lipstick pairs well with the collection’s bold teal eyes.
New Order Highlighting Blush, $27
Time to bump some Bizarre Love Triangle and Temptation! Hmm…was François listening to one my favorite bands of all time when he named this soft pink powder blush with gold and silver shimmer?
Ecume Nail Polish (limited edition), $17
This opaque white polish sounds like a deluxe version of the White Out mani/pedi’s I used to give myself in elementary school.
Kismet Nail Polish (limited edition), $17
A metallic sunflower yellow polish to give shimmer and sparkle to fingers and nails.
NARS Summer 2011: Product Pics
Cap Ferrat Trio Eyeshadow
Dogon Duo Eyeshadow
Exotic Dance Duo Eyeshadow
New Order Highlighting Blush
Queen Soft Touch Shadow Pencil
Wonder Lip Gloss
Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (left) and Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick (right)
Mayflower Lipstick
NARS Summer 2011: Swatches on NC35 Skin
Cap Ferrat Trio Eyeshadow with the flash
Cap Ferrat Trio Eyeshadow without the flash
Exotic Dance Duo Eyeshadow (left) and Dogon Duo Eyeshadow (right) with the flash
Exotic Dance Duo Eyeshadow (left) and Dogon Duo Eyeshadow (right) without the flash
Queen Soft Touch Shadow Pencil with the flash
Queen Soft Touch Shadow Pencil without the flash
New Order Highlighting Blush, Mayflower Lipstick, Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick, Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and Wonder Lip Gloss with the flash
New Order Highlighting Blush, Mayflower Lipstick, Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick, Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil and Wonder Lip Gloss without the flash
Swatches with the flash
Swatches without the flash
Cap Ferrat Trio Eyeshadow, Exotic Dance Duo Eyeshadow, Dogon Duo Eyeshadow and Queen Soft Touch Shadow Pencil
New Order Highlighting Blush on cheeks and Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil on lips
Carthage Pure Matte Lipstick on lips
Mayflower Lipstick on lips
Wonder Lip Gloss on lips
Even though I haven’t seen the nail polishes in person yet, and I’m not crazy about prices in the $17-45 range, I love everything else about the eye, cheek and lip products in this release. The colors evoke long, lazy days at the beach spent surfing, eating shave ice and just hanging out with El Hub, and they really suit this island-loving girl. François baby, ya done good! MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
cap ferrat and dogon are just BEAUTIFUL!
i find matte lipsticks to look kind of flat on me, but carthage doesn’t look flat at all. i might have to check that one out :).
Oh my gosh Karen, I just love your jumping pictures. They make me happy! And this collection is beautiful. I honestly can’t think of a thing I don’t want.
You look ready for summer! I’ve never tried anything from Nars before, but it is definitely on my to-do list.
You look gorgeous!!! Loving that blush on you!
I looooove that eyeshadow trio! Those colors are gorgeous…. but they’re not eyeshadow colors I’d ever wear (too much of a neutrals girl). I think I’m going to have to find some clothing or something in those colors to slake my craving now!
Hi Karen,
Awesome post. I love your pictures, you look so pretty and summery makes me want to drink a margarita! lol.
I was kind of interested in the New Order blush but I read somewhere that it has chunky glitter, so I ended up just getting the Dogon duo. From your pictures it seems that it is sparkly but I can’t tell if it has chunks a la Super Orgasm style or not. Does it?
Thanks!
Hi Eva,
It does have a lot gitter, but it’s not nearly as big or as pronounced as the Super Orgasm Blush. I’d say it’s big enough to be noticeable, but not so big that it ventures into costume glitter.
Let me know if you have any other questions about the blush. 🙂
I like the queen soft touch eye shadow pencil, but doubt I wod pay that much for it. I got the SK eye pencil trio, so those shadow pencils will have to tide me over.
I’m hoping UD will do a shadow pencil set as one of the anniversary LE sets this year. I would like to try those. And somehow I can rationalize sets better than signals since it’s usually such a good price per item. Crazy I know. 😉
You look great with your hair up!
Hey Karen! The summer line looks fabulous! I just recently purchased New Order and Wonder. What exactly is the color of Wonder? I know the website says it is more of a mandarin, but is it more of a pink coral? To me in the picture it looks like it almost has a little bit of red it it.
Thanks girl for posting pictures!!!
Hi Krysta,
I’d say it’s more like an orange coral with a touch of red. If you look at it really closely, you can even see very tiny pink and gold shimmer. SO CUTE!
You look great, Karen! Loving the earrings 🙂
Great post & thanks for sharing. x
I want the lipstick in Mayflower and the highlighter blush.
All of these colors look so good on you. I want to nab that Cap Ferrat Trio!
You look fabulous Karen! Is summer here yet?
I wish! It’s supposed to rain this weekend, BOO!
these look so amazing!! they remind me so much of summer, can’t wait, but I guess I cans tart early with these. 🙂
Dogon, wonder lip gloss, and mayflower are catching my eye right about now!
ZOMG I need it 😛 All of it! Now, I say!
oh man oh man…. I want this collection baaaaad. So freakin pretty!! I’m *especially* crushing on Mayflower.
i have the biggest crush on Francois Nars. 🙂
what a cute picture of you!
I love the photo of you jumping. I think you should write about photography 🙂 .
OOH…I love the look of Wonder lipglass!! I can’t pull off such a blue eye, but you are making me so excited for my summer turquoise liner/coral lips!!
I want the eyeshadow trio, it looks so pretty and summery! 🙂
I usually don’t fall for stuff from NARS, but I really like that eyeshadow trio!
I also love your levitation photo. 🙂
That bolero doesnt show up much. I’m so curious about it.
It depends on people’s natural lip color. On my dark pink lips (and with my very pale skin), it looks awesome, and it does show up a lot.
Agreed. I didn’t build it up in this photo because I wanted a more natural beachy look, but is VERY pigmented.
I ordered mayflower, carthage and bolero…I am thinking about ordering the blush as well. It looks less glittery that they said it was.
Loving Nars more with each collection (Is that even possible?)
The blush looks amazing. I’ll probably pick it up at Sephora for the F&F sale later this year or something.
I’m usually not wowed by NARS collections, but this is definitely an exception!!!
I’ve been a Nars girl forever, and I was looking @ the website yesterday deciding what to buy. Think I’m going to have to buy the Dogon duo for my new go-to smokey eye! Probably New Order blush as well, I don’t think I have anything quite like it, and I have every Nars blush but 2 or 3, so why not lol? I think it will make a nice evening look highlighter. Love the eye look you did with these colors, Karen, looks beautiful with dark eyes!
fantastic post! I love seeing these happy colors on this drab looking day outside. And by the way, I think that is one of the best looking eyes you’ve done in a while – those colors look amazing on you and the way you set them up is poifect! Bravo, and thanks for posting 🙂
Love the Dogon Duo and the Velvet matte lip pencil!
Can you do a tutorial on how you did your eyes? I love it. I can’t stop looking at it, so pretty.
Hi Scazza,
The eyes took a little bit of blending, but this look is actually pretty easy. Here’s a quick rundown:
1. NARS Pro Prime Eye Primer over entire eyelid
2. Lightest shade from Cap Ferrat on lid (from lash line to just barely into the crease)
3. Line upper lash line with a thick line of Queen Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (this works as a base)
4. Apply medium shade from Cap Ferrat in the center of the lid (directly on top of Queen)
5. Apply dark shade from Cap Ferrat on outer third of the lid directly on top of Queen)
6. Use a brush to drag the colors just barely into the crease
7. Sweep gold shade from Exotic Dance Duo into the crease
8. Mix two shades from Dogon Duo (this creates the most GORGEOUS greenish black color), apply to lash and water lines with an angled brush
9. Apply gold shade from Exotic Dance along lower lash line
10. Pop a little bit of the white shade from Exotic Dance into the inner corner
Let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
Love the Mayflower lipstick, New Order blush and the Dogon eye shadow duo
Super cute lady! This collection looks like a must have!
Omg, I’m in love with the matte lipstick! Those eyeshadow duos are adorable too! Love the duo chrome shade!
x
Rica
Queen soft touch is a tad dissapointing in the swatch…more glitter than pigment..!
But the lipstick looks pretty and the eyeshadow duos are amazing too!
I’ve never bought anything from Nars before, but I am seriously loving this collection. Wonder is my favorite, but I will definitely be stopping by Sephora to check out Mayflower and the Dogon duo. Wow, wow, wow!
Also, I LOVE how the Carthage matte lipstick looks on you!
Dogon is AMAZING. Seriously. It doesn’t look like much in the pan, but once you get it on the skin it’s very complex and interesting. I love both colors mixed together — it creates this inky sorta charcoal with a greenish iridescent shift. LOVE!
I love those colors especially the matte lipstick.
Just WOW!!! I want the trio NOW!
Oh my – this is one beautiful, sultry collection. I MUST have the carthage pure matte lipstick! It looks gorgeous on you!
Karen, I’m not really feeling the Bolero on you, but Carthage looks amazing! With your skintone I think you just rock the brights so well 🙂
I think I’ll need Bolero, though; I’m NW15/20 and I just love a coral lip in the summertime. Think it’ll work on me?
I really really really want that Cap Ferrat trio. The colors are awesome and they look really good on you.
Gorgeous – this is going to be so hard for me to choose!
Did you get a chance to check out the new Laguna Body Illuminator/Multiple?
I thought I was going to really want Cap Ferrat but now I’m all about Dogon:) Thats the business! Love it! And the Wonder Lip Gloss too!
I love the color scheme of this collection. That blue e/s trio is stunning!
Thanks for the swatches of the eyeshadow trio and duos… Definitely getting the trio, and may be the duos??
If only NARS would make a duo from the gold in Exotic Dance and the lilac in Dogon. Yes, I love one shade each from each palette!
New Order blush looks awesome!!!! but i heard it’s a highlighting blush. not a blush.:(
is it possible New Order highlighting blush can be used as a blush if i have a light skin because i’m looking for a babypink blush similar to Shu uemura (33e or 33b)??
omg totally heart your look gal!! xo happy easter~
Can you please compare Nars Carthage with MAC Candy Yum Yum ?
OMG this orange gloss looks so lovely!!
Hi Karen,
The look you have created is soooooo beautiful!! I didn’t want anything from this collection as I thought the products are not that wearable, but you made it look summery, colourful but wearable at the same time. I absolutely love the eye look with Carthage lipstick! I think I have to pick this lipstick up now. I’m so tempted to get everything, but I really shouldn’t be spending so much on makeup… haha… you made everything look like a must have!