Geez, for a blush called Bumpy Ride, this sure is smooth…
Badum-bum. 🙂
Either someone at NARS was having fun on New Product Name Day, or they were thinking about that time they bounced across Idaho in a Pre-Cambrian Era Subaru Outback that practically launched them into outer space every time it hit a pothole…
Wait — never mind. That was me.
Officially, this is pink
NARS calls it a shimmering candy pink. I was dubious at first, so I pulled out a few other NARS pinks for comparison — Gaiety, Desire and New Attitude — and Bumpy Ride looks nothing close to what I’d call a standard-issue pink.
It’s more of a coral with pink dreams to me, and the closest thing I can find to it is NARS Day Dream, which is a tad more coral but less pink.
It’s also VERY shimmery
Holy crap, this is a shimmery blush! And the funny thing, it doesn’t look that shimmery in the pan or in swatches.
Because of that, I grabbed a regular blush brush to apply it, thinking, “This’ll work.”
I swiped it across the pan once and popped it on one of my cheeks, but when I started buffing it out, wow — lots o’ shimmer. We’re talking serious luminosity, but it’s grown-up shimmer…like if the MAC Mineralize Skinfinishes put away their childish dreams of becoming a pop star and finally got a “real job” (air quotes). The pigmented particles are finely milled (there’s really no actual glitter in it), and the effect is elegant.
The thing is, though…this kind of shimmer doesn’t mess around if you have any textured areas on your cheeks from acne scarring, large pores or dry patches. It calls them out, and right now my cheeks are a tad dry, so Bumpy Ride makes them look even drier.
The coral pink color
A bright candy pink can be totally fun, but sometimes when I wear them I feel like I’m trying too hard to look young. I think that coral pinks like this one, on the other hand, are more matronly youthful, to coin a phrase (that I hope isn’t completely ridiculous). If you’re a 30- or 40-something, you might like this one. I think coral pinks can be very flattering on mature skin.
The verdict
NARS Bumpy Ride Blush is pigmented, pretty, fresh and luminous, but it’s SO luminous that it shines a spotlight any textured areas it hits. I recommend starting with a layer of a smoothing primer first (ones with silicone are basically skin spackle, and the one by Make Up For Ever in the gray tube is my favorite), and then applying them delicately with a skunk brush.
Availability
Bumpy Ride is available now for $30 and joins the NARS permanent line, so it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
The world of play dates, yo
In non-makeup news, the other day Connor and I went on our first play date together.
At least, I think it was a play date.
We didn’t really have play dates when I was growing up. Kids just went outside and played, but it’s a different world now…
Anyway, last year around this time, I took a birthing class through our healthcare provider (Kaiser), and a few weeks ago I ran into one of the ladies who took the class at the same time with me (I bumped into her at Sephora). Her son is now two weeks older than Connor.
We exchanged phone numbers, so then we met up this week at a Panera. It was nice talking with another mom with a baby around the same age, and Connor got to hang out with another baby, which she hasn’t really done much yet.
I think she was blown away…
She was so cute, you guys! The first thing she did was try to share her toy with the other baby. She has this plastic ring with round plastic teething coins on it (looks like keys, so we call them her “car keys”), and she kept trying to give it away.
Overall, I think it was a successful first play date. For the new moms out there, when you guys meet up with other moms, what do you usually do? If you have any mom/baby play date ideas, please let me know.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
i’m really loving that color!
and she’s so cute! usually when we have play dates, we just go to the park, the library for story time, or we just hang out at each other’s houses. austin has a lot going on as far as keeping kids entertained and there’s usually something cool going on.
It’s a beautiful blush. I think NARS does coral-pinks exceptionally well.
Good idea to meet at the park! When the weather gets nicer I’m going to ask them out for a long walk.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea of a play date. I’m hoping that when Connor gets older she can just pop on over to a friend’s house like I used to do back in the day.
i’m waiting for that day, too! my youngest is three so that’ll be awhile, ha! my mom never did playdates with me, so it’s something i’m getting used to as well.
Bumpy Ride is so pretty! Likey, a lottie!
Connor is *so* adorable!
That blush is such a pretty color… and on me, it would just look orange. My skin and lips like to take neutral pinks and reds and make them look warm, and turn corals and peaches orange somehow…
I agree with you about bright candy pinks looking like too much sometimes. Well, almost all the time, actually. It can actually be kind of hard to find good subtle cool-toned blushes, but I like Hourglass Ethereal Glow and Surratt Barbe a Papa, which is super-easy to blend out and leaves a really nice glow. Matte blushes can look too powdery on my older cheeks, especially when I smile and all the lines really show up, but metallic shine or chunky glitter doesn’t work well, either. I like a nice, subtle, maybe slightly shimmery glow…
OMG! That smile! Made my day! She’s so stinkin’ cute!
Do they still have Gymboree’s? It was a place with tumbling matts and bright colored toys and balls and activities for toddlers and young kids. We also used to meet in parks or at the library for story time. And you can crucify me now, but the local McDonald’s had a play area with slides and a ball pit and we met there and the kids would play forever there.
For a while we lived near family friends who were like honorary grandparents. There were always kids, grandkids, foster kids, nieces and nephews around so they usually came by or we sent our kid down the hill to their house. Once I sliced my hand open making dinner while Dear Husband was away on business trip. They sent a grandchild up to the house for Dear Daughter and they fed her and amused her, while honorary grandpa took me to the ER to get sewn up. It was always loud, crowded and raucous there.
I think play dates continued all the way til 9 or 10. Then we moved and there were kids in the neighborhood the same age. They still called on the phone to make sure it was OK to come on over. But with everyone so spread out in this area, play dates were necessary for socialization.
I have texture so I might have to skip or go to the counter to test before I consider it.
As for play dates, I think it’s just a term that came about from parents planning it but also visiting at the same time with the other parents.
I’d suggest parks or indoor playgrounds. Lot’s of opportunity to meet other parents. Plus they are easy to leave if your kid has a meltdown or some sort of bodily fluid emergency.
OMG ! She’s at that age where you just want to cuddle her and bite her cheeks ! My first biting cheek experience was my niece who is now 40 with her own biting cheeks babies
I will be buying that Nars Bumpy Ride Coral !
I love Coral ,
Keene to you all and Happy New Year again !????????
That’s Love to you all Not Keene !
I hate spell check
Connor Claire’s big smile kills me! Glad her playdate went well and that she likes to share!