We made it to Saturday, babe! Great job. 🙂 Wherever you are, I hope you have a nice weekend lined up.
I felt like switching up my makeup game today because I’ve been all about black eyeliner, beige and brown lids and nude lips lately. I love that look (it’s easy), but I felt like doing something different, hence the NARS Survival Kit 2 ($59), the second of two new limited edition sets coming soon from NARS (July 1 exclusively to NARS counters at Nordie’s). This one comes with two eyeshadows, two blushes, a mini gloss and a mini mascara.
This one incorporates color in a fresh way with everyday shades that aren’t intimidating, but also aren’t really typical of nude/neutral looks.
Beginning with Tokyo II Eyeshadow, a light satiny violet, which creates an absolutely gorgeous wash of color on the lids, ya know, if you don’t have a lot of time to get ready and you want to wear color, I think Tokyo II is a great way to go. Here I quickly buffed it on my lids with a domed brush and blended out the edges with a tapered brush.
Rich, warm reddish brown Galapagos, which is one of my absolute favorite NARS shadows, has tiny flecks of golden glitter. It also makes an appearance in the palette in this kit.
SO pretty and SO much hotness in smokey eyes, especially with a black base under it. Here, though, I decided to keep it simple, since I only gave myself 20 minutes to get ready this morning, so I used Galapagos as a liner by wetting an angled brush (the NARS #47, which I think is THE BEST angled brush for winged liner!), then applied Galapagos on my upper lash lines.
Wetting the brush intensifies the shadow and makes the brown richer and yummier and more milk chocolatey…and also makes the gold flecks really come through.
Of the two blushes in this kit, Modesty and Daydream, Daydream is a satiny mid-toned peachy pink kinda like NARS Orgasm, but without the golden shimmer running through it. Sometimes I like colors like Daydream a little more than Orgasm, to be honest, because they don’t come with the same shimmery gold drama.
I mean, Orgasm’s really pretty too, but if you’re having a “big pore day,” it’s not always easy to wear.
And Modesty works well as a warm golden beige highlighter. I only need to use a little because it’s pretty shimmery and intense.
The kit also comes with a juicy, plummy red gloss called Phantasia. It’s so pigmented that it’s almost like wearing a liquid lipstick, but the glossy aspect of the gloss subsides over a few hours, leaving behind a soft stain.
Of course you can wear the pieces in this palette separately, but I also like wearing them all together, because they’re colorful AND wearable, which is very much my style.
I think Connor likes it, too!
Oh! Here are a few interesting stories I came across this week that I thought you might also like…
- “Fast fashion” is kind of like fast food…except without the cheeseburgers and French fries and calories. Here’s a story on the origins of fast fashion by Fashionista. It’s part of their fascinating Fashion History Lesson series.
Oh, and if I had a kitten for every time I was tempted to buy a shirt at H&M…
- Fancy-schmancy! The new Oribe makeup line looks luxe.
- Now you can buy wine for your favorite feline. Tabs will have a glass of Pinot Meow!
- What it’s like to step inside the world’s most dangerous garden?
- See, this is why I carry Gypsy Water with me 24/7: “Grandmother uses perfume to thwart abduction.”
- Is Instagram makeup turning us all into beauty clones?
Enjoy the rest of your weekend, my sweet friend. 🙂 Let me know how you’re doing.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
OMGosh!!!!! That smile! Connor is so adorable!! Jeez, I just want to hug her. You can just hear the little squeals of laughter in these photos! Looks like she’s starting to push up while she’s on her tummy. Before you know it she’ll be scootching (made up word here) around, then maybe crawling and the pulling up to standing….
These NARS survival kits have piqued my curiosity. But I must admit my NARS collection really does not need to get any bigger. I did however buy the #47 angled brush after you recommended it. Girl, that brush is bomb. I used it damp to line with the darkest shadow in Tom Ford’s Nude Dip yesterday. We took Dear Husband out to dinner again for his birthday and he commented on how nice my makeup looked. I can count on one hand how many times DH has commented on my makeup. So it was a momentous occasion.
Have a great weekend. Stay cool!
Hi Tatiana,
Yes! She’s starting to be more mobile which is a lot of fun. She can hold her head up for an extended period when we do tummy time! El Hub told me that he saw her turn onto her side the other day, which is also very exciting. Can you believe she’s going to be four months old in just a few days?!
I’m so happy that you love the brush as much as I do. I seriously can’t imagine my winged liner life without it and I’m contemplating buying a second one during the next Sephora VIB sale. Have you tried it with winged liner yet? You must!
Anywho, I’m sitting here in front of my fan and trying not to melt. You keep cool in this heat!
I love that Tabs photobombed some of Connor’s pictures! 😀
This kit is really pretty, and I think a good value for the price. Nars shadows have been hit and miss for me but they swatched really well!
Hi Lulle,
LOL, I was hoping someone would notice him taking a nap in the background! Good eye. 🙂
Which NARS eyeshadows have you tried and liked?
I always have an eye for felines 😉
By the way I just read the article you linked about Instagram, and I’m glad to see I’m not the only one feeling like the “Instaface” is cringe-worthy…
The makeup is great but Connor is even better! She is just adorable, thanks for posting so many pictures. Can’t get enough!
Hi Joyce,
Thank you! 🙂 She’s such a joy and I’m happy to share her with you.
Happy weekend to ya. Are you doing anything fun today?
Connor is adorable! Lol at Tabs in the background! I love how you used Galapagos.
Thanks, Lupe!
I had such a tough time deciding who to focus on: Connor Claire or Tabs in the background. Too much cuteness in one photo.
That article about the poison garden is interesting. I frequently visit the Cloisters museum in NYC and some plants kept in the gardens are poisonous.
As a MUA I always warn people to do what works for their face and to remember that Instagram makeup is not what a typical person wears on a daily basis.
Hi Chris,
Tabs always likes to get up in the mix. They’re not best friends yet, but I think it’ll happen soon. It’s only a matter of time!
The rise in Instagram makeup has been interesting, hasn’t it? Do you find that your clients ask for that type of look more these days?
Hmmm, they do ask me for contouring and sometimes smoky eyes. I try my best to explain to them that smoky eyes look best for night time events or parties. I really dislike strong contouring for regular people, so I try to do subtle contouring on my clients.
It’s amazing to me how contouring — especially extreme contouring — is a thing now. I saw a how to on Instagram the other day for contouring the back your neck. I mean… Yeah, I guess if you have time for it, and you really want to do it. But really?
Such a cutie pie and so happy! Congratulations, mom!!
Thanks, Pamela! I’m lucky to have her. She’s a sweet baby. 🙂
Love the winged liner and highlighted cheeks! So glowy.
Connor Claire is a beautiful girl, as always. Such a happy face! I thought of you two because one of my good friends is moving to Novato 🙂
Oh my gosh, how exciting for your friend! I hope this doesn’t sound weird, but have her look me up once she gets here. I know it can be hard to meet new people after a big move.
I’ll et her know! Luckily her boyfriend is there too. But you guys would get along great, she also loves cats and makeup.
I really like this kit, from swatches it looks like it would suit warmer as well as cooler skin tones equally well.
I love the pics of Connor Claire, she’s so smiley! There’s nothing like giggly, smiley babies.
Hi Janet,
So true about the kit. I think NARS does a great job of balancing it for a lot of different skin tones.
Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend so far. What have you been up to? I’m about to take a nap, which I’m very excited about. 😀
Ooh, you enjoy that Sunday nap Mama!
It’s Monday morning here, and I’m dragging my insomnia-fied butt to a medical appointment. But yesterday my hubs & I went to a cute local town, Mount Eliza, and had a walk through the town, got some groceries, stuff like that. A nice chilled weekend.
What is happening to me? I spent more time looking at the Connor Claire pics than the make-up pics! :-O She just looks like such a happy smiley baby!
She’s very sweet and loving! I got really lucky. 🙂
OMG those eyes! (Not yours Karen, sorry!) I think I may have just experienced a twang of baby fever..
LOL, Kristy! GIRL, this child gives me baby fever every day. She’s so sweet. I would have another one in a hot second if I didn’t have to go through labor and delivery again.
Hope you’re having a lovely weekend so far. It’s Sunday afternoon here and I’m ready for a nap. What have you been up to?
Preparing for a summer road trip! It gets super sticky and unpleasant here in Va., so we either head west to the mountains or east to the beach. This year it’s the mountains. The Great Smoky mountain area, though pretty far from you, is a beautiful place to visit if you ever get the chance.
Connor Claire really seems to enjoy tummy time! My son turn on his belly as well, but after a few minutes it gets exhausting to hold the head up and he starts yelling at me. I then turn him back and he will flip over and restart it again. It seems he can do that for hours.
Oh, in the beginning she hated it! Now she seems to really enjoy seeing the world from a different view.
How is your oldest handling having a younger sibling?
Pretty good. She loves him and wants to carry him and feed him all the time. She is more insecure though and doesn´t handle one of us being away as good as she did before, and had a few nights when she moved back into our bed at night, but I guess that is the way it goes.
OMG, SO CUTE! She gets cuter by the day I swear!