Product Reviews

It’s a Crime How Much I Love NARS Outlaw Blush

July 13th, 2012 by Karen 19 Comments

nars outlaw blush

NARS Outlaw Blush “You better head outta town, Outlaw. Marshall Tabs come lookin’ for ya!”

If you NARS Amour or Taos Blush as much as I do, I reckon you’d do just about anything to get your hands on this Outlaw.

The first time I set eyes on a pan of new NARS Outlaw Blush ($28, from the NARS fall 2012 collection), I thought, “What in tarnation?! Is that Taos kinfolk?” but it actually applies like a rosier golden version of Amour instead.

Because this rose with its golden shimmer packs so much pigment, I’ve been using a fan brush to apply a single layer; the fan brush deposits less product per layer than a regular blush brush does.

A skunk brush would probably also be a good choice.

nars outlaw blush product shot

nars outlaw blush swatch
NARS blush swatches from the left: Outlaw, Taos and Amour
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I’ll Take A Blended NARS Vent GlacÃ© Duo Eyeshadow To Go, Thanks

July 13th, 2012 by Karen 25 Comments

nars vent glace eyeshadow

What if Starbucks started selling makeup?

“Good morning! What can I get you?”
“Hi! Oh, uh…could I please get one of those Artisan veggie sandwiches, a lemon scone and a NARS Vent GlacÃ©?”
“Blended with room for whip cream?”
“Does a cat snore in his sleep?!”
“…”
“Yes, please.”

Some of the nuances differentiating the cool-toned platinum and silver shades in the NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Vent GlacÃ© ($34; it’s French for “icy wind,” who knew?), are probably lost on my NC 42 skin tone, but man! — I sure do love how they look blended together on top of black eyeliner.

That’s how I’m wearing them here (also with the NARS High Society Trio, from the very same fall 2012 collection, on my lids), smudged on top of black liner along my lower lash line.

They merge to form a silvery greenish gray gradient that’s all kinds of awesome.

nars vent glace eyeshadow product shot

nars vent glace eyeshadow swatch
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Are You Cool Enough for High Society? The New NARS Eyeshadow Trio in High Society

July 12th, 2012 by Karen 26 Comments

nars high society trio eyeshadow

I think I just saw a glimpse of my future this fall, and in it I was wearing purple smokey eyes.

The new NARS Eyeshadow Trio in High Society ($45) has been one of the coolest things I’ve come across in a while — cool because of the color temp of its shadows, and cool because it’s a quick-change artist able to go from demure to diva in seconds with a little help from a black pencil liner.

High Society hails from the new NARS fall 2012 collection, a nine-piece release that couples cool jewel-toned eyes with pink or rose cheeks; warm brandy, auburn, burgundy or red lips; and moody gray nails.

Flexibility without fallout — that’s the deal here. I don’t detect a speck of fallout and hardly any creasing, even after wearing these lavender, greenish gray and amethyst powder eyeshadows for a full eight hours. They range from sheer to medium opacity and blend like a good smoothie.

Say I’m in the mood for a soft purple look. I might (and probably would) start with NARS Pro-Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base, followed by the trio’s lavender shade swept on my lids with a domed shadow brush. Then, I’d push one of the darker colors along my lash lines with a small angle brush.

Abracadabra! A soft and smokey purple eye. 🙂

To crank up the smokey effect and give more depth to the look, I used a black eyeliner as a base, which I think also brings out the richness of the colors.

nars high society trio eyeshadow product shot

nars high society trio eyeshadow swatch

nars high society trio eyeshadow
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To the Chanel 51 Montaigne Ombres MatelassÃ©es Palette I Say, “You’re Golden”

July 11th, 2012 by Karen 19 Comments

chanel 51 montiagne

I guess if I were being completely honest with myself, I could probably dupe the gorgeous golden shades in the characteristically expensive new $80 Chanel Ombre MatelassÃ©es Eyeshadow Palette in 51 Montaigne with colors already in my makeup drawer, but that wouldn’t be fair to my eyes.

Few dupes could also duplicate the thrill I feel clutching the black-and-white compact in my claw, its surface catching the light like a polished black pearl, its quilted colors luxuriating in their little slots as I breathe a single word, “Chaaaaaaaaaaaaaanel…”

What kind of witchcraft makes seemingly sane women drop $80 on a palette of five eyeshadows?

Oh, yeah, I remember. The kind from Coco.

Chanel cooked up this limited edition cutie to celebrate the opening of their newest boutique in Paris, not coincidentally named 51 Montaigne, after the street on which it lives. The palette comes with five profoundly smooth powder eyeshadows ranging in pigment from sheer to medium.

Yes, 51 Montaigne is on the pricey side of the street, but once its shadows set up shop on my lids, they absolutely do not move!

When I’m wearing these shades, I almost feel like hot stuff, all smokey and whatnot, like I’m getting ready to go shopping for Choos, as opposed to Fancy Feast and butternut squash.

chanel 51 montaigne

chanel 51 montaigne swatches

chanel 51 montaigne
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Eye Have a Crush on Hue, Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Twilight Night Shimmer Ink

July 10th, 2012 by Karen 21 Comments

bobbi brown twilight night long wear gel eyeliner

The dress code recently changed here at work — mandatory cat eyes every Tuesday and Thursday — and the edict came straight from the top (in other words, per Tabs).

I’ve been doing my best to comply with the new policy, but there are only SO MANY TIMES I can wear a basic black cat liner before I start craving something new and different.

And I think I may have found it. 🙂

It’s a sassy new user-friendly liner with a finish more thrilling than a James Bond movie! It’s called Bobbi Brown’s new Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Twilight Night Shimmer Ink, and it sells for $22.

Remember L’OrÃ©al’s Infallible Never Fail Lacquer Liner 24H in Blackest Black? That glossy finish?

Well, Twilight Night’s finish just might have it beat.

A deep purplish black with microscopic glitter, it’s almost like looking up on a clear night at a sky filled with stars. Breathtaking, and better yet, the color should complement a galaxy of skin tones.

Whether you’re seeking soft, smudgy lines or crisper edges, Bobbi’s gel formula delivers, and it skates across my lids without skipping or dragging.

bobbi brown twilight night long wear gel eyeliner

bobbi brown twilight night long wear gel eyeliner swatch
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Twilight Night Shimmer Ink on the left (also from the Desert Twilight collection) and the Bronzer/Blush Duo in Bahama Brown and Pink Peony on the right

bobbi brown twilight night long wear gel eyeliner
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It Takes Two to Text, and a Duo Like Bobbi Brown’s New Bronzer/Blush Duo in Bahama Brown and Pink Peony to Shine With a Faint Glint of Shimmer

July 10th, 2012 by Karen 19 Comments

bobbi brown bronzer blush duo bahama brown pink peony

Every once in a while, like today, I want to raise my hands up and yell to the heavens above, “Thank you, universe, for inventing text messaging!”

Waiting in line at the [INSERT ANNOYING PLACE WITH LONG, EXCRUCIATINGLY SLOW-MOVING LINES HERE] wouldn’t be anywhere near as much fun without the random texts about boys and makeup that find their way to my phone. Par exemple, as our high school French teacher used to say, here’s one from my friend Jen yesterday…

And here’s the one I’d text you about Bobbi Brown’s new Bronzer/Blush Duo…

LOL! You might remember it from a few weeks ago when we looked at swatches of the Desert Twilight fall collection.

I just started wearing the limited edition $36 duo, which features Bobbi’s Bahama Brown Shimmer Blush and Pink Peony Illuminating Bronzer, and the compliments have been rolling in!

Sort of. Yesterday the mailman said, “You look less tired than usual,” and this morning El Hub asked if I’d been doing pushups because my cheeks looked “all pink and flushed.”

Not sure if either one qualifies as a compliment, but I’ll take ’em both. 🙂

bobbi brown bronzer blush duo bahama brown pink peony

bobbi brown bahama brown pink peony bronzer blush duo swatch
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Twilight Night Shimmer Ink on the left (also from the Desert Twilight collection), and the Bronzer/Blush Duo in Bahama Brown and Pink Peony on the right
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This Stila Smudge Crayon Waterproof Primer + Shadow + Liner Is Turning on the Sprinklers at Midnight Blue

July 9th, 2012 by Karen 47 Comments

stila smudge crayon midnight blue

You used to see it a lot in movies that took place in Brooklyn, New York, where on a blisteringly hot day, one of the so-called dog days of summer, someone, most of the time you didn’t know who, would crank open a fire hydrant on a busy street, and all of the kids in the neighborhood would laugh and play in the spray.

Back when I was a kid, since none of the houses on our street had a swimming pool, and fire hydrants were deemed off limits and impenetrable, we did something similar with sprinklers.

It never seemed planned, but on some of the hottest days, one of the moms or dads would turn on the sprinklers in the yard, and all of us kids would converge on the house like a swarm of butterflies, buzzing and darting through the spray.

My thing was cartwheeling, which I’d deftly do directly over one of the sprinklers, up close like to thoroughly soak my hair.

Big sigh… That was always one of my favorite things about summer.

Ya know, someone should pass an ordinance making it socially acceptable for adults to leap and frolic through sprinklers in their bathing suits. I’d strongly support something like that.

Among the selling points: sprinklers cost less than swimming pools, they’re a very efficient way to cool off, and you can use the opportunity to try out some waterproof eye makeup at the same time.

LOL! Don’t even front. I know you were thinking it, too. It’s one of the reasons I love ya.

Not wanting to miss a millisecond of fun, I’d look for a smooth-as-silk liner with lots of pigment, ideally one that I could quickly apply, like Stila’s Smudge Crayon Waterproof Primer + Shadow + Liner in Midnight Blue ($22), a chubby, twist-up waterproof crayon able to draw thick, rich lines that dry in less than a minute.

It’s one of eight Smudge Crayons that recently made their way onto Stila shelves last spring, each one promising to prime, shade with shadow, and line.

stila smudge crayon midnight blue

Okay, but what makes it worthy of one those great summer sprinkler sessions?

I’m glad you asked. 🙂

The answer: intestinal fortitude! Also known as durability. On my bare combination dry/oily lids, as long as I’m careful not to rub my eyes, it won’t budge for a solid 6-8 hours, 5-6 on my water lines, and it’s totally fearless around water, and that includes perspiration.

When I’m in the mood for thick swipes of dark blue, I like to use it as a liner…

stila smudge crayon midnight blue
Stila thoughtfully tucked a sharpener into the base of the liner, making it a snap to sharpen

stila smudge crayon midnight blue swatch
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These Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows Could Teach a Class in Perseverance, But Could Use Some Help Blending In

July 6th, 2012 by Karen 15 Comments

essence stay all day long lasting eyeshadow

“Calling all cars! Calling all cars! Be on the lookout for cheap makeup thrills. Repeat, cheap makeup thrills.

“Suspect was last seen shimmering on eyelids for $2.99. I repeat, $2.99. Over.”

With the Essence Stay All Day Long Lasting Eyeshadows, shimmery, long-lasting color is just 299 pennies away.

These pigmented cream shadows are great for quick washes of shimmery color, and they cling like crazy to my skin. On my combination dry/oily lids, I get from 7-8 hours with primer and 5-6 without.

Not bad for $2.99, but I think they’d be even better if it weren’t for a few things…

The texture

Seems a little hit or miss. Of the four shades I’ve tried, 09 For Fairies feels the best — almost like a mousse. It’s soft and fluffy and just glides across my lids.

The other three shades, however, 01 Coppy Right (great name!), 02 Glammy Goes To, and 07 JM-ME Blue, feel denser and drier to me, which makes them a tad tougher to blend and apply.

Blending

I’d hoped to be able to easily blend a few of these colors together in the same looks, but they have a tense relationship… The colors don’t transition well, or at least easily, into each other.

If all I’m doing is softening the edges of a single shade on my lids, no problem — the blending goes a little better — but they’re still not as easy to blend as a MAC Paint Pot or Benefit Creaseless Cream (although they’re an awful lot less expensive).

Layering

Tricky! Apply a milligram too much, and these begin to appear heavy and caked, and almost too metallic. For me with these, one thin, single layer works best.

essence stay all day long lasting eyeshadow
From the left: 02 Glammy Goes To, 09 For Fairies, 01 Coppy Right and 07 JM-ME Blue