Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

Get Four for Forty-Nine With the NARS Tech Fashion Lip Gloss Coffret Holiday Set

October 9th, 2014 by Karen 7 Comments

Well this is a conundrum worthy of a cat lady mystery book!

Why are the four little lip glosses in the new $49 NARS Tech Fashion Lip Gloss Coffret called Shade I, Shade II, Shade III and Shade IV?

NARS normally names things after geography lessons, vacation destinations, or gives shout-outs to artists and art-house references.

Tech Fashion just seems so…not NARS. I’m probably reading too much into it (safe bet), but then again, names are powerful things. They carry weight. If I passed someone wearing a kick-@ss gloss and asked, “Hey, girlfriend, what’s that gloss you’re wearing?” and she answered, “Shade II…” I’d be a little bummed.

I mean, I get it. Not everything has to have an epic or creative name. After almost 10,000 blog posts dating back seven years (for serious), sometimes I can’t string three words together, and I say everything in fragments. “NARS. Lipgloss. Non-sticky. Unscented. Unflavored. Doe foot. SHINY! Me likey.” 🙂

Shade I, a sheer pinkish peach with silver glitter, kinda looks a little like EvRev, but without the multicolored sparkles. Shade II is a bronze with silver glitter, Shade II is a berry, also with silver glitter, and Shade IV is a pearly red.

The limited edition $49 Tech Fashion holiday set of four miniature Larger Than Life Lipglosses (now there’s an oxymoron) arrives online, and at NARS boutiques, department and specialty stores, November 1.

NARS Tech Fashion swatches from the left: Shade I, Shade II, Shade III and Shade IV — Swatches from the left: Shade I, Shade II, Shade III and Shade IV

This Hot Pink C.P. Yu From the $49 NARS Digital World Set Made Me Feel a Million Megabytes Better

October 9th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

I'm Wearing NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu from the Digital World Kit — Wearing NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu, from the $49 Digital World set

Memory is a funny thing, isn’t it? So many times I read the same tips over and over again — tips that have helped me before, but then I forget that they exist until I read them again, and it’s like, “Well I’ll be damned. That would totally work!”

Here’s one I know I’ve heard before, but I recently read it again: sometimes when you aren’t feeling great first thing in the morning, it can help to spend a little extra time getting ready.

Like, say goodbye to the sweats, and put something on that makes you feel cute. You know, fix your hair, do your makeup — that kind of thing — even if you totally aren’t in the mood.

To the first person who figured that out, wherever you are, thank you. You saved my butt this morning.

I woke up exhausted after an orange alert meltdown last night. It’s my fault, because I haven’t been taking my breaks throughout the day, which slowly turns me into a crazy person.

On top of that, I’ve been riding a PMS-fueled hormonal tidal wave, and everything has been getting on my last nerve. I’m serious, that one nerve is RAW.

Ha! OK, but seriously, I turned into a rabid cat in my office yesterday, and my poor computer chair… I kicked the living crap out of that thing, and then I cried non-stop for 45 minutes.

I felt much better this morning, but nowhere near my usual self. Without really thinking about it, I grabbed a pair of stretchy pants and a wrinkled tee shirt and planned to put my hair up in a bun and skip my makeup.

But then I remembered that tip about spending a little extra time getting ready when you feel blue…

After a long shower, during which I did a hair mask, a body scrub and even shaved my toes (yay!), I put on one of my favorite dresses, spritzed some Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Perfume, and slicked a hot pink lipstick on my lips.

Never underestimate the power of hot pink lipstick, my friend. It’s even better than chicken soup.

Today I haven’t once felt the urge to punch any office furniture. 🙂 Cupcakes for everyone!

NARS Satin Lip Pencil in Yu, the hot pink I’m wearing in these pics, couldn’t be easier to apply (unless it applied itself…which would be scary and weird). It’s from the new Digital World holiday set. One of the things I like about it, in addition to the color, is that I can line and fill in my lips with the same pencil.

Yu is one of five Lip Pencils in the $49 Digital World set (coming November 1 exclusively to Sephora), which also includes the Satin Lip Pencils in tea rose Descanso and peachy coral Torres Del Paine, and the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils in scarlet Cruella and warm orange Iberico.

NARS Digital World Lip Pencils from the left: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Iberico, Satin Lip Pencil in Descanso and Satin Lip Pencil in Torres Del Paine — From the left: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Cruella, Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Iberico, Satin Lip Pencil in Descanso and Satin Lip Pencil in Torres Del Paine

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For Queen B Cheeks, Try Matte Tan Rose NARS Almeria Blush

October 9th, 2014 by Karen 15 Comments

NARS Almeria Blush Swatch — Wearing the new NARS Almeria Blush on my cheeks and, yes, I’m standing in front of a fan, Beyonce-style

“Just to warn you…I look completely insane.” A good thing to broadcast right before you enter a room if you’re wearing NARS Blush in Almeria ($30) but didn’t spend enough time blending.

If, however, you did invest the time in blending — because you’ll need to with this intensely pigmented matte tan rose from the new NARS Holiday 2014 Laced with Edge collection — then you shan’t need to warn the general public, because your cheeks will look so naturally fabulous and flushed that witnesses will just assume that you’re Beyonce, and that you wake up like this. 🙂

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NARS Holiday 2014: The Laser Cut Eye, Cheek and Lip Palette

October 8th, 2014 by Karen 18 Comments

Super quick look at the new NARS Laser Cut Eye, Cheek and Lip Palette ($59), one of seven gift sets in the 2014 holiday collection, available November 1 online and at NARS boutiques, NARS counters and specialty stores.

Swatches from left to right of the eyeshadows, blush, bronzer and lipgloss…

The NARS Holiday 2014 Hardwired Eyeshadows in Gabon, Canberra and Opal Coast: My Lids Are Hardwired to Like These

October 8th, 2014 by Karen 9 Comments

Also wearing in the picture above…

EYES: NARS Bronzer in Laguna in the crease, NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow in Gabon in the outer corner and inner corner, NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow in Opal Coast in the center of the lid, NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow in Canberra on the lower lash line, NARS Larger THan Life Long Wear Eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte on the water line and Topshop Doe Eyed Lashes mascara on my lashes.

CHEEKS: NARS Bronzer in Laguna to contour and NARS Blush in Almeria on the apples.

LIPS: NARS Lipstick in Femme Fleur and NARS Lipgloss in Soleil D’Orient.

OK, help me out. These are the three new Hardwired Eyeshadows from the 13-piece NARS Holiday 2014 Laced with Edge collection, so I’m trying to think of puns using the word “hardwired.”

Tabs is hardwired to kack at birds.

I am hardwired to lose track of time in Sephora.

The Terminator is hardwired by John Connor, in the future, to travel back in time to kill John’s mother, thereby ensuring Skynet’s…

Yeah, that one’s not working.

How about this? I am hardwired to like NARS.

Simple, clear, to the point. I like it. 🙂

I gasped out loud when I swatched this new line of sparkly powder eyeshadows in Opal Coast, Canberra and Gabon.

NARS Holiday 2014 Hardwired Eyeshadows from the left: Canberra, Gabon and Opal Coast — Hardwired Eyeshadows from the left: Canberra, Gabon and Opal Coast

NARS Holiday 2014 swatches from the left: Hardwired Eyeshadows in Opal Coast, Canberra and Gabon — Hardwired Eyeshadow swatches from the left: Opal Coast, Canberra and Gabon

It’s no secret, but sometimes iridescent and metallic finishes can be difficult to wear, especially when they’re really chunky and gritty and just sit on top of my skin highlighting my fine lines…

Being slightly creamy, the Hardwire formula seems to bind a little better to the skin. Sure, my fine lines are still there, but they don’t look as obvious as they do when I wear other metallic eyeshadows. As far as shiny shadows go, I think these are very forgiving.

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Please Wait to Be Seated…

October 8th, 2014 by Karen 12 Comments

What if there was a restaurant staffed by cats!?

Entirely by cats. All hygienic and up to code, of course, Michelin-star rated.

They’d serve a lot of fish, lots of turkey, some cheeses… I’d go, that’s for sure. Would you want to come with me? 🙂

The food would all be locally sourced.

Those toes, tho…

MAC Viva Glam? Yes Ma’am! A Hump Day Face of the Day Using the Too Faced Sugar & Spice Palette, the NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette and MAC Viva Glam

October 8th, 2014 by Karen 13 Comments

OK, so I’m enjoying an Amy’s Mexican Casserole Bowl and watching Gilmore Girls last night when I kindasorta FREAKED THE EFF OUT. One of the main characters in the show, Lorelei Gilmore (the mom half of the Gilmore duo), was getting her best friend Sookie ready for a date, doing her hair, putting on her makeup — all of that good stuff a beauty BFF does for her gal pals. Anywho, when she’s ready to apply Sookie’s lipstick, she calls out to her daughter Rory (the other half of the Gilmore Girls) downstairs to bring up “Viva Glam.” Yes! THE Viva Glam. She doesn’t say the word “MAC,” but when she holds the lipstick up to Sookie’s lips, you can clearly see the tube, and it’s definitely MAC.

Witty banter? Endless cups of coffee? MAC makeup references? This just might be the best show ever. 🙂

I still had Viva Glam on my mind this morning when I was getting ready, so I took out my favorite version, Viva Glam V Lipglass, and paired it with a cool-toned smokey brown and peach eye using the new Too Faced Sugar & Spice Palette ($39, available now), and the new NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette.

Also, just for fun, and to see how the eyes would look with a more dramatic lip, I swapped out Viva Glam V with the new Viva Glam Rihanna 2 Lipstick and Lipglass…

Wow! I actually really like the bolder lip combo.

Incidentally, the first time I wore the Rihanna 2 lippies separately, I felt they looked a little too stark on me. Then I tried them together and came around. Now I’m lovin’ that deep, sparkling pinkish mauve.

As for my cheeks, I’m wearing the new NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette ($65, from the new holiday collection). It comes with three blushes (Sex Fantasy, Deep Throat and Final Cut), a highlighter (Miss liberty) and a bronzer (good ol’ Laguna), available exclusively at Sephora starting November 1.

NARS Virtual Domination Cheek Palette Swatches from the left: Miss Liberty, Deep Throat, Sex Fantasy, Final Cut and Laguna

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When You Want Marvelous Medium Coverage and Natural-Looking Skin, There’s Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation: Pores Don’t Fear It, But Pocketbooks Might

October 8th, 2014 by Karen 19 Comments

Yeah, this foundation is $80. It’s Tom Ford, so it comes with 10,000 volts of taser-like TF sticker shock.

Traceless Perfecting Foundation is a new addition to Tom’s permanent line, liquid foundation formula, available in 15 shades for $80, and that gets you a 1-ounce bottle.

The medium-coverage formula has a super subtle sheen and a velvety finish, so skin looks natural, real and not flat, and you can sheer it out even more to enhance that.

The formula doesn’t do much by way of controlling oil, so if you have oily skin, it may not help you out there, but for normal or dry skin, this would be a good, lightweight, natural-looking foundation for everyday wear.

With a fairly painful price.

To be honest, the coverage doesn’t dazzle me in pics, where I like my coverage closer to full and opaque, and my pores are totally unafraid of this stuff. I wish it blurred them into the background a bit better, but that’s me. If you already have perfect skin, you’ll be fine, but homegirl needs more help. Seriously, it takes a village.

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