This past weekend I attended a Nordstrom Trend Show with my sister. It’s been a few years since my last trend show (this was my sister’s first). For this particular event, I was particularly excited about our NARS makeovers, hoping to learn new tips and tricks from the NARS specialists on how to mix and match various shades from one of our favorite brands. My sister and I both have loved NARS since our college days.
For this makeover, I asked for a smokey-eye look incorporating NARS Cordura Duo. The artist decided to go in a different direction focusing on other items, but did incorporate a tiny bit of the bronze/golden side of Cordura. The colors she used created a nice palette, but the application wasn’t flattering and I looked like I had punched eyes. The final result wasn’t one of the best I’ve had. My sister confirmed so right after with a discrete shake of her head. (It’s always good to bring a trusted friend with you to these events to tell give you an honest assessment.) I immediately ran to another counter to wipe off the eye makeup. I did get some new ideas on colors to coordinate but revised/edited the look as soon as I got home. Below is the edited version of my makeover. I’ll indicate what was originally used as well for inquiring minds.
Personally Edited Version List of Products Used
Face:
- Sheer Matte Foundation in Santa Fe (testing a sample of this color)
- Duo Concealer in Custard/Ginger
- Loose Powder in Eden (I substituted my own powder at home)
Cheeks:
- The Multiple in Laguna
- Powder Blush in Deep Throat
Eyes:
- Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (giving this a second try with a sample)
- Shimmer Eyeshadow in Cyprus (applied all over lid)
- Eyeshadow Duo in Brumes (dark navy smudged along lash line, then smoked upwards slightly, a tiny bit of the gray side mixed in at the end to darken/define)
- Eyeshadow Duo in Cordura (golden shade, applied with a fluffy brush blended on top of the navy, mixing/blending it to diffuse harsh edges)
- Larger than Life Mascara (my current favorite mascara)
Lips:
- Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Belle du Jour
- Larger Than Life Lip Gloss Gold Digger
The products I used, more photos and swatches:
Original Makeover Version
(not photographed/swatched, you can see that the look was only slightly adjusted)
(not photographed/swatched, you can see that the look was only slightly adjusted)
- Cheeks:
- The Multiple in Laguna
- Powder Blush in Lovejoy (I think this combo will look better with a softer eye)
- Eyes:
- Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
- Shimmer Eyeshadow in Cyprus (applied on inner corners blended to the 1/2 way point of lid)
- Larger Than Life Eyeliner in Rue Saint-Honoré (applied in a
winged cat liner way, blended up, found the pencil too harsh to be used
as a blended eyeshadow) - Eyeshadow Duo in Cordura (golden side, applied on outer corners
and blended in for a fake crease, not flattering for Asians without
creases) - Lips:
- Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment in Paloma (so sheer it didn’t show up)
- Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Pirée (also sheer, sometimes sheer+sheer=meh)
If you haven’t been to a Nordstrom Trend Show, I suggest you do attend if you get a chance. What to expect? high-energy speakers, brightly lit runways with models, mini talks from brand specialists/artists, giveaways, cheering pumped-up women. All what seem like the perfect ingredients for a successful event. I’ve enjoyed
many of them in the past, especially ones with special guest appearances like Deborah Lippmann (that one was so awesome!). My experience this particular time was luke-warm at best. It all seemed like one hard-sell after
another. Each speaker claimed to have the “best in industry” miracle-type of products. I do appreciate the efforts to teach/expose as many brands, trends and skincare items as possible in a short period of time, but I felt the two hours lacked substance. There was too much covered without focus. I left feeling like I didn’t learn as much as I
had hoped to.
In general, I have liked Nordstrom Trend Shows. Nordstrom is indeed at the top among retailers for having best in class customer service. Trend Shows offer an excellent environment to generate buzz, have fun with friends, learn new tricks and makeup tips and brands etc. However I feel that the sheer volume in the number of women that attend, overbooked “makeover” appointments, hard-sell gimmicks etc. water down the quality of customer focus. Bottom line, in the future I’ll look for smaller events to attend with trained national artists (versus free-lance artists who in my experience have mixed levels of talent) or make an appointment with my favorite specialist/counter manager with specific brands for a better result.
Have you had a recent NARS makeover or attended a Trend Show event? What were your thoughts? Experiences?
