NARS launched a new reformulation and packaging design for their Lip Gloss back in April. There are 30 shades that were released ($26 each for 0.18 fl oz/6 ml). I splurged on several shades over the past few months. The new NARS Lip Glosses have a similar design to the original tubes but now come with a modern updated look with a sleeker looking tube. The pigment of the new glosses is slightly smoother with better pigment. NARS also removed the plastic smell from the gloss (which didn’t bother me but the new ones smell better).
The colors I splurged on from Nordstrom (at one of the trend shows) and Sephora (because I love their Beauty Insider program) include:
Sweet Dreams is a stunning pale pink sparkle, the shimmer in the new one is more finely milled and less chunky (although the old one was one of my favorite glosses)
Istria is a pale sheer milky pink with a slight iridescent quality
Angelika is a hot cool pink with gold flecks
Risky Business is a lovely deep raspberry shimmer
Tasmania is a sheer cantaloupe peach color
Supervixen is a complex nude brown rose shimmer
Ophelia is a lighter watermelon pink shimmer
Sixties Fan is a sheer plum that applies like a wine/red color
The original packaging came in a clear but frosted tube at .28 oz, the new one comes with a completely clear tube at .18 oz. Differences in packaging and colors for a few of the shades shown below. The overall color is pretty similar for Angelika and Supervixen. There is a huge difference in pigment for Ophelia, the new version has much better pigment:
Close ups and swatches:
I’m in love with the new formula of the shimmers. The pigment is smoother and richer with really good coverage. The non-shimmers are hit and miss for my lips. I was head over heels in love with Istria and Tasmania in the tube but on the lips they are really sheer. They do perform well over lipsticks with similar tones though. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but so far my top three picks include Risky Business, Supervixen and Sweet Dreams. Lip swatches in this post.
NARS Lip Glosses come in 30 shades at $26 each. Available at all NARS locations, online at Nordstrom, Sephora and narscosmetics.com.
Earlier in the spring, Urban Decay released some new shades of their Naked Flushed Palettes ($30 each for 14g/0.49 oz). These are well-packaged face trio compacts with a bronzer, highlighter and blush. I’m a huge fan of their Naked Eyeshadow Palettes (#3 is my fav) and thought these had a lot of promise. I purchased Native (pink) and Streak (peach) in store at Sephora after reading an overwhelming number of rave reviews (4.5 stars out of 5 average rating with 600+ reviews).
Native is a pink option with a medium-dark bronzer with a soft shimmer, a opal pinkish champagne highlighter and a matte pink blush
Streak is a warmer option with a lighter shimmery bronzer, a pale peachy shimmer highlighter and a stunning coral matte blush
Swatching them in store on my hands revealed a soft well pigmented texture that seemed easy to blend. Testing at home with a variety of brushes has me less than pleased. I purchased these late May/early June and have been desperately trying to make these work for me.
The texture is finely milled and soft which is easy to pick up with brushes but the bronzer and blush are both very powdery resulting in a lot of debris/powder kick-up. They don’t show up well on lightly powdered skin. Right over foundation the color picks up more but the colors look muddy and look like they just sit on top of the skin. The highlighters are creamier in texture (although they are powders) and blends easily but the frost factor highlights imperfections and after softly applying on the cheeks, I suddenly have large visible pores. I’ve tried both with a large variety of brushes, cream highlighters, foundations, dewy cheek products as a base even. With the right amount of creamy base underneath I can get the bronzer and blush to apply ok sometimes (I like Tom Ford Fire Lust and Armani Fluid Sheer #3 or #10 the best), but I cannot wear the highlighter on the cheeks at all. That being said, the highlighters are pretty on the eyes. Half of the times I’ve applied these I ended up taking them off immediately after putting them on the face.
Photos and swatches:
Swatches side by side:
Closeups of each palette, up first is Native:
Streak
One last view, Streak (left) and Native (right):
I’m overall disappointed. I’ve tried numerous times to make these work, and with extra tweaking I can only make them work 1/2 the time. They look so beautiful in the compacts and when swatched on the hands or arms. On the face the pigment and texture don’t quite translate the same. Given the overwhelming number of rave reviews, I suspect I’m in the minority with my thoughts. I’ve mentioned in recent posts I’ve had skin issues and breakouts – my skin issues aren’t on the cheek area in case you’re wondering if it’s skin problems causing the issue in application. For additional reference, Temptalia has detailed thoughts on Native, Streak and Strip, my experiences are similar to hers.
Based on the price, packaging and convenience, if you’re at a Sephora or Urban Decay counter I think you should still give these a try. If there are clean brushes available, ask a makeup artist or sales associate to apply it on you.
If you’ve tried these, I’d love to hear your thoughts. If you have these which shade do you have and who do you apply them?
The Urban Decay Naked Flushed Palettes retail for $30 each. I found mine at Sephora. They come in four options, Naked, Native, Streak and Strip.
I hope everyone had a great 4th of July! A few items currently on my radar, from top left clockwise:
Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatments ($18.50 each) now come in three tinted colors, I’ve been a fan of the clear version so I ordered all three of the new ones a couple days ago
Chanel Les 4 Ombres Multi Effect Eyeshadow ($61 each) have launched on Chanel.com, I spotted Poesie #234 in store at Neiman Marcus, also available online now at Macy’s
Smashbox Full Exposure Travel Size ($22) is a small version of the Full Exposure palette, the travel one has 8 shades, it’s the size of a credit card (posted on my Instagram)
I’m looking for red and plum lips that aren’t too red or too vampy:
Marc Jacobs Lovemarc Lip Gel in Cabaret ($30) is part of the 1000 Point Perk but now available for purchase for VIB Rouge members (online only), I need it now
There are a lot of nail polishes releases coming up this fall:
NARS is reformulating their nail polish with 43 shades, 19 of these will be new ($20 each), available July 15 on narscosmetics.com, August 1 all other locations
Laura Mercier Hi-Lite Duo ($15) has a mini Baby Bare lipgloss and Matte Radiance Baked Bronzer in Highlight, I’m a sucker for $15 and under mini items, I’ve heard so many good things about the baked bronzer, tell me do I need this?
What’s on your radar this week? Have you seen any other new fall items in stores yet? I’m eagerly waiting to see Tom Ford and all the Chanel quads.
Chanel Innocence #160 Powder Blush ($45 for 6g/0.21 oz) is new for fall this year. It’s a lovely delicate pink with a slight hint of shimmer. On the cheeks it’s a subtle slightly dusty rose pink. It shows up well with a few swipes of layering. The one released in the US is the regular soft finely milled powder US formula (not baked). I found it extremely similar to Rose Ecrin #68 both in the pan and on the face. The difference is slight. Rose Ecrin #68 is slightly dustier in color with more mauve. Innocence #160 is a bit brighter in color with more warmth. I tested them on the cheeks, one on each side of the face and you can definitely tell the difference once they are both on the skin while on the arms or fingers the difference is slight.
Some close ups and swatches, in the pan you can see shimmers, when swatched on the face it applies more matte with a soft satiny glow:
Thumbs up. Chanel Innocence is a lovely soft delicate pink that’s not too light. It’s a feminine pink that is lovely for every day wear and might just be my favorite item from the fall collection. Chanel Innocence is available at all Chanel counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Saks, Neiman Marcus and Chanel.com.
I’ve been experimenting more with skincare this year and wanted to share some of my favorite items along with a few new discoveries. I have sensitive acne prone skin that is mostly normal. Most of my life I’ve maintained a clear complexion with a simple gentle foaming cleanser + toner and weekly mask. The past couple of months my skin has been going through a mess with seasonal weather changes, a change in my workout routine along with some added stress. My holy grail go-to foaming cleansers from SK-II and Dior simply were not enough to cleanse my face completely at the end of the day causing clogged pores and break outs. Over the past few months I’ve added a few more steps to my skincare cleansing routine and my skin has finally started to clear up and improve in texture and clarity.
Added Step 1 came from a recommendation from one of my favorite Nordstrom Chanel artists. I’ve added a step to remove long-wear makeup by using a gentle but effective cleansing oil or cleansing water to break down every trace of makeup on the face. Cosmetic companies have developed amazing innovations in makeup to make it long wearing and last all day through the night. Some of these long-wear formulas don’t come off completely with a regular cleanser and remnants will clog pores. They need extra work to remove where a cleansing oil or water will help break down makeup. My current favorites are MAC Cleanse Off Oil and Caudalie Cleansing Water. I alternate depending on what kind of makeup I’m wearing. On full makeup days, cleansing oil is needed. On tinted moisturizer days I use the cleansing waters.
Step 2 has been the addition of the Clarisonic Aria Sonic Skin Cleansing System from Nordstrom which has made a huge difference in clearing up my skin and getting it back to normal. My friends and family have been telling me for years that I should invest in a Clarisonic device because according to them “it really works.” I’ve always been intrigued by the concept but was overwhelmed by all the options. Also since I have had pretty good skin I didn’t see the need to spend money fixing something that was perfectly fine. Given my recent skin flare ups, I needed a change and this has been a really good solution to return my skin to it’s normal state by using it 2 to 3 times per week.
If you’re new to Clarisonic, here’s a quick rundown of each device they have for facial cleansers. You can read more about Clarisonic Technology here. These Clarisonic tools are designed with a patented oscillating sonic technology creating more than 300 movements per second to help loosen oil and dirt in your pores with the motion the outer and inner brushes create. It’s designed to exfoliate the skin and clear and tighten the pores.
There are currently four different devices for the face, each device comes in a wide variety of color options ranging from white, to colorful pink, lavender blues and classic black. All the options come with the Sensitive Brush but have different brush head replacement options depending on your needs. The kits also come with a sample size of one of their cleansers. You may want to consult a product specialist to find out which one will suit your specific skin needs. I like using the Live Chat with Beauty Stylists on Nordstrom. They’ve been super helpful in the past (they’ve even helped me locate discontinued items in stores).
Mia $99 is a one-speed tool, this is designed as a starter brush, comes in a small portable size
Mia 2 $149 – $169 comes in several different kit options, this took is sized similar to the Mia, it has two speeds and comes with a protective travel case for storage, the Mia2 has the most color options available to choose from
Aria $199 is slightly longer and sleeker in design compared to the Mia/Mia2, the Aria has three speeds, this one comes with a USB-Enabled Universal Voltage pLink Charger and regular plug so you have more charging options (if you’re on the go), it also comes with a charging/drying stand
Plus $225 is the deluxe version of the Clarisonic for face and body, it comes with two different brushes and a Universal Voltage Charging Cradle
After hours of online researching, it was a tie between the Mia2 and Aria. I liked the compact size of the Mia 2 and the fact that it came with a super cute protective case and so many color options,. I also found the price point reasonable. However I also liked the sleek look of the Aria along with the drying stand and charger options. I ended up purchasing the Aria since it had more options for brush speed and the convenient stand.
All Clarisonics come with some kind of sample-size cleanser. I’ve tested three (two have been from Nordstrom GWPs). My favorite is the Deep Pore Daily Cleanser and I’ve been working my way through 2 mini tubes. A little goes a long way and it’s gentle enough for my sensitive skin but really deep cleans without drying out the skin. After using this your skin won’t feel tight, nor will it feel like there is a film left over. I’ve also used the Clarisonic with my go-to foaming cleansers SK-II Facial Treatment Cleanser and Dior Purifying Foam Cleanser. Both are thicker in texture than most Clarisonic options, but they are still flexible enough to use with the device.
Close up of the Aria hand held, it has a sleek slender design so it fits nicely into my small hands, it’s easy to hold and although it has some weight, it’s not too heavy.
The Sensitive Brush that the Clarisonics come with shown below. I find it gentle and soft, on the face it almost tickles because it’s so soft. On the nails currently is Chanel Tutti Frutti Le Vernis.
I’m still a newbie with the Clarisonic Aria. I’m nearing the end of Week Three of testing it out. I’ve been using the Sensitive Brush it came with and find it very gentle on the skin, my preference is for the Delicate Speed (the softest one) and after reading some rather scary reviews, I decided to ease into it. My first week I used it twice, the second week I upped usage to three times. Even though I find the Aria to be very gentle I’ve read one needs to be careful not to overdo the exfoliating. The first two weeks I didn’t see much of a difference in the skin although I found it made the skin feel really soft and clean. At the end of the second week and into the third my skin has started to make its way back to normal. (Let me know if you want updates in the future at the 2 month or 3 month mark.) The drying stand is super convenient for storage. Overall I’m really happy with my purchase and am already looking into the other brush options now.
Have you used a Clarisonic or any of the different brush heads or cleansers? I have read so many different reviews, I would love to hear about your thoughts and experiences. The Pedi Sonic Foot looks incredible, but I usually prefer to have my toes manicured at a salon.
Many thanks to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post. For more information, please refer to my Disclosures page.
As requested, here are the items I brought with me on my recent trip. All the items were carried in my well-loved Bobbi Brown Train Case (from 12+ years ago and no longer available for sale, Old Hollywood Version still available). I tend to overpack for makeup so the case limits what I bring. If it can’t fit, it doesn’t travel with me. I’ve split the items into three categories: Lips, Face/Cheeks and Eyes.
Tom Ford Spanish Pink is one of the few Tom Ford lipsticks I’ve used up, this is my second tube, it’s the perfect pink peach nude cream (review here when I used to be super tan)
Estee Lauder Crystal Baby Lip Gloss has been a lipgloss I’ve repeatedly applied, it’s a nice youthful baby pink shimmer with a hint of warmth
Nudestix Soul Lip & Cheek Pencil is something I brought with me as a multi-tasking product, I didn’t end up using it on my trip because I kept using the YSL
I brought two bronzers with me on accident with NARS Matte Multiple in Vientiane and MAC Refresh Mineralize Skinfinish Duo (I meant to grab a pink multiple) but they ended up being good layered together, sometimes I need a slight creamy/dewy base to put underneath powder blush
For eyes I tried to be a minimalist but kinda went a bit overboard, I brought one eyeshadow palette in Urban Decay Naked 3 which has all the colors I need for the rest of my life
For night time eyes, I used By Terry Ombre Blackstars in Bronze Moon and Frozen Quartz layered together and added a tiny bit of powder shadows on top to intensify the look for a bronze and pink smokey eye, I also brought along Tom Ford Eye Defining Pen, it’s the only black liquid liner that I have been able to get to work for me (it stays put, applies evenly and doesn’t bleed)
To those who asked to see what I brought with me, I hope this helps! I always have a makeup overpacking problem so my fellow beauty lovers – if you have any tips I’d love to hear what you bring with you on trips/travel whether it’s a weekend getaway, a week trip or extended vacation.
