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NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Collection Review

May 18, 2018

NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Collection Review

NARS x Erdem released a beautiful collection of limited-edition pieces called NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers. I was lucky to receive the entire collection for review in a beautiful press box but when the package arrived all the powders were shattered! I ordered replacements and it’s taken me a while to get everything reviewed and swatched so I apologize for the delay. You can still find all the pieces although some things have sold out at a few retailers. All the colors are truly unique and I feel like everything is like a piece of art from the packaging and design. The vibe has more of a fall feel to me rather than spring or summer but the shades are still very wearable pieces that you can pull off right now. In the collection:

NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Collection review via The Beauty Look Book

Up first are the products for the face. The two NARS x Erdem blushes which I think are both just so beautiful! Loves Me Not is a pale lavender pink with finely milled shimmer. On my tan skin it’s almost like a sheer highlighter. It layers nicely with other colors or works to diffuse harsh lines. Loves Me is a warm strawberry pink shimmer. It’s fairly pigmented so I recommend using a fluffy brush to apply and layer. As a quick FYI these seem to be the items selling out the fastest so if you want to prioritize purchases, you might want to start there.

There is also a Multi-Use Highlighting Pencil called White Phox which is a pale white that flashes lavender/opal. It has a nice sheen when blended with a velvety matte finish. I like this on the eyes! (Swatches below, actual product photo of the pencil one section down.)

NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Collection Blushes Loves Me Not and Loves Me

NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Collection Blushes Loves Me Not and Loves Me

The Lip Powder Palette in Poison Rose was so interesting to me. I’ve never tried a lip powder and at first I thought they were mini blushes. The palette as a gorgeous peachy pink nude Lip Priming Balm (I wish this was available in full size). I was really skeptical about how these would work but it’s really a beautiful palette with stunning colors. I layered the powders on top of the balm and the result is a soft velvety matte lip look. Almost like a natural lipstick stain with a velvety finish. The other colors include Zira (metallic peach), Calypso (perfect mauve), Damask (magenta) and Ottoman (red).

NARS Poison Rose Lip Powder Palette Review

NARS Poison Rose Lip Powder Palette swatches

NARS Poison Rose Lip Powder Palette swatches

The two NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Eyeshadow Palettes have excellent pigment, texture and lasting power. They’re soft and easy to blend. I gravitated towards the softer version Fleur Fatale which has a shimmering ivory, shimmering grey taupe, soft dove grey blue shimmer, soft matte grey-brown, shimmering mauve tan, shimmery wine plum. The other option Night Garden has a shimmering oyster, deep forest green shimmer, bright yellow shimmer, deep matte brown, shimmery navy and dark charcoal. In a beauty world where we seem to be bombarded with warm orange shadows it’s nice and refreshing for us cool-toned neutral lovers to have something else to wear that’s new! (I still love the NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette for a warmish kind of palette.)

NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Eyeshadow Palettes Fleur Fatale and Night Garden

NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Eyeshadow Palettes Fleur Fatale and Night Garden swatches

Last but not least are the NARS x Erdem Lipsticks which surprised me. At first glance they did not seem like wearable colors for my complexion. Some of them are sheer in finish which makes them look different in the tube than what you see on the face. I love all of the colors except for one. Shades include:

  • Moon Orchid which is a sheer soft pink
  • Carnal Carnation which has a sheer bright pink finish
  • Voodoo Lily is almost clear but gives me a nude lip but better mauve
  • Larkspur is a sheer magenta mauve, pulls pinkish on me
  • Wild Flower is the only color I did not like, it’s a sheer deep purple that applied patchy
  • Bloodflower is a pigmented blood red

Texture is soft and easy to apply. I’ve found that some NARS lipsticks in the regular formula irritated my lips in the past, I am not sure if they changed the ingredients but I had no issue with these. I’ve been able to wear the Audacious lipstick formula without any issue, but at some point in the past the regular lipstick formula changed and I started getting swollen irritated lips. With these no allergic reaction, yay! I was also able to wear last year’s NARS Orgasm lipstick with issue as well. As with most sheers lasting power is going to be average/medium. I found these comfortable and non-drying.

NARS x Erdem Strange Flower Lipsticks Moon Flower, Carnal Carnation, Voodoo Lily, Larkspur, Wild Flower and Bloodflower

NARS x Erdem Strange Flower Lipsticks Moon Flower, Carnal Carnation, Voodoo Lily, Larkspur, Wild Flower and Bloodflower swatches

NARS x Erdem Strange Flower Lipsticks Moon Flower, Carnal Carnation, Voodoo Lily, Larkspur, Wild Flower and Bloodflower swatches

A quick note on the Blotting Papers, I found them nice and handy to have in my bag. They do work well to blot shine and oil without leaving any powdery white film like some do. At the end of the day I’m still a loyal fan of the ones from Tatcha but the NARS packaging is really pretty.

NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Collection review

NARS x Erdem Strange Flowers Collection review via The Beauty Look Book

Bottom line beautiful! The winners to me are the Fleur Fatale Palette, Moon Orchid Lipstick, Poison Flower Lip Powder Palette and both Loves Me and Loves Me Not Blushes. To me these are gorgeous edgy colors that are on trend but not so trendy that I can’t wear them for everyday.

The entire collection is limited-edition. Available online and in stores at NARS Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Barneys New York and Saks Fifth Avenue.

P.S. Not related to this review, but I’m starting up my weekly giveaways again! Details on this page here.

NARS x Erdem collection provided courtesy of NARS for review. All the palettes repurchased by me.

 

Lips NARS

NARS Velvet Lip Glides Swing, Roseland, Xenon, Paradise Garage and MARS

April 15, 2018

NARS Velvet Lip Glide New Shades Swing, Roseland, Xenon, Paradise Garage and Mars review + swatches

NARS lip lovers rejoice because there are five new shades of NARS Velvet Lip Glides ($26 each for 0.2 oz/ 5.9 mL). The colors include Swing, Roseland, Xenon, Paradise Garage and Mars. I ordered all sight unseen since the online stock swatches seemed to in the same color family as Bound which I think is one of the best neutral mauves. The colors indeed are all in the neutral category and are beautiful additions to the current lineup. If you love Bound I think you’re definitely going to like at least a few of the new launches.

Colors include non-shimmers. As with all the other Velvet Lip Glides the formula is smooth, lightweight, almost whipped feeling and has medium but buildable natural looking coverage. These aren’t as opaque or matte as the Power Matte Lip Pigments. The NARS Velvet Lip Glides have a soft velvety finish with a tiny bit of sheen. Lasting power is like a regular lipstick, you’re going to have to reapply every few hours or anytime you drink or eat something, but I like that the formula is soft and weightless and non-drying.

  • Swing neutral soft rose peach
  • Roseland medium pink
  • Xenon neutral medium pink brown
  • Paradise Garage dusty mauve with plum
  • Mars dusty neutral brown

NARS Velvet Lip Glide New Shades Swing, Roseland, Xenon, Paradise Garage and Mars review + swatches

Swatches:

NARS Velvet Lip Glide New Shades Swing, Roseland, Xenon, Paradise Garage and Mars swatches via The Beauty Look Book

NARS Velvet Lip Glide New Shades Swing, Roseland, Xenon, Paradise Garage and Mars review via The Beauty Look BookLip swatches, as always done on bare lips, Bound added since the last time I swatched it on the blog I was probably a different skin tone:

NARS Velvet Lip Glide New Shades Swing, Roseland, Xenon, Paradise Garage and Mars lip swatches via The Beauty Look Book

Swatch comparisons to Stripped, Bound, Unlaced, Suck and Playpen. Previous review + more swatches here.

NARS Velvet Lip Glide Swatch Comparisons via The Beauty Look Book

Swatch comparisons Set 2 to the Ulta x NARS Mini Velvet Lip Glide Set reviewed here. Colors include Night Together, Rapture, Staying Alive, Californication, Immoral and Burning Love. All reviewed + swatched in this post here.

NARS Velvet Lip Glide New Shades Swing, Roseland, Xenon, Paradise Garage and Mars review + swatches

Bottom line love and well worth the splurge sight unseen. My favorite color is still Bound, but from the new colors I’m smitten with Xenon and Roseland. If you like soft neutrals that are easy to wear for everyday there are a few options in this lineup that are great. In the event that you want more pigment or shine you can check out the Neutral Lip Testing post I did last summer with some swatches of other great formulas including the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick (Whip and Chutney are the best colors), NARS Power Matte Lip Pigments and Anastasia Lip Gloss to name a few.

You can find the new NARS Velvet Lip Glide shades at Sephora, Nordstrom and NARS Cosmetics right now. If you’re a Sephora Beauty Insider don’t forget to use your code for their Spring Bonus Event! Details below:

  • Rouge Members: receive 15% off 4/13 through 4/16 and 4/20 through 4/23, use code YAYROUGE
  • VIB Members: receive 15% off 4/20 through 4/23, use code YAYVIB
  • BI Members: receive 10% off 4/20 through 4/23, use code YAYINSIDER

Do you like the Velvet Lip Glide formula? What shades have you tried?

I’m hosting another giveaway and more to come later this week! For this one I’m giving away one $50 eGift Card to Sephora. It will run through 4/16/2018 at 10:00 AM EST. ONE winner will be selected via the widget below and contacted by me via e-mail same day giveaway ends, they must respond within 48 hours or another winner will be selected in their place. Prize shipped out within the same week. Not sponsored or affiliated.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NARS

NARS Narsissist Wanted Cheek Palettes and Power Pack Duos

March 27, 2018

NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palettes and Power Pack Lip Kits

More NARS newness out right now with two palettes for the cheeks and three duos for the lips! NARS launched a NARSisisst Wanted Cheek Palette Volume I and Volume II ($59 each for 0.13 oz/3.9 g x 6) and NARSisisst Wanted Power Pack Lip Kits ($22 each for 2.8 ml each) in Cool Nudes, Warm Nudes and Hot Reds. These are currently exclusive to Ulta Beauty and NARS online. I’m a huge fan of the NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette (I use it weekly) so I was really curious to check out the collection for lips and cheeks.

The two NARSisisst Wanted Cheek Palettes are similar to last year’s Unfiltered Cheek Palettes. The colors aren’t identical and there were a lot more shimmers in last year’s versions. However the color scheme and finish are similar. If you already own those and still have a lot of product left you may want to skip the new ones. The palettes both have a mix of mattes and shimmers. They are powdery and have sheer to medium pigment. I find Volume 1 (pinks) easier for me to wear. Volume 2 (red and coral) is very dark on my skin and the deep shades are ultra pigmented and darken on my skin.

NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palettes review and swatches

NARSisisst Wanted Cheek Palette Volume I has lighter pink shades, soft pinks and a matte watermelon pink color. There are some shimmers but the overall effect is more satiny matte. Colors include:

  • Unlimited sheer light pink shimmer
  • Buzzed soft matte peach
  • Notorious cool matte pink
  • Kingpin is a soft light rose matte
  • Bumpy Ride is a medium warm bubble gum pink shimmer
  • Crave is a watermelon matte pink

NARS NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette Volume 1 review and swatches

NARS NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette Volume 1 swatches

NARS NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette Volume 1 swatches

Makeup worn above:

NARSissist Cheek Palette Wanted Volume II has deeper shades with a bronze, orange, red and bold tones:

  • PYT is the perfect shimmering soft bronze
  • Ambition is a bright orange
  • Taos is a bronzed amber red
  • Exposed is a soft rose matte
  • Penthouse is a deep cranberry matte
  • Queen is a matte red

NARS NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette Volume 2 review and swatches

NARS NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette Volume 2 review and swatches

NARS NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palette Volume 2 review and swatches

Wearing same makeup as the photo above. Cheeks on the left are PYT, Ambition and Taos. Cheeks on the right are PYT, Ambition and Queen layered.

There are three NARSissist Wanted Power Pack Lip Kits which are mini Power Matte Lip Pigments. I’m already a fan of American Woman (a few more neutrals reviewed here in my Neutral Lip Testing post). I think these are great to try a couple shades to see if you like the formula. Liquid lips can be tricky and although these are very matte, if I wear a balm underneath they don’t look as matte. They last a really long time on the lips and the color selection is really good. I have two of the kits in Cool Nudes which has Le Freak (pale pink nude) and American Woman (perfect rose) and the Hot Reds with Don’t Stop (bright red) and Cherry Bomb (blue based red). On my lips both of the red colors pretty much look identical on my complexion.

NARSissist Wanted Power Pack Lip Kit

NARSissist Wanted Power Pack Lip Kit swatches Cool Nudes and Hot Reds

NARSissist Wanted Power Pack Lip Kit swatches Cool Nudes and Hot Reds swatches

NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palettes and Power Pack Lip Kits Review Swatches

Overall thoughts: Everything performs well and I think the products are priced just right to give you a good value of product for price. As one who doesn’t really like mattes I still find the palettes to have a good mix of shimmer and matte to make them versatile. Compared to last year’s palettes there are quite a few similarities so I don’t find them must-haves. If you’re looking to expand your blush collection though these are nice options to do at a more affordable price compared to buying individual shades. The powders layer nicely together and you can create a wide range of looks to suit your mood. I’ve always been more into the glow so for spring I’m favoring the Natasha Denona Diamond and Blush Palettes and Tom Ford Soleil Summer collection more.

For the lips I think the Powermatte Lip Pigments are really good for liquid lips and long-time readers know I am not a fan of liquid lips in general. I still need a balm to make them less matte, but I like that they will stay put all day and that they have full coverage without making the lips shrink. They are among the few that I actually like and will wear. American Woman is a classic universal shade I think everyone should try. That being said if you prefer a less matte lip try the Velvet Lip Glides. I adore the shade Bound and new colors just launched online at NARS which I’m dying to check out.

You can find the NARS NARSissist Wanted Cheek Palettes and Wanted Power Lip Kits at Ulta Beauty and NARS. P.S. Ulta is having their 21 Days of Beauty Event where each day they have something different available at a discounted price. It runs through April 7th.

Have you checked these out? What’s your current favorite cheek palette? Or do you prefer individual products?

NARSissist Wanted collection products provided courtesy of NARS for review.

 

Highlighters NARS

NARS Change of Sheen Highlighting Powders

March 23, 2018

NARS Change of Sheen Highlighting Powders

NARS has launched yet more highlighters with new shades of their Highlighting Powder ($38 each for 14 g/ 0.49 oz, made in Italy) in the Change of Sheen Highlighting Powder Collection. There are six shades total described as having a “second-skin luster” and I’d say that is pretty much on point of what the finish is like. They’re powders with a soft glowing texture that doesn’t emphasize pores or fine lines. Colors come in a pretty range of classic options from pale opal to bronze. If you’re in the market for a soft highlighter that will last on the face all day and looks natural these are great options. However if you already own a ton of other highlighters you will probably find color-dupes in your stash.

Packaging is similar to that of the NARS Sunwashed Bronzers, it’s bigger than the regular eyeshadow/blush compacts. Colors as shown below:

  • Albatross is a pale opal yellow gold shimmer
  • Capri is a soft pale pink glow
  • Fort de France is a light champagne shimmer
  • Ibiza is a soft yellow gold
  • Maldives is a medium soft rose shimmer
  • St. Barths is a warm soft bronze

NARS Highlighting Powder Albatross, Capri, Fort de France, Ibiza, Maldives, St Barths | The Beauty Look BookNARS Highlighting Powder Albatross, Capri, Fort de France, Ibiza, Maldives, St Barths swatches | The Beauty Look Book

On my skintone Capri and Fort de France look very very close. The difference is slight with Capri being more pink and Fort de France being more beige. I’m right at that skintone though where they look pretty much identical. If you are fairer or deeper the contrast will show up more.

Albatross

Close ups and swatches of each one on the face, starting with Albatross. This pulls very yellow on my skin. It seems similar to the original version in color/shimmer. Makeup worn below is the same in all photos except for the lips + cheeks:

NARS Highlighting Powder Albatross

NARS Highlighting Powder Albatross

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Capri

NARS Highlighting Powder in Capri

NARS Highlighting Powder in Capri

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Fort de France

NARS Highlighting Powder in Fort de France

NARS Highlighting Powder in Fort de France

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Ibiza

NARS Highlighting Powder in Ibiza

NARS Highlighting Powder in Ibiza swatched

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Maldives

NARS Highlighting Powder in Maldives

NARS Highlighting Powder in Maldives

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St Barths

NARS Highlighting Powder in St Barths

NARS Highlighting Powder in St Barths

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Comparison swatches to the Easy Glowing Palette in Reve Sale (Nordstrom exclusive) and Highlighter Trio in Banc de Sable (discontinued). The trio palettes have a different formula with more glow and shimmer to them. If you’re looking for a softer effect the individual Highlighting Powders are better. If you don’t mind a more intense glow opt for one of the palettes.

NARS Highlighting Powders vs Palettes

Comparison swatches to the MAC Hyper Real Glow Palettes. The MAC palettes are significantly more glowy with the ability to build more for an intense almost wet look.

NARS Highlighting Powders vs MAC Hyper Real Glow Palettes

NARS Change of Sheen Highlighting Powders

One last look, from top left clockwise is Albatross, Fort de France, Ibiza, St. Barths, Maldives and Capri:

NARS Change of Sheen Highlighting Powders Review and Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

Bottom line: easy to wear, glowing, doesn’t emphasize pores, long lasting, soft but easy to build and natural. While these are distinctly powder formulas I do feel like NARS hit it right on point when they said these are like second-skin. They are very smooth with a semi-firm texture. It’s very easy to blend and build. On my skin they stayed on all day from morning until late afternoon without budging or getting too dewy looking. Initially I thought St. Barths was for sure going to be orange on me, but it’s not! If you are an OG NARS fan though you might remember they had a St. Barths Multiple stick that was the best shimmering beige taupe with silver shimmer. I do wish they would launch the original St. Barths in powder form – I’ve never found any color quite like it.

Thumbs up on quality, color selection, finish and long-lasting power. That being said you may want to shop your stash if you already own a lot of highlighters. I do find Maldives to be unique for a rose-shimmer. I think it’s hard to find a good medium pink rose highlighter that isn’t too dark or too pale. My favorite of the bunch is Fort de France, I suspect it’s the most dupeable but it has the prettiest beige undertone that gives the skin a natural glow.

You can find the NARS Highlighting Powders right now at NARS Boutiques and online at NARScosmetics.com. Also available at Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Sephora and Ulta Beauty.

Have you tried these yet? What did you think?

NARS highlighting powders provided courtesy of NARS for review.

 

NARS

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palettes Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil Review and Swatches

February 26, 2018

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palette Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil

NARS has two new products for cheeks called the Easy Glowing Cheek Palettes ($49 each for (0.12 oz/3.5 g x 3) in two options Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil. Images surfaced on social a few weeks ago and I have been stalking them online for days! Right now they’re exclusive to Nordstrom but they’ll launch at other retailers later this spring. As a huge fan of Banc de Sable and Bord de Plage I knew these two new ones had to be mine.

Both Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil palettes have the same formula as the Banc de Sable/Bord de Plage palettes. Some of the colors have some similarities to previously launched palettes but to me I do think they are different enough to justify purchasing. The shimmer is really pretty with a smooth high sheen. You can wear the colors wet or dry. I prefer them dry so the shimmer becomes more diffused. Lasting power is the same as the previous launches. They’ll stay put on the face all day long without getting greasy looking. The deeper one also does not darken or oxidize on my skin which is a huge plus.

Reve Sale

Reve Sale has a pale soft light apricot shimmer, pale soft rose and peachy tan. The shimmer in this one looks a lot softer on my face than Banc de Sable. It doesn’t emphasize my pores. To me this is a highlighter palette, those with fair skin tones will probably find this more of a blush palette rather than highlight.

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palette Reve Sale review and swatches

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palette Reve Sale review and swatches

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palette Reve Sale review and swatches

Coucher de Soleil

Coucher de Soleil is the deeper option with a medium tan gold, deeper peachy tan and a soft plum shimmer. It looks darker but doesn’t oxidize or look muddy on the skin for me. This one definitely has more color, on my skintone it has one highlight and two colors that can pass more for shimmery blush.

NARS Coucher de Soleil Easy Glowing Cheek Palette review and swatches

NARS Coucher de Soleil Easy Glowing Cheek Palette review and swatches

NARS Coucher de Soleil Easy Glowing Cheek Palette review and swatches

Both next to each other below:

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palette Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palette Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil

Shown on the face left is Reve Sale, right is Coucher de Soleil.

In both photos I’m wearing the Marc Jacobs Beauty Shameless Foundation in Y320 and Y360 mixed together (I ordered Y340 to see it it will be my perfect match). On the lips is YSL Tint in Balm #7 (reviewed here). On the nails is OPI Lisbon Wants Moor OPI. Top from Revolve.

NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palette Reve Sale and Coucher de Soleil swatches

Comparison next to Banc de Sable. The new palettes are slightly bigger in size and weight:

NARS Cheek Palettes Reve Sale, Coucher de Soleil and Banc de Sable

NARS Cheek Palettes Reve Sale, Coucher de Soleil and Banc de Sable

NARS Coucher de Soleil Easy Glowing Cheek Palette review and swatches

I’m obsessed. Both are must-haves for me. If I had to pick one I could not, because they’re both different in their own unique way. I stopped buying backups years ago and even bought back-ups of these. I thought the Natasha Denona Diamond and Blush Palettes were going to be my must-have palettes this year. They still are amazing, but these NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palettes are just as gorgeous, just in a different way. The formula is among my favorite – they’re a unique powder that almost has a slight creamy texture so it melds into the skin. I can wear these on both the eyes and cheeks. You can use any cheek brush you have in your beauty stash, I really like the Chanel Precision Powder Brush because it’s the perfect size for the pans and also lets me give a wash of color and build.

Both of the NARS Easy Glowing Cheek Palettes are available now at Nordstrom.

NARS

NARS Spring 2018 Collection

January 23, 2018

NARS Spring 2018 Review | The Beauty Look Book

Spring beauty launches are among my favorite for the fresh glowy vibe you usually see. NARS Spring 2018 has a pretty mix of soft and bold for a feminine look. It’s available online at NARS Cosmetics until February 2nd. At all other retailers after that date (just around the corner!), a few pieces currently also available at Barneys New York. So many of you have been excited about the new Lip Covers as you loved the formula when it was launched last year. I’m happy to see more shades launch although I wish they would make them permanent!

A look at the entire Spring It On collection from NARS, everything is limited-edition:

The best items to me are the Lip Covers. Some have a little bit of shimmer this round and are full-coverage without any detectable scent. These are what I feel liquid lipsticks should be like – full coverage, smooth with a creamy feel and little bit of shine. Embrasse Moi is a pale shimmering champagne that can be tricky to pull off alone, it looks a tad bit streaky when you apply but it is easily smoothed out. Under Arrest is a warm yellowed beige tan cream. Summer Fire is the best shade in my opinion, it’s a shimmering neutral-cool rose pink that isn’t too blue so I can wear it without it pulling to barbie on me. Hell Gate is a gorgeous brick red, on my lips it’s a bit brighter than what I see in the tube but still very pretty. These have a decent amount of lasting power – but they aren’t transfer proof. As long as your lips don’t touch cups or food then they’ll stay put.

NARS Lip Cover Spring 2018 | Embrasse Moi, Under Arrest, Summer Fire and Hell Gate | The Beauty Look Book

NARS Lip Cover Spring 2018 | Embrasse Moi, Under Arrest, Summer Fire and Hell Gate | The Beauty Look Book

All swatched on bare lips:

NARS Lip Cover Spring 2018 | Embrasse Moi, Under Arrest, Summer Fire and Hell Gate swatches | The Beauty Look Book

The only two items in this collection I’m not crazy about are the Velvet Shadow Sticks in Frioul (pretty gunmetal) and Galice (pale green), mainly because I can’t wear the colors. They’re gorgeous and smooth with lovely shimmer but my olive complexion can’t pull them off. I do have this formula in other colors, I adore Nepal and Corfu to name a couple. The ones for spring are very pretty but I put them on my eyes and it didn’t look good with my complexion.

NARS Velvet Shadow Stick Frioul and Galice | The Beauty Look Book

Swatches alongside a few other shades I can wear. NARS Velvet Shadow Stick vs By Terry Ombre Blackstar in Blond Opal and Ombre Mercure for some reason have a similar vibe but the undertone and shimmer make them easier for me to wear. Right now the Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick in Grey Pearl is the only grey colored shadow stick I own. Sugar Frost is more neutral but has a similar level of lightness.

NARS Velvet Shadow Stick vs By Terry Ombre Blackstar and Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Stick

For the cheeks there’s a new shade of Liquid Blush called Hot Tin Roof which is a brick color. It’s ultra pigmented and a little goes a very long way. I applied it with just a dab and it was still very intense. Right now I think the color is too deep for me but I’m at my lightest without much of a tan. In a few weeks once the sun and heat returns I will probably get more color quickly and find this easier to wear. The Highlighting Blush in Free Soul is a pale pink with the prettiest soft smooth pearl shimmer. It’s glowy but in a soft way and I’m COMPLETELY obsessed with it.

NARS Spring 2018 Free Soul and Hot Tin Roof | The Beauty Look Book

NARS Free Soul | The Beauty Look Book

Swatches below, I also added the Liquid Blush in Dolce Vita next to it (review here):

NARS Spring 2018 Free Soul and Hot Tin Roof vs Dolce Vita | The Beauty Look Book

Two looks, left wearing:

Right side wearing:

NARS Spring 2018 | The Beauty Look Book

NARS Spring 2018 Collection Review | The Beauty Look Book

I think the lip and cheek items are gorgeous but my top two picks are Free Soul and Summer Fire. You can find the NARS Spring 2018 Collection at NARS Cosmetics and Barneys New York right now. Available at other retailers such as Sephora, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Net-A-Porter starting February.

Have you tried anything from the Spring Collection yet? If not what’s on your wishlist?

NARS Spring 2018 collection provided courtesy of NARS.

 

Base Makeup NARS

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review + Swatches

December 26, 2017

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review and Swatches

I’ve been putting a few new foundation formulas to the test! The newest one is the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation ($49 for 1 fl oz/30 ml). I’m thrilled to have been able to swatch all 33 shades of the foundation. An artist from the NARS team matched/guessed three shades they thought would be my closest match and the team sent miniature samples of the entire collection for review. I wish they would sell the minis because it would be so much easier for us to find out perfect match! Unfortunately at this time samples aren’t for sale but I hope these swatches help you with your foundation matching if you’re buying or guessing online.

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review and Swatches

Shown above Punjab, Vanuatu and Barcelona

The NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation is a full coverage opaque liquid foundation. It’s probably the thickest formula of all the NARS foundations I’ve tried and takes a bit of experimentation to get a smooth application. Since it’s so opaque I’d recommend using only a little bit at a time. If you’re skin isn’t flawless or completely smooth using a primer is essential. I’ve tried around five different bases with this formula and find that the NARS primers work best with this one. My favorite is the Radiance Primer. I also recommend applying with a damp beautyblender or fingers to blend. Setting is also essential even if it’s just a lightweight powder. These come in a clear bottle which is always great so you can see exactly how much you have left. I also love that these come with a pump.

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review and Swatches

Color range is pretty impressive with different undertones. If you’re like me you probably find there aren’t enough yellow or olive based foundations on the market. NARS completely has you covered and shades like Punjab, Stromboli are very olive. Long time readers may remember I used to use the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in Punjab (formula is thinner than the new one). I’ve darkened quite a few shades and have since found the best matches to be Stromboli or Barcelona. With the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation my matches are Stromboli, Vanuatu or Barcelona. Living in Florida I’ve found my coloring changes on a weekly basis depending on how much sun I’ve been exposed to. There’s no escaping it here and even with sunscreen, hats and trying to stay in the shade I still tan easily.

Lasting power is pretty good even in Florida heat. The humidity levels in Tampa are low right now so I can’t report how it holds up in humid climates. Right now on me it lasts all day but it’s not transfer-proof if you touch your face (ie fingers or to sunglasses). It photographs well and goes on smoothly as long as you apply with light layers. I didn’t experience any oxidation. Finish is naturally radiant and glowy.

Below I have Vanuatu applied. I’ve also shown my bare skin below (eeps!). I have a lot of freckles which most people don’t realize until they see me without any makeup on. I think the photos below show how well the foundation covers without looking too thick or cakey. I didn’t need any concealer under the eyes or around the nose to reduce redness because the foundation covered it all.

  • Top left: completely bare makeup-free skin, I just have a little bit of moisturizer on
  • Top right: a thin layer of NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Vanuatu on the face all over applied with a beautyblender (no concealer)
  • Bottom photo:
    • NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Vanuatu
    • Armani Luminous Silk Powder Foundation in Shade 4
    • Tom Ford Large Ultimate Bronzing Powder in Gold Dust
    • NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette (review here)
    • Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
    • Tom Ford Fiber Brow Gel in Espresso
    • NARS Audacious Lipstick in Anna blotted
    • NARS Velvet Lip Glide in Bound

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Vanuatu Medium 3.5

Swatches of all the colors below in four sets. Set 1:

  • Oslo – Light 1
  • Mont Blanc – Light 2
  • Yukon Light 2.5
  • Gobi – Light 3
  • Salzburg – Light 3.5
  • Deauville – Light 4
  • Vienna – Light 4.5
  • Fiji – Light 5

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Oslo, Mont Blanc, Yukon, Gobi, Salzburg, Deauville, Vienna and Fiji

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation in Oslo, Mont Blanc, Yukon, Gobi, Salzburg, Deauville, Vienna and Fiji

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Set 2:

  • Punjab – Medium 1
  • Patagonia – Medium 1.2
  • Vallauris – Medium 1.5
  • Santa Fe – Medium 2
  • Sahel – Medium 2.5
  • Stromboli – Medium 3
  • Vanuatu – Medium 3.5
  • Barcelona – Medium 4

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review and Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review and Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

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Set 3:

  • Valencia – Medium 5
  • Aruba – Medium 6
  • Syracuse – Medium/Dark 1
  • Tahoe – Medium/Dark 2
  • Moorea – Medium/Dark 2.3
  • Huahine – Medium/Dark 2.6
  • Cadiz – Medium/Dark 3
  • Caracas – Medium/Dark 3.3
  • Belem – Medium/Dark 3.6

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Swatches | The Beauty Look Book

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Swatches Valencia, Aruba, Syracuse, Tahoe, Moorea, Huahine, Cadiz, Caracas, Belem

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Set 4:

  1. Macao – Medium/Dark 4
  2. Marquises – Medium/Dark 5
  3. Manaus – Dark 1
  4. New Caledonia – Dark 2
  5. Iguacu – Dark 3
  6. Namibia – Dark 4
  7. Zambie – Dark 5
  8. Mali – Dark 6

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Swatches

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Swatches Macao, Marquises, Manaus, New Caldonia, Iguacu, Namibia, Zambie, Mali

A quick comparison between a few shades I use in the NARS range including the All Day Luminous Foundation in Stromboli and Barcelona and Velvet Matte Skin Tint in St. Moritz. I’ve also included the Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger for reference. Two of the NARS primers shown for size comparison.

NARS Foundation Swatches Stromboli, Barcelona and St. Moritz

NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review and Swatches

In summary I think the new NARS foundation performs really well for my skin type. It will give nearly full coverage and covered under eye dark circles and redness around the nose. It was a little tricky to get the coverage to look natural since it is so opaque. The first time I applied it I dabbed on way too much. A little goes a long way. As far as I can tell there is no detectable scent, no irritation on my skin, no white flashback with a camera flash. It will look dewy if you don’t set with powder. I wasn’t able to put it to the test for a full 16 hours, but I have worn this for around 12 hours on several occasions and it holds up pretty well both in doors and outdoors in the sun and at the beach. I do get a little dewy looking around the T-zone by the end of the day so I keep my Tatcha blotting papers with me to help absorb shine without messing up my makeup. My favorite formula from NARS is still the Velvet Matte Skin Tint because I like something that feels more weightless without any dewy look.

My other foundation shades I alternate between and use in my Summer Base Edit post (Tom Ford, Laura Mercier and MAC shades I use). I’m currently testing some formulas from Estee Lauder which I just bought. Review on those picks soon!

You can find the NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation at online at Sephora, Ulta and NARS right now. Have you tried this yet?

NARS foundations sent courtesy of the NARS team for review.