NARS

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:

• Powder Blush in Loves Me and Loves Me Not ($30 each)
• Highlighting Multi-Use Pencil in Wild Phox ($29)
• Lip Powder Palette in Poison Rose ($49 for 5 shades)
• Eyeshadow Palettes in Fleur Fatale and Night Garden ($49 each)
• Lipsticks in Moon Orchid, Voodoo Lily, Wild Flower, Bloodflower, Carnal Carnation, Larkspur ($28 each)
• Mattifying Blotting Paper ($19)

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.)

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).

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.)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Makeup worn above:

• Tarte Shape Tape Matte Foundation in Medium Sand
• MAC Next to Nothing Pressed Powder in Medium Plus
• NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette
• Velour Effortless Lashes in Short and Sweet
• Diorshow Brow Styler in Universal Brown
• Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel in Soft Brunette
• NARS Power Matte Lip Pigment in American Woman
• Cheeks on the left are the top 3 palette shades layered in Unlimited, Buzzed and Notorious
• Cheeks on the right are Kingpin, Bumpy Ride and Crave layered

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Both next to each other below:

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.

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

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.

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:

• Lip Cover ($28 each) in Embrasse Moi, Under Arrest, Summer Fire and Hell Gate
• Velvet Shadow Stick ($29 each) in Frioul and Galice
• Highlighting Blush ($30) in Free Soul
• Liquid Blush ($30) in Hot Tin Roof

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.

All swatched on bare lips:

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.

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.

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.

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

Two looks, left wearing:

• Foundation – NARS Natural Radiant Foundation in Vanuatu
• Concealer – Tarte Shape Tape Concealer in Medium
• Powder – La Mer Loose Powder
• Eyes – NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette
• Brows – Hourglass Arch Brow Gel in Soft Brunette
• Cheeks – NARS Liquid Blush in Hot Tin Roof (it’s soooo pigmented!)
• Lips – Lip Cover in Hell Gate

Right side wearing:

• Same as above except for lips/cheeks
• Cheeks – NARS Highlighting Blush in Free Soul
• Lips – Lip Cover in Summer Fire
• Black Tee – Splendid

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.