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Christopher Kane for NARS: Quantum and Violet Atom Multiples + Silent Nude and Starscape Blushes

May 12, 2015

There are four limited-edition cheek products in the NARS x Christopher Kane Collection for summer. There are two Powder Blushes ($30 each) and two Illuminating Multiples ($39 each). I’m in love with all four items although I will say upfront the blushes can probably duped while the multiples are the colors that are more unique. The four shades in this collection:
  • Silent Nude Blush is a warm-neutral beige nude with a matte finish (no shimmer)
  • Starscape Blush is a neon warm pink that comes in a satiny matte finish
  • Violet Atom Multiple is a pale iridescent lilac that flashes opal and green
  • Quantum is a violet pink with a satiny sheen (this is exclusive to NARS Boutiques and NARS online)
Swatches of all four Christopher Kane + NARS cheek items:

Both powder blushes are classic shades which makes them pretty standard. If you’re looking for something super unique you may want to skip these and shop your stash for something similar. That being said, I really like both of these. They work well for my skin tone and they have a rich velvety texture that blends nicely on the skin. They add a natural wash of color that is easy to layer and build. 

Swatch comparisons to: Burberry Hydrangea Pink, Tom Ford Narcissist, Tom Ford Wicked, NARS Desire, NARS Gaiety, NARS Zen, Chanel Les Beiges 40, Burberry Earthy, Marc Jacobs Dream Filter Contour Duo (right side)

I find true nude blushes hard to find for my particular skin tone. Many either turn grey, look more pink rather than nude, disappear on my skin or just look like bronzer. Burberry Earthy and Dolce & Gabbana Tan are my perfect nude blushes, but NARS Silent Nude comes in close third.

Starscape is a soft but bright neon pink. It’s easy to layer and on my medium skin it brightens the complexion. It adds just the right amount of pop of color to the face to give it some life. It’s a bright color but layers nicely so you don’t have to worry about overdoing it. One swipe on each cheek is sufficient for me to get enough color. It’s very pigmented but still applies smoothly. 

The multiples are both very unique and the colors are flattering on medium-toned skin. The texture is a bit more gel-like rather than emollient like most of my other NARS multiples. You may have to swipe off the top layer on a paper towel to get the product going. Quantum gives the cheeks a really pretty berry stain. This one is exclusive to the NARS boutique and www.narscosmetics.com. Violet Atom gives the prettiest sheen of shimmer. On the skin it almost disappears but it makes the skin glow with a very interesting greenish/silver/lilac shimmer. I like this one on the eyes as well. For both, I apply these straight on the cheek in a back and forth swiping motion and then blend with fingers.

Swatched comparisons to two other discontinued multiples:

All four items are winners in my book. I like that they are different from the traditional peach or bronze shades you think of when it comes to summer colors (although I’m one who can never have enough bronzer or peach blushes). They work to add color to the face in an easy effortless way and even though each is distinct in color, they are versatile enough to go with a number of different lip colors: pink, peach, nude or plum. I like layering the colors in this collection together. The combination possibilities are endless. Violet Atom Multiple is my favorite of the four items, it’s such a unique color that I wouldn’t have ever thought to pick out or even dream up, but it gives such a pretty sheen to the skin. I don’t think I have seen anything like it before.
The four Christopher Kane for NARS Cheek Products are limited-edition. The Quantum Multiple is exclusive to NARS Boutiques and NARS Online. The other three items are available at all NARS counters and online at NARS Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys New York and Selfridges.

The two Christopher Kane powder blushes were provided courtesy of NARS for review consideration. Multiples purchased by me.

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Christopher Kane for NARS Eyeshadows: Parallel Universe and Outer Limits

May 11, 2015
There are two limited-edition eyeshadows in the Christopher Kane for NARS summer beauty collection: Parallel Universe Eyeshadow Duo ($35) and Outer Limits Single Eyeshadow ($25). I bought both of these from the NARS boutique on Melrose sometime last month – the artists on site were all wearing Outer Limits on their eyes and it looked so beautiful on each of them even though they all had different eye colors and skin tones. I played with both in store and even though they are both very different from what I usually gravitate towards I bought them.

Parallel Universe is a unique shimmer duo. The texture is almost creamy with a very soft shimmer. The texture of the shimmer is ultra fine and almost duo-chrome. There are beautiful flecks of multi-colored shimmer in each color. The left side is a grayish pink opal color, the right is a violet color. The colors in the duo are a bit too light for me to wear alone. I need a darker black or plum shadow/liner to define the eyes but both give a really pretty wash of iridescent shimmer. Online reviews seem mixed on this one but I’m completely in love with the shimmers, texture and the way it blends on the lids. I give this one a thumbs up. Lasting power is very good on this one, similar to other NARS duos and lasts from early morning until late afternoon without fading or budging.

Some swatch comparisons:

MAC Lovely Lily Pigment (discontinued) 
Chanel Utopia Illusion D’Ombre (discontinued, review)
MAC Quick Frost Pigment (discontinued) 

Outer Limits is a glittery peachy yellow eyeshadow. This one looked so beautiful on the girls at the NARS boutique. I don’t think I’ve ever liked a glitter eyeshadow from NARS, but based on how it looked on the artists at the store, I convinced myself to try something new and different and give this one a go. I’ve tried this one several times and each time it’s been a complete fail. The glitter particles are too large and chunky and it’s not something that melds with the lids. I can wear a number of Bobbi Brown, MAC and Tom Ford glittery shadows (for special occasions), so I was hoping the NARS Outer Limits would also be a wearable glitter for me. It looks so pretty in the pan. On the lids (wet or dry) it’s uneven and patchy with tons of glitter fallout. I couldn’t wear this for more than 10 minutes without taking it off – glitter fell all over my lashes.

Swatch comparisons:

Tom Ford Cream Shadow in Escapade (discontinued, review)
MAC Jardin Aires Pigment (discontinued) 

I give Parallel Universe a thumbs up. It gives the lids the prettiest wash of color that’s so different from your regular neutral champagne or bronze for summer (which I adore, but sometimes it’s nice to try something different). I really wanted to love Outer Limits. It’s so pretty in the pan and it swatches really pretty on the arms/hands with the peachy yellow gold mix. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. I would recommend trying before you buy if you can get to a NARS counter or store to see it in person if you’re unsure.

Both Parallel Universe and Outer Limits are limited-edition colors for summer. You can find them now at counters and stores. Online at NARS Cosmetics, Nordstrom, Saks and Sephora.

Have you checked out the Christopher Kane for NARS Collection yet? What did you think?

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Christopher Kane for NARS Lip Glosses: Nucleus, Glow Pink, Mezmer and Nebulous

May 7, 2015

For summer 2015, NARS and Christopher Kane have partnered to launch a limited-edition collection of neons and neutrals to showcase Christopher Kane’s edgy design aesthetic with NARS’ iconic and bold beauty philosophy. I’ve been playing with the collection for a few weeks now and first up are the Christopher Kane for NARS Lip Glosses ($26 each for 0.18 oz/6 ml). There are four shades of lip gloss in the collection that come with the special fuchsia NARS Print and white Christopher Kane name embossed on the caps. The rest of the packaging is similar to that of the regular lip glosses with the sponge-tip applicator. The colors have a high-shine finish with a transparent quality. They appear to be sheer but the brighter colors have a bright base that add color once you let them sit. They leave a stain on the lips once the gloss is gone.

The four shades are all creams/jellies (no shimmer):

  • Nucleus is a sheer pale milky pink 
  • Glow Pink is a sheer violet purple that looks like a soft pink tint
  • Mezmer is a warm watermelon pink that goes on bright
  • Nebulous is a sheer coral orange peach
Swatches of each color show the transparent quality. Glow Pink looks violet in the tube but sheers out. Mezmer is the brightest and most pigmented of the four colors. Nebulous looks super bright in the tube but sheers out to give the lips a light tint of color. Nucleus is the creamiest.

Close ups and swatches on the lips. As always, lip swatches only show the color reviewed. Some readers have been asking about the lipliners I’ve been wearing on lip swatches. I have pigmented lips which means my natural lip color sometimes shows through the lipstick, especially around the edges. It can give the appearance of lipliner, but it’s just my natural lip that is showing through. Lipliner is included only when specified in each post.

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Nucleus is a sheer pale pink. The lightness contrasts with my natural lip tone and settles into the fine lines if I wear this alone. It looks best when layered over a lipstick or filled in lipliner. I like this over NARS Raquel Lipstick or Chanel Natural Lipliner. Below swatched alone on bare lips where you can see that Nucleus is a transparent-ish color.

striped boatneck by J.Crew, current season’s style here
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Glow Pink is a violet pink. It’s a sheer jelly which gives the lips a tint of color. On my lips it brings out the pink tones of my natural lip. On my lips it looks warmer than it does when swatched on the hand or in the tube.

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Mezmer is a warm watermelon pink in the tube but on my lips it turns into a bright cool fuchsia. I swatched this multiple times on different days to make sure there wasn’t any remnants of stain from other colors on my lips. Each time it looked exactly like this as shown below. Your mileage may vary with this color as it melds with your specific natural lip tone. Out of the four Christopher Kane for NARS Lip Glosses I found this one to be the most pigmented but it still has a jelly finish.

striped boatneck by J.Crew, current season’s style here
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Nebulous is a hot orange in the tube. On the lips it sheers out to a coral peachy glow. This is my favorite in the bunch because of the way it transforms on the lips. I like it alone but it’s also pretty layered over Barbarella Lipstick or Barbara Lipstick from NARS. Here it is swatched alone on bare lips. 

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Some swatched comparisons for reference:

If you like sheer jelly brights then I think you’ll find something to love in the Christopher Kane for NARS collection. I found the glosses have a similar vibe to some other sheer jelly lip glosses but I do like the fact that the NARS ones have a stain factor making them more pigmented and colorful compared to the traditional jelly gloss. My personal favorites are Nebulous and Glow Pink because they give the lips a healthy tint of color that looks bright but still natural. Mezmer is so gorgeous in the tube but on me it turns into a cool fuchsia which is fun, but I don’t usually gravitate towards bright cool pinks because they turn blue on my olive skin. Nucleus is a fail when worn alone, but it’s a good one when layered over lipstick/liner or when mixed with other lip glosses. This is mainly because of my super pigmented lips that contrast with the pale undertone.
A quick peek at the Christopher Kane for NARS Collection from the Melrose Boutique:

Have you checked out the NARS Christopher Kane collection yet? What did you think? You can find the lip glosses now at all NARS counters and Boutiques. Online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and Narscosmetics.com.

Nucleus was provided as a press sample for review consideration. All other colors purchased by me.

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NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation and Soft Velvet Loose Setting Powder

February 7, 2015

This spring NARS has released some new products for the face including the All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation ($48 for 1 fl oz) and the Soft Velvet Loose Setting Powder ($36 for 10 g). I’ve been testing these for a couple weeks now. I purchased the liquid foundation in store after swatching several of the shades. The NARS team kindly sent the powder for review with Beach as their best guess for my color match. Today I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the formulas, wear time, texture and swatches with comparisons.

For quick reference, I use the foundation in Punjab and powder in Beach:

The All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation is incredible. It has a lightweight fluid texture that gives you full coverage with one to two pumps. To me it has a similar texture to the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation but has a more natural looking finish that has just the right amount of glow. On me this one covers most of my scars and imperfections flawlessly. Coverage is slightly heavier than the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation but the overall look and effect is similar to me.

In terms of wear, the new NARS foundation blends into the skin flawlessly without streaking or caking. It gives medium to full coverage and evens out the skin beautifully. For wear time, I found it lasted all day long without getting oily or glowy. I do think what you use underneath will make a difference, since this is on the luminous side, if you are oily you may want to go lighter on the moisturizer or base. For me, these days to prep the skin these days I’ve been using Ole Henriksen’s Pure Truth Serum and Sheer Transformation Moisturizer. Sometimes I’ll use primers and my current favorites are the NARS Pro-Prime and Tom Ford Illuminating. For me I find the texture of the NARS foundation is easy to blend so I find that it doesn’t need a primer.

For color, I am a match to the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in Punjab. I’ve been matched to this color in most of the formulas, it’s a good medium color with olive and yellow tones. Finding something with the right mix of olive and yellow undertone is hard for me. I’m often in between shades or find that I have to mix colors. Most foundations are not yellow enough or too olive. Punjab is the perfect match for me and I was thrilled to find that the new formula’s color to be an exact match. If you’re similar in skin tone to me but not as olive and are a bit more pink/peach go with Santa Fe. For reference, I found the swatches of all the foundation shades on Café Makeup extremely helpful.

I have two sets of swatch comparisons below to other NARS foundations and other brands. I’ve reviewed most of the items below before. I’ll link reviews where applicable:

  • NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Alaska
  • NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard and Ginger (I mix them, review)
  • NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer in Groenland (my match)
  • NARS All Day Radiant Weightless Foundation in Punjab
  • NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation in Punjab (review)
  • NARS Soft Velvet Loose Powder in Beach
  • NARS All Day Luminous Powder Foundation in Punjab (review)
  • Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet in B30 (review)
  • Cle de Peau Beaute Cream Foundation in O30 (review)
  • Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation in Bisque 04 (review) 
  • Dolce & Gabbana Luminous Foundation in Caramel 110 (review)

Bottom line I give the foundation a huge thumbs up. I think it’s their best foundation released to date. I’m a huge fan of the Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer for texture and finish but sometimes I want more coverage. The new foundation is exactly what I wanted for an amped up version of the Tinted Moisturizer. I love that there is no detectable fragrance and on me it really did last all day from morning to evening without budging or sliding.

Next on to the powder. I tested a number of NARS powders in the old formulas at makeup events (both pressed and loose). I didn’t like any of them because I found they caked on my skin on top of foundation. It wasn’t until NARS released the Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder that I changed my mind about their face powders. It’s one of my top picks for setting powders because it doesn’t alter the color of your foundation and even though the powder is white it doesn’t make you look like a ghost or powdery. Given my love of the reflecting powders, I was excited to try my sample of the new Soft Velvet Loose Setting Powder in Beach. After playing with this for a few weeks, I have mixed feelings.

There are eight different colors of the loose powder. Even though I was sent Beach for review, I went to the counter to look at the shades in person to make sure it was the best color match. Eden is also very close in color but it’s more pink, while Beach is more yellow. On my skin they looked almost identical, but since I prefer yellow tones, Beach is the better of the two for me.

The powder is a soft and lightweight with a very finely milled texture. It feels silky on the skin and truly weightless. When dusted over the All Day Weightless Luminous Foundation I found it set nicely if I applied while the foundation was still a bit dewy (as in it didn’t set all the way). A little goes a long way so you only need a sheer wash of powder to set the entire face. The powder performed well over the NARS tinted moisturizer too creating a soft sheer matte finish.

It didn’t work so well over other foundations though and I’m not entirely sure why. It caked over the Chanel Perfection Lumiere Velvet Foundation, the Tom Ford Traceless Perfecting Foundation, Cle de Peau and also the NARS Radiant Creamy Compact Foundation. It settled into pores that seemed to be blended and covered perfectly by those foundations. My personal preference is to use the Light Reflecting Loose Powder or the All Day Luminous Powder Foundation as a setting powder. Still, I have seen some pretty good reviews on this one, if you’re near a NARS counter I recommend checking it out to see how it wears on you. My experience might not be typical with this one.

Overall, huge thumbs up on the foundation, mixed thoughts on the powder. If you’ve tested these please share what you thought and what shade you were matched to. I know readers often need to order sight unseen and your comments on color matching are always helpful!

You can find the NARS All Day Weightless Luminous Foundation and Soft Velvet Loose Setting powder at all NARS counters now. Online at Nordstrom, Sephora, Saks, Neiman Marcus and NARS.

The Soft Velvet Loose Powder was provided as a press sample for review consideration. The All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation was purchased by me.

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NARS Eye-Opening Act – Beauty Look Book Picks

January 5, 2015

This month, NARS Cosmetics introduces a limited-edition collection called the Eye-Opening Act featuring Tilda Swinton as the face of the campaign. This collection focuses on creating different looks for the eyes with new products and colors.

All the items in the Limited-Edition Eye-Opening Act Collection are exclusive to Nordstrom through March 15 of this year:
  • Matte Velvet Eyeshadow Stick ($28 each for 0.05 oz / 1.6 g)
    • Flibuste – black
    • Dark Angel – brown
    • Reykjavik – grey
    • Glénan – blue
    • Nunavut – purple
  • Yeux Irresistible Eyeshadow Palette ($48 for 6 shades each 0.03 oz / 1 g)
    • All About Eve Duo Eyeshadow (right side) – Flesh-toned neutral with shimmer
    • Jezebel Eyeshadow – Shimmery sable
    • Thunderball Eyeshadow – Midnight gray
    • Colombo Eyeshadow – Vintage gold shimmer
    • Brousse Duo Eyeshadow (left side) – Sable
    • Coconut Grove Eyeshadow – Deep Brown infused with reflections 
  • Inoubliable Coup d’Oeil Eyeshadow Palette ($48 for 6 shades each 0.03 oz / 1 g)
    • Dalliance Eyeshadow – Dusty lilac stone
    • Pyla Eyeshadow – Smokey hunter green
    • Sidi Bou Saïd – Blackened grape
    • Pandora Duo Eyeshadow (left side) – Sheer white shimmer
    • Luberon – Iridescent sand with rose gold sheen
    • Pandora Duo Eyeshadow (right side) – Matte black
  •  Illuminating Multiple St. Lucia ($39 for 0.5 oz / 14 g)
    • Sheer Rose

I ordered some items sight unseen a little over a week ago and have been putting them to the test. I have my picks to share with you today. First up are the new Matte Velvet Eyeshadow Sticks. These are twist up creamy shadows that come in five colors. I’ve had really good experiences with the NARS Larger Than Life Eyeliners and Soft Touch Shadow Pencils so I thought these new shadow sticks might be a cross of the two products. I ordered Reykjavik, Flibuste and Dark Angel sight unseen.

The shades I ordered are quite intense and pigmented. I found Reykjavik (grey) and Dark Angel (brown) easy to apply straight on the lids along the lash line. They glided on without tugging. Flibuste (black) was a bit drier in texture and tugged a little bit on my eyes but I was still able to apply on the lash line fairly easily. The Velvet Matte Shadow sticks do dry very quickly and once they set they don’t budge. For me, these work best as a liner. I’ve played with these by using a small smudge brush to apply them (take the brush and swipe the shadow stick, then use the product on the brush to apply to the eyes). Or I’ve also applied these directly to the eyes and blend with the fingers or a blending brush very quickly.

I like the sleek and simple packaging but given the intensity and pigment of the colors, I feel these act more like eyeliners rather than eyeshadows and wish they came in the Larger than Life Eyeliner form for easier and more precise application. That being said, for any darker cream shadow I usually use a brush to apply (versus fingers) whether it’s a pot, twist up stick, chubby stick or compact form.

Here are a few swatched comparisons. I think the NARS Reykjavik grey is a phenomenal grey color. It’s my favorite out of the ones I’ve tested because it’s an intense grey without being too light or dark.

Next are the two Eyeshadow Palettes. These are my favorite items from the Eye-Opening Act Collection. Both are super compact and cute. I thought my favorite for sure would be the Yeux Irresistible but I actually really like Inoubliable Coup D’Oeil just as much, especially since it has a lot of new colors (versus repromoted shades).

Yeux Irresistible contains a mix of warm and cool. All the shades are available in other Single Shadows and Eyeshadow Duos with the exception of Colombo which is exclusive to this palette. For me this one has colors that will create a smokey or dramatic eye.

Here are the shades swatched with a heavy hand. If you’re familiar with NARS Eyeshadows you are well aware that they have a smooth texture with medium pigment that is easy to build. All the shades here perform just like the individuals. They glide on the eyes nicely and layer well with each other. There is only one shade I’ve found requires extra work. In my experience with Thunderball (the single), I’ve found it works best when packed on the eyes with a detail brush as a liner. If you apply with a regular eyeshadow brush all over the lids, you may find it looks uneven and chalky. I found performance to be the same with this palette.
  • All About Eve II is a cool shimmering champagne pink with finely milled shimmer
  • Jezebel is a reddish brown color with subtle shimmer
  • Thunderball is a matte navy teal grey
  • Colombo is a shimmering gold with a very soft texture
  • Brousse I is a shimmering plum
  • Coconut Grove is a satiny dark brown that acts more like a matte on the lids

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Inoubliable Coup d’Oeil surprised me. With the exception of Luberon, all the other colors are very much cool-toned which can be hard for me to wear easily. That combined with the fact that I rarely wear green shadows on the eyes made me a bit hesitant to order this. I decided to give it a try and I’m really glad I did. Most of the colors with the exception of Pandora Duo are new and exclusive to this palette. The combination of these colors creates a unique and softly defined eye.

  • Dalliance is a sheer soft matte lilac tan, it goes on smoothly over an eyeshadow base
  • Pyla is a soft olive green with a slight grey tone and satiny shimmer
  • Sidi Bou Said is a dusty purple grape color with a satiny matte texture
  • Pandora I and II is a sheer iridescent cool white shimmer with a matte black
  • Lumeron is a shimmering coppery rose gold champagne

Last but not least is the new St. Lucia Multiple. This is a beautiful soft shimmering rose champagne. On my medium-toned skin it’s a highlighter color (I use the NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation and All Day Luminous Powder Foundation in Punjab), but I suspect on fair skin tones it will look more bronzey with more color. This one has a finely milled shimmer with a super smooth texture (no glitter). On my skin it’s light enough that I can wear it on the eyes without having to worry about getting that pink-eye look. On the cheeks it adds a very natural but visible glow to the skin. It’s really stunning. It’s a multi-dimensional color with lots of different colored shimmers in it. It has a rose base with champagne, silver, and pink shimmers that makes it glow. I found it sheer-to-medium in coverage. It’s not invisible on the skin, but it is on the sheer side for my particular skin tone. You can build the color naturally.

I’m really pleased with the eyeshadow palettes and new multiple. The colors in the palettes make creating an eye look easy whether you want something for day or night. There is a nice simplicity to the color combinations that will give you a classic look with a modern edge. The small size of the palettes makes these easy to carry with you if you need to travel or carry something with you to take you from day to night if you can’t make it back home to get ready. The new St. Lucia Multiple is really quite stunning. It is sheer but gives a really stunning glow. I have mixed feelings about the Velvet Shadow Sticks. If you’re looking for a more pigmented version of the Soft Touch Shadow Pencils, you will probably like the Velvet Shadow Sticks. I like the packaging design and the rich pigment. I also found lasting power very impressive (they don’t budge). I do think they set a bit too quickly for me and due to the intensity of the colors I think they work better as liners than shadows.
All the items in the NARS Eye-Opening Act are limited-edition. They are currently exclusive to Nordstrom counters and online. Have you checked out the collection? Or have anything on your wish list? I’d love to hear your thoughts?

This post was sponsored by Nordstrom. All opinions my own. All products purchased by me. For more information please refer to my disclosures.

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NARS Tech Fashion Lipgloss Coffret

November 26, 2014

NARS has so many beautiful holiday gift sets this year. So far I’ve managed to limit myself to one. I ordered the NARS Tech Fashion Lipgloss Coffret ($39 for a set of 4 mini glosses, 0.12 oz/4 ml each). I’m a major sucker for minis and the lip gloss set was too cute to pass up. The colors don’t have names but are labeled with numbers:

  • Shade I is a super sheer sparkling light peach with silver flecks
  • Shade II is a mix of rose and bronze with gold and silver sparkles, also very sheer
  • Shade III is a cool plum orchid with silver flecks
  • Shade IV is a soft red with a hint of shimmer

Left to right, I, II, III, IV

Shade I and II are both very sheer but still show up on my lips. I think these will be better layered over lipstick if you want a more visible gloss look. Shade III and IV are both medium in pigment. All the colors have some degree of shimmer, I and II are more shimmery, while III and IV are not quite as sparkly on the lips. As far as I can tell there is no detectable scent or fragrance in the glosses. The finish is ultra glossy but not too wet looking. Lasting power is average. They adhere well to the lips but won’t last the entire day without touchups.

These come with an angled sponge tip applicator.

Swatches are shown below applied on the arm with a couple swipes. Lip swatches are also straight from the tube, applied with the sponge tip:

A few comparisons to other colors for reference:

Set 1 with Shade I and II:
Bite Beauty Mix n Mingle Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Papaya
MAC Cremesheen Glass in Romantic Overture
NARS Lip Gloss in Sweet Revenge
Surratt Lip Lustre in Ensoleille
NARS Lip Gloss in Supervixen (review + swatched)

Set 2 with Shade III and IV:
Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Violet and Orchid
Chanel Rouge Allure Gloss Distinction and Seduction (lip swatched)
Burberry Lip Gloss in Oxblood

I have more than enough gloss to last 20 lifetimes but I think this one is a winner. It has a good range of colors to suit a number of needs. The small sizes means I will be able to use them up easily within the next few months and not have to worry about them going bad. I’m a sucker for minis and I’m thrilled with this one. I love each and every shade in the collection which is rare for me when it comes to sets. It is limited-edition for holiday so once the sets sell out, they’re gone.

I give it a huge thumbs up. If you’ve been eyeing this one, you might want to hold off until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to check for deals. I’ll have a roundup in a couple days on deals posted on the blog.

The NARS Tech Fashion Lipgloss Coffret retails for $39. It’s available at Nordstrom, Barneys, Neiman Marcus and Narscosmetics.com.


Did you get any of the NARS holiday sets? Any of them worth splurging for? They look so tempting and I’m trying to resist.

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NARS Laced With Edge Lip Gloss for Holiday 2014 | Soleil D’Orient, Corsica and Burning Love

November 7, 2014

For the holiday Laced With Edge Collection, NARS has three new Lip Glosses in Soleil D’Orient, Corsica and Burning Love ($26 each for .18 oz/6 ml, limited-edition). All the items in the holiday collection have a unique twist on the packaging design. Each item adapts architectural designer Chris Kabatsi’s digitally-rendered Nebula print with a black gloss embossing. It represents a modern take on lace.

The three glosses have a perfect holiday vibe.

  • Soleil D’Orient is a sparkling cool-pink champagne
  • Corsica is a warm pink raspberry with a slight hint of shimmer
  • Burning Love is a deep but bright ruby cream, it also has a slight hint of shimmer

The glosses come with a beveled sponge tip applicator which is sturdy but still soft to the touch. The angled tip allows for precise application. Views of the top, side and base:

While these glosses might seem familiar in color to many other shades, there is a multi-dimensional feel to each color. The swatches below will show how the base shifts depending on light. Soleil D’Orient has cool-toned shimmer mixed in with warmer champagne sparkles which prevents it from looking like white frost on the lips. Corsica is both warm and cool, it’s a pigmented pink with visible color but still soft. Burning Love is both deep and bright. There is a slight hint of sparkle in it but on the lips it’s mostly a cream. 

Lip swatches on bare lips, for skin tone reference I’m wearing Dolce & Gabbana Caramel Perfect Reveal Lift Foundation 110 with the Dolce & Gabbana Powder Foundation in Warm 100.

A few comparison swatches below:

I already own quite a bit of lip gloss. The one that is most unique for me is Burning Love because it’s a brighter color than what I normally wear. Reds are still fun for the holiday season and I am continuously getting requests to review bolder colors for lips on the blog. Soleil D’Orient is my personal favorite because it’s a warm and cool champagne. Many lip items this color are extremely cool on my lips/skintone and end up looking like white frost. Soleil D’Orient has enough warmth in it, I wish it came in eyeshadow format too.

All the colors are limited-edition. You can find them now at all NARS counters and boutiques. Have you checked out the NARS holiday collection yet? I haven’t been to the counters in a couple weeks, but am hoping to have time soon to see all the holiday offerings this year in person.

Corsica was sent by NARS for review consideration. I purchased Soleil D’Orient and Burning Love.

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