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Something Old, Something New: NARS Oasis & Oasis

August 2, 2010
This past weekend, I checked out the new NARS Lipglosses ($24) released at Nordstrom (Luxor) and Sephora (Super Orgasm, Oasis, Luster, Angelika, Albatross), all inspired by various blushes and multiples by NARS. I thought I would need one of each since I love all the corresponding cheek shades (except for Albatross), but I only came home with Oasis, a beautiful pink with golden sparkles.

Here is the Lip Gloss compared to the Blush, not exactly 100% alike, but similar:




The Lip Gloss is a pretty blush pink. I found it similar in color family to Risky Business and Stella. The difference for me:

  • Oasis: most pink, has a cream pink base with golden sparkles
  • Risky Business: more frosty all the way through, shimmer is multi-colored with a silvery sheen
  • Stella: more reddish, shimmer is complex with reds & pinks
Note that the blush swatch is not exactly reflective of how this goes on the cheeks. It looks muddy-brown here, on the cheeks it’s a rose pink with brown. The lighting last night was playing tricks on me, so here it is in different lighting to give you a better idea and show you the difference. Depending on which light you look at the glosses in, sometimes the 3 glosses look exactly the same. On the lips – Oasis and Stella look extremely similar on me.



My personal thoughts on the other shades: I passed on the other glosses. Lovely, but I’m still a bit undecided. At Sephora, I was drawn to Super Orgasm and Luster but the glitter/shimmer chunks seemed a bit too big for what I’m used to. Albatross was pretty, but sheer. I’m not a fan of the Albatross Highlighter, but the gloss was pretty. Angelika was too cool for my skin, although I adore the blush. At Nordstrom, Luxor was too pale and cool toned for my taste. It looks like something that would work well over other lipsticks.
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Burberry Light Glow Natural Blush Peony

July 26, 2010

When I saw the Burberry Beauty line at Nordstrom I was most surprised by the blushes, mainly because they were nothing like what I expected. Based on the online photos, I was expecting softer more nude and brown based colors. The actual product is very different – darker than I had anticipated, but the colors are still very pretty. The blushes are called Light Glow – Natural Blush $42, I find appropriately named, because they really give a glow. All the colors I looked at had a slight shimmer to medium shimmer. I tried on Cameo a lovely pink, but it went on too dark for my taste. The artist suggested Peony which looked extremely pale and powdery looking but I was pleasantly surprised.

Peony is a soft natural pink. The blushes are all very pigmented but the texture is soft making them easy to blend and layer for that natural blush finish.


No flash:


Compared to a few other pinks, they look strikingly similar to Edward Bess’s Soft Orchid and Chanel Narcisse. The difference is noticeable once on the skin. EB Soft Orchid is cooler toned and I also find this one softer/sheerer in finish. Chanel Narcisse has a more powdery-looking finish because of the shimmer in it. I would say that Burberry’s Blush finish seems similar to that of Chanel Narcisse (the US version). Out of all my Chanel blushes, for some reason I find Narcisse the softest. All are swatched over a mixture of MAC Prep & Prime, Armani Lasting Silk 5.5+6.5.





How I swatch my blushes on my arm:

I also had my eye on Russet and Blossom. They were sold out of Russet and I decided to wait on Blossom. Diane from Orange To LA has an amazing photo of Blossom which has me drooling with slight regret that I didn’t buy it too.

At $42 these are fairly pricey. I’m not sure how I feel about the price. At this time, it’s cheaper than Armani ($43) and D&G ($44) the same as Chanel ($42). More than Dior ($40) which I’m not a huge fan of because they are so sheer. Prices keep going up which I’m not really happy about. I guess it’s something we all have to deal with. In my mind, I think ideally a blush should be $35-ish maximum.

In my mind I still feel like skincare, foundation, brushes and powder should be the only items that exceed $45. Still doesn’t stop me. Personally I would love to have less fancy packaging with no brush in the compact for a lower price. I never end up using those brushes anyways. One reason I love Bobbi Brown individual blushes and eyeshadows, along with NARS.

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NARS Blushes: Douceur, Madly, Ninotchka, Zen

July 19, 2010
I already posted a few comparisons of the new NARS Douceur Blush for fall, (see my comparisons here) but many of you are curious for even more comparisons to Zen and Madly. Here are pics of the blush comparisons you requested. They are all different in my opinion. Douceur is a dusty pink-brown. Madly is a beige with slight shimmer and pink tones (on my face at least). Zen is a straight nude-beige-brown. Ninotchka goes on me a brownish color.

Swatched heavily over Chanel Teint Innocence Liquid Formula in Shell 1.5 to pick up the color more: Douceur, Madly, Zen, Ninotchka.

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NARS Fall 2010: Rajasthan, Tzarine & Douceur

July 15, 2010
I’ve been excited about NARS Fall ever since Karen at Makeup & Beauty Blog featured a sneak peek of the collection. Imagine my surprise to see the collection display up today when I went to Nordstrom to pick up my pre-sale items from the Anniversary Sale. The NARS summer collection left me unimpressed but the fall collection seems to be right on track for the typical stunning, inspirational and unique releases they normally do. I picked up three items:
  • Rajastan Eyeshadow Duo – shimmering sandy beige & deep smokey blue-green
  • Tzarine Eyeshadow Duo – lovely cool sparkley champagne & cool-toned dove grey with gold microglitter sparkles
  • Douceur Blush – a neutral dusty pink with slight brownish tones

Top: Rajasthan & Tzarine Eyeshadow Duos
Bottom: Douceur Blush

* Labels corrected, thanks Stephanie!

I couldn’t find any dupes for Tzarine Eyeshadow Duo. For Rajastan, I couldn’t find any dupes either, but the golden shade is similar to Cyprus Single Eyeshadow. I compared the smokey blue-green to MAC Club and Forest Green Pigment (discontinued) and Rajastan has more blueish tones. For Douceur Blush, I thought in my mind “perhaps it’s a powder version of Penny Lane.” I was way off. It is pink, but has more brown and is darker. Douceur seems most similar in finish to Cubic. Compared to Blushbaby, Douceur has more dusty pink where Blushbaby is more brownish. I haven’t tried them on the face to see how the colors look though. Below are the close ups, comparisons and more swatches.

NARS Tzarine

NARS Rajasthan

Compared to NARS Cyprus, MAC Club, MAC Forest Green Pigment (discontinued, pro)


NARS Douceur Blush (Limited Edition)

Comparisons to NARS Penny Lane, MAC Blushbaby, MAC Cubic




These were the three standouts to me. I didn’t check the lip products or single shadows. I have to say I was extremely surprised to find Douceur Blush is limited edition. I didn’t ask the specialist about the other items in the collection, but I one of the things I love about NARS is that he typically doesn’t do “limited edition” colors. I have noticed that in the past couple years a number of beautiful shades such as Mogambo Duo, Galaxy Girl Lipstick, Cannes Multiple, Antibes Multiple have been discontinued and retired to the “vintage” section of the NARS website. I have found similar colors for these and understand they probably can’t keep everything, but still am very sad about Cannes being discontinued.

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Chanel Pink Explosion 64 Joues Contraste

June 28, 2010
Another one of my picks from Chanel Fall 2010, Pink Explosion Powder Blush, a dusty cool pink with tiny bits of silver sparkle. It’s a lovely shade of pink, but I bring my first less-than-satisfactory review for Chanel. I normally love the color products Chanel makes – the formula, texture, finish are all divine and I feel the higher price tag justifies the purchase because of the higher quality. The items I don’t like are typically just because the color isn’t me, but I am usually able to find at least one thing that I like with each collection. This fall, Chanel has released the blushes in the Asia/Euro baked version and I am slightly disappointed.

Chanel has two types of product batches they produce (as far as I know): U.S. versions and Euro/Asia/Canada versions. The difference is in the product names and finish (why many like the number reference so they know which overseas products to compare). Euro/Asia eyeshadows and blushes come in a baked formula with round pans and have a more powdery-like finish. I will say up front, I am not a fan of the Euro/Asia formulas at all. I have a couple Euro blushes from custom purchases (Candy and Tea Rose) and I only purchased them because I was interested in the color. The formula has left me wanting for more. Both definitely show up, but the finish is not the same as the U.S. – they are sheerer, more powdery, and just sit on the skin rather than blending into the skin like a natural blush does.

The labeling shows Made In U.S.A. versus Made in France:

That being said, I decided to give Pink Explosion a try. The verdict is still out. The color is pretty, but I’m less than thrilled with the finish – one swipe and you get a powdery mess. I find the formula too soft. Also there’s the glitter. Granted, it’s extremely fine and tiny. But still, I love Chanel for their finely milled shimmers, not glitter. Hence the less-than-satisfactory review. I know I would have loved this one had it been in the US formula.

Here you can see the powdery crumbly debris,
(natural light, no flash but cloudy weather):

If you own other Chanel blushes, you may be wondering how it compares to other pinks. Here it is compared to Narcisse and Turbulent (both discontinued):

No flash, in natural light (cloudy weather light though):


Swatch comparisons to other Chanel Pinks:
Narcisse, Pink Explosion, Turbulent,
Rose Petale, Tweed Pink


So all in all, I think it’s a nice blush. Just not the usual quality I find for Chanel. The clouds have me slightly off my game – photography wise. I’d suggest checking out other blogs to see how Pink Explosion looks photographed in different lighting. It will give you a better idea of how it looks. I’m in between a MAC NC30-35.

  • Check it out on darker skintone on Karen at Makeup and Beauty Blog here.
  • Also check it out on lighter skintone like Christine’s from Temptalia here.

I’d say my skintone is probably somewhere in between those two 🙂 If you have this photographed or swatched, please feel free to link to your blog in the comments.

US girls who have purchased Chanel blushes in the past – what are your thoughts about the Asia/Euro formula for blushes?

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Current Loves For June . . .

June 26, 2010

Paul & Joe Creamy Facial Foam
NARS Beverly Hills Multiple Tint
NARS Sertao Blush
NARS Cordura Eyeshadow Duo
Urban Decay YDK Eyeshadow
Bobbi Brown Bronzer Brush
Bobbi Brown Shore Cream Eyeshadow
Chanel Nail Polishes
MAC Blonde’s Gold Pigment
MAC Fleur Power
J.Crew Skinny Belts

* Sorry for the misspelling on the NARS blush, it’s Sertao, not Serato


  • Paul & Joe Creamy Facial Foam – I tried this from a sample and finally purchased the full size. It’s thick and creamy and cleanses the skin really well. Leaves the skin feeling clean and refreshed.
  • NARS Beverly Hills Multiple Tint – See more swatches and the review here, a nice swipe & go type of product, easy to use and blend, gives a pop of color, can’t rave enough about these
  • NARS Sertao Blush – A pretty shimmery light golden tan
  • NARS Cordura Eyeshadow Duo – Great for a smokey bronzed eye look
  • Urban Decay YDK Eyeshadow – This is from the old packaging, a nice nude-taupey-bronze sparkle
  • Bobbi Brown Bronzer Brush – This is from the Black Plum set, but is available in the regular brush handle, the most luxurious soft bronzer brush you’ll ever find. Definitely worth the price even though it is pricier.
  • Bobbi Brown Shore Cream Eyeshadow – My perfect lids-but-better base, review here
  • Chanel Nail Polishes – Especially love Riviera (check out dupes here) and Orange Blossom (see the manicure here)
  • MAC Fleur Power – The perfect healthy warm pink blush
  • MAC Blonde’s Gold Pigment – The prettiest wash of soft gold-champagne
  • J.Crew Skinny Belts – Simple, classic and makes a nice accent to the waist, now I just need to go back and find a black one


What are you loving right now? I always love reading your favorites.

*Update* I wasn’t happy with the swatches for this post – I think they were a bit misleading because the lighting was off so I removed them so I don’t confuse my readers. Sorry for any confusion!

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Look of the Day Inspired By My Daily Reads & Readers

June 20, 2010
Today’s look is inspired from a few of my favorite daily reads and readers. The bits of inspiration include the following:

Today’s Look: Summer Casual


Top: J.Crew Perfect-Fit Stripe Boatneck (S)
Shorts: J.Crew
Sandals: Tory Burch
Purse: Chanel
Guest Puppy Appearance: Mr. Jake

Makeup of The Day:

Face: Chanel Sunkissed Illuminator
MAC Refined Golden Bronzer
MAC Dollymix Blush

Eyes: Paul & Joe Eye Gloss 05
Bobbi Brown Seashell Shimmerwash
MAC Naked Dark Pigment (swatches here)
Bobbi Brown Java Metallic Eyeshadow
(Java comparisons)

Lips: MAC Dervish
Paul & Joe Liplacquer 06

Brushes Used:


Eye look was a smokey taupe, here’s how:

  • Step 1: Apply Paul & Joe Eye Gloss in Murmur 05 on lids (for asian eyes, 1/2 way up eye from lash to middle of eye, heavier near lash line)
  • Step 2: Apply Bobbi Brown Java Metallic from lash to 1/2 way up lid for a smokey eye, also heavier near lash line
  • Step 3: Apply MAC Naked Dark Pigment over center of eye to blend out any harsh lines from the darker shades
  • Step 4: Apply Bobbi Brown Seashell Shimmerwash from brow downwards softly to create a subtle highlight
  • Step 5: Curl lashes and apply mascara

Nails of the Day: Chanel Django & Nouvelle Vague



The mani/pedi combo:

I’m surprised that I’m liking the blue nail polish! FYI – the Jcrew top seems to run a bit small. I’m normally an XS in their shirts but found it to be a bit too snug. Or perhaps I just have been having too many sugary drinks and gained weight.

Feedback appreciated! Too much info in one post? Is the look too casual to write about? Would you style the top differently? I like that it can be dressed up a little with a nice skirt or dress pants. But it’s nice as a loungy-carefree-top too. Being in Southern California – my daily style is pretty casual.

I already did a lip swatch and EOTD attempt – neither turned out decent this morning. I’ll try and feature the Paul & Joe Lip Lacquer by itself in another post in the near future.

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