MAC Metal Rock Mineralized Skinfinish (From 2005 Gold Play Collection) – One of the prettiest complex coppery-deep bronzey colors. I like to use this for eyeshadow rather than on the face. For my skin it’s too dark to use on the cheeks. The closest I’ve found to this is NARS Fez.
Bobbi Brown Penny Metallic Eyeshadow (From 2008 Bronzed Pink Collection) – Also limited edition. Gorgeous warm sandy copper shimmer. Highly pigmented. Blends like magic. Try Bobbi Brown Burnt Sugar as an alternative.
Edward Bess Sunlight Highlighter – You’ve seen the review and swatch comparisons before. I love this for the perfect glow.
MAC Beigeland Lipstick – Yay for B2M! Lovely light nude-gold shimmer. Not quite as pale as Gel, but pretty similar.
YSL Rouge Volupte #26 Tender Peach – Also swatched/photographed before. This is such a lovely healthy fresh peach that doesn’t scream “loud.”
Chanel Seashell Glossimer – The perfect sheer glowy pink. It’s better than topping lipsticks with clear gloss because it just makes everything look better with a subtle shimmery glow.
March Issue of Lucky Magazine – This was a surprise for me, normally I don’t really find many things in this magazine that appeal to me, but in this issue there are so many cute outfit and shoe ideas in this issue. Definitely a good read!
Pottery Barn Vintage Milk Bottles – Couldn’t find the individual ones online, but they have them instore. So cute to store pencils or small flowers. Online they have a set of 6 with the labels on the sides.
These are the ones from Pottery Barn Online:
Michael Bublé – I love his music. He has such a great voice. His songs Some Kind of Wonderful and Just Haven’t Met You Yet make my heart skip a beat.
Paul & Joe has expanded their blush line with a new product called Creamy Cheek Color. There are currently 5 shades: 01 Marionette, 02 Kitten, 03 Peaches, 04 Butterfly, 05 Dusk. Each come in a mirrored compact the same size as the Face Color Blushes. The shades are all beautiful and have a subtle shimmer infused for a pretty glow. These retail for $24 each USD.
Swatches on bare skin:
Comparisons to other brands/similar colors:
Initial thoughts: I haven’t worn any of these for a full day yet, but I did test out 01 Marionette on my face as soon as I got it. It has an easily blendable texture and slightly powdery finish. The pigment is medium-sheer which is about the same as NARS Multiples, just less shimmery and less dewey looking on the skin.
Being the P&J fan that I am, I love these. I think everyone can find at least 1 flattering color. I know a few of my tan olive-toned friends love 05 🙂
For those who are wondering about the finish – the shimmer is very subtle. Not overly frosty like NARS Multiples or even MAC Blushcremes Sweet William/Blossoming. They give a pretty natural glow and the shimmer makes it so it doesn’t look too heavy or flat on the skin.
These were purchased from Bergdorf Goodman and should also be available soon at other Paul & Joe retailers.
I found some beauty buzz online about a new Flower Child palette and went to the Tarte website to investigate. I didn’t end up getting the palette, but a few other things caught my eye so I took advantage of the recent 40% code and got:
The Cheek Tint comes in one shade called “The Perfect Pink” and retails for $30. It comes in a mirrored compact and is supposed to contain a wrinkle-reverse technology. Even though I don’t have wrinkles or fine lines on my cheeks, the color looked pretty online so I decided to give it a try.
The texture is very creamy and easily blendable and non-sticky. The finish is a sheer natural pink which is great for a no-blush but natural pink look on the cheeks. If you’re looking for a lot of pigment – then this probably isn’t the blush for you. I wouldn’t recommend this for oily skin since this is more on the moist side. I have normal skin and I can definitely feel it on the face after it’s applied.
For the Cheek Stains, both are easily blendable and have a sweet scent. Both are on the moist side, but not too sticky. It does feel moist and slightly dewy on the face. I’ve been wearing one on each side of my face all day alone, over powder/foundation and I didn’t get oily or greasy – but today’s activity level was on the low side so I’ll have to play around with these more to see how long they last etc. Like the Cheek Tint, I can also feel this on the face after I apply/blend it.
Dollface is a pretty cool-toned light pink shimmer that gives a natural pink glow. It’s not too light for me right now and I think it will definitely be wearable in summer months for slightly tanned skin.
Flower Child is described as a “deep golden rose” – to me it’s a deeper rosey brownish shade. It’s different from what I normally pick, but it’s a pretty warm rosey color. When I swatched it I was worried it would be too warm, but on the cheeks, it gives a natural rosey flush.
I’ve been a huge NARS Orgasm Blush fan ever since it came out (I believe in either 1999 or early 2000). Clearly many others love it too – this blush alone currently has 3,344 reviews on Makeupalley.com with a 4 out of 5 stars average and ranks #3 as the product with the third most reviews.
Who would have thought that a single blush would be the beginnings of a series of “O” colors and products? I think sometimes I am just easily impressed and amused. I find it hilarious how many puns are done on the Super Blush version and the Multiple Stick version. One of my favorite NARS artists refuses to say the entire name for the multiple because she cannot handle the reaction customers have to that phrase. I myself am hesitant to say the word outloud when I’m at the counter.
The new Illuminator finally hit Sephora stores a few days ago, I tried it out on my hand and it seemed really sheer. I couldn’t tell if it was just the bad lighting or if it really did disappear so I managed to get a small sample from the store and played around with it today.
I tried the Illuminator 2 ways today. Clearly I should have focused on other more productive things today, but here goes.
Method 1: On 1/2 my face I mixed the Illuminator with foundation since the description said it’s good for an all over glow. Since it was pretty sheer, I didn’t see much of a difference in my foundation. Perhaps if I use a greater proportion of Illuminator to foundation I will be able to see a more glowy effect.
Method 2: On the other 1/2 of my face, apply foundation and powder, then apply the Nars Illuminator with a brush on the cheeks. The result is a very subtle but pretty glow. The glow is definitely noticeable. It doesn’t go on as bronzey or dark as it looks in the tube. I took a picture of my cheeks but unfortunately the camera cannot capture the effect. I think I may have to go back to Sephora and actually purchase the full tube.
Conclusion: I do believe it really does give you that glow-from-within effect. You will have to play around with it to see how it work for you. It’s more subtle than the Orgasm Multiple (the multiple is frostier and more sparkley). I find Multiples can feel greasy or get shiny mid-day if you don’t use powder underneath and over them. The Illuminator is neither greasy or oily. I can’t say that it dries to a powder, but it stays put and doesn’t feel like you have anything on after it dries.
If you don’t like subtle – you won’t like this.
In honor of the newest extension to the “O” series, the Orgasm Illuminator, I thought I’d try to swatch all the items in the line. Yes, I have caved and purchased most of the items, my thoughts on each after the photos.
The top blush is the regular Orgasm Blush. The one at the bottom is Super Orgasm.
Swatches:
The nail polish swatch:
The nail polish next to the blush version:
Thoughts on each item:
* The Regular “O” Blush – I love this, but I have to apply this with a light hand. Sometimes the gold shimmer is overpowering if I apply this too heavily. I like layering this over other light peaches so this adds a nice glow.
* Super “O” – Would really love if they took away the glitter. I find that tapping the brush before I put it on my face gets rid of most of the glitter. I like that it’s more pink and less gold.
* Multiple – A bit frosty for my taste, I actually preferred the Mustique that they discontinued once the Orgasm version was released.
* Lip Gloss – I like this the most out of the series. Such a pretty soft peachy pinky gold.
* The Nail Polish – I hate this. Maybe I’m just not used to orangey colors on my finger. If you are more tan, perhaps it would look less orange/gold. I just don’t like it with my skintone. I don’t know why I’m still holding onto it. I don’t think it’s flattering on me. It was good in theory, but in real life, just not my thing.
So what’s everyone’s guess as to the next product in the “O” Series? My guess is a lipstick version. Or do you think the series is going to stop here?
It’s been pouring down rain and hail here for several days, but I signed up for a NARS event and was determined to go no matter what the weather conditions were.
My local Nordstrom hosted a 3 day NARS national artist event to launch the spring line and I was thrilled with the makeover results. I asked the makeup artist for a look that would either use the new Kuala Lumpur Eyeshadow Duo or if that didn’t work, I asked for ideas on how to use my Brousse Eyeshadow Duo with the new Ophelia Lipgloss.
We decided to try the new spring duo since she was smitten with it, but unfortunately it was just too warm for my skintone. It looked like a combination of MAC Melon Pigment + Starviolet Eyeshadow on my eyes. I loved the fact that she was so easy to work with and did not hesitate to take the eyeshadows off and start over again. This is what she ended up doing:
Skin Prep: Skin was cleansed with the Makeup Cleansing Oil (applied to dry skin) and wiped off with a water-sprayed cotton pad. She then used the Balancing Toning Lotion to tone the skin and applied the Potent EFA Cream, Nourishing Eye Cream, and Makeup Primer.
Foundation & Concealer: She used the South Beach Multiple on the cheeks and temples under foundation to give the skin a glow from within. Since I already use the Sheer Glow, I asked to try out the Sheer Matte, she picked out Sheer Matte in Santa Fe which seemed to be a good match. Red spots and dark circles were covered with the Custard/Ginger concealer duo mixed with Luxor Multiple for a luminous uplifting glow. The Powder Foundation in Deauville was buffed out on the skin.
Cheeks: For cheeks, I mentioned to her that I already had almost every single Nars Blush, so she of course asked which shades I did not have, and picked out Taj Mahal for me to try. I have to admit I was seriously freaked out when I saw it, but she applied it with a VERY soft touch followed by Desire and it gave THE PERFECT glowy peachy pink I have ever seen. The way she applied Taj Mahal was to take their Yachiyo Brush and dust it into the compact then she vigorously tapped off the excess. She applied it to the cheeks in a soft sweep and it gave a subtle candle-lit glow. She then used the same brush to apply Desire right over it.
Eyes: An interesting trick she showed me was to apply the Luxor Multiple with a concealer brush right above the brows to give an uplifting-effect. For the eyes, she started by lining the eyes with Aigle Noir Soft Touch Shadow Pencil and smudged it. Mekong Single Eyeshadow was then applied with a smudge brush right on top of the pencil and then blended upwards with a mixture of both sides from Brousse Eyeshadow Duo about 1/2 way up the lids. Next, she took the lighter side of Kalahari Eyeshadow Duo to go over all the shades as a blending and softening color with soft contour. For mascara, she used both of the new ones in black, starting with the Lengthening first, and then the Volumizing on top. It was an instant lash makeover.
Lips: For lips, she blotted the lips with Cafe Con Leche Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (which I have but is missing-in-action) and topped with an application of Belle du Jour Lipstick. The final touch was to add the new Ophelia Lipgloss.
Swatches L to R: Aigle Noir Pencil, Mekong Eyeshadow Single, Brousse Duo (both sides mixed), Kalahari (both sides mixed), South Beach Multiple, Luxor Multiple, Taj Mahal Blush, Desire Blush, Belle du Jour Lipstick, Ophelia Lipgloss
What I wore today to the makeover: White ruffle collared blouse from Banana Republic, Beige button coat from Banana Republic, Joes Jeans Petite Provocateur Fit.
Overall thoughts: I really loved the results and ended up purchasing the Eye Cream, Balancing Cleanser, Taj Mahal Blush, Ophelia Lipgloss and both mascaras. The EFA cream was a bit heavy for my skin, but from past makeover experiences I’ve had with NARS, I’ve found most of their moisturizers a bit too moisturizing for my skin, so it wasn’t surprising.
The number of products she used seemed like a lot, but the result was so pretty, I don’t think I’ll mind using everything again on numerous occasions in the future.
I absolutely LOVED both mascaras. They were both amazing and it was an instant lash-makeover with the application of both combined together. I’m not sure about the smudge-factor since it was raining heavily outside and my under-eye area was very moist from the EFA cream. I’ll be testing it out more in the next week and report back later about the results.
Most of the things I already owned from previous purchases. I’ve always been a HUGE fan of Nars and events like these are inspiring to me to try out new combinations to get me out of that same-look rut I tend to get into during this time of year.
It’s been a while since I’ve had a makeover – I used to go to Chanel and Nars events on a monthly basis before for ideas and GWPs. But there’s nothing like a horrible MAC makeover to make you want to stop going to any event period. That being said, I have ALWAYS had great makeover results with Nars events. I highly recommend you get on your local counters call lists or ask about upcoming events. They are super fun and you can get tons of ideas on how to combine different colors.
I find that a makeover is more successful when you have a certain look you have in mind so the makeup artists has an idea of what you’re looking for. Simply saying “give me a natural look” isn’t much help, so I suggest being a bit more specific like say, “I like pink lips” or “can you show me how to use Brousse Eyeshadow Duo?” If you simply have no idea, that’s fine too – just give them something to work with. Something like saying, “I wear champagnes and browns on my eyes with peach lips all the time – I need something different” can help a ton.
It was really hard for me to narrow my list down to only 10 things this month! Since I’ve already featured quite a bit of the new spring 2010 items, I decided to feature 10 non-new/non-spring releases that I’m loving right now.
1. MAC Sunny By Nature Mineralized Skin Finish – I’m a sucker for bronzers and MAC MSFs and fell in love with this one when it was released last July with the Color Craft Collection. Looks dark and almost muddy in the container, but on the skin it’s a nice natural satiny bronze. I love that it’s not too shimmery (which most MSFs are). I hope MAC makes more MSFs in this kind of finish! If you missed out, check your local CCOs, I saw this along with Cheeky Bronze at my local CCO a week ago.
2. Bobbi Brown Nude Beach Metallic Eyeshadow – This was released as an exclusive with the Nordstrom Anniversary Exclusives but is also in the (X Palette). You all know I’m obsessed with neutrals, Nude Beach is a pretty shimmery, but not overly frosty, nude shimmer with great pigment and lasting power.
3. MAC Eyeshadow Brush #239 – This is hands down the best MAC eyeshadow brush I own. I think it’s a must-have for everyone. It’s so versatile and soft which makes blending a no-brainer. I have a soft spot for all of MAC’s white-haired brushes, I wish they would make more shapes and sizes.
4. Nars Ondine Eyeshadow – This is one of the few eyeshadows I have ever hit pan on (the one pictured is my second one). I wouldn’t say it’s for everyone – those who can’t pull off plummy browns will probably find this looks bruisey on their skin. I really like this though because it has a complex combination of brown, plum and gold all mixed into one shadow. Those who wanted to love MAC Starviolet but found it too purpley will like Nars Ondine. The Nars is a more wearable, more brown, more grown-up and less trendy version of the MAC.
5. Edward Bess Bare Rose Lip Gloss – Not your typical milky pink, but still light enough to give a pretty natural pink lip. If you’re a fan of Nars Chihuahua, you will definitely like the EB Bare Rose which has a fig-scent, slightly sticky texture, long lasting, and high shine.
6. Dolce & Gabbana Sparkling Lipstick – I got this from the D&G Holiday Collection from Saks NY and it’s the most unique sparkling copper/nude/gold lipstick I’ve ever seen. It’s very pigmented and frosty, so those who don’t like metallic lips, you may not like it. The frosty-factor can be toned down with a cream colored gloss though.
7. Shu Uemura P Gold 94 Glow On – This is a blush I like to use as a highlighter for cheeks and eyes. It’s a light-medium shimmery flesh-toned gold with gold flecks. I like that it’s not completely gold or yellowy. It seems more pigmented than most of Shu Uemura’s Glow On Blushes, perhaps it’s the metallic aspect that gives it more pigment.
8. Paul & Joe Caramel 04 Lipliner – This is the creamiest lipliner I’ve ever tried. It glides on more smoothly than MAC Cremestick Liners (which I love) and the Caramel is the perfect YLBB nude-pink-brown. I bought this thanks to the recommendation of Hettie from Bergdorf Goodman. Lipliners were one of the few P&J items I hadn’t tried yet, so I asked her to pick out 2 colors for me, #04 Caramel was one of them and I can see myself getting a lot of use out of it.
9. Chanel Glow Glossimer – Pretty soft glowiness that’s hard to describe. It has peach and pink and bronze in it, makes my lips look full and glowing. The lasting power isn’t the best on this one, but I don’t mind reapplying it.
10. Paul & Joe Canyon 16 Face Color – Soft light pink and cool-toned shimmery highlighter. I like this for a natural angelic-pink blush. It goes on very soft and natural. It might not show up on MAC NC40s or darker though because it’s on the lighter side.
Since I’ve recently fallen in love with the Jasmine Lip Butter & Guava Body Butter from Korres, I decided to order a few things from KorresUsa.com to take advantage of last month’s promotional codes and try out a few of their makeup items.
What I ordered: * Zea Mays Powder Blush in Natural & Purple Brown * Love Your Lips Set with Nude, Pink Beige, Light Pink Lipgloss & Pomegranate Lip Butter
I also checked out the line at Sephora and got 1 item: * Grey Brown Eyeshadow, which I think is going to be discontinued since it was only $7
Purple Brown Blush, Grey Brown Eyeshadow (from Sephora), Natural Blush *** note that Purple Brown is a bit darker in real life ***
18S Grey Brown comparisons
15 Natural Blush comparisons
32 Purple Brown blush comparisons
Love Your Lips Set $29 (no swatches because I’m splitting this set up with friends)
Overall thoughts: I haven’t tested the lipglosses so I can’t give a review for those. I do already have the Pomegranate Lip butter which I love for a soft cherry pink tint. It tastes really good too!
The 18S Grey Brown is a pretty medium-pigmented shimmery cool silver taupe. It’s not as pigmented as MAC Satin Taupe or Bobbi Brown Brown Stone Metallic, but not as sheer as MAC Clue. It’s good for $7 if you can still find it, but I think I prefer my Chanel Safari or Nars Ashes to Ashes for a light taupe shimmer.
The Zea Mays blushes are interesting in that they have shimmer in the pot which doesn’t really show up on the skin. Natural is a good nude with a hint of peach/bronze to it. What I like about this is that it doesn’t look muddy and it’s not too orange. The finish is very natural and has decent lasting power. It’s most similar to MAC Warm Soul, but not as frosty or shimmery and more natural looking. I didn’t compare it to Nars Silvana, but Korres Natural is a more wearable less brownish/orange version of the Nars.
Plum Brown also has shimmer, but it doesn’t really show up on the skin. It looks a bit muddy in the compact (it’s darker than the photos show, I think the camera flash picked up the shimmers more). On the skin, I was worried it would look dirty, but I used this today and it actually gives a very natural plummy-pink-brown cheek (hard to envision how this works, but it does). It has more brown than MAC Plum Foolery and Nars Sin. Compared to the new MAC All’s Good blush, it has more purple/plum.
Overall I’m happy with the products although I probably wouldn’t have purchased these at full price. The blushes range from $22 to $24 (depending on whether you purchase them through Korres or Sephora) which is pricey. It’s great that the products are made with natural ingredients, but unfortunately it’s not something I really pay much attention to.
I also ordered a bunch of Guava lotions & shower gel sets too. One of them came with an expiration date for THIS February which is was a bit disappointing. How do they expect one to use up an entire lotion in 2.5 weeks before it expires? I emailed customer service about it so we’ll see what they say.
These are the ones from Pottery Barn Online:
