NARS & NUDESTIX For Everyday Wear

Nudes are popular for a reason. Wear them to look natural, yet polished ... like yourself only better. Most of my makeup falls into the nude camp. The attraction is intense! At times I buy a lipstick ... in what I think is a beautiful new shade ... get it home only to discover I own one that is nearly a dead ringer. A gorgeous nude has that kind of power over me: Sitting on a shelve in a shop looking so gorgeous, I'll buy it again! (However I'm watching this tendency and am committed to finishing what I have before bringing more home.:)

Nudes are for everyday wear, and what I like most: A nude color palette is low maintenance compared to bold, bright colors like reds or pinks. Nudes will still look great 8 hours later. You won't have to touch up your makeup as often. Enhance your features using nudes and forget about it.

The new Makeup Your Mind NARS palette is a collection of nudes with pizazz. There's sparkle and shimmer in the shades. The nude palette consists of: 3 blushes, 8 eye shadows and a simmering bronzing powder. All are blendable for high impact looks. At $49 (at NARS), it's a worthy splurge.

If looking for a handy, dandy lip color kit, it's here. NUDESTIX just dropped one that includes 3 highly pigmented lip+cheek pencil-crayons: one matte, one cream, and one gel. Containing a super moisturizing formula without stickiness, they come in a sleek mini tin with a mirror and a sharpener. When reasonably priced, I will buy a mini set of an otherwise pricey brand. If not overpriced, you appreciate how the minis fit conveniently into a purse. (But if a ripoff, make space to carry a full size, or find a knockoff brand). Cost of the lip/cheek kit: $25.

When it comes to makeup don't go naked, go nude!

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NARS Spring Beauty

As it turns out, splurging on your birthday is very common. Not only did I read it in a mainstream newspaper, I can confirm it. Last summer, I bought myself a few treats on my birthday: a lipstick, a blush and a necklace. I had been eyeballing each for months, and used my birthday as the reason to pull the trigger.

Who knows? I may treat myself again to a little something this year. I would not be unhappy with any of the following three of  NARS spring wearables:

1) Exposed Cheek Palette $59 - Contains 6 lightweight buildable pigments that delivers a sheer wash of color. It flatters all skin tones and can be applied wet or dry for different effects. 

The 6 shades are: 

• Tell All (pearlescent golden pink)
• Now Or Never (satin terracotta)
• Give It Away (satin nude)
• Make You Mine (satin peach)
• Come Hither (satin watermelon)
• New Fling (satin fuchsia)

What's more: I tested them at Ulta. They are lovely and natural ... and yes, the colors can be layered for a flattering finish!

2) Skin Deep Eyeshadow Palette $59 - It has 12 neutral hues to mix and match on eyes and brows. The colors range from subtle to smoky in rich mattes to pretty shimmers and smoldering metallics The palette was created to line, define, highlight and shade your eyes. See it and you will covet it! 

The 12 Shades are:

• Taunt (matte cream)
• Sophia (matte rich cool brown)
• Whipped (matte warm brown)
• Undressed (matte taupe brown)
• Bali (matte deep neutral taupe)
• Icon (shimmering rosy gold)
• Basic Instinct (shimmering icy rose)
• Coconut Grove (matte deep brown)
• Centerfold (shimmering grey beige)
• Calendar Girl (shimmering golden brown)
• Faster Pussycat (metallic copper)
• Unbuttoned (shimmering deep brown) 

3) Orgasm Threesome Set $29 - consists of mini sizes of product in NARS classic orgasm shade - a peachy pink with subtle gold shimmer. The multi-tasking set, which can be used on eyes, cheeks and lips consists of:

• Blush in Orgasm (0.12 oz)
• Lip Gloss in Orgasm (0.12 oz)
• The Multiple in Orgasm (0.14 oz)

The Orgasm Threesome Set was the item I walked into the store to see, but for now it is only available online, arriving in stores soon!

Trust me: If you don't need any more eyeshadow or blush, you will still be tempted by the 2 palettes. The Orgasm Threesome Set is half the price of the palettes. Although minis, they last; flatter every skin tone; and  are still a good value. 

On your birthday you must decide ... how good will you be to yourself?

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NARS' popular Orgasm makeup for cheeks and lips is practically a label of its own within the NARS brand. The peachy-pink with gold shimmer hue is universally flattering on every skin tone. It creates an understated and polished finish. You look natural ... only better!

The 3 new products added to the Orgasm Collection are: (1) Repackaged Blush -- in 2 shades: Orgasm and Super Orgasm; (2) Afterglow Lip Balm and (3) Illuminating Loose Powder 

The new makeup items feel and look sensational. The colors last all day. I know, I put on samples from Sephora yesterday. 

That said, you really can't go wrong with any of the other cheek or lip products in the NARS Orgasm Collection including:

• Last year's Orgasm Blush
• The Orgasm and Super Orgasm Lip glosses - offer radiant color and sophisticated shine in an ultra-smooth, non-sticky formula.
• The Orgasm Lipstick - a satin, creamy lipstick that provides rich, lasting color. 
• The Orgasm Multiple is the original, multipurpose stick for the eyes, cheeks and lips. Adds dimension and highlights for a perfected, glowing complexion.
• The Orgasm Liquid Blush - A silky, light fluid formula that imparts a natural-looking, second-skin finish. One drop gives cheeks a healthy-looking glow. 
• The Orgasm Nail Polish in the iconic shade.

In a nutshell: A spectacular color from a spectacular brand!

Last night my NARS Orgasm cheek and lip color looked so lovely, I didn't want to wash it off. But it was the right thing to do before bed. A pretty shade that doesn't look as good on bed linen.

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NARS Erdem Strange Flowers Collection

Poison Rose Lip Powder Palette shades:
Lip Priming Balm (nude)
Zira (shimmering rose gold)
Calypso (matte rose)
Damask (matte fuchsia)
Ottoman (matte scarlet)

Luxe brand NARS never disappoints. Its formula's and pigments are top notch and the colors are always beautiful. For spring, NARS collaborated with British fashion designer, Erdem Moralioglu. Designer Erdem is passionate about 2 things, the color yellow and flowers, which are reflected in the new NARS Erdem Strange Flowers Collection. The new launch includes an innovative dry powder lip palette, 6 lipsticks, 2 blushes, a highlighter stick and blotting paper. The lipsticks are $28, the blush $30 and the 3 palettes go for $49. 

6 lipstick colors: Bloodflower (bright cherry red), Moon Orchid (sheer light pink), Larkspur (sheer orchid), Voodoo Lily (sheer muted lavender), Wild Flower (deep plum purple), , Carnal Carnation (sheer raspberry red)

The Erdem Strange Flowers Collection has a bouquet of nude colors with simmer. Lipsticks and eyeshadow hues range from bare to bold, from sheer to intense. 

The blush comes in 2 colors - Loves Me (Strawberry pink with golden shimmer) and Loves Me Not (Soft lavender pink). The blushes are created to be layered and blendable.

The 2 eyeshadow palettes are matte shades. Inspired by garden flowers, they reflect light.

Fleur Fatale Eyeshadow Palette shades:
Mythios (shimmering ivory)
Thistle (metallic mink)
Flourish (shimmering steel blue)
Belladonna (matte soft brown)
Daydream (shimmering copper)
Holly Hock (satin mulberry)

Night Garden Eyeshadow Palatte shades:
Oleander (shimmering pale gold)
Indio (satin forest green)
Reborn (satin marigold)
Fauna (matte deep brown)
LSprung (satin midnight blue)

NARS is pricey, but the pigments last all day. Personally, I would splurge on a lipstick, but not a lip palette. Chances are, you will not use all the lip colors in a lip palette. Blush is another splurge makeup item where rich pigments matter. Eyeshadow, not so much -- so save (see budget-friendly Maybelline). Nonethess and for sure, these palettes are beautiful!

What are your picks?


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Eye Shadow Launches: Chanel & NARS

Eyeshadow palettes are so chic and pretty, it's impossible not to take notice when beauty companies launch new ones. Designed with colors to mix and match to create a variety of looks, you can go from subtle to dramatic by layering the shades.

Chanel just launched the above Les 9 Ombres palette, which it calls multi-effects shadows. Created by Lucia Pica, the combination of bold and neutral tones are inspired by the frescoes of Pompeii. The 9 long-lasting shades are a medium intensity pigment to make them ultra blendable. Cost: $70

NARSissist Wanted (above↑) is another new high-end eyeshadow palette from retailer NARS. Launched in December, it is also formulated to be very blendable and have staying power. The 12 lovely shades come in 4 textures: mats, shimmers, statins and glitters. Featured are seductive nudes, shimmering rose golds and a versatile range of pale pinks. Cost: $59.

Certainly, the quality is top-notch coming from Chanel and NARS, but if you'd rather spend much less on your eyeshadow palettes, you would not be disappointed with the many choices of Maybelline palettes. The prices may be less, but the quality, selection of colors and rich pigments are high-end. Previously, I reviewed Maybelline's larger (4 palettes of 12 shades) known as The Nudes. The last one here. Cost: About $10 each.

3 of the 7 Maybelline City Minis

Furthermore, last year Maybelline launched 7 City Mini palettes, which are equally stunning, blendable and wearable. Cost: $6-$8, depending on where you buy it.

Joining the 7 other Maybelline City Mini palettes is the newest, The City Mini Palette Shayla with 6 new dramatic hues. Just like the luxe brands, the shimmers are not stark or overwhelming, yet appear polished and natural. Plus, there is no annoying fallout. The Maybelline shadow stays put.

It's always worth knowing what the high-end brands are bringing out. Occasionally you may wish to splurge, but Maybelline (and lately L'Oreal) have truly stepped up their game. For a bit of glamour, customers can't go wrong with any of the eyeshadow palettes. They are all gorgeous!♥



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