Bringing Sexy Back…to Thursday: NARS Lip Gloss in “Bougainville” (review)

This particular Thursday I'm hungry for something a little vampier than my usual 9-5. So it’s a perfect day for something sexy and yummy. From NARS.

Lip Gloss in “Bougainville” (limited edition)

Blurb: Reminiscent of its origin, this sensual pomegranate lip gloss infuses lips with dramatic, diva-esque color. Deep in pigment yet sheer on the lips.

I love NARS glosses. They feel good, look amazing, and have excellent staying power. I had a really difficult time choosing a gloss from this collection. The other gloss ("Downtown") was also pretty stellar in its own way. But I eventually settled on “Bougainville” because it just looked so darn delicious. (Oh, and sexy.)

The shade is actually deeper than it appears in the photo. It’s the color of pomegranate seeds, and it makes my lips look shiny and juicy. It’s wearable enough for day; and it’s also got enough pizzazz for evening. And this color really is an instant pick-me-up (no, not that kind).

The website has the entire Holiday 2010 Collection. It’s thoroughly gorgeous and worth a good long look. There’s also a whole slew of gift ideas on the Holiday Glow page (and you can get free shipping on orders of $25 or more as well as complimentary shipping on any gift). NARS is also available at Sephora, beauty.com, and department stores like bloomingdales and Saks.

(ftc disclosure: purchased myself)

Thank You, Nina! NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (review)

Last Monday I thanked my mom for allowing me an awesome birthday indulgence. And today, I’m thanking my godmother (“Nina” means “godmother” in Spanish) for giving me some wonderful, girly, birthday, beauty cheer. We were in Sephora during a family trip; and I got to pick out an after-birthday gift. My something was from…NARS.

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (in “Damned”)

Blurb: The convenience of a pencil with the application of a lipstick in a jumbo-size crayon design. Instantly coats lips with rich pigment, imparting a velvet matte finish for seamless color. The long lasting yet non-drying formula is enriched with special emollients for a creamy texture, while a combination of unique silicones ensures long-lasting, velvety color for hours.

Wow!

I’ve been wanting to try these pencils for-freaking-ever! And now I have. And now I want one in every color. Because they are awesome. They do indeed have a soft, velvety, matte finish (hence, the name); and they sit beautifully on the lips. The texture is plush and luxurious (not dry – or drying – at all), and the thick pencil is perfect for quick, precise application – a very good thing because the pencils are very highly pigmented. Their quality and staying power are excellent.

Nina politely overlooked the fact that her goddaughter picked something in a color called “Damned.” But I couldn’t resist. It’s a deep, rich magenta that flatters my complexion, and is perfect for both Fall and the holiday season. And in addition to high-impact, va-va-voom dark velvet drama; there’s also the option of applying a gentle swipe for a gorgeous, natural, berry-stained look – that lasts. I also got a great look when I layered a sparkly gloss on top. These pencils are stunning, versatile, convenient and portable – what’s not to love?

There are 15 colors on the website (and I saw some additional shades on Sephora). NARS is also available at beauty.com, and department stores like bloomingdales and Saks.

(ftc disclosure: received as a gift…woo hoo!)

Go Get One! NARS Cream Eyeshadow (rave review)

One of the things I love about being a beauty "enthusiast" (spelled j-u-n-k-i-e) is that there’s always something new. And even when there isn’t something new, there’s something that’s new to me. Today’s fabulous new-to-me item is from NARS.

Cream Eyeshadow (in “Grand Bleu” and “Mykonos”)

Blurb: Soft, supple cream-to-powder formula that provides long-lasting color. The ultra-pigmented shades are balanced in a lightweight texture, transparent in application. The soft-blending formula can be worn alone or layered under powder eyeshadow for long-lasting color and depth.

How I managed to skip over these I will never know. (Okay, actually I do know. NARS has so many amazing products, it's easy to miss something.)

Anyway, when I was shopping one of the private sales on Beautyticket.com, I noticed that they had a NARS Cream Eyeshadow available (in "Grand Bleu"). Never having tried one of their cream shadows was the perfect excuse to buy one.

I loved it!! This is one of the most awesome shadow formulas I’ve ever used! The creamy color goes on in a sheer wash. (The color is also somewhat buildable if you want more intensity.) What I fell in absolute love with, though, is how evenly and precisely it goes on – and how easy it is to blend. It also works well as a base under more vibrant colors.

“Grand Bleu” is a pale, sky blue. I loved it so much that I high tailed it to my nearest Sephora and bought another Creamshadow in “Mykonos” (a muted copper that goes with absolutely everything I own). Both have a flattering shimmer, apply beautifully, set to a powder and wear all day long without creasing or fading. I wish these came in every color!

Check out the colors they do have on the website (including the cream shadow duos). While you’re there, take a look at the latest page. NARS is also available at Sephora, beauty.com, and department stores like bloomingdales and Saks.
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(ftc disclosure: purchased myself)

A Lesson in Beauty Junkie Logic: NARS Liquid Eyeliner (review)

I’m starting to get that terrible empty feeling. It’s been weeks since I've reviewed an eyeliner…and months since I've reviewed something from NARS. Let’s fix that now!

Liquid Eyeliner (in "Shake Down")

Blurb: Long wearing color in a cream base that allows for effortless application and ultimate control. Provides intense color for precision lining, blending or a lash thickening effect. Small, easy-to-use brush included.

Once again while shopping for beauty products, I was faced with a terrible task. How can I justify buying yet another eyeliner when I have a whole vanity full of perfectly fabulous liners at home? This is when beauty junkie logic becomes very useful. If I buy a formula/color/brand that I don’t already have, I’m not being extravagant. I’m merely exploring. Learning. Furthering my beauty education so that I can generously share with others. (Cue poignant music.)

Seriously…BeautyTicket.com had these liners at a steal so I whipped out my card and snapped one up (I also got a few other goodies that I “needed”).

I got to try this liner at a fabulous price; but I would pay full price in a heartbeat. For starters, I love the color. “Shake Down” is a soft burgundy that’s pretty and modern, yet very wearable. It works like a neutral and the reds and browns make it very flattering.

The formula is stellar! It’s soft and creamy out of the bottle. It’s definitely a liquid liner; but it’s a little bit thicker than usual in consistency – which makes it easy to apply. It goes on smoothly, covers well, has a bit of “blend” time, then sets and stays put. I applied it first thing in the morning on a summer day; and it still looked great at six o’clock. What makes this liner really stand out, though, is the velvety finish – it’s lovely (and very forgiving to tiny lines).

The other available colors are “Angel Heart” (black) and “Showgirl” (gold lamé). The brush (included) worked very well. Check out the awesome NARS website and have a look a the other shades. And don’t forget to take a look at the new Fall 2010 Collection or the hot 15 x 15 page. NARS is also available at Sephora, beauty.com, and department stores like bloomingdales and Saks.
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(ftc disclosure: purchased myself)

Fête-Worthy: NARS Single Eyeshadow in "Silent Night" (review)

Once again I indulged my NARS fetish and came home with yet another fab, rad, nifty, spiffy (and let's not forget sparkly) new shadow. Please don't judge me. I needed it.

Single Eyeshadow (in Silent Night)

Blurb: Longwearing, crease resistant color in sheer wearable formulas. All NARS eyeshadows can be applied sheer or layered for a more dramatic effect. These richly pigmented powders blend effortlessly and can also be used wet for precisely lining the eyes. Richly pigmented, micronized powder formula provides improved wear and feel. Effortless blending. Multifunction: use as eyeshadow, eyeliner and on eyebrows.

I don't know why this color is called "Silent" Night, because it's definitely a party color. And probably one of the most useful and versatile shades you can get. It's a fabulous gold with some shimmery particles added in for extra festive-ness. It works as a highlighter, shadow, and it's a gorgeous liner when applied with a wet brush. It blends well, stays put forever, looks great all night and doesn't flake or crease.

Now do you see why I couldn't live another minute without it? Do you?

Check out the tempting website and take a look at all of the other gorgeous items (especially the Holiday 2009 stuff). Then try and tell me you don't understand. NARS is also available at Sephora, beauty.com, and department stores like bloomingdales and Saks.

Oh, and happy Friday.

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Happy Shiny Wednesday: NARS Cream Blush in Gold Member (review)

Someone gave me a Sephora gift card a while back and I recently used it to make a serious haul. A lot of the items I brought home are “the latest.” But there are a few that have been out for a while that I am finally getting a chance to try. One of these is from NARS. I freaking love NARS. I love their displays, the quality of their stuff and the imaginative and beautiful collections. They have so many colors and formulas that it’s dizzying. I’ve always got my eye on some awesome NARS item; and this time I got my actual hands on…

Cream Blush in "Gold Member"

Blurb: Moisture-rich cream finish formula that provides smooth, silky color for naturally luminous skin. Delivers long-lasting color with a velvety texture and blends easily for healthy glowing skin. Provides a sheer, flush of color for all skin tones. Enriched with Vitamin E. Rich pigments blend effortlessly.

Nothing beats a cream blush for a pretty sheer wash of color. And one of the things I love about NARS’ cream blushes is that they have more staying power than most. The formula is very light weight, blends easily, and goes on smoothly without disturbing my foundation. It also stays put for hours.

Now this color…gorgeous. It actually looks yellow in the package; but it’s a shimmery, pale gold on my skin. I love it. In addition to being beautiful, it’s also versatile. It works as a blush, a highlighter and even a shadow. I’ve used it on my cheeks, eyelids, and at the corners of my eyes. A hint of it also looks pretty on shoulders and décolletage. For those of you putting away your summer bronzers, this might be your ideal replacement during the fall and winter.

You can find NARS on the NARS website, Sephora, beauty.com, and places like bloomingdales and Saks. And right now the website is offering free shipping on all orders of $25 or more.




This is the last of the list (new horoscope comes out today).

Yesterday, I "chose a new lucky number."

The List
Change your password.
Take a different way home.
Ask a question you've never asked.
Dream up a new nickname for yourself.
Choose a new lucky number.
Change the way you tell the story about an important event in your past.
Make it a little more difficult for people to have you pegged.
Eat a type of food you've never tried.
Do the research necessary to discover why one of your opinions may be wrong.
Add a new step to your grooming ritual.
Feel appreciation for a person whose charms you've become numb to.
Surprise yourself at least once a day.
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Drama, Glamour and Sparkly Fun from NARS

Hi everyone, I’m back from my trip – and so happy to not be traveling! Since I went by car this time, I didn’t have to worry about how much I could squeeze in my carry on and I totally over packed. I brought way too much stuff. It was awesome.

Speaking of awesome; I feel the need to discuss some awesome eye shadows from NARS (I know, again?) that I have been LOVING! In addition to the previously mentioned Night Rider, I have also been playing around with two other fabulous shades: Tropic (from the 09 Summer Collection) and Galapagos. Take a look:

Tropic (matte teal with silver particles)

Galapagos (rich bronze with gold flecks) The pictures never do them justice – they are way more sparkly in real life.


Besides the glamorous flecks and particles, you get bold, vivid colors. And I love them so! As eye shadows, the gorgeous, deep colors manage to be both dramatic and flattering. THEN I wet my eyeliner brush and used them to line my eyes…AMAZING! I got carried away and did a really bold line, but you could also use a thin eyeliner brush to get a more subtle effect.

Okay I just had to get that out of my system (I kept thinking about this during my long drive home). You can buy NARS on the NARS website, Sephora, beauty.com, and places like bloomingdales and Saks.
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For your eyes only: Delicious Purple (part 2)

Well it seems that I went on quite a bit yesterday about purple. But when I re-read my post, I realized it still wasn’t enough. So I will now further everyone’s education on the many more delicious purple products available. Adjust your reading glasses and take a deep breath…

Powder Shadows:

NARS eye shadow in Night Rider: As discussed last week, this shadow is my eyelids' new best friend. I had been wanting this forever, and I finally snapped it up when Sephora had a 15% off promotion.

Makeup Forever #92: Royal Purple. Pure royal purple. The purpliest of purples I have found in a powder shadow. And for serious party eyes, layer it with Makeup Forever Star Powder in #954.

smashbox Eye Shadow in “Spellbound”: This is an awesome soft lilac with a hint of gold shimmer. The saleswoman in Nordstrom kicked it up a notch by by pairing it with Estée Lauder Double Wear base in "Lilac Petals".

NARS duo eye shadow in “Jolie Poupee”: Yowza! This duo pairs a blue-ish violet with an iridescent purple. Really, really cool.

stila Eye Shadow Duo in “Orchid”: This is a gorgeous pair of matte shadows: a pale lilac paired with a dark smoky purple.

Crème/Liquid Shadows:

Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadows in “Va Va Va Bloom”: I have been using this versatile little palette forever. The colors range from gold to plum to deep wine. I use them to color my lids, as a sheer wash over other colors, as highlighting and to line my eyes. Tons and tons of options.
Vincent Longo Liquid Shadow in “Midnight Mauve”: This is called mauve, but it’s really a deep, royal purple. Very dark and very dramatic. I also use this as a liner (and I usually apply with a brush instead of the wand).

Eyeliner:

#5 smashbox Cream Eye Liner in “Midnight Purple”: If you had to pick only one purple eyeliner (perish the thought), this would be the one. Smashbox has one of the best liner formulas around and this color is a very deep, wearable shade.

Urban Decay Liquid Liner in “Crash”: This is a lighter, edgier shade with a silver sparkle. I love the little brush too.

Mascara:

Awake Stardom Side Long Lash Mascara in “Glossy Purple”: I really love Awake's Stardom line, and oh how I love this mascara! It's shiny. It doesn’t clump. It lengthens and adds volume. The wand is great. And the color is just purple enough to be flattering instead of silly. (This mascara also comes in black and brown.)

Okay. Whew. I think I've gotten it out of my system…for now.
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Delicious Purple

My favorite color is purple. Royal purple to be exact. It’s been my favorite color since I was a kid. I once dated a guy whose favorite color was also royal purple. (That’s not why we were together, but it came in handy at gift giving time.)

I also like muted tones, bright orange, turquoise and lime green. But those colors do not always like me back. No problem - I can always count on purple. Luckily there are approximately one gazillion kinds of purple things in little jars and tubes to keep me happy forever.

After yesterday's batch of strange beauty items; I think that today I'll share three of my favorite delicious, purple lip products.

Delicious purple product #1 Clinique Colour Surge Butter Shine Lipstick in “Crushed Grape”

Blurb: The creamiest, richest, smoothest lip colour you can imagine. Our revolutionary gel formula delivers the shine of a gloss, the comfort of a lipstick. Drenches lips in moist, lush colour that glides on buttery-soft, feels luxuriously smooth.

Butter? Grape? How delicious is that already? This is one of my every day “go to” lipsticks. It has pretty, sheer, slightly shimmery coverage as well as decent staying power. The color is a soft (buttery…mmm) wine shade. It's slightly conditioning and very wearable.

Delicious purple product #2 NARS lip gloss in “Revolt”
Next blurb: Serious shine and sexy color in sheer, creamy and semi-sheer formulas. Extremely wearable and versatile shades may be worn alone or over other lip products for heightened drama.

Yay NARS! Well to begin with, NARS lip glosses are just plain fabulous. They last and they look great. This shade just happens to be the absolute perfect color. Shiny. Dark. Grape. Really, really flattering. (NARS also used to make a lip laquer in “chica boom” that I am now wishing I bought when I saw it, because I can't find it now.)

Delicious purple product #3 Vincent Longo Lip Vinyl in “8½”

Remaining blurb: This gloss is like no other. The click pen packaging with a velvety tip applicator dispenses color and makes it easy to apply the gel like texture that leaves lips coated in high definition color and smooth, three-dimensional shine with extreme comfort. The superior moisturizing formula delivers an extremely shiny, ultra wet and smoothing finish that wears for hours. Lip Vinyl is high shine without stickiness or the need to reapply frequently.

This is an awesome formula and probably my favorite lip product packaging. The finish is very slick and shiny (like um…vinyl) and has great staying power. This color makes a little more of a statement with lots of coverage and a deep, smoky, plum shade.

So there you have it. Lips. Purple. Delicious. Nuff said.
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How to have the Best Day Ever

Happy May! Happy Friday!

I'm pretty sure there are lots of ways to have the best day ever. Here are three of my humble suggestions.

Suggestion #1
Be one of the people in this video. Or if you didn't happen to be at that particular place on that particular day, watch this video. Instant happiness.



Suggestion #2
Give back a little. Be part of The Good Event at Bergdorf Goodman and/or Neiman Marcus.

From Yahoo News: Feeding America, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, announced today that it will partner with all 40 Neiman Marcus stores, and Bergdorf Goodman, through "The Good Event." The stores will help raise funds to benefit Feeding America's network for nation-wide food assistance programs Thursday, April 30 through Saturday, May 2.

Neiman Marcus customers who purchase a $40 non-transferable donation card in the Contemporary Sportswear, Sport Shop, Dress Collections and Men's Contemporary Sportswear departments, will receive a 30 percent discount on full-priced merchandise in these select areas. Bergdorf Goodman will also provide a 30 percent discount off full-priced merchandise in their 5F contemporary department.

One hundred percent of the customer's $40 donation will support the Feeding America network with the majority of the funds going toward the stores' area member food bank; the remainder will support national programs...read more

Suggestion #3
Think of a reason – any reason – to get all dressed up and look great. Then make those plans right now. Before lunch. Spend the rest of the day thinking about how awesome you'll look and how much fun you'll have.

This suggestion includes a beauty component: I will be rehearsing all night, but I am wearing my new sparkly, adorable eyeshadow from NARS. The color is called "Night Rider." (Ooooh.) It's a soft glittery, plum. (Ooooh.) The picture doesn't quite do it justice. It is about one million times prettier on an actual eyelid. And I have 2 eyelids.

Wishing you all the best day ever…so far!

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Two Things I Love (that are really Four Things I Love)

Oh how I love my NARS lip gloss/lip stain duos! NARS lip products are some of the very best and these duos give you double the NARS goodness. Please look at the picture, then read the company blurb while I look for more adjectives.

Company blurb: This dual-ended lip product offers the ultimate pairing in lip color: a flawless, long-lasting color and a high-shine gloss, designed to create the quintessential, undeniably sexy pout. Each may be worn separately or layered for an individually tailored hue.

Okay. It’s a stain! It’s a gloss! It’s matte! It’s shiny! It’s versatile!

To me, these duos are the best of both worlds. Each duo has a lip stain on one end and a lip gloss on the other. The lip stain formula manages to be long-wearing without being drying. It goes on very smoothly and has a velvety, matte finish. The colors are beautiful and rich. These stains are paired with a complementary lip gloss. The glosses are shiny, with fun, easy to wear colors.

My two favorites (right now) are:

Metis & Victoire: A plum brown stain and a sheer mulberry gloss. A really sophisticated way to go “neutral.”

Moon Fleet & Indian Red: A scarlet stain paired with sparkling gold gloss. Probably my favorite of the whole bunch. The stain is a deep, velvety, va-va-VOOM red and the Moon Fleet gloss (which goes with absolutely everything) really adds depth and glamour.

For those of you who like to mix and match on your own, you can buy each stain or gloss separately. I could post all week about NARS, but instead, I’ll just gush today over these duos. Oh yes, and point you towards their website.