NARS

NARS Summer 2019: Satin Lip Pencil, Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Swatches

May 2nd, 2019 by Karen 14 Comments

This morning Tabs turned to me and said, “You know, it’s a funny thing… Legacy.”

“How so?” I replied.

He paused, slowly poured himself a second cup of catnip tea and plucked a chamomile cookie from his favorite white porcelain dish. “I just… I hope you didn’t mind taking care of me all these years. You really have been the best pet assistant and friend I ever dreamed of.”

I sighed. “Oh, Tabs,” I said, scratching him between his ears, “you’ve made me the happiest, luckiest girl in the world. When you sauntered over to me that day in Mill Valley, everything changed for me. I feel blessed to have met you and worked with you all these years.”

“Me too,” he said, slow blinking.

“My sweet boy,” I said, gently wrapping my arms around him and pulling him close for a cheek-to-whiskers hug, “You’ve been such a good boy. I hope you know how much I love you.” ❤️

“I do,” he whispered into my ear, purring. “I love you too.”

Good morning, my friend. Here are some swatches of the Satin and Velvet Matte Lip Pencils from the NARS 2019 Summer Collection.

Yes, more swatches…

I know.

They’ve been a shelter, so to speak, in the storm.

nars balboa — Satin Lip Pencil in Balboa

nars exbury — Satin Lip Pencil in Exbury

nars giusti — Satin Lip Pencil in Giusti

nars golden gate — Satin Lip Pencil in Golden Gate

nars dance fever — Velvet Lip Pencil in Dance Fever

nars take me home — Velvet Lip Pencil in Take Me Home

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The NARS Summer 2019 Collection: Swatches and First Impressions

April 25th, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

SURPRISE!

Guess what? NARS just did a traditionally summery summer collection.

Wha!?

Yup, NARS has been all about artsy, edgy non-summery summer collections for a few years (last year’s looked more like a fall or holiday release to me), but the Summer 2019 collection is the most summery collection I’ve seen from them in a really long time.

Technically, the “Summer 2019” collection is one a few summer season NARS collections, and it’s the one actually called Summer. The items are all limited edition and available now on the NARS website. There are two $59 face palettes, each with four eyeshadows, one highlighter and a bronzer; four new $27 Satin Lip Pencils; and four new $27 Velvet Matte Lip Pencils.

First impressions…

The eyeshadows: Sumptuously silken, they feel softer than satin sheets. These are powders, but they could almost pass for creams. They’re the closest things I’ve found to Chantecaille’s awesome Mermaid Matte Cream Shadows, which practically meld into lids and blend crazy well. I can’t even tell where these shadows begin and end.
The highlighter and bronzer: Also powders, and also creamy like the eyeshadows. I’m REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THESE! (Although I’m mystified as to why NARS omitted a blush?)
The Velvet Matte Lip Pencils: Is it weird that I’m shocked that all of these lip colors are so summery and wearable? I’ve tried Good Times and Take Me Home so far, and like the other Satins and Velvet Mattes, they’re on the drier side…similar to a MAC Matte Lipstick, but they’re still very smooth, which is convenient because they’re also super opaque.
The Satin Lip Pencils: Um…one is called “Golden Gate.” Holla! BAY AREA ❤️ LOVE.

nars summer lights face palette — Summer Lights Face Palette ($59)

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Swatches of the Nine New NARS Lip Glosses

April 1st, 2019 by Karen 14 Comments

new nars lip gloss spring 2 18 — Introducing nine new NARS Lip Glosses, and nine new reasons to shine!

NARS recently added nine new shades of lip gloss ($24 each) to their permanent line, and yes, some of them have scandalous monikers.

Incidentally, awkward is seeing a picture of yourself grinning nonchalantly on the Interwebz with the words “Sexual Content” next to your head.

Outrage!

You know what they say, though… No Regrets.

The standouts for me among this new crop o’ colors are the mid-tone rose, berry and brown shades. NARS poured all of the pigment into Sexual Content, Fever Beat, Mythic Red, No Regrets, Pulsion and Love Me Do, and there’s so much intensity there that they could pass for glossy liquid lipsticks.

Thumbs up! I’ve been wearing Pulsion and Mythic Red the most, usually with taupe or golden brown eyeshadow.

On the sheer side, there’s creamy coral Outage (which I LOVE, especially layered on top of a light coral lippie), pale pastel purple Color Me (bluh, patchy) and golden glittery Sexy Time (which is grrrritty).
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10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves: NARS Multi-Use Gloss

March 20th, 2019 by Karen 10 Comments

nars multi use glosses — The lightest and loveliest non-sticky gloss for your lids, cheeks and lips

The 10-Minute Makeup Must-Haves series shows off some of *the best* makeup for speedy (but sensational!) skin, eyes, cheeks and lips.

Oh, how do I love 10-minute makeup? Let me count the ways… LOL.

I’ll spare you the lengthy soliloquy, but here’s the gist of it: I like putting on a full face without spending HELLA YEARS applying and blending. Sometimes it’s just nice to do a quick makeup look that doesn’t look like a rush job. That said, even *I* get a little tired 😴 of doing the same brown smoky eye with peachy coral cheeks and a nude lip every day… I mean, I LOVE THAT LOOK, but sometimes you need to switch things up when you’re feeling “makeup restless,” ya know?

That’s where these new NARS Multi-Use Glosses come into play…

These glittery glosses are limited edition and available now on the NARS website for $24 each, so if you see something you like, you better grab it sooner than later because they won’t be around forever.

They feel like lip gloss and look like lip gloss, but you can wear them on your lips (of course), your eyes and your face (as a highlighter!).

nars multi use gloss swatches — My favorite shade is Relentless, the rose-gold with tiny flecks of glitter.

nars multi use gloss applicator — The applicator is a thin, flexible paddle.

All five of have the daintiest flecks of graceful glitter, so they sparkle and shine, which kicks them up a level.
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The New NARS Exposed Collection: Swatches, Quick Look

February 12th, 2019 by Karen 19 Comments

Exposed! — a new collection from NARS — is NOT (I hope) named after flashers, because I was flashed several times when I lived in San Francisco, and let me tell ya…it ain’t pretty, folks.

This collection, on the other hand, is gorge. 😍 There’s a new $59 six-pan blush palette (a.k.a. the Explicit Cheek Palette) with an allegedly new NARS formula and three mini lip kits (called the Explicit Lip Duos), with a matte pencil and a shiny gloss and $22 each, all coming to the Ulta website, and very likely other places on/after, February 17.

nars exposed collection swatches — Swatches of the Cheek Palette and the Lip Duos

nars exposed cheek palette — Exposed Cheek Palette

nars exposed collection 2 — Clockwise from the lower left: Explicit Color Lip Duo in Intimate, Explicit Color Lip Duo in Sex Machine, Exposed Cheek Palette and Explicit Color Lip Duo in Dragon Girl

In other news…

Chapter 27 in the never-ending saga that is my teeth…

Yay! I have to go to the dentist again! 😬

My bite has been funky since my last filling, and it hurts when I chomp down on my right side, which is not at all amusing when you’re mildly addicted to 🥕 eating carrots (especially baby carrots).

Speaking of carrots, what’s up, doc? 🐰 How are you doing today?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen