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NARS Mangrove: A Green, Gold and Teal Tuesday Face of the Day

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nars mangrove

man•grove |ˈmanˌgrōv|
noun
1 a tree or shrub that grows in muddy, chiefly tropical coastal swamps that are inundated at high tide. Mangroves typically have numerous tangled roots above ground and form dense thickets.

2 a grove of shirtless hot dudes : Ooooh, gurl, check out that mangrove over there!

Even if someone at NARS had foliage in mind when they named this golden green eyeshadow, I can’t help but picture something else. 🙂

nars fall 2010 swatches review photos mangrove
NARS Mangrove eyeshadow

Mangrove bloomed as an eyeshadow single with the NARS Fall 2010 collection. Francois (first name basis, yo!) loves unexpected colors and textures, and Mangrove fits the bill.

My first impression? — pureed vegetable baby mush. As an eyeshadow, it doesn’t jump out of its pan as something traditionally pretty, but like the plant from whence it draws its name, it just needs a little time to grow.

I’m glad I gave it some time today because now I love the texture (buttery soft) and the color itself, which to me looks like a whisper sheer yellowish green with subtle golden iridescence.

Diehard pigment peeps might not like how sheer Mangrove is (it is almost transparent, after all), but I like it. You can see something there, but it doesn’t scream “LOOK AT ME NOW!”

To keep Mangrove company on my skin today I added a few more niblets from NARS Fall 2010 to the look, namely the shimmery beige shadow from the Tzarine eyeshadow duo (beneath the brow bone), Coconut Grove eyeshadow (upper lash and waterlines) and the Palladium Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (lower lashline).

My cheeks and lips came courtesy of two old school NARS faves — Supervixen lipgloss and Amour blush.

nars fall 2010 swatches review photos coconut grove
NARS Coconut Grove eyeshadow

nars fall 2010 swatches review photos tzarine
NARS Tzarine Duo

nars fall 2010 swatches review photos palladium
NARS Palladium Soft Touch Shadow Pencil


Swatches from left: Mangrove eyeshadow, shimmery beige eyeshadow from the Tzarine duo, Coconut Grove eyeshadow, Palladium Soft Touch Shadow Pencil, Amour blush, Supervixen lipgloss

nars mangrove eyeshadow

nars mangrove eyeshadow

I’m pretty happy with how the look turned out, but I think it’s missing something…like a sunny beach and a fruity beverage by my side. 🙂

What do you think about Mangrove? Would you give it a try?

Ooh, baby, I like it raw!

Last month I started taking a photography class at the local community center (something I found online), and I’ve really enjoyed myself so far. Most of the students are sassy senior citizens (I’m the baby of the group). In today’s class we learned about something called shooting in RAW. It’s a kind of uncompressed image file format. Anywho, every time the instructor says the word, “raw,” I think of that Ol’ Dirty Bastard song, “Shimmy Shimmy Ya.” You know, the one where he warbles, “Ooh, baby, I like it raw. Ooh, baby, I like it RAAAAWW!”

Anyone?

No?

Sometimes I really wish I lived in a musical…with seniors dancing in unison to ODB. 🙂

So that was the big highlight of my day. What was yours?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Loved the look! I have a quick question… When you applied the Coconut eyeshadow to your waterline, how exactly did you do it? Every time I do it, I get powder in my eyes! It doesn’t look so great when I go to work with red eyes! I hope you don’t mind asking this question!

    Reply

  2. so i much prefer your definition of mangrove. i wish there were mangroves where i live :p

    the highlight of my day was watching inception. it was brilliant and it blew my mind! so many talented people in the film and i can’t get over how amazing (not to mention drop dead gorgeous) marion cotillard is!

    it’s films like this that make me wish i was an actor :).
    .-= dani@callitbeauty’s last blog post… Boots Original Beauty Formula Cleansing Milk – Review =-.

    Reply

    • I liked it too. I felt it was about 30 minutes too long, but otherwise pretty darn good.

      It’s clear that Christopher Nolan spent 10 years on the script!

      Reply

  3. Shhh, be vewwwy vewwwy quiet, we’re hunting in the mangwove.

    Anyway, I really dig this palette. That yellow looks so intimidating in the pan, but lovely applied with the other complimentary colors.

    On a seemingly unrelated note, I’m trying to figure our “wedding colors”, and inspiration comes from everywhere, including your arm swatches, lol. TY.

    Reply

  4. Why couldn’t I stop listening to that? You should put a 90’s half-rap disclaimer for those of us naive click-happy fools. 🙂
    If you painted your nails with the Shrek OPI collection, you could rock the monochromatic look. Also, you could volunteer as a crosswalk guard and not need a reflective vest. I really like that color with your skin. I think I’m too pale for it.

    Reply

  5. LOLOL! I want to live in a musical too, one with a mangrove in it! 😀

    Mangrove the eyeshadow is not my cuppa tea, but I am definitely lemming several of the NARS fall items! Strawberry fields lipgloss, Rajasthan shadow duo and Douceur blush are all singing a siren song to my wallet! Help!

    Reply

  6. oooh, I need to find me a mangrove! And maybe I’ll pick up that Nars shadow, too.

    The FOTD looks great. I love that you paired mangrove with the NARS palladium (the blue shadow liner). It really makes your eyes pop!

    And I also wish life were a musical.

    Reply

  7. You can pull off so many different colors! This is really pretty on you! I have a teal liner that looks just like that — I need to bust it out and do a look with it 🙂

    Reply

  8. hahaha love your definition of mangroove 😉 its a very unique color! but i dont think i could pull it off with my yellow skin =/ but you can pull off almost any color! so jealous of youuu hehe 🙂 I also LOVEEEE Palladium Soft Touch Shadow Pencil 🙂 the teal color looks amazing under your eyes! must try thato ut sometime 🙂
    .-= Agnes’s last blog post… False Lashes &amp Nail Rhinestones – Ebay =-.

    Reply

    • Ooh, I love the pop of color along the lower lash line. It’s so fun with teals, blues, greens and purples.

      Did you have a good Tuesday? I hope so!

      Reply

  9. The Palladium pencil is sooo beautiful (like that bright blue cream shadow duo that Nars put out recently). And I LOVE that ODB song. Wu Tangggg! 😀

    Reply

  10. Lol that song is too funny . RAW is the best way to shoot except the file sizes are soo big so it’s not used by people just taking standard pictures. It keeps you from losing quality as you edit it and whatnot . I about went blind seeing that yellow shadow. But anywho …i have a question. and i know it’s really random and kind of dumb ..but, i wanted to ask if on any of your NARS eyeshadows or blushes you can see a little bit of gold on the sides of the cases of eyeshadows or blushes . someone is bugging me about something and i just want to confirm a few of my suspicions ..

    Reply

    • Hey Noemii,

      Ooh that’s exactly what my teacher said today. 🙂

      As for the NARS cases… hmm, I just checked a few of ’em and I can’t really see any gold on the sides. I’ll check tomorrow morning in better light and let you know.

      Reply

      • Haha with all the tuition i’m paying i have to learn something !
        Oh and thanks i didn’t think there was. I always (if ever) have seen only a bit of silver from the pin, never gold :] Me thinks somebody sold me a faaake ..

        Reply

          • Oh heeeeeellls no ! I absolutely HATE hate hate when i see copyrighted pictures from blogs and flickr used without permission and sources . That’s why I never use flickr and such . It’s such a pet peeve of mine (and i’d say artists in general though it sounds so stuck up). Gr gr gr it makes me Soo angry lol ..
            But strangely enough with celebrity photos and the famous stuff doesn’t really bug me as much ..hm . Priorities, priorities 😡

            Yeah, i bought me a NARS eyeshadow or three on ebay because i couldn’t find it at my Sephora so i was like why not ..I got two fakes and one genuine . So, i bought two real ones at Sephora to make me feel better. I learned my lesson.
            A seller is being a total bxtch saying Prove it ! And i’m like bxtch give me my money back and then we’ll talk . Yuh .

          • That’s one of the risks w/ebay. I’ve heard both good and bad stories… glad you at least got one genuine one.

            BTW, do you have Kalahari? It’s a must-have!

  11. Ahahahahahahaha omgggg I really do see all the senior citizens totally rocking the NARS FW2010 collection while snapping some RAAAWWW pictures of a really really hot grove of tropical men<33333 With ODB bumpin in the background!!!! Hahahaha I love all your images… And I have to say… You're GORGEOUS!!!! I just hope I end up looking that good with the new line on 🙂 MANgrove seems like a sexy, slightly new sheer version of Bitter or Eyepoppin from MAC…
    .-= Nik's last blog post… NIKNASTY- @pinkiecharm SPIRIT N SOUL!!!!!!! =-.

    Reply

    • Hey Babe!

      Oooh, look at you with your old school Eye Popping reference! I loved that color on EVE (so hawt)!

      This color should look great on you, btw.

      Reply

  14. That song is hilarious. I could totally see you in the spotlight with the tapping and pinwheeling seniors around you. 🙂

    I’m really liking the NARS collections these days. I guess I’ll have to start saving up a makeup budget for my impeding trip to London…
    .-= Karen B’s last blog post… The Miche Bag =-.

    Reply

    • Wouldn’t that be great? I’d love to have some overhead shots of the seniors twirling.

      Speaking of musicals, how is yours going? Last time we chatted you were doing 3 Musketeers, right?

      Reply

      • Yes indeed. Well rehearsals are in a stop now over the summer but we’ll be back full force in September and then the premiere of April will be close… Aaaaaaaah. But about half the cast and me are going to London for four days to go see some musicals and just have a ball, I’m really excited about it.

        And also my own trip for the courses is finally coming together. I finally found accomodation for my first week (phew). I must admit I was freaking out a little bit but I’m all good now 🙂 I’m really excited though.
        And I start out with a free weekend so you just know I’ll hit up Selfridges like nobodies business 🙂

        Reply

  17. This is a beautiful look. The blue on the lower lashline really makes your eyes pop.

    I’m disappointed at how sheer Mangrove is, it looked so bright in the pan. I guess the sheerness makes it more wearable, but it’s just not my cup of it. I’m still lemming the gloss and eyeliner from this collection though, they are beautiful.
    .-= gio’s last blog post… New Fall Collections- Laura Mercier Mystique- Lancome French Coquettes and Paul &amp Joe Moonlight Dance =-.

    Reply

      • Hey Karen,
        Slightly off topic – my mother-in-law is coming in from Florida this weekend. To get her out of the SF fog, I was thinking about taking her in your neck of the woods – do you think the weather will be nice? Thinking about strolling along Corte Madera shopping area…

        Reply

        • Hey Lexi,

          Corte Madera’s usually a couple of degrees cooler than Novato; judging from my weather thingy-mah-jiggy it’s looking like it’ll be in the lower 70s there. Yeah, it should be nice!

          Reply

      • Humpday is almost done. Stayed home today because i needed a little sanity break. I watched Fame circa 1980s… 😀

        I love sheer shades – my lazy day look is just a wash of something sheer (lately its been Gorgeous Gold) and an interesting eyeliner… 🙂

        Reply

        • Sometimes you just need one of those mental health days. Are you feeling better?

          Oh and yay for Gorgeous Gold! I haven’t taken her out in a while… maybe I need to give her some attention.

          Reply

          • Im feelin’ better and back in the saddle. 2 more days til the weekend and shopping day w/ the bestie.

            GG (as I fondlhy call her) is awesome — by itself it makes me look awake, esp with a blue or teal liner. Mixed with a brown or a coral shade – it makes me feel purdddyyy! 🙂

          • I haven’t tried mixing GG w/coral. Hmm… must make a note of that for the weekend. 🙂

            Where are ya’ll going shopping? Got anything on your list yet?

            Glad to hear you’re feeling better!

  19. ODB – RIP my friend – there isn’t anyone else like ya!

    Okay back to your Look – I need that Palladium pencil! Also, I am wearing Supervixen gloss today, too. Great minds think alike hahahahaha!

    Reply

  23. I think I need the entire NARS FW2010 collection in my life ASAP. I especially want the strawberry fields lipgloss and the palladium eye pencil!! This post actually really makes me want mangrove!! It looked less than appealing initially, but it just looks so perfect on you!! I’m fiarer than you, but I think I have the right coloring to pull it off. I definitely plan on trying it out now. 🙂

    Reply

  26. Those colors are fab! And the mangrove is to die for! Where can we go to buy them? Sephoria?
    Orlando/Tampa area.

    Reply

    • Hi Catherine,

      They should have the collection at Sephora eventually. Not sure if your local stores stock new items fast, but mine seems to take FOREVER and a day to get new stuff. I’d call them first and ask just to make sure it’s there.

      Reply

  27. What I did today? I worked my butt off! In the place where I live there was a big parade so the cafe where I work was stamped with people. But now laying in bed, it was all worth it. The people where nice and where cheering to the walkers that came by and I had a lot of fun!

    Reply

  29. You look so gorgeous in green/and teal colors. I remember your post of NARS Laguna Duo. They make your skin look gorgeous and golden.

    Reply

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