Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil

Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24) is a vivid coral pink (described on Sephora as pink cantaloupe) lipstick pencil with a matte finish.

Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencils combine the convenience of a pencil with the application of a lipstick in a jumbo-sized crayon design. These pigment-rich sticks provide a matte, creamy finish enriched with emollients, vitamin E, and silicone.

After seeing Bolero featured on Temptalia, I knew it would be a shade I was going to love. Although, it did look super dry on her lips.

I'm not sure if the formula differs shade to shade, but Boleo is pretty drying, as are most matte finish lipsticks. To keep my lips from drying out, I'll apply a layer of lip balm on my lips prior to application of the lip pencil and it keeps my lips from drying out and the lip pencil from looking uneven.

My favorite way of wearing Bolero, is with a warm lip liner (such as MAC Stripdown, Hover, Spice, etc) and clear gloss on top. It also looks great when mixed with a baby pink lipstick/gloss.

The color seemed all too familiar, and when I swatched it next to some of my other favorties.. well, I realized why I liked it so much in the first place. Haha! It resembles Illamasqua Obey the most, just with a touch more pink. It's a color that I find very flattering on my skintone, as it really brightens up my face.

Swatches from left to right: YSL #26 Tender Peach Rouge Volupte Lipstick, MAC Everhip Lipstick, Illamasqua Obey Lipstick and Nars Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil.

If the pencil wasn't so drying, it would probably be one of my favorite lip products. But, because I have to prime my lips, it is a little inconvenient when applied on the go, or for touch-ups. Still, I really like it and I'm happy with it!

Have you tried any of the Velvet Matte Lip Pencils? What did you think?

Small, but Awesome Swap Haul! MAC, Nars and Guerlain!

I was so excited to get these goodies in the mail today from a recent swap. So, I thought I'd do a quick post and show you what I got! There will be reviews & swatches to follow in the upcoming weeks.

 

Guerlain Meteorites in Mythic

Guerlain Meteorites in Beige Chic

MAC Deep Dark Mineralize Skinfinish

NARS Exhibit A Blush

NARS Mounia Blush

READ MORE FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS & DESCRIPTIONS!

Swap Haul! Nars, MAC and Bobbi Brown.

Hey Everyone,

If you didn't know by now, I'm a complete swap-a-holic. I love swapping and browsing blog sales for great deals and hard to find items. It's a great way to try new products when you're on a budget. If you don't know what swapping is, click here to view Makeupalley's Swap FAQ page.

(Sorry, MAC Hottest Pink Glitter Vial is hiding behind the Nars Multiple)

NARS South Beach Multiple (Mini)

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow in Stone

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick

MAC Black Tied Eyeshadow

MAC Hangin' Loose Nail Lacquer

MAC Hottest Pink Glitter Vial

MAC Jardin Aires Pigment Vial

READ MORE FOR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS! 

My Favorite Nars Eyeshadows!

My Favorite Nars Eyeshadows

I wanted to do a post today about the Nars eyeshadows I own. Although my collection is pretty sad (these are the only ones I own!), it's because they are pretty expensive ($23 a pop) and I only treat myself to a shade every once in a while. 

I own five (5) shades in total: Galapagos, Bali, Coconut Grove, Night Clubbing and Mekong.

Galapagos is a warm, bronzed-brown with gold shimmer.

Bali is a neutral taupe brown with a matte finish.

Coconut Grove is an intense neutral deep brown.

Mekong is a brown black with reddened-brown shimmer. When applied dry, it almost looks black. I recommend using this shade wet to see the true color, or over a brown/copper base.

Night Clubbing is a black infused with gold shimmer. The mixture of the gold and black give off an almost olive appearance. I also recommend using this one wet, or on top of a golden cream shadow/base.

It's hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to pick one, I'd probably pick Coconut Grove. It's the most pigmented and deepest brown I own. I barely have to touch the shadow and I'll get amazing color payoff. But, that's the case with almost all of Nars shadows.

NARS Galapagos, Bali, Coconut Grove, Night Clubbing and Mekong Eyeshadows

I use all of the shades quite often, with the most often used shades being Coconut Grove and Galapagos. They work so perfectly alone or with an additional highlight shade. 

I really enjoy using all of these shadows and I have so many more on my wishlist! 

Here's what they look like swatched:

Swatches from left to right: Bali, Coconut Grove, Galapagos, Mekong, Night Clubbing.

(swatches in same order as above)

I cropped out my eyes from an older FOTD where I was wearing Night Clubbing all over my lid. It's super dark, but also works great as a liner.

Do you own any Nars shadows? Are there any you'd recommend? 

My Nars Blush Collection Review, Photos and Swatches!

 Nars Powder Blush Overview

For a while, I was pretty obsessed with Nars blushes. Nars is one of my top favorite brands, and it's always a brand I like going to when I want to treat myself to something I'll really love and enjoy. The products ooze quality with the ease of application as well as the very rich pigmentation.

Nars has a good variety of blush shades - not as excessive as MAC, but they have all of the basic shades. There are currently 23 in total - Sex Appeal, Amour, Angelika, Deep Throat, Dolce Vita, Douceur, Exhibit A, Gilda, Gina, Lovejoy, Luster, Madly, Mata Hari, Nico, Oasis, Orgasm, Silvana, Sin, Super Orgasm, Taj Mahal, Taos, Torrid and Zen.

I remember when I first discovered Nars blushes (I was 18 or 19) and couldn't get over the fact that they were bold enough to name a blush Deep Throat and Orgasm. Okay, Orgasm isn't that bad, but Deep Throat? I mean, I'm not offended - but if someone was to ask me in public what blush I was wearing.. I would totally act like I didn't know the shade. What if they never heard of Nars and thought you were making fun of them? "I love your shade of lipstick, what is it!?" "Money Shot." "Oh. K.. Thanks?" "What about your blush?" "Doggy Style."

Nars Blushes are a bit expensive at $27 per .16 oz. Typically brands have higher costs due to expensive packaging, but there's really nothing special - or expensive about the packaging of the blushes. The good - They are very thin, lightweight and have a mirror. The bad - the rubber material gets incredibly dirty (not aesthetically pleasing one bit) and it's a little flimsy. Some of my mirrors have become a little loose. Also, if you're not a fan of shimmer, you may want to look elsewhere because most of Nars blushes contain a little bit of shimmer. Although none of them are really frosty - lots of them have fine shimmery sheens. A great thing though about Nars blushes is the uniqueness of the shades and the high pigmentation. Yes, they are expensive - but I can't imagine ever finishing one Nars blush in a year.. with the exception of Orgasm because it's slightly sheerer than the rest.

I've accumulated nine in the past few years and several of them don't get enough use because the particular shades I own aren't practical for every day. My favorites, which are used often are Madly and Lovejoy. I also have my eyes on Douceur, Taj Mahal, Desire and Gina. (You can view swatches of all shades on KarlaSugar by clicking here.)

Nars Mekong Eyeshadow Review, Photos and Swatches!

NARS Mekong Eyeshadow

NARS Mekong Eyeshadow ($24) is a deep-dark brown infused with gold shimmer.

Like many of Nars Eyeshadows, Mekong is extremely pigmented. In fact, it's probably the most pigmented eyeshadow I own next to Nars Night Clubbing. In fact, it's a bit like Night Clubbing in that they are both very shimmery in the pan, but apply to the lids almost black with minimal shimmer.

In some ways, it's intimidating to use because it's so pigmented and dark. It works very well for a liner, and will probably be my main use for this shadow.

I don't at all find it difficult to blend using a soft brush and it looks excellent in the crease and applied as a liner. On my lids, its a blackend brown with a slight golden/brown sheen. Applied wet, it is darker (almost black), but the shimmer shows up much more. It makes for a beautiful, rich liner applied wet. 

I find that when using this shadow, I have fallout on my cheeks - so when using this, it's best to tap off excess product before applying it to your lids. You literally barely have to touch the shadow with your brush for great color payoff. 

Also, you can guard your cheek with a piece of paper (I like using a business card) or you can apply your foundation after your eyes. I can see why only 57% say they would repurchase, as I don't think I'll ever finish this eyeshadow. With daily use - I think it would take me a few years to finish.. and by that time, I'd probably find something else I love.

This shadow has a rating of 4/5 on makeupalley, with a 57% re-purchase rate. So, the overall rating is quite good, but only half of the reviewers would repurchase. The major complaints about this shadow is that even though it is richly pigmented, the shadow looks black on the lids rather than the beautifully shimmery brown. The shimmer doesn't transfer too well on the lids, making it look like an almost matte black-brown with very little sheen. Some say it's difficult to blend with poor lasting power. Some say it's perfect in every way. (Read reviews here)

So what do you think of Mekong? Is it a love it? Or leave it??

Nars Isolde Eyeshadow Duo Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Isolde Eyeshadow Duo

Nars Isolde Eyeshadow Duo ($34) is the only Nars Duo I own, and it consists of a golden copper and a burnt copper shade. Both colors are intensely pigmented, and buttery soft. They also translate exactly the same on the lids. 

I would consider Nars a luxury brand (despite the less than luxurious packaging), so I only purchase a Nars product once in a while, as a "treat" to myself. 

I have to admit, there aren't too many duos that really grab my attention in the whole range, but as a lover of warm golden shades, Isolde is a great pick.

Knowing Nars eyeshadows, they are pigmented for the most part, but sometimes there's a "miss" in the bunch. They also differ in texture - some are super soft, while others are just average. Both shades in the Isolde Duo are actually the softest eyeshadows I've used from Nars.

NARS Irresistiblement Bronzer Review, Swatches & Comparison to MAC Smooth Harmony!

Nars Irrisistiblement Bronzer

Nars Irresistiblement Bronzer ($34) is described on NARS website as a "golden terracotta". Terracotta is the exact color I would describe this bronzer as. Instead of a golden brown like Nars Laguna, it is a red/orange brown. I know many out there typically try to avoid any tones of orange in their bronzer and steer towards true brown bronzers, but my warm, medium skin takes terracotta tones very well. This bronzer is especially nice on light skin as well.

This bronzer will work on anyone who takes well to warm rosy brown, caramel brown and peach blush shades.

I was a bit disappointed with the texture of the powder; it's a bit on the drier side, but despite the texture, it blends well on the cheeks, and picks up a good amount of product.

Irresistilement is very pigmented, and a little goes a long way. 

(Terracotta Bricks. Source: Matching Pegs)

Sephora Haul! NARS and Illamasqua!

Hey Guys!

I purchased a few things online from Sephora a few days ago and received my package today! I'm so excited to try everything!

Onto what I purchased...

1) NARS Bronzing Powder in "Irresistiblement" - A terracotta toned bronzer.. rather than a brown toned bronzer. I've read this is somewhat similar to MAC Smooth Harmony Beauty Powder.. so I'm excited to see if they are anything alike.. since I love Smooth Harmony! (It was a limited edition item. I have it from the Heatherette Collection)

2) NARS Single Eyeshadow in "Bali" -  A pigmented neutral taupe.

3) NARS Single Eyeshadow in "Coconut Grove" - A very pigmented, deep brown.

4) Illamasqua Lipstick in "Obey" - I was stuck between Brink, Fable, Obey, Over and Test. In the end, I chose Obey. It's a matte, pink peach/coral.

5) Illamasqua Powder Blusher in "Lover" - I'm on the hunt for a peach blush.. It was described on the website as a "vibrant apricot". Looking at Lover, it doesn't look like what I had invisioned. I was looking for a peach blush with no pink tones.. because anything peach with pink all looks the same on my skintone. Like Nars Orgasm.. or MAC Springsheen. It's very aggravating. I did own MAC Peaches, but ended up swapping it.. because it still wasn't what I was really looking for. It was too coral on my cheeks. I hope Lover looks better on my cheeks than it does in the pan.

I'll have swatches and photos of these products up for you soon!

Do you own any of these products??

Haul: Sephora (friends & family sale)

I received a coupon from Sephora in the mail a couple of days ago for 20% off everything in the store. The sale only went on for a few days.. so I made sure to rush over last night an hour before they closed to buy a few things. I wish I would of written down a list before I went.. I walked in having no idea what I was looking for.

Here is what I ended up getting -

Nars Madly Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a seashell pink. I would describe it as a warm, soft pinked mauve. I originally thought it was going to be too light and not show up on my skin tone.. but it actually really surprised me and warmed up very nicely to my skin tone. I think its such a flattering color and perfect for every day! I think it's my new favorite blush.

Nars Sheer Glow update! (My winter shade)

I had a gift card to Sephora so I decided to pick up my favorite foundation. I haven't had a bottle in months because $42 for me is a lot to shovel out for a daily use foundation. Now that I'm not using as much self tanner as I was, I've been using a lot of foundations that are in the NC30-NC35 range rather than NC40. Previously I was using the shade Barcelona in Sheer Glow.. which was the absolute perfect NC40 match. It matched my skintone even better than MAC NC40 did. But this time, I picked one shade lighter.. and that is Stromboli. This shade is the dead on perfect match for me right now. I can't believe how perfect the color match NARS Sheer Glow offers for my skin tone.

I did a few comparisons for you guys.. Since I'm on vacation, I didn't have all of my foundations with me. Just MAC Studio Fix Fluid and Make Up Forever HD. I'm sure Estee Lauder Double Wear in the shade Tawny may come close to these as well.

MAC and MUFE look almost exactly the same. Nars is the slightest more yellow.. and looks the best on me of the three. (I actually think I did a typo.. it may be mufe #125.. the label has rubbed off!)

This picture is taken indoors with flash.

I took a picture yesterday morning after I applied my Nars.. matches my neck perfectly. :)

Cheryl just reviewed Sheer Glow in this shade.. check out her review here!

NARS Duo Concealer Review!

Nars Duo Concealer

Nars Duo Concealer is a cream compact concealer containing two shades in order to create your perfect color match. I have the Custard/Ginger Duo, which contains Custard (yellow-undertone for light to medium complexions) and Ginger (golden undertone for medium complexions). It's the perfect duo for my MAC NC40 skin tone. I believe it's best suited for NC30-NC40 skintones. 

*The lighter shade (left) is Custard and the darker shade is Ginger (right).

Two complementary shades suit variations in skin tone: The lighter shade brings brightness to the eye area, while the darker shade can be blended directly onto the skin to obscure imperfections and dark spots. 

All-day, crease-proof wear; easily blendable for a flawless finish. 

•Long-wearing •Enriched with moisturizing Vitamin E

The texture different than any of my other cream concealers. Because it's a cream, you'd expect it to be dense, creamy and thick. It's creamy - yes, but it's very lightweight and has a powdery feel once applied. A very familiar texture if you use silicone based products.

NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer Review, Photos & Swatches!!

NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer

Nars Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer ($24) is described as a nude beige high-shine lip color with a unique texture to prevent the color from bleeding. It can be worn alone or over other lip colors.

I would describe the color as a neutral, muted mauvey pink with a hint of warm beige. I was actually very surprised with the texture. It's very thick and applies very opaque. I definitely thought it was going to be more sheer and have the consistency of a lip balm. It has a heavy, slightly sticky texture to the touch, but once applied to the lips it isn't very sticky.

On my lips it reminds me a lot of Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte #2, but slightly pinker. The color is long lasting (because of the texture) and I think its a pretty universal color that would be flattering for light to medium skin tones.

The finish is shiny & it didn't dry out my lips.

The only negatives about this product I can think of are, the pot is so small and deep that its sort of a pain applying the product. I have long nails so I can't really use my fingers, so I have to use a brush, which isn't very convenient. Something like the packaging of MAC tinted lip conditioner would work better for me. (A larger, less deep pot) Also, I don't really like the smell of the product. It has a yucky, very strong chemical smell. Also, since the product is so thick, I can see myself running out of this very quick. Nevertheless, I'm very happy with Chelsea Girls. :)

NARS Night Clubbing Eye Shadow + Photos & Swatches!

I'm on a complete NARS craze. I got my first single eye shadow and I think it may be my favorite eyeshadow I own, or at least in the top 3.

NARS (powder) eye shadows are broken down into 3 categories-
The Matte Collection: Ultra velvet, non shimmering shades with high pay off. Great for lining & creating depth.

The Shimmer Collection: Rich, soft, lustrous shades with a subtle sheen.

The Nightlife Collection: Ultra velvet shades with tone on tone sparkling effects & high pay off.

Night Clubbing falls into the Nightlife shades. It is a rich black with golden shimmer. With the mixture of gold and black, it sort of plays tricks on your eyes and makes it appear olive colored. Olive is the color you would get from mixing black and yellow/gold together. The payoff is absolutely amazing. To get the swatch I only had to touch the eye shadow I didn't even have to swipe my finger across it. It is very intense. You could also intensify the color by applying it wet. I bet this would make a pretty amazing liner applied wet.

I'm wearing it today smudged into my black liner and I'm in love :)

How beautiful is this!? The pigmentation is crazy!

The color somewhat reminds me of MAC Gilt By Association or MAC Carbon with Antiqued Gold Pigment over it.

I'm so excited to get my hands on more NARS. Some eye shadows I've got my eyes on next are:

Ashes to Ashes, Baby Girl, Cairo, Fathom, Fez, Galapagos, Mekong, Night Porter & Voyage.

Here are some pretty awesome swatches of the Night Collection I found..

Do you have any favorites????

Nars Chihuahua Lip Gloss & Crazed Blush!

Nars Chihuahua Lip Gloss

This is my 1st NARS lip gloss! The color is "Chihuahua". It's a mauvey, neutral pink. In my opinion, its the perfect every day pink. Its very natural, and adds a little bit of color and brightness to my lips. Its like.. my lips but better. :) The color is very milky and sheer. It is also VERY moisturizing. I don't think I've ever tried another lip gloss as moisturizing and smooth as this one. (Same thing for NARS lipstick, they are soo moisturizing!) I'll be looking into some other shades as well.

What shade do you recommend? I know LOTS of people rave about Turkish Delight but it never tempted me. Do you think its worth the hype?

Nars Crazed Blush

Crazed is the color I think of when I think of Mixed Berry. It's a Raspberry/Magenta/Pink. Lol, that's the best I can explain it. Its super pigmented and slightly shimmery. With a light hand, it gives a real natural rosy flush. I think its a color that can compliment any skin tone. This isn't a color I would of normally picked, but I wanted to try something different. I'm very happy with this blush! The next ones I really want are Madly, Sertao & Luster.. I actually want to own them all one day. lol So far, I have Albatross, Angelika, Super Orgasm, Orgasm, Lovejoy & Crazed. I'm slowly getting there!!

What are your favorites?

NARS Sheer Glow Foundation Review!

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation ($42) is a luminous foundation that is promised to enhance your skin without "masking it". It will brighten the skin, while evening out the skin tone and concealing minor perfections.

• For normal, normal-to-dry and dry skin types
• Hydrates for softer and smoother skin
• Contains powerful anti-oxidants to protect against damaging free radicals and turmeric extract to improve skin's radiance and tone
• Dermatologist tested. Non-comedogenic. Fragrance free.

Nars Sheer Glow is available in twenty (20) shades: Siberia (light with neutral/balance of tones), Mont Blanc (fair with subtle pink undertones), Gobi (light with yellow undertones), Deauville (light with neutral/balance of tones), Fiji (light with yellow undertones), Ceylan (light-medium with yellow undertones), Punjab (medium with golden-peachy undertones), Santa Fe (medium with peachy undertones), Stromboli (medium with olive undertones), Barcelona (medium with golden peachy undertones), Syracuse (medium-dark with brown undertones), Tahoe (medium-dark with caramel undertones), Cadiz (medium-dark with caramel-red undertones), Macao (medium-dark with deep yellow undertones), Trinidad (dark with warm yellow undertones) and Khartoum (dark with espresso undertone).

My shade is Barcelona, which is a warm, medium-tan shade with golden undertones - It's not overly yellow and it doesn't look orange on my skin. For reference, I wear NC40 in MAC foundations.

*I now also use Stromboli, which is a shade or two lighter than Barcelona, for when I'm less tan. It has strong yellow (olive) undertones, and is equivalent to the MAC NC30-35 coloring

I'm wearing Nars Sheer Glow in the shade Stromboli in this photo (my lighter shade)

Continue reading for my review...

NARS Lovejoy & Albatross Powder Blushes Review!

NARS Albatross and Lovejoy Blushes

Lovejoy is a beautiful, shimmering bronzed rose. When applied, it instantly adds definition and warmth to my face.

The pigmentation is amazing, and you only need a light touch of the brush for a natural flush of color. Because it's so pigmented, using a duo fiber brush works best and lightly dabbing the powder across the cheeks.

This shade particularly goes really well with my tan skin tone, and I highly recommend it for medium, olive and tan skin tones! This is now one of my favorite blushes!

Albatross is a sheer, light golden powder used for highlighting the cheeks/face.

I'm not going to lie - Albatross looks a bit intimidating in the pan. Nars is known for providing some really pigmented blushes, so I had always assumed Albatross was going to be a pigmented, frosty white (in which I could use any of my white loose pigments). But, don't let the looks of it fool you. If you look closely, you'll see that it has a golden-yellow pearl.

When applied to the face, it goes on as a sheer, golden yellow sheen. It gives a very nice glow to the cheeks without looking shimmery or frosty. It's great for highlighting the top of the cheekbones, and it looks great layered over blushes.

A little goes a long way - my favorite way to apply this powder is with a fan or duo fiber brush.

Kim Kardashian's makeup artist uses Albatross to give Kim a radiant glow. She's wearing it in the photo below, across her cheekbones and it looks like she may be wearing it heavily on her neck.

[photo was taken from Mario's blog]

Here are a couple pictures of myself I took in the car last night. I was wearing Lovejoy & Albatross. If you wanna know what was on my whole face, post a comment :)

Nars Blushes retail for $28 and can be purchased at Sephora.

What are some of your favorite NARS blushes? I want them all!