NARS Brow Gel Review, Photos and Swatches!

NARS Brow Gel

NARS Brow Gel ($22) is a new product by NARS that tidies and grooms the brows with a glossy gel formula. A unique precision tapered brush adds shape and definition to every angle while creating a fuller, smoother brow look.

NARS Brow Gel is available in (4) shades: Oural (clear), Athens (blonde), Piraeus (medium brown) and Kinshasa (dark brown).

I'm a dark brunette, but I like my brows to be at least one shade lighter than my hair, so I chose the shade medium brown which is a soft, chocolately gray-brown. All of the shades appear to be very neutral (see swatches on Café Makeup) which is very ideal for the brows.

I love tinted brow gels because my natural brows are very dark and if I fill them in with a dark brown color that matches my brows, they can sometimes look a bit harsh. So I like to finish my brows off with a tinted brow gel in a shade or two lighter than my brows to lighten them up slightly so they have a softer appearance. The lighter gel adds almost a highlight to my brow, creating texture and definition as it coats my brow hairs.

Now, if you have very light or invisible brows, tinted brow gels can work to your advantage by choosing a shade darker than your brows and lightly combing over them to bring more attention to them.

In comparison to MAC Brow Set, NARS is more of a gel formula (similar to E.L.F. Studio Treat and Tame) whereas I find MAC to be more creamy and mascara-like, and a bit more pigmented.

As with many tinted brow gel formulas, a lot of product gets dispensed on the brush - almost too much if you have very sparse or thin brows. You can try wiping off the excess on the opening of the tube, but for the most part, I like taking a separate spoolie and patting it on the wand of the brow gel so I'll only pick up very little product and comb it through my brows. I do the same when working with MAC Brow Set, as the colored formulas can deposit too much color at once.

I really like the small tapered brush. It's easy to manuever through the brows.

The hold is really good, and it keeps my unruly brows in place all day.

Revlon by Marchesa Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliqués!

Revlon by Marchesa Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliqués

Revlon by Marchesa Nail Art 3D Jewel Appliqués ($9.99 each) are a new, limited edition collection of intricate, textured nail appliqués inspired by couture house Marchesa's signature designs. Available in 8 shades.

I have Royal Burgundy and Silk Rosette. Royal Burgundy is a beautiful deep burgundy with an intricate textured gold design. I love the gothic feel of the pattern and I think the colors are perfect for the Fall. Silk Rosette is a beautiful teal floral design on a clear background.

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Directions

1. Start out by removing any oil or dirt from your nails. You can do this by taking a cotton pad with rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover and wiping it across your nails. This will allow the appliqués to adhere securely to your nails.
2. Select the best size appliqué per nail by lining it up with your nail bed, making sure it reaches each side of your nail wall.
3. Remove the appliqué from the film and lightly place it on your nail, lining it up with your cuticle.  
4. Press down from the cuticle and work your way to the tips of your nail. Use the enclosed cuticle pusher to secure the edges. 
5. Lightly fold the rest of the appliqué over your nail tip and take the enclosed nail file and lightly buff the edges to remove the excess product. I know it's tempting, but refrain from pulling it off, as it can rip the appliqué. 
6. Enjoy your manicure! To get your manicure to last a couple extra days, you can add your favorite top coat.

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They were really easy to apply and I finished both of my hands in just a few minutes. I don't think you need too much expertise with these.

It's important to take your time with the application to avoid any mistakes such as ripples/folds or not aligning it to your nail properly.

The only problem I ran into was that they didn't fit my nails that well. My nail beds are very curved, so I experienced some slight folds in application. Also, I found the strips to be a bit narrow. The strips didn't fully cover a few of my nails. Although none of these things are noticeable unless someone was to look closely at them.

They held up pretty well with some tip wear. I'm hard on my hands, so I removed them after three days. If you are really light on your hands, I'm sure you could get about a week out of them. I really liked that the removal process is so easy. I removed all of them within a minute or so.

I really enjoyed wearing these. I think they're a really fun treat to have once in a while or when you need to do your nails quick for a holiday or event.

Royal Burgundy and Silk Rosette 3D Jewel Appliques

NARS Autumn Leaves Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

NARS Autumn Leaves Lipstick

NARS Autumn Leaves Lipstick ($26) is described as a shimmering, warm brandy. It looks really red in the tube, but it's definitely not your average red. It's a spicy red with tones of gold, copper-bronze, orange and even a hint of brown. There's also a slight golden shimmer to it that's not very detectable, but it makes the color shine nicely on the lips.

Autumn Leaves is a part of NARS Sheer Lipstick formulation, so the color has a bit of transparency to it. It's highly buildable, and it can get fairly opaque with multiple coats. What's great about the sheer formula is that with a color like this (which can be scary for some) it's incredibly wearable - even during the day in an office setting, which something with full coverage in this color might be too bold.

This is a great Fall shade especially for those with warm and olive skin tones. I can see it being a really beautiful shade on redheads, but its looks great on just about everyone that I've seen it on. I think it looks beautiful paired with a peachy cheek and a golden highlight. Check it out on Beauty Banter.. it looks stunning on her!

I don't own many NARS Lipsticks, but I have a few and I have always liked the formula. The color glides on super smooth with a balm-like texture and a featherlight feel and I also find it to be pretty moisturizing.

NARS Autumn Leaves Lipstick on my lips

NARS Brow Perfector Review, Photos and Swatches!

NARS Brow Perfector

NARS Brow Perfector ($22) is described as a "velvety" adjustable eyebrow pencil for creating slender to full brows. The pencil applies with smooth precision and ease. The tip has a unique oval shape for precise application and varying brow widths. The result is natural and long-lasting.

NARS Brow Perfector is available in (4) shades: Salzbourg (blonde), Kalamata (light brown), Caucase (brown) and Suriname (black).

My eyebrows are dark brown, and I opted with the shade Caucase. It's slightly lighter in color than my natural brows, but it works well. I could have chosen the darkest shade Suriname, as even though it's described as black, it's actually a dark brown (See Temptalia's Review).

The consistency of the pencil is very stiff and dry at first. You have to break it in a little bit after the first use and it will warm up the product in order for it to apply better. It's like a very waxy crayon - the best comparison would probably be the Maybelline Master Shape Brow Pencil ($8), but it's much stiffer. Same waxy consistency though and similar color payoff.

The color payoff is never really completely opaque, so if you have a lot of shaping to do, or if you have coarse, sparse brows, I wouldn't really recommend this pencil. This pencil doesn't create smooth, fluid lines, and you have to continuously make small passes over areas to build the coverage. For those such as myself, I need an opaque product that will provide clean, crisp lines to shape my brows and then I can go in with something lighter and more natural to shade them in. This is a great product for that. It's also great for those who have minor filling in to do, or those with fine brow hairs that need to do some light filling in.

The result is really natural, which is something I really like. They don't look harsh or obviously filled in. Also, the waxy texture really holds the brow hairs in place, so I don't find a brow gel/finisher necessary. It also doesn't fade, smear or budge the entire day.