Sunday, February 16, 2014

FOTD: NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette


If you saw my recent Palette Pandemonium post, you may have seen that I've recently added two new palettes to the collection - one of which is the new, limited edition NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette, featuring 15 gorgeous neutral-esque shades.  I won't bore you with the review again, but if you're interested, my full review is here.



As I'm neutral-toned, I often have to mix foundations together to get a good match, and the Armani and Dior mix perfectly together for a light to medium coverage base that matches my skin perfectly.  I also use three concealers for different areas of the face - combating redness with one, dark circles with another, and blemishes with the third (don't worry, I'm not crazy).




I went for a very light, everyday look with this palette - using only All About Eve I (top left of the palette) all over the lid and Madrague II (second from the left on the top) blended through the crease.  I think this look is quite Spring appropriate - meaning this may be a look I'll be wearing more and more as it starts to get warmer!





Because I went so neutral on my eyes, I decided to play up the Spring-tones even more by wearing a bright pink lip - this Chubby Stick packs a punch of color, while still remaining hydrating and lasting.  Two thumbs up!


Have you tried the new NARSissist Palette?  Are you lusting over it as much as the rest of the beauty community is?

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Saturday, February 15, 2014

NARS The NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette - Review & Swatches


Everyone and their mothers seem to be going on and on about the new NARSissist Eyeshadow Palette ($79), and with good reason!  This limited edition offering is taking the beauty world by storm with 15 of its most popular shadows housed in the brand's typical sleek, black, rubber packaging.  Ranging from pale beiges to dark browns, even including some purples and blues, this palette is the ultimate eyeshadow palette for the ultimate eyeshadow lover.

This palette has gotten quite a few mixed reviews, but I can say that I'm impressed.  I've found the shadows to be beautifully pigmented - sheerer than some high-end brands, but I personally prefer that.  Let's just say I don't want a bright blue eyeshadow packed on my lids, but a bit of a sheer wash?  That's something I could get on board with.


One thing I will say against the palette is how much smaller it is than I expected.  Having only ever owned eyeshadow duos from NARS, I was expecting the shadows to be a bit closer to full-sized.  The top photo shows a comparison in the size of the NARSissist palette in comparison to the Kalahari duo and the And God Created the Woman Palette.  The second photo shows a comparison in the size difference between the NARSissist palette and the eyeshadows between the Kalahari duo.

Yet, at the same time, it's not the worst thing, either.  I rarely hit pan on eyeshadows, and I doubt I'll hit pan on more than a few of the shadows in this palette!  Even if I did, 14 of the 15 eyeshadows are readily available in duos and singles from NARS, meaning I can easily buy a replacement if the need were to arise.

SWATCHES


 As you can see, some of the shades are more pigmented than others in the palette, the mattes especially don't swatch as nicely.  However, I have found these eyeshadows to overall be very pigmented once applied to the lid.  They also blend like a dream, making it easy to achieve a daytime look as well as a smoky eye from this palette.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this palette.  However, I would say it's only worth it if you love at least 5 or 6 shadows, as you can buy almost every single shade at any NARS counter.  

Longevity: 4.5/5
Pigmentation: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
Texture: 3.5/5
Application: 4.5/5
Value For Money: 4/5 
Overall Rating: 8.17/10



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Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Palette Pandemonium!


Although I am starting a spending ban, I purposely chose to start the ban the day after a certain palette was being released to Sephora - tricky, I know.  Despite not needing another neutral eyeshadow palette, I somehow justified buying two in one go.  However, these two hyped-up palettes were some things I couldn't not add to the collection.

This eyeshadow palette has been the talk of the beauty world for the past month, so once it was released on February 1st, I couldn't say no.  I own the NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Kalahari and it's one of my most used and loved eyeshadows.  That being said, a convenient palette filled to the brim with 15 shades that I don't own was bound to be a purchase I was going to make.  From blues to neutrals to purples, this palette is filled to the brim with gorgeous hues!

The second palette I purchased was a bit of a mix between an impulse buy and a purchase in the making.  After it was released in the limited edition spring line last year, I desperately wanted to get my hands on this bad boy.  However, I was living in Germany at the time, and there are no NARS counters in the entire country, so I had to miss out.  Once I saw that it was being brought back out, I wanted it even more!  After months of restraining myself, I quickly added to my digital cart - and I sure don't regret it!  I should add that this set also includes a sample of the NARS eyeshadow primer (my favorite) and a travel-size fluffy brush (which isn't half bad).

 Reviews for both of these palettes will be up within the next week (Saturday and next Wednesday, respectively), so be sure to check back!

I will say that the spending ban is officially in full swing!  I think I'll even extend the ban until April, as I really need to start saving up for my vacation this summer...

What are your opinions on NARS eyeshadows?  Do you own either of these palettes?  Do you think you'll get either/both (no judgement) of them?
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Saturday, February 8, 2014

February Beauty Wishlist


Due to my recent Spending Ban that I've just put into place, I've decided to share some items that I would gladly have in my make-up stash!

Josie Maran Argan Tinted Moisturizer ($38)
Despite not needing another base product in my life, I feel like this is the end-all and be-all of tinted moisturizers.  I love Josie Maran products and I desperately want to add this to my mix of products I own!  However, it's just going to have to wait a few months, until I finish up an old foundation.

 Boscia Tsubaki Beauty Oil ($46)
I'm almost to the end of my beloved Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Oil, and although I would gladly repurchase that bad boy, I think I want to try something new.  This Boscia beauty oil looks like the perfect mixture of hydration and replenishment.  Plus the bottle is a gorgeous vibrant red, not that that's a factor or anything...

 NARS The Multiple in 'Copacabana' ($39)
Even though I'm a bit of a highlighter fiend, I actually only own one liquid highlighter and zero cream highlighters (along with a fair few powder versions).  That being said, there seems to be a bit of a void in my highlighter wardrobe that Copacabana would fill perfectly.  Easy application, convenient for travel - this has me written all over it.

 Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Ethereal Light ($45)
Hello gorgeous!  I've been attempting to use up all of my powders, and although I still have two full-sized powders to use up, I'm trying very hard to resist this purchase.  This cool-toned powder would be amazing for neutralizing my foundation, which always tends to be slightly too yellow-toned.  I don't have a cool-toned powder and I feel like this could become a new daily staple for me.  Justification, justification.


What are you wishing for this month?
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Wednesday, February 5, 2014

January Beauty Favorites


Another month has come and gone!  I don't know about you, but I'm already struck with Spring Fever.  I watch with anticipation as the thermometer slowly but surely gets above 0 degrees!  Moving on from that, besides a *slight* increase in temperature being a favorite of mine this month, I have found some gorgeous beauty products that I've been loving, too!

 Wayne Goss 'The Holiday Brush' ($85)
A bit of a splurge buy on my part, but after owning and completely loving his brush collection, I simply couldn't resist.  I also really love Wayne Goss, as a YouTuber, as well.  He's the only YouTuber that I've actually had the pleasure of meeting in person - so I always get a little inkling of the memory of meeting him whenever I use his brushes.  Moving on from that story, this is a beautiful brush.  It's quite large, which makes it perfect for just about anything relating to the face.  I tend to use it for contouring/blush work; however, it would also be great as a powder brush, too.  Very expensive, very much worth the price!  I believe this is also limited edition, so snatch it up, quick!

 Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner in 'Espresso' ($9.99)
I'm a massive fan of gel liners, I find them easier to use than liquid liners and pencils.  However, there aren't too many wallet-friendly options for gel eyeliners out there, so when I saw this - it was love.  I have gotten a fair few compliments on this eyeliner, and it's so easy to use and long-lasting.  Even better - it comes with a pretty decent brush (two for one!).  The consistency and ease of use is also quite similar to MAC Fluidline, for about $6 cheaper.

 Physicians Formula Organic Wear Jumbo Mascara ($9.99)
Another drugstore find - this mascara does its job flawlessly.  No clumps, no brittle lashes, it just voluminizes and lengthens my lashes!  I would highly recommend this mascara - it's a little more expensive than other drugstore alternatives, but it's well worth it!

 MAC 'Painterly' Paint Pot ($20)
I bought MAC Painterly (review here) about a year ago and absolutely hated it.  However, once I ran out of my beloved NARS Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base (review here), I decided to simply use this paint pot up.  What I didn't anticipate is that this paint pot works almost, as well as the NARS one!  My eyeshadow can sometimes start to crease towards the late evening, but that doesn't even happen too often.  I also love how much product you get with this - it will definitely last me for about a year!  Nonetheless, don't use this as a base for other cream eyeshadows, it will crease like no other; but if you're using powder eyeshadows, this is gorgeous.

 Burberry Body EDP Rose Gold Edition (LE)
This beautiful perfume (review here) has been getting me compliments left and right for the past few months.  I'm on a mission to finish all of my perfumes up, and I'm on the last few spritzes of this one.  It's a warm, floral scent that is perfect for the cooler months!  I should also mention that I have the limited edition rose gold packaging; however, it is the exact same perfume as the regular Burberry Body EDP, just with different packaging!  I would highly recommend this for anyone looking for a new perfume, and I will definitely be purchasing a new one very soon.

 What have you been loving this month?  List them, or post links to your favorites, below, and I will definitely check them out!
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Saturday, February 1, 2014

FOTD: Study Saturday


The semester continues to drag on, meaning homework, homework, and more homework.  However, a few new items have made their way to the front of my make-up drawer and were begging to be used!



This foundation is quickly becoming a favorite of mine - the hydrating, light-weight formula is everything I look for in a foundation.  Unfortunately, the color isn't the best match for me - it's a tad too warm-toned; however, 0.5 seems to be a bit too pale for me - beauty problems, right?  Nonetheless, with enough blending I can make this shade work for me!
Burberry Sheer Luminous Powder in No. 01 Porcelain
This is another new addition and I'm in love!  Thanks A Latte has quite a sheer pigment, but it gives a slightly dark, shimmery cover to the lids - it's beautiful.  It's a golden taupe sort of color, which is perfect for everyday.  It's also the type of color that looks great on it's own, no need to add more unnecessary shadows, saving time and money.
This jelly-like blush gives the sheerest pigment, but can easily be built up.  I prefer to use a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to blend it in to the cheeks for a perfect flush, but the fingers can also be used with equal success!
This lipstick is the perfect nude for my skin-tone (fair, neutral).  It's described as a 'spicy warm beige', but I'd describe it as more of a pink-beige, as it doesn't look full-on beige.  It simply looks like a natural, glossy shade.  The formulation is also really lovely, as it is so glossy, it fades all in one, as opposed to fuller-coverage lipsticks that fade in the middle first!

How are you spending your weekend?
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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Sephora Haul: January 2014


Being the Beauty Addict that I am, Sephora is a dangerous place - a beautiful, magical place, but a very dangerous one as well (at least as far as my checking balance is concerned).  However, I haven't been able to restrain myself this month and have, therefore, spent my Christmas money away on beauty products.

L-R: Urban Decay Naked Foundation 1.0, Benefit Thanks a Latte, MUFE Iridescent Yellow Beige 126, Jose Maran Poppy Paradise, Marc Jacobs Reckless
I've been desperate to try this foundation for months; however, last year I put myself on a pretty strict foundation rule, not allowing myself to buy any new additions without finishing off some old ones.  All that being said, that rule looks like it was quickly thrown out of the window this year, doesn't it?  The coverage is really light, but it still evens out my skin-tone (which is my main use of foundation, anyway).  My only gripe is that this shade seems slightly too warm for me, so I may go back and try 0.5, instead.

This shadow has also been on my radar for quite a long time, so it seemed like time to finally bite the bullet.  Thanks A Latte is described as a 'golden brown', which seems like an adequate description, but I would describe it as more of a taupe than a brown - but the golden is definitely there.  It's absolutely stunning on the eyes, but it is quite a sheer eyeshadow formulation, rather than insanely pigmented!

This eyeshadow was a very spur of the moment decision, but I'm quite happy with the eyeshadow.  It's very appropriately named, it's yellow-toned beige with shimmer running through it - making it a perfect shimmery nude shade for the lids.  It looks particularly lovely with a warm brown shade through the crease (like MAC Wedge), but it also looks nice on its own for a simple eye look with a little hint of shimmer!

I'm quickly becoming a massive fan of cream blushers, so this was right up my alley.  The formulation is very light and almost watery.  The bright color immediately drew me in, as I want to start trying out new and exciting cheek colors for the Spring and Summer.  However, despite the scary color in the pan, it applies very sheer, but can easily be built up for a higher impact color, if desired.  Poppy Paradise is described as a 'warm toned hot pink', which is an accurate description.  That being said, it's not TOO warm-toned, those with cool-tones can easily pull this off!

I've been wanting to try something from the new Marc Jacobs Beauty line for a while, but I simply couldn't make my mind up about which product to try!  Eventually, I decided to try out one of his blushers.  Reckless is described as a 'cool rosy pink'; however, I would say there's definitely some purple in the shade as well.  It's a darker rose-mauve shade that is perfect for winter, but can still be whipped out for rainy Spring days, as well.

This will sadly be the last haul post for a while, as I'm putting myself on a spending ban until March, but I think I definitely have enough purchases to last myself until then!

Have you tried any of these products before?  Do you have any must-haves from Sephora that I should try out come March?
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