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! 

MAC Hangin' Loose Nail Lacquer

Hangin' Loose is warm, peach/pink nude nail polish from MAC's recent Surf Baby Collection (it's actually still available on the MAC website). I haven't had the chance to swatch it yet, but it looks exactly like the type of shade I've been looking for. I'm really excited to try it out.

MAC Viva Glam Gaga 2 Lipstick

Viva Glam Gaga 2 is a creamy and opaque, light neutral beige. I wasn't really excited about either of the Viva Glam Gaga shades - the first one was too cool toned for my skin tone and the second looked too pale for my skin tone. Although I am all-for nude lips, the whole nude lip doesn't suit me that well. I mainly got it because I came across a recent FOTD (can't remember which blogger) who was wearing Viva Glam Gaga 2, and it looked amazing on her. I haven't tried it yet, but hopefully I can make it work.

MAC Black Tied Eyeshadow

Black Tied is a black eyeshadow with silver shimmer. Surprised I didn't own this? After my recent MAC Carbon incident, I doomed MAC Carbon to hell (harsh, huh?). I believe it was my fourth Carbon I owned that shattered before I even formed a dip or hit pan. I have a ruined carpet and ruined purses to show for it. So, I decided to try my luck with Black Tied. 

Left: MAC Jardin Aires Pigment Vial, Right: MAC Hottest Pink Glitter Vial

Jardin Aires is a peachy tan/champagne shimmer. Most pigments irritate my eyes, so I'm really hoping this one won't. I think it's a really pretty all over lid color or highlight shade. If it does in fact irritate my eyes, it's a pretty versitile color that I can use on my cheeks or mixed in with lotions and self tanners for an extra glow.

Hottest Pink Glitter is a fine neon pink glitter with purple reflects. Need I say more? Besides it being pretty to look at, I thought it would be awesome mixed in with some of my lip glosses.

NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero

Bolero is a muted, vibrant pinked cantaloupe with a matte finish. I've been lusting this pencil after seeing Temptalia's review (HERE) in April (despite her lips being dry in her photos, the shade is gorgeous). It reminds me a lot of what I'd get from mixing OCC Lip Tars in Divine and Cha Cha together.

NARS South Beach Multiple (Mini)

South Beach is a shimmery bronze apricot cream multi-purpose cream stick. I've never tried any of the multiples despite the rave reviews, so I can't wait to try this one out and see if it lives up to the hype.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eyeshadow in Stone

Stone is a dusty brown cream eye shadow. I've been recently exploring the world of cream shadows, and this color was really appealing to me. If it works out well, I think it'd be a great neutral shade for a soft, daytime look.

I'll be posting individual reviews with swatches for these products soon. Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts?

Hope you're having a good weekend!

Overview: Nars Blushes + Photos and Swatches!

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.)

READ MORE TO VIEW INDIVIDUAL PHOTOS & DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHADES + SWATCHES!

Angelika, Super Orgasm

ANGELIKA is a cool toned bubblegum pink with what seems to be a mixture of two different sized shimmers - the larger shimmers are silver and the smaller shimmers are gold. It is very pigmented, so a little goes a long way. The color looks much more glittery in the pan than it does on the cheeks. You may spot a few flecks here and there, but it's not overly glittery. What's nice about this blush is that it's cool undertone isn't so strong, so it is wearable on warm skin tones. Because of my yellow undertones, Angelika pulls pink-coral on my cheeks.
SUPER ORGASM is a pink with a peachy gold pearl and large flecks of gold glitter. I've never actually seen a blush with more obnoxious glitter than Super Orgasm - but it's really pretty to look at. The glitter is so large in fact that once the blush makes it to you cheeks, most of the glitter will fall off, especially if you're applying it over powder. There will still be a little on your cheeks, but nothing like the pan. It's a lot like Orgasm, but the color is a bit more vibrant.

Crazed, Outlaw

CRAZED (discontinued) is a vibrant raspberry with fine golden flecks. It's immensely pigmented and soft in texture so you only need to tap the blush with the tip of your blush brush for your cheeks. You can easily go overboard with Crazed, but when applied lightly, it gives such a natural flush of color. A bit like the color your cheeks would turn after a jog.
OUTLAW (discontinued) is a vibrant red-rose shade with fine gold shimmer, very similar to Crazed but with a stronger red tone. It's actually most of the time difficult to tell the blushes apart unless I bring them both into the sunlight. Even though it's red - it's not very warm. For example, it's nothing like Lovejoy - which can turn a cinnamon shade on the cheeks. Outlaw is much more neutral and doesn't pull brown. Like Crazed, this should also be used with a light hand and gives a nice flush of color to the cheeks.

Madly, Luster

MADLY is a dusty, seashell pink with warm undertones and very fine shimmer. It doesn't look like much in the pan, but when applied to the cheeks, the color warms up a lot to your skin tone. It's like a blushed tan on my cheeks that's very wearable for every day. It's a very versatile color and can be worn with just about any lipstick or eye combo. It's actually my favorite Nars blush!
LUSTER is a golden apricot with golden shimmer. In the pan it looks like more of a golden tan, but once applied to the cheeks, the color instantly pops into that apricot shade - a blushed peach with golden tones. If I apply too much, it does redden a bit - but applied lightly, it gives a nice warm glow. I have to say though, I was disappointed with Luster - I was really hoping it would be the same color in the pan.

Lovejoy, Albatross

LOVEJOY is a bronzed rose with fine golden shimmer. It's very warm, and applies on the cheeks the same way it looks in the pan (more subtle, of course). It's a gorgeous, sultry shade for those with warm undertones and looks great paired with golds and browns on the eyes! Lovejoy is right behind Madly in my favorites list.
ALBATROSS is a sheer white base with a fine golden sheen. Once applied, the white blends out and all is left is a gold-yellow sheen that isn't overly frosty. Albatross looks lovely when lightly applied to the cheekbones for a highlight or swirled into your favorite blush to add a warm glow.

Orgasm

ORGASM is a peached pink that is great for your "every day" pink blush. On my particular skintone, Orgasm pulls a bit of a coral-pink, similar to MAC Springsheen. Orgasm is the most popular of all Nars blushes, and it was my very first Nars purchase back in 2008. Currently, Orgasm has over 4,100 reviews on makeupalley and is rated a 4/5. I'm personally not too crazy about the shade and haven't reached for it more than twice in the past couple of years. Since it's launch and popularity, there have been so many duplicates or very similar shades. It is a great color though and is very flattering on most skintones.

I apologize my swatches didn't come out all that great. I used Q-tips instead of sponge applicators, so they came out a little streaky. None of them really apply that way when used with a blush brush on the cheeks.

What are some of your favorite Nars blushes? Do you love them or think they are overrated?

Nars Mekong Eyeshadow!

Nars Mekong Single Eyeshadow

Mekong (shimmer), "espresso infused with gold".

 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)

I personally can't give my full opinion on this eyeshadow yet, as I've only had it for a few days, but so far I think it's great. Like most of Nars shadows, it is extremely pigmented. I think the most pigmented shadows I own are all Nars. Although I only own a small handful eye shadows (Bali, Coconut Grove, Galapagos & Night Clubbing), I'm not disappointed with the color payoff of any of them. Mekong, in particular is a little bit like Night Clubbing, in that they are both very shimmery in the pan, and transfer to the eyelids almost black with minimal shimmer. Coconut Grove is the darkest brown I own, and looks somewhat similar once on my eyes as Mekong does. So, I probably didn't need Mekong - but I'm happy with it. 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.

 

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

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

(Lighting: Indoors, Daytime; No flash)

(Lighting: Indoors, Daytime; No flash)

 Irresistiblement 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, it is a red/orange brown.

(Terracotta Bricks. Source: Matching Pegs)

(Lighting: Indoors, Daytime; Flash)

This bronzer has been compared to MAC Smooth Harmony Beauty Powder, which was a limited edition shade. I own it from the Heatherette Collection. I'm not sure if it has been relaunched in any later collections. I had purchased back ups since because I don't own anything like it. Many like to steer clear from orange toned bronzers.. but I really like it used sparingly. Smooth Harmony is an orange toned beauty powder that I would say is also a terracotta, but compared to Irresistiblement, it's apparent that it's much less terracotta, and more orange. Irresistiblement has more of a red tone.

Thoughts: I have only worn this bronzer a few times and I can't really give my true opinion about it yet. Like many NARS products, this bronzer is very pigmented and a little goes a long way. I am slightly disappointed with the texture. I was hoping it would be a little softer... but it's a little on the dry side. I found it applied more evenly when I was wearing a cream foundation. It does add a nice touch of warmth to my face.. I like that this is kind of like a bronzer and blush in one.

I will be updating this post later with my full review!

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 aggrivating. 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.

I ended up getting Nars Madly blush.. which is a blush I've been wanting FOREVER. I'm so happy I ended up getting it!

 It's 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.

 I also had Nars Fantasia lip pencil in my basket until I came across these little Sephora brand "Nano" lip liners for $5. They had lots of pretty colors. I ended up putting back the Nars liner and getting #2 Cute Caramel. It is the perfect warm, soft pink. A great color for any nude, pink or peach lipstick.

I wore it today with my OCC Cha Cha lip tar and it was perfect!

And lastly, these were complete impulse buys.. (as everything else). Two Sephora brand eye shadows. The trio is called "Sunbaked No. 2" and the single is called "Glittering Sand No. 9." I couldn't resist swatching them in the store and they are so shimmery and pigmented! They are perfect for all over lid colors. Can't wait to try them out.. :)

I'm overall really satisfied with my purchases! Did you end up getting anything from the sale??

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!

Review: NARS Duo Concealer (Custard/Ginger)

I got this goody in a swap a couple of months ago. I took these pictures within the first week of receiving the product and I never got around to doing a post on it. It is the NARS Duo Concealer in the shade Custard/Ginger.

The lighter shade (left) is Custard and the darker shade is Ginger (right). It is the perfect duo for my MAC NC40 skin tone. I do believe it would work well for NC37 and possibly NC35. Custard would definately work well for NC35, but Ginger may be a little dark. Ginger would probably work well on NC42 as well.

The texture is very strange to me for a concealer. It has the finishing consistency of Smashbox Photo Finish Primer/Monistat Chafing Gel/Clinique Pore Minimizer Instant Perfecter. It's a little dry and has a satiny/velvety.. almost powdery feel? By looking at it, it looks like any normal cream/cake concealer.. but it's not at all. I prefer applying this concealer in particular with my finger. It blends beautifully.. it almost dissolves in my skin. It doesn't give the obvious look of a heavy concealer. It's extremely light weight and provides a beautiful medium+ coverage. It covered 100% of my dark circles. My under-eye circles have a purple tint, and these concealers both have a yellow tone to them. The yellow cancels out the purple very well. I would first moisturize under my eyes (which is very necessary because of the dry texture. It may dry out your under eyes if you don't moisturize) and apply the lighter shade and once I applied my foundation, I would go back and apply the darker shade and it would blend in perfectly with my foundation color. What I found is, you really don't need to use much to cover well. I was using way too much for the first few weeks of using this. Its very easy to use a lot because it's so incredibly light and because of the way it disappears into the skin.. it doesn't look like much is applied. Well anyway, within a month of use.. I hit the pan. And now I stopped using it every day and I've only been using it sparingly. Other than it running out so easily, I don't have any other complaints. I do set this with a powder and I didn't notice any creasing. I noticed when my makeup would start to shine I would get slight creasing.. but no biggie. A quick swipe of a powder puff would get rid of it. $30 is quite a bit to shovel out for a concealer, but I would repurchase this at some point.

Has anyone tried this concealer? What are your thoughts?

Review: NARS Chelsea Girls Lip Lacquer + Photos & Swatches!!

NARS Lip Lacquer

Product Description: High shine formula with sheer pigments of color for luscious lips day or night. This super-shiny formula can be worn alone or over other lip products.

-Unique texture prevents color from bleeding
-Transparent pigments with sexy shine
-Use alone or over other lip color
(Source: http://narscosmetics.com)

 I chose to purchase Chelsea Girls which is described as a "nude beige".

(the swatch is very accurate)


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 all 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, chemical like smell.. I can't really describe it, but I'm sure everyone has smelled a product that smells exactly like this before. I keep sniffing it to figure out the smell, but its sort of giving me a headache. lol.. 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. :)

On my lips...

I got this hoodie for Christmas from my mom.. and I completely forgot about it.. I found it through my piles of clothes today. lol It was like $39 at TJMaxx.


And a back shot. ;)

Finally the Spring is here and the snow is gone! It's so exciting. Its going to reach the 70s this week.. woohoo!