The Glamour Guide Beauty Blog

NARS Not So Dynamic Duo Concealer.

 

I am a HUGE fan of NARS. When I discovered NARS, I instantly fell in love.  So when I needed concealer, who do you think I went to first?  NARS, of course.  I was so excited to use my NARS duo concealer!  

NARS had the right idea putting two shades in one palette.  One is lighter, one is darker, and there's always the possibility of blending the colors. So they get points for that.

The colors shown are the darkest available: Toffee and Praline.  Sounds good, right?  If only it worked as well.  The formula is a cream that dries down to a powder finish.  The consistency is nice.  The problem is that it does not spread well.  In order to cover a little surface, you have to rub a lot, and you need to use some muscle.  The potential for caked-on concealer is way too great with this product.  The product is therefore impractical.

This is the first time I have been dissatisfied with a NARS  product. I think their idea was great.  But their execution leaves a bit to be desired.

 

Girlie Guide Rating: C 

LIVE GLORIOUSLY. LIVE GLAMOUROUSLY.

NARS Does Nails

NARS Nail Polish in Orgasm

    I heard it.  This bottle of purple nail polish actually called my name. What was I gonna do - ignore it?   Not me!   The color was so deep and intense that I checked out the other color, Orgasm, as well.  

    Given the beauty of the colors, I wondered why I never tried NARS nail polish before.   Maybe it’s the $16 price tag... Anyway, I tried two bottles of NARS nail polish:  Purple Rain and Orgasm.  Purple Rain is beautiful!  I’m disappointed in the Orgasm color, though.  It’s kind of dull.  

    The NARS nail polishes cover well and last VERY well.  In my opinion, NARS is better than OPI. Until I tried NARS, I considered OPI the gold standard.  And I still feel that OPI makes great products.  NARS just makes better ones.

 

Available at www.nars.com and at Sephora (limited colors)

Girlie Guide Rating : A

Live Gloriously. Live Glamourously. 

A New Day: Eyeliner Pencils!

    For years, people have marveled at my inability to apply eyeliner with a pencil. I do wear eyeliner, but I could only apply it with a brush.  Until... my dear friends at Sephora taught me to use an eyeliner pencil this weekend.  Well, it’s more like a crayon, but still, it isn’t applied with a brush. 

    One thing that I notice is that with pencil-like devices, you have to apply a lot more pressure to get the color on.  My eyelid slides away from the pencil, slides underneath the pencil, and everything else.  With the brush, you apply hardly any pressure.  You can’t - the bristles will give way.    But my eye does not slide beneath the pressure of the brush.  

 

    Above is the NARS eyeliner pencil in Kaliste, a peacock color.  I actually put this on my eyes this morning.  Kaliste is a great color: rich, with great coverage.  The pencil is a little harder than I would like, but it went on pretty well.  It has lasted well, with little bleeding.  Overall, a good experience.  I am now a member of the eyeliner pencil using world!

Girlie Guide Rating: B

Live Gloriously. Live Glamourously. 

It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood... to introduce NARS Eros Lip Lacquer.

 
 

        This time of year, just about every day is a beautiful day here in Tulsa.  It’s sunny and bright, which puts me in a good mood.  It's in the lower 80's and very windy (hence the windblown hair). The only real problem is that I overslept and missed breakfast, grrrr. 

Still it’s a great day.  And it’ a great day to introduce my new primary lip color.  As Connie recommended, I am wearing Eros by NARS.  Eros is a raspberry color with a fine sparkle.  It gives a good amount color, a good amount of sparkle, and lot of shine.  Eros is a very balanced product, and I can see myself wearing this every day.  Especially since it’s not as sticky as your average gloss.

 

Drawbacks:  It comes in a pot, not a tube.  Thus, it has to be applied with a brush or with your finger.  It’s a little less convenient, but I think it’s worth it.

Retails for $24.00

Available at Sephora, Macy’s, Nordstrom, www.nars.com

Girlie Guide Rating:  A

Live Gloriously. Live Glamourously. 

SURPRISE!

Ok, so my day got off to a rough start.  I had a headache. I overslept.  I got all freaked out about exams and other miscellaneous school work.  I spent the afternoon and early evening alternating between studying and freaking out.  

Then I got a huge surprise: one of the ladies at Sephora called to tell me that I had won the NARS drawing.  Oh my goodness, I was so excited!  I was sitting at a coffee shop studying with friends, but when duty calls, we must answer!  I promptly went to Sephora to claim my prize. 

What did I win?  Lots of products from my new favorite cosmetic line: NARS!

 Details:

Canaille Lipstick

Purple Rain Nail Laquer

Oasis Blush

Paper Tiger Cream Eyeshadow

Toundra Velvet  Matte Lip Pencil

54 Glitter Pencil

Cordura Eyeshadow Duo

 Jolie Poupee Eyeshadow Duo

Monoi Body Glow

My prize also included three sample lip glosses: 

Moon Fleet, Rose Birman, and Foul Play.

Such happiness! I wish I could say that I was going to be productive or go to sleep right now.  But you know I'm about to start playing in these new colors!  Have a great night, everybody!

Live Gloriously. Live Glamourously. 

 
 

Happiness is ...

The Second Saturday Smackdown! - MAC Viva Glam VI vs. NARS Damage/Female Trouble

On the Second Saturday of every month, I will throw two products, or product groups, into the ring to see which one comes out on top.  It’s a knock down, drag out, fight to the death!  Ok, not really, but it is a brutally honest comparison.

Tonight’s competitors:

MAC Viva Glam VI Lipstick and Lipglass Combo

vs.

NARS Lipstick in Damage, and NARS Lipgloss in Female Trouble

MAC Viva Glam VI lipstick, lipglass, and combination (left)

NARS  Damage lipstick, Female Trouble lipgloss, and combination (right) 

Everybody has one: a look that’s a no-brainer.  It’s a look that works with any outfit and any make-up combination.  It’s the little black dress for your lips.

I had a happy monogamous relationship with Mac’s Viva Glam VI for nearly four years.  I could always count on it to make me look good: lip liner or no.  Then, I was introduced to NARS, and I tried Damage and Female Trouble for another all-purpose look, and I could not resist temptation.

• Viva Glam VI Lipstick starts with a versatile color: one easily influenced by the color of the lip liner.  It can take on brown, pink, red, or plum colors.  Of course, it can stand on its own, but the color is very bland.

• MAC makes it a 1 - 2 combo with Viva Glam VI lipglass: the same versatile color with tons of shimmer added.  Viva Glam VI lipglass is definitely able to hold its own.  It looks fabulous with or without a color underneath.  The coverage is flawless and the shine is deadly.

MAC  Viva Glam VI

 

• The challenger:  NARS Damage.  Damage is a pinky color, that looks good, but not great.  It’s a little on the sheer side.  Like Viva Glam VI, it adapts to the color of the liner or gloss it is used with.

• Damage is followed by Female Trouble: beige-like gloss with a subtle shimmer.  The depth of color deals a severe blow to the sheer MAC Viva Glam VI. Female Trouble’s weak spot: the color is dependent on a good liner or color underneath.  Without it, Female Trouble just looks like a coating of tan nail polish.  Coverage is not as smooth, but it dries faster than Viva Glam VI.

 NARS Female Trouble

    Glosses only!  Viva Glam IV and Female Trouble

 

NARS Damage and 

Female Trouble

MAC Viva Glam VI 

 

On my skin, I prefer the faithful Viva Glam VI.  It gives me better, more lively color.  Most people agree: Viva Glam VI is the better shade.

THE WINNER: MAC’S VIVA GLAM VI LIPSTICK AND GLOSS

Live Gloriously. Live Glamourously. 

NARS Spectacular at Sephora - Reflections

 

For an entire month, I looked forward to the NARS event happening at Sephora.  National and International makeup artists converged on the Sephora at Woodland Hills in Tulsa, OK, to showcase NARS.  

First, let me say that if you’re not shopping at Sephora, you need to be.  They have such a wide array of high quality products that it should be a regular stop on your mall runs.  Second, the event continues today, April 10.

Yesterday, I went to Sephora’s NARS Event.  I don’t have much experience with NARS, so it was truly a learning experience.  A few things I learned at NARS:

•  NARS Cosmetics are pure pigment.  This means that they are excellent multitaskers!  You can use the same product as an eyeshadow or a bronzer.  An eyeliner can also be a lipstick or a lip liner.  This one freaked me out: a blush can be used to pop a lip gloss!  The creators of NARS are very creative, and clearly, very practical.  I like getting multiple uses from one product,  fewer things to carry and fewer things to buy.  I like.

 
 

• NARS products go the distance... for real!  After the event, I went out in the 80 degree heat and the blazing sun with a friend to take pictures.  We traipsed around for a good two hours - maybe more.  At the end of all that my makeup still looked good.  Eight hours later, and after much sweating, my makeup looked amazingly good.  I could still see my blush.  My eyeshadow looked good, and had minimal creasing. 

• Not a fan of foundation - at all.  At least I wasn’t until yesterday.  Usually, foundation is always been too thick.  NARS has options for minimal coverage.  AND, their powder foundation is SPF 15.  Happiness!

• Brushes make all the difference, and NARS definitely has you covered.  They make any brush you could possibly need or want.

Yesterday’s take: NARS is a cosmetic force to be reckoned with.  Great colors.  Great products.  Great quality.  Great versatility.  Serious longevity.  I see myself using lots of NARS in the future.

NARS can be purchased at Macys, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Barney’s, C. O. Bigelow’s, Sephora, and a slew of other places.  

Live Gloriously. Live Glamourously. 

NARS Event at Sephora

 Connie and me

I had sooooooo much fun today at the NARS event at Sephora!  National and international make up artists came to the Sephora here in Tulsa.  It was heaven for those that suffer from an addiction to cosmetics!

There were lots of people, the music was bumpin’ and there was just a really great energy in the place.  

And I MUST give a shout out to Connie, who created my look!  We had some help from Rafael, who taught me to do a sexy pout, and from JD, who taught me to mix blush and lip gloss.  Thanks to these guys, I now know how to achieve 3D cheeks and 3D lips.  3D lips?!?!?  I am ALL about the lips!

All in all, an awesome day!

Live Gloriously. Live Glamourously. 

Connnie, Rafael, and me  :)