Thanksgiving look:  NARS Single ES in Mekong + Cairo, Zen blush (my new EVERYTHING).

today’s:  NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Iceland, Laguna Bronzer on the apples of cheeks, NARS Funny Face Lipstick

so today’s inspiration for the FOTD: STRESS.  so when i’m stressed out, i have this horrible habit of picking my lips.  for someone who LOVES a strong, matte lip…this is probably the single worst affliction, because this ultimately means any lipstick will look a bit gross on flaky lips.

so i turned to the NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss in NORMA today. now i’m normally a jelly-lipgloss gal, i don’t fare too well with glosses that are more opaque.  but there is such a healthy dose of pigment to these, that i would say this is more like a glossy Lipstick as far as coverage.

now, the first thing you’ll notice about this product: the wand is itty-bitty.

at first, i was scratching my head at this, but after using it…i totally get why. the small brush allows you to get the PRECISION when you apply this. because it’s more like a glossy lipstick in opacity, the tiny brush allows you to really define the lips in a very defined way to get a really beautiful, polished look.

final look (sorry, my photo taking was SO shaky today)

i’m not one to be matchy-matchy, but sometimes it works.  (it also works when you’re getting dressed at 5am and trying to pack your makeup look at the same time….ah, the perils of going to yoga before work)

my logic for this one was simple: i had a chambray shirt.  therefore, i did chambray-ish eyes.  (it even SOUNDS dumb….cringe).  in any case, i used NARS Eyesahdow Duo in Underworld.  this is one of the classic “smokey eye” duos — it’s a very true Grey palette, both dark and light.  no undertones (not too cold or warm) — JUST grey.

finished look:

tried the NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Tokyo…a really subtle “everyday” kind of palette, for someone who doesn’t necessarily want to wear brown neutrals all the time.

really wanted to try a strong, dark lippee (and scare all the suits in midtown, muahaha).  i pulled out the NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Train Bleu, but felt it might be a little too “bleu” for me…so i warmed it up by putting Lip Liner Pencil in Borneo all over the lips before applying.

final look:

and of course, he created this iconic Nars Single Eyeshadow shade in DAPHNE, exclusively after her.  it’s a stunning purple/blue MATTE shadow.

the texture is very matte and the color is highly pigmented.  you can layer it on for a really concentrated finish, but it also sheers out nicely.  just a suggestion: if you’re planning to work it around the lid, avoid using the base on the bottom, otherwise it will anchor too quickly and won’t be able to move.

on the lips: Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Como.  more on the product later, but in short: it’s a gloss that packs a lot of pigment punch! almost like a glossy lipstick.

behold: NARS Lipstick in Schiap. the website describes it as “shocking matte pink”. no doubt about it…it is.  again, because this is a semi-matte formula, it is FAR more comfortable on the lips than other versions of this shade i’ve tried.  simply amazing!

on the rest of the face:

• NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Kilimanjaro:  a GREAT wearable alternative to doing a stark, harsh WHITE on the lids. particularly great for my yellow-undertoned skin
• NARS Highlighting Blush in Miss Liberty:  since the lip was so strong, i didn’t want to have too much color on the cheek, just a bit of highlighted lift
• NARS Sheer Matte Foundation:  don’t let the name fool you — this is NOT your momma’s matte foundation.  it’s actually VERY comfortable, super sheer and it provide a particularly great canvas foundation, especially when you want to play with highlighting and different textures on the rest of your features

inspiration:  i was wearing skinny black pants + a B&W striped top + loafers, so i wanted to channel a very classic look.  i kept the eye very nude with a black liner on the bottom, contoured blush cheeks…with NARS Lipstick in Jungle Red.

this Lip color is literally my new EVERYTHING. not only is the pigment really rich with a semi-matte finish, it’s really the FORMULA that makes it fantastic.  most straight-up matte lipsticks dry out my lips like you wouldn’t believe. but because this is semi-matte, you still all the gorgeous appearance of matte, but without the harsh stripping of your lips.

product roundup:

• NARS Lipstick in Jungle Red
• NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Portobello
• NARS Bronzer in Laguna
• NARS Larger than Life Eyeliner in Via Veneto

Product Line-Up:

 ←NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Star Sailor

i am really loving the NARS Duo Eyeshadows. sometimes you look at the shade combinations and wonder if they’ll go together, but invariably they ALWAYS do in a very unexpected, genius way.  Star Sailor is described as a “heather gold/antique bronze” combo on the website. pretty accurate – when applied, the gold was “golder” than expected, the bronze was a luxurious rich brown shade with a subtle metallic — nothing gaudy or housewife-y.

 ←NARS Blush in Douceur

i’m usually a peach-tone blush kinda gal, so i’m trying to step out of my comfort zone.  Douceur Blush is described as a pink brown.  it provides a really lovely “contoured” cheek look, with the slightest hint of color, so you don’t look completely nuded.

 ←NARS Lipstick in Joyous Red

even though the site describes this as an “amber red”, i would say it reads almost Terracotta on the lips (or at least my lips). i think the best way to describe this shade: an incredibly easy, wearable red.  it’s red/orange/pink all mixed in one — definitely a shade you could probably wear every day without looking over-done.  it gives just that little extra flushed pigment to your lips in a natural way.

On my way to the L2 Innovation Forum this morning, so no time for a full-on FOTD…

But because I’m heading to a conference. I’m feeling very business casual. I have a lovely knee-length, high-neck, 3/4 sleeve, demure black dress. Naturally, a graphic cat-eye was necessary. 

You know I loves me a liquid liner. The NARS Eyeliner Stylo is no exception. There’s a rich black pigment, and it’s exceptionally precise.

Normally when I do a graphic liner, though, I’ll marry it with a strong lip, too. (go hard or go home, I always say). But seeing how I was going to be around a bunch of conference-goers, I didn’t want to scare the natives.

So I went with baby pinks on the cheeks and lip. Cheek is this new blush from Spring 2012, the lip is NARS Lipgloss in Angelika. Again, like all the other glosses, it looks far more aggressive in the tube than it does on the lips. The color is a stunning, subtle, uber-feminine pink.

pulled out NARS Duo Eyeshadow in South Pacific. i love a bright shade, and this beautiful palette had two: a true turquoise shimmer and a light powder blue shade.

i have to apologize about the photo – the lighting in my apt was not ideal this morning. for a better idea of the shade, probably best to check the NARS website. 

the look was simple:

• NARS Smudgeproof Eyeshadow Base (OMG, this product is absolutely UNREAL….i will never wear eyeshadow without it again)
• NARS Duo in All About Eve all over the lid & brow bone

• NARS Larger than Life Eyeliner in Abbey Road on the top lash line.

• NARS Duo Eyeshadow in South Pacific. i only used the turquoise shade for my look today.
• whenever i’m doing a pop color, i always like to use a liner, then pat/layer on the bright shade over, so there’s a stronger concentration of color closest to the lid, then i can shade & thin the color out as i get higher on the lid
• NARS Orgasm Blush (naturally)
• NARS Lipgloss in Easy Lover