A Cup of Beauty: NARS

Showing posts with label NARS. Show all posts

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Possessions: Cream Eye Shadows

Since it's summer, cream products work so well as they're stay put better than powder eye shadows...

Here's my cream eye shadows collection...

So starting with the top row...

Makeup Forever Aqua Cream #13 - Lovely bright champaign shade with peach undertones but sets quickly so you gotta work fast with it.. I use this as an eye shadow but you can also use it as a highlighter..

Consistency: Light and smooth but can look patchy if you don't work fast with it

Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Enigma - I got this as a gift from my girl SJ and I really enjoy this product.. It makes a great eye shadow base.. However, I mostly use this for my under eye area and it eliminates my dark circles wonderfully.. Paler skin tones can also use this as a blush..

Consistency: Buttery smooth and blends so beautifully

MAC Constructivist Paint Pot - This is my first and only paint pot from MAC and I love this shade.. It looks dark but with a light hand, you can totally make this sheer.. It has tiny gold shimmers that aren't extremely obvious on the lids.. I wear this alone on the lids and on the lower lash line and it gives me such a lovely bronzey eye look..

Consistency: Not super smooth.. Has sort of like a dry smoothness texture if that makes sense.. Which why it can look a little patchy if you don't work fast with it..

Benefit Creaseless Cream/Liner Shadow in Flatter Me - I never wear pinks on my eye lids but love this shade! It’s so flattering and when sheered out it just gives a beautiful hint of colour to your lids.. Great for everyday..

Consistency: Smooth and easy to apply but can look blotchy

Giorgio Armani Eyes To Kill Eye Shadow in #6 Nola - This is the weirdest eye shadow formula I have come across.. It’s like a pressed pigment.. You do get a little fall out but nothing too crazy.. The shade is so unique.. It’s a bronzed khaki and I have never seen anything like it.. Looks amazing when worn sheerly as it gives that beautiful shimmery wet look to your eyes..

Consistency: Buttery smooth and blends like a dream!

Benefit Creaseless Cream/Liner Shadow in Birthday Suit - I thought that is would be so similar to the MUFE #13 Aqua cream but that one a bright champaign and this is more muted.. Gives your lids a hint of colour.. Makes a great eye shadow base..

Consistency: Again, lovely but high risk of patchiness

Julie Hewitt Shimmy in Cleo - I did write a review on this here.. It’s a nice very sheer bronze that is super easy to wear..

Consistency - Almost like a shimmery hard gel that melts on your skin and blends nicely..

NARS Cream Shadow in Mykonos - This is a muted plum.. I was kinda disappointed in this.. The shade is nice but is not long lasting on me at all when worn alone so I tend to wear Benefit’s Flatter Me first then this on top when I wanna rock a plummy eye look..

Consistency - Slippery and blends well

Bobbie Brown in Black Pearl - This is the most glittery of them all.. And I’m talking chunks of glitter.. Great for the night time.. It is a great sheer shade.. And is the most long lasting out of all of them.. But the glitter in it is very dominating..

Consistency - You gotta really work your brush in pot to get the product out and it does not blend easily because of the amount of glitter in it

And Voila!

What are some of your favourite Cream Eye Shadows?

Friday, April 29, 2011

My Blush Collection 1: Nars, Illamasqua, Bobbi Brown, Chanel & Estee Lauder

As some of you may know by now.. I LOVE blush! It's my favourite makeup item.. I think it transforms the whole look completely... So here's evidence of my obsession with blush...

So allow me to break it down for you...

NARS have one of the best colour selection in blushes.. And a lot of them have some kinda shimmer running through them..

Torrid is a gorgeous peachy blush with gold shimmer..

Penny Lane I don't love so much.. But it does make an ok base for other blushes..

Outlaw I've had for about 3 years now.. It's a beautiful plummy pomegranate colour.. And it's very pigmented that you'll need the tiniest amount.. I think it's been discontinued though..

I luuuurve Illamasqua blushes.. Extremely pigmented.. So finely milled.. So smooth in application, not chalky and Matte which I prefer.. The colours they have are amazing..

Lover you all know I adore this light peach blush.. Very similar to MAC's Melba in colour but not in formula.. This is I find to be much better

Panic looks scary but I promise you that with a light hand, it looks so natural on.. Very similar to NARS Exhibit A and Sleek Scandalous but less orange.. Panic is more like brick red.. Beautiful!

Tremble is such a soft beautiful pink for Medium Skin tones..

Bobbi Brown falls into one of my favourite makeup brands.. Her blushes are pigmented and long-lasting..

Apricot is one of my favourite blushes.. So gorgeous and really brightens up your complexion..

Pot Rouge Pale Pink is lovely formula.. Gives you that beautiful dewy look and it can be used on the lips too..

Desert Pink is a subtle dusty rose.. Really good if you're working a smokey eye..

These are all pretty sheer.. So you gotta pack the product on to get the colour showing which makes me hesitate when buying any blushes from these two brands.. But they're still so gorgeous

Chanel Espiegle was a limited edition light peachy blush with a little bit of fine shimmer to it.. The shimmer doesn't show up that much on the cheeks which is why I loved it..

Estee Lauder Peach Nuance - This is a pinker version of Illamasqua's Lover.. It is really gorgeous on and it's Matte..

Chanel Caprice - I got this a long time ago.. Not sure if they still sell it.. But I love this colour too.. Gives me a beautiful summery look without the bronzer..

Stay tuned for part 2 ;)

Monday, February 21, 2011

Cream Blushes

So let's talk about my favourite topic.. BLUSH!

I thought I'd start with cream blushes as my cream blush collection isn't as big as the powder blush collection..

So let us begin....

Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick - S2 Peach Flush

I keep forgetting that I have this blush.. It's a gorgeous peach.. Applies sheerly but is definitely buildable.. Gives such a nice flush to the face.. It has tiny tiny gold shimmer that is very subtle when applied to the cheeks.. It is not dewy but not completely matte either..

Swatch:

When I apply this on its on, it doesn't stay on for long on my cheeks.. But if you apply a nice light peach (e.g. NYX Peach or Illamasqua Lover) or any pink powder blush on op, it makes your powder blush pop! So I'd use this as a base for my powder blush.

Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge - 11 Pale Pink

This is such a lovely barbie pink colour.. It's not as sheer as the Shiseido one but is not scary to work with either.. It gives your cheeks that dewy look without the sticky feeling.. The formula is so easy to blend and it lasts a fairly long on your cheeks..

Swatch:

There are so many other shades that are really beautiful.. I would recommend this for those who want to start with cream blushes..

Makeup Forever HD Blush - #6

When I used this the 1st time.. I was in love.. The formula is so light and blends easily.. It gives your cheeks a nice rosey coraly matte flush which I like as it looks very natural.. This did not stay put as long as I expected it to but it did pretty well..

Swatch:

I highly reccomend this product for those who like a matte flushed cheek.. I'm thinking of grabbing a few more of these.. The colour range available is stunning!

NARS Cream Blush - Penny Lane

I had such high hopes for this cream blush but it was such a disappointment.. NARS powder blushes are so amazingly pigmented and long-lasting.. This was the total opposite.. The formula is extremely light that you need to pack the product on to get the colour to show on your skin (well on my skin tone at least - NC25-30)

Swatch:

The colour is really pretty and it gives a lovely glow to the cheeks.. So I guess I'll be using this as a base for better pigmented powder blushes..

NARS Multiple Duo - Orgasm & South Beach

Another disappointment from NARS.. I've heard such great things about NARS Multiples and I have been wanting NARS Orgasm Blush for the longest time.. So when I saw this, I thought PERFECTION! Just what I'm looking for.. My excitement however soon disappeared when I applied this on my cheeks.. The colour barely showed up on my skin and I had to rub such a huge amount of product to get the colour pay off.. The formula is exactly like the NARS cream blush.. It feels oily a lil so I did not expect it to stay on for long..

Swatch:

So since these don't work so well on my cheeks.. I only use them as eye shadows.. And the colours are really amazing for eye shadows.. But then again.. They don't stay on for that long unless you have a good primer underneath.. NARS should really look into changing the formula of their cream blushes..

MAC Blushcreme - LadyBlush

I don't even think that this product needs an explanation.. I'm sure most of you have this or have read reviews about it.. I was a little hesitant before purchasing this cream blush.. I thought it might be sticky and just too dewy.. But oh was I wrong.. This is such a beautiful cream blush.. It beats MAC's powder blushes hands down.. Gives such a glow and the colour is one that suits all.. It also makes a great blush base for any powder blushes.. I'm so disappointed that MAC has discontinued these.. Luckily I got mine before it's too late =P

Benefit - Benetint

I used this a long time ago when I was a teenager and when I came across it again one time, I just had to repurchase.. This is the only VERY long lasting blush I came across.. It gives your cheeks such a beautiful rosey tint.. Applies lightly at first.. But is surely buildable.. The only reason I don't wear this as much as I would like to is coz of the streakiness that may come with this product if not applied VERY carefully.. This stains your cheeks within seconds of application so you have to work VERY fast with it.. Also, I really don't like the nail polish brush type of application.. Wish it came in different packaging AND in various shades too.. But still a really great blush for those who do not like to reapply.. oh and it smells like rose water..

Last but definitely not least....

NYX Cream Blush - Glow & Golden

Now these were such a surprise.. But in a very good way.. They're sooo creamy and melt into your skin like a dream.. Glow is beautiful pink with no shimmer.. I thought it would be similar to MAC Ladyblush but it's brighter.. It's actually the reason why I did not purchase MAC's Posey Cream Blush as I thought it was very similar to it..

Golden on the other hand is a peachy beige with gold shimmers.. Makes an amazing highlighter and a perfect base for bronzers.. I love this colour.. When worn by itself it gives your cheeks the loveliest healthy glow.. If you're looking to get NYX cream blushes, you must try Golden.. Especially now that summer is comin up..

Swatch:

The formula of these cream blushes is the best I've come across.. They're so much better than MAC's Blush Cremes and a lot more pigmented too.. So you need only a tiny bit to get a really good colour pay off.. These give your cheeks a nice dewiness without the stickiness.. NYX Cream Blushes honestly surprised me..

And that is the end of my Cream Blush review... I really wanna try Illamasqua's cream blushes so I'll get my hands on those as soon as I can..

Do you wear cream blushes? If so, what are your favourites?

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Some of my Favourite Things

Hey

So here are just few of my favourite things at the moment..

Primer

Korres Vitamin E Face Primer

Foundation

I use sooo many foundations but I am still on the hunt for my HG foundation..

I guess one of my favourites at this moment would have to be Annayake Antiageing Cream Foundation SPF 15 - 55 Sable

Tinted Moisturizer

Korres Ginger & Vitamins Foundation spf 10 (Yes I realise that this is a foudnation but it's light enough to be a tinted moisutrizer and I use as one)

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15 in Medium