Hey Glossies,

I finally tried NARS foundation and I purchased MAC’s Love Lace e/s.  More on the foundation later.

I do not own any color that is similar to Love Lace…the color reminds me of denim (a combination of navy blue and grey). I totally love the color and the texture.  Veluxe Pearl is my favorite MAC texture and can do no wrong. Initially, I applied Love Lace with no primer and I was pleased with color payoff.  (As long as I have used MAC, I have never sampled the e/s without a primer.)

On to the foundation. I went into a popular chain store to get matched to NARS.  The MA was pleasant.  She did not  the unthinkable, she did not remove the foundation to match my skin to the appropriate shading. I gasped and took the samples and left the store.  I thought, “Who the heck matches foundation without removing foundation? What if the customer/client is wearing the wrong shade to begin with?” Sidear: I am always telling my friends that they have to be active participants in the matching process because some MAs will not do the right thing.  I went to another chain store and tested and received samples of NARS Sheer Glow Foundation and I tried Macao, New Orleans and Benares.  The latter shades are too dark for most of my face, but New Orleans [Who Dat! ] and Benares work well on the lower part of my face. Macao works well on the rest of my face.

I like the fact that NARS really understands the intricate shading of WOC, even in the descriptions. Macao is listed as Medium-dark 4-Medium-dark with deep yellow undertone, New Orleans is Medium-dark 5-Medium-dark with yellow undertone and Benares is Dark 2 – Dark with golden undertone.

I am very pleased with NARS Sheer Glow foundation, which is neither sheer nor glowy.  The coverage is good, medium buildable. Definitely feels light against skin.  When I looked at my face, I forget that I was wearing foundation…it does look quite natural.  I love it!!

Face

• MAC Select Cover-up – NC50
• NARS Macao Sheer Glow Foundation
• Prescriptives Custom Blend Foundation (Base #5)
• Clinique Blended Face powder Transparency #5
• Prescriptives Custom Blend Powder (Base #5)

Eyes

• Cosmedicine Medi-Matte™ Oil Control Lotion SPF 20
• Stila Smudge Pot – Gray
• Purely Cosmetics CTP – Slate Blue
• MAC Love Lace e/s
• L’Oreal HiP Duo – Platinum (Side:Black with flecks of silver glitter)
• Smashbox Eyelights – (Peach side)
• Shu Uemura Paint Liner – Black
• Makeup For Ever Aqua Eyes mascara
• Barry M Kohl Pencil – Black

Lips

• MAC Tender Tone – Sweet Tooth
• Revlon Matte – Cocoa Craving

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

Recently, I went to the first holiday party of the season.  It was fun times with fabulous friends!!

I planned to do a smoky look with my newly-acquired NARS Night Breed, but I decided to use the L’Oreal HiP Duo in Electrified. Electrified duo =  plum-infused silverish-taupe and metallic plum.  I love this combo!!!

I also wore the FACE Atelier Diamond Pink lipstick.  I love pink lipstick because every woman, regardless of skin tone, can wear a shade of pink.   I like the Diamond Pink color because it is sheer yet buildable. The texture is great and when the color, finally faded, my lips were left soft and supple.

Face Atelier Diamond Pink Lipstick

On my face, I wore

• MUFE HD Foundation 177
• Clinique Clinique Perfectly Real Liquid Foundation – 47
• Napolean Perdis Foundation Stick #7
• FACE atelier’s Ultra Loose Powder – Translucent
• MAC MSF Natural – Medium Deep

I really liked the FACE Atelier Loose Powder. A little goes a long way, so to my Women of Color, do not fear this product does not ash.  Since the MSF Natural products do not reduce shine, I suggest wearing the Loose Powder under the MAC MSF Natural.  The Loose Powder kept shine at bay for hours and I love that. My skin is not oily in general, but since the weather has turned cold, the heat goes up and the sweat can begin. lol

Have a wonderful holiday season!

Mix Maven

Hello Glossies,

Happy 15 year anniversary to NARS Cosmetics!! Thank you, Mr. Francois Nars for creating such a luxe beauty brand.

There are two NARS books that I want…must have!! *Looking around at Santa* lol

I want the NARS 15 x 15 Project. This book is a collection of 15 celebrities commemorating 15 years of NARS Cosmetics.  The colors are vibrant, makeup edgy, yet flawless, and the best thing is that profits from the sale of the books equally goes to the charities selected by the 15 celebs.  Definitely worth the price. My fave picture is the one with Marc Jacobs. I love  that he is  wearing the Dovima nail polish, which I have and love!!  He is also looks fab in the rouge lipstick and his eyelashes melts my heart. LOL

I must confess that I do not own a lot of beauty books.  (I love collecting interior design books!!) So when I saw, Makeup Your Mind on QVC, I knew that this book had to be apart of my collection.  The book “is a comprehensive compilation of Before and After photographs, each containing instructional acetate overlays, covering almost every face type, complexion, eye color, and facial feature.” I just love the overlay idea!!

Need more NARS reading material, run to the closest newsstand or bookstore on November 24, 2009 and check out the fantastic article in the upcoming December 2009 issue of Allure Magazine celebrating the man, the myth, the legend, Francois Nars and his 15 years of rocking the world of cosmetics.

Mix Maven

Hey Glossies,

NARS and I are becoming BBFs (Best Beauty Friends).  I have been very pleased with the products, especially the mid-tone and darker eye shadows and the nail polishes. So I decided to pick up NARS Balthazar e/s duo.  From the first time I swatched it, I know that we were going to get on well.  In the post, “NARS Attacks”, I talked about how I would probably not purchase NARS again, but the possibility of changing my mind is always there.  Well, I am really enjoying NARS. :p I think that Balthazar would be flattering on all skin-tones.

I got a chance to see the NARS premiere show on QVC (<—my new must-see TV) and, of course, I was impressed with products that I have still have not tried (fo shame!)  i.e. the multiple sticks and e/l stylos. So I mozied on over to  Sephora to see swatch the stylos.  I am impressed with them. I left the Sephora and ran a few more errands the liners on my hand did not budge!

NARS Stylo - Blue Bayou and Nuits Blanches

FOTD

Face

• Clinique Supermoisture Makeup – Amber
• MAC MSF Natural – Dark

Eye

• MAC Matte Gel
• MAC Constructivist P/P
• Purely Cosmetics CTP in Copper and Bronzed Brown
• NARS Balthazar (both sides)
• MAC Mystery e/s
• LORAC Superstar Trio (gold)
• Shu Uemura Painting Liner  – Black
• L’Oreal Telescopic Explosion mascara

Lips

• Urban Decay Wicked l/l
• MAC Pink Manish l/g

Mix Maven

I know, I know there have been many Beauty Friends and Family sales going for the last couple weeks.  Well, there are more sales going on now.

My favorite Beauty.com is having a 20% off Friends and Family Sale, now until 11/6/2009 11:59 PST. FYI, NARS Holiday Collection is now available on Beauty.com. The great thing about Beauty.com is the 5% rebate that can be earned on each order.  I also use Ebates to earn an extra 6% rebate on my order.  The cool thing about Ebates is that I get cash back i.e a check.  I amazed amazed at how many Beauty e-tailers offer rebates through Ebates.

Also Makeup.com is having a 50% off sale (Coupon Code is 50OFF) on the Boutique Brands and 70% Off (Coupon Code is 70OFF) on the Prestige Brands until Sunday, 11/8/2009.   Please note that only items that have the coupon code near the price listing is on sale.  Ebates offers a 9% rebate on all Makeup.com purchases.   So stock up on the favorite beauty goodies.  ….Maybe get some gifts for the upcoming holiday season.

Happy Haulin’,

Mix Maven

I am really enamored with Young Punk m/es to the point that I compare everything to it.  So I noticed that the Black Violet side of NARS Brousse has tiny flecks of pinkish/purple glitter.  I thought, “Wow, this color looks like it could be Young Punk’s distant relative.”

I really got frustrated with this duo until I decided to use the Black Violet side all over the eye and used the Sable (brownish-taupe side) underneath the highlight color.

FYI, the lip color is really not that red.

Face

• Clinique Perfectly Real Liquid Foundation – 46 (N)
• Clinique Blended Face Powder – Transparency 5

Eye

• MAC Matte Gel
• MAC Groundwork P/P
• Purely Cosmetics CTP in Bronzed Brown
• NARS Brousse (both sides)
• TheBalm ShadyLady Mischievous Marissa e/s
• L’Oreal HiP Color Truth Cream Eyeliner – Black
• Tarte lights, camera, lashes! mascara – Black

Cheeks

• NARS Torrid blush

Lips

• Stila Lip Glaze – Fruit cake

Mix Maven

This time of the year is all about the Friends and Family sales.  Thankfully, I had some gift cards to spend..woohoo!!

My list consisted mainly of NARS and Stila (with some other essentials mixed in).  The Stila Barbie Smudge Pots are amazing.  Rarely do I use them as eyeliners.  Smudge pots are among the best e/s bases I have ever used.   The Barbie Smudge Pots really make life worth living. LOL Ok, ok, ok may be not, but the colors are amazing. Purple Pumps is a blueish-purple with speckles of  pink glitter and the Little Black Dress  (LBD) is black with more speckles of pink.  LBD could pose as MAC’s Young Punk me/s and no one would even check the ID.   I will say the Purple Pumps smudge pot is wetter than other smudge pots, but do not let that be a deterrence.

I had my eye on the NARS duos from the Holiday collection 2009. I prefer NARS darker shades, they work much better on me than NARS lighter shades, which is why I purchased Eurydice and Brousse duos. Eurydice is eggplant and graphite, according the website.  The purple side has flecks of blue, which does not show up to well in the pics. I placed Purple Pumps under the Purple side of Eurydice and the color changed to pinkish navy…very lovely I say. The graphite side is shimmery goodness..definitely has hints of green.  The Brousse Duo is sable/dark violet, which I think would work for a soft daytime smokey look as well as a night-time glammed-up look.  I also had to get my hands on NARS Aigle Noir Soft Touch Shadow Pencil, which is the pencil version of MAC’s Black Ore Solar Bits (a beautiful fusion of black and gold)

I will be enjoying my newly acquired goodies!!

Stila Purple Pumps Smudge Pot, NARS Eurydice Duo

Stila Little Black Dress Smudge Pot, NARS Aigle Noir Soft Touch Shadow Pencil, NARS Brousse Duo

Which items will you be hauling this Friends and Family season?

Happy Haulin’,

Mix Maven

I must share the NARS Cosmetics discount find. Receive 20% Off on Orders of $65 or More! The coupon code is CORPOCT0910. <—Click on this link to create an account (if you do not already have one) to activate the coupon code.

So stock up on the Holiday collection 2009 and whatever else catches your eye, but you have until October 31, 2009. Some of my faves include Torrid and Desire blushes, NARS sharpener (THE BEST!!!), Brumes Duo e/s and any of the nail polishes (to name a few.)

Happy Haulin’

Mix Maven

NARS Stylo in Nuits Blanches (Black), Nabucco (Brown), Blue Bayou

Will you be trying them out? I definitely will!

Mix Maven

I can be easily wooed by “free stuff” as in gift with purchase.  NARS Cosmetics had a promotion right before Christmas, if customer spent $60, said customer would receive one of four NARS eyeshadow duos.  Since, I was eying some blushes, I decided to pick up a few and a nail polish (the best nail polish I have ever worn).  My “free” gift was Belly Dance duo (a metallic green and an aubergine matte).  As many of you know, I love, love, love the green.  Definitely a good purchase.

All MAC Products unless stated.

Face

• NC 50 Studio Tech Foundation
• NW 43 Studio Tech Foundation
• Natural MSF in Dark

Eyes

• Matte Gel
• Benefit Lemon aid (More about this one later)
• NARS Belly Dance Duo
• Purely Cosmetics Cream To Powder Deep Purple*
• Outspoken Trio m/es (<— very pretty purples)
• HiP Sculpted Metallic Duo (Dark side)
• Revlon Make A Sheen – Espress’o Yourself (<— 50% off at CVS)
• Barry M Liner – Black
• Napoleon Perdis mascara

Cheek

• Barbie Fab Blush
• Petticoat MSF

Lips

• NYX  Salsa l/g
• To Swoon For  l/s

I really like NARS metallic shadows, definitely worth the money.

Mix Maven