NARS Tinted Glow Booster
NARS has just launched its limited-edition Tinted Glow Booster, and as a fan of Chanel’s Water Fresh Tint, I’m obsessed.
While it might look like a foundation, it’s not. This multi-purpose customizable complexion enhancer by NARS will smooth the skin’s appearance by blurring imperfections and enhancing its natural glow.
The customized blend of yellow and beige pigments provides a non-ashy glow on all skin tones.
The lightweight formula is hydrating, thanks to the exclusive blend of Jojoba Gel and Jojoba Elixir, and the pearlescent pigments creating a shimmering effect for a lustrous finish.
Though lightweight and hydrating like Chanel’s Water Fresh Tint, the formula for NARS Tinted Glow Booster contains skin-tone colored pearls to help brighten and illuminate the skin, providing it a beautiful soft-focus effect. Available in four shades, this multi-purpose product can be used in three different ways.
Worn alone to leave the skin an illuminated, dewy finish that allows the natural skin to come through.
Layered under foundation for a luminous flawless finish.
Worn on the high points of the face for a natural illumination.
NARS Tinted Glow Booster, $50 CAD, is limited edition and can be found at narscosmetics.ca, Sephora, sephora.ca, Hudson’s Bay, thebay.com, Nordstrom, beautyBOUTIQUE by Shoppers Drug Mart, and shoppersdrugmart.ca starting January 2020.
Photos by Nathalie Martin.
LATEST VIDEOS FROM WOAHSTYLE
LATEST VIDEOS FROM LIPSICK.ME
NARS Audacious Perfume Review
Francois Nars, founder and creator of NARS, has just launched the most daring, provocative, and mysterious fragrance we’ve experienced all year.
On par with luxurious scents like Tom Ford, CHANEL, and Armani Privé, the NARS Audacious scent is truly unique and beautiful.
SHOP NARS FAVES
“Designed as an abstract study of contrasts, top notes of White Frangipani and smoke of incense harmonize with Tiare flower and Sandalwood to arouse an aura that is uniquely minimal, modern, and unexpected. Light meets dark. Sensuality meets individuality. An eau to expression.”
While I could indulge in this fragrance every single day of my life, I find it doesn’t have the best staying power on me. Then again, few fragrances do, so I urge you to try it for yourself.
TOP NOTE: White Frangipani and smoke of incense
MIDDLE NOTE: Tiare flower, Ylang Ylang essential oil, Sandalwood
BASE NOTE: White Cedar essential oil, White Musk
Photos by Nathalie Martin
LATEST VIDEOS FROM WOAHSTYLE
LATEST VIDEOS FROM LIPSICK.ME
Makeup Over 30 - Tips on How To Always Look Radiant
Looking for the right makeup is hard but looking for the right makeup in your 30’s is even more challenging. It’s a matter of finding something that will make your skin look fresh and radiant but never cakey. Cake is bad at any age but after 30 it can enhance line lines and make the skin appear older. UGH.
One of my secrets to faking glowing skin is to mix a few drops of an illuminating highlight to my foundation. In the instance of NARS limited edition Super Radiant Booster (in the shade Isola Rossa, a universally flattering rose gold shade), I like to add a bit to the tops of my cheeks before and after foundation. The result is more glow from within and less YouTube beauty guru aliens-can-see-my-highlight-from-outer-space.
There are other things I do to fake a good glow:
- using concealer only where I need it
- wearing a natural finish foundation
- lightly setting my makeup with a touch of loose powder
- layering a rosy blush to the apples of my cheeks
- and always misting my face with a good setting spray when my makeup is done
Less is more at this stage and how I apply my makeup makes a HUGE difference.
NARS FOUNDATION SHADE RANGE
Six additional shades (not featured here) can be found exclusively at Sephora.
RELATED STORIES: NARS MAKES FINDING THE RIGHT FOUNDATION SHADE A BREEZE!
In addition to the limited edition Super Radiant Skin Booster, NARS has released the Skin Deep eyeshadow palette featuring gorgeous nude shades that should suit everyone. The shadows have a good range of formulas that span from matte to shimmery and metallic shades.
I feel I should mention that this palette somehow feels an extension of the Atomic Blonde palette, a personal fave of mine. While SK features twelve nude/brown shades, AB features four eyeshadows and two contours in nude/brown. Regardless both are lovely and the overall formulas are what you expect from NARS, long-lasting, rich colours and velvety application. The SK palette is limited edish so keep that in mind if it’s on your wishlist.
SHOP THE POST
All photography by Nathalie Martin.
This post contains affiliate links and PR samples. All opinions are my own.
NARS New Danger Control Eyeshadow Palette Is Like A Holographic Dream
NARS newest eyeshadow palette is limited edition and packed with holographic goodness. Danger Control is the name and if you wanna get your hands on it, best head to Sephora, where it's exclusive.
The six holographic and shimmery shades deliver high-pigment with a velvety smooth finish that can be applied wet or dry. Smooth it over your eyes with a fluffy brush for a sheer wash, or go for the layered look to create a dramatic duo-chrome multidimensional effect.
While all the shades in Danger Control share the same velvety smooth formula, I found Tonic (the shimmering lilac shade), to be the most delicate. There was a lot of powder and fall out just by dipping my finger into the pan to swatch it. I didn't experience this with the other shades. Tonic was definitely the softest of all of the shades and felt more textured due to the shimmer particles.
NARS Eyeshadow Palettes
Danger Control vs. NARSissist Wanted
If you picked up the NARSissist Wanted palette back in November, and you're not sure about Danger Control, I'm here to tell you that they're totally different. The Wanted palette has a twelve warm shades that range from matte, to shimmer, and glitter. The Danger Control Palette features cool pastel shades that are holographic, with some that have a shimmery effect to them. These are two totally different things.
Even though Danger Control is listed as an eyeshadow, I think it can totally be used as a face highlight, if you prefer the holographic look.
The Danger Control palette might be smaller than the Wanted palette, but the eyeshadows pans are bigger.
Danger Control = 6 x 0.07 oz/ 2 g eyeshadows
NARSissist Wanted = 12 x 0.04 oz/ 1.4 g eyeshadows
GIRLS necklace (worn as a bracelet) from Lisbeth Jewelry.
The NARS Danger Control Palette contains:
RAVE (shimmering white silver)
ELEKTRA (shimmering golden pink)
AERYN SUN (shimmering pale pink)
BIONIC (iridescent yellow)
HAEDUS (iridescent purple)
TONIC (shimmering lilac)
As you can tell, my love for NARS is legit. When I first got serious about makeup, they were one of the first brands I got into. Orgasm was the first designer blush I ever bought with my own money when I was a teen. Even back then, I used to read Allure magazine religiously and everyone was raving about this one blush that looked natural and flattering on all skin tones, so I had to have it.
NARS sort of fell off my radar for a while but I got back into it again with the introduction of the Charlotte Gainsbourg collection last year. She's been one of my favourite actresses and style icons for many, many years and her collection truly spoke to me.
I'm off to Quebec later this week and I'm already thinking about what makeup to pack. NARS new Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation is a medium coverage and applies to the skin like a thin veil and looks natural.
I'm concealer obsessed and normally I'll layer a creamy concealer and a pot for more coverage. This allows me to spot correct the areas where I need more coverage, as opposed to cover my under eyes with a thick layer of concealer, which could look really dry and unnatural.
Another one of my NARS must-haves for travel is the Powermatte Lip Pigments. They are phenomenal and one of my favourite new products of 2017. My go-to shades are American Woman (chestnut rose) and Get It On (tan rose). They last for hours, even after eating and drinking. Just make sure to use a hydrating lip balm underneath first, so that your lips don't get too dry.
This carrying-case is from a PR sample that came with the NARS Velvet Matte Foundation stick and I don't believe it's available for purchase. (Eek, sorry guys!) I love it because it's perfect for taking on a quick trip and carrying around my makeup.
Disclaimer: The NARS Danger Control palette is a PR sample. Links found in this story are affiliate links and used as a form of compensation, as I make a small commission if you purchase anything from these links. All photos and opinions in this post are 100% honest and my own.
The Fail Proof Way to Cover Up Dark Under Eye Circles
There's nothing worse than a sleepless night only to have to wake up the next morning and deal with covering up those dark undereye circles. I mean, the last thing you want is for your colleagues to sit across the boardroom wondering why you look so exhausted right? Or, maybe you're like me, and no matter how much sleep you get you still have dark under eyes! Regardless, you're here because you want to know how to cover them up and I want to tell you how. I've been batting with dark under eyes since I was a teen and I like to think of myself as a bit of an expert on the matter of concealing them. Below you'll find the best concealers and fail-proof methods in covering up dark under eye circles.
Best Concealers For Covering Up
Dark Under Eye Circles
BECCA Under Eye Brightening Corrector
Colour Corrector
This peach coloured concealer is your first step. Your primer if you will. The peachy tone helps cancel out the blue undertones in your undereye circles. Use it after eye cream and before your regular concealer by patting it on the darkest areas using your ring finger.
Laura Mercier Secret Concealer
Medium-Full Coverage
Those with drier skin will love this creamy concealer. It's the one Makeup by Mario recommended in the Master Class I attended this summer and it's the one I've had in my makeup bag for months now. I like to apply this one with a concealer brush and layer it bit by bit so it covers up the darker areas.
NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer
Full Coverage
This concealer is drier than the Laura Mercier one (mentioned above) and it's better suited for normal-oily skin. The formula is full coverage and it's great to use when you're in a rush in the morning since it gets rid of dark undereyes quickly. Best of all, it lasts all day.
Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Creme
Full Coverage
If you prefer creme over pot concealers then you're going to love the following three. KVD makes an amazing one in an array of skin tones that's full coverage and easy to work with. This full coverage formula applies great with a Beauty Blender or fingers and doesn't crease.
Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer
Full Coverage
Similar to KVD's concealer in terms of coverage and texture, this one is available only in the US right now but you can always order it through ulta.com fellow Canadians. I love the full coverage formula and how it doesn't budge, but I could do without the weird chemically odor. Maybe that's why it's not sold in Canada. Hmmm....
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer
Medium-Full Coverage
This iconic concealer is probably one of the brands best-selling product. If I remember correctly, one of my contacts from the Nars head office told me that a Creamy Radiant Concealer is sold around the world every minute. Wait, or was it second? Anyway, it totally makes sense because this medium-full coverage concealer is buildable and excellent for covering up dark circles.
The Best Way to Get Rid of Dark Under Eyes
Pay close attention because getting rid of dark circles isn't difficult by any means. It doesn't have to take long and you don't even have to use any of the concealers mentioned here but what matters most, in all absoluteness, is the application method. Adding a thin layer of concealer little by little will build up the coverage where you need it most without the cakiness or creasing.
Hydrate Those Eyes!
Start by hydrating your under eyes. Olay's Ulitmate Eye Cream is ridiculously hydrating without being oily and it has illuminating flecks in it to brighten things up.
Don't Skip The Foundation
If my under eye circles are particularly bad, I like to use a medium to full coverage foundation first with a drop of MAC's Strobe Cream. The foundation helps even out my skin tone, while Strobe Cream helps illuminate my skin. It's the perfect recipe for natural, dewy looking skin.
Prime Those Under Eyes
Using a peach (for fair-medium skin) or red (for medium-dark skin) concealer first will help colour correct the blue in your under eyes. Without it, it'll be more difficult to cover up dark circles so trust me, use that colour corrector.
Conceal, Conceal, Conceal
By now you'll notice your dark circles are looking much better but there's still work to be done. Using a brush (for more coverage), dab your under eyes with concealer and blend with your fingertips. The warmth of your fingers will help blend the makeup into your skin so it looks flawless. It might also take remove some concealer along the way which is why you'll want to work in layers and add more concealer back in where you need it. Do this until you're happy with the results.
Ready, Set, Go!
Time to lock that concealer in! There are two ways you can do this depending on the effect you want and how much time you have. Method one is the quick and easy way and more natural - dip a small fluffy brush into Laura Mericier's Secret Brightening Powder and pat over top of the concealer to set. This powder is at pricey at $31 for a small container, but it's light reflective properties and weightless formula is what makes it ideal for the delicate under eyes.
Method two will give you more flawless results and trust me, your makeup will not fade or crease one bit. It's called baking and what you want to do is take a damp sponge and dunk it in your LM powder and pat it on your under eyes. Build that powder up and let it sit for about 5 minutes as you work on your eyebrows before sweeping it away with a fluffy brush.
That wasn't too bad right? With practice, you'll be able move through these steps in no time and most importantly, no one will ask if you're tired. ;)
Blink or You'll Miss It! The NARSissist Wanted Palette Is Here For One Day Only!
If you're getting tired of limited edition makeup releases, well get over it because a big one is dropping today! Typical of NARS to always be on their A-game and give us exactly what we want - today they're launching NARissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette on sephora.ca. Yup, you read correctly, it's available for one day and then it's back in the vault till 2018.
The Wanted palette features twelve warm tones with a rich new buttery-smooth formula that has crazy colour payoff. From mattes to satins, shimmers, and glittery metallic finishes this palette has everything your eyeshadow obsessed heart desires. I personally love this palette for the versatility to create some amazing looks for day and night. Dare I say the Wanted Palette might even replace my favourite Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Eyes Palette! Don't get it twisted, I'm not trying to throw any shade at Charlotte (love you Char!), but seriously this is one of the only palettes that comes close to rivaling the glitter formulas that Charlotte Tilbury makes so well!
GET IT TODAY OR WAIT UNTIL 2018
The NARSissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette is available today, November 27th, on Sephora.ca only for one day, and then it goes back into the vault like a Disney movie until it comes back on January 5th, 2018 (at Sephora) and then January 12th, 2018 everywhere else. Are you confused yet? Don't worry cuz I have you covered. All Canadian release dates are listed below.
AVAILABILITY:
November 27th, 2017 - sephora.ca (only for one day)
December 4th, 2017 - sephora.ca preview
January 5th, 2018 - Sephora
January 12th, 2018 - Hudson's Bay, Nordstrom, Murale, Shoppers Drug Mart
SHOP NARS PALETTES
NARissist Wanted Eyeshadow Palette, $74
- BIARRITZ matte neutral cream
- SATISFACTION shimmering golden pink
- DELIRIUM metallic rose
- TEMPTRESS satin paprika
- SEVEN HEAVEN matte sand
- SHADOW HILL matte saddle
- MENDOZA shimmering pink copper
- WICKED GAME satin cranberry
- SHOOTING STAR sparkling champagne
- LA LA shimmering deep bronze
- FALLEN STAR shimmering antique bronze
- COCONUT GROVE matte deep brown
SHOP THE POST
Why We Love NARS x Man Ray
NARS kills it with their recent collab for their limited edition holiday collection featuring American artist Man Ray. Known for his surrealist work, NARS features his beautiful photography on the packaging on their eyeshadows palettes, cheek, and lipstick sets. These are perfect for gift giving and for those who love to collect limited edish collections. My favourite, the NARS x Man Ray: Noire Et Blanche Audacious Lipstick Coffret, a set of four mini red lipsticks, that come in a beautiful round bubble top box. I love it so much it sits on my coffee table amongst my other treasures. If you're looking to get your hands on NARS x Man Ray, don't wait too long. When Iw as writing this and putting together my affiliate links, I realized a lot of pieces are already sold out. Thanks for making gift giving so easy this year NARS!
SHOP THE NARS X MAN RAY LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION
NARS x Man Ray Love Game Eyeshadow Palette, $75
This limited edition palette features a whole new range of limited shades. It has everything you need to create a neutral eye or something really dramatic for the upcoming holidays.
- 12 Limited Edition Shades:
- Ladykiller (matte cream)
- Rendezvous (luminous golden pearl)
- Dominant (matte sandstorm)
- Submissive (matte deep army)
- Your Move (matte camel)
- Hard to Get (shimmering terracotta)
- Tryst (shimmering true gold)
- Dirty Talk (shimmering light silver)
- Long Game (satin sapphire)
- Blind Date (shimmering burgundy)
- Play Me (shimmering golden brown)
- Momentum (shimmering emerald)
NARS x Man Ray: Love Triangle Blush/Lipstick Set, $32
My favourite set for gift giving from the Man Ray collection features a mini blush and lipstick. Each limited set comes in a chic triangle box with the iconic Man Rey gold lips.
(Each sold separately)
Orgasm Set: Mini Blush & Lipstick in Orgasm (peachy pink with golden shimmer)
Deep Throat & Barbara Set: Mini Blush in Deep Throat (soft pink with golden sheen) & Mini lipstick in Barbara (tan rose)
Hot Sand & Rita Set: Mini Blush in Hot Sand (peach champagne) & Mini lipstick in Rita (scarlet)
NARS x Man Ray: Overexposed Glow Highlighter - Double Take, $42
This golden highlight powder is so beautiful with it's imprinted lips that it makes us not want to use it! But seriously, the shade is super flattering. Dust it on your cheekbones for a healthy glow and along your decolletage to reach Rock Star status.
NARS x Man Ray: Blush in Fetishized, $38
A new shade is introduced to us for this collaboration in a bright pink grapefruit shade called Fetishized. It's perfect for breathing new life into the complexion and it's flattering on everyone! I've been wearing it non-stop!
NARS x Man Ray: Photogloss Lip Lacquer, $33
Gold, limited edition lipgloss. 'Nough said.
NARS x Man Ray: Noire Et Blanche Audacious Lipstick Coffret, $70
A limited-edition collection of four mini Audacious Lipsticks in a keepsake box. I love it so much it sits on my living room coffee table!
- Four Mini Audacious Lipsticks:
- Lee (garnet, limited edition)
- Dolores (crimson red, limited edition)
- Josephine (Bordeaux, limited edition)
- Charlotte (oxblood burgundy)
NARS x Man Ray: Duo Eyeshadow in Montparnasse, $43
This crease-proof shadow comes in a shimmery gold and iridescent orchid shade that's excellent for creating a smokey eye. I personally like to smudge the orchic shade along my bottom lash line, load my lashes with tons of mascara and voila, I have a dramatic day time look that's not too overdone.
NARS x Man Ray Velvet Eyeliner in Nagoya, $24
This vibrant purple eyeliner is smudge proof, tug-free, and all around amazing. I like to set it into place by adding a little bit of eyeshadow overtop and then going back in with eyeliner and intesifying the colour.
REVIEW: A Look At NARS Creamy & Blendable New Stick Foundation
NARS Velvet Matte Foundation Stick goes on creamy and silky. It blends beautifully with fingers, a Beauty Blender and my favourite Artis Oval 7 brush. Best of all this foundation comes with its own sponge applicator built in meaning it’s great for travel!
Based on my past experiences, stick foundations and I don't mix. They're thick, cakey, and hard to blend and somehow I always end up looking like I have a pound of makeup on my face. I mean, how many times have you guys tried a stick foundation only to regret it because your pores end up looking huge and every single dry patch on your face is now noticeable? Yup, I’ve been there too.
When the new NARS Velvet Matte Foundation Stick hit my desk, I was scared. Scared of trying it because I didn’t want cake face and scared because I’m a hardcore NARS fan and I’d want to keep it that way. Finally, after a couple of weeks of playing chicken, I finally decided to see if NARS has finally broken down my stigma with stick foundation. Here's what I found.
I applied the foundation from the stick, straight to my face, on a morning where I had enough time to wash my makeup off and start over in case I hated it. Right away I was surprised to see how creamy and silky the formula is. Any stick foundations I’ve used in the past have had a thick/dry texture so this was a nice change. I blended half of my face with my damp Beauty Blender and reached for my Artis Oval 7 brush for the other half. It all blended like buttah.
It evened out my skin tone right with one swipe. While the formula says matte, my makeup looked like skin, not cakey.
To finish the rest of my makeup I concealed my under eyes using NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer in Custard (probably my all-time fave concealer !) and set my makeup with a light dusting of Chanel’s Natural Finish Loose Powder in Doré. It’s usually after I powder my skin that it starts to look a bit cakey depending on how heavy my foundation is. With NARS my skin was matte but still looked like skin. Here’s an easy tip- take your foundation from matte to dewy and natural by simply misting your makeup with a bit of mineral water.
Voila! My makeup game was on point.
Self Love (no, not that kind)
Ok here goes.
I started seeing a therapist recently.
While this might not be a big deal to most people, this is a HUGE deal for me.
There's so much that's happened this year that has proven to be incredibly challenging, even without the aid of a therapist. My best friend's father passed away from cancer at the start of the year, and that alone was tough enough to deal with. In my mind, being there for her meant putting her first and myself last. I didn't even give myself time to grieve until the day of her dad's funeral - it finally hit me that he was really gone. After that, I spiraled into a horrible depression, and my anxiety was at an all-time high. My fears were out of control and it affected everything in my life. I couldn't even open social media without a panic attack!
Long story short, after months of feeling like crap, I started to look after myself again. That was when I knew I had to talk to someone because I wanted to continue to heal. In hindsight, I should have been kinder to myself and taken the time to deal with my own pain but I felt guilty.
It's so easy for us to put the people closest to us first when they're going through a crisis. We take on their hardships as if they're our own and we put ourselves through the emotional wringer which benefits no one.
Something my therapist talks about is being mindful. For example, I hate traffic. I hate it so much I get anxious and angry just thinking about it. I mentioned it to her during one of my appointments and told her I had a friend's baby shower to drive to that afternoon in peak rush hour. How the hell was I going to be mindful in sitting in rush hour? HOW?! I can't remember her exact words but she said something along the lines of "breathe" and envision the end result and seeing my friend at her baby shower. It helped a lot that day, but I still hate traffic.
Being mindful is just one of the ways I practice self-love. Another is by taking the time do things that bring me joy -for example watching YouTube first thing in the morning to help me get out of bed or lighting a scented candle while I read a good book. Above all else, putting on makeup is probably my favourite mindful activity because in that time I'm fully present in the act of getting my face on. I can easily spend a couple of hours getting ready and I'll never feel bad for that again.
Whatever is happening in your life, make sure to take time for you. Because you're important and you're worth the effort. You'll be better to your people, and at the end of the day, happier for it.
Oh, and don't feel shame about needing help with your emotions, whichever way you choose to seek it.
Hope you're all happy and healthy. If not, hope you're healing.
