NARS Eyeshadow Palette Ride Up To the Moon

NARS has recently released the Fall 2013 Collection but what really excited me was the Fall gifting sets that were released with the Fall collection. Two eye-shadow palettes were released and I chose the warmer of the two; Ride Up To The Moon ($45.00).  The eyeshadows in these palettes include shades from NARS regular line of single and duo eyeshadows plus one LE shade but, of course, in much smaller sizes.  

“A sophisticated six-shadow palette of celestial smoky hues to create a high-fashion haze or otherworldly effects.”

 

NARS Ride Up to The Moon has warmer colors in it; a gold, bronze, browns, a deep blackened green and a blackish brown. It is definitely the more versatile of the two palettes in that the shades can be use for day as well having stronger shades for night.   It is a great palette that would be great to travel with for touch ups or vacation time; this one palette could easily be all you'd need for days.

Top Row: Argentina (LE), Isolde (II), Night Porter (III)
       Bottom Row: Biarritz (I), Fez (II), Cordura (III)

Argentina - Metallic gold  

Isolde - Frosted ginger

Night Porter - Black with green pearl 

Biarritz - Neutral cream beige 

Fez - Velvety cocoa  

Cordura - Shimmering sooty dark brown

Available on NARS website

M·A·C Illustrated Face Kit (Nordstrom Exclusive) in Brown Smoke

I love when the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale rolls around each year. They always released exclusive limited edition beauty products from multiple brands.  MAC always delivers a great exclusive collection for Nordstrom and this year was no different.  The theme for the collection is “Illustrated” and each set comes with specially designed packaging featuring exclusive illustrations from fashion designer Rebecca Moses.  I decided to pick up the Illustrated Face Kit ($49.50) in Brown Smoke because it contained a few MAC shades I don’t already have plus some LE shades.

The Kit includes:

- Powder Blush in Melba: a matte soft peach.
- Satin Eyeshadow in Orb: a soft peach.
- Veluxe Pearl Eyeshadow in All That Glitters: beige with gold pearl.
- Satin Eyeshadow in Smoked Sepia: a rich brown.
- Matte Eyeshadow in Showstopper: a dark brown.
- Cremesheen Lipstick in Ravishing: a light peachy coral.
- Satin Lipstick in Myth: a neutral nude.
- Duo brush with 275 SE Medium Angled Shading Brush and 316 SE Lip Brush

Out of the shades in the Brown Smoke kit, the only one I already own is All That Glitters, which is in one of my large MAC palettes. (I should do a post on those sometime in the future…) Overall this is a great neutral palette to create easy everyday looks. I love it and she myself using all the time! Plus I like the fact that there is a cover over the lip products to protect them from powder fallout. Along with this collection, Nordstrom’s website has several MAC face charts showcasing the new exclusive products.  Here is the one using this palette:

I was able to have early access to the Nordstrom’s exclusive because I have a Nordstrom Debit Card (you get points toward Nordstrom Notes and money comes direct from your checking account). I believe the exclusives will be available to everyone as of July 19^th.

Clé de Peau Beauté SS 2013 La Beaute Mediterranee Collection Eye Quad in Sapphire 209

“For the Spring/Summer 2013, Lucia Pieroni, Makeup Creative Director for Clé de Peau Beauté, has created a collection inspired by the allure and sublime beauty of the Mediterranean; with its sun-drenched summers, shimmering seas, cloudless skies, and earth-baked landscapes.”

The first item that I picked from the collection was the Eye Color Quad in 209 Sapphire. Oh my goodness, this is a beautiful combo of colors; perfect for spring & summer.  This is my first eye quad from Clé de Peau and I must say it’s stunning and I am so excited about it.  The palette contains a warm gold, sparkling light copper, sapphire blue and a metallic ivory. The sapphire blue adds the perfect pop of color to the eye and complements the other shades. Mostly I have been wearing it along the lash line.  The texture of the shadows is super soft, silky and smooth; very finely milled. Clé de Peau Beauté eyeshadows contain Argan Tree Oil that is suppose to provide smooth application and wear. They also contain the exclusive advanced moisturizing ingredient Hydro-Wrap Complex.  Every shade has great pigmentation and gives off a soft, sophisticated shimmer. There is a slight overspray of the Clé de Peau logo on the eyeshadows, but it rubs off after the first use and doesn’t offer any color payoff during application. 

Here is my go to look with this palette: I have been using the largest shade in the palette (the warm gold) all over the lid, then the copper in the crease and outer lid. I highlight the brow bone and inner tear duct with the ivory, then use black eyeliner (Bobbi Brown Caviar Pencil) and place the sapphire over top the black to create a pop of gorgeousness. Then finish of the look with a fabulous mascara!

Overall, I think this might be my go to palette for spring/summer this year.  It’s a very sophisticated take on shimmering neutrals with a pop of color.  You can purchase the palette as a refill ($55) for the casing ($25) that is sold separately. That way you can pop different palettes out when you want. Since this is my first Clé de Peau quad, I purchased the casing but probably just get the refills down the road.

Sephora + Pantone Universe Elemental Color Grid Shadow Block

Sephora and Pantone recently introduced the 2013 Color of the Year beauty collection featuring PANTONE 17-5641 Emerald, available exclusively at Sephora.  “This year, Sephora + Pantone Universe evolve their breakthrough partnership to forecast the color of radical modernism, where graphic shock meets the speed of modern life. Transfixing and dynamic, the Color of the Year sparks a highly charged mood for the seasons ahead. Visualize a color revolution of infinite potential—from subtle effects to saturated statements—fueled by a hunger for high-tech impact. Experience Emerald from every angle through never-before-seen formulas designed to energize the way you wear color in 2013. Connect. Charge. Power up with the Color of the Year.”

 Sephora released three different shadow blocks which all contain the 2013 Emerald shade but only one truly called to me, Elemental.  Elemental is a great basic trio of shades to take the color of the year and create a bright Emerald look or a more subtle, neutral look with a just pop of Emerald.  The trio contains three shades; Emerald Shimmer, Camel and Appleblossom.  Emerald shimmer is actually what the name says, a bright emerald green with beautiful shimmer.  The pigmentation is pretty decent but I found this shade to be the least buttery & soft of all three shadows.  Camel is satiny medium brown that reminds me a lot of Soft Brown from MAC but less red.  It’s a beautiful everyday neutral shade that can easily be used on the lid or in the crease.  Last is Appleblossom……this shade is gorgeous.  It is a super shimmery/frosty (whatever you want to call it) peachy beige. It is by far the most buttery shade of the bunch and applies like a dream.

Overall, I was really impressed with the quality of the shadows in this palette. I thought they applied nicely, blended well and had just the right amount of pigmentation.  I have been wearing Appleblossom on the lid, Camel in my crease and using Emerald Shimmer as a liner for a great everyday look with a bit of pop to it.  The Color Grid Shadow Blocks retail for $26.00 and will be available at Sephora stores and Sephora on-line right now. Go and check them out as well as the rest of the collection! 

L to R: Appleblossom, Camel, Emerald Shimmer

Tom Ford Beauty Golden Mink Eye Quad

After much contemplation, I finally broke down and purchased a Tom Ford Beauty Eye Color Quad. Tom Ford Beauty is definitely one of the more luxury beauty brands out there which means the products come with a hefty price tag.  $75 for an eye shadow quad seems a little much, but to me you are paying for the name as well as the product. I had some extra Christmas money so I though what the heck, let’s try one out and see if it is as good as the reviews I had read. I choose to try out one of the more neutral quads in Golden Mink.

Turns out the reviews were right! The quad is luxurious to look at and to use. The shadows come in a large brown and gold case with a large mirror inside. It also includes two small dual ended applicators; one has two sponge applicators, one for shadow and the other for liner. The other has one sponge applicator and a brush on the other side.

Golden Mink contains a light gold sparkle, a coopery peach sparkle, shimmery tan and shimmery deep bronze.  The sparkle shades are absolutely beautiful, although they aren’t super pigmented; they have a sophisticated sparkle to them not a cheap glittery look.  The bottom shades have excellent color payoff and are finely milled. The texture is soft and buttery to the touch and all the shades blend into the skin effortlessly. All of the shades wear beautifully and don’t crease much at all (especially over a base). This quad really can take you from day to night in an instant. Overall, I am super excited about this palette. I think the colors will be lovely for all year round but will really shine in the spring and summer months (oh I can’t wait for a little sunshine and a tan)! Till next time….