Big NARS Haul + Review!

Hello Friends!

A few weeks ago Sephora had their big Very Important Beauty Insider (the upper level rewards program) event, and they sent me a coupon, so I went in in search of one thing- concealer... But that day they had a consultant from NARS there, and she gave me a makeover.. I came out with five. But they were on sale, and one was free... so that helps... I guess. -_- I have the self control of a two year old!

I have been having a HECK of a time with my skin lately. I think it's the cause of the "foundation quest" I've been on. It's super oily, and I've been having a problem with my makeup sliding, so the NARS consultant, Kellie, suggested I try out their primer.  This is the NARS Oil-Free Pro-Prime Pore Refining Primer ($34 - NOTE: I can't find my receipt, but I can tell you I did not pay full price for these products! I think I had about 20% off... I wish I could remember!)

When I tried it in-store, I was pretty pleased with it, but I'm not sold on it anymore. I think that it would work better for someone with a fairly normal skin type. It's a great primer- it smooths over pores and some fine lines, and evens out the skin, but I find that it doesn't hold very long. It really helps with application, but I'm not sure that it does anything (for my skin type) in the long run. 

Verdict: I'll finish it, but I don't think I'll buy it again.

This next product will probably come as no surprise to those of you who read my blog regularly... I got a new foundation, guys!

This is the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation ($44 full price) in Light 02 "Mont Blanc," a color they describe as "fair with slight pink undertones." Now there's three words in there that would normal make me steer far, far, away from this product- sheer, glow, and pink. With my acne-prone oily skin, I tend towards things that say "matte" and "full-coverage," and my skin is generally considered neutral... But Kellie convinced me otherwise, and as far as I can tell, she was right.

This color isn't too pink at all- I would have called it a neutral. (For those of you who watch Zoella, this is her go-to foundation shade that she wears in most of her videos.) Also, I wouldn't call it a sheer or light-coverage... I'd call it a build-able medium. Unless I have a very red blemish, I don't wear any spot concealer with it. Kellie suggested applying it with fingers so that it would emulsify well, and that definitely works well, but it also works well with a buffing-type brush, for those of you that, like me, don't like to use your fingers.  It's not a long wear foundation, but it does last well. The only time that I have had any problems with it is when I don't seal it.

My favorite thing about this foundation is actually the thing that scared me the most: "Glow." As most oily-skinned people do, I shy away from anything labeled "glow," but this really doesn't make me look shiny- it just makes your skin look like SKIN. Matte foundations often make the skin almost look dull or ashy, and this makes it looks so healthy without adding any shine.

I only have one complaint about this product, and it's not a fatal flaw. In the store, they all have little pumps on them, and with that giant cap, one would expect them to to come with one, but they don't. they come like this:

Unfortunately, Sephora doesn't carry the pump tops, and it's $6 (plus $5 shipping) to buy one from NARS. It's not a huge deal, but it's a little strange.

Verdict: I would definitely recommend this, and I am almost certain I will be buying this foundation again. (And that's a big deal, coming from me!)

Since I've been making forays into the world of contouring, we picked out this Radiant Creamy Concealer ($28 full price) in 01 Chantilly as a highlighting concealer. This is a "true ivory" color, and, I kid you not, it looks like corpse flesh in the tube. I was so skeptical about it! It works well as an under-eye concealer/brightener, though, and I really like it. HOWEVER. Beware- if you use too much under your eyes, you will spend the whole day having people comment on your "sunglasses tan." (Yeah... That happened. It's a learning curve.) A little goes a long way!

Verdict: Yes, I will purchase it again, but with the speed I'm using it, It's more likely to be because it has expired than run out!

The last item I bought was their Light Reflecting Setting Powder ($34 full price). It's a microfinish powder in a compact- something I've been looking for. It looks very shimmery in the palette (it doesn't show in the picture), but it doesn't wear like a shimmer powder, it just adds a dimension to the foundation. It came with a cute little padded pouch with pockets for the the palette and the velvet "puff" (the little rectangle over the mirror), but it makes it very bulky, and I prefer to apply powder with a brush, so the little bag just hangs out in my makeup drawer.

Verdict: I like this stuff- it's not a holy grail product, but I'll probably buy it again.

Since I purchased NARS products during their special promotion, Kellie gave me a free Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil ($25) in New Lover. It's a "gold infused strawberry" color, so it's basically the lip equivalent of their Orgasm blush, and it's great!

Verdict: I love their lip pencils (I'm wearing Cruella in my profile pic), so this is definitely a yes.

Bonus product:

I bought the Blush/Bronzer Duo in Orgasm/Laguna ($41) a while back, and I never reviewed it. I use this palette ever day. This picture really doesn't do it justice, but those two colors are the best blush and bronzer I've ever worn. Laguna is a matte, so it's great for contouring, and the gold in the blush... I love this stuff.

Verdict: Do I even have to say?

Alright guys, sorry for the delay in getting this post up! I'd love to hear what your favorite NARS products are, or if you have used any of these before, and if they worked for you!

Always,

Nani xx

Oops!

Hello Friends!

I'm sorry guys! This is the second week that I've failed at blogging! I'm really weighed down with school right now (I'm doing accelerated courses this term so that I can begin my internship next month- yikes!), and I've been too busy to post.
To make up for it, I'm going to be posting a NARS haul post and maybe an OCC review later this week (check back Friday).

Thanks for being such loyal readers- you guys have collectively checked in about a hundred times since my last post!

There will absolutely be a new at least one new post my midnight Friday (PST)!

Always,

Nani xx

Hot Cloth Cleanser

Hello Friends!

Lately it seems like everyone is talking about the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser. All the talk caught my interest, so I thought I'd give it a try. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. Apparently Liz Earle is only sold on the Liz Earle website in the states, so in order to get it, I was going to have to pay $43 plus shipping. I couldn't do it, so I gave up on the idea, until I found out that Boots No 7 (available everywhere here) had a dupe!

I've been using the No 7 Radiance Boosting Hot Cloth Cleanser ($10.49) for about a week now, and I really like it. If you've never used a hot cloth cleanser, you spread 1-2 pumps of the cleanser over a dry face, then moisten the included muslin cloth with hot water, and drape it over your face. The moist heat opens the pores, allowing the cleanser to clean inside them. After leaving it on for a minute or two (the cloth is thin, so it cools quickly), you take the same cloth and scrub it in little circles to remove the cleanser, and then rinse your face and the cloth.

After a week of using it every night, I'm not sure that my skin is clearing up very much, but it's certainly less red than it was before. I missed a day, and the next day my skin rebounded. I'm definitely going to keep using it- if nothing else, because it feels great! The combination of the heat and the clean feeling after I use it feels like a spa treatment. I love it!

There's only two things I don't like about the cleanser. First, the smell. I'm not really sure what it's meant to smell like, but it's just a little strange- although not particularly bad. The second thing is just something I need to fix myself- the cleanser only comes with one cloth. I've been looking around, but I haven't found anything similar yet, so I may end up making my own. I also recommend using a facial wipe or makeup remover before using the cleanser, since any make up you have on your face will stain the cloth.

Overall, I'm happy with this stuff, especially at a fourth of the price of the Liz Earle!

Always,

Nani xx

What skin care products can you not live with out? Leave them in the comments below!

Shout Outs! - Thursday Bonus Post

Hello Friends!

As you know, Tuesday is my upload day, but I had some time, and I thought I'd do a Thursday post! ALSO! I hit 375 views today! I only hit 300 a couple days ago, so this is super exciting! Thanks guys!

Today I thought I'd do a review on some OCC lip products I bought recently, but remember the review I did Tuesday? I still have a bunch of stains on my arms from the swatches, so I'm going to wait.

Instead, I'm going to do some shout outs to my favorite YouTubers, and a few of my favorite bloggers, as well.

Side note- most of the YouTubers I watch are British. I don't know why, but it is what it is :) Also, all pictures are borrowed from their pages or blogs- I don't own the rights to any of them.

Favorite YouTubers!

Alright, so my all time favorite is Zoe (she goes by Zoella on YouTube), whose channel can be found here. She does product reviews, favorites, and some tags and silly videos with some of the other UK YouTubers. She doesn't do tutorials very often, but I get a lot of good product suggestions from her. She also has a blog (here), where she does similar posts, as well as some lifestyle things, and a second channel, where she does vlogs (including her recent trip to Florida for Playlist Live).

Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter is Zoe's best friend (they met through their blogs!), and another beauty guru. On her channel she does similar content- hauls, reviews, favorites, etc- but she also does baby products and occasional updates with her adorable little girl, Darcy, who is about to turn two! Louise also has a blog, where she posts more lifestyle/family updates. She posts at least 3-5 times a week. She also has a second channel, where she posts vlogs, random videos, and bloopers.

This is Fleur, from Fleurdeforce. On her channel she also does reviews, hauls, vlogs, etc, but she adds tutorials. She also has a another channel where she talks about her wedding plans.

These two lovely ladies are the sister duo who make up Pixiwoo. Sam, the genius behind Real Techniques brushes (see my review here), and her sister Nic are professional make up artists (past clients include Paul McCartney, Peaches Geldof, Charlotte Church, and Ashley Tisdale). They post tutorials and occasional reviews. I love their channel. If I'm bored with my routine, I look at what their doing. They have over 500 videos, and almost all of them are tutorials, with looks pulled from celebrities, different eras (all the way back to the 1920s), bond girls, and loads more. Definitely give their page a look if you're in need of new ideas.



Definitely check all of these ladies out- I've learned a LOT from all of them!

Additionally, here are the links to a couple of my favorite bloggers who deserve some more followers!

Jenn from _Honeybeige. Jenn gets an extra special shout out, because she was my very first subscriber, plus, I love her blog. She posts mainly product reviews with a great mix of name brands and drugstore/high street.

Becky from beckyjcollins. She posts beauty and fashion reviews, and recently as taken off on an adventure to England!

Always,

Nani xx

Drug Store Lips!

Hello Friends!

Over the last few months, I've been exploring different lip glosses and lip sticks. When I first started wearing makeup, I was all about lip gloss, but slowly my focus shifted to the eyes, and i fell in to a lip product rut. That's all changed now! Here's the lip products I've been using lately. Note: My lips tend to be quite dry, and all of these products work well for me.

This is the Covergirl LipPerfection lip color in 325, Spellbound ($5-8). (Note to my UK readers- I'm sure some of you know this, but Covergirl is the US equivalent to MAX Factor) I've been seeing this color a lot, and I thought it was time to give it a try.

 It's so fresh for spring! It's so vibrant and intense. I'm very pleased with the wear and the staying power of this stuff (it's also very moisturizing).  Unfortunately, those factors add up to  lip color that stains any and EVERY thing. Here's what it looks like after it was on my arm for 10 minutes, and removed with makeup remover.

Staining that quickly, you can imagine what can happen when you've worn it for hours. The first time I wore it, I had a few dry patches on my lip, and, even after I did a sugar lip scrub, I had fuchsia patches for two days! *sigh* I also recommend applying with a brush, since it does stain, so any mistakes are hard to hide. Staining aside, I really love this product. I'll be on the lookout for a dupe that doesn't stain, though!

This is Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in 006, Pink Blush ($4.92). I think Rimmel lipsticks are such a great value for your money. They wear very smoothly! I like this shade for spring as well (can you tell it's on my mind? Spring comes slowly in the Pacific North West!)

It's really a lovely petal color. It's an eight hour wear, but I'd think it was closer to 6, which still isn't bad. My only complaint is that if you have any rough spots, it really... clumps up, for lack of a better word. Otherwise, I'm happy with it.

Kate Moss has joined with Rimmel to design a new line lipsticks ($5.19). They're 8-hour long wear (and I think that's actually accurate) and infused with black diamonds to reflect light. I really like that, since it's reflective without being shimmery.

I picked up number 008 (they're not named, as far as I can tell). It looks a lot oranger in the picture, but it's a really nice neutral. My lips are naturally quite pigmented, so it looks really natural on me. I like it!

Now, for my very favorite- L'Oreal Colour Riche Wet Shine Stain ($9.99, but I got mine on a Buy-one-get-one half off sale with a $2 coupon!) I found out recently that L'Oreal owns the YSL makeup line, and according to beauty gurus, it's almost an exact duplicate of their Rouge Por Courture Glossy Stain ($34). It even has the same applicator- almost a heart shape.

 I've been really impressed by this line. I first purchased 184 Rose On and On (the middle shade in the picture above), which I liked so well (and which Louise from Sprinkle of Glitter has also reviewed here), that I went and bought two more, 188 Coral Tattoo (top), and 183 Pink Resistance (bottom). The shades are swatched in the same order below.

This stuff is FABULOUS! The color is intense, but sheer at the same time, if that makes sense. It lasts like a stain, but wears like a non-sticky gloss- perfection. I applied this at 4 pm today, went to dinner, and now, at 11:30 pm, it has just begun to fade, so I'd say it has six solid hours of good color. Also... Remember the one above that stains? This one actually is a stain. This is after... MAYBE five minutes.

Anyway, these are my favorites! What color(s) have been you been loving this spring?

Always,

Nani xx