So, just two totally unrelated things that don't exactly constitute posts in and of themselves, but that can be put together to be somewhat meaningful:
1. So the makeup posts that come recently may be a bit of a change from what I've posted about before, and I just wanted to explain myself. I personally own very little makeup. I'll do a post on all the makeup that I own, but honestly...it's barely anything. I have foundation, powder, some eyeshadows, and a couple of other things. But I'm definitely not any sort of makeup collector. Instead, I like to think of myself as a makeup thinker. I feel as though I can speak with some authority about high-end makeup because I spend so much time wandering around makeup counters. It got to the point where I would see the MAC lady at Macy's almost every day. One of my favourite pastimes, especially during the summer, is wandering through shops. I, of course, love shopping with a passion, but instead of going on huge spending binges, I greatly enjoy wandering around and experimenting with things. I've swatched so many things on my hands because I just love playing around with various pieces of makeup. In any case, I've tried out enough brands and products that I can speak about makeup like I own it. So when I say that my favourite makeup brand is NARS, that doesn't mean that I own a lot of NARS, it means that if I had an unlimited bank account, I would own lots of NARS. And since I don't have one, I obsess a lot about NARS. So yeah, I just wanted to clear that up.
2. I have a really special place in my heart for the city of Chicago. I had envisioned myself going to college in or nearby Chicago, and though it's really early to be thinking about this, I definitely see myself living here in the future. I think it's because my parents made me stay at home for a lot of my childhood, so I don't feel a burning desire to leave this city...instead, with all of the outings I've been going on now that I'm a college girl (eek!), I have this newfound urge to explore every nook and cranny of Chicago.
I also saw this post on Musings of a Muse, and it gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling.
"Chicago is possibly one of my fav cities in the US. It's like a mini Manhattan but with a quiet sophistication and calm that New York lacks. I love my city but I def have a special place in my heart for Chi-town!"
She was talking about the NARS appearance in Chicago: Check out the post here
Showing posts with label NARS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NARS. Show all posts
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
I <3 NARS
Though I technically do not own any high-end makeup, I am in absolute love with NARS. Therefore, when I heard that he was coming to Chicago's own Barneys, I penned in a visit on that gorgeous sunny Saturday.
The event was a book signing, and being my usual forgetful self I did not have a copy of his book in my hand...nor did I bring a camera when I walked up to the Oak Street area. Stupid, right? I know. I was pretty mad at myself. I also didn't wait in line and meet him, which I totally regret now. I was wandering up on the north end of Michigan Ave., which is a beautiful, albeit expensive area, and found my way to Barneys, where I walked downstairs to the beauty area. Now, the beauty area is a little enclosed space, nothing like the Nordstrom and Macy's beauty sprawlings that I'm accustomed to, where you can wander around and gaze at cosmetics, with a couple of "Can I help you"s and not be seen. At this place, however, various NARS employees were all eyeing me, ready to see if they could do a makeover, and most of the people in line had a book for Francois Nars to sign. So, I wandered around for a bit, got a glimpse of Monsieur Nars himself, stared at the line, and then felt so self-conscious at all of the salesgirls staring at me and asking with their eyes whether I wanted to get my makeup done that I snuck one last glance at Mr. Nars and then promptly left. I was firm with myself about not getting my makeup done because I feel so bad about not buying a product after someone demos it on me solo that I know I would feel terrible about not buying much of anything after a NARS expert did my whole face. But still, it was a lovely walk through the Oak Street area, and my first brush with a genius of makeup was quite a nice one.
Speaking of NARS...I own a NARS eyeshadow! My first one. And yes, I'm treating it like a piece of precious jewelry.
It's a NARS single eyeshadow in Kiki, a smoky matte grey. It's not a particularly intense or unique shade, but I was browsing C. O. Bigelow with one of my friends and was directed to their 75% off counter. By the way...I don't know if the sales are over, but if they aren't -- head over to your nearest C. O. Bigelow immediately! I'm not one to fall for fake good prices, but these were amazing.
Anyway, the reason I'm bringing up this eyeshadow now is that I popped it in my purse with the hopes that I could have Sir NARS sign it instead of a book. But, as you read earlier, I chickened out and now totally wish I had stayed in line and had him sign my eyeshadow. As humiliating as that might have been, it would have been nice to meet him face-to-face.
Ah, well. Maybe next time?
The event was a book signing, and being my usual forgetful self I did not have a copy of his book in my hand...nor did I bring a camera when I walked up to the Oak Street area. Stupid, right? I know. I was pretty mad at myself. I also didn't wait in line and meet him, which I totally regret now. I was wandering up on the north end of Michigan Ave., which is a beautiful, albeit expensive area, and found my way to Barneys, where I walked downstairs to the beauty area. Now, the beauty area is a little enclosed space, nothing like the Nordstrom and Macy's beauty sprawlings that I'm accustomed to, where you can wander around and gaze at cosmetics, with a couple of "Can I help you"s and not be seen. At this place, however, various NARS employees were all eyeing me, ready to see if they could do a makeover, and most of the people in line had a book for Francois Nars to sign. So, I wandered around for a bit, got a glimpse of Monsieur Nars himself, stared at the line, and then felt so self-conscious at all of the salesgirls staring at me and asking with their eyes whether I wanted to get my makeup done that I snuck one last glance at Mr. Nars and then promptly left. I was firm with myself about not getting my makeup done because I feel so bad about not buying a product after someone demos it on me solo that I know I would feel terrible about not buying much of anything after a NARS expert did my whole face. But still, it was a lovely walk through the Oak Street area, and my first brush with a genius of makeup was quite a nice one.
Speaking of NARS...I own a NARS eyeshadow! My first one. And yes, I'm treating it like a piece of precious jewelry.
It's a NARS single eyeshadow in Kiki, a smoky matte grey. It's not a particularly intense or unique shade, but I was browsing C. O. Bigelow with one of my friends and was directed to their 75% off counter. By the way...I don't know if the sales are over, but if they aren't -- head over to your nearest C. O. Bigelow immediately! I'm not one to fall for fake good prices, but these were amazing.
Anyway, the reason I'm bringing up this eyeshadow now is that I popped it in my purse with the hopes that I could have Sir NARS sign it instead of a book. But, as you read earlier, I chickened out and now totally wish I had stayed in line and had him sign my eyeshadow. As humiliating as that might have been, it would have been nice to meet him face-to-face.
Ah, well. Maybe next time?
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Neglected NARS
My makeup brand of choice may be MAC (surprise, surprise...), but I do share some love for many other medium-high end brands. I don't spend tons on makeup, and I really only own basic colours (with the occasional bright red lip). Though Bobbi Brown may seem like an ideal makeup brand for me, since it favours natural colours, I've often found myself attracted to many of the NARS products. Despite their potentially-inappropriate nicknames, a lot of their colours aren't over-the-top.
I've found it very difficult to find a beauty bargain anywhere. Unless it's some sort of brand-wide sale, which hardly ever happens, the idea of beauty products becoming discounted is getting to be pretty rare. That's why I love http://discount.makeup.com. They offer a pretty good selection of discounted makeup, at least, in comparison to other beauty sales. Their discounts aren't huge (usually you would find $37.00 products for, say, $32.00, or maybe $25.00 products for $19.00), and their selection isn't that varied (I remember excitedly checking the Juicy Tubes link every time I went to the site, only to find the same loner "Raisin Plum" shade as the only one available), but it's not a bad place. NARS has produced a couple of really popular products, and I was surprised to find that many of the products that were on sale at discount.makeup.com had been on sale for quite a while (I'm a pretty frequent checker of the site). Here are a couple of my NARS sale picks...I wouldn't feel too rushed to get them, a lot of things at this site have been on sale for a while...
1. NARS The Multiple in Maui (Dusty Rose), reduced to $32.50 from $37.00.
This product is great for summer -- I keep one in my bag and bring it with me wherever, because it's great for both cheeks and lips. Personally, I prefer using it on my cheeks, where a small dab is just enough to spread around for some livened-up colour, but it's also nice to dab on your lips when your previous lipcolour is running out. But don't apply it directly! Use a finger if you don't have a brush -- and don't be put off by the fact that it doesn't have the texture of a typical lip product. This product may be steep, but I don't really like heavy cheek colour and I only use it on my lips as a refresher, so it lasts me quite a while.
2. NARS Cream Eyeshadow in Maracaibo (Violet Haze), reduced to $18.00 from $21.00
I wouldn't put this product at the forefront of my list, but this is a great basic purple eyeshadow that would liven up any pair of brown eyes. Because I have brown eyes myself, I've heard much about the glorious effects of purple shadow. For the paler people out there, this could make a nice, light, smoky eye that's perfect for day. But I wouldn't call this a staple.
3. NARS Blush in Gilda (Coral), reduced to $22.00 from $25.00.
This may not seem like a huge bargain, and Gilda's no "Orgasm," but I happen to like this basic coral colour. For those of you that like the texture of NARS blushes, this might be a good place to pick up some extras while saving a couple of bucks. Personally, I like to go for minimal makeup during the summer, and this light coral blush is a great way to do that. The colour's pretty buildable, so you don't have to put on a ton, and I've found that peach is usually quite a bit more versatile than pink, because pink usually only suits lighter skintones while peach can be used to liven up even much darker skintones subtly.
4. NARS Cream Blush in Turkish Red (Red Coral), reduced to $20.00 from $24.00.
I know that "Red Coral" might seem a bit extreme for those that are used to more subtle blush looks, but that's what I really like about this product. NARS Cream Blushes aren't particularly goopy, so it's really easy to dab a brush in with just the slightest bit of product and just swirl it around your cheek for a bit. It takes hardly any product to add just a subtle glow to your cheeks, which I love for summer because it feels so light. The colour can be darkened for those that want a more dramatic look, but this colour can be worn surprisingly lightly. Plus, $20.00 for a blush isn't bad at all! Oh, and don't be put off by the swatch on the retailer's website -- it's the colour of a really huge goop of the product, and even then it's a little bit more orangey than in real life.
5. NARS Lipgloss in Dolce Vita (Sheer Dusty Rose), reduced to $20.00 from $23.00.
If I were to get one product from this selection, it would either be the cream blush or this lipgloss. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the NARS glosses, because they aren't too tacky but they're usually pigmented enough to give your lips some colour without needing lipstick underneath. Dolce Vita is, to me, the more subdued equivalent to the Bobbi Brown Mauve collection. It's a cooler, darker pink that's surprisingly suited to most skintones, but isn't nearly as extreme as Bobbi Brown's quasi-gothic lipglosses that came out with her collection.
I've found it very difficult to find a beauty bargain anywhere. Unless it's some sort of brand-wide sale, which hardly ever happens, the idea of beauty products becoming discounted is getting to be pretty rare. That's why I love http://discount.makeup.com. They offer a pretty good selection of discounted makeup, at least, in comparison to other beauty sales. Their discounts aren't huge (usually you would find $37.00 products for, say, $32.00, or maybe $25.00 products for $19.00), and their selection isn't that varied (I remember excitedly checking the Juicy Tubes link every time I went to the site, only to find the same loner "Raisin Plum" shade as the only one available), but it's not a bad place. NARS has produced a couple of really popular products, and I was surprised to find that many of the products that were on sale at discount.makeup.com had been on sale for quite a while (I'm a pretty frequent checker of the site). Here are a couple of my NARS sale picks...I wouldn't feel too rushed to get them, a lot of things at this site have been on sale for a while...
1. NARS The Multiple in Maui (Dusty Rose), reduced to $32.50 from $37.00.
This product is great for summer -- I keep one in my bag and bring it with me wherever, because it's great for both cheeks and lips. Personally, I prefer using it on my cheeks, where a small dab is just enough to spread around for some livened-up colour, but it's also nice to dab on your lips when your previous lipcolour is running out. But don't apply it directly! Use a finger if you don't have a brush -- and don't be put off by the fact that it doesn't have the texture of a typical lip product. This product may be steep, but I don't really like heavy cheek colour and I only use it on my lips as a refresher, so it lasts me quite a while.
2. NARS Cream Eyeshadow in Maracaibo (Violet Haze), reduced to $18.00 from $21.00
I wouldn't put this product at the forefront of my list, but this is a great basic purple eyeshadow that would liven up any pair of brown eyes. Because I have brown eyes myself, I've heard much about the glorious effects of purple shadow. For the paler people out there, this could make a nice, light, smoky eye that's perfect for day. But I wouldn't call this a staple.
3. NARS Blush in Gilda (Coral), reduced to $22.00 from $25.00.
This may not seem like a huge bargain, and Gilda's no "Orgasm," but I happen to like this basic coral colour. For those of you that like the texture of NARS blushes, this might be a good place to pick up some extras while saving a couple of bucks. Personally, I like to go for minimal makeup during the summer, and this light coral blush is a great way to do that. The colour's pretty buildable, so you don't have to put on a ton, and I've found that peach is usually quite a bit more versatile than pink, because pink usually only suits lighter skintones while peach can be used to liven up even much darker skintones subtly.
4. NARS Cream Blush in Turkish Red (Red Coral), reduced to $20.00 from $24.00.
I know that "Red Coral" might seem a bit extreme for those that are used to more subtle blush looks, but that's what I really like about this product. NARS Cream Blushes aren't particularly goopy, so it's really easy to dab a brush in with just the slightest bit of product and just swirl it around your cheek for a bit. It takes hardly any product to add just a subtle glow to your cheeks, which I love for summer because it feels so light. The colour can be darkened for those that want a more dramatic look, but this colour can be worn surprisingly lightly. Plus, $20.00 for a blush isn't bad at all! Oh, and don't be put off by the swatch on the retailer's website -- it's the colour of a really huge goop of the product, and even then it's a little bit more orangey than in real life.
5. NARS Lipgloss in Dolce Vita (Sheer Dusty Rose), reduced to $20.00 from $23.00.
If I were to get one product from this selection, it would either be the cream blush or this lipgloss. Personally, I'm a huge fan of the NARS glosses, because they aren't too tacky but they're usually pigmented enough to give your lips some colour without needing lipstick underneath. Dolce Vita is, to me, the more subdued equivalent to the Bobbi Brown Mauve collection. It's a cooler, darker pink that's surprisingly suited to most skintones, but isn't nearly as extreme as Bobbi Brown's quasi-gothic lipglosses that came out with her collection.
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