NARS Archives - Page 2 of 13 - Miss Whoever You Are

miss whoever you areWednesday, February 11, 2015

valentine’s day makeup: red lips

Shocker. Beauty blogger creates a Valentine’s Day makeup guide featuring red lips 😉 In all seriousness, the red lip has become my staple (even ousting pink as my beloved color) and what better day to rock a bold, red lip than V-day? This makeup is all about a clean face that allows the lips to carry the look.

Maybelline Master Prime // Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer // Cover FX Blemish Treatment Concealer // Buxom Bronzer // Hourglass Modernist Eyeshadow Palette // Esqido Lashes // Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara // NARS Yachiyo Brush #27 // Hourglass #4 Crease Brush // Gerard Cosmetics Lipstick // Charlotte Tilbury Filmstars On The Go

For the primer, I’ve been testing (and loving) Maybelline’s new Master Prime primer in Blur + Smooth. My makeup doesn’t slide off and it doesn’t have a thick/ silicone-y feeling when applied. This does leave a white cast on my face but it doesn’t interfere with my foundation. For the base, I recommend Kevyn Aucoin’s Sensual Skin Enhancer (I wear the shade SX14). A LITTLE bit goes a long way for this so don’t slap it on all over. It’s a bit thicker so I typically spritz my foundation brush with MAC Fix+ to blend it in a sheer it just a bit. This will stay put all day so no need to worry about your foundation slipping’ and slidin’. Next cover any possible blemishes with the Cover FX Blemish Treatment Concealer (I was sent N Deep but N X-Deep is better for me). It’s a full-coverage formula that not only covers blemishes but also claims to reduce redness and inflammation, minimize pore size, and help fight future breakouts.
Next dab the second color in Charlotte Tilbury’s Filmstars On The Go in The Spy Who Loved Me with your finger along the apples of your cheeks. To finish off the face, swipe Buxom’s Bronzer in Maldives across your cheeks using the NARS Yachiyo Brush #27. The bronzer has shimmer in it so don’t go off contouring but it gives you a beautifully summer-like glow.
On the eyes, gently swipe the bronze (third) color across your lid and the champagne (first) color in the inner corner for a beautiful golden look. These Hourglass Modernist Palettes are so gorgeous, I want them all. The pigment is great and the shadows are like buttah. I[m skipping the liner since liner always makes my eyes look a bit smaller BUT apply Maybelline’s Lash Sensational Mascara in Blackest Black before applying the Esqido Lashes in Little Black Lash for a wide eyed effect.

To finish the look, apply Gerard Cosmetics Lipstick in Fire Engine. This color currently rivals my MAC RiRi Woo as best red lip in my book. It’s long lasting, intense, and a rich red. Since it is a matte you absolutely need to exfoliate before applying. The downside is the drying formula. I typically apply a lip balm before I start my makeup so my lips are well hydrated and so the color doesn’t skip.

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Disclosure: a few products were sent for editorial consideration. Doesn’t effect my review or opinions about them as I only feature products I love.

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miss whoever you areTuesday, February 10, 2015

valentine’s day makeup: smokey eyes

As I was playing around with my makeup stash (so many new products!), I put together a look so beautiful I had to photograph the products used. I’m no tutorial queen so you won’t see my selfie (yet) but the products mentioned are tried and true.

Cover FX Mattifying Primer With Anti-Acne Treatment // Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup // Lancôme Dual Finish Versatile Powder Makeup // Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed // NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer // Guardian Terracotta Kabuki Brush // Melt Cosmetics eye shadows in Dark Matter // Esqido Lashes in Unforgettable // Buxom True Nude Lip Foundation // Color Your Smile Lip Gloss in Plum Crazy // Sigma F25 Tapered Face Brush

First PRIME! I can’t stress how important this is. The right primer will make sure your makeup lasts all night- from drinks to dinner to dancing to…I love Cover FX makeup and this Mattifying Primer has anti-acne treatment in it so you don’t have to worry about that breakout OR getting greasy. Next you’ll need a full coverage foundation that can withstand the test of time without turning you into a total cake face. My go-to is Estée Lauder Double Wear (in Rich Cocoa) because it provides even coverage, hides everything and makes me look FLAWLESS. Get it.

To conceal under my eyes, I pretty much only use NARS’ Radiant Creamy Concealer (I use Cafe to conceal and Amdande to highlight). I like to set my makeup and I’ve been using Lancôme Dual Finish powder since 2009 (#tbt). It’s sheer to buildable but I lightly dust this over my face using the Guerlain Terracotta Kabuki Brush to keep everything in place. Since the eyes will be a bit intense, I say skip the blush BUT add a bit of highlight on your cheekbones. Becca’s Shimmering Skin Perfectors are G.O.A.T. I have the color Champagne Gold in the picture but there’s definitely one for your skin tone - brown girls, Topaz is your friend). Apply with the Sigma F25 brush and you’re golden (literally).

Now the eyes. I discovered Melt Cosmetics through the beauty girls on Instagram. The matte shades found in the Dark Matter set offer you INTENSE color payoff and versatility. I love that it’s not the standard grey and black. The warm shades create the most stunning chocolate smokey eye you will ever see. Although they’re matte, the shadows aren’t chalky or dry and they’re easy to blend. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Moving onto lashes- I had to pick Esqido Lashes. I mentioned them on my YouTube channel before and I’ll mention them here again. LOVE! Unforgettable features a gradient of increasing length and thickness across the lash band so it’s subtle and not overpowering but gives you a slight winged effect. No need for liner in my book.

Since the focus is on the eyes, opt for a neutral lip. My recent brown girl friendly nude lip color is Buxom’s Lip Foundation in Revealed, a deep rich brown. Top it off with Color Your Smile’s Plum Crazy lip gloss in the center for a hint of color.

BAM! You’re ready for the night out. You’re welcome.

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miss whoever you areMonday, January 20, 2014

i’ve got a nude attitude

In between running around NYC looking at studios masquerading as one bedrooms and shopping for the apartment I’ve yet to actually sign a lease on*, I’ve taken up a new hobby in the form of shopping for neutral eye palettes. I’m not sure how one relates to the other (they don’t) but I felt like giving you guys a quick summary of what I’ve been up to these past few weeks.

I don’t know what the impetus was for this new found love of all things neutral but I’m sure it was somewhere in between Urban Decay’s Naked 1 (holy grail) and Naked 2 (not so much holy grail). I used to long for bright blues and vivid hues but here I am proclaiming my love for warm an cozy every day colors.

It could also very well be because the beauty industry as a whole has gone nude because very one and their momma is releasing an eyeshadow palette got to replace your entire makeup collection (lol as if that’ll ever happen). Below is a breakdown of a few I’m loving.

Sigma Beauty Warm Neutrals Eye Shadow Palette: released last month, this was my go-to makeup item all throughout December. The 12 colors are warm and rich varying between shimmers, frosts, sheen, and matte finishes. As my first time trying out sigma eye makeup, I was loving the texture of each shadow. Neither chalky or powdery, these applied nicely without primer and lasted me through all of my holiday parties and now stands at attention on my vanity.

‘The NARSissist’ Eye Palette: named after its social media handles, NARS took 15 of their best-selling hues and put them in one handy palette. While I prefer the texture of the cinematic eyeshadow the brand released in the Guy Bourdin collection, this is a nice palette for those who love the brand and is looking to invest in a collection without having to worry about depotting and spending too much. To best benefit from these, apply a primer underneath for ease of application. Also do yourself a favor and follow them on Instagram and Twitter - @NARSissist is one I the few beauty brands that’s able to sell me products and entertain at the same damn time.

Urban Decay Naked 3: I was on the fence about this and truth be told only ordered it because of the hype (and I’m sorta Type A so there was no way I wasn’t going to complete my naked collection). While Naked 2 left me yearning for more, Naked 3 surprised me with its rose toned neutrals - something I’ve never actually owned before. All of my nude eyeshadows tend to be on the brown side á la Naked 1, but these colors are pretty and oh so buttery. There are some colors I could do without (the really pale ones) but dear lord I need a full sized version of Buzz, Trick, and Factory.

Smashbox Full Exposure Palette: I probably own like four Smashbox items so I was shocked at how quick I was to hit “Add to Cart” with this one. I haven’t played around much with it but I can definitely say this is the palette to reach for when creating a smokey eye (the NARS is perfect as well but since that’s sold out - WOMP! - it may be worth looking at this one in the meantime).

Too Faced The Chocolate Bar Eye Palette: whatever I picked this up only because a) I had time to kill before going to view an apartment, and b) each shade supposedly smells like cocoa. I mean. Hello. 16 matte and shimmer shades that smell like chocolate, housed in a chocolate like tin. The highlight shades do scare me (the matte more than the shimmer) because there’s an epidemic of supremely highlighted brow bones in African American women and I refuse to become one of them.

Clinique All About Shadow 8-Pan Palette: Holy wow, Clinique! I typically go to Clinique for foundations or skincare but this came as a total surprise. Although it’s a tinier palette than any of the others mentioned, its compact nature makes it perfect for on-the-go.

Honorable mention goes to not a palette but a few affordable eyeshadows that you can put in a palette: Makeup Geek eyeshadows. I guess being an OG beauty blogger, Marlena knows what women are looking for. Her individual shadows are like buttah and sooooo pigmented. At $6 each (those in a pan are $12) I love the formulation and longevity. My favorite shades are: Brown Sugar, Glamorous, Gold Digger, and Mocha.

Disclosure: samples were provided for editorial consideration.

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miss whoever you areMonday, January 13, 2014

nars spring 2014 color collection

KHAO SAN ROAD LARGER THAN LIFE LONG-WEAR EYELINER Right when I start thinking to myself “I don’t need any more makeup. I’m good.” NARS announces the launch of their Spring 2014 collection and I lose my mind.

While I only got my hand on two products, the entire collection is makeup bag worthy so get you a piece.
TIMANFAYA SATIN LIP PENCIL
Khao San Road Eyeliner ($24) is a beautiful, bright metallic aquamarine. It’s got a super soft texture and goes on like butter. Plus the color is so intense, it’s a beauty lover’s wet dream. Are you kidding me NARS?! I applied this on my lower lash line (complemented with gold eyeshadow on my lids) and I looked 10x more awake that I should on a Monday morning.

Next is Timanfaya Satin Lip Pencil ($25). I’m generally a fan of the brand’s matte lip pencils due to their long-lasting abilities but I may have found the one Satin Lip Pencil to take permanent residence in my makeup bag. Timanfaya is a reddish orange color that didn’t look as intense on my lips as it does in pencil format. While one coat looks good, two is my optimal amount and it was more coral than orange. I was a bit afraid that this would get all MAC Morange on me but fear not. I don’t hate Morange but you have to be in the right frame of mind to wear it friends. If you’re seeking an orange lip color without screaming “I’M WEARING ORANGE LIPSTICK, Y’ALL!” pick this up when it comes out.
TIMANFAYA SATIN LIP PENCIL AND KHAO SAN ROAD LARGER THAN LIFE LONG-WEAR EYELINER
This collection includes a slew of other products, like Kauai Duo Eyeshadow ($34), that I have my eye on. Luckily it will be available January 15, 2014 at NARS boutiques and on narscosmetics.com.

You’re welcome.

Disclosure: samples provided for editorial consideration.

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miss whoever you areThursday, January 9, 2014

i ain’t letting a cold keep me down…

Right after Hercules hit NYC last week, I came down with a nasty little cold. I guess I had it coming since I’m always the smug one who “never” gets sick (#karma). After being tucked in bed and dealing with bitter cold that came along with the Polar Vortex, my skin all but gave up. Not having it at all. Between the heat in my apartment and office and the cold waiting for the bus, my skin became a dehydrated mess and no amount of makeup could cover it up. It actually made it (look) worse! My dry skin was only even more noticeable after I tried laying on the foundation.
clearsil win the day
Luckily, Refinery 29 sent me Clearasil’s Refreshing Superfruit collection to help me win the day and get on with my life! I immediately grabbed the Clearasil Daily Clear Refreshing Superfruit Scrub to use in the morning to gently exfoliate the layer of dead skin and prep for my moisturizer (in this 5° to 20°F weather I’ve been using Moroccanoil Pure Argan Oil and applying Josie Maran’s Argan Balm before heading out since it’s a bit thicker). At night I whip out my beloved Clarisonic and used the Clearasil Daily Clear Refreshing Superfruit Wash in the morning to gently remove any makeup. Both are gently on skin and don’t irritate. Now contrary to what some may think, it IS important to exfoliate in the winter to remove dead, flaky skin and prevent clogged pores (especially if using a thicker cream on your face). I do recommend alternating between using the scrub and the Clarisonic because you don’t want to overdo it.
clearasil_wintheday_misswhoeveryouare
Throughout the day, I like to refresh my face because the office can be a cruel environment. Seriously. I love the heat but the whole no humidifier thing kills me. So I gently wipe down with Superfruit Pads and then reapply my makeup. Because I can’t be bothered with a full face, I rely on my go-to, five minute makeup look using NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer (spoke about that here) and my Lime Crime lipstick in Countessa Fluorescent. Also on hand at all times is my beloved hand sanitizer for clean digits and cold medicine (let’s be real, there’s no way I’m letting this cold win this battle).