Review: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in 'Mont Blanc'

After my mom bought me my beloved Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation I honestly didn't think I would be looking into a new foundation for a while. But I was aimlessly wandering through my local JCP Sephora (which thankfully stocks NARS products) and I decided to ask for a sample of NARS Sheer Glow. She color-matched me & my skin matches 'Mont Blanc' perfectly. It's the lightest shade with pink undertones which is perfect for my pale skin with cool undertones. I tried it once or twice and I felt sort of luke-warm about it but once I tried applying it with a dampened beauty blender, I knew I could never look back.

Coverage on this foundation is medium but can be applied with a light or heavy hand to achieve a light or full coverage so it's definitely build-able. I tend to use my beauty blender to buff in my foundation and then I go back and pat and blend in more where I need it most (my red patches or blemishes). Afterwards I dust a bit of Rimmel 'Stay Matte' powder over my foundation once it's set and it never turns cakey.

I've never loved a foundation so much that was 1) liquid & 2) not matte. Despite the title 'glow', it doesn't leave my oily-combination skin looking greasy. It provides enough of a 'glow' that my skin looks healthy and natural. Wear time is really great too, I normally have to touch up with a bit of powder mid day because I touch my face a lot but if you spritz some setting spray in the morning, this foundation will last you all day. I've also noticed that it doesn't sit poorly on dry patches, which is always a win in my book.

The color ranges from pale to pretty dark (20 shades) which is refreshing considering most foundations offer 2 light shades, maybe 2 dark shades and about 5 medium shades. On Sephora's website they only offer 15 of the 20 shades, so make sure you do your homework before purchasing.

The only downsides I've found about this foundation are that it 1) doesn't have a pump (but you can buy one here) and 2) that it costs $44USD.

BUT if you're in the market for a higher end foundation that is amazing & leaves a natural finish, I definitely recommend going to your local Sephora (if you have one) & getting color matched to take a sample of NARS Sheer Glow home.

You can buy it here & here.


See me wearing it here, here & here.



-Becca

Review: NARS 'Gina' Blush

The NARS website describes 'Gina' as "a true tangerine".

I had been debating over whether I wanted 'Gina' or Stila's Convertible Color cream blush in 'Gladiola' for what seems like forever. I love the way NARS 'Luster' looks against my red hair & pale complexion so I thought an even more true matte orange would look equally as neat.

I'm so glad I ultimately decided on 'Gina'. Ryan offered to buy it for me from the NARS website since you can't buy it at Sephora online or in store (wth right?). I've yet to try a cream blush but my skin is pretty oily so I just imagine it sliding off and down my face. I loved the way 'Gladiola' looked on Esteé of essiebutton (she's wearing Gladiola in both the video & her blog post) but she doesn't have oily skin so I imagine cream blushes work better for her. If you haven't heard of essiebutton, do yourself a favor & watch her Youtube channel & follow her blog. She's hilarious & has a great relate-able presence on camera. Not to mention she's SO pretty & has impeccable taste. Even Ryan enjoys watching her videos with me & he hates everything. What more can I say? She's my favorite beauty blogger ever? Yes.





But back to 'Gina'...

'Gina' is very pigmented but so soft and buttery that blending it is ridiculously simple. I've found this to be true with most NARS blushes and 'Gina' is no exception. Staying power is almost all day but my face is oily & tends to absorb my makeup so I normally reapply or do a touch up after around 5-6 hours depending on if I've used a setting spray.

Judging by what it looks like in pan, it looks like a soft terra-cotta peach but when it hits skin it's more pigmented than that and it doesn't have the pinky tinge that most peach blushes have.

As for what to wear it with, I like to pair it with a nude, peachy lip or a coral lip tint but most people are braver with lip color than I am, so I say do whatever makes ya happy. I also love to coordinate my clothing to my cheek color? Maybe that's common...or maybe it's weird. I don't care.


this is what it looks like on my face

'Gina' retails for $29 USD and you can buy it here

Have you considered 'Gina' for yourself? Are there any blushes you've been really wanting to try as of late?



-Becca

Happy Birthday to Me

Yesterday was my birthday & I spent the beginning of the day in a pretty cruddy mood but as the day wore on I felt myself feeling less bleak about turning 25.

Ryan & I went to our local Bath & Body Works so I could pick up some hand soap and candles & had half-priced frappuccinos at Starbucks since they were having Happy Hour from 3-5. Then we came home & watched The Mindy Project on Hulu while we ate cake.

Oh! And my sister sent me these really funny videos of my family's dogs sending their birthday regards. She used a helium balloon app to make her voice sound so high.




And these are the presents I got this year from Ry-Ry & Taylor. They'll indulge my sad & intense obsession with NARS products. I luv them:

Taylor got me the 'Boys Don't Cry' limited edition Pierre Hardy NARS blush, some cute strawberry soft foam hair rollers, & a Jonathan Adler box of matches.



close up of 'Boys Don't Cry'

Ryan got me 'Gina' & 'Sin' from the NARS website so I used a coupon code for a free 'Super Orgasm' mini. I haven't tried it yet since the glitter is a bit scary in the pan but I've seen Taylor wear it and it looked beautiful on her.



from left to right: NARS 'Gina' // NARS 'Super Orgasm' mini // NARS 'Sin'

And finally, this is what I bought myself... a 1oz bottle of Chloé.

I bought this from Sephora with a gift card & used the voucher inside for a full size bottle. It's a great deal since you're getting a bunch of samples & a voucher for a free full-size bottle of any of the 6 or 7 perfumes you sample inside. The 1oz bottle of Chloé is normally $65 but since I used the voucher it was only $50 for the sample box + voucher &&& I used a 10% off coupon along with my giftcard so I spent maybe $20 of my own money.



I felt really spoiled this year & my NARS blushes make up what seems like half of my makeup collection now (I have a problem). I'm so thankful to have such sweet best friends that will buy me ridiculously priced little boxes of sparkly pigmented powder and put up with my neurosis on a regular basis. They're the best.

Anyways, here's to being 25!



-Becca

Patricia (Patsy) Taylor Carnes

Today marks my late Grandmother's (aka Grand-ma-ma's ) birthday. She's been gone for nearly 8 years now & it's still hard to remember that she isn't a phone call away. I can't call her and chat about my love-life (always the first thing she asked about) or listen to her upbeat reflections on life. She was one of my best friends & I miss her so so much. My childhood was full of trips to Mississippi to visit my mother's parents. Their house was truthfully one of the few places I think I will ever consider "home" and I know that I would have been a completely different person without their guidance and support.



My grandma was incredibly sweet and generous but had a definite spunk & spitfire that I believe runs rampant in Taylor/Carnes women. She was only 18 when she married my grandpa & spent the first months of their marriage feeding him the only things she knew how to cook: mayonnaise, boiled eggs, & lemon icebox pie. At some point I guess he protested that he was tired of eating the same things and that it would be nice if she "changed it up" so she did.. She dyed everything with food coloring (mostly green) and called it a day.

She also once tried to pluck my grandpa's beard with tweezers to help him avoid shaving every morning.



She was a gifted cook & baker, an avid reader & a super talented seamstress. This blurb honestly doesn't do her justice since she was such a wonderful & kind & strong woman.

I love & miss her so very much!



-Becca

**p.s. all photos of my grandmother were taken by my grandpa. He was an amazing photographer & artist.

April 2013 Favorites

Well, it's May & my birthday is approximately 8 days away (the ninth). The thought of turning 25 is terrifying and sort of depressing. I felt the same way about turning 20 and it turned out ok in the end. I have work the day of so I'll be pretty well distracted & the weekend afterwards I'm planning on making ice cream & having a girls night.

Enough about my fear of aging, let's get on to my favorites for the month!

MAKEUP

top row (left to right) : nars 'douceur' blush // revlon 'peach parfait' lip butter // mac 'pure zen' lipstick // body shop 'mango' lip butter
bottom row (left to right): body shop 'coconut' body butter // hard candy 'tiki' so baked bronzer // nars sheer glow foundation 'mont blanc'

NARS 'DOUCEUR' BLUSH
As much as I normally like a little color in my cheeks, I've been favoring this blush above all others because the weather has been so unpredictable this spring. It's 84 one day and then drops into the 30's for three days. It's not winter, it's not spring. So instead of wearing corals and sweet pinks like it's spring or my berry and rose hues like it's winter, I've been opting for good old 'Douceur'. Read more about it in my review of it here.

REVLON 'PEACH PARFAIT' LIP BUTTER
I received a sample of this color in some Target beauty sample bag I got last year and I instantly fell in love with the sheer shimmery peach shade. Normally I'm not one for any sort of ~*sparkle*~ on my lips but since purchasing this shade I've really changed my tune about them. Wear -time is pretty standard. Since it's moisturizing and a little more sheer, you have to re-apply fairly often but you don't need a mirror or anything to apply it. It's just easy and pretty and if you want a better review of the Revlon Lip Butters, I recommend looking on youtube or googling it because these are fairly commonly reviewed. Bloggers freaked out about these when they first came out.

MAC 'PURE ZEN' LIPSTICK
I've been wearing this lipstick a lot when I'm not wearing 'Peach Parfait'. This is my lipstick I wear if I'm wearing a loud outfit or a lot of white. It's simple and when I first bought it I really didn't think I was going to get ANY use out of it. Nude lipsticks are not something I typically gravitate towards. But I bought because I thought it would be a bit darker & it was the only shade from the MAC Marilyn collection that looked like something I could wear. I don't wear red shades & that was predominantly what the collection was since it was Marilyn Monroe themed. But this shade is actually just the right amount of paleness and peach and pigment that when swiped over my fairly pigmented lips, it just tones them down and gives them a pale peach sheen. I really recommend this nude lipstick for anyone who's scared to try a nude lip. If I can do it, you can. Pinky swear.

THE BODY SHOP 'MANGO' LIP BUTTER
THIS. Ahh this smells so good. It smells like an orange dreamsicle. The only other thing I've bought that smelled this good was Bed Head's Self Absorbed Conditioner. I could smell that stuff all day. Anyways, this is the lip balm I have on my nightstand to use before I go to bed. I like that it doesn't have a taste so it doesn't mix with the taste of your toothpaste after just brushing your teeth. It's not the most moisturizing thing I've ever used but I like it pretty well and I added it to my basket to reach a certain price to use a voucher online. I've just been using it a lot and it smells AMAZING.

THE BODY SHOP 'COCONUT' BODY BUTTER
I never thought I would ever ever EVER use anything coconut scented but this honestly doesn't even really smell that coconut-y to me. Maybe it smells like sugary toasted coconut. I don't know. All I know is it smells good and it has the same intense hydrating & softening properties as my beloved Brazil Nut Body Butter. Both are made by The Body Shop so I guess I shouldn't be surprised-- but now that the Brazil Nut scent has been discontinued and the formula will be changed or something (I don't know) at least I have an alternative that I like.

HARD CANDY SO BAKED BRONZER IN 'TIKI'
I recently reviewed this "bronzer" (here), but the short of it is that it's more of a highlighter. And hot-dog, it is pretty. Super subtle sheen & it's supposedly a $9 dupe for Dior's Amber Diamond. I've basically used this everyday I've worn makeup since I bought it. My poor sweet NARS Albatross feels so unloved and looked-over I'm sure.

NARS SHEER GLOW FOUNDATION IN 'MONT BLANC'
I have both a full review (here) & a mini vs review (here) of this marvelous foundation up. I originally thought I would be happier with NARS Sheer Matte foundation since my skin is combination-oily & normally matte foundations just last longer on my skin. But it turns out that Sheer Glow is easier to blend and doesn't come across super 'dewy' like I was worried it would. I just swipe a bit of powder over it and it's a bit more matte. I wear the shade 'Mont Blanc' which is perfect for anyone super pale with pink/cool undertones. This is the closest foundation match to my skin that I've ever come across. I love this foundation. I'm glad I got it during Sephora's Chicweek 15% off deal they had going on. I only paid $35 & I know it'll last me for quite a while!


MISC.

After seeing this cell phone dock on Anthropologie, I decided I needed it since I have a really strong dislike of exposed cords (looks like a hot mess) and it's practical and uhhh it's precious.

But no way in hell am I gonna pay $60 for a book with a cord in it. So I looked on pinterest for a DIY & found this tutorial. I bought my vintage Nancy Drew book on etsy for around $4(here here or here) but you could really use any book you think is pretty or matches your decor. Then I asked my dad if he could lend me his exacto blade (never mind I'm an artist and I probably have one somewhere in my apartment) while I was visiting & he offered to make it for me! Win win I say.

So now I have this awesome phone dock & conversation piece! I'm already trying to decide on a book to use for the next charger for our living room. Hmmm...

-Becca

Birthday Wishlist

I turn 25 on May 9th & while I'm dreading it, I am looking forward to having an excuse to buy myself something cute.


1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6


1. Betsey Johnson 'Having a Field Day' Handbag

2. Cath Kidston Ladybird Enamel Earrings

3. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in 'Tender Night'

4. Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

5. Absolutely Adorn-able Flat in Sky

6. NARS Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner in 'Barrow Street'



I know I won't get the Betsey Johnson purse unless I buy it for myself (which I might) since I have a $50 Modcloth giftcard I haven't spent. Just gotta wait until it comes back in stock. I love love both of the NARS products featured -- they're from the NARS summer 2013 collection. The lip pencil apparently doesn't have much pigment but the iridescence is so pretty & I have fairly pigmented lips anyways. I can already invision myself using the seafoam green eyeliner as a pop of color in my water line or making a neat cat-eye look when I wear something white & girly. Augh, I want them so bad. Why do things cost moneys?


Have you checked out the new NARS summer collection? Is there anything you've got your eye on?


-Becca

New Obsession: Early Grey Green Tea

I know this isn't terribly exciting, but I obviously don't care seeing as how I'm still posting about it.


left to right: anthro monogrammed mug // bigelow earl grey green tea // anthro grapefruit sugar bowl

I LOVE this tea. It has the health benefits of green tea with the taste of earl grey. Perfect for anyone trying to add green tea to their diet without giving up drinking earl grey.

I like mine with a bit of non dairy creamer & raw sugar or honey.

Now go try it. Or don't. Whatever floats your boat.

-Becca