Oh NARS!

Gosh, I just realised I love the blush effect on this poster girl!

Everybody who reads this know or have surely heard the brand NARS, yes? Well, NARS has become quite an icon for years now and I'm actually considered one of the slows to jump on the NARS bandwagon... I've only discovered NARS few months back when I only got into makeup. Ah, once you try to look up "best blush", NARS would come up in the search engine. Right?

They have amazing pigmentation, amazing colours to choose from, and have the most intriguing and catching names in the makeup industry, so I think... (you know which names I'm referring to)

So this is an International NARS Event with Stephanie Gower. She is NARS' Editorial and Fashion Makeup Artist... and created looks on the runways from New York, Los Angeles to San Francisco (with Valentino and Roberto Cavalli to name a few)...


Bec, one of the head makeup artists of MECCA Cosmetica was my makeup artist for the day =) alongside Stephanie, and I knew her from before this event so that was fun!! fun !! fun!!

1) She prep my skin with NARS NEW Skin Smoothing Facial Prep (AUD$59), it comes in a little black box... CUTE!! Travel friendly too... but they don't come with brush or sponge or anything so you have to dip your fingers or brush into it all the time...
Well, it did feel "velvety" and "smooth" and seemed to fill in pores and fine lines and didn't grab any dry areas. It is targeted to minimise pores and smoothen any dry or rough areas. It did feel like I didn't have anything on, and glides on effortlessly on my skin. I like how it's very very smooth, like velvet. But I think that's about as far as how much I can like it. I had this on at around 3.15pm ish and before 9pm my face was greasy looking, and some areas on my cheeks seem a bit blotchy... so I don't know... not going to jump up and down for it, I thought I would, y'know? I'm big on face base makeup and when NARS came up with this I thought "oh my! a NARS base makeup I can finally use" but now I'm having mixed feelings... if I change my mind, I'll let you know about it.

2) Stephanie applied Sheer Glow in Deauville - with her fingers, really pressing it in all over my face. (This is 3rd shade matched to me... 1st a MA matched me with Punjab, then 2nd was Fiji, now it's Deauville... ==)

3) Stephanie used Yachiyo Brush, dipped it in Laguna Bronzer and did a number 3 around my face.
To be honest, I didn't see any effect of this on me... maybe I have to play around with Laguna more to see...

4) Stephanie used Cream Blush in Penny Lane on the apples of my cheeks - using her fingers, dab dab dab

5) Using Orgasm Multiple, she used it to highlight my cheek bone, my temples, and my brow bones. Using fingers, again! This was the most intriguing part, when she used it on my brow bones... I never thought of using it there but now... I might just do! ;)

6) Bec did my eyebrows, using Bali eyeshadow and a brow gel. I must say, it did look alright and even in daylight in the store. But I still think the colour is too dark to my liking of my eyebrows hahaha... I'm going to leave my eyebrows alone... hahaha

7) For eyes, Stephanie did 1 eye, and Bec did the other.
- Kalahari Duo
- Alhambra Duo
- Mousson (as base)
were used.
And I believe she used Mekong and eyeliner in Kyoto for smokey effect on the outer lines of my eyes.
Then top it off with curling my lashes and Volumizing Mascara from NARS, I was surprised that this mascara holds my curl !! I left it till about midnight and my right eyelashes were still curled =)

8) As for lips, she used Sex Machine Lip Pencil & Turkish Delight Lip Gloss (these are Stephanie's favourite lippies and she was wearing it on the day) I commented on her lips and she was like, "Ooh!! Thanks for noticing!! It's Steph's favourites!! ;) " Hahaha

9) Surprisingly, no concealer was used. Only Loose Setting Powder in Flesh.

Not as detailed as how it was with Hourglass, but it lists almost all products used.

I played a bit with the Limited Edition Multiple Tints, but unfortunately I didn't bring my camera and my iphone did not pick up the colours I swatched, so I'm sorry... no swatch photo to show how sheer and buildable these are. =(
I think Multiple is a great idea but it's not necessary? Yeah sure you can use it on your lips, your cheeks, to highlight anywhere on your body, but for the price, which I'm going to let you in later how much it actually costs in Australia... for it gave me such shock when I ended up at the register counter to pay.

As I decided to snap up a Multiple in Orgasm. I was debating whether to get Penny Lane Cream Blush or Sex Machine Lip Pencil, but I thought, the Multiple would be a 3 in 1 product so... that's why I chose it. I went over to the counter to pay, and ... it costs... AUD$89!!!!!!! I almost fell over, but since I already have AUD$50 store credit, I only had to pay AUD$39, but still!! Ah, I simply told myself, that it's partially a fee to meet and get tips from Stephanie Gower.

Tips gathered: (all products mentioned are from NARS)
1) Loose Powder in Flesh is a really great setting powder, you use sponge to press the powder onto the skin on top of your foundation, and then use brush to brush off the excess
2) You can use Multiple in Orgasm as brow bone highlight!
3) You can use brush to apply mascara on your lower lashes
4) The Sheer Glow is best applied with fingers, dab and pressing it onto the skin to blend
5) Not really a tip... but I'm happy that Deauville is now a better match to me ... rather than Punjab or Barcelona or Fiji ... hehehe & I realise I prefer my eyebrows to be lighter or not too dark or just to leave it alone. Hah!

Now... photo time!!

As usual, without fail, mecca wraps the product ever so nicely and neatly in this black soft tissue paper =)

And it opens to...

And it pops open as follows...
Ta Da!
Oops, not quite ;)
And here's how much product is in it
Hmm... is it worth it... I can't help but still question it.
And a little swatch on my hand... it's sheer and buildable. Remember, it's buildable...
Pretty? Yes, yes it's a pretty colour... but gosh! price is ridiculous!

Now, apart from that, however, I received a free Limited Edition Top Ten Beauty Icons Box, I wasn't expecting this, but ^^v yay for freebies!! You'll see what I mean... Look!!!!

All these FREE! =D

Do you notice the baby Laguna bronzer?
Oh yes yes... it's a baby, it's...
I have to admit,
it is SO CUTE!!!! Hahaha

Here's a comparison of its size:

So cute, won't you agree? ^^
I wasn't expecting this at all!! I thought they were just going to give me those samples in plastic containers or tubes, but no! It's actually a mini version of the real stuff! Yay! Oh it's so cute... hahaha

And lastly... photo with the ladies
Stephanie Gower on the left of the photo
Bec on the right
Lovely ladies!

I can't wait to upload this, so I'll edit this when I get my hand on photos of the eye makeup...
It's basically smokey, brown, with glitters/frosts.

Okay! I'm off to Lush VIP Night tonight! Expect another couple of posts soon! ^^v

Have a blushing night~