After releasing two drama-ridden, enigmatic makeup collections inspired by socialite and fashion icon Daphne Guinness, François Nars seems to have decided that the current movement of his ongoing beauty symphony should have an andante tempo, one with a slower and less intense pace but with just as much charm.
The NARS Spring 2011 collection, then, centers on a rather minimalist, muted color palette, with eye colors ranging from earthy tones like sandy beige, muddy brown, and golden olive, to watery hues like a wispy sky blue and a denim-ready indigo. In usual NARS form, though, the collection remains dynamic and unpredictable thanks to vibrant pops of color like a lime green Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (aptly dubbed Celebrate). Lips, meanwhile, remain understated thanks to sheer lipsticks like the brandy-tinged, fleshy Tzigane Lipstick or the pale, lilac pink-tinge nude Madére Pure Matte Lipstick, with perky, sheer, cheerful pink, peach and purple glosses adding a youthful vibe. Last, nails take a cue from Western flicks with a brass lacquer shade worthy of a vintage Deputy Marshal badge.
Though it's more understated than previous collections, there's an irresistible ease to the Spring 2011 collection that feels pitch-perfect for these warmer months. Below, you'll find images and info on all the pieces in the collection, as well as swatches of some key items, and a few sample looks. Enjoy!
NEW LIPGLOSS SHADES
The Spring 2011 collection incorporates three new lipgloss shades: Nana, a deep purple that reads like a blackened grape; Angelika, a bubblegum pink with gold and silver sparkle; and Super Orgasm, a sheer, peachy pink shade inspired by NARS' cult classic blush color, Orgasm.
NARS Lip Gloss in Nana, Angelika, and Super Orgasm , $24 each. Available at NARScosmetics.com
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NEW LIPSTICK COLOR
The latest lipstick in the NARS arsenal, Tzigane, is as versatile as a nude shade, but it's more richly pigmented so that it will boost your lips' natural luster rather than neutralize then. Boasting an even, all-over sheen, the Tzigane lipstick practically melts onto your pout when you apply it, delivering a sun-drenched, sheer, pale paduke wood brown tone mixed with a cool, fleshy pink hue.
Here's what the Tzigane lipstick looks like on skin:
NARS Lipstick in Tzigane, $24. Available at NARScosmetics.com
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NEW EYE SHADOW PALETTES
Below, you'll find details on the three eyeshadow palettes in the collection: two of them eyeshadow duos and one an eyeshadow trio.
Bateau Ivre Duo Eyeshadow:
The Bateau Ivre Duo Eyeshadow speaks both to the maritime fascination associated with the spring and summer seasons and to the way designers have reinvented denim for Spring 2011, devising new pant cuts, perfecting older styles (like wide leg and bell-bottom jeans), and incorporating the material into everything from footwear to hair accessories. The palette, then, features a deep, matte, sky blue shadow and a darker indigo color.
Calanque Trio Eyeshadow:
Wondering what a "calanque" is? Well, here's a vocab lesson, my lindas: a calanque is a rocky inlet in part submerged in the sea, often with steep and treacherous sides. These geological formations are usually made of limestone and, if you look at photos of these coves along the Mediterranean, you'll tend to see shades like the ones in the new NARS Trio Eyeshadow compact by the same name.
The Calanque Trio Eyeshadow features three gradient, island-ready hues ranging from a soft, almost imperceptible ecru shade with a velvety consistency and a sprinkle of golden sparkle, to a sandy golden beige with a slight coral tint, and a roasted cocoa brown with a sultry, sun-drenched golden shimmer. The colors work wonderfully for women of all skin tones and age groups, and they're so versatile that they're bound to become staples in your makeup bag.
Take a look at these swatches of the Calanque eye shadow shades:
Here's another glimpse at the shades in the Calanque palette:
Next, check out some photos of me wearing the colors in the Calanque Trio Eyeshadow palette.
To create the look, I started out by applying the lightest shade in the palette all over lids and along the crease and brow bone. Next, I applied the pale sandy camel color to lids, layering until I had achieved the desired intensity. To open up the eyes, I swept the brass-tinged, muddy brown shade along the outer half of lids, brushing the color into the crease and up to the halfway point between the inner and outer corners of the eyes.I then blended in the mid-toned camel shade along the crease to make the look seamless.
To add a pop of color, I applied the new Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Celebrate along the lash line. For the final step, I coated lashes with MAC's Studio Fix Lash mascara.
Here's a closer shot of the eye look created:
Nouveau Monde Duo Eyeshadow:
My absolute favorite eyeshadow palette is the Nouveau Monde Duo Eyeshadow, which includes a metallic, silvery lilac shade with microscopic silver and white pearl particles and a deep golden olive brown with yellow gold specks. The lilac shadow is reminiscent of the color of the Maid of Honor dress Julia Roberts wore as Julianne in My Best Friend's Wedding, while the olive color has a safari-like feel and a sun-drenched warmth that counters the accompanying hue.
The colors look incredible inside the palette, but they're even more dazzling on skin. Just check out the swatches below!
Below, you'll find images of me rocking the Nouveau Monde eye shadows. This look was all about blending. I started out by brushing the cool, silvery lilac hue atop lids an along the crease, winging the shadow out a bit. Next, I layered on the golden olive shade along the outer half of eyes, also winging the color out a bit for added drama. I followed up by brushing more of the lilac shadow atop the olive color and blending the two shads into the crease. I coated lashes with black mascara and I was good to go!
Check out the look up close:
NARS Duo Eyeshadow in Bateau Ivre and Nouveau Monde, $33 each, and NARS Trio Eyeshadow in Calanque, $45. Available at NARScosmetics.com
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NEW SOFT TOUCH SHADOW PENCILS
The two new Soft Touch Shadow Pencil hues provide a much-needed boost to the otherwise subdued Spring 2011 collection. The Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Hollywoodland, a pale, pearly, beachy gold color, perks up lids whether it's worn as a solo act or a guest star, layered underneath powder shadows to highlight specific areas of the eye. The Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Celebrate, meanwhile, visually transports you to a tropical climate with its vivid, parrot-worthy lime green color, which boasts a creamy luster.
Below, you'll find swatches of the Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Celebrate:
NARS Soft Touch Shadow Pencil in Hollywoodland and Celebrate, $24 each. Available at NARScosmetics.com
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NEW NAIL LACQUER
The Desperado Nail Lacquer looks like molten brass on nails, with an all-over metallic sheen and the type of greenish undertones you'd expect to find in a jewel piece slightly tarnished by age. As the Robert Rodriguez-like name suggests, this nail polish hue was inspired by the Wild Wild West and hence captures the color we associate with saloon spittoons, door knockers, and star-shaped sheriff badges.
NARS Desperado Nail Lacquer, $17. Available at NARScosmetics.com
