The inspiration behind the collection came from the idea of “samurai-meets-surfer.” The collection consisted of so many sharp edges and aqua-blues that deisgner Thakoon wanted the girls to look like warriors so that they could really wear and carry the strong clothing. With such bright colors, the goal was to keep the face a bit more monotone overall but still to impart strength around the eyes and cheekbones.
The Look
A very strong and luminous face is the key to getting this look right. “It’s a beach warrior look – surfer girl meets Seven Samurai,” explained lead artist Diane Kendal. She used a minimal amount of makeup everywhere, but contoured the cheeks and kept the eye deeply set to convey an image of power through minimalism.
Get the Look
Face: Apply NARS Sheer Matte Foundation to conceal imperfections. To achieve luminosity, apply NARS Orgasm Illuminator (NEW for Spring 2010) to the cheeks, nose, forehead and chin. To contour and sculpt the cheeks, apply NARS Malaysia Multiple Bronzer and blend into the cheek bones. Highlight the cheekbones and nose with the white side of NARS Hungry Heart Blush Duo
Eyes: Apply the brown side of NARS Alhambra Duo Eyeshadow on the entire eyelid up to the brows. Blend both NARS D. Gorgeous Single Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010) as well as the light pink side of NARS Kuala Lumpur Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010) into the crease, outer eye and up towards the brow bone. . Apply NARS Bali Single Eyeshadow to the upper and lower lash lines as well as to the crease in the eyelid, blending with the other shadows to create definition. Dust NARS Night Snow Single Eyeshadow in the corners of the eyes
Lips: Mute lips by using NARS Concealer. With your finger, apply NARS Ophelia Lip Gloss (NEW for Spring 2010) to the center of lips
François Nars and NARS Cosmetics created the makeup look at the Marc Jacobs SS2010 show.
The Look
The look of the Marc Jacobs collection was inspired by the contemporary dancer, Martha Graham: Old-fashioned and theatrical but graceful and precise. At the same time, however, there was a darker side that was shone through: a quality of gothic romance. Ballerinas with a sense of mystery- as if part of them, along with some of their makeup, had been left behind on stage.
Get the Look
Left-over stage makeup. The models weren’t meant to have perfect makeup- rather, they were meant to encompass a “just came off-stage” effect. “Dancers in theater and opera always have white faces, pointed lips and an eye that is drawn outward, not upward-it’s very theatrical, very ballet,” said François Nars. He stressed the importance of the eye for this look, noting that “the shape of the eyeliner is important- it should open the eyes, especially underneath. The slashes of white is something they used to do in the 70s- it brings a 3-dimensional feeling to the makeup.”
Face: Blend NARS Siberia Sheer Matte foundation onto the face. Set with NARS Snow Loose Powder for a white, pirouette-clown look. Subtly contour and highlight, if necessary, with NARS Hungry Heart Blush Duo
Eyes: Dust the white shimmer from the left side of NARS Pandora Duo Eyeshadow on the eyelid . Use NARS D.Gorgeous Single Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2010) in the crease. Using the NARS Eyeliner Stylo in Nuits Blanches on the top and bottom lids, follow the shape of the eye, elongating it just past the outer corners but keeping the line straight and out, never moving upwards. (Can we fix the bullet I can’t get the same one to work?). Use NARS Black Moon Eyeliner Pencil to enhance the eye. After applying two sets of false eyelashes, apply one coat of NARS Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara followed by one coat of NARS Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara
Lips: Apply NARS Pop Life Velvet Matte Lip Pencil (NEW for Holiday 2009) to upper and lower lips, adding an extra layer on the top lip.. Dab your finger along the lower lip to lightly fade the color so that the top lip is darker.
It’s a Toner, Not a Lotion (Part 2): NARS Hydrating Freshening Lotion
NARS Hydrating Freshening Lotion ($36.00 for 6.7 fl. oz.) is a water-based toner with a gel-like consistency designed to hydrate skin as well as gently exfoliate it.
When I was at NARS a few months ago, the artist was telling me about this magical toner that was really great for acne-prone skin. I was a bit skeptical, but every so often, an artist manages to convince me to buy something I had no intentions of getting, so that’s how I wound up with NARS’ Hydrating Freshening Lotion. Like the Clarins’ Super Restorative Wake-Up Lotion, “Lotion” means toner. It’s easy to use: just pump once onto a cotton pad and then use it on your face to remove any dirt and build-up.
One of the reasons I bought this was to help hydrate and exfoliate dry patches prior to applying foundation. It actually does seem to help hydrate and remove some of the flakiness on my dry patches and keeps the skin looking natural and radiant. This also helps to make sure I’ve gotten every last bit of dirt, makeup, and cleanser off of my face before I apply my moisturizer. (Seriously, the amount of gunk this product removes reminds me of the blackhead strips by Biore!)
Though a bit pricey, one bottle should last you a few months, if not more, depending on how often and how much you use per application. I find need about two pumps for face and neck on a cotton pad per application, so I expect to finish my bottle in the next month or so. I do believe Shiseido (which owns NARS) also makes a similar product, so if you’re a Shiseido fan, you may want to look in their line.
Product: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 8/10
Packaging: 8/10
Recommendation: NARS’ skincare is underrated, in my opinion, because they really do have a solid line of skincare products that have never done me wrong–including the Hydrating Freshening Lotion!
NARS’ range of lipglosses ($24.00 each) includes thirty-eight different shades. They’re glossy, non-sticky formula help make them last a little longer while still providing a hydrating feel on lips.
NARS’ range of lipsticks ($24.00 each) include three finishes: satin, which is a soft, semi-opaque texture with slight sheen; semi-matte, which is an opaque, creamy near-matte finish; and sheer, which is a sheer formula with more noticeable shimmer. Based on their current line-up, NARS features 11 shades of satin lipsticks, 18 shades of semi-matte lipsticks, and 28 shades of sheer lipsticks.
Some of my favorites were Catfight, Christina (drat! if only it was “Christine”, I’d so get it just for the name), Flair, Funny Face, Roman Holiday (reminds me of Real Doll by MAC, which was LE and often coveted), Shanghai Express, Niagara, Venice, and Scarlett Empress.
More important than product photos are swatches, of course! Who cares how pretty it looks in the pan if it doesn’t look as pretty on the skin, right? So we bring you swatches of all of duo eyeshadows (including the cream duos). Which are your favorites? Do you have any? Which do you have?
