NARS Self Portrait 3 Eyeshadow Palette ($55.00 for 0.42 oz.) features a variation on Warhol’s Self Portrait (1967) painting. This palette is described as “dark brown with shimmer overspray, rose pink, and heather blue.” It is the second of three palettes, and it will be available at department and specialty stores, NARS’ boutiques, and narscosmetics.com on November 1st (so you have some time to think about it, to the say least!).
Each of the Self Portrait palettes has a black overspray, which will disappear quickly. I recommend taking a large powder brush (I used MAC’s 134) to brush back and forth, up and down, to get the majority off. Now, I say that with the expectation that you’d actually like to use the colors in the palette. Assuming you only intended to keep it as a collectible, then I’d recommend not using it much and would say to avoid the silver-white to maintain the facial structure/details.
The first shade is actually a matte medium-dark brown with warm undertones. It had a stiff, dry texture and, subsequently, poor color payoff. However, when applied to the lid, it was able to pack a bit more color, and at least, it was buildable to mostly true-to-pan color. It required some extra effort to blend. Dior Aurora is more shimmery. Bobbi Brown Cocoa Berry is darker. Benefit Dandy Brandy has more shimmer. Urban Decay YDK has a frosted finish. MAC Lie Low is similar but more pearly.
The second shade is a softened, burnt orange with a faint satin sheen. It’s a little terracotta-like. It was soft without being powdery, smooth, and had good pigmentation. MAC Hot Paprika is a bit brighter.
The third shade is a dusty gray-tinged purple with a hint of blue. It had a matte finish, and it was a bit powdery, but the color payoff was good–some sheerness. It was harder to use on the lid, though, as it was prone to fading and disappearing. Blendable, yes, but so blendable that trying to blend it resulted in most of it billowing off the lid in a little puff of powdery smoke. As a result, it tended to look faded from the get-go. theBalm Matt Horowitz is darker.
Of the three shades, the only one I experienced major issues while wearing them was the purple shade, which faded quickly. The brown shade takes some extra effort, but it’s do-able, and it wears well. This, of course, shouldn’t be necessary at this price point. It’s better than the other palettes, but I don’t think it’s a fantastic palette overall. The color combination can work, but it’s an unusual one, so some may not feel it’s versatile enough.
It's better than the other palettes, but I don't think it's a fantastic palette overall. The color combination can work, but it's an unusual one, so some may not feel it's versatile enough.
Product
8/10
Pigmentation
8/10
Texture
8.5/10
Longevity
7.5/10
Application
3.5/5
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MAC & Carine Roitfeld: Undercover Nude Nail Lacquer
MAC Undercover Nude Nail Lacquer ($17.50 for 0.34 fl. oz.) is described as a “sheer clear nude.” It’s a sheer light beige with a cream finish. Why does MAC describe this one as “sheer” and “clear” but that nearly colorless lipstick as “sheer” and “translucent.” The descriptions would be better if switched – as this polish is definitely not clear (sheer, yes!). Chanel Beige Petale is similar. MAC Sandpiper is darker, more opaque. Essie Kisses & Bisses is iridescent.
Unfortunately, this was a pale cream that was definitely streaky to work with. It wouldn’t self-level for me, and I attempted three different applications to get it to be even, but I didn’t have any luck. It levels out just slightly but not enough to be even and smooth. I think this is a color that works for a sheer shade, and it’s very work-friendly. It gave my nails a brighter, cleaner look–but it was streaky. The formula was slightly thick, but two coats didn’t feel too heavy. I typically get a week of wear with minor tip wear but no chipping with MAC’s polish formula.
This one was really streaky to work with, which resulted in a less polished look. I think the color would work well across skin tones, so it's a bummer that the formula didn't work better.
Product
7/10
Pigmentation
8/10
Texture
8.5/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
3/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Illamasqua Complement Eyeshadow Palette ($42.50 for -0.20 oz.) contains four shades: Slink (soft champagne shimmer), Focus (cool brown metallic), Forgiveness (rich chocolate plum), and Queen of the Night (blackened plum).
Focus is a medium-dark brown with a gray-ish tinge and a soft, metallic finish. This is a Liquid Metal, so it’s like a cream eyeshadow in feel. When I used it alone, it was prone to creasing after a few hours. When I used it underneath other eyeshadows in the palette, it didn’t crease. Bare Escentuals Most Requested has more plum in it. Tom Ford Platinum has less red-orange tones. Urban Decay YDK is more golden. Urban Decay Wreckage is grayer.
Forgiveness is a soft plum with red undertones and a matte finish. This shade had decent pigmentation but was a little sheer and powdery. Lancome Color du Jour is a bit darker and has gold sparkle. Make Up For Ever #131 is darker and more intense. NARS Grand Palais is browner, less plum.
All four shades work really well together, and it’s a very smoky, purple-themed look. The quality, overall, is just okay. The dryness and powderiness of Forgiveness and Queen of the Night were disappointing, especially because those are the two more interesting shades in the palette. I really had to pack on Queen of the Night to get decent intensity, and it was prone to disappearing when you went to blend the color. I noticed that after eight hours, Queen of the Night looked rather faded when applied over Focus. I didn’t see creasing, but there was some fading. However, I also layered Slink over Focus, and I didn’t see any fading there.
The quality, overall, is just okay. The dryness and powderiness of Forgiveness and Queen of the Night were disappointing, especially because those are the two more interesting shades in the palette. I really had to pack on Queen of the Night to get decent intensity, and it was prone to disappearing when you went to blend the color.
Product
8/10
Pigmentation
8.5/10
Texture
8/10
Longevity
7.5/10
Application
3.5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Buxom Luvitate True Hue Blush ($24.00 for 0.17 oz.) is described as a “shimmering nude.” It’s a beige-apricot with a golden shimmer-sheen. It reminds me of shades like NARS Orgasm but with a more neutral base. Tarina Tarantino Neopolitan Lane is matte in finish and a bit browner. The shimmering shade in Guerlain Peach Boy is noticeably pinker. Chanel In Love is darker with a subtler gold shimmer. Overall, when applied, it still reads a little coral-ish, but with some beige thrown in.
Buxom’s True Hue formula is supposed to be “silky, sheer, and ultra-buildable.” Surprisingly, I found the texture to be stiffer and on the drier side. It wasn’t silky or soft or all that smooth. The color payoff is as described–sheer–and it is buildable, though it will take some layering if you have a medium to dark complexion. It’s do-able, and it’s not too many layers, but the blendability of this is lacking. I suspect the drier texture is playing a role in making this harder to blend and appear rather patchy on the cheeks. This has a fair amount of shimmer and sheen in the finish, too, which does make pores more noticeable. The wear of Luvitate was decent–seven hours with light but some fading after eight hours.
I was bummed about the texture! For something that claims to have silkiness, I wasn't seeing (or rather, feeling!) it at all. With a color like this that seems to common enough across brands, I wouldn't waste time on something less than stellar.
Product
8/10
Pigmentation
9/10
Texture
7/10
Longevity
7.5/10
Application
4/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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Cult Nails Happy Ending Nail Lacquer ($10.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) contains shredded multi-colored flakes suspended in a clear base. There’s aqua-blue, copper, gold, and lavender from what I can see–I swear I see a hint of green, but I think it might be the gold. I don’t have anything like this, and I’m not even sure if I have more than one or two shredded polishes on hand. Deborah Lippmann Happy Birthday is the closest I could think of, but it’s multi-sized glitter particles (squares and hexagons) with a lot of green in it. Even though the sizes/shapes are different, I think the two yield at least a comparable feel: a big ol’ glitter-party on your nails.
The consistency of Happy Ending is on the thicker side–if you have a lot of glitters in clear bases, it definitely has a sort of gel-like consistency that gives it a thicker feel and look. It does help suspend and keep the glitter shards in it, though, which means you don’t have to try and grab the pieces out of the bottle. They do need to be pushed around to get an even (sort of) layer of shredded glitter. I dabbled a blob of it on the center of the nail and then pushed and maneuvered the pieces around. It’s unique enough to be worth the trouble, but it’s not something I’d reach for often, just because it takes patience and some skill to use.
It's unique enough to possibly be worth the trouble, but it's not something I'd reach for often, just because it takes patience and some skill to use. I like the concept, but it needs a little more refinement.
Product
7.5/10
Pigmentation
8.5/10
Texture
7/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
3/5
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Where to Buy
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Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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This shade goes on very sheerly, and it was difficult to build up the intensity. If you take a ton of product, you can get opaque color, but applying and smoothing it out on the lid ends up in as a rather patchy result. The best method that worked for me was to apply one layer, wait about 15-30 seconds, then apply a second, wait another 15-30 seconds, and apply a thrid, and possibly a fouth, layer. The problem with that method was there was some faint but noticeable creasing after six hours. When I used a sheer layer, there was very minor creasing–after eight hours, though. Blue Moon had a soft, creamy texture that blended easily so long as you went for a sheer application.
It's buildable, but the more layering you do, the more it compromises the wear--a sheer layer has minor creasing after eight hours while more opaque color had more noticeable creasing after six hours. As a base color, it works better and didn't crease.
Product
8/10
Pigmentation
8.5/10
Texture
9.5/10
Longevity
7/10
Application
3/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
