Thursday, January 20, 2011

In Depth Review: Nars Sheer Glow Foundation The Perfect Foundation for Women of Color


Nars sheer glow foundation is my favorite liquid foundation. Here are the reasons why:

Texture:
Nars Sheer Glow has a slightly watery texture but it is still sort of thick (if that makes sense). It is definitely not a full coverage foundation, its more of a medium coverage. I personally think the coverage is too heavy for me. I like to sheer it out with a face serum or cream, my favorite is Nars Balancing Moisturizer. This makes the texture very very runny and watery so it is like a very light tinted moisturizer but more pigment and it doesn't break me out. I would only suggest doing this if you have moderately decent skin or you just want a light coverage. I don't like wearing thick foundation, I find Nars Sheer Glow is too thick for me.

Application:
When it isn't sheered out it the foundation dries pretty fast so you have to work it quickly into the skin.When mixed with a moisturizer doesn't dry as fast. I like to apply it with my fingers because it keeps the foundation warm so it melts into my skin.

When it is sheered out with the Nars Balancing Moisturizer the foundation is extremely watery and amazing! It creates a very very light tinted moisturizer that looks like my skin but more even toned.

Color:
What I love about Nars is their color selection. Nars has a ton of colors in cool and warm undertones. The foundation also blends to match your color if it is a little off. My color, Cadiz is is a medium brown (Cadiz- Medium to Dark number 3) color with peach undertones. I like that it has a mix of yellow and red undertones because my skin is sort of a mix. Every foundation I find is always too dark or too light, I like how Sheer Glow adjusts to my skin color.

This foundation photographs EXTREMELY well. Literally. You look like you have flawless movie star skin with this foundation on. When I wear this foundation to events or going out, I never have a bad picture. This is probably because it has "glow" particles that look great when photographed.

Reaction:
My skin doesn't break out to this foundation when it is mixed with another moisturizer When I use it by itself and it does have a tendency to clog my pores.

Packaging:
It comes in a glass packaging with a matte black top. You can buy a pump which is very very good. You get full control over the product with the pump, you can pump out a drop or a huge squirt and everything in between. The pump is really well made, seriously.. it's actually worth it because you don't waste product.

Cost:
It costs 42 dollars, which is average for a high end foundation. I think it is totally worth the price because of how it photographs and how natural it looks in real life. I am personally in love with this foundation.

Conclusion:

I only really love 2 foundations, Sheer Glow and Chanel Double Perfection Powder. I would recommend Sheer glow for girls who want a higher end foundation that photographs extremely well and with a dewy appearance. This foundation is perfect for women of color because of the great color selection. When sheered out, or when applied alone it doesn't look ashy or mask like (look at my pictures below in Boho Makeup Tutorial) it just looks like you have great skin! I don't know of any drugstore dupes for this foundation :( sorry!

x

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Simple Boho makeup tutorial

I wanted to do a really simple brown smokey look. I call it my bohemian eyeshadow look!

enjoy x

Face:
1/4 pump of Nars Sheer Glow Foundation (shade: Cadiz) mixed with moisturizer


Cheeks:
NARS Luster blush mixed with NARS Amour blush on apples of my cheeks blended upward
NARS Goldmember Cream Blush on cheekbones

Lips:
NARS Barbarella Lipstick


Eyes:

MAC Constructivist Paint Pot blended on lids with a MAC 217 brush winged out slightly
MAC Groundwork gel eyeliner through top and bottom lashlines
NARS Mekong eyeshadow blended onto top and bottom lashlines
Coat lashes with Voluminous Mascara

Hair:
Part hair anyway you want, I chose a side part. Put a stretchy headband on top of your head like a crown and pull the top part of your hair over the headband.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

White Eyeliner Look with NARS Goldmember



Right now I am loving white eyeliner. I used to wear only darker colors on my waterline, but I think white is a fresh alternative. Here's what I used for this look:

Eyes:
1. Line upper lashline with MAC Dipdown gel eyeliner (brown gel liner)
2. Line a small amount of lower lashline with Dipdown
3. Set Dipdown with NARS Mekong eyeshadow (dark brown eyeshadow with gold glitters)
4. Layer on tons of L'oreal Voluminous Mascara
5. Apply Lancome kohl liner in Blanc to lower lashline (white eyeliner)

Face prep:
1. Apply NARS' Aqua Gel Hydrator Lotion all over face (new purchase will do a review soon!)
2. Use NARS duo concealor to cover any blemishes
3. Sweep Chanel Double Perfection Powder down t-zone
4. Blend NARS Laguna bronzer all over face concentrating on nose, cheeks and chin (golden colored bronzer)

Cheeks:
1. Apply NARS Deep Throat blush to apples of cheeks blending upward (soft pink blush)
2. Blend NARS Goldmember cream blush on high points of face (on top of cheekbones, brow bone and down nose bridge)

Lips:
1. Line lips with NARS Fantasia lipliner (very pale peach color)
2. Apply MAC Pink Lemonade lipgloss (bright coral lipgloss)

I think this look is so simple and pretty, it's nice for everyday and with eyeshadow or fake lashes it could be glammed up for going out. This look definitely concentrates on enhancing natural features, which I love!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

NARS purchases and bronzing it up!




I've been really into the bronzy look right now, these are my celebrity inspirations. Sienna Miller always looks beachy and gorgous, Sanaa Lathan has naturally bronzed perfect skin and JLo always has pretty golden/bronze makeup. I think bronzes and peaches look best on my skin rather than silvers and cool toned pinks and reds. I thought I would check out a bronzer that would add a glow to my face for that sunkissed St. Tropez look!


I already own Casino by NARS, but I find that its too dark and red for an all over glow but it's great for contouring. So I purchased the bronzer Laguna by NARS. Laguna is a cooler toned brown, compared to Casino. I would say that Laguna has a yellow undertone and Casino has a red undertone. I use Laguna all over my face concentrating on my cheeks, browbone and the tip of my nose to even out my skin tone and give myself a natural glow.



I also bought Golden Member, a cream blush by NARS. It is a sheer yellow gold cream blush with shimmer that I use on top of my cheekbones. It really enhances my complexion and makes my skin glow. I love that it has very fine shimmers in it so it makes your skin look radiant (chunky glitters tend to have a disco ball look).

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Glowing cheeks


I really love highlighted and glowing cheeks, I think it gives a healthy glow to everyone's face. In this picture I am using Luster blush by NARS. Luster gives the perfect about of golden glow to my skin! It's a golden apricot colored blush that has sheer gold shimmers. I also use this to add subtle shimmer to my matte blushes.

xoxo

ps. I've started taking more out and about pictures from my cell phone since I've been so busy!

Glasses!


Hey guys I just came back from the city and I got my glasses! I am so happy, I think I look very smart with them on hahaha. I got them from Village Eyecare in New York City. The girls who work there are super helpful and nice. They make getting glasses a friendly fun and cool experience!



150 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10003
Neighborhood: East Village
xoxo

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Luster Blush, Dolce Vita Lipgloss and Amour Blush

Right now I am loving Dolce Vita Lip gloss by NARS and their blush in Luster. Dolce Vita is a pretty rose color that brightens up my face instantly.

I Think Luster makes the perfect golden glow, I added a bit of my new blush Amour by NARS to the apples of my cheeks. Amour is a warm pink color, I really like it mixed with luster because it adds a pop of color to the apple of my cheeks while luster adds a blended glow.



I used my favorite highligher Nico by NARS to add an angelic glow!

xoxo