Nars Guy Bourdin Collections - Promiscuous and Fling Lip Sets, Combodia Eyeshadow, Goodbye Emmanuelle Lipstick

Sometimes the days just get away from you. December was like that for me. (Also November. And, well, most of Januaury, but that was time lost to a much needed vacation.) As a result, I'm a little backlogged on posts.  >.<

This post - for the few items I picked up from the Nars Guy Bourdin collection - is one such straggler. Reviews have been out since the dawn of time for this collection, but since it is still available to purchase (from Murale and Hudson's Bay) and it's entirely possible some folks are still on the fence, I figured adding my voice to the fray wouldn't hurt.

(Note: I'm well aware of the controversy regarding Guy Bourdin and his approach to women in both his personal life and in his art. Far smarter people than I have spoken with greater eloquence than I can manage on the problematic nature of that art, and whether we have a moral responsibility in consuming products that capitalize on it. My personal feelings aside, I've opted to purchase and consider these products on their own merits rather than by their association with the artist.)

These two are the only limited edition shades I picked up from the collection: Cinematic Eyeshadow in Cambodia, and Cinematic Lipstick in Goodbye Emmanuelle. None of the other individual items really spoke to me.

Nars Guy Bourdin Cinematic Eyeshadow in Cambodia and Lipstick in Goodbye Emmanuelle

Nars Guy Bourdin Cinematic Lipstick in Goodbye Emmanuelle

You know I had to get this. A softer, more pastel version of the fuchsias I'm drawn to, Goodbye Emmanuelle is an incredibly pure, cool-leaning medium-toned pink. It's also rich and creamy-looking, with a fair bit of sheen, and instantly opaque. I think I had a Barbie with high heels that were this exact shade.

Despite the sumptuous look, the texture is not particularly thick, but it does feel hydrating on the lips. It wears for an average length of time, and progressively loses some of that sheen. 

I'm not generally a fan of buying single eyeshadows at this price point (28$ CAD), but I was completely seduced by the colour and texture of the Cinematic Eyeshadow in Cambodia.

Nars Guy Bourdin Cinematic Eyeshadow in Cambodia

Cambodia is a gorgeous, incredibly pigmented red-bronze, with a frosted, almost metallic finish. It is dense and buttery, but also a little soft and almost crumbly. The payoff is amazing, but it's almost better when it's buffed in with a fluffier brush rather than patted on with a lay down brush.

In the pictures below, you can see the effect when applied straight on versus blended out.

One of the sets in this collection is the Fling Lip Set (55$ CAD, 49$ USD) - which is still available for purchase from Murale.

Nars Guy Bourdin Fling Lip Set

I have to admit the giant red lips alarmed me more than a little. Technically it's a hard plastic cosmetics case that can be used to store makeup or trinkets. In reality, it haunts my dreams, some weird Andy Warhol/Rocky Horror Picture Show mash-up that just gives me the jeebies.

The stuff inside, however, cannot be faulted. At 55$, that breaks down to 13.75$ per full-sized lipsticks and just slightly smaller lip pencil. (Regular prices are 30-32$.) Even considering the slightly smaller sizes of the pencils, that's still about half the price for each item! That's a really great way to try out four shades that are part of the regular collection.

Nars Guy Bourdin Fling Lip Set

Top: Lipstick in Roman Holiday and Damage
Bottom: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dolce Vita, and Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Baroque

Left to right: Dolce Vita, Baroque, Roman Holiday, Damage

The lipsticks are both listed as having a "sheer" formulation, and that's very accurate. The finish is glossy, with enough tint to alter the colour of the lip but not enough to cover it. Wear time is a couple of hours at most, and these do feel more hydrating that the formulation of Goodbye Emmanuelle, though not balm-like.

Top to bottom: Nars Lipstick in Damage and Roman Holiday

Damage is described as a "sheer muted grape" but I would consider it more of a plum that appears more mauve on my lips.

Damage

Roman Holiday is described as "sheer delicate pastel pink", which is correct. It leans a bit cool when swatched on my skin, but picks up more warmth on my lips. Colors like this can sometimes look a little chalky, but I actually love the way this looks on me - a clean baby pink with no ashiness.

Roman Holiday 

Left to right: Velvet Gloss in Baroque, Velvet Matte in Dolce Vita

Baroque is described as "raspberry sorbet". To me this has a much stronger reddish-brown undertone than I would expect from something called raspberry, though I would still place it in the plum family.
The texture is quite glossy, even a touch buttery, with a nice amount of slip. Lasting power is comparable to a lip gloss, though it does have a slight staining effect (possibly due to the shade) and a moderate level of sheerness.

Baroque

Dolce Vita is described as a "dusty rose". To me it's a warm-leaning, slightly peachy rose, strongly muted. It's a nice everyday shade, especially if you're looking for something a little deeper than a nude, with a warmer cast. The pigmentation is medium, meaning it can take a few swipes for full opacity.

I have to say I'm not wild about the texture. It's the kind of matte that can feel drying, and will pick up on flakiness. Definitely one that I need to wear over lip balm. Worn alone, it lasts several hours, though not through a meal.

Dolce Vita

Regarding the size - end even though they look smaller, some of that is due to the cap on the end extending the length rather than a substantial difference in size. Here is a comparison with a full-sized Satin Lip Pencil, which is 0.07 oz (or 2.2 grams), compared to the 'mini' sizes of .08oz (2.5 grams) for the Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil, and 0.06 oz (1.8 grams) for the Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. I don't have full-sized versions of these formulations, but the weights listed online are 0.09 oz for the Velvet Gloss and 0.086 oz for the Velvet Matte.

Size comparison.

I developped a MASSIVE lemming for the Promiscuous Lip Set after watching Ania's Sephora VIB Haul video. Of course, it was sold out on Sephora and everywhere else. I stalked it non-stop for days and when it finally popped up back in stock (for like, five minutes) I snagged it faster than you can say "Crazy Lipstick Hoarder".

I feel a little unkind even writing about it now, since it is completely sold out everywhere, but at least all the items contained within are permanently available, so the only you're missing is the packaging and the makeup bag. And of course the satisfaction of acquiring said shades for 50$ CAD (45$ USD) - 10$ per pencil! Weee! (And slightly less giddiness upon realizing  that one of them, Dolce Vita, is a repeat from the Fling set. But that's still 12.50$ per new pencil!)

Nars Guy Bourdin Promiscuous Lip Set

The packaging is also way less frightening to me, though still kinda tacky. What can I say, big blue lips just aren't my thing.

Nars Guy Bourdin Promiscuous Lip Set

The colours here include one Velvet Gloss (New Lover), with the others being Velvet Mattes - strangely, with somewhat varying degrees of matte-ness.

Left to right: Velvet Gloss in New Lover, Velvet Matte in Sex Machine, Dolve Vita, Never Say Never, Cruella

Left to right: New Lover, Dolce Vita (again), Cruella

New Lover is apparently a "gold infused strawberry pink". The gold is less obvious when applied, more of a faint shimmer. The base shade is muted pink with a slight peach undertone, and a sheer, glossy texture concordant with the Velvet Gloss formula. Lasting power is similar to Baroque's, though without the latter's staining effect.

New Lover

Cruella is described as a "scarlet red" and....yup. A true, medium-toned red, it's actually a touch deeper in real life than it photographed here. This is classic red, and one that applies beautifully. The formulation is, for some reason, creamier and more opaque than the other Velvet Matte lip pencils in this set. It will still pick up a bit on dryness, but it feels a lot smoother going on and needs no re-swiping to achieve colour saturation.

Cruella

Lasting power is fantastic. It didn't make it through a meal, leaving a lipliner ring where the oils in my meal didn't eat away the pigment. In the interest of accurate reviewing, I left it in place to see how the remaining colour would last. (Classy - it's how I roll for you guys.) Shockingly, it made it through the rest of the night, a tooth-brushing, AND a full night of sleep! I assume that if I opt to subsist on a diet of air, Cruella will last forever. (Oh, how aptly named.)

As a note of caution: long-lasting and matte does NOT equal smudge proof.

Top to bottom: Sex Machine and Never Say Never

Sex Machine is described as "pink mauve", and on me this pulls very mauve, so cool-leaning and dusty that it looks almost grey.

I have to say that this one is NOT for me. The colour is singularly unflattering on me, but if you have a cooler complexion this might pick up more of that pink and look pretty. The texture, however, leaves something to be desired. Out of all the Velvet Mattes, this was the most drying, and emphasized all the texture in my lips, be it lines or dry patches.

Sex Machine

Never Say Never is described as a "lilac rose". When I see "lilac" I think pale purple, which...this is not. It is, however, a very lovely cool, raspberry-ish rose. It's super pretty and English Rose-esque, and I was equally pleased with the formula here.

It's softer, smoother and far more forgiving to any texture on the lips, though perhaps not as smooth as Cruella. Lasting power is good, several hours until eroding significantly during a meal.

Overall I am quite pleased with both the single items and the sets, as the latter are a really fantastic way of trying out a variety of colours and (to a lesser extent) finishes from the brand.

Did you guys nab anything from this collection? Was it love? Do you regret anything?

(I purchased all the items. This post is not sponsored or compensated, all opinions are my own.)

Pantone Color of the Year "Radiant Orchid" - Selections from Lancome, YSL, Clarisonic and Giorgio Armani

If you're tracking the Sephora site as obsessively as I am, you know that the Pantone Color of the Year is "Radiant Orchid". While Sephora has an exclusive relationship with Pantone to create a cosmetics line-up featuring said colour, it's a trend that several beauty brands have taken to heart, pulling suggestions from their current line-up as well as planning new releases.

From the L'Oréal luxury brands, the following items have been chosen as representative of the trend.

From Lancome: 

• Color Design Eye Shadow Palette - Lavender Grace (54$ CAD)
• Vernis in Love - Violette Coquette  (16$ CAD) 
• Artliner 24H - Amethyst (37$ CAD)

All currently available at Lancome counters at Hudson's Bay, Murale, Pharmaprix/SDM and www.lancome.ca.

From YSL:

• Glossy Stain Rebel Nudes - Violine Out of Control (36$ CAD)

Available at YSL counters at Holt Renfrew, and select Hudson's Bay and Murale locations.

From Giorgio Armani:

• Rouge Ecstasy - Orchid (38$ CAD)

Available at GA counters at Holt Renfrew, and select Hudson's Bay and Sephora locations.

From Clarisonic, all new:

• Mia2 Hollywood Lights - Purple (175$ CAD)

Limited Edition. Available exclusively at Sephora and www.sephora.ca as of March 2014.

I looooooooove this shade. Orchid is such a gorgeous alternative to the usual pinks and pastels that usually dominate the Spring collections. It can be a challenging shade to wear, especially with skin tones that tend to the sallow, but when it's the right balance of pink and blue, it can be exquisite. Folks with green or hazel eyes in particular are going to do really well with this kind of colour.

Are you guys anticipating all the Radiant Orchid you can stand?

Shu Uemura 6♡PRINCESS by Takashi Murakami Collection (Holiday 2013)

I had millions of baby lemmings when I saw the promo images for the 6Princess Collection by Takashi Murakami for Shu Uemura. Millions of them. I blessed the timing, as Shu was running a Friends and Family event at the same time, so I cackled with glee as I placed my order. Unfortunately, there was a snafu - my card was never charged, the order was never shipped, and by the time I thought to contact customer service, the goods I had ordered (or not) were gone. I wept bitterly into my cheerios for a week, and then - blessings from the blogging angels! A package landed on my doorstep.

A package containing these wondrous, gilded boxes of love.

The concept behind this collection comes out of a collaboration between  with 6♡PRINCESS, Takashi Murakami’s animation work, and Shu Uemura, with the theme being the “dual beauty” of the pink and black princess. "Every woman has pink side and black side in her, nice and naughty, innocent and sexy."

Takashi Murakami is an internationally renowned artist from Japan, who has worked with both traditional fine arts materials as well as in cinema and film. He is also the founder of the post-modern movement called SUPERFLAT, which draws from anime and Otaku sub-culture.

I love how the Shu Uemura collections have such deep and varied artistic roots, both in terms of Shu Uemura's own training, and the influence of the various collaborators. It just makes the products and even the packaging that much more special. Not your run-of-the-mill plastic black casing here.

As you can see...

Princess Fun-tasy Mini Brush Set and Black Jewel On Wing False Eyelashes

And onto the actual products...

Princess Fun-tasy Mini Brush Set

The Shu's Princess Fun-tasy Mini Brush Set is ridiculously cute! The pouch is a nice size, and unzips to reveal slotted holders for the brushes (which actually fit easily in two out of the four slots, so you can add other brushes - or tweezers or the like - for your travel needs) and a bigger slotted pouch for a palette, powder compact, kleenex or wipes.

The brushes included are very nice for travel-sized brushes. There is a blush brush, a concealer brush, a lip or detailer brush, and an eyeshadow brush. All of them are good quality - certainly better than any travel set of this size that I've tried before. Then again, I would expect nothing less at this price point. The blush brush is silky and just fluffy enough for powder touch-ups, though perhaps too compact for applying blush. It works well as a contour or highlight brush, even outside of travel purposes. The eyeshadow brush has bristles that are soft to the touch, but quite firmly packed. It's a good lay-down brush, less optimal for blending. It smudges out a line very well, though it's not quite as soft as I would generally prefer for that purpose. Both the concealer and lip brushes work without a problem, and I actually prefer the lip brush for pin-point concealing.

The Black Jewel on Wing False Eyelashes (Premium Edition).

YEEESSSSSS.

I really can't even articulate how gorgeous these are. Utterly, deeply impractical, and probably never going to emerge from the box. Because they're 100$. (YES. I fell over too.) These are lashes that I will stare at, and pet, and sigh over for years, every time I need a reminder about the fantasy and whimsy that is integral to makeup and beauty.

(And I need to know the woman who will wear these, sans souci. Because I hyperventilate at the thought.)

Black Jewel on Wing False Eyelashes (Premium Edition)

GAH. I CAN'T EVEN.

Lasting Sift Gel Pencil and Lip and Cheek Fun-tasy

This collection also features  one of the classic Shu Lasting Soft Gel Pencils in Miraculous Purple, as well as a new product, the Lip and Cheek Fun-tasy, which is a lip and cheek tint. The shade shown here is Heroine Rose.

If you're not familiar with the Soft-Gel Pencils, they have a click-turn mechanism that brings the slim pencil up in increments, so it always has a relatively small point. The tight-fitting compartment also keeps the silicone in the product from drying, so the pencil always has a smooth application. It does dry fat, so if you want to smudge it out, I suggest working quickly. Once this sets, it SETS. I had a hard time getting the swatch off my arm with micellar water, and I do have to remove it with cleansing oil (the Shu one is best, not surprisingly!). I find the wear time on these excellent on my eyelid and in my lash line, but disappears from my waterline within a couple of hours.

Miraculous Purple is more of a plum shade on me, with a subtle shimmer throughout. It's a softer alternative to black or brown, and would look stunning with green eyes or hazel eyes. This particular shade appears to be sold out on-line, though it may still be available in stores. Otherwise, there is the Black Star version still available.

The Lip and Cheek Fun-tasy is a really awesome product (and I've coveting them since Lisa Eldridge mentioned them in one of her gift guide videos). With a dual function, it excels primarily as a blush. Creamy and rich feeling - not silicone-heavy- when you squeeze it from the tube, it applies and blends out like a dream. It does set relatively quickly, despite the creamy tactile feel. It looks completely textureless on the skin, and doesn't set to either a powder or dewy finish, just ever so slightly glowy.

Heroine Rose is the exact shade of my natural flush, so it's that much more natural looking on me. This is one of the few cream blushes that I like applying with my fingers as much as I do with a brush. Somehow it looks and feels more natural to do to that way.

Lasting Sift Gel Pencil in Miraculous Purple
Lip and Cheek Fun-tasy in Heroine Rose

Applied as a lipstick, the finish is quite matte, and a bit drying by itself. I love the colour on me (the always flattering MLBB dusky rose/mauve shade), so I just wear it as a stain, with a dab of clear balm overtop.

Considering its versatility as both a blush and a lip product, and the perfect shade for my colouring, I feel like this one will be a staple in my travel bag going forward.

 Lip and Cheek Fun-tasy in Heroine Rose

I'm sad I wasn't able to post my thoughts about this collection sooner, because it is really, really beautiful and down to its last bits online. (Though I suppose that means a lot of people loved it as much as I do, which is a good thing!)

Availability: Some items might still be available at select Shu Uemura counters at Holt Renfrew and certain Sephora locations. Also at www.shuuemura.ca. Prices are as follows: brush set is 69$ CAD, lashes are 100$, tint is 30$ CAD, pencil is 35$ CAD.

If you're one of the savvy ones that caught this one early, do share what you picked up!

(These products were provided by the brand/PR to be considered for review. This post is not sponsored or compensated. All opinions are my own.)

Grammys 2014 and BeautyUnited Event

Last night I had the distinct pleasure of watching the Grammys in the swanky Thompson Hotel, courtesy of the lovely folks from BeautyUnited and PnG Beauty. I was surrounded by some of the most awesome Canadian beauty bloggers, including (though certainly not limited to) our host, the ever-effervescant Arianne of The Glitter Geek, Christa of Perilously Pale, Eugenia of Ommorpia's Beauty Bar, Ellie of My Beauty Box, Alexa of Stealing Beauty, Kristelle of Crystal Candy Makeup and Chloe of Fashion Red Fox. 

We noshed, we boozed we imbibed like the ladies we are, and we dished, both amongst ourselves and on twitter. If you were following along with us with the #musicglam hashtag, you may have been one of the lucky 6 winners of some stellar PnG Beauty prize packs. Otherwise, you were probably as fixated on the dresses and hair and performances as we were. 

My personal favourite looks were: Cyndi Lauper, who looked like her usual Technicolor, ageless pixie urchin self, Beyonce, who maybe an actual goddess, and Taylor Swift, who just looked perfectly pretty.

My favourite performances were: Pink, because she was SO awesome, she made everyone in a 50 foot radius that much more awesome simply by the sheer force of her awesomeness, and Macklemore, BECAUSE MACKLEMORE. Also, there was that whole thing where Queen Latifah married 33 couples. No big.

Photo credit: Bellasugar

Katy Perry, who is also a Cover Girl spokesperson, wore one of the most flattering looks - a fresh, pretty and modern take on a 50s debutante/ballerina. And MY GOD HER SKIN. I suspect someone has been making deals with a crossroads demon, because that skin is just unreal. Her look was created by MUA Jake Bailey.

Products used (all Cover Girl): 

Skin - Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream, mixed equal parts  CGsmoothers BBcream and TruBlend Liquid Foundation, TruMagic Sunkisser and Luminizer, COVERGIRL + Olay Pressed Powder.

Eyes - Bombshell Intensity Liner, Bombshell Volume Mascara, Bombshell Shine Shadow in Gold Goddess, Flamed Out Shadow Pot in Blazing White. COVERGIRL TruMagic Sunkisser and Luminizer.

Lips -  LipPerfection Lipstick in Heavenly

As part of the night, we were asked to pick the makeup and hair looks that we enjoyed the most. There was a lot of debate, but we settled on a combination of dark eyes, pastel lips and an unstructured take on the classic french chignon, inspired by the updo sported by Paris Hilton (NOT my fave, I preferred the similar and more touchable style worn by Sarah Hyland) and the makeup worn by Rita Ora (which I think looked fantastic).

Photo credit: Bellanaija

Paris went a little too "Dynasty" for me, but Sarah look feminine and chic and casually beautiful.

Photo credit: Popsugar

I love, love, LOVE the sparkly purple on Rita's eyes. 

These two trend looks was then re-interpreted by the consulting stylist and makeup artist for Pantene and Cover Girl:

Photo credit: Arthur Mola

Hair Look by Justin German, PANTENE PRO-V Consulting Stylist

First, prepare by washing hair with the new Pantene Pro-V Damage Detox Weekly Deep Cleanse Purifying Shampoo. Blow-dry with a round brush and pin in clips, like you would rollers – this will give you a great foundation for this updo. Set hair with Pantene Pro-V Stylers Anti-Humidity Mximum Hold Hairspray.

After a few minutes, remove clips and shake out curls. Spray in Pantene Advanced+ Keratin Repair KERAGLOSS Oil Mist to relax the look and build texture.

Now, part the hair in two sections. Start by collecting hair from temple to temple and pile it in a knot on top of your head. With the remaining hair, gather and put into a ponytail just below the crown. While the sides are tight to the head, they are not slick. We want an undone look! Backbrush the ponytail, while misting with hairspray.


Next, twist the ponytail downward and pin into the head all the way down. Finish by tucking in the ends with a few bobby pins at the nape of the neck. Undo the top section of hair and backbrush with a few spritzes of the Pro-V Stylers Anti-Humidity spray.

Then lift hair at the front, creating tons of volume, roll and pin into the top of the hair roll that was created with the bottom section of the hair – connecting the top and bottom into one.

For the final touch, using your fingertips, pull out a few pieces of hair from the front, lifting and spraying for even more volume and texture. Finish with a few sprays of KERAGLOSS for extra shine.

Justin makes it look so easy.

Princess pretty with a rocker edge.

Makeup Look by Amélie Ducharme, COVERGIRL Makeup Pro

To keep focus on the eyes, skin must look flawless. Create your base with COVERGIRL Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1 Foundation with a foundation brush. Even out any dark circles by applying COVERGIRL + Olay Eye Rehab CC Cream with a concealer brush. Apply in a triangular shape under the eye - from corner to corner and down toward the nose.

Next, lightly apply COVERGIRL Clean Sensitive Skin Pressed Powder under the eye to set concealer. Also apply on forehead, nose and chin for a natural yet matte skin finish.

With your finger, apply COVERGIRL Bombshell Shine Shadow in Ohh La Lilac all over the mobile lid up to the crease and along the bottom lashline with a flat shadow brush. Using a shadow brush, apply COVERGIRL Flamed Out Shadow Pot in Molten Black to the outside corner of the lid and then from the inside corner, blending toward the center of the eye, connecting both sides in the crease. To create dimension, apply the plum shadow from the COVERGIRL EyeEnhancer 4-Kit Shadow in Prom Queen to the middle of the lid, just below the crease.  Also, sweep this plum colour under the eye.

Then, rim the bottom of the eye, tighter to the lashline, with the Shadow Pot in Molten Black, blending slightly wider toward the outer corner of the eye.

Next, line the entire waterline with COVERGIRL LiquiLineBlast Eye Liner in Black Fire. To intensify the look, use this pencil to trace over the shadow on the outer corners of the eye and blend out and up using the sponge tip on the other end of the pencil. Using a shadow brush, connect the shadow from the top and bottom lids just beyond the outside corner, lifting up and out toward the temple, elongating the eye. The further out, the more dramatic the look!

Using COVERGIRL Bombshell Intensity Liner in Pitch Black Passion, trace along the upper lashline starting from the inner corner and creating a thicker line as you move to the outer corner extending just beyond the lash in an upward movement.

Coat lashes with COVERGIRL Bombshell Volume Mascara in Very Black. Start with multiple coats of Step 1 for extreme volume, then apply Step 2 for a pitch black glossy finish. Finish the eye look by applying the silver shade from the Prom Queen palette under the brow.

For this smoldering look, you want to create a thick, strong brow. Fill in brows with COVERGIRL Brow & EyeMakers Pencil one shade darker than your natural colour. To contour the face, use COVERGIRL Clean Glow Bronzer in Spices. Starting with the darkest shade of the palette, apply just under the cheek bone at the temple. As you move toward the apple of the cheek blend the middle and lightest shade.

Finally, prep lips by applying moisturizer topped with a thin layer of your foundation to cover any redness around the mouth. Then, fill in your pout with COVERGIRL LipPerfection in Yummy – a great pastel pink! For a more matte finish, apply a light dusting of Clean Pressed Powder.

Amélie smoking it out. 

Eyes in progress.

All in all, it was a super fun night! Thank you again to BeautyUnited and PnG for making it possible. :)

So did you guys watch the show? What stood out for you?

(Disclosure: I am a #BeautyUnited blogger. As part of my affiliation with this group, I receive products and special access to P&G events. The opinions on this blog are my own.)