Lip Pencil - Café Makeup

Nars Lip Pencils for Summer 2012: Nars Never Say Never and Buenos Aires

Apr 192012

NARS has introduced two new lip pencils for Summer 2012. First, let’s look at NARS Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($24), a lavender rose designed to make us all true Beliebers in the power of color.

True to its name, Never Say Never has a matte finish yet seems to leave the lips feeling and looking creamy, without the drying quality that some mattes have. On Liz:

NARS Buenos Aires Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil ($24) has an entirely different texture–although it’s a pencil, there is a high-shine glossy look to this. I’ve been waiting forever for a good glossy nude pencil. This color can really add a touch of nude polish–it’s a quiet color that can be extraordinarily useful.

Unlike Nars Hopi which has a warm, almost golden cast, Buenos Aires is a true nude.

On Liz, you can see that the texture is quite glossy compared to Never Say Never:

Swatches of both Nars Never Say Never and Nars Buenos Aires:

Overall, Buenos Aires is an extremely useful glossy nude. Never Say Never is a strong, on-trend color designed to work perfectly with this year’s pop of color trend. If your look is otherwise neutral, you may need to wake up your lips with a touch of drama. That pervasive orange that’s seems to be everywhere can pull really warm on some skin tones. The other on-trend shades are within the same family as Never Say Never — a fun hot-pink with a touch of lavender that fits well within the “C’mon, it’s summer, live a little” vibe.

In case you got the craving:

Nars provided Never Say Never and Buenos Aires to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration for review.

NARS Summer 2012 Preview

Blush, Eyeshadow, Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, Nail Polish, NARS 11 Responses »

Apr 062012

NARS is set to release a gorgeous collection for Summer 2012. If these images are any guide, this will be a memorable and beautifully designed set with a modern edge. These are shimmering bronzes, apricots, and matte reds, anchored with a deep cool eyeshadow duo. Unbelievably beautiful. A closer look at the items in the Nars Summer 2012 collection follows…

NARS Ramatuelle Eyeshadow Trio is named for a village in southeastern France, and includes an elegant combination of two shimmers–silver and icy peach. The trio has a matte apricot for a warm-cool interpretation of a neutral palette.

NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Marie-Galante is an iridescent combination of “orchid with a regal blue,” that is soft, strong and striking. Cafe Makeup says “woah, that’s so pretty.” I can imagine that paired with the bronzes and apricots in this collection, it’s going to emphasize the eyes like almost nothing else.

NARS Calabria Soft Touch Eyeshadow Pencil is a shimmering plum. This is not a color that I’ve seen much, but I can’t wait to try it on my blue-green eyes. My guess is that it’s going to look gorgeous with brown eyes as well.

NARS Vendages Lipstick is a sheer grape, which I can picture might look like lips that have just finished some gorgeous summer fruit. I literally gasped when I saw this picture. Amazing summer color, especially for the July-August time frame when the color palette seems to deepen.

NARS Liberte blush is described as a “burnished apricot.” Seriously gorgeous summer color.

NARS Buenos Aires Velvet Lip Gloss Pencil appears to be the one thing that everyone needs in their makeup collection–a good nude pencil. Whether as a base or alone when wearing striking eyes, nude pencils can provide a good accompaniment or a good stand alone. NARS, Cafe Makeup thanks you for this.

NARS Never Say Never Velvet Matte Lip Pencil is a lilac rose.

NARS Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick is a matte strawberry red.

Nars Trouville nail polish is a seashell pink, named for a little fishing village in northern France. I suspect that it’s been used on the model in the image below, but we’ll have to take a look when it becomes available.

Makeup genius Francois Nars designed the look, below, which exemplifies one example of how the collection can be used for a glamorous look that emphasizes one’s individual look. Here, he used NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30/PA+++ in St. Moritz. As an aside, I’ve been wearing this foundation (in Alaska) since it was released in February and I love it. If you are looking for a summer tinted moisturizer, please try this one out if you can. It’s long lasting, has great coverage, looks luminous and lasts throughout the day. Plus, my skin looks better because it’s designed to moisturizer and eliminate hyper pigmentation and dark spots.

Nars then applied Eden Loose Powder and NARS Laguna Bronzer. He then added the new Liberte blush, and a touch of Taos blush along the hairline. This picture features the eyeshadow trio–the new Ramatuelle Eyeshadow Trio was added to the eyes. The silver and peach shades are on the lid blended up to the crease; apricot is in the crease, and silver on the lower lash line.

The upper and lower lashes are lined with Larger than Life Long Wear Eyeliner in Via Veneto. Two coats of Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara are on the lashes (reviewed here at The Beauty Look Book). Based on her recommendation, I’ve just ordered this mascara from Sephora.

The lips were lined with the new Borneo Lip Liner Pencil, blended with a finger to soften the color. Then Nars applied the new Moscow Pure Matte Lipstick, and topped with Risky Business Lip Gloss for shine.

Nars Spring 2012 Preview

Blush, Eyeliner, Eyeshadow, Lip Pencil, Lipstick, Nail Polish, NARS 7 Responses »

Jan 112012

Here’s an upcoming preview of Nars Spring 2012, a collection that is a study in contrasts: bold color underscored by sophisticated shimmer. For eyes, either tones of lavender and pink or bronze accented with navy on eyes. Cheeks are flushed with candy pink. Lips gleam in topaz or pop with berry. Metallic violet nails add a finishing touch to a collection that’s bright, strong and iconic. Here are the details of the complete Spring 2012 Nars collection.

Douce France Trio Eyeshadow ($45), with three gorgeous powder eyeshadow variations on pink—a cool light pink highlighter, a medium rose-petal pink and a deep rose with a touch of brick:

A minky silver-lavender single powder eyeshadow Lhasa ($23), named for the Tibetan region that hosts many Buddhist palaces:

An powder eyeshadow duo, Paramarimbo ($33) with a soft metallic green-brass and green-bronze tones. These are both shimmery textures with a rich complexity.

Gaeity Blush ($27), which I’ve been waiting for with my breath held. This is an extremely cool-toned pink:

Mexican Rose Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil ($24). I love this formula. This is a red/hot pink combination made to make your lips look gorgeous and glossy:

Valpraiso Pure Matte Lipstick ($25), an deep rose with a touch of coolness:

A shimmering gold-topaz deep nude in Bilbao Lipstick ($24)

Dark Rite Soft Touch Shadow Pencil ($24)

Diamond Life nail polish ($17) (not yet arrived)

In person, everything so far looks gorgeous. I’ll be providing you with updates and reviews on these products in the coming days.

These products were provided to Cafe Makeup without charge for consideration and review.

Chanel Fall 2011 Final Recommendations and Overview

Blush, Chanel, Eyeliner, Eyeshadow, Foundation, Lip Pencil, Lipgloss, Lipstick, Nail Polish, Powder 12 Responses »

Jul 042011

Chanel Fall 2011 is a pivotal Chanel collection. This appears to be a time when many products were added to the permanent line, adding several needed items and exploring some new textures and formulas. I love when established companies innovate, so if you hear someone shouting from their rooftops, c’est moi!

The sheer size and scope of the collection is notable. Although The Nonblonde suggests that “they’re overdoing it,” to me, more Chanel is more Chanel. The critical question is this–can you ever have too much Chanel?

I think you can have too much football, or fishing. Or tequila. Maybe even too much MAC. But we have a long way to go until we get to that point. For me, Chanel makes the bumps in life’s roads a little easier. I’d fill my bathtub with it and want more. Maybe I’ll be in Chanel rehab with Dr. Drew someday. We’ll see. Until then, I’m going with what works.

Let’s review the collection, before I get to my favorites:

Illusion d’Ombre Eyeshadows (overview here). Application tips are here.

– Fantasme (reviewed here)

- Emerveillé (reviewed here)

- Ebloui (reviewed here)

- Epatant (reviewed here)

- Illusoire (reviewed here)

- Mirifique (reviewed here)

Le Crayon Yeux eye pencil in Khaki Platine (reviewed here)

Joues Contraste Blush in Rose Écrin (reviewed here)

Les 4 Ombres Eyeshadow Palette in Prélude (reviewed here)

Lèvres Scintillantes (Glossimers)

- Pampille (reviewed here)

- Braise (reviewed here)

Crayon Lèvres lip pencils in Rose Cuivré and Coralline (reviewed here)

Rouge Coco lipstick

- Plumetis (reviewed here)

- Étole (reviewed here)

Rouge Double Intensite in Rose Morganite and Rose Quartz (reviewed here).

Le Vernis nail polish

- Graphite (reviewed here)

- Peridot (reviewed here)

- Quartz (reviewed here)

Double Perfection Compact Foundation in Medium Beige-Contour (reviewed here)

My personal favorites:

Chanel Illusion D’Ombre Eyeshadows in Ebloui, Illusoire and Mirifique
Chanel Le Vernis nail colors in Peridot and Quartz
Chanel Prelude Eyeshadow Quad
Chanel Rouge Coco Plumentis
Chanel Crayon Levres in Rose Cuivre

Which of these items interest you most? If you have tried any, which are your favorites?

Chanel Lip Definer Pencils: Coralline and Rose Cuivre Review

Chanel, Lip Pencil 5 Responses »

Jul 042011

Chanel Fall introduces two new Le Crayon Levres/ Crayon Contour des Levres Precision/ Precision Lip Definer pencils in Coralline (#46) and Rose Cuivre (#47) ($29 each). Both are welcome additions to the line.

To be honest, I’m not a good person to compare them to other brands because I’ve only used Chanel lip pencils (after some disappointing results with a few less expensive brands). Also, I do not wear lip pencils very often–I lack the patience and never really got into the habit of using them. Nonetheless, I’m sure that I’ll get good use out of both Coralline and Rose Cuivre and here’s why.

Generally, Chanel lip pencils are high quality and long lasting. They don’t glide on, but they don’t pull very much either. With even if you aren’t very talented with lip pencils (I’m not), they apply evenly.

My lips are rather pigmented toward red-mauve. Putting on a semi-sheer coral or peach lip color never applies true to the tube color, and often times not even close. I need a lip pencil to wear those shades, unless the lipstick is very opaque. There really are not a large number of good, true coral lip pencils on the market. Coralline fills that gap beautifully. If you are looking for a pencil to coordinate with peach or coral lipsticks or glosses, get Coralline.

Like all Le Crayon Levres pencils, Coralline comes with a built-in brush for blending and a sharpener.

Coralline covers the pigmentation in my lips, and provides a soft coral base. Only then does the red-mauve in my lips stop “fighting” the peachy-coral of the gloss or lipstick.

Rose Cuivre (which translates to “copper rose”) is a pretty warm deep red. It can be worn under any deep red lipstick, such as Chanel Rouge Coco Etole, or any other. It’s actually beautiful alone for a deep matte lip.

This color is so far inside my personal comfort zone that I’m not certain that I can review it objectively. Even though I need Coralline in my beauty stash, I know that I’ll use Rose Cuivre much more. It’s a perfect fall pencil for most–but a year-round pencil for me.

Here’s a series of swatches with Chanel Rouge Coco Etole, Chanel Rose Cuivre lipliner pencil, Chanel Coralline lipliner pencil and Chanel Rouge Coco Plumentis, all from the Fall 2011 collection. Just for comparison, I then swatched Chanel Rouge Coco in Monte Carlo so that you can see a coral comparison (Monte Carlo is more red than Coralline, which is more peach). Then, just for color comparison, I swatched my Chanel lip pencil in Natural, so that you can judge these swatches compared to a neutral tone.

One more, same setup:

Bottom line: Yes for Coralline for practicality; yes for Rose Cuivre just because it’s so very lovely.

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