A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

NARS Holiday Collection didn’t catch my eye as readily as some of the other recent collections, but as a long-time fan of the brand’s Multiples, I have to admit that my curiosity was piqued by the new shade G-Spot.

The name… it’s atrocious isn’t it.  Thankfully though, the product… isn’t.

A rosy flush with a subtle golden edge that applies smoothly and blends effortlessly with either fingers or a brush – it’s a lazy girl’s dream.  I haven’t experienced any issues with application despite trying it over mineral, liquid and cream foundation in an attempt to pick some holes in the formula.

Compared to some of my other NARS multiples, I find my G-Spot (har har) to be quite silky (oh stop it already)…

In all seriousness though, this is a great shade with a solid formula, usefully packaged and easy to use.  I’ve sampled a couple of items from the Holiday Collection and this is the absolute stand-out-if-you-get-one-NARS-item-get-this-one.  Got it?

NARS G-Spot Multiple is available online or on counter, priced at £29.00

Are you a NARS Multiple fan?

* press sample

Sparkle sparkle went the fairy atop the Christmas tree – gently dazzling all those who looked upon her beauty.  That’s what I want to do, I want to shine… it’s my turn!  Godammit Mummy, you promised meeeeee!

And so, it happened that I was shopping with LongTallAlly late last month, and ‘cos she’s on a self-imposed spending ban that seems to be lasting her ENTIRE life, she did what all women do… she fully enabled me into this purchase of the Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre in Féérie just to make herself feel better about not being able to buy anything.  Bitch.

Actually, that’s not entirely true, because tradition dictates that I must buy something from each Chanel Holiday collection.  It’s a new tradition, do you like it?  And this is what caught my eye with it’s soft pink powder, finer than baby lanugo – it shimmered in the pot and called to me, more siren than féérie to be honest.

Well hello!  You’ve got more glitz and glitter than a high street filled with nothing but Claire’s Accessories.  It’s not that I don’t like you Feerie, I do… I’m actually a little bit in awe of your rose-gold beauty, but I just don’t think I can wear you without a matching creosote tan and quickstep outfit.

Can you see the glitter?  Can you?  CAN YOU?!?!  Don’t say no.

When I first applied Féérie, I knew it was going to be glittery… but I honestly thought, that as a secret glitter-lover, I could work it.  Truthfully, I just keep waiting for someone to try and helpfully remove a piece of glitter from my face before realising that I’ve actually bathed, rolled and gargled with it.

So, to be fair… it’s not you – it’s me.  Transport me to the Tower Ballroom in Blackpool and cast me among the stars, I’ll come back with a trophy, hell, I’ll replace the discoball and be brighter and better than any other in the land.

I love you Féérie and I’ll wear you in secret, when I don’t need to leave the house.  Maybe I’ll dust you over my decolletage… but truthfully, we know I won’t.  Who dusts their decolletage for God’s sake, I mean really?  How many times have you done that this year?  Enough to warrant a £31.50 purchase?  No, me neither.

Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre in Féérie is available on counter, priced at £31.50 – *le sigh*

My dislike for all things Midnight Cowboy is well-documented.  I don’t have a problem with the colours, au contraire (Rodney), I love the peach-champagne-y goodness that MC, MCRA and its coven of glitter-witches bring.  It’s just, well… a bit of a pain innit?

Now imagine an entire palette based around Midnight Cowboy and it’s equally glitter-tastic night-time shades…

Oh HAI Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit*!!  I need an emergency GLITTER cleanup!

The styling reminds me of those “Keep Calm and Carry On” posters you see in billions of guises everywhere nowadays but the silver wallet is hugely resilient to being thrown in the bottom of a bag.  It is a touch chunky considering the fairly slimline contents, I’ve sized it up against my Nintendo DS below…

…it’s very well protected and I can see the whole shebang lasting and lasting without so much as a scratch on it.

The contents of the Midnight Emergency Kit include:

 4 Eyeshadows (Midnight Cowboy, Midnight Sin, Midnight Rodeo and AC/DC)
 1 Lip Junkie Lipgloss (Midnight Cowboy)
 1  Travel-Sized Eyeshadow Brush

I’m not sure how many variants of Champagne a girl needs for a night-time look… something a little blacker wouldn’t have gone a-miss in this palette but I can’t deny that there are four very pretty shades included.

Here’s the rub.  All four will produce major fall out, either during application or after.  Eschew your beloved Urban Decay Primer Potion and use something like Fyrinnae’s Pixie Epoxy to get them to stay stuck well into the night and for the love of God, don’t do your foundation before applying these shades.  Make use of those two tips and you’ll be able to give yourself up to the glitter monster and save your curses for something else.

Pretty yes?

Also included in the kit is a rather lovely lipgloss that doesn’t do too much on it’s own but applied over lipstick, turns your lips from daytime chic to night-time party in an instant.  The Midnight Cowboy shade is a sheer, glittery champagne that looks beautful worn over the top of a neutral lippie to give a bit of oomph and added sexiness.

The final inclusion comes in the form of a travel-sized eyeshadow brush…

It does what it says on the tin and it does it well.  Urban Decay brushes are some of the most under-rated synthetic brushes around.

A couple of FOTDs showing the kit in action…

At £28, I think it leans fairly expensive for what it is and will only really appeal to glitter demons and those under the age of 22.  Of course, there are plenty who will fall into that bracket and I can see this making a spectacular Christmas gift for those who would appreciate it.

However, in the face of some of Urban Decay’s other recent offerings… it’s a thumbs down from me.

Urban Decay Midnight Emergency Kit is priced at £28 and available on counter now and online from House of Fraser, HQ Hair, Debenhams and BeautyBay.

* press sample

We’ve got a bit of a mish-mash here so bear with me.  You’re looking at a selection of Paul & Joe goodies from both their Fall 2011 Manhattan collection AND a few bits from the upcoming Holiday/Christmas 2011 collection.  ‘Citing!

These five sparkly polishes are Holiday/Christmas releases (I couldn’t see the Fall polishes on the stand).  We’re looking at glitter people.  Jewel toned glitters and I have NO idea what that green is all about.  It’s reminded me to take nail wheels with me for swatching next time.  Stupid blogger.

On the left, we have the new finishing powder which will be available in SIX shades from the 5th August.  In the middle… yeah, let’s take a moment over that green again.  And over on the right are the eyeshadows and lipsticks from the Fall Manhattan Collection.

Moving on…

I got a bit hung up on the polishes…  “Holidays are coming, holidays are coming….”

See on the shelf behind?  The palette and cardboard boxes with ribbons?   That’s Holiday… and it’s a bit special because the palette is customisable and the little boxes are for hanging on the Xmas tree!!  They contain single eyeshadows that can be bought for the refillable palette!

OK, just one last look at those polishes….

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What do you think?  Sophisticated Fall and a Sparkly Xmas?  Sounds good to me.