After a few of my close friends jumped on the NARS bandwagon… and let’s be real, I fell in love the smooth black packaging, I decided to leap from my old MAC classics and test the waters on my last trip to NYC.

And did I try NARS! Oh God. I managed to convince my poor dad to head to Bleecker St with me on day #01 of our NYC adventure (don’t worry, it was our third time in the city, I’m not that mean!) all for the sake of my beauty pilgrimage.

After weeks of research I had tried to be good and narrow down my options. But then I walked inside. The store is opposite a mega cute kids water playground, is small but packed full of natural light and beautiful, big fashion books. And goodies. ALL of the make up goodies. So naturally, all hopes of staying in my USA beauty budget were blown out the door within 24 hours of arrival.

I managed to luck out and get the fabulous Eric Holt as my NARS make up artist. My seemingly sensible list petty much got thrown out the door. As one of the palest Aussie girl’s you will ever meet, I was hit with a wave of happiness. Not only does NARS do bases PALER than my skin tone, they had an abundance of freckle friendly foundations, moisturizers and bronzers!!!

 

Which leads me onto my NARS haul (and this list didn’t ever cover what had to peeeeelllll myself away from purchasing on day #01 of holidays):

• NARSissist eye shadow palette
• Translucent Crystal – setting powder in the compact style
• Contour Blush – in Olympia
• Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 30 – in Finland, Light 1
• NARS Sheer Glow Foundation – in Mont Blanc, Light 2
• Contour Brush
• Tester size of cult fav – Laguna Bronzer

 

Being the true female I am, when leaving the flagship store I tried to convince my dad that my purchases were “saving”. For those of you not from Australia, make up is almost half price for us in the USA! For some reason only my mum and my girlfriends understood my purchasing justification that day…. And according to the sales assistants at NARS, I wasn’t the first Aussie to go into a happiness-induced shock in their store.

I’ve now been using everything with the exception of the Laguna bronzer (which is just a little too dark for me in Winter here) religiously for 2 months. And I’ve mentally been planning how to best extend and replenish my newfound make up soul mate.

Next on my list of NARS goodies to try is:

• Cult fav Matt Lip Pencils (in Damned, Train bleu and 413 BLKR)
• Flat Kabuki Ita Brush (to better brave the land of contouring)

The first on my replenish list is the Translucent powder. Never has a powder set this oily, combination skin of mine to such perfection (for the WHOLE day!).

 

What are your NARS favorites?

 

by Natasha Dearden

@tashthepixie