NARS Spring 2011

NARS spring is here, in a swirl of colors, and a Calvin-Klein-esque promotional image that seems mostly about contouring.

Following on the heels of holiday’s Okinawa trio, spring introduces a new, limited edition eyeshadow trio ($45). Calanque! I am a lion! I am on the Serengeti!

The word Calanque actually refers to a Mediterranean fjord. It’s a deep valley with steep sides, partially submerged by the sea. (But I’m standing by my sundrenched African fantasy.)

Calanque includes a sheer white-beige (somewhat prone to fallout); a reflective, satiny peach sand; and a dark brown shimmer.

There are two new eyeshadow duos ($33 each). Bateau Ivre (limited edition) features a matte, sheerish cerulean and a matte, sheerish blueberry blurple. This duo is just a little more chalky than shimmery Nouveau Monde (periwinkle and olive green; not limited edition).

There are two Soft Touch Shadow Pencils (also permanent), copper-gold Hollywoodland and yellow-green Celebrate. These are $24 each. You can color them right on your lid, but they have a reputation for being extremely crease-prone — so use primer, and you’ll probably want to set with shadow.

This collection also features unusually diverse range of lip products. First up, one of the new Velvet Gloss Lip Pencils: Baroque (cranberry/raspberry with blue sparkles, $24). Then there’s a new Pure Matte Lipstick, Madere. Madere is a very pale pink, and the Pure Matte Lipsticks are $25 each, skinny-tube.

Tzigane is a browned, muted, terracotta peach-rose ($24). Nars calls it “pink brandy,” and I like that description. It’s sophisticated, but not aging.

Desperado is this collection’s limited edition nail polish ($17). It’s a browned/olived gold shimmer… a weird color, but mysteriously captivating.

There are three lipglosses. You might have seen Angelika and Super Orgasm before — they were part of Nars’s famous-blush-lipgloss-extension. Angelika is bright cool (quite opaque) pink; Super Orgasm is warm, sheerer pink with gold sparkles. Nana (limited edition) is a dark, sheer purple… like blackberry sauce. The glosses are $24 each.

Powder blush Luster and Multiples Maldives and Palm Beach are repromotes from the permanent line. Here are light swatches:
Here are heavy swatches:

Multiple sticks ($39) can be used anywhere: cheeks, lids, lips, and body. Maldives is a shimmery beiged-rose highlight. Palm Beach is a shimmery bronze. Luster ($27) is a peachy pink with gold sparkles.

NARS Spring is available on NARScosmetics.com (free shipping at $25).