NARS India Song Eye Shadow Duo

With all the hype about NARS summer collection(s) it's sometimes easy to forget the hardworking constants in the permanent line. The eye shadow duo in India Song is a good example. Yes, I admit it's not exactly the most exciting or innovative color combination-  a matte vanilla and a satin low-shimmer rich brown. It's a classic, something that everyone needs for minimalistic days and the quality and finish are exactly the reason NARS eye shadows have earned a cult of collectors who rely on them to deliver every time.

The matte ivory color is an excellent base. Unlike many similar shades (Bobbi Brown Navajo, Bone, Banana and several others) it actually has a color and a texture that makes it more than just a base. This eye shadow subtly lightens the lid and opens up the eye without looking too made up. I find that NARS matte formula often requires a good primer both for longevity and for even application, and India Song's lighter half is no different. It's also a bit crumbly, but a good brush is enough to keep things under control and I have no real issue applying and making the color look pretty. The walnut brown with its shimmery texture is superb. The color can be packed and intensified or applied lightly. It's easy to blend and has a surprising depth and dimension for such a simple shade.

Bottom Line: Have I said a classic already?

NARS India Song Eye Shadow Duo ($33) is available from narscosmetics.com.

All photos are mine.

Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card For Eyes

I picked Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card For Eyes as an afterthought two or three months ago, because the colors and size looked right. I'm usually having a hard time finding good color matches in Trish McEvoy's line, but here we have a bunch of classic neutrals that are easy to combine and look flattering and effortless, which is exactly what one needs on the go and for makeup emergencies. Like the previous Beauty Emergency Card, this eye palette is, indeed pocket-size and very thin. Still, there's enough product there for months of use, and even more if you save it for travel.

The 8 pan palette includes: (sorry for the inconsistent numbering)
1. Eye Definer Deep Aubergine (it pulls more brown on my skin)
2. Brow Definer Natural (I wish it were just a hair darker, but I can still use it on my brows)
3. Glaze Eye Shadow Rose Quartz (a shimmery rosy skin color. I use it as a highlighter)
4.  Eye Shadow Peach Shell (matte and completely invisible on my skin and lid. Might as well be a translucent powder.
5. Glaze Eye Shadow Gilded Bronze (a light sandy bronze with shimmer, very wearable and not too warm)
6. Glaze Eye Shadow Gilded Taupe (do I need it in full size?)
7. Glaze Eye Shadow Sugar Plum ( a shimmery plum. A bit too purple for my taste when on its own but blends well with the other colors and I actually use it quite a bit)
8. Glaze Eye Shadow White Peach (a beautiful highlighter, somewhere between ivory and sand)

The texture of these eye shadows is really nice, the shimmer is polite and well-behaved and the combination one can create are many. For me, the matte peach color is utterly useless; if I were a craftier person I'd replace its pan with a same size navy shadow/liner or even an eye primer. Those of you with lighter skin tone might actually like this color, so don't take my word for this one.

Bottom Line: Very good.

Trish McEvoy Beauty Emergency Card For Eyes ($38) is available at the counters and on trishmcevoy.com.

All photos are mine. If by any chance you're reading this post or seeing the photos on any site other than thenonblonde.blogspot.com or thenonblonde.com it means someone has been lifting my content. Please tell them they suck.

Le Metier de Beaute Penelope Kaleidoscope Eye Kit Summer 2011

Every new Le Metier de Beaute Kaleidoscope Eye Kit gets LMdB devoted fans and other makeup-obsessed minds very excited. Each one brings new colors and layering combinations, which for those of us who enjoy playing with color is the best thing about makeup. Of course, it also sets the bar higher and higher with every new release. How on Earth can the last one be topped? Apparently, it's possible, because Penelope, the summer 2011 offering from the Mediterranean Holiday collection is nothing short of stunning.

Penelope and I have been spending a lot of quality time together over the last week. I've worked with each shadow individually, with all of them layered together and in many other combinations. Like all Le Metier de Beaute eye shadows, these four new ones are a pleasure to apply- the fine texture is silky on the brush and on your lid. You can pat them on, pack the color, do light washes, intense lines or outer V and admire the way the satin finish with subtle shimmer works on your skin. The colors in Penelope Kaleidoscope are a great addition to Le Metier de Beaute collection. I have many, both neutral shades and colorful ones, and these four new ones fit right in. Here's what we have, from top to bottom:

Blonde Amber- golden sand. A reader expressed concern that it's too warm a color (i.e. yellow or orange) but at least on my skin it's not and can be used all over the lid up to the brow. If a color is truly yellow I only use it in the inner corner (a trick I learned from Le Metier de Beaute artist and wizard Dustin Lujan) for subtle brightening. But in this case it's just light enough that I don't even need to add a touch of white under the brow unless I really want.
Pale Satin Amethyst-aka a color I would never purchase on its own- a delicate lavender that proves one should never say never. While this is not a color I can or should wear on its own, when applied over a warmer base, Pale Satin Amethyst brings light and youthfulness even to a very tired eye. See more below.
Bronze Topaz- a somewhat muted and browned bronze. It's a classic color, very elegant and plays well with just about everything. Adds a lot of depth to any color combination.
Black Emerald- exactly as the name implies. Deep, blackened shimmery emerald green. Before you ask, it's darker than the green in Chanel Lillium quad.

Now, Le Metier de Beaute fans know that Kaleidoscope colors are especially composed to be layered using the Couches de Couleur technique. Basically, you start with the top shade all over the lid and bone and add the other colors one on top of the other to create the desired eye shape. The result creates depth and contrast that enhances the eye and doesn't look very obvious- it's all blended together and you don't appear to be sporting a green or a purple eye shadow. This method requires minimal practice, especially since the texture is so user friendly. Most of the effort goes into figuring out how much of each shade would give you the perfect look.

In the case of Penelope, Black Emerald used intensely on the upper lash line and very lightly diffused under the bottom lashes is one gorgeous option. But the real surprise for me is how much I enjoy Pale Satin Amethyst as part of the look. Some of you might have watched the Lisa Eldrdige tutorial about a quick pick-me-up look where she used a pale lilac color to give her eyes a lift. I didn't love the color Lisa used, but couldn't deny it really did the job. Now, Pale Satin Amethyst works in a similar way and what I've discovered  is that as long as I layer it over a neutral base that mutes it a little, this eye shadow adds luminosity to the eye in a very natural way. It works so well that I usually go back and add a little more in the middle of my lid to finish the look.

You can adjust how much you use of each shade and exactly where you apply them according to the desired effect. I've used Penelope on a weekend morning as well as to go out- each time the look was a little different, casual or elegant. I played with creating a very dramatic dark green smoky eye that was a lot more wearable than what I expected. I can see these color as both beachy and a night out on town thing, depending on the balance you choose, making Penelope a lot more versatile than you may think for a green and purple palette.

Bottom Line: Gorgeous.

Le Metier de Beaute Penelope Kaleidoscope Eye Kit Summer 2011 ($95) is available from Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus (call your counter to verify they've got it). A press sample was sent for my consideration by the company.

All photos are mine.

Kjaer Weis Eye Shadow- Wisdom

Let's take a break from all the new summer collections (there's more coming, I promise) for something completely different. Kjaer Weis is a European brand specializing in organic and environmentally friendly makeup, using natural ingredients even as preservatives - who knew rose, honey suckle and gardenia were also good for makeup shelf life? Kjaer Weis might be green-minded, but as far as product design goes, these are not your health food store cosmetics. The packaging is incredible: unique, stylish and very sleek. And it's refillable, making me extra happy. I can't begin to tell you how much flimsy ugly disposable plastic annoys me, especially when it comes to high-end exclusive brands.

Kjaer Weis eye shadows come in four colors. I chose Wisdom, a beautiful medium taupe as my first one, because seriously- a taupe! Wisom's level of warmth changes with the light, as you can see in the photos. I'd say it's a perfect neutral.  Naturally, it's love. Smooth, satiny, blendable and long lasting (over a good primer- from morning till night without losing the finish), and have I mentioned Wisdom is a taupe? A perfect one, really, that plays well with everything I threw its way, from Bobbi Brown cream shadows as a base to Edward Bess and Le Metier de Beaute as complementing colors. I mostly use Wisdom all over the lid and in the crease,  paired with LMdB classics such as Jojo or Mulberry and a dark liquid liner.

Bottom Line: I'm a fan.

Kjaer Weis eye shadows ($44 for the shadow & case, $20 for each refill) is available from Space NK, in store and online.

All photos are mine.

Laura Mercier Riviera Eye Shadow Quad Summer 2011 Portofino Collection

This is a perfect day to dream about Portofino. The Italian Riviera is one of my favorite places in the world. It's among the very few destination that given the chance I'd drop everything and just go there. Laura Mercier took my fantasy and shaped it into this limited edition eye shadow quad for summer 2011. As I mentioned yesterday, the rest of the Portofino collection is underwhelming at best. Honestly, it looks like the creative team at Laura Mercier ran out of ideas and pigments but still insisted on releasing a "collection" instead of going with one stellar item, this Riviera eye shadow quad.

The texture of all four shadows is silky smooth, really top quality. The shades have  a satiny texture- neither matte nor shimmery, including the darkest blue (a deep sea shade) that looks a lot more shiny in the compact than it is on the lid (or arm). The other shades are an almost snowy white, a sunny golden beige and a silvery not quite sky blue. The beige is not light enough to serve as a highlighter on its own, so I use it as more of a base color or mix it with the lighter blue for the lid.

Speaking of this grayish blue, it's an excellent shade for olive skin and deep-set eyes. The color looks very flattering and brings out dark eyes while adding just enough brightness to my lids. I add a wash of the white where needed and love the result. It looks a lot more understated than you'd expect from a blue-centered eye shadow palette. The dark blue is of course an excellent liner/smoky eye color. I've been skipping an actual liquid/pencil liner when wearing it, which if you know me, it's almost inconceivable. I use the smallest pencil/smudge brushes or a smoky eye brush to apply this color with just a hint (it's very pigmented, so I use what left on the brush) under the lower lashes. A minimalistic mascara completes the look. I also add a little of Edward Bess cream highlighter where needed, because it brings all the colors together.

One gripe: the stripes for each color are quite narrow, so I need to use brushes with smaller heads even when a wide one would be a better choice (for an all over wash). Even then it's hard not to get a little of the wrong color on the brush.

All four shades in Laura Mercier's Riviera quad are very pigmented and stay put beautifully. I always use a primer, but even after the swatches on my arm rubbed against my shirt and various cats, they still remained very visible. As for the finger swatches, those required some serious hand scrubbing before they were gone.

Bottom Line: Excellent.

Laura Mercier Riviera Eye Shadow Quad Summer 2011 Portofino Collection ($40) is at Nordstrom, Neiman and other department stores as well as on lauramercier.com

All photos are mine. And, yes, that's my front door in the swatches a few seconds after I managed to lock myself out in the rain this morning.

Laura Mercier Riviera Eye Shadow Quad Summer 2011 Portofino Collection Sneak Peek

Here's the quickest sneak peek of Laura Mercier Riviera Eye Shadow Quad from her  Summer 2011 Portofino Collection. I played with everything in this collection and didn't find another single item that worked for me (the Sheer Crème Glow especially didn't make any sense- neither a blush nor a highlighter and horribly sticky). But the Riviera palette was love at first sight, first swatch and first application. I still need to test it more for a full review, but since the quad is already at most Laura Mercier counters ($40) and online, I figured you might want to have a good look.

All photos are mine.

Ellis Faas E205 Milky Eyes

Let's face it- these photos and swatches don't look particularly attractive. Some colors are like that- they can only be appreciated as part of an actual eye look. Ellis Faas E205 Milky Eyes is firmly in that category. It's a cream-to-powder (i.e. a dry formula) eye shadow in a cool dark brown shade that can be described as an old tree bark.

Photogenic or not, Ellis Faas E205 Milky Eyes is a versatile cream eye shadow that gives me very satisfying results. Like all other Ellis Faas eye shadows I've tried so far there's a learning curve to using it and incorporating it into a makeup routine. Between the unique formula and the annoying applicator, one need to put a little time and thought into using Milky Eyes successfully. I've had this one for about three months and I'm now at a point I use it at least twice a week, so yes, I think it's a really good one.

Unlike Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes and Lights, Milky has a sponge applicator. It's a better dispensing method than the godawful plastic brush, but I'd still strongly advise not to count on it for actual application. Just click the pen carefully until you have a very little amount of product and use good eye makeup brushes from that point. Here's what I do:

After applying a light eye shadow as a base all over the lid and brow bone (both creams like Bobbi Brown Sand Dollar or any nude color in powder formula) I put the eye shadow on the back of my hand and work it into a smooth layer with a brush. I then either use a MAC 217 for a sheer(ish) well-blended dark crease or a more precise cream shadow brush (I like Sephora Platinum #25 or even Bobbi Brown Touch Up brush) for defining the outer V. I blend as usual, with any of my favorites.

The result is a very polished and elegant neutral eye (it can be intensified, of course) that stays put for 16-18 hours without fading or creasing. I never doubted the quality of Ellis Faas formulas, but this one still managed to surprise me a little, because it looks so unassuming when you first try it on.

The only problem with Milky Eyes (just as with the other eye shadows of the line) is the amount of product that's wasted because of the application method. What you see in the photos is enough for three or four people . I've since learned to dispense a little less, but there's still a significant waste as evident by the amount of product left on the back of my hand every time. I know Ellis Faas is hard at work on improving the applicators and I dearly hope we see some results soon, as this is an excellent line that would have had a lot more devoted fans had it been easier to use.

Bottom Line: not for newbies.

Ellis Faas E205 Milky Eyes ($36) is available from Bergdorf Goodman, Space NK and ellisfaas.com. A press sample was sent from the company for my consideration.

All photos are mine.

Edward Bess Mystery Eye Shadow

We haven't had an Edward Bess morning in a while, and there are still a few of his marvelous Ultra Luminous Eye Shadows that I haven't shown or discussed here, so let's have a look at Mystery. Once again, Edward Bess takes an unassuming neutral brownish shade and infuses it with his magic. It's usually hard to be excited about a simple cool brown color- haven't we all been wearing them from the very beginning of our love affair with makeup? But as some of you already know, it's all in the way these eye shadows look on your lids.

Between the silky smooth finely-milled texture, the way it melds with the skin and Edward Bess' way of selecting pigments that bring out the best in one's skin and eyes, the Ultra Luminous eye shadows have become one of my favorite go-to no-brainer items. I wear them alone, combined or as a backdrop for a bold hint of color on the lid or lash line and know I can always trust them to look polished and just right. It's one less thing to stress about when doing my makeup- if I don't have the time or inclination to experiment I wear Edward Bess. However, as Edward himself has shown me a couple of times, the eye shadows can also be used more heavily to create some of the more dramatic and sultry looks. Smoky eyes, big dark lids- a look out of an old black and white movie with the same products you use for a clean everyday look.

Mystery is cooler and darker than Escape but more brown than Intimate and Dusk. It looks more shimmery in the pan than it is on my eyes- it truly is Luminous, not sparkly. It adds dimension and focus to the most simple eye looks, and works beautifully under the lower lashes without ever spreading all over the place or making me into a sleepless brown raccoon. The eye shadow can be applied with a pencil-type brush, packed on with a flat sable one or sheered and diffused with a fluffy crease/blending brush such as Edward Bess eye brush.

Bottom Line: essential and versatile.

Edward Bess Ultra Luminous Eye Shadows ($30) are available from Bergdorf Goodman, select Neiman Marcus location (as well as online) and edwardbess.com.

All photos are mine.

Lancome Color Design Eye Shadow: The New Black, Daylight, Click, Makeover

Beauty bloggers do the oddest things to amuse themselves. I'm sure you're familiar with these Lancome GWP eye shadow quads. You probably have severals of them around. I play with them from time to time, custom mix shades or add one  to whatever look I'm creating. It's nice to have options.

The other day I pulled out one of these quads I've had for months but haven't touched since the day I swatched and photographed the eye shadows. I think the almost-raspberry pink has put me off. I decided to do a full look based on this quad. Because it was there, pristine and barely touched...

What we have in this quad (all Lancome Color Design eye shadows are actually available as singles):
The New Black- Satin finish black with tiny silver glittery/shimmer particles.
Daylight- Matte warm off-white. Somewhere between Bobbi Brown's Navajo and Bone, only with better color pay-off but a little more chalky.
Click- Looks taupe in the pan, but more of a bronzed mauve with a metallic finish.
Makeover- Lancome describe it as "metallic electric cotton candy pink". I call it nightmare pink.

What I did:
Daylight makes a good allover base color and even opens up the brow bone area. A primer is non-negotiable here to make it look smooth and even.
Once the entire area was Daylighted out, I used contour and crease brushes to sculpt the lid and crease with Click. It gives a natural deep but not made up look, quite flattering, really. I built up the color by using a pencil brush to add another layer at the outer V.
The new black makes for a beautiful eyeliner. I like to used it with a damp brush, with or without a sealing agent (Paula Dorf Transformer). The end result is a shiny liquid black liner. Very chic.

Most Lancome Color Design shades I've ever tried are quite decent. The texture has improved in recent years, but it's a touch and go when it comes to individual shades- I highly recommend not ordering sight unseen, which shouldn't be a problem as Lancome counters are everywhere. At they're best, the colors are smooth, wearable and flattering, even if many lack a certain depth and wow factor.

Now, I still had Makeover unused. This pink monstrosity doesn't belong anywhere around my eyes. I can't even begin to tell you how wrong this color can be for me. But a challenge is a challenge and I decided to be creative and suck it up. I can wear pink blush, after all, the question is can I wear a metallic electric cotton candy pink blush?

Since the pans of the GWP are quite small, I had to find a suitable brush. Hakuhodo small flat top Yachio was an obvious choice, as it's really tiny and I could get the pigment evenly all over the brush without it touching any of the other colors in the compact. Makeover went on smoothly enough and the brush did a great job distributing the color, but the metallic electric finish is very very frosty. I experimented a little and discovered that taming the beast with Smashbox Softlights (most shades would work, as long as they're flattering on you) applied with a good powder brush takes away the metallic edge while allowing the healthy part of the pink to shine through.

Bottom Line: I ended with a very pretty look.

Lancome Color Design Eye Shadow ($17 each) are available from most department stores and lancome.com.

All photos are mine.

Chanel Lilium Eye Shadow Quad Summer 2011

I don't remember ever being so excited about so many summer collections and items in one season, but Summer 2011 is shaping up to be very much my season. This isn't the first time we see a green eye shadow quad from Chanel: Murano has been a favorite since it came out, and before it there was Garden Party (I didn't buy that one). But Lilium is different enough, pretty enough and offers several interesting look options, from a dramatic green smoky eye to a soft summer garden.

As a long-time Chanel fan, I'm thrilled with the evolution of the eye shadow quads texture and quality. Lilium feels softer and smoother than ever before, all shades blend easily and the results make me a little too proud of my application skills. I doubt the credit belongs to me, though.

The four colors (clockwise)  are a very (very!) light milky peach, deep green, taupe and a yellowish green/greenish yellow that has turned out to be the a real star. All four shades have a shimmery finish but none of the glitter or fall-out that have plagued too many of Chanel's eye shadow sets over the last year. As you can see in the arm swatch, the peach is barely there, though on my brow bone it's a perfect highlighter that's low-key enough to look natural but better. The taupe is of medium intensity. It's a great lid/crease color, requires no effort and stands out even among other Chanel classics such as Safari and the newer Taupe Grise. The taupe from Lilium is a tiny bit more brown than both singles- it doesn't have Taupe Grise mauve cast or Safari's khaki leanings. The rich emerald green is  a mid shade between the two greens of Murano. It makes a gorgeous dramatic lid color or a liner. I consider it an evening shade, but it's a personal choice.

The big surprise of this quad is that greenish yellow eye shadow. Had it been released as a single I doubt I would have picked it, which would have been a shame, because apparently this color is actually very flattering on my equally weird skin tone. I wear it in the inner corner and/or the inner part of the lid and it brightens, lightens and emphasizes all that's good about dark brown eyes. I wear it with the peach and taupe together (with just a hint of brown liquid liner and a little mascara), and it makes me feel almost summery and definitely pretty.

Bottom Line; even better than I expected.

Chanel Lilium Eye Shadow Quad Summer 2011 ($57) is available from Chanel counters everywhere as well as online.

All photos are mine.