Nars Sin Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Sin Blush

Nars Sin Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a berry tone with gold shimmer. Sin is actually one of the top 3 best selling Nars blushes, but it's never a color that really appealed to me in the compact. In the pan it appears to be a dusty mauve-plum with fine golden shimmer. I always assumed it would look dull or dirty on my cheeks, but I guess it's a best seller for a reason, so I decided to give it a try.

Once the color hits my cheeks, the color seems to come alive, and it changes from the boring and dull color in the pan, to a soft rosy-berry color on my cheeks. It does definitely pick up some of the warmness from my skin, but I love that the color doesn't completely change once it hits my face. Because of my prominent warm tones in my skin, blushes usually morph into a warm peachy shade, but Sin doesn't seem to do that. The color is soft and muted, yet completely sophisticated. It's subtle enough for every day, and for intense eye looks. The shimmer in Sin is very refined, and doesn't make the cheeks look shimmery - just a soft glow.

The blush itself is pigmented, and all I need is a touch of the brush. To avoid looking bruised, I always make sure to powder my cheeks after my foundation and apply the blush very lightly on top so it applies smoothly with a seamless finish. I like using a brush that isn't dense, so it won't apply too much color in one spot. (I've been using the Sigma Large Angled Contour Brush and it works great!)

Sin is exactly what I've been looking for. A blush that is soft enough for every day - something soft and neutral that won't wash out my complexion, and something different than the average pink neutral or nude blush.

I'm particularly excited that this blush is perfect for the Fall, and pairs really nicely with my warm eyeshadow colors and plummy pink lipsticks.

Nars Sin Blush on my cheeks

Nars Sin Blush swatched on my hand

Overall, I'm extremely happy with this blush, and it's definitely one of my favorite Nars blushes. It's a color I can enjoy often all year round, but I know it's going to be a shade that I'll reach for in the colder months.

Sin has overall positive reviews (4.3/5 with a 78% repurchase rate) on Makeupalley which is fantastic, but still, there are some negative reviews. Most of the negative reviews claimed that this blush looked "dirty" or "bruised" on their cheeks. I think it mostly depends on your application. Make sure your cheeks aren't tacky or damp from your foundation, so the blush won't cling to the spot you first lay our brush down (resulting in a patchy application). Use a brush that isn't too dense and only touch the blush with the edges of the brush so you don't lay too much product down at once. Lightly brush the color onto your cheeks, and build if necessary.

Have you tried Sin? How'd it work for you? I think I'll do an updated Nars blush collection post soon.

The Round-Up
Pros:

• A subtle berry that is perfect for the Fall/Winter - it's subtle enough for every day and can be worn with intense eye looks.
• Looks very natural and glowy on my cheeks
• Applies easily 
• Great pigmentation - isn't too pigmented where you have to be careful and it's not sheer where you have to build the color.
• Long-lasting

Cons:

• None for me! 

Price: $28, Sephora, Nars.

Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Penny Lane Cream Blush

Nars Penny Lane Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a nude pink. It's a very soft and delicate bridal pink with neutral undertones. If you look closely, it has a little bit of a white pearl, but it looks mostly matte on the skin. It's a great every-day blush that you can't really do wrong with. It's very subtle, yet it gives your skin a hint of color that your cheeks need to look healthy and lightly flushed. It's very similar to the effect MAC Cubic Blush would give me (one of my favorite neutrals).

Nars Cream Blushes are a cream to powder formula, and are very soft and creamy to the touch, but they blend into a seamless powder finish on the skin.

For Penny Lane in particular, I've used a few different methods - a small stippling brush, a foundation brush and my fingers. Because the color is so light, it's not a shade that you can easily overdo. So, I don't find a stippling brush to be necessary, as it doesn't apply enough color to the cheeks unless I pack it on the brush. Although I rarely like using my fingers for application of makeup, I find that the fingers give me the best control and color.

To be completely satisfied with the color, I usually apply two layers. I think this blush is best suited for light skintones, but can also work well for light-medium and medium skintones. I'm around the MAC NC35 coloring right now, and I can tell if I were any darker, it may start to show up ashy. If you're darker than the MAC NC40 coloring (medium-dark/tan), you may want to skip, otherwise you can use Penny Lane as a base for a neutral blush that suits your skin better.

Wearing Nars Casino Bronzer all over my face, with Nars Penny Lane on my cheeks and MAC Superb across the top of my cheekbones.

In this photo I'm only wearing Penny Lane on my cheeks.

I often pair this blush with a pink highlight along my cheekbones and it looks gorgeous. I feel that it almost needs that little extra pop. I've been pairing it with MAC Superb Extra Dimension Highlighter, and have been loving it! I've also been using it as a base for Nars Madly Blush, and they seem to work really well together.

The lasting power is decent, but it's not particularly long wearing. I find that it lasting power sometimes depends on the foundation I'm wearing. For instance, after 4 hours it has almost completely faded when I'm wearing Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, but it stays in tact much longer when I'm wearing Estee Lauder Double Wear.

Overall, I'm happy with Penny Lane and I know because of the light color and pigmentation, this is a blush I'll reach for often, and I'm pretty positive I'll easily be able to finish it up.

If you're on the lookout for a soft natural pink "no-blush blush" for every day, Penny Lane is a great choice. For a cheaper alternative with a similar effect, I like using L'Oreal Cherubic Magicsmooth Souffle Blush.

To read additional reviews for Penny Lane, check out Makeupalley.

The Round-Up
Pros:

• Very creamy, blends easily with the fingers
• Natural, powdery finish
• Gives the perfect amount of understated color to the cheeks

Cons:

• Lasting power could be better when worn solo - I typically need a touch-up mid-day.
• May not show up on medium-dark, tan and deep skintones.
• Because the blush is pretty sheer, I need a couple of layers on my medium skin - with daily use I can see myself finishing this blush quickly.

Price: $28, Nars (Sephora no longer carries Nars cream blush online).

Guest Post: Nars Mata Hari Blush Review!

NARS Mata Hari Powder Blush ($28) can be found at Sephora. After being obsessed with NARS ultra-pigmented products I’ve begun slowly-but-surly expanding my NARS blush collection. On a recent trip to Sephora in hopes to pick out a more fall/winter friendly blush (everyone changes blush with seasons right? Ha) I ended up picking Mata Hari. I was un-sure that I'd like Mata Hari after swatching it two different times when I went into Sephora, but after using this blush it is a wonderful addition to my collection. I usually lean towards peachy-pink blushes but this beautiful cool, matte, rosy pink color is a lot of fun!

Despite how bold this color looks in the pan, its not nearly as vibrant when applied. This blush is by far my most pigmented blush I own. The picture above is only using one swipe with my Sigma F40 brush. Because it’s so pigmented a light hand and blending applies Mata Hari sheer and subtle. If your looking for a more intense look of course add a little more to intensify your look. Usually I find myself grabbing this blush when I use a matte foundation, I can count on Mata Hari staying on all day. Mata Hari is very matte (meaning without any simmer or sheen) so if you want to brighten up your cheeks, or have a glowy face you'll need to use a highlighter.

Final Thoughts…

Overall, this is a great fall/winter powder blush! Remember its ultra-pigmented and needs to be applied sparingly. Now that I have had NARS blushes for while, the only negative thing I could say is the adorable packaging gets messy easily. Other then that, this is a great rosy-pink blush!

Guest Post Written by Rendee

Rendee, a nursing student from Arizona has a huge passion for all things Beauty, DIY, and Photography related! You can check out her thoughts on all things beautiful at her blog beautybyren.blogspot.com. Another way you can stay can updated with Rendee's reviews, tips, and tricks is on Twitter @beautybyren.

Guest Post: Nars Mata Hari Blush Review!

NARS Mata Hari Powder Blush ($28) can be found at Sephora. After being obsessed with NARS ultra-pigmented products I�ve begun slowly-but-surly expanding my NARS blush collection. On a recent trip to Sephora in hopes to pick out a more fall/winter friendly blush (everyone changes blush with seasons right? Ha) I ended up picking Mata Hari. I was un-sure that I'd like Mata Hari after swatching it two different times when I went into Sephora, but after using this blush it is a wonderful addition to my collection. I usually lean towards peachy-pink blushes but this beautiful cool, matte, rosy pink color is a lot of fun!

Despite how bold this color looks in the pan, its not nearly as vibrant when applied. This blush is by far my most pigmented blush I own. The picture above is only using one swipe with my Sigma F40 brush. Because it�s so pigmented a light hand and blending applies Mata Hari sheer and subtle. If your looking for a more intense look of course add a little more to intensify your look. Usually I find myself grabbing this blush when I use a matte foundation, I can count on Mata Hari staying on all day. Mata Hari is very matte (meaning without any simmer or sheen) so if you want to brighten up your cheeks, or have a glowy face you'll need to use a highlighter.

Final Thoughts�

Overall, this is a great fall/winter powder blush! Remember its ultra-pigmented and needs to be applied sparingly. Now that I have had NARS blushes for while, the only negative thing I could say is the adorable packaging gets messy easily. Other then that, this is a great rosy-pink blush!

Guest Post Written by Rendee

Rendee, a nursing student from Arizona has a huge passion for all things Beauty, DIY, and Photography related! You can check out her thoughts on all things beautiful at her blog beautybyren.blogspot.com. Another way you can stay can updated with Rendee's reviews, tips, and tricks is on Twitter @beautybyren.

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush

Nars Constantinople Cream Blush ($28) is described on the Nars website as a deep rose. Deep Rose shades are probably the most flattering shades of blush for my warm, medium skin (with yellow undertones). Constantinople (say that five times fast...) looks just like just that in the pan - a deep, neutral rose.

Now here is my sob story - because of my yellow undertones, this color morphs into a coppery bronze/terracotta shade (This is my polite way of saying orange). I own so many similar shades, so it was a bit of a disappointment that the color didn't stay true. On my cheeks, its pretty similar to MAC Gingerly Blush or even Becca Peach Beach Tint. Nars Lovejoy is also a deep rose shade, but it's much more of a true rose on my cheeks, whereas I don't get rose at all from Constantinople.

So, if you typically have a problem with colors going orange on you (this happens with a huge percentage of my blushes - just about any pink turns into a coral-pink on my cheeks) than, it will most likely happen with this blush. If you have a cool skin tone, I can see this blush showing up truer to pan.

Now that I got that out of the way, the actual performance of this blush is fantastic. It's super creamy and super pigmented - I found it to be creamier than Lokoum (the only other Nars Cream Blush I own). Because it's pigmented and creamy, it can pick up a lot of product, even with a duo-fiber brush. So, I typically like to dab my middle and ring finger on the surface and dab it on my cheeks, and then use a duo-fiber brush to blend.

I'd say the color lasts a good 5-6 hours on me before it's almost gone. Dusting a light powder over top extends the wear by a bit.

This blush didn't really win me over - Don't get me wrong, it's pretty, but it's not at all what I hoped it would be. I have way more than enough blushes that look almost the same on my cheeks. Nevertheless, I do really like the formula of Nars Blushes, so this won't be my last Nars Cream Blush!

And like I said, those with cooler skin tones would probably benefit better from this blush. I could see it giving perfectly flushed cheeks to the right skin tone.

What do you think of Nars Cream Blush? Have any favorites?

The Round-Up
Pros:

• Creamy
• Very pigmented
• Easy to work with - I like using my fingers to apply the right amount of product to my cheeks and blending with a brush.

Cons:

• Turns orange on my cheeks - no rose tones what-so-ever

Price: $28, Nars.

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush ($28) is described as a warm, rose coral with shimmer. Depending on your skintone, it may show up differently  —  on my skin, the color shows up as a warm, copper-coral. Somewhat similar to MAC Gingerly or Coppertone. Although it looks raspberry toned in the pan, it doesn't read the same on my cheeks, which could be due to the warm yellow tones in my skin.

Nars Cream blush has a soft, velvety texture and blends to a powdery finish. I'm happy to finally say that I own a cream blush from Nars, considering I've loved their powder blushes for a long time and own several shades. For those who find cream blush intimidating, Nars is a nice place to start as the formula isn't thick, sticky/tacky, or greasy. It's very easy to work with and the color can be built up easily. The fingers can be used, but with a shade as pigmented as Lokoum, I find that a stippling brush works best. MAC #131 brush is my favorite brush for most cream blushes, but it's sadly only a limited edition brush. Any duo-fiber brush should work just as well.

Considering this shade in particular contains shimmer, I was hoping for it to make my cheeks somewhat dewy/glowy (like Becca Frangipani Cream Blush  —  my fav!) but I didn't really get enough of the glow I wanted. This may not bother many, as most of us try to avoid anything remotely shimmery.

Swatches from left to right: Nars Lokoum Cream Blush, MAC Pleasureful Blushcreme (discontinued), MAC Gingerly Blush and Nars Lokoum Cream Blush blended. 

Although I thought Lokoum looked similar to many of my blushes, when I swatched them, I didn't get any exact matches. MAC Pleasureful is similar, but deeper and less coral. Gingerly is more orange brown, less red. It probably strikes the most resemblance to MAC Margin Blush (not pictured), but less shimmery/frosty.

Overall, I like the formula of the blush, but I'm not 100% sold on Lokoum. I originally thought it was going to be more raspberry toned (which is a very flattering color on me) but it's a standard red-coral, which flatters my medium skintone as well, but it's nothing that I find very unique. It does lightly sparkle on my cheeks, but I was expecting more of a dewy-glow, which is something I expect with a cream blush. It's still a nice product overall, and I would try other shades. I've had my eyes on Penny Lane for ages. If you don't own a shade like this, it may be something you'd really enjoy.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Gives the cheeks a natural, sun-kissed look. 
• Pigmented formula.
• Satin texture that is easy to blend.
• Wears well throughout the day without feeling sticky, tacky or greasy. 
• Layers well with powder blushes.

Cons:

• Doesn't leave my cheeks looking dewy and fresh like most cream blushes - it has a powder finish. (this can be a pro or con based on your preference)
• The lasting power isn't bad, but it has mostly faded by the end of the day.

Price: $28, Nars.

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush

Nars Lokoum Cream Blush ($28) is described as a warm, rose coral with shimmer. Depending on your skintone, it may show up differently  �  on my skin, the color shows up as a warm, copper-coral. Somewhat similar to MAC Gingerly or Coppertone. Although it looks raspberry toned in the pan, it doesn't read the same on my cheeks, which could be due to the warm yellow tones in my skin.

Nars Cream blush has a soft, velvety texture and blends to a powdery finish. I'm happy to finally say that I own a cream blush from Nars, considering I've loved their powder blushes for a long time and own several shades. For those who find cream blush intimidating, Nars is a nice place to start as the formula isn't thick, sticky/tacky, or greasy. It's very easy to work with and the color can be built up easily. The fingers can be used, but with a shade as pigmented as Lokoum, I find that a stippling brush works best. MAC #131 brush is my favorite brush for most cream blushes, but it's sadly only a limited edition brush. Any duo-fiber brush should work just as well.

Considering this shade in particular contains shimmer, I was hoping for it to make my cheeks somewhat dewy/glowy (like Becca Frangipani Cream Blush  �  my fav!) but I didn't really get enough of the glow I wanted. This may not bother many, as most of us try to avoid anything remotely shimmery.

Swatches from left to right: Nars Lokoum Cream Blush, MAC Pleasureful Blushcreme (discontinued), MAC Gingerly Blush and Nars Lokoum Cream Blush blended. 

Although I thought Lokoum looked similar to many of my blushes, when I swatched them, I didn't get any exact matches. MAC Pleasureful is similar, but deeper and less coral. Gingerly is more orange brown, less red. It probably strikes the most resemblance to MAC Margin Blush (not pictured), but less shimmery/frosty.

Overall, I like the formula of the blush, but I'm not 100% sold on Lokoum. I originally thought it was going to be more raspberry toned (which is a very flattering color on me) but it's a standard red-coral, which flatters my medium skintone as well, but it's nothing that I find very unique. It does lightly sparkle on my cheeks, but I was expecting more of a dewy-glow, which is something I expect with a cream blush. It's still a nice product overall, and I would try other shades. I've had my eyes on Penny Lane for ages. If you don't own a shade like this, it may be something you'd really enjoy.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Gives the cheeks a natural, sun-kissed look. 
• Pigmented formula.
• Satin texture that is easy to blend.
• Wears well throughout the day without feeling sticky, tacky or greasy. 
• Layers well with powder blushes.

Cons:

• Doesn't leave my cheeks looking dewy and fresh like most cream blushes - it has a powder finish. (this can be a pro or con based on your preference)
• The lasting power isn't bad, but it has mostly faded by the end of the day.

Price: $28, Nars.

Nars Belle De Jour Lipstick Review, Photos and Swatches!

Nars Belle De Jour Lipstick

Nars Belle De Jour Lipstick ($24) was one of my older favorites that has been sadly neglected in exchange for new and flashier colors. If you're a lover of nude lipstick, you may have been acquainted with this shade before, but for those who haven't, let me introduce you two.

Belle De Jour is a sheer, nude beige with warm undertones. It's the particular nude that had many running to stores to purchase a tube after Kim Kardashian mentioned it was her favorite nude lipstick in an interview a few years back.

I have many nude lipsticks, but not all of them are flattering on me. I think one of the main keys to wearing nude lipstick (aside from finding the right nude for your skintone) is finding a shade and formula that isn't going to erase your lips, but slightly lighten them a couple of shades. I know we all love pigment in the makeup world, but when it comes to wearing a lipstick shade that's lighter than your lips, lots of pigmentation can lead to a very unflattering result. (Hey, Is that milkshake on your lips?)

A Subtle Nude

I love that Belle De Jour isn't your average chalky nude. It doesn't make me look ill or washed out. It's funny how your coloring really plays a factor in the way certain colors appear. Without a tan (NC15-20), this color looks too orange on my lips - pinker nudes work better on my lighter skin. When I'm NC30-40, the pinky beige tones come out more, and I like it so much more.

Here it is applied on my lips. I applied a few coats to show the color better, but normally I'd wear one sheer coat.

Comparisons

I expected to find a perfect dupe for this lipstick in my collection, but I didn't find any (that I swatched, at least - there are others I didn't swatch such as MAC Creme De Nude, Revlon Nude Attitude, NYX Pumpkin Pie, etc.) that matched. It's almost a cross between MAC Freckletone and Myth. 

It's not such a unique shade or a real must-have for me, but I love the consistency of Nars Lipsticks and for the Nars fanatics out there, this might be a shade that would interest you.

The Round-up

Pros:

• The texture is very creamy and smooth
• The color is sheer, but buildable
• The finish is shiny
• Flattering on tan skin, and those with yellow/golden/olive undertones

Cons:

• Might not be flattering on some complexions - specifically those who can't typically wear warm shades with yellow/orange undertones 
• The lasting power isn't the best, and due to it's creaminess, it's possible to go through a tube quickly if you re-apply several times a day
• Accentuates dryness, as most nude colors do

Price: $24, Sephora.