What´s in My Friend's Makeup Bag

I don't know about you but I am pretty nosey when it comes to other people's makeup, skincare essentials and home decor. I figured why not take a look inside my friend's makeup bag. I might even make a series out of this, lets see. I reckon it's curious to see what other people use on everyday basis and hear their opinion for a change, not mine. So let's get right to it!

 

Let's start with the makeup bag itself. It's a leather pouch from &Other Stories. It is no longer available but in case you are interested you can find something similar here. 

Just for reference my friend has neutral-cool complexion and dark hair. In MAC she is around NC15 and 0,5 in Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Foundation. Now let's talk about the most noticeable product from the bunch - an eyeshadow duo by NARS in Parallel Universe from the Christopher Kane for NARS limited edition collection. It comes with two stunning shades: the iridescent pink lilac and the soft iridescent violet. Even thought these are purple hues they are wearable for any day. In terms of pigmentation these perform really well. The texture is soft, however they have particles of glitter in them. The glitter isn't scratchy, but as expected there is fallout with these shadows. My friend recommends applying it with a flat eyeshadow brush and patting the colour onto the lids, not swiping around. This will allow for a minimal fallout. These eyeshadows wear for about 10h without creasing when applied on an eyeshadow base. My friend uses an original Urban Decay Primer Potion.

 NARS Eyeshadow Duo in Parallel Universe

Armani Sheer Blush #10

Next up is the Armani Sheer Blush #10. It's a pinky-neutral shade that is universally flattering. It's texture is soft, slightly powdery but not chalky. It has somewhat of a shimmer running through it, however it doesn't translate on the cheeks. It applies easily and you can build up the colour. The longevity is great. It lasts throughout the day without fading. The only downside is that it has been discontinued. But don't you despair Armani Cheek Fabric Blush in Daybreak (503) is quite similar. 

The lipstick of her choice is a recent purchase that is being put to the test. It's Charlotte Tilbury's Kissing Lipstick in Nude Kate. It's a nude with pinkish-grey hues perfect for fair complexions with cool undertones. The pigmentation is alright, however it applies a bit patchily. My friend has tried it over Mac's Prep & Prime Lip and Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencil in Ozone. The texture is creamy but it feels heavy on the lips. The longevity is not too impressive either, lasting only for a couple of hours. The finish is slightly shimmery but that doesn't bother her. So far this lipstick has not lived up to expectations. My friend would recommend trying the Charlotte Tilbury's Matte Revolution Lipsticks or Urban Decay Revolution Lipstick in Naked instead.

Jo Malone Wood Sage & Sea Salt,
Charlotte Tilbury Kissing Lipstick in Nude Kate,
Jack Black Intensive Therapy Lip Balm

Jack Black Intensive Therapy Lip Balm,
Charlotte Tilbury Kissing Lipstick in Nude Kate, Mac's Prep & Prime Lip

Staying on the topic of lips, Mac's Prep & Prime Lip is an essential for my friend. As the name suggests it's a lip primer that ensures your lipstick does not feather and lasts longer. She has been using it excessively and it works like a charm. It's most effective in combination with MAC or NARS lipsticks but not so much with Charlotte Tilbury. If you are not a fan of MAC, a good alternative is Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide On Lip Pencil in Ozone but that one you need to sharpen after every use. 

To keep the lips protected and hydrated she uses Jack Black Intensive Therapy Lip Balm in Natural Mint & Shea Butter with spf 25. If you don't fancy a tingly sensations, don't you worry, this balm comes in various flavours. She highly recommends this product and it's already on my shopping list. 

Last but certainly not least is the Jo Malone Perfume in Wood Sage & Sea Salt. Jo Malone scents are fresh, simple, nothing too heavy or sweet, which is great for work or hanging out with friends. The 30ml bottle is great for keeping in your bag and re-applying when need be. The Wood Sage & Sea Salt is not the most enduring scent that Jo Malone makes. If you want something more potent try Pomegranate Noir or Birch & Black Pepper (limited edition). Besides the Jo Malone fragrances the ones my friend favours are by Maison Martin Margiela in Untitled and Lazy Sunday Monday, but those do come in 100ml bottles, which is not too travel friendly.

That's it for now. I hope you enjoyed taking a sneak peek into someone else's makeup bag and exploring these mini reviews. Maybe you'd even get interested in trying one of them!

Let me know what your makeup essentials are!

Till next time,
Muffy

NARS Knows How to Make Lip Products

It was unintentional but somehow all the lip products I own from NARS fall under the same colour family of dusty purple lilac hues. I don't wear purply shades on an everyday basis, however I do enjoy having those options for a pop of colour. If I want to rock a bold lip I either opt for an orange-red or purply shade. Today I will share with you my NARS goodies comprising of Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Anneés Folles, Velvet Lipliner in El Agua and Audacious Lipstcik in Dominique. 

NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Années Folles,
Velvet Lip Liner in El Agua, Audacious Lipstick in Dominique

I am sure most of you are familiar with NARS, and if not, it's a cruelty-free makeup brand that is part of the Estée Lauder group. In their range they pretty much carry everything you can think of when creating a makeup look plus some skincare bits and pieces. If you are in Finland the easiest way to get your hands on NARS is to order online from their EU website where you get free shipping on orders over 50,00€. And believe me it's not difficult to spend that amount, especially if you are just getting to know the brand. But let's jump right into the product, shall we.

L-R: NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss in  Anneés Folles,
Audacious Lipstick in Dominique, Velvet Lip Liner in El Agua

First up is the NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Anneés Folles. On NARS' website it's described as sheer violet. I would say it's pretty accurate. This lipgloss comes in a sleek packaging with 6ml of product. The main reason why I don't have a lot of lip glosses, and to be fair this is the first one I purchased in years, is because I hate the sticky feeling. However NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss has converted me back to using lip gloss. I can't speak for the entire range but the Anneés Folles formula is fantastic. It's non-sticky, easy to apply, doesn't gloop and lasts for a really long time considering it's sheer. The colour is everyday-suitable especially if you go for more cool-toned looks. I can't really fault this product. Of course some might find spending over 20,00€ on a lipgloss insane and I get that.

NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Anneés Folles

NARS Larger Than Life Lipgloss in Anneés Folles

Next up is the NARS Velvet Lip Liner in El Agua. I am not going to lie, it was a pain to get this pencil. It was sold out for quite some time. I might have overlooked it if not for the hype. NARS describes it as lavender rose and it's exactly that. It's a mix of purple and rose. The packaging is sleek and is colour coded which is a plus if you are like me and store your pencils upside down to see the colour. You get 0,5g of product. It's a retractable pencil that comes with a sharpener. You can pull out the sharpener from the flat end of the pencil. I think that's pretty neat especially if you want to get a more precise application, but I honestly never use the sharpener. In terms of formula it's creamy and glides on the lips without tugging or pulling. It's extremely long-wearing. However, I would say that it's pricey for what it is. If you are not too crazy about the colour I say Catrice and Rimmel Exaggerate Lipliners are as good. 

NARS Velvet Lip Liner in El Agua

NARS Velvet Lip Liner in El Agua

Last but certainly not least is the NARS Audacious Lipstick in Dominique. It's described as a pinky-lilac. I personally think it's more of a greyish-purple shade. It comes in a black sleek packaging with 4,2g of product. I really like that the packaging is magnetised, it feels weighty and luxurious. The texture of this lipstick is buttery smooth. The pigmentation is on point. With one swipe you get the colour you see in the bullet. This is by far my favourite lipstick formula and I have tried a lot of lipsticks. The finish it gives is not too matte nor too shiny. It's that sophisticated creamy matte look. The colour lasts really long on the lips and when it does wear off it does so nicely. You don't get that weird line in between your lips. This is the only shade I have from the range as I thought it was the most unique. But now I am also tempted to get more of an everyday type of colour. These lipsticks are priced similarly with Charlotte Tilbury, however I really think they are worth it. Plus the colour selection is outstanding, you are bound to find a shade that appeals to you. 

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Dominique

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Dominique

My final thoughts are that NARS do lip products really well. I cant complain about the ones I tried. If I had to recommend just one product it would be the Audacious Lipsticks. These apply like a dream, they are opaque in one swipe and they last really long. Over the years I happened to realise that it's better to buy one good lipstick that you will use every day than have a bunch of mediocre ones that you don't care for. If you have a NARS counter near you I warmly suggest going and swatching a few shades. If you are not so fortunate and don't have Sephora or NARS near you, I suggest looking into shades like Anita (antique rose) or Brigitte (nude rose). Those are universally flattering. 

Let me know if you have tried anything else from NARS and would you recommend it!

Cheers,
Muffy