Nars Dual Intensity Eye Shadow Palette!

i know what you’re thinking!  another palette?  does this girl ever buy anything else?!?  i assure you i do, and this will be the last palette for a while.  i don’t make any promises for singles and quads though.  eyeshadows are my weakness, especially if they come in palettes.  i just love the huge range of pretty colors available.  after all, green is my favorite, and i’m not adventurous enough to wear it anywhere other than on my eyes.

i’ve been coveting the Nars Dual Intensity Shadows for quite a while now but always passed them over in preference for the reformulated MUFE Artist Shadows.  i figured i had to draw the line somewhere in order to not go bankrupt.  i’m so glad i waited instead of splurging during the Friends & Family Sales madness.  now instead of buying singles for $29 each (.05oz), i can try 8 colors for $79 (.03oz/color).  i’m especially thrilled to see that a lot of the colors i was eyeing individually were selected for the palette – Subra, Giove, Andromeda, and Himalia.  there is one exclusive shade, Ursa Major.  the palette also includes a synthetic brush, but i don’t care much for it.  it’s softer than most brushes included in palettes (ie. UD Naked 2 or Smashbox Double Exposure), but it’s not as easy to use as my Sigma or Hakuhodo brushes.  i found that my own brushes gave a more pigmented look, when used dry, than the included brush.  when damp, the included brush would sometimes splay a little and affect color placement.  maybe it’s my technique though, as i have heard other bloggers liking the brush.  be warned that the compact’s exterior is a mirrored surface, which attracts finger prints and smudges easily.  since i store mine away in a drawer after use, i don’t really mind it looking smudged.  the hinge is stiff enough that you can adjust the mirror to any angle you wish, and it will stay put.

Nars Dual Intensity Eye Palette

Nars Dual Intensity Eye Palette

(L to R) Europa, Himalia, Ursa Major and Subra swatched dry then wet

(L to R) Europa, Himalia, Ursa Major and Subra swatched dry then wet

as you can see, Europa is a bit sheer when used dry, but everything else is well pigmented.

  • Europa is a pale peach with pink.  when used dry it looks more peachy and is somewhat sheer.  when used wet, the pink becomes more prominent and pigmentation more opaque.
  • Himalia is a golden brown topaz shade. dry or wet it had nice pigmentation.  when wet, the finish becomes much more metallic.
  • Ursa Major is a medium chocolate brown.  the color is lighter and warmer when applied dry and becomes more shimmery and cool toned when applied wet.  this color is exclusive to the palette.
  • Subra is a burgundy brown/purple.  when used dry, it looks more brown.  when used wet, the purple tones intensify.
(L to R) Andromeda, Lysithea, Giove, Sycorax

(L to R) Andromeda, Lysithea, Giove, Sycorax

  • Andromeda is a pale beige that borders on white.  like Europa, the pigmentation is sheer when used dry but becomes opaque when wet.
  • Lysithea is a medium shark grey with a hint of warm olive.  the olive is not really so much a color as it affects the tone of the silver.  when dry, it’s a duller darker shade.  used wet, it becomes much more metallic and lighter in color.
  • Giove is a dark navy blue.  when dry, it looks blackened and dull.  when used wet, it becomes more metallic and blue.
  • Syocrax is black.  used dry, it’s a soft black that works well for giving the other shades a bit more dimension and drama. used wet, it comes a full, pigmented black.

now let’s see them in action!

Andro, Subra, Euro Closeup-02504

Europa, Subra and Andromeda

here you see Europa used wet with Subra used dry and Andromeda as a brow highlight and used wet in the inner corner.

Europa, Subra and Andromeda

Europa, Sycorax

Europa, Sycorax

here you see Europa used dry on the lid with Sycorax used dry in the outer third and Sycorax used wet as a liner and Europa wet on the inner corner.  notice how Europa shifts between peach and pink depending on whether or not it’s used wet.  side note, if you tear easily, do not use Sycorax wet as a liner.  it bleeds into a hot mess 😛  now i totally remember why my go-to is a waterproof liquid eyeliner!

Euro Syco dry, wet as enhance context-02542

 

Europa and Subra

Europa, Subra and Andromeda

here i’ve applied Europa and Subra wet with Andromeda used dry as brow highlight.  see how Subra intensifies and shifts more towards the purple spectrum?  it does look a bit more purple in reality, but my camera is really uncooperative with brownish purple shades 😦

Himalia, Lysithea and Ursa Major

Himalia, Lysithea and Ursa Major

here you see Himalia used wet on lid with Lysithea used wet in the center of lid and Ursa Major used dry in the outer third. Ursa Major was also used wet as liner.

W Himalia Lysithea Ursa Major andro Context-02513

Lysithea and Giove

Lysithea, Giove, Andromeda and Ursa Major

i used all the shadows dry in this look.  Lysithea and Giove with Andromeda on the inner corner and Ursa Major on the lower lashline.  see how much darker Lysithea looks when used dry?

dry Lysithea Giove Context-02528

Himalia, Giove, Lysithea

Himalia, Giove, Lysithea

here you see Himalia used dry, Giove used wet, and Lysithea used dry on the lower lashline.  i love how wetting Giove really intensifies the blue!

Dry Him, Wet Giove, Dry Ly Context-02564

wet Andro UM closeup-02595

Andromeda and Ursa Major

here you see both Andromeda and Ursa Major used wet.

wet Andro UM Context-02591

you can see how when used wet, it really makes a difference in the context pictures.  the lighter shades brighten the eye more and the darker shades become more pigmented and dramatic.

overall, i’m definitely happy with my purchase.  the palette is gorgeous to stare at and pretty on the eyes as well.  most of the shadows were pigmented and easy to work with.  the ones that gave me the most trouble were Europa and Andromeda, but that’s to be expected since they’re close to my skin tone to begin with.  if you like just 3 of the colors, you’ve more than broken even with the singles price.  however, if the vibrancy staying true for 7+ hours is important to you, i’m saddened to report these shadows don’t do as well compared to MUFE Artist Shadows, Lorac, or Urban Decay.  they do fade a little, and i’m wearing them over Nars’ own primer.  i do love how Nars has given us a large range of colors that work well together, and i think the colors themselves are very sophisticated.

if you’re interested in seeing some of these looks under more daylight conditions, please hop over to my instagram.  you’ll also be able to see looks that will eventually make their way into future posts!

Readers, yay or nay on using shadows wet?  are you still loving the dark jewel tones of winter or are you ready to move into spring pastels?

Lorac Party Palette

Lorac Party Palette

Lorac Party Palette

so it seems like i’m on a roll with eye palettes lately.  this is the second one i’ve picked up that’s become an instant favorite! the flaws are very few and the range of colors are my personal favorite combinations.  even more unusual for me, the pinks in this palette are ones that both visually appeal to me and actually work with my skintones!

let’s go over the flaws first, as that’s a short list.  first off, it’s all shimmer, no mattes.  this is actually not a huge problem for me as i love my shimmers and the only time i want a matte color is for my brow highlight.  i don’t mind digging out a matte single to pair with this palette. however, if you like your palettes to be able to stand on their own, this may not be the one for you unless you don’t mind a shimmery brow bone.  second, the pigmentation to the white shade is a little weak.  it’s visible, but it goes on a bit sheer.  last, the vibrancy of the purple shade is not as good as the rest of the colors and sheers out when blending, so you’ll want to do a little bit of layering.  the quality of the rest of the shadows are typical Lorac quality.  the shadows are buttery and blend out easily.  i didn’t experience much, if any, fall out (except with the It Cosmetics brushes i was testing)

Lorac Party Palette

Lorac Party Palette

Party Palette uner the sun

Party Palette under the sun

Lorac didn’t see fit to name these shades (i hate that).  the two shades furthest to the left are the bigger highlighter shades from the bottom of the palette.  the colors are as follows:

  • White Highlight
  • Pink Highlight
  • Light Peach with golden tones
  • Light Pink.  what this looks like depends on your lighting.  i’ve seen it go from a cool frosty pink to a more mute pink with beige tones.
  • Brown.  this is a medium dark shade that’s not too warm.
  • Dark Pink.  this is a more intense pink that’s sparklier and has a bit of brown in it, lending it a warmer tone.
  • Purple.  upon first application, this is a satisfying shade of cool toned purple.  sadly, it’s not as pigmented as other shades and has a tendency to sheer out when blended.  it is a serviceable shade though.
  • Sage Green.  of course, no favorite palette of mine can be without a green.  the shade they’ve chosen here works well both as a single color smokey look or as a crease/outer v color for the lighter colors, for a natural day look.
  • Turquoise.  a bright medium shade turquoise.
  • Hunter Green.  this is a dark smokey hunter green with green sparkles running through it.

now let’s see it in action!

Gold and Dark Green Closeup-02282

Light Peach and Hunter Green

Gold and Dark Green Context-02277

Sage all over lid

Sage all over lid

Light Pink on lid, Pink in crease and White Highlight on brow bone

Light Pink on lid, Dark Pink in crease and White Highlight on brow bone

Light Pink, White Highlight Context-02270

Pink Highlight on lid, Brown in outer v

Pink Highlight on lid, Brown in outer v

Pink H, Brown Context-02341

Turquoise on lid, Sage in Crease, Purple in lower lash line and Pink Highlight on inner corners

Turquoise on lid, Sage in Crease, Purple in lower lash line and Pink Highlight on inner corners

PH, Turq, Sage, Purple Context-02482

overall, i really love this palette.  i can create the rosy neutral looks that i’ve always lusted over in Urban Decay’s Naked 3 palette.  i have colorful pops of color.  there are two fairly neutral greens, which is my favorite way of creating a neutral look. the only thing i would change about it is switching out that white highlighter for a matte highlighter shade.  it’s small and compact but has a good size mirror.  the mirror has a stiff hinge, so you can angle it however you need.  this might be my favorite travel palette to date.  all i’d need is to pack a matte single for highlight, and i’m set for shadows.  it’s a palette i constantly reach for.  i like how the shadows work well together in different combinations or how most shades can double as an all over shade if i just want a quick look.  for just $24, this palette may be the best bargain in my stash!

Readers, what do you think of Lorac’s Party Palette?  how do you like to wear your favorite neutral look?