NARS Powermatte Lip Pigments | American Woman, Save the Queen, Starwoman

Do you ever put off trying a product for so long, and then when you do, you get mad at yourself for waiting so long? That was me with the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigments. Maybe it's because they came out at the peak of my spending ban, but now that I've allowed myself to buy a few more things here and there, I jumped at the opportunity. The first shade I tried blew me away so much that I immediately bought two more within a couple days.

I had pretty much been over the whole liquid lipstick trend, finally admitting it just wasn't for me and my dry, sensitive lips. But the NARS Powermattes are so different from the thick, drying liquid lipsticks I had been used to. It's a thin, watery formula (don't tip the tube over while it's open) that feels more like a stain when applied and sets down to almost nothing. It moves with your lips so it doesn't crack throughout the day, and it's such a lightweight layer that it doesn't make the lips shrivel up with dryness. There aren't many lip products where I truly want to own every single shade, but this is one. The formula is quite versatile too - the shades I've tried all apply quite opaque with one layer, but they can easily be sheered out for more of a stained look.

T-B | Save the Queen, American Woman, Starwoman

The applicator is quite interesting - rather than a typical rounded doefoot, it's pointed and a little more stiff. This makes it super easy to get a crisp line without needing a separate lip liner. The thin consistency of the lipstick also makes it super easy to blend into a blurred lip, if that's what you're into - you need to see these in action on Katie Jane Hughes's Instagram. I'm trying so hard to learn how to blur them like her. 

The first shade I picked up was Save the Queen, inspired by my girl Amelia, because she was wearing it in her Instagram stories and it looked SO pretty that I needed it too. It's a beautiful dusty mauve shade that's just the kind of shade I always go for. It's a little more purple than the usual neutral moves I gravitate towards, so it's perfect to pair with all the cool-toned eyeshadows I love. Next I just had to try the formula in a red and grabbed Starwoman. It's a stunning blue-red that is seriously making me think about getting rid of all the other red lipsticks in my collection. Nothing compares to this. If you like blue-toned reds, get this one. The latest addition to my collection was American Woman, a more typical "me" shade - a neutral brown/pink. This is quite close to my natural lip color, making it the perfect "my lips but better" shade for me. I've been wearing this dabbed and blended into a lip balm almost every day since I got it. 

I still have almost all of the remaining shades on my wishlist and I can't decide which I'll get next. Any suggestions?

Have you tried the NARS Powermatte Lip Pigments?

Five to Try

Another month, another “Five to Try.” This edition is pretty much all makeup, but I’ll have some new-in skincare featured soon. I’ve got a good mix here of a couple things I treated myself to, a couple things that were sent to me, and a rediscovery. 

Wander Beauty Glow Getter Mist* | I’ve been trying this out for the past week, and it’s already become a go-to for me to finish my makeup. It reminds me a bit of the Pixi Glow Mist as it does have some oils to give the skin a glow.  It boasts glacial water, propolis extract, evening primrose oil, and hibiscus fruit extract to nourish, soothe, and illuminate the skin. I just love how fine the mist is on this, so it adds just a nice veil of luminosity rather than drenching the skin. Any time I feel like my makeup is looking a little too matte/powdery, I just spray a bit of this on and it melds everything together. It'll definitely come in handy in the colder weather when I'm more likely to use more matte and powder products.

Butter London Glazen Eye Gloss* | If you're looking for a cool new eyeshadow product, then you definitely need to check these out. They're so interesting - they're a wiggly, jelly-like substance in the pot, are incredibly pigmented, and they set once on the eyes. I love the glossy eye look, but it really does not love me and my oily eyelids - it's crease-city within seconds. But with these, the metallic quality of the shades give them a wet look that set and don't budge. I have the shades Frosted, a stunning rose gold, and Oil Slick, which is my favorite of the two - it's a burgundy/brown with an incredible teal/blue shift. It's going to be a staple for fall for sure. Keep an eye out, I'm going to be posting a look using both of these on the blog soon.

Surratt Beauty Relevee Lash Curler | I had been wanting to try this for such a long time, and I finally bought it in a bit of a "treat yourself" frenzy last weekend. In my defense, I had had my old eyelash curler for probably over three years, and it was starting to get a little too easy to pinch my eyelid. The Surratt one is much wider and a flatter shape than I was used to - it's so easy to get super close to my lashline, but easy to avoid pinching. The curl it gives is so natural, too - none of those L-shaped lashes here. It keeps them curled for so long, too - my eyelashes normally fall flat within a couple hours, but I've noticed they stay looking curly almost all day, even without mascara.

Laura Mercier Caviar Stick Eye Colour | This is another product I've been meaning to try for ages, and again, something I picked up last weekend. I had been saving the shades Amethyst, Rose Gold, and Au Naturale in my Sephora Loves, and when I saw all three shades were included in the Mode to Modern set, I needed it. I've been using these everyday for a super easy eye, and they're already one of my favorite eyeshadow stick formulas. It stays pretty well on me without a primer, and it doesn't budge at all with one. On super quick makeup days, I've been using Au Naturale all over - it's a lovely soft mauve-y brown that adds a subtle hint of definition. On other days, I like using Amethyst on most of my eyelid and Rose Gold on the inner third. 

Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Glow Shot Liquid Highlighter | I've had this since the summer, and I'm really getting back into using it. It gives such a beautiful dewy sheen to the skin without feeling sticky. It has a subtle fragrance to it - I like how it smells, but it's definitely something to keep in mind if your skin is sensitive to fragrance. It's easy to apply and blend out with fingers, and it doesn't move around any makeup underneath. It can also be built up for a more intense, mirrorlike sheen. But for me, I like just applying a little bit for a subtle radiance. 

What are your favorite things you've tried lately?

*Products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information. This post contains affiliate links.

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Glossier's New Fragrance that Smells Like You

Glossier has been killing it with their new releases this year, and their latest one pushes them into another new realm of beauty: fragrance. They've just launched their first perfume, Glossier You. As the name suggests, it's meant to be more of an "enhancer" kind of scent, working with your body chemistry to smell like the best version of You. The whole concept fits in so well with Glossier's minimal, "you're beautiful the way you are" message.

Glossier You is designed to smell the same for pretty much the whole time you're wearing it, meaning it consists mainly of base notes. There's of course some (synthetic) musk in there to mimic that warm, skinlike smell, as well as ambrox and ambrette, giving it a smooth, comfy vibe. It also has top notes of iris and pink pepper for a sparkling and fresh opening that mellows gracefully into the aforementioned musk. It leaves such a "familiar" smell on the skin, like the way I've always wanted to smell. It makes me feel grown up and put-together, even if I've just rolled out of bed. I've been describing it as the way I want my favorite fragrance to smell after I've been wearing it all day - except it smells that way from the get-go. Glossier says, "Please be advised that the formula comes incomplete. You are the first ingredient." I love that. It really does feel like a natural smell. Your skin, but lovelier.

Because it's got a lot of base notes, it lasts quite a long time (on me, anyway - all body chemistries are different!). I can spray it on at 6am and still smell it on my clothes and body when I come home from work at 5pm. It barely changes as the day goes on, too - it just gets slightly muskier as those sharper top notes wear away. It feels like such a natural scent that I've been wearing it everywhere and getting lots of compliments on it. It's not a "what perfume are you wearing?" but a "You smell good!" You wear the perfume, not the other way around.

Lastly, can we just talk about the bottle? It's weighty and glass and fits perfectly into the palm of my hand. I love the thumbprint indent detail - it makes it so easy and pleasing to hold, and it helps convey that "meant for you" feeling. Like, "it fits in my hand perfectly."

I'm seriously into Glossier You - you can order yours through glossier.com/reps/kelsey and get 10% off your first order (or just to support me if it's not!). If you're not into buying fragrances blindly, all orders will come with a sample of You. Glossier You can be shipped to continental US and Canada as well as the UK, and is $60/$75CAD/£45 for 50 mL.

Will you be trying You?

Glossier You was sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. I make a small commission on orders through my rep link, and I direct that money back into my blog. Your orders allow me to try Glossier's new launches, too!

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