Better than Roses

Valentine's Day is around the corner and if you're like me, you'd rather have a dozen rose shadows than flowers. Rose is a very flattering color on all skin tones. By either lightening or darkening the base, it's quite versitle.  To carefully curate a Valentine's Day look, I selected items from the NARS Spring line; Hammamet (Limited), Kari (New) and Impassioned (New). I also needed a glowy, barely there foundation look to compliment my rose tones, so I got Laura Mercier's latest collection - Candlelight Foundation in Dusk.

NARS Hammamet & Kari shadows - The Hammamet duo consists of a flattering darker Matte Beige and a medium shimmery rose gold. I love the two together, they are very warm and flattering, especially with Kari eyeshadow, applied wet, in the inner corner. This soft, rosey pink look is oh so romantic. This will look especially nice on blue eyes as it is. On brown eyes, I will mix with Soft Matte Brown or Texture from MAC. Add a winged liner and lashes, and you'll have an incredible, easy look. These colors are going to be a huge stable in my kit for brides. Be sure to use a base before application. MAC Painterly or 24 extend wear are great options.

NARS Impassioned Blush - A lovely neutral rose pink. NARS blushes are long wearing and blends so nicely. Impassioned applies darker than it appears, which is nice to see. When applying, use illuminator first, then apply blush.

Laura Mercier Candlelight Foundation - I believe this foundation gives Giorgio Armani's Luminous Silk some tough competition. I especially like the shade for myself - Dusk, which offers more neutral yellow tones than Luminous Silk. The closest I can find in Giorgio Armani is 5.5, and I need to mix it with a little 5.5. If you have nice skin, this is a great foundation for you. If you like  a lot of coverage, I'd mix a pump or two with your full coverage foundations. Mattify the T-zone area with a primer before and a powder after to avoid a greasy look.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!