Nars Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself Eyes Kit

I had attended an event at the Nars boutique last Saturday and while finalizing my purchase, the eyeshadow palette in the Nars Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself Eyes kit caught my attention. I had already ordered the Nars Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself book although I had not received it yet when I had purchased the kit.

The kit comes with a pamphlet to give you a few look ideas which are also shown in the full-sized book.

The kit comes with a six-paned eyeshadow palette, eyeshadow primer, mascara and make-up remover


Colors in the palette are:
Top Row: Abyssinia, Silk Road II, Strada,
Bottom Row: Galapagos, Fuji and Brumes II
(The II indicate the shades are from duos).








Swatches:
No Flash


With Flash

I love the colors in this palette and with the exception of the color from silk road, there were no colors I already in my stash. I've tried samples of the eyeshadow primer before but I can't really judge it against the other primers available. The mascara and make-up remover are new items for me to try. There is also a Makeup Your Mind: Express Yourself Lips and another one for the face. Along with the Nars boutique, these kits are available at Nordstorm.

Paul & Joe Summer 2011-Polishes, Bronzer, Eye Gloss

Here are quick pics of items from Paul & Joe Blue Horizon collection. While wandering in Flushing, there was shop that carried a few of the new releases. I picked up polishes in Mediterranean and Venus, the bronzer and eye gloss duo in Delicate. The summer limited edition items have a pretty light blue packaging.

I couldn't resist the Mediterranean polish (016). I almost walked away from it for fear it would be sheer but it looked so magical I knew I had to give it a shot. It has a blue-green jelly base with round flakes and glitter! It did take about 4 coats to get it completely opaque.

It does dry a bit bumpy because of the flakes


Index, middle: Mediterranean
Ring, Pinky: Deborah Lippmann Lady Sings the Blues
I would curious how the glitter flakes would compare between the 2 polishes
Flash makes Mediterranean look more sheer than it really is


Indoor light, no flash

*Update*
Here's a comparison pic between Mediterranean (Index, Middle) and Deborah Lippmann Across the Universe (Ring, Pinky)

Mediterranean has a blue green base with blue flakes while Across the Universe has a dark blue base with green flakes.

Mediterranean is gorgeous in natural light, it does remind me of shimmery waters. I'll upload a full mani pic once my camera battery is charged.

The other polish that caught my eye was Venus (015); a baby blue when sliver glitter.





Pretty, but not as complex as Mediterranean

How could I say no to a pretty embossed bronzer?





Alas, it is in the too pretty to swatch right now category. I saw the tester and the white in the embossing does fade although the fish detail is pretty deeply etched.

The new eye gloss duos feel similar to the original singles. There are five permanent shades and 3 limited releases for the summer. I went for Delicate (a shimmery pink and grey with pink sheen). It is part of the permanent releases.


Dabbed on swatches:




Swatches blended out a bit:

So far, I'm liking everything that I've tried. I'm looking forward to seeing the summer eye glosses and eye colors when they become available.