Hey guys - I hope everyone is doing well as we ramp up for Christmas! I'm pretty hectic busy working those gruelling Christmas shopping shifts, and I still need to finish Christmas shopping myself (oops!). This will probably be my last post for..this year?? Maybe? I will be taking a bit of a break next week as I hang out with the fam, and we are going camping for a couple of days which should be fun! Today I'm reviewing a holiday release from this year, the NARS x Man Ray Love Triangle in Hot Sand and Rita. Unfortunately this is sold out online at Mecca - but neither of these are limited edition shades. The Audacious Lipstick in Rita is available permanently and Hot Sand is a highlighter shade that pops up pretty frequently. It seems to be available permanently in the US, but unfortunately not at Mecca!
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| L-R: Rita, Hot Sand |
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| Hot Sand blended out |
The Love Triangles come in a few different colourways, but I chose Hot Sand and Rita because I've been wanting to try Hot Sand for some time (KathleenLights is constantly raving about it), and although I'm not huge on red lips, Rita is such a stunning red and perfect for the festive season. Each of these are minis - Hot Sand contains 2.5g (4.8g full size) and Rita contains 2.3g (4.2g full size). When you break down cost per gram, you do make a small saving compared to if you were to buy the full size! The packaging is also adorable - they are basically exact miniatures of the big ones! I only wish the lipstick had the same magnetic closure though haha!
Blush in Hot Sand
Although it's called a blush, Hot Sand is clearly a highlighter! In the pan and heavily swatched, it looks like a neutral, light beige-champagne shade, but when blended out, the base colour blends in and the sheen really comes through. In this case, the sheen is more silvery, so overall this highlighter pulls a lot cooler on me than you would think looking at the pan! If you know me, you know I much prefer warm tones, and I really don't jive with silver! That being said, this one is workable. It's not crazy silver and doesn't look ashy on me. It's just cooler in tone, which is a good addition to my collection seeing as it will go well with cool toned looks!
The shimmer/sheen itself it the prettiest thing about this highlighter though. It's not glittery or obnoxiously metallic, it can look quite subtle or can be built up to be quite a sheeny, diffused looking glow. Despite being a powder, it looks really natural on the face!
Audacious Lipstick in Rita
The NARS Audacious Lipsticks have been raved about ever since they were released a few years ago. I've been meaning to try one ever since but could never decide on a shade that I wanted to spend that much money on! I'm really glad I could try out the formula in this mini because it is divine! These are insanely pigmented - definitely a one swipe wonder. The texture is creamy too, but not overly so - there's no slip or slide and the finish is definitely a satin. Often my concern with bold colours in a creamier texture is that they will bleed or easily transfer, but this one wears so well. Of course there is a little transfer, but it does still stay put on the lips really well. It lasts really well, and fades evenly through eating and drinking (no butthole lip!). The great thing about it being satin and creamy is that it's extremely comfortable on the lips, not at all drying and doesn't exacerbate dryness. It just looks really opaque and rich on the lips!
Rita is the quintessential red - it's rich and just screams opulence! It's a flattering medium-deep red with neutral, slightly warm undertones. It's such a stunning shade and is one of the few reds I can wear without feeling silly (probably just me, but I definitely have to be in the mood to wear red!).
There's clearly a reason why NARS's blushes and lipsticks are some of their cult products! Both of these have amazing formulas, and are really flattering shades. I really like both of these, but I think for me these shades will be relegated for certain looks, rather than everyday essentials!
Happy holidays to everyone, and Merry Christmas if you celebrate it! <3
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