Olivia Wilde at the Golden Globes 2011

Olivia Wilde is topping all kinds of best dressed lists after last night's appearance in her sparkly Marchesa ball gown. While I am not going to deny that she looked amazing, I think it was more about her makeup than the dress (flashbacks to an eerily similar Oscar de la Renta look from a few seasons ago?).

Here's the breakdown of her look...my favorite is the neutral but not cadaverous lip color created with the Velvet Pencil in Frivolous.

Also, she went to my husband's alma mater...go Hoppers!

NARS worked with celebrity makeup artist Spencer Barnes to create presenter Olivia Wilde’s glowing look for the 68th annual Golden Globe Awards.

“Olivia's look was inspired by images she collected of what she refers to as ‘the French girl.’ I wanted her skin to be fresh and clean with eyes that extended outward. Touches of rose gold and sheer pink-veiled lips completed her youthful coquette-ish look,” Spencer said.

Below is a list of products that Spencer used, including the soon-to-be-released Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil!

FACE
· Sheer Glow Foundation

· PRO-PRIME Multi Protect Primer With SPF (NEW for Spring 2011 – available February 1st exclusively at Sephora; for now, try NARS Makeup Primer With SPF)

· Copacabana Illuminator (NEW for Spring 2011 – available February 15th on narscosmetics.com; for now, try Copacabana Multiple)

· Amour Blush



EYES
· PRO-PRIME Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base

· Nouveau Monde Duo Eyeshadow (NEW for Spring 2011!)

· Hollywoodland Soft Touch Shadow Pencil (NEW for Spring 2011!)

· Mambo Eyeliner Pencil

· Larger Than Life Lengthening Mascara


LIPS
· Fantasia Lipliner Pencil

· Madere Pure Matte Lipstick (NEW for Spring 2011!)

· Frivolous Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil (NEW for Spring 2011 – available February 1st on narscosmetics.com; for now, try Super Orgasm Lip Gloss, also new for Spring 2011!)

NARS Fall Palettes

I love a palette for travel. It can drastically cut down the size of one's makeup kit without sacrificing options. Since I just dropped my Trish McEvoy Pretty Face palette on the floor, I'm in the market for a new one.

The Fall palettes from NARS are pretty sweet looking...Beautiful Life looks great for an Indian summer style trip somewhere warm and relaxing with margaritas and Only You would work great for a city vacation with lots of dinners and dancing and smoky eyes and drinking...

I miss drinking.

NARS Cosmetics introduces two new palettes for fall boasting new packaging with a compact in a NARS-logo zippered case. Enclosed in a black carton, NARS continues to surprise and experiment with iconic casing by bringing the logo from traditionally black and white to vibrantly bold color. Both palettes include two signature NARS cheek products chosen to complement the lips or eyes-whether deep and sultry, or light and fresh. Complete with a range of shades to be worn together or alone, the glamorous combinations are limitless. Are you all about the eyes or all about the lips? You decide. Or, choose both to have everything you need at your fingertips.

BEAUTIFUL LIFE LIP AND CHEEK PALETTE

Top Row (left to right): Sexual Healing Lipstick (sheer, shimmering pink blossom)

Honolulu Honey Lipstick (satin, flesh-toned beige)

Roman Holiday Lipstick (sheer, delicate pastel pink)

Funny Face Lipstick (semi-matte fuchsia)

Bottom Row (left to right): Copacabana Multiple (glistening pearl)

Orgasm Multiple (peachy pink with shimmer)

Price: $55.00

ONLY YOU EYE AND CHEEK PALETTE

Top Row (left to right): Alhambra Duo Eyeshadow (left side: metallic rose mist)

Mekong Single Eyeshadow (espresso fused with gold)

Eurydice Duo Eyeshadow (left side: electric aubergine)

Pandora Duo Eyeshadow (right side: matte black)

Bottom Row (left to right): Hungry Heart Blush Duo (left side: iridescent gold ivory)

Orgasm Blush (peachy pink with shimmer)

Price: $65.00

Both palettes are currently available at narscosmetics.com.

NARS Spring 2010

Things I am a sucker for...Catherine Deneuve movies and pink lipglosses.

Damn you NARS and your wiley ways!!

NARS Spring 2010...read it and weep...before I buy the whole collection.

Inspired by Catherine Deneuve’s role as Lucille in La Chamade, the NARS Spring 2010 Collection features soft, sexy shades that are as elegant as they are versatile.

“I love Catherine’s makeup look in this movie,” says François Nars, Founder and Creative Director of NARS Cosmetics who chose supermodel Amber Valletta for the campaign. “It’s very sophisticated and bourgeois in a Parisian ‘16th Arrondissement’ way. She is the perfect reference for this collection, and apropos for spring, a time to embrace color and get noticed.”

NARS Cruising Lipstick- $24
This subtle, sexy pink lipstick hue provides a sheer natural long-lasting color

NARS Lip Gloss- $24
Easy Lover-Serious luster meets sexy color in this ultra-sheer hot pink lip gloss
Ophelia- This high-shine strawberry nectar lip gloss is deliciously sweet and seductive

NARS Purple Rain Nail Polish - $16
This intensely gothic purple is a bright and audacious shade destined to become a modern classic

NARS D. Gorgeous Single Eyeshadow-$23

This dusty lilac powder eyeshadow yields just a hint of flirtation, but never misses its mark



NARS Camargue Duo Cream Eyeshadow-$32

Named for the deep, dancing, sun-cast hues found in the French river delta, this pairing of golden moss and sienna, with multi-colored reflections comes in a soft-blending, glistening cream eyeshadow formula



NARS Kuala Lumpur Duo Eyeshadow-$32

Like its Malaysian city namesake, this perfectly harmonized gold infused rose and boysenberry pairing is influenced by contrasts—rich and subtle, traditional yet modern



NARS Glitter Pencil-$24

This bright sky blue, silver glitter-infused hue delivers powerful, vibrant color that slides on smooth and remains creamy for blending

NARS Holiday 2009

Holiday collection photos are filling my inbox, and, honestly, the weather outside is making that not seem totally ridonculous.

NARS has some super sweet items in the collection, including a deep red lip pencil in Pop Life and shadow pencils in Aigle Noir, a deep black with gold flecks.

Yum....

The Holiday 2009 collection is currently available at narscosmetics.com.

NARS Sheer Matte and Sheer Glow Foundation

I have been faithful to my Kiehl's Tinted Moisturizer for a while, but have been thinking about upgrading my coverage to a full foundation.  When I go, I will definitely check out these new NARS foundations...

NARS SHEER MATTE FOUNDATION - $42

While transparent enough to allow skin’s natural hue to remain visible, it is still matte at heart, which means weightless, luster-free coverage. This velvety oil-free formula boosts brightness and radiance, improving skins texture. Packaged in a stylish frosted bottle, it distinguishes itself from its Sheer Glow counterpart.

NARS SHEER GLOW FOUNDATION - $42

An ideal solution for those looking for a foundation that is more dewy than Sheer Matte. The formula glides on easily and imparts a satin-soft, glowing finish. Skin will even-out and gleam with overall brightness; radiance and sleek texture will be restored.

Available in 20 shades, Sheer Matte and Sheer Glow, will be available at Nordstrom beginning August 1st and on www.narscosmetics.com beginning September 1st.

Branching Out

I've never been a big fan of my toes.

Weird, I know.

But, as a result, I've always veered towards the pale pink colors for pedicure and saved dark for my fingers.

But a while back, I received a sample of NARS nail polish in Chinatown, a dark dark red that I couldn't wait to try out.

But alas!  It was summer and dark nail polish just felt too fall for me.

So I took the plunge and got a pedicure with the bold color.

It's....weird.

I definitely notice my toes more and the color looks great with an open-toed shoe.  The polish itself has stayed chip free and glossy over several weeks, no small feat considering how I abuse my toes on a daily basis.

However, since the weather has taken a turn for the chilly, I think I'll revert back to my comfort zone.

But it was fun while it lasted!

photo courtesy of beauty.com

The L Word

That's right.

Lipstick.

Specifically, which one to wear to my wedding.

There are a lot of things to consider at this point. First of all, I'm usually a gloss girl. I like 'em sheer and shiny. However, I can't say that my future husband is going to look great in pictures wiping a bunch of goo off his mouth the second after the big kiss.

Second, there is the photo factor. I know that shiny can play poorly in photographs and I don't want my lips to be so pale during the wedding that I look washed out in the pictures.

Third, and most importantly, I want to look like me. Not some fantasy version of me where I can pull off a bright crimson mouth like Katherine Heigl at the Oscars, but me me. The girl who wears pink lipglosses like they are going out of style.

So, when the makeup artist gave me a really dark mouth at my trial, the hunt was on for a better alternative.

I searched high and low, looking for the right combination of sheer and rosy to make my mouth look like mine, but better.

A bunch of first attempts at Bergdorf's with my sister failed miserably, although she picked up a few items. I was given corals which made me want to yak and the same deep fuchsia color that the artist gave me.

A few weeks later, I stopped into the Space NK in Scarsdale before the catering tasting (yeah, that's right, my caterer is from Scarsdale. And she is AWESOME. If you want a rec, email me) and tried out a few. I liked a By Terry lipgloss, but the $55 price tag made me cringe a little. I'm kind of absurd when it comes to spending for makeup, but that crosses the line for me.

Next up, the salesperson recommended Talitha lip gloss by NARS.

It's a nice rosy color, deeper than what I'm used to, but my fiance said it didn't look gooey. I believe his actual words were, It wouldn't be terrible to kiss you with that on. True love, people. True love.

But I had my doubts.

So I dragged out every lipgloss hidden in purses around my apartment and started trying on. The winner? Bobbi Brown lipgloss in Hot Pink. Which isn't actually hot pink.

But the gloss factor bothered me. A stop into Blue Mercury revealed that the lip gloss, layered with the Creamy Lipstick in Pink Ballet was a nice combo.

But then again...there is always Black Honey by Clinique.

So, basically, I'm nowhere right now on this. My final dress fitting is today, and I'm planning on bringing the arsenal with me and trying them on while the hemming is done.

I'll let you know...

Wedded Bliss

I spent the past weekend in Michigan attending a good friend's wedding. This also marked the first wedding I've attended out of town where I was not a member of the bridal party and therefore required to participate in multiple events where I was told how to walk, smile, and breathe, so that I don't screw up my friend's pictures forever.

So, while I wandered around the small Detroit suburb of Birmingham with my sister asking people, Rachael Ray-$40-a-Day style, where we could get a pedicure for less than the Devil would pay for my soul, we stumbled upon Todd's Room, a fantastic little beauty shop.

The concept is pretty fantastic. They carry several high end makeup and fragrance lines, like NARS, Fresh, L'Artisan, Becca, and DuWop as well as some offbeat stuff and accessories. Then, in the back, they have makeup artists who do application and lessons.

(Unfortunately not shown on the website, but they have the most adorable graphics)

They also did have a nail technician, but we had already gotten our cheapie mani/pedi, where the technician had actually snipped my sister which lead to many panic attacks that she would get "rabies."

I graciously informed her that was pretty much impossible. Tetanus and staph, on the other hand...

The thought of lip gloss seemed to calm her down and we set about trying on pretty much everything in the store. We both settled on NARS Pillow Talk, a sheer pinky brown color with just a hint of shimmer...and after a scare where the salesgirl could only find one tube...possibly leading to an international family incident we both left with a new look for the wedding.

it doesn't look like this at all. but I love the little tadpole shape.

They also had some products on sale...so I snagged a tube of Essie's gloss-e in Vanity Fairest at half off! It is described as "very twinkly and pinkly" on their website.

I mean, who can resist that?

All in all, the wedding was beautiful and my sister and I had the best lipgloss around...the best part about NARS lipglosses is that they stick around through the tears at the glass smashing, the post ceremony cocktail, and the never-ending slightly awkward toasts. However, pastry flakes from pigs-in-blankets should be approached with trepidation.

photos courtesy of sephora.com and essie.com

Stop It! I'm Blushing!

I've never been one of those people who ever thought I would wear blush. I would turn fuschia when I got called on in law school classes, I have been asked by numerous spin teachers if I have a medical condition since I turn purple after 10 minutes on a bike, and I get sunburned by the light of the moon.

Well, let's just say that none of those looks are particularly attractive. So, in lieu of Mother Nature, I rely on that other goddess of the Earth, Sephora.

I have always stuck to powder blushes, namely NARS in Sin and Orgasm.

But lately, I have been drawn to alternative forms of blushing. I haven't discarded my beloved powders yet, but I'm certainly becoming a fan of something fast and dirty that I can apply with my fingers. Is that weird?

First up, I broke down after my Peter Som lip induced craze and bought the Lancome Magique Blushes in Pink Softness and Feminine Rose. The former is a hot pink, more suitable to going out on the town and deserves to be the center of attention on your face, but the latter is a pale pink with gold sparkles which plays well with others. The texture is kind of like chocolate mousse, it melts onto your fingers and can also be applied with a blush brush. However, sometimes it can be hard to control how much you pick up when you dip into the jar, leaving you open to drastic over-blushing.

Second, I had picked up a tube of Delux Beauty's Flush Stick on sale when Sephora was phasing it out. I was worried I would have to tell you that it was no longer available, but it seems to be all good on their own website. Which is nice, because it's one of my favorites. I wear Fuschia, which isn't nearly as bright as it sounds. It goes on sheerly and gives me a nice natural flush. Not like I sprinted to catch a Metro or anything, more like a brisk walk in the tunnels between House Office Buildings.

Third, the most recent option to enter my life is the DuWop Blush Therapy. It smells like aromatherapy and looks like a Push Pop. What's not to love? It comes in some great pretty shades and goes on lightly and blends easily. I've been using Elixir, which is an almost bricky red, which gives me a sunkissed look, but I've got my eye on Retreat, a soft berry color.

So...I hope I've inspired you to look beyond the compact and get all alterna on your blush's ass. I just wouldn't suggest walking around with your skirt tucked into your tights to acheive that oh-so-cute-aren't-I-embarrassed natural glow.

photos courtesy of lancome-usa.com, duwop.com, sephora.com and deluxbeauty.com