My love-affair with Nars makeup goes way back. From even before I started modeling, I worked briefly in a store that sold very expensive, non-American, hard to find makeup and beauty products. One of the makeup lines they sold was Nars. At this time, Nars wasn't as well known as it is today, but a select few (the elite) still came regularly to our store to buy Nars makeup. Today, Nars has become very widely known and is sold in all luxury stores (almost). The funny thing is, Francois Nars (the creator) is a Frenchman, however, Nars is so much more known in the US than in France. Don't ask me why, because I don't know and this review is not about that. I just thought it was funny.
Getting back to my story, I started testing out a lot of the Nars makeup on myself when there were no clients in the store (actually, we spent almost all day doing that there, it was really fun), and it soon became my favorite brand. It would have been too expensive for me, but we got a pretty good store discount, and then I think I even took a tester or two, but don't tell anyone (I had to practice using the makeup at home). Anyhow, I was shopping around for a great blush one day, a few months after I had quit, and I remembered that right before I had quit, Nars had come out with this great blush, that we never got to see because it was always sold out and they weren't producing them fast enough. The name of this blush was ORGASM.
Orgasm... what an interesting name for a blush. I think it's the name that sold this color actually. I mean, wouldn't you buy a blush, excluding the color, with this name on it? Maybe it was that I didn't have a boyfriend at the time, or maybe the color was exactly what I was looking for. Let's just let the past rest. My love-affair with Nars Blush -- Orgasm has now lasted over six years. I've never had such a long relationship in my life; maybe it's the good sex?
The color and what it looks like on:
My blush is called Orgasm, and it is the most popular of the powdered blushes from Nars' collection. It is a mix of pink, peach and gold. So depending on what your skin color is, it looks mighty different. If it's winter time, and I am pale as a ghost, it roses up my cheeks with quite a pick hue and gives them a gold shimmer, but if I am tanned (I really don't get that tanned though), it gives a peachier color with a gold shimmer. However, the pigmentation isn't that strong so if you are dark skinned, I'm afraid you will only get the gold shimmer part.
The other Nars Blush colors available:
- Taos
- Amour
- Crazed
- Deep Throat
- Desire
- Exhibit A
- Lovejoy
- Mata Hari
- Ninotchka
- Outlaw
- Passion
- Plaisir
- Sin
- Taj Mahal
- Torrid
- Angelika
- Zen
The consistency:
This is a compact powder blush, so in this case, it is solid. However, since the gold is heavier then the rest of the colored powder, I recommend you break it up a bit, that way more of the powder gets onto your brush.
The different ways I get to Orgasm:
I like using all of my makeup for different things, but I especially use this one a lot on different parts of my face, I don't just restrict the use to my cheeks. On my cheeks, I like to either stroke it from my ears down my cheekbones towards my mouth, but I think the best way to use this color is by making circles on your cheeks, closest to the center of your face, because it is a pinky color, and pinky colors are worn best like you see them on dolls' faces. I also love to use this blush as an eyeshadow, because it is suttle, but enough for night-time wear. And I also use it as a lip color on certain occasions, and then mix it with clear gloss to add a little pale color to my lips with a hint of gold.
The container:
I've always loved the Nars containers because they are always so sleek looking. This is a very thin, but wide container, black, with NARS written in white and Nars containers (blushes, eyeshadows type) always have a mirror inside, which is always helpful.
The ingredients:
Talc, Polyethylene, Zinc Stearate, Silica, Tricaprylin, Caprylic/CapricTriglyceride, Cera Alba (Beeswax), PEG-150 Distearate, Lanolin, Laureth-4, Tocopherol, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Ascorbyl Palmitate, May Contain: Mica, CI 77491, 77492, 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 77007 (Ultramarines), CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 75740 (Carmine), CI 77163 (Bismuth Oxychloride), CI 15850 (Red 6, Red 7 Lake), CI 45410 (Red 28 Lake), CI 17200 (Red 33 Lake), CI 45370 (Orange 5), CI 19140 (Yellow 5 Lake), CI 15985 (Yellow 6 Lake), CI 42090 (Blue 1 Lake)
Nars taglines:
About the blush: "Translucent, natural shades, each with a subtle pink for natural blush undertone, created to highlight the complexion."
General: "Francois Nars quest for excellence, combined with his own taste for simplicity and modernism, led him to create his own line of makeup. His collection of the highest quality cosmetics created for the modern woman, is classical and edgy, yet audacious and sober. With the purity and brilliance of textures and a strong, dynamic sense of color, Nars defines the future. Now, you can define your own style and simply be yourself."
The price (is not right):
It is a bit expensive for my taste. I think everywhere you go you will find Nars blush in Orgasm at the same price -- they are pretty regular about their prices. I got mine for $22.50, and I noticed it listed the same prices on www.beauty.com and www.sephora.com. I think I would have a hard time spending this much regularly, but the last time I bought this was two years ago, and I still have a bit left, even though I use the blush pretty regularly.
Where you can find it:
- www.beauty.com
- www.sephora.com
- Sephora stores
- Neiman Marcus stores
- Saks Fifth Avenue stores
- Blue Mercury (in Washington DC)
So I think even though this is a pricey buy, remember it is a luxury brand, but in the long run, it is well-worth it for a beautiful blush, with a different color than you will find anywhere else. I even bought the makeup book by Nars (which is much better than Kevin Aucoin's) and it gives you a few different ways to wear this blush. Check it out.
What it is:A soft, sheer pressed powder blush.What it does:NARS Blush offers a range of translucent, natural shades, each with a subtle pink for natur...More at Sephora
NARS Orgasm Blush is the rarest of products - one that works with every skin tone and shade. The very sheer peachy pink hue is universally flattering!...More at beauty.com
Named Best Powder Blush in InStyle magazine's "Best of Beauty" (April 2008). As featured in InStyle magazine's Best Beauty Buys. Specially formulated ...More at Saks Fifth Avenue
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