Photo finish: NARS Sarah Moon holiday collection for 2016

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One of my favourite things about the holiday season is definitely all the special-edition collections and sets that the beauty brands release.

I love stopping by department stores and Sephora to see all these beautiful sets and products, and start making a wish list of all the items I would love to unwrap.

NARS recently released their holiday collection at the beginning of the month and it’s a collaboration with fashion photographer Sarah Moon. This limited edition collection, inspired by iconic cinema, is full of gorgeous items and collectible sets that I’m sure are quickly making their way onto every makeup collector’s wish list.

The collection features four Moon Matte Lipsticks (C$36 each), two blushes (C$38 each), two duo eyeshadows (C$44 each), two kohl liners (C$32 each), two pairs of eyelashes (C$25 each), three nail polishes (C$26 each), and nine gifting sets (prices vary).

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NARS was super bomb and sent over a blush, a nail polish, and one of the sets from this iconic collection to try out and review.

Impudique is a pink red blush, a little darker in tone than their iconic Orgasm and leaning more on the red side than pink. NARS blushes are a must for anyone’s collection and this one in particular is so perfect for winter since it gives you that perfect flushed look.

If you are fair skinned like me, I would recommend applying this with a light hand, since the colour is very bright, and although I love rosy cheeks, you want it looking natural, as opposed to clown-like.  The other blush, Isadora is a lavender pink and I think it would be more suitable for lighter skin, whereas Impudique would look amazing for those with a darker skin tone.

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All three of the nail polishes that NARS has released for this collection are different shades of red. I received La Dame En Noir, a deep burgundy shade. The two other are Never Tamed (geranium) and FlinFlons (pink red).  This was my first foray into NARS nail polishes and I was very happy with the formulation and application. The colour was opaque in one coat, although I did do two just out of habit. The brush is on the wider side, so it’s easy for the colour to coat the whole nail. I used the Formula X base and top coat wth this and the colour lasted almost a week with a few chips here and there.

Red shades are notorious with the holidays, so although this isn’t the most show-stopping colour out there, it’s so seasonally appropriate and would like a fantastic stocking stuffer (let’s be honest, who wouldn’t love a NARS nail polish?!).

All of the packaging for these items have the iconic NARS logo, as well as Sarah Moon name beside it.

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Finally, I got to try out one of the gifting sets.  NARS really went above and beyond with these, not so much for the products, but the packaging.

I got the Get Real Audacious Eye and Lip Set (C$60 at Hudson’s Bay, Holt Renfrew, and Nordstrom), which includes two mini Audacious Lipsticks in Leslie (cherry brown) and Bette (bordeaux), as well as a full-size Black Moon Audacious Mascara. These products come housed in the most beautiful glass box, which features a futuristic photo of a woman in the top of the lid underneath frosted glass. The top comes off and there’s this silver band around the box.

For me, this set isn’t about the products (although they are amazing), but instead about the box. This thing has some major weight to it and is so stunning and well made. Although there are a few different sets in this collection (like a blush palette, eyeshadow palette, lip gloss set, etc.), it looks like there are only three sets which feature a keepsake box of some kind.

NARS is always a good idea if you’re looking for a makeup gift and this set is just so stunning and mature that really any of these items would make anyone’s heart flutter if they received them this holiday season.

Are any items from the NARS x Sarah Moon collection on your list?

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