The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty Blog: NARS Rated R NARS Rated R Posted by Dain, Tuesday, May 10, 2005 7:55 PM (Eastern) This is, in some ways, my favorite Nars duo. I prefer my Nars duos pigmented and shocking. All About Eve has its place, but why would you pay $28 for something that looks like normal skin? Nah, this brilliant, bold duo delivers much more of a punch. I say it's my favorite, "in some ways", because I feel guilty for not saying that Babylon is. But Babylon and Rated R are polar opposites. Babylon has a very distinct character, more like "sunset in Arizona". Overly poetic, perhaps, but Babylon is definitely autumnal, definitely sophisticated, though not in a frowsy, old-fashioned way—Babylon is very modern. Rated R, I would hesistate to describe in such a manner. It defies description. It's very fresh, very chic, but it's not as bold as you might think (on). In the pan, it's grotesquely vivid, but it's a lot more wearable than appearances would have you believe. The only problem with Babylon, is that it looks a bit strange during warmer weather, and makes me look more tired when I'm fatigued, I'm not sure why. Conversely, Rated R would look bizarre in the fall. So, I will say I have two favorites, for for cooler weather, and one for warmer. And then there's Cleo for neutrality. One side is an acidic lime green, with plenty of sparkle scattered in. It's not a shimmer in the sense that, say, Stila Kitten would be a shimmer. That is to say, there are flecks of shimmer in what is essentially a matte base, rather than all the particles being shimmery. Sheer, you just have the subtlest hint of lime-gold sparkles, full strength, it's as it appears in the pan, acidic, bold, and lime, with brilliant lime-gold sparkles. The other side is a cool, vibrant blue, not as sparkly as the lime, but it has its fair share of lighter blue sparkles. Sheer, it's just a shadowy hint of cool blue, with a tone of grey to smooth it out. Full strength, it's a rough, brilliant, blue, one that would be called periwinkle if it were more purple, and pastel. Both are clearly acid tones. It's very nicely pigmented. The colors, if applied full strength, are exactly as you see them in the pan. You can apply them sheerer, of course, with no problem, and the effect is a lot softer. Very modern: bold color, but only a watery hint of it. I imagine it can be worn any number of ways. The one I've had the best success with is with the lime as a liner and the blue on the lid. Yes, I know, it seems counterintuitive. Why not use the lime as a wash (green is more a flattering color than blue) and the blue as a liner? I don't know, but for some reason, the other is prettier. I line thickly with Kyoto pencil (by Nars), a dusky olive slivered with gold, and dust on the lime over it. The Kyoto serves two purposes, it lets the lime "grab on", and it softens it somewhat. More a leaf green, this way, with a vestige of acidity with the lime-gold sparkles. Then, I add a sheer wash of the blue, and I, who always thought she could not wear blue, find this very flattering. If Babylon is a Georgia O'Keeffe, Rated R, applied in this way, is a Van Gogh. 1889 "Irises", in particular. Babylon is like velvet, luxurious and mellow, Rated R is like satin, crisp and fresh. There's something aggressive about Rated R... chic, yes, but irreverent. Rated R doesn't take itself seriously. And neither should you. Of course, Rated R is not for everyone. It is, after all, quite bold. Me wearing Rated R, with Nars Kyoto: The green in the pictures is a lot stronger than it really is, because these are close-ups. To give you a better idea, I've photographed the same look with my sister as a substitute: The colors are brighter on her than on me, for some reason (the lime is a lot limier). And the flash brings out the shades more. 0 Comment(s)    Email this post Rants, raves, and musings on all things cosmetic. Profile | Current Blog Site Feed (Atom) Previous Articles ·· NARS Babylon ·· Stephane Marais Cream Foundation ·· Eye Makeup for Green Eyes #3 ·· Body time... ·· MAC Powersurge! ·· Five Minute Makeup ·· In die Heimat... ·· The importance of skin... ·· Old School Dain Minimalist Purists ·· Minimalism... Archives TheBroadroom.Net's Beauty Blog (archive) April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 Links Colleen's Adult Acne Blog Fashiontribes Daily