Zen FOTD

Now that the step-son has choofed off back to France, I can get back into the spare room. I was putting some clothes away and spotted a box of makeup that I don’t use much (a small box, promise). I ferreted through and found Nars’ Zen blush. Really, it’s more like a bronzer and you know how I love bronzers.

I’ve been wanting to lay my hands on the famous Laguna bronzer by Nars but stop short at the price. From memory, it was around AUD$50-60 back in Oz, possibly more. I think that Nars is available at Mecca Cosmetica here in Christchurch (at Ballantynes) but I’m just not willing to pay an arm and a leg for a bronzer that could be too muddy on my pale skin.

So Zen…when on earth did I buy it and why haven’t I used it? No idea. It’s a lovely warm pecan shade. A sort of peach brown, matte powder. Hard to describe. Because I don’t own Laguna; I can’t compare. But I thought it looks light enough for my pale skin so why not drag it out and do a FOTD.

I’ve now been using it for a week. Love it. I also dragged out a MAC eyeshadow quad but can’t tell you what the colours are. Don’t know about you but the writing on all my MAC products seems to disappear.

Anyway. Here’s what I used.

FACE

• Primer is Too Faced Primed & Poreless Skin Smoothing Face Primer. I wouldn’t say it’s the best primer I’ve ever used but it does a good enough job. It has a thick texture and glides on well but I don’t think I’d repurchase. I’ll search for another primer and have my eyes on Revlon’s PhotoReady Perfecting Primer.

• Innoxa Pure Mineral Loose Foundation in Fair. I initially didn’t like this foundation mainly because of the container design, which I find clunky. Despite this, I’ve grown to like it. Unlike some mineral powders, I find this one stays put all day and there are no blotches. The colour seems to adapt to my natural skin tone and the powder is silky and lightweight. It conceals redness very well and coverage is great, especially when applied with Bare Escentuals Flawless application brush. Will definitely repurchase.

• Concealer is Thin Lizzy concealer creme in Miss Von Dita. I think this is my fifth tube. LOVE it. It’s a beeswax formulation and coverage is excellent. I use it mainly around the nose, chin and cheeks – anywhere with a bit of redness.

• Powder – I used the mattifying powder in Sephora’s Sculpting Disc, which I picked up in Rome. It’s a soft-textured powder that I use on the T-zone. The colour looks a little odd but it’s translucent. I think this disc only comes in the one shade but it’s perfect for pale to light skins. Can’t travel with it as it’s HUGE and I don’t think the powder is better than my HG – Maybelline’s Dream Matte pressed powder in Light.

EYES

• I used the mysterious MAC eye shadows. The two on the top row of the palette – the light shade as a base and the other as a crease colour. Then I used Half Baked from the Naked2 palette to add a bit of warmth to the middle eye area and I used Darkhorse as a liner and smudged a bit around the eyes. On the browbone, I used Too Faced Absolutely Invisible Candlelight powder. As a primer, I used my HG – MAC’s Painterly Paint Pot.

• Mascara is L’Oreal Voluminous in Carbon Black. Not sure what to say about this mascara. I’ve read about it on a lot of beauty blogs – how it’s supposed to be fabulous. So I bought it at Sephora in Rome and, quite frankly, meh. I much prefer Revlon’s Grow Luscious, which I seem to turn to a lot.

• Brows I filled in with another MAC eye shadow. But the name has long since worn off – it could be Swiss Chocolate or Embark.

BRONZER & BLUSH

• My new friend – NAR’s Zen blush. It has no shimmer, glimmer or sparkle. The powder is velvety, glides on and blends easily. Imparts a honey hue and is a wonderful everyday, neutral blush.

• For a bit more warmth, I used e.l.f. Studio Contouring Blush & Bronzer Duo (which is said to be a dupe of the NARS’ Orgasm and Laguna duo). The blush is a peachy pink with subtle gold shimmer and I applied a touch to the apple of the cheeks.

LIPS

• A slick of old Hollywood glamour – Elizabeth Taylor Luxury Lip Gloss 03 Peach Satin. I really like the soft coral colour and high shine.

The mysterious MAC eyeshadow quad. Great neutral colours.

Naked2 palette; Sephora Sculpting Disc; e.l.f. Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder; Nars’ Zen blush.

Nars’ Zen blush.

I’m wearing a pair of Jacqueline Singh earrings I picked up in Paris.