NARS Summer 2008: Exotica

Last month, NARS introduced its summer 2008 color collection: Exotica.

Encapsulating the wildness of sensuality, Exotica features a sultry palette of edgy neutrals that evoke intense carnal desire. Nude pigments in luscious textures impart sinful mystique, capturing the essence of the elegant seductress. Shades of matte ecru and bitter chocolate with golden accents enliven eyes with mesmerizing intrigue, while hues of sparkling mauve, succulent cherry red and sheer brandy give lips intense passion.


As the name implies, Portobello Duo Eyeshadow is comprised of two mushroomy shades. The first is a matte ecru and the other, a soft matte mushroom. Neither of these shades showed up well on my tan skin, but they would be gorgeous everyday shadows for lighter ladies.


Unconditional Love Duo Cream Eyeshadow is a matte seafoam paired with a soft shimmering copper. These creams tend to crease, so prep the eyelid with a primer before applying (here’s one I recommend).


Supervixen Lip Gloss is a sheer sparkling mauve – a great universal nude color.


Misbehave Lip Gloss is a sheer cherry red with gold glitter flecks. The glitter is a little bit bigger than what you’re probably used to, so be sure to try before you buy.


Mindgame Lipstick is a sheer brandy. It’s moisturizing, and a great choice for when you decide to play up your eyes and keep the mouth understated, but polished.


Dolce Vita Velvet Matte Lip Pencil combines the convenience of a pencil with the application of a lipstick in a jumbo-size crayon design. If you love the dusty mauve color, but aren’t thrilled with the matte texture, this bestselling shade is also available as a lipstick and a gloss.


Roman Holiday Velvet Matte Lip Pencil is a delicate pastel pink. This shade is feminine and pretty, but how many people can pull off pastel pink without looking like a blast from the past (namely, the 80s)? Not many is my guess.


Last, but not least, is my favorite product from Exotica – one that I know you’ll love a lot-ica. Galapagos Single Eyeshadow is the most divine shadow I’ve seen all year. If I could dream up my ideal eyeshadow, it wouldn’t come close to Galapagos’ bitter chocolate infused with gold. I'm just not that creative. Dust it all over the lid, or apply with a fine brush to line the eye. Galapagos is so hot that you’ll want to buy more than one, just in case.