The Perfect Smokey Eye is just a NARS Palette away
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NARS Smokey Eye Kit Swatches and Review
Many people cite the cat eye as the trickiest eye makeup maneuver. But I’m going to go ahead and give that moniker to the smokey eye. Is it smokey enough? Too smokey? Wait, does this look like I slept in it?! Those are just some of the things I’ve wondered during my attempts for the perfect smokey eye.
But (as with most things) if you have the right tools it’s A LOT easier. Dear readers, I present to you the right tools: NARS Smokey Eye Kit ($59) The limited edition kit, part of their NARSissist line, pairs three NARS eyeshadows, black eyeliner and a brush. The only thing to make it any easier would be for François to come to your house and apply it for you!
The shadows are…
Madrague 1 – light cream-nude (matte)
Bali – medium brown-based cooler taupe (matte)
Mekong – practically black brown with bronze micro glitter (shimmer)
Mekong makes me dizzy with love!
All three shades are buttery soft, finely milled and provide fabulous color payoff. And I do mean fabulous. Mekong and Bali can be bought singly, and Madrague is sold in a duo where it’s paired with a caramel brown. So with the kit, you’re getting 3 shadows for just a bit more than the prize of 2 singles (which are $25 each). For that extra $9 you’re not only getting a 3rd shadow, you’re getting…
Wide Contour Eyeshadow Travel Brush #43 – flat angled brush with a pointed tip
The #43 brush is great for applying a wide sweep of color, perfect for the Madrague 1 base shade. Personally, I prefer getting a bit more fine-tuned when it comes to blending so I use a smaller, denser brush too.
Via Veneto Mini Larger Than Life eyeliner – a creamy, rich inky black
For those unfamiliar with Larger Than Life liner, it’s a goodie. It’s blendable when first applied, then once it’s set, it’s set to stay. This exact kind of liner is as important, if not more so, than shadows when it comes to a smokey eye.
With the NARS Smokey Eye Kit you’ll be well on your way to the perfect smokey eye. François can sit this one out, you got this.
we heartsters – are you a smokey eye novice, master or somewhere in between?
Stef is many things. Amongst them: co-editor of we heart this, photographer, condiment connoisseur, Philly girl in the California desert, borderline hoarder and a hardcore beauty junkie.
skin tone: NC 25/30
skin type: oily with a fear of rosacea
favorite beauty product: high-end skincare and lip products
This looks divine and I am intrigued! I’m definitely a little reticent on wearing a smoky eye; my eyes/lids are small and I feel like there’s not enough real estate available to work with, or something? But these colors are so pretty I feel like I could make it work…
LOVE THIS! I have a harder time getting a good smokey eye with black tones, but this one is so rich with the brown tones, it looks like a beautiful opportunity to create a perfect fall smokey eye….want!!
A smokey eye is my favorite eye look, and I’m pretty good with gray tones. I’ve never mastered the look with brown tones, though, and this kit looks like just the ticket!
What beautiful shades. I’ve always wanted to try NARS and it looks like this compact would be perfect! I love that a brush and eyeliner is included! Off to the department store I go!
I mostly use brown shades for a smoky eye, so this looks like it was made for me–I’m also in love with NARS shadows–this one’s definitely on my wishlist. I have that Via Veneto liner and it’s a great black liner–it lasts a few hours on my oily lids, which is pretty incredible.
I loved this the minute I got the NARS email introducing this product. It looks lovely and the shades look to be just how I like them. I didn’t see it in Sephora the other day so I may have to get one straight from NARS!
I would say I’m decent at putting together a smoky eye. This palette is a lot less gray than I would expect from a smoky eye palette though. It looks pretty and wearable though.