Look of the Day: Isolde's Exorcism

Hi, everyone! In my previous post I shared with you the items I picked up during the recent Sephora Holiday VIB Sale. The haul ended up taking on a theme of berry and golden hues and I was super eager to put my new goodies to work! Today's Look of the Day highlights two of those products- NARS Duo Eye Shadow in Isolde and Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Exorcism. 

Being a huge lover of warm, golden eye shadows, it's amazing that the NARS Isolde duo had stayed off my radar for so long. It features a pair of near-metallic hues, which NARS describes as "frosted ginger" and "shimmering copper". I'd describe them as a warm fiery gold and a bronzed copper. For this look, I applied the lighter gold all over my eyelid, blending up to the crease, as well as along my lower lash line for some extra glow. I then swept the darker copper in my crease and on the outer corners of the eyes, blending out to create a subtle 'v' shape. For the eyeliner, I opted for something in the same colour family, Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Bourbon, a rich bronze. 

I then painted my lips with Kat von D Exorcism liquid lipstick, which the brand describes as a "ripe blackberry" shade. I'd say that it first applies as a rich berry tone and, as it is layered, it takes on more of a blackened purple hue. I did find the application of the lipstick to be a bit patchy, which caused me to apply more than I would have liked in an attempt to even things out. Despite this, the product never felt tacky, tight, or heavy on the lips. I quite like the texture! To add extra dimension to the lips, which can look flat with such a matte product, I patted a mix of the Isolde shadows in the centre of my bottom lip.

Since the eyes and lips were the central focus, I wanted to keep the skin fresh and natural. I chose a pale, matte coral blush, the lovely Illamasqua Powder Blush in Tremble. To add some glow, I swept Becca's Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop (from my newly acquired Champagne Glow Palette-review coming soon) to the tops of my cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose. I can now see why this highlighter has received so much hype! It's the perfect gilded champagne. 

Here are close-ups of both NARS Isolde and Kat von D Exorcism, followed by swatches of each: 

(L-R): Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick, NARS Duo Eye Shadow in Isolde

The Breakdown:

Foundation: YSL Fusion Ink Foundation in BR20 Pinky Beige
Concealer: Inglot Under Eye Concealer in Shade #95 (on dark circles) and Cle de Peau Concealer in Ivory (on redness and blemishes)
Powder: Rimmel Stay Matte Long-Wearing Pressed Powder in 011 Creamy Natural  (on t-zone) and Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim Light (lightly all over)
Blush: Illamasqua Powder Blush in Tremble
Highlighter: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Champagne Pop

Brows: Anastasia Brow Powder Duo in Taupe and Tinted Brow Gel in Caramel
Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion Original formula
Eye Shadows: NARS Duo Eye Shadow in Isolde (lighter gold shade all over the lid and along the lower lash line, deeper copper shade in the crease and on the outer corners of the lid and lower lash line) and The Body Shop Colour Crush Eye Shadow in Oh, Honey (on the brow bone and inner corners as a highlight)
Eyeliner: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Bourbon
Mascara: The HotShop Long Lash Mascara (from the Born Pretty Store)

Lipstick: Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipstick in Exorcism with a touch of NARS Isolde (both shades) patted in the centre of the lips

And a few more shots of the look:

And one final shot to demonstrate the beauty of Champagne Pop: 

Overall, my first play around with these products was a success! The shadows in the Isolde duo could not be more beautiful- from the pigmentation to the finish, they are perfection! My only caution is that they are very warm-toned, so those with cooler complexions might find them too yellow. Also, I was a bit discouraged by the patchiness of Exorcism, but given that the texture ended up feeling so comfortable on the lips, I have a feeling that a bit of balm underneath would patch this right up. And as hesitant as I was to jump on the Champagne Pop bandwagon- consider me a convert! This stuff is pure ethereal goodness. 

Is this a makeup look that you'd wear? Have you tried any of the products I've featured? Do you have any favourite NARS Duo Eye Shadows or Kat von D Everlasting Liquid Lipsticks?

Thanks for stopping by! xo