The recent months haven’t been easy. With the Covid restrictions easing up been feeling slightly more anxious about how we move forward now on. One thing that has taken a back seat is blogging, and i’ve also been taking some time off Instagram too. However, if you’ve been missing the makeup reviews, today I have something exciting to share. It’s been a long time coming.
NARS Spring 2020 Cool Crush is all about warmth, definition and pops of colour…. a collection that works all year round.
The Collection consists of,
Cool Crush Eyeshadow Palette
The Hot Fix Cheek Palette
Loaded Lip Lacquer
I received most of the collection and also the Afterglow Lip Balms which were swatched previously on the blog as they launched..
I’ve always been a fan of the NARS blush formula and this new palette is perfectly curated for summer. Top to Bottom we have Sugar Spirit, Dream Place, Spark Got Hot, Gold Leash.
Sugar Spirit is stunning bronze with a delicate tinge of rose, the formula is soft and well pigmented; perfect as a blush topper. Dream Place is a matte neutral brown, Spark Got Hot is a pink satin nude and Gold Leash a buttery smooth champagne gold. The two blushes Dream Place and Spark Got Hot are very softly pressed. The brush produces kick up but the overall application isn’t powdery and gives you buildable colour. I’ve been using Spark Got Hot most days topped with Sugar Spirit. My usual go-to natural mix since I don’t wear much colour day to day.
Swatches,
The Cool Crush Eyeshadow palette contains 12 colours.
The pigmentation in most of the shades are superb and apply smoothly. My favourites are Superclass, Prowl & Feist which were similar to the hardwired sheen finish of the permanent line, they really exceed expectations.
Soft Chill – is a matte cream. The texture ultra soft and blendable.
Sexed – is a silky, pale gold.
Superclass – is a lively shimmery taupe with an incredibly smooth texture.
Nylon – is a matte pink beige.
Fresh Cut – is a warm medium tan with subtle golden shimmer.
Inception – is a teal with golden shimmer.
Prowl – is a metallic rose.
Shake It – is a warm satin peach.
Feist – is a bold rich metallic gold.
Ganges – is a deep matte teal.
Risk – is a matte brick red.
Isolde 2 – is a silky golden bronze and the only shade that’s already a permanent Nars colour.
Overall the palette delivers. The pops of colour give you the option to play, while the neutrals work well for everyday wear.
For the lips, The Cool Crush collection includes 4 Loaded Lip Lacquers. I picked out the two lightest shades. The palest shade (Playin’ Around) is paler than my usual faves, but the formula in these are so easy to wear. If there’s one thing i’ll be reaching for all summer it’s the Young Hearts Loaded Lip Lacquer. The formula is glossy& conditioning, these feel plush and comfortable on the lips. Especially good if you are prone to dry/flakey lips.
Swatches,
I swatched a few of my favourite NARS gloss formulas for a quick comparison. Swing has been one of my favourites for the longest time, and Young Hearts following closely behind.
I also included my go-to NARS Lip Pencils along with the comparisons since a lip liner is essential for full opacity. So far Vence is my pairing combo with Young Hearts. The warmth of Young Hearts gives me a 90’s lip look and I’m loving the combo (it’s what i’m wearing in todays makeup look below).
Sharing a quick look with the collection here; I used the Cool Crush Palette along with Spark Got Hot for the cheeks. I love the pop of teal blue on the lower lashes, so sultry and lifts the bronzy shades on the rest of the eye.
The eyeshadow placements are, Sexed in the inner corner, Isolde 2 on the lid and Ganges layered with Inception on the lower lash line. I’ve also blended the crease with Fresh Cut and Soft Chill.
Bottom line, the collection is gorgeous. I feel the eye palette especially delivers. A variety of looks can be achieved wether subtle or full on glam depending on the mood. Unless you already own many Nars nude palettes, this one’s a great addition. The mix makes it ultra versatile. I especially love that I don’t need to grab additional palettes to make this work, there’s already a great pale matte and shades to contour the socket and add depth. It’s a winner.
From the lips I’d highly recommend Young Hearts, if you enjoy warmer nudes, you might not want to miss this one. Also check out Foxy. I regret not picking that over Playin’ Around after seeing swatches online.
Overall the collection is an A+ . Even though the mattes in the Hot Fix cheek palette could be more pigmented, it’s one of those palettes I’d feel comfortable grabbing for everyday or travel. It’s fool proof and contain solid everyday shades. I LOVE Sugar Spirit especially now that it’s summer. Works as a perfect blush topper (or on it’s own) for warmth and looks beautiful on the eyes as well.
Have you picked up anything from this collection?
Bubbly Michelle 