NARS Laced With Edge Holiday 2014 | Hardwired Eyeshadow in Opal Coast, Canberra & Gabon

For this year’s Laced with Edge Holiday 2014 Collection, NARS has released three limited edition Hardwired Eyeshadows in a sophisticated array of lustrous jewel-like colours in a powdered pigment formula the delivers intense iridescence. The exterior packaging bears LA-based architectural designer Chris Kabatsi’s intricate computer-generatated algorithm ‘Nebula’ design, a beautifully rendered modern interpretation of lace (also previously shown here and here).

Watch this short clip to see why I’m currently obsessing over Opal Coast

NARS Laced With Edge Holiday 2014 | Hardwired Eyeshadow, Limited Edition (with flash)

Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow, limited edition (CAN $28.00) | Not your average frosty white eyeshadow, Opal Coast leans slightly warm due to the detailed mix of pink and light golden hues in the base. I experience absolutely no powdery kickback with any of these shades upon swirling my brushes through them, neither is there any shimmer falldown. I absolutely love wearing this all over the lid with just a few swipes of mascara – gives eyes that ‘wide-awake’ look and dresses them up just enough to look done, but never overly so.

NARS Laced With Edge Holiday 2014 | Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow (with flash)

NARS Laced With Edge Holiday 2014 | Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow

Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow, limited edition (CAN $28.00) | A dusky purple base hue with slight greyish undertones, combined with a vivid amethyst overtone – a combination that makes it so difficult to accurately capture in photos all the glorious purple-ness that is Canberra. Along the lines of both Kauai, and Jardin Perdu, there’s no denying that NARS creates some of the most complex purple eyeshadows available. A sweep across the lids gives a gorgeous wash of colour, but I find that this shade looks even more impressive when applied to the lower lash line – makes my green eyes really stand out.

*The gouge mark seen on the pan surface was created through my carelessness while taking product photos – and drives my OCD self crazy every time I look at it.

NARS Laced With Edge Holiday 2014 | Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow (with flash)

NARS Laced With Edge Holiday 2014 | Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow

Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow, limited edition (CAN $28.00) |A blackened khaki with ultra fine bronze/gold shimmer for depth. Absolutely delicious for creating an effortless smokey eye, applying Gabon with a damp brush brings this shade to a whole new level of intensified brilliance, and really serves to bring out its elaborate shimmer. Simply too gorgeous, and a shade I find myself reaching for quite a bit lately, especially when I want to add a bit more drama to my eye look.

It should be stated that all three shades display an impressive staying power; applied over primer, they stay perfectly applied until removed, without any fading or creasing.

NARS Laced With Edge Holiday 2014 | Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow

Definitely a far cry from the usual holiday renderings, I love how each shade brings something new to the table – whether worn individually or combined with the others. To pick a favourite amongst the three is useless for me; they are all unique and with such perfect formulas, that they almost apply themselves (wouldn’t that be great?). Opal Coast is that perfect ‘Ice Queen white’, but with subtle touches of warmth (and thus making it more ‘human’), Canberra provides a splash of colour that can be both understated and impactful at the same time, while Gabon redefines a traditional smokey look. For me, these are all must-haves and definitely worth adding to one’s eyeshadow collection.

The NARS Hardwired Eyeshadows from the Laced with Edge Holiday 2014 Collection are available now for a limited time – find more information by visiting www.narscosmetics.com