Steven Klein X NARS | Dead of Summer & Despair Limited Edition Palettes

The Steven Klein X NARS collaboration, or what do you get when you cross a makeup artist with a controversial photographer, is a collection filled with unique – and totally wearable – colour concepts, including these two palettes: Dead of Summer (that comes with 4 Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows & a travel-size eyeliner) and Despair (made up of 4 blush shades and a travel-size brush). Each palette offers a well-curated selection of colours (most never-before-seen from this brand) and as if that weren’t enough, the riveting packaging also turns these into display-worthy objets d’art. But don’t take my word for it (or actually, you should) – read on for more details.

Follow @ommorphia YouTube ♦ Instagram ♦ Facebook ♦ Twitter ♦ Pinterest ♦ Bloglovin’

Also reviewed from this collection:

Steven Klein X NARS | Dead of Summer and Despair Palettes

Steven Klein X NARS | Dead of Summer Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow Palette

Dead of Summer Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow Palette, Limited Edition (CAN $60.00) | The Dual-Intensity range of eyeshadows offer high-intensity pigments with the ability to be worn either dry (straight from the pan) or applied with a dampened brush for increased colour voltage. Incredibly fine-milled, they exhibit very little powdery kickback upon swirling a brush through them, while each also has very complex and multi-dimensional shimmer that adds depth of tone and an overall richness not usually seen with conventional eyeshadows. The texture on all is so buttery soft, that it lends them superior blend ability and with an equally impressive staying power, in particular when worn over primer. Seriously, these shades need to be seen live and in action to fully understand their effect.

Studly – pale burnished gold
Stag Film – silvered lavender
Subra – blackened orchid, part of the permanent range
Blackmail – deep graphite

Steven Klein X NARS | Dead of Summer Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow Palette

Steven Klein X NARS | Dead of Summer Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow Palette swatches (in sunlight and alternate light, applied dry – top row, and damp – bottom row)

Steven Klein X NARS | Dead of Summer Dual-Intensity Eyeshadow Palette

Via Veneto Larger Than Life® Long-Wear Eyeliner (travel size) | A deep ebony hue in a texture that is almost suede-like; smoothly applying and literally glides along the skin – a plus, as it won’t tug or pull on any sensitive areas. You do have about a minute to smudge and/or blend the colour out before it sets because after that, it’s there until removed. Bonus: the retractible format means you never need to sharpen the tip and the contents always stay pristine (just don’t lose the cap!).

Steven Klein X NARS | Via Veneto Larger Than Life® Long-Wear Eyeliner swatches (in sunlight – left, and alternate light – right)

Steven Klein X NARS | Despair Cheek Palette

Despair Cheek Palette, Limited Edition (CAN $80.00) | Well known for their blushes (such as cult fave Orgasm, of which I’ve gone through 4 already), these shades are all spectacular performers. With the exception of Nico – that seems more highlighter than blush to me, although an argument can be made for layering it over any other shade to create a customized colour – all display an incredible level of saturation and you really need a little to have it go a long, long way. With their velvety-smooth texture, these blushes are ridiculously easy to blend into the skin for a seamless look, and continue to look as good at the end of the day as when first applied. Bonus: you can also mix any of these shades to create an entirely new colour.

Mini Ita Kabuki Brush | A travel-sized version of one of NARS most popular makeup brushes (the full-size version retails for CAN $67.00), the bristles here are luxuriously soft and of a good enough length to enable an effortless application for any of the blush shades. Turning it along its side, this brush can also be used for contouring in a pinch, making it as versatile as it is beautiful.

Nico – natural glow (equally warm and cool leaning), tricky to pull off as a blush but makes an amazingly subtle highlighter, part of the permanent range
Savage – rouge coral, warm leaning but can be made to work on paler complexions if diffused lightly onto the skin
Ferocious – primrose, can be worn by all complexions, provides a naturally flushed look to the skin
Esoteric – gilded apricot, will beautifully compliment darker complexions (as well as tanned skin) and can add sheen to tops of cheekbones when paired with another shade

Steven Klein X NARS | Despair Cheek Palette swatches, applied dry (top row) and damp (bottom row), shown in direct sunlight and alternate light

Steven Klein X NARS | Despair Cheek Palette

Steven Klein X NARS | Limited Edition Palettes

So far, everything I’ve tried out from the Steven Klein X NARS Holiday Collection has been majorly impressing me, including all the palettes – and I’m not usually a palette-girl, for that matter. For those new to the Dual-Intensity Eyeshadows, the Dead of Summer quartet is an excellent introduction to the range, offering a multitude of looks that you can create with just these four hues (perk: by being able to apply them damp, it’s like getting double the eyeshadows), while Despair (the palette, not the emotion) with its generously sized shades, makes changing your blush look on the go effortless – perfect for all those after-office parties happening at this time of year. And I don’t need to tell you that they both make amazing Christmas gifts too, right? (even though I just did).

Both the Dead of Summer and Despair palettes are available through The Bay & thebay.com, Holt Renfrew and Nordstrom stores across Canada. Find more information via www.narscosmetics.com