Color Me Pink | Nars Dolce Vita

A pure pink flush of color on the cheeks and lips is the quintessential pretty face to me. However much you contour, bronze and smoke your eyes out, the satisfaction of a perfectly executed “no-makeup-makeup” look is something else! One such pretty duo from Nars with a hue that spells fall, has been (to my surprise) my go-to pink for a natural look. We are talking about the most celebrated Nars blush-lipstick shade after Nars “O”, Dolce Vita.

The Lipstick : Every time I visit a Nars counter, they have a couple of testers of this lipstick in the stand, and if I don’t read the name first, my hands automatically reach for this one. Rated the most popular Nars lipstick, Dolce Vita is your perfect, everyday, my lips but better lipstick. Its sheer, moisturising, berry pink with warmth and the perfect hue for most complexions. Its an easy “slap-on and go” color which will make you look put together, without distracting the attention from other features. Its not very pigmented but even on my pigmented lips the pay-off is good.

The Blush : If you see this in person, its a deep, berry red in the pan which honestly is quite frightening and to top it, its also insanely pigmented. But don’t be fooled, this blush is perfectly capable of imparting a healthy pink flush on your cheeks with a hint of warmth. It allows you to build the color or wear it sheer, and both ways its beautiful. Its matte with no shimmer and can look very natural if used strategically.

My first purchase was the lipstick a couple of years ago, which was soon followed by the blush. Although the lipstick received its fair share of love, the blush was not that lucky. When I first tried it, the pigmentation coupled with my clumsy blush application, gave me clownish, dark pink cheeks. It was written off instantly!

Now, I wouldn’t say I have mastered my makeup application, but after having acquired a few extra tools, I realized that one way to make the blush work could be with a fluffy or fan brush. That brush that you see in the first picture is from an unknown Korean brand which I had picked for a couple of dollars, and it has served me well!

I touch the brush on the pan and sweep it across my cheekbone. Then dip it again, ever so slightly and add some color just above the brows and on the bridge of the nose. This is my go-to blush application technique, and one which helps tie up the color nicely on my rather large face.

Rest of the makeup, Chanel highlighter, MAC All that glitters on the lid and Soba in the crease. The usual MAC Coffee on the waterline, Dolce Vita on lips and cheeks, and MAC Pro Long wear concealer under the eyes, around the nose and around the mouth.

This color would work on anyone, from the lightest to the deepest complexions. Its a true pink, and based on the intensity and brush used you can make it work on you. Especially for tanned skin tones, this I think can be an amazing everyday blush for a natural flush.. that rhymed!

The wear time of the blush is better than most of the other Nars blushes which I have and even across other brands. When I put it on in the morning around 10, its still there on the cheeks when I remove my makeup around 10 in the evening.

Have you tried Dolce Vita yet? Whats your favorite pink blush and pink lipstick? Let me know! :-)