NARS Nouveau Monde Duo Eyeshadow for Spring 2011

I was pleased to find a NARS eye shadow for spring that I really like! After the debacle of the Calanque Trio Eyeshadow, I was hopeful that the Nouveau Monde Duo Eyeshdow ($33) would be everything I expected. It was - and more! The two colors are gorgeous, and the texture is perfect.

A rich brown-olive gold is highlighted by a shimmering silver lilac. Wear each shade solo or use one as a base and the other as an accent or highlight - the combination is striking. I was wary of the silver lilac. I have a difficult relationship with lavender-toned shadows. This one is an ice blue-lavender - in a class of its own among the "lavender" shadows I have purchased in the last year or two.

Here is a swatch photo of both shades, taken indoors in morning sunlight. I applied the silver lilac shade unevenly. Have no fear (after Calanque), it's a nice shadow that applies evenly and with ease, leaving shimmering color, not just shimmer. No crumbles, no fallout! I think the base shade of Calanque was an aberration. I really don't know what happened with NARS' production, but I was pleased to see that Nouveau Monde's texture was perfect.

Isn't the silver lilac color beautiful? When you apply it over the whole lid below the crease and use the deep brown-toned olive as an accent or in the crease, the combination creates a stunning look. The olive shade is no slouch itself. It has warmth, depth, and a subtle shimmer that makes it light up the eyes. I am very happy with both shades in this duo.

You can purchase Nouveau Monde by itself at NARS counters, the NARS Web site, or Sephora. Or, you can buy Sephora's Front Row Set, which includes it, along with three other nice pieces: an Eyeliner Stylo in Nuits Blanches, an Orgasm Lip Gloss, and a mini-Multiple in Palm Springs. I recommend the set, which I purchased. It costs $59, but gives you $97 worth of makeup.

Photo at top courtesy of NARS