Taj Mahal

Okay when you see the words, "Taj Mahal" you probably think of this majestic landmark:

or for my South Jersey readers this:

I keep begging my husband to take me to Atlantic City, NJ since he is from NJ...

Okay the Taj Mahal I'm talking about today is this guy:

NARS (surprise, surprise)
Taj Mahal (permanent item) blush is described as a burnt orange shimmer and it's just that - a lovely dark orange shimmer that doesn't have any chunky glitter or fallout. It is an intense color, very pigmented. I suggest you dip your brush on to the color, tap excess and then apply lightly (I like using a fluffy blush brush - I'm still experimenting with what brush I like best). It gives me the best glow - not coming from a traditional bronzer.

(NC42 for reference)

I know it looks intense based on the swatch alone.

But with the right blush and control, you get a nice glow:





I did pop a bit of Laguna Illuminator below and above my cheekbones - I'm starting to like this Illuminator that I wrote off sometime ago.

I wish I would have picked this up sooner. But in reality it wasn't that long ago that I went out of the house blush-less. I know hard to believe, but I was scared of applying incorrectly but after being influenced by my little sister's blush obsession and hours of practice. I fully embrace blush and I won't leave the house without it (except for running to the gym on weekend mornings). And I'm on to my new obsession - layering blushes! I also love doing a sculpted cheek involving: highlighter, bronzer and color. When I take the time to do this properly, I always get asked if I lost weight and that is my measure of a job well done!

Retail - $27/USD
I purchased this at Nordstrom.

Available at department stores carrying the NARS line, as well as Sephora and NARS site itself.

Hey, have you guys met GILDA?

Today I wanted to share my favorite blush in my collection, NARS' Gilda. She's no quiet peach. She's a real seductive matte peach/coral.

Here's a quick swatch on my (NC42) wrist:

There is no shimmer just peachy goodness! It's pretty long wearing on me - I can bike through a lunch time Spin class and I'll still see a trace of it before washing my face. Well it could also be the fact that climbing an imaginary hill in my head makes me a bit red in the face. Also, a good foundation primer helps too. I have been using LM oil-free primer religiously.

It brings a peachy warmth to my face. I really love this blush the most in my collection. Some people and editorials really rave about the Orgasm blush and yes, while it is pretty  it just doesn't do much for me. This on the other hand has more pigment to give me a warm glow. If I add more it'll take on a light coral color on me.

Yup, it helps me channel this famous Gilda:

Why don't I own any long black dresses like this? Oh right, it's not 1946 and I'm not Rita Hayworth. 

Gilda blush is part of the NARS permanent collection.
Retail - $27


Image provided by doctormacro.com