Most Wanted: NARS x Pierre Hardy Blush in “Rotonde”

Sometimes, just sometimes, collaborations turn out to be worthwhile

I generally find designer collaborations to be a bit… ill considered, to say the least. It seems everyone wants to throw their name on everything in the pursuit of some quick cash. But NARS collaborations have historically been the exception to the rule, so I was willing and eager to give the Pierre Hardy for NARS collection a test run.

Now, I’ve been an “Orgasm” diehard for years. I consider it the blush of all blushes. I don’t stray easily when I’m that committed to a product, so I honestly wasn’t expecting too much from the NARS x Pierre Hardy blushes. I especially wasn’t expecting to like “Rotonde,” a tiger lily shade I thought would be much too orange for my complexion.

I was wrong.

Inspired by Hardy’s Summer 2013 shoe collection, Rotonde is a spectacular shade that packs “high voltage” pigment with a hint of gold glitter while still managing to be as universally flattering as they come. This is not a shy product– when they say it has intense colour, they mean it. So tread lightly unless you want glow sticks for cheekbones; the tiniest brush of Rotonde will brighten your complexion and give it that summer spirit. (But don’t worry too much; the blush is somewhat foolproof in that, even if you apply a bit too much, it blends easily into a natural flush).

Obligatory ‘this is what the product looks like on human skin’ selfie

While it can be a dangerous game to get attached to limited edition products, even one package of Rotonde should last you for the long haul. It comes in a 13g compact ($48) as compared the blushes in NARS’ regular line, which retail in 4.8g compacts ($32). So you get almost three times as much product for just a little more cost and, like I said, you need to use only the littlest bit each day to get a look that really pops. I’m talking years of blush here.

The Pierre Hardy for NARS collection also includes a range of nail polish duos and another shade of blush called “Boys Don’t Cry.” All products will be available May 1 at NARS retailers and narscosmetics.ca. 

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Sabrina Maddeaux is Toronto Standard’s managing editor. Follow her on Twitter at @sabrinamaddeaux.

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