NARS Desperado Nail Polish ($16.00 for 0.5 fl. oz.) is deep yellow gold with a golden-bronze base. NARS describes it as an “antique brass.” I think it’s a gorgeous take on gold–it’s clearly gold but so much deeper and richer. It’s kind of like NARS Etrusque in polish form. This polish is a bit sheer, though; at two coats, it was almost opaque but there was still visible nail line, and the thickness of NARS’ formula made me hesitant to put on a third coat (I also didn’t feel confident that it was going to get me to total opaqueness).
my thoughts on the formula: NARS’ Nail Polish wears a solid week on me with minor tip wear (along with a proper base and top coat, of course). The polish tends to be on the thicker side but not goopy. Desperado had a mix of being thick but seemingly watery, which I imagine is why it was still semi-sheer after two thicker coats.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
Product: 26/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
final thoughts: The color is spectacular; I see it really complementing skin tones with yellow and olive under tones. It’s rich and deep and luxurious. As a polish with a slightly metallic finish, some brush strokes are visible though.
NARS Nouveau Monde Eyeshadow Duo ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) is described as a “metallic silver lilac” and “rich olive gold.” The duo includes a cool-toned lilac with silver-gray shimmer and flecks of larger shimmer (seems smaller than micro-glitter but not as fine as shimmer), which goes on smoothly but a touch sheer; alongside the lilac shade is a khaki olive brown with a smooth, satin finish. The khaki shade has excellent pigmentation and texture–very rich and smooth.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
Product: 26/30
Value: 9/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
final thoughts: It’s an interesting pair of colors–would not have thought to put a lilac and olive brown together at all. Though I was slightly concerned about fall out issues with the lilac shade, due to the more apparent flecks of shimmer-glitter, it seemed minimal at worst.
NARS Wicked Eyeshadow Duo ($32.00 for 0.14 oz.) features a pale, shimmering green with an almost gold shimmer and a brighter pop of chartreuse with soft gold shimmer. The texture is soft, smooth, and the color pay off excellent. I love that you can actually use this duo on its own or mix and match with other eyeshadows you own. It’s also a nice permanent option for spring/summer colors.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
Product: 29/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: This is a fun color combo that will work exceptionally on warmer skin tones. Cooler skin tones can make this work, too, because of the paler green, and it would be nice paired with a cooler blue or teal.
NARS Little Darling Lipstick ($24.00 for 0.12 oz.) is a limited edition light beige nude that applies semi-sheer with a glossier finish. It seems to have more neutral undertones, and on me, it looks like my natural lip color pulls a touch of pink out of it. It has a creamier, slicker feel than other NARS lipsticks have, and it is very comfortable to wear.
NARS Lipstick typically wears four to six hours, with a shade like this lasting just under four. It has a creamier texture that’s moisturizing, and this particular shade is more opaque (some shades can be quite sheer). I didn’t notice any waxy scent, as NARS lipsticks are typically unscented but the scent of the waxy base sometimes come through.
If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ!
Product: 27/30
Value: 8/10
Ease of Use: 4/5
Packaging: 4/5
FINAL THOUGHTS: For lighter skin tones, both cool and warm, I see this being a workable nude. It’s sheer enough that it doesn’t come across too pale, but it has enough color to alter the natural color of your lips.
NARS Manon, UD Ransom, MAC Rich Purple, L’Oreal HIP Violet Volt, MUFE #11L, Tarina Tarantino Amethyst Android, UD Lust
Purple and Violet Eyeliner Comparisons & Dupes
Here is our last eyeliner comparison — blue-based purples!
NARS Manon Eyeliner is a blue-based violet purple. There’s no shimmer, just pure purple. (Review)
Urban Decay Ransom 24/7 Liner is an iridescent violet purple with a pinky undertone. (Review)
MAC Rich Purple Chromagraphic Pencil is a dark, cool-toned purple (Review)
L’Oreal HIP Violet Volt Chrome Eyeliner is a grayed purple with a metallic sheen. (Review
Make Up For Ever #11L Aqua Eyes is a violet purple with a satin sheen. (Review)
Tarina Tarantino Amethyst Android Hyperliner is a violet purple with a satin sheen. It is slightly bluer than Make Up For Ever #11L. (Review)
Urban Decay Lust 24/7 Liner is a medium-dark, blue-based violet. It is bluer and darker than Make Up For Ever #11L. (Review)
Thoughts
DUPE ALERT! NARS Manon Eyeliner is a lighter version of MAC Rich Purple Chromagraphic Pencil.
DUPE ALERT! Makeup For Ever #11L Aqua Eyes is a slightly more purple (less blue) than Urban Decay’s Ransom 24/7 Liner–they are the closest in terms of color here, though.
Formula/Wear: NARS Eyeliner is the only one that I have any issues with based on my experience–it just smudges, migrates, and generally is a mess on me but many readers had positive experiences (and others who had similar experiences to mine), so I recommend reading the review for a fuller perspective. MAC’s Chromagraphic Pencil is one of the longest wearing pencils I’ve come across and incredibly pigmented, too.
