When I was playing with the product, the gold shimmer seemed like an over-spray, so I dusted it away with a large, fluffy brush, and the majority of it disappeared. There were some residual shimmer particles that remained over the entire surface, but after scraping away some of the bronzer shade later on, it looked nearly matte.
I applied the center color like a blush onto the apples of cheeks, and then I applied the darker, bronzer shade as more of a contour and darkening shade. The center shade had good color payoff, but it’s the kind of color that is going to show up better on fairer complexions than mine–if you mix it as a way to lighten or soften the darker ring of color, the combination would show up on medium skin tones.
The darker color also had good pigmentation, and it can be lightened by mixing it with the center shade. The powder as a whole had a smooth, velvety feel–very finely-milled and blendable without being powdery. Terra Nerolia wore eight hours well on me, and then after nine hours, there was some light fading. This powder is heavily scented with Guerlain’s tiare flower scent (like the Terracotta line), which is a very strong floral fragrance to me. I don’t smell it as much when it is applied, but it wafts from the compact quite noticeably. This is also a huge compact filled with bronzer, so it will last you quite awhile (maybe a lifetime?).
If you prefer more natural and matte finishes to your bronzers, you'll like Terra Nerolia's finish, which is mostly matte (especially after a few swipes to remove the over-spray) but not powdery or chalky. Both shades are true-to-pan and have a lovely, silky texture that makes them easy to blend and diffuse on the skin.
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
9.5/10
Texture
10/10
Longevity
9.5/10
Application
5/5
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Where to Buy
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Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
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NARS Vertebra Nail Lacquer Pair ($29.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is described as a “coral” and “dusty rose.” Each nail lacquer duo comes in a “shoebox” with a NARS dustbag. The individual polishes don’t have names, but one is labeled as “Left” and the other as “Right” (building off the inspiration, which was Pierre Hardy’s spring shoe collection). However, each bottle is a full-sized bottle (0.50 fl. oz.), like regular NARS’ polishes, which retail for $19.00 normally–so the set is priced at $29.00 but has a value of $38.00. I typically get a week of wear out with very minor tip wear and no chipping with NARS’ formula.
Vertebra (Left) is a warm, pink-tinted coral cream. It was opaque in two coats, and I didn’t have any issues during application–no streaking, bubbling, or pooling along the edges. The consistency was nicely balanced so it wasn’t too thick or too thin. Butter London Trout Pout is a smidgen lighter. Essie Tart Deco is lighter. Essie Haute as Hello is similar. China Glaze Pink Plumeria is brighter and pinker.
Vertebra (Right) is a rosy, beige-brown with a cream finish. It applied beautifully with even, opaque color in two coats, and there were no streaks or bubbles in sight. The consistency was just slightly on the thicker side but not in any way that impeded application. Nubar Taffeta is darker. Barielle Cashmere or Loose Me is darker, warmer.
This duo was the best-performing out of the six pairs NARS is launching in the collection. Both shades applied well, had great color payoff, and were easy to work with. The rosy brown had an ever-so-slightly thicker consistency.
Product
9.5/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9.5/10
Longevity
10/10
Application
5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
NARS Venemous Nail Lacquer Pair ($29.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is described as a “gunmetal” and “black.” Each nail lacquer duo comes in a “shoebox” with a NARS dustbag. The individual polishes don’t have names, but one is labeled as “Left” and the other as “Right” (building off the inspiration, which was Pierre Hardy’s spring shoe collection). However, each bottle is a full-sized bottle (0.50 fl. oz.), like regular NARS’ polishes, which retail for $19.00 normally–so the set is priced at $29.00 but has a value of $38.00. I typically get a week of wear out with very minor tip wear and no chipping with NARS’ formula. This duo is exclusive to NARS’ online and its boutiques.
Venemous (Left) is a high-shine, reflective silver metallic that dries down to a semi-matte finish–it’s not glossy shine, but it’s not a flat matte. It was opaque in two coats, and the consistency was thin but not watery. There were some visible brush strokes but a lot of them faded/disappeared as the polish dried down, and the polish leveled out a bit, too. I don’t have an extensive catalog of silvers that I’ve seen, but China Glaze Cheer You has a more textured/shimmery finish.
Venemous (Right) is a blue-based black cream. It was opaque after two coats, and it had a glossy, shiny finish. It really looked like NARS Back Room. MAC Beyond Jealous looked similar in the bottle but has a greener base. Back Room is one of my favorite black creams, because it’s so rich, easy to apply, and shiny, but you may already have several black creams in your arsenal so it may be too much of a basic to be a must-have.
P.S. — NARS has confirmed that it is called Venemous (with an E, not an O).
I thought this duo really worked well together, and in particular, this duo is one I could really see working well to create various nail art. (The others, too, but this one in particular!) If you don't mind a few brush strokes, this would be my top pick.
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9.5/10
Longevity
10/10
Application
4.5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
NARS Sharplines Nail Lacquer Pair ($29.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is described as a “peach” and “burgundy.” Each nail lacquer duo comes in a “shoebox” with a NARS dustbag. The individual polishes don’t have names, but one is labeled as “Left” and the other as “Right” (building off the inspiration, which was Pierre Hardy’s spring shoe collection). However, each bottle is a full-sized bottle (0.50 fl. oz.), like regular NARS’ polishes, which retail for $19.00 normally–so the set is priced at $29.00 but has a value of $38.00. I typically get a week of wear out with very minor tip wear and no chipping with NARS’ formula.
Sharplines (Left) is a medium peach-orange with warm undertones and a cream finish. It was opaque in two coats, and it was a trouble-free polish–no streaking, pooling, or bubbling. It just applied evenly and smoothly and was easy to apply. MAC Life and Beth is lighter, less orange. Cult Nails Scandalous is darker, more reddish/coral. Chanel June is very similar.
Sharplines (Right) is a deep, dark, blackened burgundy with a cream finish that almost feels and looks like a jelly… but not. It has a thinner consistency, but it wasn’t watery–it just tended to pool a little along the edges if you over-applied (I recommend very thin coats). It is opaque in two coats. This is the kind of color that absolutely makes sense to have somewhere in your stash, but it is one you’ll find in many brands’ ranges. MAC Gadabout Girl is a touch lighter. Urban Decay Wrecked is redder. MAC Purple Majesty is lighter. Zoya Anja is purpler. Rescue Beauty Lounge Drifter is lighter. Zoya Stacy is a little redder.
Both shades performed fairly well, with the peachy/orange shade being excellent, and the blackened burgundy being good but with a slightly watery consistency.
Product
9/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
9/10
Longevity
10/10
Application
4.5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
Like Rotonde, this blush is vibrant–the pigmentation is incredibly dense and rich and true-to-pan (actually, I think it may be more vibrant on the skin than it looks in the pan). The gold pattern is an over-spray, so while the first use might have a smidgen of shimmer, it’s actually a matte powder underneath. Applied and blended out, it looks pinker than it does when applied more heavily (that’s when the red starts to dominate). The texture was soft, finely-milled, and very easy to blend, which is an absolute necessity with something as rich in color as this shade is. Boys Don’t Cry wore eight and a half hours well, and after nine hours, there was some slight fading along the edges. This blush is larger than the standard NARS’ blushes, which are 0.16 oz., and this is 0.45 oz.
Boys Don't Cry is incredibly rich in color payoff, so it's a home run for the bold blush lovers. It's very blendable, so it can be worn subtly if desired, though!
Product
10/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
10/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
5/5
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Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
This is pigmented with a capital P! It’s not a shy color to begin with, and the color payoff is incredibly rich and true-to-pan. There will be no problem with this color showing up on across skin tones. Fairer complexions may want to use a light hand and feathery brush to control how much product they want on (a regular brush will be just fine if you want a bolder cheek color, but a fan or stippling brush is great for getting subtle color without having to buff it out). The gold pattern is an over-spray, and one use will remove the majority of it. Rotonde is soft, finely-milled but not powdery, and it applies beautifully and blends out with ease. It lasted just over eight hours on me before starting to show subtle signs of fading.
Rotonde has rich, vibrant color that darker complexions will have no trouble working with. The powder itself is still soft and blendable, though, so it can worn subtly or boldly.
Product
10/10
Pigmentation
10/10
Texture
10/10
Longevity
9/10
Application
5/5
Login or Register to be able to add this to your Vanity or Wishlist! Plus rate and review!
Where to Buy
This product can be purchased at the following retailers:
Sometimes products are discontinued or limited edition, which means that a product may no longer be available at one or more retailers so you may need to shop around for those hard-to-find shades! We try to update products as they become discontinued, and if you discover a product has been discontinued, please help us help others by letting us know.
Disclosure: Temptalia uses affiliate links, which give us a small commission when you make a purchase (given to us by the retailer, at no cost to you). Your purchases help to support the site!
