Best & Worst of NARS Duo Eyeshadows (2018)
NARS Duo Eyeshadow ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) include two shades in the brand’s updated formulation. You can read my overview of the formula here. My personal favorites: Alhambra, Isolde, Kauai, Surabaya, Underworld, and Silk Road.
Note: The single eyeshadows received a more noticeable price drop (from $24 to $19) but the duo eyeshadows could be priced better (from $36 to $35) given that they were reduced in size.
NARS Alhambra Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a soft peach and medium gold both with more metallic finishes, but they were shiny...
NARS Alhambra Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a soft peach and medium gold both with more metallic finishes, but they were shiny...
NARS Isolde Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) features two metallic hues--mid-tone copper and warm bronze--that can be popped out of the...
NARS Isolde Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) features two metallic hues--mid-tone copper and warm bronze--that can be popped out of the...
NARS Portobello Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a very light, yellowish brown and a light, warmer brown, both with matte finishes....
NARS Portobello Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a very light, yellowish brown and a light, warmer brown, both with matte finishes....
NARS Kauai Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a "cool" gold with a metallic finish and a shimmery, medium-dark purple with subtle...
NARS Kauai Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a "cool" gold with a metallic finish and a shimmery, medium-dark purple with subtle...
NARS Surabaya Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes two warm-toned neutrals: a matte, mid-tone brown and a satiny, orange-toned brown. ...
NARS Surabaya Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes two warm-toned neutrals: a matte, mid-tone brown and a satiny, orange-toned brown. ...
NARS Underworld Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a light-medium silver and a faded, navy blue both with more pearlized/satiny...
NARS Underworld Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a light-medium silver and a faded, navy blue both with more pearlized/satiny...
NARS Cordura Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains two warm-toned browns--a mid-tone and a deep brown--that can definitely be used...
NARS Cordura Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains two warm-toned browns--a mid-tone and a deep brown--that can definitely be used...
NARS Hammamet Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes a medium, matte peach and a medium, copper-brown. Both shades had good...
NARS Hammamet Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes a medium, matte peach and a medium, copper-brown. Both shades had good...
NARS St-Paul-de-Vence Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes a shimmery, peach-orange complemented by a mid-tone, matte brown. Both...
NARS St-Paul-de-Vence Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes a shimmery, peach-orange complemented by a mid-tone, matte brown. Both...
NARS Silk Road Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) consists of two shimmery shades: a warm, golden peach and a soft copper. The left side of...
NARS Silk Road Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) consists of two shimmery shades: a warm, golden peach and a soft copper. The left side of...
NARS Pandora Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a soft, shimmery white and a deep, matte black. The white eyeshadow was somewhat...
NARS Pandora Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) contains a soft, shimmery white and a deep, matte black. The white eyeshadow was somewhat...
NARS Thessaolonique Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a new, permanent duo featuring a pale, shimmery pink and a faded mauve. This...
NARS Thessaolonique Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a new, permanent duo featuring a pale, shimmery pink and a faded mauve. This...
NARS Kalahari Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes a warm, golden taupe and a soft, rosy brown. The two shades can work well together,...
NARS Kalahari Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes a warm, golden taupe and a soft, rosy brown. The two shades can work well together,...
NARS Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a new, permanent duo featuring a soft, shimmery yellow beige and a muted bluish-gray. It's...
NARS Tzarine Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) is a new, permanent duo featuring a soft, shimmery yellow beige and a muted bluish-gray. It's...
NARS Kuala Lumpur Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes a shimmery peach and a mid-tone, satiny plum. This particular duo could have...
NARS Kuala Lumpur Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) includes a shimmery peach and a mid-tone, satiny plum. This particular duo could have...
NARS Charade Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) consists of a warm mauve and a subtle, warm-toned lavender. It could have been a real...
NARS Charade Duo Eyeshadow (2018) ($35.00 for 0.08 oz.) consists of a warm mauve and a subtle, warm-toned lavender. It could have been a real...
Glossover Averages
Reader Reviews
Based on 1 Review, 0 Quick Reviews
The Good: Buttery (1), Creamy (1), Easy To Apply (1), Long-wearing (1), Easy-to-Use (1), Great Gift (1), Great Value (1), Travel-friendly (1), Versatile (1)
The In-Between: Buildable (1), Highly Pigmented (1)
To me, Underworld was the most unique pairing of shades. Very cool toned.
It’s weird to me that my main feeling for pressed eyeshadow duos (of any kind) is nostalgia; my first (pathetic) forays into makeup involved drugstore duos that were very … 80’s (appropriately so) … and I failed miserably at doing anything with them that resembled an improvement of my appearance. Honestly, I think pressed duos and singles are a great idea, especially for the opposite ends of the spectrum: people who minimize their makeup and pick a few classic colors plus a few daring extras, and those who dive deep into palettes but need just those couple extra random colors to really round out their collection. Very useful. But to me it all seems so … quaint?
Darn — I might be jaded. 😉
Thank you so much Christine for reviewing this whole gigantic launch! Glad to see most of the OG duos performed well, but some like Thessalonique which I love in the old formula has not fared well in the transition. 🙁
I really do enjoy duos and singles. One, for my daily life, duos are just so easy to use and I love the NARS color pairings. Secondly, I have a deep enough stash that now when I look at certain new palettes, I find that I’m really only attracted to or need 2-3 of the shades (sort of the “hero” shades I guess?). So in those cases I’d rather pick up a duo or a single to augment my collection. 🙂
I really liked the duos a lot – I think they were more consistent (though some misses) and some real workhorse-type duos available (wish they were a bit cheaper). Definitely enjoyed the updated NARS formula overall, though.
Kalahari and Cordura are my all-time favorite Nars e/s duos.