NARS Sex Appeal Blush Review, Photos, Swatches
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
NARS Sex Appeal Blush ($29.00 for 0.16 oz.) is described as a “soft peach.” It’s a pale, subtly warm-toned peach with a satin finish. Buxom Swept Away is pinker. MAC Stay By Me is a touch darker. MAC Peaches is darker and more orange.
It is absolutely a color and product that will work better on very, very pale skin tones. On my medium complexion, it just barely shows up, and it may turn chalky/ashy on deeper skin tones because of the light base color. For lighter skin tones, though, especially those with natural redness occurring in their cheeks, this will work quite nicely. The importance here is that the pigmentation is still good, as it appears true-to-pan; it’s just that the color won’t show itself to its full potential on my complexion. (Pale readers who’ve tried this, speak out!)
From what I could tell, the color lasted around six to seven hours on me, but it was even harder to see after eight hours (it’s so much harder to see wear when it’s barely visible to begin with!). The texture is very soft, finely-milled, and a smidgen on the powdery side but it lies nicely on the skin–it doesn’t look powdery on the skin, and if you buff it into the skin, it turns just slightly luminous from that satin finish.
NARS Sex Appeal Blush Review, Photos, Swatches
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
NARS Sex Appeal Blush
This is an absolutely fantastic blush for very pale skins.
I’ve read countless reviews where people say it’s not pigmented. This is not true. It is just so light it doesn’t show on their skin.
I’ve also read reviews where people complained about how this blush is useless because it doesn’t work for skins darker than NW15. Well, you know what? Light to medium complexions have hundreds of colors to choose from, but very pale girls don’t have that luxury. We have to be extremely cautious with blush application, because every mistake shows up instantly (and brightly!) on very pale skin. It’s a relief to have a shade pale enough that I don’t fear looking like a clown after one light swipe on my cheek.
I love it, and once I hit pan, I’ll buy another one.
I’m game — so long as it’s as it’s supposed to be — but there are always colors that will show up better/worse depending on complexion, just as some shades are more/less flattering based on hair color, eye color, skin texture, skin color, undertone, etc. Of course, if a brand wants to say it’s universal, then we’ll run into problems.
Thank you for sharing your experience, Marie! It was exactly the kind of comment I was hoping to see from someone this is more suited for 🙂
I get what you’re saying.
You’re very welcome. 🙂
I have mastered the technique of intense blush application on very pale skin, but only after a lot of trial and error. Sex Appeal I can recommend to very pale women who don’t neceassarily have the tools or technique or time to apply a very intense/dark blush.
Even on my medium complexion, applying a really intense NARS blush can be a fun process, LOL!
True, true. 😛
Marie, thanks for your review! I am a pale, freckled red-head and boy is it hard to find anything that doesn’t overwhelm the paleness. I tried MAC Peaches and loved the color but it was always just a little too much. I just tried out Laura Mercier in Peach Whisper and if applied with a light touch, it is perfect for palefaces too.
You’re welcome. 😉
Thank you for the suggestion, I will check out Peach Whisper as soon as I get near a Laura Mercier counter (which isn’t easy, where I am).
Have you tried tarte exposed or Mac pinch ‘o’ peach? These are both pretty effortless and natural on me though I definitely want to try this out as pinch o peach leans pretty pink.
Haha, y’know, I was just thinking about this tonight when I doing my makeup. I decided my favorite Pale Person Problem was when the brush decides to deposit blush on the front and back of my cheekbone, while leaving a less pigmented gradient in the middle. Then I get to spend another ten minutes painstakingly filling in that area without making it look like I took the entire pan and just rubbed it against my face. 😛
Lol, I know what you’re talking about! 😛
I find a good brush makes a world of difference when applying blush. I trust my NARS Yachiyo and won’t use anything else.
I’m about an NW/NC5 in mac if they made it. I love this blush color. it’s very hard to find a peach that doesn’t make me look sunburned or orange. this one is a bright yet soft peach. It’s the most beautiful and flattering peach i’ve tried. It’s also nicely pigmented and long lasting. I recommend this if you’re very pale.
Thank you for sharing, Becca! 😀
At first glance I was on the fence about it, but when you said it’d reduce redness it’s definitely the sort of colour I’d look out! I’m pale (I used to be an NC20 but I’m finding that too dark now) but my cheeks are naturally about as rosy as your other cheek in that photograph, Christine. It’s not always what I want, so a redness reducing blush would be great for me. Yay 🙂
I really think it could work well for you, then! 🙂 I also know a lot of people like MAC’s Peaches for canceling out redness, too!
Fabulous colour and nice that it doesn’t have any disco ball glitter in it for a change. The perfect blusher for us more mature, paler skinned women. I think this would be my perfect winter blusher. Jude x @jadlgw
I’m about NC20, and this one is too light for me once blended out. It only adds a very slight (barely noticeable, really) radiance, but it doesn’t really provide any color on me. It’s definitely a very pretty, and suitable, shade for someone very pale/fair. It’s not going to work for a wide range of skin tones, but this was a *MUCH* needed addition to the NARS line since most of the other blushes are just too intense and pigmented for those with very pale, porcelain skin. I think this looks great on both cool and warm tones; if you’re NW/NC15 and lighter, I’d definitely give this a shot. Any darker than that, and I’d say most probably wouldn’t find it too useful.
Very good point — great counter-point to their use-at-your-own-risk intensely pigmented blushes!
I’m about an NW15 and I absolutely love this blush for everyday. It is very subtle, but there is definite pigment there and as you say, it does help disguise redness.
This was the first Nars blush I ever bought and it has a firm place in my list of must-haves!
Yay!!
I bought this blush last week. I’m NC15/20 and I’m Asian. It looks very nice on my skin. I can get true-to-pan color by applying 2-3 layers. It can last at least 8 hours on my normal skin. The texture is slightly powdery on swatch, but no problem on skin. I love it!
So glad it’s working well for you, Ingrid!
I love this color. I’m very pale and very few blushes in their range work for my NW 15 skin. It gives the perfect flush of color for me and it doesn’t look orange.
Happy to hear it, Kira!
I’m pretty fair (my best match is Bobbi Brown Porcelain) and I like this – it’s subtle for sure, but like someone else said, it’s a LOT more foolproof than most Nars blushes. I wear it when I want something on my cheeks so I’m not completely monochrome, but don’t want a cheeks-centric look.
Exactly!
At my darkest, I wear shade B-12 in Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua. Do you think this would be a good blush for my coloring, or would it be hard to show up? (I have no clue what the MAC equivalent to that would be)
Correction: I wear shade Beige Rose 12
I’m not familiar with B12 🙁
Way too light for me personally, but a GREAT shade for very light skin tones! I sometimes wish I were a lot paler just so I could wear this blush, it’s such a gorgeous peach!
The grass is always greener, eh? 😀
It’s very subtle on you. Definitely not something that would work for me.
I’m super pale (about NC5 I’m guessing) and although my current blush works well, it’s a redder coral, and I’ve been on the hunt for a peach blush that won’t make me look orange. I’ll definitely check this one out!
Hope it works for ya, Irene! xo
Love the color. I think it could work on my NC10/15 skin, though I do have a light flush to my cheeks that may cancel it out. It would be nice to have a no-fuss blush on hand, though. Even Bobbi Brown’s Nude Pink can go on too strong when I’m not careful.
Definitely worth trying 🙂
I live Brazil and we have a lot of sun here, unfortunately I’m allergic to the sun! So I can’t stay longer than 10 minutes without reapplying my sunscreen.. It’s crazy! So I’m not the typical brazilian, I’m about NC15 and this blush works very nice on me! One of my favorites!
Oh, wow! That must be really hard to deal with, Brenda!
I’m not allergic to the sun but I can’t go out in the sun too! I’m from somewhere where it’s sunny all year round! I feel your pain!
This color is so soft a beautiful. I’m definitely swatching it when I go to Sephora!
Let us know if you end up lovin’ it!
Wow! I’ve been waiting for a blush like this for a long time! This is a must buy for me. Thank you so much Christine!
My pleasure, Amber!
As a very pale person, this blush is the one that made me fall in LOVE with NARS. It’s perfect for us pale girls. It’s a great go with everything color and its the only blush I own with pan showing because I wear it that often. Easily one of the most flattering things in my entre stash.
Thank you so much, Alyson! Very helpful!
Hi Christine! What plugin did you use for your new button disclosure? It looks really cool! Plus, I love this blush on you.
Kindness is the best accessory,
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca,
Shaun worked it into our site (he is one of two web developers that deal with Temptalia’s technical stuff!), so it’s all custom for the site 🙂 I don’t know much about how it works other than it uses the information from our previous disclosures so it applied retroactively, thankfully!
I’m NW20 and very pink/red in the cheeks. I’ve been looking for a pastel peach blush that won’t make me look sunburned for a long time–basically, a peachy version of Illamasqua Katie.
I’m wondering if this will work for me. It could blend completely into my skin or be exactly what I’m looking for…!
I think you should check it out – I could see it being a peach version of Katie; I think they’re similar in general lightness and texture.
Thanks for your input!
If you still can find it, MAC’s cream soda (from Archie’s girls) will work for you! 😀
I am also NW20 and have flushed cheeks. I look like I am wearing blush all the time(I don’t really mind). I have not been able to try out sex appeal blush because no Nars counter where I live and I don’t really want to buy this blush without trying. It does look like it might be too pale.
Anyways I just wanted to share, since we seem to have same complexion and pinkness, that Burberrys earthy blush is really good. It does not add any redness to the cheeks.
I’m a NARS Siberia. Sex Appeal is a fab blush on me. For a while during the winter, it was even my go-to! 🙂 I’d definitely recommend it to my fellow palies.
I knew this would score well with paler folks 😀
I think I need this. I’m pale enough that it’ll work for me and I’m afraid of so many NARS blushes because they’re SO bright, but this one I can work with.
Haha – definitely impossible to overdo this 😉
BEAUTIFUL! May I just say, Christine, you really found an elegant solution to meeting the new FTC guidelines. The little bubbles are clear, give the information immediately, but are unobtrusive
Thank you!
YAY! sin is coming up soon!
how does this compare to easy manner by MAC?
thanks!
Easy Manner is pinker!
Pretty but indeed quite subtle. I will pass on this particular one but I do love my peachy blushes!!
Since nearly all the people who like this are NW 15 , I was wondering wether it will work on me as well…
I would be something like Mac NC10 (if it would be available), I have dark brown-in some lights nearly black- hair and dark brown eyes…
It sounds like it should work for you, Nina!
Okay, then I might try it out once I’m in London this spring… Sadly Nars isn’t available in Germany and the shipping is nearly as expensive as the blush itself…
Nina, I have the same coloring as you! Do you think the combo of pale skin and dark hair/eyes looks better in cool or warm shades? I have a hard time judging on myself.
Christine, would this blush work as an under eye brightener to cancel out dark circles?
Reader @Monica uses that way!
Well, i prefer cold colors, because warm ones always make me look orange and fake – tanned… In the summertime I stick to more neutral colors (they ad a little bit of warmth to my face but they are not overwhelming) I hope this helped you 🙂
Thank you! Yes, I also can’t use orange-y blush shades. Right now I use Guerlain terracotta in 01 Blondes (even though my hair is black) because it shows up as a very natural (neutral?) tan on me…not that I’m capable of actually tanning!
I think it is funny how make-up brands always think that brown-haired people are tanned and blonde people are pale… Most blond people I know have darker skin than me…
You should try to (lightly!) apply red blush it makes you look like the perfect Snow White 😉 it’s the only – lets call it unnatural- blush I wear.
I totally agree-it doesn’t make sense! Do you have a rec for a red blush that doesn’t look fake?
Sadly no… Mine is from a Swedish brand called Isa Dora (wich I guess is only available here in Europe) and it was limited edition… 🙁 but I think you could check out some from Mac, Bobbi brown or Nars (these are the brands that work best on my oily skin) but I know that NYX has one you might want to check out to look if it works for you because its not that expensive 🙂
Thanks! I’ve heard of Isa Dora but I don’t think I’ve seen it around (in the US). Someone actually told me that I looked like Snow White the other day, so maybe I’m already doing something right. 🙂 Thanks again!
I’ve never commented before, but I wanted to here because I really love this blush and I don’t think it gets enough love.
I have a pale complexion (beige 10 in Vitalumiere Aqua as reference) and this works as a really beautiful soft flush of colour. It’s peachy without being orange (MAC peaches is just too orange for me) and works with the natural pink in my cheeks to create the perfect pinky-peach. Yes it’s more subtle than many NARS blushes, but for me that is a benefit.
It’s a great everyday, fool-proof, workhorse colour for me – the only blush I’ve ever hit pan on. I would urge anyone with a similar skin tone to try it.
Thanks for the great site!
It’s so fantastic to hear from everyone who has found it to be a HG product (or nearly so)! Thank you for sharing your experience, Melanie!
I love this blush and have hit major pan on it. It’s my go-to in the winter when my skin is on the more fair side, or when I’m feeling lazy and need something easy and quick in the summer. Another great blush from NARS.
Wow! Any other fave NARS blushes, Lucia?
Very pretty – I’m about an NC15 so I’ll have to give it a try. I usually forgo blush because it’s hard to find shades that suit me.
This one is definitely easy to wear for NC15s!
I just wanted to say that I bought Mac Peaches 2 weeks bc I wanted something similar to Style but without any shimmer. A MUCH harder task than I expected. My husband (who I’ve known for 13 years) for the FIRST time commented specifically on my blush and said it was the perfect color for me and brought my face to life.
YAY! Peaches is great!
I really adore this colour, I think it’s super pretty and fresh for Spring. I can see it being more wearable on fairer skin-tones which is why it’s so on my beauty wish list now. I am super super fair and have found that my skin just suits lighter blushers like this better, they look much more natural!
Oh, definitely! Super fair skin will have the easiest time when a blush doesn’t start off crazy rich in pigment. Even on my medium complexion, really pigmented blushes can take some work. My go-tos tend to be ones that I can apply and not worry about overdoing it!
Oh wow, this sounds like the perfect shade for me! I’m pale with freckles and rosy undertones, and I’m always afraid of either accentuating the redness or just looking silly because blush shows up so strongly on me. I’ll have to keep an eye out for it the next time I do a Sephora trip.
Definitely take a gander at it on your next trip!
This post combined with the previous one about how to coverup dark undereye circles is perfect, Christine! Sex Appeal is actually my secret weapon for dark circles. I’m very fair and freckled, so bluish half-moons really stand out. After patting on a creamy full-coverage concealer (I use Boi-ing! by Benefit), I swipe a fingertip through Sex Appeal and gently tap it to set the concealer and color-correct. The pale peach of the blush masks any bluish tones beautifully!
And, y’know, it does its duty on cheeks honorably.
What a great use for it, Monica! Thanks for telling us!
I’d have never thought of this. I’ve never tried anything from nars before – they have so much stuff I don’t know where to start. Apparently this is it! I’ve spent far too much on makeup this month but it’s definitely going on the list!
It looks pretty but I think it’s way too light for me.
It’s certainly a paler shade!
My skin is quite fair and it’s really a very lovely blush indeed. I need 3 layers because it’s sheer, otherwise it’s delicate and very smooth. I wore it today with Rouge Coco in Gardénia, nice combination. I highly recommand ” Sex Appeal ” for light/medium/fair complexions it’s so great !
Thanks for sharing how you wore it, Dominique!
Count me in as one of those ultra-pale girls who loves this blush! It is truly a perfect peach with enough pink to give a natural wash of color. I would describe it as a whisper of color. Though pigmented, the color is very light. It’s a gorgeous color (true-to-pan) and fantastic for those of us who are pale enough for it to show, but I can see how it could become either chalky or next to invisible on even medium complexions. I love Sex Appeal on its own, but it is also great to mix with other blushes to add a touch of peach. This and Lancome’s Miel Glace are two blushes that seem to be made for the fairest of complexions. Love both of them!
Great to hear that Lancome Miel Glace is a good pick, too!
I’m an NC30 and I still want to give this a try. Looks beautiful. A couple layers would work as a subtle flush, methinks.
Let us know how it goes!
I justed checked out your picture in the dupe, MAC Stay by Me, because I thought it might be good for me being a little darker than Sex Appeal. I never knew of Stay by Me, probably because it is from the Pro longwear line. I actually think Sex Appeal looks deeper on you, and gorgeous!! I don’t know if its the lighting or what you have on underneath, but you make it work quite well!! I am around NW15-20 (I just started experimenting with MAC foundations as my skin has gotten too pale and cool to wear my old favorites in Bobbi Brown). I purchased Sex Appeal last year during one of Lord and Taylor’s friends and family weeks when cosmetics are 10% off. I thougt it would be the perfect dupe to Color Me Beautiful’s long discontinued Sandstone, the first blush to ever look natural on me. It looked pale pink in the case, but went on the perfect shade of warm peachy pink – a color I had never tried, but fell in love with. Unfortunately, I felt the Sex Appeal was too light. It barely showed up on my skin. I was so disappointed! But I see how nice it looks on you, and my skin is paler now than it has been in a long time, it may be worth trying again. Thanks for reviewing this older, but still very worthwhile product. Its nice to read reviews of products that are not brand new, those we may have some familiarity with. If its still being sold, its obviously working for many people, and therefore worth knowing about. In fact, maybe the tried ang true are more worth knowing about than the brand new and fleeting products. I’m glad you give both your attention.
Definitely give it another try – I think you’ll see more impact with it now that you’re a bit lighter 🙂
Thank you, Ellen!
I really like this blush, but, as many others said, it is better for very pale skins. I am NC15 (I even think I’b be NC10 if MAC made it) and this color is great when I have no time to get ready in the morning, because I don’t really have to blend it.
On the down side, as soon as I get a little bit of color, Sex Appeal doesn’t really show up anymore. Which is why I particulary like it in the winter. I tend to use Gilda and Deep throat in the summer.
I’m a MUFE 130HD (warm ivory/medium light) and I wear Sex Appeal! It doesn’t properly show the full color on me- more just makes my cheeks a bit brighter/radiant but its the right amount of color on my skin for everyday or to balance out a bright lip.
I am an NC20- 25 and love this blush. It gives a nice glow when buffed. I REALLY love using it to set cream blushes 🙂
This looks amazing! On Friday I am going to buy my first ever NARS blush, because I have been wanting one for the longest time, I just can’t seem to pick the one I want. Which one would you recommend the most out of Sex Appeal, Orgasm, or Oasis? I really want all 3 but I can’t afford all 3 right now. So I just want to splurge and get one of them 😀
Sex Appeal if you have redness, Orgasm if you tend to love corals/pinks (but it does pull pink!), Oasis if you wear a lot of cool-toned products!
I just bought this blush today! I had the lady at the counter apply it on my cheeks and it’s so beautiful! I’m pretty pale right now (when not fake tanning) so I’m probably a NW15-20. This blush is peachy with a tiny amount of orange to it but just enough to give us pale girls a hint of ‘glow’ and ‘colour’. I always look so washed out after I put on my foundation and look stupid with bronzer to try to warm my face up but this…is perfection!
And yes I have redness on my cheeks but this still suits me!