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NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo Review, Photos, Swatches

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo
NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo

Beautiful Combination, Less Lovely Execution

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo ($34.00 for 0.14 oz.) is described as a “shimmering amethyst” and “black with red pearl.” This duo was launched to celebrate Fashion’s Night Out this year.

The shade on the left is a grayish-mauve with a satiny sheen. The color payoff is so-so to good; it seemed to have more color when applied to the lid, but it wasn’t quite fully pigmented. The texture, however, was very soft and finely-milled. NARS Flower 1 is a bit less plum, more purple. Giorgio Armani #27 is more metallic and darker. MAC Universal Appeal is warmer, pinker. NARS Charade is darker and more matte. MAC Hypnotizing is a smidgen grayer. Tarina Tarantino Fantastical is very similar. NARS Lhasa is darker. Wet ‘n’ Wild We’re Blasting Off is similar.

The shade on the right is a blackened burgundy with red sparkle. The base color has a matte finish, and the sparkles get lost between the pan, your brush, and your eye for the most part. It has a slightly dry, stiff texture that doesn’t make blending effortless–it takes some work, but it’s doable–and the color tends to look browner the more you blend it out. Tarina Tarantino Saw Dust Heart is quite similar when applied. Wet ‘n’ Wild We’re Blasting Off is similar. Giorgio Armani #2 has a similar composition, but it has a lot more shimmer.

It’s saddening that both shades were somewhat problematic (but the darker one was more so), because they look stunning together in the compact. There’s a lot of contrast but still common threads between both shades, so they would work well for a plummy smoky eye.  It’s decent but not the best duo by NARS.  I wore both shades together, and I had minor fading with the darker shade after eight hours without a primer (but the lighter shade was fine).  When I used a primer, both shades wore without fading or creasing for eight hours.

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo Review, Photos, Swatches

B
8.5
Product
9
Pigmentation
9
Texture
8
Longevity
4
Application
86%
Total

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo
NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo
NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo
NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo
NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo
NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo
NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo

NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo
NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo

14 Comments

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xamyx Avatar

I think NARS Night Fever would be a good dupe for the darker shade, and for the lighter shade, either NARS Ondine or MAC Mauvement (although neither are *exact*). I have all three, so this isn’t something I’m willing to jump through hoops to acquire.

xamyx Avatar

The only issue is that it’s an online exclusive (or at their store), so seriously check out Ondine & Night Fever if you can find either at a lesser price. MAC Mauvelous pigment should be pretty close, too. If you have MAC Shale & Beauty Marked, you may also be able to achieve a similar look. HTH

Lisa J Avatar

I was buying my tinted moisturizer and few other refills on the Nars website recently and saw this duo. Picked it up immediately and I love it, though I had the same issues Christine describes. I did, however, notice how much the darker color looked like Mac’s Beauty Marked when I first opened it. Sure enough, they are very similar, though Beauty Marked is a bit more pigmented and less dry in my opinion. I dug around my collection and found that Shale by Mac is also close to the lighter lavender color, though not necessarily a dupe. You could create a similar look if you had these two though. Too bad I found that out after I purchased this. That’s what happens when you impulse buy….again. 😛 It’s not a regret though. It is still quite lovely. 🙂

Anne Avatar

The idea is nice, but it’s a major let down that I could only buy it in NYC or online. Anyway, I think I could get a similar effect with Giorgio Armani ETKi #27 and #2, right?

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