NARS 413BLKR Eyeshadow Duo Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Sat, 22 Sep 2012 16:00:05 +0000

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.