NARS Bali Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches
NARS Bali Eyeshadow
NARS Bali Eyeshadow
NARS Bali Eyeshadow ($23.00 for 0.07 oz.) is described as a “neutral taupe.” That description is rather apt–it’s a dark, gray-tinted brown, which is what taupe is. It has a matte finish, and the color payoff is good overall. It applies smooth for the most part, and it’s not too cool or warm, so it’s a color that should work well on a variety of skin tones. Bali makes for a nice crease color as well as a subtle way to line the eye.
NARS’ eyeshadows are supposed to be long-wearing and crease-resistant. When I wear them alone, I tend to get around seven to eight hours of wear before there is a faint amount of creasing. It’s decent wear, and when it begins its descent, it’s a slow fall, but I’d recommend a primer for all-day wear (especially for those with oilier lids, as I have normal-to-dry lids). In my experience, matte shades wear longer alone than shimmery or glittery shades, so Bali edges out more around eight hours of good wear.
NARS’ packaging is very slim, compact, and even the single eyeshadows include a mirror when you flip it open. Rubberized packaging ensures it won’t slip out of your hand, and it helps absorb any impact if you accidentally drop it. The downside to the rubberized packaging is that it can easily show powder debris if you keep it in your makeup bag. I keep my NARS in drawers, and everything is nice and clean.
NARS Bali Eyeshadow Review, Photos, Swatches
NARS Bali Eyeshadow
NARS Bali Eyeshadow
NARS Bali Eyeshadow
NARS Bali Eyeshadow
NARS Bali Eyeshadow
What a great shade! I can imagine this making a great smokey brown eye look, or using it with greys to warm them up just a hint.
Christine, I noticed you put this in the Taupe section of the swatch gallery, which makes sense since it’s a taupe, but I think some of its potential dupes are in the brown category. Is there any way you can put it in the brown section as well as the taupe? Just a suggestion, I understand it’s all a work in progress. =) Love the gallery, by the way!
Colors can only be organized in one color, sorry!
Could the gallery have a different way of organising colours? I’m thinking of colour scales like on the MAC website Colour Play section rather than defined categories. Just a suggestion!
Thanks for your suggestion! What you ask would require deleting everything we have done and starting over, so we will not be able to consider your suggestion until we finish current projects. I’m sorry the gallery isn’t useful for you!
This looks like a very useful color, however I have too many similar to this. Thanks for the review 😀
Really pretty but I already have so many brown/taupe eyeshadows.
How many shades of the same color a person can have and still be considered sane? Lol
how does this compare to Mac’s Mystery?
I’m appreciating matte shades more and more, but I wonder what inspired them to call this Bali. I know sometimes names are just names, but when I think of Bali I don’t think of taupe generally…
Sorry, Indonesian here, so this kinda tickles my curiosity.
Haha, same here. I’m Indonesian too.. I was like “whut? taupe/brown?” when I saw the color. NARS should’ve made “Bali” a bright color.
I know right! So many to choose from – golds, reds, greens. It just doesn’t compute. But I guess we’re biased 😉
Strange question but have you ever had NARS that weren’t the finish they were for others? Like a dud? I own Bengali, Bali and New York, all supposed Mattes but mine all came with glitter in. Not as glittery as Galapagos, but certainly not matte. I got them from Selfridges.
I haven’t had that issue, but it certainly sounds bizarre!
I just bought Mekong and Night Clubbing at Sephora. They are both gorgeous. I really want Bali and a few others but because of the price I’ll have to collect these slowly lol
I love Bali, I’ve had it for a million years and just realized it’s also my perfect brow shade!
I have this shadow and I actually use it as a brow powder to fill in my eyebrows. On my lids, it looks like I am tired or been in a fight.
It kind of reminds me of Bobbi Brown Espresso shadow.
I bought this 1 awhile back and LOVE this brown . Xoxo
I own this and love it. It’s one of those colors that doesn’t jump out at you as the most beautiful shade on the planet or anything, but once you realize how useful it is over time, you learn to appreciate its place in a makeup collection
Loooove Bali! I use it to fill in my eye browns and as a crease color with Abyssinia all over the lid, Blondie and Bali just for the crease =) I have also done a brown smokey eye with it and it looks really good!
I love this shade. I use it for my brows but I bought it for its versatility. I hope you soon add more NARS swatches to the Swatch Gallery as it is my favourite brand! Even KarlaSugar hasn’t swatched their eyeshadows.
hey christine! when are you planning on reviewing the NARS fall 2011 collection?
I do not have anything to review at this time.
This was my first high end shadow I bought with some of my workstudy money way back in 2007.
looks like espresso!
Was researching this color online and found Christine’s review ( I have only subscribed to her blog for a couple months now but love it!!). I am 51 years old and one of my first eyeshadow staples WAAAYYY back was an individual shade by Revlon called Bali Brown. My heart was broken when they discontinued it as it was perfect for me. Maybe that is where NARS got the name Bali from, because like nitnot said this shade is not usually associated with Bali.
I remember that shade, and the lipstick, too (I’m 38)! I wore the lipstick alot, it blended so well with almost any lip color for deepening tone.
I just bought Cocnutty by Flirt! (at Kohl’s) today, and they seem very similar. I’ve seen online that Coconutty is a dupe for MAC Embark, but they’re not even close. Coconutty is pretty cool toned. I really wanted this shade, but my Sephora doesn’t carry it; this will be a great crease color with Ondine or Lhasa, both of which I just picked up.