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NARS Hardwired Eyeshadows Reviews, Photos, Swatches (Holiday 2014)

NARS  Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow ($25.00 for 0.07 oz.) is a new, limited edition formula for the holiday color collection. It’s described as “powdered pigments with intense iridescence.” When I was swatching, it felt like a wet/dry formula, and I was able to use all three shades wet/dry without any consequences to the powder later on. The texture is soft, a little dry, and very sparkly. During application as well as during wear, there is a noticeable amount of fall out. The eyeshadows seem to have flecks of sparkle–larger than shimmer, smaller than glitter–that stick best once they’re blended out, which means it isn’t easy to remove the excess fall out merely by brushing it away. The wore well for almost eight hours on me (no primer), and they were easy to blend on the lid. They were fairly pigmented, though it varied shade to shade.

NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow ($25.00 for 0.07 oz.) is described as a “shimmering lavender.” It’s a medium-dark, cool-toned purple with a sparkling, frosted finish. It had mostly opaque color payoff applied dry or damp, though it was smoother and easier to blend with a slightly dampened brush. When it was used dry, it had a drier quality to it. It wore well for seven and a half hours before creasing slightly, and there was a fair amount of fall out during wear. Cle de Peau Cosmic Aura #1 (P) is less shimmery, darker. NARS Jardin Perdu (Right) (LE, $24.00) is warmer. NARS Kauai #2 (P, $24.00) is brighter. Too Faced Jingle All the Way Eyeshadow #6 (LE, $16.00) is lighter. Sleek MakeUP Romance in Rome (LE, $9.99) is similar. Urban Decay Voodoo (LE, $18.00) is less sparkly. MAC Black Grape (P, $21.00) is more glittery. theBalm Lavish Latoya (LE, $16.00) is less sparkly. Urban Decay Gravity (LE, $18.00) is brighter, less sparkly. Urban Decay ACDC (P, $18.00) is less sparkly. Milani Purr-fect Purple (P, $6.99) is less sparkly. MAC Grand Galaxy (LE, $19.50) is less sparkly. bareMinerals Encore (P) is less sparkly. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow ($25.00 for 0.07 oz.) is described as a “bronzed green.” It’s a dirty, dark olive green with lighter golden khaki sparkle and shimmer. This one was the driest of the three, and it takes some buffing to blend out the edges so it doesn’t look dry on the lid as well. I also felt like this one had less pigment when applied damp than dry, though it was buildable. There was some fall out during wear, and this shade lasted for eight hours before creasing. Dior Pied de Poule #5 (P) is less sparkly. theBalm #30 (P, $6.50) is lighter, less sparkly. MAC Greenluxe #4 (P) is darker. Giorgio Armani #24 (LE, $33.00) is warmer. Giorgio Armani #14 (LE, $33.00) is lighter, warmer. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow ($25.00 for 0.07 oz.) is described as an “iridescent white.” It’s a light, golden white with warm undertones and a sparkling, metallic sheen. It had semi-opaque color coverage both wet and dry (application didn’t seem to be impacted either way). This one was one of the easiest shades to apply, and it had less fall out during wear. The texture was only slightly dry, but I thought this was the best of the three, despite being less pigmented. It wore well for eight hours before creasing. MAC Regal Affair (LE, $19.50) is more metallic. MAC Plumluxe #1 (P) is more shimmery. Too Faced La Croisette (P, $16.00) is less sparkly. Estee Lauder Bronze Dunes #2 (LE, $21.00) is less sparkly. See comparison swatches / view dupes.

These will launch online on October 15th and in-stores on November 1st.

See more photos & swatches!

NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Canberra Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow
NARS Opal Coast Hardwired Eyeshadow

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow
Canberra (inner lid), Opal Coast (middle of lid), Gabon (outer lid)

NARS Gabon Hardwired Eyeshadow
Canberra (inner lid), Opal Coast (middle of lid), Gabon (outer lid)

38 Comments

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Sunny Avatar

So it seems like I can safely skip Gabon… Too bad! The shade has so much potential, but I don’t want to go at it with a buffing brush for minutes on end just so that it wouldn’t look dry! Thanks for the review, Christine!

Barbara Avatar

I was very surprised to see the grades based on how nice the swatches look. But if you say that you had a fair amount of fallout, it’ll look like 4am at the bar on me after a couple hours so I will definitely pass (even though they look gorgeous on).

Vanessa Avatar

Damn. Canberra caught my eye (because I have a tendency to be a moth to a flame when it comes to purple shades) but it’s too similar to Kauai to buy it. AUGH. So pretty though!

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