NARS Hot Escape Eye & Cheek Palette Review & Swatches
Hot Escape
NARS Hot Escape Endless Summer Eye & Cheek Palette ($49.00 for 0.42 oz.) contains four neutral-hued eyeshadows, shimmery peach highlighter, and mid-tone pink blush. Given how many neutral eyeshadows exist on the market at any given time, the palette left me unimpressed with the quality of the eyeshadows. The cheek products were decent, but they didn’t make up for the eyeshadows.
Hot Escape
LELimited Edition. $49.00.
Aurora
Aurora is a soft, yellowed beige with warm undertones and a matte finish. It had a very soft, moderately powdery consistency, which resulted in semi-sheer coverage as it did not adhere well without a lightly tacky primer. I had to be careful using it or else it would lighten everything below it due to fallout during application. It lasted for seven hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Urban Decay Foxy (LE, $19.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Too Faced Peach Meringue (PiP, $16.00) is more muted (95% similar).
- Smashbox Vanilla (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Viseart Honoree (Warm Edit) (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (95% similar).
- Kaja Modern Beige (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Dose of Colors Tealight (PiP, ) is lighter (95% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Suede (PiP, ) is darker (95% similar).
- Tarte Magical (LE, ) is more muted (95% similar).
- Milani In the Buff (PiP, $5.99) is warmer (95% similar).
- Moira Nude Beige (P, $7.50) is darker (95% similar).
Aurora
DCDiscontinued. $25.00.
Yucatan
Yucatan is a soft brown with warm undertones and a satin sheen. It had semi-opaque pigmentation with a smooth, denser consistency that was thin–at least it wasn’t powdery! It applied decently to bare skin, but depending on one’s skin tone, it might translate into more of a sheen than noticeable color (that’s what happened on me, it was hard to see it on). It wore well for seven and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Make Up For Ever S516 Sand (DC, $21.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Milani Bare in Mind (PiP, $5.99) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Giorgio Armani Incognito #1 (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Jaunty (LE, $17.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Inglot J333 Sheer Gold (LE, $10.00) is warmer (85% similar).
- bareMinerals Solace (LE, ) is warmer (85% similar).
- NARS Ashes to Ashes (P, $19.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
Yucatan
DCDiscontinued. $25.00.
Endless
Endless is a soft copper with warm, golden undertones and a metallic sheen. The consistency was soft, lightly creamy, and smooth, which made it easy to apply and achieve opaque coverage in a single layer. It blended out nicely along the edges and stayed on well for eight hours before fading noticeably.
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Sunset Chaser (LE, $4.50) is darker (95% similar).
- Laura Mercier Rosegold (PiP, $29.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Laura Mercier Rose Quartz (LE, ) is less shimmery, more muted (95% similar).
- Moira Showtime (P, $7.50) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- NARS Icon (DC, $25.00) is darker, more muted (95% similar).
- Disney by Sephora Wanderin' Free (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Melaza (LE, $17.00) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- elf Champagne Crystal (P, $5.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Lisa Eldridge Ritual (P, $16.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Frostee (PiP, $4.50) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Endless
DCDiscontinued. $25.00.
Next Wave
Next Wave is a soft, grayish-taupe with subtle, neutral-to-warm undertones and micro-sparkle. It had semi-sheer coverage due to the drier, powdery texture. The eyeshadow did not build up well, and I had moderate fallout just pressing and patting it on (not even sweeping!). The color wore well for seven hours and had some more fallout over time.
Top Dupes
- Urban Decay Mushroom (P, $20.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Poison (LE, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Just Before Dawn (LE, $21.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Desperation (DC, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Fawn (Define) (LE, ) is darker (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Serious (DC, $19.00) is darker (90% similar).
- MAC Permanent Press #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Natasha Denona Tor (225CP) (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Le Metier de Beaute Thunder (P, $30.00) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Grunge (DC, $6.00) is darker (90% similar).
Next Wave
DCDiscontinued. $25.00.
Sunstreak
Sunstreak is a soft, golden peach with warm undertones and a luminous sheen. The highlighter had good pigmentation paired with a smooth, firmer consistency, but I didn’t have any trouble getting product onto my brush when I used a moderate hand with it. It lasted for just over eight hours on me before I noticed any fading.
Top Dupes
- Viseart Highlight #1 (PiP, ) is cooler (95% similar).
- lilah b. b enchanting (P, $60.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Lightscapade (P, $34.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- ColourPop Coastin' (LE, $10.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- ColourPop Main Attraction (LE, $12.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Wayne Goss Pearl (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Tarte Strobe (PiP, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Catrice Champagne Campaign (P, $5.99) is lighter (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Lightning Dust (PiP, $36.00) (90% similar).
- Anastasia Regal (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Sunstreak
LELimited Edition. $30.00.
Hot Pursuit
Hot Pursuit is a medium pink with subtle, warm undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque, buildable color coverage that applied fairly evenly to bare skin but required slightly more effort to diffuse and blend out due to the texture being a little thinner and drier overall. It stayed on nicely for eight hours on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Makeup Geek XOXO (P, $10.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Pat McGrath Divine Rose II (Left) (LE, $38.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- NARS Exposed (LE, $30.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Kaleidos Ecstasy (LE, $18.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Natasha Denona Pink (PiP, ) is brighter (95% similar).
- Tarte Decked Out (LE, $29.00) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC Fleur Power (P, $24.00) is brighter (95% similar).
- Tarte Deco (LE, $29.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Chanel Crescendo (250) (LE, $45.00) is darker (95% similar).
- MAC No Shame (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$30.00/0.16 oz. - $187.50 Per Ounce
From NARS’ website, their blush formula is described as “beautifully pigmented” and “soft [and] blendable.” NARS' blushes, since they've been released in such a massive range of shades over the years, can vary from shade to shade to some degree. Most shades are pigmented with firmer, slightly stiffer consistencies that can also run on the thinner side, which allows greater control when picking up product but some of the more matte shades could be a bit more blendable or easier to work with.
Some of the more newly-released shades have softer, more yielding textures that are a bit creamier and are easier to blend out, though most of NARS' blushes are fairly blendable. The wear typically ranges from eight to nine hours with a few shades falling above or below this range.
Browse all of our NARS Powder Blush swatches.
This looks like an incredibly dull palette. Hot Pursuit is pretty, though.
Glad I forwent this. The UD dupes for Next Wave are decent, at least. Somehow I thought that shade would fail…and it’s the only one I like… Not much liking Nars fall 18 so far, either. Fine by me. Even if I did Nars stash only, i’d have enough m/u for the rest of my life.
That is so disappointing about the eyeshadows because I love neutral shadows and never tire of them and this would have been a terrific travel palette or one for getting ready for work quickly and easily in the morning.
Well that’s disappointing!
I really was not impressed with the skincare/makeup selections this year at Nordstroms. All I bought was the Charlotte Tilbury lipstick set and the Kiel’s body lotion. I felt like I was interested in more products last year. The clothing selection, however, different story….
This is exactly what I meant yesterday in my Rant and Rave about Nars – the cheek products are much better, on average, than their eyeshadows. This is a poor effort.
With the lone exception of that brilliant gold eyeshadow, this palette is an utter ‘meh’ fest for me.
If Yucatan and Next Wave were mattes, and every shade rated B+ or higher, this would have been a great neutral travel palette for me.
This is very disappointing. I was hoping it would be a solid palette for traveling. It’s a pass for me. Thanks for reviewing, Christine!
Glad I held off on this purchase.