NARS Hustle Holiday 2019 Cheek Palette Review & Swatches
Hustle
NARS Hustle Wet/Dry Cheek Trio ($42.00 for 0.36 oz.) is a new, limited edition trio that features a warm, gold highlighter and two coral blushes (more more mid-tone and the other deeper and richer). The formula is a denser, firmer type–like a gel-powder hybrid–that works best with moderately dense brushes (e.g. fan brushes aren’t ideal). The upside is that they’re not powdering, and the powders tend to “melt” when applied to skin, which gives them a smoother, more skin-like finish.
The only issue I had with the product was more to do with the marketing; they’re supposed to be “sheer-to-buildable” and can be used wet for a “high-impact effect” but that seemed to be more in the context of the glow/shine. In general, I haven’t found that this formula is all that sheer applied dry, and they certainly will intensify in color and finish when applied with a wet brush.
Top Dupes
- Pat McGrath Aphrodisia (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Bliss (LE, $26.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- NARS Gold Leash (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Wayne Goss Sunny (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- NARS Make You Mine (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- LORAC Twilight (P, $23.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Laura Mercier Grapefruit (P, $30.00) is less shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Guerlain Electric Light (LE, $56.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Tarte Goddess Glow (LE, $35.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Tarte Authentic (LE, $28.00) is lighter (95% similar).
Ingredients
Look Using this Product
Hustle
LELimited Edition. $42.00.
Crique
Crique is a light-medium gold with strong, warm undertones and a pearly sheen. The highlighter had opaque pigmentation in a single layer, which applied well to bare skin with a smooth, even lay down of powder that was easy to blend out. The consistency was smooth to the touch, dense but not stiff to work with, so it was never powdery but still blended out well. It stayed on nicely for eight and a half hours on me before I noticed fading.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- LORAC Twilight (P, $23.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- NARS Gold Leash (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Tarte Authentic (LE, $28.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Bliss (LE, $26.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Guerlain Electric Light (LE, $56.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Tarte Goddess Glow (LE, $35.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- MAC TheBlonds (LE, $41.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Champagne (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Seychelles (LE, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Becca Royal Glow (LE, $38.00) is less shimmery (90% similar).
Formula Overview
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They’re not listed as part of the Dual Intensity formula, though they felt a lot like it (firmer but not stiff, a little dry to the touch but very blendable and don’t appear dry or dusty on the skin), and the description of the formula was similar–use dry for “shimmering veil of second-skin color” or wet for a “high-impact glow.” All three shades were quite shimmery applied dry, and they were metallic when applied with a damp brush. I’d disagree with these being “sheer shimmer” or “second-skin color” in any way dry–all three were mostly opaque to opaque dry, which is where the palette fell “short.”
Browse all of our NARS Highlighter swatches.
Ingredients
CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE · GLYCERIN · HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER · SQUALANE · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT · XANTHAN GUM · POLYSORBATE 20 · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN · 1,2-HEXANEDIOL · TIN OXIDE · PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE · SILICA · SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE · DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE · SODIUM HYDROXIDE · [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77492) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77499) · MICA · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Look Using this Product
Crique
LELimited Edition.
Born to Be Alive
Born to Be Alive is a light-medium coral with balanced pink and orange undertones paired with a luminous sheen. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation that applied evenly to bare skin and diffused beautifully along the edges for a moderate glow that never emphasized my skin’s natural texture. The consistency was dense without being stiff, so it picked up well with a moderately dense brush and spread out easily. It wore well for nine hours on me before fading a bit.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- NARS Make You Mine (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Seductive Beauty (Cheek Swish) (LE, $40.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Tarte Shimmering (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Hourglass Luminous Glow (LE, $40.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Hourglass Iridescent Rose (LE, $40.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Just a Pinch (P, $31.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- NARS Bowery (LE, $30.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Vu (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Dose of Colors Amazemint (LE, $22.00) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Too Faced Sweet Peach Blush (PiP, ) is more shimmery, warmer (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.
Ingredients
CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE · DIMETHICONE · NYLON-12 · SQUALANE · GLYCERIN · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN · CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT · PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE · POLYSORBATE 20 · 1,2-HEXANEDIOL · XANTHAN GUM · HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER · SILICA · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): MICA · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) · CARMINE (CI 75470) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77492) · RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360) · ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Look Using this Product
Born to Be Alive
LELimited Edition. $30.00.
I Need a Man
I Need a Man is a rich, deeper pink-coral with subtle, warm undertones and a luminous finish. It was richly pigmented with opaque coverage achieved in just one layer–definitely not sheer or buildable. While the denser consistency makes it easy not to pick up too much product, I feel like a gentle swirl still yielded quite a bit of color. Your best would be to gently swirl your brush on the back of your hand initially, and then applying for sheerer, more buildable coverage. The blush blended out well and had a nice sheen to it that didn’t emphasize my skin’s natural texture. It lasted well for nine hours before showing signs of fading.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Pat McGrath Aphrodisia (LE, ) is more shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Wayne Goss Sunny (PiP, ) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Laura Mercier Grapefruit (P, $30.00) is less shimmery, cooler (95% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Daiquiri Dip (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Surratt Beauty Ponceau (P, $32.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Hotline (P, $7.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Laura Geller Papaya (P, $26.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Strawberry Drip (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- NARS Fetishized (LE, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Becca Snapdragon (DC, $34.00) is more shimmery, more muted, cooler (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.
Ingredients
CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE · GLYCERIN · DIMETHICONE · NYLON-12 · SQUALANE · ZINC STEARATE · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT · POLYSORBATE 20 · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN · 1,2-HEXANEDIOL · XANTHAN GUM · PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE · HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER · SILICA · [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77492) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77499) · MICA · RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360) · RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850) · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Very pretty but I think I am sticking with the Hourglass holiday release. I like the formula, the shades are in my preferential shades and they got good reviews. I only have a few Nars blushes and the ones that I do have a really love. Last years, or maybe the year before Wanted palette was great but not feeling this. The embossing is pretty though.
I usually go ape for the larger blush palettes, whereas the 3 pans leave me cold. Suspect it’s the color choices. They seem to be so same old/same old…a gold HL, a midrange pink or coral, and then a darker pink/coral or a bronzer. I understand that these are fave/virtually universal colors, and that holiday is aimed at reaching everyone, in a ‘safe’ range. (Though ‘safe’ is never Nars’ middle name…nor does he handle holiday offerings that way…but many brands do.) I wonder if anyone who got the Man Ray trio has dented it/panned It sufficiently to want/need this one. IDK, hate to say it feels redundant, but it does, from a distanced perspective, irrespective of my (non!) preferences.
As much as I love this cheek palette, I seriously don’t need it. I have at least one fantastic dupe per shade: Nars own Bowery and Fetishised, plus too many gold highlighters to name!
As with all cheek palettes, the shades have to work on you. Personally this does not – the last shade is far too dark/bright for me and as for the name – well that’s just NARS…
These are really pretty but that last one scares me with it’s pigmentation. I wonder what Crique means. It’s a strange word to me and I’m not sure how it fits the theme.
The highlighter is too warm for me, the blushes are pretty, but nothing I feel would add anything new to my stash.
And, I would never in my life use any product named I NEED A MAN, never! I know, it’s NARS, but I have more of a problem with this name than any the company’s come up with earlier.
I adore the packaging and color choices and am so bummed I can’t pick it up. Nars usually uses silicone in their highlights, but not their blushes, however two shades in this palette contain them. Bummer.