NARS Iraklion Soft Touch Eyeshadow Pencil Review, Photos, Swatches
NARS Iraklion Soft Touch Eyeshadow Pencil
NARS Iraklion Soft Touch Eyeshadow Pencil ($24.00 for 0.14 oz.) is described as a “smoky rose quartz.” It’s a medium, muted brown with warm undertones and a champagne sheen. Tom Ford Beauty Orchid Haze #2 (P) is a powder. MAC Pink Sensibilities #1 (LE, $21.00) is also a powder. Too Faced Amaretto (P, $16.00) is warmer, darker, powder. Urban Decay Liar (P, $18.00) is a powder. Tom Ford Beauty Platinum (LE, $40.00) is darker, warmer. See comparison swatches / view dupes.
Long-time readers will know that this is a formula I struggle with, and while it’s still not a product I’d recommend or reach for, this was significantly better than the last few shades I’ve tested. Instead of being extremely creamy, a little thick, with a lot of slip, it was a drier, thinner texture, which improved longevity but made it less comfortable to apply to the eyelid, lash line, and so forth. It tended to drag, catch, and apply unevenly. I would recommend using a separate brush and applying that way to improve comfort. It had semi-opaque color payoff, but it was buildable to mostly opaque. Longevity on these pencils is usually minutes, not even hours, but this managed four hours on me before it started to crease slightly. The creasing worsened as I wore the pencil until it was fairly significant at the six-hour mark. When used as an eyeshadow base with powder eyeshadow on top to set, I didn’t have visible creasing for five and a half hours.
Iraklion
PPermanent. $24.00.
See more photos & swatches!
NARS Iraklion Soft Touch Eyeshadow Pencil
NARS Iraklion Soft Touch Eyeshadow Pencil
NARS Iraklion Soft Touch Eyeshadow Pencil
NARS Iraklion and NARS Malacca Eyeshadow
NARS Iraklion and NARS Malacca Eyeshadow
such a pretty shade and it pairs so beautifully with malacca. too bad its that fussy!
I know! It’s a great color, but the formula and I just don’t get along.
Love the shade, but soft touch formula, no thanks!
Right? Sigh!
It’s too bad about the quality. I love the color, but with ky oily lids and hooded eye shape I’m not going to bother with it. At least I already have liar…
I think Liar will be a great substitute 🙂 A lot less fussy!
So…progress? Kinda? Baby steps, I guess!
That said, there are enough dupes that are close enough that it still isn’t worth the effort.
LOL! I can’t tell you how excited I was when it wasn’t creased by the time I finished applying and sat in front of the camera!
Sephora’s Jumbo pencils cost about half what the Nars ones cost, there is a pretty good colour range (from the photos, this looks very much like Taupe 04. The big difference (besides the price) is that the Sephora ones are EXCELLENT. They remain blendable for a short time (unlike UD’s 24/7 shadow pencils) but when they set, they don’t move. I absolutely LOVE them and just wish there were a few more shades.
There are a lot of better quality pencils on the market, in general, so it’s good to know Sephora has a potential dupe, too! I don’t know why these don’t work on me… most other pencils do just fine.
“Significantly better” meaning a D+ made me giggle a little. It’s a shame this is a poor line of products, because this colour is quite nice.
I think this formula has the lowest score all-time… I want to say something like 20%? F is 59% and down if I remember correctly (it’s all automatically calculated now for me, lol!), but these have often gone well, well below the 50% mark.
I like the color very much! 🙂
Recently posted: http://www.beautyfrontline.com/2014/04/loreal-nutri-gloss-mirror-shine-shampoo.html
Yay!
I don’t know why Nars bothers with these pencils, they always perform so poorly, shame as well because it’s such a nice colour 🙁
I guess they must perform better for others!
I see that Nars still can’t make shadow sticks right! What a shame
So sad!
It looks gorgeous on you! Wow.
Thanks, Andrea!
So disappointing…for 2 reasons: my grandfather was from Crete, so I would have really liked for this to do well…but I also was looking forward to seeing a big ol’ F!!! Such a pretty color…such a shame 🙁
Aww, sorry I could not give you either one of those things 🙁
out of all the NARS summer reviews, this is the one I really wanted to read 🙂 Such a pretty shade, though.
Aww!
Do you know when these new colors are going to be available? Can’t find them on the website. I think the color is so stunning, that i will get it either way…
April 15th!
I will most definitely pass on this formula!
Phew!
I know a lot of people have difficulty with these pencils, but they wear like iron on me (which I guess is a tradeoff for the horrible luck I have with UD 24/7 liners, LOL!), so needless to say, this will end up in my stash. Plus, my father’s side is originally from Crete, so…
You’re so lucky!
Ohh, this looks similar to Urban Decays Sin eyeshadow pencil (a product that is getting harder and harder to find!)
I wonder why it’s becoming harder to find!
I had a feeling this was going to get a bad review haha. Love the shade, though.
I know, I know! At least it was slightly improved…
Compared to mufe, these shadow pencils are nothing!
I’m still surprised these don’t wear better on me as I don’t have too much trouble with most formulas since I don’t have oily lids!
The colour really is lovely, but it’s a shame the formula is a bit of a pain. I don’t really like to have to try very hard with my eyeliners/cream eye products – I like them to just go on and stay! (Call me lazy :-P)
LOL! I hear ya. Most of the jumbo pencils hold up quite well on me, but this formula is a trial.
Hey Christine! Random question came to mind since I was browsing the dupes for this…. have you ever/do you think its possible to use the urban decay eyeliners as cream shadow?
Yes, you definitely can! You’ll find a jumbo pencil probably more comfortable to apply than a regular pencil, but you can definitely use an eyeliner (Urban Decay’s or another brand’s) as a cream eyeshadow. It won’t be as blendable as one made for all-over application, though!
Thanks for killing this lemming!
No problem!