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.

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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