NARS Isla Bonita, Ecstasy, Ganges, Night Porter, Night Breed Eyeshadows Review & Swatches
Isla Bonita
NARS Isla Bonita Eyeshadow (2018) ($19.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a very pale green–almost like a green-tinged white–with a metallic sheen. It had good pigmentation with a soft, blendable texture that wasn’t too firmly nor too softly pressed in the pan. It applied well to bare skin and wore well for eight hours before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Dior Electrify #3 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Zoeva Wish Fulfillment (LE, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC So Jaded (LE, $17.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$19.00/0.04 oz. - $475.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "rich, high-impact color" that is "lightweight" and has "increased blendability." Like most larger ranges, there are winners and losers, and some of how they perform can be related to the type of finish. The mattes are soft, slightly dusty in the pans (or not at all) with medium to opaque, often buildable, color coverage. The satin and metallics tend to be smoother, more blendable, and more pigmented with less effort; NARS does the these lower shimmer finishes particularly well, which just looks "melted" on the skin as they lay down so smoothly and have a great shine.
Most shades applied better on my lid than swatched on my arm, which has been something seen across NARS' eyeshadows for years and didn't change with the recent update to their powder eyeshadow formula. On average, they lasted between seven and nine hours on me without primer. They did apply well over primer and stayed on well for 14 hours with minimal fading.
Worth noting: the updated formula and packaging resulted in a product decrease from 0.07 oz. per pan to 0.04 oz. The single eyeshadows received a more noticeable price drop (from $24 to $19) but the duo eyeshadows could be priced better (from $36 to $35).
Browse all of our NARS Eyeshadow (2018) swatches.
Look Using this Product
Isla Bonita
PPermanent. $19.00.
Ecstasy
NARS Ecstasy Hardwired Eyeshadow (2018) ($22.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a pale, minty green base with flecks of gold, green, and copper sparkle and micro-glitter. It looked more interesting in the pan and swatched than on my eye, where it looked more like a pale green with warmer undertones. The texture was drier to the touch and was more loosely pressed, so there was some excess product kicked up when it was used with a dry brush, and then there was some fallout during application unless I was very careful to press and push it onto my lid. It was much easier to use it with a dampened brush, as the product applied more evenly without fallout. It had medium, buildable pigmentation regardless of application method but a dampened brush built up the color faster. The color stayed on well for six and a half hours and eight hours for dry and wet applications with moderate fallout worn dry and little fallout when worn wet.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Down in New Orleans (LE, $6.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Cleopatra (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Game Changer (LE, $4.50) is more shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Cle de Peau Harmony (Right) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Viseart Coy #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- YSL Indie Jasper #5 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Dior Emerald #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- MAC All Hands on Deck (LE, $17.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- MAC Make a Wish (LE, $21.00) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- Huda Beauty Mint #2 (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$22.00/0.04 oz. - $550.00 Per Ounce
The formula "can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity." It is a very glittery formula, and naturally, it performed significantly better when used with a dampened brush or an adhesive base.
Applied dry, they were typically sheer to semi-sheer with light to moderate fallout when blended out on my lid. They lasted between five and seven hours with light to moderate fallout. Applied wet, they were typically semi-opaque to opaque with minimal fallout when blended out and minimal to slight fallout during wear (about eight hours).
The consistency was soft, slightly drier/chunkier, but they the base colors were blendable and easy enough to use. I did find that they applied decently over primer when applied dry compared to on bare skin.
Browse all of our NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow (2018) swatches.
Look Using this Product
Ecstasy
PPermanent. $22.00.
Ganges
NARS Ganges Eyeshadow (2018) ($19.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a deep, green-leaning teal with a mostly matte finish and faint micro-sparkle strewn over it. The sparkles were just barely visible once applied to my lid, but it had a much denser, firmer consistency that was stiff and difficult to blend out… but more of the sparkles seemed to hold than softer, similarly-appearing shades (where the sparkles disappear). It had semi-opaque pigmentation that darkened a couple of shades after initial application. This shade lasted for eight hours on me before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Melt Cosmetics Meltdown (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Photosynthesex #4 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Lunar (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Giorgio Armani Scarab (37) (P, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Chanel Road Movie #1 (PiP, ) is darker, warmer (90% similar).
- theBalm #43 (P, $6.50) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- theBalm C2 (LE, $16.00) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (85% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Space Queen (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker (85% similar).
- Cle de Peau Les Annees Folles #5 (LE, ) is lighter (90% similar).
- YSL Scandal #5 (LE, ) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$19.00/0.04 oz. - $475.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "rich, high-impact color" that is "lightweight" and has "increased blendability." Like most larger ranges, there are winners and losers, and some of how they perform can be related to the type of finish. The mattes are soft, slightly dusty in the pans (or not at all) with medium to opaque, often buildable, color coverage. The satin and metallics tend to be smoother, more blendable, and more pigmented with less effort; NARS does the these lower shimmer finishes particularly well, which just looks "melted" on the skin as they lay down so smoothly and have a great shine.
Most shades applied better on my lid than swatched on my arm, which has been something seen across NARS' eyeshadows for years and didn't change with the recent update to their powder eyeshadow formula. On average, they lasted between seven and nine hours on me without primer. They did apply well over primer and stayed on well for 14 hours with minimal fading.
Worth noting: the updated formula and packaging resulted in a product decrease from 0.07 oz. per pan to 0.04 oz. The single eyeshadows received a more noticeable price drop (from $24 to $19) but the duo eyeshadows could be priced better (from $36 to $35).
Browse all of our NARS Eyeshadow (2018) swatches.
Ganges
LELimited Edition. $19.00.
Night Porter
NARS Night Porter Eyeshadow (2018) ($19.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a medium-dark green with warmer undertones and a satin finish. It had semi-opaque color coverage, but the texture was firmer and thinner, which resulted in a product that was stiffer and more challenging to work with as it did not diffuse and blend out easily along the edges. It did improve over an eyeshadow primer, which seemed to help it apply more evenly. On me, it wore well for seven and a half hours.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Pretty Vulgar Jealous (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Urban Decay The Sight (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Chanel Vert Metal (836) (P, $36.00) is cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Earth Bound (LE, $19.00) is more shimmery, brighter (90% similar).
- Wet 'n' Wild Dragon Scales #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
- Chanel Verde (18) (LE, $30.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- theBalm D4 (LE, $16.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
- Make Up For Ever I324 Bronze Khaki (DC, $21.00) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (85% similar).
- Cle de Peau Modern Era #2 (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (85% similar).
- Chanel Blurry Green #3 (PiP, ) is more shimmery, brighter (85% similar).
Formula Overview
$19.00/0.04 oz. - $475.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to have "rich, high-impact color" that is "lightweight" and has "increased blendability." Like most larger ranges, there are winners and losers, and some of how they perform can be related to the type of finish. The mattes are soft, slightly dusty in the pans (or not at all) with medium to opaque, often buildable, color coverage. The satin and metallics tend to be smoother, more blendable, and more pigmented with less effort; NARS does the these lower shimmer finishes particularly well, which just looks "melted" on the skin as they lay down so smoothly and have a great shine.
Most shades applied better on my lid than swatched on my arm, which has been something seen across NARS' eyeshadows for years and didn't change with the recent update to their powder eyeshadow formula. On average, they lasted between seven and nine hours on me without primer. They did apply well over primer and stayed on well for 14 hours with minimal fading.
Worth noting: the updated formula and packaging resulted in a product decrease from 0.07 oz. per pan to 0.04 oz. The single eyeshadows received a more noticeable price drop (from $24 to $19) but the duo eyeshadows could be priced better (from $36 to $35).
Browse all of our NARS Eyeshadow (2018) swatches.
Look Using this Product
Night Porter
PPermanent. $19.00.
Night Breed
NARS Night Breed Hardwired Eyeshadow (2018) ($22.00 for 0.04 oz.) is a medium, matte black with silver sparkle on top. The texture was drier, slightly powdery in the pan, and this resulted in the sparkles disappearing or dropping off the lid during application, so it performed more like a matte finish than a sparkly one. It took more effort to diffuse the edges seamlessly as it tended to look a bit ragged initially. This shade lasted for seven and a half hours on me before fading noticeably (but did not seem to have fallout due to the sparkles not transferring well!).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Charlotte Tilbury Diva Lights (Define) (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Too Faced Bad to the Berry (PiP, $16.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Smokey Eyes are Forever Confident Eyes Smoke (LE, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Milani Black Tie Affair (PiP, $5.99) is lighter (90% similar).
- Too Faced Black Tie (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Night Dream (P, $4.50) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar).
- MAC Gameplayer (PiP, ) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Too Faced Jingle All the Way Eyeshadow #1 (LE, $16.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Knight (LE, $6.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- LORAC Midnight (PiP, $19.00) is more shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$22.00/0.04 oz. - $550.00 Per Ounce
The formula "can be applied dry or with a dampened brush for stronger intensity." It is a very glittery formula, and naturally, it performed significantly better when used with a dampened brush or an adhesive base.
Applied dry, they were typically sheer to semi-sheer with light to moderate fallout when blended out on my lid. They lasted between five and seven hours with light to moderate fallout. Applied wet, they were typically semi-opaque to opaque with minimal fallout when blended out and minimal to slight fallout during wear (about eight hours).
The consistency was soft, slightly drier/chunkier, but they the base colors were blendable and easy enough to use. I did find that they applied decently over primer when applied dry compared to on bare skin.
Browse all of our NARS Hardwired Eyeshadow (2018) swatches.
Pretty happy that I still have plenty left in my original Night Porter. It looks way prettier and more pigmented than this version.
Well, this is a sad showing for a high end brand.
The original Night Porter is my favorite dark green eyeshadow, but this new version looks quite a bit different.
Isla Bonita is all kinds of gorgeous, though!
Ooh, the greens! Loving Isla Bonita, Ecstacy and Night Porter! However, I’m pretty sure dupes exist here for the later two, while I know nothing here that’s even remotely similar to the former.
A fairly average round of singles by Nars – even though the shades were lovely – especially the sea green and teal. The teal shade, as a matte, is really hard to get right, so perhaps a little shimmer number would have been the way to go with this.
Stunning eye look Christine.
Meh. Think I’ll try old night porter over a white base. All those original night shades looked uniformly black on me…deep set eyes do that. But you created a superb look with some less than par shadows.
Ecstasy is a disappointment. Ganges is beautiful, but even before seeing your dupes it reminded me of Green Room, which I already don’t use enough ?
Looking at Isla Bonita (and the colours and the look Christine did) put me in mind of NARS Rue Allent. I think the time and the season are right for me to take that beauty out and start using it again!
Ganges is a beautiful color. Probably works best in a graphic shape where you’re not trying to blend, same as Outremer. I don’t need any new eyeshadow right now but I may revisit this next year. Would be perfect over MAC Tarnish pencil.