NARS Kauai Eyeshadow Duo Review, Photos, Swatches
NARS Kauai Eyeshadow Duo
NARS Kauai Eyeshadow Duo ($34.00 for 0.14 oz.) is a new and permanent duo from NARS’ spring collection. Both shades were very, very pigmented with an incredibly soft, almost creamy, texture. The consistency was dense, buttery, and over-the-top metallic. It’s a formula that could also be used wet to bring out the metallic finish even more (though entirely unnecessary, as it is opaque and metallic applied dry). When I wore these shades, both lasted for a full nine hours without creasing or fading. This is one of the best eyeshadow duos I’ve seen NARS put out from the intensity of the pigmentation to the feel of the powder itself.
Kauai #1 is described as a “gold lame.” It’s a muted, slightly antique-y gold with a rich, metallic sheen and fine gold and antique gold shimmer and sparkle. It was intensely pigmented, and the texture was smooth, soft, and blendable. Too Faced Tinsel (LE) is very similar–a touch warmer. bareMinerals Gold Medal (P, $16.00) is also very similar. See comparison swatches.
Kauai #2 is described as an “iridescent smokey orchid.” It’s a medium-dark purple with subtle violet undertones and a frosted, metallic finish. The texture was dense, buttery, and so, so soft. I actually found that it can be easy to over-apply or load-up the brush with this product, because it is quite soft, so I recommend using less than you think you’ll need. L’Oreal Purple Priority (758) (P, $7.99) is darker, cooler-toned. Too Faced Jingle All the Way Eyeshadow #6 (LE) is less intense. Sleek MakeUP Romance in Rome (LE, $9.99) is less violet. Sleek MakeUP Bliss in Barcelona (LE, $9.99) is brighter. Urban Decay Voodoo (LE, $18.00) is cooler-toned, more muted. theBalm All the Way Annie (P, $16.00) is darker, less metallic. Urban Decay Freakshow (P, $18.00) is warmer. Urban Decay Vice (LE, $18.00) is lighter. Urban Decay Gravity (LE, $18.00) is similar but slightly lighter. Urban Decay ACDC (P, $18.00) is lighter. MAC Dusty Desire (LE, $32.50) is slightly cooler-toned. L’Oreal Perpetual Purple (P, $7.99) is darker. See comparison swatches.
Kauai
PPermanent. $34.00.
Kauai #1
DCDiscontinued. $25.00.
Kauai #2
DCDiscontinued. $25.00.
NARS Kauai Eyeshadow Duo
NARS Kauai Eyeshadow Duo
NARS Kauai Eyeshadow Duo
NARS Kauai Eyeshadow Duo
NARS Kauai #1 Eyeshadow
NARS Kauai #1 Eyeshadow
NARS Kauai #2 Eyeshadow
NARS Kauai #2 Eyeshadow
NARS: Kauai #1 (inner lid), China Seas #1 (middle of lid), China Seas #2 (outer lid),
Kauai #2 (crease), Khao San Road, Puerta del Sol on lower lash line
NARS: Kauai #1 (inner lid), China Seas #1 (middle of lid), China Seas #2 (outer lid),
Kauai #2 (crease), Khao San Road, Puerta del Sol on lower lash line
Oh, that’s pretty! I’ve never tried NARS shadows before.
Really! I am so surprised!
I absolutely love this colour combo! I will definitely be picking this up. Thanks for the review!
No prob, Tamara!
I love the look you created with these! Gorgeous! Another great product from the upcoming collection 🙂
Thank you!
I can probably dupe this within my stash (I have most of the purple “dupes” already!), but I will still be picking this up.
It’s really nice quality, so at least there’s that 🙂
How do the textures compare to Rajasthan (which, BTW, should have been made permanent!)?
Softer, denser – closer to formulas like UD’s than I would say NARS’ regular formula, even when they nail it. More like the Cinematic formula from Bourdin, as well (which I actually wondered if this was a reincarnation of).
I was actually wondering if NARS was using the Bourdin collection to introduce a new, permanent formula for eyeshadows. I only have 3, but the formula is quite nice, so I would love to see it pop up again, even if on occasion.
Not going to say anything except…summer ’14…expect some surprises
I so excited everytime I see that A+. 😀
🙂
I had high hopes for this duo, and I’m so glad it got a good rating, recommended even. Can’t wait to have mine. 🙂
Hope you love yours, Precious!
those two duos look great together! i haven’t had much luck with NARS shadows, but if this is one of the best you’ve tried, i’ll at least give it a look.
LOL! I was hoping they would pair OK together, because I’m just overwhelmed by spring collections right now and needed them to work together!
I absolutely LOVE the first shade in this duo, but I know I wouldn’t get much use from the second shade. So I’m a bit torn haha.
Aww, that is too bad about the purple!
Boy, it looks so appealing!
It’s really nice!
We know it is when you give the Temptalia recommends tag. 🙂
OMG both shades are beautiful!They do look like cream shadows! The gold one is my favorite!
The gold is so lovely!
What a concept-great quality and not LE! NARS, I knew there was a reason you are my favorite!
Yay for not being LE!
Part of me was hoping you would recommend this – because I love golds & purples. But part of me was hoping you would say this was bad since there are so many other products I want to spend my money on…ahhh I’m so torn! Lol.
It’s permanent at least, so no rush!
I wasn’t too interested in Kauai at first but your swatches and review just influenced me a little. This is a really pretty duo and the quality sounds amazing!
The texture is out of this world soft!
YIPES!!! Do I ever want THIS! Talk about gorgeous. I think I’ll ask my Toronto friend (who comes to visit often) to pick up this beauty for me.
It’s good to have friends that support our hobbies 😉
GAH. This shadow duo (as I’ve babbled about in probably too many previous comments) has totally stolen my heart. It has purple, it has gold, it’s cool-neutral…
It’s going on my list, along with Outremer, of NARS shadows I dream about owning!
Love the look you did, btw – kind of looks like an iridescent beetle/butterfly wing! 😀
Outremer has a fair amount of dupes, if I do recall it correctly, so that one might be easier to find elsewhere, whereas this one is not quite as dupeable!
This looks so pretty! This duo immediately caught my attention! 😀
I’m so happy it turned out to be even better than it looked!
I haven’t been this excited about a NARS duo since Paramaribo! So glad it’s a winner quality-wise as well!
Woohoo!!
I was already pretty certain I wanted this duo even from the pictures, but this confirms it. I think I’d pay full price for either one of those shades.
Both are really lush!
I love this – such a gorgeous color combo! I’m not usually one that can pull off gold on the eyes, but this one looks muted enough to work. It’s definitely going on the list. 🙂
Oh yes, if regular gold tends to not work for you, this is one that might. It’s about as “cool-toned” as gold can get!
This… This is what I wanted when I picked up YSL’s Marrakesh Sunset palette last summer… between that and a rare “Recommends” I may have to come home with this one.
That palette looked really pretty, but I didn’t see it in person – good to know I didn’t miss out!
I’m so, so excited to see this got an A+ and your recommendation! Thanks for this review!
You’re welcome, Miss J! AND with a purple 😉
The purple – wow haven’t seen a more pigmented purple. Will need to check this out.
Let me know what you think when you get a chance to see it, Shivani!
Loved both the shades! And what makes me more happy is that it isnt LE! 🙂
I was so happy it wasn’t LE!
I love that purple <3 The colors in this duo are really lovely.
It’s SO pretty! Right up your alley, Phyrra!
These look lovely! How does Kauai #1 compare to Maui Wowie? It seems lighter?
I can’t seem to get the comparison swatches to work.
Hi Shell!
Here is a link with Maui Wowie included – http://www.temptalia.com/swatch-gallery?sg=141635,93945,152042,114490
Maui Wowie is lighter and warmer, plus it has the glitter 🙂
Thank you! Enough of a difference to talk me into my first NARS purchase!
I love Nars eyeshadows! I like that the purple shadow looks a little more muted on the skin. think I’m going to pick this up, it would be a good introduction of color to my basically all neutral collection!
Oh yeah, it would be lovely with all of your neutrals, Marina! 🙂 Enjoy!
Gasp! Not even a purple shadow fan..but I may have to pick this up. What a beautiful combo
It’s a surprising combo for spring, which might make me like it even more!
I love NARS’ blushes. I think I need to venture into his eyeshadows. I’ll admit that I chuckled when you doubled up on the duos 😉
If only I had four eyes!
I actually really liked them all together! I would have never thought to do it, as the duos couldn’t be any more different from each other, yet they play nice together! I’m actually even more excited for China Seas…
Beautiful colors and beautiful on you. So much for buying less this year.
I’ll try to find more misses for you 😉
These shades remind me a lot of a few shades from the too faced Smokey eye palette, fire fly and smoking jacket.. although fire fly is lighter
Thanks for the heads up, Alisa!
I have been eagerly awaiting your review since I saw this duo in your sneek peak the other day. Love these colors! So glad the formula is a winner. This is definitely going on my list of must-haves.
Yay! I hope you love it, Kristen 😀 I know it will look awesome on your complexion!
While the page was loading I was hoping it gets A
n yaaaaaaaaa A plus 🙂
ur look is absolutely wonderful dear
n I dont have any dupes listed so one more
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Woohoo!!
This is gorgeous! I need this, i’m always on the hunt for a good purple eyeshadow!
Who isn’t? 😀
wow your look with these are soooo pretty and inspiring, im really feeling the colors
Thank you, Kristin!
your welcome, im gonna get this and maybe the other one and try my hand at that look!!!! and finally something new and permanent from NARS
OMG, I already wanted these and now you show me a stellar review? I will totally blame you when my husband asks me “What’s this $38 Sephora charge?”
LOL! 😉 Oops!
I have TF Jingle all the way and I thought No: 2 and No: 6 looks like Kauai Duo…though less intense! Just opened my Fav Things and found that Tinsel and Ola Orchid is a great alternative too…though Ola Orchid is matt.
Woah, that’s GORGEOUS! I’ll definitely have to get this haha
A plus??… Yes please!! =D
Nice to know that they got the duo named after one of the lushest, brightest places on earth right! Some of the other duos were disappointing.
I’m SO glad this will be permanent, I can take my time buying it! Btw, is it similar to NARS’ Nouveau Monde? That one caught my eye at Nordstrom’s today and they look quite close.
how does Kauai #2 compare to Sugarpill Elemental Chaos?
Sugarpill’s is cooler-toned!
The colors are nice and all but I’m trying to figure out why on earth they named it after Kauai. I have a house there and lived there full time for almost six years. If I had to pick colors I thought represented the island it would be green and rust, not purple and gold. So I’d never be able to buy this just cause the name would forever bug me.
I never really though about it before but it’s funny how simple advertising techniques can so strongly draw people, in or repel them.
Hi Christine,
How do you think they compare with inglot eyeshadows?
When you talk about creamy, easily overload, i immediately think of inglot.
Are they equally good in terms of texture?
Thx!!!
I think these are softer and… creamier? in a way than Inglot’s Pearl finish, which would be the most comparable finish (IMO) to this duo.
Glad this is perm! It’s sold out everywhere 🙁
Wow!! This combination looks very pretty!!!!
How does the gold side compare to MAC Retrospeck? Obviously the texture is totally different but more so the colour? I have a hard time finding a gold that doesn’t turn green/khaki on me. Retrospeck doesn’t do that but I’m not a fan of the texture. Do you think this could turn greenish?
Retrospeck is browner, warmer!
I’m so in love with this duo!! Im a huge nars fan but have never liked their eyeshadows bc of how sheer they are, but I love gold and purple so I swatched this today at nordstrom and had to buy it! 🙂 So surprised by the pigmentation! If they use this formula for the duos from now on I would definitely buy more.
I swatched this in Sephora today and just about died…it was so buttery soft and the colors are beautiful. I had to have it!
It is SO amazing. If all NARS eyeshadows were like this… we’d be in trouble.
The gold color from Kauai is also a dupe of Mac’s Modern Pewter, which made me soooo happy to see. I love Modern Pewter, and this duo is GORGEOUS! I’m so glad it’s permanent!
This duo will be mine, I really love both colors. Can’t wait to play with the purple color, it’s different from all other eyeshadows I own!
It’s an amazing duo! You’ll love it!
Christine, how close is the gold in this to Urban Decay Maui Wowie?
Here you go! http://www.temptalia.com/submit-dupe?sbs=1&pid=152042&dupe=114490
Christine, how similar is the gold in this to Maui Wowie by Urban Decay?
Maui Wowie is lighter, less metallic! http://www.temptalia.com/submit-dupe?sbs=1&pid=114490&dupe=152042