NARS Maldives Highlighting Powder Review, Photos, Swatches

Christine — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 14:00:00 +0000

Maldives

NARS Maldives Highlighting Powder (2018) ($38.00 for 0.49 oz.) is a medium, rosy copper with warm undertones and a luminous finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation that was buildable to full coverage with two to three layers. The finish was subtler than other shades in the formula, though it still yielded medium shine. The powder was smooth to the touch with slight dryness, and of the six shades, this didn’t seem to be quite as effortless as others but still blended out easily for me… just the others were so blendable that it was like they blended themselves. This shade stayed on well for eight and a half hours before fading noticeably.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

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Formula Overview

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Flesh Beauty Promise (P, $28.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
NARS Orgasm (P, $28.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Dior Coral Cruise (002) (LE, $50.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Glacial Rose (LE, $50.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Kosas Contrachroma (High Intensity) (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
MAC Pearl Sunshine (LE, $22.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
MAC Into Eternity (LE, $36.00) is darker (90% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Megeve (Highlighter) (LE, ) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Laura Mercier Inspiration (P, $45.00) is darker (90% similar).
Tarte Daygleam (P, $28.00) is warmer (90% similar).

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Formula Overview

$38.00/0.49 oz. - $77.55 Per Ounce

The new powder highlighter formula is supposed to "melt seamlessly into skin to enhance your natural glow" with "buildable radiance." The texture had a smooth feel that was finely-milled but firmer, almost stiff in a way, in the pan (not in a bad way), and it was not at all powdery. There was a dryness and thinness present in the texture that made it less like traditional powder highlighter formulas (including the brand's original range of highlighting powders), and none of that translated into poor performance.

That being said, all of the shades applied better on the cheeks than the they did applied to my arm. I also noticed that finish became more and more luminous--almost blindingly at times!--as the powder was buffed and blended on my cheeks. They were very reflective and shiny on my cheek bones with semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation. I had no trouble blending and diffusing any of the shades on my skin, and despite having a firmer feel in the pan, I could use fan brushes and other feathery brushes to pickup product. The powders lasted between eight and nine hours on me.

Browse all of our NARS Highlighting Powder (2018) swatches.

Maldives

PPermanent. $38.00.

B+

8.5

Product

8.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

Application

89%

Total

NARS Maldives Highlighting Powder (2018)

Temptalia

NARS Maldives Highlighting Powder Review, Photos, Swatches

Maldives

Top Dupes

Formula Overview

Maldives

PPermanent. $38.00.

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