NARS Paradise Found Powerchrome Eye Pigments Reviews & Swatches
Islamorada
NARS Islamorada Powerchrome Loose Eye Pigment ($28.00 for 0.05 oz.) is a medium, bluish-aqua with subtle, cool undertones and a chunky, sparkling finish that had a bit of shine to it. It was more like a loosely-pressed (but mostly loose!) powder that was chunky and clumpy. Those are not words I want associated with my eyeshadow, and this was a mess to work with.
There was a lot of fallout during application regardless of whether I used a dry or wet brush or my fingertips. It was difficult to “crush” the pigment into place for a smooth, even lay down of product. I had the best luck getting a bit into the lid and really pushing and jabbing at it with a brush. This helped to break up some of the larger chunks, but there was still some unevenness (in thickness) when it was applied to my lid. It had semi-sheer coverage applied dry and more opaque coverage applied wet. The color stayed on decently for eight hours but had light fallout over time (most of it occurred during application).
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Kaleidos Tron (PiP, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- Lethal Cosmetics Mirage (P, $6.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Pegasus (P, $9.99) is darker, brighter (90% similar).
- JD Glow Varsity (P, $7.50) is darker (90% similar).
- ColourPop Mint 4 U (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Wayne Goss Pearl Moonstone #6 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Fenty Beauty Durty Denim (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- ColourPop Surf's Up (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- Anastasia B1 (Norvina Vol. 3) (LE, $12.00) is less shimmery, lighter, brighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Confession (PiP, $4.50) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$28.00/0.05 oz. - $560.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "intense payoff" in "one swipe" with "all shine." The brand recommends applying with fingertips (actually "fingerprint application") to get "intense payoff with as minimal fallout as possible." It's a loosely-pressed eyeshadow formula that's more of a pressed eyeshadow than a true, loose pigment, but if it gets knocked around, it could appear looser. They're easiest to work with when pressed and packed into the jar, though, as it enabled better control over coverage and minimized fallout opportunity.
Most shades had semi-opaque to opaque pigmentation that applied with light fallout during application (whether with fingertips or brushes), but fingertips definitely were easier to sue when deeper shades when I wanted more seamless edges. Brushes tended to move the shimmer/sparkle around and leave behind a patchier base pigment for deeper shades. I tried using the products with a dampened brush, which was a successful alternative to fingertip application with all but the chunkiest of shades.
The texture ranged from smooth, lightly creamy, and dense to chunky and hard to apply in an even layer (even with fingertips!). The shades lasted between seven and nine hours before creasing faintly or having some fallout, though most shades didn't suffer from much fallout over time.
Browse all of our NARS Powerchrome Loose Eye Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
DIMETHICONE • SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE • CALCIUM TITANIUM BOROSILICATE • DIISOSTEARYL MALATE • CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE • 1,2-HEXANEDIOL • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL • TIN OXIDE • CALCIUM SODIUM BOROSILICATE • CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE • ALUMINA • SILICA • HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE • PALMITIC ACID • PHENOXYETHANOL • BENZOIC ACID • [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090) • CARMINE (CI 75470) • CHROMIUM OXIDE GREENS (CI 77288) • FERRO FERROCYANIDE (CI 77510) • IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) • MICA • TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
Islamorada
PPermanent. $28.00.
Castaway
NARS Castaway Powerchrome Loose Eye Pigment ($28.00 for 0.05 oz.) is a pale white base with a pink-to-orange shifting pearl and sparkle. The texture was chunkier, which made it harder to work with due to fallout but also the inability to get the product to sit smoothly on bare skin. It felt very loosely-pressed into the pan, but it didn’t compact much when I pressed on it either.
It had semi-opaque coverage applied dry and nearly opaque pigmentation when applied with a dampened brush. The dampened brush really went a long way to smoothing out the texture of this, whereas a dry brush had a more uneven application (which wasn’t as noticeable based on the shine of the finish) and a fair amount of fallout. It lasted well for eight hours with slight fallout over time.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Pixie Perf (LE, $4.50) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Makeup Geek Soiree (LE, $6.00) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- Melt Cosmetics Skeleton Kiss (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Isamaya Flesh (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Urban Decay Cosmic (P, $22.00) is lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- NABLA Cosmetics Play Hard (PiP, ) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Hillside (LE, $4.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- MAC Clear History (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter, cooler (90% similar).
- Danessa Myricks Milky Way (P, $18.00) is more muted (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Raw Jade (Left) (LE, ) is brighter (90% similar).
Formula Overview
$28.00/0.05 oz. - $560.00 Per Ounce
The formula is supposed to be "intense payoff" in "one swipe" with "all shine." The brand recommends applying with fingertips (actually "fingerprint application") to get "intense payoff with as minimal fallout as possible." It's a loosely-pressed eyeshadow formula that's more of a pressed eyeshadow than a true, loose pigment, but if it gets knocked around, it could appear looser. They're easiest to work with when pressed and packed into the jar, though, as it enabled better control over coverage and minimized fallout opportunity.
Most shades had semi-opaque to opaque pigmentation that applied with light fallout during application (whether with fingertips or brushes), but fingertips definitely were easier to sue when deeper shades when I wanted more seamless edges. Brushes tended to move the shimmer/sparkle around and leave behind a patchier base pigment for deeper shades. I tried using the products with a dampened brush, which was a successful alternative to fingertip application with all but the chunkiest of shades.
The texture ranged from smooth, lightly creamy, and dense to chunky and hard to apply in an even layer (even with fingertips!). The shades lasted between seven and nine hours before creasing faintly or having some fallout, though most shades didn't suffer from much fallout over time.
Browse all of our NARS Powerchrome Loose Eye Pigment swatches.
Ingredients
CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE • DIMETHICONE • SILICA • DIISOSTEARYL MALATE • CALCIUM TITANIUM BOROSILICATE • CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC TRIGLYCERIDE • TIN OXIDE • 1,2-HEXANEDIOL • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL • SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE • ALUMINA • HYDROGENATED POLYISOBUTENE • PALMITIC ACID • PHENOXYETHANOL • BENZOIC ACID • [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): BLUE 1 LAKE (CI 42090) • IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) • MICA • TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)]
Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.
While I really love the shift in Castaway, it sounds like a total pain in the butt to apply! I don’t know if it would be worth it or not to get this. But it sure is beautiful!
Islamoroda on the other hand…horrid. Don’t know how this got past R&D!
In the pan, Castaway looks more like rock salt than eyeshadow. These are terrible.
That is an apt description Tammy – rock salt…
What a weird texture. Castaway reminds me of fancy aquarium gravel… I mean obviously it’s smaller, but it looks like a bunch of tiny rocks.
Lol sooo true!!???
These both look dreadfully conceived in the pans and just as bad in use. Who actually makes the decision to make stuff like this and then bring it to market?
Maybe more editorial? I feel like sometimes brands do these sheer washes of color or patted over the lid… but then the marketing rarely goes along with that kind of use!
I thought it looked suspiciously bad when I first saw them – those large glitter chunks are reminiscent of very bad, no good DS brands from the $2 Shop.
Wow, just looking at these, it appears that using these on your eyelids is asking for trouble. You may as well just apply kitty litter to your eyelids than use something like this. I just don’t understand the appeal of applying colored glass to the lids. We’ve only got two eyes for our entire lives! Beauty is just not worth it to me.