NARS Quantum Illuminating Multiple ($39.00 for 0.50 oz.) is described as a “sheer iridescent magenta.” It’s a muted, medium-dark pink with cool undertones and subtle silver and pink micro-shimmer. It is sheer, just as described, with a very thin consistency that I found difficult to spread across the skin for even color. The Multiple itself is almost dry with a velvety feel, like a cream eyeshadow that’s on its last legs and has pulled away from the edges of the jar. It seemed more like a blush with a satin finish than a highlighting/illuminating product. On cheeks, it lasted for six hours on me, and on lips, it was a painful two hours before I had to remove it, because my lips were so, so parched. I try really hard to wear things for as long as they’ll wear, drying or not, but I couldn’t make it past two hours – and I suspect it would have lasted around three at most. Clinique Rosy Pop (P, $21.00) is warmer, powder. ColourPop Clutch (P, $8.00) is brighter. NARS Adoration (Right) (P) is powder. MAC Bred for Beauty (LE) is cooler-toned, powder. MAC Peaches & Cream (LE, $21.00) is powder. MAC Sunset Beach (LE, $32.00) is powder. NARS 413 BLKR (P, $29.00) is brighter, powder. YSL Rose Frivole (02) (P, $40.00) is similar. Clinique Berry Pop (03) (P, $21.00) is cooler-toned, powder. Milani Bella Rosa (11) (P, $7.99) is brighter, powder. Bobbi Brown Summer Pink (LE, $26.00) is similar. NYX Bourgeois Pig (P, $5.00) is powder. NARS Mata Hari (P, $29.00) is darker, powder. MAC Supernova (LE, $27.00) is powder. MAC Weekend Getaway (LE, $22.00) is more muted. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

NARS Violet Atom Illuminating Multiple ($39.00 for 0.50 oz.) is described as a “sheer iridescent violet.” It’s a cool-toned, pinky-lavender base with iridescent gold and violet shimmer. Again, it’s as sheer as you’d expect, given the description and its categorization as an “Illuminating Multiple.” The color had an iridescent sheen to it that made it seem like a more unique shade to me. The drier, thin consistency of this product made it prone to clumping. I only was able to apply it by taking a chunk off of it, warming it between my fingertips, and then patting it and swiping at it with the edge of my finger to blend it out. The color lasted for seven hours on the cheeks, and it lasted an hour on my lips and felt like it was sucking the life out of them every second of that hour. NARS Adelaide (LE, $30.00) is more sparkly. Giorgio Armani No. 08 (P, $59.00) is pinker. MAC Pearl Blossom (LE, $26.00) is pinker, powder. See comparison swatches / compare dupes side-by-side.

In general, I like The Multiple most as a cheek product and sometimes on the eye, but they’re a really poor performing product on the lips, due to just how dry and silicone-like the texture is, in my experience. If you only want to use it as a cheek product, you’ll want to think of the rating as a little higher, though Quantum was still disappointing even as a cheek product. Both of these seemed exceptionally lacking in some of the glide that I’ve typically see present in the Multiple formula, and as mine are press samples, I don’t know if they’ve somehow dried out or if these new, Illuminating Multiple shades are just like that.

See more photos & swatches!

NARS Quantum Illuminating Multiple

NARS Quantum Illuminating Multiple

NARS Quantum Illuminating Multiple

NARS Quantum Illuminating Multiple

NARS Quantum Illuminating Multiple

NARS Violet Atom Illuminating Multiple

NARS Violet Atom Illuminating Multiple

NARS Violet Atom Illuminating Multiple

NARS Violet Atom Illuminating Multiple

NARS Violet Atom Illuminating Multiple

NARS Violet Atom Illuminating Multiple