NARS Redemption Multi-Use Gloss Review & Swatches
Redemption
NARS Redemption Multi-Use Gloss ($26.00 for 0.16 oz.) has a translucent base with flecks of copper, pink, and silver glitter. It had semi-sheer to medium “coverage” in the form of sparkle, but it tended to sheer out considerably on my skin when used on my brow bone or cheekbones. It had more noticeable sparkle “coverage” when I used it as a lip product. The consistency was smooth, creamy, and spreadable, but it was denser than the average gloss, though not sticky or particularly heavy. As a lip product, it seemed almost primer-like and clung a bit to my lips without being drying.
On my face, it worked best over bare skin or lightly-powdered foundation as a glossy, shiny effect with minimal noticeable shimmer/sparkle. The sparkle was sparse and was only slightly noticeable when worn atop bare skin, but if I patted it over a liquid foundation, even as gently as possible, they seemed to blend in with my base. The same was true when I patted it under my brow bone as a highlight, whether on bare skin or over eyeshadow. The good news was that it did not seem overly prone to migrating and sliding down and around my face.
As a cheek highlighter, it lasted for six and a half hours before starting to appear a little glossy beyond where I put it over bare skin, while application over set base products actually was better at eight hours (I was worried it would eat my foundation more quickly). As a brow bone highlighter, it stayed on well for eight hours with minimal movement, but it was hard to seamlessly blend the ultra glossy brow bone highlight with the rest of my eyeshadow. The gloss had no hope whatsoever when used on the lid or near the crease from creasing; it was creased within a minute, and I could feel it between my lash lines within two hours. As a lip product, it had light shine but disappeared within two hours and looked and felt like gritty sparkle and was nowhere near as sparkly/reflective as a decent shimmery lipgloss is. It lasted for three hours as a gloss with sparser and sparser sparkle from there, but it was comfortable and non-drying.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
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Formula Overview
$26.00 -
The formula is supposed to work on "lips, eyes and cheeks" that can be "worn alone or layered" that is "luminous and layerable." For adding a glossy, wet-looking shine to skin, whether on the brow bone or cheeks, it works well and has fairly good longevity/doesn't kill everything under it immediately, but the formula has no dry down on skin, so it does feel wet and attracts wind-blown hair, dog fur and the like.
I actually think they're pretty ho-hum on lips; they actually lose quite a bit of shine and have more of a dulled, glittery-dirt kind of effect rather than sparkly, multi-dimensional effect on lips like you might get from a typical, shimmery lipgloss. I could feel some of the texture of the glitter/sparkle when I wore it on my lips as well. They had no scent or taste that I could discern.
The consistency was smooth, mostly gloss-like, but there was something that gave it a bit more substance and thicker feel overall; when it was on my lips, it felt more velvety, like it was a gloss-silicone primer hybrid. As a cheek product--mostly as a highlighter--it worked best over bare skin and lighter bases. Heavier, thicker, and higher-coverage foundations seemed to eat the sparkle more than anything else, so while there was noticeable shine and glossiness, the shimmer was totally lost. Even on bare skin, all five shades looked fairly similar once applied as there wasn't that much sparkle and little of it seemed to catch the light; it was mostly shine.
I found that the Multi-Use Glosses stayed more in place over a base than over bare skin, as it seemed more prone to sliding around more noticeably (within six hours) on just-moisturized skin. When I patted it over my base products, it didn't move around for closer to eight hours, and surprisingly, it didn't eat through my foundation and turn it into a patchy mess. It was difficult to find the right base, application, and figure out timing in order to avoid the Multi-Use Gloss turning my foundation into an emollient mess.
The first few times I tried it, the foundation turned patchy as I was applying the Multi-Use Gloss. It seemed to be easiest to use gently tapped onto my skin after giving my base products five minutes to dry down and set in place; I did prefer applying over set base products as well.
If you're looking for a glossy effect that doesn't totally break down your makeup for the face, it might be worth checking out, but if you're looking for a truly multi-tasking gloss, it's less impressive than a good, shimmery gloss and has to be carefully placed for reasonable usage on the eyes.
Pro-tip: unless you are after a glossy, creasing eye look, avoid putting this on the mobile lid/crease area; they do not survive whether alone or layered over other products--they crease within minutes and absolutely migrate into the lashes and lash lines. At most, get a small amount and dab on the center of the lid and leave a small gap between the mobile lid and lash line to give it room to migrate. I could feel even a very thin, barely-there layer on my lid every time I blinked, and unfortunately, for me, they stung my actual eye (not my lid) as the product seeped beyond my lid space and left me with a dull ache (even after just 15 minutes of wear).
Browse all of our NARS Multi-Use Gloss swatches.
I really like it, but ONLY as a lip gloss, though! I’m not one to put anything gooey or gloppy anywhere but on my lips.
I have zero interest in this product; the thought of using it for any purpose other than a lip gloss seems ridiculous to me.
However, your eye look is beautiful!! I wouldn’t have given the Anastasia Daytime palette a second thought before seeing what you did with it. Wow!
I don’t feel like I would ever use this type of product other than a lip gloss, but I’m very curious as to how this formula is supposed to be different than their (or any other) lip gloss to warrant it being marketed as a “Multi-Use Gloss.” Interested to see how the rest are like, thanks as always for the thorough review, Christine!
I would look a mess trying to use a product like this anywhere but on my lips. It would be like a magnet for my hair, I’d look like a bearded lady. I have combination skin, with really oily parts so this would just look like I needed to blot and powder my wherever I’d try it.
It’s pretty as a lip gloss though.
If it lasted decently, I would have liked it as a lipgloss only, but it sounds pretty awful all the way around.
There is something that feels unhygienic about this and I don’t know why.
I think, in general, eye/lip products can be that way, so if you’re someone who plans to use it both ways, I’d highly recommend using a separate applicator!