NARS Star Scene Holiday 2019 Cheek Palette Review & Swatches

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NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio
NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio

Star Scene

NARS Star Scene Wet/Dry Cheek Trio ($42.00 for 0.36 oz.) is a new, limited edition trio that features a warm, peachy-gold highlighter and two coral blushes. All three shades hare semi-opaque to opaque coverage, which was the “downside” to the product as they’re supposed to be “sheer-to-buildable” and can be used wet for a “high-impact effect” (though the latter seemed more with respect to the finish, e.g. the glow).

As I mentioned in my review of Hustle, I haven’t found that this formula is all that sheer applied dry, and they certainly will intensify in color and finish when applied with a wet brush. The formula is a denser, firmer type–like a gel-powder hybrid–that works best with moderately dense brushes (e.g. fan brushes aren’t ideal). The upside is that they’re not powdering, and the powders tend to “melt” when applied to skin, which gives them a smoother, more skin-like finish.

Ingredients

Star Scene

LELimited Edition. $42.00.
B+
B+
9
Product
7
Pigmentation
9.5
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
88%
Total

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NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter
NARS Instant Replay Highlighter

Instant Replay

Instant Replay is a brighter, light-medium gold with warm, peach undertones and a soft sheen. It was richly pigmented with a smooth, denser texture that had no powderiness but still blended out easily on my skin. I’d recommend using a denser, more blush-like brush to pick up product as the texture is more firmly-pressed in the pan–in a way that is consistent with this type of formula. The highlighter lasted well for eight and a half hours before fading a bit.

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

Formula Overview

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They’re not listed as part of the Dual Intensity formula, though they felt a lot like it (firmer but not stiff, a little dry to the touch but very blendable and don’t appear dry or dusty on the skin), and the description of the formula was similar–use dry for “shimmering veil of second-skin color” or wet for a “high-impact glow.” All three shades were quite shimmery applied dry, and they were metallic when applied with a damp brush. I’d disagree with these being “sheer shimmer” or “second-skin color” in any way dry–all three were mostly opaque to opaque dry, which is where the palette fell “short.”

Browse all of our NARS Highlighter swatches.

Ingredients

CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE · HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER · SQUALANE · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · GLYCERIN · CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT · ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN · XANTHAN GUM · POLYSORBATE 20 · SYNTHETIC FLUORPHLOGOPITE · DICALCIUM PHOSPHATE · 1,2-HEXANEDIOL · PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE · TIN OXIDE · SILICA · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77492) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77499) · 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.

Instant Replay

LELimited Edition.
B+
B+
9
Product
7
Pigmentation
9.5
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
88%
Total
1 of 4
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush
NARS Divine Powder Blush

Divine

Divine is a light-medium pink with warmer undertones and a luminous sheen. It had good pigmentation in a single layer, which was buildable to full coverage with less than half of a layer. The texture was firmer, denser without any powderiness, but it wasn’t stiff to work with as the powder blended out easily on my skin. The caveat is that a denser brush works better with this type of formula, though. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me before fading visibly.

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

Formula Overview

$30.00/0.16 oz. - $187.50 Per Ounce

From NARS’ website, their blush formula is described as “beautifully pigmented” and “soft [and] blendable.” NARS' blushes, since they've been released in such a massive range of shades over the years, can vary from shade to shade to some degree. Most shades are pigmented with firmer, slightly stiffer consistencies that can also run on the thinner side, which allows greater control when picking up product but some of the more matte shades could be a bit more blendable or easier to work with.

Some of the more newly-released shades have softer, more yielding textures that are a bit creamier and are easier to blend out, though most of NARS' blushes are fairly blendable. The wear typically ranges from eight to nine hours with a few shades falling above or below this range.

Browse all of our NARS Powder Blush swatches.

Ingredients

CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE · DIMETHICONE · NYLON-12 · SQUALANE · GLYCERIN · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN · CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT · PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE · POLYSORBATE 20 · 1,2-HEXANEDIOL · XANTHAN GUM · HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER · SILICA · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): MICA · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77492) · RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360)]

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.

Divine

LELimited Edition. $30.00.
B+
B+
9
Product
7
Pigmentation
9.5
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
88%
Total
1 of 4
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush
NARS Hard Party Powder Blush

Hard Party

Hard Party is a medium, pinky coral with warm undertones and a luminous sheen. The color payoff was nearlyopaque in a single layer, so it was quite a bit above the “sheer-to-buildable” it was described (for dry application). The powder was smooth to the touch, dense and firmer in the pan, but it picked up well with a moderately dense brush and blended out the product beautifully on my skin. It stayed on nicely for eight and a half hours before showing signs of fading.

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

Formula Overview

$30.00/0.16 oz. - $187.50 Per Ounce

From NARS’ website, their blush formula is described as “beautifully pigmented” and “soft [and] blendable.” NARS' blushes, since they've been released in such a massive range of shades over the years, can vary from shade to shade to some degree. Most shades are pigmented with firmer, slightly stiffer consistencies that can also run on the thinner side, which allows greater control when picking up product but some of the more matte shades could be a bit more blendable or easier to work with.

Some of the more newly-released shades have softer, more yielding textures that are a bit creamier and are easier to blend out, though most of NARS' blushes are fairly blendable. The wear typically ranges from eight to nine hours with a few shades falling above or below this range.

Browse all of our NARS Powder Blush swatches.

Ingredients

CETEARYL ETHYLHEXANOATE · DIMETHICONE · NYLON-12 · GLYCERIN · SQUALANE · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN · CHONDRUS CRISPUS EXTRACT · PENTAERYTHRITYL TETRA-DI-T-BUTYL HYDROXYHYDROCINNAMATE · POLYSORBATE 20 · SODIUM CITRATE · 1,2-HEXANEDIOL · XANTHAN GUM · HDI/TRIMETHYLOL HEXYLLACTONE CROSSPOLYMER · SILICA · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): MICA · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) · CARMINE (CI 75470) · IRON OXIDES (CI 77491)· IRON OXIDES (CI 77492) · RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360) · ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007)] ·

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.

Hard Party

LELimited Edition. $30.00.
B+
B+
9
Product
7
Pigmentation
9
Texture
9
Longevity
5
Application
87%
Total

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