NARS Summer Solstice Cheek Duo Review & Swatches
Summer Solstice
NARS Summer Solstice Summer 2021 Cheek Duo ($45.00 for 0.7 oz.) is a new, limited edition highlighter and bronzer duo that features two existing shades from the brand’s core ranges–that info wasn’t so readily apparent, and I definitely wish it was! It would have also been nice to see more than one duo offered as this skewed quite light. Together, they created a very shimmery, deeper gold hue with more of a brownish base.
Ingredients
Summer Solstice
LELimited Edition. $45.00.
Ibiza
Ibiza is a light-medium gold with strong, warm undertones and a luminous sheen. The texture was soft, slightly yielding, which made it blendable and easy to pick up with a brush without being too powdery. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation that applied evenly to bare skin. It wore well for eight hours before fading noticeably.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Pat McGrath Golden Majesty (LE, $52.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (95% similar).
- Laura Mercier Infatuation (LE, $45.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- NARS Coucher de Soleil I (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- ColourPop Bigger and Better (LE, $12.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Maybelline Gold (300) (P, $9.99) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Urban Decay Side Piece (LE, $26.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Becca Gradient Glow (P, $38.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- MAC Serenity Seeker (LE, $36.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Rare Beauty Exhilarate (P, $25.00) is lighter (95% similar).
- Makeup Revolution Gold Addict (P, $6.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
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.
Ingredients
TALC · POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · DIMETHICONE · ZINC STEARATE · DIMETHICONOL STEARATE · POLYBUTENE · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · TIN OXIDE · HEXYLENE GLYCOL · ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE · TOCOPHEROL · LECITHIN · GLYCERYL STEARATE · ASCORBYL PALMITATE · GLYCERYL OLEATE · CITRIC ACID · FRAGRANCE (PARFUM) · HEXYL CINNAMAL · LINALOOL · BENZYL SALICYLATE · PHENOXYETHANOL · [+/-(MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499) · MICA · RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850) · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) · YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140)] ·
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.
Ibiza
PPermanent. $38.00.
Laguna
Laguna is a light-medium, golden brown base with fine gold pearl throughout. The consistency was rather firm, stiff, and thin, which made it much harder to pick up product and made the surface more prone to absorbing oils from my brush–an inevitable part of using a brush to apply to one’s face–and further hardening the pan over time. It had semi-sheer coverage that was somewhat buildable but was blendable. This shade stayed on decently for seven and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- NARS Laguna (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
- Laura Mercier A La Mode (LE, ) is brighter (90% similar).
- Tower 28 Gold Coast (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Guerlain Ultra Shine (LE, $61.00) is darker, brighter (90% similar).
- MAC Nude on Board (LE, $30.00) is more muted (90% similar).
- MAC Aphrodite's Shell (LE, $34.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- KVD Beauty Shadowplay (PiP, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
- ColourPop Paradise Cove (P, $8.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- MAC Sun Dipped (LE, $30.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Too Faced Jolie (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Ingredients
TALC · DIMETHICONE · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · ISOSTEARYL NEOPENTANOATE · POLYBUTENE · ZINC STEARATE · ISOPROPYL ISOSTEARATE · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · SILICA · HEXYLENE GLYCOL · TIN OXIDE · TOCOPHEROL · LECITHIN · GLYCERYL STEARATE · ASCORBYL PALMITATE · GLYCERYL OLEATE · CITRIC ACID · FRAGRANCE (PARFUM) · HEXYL CINNAMAL · LINALOOL · BENZYL SALICYLATE · PHENOXYETHANOL · [+/-(MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, 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.
I like this warmer version of Laguna but I have no patience for hardpan. It looks beautiful on you though.
You did a great job of making it look beautiful, but a big sigh on managing to screw up Laguna.
Newp. Have a mini of Laguna already, and this iteration is pure junk. I love Ibiza, but to my eye, it reminds me of MAC Le Leyenda.
Dear old Nars – one shade perfect, the other a dud…..
Hahahahaha.. nails it!
Wow it looks beautiful on you! Makes me want to buy it except for laguna is to light for me and casino to red / I don’t think I’ve tried Ibiza – I know I have several NARS highlighters but they kinda dry up and disappear on my skin – and hard pan – no ends up being a total waste of your money – I had this issue with several MAC bronzers
Laguna was literally perfect as it was. I really wish brands would stop messing with a good thing.
Your magic touch makes it look beautiful on you Christine, but boo that it didn’t perform well, I am usually tempted by Nars’ bronzers.