NARS x Man Ray The Veil Face Palette Review, Photos, Swatches
The Veil
NARS The Veil Man Ray Face Palette ($49.00 for 0.38 oz.) is a trio of “buildable” powders that includes limited edition blush and highlighting shades. If you like your cheek colors more pigmented, the trio might work for you, but if you were holding onto the concept of “buildable,” then I think you may be more disappointed.
Ingredients
The Veil
LELimited Edition. $49.00.
Laguna
Laguna is a muted, medium brown with warm undertones and a matte finish. It was a lot more red-toned in the palette compared to the standalone, permanent shade that was released earlier this year, though. The consistency was smooth but quite dense and needed a heavy hand and a dense brush to yield coverage, which was semi-opaque and buildable overall (though it was supposed to be sheerer). It blended out without much effort and lasted for seven and a half hours on me.
Top Dupes
- Viseart Enamored (Bronzer) (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- Makeup Geek Sunkissed (P, $22.00) is lighter, cooler (95% similar).
- MAC Acoustica (LE, $28.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Phytosurgence Golden Warmth (3) (P, $25.50) is lighter (90% similar).
- ColourPop Afternoon Delight (P, $8.00) is warmer (90% similar).
- Tom Ford Beauty Red Harness Sculpt (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
- Giorgio Armani Warm Brown (21) (P, $38.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- NARS Laguna (P, $38.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
- L'Oreal Light (01) (P, $14.99) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar).
- Makeup by Mario Light Medium (P, $28.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Laguna
LELimited Edition. $40.00.
Lovesick
Lovesick is a rich, medium-dark pink-coral with warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It was richly pigmented with a smooth texture that wasn’t too firm or too dense in the pan, but it didn’t kickup any excess product in the pan. A little went a long way, so I would recommend using a lighter hand to build up color initially. It wore well for eight and a half hours on me.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- Coloured Raine Call the Shots (Blush) (LE, ) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (95% similar).
- NARS Realm of the Senses (Together) (LE, $30.00) is darker (95% similar).
- NARS Panic (Right) (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
- By Terry Tan & Flash Cruise #2 (LE, ) is warmer (95% similar).
- NARS Fetishized (LE, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Kevyn Aucoin Sunset #2 (PiP, ) is lighter (85% similar).
- MAC Fleet Fast (LE, $24.00) is less shimmery, warmer (90% similar).
- Wayne Goss Sunny (PiP, ) is less shimmery (90% similar).
- Chanel Malice (71) (P, $45.00) is lighter (90% similar).
- Surratt Beauty Ponceau (P, $32.00) is cooler (90% similar).
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.
Lovesick
LELimited Edition. $30.00.
Surreal
Surreal is a medium, rosy copper with warm undertones and a metallic sheen. It had nearly opaque coverage in a single layer with a smooth, soft, and blendable texture that was easy to apply to the skin. It did emphasize my skin’s natural texture just slightly at semi-opaque coverage or higher. On me, the highlighter lasted for eight hours.
FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).
Top Dupes
- ColourPop Whimsical Ride (LE, $10.00) is less shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
- Huda Beauty Medium #2 (PiP, ) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Becca Rose Gold (P, $19.00) (95% similar).
- lilah b. b captivating (P, $60.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar).
- Becca Rose Gold (LE, $38.00) is warmer (95% similar).
- Physicians Formula Rose Gold (P, $10.99) is lighter, warmer (95% similar).
- Westman Atelier Peau de Peche (P, $75.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
- Charlotte Tilbury Gilded Glow (P, $48.00) is less shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
- Urban Decay O.N.S. (LE, $26.00) is darker (95% similar).
- Tarte Candlelight (LE, ) is more shimmery, warmer (95% similar).
Formula Overview
-
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.
It looks really nice. The collector in me wants it for the packaging, but I have Laguna (who doesn’t?) in another palette, and it’s a tad dark for me. The highlighter is too dark for me, too. I think I just have to pass and save my $ for something else.
I don’t have it! It’s never this red! Makes me want it.
How did it happen to score A- if all the products inside scored B? Am I missing something?
Because I’m an idiot who can’t type accurately! It should be fixed.
LOL! Happens to all of us!
LOL! Happens to all of us sometimes. You go through so much stuff every day that it’s easy to miss something.
Nars is really pushing Laguna down everyone’s throats. Becca does the same thing with Opal. This looks really pretty, but I’m not the biggest fan of Nars’ face powders.
I bought it with Ulta’s 20% off code and I’m really glad that I did! It looks gorgeous, especially the blush. I have Laguna in the Bord de Plage palette but it’s my favorite bronzer (in the Sun Wash formula) so I don’t mind getting a second one!
Is the Bord de Plage Laguna the same as the Man Ray version? Wondering if the single is different than both palettes?
Love your doggie post. Another would be, “give me the bacon…I won’t ask again.”
100% tempting! I absolutely love each of the shades. Even the overly redundant Laguna, because I like that this version is a tad redder. So now it’s all about deciding between the single of Fetishised, which has to be purchased directly from Nars, or this one, because I can get it from various retailers? ?
Or with Ulta points.
I only have a mini laguna from some set. Not great on me. Do agree and see the slightly redder bit. Pink corals aren’t ,my thing. Like the highlighter and love the packaging/design. Going for the Blanche/noire lips out of this collection. Big surprise. Waiting for the S sale ( Nov 3 start for rouge, if not announced here yet.) Doubt it will sell out and require a Nars f&f.
Omg! A new face palette from NARS with Laguna in it? Gasp! What a surprise! Shocking!
I wonder if they have to press things differently because of the pattern. Maybe that accounts for the different finishes.