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NYX Narcissistic & Chaotic Illuminators Reviews, Photos, Swatches

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator ($9.00 for 0.33 oz.) is a light, golden peach with warm undertones and a luminous sheen. It had a soft, lightly powdery consistency that was blendable and didn’t read dry or powdery on the skin. The powder imparted a soft but noticeable glow to the skin without adding a lot of color on my skin tone (but fairer complexions may see more warmth). It wore well for seven hours on me. Suqqu Yawakouki (05) (P, $34.00) is less shimmery, darker (95% similar). Chanel Warm Gold (20) (P, $58.00) is darker (95% similar). NARS Tribulation (LE, $30.00) is darker (95% similar). MAC She's a Rainbow (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar). NABLA Cosmetics Privilege (P, $26.00) is cooler (95% similar). NARS Last Call (LE, $30.00) is darker (95% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Warm (Winter 2016) Highlighter (LE, $60.00) is more shimmery (95% similar). Surratt Beauty Coup de Genie (P, $32.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). Clinique Nude Glow (P, $27.00) is less shimmery (90% similar). MAC Highlighter (LE, $34.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). Benefit Dandelion Twinkle (P, $29.00) is lighter (95% similar). Urban Decay Spotlight (LE, $26.00) is more shimmery (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty Solar Exposure (Highlighter) (LE, $60.00) is more shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Kosas Contrachroma (Highlighter) (PiP, ) is less shimmery, lighter (90% similar). Tom Ford Beauty The Afternooner (Highlighter) (LE, ) is lighter, warmer (90% similar). Natasha Denona Love Glow (Glow Impact Powder) (PiP, $42.00) is more shimmery, warmer (90% similar). Josie Maran Argan Enlightenment (Original) (P, $28.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). MAC Rose Gold FX (LE, $31.00) is darker (90% similar). Sephora Jubilant (21) (P, $14.00) is darker, warmer (90% similar). Hourglass Iridescent Strobe Light (P, $40.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Top 20 dupes listed, see the rest. See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

NYX Chaotic Illuminator ($9.00 for 0.33 oz.) is a light-medium pink with warm undertones and a golden shimmer and sparkle. The texture was looser–noticeably drier–and a little powdery to work with. The shimmer was stronger in this shade than in Narcissistic as well. It worked more as a highlighting blush on my skin tone, and it may be more or less a blush or highlighter depending on your own skin tone. It just barely emphasized pores on my cheeks. The highlighter started to fade after seven hours of wear. Benefit CORALista (P, $29.00) is less shimmery (95% similar). Tarte Glisten (P, $29.00) is darker (90% similar). Becca Flowerchild (P, $32.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Tarina Tarantino Feather (DC, $25.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). Smashbox Carnation (LE, ) is cooler (90% similar). Sleek MakeUP Rose Gold (P, $6.99) is more shimmery, darker, brighter (90% similar). Milani Dolce Pink (P, $7.99) is more shimmery, darker, more muted (90% similar). YSL Passionnee (6) (P, $47.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar). NARS Orgasm (P, $30.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). Too Faced Who's Your Poppy (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). Too Faced Peachy Keen (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar). Urban Decay Score (DC, $26.00) is less shimmery, darker, warmer (90% similar). Catrice Pinch of Rose (P, $6.99) is more muted (85% similar). Bite Beauty Pink Pearl (P, $24.00) is more shimmery, lighter, more muted (85% similar). See comparison swatches / view dupes side-by-side.

FORMULA SUMMARY | NYX Illuminator ($9.00 for 0.33 oz.) is supposed to have “radiant shimmer” that gives skin a “subtle glow.” Most of the shades in the range (there are five) are moderately shimmery/frosty; only one is on the truly subtle side. The texture tended to be on the drier side, though I didn’t find them to appear dry on my skin (which is normal-to-dry). There is slight emphasis of pores, and the wear time varies from six to seven hours.

Narcissistic

PPermanent. $9.00.
B+
B+
9
Product
10
Pigmentation
8
Texture
7.5
Longevity
5
Application
88%
Total

Chaotic

PPermanent. $9.00.
B-
B-
8
Product
9
Pigmentation
7
Texture
7.5
Longevity
4.5
Application
80%
Total

See more photos & swatches!

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Narcissistic Illuminator
NYX Narcissistic Illuminator

NYX Chaotic Illuminator
NYX Chaotic Illuminator

NYX Chaotic Illuminator
NYX Chaotic Illuminator

NYX Chaotic Illuminator
NYX Chaotic Illuminator

NYX Chaotic Illuminator
NYX Chaotic Illuminator

NYX Chaotic Illuminator
NYX Chaotic Illuminator

NYX Chaotic Illuminator
NYX Chaotic Illuminator

NYX Chaotic Illuminator
NYX Chaotic Illuminator

NYX Chaotic Illuminator
NYX Chaotic Illuminator

Makeup Look
On face:
  • Guerlain Parure Gold
  • Becca Backlight Primer
  • Urban Decay Naked Loose Setting Powder
On lips:
  • Urban Decay Sheer Beso Lipstick

29 Comments

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WARPAINTandUnicorns Avatar

This formula/line as been soo raved about! Chaotic is a shade I was interested in but I had the worst luck with NARS Orgasm as I felt I had to pile on the product to any of the pink base show up on the skin, the gold was way to intense on my fair skin at that point. Chaotic seem to have more of that pink base and finner shimmer.

I’m very interested in Ritualistic as well if/once you review.

Katherine T. Avatar

The Narcisstic one looks like a powder that can used all over, without looking OTT, and there’s always sales with NYX. Chaotic is pretty, but I have some of the dupes already

Arianne Avatar

I’ve gone a bit highlighter/illuminator crazy lately, but anything that even slightly emphasizes my already large pores is a no go for me! And I usually only like buying products that have received an A grade from you, so easy pass. 🙂 Thanks, Christine!

Sandra JT Avatar

I’ve got a couple of these stashed away somewhere. Should’ve returned them long ago. They’re decent products, depending on what you’re looking for I suppose, but I really think they made a mistake marketing many of these as ‘highlighters’.

Firstly, many of the ‘highlighters’ in this lineup are more like blush….shimmery blush at that, which isn’t a good look on most people I meet wearing shimmery blush. *Especially* not on those with oily or combination skin & a less than stellar pore situation *hand WAY up*

They’re also too pigmented – dare I say – for a highlighting product. For a subtle *shimmery* flush, I suppose they could work on some people. But using them over several areas of the face like you would with a typical highlighter would look ridiculous, like you just got off a treadmill at a very sweaty rave. So they’re useless to me both as blushes & highlighters.

Not a fan of these, unfortunately, although I initially thought they were beautiful – before actually using them. Gotta say that you definitely pull them off by the looks of your photos, though!

Sandra JT Avatar

Pardon me…..’illuminators’. Yet another marketing term to make everything older ‘new’ in the eyes of consumers again. These people must live with the world’s most massive thesaurus under their pillows, I swear :-/

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