Share: Tell us what you love and hate about NARS!
my answer: Their regular eyeshadow range is really hit or miss–they have done beautiful eyeshadows, but a lot of them have room for improvement. The Audacious Lipstick and Dual Intensity Eyeshadow ranges are nice but get to be pricey relative to the rest of their line. I was deeply disappointed in the quality of their makeup brushes when they were redone.
We're here to help you make better beauty purchases that you'll enjoy and love! We recommend signing up to take advantage of personalized features like tracking products you own, viewing dupes that you already have, and more!
Here are some useful resources for you:
Curious how two shades compare to each other? Type in the shades below to get instant side-by-side swatches!
Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!
Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).
We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!
We try to approve comments within 24 hours (and reply to them within 72 hours) but can sometimes get behind and appreciate your patience! 🙂 If you have general feedback, product review requests, off-topic questions, or need technical support, please contact us directly. Thank you for your patience!
Too. Much. Orgasm and Laguna.
Agreed
There are 2 other powder bronzers, in addition to the Multiples, as well as dozens of blushes,so one could look there… One doesn’t have to buy the “gifting” offerings for themselves!
This.
Yes. Nars and Urban Decay need to get together and have a Naked/Laguna giveaway and just LET IT GO ALREADY.
In my humble opinion, of course.
I agree! LoL! If I never hear of anything with those names ever again, it couldn’t be too soon.
Yup, if theyre true cult products leave ’em out of every limited edition collection puh-lease!!
Truer words were never written.
While i love ther eyeshadow primer, I feel like if you aren’t into their blushes the brand doesn’t have much to offer – other brands do eyeshadow/liners and lipsticks better and at better price points. Overall, I feel it’s a bit expensive for the quality.
Rant: Really inconsistent quality for that price point! So much so, that I know that now I would NEVER buy anything of theirs unless I first read reviews on it , especially yours because I trust it.
Rave: Oh, but when they DO get it right, they seriously nail it and hit it outta the park! Still lemming Callisto, and a few other Dual Intensity eyeshadows. And eventually I’ll get around to trying an Audacious lipstick out, still deciding which one.
Their foundation, Sheer Glow, their tinted moisturizer, and their radiant creamy concealer are my favorite skin products ever! I hated foundation and concealer until I tried NARS’s line. I recommend these three products to everyone
Everyone who wants Orgasm and Laguna already has Orgasm and Laguna.
Their Sheer Matte foundation was the worst mid-range foundation I’ve ever worn. It clung to and emphasized every crease or flake; it never blended; it wasn’t even matte; it didn’t come with a dang pump. They discontinued it and I’m still bitter that it ever existed.
Love their concealers, lipsticks, lip pencils, and blushes, though.
I love everything about Nars! Has to be my favorite makeup brand ever and ever! The smudgeproof eye shadow base, blushes and Radiant creamy concealer!
I’m not interested in their eyeshadows or blushes, the shade range in both is really strange and doesn’t really appeal to me. The blushes are either shimmery or in a color I don’t like, though I have a LE blush from them, Boys don’t cry. I like most of their packaging but it gets dirty easily and is hard to clean. I would like to try some of their lipsticks.
I really like their loose powder, it’s economical and comes in a pale enough shade for me. Also their creamy concealer is really good and comes in a good shade range.
So much love for NARS, though I haven’t tried all their products.
I can’t live without the tinted moisturizer, creamy concealer, translucent crystal loose setting powder, illuminator in 413 BLKR, and blush in Douceur (which has sadly been discontinued). The Audacious lipstick in Audrey is also stunning, from formula to color.
I love their blushes so much! I want to collect more but they are extremely pricey! But I hate that their eyeshadow palettes do not perform up to par 🙁 I bought the holiday one last year for $75 or something around that price, and they had no pigmentation at all! So disappointed.
Honestly, I don’t have a single rave, it’s all rant. I’ve purchased 7 products from them, and returned 6. The one I kept, a Night Porter shadow single, is hard to work with and creases after only a couple hours, so I probably should have returned it too. Even products that get good reviews perform awfully on me, so I haven’t bought from them in years.
I love how they have so many yellow-toned face products!
The first product I ever tried from Nars was one of their eyeshadow palettes and I hated it, the shadows were difficult to blend and it was just such a disappointment.
However, I have tried a few products that I do love such as their Taj Mahal blush which makes my skin super glowy and their Velvet Matte lip pencils are awesome…I’ve been wanting to try their audacious lipsticks so one of these days I may just splurge and pick one up
The lipsticks are truly incredible, completely worth it.
Rant: On the expensive side
Rave: They have foundation for very fair skin, the Dual Intensity eyeshadows, Night Series shadows, amazing blushes in a huge variety of colors, nice lipglosses, Audacious lipsticks (I don’t own any yet, but I like what I’ve tried), beautiful promo images, cruelty free. I like the color variety of their regular eye shadows, and the quality of those I own has been excellent, though granted I don’t own a lot. I can shop with them through E-bates.
I Love the nars creamy concealer.. Haven’t tried anything else so far
Okay. The “problems” aren’t in the products themselves, but the lack of “education” on how to use them. I don’t know if this falls on the side of NARS, or if SA’s just don’t want to put in the effort of explaining certain things. For example, the eyeshadows can be a bit dry/stiff/patchy on *initial* application, however, with continued use, they become much softer & easier to work with. This is why when swatched in-store/at counter, they are beautiful, but take some effort at home. Also, some shadows are designed for specific uses. For example, Daphne & Outremer were never meant to be used directly on the eye, rather as “blending” shades, and used to blend into other shadows. I have 60+ duos & 60+ singles, and while some had initial “issues”, I’ve figured out what works best for some, and which have just “warmed” up for me. Yes, it took some research, and questioning SA’s, but in the end it was all worth it. NARS has some of the most unique shades/pairings, I find the effort worth the end result.
I’m also a fan of the blushes & bronzers. While Laguna & Orgasm may seem to pop up in all the “gifting” products, it’s okay; most of the products included are permanent, so I can simply buy those on their own.
The Multiples are incredible. I only use them on my face/cheeks, so I can’t say anything about the “multiple use” aspect, but I really don’t care. For the purpose in which I buy them (I have 9), they perform beautifully.
I haven’t tried many lip products, but that’s only because I refuse to pay more than $10 for a lip product. I’m not saying NARS is overpriced, but it’s just a personal choice, as I’m not all that into lip products anymore…
I’ve tried Sheer Glow & Sheer Matte, and while both worked well for my drier skin, I just don’t have a need to spend so much on foundation when DS offerings work just as well, for *me*.
Finally, I really appreciate their timing of releasing new products/collections, and the fact most products are rotated into the permanent range, and even those that aren’t, are still available after a significant amount of time.
Obviously, NARS is my absolute favorite brand, but there are some things I’m not too thrilled about… Douceur & Maldives have been DC’d, I wish the distribution/availability was larger, and the Warhol collection was probably the biggest letdown in makeup history…
I love that the chantilly shade of their radiant creamy concealer is so beige/neutral toned makes me endlessly happy as it matches my skin like no other concealer i have tried
NARS is my fave beauty brand. I really like their esthetic, there is this cool fierceness about it which I don’t necessarily identify with, but really admire. Having said that, a few of their products are huge staples for me. I actually really like the Orgasm/Laguna combination, especially this time of the year when I need some sparkle! Bali is my go to for eyebrows and a quick eye and the Dogon duo for a badass smokey eye. And then there is the eyeshadow primer, of course… A now the rant part: I would never ever buy NARS products without seeing it in person or reading a review. It’s just shameful how their quality is so all over the place.
Rant: Despite their generous foundation colour range in their base products: 1-I have never found a really good match. 2-I have never found a formula I remotely like. The Tinted moisturizer is the only base product from NARS I use. It’s a great product. The colour isn’t perfect either, but with a TM, you can get away with a wider swing on a skintone match.
Rave: NARS was my first foray into brighter more interesting colour back around the millennium. I will always have a fondness for the label as a result. The NARS counter at Holt Renfrew on Bloor street in Toronto had the first MA who really spoke to my needs and took the time to find products I would truly use and love. He was creative and fabulous and loved his job, loved people. I find NARS eyeshadow singles from the original line to be extraordinary.. they are still in my rotation after many years. I’m very impressed by the Audacious lipstick line,but wish they did not have ridiculous exclusives for certain department stores. Also wish many of the shade choices were not so similar upon swatching.. kinda reminds me of how it goes on their base products.. they all look the same of me. I love NARS multiples, but never use them on lips..cheeks only. I like the NARS aesthetic overall and the fact the label has always embraced a more mature women. Definitely one of my favourite labels.
This is why I haven’t actually bought a NARS foundation… I’m in the middle of Siberia & Deauville, and I just can’t justify buying both shades, LOL! I’m *hoping* the new one will have a better match with either of those 2 shades, especially since the formula seems to be what I’m looking for.
A good friend sent me samples of the new formula covering Deauville through Punjab and I didn’t find a satisfactory match.. I found the new formula drying and very flat looking on the face. It does look mostly natural, but pulls shadows on the face in my opinion. Me, I’m happier with the finish on good old GA Maestro and KGD.. both similar liquidy type high pigment foundations.. I took a pass and so glad I had samples first.
My fave MA (Jennifer) is at the TO Holts NARS counter too! She takes the time to find things that I like, not just what’s in season or trendy.
Love their creamy concealer, sheer glow foundation, blushes, semi-matte lipsticks and the Audacious line. I don’t really wear much eyeshadow (I’m a lip girl), but I sometimes throw Bellissima on.
Unlike other counters headed up by some posing far too serious for my tastes beauty doyennes, I’ve always found the NARS counter staff to be far more approachable and practical 😀
I was just starting to consider trying something from them when they came out with the Guy Boudin collection. Now just seeing the name NARS turns my stomach 🙁
I love Nars blushes so much so that I collect them and have all of them. I find the eyeshadows to be nice but I can find nice for less money. I really like the new foundation and Sheer Glow foundation. Orgasm and laguna are tired already.
I want to love NARS just based on the packaging, but 80% of their colour products are a miss for me, and WAY too expensive. I like some of their skincare stuff, and they have some lovely foundations, but that’s just not enough for me to really have more of a stake in their name. I LOVE their makeup remover though. A++ for my kit.
Rant: expensive
Rave: love their lip products especially their audacious lipsticks (Anita is holy grail). Great blushes and highlighters. And their packaging is sleek and beautiful as well.
I love their blushes, lipsticks and eyeliners. Just not the prices. Or the fact that they slip Orgasm and Laguna into EVERYTHING. It’s beyond unnecessary at this point. I never thought I’d see the day I didn’t want another orgasm lolol
I also agree about too much pushing of Orgasm and Laguna (while they’re nice, they’re not for everyone and even those who can wear them get overloaded). And, yes, their eyeshadows can be so iffy (maybe that’s true of all lines but still…) – some are marvellous and some are so disappointing. And I am finding their rising prices (especially here in Canada where their products are so much more high priced) are becoming prohibitive. Their new Audacious lipsticks are just too pricey for me.
I’ve loved everything I’ve tried (concealer, foundation, Audacious lipsticks, blush), their packaging is very pretty and sleek, the only thing dislike is the price tag lol. Not sure I want to pay for everything again, I know I have my safe cards on the more affordable side!
Rave: I love their blushes- they are super pigmented and blend super easily. Also, while expensive, they last a long while.
Rant: I think I am the only person who doesn’t like either their eye shadow primer or the Audacious lipstick. The eye shadow primer still causes my eye shadow to crease, and I find the Audacious lipstick to be thick / clingy, and it looks horrible, even if I have smooth, hydrated lips. I love the colour though (Grace), so I just use it sparingly.
I love love love the multiples but I’m usually disappointed with their eyeshadows. The lipsticks are beautiful but for the price there are similar options. I’m also sick of sex related, drug related and “edgy” naming. I’m looking at you Orgasm and G-spot (Urband Decay is bad for this too). I’m not a prude and I drop the F bomb all the time. It looses its edge when everyone is doing it.
NARS is my favorites beauty brand. My sensitive skin never reacts to the products and I get color plus longevity from their products. Love the blush, eyeliner, sheer lipstick, concealer, lipgloss, loose face powder, crystal pressed powder, es primer and eyeshadow duos. These are staples for me. Oh and their face products really suit my dark completion with warm undertones. Even with my love for the brand, I have to agree, I’d rather not see another orgasm blush in a palette!
honestly I haven’t found a NARS product I’m totally in love with yet…I’ve swatched the audacious lipsticks which seem nice & the dual intensity shadows but haven’t bought one yet because of the price. Tried the sample Nars luminous foundation too & not a fan yet…seems streaky when i apply? hoping one day to find something i love…
I won’t buy a single of orgasm out of the fact that they shove that blush in with everything! I bought deep throat and couldn’t justify buying their holiday palette because they included that shade in the palette. I know they can’t build their palettes around everyone’s collections but I wish they’d choose more colors that are off the hype list. Their dual intensity shadows are FAR too expensive, too! I can’t justify spending the amount I’d spend on a palette on one color!
Rave – gorgeous lipsticks
Rant – eyeshadows are hit and miss and the prices are really high here in Australia. Not fond of some of the names of their products either.
I liked their gloss formula better before the reformulation. I agree that their eyeshadows are hit or miss, I started with a miss and for years I wasn’t even considering them. I think their blushes are a little overrated, especially Orgasm.
On the other hand I like their creativity and their uncommon choices in terms of color combinations or promo visuals. They’re really trendsetters rather than followers.
Same as MAC —
Rave: Foundations, blushes and lip products.
Rant: Everything else.
Rave: NARS blushes are easily one of the best out there. Great color range, blendable and almost all of them are workable even for scaredy cats such as myself. I also love, love, love the Sheer Glow foundation which has been a constant in my rotation for three plus years now. The color match (Stromboli) is perfect and I like the formula. Also enjoy the majority of lipsticks and the Satin/Gloss pencils. Again, great color range and have yet to get a lipstick/pencil that is drying. I also rather like the names of the products.
Rant: The price on some items are just crazy stupid as is the fact that you have to buy a $6 pump separately for a $60 foundation (really, NARS?). The glosses, especially when they first came out, are pretty awful. They were smelly (like old glue gone bad) and incredibly sticky which was a bummer because some of the colors were gorgeous. I was excited when NARS finally reformulated/repackaged them but then he stuck in a bunch of glitter. Glitter is why I stay away from MAC Lipglass. He also did away with the Lip Laquer which was sad as three of the shades, Baby Doll, Eros and Cabiria were great (although also smelly). Then there’s the glitter in the eye paints, some shadows and even some eye pencils. Another bummer because some I’ve seen some really gorgeous shades of paint/shadow/liner but passed because I’d rather not look like a middle aged disco ball. Lastly, I’ll just reiterate the point that NARS needs to stop trying to remake Orgasm, Laguna and (to a lesser extent) Turkish Delight happen.
I really like quite a few of NARS’s products, but I’m not sure if I really like them, or I think I like them just because everyone else seems to like them. An example would be the Dual Intensity shadows- I bought the palette, but rarely use it. I can speak highly of their skin care products, I have loved everything I have tried, Albatross highlighter is a go to for me, and I love several of their eyeshadow duos and singles. I haven’t fallen for the cream blushes, the Multiples- although, I have tried several times, or Orgasm- despite its popularity, I don’t particularly like it. I also never really gave Sheer Glow much play- who makes a foundation without a pump?!? I haven’t tried the Audacious lipsticks, but I love the pencils and reformulated glosses, so, I know NARS knows how to do a quality lip product.
The reason for no pump is/was due to the formula of the foundation. It was meant to be applied/blended with the fingers, and had to be shaken well before each use, and obviously foundation left in the tube would not be able to be remixed, and would separate before using again. This is what I meant above about the lack of knowledge in how the products are intended to work. NARS really should make more of an effort to put the information out there, if only on their own website.
It is just make up…. Not rocket science. I don’t think we need to be ‘educated’ so we don’t feel infuriated about being forced to buy the pump separatedly.
I am a huge fan of Nars blushes and their matte lip pencils. I haven’t tried many of their eye products but I love laguna and albatross.
xx
price point vs quality does not match! Love the Audacious lipsticks but not enough to pay their price! Eye shadows definitely too inconsistent – might as well call them MAC for their inconsistency in quality but even MAC is affordable compared to NARS price point. They have an awesome color range for their foundations – one of the most comprehensive for pale skinned like me. Love most of their blushes. Overall, they’re just ok.
Rave: Their packaging looks elegant and timeless.
Rant: Their packaging turns into a gummy, cloudy mess with the rubberized coating.
I’m on a bit of a budget so I have very few NARS products. One that I can’t live without though is their Radiant Creamy Concealer (in Chantilly because I am pale as a ghost…). On my wishlist is the new All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation, the Audacious Lipsticks (in SOO many shades) and at least one of their blushes.
The satin & matte lip pencils are very comfortable to wear & are some of my favourite lippies.
I have yet to find a base of theirs that works for my oily skin considering all the raves about them (even the creamy concealer I haut don’t seem to get on with). I’m hoping to try the all day luminous foundation in a few weeks!
Rave: I love Orgasm Blush.
Rant: However, that same blush will irritate my skin and break me out if i don’t have a layer of makeup under it. I also wont ever buy an Audacious lipstick because of the price when I can get other lipsticks just as nice at Sephora or the drug store. I have been unimpressed with eyeshadows. Eyeshadow should not require whole layers removed to be workable. I can use my Bare Minerals Ready Shadows straight off the bat without any dry unblendability. I have tried the face primer and it didnt feel hydrating or like it added longevity and the tinted moisturizer is just ok. Not any better than my Physician’s Formula tinted moisturizer. I think the price for quality is a real bummer and I won’t buy from this brand because I feel the quality isn’t there. I also want to add that the names of their items aren’t edgy, interesting or creative.
I was first introduced to purchasing a NARS product by a review of TAOS blush on essence.com. The article indicated Tracee Ellis Ross to Lupita could pull off the shade. They were correct. TAOS has become one of my holy grail products. I appreciate their blushes, concealers, foundations cover a range of shades.
Love Taos! You should Taj Mahal and Exhibit A. Lovely!!!
I absolutely love NARS. Alongside Make Up For Ever, it has to be one of my favorite, go to brands. When it comes to complexion, NARS knows what’s up. Their SGF has to be one of my favorite lightweight makeups, and they’ve completely outdone themselves with their new All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation. The formula is light as a feather and builds and blends beautifully, giving the skin a radiant yet natural finish. Their Radiant Creamy Concealers are just as dreamy, with the ability to blend and naturally highlight (or sculpt) the face wonderfully. Their large array of blushes gives a variety of options to many different skin tones and offer the durability to be blended and built and mixed with other colors without losing their natural appearance. Their lipstick range is also quite extensive, giving multiple options of shade, opacity, and finish.
If there is one thing I’ve learned as a makeup artist, it’s people will hate products for “not working” before they understand that maybe that specific product just might not go with their skin type. As combination oily skin, I prefer (since we’re on the subject of NARS) the All Day Luminous Weightless foundation opposed to the Sheer Glow Foundation. I wore SGF once and it made me too shiny for my liking so I never tried it on myself again. That doesn’t mean the makeup doesn’t work, it just means it didn’t work for me. I use Sheer Glow on clients all the time and it works wonderfully.
It’s all about finding the right products for the right person. 🙂
Now, when it comes to eyeshadows, there’s a reason why I mentioned MUFE 😉
I love their foundations and lipsticks. The TM is my HG (I can live without it) and I love the Sheer Glow foundation. The velvet matte lip pencils have a place in my heart too.
Rant: On the expensive side. Some of the products don’t worth the money.
Surprisingly, I don’t own neither Laguna nor Orgasm..
I love a lot of NARS products! Blushes (Luster & Douceur), Laguna, Smudgeproof eyeshadow primer, Audacious lipstick (Barbara), Yachiyo + Ita brushes, and the radiant creamy concealer!
Love their blushes (Exhibit A, Taos, and Taj Mahal) because they are very pigmented and I think it compliments most skin tones. I love their matte lip pencils (Cruella, Damned, Never Say Never and Walkyrie). I always go back to these items because I know they work for me. Everything else…don’t really care for them.
Rant: The rubbery package. Gets just gross. Their skincare is just meh. Their brushes suck in general with just a couple of exceptions. The pump situation. The are.you.really.gonna.make.me.buy.a.special.sharpener situation. The explicit names. And yeah…knock it off with the scratch in the disc… Laguna + Orgasm… Please!
Rave: Blushes and more blushes. The dual intensity shadows… Just can’t get enough. The Audacious line. Da bomb dot com. The light optimizing primer. The vibe of the line… Awkward not obvious lookimg females chosen as models. LOOOOOVE IT! The Multiples. And general innovation. I like it.
I started hatimg the brand due to a horrible customer service, now I have a soft spot for it.
And yes! It is BEYOND ABSURD the Barney’s exclusive shades of AL that though are permanent, are NEVER in stock. Is it really that hard to make enough Dominique?!?!
Rave: NARS is one of my favorite brands. I wore mostly NARS on my wedding day.
The color combinations in the eyeshadow duos are very creative.
The lip pencils are easy to use and the colors are very pretty and pigmented. I love Red Square. My other favorite is the Audacious lipstick in Vivien. I learned how to put on lipstick with their lip pencils and now they hold a special place in my heart.
I don’t have a lot of experience with the foundations (I don’t know why!) but the newest one feels very light and gives a nice glow to the complexion.
I thought the Matte Multiples were great. The colors were so pretty and I appreciated a nice matte blush.
Rant: The ubiquitous Orgasm and Laguna. I never liked Orgasm. A lot of their products, especially the blushes, have too much glitter in them.
NARS is definitely one of my favorite makeup brands, they have a bit of something for everyone. Their foundations have an excellent colour range, the eyeshadow singles and duos have worked well for me.
Rant: The quality of the narcassist eyeshadow palette was not up to par with those in the regular range