Happy New Year! I’m starting off 2020 with a review of some new launches from NARS. They launched the Afterglow Collection for spring which has a gorgeous color palette for eyes, lips and cheeks. In the collection we have:
- Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette ($59) 12 shades
- Overlust Cheek Palette ($59) 6 shades, 3 cream and 3 powder
- Afterglow Lip Balms ($28 each) 6 new shades
Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette
The Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette has 12 shades with a mix of textures in mattes, shimmers, sparkles and pearls. The overall vibe of the palette is warm and on the skin resembles a pink sunset. There are some neutrals mixed in making it more wearable than other warm/red/orange eyeshadow palettes. I ended up hauling the holiday Studio 54 Hyped Palette over Christmas and find it more wearable and neutral for my neutral-loving self compared to this spring’s Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette. At this point I will not have time to review the holiday one but if you can check it out I highly recommend doing so!
The Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette has colors that are all pigmented and easy to blend. I was really pleased with the quality of all the shades. Some of the warmer yellow ones were nice to layer and warm up other shadows even if I don’t see myself wearing alone. Lasting power was excellent and no fallout after it set:
- First Taste is a soft satin ivory cream with subtle shimmer
- Shadow Hill is a matte medium neutral soft brown
- Hot Line is a shimmery copper orange with gold micro flecks
- Whipped is a deeper medium matte brown
- Crushed is a matte light orange
- Mad Love is a warm pink matte
- Push It is a sparkly metallic multi-chrome pink opal shimmer
- Riding High is a sparkling mauve with highly reflective sparkle
- Bayadere I is a chunky copper sparkle
- Trouble is a warm pink smooth shimmer
- Deep Cut is a bright but semi-sheer magenta shimmer
- Guayaquil is deep warm bronze smooth shimmer
Overlust Cheek Palette
The Overlust Cheek Palette is like the palette of my dreams. It has three gel-to-powder shimmer highlighters and three matte blushes. The overall look and vibe is very natural, easy to wear and fresh. The three gel-to-powder highlighters are a new formula from NARS. They look and feel like second skin with a unique almost dry feel. I applied with fingers or a smaller brush like the MAC 133S (small cheek brush) and it applied/blended easily to look like a natural glow. Since it is a dry finish I found it adhered well to my skin without looking or feeling emollient or greasy.
The three powders are soft mattes and look very natural on my skin. They showed up well on my medium skin although I’m at my lightest right now since we haven’t been at the beach much this winter and I’ve lost my tan.
To apply I’ve been using 1 highlighter and 1 blush each time I wear although you can certainly mix/layer colors. I found it lasted long on my skin and I had no issues with any powdery look or darkening/oxidizing.
Colors are:
- Tied Up Highlighter is a shimmering warm champagne
- Deep Down Highlighter is a soft medium bronze
- Drift Highlighter is a soft pink shimmer
- Let it Burn Blush is a soft matte pink
- Get Lost Blush is a soft peach matte
- Body Talk Blush is a neutral rose pink brown matte
The only downside is there is no separator for powder and cream. Any kick-up or debris from the powders will most likely eventually mix into the gel-to-powders but so far the powder blushes seem to have minimal powdery residue and I haven’t had any issues yet.
Afterglow Lip Balms
The Afterglow Lip Balm in Orgasm has been a favorite of mine for a long time now. They released minis in a new color during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale last July and three new ones at Sephora for holiday. The New Shades now come individually in full size and I could not be more thrilled. The Afterglow Lip Balms are sheer in color and will add a slight hint to your natural lip. I did see a slight color shift after they set on the lips although it’s not as dramatic as some other color-changing balms. I love them all. Your mileage will of course vary depending on your natural lip color.
- Deep Throat is a shimmery peach pink
- Torrid is a orange coral
- Dolce Vita is a soft rose
- Fast Lane is a pale mauve pink
- Wicked Ways is a deep plum
- Turbo is a soft red
Three looks wearing the Afterglow Collection below. Right now I’m a match to NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation to Punjab. Most of the year I’m Vanuatu. I did a review a few years ago with swatches here in case you don’t know your shade. Sweatshirt worn from Madewell.
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Look 1 wearing: Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette, Overlust Cheek Palette with Tied Up + Let it Burn, Afterglow Lip Balm in Deep Throat
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Look 2 wearing: Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette, Overlust Cheek Palette with Deep Down + Get Lost, Afterglow Lip Balm in Torrid
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Look 3 wearing: Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette, Overlust Cheek Palette with Drift + Body Talk, Afterglow Lip Balm in Dolce Vita
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That wraps my review of the NARS Afterglow Collection. I love the overall look and vibe of the palettes and balms. I feel like they were made for my natural glow makeup loving self! I did feel a little overwhelmed with all the options in the eyeshadow palette especially since it pulled more on the warm side. I do think it is a nice one and even though I don’t love every single color I think they are easy to mix and layer. So many of you have asked whether the NARS Afterglow Lip Balms are better than the Dior Addict Lip Glows. I think it’s hard to pick one over the other because they’re both great, although I have found myself reaching for the NARS more.
I have also been testing out the new Tinted Glow Boosters as well so stay tuned for a review soon!
You can find the NARS Afterglow Collection out now at Sephora and NARS.
NARS Afterglow Collection provided for review.
