NARS Brand Review: Blush, Eyeshadow, and Lipstick

NARS has been absolutely delivering with their recent launches, and I’ve been loving what I have in my collection. From effortlessly blendable blushes to a long-time favorite eyeshadow base, plus a stunning palette and a lipstick formula that’s quickly becoming a staple, these picks have been in constant rotation. In this post, all links are affiliate links, but all opinions are my own!

Powder Blush in Behave and Infatuated – I have two shades of the newly formulated blushes, and I absolutely love them. I’m constantly tempted to grab another! The formula is incredibly lightweight and blendable. Both shades are matte but not overly flat—they offer a soft, blurring effect without looking powdery. They wear beautifully throughout the day, and I love that I can keep layering them without overdoing it. I adored the original version, but this reformulation is even better. Behave is a matte pink mauve that is super unique to my collection, and I love using it to layer with other blushes. Infatuated is a matte deep plumberry that’s perfect for olive skin and was one I wore all the time in the winter especially. The swatches below aren’t super built up but hopefully you can see how pretty they both are!

Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base – There’s not much to say about this eyeshadow base except that it works so well! I’ve tried countless eyeshadow primers over the years, and this is the one I always come back to. While it doesn’t offer much color correction, it does exactly what I need: keeps my eyeshadow in place all day. It creates a smooth, non-sticky base that helps shadows adhere without making them difficult to blend. Plus, the doe-foot applicator makes application super easy!

Afterglow Tempting Eyeshadow Palette – This has been my go-to palette ever since I got it, and I’m so sad it’s limited edition! If you’re thinking about picking it up, I highly recommend it. The shades feel unique within my (very large) eyeshadow collection, and I love that it doesn’t include a ton of unnecessary mattes. The mattes that are in the palette work perfectly as base shades or for deepening the outer corner. If I need more mattes, I can always reach for another palette. Follow Me is a standout—it’s a gorgeous purple-leaning brown that works beautifully as a matte one-and-done or for adding depth, especially with my olive undertones. The shimmer range in this palette is stunning, whether worn alone or as toppers. My favorite is No Lies, the perfect one-and-done shimmery brown. I have to admit the swatches absolutely don’t do the shimmers justice – they are so sparkly and dimensional in person. And as expected from NARS, the shadows pick up easily, blend seamlessly, and have fantastic staying power.

Explicit Lipstick in Exposed – This formula is everything I love in a lipstick—lightweight yet pigmented, offering medium-to-full coverage that builds effortlessly. It has a dimensional satin finish that gives the lips a soft sheen without being too glossy or too matte. The wear time is impressive; it stays put without feeling heavy or drying. I especially appreciate that it’s smudge-resistant but still comfortable—no weird slipping or settling into lines. Exposed is supposed to be a cool-toned taupe but because I’m so olive, it goes pretty orange on me. That said, I love using it to tone down anything too berry or too pink and bring it back to a more neutral place, so I’ve been using this almost every day to balance out some of my other shades. I’m super tempted to get another shade because I love the formula so much, and I’m glad I grabbed this one to try it out!

What other products would you like me to review? Let me know if there’s anything else you’d like to see here on LiftBakeLove, and thanks for reading! As always, some links may be affiliate links that support the blog, but all reviews/opinions are completely my own and unsponsored.