NARS Afterglow & Overlust Palettes (swatches & review)
The reviews for NARS Afterglow Collection have been out since the beginning of the year, and the palettes are hands down the stars of the collection. It took me several months of using both the eyeshadow and the cheek palettes to actually decide if I like them or not, since the community opinions are a bit polarizing on both. This overview is going to be brief but I will try to cover all the information that I would like to know if I wanted to buy these palettes today.
NARS Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette (left half)
NARS Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette (right half)
NARS Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette (swatches)
NARS Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette ($59) is a limited edition 12-pan eyeshadow palette with a mix of matte, satin, metallic, and shimmer warm-toned shades. As a whole, it looks like a multi-finish neutral palette with a pop of pink [which is right up my alley]. If you are like me, and usually prefer neutral earthy tones for everyday wear and evening looks but like to experiment with a fun accent color once in a while, pink is a pretty safe bet.
- Matte shades were mostly good to very good. The pale pink one – Mad Love – took an extra swipe for full opacity, while others were nicely pigmented and blended well. This formula is a little dry, which didn’t stop the shadows from performing well on the lids.
- Metallics were exceptional, which was to be expected because, in my experience, NARS always does metallics beautifully.
- Shimmers were mostly a hit with one miss – First Taste – which I couldn’t even tell was a shimmer at first glance. They were all a little stiffer than I would like, but that didn’t affect their performance, just like the mattes.
Due to the formula being on a drier side, none of the shades creased on my slightly oily, hooded lids, with or without primer. A couple of the more intense metallic shades had a bit of a fallout without primer or when applied heavy-handed, but it wasn’t too bad – just a few specks throughout the day.
As a neutrals lover, I was delighted to see so much variety in one palette – the mix of colors and finishes gave me a lot of opportunities to experiment with different looks while staying within my comfort zone. Overall, this was a fantastic spring release and NARS Afterglow Eyeshadow Palette definitely deserves to be made permanent.
NARS Overlust Cheek Palette (left half)
NARS Overlust Cheek Palette (right half)
NARS Overlust Cheek Palette (swatches)
NARS Overlust Cheek Palette ($59) is a limited edition 6-pan warm-toned cheek palette that contains three pressed powder blushes in the bottom row and three highlighters in the top row. The highlighters feature an experimental gel-to-powder formula made using a so-called Skinfused Glow Technology, which “imparts a pearlescent luster and layers seamlessly for a second-skin finish”. I don’t think we’ll be seeing this formula again, though.
- Gel-to-powder highlighters had good pigmentation when applied with fingers to bare skin, but smudged the base badly when I wore them over foundation. They were difficult to pick up with brushes – even stiffer ones – but I could make them work using a sponge applicator, like a beautyblender.
- Pressed powder blushes were very pigmented and long-lasting. They wore beautifully and looked great on the skin throughout the day, with very minimal fading.
Needless to say, I mostly use the bottom row considering how finicky the new highlighter formula turned out to be. If you have this palette and know a better way to use those pans, share the wisdom in the comments below because I don’t want to just give up on them.
NARS Afterglow and Overlust palettes are limited edition for Spring 2020. Both palettes are still available and in-stock at Sephora.
Did you buy any limited edition spring releases this year (not necessarily from NARS)? What are some of your favorite palettes right now? Share in the comments below!
P.S.: These pictures were taken in December when the palettes were still brand new. They are looking a lot more used now! 😉
