NARS
5.3Cult blush and bronzer formulas with an artistry heritage
Best forPeople who are loyal to the Orgasm blush or bronzer franchise and want a prestige formula from a brand with a strong color payoff reputation — and aren't buying based on cruelty-free status.
Scores — click any row to see our rationale
Shade Range & Color Accuracy▼6/10
Price & Value for Money▼5/10
Ingredient Quality & Skin Compatibility▼3/10
Availability & Where to Buy▼7/10
Pros
✓Orgasm Blush ($32) has maintained consistent demand for 20+ years — the peachy-pink with golden shimmer formula is genuinely flattering across a wide range of skin tones without being trend-dependent
✓Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation is a medium-to-full coverage formula that holds up for 16+ hours in testing — relevant for people who can't touch up during a work day
✓The brand's color product line (eyeshadow, blush, lip) is specifically designed with pigment intensity as a priority — you get visible color payoff with fewer layers
✓Sold at Sephora and Nordstrom, giving you two in-store shade-matching options and two separate return policies to choose from
✓Soft Matte Complete Foundation ($49) offers a refined matte finish that doesn't look flat under most lighting — a technically difficult result that most matte foundations fail at
✓Sheer Glow Foundation ($49) uses a luminous formula that layers well with powder — usable for both everyday wear and more polished looks without switching products
Cons
✕NOT cruelty-free certified — Shiseido's China distribution means NARS cannot qualify for PETA or Leaping Bunny certification, which removes it from consideration for animal welfare-focused buyers.
✕33-shade foundation range is noticeably narrower than Fenty (50) or MAC (99) — people with deep or very fair skin tones have fewer options to find an exact match
✕At $38–52 for foundation, NARS is priced identically to competitors who offer more shades and cruelty-free certification — the value proposition is hard to justify on those grounds
✕The brand's identity is heavily built around Orgasm-franchise products — if those aren't relevant to you, the rest of the line doesn't have a similarly compelling hook
✕No clean beauty positioning, no EWG verification, no vegan certification — standard prestige formulas with no specific skin-health benefit claims