NARS Aroused Blush Review & Swatches

- January 28, 2020

Aroused

NARS Aroused Powder Blush ($30.00 for 0.16 oz.) is a bright, medium-dark berry with cooler undertones and a matte finish. It had semi-opaque pigmentation in a single layer, but the firmer, thinner texture made it easier to pick up less product as it wasn’t powdery, which made pickup more precise.

I found that more rounded blush brushes tended to deposit color more strongly and made blending more challenging–it’s particularly unforgiving if one over-applies pigment. When I used a fan brush, I had a much more even lay down of product that remained blendable for longer, which tends to be my go-tool for deeper and more intense blush hues. It wore well for nine hours before fading visibly.

Top Dupes

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Kevyn Aucoin Grapevine #3 (PiP, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Glossier Haze (P, $18.00) is darker, cooler (90% similar).
By Terry Tropical Sunset #3 (LE, ) is more shimmery (90% similar).
Flower Beauty Bitten (P, $9.99) is darker, glossier (90% similar).
Colour Pop New Lowes (LE, $8.00) is more shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Black Up NBL 03 (P, $26.50) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
NARS Penthouse (LE, $30.00) is darker, warmer (85% similar).
Colour Pop Pretty Thing (P, $8.00) is warmer, glossier (85% similar).
MAC Here You Go (LE, ) is more shimmery, darker, warmer (85% similar).
Kat Von D Morticia (Shade) (DC, ) is warmer (85% similar).

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Formula Overview

$30.00/0.16 oz. - $187.50 Per Ounce

From NARS’ website, their blush formula is described as “beautifully pigmented” and “soft [and] blendable.” NARS' blushes, since they've been released in such a massive range of shades over the years, can vary from shade to shade to some degree. Most shades are pigmented with firmer, slightly stiffer consistencies that can also run on the thinner side, which allows greater control when picking up product but some of the more matte shades could be a bit more blendable or easier to work with.

Some of the more newly-released shades have softer, more yielding textures that are a bit creamier and are easier to blend out, though most of NARS' blushes are fairly blendable. The wear typically ranges from eight to nine hours with a few shades falling above or below this range.

Browse all of our NARS Powder Blush swatches.

Ingredients

TALC • OCTYLDODECYL STEARATE • OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE • ZINC STEARATE • TIN OXIDE • CAPRYLYL GLYCOL • PHENOXYETHANOL • [+/- (MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491) • IRON OXIDES (CI 77492) • IRON OXIDES (CI 77499) • MANGANESE VIOLET (CI 77742) • MICA • RED 28 LAKE (CI 45410) • RED 30 LAKE (CI 73360) • RED 33 LAKE (CI 17200) • RED 34 LAKE (CI 15880) • RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850) • TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) • YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140)] •