NARS Zen Blush Review & Swatches

- February 05, 2020

Zen

NARS Zen Powder Blush ($30.00 for 0.16 oz.) is a muted, very light brown with more olive-leaning undertones, though it seemed a bit warm-toned overall. The texture was soft, lightly powdery in the pan, but it applied evenly to bare skin and blended out nicely without looking too flat or too dry applied.

It had opaque pigmentation in a single layer, which seemed to deepen slightly once applied and blended out (likely due to the natural oils on my skin when meshed with the matte finish of the product). It seemed slightly warmer than the previous version of Zen that I have. This shade stayed on well for eight hours before fading visibly.

Top Dupes

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Milani Sun Kissed (02) (P, $9.99) is darker (90% similar).
Laura Mercier Tres Modern (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter, warmer (90% similar).
Hourglass Eternal Bronze Light (LE, $52.00) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Fenty Beauty Inda Sun (P, $30.00) is darker (85% similar).
Benefit Hoola Lite (P, $30.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Sephora Los Cabos (P, $17.00) is lighter, warmer (85% similar).
Tom Ford Beauty Terra (P, $70.00) is darker, cooler (85% similar).
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze (Original) (PiP, ) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
NYX Nude 'Tude (P, $6.50) is more shimmery, darker, cooler (85% similar).
Colour Pop Bon Voyage (P, $8.00) is darker (85% similar).

View Swatches

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)] •