Drumroll… I finally got some NARS makeup! At the end of last year — I was probably drooling over holiday guides — I realized that NARS really isn’t a brand I’ve tried and I know it gets great reviews.
So, during a 5x points day at Ulta, I got two NARS palettes, including the Afterglow Overlust Cheek Palette. It also came with a free gift: NARS eyeliner, mascara and a blush stick. Score!
But let me jump right into this cheek palette…
Packaging for the NARS Overlust Palette
One of the reasons I’m such a beauty junkie is because of all the beautiful packaging. Sometimes it’s just too cute to resist.
This palette comes in a black and metallic pink box and the actual palette has a textured, metallic pink case (black on the bottom).
It’s a really thick, hard plastic, so you could easily toss this in your purse or suitcase and not worry about it breaking. Inside the palette is a nice mirror, so this is a perfect on-the-go option.
NARS Overlust colors & swatches
The palette has six pans: three highlighters and three blushes. The highlighters are “tied up,” “deep down” and “drift” and the blushes are “Let it burn,” “get lost,” and “body talk.”
I should note that for the swatches, I put primer (Smashbox Photo Finish Vitamin Glow) on my arm, along with foundation (Too Faced Born This Way) and setting powder (Maybelline Fit Me), just to get the realist look possible.
The highlighters are a different press — almost creamy feeling — and the blushes are a classic powder press.
Tied up: This is a champagne highlighter with a very slight hint of pink.
Deep down: This is more of a bronzy highlighter with peach flecks.
Drift: This highlighter is a mauve-y pink.
Let it burn: The first blush in the palette is a true, classic pink.
Get lost: This blush is more of an apricot shade with brown undertones.
Body talk: A more brown-blush with pink undertones.
As you can see, the highlighters in this palette aren’t BLINDING. Instead, they complement the blushes in the palette and provide a slight shimmer.
I haven’t used other NARS highlighters before, so i don’t know if this is their usual style for them (subtle instead of blinding). However, I do think we’re moving into a direction that’s more of a natural look.
There’s now lots of skin tints and jellies instead of full-coverage foundations and very reflective highlights. I do love a blinding highlight, but I appreciate the understated looks — especially when I’m still only putting on makeup for days when I’m filming something for Patreon or the blog!
Ways to use the NARS Overlust palette
I know this is a cheek palette, but I refuse to take anything at face value, especially when traveling. I like to know if this is a palette I can take with me and not bring a bunch of other stuff.
Of course, you can use the highlighters as highlighters, and the blushes as blushes, but I’ve already used these colors in different ways.
You can use several of these colors as eyeshadow, including ALL the highlighter shades and “Get lost” and “Body talk.” Depending on your skin tone, you could use “Body talk” as a bronzer or a contour shade.
In general, this is a good palette. It is a higher-end item, but all of the shades and textures are really nice. The shades are versatile and the colors are good transitions for fall. I also love the quality of the packaging and the size of the mirror.
I’ll share thoughts on the other NARS palette I got in another post 🙂 Have you tried any NARS products? Which ones should I try next?
This beauty review is not sponsored — nor are any of the reviews on this blog. I am a beauty and skincare junkie and enjoy sharing the products I love right here! For more reviews and similar posts, please subscribe to the blog by clicking subscribe on the right side of your screen. Cheers!
The Bitter Lemon 
Pretty palette.