Reader Request: Nars Orgasm v Milani Luminous

NARS is a brand that beauty afficinados are drawn to for their beautiful formulas, silky smooth textures and amazingly rich pigmenations as well as a bold range of shades.

The most famous of NARS products has got to be their best selling blushes and the most renown is the headline grabbing Orgasm - a peachy pink shade with a golden sheen that gives you a glow as if you have achieved the big "O".

Many have tried to locate a duplicate for Organism as is often the case with great products, the price puts it out of reach for anyone who is on a tight budget but still want to look their best. You will read in many forums and blogs that many claim Milani's Luminous blush is a very close dupe for Orgasm.

In my mind, to be is considered a dupe - it has to be 95-100% the same in shade, texture and finish. Otherwise it is just a close match so when I was asked by a reader to swatch these two, it was a great opportunity to see if it would meet my criteria of a dupe.

Both shades are classed as peachy pinks mixed and has the same finely milled golden shimmer that produces that glowing effect on skin.

Orgasm is more a vibrant peach than Luminous. In the pan, Lumionous is a lighter pink base so goes on lighter on skin and there is just slightly more gold shimmer in Orgasm than Luminous. Both colours work universally well on all complexions but I think Luminous is just slightly more flattering on cooler skintones.

In natural light

Luminous feels more powdery than Orgasm in comparison (you can see this in the swatches) but this is not a criticism as it stands well on its own.

lasting power wise - both performed quite similar and I still had a slight pink in my cheeks and the glow was still every much evident at the end of the day.

side-by-side comparison (natural light)

Both are very pretty shades of the same peach family but in no way would I call them dupes. They are at best a 70% match so those who are still seeking for an O-ternative will have to keep looking but I would say nothing beats the original O.

What have you tried that you think are dupes of higher-end shades and products?

NARS blushes A$49 is available in Mecca and Mecca Maxima stores.
Milani blushes US$6.49 is available online at Cherry Culture.

Review: NARS Blush Duo in Albatross & Torrid

I'm very late to the NARS bandwagon I must admit.
I've always admired their products from afar and have picked up their makeup tools (namely their amazing eye brushes such as the #12, #13, #14 and #15 brushes) but haven't really ventured into their makeup other than with their iconic NARS Laguna bronzer.

That said, it was only time before I would eventually dip my fingers into their cult favourites that are raved about by thousands across the world. Today I'm doing a review and swatch on a NARS blush duo (so I can kill 2 birds blush with 1 stone review, so to speak).

NARS Duo - Albatross & Torrid

• This is is blush and highlight powder in one handy compact. The product is encased in a rubbery-texture case that makes it prone to picking up dust and hard to keep clean, all of which I'm not a real fan of, but hey it's signature NARS packaging and I doubt it will change anytime too soon.

See how dirty the case gets?

• Torrid is described by NARS as a coral shade with shimmer. To me, it was a medium coral peach colour with fine golder flecks of shimmer that creates a glow on skin and would sit very well with warm or cool skintones by adjusting the amount of colour applied onto skin. 
• Albatross is a pale golden sheen that can be used to highlight cheeks, brow bones, the bridge of nose and any other part of your body really  - it can look slightly frosty if you are heavy handed, but extra blending work with a small brush will diffuse the frosty look. This looks amazing 30 minutess after application when the product has settled on the skin - it gives it a soft ethereal glow to any skin tone. 
• NARS formula as you would expect is amazingly fine and pigmented, the powder just melts and fuses with skin within a few strokes with a blush brush (I use the MAC 131 duo fibre brush or the Bobbi Brown blush brush). This blush set will not give you blotchy results and if it does, you are doing something very wrong. 
• Lasting power is pretty good on my combination skin but it does fade slowly in the afternoons and a touch up is required if I was heading out after works. 
• both powders come in 5g pans and will last you a long time even with everyday use as a little goes a long way. I say this could easily last me years since I like changing blush shades regularly. 

Swatched on NC30-35 skin

Two of NARS much hyped and loved colours have been combined into a single compact, I can't see how you can go wrong with this limited edition duo.

RRP A$85 at Mecca Cosmetica or US$40 at Sephora (they may be out of stock but it is currently available at Stawberrynet for US$39 with free shipping).