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nars blush bronzer duo orgasm laguna review

What makes a product achieve that much coveted cult status? Quality? Pretty packaging? Marketing hype?

I’ve been thinking about it lately, while playing with Nars Orgasm blush and Laguna bronzer. Both are considered cult. Neither is a must have.

So what makes them special? I’m putting Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo In Orgasm & Laguna to the test to find out:

What’s In Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo In Orgasm & Laguna?

Like all blushes and bronzers, Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo In Orgasm & Laguna are made up mainly of two groups of ingredients:

  • Pigments: You usually need three of four pigments to make one single shade.
  • Talc: A filler used to dilute the bright, vivid pigments (cos you don’t want to look like a clown!)

Related: Is Talc In Skincare And Makeup Products Dangerous?

Colour

  • Orgasm: A stunning peachy pink. More pink than peach, it is infused with gold shimmers that give skin such a healthy glow. No wonder this shade is so popular!
  • Laguna: A medium brown with warm undertones and golden shimmers.

Texture

Finely milled. They’re both very soft to the touch, Laguna more than Orgasm.

nars blush bronzer duo orgasm laguna 03

Pigmentation

They’re both on the sheer side. They show up well on my pale skin, but darker complexions may need something more pigmented.

Staying Power

Both last 8 hours on the skin, before slowly starting to fade.

Fragrance

They’re fragrance-free.

How To Use It

I recommend you apply both the bronze and blush with a dense brush to get as much pigment (and colour) on your cheeks as possible.

Performance & Personal Opinion

I’ve been wanting to try Nars Orgasm and Laguna for a long time, so I’m glad I got the duo. Talk about killing two birds with one stone.

I fell in love with Orgasm straight way. The peachy colour is very flattering. It warms up your skintone, while the fine shimmers make it shine. The glow is subtle and natural, but bright enough to allow you to skip the highlighter. I never wear one with Orgasm. I don’t need it.

The texture is very smooth to the touch and blends like a dream. Because of the sheer colour payoff, it is impossible to overdo.

That’s great news for pale princesses who can safely dust it on without fear of ending up looking like a clown, but marvellous mademoiselles and dark divas may need to build it up.

(FYI, Sleek Makeup Blush in Rose Gold would be a better, more pigmented, and much cheaper choice for you).

Laguna terrified me. It looked so dark and unforgiving in the pan, but that’s all show. Laguna is surprisingly sheer. Turns out it’s perfect to fake a glowing tan on or contour pale skin, but I can see other women getting frustrated by how much product they need to apply to get it to show up properly.

The tan and glow it gives are very natural. The shimmers are so subtle you can hardly see them on the skin, so you can use it to sculpt the face as well. That’s how I usually use it.

nars blush bronzer duo orgasm laguna 01

Who Is This For?

  • Pale princesses
  • Anyone who likes sheer and natural bronzers/blushes

Who Is This NOT For?

  • Darker skintones
  • If you like pigmented blushes and bronzers, this isn’t for you.

Packaging

Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo In Orgasm & Laguna comes in the Nars’ classic rubber case, which is both chic and annoying. It gets dirty so soon! But the in-built mirror is very handy. There’s no applicator inside the case, but that’s ok. They never turn out to be any good anyway, do they?

Does Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo In Orgasm & Laguna Live Up To Its Claims?

CLAIM TRUE?
The Blush-Bronzer Duo delivers a healthy bronzed glow and a brilliant flush of blush. True.
Shimmer finish. Yes.
Smooth, silky texture. Yes.
Natural, healthy looking color that immediately enlivens the complexion. True again.
Sheer, buildable colour. True. They’re actually too sheer for darker complexions.
Blends evenly. Yep.

Price & Availability

$42.00/£16.00 at Sephora and SpaceNK

Do You Need It?

If you’re a pale princess or love sheer blushes and bronzers, Nars Blush/Bronzer Duo in Orgasm is a good option to have in your makeup kit. But most people won’t need it.

Dupes & Alternatives

Ingredients

Orgasm: Talc, Cetearyl Isononanoate, Zinc Stearate, Cetyl Acetate, Stearoxy Dimethicone, Isopropyl Lanolate, Silica, Propylparaben, Triclosan, Methylparaben, Acetylated Lanolin Alcohol, BHA, [+/- (May Contain): Mica, CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide), CI 77491 (Iron Oxides), CI 77492 (Iron Oxides), CI 77499 (Iron Oxides), CI 77742 (Manganese Violet), CI 45410 (Red 28 Lake), CI 73360 (Red 30 Lake), CI 17200 (Red 33 Lake), CI 15880 (Red 34 Lake)]

Laguna: Talc, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Nylon-12, Silica, Zinc Stearate, Polyethylene, Dimethicone, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Lauroyl Lysine, Ethylparaben, Methylparaben, Sorbitan Sesquiolate, Trisodium EDTA, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Tocopherol, [+/- (May Contain): Mica • CI 77891 (Titanium Dioxide) • CI 77491 (Iron Oxides) • CI 77492 (Iron Oxides) • CI 77499 (Iron Oxides)]

About Gio

Hi, I'm Gio. I'm a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is skin coach and writer on a mission to help you achieve your best skin day ever - every day. I bust skincare myths and debunk marketing jargon to help you figure out what's worth the splurge and what's best left on the shelf - using science, not hype. I also offer skincare consultations to help you create the best skincare routine for your unique needs.