When I first heard about Nars Cosmetics, it was their blushes that attracted me. After all, I’m pretty much addicted to blushes!
I thought I had to have ALL the Nars blushes available. And I nearly did too until the money gave out and my interest waned. 🙂
Lately however, I’ve found myself falling out of love with Nars blushes. For some reason, I found that the blush colours, albeit very pigmented and therefore showing up prettily on the skin, were a little too garish for my taste. I even found myself turning more to Nars Orgasm lookalikes, rather than use the real thing. This was odd.
Part of the problem lies with the colours. The blush colours available are varied and very pigmented. So, it became a hassle to use them. I had to be so careful all the time when using Nars blushes and these days I don’t have the luxury of time in the mornings.
The main problem for me however, lay with the packaging. I had 3 blushes go crazy on me. The signature rubber Nars packaging started to melt on me! You can see how horrid the packaging looks on my Orgasm blush – like it has leprosy. It is sticky and tacky and just awful to hold.
I actually had the clasp of my Nars Orgasm blush break just as I was holding it. For someone who likes their products in their original packaging, this really irritated me.
I attribute part of this degeneration of the packaging to the hot and humid tropical Malaysian weather. The other part of my attribution is to the designer and manufacture of the packaging. Whoever designed the Nars rubberized packaging did not take into account the fact that this product might be sold worldwide; and elsewhere in the world, it is sunny and humid all year round. I believe that the Nars rubber packaging would work well in a cooler climate but it falls apart in Malaysia’s hot tropical climate.
So, in a fit of pique, I gave away many of the blushes to friends and family (the non degenerated ones). I’m still keeping some but my Nars blush collection isn’t as extensive as you see in this picture anymore. I’m not the first person to whom this has happened. I’ve read quite a few similar complaints about Nars packaging on Makeupalley.com and the ones complaining were located in the USA but in warmer areas so this looks to be a manufacturing and design problem.
I may return to Nars Cosmetics if they ever change their packaging. In the meantime, I’ll just stay with what I have until they fall apart totally. So, be warned if you buy or plan to collect Nars blushes. Some day, their packaging might just melt on you too!
synical says
June 22, 2008 at 1:36 amThat’s just gross… pay so much to have the casing MELT on you… what gives?
Nikki says
June 22, 2008 at 11:28 amYes, I’ve seen NARS blushes personally and I don’t like their packaging, I would think for a warm country like ours…it’ll melt!!! and it did! gosh…!!! but i can’t believe it!!!! for the first time in my life, someone is falling out of love for NARS!!! NARS is on my list for the longest time and I find it hard to purchase them as I seldom spend a lot on blushes..I would rather spend a whole lot on foundations and face powders..i’m uneasy to spend on blushes…so..now..i’m re-thinking!!!
a.min says
June 22, 2008 at 1:35 pmI have read so much about NARS blushes(you are 1 of them!) and are so attract by it! When i’m still battling on whether i should buy it or not(it’s not cheap!), you give me a big bang! I think i’ll just pass it now and look for something else better!
ParisB says
June 22, 2008 at 1:53 pmSynical: It truly is horrid. I hope someone at Nars reviews their packaging.
Nikki: I’m the opposite of you – have a blush collection that’s crazy but very few foundation/powders! Nars blushes are nice but their packaging is seriously bad.
a.min: If you have a chance, try them for yourself and see. The quality of the blush is great so I’m not really griping about the blush quality. Just the packaging really sucks.
Monstro says
June 22, 2008 at 6:37 pmLeprosy–HAHAHA! I actually love the design of the packaging, and I love the fact that it’s rubber. I feel like when I’m using it, it won’t slip in my hands–but that’s mainly cos I’m a klutz! Of course, mine are still new and have not gone down the degeneration route yet. So I guess until that happens, I will continue to enjoy them for what they are:-) As for the blush itself, I think there was so much hype on MUA, that I was somewhat underwhelmed when I finally used them. I like them a lot, but I don’t feel I need all of them 😉 They are the most pigmented blushes I’ve used so far. One will last you 5 lifetimes I’m guessing!
And I keep feeling like I need Orgasm–dunno why, just need it. Totally doesn’t make sense…:-D
BeAutYaDdiCt1OnE1 says
June 22, 2008 at 11:08 pmOh i love Nars blushes they are the best
better then M.AC like 100 time
try the creame blush u well love it
Ms. Blacklace says
June 23, 2008 at 12:08 amHoly shit! If I were to own it I think the packaging would already have melted to liquid! Considering singapore is much closer to the equator… Imagine bringing it to pulau ubin….. Just on the equator… 3 degrees hotter than singapore…. You’ll have… an unidentified black and shimmery pink liquid…
ParisB says
June 23, 2008 at 12:09 amMonstro: You don’t need Orgasm (the blush I mean 😛 ) at least I never think anyone really does.
BeautyaddictOne1: I’m not really into cream blushes but thanks for the rec.
Ms. Blacklace: LOL! I reckon that’s what you might end up with!
Tine says
June 23, 2008 at 8:05 amAiyooooo! It broke apart?! That’s horrible! 🙁
Still, on the other hand, one (wo)man’s junk is another (wo)man’s treasure :p I simply love ’em, simply because they’re so highly pigmented. No need to use so much. With my previous blushes, I had to “korek” the pan just to get enough powder for the colour to show on my cheeks. Now, just a very light dab will do.
The Nars blushes will last me yonks. I made a mistake telling the husband that.
“Haaaa, like this, no need to buy anymore, right????”
Dangit.
jojoba says
June 23, 2008 at 9:39 ami got NARS orgasm and dee throat based on the reviews and rave. then they both looked the same on me!!! and not a good look i must say. they didn’t show much at all. and i hated that packaging as the cases attracted dust like magnets! that was the end of my NARS blushes. didn’t bother to try other colours after that…
Angel says
June 23, 2008 at 10:31 amI’m quite curious how can you get the rubber casing to melt. Did you put it under the sun or inside the car?
ParisB says
June 23, 2008 at 10:45 amTine: Yes it did and I don’t think you will have a similar problem in Melbourne. Don’t tell hubby all your secrets! 😉
Jojoba: Yeah these colours don’t work well for everyone. Think you made a mistake of getting 2 colours that were too close in shade!
Angel: No, my blushes are always kept in a drawer in my bedroom which is kept cool and dark. That’s the cause of my concern in fact. If I carried them around or left them in the car, I’d expect it, but not when kept in a cool dark place!
prettybeautiful says
June 23, 2008 at 12:13 pmwah this is saddening, esp when it happens to your fav stuff.
YZ says
June 24, 2008 at 12:23 amI have the same gripe about the GODAWFUL packaging 🙁 I even depotted my NARS Kiki eyeshadow single out of desperation as the packaging had gotten too ugly & grimy to touch! Mind you, depotting is a royal pain (esp. with NARS packaging) but I felt a huge sense of relief when I finally cracked open the black rubber case!!
I just hope that my Orgasm blush doesn’t suffer the same fate anytime soon 🙁
Sticky says
November 3, 2008 at 12:47 amSame situation in HK, my NARS packaging is melting on me. Even the multiple tube packaging is nearly as sticky as gloss. I’m now storing it in the fridge. Hope that’s the solution.
Ferarri says
February 28, 2009 at 9:48 amWow, I thought I was the only one. When my makeup compact melted on me…I thought I did something wrong. Then the lipstick case melted too when the lipstick was hardly used! I added some talcum powder on the compact so that looks yucky but doesnt feel sticky on my hands. What a waste… Malaysia is just oo hot.
I will stick to the hard shiny makeup packaging, thank you.
stellarvixen says
April 15, 2010 at 11:13 amNoooOOOoo this post sounded horrible about NARS 🙁
well i’d totally hated the rubbery dirty packaging of NARS..
my orgasm blusher its so messsy looking..however their colors are truly unique and a little goes a long way! my shu uemura hit the pan in no time – even my jillstuart is half gone in mere 2 months…
oh my my affter reading this post & the comments..kinda dim down my yearnings to try NARs eyeshadow .i hav to many sparkle bling bling sheer japanses eyeshadow lol
deborah T says
May 7, 2010 at 9:32 pmI’d love to try on NARS blush but couldn’t find any store in malaysia. How could I get it?
ParisB says
May 7, 2010 at 9:38 pmYou can’t get NARS in Malaysia at this time. Try Bangkok or Hong Kong for nearest counters or buy online. Strawberrynet has some.
Natalie says
August 21, 2010 at 2:59 amNeed an update on your NARS falling out Paris! 😀
I heard about the NARS packaging problem, but funny enough, I’ve never had a problem with it. And I bought my first duo 10 years ago.
ParisB says
August 21, 2010 at 10:53 amIt might be because I live in a hot humid country that the Nars packaging is disintegrating. The rest of the cases are starting to get sticky which bugs me so I hardly use my Nars blushes anymore. I’m thinking of depotting them.
Liz says
December 3, 2011 at 5:55 amI live in California & all my Nars shadows & blushes are sticky & gross. It’s not humid where I am at all, so Idk what’s up with the packaging. I store all my cosmetics in a cool, dry, dark place. I can’t wait till I get a palette I can depot them into. I’m glad to hear it’s not just my product packaging that’s doing this.