review: NARS-issist matte/shimmer eyeshadow palette

It's amazing. Every time I walk around my local Sephora store, I stop by the same spots first. Benefit, Kat Von D, and of course, NARS. And every time, I anxiously scan the shelves thinking, Will there be something new? What can I test out today? A lot of the time there is nothing new. Every now and again? There is something waiting to be swatched. During my last visit to Sephora, I locked eyes on the NARS-issist Matte/Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette. It was an instant moment of love. Smokey shades? Check. A combination of matte and shimmer? Check. It had everything I crave in an eyeshadow palette. How could I resist?

Needless to say, it came home with me. Since then I have been using it on and off. Getting a feel for the palette, trying out different looks, and incorporating it into my makeup collection. How has it fared? Did it live up to my initial expectations? Before I get into my full blown review, here is a closer look at the palette. The upper row is made up of matte shadows while the bottom is all shimmer.

The packaging. It is pretty simple and sleek - like most NARS products. One thing I do like is the large mirror inside. There is also a mirrored front which looks great. The only downside to that? It gets dirty and has fingerprints all over it. That happened the very first time I used it. Which means you constantly have to clean off the front of the palette to keep it looking its best. That was the only negative in terms of the actual packaging. I love how sturdy this feels and how simple everything else was. 

Now for the products. It included four matte shadows, four shimmery shadows, and one eyeliner pencil. Let me just say, the pencil is amazing. I have always been a big fan of NARS liners. The Night Series Eyeliner is creamy, soft, and easy to use. It has a twist up bottom that makes application a cinch. This makes creating a smokey eye look a breeze. I only wish it came with a bigger size. But that has more to do with my love of this liner than anything else!  

The shadows themselves are amazing. They have the same quality I have come to expect from NARS products. The texture is so soft. That makes them incredibly easy to blend. Each shade is highly pigmented, which makes it possible to create a number of different looks. There is a matte cream, two matte brown shades, and a matte black. Then on the bottom row is a gorgeous smokey blue, a shimmery light brown, a dark brown, and a shimmery blue/black. The sheer fact that there is a mixture of matte and shimmer is amazing. It really opens up the possibilities! I love using the matte shades all over the lid and then creating extra drama with that shimmer. 

This is one of the more recent looks I created using this palette. Take a peek! 

So, was the NARS-issist Matte/Shimmer Eyeshadow Palette a hit or miss? This was a definite winner for me. The shades are beautiful and easy to wear, neutral yet bold, and high in quality. The price tag for this set is a little steep....but I don't regret adding it to my makeup collection one bit. I love it! 

What do you think of this palette? Do you own anything from NARS?

xo Shannon