New From NARS! Talc-Free Blush in Dolce Vita (Swatch)

NARS Talc-Free Blush Dolce Vita Swatch Medium Dark Skin

NARS just released a reformulation of their iconic powder blush ($34), and it’s now talc-free. I’ve only used this once (pictures are further down), so I can’t tell you much about it yet. I wanted to go ahead and share some pictures of the new packaging and some swatches I got the other day while I was in Sephora in case anyone is curious about this release. The new compact is now refillable but is the same soft-touch material NARS typically uses for its packaging. There is a small hole on the back to pop the pan out (see picture further down). The refill pans are available for $24 on narscosmetics.com, but only in 5 shades. I’m very confused as to why they would bother to make the packaging refillable and only provide 5 shades as refills. The pans are already loose and must be added to the magnetized compact, so why can’t every shade be available?

NARS Talc-Free Blush in Dolce Vita Swatch

If you swatch the new blush formula, you’ll likely notice that its texture is almost creamy and thick compared to the old formula. To me, my old formula (liberte) feels thinner and drier. My Liberte is over a year old, but I think it still performs the same as when I purchased it. I’ve also never experienced NARS blushes drying out before the 24-month shelf life of most of the previous formulas.

Speaking of shelf life, the new talc-free formula only has a shelf life of 12 months. There were a few shades in the old formula, like Savage and Dominate, that also had a 12-month shelf life, but most of them were 24 months. Just something to keep in mind. If you are unfamiliar with it, the jar packaging on the back of an item indicates how many months after opening the product, it should perform as expected. For more information on shelf life, check out this FDA page.

NARS Talc-Free Blush, Dolce Vita, $34

Dolce Vita is described as a matte dusty rose.

Alright, let’s get into the actual blush. As I mentioned, I’ve only used this once, but I don’t think it is wildly different from other NARS blushes. I think it blended faster than the old formula, but I’d bet that is because I was paying careful attention so I could share my thoughts lol.

UPDATE April 24, 2025: The new talc-free formula is, in fact, easier to blend than the old formula. The old formula is more pigmented. The new formula has a sheer quality that lets the skin show through more than the old formula. It does take me longer to build the talc-free formula up to the level of pigmentation I want.

It is matte but does not look dry or flat. As I wore it throughout the day, I didn’t notice any fading, and NARS is claiming a 16-hour wear time. I only wore it for about 8 hours, but I never get more than 10 or 11 hours of wear before taking my makeup off. However, I want to point out that I have dry skin, and makeup rarely fades in my experience. This formula is supposed to blur imperfections. I didn’t notice blurring that stood out to me (beyond what any powder would do), but it definitely doesn’t accentuate texture. The formula has a firm press in the pan, so I didn’t get much dust up or any real mess. The firm press didn’t keep it from being easy to pick up with both a synthetic brush and a natural hair brush.

Wearing NARS Talc-Free Blush in Dolce Vita over NARS Light Reflecting Foundation in Tahoe

Comparison Swatch with Bobbi Brown Slopes (discontinued formula)

I’m not sure how many people are familiar with the Bobbi Brown blushes, but the shade Slopes is the closest blush I have for comparison.

Bobbi Brown Slopes and NARS Talc-Free Blush Dolce Vita Swatches Medium Dark Skin

More Swatches, but in Sephora Lighting 😆

NARS Talc-Free Blush Dolce Vita, Infatuated, Torrid, Orgasm X, Amour, Orgasm Rush Swatches — NARS Talc-Free Blush Swatches (Dolce Vita, Infatuated, Torrid, Orgasm X, Amour, Orgasm Rush)

I didn’t swatch every shade on the display, just the ones I was interested in. Similarly to the MUFE bronzers that I recently posted about, Sephora didn’t have the entire line of NARS blushes. I would have liked to see Foreplay in person because Savage is no longer available, and the color descriptions are the same (shimmering red brown). But I’ll see how I end up liking Dolce Vita before deciding to get more of the new formula.

Have you tried the NARS Talc-Free Powder Blush formula? What do you think of it? If not, do you have plans to try it?

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