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**The NARS Total Seduction Eyeshadow Sticks ($32) are a newer product for the brand, and in March, they expanded the range with 8 new shimmer shades as part of their Hot Escape Summer Collection. I hadn’t tried the formula yet, so I purchased one of the existing matte shades in Strip Down and one of the new shimmer shades in Sparked to try. Both formulas are supposed to be long-wearing, smudge-proof, crease-resistant, and water-resistant. Where the claims differ is that the matte formula is transfer-resistant with high impact color, and the shimmer is fade-resistant and fallout-free. Many of these claims seem redundant to me, but ultimately, I agree that they are long-wearing and don’t budge once they set. The matte finish works pretty well for me, but I do have some trouble with the shimmer finish (Sparked) before it sets.

Swatches NARS Strip Down and Sparked

**NARS Strip Down is a matte finish that works easily with and without eyeshadow primer.  The shade is pigmented, and it applies smoothly with no tugging.  I typically soften the edges with my fingers, which can be done with a brush, but it’s not as easy.  It wears well with minimal creasing, and it also works nicely as a base for powder eyeshadows.  When worn alone, there is some creasing in the inner part of my crease.  This issue is not noticeable from a normal viewing distance, but it stands out because I don’t have the same issue with Laura Mercier’s matte Caviar Eyeshadow Sticks.  This shade (Strip Down) applies easily and doesn’t give me trouble.  The shimmer shade (Sparked) is another story.

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	$ Sale Price $ 32.00 Regular Price
NARS Total Seduction Eyeshadow Stick, Strip Down

**NARS Sparked was a huge letdown when I first tested it, and it hasn’t improved much since then. I always wear an eyeshadow primer, so it’s the default when I’m testing something for the first time. Although Sparked works better without an eyeshadow primer, it lifts if I try to blend it to smooth out the color placement.  When I’ve tried it with primer, the lifting is even worse, and there is a lot more patchiness to correct.  If I draw it on and let it dry completely, it stays ok. However, the application is messier than I want because I didn’t have the chance to blend it into the rest of the eye look.  If I wear it alone, this is less of an issue, but I don’t like this particular color that way.  Using a brush does not improve the application; it causes more pigment to disappear. I do get some creasing after a couple of hours with Sparked, but that improves when I wear powder eyeshadow on top of it. That isn’t surprising, since I had an issue with it lifting by just touching it. It is workable, but I don’t want to work that hard for $32.

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	$ Sale Price $ 32.00 Regular Price
NARS Total Seduction Eyeshadow Stick, Sparked

Comparison Swatches NARS Strip Down and Laura Mercier Brick, Sepia, and Caramel

I like Laura Mercier Caviar Sticks better than the NARS Total Seduction Eyeshadow Stick Matte formula. The difference is slight, but the Laura Mercier doesn’t crease, and the NARS formula does crease unless worn with powder eyeshadow on top. The Laura Mercier formula is slightly drier, which could be an issue if your eyelids are particularly dry. So the NARS might work better if you don’t typically get oily eyelids. The deep crease created by my slightly hooded lids can cause oiliness in the inner crease area without the right primers and formulas.

I also preferred the Laura Mercier shimmer Caviar Stick in Forbidden Rose over the NARS shimmer finish. Laura Mercier Forbidden Rose didn’t crease and built on itself easily. Others that come to mind are the MAC Chromacrayon in Bubbleglam (limited edition) and Bobbi Brown Electric Plum and Soft Bronze (limited edition). MAC Bubbleglam has more shimmer and a drier texture, which I didn’t like as much as NARS Sparked (but I don’t like it either). Bobbi Brown Electric Plum and Soft Bronze have a drier texture than NARS Sparked, but they apply smoother, and I didn’t experience any creasing issues.

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Returning to some of the brand’s claims, I agree that once the Total Seduction Eyeshadow Stick sets, it is smudge-proof and water-resistant. My watery, allergy eyes have not caused it to patch away or rub off. Additionally, the shimmers in Sparked don’t fall off, and even if I accidentally rub my eye, I don’t see shimmer on my fingers. My issue is the weird application issue with Sparked lifting up and not building well on itself. And they do still crease when I wear them by themselves. So, while I personally can’t recommend the shimmer finish (Sparked), I do think the matte finish (Strip Down) is worth considering if you don’t have trouble with creasing.

Thanks for being here! I added two new indexes (Bronzer & Highlighter Index, Brush Index) if you’re interested.

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