NARS Summer Solstice Cheek Duo Review & Swatches

Summer Solstice

NARS Summer Solstice Summer 2021 Cheek Duo NARS Summer Solstice Summer 2021 Cheek Duo ($45.00 for 0.7 oz.) is a new, limited edition highlighter and bronzer duo that features two existing shades from the brand’s core ranges–that info wasn’t so readily apparent, and I definitely wish it was! It would have also been nice to see more than one duo offered as this skewed quite light. Together, they created a very shimmery, deeper gold hue with more of a brownish base.

Ingredients

Summer Solstice

LELimited Edition. $45.00.

Product

7.5

Pigmentation

Texture

Longevity

4.5

Application

76%

Total

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Ibiza

Ibiza is a light-medium gold with strong, warm undertones and a luminous sheen. The texture was soft, slightly yielding, which made it blendable and easy to pick up with a brush without being too powdery. It had semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation that applied evenly to bare skin. It wore well for eight hours before fading noticeably.

FURTHER READING: Formula Overview for details on general performance and characteristics (like scent).

Top Dupes

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Makeup Revolution Gold Addict (P, $6.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Maybelline Molten Gold (P, $9.99) is more shimmery (95% similar).
Becca Gradient Glow (P, $38.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).
MAC Serenity Seeker (LE, $36.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).
Laura Mercier Infatuation (LE, $45.00) is more shimmery, darker (95% similar).
NARS Coucher de Soleil I (LE, ) is more shimmery, lighter (95% similar).
Maybelline Gold (300) (P, $9.99) is less shimmery (95% similar).
ColourPop Bigger and Better (LE, $8.00) is lighter (95% similar).
Urban Decay Side Piece (LE, $26.00) is darker (95% similar).
MAC Oh, Darling! (P, $37.00) is more shimmery (95% similar).

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Formula Overview

$38.00/0.49 oz. - $77.55 Per Ounce

The new powder highlighter formula is supposed to "melt seamlessly into skin to enhance your natural glow" with "buildable radiance." The texture had a smooth feel that was finely-milled but firmer, almost stiff in a way, in the pan (not in a bad way), and it was not at all powdery. There was a dryness and thinness present in the texture that made it less like traditional powder highlighter formulas (including the brand's original range of highlighting powders), and none of that translated into poor performance.

That being said, all of the shades applied better on the cheeks than the they did applied to my arm. I also noticed that finish became more and more luminous--almost blindingly at times!--as the powder was buffed and blended on my cheeks. They were very reflective and shiny on my cheek bones with semi-opaque, buildable pigmentation. I had no trouble blending and diffusing any of the shades on my skin, and despite having a firmer feel in the pan, I could use fan brushes and other feathery brushes to pickup product. The powders lasted between eight and nine hours on me.

Browse all of our NARS Highlighting Powder (2018) swatches.

Ingredients

TALC · POLYMETHYLSILSESQUIOXANE · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · DIMETHICONE · ZINC STEARATE · DIMETHICONOL STEARATE · POLYBUTENE · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · TIN OXIDE · HEXYLENE GLYCOL · ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE · TOCOPHEROL · LECITHIN · GLYCERYL STEARATE · ASCORBYL PALMITATE · GLYCERYL OLEATE · CITRIC ACID · FRAGRANCE (PARFUM) · HEXYL CINNAMAL · LINALOOL · BENZYL SALICYLATE · PHENOXYETHANOL · [+/-(MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499) · MICA · RED 7 LAKE (CI 15850) · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891) · YELLOW 5 LAKE (CI 19140)] ·

Disclaimer: Ingredient lists are as available by the brand (or retailer) at the time of publishing. Please always check product packaging, if it exists, for the ingredient list applicable to the product you're purchasing, or the brand or retailer's website for the most up-to-date ingredient list.

Ibiza

PPermanent. $38.00.

A-

Product

Pigmentation

Texture

8.5

Longevity

Application

90%

Total

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Laguna

Laguna is a light-medium, golden brown base with fine gold pearl throughout. The consistency was rather firm, stiff, and thin, which made it much harder to pick up product and made the surface more prone to absorbing oils from my brush–an inevitable part of using a brush to apply to one’s face–and further hardening the pan over time. It had semi-sheer coverage that was somewhat buildable but was blendable. This shade stayed on decently for seven and a half hours on me.

Top Dupes
Ingredients

Top Dupes

View Swatches View All Dupes

Guerlain Ultra Shine (LE, $61.00) is darker, brighter (90% similar).
MAC Aphrodite's Shell (LE, $34.00) is lighter, warmer (90% similar).
MAC Nude on Board (LE, $30.00) is more muted (90% similar).
KVD Beauty Shadowplay (PiP, ) is less shimmery, cooler (90% similar).
NARS Laguna (P, $38.00) is less shimmery, darker, cooler (90% similar).
Laura Mercier A La Mode (LE, ) is brighter (90% similar).
Tower 28 Gold Coast (P, $20.00) is less shimmery, darker (90% similar).
Too Faced Jolie (LE, ) is more shimmery (95% similar).
MAC Sun Dipped (LE, $30.00) is warmer (90% similar).
MAC Matte Bronze (LE, $70.00) is less shimmery (95% similar).

View Swatches

Ingredients

TALC · DIMETHICONE · OCTYLDODECYL STEAROYL STEARATE · ISOSTEARYL NEOPENTANOATE · POLYBUTENE · ZINC STEARATE · ISOPROPYL ISOSTEARATE · CAPRYLYL GLYCOL · SILICA · HEXYLENE GLYCOL · TIN OXIDE · TOCOPHEROL · LECITHIN · GLYCERYL STEARATE · ASCORBYL PALMITATE · GLYCERYL OLEATE · CITRIC ACID · FRAGRANCE (PARFUM) · HEXYL CINNAMAL · LINALOOL · BENZYL SALICYLATE · PHENOXYETHANOL · [+/-(MAY CONTAIN/PEUT CONTENIR): IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499) · MICA · TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891)] ·