NARS Oasis blush

          NARS Oasis blush made a small comeback this fall. Although it wasn't specifically included NARS Fall 2011 lineup, Oasis was clearly a part of the supporting cast since 1) Oasis lip gloss was re-promoted in the collection and 2) no blush was included in the collection. Up until recently, I'd forgotten that I had purchased NARS Oasis blush. I had loaned it to my mom for an extended period of time. However, now Oasis has returned to my home to star in a review.

          NARS Oasis blush is described as a "sparkling pink champagne." How pretty is that? I'm not sure it's the right description though. I would imagine sparkling pink champagne to be a light golden pink. NARS Oasis is more like pink with a hint of berry and gold sparkle. Oasis is one of the colors that looks so different in the pan in different kinds of light. This may be why there is so much variation in online photos. I had trouble wrapping my head around the true color of Oasis when I considering purchasing it. In most cases, Oasis looks deceptively light in the pan. In sunlight (above) you can see that Oasis almost appears to be a light pink leaning slightly peach. This isn't a camera error. I took at least twenty pictures outside trying to capture the pink-berry color of Oasis. All of them looked like this. I was pretty upset until I realized that's how the blush looks in strong sunlight. I think my indoor photograph (below) is more reflective of the true color of Oasis. It's a darker plummier pink. In the fluorescent lighting of Sephora stores, Oasis looks like a lighter berry toned pink. The most useful way to judge Oasis is through swatches. As you read above, the pan photographs so differently depending on the situation.

          NARS Oasis blush is very pigmented. When I use a standard blush brush to apply it, it's way too dark for my liking. I bet a stippling brush would be more appropriate for lighter skin tones. Too bad I don't have a stippling brush! To be honest, I didn't get a lot of use out of Oasis. That's why I loaned it to my mom. It was just too pigmented and too berry toned for my liking. I was hoping it actually fit the "sparkling pink champagne" description. That said, I think Oasis is an under-rated NARS blush. I think a lot of people out there enjoy this type of color and the high level of pigmentation. It's also a fitting color for fall when we are moving away from peachy tones.

The closest comparison to NARS Oasis in my blush collection was Bobbi Brown Desert Rose.

          I imagined the two to be quite similar. They are both more muted pinks. However you can see that the swatch of NARS Oasis is considerably darker than the swatch of Bobbi Brown Desert Rose.  Like I mentioned above, Oasis is deceptively light in the pan! You can see that the golden glitter is imperceptible when swatched. I think most of it falls off before reaching your face.

          Finally, you can see how well NARS Oasis pairs with NARS Grand Palais (review here) and Outremer (review here) from the Fall 2011 collection. I think they look quite nice together!

          As some of you may know, I've been avoiding blush as of late. I'm trying to give Oasis new life as an occasional eyeshadow. It's a trick I learned from a SA. She paired it with my NARS Bright Lights, Big City palette (seen here). It added nice depth to a smoky eye. Pink can take the edge off harsh colors. I bet a little touch of Oasis with Outremer would look nice as well if you did not buy the rosy Grand Palais duo.

          I hope you enjoyed my review of NARS Oasis. Do any of you have this in your stash? Does it stand among NARS blush greats like Orgasm, Sin, and Deep Throat? Have any of you ever tried hints of blush as eyeshadow? I'd love to hear your thoughts =).

Love, Dovey.