This is an alright powder. If possible, I'd give it a 3.5.
I really enjoy the color Beach, which is what drew me to this product in the first place. It is relatively light in level, but has a noticeable brown/olive undertone in it. This is super hard to find! I think this color would work for anyone fair-medium with these undertones because it is a sheer product.
Sometimes the powder does not apply as evenly as I would like, but I think the oil control is very good. My only wish is that it had a BIT more coverage. It is very, very sheer and I like to wear powders like this alone sometimes. I do understand that it wasn't formulated for this, so I think it will be a great fit for anyone looking for a good setting powder for foundation or TM.

Me gusta mucho como se funde con el color de mi piel, es un polvo muy fino que, bien aplicado, queda imperceptible y sella muy bien el maquillaje eliminando los brillos. La contra es que le quita un poco de luminosidad a la piel, creo que voy a seguir buscando un polvo que matifique e ilumine.

Didn't like this on my cimbination skin. It looked cakey and dry..was hoping for a miracle considering the price! Guess i'll have to go back to using mac studio fix pressed powder

Great setting powder that doesn't dry out dry skin. This does not create dry lines on dry skin. I use desert, which states it's light rose undertones to enhance medium skin tones, and this does make the coloring in my face look absolutely gorgeous. I've received two compliments this week on how great the color of my skin tone looks. There isn't enough product to justify the price but I plan on repurchasing since it's hard to find a good powder that doesn't make dry skin look bad.The staying power, and wonderful look it gives my natural medium toned skin is the only reason I would repurchase. The sponge is a joke, and extremely thin, but it's usable if necessary. I will enjoy this while it lasts because Nars doesn't have anything else for medium tones with pink undertones.

EDIT: In the summer, my face was sweaty and my makeup was too shiny from walking 15 minutes on campus, in the South. This made it look fresh, cool, and absorbed the excess while giving a perfect matte finish. I didn't have to reapply foundation or anything. This is a miracle in humid southern weather!!

A perfect powder compact but I do like using a brush. Like most pressed powders it goes on more lightly than the loose version, but sometimes that is just what is needed. Eden is wonderfully yellow-toned for my olive skin.

This is the best powder I have ever used. It gives a very pretty airbrushed finish similar to MAC's MSFN, but the texture is very light and the powder is very finely milled. If you have oily skin, you'll love this! It keeps you matte most of the day. The trick I've found that works best with this powder for people with oily skin is to dab it on with a velour puff. If your skin is more combination like mine, a quick swipe with a fluffy brush is all you will need throughout the day with maybe a touch up on the nose area by lunch time. You do have to be careful as it is very finely milled, if you press to hard on the compact or swirl your brush too hard, you will waste a lot of product. I am medium to medium tan (probably and NC30-35) and I use the color beach.

I picked it in Eden and there is not much of a difference of hue or tone with my skin but when i apply it in my face it looks like lights are being turned off.. odd.
It suited better my mom. Maybe it works with mature skin?
I also suspect that this powder doesn't fit some foundations just as told below.

I really like the look and feel of this. I use it over Dior Nude Liquid Fdn and after applying Nars Pressed Powder in Beach (I'm NC25), my skin looks natural & matte, and feels soft.

...And embarrassingly enough I use that stupid applicator that comes with the powder. There is no room for sponge in that thing. But NARS packaging is nice and sleek, and fits well in my purse. continued >>

Perfect color match for me which is very rare (NARS powder in Beach, liquid in ~Punjab, MAC ~NC35). Sheer coverage even though I apply with the beautyblender. Looks lighter and powdery before skin oils have a chance to interact with it.

I love keeping this powder in my bag for touch-ups; it instantly absorbs shine and oil without drying my skin. I have Snow, which looks almost white in the compact, but it shows up as a very fair, translucent powder -- it matches my skin perfectly and does not deposit a ton of pigment; it's not chalky or drying. So many pressed powders oxidize or end up looking peachy on me, even in very fair shades; Snow never does. For this alone, Snow immediately achieved HG status in my bag. :)


The applicator included with it (a thin, velvety pad) is awful and does not pick up much product at all -- I do not recommend using it. Instead, use a brush, which leaves a nice finish. I highly recommend it!


For reference, NW5-10; NARS Siberia.