NARS • Illuminator in Copacabana • Highlighters

Where To Buy?

sarahcloud on 5/14/2013 8:38:00 PM more reviews by sarahcloud

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Love this stuff! Easy to use and a little goes a long way.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

yuklin on 3/20/2013 8:27:00 AM more reviews by yuklin

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I really enjoy using this illuminator. However, the only thing that I am not too crazy about is that it does not come full in the bottle but a litte on your finger goes a long way. It really makes your face glow!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

sksouthwick on 3/19/2013 12:23:00 AM more reviews by sksouthwick

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Green    

I use this almost every day. It's hard for me to find highlighters that are lighter than my skintone, but this one is perfect. As a side note, it is very, very similar to Benefit Highbeam.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* lucyrox on 2/25/2013 1:57:00 PM more reviews by lucyrox

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Dry, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I *love* this product! I am very fair, and this product melts into my skin and gives a light pink highlight to my upper cheeks and up to my temple area. I am not a fan of NARS copacabana multiple because it's a hard stick, and gets really hard with time, making application very difficult, if not impossible. When I realized NARS came out with the liquid copacabana, I was thrilled. I'm not sure it it would work on anyone with darker skin tones. It is pricey, $30.00 for 1.2 ounce, but you only use a tweeny little bit, and I love the highlight it gives me, so it's worth it (and I don't spend a lot of money on stuff).

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* FeeFee34 on 1/17/2013 12:18:00 AM more reviews by FeeFee34

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

NARS, you disappoint. So I really want to like NARS. I want to buy and have and use NARS products. I want to love them like other people love them. But there’s just nothing I like! The Sephora SA recommended this product over Albatross as a highlighter for me, saying that it would be easier to use, rather than packing on Albatross and hoping that it shows up for its magical highlighting powers. I’m very pale and warm-toned, so something snow/paper/white-out white is simply the same color as my skin, just about. And, sure enough, this product does NOT show up on my skin. At all. I can pack it on and get some glitter out of it, but it wears off quickly. As for mixing it in with my foundation or moisturizer . . . seems pointless. I notice no difference. NARS, please produce a product that actually does something on my skin. I returned Cococabana.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* AntiqueGlitter on 11/23/2012 4:27:00 PM more reviews by AntiqueGlitter

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

UPDATE 11/24/12:
I disagree with the previous reviewer below me--I'm NC35 and this looks great on me! I believe it'll look great on anyone, including medium and dark skin tones, as long as you apply it minimally and you know how to apply it. As with most makeup products, you can make almost anything work for you--it's all in the application and technique.

ORIGINAL REVIEW:
Copacabana is an invisible pink with a silvery frosty sheen--exactly the same as Benefit High Beam, except it seems to me that High Beam is more frosty and has more reflects (which I prefer).
But that doesn't mean that Copacabana isn't good. In fact, this is a great highlighter. You can add some to your cheekbones (or on cheekbones on top of blush), nose bridge, middle of chin, Cupid's bow, inner eye corners, or brow bone--or wherever you want--to achieve a nice glow. Be careful not to overapply, though--as with all highlighters, less is a LOT more!
I'm not too keen on the formula, though--it's not runny, nor is it too thick, but it's not totally long-lasting. Within a few hours of wear time, I notice that it's already gone. Of course, the packaging is convenient enough to carry in my bag for touch-ups, but I'd rather not have to touch up at all.
It's also quite pricey, retailing at $30 for a 1.1 oz. tube.
Would I repurchase? No.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

tbastas on 11/22/2012 12:56:00 AM more reviews by tbastas

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Basically I mix it with my foundation when my skin is feeling extra dry or in the summer when i want less coverage. I use double wear light 1.0 which is a bit dark on my fair skin but this has got a pinky silvery color which makes the foundation a bit lighter and bit more on the neutral side which ends up being a perfect match for me. I do own benefit high beam and i have to say to colors are exactly the same. But i do not like the benefit one because it is hard to apply but nars copacabana is a dream for that.Revlon sells and a liquid illuminator as well but that shade is quite darker and a bit more peachy that this one which doesnt work when i mix it with my double wear light foundation. Copacabana works really well as a highlighter. It gives you a luminous-radiant effect rather than a shimmery one and blends like a dream. I really love this product but the price is a bit over the top for what it is but i will still repurchase. I have to mention that this color will not work well on medium or dark skitones but you can go for the other colors in the range(orgasm and laguna). Do not go for super orgasm because it is quite pinky it would only work under a blush to give your cheeks some radiance not a cheekbone highlighter.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

violas on 10/24/2012 10:48:00 PM more reviews by violas

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Black   Eyes: Hazel    

Good stuff. I mix a little with my foundation when I need more of a pick up to my complexion.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

mimster09 on 10/22/2012 10:28:00 PM more reviews by mimster09

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I love this product!! Hooray! Finally, I found a perfect liquid Highlighter for my combination skin. It gives a natural glowy look and stay on my skin all day long. I was told to apply it under my foundation, but I don't think it works for me because after I put my powder on, it doesn't give enough glowy look on my face, so I applied it after powder instead and it's perfect, however, don't apply too much of it because if you apply too much liquid over powder, it's hard to blend into your skin and you will end-up having a messy skin instead. The price is a bit expensive for Highlighter, but it will last a long time....

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

mrubatino on 10/3/2012 7:27:00 PM more reviews by mrubatino

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

I use this as a highlighter on my cheekbones and I love it! It's easy to blend and you only need the tiniest bit. Be careful not to overdo it because it can get very very shiny. I just put a tiny bit on my fingertip, dab it along my cheekbones, and I'm ready to go! Love it!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

scs2dd on 9/30/2012 2:30:00 PM more reviews by scs2dd

Age: 19-24   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Grey    

Firstly, let me say the formula, smell, ease of application, and packaging are all top-notch. The color just doesn't suit anyone but with the palest and coolest of skintones. I am very light yet I have yellow undertones that clashed with Copacabana; even if you only lean slightly warm of center, you should skip this shade. In the tube, I thought I noticed a very slight golden sheen, but it vanished when I patted it onto my skin. It appears extremely pinkish-silver and a little goes a very long way, so be careful-- much more so than the more-subdued Orgasm.
I know that this shade isn't meant to work for everyone, so I was just giving golden ladies a heads-up; there are many great things about Copacabana characteristic of Nars. As I said, the formula is somewhere between a creme and liquid, so it's easy to work with. It'll last forever because only a tiny dab is needed to highlight the face, and the microscopic shimmers look gorgeous without overwhelming your features. Also the flip-top/small spout dispenser is much easier to handle than the previous twist-cap design (with the latter, I would get an occasional illuminator explosion when I'd try to squeeze some out).
So there it is. On pale, cool women this would be a hit and I highly recommend it. As for me, I'm running back to my Orgasm Illuminator and will never abandon it again!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* luisajames on 9/7/2012 4:52:00 AM more reviews by luisajames

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

a little goes a long way with this product. it's very dry and must be blended in very well. i like this for all over under liquid and mineral powders but can be a little 'glittery.' better for going out or bolder highlighting. works great for brightening my yellow undertones.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

laxgirl2332 on 8/29/2012 9:08:00 PM more reviews by laxgirl2332

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

Yes, this was overall a good product, however I would not buy this specific illuminator in this color again. It is extremley hard to blend, because it gets really streaky. Also appears to make skin look oily, or icy. But it does go on very smoothy, and a little product goes such a long way. I do love the orgasim one by NARS though.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

sasflynn on 8/5/2012 5:20:00 PM more reviews by sasflynn

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Was really expecting more from this product, literally. You seem to get so little product for the price. The colour pay off isn't great either, it's a very pale colour, too pale for me and I'm NW15! It looks really icy and not in a good way, very early 2000's. It's also really shimmery and just generally looks really tacky. Definitely would not buy it again, NARS seems to be so hit and miss these days.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* GlamDiva on 7/25/2012 9:45:00 PM more reviews by GlamDiva

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Other, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Copacabana Illuminator is similar to MAC Strobe cream or Strobe lotion, however I find the Nars to be more concentrated and the tube prevents the product drying out into lumps in a pump bottle. Extremely versatile and multi-purpose, and a little goes a long way. Browbone, center of the lid, mix with foundation or concealer, top of cheekbones, etc. One of my favorite products of all time.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* trillium13 on 7/4/2012 8:26:00 PM more reviews by trillium13

Age: 36-43   Skin: Oily, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I got this in a set as a free gift from Sephora. I'm glad I didn't pay full price for it. I think the color is beautiful on my pale skin, and it has just the right amount of shimmer, but! I find the formula extremely difficult to work with. This product is extremely sticky and very hard to blend. I've tried fingers and stippling brushes and the brush seems to work the best, if I spread a drop of the product on the back of my hand first. It's very hard to work with on the face. It's super sticky and dries pretty fast, so it's hard to blend it out so it looks smooth. If you're not careful, when you turn your head and look in the mirror, you will see blotchy shimmer patches instead of a nicely highlighted cheekbone. I like the color enough to try to use it up, but there are much better liquid or cream highlighters available; think Benefit or UD. I won't buy it again and can't recommend it.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

kcallz on 7/4/2012 7:48:00 PM more reviews by kcallz

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Hazel    

Love using this as a highlighter above my blush. It really compliments my skin tone and I think will really freshen me up during the winter!

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

pillager13 on 6/27/2012 11:45:00 PM more reviews by pillager13

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Received this product as a Sephora deluxe sample. I've never used an illuminator before, but am pleased with the way this looks on my brow bone and top of my cheeks. Good color, but easy to overdo. This is a novelty kind of product that I would not repurchase, especially since I can't imagine ever using up the amount in this sample.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

mlynde82 on 6/23/2012 9:03:00 AM more reviews by mlynde82

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I like this color so much more than the other I purchased (Orgasm), because it truly works as a highlight on my skin, but my biggest complaint is that it seems to dry so fast. If it isn't blended well immediately, you are left with it the exact place you first touched it to your skin. If it's not blended nicely, you will see a definite beginning and end to where the product is on your face (literally like you took a highlighting marker in this color and just marked it on your face). Not a good look.

The packaging is alright, but the newer tubes are not filled all the way up, which makes you think you're getting ripped off when you buy it. For the money, it's not worth it for me, as I can go a lot further with a powdered highlighter.

    Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* browneyessmiles on 3/23/2012 6:10:00 PM more reviews by browneyessmiles

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I got this in a deluxe sample size from one of Sephora's VIB gifts. I already had copacabana in the multiple form and loved that, and have Orgasm in illuminator form and loved that mixed with TM so I was curious about this one. I think I actually prefer the Multiple. I think I prefer the sheen that that gives. This is very nice too of course. I think that the L'oreal Magic Lumi is a dupe for this. Though I do like the cool sheen that copacabana in both form brings, most of my looks lean towards more cool tones so I just don't reach for these as often. I would recommend this, but also recommend the Magic Lumi for those looking for something more affordable.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No