NARS • Bellissima Duo • Eye Shadow

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lovemakeup2 on 4/21/2013 4:19:00 PM more reviews by lovemakeup2

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

Bellissima (II) was included in Sephora's And God Created the Woman Set (purchased in April 2013). According the ingredients list, NARS has started using triclosan in its shadows. Given the other options available, it's not clear why this would be necessary. I will not be repurchasing.

Ingredients list from the And God Created the Woman Set:
Bellissima (II): Talc, cetearyl isononanoate, zinc stearate, silica, phenyl trimethicone, ethylhexyl parmitate, cetyl acetate, stearoxy dimethicone, isopropyl lanolate, acetylated lanolin alcohol, methylparaben, triclosan, propylparaben, bha [+/- (may contain): mica, ci 77891 (titanium dioxide), ci 77491 ci 77492 ci 77499 (iron oxides), ci 19140 (yellow 5 lake), ci 42090 (blue 1 lake), ci 77007 (ultramarines), ci 77288 (chromium oxide greens), ci 77289 (chromium hydroxide green), ci 77510 (ferric ferrocyanide), ci 77742 (manganese violet), ci 77163 (bismuth oxychloride), ci 75470 (carmine), ci 77000 (aluminum powder), ci 77400 (bronze powder), ci 77400 (copper powder)]

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*TOP REVIEWER* cherylf on 1/13/2012 7:21:00 PM more reviews by cherylf

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

I have been using this for about a month now, and I really like it. The lighter shade doesn't have a whole lot of pigment, but the grey/brown shade is PERFECT!
I like to wear Blanc Type all over my lid, the brown colour in the crease and then the lighter NARS shade over my brow bone and around the tear duct.
Perfect everyday look. I will definitely purchase it again.

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moesi on 9/16/2011 10:42:00 AM more reviews by moesi

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Blue    

I'm disappointed in the pigment intensity in this set. I thought it might just be me, but when I showed it to a MUA friend, she completely agreed that it isn't very good.

The light color is very nearly translucent powder with some gold glitter in it. The darker color is so subtle that it can be made nearly invisible as well and seems chalky to me, though with a lot of effort it can be OK. The darker color is also a very nice shade, but given the amount needed to make it apparent and the cost of the duo which really is only a single (in my opinion), there's just no value in it. I plan to keep trying it, but I have used it just enough that I don't expect I'll be changing my mind no matter how much I keep trying to make it something I like.

EDIT: As I've used this more, it's grown on me a little. I still don't think I'd buy it again, but both colors are useful for minimal makeup looks. I especially like to use the lighter color over foundaion applied to the lids (UDPP, then foundation, then this shadow). On the right skin tone, it just gives the natural lid color a little umph and evens them out, but doesn't really look like there's anything on. This is an awfully expensive duo for such limited use though.

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*TOP REVIEWER* laqueron1 on 9/6/2011 10:57:00 AM more reviews by laqueron1

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

Bellissima is a BEEEEAAAAUUUTIFUL Duo. Only one problem....on my NC42 skin, Just using those two colors together can look a bit dull. In order for me to wear it without looking "bleh" I have to put the brown gray shade on my lid, the shimmery beige on my browbone and inner tear duct AND I add a warm crease color like a mix of MAC cork and wedge. I'm pretty sure soft brown, soba, saddle, texture or maybe even tete a tint would work. I think it would be a great duo for fall and winter.

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*TOP REVIEWER* jueykang on 8/19/2011 7:43:00 PM more reviews by jueykang

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Black    

Amazing neutral eyeshadow duo. Very soft, and super pigmented.

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bootmunchie on 4/22/2011 6:53:00 PM more reviews by bootmunchie

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Hazel    

I hate how I make a mess every time I swipe my brush through Nars powder eyeshadows. Even if I am being super careful it seems to get all over the place. Yes they are soft, but so soft I could probably let a fan sit by it and watch it slowly deplete. I love the color in the pan, just wish it was a bit thicker pigment when first settling on the eye. I will not buy this again, I only got it for a small portion of a 'look'

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

PositivelyRadiant on 12/20/2010 10:35:00 AM more reviews by PositivelyRadiant

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Never underestimate the power of good, neutral shades. I can see this duo working well on anyone ranging from fair to medium in skin tone. I wish the lighter color had more pigment, but the 2 colors together work really well. I used the darker color in the crease and the lighter color on the lid. I like how this eyeshadow duo works with a more dramatic lipstick. I never go dramatic with both the eyes and the lips - I choose one or the other. I recently wore this eyeshadow duo with NARS' lipstick in Christina and got compliments from people who hardly EVER compliment my makeup. My sister especially liked the combo, and she's my harshest critic. I also like how the duo will work well for when I travel and need simple combos that travel well. I wouldn't repurchase because I doubt I'll ever need to!

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graceholliwell on 12/13/2010 6:53:00 PM more reviews by graceholliwell

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I find it difficult to review this product for a couple of reasons. Firstly, I couldn't choose between 'yes' and 'no' for repurchasing this product. One the one hand, I WOULD repurchase for the darker, almost mushroom coloured right-hand shadow. I really like it, it's easy to work with, doesn't get messy and is a perfect shadow to line the crease of the eyelid with. On the other side, I WOULDN'T repurchase this because it's very expensive for what it actually is. I'm sure I could find decent drug store alternatives that do pretty much the same thing.

Most people say that the main flaw of this product is the fallout from the whitish-cream left hand shadow. What's really important is to make sure you use a specific eye primer (Urban Decay Primer Potion is fairly inexpensive and does the job - I personally use NARS' own Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base primer) and if you do that, you really shouldn't get any fallout at all from this product.

For me, the main flaw of Bellissima is that the lighter shadow is deceptive in the pan; it looks creamy and almost golden, but it actually looks a bit too white on the eyelid I think. I wanted a more golden colour to go with the brown, but sadly it's just a little too white and I'm not a huge fan of the colour. However, the brown colour is spot on and a fantastic shadow.

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bebemonte on 11/16/2010 6:17:00 PM more reviews by bebemonte

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Olive   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I LOVE the cool brown part of this duo and HATE the glittery sheer light part. Wound up repressing the darker color into my MAC palette and threw the lite one in the trash where it belongs...

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guitarrasara on 11/1/2010 10:02:00 PM more reviews by guitarrasara

Age: 25-29   Skin: Other   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

I was sooo disappointed with this duo! The left (cream color) side has a chalky, matte base with golden micro glitter in it. The right (grayish taupe color) side is matte. Neither side has good color payoff. The texture of these shadows is unacceptable for the price. The color payoff is bad, and the cream color has glitter fallout all day long (even with a good base). I will be returning this duo ASAP and would not recommend it to anyone for any reason. There are simply better products out there! I am so sad because I thought this would be a staple product for me, but it is definitely NOT!

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*TOP REVIEWER* AngelOnFire on 6/4/2010 7:09:00 AM more reviews by AngelOnFire

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I got this pretty much on a whim without seeing it in person first. NARS describes Bellissima as 'shimmering beige & gray brown'. In my opinion, the left side is more of a cream with VERY finely milled golden glitter (kind of like the one in NARS Sin or Angelika blush), whilst they got the right side spot on.


I can see that Bellissima is one of those duos that really splits people's opinion in two, mainly because of the texture and the finish. The texture isn't as soft as most NARS eye shadow duos, which means it you need more swipes to build it up, yet are less prone to overdoing it. I personally like that, I have my clumsy days and it is then that I love products that are pretty mistake-proof. My opinion on eye shadows is this: you can always build colour up, but toning it down if you have too much of it is ALWAYS a pain in the neck.


Another complaint I've seen is regarding the glitter and the fallout it causes. There's a simple way to avoid that. Take some loose powder (baby powder or translucent is best) and apply a thick layer of it by tapping it on with your fingers onto the area where you usually experience fallout. Then, apply your eye shadow. The powder 'catches' the fallout, preventing from clinging to your skin. Once you're done, swipe the powder away with a brush and voila, no fallout / shimmer / glitter under your eyes. Give it a try and see if that works for you.


I love to wear the cream shade on my eyelid. I tap it on with a brush so that the specks of glitter don't fly around too much. The cool, grey-brown goes into the crease, and I finish this off with a subtle highlighter on my brow bone. The effect is quite stunning and natural. It's a very office-appropriate look that is subtle yet elegant. Just a note: I'm very fair skinned, and the effect might be very different on people with other skin tones.


Overall, this is a nice duo to have, yet not completely neccessary. I love the light, cream coloured side, yet I find that the darker isn't unique enough to warrant a repurchase. I don't know, I still might change my mind on this one, though.

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*TOP REVIEWER* chiggy5 on 5/21/2010 6:42:00 PM more reviews by chiggy5

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy   Eyes: Brown    

I did not give this a good rating really duo to 1) the cool brown shade seems chalky and 2) the cream side has way too much glitter. The end result is that I would not repurchase.

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*TOP REVIEWER* jessmarie09 on 4/20/2010 10:38:00 PM more reviews by jessmarie09

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I returned to Nars.com. It is very crappy. Please do not waste your money. Horrible color payoff, lots of fall out and very difficult to blend. I love NARS blushes and Laguna bronzer, however this eyeshadow was a total disappointment. When people say that Nars eyeshadows are hit or miss..they are not joking. When they miss, they miss big. This eyeshadow is a loser. However, if you don't believe me, I highly suggest that you go to a counter to try it on your lids (not fingers!). Hope this review was helpful.

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inthiscity on 12/2/2009 8:10:00 PM more reviews by inthiscity

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Not a fan. The light side was too glittery and the "dark" side barely showed up. I tried layering both colors to see if that would help but they just became chalky.

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romanoti on 11/10/2009 10:11:00 AM more reviews by romanoti

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

i read the reviews here and this product seems to be hit or miss for people. I wanted to buy charade as it looked on the site and because the reviews were decent for it... but i wound up picking up this instead because it was simple looking. Usually i bypass simple but this is understated gorgeous. love it. wore the brownish color all over in an almond shape with a swipe of mac shale in the crease and then the lighter color in the corner and under the brow... it makes me looks sophisticated and strangely cat like. love it...

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*TOP REVIEWER* ahhhttack on 11/6/2009 3:11:00 PM more reviews by ahhhttack

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

This duo is so fabulous! The best neutral duo NARS makes I think, so simply gorgeous and easy to apply. The left side is a shimmer-filled light beige that immediately brightens up your eyes. The right side is a light brown taupe (kind of like a lighter NARS Bali) that has a satin finish, and it actually is filled with a slight red shimmer (as you can see from the pic I added). The shimmer really isn't noticeable once you apply it, it just keeps the brown from being a flat matte. The two shades are pigmented without being too strong and apply like butter. They work wonders together, and though this might not be the most visually exciting duo it is definitely a necessity. Perfect for work or for a neutral eye to pair with a bright lip. I would most definitely buy again!

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jenjentizzle on 9/30/2009 10:48:00 PM more reviews by jenjentizzle

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

Don't buy this duo. It's not worth the high price tag. The darker side is super chalky and the lighter side is okay. They are both really dry in texture and don't blend well. Just stick with NARS blushes. Those never disappoint. I haven't tried too many of their other duos but this one is probably the worst one they've got.

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*TOP REVIEWER* sarahfeeni on 5/15/2009 2:06:00 AM more reviews by sarahfeeni

Age: 25-29   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

The brown side of this did not show up on me at all and the texture was very dry. The lighter side was nice, had shimmer and was really pretty but I have enough highlighting powders, multiples etc... I love NARS but this is the worst of their shadows I have ever tried.

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gortney on 2/15/2009 8:58:00 PM more reviews by gortney

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

This was the first duo I have bought at the NARS counter. The makeup artist didn't want to try it on me, but it was the only one I was comfortable with. When she tried it on, she was really surprised (and so was I) at how subtle and sexy it was. It's my favorite color and I wear it almost every day.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Milena on 2/4/2009 6:53:00 PM more reviews by Milena

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Tan   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Bellissima is a lovely, very basic eyeshadow duo that would look good on almost anyone. One side is a shimmery cream and the other is a matte grey-brown. I love to use the cream shade as base color and the brown in the crease and then line my top lashline with black liner. The staying power is good over a primer like UDPP or TFSI. This is one of the better NARS duos out there (they are hit-or-miss imo), and while there's nothing really outstanding about it and it could be easily duped, it's a wonderful staple for everyday in my stash that I can come back to again and again.

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