NARS • Thunderball single • Eye Shadow

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sarahfeeni on 5/11/2013 11:36:00 AM more reviews by sarahfeeni

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I was lucky enough to get this shadow in a LE palette from NARS a few years ago. Its such an incredible shade of smokey grey/blue that brings out my grey eyes amazingly well. I use it wet as a liner though have done a full-blown smokey eye with it a couple of times and WOW.

It is extremely pigmented and, like other reviewers have said, the color in the pan is truly what you see on your eye. a rare thing indeed. I have had this tiny shadow for 3 years and I still haven't hit pan. (I of course haven't used this daily for 3 whole years but I have used it A LOT.).

Oh, I almost forgot! I wore this for my wedding as my eye liner and did a light wash on the lid for shadow. I wore it with Tom Ford lipstick in pure pink, a touch a NARS desire blush and natural looking false eye-lashes. also a tiny amount of copacabana for high-lighting and a touch of bronzer for sculpting. (I had my foundation airbrushed that day) I have to say that I looked really good and was really happy with it!!

I definitely need to get this shadow in the small, single size so I don't have to bring my whole LE palette with me every time I travel!

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4patti on 1/26/2013 4:24:00 PM more reviews by 4patti

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Dry, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

Thunderball is a new to me shadow that I recently received in swap. Not having purchased it or seen it in a shop, I decided to take a gamble going by online pictures only. Let me just say that stepping out on a limb pays off! I already adore this shadow in the short span since I have owned it (1 week) and am very pleased. its pigmentation is quite saturated, so it doesn't take many swipes with my bush to pick up enough color and create either a smoky liner or deepened outer "v" effect. I have been using it dry with either MAC's 219 pencil or 262 angled brush, depending on what I am going for atm. Thunderball seems to be one of those shadows that really brings the drama- you are going to see it for sure! That said, it is such an original and beautiful shade. The color you see in the pan is truly what shows up in your eye look, which as we all know is not always the case (with any makeup brand). The color in my opinion is a spruce/charcoal gray, reminiscent of perhaps Clinique's "Egyptian". Green notes are definitely apparent and could no doubt be pulled with a green liner base; ditto for its charcoal leanings.Also an undercurrent of blue (from its spruce) is there and for a smoky blue look it would blend in like a dream. So far I have paired it with beige/light brown neutral lid shades, not bringing it too far into my crease. I was looking for an alternative to everyday (for me anyway) black that was still rich and luxurious appearing. Thunderball has been a wonderful surprise and promises to be in my most-used's from now on.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* mwebba1 on 9/8/2012 11:36:00 AM more reviews by mwebba1

Age: 25-29   Skin: Very Oily, Dark, Warm   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Another very pigmented NARS shadow. He really does well with deep colors, I'm finding. This is a color that is pretty strange to describe. Has a bit of blue, dark green and it completely wearable. This is a crease or lid color for me. I like it because it is so smooth and blendable on the lid/crease and it is such a different color. I doubt I'd need to but if push cam to shove I would buy this again.

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

nicojones on 9/10/2011 3:42:00 PM more reviews by nicojones

Age: 36-43   Skin: Dry   Hair: Other   Eyes: Hazel    

This is such a gorgeous color! Due to the positive feedbacks here I ordered this one online. It´s a dark grayish teal or teal-gray. And it´s perfect for lining and a perfect smokey eye. The texture is smooth, matte and heavily pigmented. If you have the chance to try this one, do it, you won´t be disappointed,

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KDBG on 4/11/2011 3:09:00 AM more reviews by KDBG

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

A dark dark navy with depth. I use it to tightline - pushing it up into the bottom of my upper eyelid eyelashes and there is absolutely nothing better for dark brown eyes. Theres relatively little "fallout" and as an added bonus - it boosts the volume of eyelashes when you apply mascara.

Extremely pigmented - extremely. I haven't used it as an eyeshadow but imagine you'd only need the tiniest amount for a gigantic payoff. You can also use this wet.

I would buy this again but I've been using this one for years and have reached pan only in a small spot in the middle. I have dropped it and the packaging broke but the shadow didn't.

One of the best products I own.

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moonbeam62 on 2/3/2011 11:48:00 AM more reviews by moonbeam62

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This eyeshadow should be on everyone's must have list for smokey eyes! Its a beautiful blackish teal color that looks flattering & different on everyone, especially dark eyes. I think they have a sparkly less pigmented version of this in UD naked palette. This one is matte and wonderful. I don't believe it is available through Sephora? I bought mine directly through Nars which has three times the lovely colors as Sephora carries online or in their store. Check them out!

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

Polpette on 11/8/2010 2:35:00 PM more reviews by Polpette

Age: 44-55   Skin: Very Oily, Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I've been eyeing this for a while but have been a little hesitant to purchase this at full size. I was thrilled to see it included in the NARS Junkie box this holiday at Sephora. This eyeshadow is fantastic. Grey/black/blue/teal all at the same time. If you are having a hard time getting a smokey eye just right, then this is the shadow you should buy. It's very easy to work with and adds beautiful smoke to the outer corners and under the eye. It's also gorgeous as a liner. I'm sorry I waited so long to get it.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

smake on 1/7/2010 4:45:00 PM more reviews by smake

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Blue    

My HG dark shadow, moody and high impact. Can be used with a wet brush to line the eye. Packaging is rugged feeling, and minimal looking. Brilliant.

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marzstar on 12/15/2009 11:08:00 PM more reviews by marzstar

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination   Hair: Black   Eyes: Black    

this is another all time favorite. yes it is blue-ish/teal-ish BUT i think this is actually blacker than black. it is densely pigmented and the product lasts so long, both in its package and on your face.
MAC cosmetics, i'd bet, are a #1 seller these days, and like most of you i used to use carbon as my matte black but now i use NARS thunderball. compared to carbon, thunderball is much more pigmented and the texture is better too. it blends, it layers, it can be used with a dampened brush to use as a liner, and doesn't get a weird crusty unusable film ontop in time when you do, like mac shadows do.
also, i've been dying my hair blueblack for years and therefore i use this as my eyebrow color. and i pluck the fvck out of my brows, have for years, and get compliments on them all the time.

summary: to me thunderball is blacker than black and perfect for brows and perfect for black shaded eyes. black shadows fade to grey but due to the added color of this product, wears thicker and lassts longer than any black i've tried. and that's a lot!

the more NARS products i try, the more i fall in love.

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*TOP REVIEWER* coquette89 on 11/25/2009 5:53:00 PM more reviews by coquette89

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brown, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Gorgeous deep matte navy/teal color. One of the most pigmented eyeshadows I own. Sometimes matte colors can be a pain to blend but this one blends effortlessly. Highly recommend this.

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*TOP REVIEWER* niclyf on 4/9/2009 11:15:00 PM more reviews by niclyf

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Would I buy it again .. ABSOLUTELY! If I could E-V-E-R finish it! NARS singles are steep ..but you'll probably never manage to actually finish one because they're huge! Now .. onto the color .. thunderball rocks my world! It's a deep sooty matte blue/green that just makes my eyes dazzle!! The color combinations are endless with this shadow .. pair it w/ gold, silver, light lavendar .. the list could go on and on. This shadow goes on intense, but blends surprisingly easy. You really only need a light touch of this shade to deliver up the ultimate sexy smokey eyes. NARS shadows are very hit or miss for me .. but Thunderball .. HUGE hit!! Well done NARS!!

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

*TOP REVIEWER* FoXyKiTten01 on 2/2/2009 7:54:00 PM more reviews by FoXyKiTten01

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I *HAD* to get this after I saw it used in a FOTD on the boards. For reference, I am a MAC NC30-35. I am so glad I did. This e/s is definately worth every penny! It is super pigmented and smooth making it easy to apply as a liner. It also makes for a great smokey eye as well. It is a dark slate blue that looks like it could be black. I like to use it as a liner as its not quite harsh as black. I will definately be re-purchasing this if I ever run out!

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*TOP REVIEWER* izzybella on 12/12/2008 9:40:00 PM more reviews by izzybella

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Holy pigmentedness! I knew Thunderball was pigmented from the reviews, but wow - you have to try it to believe it! Some of NARS e/s I've tried are very sheer and ethereal, but Thunderball is not. I love a dark smokey eye so I picked Thunderball to add a little variety to my default smokey eye combo (Stila Wheat as a base, Scott Barnes Urban Legend on the lid, Stila Ebony to smoke it out).


I was a bit disappointed when I first put this on because I was hoping it would show up as a navy-gray rather than a gray-black. Sometimes it shows up as a charcoal black on me despite looking blueish in the pan. I've found this to be true of many of Nars e/s - they look colored in the pan but on the lids they have a grey undertone. However, layered over certain e/s it develops a steel-grey blue tone. For this effect I use Scott Barnes Lily, NARS Albatross or Stila Wheat and it brings out the bluetones. Thunderball is super pigmented and silky smooth to apply and is described on the NARS and Sephora website as "midnight grey".


Click "continued" for pictures:

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*TOP REVIEWER* illuminate1 on 9/23/2008 10:33:00 AM more reviews by illuminate1

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

This is a highly pigmented gorgeous grey-blue color. Like the previous reviewer, I am wearing as liner today with my NARS best of Nordstrom palette and it makes a great statement with neutrals. I have also worn as a crease color and just a dab will do ya! Its so so very pigmented and vibrant, soft and luxurious. This will last forever because its so finely milled and strong but if I ever ran out I would get again. I wasn't initially impressed with it in the pan (it bored me) but once I used it I understood the reason its so highly rated. Highly recommend!

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HeatherA on 9/21/2008 5:17:00 PM more reviews by HeatherA

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

Gorgeous deep dark teal. I use this as liner and it is very subtle, but makes my hazel eyes look oh-so-much brighter and greener. I've owned it for a while now, but my love for this was rekindled when the MA used it on me when I purchased the Best of Nars palette. It's just that perfect little pop of something to add a little spark of color to a polished neutral look.

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fayedunaway on 9/11/2008 10:18:00 AM more reviews by fayedunaway

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

IMO, Thunderball is one the most flattering eyeshadows for brown eyes. This is an elegant and quite dark greyish blue. I find that NARS eyeshadows are way better than MAC and Dior ones in terms of pigmentation.

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

*TOP REVIEWER* jiney17 on 9/8/2007 8:42:00 PM more reviews by jiney17

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This isn't quite like MAC's Plumage. Plumage is a very dark blue with a grey undertone that shows up slightly greenish on me (I have light, yellow-toned skin). Thunderball is a super-dark, true cobalt gray with no green in it. It makes a great liner, dark enough to look good on me but the touch of blue-grey warms up my dark eyes and is a bit softer than pure black. I used this with a touch of saline solution the other day and it did smear onto my bottom lid slightly and fade a bit, but I'm thinking it'll be less of a problem if I use Visine (I ran out recently). Very pigmented, but also silky-smooth and easy to blend and smoke out. I really like this color--you would think it'd be easy to dupe, but I haven't come across anything quite like it yet.

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

obsessed098 on 1/27/2007 11:20:00 PM more reviews by obsessed098

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Whoa! I didn't think shadow could be this pigmented. The color shows up on me as a dark teal green (almost black) that goes nicely with my dark brown eyes. I love how I don't wear black eyeshadow anymore. The texture is super smooth, and I love the packaging, as usual with NARS. The lasting power is decent without any primer, but I always use UDPP, so that's moot.

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Tina3000 on 8/26/2006 8:25:00 PM more reviews by Tina3000

Age: 25-29   Skin: Normal   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

I was really disappointed with Thunderball. I love love love using blue/teal shadows as liners when wet. But this one just didn't flatter. Night Porter really makes my eyes pop, as does China Blue. I wanted to love Thunderball but ended up taking it back to Nordie's.

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stars_a_fire on 8/15/2006 9:02:00 PM more reviews by stars_a_fire

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This eyeshadow is sooo pigmented so it's great if you want to use this as a liner. The colour is very cool, sort of like MAC plumage with a very deeper velvety sort of blue. The Makeup Artist who did my eyes put this all under my lower lashes and then cleaned it up with a q-tip dipped in make up remover so it was a very solid lower line. Really dramatic! I like the NARS package, the rubberized outside makes me feel like I'll never drop it!

I wouldn't buy this again because of the price, but if you want to get it and want a pigmented colour, it's great!

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