NARS • Ashes to Ashes • Eye Shadow

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*TOP REVIEWER* violetmist on 4/16/2013 11:16:00 AM more reviews by violetmist

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Blue    

I used this years ago and I'm so glad I bought it again. The colour is very well crafted greyish taupe with purple undertones. None of those colours lead as they are mixed so beautifully. The sheen keeps it from being too flat and heavy but it is not in anyway glittery. When I wear this my blue eyes are the focus not the shadow. Looks best with a cool brown liner or black.

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Suzanne941 on 1/24/2013 12:07:00 PM more reviews by Suzanne941

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Red, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Goes on sheer on me and maybe I'm just cheap but it bothers me they don't throw in an applicator like Chanel or Dior. On me, the kicker is it's an exact dupe of Wet 'n Wild's Color Icon in Nutty! got that in Walgreen's for 99 cents and cannot tell the difference between it and the Nars. I actually think the WnW wears slightly better, even over primer

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pinkdot121424 on 9/29/2012 3:40:00 PM more reviews by pinkdot121424

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

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this product! The color is so beautiful and it has great pigmentation. My brush picks up the product easily and it spreads great across my lid. NARS always has amazing packaging so props to that. I recommend all of NARS eyeshadows :D

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candace4125 on 9/27/2012 2:22:00 PM more reviews by candace4125

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Tan   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This eyeshadow is great! It is finely milled with no fallout which makes it feel silky smooth. The color is a mix between grey, brown and purple. Very nice quality!

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

untakenname1000 on 9/4/2012 10:25:00 PM more reviews by untakenname1000

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Amazing color! I wear this in the crease with MAC shroom on the lid, simple fast and amazing. I bought this as a replacement for MAC le Botanical es and I think I like ashes to ashes better! Blends effortlessly, love the packaging! I will def repurchase. Bravo NARS!

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

*TOP REVIEWER* cgw1 on 1/22/2012 6:12:00 PM more reviews by cgw1

Age: 19-24   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

This and UD heist are my go-to shadows. I LOVE this color it is a beautiful taupe-greyish purple color as others have mentioned. It makes my brown eyes pop. Have gotten many compliments on this eye shadow. I used to wear it over NARS corfu cream shadow with smudged black eyeliner. This really brought out my eye color, but unfortunately corfu creases like crazy. I've switched to wearing Benefit Birthday Suit cream shadow with Ashes to Ashes on top and smudged black eyeliner. This doesn't crease and is very pretty. I think wearing a cream shadow underneath really brings out the true color of ashes to ashes rather than just wearing it alone. When I'm short on time, I reach for ashes to ashes and my eyes stand out.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

quidproquo on 12/17/2011 10:26:00 AM more reviews by quidproquo

Age: 30-35   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Grey    

Amazing colour: sort of a greyish pink/purple taupe. Can be used as either a crease shade or an all-over wash during the day or night (may be too smokey for casual jean days).

Application was great: no fallout and it was smooth to apply. I wore it as an all-over wash to work one day, and a few people told me that my eye makeup looked amazing (one was from an older man lol). "Ashes to Ashes" is a very versatile shadow, and I love it.

One lippie off for the price; I know it's Nars, but I feel the quality isn't that more superior than say, Mac.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

crees on 11/24/2011 9:48:00 PM more reviews by crees

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

Perfect, buildable, subtle but beautiful color (and foolproof) for everyday eye look. I can use it alone and feel done. I like that it's not crazy pigmented--sometimes I like to control how much I build it up or how sheer I wear it. It shows up well on my pale yellowish lids. Somewhat of an HG for me.

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*TOP REVIEWER* tiddleywinks on 10/7/2011 2:53:00 PM more reviews by tiddleywinks

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

As a dyed-in-the-wool taupe aficianado and proud owner of 14 taupes, each with a lively little personality of its own, I knew in my practical, logical brain that I did not need another. But alas, my feeble, sensitive and weak will took over after the boards seductively sang the siren song of yet another gorgeous taupe. With an angel on one shoulder and a temptress on the other, I ran to Sephora to take a look. Truth be told, I looked at both the NARS and Stila Diamond Lil and was forced to buy both. Ashes to Ashes is a little slice of heaven, the perfect cool-to-neutral taupe for my fair coloring. I LOVE it! It's a perfect foil for accompanying a variety of colors, perfect for a crease color with different accents. I actually love it almost as much as MAC Coco. It's in the same family, just a teensy bit darker and a little bit less shimmery. I would absolutely purchase again and may have to go and buy a backup. Dear, dear. To think that before MUA, I did not own a single taupe. I'm incorrigible.

17 out of 19 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* liz91 on 5/26/2011 10:19:00 PM more reviews by liz91

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

This is my first ever NARS eye shadow. I am impressed. It has great pigmentation and goes on so smoothly. It is darker than Style Snob by MAC and lighter than Satin Taupe, but in that same color family. It is really beautiful, a plummy brown color. You can wear it alone, on the lid with a darker color in the crease, or in the crease with a lighter color on the lid. I have hazel eyes, and it really makes them stand out. I have debated buying this ever since lollipop26 on youtube recommended it. I shouldn't have waited so long! There are .07 oz of product in this shadow compared with a MAC shadow (MAC has .05 oz). Although this is expensive ($23), I think it's worth it. And the smooth rubbery packaging is my favorite out of any brand.

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

busyatdizzy on 4/19/2011 10:39:00 PM more reviews by busyatdizzy

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

My oldest daughter was actually wearing this one day. It looked beautiful of her green eyes and since mine are the same color, I decided to give it a try. I love the color because it's a brownish and subtle violet color that you just can't find anywhere. I have sensitive skin and have problems with most eye shadows that aren't Clinique, and this doesn't bother me at all.

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

ChristiAnne1974 on 12/8/2010 12:38:00 AM more reviews by ChristiAnne1974

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Tan, Cool   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Ashes to Ashes is exactly what I'd hoped MAC's Satin Taupe would be, although it is a bit lighter. I seem to be in the minority, but I could not get Satin Taupe to work for me. It was so incredibly hard to blend that I gave up after several tries. Not Ashes to Ashes.
It's a little sheer like previous reviewers mention, but it is buildable. It's a beautiful taupey brown with hints of plum and shimmer, but not over the top in the slightest. I wear this often at work (I'm a flight attendant) and have no issues with it looking to bold for daytime wear. I pair this with NARS Abyssinia for an easy neutral eye that looks polished and classy but sexy at the same time.
Staying power is fabulous, but I always use a primer underneath (UDPP) so I honestly cannot say if it is because of the primer or not.
And I love the sleek rubber package! I travel alot (obviously!) and hate it when I open my train case and find cracked plastic and eyeshadow dust everywhere. Not with NARS.
For reference I'm NC37.

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

aibreanx on 10/19/2010 2:10:00 PM more reviews by aibreanx

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

Returned this. It's VERY similar to Satin Taupe. Swatched side by side there's only a slight difference. It didn't apply as smooth as satin taupe and blended into a splotchy mess. I was so excited about this but I'm very disappointed :(

3 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* DrMAC on 10/8/2010 9:30:00 PM more reviews by DrMAC

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Black    

This NARS shadow is absolutely fantastic. I don't think the other NARS e/s are worth the price, but this one does. It is a less shimmery version of satin taupe by mac, but yet it is slightly shimmery with a lighter brownish taupey purple. I love it. It is a great daytime color, and paired with darker e/s I bet it would look lovely at night. I will repurchase if I ever get through the cute pan!

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

ToriDee888 on 7/1/2010 1:25:00 PM more reviews by ToriDee888

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

This is my newest favorite eye shadow! My everyday shadow beofore was the NARS duo in Earth Angel and nice taupe-gold color. This is perfect. It is a violet brown and can go on light but can be built for a subtle smoke of color across the lids. I love the packaging and the mirror inside is great as well. I love the NARS brand and will def repurchase this again as well!

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

LeslieMUA on 6/3/2010 1:14:00 PM more reviews by LeslieMUA

Age: 30-35   Skin: Dry, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Hazel    

Ashes to Ashes has become my HG daytime (and sometimes nighttime) eyeshadow. It's a gorgeous, cool taupe with slight plum undertones. Like many reviewers have stated, this shadow is a bit sheer. I have found, however, that it is very buildable. In my opinion, the sheerness is not a problem. I use one to two light layers as a soft, smoky wash, but then for a nighttime look, I'll apply a few more layers. I have paired this shadow with NARS Ondine, MAC Mothbrown, and Shu ME 850 with beautiful results. For reference, I am NW20.

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

*TOP REVIEWER* tijanarm on 2/26/2010 1:54:00 PM more reviews by tijanarm

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

This is my HG eyeshadow, especially for the daytime smokey eye look. I originally saw it features on Sephora's web site (as someone already mentioned below) as the shadow used for the NARS signature smokey eye look, but it was along with the creamy e/s Corfu and a bunch of other e/s. Well, since that's just way too much e/s product for my taste and budget (give me primer, 1 e/s, liner and mascara - max), I decided to explore them individually and see wheich one I liked best. I skipped Corfu as it is creamy and creamy usually equals creasiness (as confirmed by reviews on MUA), and the other e/s used were just base e/s, so too light. When I tested Ashes to Ashes, I thought it looked nice, but I had absolutely no idea how gorgeous it will look on my eyes. Well, all I can say - 5 lippies.
Yes, it is not as pigmented as some other Nars e/s are, but I actually prefer that as this is the perfect daytime e/s. I think actually the intensity of the pigmentation is very good, but the colour is a more subtle one, which, IMHO is what is throwing people off. Anyhow, I was able to create a beautiful daytime smokey eye look with this just over my Too Faced Eyeshadow Insurance, black liner on waterline and mascara.
I think this is a colour definitely worth having in your collection as it is very versatile and can be built up or worn very sheer. Definitely recommended!

4 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

puppyluv2620 on 2/18/2010 8:48:00 PM more reviews by puppyluv2620

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

this is probably my favorite e/s by NARS. it is very very similar to satin taupe from MAC however the NARS one is lighter. it can be sheer and i can understand why some people have problems with this color becuase i really dont think this color is one that would work for everyone. on me it shows up just a great taupe color. i dont have to work too hard to get it to show up (MAC NW20-25 for reference). i've used all kinds of bases with this and i havent really found one that works any better than another. however depending on what color you want to pull out in this e/s then that is the kind of base to go for (i.e. you want to pull out the greys use a darker or grey base) i've found my 213 brush really packs on this color well. overall i think its a great color, great pigmentation, great texture, probably not worth the 23 some odd dollars i spent on it but hey i'm ok with it since this is one of my fav go to everyday throw it on the lids and go colors. i would probably repurchase if i ever run out which i probably wont. NARS items i have found last forever so they are more of an investment to me lol

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

*TOP REVIEWER* carrasco on 2/1/2010 9:35:00 AM more reviews by carrasco

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This color reminds me alot of Satin Taupe, but this one is less pigmented and shimmery. This is taupe with purple and grey undertones and very little shimmer on the lid (actually almost none)I do have to build and build to get the color I want but I really love the outcome. This is one of those colors you can wear everyday all over the lid. I used mine with Magnetic fields in the crease and dazzlelight as a highlight. Sometimes I use only this and a highlight as far as shadow goes. Altho a bit on the pricey side for one single eyeshadow, I would re-purchase.
If you are looking for a dupe I found one, I've had it in my collection for years and use it all the time but never really thought about them being this much alike. It's a color called Minx by Mark. Minx is a tad more shimmery silver, but you get the same color on the lid.

Update: I am proud to say this is one of the very few eyeshadows I've ever hit pan on and had to repurchase. It's my go to color when I'm not sure what to wear.

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

*TOP REVIEWER* roselovesmakeup on 1/10/2010 12:41:00 AM more reviews by roselovesmakeup

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Olive   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

Ashes to Ashes is a very nice color to waer everyday.I pair it with browns and darker greys,I supoose if you are lighter you can wear it along side a medum tone color in the same family, but Im darker toned and I have to darken the crease a bit to have it show up, but thats ok,I love to play with makeup.

3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No