Photo Credit: www.beautysource.com
Winner of multiple beauty awards, NARS Orgasm blush is hailed as one of the best on the market. For those of you that either use the product or know friends who do, you will agree when I say girls everywhere gush about the gentle flush and natural glow brought on by Orgasm. At a recent wedding event for a friend I was not surprised to find that more than half the Desi females there have used or wish to try out this supposed wonder product, my mother included!
So is Orgasm blush really worth all the hype? Or, is it just another overrated product that continues to sell because of genius marketing?
Photo Credit: www.hqhair.com
The NARS Cosmetics website describes the color as “a peachy pink with gold shimmer.” It comes in both powder form as well as a “multi-purpose stick for eyes, cheeks, lips and body,” great for those who prefer creamier blushes. As you can see from the picture above, the color in the pan is not that impressive. However, don’t be fooled by the way it looks in its packaging – always remember that many blushes appear to be a lot lighter (or darker) than they are when actually applied on your face. You have to try them on to be sure of how they will look. One of my favorite blushes actually looks pale and translucent in the pan but gives me the most amazing rosy cheeks ever.
My fairer-skinned girlfriends have had amazing experiences with Orgasm blush. So much so, that every time I see them I contemplate re-buying the blush. On lighter skin tones it comes off as more coral than peach (i.e. slightly more pinky), and appears as a natural flush with a Gisele Bundchen-esque glow. Some find the shimmer overpowering so if you prefer matter formulations, I would stay away from Orgasm blush.
A quick rundown of my own experience: I am a medium-toned Desi, with yellow undertones. When my sister bought me the blush I excitedly put in on immediately and wore it every day for the next week. I really wanted to love it, but unfortunately, despite what they say, Orgasm blush doesn’t look good on everyone. It made me look washed out, whereas pinker blushes give me a healthier, rosier look. A lot of friends with the same skin tone as me, and those a little darker felt the same, or felt like it barely showed up at all.
At first I assumed I should just stay away from peachy tones. However, upon some research I found a very similar color made
Photo Credit: soloverly.blogspot.com
by MAC called Springsheen that many use as a replacement for Orgasm blush. The MAC color is not only a great dupe for the NARS but is also lower priced for those who are looking to save a few $$$ (7 dollars saved may not sound like a lot – but in this economy every penny counts!). The MAC version is also less chunky glittery and a little more consistent gold. It is slightly more pigmented than the NARS as well, which makes a great difference for those of us who aren’t so fair. I still find Springsheen somewhat light for my taste so I actually prefer to layer it over another blush, as I feel the color is slightly translucent and does better as a highlighter (same goes for Orgasm).
So, ladies, if you’re a fair-skinned Desi and like a lot of shimmer, go and check out the famed Orgasm blush. There is a newer version called Super Orgasm that is described as the same as the original, but with glitter instead of shimmer – sounds like it’s for the really brave, maybe I’ll use my mother as a guinea pig – she can never get enough shimmer/glitter!
For the rest of us medium to dark skin tones – I suggest we leave the Orgasm blush to the fair-skinned ladies and go for the Springsheen.
Photo Credit: www.mundorecetas.com
Springsheen (left) vs. Orgasm (top right)
If you’re darker-skinned and have had good results with Orgasm, let us know, we’d love to hear about your experience!
I really liked your blog which was suggested by a friend. However, could you write more for Arabic women? I am Jordanian and Our skin is quite different from the south asian skin. Hence, even a paragraph tailored to our needs would be much appreciated! l
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Hi,
I have another Lancome suggestion! I work as a beauty advisor/freelance makeup artist for Lancome so I compare alot of products to ours =) A good substitute for NARS Orgasm blush is Lancome’s Shimmer Mandarin Sky. The shimmer in the Lancome product is more subtle but you still get the peachy/pink glow. Works great on light to med skin. I also use it as a highlighter when I apply bronzer. Looks great on its own too!
P.S. This blog is a wonderful idea!! =)
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I have not tried orgasm blush but I will def check it out. Although, I am generally put off by the little sparkles. Great for weddings and nights out..not so great for a general flushed look without looking like a christmas decoration.
One of my favourite blushes for a healthy fresh glow on tanned skin is Peach Nuance by Estee Lauder. Again, not a brand girls traditionally tend to gravitate towards. However, it is definitely a lot lighter, sheer and still quite pigmented. The fact that its graded from Apricot to Deep Pink means you can use the lighter side to highlight and if you mix it get a beautiful peachy/pink colour. Lovely for spring.
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orgasm blush is smthg i wear every single day-even wore it to work- the super orgasm version is too glittery for daywear. i had read about it in allure magazine, which prompted me to buy it. i usually dont buy anything that allure suggests bec i feel it caters to the fair skinned maidens of the world. surprisingly, this worked on my skin tone (i’m fair but still have the desi olive undertone).
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I use Orgasm in the winter, when my skin is a few shades lighter. I am still looking for a nice summer blush–Springsheen here I come!
Also, I get so confused about where to apply blush ( cheek bone vs. apple of your cheek). What do you suggest?
Can’t wait for the bronzer post!
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I use a fluffy brush and apply at an angle along the cheek bone, I find that assists in creating a more natural looking glow. Sometimes I use Estee Lauder bronzer compact. I use the darker (very lightly) along the cheekbone and the lighter peachy color on the apple of my cheek.
great blog!
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Love your blog! Thanks for reviewing NARS Orgasm – I have been circling around it for months and I think I must just have to go out and finally buy it ! I also found your foundation blog really helpful and planning on trying out NARS foundation next – thanks! Also, a suggestion for future posts – I would love to know more about eyemakeup – product suggestions, reviews and application tips. I am addicted to MAC eyeshadows and would love your advice on must-have shades and other eye makeup products. Thanks!
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it totally depends on the shape of your face. i have always applied it in a slanted line, along my cheekbones but make-up artists say apply it on the apple of your cheeks. to each their own. i like that this blog doesnt have dogmas- we should all do / use what looks best on us. the last time i did what allure and harper’s recommended- i realised i had wasted $60 on an eyeshadow (eyeshadow of the year) meant for caucasian women. it was lilac! mac crystal/crystalline (?). doesnt show on our skintones.
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I would love to expand to include Arab Women, let me see what I can do
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Rupal, it’s great to have a makeup artist on board! Thank you for your comments, they are so helpful to both me and the readers. I have never tried Mandarin Sky, I’ll definitely go check it out this weekend.
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AF, as SOS pointed out, it really depends on the shape of your face. If you wish to create the illusion of cheekbones, apply the blush at a slant on the actual bone (higher side near your ears). If you want to look angled like Kate Moss, apply it under the bone of your cheeks, again at an angle. The apples of your cheeks are generally for those who have sharper bone structure and wish to soften their look. Hope that helps!
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Thanks for visiting!
If you’re planning on trying out Nars, just wanted to give you a heads up – there are two versions of their foundations. One is the oil-free which I use. It is a little hard to spread, so you have to work fast when applying, but don’t be disheartened, after a little while it almost melts into your skin. The other version is Balanced foundation (the non oil-free) of which I’m NOT a fan – the smell is a little overpowering!
I love eye makeup, too. When I have a little more time I’m planning on testing out some of the new eyeshadow colors for Spring, hopefully within the next few days
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I completely agree. Do what you think suits you best. At the end of the day, the most important thing is for you to be comfortable with how you look.
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Hiii! My cousin keeps linking me this site on Facebook because I’m a makeup fanatic too! I agree that “orgasm” isn’t the best choice for most desi skin tones..it does make us look washed out and doesn’t give us that glow it gives on lighter skinned girls. In the NARS range, I find “angelika” to work good on desi tones. It looks really pink and glittery in the case but when you put it on it’s so soft and glowing. I actually got it by mistake because I was looking at another color and picked up this one instead but thank God I did because it has been my staple blush ever since. Another NARS blush I like with more color/pigment and a bit more dramatic is “outlaw”. In regard to MAC i really like “peachtwist” and “gingerly”. I combine these two colors using peachtwist as the main blush and gingerly as a highlight and the effect is really pretty!
Look forward to reading some more input from you!
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hey great blog. its really refreshing to see you reply to everyone… and its so nice to see people swapping their tips. cant wait to hear more
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Hey after your post i went to the nars counter today in selfridges and picked up orgasm blush its a great success. The it looks really amazing with nice highlighters.
The superorgasm blush looked just too glittery.
Thanks so much for your help.
Cannot wait to see more posts like this ! It is so difficult to find products that suit asian girls there is such a huge gap in the market.
Id also just like to say its really brave of you and cool to put up your own pictures! you look great.
All the best
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Hi Nadia! It’s great to see you on here. I actually LOVE LOVE LOVE outlaw, in fact it’s my everyday go to blush. it’s a bit intimidating in the pan, but when used with the right blush, it gives off an amazing flushed look. You and I seem to have the same taste in makeup, can’t wait to hear some more of your tips!
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thank you so much, glad to have you here!
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Thank you! I am just like everyone else, I’ve learned by making my own major mistakes. So, I figured I might as well share those pictures, we’ve all been there and can benefit from each other
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Lipstick Masala Reply:
March 23rd, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Aleya, I actually do have some recommendations for you, I’m doing a post later this week on bobbi brown’s shimmer/highlighter. If it doesn’t answer your questions, I’ll gladly give you whatever other information you need!
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For the longest time, I’ve been a silent visitor to other makeup forums (makeupalley, temptalia, specktra, youtube- the gateway drug seriously) but I never really spoke up before, but I totally want to support a forum dedicated to the desi girl’s perspective. So thank you for creating this outlet! =)
With that said, personally, I love orgasm – understandably, bcz I’m relatively fair-skinned so it works well for me. I find NARS blushes in general to be very finely-milled, but the budget and color selection keeps me going back to MAC.
I actually have NARS outlaw written down to go check out – I’m really curious about it. In your opinion, do you believe it could work for more fair-skinned gals?
I’m looking forward to your future posts =)
~*~
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Tamkeen, I am SO happy you chose this site to comment on, and thank you for your support! If you have any thoughts on what you want to see on the site feel free to email me lipstickmasala@gmail.com
I completely agree with you on the quality of NARS blushes as well as the cost. However, I will say that my everyday NARS blush has lasted a lot longer than my MAC one did. I wish there were sale coupons for makeup!
Glad to have you here
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I was wondering if you could suggest an illuminating/highlighter product for cheeks, inner eye and for just under the brow… I have been looking but don’t know what I should get… I have a medium complexion and would prefer something that doesn’t have too much pigment – I just want the glow… I would also love to know tips on how to apply… I have tried the inner eye but somehow it always looks too obvious – so I don’t know if it’s the product, brush or technique…
Any help would be great – Thanks!
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ok..can i please say “I love you!”…so I have this special edition Estee Lauder Signature shimmer powder in both Gold Pearl (my fav) and Rose Pearl. It was one of those things that came out just once! I am almost getting done with both and I was starting to worry. But then I came across this blog and from the picture it looks like the blush by NARS is the color of the shimmer powder I have now. ( I have never even heard of this Orgasm Blush..where was I when it created such hype????).
Anyway…I will try both Mac and NARS…one of them will hopefully work!
Thank You!
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[...] covered for privacy, of course). She uses the Bronze Shimmer Brick on top of Orgasm blush (reviewed here). The results are phenomenal and look stunning in person, too. However, she has a very creamy [...]
Hi,
I’m a freelance makeup artist and love your blog. Since on the topic of blushes I recently discovered a cheek taint that all women should have. It’s a water proof liquid that comes two shades (pink and a red) called Posie Tint by Benefit. Best way to apply is after a moisturizer on the balls of the cheeks. Apply foundation over it. Its not shimmery but glows giving you natural blushing effect.
Don’t be fooled if it looks to light in the bottle, I’m pretty dark skinned and worked great for me.
Cheers
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Lipstick Masala Reply:
March 24th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
hahaha *hugs*
let us know what works out for you, we’d love to hear your opinion!
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Thanks so much for your comment, Kinza! I love liquid blush, I used to use one by origins but I lost mine and I keep forgetting to find another one. I haven’t tried the Posie tint yet. I want something a little pinkier than the Origins so I’ll definitely try out the Benefit one! Do you have any tips for getting the stain off your fingers after application?
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Thanks for the review- I’m a fair-skinned desi so I think I’m actually going to try this shade out!
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You’re most welcome! Let me know how it turns out for you
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So what I found was that Orgasm was still a little bit light for my skin. It looks fine and gives a nice glow for everyday but it’s not amazing or anything. I like the NARS blush formulation though so I think I’m going to try out a darker shade that shows up better for special occasions or nights out.
Any suggestions? I’m NC30ish in mac in the summer. Thanks 
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Hi Amrita
I completely agree, as you can tell from my post I wasn’t one of the lucky ones who found a Holy Grail in Orgasm. What kind of color are you going for? A peachy like orgasm but darker or any shade? If you like pinks, I love love love Outlaw by NARS. It looks scary in the pan but when used in small amounts, it is the perfect blushing pink.
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So I’m writing back, oh….FIVE months later. lol. This morning as I was getting ready for work I noticed orgasm sitting in my drawer and decided to put it on….it looks really good on my winter skin! I think because I’m a little paler in the winter.
But for the summer, I ended up using a Smashbox blush with Smashbox bronze lights over it. I don’t know if anyone else on this site likes Smashbox but I am in LOVE LOVE LOVE with that brand. It makes me feel natural and yet sophisticated, which is exactly what I wanted since I’m a 21 year old who still looks 14
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Lipstick Masala Reply:
April 20th, 2010 at 2:25 pm
Thanks so much for the tip Amrita! I’m actually in the market for a new blush and haven’t ventured to Smashbox yet. I will definitely check their blushes out! Do you know what shade you use?
I’ve been eying the bronze lights for a while, I think I might have to go ahead and splurge on it for the summer, it’s the perfect color for that natural sun-kissed look.
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