E.L.F vs NARS: The Blush and Bronzer Duos

So most of you blog reading makeup addicts are aware of E.L.F, a makeup line found at Target locations and sold online. Their appeal is that most of their products are sold for $1, but since their humble beginnings, they have expanded their line to include "studio" style items, most of which are priced at $3.

Amazing deal, right? Well, sometimes. I have tried a large variety of their products with mixed results. Some of the products have been INCREDIBLE, while others were, well...$1 quality.

One of the most popular products in their studio line is their blush and bronzer duo. One look at this product, and it's obvious why it's so liked...

Hmm...look familiar?

The packaging of this $3 product and the colors are a clear imitation of the insanely popular NARS Orgasm/Laguna duo, which retails for $41.

Is this carbon copy an exact dupe? Or simply nothing but good looks?
Well it just so happens that I own them both...

E.L.F palette to the left, NARS palette to the right

First of all, I purchased the E.L.F palette myself, and the NARS one was a gift. These two look almost identical placed next to each other, and the pans in E.L.F palette are actually larger.

Here's a closer look at the two-

E.L.F

NARS

Twinsies, right?
Well...not quite.
Here's some swatches-

NARS palette at left, E.L.F palette at right

Applied to the skin, there are clear differences between the two. First of all, the shimmer. The NARS duo is much more luminous and shimmery. The E.L.F duo isn't matte, but it sure looks it in comparison.

Also, the Orgasm in the NARS duo is slightly peachier that the blush color in the E.L.F duo. And the bronzer? Completely different. NARS Laguna has strong gold tones, while the bronzer in the E.L.F duo is much muddier.

My consensus? While I don't think that you should buy the E.L.F duo expecting an exact dupe of the NARS duo, it's still damn close. The pigmentation is slightly stronger in the NARS duo, as is the shimmer, but both have similar staying power. The NARS duo is truthfully more vibrant, but the E.L.F duo isn't a bad deal by any means. I'd say consider the E.L.F duo, but don't expect the two to be identical. Also, it's hard to be mad a a $3 price tag.

-Grace