Neat and New to Me
Unlike my Unsung Heroes series, which features permanent collection products I’ve known and loved a long time, the Neat and New to Me series showcases permanent collection products that slipped under my radar for a while, but then I discovered them! — and now I think they’re neat and new to me.
I’m not gonna say that NARS Albatross Highlighting Blush is the most exciting beauty bird to have ever soared above the oceans and the forests. I mean, it’s not a peacock or a toucan.
Quite frankly, that stark white scared the crap out of me for years. “Albatross is for the birds!” I used to think every time I saw it.
Buuut, not so much anymore. 🙂
I tried it again in one of those Sephora makeup classes not long ago (the one on highlighting and contouring) on the recommendation of one of the instructor artists.
I said that I wanted to try a highlighter other than the usual suspects (a BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector, Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick, Hourglass Ambient), and she suggested shimmery yellow gold Albatross.
I’ve been wearing it pretty consistently ever since.
Now, if you’re big into super glittery highlighters, you might want to keep flying, because yellowish golden Albatross doesn’t have giant flecks of glitter in it. It’s not one of those powder highlighters, but that’s one of the reasons I like it.
It’s just less muchness, if you know what I mean.
It is shiny, however — even more than the Hourglass Ambients — but it isn’t as shiny as the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfectors. The finish is right there in between, right there in the sweet spot. It catches more than enough light to be noticeable.
The emphasis is on yellow gold, by the way, as this has a surprisingly intense yellow undertone. You can’t really see it in the pan, but it’s there.
If your skin is warm toned like mine and plays well with yellowish golds, you might just love it, but if your skin tone is cooler than mine with more pink, you may feel that it clashes and looks kind of funky monkey.
You never know unless you try.
At $30 for a pan with a compact and a mirror, Albatross isn’t inexpensive (it’s $21 for the Pro Refill pictured at the top), but I think you get a lot of glow for the price since it’s heavily pigmented. I apply a small, controlled amount to my upper cheekbones and down the bridge of my nose with a tapered eye brush, then use a big fluffy powder brush to blend it in for that subtle highlight I like.
You can find Albatross soaring high above the permanent collection now at NARS boutiques, stores and online.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
I wore Albatross regularly until Tribulation came out. But I prefer Albatross for winter because *snow fairy status* 🙂
Hi Alison,
It’s such a great color. Have you tried layering it underneath a matte blush? That’s one of my favorite ways to wear it.
Hard to see it in your picture but surprised that it is so yellow in the swatch. I prefer golden highlights on my complexion. This might just work out on me . I’m thinking about making up a large customized Nars platte soon. I going to get mostly blushes and a highlighter would be a perfect add.
Nars Gold Member is one of my favorite highligters! And I own many, lol
Hi Denise,
Same thing happened to me! I was really surprised how golden it was on skin. I hope this works out for you. I’m all for you doing a NARS custom palette, by the way. What colors are you considering? If you need any help with recommendations let me know.
Thanks Karen I appreciate your advice! I really want a good blush palette for travel so I’ll probably get some of the ones I own and love like Orgasm, Mata Hari , Desire and Taj Mahal . Albatross sounds like it could be a good fit too!
I just filled out a smaller NARS blush palette. (I’ll have a post up on it soon) and have some of your faves in there. 🙂 I keep Albatross in my bigger palette because for some weird reason I just wanted blushes and no highlighters… So odd, I know! Anyway, the blush shades are…
Mata Hari
Sin (looks great with berry lipsticks)
Taj Majal
Dolce Vita
Desire
Deep Throat
Amour (a great everyday matte, goes with lots of reds and warm peach lip colors)
Luster
Gaiety
Oh wow I love your picks! Looking forward to the post so I can steal a few ideas. I always wanted Sin and Dolce Vita. Thanks so much for the suggestions Karen!
The only NARS product I have ever tried was Orgasm and I really liked the sheen. That one looks like it works in the same direction. I need to swatch it next time I am at a counter.
NARS is really great when it comes to how they handle shimmer!
First highlighter I’ve ever owned and still in rotation! And I am much darker than you. It’s gorgeous.
It’s such a great highlighter! What blushes do you like to wear it with?
Lately I’ve been wearing it with Sleek Makeup Pink Peony and Nars Albatross.
Sounds like a pretty combo! I tend to wear it with peachy blushes but I’ll try pink soon. Have a nice day!
That looks so pretty. Do you think it would work with my complexion?
It’s *very* yellow so you might want to swatch it first.
You look a lot like me from your tiny photo, and it’s not good for me 🙁 I love the texture but it’s just too yellow for my slightly pink skintone.
Thank you! I was afraid it’s going to be too yellow!
I love Albatross – I think it was probably the first highlighter I ever used. Congratulations on discovering it! It’s an oldie but a goodie.
Hi Jill,
Thank you! I’m really into it at the moment. What shades do you like to wear it with? Lately I’ve been layering it underneath MAC Gingerly Blush. It’s my fave combo!
Just going to say E.L.F. Gotta Glow is an exact dupe, if you’re wanting Albatross, but can’t swing it. I broke albatross, and when I did a side by side with gotta glow, everything was the same. Formula, lasting power….but not the price!
Hi Aprillia,
Awesome, thank you for the dupe rec! I remember doing a post ages ago on how the Elf bronzer/blush duo looks a lot like the NARS Orgasm/Laguna duo, so I can see how they’d also look to NARS Albatross to find inspiration.
I don’t see the yellow undertone to be honest. But if you say it’s there I’ll believe ya! Looks very luminous on you 🙂
It’s there. When you swatch it you’ll see. 🙂
My first ever highlighter!! Yay! We are the same skin tone and I love it with MAC gingerly (my second fav blush) and especially with my fav matte blush of all time NARS Gina.