You probably know NARS for one shade: Orgasm. It's the blush that launched a thousand dupes. But here's what the scoring reveals — Orgasm is a Bright Spring 85%. Not a universal. If you're a Summer or Winter, it's working against your coloring. The good news: NARS makes 30 shades across blush, lipstick, and lip pencil that cover nearly every season. You just need to know which ones are yours.
We ran all 30 shades through TruHue's v3.12 scoring engine, which measures undertone, depth, chroma, and contrast against your season's ideal palette. A shade scores YAY (70%+) when it harmonizes with your coloring, OKAY (35-69%) when it's wearable but not ideal, and NAY (under 35%) when it clashes.
Blush ($38) — Full Scoring
The NARS Blush is the line that made NARS famous — buildable powder with sheer-to-full pigment, in shimmer and matte finishes. Nine shades scored, and they split across warm, cool, and neutral territory more cleanly than you'd expect.
| Shade | Top Seasons (YAY) | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Deep Throat Warm medium coral pearl | True Spring 100%, Bright Spring 94%, True Autumn 85% | 100% |
| Torrid Warm bronzy terracotta-peach shimmer | True Spring 100%, Bright Spring 94%, True Autumn 85% | 100% |
| Dolce Vita Dusty rose matte | True Autumn 100%, True Spring 87%, Soft Autumn 82% | 100% |
| Desire Bright cool fuchsia-pink matte | Bright Winter 100%, True Winter 79%, Deep Winter 77% | 100% |
| Sin Sheer berry gold shimmer | True Summer 98%, Deep Winter 83%, Soft Summer 79% | 98% |
| Goulue Warm medium rose shimmer | True Summer 98%, Soft Summer 85%, Light Summer 77% | 98% |
| Sex Appeal Soft peachy nude matte | Bright Spring 87%, True Autumn 82%, True Spring 81% | 87% |
| Orgasm Peachy pink gold shimmer | Bright Spring 85%, True Autumn 80%, True Spring 79% | 85% |
| Amour Bright bubblegum pink matte | Bright Winter 85% | 85% |
Audacious Lipstick ($34) — Full Scoring
The Audacious Lipstick is NARS's full-coverage, creamy formula — rich pigment in a single swipe. Nine shades scored here, and they spread across warm, cool, and neutral seasons so broadly that most people can find a match.
| Shade | Top Seasons (YAY) | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Brigitte Warm medium red-coral | True Autumn 100%, True Spring 85%, Bright Spring 70% | 100% |
| Jane Warm bright tomato red | True Spring 100%, Bright Spring 85%, True Autumn 85% | 100% |
| Barbara Cool berry-plum | True Summer 94%, Soft Summer 70%, Bright Winter 70% | 94% |
| Vera Deep cool plum-berry | True Summer 94%, Soft Summer 70%, Bright Winter 70% | 94% |
| Anna Neutral medium-dark pink | Light Summer 85%, True Summer 72%, Bright Winter 70% | 85% |
| Grace Cool-toned medium red | Bright Spring 85%, True Autumn 85%, Deep Autumn 79% | 85% |
| Charlotte Warm medium pink | Light Summer 85%, True Summer 72%, Bright Winter 70% | 85% |
| Audrey Medium bright pink-red | Bright Winter 85%, Light Summer 70% | 85% |
| Anita Neutral dusty rose | True Summer 84%, Soft Summer 82%, Soft Autumn 82% | 84% |
Anita is worth a closer look. At 82-84% across True Summer, Soft Summer, and Soft Autumn, it's one of the rare shades that bridges warm and cool muted seasons — a dusty rose that reads neutral enough to work on both sides.
Not sure of your season yet? Take the free color quiz — it takes about 2 minutes.
Velvet Matte Lip Pencil ($31) — Full Scoring
The Velvet Matte Lip Pencil is a crayon-format matte lip with precise application and long wear. Five shades scored, and each one has a clear season home.
| Shade | Top Seasons (YAY) | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Dolce Vita Dusty mauve-rose | True Autumn 100%, True Spring 87%, Soft Autumn 72% | 100% |
| Bahama Warm medium coral-pink | True Spring 100%, Bright Spring 85%, True Autumn 85% | 100% |
| Cruella Vivid true red | Bright Spring 87%, Bright Winter 85%, True Spring 75% | 87% |
| Dragon Girl Bright cool red | Bright Spring 87%, Bright Winter 85%, True Spring 75% | 87% |
| Do Me Baby Medium berry-pink | True Summer 94%, Soft Summer 70%, Bright Winter 70% | 94% |
Powermatte Lipstick ($34) — Full Scoring
The Powermatte Lipstick is NARS's lightweight matte with a soft-blur finish — full color without the dryness. Five shades scored, and they reach into the deeper, bolder end of the spectrum.
| Shade | Top Seasons (YAY) | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Get Up Stand Up Classic medium red | Bright Spring 100%, True Spring 85%, True Autumn 70% | 100% |
| Too Hot to Hold Cool deep crimson | True Winter 100%, Deep Winter 94% | 100% |
| Rock With You Deep plum-wine | True Autumn 100%, Deep Autumn 85% | 100% |
| Under My Thumb Warm medium pink-rose | Light Summer 85%, True Summer 72%, Bright Winter 70% | 85% |
| American Woman Deep burgundy-brick | Deep Winter 79%, True Winter 70% | 79% |
Too Hot to Hold is the shade that fills a gap most brands leave open. A 100% YAY for True Winter and 94% for Deep Winter — a cool deep crimson that actually scores as high for Winters as warm reds score for Springs. If you're a Winter who's been told "red lipstick looks great on you" but every red you try pulls too warm, this is the one to reach for.
Your Top NARS Pick by Season
Here's the cheat sheet. One top-scoring NARS product and shade for each of the 12 seasons:
| Your Season | Top Pick | Product | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bright Spring | Get Up Stand Up | Powermatte Lipstick ($34) | 100% |
| True Spring | Deep Throat | Blush ($38) | 100% |
| Light Spring | Sex Appeal | Blush ($38) | 87% |
| Bright Winter | Desire | Blush ($38) | 100% |
| True Winter | Too Hot to Hold | Powermatte Lipstick ($34) | 100% |
| Deep Winter | Too Hot to Hold | Powermatte Lipstick ($34) | 94% |
| Light Summer | Anna | Audacious Lipstick ($34) | 85% |
| True Summer | Sin | Blush ($38) | 98% |
| Soft Summer | Goulue | Blush ($38) | 85% |
| Soft Autumn | Dolce Vita | Blush ($38) | 82% |
| True Autumn | Dolce Vita | Blush ($38) | 100% |
| Deep Autumn | Rock With You | Powermatte Lipstick ($34) | 85% |
Every season scores between 82% and 100% in this table. NARS prices run higher than drugstore — $31 to $38 per shade — but the per-season accuracy is strong enough that you're unlikely to waste money if you pick the shade the engine recommends for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NARS Blush shade works for cool skin tones?
Is NARS Orgasm blush good for every season?
What is the best NARS lipstick for True Autumn?
Find Your Season
Search any product at TruHue and see your personal score — YAY, OKAY, or NAY.
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