It’s two hours past midnight and Bentley is curled up in a ball sleeping right beside me (loudly if I may add, who knew a dog as small as him could snore so loudly). Meanwhile, I’m glued to my laptop ready to finish this entry before the sun is up.

Nars Laguna Bronzer
Nars Laguna Vs Casino Bronzer Stick
Nars Laguna Vs Casino Bronzer Palette

I’ve wanted to compare these bronzers for you ever since I bought a box of Benefit Hoola. Nars Laguna was my second choice, and for a long time I couldn’t pick between the two. After all they’re both what most girls call their Holy Grail bronzers.

So I did what any confused shopper would do and looked at the price tags. Hoola was cheaper, so Hoola it was. I used it a lot, loved it, and finally hit pan on it. As a replacement, I now regularly use the Nars Laguna Bronzer. I thought it would be interesting to share a good comparative review of the two just in case, like me, you’re curious about which of them is a better purchase.

Nars came in its usual sleek iconic packaging, in which every Nars owner knows — will be covered with makeup smudges after a month. But even then I still like it over Benefit’s cute quirky boxes, just out of preference. Those boxes scare me. I trained my hands to handle it very carefully, in fear that it might tear off into two pieces (it didn’t by the way).

Here are our dupes for NARS Casino, which is a very warm-toned, medium brown with a pearl finish. It is a permanent bronzer that retails for $38.00 and contains 0.28 oz. It is a permanent bronzer that retails for $38.00 and contains 0.28 oz.
Here are our dupes for NARS Casino, which is a very warm-toned, medium brown with a pearl finish. It is a permanent bronzer that retails for $38.00 and contains 0.28 oz. It is a permanent bronzer that retails for $38.00 and contains 0.28 oz.

Just out of curiosity, which packaging do you guys prefer?

From afar, both bronzer shades look like twins. But up close, you’ll spot the tiniest specks of gold within the Nars Laguna Bronzer. I worried that they might turn my T-zone awfully shinny. But when the Laguna is on my skin, I barely notice any shimmer. Instead, it translates into a beautiful glowy sun-kissed tan.

Apr 23, 2020 NARS has already solidified some makeup icons, but perhaps the two most famous are his Orgasm blusher and Laguna bronzer (beloved for its ability to bestow a natural looking bronze without looking muddy or cakey). It’s this last launch that he’s expanded upon with his new sunkissed bronzing collection.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer though, is a plain matte bronzer. It can easily be understated beside the golden Nars Laguna, but Hoola has it’s own special tricks as well. It can imitate how shadows would look like on skin (it’s quite intense on the swatch but when blended its beautiful), which makes it the perfect bronzer for sculpting that Kim Kardashian facial contour (or a slightly less intense contour than hers). I like to swipe this on my jawline to slim my face down a bit.

Nars Laguna Bronzer

Quality wise, they both make me so proud for lasting an entire day. Although, of course, after a very long while they will fade and will require a little retouching. You can build up their color from the lightest touch of bronze to a darker shade. But Hoola can go a few more shades darker, which is why your skin tone will also play a role in picking between the two bronzers. In most cases I believe light-medium skintones will benefit more with Laguna, while medium-dark skintones will look best with Hoola.

Nars Laguna Vs Casino Bronzer Stick

Even though Nars Laguna and Benefit Hoola are both excellent bronzers, they aren’t really that alike. Laguna for me is the best bronzer to warm up my entire face. It adds this beautiful light golden tan to my skin. While Hoola, is the perfect bronzer for contouring (and to be honest not as flattering to use all over the face). Don’t get me wrong though, I can still use Laguna for a light contour too, but Hoola does the job a lot better.

Nars Laguna Vs Casino Bronzer Palette

If I had to choose just one bronzer, I’d pick Nars Laguna just because I use it more often. Plus, I can easily go through my makeup routine without contouring my face. But if I didn’t have to choose, having both bronzers is a really good treat. They work so well together. If you want something for contouring grab yourself a box of Hoola, but if you want a bronzer to warm up your face go for Laguna. Hope this post was useful for you. What’s your favorite bronzer?