NARS Patagonia vs. Santa Fe: Which one should you buy?

The NARS Santa Fe and Patagonia eyeshadow palettes are both 12-shade collections from the iconic brand, but they serve entirely different styles. The Santa Fe palette is a celebration of warm, earthy neutrals like terracotta and soft browns perfect for everyday elegance, while Patagonia offers a vibrant mix of jewel tones and bold metallics designed for more creative, artistic looks. While both are priced the same, your choice comes down to a preference for timeless versatility versus colorful expression.

Here’s everything you need to know to decide if Santa Fe’s desert warmth or Patagonia’s bold hues belong in your makeup collection.

NARS Santa Fe Eyeshadow Palette

The NARS Santa Fe palette captures the muted, sun-baked landscape of the American Southwest. It’s a curated eyeshadow wardrobe of essential mattes, soft shimmers, and delicate satins rooted in warm, neutral earth tones. This palette is designed to create anything from a simple daytime look to a sophisticated smoky eye, making it a reliable choice for those who gravitate toward classic and understated beauty.

• What it is: A 12-pan eyeshadow palette with warm, versatile neutral shades inspired by desert landscapes.
• Key features: A balanced mix of matte, shimmer, and satin finishes. The color story includes rich terracottas, sultry browns, and soft beiges.
• Price: $49
• Materials/Construction: Features NARS’s finely milled, highly pigmented powders known for being smooth and blendable with minimal fallout. Housed in a sleek, compact black case that's ideal for travel.
• Pros: Extremely versatile for day-to-night looks. Timeless shades that flatter a wide range of skin tones. Excellent for creating professional or everyday makeup. Great blendability.
• Cons: Lacks bold or experimental colors. Some of the lighter neutral shades may appear similar on the eye, limiting high-contrast looks.

This palette is perfect for anyone seeking a sophisticated, go-to collection of warm neutrals that can build from subtle to smoky with ease.

Shop this product: narscosmetics.com

NARS Patagonia Eyeshadow Palette

The NARS Patagonia palette is an adventurous and vibrant collection inspired by the rugged, colorful landscapes of its namesake region. It combines rich jewel tones like emerald green and deep blue with complementary warm neutrals, offering endless possibilities for creative expression. This palette is for the makeup lover who isn’t afraid to experiment with color and wants to create bold, statement eye looks.

• What it is: A 12-pan eyeshadow palette featuring a mix of vibrant, jewel-toned shades alongside warm neutrals.
• Key features: Intense pigmentation with a mix of matte, shimmer, and vibrant metallic finishes that create multidimensional effects.
• Price: $49
• Materials/Construction: The shadows have a smooth, almost creamy texture that applies evenly and packs a serious color punch. Comes in NARS’s signature minimalist packaging, highlighting the adventurous spirit of the color scheme.
• Pros: Excellent for bold, artistic looks. Intense color payoff, especially in the metallic and shimmer shades. The mix of bolds and neutrals makes it surprisingly versatile for creative looks.
• Cons: The vibrant colors can be intimidating for beginners. Not ideal for a conservative office or everyday subtle wear. Fewer "one and done" shade options than Santa Fe.

This is the ideal palette for those who view makeup as a form of artistry and want high-impact colors to bring their creative visions to life.

Shop this product: narscosmetics.com

NARS Santa Fe vs. Patagonia Comparison

Shade Range & Aesthetic

The most immediate difference between these two palettes is the color story. The NARS Santa Fe palette is firmly planted in a warm, neutral aesthetic. Think desert sunsets, warm clay, and soft sand - terracottas, beiges, rusts, and deep browns dominate. It is designed for looks that are polished, sophisticated, and universally flattering.

In contrast, the NARS Patagonia embraces a bolder, more adventurous style. Its jewel tones - rich blues, emerald greens, and powerful purples - command attention. While it includes some warm neutrals to ground the louder shades, the palette is undeniably for making a statement and experimenting with color.

Quality & Formulation

Both palettes uphold the high standards of quality NARS is known for. The shadows in both are highly pigmented, smooth, and deliver long-lasting wear of over 8 hours when used with a primer. There are minor nuances in texture dictated by their finishes.

Santa Fe's mattes and satins are exceptionally finely milled, making them effortless to diffuse and blend for seamless gradients. Patagonia’s strength lies in its metallic and shimmer shades, which have a creamy, rich texture that provides intense, foil-like color payoff with minimal fallout for such powerful pigments.

Price & Value

Both palettes retail for $49, making price a non-factor in the decision. The question of value comes down entirely to personal use. If you wear neutral eyeshadow daily and reserve bolder looks for rare occasions, Santa Fe offers far better value as you'll reach for it constantly. If you already own numerous neutral palettes and want something unique to spark creativity, Patagonia brings more value by filling a colorful gap in your collection.

Versatility

Versatility can be defined in two ways here. For everyday life, professional settings, and a wide array of social events, Santa Fe is the more versatile palette. Its shades can create countless appropriate and elegant looks for any occasion from a work meeting to a wedding.

Patagonia’s versatility lies in its creative potential. The combination of intense colors with wearable neutrals allows for a huge range of artistic expression. You can create a fully colorful look, use a pop of color on the lower lash line, or create a neutral eye with a bold, metallic liner. It offers more artistic freedom, while Santa Fe offers more situational adaptability.

Who Each One Works Best For

NARS Santa Fe is best for makeup users who prefer a classic, polished aesthetic. It’s perfect if you are looking for ONE high-quality palette that can handle everyday makeup, work looks, and subtle evening glamour. It's an excellent choice for those new to makeup or who feel most confident in warm, earthy tones.

NARS Patagonia is tailored to the color enthusiast and the artist. If you love creating bold looks, want to push your creative boundaries, or feel your current collection is a sea of neutrals, this palette will be a fresh and exciting addition. It works best for those who see makeup as a fun accessory meant to stand out.

Which One Should You Choose?

Both palettes offer exceptional quality, but they cater to very different personal styles. Your right choice depends on what you want from your purchase.

Choose NARS Santa Fe if:

• You primarily wear warm, neutral eyeshadows.
• You need a single reliable palette for work, a special event, and weekends.
• You appreciate a classic, sophisticated aesthetic and understated looks.
• You want easy-to-blend shades for quick and polished makeup.

Choose NARS Patagonia if:

• You love experimenting with bold, vibrant colors.
• You already have your go-to neutral palettes and want something unique.
• Your eyeshadow looks are a form of personal and artistic expression.
• You are looking for a palette with high-impact metallics and jewel tones.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the main difference between NARS Santa Fe and Patagonia?

The main difference is the color story. Santa Fe is a collection of warm, earthy neutral shades (terracottas, browns, beiges) for classic looks. Patagonia is a mix of vibrant jewel tones (blues, greens, purples) and warm neutrals for bold, artistic looks.

Which palette is better for beginners?

The NARS Santa Fe palette is much more beginner-friendly. Its blendable, harmonious neutrals are easier to work with and more forgiving, making it simple to create polished looks without extensive skill.

Are the formulas the same in both palettes?

Both palettes feature NARS's high-quality, long-wearing formula, but are optimized for their specific shades. The mattes in Santa Fe are incredibly soft and blendable, while the metallics in Patagonia have a creamier texture for intense color payoff.

Which palette is more versatile for everyday wear?

Santa Fe is without a doubt the more versatile palette for everyday wear. Its range of neutrals is suitable for office settings, casual daytime looks, and can easily be deepened for evening events.

How long do NARS eyeshadows last?

With an eyeshadow primer, NARS eyeshadows are known to last for over 8 hours without significant fading or creasing. Both the Santa Fe and Patagonia palettes deliver on this long-wear promise.

What skin tones do these palettes suit?

Both palettes are designed to be flattering on a wide variety of skin tones. Santa Fe’s warm earth tones are particularly stunning on medium to deep skin tones, and its variety of depths works for fair skin as well. Patagonia’s vibrant jewel tones can pop beautifully against any skin tone.

Is NARS a cruelty-free brand?

NARS is committed to eliminating animal testing and does not test on animals, nor do they ask others to test on their behalf, except where required by law.

Are both palettes the same price?

Yes, both the NARS Santa Fe and NARS Patagonia palettes are priced at $49, reflecting their comparable size and quality within the NARS line.