Is Hard Candy's Moon Glow a Dupe for NARS' Albatross?

Ok, so yes the Hard Candy Moon Glow powder has now been discontinued but it is easy to find online. After seeing a few people online ask or think it was a dupe for Albatross by NARS, I decided to do a dupe post to find out since I own both. So how do they compare? Let's find out!

They look different in the pan, but you can see the gold flecks on both. The Hard Candy powder almost just looks like a straight-up face powder, but you can precisely tell that Albatross is meant to be a highlighting powder. While in the last post, I said that I like Hard Candy's Moon Glow and that it is a good luminizer for the price, it does pale in comparison to higher end brands like NARS.

I can see why people might think it could be a dupe since they both have the golden sheen in the compact and on the skin, but Moon Glow comes across as more glittery and powdery versus the consistent shimmer of Albatross. Albatross is slightly warmer in tone and the gold comes across much stronger. I think both are great for fair skin, but might be a little too chalky or white for darker skin.

They are not really dupes, but both have something different to offer. Moon Glow could be used as an allover face brightener or a highlighter, but apply it with a fan brush or something light. And for a true golden glow, Albatross is the winner.

Left: Hard Candy Moon Glow | Right: NARS Albatross

Hope you all have a great weekend!