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Naswar is stuffed in the floor of the mouth under the lower lip, or inside the cheek, usually for 15 to 30 minutes. There are two forms of naswar: powder, and a paste cake style mixed with lime. In countries of the region, naswar is sold in markets, usually on trays with cigarettes and sunflower seeds. It is routinely sold in small plastic packets that weigh about 45 g on average.

In the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa survey, most manufacturers reported ground tobacco leaves, ash, and slaked lime as the main ingredients, with flavoring agents such as menthol and cardamom in some products. Menthol turned up in at least three brands, which shows that local manufacturers add it on purpose. Indigo is added to the mixture to impart colour. Nasvai, sometimes referred to as naswar or nass, is a smokeless tobacco product used in Central Asian countries such as Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.

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In 14 of the most-sold brands from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the average pH was 8.61 and the average ash content 18.94 %. The alkaline pH of naswar and other smokeless tobacco products is mainly due to the addition of slaked lime and ammonium bicarbonate. The alkaline pH accelerates the release of unprotonated nicotine and enhances its absorption through the oral mucosa. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry identified 85 different organic compounds in these brands, the commonest being nicotine. More than 30 locally produced brands of naswar have a pH between 8.5 and 9.0 and an average nicotine content of 14.6 mg/g.