It seems like every brand we love has come up with a foundation lately; but it was NARS' latest creation that truly sparked my interest. I didn't have much luck with the brand's foundations in the past, but if you're curious to hear what I think about their newest launch, then just keep on scrolling!
Product Overview
My skin: dry/dehydrated, sensitive; light with neutral undertone (Hourglass Shell, Fenty Beauty 150, MAC NC20, Tom Ford Cream 1.5)
Claims: medium-buildable coverage/ perfect for all skin types/ radiant finish/ 16-hour wear/ lightweight, fade-resistant, breathable/ easy to blend
*For the first time in [the mankind's] history, the brand itself mentioned a few dos and don'ts on sephora.com, which is a very brave move. NARS ask you to exfoliate skin before applying the foundation (as it may stick to dry patches) and use a pearl-sized amount, because too much formula can accentuate lines and imperfections (especially around eyes, contours of the face).
Price: 49 USD (for 30 ml/ 1 fl.oz.) Made in USA
Colour Range: there are 33 shades available; everything from Oslo to Mali. Click here to see a detailed chart.
Packaging: just like NARS-everything, I am in love with this simple-yet-chic packaging. Here you get their signature soft-touch/rubberized cap and a sleek glass bottle; many compare it to the brand's All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation, but there are a few differences. The new foundation comes in a clear (as opposed to matte) bottle, which has a thinner/more elongated shape, despite containing an exact same amount of product as every other NARS foundation. Not the best for traveling, but you can always use a travel-sized container. Thankfully (speaking of pumps) unlike its predecessor, Sheer Glow Foundation, this guy comes with a pump, which gives you a great control over how much product you can use.
Formula: now, this foundation claims to give you both: medium-full coverage and radiant finish. Traditionally, full-coverage formulas tend to have a matte finish, but not this time around. From my experience, this is a very pigmented product and even the tiniest dollop packs a ton of punch. Compared to other foundations in my possession, this one sets relatively fast, giving you a beautiful natural skin finish. It doesn't look overly matte or dewy; a perfect in-between. It is also important to mention that this formula almost sets itself; meaning - if you are on a drier side, you won't even need to set it with powder. However! At the same time, the longer you wear it, the more radiant it gets. Raspberry, Apple, and Watermelon extracts were used to give this blend some skincare properties as well.
Application: since I am a light-coverage gal, my favourite way of applying Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation looks something like this - after shaking the bottle, I pump a small (less than a pearl-sized) amount onto the back of my hand, warm it up with my fingers and dot it all over one side of my face first. I then blend everything out with a BeautyBlender and repeat on the other side. Typically, I do need more coverage right in the center (on my nose or around the mouth), but I find that adding a concealer to areas where I need more coverage is a much better idea, than layering more foundation. I do set my T-zone with KVD Lock-It Blotting Powder, which is light as air and helps with excess shine on my nose during the day.
This is (indeed) a buildable formula, but what's even more amazing - if you don't want a medium/full coverage, you can easily sheer it out in the most beautiful way. My key tip would be: this formula can stick to dry patches, so exfoliate and moisturize your skin well. I use my trusted Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre as my moisturizer and paired with NARS - it works like magic.
Wear: as NARS suggest, this is a wonderfully lightweight formula. Even when I build it up to a medium coverage, it still feels comfortable on my face and given the fact that my skin is pretty much a mini Sahara, it is amazing news. As I have mentioned earlier, I did not like both Sheer Glow and All Day Luminous foundations mainly because they felt a touch heavy, almost suffocating and I am so thrilled to finally discover my perfect NARS formula; especially since I do love/recommend both Soft Matte and Radiant Creamy concealers.
Lasting power is incredible (up to 8 hours); I can wear it all day and it won't separate/get blotchy, creasy or anything like that. Even when it fades, it does so gracefully and those are normally the areas, where I touch my face a lot (chin, nose). I also notice that it lightly settles into my smile line (where I have a shy dimple) in a few hours; I simply blot it with either my finger (yes, savage) or Kleenex.
Here are raw/unedited side by side swatches of Fenty Beauty and NARS foundations
Deauville turned out to be a perfect match; although it is a "pink+yellow" shade, it leans a bit more yellow compared to my Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Foundation (shade 150). Despite slight differences, both shades are great for my light-neutral complexion and Deauville did not oxidize. Both NARS concealers work really well with the new formula.
Result: perfectly even, natural-looking skin that becomes more radiant throughout the day. Lightweight, comfortable. Photographs well.
Key Tips: build it gradually and use as little product as possible, it is very intense in terms of pigment, so you don't need a lot. Work one area at a time; use fingers to apply and blend with a damp sponge for best results.
Who will like it: in my opinion this formula is best for people with normal, normal-to-dry, combination-dry and dry skin types. I am not sure if it would work for someone with oilier skin type though, mainly because it does get a lot more radiant as you wear it - in other words - might separate and translate as greasy, especially if your skin produces a lot of natural oil during the day. If you are extremely dry, do proceed with caution and prep your skin really well, because this formula can accentuate dryness.
Verdict
Hello, my new favourite foundation! You guys, NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation is more than what I've expected. If you have dry skin, don't shy away. There are so many ways you can wear it: sheer it out for everyday wear, build it up for an evening out. It looks just like skin and is very longwearing, without feeling heavy/greasy/drying or anything like that. I give it my A+ and it will now reside next to Tom Ford and Fenty.
Available at Sephora stores and sephora.com
Review is not sponsored; I bought the foundation with my own money, check my disclaimer here
