For the longest time, I have heard great things about NARS and its products.
Foundations, concealers, lipsticks, the famous Orgasm blush… You name it! They are all over the beauty-community but only now, I finally decided to bite the bullet and give this brand a try.
Mostly because their products are on the pricey side of my “ok to buy” spectrum. I always found it hard to give over 20Eur for a foundation, as an example.
But, ever since I started to really understand that sometimes, you have to pay to get nicer things or at least products that will work for your skin condition.
And that’s when I have decided to check NARS and their range.
I knew where to start: foundation!
Always heard great things about the Sheer Glow Foundation and after reading the description and many reviews, I knew it was what I was looking for. My issue as always is to find the correct shade.
Somehow, I believe I am tanner than what I truly am… Wishful thinking or perhaps reminiscent thoughts of older times, when I lived in a country with more than 300 sunny days/year, instead of 20 days/year.
Also to mention, in the city where I live, there is no NARS shop nor counter at any beauty shop. Only option: order it online.
Which for me, it’s no option, unless I’m repurchasing something I knew it worked and had my correct shade.
So, long story short, during my Easter break in motherland Portugal, I knew I had to visit a Sephora and ask for advice, on the correct shade but also to make sure it would be ok for my skin type and what I look for on a foundation.
Let me just say this: I had the best Sephora experience ever.
Told Mr.A “look this will take a little while so you might want to go get a drink somewhere instead of waiting for me”. Lovely as he is, he said it was no problem and for me to take the time I needed.
Gotta love when the men understand!
My mom and I sat by the counter while the Sephora beauty consultant heard all my wishes and concerns.
Then she asked if I had 5min for her; duuuuh, I had the whole afternoon, little she knew. haha
What did she do on my face?
- Cleanse my skin.
- Gave me a moisturizing & calming mask.
- Applied toner & moisturizer.
- Applied primer.
- Color correcting concealer.
- Matched me to my NARS shade and gave me an alternative foundation from Too Faced so I could choose which one I liked better. In the end, it was the NARS.
- Did my full makeup, to my liking – natural looking with even skin but without being heavy looking.
I was so happy with the way things looked and felt that I ended up buying almost all products she used on me. Yes, it was a painful bill at the end.
But back to the subject; NARS.
In Lisbon, at the Sephora, I got the Primer and foundation and after I came back home, I ordered the pump (which was sold out on every Sephora I visited – note to NARS: you guys should include the pump anyway!!) and got a concealer to use as a brightening one.
Products:
NARS Radiance Primer with SPF35 – €34.95 (PT price – Sephora.pt)
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation – Light 4 Deauville – €42.92 (PT price – Sephora.pt)
NARS Foundation pump – €2.50 (NL price – De Bijenkorf)
NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer – Light 2 Vanilla – €29.50 (NL price – De Bijenkorf)
Now, these are a lot more expensive items than what I would usually buy. So it is important to me that I give them the most possible use and make them work for me the way I expected them to do so.
Positives:
The concealer is GREAT and it does brighten up my under-eye area, even though I do not have severe dark circles. I apply just a tiny bit and it works.
And the foundation is also very good! I love the way it looks on the skin, it really feels like I’ve got nothing on, and after it’s all set it still looks natural, and evens out my complexion.
Not so positives:
The primer has been a struggle, to be honest. I like the glow it gives to my skin and the extra SPF but somehow, the foundation does not sit well (at this moment) on top of this primer in specific areas of my face.
Problematic areas are:
- my nose and surrounding areas
- the center part of my forehead
- in between my brows.
If I’ve got dry patches, this combo will gather on them and look very weird after 3/4 hrs after application.
For the rest, this NARS combo (primer + foundation) looks great.
How do I make it work?
Well, I found out, that in those specific areas, I have to use another type of primer – one more skin smoothing instead of glowy/radiance finish.
Another trick I recently found out was to first apply the primer on my fingers (not directly on the skin), rub it on my fingers (like how you’d do with a moisturizer) and then apply on the skin. This way, I get the radiance of this primer and without emphasizing any drier areas of my skin.
Another trick I recently found out was to first apply the primer on my fingers (not directly on the skin), rub it on my fingers (like how you’d do with a moisturizer) and then apply on the skin. This way, I get the radiance of this primer and without emphasizing any drier areas of my skin.
Also, I found out that I must add setting spray, or else, after a long day (say more than 8h wear), the foundation will start breaking up and looking weird on my face.
I should also mention, that currently, I am in the process of trying to heal my sensitive, dry and dehydrated skin. Things might change along the way, as my skin gets in a better shape. (read this post for more info)
Overall:
I am very happy with my purchases even though I can’t use the primer + foundation combo in certain (currently more problematic in terms of sensitivity and dryness) areas of my face. At least for now; maybe in the future when all is A-OK, it might work.
But of course, I will keep using all products.
Has any of you, reading this post, ever tried NARS products?
If so, what are your favorites and why?
Let me know in the comments.
P.S.: a big THANK you if you made it this far and read this loooooong post! You rule!
See you soon!
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