Ok, it’s confession time. My name is Lucy. I have been a beauty journalist for 12 years and have tested countless makeup products, but until now, I had never properly tried a NARS foundation. I can’t really tell you why, probably because there’s no particular reason really. Something tells me, though, I could never quite find the right color match for my pale-but-slightly-red complexion—despite the fact that there is definitely a wide range of shades to choose from.
So, of course, when the opportunity arose to give each of the four foundations (and the one tinted moisturizer) a proper road test, I jumped at the chance. I’m forever on the hunt for the perfect long-lasting, glow-giving, natural-looking base, and this was my chance to see how NARS fared. Keep scrolling to see my honest thoughts, along with the all-important pictures...
NARS Sheer Glow Foundation Review
It's arguably the brand's most iconic foundation, and I can’t lie, I’m really questioning why it’s taken me this long to try it. I got the hype as soon as I applied it. Not only was Mont Blanc my perfect shade, but the way it seamlessly blended into my skin almost took my breath away.
One pump was just about enough to cover my whole face, and the lit-from-within glow it gave my skin was incredible. It is lightweight, so it didn’t completely cover all my acne, but it did just nicely even everything out. My skin still looked like skin, and my post-holiday freckles were still visible, which is what I like.
I found it lasted really well throughout the day too, it didn’t seem to melt or go patchy despite the warm, humid weather I wore it in. I loved the glowy, light coverage it gave me, but if you prefer something heavier, I think it would be buildable.
NARS Natural Radiant Longwear Foundation Review
The second foundation I tried, I thought this would be a firm favorite, but you know what? It actually wasn’t. I really liked how easy it was to apply, but I (stupidly) assumed it would be more lightweight than it actually is.
It did even out my skin well, but I think it looked too heavy for me. I wore the shade Mont Blanc (the same as in Sheer Glow) and you can kind of see how much it masks my complexion rather than enhancing it. I also prefer a more glowy finish rather than this, which is described as a ‘natural finish’, which I think is a bit too matte for me personally.
However, if you’re somebody who likes fuller coverage, this one could be worth trying. It felt really comfortable, and it also lasted really well, too, but for me, it’s not my fave.
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Review
Despite not being a tinted moisturizer girlie, I absolutely loved this. I wore shade Light 2 Alaska and I did think it might be a bit too dark and/or yellow-toned for me, but I actually think it ended up being quite a good, healthy-looking match. It puts a bit of color in my complexion and I really liked how it looked.
A little bit goes a long way, and it’s such a dream to blend into skin. It was pretty seamless to apply, and although I did use a foundation brush, I think it would be easy to put on without a mirror using just your fingers.
I like that it’s formulated with SPF 30 (but note that I would always use a separate SPF underneath it to ensure I'm getting adequate protection) along with a blend of hydrating, brightening, and smoothing ingredients. It lasted well on my skin too, and after a few uses, I can see exactly why it’s loved so much. Consider this to be the tinted moisturizer that converted me.
NARS Soft Matte Foundation Review
This was the last foundation I tried because I knew it wouldn’t be my favorite, and that’s purely because I’m not a matte foundation girlie. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the formula. It was runnier than I thought it would be, which made it easier to apply than some similar formulas that I’ve tried before, and I didn’t need to use much product to cover my whole face.
Although it is a full-coverage matte foundation, I don’t think it made my skin look flat or caked in makeup like I thought it would, and it didn’t feel heavy either. That said, I don’t think it would be my go-to NARS foundation, but if you’re somebody who prefers heavier coverage, then I would definitely recommend trying this one out.
NARS Light Reflecting Advanced Skincare Foundation Review
This foundation is a slightly more full-coverage version of Sheer Glow, and I really enjoyed wearing it. I absolutely loved how it made my skin look and the glow it gave me, and I liked that, although it was a bit heavier than Sheer Glow, my skin still looked naturally radiant and not like I was wearing a bucket load of foundation.
It was a dream to apply, and like all the other foundations, it blended out really easily, and I was a big fan of how luminous it made my skin look. I found that I was wearing less highlighter than I normally do when I had this one.
It lasted really well, too, and the glow it gave me was there all day long, so I could admire it whenever I caught my reflection in a window or mirror, and what’s not to love about that?
Lucy Partington (also known as LP or Lucy P) is a freelance beauty journalist. She started her career as Cosmo’s beauty assistant 12 years ago and has since written for titles including Stylist, ELLE, Red and British Vogue. She’s a big fan of sunscreen (and skincare in general), loves a strong brow and is constantly on the hunt for the glowiest, most long lasting foundation of them all.
