NARS Sheer Glow Foundation Review

After a lot of uhmmms and ahhhhs, I finally took the plunge and purchased the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. I had read tons of reviews and watched countless YouTube videos raving about this foundation so I was a little well informed on what to expect. Anyway, I was curious to see if it lived up to its name and all the hype about it but let's find out together, shall we? P.S. I went a little crazy as usual with pictures and I really hope you don't mind. I like to capture all the sides of a product during a review to heighten your experience and...I just like to take photos and the sun graciously graced us with its presence and I fell for its charm and kept clicking away...:-(

Packaging/Shade
The bottle is made of glass which makes it a little less travel friendly and slightly heavy. The only thing I don't like about the packaging which I am sure everyone else hates is the lack of a foundation pump. Seriously, one would expect this foundation to have at least a foundation pump after shelling out £31 on a foundation. Clearly, Francois Nars had other ideas. A little bird told me that NARS foundations are not sold with foundation pumps because they want to encourage people to shake the foundation before use and to also use their fingers (which apparently is the best) to blend in the foundation. I believe this may also be the reason why NARS does not stock/make foundation brushes. Foundation pump malarkey aside, I think the packaging is amazing. I was lucky to get my mitts on the foundation pump and it makes a massive difference, trust me. The only snag is once you use the pump, the lid does not fit the bottle any more which I don't really mind because it makes the foundation less bulky. You can twist the pump to lock it if you wish to travel with it but I can't comment on how effective it is because I have not tried it. My shade is Cadiz which is a medium dark 3 and I love how wide the shade range is; I believe there are up to 20 shades and that's incredible! They also have samples to try out in their counters so always ask or go in for a shade match which is what I did.



Formula

NARS describes the Sheer Glow Foundation as a glowing satin-finish foundation which enhances the natural radiance of the skin and I cannot think of a more befitting description. It does not exacerbate my oily skin and non-comedogenic which is music to my ears as a combination/oily skin girl that's also acne-prone. NARS also claims that this foundation has hydration, luminosity, complexion brightening properties which are beneficial to the skin and it contains powerful antioxidants and turmeric extracts to back up these claims. I have not particularly noticed any of these skin benefits because I haven't used this long enough but I know my skin definitely looks more radiant and glowing when the foundation is on. Besides, I prefer to get these benefits from skincare products. I think it's also important to note that it has not broken me out (thanks goodness for that) because I know a few people have this as a major complaint.

Coverage/Application

I know it says sheer on the bottle but I would classify it as medium coverage that can definitely be built up to full coverage without looking caked on. It also has a light creamy texture which is not too watery or too thick and I believe that’s the best texture for my skin. I think that’s one of the reasons why I love using this foundation because sometimes I can skip concealer. If you want the best application technique and finish for this foundation, it is best to apply this with your fingers (I totally hate to use my fingers). I have tried my fingers a couple of times and the result is outstanding but if you hate using your fingers like me, then a buffing brush or a blending brush will give equally good results. I even tried using my Real Techniques Stippling Brush and the result was fantastic. Once applied on the skin, it is so easy to blend and I just love how light it sits on the skin.

Longevity

The truth is I never apply foundation on my skin without priming so I can’t really comment on its behaviour without a primer. I use my trusty Laura Mercier Foundation Primer straight after moisturising my skin and let it is for a few seconds before applying my foundation. I use my MAC Mineralize Skin Finish to set it and/or my Kuddy Cosmetics HD Powder to finish everything off. I find that it lasts all day on my face with this method; well not really all day but from morning till I get back from work and I hardly need to touch up. Sometimes, I may get the odd shiny T-zone and I may lightly swirl my powder brush over it or use a blotting paper but this does not happen often. I think this may be one of the longest lasting foundations I have ever used and it’s truly amazing.

Cost

As expected from NARS, it is not a cheap foundation at all. It retails for £31 and I think it may be slightly cheaper in a few online stores. It is always best to buy from ASOS when they have their 20% discount or if you know any students, get them to use their student discount to get a decent discount which I think is 10-15%.  I got mine during the Selfridges sales for £27.90 (hallelujah!!) and I know it may not be the biggest savings but "every little helps" a la Tesco. I prefer to buy from Space NK because I can accrue some points to spend later and they always give out beauty samples to test.

Cons

1. I absolutely hate that it does not come with a pump; in fact I feel a little cheated that it lacks one and it is very difficult to track down the pump.

2. If you fantasize about having a dewy finish because it is called sheer glow, you may be disappointed because it gives more of a satin, semi-matte finish.

3. Depending on your skin, some people have reported that this foundation slides off their face after a few hours which means they may have very oily skin. If you do, it may be best to give the Sheer Matte and it has the same shade range as the Sheer Glow.

4. Of course, I have to add that it is a pricey little baby.

Overall Thoughts

I can’t deny that I love this foundation and I have used it non-stop ever since I purchased it and I fear it may finish quickly soon. I am sure my MUFE HD Foundation is pretty pissed at me for shifting my love although the MUFE still remains one of my favourite foundation. What else can I say? It is definitely one foundation to try and it’s one of those that you either love it to the moon and back or loathe it. What side are you on? Let me know in the comment section...x