NARS Sheer Glow Foundation First Impression

Hello world, this is my first impression on the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, which is either owned or being contemplated of being owned by almost everyone I know. I decided to put this to the test, and get comfortable because this is going to be looonnnggg.

Last Saturday, I went into Mecca Cosmetica in Camberwell, with the intention of picking up some new eyeshadows and contour, but walking out instead with a new foundation! The lovely girls there were oh-so-patient and helpful, applying two different shades on me, and letting me go in and out of the shop holding their mirror. Why?

TIP #1: Always check new foundation under natural lighting, and flash photography.

TIP #2: Always take home a sample and wear the foundation during busy days. This will test if your foundation will last, go slick and slide off, go cakey, oxidise and go orange, etc. Mecca is notoriously good for giving as many samples as you ask for, so go crazy and don’t hold back because foundation isn’t cheap!

I have to be honest, I did break my own Tip #2, and just bought it without sampling that day, but I have heard nothing but rave reviews both from my friends, and the online community. The main concern for me was the colour match, however, Mecca has one of the best refund and exchange policies I’ve ever heard of. Even if I have used it a couple of times, I have 90 days to exchange it for something else in the store, i.e. a different colour foundation. Trust me, I will have no shame in taking full exercise of refund and exchange policies.

I’m currently a University student, living off my own small income from academic tuition. I record everything in a money diary, and am super strict with my spending, making sure I save every week. So if I’m ever buying anything, I have to make sure it’s worth bang for my buck. Whether the item is high-end or drugstore, it has to work for me, and I have to be able to use it often. Trust me, I will have no shame in taking full exercise of refund and exchange policies. I also don’t mind spending a little extra on skincare, products I use every day or over a large portion of my face, in order to protect my skin – after all, it’s the only one you have for the rest of your life!

Now that’s all out of the way, onto the foundation review and impression.

I bought the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation (AU$67) and the NARS pump (AU$4) at Mecca Cosmetica, Camberwell. I love pumps, just because of hygiene reasons, and the fact that I usually don’t use much foundation at all (if any!) on an everyday basis. This is pretty pricey for me, but as I said, I don’t mind splurging a little for foundation, especially because it usually lasts well over a year for me.

When I was being swatched, the ladies were tossing up between ‘Deauville’ (neutral) and ‘Fiji’ (yellow toned), the only difference between them being the undertone. In the end, I chose Fiji, just because it matched the rest of my body best, which is yellow toned and slightly more tanned than my neutral toned face. I’m also more likely to become more tanned in the next coming months, so ‘Deauville’ would’ve been way too much of a difference for my summer skin (again, getting bang for my buck).

In order to trial this foundation, I wore it every day to University for a week and also on a night out!

On the Mecca site, the foundation is described as:

An artistry favorite backstage at Fashion Week, this silky liquid foundation delivers immediate hydration, evens skin tone and leaves the skin brighter and more radiant. Used daily, your skin’s texture and tone improves becoming softer, smoother and more luminous. Sheer Glow Foundation provides all-day weightless and buildable coverage, with a natural radiant finish. Suitable for normal to dry skin.

To give you a run down on my skin type, I would call my skin combination. I have weird dry patches on my cheek and tops of my forehead, but then after a couple of hours, my skin can also go  quite oily.

On an everyday basis, I first applied one layer of my Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Moisturiser and then another layer of Neutrogena Sunscreen Ultra Sheer Face Lotion SPF 50+. I then used either a Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge or a Beauty Blender to apply less than a pea size of foundation onto places I need it most, usually being my chin area and the centre region of my face. This gave me a light dewy coverage, which is all I needed. Guys, an hour into the day, I would be slick and oily, to the point where my glasses would continually slide off my nose – not good. If you have combination/oily skin, I suggest skipping the moisturiser underneath this one, and powdering if it’s going to be a long day. This foundation is definitely for the dewy loving girls.

On my normal skin, you can barely see the foundation, only revealing itself when it clings to my super dry patches.

TIP#3: Put a hydrating eye cream on dry patches to give intense moisture but also to localise it. I used Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado.

On my night out, I first applied Benefit’s Porefessional Primer on my T-Zone, and Clinque’s Superprimer everywhere else. I applied a full pump of foundation over my face, using a damp Beauty Blender, and set my face with Estee Lauder’s Double Wear Stay-In-Place Powder, in the colour Tawny. This foundation lasted the whole night, and felt extremely comfortable on the skin. The finish by the end of the night wasn’t as oily as during my everyday wear – I think I have the primer and powder to thank for that!

Under flash photography, the foundation photographs beautifully, leaving no trace of flashback.

You can definitely customise the coverage on this one, without it ever looking cakey. Apply with a damp sponge for a sheer glowy coverage, or a brush for a higher coverage.

Overall, I’m extremely happy with this foundation, and will be using it on a regular basis for many months to come.

RATING: 4/5

Let me know if you’ve used this foundation before in the comments, I’d love to know what you guys think of it. Don’t forget to treat yourself xx