I have mainly wanted to try NARS Sheer Glow after watching too many of Tanya Burr's makeup tutorials and being amazed at how it made her skin looked radiant and glow. Tanya Burr makes me buy this!
To my knowledge, up until now NARS Malaysia is only available at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur and Parkson Gurney Plaza Penang. I went to the one in Pavillion and I must say that I'm very satisfied with the services that they offered. The SAs were so helpful to me and willing to entertain my questions. I honestly kinda nervous walking into high end stores because I've been treated bad before - ya know like the typical SA judging you atas bawah macam tak mampu pulak kan nak beli makeup branded ni, hoho. But, NARS staffs were very nice that day. :)
Anyway, there are few tips here and there I'd like to share with you while choosing a foundation at NARS especially for first time buyer. Some of us would need help from the sale assistant or makeup artist working there to figure out the matching shade for your face. I would strongly suggest you to at least swatch some of the shades that you think would match to your skin. Maksud aku, jangan harapkan SA tu 100% like that. Or, you know... just walk around first, go shopping for an hour before coming back to the store if you satisfied and planning to purchase. You know what's best for you- whether your skin oxidise, your preferable coverage, and so on. Also sometimes, the store lightning can be a bit off and you would end up looking funny when you wear the wrong shade of foundation in natural light.
Now, let us get into the actual review shall we?
Packaging
Sheer Glow comes in a glass, rectangular bottle. As many have noted, the main point of annoyance of this foundation is the lack of a pump dispenser. NARS is selling the pump separately for RM20, so you can buy it if you wish. When I bought this, I didn't think I would have too much problem without a pump so I simply purchased the foundation only. Downside - it is just not sanitary and you kind of waste a lot of product. I dislike the signature black rubber packaging of NARS because it gets dirty easily.
Ingredient
Application
The founder of NARS himself recommends applying the foundation using fingers. However, I'm the one who needs more coverage in less time, I'm also very lazy to wash my hands after doing my makeup, lol so I prefer to apply NARS Sheer Glow using Real Techniques' buffing brush.
Formula and Texture
Lightweight and thin. Sheer Glow has a water based formula and it runs across the back of your hand if you pour it too much. You really need to give the bottle a good shake before using since the formula is very liquidy. It does take a little longer to set on skin but the more you buffer, the more it will look nice. Once set, it dries to a nice almost-powder finish and leaves the skin looking natural.
SPF - no SPF. Some people will like it for flash photography but for daily use, you might want to use sunblock underneath.
Scent - none! Sheer Glow is a fragrance free product.
Finish
I'd describe this as natural satin finish that gives glowing and luminosity in the right place. I like it, but if you're looking for something that gives more mattifying effect, then this foundation isn't for you. Besides the finishing, I also like that the foundation isn't oxidise on my skin.
Coverage
I wouldn't say this is a 'sheer' foundation as it claimed. With my RT brush, it gives medium coverage and covers up most of my redness by just one layer. The foundation is build-able, but it's not full coverage like Revlon Colorstay Foundation. I still need the help from a concealer to cover some spots and blemishes.
Colour Range/Foundation Shades
I got the shade Medium 2 (Santa Fe) and Medium 4 (Barcelona). I believe I would suit Medium 1 (Punjab) more as from other reviews I heard, it has more yellow, golden-peachy undertone. Santa Fe is a medium with peachy undertone while Barcelona looks tan on me.
There are 19 shades available from this line, so I believe you can find something that would suit to your skin tone.
Longevity
I'm actually very surprised by it's longevity. This is my go to foundation when I attend weddings or ceremonies as I do not need to touch up regularly. Without powder, my face gets oily as early as 3 hours but if I ensure to set NARS Sheer Glow with pressed powder 2-3 times throughout the day, it breaks down after 8-9 hours of wearing.
Name : Sheer Glow Foundation
Manufacturer : NARS
Made In : USA
Weight : 30ml / 1 Fl Oz
Price : RM 165
Product Description :
A glowing, natural radiant finish foundation with sheer and buildable coverage that immaculately evens skin tone. Replete with skincare benefits and the NARS Complexion Brightening Formula, it leaves skin hydrated, more luminous, softer and smoother. Used daily, Sheer Glow Foundation improves the skin's brightness and texture. (source)
NARS Store Pavillion, KL and NARS counter at Parkson Gurney Plaza, Penang
Link : http://www.narscosmetics.com/
This is a pricey product and it took me quite a time to decide whether I wanted to invest in this, but I'm very glad I did because I LOVE IT. My only complain is it's packaging.
All in all, if you're looking for a long lasting, lightweight with satin finish foundation to splurge on, I would say go for NARS Sheer Glow. It's worth every single of your money. I hope this post provides a helpful insight for you. I'd love to know if NARS Sheer Glow sounds like your kind of buy or will you be giving it a miss. Let me know in the comments below and thank you for reading~!
The cap cannot be close properly after a while!
uh, packaging! -_-
All in all, if you're looking for a long lasting, lightweight with satin finish foundation to splurge on, I would say go for NARS Sheer Glow. It's worth every single of your money. I hope this post provides a helpful insight for you. I'd love to know if NARS Sheer Glow sounds like your kind of buy or will you be giving it a miss. Let me know in the comments below and thank you for reading~!
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