NARS Light Reflecting Foundation - Moorea (Medium-Deep 2.3) 30ml

I compare this to Dior Forever Skin Glow. Mont Blanc is close to 1.5N, in the event you’re trying to color match. This is a gorgeous lightweight foundation with a stunning luminous finish. I have mature skin, which evidently is the new PC way to call myself old. If I’m not going steady with Botox, a matte finish is easily the worst thing I can do to my face. While highlighter can be counter-productive and highlight large pores, fine lines, wrinkles, and/or acne; a dewy/luminous finish can actually hide these things while giving your skin a healthy, fresh glow. I reach for lighter foundations as the weather gets warmer. Nars, Dior, and Milk seem to be my go-to’s. This foundation claims to improve your skin over time. I personally wouldn’t go that far, but I will say ... MoreI compare this to Dior Forever Skin Glow. Mont Blanc is close to 1.5N, in the event you’re trying to color match. This is a gorgeous lightweight foundation with a stunning luminous finish. I have mature skin, which evidently is the new PC way to call myself old. If I’m not going steady with Botox, a matte finish is easily the worst thing I can do to my face. While highlighter can be counter-productive and highlight large pores, fine lines, wrinkles, and/or acne; a dewy/luminous finish can actually hide these things while giving your skin a healthy, fresh glow. I reach for lighter foundations as the weather gets warmer. Nars, Dior, and Milk seem to be my go-to’s. This foundation claims to improve your skin over time. I personally wouldn’t go that far, but I will say it’s a higher quality that will not clog your pores or cause breakouts with use. I’d consider this to be a medium coverage foundation that is easily buildable. I let it get tacky before building. You can apply and blend with your fingers, a brush, or a sponge. I prefer the “Emira Method” and apply and blend with my fingers, and then go back over by lightly bouncing with a damn sponge. It mixes well with drops and other brands to customize your color better as your skin tone changes between seasons. I’ve had no issues with pilling or patchiness with moisturizers or primers. It looks lovely whether you set with a powder or not. As mentioned, I’m old so I don’t partake in baking (in the makeup sense…obviously I bake in the kitchen). Unlike the foul chemical smell Dior’s Forever Skin Glow has, this foundation doesn’t have much of a scent that I’ve noticed. Cons: Given the price, I’m pretty disappointed this offers no spf protection whereas it’s competitors of similar price points and cheaper, do offer spf. The last thing we want to do in the summer is have to add countless layers of products to our face. Having products that are multi-use is wonderful, and it’s fair to expect this from one of the more higher end brands. For this reason, I should have deducted a star. But the finish is so pretty, I’m going to let it slide. Next… For my gorgeous friends with Melasma, Hypopigmentation, or Hyperpigmentation; this foundation DOES cover spots without the need to color correct or set with powder. It will cover without concealer, as well. I have hyper-sensitive skin that breaks out if I even look at a new skincare or makeup product. This foundation didn’t cause any problems for me. Obviously you still have to be an adult and wash your face at least twice a day, and clean your makeup brushes once a week.

MY EXPERIENCE: + TRUE COVERAGE: high-medium, buildable + TRUE FINISH: very dewy, glowing / not self-setting + OXIDIZATION: yes; this does sharply oxidize to the point where you may want to consider choosing a shade lighter than normal to counteract the change + MELASMA TEST: fail; was able to see through to all of my melasma discoloration + PACKAGING: I've always loved the simplistic luxury of NARS. Overall, it's a very nice bottle, and it definitely reflects the brand's image + RESULTS TO CLAIMS: light, breathable formula = yes, medium, buildable coverage = yes, instantly blurs and smooths the skin = yes (if you use a dampened sponge), all-day wear = yes, natural finish = no + VALUE: Using the 'average' amount of foundation as 1.0 fl oz., this particular bottle ... MoreMY EXPERIENCE: + TRUE COVERAGE: high-medium, buildable + TRUE FINISH: very dewy, glowing / not self-setting + OXIDIZATION: yes; this does sharply oxidize to the point where you may want to consider choosing a shade lighter than normal to counteract the change + MELASMA TEST: fail; was able to see through to all of my melasma discoloration + PACKAGING: I've always loved the simplistic luxury of NARS. Overall, it's a very nice bottle, and it definitely reflects the brand's image + RESULTS TO CLAIMS: light, breathable formula = yes, medium, buildable coverage = yes, instantly blurs and smooths the skin = yes (if you use a dampened sponge), all-day wear = yes, natural finish = no + VALUE: Using the 'average' amount of foundation as 1.0 fl oz., this particular bottle contains 1.0 fl oz, which is the exact average. This calculates to be $49.00/ounce, which I would consider high-end pricing + RECOMMENDATION: it's not every day that I wear a foundation, and find minimal flaws with it! At the end of the night, this foundation looked like I just practically applied it. It did show slight wear in my expression areas - but that's expected. Although VERY luminous, it didn't look excessively oily or greasy. I'm sure I could have attained a LOT more wear out of it! This is truly a smoothing formula that I cannot wait to wear time and time again! On a grand scale, this is by far one of the best-wearing foundations I've ever tried! RECOMMENDED APPLICATION TYPE: dampened sponge | RECOMMENDED MAX WEAR TIME: 12+ hrs | RECOMMENDED SKIN TYPE: dry, combo, normal, oily (with mattifying prep) | PRIMER RECOMMENDATION: mattifying, set with a powder

Amazing formula, frustrating pump!

I really love this foundation! It seems to work perfectly with my skin. I have pretty dry skin with mild rosacea and eczema so it can be hard to find foundation that doesn't just accentuate the dryness in certain areas but this one doesn't do that and in fact works better than most foundations I've tried! It sits very nicely on the skin and leaves it looking smooth and natural. There's no glow or dewiness really which I like since because of my dry skin most of my foundations and setting sprays are dewy and hydrating but sometimes I don't want my skin to look dewy, I just want it to look natural yet beautiful. It seems to wear pretty well and at night when I go to take it off I don't see dryness shining through or cracks in the foundation, it still looks good! It ... MoreI really love this foundation! It seems to work perfectly with my skin. I have pretty dry skin with mild rosacea and eczema so it can be hard to find foundation that doesn't just accentuate the dryness in certain areas but this one doesn't do that and in fact works better than most foundations I've tried! It sits very nicely on the skin and leaves it looking smooth and natural. There's no glow or dewiness really which I like since because of my dry skin most of my foundations and setting sprays are dewy and hydrating but sometimes I don't want my skin to look dewy, I just want it to look natural yet beautiful. It seems to wear pretty well and at night when I go to take it off I don't see dryness shining through or cracks in the foundation, it still looks good! It takes to my skin and even looks way better than the Sheer Glow foundation which I had high hopes for but doesn't seem to agree with dryness for some reason. I've always thought that all my foundations needed to be "neutral" but I went to Sephora and got perfectly shade matched with Yukon wich has cool undertones I realized that it looks way better and more natural then most neutral shades I've had. This has become the foundation I use most days, along with my Tower28 tinted sunscreen, I do wish it had sunscreen in it though, that would make it perfect! but maybe that would mess with the formula and since I do not want the formula to change one bit it's probably perfect just the way it is. So this has very quickly become my favorite foundation and the only reason it's not getting 5 stars like it should just for the formula and effectiveness alone is because I absolutely cannot stand the pump! It is such a bad pump and squirts out way too much product in one go and there's no way to control the flow of it when it comes out and it is so frustrating and the reason it doesn't get 5 stars. Put a better pump on your amazing foundation Nars!! Since pumps are the best it sucks they put such a crappy one on it.

Didn't Deliver

Given I've been hooked on NARS Creamy Concealer for years, I was so excited to try their version of skin care foundation, especially given the rave reviews I've seen. I have tested for 3 days now, using different application techniques. I am 32 with combination, generally "good" non-acne skin with some visible freckles and sun damage and am sadly generally disappointed with this product. Per the NARS demo video, I first tried warming the product and applying with my hands for a low-key errand day. I was generally pleased with the medium level coverage and natural finish using this technique, but there was nothing wowing that day. I next tried with a Real Techniques sponge and this was surprisingly the worse application, although I generally love the finish that ... MoreGiven I've been hooked on NARS Creamy Concealer for years, I was so excited to try their version of skin care foundation, especially given the rave reviews I've seen. I have tested for 3 days now, using different application techniques. I am 32 with combination, generally "good" non-acne skin with some visible freckles and sun damage and am sadly generally disappointed with this product. Per the NARS demo video, I first tried warming the product and applying with my hands for a low-key errand day. I was generally pleased with the medium level coverage and natural finish using this technique, but there was nothing wowing that day. I next tried with a Real Techniques sponge and this was surprisingly the worse application, although I generally love the finish that sponges give me. After about 8 hours or normal wear at work, I noticed the product breaking up in my oily areas (in between my eyebrows, above my nose, and on my nose), while also settling into my fine lines. Lastly, I tried applying with the Real Techniques face brush and consistent with other YT reviews I've seen, this was my favorite application. For the first time, my skin did have a beautiful natural luminous finish upon application, BUT...again, I noticed the product breaking up after a day of wear similar to the day before.Overall, I agree with the marketing of this product as medium coverage. Consistent with other YT reviews I've watched, I do not consider it "buildable," nor long-wearing. Given the price point of this product and NARS' reputation, I really expected more. If you're truly looking for skincare foundation, I would suggest other options. To give you a comparison between other brands I've used and loved, my staples are Maybelline Fit Me Matte, Clinique Superbalanced and Even Better, and Este Lauder Double Wear. I consider them all more long-wearing, medium to full coverage, with natural but better skin that I get complimented on. This formula could be better.

Love the foundation HATE the bottle/pump

The foundation is beautiful, there's no doubt about that. After buying my first bottle I was so impressed that I got my daughters each one as well. Ive recommended it to practically everyone I know who wears makeup. The finish works for my 40 year old dry skin, my 16 year olds neutral combo skin & my 19 year olds very pale dry skin. That being said, the dispenser is horrible. It's great at first but before you reach halfway through your foundation it starts squirting foundation everywhere or not dispensing anything at all. We aren't new to the product, we know to lift the lid off & dispense one pump. We can't all be doing it wrong. It's not that complicated of a process though I continue to see the response to complaints about the dispenser treated as if it's the ... MoreThe foundation is beautiful, there's no doubt about that. After buying my first bottle I was so impressed that I got my daughters each one as well. Ive recommended it to practically everyone I know who wears makeup. The finish works for my 40 year old dry skin, my 16 year olds neutral combo skin & my 19 year olds very pale dry skin. That being said, the dispenser is horrible. It's great at first but before you reach halfway through your foundation it starts squirting foundation everywhere or not dispensing anything at all. We aren't new to the product, we know to lift the lid off & dispense one pump. We can't all be doing it wrong. It's not that complicated of a process though I continue to see the response to complaints about the dispenser treated as if it's the person using it whose somehow unable to pull the cap off and push rather than deal with the possibility that the pumps fail by the time you use half the bottle, if not before. I purchased three bottles of this foundation just before Christmas and all three have dispensers that are terrible. Mine actually shoots foundation everywhere except where I'm trying to put it. It's very frustrating & seeing the complaints completely dismissed is even more frustrating. There is a problem with the pumps. It's causing a tremendous amount of waste and expense for us and from the reviews it's clear we aren't alone. This foundation is amazing but it's hard to keep buying it when you know you're gonna be fighting with the pump & the mess & then when you try to bring it to the attention of NARS you're dismissed as an idiot who can't use a very basic foundation pump.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A WATER BASED PRIMER TO MATCH

This foundation is beautiful but it’s probably not for you if your looking for something with more coverage. Its buildable but if you put too much on for more coverage. It’s a beautiful formula but It feels like more of a skin tint than a foundation and that’s because it’s water based. If this foundation is not sitting on your skin right it’s probably because1.your skin prep isn’t working or2- because your primer isn’t matching.For skin prep you should be washing your face because of all the sebum and germs that will be sitting under your makeup making it sit weirdly. After that you should be moisturizing with any moisturizer I guess- now after the moisturizer MAKE SURE you have a water based primer that works for you(the elf putty primer isn’t exactly water ... MoreThis foundation is beautiful but it’s probably not for you if your looking for something with more coverage. Its buildable but if you put too much on for more coverage. It’s a beautiful formula but It feels like more of a skin tint than a foundation and that’s because it’s water based. If this foundation is not sitting on your skin right it’s probably because1.your skin prep isn’t working or2- because your primer isn’t matching.For skin prep you should be washing your face because of all the sebum and germs that will be sitting under your makeup making it sit weirdly. After that you should be moisturizing with any moisturizer I guess- now after the moisturizer MAKE SURE you have a water based primer that works for you(the elf putty primer isn’t exactly water based but it works too) of course some silicone based primers are fine but if your using a silicone based primer and your foundations sitting weirdly than that’s probably the issue.After applying the foundation I recommend a powder because usually when I wear this with no powder it leaves so much foundation on my phone after a call.(IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO FIND SILICONE/WATER BASED PRIMERS OR FOUNDATIONS THEN LOOK IT UP ON GOOGLE)Anyways all I’m saying is that if your looking to invest in this foundation, you need more products to make it work.

New Holy Grail Foundation!

Finally tried this after going through multiple different foundations while looking for a new option for daily wear and I absolutely love it! The skincare ingredients are a nice addition to my daily skin routine, the formula blends amazingly, and it really just looks like my skin! The color is really strong too so even just a little goes a long way, though I would say I'd only expect to get medium coverage at most (which is all I ever want). This foundation feels great on my face and works well with all my other products. The only downside I would say is that like all other Nars foundations this one tends to run yellow, the pink shades are perfect for me but might be a little too yellow for those with truly pink undertones (I'm more of a neutral that leans pink). ... MoreFinally tried this after going through multiple different foundations while looking for a new option for daily wear and I absolutely love it! The skincare ingredients are a nice addition to my daily skin routine, the formula blends amazingly, and it really just looks like my skin! The color is really strong too so even just a little goes a long way, though I would say I'd only expect to get medium coverage at most (which is all I ever want). This foundation feels great on my face and works well with all my other products. The only downside I would say is that like all other Nars foundations this one tends to run yellow, the pink shades are perfect for me but might be a little too yellow for those with truly pink undertones (I'm more of a neutral that leans pink). Also definitely not transfer or sweat proof but wears great throughout the day, with the exception of wearing a mask, working out, spending a lot of time outside on a hot day, etc. Basically this foundation gives me everything I want out of a foundation but I could see people with oily skin having some issues with it as I do have to powder my t-zone towards the end of the day and my skin is mostly normal with just some oil that builds up mainly on my chin throughout the day. But I don't mind adding a little extra powder as I have had to do that with every foundation I've ever worn and prefer to err on the side of too dewy than too matte. I would totally recommend trying this out if you're interested!

Not Great For Mature Skin

I gave it a good 4 months of use and I just didnt like the way it looked on my 49yo mature combo skin. First, it’s very watery so one pump isnt enough to cover my entire face no matter how hard I try to spread it out and I have a small face. But then the pump doesnt let u do a 1/2 pump, so i can only do another full second pump which is too much for my whole face. Other foundations and bb creams I’ve used barely require a full pump to cover my face. Second, it feels dry on, and when I try using 3 diff types of powder to set it with, it kept looking so awful cakey dry texturey and all my tiny lines are pronounced, and it makes the tiny bumps show even more. Third, after 2-3 hrs, my nose and forehead become oily. Fourth, by about 9 hrs it looks like I dont even have ... MoreI gave it a good 4 months of use and I just didnt like the way it looked on my 49yo mature combo skin. First, it’s very watery so one pump isnt enough to cover my entire face no matter how hard I try to spread it out and I have a small face. But then the pump doesnt let u do a 1/2 pump, so i can only do another full second pump which is too much for my whole face. Other foundations and bb creams I’ve used barely require a full pump to cover my face. Second, it feels dry on, and when I try using 3 diff types of powder to set it with, it kept looking so awful cakey dry texturey and all my tiny lines are pronounced, and it makes the tiny bumps show even more. Third, after 2-3 hrs, my nose and forehead become oily. Fourth, by about 9 hrs it looks like I dont even have any foundation on anymore. Fifth, when I first put it on it matches my skin color but by end of day i can see orange colored patches of it sitting on top of my natural skin where I didnt powder so I know it oxidized to a darker color. It does not last all day, too light of a coverage, and I’m using double amount of product to cover my entire face. And it’s on the pricier side too. Def not worth the hype. I found Tarte Amazonian Clay and It Cosmetics CC Cream work better for their coverage, lasting ability, and smooth texture on my skin.

Truly your skin but better!

These last 2 years I have been loyal to my NARS sheer glow foundation, but seeing as they weren’t selling it at the Sephora I went to I decided to go ahead and try the light reflecting foundation. The first time I wore it, I was scared it was too light, but I had only put it in a rush, and with a beauty blender. Which in my opinion didn’t give me the best, or most buildable finish to work with.This weekend with some more time I actually tried it out with a brush and it went on beautifully. I’m excited to wear this foundation more!The finish is a satin finish, without the clunky feeling of a more dewy foundation, it’s pretty light weight. It’s the closest I’ve gotten to a your skin but better feel, it look.Also, the color match was pretty spot on.My only ... MoreThese last 2 years I have been loyal to my NARS sheer glow foundation, but seeing as they weren’t selling it at the Sephora I went to I decided to go ahead and try the light reflecting foundation. The first time I wore it, I was scared it was too light, but I had only put it in a rush, and with a beauty blender. Which in my opinion didn’t give me the best, or most buildable finish to work with.This weekend with some more time I actually tried it out with a brush and it went on beautifully. I’m excited to wear this foundation more!The finish is a satin finish, without the clunky feeling of a more dewy foundation, it’s pretty light weight. It’s the closest I’ve gotten to a your skin but better feel, it look.Also, the color match was pretty spot on.My only reasons for not giving it a 5 star yet is because of the way I felt it had applied on the first time with a beauty blender and because in pictures with flash, you can see a slight glow to your face. Not bad at all, but I’m just picky, and it is a review. Perhaps the glow comes from the light reflective properties, even though the foundation claims to have zero flashback.Also, I was on the look out for it to not have flashback, and so far so good. One of my pet peeves is when the face looks too bright in picture from the foundation in comparison to the rest of the body, and I think this one leaves a slight glow still, ( I could just be picky) but I definitely don’t look like I have a ghost face on camera and it looks beautiful. These images were taken with flash, and without it.

Wedding Day Foundation

I cannot speak go how to performs alone, so if that's what you're looking for this review will not help you. However, I mix this with Mac face & body and it has the most natural light medium coverage. The Mac foundation makes the Nars foundation more sheer and together they literally look like perfect skin. Also by mixing you can get a dead on shade match for yourself and it can be adjusted from summer to winter without having to buy separate foundations per season. I agree with the claims that the Nars foundation feels like skin care but its also a little heavy for my preferance, hence the necessary mixing. It has a slight luminosity to it that truely does reflect light like healthy, hydrated skin. So far I have worn the combo for a 12hr shift at work and it looked ... MoreI cannot speak go how to performs alone, so if that's what you're looking for this review will not help you. However, I mix this with Mac face & body and it has the most natural light medium coverage. The Mac foundation makes the Nars foundation more sheer and together they literally look like perfect skin. Also by mixing you can get a dead on shade match for yourself and it can be adjusted from summer to winter without having to buy separate foundations per season. I agree with the claims that the Nars foundation feels like skin care but its also a little heavy for my preferance, hence the necessary mixing. It has a slight luminosity to it that truely does reflect light like healthy, hydrated skin. So far I have worn the combo for a 12hr shift at work and it looked nearly the same at the end of my shift, which is rare. It did not start to separate or have obvious areas of wear off. It also wore very well under a mask. The most important pro though is that it did not break me out! 99% of foundation cause my sensitive skin to break out in either acne or a pustule type rash. This didn't! I have always hated foundation and despite that I am excited I have found this to wear for my upcoming wedding. I took off one star just because I think this looks best mixed rather than alone.