Review: NARS All Day Weightless Luminous Foundation

When it comes to naming their products, NARS sure do they like their crazy long titles - I don't think you could possibly fit another adjective into this mad choice of name. On first impressions, this foundation makes a hell of a lot of promises. But after three weeks of use, it's certainly lived up to them all.

Until about a year ago, I was terrified of foundations. After a couple of orange-coloured disasters in my early teens, I thought I was done with the stuff for life. Even being colour-matched filled me with dread. For years I was quite happy jogging along with Benefit's cult classic 'Erase Paste' and whatever cheap compact powder I stumbled upon. They were simpler times.
When I started my job in retail last April, I was plagued with a series of bad breakouts. It's as if my skin knew that I needed to look my best and was punishing me for years of neglect. So I bought the BareMinerals introductory kit and dabbled in foundation for the first time since I was fourteen. Except thick foundation powder in the height of Summer isn't such a great combination. As I wrote here, I then moved onto  Benefit's 'The Big Easy' liquid-to-powder CC cream which worked great for a while - it was thick consistency and ideal for 8-hour shifts. But once I got to university, I wanted lighter, natural-looking coverage. I was distinctly underwhelmed by the BareMinerals 'BareSkin' serum foundation and was in the market for a new product when the latest NARS addition was released. Devoted fans of the original 'Sheer Glow' foundation haven't exactly been singing this one's praises, but I never got on with the cult classic when I used to steal it from my Mum's dressing table. An update of the hugely successful foundation with a matte finish? I couldn't resist and indulged when I attended #BeautyChatLIVE last week.

Shade: Mont Blanc

After three weeks of use, I'm seriously impressed. This foundation has withstood full days of lectures and some big nights out. It doesn't budge and looks very natural - it gives the skin a slight glow and is still suitable for oiler complexions. One of my old qualms about foundation is that it has a tendency to sit on the top of your skin and just generally looks 'cakey'. The new NARS formula is so easy to blend that I found using my fingers is more effective than a standard foundation brush. Personally, I don't set the foundation with a powder because it makes me look a little too 'done-up' for my liking but instead carry round my trusty Sephora blotting pads for oily T-Zone emergencies.
It's not the best for covering up break-outs but it does provide a great base for further concealing. My love of 'Erase Paste' is still going strong some seven years later! Although I absolutely love the packaging (even the bottle has a slight 'glow' to it), I do find the lid gets a bit grubby very quickly. I did my best to wipe it down with a make-up remover wipe for the above snap but it was just not having it - on the plus side, I suppose it's testament to this foundation's long-lasting power! Another advantage of this foundation is the pump that's included - sounds obvious but it's a NARS first.
Retailing at £32, NARS' latest addition isn't the cheapest foundation out there but it isn't the most expensive either. I've personally found a match I'm happy with as it combines a sheer, natural glow with the right amount of coverage and a matte finish. I can only sing it's praises. What can I say, it's love.