Nars Sheer Glow Foundation (Syracuse Med/Dark 1) – Review

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation Syracuse Med/Dark 1

Finding foundation to match my skin is a major pain in the butt. Despite my skin being in good condition I have the patchiest, uneven skin tone. My face is lighter than my neck and the area around my mouth is darker than everything else, which I know a lot of women of colour experience. However, my first Nars foundation hasn’t been a disappointment. I went into Space NK and was matched to the colour Syracuse.

Sheer Glow from Nars is a sheer, buildable coverage foundation with a satin-finish meant for dryer skin, it comes in 20 different colours. At £31 a bottle it is not a foundation I can personally afford to use every day. Furthermore, it doesn’t come with a pump making application a bit more laborious and unhygienic. Having said that the formula is very light and blends really easily. I like to apply this foundation with my Zoeva Silk Finish Face Brush.

The formula contains anti-oxidants to combat the free radicals in the atmosphere which can cause damage to the skin. As this comes in a see-through bottle and has an open top I’m not sure how stable the anti-oxidants are, as they can react to light and air. It is non-comedogenic and fragrance free making it great for sensitive skin.

Having combination skin I wasn’t sure whether this would suit my skin but it doesn’t leave me looking too oily. I would compare the feel of this foundation similar to a moisturiser as it doesn’t feel heavy or uncomfortable to use.

Now on the to the appearance. Although the coverage is said to be sheer, I would say that this is more medium coverage. The finish is definitely dewy so I need to apply setting powder on my T-Zone, but then again I have combination skin.

I find that this colour is a good match for my skin, the colour has a neutral-beige undertone (not too yellow or pink) which means if I wear too much of it it can look a little muddy (not good!). It is heavy enough to even out my skin tone and cover up imperfections, but it doesn’t cover beauty spots or look cakey, even after a second layer.

No make-up on Left. Nars Sheer Glow on Right. (Natural Light)

No make-up on Left. Nars Sheer Glow on Right. (Natural Light)

No make-up on Left. Nars Sheer Glow on Right. (Flash Photography)

Now unfortunately for me this foundation is going to have to go into the  “No Flash Photography” category. As you can see from the picture above there is an ashy appearance around my mouth with the flash, which is surprising as this colour matches me and even looks a little darker in real life and it doesn’t contain SPF. When I wear an orange corrector underneath the ashyness reduces a lot.

This foundation does oxidise a bit by the end of the day but nowhere near as near as my MAC Studio Fix Foundation. I do need to touch this up with pressed powder every 3-4 hours on my T-Zone but the coverage doesn’t fade over the course of the day. I would recommend this for people with drier skin and also if you’re sensitive/break-out prone. Also my mum who is in her 60’s LOVES this foundation.

Have you tried this foundation? What were your thoughts? Comment below and let me know

Jay x