NARS Light Reflecting Foundation Is Great For All Seasons – Review

Achieve Second-skin like coverage with NARS Light Reflecting Foundation – Review

Skincare-hybrid foundations are the new it thing in the beauty industry. I mean, who doesn’t love the idea of improving your skin while you wear a beautiful skin-perfecting foundation? NARS Light Reflecting Foundation is just that: a foundation that improves skin overtime with each wear, while delivering stunning results with each wear. But, will this foundation perform in an all-day wear? As many do, I like my foundations to not settle into lines or accentuate my skin dryness/texture, while keeping my imperfections concealed and not looking cakey all day. Let’s see if this one lives up to my expectations.

Promises vs. Performance: Skincare meets the perfect face base.

NARS Light Reflecting Foundation is a skincare-makeup hybrid, suitable for all skin types including sensitive and acne-prone. Based on a six-week clinical study, this NARS foundation immediately gives more even skin tone, plus improves skins clarity over time. The breathable formula is vegan and formulated with over 81% naturally derived ingredients, making it suitable for daily use on even sensitive and acne-prone skin. In addition, you’ll always be photo-ready with what NARS calls ‘photochromic technology’ and ‘light reflecting complex,’ which both help boost skin clarity and help adjust the complexion to any light. It features buildable medium coverage that instantly blurs, smooths, and conceals.

While NARS Light Reflecting Foundation does look beautiful on all skin types no matter the season, it does require properly hydrated skin to look A+. I find that this foundation applies best on top of skincare with no primer. Yep, even my favorite Shiseido Synchro Skin Primer is not a good match with this foundation. Once skincare is applied, a pump on each side of the face achieves a solid medium coverage that evens out skin tone as well as conceals redness and blemishes. The texture is lightweight, with a slight velvet feel that blends easily with the fingers, brush, or sponge.

Setting with a translucent powder will aid in the best and longest wear with NARS Light Reflecting Foundation. It does feel breathable as NARS promises. I will say, because it is is a more hydrating formula, you can get a little shiny throughout the day. For me, this isn’t a dealbreaker because I don’t feel greasy, and a dusting of any powder will take down the shine. Whenever I wear this NARS foundation, I get a solid 8 hours of wear out of it.

Quick Rating Rundown Chart

This Product

(4.4)

:NARS Light Reflecting Foundation

Price: $49.00

1.0 oz

Value

(4)

Application

(4.8)

Coverage(med)

(4.7)

Finish (natural)

(4.6)

Longevity

(4.5)

Shade Range

(4)

Extra Benefits

(4.2)

Industry Standard

(4.6)

:Estée Lauder Double Wear

Price: $48.00

1.0 oz

Value

(4.1)

Application

(4.8)

Coverage (full)

(5)

Finish (matte)

(4)

Longeivty

(4.8)

Shade Range

(5)

Extra Benefits

(3.5)

Similar Product

(4.5)

:Haus Labs Triclone Skin Tech Foundation

Price: $45.00

1.0 oz

Value

(4.3)

Application

(4.4)

Coverage (med)

(4.5)

Finish (natural)

(4.8)

Longevity

(4.2)

Shade Range

(5)

Extra Benefits

(4.6)

MILABU PICKS

(4.5+)

:Best Foundation For Winter

Price: $20 – $96

various

Value

(4.5+)

Application

(4.5+)

Coverage

(4.5+)

Finish

(4.5+)

Longevity

(4.5+)

Shade Range

(4.5+)

Extra Benefits

(4.5+)

^{Our Rating Criteria}

How It Compares: NARS Light Reflecting Foundation is a great addition to any makeup collection.

NARS Light Reflecting Foundation has easily become one of my favorites, especially when my skin is feeling or looking drier than usually. This skincare-infused foundation is packed with hydrating and protecting ingredients, like biommetic oat, cacao peptides and milk thistle, algae extract, as well as exclusive NARS technologies like photochromic technology and a light reflecting complex. The coverage is buildable medium with a lightweight, breathable feel. When paired with a setting powder, this NARS foundation will wear beautifully for 8 hours – you may just get a little shiny from all the hydrating ingredients, but a powder touch-up will fix that! I love that I can feel good about what I put on my skin even during when doing full glam makeup looks.

As much as I do love NARS Light Reflecting Foundation, there are several other staples in my makeup collection. One of these is Estée Lauder Double Wear, an industry classic. Double Wear is the foundation I can always count on for coverage and longevity. It provides some of the fullest coverage out there, but does require a bit of effort to apply to ensure it doesn’t look cakey. With this foundation, you’ll get a natural matte finish.

Charlotte Tilbury Beautiful Skin Foundation is another favorite of mine. This one provides buildable medium coverage with skincare benefits, just like NARS Light Reflecting Foundation. Hydrated, plump skin is what you’ll have when wearing this Charlotte Tilbury foundation. It resists settling and creasing for all day, glowy skin. This isn’t the lightest weight foundation (NARS Light Reflecting is lighter), but also not as heavy as Estée Lauder Double Wear.

Comparison to Top Performers

While NARS Light Reflecting Foundation might not have the highest coverage compared to an industry standard like Estée Lauder Double Wear, it does hold its own against other top foundations. It has an easy application, a solid medium coverage, and a skin-like finish. I’d compare it to other foundations faves like HAUS LABS Triclone Skin Tech and LYS Triple Fix. See the chart below to see how these foundations compare in terms of application, coverage, finish, and longevity.

Performance Rating Chart

This Product

(4.8)

:NARS Light Reflecting Foundation

Application

(4.8)

Coverage (medium)

(4.7)

Finish (natural)

(4.6)

Longevity

(4.5)

Similar Product

(4.5)

:HAUS LABS Triclone Skin Tech Foundation

Application

(4.4)

Coverage (medium)

(4.5)

Finish (natural)

(4.8)

Longevity

(4.2)

Similar Luxury

(4.8)

:Koh Gen Do Aqua Foundation

Application

(4.9)

Coverage (medium)

(4.8)

Finish (natural)

(5)

Longevity

(4.3)

Similar Clean Product

(4.3)

:LYS Triple Fix Serum Foundation

Application

(4.4)

Coverage (medium)

(4.2)

Finish (natural)

(4.4)

Longevity

(4.2)

^{Our Rating Criteria}