Have you ever bought something, tried it, loved it, then hated it, put it away for a few months, tried it again, and then fell in love with it? Because I'm like that with ALL of my products. I first tried the NARS All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation (jeez could they choose a longer name) back in March last year and I hated it. I gave it another try in January and hated it. For the past 2-3 months, I've been using it again and I freaking love it! I decided to give it another chance because I didn't want my bottle to go to waste and I fell in love with it (not just because I'm a hardcore NARSissist). I made some MAJOR skin care changes and I think that's why I like this foundation so much now.
The NARS All Day Luminous foundation retails for $48. It's a great option for people with normal to combination/oily skin who want medium to full coverage and a lightweight foundation. I really want to add this to my kit for models and clients with oily skin, but it comes in a heavy glass bottle and I really don't want to add 15 pounds to my kit. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone with dry skin or acne because it does have a tendency to emphasize dry patches, which is common for most NARS foundations. However, if you do have dry skin, try the NARS Radiant Creamy Compact instead.
This is the only NARS foundation that has a pump included, which is a miracle. The pump is designed to pump half the amount of product of a normal pump, if that makes sense. The foundation is very concentrated, so you don't need a lot of product. My issue with the pump is that it's hard to do a half pump. It tends to drip down the side if you don't press it hard.
Longevity: This foundation pretty much lasts "all day" on me as the name implies. I put it on at 8 in the morning and come home at 8 at night and still look good. I do get a little shiny after about 7 hours, but that's normal for me. The foundation doesn't start to feel heavy throughout the day, and the coverage doesn't fade at all. I've worn this in cold weather (17 degrees in Chicago) and warm weather (90 degrees here in Orange County) and it lasted through both. When I use this without any primer, I notice it creases on my forehead. I used this with the Makeup Forever smoothing primer and it doesn't crease at all. I'm surprised the primer actually works.
Shade: This foundation comes in 20 shades and my shade is Stromboli. (Note: Stromboli in the All Day Luminous line is a LOT more olive than Stromboli in the Sheer Glow/Matte line.) This shade is a perfect match for me when I'm not too pale or too tan, just right in between. I used to mix this with Ceylan and it was a disaster because it turned gray on me (never again).
Top: NARS All Day in Stromboli | Bottom: NARS Sheer Glow in Stromboli
Coverage: On the NARS website, they recommend using one pump for the whole face... GIRL. One pump is not enough for me; one pump covers the bare minimum. For everyday, I use about one and a half pumps, which is the perfect amount to even out my skin and cover my hyperpigmentation. For special events, I like to do two pumps. I normally end up with left over product so I can layer over areas I need more coverage.
Click to enlarge images below
No makeup
Only foundation and concealer applied, no flash
Only foundation and concealer applied, with flash
Finish: The finish of this foundation is so beautiful. It sets matte, but it has a slight sheen, which makes the foundation look a bit more "natural" on the skin. I still dust some translucent powder on top just to ensure it lasts all day and so my blush and highlight can go on smoothly.
Application: My favorite way to apply this foundation is with the Real Techniques stippling brush. I like to work in sections because this foundation sets quickly. I prefer using a stippling brush with this foundation because it picks up less product and I can layer extra foundation where I need it most. On the NARS website, they recommend using hands. I tried using my hands and it's not my favorite method. The foundation sets too quickly before I can blend it in. I also used a Beauty Blender a few times and it's not my favorite method either. No matter how much blending I do, there's always a spot that looks patchy.
This is currently my go-to foundation. I haven't been wearing anything else. I think I'm going to try the NARS All Day Luminous Powder that goes along with this and see if it performs just as well or even better.
Let me know in the comments if you've ever had an experience like me!
-A
Disclaimer: I did not receive any money to talk about any brands mentioned above. I bought these products with my own money. All opinions are also my own.
All pictures belong to me, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without my permission.