NARS Haul & First Impressions

Hello!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend and enjoying the sunshine, if you have any! Today i thought i would talk you through my foray into the wonderful world of NARS. I have always browsed the Space NK website and have put some NARS products into my digital basket many a time, however i could never bring myself to hit the 'Confirm Order' button to complete the transaction. The thought of spending £30 plus on a product which i didn't know if i would like was a nervewracking prospect. However, a month ago my curiosity got the better of me and when i saw that my wages had landed in my bank account, i bit the bullet and ordered three items from NARS. A couple of days later and a little black box arrived in the post containing my mini haul.




Nars Sheer Glow // Deauville 
£31.00



This is a favourite amongst make up artists and bloggers alike, so this was the instigator in my NARS haul! Having never owned a high end foundation, i was so excited to try this foundation and i had very high hopes for it. Tanya Burr was the main enabler for me, she uses this in her foundations quite frequently and it makes her skin look so perfected and flawless. I opted for the shade 'Deauville'. As i don't have a NARS counter near to me, i looked online for swatches and was struggling to decide between Deauville and Fiji. In the end i decided to go for Deauville, which i believe to be the lighter of the two shades. I always think its better to have a foundation shade which is a little too light, rather than too dark as you can always bronze up your skin to compensate.

From opening the cardboard packaging surrounding the product and being met with a luxurious looking bottle with a matte black chunky lid, this was a great first impression! The consistency of the foundation is quite runny, and definitely caught me by surprise when i excitedly tipped the bottle to pour some of the foundation out. Although the consistency is quite runny, this doesn't mean that you need a lot of it to gain a good coverage. I have found that a little goes a long way with this foundation and i only needed a small amount to gain a good coverage for daytime use. So, hopefully the bottle will last me quite a while! The foundation leaves a lovely 'glow' to the skin and sits somewhere between matte and dewy. It gives your skin a lovely natural luminous effect and i find that it effortlessly provides a flawless perfected finish with medium coverage. I've also found that it lasts pretty well throughout the day, although i do have to touch up with powder a couple of times due to my oily skin type!

There is no getting away from the fact that this foundation is on the pricey side. Buying this was such a gamble for me as i was so unsure as to whether i would like it or not! As you can probably tell, i absolutely love the foundation and think it is definitely worth the price tag. The foundation is totally different compared to any other foundation that i've used and when i do try other foundations, they do not even come close to the Sheer Glow. I think i may have turned into a foundation snob!

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer // Vanilla

£22.00

Along with the foundation, i also bought the Radiant Creamy Concealer. This product has been hyped about by some of my favourite YouTubers and i was curious whether it could rival my trusty budget concealer, the Collection Lasting Perfection. I have the concealer in the shade 'Vanilla', which i believe is one of the lightest colours. I love having a light concealer as i tend to use it as a highlighter come concealer - always lusting over the Kardashian effect! The packaging feels much more sturdy than similar drugstore concealers, the glass/plastic bottle and matte black lid look sophisticated and gives a great impression of quality. The concealer is applied using the doe foot applicator, which personally is one of my favourite methods of applying concealer. The applicator makes is very quick and easy to apply, and you can really wiggle the applicator to ensure that every drop of concealer is used up!

The first time i used this, my hopes were very high - especially after using the Sheer Glow! I firstly noticed how much thicker the concealer felt, in comparison to my Collection one. I persevered and started blending it in with my Real Techniques Setting Brush. Once blended in, i found that the concealer gathered under my eyes and settled into any creases and dry patches around my eyes. Not a good look! After my first attempt, i have played around with different ways of using the concealer. I have decided that for me, it is best to not apply this directly under my eyes as for some reason it does settle into any creases and clings to any dry patches. When i use this on blemishes or for highlighting purposes, i find it does a good job and provides excellent coverage.

The concealer was a bit of a let down for me and i don't really think it is worth the money. Such a shame as i really wanted to like it! I do think its good for covering any blemishes but i find that it clings to dry patches quite easily.

NARS Pro Prime Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Primer
£19.50


To complete my order, i opted for NARS' eyeshadow primer. Prior to using this, i had been faithful to the Urban Decay Primer Potion. However the UD just wasn't working for me anymore and i was on the lookout for a replacement. After googling and reading some reviews, i decided that NARS' eyeshadow primer was the one to go for. I have super oily eyelids and a primer is a must for me on an everyday basis. The primer is packaged in a plastic white tube with a matte black top. You apply the primer using the doe foot applicator, which is really useful for the early mornings when i can simply dab a bit of the primer on each eyelid.

The primer itself is a white creamy substance which when blended, becomes transparent. It blends beautifully onto the lid and is virtually undetectable! I found that any eye make up glides beautifully over the primer and colour payoff is enhanced due to the base. The primer ensures that my eye make up lasts pretty much all day - from 7am when it is applied until 9pm when i remove it.

There is not too much more i can say about this primer but i am really impressed with it. It glides onto the lid nicely and ensures my make up stays on all day. Just what i need it to do!

So, those are my first three NARS purchases and overall i am really impressed! The foundation and primer have really exceeded my expectations and i will definitely be repurchasing them in the future. I'm also eyeing up the Laguna bronzer, which i have been lusting over for years! Maybe i will bite the bullet and order it...

Do you have any NARS recommendations?

Felicity xoxo