NARS Radiant Cream Compact Foundation

shontay07108

Well-known member
I finally ordered this foundation from the Nars website and the case for it. I should have it Tuesday or Wednesday. Can't wait to try it on.
 

Ingenue

Well-known member
I finally ordered this foundation from the Nars website and the case for it. I should have it Tuesday or Wednesday. Can't wait to try it on.
I can't wait till you try it! I want to know how it holds up on your drier skin. Mine is oily, so I'm always interested in alternate opinions about wear on different skin types.
 

Ingenue

Well-known member
YES! OMG So much yes! That's why I had to return the Matchmaster foundation. It was a GOOD match, but I just looked so... dull if that's a word I could use. LIke no brightness to my face at all.

And yes, if I can't find my shade in a foundation, drugstore or high end, I'm returning it. I can't even imagine (for me) buying like two different NARS foundations to mix them. They're like 44 bucks a pop! Kudos to the women who have got it like that, but I know I do not. And as for drugstore, I feel like if they want my money as a woman of color, they should make a shade that I can use. I get that everyone is different, but if one shade is like NC45 and the next one down is like NW55, that's not gon get it.
The best way to correct for this is to use a matte bronzer or highlighter to help bring all of the shades of your face together. If you regularly correct for the center of your face with your foundation shade ... then use a darker bronzer to go around the edges of your face. If you correct for the 'outer' edges of your face, then use a lighter color to bring the center of your face forward.

That way you don't have to buy two foundations (which, yes, I can see turning into an epic waste of money), and you can always go for the same color foundations because you know you've got a 'corrector' to make it work seamlessly.
 

MissTT

Well-known member
Good suggestion, Ingenue. I need to invest in a bronzer and never got around to finding one dark enough this summer. Do you have any recommendations for our color?
 

Ingenue

Well-known member
Have you tried Guerlain?
I was going to suggest that Monsy. Guerlain makes great matte bronzers that imitate skin. I swear by them. I use all of the matte colors to 'adjust' any foundations on any given skin tone, including my own. They work like a dream.
 

MissTT

Well-known member
I actually haven't had the opportunity to try Guerlain because there's no counter near me. I'd have no idea which shade(s) to try.
 

Monsy

Well-known member
I can't really help with the color, Ingenue will probably be more helpful with that but they have the best bronzers out there. You cant go wrong with them.
 

MissTT

Well-known member
That's okay, Monsy. Thanks for the enabling. LOL I can't sort out where to start with Guerlain bronzers. They're so many of them.
 

Ingenue

Well-known member
You do have to test them first. I suggest playing with them in person. The color range is amazing on all of the bronzers. I find Four Seasons to be the most universal for skin tone/type... but I honestly prefer the singular bronzers for multiple uses because I can get more 'wear' out of them.

I have 01 (Clair) which I use for an all over powder foundation when I need it, or to 'buff out' the lines of some raggedly foundation that I got tricked into wearing (and didn't have time to swap out). It softens everything on my face and 'blurs' the lines of any substandard product.

I use 03 (shimmer) for actual 'bronzing' purposes on my face. Although it contains shimmer, you can't really tell. I buff it out very well and it adds a bronze 'radiance' to the high points of my face (the parts that would be exposed to the sun).
 

shontay07108

Well-known member
I can't wait till you try it! I want to know how it holds up on your drier skin. Mine is oily, so I'm always interested in alternate opinions about wear on different skin types.
I'm supposed to get it on Wednesday, I see. I love that Nars uses Fed Ex. They usually arrive very early. Have you see the new Givenchy foundation? It's called Teint Couture. I swatched it today next to the Mat Radiance one that you have and I was surprised to see the Mat Radiance glided across my skin much better. I thought the Couture would be better than the mat, but it seemed kind of stiff and a teeny bit lighter. I swatched the darkest shades in both. I'm still kinda curious so I might try one or both someday, but it's Nars first.
 

luvlydee

Well-known member
Have you see the new Givenchy foundation? It's called Teint Couture. I swatched it today next to the Mat Radiance one that you have and I was surprised to see the Mat Radiance glided across my skin much better. I thought the Couture would be better than the mat, but it seemed kind of stiff and a teeny bit lighter. I swatched the darkest shades in both. I'm still kinda curious so I might try one or both someday, but it's Nars first.
i hate fed ex. although it comes earlier during the day it take FOREVER to get to my house. ups comes so fast even thought the deliver late afternoon.
 

Ingenue

Well-known member
Have you see the new Givenchy foundation? It's called Teint Couture. I swatched it today next to the Mat Radiance one that you have and I was surprised to see the Mat Radiance glided across my skin much better. I thought the Couture would be better than the mat, but it seemed kind of stiff and a teeny bit lighter. I swatched the darkest shades in both. I'm still kinda curious so I might try one or both someday, but it's Nars first.
I haven't seen it in person yet Shontay. I like the Mat Radiance for high drama because the coverage is on point. I'm disappointed to know that the new one isn't an improvement. I have to say that NARS is always a better bet for foundation though. They have perfected shading... and their formulations keep getting better. I still can't find anything that holds a candle to the Radiant Tinted Moisturizer. It just kills the competition.

Givenchy still has a lot to learn about 'wide net' marketing, and formulation consistency. They're hit and miss. They've not done much to be 'inclusive' for skin types and/or skin tones. And there's not one of their products that I can't live without... I can always find something comparable (and better quality) from a more conscious company.

Even Guerlain is off the charts inclusive. I think that has a lot to do with the company's love affair with the Far East. There's nothing quite like pulling out one of those amazing Kohl pencils...
 

MissTT

Well-known member
You do have to test them first. I suggest playing with them in person. The color range is amazing on all of the bronzers. I find Four Seasons to be the most universal for skin tone/type... but I honestly prefer the singular bronzers for multiple uses because I can get more 'wear' out of them.

I have 01 (Clair) which I use for an all over powder foundation when I need it, or to 'buff out' the lines of some raggedly foundation that I got tricked into wearing (and didn't have time to swap out). It softens everything on my face and 'blurs' the lines of any substandard product.

I use 03 (shimmer) for actual 'bronzing' purposes on my face. Although it contains shimmer, you can't really tell. I buff it out very well and it adds a bronze 'radiance' to the high points of my face (the parts that would be exposed to the sun).
I'm not sure when I'd ever get to a Guerlain counter. At least I can follow your leads though. Thanks for the shade references. Would 03 be too light (and shimmery) to use for contouring?
 

shontay07108

Well-known member
I used to love Fed Ex when it delivered between 11-2. It was just a fact that whenever they had a package for me, that's when I'd get it. It was like that for years. Then something happened, they switched drivers and now it's anywhere from 11am to 6pm. It's ridiculous and the driver is a weirdo. I hate having to get up early as hell for Fed Ex (because they deliver between 8 and 11), but at least it's out of the way early and my package isn't going all over the state all day.
 

shontay07108

Well-known member
Well, this foundation is..interesting. I've been wearing it for a couple of hours and I have some pros and cons. The pros: It's so damn creamy! I love it. It feels so good going on the skin and I've never had another foundation that felt so good going onto my skin. Second, my skin glows with this stuff. That's rare for my dry skin. The cons (or just weird things): It clings to dry patches like no other. I didn't exfoliate my nose enough apparently (I know that's a problem area) because my nose looked a hot mess when I first applied this. Also, it showed some dry patches on my forehead that I didn't even know was there! No good. I have to really get down and get rid of that dry skin before I use this. The most troubling con, though is the shade. Now, when I first applied it it seemed really, really light. The good thing is that it blended in great. However, when I went to take pictures I switched to flash and wow. You can call me ghost face. Is this foundation not flash friendly or do I have the wrong shade? I've never had that kind of flashback on a foundation ever. Looked like I was wearing a mask. Yes, I did set it with powder. After that horrible sight I scrutinized my face even harder to see if this is the right shade. It really seems like it to the naked eye and regular photos, but that flash scared the hell out of me. :dunno: I'm pretty sure I will keep this. I want to play with it more and if I'm going to do that what's the point in returning it? It doesn't seem to irritate my skin, so I'm good. I just don't quite know what to make of this yet. ETA: After thinking it over, I think either I applied too much or didn't work it into my skin enough and that's causing the horrible look in the flash pictures. It's possible.
 

Ingenue

Well-known member
You got flashback Shontay? That's odd. Take a picture without the powder and see what happens. Boo to it emphasizing the dry patches! What do you use to exfoliate? Is your skin sensitive at all? Since you're so dry... I'm betting that you can use an oil-based exfoliator to get rid of the patches and deposit moisture at the same time.
 

shontay07108

Well-known member
You got flashback Shontay? That's odd. Take a picture without the powder and see what happens. Boo to it emphasizing the dry patches! What do you use to exfoliate? Is your skin sensitive at all? Since you're so dry... I'm betting that you can use an oil-based exfoliator to get rid of the patches and deposit moisture at the same time.
Crazy flashback. I'm going to take a picture before I powder tomorrow and see what happens. I consider my skin to be sensitive because I have eczema and I can't use products like mineralize skinfinishes and other products with bismuth oxychloride. I use a Neutrogena Invigorating Scrub to exfoliate. Admittedly, I didn't do it today until just now after I removed the foundation. I definitely needed it. :lol:
 

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