Nars' first tinted moisturiser, probably the first tinted moisturiser I ever wanted to try since my discovery of the shade Stromboli. Nars Stromboli was the first shade to come so close to my skin tone so I was very hopeful of their tinted moisturiser range as I was tired of tinted moisturisers that were far too pink for me. I luckily got this 8ml sample off of eBay and have loved the convenience and cuteness of this little tube!
What Nars say:
Your skin – almost bare, but better. This advanced, oil-free formula provides a translucent veil of color and sun protection while helping to reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots in just four weeks. Infused with lush, naturally derived botanicals and ingredients to immediately help thirsty skin feel hydrated. Kopara from French Polynesia and mineral rich seawater revive and re-mineralize skin for a softer, smoother, and brighter natural glow. Skin is transported.
- Advanced sun protection
- Hydrates and helps reduce the appearance of hyperpigmentation and dark spots for a brighter natural glow
- Oil-free. Dermatologist tested. Non-comedogenic. Synthetic fragrance free.
Consumer Testing Results:
- 84% felt their skin was more radiant and luminous
- 81% felt the product smoothed out the surface of their skin
- 81% felt the product gave them immediate hydration
Shade
I chose the shade St. Moritz which is described as "medium with a neutral yellow undertone". I'd gotten my hand on the Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser first and found St. Moritz to be a peachy neutral yellow shade on me like it's been described as, I did notice that it wasn't quite golden olive as I liked but I did like the subtle peachy warm glow it added to my face, it was a nice match and it didn't make me look ashy or orange so I chose this same shade when I got a sample of their Velvet Matte Skin Tint (review HERE) and the two shades are slightly different if you remember me mentioning in the latters review. The Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser is a bit darker than the Velvet Matte Skin Tint which I was finding a little difficult to work with as it was running on the light side for me. Even though the Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser version works better for me than the Velvet Matte Skin Tint version, I find it a shade too light for the darker parts of my face like the upper part of my forehead and around my mouth which are typical places some South Asians are darker but on my cheeks, nose, lower forehead the shades pretty perfect.
Thing is I've looked at their shade range and I agree Nars do do a great range of shades but I do find it lacks rich golden olive shades in all of their base products. When I first started showing interest in makeup I always used to hear my fellow South Asians say great things about how well Nars cater to Asian skin tones but after doing thorough research and speaking to a lot of people in the beauty world (who share similar interests in olive toned bases like myself), we've come to the realisation that olive shades are actually quite hard to seek out. St. Moritz in the Radiant Tinted Moisturiser range does lack the golden olive depth that I've come to adore but I can definitely wear it comfortably compared to the Velvet Matte Skin Tint St. Moritz. The shades above St. Moritz Annapurna and Cuba look dark for my skin, I've looked at swatches and Cuba does seem to look olive so I think I might be something in between St. Moritz and Cuba, perhaps St. Moritz for the centre of my face and a mix of the two for the perimeter? All in all it's not an awful shade. (More swatches HERE)
Texture
This has the texture of a moisturiser -duh- haha! It's light and creamy texture with a nice amount of emollience but isn't overly rich, thick or greasy. I would say this is ideal for normal to very dry skin types. On myself I apply ontop of my usual moisturiser / sunscreen then set it with a light dusting of powder and it's perfect. I apply 5 small dots (around a pea size) and blend outwards with my H&M BB Cream Brush (review HERE) and it just blends in effortlessly. I've applied with fingers and it's not bad but I prefer the mess free option of a brush. I suppose you could apply with a sponge as well but I reckon it would absorb product unnecessarily. This does have a slight setting factor too. It contains an SPF of 30 but I don't recommend relying solely on this tinted moisturiser for protection as I doubt you would apply enough product to get the right amount of protection. This has a similar scent to the Velvet Matte Skin Tint, it's slightly citrusy and floral but not overbearing.
Finish
This has a radiant finish on my dehydrated combination skin and I apply on top of my moisturiser, I find I need to apply a bit of moisturiser underneath this as I can't rely on the tinted moisturiser on its own for moisture, I also find it applies much smoother and easier this way. Because this is a fairly hydrating product it doesn't catch onto dry flakes too much but skin prep is still essential to get a nicer finish. The dewiness this product lets off is obviously dependable on your skin type and skin prep. I personally think you can get an undetectable finish with this, again dependable on how much you apply and your preferences though this does impart a glow.
I find this does smooth the skin slightly but nowhere near as smoothing and plumping as the Urban Decay One & Done Hybrid Complexion Perfector (review HERE). I adore the UD One & Done for that reason but the Nars mimics the skins natural texture more and fills in pores just a little. Because of its radiant finish I like to set this with a skin smoothing powder like my beloved Soap & Glory Kick Ass Powder (review HERE) as bumpy skin and radiant finishes don't work well together, though currently I'm using the Urban Decay Ultra Definition Loose Powder because my Kick Ass is finished, it does a similar job at smoothing and pore filling but it's not as forgiving as my Kick Ass but does a better job at keeping oils at bay. Once set with those specific powders I love how smooth and natural my skin looks!
Feel
This does sink in well to the skin and does feel quite lightweight, I do sometimes forget I have this on. It feels like your regular moisturiser to be honest. It's moisturising and comfortable on myself, keeps my skin soft and overall works really well with my skin type, better than the Velvet Matte Skin Tint formula. I would recommend setting this with a powder if you have combination skin. Someone with oily skin might find this too emollient for their skin as this is hydrating and moisturising, the Velvet Matte Skin Tint would obviously be the better choice for them.
Coverage
This offers sheer to medium coverage. It works well at unifying the skin. I always thought I was more of a medium finish kinda gal, but I've realised I do love how my skin looks when it's evened out a little and minor blemishes are blurred out a little whilst still retaining a skin like finish. I personally think a tinted moisturiser should be undetectable and discreet and shouldn't be heavily relied on for coverage as it wasn't made for that purpose. I do struggle with the hyperpigmentation around my mouth and my under eyes as St. Moritz is a lot lighter than those areas and it does look grey, I use my orange corrector but can't use a lot as the tinted moisturiser doesn't cover the orange, I literally apply a tiny bit and blend it into the skin just to leave a slight stain and then use the tinted moisturiser over the top, it doesn't counteract the darkness completely but it looks a lot better than without any orange corrector, it really makes a difference. I also use a tiny bit of Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Ginger (review HERE) for a teensy bit more coverage. As this doesn't really cover under eye circles or blemishes very well you may want to use a concealer.
Build-ability
I find this formula really easy to work with, it applies effortlessly, blends effortlessly, sinks in effortlessly and builds fairly easily too, it doesn't cake up or get patchy or anything. If you want to build this product then I recommend you apply a thin layer first, let it sink in and then apply the next layer where you need it. It has the texture of a moisturiser so imagine trying to put a generous amount of moisturiser on all at once or too soon after the first amount. It would just slide around everywhere, so you're better off letting it settle and sink in and then applying more but beware it can get greasy.
Longevity
This is a fairly emollient product so if it isn't set with a powder then I find it gets quite oily and starts to separate on my skin. Once set with a good powder this does last long and well enough for me. Someone with a drier skin type will probably hold the foundation better but as I have dehydrated combination skin this stays looking good and feeling comfortable but I do have some oils come out after some time which ultimately affect the finish and longevity overall if not set with a powder.
Oxidisation
I haven't noticed any major oxidising so no qualms here, although I think it deepens a teeny smidge.
Overall Thoughts
I got along a lot better with this formula than the Velvet Matte Skin Tint. It's easy to apply and blends into the skin really well leaving a lovely radiant and comfortable finish that doesn't get cakey. Although I do like it and think it's a superb formula, this isn't my favourite tinted moisturiser formula, I adore the Urban Decay One & Done a lot more, it offers so much more, it fits my skin type better and gives me everything I want from a lightweight tinted moisturiser base, it's hydrating but doesn't make me look overly radiant, plus it gives me the smooth plump finish I yearn for. If I could have the shade St. Moritz in the One & Done formula it would have been more ideal. Overall I recommend this for people with pretty good and dry to very dry skin as they would benefit from the lightweight feel and radiance this product provides.
Quick Round-Up
Pros
- Natural and skin like
- Hydrating
- Lightweight
- Light to medium coverage
- Ideal for drier skin types
Cons
- Not the most smoothing of formulas
- Not forgiving on textured skin
- Not ideal for problem or blemished skin
- Doesn't provide any more than medium coverage
- Not ideal for oily skin