About Face: Nars Velvet Matte Skin Tint

A couple of weeks ago I was able to get my hands on NARS‘ newest foundation – Velvet Matte Skin Tint. I tried NARS‘ Tinted Moisturizer and All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation and it just didn’t work for me. First of all, I really don’t like to use a foundation/tinted moisturizer which requires me to blot every three hours – yes, I have oily skin but I just don’t have that type of time. I guess that’s why I’ve always kind of been a matte foundation kind of girl. But even with matte foundations sometimes you have to really make sure it matches perfectly, otherwise you can end up looking an ashy mess.

What drew me to this foundation was the it claims to provide you with a soft matte finish and also improves the look of your skin over time. In addition to that, it also has SPF 30 (you know how I love a makeup product that includes skincare). Because of the texture, it is important that your skin is thoroughly hydrated before applying, especially during the winter months when even those of us with oily skin can see dry patches. Using a facial oil like Cover FX Custom Infusion Drops in addition to a hydrating moisturizer like Origins GinZing™ Energy-Boosting Moisturizer will thoroughly hydrate your skin. For my application I primed my skin with Murad’s Invisiblur™ Perfecting Shield Broad Spectrum SPF 30 to further aid in blurring any imperfections and to create a smooth surface for the foundation. I would recommend using your fingers to apply this foundation as a brush can sometimes leave streaks and a beautyblender will sometimes make it look like it’s been caked on. The coverage is medium-to-full but leans more to the full side of the coverage spectrum. The shade that I am using is Martinique which is a little lighter than the same color in the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 (Seychelles had been my match shade in that formula), but has a warm red undertone so I feel that this will be my perfect match during the summer.

One thing to note is that you need very little of this and it is very easy to blend. What is also true about this formula is that it will stay matte the entire day and it really looks like your own skin. If you have good skin texture and love a matte look, then this is the foundation for you.It doesn’t settle into your fine lines and is pretty transfer resistant.