NARS Sheer Matte Foundation

I've been trying to get a wee take-home tester of NARS Sheer Matte foundation for a while now, but until recently had failed miserably to secure a sample. One day, the counter in Brown Thomas had no sample pots. Another day - according to another sales assistant - they didn't "do" samples.

I'd had a crappy day and wasn't bothered to have an arguement.

Third time lucky, though: I scored a little pot brimming with Fiji, the shade that a lovely helpful sales assistant prescribed, on my next visit. The next morning, I pulled out my trusty MAC 187 duofibre brush and set to work; I don't think I'd ever looked forward to trying a new foundation quite so much.

Sheer Matte is oil-free, gives a matte finish, and controls shine for normal-to-oily skintypes. It also promises skin-improving benefits along the lines of Diorskin Nude, and I was really hoping that it would takes its place in my foundation wardrobe alongside Diorskin Nude as my matte everyday foundation.

Sadly, I do not love NARS Sheer Matte, which has left me with a bit of an ache in my heart. It doesn't sit well on my skin at all, the coverage is far too sheer for my tastes, and I find it difficult to build up evenly to achieve a more opaque finish. I think oily skinned fans of Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Fluid who craved a more matte finish would probably get on well with this, but I'm definitely in the unfortunate minority that it doesn't suit.

Blub!