NARS • Sheer Matte • Liquid

Where To Buy?

*TOP REVIEWER* missvox2 on 2/26/2010 4:18:00 PM more reviews by missvox2

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight   Eyes: Brown    

I got the Sheer Matte as I am on the oily combo side. This is a great improvement from the old NARS oil-free foundation. The old formula was not that easy to blend and did not last long enough. I wear Punjab in the Sheer Matte and a NC30 in MAC for reference. The formula goes on very smoothly, with medium coverage. Its as long lasting as MAC SFF, yeh! I have mixed this with my other foundations, like Armani fluid and SFF and didn't give me any problems. I like to mix my foundations sometimes. This one didn't have a pump like the Firming foundation. NARS please provide foundation pumps for purchase!

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LZK on 2/23/2010 10:20:00 PM more reviews by LZK

Age: 19-24   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I tried this as a lighter matte alternative to my revlon colorstay. IMO, this does apply nicely and evenly EXCEPT when I used it over my usual primer (Smashbox). It just slid around over Smashbox. Apparently this has to be used over a mainly water based primer. When I wore it w/o the primer sine I don't have a water based one it looked great and lasted well. I'm a NC/NW20 and was matched with Fiji, but it seemed just a bit too yellow for me.

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mlim74 on 2/15/2010 8:04:00 PM more reviews by mlim74

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I decided to give NARS foundation a try after I fell in love with their blushes. I figured this is a reputable company and have heard good things about their foundations. Since I have combination oily skin, I was recommended the Sheer Matte formula as opposed to the Sheer Glow formula. The Sheer Matte formula also seemed to have slightly more coverage than the Sheer Glow. I was color matched to Punjab.

I tried a variety of different application methods, but found that the best method was also the least expensive…..my fingers. Though I am not a big fan of using my fingers to apply foundation, I found that this foundation works best when it’s warmed on the fingers first. The foundation applies and blends much better than working with any brush. I tried the Giorgio Armani Foundation Brush, as well as the MAC 190 and 187 brushes. This foundation provides light/medium coverage that is buildable. I set it with a very light dusting of powder to get staying power. It wears nicely throughout the day, and needs minimal touch up.

The only downside of this foundation is the packaging. I don’t understand why a $42 foundation doesn’t come with a pump dispenser? I was completely caught off guard since the testers all had them. I have been told by a NARS representative that the company will be coming out with pumps for their foundations, but didn’t have a specific date. Foundations without pumps are just messy after a few uses. I will only repurchase this after they start making the pump. It's a good foundation, but not the Holy Grail of foundations for me.

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*TOP REVIEWER* ProductJunkey on 2/15/2010 2:30:00 AM more reviews by ProductJunkey

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

Very disappointed with this one. I do like the Nars Sheer Glow, so I thought this would be just as good, if not better because I have combo skin.
First, it was difficult to blend and it really didn't cover my redness, the coverage is much more sheer than Sheer Glow. Even when I tried building the coverage, it just wasn't working. Did not last , either. Staying power isn't good. Very difficult to find a color match for me. These colors run very yellow.

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*TOP REVIEWER* lillylou2 on 2/8/2010 10:24:00 PM more reviews by lillylou2

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Hazel    

First time I applied it I had to wash it off...It honestly looked that bad.....second time I just tried to smooth it on with my fingers..it was a streaky mess....I hate that this stuff blows...I wanted to like it, but I'll play around with it a bit more hopefully I'll find some purpose for it.

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dozeyluvr on 2/3/2010 5:21:00 PM more reviews by dozeyluvr

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Oily, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

first of all, i got this in the lightest color. siberia. and i loved how it looked, a little went a long way and it evened out my skin tone without making me look cakey or like i had any makeup on. but that evening i got a really bad cystic acne on my chin, and it hurt to smile, and i broke out on my nose and forhead. i loved this product but im so mad it broke me outt.

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jellibellyz on 2/3/2010 12:54:00 AM more reviews by jellibellyz

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy   Eyes: Brown    

i am an nc30..and my color in nars sheer matte is stromboli, but i feel i could also wear barcelona..but i have extremely oily acne prone skin and i do love this foundation!! its very light weight and it does leave a matte finish on my skin..

i have tried using the sephora#55 and mac brushes to apply on my face but honestly the best way for me to put this on my face was with my fingers..i had to make sure it was really warmed up on my fingers and it goes on so smoothly on my skin!!! i hate how its so expensive, but coverage buildable and has not broken me out, which is a plus!!! i would buy again..now i would like to try the sheer glow!!!!

for all of you who dont like this foundation the makeup forever mat velvet is a good one too..think its $34...a little but cheaper than nars

edit: i returned it..drop it to 3 stars sheer glow is much better im nc 30 n punjab matches. natural coverage and i like heavy coverage

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Jenniferzz on 1/23/2010 5:46:00 AM more reviews by Jenniferzz

Age: 36-43   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

I am surprised this has had so many bad reviews so. I really like this foundation! . I got it in the shade Santa fe which matches my skin perfectly. It's great for my combination/oily skin as well I don't get oily like I did with the Sheer Glow. This is a great product!

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sunkissedgirl on 1/23/2010 12:55:00 AM more reviews by sunkissedgirl

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Olive, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I don't know why this foundation has poor reviews:( I think this is a lovely product. I use NARS Sheer Glow on a daily basis and LOVE it so much so I decided to try a sample of Sheer Matte. I love the finish, but I've noticed that this is a lighter coverage than Sheer Glow. I don't find this cakey or hard to blend AT ALL. I use my favorite foundation brush MAC 187 or 190 and it applies flawlessly. I have no idea why some people are finding this foundation streaky...I think this foundation (and Sheer Glow) blends effortlessly into my skin. EDIT: I bought a full bottle of this and it's DARKER than the Sheer Glow. In the bottle it appears lighter, but after I apply this it looks a shade darker, so I will be exchanging this for Stromboli.

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*TOP REVIEWER* rivera25 on 1/22/2010 4:12:00 PM more reviews by rivera25

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Kinky, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

I am surprised this has gotten bad reviews so far. I really like this foundation, it makes my skin look like my skin only better. I used to use the oil free foundation, which was good also (more coverage) but found that hard to blend. This formula seems to be a lot easier to blend and work with. I got it in the shade Mont Blanc which matches my skin quite well, i had the oil free in Deauville so im not sure if the shades have alterred slightly or i've gotten paler. It's great for my combination/oily skin and leaves me shine free for a while. This foundation had reignited my love affair with NARS!
Edit: As much as i love this foundation it oxidises which is a shame as Mont Blanc is a good match when first applied. I use a white foundation with it but have also purchased it in Siberia which is a much better match.

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mad_cupcake on 1/17/2010 2:53:00 PM more reviews by mad_cupcake

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I accidentally bought this when looking to buy another bottle of NARS' Oil-Free Foundation. I think Sephora had just placed the Sheer Matte where the Oil-Free used to be and stopped carrying Oil-Free altogether. So basically I've used this for a while thinking it was a foundation that had worked for me for a long time - the biggest positive bias one could have in reviewing a product. But this whole time I had been wondering if they'd changed the formula or what, because this stuff just wasn't doing it for me. It doesn't cover anything (I know, it's "sheer" but honestly if this is the level of coverage you're looking for ie. none, you can do a lot better at this price point) and it's so difficult to work with. I find the texture to be kind of gross. I love the Oil-Free foundation because it's so innocuous, which is important for my sensitive skin, it's buildable, there IS a possible successful method of application unlike with the Sheer Matte, and NARS' Deauville is a flawless match for me. *If you have light skin and red-orange undertones, definitely look into this shade

Every other NARS foundation is better than this one, just stay away.

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kayethompson on 1/15/2010 1:41:00 AM more reviews by kayethompson

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Tan   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I have a love/hate relationship with this foundation. I have oily, acne-prone skin with a lot of scarring. I'm about an NC42 and I was matched to the shade syracuse. I've tried applying this foundation with so many different brushes, sponges, and my fingers. The best tools to use in my opinion are fingers and the MAC 109 brush. This foundation is medium coverage, but can be full if using the MAC 109. I just feel that this foundation is not consistent. I can apply the foundation the same exact way for a week and I get different outcomes every time. Sometimes I love how it turns out, other times I hate it, and other times I'm just content with it. I feel in general it gives a really matte finish, too matte for my liking, like to the point that it seemed to age my skin. Of course throughout the day my oils seep through and the matte finish turns into a satin/dewy finish, but by the time that happens, the foundation looks horrible! It looks like it just settles on the top of your skin, some parts your foundation is just gone, it seems to just come off so easily (and I always set with a powder and I use a primer!) It also seemed to oxidize on my skin. My boyfriend would always comment on how much tanner I looked with the foundation on. When I put it on initially, it's basically a perfect match. Give it a few hours and it looks like I've been sunbathing at the beach. Because of this I always made sure to brush some bronzer on my neck to even up the tones. The packaging is alright. It's chic looking, but it doesn't come with a pump which can annoy some people. There is no offensive smell and it didn't break me out. I definitely do not believe that this foundation is worth $42, there are drugstore foundations out there that are much better than this. The sheer glow seems to have better reviews so I got a sample of that to try. Overall, I wouldn't waste your time and money with this.

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kellywilson0 on 1/14/2010 1:11:00 PM more reviews by kellywilson0

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

I realllllllllllly wanted to like this...unfortunately, even Siberia isn't the right color for me...it's not a terrible match, and it's almost light enough, but the undertones just aren't right. And the shades that have stronger yellow undertones are much too dark for me to wear...sigh.


Anyway, from a usage standpoint, it's pretty difficult to get the product out of the bottle (ah hem...NARS - if you're going to charge $42 for a foundation, please please please include a pump...it honestly amazes me that all foundations aren't sold with pumps nowadays as a standard practice), and it seems quite thick. Coverage is sheer to sheer-medium...I can't speak to whether or not it clogs pores, since I only used it once, and once I saw the color match in the daylight, that was it for me! I didn't have any difficulty spreading/blending it, but I usually mix some moisturizer into my foundations to sheer them out and cut down on the cakiness factor...so that may have been why it spread so easily for me.


I hope everyone has better luck with it than I did...mine will be returned, unfortunately.

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cchien on 1/12/2010 1:27:00 AM more reviews by cchien

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Black   Eyes: Brown    

originally purchased sheer glow, but returned for sheer matte. i am a nc25-30 in Mac and got this in santa fe. leaves my oily/normal combo skin nice and even after application with my 187 brush. i dont need to set with powder, and it also gives my skin a natural finish. i really dont like the design of the bottle, pouring it out is very annoying.

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selle on 1/7/2010 12:13:00 AM more reviews by selle

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I love this foundation. It is the only one that does not clog me and i'm Very clog/acne prone. It does not feel heavy at all on my face and washes off easily. Love it!

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*TOP REVIEWER* Sayoko on 1/3/2010 8:38:00 PM more reviews by Sayoko

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Dark, Neutral   Hair: Black, Relaxed, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

I used to wear NARS oil free foundation in New Guinea. I was suprised to find that I was the same in the sheer matter version to this, this sis a good thing. I was expecting the formulation to be better than the oil free which I love, and I was Disappointed to find out that the formulation did NOT live up to what it promised. This foundation is much thicker than the oil free, slightly harder to get out of the bottle,and it goes on really sheer,personally I like a medium coverage. It looks really cakey on, and that's when I apply a small amount. I loved the oil free foundation forumla much much better than the sheer matte. I would definately sample this before buying but peronally, I wouldn't buy this again.

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AWILDA429 on 1/1/2010 2:25:00 PM more reviews by AWILDA429

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

This is the worst foundation I have ever tried. It is so hard to blend (even with a beauty blender). I actually made all my pores stand out more than if I had left my face nude.

this is so terrible, not worth the expensive price tag. this is probably worst than any drugstore foundation i've tried.

such a shame because I really love Nars.

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lovemygold on 12/31/2009 2:16:00 PM more reviews by lovemygold

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Cool   Hair: Black, Curly, Coarse   Eyes: Brown    

After a single use I can honestly say that I am not that impressed. It is a nice texture, I think I got the wrong shade. The coverage is buildable, it did rub off on my clothing a bit. I am not sure about this one. Nay have to try it in a different shade..then change my review. It is not cheap!

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*TOP REVIEWER* behappy08 on 12/18/2009 7:49:00 PM more reviews by behappy08

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I was disappointed with the sheer matte foundation for several reasons. The texture is very thick, it's a challenge to blend. Also I was not so happy with the results, coverage was very sheer and the finish was very powdery. It looked like I was wearing powder foundation. It did control my oily T-zone which is good and the color Barcelona was a good match for me. But I did not like how it looked, for the price tag I expected a better finish. I returned it. I think MUFE mat velvet plus is much better.

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babydolljustina2 on 12/6/2009 7:26:00 PM more reviews by babydolljustina2

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I must say, I'm really in the minority here. I absolutely loved this foundation! It really does what it's supposed to (at least for MY skin). My t-zone stayed fresh and matte all day, even when it was humid outside. It took some effort to blend, but the coverage is perfect if you don't have major skin imperfections. I have some minor scarring on my cheeks which required spot treated concealer, but other than that it looked great. My skin is combination and break out prone by the way. I'd definately reccommend you try a sample before you buy since it's hit or miss though.

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