NARS Loose Powder Review, Photos, Swatches!

NARS Loose Powder

NARS Loose Powder ($35) is a silky, triple milled face powder provides light, natural coverage to set makeup, soften color and smooth the texture of the skin. The ultra-smooth formula blends undetectably to absorb excess oils and maintain fresh looking skin with an "imperceptible" finish. It can be used to set foundations or it can be worn alone to even out and soften the complexion.

NARS Loose Powder is available in (7) shades: Snow (for porcelain to fair skin), Flesh (for fair skin), Eden (medium yellow skin), Beach (medium deep yellow skin), Desert (light rose undertones to enhance medium skin) and Mountain (deep medium reddish-brown skin).

For my warm, medium coloring, I chose Beach and it's a perfect match. I think it's a great match for around the MAC NC30-40 coloring.

Pressed and Loose powders have come a long way and more and more companies are launching these magical powders that don't give the illusion of a powder on the skin. I fully believe in setting your liquid foundation with a powder for the best lasting power, but the problem with some powders is that they can take away the glow from your foundation, making your skin look too matte and flat; and real skin isn't truly matte, so it can look unnatural. Sometimes it can even make your makeup look heavier.

Truth be told, I like to skip powdering if I can get away with it because I don't like altering the color and finish of my foundation, but I can't deny the fact that when I do powder my face, by night my makeup always looks better. Guerlain Meteorites is a staple in my makeup collection because it soaks up the oils from my skin so I don't look shiny/oily, and leaves a naturally perfected glowy veil on my skin without adding extra coverage.

When I do want a little extra coverage from a powder, I've really been loving NARS Loose Powder.

The texture of NARS Loose Powder is far silkier than any other loose powder I've tried. It feels absolutely weightless to the touch. When applied, it creates almost a blurred effect to the skin. Pores are less noticeable and my skin looks softer and smoother. I've read a review where someone mentioned that with each additional layer, the more photoshopped your skin looks - which is very true. It has a very soft, natural finish without the powdery appearance.

NARS Loose Powder in Beach swatched and blended

It comes with a powder puff, but I prefer using a powder brush and pressing the powder into my skin and then lightly buffing my face. If your skin is oily, the puff may be useful for applying in a press-and-roll motion to make your foundation budge-proof. It's also useful for touch-ups.

Enclosed in the container is a mesh sifter, and I find it useful so when I tap my brush in the container, it won't pick up excess product. 

The lasting power is very good. It helps keep my makeup looking great all day with only a little shine (on some days) by the evening. 

The only downfall for me is that my skin is a bit sensitive to something in the ingredients. So unfortunately I can't wear it every day without sprouting a pimple here and there, so I only use it a few days a week. 

Aside from that, I absolutely love this powder and I can see why so many people love it! I highly recommend trying it if you're in the market for a new setting powder. If you're skeptical, check out these reviews on Makeupalley. It's what swayed me into purchasing it!

Have you tried this powder? What do you think of it? What's your favorite powder right now?

*To avoid a big mess of powder, a good idea with any loose powder is to empty some product into a small travel jar for traveling or keeping with you in your bag, or apply a layer of tape over the holes and only poke out a couple of them so the container isn't constantly pouring out powder.

The Round-Up

Pros:

• Silky soft, fine, weightless texture
• Provides light coverage, so it can be used alone or applied over a liquid foundation for additional coverage and to set the foundation
• Gives a softened, perfected look to the skin
• Doesn't oxidize on the skin after it has been applied (some powders leave me orange hours later)
• Non-powdery finish
• Doesn't make the skin look dull or heavy
• Mattifies for hours - minimal touch-ups

Cons:

• My skin is sensitive to powders in general, and this powder (minimally) breaks me out if I use it every day.
• The packaging isn't the greatest - it's big, bulky, a bit messy and catches fingerprints easily. 

Price: $35, NARS.