The best NARS foundations, ranked by our beauty editor

Narrowing down the best NARS foundation was - I won't lie to you - quite a fun little task. 

The brand makes some of the best foundations on the market, much loved by makeup artists, celebrities and every member of the woman&home beauty team. There is a buy for every finish you're after, whether you want a super glowy look, or a sleeker, matte finish. Really, I was spoilt for choice. 

According to the brands' national makeup artist Cherelle Lazarus, there are a few reasons why the brands' bases have such a stellar reputation. "What sets NARS foundations apart is the assortment of shade range and the skincare-first formulations," she says. "The aim is to create a second skin finish - you want it to look and feel like your skin."

In my experience, you don't have to learn how to apply foundation like a makeup artist to get it right with NARS - the products work just as well with novice hands as they do with pro tools. But with a couple of options to choose from, how do you know which is the best NARS foundation for you? Allow me to go through each one for you to make the decision as easy as possible. 

The best NARS foundations for every makeup look

This is, if you ask me, the overall best NARS foundation. It's my personal favourite foundation - not just NARS - of all time. That’s no mean feat - I am a base obsessive, and I am really fussy. It has to have decent, buildable coverage but without feeling heavy. I like quite a glowy finish but - crucially - it can't look sweaty. 

This ticks all those boxes for me, and it’s also surprisingly long-wearing considering how moisturising it is. Usually, foundations blended with skincare ingredients come at the cost of longevity - those hydrating ingredients mean it’s more likely to slide down your face. This, somehow, miraculously manages to soothe and treat my skin, without fading by lunchtime. The fact that it includes so many skincare ingredients means that it's the best foundation for mature skin on this list, as well as the best foundation for dry skin. 

I’m onto my second bottle and I’m seeing it as a new committed, marriage-level relationship. Almost every time I wear it I get comments about how glowy I look or asked what my skincare routine is. I could lie and say I get 10 hours of sleep a night and drink 4 litres of water a day - but nobly I always admit it’s all down to the foundation. I've recommended it to countless people, and they always come back to me gushing about how great it is. In short - I am a huge, huge fan.

This foundation promises a lot - glowing skin, full coverage and up to 16 hours' wear. Really, this is the tick-list of everything I want from a foundation, so I had high - but slightly cynical - hopes. Seconds after applying, I decided that this might very well be the best NARS foundation of all of the options I tried. It's gorgeous - glowing and sheeny, and it takes very little effort to build to higher coverage in the areas that need it. Even the best full-coverage foundations often come at the cost of cakiness, but that wasn't the case at all with this glowing buy. 

I wore it on a day in the office and was - not to brag - swarmed by compliments. I really did find that it lasted all day, with my skin looking flawless from 7am to 9pm.

A slight word of warning - you may need to shake it so that the formula is properly mixed up - my first couple of pumps came out a bit watery. I applied the first time with my fingers, and the second with a brush - both gave pretty similar, gorgeously glowing results. 

At first glance, this did feel quite similar to the Light Reflect, but the difference is in the texture. It’s lighter and sheerer, which makes it a good option if you’re looking for the best lightweight foundation. 

I’ve used this before, but years ago, and forgot how gorgeous the finish it. It really does give skin a real glow, even on a day when - full disclosure - I had necked 4 margaritas the day before. Normally I find sheer foundations a bit too sheer, but I think this, combined with a touch of your best drugstore concealer will give you a good amount of coverage.

NARS' National Senior Makeup Artist Rebecca Moore says that the included skincare ingredients mean it's ideal for dry dull skin. "It's packed with glycerine, turmeric and Vitamin C, and it'll even out the complexion tone over time whilst keeping the skin hydrated," she says. "It's perfect for skin that has challenges with rosacea, pigmentation or eczema."

I was a little dubious about this one because I'm not really a matte fan. From the ages of 14-21, I only wore the best foundation for oily skin and pretty chalky mattes, convinced that the pan-face look helped conceal my acne (wrong). I was also wrong about having oily skin, but that's a story for another day. Suffice to say, I now prefer my bases a little more flattering and glowing, so this was the buy I was least excited to try. 

While this had the least 'slip' of all the other bases on this list, I was pleasantly surprised as I worked it into my skin. It was definitely matte, but it wasn't pan-faced or flat. My skin looked immaculate, and it was really easy to build up to full coverage on the areas that needed it. 

I didn't notice it settling into creases or wrinkles, and it kept my face looking pretty pristine all day long. While I don't see this replacing my beloved Light Reflect as my daily go-to, I'd definitely say this is the best NARS foundation for long-lasting makeup looks and for fans of a matte base. It's probably the best matte foundation I've tried for a long time - my skin looked skin-like, and not chalky. 

While not technically a foundation, this is one of the best tinted moisturisers on the market, so I couldn't talk about the brands' base options without mentioning it. If you're weighing up foundation vs tinted moisturiser, this would be a great place to start - it's the perfect hybrid. It has more coverage than your usual tint, but it has more skincare benefits than your average foundation. Most notably the bonus of SPF30, which is ideal if you're looking for a foundation with SPF.

As for the formula itself, it's silky smooth and a dream to blend - it applies just as well with a brush as it does with fingers. I love that it has buildable coverage, which is unusual for a tint. If you want quite low-key, comfy coverage, this is the best NARS foundation for the job. 

I always have one or two (or three) in my stash as it's just such a useful buy. It gives the ideal 'my skin, but better' finish that we all want on those low-key Sundays. 

What is the best NARS foundation? Our beauty editor's verdict

When I started getting my thoughts together for this list, I was pretty convinced the overall winner would be Light Reflect - it's been my go-to favourite for months, and I had sort of already decided that it couldn't be topped.

While I'm still very loyal to Light Reflect, I was also so impressed by the Natural Radiant Longwear, it was a very close second best NARS foundation. The finish is flattering and radiant, it has truly impressive staying power that gives great coverage.

Really, I was impressed with every buy on this list, for one reason or another. I think if you're looking for a new foundation, whatever your preference for coverage, finish or skin type, NARS has a brilliant option for you. 

How we tested the best NARS foundations

To find the best NARS foundations, I tested every base that the brand sells. They currently have four foundations and one tinted moisturiser, so I used them all a couple of times to really get to know each one inside out, and to weigh up their pros and cons. 

I used them all in the same conditions - after using the same primer and tried all options with a couple of different application methods. In the pictures, I'm wearing the same primer, concealer, blusher and bronzer, so you can see the differences in coverage and finish without having any other elements to change how the foundation looks. 

If we're a similar complexion and you're wondering how to find your foundation shade, most of these were the shade 'Deauville', which is the perfect match for me.