So up my alley but is it worth it?
When NARS announced they were collaborating with Charlotte Gainsbourg I was over the moon. And when I saw the Hydrating Glow Tint (1.7oz/$36.00), a light face product that’s hydrating and radiant – sold! I try my best to stay away from limited edition products but I love Charlotte Gainsbourg. She’s an incredible actress and singer. Some of her flicks include Jane Eyre, Melancholia and Nymphomaniac just to name a few. I especially like her music. Some of my favorite songs are The Operation, White Telephone, and Terrible Angels. Pick up the 5:55 album, you won’t be sorry!
I think why I’m such a fan is because she’s not a glamazon. There’s a touch of masculinity to her style. She’s a jeans, tee, and Chucks kinda girl like her mom Jane Birkin. I think Charlotte is the quintessential French beauty, her makeup is fresh and effortless. I always admired her style and knew she would put forth a collection that embodies that look. If I had to describe the collection it would be modern with a bit of edge. I LOVE the brushes but I can’t justify spending $175 on brush set at this time. On to the review…
First Impression
The packaging certainly caught my eye, I find the khaki tube and gold lettering cool and chic. NARS describes the Hydrating Glow Tint as a weightless, oil free, illuminating skin veil that awakens dull skin for a natural, healthy-looking glow. The coverage is meant to be sheer but buildable. Right off the bat I see the product is a thick mousse consistency. I purchased the medium shade, it’s very yellow tone, almost orange. For reference my shade is Groenland in the Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer and Sante Fe in the Sheer Glow Foundation. This shade is not a good match for me but I can make it work and the light formula is great for summer months.
At first I used my fingers to apply it but it looked streaky and uneven. I find this formula works best when I use a dense synthetic brush to buff it onto my skin. It’s not a flawless application, it needs to be blended into oblivion for it to look good. Once blended properly the result is a quite nice, it provides an almost bronzy healthy glow.
Face: NARS X Charlotte Gainsbourg Hydrating Glow Tint, Mascara: Boots Seventeen Falsifeye HD, Lips: NYX Buenos Aires
How does it compare to the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer?
Sadly it doesn’t. The Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer wins hands down. The formula is just better. It goes on effortlessly and I can’t feel it on my skin throughout the day. The coverage is a lot better too. It lasts all day and shows minimal wear when I remove it at night. The Hydrating Glow Tint looks okay but feels a bit heavy, not something you’d expect from a tint. Also it doesn’t do much for my dry patches where as the Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer glosses over flakiness beautifully.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I give this a C+. I like the finish and will continue to use it but it didn’t wow me as I hoped it would. If you’re looking for a light base for summer skip this and get the NARS Tinted Moisturizer.
