Matte hasn’t had a moment for quite a while. A dewy-without-being-sweaty complexion is what has been capturing our imaginations, leaving our matte-finish powders and foundations to languish in a dusty corner of our makeup drawers.
Why has this happened? We understand that skin with a nice sheen over it has its allure: it can make you look like you’re glowing from the inside. On the flip side, we also get how matte could go wrong: Use a subpar formula, and it could look caked and flaky on your skin.
But now, we’re ready to take on matte again. Or more specifically, NARS’ version of matte, enticingly named the Velvet Matte Skin Tint. The premise here is it’s a light tint that transforms the skin instantly, with a flawless yet absolutely natural-looking finish using an oil-free formula. The “Velvet” part of its name comes from the soft-focus effect this matte has, and how incredibly soft it feels as it blends into the skin. Basically, no risk of cakey, flakey bits – and those of drier skin definitely do not have to shy away.
The magic here? NARS’ Velvet Illusion Complex technology, which is thankfully no illusion – it uses Transparent Blurring Powders that hide imperfections from view, and visibly even out the skin tone. These powder particles are clear on the outside and opaque in the centre, which allows light to be refracted and diffused within them. You don’t need a knowledge of physics to get this: this makes your skin glow in the most beautifully natural way possible.
Its other ingredients are all you need to keep you going throughout the day – rose fruit extract to minimise the appearance of pores and keep shine in check, and vitamins C, E and broad spectrum SPF 30 protection to shield against external aggressors. François Nars himself describes it this way: “It combines the weightlessness of an all-in-one skin tint with the perfecting shine control of a matte formula. It breathes dimension and life into the skin.” Velvet Matte is definitely one of the best things that has happened to our skin so far this year.
NARS Velvet Matte Skin Tint, $70. Available at NARS counters, selected Sephora stores, and tangs.com (http://bit.ly/1oRwpKc).
