NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg Hydrating Glow Tint & Nuit d’Encre Kohliner, Summer 2017 Collection

The last instalment of my NARS x Charlotte Gainsbourg Summer Collection series is the limited edition Hydrating Glow Tint — a product that’s pretty much in a category all its own, being neither a foundation nor a BB/CC/DD (or any other letter of the alphabet) cream but something almost hybrid-like, inspired by Charlotte’s signature effortless fresh-faced style. Also squeaked into today’s post is Nuit d’Encre, the Kohliner shade that had been missing in my first review … and now my OCD self is happy that the set’s complete.

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Previously reviewed from this collection:

Hydrating Glow Tint, limited edition (CAN $45.00/each) | Available in 4 shades (Fair and Medium-Dark not shown), this is a weightless and relatively sheer face product in an innovative gel-cream formula. Housed in the collection’s signature khaki green hue with its gold lettering, Hydrating Glow Tint is meant to be applied and massaged into the skin with the fingers and can even be layered for more coverage, imparting a natural-looking ‘fresh-faced’ glow to the skin, an effect that’s never matte or chalky looking.

The purpose of Hydrating Glow Tint is to ‘awaken dull skin’ and from what I’ve seen, it definitely does exactly that. Having attempted several different application methods, using one’s fingers truly is the best way to wear this, as massaging it fully into the skin leaves behind the most even finish. I must confess that the initial application of the Medium shade kind of scared me as I did not expect it to look that orange, but it surprisingly melds into the skin seamlessly and serves to impart a healthy radiance. Easily wearable by all skin types (from dry – oily), the colour selection is rather limiting being only 4 shades, but as this isn’t meant to be a full coverage type of product (and therefore needing an exact match), it’s worth trying it out at the counter to see if you can get a skin match.

Light – neutral hued, the barest hint of pale apricot in the base
Medium – slight orangey tint in the base which lightens when blended out

Nuit d’Encre Kohliner, limited edition (CAN $32.00) | A midnight blue shade with a subtle sheen visible in direct light, the formula is wonderfully creamy in application and glides easily along the skin without any pulling. As this is long-lasting and fairly quick-setting, I suggest working one eye at a time in the event you’re planning on buffing it out because once it’s set, it’s there for the long haul and needs a dual-phased product for removal. Bonus: makes an excellent alternative to wearing black eyeliner, as Nuit d’Encre is not as harsh tonally while the blue undertone serves to brighten eyes, especially when worn at the waterline.

I’ve got to hand it to Charlotte Gainsbourg for creating a face product that’s not only easy to wear (hello, fingers to apply?) but one that’s totally in line with the upcoming warmer weather, because while I’d love to have perfectly flawless skin (I don’t) I also don’t want to spackle on a ton of foundation to get there. Hydrating Glow Tint is that wonderful compromise, one which provides that security of knowing my complexion is even-looking but still looks like skin aka: real. There’s only 2 downsides as I see it: 1) we definitely need just a few more shades added to the roster, and 2) it needs to become permanent. Sure hope NARS is listening.

Available at Sephora, The Bay and all NARS retailers