Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup vs. NARS Sheer Glow

Hi everyone! So the new talk of the makeup community seems to be Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup- a supposed dupe for NARS Sheer Glow. In a recent issue of People Style Watch, Kim K's makeup artist listed Neutrogena Healthy Skin (around $11.99) as a cheaper alternative to NARS Sheer Glow ($42). I purchased the Healthy Skin foundation at Ulta for $11.99. I had a coupon, so I purchased it for around $10.



I've heard that many people in the NC30-35 and NARS Punjab/Sante Fe range used 060 Natural Beige, so I knew for sure I wanted to pick that one up. It happened to be one of the most yellow out of all the shades. They were completely out of 060 and 050. I asked a SA if they had any more in stock, and she directed me to a stand on the other side of the display. These included a free 7-sheet packet of Neutrogena makeup wipes, and they had one 060 left, so I grabbed it up!

For reference, I am currently somewhere between an NC30 and NC35. My skin has gotten lighter since winter, and I hope to stay close this color throughout the warmer months with religious use of sunscreen. I wear Punjab in NARS, MUFE HD in 120, and 060 Natural Beige in Neutrogena. I have oily skin and used a light dusting of powder on the T-zone with both foundations.

I happen to have both the NARS Sheer Glow and the Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation, so I'll let you guys know how I personally compare the two.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin 060 Natural Beige on LEFT, NARS Sheer Glow Punjab on RIGHT:

The Neutrogena looks more yellow in this picture, but it is a more neutral yellow than the NARS, which I find more yellow-yellow. If that makes ANY sense! LOL

Slightly blended on the back of my hand:
I didn't blend in the middle so you could see the difference in finish. You can tell from the picture that the Neutrogena (left) is clearly more dewy than the NARS.


How they are similar:

-Both shades have yellow undertones. NARS has a bit more yellow in real life, but the Neutrogena is still yellow, especially for a drugstore foundation. There are still shades with pinker undertones, but the one I picked is definitely a medium shade with yellow undertones.
-Perfect for Asian skintones!
-Both have a brightening effect.
-No shimmer in either of these formulas. MAJOR PLUS!
-Medium to full, buildable coverage.
-Both contain certain ingredients and antioxidants that help keep skin young and bright over time.
-Both come without a pump, in a screw-top 1 fluid oz jar. (NARS will be releasing a pump-version this spring)

How they are different:

-The Neutrogena feels smoother while blending.
-I need less of the NARS to cover my face.
-Neutrogena is slightly dewy while NARS is semi-matte.
-Neutrogena feels slightly heavier, like a gel, but definitely not as heavy as a cream or a liquid foundation like Colorstay.
-Neutrogena wears about 2 hours longer than NARS Sheer Glow.
-Neutrogena is about 1/4 the price of NARS.
-Neutrogena contains SPF20, NARS doesn't have any SPF.
-Both held up on my oily skin with a powder dusting on the T-zone.

Here I am wearing the Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation with a light dusting of translucent powder. No highlighter or blush. This is unedited, and I took it early in the morning facing my blinds with a ton of bright, natural light shining through.

I'm usually a lighter shade in the medium skintone range, but the direct light makes me look a bit lighter in the picture than in real life. You can see that natural looking glow from the foundation on the higher points of my face. It photographs very well despite the SPF20 in it.

Overall:

Although they are both beautiful, brightening foundations, the texture is different. The Neutrogena feels a bit heavier, but I'm pretty positive that it may be the dewy finish that makes it feel this way. The NARS feels a bit drier and feels lighter on my skin, but both held up quite well on my oily skin. The end result is very similar, but the Neutrogena is slightly more of a dewy glow than the NARS' semi-matte glow. Both formulas make your skin glow and appear brighter/lighter without any iridescence or shimmer, which is just amazing in my opinion. I was surprised that many people were calling this a light coverage foundation. In my opinion, this is definitely a medium coverage and is buildable to a full coverage. NARS Sheer Glow in Punjab is a *slightly* better match for my skintone since it has a bit more yellow undertones. The Neutrogena is more of a yellow-beige undertone, but it still matches me VERY well, and I can hardly tell the difference, even in direct sunlight. It's the second best match I've found in drugstore and high end foundations, and places second only after NARS. The end result of the Neutrogena reminds me of a dewy but NON-SHIMMER version of Revlon's PhotoReady foundation, which I loved minus the shimmer. The only problem I have with this foundation is that it does not have a very wide range of colors for darker skintones.

Verdict:

This is hands down the best drugstore foundation I've ever tried. Closest thing to an HG I've found, but I'm still convinced that I will ALWAYS be on a search for a HG that just doesn't exist. lol. I completely understand the hype over the Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup. While the NARS and Neutrogena may have slight differences in texture and finish, the overall product is quite comparable. I wouldn't say it is an EXACT dupe, but it is still a really really really good foundation. I will gladly repurchase, and will probably replace my NARS with this since I actually prefer the finish of the Neutrogena. Plus, it's much friendlier on my wallet and also contains SPF!

Let me know what you guys think of this foundation if you happen to try it!