NARS · Reviewed by Monica Ravi-Conway · Published 2026-06-30
Based on a review by Monica Ravi-Conway (accessed 2026-06-30).
Based on this review alone: worth considering for provides full coverage for acne scars and hyperpigmentation, but high price for a small amount of product (0.22 oz for $36) is a real trade-off.
The reviewer concludes that Korean makeup brands consistently outperform luxury American makeup in terms of performance, value, and shade inclusivity for brown skin, often calling the luxury options a 'scam.' She strongly advocates for switching to Korean alternatives to save money without compromising quality.
This review compares seven categories of Korean makeup products against their luxury American counterparts, demonstrating each product side-by-side on half of the reviewer's face. The video includes a wear test at the end to evaluate the longevity and performance of the products over time. The reviewer specifically highlights the improved shade ranges of Korean beauty products for brown and darker skin tones.
While a reliable option for full coverage, this concealer comes at a steep price for its small quantity of product. The reviewer still appreciates its formula for covering acne scars and hyperpigmentation, describing it as a great eraser. However, the TFIT alternative offers double the product for less than half the cost, making the NARS concealer less competitive on value. If you prioritize brand name and can justify the price for its proven performance, it's a solid choice, but a more budget-friendly and larger quantity alternative exists.
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comparisonpositivet=0:02:16–0:02:40
The TFIT concealer provides 0.52 oz of product for $16, which is more than double the amount of the NARS pot concealer's 0.22 oz for half the price ($36). It also comes with three shades per pot.
comparisonneutralt=0:02:49–0:03:22
The reviewer finds the formulas of the TFIT and NARS concealers to be 'pretty damn similar,' describing them both as soft matte concealers perfect for covering acne scars and hyperpigmentation. She notes that TFIT still needs a bit more shade extension.
reviewer_claimnegativet=0:03:59–0:04:47
The YSL Soft Glow Cushion Foundation has a poor shade range for brown skin, with the reviewer unable to find a suitable match, and it has an unpleasant smell. On application, it highlights textures and pores, appearing 'super glowy.'
comparisonpositivet=0:05:07–0:06:40
The Espoir cushion foundation is Korea's #1 best-selling, offers specialized olive shades due to reviewer collaboration, and costs $29 for 0.5 oz. The Tear Tear cushion is available at Ulta, comes in 40 shades (including darker ones), and is $23. Both offer a smooth, satin finish, are thin, lightweight, and long-wearing.
visual_inspectionnegativet=0:07:54–0:08:58
The Dior Forever Soft Filter Liquid Blush, priced at $50, has a silicony velvet mousse texture and initially offers a blurring effect. However, on the reviewer's skin, it appears 'extra textured' and makes pores more visible, especially compared to the Korean alternative.
hands_on_demopositivet=0:08:08–0:09:07
The Fwee Blurring Pudding Pot, costing $20 (less than half of Dior), offers a moosie velvet texture, provides more blurring and mattifying effects, and comes in 30-40 shades with good undertones. It gives a pretty pink flush and is accessible at Ulta Beauty.
reviewer_claimnegativet=0:09:47–0:10:14
The $69 Makeup by Mario Ethereal Eyes eyeshadow palette, while having nice shimmers, lacks darker, more neutral shades for brown and black skin, causing it to appear 'a little ashy' on the reviewer.
hands_on_demopositivet=0:10:20–0:11:30
The Alicia Glitterpedia palette, priced at $24, features popular shimmery and glittery formulas, comes in 8-9 shades (reviewer owns all), and is available at Ulta Beauty. The reviewer prefers its shades for ease of use and aesthetic compared to Mario's palette.
reviewer_claimnegativet=0:11:47–0:12:20
The Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara, once a favorite at $29, is now considered 'mid' by the reviewer after using Korean mascaras. She states she 'would not dare even touch it' anymore.
reviewer_claimpositivet=0:12:22–0:13:17
The Clio Kill Lash mascaras, costing around $14, are a cult favorite for the reviewer, who collects all types. She finds them 'pretty damn comparable' to Too Faced mascara, specifically the extreme volume superproof version, and prefers her original Clio superproof.
reviewer_claimnegativet=0:13:50–0:14:18
The Rhode Peptide Lip Shape, priced at $24, has 'zero longevity' and no staying power, requiring constant reapplication, especially after eating. The reviewer states it's 'not meant to have staying power' but finds this problematic for a lip liner.
hands_on_demopositivet=0:14:27–0:15:10
The Laka Lip Stain Liner, retailing for $16, is long-wearing, super pigmented, and once it dries down, it is transfer-resistant and leaves a nice soft reddish-brownie-pinky stain throughout the day. The darker shade 'burnt brown' is similar to Rhode's 'stretch' but deeper.
hands_on_demonegativet=0:16:00–0:16:29
The Chanel Le Rouge Duo, costing $53, is sticky when the liquid lipstick is worn on its own without the gloss. The reviewer notes that many products in this format tend to feel 'gross in feeling' over time, particularly for those with dry lips.
hands_on_demopositivet=0:16:47–0:17:50
The Laka Perfect Twin Lip, priced at $22, is not sticky once it fully dries (after about 1 minute) and is transfer-resistant. The reviewer wore it for over 10 hours to an important dinner, attesting to its long-lasting power. Its gloss side is also noted to be shinier than Chanel's.
The reviewer found the TFIT Korean concealer's formula to be "pretty damn similar" to the NARS Pot Concealer, both being soft matte and effective for covering acne scars and hyperpigmentation. TFIT provides more than double the product at $16 compared to NARS's $36, making it a better value, although TFIT could benefit from further shade extension.
Korean cushion foundations such as Espoir and Tear Tear have significantly expanded their shade ranges, now catering to brown and darker skin tones, including specific olive shades developed in collaboration with the reviewer. They offer a smooth, satin, thin, and lightweight finish that is also long-wearing, contrasting with the problematic shade range and finish of the YSL Soft Glow Cushion Foundation for brown skin.
The Fwee Blurring Pudding Pot blush, priced at $20 (less than half of Dior's liquid blush), delivers excellent blurring and mattifying results with its velvet mousse texture. It also boasts a wide range of 30-40 shades with good undertone knowledge, and is conveniently accessible at Ulta Beauty, making it a superior and more affordable choice.
The reviewer highlights the Alicia Glitterpedia palette for its beautiful shimmery and glittery formulas, noting that its shades are more suitable for brown and black skin tones and do not appear 'ashy' like some luxury alternatives (e.g., Makeup by Mario). The palette is affordable at $24 and available at Ulta.
The reviewer, a former long-time user of Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara, now considers it 'mid' after discovering Korean alternatives. She strongly prefers the Clio Kill Lash mascaras, calling them a cult favorite and noting their comparable or better performance for around $14, significantly less than Too Faced's $29.
The Laka Lip Stain Liner is praised for being long-wearing, super pigmented, and transfer-resistant once it dries, leaving a lasting stain, unlike the Rhode Peptide Lip Shape which has zero longevity. The Laka Perfect Twin Lip (liquid lipstick + gloss) is also highlighted for being non-sticky when dry, transfer-resistant, and lasting over 10 hours, outperforming the Chanel Le Rouge Duo.
75/100 source quality
Monica Ravi-Conway conducts a comprehensive comparison of Korean makeup products against high-end American brands across seven categories, applying each product to half of her face. She emphasizes the significant progress in Korean beauty's shade expansion and affordability, especially for brown skin. The review includes a wear test to assess product longevity. Overall, Monica finds that the Korean alternatives often deliver superior performance and value compared to their luxury counterparts.
Full transcript is not redistributed here to respect the original creator’s rights.
This page converts Monica Ravi-Conway's review of the NARS NARS Soft Matte Complete Full Coverage Longwear Concealer into structured evidence — timestamped claims, pros & cons, and buyer questions. It is not the original review and does not replace watching or reading the full source.
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