This post doesn't bear the 'review' tag in its title because i'm biased and this is a praise post. This is the only makeup product i couldn't honestly live without. It has become such a staple in my routine i just can't imagine what i would do without. To me it's more than a foundation-it is like a second skin.
It's more on the expensive side (410 swedish crowns, which means 57 USD, 37 pounds or €45) so this didn't make me very happy about having to purchase it. Looking back i can say they might as well charge € 100 and i'd still purchase it.
The shade range is quite wide, 20 shades of Neutrals, Cools and Warms; they mostly cater to Neutral and Warm so if you need a Cool, then there aren't that many shades to choose from. However, the pigmentation is very good and highly realistic and the foundation sort of mimics, adapts to the skintone (if the shade is properly chosen that is). I have the 3N1 Ivory Beige shade and it's a wee darker than my natural skintone but perfectly suitable (or even lighter, depends!) for my tanned self (i.e. right now). It didn't make a difference when i was wearing it on my pale face either; just blend it as you'd do with any other product- careful at the hair lines, neck and ears. Now the packaging and other issues....
It doesn't come with a pump, so it's a tad messy to take it out of the bottle. The nozzle and the cap get very messy after the first two applications, and if you're a bit lazy like i am and don't clean the bottle, you end up with a very dirty bottle :)
It's scented, smells of flowers and something else, perhaps something slightly plastic? i couldn't tell exactly, but the scent is strong. Not very, but you can feel it throughout your foundation application; once it dries there's no trace of it so that's the positive aspect about this.
The bottle is simply beautiful and original, squared frosted glass bottle with the golden cap and the Estee Lauder name and logo embossed on. Really beautiful, with a rather vintage edge and a glamorous look at the same time. If you decide to use it with a pump it's gonna look really bad:
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| Image from Bedasbeautyblog.blogspot.com |
Therefore, i didn't purchase a pump because i didn't want to ruin the bottle and make it impossible to carry it around. However, that IS an option in case the absence of the pump has put you off.
Now. My basic requirements from a foundation are natural aspect, creamy consistency, coverage and long lasting finish. Not too much, right. Over the years i have tried hundreds of foundations, high-end, drugstore, etc, and some of them are real gems i will always keep around. But nothing compares to this.
It's thicker than other foundations, with a gooey aspect, quite similar to Revlon's Colorstay, and is one of those foundations that look quite disappointing when you try them on your wrist or neck at the counter- this one gives the impression of a sticky, oily cream that doesn't blend in properly and will certainly not live up to the hype. However, once you blend it in properly it looks really good (perhaps a little heavier than it does when applied on the face):
But well, that's just a first impression. I usually get scared if i try something everybody's raving about and it doesn't look good. Never had a second thought about this one-i just wanted to get properly matched and take it home as fast as possible.
It's 'hard' to apply, i guess not in the established sense of the term but in the sense of 'needy', probably due to the psychological association of streaks and thick foundations. I found it to work best with my fingers, a kabuki brush (though it needs more product this way), a sponge (for buffing it on the trouble zones-undereye circles and discolorations). It doesn't look nor feel good when applied with a typical foundation brush because it takes ages to properly blend it in, it can leave marks/streaks and it's always about the fuss of whether you have applied too little or too much. The best of all- fingers. This way you can feel the consistency blending in with your skin and sense whether you need to apply more on certain areas. Of course, prepare yourself for messy hands and fifteen minutes of babying it, at least the first time-you're always 'worried' and want to bring out the best of it.
It takes a while to dry, not as in ages but definitely more than other foundations. I'd say to give it a good five minutes settling in time before you think about applying bronzer/blusher, because if you apply anything else on top of it while it's still moist, it will suck all the product and make it incredibly hard to blend in anything else. Even if you have extremely oily skin, don't forget to properly moisturize your skin, a heavy-duty cream being most indicated. The foundation was especially calculated to absorb the natural oils of the skin that appear throughout the day (that's how it stays on) and can be drying if you don't moisturize, and especially if you set it with powder. Even if you have VERY oily skin, just let it dry first, and then assess whether you really need to powder it on top. I have combination skin and nothing seems to stay on my t-zone for more than 5 hours; this one doesn't budge. The first time i used it i applied powder on top-big mistake. I could literally feel my skin cracking around the eyes in about a couple of hours. So just let it do its job and don't jump the gun with it- you could end up disappointed.
The first thing about the foundation is that it covers, and really well. Though it's marketed as a medium coverage foundation it covers....and covers...i usually need an extra quarter of a drop to conceal both my undereye area and the nose angles. No concealer whatsoever, but if you feel like you need a little bit of illumination/highlight, apply the concealer while the foundation is still wet to let both product create a sort of a fusion on the skin and blend in perfectly. It looks beautifully with highlighter on top, even when dry, just make sure you're using a patting motion+ cream highlighter or a very light hand with any powder illuminating products.
The second thing- it goes dry. Not as in dusty dry, but it has a dry yet not completely matte finish. The best comparison would be paint- it looks like paint on the wall. Not flat and unnatural but solid and 'there'. It won't make any blotches or patches on the face whatsoever. I definitely think this is one of the most important aspects of the product since nothing else comes even close to this effect.
The third thing, related to the 1st and 2nd- it doesn't transfer. Most foundations claim they have a 'staying on' power of a certain number of hours, but they forget to mention how exactly the 'transfer' is supposed not to happen. Once it gets dry, this foundation doesn't transfer on anything, clothes, hands, hair, etc. You can rub your finger across your face and get nothing on- it feels and looks like you have paint on the face. I guess this is 'the' thing about this foundation- it doesn't move. If you don't have extremely dry skin, moisturize properly and blend it in wisely, it won't look overdone but give that porcelain complexion look. Otherwise it can look a little bit heavy.
The finish is flawless, no pores, no lines, no oily blotches after three hours or less. You definitely don't need to carry this around in your bag for touch-ups. I know of the Double Wear Light version of the product but never thought about getting it- why? I have this one. It's the best foundation i have ever tried.
Another thing about it- if you still feel you'd like something lighter, it's perfectly ok to dilute it with a bit of your favorite moisturizer. It will give the exact flawless coverage with less product and more moisture. Definitely highly indicated, especially in winter or those 'great skin' days when you feel like you only need a bit of concealer and you're ready to go.
However, it's good to keep in mind this isn't the perfect choice for either extremely dry skins or people who prefer light, almost sheer coverage. Several Makeupalley reviews mentioned an uncomfortable feeling about wearing this foundation, like their skin was 'suffocating' from the thickness of the product. It never happened to me, but if you are not used to wearing liquid foundation or something thicker, or if you've used mineral powders all your life it's better to give it a try with a sample first.
It doesn't break me out (and didn't cause anything to anyone on MUA yet), doesn't irritate my skin, is waterproof and a bit difficult to remove. Careful to cleanse your face really well, especially around the forehead, ears, nose creases, etc, because it can leave residues due to its highly resistant formulation. I usually cleanse my face with liquid makeup remover, then give it a good wash with Neutrogena facial soap (transparent) and i'm done with removing my makeup. You really don't need to scrub your face (i read it on some board posts somewhere...) to completely remove it.
All being said, this is my favorite foundation of all times and the only one i take on holidays or i reach for when being forced (not really..) to pick up one foundation only. I highly recommend it for those who've been 'misled' or just uncomfortable with full coverage foundations (like MAC's 'attack'...bleh) or anything else that didn't stay on and smeared all over your clothing. Hopefully they never discontinue it.
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