This bottle is now half full. Tested in multiple conditions. So here is another round of thorough review with time laps photos. I used macro / close up to share how the foundation sits on my skin.
Coverage & finish
- Demi-matte.
- Very high to full coverage. Cannot see my skin after 3 dot.
- Buildable, but need to be skilled. Unlikely to require buildup beyond 4 dot.
- Cakey by 5th dot.
- Can cover tattoos, but colour correction is recommended to soften ashy finish.
- Photograph beautifully. It is so rare for full coverage formula to photograph well under macro (mega closeup).
- Skin looks instantly smooth.
- Almost like a soft lens filter finish once dried down. Flawless porcelain?
Zero alteration on both photos, only watermarked.
Skin type
- Best for oily skin
- Great with combination skin or normal skin.
- It is difficult on dry skin. Workable if the person scrubbed well and moisturise thoroughly before hand. The foundation does cling to dry patch, but it doesn’t look bad. It’s the classic visible foundation on the dry bits (the foundation look slightly darker on the dry patch). See my photo for reference. I skipped scrub for a week to have enough dry bits to show.
- Mature skin / deep wrinkles, I do not recommend. Too much preparation work. As usual, I consider foundation doesn’t work if it requires primer to make it happen.
More information on my skin type, click here.
Fragrance
No fragrance. Nothing repulsive or nice.
Packaging
22ml
Frosted glass bottle, extra thick base. Silver metallic lid and black plastic external lid. I personally don’t know what’s the function of the external lid.
Hell! (best word that I can find to replace f$%^) Worst than Estee Lauder doublewear & NARS stick all dirt packaging. That says a lot. Do I make myself clear? From the outer box to the actual foundation bottle. Shittiest luxury my back side bad packaging.
Can you see how hellish this mess of a bottle is? It has no dropper, no pump, total waste if pour out, and this sorry bottle clearly doesn’t close very well. Shittiest design EVER! Like ever! Winner of all time BAD packaging design. (1000+ words of rant)
Country of origin
Made in Italy
Application method
High density synthetic is the only way to blend this crazy high pigment foundation.
- Marc Jacobs face 3 brush
- Esprique foundation brush
- Shiseido foundation brush 131
- MAC 170 synthetic rounded slant brush
Real Technique expert face brush is totally mess up on you. Don’t bother. Not dense / firm enough.
I do not recommend this for people with a less confident hand; it is difficult to blend to perfection because of high pigment density. The formula itself is very smooth, it is not a formula flaw. I am referring to the ease of use here.
Colour
Make sure the match is PERFECT! This FULL HOUSE coverage will show up REAL funny if your shade is wrong. Walk out in the sun, try some on your chest. Test it out for at least 2 hours before you decide on a colour. Do not take any Sephora advise.
It does oxidise!!!
There are 22 shades to choose from.
The shades going by number are closely matched to Marc Jacobs Genius Gel. Quite rare, most brands’ shades are all over the show.
My shade that I bought is 32 beige light. Kind of wrong shade? Slightly more yellow will be more perfect. I can fix it with bronzer on the edge of my face or with some dim light sort of beige finishing powder.
Longevity
As usual, all results are based on ZERO primer and ZERO powder. Setting with powder is so not necessary with this one (my opinion). I am in my 30s and on the dehydrated side of things.
I have also tried it in 10 degrees Celcius in Parisian winter. Again, totally solid. Minus point, on spots where I missed on hydration serum, expression lines were accentuated. The foundation photographs very well. I highly recommend this for events.
Sensation
Cannot feel a thing. I am not aware that I’m wearing anything with this foundation. No particular sensation since it is so extremely light weight. **I am not referring to visibility. This is a FULL coverage foundation.
Price
- Sephora France €44.50
- Marc Jacobs Beauty USA $55.00
- Sephora CA $69
- Harrods UK £37.00 ===> UK is the cheapest!!! Thanks, Brexit 😛
- Sephora AUS $79
Not affiliated links.
Formula
Bis-hydroxytethoxypropyl Dimethicone, Ethyl Trisiloxane, Caprylyl Methicone, Isododecane, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Trimethylsiloxysilicate, Dimethicone, Jojoba Esters, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Mica, Silica, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Helianthus Annuus Seed Cera/Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Wax, 1,2-Hexanediol, Caprylyl Glycol, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Alcohol, Water, Acacia Decurrens Flower Cera/Acacia Decurrens Flower Wax, Polyglycerin-3, Tocopherol, Iron Oxides (CI 77491, 774912, 77499), Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891).
- The first 3 ingredients are all the good stuff that will make your skin look more smooth. No health concerns. At this price point, sure, I expect this type of thing.
- Polymethylsilsesquioxane – this stuff repels water *LOL* Perhaps that the magic that makes this foundation last so long.
- Dimethicone – this silicon leaves the skin feeling silky and look more smooth. At the same time, it covers the skin. Some sites call it out as a myth. Others swears that it is bad for the skin. I am not a dermatologist, so I’ve flagged in anyway in case you’re into a silicon free product regime. I am not sure whether it is dimethicone or the combination with my skincare products that causes my issue. For me, after continuous 30 days daily use, this foundation does increase clogged pores even though I use an arsenal amount of cleansing product. 3 silicons are high on the list. I don’t use this foundation daily any more and it is not longer an issue.
- Alcohol – dehydrates skin. I can’t smell this at all though. I was surprised, because I didn’t know that it has alcohol until I read the list.
Like I said in previous post, for a high price point product, I don’t elaborate much on their good ingredients if any. At that price point, it better be full of goods stuff.
Repurchase
Probably **If their packaging improves, absolutely yes. I’m really hating the packaging at the moment.
Rating: A-
Packaging 0/5
Scent 3/5
Blendability 5/5
Look 10/10
Comfort 10/10
Longevity 10/10
Oxidation – significant colour change. I would classify this as a greyscale 3
Value for money 5/5
That’s it for the review. Thank you for reading. What do you think of this foundation? Buy or anti-haul for you?
Camera: Canon 5D mark 3, Sony Z3+
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