The new foundation generation promises a natural, your skin but more even and glowy look. Sofie and I tested six new launches.
(Liever in het Nederlands lezen? Die versie vind je op Café Cosmetique.)
Ever since we have to wear mouth masks on a daily/regular basis, we tend to skip foundation most days because why bother? That does not mean that the beauty world stopped launching new foundations or reformulating existing ones. Although some people will always love the look of a thick, visible layer of foundation, preferably in a darker colour than their own skin tone, the cakey mask effect is très passé. The new foundation generation feels light, contains skincare ingredients, offers medium (to full) coverage and a glowy finish and is often for more than 90% natural. (To please the ‘green’ beauty lovers.)
High time to put these new launches to the test, right? Sofie and I made up half our face for the pictures, the other one is 100% au naturel. (The left side of my face on the pictures is my naked one.)
Yves Saint Laurent Beauté’s Touche Eclat Le Teint, 53,70 €
Available in 30 shades.
The promises. YSL reworked the formula, texture and finish of its popular foundation. It promises impeccable, glowy and hydrated skin, 24 hours long. The light-weight, comfortable formula offers medium coverage. It has been enriched with plant extracts from the YSL Beauté Ourika Community Gardens. Marigold extract has to make skin more even, mallow extract promises to clarify skin and a vitamin E derivate works as an antioxidant. And it has an SPF22.
Tested. I like foundations that feel like you’re putting on moisturizer. This is one of them. The formula is a bit more fluid and offers a bit more coverage than the Givenchy one but feels just as comfy and light. It feels like I am just wearing moisturizer but my skin tone looks more even (the redness in my cheeks is barely noticeable) and my skin has a lovely, natural glow. Its formula does not seem to be sucked up by the dry patches on my face, unlike the other two foundations I tested. (I guess the high dose of glycerin, the 4th ingredient on the INCI, has something to do with that.) 24 hours of perfection seems a bit long to me but it does last nicely: my skin still looks good at the end of the day even though the foundation has faded a bit by then.
#FauxFilter Luminous Matte Full Coverage Liquid Foundation by Huda Beauty, 39,93 €, at Ici Paris XL
Available in 39 shades. Fragrance-free.
The promises. Uncomfortable, a pancake effect, bizarre smells… Huda Beauty fans had their complaints about the #FauxFilter Full Coverage Foundation. So the American MUA turned influencer took that criticism and turned it into a new formula and foundation. The foundation promises full coverage and a perfect matte finish for a natural effect. It’s water and sweatproof and promises 24 hours of protection. (From what, I am not completely sure.)
Tested. This is an Instagram filter foundation: it looks great in pictures, in real life it gets sucked up by the dry patches on my skin, emphasizing them, and I find it a bit too present. I definitely recommend using a hydrating primer with this one. (I most of the time skip one as my moisturizer generally is enough of a hydrating base.) I tried it with Armani’s hydrating primer and it did not creep into the dry patches as much as without.
I find the ‘fluid’ formula too thick to blend out easily. (The hydrating primer does not solve that problem.) I do like the finish: matte but at the same time luminous, as contradictory as that may sound. It stays put a long time, too but it does stain my silk mouth mask a bit. I am happy it has a fragrance-free formula, which makes it available for people who are allergic or sensitive to fragrance.
If you like your foundation to be full coverage you will probably like this one. If not, this one is not for you.
Prisme Libre Skin-Caring Glow by Givenchy, 52 €, at Ici Paris XL
Available in 24 shades.
The promises. Skincare and coverage in one go. This foundation promises 12 hours of glow and 24 hours of hydration. The formula is made up of 90% caring ingredients (I spot glycerin, propanediol and coco-caprylate on the INCI) and promises hydration and (over time) a better skin quality. The finish is transparant and dewy.
Tested. This foundation feels like moisturizer. The finish is pretty transparant: it does not cover up my red cheeks completely but you can build up the coverage a bit by layering the product. It looks like I put a natural-looking Instagram filter over my face: transparant coverage where needed and a lovely glow that fades a bit after a couple of hours.
After a sunny al fresco lunch I spot a foundation imprint of my sunnies’ nose pads on my skin, so it does move around a bit. (It will stain a mouth mask a bit, too.) The formula emphasizes the dry spots on my skin slightly even though it feels nourishing.
Clarins’ Everlasting Long-Wearing Foundation, 45 €
Avalailable in 35 shades.
The promises. 24 hours of coverage without drying out skin. Bamboo powder, quinoa, oat sugars and plant extracts have to prevent dehydration. The featherlight texture melts into skin and promises to cover up imperfections, redness and port-wine stains.
Tested. Full coverage foundations often feel heavy on skin and tend to dry it out a bit. This does not apply to the Everlasting foundation. Its texture looks like a regular fluid foundation that seems to evaporate when you apply it and leaves behind a matte veil. Without the cakey effect or dehydrated skin. My skin feels comfortable all through the day and stays matte without looking unnatural. It also does not stain my mouth mask.
Clinique Even Better Clinical Serum Foundation, 45 €
Available in 42 shades. Fragrance-free.
The promises. More than a foundation, says Clinique. Because it contains 3 serums that have to improve the look of your skin. Hyaluronic acid should make skin look fresh and plump. BHA clears out pores so pimples and blackheads do not stand a chance. It also refines skin texture. Vitamin C promises fresh, more even skin by fading pigmentation spots slightly and protects against free radicals. This serum foundation also promises to stay put for 24 hours. It is oil-free, has an SPF20 and is water resistant.
Tested. You could think this foundation is more of a tinted skincare product as it contains 3 serums (well, 3 active ingredients to be more precise). But it does last a lot longer than tinted moisturizer. I could not check the ‘lasts 24 hours’ claim (those days are long behind me) but it does last from morning until night. It gives a natural finish that you can build up to a pretty decent coverage. The serum texture also means you avoid a cakey effect. I also like the fact it is available in 42 shades. Which might lead to a bit of stress picking the right shade but Clinique is soon launching a handy online tool that helps you pick the right shade.
Shiseido Synchro-Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation, 50 €
Available in 30 shades. Fragrance-free.
The promises. Medium to high coverage and a feather light texture. The Light-Adjusting Technology promises a visibly lifting, refining and smoothing effect and a glowy finish under any light. Humectants promise 24 hours of hydration and comfort. Plus, it has an SPF30.
Tested. The texture is light and you can build up coverage by layering the product. Honestly? I do not expect a foundation to make my cheeks look sharper. I am simply happy if it makes my skin look more even without anyone noticing I am wearing foundation. Which is exactly wat this foundation does, with a natural looking glow as a nice bonus.
Franciska Bosmans 