little white truths

Recently I picked up a sample of Too Faced's Born This Way Foundation in Warm Nude: I had a feeling the coverage might be a little thick for me but I wanted to try the product because most people seem to love it so much.

After getting three applications from the sample, I can confirm that this is indeed a good product but it's just not for me and I'd rather stick with my lighter, dewier bases. Though I do understand why people like this, so it's definitely worth testing if you're in the market for a new base.

• An oil-free foundation that masterfully diffuses the line between makeup and skin
• For coverage so undetectable, you can’t see the makeup and you can’t see imperfections—all that’s left is naturally radiant skin that looks like you were Born This Way
• Medium to full coverage
• 'Warm Nude' is described as 'light with neutral to golden undertones'
• Oil-free
• Coconut water helps delicately replenish skin’s moisture levels without over-hydrating - for the look of radiant skin
• Infused with the resilient alpine rose to brighten the skin’s appearance and promote elasticity
• Hyaluronic acid helps balance skin for a smoother, more youthful appearance
• Tip: for medium coverage, apply a small amount from the centre of the face outward and blend with fingertips, sponge or brush; build to full coverage by layering as needed
• RRP $58 AUD for 30ml

And in natural light (here it looks less yellow and more peach, which is a problem for me because I'm quite yellow - especially on my body):

Verdict

This is a good product, and while it's not for me, I can definitely see why people love it. As compared to Nars' Sheer Glow Foundation - another super popular base - I reckon this product is far superior and it performs much better on my skin than the Nars one does (see my review of that here).

The first time I used it, I applied a thin layer and set it with a powder. It looked a little heavy for my tastes but I was really happy with how well it lasted throughout the day - something I often have issues with, given that I prefer tinted moisturisers and BB creams (which often don't last as well on the skin). 

The second time I used it, my skin mustn't have been prepped well because the layer I put on wasn't thin enough and I had trouble spreading the product around, so it wound up looking too full-coverage for me and I didn't like it so I removed it. So if you're dry-skinned like me, do hydrate your skin first.

The third time I used it, I applied my trusty Hourglass serum primer to make sure my dry skin was as juiced up as possible. This wound up being a good idea because the product spread much better and I was able to get a super fine layer, which is what I prefer. This time I didn't set it with a powder, and it didn't last as well as the first time, although I preferred how it looked because my makeup appeared more natural.

While this foundation can give a natural coverage if you apply it sparingly, I'm still aware of the product sitting on my skin - I think because I'm used to tinted moisturisers and BB creams (which tend to just feel hydrating, rather than like makeup), but with this I could feel the makeup on my face. It wasn't terrible, but I'd prefer not to feel anything at all.

Also, the finish isn't perfect for my preferences: having dry skin, I prefer a dewy finish. This isn't matte but satin, so it does look nice but it's not as dewy as I would like. 

On the shade, it's a good match for my winter skintone but for one thing: it's not yellow enough for my undertones and I could really see the difference between the colour of my face and my neck/body. I was shade-matched to this one though, which makes me suspect that there mightn't be another shade that works well for my current colouring.

Other things to note are that it didn't crease or sit in lines throughout the day, nor did it pool into my pores - so I didn't have little foundation dots all over my face (this is an issue I had with the Nars Sheer Glow). It also didn't oxidise on me, but my skin did feel drier than usual so I had to use more of my facial spray throughout the day to keep my skin looking plumped and feeling comfortable.

In sum, I think this is a decent foundation but it's not the right product for me. I have a feeling it would work best for skin that's less dry than mine, but it's worth testing whatever your skin type because it looked natural enough and performed well.

Have you used this? Let me know what you think if so.