Happy New Years everyone! Skin feeling less than 100% after a night of minimal sleep and partying? Well I have a product which claims to help, and at a low price point… Let’s play with make up, first review of 2017!

My Skin Story…

Finding a the perfect drugstore foundation can be difficult to say the least. If you have oily skin, combination skin, dry skin… warm or cool undertones… are very fair or very deep in skin tone….desire full coverage or a natural coverage… are looking for sun protection or would rather not have a flash back on your face in your fancy pictures. There’s a lot to choose from and I am very very picky.

Since the age of 13 until just the past year I suffered from severe and painful cystic acne. It was all over my face and left behind horrible scarring.

Over the past year or so I have found what makes my skin happy and now feel that I only suffer from the occasional break out. Though how I cleared my skin is a topic for a completely different blog post, the scars and texture are something I continue to address with skin care and my make up routine. BUT if you didn’t know… any and all foundations emphasize the **** out of any texture on your face.

In fact, when texture is a major skim care concern, products that are heavier and not matte are usually things I say far far are way from… however… my all time favorite youtuber with sensitive skin, Tati Westbrook swears by the Milani Conceal & Perfect. I was running low on my usual foundation, and was in the market for a new bottle so I picked up this hyped up beauty.

The claims and the brand…

Milani is a cruelty free brand at the drugstore, and this foundation was created keeping deeper skin tones in mind (hence the shade range). My shade 01, which was the lightest, and I’m usually not the fairest of foundation shades. On their website they seem to now be carrying shade 00, to accommodate the need for paler skin individuals! (Yay!)

The product claims to be a water-resistant formula that looks natural on the skin, but is packed with pigment. The formula is also meant to keep you matte all day. For a combination skinned individual (normal skin with oily T zone) with acne scars this sounds like a dream… so we shall investigate those claims!

First Impression…

Nice pump, glass bottle, thick consistency foundation with a moderately strong scent (like the love child of sunscreen and a Pina colada?). The product does not contain any SPF, and appears to have strong yellow undertones.

***Update 9/16/17: There are new shades of this foundation! More lighter shades! In this review I was utilizing the lightest shade available at the time 01 Creamy Vanilla:

 

 

No primer was used to really test this formula. Regardless the foundation glided on. The yellow undertones really worked to cancel out redness especially on my cheeks, and helped to brighten my dark circles (though I am told that my dark circles are not severe). One layer of the foundation, using 1 pump over the whole face built to a high-medium/ low full coverage. The foundation glided on easy with a dense kabuki brush and finish is natural/satin, and I would not classify this as matte.

This foundation is definitely buildable. As you can see from the picture above it diminished the look of the scars on my chin with a second layer of the foundation, without looking cakey. Overall I felt that the foundation did look very natural, especially considering the coverage. I refrained from my desire of setting this with a powder and went throughout my day…

2 hour check in…

4 hour check in

8 hour check-in

 

Attempts to make the product work for me…

So I honestly don’t like products to fail…because I paid money for it obviously. But this wear test with no primer and no power really wasn’t working for me. I really like the shade match, and the finish… except on my nose. I don’t normally blow my nose, or touch my face so I honestly believe that it is the oil which caused the strange patchiness. I tried a mattifying, pore minimizing primer…

On separate occasions I tried powdering with the Rimmel Stay Matte which caused a very cakey looking appearance and tried a setting spray (urban decay all nighter)… no dice. The ONLY way I can get this to sit well on my nose is to use a method similar to baking. As soon as it place it on my nose, I make an alien face to smooth/stretch out the skin in my T zone and take a powder brush to powder the crap out of my nose. If I do this too late the foundation will bunch up on the powder… very strange! I think because the undertone is corrective I will use this foundation as a mix in… wait for an update if I find a good concoction!

Final Thoughts…

Mattifying Level (At initial application)

 

Coverage Level (At initial application)

 

Longevity and wear (Includes level of greasiness, fading, and end of the night appearance)

I’m not the oiliest gal, but this product doesn’t do much to control my oils. Saying that, when I feel like I need to

 

Maybe she’s born with it?

 

Price

This item is also available on amazon, Here. It is occasionally on safe for less than $10!

Recommended audience

If you have dry/normal skin, with yellow undertones (or want to correct your natural pink undertones for a neutral look)… this foundation is for you! There is SPF so flashback is not an issue, and actually this might make this foundation great for events where photos might be taken. My skin likes to break out for the stupidest reasons, and after wearing this product for 4 days I can say that it did not cause break outs! Hooray!

I would NOT recommend this for those who like low maintenance or super natural make up, those that have very fair skin (unless shade 00 matches you), or those with very oil skin. I will continue to use this product and attempt to find something more mattifying to mix in and see if it will sit better on my T zone. Have you tried this foundation? Let me know if it went well for you!

***UPDATE 4/15/2017:

So since this review I have changed hormone medications and my skin is OILY and SUPER SENSITIVE. Anything that semi-clogs my pores causes terrible breakouts including: Foundation, moisturizers, serums, toners… things I used to be able to use and were holy grails…. so SINCE then I like to use this product on a more daily basis because it doesn’t clog my pores. It kinda… moves… when oil gets on my face. BUT it’s easily blendable. Other foundations that SPACKLE onto my face keeps the oils on my skin and I have a bunch of small bumps after use… If you have sensitive skin, maybe you’re just going through a rough time, and your BIGGEST desire is to have something that won’t break you out. THIS. THIS with some other long wearing products. ***

 

…Pssst! Hey ! You! Does it seem that this foundations isn’t your cup of tea? Check out my other drugstore foundation reviews!

Loreal Infallible Total Cover vs. Rimmel Stay Matte

Maybelline Fit me Matte & Poreless vs Covergirl Clean matte bb

Covergirl Clean Matte BB vs Maybelline Fit Me Foundation Review

Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse: Review and Wear test

 

******FULL DISCLOSURE: This are my personal experiences and thoughts. I am not being paid by any brand or the company to review this product or talk about any claims. This product was not sent to me. Links in this post are part of the amazon affiliates program.*******