Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation Review, Photos, Swatches
Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation ($40.00 for 1.0 fl. oz.) is supposed to be a full coverage and waterproof liquid foundation with a matte finish. It delivered on its promise of full coverage, and it was fairly matte when it dried down (not so matte that it appeared flat), but it was unforgiving on dry patches and can be harder to spread across the skin if you don’t work quickly. It lasted well for six hours before becoming noticeably less matte, which indicated the natural oils of my skin were coming through and beginning to break down the foundation. I noticed some separation around my nose and on my chin after eight hours of wear. My biggest issue with this is how it sits on my skin, because it’s very hard to get it to look really smooth and skin-like–I had two days where it looked that way but all the rest were days where areas looked cakey (especially underneath my eyes and on my nose).
Early reader reports are all over the place–issues with shade matching due to darkening and oxidation along with incredibly varied wear times–makes this one a must to try in-store or else be prepared to return. For me, I noticed that the foundation dries much darker than it appears pumped out of the bottle, more so than the average liquid foundation, but this is something that occurs within 30 seconds to a minute as I apply. I didn’t have the foundation darken any further than it did at dry down.
I tried two shades–3.25 (described as a “light with neutral undertone”) and 4.0 (described as a “medium-light with soft warm undertone”), neither of which was a perfect fit, but a 60/40 ratio worked for me. It is easier for me to wear 3.25 than 4.0, because 4.0 is very yellow and makes my skin appear significantly yellow in tone. I thought there was no way 3.25 could be the right color, but it dries down darker–the difference in color at dry down is a bit more severe than I normally get when a foundation goes from liquid to totally dry and matte. It didn’t seem to oxidize over time on my skin, even after 10 hours, but it seems to be a fairly common experience by those who have tried it, so it’s something to keep in mind (it sounds like sampling this is a must). I wore this ten times, including outdoors (it’s been somewhat humid, in the low 100s here) for brief periods, like running errands or walking a few blocks, as well as for a few walks around the neighborhood (more like high 80s to low 90s in temperature).
For my face, one to one and a half pumps was all that was necessary for full coverage. If you want to build up coverage, I would recommend half a pump dabbed in three to four spots per area of the face (forehead, each cheek, one or two down the nose, and two to three on the chin). I liked to put a couple of dabs underneath my chin and jaw line so I can blend the foundation down the neck, almost to the base of my neck to ensure a seamless match. If you’re someone who works more slowly with their foundation application, I would suggest applying to about half the face, blending and spreading the foundation out, and then applying to the other half of the face to ensure the best application possible. The faster you work, the better the finish is; the slower you work, the more cakey it appears on the skin. It does not like to be blended or fiddled with after it dries down (it always looked terrible if I tried to blend an area that had dried down–it would separate, look powdery and cakey, and dry).
If you have drier skin, a damp sponge (like a beautyblender) tended to move the skin the least and resulted in a more forgiving finish along a dry patch I have (just to the right of my nose and below the eye) for a couple of days while testing this, where a brush was often too prone to catching on the edge of the dryness. On the days prior and after that dry patch appearing, it looked decent to good if I worked very quickly and was able to blend everything out before it dried down. Assuming one likes a matte finish, the foundation looked good on my skin with smooth, even coverage overall. However, when I had dryness, the foundation was more noticeable on the skin and had a tendency to sit on the skin and look cakey. I also found that if I overapplied or did not apply fast enough, it can look cakey–so this isn’t a foolproof foundation as far as I’m concerned.
I liked the feel of it on the skin, as it wasn’t heavy or clingy, though it is more noticeable that I am wearing something all over my face compared to my go-to foundations, which I tend to wear at light-medium to medium coverage (Guerlain Lingerie de Peau, Tarte Rainforest of the Sea). The coverage was opaque enough that it hid my dark circles, so I did not need concealer–you can really see how much it minimizes the shadow and bagginess of my under eye area on my right eye (your left) when looking at the before and after photos. When I’m testing a foundation, I want to forget I have it on, because that means it looked good, wore well, and didn’t require a lot of ongoing maintenance–given that I’m mostly indoors (with air conditioning), it’s the least a foundation can do!
That’s how All Nighter was for the first six to eight hours of wear, but it started to separate and break down after eight hours and seemed to go downhill quickly. It’s more of an average wearing foundation on my normal-to-dry skin than a long-wearing (or “all night,” if you will!) formulation for me. With setting powder, I was able to get an additional two hours or so of good wear out of it. With Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray, it lasted for eight to nine hours well. With respect to the waterproof claims, I have no pool so I did not swim, but I took a shower and found it was intact so long as I gently patted my face and did not rub. It can withstand light rubbing if you pat first, then lightly rub. I didn’t have any issues with removal (I use shu uemura’s cleansing oil).
This is a foundation I would try to get a sample of for more accurate shade matching but also to see how it does on your skin. It was a foundation that looked good one day, bad the next, and so-so on other days–and these are the foundations that can be frustrating to wear, because you cannot apply with confidence. I really enjoyed the way it felt on the skin, as it was lightweight but covered well, but I prefer something that has a more forgiving application and initial appearance as well as one that wears longer and breaks down subtly (I’d rather something fade more evenly than disintegrate!).
Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay 3.25 All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay 3.25 All Nighter Foundation
Bare Skin | Urban Decay 3.25 All Nighter Foundation
Bare Skin | Urban Decay 3.25 All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay 3.25 All Nighter Foundation | Look Breakdown
Urban Decay 4.0 All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay 4.0 All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay 4.0 All Nighter Foundation
Bare Skin | Urban Decay 4.0 All Nighter Foundation
Bare Skin | Urban Decay 4.0 All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay 4.0 All Nighter Foundation
Urban Decay 4.0 All Nighter Foundation | Look Breakdown
The 4 shade looks very yellow. Even compared to how I remember the naked foundation in shade 4. I was given a sample of that once but it was wrong shade for me but I don’t remember it being that yellow just mainly too warm for me.
Anyways this foundation is not for me. I like dewy light to medium coverage.
It is most definitely a yellow-toned shade!
I think for the majority of reviews I’ve seen, they are confusing drying darker with oxidizing.
I’ve definitely seen people mention that it is changing hours later, not just minutes, so it does seem to be oxidizing for some – it does seem particularly higher for lighter shades.
I have oily skin and I am desperate to find something that will stand up to my oil and is also long wearing. I am a teacher and put my makeup on at 6am. I’d like it to last or at least wear well until the end of the day. Any suggestions?
Have you tried Estee Lauder Double Wear?
Nicole, I swear by Estée Lauder Double Wear. I put my makeup on at 5am, have oily skin with large pores, live in Texas heat and humidity, am 50 years old, wear a medical mask all day at work during long shifts and I don’t remove my makeup until around 9pm. I always try all the full coverage, long wearing products out there and I always go back to ELDW. It has a huge shade range, as well, and is 35 ish dollars. If I want it to be extra bullet-proof, I set it with an ELDW loose mineral foundation powder and it is not going anywhere!!! I don’t think it looks or feels too mask-like. Hope this helps:)
I always forget about that one when I go looking for a new foundation and it sounds like we have similar skin and we are in the same climate too.
I’ll see if I can get a sample…
Oh, Makura have you tried Kate Von D’s lock it foundation or Hard Candy Glamoflauge? I’m curious to hear your thoughts if you have. Thanks
Lorraine, yes I have and both are heavy feeling and still rub off around nose, transfer easier that ELDW. Macy’s, Dillards and Nordstrom give generous samples. Get a few shades. Let me know how you like it!
Thank you for answering my question, I really appreciate the info. I’ll definitely go get samples of the Estee Lauder.
I knew this foundation wasn’t going to be for me (I have dry skin and don’t need/want full coverage) but this seems a little disappointing.
And wow 4.0 looks so yellow on you! I’m really glad that UD has something that yellow in there range though. I know some might think “who the hell is that yellow?!”, but 4.0 in the Naked Skin formula is actually one of the few foundations I’ve found that’s a wearable (though not perfect) match for me, as it doesn’t lean too peach like most medium yellow based foundations seem to.
Yep, it casts yellow on me for sure! I think the fuller coverage makes it more noticeable, though.
YAY, I’m loving these foundation reviews Christine! Keep up the good work! =)
Thank you!
If it doesn’t look natural it’s a pass for me… But I do like how UD always runs so yellow. Most foundations are too orange or pink on me.
Totally understand!
I was SO hopeful that this was going t be magic on my very oily skin. Sadly, my observations were very similar to yours. I never get dry patches. ..but somehow this foundation seem to find them, or create them. Yet, it didn’t control my oil at all. I used multiple ways of applying it, always using a setting powder and a finishin spray….yes it faded off in patches and was very cakey. I am so confused by this foundation. Many youtubers spoke of it being so amazing. Nothing about it is for me!!
(Also, I thought I was quite a but more fair than you…but 3.25 was a perfect match for me after it dried down. It’s nice to know that I can match colors more often with you!)
Thanks for this review!
The outer edges of my face are darker but my neck and cheeks/chin are lighter! I usually find going lighter works better (matches my neck/chest) as dark tends to look like my head is floating, lol!
I was hoping this foundation would be good – I wasn’t a fan of the UD Naked Foundation because something about their shades wasn’t sitting right. I think you hit it spot on when you said it oxidized, and you had to blend two shades (So expensive!) to get the right colour match.
Blending two shades is common enough – it is possible that another shade might be better match, but those were the two shades I asked for (that I thought would work best) – for me, but it does get expensive if you don’t finish your foundation!
Ugh.. typos! Sorry!
No worries!
Sounds a right ‘mare to make work for you! Thanks for the review, definitely won’t be getting this! Too yellow, too faffy, and doesn’t last long enough let alone be forgiving to dry patches.
Not a fan of foundations that make you have to work at it each day, lol!
What are you wearing on your lips in the 4.0 pics?
MAC Liquid Lurex!
The coverage it gives in your first set of photos looks nice enough, but this foundation sounds like it’s a bit too finicky for my taste. The reviews I have read so far have seemed a bit all over the place, but reading about the oxidation and inconsistent day-to-day performance in yours explains everything.
It was for me – it’s definitely not one I could just throw on half-asleep and know would look good.
Certainly these make your skin look flawless, but your comments are pretty much consistent with my pet gripes against the vast majority of full cover liquid foundations. They look amazeballs for a limited time followed by eventual break through of natural oils winding up as a rather disastrous mess. Very heavily pigmented products invariably fail on me and get that patchy broken down look on all the high points and central portion of my face. I do not have oily skin, but still have problems with full cover foundations. I will always prefer a medium buildable as a result. If I were in it for instagram photos, this one could be on the table, but I’m looking for something to wear in the real world so it is a pass. Foundation reviews are always ALWAYS appreciated.
p.s. I see your struggle here with shade choice; prefer the 3.25 over the 4.0.. I like your Tarte foundation which blends so much better with your skintone. 3.25 still looks quite yellow for a neutral foundation which isn’t bad for some, but not perfect for you. Anyhooo.. You look lovely regardless!! and I’m splitting hairz.
It reminds me of the way lipsticks get sweaty – you can see it ever-so-slightly and just looks… gross.
Light-Medium Neutral by Tarte is definitely the closest I’ve found in a single shade! I’d say maybe a hair light overall, but so, so close in tone.
You described it perfectly! It was a very finicky foundation. When I first put it on, I was blown away by how flawless and perfect my skin looked. But it was very frustrating trying to recreate those results in the weeks after as it wouldn’t look the same. It would be patchy and uneven upon application. And it was terrible over dry spots. You have to be very gentle and pat in a large amount with the fingertips then lightly dab with a sponge, in my experience. The foundation applies very nicely with a flat, dense foundation brush. I had no issues with oxidation. I bought two shades, 2.0 and 3.0, and they have warm undertones that have a significant yellow portion. 3.0 worked for me because 2.0 was too light. There is a slight color change, but I found that the foundation would actually become lighter and dry down to settle into its true color. The color changes were minimal and almost unnoticeable. I agree that it did look like i was wearing makeup. It wore well for a long time, probably the longest lasting foundation that I’ve tried. It didn’t need a touch of powder until after at least 7 hours on my oily combo skin.
Right??! Sometimes it would look SO SO SO good, but then other times it was a disaster! And it was hard to correct – one day was so bad I just removed it and wore something else.
At least it lasted better on you though! 🙂
Christine, as always thank you so much for the detailed and thoughtful review. It’s your thoroughness that has gained the trust of all of us in your opinions! I have just finished my third bottle of Too Faced Born This Way and am looking for a new foundation. I have no complaints with that one, just ready to try something else. I purchased Tarte’s Rainforest of the Sea foundation based on your recommendation and haven’t managed to get it to work just right yet. Do you have any tips for application, primers that it benefits from, or favored tools to use it with?
Hey Megan,
With Tarte, I really haven’t had any issues with reaching for a myriad of tools! I tend to use Real Techniques Expert Face for applying, and if not that, one of the MJB Face brushes (whatever is clean). For primers, I like Too Faced’s Hangover RX Primer, since it is water-based!
This looks really flawless in pictures, so maybe it’s especially good for photography. 4.0 definitely makes you look a bit jaundiced! 3.25 looks good. I might just get this to mix with another less matte foundation. I’m someone who tends to “cocktail” things to make them more wearable for my liking. Great post, as usual, Christine!
The matte finish works well in photos, IMO! It does look very smoothing when it is done right – so long as one does not get too close 😉
No offense, but your bare skin is infinitely better. These really skew wrong. Look how great your neck looks, compared to your face, even though I know you blended them down. Swatched them; far too yellow. Oy, not good. Another write off.
Yes, 4.0 is way, way too yellow for me! A sure sign that my yellow undertones are not nearly as strong as I thought years ago!
And my red/pink tones are still there, despite I thought I’d neutraled up. This even looked bad on a minimal tan. Wasn’t thrilled by the Kvd shades in store. Let”s hope the expanded Nars concealer fairs better. It’s amazing to me that people have problems finding foundations that are warm or yellow enough. Shows there is substantial variation in OWBs ( ordinary white broads.). Off topic: decided to leave a swatch of the Sephora water liner…the pinky/purple one on my wrist. Washed hands, but not wrists specifically, and in the massive heat/humidity, fog today, and dishwashing…it is still there and pretty even more than 30 hours later. ‘Course, it’s not a waterline, but I’m impressed.
Isn’t it crazy how different the waterline is to just the skin on your wrist? It’s usually good news if it wears really long on the wrist, but you never know how just how long it’ll wear on the waterline, lol!
kjh, the Sephora Inner Rim Gel Eyeliner is by far the longest lasting on my wet waterline – around 4 hours, which is a miracle for me. Everything else disappears in minutes, I think the longest on record was maybe 2 hours with another brand.
I find it goes on really nicely with a damp sponge. I use a primer, setting powder, and setting spray (which I always do because I have more combo skin and live in crazy humidity) and I’ve worn it for a little over 12 hours with very little fading. It just gets a little shinier later in the day.
Nice, Kayla! I’m glad it is working for you 🙂
Holy cow 400 is super yellow. It does look really thick but you did an excellent job of making it look nice. Your description sounds a lot like the Kat Von D lock it foundation (a little goes a long way, work fast, don’t touch it after it dries or it separates, can look cakey). I like the KVD for photo spreads but for everyday wear it doesn’t work for me. When I so much smile it breaks the foundation apart and by the end of the day my skin looks nuts.
It is definitely yellow toned! I haven’t worn Lock-It enough (I’m not even sure if I have the right color – I cannot remember) – and I need to revisit the MJB Re(Marc)able as well now.
I tested a few samples because I gravitate toward full coverage, long wearing products because I work long shifts and wear a medical mask all day. I found that this foundation did rub off, or transfer, to the inside of my mask unlike my HG Estée Lauder Double Wear. I have also tried the Marc Jacobs and the KVD. ELDW still reigns as my #1 for work days because it looks great after many hours, does not transfer and does not break me out. I prefer a lighter foundation for my weekends and days off, such as the Tarte Rainforest of The Sea foundation or even a tinted moisturizer. I tried to use the search function but was unsuccessful in finding a review of the ELDW. My question is, Christine, have you ever reviewed the ELDW stay in place makeup? I’m just curious about your thoughts on it. Thanks!
I haven’t tried Double Wear in so long – I think I will try to remember to try it again next time there’s a sale (GC promo or % off) at a retailer, so there’s no review!
How did you like MJB and KVD overall? Obviously not as much as Double Wear, but I’m curious how they stacked up.
The MJ was one of those foundations that gave me what I call the “polka-dot” effect, meaning, upon application I could see all my large pores immediately. It did not hold up well and transferred too easily for my taste. Finding the correct shade was not easy, either. The numbers have no rhyme or reason. The KVD felt too heavy on my skin, oxidized, and also, transferred easier than my ELDW. I get excited when I see new long-wearing product releases because I always hope that technology has advanced to provide something even better. Not yet, I always go back to ELDW. As I mentioned to someone else in this thread, it comes in great shade ranges, is relatively inexpensive, and is easy to access. All Estée counters are happy to give out very generous samples, btw. (Gosh, I sound like an Estée rep! Lol) The only drawback that I can mention is that it does not have a pump. However, I bought a separate MAC pump and initially it worked great but I found the product ends up drying out in the pump and clogs it up over time. That must be why they don’t have one, yet. At times, I set it with an ELDW loose mineral powder foundation (I forgot the name) which makes it extra bullet-proof, but honestly, I do not like lots of layers on my skin. Let me add, I do not use a primer with this foundation and rarely use a setting powder with it. Ok, I’m done, lol 🙂
I saw you wear this foundation in a photo, and I wasn’t a fan of it. It looked very heavy and flat, I much prefer you in the Guerlain or Tarte Rainforest of the Sea one. And what’s up with 4.0?? It looks yellow enough to get somebody a new liver! I see Sephora is offering a free sample, might still give it a try since I’m a curious cat, and I want to see how it compares to my Marc Jacobs Full Coverage one. The MJ one can be unforgiving too- I have to be super diligent about exfoliating and moisturizing my 46 yo skin to make it look its best, but the ironic thing is my natural skin looks better because of all the extra attention to it!
I haven’t gone back to the MJB since I asked you tips – been meaning to do so soon, though!
Yeah, the MJ one is tricky! I’m doing fine using my IT Velvet LBD brush, but want to try it with the Artis Oval brushes. I think Oval #8 is too big for my petite face and #6 is too small, but they just came out with #7, and I’m waiting for it to get to retailers before buying.
Wow I’m surprised by the overall rating…. I need to get a sample for 1.0 for sure first. I do love a full coverage foundation so I’m willing to give it a shot. The Naked Skin foundation is just way too sheer for me as a foundation.
When it looks good, it looks really lovely on (assuming one likes a more matte finish), but it can be so unforgiving and hard to get that great look on 🙁
This formula was incredibly thick when I tested in store, even a little sticky. I couldn’t sheer it out hardly at all. So it was a no go for me.
Oh, wow! It’s a thicker formula, but I could definitely get it to spread/move on the skin at least!
Dat bottle doe 🙂
It is very cool!
So yeah, we totally have the same feelings on this foundation! I tried one last time to use it today and it was just awful. It started flaking off my face! I had to wash the foundation off completely and use another.
🙁 Oh no! I had that problem one day – it just looked so bad and the more I tried to fix it, the worse it looked, so I just removed it entirely!
This is so disappointing. I love the setting spray and thought this would be great as well, but it looks very mask like.
I wanted it to be good! 🙁
I love this foundation. I bought the shade 6.0 because that’s what I use in the Naked foundation. Immediately after I applied it, I thought it was way too light. Luckily, it dries a little darker and was perfect for me. You do have to work quickly. But I love the full coverage and matte finish.
What tools/application methods are your favorites for this foundation, Selina?
You’re eye makeup caught my attention!!!! What are you wearing?!
Here you go!
http://www.temptalia.com/look/champagne-tarnished-gold-blue-glitter-eyes-with-urban-decay-moondusts/
http://www.temptalia.com/look/chanel-fall-2016-a-rusty-rouge-inspired-look/
Well, not promising, but I’m definitely going to get a sample to try. I think a lighter version of the 4.0 would work great for me — the yellow/gold tone seems right on for my skintone, and the coverage looks like exactly what I need. BTW, the 3.25 eyeshadow look is stunning!
Thank you, Alecto!
I love how thorough and informational your foundation reviews are!! Please continue to review foundations, I know that you didn’t like to before, but this review is such a big help!!
I’m glad I could help, Tasha! Is there anything I didn’t touch on or could have touched on more?
I honestly feel like you talked about every single part of the foundation! Please keep it up!
On top of not performing so well, they both look too yellow to me.
Could definitely see this foundation leaning too yellow!
Based on the issues you describe this is very unlikely to work for me. Anything that’s hard to blend and prone to look cakey is a big no-no for me!
You have to work very quickly 🙁 It’s fussy for sure!
Thank you for the Review. I have also heard that it oxidises very much. I would Need 0,5 the lightest shade but in Germany I will not be able to get a sample. And to Test it in Person I would have to go to another city. The closest would be 3 Hours away. I think I will wait and maybe I have some luck and get it cheap on eBay from a Person who tried it and gives it away.
It Looks really good on you. The Finish and coverage Are very good.
Sounds like a good idea to wait a bit and see how it goes 🙂
This is actually, for me, how the Utban Decay Naked Skin performs; that is, it’s a very unreliable foundation. Some days I’ll put it on and think “wow, why don’t I wear this more, it’s lovely”. When I reapply it the next day it looks awful and I remember why I avoid using it! Obviously it’s a different coverage etc but the same principle applies: it is not a foundation I can ever rely on to give me beautiful skin!!!
I’ll be avoiding this new one.
There are a lot of foundations, for me, that aren’t consistent – and after a good shade match, consistency is really important to me, because who has time to fuss with and deal with good/bad/bad/good/okay/good/bad/bad application?
Thank you Christine for this helpful review…You know,i love foundation and im ever exciting but the launch of a new one! Its like its something half super cool and half super important! lol
And i was waiting for the launch of this,not really wanted but just because its a new product so its “No way” and removed from my wishlist! lol And you have right,a foundation who need to be too much focus,stressed and ask for lot of work will be forgot just after a little time,and even if you love to change daily your foundation…
Me,even if i love the Re(marc)able,have it in 2 shades but i only use it to combine 1 or 2 drops with others foundations for add more coverage because im lazy to use it alone because one day im happy for the result and the next angry!!
I have another foundation,the new Diorskin forever pore refining who are not really good,and need to be fast too,so i was little dissapointed (but sadly not surprised by the bad products from Dior) before to use it combined,and now,i use it almost everyday!! 🙂
*Diorskin forever (new)+ Touche eclat le teint YSL (new) its a duo absolutely Gorgeous!! like a beautiful flawless face with glow and a kind of semi matte finish
*Diorskin forever(new)+The hoola liquid bronzer from Benefit,beautiful coverage with this summer tan who give to your face that hot beauty
Now iam waiting for the new Chanel Haute Tenue foundation,hope to see it on Tempatalia with a A+ 🙂
I have Re(marc)able but couldn’t get it to work well – but I have been meaning to go back to it and try again.
You are right – if you have to spend a lot of time, or if you know you’ll need to potentially redo your foundation, it’s not going to be a go-to!
Thank you for this review! I’m definitely passing on this foundation it sounds like a pain!
My pleasure, Bonnie!
Wow – looks like hard core coverage! I’m old, so this probably wouldn’t work for me, but I may get a sample & try anyway. Both of your eye looks in this post are to DIE for, BTW. I have eyes about the same shade as yours – can you tell me what shadows you’re wearing in the burgundy/brown look? Modern Renaissance, by any chance? Really beautiful, what ever it is!
Here you go!
http://www.temptalia.com/look/chanel-fall-2016-a-rusty-rouge-inspired-look/
Apart from being sceptical about brands that make such wild claims, this foundation does look terrible. For a start, the 4.0 (why can’t brands have a consistent rating system for their shades?) is so yellow and the finish of both foundations looks clammy, thick and unnatural.
A very easy pass.
I’m curious if the pink-toned shades are really pink!
I wanted to try this, but I’ve seen mixed reviews. I like foundations that look a bit more natural. Thanks for the review!
Yeah, as far as full coverage goes, I don’t think this is the most natural!
Thank you for the really thorough review! You’re the best 🙂
No problem, Sam!
Crud. These won’t work on my oily skin, between the breaking down and the oxidizing (I’ve heard this in several reviews). These do look really yellow, as others have noted, which won’t work on me.
Yes, the oxidizing seems pretty common in reviews – I have noticed it especially for 0.5-1.5 shades at least.
It might be worth noting, to those that feel even the 3.25 is too yellow, that the shades ending in .5 are supposed to have a more pink-y undertone to them, if they’re still inclined to try it. I’m still interested in getting this, but am unsure of if I need to get the 3.25 or the 1.5 that I also swatched when I was at Ulta. I think I may do on-face swatches this next trip in instead of the back of my hand like the last time.
I am curious how pink the pink-toned shades are now!
So I got samples of this foundation before buying it (it’s in the mail) and I actually love it. It does not oxidize on me. I’m 4.0, definitely a yellow-tone person, most foundations aren’t yellow enough. I’ve used a beauty blender and a brush and it’s worked well. I don’t like cakey full coverage so what I’ve done is dip my fingertip into the sample container and dab it on one side of the face, blend, do other side, blend, forehead, blend, and that’s usually enough, literally like 3/4 dots. It works well over silicone based primers like porefessional and those kinds of primers. I have gotten oily with it but it has not broken apart like other foundations like to do and I think it’s my moisturizer that I have to change. But again I know foundations that I hate and others love, so who knows 🙂
So glad it’s working for you, Janeen! What’s your skin type?
My skin is pretty oily. I usually have to blot multiple times a day and a lot of foundations the look great at first start breaking down around my chin and it does not look pretty. This one lasts pretty well, and I need things to last 14-15 hours (5pm-7/8am). So far this one works for me 🙂
Ah, I’m disappointed. I had such high hopes for this! I’m super olive toned too, a lot of the shades look just too yellow! I’ll stick to Illamasqua skinbase!
Oh, yes, if you are olive, I think this will be a hard line to match to!
Perhaps it’s because I’m used to seeing you in medium coverage natural finish foundations, but I think the 3.25 looks really mask-like! It’s exactly what we no longer need to accept in a foundation. because there are much better options out there now.
Interesting! The 3.25 looks fine to me (when it applies well, lol), but the 4.0 puts me in mind of the mask thing – maybe because the tone is so obviously wrong. Perhaps it is the more matte finish?
Might have been the difference between devices! I saw this originally on my Surface. Looks much nicer on a laptop lol
Oxidation makes that a hard pass for me. I oscillate between an NW13/15 depending on how much sun I get in the summer, so a tiny bit of oxidation isn’t a major issue, but anything more than that just pulls very yellow on me. Shame that they seemed to have stumbled here. I’d really like to see them try their hand at a tinted moisturizer.
And the oxidization comments (based on reviews I’ve read) seem most common in the lighter portion of the shade range!
The reviews of this are fairly disappointing. It sounds like everything I’d want in a foundation, but people seem to be having a lot of the problems I’m currently having with the Becca full coverage formula. It looks okay at first, but causes texture issues, odd color changes, and doesn’t hold up against oil. 🙁
This was on my wishlist but now I’m not too sure. I’ll definitely have to wait until I’m in store.
OK, this makes me feel better, I thought it was my poor application skills. It looks good in the morning, but at the end of the work day it looks HORRIBLE on me! Especially on my nose, it’s all patchy and cracked looking-CREEPY! I really want it to work though since I need the coverage and I’m allergic to ELDW. Also, Ulta vs. Sephora doing matching is night and day. I wear 1.0 in Naked skin and Sephora matched me to 1.0 but Ulta recommended 3.25! You and I are nowhere near each other on skin tone, so good to see that this is a closer shade for you, Ulta was way off. No way I was ordering this online, must be tested.
I’ve tried this foundation a few times and I like it better as a concealer for some scarring issues I have rather than an all over foundation. I can’t get it to stay in place on my oily t-zone no matter what primer I use, what skincare I use, how much/little of the foundation I use, or what kind of setting powder i use. It works best on scarring under my chin, I have a very short neck and collars have a tendency to rub that area and this foundation didn’t come off, but I’m definitely drier there. Oh and on my nose with the larger pores, forget it, it looks horribly pitted after a couple hours!
I wonder Christine if you can help me – I get matched at MAC and I am between NC20 and NW5 – I am olive skin toned with yellow undertones so MAC artists always assume I am NC20 but then it looks too orange/yellow on me. NW15 is a better match but a bit too light to my liking….Then a MAC make up artist told me to try the Matchmaster foundation as Studio Fix Fluid tends to lean either very pink or very yellow so she thought Matchmaster might be better. She tested 2 on me and 2 was a TAD too dark. I got 1.5 which is a good match but is a TAD too light….*sigh*. I thought getting matched at MAC at least will be easy. Is there any foundation shades you can recommend based on this? Doesn’t have to be MAC – for the record, I am SUPER oily but I have no blemishes…I still like full coverage, matt effect though. But am open to medium coverage, or even light as long as it stays put and matte…Thanks in advance.
The shades you have listed aren’t consistent so it’s really hard to say since I can’t see you in person (and even then, I don’t think I’d be any good!) 🙁
I ended up returning this. I wanted to love it but my Revlon Colorstay outperforms this on every level except for the cruelty free one.
I received a deluxe sample of this foundation from Sephora recently. I tested it out two days ago eagerly. I have an oily T-zone during the humid months, otherwise my skin tends to be more normal. Either way, I used my usual moisturizer, which is a very thick and rich one. I used my beauty blender, the foundation looked nice for about 5 mins, then it started to flake! I stopped and took a closer look wondering why my skin was peeling off! The pores on my nose were overemphasized so much! I tried using a hydrating facial mist, that didn’t help at all.
Eventually, I ended using micellar water to remove it from my face and instead use my current favourite foundation, which is the Nars matte skin tint, looked much better.
I don’t know why it did that, My skin is not super dry and I did exfoliate before wearing this foundation. Was very excited, super disappointed 🙁
Perhaps it got a poor grade because of it being the wrong shade for you. I wear 2.5 or 3 in the UD Naked Skin Liquid Foundation and maybe the shades I mentioned might have been a better color for your face.
Hi Chris,
Well, that wouldn’t be very fair, would it? I would not rate a foundation down for the shade that I happened to try not being a perfect match – that is akin to rating a product poorly because one didn’t find the color flattering, which is something I do not do. Although, as I stated in the review, mixing the two shades worked just fine for me.
I must ask – did you read the review or just look at the rating? I had issues with application, longevity, texture, and finish – it emphasized dry patches, was hard to blend, had noticeable separation within eight hours of wear, and had a tendency to look cakey on my skin. I thought I was detailed in where the foundation lacked, so I would love to get more insight on how I could have made that clearer to you instead of coming away with an assumption that it was just the wrong shade?
I read your review which I felt did cover what you encountered re: problems with the coverage, but I based my remarks on your photos and how yellow the shades turned out to be that were that you used on your face. I wondered if the shade used also factored into your review. I guess my question is: would your review had been any different if you had used a shade more compatible to your skin tone?
I do enjoy reading your comprehensive reviews so I meant no insult or confusion on what you had written about the foundation.
No, Chris, the rating has 0% to do with the shade and whether it matched me or not! I do NOT factor in such things as whether it flatters/suits/matches me or not.
Edit: If a foundation oxidized, it would be small part of the overall rating, but we’re talking after it dried down and hours later, it actually changed color!
I’ve really been loving your recent foundation reviews – it can be hard to find thorough reviews of foundations, and yours are great 🙂
Thank you, Emi!
I had really high hopes for this one since 4.0 seemed yellow enough for me. The original UD fdtn in 4.0 is not yellow golden enough…alas this new fdtn turns darker and too orange. Since I had heard mixed reviews so I only got a sample. I have oily skin and live in hot Southern California. This stuff was too cakey even though I only used a dab and it settled in pores and lines. I used it w a BB and a brush. Blagh w both. It was a total oil slick by the end of the day. I even set it w the ud all nighter spray. I’m not even going to finish the sample. So disappointed UD!
I was so excited to purchase this foundation, but have had the same problems as you – shade changing to darker and patchy application… I’ve tried different applications and bases – still very hard to blend. I’m going to try your tip and work on very small areas of the face at once. Still, way too much hassle for a very expensive foundation.
Hi Christine!
For reference what shade are you in mac? Thank you so much for your posts.
MAC NC20
Hello Christine. Firstly; youuu are sooooo pretty?❤ I would to ask how lipstick do you wear on the First picture (With the shade 3.25) ?? You make me very Happy when you answer? Thanks in advance?