I have become so disillusioned with high street and drugstore brands claiming they suit everyone, or releasing shades for WOC only in the US, etc etc that when I first heard about the global skin tone range I scoffed at the premise.
No mainstream brand has really tried to get WOC skin tones right. A few token brown shades with the wrong undertones just doesn’t cut it. So why is this launch different?
Well, they proved it right from the start in their ad campaign…
23 shades and 23 UK media and social media personalities to match. Yes. Even brown ones.
Even after seeing the media campaign I was still a little sceptical. I mean, how is Amena a 4W, and Cheryl a 5W? Amena’s square and her skintone look darker than Cheryl’s square.
So I tried it for myself. I’m a 6.5W. Kind of. I bought 6.5W as it was the closest match under natural light, 5W and 6N were too light.
Price: £9.99 for 30ml
Shades: 23
Purchased/ gratis: Purchased
Blurb: L’Oreal’s #1 foundation is now available in 23 shades and matches 98% of UK skintones. L’Oreal’s velvety formula matches your skin’s unique tone and texture, for a true to skin finish: flawless, blendable, and never fake.
The new formula contains 3 new shade enhancers for shade matching precision. Skin perfecting pigments and the ultra gliding creamy texture give a homogeneous finish. Even better colour matching, and more luminous and radiant skin than before. Even longer wear and better comfort.
L’Oreal’s 23 shades range from warm to neutral to cool undertones, to ensure your foundation is right for you. Whilst your skin tone is visible on the surface and can alter through the seasons, your skin undertones are determined at a deeper level, they are part of your skin and never change. Each complexion has its own undertone: pink (cool), neutral or golden (warm), so you can now find a match that’s true to you.
Ingredients:
Water, Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxane, PEG-10 Dimethicone, Polymethylmethacrylate, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone, Isoeicosane, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone, Sodium Chloride, C9-15 Fluoroalcohol Phosphates, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Hexyl Laurate, Isostearyl Neopentanoate, Diazolidinyl Urea, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Tocopherol, Panthenol May Contain: Iron Oxides, Mica, Titanium Dioxide
The packaging is a sturdy glass bottle with hygienic pump top. It dispenses a small amount each time so you can apply straight onto your brush if you like. I usually use the back of my hand (clean of course) as my own palette so I can spread the product and use just what I need in any given area.
The foundation itself is a rich, creamy texture and feels light and silky when blended into the skin. You do need to work the product and buff it quickly into the skin as you only have a short time before it sets. The coverage is light to medium, and it has a satin finish. I mix mine with a drop of facial oil for a dewy youthful finish.
SPF17 is provided by titanium dioxide, which is useful but pretty low as an SPF on its own. It doesn’t cause me any flashback, as titanium dioxide usually does, but this is a low quantity so that’s not unusual.
The dimethicone is a silicone ingredient and provides longevity. The silicone makes the foundation resistant to sweat and therefore helps it maintain a fresh look for longer. I wore this for about 8 hours with no fading or foundation disappearing. I could probably have worn it for longer but I’m in the habit of washing off my makeup as soon as I get home, so I can let my skin breathe.
![[My skin condition here is very dry and more than a little 'bumpy' due to a bad reaction to a foundation with lavender oil that I trialed the day before.]](http://eyespybeauty.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/IMG_8797-2-210x300.jpg)
… but as the foundation does oxidise on my skin most days, I am probably a 5W or 6N. My mum is a 5W so I will try hers and see if it suits me better. I just don’t want to buy another bottle only for it to still not match.
The verdict
I really like this foundation as an everyday regular wear foundation. My daily face for most of this Autumn Winter season is a combination of Kiko Second Skin Finish foundation for a lighter base with just a touch of the L’Oreal where I need extra coverage. It’s a reliable match to my skin, and lasts the full work day. If I want a different finish I can easily adjust with a mixer, or dust with powder. It’s a very flexible foundation and does a better job of getting the undertones right than MAC, for example. Would I recommend it for WOC? Yes, it’s a great match for anyone, and a great price point for Regular Joes like me.