Too Faced Born This Way Foundation Review - A New Holy Grail for Skin?

Sometimes, just sometimes, a product comes along that is oh-so-perfect, and special, and GENIUS that it makes the sun seem to shine brighter, the birds sing louder and reminds me just why I'm so obsessed with make-up in the first place.

So I think you can already tell that my review of Too Faced Born This Way foundation is going to be pretty positive! But honestly? This stuff is holy grail on a whole new level.

If airbrushed, miraculously natural-looking coverage is your thing, you are going to want to buy this. Right now. If not, then I think you might be in the wrong place here to start with.

 

The Hype

Too Faced have not spared on the claims for this product. They promise:

"An oil-free foundation that masterfully diffuses the line between make-up and skin. Coverage so undetectable and skin so naturally radiant, they'll think you were born this way."

Gotta love the use of the word 'masterful' - very Gone With The Wind of them.

They're also making some big claims in the way of customer satisfaction:

"100% said this foundation blurred their imperfections
98% said this foundation made their skin look absolutely perfect
97% said this foundation provided natural coverage."

Now, those stats sound hugely impressive, but given that they're usually based on a sample size of about three people, they can be more advertising copy than reality.

Would this foundation really deliver 'absolutely perfect' skin?

The Packaging

 

First things first, Too Faced are a brand that never shy away from the girlie or the pretty. In fact, some of their stuff can be a bit to 'frilly' for my personal taste, but thankfully with this foundation they've restrained themselves to something that looks elegant and just the right side of grown-up.

Born This Way foundation comes in a frosted glass bottle with pretty gold lettering that will deliver extra swag to your dressing table. 

Most beauty fans will agree the absolute best thing about this is that it comes with a pump. Pumps are both more hygienic, less wasteful and preserve the formula better by not letting oxygen into the bottle, so they are an all round good thing. 

I know whenever a high end foundation comes out without a pump, there's a lot of eye rolling (I mean, why wouldn't you do what's best?), and a lot of people end up trying to get one to fit. 

None of those concerns here. The pump operates cleanly and delivers the product in small, manageable amounts.

The top and the gold collar are both plastic, but that makes them easy to wipe clean. They've definitely gotten the outside of this one right, in my opinion.

The Formula

I love a foundation that delivers active skin benefits at the same time as enhancing your skin's appearance, and there's no shortage of these in Born This Way foundation.

It feels fairly lightweight, but a little silicone-y on the skin. Its not quite as light as air, and until it dries down there is a slight tackiness on the skin, but this is all easily forgivable in view of the flawless look it gives.

The formula is oil-free, which is great news for those with combination skin and those living in hot climates - this won't slide off your face! 

The skin goodies in the mix are:

• Hyaluronic acid - a super anti-ager that smooths and brightens skin, and traps in moisture for a plumped up appearance
• Alpine Rose extract -  to brighten and promote elasticity
• Coconut Water -  to replenish skin's moisture levels 

There are currently 18 shades on offer, with six more 'coming soon', so most skin tones should find a match here.

One thing I will say is that the colours look a lot more dark and orangey in tone in the bottle. If I had ordered my foundation online, I would almost certainly have chosen the wrong shade, so I'm really glad I went into a store first.

My NW20 skin matched 'Light Beige' perfectly (described as 'Light/medium with neutral to golden undertones'). Online I would probably have selected 'Vanilla' or 'Nude', which were both way too light when I swatched them.  Too Faced is quite a good brand for paler ladies as it has a large selection of lighter shades.

The Coverage

No filter - as near to perfect as my skin will be without Botox!

It's the appearance of this foundation on the skin that makes it so magical for me.

The balance between full coverage and natural is almost perfect, and those two things are pretty much always a compromise. If you like a fuller coverage you'll be in heaven as the formula is quite opage, but somehow (black magic? selling someone's soul to the devil?) they've also managed to make it ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE SKIN.

Now, this has been the goal of foundation since it was invented, but most don't manage it. Born This Way does, which is why I got so excited about it.

There was no one around in store when I bought this, so I actually (ahem) 'tested' it all over my entire face before I went to the till, and even in the awful department store lighting I was wowed by the finish.

Before - Without make-up - sorry if your screen just cracked.

After - even coverage, airbrushed finish but no caked on look

When it dries, the finish is demi-matte, but leaves a nice believeable glow to the skin that you can ramp up with highlighters should you want.

I have a lot of skin imperfections - pigmentation, fine lines, you name it - and this really made me feel airbrushed.

Its actually quite heavy make-up - ideal for nights out and big occaisions, but it doesn't look fake and caked on at all, which is a miracle.

And it lasts. This baby is not going anywhere in a hurry. It will make it through a full day and evening without even trying - once on, it does not budge, oxidise, or allow shine to creep through.
Just great skin in a bottle. Isn't that everything we've been asking for?

The Verdict

 

Obviously, I am completely in love with this stuff. It's the best foundation I've had the pleasure of using and has knocked my previous 'holy grail formula' (Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless) off its top spot, simply because the finish is a little more polished.

At £29.00, this is not the cheapest, but it delivers and I'm convinced its worth every single penny.

Spending less can be a false economy sometimes - I only needed a couple of small pumps to do the whole face, and one pump combined with a moisturiser or BB cream would work if you're after less of a full finish.

Of course, foundation is so personal due to difference in skin type and things, but this delivered so well on my combination skin. It blurred my imperfections, provided natural but full coverage and just put a massive smile on my face.

If you're looking for something new to try on your skin this autumn, this is well worth a try.