FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, IT’S ALL ABOUT DRUGSTORE BEAUTY.
Whether it be skincare or makeup, the drugstore has come a long way. Gone are the days of waxy, chalky formulas with nearly no shade inclusivity. Decades-old brands that haven’t kept up on skincare ingredients, performance and the needs of today’s complexions are being forced to make way for new innovations.
While I’ve always leaned towards luxury products (Champagne tastes on a Pabst Blue Ribbon budget, one might say), I do love a good drugstore bargain. But don’t think that means I’m going to go easy on my reviews simply because the products cost less; I expect performance, regardless of dollar value.
I’m kicking off this week with a relatively new foundation that I’ve been testing out, Wet n Wild Photofocus Foundation* in the Dewy formula. Will it hold up to my picky foundation needs?
As a dry, dehydrated girl, I live for something that claims to be ‘dewy’. But, and it’s a big but, I don’t want my skin to feel dewy; I don’t need to stick to my toddler every time I give her a hug or have my hair stick to my face. Know what I mean?
I should preface this whole review by stating that I tried the original Wet n Wild Photofocus Foundation a couple of years back… and hated it. It smelled of paint (as in the type of paint you paint your walls with) and felt super chalky on my skin.
WET N WILD PHOTOFOCUS DEWY FOUNDATION
AVAILABLE AT Ulta | Well.ca | Beauty Bay | Amazon
WHAT THE BRAND CLAIMS: “A weightless, super-nourishing foundation that delivers natural, all-day wear. Silky and creamy, coverage is easily buildable from medium to full, and it easily transitions from day to night wear. Ideal for normal to dry skin types, this moisturizing formula blends seamlessly, blurs imperfections and helps minimize the appearance of pores for a perfectly smooth, dewy finish.” – WetnWild.com
THE PACKAGING: Simple glass bottle with a spatula inside.
THE FORMULA: Slightly runny liquid.
THE FINISH: Luminous satin.
THE COVERAGE: Light buildable to medium.
THE SHADE RANGE: 20 shades
THE WEAR TIME: All day from morning to cleanse at night.
THE PRICE: $8.49 CND/ 0.95 fl oz
THE NOTEWORTHY: This is definitely a fragranced formula, with a floral perfume to it. I don’t find it noticeable once on the skin. It reminds me of Guerlain Lingerie De Peau (read my review here) both in fragrance and formula. It’s not as strong as something like Huda Beauty Faux Filter Foundation (read my review here).
The formula is vegan, gluten and talc-free.
MY THOUGHTS: I really love this foundation! I find the finish is incredibly skin-like on my normal to dry, dehydrated 37-year-old skin. It blends over texture and fine lines beautifully without gathering and settles to a radiant satin finish. It also wears all day, which is honestly such a challenge for dewy/radiant foundations.
I find myself feeling very reminiscent of Guerlain Lingerie de Peau when I wear this, not just for the fragrance but the texture and finish. It’s shocking how similar a $9 bottle of foundation vs a $75 bottle is, in this case.
Now, that’s not to say this doesn’t have any drawbacks; I’m not fond of a spatula ever when it comes to foundation. Give me a pump, please! I recognize this is under $10, but if the other drugstore brands can, so can Wet n Wild. The fragrance is also likely strong for some, but I don’t find I smell it once the product is on my skin.
I was sent two shades, Rose Ivory (cool pink) and Soft Beige (warm golden). While my undertones lean warm, the Soft Beige on its own is a shade too dark. Mixing them gives me the perfect balance and suits me just fine.
One beef I have is with the ‘medium buildable to full’ coverage claim the brand has. I don’t think this is buildable beyond a medium finish. I’ve attempted to build it up to full and it just doesn’t. It’s a gorgeous light coverage that can easily be built up to medium; Showing some skin imperfections and texture.
Given my experience with the original Photofocus Foundation, I am blown out of the water by the Dewy formula! I’ve applied it with fingers, a sponge and multiple brushes and my preferred is a domed buffing brush like my BK Beauty 106* or IT Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Complexion Perfection.
HAVE YOU TRIED WET N WILD PHOTOFOCUS FOUNDATION?
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