Introduction: The Quest for the Perfect Winter Foundation
Even though winter is the time I usually go for a heavier makeup look, the -15 weather is just not conducive to bouncing out of bed to put makeup on. Bouncing out of bed to write about makeup on the other hand...it almost always works out. That said, I need a little coverage in the winter -- while the leftover summer tan on my body takes a lot (like, of time (months and months and months) to fade, my face lightens considerably, and I end up looking a little like a sick person.
First Impressions and Packaging
This foundation came in a starter set from Josie Maran that retailed for $77. It came with a full-size argan oil and minis of her highlighter and moisturiser. Given that the foundation costs $55 on its own, and I love her argan oil, it was an amazing deal. I'm not sure what drew me to this the first time I asked for a sample. I just know that I took it home and proceeded to scrape every last drop of the gray-flecked liquid.
The foundation came with a brush as I purchased from QVC but normally doesn’t come with one. The pump applicator works a treat as it flows easily and just the right amount pumps out so no tricky problems with this bottle.
The Unique Color-Changing Formula
It's a weird colour/texture; it pumps out as a whitish-gray liquid. It starts off looking a little orange as you apply, but the coverage is light enough that it won't register that way. When it dries down on your skin, it feels very matte and a touch powdery, like dry sunscreen.
It starts off white (if you look close at my swatch below you can see it’s white but has tiny little dots which resemble pepper, this is actually the pigment waiting to burst into the serum once you put it on your skin) but it quickly turns as you apply it to your skin.
This is a color-changing foundation that comes out white, then changes color to match skin tone. This only comes in three colors, so I chose the middle one, the light/medium. I was really excited to try a color-match foundation since this was my first experience with one. This is what it looks like from the bottle before applying.
When I heard about the new foundation out there that's formulated with "chameleon pigments" to perfect all skin colours, I was intrigued. The Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation is bright white when it comes out of its bottle, only to change colour when you begin to blend it. However, it's 'universal' proposition is slightly misleading given that it's available in three shade variants; 'fair/light, 'light/medium' and 'medium/dark'.
The Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation ($42 for a 1-oz.) is supposed to correct fine lines and wrinkles, and cover other imperfections on the skin, while evening out skin tone. I gave it a try in Medium/Dark, and, first of all, I like the color adjusting schtick, even if it isn’t completely new (Almay and others have been doing something similar with their concealers and foundations for a while).
Texture, Finish, and Wear Time
I would solidly categorize this in tinted moisturiser territory -- on days that my skin doesn't need extra hydration, I'm comfortable skipping moisturiser and using this instead. I also use my hands to apply, since it absorbed into all of my tools -- it's really liquidy.
When it dries down on your skin, it feels very matte and a touch powdery, like dry sunscreen.
People who want a flat matte finish will find that this base lends itself beautifully to powder -- wear time is definitely extended when I bother to give my face a quick once-over with E.L.F. HD. I'm not one to really fuss about how long my face stays on though. I take it off the second I get home and reapply before I go out.
The consistency is a little bit creamy, but not runny and the coverage is light. The color got slightly dark where my dry spots are at first, but you really need to give this about 3-5 minutes to fully settle before you see the true color. I did feel it was a bit light for me and made me look washed out. Bronzer is a definite must with this. I thought it was very shiny, I used quite a bit of powder with this and didn’t think it lasted very long. It did settle in my expression lines, but the coverage is so light that it wasn’t that noticeable.
More matte than she thought, it masked her natural contours meaning she'd want to apply bronzer on top wearing it.
Performance on Different Skin Types and Tones
Dry skin users will adore the texture and formula of this foundation as it’s infused with Josie’s Argan Oil so you get a very smooth, hydrating feel that eases dryness and applies beautifully smooth without looking patchy or dry. My own skin is rather dry and absolutely loves this formula.
I'm really looking forward to trying this in the summer when I get much darker.
I tried out the Light/Medium which turns into a really bad shade of orange, beige…tell you more about that later.
First off the color is very off. At first I thought it matched perfectly as I have a bit of beige in my skin however it turns very orange-y beige, not pretty to say the least. Secondly, it absorbs really fast without leaving much in the way of color behind. And thirdly, it pretty much feels and looks like you have no foundation on at all. Granted feeling like you have nothing on is great but looking like, well, not so much!
I love the formula behind this and adore the idea however it failed to work for me sadly. I do urge you to check it out at your local Sephora as it might just turn the perfect shade for you however on me it was a bad shade of orange. I think I would have considered it a great product if it wasn’t for the very wrong shade I was sporting when I wore it.
The promise is that the foundation adjusts instantly to match your natural skin tone, but that doesn't seem to be the case on black complexions. As you'll see on Dominique the foundation only semi-adapted to her skin tone, and appeared chalky when blended. Fail. Lucky me - the mid-shade offering seemed to work best with my golden skin tone. Although it still washed me out a bit, it did adapt to my colourings and a colleague commented that my makeup looked lovely. Result!
Emily has a naturally porcelain toned complexion, so we thought the lightest version would suit her, if anyone, but it still managed to bleach out her skin when blended. It didn't look bad, just a bit flat.
I guess if your skin is in nearly perfect condition (jealous!) and you just need a little evening out, this might work fine for you, but for the kind of coverage I’m looking for, $42 sounds like a lot.
It’s definitely not for me, but I think it would be good for someone with very dry skin who wants a lighter coverage.
Application Tips and Tricks
I used my usual flat foundation brush and I felt it was difficult to apply. It took many swipes to rid my skin of the brush strokes and it took a few seconds for it to turn to my skin color.
We quickly realised less is more when using this as it can be hard to blend if you apply more than a single pump, although using the Josie Maran foundation brush may increase your chances of flawless application.
Comparison to Similar Products and Other Josie Maran Offerings
What other tinted moisturisers have you tried? I do think the idea of “color” matching foundation formulas sounds cool but end up making us laugh a little. Foundation that magically turns into our perfect shade? Mmm always skeptical when it comes to these product eh? Almay does one as does a few other companies. In some cases they can work if they actually match your skin tone however in most cases, let’s be honest, they prob aren’t that perfect match we are seeking.
Argan oil, of course (not gravy). Sheer, lightweight Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation ($42) adjusts to the wearer’s skin tone, beginning white, but changing color as it’s worked into the skin, while shimmery liquid Argan Illuminizer ($28) is designed to give skin a bronzy glow. Both products will arrive in stores next month (but the foundation’s already available online at sephora.com) and contain Josie’s signature ingredient.
Some refer to argan oil as something of a miracle ingredient - a skin-soothing, complexion-clearing, fine-line-erasing, skin-tone-improving, elasticity-restoring, inflammation-reducing miracle ingredient - and if it were any more amazing, it would probably rescue stray kittens on the side. I’ve used a few of Josie’s other argan products but never detected a dramatic difference in my skin. That said, I do still like a lot about her line, like how she handles color, the textures she uses and, of course, that her products are eco and pet friendly (Tabs approved).
Josie cooked up this shimmery bronze liquid illuminator to give a bronzy glow to the skin, and right away it reminded me of a warmer, peachier version of MAC Strobe Cream, but with more gold and a thicker texture. First, I like how well it blends on bare skin or atop foundation (I use my fingers). Josie says it can also be worn beneath the eyes to help brighten dark under-eye circles, much like Smasbox’s Photo Op Under Eye Brightener, but I don’t know about that… I have killer (as in bad) dark circles, and this just isn’t up to the task of covering them completely. The bottle could also stand to be bigger, and I’m not a fan of the pump, which has been a recurring theme with me and these pumps lately. Being as careful as I can, this one still dispenses much more product than I need, so it looks like I gotta get another sample jar. If you’re looking for a cruelty-free illuminator and wear warm colors well, this might be worth a try.
The foundation gets great reviews online, so perhaps it takes a few goes to get used to it.
Josie Maran Matchmaker Argan Serum Foundation with Rachel Boesing
tags: #argan #matchmaker #serum #foundation