The Contender
Urban Decay's Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup
(Can I dock it points for its ridiculously long name?)
Why this caught my fancy
I've been looking for a light-weight but reasonably high-coverage foundation for a while, and preferably one that doesn't require a lot of blending to match my neck (i.e. pale as, well, me, which is a lot to ask for in a foundation and even harder to find).
On the Urban Decay website, it claims that the foundation has "coverage without compromise. Our weightless formula blurs imperfections for a flawless finish that feels invisible, but looks professionally retouched". Fighting talk, there, Urban Decay.
I went into Debenhams with my game head on, determined to walk out with a bottle. Four shades, half a dozen full-face swatches and about five trips in and out of the store with a hand mirror (always check in natural light!), I had success. Despite being first matched to the shade 2.0 (I know, I'm not joking), I came out with 0.5, a neutral-toned porcelain which is almost pale enough for me. Hoorah!
Pros
- Lightweight; doesn't feel heavy on the skin.
- Easily blendable (although beware of trying to put a lot on at once - little and often is key to building up the coverage on this one. I'm a fan of the dot on your face and blend method rather than dipping my brush in the foundation and going from there).
- Good colour range (including for those with pale or dark skin).
- Good coverage, plus it's definitely buildable.
- You don't need much - I find one pump is more than enough for my entire face and neck, plus it's fairly watery.
- Doesn't oxidise too badly compared to some foundations.
Cons
- Despite the saleswoman's assurance, I found this foundation did cling to the stubborn dry spots on my forehead and those around any spots that have made their home on my face post-Christmas. It's only really noticeable though from "you're invading my personal bubble" kind of distance, though.
- The smell - having been used to the delight of the Clarin's foundation's melon scent, the Naked Skin is very... chemically smelling? I don't quite know how to describe it, but by the smell I'd be hard pressed not to guess that there's talc in the ingredients. It does fade a way after a while, though.
- Oil shows through. This is a big shocker for me, as I'm combination erring on the side of dry, but I find my forehead looks ultra shiny after just a few hours.
- The lasting power isn't brilliant. For me that's not necessarily the end of the world as I don't have long days particularly, but for those needing ten-hour makeup I would be wary.
- The price - £27 is a fair foundation pricetag, but it isn't unusual in high-end foundation. *Pale person problems - sigh*.
The Verdict?
Rate it.
The cons aren't so much of a big deal for me - the longevity and the tendency to stick a little to dry patches are totally liveable. I just need to make sure to exfoliate before applying. I like the shade on me and it doesn't look too heavy on the skin, and the coverage is very buildable - perfect for days when I don't want much and days when my skin is having a meltdown. It's quick and easy to put on, looks natural but gives the right amount of coverage. Just make sure to exfoliate and powder. Sorted. For me, a pretty good foundation and I'd probably reconsider repurchasing when this bottle runs out (although fingers crossed not for a long time yet, I'm not sure my purse could handle it!).
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