I never like giving out a bad review but have to for this foundation.
First up - shade range, I think there were 6 to choose from and I had to go to the darkest one in the range. This is super unusual for me as I'm normally somewhere in the middle - this foundation is not one for darker skin tones at all.
The packaging is somehow cheap looking - I don't really like the clear plastic lid and the label itself just looks kinda dated. However to be honest that's not what I really don't like about it.
I use about 3 pumps to cover my face and neck, this is very normal for me and I think the bottle would last around 3 months, so quite economical.
When I pump it out I'm hit with a strange smell that is reminiscent of the old acrylic paints from primary school - I don't feel good about applying something that smells like that on my face. To be fair, the smell goes immediately but again, not happy about using something that smells like this.
Coverage is very, very average. One coat is not enough, I need 2 or 3 and still find it seems to just settle into my skin without covering my flaws. It looks "ok" in the morning but by lunchtime the breaking down has begun. The nose are is the absolute worst and I actually struggle to get any real coverage in this area. Come 4 O'Clock and my skin looks very oily, and feels like it has a heavy coating of grease on it and can't breath.
There's no way I could wear this without primer, concealer and powder which defeats the dewy finish. Application is hit and miss - I found the best way to apply was with a stippling brush or damp beauty blender and pushing it into the skin. If I just blended it onto my skin or applied with my fingertips the coverage was just awful. I tried 2 different setting powders with this - Napoleon camera finish and elf HD powder. The elf was the clear winner, however I still wasn't happy with how it clung to the foundation, making my skin look considerably older than it is.
My skin is 40 and I suffer from an oily T zone so need a small amount of powder to set most foundations I use but this was just crazily unsuited to my skin type.
I'm sure others won't have had the same experience as I did, but if your skin is at all similar to mine I would give this foundation a wide berth.
Sorry Max Factor! Sorry BR! Maybe my skin is at fault here but this just didn't deliver on promises for me, I'm sad to say.
The shade selection was simple, there were actually three shades I could have worn, which is awesome. I chose 'Natural' in the end, and it's the perfect shade match for me in terms of colour.
The packaging is a little bit unappealing to me, to be honest...the glass bottle is nice, but the clear plastic cap (which soon collects smears of foundation) and the black dispenser pump (which looks messy after just a few uses) make the product look less clean, and i think the gold and black labelling looks outdated. For a new product, this looks decidedly 90's.
The foundation itself is slightly glossy when pumped out, and the pump dispenses a good amount. The foundation is a mid consistency, so spreads well. However, once it's on, it's very sheer, even with multiple layers, and it absorbs into skin somehow, I feel like it disappears, and settles into my skin. I took a photo not long after application and it didn't look like I was wearing foundation at all, despite having a couple of well applied layers on.
Initially after application it feels nice on skin, but as it settles, it oxidises. My face was oily by the end of the day, and I broke out really badly down both sides of my nose, and slightly on cheek and chin; I'm 36 and rarely get more than the occasional pimple. I tried a few days on, then didn't take it away for the weekend, and my skin cleared. I tried again, and got more pimples in the same places, so it's the foundation that's to blame.
Unfortunately, I have reached the conclusion that this isn't suitable for my skin, which is type normal usually. Because it broke me out, I'm disinclined to continue use - but I'll find a good home for it :)
Tips: the testers in store are a good size - see if you can ask them if you can portion out a face full to take home and try.