I’ve said it before: I’m not really a foundation type of girl. Or so I thought.

There just really comes a point when you get tired of trying several variants of one thing only to be disappointed. Repeatedly.

Funnily enough, I have been wowed by several “face base” products as of late. My first re-foray* into foundations and bases was through the most excellent Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Liquid Foundation (Review here). BHFOWLF (ridic initialism, I know) is a great light foundation with SPF, which is why I wanted to start wearing foundation again in the first place. I now realize that I could have just gone with face sunscreen, but it’s too late now.

Anyway, I like using it a lot, though I do rotate it with a BB Cream from either The Body Shop or Snoe Beauty. For days when you feel like covering your face up a little more, though, try the L’Oreal Lucent Magique Liquid Foundation.

I’ll go ahead and post the claims on the box:

“Lucent Magique Light-Infusing Foundation

SPF 24 | PA +++

Radiance is the unique light that glows from the most beautiful skin[s].

L’Oréal Paris invents Lucent Magique, the first light-creating foundation that illuminates every inch of your skin for a lively complexion.

Light refined texture, oil-free, for a fresh moisturising skin finish. 24H hydration.

Infused with Liquid-Light Technology^TM to bathe complexion in a radiant halo, as if lit-from-within.

A new era of flawless coverage, it lets light through the skin. Naturally enlightened, your complexion is full of life.”

Okay, let’s be honest. That sounds like a load of PR marketing gibberish to me. The solid information I got from that are that a) it has pretty good SPF, b) it’s oil-free, c) it moisturizes and offers hydration, and d) it has this new “Liquid-Light Technology” that L’Oréal invented and it’s supposed to make you look lit-from-within. The question now is—does it?

To begin, the Lucent Magique Liquid Foundation is a light to medium coverage foundation. It is very buildable, but continues to feel lightweight on the skin despite adding layers. I knew, upon first swatch on my hand, that I was going to get along with this foundation.

Did I tell you that this little baby works wonders? I hate to sound vain, but when I first wore it out, I would marvel at how this made my face glow every time I caught my reflection. Great job, L’Oreal. I am impressed (and also slightly disgusted by my vain-ass self).

Here is an Instagram filtered Face of the Day with freshly-applied makeup. I set this foundation (N5/Pure Honey) with bareMinerals’ Mineral Veil (Original). I look like a smug little d-bag.

Swatches, L-R: N5 Pure Honey unblended & blended, G4 Gold Shell unblended & blended

I have G4 or Gold Shell, which is a tad bit too yellow on me, but it’s a close enough match. I also have N5 or Pure Honey, which was Sarie’s but didn’t match her. Also, she doesn’t wear foundation, so I got the spoils. Hehe.

I think N5 is a better neutral match for medium tones. I also just recently realized that I’m more cool-toned/neutral when I compared my veins (haha) with my mom’s, brother’s, and sister’s only to discover that theirs lean more green than mine. I always just assumed that my skintone is warm because my skin has yellow tones, but apparently not so.

I get a pretty good match when I mix the two together, too, but that’s way too much effort. I think I should get a shade match from both NARS and MAC, just so I can describe my skin tone to beauty people in a way that they will understand.

N5 Pure Honey on the left, G4 Gold Shell on the right

ANYWAY. This evens out the skin tone really well, without caking up or looking like a layer of really obvious and really ugly second skin. The formula of the foundation is on the watery side, but that just makes it easier to blend, personally. It also comes in a klassy~* bottle with a rose-gold pump that gives just the right amount of product. You can dispense a little or a big amount, depending on how much you actually press on the pump.

Here it is about 8-9 hours after I applied my makeup. I didn’t touch up the powder (again, bareMinerals Mineral Veil) or anything else, besides the blush and the gloss. As I am not particularly oily, longevity of wear on me was decent. The first time I wore it out, I topped it off with a thin layer of Snoe Beauty’s Poudre Extraordinaire and it was a great match. The Lucent Magique Liquid Foundation has SPF, too, so that’s awesome.

I heard that it doesn’t play well with oily-skinned people, but I can’t really comment on whether or not those claims are true. With beauty products, it’s really just a matter of testing things out to see if those things work on you.

Seeing as how well this performed, I’m very tempted to get the two-way cake as well. I do have enough powders, though, so I’m holding back as of now. Bottom line is that I absolutely love this foundation.

VERDICT: The Lucent Magique is a great addition to L’Oreal’s line of foundations and to drugstore foundations everywhere!** A warning for the oily: this is apparently a grease magnet, so I don’t know if you would appreciate this foundation.
How much? Php 845 for 30ml.***
Will I repurchase? Hells yes.
Where to get in Manila? Department stores that carry L’Oreal.

———
* I first picked up Benefit’s YouRebel Lite, which is a tinted moisturizer, but I feel like it’s too greasy for the humidity of Manila. Then, I tried the shu uemura UV Base after a makeup artist used it on me for a shoot. I liked it when he used it, not so much when I did. I broke out after trying out a sample of the NARS Tinted Moisturizer, which I loved at first but then didn’t… for obvious reasons. I think you can understand why I gave up.

** If you got that li’l reference there, you are a (wo)man after my own Pixar (a clue!) heart.

*** I think the US equivalent is called the True Match Lumi Healthy Luminous Makeup, based on the bottle. It is $12.99 and on a buy 1, get 1 at 50% off promo on ULTA.

Full Disclosure: This product was provided to me by the company. I am in no way compensated for or required to write this review. If you want to learn more about the event during which I got this item, click here. This post is affiliate link-free