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 TechnologyTM 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
This looks beautiful on you! Julia of http://www.blessmybag.com also raved about this, so I think I’ll have to pick it up.
By the way I tagged you for The Liebster Award, it’s like a virtual chain letter/slam book haha. I hope you fill it out when you have time! http://eulasleeps.blogspot.com/2013/03/discovering-new-blogs-through-liebster.html
I think it would be worth a shot 🙂
Thanks! I already did that, though, but I have similar tagged “awards~” as well, so I’ll maybe make those. Off to read yours! 🙂
Wow, 8 hours! It lasted maybe 5 hours on me – okay lang, it still made me look nice(r). :p
That’s still pretty good longevity, I think! 🙂
You look amazing in the photos. 🙂 I have this and it lasts on my combination skin for about 6 hours. If I use a primer it stays on a solid 12 hours, but I definitely don’t use primer everyday. Haha. I have G7 which is a tad bit too dark on me and now I’m tempted to check out the darkest neutral toned one because G7 is a little bit orange. It is one of the best drugstore foundations I’ve tried though. Hoping Revlon bring the Nearly Naked one here!
Great review. 🙂
Aw thanks! 🙂 What primer do you use? I find the G/warm range a bit too yellow, but yeah, try the neutral; maybe they have a better match for you! They also have pinky tones (R, I think?), but I don’t know if those can be purchased here.
Haha I suuuuuuuper want to try Nearly Naked, and I keep looking at Revlon even though I know, deep in my heart, that it won’t be there 😦
I’ve wanted to test this foundation out, but I wasn’t sure how it would work with my oily skin. I have heard that the YSL Teint Touche Eclat Foundation, which this is the dupe for, is awful on oily skin types. Have you tried out the YSL version? If so, how do they compare?
Ah, I haven’t tried the YSL version! I heard this was comparable to the Lancome Teint Miracle (http://www.projectvanity.com/projectvanity/2011/12/28/lancome-teint-miracle-light-and-love-in-a-bottle.html) but it’s not so good for oily skin either.
My sister is fairly oily/combination and she uses the shu uemura foundations (not liquid). Perhaps you could try those (stick and powder). 🙂
Sounds great. I’ll check them out. Thanks!
Did you mix N5 & G4 when you applied it? I think N5 doesn’t match me, I think I should’ve gotten G4. Maybe I’ll pick it up soon. 🙂
You should try CoverGirl Stay Fabulous Outlast Foundation. I got it from Bon Marche on FB. It is imported, not available here yet. I love it! 🙂
Nope, I haven’t posted pictures of when I’ve mixed them together. Thanks, maybe I’ll check it out when I run out of foundation, but I’m currently looking at cruelty-free alternatives. 🙂
I am also cool toned. I had a 3 M·A·C Artist match my foundation at different times and all three of them matched my skin shade as NC37. Singapore is summer throughout the year and yet G4 Gold Shell (name sounds so fancy) was my true match. Which is baffling since it is meant for warm undertones. The N5 didn’t work well on me, it made me look even more paler than I used to be. Weird much?
Odd! Have you tried Findation.com? You input your shades in other brands and it tries to shade match you based on its database. 🙂 I have never gotten shade-matched for MAC, so that’s how I know what shade I (probably) am. 🙂
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I did the same review on product and loving it although probably will not repurchase it due to my oily skin..any recommendations on what should i buy next for my oily skin?
Sorry, Sae Nina, I have no clue! My skin type is dry 🙂