On the Cheap, Good Makeup on a Budget : L’Oreal True Match

On the Cheap : 

Good Makeup on a Budget

by A.Wicked

In my quest to find a makeup to find my natural skin tone, I have set out on an adventure to find a makeup that’s awesome, maybe two, that can withstand this sticky Southern Weather, the issues of aging skin, and quite simply, a decent makeup on the cheap. Is it possible?Today I review L’Oreal True Match foundation. This makeup is on the high-end of cheap, running about 10$ a bottle in this part of the US. I know that personally, as I’ve gotten past my 20’s, I’ve had some massive skin-texture and color changes. This has left me at odds with makeup, and having to find super creative ways to recreate that which took as little as some Powder dusted on my nose before. Seeing commercials about these blend-able makeups that have some kind of, smart fairies in them, made me SUPER curious considering I again… have issues matching the current foundation tones to my current skin. Not a medium, no longer a fair, even the ‘cool’ makeups having too much yellow in them for my skin, etc. So on a left-over money day, I scooted myself down to the local drug store and shopped at makeup. A wall of various formulas and claims awaited me, and this time around, the interest lay in trying L’Oreal. Rumor has it that they are the ‘cheap’ division of Estee Lauder, and like all of you, have constantly been barraged with the thought that ‘cheap’ makeup is exactly the same as ‘high end’ stuff.

DIGRESSION ALERT : 

My Theory of Foundation – Find what works for you! Everyone’s skin texture is different, everyone’s skin color is varied, there is no ‘one size fits all’. I suggest you hit online reviews, and learn -what- your skintone is. Cool = Pink Undertones, Warm = Yellow Undertones, Neutral = I don’t even know. BEIGE ALERT!?!?! I’ve never seen a definitive answer to that one. For the sake of the Gods, do NOT and I mean DO NOT buy into any blather that ‘this’ eyeshadow only looks good on certain skintones, its wrong (and limiting). Experiment! Make stuff work. Bad Makeup so often lies in a lack of blending or practice, and has little to do with anything else.

Digression Part #2:

I have a great secret to making any foundation work for you. Primer is the word… Now I know its fussy, and seems like trouble, but a Primer can make even the crappiest makeup on EARTH work for your moment. The best part? For those days when you don’t have time for makeup, a primer can mattify your face enough to make the person in the mirror less-haggy when you catch yourself mid-day, AND they tend to last forever, since you only need a bit. I love Nars, Smashbox, and Philosophy, HOWEVER I also hear Rimmel & Revlon makes them. You know what that means? CHEAP! /digress

Tools : Coty Airspun Translucent Finishing Powder, Olay, Self Correcting Serum (Used as primer), L’Oreal True Match, Big ‘Blush’ Brush (used to apply translucent power), Rubber Sponge, Wet And Wild loose sparkly powder, Kat Von D Eyeshadows, Milani Lipstick, a flat brush & an Angled Brush, both MAC.

As always, I splashed water onto my face, toned, and added a layer of primer. Like many other L’Oreal & Estee Lauder foundation products I’ve tried, this was spot on with its ‘slightly-dry-to-apply’ texture. It means that people out there who are a bit oily would probably love this! My combination skin can end up being a gritty if I’m not super careful. I dabbed it on, spread with a rubber sponge, then finished it off by rubbing it in with my hands (note, the warmth of your hands activates the emollient qualities of your foundation, sometimes the best approach is to rub it between your hands, get it warm, and spread it on quick!)

It had a kind of one-d mask-like quality while it was still tacky, and evened itself out into a fine almost hyper-smooth layer. Although it wasn’t stifling or uncomfortable, I was aware of its presence. It blended nicely with my makeup, and all in all created a really nice canvas that balanced between overly formal and day-time wear.

Pros : Evened out my skin, evened itself out once it was dry, and perfectly matched my skintone (on the pale side, which, I like). It seemed quite formal to me, as I have gotten used to wearing super sheer makeup this year. So as for a clubbing, date, or event face, it would be fantastical, shaping and shading your skin to an android like-oober humanity that could carry super dramatic makeup well.

Cons : Felt like a breathable, light, mask. As a mask, it didn’t hold up very well to facial expressions, and when I went to make a ‘scrunch’ face for a self-portrait meme, I found I looked 100 years old all the sudden. Is make-up being like Botox a Pro, or a Con?

All in all, I don’t think I’d buy it twice, and the search will go on. I WILL FIND YOU PERFECT MAKEUP!

See : On the Cheap : Powder Perfect by Ilumi

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