Review: Illamasqua Skin Base.

I’ve seen mixed reviews about this product, some love it, some hate it... I don’t think I’ve seen many, if any that are on the fence with it, which I kind of feel I kind of am as things stand; let me tell you why.

I love the coverage, it evens out my skin and gives great coverage (when I say great, I really do mean it) without feeling, or looking heavy... which is perfect for the days where I am a bit self conscious about the state of my skin or have a spot.

I also love how it applies with my fingers, not so much with a foundation brush if I am honest though – using my fingers was perfectly acceptable anyway, and is actually probably for the best as not everybody will have a foundation brush to hand, yet they will probably have fingers. I should add that I didn’t apply it heavily as I think that would have been too much and could have potentially gone cakey, or just generally crap on my skin. I found the coverage even from the light layer I applied to be completely fine for my skin that night.

What stopped me giving this a rave review was the fact that it just didn’t last as I hoped it would. I saw people saying they had worn it all day, on tubes in hot weather and it hadn’t budged so I was hoping for a product that lasted very well, like my Double Wear foundation does.

What I got was something that disappeared about half way into my ‘night’ out... I say ‘night’ because it was actually just a few drinks with my dad and his wife, nothing too stressful or full on, not in a hot club, no dancing... nothing that would make my make-up disappear, anyway. I actually ended up with a shiny forehead and nose too, which is again something I never really have a problem with.

In fact the foundation appeared to have disappeared completely on my nose by the time I was home... see the photo below, excuse the awful photo and the face I was 'pulling'; also, my eyebrows, they were due for a threading... and I didn’t take time to neaten and fill them in as my fringe mostly disguised them and I didn’t have time as it was decided at short notice to go out. Please also excuse the fact that my face looks huge, odd camera angle and unfortunate perspective from the computer screen lol.

Shade SB06, with added bronzer on top after my drinks - note the shiny patches.

I didn’t use primer with the Skin Base on this occasion. Partly because I believe it to have been marketed as some kind of BB Cream which apparently don't need primer, but also I wouldn’t usually for something like this as I don’t really need it, not unless I’m going somewhere for either a longer period of time, somewhere with more testing conditions (heat etc) or where I’ll be more active (dancing).

I also didn’t put any powder over the top, just a little bronzer – the reason for this being that my skin is slightly dry, and powder with this foundation would have highlighted all my dry spots and made my base look cakey. I only narrowly escaped the dry bits around the nose that Charlotte from Lipglossing experienced – it looked like it could go either way, but luckily it didn’t fail me greatly on that score.

I think I’ll have to give this a go with a primer, maybe that way it will last the way I hoped it would, I don’t want to rule it out completely as I really was impressed with the finish I got from it early on in the night.

To conclude, I’d still probably buy this to be honest but I’d just have to find a way to make it last, trying out various primers and powders to see which one works best for my skin. I think this foundation is one that you do need to try out before buying as I really think that it depends on your skin as to how well this will work... hence the mixed reviews you may have seen online.

Photo below courtesy of the gorgeous Lipglossing!

PR Sample Tube ( shown above. I believe these are available at some stands for you to take away and try also) - views are my own!