If you read all my reviews I never use Holy Grail, till now. This is my HG foundation. Too bad they dont carry it in Canada and I have to buy on eBay. I bought SP60 based on reviews here guessing it would match my NC35 skin and it's right on. ALL I want from a foundation it does:
- STAYS ONNNNNN!!!!!!!!!
- SPF 42, cant get any better
- Feels nice and light
- Though you might think it's expensive, little goes a LONG way
- Looks as natural as you can look with foundation on
I just ordered my second bottle on eBay (love eBay). I'm a foundation whore and I'm never loyal to one foundation so this is a BIG deal for me. If you want something nice and cheap read reviews for Rimmel's long lasting foudation, I just bought a second tube of those too for those days I get bored and wanna put something new on my face.

This is a really nice foundation and being asian, the colors worked really well with my skin tone. I am MAC NC 20-25, and I am SP30 in the Shiseido. I moisturize well first. Then I prime my face first with either BE Primer I think it's call Prime Time), or my YSL primer. Then, I squeeze a tiny bit (a drop that is like the DIAMETER of a chickpea or thereabouts) of the Shiseido foundation in a little flat dish. Then I dip my foundation brush (I use the ADesign pointed foundation brush...pic in my profile) in the drop and dab it on one area of my face at a time and work it in. I do my whole face in this manner. The finish is definitely matte. I top it off with Colorescience Sunforgettable powder sunscreen in perfectly clear (which is actually slightly tinted) on top. This lasts all day on my combo skin, through running errands, 2 hours of sweaty exercise, etc. It is still on my skin after 15 hours. I do use a oil cleanser to remove followed by a regular cleanser. I have had no issues with this foundation. No breakouts, oxidation, etc. You MUST moisturize first though because as everyone says, this foundation will accentuate every little flake! Wish it was a bigger bottle and wish I could see how much is left but all in all, it's a great foundation!

I really wanted to like this foundation because there are not many that have such a high SPF. I tried on 3 different shades. And one was either too light and the next shade darker would be way too dark. The shades also looked chalky. And the makeup itself felt (and looked) heavy. I could definitely feel the foundation on my skin. Big disappointment.

i can't imagine finding a better foundation than this. i have consistently oily skin, and this is a foundation that does best at mattifying. with this foundation alone, i still have to blot every 3 hrs or so, but that's definitely a good thing, as i'm so oily that i usually need to blot once every hour. (with fyrinnae's primer underneath this foundation, it gets even better... don't need to blot for up to 4 or 5 hours)
yes, the shade is very limited, but i try to make do with the shade that the SA picked for me, it's not right on the money, but good enough.... will definitely repurchase, this is a great foundation with good coverage and oil control. :)

I love this foundation, it's great for my combination to oily skin. It is so comfortable to wear, it last all day until I remove it, easy to apply with a foudation brush. I don't use the sponge that came with it. The shades are dark, I'm Asian with fair to medium skintone and the lightest shade in sp10 is perfect for me. It is recommended to remove this with an oil cleanser.

NOT AVAILABLE IN CANADA!! WHY OH WHY!!?!?!?

I am in love with this foundation. I have combination skin, oily in T-zone and this is the first foundation that keeps my shine under controle. I tried many foundations ( Mac studio fix fluid, CD Forever, Lancome maquimate, teint idole, Helena rubinstein-spectacular,Chanel-mat lumiere, Sisley and many more) but this is far the best foundation. When I go to weddings I put it on and it looks great. You have to shade Your face and cheeks with bronzer or blush and You will not look like ghost on pictures.

I think this is magic in a bottle. you need very little to give you a truely beautiful finish. can't explain but wrinkles seem to fade away. my skin feels soft and it stays on all day. love that it doesn't come off on my phone or clothes. please try it so you to can have beautiful skin.

WOW am i impressed.. I got this a week ago. I did not know there was an spf foundation with such a high spf!!! I was actually looking for a sunscreen at sephora and macys. and was debating between 3 sunscreens, one of them being trhe regular ultimate protection 55 from shisheido. However, i found out there is a foundation from this same line. Weird, i initially thought. Who would buy this if they have a regular foundation line already? I opened the tester bottle and poured a dab out. Gross, i saw 2 layers of color, like oil and water. However, after learning more about it from the lady at the counter, I shook up the bottle and learned it was full coverage and more for those who work or are out in the sun all the time.. She did not recommend it to me, but I assured her that I wanted the protection even if I was not out in the sun alot. I was iffy at first, but she told me to jsut try it out, and bring it back if I did nto like it. I am an nc35 in mac, and i tried on sp20, 30, 40. I decided on 40.. Then i came back and debated on sp50. I read on MUA that nc30's are good with sp50, and sp60 is good for nc 35ish-.. I came back to another macys and tried on both, one on each side of my face. The girl said sp50 was better bc it gives me room if i tan in the summer, but I did not know. I stuck with sp40 because it made my skin look brighter. It really depends what look you are going for. sp 50 is good, both blend in wiht my neck. I wanted to go for the lighter look for now. so stuck with sp40. It stays on ALL day and you get sun protection and it is FULL coverage. WOW amazing. It's like an all in one. It stayed on me in the hot sun for at least 12 hours. I Love this stuff. HG material! I think I found my HG! I've tried over 12 foundations these past 4 months: MUFE HD, DIORSKIN NUDE hydrating, MAC, EL Double wear, El double wear light, El lucidity, Lancome , Clinique superfit, clinique even better, REvlon colorstay, cargo, tarte recreate, .... etc.. u get the point, a lot of them got sent back, bc i been on the search for my HG. Some were okay, clinique didnt stay on long, mac made me break out, dior did nto cover enough.. etc.. So in the running are: Estee lauder lucidity, tarte ( bc of all the " benefits in one", shisheido and revlon! ( revlon is just a cheap all day long substitute. Shisheido is either no 1 or 2!!! yayyyyyyyyyyyyy BEST CREATION EVER. I will continue buying sp 40 and maybe next time sp 50!!!!! LOVE IT. hope they never stop making it!!!!

I love shiseido's eye products, but this stuff is awful. The color selection is horrible, all the shades are sooooo orange. When i went to get mached after reading the reviews here, the SA put i think either 50 or 60 on me, and told me where i need more coverage to 'pack on the foundation'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i mean seriously!!! what are concealers for then?!?!?! After seeing the color of the foundation on my skin (orange) i told her its a little too warm (orange) for my liking and asked if she had a neutral/yellow powder to set it with, and she said "you dont wanna go too yellow, because you are not yellow." to cut the story short, by the time i walked out of there it looked like my face didnt belong to the rest of me. clearly you could see the contrast between the olive of my neck and the orange of my face.
i really wanted to love this and give it a try since it would cut down a step in my routine.. :(
it might work for some people but olive girls if you wanna look like a fresh tangerine.. hahaha ok ill stop. i guess it depends what undertones you have. always go and get matched, dont order this online.