I have asian skin with a pink undertone. Got this because it had good reviews and I REALLY needed a facial product with high SFP. The price is not cheap, about $45 CAD with the case + Tax...
Coverage is quite good, but it does look powdery on my face with a light application using my make up brush. I have dry skin to begin with and it would accentuate the dry patches. My skin looks even from afar but not so much close up. After a day of work (about 10 hrs from first application) it does oil up on my face and definitely to break me out.
Therefore I can't use this as often as I'd like. Won't be able to count on this product as my daily routine.

As a foundation, it's very buildable, and I love it for the high spf. However, I find that it looks a bit too powdery on my face, but I can make it work if I moisturize and blend very well. You have to buy the blue case separately from the actual foundation, so that was a little weird, but if I ever repurchase I will save some money I guess. The sponge that comes with it is good, but I still don't really use it because...I just prefer my kabuki. I find that it also keeps my T-zone from getting too shiny, so overall, I like it very much for summer because 1. no need for more sunscreen! I hate putting sunscreen on my face. and 2. controls oil!! =)

EDIT/UPDATE: NOOOOOOO!!! this breaks me out...I used it for about two weeks and now my face is worse than it has been in like ten months. Yikes, be careful if you're prone to breakouts! Sigh...

I can't believe it took me this long to write a review for this. I wore this exclusively as my sunscreen on a trip to the Cayman Islands last year and it was fabulous. First of all, I didn't get sunburned. Second of all, it gave me a natural matte (yet still dewy) look. The compact is easy to take to the beach, and easy to reapply. It isn't going to spill in your beach bag, and even has a mirror. I actually like that the sponge is in a separate compartment. Seems more hygienic. Also keeps the mirror from getting schmutz on it. This is a great one step product when you are on vacation. You don't have to bother with sunscreen AND foundation. (May I also recommends Tarte's 24/7 lip sheers...Also great for same reason. Sun protection + color in one step. I also used this on my vacation.)
It tends to do really well in hot humid climates. I did notice that I get a bit oily on my nose near the end of the day, but that happens with just about anything I put on my face. Didn't seem to cause acne/breakouts though.
Feels very soft when applied.
It matches my color perfectly, but I have yellow undertones. Has a relatively limited color selection, so you might have some difficulty if you are really pink.
Also may look flaky if you are really dry, but also would be try for any powder foundation. Also can transfer if you brush your face with clothing.
Overall though, I do love this.

I LOVE this powder foundation!! I have been using it for a few years now and nothing can compare. Every time I use this, I get many compliments on my porcelain and flawless skin. It's so natural most people don't know I am using foundation. A one step finish for high SPF sunscreen and foundation! The finishing look is beautiful~ once the foundation sets in with the natural oils on your skin, it looks even better! The bright blue case is small and very convenient. It has a mirror and a separate compartment for the sponge that comes with the refill foundation. The sponge is great for both application and touch up. This is a great product!! For the few years I've been using this..I have not had one complaint.

Well, I waited a bit before writing. This is working for me. I am a little obsessed with two large pores, and this covers if I dab just right. Once more, it stays all day. I do have a desk job, but I do take a brisk 1/2 hour walk downtown everyday to visit Nordstroms and Sephora. Believe me, I walk fast. Once and a while I go to Macy's, it's a little bit father, and the Lancome SA helped me, as the Shiseido rep was out. She was brilliant enough to think to match my freckles, not my porcelain undertones. So we settle on i40. Then I got the advanced liquid compact instead of the SPF, so I had to take it back. (It worked very well, too, but only has an SPF of 15.) Then I got another good SA who also agreed I was an i40. She left me flawless. I was able to apply it myself for a flawless, yet sheer look.

My bf picked me up after a long day, and he said, "oh, you're not wearing makeup. You're skin looks beautiful" This is what he says when I don't wear makeup, as he dislikes it, but he does realize I'm on the search for the foundation holy grail.

So it does cover my pores, and it doesn't settle into my "Fine lines and wrinkles". Thank you very much, nicolethediva for the tip.

I've been using this foundation for the last three years, and can't imagine using anything else.

I always used Revlon Colour Stay foundations, until I decided I wanted to find something that matches my skin tone better, and doesn't require so much blending with a moist sponge to achieve a natural effect.

I use the shade SP80 - this is probably not the same shade as in other countries. I'm from Australia, and this shade seems to be one of the lightest. I stayed for a few months in Switzerland, and the codes for the different shades were all different, and they had nothing nearly as light as what I need. The shades were all indeed too orange and dark (I ended up buying a really pale MAC powder foundation instead). I guess we must have better shades on offer for the sun protection range, because it's so hot and sunny in Australia ;-)

I like this product because:

* You don't need to use much to achieve good coverage (I never need to 'layer' this foundation). One application is sufficient - it even covers the dark circles under my eyes (sans concealer).
* Somehow, when combined with your skin's natural oils, it creates a very natural, dewy effect. It also looks very nice when first applied (a silky, matte look).
* The staying power is considerable, even after swimming and exercising. I only need to re-apply on my nose (most often if I've been wiping it too vigorously with a tissue ;-)
* SPF30, and it has not made me break out in little red bumps like other sunscreens (even when used in conjunction with Shiseido's sunscreen for sensitive skin).
* On occasion, I've left this foundation on over night, and it never gives me pimples. Granted, I don't do this very often, but I would never have been willing to leave the Revlon Colour-Stay stuff on my face overnight.
*When used in conjunction with Shiseido's slightly green coloured corrector stick, my complexion looks like porcelain. However, some other concealers tend to look cakey - stick to the lighter ones when using this foundation. Stay away from the thick, long-wearing ones. Besides, I don't think much concealer is really required when using this foundation anyway.

The only con is that on some days (depending on the condition of my skin, or if I have been lazy with my skin care regime) it can look a little dry and powdery. Sometimes I think this is because I have used a poor quality moisturiser, that is not well absorbed into my skin, and the powder cling to it, and thus looks cakey.

I tried this in SP40 as a potential substitute for my MAC Studio Finish in C4.


Pros:


- The colour match for me is just as good as the MAC C4 - other reviewers have noted that it goes well with skin that has yellow undertones, which I do have (medium tan Asian) so maybe that's why.

- The SPF30+ factor was the main reason I tried this as I gave up using sunscreen under my makeup as it was causing me breakouts (small hard white bumps that turn into big sore red pimples that don't pop!) as well as that shiny look you can't avoid with wearing sunscreen.

- Cute and sturdy compact that's really portable to carry in your handbag

- Don't need a lot of product for coverage (which is good because you don't get much for the amount you pay).


Cons:


- It goes on feeling rather dry and does settles into a nice finish, which is just as good as MAC SF - BUT only where your skin is great. This powder tends to emphasize dry patches or areas where I've needed to use more concealer to cover spots. Blending these areas for a 'perfect' face is not really working. I've even tried experimenting with powder first-concealer after application but it's just not working for me.

- My skin is dry and getting irritated by this product after a week of trying this powder out. Not breaking me out badly but is very drying and beginning to irritate to the point I just can't ignore - skin is just not happy (here we go again).

- Price you pay for the amount of product you get is disappointing, considering the finish is not that great. It's much smaller than the MAC SF for an extra $AU4. Also my MAC lasted me for over a year and I'm not sure how long this will last before needing replacement.


All in all, I really wished that this product would work for me as summers in Adelaide Australia are really hot and would have loved to solve the sunscreen/makeup problem that's not doing my skin any favours. Looks like I just have to try and search for a sunscreen that won't break me out/clog my pores or powder with SPF that provides a nice finish and doesn't irritate my skin (if such a thing exists - maybe I'll just start wearing hats!)

This powder foundation can be used wet (for more coverage) or dry (for light coverage).
Feels light and stays matte. I use shade SP60 (I also have shade SP50 but it has a pink undertone).
I like this foundation because it blends well with my skin tone.
And apart from all the benefits it have because protects from the rays UVA/UVB, I also love the blue pancake! And it is so easy to carry it arround... does not look like make up if you have it in your purse.
I will buy it again.

I'm very fair, and burn easily. I've been using this product for over a decade, and keep coming back to it. And I love it! I agree it's not the best powder foundation in the world, but it really shields your skin - which is why I use it. If a face cream should protect your skin all day, you'd need to apply far more than you would a normal cream - just as sun cream needs to be applied thicker than a bodylotion. And it's a lot easier to reapply a powder when you're out than a cream!

So if you burn easily, need reliable protection and would like the chance to easily apply through the day, this is an excellent choice. If you're looking for a good foundation and the SPF is just a nice bonus, it might not be the best choice for you.

I'm so disappointed. I wanted so badly to love this product with its easy application and high spf. It just looks too obvious on the skin, too thick/heavy, even when applying with a brush. Actually it looked good on my cheeks only but the forehead and chin were a loss. It moves on my face and is not as stay put as others have noted it was for them. I'm returning it today.

I've decided for the spf I can stick with my MAC Prep and Prime with spf 50 and use Palladio as a powder foundation. It's 3 times as good for a third of the price.