Boots • No7 - Beautifully Matte • Liquid

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Jenefour on 5/16/2013 10:40:00 AM more reviews by Jenefour

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This is probably the best foundation I've ever tried, and if you've seen my makeup drawer..you'd be impressed by that statement! I can't believe I found a foundation that I love more than my Mac foundation. This stuff makes your skin look amazing. When I have it on, it doesn't even look like 'makeup', it looks like my skin looks perfect, and not the makeup. I paid $13.99 in Target for this.. you don't get too much, and it only comes in I think 5 shades, but I love it so much I have no problem buying two shades to mix to achieve the right color. I also noticed I hardly have to 'touch up' my face when I wear this, unlike Mac and other foundations when I get oily in my tzone etc.. I can't believe how good my face looks after hours of wearing this in the warm weather. I'm freakin' impressed!

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TabathaD321 on 5/7/2013 3:03:00 PM more reviews by TabathaD321

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

Love this foundation!

I've been using Mac's Sudio Tech foundation for the last 3 years and decided to look for something new as my skin is battling a bout of adult acne and I need more coverage.

I actually came here looking for suggestions and after a lot of research, it seemed this foundation was everyone else's winner.

I found it at Target for $13.99US. Initally, I purchased "Cool Biege" (I wear Mac NC 25 for reference). The color is a bit too dark for my complexion, but worked it blended well and will likely be my shade a little later into the summer. For now, I returned it and went with the next lightest shade, "Cool Ivory."

This foundation glides right on and wears amazingly well. It doesn't leave me with a cakey finish - more so dewy - and provides medium to full coverage. I love how it evens out my skin tone but I don't look "made up."

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samthemoose on 4/29/2013 9:17:00 PM more reviews by samthemoose

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Black    

I LOVE this foundation! It goes on so silky smooth and is great with covering my acne scars. The first time I wore this I went out and came back with a very sweaty face and after blotting my make up was still perfectly intact! I have extremely oily skin and acne prone skin do I just want a foundation that covers well and lasts long.

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*TOP REVIEWER* Chloeclover on 4/27/2013 4:44:00 PM more reviews by Chloeclover

Age: 19-24   Skin: Very Oily, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

I am always on the hunt for a matte foundation that can last throughout the day. I have very oily skin that tends to be acne prone so hearing about this foundation sparked my interest. The only problem is the color selection, it is really hard to color match especially since the Targets in my area do not really have testers. I decided to pick up Deeply Beige due to a review on MUA. My skintone is around NC 20-25. Since it is summer I don't mind that Deeply Beige is a bit dark for my normal skin color. I will definitely try Cool Vanilla (as it has a yellow undertone as noted by another reviewer) during the cooler months. My first impression is that the foundation is beautiful and dries to a powdery finish. You only need a little bit to cover your whole face. The coverage is build-able from medium to heavy. I use a blending brush to blend all over. The packaging says to use fingers or a sponge but using brushes is also a great way to apply the product!! I absolutely love it so far, it is really light weight, doesn't settle in fine lines, and looks very matte but natural.


Pros:
Matte but not flat
Great for oily skin/acne prone skin cause of ingredients
SPF
Buildable coverage from medium to heavy


Cons:
Small color selection in the US...
SPF (not good for flash photos)
$14 (pricey for only 1 oz)



EDIT: I have a feeling this foundation oxidizes throughout the day.... cause it looks darker at the end of the day.. or it's because the shade is 2-3 shades darker than my skintone... hmmm... idk I think I need to buy a lighter shade....

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susanoz on 4/14/2013 11:58:00 PM more reviews by susanoz

Age: 56 & Over   Skin: Normal, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond, Straight   Eyes: Blue    

Discovered this pleasantly unexpected find, as a result of my laborious search for a replacement foundation since the recent reformulation of my HG-for-years Revlon ColorStay Combination/Oily 16 Hrs 180 Sand Beige to the horrible 24 Hrs formula--no longer transfer resistant, feels like goopy glue, disappears after a few hours, greasy feel (where it once had the most natural feel that you didn't even feel like you were wearing makeup). Estee Lauder Double Wear at a heftier price was the closest thing to the CS 16 Hrs formula, but discovered that formula was also changed too and not in a good way with numerous reviewers noting returns as well. I spent the weekend hitting ALL the dept store counters trying to find a beloved longwearing, truly neutral pale beige color clone to no avail. It surprised me the market is flooded with yellow, pink and orange tones, but scarce in finding beige neutrals. I spotted a review on another site comparing Boots No 7 Beautifully Matte to ES DW and headed to Target to check it out--wth I'd tried just about everthing else. OMG! I'm actually in shock and disbelief in a good way. Although there are only 6 color choices ((my reason for 4 lippies instead of 5) at only $14, I bought Cool Vanilla (pale neutral w/ yellow undertones) and Cool Ivory (pale neutral w/ pink undertones) and tried at home due to store lighting, having no anticipations either way. I tried each color inside and outdoors and to my absolute amazement each will work, although I'm partial to the Cool Vanilla which actually neutralizes my pale 60 yr old skin with pink undertones and I didn't look like a ghost. Although the colors selection is limited to 6, there is another color called Wheat (medium tan) that I am fairly sure I can mix in during the summer. I used a damp sponge application on bare skin over moisturizer alone with no primer and finished with only blending sculpting shades and a bit of matte bronzer. I didn't even need to use powder. The finish is actually far more forgiving of lines and wrinkles than the CS! With 60 yr old combination skin there are no miracles, but the finish was more of a soft matte and very natural w/o either looking cakey nor greasyl. The color stayed true for more than 10 hours with NO transfer and it has the most natural doesn't-feel-like-I'm wearing-makeup feel that I was truly lamenting in the reformulation of the CS. It is medium to full buildable coverage and concealer was not even necessary on one red spot on my chin. I am indebted to that reviewer who compared ES DW to this rather inexpensive gem that I never even would have considered. This stuff is not only better than the CS 16 Hr clone I was searching for--it exceeds it in every way. For the CS 16 Hrs and EL DW die-hards out there regrettably mounting a hunt for a replacement, I highly recommend giving Boots No 7 Beautifully Matte a shot--and yes it comes with a nice pump dispensing an appropriate amount as a bonus.

6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Caylinw on 4/13/2013 5:13:00 PM more reviews by Caylinw

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

This stuff is amazing! I was using revlon colorstay for about a year (love that stuff too) when I heard about this I decided to give it a try and its even better!! The pigment is great, it is a super matte somewhat drying formula (perfect for my incredibly oily skin) but the finish is amazing. The only downside is the lack of colors they make in it (like 4) but if you can find your shade buy it!!

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Lms526 on 4/6/2013 12:24:00 PM more reviews by Lms526

Age: 36-43   Skin: Sensitive, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Blond, Wavy   Eyes: Grey    

I have been trying for a long time to find a foundation that will do what I want to. I tried the Amazonian Clay Full Cover 12 hour foundation. It felt light on my face and covered great, but it was much too cakey for my liking. Needless to say I was disappointed. I got a free sample of Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation. The shade matched perfectly and I loved the way it looked and felt on my face. What I wasn't so crazy about was the price. $36 for a foundation is definitely a splurge for me. I would have spent it if I had to, but I wanted to see if I could find something a little more affordable that would have the same staying power and look. After getting the free sample from Macy's, I suddenly remembered that Boots No 7 was available at Target. So on a whim, I decided to see if I could find it. I wasn't exactly sure what shade I needed, but decided to purchase the Cool beige. I have a lot of imperfections on my face that I want to cover up (bumps, redness, and huge pores) To be honest, I really didn't expect much at all from this foundation. I've tried countless other drug store foundations in the same price range. They either didn't give me the level of coverage I wanted or faded away after just a few hours. Even though this foundation claimed to last 14 hours, I was more than a little skeptical. I've tried foundations that claimed to last 16 or 24 hours before and found they didn't even come close to lasting that long. Most of the time, I was lucky if I could give 5 hours of decent wear. But for 13.50, I decided to give this a chance. I also bought some of the Boots "Expert Anti-Redness serum) for 7.99 (also from Target) What drew me to this foundation was that it claimed to be full coverage, long-lasting, and hypoallergenic. It is also oil free. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that this product as a pump. I know some people probably don't like the pump, but I love it. It makes it so much easier to get the amount you need without getting it all over the place.

The following day, after cleansing my face in the shower, applying the redness serum and a moisturizer, I applied this make-up. It is super easy to apply. It doesn't feel heavy on your face at all. The coverage is wonderful. It doesn't feel cakey or overly powdery at all. It looks very natural. The Cool Beige is a perfect match for my skin. It looked great all day. It doesn't rub off and it stayed on until I removed it before bed.

Today, I got stuck in a minor rainstorm. I went for a short walk. When I left, it was just lightly sprinkling. But it started raining a little harder as I walked. I had my hood up, but I could still feel the rain hitting my face. I expected my foundation to look awful by the time I got to the store. I went to the bathroom and found it still looked amazing. A short time later, back at home, I realized that the shirt I was wearing was a bit too warm. I started to sweat like crazy. I mean, I could see sweat on my forehead and dripping down my face. I took a paper towel and blotted my face. I expected to see a ton of foundation on the paper towel as well. But there was NOTHING! Not even a little bit of it came off. I was surprised and delighted. This is a great foundation and has given me everything I was looking for. All for 13.50. If you are looking for a lightweight, full-coverage, long-lasting liquid foundation, I highly recommend this product. I will definitely buy this again. Thanks Boots!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

minapudding on 3/29/2013 8:25:00 AM more reviews by minapudding

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Grey    

This is a very good foundation. It has very full coverage, and I don't need to use concealer after using this. The only problem I have is that I bought the lightest colour, and it is STILL far too dark for me.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

lkjhg on 1/15/2013 3:25:00 AM more reviews by lkjhg

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

This has displaced EL Double Wear as my daily foundation, as DW was irritating my skin very slightly. This has easy application and a natural, long-lasting finish and lasts well, although if I need exceptional staying power I'll use DW instead. The colour selection isn't huge but Calico was a very good match for me (confirmed by the No 7 counter's electronic skin colour-reading gismo). Good plastic pump bottle makes it easy to travel with.
PS: This isn't the same as the No 7 Stay Perfect.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No

Paddykins on 2/16/2012 7:35:00 PM more reviews by Paddykins

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Olive, Cool   Hair: Brown, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I didn't give this 5 lippies simply because my best shade match is slightly too pink (Porcelain) but this is definitely the best foundation I've ever bought! It's full coverage so you don't need much at all and the finish is lovely and matte but not powdery. I find I can make it look really natural if I apply it sparingly.
If you use too much it will start to get cakey but that's true for most foundations. It stays put all day (I think the longest I've worn it has been about 10-12 hours) and I don't even need a primer to make it last longer.
I apply using a brush which I've found gives the best finish - although it's quite thick and gloopy it blends really well and unless you have terrible skin you really only need one light layer, the coverage is so good it doesn't need building!
Since I get very oily around my nose and chin I do need to powder those areas when I apply my foundation but it doesn't move even if I get slightly shiny during the day. It only transfers a little if I press my mobile against my face.
One thing I will say is that like all matte foundations it may not look great on dry skin but as long as you moisturise properly (which you should always do anyway!) it shouldn't go cakey.
All in all it's a really great foundation that didn't break me out, and it performs extremely well considering it's relatively cheap (£13.50 last time I checked)!

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BeautBetty on 10/27/2011 4:15:00 PM more reviews by BeautBetty

Age: 44-55   Skin: Oily, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

is this available in the USA?

The rating is for the Stay Perfect since I can't find the other name
we have here in the USA the Stay Perfect foundation. This gives a nice matte not cakey coverage

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mona77 on 6/9/2011 4:24:00 PM more reviews by mona77

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Blue    

Foundation goes on well (using fingers). Less is more. A little goes a long way. With other foundations I would have to re-apply round 1pm. I didn't need any touch ups during the day with this. It is very matte and stays put although it does not give your face any dimension. I have to apply some highlight on my cheek bone to create structure. Hence why I only gave this foundation 4 stars..
I have never experienced another foundation that has the same staying power. The likes of Revlon Colour Stay, Maybelline 24hr stay, Estee Lauder Double Wear don't have the same staying power.

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bubbles02 on 5/23/2011 1:58:00 PM more reviews by bubbles02

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Blue    

Ok sooo...I bought this product a couple of days ago from boots. I was actually on the lookout for the intelligent balancing mousse but to my disappointment they had discontinued it! :( anyways I asked the girl at the counter if she could recommend a good foundation that has good staying power and coverage and wal-ah! She picked no7 stay perfect and no7 beautifully matte. I tried and tested both on my hands and decided on beautifully matte, I had to choose porcelain as cream(the next shade) was farrrrrr to orange eeeekkk! Normally I'm a mid-toned girl but porcelain,even though its the 2nd lightest shade(I think) was a pretty good match for me! Well anyways I thought it was amazing! Good coverage, much needed for my acne-prone skin, and glided on perfectly! But now I kinda think its not so great. It looks a bit cakey on some areas like my mouth and near my eyebrows, but then again I haven't mousterized before applying my foundation, so that could be the problem.
A really good product, all things considered, but a tad pricey to buy. Anyone with dry skin, this product should be okay even though it says matte as it gives me a nice dewey look! Compared to the reviews I've read on intelligent balancing mousse, I don't think this product gives as good coverage but trust me, the staying power on the baby is foolproof!!

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*TOP REVIEWER* LilMizz on 2/6/2011 12:46:00 PM more reviews by LilMizz

Age: Unknown   Skin: Combination, Olive, Neutral   Hair: Black, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

This is the latest foundation launched by No7, a brand that in all honesty I was not particularly interested in. However, reading the info about this foundation sucked me in. It's targeted towards those who are acne-prone with oily/combo skin i.e. ME! It's oil-free, hypoallergenic, contains salicylic acid, a patented anti oxidant complex and has SPF 15. It also comes in simple packaging with a pump, which I'm pleased about.


I found this foundation to be very full coverage! I'd say it's very similar to MAC Studio Fix Fluid although it has a thicker slightly gloopy consistency. It covers effortlessly. I have past acne scars and I didn't need concealer. It leaves a nice soft matte finish. However, I found it can look cakey if applied wrong. Because it's heavy coverage you'll find you need less than one pump. But on my first use, I absent mindedly squirted a full pump, and I hate wasting product, so I tried blending it all in thinking it didn't make any difference. But when you go up close to the mirror and see it looking a bit TOO MUCH especially around your upper cheeks/nose area, you know it's cakey! It just looked like it begun to gather in my pores. But I wore it out (as my initial test drive) and it lasted all day, didn't go patchy or slide off, and the colour stayed true.


So the next time I began playing around with it and I found it's pretty much my perfect foundation when I mix it with my NARS Sheer Glow. Because NARS's runny watery formula softens the thick cakey one of No7 and gives it less of a mask effect. It looked ever so natural and creamy and dewy, whilst maintaining good coverage and lasting power. I'm so happy! I also love that my skin has been looking better than ever these days, i.e. no clogs developing so far. It's relatively easy to remove, I do my usual routine of using wipes followed with my tea tree cleanser (I'm somewhat acne-prone). I've even stopped using my MAC SF powder foundation which was a staple for me for 2 years when I swore my skin just couldn't tolerate liquid foundations.


To sum it up, it feels and performs like EL Doublewear or MAC SFF at a first glance. The difference is, the ingredients aren't as offensive to us who are acne-prone and costs a lot less. Even though it was cakey the first time, with a little improvisation it has become my go-to foundation everyday so far. But I'll update if any new breakouts come about etc.


Also the colour range is decent except that there's no match for darker skinned ladies. I would say the darkest it goes to is Tan which would match someone around NC43. I'm a C40 in MAC (olive toned) and on me Tan was like a caramel/orange-ish tan shade and quite dark, so I purchased the next one down which is Almond. Almond woul be a match for those around the NC40 mark but is a lot more pinky in colour. So if you happen to be about NW35 or NW40 it would look perfect I imagine. For me, I mixed Almond with my olive shade in Sheer Glow (Stromboli) and it looked like a perfect match.


With No7 shades you will notice they are done in 'pairs'. I.e varying intensities are in pairs, but the shades in the pair will be either warm or cool. They don't tell you this but that's how it works. So check the two shades that are around your intensity against each other to see which has the closest undertone match.

5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No