Illamasqua • Cream foundation • Crème

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Labloah on 1/14/2013 10:52:00 AM more reviews by Labloah

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

This was my first Illamasqua foundation, and unfortunately I'm not overly impressed.

First off, it's tricky to work with. Actually, I take that back, it's not tricky, it's a nightmare to work with. It's a very thick cream formula, and it does feel just as thick when applied to the face. It's difficult to blend into itself and cover areas uniformly. I've played around a little with application (and have wasted heaps of product in the process) and have found I can achieve the best results for my skin by priming, leaving that to set for a few minutes, then applying the foundation with a slightly damp stipple brush, working in sections to stipple it onto the skin and very slightly blending out that section (but with more of a stipple motion than a blending one if you know what I mean), until the whole face is covered, and dampening the brush some more when it starts to get dry. I have also tried applying with the included sponge, but that didn't give a very nice finish at all and almost wiped away areas where I'd applied if I went back over to build it up. It really needed to be applied in a patting and rolling motion, not a sweeping one. A dry foundation brush didn't fair much better, and a flat top buffer I usually use for cream foundations didn't do the job, but a beauty blender type sponge gave a bit more in the way of even coverage if I rolled and pressed onto my skin as with the sponge. I did find if I had areas that were a bit bare or had worn away, I could pat some extra product on with my fingers, rather than trying to blend more in and upset the finish. The key I've found for my face is that it needs to be patted and rolled onto the skin and not swept on or blended otherwise it will move. I can achieve a build up of product to vary the coverage if I use the patting and rolling method. But, even then I still have to take care, because if I pat and roll too firmly it also takes off product. Ughhh.

Being a thick product, it does offer medium to full coverage if you can get the application to work for you, but will only offer light coverage and may be patchy if you aren't super careful in application. That loses big points in my book, as I want products that work well, but aren't a hassle to apply. Having said that, once I got the application to work reasonably ok for me, I really did like the finish, it covered nicely and didn't look too bad on my skin, it gave a sort of slightly dewy semi matte satin finish. Finishing it with translucent powder also improved the finish and took away the look of product settling around pores. Though if I did apply too much product, it settled around pores and looked awful.

It definitely needs to be set with a translucent powder I feel as I find it starts to wear away after only a few hours without it. As with applying the foundation itself, I need to pat on the powder and not sweep it on as it will move the product. With powder it lasts around five hours or so, so I only use when I'm not going to be wearing makeup for a long time. It definitely doesn't agree with an Australian summer and melts away rather quickly in the heat, so I may save this for winter months and see how it goes, but I'm not holding my breath. I also found if it gets anywhere near my waterproof mascara, it will smudge the mascara, and I've never had that happen before.

Colour wise, I purchased 210, which is medium with neutral undertones, which leans ever so slightly gold. For a medium shade it is on the lighter side, and the undertones aren't as neutral as I thought they'd be, they're more of a balanced peachy colour, which I quite like as I have gold and rose undertones and often find some neutrals too washed out and ashy. I hesitate to give any colour comparisons to other brands as I'm currently in the process of trying out a few different foundation colours as I've been getting a lot less sun than usual and my regular foundation colours are a smidge too dark for me at the moment.

Packaging, as others have mentioned, isn't the most function friendly. Its design doesn't leave a space for the included sponge, so you will either need to rest it on top of the product and have it squished in, or leave it out entirely. It's also hard to open, I find it's easiest if you open form the corners by pulling apart with both hands, rather than opening from the middle. It is a pretty packaging design visually, but not practical. The package appearance is probably the only thing it's got going for it and is the only reason I'm giving this a one star rating instead of a zero (that, and the fact it's not washed out for a neutral shade).

I purchased this at their recent winter sale, and it looks like it's being discontinued, which is not at all surprising. I think if I had paid full price, I would have been kicking myself for not choosing another foundation instead of this one. If you can get application down, it may come out as passable, it's just the multitude of flaws from application to packaging to wear length that lets this down immensely.

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*TOP REVIEWER* mulletoftruth on 1/6/2013 7:34:00 PM more reviews by mulletoftruth

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Other    

This goes on - and looks - like pancake makeup. The first time I put it on (using the included sponge) I felt like I was backstage getting ready for a broadway show. It's thick and heavy and doesn't spread or blend easily so it's difficult to get even coverage. It's the kind of product you can really feel on your face, which is quite unpleasant.


I experimented with this a bit, using different application methods, but it was just too greasy and thick and the color match was awful so I finally gave up. I ordered it in CF 133 "for light skin with neutral undertones." It's not neutral at all. It's really yellow (not like yellow undertone, but full-on yellow) and made me look sallow. For reference I'm a Dior 20 (light beige) LM #2/Blush.


My other gripes: they include a sponge but the sponge does not fit into the compact. Most other brands' cream compact foundations include a space for their application tool, which makes them portable and user-friendly. The fact that this compact is huge but lacking a spot to hold a sponge drops it way down on the practicality scale. You also have to jam your fingernail into the clasp to get it open, which is another real annoyance.

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Ninetalesx on 10/23/2012 11:21:00 AM more reviews by Ninetalesx

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

I can't for the life of me understand why people love this so much, perhaps it's my skin, or perhaps I'm wrong somehow... But in my opinion -
Pros ++
*amazing colour selection
*nice packaging
*pleasent light scent
*doesnt seem all, "chemical" feeling, I get red eyes and have many reactions with foundation but this seems quite gentle to the skin and face.
*very sheer (it's not a pro to me but some people enjoy that fact)

Cons --
*cheap sponge is rendered useless, (at least it's pretty to look at)
*for a cream, you are expecting a little substance, it just feels like greasy clay, but with next to no coverage
*trying to build coverage was almost impossible
*the WORST was that it felt chalky and sheer at the same time, so there is next to no coverage, colour payoff or blend ability!
*accentuated lines on. Young face! I don't even have lines and it made me look 10 years older! Creeped into all the little lines under my eyes and mouth.
*attatched to dry spots
*showed up my near non existent pores, I didn't know I even had that many!
* slips, little adhesion.
I tried to buff blend and prep and prime with about 5 different products and brushes, all results were the same, although extra primer seemed to help slightly.
Please keep in mind in LOVE illamasqua, and will continue to purchase their products even though this reaaaaally let me down. Hands down worst foundation I have ever tried, stick to your regular, or try something else if you have even the slightest dry spots, lines, or greasy t-zone. Perhaps this would work if you have the **perfect** skin type, but again, so so so disappointed.

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mskittynoir on 8/6/2012 11:49:00 PM more reviews by mskittynoir

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

Tis goes on very pale, then darkens up a little. I do love the scent, lasts maybe real good at 5 hours, need for touch up after this time, can separate a little kinda how a powder foundation or mineral can do. I do like this product, just not everyday. The compact is wonderful, cute square shape. Love love this company!!! I purchased the 110 which is a step up from white, it's a perfect light ivory without pink undertones... More yellow based. Not my favorite but I will buy again. I use mineral from Meow Cosmetics in Angora 0 & 1, illamasqua powder foundation, Illamasqua rich foundation, Dainty Doll in light and extra light. I rotate these foundations and my skin is the best it's ever been!! Rotate your makeup with a few different kinds..... Liquid for a few days then to mineral then to powder.... Ect.

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Bertuzzi44 on 8/5/2012 9:34:00 PM more reviews by Bertuzzi44

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Grey    

I bought this product in the sale for £10, if I had paid full price I would have been even more disappointed. ! The colour was a good match for my skin but I just couldn't get it to apply properly. It highlighted every pore in my nose and made my skin seem much drier than it is. There was no area on my face where I could get a decent coverage, it either blended away (but still managed to sink into my pores) or looked cakey.

I can't comment on wear time because I took it right off. I have normal to dry skin and don't suffer with enlarged pores or flaking areas, but this foundation made it look like I have.

Very disappointed as I am an illamasqua fan. It makes me wonder why if that's why it's reduced so much in the sale.

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jenzie92 on 5/8/2012 7:36:00 PM more reviews by jenzie92

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Coarse   Eyes: Green    

I very rarely write reviews for makeup products, but on the occasion, I feel I need to share with you guys my opinion on this foundation. I first bought it after reading rave reviews and I was wanting to try a different type of foundation, since I normally use liquids (typically estee lauder double wear.) So because I love Illamasqua's products, I thought I'd give this a go. I purchased this foundation is shade 130 which is a perfect match for my NC25 skin, pale with very strong yellow undertones and I applied it with a Sigma flat top Kabuki brush. I used a moisturiser and a primer so my skin was prepped, but trying to blend this foundation into my skin was a nightmare, it just didnt blend! I tried warming it up and using a different brush/fingers but it looked awful, like it was just sitting on my skin. I really wanted to take it off again but unfortunatly I was due at work so I didnt have time to redo all my makeup again. I had an 8 hour shift, and the whole time I just wanted to go home and take off my makeup because I just felt so disgusting. I looked like an oily mess, it had clogged horribly in the corner of my nose and round the sides of my mouth and I dont even have oily skin or large pores! Needless to say, I was glad to finish that shift at work! I took it off and soon as I got home and threw this product away. What a waste of money! Overall, this is by far the worst foundation I have ever used, and that is saying a lot as I have tried a lot of foundations in my time! I do love illamasqua but I find thier face products are vile. The rich liquid foundation I also find to look very heavy and cloggy. I do love thier concealers though. The only good thing I have to say about this foundation is that the packaging is nice and the product itself smells lovely, but this is not enough to improve my opinion on this foundation. Dont waste your money!

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Lobbery on 1/14/2012 6:36:00 AM more reviews by Lobbery

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Blue    

I generally don't wear cream foundations but if you're a cream foundation fan, I'd recommend this.

Pros:

Colour selection
Sheer to medium coverage
Smells nice
Nice packaging

Cons:

Don't get much product.
It gathered around the chin and my dry areas (all cream foundations do this to me though)

I'd recommend buffing this in with a dense topped brush rather than with the sponge as using the sponge just kind of wipes it away.

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lucreziad on 4/23/2011 5:47:00 AM more reviews by lucreziad

Age: 19-24   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I use this foundation in the 115 shade. I interchange between this and the Rich Liquid foundation, depending on what type of coverage I want. I love this product, it's probably one of the best pale foundations I've ever used, along with the RL. Love it!

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Fresnel on 10/19/2010 10:58:00 PM more reviews by Fresnel

Age: 30-35   Skin: Very Dry, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Blue    

After Prescriptives announced they were shutting down, I went on the hunt for a new foundation that was a good color match. After going through many brands, I tried Illamasqua cream foundation in 110.
I have never used a cream foundation before but once I got used to applying it I fell in love. As long as this is available I will continue to purchase it.
I like that it is sheer coverage but I can build it up as needed. If I need a bit extra coverage I will use a concealer brush (or finger if lazy) and then blend in with a MAC 187 brush or Sephora Professional Airbrush 55. I get no streaking when applied as above and it lasts all day without oxidizing. This does not dry out my skin or make my skin greasy.

For reference I have dry to normal skin and wore "Real Camelia" in Prescriptives foundation and it was far too dark but was the closest in undertones so would add Face Atelier Zero Minus (white) to lighten it. (I love that I do not need to mix with the Illamasqua foundation) .

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*TOP REVIEWER* Endit on 10/9/2010 9:34:00 PM more reviews by Endit

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brown, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

PROS: Looks incredibly natural, like there is 0 product on the face.


CONS: Reason why it's so natural looking is because it's overly sheer. I was like, "Does this have any coverage?" when I first started using it. I have to agree with the person who said it blends off skin when trying to blend it because it's so light that it just disappears when you blend! It can be built up to medium coverage but for that to happen, you need to use TONS of product. Way too much. You'll hit pan in 1 month doing this! And by using more, it gets thoroughly embedded into brushes and is a pain to clean out. Color match was great (CF135), even though it looks too dark to match my neck, it somehow does perfectly in photos. Also, no SPF. Mirror and sponge are fine, but I don't use them and would rather save money, it is not worth $30 at all IMO.


OVERALL: Actually it's not worth it even if free. I hate how much product you have to use, it will be gone in no time (or you can save product and get 0% coverage instead).

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andycobbdds on 10/3/2010 6:08:00 PM more reviews by andycobbdds

Age: 44-55   Skin: Dry, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Green    

tried this really hoping it was the answer covering my face completely. It did but was SO DRYING I could not wear it...Needed a good coverage foundation and still looking

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dreamwatch on 8/21/2010 1:37:00 PM more reviews by dreamwatch

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Red, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Green    

I'd never tried a cream foundation before, but given the nasty dry spots my skin can often harbour I thought it was time to give them a go.

Packaging is lovely. Easy to carry around if you are someone who like to touch up during the day. The sponge is quite usable though I used a regular sponge to apply and a brush to buff it out. Nice texture, easy to apply, and loved the mild vanilla scent (this disappears on the skin). I had so many compliments when I wore this, my face glowed. It lasted all day and didn't oxidise.

However I had one big problem with this. It caused very vicious cystic acne on my cheeks. I've been left with a very visible scar on one side of my face, which I'm not happy about. I'm confident that it was the foundation as nothing else in my regime had changed. I've never had any cosmetic product cause this kind of reaction, and I certainly don't have sensitive skin. Disappointed on many levels as I really thought I had found my HG, but I suppose the search continues.

In fairness I've given the product 3/5, as it isn't going to cause that kind of reaction in everyone, and the product itself is a very good one. It's made me much more cautious about what I put on my skin, so I suppose something good came out it!

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*TOP REVIEWER* misscruella16 on 5/13/2010 3:10:00 AM more reviews by misscruella16

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I really like the finish of this foundation. It is not too greasy like alot of other cream foundations I have tried and you dont need a ton of powder to set it. It is expensive and I wish it was alot cheaper, Its even more expensive than MAC. But I am really starting to love Illamasqua products. They have great pigment, colors, and staying powder. I always get compliments on my makeup when I wear this foundation. I really like how they cater to pale shades. Im pretty pale and I think this one was even too light for me. No pink or orange tones either.

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*TOP REVIEWER* 1badcat on 4/15/2010 7:18:00 PM more reviews by 1badcat

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

Finally after hearing all the rave reviews I dove in and got this cream foundation as I am an avid cream foundation user. I was very disappointed.

I don’t even have oily skin and not longer after applying I was so oily-it was gross. I could feel the foundation on my skin and it was very uncomfortable.

I tried using different application techniques and none gave me the coverage I desired. I even applied less but it was still very slick and oily-I think this might be better for drier skin types.

Even with thier primer and a dusting of powder it didn’t stay on my skin it looked separated and blotchy.

This is a no go for me so back it goes-the only good thing I can say is that it is easy to apply and blend but that’s b/c it’s so greasy it slides right on.

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looweehse on 12/16/2009 12:13:00 PM more reviews by looweehse

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Cool   Hair: Red, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Green    

PROS:
- customisable coverage. it can be sheer - full which is great! It doesn't show up too obviously on the skin, but once you build up to full coverage it's more noticeable, but doesn't look too bad.
- great colour range for pale and darker people (I'm 120).
- doesn't oxidse, even on my oily skin.
- blends well, and easy to apply using either a standard foundation brush (like MAC 190) or a sponge. It also applied well with the Illamasqua highlighter brush and MAC 109.
- lasted all day
- even though it isn't oil-free it didn't break me out or make me oily.
- nice packaging.
- not too expensive

CONS:
- does contain oil, so has the possibility of breaking acne-prone people out
- i can see myself going through this stuff quite quickly, it'll maybe last me 2 - 4 months
- if you want fuller coverage it takes a bit of time to build it up which is a little tedious if you're using it everyday.

Overall, I love this foundation, but it's not HG, just very very good.

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madcow216 on 10/6/2009 1:12:00 PM more reviews by madcow216

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Red, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I'm not sure what to make of this foundation. As much as I love how perfectly the shade matches my skin and the easy application, this foundation just refuses to stay on my skin. I don't have particularly oily skin, but even as I blend it it blends *off* my skin! I may be applying it incorrectly (It's been years since I've used cream foundation after making the bare minerals switch) but I've tried with a sponge, my stipling brush and with my fingers and i can't seem to make it stay on my skin. If i rub my nose, I'll see foundation residue on my finger and if I touch my face I can see the foundation sliding around. I love the finish and the smell but I don't think I'll re-buy.

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*TOP REVIEWER* firework_girl on 9/16/2009 1:03:00 PM more reviews by firework_girl

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Black, Wavy, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

Since I love Illamasqua's Rich Liquid foundation for nights out, I figured I'd try one of their others for day use.
Usually I shy away from cream foundations as they tend to leave me rather oily, especially in my already-oily t-zone area (MAC Studio Tech was not good in this regard).
So far, this hasn't been a problem at all with this. It leaves me relatively matte-looking yet still has a nice touch of a glow to it.
Coverage is medium but can be built up & I haven't found I have to use much concealor at all. It doesn't look as if you're wearing a ton of make-up even if you do decide to amp up the coverage, either.
Application wise, this foundation is fantastic. Usually, I discard the sponges that come with cream foundations but this one actually works fairly well and it's great for quick touch ups on the go. It also applies nicely with a kabuki or my MAC 188 brush.
Wear time is on a par with the Rich Liquid. I've never had a cream foundation last this long. I do need to set it in the t-zone with a touch of powder, but once it's on, it stays on. It's fairly low maintenance too. One or two touch ups with blotting sheets & some powder in an average 9 hour day are more than enough to keep it looking good.
Colour match is absolutely fantastic. I use 125, same as Rich Liquid & it's a fantastic match. No overly pink tones and it's definitely pale enough for me.
My only quibble is with regards to the packaging. There's no space in the compact to store your sponge, unless you keep it on top of the foundation pan itself (something I prefer not to do). This is only a minor complaint as the packaging is otherwise fantastic. Good sized mirror in the compact lid & it looks beautiful.
Despite having only used it four times now, I can safely say this foundation has quickly become one of my favourites & I will definitely repurchase when I need to.
Good job yet again, Illamasqua!

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*TOP REVIEWER* MariellaFromBe on 8/17/2009 10:05:00 AM more reviews by MariellaFromBe

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

This is the last Illamasqua foundation I have tried, but certainly not the least. Actually it is my favourite. I have this in 125, which is an ashy beige shade for pale skin, close to an NC15.
It comes with a sponge applicator and a real mirror, which makes it a perfect foundation for travelling or to take along with you for touch ups.

PROS:
- medium coverage: won't hide everything and won't replace concealer but will make your skin look good
- quite matte: perfect for combo/oily skin as well
- long lasting: still looks quite good after 9 hours, a bit of powder on my usually oily forehead is all it would take to make it perfect again for several hours
- great base for blushes and MSF's: I have really noticed these stayed on much more longer than usual
- good packaging
- you don't feel it on the skin

CONS:
- you need to find your shade since you can't custom mix like you would do with liquids
- I wish it had a tiny bit more coverage, but I can still make this work

For me it's the best foundation Illamasqua makes and the one that will suit most people, including those who are not very experienced with foundation application. This is definitely going to become an important part of my makeup kit!

9 out of 9 people found this review helpful.     Was this review helpful to you? Yes   No