TOM FORD Traceless Foundation Stick

What IS it about me? I'll find a foundation I absolutely adore...and yet still I'm tempted by the hype of something new.

I saw numerous YouTubers raving about Tom Ford's Traceless Foundation Stick, so of course, I had to treat myself. At $87, this was over twice the cost as my last foundation. But I was taken in by the numerous stellar reviews, including several who noted that it "melted" into their skin.

For the record, I am 62, a dyed redhead, with extremely fair skin that can still be oily (go figure). I purchased 0.5 in Porcelain. The color was a good match (I ordered online from Sephora), but not as good as my former foundation. I applied primer and then applied the foundation down the center of my face and used a number of brushes (my IT Heavenly Skin brush and buffing brush as well as my Sephora airbrush brush). No matter how much I blended, the TF foundation just sat there on my skin. I waited for it to melt. Nothing.

Since then I've tried it without a primer, tried blending it with a Beauty Blender, etc. The best look I've achieved is with the No Poreblem Primer, but still not great. This stuff is thick and it just sits there for me. I probably should have taken it back, but I simply didn't have the time. So I'll use it up and then go back to my beloved IT Confidence in a Compact, a relatively inexpensive foundation that comes in very few shades. But the fairest does work for me, it melts into my skin, and it's got an SPF of 50.

So took me 2 times to get the shade right, the BAs in Tom ford aren’t the best at foundation matching... Initially I was matched to 2.5 linen. However as the foundation does oxidise slightly (maybe half a shade to 1 shade), so it would turn out too dark for me. They have just released some new shades for 2019, so I went back to try but there were no testers yet!! The BA this time matched me to 0.5 porcelain, which was a better match, but the wrong undertone (I’m oriental and have a bit more yellow in my undertone). Judging from the colours on the Tom ford website, I purchased 1.1 warm sand in the end. It’s not an exact match, probs around a shade too light for me, but I didn’t want to wait anymore!!! I can make it work as it does oxidise, so I use fire lust underneath and setting powder and contouring to adjust the colour. Unfortunately I feel with the Tom ford foundation range, the colours do not cater to different coloured women, which is why I only gave this 4 stars. The undertone in this is still slightly neutral.
I usually swipe this on my face, and then blend with a brush. The finish is beautiful, brightens up your face, not matte but not too dewy either. I only swipe 1 layer on, and would say the coverage is light to medium. You can swipe another layer on, which should help cover up blemishes, but I think too much would look quite thick on your skin. I still use concealer on top. I do set this with powder, but I set all my foundations with powder. With the powder, it’s quite long lasting; I can still see the coverage it provides 10 hours after I have done my makeup. Doesn’t transfer much after letting it set. Oil control on this foundation is standard, would probably help if you are oily to use an oil control primer underneath. However do beware - it can highlight dry patches and wrinkles caused by dry skin! The cap clicks into place, however it doesn’t feel very secure, so I’m not sure how well this would do in a makeup bag...
At £66 this foundation is very pricey. But I have heard good things about this foundation. At the end of the day my skin still looks bright, as some foundation go a bit dull towards the end of the day, but not this one. Can’t really smell much fragrance from this. The design is good as you can just swipe the stick on your face, or dab your brush into it. But I’m not sure how quickly it would dry out, as every time you open it, the whole foundation stick is exposed to air. Will update if any problems.
So far so good with this foundation stick. I’m liking it currently so I’ve put yes to repurchasing, but it will also depend on how it goes.

This is a great foundation if you find your color match.
Initially, I was matched to 2.7 Vellum. It looked really good upon application in a bad store lighting.
I played with it for a couple of days trying to make it work. It didn't. It oxidized and turned dark greyish in a matter of minutes. I went back to Sephora and the artist did a skin color IQ test (they have some little device that they take on skin pictures in the several face areas). The result came as my best match should be shade 7 Tawny, or if I want to go lighter 5.5 Bisque. I had a hard laugh, 2.7 was already way too dark...
So I've tried shades 2.5 Linen, 2 Buff, 1.5 Cream that all oxidized into too dark orange or too dark pink colors in a matter of seconds. While I was blending foundation, the color was changing.
I have a dry skin, so it has nothing to do with oils. The same happened when I try to blend it on my neck or inner arm. So weird! Having light-medium dry skin there is no shade that matches me. They are all too dark! (Haven't seen a point trying 0.5 Porcelain - it's very very pink, I'm MAC NW25 for the reference)
Shades aside I really enjoyed playing with it for a couple of days. It lives up to its name - traceless, it's so easy to blend. It stays put from the morning till night. It looks fantastic on dry skin. When I was washing it off in the evenings my skin underneath was more beautiful each day. No dryness, no rosacea flare-ups, no breakouts, no heavy makeup look.
Too bad there is no way I can use it.

It took me 3 tries to find my shade in this but when I finally did it was perfection! The nearest sephora that carried this in store was over 40 minutes away and with a job and kids that was not an option for me.
They discontinued pale dune which I feel would have been my ideal match so I tried ivory first but it was way too dark, next I ordered linen but that still didn't quite match my NC20 skin tone, so finally I ordered fawn and it was my exact match!
Once I found my shade I played around with application and found what worked best for me was to swipe a couple stripes on each cheek, my chin, and my forehead and use a dampened beauty blender to press it into my skin. I go back with an extra swipe or two where needed - under eyes, jaw line, nose and press it in again. Then I use my fingers and press it in lightly using my body heat to really melt it into my skin.
Make sure you take the foundation down your neck and blend it well so you don't have a makeup line and press the beauty blender over your ears to really prevent the makeup mask look from happening. I donot set this foundation with powder - I have dry skin and I prefer a dewy or satin look over matte anyday. I do spritz my face all over with the smashbox primer water and it really sets everything. I can easily get 10+ hours out of this foundation with little to no break up or oil mess. I use a tinted moisturizer for daily use and save this for date night, work meetings, or days I want to feel pretty and made up. This is one of the best foundations I have ever tried, it is well worth the price. For reference my skin is dry, very sensitive to scents and chemicals, with redness and some discoloration. I find this foundation works well with peach fuzz not sticking to it or accentuating it at all! Supposedly this is the foundation Tom Ford himself wears!

My other products and shades:
MAC water weight NC 15 (winter only!) NC20 summer time
MAC studio fix NC20 (year round)
MAC face and body C1
Mary kay cc cream in very light (the only mary kay product I can use with my sensitive skin!)
Bobbi Brown tinted moisturizer in Light tint
Bobbi Brown foundation stick in Warm ivory
Hourglass Illusion in Ivory
Laura Geller Quench-n-tint in Light
Clarins extra firming foundation in Sand 108 (a tad too dark but when blended it works!)
Bareminerals original mineral foundation in Light
Anastasia Beverly Hills stick foundation in Warm ivory
Too face born this way in Nude
Smashbox in 1.2
Becca mineral powder foundation in Nude (discontinued)
Dermalogica Sheer tint in light

My skin is very light, tans easily in the sun, yellow undertones. I am concerned with aging skin (I'm 37 years young), dry skin, and I want a natural no makeup look. Matte makeup accentuates my dry patches and peach fuzz so I avoid it at all cost!
Hope this helps!

I've been using this product for years now and, as someone with dry skin, I have yet to find a foundation that looks better than this.

In fact, this product is just like a second skin. You can wear it sheer or build it up (medium coverage). Due to the nature of my work I am often out and about, talking to people all day long. Last thing I want is to touch my base, so Traceless Foundation Stick has been my go-to for as long as I remember. I know it will never let me down; it stays put all day and doesn't get blotchy. It is breathable and comfortable. People often ask what I am wearing when I have it on. Some even assume I have this dewy, spotless skin naturally (I wish!) but it is all Tom Ford.

It photographs beautifully and one tube typically lasts me a year (no, it doesn't expire in a month, so no worries here!) and I think it is a wonderful investment. Great for people who love that natural, dewy finish. Perhaps not for combo/oily skin. For those of you curious to see unedited swatches and read more about other Tom Ford bestsellers, here is my in-depth review (https://www.partyparrotblog.com/single-post/2018/10/04/Full-Face-Of-Tom-Ford-Bestsellers). Hope it helps!

THE WORST PRODUCT EVER. I trusted y'all on this due to the reviews. Sorely disappointed! OVERPRICED & OVERHYPED. Made my skin complexion look so muddy and waxy. Will return.

Looks and feels like skin. The shade Caramel is a perfect match for nc42/43 and it’s great for drier skin tones in my opinion.

On the plus side, this wears more comfortably than most foundation sticks. It doesn't feel greasy. The finish is not matte but satin, which is why people praise it for appearing natural. Use a small amount and buff well. It can accentuate an orange peel texture. If you need to blur pores you will need a primer under the stick. Oily skin will have to powder over this foundation to control shine, and at the end of the day it may look cakey. If you want to cover freckles or discoloration, you have to use more. The more you use, the less natural it looks. It will still look fine from a distance, but close-up it won't look as smooth as liquid foundations. Some people happen to have an ideal match in one shade, but more often I see people buying two or three shades to match their skin, and at $80 per stick, that's hard on the wallet.

Like the other review, I have three of these sticks, Tawny, Honey and Dune. I mix these sticks together for a perfect color match. Tawny seems to run a tad yellow, whereas Dune is more neutral. I tend to mix Honey and Dune, more so than Tawny. The formula is never overdone and never looks cakey. I apply directly to my forehead, cheeks, nose and chin and blend out with the TF foundation brush. Sometimes I wear TF or Laura Mercier powder, but not necessary with this formula. Beautiful medium coverage, minimizes pores and stays put all day. Once in a while, I need to touch up, but it is a quick swipe and blend. This formula is great for dry skin. No creasing or accentuating fine lines. It has a satin finish, so it does not look shiny, nor flat matte either. I even pat the Dune under my eyes for a rested look. Travels easy and just happy with this foundation after trying so many. Highly recommend.

This is the only high end foundation I have multiple colors of (I have 2 colors for Glossier skin tint too) - Pale Dune, Fawn, and Ivory. I would say Fawn is the best match for my NC20 neutral-olive skin - Ivory leans a bit darker/peach and Pale Dune is more of a NC15. I rotate them throughout the year.
This is an investment for me that is 100% worthwhile because this is my ONLY smear, dab, and go foundation. That means it is always low maintenance, I am guaranteed a flawless result despite tool variation, and I know I will look amazing even by end of day. I use this on mornings when I have not a second to waste (you KNOW how some foundations take a lil extra drop of oil or some finessing), and it is very convenient to take on vacation as well. This is the perfect medium satin coverage that blurs all of my pores, perfects my discoloration, covers blemishes without emphasizing dry spots, and leaves me with the most beautiful real skin finish. It also doesn't deteriorate by mid day (unlike Hourglass Vanish Stick, oh god that made my foundation break up in little continents and move around like it was Pangaea). You can also use this to spot conceal and for touch ups. I am able to smooth more on top of a previously POWDERED face and not have it get clumpy. And of course, I need my makeup to last 12 hours through work and sometimes even longer through dinner, and even if it doesn't last I need it to exit gracefully. I don't ever see breakup around usual suspect areas like nose, forehead, and chin. Under eye is never crepe-y or dry. When it fades, it's a smooth gradiented fade that looks healthy and natural. What is this wizardry?
I'm hurt over the price and I am a big splurger when it comes to makeup and skincare. I have a huge arsenal of foundations but this one I am always reaching for. Tom Ford Traceless Stick... you and I are ride or die.