Studio Face and Body Foundation

Love this so much. My shade is C1. It has replaced almost all my favourite foundations (most of them Erborians), as it doesn't conflict with any of my moisturizers or primers, is a breeze to apply, looks absolutely seamless and natural, but provides sheer coverage where you don't need much of it, and adding a layer gives you more coverage instantly, without looking like you have something on your skin. Doesn't cause any problems to my sensitive/reactive skin. It's light enough to be used in summer (though our summers are moderate and Northern climate-dryish), but I love it in winter, too. My other absolute fav, that is also really quick and super-easy to use, with approximately the same amount of coverage, is Everyday Minerals Semi-Matte Base, in shade Golden Ivory 1W.

This has been around for so long and received so many reviews, there's probably not a whole lot I could add to the conversation, but I'll try, because I love this foundation. And I do mean LOVE - if this was discontinued, I would feel lost, it's such a unique product and it's my everyday foundation. The first thing to mention is the texture, which probably is the main thing that makes this so unique: It'a a water-based foundation (remember to shake it!), so straight from the bottle, it's very watery and very sheer. I think it's best applied with fingers - it'll make a brush sticky and a sponge seems counterintuitive with an already watery, sheer foundation. As you work it in, the texture changes; it thickens and becomes tackier, more opaque. It's very buildable, so you can start off with a sheer base, work up the coverage, and add layers as needed. Moving it around and working it is key for coverage - if you just apply this evenly like you would a "regular" foundation, it'll end up very very sheer. It takes a while for it to set, and it often remains tacky:ish in places, so even on my dry skin, I need a blotting or setting powder. I have never had this look cakey, and it never seems to emphasise dryness, flakes, rough patches or pores. It just kind of glides on and brightens, evens out, adds glow, and provides as much coverage as you choose to build up. (I doubt you could get full coverage out of this, though.) If you have more noticeable blemishes, you will need a concealer on top of this, but for me, any foundation that covers as much as a concealer is too much - I like my foundation to look like skin, but better. A little goes a long way; a few drops can cover your entire face if you like it sheer, and a few more will add coverage. I get the 120 ml bottle for about 40 euro, but it lasts for a long, long time even if I use it daily, so in that context, I think it's very affordable. I've heard that over time, it can separate or change in texture somehow - I've never had that happen, but if you don't plan on using it often, there is also a 50 ml bottle available. Looking at the MAC website, there's surprisingly few shades available, but you can probably mix them. I use C1 with white mixed in. I have yellow undertones but I'm prone to redness in some areas, and the C1 evens that out nicely. There's no SPF in Face & Body, and I think it's supposed to be water proof, or at least water resistant, but let me tell you from experience (unfortunately) that if you cry wearing this, it does come off. Maybe not if it's a regular little wedding cry, but pretty quickly if it's like a when-Mufasa-dies cry or a just-got-broken-up-with-and-I-feel-like-someone-stabbed-my-soul cry. PROS: - Versatile! Buildable from very sheer to a good medium. - Texture: looks like skin, but really helps even out the look of dryness and enlarged pores. - Dewy finish that looks nice on dry and/or mature skin. - Relatively affordable as an everyday foundation because a little goes a long way. - Best applied with fingers, you don't need to get any tools dirty. - Never seems to cake, ever. CONS: - Really different texture compared to most foundations, so there's a bit of a learning curve with the application. - Takes a while to set, and even when it sets, it doesn't completely dry down. (So I don’t really know how you would use it on the body and not have it transfer to your clothes.)

It radiates, perfects, beautifies, and lasts. It's the foundation that really defines what foundation is supposed to do for the skin with the addition of being "photogenic". I feel like it should be the benchmark. RMS Un-Cover is the hippie cousin. Armani is the glam aunt with a sugar daddy. Glossier Skin Tint is its acne safe baby sister. And Koh Gen Do Aqua is the Asian ( I'm finding that saying that whatever is being done, an Asian is perfecting is too true with this lol. Aqua obliterates the Face and Body like Mike Tyson did Michael Spinks). This incredibly economical for the quality. You can get 4 oz for less than $40. Practically free if you need to use foundation often. But not great for acne prone and clog prone skin. I figured I should put that out there for precaution. Nothing worse than having pimples, trying to get them controlled, and using something that adds to the problem. The criminal ingredients are stearic acid and talc, two well documented acnegenic ingredients. Sad to say this because it gets my skin tone just right...I'm the C5 shade. For everyone else, if you want a happy skin foundation this is a great start. You'll probably not check anything else if you love it.

Holy grail foundation!!! Light coverage but you can build it up. It does not fade or separate during the day. If I want more coverage I just use some concealer to cover up blemishes and some redness and that does the trick. It’s very light weight and dewy. Perfect for my dry flaky skin.

I have dry sensitive skin with an oily T zone, this foundation is perfect for me, make sure to apply using your fingers and rubbing it on in a circular motion. It’s long lasting and has a beautiful natural dewy finish. Oh and it’s waterproof ! I will continue to purchase.

I will always keep Face & Body in my rotation. It’s so unique; while there are many light coverage foundations, this one truly looks like my skin but better. It gives me a lovely glow but feels like I have nothing on my face. I find that the best way to apply is to use your fingers to rub it in until you feel the consistency change and feel kind of tacky. That’s when the magic happens. I can apply more where needed using the same method. I don’t need to set this as it lasts all day. I will powder my t-zone only. I hope that MAC never changes the formula as it’s a cult classic for a reason.

This foundation is a light coverage that is very buildable, and I've been able to build it to a solid medium coverage. If you're struggling with the application, try rubbing it in with your fingers instead of using a brush or a sponge because it's designed to give more coverage and last longer if you rub it in with fingers. This foundation is extremely dewy which sounds amazing for my dry skin but it ended up being a bit too dewy for my liking. It was dewy to the point of making me look greasy. I have to set it every time I use it otherwise it will definitely get lifted off my face. Even if I set it, I can still feel it on my skin which is mildly uncomfortable for me. Once I set it though, it ends up being a very long lasting foundation that doesn't look cakey, drying or emphasise my pores. This will definitely even out your skin tone, but won't do much to cover acne spots. I won't repurchase because I don't like how it feels on my skin, and it takes a bit of effort to get it to the level of coverage I want.

Wish the packaging was different but otherwise the best!

I've been using this since July, it's now late November, and this is my new standard light moisturizing foundation. I'd been looking since Estee Lauder d/c Double Wear Light, and reformulated it. I like this way better. Light coverage. It won't hide the sunspots on my right cheekbone, but it does nicely blur them and somehow makes all red marks, freckles and sunspots blur into the background leaving a nice clean glowy finish that looks like my skin but radiant. No shimmer, just a dewy glowy look. I have dry sensitive skin, oily T zone, rosacea, redness, sunspots, freckles and I'm NW15 in MAC. In Face and Body, N1 fits me perfectly. No reactions, no pimples, no white bumps, red bumps or rashes. Just great looking skin that you can't tell I'm wearing any foundation on from morning till night. It is sheer, but you can build a bit. If I'm really wanting to hide my sunspots on my cheekbone, or a really red spot, I dot a tiny bit of concealer on and tap it in, and set that with a kiss of finishing powder but most days I don't bother. This is my foundation for my no makeup makeup days. I do set it very very lightly with a large fluffy brush and some translucent finishing powder if I'm using powder blush, but if I'm using Clinique's chubby stick cream blushes (Amp'd up Apple is a favourite) then I leave it dewy and it does just fine. I love the extra moisture but for anyone with less than dry skin, you might need to set this for sure. For anyone with aging dry skin, it is wonderful. I wear it over top Jose Marans SPF 47 argan sunscreen which is also super moisturizing. Just a suggestion, MAC will always give a nice sample to try so when you get them to figure out your shade take it home and try it in daylight. Some MAC people are better than others at matching people, others are right out to lunch and way off. If you are NC or NW 15 or so then try the N1 first. If you are NC NW 20-25 try N2.

Very sheer but somehow I can feel it all day on my face and it stresses me out. I hate feeling it. Gets too shiny