Beauty Obsessed

It’s interesting how different people’s opinions can be.  Last week, I read Tracy’s post on this very same product, and she stated that she far prefers powder foundation to liquid.  In my case, in general I prefer liquid foundation to powder!  See, I think what I like about liquid foundation is that it typically leaves skin looking a bit more moist and glowing, whereas I always imagined powder foundation to leave you looking matte and sort of dull.  I like the idea of a powder base, because Hello, how easy it is to use?  But overall I choose liquid every single time.

However, I think I’ve found THE product to meet all my needs.  Make Up For Ever’s new Pro Finish Powder Foundation ($42CAD) – can be used dry like traditional powder foundations for a matte, full coverage look, or…can be used wet, for a more satin finish with sheer coverage!  Yay!!  And it actually does what it claims!  Double-yay!!

The color that received is the same shade that I wear in MUFE’s HD Foundation – 153, which makes total sense (and isn’t always the case – Clinique numbering and naming system does not follow ANY pattern whatsoever – you can be a Sand in one formula and not be a Sand in another…drives me absolutely batty!).  I would still test it in-store to be sure, but if you don’t have that option, choosing the same color as your HD shade is a good bet.

The case comes with a sponge and your typical flip-up storage for said sponge; however, ingeniously they’ve included air holes in the bottom of the casing to let your sponge air out after using – so handy!

There are some nourishing ingredients in the formula to help keep your skin hydrated and comfortable while you wear it.  Tracy found that by the end of the day her drier skin felt *slightly* tight; however, my skin is normal to oily and I experienced absolutely no dryness – and also next to no oiliness!  It kept my skin’s oils totally controlled without being too matte and flat-looking, which I found impressive.  Pretty cool I’d say!

Below are shots of my skin in natural light – on the left side I wore it dry, and on the right – wet.

Left side of my face, with the foundation applied dry.

Right side of my face with the foundation applied wet.

Do you notice how on the side where I applied the foundation dry, it takes on a slightly more yellow tone?  I think that’s merely because the product is being applied more densely, rather than with some transparency when applied wet.  Nonetheless, I prefer the powder applied wet as it seems to meld into my skin more and look more natural.  It still looked good dry, and if I needed more coverage I’d use it that way.  But I tend to be a sheer to light coverage gal when it comes to foundation, so wet is ideal for me.

Here’s a full-face shot:

You can see that on the left side there is more coverage  than the right.  I like having the option of customized coverage, and I suppose you could even alternate between the two at once if you had some problem areas that required more concealment.  It really does a great job!  Check it out with flash:

If you’re in the market for a foundation, and your preference is a powder – or if you’re interested in trying something different – I’d highly recommend the Pro Finish powder.  It feels lightweight (even when applied dry) and the stay power is great even without a primer.  And the way it controls shine really is something else!  Right now this is only available online at Sephora, but will be in-stores February 2013.

Do you prefer powder or liquid foundation?  What kind of coverage do you like in a foundation?