L’Oréal true match, super blendable foundation review

In a world full of a gazillion foundation brands, it is usually heart warming finding the unique ones.

Let’s review the drug store foundation; L’Oréal true Match super blendable foundation (old/discontinued) formulation as well as the new formulation.

Yes guys you read that well, there is a new formulation and outlook of this gem foundation. Illd insert pictures of the new brand bottles for your viewing pleasure.

This foundation is an holy grail that has been in my corner for years. I am honestly not too sure about my feelings towards this new formulation because I absolutely love the old version. That being said, the only thing they say remains constant is change. Truth be told, I rarely use this foundation alone. I usually combine it with some of my other foundations instead, depending on my mood and the look I am going for. Nonetheless, I never miss replacing the super blendable foundation once exhausted. I must say that this gem was introduced to me by a dear friend and sister (@bellevousmakeovers)

“ Trust me, you would never want to try any other foundation once you start with this.” were the exact words she spoke.

Was she right? Let’s get into the review proper and find out.

Appearance

This seemingly affordable drug store foundation comes in a little glass bottle with a volume of 1.0fl/oz which is equivalent to 30 mls. It currently retails for about 10 dollars however, the old version is gradually becoming extinct in a bid to usher in the newer formulation/ package.

Considering the cost of this product and its super small size though, illd think twice before agreeing that it is indeed a drugstore foundation. Pardon me, but the quantity just doesn’t do it for that price.

Moving on to the glass features, illd say this old version is nothing impressive. It lacks a pump which is very much needed to control wasting of this precious product. All that comes with the bottle is a cover to avoid spillage. Don’t tell anyone, but each time I mistakenly pour out excess of the product on to my mixing pan, I always make sure to scoop it back into the bottle. Ain’t no wasting of my money allowed guys! At least, being able to scoop the product back is a compensation for not coming with a pump.

Shades and Undertones

One major issue most ladies have when it comes to foundation is finding the perfect match. Some brands have a super narrow shade range especially for women of colour, however loreal is different. With 47 unique shades and undertone up its sleeves, it is much easier finding the perfect shade match and undertone. So you see, the foundations are labeled according to undertones and shade. For example, when there is a C in front of the shade number, it means L’Oréal is telling you about the cool undertone of the foundation, and when there is a W in front of the foundation number, it simply means the foundation has a warm undertone, Finally, when there is a N in front of the product number, it means the product was made to a have neutral undertone.

Now are these undertone labels true to their labeling? Well, as a babe with warm/golden undertone, I find that the C8 version of this foundation does it for me. It is quite shocking because the C8 foundation is meant to cater to those with deep medium skin who have a cool undertone. Then again I also mix it most times with another of my matching foundations with a warm undertone and that could be why it matches so perfectly.

I would however like to state that when my baby girl MJ introduced me to the foundation she mentioned that most Africans/Afro Americans do better with the cool and neutral shade lines and hardly ever fit into the warm L’Oréal foundation shades.

Somehow I started to notice this as well. So, illd say that the undertone labeling might be a tad bit insignificant where black women are concerned but this is only my personal opinion. Regardless, you can still always find your true match from the long line of shades.

Find listed below the full 47 shade list in both the new and old names. To avoid repetition, the new names aren’t far fetched, they decided to stick with the numbers and indication of undertones alone ie (cool, warm and neutral) with no fancy titles. The old names are however those that I put in brackets.

Cool

C 12 ( dark chocolate)

C 11 (chocolate)

C 10 (Espresso)

C 9.5 (hot chocolate)

C 9 (deep cool)

C 8 (cocoa)

C7 (Sable)

C6 ( classic beige)

C5 (classic beige)

C4 (shell beige)

C3 (creamy natural)

C2.5 ( ivory beige)

C2 ( natural ivory)

C 1.5 ( bone)

C1 (alabaster)

Warm

New (w 10.5)

W 10 (deep gold)

W9.5 deep warm

W 9 spiced latte

W 8 cream caffe

W 7 caramel beige

New (W 6.5 )

W 6 sun beige

W 5.5 Warm

W 5 sand beige

W 4.5 fresh beige

W 4 natural beige

W 3 nude beige

W 2.5 vanilla

W 2 light ivory

W 1 porcelain

W 0.5 creamy ivory

Neutral

N 11 Coffee

N 10 Milk chocolate

N 9 Mahogany

N 8 Cappucino

N 7 classic tan

N 6.5 Golden beige

N 6 honey beige

N 5. 5 perfect beige

N 5 true beige

N 4 buff beige

N 3 natural buff

N 2 classic ivory

N 1 soft ivory

N 0.5 porcelain

Performance

This particular foundation is said to be oil free, and as its name suggests, super blendable. Are the manufacturers true to their words?

Illd say yes, as a combination/ oily skin gurl, this foundation works great for me. Though with this foundation you are not guaranteed zero oil shine through out the day, however with the help of great skin prep products (Primers, astringent and good setting sprays), your face beat can be kept looking fresh for longer periods with this foundation.

It has a pretty good consistency in my opinion, as it is not too runny and not too thick. Another plus for me is that unlike some other foundation brands I know, this gives subtle time to blend and doesn’t dry up fast. It feels silky/ velvety on the skin and is very light weight. I always love a foundation that could allow a medium, almost skin like finish but still build to medium/full coverage where necessary, the L’Oréal brand grants such luxury guys.

Illd quickly highlight my pros and cons of this product before giving my final review,

Pros

It is oil free, and that’s a huge plus for a combination skin girl like me
It is super blendable, giving room for correction of errors
This foundation is light weight, with a buildable meduim coverage
Does not dry totally matte but instead gives a silky/velvet luminous finish
Gives an hydrating feel to the skin, feels really good.
There are too many shade ranges available, making it easier to find one with your exact shade and undertone
Does not have a pungent or strong smell
Comes well labeled with expiry dates

Additional pros

(peculiar to the new formulation)

It is Vegan and cruelty free
It is fragrance and alcohol free
contains natural ingredients

CONS

The old bottle doesnt come with a pump and this product wastage was almost inevitable (however the newer package comes with a pump)
It’s a bit pricy for size; 30 mls for 10 dollars isn’t a very economic offer
Some of the products aren’t actually true to their undertones. Like I mentioned, I observed that the C8 with the cool undertone works better for me, however I have a warm/golden undertone

NB: I would like to mention, however that the new and improve version of the L’Oréal super blendable foundation is not too different from the old formulation. Some shades wear just a tinge lighter than their former counterparts.

However, the new bottle comes with a pump to prevent product wastage, though it still comes in the same volume as the old. This new formula is vegan free with clean ingredients. It is also fragrance and alcohol free. Find pictures of the new bottles attached above for your viewing pleasure.