Colourpop No Filter Foundation Review
Colourpop No Filter Foundation Swatch and Review: Get it or Forget it? Is it really worth the hype?
Yes I get it… I know this comes about four scores and 10 years late. But……… I still wanted to share my 2 cents on the Colourpop No Filter Foundation. Now if you follow me on instagram (if you don’t, you really should); then you would have seen me doing my No Filter Foundation wear test a few weeks ago. FYI: If you missed it, just head over to my IGTV the reviews are stored there. So you may have an inkling as to what my thoughts are on this foundation. But stick around nonetheless, there just might be something new or something you missed.
If you read my Kathleen Lights x ColourPop Dream St. review; then you know I’ve been a fan of the Colourpop brand for years. High-quality, affordable, stunning makeup…. uhm… yes please. From their super shock shadows, ultra matte lippies and my newest favourite, the No filter concealer; the brand continues to evolve into a cosmetic titan with each passing year. Proving to the world that luxury doesn’t always have to break the bank.
So when word got out about them dipping their tippie toes into the foundation pool I was….. excited on one hand because they do make bomb ass products. But on the other hand, I was a bit worried. The foundation dilemma that women of colour like myself face is real. Too many cosmetics brands have been failing and falling short. And I didn’t want my beloved Colourpop to crash and burn in the foundation bonfire that seems to be spreading across the brands. But still, with a sliver hope in my heart, I anxiously awaited the launch of the foundation.
Product Description:
First of all, it’s available in a whopping 42 shades – 7 shades in each shade category (fair, light, medium, medium-dark, dark, deep-dark). The foundation is described as:
“Developed for the Selfie Age, our buildable full coverage, natural matte foundation delivers flawless looking skin from day-to-night. The oil-free, lightweight formula blends smoothly and is easily customizable to create the coverage you want. Build it up or sheer it out, it was developed with innovative soft-blurring pigments to deliver true color while looking and feeling natural. The lockable pump is easy to use and keeps your routine mess-free! As always, 100% cruelty-free and vegan.”
Sounds cool right? No filter. No problem. Just flawless-looking skin that’s ‘ready fi di video light’. Can I get a hoo ha?! Plus, it’s only $12 USD for a net weight of 0.85 fl oz (25 ml)!!!!
How I found my shade:
Now it’s always very iffy to buy foundation online. Will they get your shade right? What about your undertone? Are you going to look like Casper the ghost or flawless like Naomi Campbell? Not to mention, the hassle to just return the product if it doesn’t work. Trust and believe choosing a foundation online sometimes feel like a high-risk mission.
To help with this, Colourpop used 2 systems to help you find your shade match. The first system is to match you based on your foundation match in 6 other popular cosmetic brands: MAC Studio Fix Fluid, Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r. Estee Lauder Double Wear, Maybelline Fit Me, NARS Natural Radiant Longwear, and Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless. And the other system was for you to do a mini quiz which asked you your complexion and undertone and then matched you as close as possible.
No wild guesses, no spin-the-bottle or Russian roulette. Just complete the quiz or match to a brand and Colourpop gives you the best recommendation. Easy right? But does it worl? Hmm… The only brand I had is the Maybelline Fit Me; and they didn’t have my fit me shade as an option. So…. I chose to do the quiz and was given the shade match Deep Dark 185; described as a ‘warm foundation with golden yellow undertones for deep dark skin tones’. Just to add it was the only warm undertone in the deep dark section. And I’m happy to say, they NAILED IT! I also got the shade Deep Dark 195 just in case though. Which is a little too dark but luckily, I can still make it work.
The Packaging:
The packaging was really simple. Nothing eye-catching or awe-inspiring. The box was the same colour sheme and design as that of the no filter concealer. With nude and white diagonal stripes. The foundation is contained in a glass container with white stars scattered across and the product name on the front.
I know some people of the clumsy variety may not love that it’s a glass container but I thought it looked good. I felt it made it feel a little bit more expensive than it was. And as mentioned in the product description; the foundation comes with a lockable pump that can be twisted to close or open the pump so that it doesn’t come out when you don’t want it to.
Application:
The foundation is thin with a liquid consistency. I applied the foundation in sections, using 2 pumps on the back of my hand for each side of the face. Then blending the foundation out using my flat-topped kabuki in stippling motions. The foundation dries fairly quickly so you have to be mindful while blending. Due to its matte finish, it can be quite unforgiving and therefore accentuates poorly blended areas.
My Review:
It really is medium buildable to full coverage! It truly is amazing how much coverage is achieved with just a little of this foundation. I thought the foundation was well-pigmented and builds on itself pretty nicely. It blends out so evenly and seamlessly on the face that it felt like a gentle blanket on my skin. It gives a lot of coverage without leaving your face feeling caked up and stifling your pores. My skin looked smooth from start to finish.
Oh before I forget, my skin type is oily and I am also riddled with hyperpigmentation and acne scars. With its matte finish and decent amount of coverage, the foundation looks fairly flawless on my skin. Almost airbrushed. Trust and believe I loved looking like my skin was sent from heaven.
To really put this foundation to the test; I decide to challenge it to last in the uber hot Jamaican summer sun. Dubbed one of the hottest summers in 20 years, I knew if it could survive this, it could survive anything.
Being a member of glow nation, after around 4-5 hours, I started to notice the oils start showing on my face. I really started to glow through my rosy cheeks. At hour 6-7, the oils really joined the party. I’m not sure this is what RiRi meant when she said ‘Shine bright like a diamond’ but I don’t think my skin got that memo. After a long day, I looked like I dipped my face in a vat of chicken grease. I was so oily. So it’s safe to say that the foundation doesn’t stay matte all-day long.
However, one thing I did notice is that the foundation didn’t separate or start to look streaky or runny despite my oils seeping through. There wasn’t any obvious creasing or breaking up throughout the wear.
Overall thoughts:
I think the foundation is great value for money. The foundation has a smooth application and refined finish that truly makes your skin look fabulous on application. Mind you, while it isn’t going to keep the shine away all day; it can easily be touched up with some powder and you’ll be good to go again.
The one complaint I do have is that there is some work to do with the shades and undertones. Yes I’m a little greedy; but a girl loves to be spoiled. I mean come on, there’s only one warm undertone in the deep dark section. Really? Other than that, this is a valiant and wonderful first effort from Colourpop. I think they did a fabulous job and I definitely recommend this foundation. Especially to my fellow oily-skin gals out there.
Overall rating: 7.5/ 10
How about you? Have you tried the No Filter Foundation yet? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!