One of my favorite pastimes is to find affordable alternatives to my beloved high end products. Don't get me wrong, the high end stuff is amazing but being a student, I need to be stricter about what I spend on. Most of the time, the high end stuff is great, justifying the price; with drugstore things, it can be a hit or miss. I've been looking for an affordable alternative to my favorite summertime foundation, the Urban Decay Naked Skin Foundation, because I need a darker shade as I inevitably tan, regardless of how much sunscreen I slather on. The Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation appealed to me because I've had good experiences with their concealers. Do I think it's a dead-on dupe? Keep reading to find out!
THE BREAKDOWN
Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup in 3.0 -- $39usd for 1 oz/30ml; 18 shades available
This foundation provides the perfect balance of coverage and lightweight feeling on the skin. I love how I can't feel anything on my skin when I have this on, even if I layer it. While it's not full coverage, it does a good job of masking my redness and post-acne hyperpigmentation marks. It neither emphasizes nor covers my pores. The finish is matte, perfect for keeping the oil at bay in the hot summer months. I really only use this if my moisturizer is on the heavier side or when I know I'm going to be out and about for a long time. It can look a bit dry going on if I don't prep well but as my natural oils seep through, the dryness is gone. It's one of those foundations that look better as the day goes on. It blends easily with my fingers and with a brush but fingers gives me maximum coverage. Since the formula is so liquidy and lightweight, I don't use a sponge since it would suck up too much product. There's a spray paint smell from this foundation but there's no alcohol in the formula. Just thought I'd mention that it's vegan and oil, paraben, and fragrance-free. This is a good color match for me. The shades ending in 0 are warm (yellow/olive) and the .5 shades are cool (rosy/neutral). Wear time is decent. Even though it's matte, my t-zone gets oily in 3 hours but for the rest of the day (10 hours total), I don't need to blot again. The packaging is gorgeous. Even though it's plastic, the sturdy chrome cap and lettering makes up for it. The pump dispenses just enough product for me, very handy as I tend to overdo my foundation. Definitely a staple for me!
Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation in 128 Warm Nude -- 7.99usd (varies) for 1 oz/30ml; 16 shades available
I've been hearing rave reviews about this foundation so I just had to give it a try. Over the past month, this foundation has been on my face quite a bit! The finish is definitely matte but it doesn't emphasize pores. Since it dries matte, I don't like using a setting powder. Instead, I leave it as is or use a setting powder. Coverage is definitely full--redness, hyperpigmentation marks, and darkness are obliterated! This doesn't last as long as the UD on me; I wore it for 7 hours but my face got really oily, redness and marks started peeking through when I don't use a setting powder or setting spray. This foundation looks better as the day goes on. The formula is thicker than UD and without the pump, I can get carried away with how much product I use. Since it is on the thicker side, I do like to use a flat top kabuki style brush to buff it in. The glass bottle feel luxurious and the square design makes it easy for me to store. It also oxidizes a bit on me, which happens with pretty much all drugstore foundations I've tried. The next lighter shades don't have enough yellow in them for me but this would be perfect for my summer tan. There's 16 shades, which is 2 shades shy of UD, a very big plus! Unfortunately, this contains alcohol denat as the 5th ingredient, which is very drying. I tend to react to products that contain alcohol denat so I'm going to have to be careful with this.
THE SWATCH
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| Urban Decay seems more peachy than the Maybelline now that I look at it |
THE LOOK
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| Urban Decay Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Makeup (one pump) after 5 hours
LID // Rimmel ScandalEYES Eyeshadow Stick -- Taupe
LOWER LASHLINE // NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil -- Yogurt + Milani Shadow Eyez Pencil -- Shimmering Sands
UPPER LASHLINE // Tarte Amazonian Clay Eyeliner -- Plum
CONCEALER // Revlon Photoready Concealer -- Sand (under eyes)
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| Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Foundation |
THE BOTTOM LINE
This was a hard one for me but I won't be buying the UD again. I have a bajillion foundations I need to use up so repurchasing anything is out of the question but the Maybelline does a great job at keeping oil at bay and covering up my imperfections. The alcohol gives me pause but for now, it's working well. Drugstore foundations are creeping into the double digits these days so I appreciate that Maybelline keeps it affordable at $8usd. You can even find it on sale often so you'll never have to pay full price if you have patience. Neither one contains SPF, making them perfect for flash photography :D
WHERE TO BUY
What are your favorite summertime foundations?
Do you go for coverage or feeling on the skin?
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