Review: ARTDECO Long-Lasting Oil-Free Foundation #18 Sweet Honey

Hey guys! I'm back with another review, and this time it's on my first foundation in ages. I've laid off foundation after the advent of BB Cream, but I've found that for occasions that require a more put-together look that isn't very reflective, it's easier to pull off the look with some good old foundation.

When I saw ARTDECO's impressive display at my local Beauty Bar I was enamored by their face products. And if you've been following my blog you'll probably have seen this foundation on my June 2013 Wishlist. Yep, ARTDECO's Long-Lasting Oil-Free Foundation in #18 Sweet Honey is definitely one of my faves right now.

Claims
So the product is pretty straightforward and basic. It's a "long-lasting oil-free foundation with naturally mattifying effect and protects against UV rays."

"The delicate formula with medium coverage allows an even application, refines pores and stays fresh for hours. Oil-absorbing agents control shine. Hyaluronic acid provides your skin with extra moisture and a balanced complexion. Additionally SPF 20 protects against UV rays. Enriched with vitamin E and suitable for all skin types".

 I like the fact that it's oil-free, mattifying and controls oil, as well as has SPF without the pesky reflectiveness to it. For the actual product write-up and ingredients you can click the images below to enlarge them :)

Packaging and Dispensing
The product comes in a chic squeeze bottle which makes dispensing the product straightforward and easy. It reminds me of my old MaxFactor foundation. Only thing is I can predict having difficulties getting all the product out once I start running out and it'll be difficult getting every last bit of product out. But that's a problem I'll deal with when I reach that point.

Consistency, Coverage and Color
So the consistency of this product is pretty much typical of any liquid foundation. It's not particularly runny and because it's oil free, it feels a little thicker and less greasy. It's somewhat of a challenge to blend, but nothing that isn't workable with a good foundation brush, sponge, or even your fingers.

It's medium coverage, as you can see from the above image, but it's definitely buildable. From the tube, #18 Sweet Honey it has a nice yellow undertone, which I thought would suit my skin quite well. But for some reason, the yellow undertone disappears when blended out. Which isn't actually a bad thing in my case, since it neutralizes the yellow tone on my face without being too light or too dark on my face. I think this shade is perfect for Filipina skin and a plus is that ARTDECO has a pretty decent range of color to choose from :)

It goes on pretty nicely and if you apply it moderately it barely feels like I have anything on. Which is good considering the coverage and mattifying effect it gives despite its light-weight consistency. But a word of caution, this foundation is very easy to over-apply. People who are used to BB Creams are particularly susceptible to this because BB Creams are usually more forgiving with heavy application, but for this foundation, less is more.

Wear and Longevity
This foundation doesn't kid when it says it keeps your face matte. The first picture below is with the foundation applied freshly (and yes, my bangs are back. I had my hair cut a month ago, I just wasn't able to make a post about it haha). Might I say I love the finish it has on my skin! Plus it suits my skintone perfectly and there's no white cast. I didn't even need to set it with powder. But for people with oilier skin, I'm sure wear would probably be better with a nice thin setting powder.

This is my face after six hours of wear. Practically no difference if you ask me. Just a little bit of wear under my eyes, around my nose and mouth area but that's it. My face is still pretty much matte (just a little bit of shine) but overall I'm pretty impressed with this foundation.

Of course, this doesn't have any supplementary claims like whitening or anti-aging, but it's pretty good for what it claims to do.

I don't use this foundation everyday of course. My face dailies are comprised of my Face Shop Aqua Tinted BB Cream or FairyDrops Candy Bar BB Cream applied on top of either Etude House Baby Choux Base or Tony Moly Luminous Pure Aura CC Cream.

But for special occasions this one is my new HG Foundation.

Price and Quantity
Despite how well this foundation functions however, I'm a bit miffed about the price. I'm fortunate to have received this foundation as a gift from my friend, but normally this would have cost a whopping 1,350 PHP (~31 USD) for only 30mL of product. I'd probably repurchase, but I'll definitely try to make this tube last before I do haha.

So to sum it all up:

Pros:
Matches my skin tone (also has a very wide color selection)
Doesn't oxidize on my skin
Doesn't break me out
Medium-to-full coverage
Not too heavy
Controls oil very well
Matte finish
Lasts six ours or more
Water-resistant
Oil-free
Doesn't smudge or rub off on clothing

Cons
Somewhat difficult to blend
Pricey
The squeeze bottle may be problematic in the future

So what do you guys think? I have more reviews coming up on a new mascara and a lot of new lenses, so watch out for those! See you soon!

Ada, signing out :)
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