Product?
Maybelline Fit Me Anti-Shine Stick Foundation. A gel foundation stick with an anti-shine core that contains lightweight powders.
Price?
I purchased this for just under £8.99 (I have a student discount card) from Superdrug. The price it generally retails for is £8.99.
Where Can I Purchase This?
You can purchase this foundation from Boots, Superdrug and most supermarkets. However I have personally noticed shades 110 and 115 tend to be only available in bigger Superdrug stores (even then I have yet to see 110 in more than one larger store!) and many smaller stores have very limited shades. It's best to go to a larger store where they stock Maybelline or buy the exact shade you're looking for online if you can and are willing to.
I highly advise calling the store you intend to visit in advance and asking if they stock the shade you want. I'm not sure why Maybelline make it so difficult to find certain shades in this line, I feel that's a very big downfall. That alone puts me off wanting to even think of buying this foundation again. I highly dislike having to hunt for a product and most of the time I will not.
This is also the main reason I purchased 120 instead of 115, which I originally wanted. Mainly because it was simply too difficult to find and too awkward to get to the store to buy. I dislike ordering make up online (I know I mentioned this is an option but I would completely understand anyone reluctant to do so.) because it prevents me from swatching and seeing the product's colour properly.
Fit Me is a fabulous idea and a great range but Maybelline really need to improve their distribution of it.
Packaging
A twist-up stick formula in a reflective sleek black tube. You get 9ml of product which is reasonable. The size of this foundation is very ideal for slipping into your hand bag for touch ups during the day or for your make up bag when travelling as it's discrete and not bulky. I didn't have any problems with the twist function of the packaging, it twists up with ease.
Scent?
This product has no noticeable scent.
Shades?
This foundation comes in 12 shades. I am reviewing 120, Classic Ivory. As previously mentioned I originally wanted shade 115 because it's a lighter ivory colour that I feel would suit me a bit better. However 120 is still fairly light and wearable. It was mostly down to not being able to find 115 easily that made me resort to buying 120. I also had heard from others' reviews that the foundation was very light coverage so I felt it best to try one shade up from what I would normally buy. One shade up for me was 120. And as I said, was still suitable enough. I have fair skin with natural redness so going up one or two shades is usually fine. I prefer to use lighter more pink toned foundations in general though.
120 has a slight warmth to it but it still looks nice on fairer skin.
If you are porcelain toned or if you just prefer a much lighter foundation definitely stick to shades 110 or 115.
Also be aware that the colour can be slightly lighter than it looks in the tube once it is blended out.
[Swatch photo. Taken in daylight]
Functionality? (Application, Blending, Coverage, Texture, Lasting Power.)
✿ Application ✿
This foundation is extremely easy and quick to apply. Fantastic if you're in a rush. The best application method to use with this foundation, I found, was to apply the stick to the skin and then blend with clean fingers. A foundation brush tends to reduce the amount of coverage the foundation provides by dragging the product around, leaving it looking patchy. If you 'pick up' the product from the tube and then apply it you will find application takes MUCH longer. A lot faster and easier to apply the stick directly to the skin.
Finger application allows for more warmth in the product which I feel helps it to blend much more evenly. Most stick/creme make up products work best with the warmth of your fingers. Just be sure to apply with clean hands every time to avoid encouraging a break out. A sponge would work as an alternative to fingers if you really hate the idea of using your hands. However be sure to use a clean sponge every time.
You'll get the best coverage out of this if you apply the stick directly to the skin before blending. There is an evident hygiene issue with this as it is a stick foundation which is applied directly to the skin from the packaging and this can cause bacteria to build up on the product. In turn you can unintentionally encourage break outs by continuously using the stick on your face. To avoid this I use a clean tissue to wipe the surface product away before and after every use. I would not recommend using rubbing alcohol (a common method of sterilising make up) as that method is best for powdered products. Creme formulas won't allow the rubbing alcohol to dry as easily or effectively so it is best to reserve this method for dry pigments.
Be quick when working with this because it dries to a powder finish fairly quickly and it will be more difficult to blend if you're not swift with your application.
Blend especially well around the crevices of the face and hairlines as (like any creme foundation) this may look uneven and bunch around those areas if you don't blend well enough.
✿ Coverage/Finish ✿
It is buildable but you'll get a medium coverage at the very most. If you want fuller coverage try an alternative foundation. It concealed the slight darkness under my eyes and the natural redness in my cheeks quite well. It is non-streaky and dries to a 'powder' finish but it isn't necessarily 'cakey' or 'powdery' looking at all. It has a very soft, diffused finish that looks very natural on the skin.
[Photo taken in daylight. Wearing shade 120 with no other face make up.]
[Again, photo taken in daylight. Wearing shade 120 with no other face make up. I do have my 'monthly' hormonal break out going on right now too so it's a perfect time to show how well this covers mild break outs!]
✿ Texture ✿
The texture likewise is very soft and silky. It feels smooth when blending and glides almost seamlessly over the skin.
✿ Lasting Power ✿
This foundation holds up quite well on my skin. It usually lasts between 6 and 8 hours for me without a face primer underneath. Of course a face primer underneath and setting products will prolong its 'wearability'. I have dry skin with minor oiliness and found that after a few hours this gave me a slightly dewy finish. This can be easily removed with translucent powder if you dislike that sort of look.
If you have much oilier skin I imagine this may not last very long on you without at least a face primer and setting powder.
Re-purchase?
Because of the difficulty in finding the correct shade for myself I can't say I'd be overly eager to attempt to buy this again.
Also because of the difficulty finding the correct shade for my skin tone I don't entirely feel it is worth the £8.99 price tag either. I can find foundations in shades more suitable for my skin tone much easier for the same price or even less.
It is a shame it's so difficult and awkward finding certain shades. If it were more accessible I would definitely consider re-purchasing because this product performs quite well and I do like it. It fits wonderfully in my make up bag when I am on the go and is so easy to use for touch-ups whilst on the go too. But I am absolutely not into running around hunting for products at all.
If you're able to find the correct shade for you with ease then definitely give this a try. It's a very easy and convenient foundation to use, very ideal for those with busier lives or those who dislike spending too much time applying make up. Overall a very good product, just a big shame about the problems I had finding it in the correct shade for me.
Hope you found this review helpful! Let me know if you decide to try this and your thoughts on it!
✿ And if you're interested, as a little extra, here's the eye and lip make up I wore for the photos alongside this foundation in this review. ✿
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