L’Oreal Nude Magique Eau de Teint Foundation, £9.99

Where to buy: Boots || Feelunique || Superdrug

Ah foundation! My weakness… I thought I had given up on this bad habit I had of compulsive buying new foundations since finding my holy grail foundation back in May, but nope! All it took was a good enough foundation to spark my curiosity and there I go again. Though I must say I’m quite glad I caved and bought a new foundation, as this one is really one to watch!

Summary

• SPF 18
• Non-greasy feel
• Natural velvet/silky finish
• Light coverage (buildable to medium)
• Weightless and almost invisible on the skin
• 6 shades (I’m shade #140, for reference)
• 20ml

About

This is the new L’oreal Nude Magique Eau de Teint Foundation; it’s marketed as a ‘fresh-feel’, ‘feather light’ foundation, so weightless that it’s lighter than water (not sure about that last part!). It contains SPF 18 and it comes in a tiny and super light 20ml bottle that reminds me of a perfume bottle, but I’m sure that with a name like Eau de Teint, the resemblance is not coincidental.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIsm3hAvx_E&w=714]

Video

Before you start reading this review, I’ve done a ‘First Impressions’ video, where I demonstrate the application and give you my first thoughts on this foundation. On the video you can see Eau de Teint working its magic from the start. I recommend you watch the video first, then read this more detailed review (the demo starts at 3:00 on the video). Press the play button above or CLICK HERE to view the video.

Formulation

Eau de Teint contains ‘ultra-light micro pigments’ and ‘volatile oils’ that gradually evaporate as the foundation is applied to the skin. The science behind this technology is a mystery to me, but I definitely felt these so-called ‘oils’ evaporating when I applied this foundation; it’s kind of a weird feeling, but really refreshing. I’m really intrigued to know how such a lightweight formula can carry so much pigment! I can definitely see the foundation evening out my skin tone, but it leaves such a fine layer on the skin, that it’s nearly invisible. I’m impressed!

Texture & Finish

Eau de Teint has a weightless feel and a velvet/silky natural finish. The weightless feel of this foundation is impressive! Even compared to my most lightweight foundations, such as Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua and Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum, Eau de Teint still feels lighter. The only other foundation I have that has the same feel is the Giorgio Armani Maestro foundation. It’s hard to describe the finish in terms of matte or dewy, because Eau de Teint doesn’t fit into either one of these two categories. It has more of a velvet/silky natural finish, much like the Giorgio Armani Maestro foundation; the similarities between these two foundations are undeniable, and considering that L’Oreal owns Giorgio Armani Beauty, I dare same they share the same formula.

Coverage

Eau de Teint is a light coverage foundation, buildable to medium. One layer is good enough coverage for redness, but I found that I needed two layers to cover my hyperpigmentation. Even with two layers, the foundation didn’t feel cakey or heavy on the skin. If you have other skin concerns such as scars and acne, Eau de Teint may not be good enough to cover everything on its own and you might have a lot of concealing to do. My skin didn’t look perfect with this foundation, but it looked pretty good for a light coverage foundation.

Shades

The shade range is decent as far as drugstore / high-street foundations go, though it doesn’t cater for darker skin tones too well. It comes in 6 shades: #100 (Porcelain), #110 (Warm Ivory), #140 (Pure Beige), #150 (Nude Beige), #190 (Rose Beige) and #220 (Golden Sand). My shade is #140, which is surprisingly the 3rd lightest shade, so if you’re darker than me, you still have 3 more shades on the darker spectrum to try. I was pleased to see a mixture of pink, neutral and yellow undertones, which is something you can’t always find with drugstore foundations.

Lasting Power on Dry Skin

This foundation lasted well throughout the day, with small signs of fading around my nose after 7 hours of wear. I have dry skin, so I don’t get oily throughout the day, but I’m pleased to say it didn’t cling to any dry patches on my face. As velvet/silky texture foundations are not the most forgiving on flaky skin, I do recommend you moisturise your face before applying this foundation if you have dry skin.

Flash Photography

Eau de Teint has SPF 18 in its formula, which means it’s not ideal for flash photography. As I’ll be using this as a day-to-day foundation, I don’t have to worry about flashback.  In fact, it’s great that it has SPF, as I don’t need to worry about applying a separate one on my face. For a good SPF-free foundation, CLICK HERE to read my review of the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m impressed! L’Oreal made big claims, but delivered. Eau de Teint is one of the best drugstore foundations I’ve tried so far and it caters for different undertones, despite having only 6 shades in the range. For such a lightweight foundation, the coverage is rather impressive, and you can definitely squeeze medium coverage out of it with 3 layers. If you like your light coverage foundations and BB Creams for day-to-day use, Eau de Teint should definitely be in your shopping list! If, however, you rely on thicker foundations to cover your skin concerns, maybe give this one a miss and opt for something heavier, like Esteé Lauder Double Wear Foundation.

What do you think of the L’Oreal Nude Magique Eau de Teint Foundation? Have you tried it? What other lightweight foundations do you like?

• Product: L’Oreal Nude Magique Eau de Teint Foundation
• Price: £9.99 (on offer at the moment for £6.99)
• Where: Boots || Feelunique || Superdrug

NOTE: The photos on this post have only been edited to correct colour and light; they have not been retouched.