Product Review: Paul & Joe Liquid Foundation

Ahhh! I'm late with this review, as I spent the day shopping for crazy things like plantain chips. And I bought yet another coat, and I know I don't need another black trench, but it was super on sale and totally awesome, I promise! And THEN I went to see this jazz contest/show thing (hurray for sax player Mike Ruby, winner extraordinaire!), and goddamn it why do musicians have to be so ridiculously outrageously good looking?!?! It's not fair.

In totally unrelated news, I think I want to take up the upright bass. Can't be all that different from French Horn, right?

But anyway. Review. Yeah, so a while ago, I went on my Great Foundation And Concealer Hunt, and put myself in the hands of the good people at Sephora. 3 sales associates and a jaw-line full of foundation smudges later, we finally settled on Paul & Joe's Liquid Foundation in Shade #3. It was the only base that was a good colour match, incredibly. To be fair, I said I only wanted to spend around $30, which severely limited the available choices. Sadly (or perhaps not, from my wallet's POV -- this stuff is like $45!), they were out of stock, so Manager Lady sent me home with a nifty little sample.




This foundation feels extremely nice going on -- it is smooth, light, and easy to apply. There's no tugging or grabbing at all during application. The finish is sort of glowy (I think "luminous" would be the appropriate marketing word) and soft, and looks very natural. Coverage is light-to-medium, and the base feels quite comfortable on the skin.

I'm pretty sure this foundation is not oil free, and it's not perfect at stopping oil throughout the day. A bit does come through, but it doesn't get progressively worse... it just looks a tad shiny and stays that way. This would probably be a benefit for drier winter months, or for those who want a dewy look. I'm sure a blotting paper would take care of any unwanted shine. I did notice that it grabbed on to some dry spots, and made my one cheek look kind of flakey. If you have dry skin or are using anti-acne creams/gels, be sure to moisturize well before putting this stuff on.

All in all, this is a pretty good foundation. But I'd only spend $45 on something that was absolutely incredible, and this does not qualify. I'd rather keep using the drug store stuff and blot more often or whatever. Because, you see, I have to save my pennies for the new coats and shoes that I somehow keep buying, regardless of whether I actually NEED them or not.

Oh, one more thing: if you're of Asian persuasion and you're having trouble finding a good shade match, I do suggest at least trying the Paul & Joe. They're apparently based in Japan or something, and thus have enough yellow tones in their makeup to suit Asian skin.

Tomorrow: (or, later today!) Trippy new "colourless" foundation from Almay! Just call me Gimmick Girl!



This review was part of Foundation Week!