Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation

So one thing about me is when I find a brand I love – I’m extremely loyal to it. I’m a creature of habit. I used MAC Pro Long Wear for about five years and never felt tempted to look at another product. Then last year I discovered Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation and I changed over to that – I absolutely adore the stuff! However, even though I stay very loyal to brands, I still like to buy and test other products out there to see whats-what. Especially when it comes to reasonably priced products, because let’s face it life is expensive! And sometimes our budgets are tight. So while I’ll definately keep using my Double Wear, I’m really glad to have found a reasonably priced alternative to mix and match depending on coverage needs.  Yes, I know it’s 2018 and this product could be considered old news, but I really am enjoying the Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation and thought I’d share why.

The Wet n Wild Photo Focus foundation was released in South Africa in 2017 and quickly became raved about by beauty bloggers. First off, what exactly makes Wet N Wild Photo Focus Foundation different from other foundations you ask?  That would be it’s matte, light adjusting formula. It wants to give you flawless camera-ready makeup every time with none other than #nofilter perfection.

GOODBYE PHOTO FLASHBACK:

The product was tested under 7 light conditions and with a smartphone to ensure there was no flashback.  It was tested under:

• Clear Blue Sunlit Sky
• Outdoors PM
• Indoors PM
• Electronic Flash
• Fluorescent Light
• Bathroom Light
• Nightclub Light

WET N WILD PHOTO FOCUS FOUNDATION REVIEW

First impressions

The first thing I noticed was the scent. To be honest, it smelt a bit like chemical or paint smell – it definitely doesnt’ smell delicious or sweet. However this scent will not be around for long. You won’t notice it at all when it’s on your face. The foundation comes in a glass bottle (30ml) and the applicator is spatula. Other first impressions were that the formula looked like a nice consistency and felt nice when I put some on my hand.

What is lovely about this foundation?

Something I love about the brand in general is that they are certified cruelty free (I included them in my post of cruelty free brands in South Africa).

So this foundation  has a light, fluid texture that absorbs easily into the skin.

• What I love about this foundation is how it sets on the skin. It has a poreless, matte effect that doesn’t leave your face looking cakey or dried out. This is probably due to added silica.
• It blends really nicely with a foundation brush for a seamless finish. I thought the foundation applied really easily and looked very smooth.
• It’s very light weight – my face doesn’t feel heavy when I wear the foundation and my skin still feels like it can “breathe”
• Buildable coverage – if you like full coverage like me you can achieve that. A little actually goes a long way – I needed less product than I thought I would to get a decent amount of coverage.
• It’s budget friendly- it costs less than a hundred bucks. Not much you can get these days for that!
• I didn’t notice any dry or flaky spots that I’ve noticed before with some other foundations. It has a matte finish but still leaves your skin looking slightly dewy / glowy – not dramatic only slightly.

What did I not love about this foundation?

• Maybe it is just my Clicks (Cavendish) but there were no testers at all and only four shades! This excludes so many skin types. Come on guys – we need more shades.
• Personally I’m not sure if I’m a huge fan of the spatula. It’s something I don’t like about Estee Lauder Double Wear either (you have to purchase a pump separately otherwise it just has a lid.) The spatula is nice if you want to put product directly onto your skin but I know some people feel it’s not very hygienic. However at least you can control how much product you want to use.
• This is more to do with my skin type but I noticed some oiliness in my t-zone around lunch (a few hours of coverage) so I have to dab a bit of pressed powder. However foundations are always so specific to skin type so it’s really important to find one that suits you skin type.

I had a comment on my Instagram that it can oxidise. I didn’t find this to be a problem but I saw a few reviews online who battled with the same thing so it could be for certain shades / skin types.

So ladies all in all I can see why people are loving Wet n Wild Photo Focus Foundation. It’s lightweight and is very buildable. It doesn’t feel heavy on the face and has a matte look. If you struggle with oiliness in your T-zone like me, I’d suggest using a good pressed powder in that area and keep it handy in case you need to top up after work etc. However, for R99 bucks I think this is a fab drugstore foundation.

If you are looking for high coverage foundation that will stay in place come rain or shine, you should check out my review of Estee Lauders Double Wear foundation. It’s fairly obvious why this product has been a cult classic for years – it is a bit of an investment piece though!

Please let me know: what do you look for in a foundation?