Currently Obsessed: Face Atelier Ultra Foundation

Hi, everyone! Back in November, I attended my first-ever IMATS conference and had an incredible time. With so many amazing products and such great talent all in one (enormous) room, how could I not?! While I have shared with you an overview of the products I purchased at IMATS, I realized that I've yet to review any of them! Bad blogger. Today marks my initial attempt to rectify this and I'm doing so by sharing one heck of a foundation!  Face Atelier was offering an amazing deal the day of the conference, and one of the goodies I selected as part of the promo was the Ultra Foundation in Shade #1 Porcelain. Luckily, I have not regretted this purchase one bit. 

For those not familiar with the brand, Face Atelier is a niche, makeup artist-driven line aimed at creating products that are simple, versatile, and performance-driven. It is designed to be "age- and race-neutral" (i.e., offering products suitable for those of all ages and ethnicities) and focus on the philosophy that each woman is their own "beauty icon", cherishing individual differences rather than promoting societal beauty standards. Quite refreshing! The products are based on the principal of "innovation, not imitation". In other words, the brand really attempts to create items that are unique and functional, rather than racing to replicate other popular products on the market. Yet another reason why I completely respect the brand. Face Atelier is also cruelty-free, which is always a huge bonus in my books! 

Now onto the product at hand! Face Atelier Ultra Foundation comes in a simple silver cardboard box with white lettering:

The box features a pretty killer quote, reminders that their products are cruelty-free, and a full ingredient listing, which is always so much appreciated! 

As you can see, the formula is silicone-based and does contain parabens (for those of you who are curious about these things):

The foundation itself comes in a weighty glass translucent bottle with silver detailing and a pump (yay!):

Here is one pump of Ultra Foundation #1 on the back of my hand. As you can see, it is quite fluid (it will run down your hand if tilted), but is not so watery that it immediately drips everywhere. I would say the consistency is somewhat similar to that of NARS Sheer Glow (though correct me if I'm wrong; I haven't tested SG in a while). 

So onto the nitty gritty! I'll first let you know what Face Atelier has to say about the foundation, then I'll give you my own breakdown! 

Face Atelier describes Ultra Foundation as the "heart and soul" of the brand, as it is innovative and much-loved. It promises to be highly pigmented and long-wearing with buildable coverage and a "natural satin finish" (from faceatelier.com). It aims to be versatile, allowing sheer through opaque coverage, as well as being lightweight and comfortable on the skin. Face Atelier also touts that, due to the unique oil-free, silicone-based formula, it neither requires a primer beforehand nor a powder afterwards. 

Quite the tempting list of features! Here are my thoughts on the product, after wearing it several times: 

Colour Match-Shade #1 Porcelain is quite an excellent colour match for my complexion. I'd say that it's neither too warm nor too cool and has the saturation of a MAC NC15 shade (just not as yellow). It might be a touch too fair for me in summertime, but for these colder months, it's perfect! 

Texture-The texture is quite fluid, but is just viscous enough that I wouldn't label it as runny or watery (see above photo).  It does feel rather lightweight on the skin and, while it does set slightly, it retains a slightly dewy feel on the skin. 

Application- This really does smooth over the skin like a dream! Perhaps due to the silicones, this glides and blends effortlessly. Additional layers can be added easily without causing caking or patchiness. I find that this applies easiest with fingers, but a brush should also work just fine! Plus, this is fragrance-free, which I know many of you would appreciate. 

Coverage- This can be applied with a light touch for a sheerer finish, but when layered I would describe this as a true medium coverage. It blurs and covers the majority of imperfections, but still lets a touch of natural skin shine through. Concealer is only needed on the peskiest of blemishes, scars, and dark circles. 

Finish- I would agree with the brand's description of this as a "natural satin finish". It is far from matte, but is definitely not as dewy as some of the most moisturizing foundations on the market. And I do think it looks incredibly natural on the skin, despite the medium coverage! It leaves skin looking glowy, healthy, and luminous- not at all greasy.

Wear- As this does have a more satin finish, the wear time isn't as solid as the matte foundations in my stash. On my combination/oily skin, I'd say that this looks perfect for about 5 hours, after which it does begin to look oily. After 6+ hours, this can tend to look slightly patchy around my nose and chin. While I agree that this can be used easily without a primer, adding a touch of setting powder on top does help with the wear time. 

Here are some before and after photos to demonstrate the shade, finish, and coverage of the foundation. As you can see in the "Before" shot (taken back in November), I was having a bit of a breakout on my chin that needed some serious covering:

And here are some "After" shots. It is pretty clear that this foundation covers wonderfully without looking flat or mask-like:

Wearing Face Atelier Ultra Foundation only

And here it is in the context of a couple different completed makeup looks:

And since this post is already super long, here is a quicky list of the pros and cons:

Pros:

• Smooths and blends into skin effortlessly
• Provides a flattering buildable light-to-medium coverage
• Imparts a lovely natural satin, luminous glow to the skin without looking greasy
• Truly leaves skin looking flawless without a mask-like effect
• Despite the silicones in the formula, this has not broken me out
• Shade #1 Porcelain is a perfect match for my NC15 skin tone!
• Cruelty-free, which I really appreciate!
• At $48, this is definitely not a bargain, but I think it is a rather fair, balanced price for the quality

Cons:

• This would likely be too dewy for those with quite oily skin
• The wear time is not as bullet-proof (at least on my combo/oily skin) as the brand promises

Overall, I am really smitten with this foundation! While this is dewier than the bases I usually sport, I just can't rave enough about the natural, luminous finish this imparts on the skin. Just so flattering and beautiful! It really leaves my complexion looking flawless without a flat, mask-like appearance. While it does start to fade more quickly than my go-to long-wear foundations (and thus would not be ideal for summertime), it is a true no-brainer for special events during the colder months. Really happy that I snagged this foundation and looking forward to trying more from the brand! 

Do you think you would enjoy Face Atelier's Ultra Foundation?  Have you tried anything from the brand?

Thanks for reading! xo