Hello lovelies!

I recently completed a little USA order using my GoSend service which included a little Wet n Wild Beauty haul. Everybody and their dog has been RAVING about their new Photofocus foundation so I just HAD to see what the fuss was about, didn’t I?

Firstly let me tell you – this foundation is $5.99. Yes, approximately £4.60 in sterling. How many drugstore brands in the UK currently sell foundation for these kinds of rock bottom prices?! (We’re being ripped off here, but I digress…).

To help avoid the sense of panic from picking a foundation online and similarly to the Temptalia Foundation Matrix, WnW have devised a clever colour matching device on their site to help you pick the right shade from their twenty strong range. Simply pick which foundation you currently use and what shade, and they will match you to your WnW Photofocus colour- genius. I felt most comfortable matching my MAC studiofix shade as I know both my standard and tan shades. A few clicks later and I had both variations in my basket.

When the products arrived, I couldn’t wait to reach for this foundation. The shade finder turned out to be bang on and both shades I opted for were perfect. I immediately began testing the product to decide for myself if it was worth the hype.

So, what makes this foundation different? WnW claim that the foundation is a “breakthrough formula” which was tested vigorously under seven different photo lighting conditions and produces no white cast whatsoever. I’ll be honest, this confused me as I was always under the impression that it was powder that gave the flash back in photos etc. but I was still happy to try it as the various YouTubers that I had seen rave about the product had said that it made their skin HD ready – yes please!

Upon first use, I was struck by the scent – actually not too dissimilar from paint if i’m straight with you all. For this reason, I’m personally not a fan of the scent, but it doesn’t last and disappears once the foundation has dried. The packaging is sturdy yet simple, with a glass bottle and little spatula applicator in the lid for dotting the product around the face. Simple. effective and easy to use.

The consistency of the foundation is a fluid liquid but certainly not too watery. Coverage is medium buildable and in my experience, I can easily build this formula to full coverage without it looking cakey. The foundation feels lightweight on my skin and not at all like it’s clogging my pores.

The formula blends like an absolute dream. I use my trusty NIMA round head kabuki brush which buffs the product into my skin perfectly. I have also tested the foundation with a Beauty Blender but I much prefer the finish I get with a brush as the BB takes away some of the coverage in the places I need it most.

The foundation sets beautifully on the skin with a semi matte finish. I find that the coverage looks surprisingly natural and generally makes my skin look like it’s really healthy – winning. It covers my little red (sun-damaged) nose with ease and doesn’t settle into any fine lines (you hear that Marc Jacobs Remarcable??).

The thing that impresses me most about this foundation is the longevity. I put this on at around 7am before work and it lasts all day. I am still noticeably wearing makeup on my return home almost 12 hours later which is always a good sign to me.

Does the foundation work in any light as claimed? I have tried it in numerous lighting conditions and I cannot complain. The harsh white lights in my office usually wash me out but this foundation seems to cope well there and a few colleagues have passed comments on my skin/appearance when I have been wearing this.

In all, I absolutely adore this foundation. It’s cheap but packs a real punch for the price. My only gripe is that it can dry my skin out with extended use. But all fuller coverage/matte foundations do that to my skin anyway, so I can’t dwell on that.

I’m told that the foundation may take up to a year to be released in UK & Ireland after a brief flash release earlier this year though I could be misinformed. Either way, if you’re (a) in the USA; (b) placing an order using a shipping service or (c) happy to wait  until this is released in the UK/Ireland, then I seriously recommend you try this foundation out. I think it performs better than most of my high end foundations!

Were any of you lucky enough to pick this up? What are your other hero products from WnW?

Lynsey xox