#medium coverage foundations

If you had a chance to read my black owned beauty guide, one of the brands I highlighted in the complexion and concealer categories was Laws of Nature Cosmetics. After the article was published, I had a chance to connect with the brand who so graciously sent me the products I included in the post, plus a few others to test out.

FOXY FINISH™ MINERAL CRÈME STICK FOUNDATION ($38)

I have combination skin that is often dry, so I chose their stick foundation in bronze to try out first. I have one in my collection, but I almost never grab for it so I was curious about the Laws of Nature formula.

I really liked the formula and the finish. The creamy texture makes it easy to glide on and blend into your skin. It is not streaky or greasy, but leaves a dewy skin like finish that did not emphasize my pores or dryness.

FOXY FINISH™ MINERAL CRÈME CONCEALER ($15)

I received two concealers; honey for my under eyes and chestnut to contour/bronze. Like the foundation, the formula is very creamy and easy to apply. As a contour/bronzer, chestnut added definition to the areas that I applied it without being overbearing. I liked that it wasn’t blatantly obvious that I had applied product, and appeared as if they were just natural shadows from my jawline and cheekbones.

As an underage concealer, it was a little thin for me personally. I have dark circles and usually go for a full coverage concealer. This one is on the light to medium coverage side of the spectrum, so a little bit of darkness was visible through the concealer. Going forward, I will probably color correct prior to using this concealer to even out my underage for more seamless coverage.

Besides the color coverage, neither colors seeped into my pores or fine lines which is a major plus.

FOXY FINISH™ MINERAL BLENDING SPONGE ($5)

I used their blending sponge to apply the three products, and I also enjoyed it a lot. It is latex-free so I did not have to worry about any skin reactions since I have extremely sensitive skin. It is extremely soft, and gives you a nice blend without pulling product into the sponge like many others do. I used it damp, but because it is so soft it is possible that you can achieve the same results with it dry as well.

I would recommend being extremely gentle with squeezing and washing this sponge. Because it is so soft when wet, I did notice some wear and tear after washing it the first time. Luckily they are affordable, so I’d recommend getting 2 or more.

FOXY FINISH™ MINERAL LOOSE FOUNDATION ($25)

Since I always set my foundation with a pressed powder for additional coverage and oil absorption, they were kind enough to also send me their loose powder foundation.

I haven’t used a loose powder foundation in almost a decade so I was eager to try this as well. On top of the foundation, it set it nice without mattifying it too much. I was still able to retain the dewiness, which I believe is due to the finish of the product. It applies almost creamy which makes it easier to blend and stay on the skin.

I did have a tiny bit of trouble with applying it directly to my skin. It may have been the moisturizing primer I used, but once it mixed it gave the powder a slightly grey tint. I do remember having this issue with other mineral foundations many years ago, so I am going to try it again with a mattifying balm or benefit professional which creates a sheer base for it to sit on top of.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed these products and envision them being my go to products for my dry skin days. I would definitely recommend trying them out if you have dry and combination skin.

If you’re hesitant about shade matching online, they offer $5 samples in any of the foundation finishes for you to try out. You can also take their Foundation Quiz and submit pictures for someone to get back to you with the best shade and formula for your skin type.

As I’ve gotten older, lipsticks and eyeshadows have lost their importance and complexion products have taken center stage in my beauty regime. i think I’ve purchased 8 in the last 6 months, and I’m still searching for a holy grail.

When I was contacted by Oxygenetix to try their Acne Control Oxygenating Foundation ($76), I took them up on the offer. This foundation contains the ceravitae pro-oxygen complex which claims to be a breathable formula for healthier skin that provides complete coverage, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and pore clearing properties. It is also water resistant, hypo allergenic, non comedogenic and transfer resistant. Pretty much, perfect on paper.

I also received the Oxygenating Hydro-Matrix ($70) to use as a moisturizer/primer that has the same breathable second skin formula as the foundation. This product claims to attract oxygen while delivering PCA, HLA and Multi-Tocopherols which ensure your skin is plump, hydrated and protected at all times.

First Impression

When I received the products, I did a first impressions on my IGTV Channel and it definitely did not go as expected. Considering the price, I thought it would be amazing and that was not the impression I got. Here’s what went wrong:

First, I expected that I would not like the finish because I knew in advance that I could not use one of my regular primers. Reason being is that it is a breathable formula, and a typical primer would clog your pores and prevent the acne control properties from penetrating your skin. So when I applied, I did notice that my very enlarged pores were clearly visible.

Second, it instructs you to use clean hands or a sponge. This immediately told me that this is a light or medium coverage foundation and I am more of a medium to full girl because of my pores. I also don’t use sponges often so I used a brush instead which I think moved the product around too much and never really set it into my skin the way warm hands or a damp sponge would.

Lastly, I am a creature of habit so I did not change my skincare routine that I would normally do under a full coverage matte foundation. Under the Hydro-Matrix I used my hyaluronic acid, beauty oil, and acne medication which is normal, but under this dewy/natural finish foundation it just kept my skin greasy, didn’t mix well with my cancelers or setting powders and negated the transfer resistant claims.

Second Attempt

I was ready to write this product off as not worth it, until I had a PMS break out and was booked to work on a photo shoot that I really couldn’t afford to look bad at. So I asked myself, how can I make this better to benefit from all of the claims? Here’s what I did differently:

Since these two products have skincare elements in them, I cut out my normal products. I have combination skin that changes from week to week, so instead of using my hydration products that I typically pair with matte foundations, I used a matte moisturizer to absorb my natural oils underneath the Hydro-Matrix.

Next, I followed the instructions and actually used a sponge to apply. While it did give me a better application that I was able to build up to medium coverage, I had to use 5 or 6 pumps. That may not seem like a big deal, but for $76 and 15ml instead of most foundation’s normal 30ml, I can see myself going through this relatively fast.

It paired much better the second time with my other complexion products, and lived up to the transfer resistance claims. My pores were still visible, but not as bad as the first time. I will probably use a retinol serum the next time I wear this foundation, to reduce the appearance of my pores even more.

I wore it for about 12 hours and when I removed it, I actually noticed that some acne bumps that I had on my chin and cheeks were actually drying up surprisingly. I also gave myself a mini facial and noticed that it was extremely easy to perform pore extractions. It was almost as if the dead skin and oils were being dissolved and came out without much pressure.

Final Thoughts

All in all, I am not terribly disappointed with this product and will definitely give it one or two more shots. Once I figure out the best application process, I can see this being the foundation I use during my period when I have hormonal break outs.

Other than that I am on the fence, primarily because of my skin type. If I used a pore refining primer I may like it more, but that would counteract the skincare properties making it unnecessary to use. For a combined $146 for 2 items, I absolutely would expect to get my money’s worth and be obsessed with these products. I’d also like to see this product in the standard 30ml(1 oz) size at the price they’re providing.