The Ordinary Serum and Full Coverage Foundation

Chameleon by Maitre Gims

I couldn't help myself ...

3.1Y is described as Dark with yellow undertones.
3.1R is described as Dark with red undertones.
3.2N is described as Dark with neutral undertones.

Ever since I saw videos about The Ordinary foundations (years ago), I've had a feeling I would get on well with their serum base, and my first impressions proved that my intuition was on point. It gives the type of finish and coverage that I like as I'm all about healthy skin, lightweight textures which play nicely with other products, apply easily but, look great on the skin with minimal effort. I know I'm so easy to please right? Add in that this foundation is under £6, and it's a no-brainer. If you like liquid foundations with a satin almost semi-matte finish to the skin and good wear then you'll definitely want to try the serum formulation out for yourself.

The Ordinary coverage foundation is thicker than the serum (you can tell in the above picture - 3.1 R), offers more coverage, and is not quite as silky on the skin but apart from being fuller coverage, it's just as effortless and beautiful on the skin. I like both formulations and would recommend them highly to those who are looking for foundations that look good, feel good, and won't break the bank. Depending on your makeup preference you can get very minimal or flawless coverage, there's no scent (smells like a cream), it's really easy to work into the skin, and it doesn't accentuate creases (laugh lines etc.)

The undertone categories are spot on. The Y's are yellow/golden, the R's are red/orange and the N's are neutral. Just like many other people with dark/black skin, I have predominately warm golden yellow undertones in my skin. However, this doesn't mean that foundations with strong yellow tones will suit me. Often they suit the lighter areas of my face (eyes/cheek etc.) whereas darker more neutral colours suit the periphery of my face (jawline). Over the eons, I've found that orange-toned (peachy) foundations often work the best for me and balance out the two "extremes" nicely, without me needing to use two foundations.

Therefore, I found that 3.1Y was too yellow and light, 3.2N matched my jawline but when applied to my entire face (cheek area) it was slightly too dark. Yet, 3.2R which is more peachy than "red" was still quite light but blended nicely with all of my tones. Hence, I use 3.2R usually but, the formulation is made in a way that all shades are workable and depending on the climate, the amount of sun I've had or lack of iron (eat your greens or at least take some vitamins ladies) I can use any shade and get away with it.

For example, 3.1Y is good for winter/spring lightly used, 3.1R is my standard go-to, and 3.2N can be used when I've caught some sun and or around my darker areas (chin/periphery of my face) and then I could use a lighter shade around my eyes/cheeks. I purchased these a while ago and I'm impressed with the quality and the feel. If you're into your base looking natural, you want a foundation that feels effortless, looks effortless and won't make you wince when it comes time to repurchase it. Try this!