Intelligent foundation? Very clever, certainly, but not top of the class (Boots No 7 Intelligent Colour Foundation)

Member Name: steedandpeel

Product:	Boots No 7 Intelligent Colour Foundation
Date:	06/08/09 (74 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amazing ability to blend to skin tone, no tide marks, no transfer to clothing, lasts all day

Disadvantages: The consistency is variable and is always too thick at the end of the tube

I first bought this product when Boots, in their own infinite wisdom, decided to stop making the foundation I had previously used. The product claims to be be able to match your skin tone and also contains spf 15. As I have very fair skin, I bought the 'light' shade.

The product advises you to shake well before use. I would advise you to shake VERY well before use, as at first it often can be a bit watery giving a patchy coverage, whereas when you get to the end of the tube, it can be a bit dry and heavy. When the product comes out of the tube it looks very orangey. I was initially skeptical as to how it would blend to my skin tone, but was willing to give it a go.

The application of the product is easy - you don't need much and I tend to use my fingers to blend it in. At this stage, this is where the 'intelligent' bit comes in. The foundation does indeed blend into your skin tone, with not a hint of orange. I was amazed at first, as it doesn't look like you are wearing any, although it evens out your skin. It blends in so evenly, that there are no tell-tale tide marks at all - this is certainly the first foundation I've found to so without a lot of blending.

The coverage is very light, so if you have a lot of blemishes it may not have enough coverage for you. However, for my skin type, it works well. The finish is matt and gives you skin primed for powder and any other make up you may wish to apply

The foundation is relatively long lasting - it lasts all day at work, and only starts to melt a bit on the hottest days. I've also found that it doesn't transfer to my clothing or cause any staining, as some heavier types of foundation can do.

As I mentioned above, it does require a lot of shaking prior to use. However, despite this, I always find that as I near the end of the tube, the foundation does become a bit too thick, slightly grainy and clumpy for my skin and doesn't match my skin tone so well, so I usually end up throwing the last bit away - I begrudge doing this, as I like to make get the most value for my money.

A little tip I always do is to use a little bit of foundation blended into my liquid concealer when I have spots and blemishes to hide. The foundation mixes well and blends the concealer flawlessly into the foundation already on my face.

As it is a Boots No. 7 product, you should usually be able to pick it up on a special offer or free gift promotion - I usually try to wait until the three for two offers to stock up. At about £14, it's not the cheapest on the market, but it's certainly not as expensive as many premium brands. In my experience, it's the best mid-priced foundation I've found.

So all in all, I have been very pleased with this product. Despite some issues with the varying consistency of the foundation (partially solved by a lot of shaking), and the fact I have to throw it away before the tube runs out, it is a great product, miraculously blending easily to my very pale skin tone. If you are thinking about purchasing a new foundation, this is definitely worth considering.

Summary: A great mid priced foundation, which blends to any skin tone