Not one of the wonders of the world (Maybelline Wonder Finish Foundation)

Member Name: sweet_decline

Product:	Maybelline Wonder Finish Foundation
Date:	19/05/09 (94 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Light coverage

Disadvantages: Made skin oily

I have great difficulty finding foundation in just the right shade, so many products seem to be too yellowy or too pink. And I know you're supposed to test every foundation on your face rather than the back of your hand... but let's be honest , how many people do you actually see in Boots with three different colour stripes across their face? Thought not - so, back of the hand it is for me.

----PURCHASING DECISION----

Maybelline Wonder Finish foundation fulfilled one very important criterion for me - it actually matched my skin colour without making me look like a goth or a Tango addict. I opted for the ivory shade, but there are another five tones available. Unfortunately they don't seem to produce shades for black and Asian skin, which is sadly the case with many cosmetic companies.

Plus there was one other factor in my purchasing decision - it was on offer, at £3.50 as opposed to the usual £7/8.

----PACKAGING----

The packaging is not the most modern or inspiring, but who's going to see the inside of my make-up bag anyway? It comes in a plastic bottle, in an off-white shade. The bottle is a nice shape to fit into your hand and the cap twists off easily to dispense the foundation through a small nozzle. Personally I would prefer a flip cap, because I'm terrible for putting tops down and forgetting about them, especially before my morning coffee.

----TECHNOLOGY----
The foundation claims to have a special shake-up technology that mixes the liquid to ensure it blends easily. This is achieved by a bead within the foundation, similar to that which you find in many nail varnishes, but on a larger scale. And boy, does it make a noise! After my first few uses of this foundation my boyfriend complained that the noise woke him up (serves him right for being lazy, doesn't he know how important my make-up is?) But I relented and didn't bother shaking it after that. I can't say that I noticed much difference.

----PERFORMANCE----
According to the bottle, this is a "light liquid that transforms on contact with the skin into an amazing, almost weightless, powder finish". This appealed to me because I hate heavy foundations but suffer from a shiny nose. It certainly was a light liquid, as it came spurting out of the bottle at a rate of knots, covering my hands. After a swift clean-up, I had sufficient left to attempt to mop onto my face. A little goes a long way, and it spread around my face easily, leaving a light layer. It quickly set to a powder finish, but was a little streaky, so I had to wipe over with a sponge once it had set. I found it was very easy to put too much on, which left my face feeling very icky - like it had been smothered in Vaseline.

I wouldn't describe it as weightless though, I could certainly feel it on my face, and as the day wore on, my nose started to feel oily. To be fair though, this is the case with most foundations and I had blotting sheets handy. By the end of the day, it hadn't worn off that much.

----CONCLUSIONS----
My search for the Holy Grail of foundations goes on. This wasn't terrible, but not the best I've ever used either. I don't think it would be suitable for skin prone to spots, as it isn't the thickest of coverages and feels a little greasy, despite claiming to be oil-free. I wouldn't pay full price for it but I could be tempted if I saw it on offer again - better the devil you know and all that. You can get so-called 'intelligent' foundations that match your natural skin colour, which I think would be a better bet if you have trouble finding the correct shade.

Summary: Not the best, not the worst