The Ordinary Colours Serum Foundation
Known for clinical formulations at affordable prices, The Ordinary has been the beauty brand on everyone's lips recently. In December 2016 they first announced they would be adding a foundation range - Colours - to their collection for less than £6 a bottle and the internet went into meltdown. There are currently two types of foundations available - the Serum Foundation (£5.70) and the Coverage Foundation (£5.90). Demand was so high for stock of these that the waiting list was 25,000 people-strong before the launch and in the first week of launching in May, orders amounted to 250,000 units. I was one of those hungry customers, placing orders of both foundations as I had to know if these were worth the hype and at less than £6 each what did I really have to lose?
I have been using the Serum Foundation over anything else recently so I'll only be reviewing this foundation here. It's described as a lightweight medium-coverage foundation with the feel of a serum (hence the name). The way in which the pigments are suspended in the formula are designed to cover imperfections and give a natural, 'flawless' finish. It comes in plastic packaging with a pump - making them easy to travel with. The foundation is also cruelty-free, doesn't contain alcohol or oil and has SPF 15.
There are currently 21 shades available which are divided into 3 categories:
1 for fair and light skintones (9 shades)
2 for medium skintones (5 shades)
3 for darker skintones (7 shades)
Within each category a second digit and a letter indicates the depth and undertone (P for Pink, R for Red, N for Neutral and Y for Yellow).
I have the Serum Foundation in two shades which I've swatched below - 2.1Y and 3.0Y. (the darkest shade in the medium category and the lightest shade in the dark category both with yellow undertones). The product in the bottles look like two completely different shades but swatched on my arm there's not much of a difference between them. I'd usually need a much lighter shade than these but I've tanned in the past few weeks meaning that I can now get away with wearing either shade though of the two 2.1Y is the better match for my skintone.
Left 2.1Y Right 3.0Y
The coverage is very good - lightweight as claimed and with a comfortable matte finish. The formula is quite runny but blends well and gives a good even tone to my skin. It isn't obvious I'm even wearing foundation which I love. A few really stubborn dark marks can be seen through as it's not high coverage but these are easy to minimise with a dab of concealer if needed. I've tried this foundation both with and without The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer and it lasts far longer on my oily skin with a primer than without. I get 'smile lines' (as I laugh and smile a lot in person) and the foundation does seem to settle slightly into creases here but not as dramatically as I've found with other foundations. The tone stays true to how it applies too. I've often found with other foundations that they 'oxidise' into a strange orange shade (when they mix with my skin's natural oils and the air). Thankfully there's none of that with this foundation.
I can't help reach for it every day so it'll continue to be my go-to foundation and the price is so good I already know I'd buy it again.
You can get The Ordinary Colours on their website or in-store
Have you tried The Ordinary?
Lesley x
