@Fifi1 wrote:
@I watched the demo on their new stick foundation and picked it up @ Sephora yesterday. It's super light weight feel, and covers the spots I want to diguise! I applied it only where needed on top of my moisturizer and Laura Mercier sunscreen/primer and the look is very natural and not at all heavy! We shall see how it wears today, but so far at three hours+ looks great! I do like a couple of their mascareas as well.
@Fifi1, the foundation garnered a 5-star rave from Beautypedia:
Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra Makeup Stick SPF 21 is an impressive entry into a foundation category that has experienced something of a renaissance in recent years. Unlike the standard wax-based (read: greasy) stick foundations of the past, Teint Idole Ultra Makeup Stick is lightweight and natural-looking on skin, yet its buildable coverage can be taken from sheer to full with little effort.
Lancôme included a blend of mineral and non-mineral sunscreen actives for broad-spectrum sun protection. (Despite the fact this isn't an all-mineral formula, it didn't produce sensitivity when used around the eye area, although this can vary from person to person.) Though your makeup isn't something to rely on as your main source of sun protection—most won't apply enough to get the stated SPF on the label—it's a great boost to your regular sunscreen.
Packaged in a traditional twist-up container, this fragrance-free foundation is incredibly smooth and blends easily, whether you're using fingers, a sponge or brush. (We should mention that using fingers didn't leave as nice a finish as a brush or BeautyBlender did.) Lancôme positions this as a light, matte formula, which is accurate. Though initially creamy, it dries quickly to a powder finish that resists shine, though if you have very oily skin, you'll still need to blot as usual. Let's stick with the topic of skin type for a moment longer…
Typically, stick foundations are formulated with heavy, emollient ingredients—Lancôme departed from convention and used a blend of silicones and absorbent agents to create their Teint Idole Ultra Makeup Stick. This is an ideal choice for those with combination to oily skin types, because its matte finish is likely too absorbent for those with normal to dry skin. While those with acne-prone skin may consider experimenting with this foundation, as it lacks typically problematic waxes and heavy emollients, we should note that any solid makeup (stick or compact) could be tricky for those prone to breakouts.
With a single swipe, we found this provided an immediate medium to nearly total coverage of red marks or other uneven skin tone concerns. As we mentioned above, you can easily sheer this out, or build it up, over specific areas as needed. Once this dries, however, it lives up to Lancôme's longwearing claims. It held up easily over the course of a workday, even on staffers with very oily skin. Blotting yielded little to no transfer, even after several hours of wear. (FYI: Despite its longwearing formula, this removed easily with our regular cleanser—no special effort needed!)
As is to be expected, Lancôme's color range is superlative—20 shades from the fair to deep, and in their typical breakdown between neutral, warm and cool tones. (The letter N, W or C will follow the shade name to indicate their respective undertones.) Of course, you'll want to try this in person to find the best shade match.
Lancôme's Teint Idole Ultra Makeup Stick SPF 21 is a standout foundation for those with combination to oily skin—it's especially rare for a stick foundation to provide such a longwearing, matte finish and such great coverage. From its exceptionally natural appearance on skin to its buildable coverage, it's an excellent choice to consider and well worth checking out during your next visit to the Lancôme counter.
Note: Interestingly, Teint Idole Ultra Makeup Stick SPF 21 is identical to L'Oreal's Studio Secrets Makeup Stick, which was available only in Germany and a few other areas of Europe until being discontinued (as far as we could find out) a few years ago. Ah well, we predict it's certain to find fame this side of the Atlantic!
Pros:- Blends easily and looks impressively natural on skin.
- Buildable, sheer to full coverage.
- Longwearing, matte finish that resists transfer.
- Excellent shade range.
- Fragrance-free.
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