Stick foundations, as a category, often aren't ideal for natural-looking results. However, Make Up For Ever's Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation surprised us by defying the this trend—it blends seamlessly, feels lightweight and has a skin-real appearance.
Just as is the case with their liquid version, Make Up For Ever claims their Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation was developed for the more extreme detail of today's ultra HD video technology—i.e., flawless coverage "invisible to the naked eye." Today's best foundations look incredibly natural on skin, whether in front of the camera or in real life, so let's take a closer look at this one's qualities so you can decide if it's right for your needs.
Packaged in a twist-up container, this formula has a smooth, creamy texture that sets to a slightly dewy finish. Best for combination to dry skin types, this can be sheered out for light coverage, or layered easily for medium to full coverage. As this is a stick foundation, its finish and the ingredients that keep this in a solid form (i.e. waxes, emollients) aren't recommended for oily or acne-prone skin.
For those who've tried similar stick or solid cream makeup in the past, you'll find Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation feels much lighter on skin in comparison, not the least bit heavy or greasy. Those with dry skin will appreciate that this resists clinging to dry spots on the face.
With a light swipe of product, it covers redness, uneven skin tone and gives skin a healthy, natural-looking appearance. Given the ease of application, it is ideal for spot application or layering over areas that need a little more help. (On that note, we'll mention coverage builds rapidly, so start by applying less product than you think you need.)
Application Tip: Whether blended with a sponge or brush, this is an easy formula to work with. Using fingers was a little trickier, as this method tended to blend product unevenly and emphasized texture irregularities in skin.
Those whose skin type is on the drier side will find this wears well over the course of the day—so much so that you can forget you're wearing it and find several hours later it looks nearly as good as it did upon first application.
Make Up For Ever, at the time of this review, offers a curated shade range of 15 excellent options, from the fair to deep. As is the case with their new liquid Ultra HD Invisible Cover Foundation, the shade numbers are preceded by the letter "Y" (for yellow, or "warm") or "R" (for red or "cool"), which denotes the shade undertones. Note: The shades in this formula are not always exactly equivalent to their counterparts in the liquid version—we strongly recommend being matched to a shade in store before trying this one out.
While the ingredient list for this foundation notes the inclusion of fragrance, it is virtually undetectable and shouldn't be problematic for most.
Color us impressed! Ultra HD Invisible Cover Stick Foundation is a standout that looks far more natural on skin than you would expect, it blends well and is simple to use (and great for travel)—hence the reasons it earned out highest rating. We emphasize this is not a product we recommend for those with oily skin or the acne-prone, but those with combination or dry skin types may find this a perfect fit.
Pros:- Blends well, looks surprisingly natural.
- Ideal for combination to dry skin (resists clinging to dry patches).
- Good shade range, with options ranging from very fair to deep.
Cons:- Not ideal for oily or acne-prone skin (despite its "all skin types" claim).
- Contains a small amount of fragrance.
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