Bobbi Brown Moisturizing Cream Compact Foundation - Review

Sometime last year, I had the opportunity to have a national makeup artist for Bobbi Brown's line give me a makeover, through one o f my local counters. Of course, this means they wanted me to buy huge, and I didn't (I should've declined the invitation, but c'mon... a makeover? For a line that I wanted to use more of at that time? I couldn't say no!)

I bought two things that day, and this was one of them. I never consider foundations labelled as "moisturizing," because that usually correlates to a glowy, dewy or not matte. As I prefer a matte finish, because my skin produces it's own glow (and lots of it), I was surprised when the makeup artist recommended it. She stated (keep in mind, she's supposed to sell me on it) that this foundation was formulated for all skin types, and would help camouflage my pores. She said the moisturizing aspect would be helpful for my "dehydrated" forehead (huh? It's oily. Never heard anyone say that oily skin is also dehydrated before, but I suppose....). She was pushing Bobbi's skincare line pretty hard, but I took it all with a grain of salt.  

Interestingly, this product is not listed on Bobbi's or Sephora's website. It's available at Macy's and Nordstrom (at least, on their websites). Nordstrom appears to have the all shades available, while Macy's has a limited, mostly deeper, shades listed. A cursory look around the internet doesn't tell me if this is discontinued, and I didn't see it at my CCO a few weeks ago. Anyway, here's what Macy's and Nordstrom have to say:

This unique emollient compact formula provides all-day wear and all-day moisturization, as it instantly softens the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and delivers a soft, radiant finish. Formulated for normal to dry skin, this foundation is blended with ingredients that prevent dehydration such as Jojoba Oil and Avocado Oil, both moisturize and condition skin. This creamy product provides medium to full coverage, and is a portable alternative to your liquid foundation and a more moisturizing alternative to traditional compact foundations.

The packaging is typical for Bobbi Brown - black, shiny, sleek, etc. This is a fairly thin compact, considering that it's a foundation. The product sits in a pan that can be lifted to reveal a home for a sponge applicator (my toddler seemed to have love it, when he saw it in my makeup room and took it with him). Vents are around the base of the compact, so the sponge can dry after use. A mirror lives in the lid of the compact. The base has a sticker with the shade name, number, and name of the product.

I was matched to Porcelain, which is the second lightest shade. One thing I admire about Bobbi's line is how accommodating she seems to be for us pale people. It's rare for me to be the second lightest in a line, and I know I'm not the palest person out there. Porcelain is a great match for me, possibly one of the best I've had.

I've tried this foundation over several primers, and all seem to play nicely with it. It doesn't oxidize, meltdown, or slide around on my face. It does collect a little on the parts of my glasses that rest on my nose, but so does everything else. I would agree this foundation provides medium coverage, and I suppose you could build it up, but I'd be concerned with the foundation appearing cakey. It evens the appearance of my skin tone nicely with one "coat." When first applied in a specific manner, it does help reduce the appearance of my pores.

The way I apply this is similar to how the makeup artist did on me. She used the sponge it came with, wrapped around her finger "like a taco," (her words, not mine), creating a round sponge-surface. She used the sponge dry, and rolled it across my skin. The coverage was impressive, and my pores disappeared in front of me when she did. I've used that technique (and of course, it didn't work nearly as well, but, c'est la vie, non?) and I've used the Sonia Kashuk Beautyblender dupe, with about the same success. I also wet the sponge a touch with Fix+ or Clinique's Moisture Surge Face Spray. I prefer a lightly damp sponge, because it seems to use less product. 

This leads me to my only real issue with this product: you get so little for a lot of money. This foundation costs $42, which is fairly average for a higher end foundation. But, you get 8 grams of foundation. MAC gives you 10 grams of their Studio Tech cream foundation for $30. Now, I'm willing to pay a slightly higher price for a great match, but really? I've hit pan on this foundation, as you can see above, and used it about 15 - 20 times. A bottle of foundation from Chanel or anyone else usually lasts me about a year, maybe a touch less. This compact won't last me 6 months of continuous use.

It also turns a bit sticky if you put a spray (makeup setting or otherwise) over it, like Fix+ or the aforementioned Clinique. And it stays sticky, which is kind of weird. Just an odd thing I noted with this foundation. I've never experienced that before, either.

I really like this foundation. I do. I don't like the price. I wonder if it is being discontinued, as it's availability is limited. If you find it at your CCO, I would recommend picking it up. I'm oily and it lasts all day looking relatively fresh, which is a rare thing. I don't know if it's worth full price, however, considering how much you get.