The Il Makiage Foundation Has Over a Million 5 Star Reviews – And Now I Know Why

Image Source: Lauren Ezekiel

There was a time when you couldn’t open Instagram or Facebook without seeing an advert for Il Makiage foundation. It was part of a new wave of products which depended on AI technology to generate your perfect colour match without the need to go to counter or to try a variety of products on your hand in store. Finding the perfect foundation shade has never been an easy feat, from understanding if you have warm or cool toned skin to battling with the florescent lights inside many retailers, which can obscure your natural skin tone and often leave you walking out with a foundation that in the cold light of day does nothing for you.

Over the years I have probably tried hundreds of foundations, personally I never tend to stick to a particular brand or shade as not only does my skin change dramatically throughout the year, I find that different textures and finishes have different purposes. For everyday I tend to stick to skin tints and light coverage, whereas for the evening I would veer towards a medium illuminating option. Although I have to say my preference is always glowy, I find matte textures can feel drying and tend to disappear and oxidise throughout the day. This is probably why I have avoided trying Il Makiage Woke up Like This Foundation, until now. Loved by celebrities like Sydney Sweeney and with over one million five-star reviews online I needed to see for myself if it really lived up to the hype.

Read on to find out why I was so shocked about the colour match, how long it lasted and why it might convince me to go matte after all.

About Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation

What I Like About Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation

I can’t remember the last time I bought foundation in store. Actually I tell a lie, the last time I bought a base product it was Nars Tinted Moisturiser and the sales assistant insisted I would be a certain shade when I was convinced I had last purchased a different one. Let’s just say when I got it home, I remembered why I should stick to what I know, as it was far too orange and fair for my skin. Even as a beauty editor I tend to mix a variety of different products to get the consistancy and shade I like, I find that if I like the tone it can be too matte or fuller coverage than I like. I tend to live by the no-makeup makeup look as I find I can look too over done and a bit reality tv star-esque when I have a full face. Probably something to do with my thick Essex accent. Anyway I digress.

I did the online quiz and after answering a plethora of questions, where you are asked “this or that” questions on a variety of images relating to your skin tone, it resulted in picking shade 75. To say I was skeptical is an understatement, however when it arrived I was eager to see if a computer could pick a foundation to suit my skin without a human being seeing it. As I applied a pump to the skin I instantly thought this is too orange for me, smug that I was right and a computer couldn’t replace an expert. I have exceptionally mixed skin thanks to a genetic cocktail of Eastern European, Middle Eastern and Scottish so although I can appear quite medium olive on sight, I have a lot of warmer, red, undertones too. Which is quite common for those with multiple family roots, it is also not common for many makeup brands to understand that finding a foundation to suit can be tricky.

With one swipe of my foundation brush, the product melted into my skin. Although it didn’t hide all the natural texture, a plus for me, it did even out the redness and made my skin appear even and airbrushed. I then tried to blend the other side with my fingers as I like a foundation that can be applied both ways and found it worked with the skin the same way. I liked how it was quite a sheer coverage, but I could see that it could be made buildable if I was after something about fuller. It was pretty much my skin but better, it almost didn’t look like I was wearing foundation, which for a no-makeup makeup girl like me it was ideal.

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How To Use Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation

Image Source: Lauren Ezekiel

As I said, I tried applying with a brush and with my fingers and I found both ways produced the same results. I would suggest if you prefer fuller coverage to use a brush as this will allow you to build up the layers – it can be trickier to do this with your fingers. I also tried applying with a damp beauty sponge to see if this could make the coverage a bit more glowy, although I didn’t notice a massive difference.

What to Consider Before Trying Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation

This foundation is for my matte gang. It has a very natural, skin-like finish, so if glowing, ultra-highlighted skin is your thing this is probably not for you. I would also be cautious going for a foundation like this if you prefer a full, heavy base – this is not for the Double Wear stans. In terms of where it sits in the market, it is on the more premium side when it comes to price at nearly £40, so this isn’t a frivolous purchase, I would suggest spending some time looking at the website and the images to see if this is the type of base you like and not just be convinced by the colour-matching ability. However saying all of that, I would urge anyone that struggles to find the perfect match to try the online quiz and give it a go, especially if you struggle with working with your undertones as I was seriously impressed.

Where is Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation Available?

You can buy Il Makiage Woke Up Like This Foundation (£39) from the brand’s website.

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Lauren Ezekiel is an associate editor at PS UK, where she writes about all things beauty and wellness. With a degree in journalism and 12 years’ experience as a beauty editor at a leading Sunday supplement, she is obsessed with skincare, hair and makeup, and is often found offering advice to innocent bystanders. Her work has been published in Grazia, OK, Health and Beauty, The Sun, ASDA, Dare and Metro.