October Empties with Reviews - part 24/45
❌2/10 ~ This is the essence 16h Cover & Last Powder Foundation. I did NOT finish this product! It is a powder foundation, but saw someone use it as their setting powder so that's how I used it. The shade did not match me at all and it made me look SO cakey. No matter how I applied it, it looked so bad on me. I like essence's products but this one is so cheap and poorly made. It absolutely did not last 16 hours, and it looked horrible no matter where or how I applied it. I also in general am not a fan of powder foundations, so I did not even attempt to try wearing this as a foundation, maybe it works better that way. Only gets points for being super full coverage which was nice. #productempties #productreview #empties #october #didnotfinish
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Okay, so let's talk about something incredibly frustrating when it comes to any foundation, especially popular drugstore finds like the Essence 16h Cover & Last Powder Foundation: finding that perfect shade match! My experience with this particular compact powder foundation was a real struggle, not just with the formula, but largely because the shade I picked just made everything worse. It's not just me, right? So many of us have been there, excitedly picking up a new powder foundation, only to get home and realize it's either too orange, too grey, or just completely off. With the Essence 16h Cover & Last Powder Foundation, I found the "light beige powder" I chose was a total mismatch for my undertones, contributing massively to that dreaded cakey appearance I mentioned. It's like no matter how beautifully styled your nails are, holding up a compact that makes your face look unnatural is just a no-go! So, how can we avoid this shade-matching disaster? Here are a few tips I've learned the hard way, especially when trying to navigate the often-limited shade ranges of affordable brands: Know Your Undertones: This is crucial! Are you cool (pink/red), warm (yellow/gold), or neutral? Look at the veins on your wrist – blue/purple usually means cool, green means warm, and a mix is neutral. The Essence 16h Cover & Last Powder Foundation, like many, has shades that lean specific ways, and if you pick a warm shade for cool undertones (or vice versa), it will always look off. Test in Natural Light: Store lighting is notoriously deceiving. If possible, swatch a few shades that look close on your jawline, blend them slightly, and then step outside or near a window to check. This is where you'll get the truest sense of the color. Since I bought mine without this step, I was left with a shade that looked fine indoors but was a disaster in daylight. Don't Just Swatch on Your Hand: Your hand color rarely matches your face! Always test on your jawline, blending slightly down your neck. The goal is for the foundation to seamlessly disappear into your skin. Consider Oxidation: Some foundations, especially liquid ones, can oxidize and darken slightly after a few minutes as they react with your skin's oils. While powder foundations tend to be less prone to this, it’s still worth waiting a few minutes after swatching before making a final decision. Read User Reviews & Look for Swatches: Before heading to the store (or buying online), scour Lemon8, YouTube, and beauty blogs for swatches from people with similar skin tones to yours. Pay attention to how they describe the undertones of the Essence 16h Cover & Last Powder Foundation shades. This can be a lifesaver when you can't try it in person. The "16h COVER & last" claim might be a draw, but if the shade is wrong, it won't matter how long it lasts! If you've already bought a shade that's not quite right, don't despair! A too-dark shade can sometimes be used as a soft contour or bronzer, while a slightly too-light one might work as an under-eye setting powder (though be careful with powder foundations, as my experience shows, they can get cakey!). Ultimately, getting the shade right is the first step to making any foundation, even an affordable compact powder foundation like Essence's, work for you. And if it still doesn't work after all that effort, well, sometimes it's just not the right product, no matter the shade!
