One makeup item I hear the most people say they “can’t buy drugstore” is foundation. Not only can drugstore foundation ranges fall short of including various shade and undertone matches, but the lack of testers available makes the shopping experience a little tricky. But as a product I’m wearing nearly every day, I certainly don’t want to have to repurchase at a $40+ price tag, either! The Venn diagram overlap is small between finding a foundation that balances price, quality, and shade selection… but that’s exactly where you can find the about-face The Performer Skin Focused Foundation.
The Performer Skin Focused Foundation from about-face is only $22, with a whopping 45 shade options that range from light to deep, with warm, neutral, cool, peach and olive undertone matches.
Similar to the popular serum foundations going viral right now, this hybrid skincare/makeup formula contains over 17 skincare ingredients to help your skin maintain moisture, and help even and smooth skin with wear. Blue Agave helps hydrate and plump the skin, Wintergreen can help calm blemishes and balance the skin, while Chlorella revitalizes with vitamins that energize the skin barrier.
Under the cap, you get an oversized doe foot applicator to help swipe on the product. Personally, this is my only gripe with this product. I would have much preferred a pump or dropper instead of an applicator that makes direct face contact and then gets put back in the foundation. Additionally, the stopper on the bottle is very tight– it takes a decent pull to get the doe foot out, which can sometimes result in flinging foundation across the room. On top of that, I’ve started to see bald spots on my applicator. I’ve chatted with the brand about this issue and they said it will be corrected in future packaging. (We love a brand that takes feedback!)
I currently use the shade LM1 Warm, though I could also make LM1 Neutral work for me as well. It’s really important to let the formula dry down before choosing your shade. You can see above that there’s a significant shade difference once it starts setting on your skin, so take your time when swatching in-store.
The formula is very lightweight, with a thin liquid consistency that offers medium buildable coverage. It’s very easy to blend and layer on top of itself if you want to conceal dark spots or blemishes. It’s also non-comedogenic and feels incredibly breathable and flexible on the skin. Frankly, I forget I’m wearing it a lot!
Above I’ve applied one full layer of The Performer Skin Focused Foundation to my face, then added just a bit more on top of particularly prominent dark spots. Typically, though, I’ll use concealer before a very thin layer of this foundation, so that I don’t need as much product.
The coverage looks so natural– never cakey– with a skin-like finish. I don’t find it too dewy, though there is a very slight radiance to it. Because it’s a thin formula that has skin care benefits, I usually apply this to clean, moisturized skin without a primer. If you’re oily, you may want to use a mattifying primer, though. I have combo skin and tend to get oily on my forehead and around my nose. I can see some shine peek through depending on how I’ve set my makeup. Typically, setting spray is enough to keep everything looking good and in place.
about-face invited me to attend a music festival here in Vegas with them last month, where I wore this foundation for 15 hours. I was shocked at how well it held up through dancing, sweating and wind. I had set it with my Milani Make It Last Setting Spray, and only lost a bit of coverage around raised blemishes. The makeup on top of the foundation stayed intact as well– no separating at all. The best part was, my skin felt good throughout the day. I didn’t feel like I was wearing a mask, nor did it feel dry or tight.
Since the festival, this has been the foundation I grab the most. I just love how it looks on my skin and how light it is. It’s great for both no-makeup makeup days, or as the base of full face.
A lot of old foundation favorites of mine are sitting differently on my face post-30 than they did in my 20s, in turn emphasizing lines or creases I don’t want called out. This foundation doesn’t age me throughout the day, and looks great in person, not just in photos.
Considering the price of popular serum foundations at the drugstore, this really isn’t that much more of a splurge. You can find about-face The Performer Skin Focused Foundation at Ulta for $22.
– Miranda
