BOURJOIS HEALTHY MIX ANTI-FATIGUE FOUNDATION - Review

Hey there! Sorry for the little hiatus, I just came back from a trip, plus I was having a slight mental block deciding what to write for the next post. :(

Well, today I'll be doing a review on the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation.  There are already a ton of reviews on YouTube and blogs, being a popular favourite amongst many. However, I haven't watched too many reviews on it for Asian skin or for use in a warm and humid country like ours, so hopefully this post will provide you with more information.

Without beating around the bush, this is the foundation I go to pretty often, and while it has it's cons, there are many pros to it such that I would honestly recommend this to most of my friends. Read on to find out if it's suitable for you!

What it claims

According to the bottle, this is supposed to be an "anti-fatigue & radiance reveal foundation", packed full with vitamins (C, E and B5) and gives you a healthy looking complexion. It also claims to be non-comedogenic, while providing you with 70% more radiance and 24h of hydration! It aims to target tired-looking skin and is supposed to last up to 16 hours. 

This already sounds amazing for the dry patches on my face and the dull skin I get when I don't sleep enough or if I've skipped on quite a bit of my skincare. 

I'm using the shade 054 (beige). It seems a little light for me, but I can still work around it after applying bronzer and my contour products. The next time I might try 055 instead!

The packaging

Not much to say about here, except that it comes with a pump that works wonderfully. I would rate the pump 9/10, because you can pump out as much as you need, be it a small dot or a full pump. I greatly appreciate that it allows you full control over the amount you can wish to use, preventing you from having unnecessary wastage. This also prevents too much from getting out, spreading foundation all over the pump that I often see happens to people , making the bottle look dirty and messy.

It's only 9/10 because the cap seems to drop off easily when you put it in a make up bag for travel. Just take note if you travel often or plan to bring it around, you might want to put it in a separate ziplock bag just in case. 

The formula 

Scent
Firstly, the most noticeable thing about this foundation is that it has a scent. If you're extremely sensitive to smells, you might want to stay away from this. On Watson's website, this description is given:

"Bourjois’ Radiance Reveal Healthy Mix foundation is enriched with a fruit therapy formula to enhance your complexion.
- Apricot for radiance
- Melon for hydration
- Apple to protect your youth"

 I can't smell any of those exact fruits in the liquid, but it smells very fresh and light, like it wakes you up. This is one of the reasons why I reach for this in the morning if I need a boost, or if I want to feel good. The scent disappears a min or 2 after applying, but if this is a concern to you, test it out at Watsons or Guardian before purchasing!

After blending the foundation in on the back of my hand, it's almost invisible. It''s also dry to the touch, but will probably need to be set if you're going to be out in the sun and sweating. Otherwise, it's comfortable and doesn't stay super tacky or sticky! You have to give it a while to set though.

Texture and finish
Oh my god, this is the best part. This feels so lightweight; When you apply it to your face, it applies on silky smooth, and just disappears into your skin! It just looks SO natural. It's not fully matte, so there is a slight glow to your face still if you don't set it with a translucent powder. You can get away with not setting your face if you're just going out to run your errands for a short while, if you don't have oily skin, or if you prefer that dewy finish. I just love how it evens out your complexion and naturally makes you look more bright and fresh! This is great for those fuss-free days, where you just want some light coverage that's natural so you look more human while you go do your things. I also love it for days when it's really hot outside, if I want to let my skin breathe or if I am going to be sitting somewhere for a long while and I don't want to cake too much on my face. 

The right side of my face aka the side I don't like, because of my acne scars that seem impossible to fully cover. However, this product does a pretty good job, I used my finger to pat in an extra layer of foundation and it covered 70-80% of the scars. You can still see my natural skin peeking through, but when I take photos from further away it's hardly noticeable. I didn't put any primer here. 

While this foundation does seem to be more hydrating, it doesn't necessarily moisturize the skin deeply. As such, you'll still be able to notice dry and flaky skin. You could always gently exfoliate your skin with a scrub before using your foundation for better results, but even if you don't have the time to do that, this foundation is still more comfortable and moisturizing to use on dry skin than other more matte foundations. 

Coverage
This has a light to medium coverage that is buildable. If you don't have too many skin concerns (i.e acne or many scars), this is a great option for everyday use! Because the coverage isn't too heavy, some scars, freckles or pigmentation may peek through, but that is also what makes it look more natural, and so that your skin actually looks like skin still. 

If you do have many skin issues but don't want to clog your pores by covering up your skin too much, this is a good choice too. I never feel like I'm actually wearing foundation when I use this; my skin feels like it can breathe, which is always a good thing. 

The better half of my face, where I don't have much issues and only used my finger to spread 1 layer of foundation all over my face. 

Using it
As it's a very liquidy texture, using a beauty blender or sponge may soak up too much of the product. I either use my fingers (yay easy!) or use both fingers and a buffing brush. If you find that a brush leaves streaks, use your finger or a sponge to gently tap the lines away. 

Lasting power 
I'm not sure why the bottle states up to 16 hours, but the Watsons website states up to 8 hours. Either way, it definitely does not last flawlessly for more than 7 or 8 hours on oily skin. This isn't a long-lasting foundation for oily skin, which is the only reason I would discourage this. I get really oily between my brows and on my forehead after 5-6 hours if I don't use primer and set (I usually don't), plus if I'm not at an event, I won't touch up my foundation.  When I get oily, this foundation semi-separates at those spots, and my pores are visibly large. On the other hand, my non-oily areas stay flawless, so definitely consider this if you have normal to dry skin. 

However, for those who have more oily skin, you can still get this if you're using it for half a day, meeting a friend, or even for work if you stay in an air-conditioned room and will touch up during lunch. If you want it to last longer, use a primer (and/or setting spray) and blot with powder once you notice your skin is starting to get shiny. 

Should you get it?

Yes, if your skin isn't too oily, and you don't need a full coverage foundation (especially if you don't have too many skin issues, try using a more lightweight foundation so you won't clog your pores).  

No, if you absolutely cannot use scented products, or if you have a lot of redness and scars to cover. 

It's an affordable foundation that I'm sure can last for 6 months to a year depending on your usage. 

Where to buy this?
You can get this at your nearby Guardian (I think) and Watsons for $29.90, or you can buy it online from Watsons here (note that this may not be your shade so do select the correct one).

• Quick tip: On the other hand, I got this on sale on ASOS for around $17SGD! ASOS does carry quite a number of beauty brands, and you can get Bourjois products for much cheaper on ASOS. Even at full price, it is only approx. $20SGD (£9.99). If you're already going to buy something on the website, you might as well put this in your cart, especially since ASOS does free shipping with a min. spend! You can get it here.

Overall, I think this is a great foundation to get if you generally do not have many skin issues that you need to cover and if you have normal to drier skin. It feels comfortable, smells good, blends seamlessly into the skin and gives you a subtle glow. However, this definitely does not work as well as it would in colder countries. Oil seems to make this foundation separate and become patchy if you don't have  have primer and setting spray on. It also doesn't last as long in hot and humid weather, although if you have drier to normal skin, it does seem to fade seamlessly into the skin as the day passes. While it isn't a holy grail to have (in this country at least), it's a good foundation to keep on hand for less makeup days or if you're looking to transition to foundations from BB creams. 

That's all for now! I hope this was helpful. As usual, leave me a comment if you need any more information or if there's something you'd like me to write about! 

Till next time,
Val <3