Physician’s Formula and myself go way back… I’m talkin’ O.G. ‘Shimmer Strips’ & ‘Bronze Booster’. So needless to say, I was beyond excited to try out the Healthy Skin foundation. Today, at last, we are reviewing this best-seller foundation and putting it’s claims to the test!

 

 

Claims: 

Hypoallergenic, Fragrance-Free, Paraben-Free, Gluten Free, Dermatologist Approved, Non-Comedogenic, Clinically Tested, Cruelty Free, Vegan

What It Is:

A long-wearing, buildable, and breathable foundation that provides lightweight, medium coverage with a healthy, satin finish.

Why It’s Good For You:

Compatible with all skin types and featuring our exclusive Brightening Complex and Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate, brighten and improve the appearance of skin tone. Added boost of Vitamins A, C & E provides a flawless, healthy coverage.

Key Ingredients:

Brightening Complex (Chinese Wu-Zhu-Yu Extract), Hyaluronic Acid (Sodium Salts), Vitamin A, C& E Antioxidant Blend, Protective SPF 20

Shade Range: According to the Physician’s Formula website, there is 16 shades total to choose from. The shade range is divided by light, medium, and deep, as well as cool-tones and warm-tones. I found that this makes the process of determining your correction shade to be pretty easy; however, the lighting in Ulta is not the best so I tend to struggle when figuring out if the color fits me. Ulta was out of a lot of shades, so I was left with LW2 (Light Warm) or MW2 (Medium Warm); to err on the side of caution, I chose LW2 but definitely could have gone up some shades as LW2 is too fair for me (especially during summer time).

Formula: The light-weight and breathable claims for this foundation is spot on. I love how this foundation blends effortlessly onto the skin and doesn’t feel heavy or cakey. The finish is satin and can vary with the powder you apply on top. I used my trusty Coty Airspun and found that the powder did not alter the satin finish. Because this foundation has hyaluronic acid in its ingredients, there is a lot of hydration within the formula; this can be an issue for those with oily skin. I did become quite shiny within 5-6 hours of wear and the foundation began to feel heavy as it started to settle into my pores and fine lines. In my 8 hour mark picture below, you can see a noticeable difference on how the foundation emphasized my texture, pores, and fine lines.

Packaging: The glass packaging feels high-end and is definitely a nice touch. I love that you are able to fully see the shade, which minimizes the need for guessing! Also, the application wand is in the form of a doe foot, similar to Clinique’s Beyond Perfecting Foundation, which is a pro and a con. Some people dislike doe foots because of idea of spreading bacteria inside the bottle, but others (like myself), prefer a doe foot applicator for foundations and concealers because it helps to eliminate mess. To each their own.

Quantity: Like the average foundation, this foundation comes with the standard 1 fl. oz. or 30 mL of product within the bottle. Typically this is more than enough product and usually last a while before the product is fully used up.

Price: This foundation retails for $14.95. That price is pretty expensive considering Physician’s Formula is a drugstore-brand; however, in looking at the brand as a whole, their products are usually more pricey than others found at the drugstore. With that being said, this foundation is still way cheaper than high-end foundations, like Too Faced’s Peach Perfect Foundation.

Fragrance: Unfortunately, there’s no sugar coating it… this foundation smells like sunscreen and chemicals. This is sort of surprising to me, as the ingredients of this foundation (with disregard to the SPF 20) is comprised of natural ingredients and is free of any harsh ingredients. I found the smell not to linger too terribly long, but may become intense for those that are super sensitive to scents and fragrances.

Longevity: Honestly, this foundation is not oily-skin friendly and doesn’t claim to be. This foundation didn’t stand a chance against my oils, and right after the 5-6 hour mark, the foundation just felt heavy and slippery on my face. Even after blotting, there was no visible improvement within the hours that past. Now all of that to say, there was not a lot of breaking down or separating from the foundation in combination with my oils, which is great considering this foundation has SPF 20 in it.

Photo-Friendly: Speaking of SPF… This foundation is not photo-friendly. Due to the SPF 20 and the “Brightening Complex” within the ingredients, this foundation will show a flashback in pictures when using the flash on a camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, I am on the fence with this foundation. I think that it would compliment my skin better in the colder months, but wouldn’t play well with my oily skin in the hotter months. I am going to pick up a deeper shade when I get a little more tanned to see if it makes any difference. Leave me a comment below if you have tried out this foundation and what your thoughts were!

 

 

As always, thanks for stopping by and until next time…

 

Sincerely,

Lee.