How budget and luxury foundation sticks compare with Fenty Beauty’s new viral product
RIHANNA’S Fenty Beauty launched its new foundation stick this week and it’s already gone viral.
I’ve put it to the test against a budget and luxury version to see which comes out on top . . .
Budget
Max Factor all day flawless matte pan stick foundation, £12.99 for 9g, boots.com: Max Factor created stick foundation more than 75 years ago, so I had high hopes.
This one is double ended, with the foundation on one end and a pigmented shine control formula on the other, which I didn’t really need thanks to the matte formula of the foundation.
The texture is slightly harder to blend than the more expensive options, meaning less flexibility.
But my main issue was finding a good colour match. I’m very fair and found even the lightest shade too orange.
Mid-range
Fenty Beauty Eaze Drop Blur & Smooth Tint Stick, £28 for 9g, boots.com – Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty couldn’t be more different from other celebrity make-up brands.
The diverse foundation colour range changed the game when it first launched.
This stick only has 25 shades compared to the 50+ in the Pro Filt’r line but the flexible pigments and foolproof online shade match tool means you’re likely to buy the right one.
Coverage is light – you can build it up but it takes some effort and can get a bit patchy, especially in dry areas.
The dewy finish isn’t great for oily skin but if you’re on the dry side then paired with a rich moisturiser it’s great.
Luxury
Merit The Minimalist Complexion Perfecting Stick, £40, 6.5g, meritbeauty.com – This is my absolute go to base product. I like a medium to full coverage so it doesn’t last long as it’s so small, but the finish is unrivalled.
It blends out seamlessly without being greasy or sticky – great for my oily T-zone. It really stays put, too.
It covers eye bags without settling into the creases, and layers well so if you need extra coverage you can apply more without it going cakey.
It also means you don’t need two separate products (foundation and concealer) to get a flawless base.
Pick of the week
It’s officially that time of year again – the time to get your beauty advent calendar before they sell out.
Cult Beauty’s is the must-have for Christmas and is packed with 39 products (20 full size).
Worth a whopping £1,084, it’s sold out for the last three years, so sign up to the waitlist at cultbeauty.co.uk to make sure you don’t miss out!