YSL All Hours Stick Foundation *Review*
I've been pretty lucky when it comes to Influenster and the Vox Boxes they've been sending me. I've tried a bunch of amazing luxury products that I would have otherwise steered clear of including the new YSL All Hours Stick Foundation.
When it comes to spending my money on foundation, I typically like to stick with what I know because it's super hard to find a good one that works with my skin and all its woes. I've tried a number of products from Urban Decay to Tarte to Marc Jacobs to Fenty. I have my favorites and I could recite the pros and cons of each at the snap of a finger. While my list of foundations-tried is pretty vast, it didn't include any stick foundations. Well, it's about time for me to at least give it a try, and why not start with a high-quality designer brand like YSL?
YSL claims the All Hours Foundation Stick has a 24 hour wear and velvety matte finish. I've heard both of these claims before from other brands so I'm always skeptical. While the foundation definitely delivers on the velvety matte finish, I'm not so sure about the 24-hour wear.
I have some of the oiliest skin I've ever seen, so my skin would be the ultimate test for a long-wear foundation. I applied the foundation at 12:00pm today and by the end of my day after teaching a fitness class (7pm), it was still there, but slick. I didn't bother trying to touch it up because I was in for the night, but I know myself and on a night out I would prefer not to have to reapply any of my makeup (especially not a lip balm, but that's another story.)
One of the suggested uses for this foundation is to carry it along with you for touch-ups. I obviously didn't understand that because, well ya'll said it lasts for 24 hours. Yes, I'm side-eyeing you, YSL. It's also suggested to use it as concealer or as a contouring stick. I could definitely see both working, but I think I'll continue to use it as a foundation, full coverage from now on.
Speaking of which, it will take a few coats to get the full coverage look with this one. It's super soft and goes on super light and breathable, but those attributes make it a pretty sheer foundation. If I would have applied another layer or two (I did two coats) I would have achieved the full coverage look and "hyper-pigmentation who?" But that's when the caked-on look becomes a concern, so we shall see!
The foundation blends so easily, but it transfers...a lot. Even after I applied my setting powder and spray, it got all over my hands, clothes and accessories post application. I'm gonna try it again, but I think it's safe to say that this will not be an everyday option for me.
In all, this is a decent foundation. I don't feel like it's worth the $48 that it retails for, but Yves Saint Laurent didn't get his label where it is by setting the bar low.
I still prefer my Fenty foundation over everything, but I will continue to use this one, especially because it matches my skin tone so well. It's a whole new day as I write this and I still can't get over how soft and velvety this stuff is. It comes in a very attractive, conveniently-small packaging, so it'll be easy to carry around. I would recommend this to those who are either really into stick foundations, luxury products, or looking for something with that velvety matte finish. If price is a concern, I would personally keep looking.
So...
Just to reiterate.
PROS
1. The texture is unreal...like Unicorn level velvety smooth.
2. Blendable
3. Buildable
4. Decent selection of shades (YSL could level up in this department though)
5. The matte finish is nice
6. Small & convenient shape/packaging
CONS
1. Tranfers!
2. Doesn't necessarily last 24 hours
3. Pricey
I received this product complimentary in exchange for my honest review.