Is The Il Makiage Foundation As Good As People Say? We Gave It a Try to Find Out

Value: 19/20

Functionality: 18/20

Ease of Use: 20/20

Longevity: 18/20

Results: 18/20

TOTAL: 93/100

You’ve probably seen the Il Makiage Woke Up Like This foundation plastered on your Instagram feed at some point, and honestly, the claims seemed a little too good to be true. Extremely effective medium to full coverage? Lasts all day? The color match quiz is spot on? Psh, sounds like a bunch of baloney. Alas, I was curious, so I put the foundation to a full-day wear test and was pleasantly surprised with the results.

(Note that the brand’s tagline is “Makeup for Maximalists,” so if full coverage and a matte finish are not your cup of tea, you’ll probably want to sit this one out.)

Il Makiage has a color match quiz on their site to make sure you’re getting the perfect shade within their extensive range, which includes 50 options that are broken down by undertones. The quiz asked me a series of questions like whether or not I burn in the sun, what shade of jewelry looks best on my skin, etc. I answered the questions based on my tanned summer skin, since I tend to self-tan like a mad woman during the winter anyway. I ended up with shade 40 and I have to say it matched my skin like a dream. 

I tried applying the foundation in three different ways: With the brand’s brush, using my fingers and a beauty blender sponge. The winner? My trusty beauty blender. While the brush and my fingers did a fine job, I found the beauty blender melted the product into my skin the most seamlessly. The liquid formula doesn’t feel heavy or cakey on your face, which is a major win with a medium to full coverage foundation. Plus, it’s super easy to layer with my other products, as they mesh well with the formula.

The first time I applied the foundation my skin wasn’t prepped with moisturizer and this turned out to be a big no-no. Because this foundation has a matte finish, it’s imperative that your skin is fully hydrated before you use it.

After a full day of wear (aka 12 hours of work and errands), my foundation was mostly still intact except for a wee bit of separation and dryness between my eyebrows and around my nose. However, these are my driest areas, which brings me back to my earlier point: If you have dry skin, make sure your face is fully hydrated and prepped before you wear this foundation.

That said, I liked how it seemed to hold my blush and contour in place throughout the day without the help of a setting spray. You’ll notice the foundation really does its job when you go to remove your makeup because it takes a bit of effort to get it off your skin. (Tip: Use a cleansing oil or balm first.) While this may seem like a hassle, it comes in handy when you’re at the gym because sweat is no match for the wear of the formula.

Everyone’s skin is different. You won’t know if this foundation is truly right for you unless you try it yourself. As someone with dry skin and who prefers a lighter, glowier finish for my daily makeup, I wouldn’t use this every day because it is more full coverage. However, it’s become my new go-to for nights out and special events where I need extra concealing.