I’ve never been a foundation girl. My makeup arsenal is full of BB creams, CC creams, tinted serums, and any other version of breathable face makeup that is anything but the foundation. But as we return to our “new normal,” I’m trying to break old beauty habits and give products I’ve initially written off in the past a second chance, like foundation. I chose to test an editor-favorite — the Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra 24H Long Wear Foundation. I’ve heard my fellow BeautyLeeBar.com editors, as well as beauty influencers on social media, sing its praises so I had to get my hands on a bottle. The brand kindly sent one over so I could share my experience as someone who’s always had an aversion to a foundation.
The Formula
Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Foundation is hailed for its 24-hour full-coverage formula that leaves behind a natural matte finish with SPF 15. The fact that it comes in 50 diverse shades makes the daunting task of finding your foundation true match way easier. I used the E-Shade Finder on Lancome.com, a virtual foundation shade-matcher tool, to find my skin’s best foundation shade, which turned out to be 520 Suede Warm.
The formula itself contains eternal soft polymers which Lancôme notes allow for “an increased level of comfort for ultra-long wear”, plus ingredients like perlite and silica to absorb excess oil.
My Experience
After applying face primer, I blended in a few drops with a makeup sponge and then went back in to add a couple more drops for my desired coverage. The color blended beautifully into my skin tone and might be the closest match to any of my face makeup (proof of the E-Shade Finder’s powers). I finished the rest of my makeup and went about my day, never having to blot my T-zone area.
My go-to complexion products leave me with my desired dewy look, so I was nervous about how I’d feel with a matte complexion. When I think of anything matte, I think of the matte lipstick formulas that glide on smooth but eventually tighten throughout the day, resulting in cracked lips. But a cracked complexion wasn’t the case at all for me here. Instead, my skin looked polished without being overly matte and felt comfortable enough to wear all day.
While I’m still not ready to fully retire my signature dewy makeup look, I will make a space in my arsenal for this foundation. I feel like I’ve found the unicorn of foundations in Lancôme Teint Idole Ultra Foundation: semi-matte, but not flat, oil-absorbing, and true to color.
