EX1 Foundation Review

EX1 Foundation

The EX1 Foundation has been in my collection for ages – I remember there being so much hype about this foundation a few years ago and I bought it, and it never really got used. It’s only been since the summer that I’ve actually started using this properly and before I’ve knew it, it’s almost all gone! So I thought I’d better get this review up before it was too late and in that massive pile of empties I still haven’t tackled (mainly cause I keep thinking this is close to ending and I want to include it!)

The EX1 Foundation used to be a little hard to get hold of and I bought it from some obscure corner of the internet, and it definitely wasn’t a cheap foundation either – I can’t remember exactly how much this was, but I know it was around the £20 mark. I noticed on a recent look around the ASOS beauty section that these are a relatively recent addition to the ASOS Beauty category, and they’re around the £20. Update: They are now also on Boots website and they’re now £12.50 – you can find it here if you’d like to give it a try.

ex1-foundation-pump

One thing I really like about this is the packaging. I’m a big fan of these types of foundations that squeeze every drop of foundation up as you go, no waste what-so ever and it stops the formula from ever airing out a bit too. I also really like the bright chrome orange colour – whilst it is totally plastic it looks fancy and feels a bit different. One thing I remember from the time that the craze around this foundation started – and is still no improvement about 3 years on, is that the shade selection  of this foundation is terrible. This is the lightest shade in F100 – and it’s verging on being too dark for me now winter is well and truly here, it’s part of the reason I’m so eager to finish it up so I’m not holding on to a few uses until it suits me again in 2017. It is a range which is self confessed to being dedicated to those with yellow undertones – but I think most paler yellow toned skins will find the range staggeringly dark. This is a great match for me now, and I’m somewhere between a NC20 and NC25 in MAC right now.

ex1-foundation-f100

I’ve found I like this applied best with my fingers, which is a rare phrase these days. Buffing brushes work okay, sponges seem to absorb the product and it ends up looking patchy. But I think with the heat of the fingers this just works really well. The coverage is medium-high and does a great job of cancelling out any redness, it’s very rare that I actually pick up a concealer in addition to this, and it lives up to it’s promise of evening out pigmentation – I find it does a great job of covering everything whilst retaining a natural finish.

ex1-foundation-close-up

This is meant to be a really good foundation for dry skins, and I’m the opposite end of the spectrum in the oily category. I find that this is a great foundation for me every day, when I don’t really care about how my makeup is looking in the office at 5.30pm on a Thursday afternoon when I work with a load of guys who wouldn’t notice if I was wearing a wing eyeliner or not. It is never the foundation I’ve chosen at a weekend if I’m out the house all day long and I’m going to bump into ten people I know in town. I like how this looks for the first 3/4 hours but after that it starts deteriorating, it never seems to look awful – but it tends to start just disappearing after about 6 hours – which is a shame as I really, really love the finish of this!

Found on Boots here.

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Helpless Whilst Drying

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20 Comments

  1. Bethany Jane
    November 18, 2016 / 9:29 am

    I’m sad this is mainly aimed at yellow undertones, cause I’d have loved to try this. I’m also a bit too pale for it I think though! The packaging is beautiful though, and I agree, those bottles that push every last drop of the product up are the best.
    Also your photography is stunning! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  2. November 18, 2016 / 9:10 am

    You can get them at Lookfantastic.com for 12.50. I just used up mine and I have to agree with you, it looks flawless for a few hours but doesn’t withstand the heat so I won’t be repurchasing it.

  3. November 18, 2016 / 1:59 pm

    not even looking at the foundation …….
    Nice lashes ….. eeek xo

  4. November 18, 2016 / 3:26 pm

    I’ve never heard of this brand / product but I do like the sounds of this. It could be a good winter foundation. And yes, these kinds of bottles are fantastic – you really can get every single last drop out of that pump. I also like that you can apply this with your fingers – looks really flawless on you!

  5. November 18, 2016 / 5:28 pm

    That does seem to have good coverage and it looks almost natural 🙂 the packaging is beautiful. More foundations should have this kind of packaging.

  6. WineAndWhine
    November 19, 2016 / 9:29 am

    This looks as though it works so great on your skin, the packaging is cute too x!

  7. November 19, 2016 / 6:44 pm

    This looks flawless on your skin! Positively beautiful! I don’t think I’ve ever seen this line in the US. You’re close to my MAC shade. I can wear NC20 and NC25 but I wear NW20 or 25.

    • November 19, 2016 / 7:02 pm

      It’s definitely not a store brand here, few select places online only. It looks really great when first applied it’s just a shame it doesn’t last. I’ve always thought I could probably get away with using NW, I lay pretty neutral – not too yellow or too pink, the last time I was colour matched in MAC she wasn’t sure whether to give me NW or NC, I think I only got NC as she asked what I normally wore!

  8. November 21, 2016 / 4:26 am

    Your skin is so flawless!

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