Doll No.10 Hydra Gel Foundation
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ExcellentFirst Impressions
I’m going to be taking this series title to a whole new level today…
This is the “Quickest & Dirtiest” review of a product I’ve done so far- mostly because there are things that I liked and then loathed about this product. Plain and simple.
Doll No.10 reinvented their foundation formula by upgrading it to a “gel” rather than a liquid (translation: it’s liquid form in the bottle and when you’re done with the application you have a “velvety powder finish”). Okay, true enough. I do love that this product is a great solution for people with dry skin who require liquid foundations (powders can cling to dry patches of skin) but also want a matte-powder finish rather than a dewy sheen that so many liquid foundations give off. The downside to this gel is a heavy-hand can quickly turn you into Cake Face, and that biz doesn’t look good on anybody… With this foundation’s concentrated formula there is a thin line between nice, buildable, medium coverage and a thick layer of icing where your face should be. Turns out that line is a gel…
*TIP* While their synthetic Precision Foundation Brush (specifically made for the foundation) is amaze-balls, I’d recommend using a beauty sponge at the end so that you can pick up even more excess product and avoid the cakey-hot-mess that has happened to so many of us before…. Learn from our mistakes ladies!
Lastly, while I have been testing out this product, more often than not my inner-Bradshaw-monologue comes out and I couldn’t help but wonder: If you’re going to put the time, effort and money into “reinventing” your formula, why would you not spend the time to expand your color selection as well? After all, there are shades beyond “Tan” in the color wheel, yes…? Far be it from me to complain about color-range options when I have a “Light” to “Medium” skin tone that almost every makeup brand carries. But I cannot in good conscience give approval to a foundation line than only offers my “Winter to Summer” color variations and leaves out all of my other ladies (and gents) who dare to be a shade beyond… “Tan”.
Hmmm- turned out to be not so quick after all. Woops.
What We Love
- Original concept for a gel foundation is brilliant
- Absolutely love the Precision Foundation Brush made specifically to be paired with this foundation (Also see "Not So Much"....)
- A little product goes a long way due to their concentrated formula (But you will need more than "one drop")
- When applied correctly you can achieve a lovely velvet matte finish
Not So Much
- The gel sounded brilliant in theory- not so much in reality
- The synthetic brush I love & is a useful tool is an extra 32 dollars, making this a 68 dollar total
- Thin line between not enough product for coverage and having icing rather than flesh on your face
- Only offer colors in Light, Fair, Medium & Tan (Basically anyone outside of their Northern European demographic this brand mainly caters to- you're out of luck)
- Claims that one drop can cover your entire face- that is a bit of a stretch...
- Not a great long-wear product since the velvet powder finish fades to a more "wet velvet" look & that is so not what we're going for here people...