Very Natural-looking! The UrbanDecay Stay Naked weightless foundation is true to its name. The formula is really light and slightly on the runny side. This makes it very easy to blend and layer without a problem. I've experienced no issues with patchiness due to the formula being so thin. Personally, I did prefer using a brush to get a higher coverage but it also worked well with a sponge. Upon one layer it stands at a decent low medium coverage and at its peak you are looking at a high medium coverage all while maintaining a very natural appearance. What I mean by "natural" is that the finish is very skin-like; it doesn't sit on your face in a cakey way. The finish is on the matte side but not completely matte as it does reflect the light some. So, you're looking at a demi-matte or velvet matte finish. On me, it didn't progressively become dewy throughout the day but some oil did come through as expected. Because of the nature of the foundation, it didn't really settle into my laugh lines as much or under eye lines compared to other foundations. I had no problems with it after setting it with my go to setting powder or with blending bronzer, blush, highlight etc... over-top it. The foundation does set enough that if you have dry skin and wish not to use a setting powder you should experience no issues doing it that way as well. With regards to the foundation as a whole apart from its performance, the variety of undertones available is really on the inclusive side of the spectrum and as such should suit a wide-range of individuals. And, the demi-matte finish should, theoretically, be in favor of both people with dry skin and those with oilier skin types. My only con of the product was not the foundation itself but rather the bottle. I'm not sure if my pump was defective, however, it dispersed the product semi-haphazardly and the foundation had a tendency to spray everywhere. All in all, it was a good foundation that was easy to work with and incorporated a skin-like look and feel while retaining medium coverage. I would recommend this foundation to anyone looking for a lighter, more weightless feeling foundation and to anyone looking for a more natural finish to their foundation.
Honest Review I'm one of those people who was incredibly disappointed that the original foundation was discontinued, but I wanted to give this foundation a fair try. This is my experience wearing it for 2 weeks for 8-10 hours each day. Note that I'm of course comparing it to the previous formula but my review still stands as an honest experience with the foundation. (Skin type: predominantly oily with occasional dryness around nose/mouth during cold months)
Color match: Previously a 4.0 in the original foundation, I was matched with 50WY which I think is the best shade in the range for me. Out of 5 stars, the shade itself gets about a 3.5. I can definitely make it work, but the 50WY is decidedly more yellow and less olive than the 4.0.
Texture: I like the texture better than a lot of other foundations on the market, but it's not fluid like the original, which I personally miss. This one definitely feels thicker, not quite as weightless.
Coverage: Definitely firmly in the light to medium category which is ideal for me. I don't need a foundation to give me full coverage; I simply want an even tone on my face. I like customizable coverage, so I want something light and buildable that I can layer where I want to, and when I have breakouts, I just use small dots of a full coverage concealer. This technique has served me well through my 20s and is how I avoid looking cake-y.
Wear: I tried applying with a damp sponge and the old UD buffing brush. It wore pretty well, or at least as well as foundation can last on me throughout a work day. My skin gets oily fast so I see separation in the typical areas in most foundations I try. But note that I don't wear primer and despite being oily, I don't powder often. I wear an oil-free SPF under my makeup. This makeup didn't look too heavy on me, but I felt it did look more obviously like makeup than the original formula which just mimicked smooth, even skin.
My main concern/problem with this foundation: The alcohol content. Alcohol denat. (the harsh, drying alcohol, not the moisturizing type of alcohol like cetyl/stearyl/cetearyl/behenyl you'd want to see in a skin product) is the 3rd or 4th ingredient in this list. Years of skincare research has taught me that the higher on the ingredients list, the more the product contains. Here's the thing to note: I didn't look at the ingredients until about a week of wearing this because I liked the original so much and trusted UD. What got me to look into it was that my skin was getting noticeably dry and flaky. When I finally pieced this together I felt pretty dumb, because I'd been looking into every cause *but* the foundation. But when I saw the alcohol, it made sense.
Something you're putting on your face and wearing for long periods of time simply should not have alcohol in it. Especially this much. No matter what skin type you have. No matter how emollient and protective you feel your skin prep is. Any dermatologist, skincare scientist, or skincare enthusiast will tell you that. This will cause irritation and longterm negative effects and is not worth it. After the second week and not being able to take being flaky every day, I stopped wearing this foundation. After a few days of giving my skin a break and tending to it with jojoba oil, the flakiness went away.
What alcohol offers a foundation is fluidity and a light feel, but I'm confused about the addition, because the original formula was truly fluid yet didn't have alcohol denat. And man, I miss that formula. I went through bottles and bottles of it. I had never liked other foundations before trying that one. To find something so light, so natural yet buildable, and a near-perfect shade of olive for my mixed race complexion that is so often neglected or matched with way-too-yellow shades, seemed rare. I felt like I never had to worry about it being discontinued, knowing so many others felt the same way. Wasn't this somewhat of a "cult product"? I didn't even realize it was reformulated until it was too late; I never had the chance to get a back-up bottle.
UD, if you're reading, I hope you consider this. Your old formula was IT. I understand that there's a lot that goes into product development, including research, countless formulations and testing, etc. But I'm baffled by this change. I see so many reviews echoing my sentiments. I know we all seem dramatic, but foundation is a such a personal thing. For many of us, it's the literal foundation of our confidence when we step out into the world. Trying to find a replacement is a tiring and expensive task. The rest of your makeup looks different, sits differently.
This was longer than intended, so thanks for sticking around if you have. Note that the 2 stars are simply for how it looks on the skin, but due to the high amount of alcohol denat., I can't recommend buying this, no matter what type of skin you have.
P.S. Don't discontinue the eyeshadow in Smog.
Light olive foundation! 5
2022-08-01
I have cool toned light olive skin. It is really near impossible to find a foundation to match me. I've finally found my holy grail foundation! I'm also a vegan so the fact that a lot of your products, including this, one are vegan is such a win. Please don't ever stop making this shade!! I have heard from others in the olive groups I'm in that they would really like an olive shade in the 40 range as well. Thanks so much!
Love my foundation 5
2022-07-27
Love this foundation I have been using it for years can't find my shade anywhere so glad I was about to order though your site.
Perfect foundation 5
2022-07-21
I wore Estée Lauder Double Wear For years but they keep going up on price so I decided to give this foundation a try. It did not disappoint in fact I think it's better. It matches and stays better. I didn't not oxidize and felt light weight on my skin. I'm glad I found it!
Flawless 5
2022-07-21
I love how the foundation looks on my face, flawless.
The best foundation I've ever used 5
2022-07-19
This is by far, the hands down best foundation. It feels like nothing, I can wear it 12+ hours & not feel
Gross. It looks like skin & color match is perfect. I was a die hard Estée Lauder girl in HS then bare minerals for the last 13 years & I just have no words. I love this foundation!
