Custom Color Foundation

9 Reviews

1. 

   mellowSmelt4

   Reply

   This is the third time I’ve edited this review because as time passes, the more I’ve tried this and other foundations in comparison. I am half Chinese – I have an olive complexion but a neutral toned face and a very golden-red toned neck and body. My skin type kept changing over the last year so you’ll see me review some finishes that appeared to conflict with my skin type. Don’t be put off. EA usually matches to your lower jaw but due to my mismatching tones, I asked for my neck to be scanned instead.

   Short version if you hate reading: This is a decent foundation if you use it with a good primer/powder and DON’T buy the matte finish. After two bottles I tried duping it with “infamously warm” toned foundations but none of them came close to matching my bottle. Therefore I will keep repurchasing this although I hate the price ($88NZD for a 30ml pump bottle + 8ml sample bottle) and it doesn’t have the best finish, although it lasts for a long time. If you already have a good colour match then stick with it because the formula in this is okay but not great. You will need to smudge your nose a lot because it sinks into blackheads.

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   I have this in 3 formulas:

   FIRST: medium coverage, natural finish, dry skin type, rating: 4/5
   I had very dehydrated/dry skin at the time of use.

   SECOND: sheer coverage, matte finish, oily skin type (same colour as above), rating 1/5
   I had dehydrated/combination skin at the time of use.

   THIRD: medium coverage, natural finish, combination/normal skin type (rescanned my neck for a new colour, came out too neutral but I’m not sure if that’s due to them scanning a lighter part of my neck I haven’t noticed, or the machines fault) rating: 3.75/5
   I had combination skin at the time of use.

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   FIRST and SECOND were perfect colour matches. I could literally put a line on my neck without blending and you could not see the edge at all. However FIRST had a problem with oxidising very very faintly – after five hours it would turn very faintly tanner, but it was still a natural colour. I had to use a high end primer to make this problem go away. SECOND did not change colour. THIRD changes very faintly in the first ten minutes of application – it looks too pale at first but then faintly goes a little peachier which matches more in terms of lightness but not tone. However that happens to most of my foundations after I use sprays so I don’t think the foundation is to blame.

   All 3 foundations sunk into my nose pores/blackheads and looked really really bad at the tip and between my eyebrows. I had to smudge my nose with my fingers to hide it. They are all silicone based, but have a very thin consistency that makes applying with a brush or fingers streaky. I could only get this to look good with a Beauty Blender (although the foundation brush at the EA boutique did a great job too). Knock off BBs didn’t work. It has a faint sunscreen smell that you can’t detect normally, although I like it. All three have good wear times, and FIRST and THIRD would last for over 8 hours without a primer. All 3 clung to my dry patches, although FIRST still looked a lot better in those areas. Although they all sunk into blackheads, only FIRST would sink into my (very large) cheek pores after four hours if I didn’t use a primer.

   Do not buy the matte finish – it was the worst foundation I have ever used in my life. Streaky, pilly, looked horrible and flakey even on days my skin was oily. Does not blend. Just awful. Using only this with a setting spray and high end primer (no powder or concealer) could not fix it.

   The natural finish looks beautiful for the first hour, turns dewy from the second to the fourth hours, and then is straight shiny from that point on if I don’t use any powder with it. If I use a mattifying powder (Innisfree No Sebum) and a high quality primer then it stays matte for around six hours, which is 4 hours longer than any other matte liquid foundation I’ve ever used with the same mattifying powder and primer. I’m very impressed at the natural finish because it stays whatever finish you want it to.

   General tips:

   Only buy this if you need a colour match, because although the natural finish formulas themselves are okay, they definitely aren’t worth the price at all. In terms of nice finishes I would say it goes in order of Maybelline (bad), EA (okay), Rimmel (good), and Revlon (fantastic) if you use other tools to make them all work.

   DO NOT BUY MATTE. If you buy the natural finish and use it with a good primer and mattifying powder then it will stay matte longer than using a proper matte foundation.

   Sheer is basically a tinted moisturizer and not worth the price

   If you have any dehydrated patches, you will want to apply with a damp sponge.

   Work in small sections because of how quickly this dries

   You will probably need a good quality primer with this. I have tried lots of primers out there and I’ve found Elizabeth Arden Flawless Start and Mecca To Save Face 30SPF to be the only ones that make a noticeable difference

   Last I heard, this is only available in three locations worldwide – Auckland NZ, Madrid, and NYC.

   The second time I was scanned in April 2017, the colour was too neutral toned (but still passable). Don’t be afraid to ask for a rescan if you aren’t 110% satisfied. My June 2016 scan using the NZ machine was absolutely perfect.

   I know this review sounds very critical but I do still recommend this for people who have difficulty colour matching. I just wish the formulas were better and more consistent.

2. 

   alertPlover5

   Reply

   Just bought it and so far i love it! pretty decent coverage without making you feel heavy. I also stay pretty clean with it throughout the day, which is great since my face tends to get oily.

3. 

   mereIcecream0

   Reply

   I lOVE THIS fOUNDATION . I think I found my HG foundation. The color is perfect and I dont have any breakouts no line of demarcation. And I dont Feel or look like I am wearing a mask. I get compliments on my skin every time I wear it. It makes my other products look good too. My skin looks even and not cakey. Only bad thing is the price $45 dollars for foundation is pretty steep but it’s worth it.

4. 

   morbidDoves9

   Reply

   After years of searching and wasting money, I found this custom foundation. It’s very expensive and totally worth it. I love it.

5. 

   culturedMuesli0

   Reply

   I bought this about 4 months ago, and although at first I was pleased, I’m no longer happy with this foundation.

   The color match was perfect, or at least it seemed at first. After a few days of wearing it, I realized the color was a perfect match in the lower cheek area where the color reading was taken from. But when it came to my jawline/neck area, there was a huge contrast between where the foundation ended and my clean skin began, my face looked pink and my neck yellow… the dreaded line. This was so disappointing since I had paid $45 for this foundation I no longer feel comfortable wearing. I think the problem is not the foundation, but the MA who should have noticed the different hues around my face and taken the sample from my neck instead. Don’t think I’ll repurchase, I’ll just make cheaper mistakes from now on ’till I find the right one.

6. 

   worldlyThrushe9

   Reply

   This has been a great find for my PPP skin (well almost great it has no SPF). My diligence with sun protection has meant that I can no longer find a pale enough foundation – not to mention one that doesn’t grab my rosacea flakies. The Prescriptives custom foundation is a joke and it has too much room for error – I tried it and never got a match or a finish I liked. On the other hand the EA Red Door Spa Custom Foundation is a great high-tech solution (even my hubby thought it was cool)… they point a digital reader on your neck – right beneath your jaw line get a reading and adjust your color on the computer from there (TIP – I had them add as much yellow as they could and then lighten it as much as they could to compensate for the yellow add). I choose a dry skin formula, sheer coverage and a natural finish but you can choose an oily skin formulation and medium or full coverage with matte finish too. The MA puts a bottle in place and then the foundation is automatically dispensed and mixed. BTW this foundation is not part of the regular EA line – they partnered with a company (Custom Color Labs) that provides the Custom Foundation kiosk in the EA Red Door Spas. – so far this seems soothing to my skin no breakouts – it has no fragrance and is silicone based so it should be good for sensitive skin. UPDATE: I still enjoy using this on my super pale super sensitive skin – I rotate it with my other foundations (Tarte Smooth Operator and Aromaleigh Glissade) depending on the look I want and how my skin is behaving. It also makes a nice light nonirritating eye shadow base for me.

7. 

   mellowPlover5

   Reply

   If you want a foundation that matches your skin perfectly, this is it. The consultant uses a camera thingee to take a picture of your skin, and they usually grab the color from your neck so that when you apply the color to your face, your face and neck will blend perfectly — no weird line. Some people with sensitive skin have a problem with the foundation (it’s definitely not hypo-allergenic), but most people love it. Bring your empty bottle with you and you save 20% off next time.

8. 

   excitedBagels3

   Reply

   I love this foundation. I have very difficult skin to match–colorwise. Could never find one to match and got tired of mixing several together–I have very pale neutral toned skin. This foundation matches perfectly. The medium coverage is a bit chalky but the sheer coverage is great. The only thing I don’t like about is there is no sunscreen included. The price is a bit high but I don’t have to buy it too often and I can cut corners somewhere else.

9. 

   pleasedGarlic8

   Reply

   The only reason I put that I wouldn’t buy this again is because of the price. It’s $45. The color matches perfectly to my skin and it’s nice and matte. The only thing is I don’t think it stays on all day.