Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation

After hearing great things about the original Healthy Mix, I was thrilled to see the new version make its way to Canadian counters via the Shopper's Drug Mart/Pharmaprix and Murale stores. I initially became interested in Healthy Mix when I heard it compared to Chanel's Pro Lumiere, which has been living under mortal threat for the last few months. (Though perhaps not in Canada, as none of the SAs I've spoken to seem to have any idea of supposed discontinuations. And yes, we still have Dragon Allure Laque.)

But back to the Healthy Mix Serum Gel Foundation. The website makes a few claims, including "70% more radiance" and "flawless complexion for up to 16 hours".

#53 - Beige Clair (Light Beige)

I can definitely agree with the radiance part. The label on the back indicates that the finish is semi-matte and the coverage is light, and that's exactly right.

The formula has enough matte texture to pick up on flaky skin, if you have it, but retains a beautiful luminosity that does indeed convey the look of healthy, radiant skin. It reminds me a bit of Pro Lumiere in that aspect, but otherwise I would not compare the two. (They're both silicone-based foundations, but Pro Lumiere has more coverage, is a touch more luminous, and feels silkier.)

The coverage is light in the sense that I still needed concealer to hide blemishes and dark circles, but it did a great job of masking the general redness I have in my cheeks.

I applied it with fingers, a flat foundation brush, a buffing brush and the Beauty Blender, and found that the flat brush gave the best results - slightly stronger coverage and less emphasis on any flaky areas. I'm not sure why they call this a "gel" foundation, but it pumps out a little thickly, and starts to go more liquid as soon as you start applying it. Neat texture.

From thicker to more liquid as the product is worked in.

On my combination skin, this leans more towards the satin end of the finish spectrum, especially as the day goes on. I find I like it best when I set the t-zone with a little powder, and while this did last through an average work day, I did need to lightly re-powder my nose after about 6 hours. Drier skin types will probably see longer-lasting results, though I'm not sure if they will attain the 16-hour claim either. It will probably tend to look more matte on those skin types as well.

(ADDENDUM: I've found the latter to be true during these last few days, as winter weather and indoor heating have tipped my combo skin to the drier side. I've also found that it also lasts longer on me, probably about 10 hours while still looking semi-matte and intact.)

Blended out on the skin.

That said, I think this is a really lovely foundation, especially if you're looking for something that leaves your skin looking like skin, only amped up. I think it would be ideal for slightly oily to slightly dry skin that just needs some evening out. (Though if you need more targeted coverage, you can use this as a light base and just spot-cover with some concealer, for a truly natural look.)

What I do find problematic, actually, is how limited the shade range is. I used shade 53 (Beige Clair), but the lightest and deepest tones were not all that different from mine. I'm a light-medium (NC 20 in MAC, 20 Cameo in Pro Lumiere), for reference. I really hope  Bourjois expands the range after the initial introduction, because this is a foundation that every woman should be able to try.

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Availability: In Canada, available at SDM/Pharmparix and Murale. Price is 27$.

Pros: Natural, second-skin finish. Gorgeous, fake-it-if-you-need-to healthy glow.

Cons: Semi-matte texture can pick up on dry patches, so exfoliation is a must. Not as long-wearing as the claim, at least not on oilier areas. The shade range is shockingly limited.

(I purchased this from Pharmaprix.)