Lancome Teint Idole Ultra 24H Foundation

I'm pretty faithless when it comes to foundation. My current foundation may be perfectly adequate, but I'm always looking for something better, brighter and more exciting around the next corner. After trying out two of the more recent foundations from Lancôme I have to say that any newcomers will have a lot to live up to.

The first one I want to review is the reformulated version of Teint Idole, which claims an "all-day flawless complexion" and "ensures a shine-free and retouch-free complexion".

Like most of Lancôme's products, this foundation has beautiful, elegant packaging, with a nicely weighted frosted glass bottle, a tight-fitting cap and a controlled pump dispenser.

They also have a substantial range of shades, though still nothing for very deep skin tones. (My match is the 210 Buff N.)

Having never tried the original version, I can't compare the two, but I suspect that aside from the claims of increased durability, the reformulation likely has an improved texture. Certainly I found it to be nice and creamy, yet very easy to apply and sheer out. Like most modern matte-finish foundations, this has a relatively short working period, as it dries down quickly and lastingly.

One squirt applied to bare skin, rubbed in with my fingers.
Indirect natural daylight.

The coverage is a solid medium, and can be sheered out or built up. This is the kind of foundation that can make you look airbrushed and perfect, with very little effort.

The finish is absolutely matte, meaning that it will not easily forgive fine lines or texture, but it will control shine. Tenaciously so. I did not test the 24 hour claim, but it lasted from 5am until 10pm relatively unscathed. I found it started to look a little flaky on my cheeks toward 7-8pm, but otherwise it remained fresh. I did not set it with powder, so where I had applied heavier moisturizer it allowed a slight glow to come through, and remained matte otherwise. My skin is not terribly oily these days, however, so I can't vouch for how well it will hold up on very oily skin. On combo skin it's perfect.

The best application was with a damp sponge, as a buffing brush pickup up on the dry flakies, and a flat foundation brush gave me a bit more coverage than I needed (which obviously would not be a problem if you prefer that level of coverage). The damp sponge afforded to most natural look (and allowed some of the moisturizer glow to peek through), but I did not find it cakey otherwise. I did experience some mild pore-settling around my nose, which is something that can be resolved by buffing the foundation in. If that is a concern for you, be aware that this is something that I did experience.

Teint Idole and Clarins Ever Matte are the kind of foundations that make me love matte again - easy to apply, long-lasting, light-feeling. The fact that I don't need to powder them is a huge plus, especially since I would likely use this kind of finish in the summer and generally prefer having the least amount of product on my face during that season. Teint Idole edges out Ever Matte for me, though, and that's mostly because I prefer medium coverage foundations. A foundation I can sheer out is more versatile than one that needs to be built up.

Availability: At The Bay, lancome.ca, Murale and Pharmaprix locations that stock Lancôme. The price is 50$ CAD.

Pros: Perfect coverage - blots out imperfections without deadening the skin - and great durability. Excellent shade selection for light-to-medium skin. Feels light for something with that much coverage and very comfortable despite the matte finish. Looks polished and professional with minimum fuss.

Cons: Can settle into pores, will emphasize texture, so not my first pick for dry or mature skin, unless you're prepared to sacrifice the youthful, light-bouncing properties of dewier foundations for an impeccable finish.

(I purchased this item at Bon Ton in the US.)