If you’re like me, and a fan of all things glowy, then you know the struggle to find full coverage foundations that still offer a radiant finish. It’s like makeup brands decided that full coverage and dewy are mutually exclusive and that anyone who’s got a lot to cover must also want their foundation to be matte.
The thing is, there are lots of us out there (especially those with dry complexions) who’d rather our skin not look like flaky sandpaper, but still need to create a flawless canvas. That’s where the Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation comes in.
- Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation Overview
- Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation Review
- Cruelty-Free and Vegan Status
- Where to Buy the Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation
- Final Thoughts
Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation Overview
The Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation retails for $42 and contains 1 oz of product. The foundation comes in a squeeze tube and there are 40 shades in the line.
Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation Review
Claims
Cover FX describes the Natural Finish Foundation as a water-based foundation that delivers 12-hour coverage and a natural, second-skin finish. The formula is said to be hydrating and contain powerful antioxidants.
Consistency
When you first squeeze it out, the Natural Finish Foundation has a thicker consistency that’s more similar to a cream. It won’t run the way an average liquid foundation would if it was sitting on your hand and you tilted it. So I think the squeeze tube packaging was a smart choice considering the thicker texture of this foundation.
As you blend it in, you can really feel the rich consistency of the foundation. It maintains a denseness that really seems to hydrate the skin. Because it is on the thicker side, it takes a bit more effort to blend in than a super liquidy foundation would, but it does meld nicely with the skin once blended.
Once its applied you can really feel the added moisture, almost as if the foundation slightly plumped the skin.
I didn’t find that it leaves a tacky finish on the skin once it sets, but more like just a hydrated feeling as if you’d applied moisturizer. It’s not tacky enough to where setting powder would be absolutely necessary, though I still apply a light layer to help with wear time.
I recommend applying the Natural Finish foundation with a damp beauty blender or starting with a brush and finishing off with a damp beauty blender if you wanted maximum coverage.
Coverage
Here’s where the Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation really shines.
Most radiant or hydrating complextion products tend be on the lighter side in terms of coverage. Usually, the highest they’ll go is a medium coverage at best.
The Natural Finish Foundation does a great job, not only of evening out the skin tone, but also covering redness, blemishes, and dark spots.
Compared to the fullest of the full coverage products in my collection, like the Jouer Essential High Coverage Creme Foundation, I’d say it covers slightly less. I’d put it in the same category as Urban Decay’s All Nighter Foudnation which is pretty high, if not completely full coverage.
Finish
And of course, the finish is what puts this foundation over the top.
True to its name, the Natural Finish Foundation leaves the skin with a very natural luminosity. The finish is not so glossy to the point where I would call it dewy or shiny. Rather it imparts a subtle glow that keeps the skin looking fresh and healthy.
It’s definitely not as glowy as Chanel Vitalumiere Moisture Rich. I’d say the finish is more along the lines of It Cosmetics Bye Bye Foundation.
Shade Range
Cover FX is known for their extensive shade ranges and the Natural Finish Foundation is no exception. They’ve got 40 shades to choose from and they do a fantastic job at systematically categorizing them so it’s easy choose your correct shade.
They’ve broken their shades into four main categories based on undertone. P for pink or cool, N for neutral, G for golden or warm, and G+ for olive. And then they’ve labeled the shades with descending number based on depth. So P10, for example, would be light with pink undertones. P20 would be the next shade down, while G10 would be the same depth as P10 but with golden undertones.
I wear currently wear the shade G40+ although I’ve worn G50 in the past and I think it was a better match. I also have the shade G40 but it was looking a bit yellow on me, so I’m glad that they added the + shades to the line.
Ingredient Callouts
Cover FX puts a lot of emphasis on using clean, non irritating ingredients. The Natural Finish Foundation qualifies as:
- Oil Free
- Fragrance Free
- Gluten Free
- Mineral Oil Free
- Paraben Free
- Phthalate Free
- Sulfate Free
- Talc Free
The foundation includes Vitamins C,E, and F as well as squalane which contributes to its hydration factor.
While the foundation is said to be fragrance free, I pick up on a noticeable scent when I apply it. It definitely doesn’t smell like traditional fragrance so I assume it’s the natural scent of the ingredients without any masking agents.
Possible Dupes
As mentioned above I found the finish of the Natural Finish Foundation really similar to that of the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Foundation. That product, however, breaks down to a thinner consistency than the Cover FX, and offers less coverage.
The thing that really strikes me as very close to the Natural Finish Foundation is the Flower Beauty Light Illusion Foundation. It has a very similar consistency and also provides a nice amount of moisture to the skin. The finish is very reminiscent of the Cover FX Natural Finish and the coverage level is close, perhaps slightly less. Light Illusion does contain SPF15 which Natural Finish does not, but overall, both foundations function very similarly.
The biggest difference would be the shade ranges. Flower Beauty’s line clocks in at a mere 15 shades. This wouldn’t be too bad if it was a sheer product but Light Illusion actually gives a good amount of coverage so the wrong shade can be pretty noticeable. Compounding the issue is the fact that half the shades are never available at major retailers like Ulta or Amazon. Walmart does seem to carry a decent chunk of shades and the full line is available at Flower Beauty.
If you can find a shade that works for you I’d say Flower Beauty Light Illusion is a pretty good dupe for the Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation.
Cruelty-Free and Vegan Status
As per the brand, all of Cover FX’s products are cruelty-free and vegan. Neither they, nor their suppliers test ingredients or finished products on animals, and they also don’t have any third parties test on their behalf. Their products are not sold anywhere where animal testing is required by law.
Where to Buy the Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation
- Ulta – Free shipping on orders over $35
- Cover FX – Free shipping on orders over $50
- *Sephora – Free shipping on orders over $50 and free returns.
- Beautylish – Free shipping on orders over $35 and free returns. International shipping available.
- Dermstore – Free shipping and free returns
*As of mid 2020, Sephora has discounted all Cover FX products as they will no longer be carrying the brand. The foundation is currently discounted to 50% off.
Regardless of where you choose to purchase from, make sure to check if Rakuten (ebates) is offering cashback. Sephora offers cashback for anywhere from 2% to 8% so it’s definitely worth looking into. If you haven’t signed up for Rakuten yet, you can do so here, it only takes a minute and then you’ll earn cash back every time you shop through their link. They also have an extension which I recommend installing, that activates cashback on all eligible websites with one click. It also scans for coupons.
Final Thoughts
So the Cover FX Natural Finish Foundation definitely gets my vote. Its probably my top rec for a high coverage, luminous foundation that’s also hydrating. The skin really looks beautiful when wearing it and it’s great at adding moisture as well. If you really don’t like thicker textures to your foundation but still want hight coverage + radiance, I’d steer you toward the Nars All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation.
Pros
- High coverage
- Naturally radiant finish
- Adds hydration to the skin
- Extensive shade range
- Free of lots of potential irritants
Cons
- Texture needs a bit more work to blend out
- Can feel a bit heavy
- May be too hydrating for some skin types
Thanks for reading, feel free to leave a comment below.
Bye now,
