Something I’ve always like about It Cosmetics is how they’ve created several categories of similarly themed products within their line. Take their Je Ne Se Quoi collection of lip and cheek products centered around one iconic shade. Or their Bye Bye Makeup collection of high performance complexion items. It gives a sense of cohesion to their concise lineup of makeup and skincare. The It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation is a recent addition from the same collection as their bestselling CC+ Cream.
I’ve had good experiences with several of It Cosmetics’ face products and I’m usually down to try any of their new releases. The It Cosmetics CC+ in both the standard and Illumination versions are staples in my collection and I’m a fan of the Bye Bye Foundation. This being touted as having a natural radiant finish seemed right up my ally and when Ulta discounted it, it was a no brainer.
- It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation Overview
- It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation Review
- Cruelty-free and Vegan Status
- Where to Buy the It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation
- Final Thoughts
It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation Overview
The It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation retails for $39.50 and contains 1 fl. oz. of product. The packaging is a slim glass bottle that is fitted with a pump and there are forty shades in the line.
It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation Review
Claims
The official title is the Your Skin But Better Foundation + Skincare (you know It Cosmetics loves their + signs). Right on the bottle it claims to “improve bare skin in two week” (…and cue skepticism). The formula is said to contain Hyaluronic Acid and Aloe Vera extract as well as Vitamins E and B5. They say it provides buildable, medium coverage, minimizes pores, and hydrates the skin.
Looking at the ingredient list, the Vitamin E and B5 are about halfway down the list so I would assume it’s not a particularly high concentration.
If you’re familiar with my reviews you know by now that I usually avoid reviewing long term skincare benefits, especially those made by makeup claiming to be infused with skincare. In general many products that make those claims, contain minute amounts of skincare ingredients and I wouldn’t rely on them to be very effective. I also find that there are too many variables involved, at least in my daily routine, for me to accurately asses whether one product is really making a difference. So I’m reviewing its performance solely as a foundation.
Consistency
The best description I have for the texture of the Your Skin But Better Foundation is serum-like. It’s not particularly runny when you first pump it out but as you blend it, it breaks down in no time at all to a thin, weightless liquid that immediately sinks into the skin.
It also seems to be providing a good amount of moisture to my face. My skin doesn’t feel greasy any way but there’s a almost cooling sensation, like my face just took a drink of water.
The foundation pretty much dries down completely with just the slightest hint of moisture left on the skin. It’s almost to the point where I wouldn’t necessarily feel like I absolutely had to set it with powder which is pretty unique for a hydrating foundation.
Because the texture is so thin I used an Artis brush to maximize coverage which worked well. When using a brush to apply, I usually like to go over my foundation with a damp Beauty Blender just to seamlessly finish it off. I did that with this foundation but you wouldn’t necessarily need to. It managed to blend in fine with just a brush.
Serum foundations are huge right now but this is probably the best version that I’ve tried. The Pat McGrath Sublime Perfection Foundation is more runny than the Your Skin But Better and yet it takes longer to absorb into the skin and remains more visible. The Ilia True Skin Serum Foundation is thicker in consistency and leaves a heavier feel on the skin. The It Cosmetics by contrast is truly weightless is practically undetectable once it dries.
Coverage
So with all the above descriptions of how thin the foundation is and how is absorbs right into the skin you’d think the coverage would be minimal.
Well true to the brand’s claim, it starts out at a legitimately medium coverage level. One layer evened out my skin tone and covered most of the redness around my nose. A second layer managed to significantly decrease the look of a blemish, though it didn’t completely camouflage it.
Your Skin But Better builds nicely on itself. It won’t build to completely full coverage but it’s definitely enough for minor discoloration or everyday wear.
Finish
One of the issues I had with the other serum foundations that I’ve tried is that the finish wasn’t a glowy or flattering as I had hoped it would be. This foundation is touted as having a naturally radiant finish and I think that’s a pretty accurate description. The finish is so seamless that to look up close at my skin, you really can’t tell that there’s foundation there.
Because Your Skin But Better is such a lightweight foundation, I found that the primer I wore underneath it did effect the finish.
When wearing a hydrating primer like Too Faced’s HangoveRx Primer, the finish of the foundation was a natural glow. I wouldn’t really call it dewy because like I said, the foundation does dry down. It’s more that the light reflects off the foundation as I turned my head but still looks like natural skin.
With the Ole Henrikson Banana Bright Primer, which is more mattifying, the foundation was still basically undetectable but didn’t catch the light quite as much as with the hydrating primer. It looked more like natural skin as opposed to naturally radiant skin, if that makes sense.
I was really pleased with the finish because it’s rare for a foundation to manage to provide glow without the tackiness. Most glowy foundations are dewy enough that they need to be set with powder which interferes with the finish. This is a unique case where you can basically wear it as is, you’ll get a natural glow, but the foundation will have fully set.
Shade Range
Shade range has always been a weak point for It Cosmetics. A lot of their complexion products available in really limited selections of shades. Happily, however, the Your Skin But Better Foundation is available in forty shades.
There’s a good range of light to deep shades with several for fair skin and quite a few options for deep skin. The shades are broken down into six categories Fair, Light, Medium, Tan, Rich, and Deep. They’ve labeled their shades with both the depth as well as the undertone, so Light Warm, Light Neutral etc. which I appreciate. I find it easier to select the correct shade when there’s a description of the color provided.
I wear the shade Medium Neutral 31 which is a nearly perfect match for my NC30 Skin.
Cruelty-Free and Vegan Status
It Cosmetics is PETA certified cruelty free. Neither they nor their suppliers test ingredients and finished products on animals and their products are not sold in China where animal testing is required by law.
It Cosmetics is owned by Loreal who does test on animals.
It Cosmetics makes no claims of their products being vegan.
Where to Buy the It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better Foundation | $39.50
- Sephora – Free shipping on orders over $50 and free returns.
- Ulta – Free shipping on orders over $35.
- Beautylish – Free shipping on orders over $35 and free returns. International shipping available.
- Macys – Free shipping on orders over $25 and free returns.
- QVC – $46 for the foundation and with the Heavenly Luxe Brush and free shipping.
- It Cosmetics – Free shipping on orders over $25.
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 cashback every time you shop through their link. They also have an extension which I recommend installing, that activates cash back on all eligible websites with one click and it also scans for coupons.
Final Thoughts
I have to say, the Your Skin But Better Foundation really impressed me. The texture is absolutely weightless, the coverage is really good, and the finish is beautiful. I don’t think I’ve come across another foundation that combines all the above qualities, and is also hydrating and self-setting. I think it’s great option if you want lightweight medium coverage and if you’ve been looking to try a serum foundation, this is definitely my top pick.
Pros
- Lightweight texture feels weightless on the skin
- Give good medium coverage and builds easily on itself
- Absorbs immediately into the skin
- Provides light hydration
- Gives a skin-like, naturally radiant finish
- Looks undetectable on the skin
- Available in a good range of shades
Cons
- none that I can think of unless you want super matte or super full coverage
Thanks for reading, let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Bye now,
