Illuminare Extra Coverage Foundation: Review & Swatches (three shades)

Hello, Beautiful!

It seems the past two months have been full of foundation testing. I always seem to be on the search for the next best full coverage foundation - something that is truly full coverage, looks natural, and lasts. Recently I fell in love with Rimmel's Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation (you can read my review and check out swatches here). I still love and use that foundation now on a daily basis, but I've had my eye on the Illuminare line of foundations for awhile now.

A makeup artist I used to work with first told me about them, but I never really looked into them. Then I saw they had a foundation sample pack on their website and quickly placed my order. You get to try out three foundations and you get three shades in each foundation (Sienna Sun, Florentine Fair, and Portofino Porcelain).

Here's what's included in the sample pack:

You receive Fantastic Finish Foundation, Extra Coverage Foundation, and Ultimate All Day Foundation. They say each sample can give you 3 to 4 full face applications.

[You can purchase the Illuminare foundation sample pack for $10 on their website. You can purchase the full sized Extra Coverage Foundation for $27 on their website.]

Review:

What is it? Illuminare Extra Coverage Foundation is described as a foundation that gives you extra coverage without the makeup look. Provides a semi-matte finish. Serves dual purpose as a full coverage foundation and a concealer. Excellent for concealing redness, hyperpigmentation, acne and dark circles underneath the delicate eye area.

Quick Breakdown
Coverage: Full coverage
Finish: Semi-matte
How it goes on: Smoothly; easy to blend. A little goes a long way.
How long it lasts: Without a primer or setting powder, this looked great for around 4 to 6 hours before it started to fade and look noticeable. Using a primer and setting powder will prolong the wear.
Would I recommend it?: Yes, without a doubt! If you have major flaws to cover, or you want a foundation that will give you the ultimate coverage for a special night out, this is it!

So what do I think? Based on my experience, I think this is a fantastic foundation! It is full coverage. It did cover almost all my flaws (and there are many of them) with just one layer. I did layer it over those extra trouble spots and it covered them seamlessly. This probably has the most coverage out of any foundation I've ever used... and I've tried a lot! I didn't use a concealer with it because I didn't need to!

It goes on smoothly and doesn't show my dry or flaky areas. I have combo oily/dry skin and it worked well with my skin type. A little does go a long way. They say a pea sized drop will cover your entire face. I probably used slightly more, but I did layer it in areas. But considering how much I typically use with other foundations the amount I needed to use with this foundation was very little. I used a moisturizer underneath, but not a primer or setting powder (something I typically do when first testing out foundation to see their true wear). I would say that I would have to use a primer and setting powder with this to get the perfect application and wear. It looked natural and pretty when first applied, but maybe 4 to 6 hours later it looked noticeable on my face and had started to fade away. That problem should be solved with the use of a primer and setting powder.

Shade selection and choice? I have to say that if I hadn't seen the shades in person I would have been hesitant to purchase the shade that works for me. Florentine Fair is a near perfect match for my skin tone, yet the name is deceiving. It's not a fair shade at all; it's a medium shade. Sienna Sun would be a great match for me in the summer time... maybe with a little Florentine Fair mixed in. The other shade included in the sample pack is Portofino Porcelain, which is too light for me but I probably could mix that and Sienna Sun to get a shade that works for me (which is what I might do to get the most use of this sample pack). There are only five shades available, but they are very forgiving and wearable shades. You can mix two or more if needed to get the just-right-for-you shade. And if you need a full coverage foundation, and you know how frustrating it is to find one that is truly full coverage, mixing two shades together isn't a big deal if you know the foundation is fantastic.. and this foundation is! The shades blend out slightly lighter than they appear in the tube, which you'll see in the swatch photos.

Swatches:

Here are all three shades of next to each other (you can click on them to view them larger):

Illuminare Extra Coverage Foundation in Florentine Fair

Illuminare Extra Coverage Foundation in Sienna Sun

Illuminare Extra Coverage Foundation in Portofino Porcelain

I'll do a review and swatches on the Illuminare Fantastic Finish Foundation and the Illuminare Ultimate All Day Foundation very soon. The shade colors are very consistent across all three foundation types, so you can go by the swatch photos above to choose your shade if you wanted to purchase one of the other foundations in the sample pack.

Have you tried this foundation? If so, what do you think?

Have a great weekend everyone!