Review: San San Matte Finish Liquid Foundation

Finding the right kind of foundation is quite tricky as there are a lot of factors to consider - shade, coverage and staying power, to name a few. A foundation can be either your best friend or your worst enemy that is why it is important to make the necessary considerations in picking the right kind of foundation.

A foundation for medium skin tone with yellow undertones, light to medium coverage, matte finish, and lightweight makes up my check list in finding the right kind of foundation. San-San Matte Finish Liquid Foundation made a perfect score! Its affordability is just a bonus point. 

Packaging and price: I like how it's simply packaged in a matte frosted glass bottle which resembles Estee Lauder's Double Wear Foundation. It is very affordable for 140php a bottle. You might even get it for a lower price because HBC is almost always on a sale.

Shade 01 and Shade 03

It comes with a spatula applicator which is intended for scooping up the product. Applying the spatula directly to your face is not advisable as it might contaminate your foundation. I prefer liquid foundations  with spatula applicators over pump bottles because I can always control the amount to be dispensed. What I do is scoop enough amount and apply it at the back of my hands and get the foundation from there using my fingers or a foundation brush.

Shade 01

Shade, consistency, coverage: It is available in four different shades. I only have two - 01 and 03. Shade 01 is the lightest shade that has yellow undertones. Even if it appears way too light for my skin tone, it is very blendable and does not leave any white cast unlike most liquid foundations that I have tried. The picture is enough evidence! Formula is a bit runny making it easy to blend and spread well. 

Shade 03

Shade 03 suits medium to dark skin tones with yellow under tones. It is a perfect match for me! Like shade 01, it blends well and does not leave any white, ghastly cast on the face. It provides light to medium coverage. It minimizes the appearance of my pimples but does not conceal it completely. A semi-matte finish would be appropriate as opposed to a completely matte finish. 

Even if Shade 03 is a perfect match for my skin tone, I still mix it with shade 01 to for my face to appear a bit brighter. What I really appreciate about the product is it's well suited for Filipina skintone. No more fears of looking like an espasol, Casper or Foundation Day. Ha! The product photographs well, too! I always use this for models during Chicadora shoots. 

I used Shade 01 for the fair skinned Monique (left) and mixed Shade 01 and 03 for Julianne (right) with medium skin tone.

Staying power and formulation: It stays up to 4-5 hours depending on the weather. Setting it with a powder can extend longetivity. As I've said earlier, it has a runny texture which is not a bad thing for me because I find it easier to spread. Also, it has a vanilla/coconut scent which I like but might be an issue to some. It does not contain any SPF that is why it is recommended to put a moisturizer with SPF underneath when used during daytime. 

Lalaloove the semi-matte finish!

What I like:

• Affordable
• Formulation
• Semi-matte finish
• Shades available are suited for morena skin
• Vanilla/coconut scent
• No white cast
• Super blendable
• Lightweight feel
• Photographs well

What I don't like:

• Not for long wear
• No oil-control capabilities

Rating:

9/10

Because of its affordability and the fact that it blends with my skin tone well, I love it! I think it is perfect for photo shoots because it really photographs well. I gave it a high rating because of my own set of ideals in choosing the right kind of foundation - a foundation for medium skin tone with yellow undertones, light to medium coverage, matte finish, and lightweight. It eliminated my fear of looking like the friendly ghost.

What's your favorite foundation brand? I would love to hear from you!