Foundations and I are on a merry dance at the moment, happy in the first awkward stages of a relationship where we’re trying to figure one another out. I grabbed a load of samples so I have a very long compilation post on the cards but I’m jumping ahead of myself because I was sent the brand new MUFE foundation to try from PAM (Precious About Makeup) who are an amazing site for pro makeup and, I have to admit, I fell pretty hard here ladies. As in it’s the number one contender now to be used for my wedding type of love.
I’ve only tried a mini sample pot of the original foundation which I did really like and was considering buying but I’ve had more time to really get to know this ultra HD version. This has moved along to match how HD technology has advanced, so now it’s meant to match the incredible hyper detail of today’s cameras. That all sounds good but the real change here is that the formula is different and that’s dividing MUFE HD Foundation fans down the line. I was talking to one of the girls in MUFE who said the older version will be phased out but for now I thought a comparison post may be helpful if you’re unsure of which to buy. Unfortunately the sample pot just ran out before I had a chance to do swatches but I trialed them very carefully against one another so hopefully a little info will help here.
Shade Selection // The shade selection of both is seriously impressive with great shades for red and yellow based skin tones and 40 shades in total ranging from pale to dark. The numbering system has changed for the new Ultra HD shades which is instantly confusing but thankfully MUFE are printing both the old and new numbers on the base so you know where you are in a sea of shades. Ivory is a good shade but slightly darker than I thought it would be. It definitely isn’t my definition of Ivory with a red undertone that runs slightly too warm for what you’d expect. I tried one shade lighter in the regular HD which is probably the best shade for me but to be honest, I can get away with either one once I’m powdered up. With so many shades though, definitely ask for sample pots as MUFE are great for giving samples and it can be really hard to just go by eye.
On application // The new Ultra HD is thin but gives a beautiful natural coverage as long as you don’t mistakenly put on too much. I’m able to apply a couple of layers and get an incredibly natural finish with this but any more than that and it can look a little more obvious but the same goes for any base. This really looks beautiful on though. It gives great coverage that skims over redness and makes my skin look uniform and bright and it has a satin finish on my skin that’s set perfectly with a touch of powder around the t-zone. It took me a little bit of time to understand the right amount of this to apply but again, that’s the same with me and any other foundation. Sometimes I apply a base in the morning and think it looks great and then I’m in town and I catch my skin in a shop mirror under that unflattering lighting and I look rough, but every time I wear this I end up actually being a bit of a dickhead and admiring how good it looks in the mirror. It really makes my skin look great and that’s coming from someone who has skin that can be a royal pain in the ass sometimes. On the other side, the older version is definitely drier and slightly less fluid. On my skin this translates as a more matte finish that’s less forgiving and luminous and can look more obvious across my cheeks and in my pores. Once my makeup was finished overall it looked nice but still a little too matte and dry for my tastes and it didn’t have the same skin like look as the newer version. Both photograph exceptionally well as you’d hope and even the dry nature of the original HD doesn’t translate to photos and looks really good which makes me look like a slight bit of a liar but you’ll have to tryst me! The Ultra HD is the winner here for translating so well from real life into photos.
Longevity // The argument online seems to be that the old formula was better suited for oilier skin while the new formula is good for dry/combo. My skin is combination and only gets oily around my nose area and a little on my chin. The Ultra HD Foundation holds up perfectly for 6-8 hours on me consistently and after that I start to get a little oily around the t-zone. This can happen slightly faster if I touch my face a lot but I’m so seasoned at trying to avoid doing it that it’s not usually a problem and if I leave my face alone I can get closer to 9 hours. Only around the 8 hour mark does it start to transfer or move around a little and breakdown around my nose while up until that point it looks and feels fantastic and looks as perfect as it did when I first applied it. Oil control isn’t billed as a selling point for this so it’s not letting me down in that sense but of course I’d love if this lasted perfectly until bed time but it’s still impressive on my skin. Still, if you’re oily you may run into some trouble with this, especially in the warmer weather. I use the Hourglass primer underneath which is a pretty impressive primer and the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray over my finished look so I always have an arsenal of helpers on hand and this definitely improves this foundation and every other one I own to be honest. The older version is definitely drier and I’ve heard many an oily girl sing its praises but on my skin it didn’t fare any differently despite its finish. It still looked too dry in many areas and it still got a little oily as the day went on.
Overall // You guessed it, the new Ultra HD wins for me hands down. I think it’s an exceptional foundation, giving great coverage, a beautiful long-lasting finish and a natural finish. Basically my face looks 150 times better but without it looking like I’m heavily made up. If you already have great skin, it’s going to look even better but if like myself you struggle with bases, this won’t let you down. I pretty much adore this foundation now and I’m just hoping it’ll be able to last in the warmer weather so I can use it for the wedding! I’ll update the post once the sun finally returns to us but for now I’m telling you, you need to try this!
If you’re interested in trying MUFE Ultra HD Foundation it’s £29/€43 and available instore or online from PAM here
So girls have you tried the original HD foundation and are you tempted by the new Ultra HD?
*This review contains samples but it also contains no b******t