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BEAUTY balms – basic products that combine coverage with skin care – have undergone a rebrand and the 2024 version is SO much better than the formulas of the past.
This week I put three of them to the test.
5
Budget
5
Technic Foundation Balm, £5 for 8.5g, techniccosmetics.com – Before I opened this, I wasn’t convinced this was going to be the frontrunner.
The ingredients list is light on skincare ingredients – it contains a whopping 11 amino acids (which help hydrate the skin and boost collagen production), but not much else.
It has extremely high coverage, which camouflages blemishes, pigmentation and redness, but it is quite difficult to blend, feels heavy on your skin and there are only five shades to choose from.
There are better options available for a high street foundation, or a foundation with skin care ingredients.
Middle class
5
VIEVE Skin Nova Complexion Balm, £34 for 30ml, spacenk.com/uk – This was by far my favorite of the three.
The tube packaging and liquid formula make it the easiest to dispense and use, and the gel-like texture feels comfortable and hydrating without being overly wet or sticky.
It also has the most coverage of any product I’ve tried – it’s buildable so you can adjust it to the finish you want, but if you want full coverage you’ll need to pair it with a concealer.
It contains powerful skincare ingredients niacinamide, polyglutamic acid (which retains four times more moisture than hyaluronic acid), amino acids and glycerin.
Luxury
5
Jones Road What the Foundation, £42 for 35g, libertylondon.com – Created by beauty mogul Bobbi Brown. I had high hopes for this balm, but I’m not sure it lived up to it.
It’s super hydrating and almost like a thick moisturizer with a light tint.
Because of this it isn’t pigmented enough for me (I have a lot of redness and acne scars so would like something that covers them) and it also felt quite sticky on my oily skin.
If you have super dry or mature skin that drinks up anything hydrating, you might love it (my mom does!) but I can’t imagine using it regularly myself.
Choice of the week
5
BIG news for those of you who grew up in the 90s and 00s: the Urban Decay Naked Original Eyeshadow Palette, £55, is back, but only for a limited time.
It contains everything you need for eyeshadow for everyday use and special occasions, including a built-in mirror and a brush.
It went viral before TikTok even existed thanks to its mix of warm, neutral and cool-toned shades in matte, shimmer and glitter finishes.
It replaces every other eyeshadow in your makeup bag.
