Milani Conceal and Perfect 2-in-1 Foundation {Review}
This review is a long time coming. I have had this foundation since June and I assumed I’d have done a review ages ago…but life and other posts kind of get in the way. Another thing is that I have become a bit weary of reviewing makeup that you (the readers) can’t get locally. I never want my blog to be about ‘unobtainable’ makeup for my readers. Once I saw that Milani was indeed going to be stocked in South Africa, I got excited and felt that now it would be fine for me to do this review, because IF you want it, you can get it with no worry of shipping and customs and and and……
I have tested this foundation quite extensively now and my opinion has changed a few times since I started using this. Let’s get started.
Milani’s conceal and perfect foundation has gotten rave reviews from the You Tube beauty gurus! It’s such an affordable US brand, which always makes me wonder….can it be good at that price? I know that price does not determine quality, but when they’re all using Marc Jacobs, Sisely and Fenty…..well what hope does the humble drugstore foundation have?
My cousin was heading from the UK to SA, so I asked her if I could mule a few goodies with her and she obliged. I ordered off Beauty Bay in the UK, which is slightly more expensive that US stores, but they offer free shipping so that is the trade-off I guess. I got mine in the shade Sand Beige (06).
What does this product claim to do?
Combat under eye circles, redness and other skin imperfections with this full coverage, water-resistant foundation plus concealer in one. A no mess, no drip pump dispenses just the right amount of fluid needed to achieve a flawless look and works around the clock to keep skin looking naturally perfect!
Packaging
It comes in a 30ml glass bottle and it has a pump (YAY). The design on the bottle is a black and beige ombre sort of effect. The bottle was much smaller than I expected it to be for some reason, but 30mls is the standard size for most foundations. For the price I think the bottle is quite nice. Well…um…that’s that for ‘packaging’….moving along….
The product
Due to it being a concealer and foundation, the formula is a bit thicker than my other foundations. Almost mousse-like, but a bit denser. The shade is really neutral in my opinion. I tend to have pink and yellow undertones (??) so I struggle to match my foundation some times. I chose this off the website and thankfully I think it’s a perfect match.
There’s a slight scent to the foundation, but I cannot tell you what it smells like. Nothing sweet, chemical or overbearing. It’s a pleasant scent and it doesn’t linger.
Application
The first few times I used this, I used a beauty sponge for application. I found I got medium coverage where I could still see a lot of my skin. I expected a bit more in terms of coverage so that disappointed me. Next up, after a few hours of wearing this foundation, I looked like the biggest greaseball on the planet. The foundation would sink into my pores and look so horrendous, I was extremely disappointed. At the end of the day I was an embarrassment to myself. lol. All shiny and GREASY….way past oily….GREASY! I was a disaster.
I changed sponges, I used different setting powders, different primers, but all yielding the same result and I decided that this was just not meant for my skin.
About 3 weeks ago I decided to give this foundation one last try and I used the Bare Minerals face perfecting brush that I got in my September Boxycharm. This brush was a game changer for me! I got a lovely medium to full coverage and I found that the brush used way less product. Half way during the day I got shiny, but not GREASY. BIG DIFFERENCE. Also I didn’t find it sinking into my pores the way it did with the sponge application.
I was so worried that I’d never be able to use this foundation again, so I’m really glad I found a method that works for me.
Also, this foundation is great for under my eyes as a concealer. It gives good coverage and I don’t experience creasing at all.
So, would I recommend this? Yes. For the price, I think anybody can give it a shot. In my opinion, this won’t work if you have super oily skin, but I have friends with oily skin and they love this foundation. It may just be an issue with my skin and this formula. So if you’re in the market for a new foundation, I would definitely give this a try. I think Jaclyn Hill and Tati claim that it’s the best drugstore foundation they’ve used.
There are 15 shades currently available on the Milani SA website and the foundation retails for R150.
Have you tried this foundation? Will you try it?
25 Comments
Rachael Williams
Wow that is really well priced!! i think i must add this to my “to try” list.. the list just keeps growing at a rapid rate :):):)
Have a great Wednesday!
xx
Simone
The list is never ending I know! lol
Vee
Really a good price – even for me…! I may need a bit of grease but will look at the ways you used it as well. Thanks for this.
Simone
Thanks for stopping by and reading <3
Scarlet
Im going to buy this now lol…Just kidding, but what is you Mac shade for reference?
Simone
I’ve never used MAC foundations. In Inglot HD I’m shade 77.
According to Findation I am MAC41W (does that sound right? )
Scarlet
Im not sure but im NC40 lemme check Findation quick…thanks
Simone
Oh maybe is was NW41 then. Sorry…lol. #MACVirgin
Siobhan Yeatman
I have the exact same issue with this using a sponge! I’ve tried my Real Techniques brush and that hasn’t helped either.. I found if I apply a light dusting of powder on my face BEFORE applying the foundation, and then again after, it works just fine. Perhaps I need to get that brush in my life?!
http://sugarspiceblog.co.za
Simone
In Summer this foundation will be a disaster for me, so I want to use it up before then while it’s still cooler.
Apparently Maybelline has a good dupe for this brush, but I don’t think we have it in SA. I’ll try some other brushes and see if I have any luck. The Bare Minerals brush is very flat and dense. I think the RT brushes are a bit too fluffy to mimic the density of this brush.
It’s just too much effort to make a foundation work though?
Nisa
Strange because this is one of the foundations I love for oily skin. I almost always use a dense foundation brush and set with RCMA powder and I also get a tad shiny but never greasy. So glad you found a way to work it a bit though ????
Everyone is raving about the new Huda foundation being amazing for oily skin but at R990 a bottle I want to tell them to eff themselves ????????????
Simone
I know…It’s supposed to be for oily skin, but from comments on a beauty group I see quite a few women have the exact same experience as me. I was feeling like a freak having this problem…now I don’t feel so alone.lol. yip got it to work, but I won’t repurchase it though. I do love the coverage and initial application.
I feel you on that…R990???? That’s madness???????? you not on the Fenty train either?
Awesome seeing a comment from you. xxxx
Mariska Goussard
I am so glad I read your review and the comments because I’ve been wanting to order it for a while but wasn’t sure. It sounds like it is either a hit or miss foundation for most – probably determined by skintype? Thank you for a great review though, I really enjoyed it!
Simone
I actually got so many comments on a beauty page about how they hate the foundation. Settles into pores, greasy…so I’m definitely not repurchasing this one. It should’t be so hard just to get it to look decent.
Rajshree
Thank goodness for ur review. Think I will give this a miss. Love ur posts ????
Simone
Lol. Glad it helped you 🙂 Thanks for your sweet comments.
Lynette
It oxidises on me though – but I use a few drops of the LA Girl White Foundation and it matches perfectly then . This is one of my favourite favourite foundations.
Simone
So many people are obsessed with this foundation. I was sad that I didn’t love it 🙁
Cassidy Taylor-Memmory
That’s a great price for a 2-in1 product – will def keep it in mind next time I need a new foundation!
Cassidy x
Simone
It really is affordable and many people are obsessed with it.
Thanks so much for reading. <3
Melanie
I have such an oily skin lately and really want to try this foundation, so at R150 this is not too bad if the product does not work out. Right?
Simone
Lol yes…R150 is pocket change for us when it comes to beauty products! *Can’t look face*
Yolanda
I’m so sad that this foundation didn’t work for you because I know how excited you were to finally get your hands on it. I recall us chatting about a shade for you over like 2 weeks. I must admit though that I do prefer applying it with a dense foundation brush and never a sponge. Loved this so much that I literally only have a 10th left. I doubt I’ll repurchase because you know how I love trying out new foundations.
Simone
Your ‘love’ for foundations…borders on ‘addiction’ to foundations. lol. I love through you though…and I know you’ll help me with finding my shade, so I leave you to do the testing for us 😉
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