Review: Yves Saint Laurent Radiant Brush foundation

I received this from Beautycounterdirect about 2 weeks ago and I've been using it pretty much every day since then.

It's for sale on the website for £23.99 which is a reduction from the rrp of £29.99. They are currently selling 7 shades but on a YSL counter you will be able to find the full range all the way up to the deepest skintones. I'm using shade "01 Ivory" and it's a perfect match for my pale winter skin. I really am that pale! I don't go much darker in the summer though but I might need to go up a couple of shades.



So, as you can see it comes with a brush at the end for application. The brush twists round to open and close the tube. It comes with instructions:



So, what do I think? Well I adore the foundation but don't like the brush! I apply a small amount to the back of my hand as the picture shows then I use a synthetic kabuki to apply the actual foundation.



That gives you some idea of the colour of shade 01.

I am an absolute mineral foundation lover. I never got on with liquid foundation as I hated the way they felt like they sat on my skin and I could never find a shade that was light enough. This is completely different! This feels very lightweight and I don't even notice I'm wearing it.

I find using a synthetic kabuki gives a more natural, airbrushed look to the foundation. I had trouble blending the foundation using the brush attatched as it's quite a stiff brush. I ended up with a few brush streaks over my forehead. The synthetic kabuki requires much less work to apply the foundation as it blends as it applies.

After showing the application in a Youtube video, I have been asked why you need a synthetic rather than an animal hair brush. An animal hair brush will absorb some of the foundation into the hairs so it will not go on as smoothly and you'll probably need more. The foundation sits on synthetic hairs without being absorbed. I always recommend synthetic brushes for any liquids or creams.

This has light reflecting qualities so it's not a matte or flat foundation, but it doesn't give a dewy finish either. I find my skin absolutely glows without looking the slightest bit oily when wearing this. If you are especially oily then you may need to set this with powder but I haven't found that I've needed to.

I wear this foundation to work, where I am sometimes in a very steamy and humid environmet. 12 hours later, I still have a full face of foundation. I am very well trained not to touch my face at work though so that might have something to do with it! I do have some slight oilyness across my forehead by the end of the day but it doesn't seem to be causing this foundation to come off.

This foundation does have a slight scent which some describe as watermelon. It fades quite quickly on me.

So, overall I'm very impressed and I'm likely to repurchase. Probably from Beautycounterdirect as long as they still have my shade!

I'll finish on a skin close up so you can see how it matches!