First Impression Friday: YSL – Touche Éclat Le Teint Radiance Awakening Foundation

Up until a short time ago I had never tried a foundation that wasn’t considered drug store. In the past I haven’t wanted to spend a lot of money on foundation shades that don’t match me as my skin is fairly pale. I’m now starting to think that by investing a little more money into nicer foundation I will be happier with the overall look of my makeup. Often higher end brands have more shades available to cater to more skintones and the quality of product is better.

I purchased YSL’s Touche Éclat Le Teint Radiance Awakening Foundation on a whim after reading a review from a fellow blogger and spending the entire day watching reviews of it on YouTube. This foundation appealed to me through it’s claims and the fact it is ideal for drier skin types.

Claims

• Reduces the look of fatigue and creates flawless, buildable coverage
• Improves skin’s brightness and luminosity
• Weightless finish – foundation feels and looks invisible on the skin
• Conceals imperfections

When it comes to foundation I like natural looking coverage that helps even out redness in my skin and product that doesn’t feel thick to apply. I prefer foundation not to lean too matte or too dewy and sit somewhere in the middle. I believe this foundation does live up to its claims. Keep reading to find out why.

Shade

I purchased this foundation online and wasn’t able to swatch or test shades in store before I bought it which is risky but I am pleased to say the shade I purchased is spot on! The Radiance Awakening foundation comes in 30 shades and I purchased the shade B10 Porcelain.

YSL cater to different undertones similar to MAC; B = neutral undertone, BD = golden/yellow undertone and BR = pink undertone. The lower the number following the undertone, the lighter the shade. I selected B10 as I have warmth and coolness in my skin but I am still on the fair end of the colour spectrum. One shade lighter BR 05 Cool Milk, may have worked for me but I wanted a neutral shade for my skin.

When this foundation arrived I automatically compared it with the sample of MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid foundation in NW13 and this is a touch lighter which is better. I wasn’t able to wear bronzer with NW13 but I think I will be able to get away with bronzer with this YSL shade.

Top: YSL
Bottom: MAC

Application

I used a clean Zoeva 102 Silk Finish brush to apply the foundation and product felt lightweight and easy to blend into the skin. Foundation didn’t drag or apply in streaks and felt silky smooth when being blended/buffed. The foundation blends out seamlessly and it’s not easy to detect where foundation stops and skin starts. The first time using this foundation my skin was drier than usual as I was getting over a cold but the formula didn’t cling or accentuate any dryness or settle into lines. Usually I like to apply one layer of foundation and touch up areas on my cheeks and around my nose if needed. This foundation had decent coverage after one layer and did allow me to build up product where I needed to without disturbing the layer underneath. The brush did soak up some of the product but I was still able to use the brush to really buff foundation into the skin.

Performance

The foundation is a nice consistency, it’s not thick and it’s not runny. Product will stay on the back of your hand between blending out layers. The foundation doesn’t feel heavy and glides over the skin. I’d say initially the coverage with one layer is light-medium which I like but you can build up coverage if you desire. The colour doesn’t oxidise after application and other makeup sits nicely on top. I used MAC’s Strobe Cream as a primer underneath and I didn’t find my face looked too glowy – it was a radiant, healthy glow which again is what I like. I will be testing out other primers to see how they perform with this too.

I had the foundation on for about 12 hours and it wore well during the day. Product didn’t fade or break down. My face didn’t look oily or shiny and the foundation kept my face looking natural and skin like. I do think it brightened up my complexion and made me feel more like my usual self despite the remnants of a cold.

Only wearing foundation and concealer:

Unedited photo taken in natural lighting.

Wearing the foundation with a full face of makeup:

Other products used:

• Olay Complete UV Lotion Sensitive
• MAC Strobe Cream – Pinklite
• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer – 1 Fair
• Urban Decay Primer Potion
• Colourpop BYOP, shades used: Hear Me Out, Wake Up Call, Feathered and Ringer
• Zoella x Colourpop Supernova Shadow in OG
• Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex Mascara in 003 Blackest Black
• NARS Orgasm Blush Duo
• Kathleen Lights x Colourpop Scorpio Moon lipstick
• MAC Fix+

Summary

Pros:

• Shade matches me well
• Lightweight, buildable coverage
• Seamless and natural looking on the skin
• SPF 22

Cons:

• Pricey
• Not as many shades available as other high end foundations (still a fair selection at 30)

Overall, I am extremely pleased with YSL’s Touche Éclat Le Teint Radiance Awakening Foundation after only one use and can’t wait to wear it again! The product lives up to it’s claims and applies and blends like a dream. The formula is extremely comfortable and lightweight and virtually undetectable on the skin. If this is what all luxury foundations are like, I’m a convert!

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Have you tried this foundation? Do you own any foundations you consider luxury?

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