As much as I enjoy writing about skincare, I am in my truest element when I am dissecting makeup! With the lockdown now being eased in some parts of the country (touch wood!) and some of you having to head back to your offices, I felt that the time was right to revisit my favourite light-weight matte foundation which would be perfect for the sweltering heat that you would have to face. It is none other than the Nykaa SkinShield Foundation!
I had reviewed the Nykaa SkinShield Foundation on the blog when it was first launched, but had picked up a shade which was too cool-toned for me. I recently got a shade which was a closer match to my complexion, and hence decided to do an updated review of the product with comparison of the two shades. If you are an NC35 in MAC Studio Fix then do keep reading to find out your perfect shade in the Nykaa SkinShield Foundation.
The Packaging
I have already spoken about the packaging of the Nykaa SkinShield Foundation in detail in my earlier blog post, but I would also like to add that the tiny transparent stripe given on the tube truly helps to identify the right shade now that I own two of them. As I said before, I wish this came with a pump because the squeezy tube can often be a messy affair, especially in the warmer months when the formula tends to liquify a bit.
The Formula
The Nykaa SkinShield Foundation has a liquidy-creamy consistency. It feels extremely light on the skin and blends out with ease. Now that I have the right shade for my skin tone, I have experimented with layering this foundation to build up its coverage too. One layer gives a light-medium coverage through which your blemishes will easily peek through. Two thin layers of the foundation give a decent medium coverage which will even out your skin tone and cover lighter blemishes completely, while still requiring a concealer for darker blemishes and dark circles.
I am personally loving using two layers of this foundation on a daily basis. It offers a skin-like matte finish and the right amount of coverage for everyday wear without exaggerating the texture of my skin. The foundation clings a tiny bit to my dry patches after long hours in the heat but other than that there is nothing I do not like about the formula. It is so lightweight that I often forget that I have a foundation on and yet it manages to stay put for 8 long hours in the melting heat! If you want a matte foundation that does not feel heavy or cakey then this one will be right up your alley!
My Shade in the Nykaa SkinShield Foundation
Drumrolls please! My shade in the Nykaa SkinShield Foundation is 08 Pure Olive! As I had mentioned in the earlier blog post, the shade 05 Nude Delight is a bit too pink and slightly light for my NC35 skin tone, so I was torn between picking the shade 07 or 08 to match my complexion better. I finally went with the shade 08 Pure Olive which has golden and olive undertones. This shade is almost the perfect match for my skin tone, perhaps half a shade darker and a bit too olive. I feel that the shade 07 will be slightly light for my skin tone while 08 is a tad bit dark, but once blended, 08 works pretty fine for me.
Among the 15 shades that are available, my shade lies somewhere in the middle of the spectrum, which makes sense because I have a medium skin tone as per Indian standards. Unfortunately with many foundations, my shade is the 2nd or 3rd one out of 4 to 6 shades, which shows the lack of inclusivity in foundation shades in India. 15 is still not enough, but is a great step in the right direction by Nykaa.
My Verdict on the Nykaa SkinShield Foundation
Now that I have found my shade in this foundation, I can say with full conviction that the Nykaa SkinShield Foundation is one of the best matte foundations in India for every day wear. The price of INR 799 is a bit steep but if you grab it on a discount then you can get it for around INR 500, which makes the product extremely affordable for the quality. I will recommend it to all of you with normal to oily skin types and those with dry skin can also wear it with a hydrating primer underneath.