Super Serum Skin Tint Broad Spectrum SPF 40

First got Balos ST3, was worried it would be too dark (I'm fair and quite pink, and usually one of the lightest shades in any given foundation) -- it's actually TOO light! But I loved the finish and I hate returning makeup knowing it'll likely be thrown away, so I overcorrected and went all the way up to Kai ST6.5 -- the two mixed together are perrrfect. (The shades in between those two are all "warm" or "neutral" so this combo is actually probably the best possible match?)

Turning 50 this year (hfs) and am seeing weird texture issues and other unpleasant changes in my skin, one result of which is "lol your favorite foundation now makes ur skin look like crap." When you're also still fighting breakouts and absolutely cannot use anything with cyclomethicones, foundation options are limited. But this stuff, over well-moisturized skin (I find it goes on best when I wash, apply niacinamide serum, a slug of moisturizer, and rub this in while it's still very damp) gives a fantastic light/medium-coverage result that still looks like my skin. It's not as transfer proof as the more matte bases I'm used to, so now I'm hunting for a setting spray to help it along, but the wear seems good even without powder, which is apparently now my mortal enemy. Only complaints : I'd prefer a mid-light/cool shade I didn't have to mix, and I'm not wild about the dropper -- an airless pump would be so much better.

BTW #1 : I'm not sensitive to fragrances, but I am v picky about them, and I didn't even notice a scent to this. BTW #2 : The blush here is Ilia's Multi Stick in "A Fine Romance," which is also ACES.

I love the amount of coverage this foundation provides; it's more than a mere tint, but it's not a heavy-coverage thing. Perhaps light-to-medium coverage? This foundation is perfect for when I need sunscreen but also want to even my complexion out.

To compare, this product provides more coverage than Tarte's Maracuja Tinted Moisturizer, and slightly more than one layer of MAC Face and Body. I assume the Ilia provides more coverage because it has a Zinc-based sunscreen in it, where the Tarte and MAC do not have any sun protection at all.

For daily wear, I'll first prep my clean, slightly-damp skin with a hyaluronic acid serum, and once that soaks in, I'll lock it in with Bobbi Brown's Vitamin-Enriched Face Base, as well as Bobbi Brown's Vitamin-Enriched Eye Base. Once all of those products sink in, it's time for the Ilia Super Serum Skin Tint.

I shake the bottle well, I squeeze the dropper-top a few times to make sure I'm actually getting the freshly-mixed serum into the dropper, and I dispense about a nickel size into my palm. I dot it on around my face, and I blend with my fingers, and then finish blending and pressing it in with a barely-damp Beauty Blender-type sponge. (If I know I'll be out all day, I'll dampen my sponge with Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray instead of water.)

The Ilia provides a gorgeous, dewy finish, and the Bobbi Brown products I applied underneath also provide dewiness, so this all runs the risk of being a touch toooo dewy. To fix this, I follow Wayne Goss' fabulous advice, and I take an unused, dry Beauty Blender spongey thing, I wrap it in a Kleenex or in a few squares of toilet paper, and I press it all over my face to blot the excess dewiness. Using this "wrapped sponge" technique absorbs only the excess shine, but leaves behind just the right amount of dewiness; it doesn't remove any coverage or sun protection-- I'm just left with healthy-looking skin that looks like skin. (This step also helps the product from settling into lines-- it's really a game changer!)

At this point if I want to add the tiniest, tiniest amount of powder around my nostrils and under my eyes to set it, I will... but I usually skip it. Then I'm onto bronzer, blusher, and the rest of my makeup.

I really love this product; every time I use it, I'm always super-happy with the results. I love that it has SPF 40, and I really, really love that it doesn't sting my eyes.

Thanks, Ilia! Great job!

First off, Beautylish is the best. Their shipping is so fast, and I always get an interesting sample. I am going to have them be my main beauty site.

I've been wanting to try this for awhile, but I wasn't sure about the colors. Balos is perfect for me. I'm a nut about sunscreens - I have several that I like, but I was having a hard time finding a tinted one that I liked. This really works for me. One layer gives me some coverage - I haven't tried additional layers, but I'm confident that will work too.