This just in: Dior has launched a brand-new Forever Skin Glow Foundation. When I first attended a preview for the brand's new launches weeks ago, I was immediately intrigued by the new foundation, which is formulated with skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and a skin-smoothing peptide—music to a dry-skinned editor's ears. Naturally, my first thought was: I need it immediately. Dior has already established trust amongst beauty editors and makeup artists alike, thanks to a slew of beloved launches, from the Lip Glow Oils that spawned a thousand imitations to cult products like the Forever Glow Star Filter. Thus, a new Dior foundation launch is worth paying attention to—and, in my case, testing out for both personal purposes (I'm in constant need of makeup that doesn't make my dry skin drier) and professional purposes (to report back to you, of course).
The new foundation promises to provide medium to high coverage, leaving a glowing finish behind. I was hooked by the promise of hydrating skincare benefits; after all, don't we want a day of perfect makeup without risking cakey, irritated skin?
Ahead, read my honest review of Dior’s Forever Skin Glow Foundation, the latest addition to the makeup as skincare movement. Spoiler: prepare yourself for a major summery glow.
My Skin:
My skin before makeup
Bianca Asare
I've said it on here once (or ten plus times at this point) and I'll keep saying it again: my skin is dry, there's no two ways about it. Sure, the level of dryness differentiates slightly depending on the season, but it's dry year round—I even still use a heavy cream throughout a humid New York City summer. My skin can also be reactive and redness will sprout up when it's unhappy with a certain ingredient or isn't at the level of hydration necessary for it to look and act its very best. There are some other things to note as they pertain to makeup coverage: I have a pesky broken blood vessel on my cheek that has yet to be dealt with properly with a laser so, for now, I like makeup that does a good job of covering it up. Also, a stubborn keloid scar (from anxiously picking at a pimple—lesson very much learned) on my chin that has stood the test of time against countless corticosteroid injections. Texture is, of course, more difficult to disguise than discoloration, but I do like when my foundation blends it in a tiny bit more than it would be if I were makeup-less. Lastly, as someone who constantly wakes up with new mysterious scratches on various parts of my body at the hands of either my dog Jimi Hendrix or me (for whatever reason), I recently woke up with a noticeable scabby scratch right in the center of my forehead—truly the worst location imaginable.
Long story short, I seek out foundations (and makeup in general) that at the very least doesn't make my dry skin worse and, best case scenario, actually makes it better. I'm looking for foundation with a decent amount of coverage that doesn't feel too heavy on my skin—if that means that I have to sacrifice a bit of that coverage that I'm looking for, so be it.
The Product:
As the first foundation from the brand that incorporates skincare ingredients, Dior's Forever Skin Glow Foundation is formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and a peptide called called acetyl hexapeptide-8, which has been called the "Botox peptide" for its skin-smoothing abilities. It's a triple whammy of skincare ingredients that would intrigue any dry-skinned girl. Supposedly, the trio work to actually improve the skin with every use, with results expected in just one week, according to a clinical test Dior did on 31 subjects. The addition of SPF 25 adds an extra level of appeal, especially for those who would rather minimize the steps in their routine and kill two (or multiple) birds with one stone (yes, I'm talking about myself). Essentially, this foundation aims to serve as a filter with a natural glow—the goal isn't to make the wearer look unnatural or too made up, but to even your skin tone, blur imperfections, and make everyone look like a slightly enhanced version of themselves. For me, that would mean no visible broken blood vessel, no redness, no keloid scar, and no random forehead scratch—a girl can dream, right?
Before applying it to my face, I put a bit on the back of my hand and blended it in with my fingers—immediately, I noticed how liquid-like the consistency was. It was light, easy to spread, and all fears of it feeling heavy and unnatural on my face—my biggest makeup pet peeve—disappeared. So, I continued to embark on this testing journey with high hopes and, let's be honest, truly nothing to lose.
The Results:
I had high hopes before the foundation even met my face—and I wasn't disappointed. I, in perhaps a frowned upon method, applied the foundation directly to my face, from pump to skin. Then, I went in a Beautyblender and... blended. As expected, the blending process of seamless. I've experienced some foundations that you really have to work at and put muscle into blending. As someone who doesn't really want to exert too much energy or make a whole workout routine out of applying makeup, I appreciate this foundation's seamless consistency. After blending it all, I found that the foundation provided a good light-medium coverage. While the product claims to provide medium-high coverage, I found myself adding extra product to the spots that I wanted to blur the most. For scars that perhaps aren't the darkest, one pass of foundation will be coverage enough, but you might have to add a bit extra to those that are a little more noticeable.
Overall, the product gave me a bronzey glow that had me daydreaming of summer, even as I maneuvered my dog around the not-yet-melted, filthy Brooklyn snow. I went in with a little more product on the areas that I craved a little more coverage and this, for the most part, did the trick. As for my forehead scratch? It did fade the look of it, but fully covering it will just have to be concealer's job. While the foundation leads with the claim of withstanding heat, humidity, and providing touch-free protection for 24 hours, the product had faded a bit after eight hours of wear. But, let's be honest: I've never met a foundation with coverage that remains consistent all day.
Worth It?
At a price of $60, the price point more or less aligns with other luxury foundations: Armani's Luminous Silk foundation is $69, Chanel's Ultra Le Teint Foundation is $69, and Charlotte Tilbury's Airbrush Flawless Foundation is $52. When it comes to other Dior foundations, the house's Backstage Face & Body Foundation is $45 and the Dior Forever Skin Perfect multi-use foundation stick is $57. While there are of course other foundations available at lower price points, you arguably won't be able to find one at this level of quality and jam-packed with effective skincare products—plus, the luxurious Dior packaging does contribute to the overall experience. It's also worth reiterating that the product is thin and very spreadable, meaning you don't need to use very much product each time. While I opted for the Glow finish because that's my preference when it comes to makeup, Dior also offers a Forever Skin Wear with a matte finish, but still with the same great ingredients.
So, long story short: yes, I highly recommend giving this a go if your end goal is glowing, post-vacation skin (even in the dead of winter).
TL;DR
Dior has launched a brand-new foundation: the Forever Skin Glow foundation and the Forever Skin Matte foundation. As someone with dry skin and concerns of dullness, I tested the Forever Skin Glow foundation and had high hopes, since the product is formulated with hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and peptide. The foundation is thin, lightweight, and easy to blend, provides a medium coverage, and will leave you with a glow that has you longing for summertime.
