I've been wanting to try
Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse for awhile now, due in part to favorable reviews from some of my favorite beauty bloggers. I haven't shopped for foundation anywhere but Sephora for a the last few years for several reasons. Namely, because I like to try before I buy, and because I believe foundation is the single most important item of makeup a girl uses. You don't want something cheap and cakey ruining your look, or worse, your complexion. Bad foundation- not necessarily horrid, but maybe not the best for you- will undermine anything else you try to do with your makeup. Hell, it'll undermine whatever you try to do with your look, because if your style is right, attention should be drawn to your natural beauty, especially your face.
But let's face it, Sephora is a little pricey, and it's not quite ubiquitous yet. Even if it has to be crammed into J.C. Penney's to reach every mall, I'll take it for the sake of convenience. Until them, having a drugstore backup is key.
Borrowing from my cousin with a similar complexion gave me the opportunity to finally test the
Dream Matte Mousse without buying it (and risking, as I have in the past, using it twice and throwing it away). So here's the report.
Pros:
Texture- I really liked the light, fluffy feel when I spread it across my face. When I first inserted my finger (more on that later) I was doubtful, but the moment it glided on, smooth and light, I was happy.
Color- Maybe it's a total coincidence that the one shade I got my hands on matched my coloring. But I'm going to count this as a plus, because it blended so well with my other makeup and my coloring without standing out or not blending at all.
Price- For approximately $7, I would use this in a bind. It's fair for the product and much cheaper than what I'm used to. Also, due to the fluffy, condensed texture of the mousse, it spreads easily and I feel it would last a good while for the price.
Cons:
Packaging- No applicator? No mirror? Really? I do buy my makeup based on both the product
and function. I need to apply and touch-up makeup on the go, I need to use great tools to make great makeup work to the best of its ability. More to the point, I don't want to buy something separate that'll get lost, and I reallyreally don't want to press my fingers into mousse. Eeeew.
Settling- I liked this foundation a lot more when first applied then I did when it had dried and set. In normal poor indoor lighting, it isn't as smooth against the contours of my face as I would like, it doesn't quite fall, drape, like an upscale powder will, so some flaws are actually defined. It's worse close up than from afar, but it was still noticeable to me.
Longevity- My trial only last 2 days, so I can't say how the product holds up after constant use. But then again, I wasn't inclined to use it frequently or for a long period because of the performance. It would never be my daily foundation. I did notice that the mousse seemed to get a bit mushy and maybe even dirty? after finger being dipped and dipped and dipped into it. It's no longer all swirly and appealing like the picture, no sir.
The bottom line:
In a pinch I would grab this because the color works, it feels light and nice on, and I know what to expect and what its downfalls are, rather than try to navigate an unknown drugstore choice. However, it's not something I'm in love with, and I don't want to know what my semi-sensitive face would do if I wore this for more than two days in a row.
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