I’ve written blogs on Il Makiage primer, concealer (F**K I’m Flawless) and foundation (Woke up like this). They go together flawlessly and suit my skin. I have combination skin (oily T zone, dry patches) and their makeup isn’t heavy but is buildable, which I love. I can completely tailor my look depending on whether I need a heavier foundation for more coverage or very light coverage.
I used this Power Match shade matcher on their website to find my perfect foundation shade
Il Makiage discount and promo codes
The only Il Makiage discount promo code I’ve found is ‘welcome10‘ – this gets you 10% off the Il Makiage website. Spend over £40 to get free delivery – otherwise, it’s £3.95.
See above for my personal favourites, but if I had to shout one out, it’d be the foundation brush.
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I’ve never been one for primers – it’s just something else to add on my face which if you’ve read any other of my blogs, you’ll know I try to limit the number as much as possible. I’ve always thought they were a bit of a gimmick, but after reading the reviews I decided to put this to the test and see whether or not it makes my makeup last even longer than normal.
I’ve been super impressed with both the Il Makiage foundation and concealer recently, so I thought I’d give this a go, as it’s my favourite beauty brand at the moment.
Il Makiage primer on the right is a chunky fella
The Il Makiage one isn’t the standard shape. I kinda like it – it’s different but feels nice quality.
The bottle is chunky in comparison to my other primers. It’s not the usual shape of a primer either. It has a pump nozzle, so you press down and away you go. One pump does the whole of my face.
It’s not something you could take with you in your bag unless you’ve got a big bag!
Description from Il Makiage:
Our silky, weightless bestselling primer blurs pores, fine lines & wrinkles, instantly smooths skin & maximizes foundation wear time. The lightweight texture & silky formula creates a soft, long-lasting photoshopped effect. You’re welcome, overflowing social calendar.
Il Makiage “No filter” Primer is cruelty-free – hurrah!
As with all primers, it goes on smooth and feels silky. I’m very particular about what I put on my skin, as it’s sensitive in places but mostly oily. Primer to me, is a definite ‘extra’ and one that isn’t always needed. If I know I want my makeup to last extra long (longer day at work for example) then I’ll definitely use a primer.
First up I’m sorry for these close-up photos. It’s the only way to show you before/after and how primer actually helps fill in the pores…
Close-up of my face before applyingIt needs to dry here but you can see it’s filled in my pores, helping foundation stay on for longer and look smoother.
I didn’t have great light to show you BUT you can see the difference in my pores. The primer fills them and smoothes the skin. Once dry, you can then apply your foundation which looks better and stays on for longer.
I don’t use a primer if I’m not wearing foundation. I tend to wear foundation if I’m going to work, which is a 10hr+ day including several hours in a car. When I get home, the foundation doesn’t have the same coverage as the morning (understandable), but it still gives some coverage. When I use my FaceHalo make-up pad to remove the makeup, I can see the foundation coming off.
How does it blend and look throughout the day?
I’ve tested it with concealer (Il Makiage F*k I’m Flawless). Working from home, I just want my bags hidden rather than wearing a full face of make-up. I smoothed in the primer to just one side of my face where I plan to put concealer – around/under my eye bag area.
I’ve taken photos during the day, to see the difference in how it stayed. I finished eye makeup whilst waiting for it to dry/sink in as this takes 5-10mins
I put this much primer on one side – all around my eye area
I’ve added the same amount of concealer to both sides, but instantly the primer side looks brighter and smoother.
Putting concealer on after using the primer (& waiting for it to set)
Both eyes with concealer – one with primer – taken just as I’d put it on
During the day you can see both sides look covered but there’s definitely more brightening on the primer side. It smoothes on so much easier with the primer and seems to mix/glide well over my skin.
Mid-morning concealer with primer
Lunchtime concealer with primer
In the evening – the eye that has primer has retained more concealer
By the end of the day, concealer is still visible on my eye with the primer. As I’ve mentioned, I’ve never been a fan of using primer but judging by this, I’ll be using it from now on if I’m in for a long day.
Although it has faded, it’s faded evenly and hasn’t crusted around the sides of my eye which often happens. My eye bags cause me a lot of anguish, so I’m glad to have found this to help cover my darkness for as long as possible.
What’s the price?
It’s £36 (25ml), available from Il Makiage (10% discount at the bottom).
Primer Discounts
If you want to try it, buy it from Il Makiage for £36 (plus £4 postage unless you fill your boots and spend over £40).
After trying the foundation and loving it I wanted to try Il Makiage’s other products. Next up is the F*ck I’m Flawless concealer.
Not only does it have great reviews, it’s an average price: £27; in range of other popular concealers:
NARS Cosmetics Radiant Creamy Concealer £24
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Away Liquid Concealer £24
Too Faced Born This Way Super Coverage Concealer £25
Laura Mercier Flawless Fusion Ultra-Longwear Concealer £25
it’s a pretty chunky tube, larger than my other concealers but still fine to carry in a small handbag – the weight is average too
Comparing the size with my about-to-be-replaced Estee Lauder concealer
Description from Il Makiage:
F*ck I’m Flawless is a long-wear, lightweight concealer that instantly covers under-eye circles, blemishes, dark spots & hyperpigmentation with an advanced vegan, cruelty-free, oil-free & paraben-free formula. Available in 30 diverse shades for all skin tones.
Il Makiage F*ck Me I’m Flawless is vegan and cruelty-free – hurrah!
Not only is it vegan and cruelty-free, it’s oil and paraben-free. Paraben’s are (in a nutshell) harmful chemicals. It’s also oil-free which great for us already oily folk. Oil clogs pores which can cause no end of issues.
Here’s my Youtube video where I detail how I apply the concealer using a sponge:
Shades available:
over 30 shades to choose from
choose out of 5 skin tones
choose out of 5 undertones
The shades come in a variety of colours depending on if you have pink, orange, neutral or yellow undertones. I went with 2.5 which is classed as a light orange colour.
Benefits of the concealer:
long lasting
light-weight
medium-to-full buildable coverage
hydrating and moisturising
hide spots and brighten the under eye area
screenshot taken from their website – send it back if it’s not for you! (I haven’t tried this but seems legit)
One thing I’m not a fan of
I really don’t like it when companies call their products making reference to rude things. I don’t see the need. I’m not a prude but I probably sound like I am! ‘Better than sex’, ‘f**k’, ‘orgasm’ – why? No need! Rant over.
Comparing my current concealer
I’ve about to run out of my current concealer, Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place, so thought I’d compare it to my new Il Makiage. Estee Lauder isn’t vegan or cruelty-free so I’ve been looking to leave this brand for a while now.
Il Makiage has a softer, peach/warm colour; Estee Lauder is more neutral/yellow tone. Il Makiage 100% fits my skin tone better as you can see from my face pics below.
Estee Lauder is thicker with 1 brush swipe. This has often been a problem for me as too much goes on and I struggle blending it
Il Makiage has a softer/warm colour; Estee Lauder is more neutral/yellow.
Il Makiage sinks in quicker, is easy to blend in and is a better shade for me.
Combination skin – oily T zone
My skin is oily in my T zone, normal on my cheeks, and very dry to the sides of my nose and around the top of my mouth. I’m 34, so I don’t like to add too much concealer; just enough to cover the black in my eye corners and eye bags.
Concerns and ‘must-haves’ from a concealer (I’m not asking much)
doesn’t dry too quickly and is easy to blend
stays on as long as possible
when it does fade, it to fade evenly
no flakiness or creasing
colour that matches my skin obvs and doesn’t change throughout the day
I can basically tick all of the above off my list with Il Makiage.
Consistency and texture
Estee Lauder is thicker no doubt about it. I often find blending it difficult as goes on TOO thick, whereas with Il Makiage, I can keep it light and build up which I do when covering my eye bags.
The texture is light and easy to manoeuvre around. It dries quick but not so quick I can’t blend.
Both wands are similar in design, which I like. One side is flat making it easy to smooth on where it needs to go. I only add a few dots under my eye – I’m 34 so I don’t need (or want) much. If I put too much on, it creases. I find a little goes a long way.
Il Makiage didn’t crease at all, at any point throughout the day, even after wearing for 8, 12+ hours. This was a concern of mine because if it’s too thick, it sits in my wrinkles which nobody wants to see.
I only put several dots on as like to keep things light, usually adding more towards the inner eye where I have more dark to cover / no primer used
You can see the clear brighter eye on the left where I’ve added the concealer / no primer used
Does it stay on all day?
It stays on all day but isn’t as obvious at night as in the morning. I’d guess 30% is left on my skin after 12 hours.
I’m not worried about this because for the remaining time of day, I’m at home and not out, so I’m not fussed if I’m wearing makeup or not. Plus I don’t think 30% is too bad at all. By the end of the day, I pretty much expect all of my face makeup to be hanging on my a thread.
It fades evenly too so I don’t get a weird colouring. This is actually really important to me, as previously I’ve had makeup that flakes around weird places, like the sides of my eyes, and on my dry bits like the sides of my nose.
At the end of the day (12 hours later) it’s still on, okay – faded, but it’s faded evenly rather than in patches / no primer used
Further photos in a different light showing some concealer still visible at the end of the day
The inner corners of my eye don’t look as dark as what they do naturally so I can tell some concealer is still on at the end of the day
Does using a primer help?
I’ve used Il Makiage’s primer and have had amazing results. But in the short of it, yes, primer helped my concealer stay on (evenly) for longer.
Final thoughts – would you recommend?
Yes I would. I like the brand plus the products I’ve tried so far are great, including this concealer (see my foundation blog here) and primer. I wanted a vegan and cruelty-free product, and a product that wouldn’t crease and stay on all day (8hours+).
What matters to me in a concealer is a nice texture, fades evenly, still covers darkness, and doesn’t flake.
After being bombarded with Insta & Facebook ads for months, I finally purchased Il Makiage foundation ‘Woke up like this’ – here’s my full Il Makiage review!
I’ve been looking for a new foundation because I was becoming more and more uncomfortable wearing my current foundation, Estée Lauder Double Wear, because it’s not cruelty-free, unlike Il Makiage who are cruelty-free. I bought it in 2019 so figured I was due an upgrade. I have combination skin & Double Wear leaves my forehead at the end of the day as oily as a frying pan – I’m hoping this new one isn’t the same.
Is Il Makiage cruelty-free and vegan?
Never. We never test products or ingredients on animals, nor do we allow suppliers or affiliates to conduct testing on our behalf. Animals > Everything. Not 100% of our products are vegan, but most are, including our foundation. Contact us for a complete list of our vegan products.
As per their FAQs https://www.ilmakiage.com/uk/faq
Shade matcher POWERMATCH – how does it work?
They have a shade matcher “power match” on their website which I must say, is pretty accurate. After answering several easy questions (2 minutes tops), it suggested 35 for me. I also messaged on Facebook the Il Makiage team, and after sending them my photo, they recommended 40 – right next to 35 in the list so very similar, I ended up going with 35 though and it turns out, the POWERMATCH is spot on because it’s the right shade for me.
It takes 2 minutes to answer questions based on your skin concerns, skin type, preferred coverage & finish etc.
answering a few questions on Il Makiage’s power match quiz gives you a shade recommendation
Il Makiage #35 less yellow-y than my current foundation, Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay In Place, 1W2 Sand. Il Makiage’s 35 is in my opinion a much better colour for my skin. Estee Lauder’s would probably suit me with a tan.
Woke up like this foundation shade 35
the same photo but with different lighting – comparing my current foundation (double wear 1W2) which I’ve never thought matched me properly, to my new Il Makiage #35 – a much better match
My YouTube video shows how I apply the foundation with a sponge: (just had covid so yes, I look rough, which is actually really handy to show you just how much this makeup makes me look less dull!)
I bought a pack of 4 sponges from Amazon for £5 – here’s the link. Don’t forget to dampen the sponge first for the best coverage.
How does it cope with my combination skin?
I have sensitive eyes; my forehead & sides of my nose are oily; around my mouth is sensitive & dry; the rest is normal.
My face has different concerns – I have sensitive eyes; my forehead & sides of my nose are oily; around my mouth is sensitive & dry; the rest is normal. My current Double Wear foundation makes my forehead very oily by the end of the day – so much so when I get in from work (after 10 hours) I’m dying to get it off. It also flakes on my dry patches. I can’t deny it though, Double Wear gives amazing coverage. If you have normal skin, I can imagine it stays on all day and looks amazing, but it’s not cruelty-free so a re-purchase for me is off the cards.
I have high-hopes it won’t leave my skin a flaky greasy mess by the end of the day. I also work out after work, when I’ve got makeup on – this will be interesting.
Here’s what the foundation looks like via my Tiktok!
What’s the coverage like? How much product do I need?
I like a light coverage. I’m 33 so I feel too much makeup looks worse due to the texture/fine lines that are appearing. ‘Woke up like this’ is buildable so I guess you’ll be able to pump as little or as much as you want.
1 pump in all its glory
1 pump; the redness on the side of my nose has been reduced (but not hidden) and you can still see small pumps on my forehead. It’s a nice light coverage though and the colour matches my skin perfectly
One pump gives a lovely finish – not everything is covered as you can see, but on the most part, it’s given my skin a glow and evened it out a lot. The redness either side of my nose has been reduced – but is still visible, as is the bumps on my forehead. It’s also covered small acne scars and uneven skin colouring on my cheeks and forehead.
It goes on very light and melts into my skin. It feels lovely. It isn’t thick, so I’m able to move it around my skin quickly and easily without any pulling of my skin. I buffer it in using circles with a brush, to make sure I get an even coverage. (UPDATE: I now use sponges for foundation (thanks tiktok) £5 for 4 here from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3K4mdai)
2 pumps – a lot better coverage, still feeling light-weight and not oily which is what I wanted – it blends really well
I have 2 pumps on here – plus added blusher. The redness around my nose has 95% been hidden. My skin looks even but it doesn’t look like I’ve got a lot of makeup on.
Primer is recommended
Before I put the foundation on, I moisturised with my Murad which has SPF in it. Then I went in with primer. It says on the Il Makiage website to use a primer to ensure the foundation stays on for as long as possible. That’s fine by me! I used a bit of Revolution Ultra Face Primer. I’ve now purchased Il Makiage’s primer – see blog links below. Obviously with it being the same brand, they work best together (and I can confirm it really is amazing – helps it stays on all day, including the concealer).
UPDATE: Here’s my blog on Il Makiage’s Primer – I’ve recently tried it after repurchasing the foundation. It’s brilliant and they work really well together – as you’d expect.
Post-workout – did the foundation stay on?
I worked out and got sweaty – I don’t know about you but my skin actually looks better. Dewy but not greasy. The foundation also stayed on; it didn’t go clumpy, melt or anything else.
after a sweaty workout – nice dewy skin with foundation still intact!
Okay so this instagram post is pretty convincing. It looks like one swoop covers her skin flawlessly. My personal opinion is for this woman to get full coverage like that in that small area, it would take at least 1 full pump. I used 1 pump to cover my whole face as I like a really light coverage. To get this fuller coverage over the whole face, you’d need at least 3 pumps.
we’ve all seen her!
Final thoughts – love it
this is my skin naturally without anything on – you can see the red patches on my cheek and nose
very happy with the finish & coverage – covers all red patches and 2 pumps, doesn’t feel heavy at all, and stays on throughout the day
the ‘before’ The ‘during’ – Shade 35 in Il Makiage’s woke up like this foundationThe finished result using Il Makiage’s foundation in shade 35This is me after a 17 hour day – including sweating and walking in the rain!
Ok so I didn’t want the world on a stick…. I wanted a foundation that:
didn’t make my oily/dry skin worse
I could wear all day (10hr+)
stays on after a workout or if I get sweaty/rained on
doesn’t break me out in spots
Il Makiage lives up to that above. I’m really pleased (for once) I was targeted on Instagram!
I also wanted a cruelty-free and vegan brand, which I got. Il Makiage products are all cruelty-free and most are vegan – this foundation is one of their vegan products (check out their FAQs).
I would recommend this foundation. It works well on my skin.
Me
Even though they don’t give out free shade testers, the fact I got the suggestion from their customer service team gave me confidence I ordered the right shade – and they were right!
I’m not dying to take my makeup off by the end of the day because it doesn’t worsen my oily skin. After wearing for 10+ hours, my skin still looks fresh with uneven skin tone & imperfections still covered – not as good as the morning but still impressive.
If you want to use a tool to suggest your shade, use their POWERMATCH. I did and it’s perfect! Although if you don’t get a good match they offer an amazing returns policy which gives peace of mind.
Skin prep tip – a must to keep foundation looking its best with dermaplaning
Make sure you dermaplane your skin to smooth it out as much as possible. I do this once every few weeks and it makes SUCH a difference. ‘Dermaplaning’ is basically a fancy way of saying you ‘shave your face’ but it also removes the dead skin cells making your skin super-smooth. I can confirm after years of doing this, hair does NOT return thicker/darker.
Make sure to prep your skin thoroughly and leave enough time in-between for the products to sink in your skin. I moisturise then leave 10 minutes before putting primer on, then another 10 mins before putting makeup on (foundation first then concealer).
How much is the foundation and where can I buy?
It’s £36 + delivery, £3.95.
Delivery is free over £40 which is kinda frustrating as their most popular product is just below the threshold.
UPDATE 27/4/22: Hadn’t seen this at the time of buying, but they offer ‘try it for 60 days’ if you use their POWERMATCH tool to find your shade match; see the promo below. I’ve not known a makeup company offer returns on foundation! This would help massively if you get the wrong shade, you can simply return it, instead of (like me) try to re-sell on eBay for a 1/10 of the price. Link here for their foundation POWERMATCH.
only just seen this promo – try before you buy! returns! never known this to be available for makeup.
Discounts
As mentioned above, use welcome10 for 10% off from their website Il Makiage.
Final tip (and most important)
Don’t drop the bottle on a hard floor or this will happen. *cries*
don’t be a clumsy fool like me ARRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH *cries*
Update: 30 April 2021
I bought the Il Makiage Primer and it’s worked wonders for keeping the foundation on all day without any crustiness around my dry patches. I would recommend (oh I repurchased the foundation!)
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