Sep 6, 201712 min read

Foundation Review Part 2- Too Faced Born This Way Foundation, Review + Critical Analysis

Heyyyy Beauties

Today, I am going to be talking about the Born this Way Foundation by Too Faced.

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Packaging

Really Pretty

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Too Faced Born This Way Foundation comes in a pink bow with the Too Faced symbol and a black strip with born this way in pretty gold writing. The ingredients come on the bottle along with all other relevant information.

The actual bottle of the foundation is also pretty and has a large black lid with gold under and then born this way in pretty writing again. I have to say- Too Faced Born this Way Foundation has good, appealing and pretty packaging! It certainly makes you wanr it, I like the packaging.

Consistency/Coverage

Pure Liquid , Medium Buildable

📷The Consistency of Born This Way Foundation is pure liquid that has no creaminess or thickness. Born This Way is a medium-buildable coverage foundation. The first time I tried it I applied two small pumps and I hated the coverage and it was light medium at best. The next day I applied two bigger pumps of the foundation to my face and I got a more flawless finish. The coverage was way higher but at the same time, it’s not really my favourite finish and it doesn’t even my skin or give me a really flawless finish- it’s just like every other liquid foundation I have tried. I also felt a bit of irritation with it especially when applying more to get higher coverage which I will mention in the lasting power section below. The first time when I applied a small amount I didn’t feel any irritation.

If you like liquid foundations and want a medium buildable foundation you will probably really like this foundation. If you like cream/thick foundation and full coverage, you might not like it. For me it’s nothing special.

Best Applied With

Makeup Brush- Flat Kabuki and Beauty Blemder

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Born This Way is best applied with a flat kabuki brush that buffs the product right into the skin to increase coverage. With this foundation you really want to use something that is going to pack the product right into your skin because it is a liquid foundation. A beauty blender, or any other makeup sponge along with a flat kabuki brushes are best to apply this to get a fuller coverage.

Available Shades

18 Shades

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Born This Way Foundation comes in 18 shades, ranging from lights to dark shades. There is really light to medium shades, some medium tan shades along with some really dark shades so I think there might be a shade for almost every skin type.

Lasting Power (Hours) > Wear Test

Good Lasting Wear

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To test the wear of the foundation, I did an 8 hour Wear Test in which I checked the foundation four times in 2 hour intervals and wrote my thoughts down to analyse the lasting power and wear of the foundation. I didn’t apply any other additional coverage over the foundation (concealer,powder) so I could accurately test the lasting power and wear.

Foundation Application Time- 12.16 PM

Thoughts Upon Application> It took two full pumps to build up to a semi-full coverage. The coverage is alright, it’s a nice medium coverage , nothing too special. Straight away it kind of feels irritating on my skin (which might be it just setting), but we will see at the other check ups whether this is the case.

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First Check Up- 2.16 PM– two hours after application– There is a tiny bit of creasing under the eyes meaning you probably need concealer over the top of this foundation, Other than that the coverage is the same and hasn’t worn off. There is still a bit of irritation

Second Check Up- 4.16 PM– four hours after application-The foundation has stayed pretty much the same with minimal loss of coverage. Some has worn off and settled around the nose and cheek but after four hours of wear this foundation has stayed on and maintained coverage. It’s a tiny bit dewy but nothing too obvious. It is still irritating and it seems it’s getting worse over time. I feel just a bit of a tingle and itch, it’s weird. I will try and figure what chemical is causing irritation during my chemical analysis.

Third Check Up- 6.16 PM– six hours after application– Settled a bit more around the nose and on the cheeks. There is a slight bit more dewiness in the t zone and chin but nothing to bad. The coverage is still really good after six hours and looks the same as the last check ins.

Fourth Check Up- 8.16 PM– eight hours after application– Foundation still on after eight hours and still a medium coverage. It’s slightly dewier then before but nothing too visible. I am happy with the lasting power of it and it looks good at the end of the day.

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Lasting Power/Wear Conclusion

Passed 8 Hour Test

The Lasting Power of the Born this Way foundation is really good. It has lasted for 8 hours and passed my 8 hour test. It will probably last longer if I leave it on I would say. There is minimal creasing, and hardly any has worn off. The coverage is still medium and has stayed the same throughout the day. The fact that it is still on good at the end of the day means it does have a good wear along with lasting power.

Shelf Life

12 Months

Too Faced Born this Way Foundation has a shelf life of 12 months. This means you have 12 months to fully use the product before it can become unsafe for use or spoiled, which is a pretty good amount of time considering foundation is a product used daily for most and thus runs out relatively quick.

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Chemical/Formula Analysis/Information

The Too Faced Born This Way Foundation has 35 ingredients in the formula and is ranked by the Cosmetic Analysis database as an ‘Average’ formula. The Cosmetic Analysis Database analyses all individual chemicals in the formula and ranks them in terms of the safety and functioning into 5 categories including Highly Recommended, Recommended, Average, Not Recommended and To Be Avoided and then returns a ranking of the formula.

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The Average formula ranking of the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation is a result of 2 Highly Recommended chemicals, 16 Recommended chemicals, 11 Average chemicals, 4 Not Recommended chemicals and 1 To Be Avoided chemical.

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The fact there are 2 Highly Recommended and 16 Recommended chemicals means that the bulk of the formula is composed of high quality, recommended chemicals. The 11 Average chemicals have no real benefits and no real adverse effects.

The Single To Be Avoided chemical in the formula is Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate. Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate acts as a UV Filter and UV Absorber in the product. Adverse effects of Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate that it is hormonally active and can change genetic material. It can also cause allergies and skin irritation. Based on these characteristics, it is rated as a Very Bad chemical to use by the database. It is the 10th ingredient in the formula meaning it is present in fairly high concentrations.

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The Four Not Recommended/Bad chemicals in the formula are Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate, Isododecane, Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone and Tetrasodium EDTA. I am going to briefly go over their adverse effects. Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate acts as an absorbent, anticaking and viscosity control agent in the formula. It has a skin irritating effect which is why it is ranked as a Not Recommended/Bad chemical to use. It is the 4th chemical in the formula so is present in fairly high concentrations.

Isododecane acts as an emollient and solvent in the formula and has multiple adverse effects including creating a waterproof barrier, drying out the skin, promoting wrinkle construction, Preventing the skin from breathing, leading to heat build-up and accumulating in the liver, kidneys and lymph nodes. It is the 5th chemical in the formula so is present in fairly high concentrations.

Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone acts as a Emulsifier in the formula. It can irritate the skin and make it porous, which can lead to the absorption of hazardous material. It is the 7th chemical in the formula and so is present in fairly high concentrations.

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Tetrasodium EDTA acts as a chelating agent in the formula, forming complexes with metal ions to affect stability. It is hard to decompose which is why it is rated as a Bad/Not Recommended chemical to use. It is the 29th chemical in the formula so is present in fairly low concentrations.

The Two Highly Recommended chemicals in the formula are Magnesium Sulfate and Lecithin. Magnesium Sulfate is used in the formula as a bulking and viscosity control agent. It can prevent infection which is why it is rated by the database as a Very Good chemical to use. It is the 11th chemical in the formula and so is present in fairly high concentrations.

Lecithin has multiple purposes in the formula including as an anti static, emollient, emulsifying and skin conditioning agent. It binds moisture, maintains the skin in good condition and smooths and softens the skin, which is why it is rated as a Very Good chemical to use. It is the 24th chemical in the formula and so is present in fairly small concentrations.

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Other than that, there are 2 preservative chemicals in the formula including Phenoxyethanol and Potassium Sorbate. This means that the formula is paraben free.

What Chemical is causing the slight irritation I feel?

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As I mentioned in the Wear Test Section, I felt a bit of irritation with this foundation and I went through the chemical formula and tried to figure out what ingredient may be contributing to the irritation I felt. The irritation most likely comes down to the chemical Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate. This chemical is ranked by the Cosmetic Analysis Database as a ‘Should be Avoided’ chemical that has 5 bad characteristics, including that it is hormonally active, can change genetic material, causes allergies, frequently irritates the skin and is not UV stable. Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate is used in the Too Faced Born This Way Foundation as a sunscreen/UV filter. To back up the claim that this chemical is an irritant, the CosDNA database also ranks it as a level 6 hazard.

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Another chemical that could contribute to the slight irritation felt is Ethylhexyl Palmitate, which has an irritant ranking of 1 by the CosDNA Database and has an acne ranking of 4. Ethylhexyl Palmitate may cause slight irritation which then triggers breaking out. All in all, I would put the irritation down to Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and maybe a little bit Ethylhexyl Palmitate. Additionally, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate and Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone can also have an irritating effect and may contribute to irritation.

Marketing vs Chemical analysis

Is this product marketed properly?

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In order to access the accuracy of the marketing strategy, I researched the 3 mentioned chemicals that they list on the bottle and also in the product descriptions to sell the product- They mention Coconut Water , Alpine Rose and Hyaluronic Acid .

Alpine Rose is present in the chemical formula as Rhododendron Ferrugineum Extract .Too Faced markets Alphne Rose (Rhododendron Ferrugineum Extract) on the packaging as a chemical that ‘brightens the skins appearance and promotes elasticity’. Upon further research I found that Rhododendron Ferrugineum Extract is a skin protecting chemical that can improve the skins barrier and increase self-renewal ability. Thus, Too Faced accurately marketed the use of Alphine Rose because yes, it has skin repairing properties that would brighten the skin and promote elasticity (self-renewal). Rhododendron Ferrugineum Extract is also a fragrance chemical and a naturally derived , plant based chemical used in cosmetics.

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Coconut Water is present in the formula as Cocos Nucifera Water. Too Faced markets this chemical on the packaging as a chemical that ‘delicately replenishes skin moisture levels’. Upon further research, I found that Cocos Nucifera Water is a fragrance, moisturizing, emollient and plant extract chemical that has some moisturizing properties. Too Faced have marketed this correctly in regards to it’s moisturizing properties because- yes- it does have the ability to replenish skin moisture levels. Again, they have of course exaggerated the benefits of Coconut Water in a foundation but that’s expectable for a brand. Cocos Nucifera Water is also a fragrance chemical and natural plant based ingredient used in cosmetics.

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Hyaluronic Acid is present in too faced born this way foundation as Sodium Hyaluronate. Too Faced markets this chemical on the packaging as providing a ‘smoother, more youthful appearance’. Upon further research of this chemical, I found that it is a moisturizing chemical that has a great capacity to retain moisture (prevent water loss).According to the Paula’s Choice Cosmetic Database, Sodium Hyaluronate and Hyaluronic acid have great moisture retaining abilities and are thought to have an effect on the plumping of wrinkles and fine lines.

While hyaluronic acid and Sodium Hyaluronate do have an anti-aging effect when applied to the skin, it doesn’t mean that they have a massive effect on wrinkles or anti aging or that they give you a youthful appearance in the foundation . This means that while Hyaluronic Acid and Sodium Hyaluronate do have moisturizing and anti-aging effects, it is more a marketing strategy by Too Faced to mention these. As I said there is no doubt these moisturizers do have anti-aging effects, but how much effect they have in foundation is debatable. Too Faced have marketed this product correctly but have sort of exaggerated the anti aging effects of Hyaluronic Acid, specifically in a foundation because it’s not going to give you that much of a more youthful appearance it’s just going to hydrate your skin a bit and provide coverage by covering and smoothing imperfections (like all foundations do).

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Additionally, Hyaluronic Acid is present as Sodium Hyaluronate as a moisturizer agent in a lot of other liquid foundation and other cosmetic products among brands- including MAC Studio Fix Foundation, MAC Pro Long Wear Concealer, LA Girl HD Pro Concealer, and many more foundations and concealers- so it’s not like Too Faced is the first brand to use this chemical in a foundation- so as I said marketing is over exaggerated a bit.

While all the marketed chemicals (Alphine Rose, Coconut Water and Hyaluronic Acid) are marketed properly by Too Faced, they are present in small amounts in a foundation, so if you really want to replenish and moisturize your skin , I would do this with a skin care product. The fact these chemicals are in the foundation will make it a bit more friendly for the skin but again, won’t do you wonders as you might think..

Overall Review of Born This Way Foundation by Too Faced

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Overall, the Too Faced Born this Way Foundation is a long lasting liquid foundation with a medium buildable coverage. First off I love the packaging, it is one of my favourite things about it. It’s just sleek and pretty and appealing to consumers (and meeeee). .

In regards to coverage , it can be built to a medium- semi full coverage…I found this foundation good but nothing really great in terms of coverage or finish. The lasting power of the foundation was really good, it lasted through my 8 hour wear test and it stayed on even longer. Minimal coverage was lost throughout the day and the wear was good with hardly any creasing.This foundation isn’t really high coverage and I don’t like the finish but it will be suitable to people who like light-medium high coverage.

As I mentioned, I found this foundation to be slightly irritating from the start. Nothing to crazy, but just frequent itchiness, and tingles on the face. I put the irritation down to Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate and possibly Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Aluminium Starch Octenylsuccinate and Cetyl PEG/PPG-10/1 Dimethicone. The irritation is low but it is still there. I found that when I applied a small amount I didn’t get as much irritation but to get a medium-high coverage you need two big pumps- so it’s like do you want coverage or do you want irritation?

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In regards to accurate marketing, it’s marketed as a highly moisturizing foundation with specific regards to Coconut Water, Alphine Rose and Hyaluronic Acid. While these chemicals do have moisturizing and anti-aging properties, marketing has obviously exaggerated a bit. Coconut water and Alphine rose are also used as fragrance ingredients and are both plant extracts. Hyaluronic Acid does have anti aging properties but when used with other harsh chemicals these properties can be drowned out, and the formula contains a lot of alcohol based chemicals.They market the use of Hyaluronic Acid but a lot of other products and foundations by many different and competing brands also use Hyaluronic Acid as a moistening agent so it’s not like Too Faced are the first ones to use it in a foundation as this. All in all, while the marketing strategy is true and they have no blatantly lied, they are obviously over exaggerating the impact of these chemicals. This is to be expected from brands though.

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The formula of the foundation is ranked by the Cosmetic Analysis Database as Average. It contains 1 ‘To be Avoided chemicals’, 4 ‘Not Recommended’ chemicals , 11 ‘Average’ chemicals, 17 ‘Recommended’ chemicals and 2 ‘Particually Recommended’ chemicals which contribute to this ‘Average’ ranking. The formula does include some unique ingredients – specifically in regards to other liquid foundations- and while it is chemically similar and has some similar chemicals to other foundations, it is unique in regards to what moisturizing chemicals are used including the use of plant extract chemicals. There is no high hazard chemicals in the formula and no parabens are used. Everything regarding the chemical makeup of the product is good , except for the use of Ethylhexyl Palmitate which I found irritating.

All in all, this foundation is a pretty average liquid foundation for me. I like it, but I don’t love it. I would wear it if I had too but would go to Ella Bache Foundation first. If you like a long lasting, light-medium coverage foundation with pure liquid consistency, you might like this foundation. I probably won’t repurchase this foundation. I’m not even sure that I will get through the bottle, unless I mix it or something. It’s just such a basic liquid foundation and I’m not really over excited about it.

Always take into consideration that everyone is different and like different things. If you want to buy a product you should always test it for yourself if you want. Everyone has different preferences and different products will appeal to different people ! I just feel like the foundation is a bit overrated which might come down to the fact Too Faced is a popular brand. All in all, Too Faced Born This way is not the worst foundation I have tried and it’s not the best.

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation comes in bottles with 30 mL (1.0 ounces) of product and costs $58.00 AUD and $39.00 USD per bottle (see below where to buy)

Foundation I have Reviewed Ranking List

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1• Ella Bache Sunguard Foundation SPF 40

2• Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

I like Ella Bache Sunguard Foundation SPF 40 way better than I like Born This Way Foundation by Too Faced (Note: full chemical analysis on Ella Bache and wear test coming up)

Links to other Foundation Posts

If you want to check out all my foundation posts, go to my main slide across menu and go to ‘all foundation posts’ in the beauty blog section, or click this link to go to my foundation category page > My Foundation/Concealer Category Page Link