Review: San San Soleil Matte Foundation

You might have already seen this foundation in my haul post *here.* I've been using this product since I got it (and that was about two months ago) but not quite regularly. I use different foundations on different days, depending on my mood but I think I've used this one enough to make a review of it. So here goes :)

San San Soleil Matte Foundation

This foundation is one of the 7 items included in San San's Soleil collection, which is their limited edition summer collection. This collection consists of one foundation, three shades of lipstick (one of which I reviewed *here*), and three shades of nail polish.

Description (from San San): Has Vitamins A, C and E. Has SPF 43. Provides excellent makeu-up coverage for blemishes and uneven skin tone to promote a smoother and radiant complexion.

Ingredients: Squalene, titanium dioxide, candelilla wax, methylsilsesquioxane, boron nitride, beeswax, benzoic acid, benzophenone-3, homosalate, butyl methoxydibenzoylmethane, retinyl palmitate (Vitamin A), ascorbyl palmitate (Vitamin C), tocopherol (Vitamin E), CI 77492, CI 77891, CI 77499.

So firstly, let's talk about the packaging. It's packaged in a squeeze-type tube that has a pump dispenser. The yellow color and the sun print just scream summer, don't they? 

Generally, I find pump dispensers convenient because they offer much more control of the amount of product that is dispensed. The tube contains 30 mL of product. I usually use one full pump to cover my whole face.

Here's a swatch of the foundation on the back of my hand. This product comes in only one shade, by the way, and maybe that's why I think of this foundation more as a BB cream than a foundation. Oh, and the texture is more BB cream-ish than foundation-ish too, if you know what I mean. It has a bit of a thick texture but it doesn't feel heavy on the skin. Due to its texture, you have to spread and blend this quite quickly to avoid uneven application. I like using my Sigma F80 to blend this.

L: Two pumps, unblended
R: Semi-blended

What amazes me about this product is the coverage. As you can see below, it gives medium to heavy matte coverage. Note that I used two pumps for this swatch, which is more than enough to cover my whole face, let alone the back of my hand.

Blended

For comparison, here's my right hand without foundation and my left hand with foundation.

L: Without foundation
R: Left foundation

As you can see, the foundation was able to tone down the yellowness of my skin and even out the color. On my face, it looks like this...

L: Without foundation
R: With foundation (~1-1.5 pumps)
With flash

In these pictures, you can clearly see the coverage that this foundation gives. I have uneven skin tone and some dark areas especially around my eyes, and the foundation does a really good job in concealing those and in evening out my color. Even some of the redness on my cheeks was covered. 

Another thing that I like about this product is that it gives a matte finish. I prefer matte finishes when it comes to foundations because I have combi to oily skin. But with the somewhat dry texture, it is sometimes a bit too dry even for my oily skin so I still use moisturizer prior to application of this foundation.

This foundation keeps my face matte for about 2-3 hours (which is already a good time for me) and lasts on my face for up to 7 hours when topped with powder.

One thing I don't like about this product is that too much product makes me look too white, especially in pictures taken with flash. Bear in mind that this product has quite a high SPF (SPF 43), so it is bound to make you look too white in pictures if you aren't careful with the amount of product you use.

With foundation, powder, blush, etc.

With foundation, without flash

See how it looks just right under natural lighting?

To sum everything up, here's...

What I like about this product:

• Coverage - can even out my skin tone really well, conceal the dark and even red areas, and give a flawless finish
• Matte finish - can keep my face matte for about 2 hours 
• Lasts for up to 7 hours on my face (with powder)
• Doesn't break me out
• Has Vitamins A, C and E
• Has SPF 43 - high SPF comes in handy during uber hot days
• Convenient packaging
• Really affordable - priced at 149.75 Php
• Availability - available in all HBC outlets

What I don't like about this product:

• Can make me look too white but only when I put on too much product
• Texture is a bit drier compared to regular foundations that I need to blend it very well
• Only one shade available

Over-all, I'm quite satisfied with this product. I like the coverage very much but I just have to be careful not too apply too much product. And I get a lot of compliments whenever I use this!

Have you tried this product yet? What do you think of it? How about the regular San San foundations, are they any good? Lemme know! :D

For more information about other HBC products, visit the following pages.

• HBC website
• HBC Facebook page