As a category, foundations have seen the most transformation in the last few years. Trends have shifted from full coverage and matte textures to more natural, luminous finishes, while new regulations in the UK and EU have seen cult favourites like Armani’s Luminous Silk and Estee Lauder’s Double Wear reformulated with more skincare ingredients and forgoing certain silicones.
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Bobbi Brown has always been a proponent of natural beauty, from her first eponymous brand to Jones Road, the make-up label with heroes like the Miracle Balm and recent Blushing Stick, the latter of which is already a fixture in the make-up bags of the Vogue team. The newest product, the Your Skin Foundation Stick, is no different. “It delivers a satin finish with a breathable, lightweight feel, while still offering medium-to-full coverage,” Brown tells me exclusively. “The result is a more modern, skin-like effect that evens out the complexion without obscuring natural texture – enhancing the skin rather than covering it.” This is thanks to a combination of nourishing ceramides, squalane and sodium hyaluronate.
It sits among a collection that already includes complexion-enhancing formulas like the Just Enough Tinted Moisturiser, which offers soft coverage, and What The Foundation for light-medium, buildable coverage. Foundation Stick is similarly flexible – it can also be layered up for greater coverage if needed, or provide a subtle wash of colour in a handy swipe. “We wanted to create a formula that delivers higher coverage without ever feeling or looking mask-like on the skin,” Brown explains. “The ingredients are designed with skin-first care in mind, helping to hydrate and condition while you wear it, so the finish looks smooth, natural, and comfortable throughout the day.”
Getting the coverage just right was crucial to its creator, and the greatest challenge when formulating the new product. “It either had too much or too little,” she says. The key to her was finding that balance. “This really is the perfect level of coverage if you want something fuller that still feels comfortable on the skin and never looks or feels like a mask.” One swipe is very natural, neutralising redness, soft concealing imperfections, but never feeling heavy, even as you begin to build.
For best results, the make-up expert advises first, “Prep your skin as needed.” This will depend on your skin type, and for those with dry skin, she stresses to “apply light moisture cream first”. Those with normal to combination skin can “often skip this step, because the foundation contains hydrating ingredients.” I fall into the latter combination camp and found that, even so, a gel-moisturiser assisted in blurring pores ahead of the foundation, encouraging it to sit better on the skin.
My instinct was to immediately swipe directly onto my face, beginning at the cheeks and blending out with a brush. Brown, however, takes a slightly different approach. “Start around the nose and apply where there’s redness or any uneven skin tones. It can be spot-applied as needed or used all over the face for more coverage.” She suggests using “a face blending brush to diffuse the product directly from the stick and blend it up into the hair line for a flawless finish. Ensure the foundation melts into your complexion so it looks natural and undetectable. Use your hands to gently press the foundation into the skin to help it melt in and look more seamless.”
As for selecting the correct foundation shade among the 30 available, there is a quiz on the Jones Road website. “I worked on this quiz myself and tested it to make sure it gives the most accurate match for a wide range of skin tones,” Brown says. “We also provide detailed swatch images, clear shade descriptions, and model photos so you can see how each shade looks on real skin before choosing.” I went for Warm Linen for the full face with Linen to brighten areas like the undereye. My next investment will be a darker hue like Warm Honey for contouring.