elf Flawless Finish Foundation Review: I Don’t Love This Drugstore Foundation

Flawless Finish Foundation: My least favorite e.l.f. product.

e.l.f. Cosmetics has a lot of home run hitting products. These include their 19 Piece Makeup Brush Set ($50), Putty Eye Primer ($6), and Primer-Infused Blush ($6), to name a few. Honestly, I would recommend just about all of their products I have tried over the years. That is, except one: e.l.f. Flawless Finish Foundation. While this drugstore foundation has an inclusive shade range (40 shades), I’m just not a fan of the formula. Keep reading for the details on why it didn’t work for me. Let’s review elf Flawless Finish Foundation.

Promises vs. Performance: This foundation isn’t flawless.

Flawless Finish claims to have some great benefits, especially for a $6 foundation. e.l.f.’s website states that Flawless Finish features buildable, blendable color that provides weightless all day wear. It is said to be medium to full coverage foundation with a semimatte finish. e.l.f. even claims this foundation will improve uneven skin tone and texture. This “skin-perfecting foundation” is suitable for all skin types and is said to improve uneven skin tone and texture.

My review thoughts on elf Flawless Finish Foundation

When I tested this foundation, I used shades Pearl and Alabaster to create a custom shade that worked for me. I dotted the foundation on my face with my fingertips, then went in to blend with the e.l.f. Buffing Foundation Brush. I repeated the application again to layer on more coverage. I will say, this foundation blended out really easily! The formula is rather thick and was beginning to look heavy when layered, so I took a sponge to remove some of the excess product sitting on my face. 

While it looked okay after application, there’s lots of things I just don’t like about the formula, beginning with the smell. A reviewer on Makeup Alley described it as strong and flowery, and I agree. It reminded me of a bathroom cleaner! When applying, the formula felt thick, and it sat on top of my skin without becoming one with my skin. Even after applying a setting powder, the formula still felt tacky and weighty. After the all day wear test, my forehead was a greasy, shiny mess. In places where I had layered it, my face looked cakey and cracked. And it exaggerated all oily and dry patches.

How It Compares: What’s the best drugstore foundation?

Quick RATING Rundown:

This Product

Price

$6.00

Coverage/buildable

**** (4.0)

Blendable/workability

**** (3.0)

Texture of finish

**** (2.0)

How It Feels (Lightweight…)

***** (1.5)

Longevity

**** (3.0)

Application

***** (3.5)

No. of Shades/finishes

***(4.0)

Extra benefits

**** (3.5)

Industry Standard

Price

$15.99

Coverage/buildable

**** (4.0)

Blendable/workability

**** (4.0)

Texture of finish

**** (4.0)

How It Feels (Lightweight…)

***** (4.5)

Longevity

**** (4.0)

Application

***** (4.5)

No. of Shades/finishes

***** (5.0)

Extra benefits

***** (4.0)

MILABU Recommended

Top 5 drugstore foundations

Price

$0 – $25

Coverage/buildable

***** (5.0)

Blendable/workability

**** (4.0)

Texture of finish

**** (4.0)

How It Feels (Lightweight…)

***** (5.0)

Longevity

***** (5.0)

Application

***** (5.0)

No. of Shades/finishes

***** (5.0)

Extra benefits

***** (5.0)

e.l.f. Flawless Finish missed the mark for me. It does not provide the coverage e.l.f. claims, and the formula is just way too thick for my liking. To keep it from looking too heavy, I have to take a damp sponge over the application to remove some of the excess foundation. When I first tested this product, my end of day result was a greasy, cakey mess which made me not want to pick it up again. If I had to name just one positive thing about this product, it would be that at least it applied easily!

There are much better foundation options at the drugstore. One of my favorites is L’Oreal Infallible 24 Hour Fresh Wear. While it’s also heavily scented, Infallible has many features and benefits the Flawless Finish doesn’t. Some of the features include feeling lightweight, easily providing a solid medium to full coverage, and wearing for for 12+ hours.

But, I’m going to be honest…

To get an all-around high performing drugstore foundation, you do have to spend a few more bucks. The Milabu Team put together a list of what we think are the Best Full Coverage Foundations Under $25. The list includes favorites like Juvia’s Place I Am Magic, which has an amazing shade range, and NYX Can’t Stop Won’t Stop, which is a drugstore foundation that does it all from full coverage to long wear.

Milabu Beauty Method: Tips on how to apply this foundation.

I had some issues with this e.l.f. foundation. Here are some tips on how to minimize thickness, cracking, and cakiness.

1. Prep your skin with your regular skincare routine. 
2. If you have oily skin, use a mattifying face primer. I recommend the Maybelline Fit Me Matte + Poreless Primer ($6.99). If you only struggle with oily patches (such as the T-zone), focus application just in these areas instead of applying all over the face.
3. Apply using your fingers. After letting your skincare and primer settle into your skin, apply dots of product all over your face.
4. Blend using a foundation brush. I the used e.l.f. Buffing Foundation Brush ($6) and swirled it over the product.
5. Dab a clean sponge over the foundation. This will help the product settle into your skin and may pick up any extra product, to minimize thickness and caking. My go-to face sponge is the OG beautyblender ($20). 
6. Apply concealer to your under eyes and blemishes. Since this foundation doesn’t provide high coverage, you may want a full coverage concealer. Maybelline Instant Age Rewind ($9.99) always does a phenomenal job.

Tip: I recommend only applying one layer of this foundation. It may yield less coverage, but it’ll also save your face makeup from looking thick or cracked!