Will The Kosas Foundation Live Up To The Hype?

For a skincare-infused face base, look to Kosas Revealer Foundation.

It’s 2022 – brands are all about the skincare infused makeup products, and I’m all for it. I mean, why not put makeup you can feel good about on your skin? More and more brands are infusing their makeup products with skincare, especially in the face base category. One that has been getting a lot of buzz on social media is the Kosas Revealer Foundation. This Kosas foundation is infused with ton of skincare to help brighten, hydrate, soothe, and plump skin while providing ample, second-skin like coverage.

Quick Rating Rundown

This Product

(4.3)

:Kosas Revealer Skin-Improving Foundation

Price: $42.00

1 oz

Value

(4.4)

Application

(4.5)

Coverage (med)

(4.2)

Finish (radiant)

(4)

Longevity

(3.9)

Shade Range

(4)

Extra Benefits

(5)

(4+)

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Price: $16 – $50

various

Value

(4+)

Application

(4+)

Coverage

(4+)

Finish

(4+)

Longevity

(4+)

Shade Range

(4+)

Extra Benefits

(4+)

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Promises vs. Performance: Do the skincare benefits outweigh the performance?

Kosas calls their Revealer Foundation a “powerhouse blend.” This foundation for “skincare freaks” is packed with good-for-skin ingredients like niacinamide and caffeine to brighten; squalane, arnica, and provitamin B5 to soothe; peptides and hyaluronic acid to plump. Revealer boasts a mineral reef-safe SPF of 25 to keep skin protected. Its medium coverage, natural finish claims to instantly blend into a second skin look, blurring, smoothing texture, and minimizing pores. Kosas Foundation is dermatologically tested, safe for sensitive skin, and non-acnegenic.

Let me start out by saying I get the hype. Kosas Revealer Foundation is a pretty solid face base. It blends like a dream, melting into skin for a near immediate medium coverage. With a brush, it applies a bit more heavy, but with a sponge it melts into the skin for more of that one-with-the-skin look. You’ll instantly notice the glowy, radiant (but not oily!) finish it gives. I do think the application can be a little uneven/patchy, especially when applied with a sponge. It’s not major and could depend on how skin is prepped, but it is something you should be aware of. I actually think it applies and wears best without a primer underneath.

As far as the wear goes, like many foundations, it depends on how skin is prepped or set. When I test a foundation, I like to try it multiple ways. A lot of times I don’t wear a primer and I prefer to not set my face, so I like to test if a foundation holds up with that wear style. With Kosas Revealer, I find it wears best for the first 4-6 hours of wear. It can contribute to excess oiliness and accentuate imperfections like texture and dry spots, which surprised me because of all the skincare goodies it contains!

How Kosas Revealer Foundation Compares: Not as good as Estée Lauder Double Wear, but it has benefits.

Kosas Revealer may not be the longest wearing, highest performing foundation, but it does have its benefits. I find that often times clean products, especially foundations, don’t have the longevity that others do. So, when would I reach for this foundation? This Kosas foundation is one I would reach for on days I need medium to full coverage, but my skin isn’t happy (AKA lots of redness, dryness, acne). If you want a dewy, radiant foundation, Revealer delivers that. It has a pretty natural, skin-like glow. However, it does take a bit to melt into skin. I’ve found I prefer a sponge application, despite it being a bit uneven. I’d rather it sheer out and be able to build to the coverage I want! If you’re on the hunt for a clean, medium to full coverage foundation and love a dewy finish – give this one a try.

The foundation I (and lots of others) consider to be a standard is Estée Lauder Double Wear. With Double Wear, I don’t have to worry what base I pair it with or how I set it, I know it’s going to last me a solid 8+ hours. That being said, the application isn’t quite foolproof. Its thicker texture can look heavy pretty easily if too much is applied. It can settle and accentuate texture and lines, but if paired with a pore filling or gripping primer this can be eliminated. Double Wear gives more of a soft matte to natural finish which suits all skin types.