Frankie Rose Cosmetics Matte Perfection Foundation and Concealer

Confession, I first wrote this post at the beginning of March. April 28th was my wedding, and as amazingly wonderful as it was, the planning period took up a lot of time and energy. Now that that’s over, I’m back! Besides this intro and taking a couple last minute pics, I haven’t changed a single thing within the post. My thoughts about this foundation and concealer are exactly the same as they were over two months ago (yikes, how time flies), and perhaps that gives even more weight to the review. Enjoy!

Frankie Rose Matte Perfection Foundation

Tati made me buy it! She briefly mentioned her love for this product in this video, and I had to try it out. I love discovering smaller brands, and as usual, her opinion is on point. This foundation, which retails for $32 and comes in 12 shades, is a gem.

Prior to purchasing a full bottle, I actually ordered their Foundation Sample Set in light, which came with four shades and a primer sample. This was super helpful for choosing my shade, and I was able to get about three day’s use out of one packet. I ended up choosing the shade China Silk.

Why I love it:

• It stays put, feels weightless, and will not transfer once it dries down. This formula lasts a good 8 hours on me; perhaps more, but I personally don’t care if a foundation lasts longer than a typical work day.
• It has a satin-matte finish. If you prefer foundation that is seriously matte, this is not that. But, I maintain that unless you have very oily skin, a satiny matte will be more flattering anyway. Plus, it’s more comfortable.
• It has a nice scent. This strikes me as a little odd because Frankie Rose is marketed as a sensitive skin brand, and fragrance is often avoided in those types of products. However, I do not have sensitive skin, and I quite like the scent. It’s fresh, not too overpowering, and dissipates immediately upon drying.
• This formula layers well with other products. I haven’t noticed any patchiness or pulling up of the foundation when applying blush and bronzer. Also, because it dries down so well, it requires little setting powder.
• Finally, it comes with a lockable pump and pump guard to prevent luggage bag catastrophes. Though I do not travel much, it’s nice knowing that I can safely stow my foundation in with the rest of my makeup with out fear of an accidental mess.

What I’d change:

• While I like the locking mechanism, the pump is actually difficult to use. Ideally, I’d use about 1.5 pumps of product, but getting a half-pump is not easy. It gets caught, and I end up accidentally using two full pumps fairly often. My mom, who also purchased the foundation (and loves it!), noted this as a source of frustration as well.
• The shade range is a bit lacking on both the lightest and deepest ends of the spectrum. I’m the lightest shade, which was a first for me. On the flip side, they do carry olive-toned shades, which I’ve heard can be difficult to find.

Application: 

As far as applying the foundation goes, it’s largely the same technique I use for the Josie Maran foundation. I still love using my IT Cosmetics Blurring foundation brush to buff it in, though using a damp sponge also works well. The difference here is that I don’t have to use as much setting powder to lock the foundation in place.

Before applying foundation:

After applying foundation:

Our Lil’ Secret Concealer  

I haven’t tried many concealers, but I can safely say this one will be hard to beat. I really liked the Urban Decay Naked Skin concealer, but Frankie Rose’s version knocks it out of the park. It retails for $24 and comes in 10 shades. Mine is in Angelic, which is a light shade with a neutral undertone. I used the color comparison chart that you can click on under the shade choices on Frankie Rose’s website to choose my color, and it worked great!

Why I love it:

• Just like the foundation, it stays put for hours.
• I can get away with heavier coverage, but I don’t HAVE to. What I’m trying to say is…I’ve tried the heavy under eye concealing technique that is all the rage these days. It never fails to exaggerate every fine line that I’d never otherwise notice. With this formula, a little goes a long way, but I can also go heavier without it creasing. Yay! I’ll admit, my version of heavy is still a fraction of the amount needed for that true Instagram look.
• This concealer is so comfortable. It does dry down completely, so I wouldn’t say it’s a hydrating formula. It’s more of a satin-matte like the foundation.
• The paddle-shaped applicator is really easy to use and dispenses a good amount of product.

What I’d change:

• More shades–especially on the deeper end of the spectrum.

Application: 

Like I said, I can safely go a bit heavier with this one. I place about four or five stripes under my eyes, on my chin, on the middle of my forehead, and down the bridge of my nose for more “glam” looks. This draws all the light to the middle of the face, which can really make any contouring or bronzing that is done later stand out. On an everyday basis, I only use this under my eyes. Here’s the technique on one side of my face:

My tool of choice then is a damp Real Techniques beauty sponge. I gently pounce the sponge over the product–never drag–so that it blends seamlessly into the skin. For the bridge of my nose, I often use my Zoeva 142 for a more precise application. After, I use the sponge to set the concealed areas with my RCMA No Color Powder.

The final look:

Hope you enjoyed this post! I’m always interested in hearing what your favorite products are. Feel free to share in the comments 🙂

xoxo Kelli