| Review | Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick
The ultra-luxurious clean beauty range from Westman Atelier has been on my radar for quite some time and the whole concept of her range is so beautifully minimalistic. Everything in the range is meant to be easily and quickly applied, using very little effort or skill. They're really meant to be used on-the-go and with very minimal tools. I love this concept, as a busy gal, myself. Mornings can be rough and the last thing I want to do is fuss with my makeup. Luckily, this foundation comes in a stick form and can be easily stored for use and touchups. I'm typically not a stick foundation person but this formula has really changed my opinion. I've been meaning to review this foundation for a while since I have owned this foundation for over a year now.
The Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick retails for $68.00 USD and is available at Westman Atelier and other retailers. The brand isn't widely available yet and so, it is a real struggle to get to a counter but I was fortunate enough to stop by one while I was in Los Angeles. The foundation is luxuriously packaged in a sleek baby pink tube that seems to be made of very nice plastic. The cap is magnetic and it is by far, one of the most luxuriously packed foundations I own. It is something I am happy to bring out of my bag and show off. The foundation stick is actually quite smaller in diameter than the packaging itself but it still comes with a fair amount of product.
This foundation comes in 13 different shades, which isn't a great selection. Especially, these days when even luxury brands are bringing out 40 shades of foundation in three different tones. This range is certainly lacking in foundation shades and as a brand created by a makeup artist, this is disappointing. I hope in the near future that she will expand her shade range. The other issue I have is that none of the websites that actually sell her foundations have a description of the shades and the tones. So, it is actually impossible to shop for this foundation online because the images are not an accurate representation of the shades.
The best shade I found for my NC30-35 skin tone is shade VII (7), which seems to be a pretty good fit for my skin tone. It's a warm shade but what I like about it is that it isn't too yellow or orange toned. It has a very natural golden tone to it, which is very flattering. Since my skin leans more neutral-toned, this shade is slightly too yellow for me, personally, but it is very close to my skin tone and it isn't obviously different.
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| Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick VII (7) Swatched Heavily |
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| Westman Atelier Vital Skin Foundation Stick VII (7) Blended Swatch |
FORMULA
This formula is very creamy and glides onto the skin effortlessly. This formula blends out like a dream and really becomes part of the skin. You don't really detect it once it is blended in. It is also very pigmented with every swipe delivering a strong pigment and coverage. If you want sheer coverage, you will want to apply only a few swipes and blend very well with a dense brush, buffing the product into the skin. This formula builds and layers very well. You can keep applying the foundation and it will leave you with a very natural look and finish to the complexion. You can build this up to full coverage and it doesn't look heavy or cakey on the skin.
This formula is very creamy and glides onto the skin effortlessly. This formula blends out like a dream and really becomes part of the skin. You don't really detect it once it is blended in. It is also very pigmented with every swipe delivering a strong pigment and coverage. If you want sheer coverage, you will want to apply only a few swipes and blend very well with a dense brush, buffing the product into the skin. This formula builds and layers very well. You can keep applying the foundation and it will leave you with a very natural look and finish to the complexion. You can build this up to full coverage and it doesn't look heavy or cakey on the skin.
The brand has been touting this formula as a foundation and concealer, which I agree it works well for both purposes. The finish is very natural, like real skin. It has a soft luminosity with a little bit of a glow but not dewy at all. It will work best for a normal to dry skin type but I can see this working for oily skin types if your properly prep the skin.
On my dry skin, if I don't set the foundation and don't use a primer, this foundation will wear for 5 to 8 hours before fading. This will depend on the climate that day and how much physical activity I'm doing. This isn't to say it disappears but it will begin to fade and the coverage will be lighter. If you prime and set your complexion, this foundation should last very well for 7 to 8 hours. This formula also wears very comfortably on the skin and feels almost nourishing on the skin. Since this product is designed with clean ingredients, it doesn't cause any irritation or cause my skin to breakout.
This cream formula doesn't set after application, so you will have transferring if you don't set it. It plays very well with other products both cream and powder. Since it doesn't set, you will have transfer of foundation to your other cream products and some of the product will lift off the skin if you apply another stick product directly on the skin. It isn't enough to make an obvious impact on your coverage but it's just something to keep in mind.
Here is what the foundation looks like on my skin. I think it looks very skin-like and natural. It does come off a touch yellow but it isn't extremely off tone from my actual skin tone.
FINAL THOUGHTS
While on the pricier side, this foundation is formulated with some beautiful clean ingredients and a very comfortable formula. This effortlessly creamy formula allows you to achieve a naturally perfected complexion easily. It blends into the skin seamlessly and looks like real skin. This versatile formula is suitable for a variety of skin types especially if you prep your skin properly. I think my biggest issue with this range is the lack of shade selection. You really have to compromise and get your "best match" but these days it's hard to convince yourself to compromise for a shade when other brands have so many shades that will guarantee you a near-perfect match. While I really enjoy this formula, packaging, and the finish of this foundation, the slightly off shade match makes me question whether I'll repurchase again. It has been a foundation that I reach for frequently because of its formula and convenience. It is normally very difficult to find a stick foundation that isn't too heavy and looks good on dry skin. This one really excels on my dry skin. If you can find a match, I highly recommend this foundation! I have seen the slowly expand their shade range across their products so, I hope to see new additions to this foundation range.
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