‘I Tried This $11 TikTok-Viral Amazon Foundation On My Dry, Sensitive Skin’

Photo credit: Courtesy
Photo credit: Courtesy


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If you've spent any time in the TikTok beauty community, you'll know they're all about budget-friendly products—especially when it comes to makeup. And, after spending a lot of time at home without much makeup on, TikTok's beauty gurus are prioritizing quality products that feel like you're not actually wearing makeup.

With the plethora of beauty brands out there, you never have to settle for less than perfection when it comes to what you want out of your makeup. If you're anything like me, one of the most difficult products to find quality in is foundation. So, when TikTok started raving about Catrice's ultra-affordable HD Liquid Coverage Foundation ($11, Amazon), I had to get my hands (but mostly face!) on it.

As a South Asian woman with sensitive, pigmented, dry skin, it's hard for me to find products that match my skin tone and don't make me break out. I was more than a little skeptical when TikTok users were promising it was lightweight, high-coverage, and had a long-lasting finish. I'm pleased to say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this, especially for a price tag of $11.

Here's why I loved it:

I found a perfect shade match.

My skin has a mix of warm and cool red, yellow, and orange undertones in it, so it can be hard to find an exact shade match. Of the 23 shades offered on Amazon (and 26 on Catrice's site), "golden beige" was perfect for me. It has a bit of a yellow tint to it which added some warmth and radiance to my skin, but my favorite part was the slight red undertone which helped to even out and blur the pigmentation and acne scars I have on my skin.

Photo credit: Courtesy
Photo credit: Courtesy

It lasted on my skin for nine hours.

Having dry skin, most foundations I try end up looking patchy or cakey after a few hours. This is the first foundation I've ever used that didn't budge—though it's important to mention I did have to use a primer (I swear by this one from Smashbox).

I wore this for nine hours through dinner, a long sweat-inducing walk, and a party. The "after" selfie above? It was taken at the end of my night.

It’s as lightweight as everyone says it is.

Tons of foundations are marketed as lightweight, but this one walks the walk with a true water-like texture that'll still get you a matte, high-coverage finish with just six drops for your whole face. I didn't even feel like I was wearing foundation—my skin could actually breathe. While a night of full makeup and clogged pores usually meant I'd be waking up to breakouts on my cheeks, I was pleased to wake up with totally clear skin whenever I'd use this.

If you're in the market for a lightweight, high-coverage foundation, but prefer a more radiant finish like I do, be sure to check out Catrice's True Skin foundation ($11, Amazon). It has all the same qualities as the HD Liquid Lightweight with a more creamy texture and natural, skin-like finish. If you're anything like me, you like to have options, so go ahead and keep both on-hand for any makeup mood you happen to find yourself in.

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