urban decay naked skin

this foundation is a five-star experience from start to finish. beginning with shade selection, urban decay has thought of everything.

step one: shade selection

if you purchase this product in person at sephora, you’ll be greeted by a stack of handy shade selectors that will help you to choose your perfect match. it takes the guesswork out of a foundation buy and i really appreciate not having to swatch a dozen things (and thus run around looking crazy for the remainder of the afternoon). each shade is numbered, with those ending in .0 being neutral/cool and those ending .5 being golden/warm. so super easy!

step two: application

urban decay has also created the ideal tool for applying this foundation and while you might be quick to assume that it’s a bit gimmicky and a slick trick to get you to spend another buck, i promise you it’s not. the good karma optical blurring brush is $24, almost $10 less than its sephora-brand counterpart, and it is good quality stuff. the bristles are packed just densely enough to easily buff (this or any liquid) foundation on to skin. you can use it to build coverage where needed and even “stamp” naked skin on to areas that need a little concealer. i won’t be so bold as to tell you that the brush is a must if you’re going to go for this foundation, but i do think it will give you some pretty stellar results.

step three: wear

the foundation itself has gorgeous texture. it’s weightless and the closest thing i’ve felt to that “second skin” so many brands claim to duplicate. it still covers nicely, hiding pesky blemishes and discolorations and you can easily build up the coverage in places you need more. for me, the best part is the finish. it’s a demi matte that isn’t drying but really works to fend off shine. i find that it keeps me looking flawless far longer than my favorite drugstore foundation, but that it’s much less dehydrating than my (former?) favorite prestige.

i’m obviously really loving this stuff and would recommend it to anyone who has combination to oily skin and needs light to medium coverage. if you’re curious (and you should be!), i would urge you to watch this great little video and then get your hot buns to sephora for a quick test to see if you like the finish. i can’t wait to see if you’ll be as smitten as i am.

urban decay naked skin is available at sephora for $38.

think you’ll give this one a try?