Review on Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation

I bought this mousse foundation during the Maybelline Crazy Sale for only Php250. Can you imagine? That’s 50% off! The moment I showed it to my sister, she told me I had been using this before, back when I was still in college, and that my review of it was bleh. I can only vaguely remember that I used a similar mousse foundation from Maybelline so I decided to put this to a road test :)

I really like the product’s texture: very smooth and easy to blend on the skin. It goes on truly moussey and creamy and spreads easily using your fingers. I usually do not need to bother with my foundation brush, but I would recommend buffing it after spreading it evenly, because with its moussey texture, you will find some remnants on your skin that have not yet been spread out flat on your face, like small round bits that will not be very noticeable at first but when you look closely along the jaw line or the sides of your nose, believe me they might probably be there. So buff, buff, and buff after spreading out.

I tried using this on top of bb cream, on top of bbcream+primer, and on top of just primer. I used the Canmake BB Cream and the Canmake Smooth Skin Primer for these tests. The result? Great finish, I mean really matte and good coverage. I like how it looks from the get go!

Regretfully though, I bought a shade darker than I expected. I have a medium and warm skin tone and based on the choices I have available in the counter, I took the Light Beige Medium 0. So if you have a similar skin tone as me, either you combine it with a lighter shade of foundation or purchase one shade lighter than this. In my experience, the color range on stock for every Maybelline store is always very limiting (Hint to step up on the stocking, Maybelline PH!)

I also noticed that this product, although matte, can be very cakey after 4 hours, maximum. It does not hold up very well, and for a matte product, that is disappointing. Although there is not so much separation going on, it is just that kind of product that appears very obvious on the skin after a couple of hours. I am not very sad considering I bought it for half off, but was really hoping it would have been better since it is an affordable matte foundation. Take note: For an oily-skinned person like me, mattes are something to look forward to. Anything with Matte in its name just tempts me like crazy. And if products are good, the tendency for me is to repurchase them.

The verdict: Just okay. Will require retouching after a maximum of 4 hours even with a good primer. Might as well not use a primer and use it for short periods only like a quick run to the grocery store or a quick and simple dinner out. This does not break me out so that's a huge plus! Actually, I have not had any break outs with any of Maybelline products. So if it is any consolation, I do appreciate that over the course of testing this product, I have not had even a tiny pimple.