L'Oreal Infallible Matte Foundation | UK vs US

I reviewed L'Oreal's Infallible 24H-Matte Foundation well over a year ago now, and at the time I complained about how horribly it sat on my skin; it just seemed to pool in my pores and I really struggled to get a nice finish to it. I've since discovered that it applies best without a primer, but even then I struggled to get it to last as well as I'd like - with shine coming through within a couple of hours, and the foundation going patchy within 5-6 hours - a far cry from the promised 24 hours! With that in mind, I was dubious about how I'd like the US version of this foundation... But figured it couldn't be any worse.

Similarities.
The formula is pretty similar between the two, with the US version being slightly thicker than the UK; the coverage is also similar, with both offering a pretty full coverage. I do tend to favour a fuller coverage from my foundation so I'm pretty happy with that. The packaging is also similar, though not identical; both foundations come in squeezy plastic tubes with a clear section that allows you to see the shade quite easily, and with red and black branding.

Differences.
The names of the two products differ slightly, the UK version is "Infallible 24H-Matte", whilst the US is "Infallible Pro-Matte" - a minor difference, admittedly, but I notice that the US version isn't making quite such lofty claims for itself. 24 hours is a lot to live up to!
The shade range is more extensive for the US version, with 12 shades on offer, compared to just six in the UK range, which is frankly shameful - there's literally nothing that would suit women of colour. Admittedly the US version isn't amazing, but it's a definite improvement. I wear shade 10 'Porcelain' in the UK version, which is the lightest shade on offer - it's a little too light for me, but the next shade up is noticeably too dark. In the US version, I have 102 'Shell Beige', the second-fairest shade, which is a far better match for me!

The finish is described slightly differently between the two products, with the UK version calling itself matte, and the US version demi-matte. I've found both are pretty similar on the skin initially, with a matte-but-not-flat finish, though the US version is slightly more comfortable and I guess does lean more to demi-matte.
The application also differs; I found the UK version very difficult to work with, and the nicest finish I could get with it seemed to be using a damp beauty blender or similar. The US version is much easier to work with, and blends nicely with brush, fingers or sponge. I think the UK version is slightly quicker to "set" which is where the difficulty comes in. I've also found that the UK version has a tendency to sit in pores and fine lines, and cling to any dry areas, more easily.

The longevity is another point of difference; I find that the UK version is beginning to get shiny after about 2-3 hours, particularly on oilier areas such as my forehead - it also seems to break up a little and go quite patchy around the 5-6 hour mark. The US version fares a little better, generally lasting til mid-afternoon before I need to blot or powder, so around 6-7 hours, and with less of the patchiness. Bear in mind, though, that I do have very oily skin, so those with slightly less oil production may find it lasts better.

Overall, the US version is definitely my pick, and whilst it costs a little more to source it here in the UK, it's worth it for me for the difference in performance! Both look fairly similar in the photos above but in terms of shade match, ease of application, finish and longevity, my money is certainly on the US version.
L'Oreal Paris Infallible 24H-Matte Foundation is £7.99 for 30ml, available at Boots here, whilst L'Oreal Paris Infallible Pro-Matte Foundation seems to start at around £14 on Amazon here; you'll have to have a hunt around for your shade, as they do seem to vary in price somewhat. You can also find it on eBay at a similar price point here, though as always when shopping on eBay I'd suggest checking out the seller's feedback first.
Have you tried either of these foundations, or both? Which is your favourite?

xo
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