Review | NYX Stay Matte But Not Flat Liquid Foundation

My local Boots store has finally caught up with what feels like every other store in the country and got itself a NYX stand! I only had a quick browse as the store was super-busy when I was in town, but I picked up a tube of their Stay Matte But Not Flat Liquid Foundation to try; my skin is ridiculously oily, so I'm always attracted to anything that offers me a matte base. I'd not heard much about this foundation prior to purchasing it, so let's see how I've been getting on.

NYX claim that this foundation is, "Oil Free • Water-Based • Full Coverage • Mineral-Enriched • Matte Finish." I picked up shade 04 'Creamy Natural' from the range of eleven shades; there are thirty shades listed on the US site (here) so I'm a little disappointed that the UK only seems to get eleven. There is little to choose from for darker-skinned customers, which is a shame. That said, 'Creamy Natural' is a good match for my skin-tone, so I'm one of the lucky ones I guess!

The foundation is quite thick in texture, which means it takes a fair bit of blending on the skin, made difficult by the fact that it "sets" quite quickly. It's doable with fingers or a brush, but works best with a dampened sponge for the smoothest, most even finish. I've tried it alone and over The Body Shop's Instablur (my favourite!) as a primer, and find it goes on much the same over both. The coverage is medium-full though not very buildable, as it does tend to go cakey quite quickly. I'd say "matte but not flat" is a fair summary of the finish, to begin with - it's not shimmery or glowy, but it's a little bit more "alive" than some matte foundations can be. In terms of lasting power, I've found it does tend to crease a little under my eyes and in my laughter lines, even when set with powder.

[This is the most accurate photo colour-wise.]

The main reason I picked this up was the name; "Stay Matte" is basically #lifegoals for me, so I was pretty disappointed that, despite the fact that I always set with powder, oil started to come through in 3-4 hours without primer, and around 5 with Instablur under the foundation. Admittedly, it's not terrible, and far better than some - but when your foundation is called "Stay Matte", I expect to, well, stay matte. Too much to ask?

[Apologies for the not-great photo - still trying to get the hang of my new camera!]

NYS Stay Matte But Not Flat Liquid Foundation is priced at £6 for 35ml of product, available in the UK at Boots stores or online here. It's not not a terrible foundation, offering decent coverage and a reasonably nice finish - but it's one I'll repurchase, as the creasing and oiliness mean it just doesn't last as well as I'd hoped. If your skin is more normal-combination than straight-up oily like mine, then it may be worth a try! Have you tried any NYX foundations? What's your favourite NYX product?

xo

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