Laura

By Terry Densiliss - #foundationfail


"You look like you got your face wet and then dipped it in sand."

That is my husband's review of the By Terry Densiliss foundation. Harsh but fair.


I really wanted to love this one. So many people - of all ages - extoll it's virtues. They say, forget the price and just go for it. It's a great foundation that will give you an airbrushed finish etc, etc, etc.

It makes me sad that I just don't feel the same. At all.

So let's rewind and start with the premise of this first: it's a hybrid product, part medium coverage foundation and part wrinkle control serum. The packaging talks about something called Mimetic Factor which I can't even pronounce let alone comprehend but it's something to do with a "complex" that evens out skin tone, adding a youthful radiance while still maintaining a natural, matte finish. I believe this is the improved version of the long discontinued Lumiere Veloutee - a foundation that reportedly blurred out imperfections.

There are 10 shades in the range and a variety of undertones - something that makes online ordering almost impossible because the differences between them are subtle but important. I got number 7 - Golden Beige - which is around the NC25-NC27 mark. I paid an extortionate amount of money in Sephora for it - it's priced at £75 in the UK - and toddled on home to road test it.

Things I noticed:

1) It has a very By Terry scent - I love this fragrance as it's a sweet rose/floral but I can imagine this getting on the nerves of those more sensitive. For reference it smells exactly the same as Cover Expert.
2) The packaging is luxe - ...and it bloomin' well should be! It's a glass bottle with a pump that makes for neat dispensing of the product.
3) It is buildable - 1-2 pumps and you have a very good medium coverage finish. It does blend easily into the skin (whether you use your hands, a sponge or a brush)
4) The finish is horrible...

...and that's where it all went wrong.

Now admittedly I like a glowy finish by choice but I am not a stranger to a good matte. Chanel Mat Lumiere, By Terry Cover Expert and MUFE Mat Velvet are all foundations that I love. They give a delicate matte finish that controls oil but still manages to give a soft, airbrushed finish.

Densiliss isn't anything like that on me. It manages to make my skin look flat, dehydrated and also highlights every single fine line that I own. As a result of that it's very visible on my skin in the least flattering way possible.

I have tried playing around with it - using without powder, mixing it with MAC Strobe Cream (better I have to say) and using different amounts/tools to apply it. But whatever I do, I end up hating my face.

I just don't get it. This isn't what I expected at all. How can a foundation aimed at the anti-ageing market perpetuate the very look of maturity? I guess I am unlucky but still...

I do put my hands up and concede that it was my mistake to buy this on blind faith. I got so revved up by positive reviews from well-known bloggers that I assumed it would be great so when I was in store and feeling reckless I decided to just go for it - especially when the colour match was so spot on.

In experiencing this #fail I have been doing some thorough review reading and it's completely polarised - some HATE it and some absolutely love it. There must be something I am missing here.

So I am asking those of you who have invested your own cash and adored it..what am I doing wrong? Is there a formula to usage that you can kindly share with me? I would be forever grateful to learn that magic combination and if I can't make it work then it will be one heck of an expensive "mixer" for my other foundations :)
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