September 10, 2015

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation Review & Swatches

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation6

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation ($17) is a new permanent shade matching serum foundation that’s available in three shade selections and recently launched with the Pacifica Fall 2015 Collection.

Throw “bare face” or “bare skin” anything at me and I’m all over it. I have fairly resilient skin that doesn’t need a ton of coverage however, I do suffer from dullness so I’m always looking for lightweight foundations or tinted moisturizers that ease dullness, brighten my complexion, and even out my skin tone that feel lightweight and look natural.

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation sounds intriguing as it promises a healthy, bright finish with a silicone free formula but I was kinda hesitant to try it since I had a little bit of an issue with their Pacifica Alight Multi-Mineral BB Cream being WAY too sheer. But I decided to grab this anyway and give it a whirl.

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation is available in three shade selections of Fair/Light, Light/Medium, and Medium/Dark. I choose the Light/Medium as my skin is a little tanner at the moment and the shade seems more of an orange-y beige shade much like Josie Maran’s Argan Daily Moisturizer Protect + Perfect. Although orange-y I was kinda ok with the shade sine Josie’s shade is much the same and works fabulously for me!

This comes housed in a 1 oz pump bottle. It’s kinda expensive at $17 for such a small amount so if you’re wanting to try it now would be a go time as Ulta has Pacifica on sale for buy 1, get 1 50% off!

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation swatches

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation4

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation5

I’m not a firm believer in instant shade matching foundations but they can sometimes work. Mostly with this formula it’s too sheer to actually cause any chalkiness, pastiness, or even any issues with being too dark or too orange. The formula has the very minimal amount of pigment and offers absolutely no coverage. My fears and trepidation about trying this product because of the sheer issues I experienced with their Alight BB Cream were unfortunately founded to be true. This has no coverage at all but as I stated above even something sheerer that evened out my skin tone and maybe brightened my complexion would have been welcome but sadly, it doesn’t even have coverage enough to do that.

Worst yet would be the fact that the formula is absolutely heinous. It’s like an old foundation that you might have stashed away for many years and never threw out. Right out of the pump it comes out runny, separated, and oily. It applies with light moisture but feels oily and slightly gritty on my skin. It contains an SPF 20 and perhaps that’s where the issues arise from as perhaps the SPF just doesn’t merge well with the color and this might cause the separation issues or at least that’s what I’m assuming. For those sensitive this does have a subtle fresh floral scent.

I’m all about minimal, natural coverage but Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation does not deliver that in the least. This formula is a major disappointment for me. I’d say if maybe you liked the BB Cream you MIGHT like the Bare-Faced Serum Foundation but user beware because personally I think both are a waste of money.

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation is available now at Ulta and Ulta.com.

Tried it?

Do share!

Pacifica Dreamy Cover Bare-Faced Serum Foundation3

I purchased this item and I receive a small commission if you shop using the links in this post.

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • Ashlynn

    I am so sorry about your experience with this! I sampled the fair/light at Ulta and it wasn’t orangey at all as the light medium was. Did you shake it? I had the same issue but after a good shake it came out well and did have about medium coverage. But, I think I mentioned this in the Pacifica primer post recently, SILICA! So mattifying and drying for dry skin ladies! This was very drying on me and I am not sure why it separates but you said it well, like an old foundation! I don’t like the unspecified “parfum (all-natural) so I didn’t buy it but I was sure curious to try it. I think it would have to be shaken for every use. Ulta has mostly great reviews for this too as I have been waiting to see more on it. I can say from my own cosmetic creation that I do (mostly what I wear lol) is that zinc and titanium (oil soluble) are not going to emulsify well with extracts on lecithin alone. I am no pro here, just my experience, but that might be the issue. I am still waiting on the pressed blushes they released! I know that Pacifica makeup is a bit of a disappointment for you but I would love to see a review on the blushes when they come out on shelves =) Have a lovely day!

    • Isabella Muse

      Oh it happens! 🙁 I did indeed, VERY, VERY vigorously 🙂 and yes it has that kinda scratchy silica feel that isn’t pleasant! Thanks for your very valuable input on the ingredients and the separation issues 🙂 Pacifica is hit or miss for me but I’m always willing to try out their offerings especially the color cosmetics as they are typically good 😀 so I will try the blushes for sure!!!!!

      • Ashlynn

        You are welcome! I really like to learn about ingredients and how they make a product do what it is designed to do =) I don’t think I will be buying this at all, until maybe they improve the formula. I really value your reviews and look for them first 😉

        • Isabella Muse

          aww thanks Ashlynn! I’m always trying to learn about ingredients myself but I’m such a fail at it! If anything get it on sale at LEAST! I was just major disappointed in the sheerer coverage, I mean I felt like I was applying water on my face!

        • Jeanine McAuliffe

          You seem to know your foundation ingredients Ashlynn so what foundation would you recommend for dry skin?!? Would love a drugstore and he suggestion! Been searching for my holy grail foundation for over a year now with no end in sight! Thinking about trying the dbl wear but have heard such bad reviews since they changed the formula. Thanks so much for your input from anyone!

          • Ashlynn

            Hi Jeanine!

            I could say a lot here! But, I don’t want to overwhelm you or anyone else reading so I will keep it fairly short. If you would like to talk further we can email. First, learning about ingredients and how they work is an ongoing process and I am still learning so much. I am not a chemist or estetician so I am not a professional.
            My main concern is skin care. I do use very natural an organic products because of what I have learned about both ingredients and how the skin works; it has changed my skin dramatically too. I don’t have dry skin anymore due to changing my approach to skin care and makeup. When I did use drugstore foundations though, I used the Revlon Colorstay for normal/dry skin. The oily skin formula differs very little from the normal/dry, except that this one contains a small amount of alcohol and more orchid extract, a fragrance ingredient.The should differ more than that! Everyone’s skin is unique and acts differently so this may or may not be good for you. This one is great if you are looking for a more full coverage. I have also found that using a drop of facial oil, such as argan oil, into a foundation will greatly help with dry skin by adding some nourishing moisture. But if you have good skin care and prep, you may not need this. You can do this with your moisturizer as well for a lighter coverage. I haven’t used a drugstore foundation in over a year ( I craft my own minerals for a mineral powder foundation) and there are a lot of new ones out there now I haven’t even looked at. The only other I can recommend would be the Physicians formula Organic wear CC cream if you have a more neutral-pink undertone. This one is more moisturizing because it contains some nourishing ingredients like jojoba oil, sunflower oil, Radish Root Ferment Filtrate as a preservative which is also a moisturizing ingredient, and glycerin as some of the main moisturizing ingredients. It does have silica, but it is not drying at all in this because it contains a higher amount of moisturizing ingredients. Glycerin is a humectant so in some climates it could attract too much moisture and in some that are more dry, it could draw moisture from your skin.
            Skin changes with weather and lifestyle and foundations ingredients can change in the bottle over time too. If you would like, I can go into more detail about specific ingredients and how they work on the skin and with each other. But these are what I would recommend from the drugstore. I hope this helps! =)

          • Jeanine McAuliffe

            Thanks sooo much Ashlynn, Im going to try that. I greatly appreciate it!

  • Kaley

    Aw I’m sorry it didn’t work for you! Maybe you got a bad one! I bought this product, same shade, and it really does have a lot of coverage. Mine never looked as separated as yours did in the photo.

    • Isabella Muse

      You’re lucky! I’m glad you got a good one. Maybe because it shipped in the heat?! I haven’t been in store to check it out!!!!!

  • Michelle

    I seem to have similar issues with all of Pacifica’s products. I want to love them, just for their pretty packaging, but nothing “does it” for me. The only product I’ve ever tried that I will buy again are the deodorant wipes. I work in an office where the temperature fluctuates according to no rhyme or reason, and some days it’s like a jungle in there. Even though I shower every morning and use deodorant/antiperspirant, I NEED to freshen up on those days. The Pacifica wipes are the only ones I’ve found that actually eliminate my BO, as opposed to other wipes that just try to cover the BO with perfume.

  • Camille

    I have super dry, flaky skin. I’ve been looking for an oily foundation that won’t get cake on me. It works for me and the spf is a plus. My skin is so dry that I used to mix Vaseline with my foundation. So far so good. But I do see more negative comments than positive, so I’m gonna see how it goes